A/N: new chappie! enjoy!

Chapter 21: Twenty-one Tools

"Olivia…"

She knew that voice. She knew it very well, but it sounded so far away, almost like a whisper.

"Olivia!"

It was louder now, and she definitely knew that voice, but the darkness around her refused to let up.

"Olivia! Wake up!"

Her eyes finally shot open to find herself face to face with the Doctor. Concern was written in every line of his face and shining in his blue eyes as he watched her, closely, his hands holding tightly to her arms. She soon realized she was in one of the jump seats in the TARDIS and her eyes darted around it before looking back at him with a wide-eyed stare.

"Theta…" she breathed, making him sigh in relief, but he was still tense, she could feel it. "Have I been here the whole time?"

"Yes and no," he replied.

"Yes and no?" she echoed with a frown of confusion.

"You and the TARDIS were physically here, but the TARDIS image and your mind were sort of…between dimensions," he explained quickly, and she nodded in understanding before her eyes widened again as she recalled something…or rather someone.

"And…the Master?" she breathed. His eyes suddenly darkened as he clenched his jaw, causing a muscle in his cheek to twitch and her heart raced in panic.

"He was trapped between dimensions as well," he nearly growled, his hands leaving her arms as he stood from kneeling in front of her, and when he stood aside, she gave a shuddering breath of disbelief and terror at what was behind him.

The Master lay on the floor, unconscious.

"Theta…" she breathed again, grabbing onto his arm as she slowly stood, their eyes locked on the Master on the TARDIS floor. "How…?"

"He used the TARDIS and your mind as a catalyst into this dimension," the Doctor explained. "Your mind and the TARDIS image moved from one world to another and he latched onto both using the four beat signal. When you came back, you brought him with you. He would have found the TARDIS image in the world between dimensions and stood in its image, since its physical form was still here, allowing him to hitch a ride with it while his mind hitched a ride with yours."

"Oh, my god," she shuddered. "I brought him back here. I'm…so sorry."

"This wasn't your fault, Liv," he assured her, pulling his arm from her grasp to wrap it around her shoulders and pull her close. "But this will cost him."

"What do you mean?" she frowned up at him.

The Master suddenly thrashed with a pained groan, making her gasp and look at him as the Doctor pulled her back a step, both still staring at him. The Master shouted in agony before rolling onto all fours and shoving himself up, his back to them. He grabbed onto the side of the console to pull himself to his feet, leaning on the edge as he panted with effort of staying upright.

"I take it the High Council gave you more regenerations," the Doctor growled, making Olivia shoot a wide-eyed stare of terror at him. "You wouldn't have attempted this otherwise."

"Oh, you know me too well, Doctor," the Master groaned, pain coursing through his body as he arched his back and growled, grinding his teeth before turning to them, staggering to stay on his feet. "But I did tell you…didn't I? I told you I'd be here, in your TARDIS, and I am."

"What's to keep me from killing you before your regeneration is complete?" the Doctor snarled, pulling Olivia completely behind him when the Master's skin began glowing with energy.

"You haven't changed that much," the Master smirked, looking to his hands before grinning up at them and giving a wink. "As they say…see you on the flip side."

Golden energy burst from his hands and head, making Olivia duck behind the Doctor who only watched the regeneration, the Master shouting in pain before the glow was doused as suddenly as it had burst from him and the Master shook himself from head to toe to loosen up. Olivia peeked around the Doctor and stared huge eyes at the new man the Master had become. He had to be as tall as the Doctor now, with long limbs, a head of short, dark ginger curls on his head, huge sea-green eyes above a perfectly straight nose, cheekbones to rival the Doctor's new ones and a Cheshire grin that showed off perfect, white teeth behind thin lips.

"Oh, why do you get to be ginger?!" the Doctor groaned, making Olivia frown up at him in disbelief as the Master smirked, smugly and tousled the curls on top of his head before he sucked at his teeth with a frown over his brow.

"Mm…new teeth," the Master muttered before grinning again. "They're quite straight. I've had 'em straight before, but these are straighter than straight. You'd think I had them done up. I quite like them."

Olivia swallowed hard as she watched the Master lift his hands and look over himself, still wearing the tuxedo he had been wearing in the parallel universe they'd been trapped in.

"Bit tall, aren't I?" he muttered, looking down at himself and the cuffs of his trousers, shirt and jacket that were far too high on him now, revealing his wrists and ankles. He looked back up at them with a huge grin, his eyes sparkling as he added, "But don't I look fabulous?"

"Awful lot of effort just to get back to this dimension," the Doctor reported, now glaring at the Master who was pulling off his tuxedo jacket then tugging at his tie.

"Very observant," the Master shot back. "Where's your wardrobe? I need a change of clothes."

The Doctor glared at the Master as he draped his jacket over one shoulder, tucking a hand into his pocket and grinning maniacally back at the Doctor. Olivia had remained silent, glancing between the two, waiting for either one of them to say something, whether the Master told them his plan or the Doctor said something. Anything.

"Down these stairs and the TARDIS will bring the wardrobe as close as she can," the Doctor finally replied, making Olivia shoot a wide-eyed stare of disbelief at him.

"Thanks, dear," the Master nodded before strolling down the stairs and deeper into the TARDIS, Olivia staring at him the entire way and when he disappeared, she shoved the Doctor around to make him face her glare.

"What…the…hell?!" she hissed.

"Liv—"

"He's on the TARDIS and you just let him have a stroll through it?!" she snapped, cutting him off. "This is our home and you just—!"

"Sh…" the Doctor whispered, placing his index finger over his lips.

Olivia opened her mouth, but she felt her throat close up, unable to speak, making her stare wide eyes at him as she realized what he'd done. She pursed her lips and stomped her foot as she glared at him, looking like a five year old having a tantrum.

"That's better," he nodded, making her eyes narrow at him in irritation. "I know what you're thinking, and I know you're scared, Liv, but just listen a second. I know what he's done, but for all his faults, he and I used to be friends. He did save me before my regeneration, like he said. There's still good in him, I can feel it." Olivia's gaze softened, making him give a small smile before he nodded, "Ok, you can talk now. It's worn off."

"You're a sentimental idiot."

"Well, thanks very much, ya cynical old bat," he shot back with a scowl.

"Jack and Martha told me all about the Year That Never Was, and the Master and everything that happened, from Utopia to the Helicarrier. He cannibalized the TARDIS, he refused to regenerate when Lucy shot him, not to mention the last thing he did to the entire human race before you regenerated. I understand that you wanna try to help him but…what if he's beyond helping?"

The Doctor sighed, taking her hand as she met his gaze in sorrow before he lifted her hand to kiss it then lowered her hand to place one of his on her cheek, whispering, "No one's beyond saving, Liv. Not even him."

Olivia realized he wasn't going to give this up. He was a dog with a bone, and she had to admit, had this been herself and Aaron, she would have been the same way. She gave a nod before giving him a slight glare as she retorted, "The next time you call me an old bat, I'll slap you."

He couldn't help but snicker and she gave a small smile before her attention was drawn to footsteps coming back up the stairs. The Master was now dressed in a completely matching suit, tie and waistcoat of black with white plaid stripes everything but the crisp, white dress shirt and black leather ankle boots shined to perfection.

"Much better," he sighed, buttoning his cuffs as the Doctor and Olivia turned to him when he stepped next to the console. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes…you were asking me what I wanted, yes?"

"You're not leaving this TARDIS until you explain yourself," the Doctor nodded as Olivia stepped up next to him, taking the Doctor's hand in hers. The Master glanced to their hands and smirked as he leaned a hand on the console with a huge grin.

"A united front, it would seem," he noticed, but neither one of them replied, waiting for his answer. He gave a chuckle before circling the console, the new, long fingers of his hand gliding over the edge as he did. "You know I never liked the Time War. It's why I ran away from it. So, you can imagine, when I was sent back to it, then made to fight again, it hit a bit of a nerve."

"So now you've escaped it again," the Doctor observed. "Is there no other reason, besides cowardice?"

The Master stopped in front of them as Olivia bit her lower lip nervously, her hand tightening on the Doctor's when the Master turned a glare at them.

"Maybe not," he sighed, seeming nonchalant as his hand gripped a lever on the console and he grinned, "Shall we find out?"

He laughed as he slammed the lever down and the TARDIS thrashed. Olivia was sent to the floor as the Doctor grabbed onto the console to keep himself on his feet as the Master laughed, maniacally. The Doctor tried reaching for some of the switches on the console, but the Master raced toward him, grabbing him by the throat and shoving him back onto the railing around the console. The Master loomed over the Doctor, one Time Lord glaring down at the other.

"All this time, traipsing the universe with your cute little companions," the Master snarled down at the Doctor, not noticing Olivia haul herself up by the edge of the console. "You had your fun in the TARDIS, well now it's my turn. I'm going to right all the wrongs that were done to me. Starting with that day I was forced to look into the blasted Vortex!"

"You can't change your own timeline!" the Doctor argued, trying to shove the Master off of him, but the insane Time Lord leaned down at look him in the eye with a maniacal grin.

"Oh, can't I?" he chuckled, evilly. "Says the man who changed his own by placing Gallifrey into another dimension?"

"That's quite enough of that thank you very much!" Olivia called, now manning the console and turning the Master's attention to her. She pressed a few buttons and the ominous sound of a bell tolling filled the control room, making both Time Lords frown at her in wonder before she stepped back from the console, pulling out her Sonic and aiming it at one of the panels. She leveled her stare at the Master, keeping herself steady on the railing as the TARDIS still thrashed and the sound continued to echo through the room. "Let him go and I'll land us safely."

"And if I don't?" the Master smirked, evilly.

Olivia gave a smirk of her own, and the Doctor seemed to read her mind, making him shake his head in warning, but she kept her stare on the Master.

"Better hold on," she retorted.

The hum of the Sonic sounded along with the tolling and the TARDIS thrashed again, sending the Master to the ground, the Doctor stumbling into the console along with Olivia. Sparks flew from the console, along with smoke, making the Doctor stare at it in terror.

"What the hell have you done?!" the Doctor shouted at her before they were all thrown around again when the TARDIS thrashed once more. They all hung onto the console, each trying to fly it before it thrashed once more and stopped, the control room lights dimming until they were shrouded in darkness. "Olivia…what have you done?"

"She's done what I would have," the Master smirked, making the couple look to him as he leaned an elbow on the console, a hand propping his chin up as he grinned at her. "Have the honors of explaining, darling."

"First of all, I'm not your darling," Olivia shot back with a glare to him as she stepped toward the monitor to examine it. "Secondly, what I've done is made an agreement with the TARDIS. We are currently sitting on a planet that I know, for a fact, will not be attacked or invaded even while we're here. So, you two will help each other fix the TARDIS, and maybe, just maybe, the Doctor will prove to me that you're not the crazy bag of cats I've been told you are."

"Olivia?" the Doctor called with a frown.

"Oh, and no one's leaving the TARDIS," she added with a sweet smile, pressing another button on the console and a sound from the door made the Time Lords turn to it before looking back at her as the Doctor approached her.

"Olivia, what do you think you're doing?" he ground out, marching up next to her as she turned to face him, the Master starting to pace, lazily from the door then back to the console.

"Giving you what you want," she retorted, leaning on the console. "You wanted a chance to find the good in him? This is your chance. If we let him out he'll wreak havoc and you know it."

"But did you have to break my TARDIS to do it?!" he hissed back.

"Oh, stop whining. She's always broken."

The Doctor sighed before glancing at the Master who was still pacing, kicking at the floor in boredom. She had a point…she always did. Olivia was always right.

"Fine," he groaned before giving a small pout and running a hand over the console. She knew he was pouting because she'd 'broken' his ship and it made her smile as she lifted a hand to bring his gaze to hers.

"You'll fix her," she whispered. "You always do."

He gave a small smile before she stepped up onto her tiptoes to press a tender kiss to his lips.

"Oh, gag me!" the Master called, loudly, making them look to him, Olivia annoyed, the Doctor exasperated. "Please, spare me your public displays of affection. It turns my stomach."

"It would," Olivia muttered.

"Where are we?" the Doctor asked, drawing her attention back to him.

"That will be your reward when you get the TARDIS fixed," she shot back.

"Oh, darling, don't be so cold," the Master pouted before giving a grin when she shot an annoyed glare at him.

"I'm telling you one last time, I'm not your darling," she snapped.

"Alright, Liv, why don't you go get my tools," the Doctor suggested, turning her toward the stairs.

"Which tools?" she questioned him. "There's the one tool with twenty-one functions, then there's the box with twenty-one tools in it."

"Twenty-one tools, please, thank you," he replied.

Olivia kept up her glare at the Master as she made to head down the stairs and he blew her a kiss with a wink making her roll her eyes and turn to march out of the room. The Doctor glanced between her exit and the Master before stepping toward the other Time Lord, annoyed that he was looking at her that way.

"Master," he called, and the Master froze before standing tall and looking to the Doctor with wide eyes.

"You used my name," he breathed.

"If you hurt Olivia—"

"Oh, don't you start," the Master cut in, rolling his eyes and turning back to the console to start fiddling. "I don't have any interest in her anymore. She got me here. That was the whole purpose of wooing her in the parallel universe. But I don't need her now. She's all yours."

The Doctor slammed his hand down over the Master's making the latter give an 'Ooh!' sound before giggling and looking up at the Doctor's glare with a grin.

"If you ever hurt her again," the Doctor said again, this time through gritted teeth. "I will be sure to use up all your regenerations torturing you the way you did her."

The Master gave a small frown before scoffing and standing tall to meet the Doctor's glare with a wide, toothy grin.

"You've rather shown your hand there, dear," the Master smirked.

"I haven't shown you anything you didn't know already…darling."

"Oh, lord, would the two of you stuff the testosterone?" Olivia snapped, noting how very much like Amy she sounded as she lugged the Doctor's tool box up the stairs toward the console, both Time Lords looking to her as she approached. She made her way to the Doctor and hauled the box into his arms and he barely caught it in his shock at her statement. "Let's get one thing straight here…the only reason 'Harry' and I were a thing was because I was in a parallel universe where the Doctor 'didn't exist.' Master, don't hit on me. Doctor, stop with the jealousy. Both of you, fix the TARDIS. I'll be in the kitchen finding something for us to eat."

The two watched her turn to march back toward the stairs again. They were silent before the Master turned a smirk to the Doctor.

"I can see why you like her," he smirked, shoving off the console to turn and head down another set of stairs leading below the console. The Doctor was still staring at the place where Olivia had exited, marveling at the fact that she could still surprise him before he was pulled from his trance with a start when the Master slapped a hand to his shoulder, "Come on, mate. We'd best get to work."

That brought the Doctor back to his senses, making him turn to hurry after the Master, snapping, "Oi! My TARDIS! I say when we get to work!"

"Aye, aye, just hand me the tools and I'll show you how it's done."

"You're not touching my TARDIS! You hand me the tools!"

Meanwhile...

Olivia sighed as she heard the Time Lords arguing from the bottom of the stairs, realizing this was going to be a long…however long it would take to fix the TARDIS. She turned to head toward the kitchen, hoping the TARDIS routed some power there so that she could make something for them to eat. She wasn't really sure what she'd done, she just knew that the TARDIS had guided her to all the switches and dials she needed to 'break' her. She was sure all she'd really done was shut down the power and the TARDIS wouldn't bring it back until the Master started behaving.

If he behaved.

Shoving a hand into her pocket, she pulled her cell phone out as she stepped through a door, glad to find it was the kitchen. She dialed in a familiar number before pressing the phone to her ear and waiting for the person she was calling to answer.

"Olivia?!"

She pulled the phone back an inch from her ear with a wince as Joyce screamed at her from the other end.

"Oh, my God! Where are you?! The TARDIS disappeared, then the Doctor made it appear again, then he went inside and it disappeared again!"

"Yeah, mom, I'm aware," Olivia nodded, rummaging through the dimly lit kitchen. "We're fine now. We're…off on another adventure. I'm not sure when we'll be back, but it'll hopefully be soon. How's Amelia?"

"She's fine," Joyce sighed in relief. "She's napping right now. I hope you're back soon. She's starting to notice you two aren't around much today."

"Fussing?"

"A bit."

"What time is it?"

"12:30 in the afternoon."

"Ok, we'll be there in a half hour. On second thought, better make that an hour. Not sure how on time this thing is gonna be after these two get done with it."

"These two?!"

Olivia's eyes widened, realizing the slip before quickly replying, "Uh…Woops! Gotta go mom! Fire in the TARDIS! Bye!"

She quickly hung up the phone before turning back to find something to make for the two Time Lords in the control room.

A/N: Introducing, Tom Hiddleston as the Master...because I couldn't resist. reviews?