As I stood aside, letting the guys go about figuring things out, I watched as Martha went through Jack's backpack and pulled out a container with a hand in it. My eyebrow raised as the solution bubbled and the longer I examined it, the more I realised that the hand was quite familiar. It wasn't any hand though, it was the Doctor's from when he had regenerated two Christmas pasts. "Oh my God." The men stopped what they were doing and turned to Martha as she placed the jar on a table. Sighing, I went over to her and Jack threw me a guilty glance. From the corner of my eye, I saw the kid leaning against the far wall perk up in interest. "You've got a hand? A hand in a jar. A hand in jar in your bag."

"But t- that- that's my hand!"

"I said I had a Doctor detector," Jack shrugged, nervously might I add, as I chuckled.

Chantho seemed completely confused as the why Jack was carrying a hand around. "Chan, is this a tradition amongst your people, tho?"

"Not on my street! What do you mean, that's your hand? You've got both your hands. I can see them."

"He lost it in a swordfight on Christmas. It was a very long and eventful day."

The Doctor nodded and placed an arm around my waist. He knew I was thinking of what had happened before the fight, just as he knew I still felt guilty for causing his regeneration, even if he said he chose to save me. Although I knew it was true, there was still a part of me that felt horrible about it. It was pretty obvious in retrospect that it was bound to happen, whether it was Rose or me but he barely had much time in that body. There was so much those eyes hadn't seen and to know it was cut short got to me. "It was."

"What, and you grew another hand?"

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I did, yeah." Her face fell as he waved at her. "Hello."

"Might I ask, what species are you?"

"Time Lord- last of, me and Rys. Heard of them?" The man stared at him not recognising what the Doctor said. Well that was nice, our people were forgotten a hundred trillion years in the future. Maybe it was a good thing, especially after how they turned out. "Legend or anything?" The older gentleman shrugged. "Not even a myth? Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling."

"Which is good since your head is big enough." The Doctor shot me a pointed look which I returned before giving him a quick peck on the cheek. As I pulled away, he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me to him and resting his chin atop my head.

"Chan, it is said that I am the last of my species, too, tho."

The Doctor turned and gave Chantho his attention. "Sorry. What was your name?"

"She said it earlier but you were just so engrossed in looking around," I chastised, rolling my eyes at him, not that he saw. The man had such a one tracked mind sometimes; it was unbearable for the most part. Then again, I was sure he caught her name since he never really missed anything.

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho. A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge."

"The city outside, that was yours?"

"Chan, the conglomeration died, tho."

"Conglomeration- that's what I said!"

'That is not how you respond.'

He pouted. 'But I was right.'

'Doesn't matter.'

"You're supposed to say sorry," Jack unknowingly reinforced, causing the Doctor to groan in irritation.

"Oh, yes. Sorry."

"Chan, most grateful, tho."

"You grew… another hand?" Martha asked, still on the previous topic and still in disbelief. I couldn't really blame her; she never really encountered an anyone that could regrow limbs. Then again, she also didn't know that he was in the first fifteen hours of regeneration, which was particularly lucky of him. Honestly, if it were anyone else, things would have probably went worse.

"Hello again." He waved at her again. "It's fine. Look, really, it's me." He held his hand out for her to shake, which she cautiously did.

"All this time, and you're still full of surprises." He clicked his tongue, smiling.

"Chan, you are most unusual, tho."

"Well…"

"So what about those things outside?" Jack asked, getting back to business. Considering he'd travelled with us for a while, I knew none of this should or would faze him, but there was something about his demeanour that told me his travels with us wasn't what caused him to be so calm and collected. "The Beastie Boys- what are they?"

"We call them the Futurekind, which is a myth in itself, but, uh, it's feared they are what we will become- unless we reach Utopia."

"And what exactly is Utopia?" I questioned, my interest peaked. It was interesting, their thoughts, and so human, even if it didn't make much sense. If the universe was dying, there would be nothing out there. Utopia seemed to just be something that kept them going and I'll be damned if I took that away from them.

"Oh, every human knows of Utopia. Where have you been?"

"Bit of hermits."

"Hermits with, uh, friends?"

"Hermits United. We meet up every ten years and swap stories about caves. It's good fun…for a hermit. So, um, Utopia?"

The gentleman looked at him quizzically before beckoning him with a finger and pulling up a display on the gravitational field navigation system. I moved away from the Doctor a bit to get a better look, seeing a flashing red dot amongst a sea of blue. Not much to my surprise, he followed, throwing an arm over my shoulder. "The call came from across the stars, over and over again- 'Come to Utopia', originating from that point."

"Where is that?"

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness- out towards the Wildlands and the Dark Matter reefs, calling us in. The last of the humans scattered across the night."

"What do you think's out there?"

"We can't know. A colony, a city, some sort of haven? The Science Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind, to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes," the Doctor said, not noticing the man's fact contort in pain before brandishing a faraway look. I watched him for a while, trying to figure out what could have caused it but all it did was give me a pounding headache. "And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not on automatic. That's a good sign. Someone's out there. And that's- oh. That's a navigation matrix. So you can fly without stars to guide you. Professor?" The Doctor finally noticed the man's expression. "Professor? Professor!"

The man snapped out of whatever had taken hold of him. "I, er, ahem, right. That's enough talk. There's work to do. Now, if you could leave. Thank you." The man pushed past the Doctor, moving to the other side of the laboratory.

"You all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. And busy!"

"But that rocket, it isn't going to fly, is it?" I gently asked. "The footprint mechanism… it's not working."

"We'll find a way!"

"You're stuck on this planet. And you haven't told them, have you? That lot out there, they still think they're going to fly."

He took a seat, dejected at the thought and the failure. "Well, it's better to let them live in hope."

"Quite right, too. And I must say, Professor… er, what was it?" Pulling off his coat, Jack took it and folded it over his arm. I glanced at him, chuckling a bit. He had seemed to become a coatrack. Jack gave me an irritated grin before handing it to Martha, who just rolled her eyes. With his hands free, Jack joined us, looking over the screens and data.

"Yana."

The Doctor pulled away from me. I pouted a bit and was given a quick peck on the cheek. "Professor Yana, this new science is well beyond me. But all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any timeframe, must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder, what would happen if I did..." He soniced the end of a cable and pulled. "This?" Suddenly power surged through the machines and an alarm began to blare. Yana and Chantho looked around in wonder and happiness.

"Chan, it's working, tho!"

"But how did you do that?"

"Oh, we've been chatting away. I forgot to tell you- I'm brilliant." I rolled my eyes as his ego shone through. The man was nowhere near humble, that was for sure. Over by the wall, I heard a strangled laugh and turned to the younger man who had remained silent since we had first met. As our eyes met, he quickly looked away, his chin length hair covering his eyes. It was enough for me to feel something from him, and it was good. Whatever was to happen that involved him, it would be wonderful. Knowing that, I eased up on observing him, and waited for the moment to come.

As the passages prepared to board, the Doctor ran around the laboratory, tossing odds and ends to Jack as they moved to get the system where it should be. Yana stood at the controls while Martha and Chantho worked at another end of the lab. I helped them connect some wires to the system before rushing to the computer, watching Yana as he inputted some information. A moment later, Martha and Chantho left the room. I watched as the men moved around the equipment in Professor Yana's laboratory. I rolled my eyes as I saw the Doctor sniff at one of the wires, luckily he didn't lick it. He motioned me over, asking me to smell it. Reluctantly… very reluctantly, I did so, looking up at him surprised. "Is this…"

"Yes, gluten extract. Binds the neutralino map together," Yana answered.

"But that's food. You've built this system out of food and string and staples. Professor Yana, you're a genius."

"Yeah, says the man who made it work."

"Oh, it's easy coming in at the end, but… you're stellar. This is- this is magnificent. And I don't often say that 'cause, well- 'cause of us."

"Well, even my title is an affectation. There hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another."

"If you'd been born in a different time, you'd be revered." Yana chuckled. "I mean it. Throughout the galaxies."

"Oh, those damn galaxies." I smiled at the old man but stopped when I noticed the other man roll his eyes. Maybe there was something we were missing about Yana, something that the younger man knew. "They had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice, yes. Just a little. Just once."

"Well, you've got it now. But that footprint engine thing… you can't activate it from on-board. It's got to be from here. You're staying behind."

"With Chantho. She won't leave without me. Simply refuses."

"And what about him?" I asked, pointing to the younger man.

"Kiel." It was nice to finally learn his name. "Yes, he has another way out. Built another rocket for himself."

"That's impressive. Mind if we take a look?"

"Yeah, I do."

"The Doctor shrugged turned from Kiel and back to Yana while I watched the young man. I kept feeling as though I knew him, and the more I tried to figure it out, the more it annoyed me. The name did sound somewhat familiar but I couldn't really place where I'd heard it. "You'd give your life so they could fly."

"Oh, I think I'm a little too old for Utopia. Time I had some sleep."

"Professor, tell the Doctor we've found his blue box."

"Ah!"

"Doctor," Jack called as the Tardis appeared on the monitor.

"Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I might just have found you a way out." I looked over to see Yana clutching his head. Turning from him, I glanced at Kiel to see his eyes had widened in recognition. Suddenly I felt a throbbing sensation in my head. Knowing it wasn't from me or the Doctor, I looked around the room, my eyes landing on Yana. I watched him, giving a small smile when the Tardis materialized in the room. I didn't even notice when the Doctor had left and that told me something was extremely wrong. I always knew when he ran off. A moment later, the Doctor walked out dragging a power cable with him. "Extra power! Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Jack, you're in charge of the retro feeds. Rys, see that everything's level." I nodded and moved to the monitors just as Martha and Chantho returned to the room.

"Oh, am I glad to see that thing."

"Oh, am I glad to see that thing."

From the corner of my eye I saw Chantho rush to Yana's side. "Chan, Professor, are you alright, tho?"

"Yes, fine. I'm fine. I'm fine!" he snapped as she remained at his side. "Just get on with it."

"Connect those circuits into the spar, same as that last lot but quicker!"

"Ooo, yes sir," Martha replied as she went off to do what Jack had said.

I joined her, knowing it would go a lot easier with two. Glancing up, I saw Yana still sitting, trying to recover himself. I quickly walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You really don't have to do anything. We've got it, you know."

"It's just a headache, my dear. It's just… just a noise in my head. Constant noise inside my head."

I looked from him to my husband, the two of us sharing our worry for the old man. "What sort of noise?" he asked.

"It's the sound of drums." I stared at him, thinking of the throbbing I had felt. The pounding of drums against my mind. "More and more, as though it's getting closer."

"When did it start up?"

"Oh, I've had it all my life, every waking hour. Still, no rest for the wicked." I gave him a small smile before returning to Martha and Chantho as they placed circuit boards onto a rack. The two women were having a conversation of their own.

"How long have you been with the professor?"

"Chan, seventeen years, tho."

"Blimey. A long time."

"Chan, I adore him, tho."

"Oh right, and he…"

"Chan, I don't think he even notices, tho."

"He's a guy. They don't notice anything until it's spelled out to them, isn't that right, Rys?"

"For the most part. The Doctor wasn't that oblivious though."

"What do you mean? He's the most oblivious man I've ever met. He didn't even notice me, like properly notice me, before."

"He notices everything when it comes to me and our relationship. It's part of being Ame Soeurs." I shrugged. It was odd explaining it to someone but it was also nice. While I knew Martha was nowhere interested in the Doctor, at least, not anymore, it was like another addition that kept her away. I don't know, it's a weird thing. "It's natural to just focus on that one person… no matter the circumstances."

"Chan, what is an ame soeur, tho?"

"For our people, it's your soul mate. It's literally the other part of your soul."

"Chan, that sounds lovely, tho."

"It is," I replied with a smile. "But what about you, Chantho?" As nice as it was to have some attention on me, I really wasn't too fond of it.

"Chan, I am happy to serve, tho."

"Do you mind if I ask," Martha started. "Do you have to start every sentence with 'chan'?"

"Chan, yes, tho."

"And end every sentence with…"

"Chan 'tho' tho."

"What would happen if you didn't?"

"Chan, that would be rude, tho."

"What, like swearing?"

""Chan, indeed, tho."

"Go on, just once."

"Chan, I can't, tho!"

"Oh, do it for us."

"No," Chantho said as the three of us began to giggle, only for me to stop when Atillo came onto the monitor. Tossing the women a wink, I moved over to the screen, placing myself between Jack and the Doctor. After realising that the headache it was getting had to do with Yana, I began to grow more wary of him. Sure he seemed harmless, but there were a lot of creatures out there that did as well and were ten times as deadly.

"Systems are down. Professor, are you getting me?"

"I'm here! We're ready!" Yana yelled into the mic. "Now, all you need to do is connect the couplings. Then we can launch." Atillo disappeared from the screen and the monitor went blank. "God save us! This equipment! Needs rebooting all the time."

"Anything I can do? I've finished that lot," Martha said.

"Yes, if you could. Just press the reboot key every time the picture goes."

"Certainly, sir. Just don't ask me to do shorthand." I chuckled as Yana looked on and did so as well. He stood, giving Martha his seat.

"Right."

Atillo returned to the screen. "Are you still there?"

"Ah, present and correct. Send your man inside. We'll keep the levels down from here."

"He's inside. And good luck to him."

"Captain, keep the dials below red."

"Where is that room?"

"It's underneath the rocket. Fix the couplings, and the footprint can work! But the entire chamber is flooded with stet radiation."

"Stet? Never heard of it."

"Well, you wouldn't want to. But it's safe enough. We can hold the radiation back from here." We watched as the monitor showed a man pressing buttons on the equipment before him. Suddenly an alarm went off. "It's rising. Naught point two. Keep it level!"

"Yes, sir." The second connection was made. Suddenly the alarms went off and the lights began to flicker.

"Chan, we're losing power, tho."

"Radiation's rising! We've lost control!"

"The chamber's going to flood."

I joined the men. Suddenly, I realised there was only really one thing we could do to rectify the situation. "We have to override the vents, Jack."

He nodded and pulled out two power cables, motioning for me to stand back. "That's not what I meant."

He rolled his eyes at me. "We can jump start the override." Without waiting for a response, he held the two live ends together, electrocuting himself in the process. I looked away as it happened, his screams echoing in my ears. I knew they would forever haunt me, even though he and I both knew he'd be fine and that it was his choice. Then again, I was extremely irritated with his method. He could have done something that wouldn't kill him.

"Don't! It's gonna flare!" the Doctor yelled a little too late.

Martha rushed over as he collapsed to the floor. "I've got him."

"Chan, don't touch the cables, tho," Chantho said as she quickly and carefully lifted the wire and tossed it aside. Martha checked for a pulse and upon finding none, she glanced up at me sympathetically.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"The chamber's flooded with radiation, yes?" Martha began to give Jack mouth to mouth.

"Without the couplings, the engines will never start. It was all for nothing!"

"Oh, I don't know. Martha, leave him," the Doctor said, gently pulling her from Jack's prone form.

"You've gotta let me try."

"Come on, come on, just listen to me. Now, leave him alone."

Martha looked at him bewildered. I pulled her attention away from him, knowing she had a few choice words she wanted to say to the him. "Trust him, Martha. Jack'll be fine." Realising that I wasn't distraught about what happened, she sighed and nodded.

"It strikes me, Professor, you've got a room which no man can enter without dying. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Well…" Jack gasped as he came back to life. As he did so, the Doctor pulled off his spectacles. "I think I've got just the man."

"Was someone kissing me?" I chuckled and helped him to his feet.

When I was sure he was all right, I slapped the back of his head. When he asked what it was for, I told him to never put himself in that situation again. While he didn't make any promises, he did apologise for worrying me so much. After our moment, the Doctor filled Jack and me in on his plan. As they were about to leave the room, the Doctor pulled me aside. "You all right?"

"Of course I am."

He raised an eyebrow and inspected me. "No, you aren't."

I sighed, knowing I couldn't lie to him. It was times like such I really hated the bond. Even incomplete the other could feel when something was wrong. "Just a bit of a headache. What do you think of this?"

"Of what?"

"What's happened."

"What are you feeling?"

"I don't know. Besides the headache, the only feeling I've had was from Jack and that was when we saw him outside. There is Yana… but… there is something that's bothering me about Kiel."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. It's like I should know who he is… like I know him…" I saw his features contort into confusion. "It doesn't matter right now. You and Jack have to go straighten out that chamber."

"Rys…"

"It's fine. I'm fine. Promise." He stared at me for a moment before he gently kissed my lips and strode over to Jack. I watched the two men nod to each other and leave the laboratory.

Once they were gone, Professor Yana walked around the room, Chantho stood by Martha who was still rebooting the monitor, Kiel remained in the same spot, leaning against the farthest wall, and I nervously paced the room, as a sense of dread overcame me. I couldn't help but feel something extremely wrong was going to happen. Maybe I should have went with the Doctor and Jack, but then again, they both could handle themselves. I was more worried about Martha.

'Everything'll be fine, Rys.'

'You can't promise me that.'

'No, I can't. But I'll do everything in my power to ensure it will be.'

'Of course you will, Theta.'

The comm. suddenly came to life, indicating the Doctor and Jack had reached their desired destination. "What are you taking your clothes off for?"

"I'm going in." I couldn't help but chuckle, knowing only Jack would do something like that. It was just who he was, a massive cheek.

"Well, by the looks of it, I'd say the stet radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh."

"Well, I look good, though." I smiled a bit at the man's antics. There was a short silence between the two before Jack broke it. "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I ran away from you." I frowned, quite upset by the new information. If I'd known, I would have demanded we go back and get him. But I was human then, a silly, idiotic human who ended up killing his ninth incarnation. I doubt the Doctor would have really listened to me anyways. But Jack had been… no, was a friend and I had abandoned him, human or Time Lady, it didn't matter. I had abandoned him and that must have hurt him more that the Doctor leaving him.

During our time travelling together, Jack and I had gotten close, having late night chats when the Doctor and I were at odds and Rose was asleep or off doing something else. We'd learned more about each other in that short amount of time than I'd learned or shared with anyone else. He was so easy to talk to when it was just the two of us. Since the Doctor wasn't around, the flirting was at a bare minimum or non-existent. It was just Cerys Tyler and Jack Harkness, two friends sharing stories about their lives. Now that I knew he was alive, I was intent on dropping in for a visit whenever I had the chance. I was going to hold onto him with everything I had. He wouldn't be getting rid of me anytime soon.

"And Cerys?"

"The moment she saw you in Cardiff. Good luck."

I heard the door open and close, knowing that Jack had entered the room. I turned when I heard Martha speak. "We lost picture when that thing flared up. Doctor, are you there?"

"Receiving, yeah. He's inside."

"And still alive?"

"Oh, yes."

"But he should evaporate!" Yana said in disbelief. " What sort of a man is he?"

"I've only just met him. The Doctor sort of travels through time and space and picks people up. God, I make us sound like stray dogs. Maybe we are."

"Certainly not. I promise. He chooses his companions very carefully. No stray dogs, just friends, or a con man who becomes a friend," I replied with a small smile that I received in turn.

"He travels in time and space?"

"Don't ask me to explain it. That's a Tardis, that box thing," Martha explained to Yana, nodding to the time machine. "The sport's car of time travel, he says."

"She is," I muttered before returning my attention to the comm.

"When did you first realise?"

"Earth, 1892. Got in a fight in Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart. Then I woke up. Thought it was kind of strange, but then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War One, World War Two, poison, starvation, a stray javelin." I cringed at the new information, feeling worse as he spoke. I barely noticed I had started to cry until I felt a tear hit my hand. "In the end, I got the message. I'm the man who can never die. And all that time, you knew."

"That's why I left you behind. It's not easy even just… just looking at you, Jack, 'cause you're wrong."

"Thanks. Does Cerys feel the same?"

'I don't, Theta. He's still a friend and it's partially my fault he's like that. If I'd taken in the vortex sooner…'

"No, she doesn't. She feels guilty about what happened. She didn't know. In her eyes, it doesn't matter if it goes against what instinct is telling her. Rys… she doesn't feel the same as I do."

"Glad to know. I'd be more disappointed in her if she did."

"You are. I can't help it. I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct. It's in my guts. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Even the Tardis reacted against you, tried to shake you off, flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you."

"So what you're saying is that you're, uh… prejudiced?"

"I never thought of it like that."

"Shame on you."

"Yeah."

The pair was quiet for a while. I was slightly disappointed about how the Doctor felt about Jack but what he said was true. Even at the moment, I could feel that part of me wanting to be disgusted by Jack, to leave him behind but I couldn't do that. It wasn't who I was or ever would be. He was family, whether the Doctor accepted it or not was his problem, not mine. "Last thing I remember, back when I was mortal, I was facing three Daleks, death by extermination- and then I came back to life. What happened?"

"Rose."

"I thought you'd sent her back home?"

"She came back. Opened the heart of the Tardis and absorbed the time vortex itself."

"What's that mean exactly?"

"No one's ever meant to have that power. If a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god- a vengeful god. But she was human. Everything she did was so human. She brought you back to life but she couldn't control it. She brought you back forever. That's something, I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life."

"Do you think she could change me back?"

"Rys took the power out of her."

"But you just said a Time Lord would become a vengeful god…"

"She was still human then. It was so close to burning up Rose when Rys accidently took it into herself. I think it registered that she was a Time Lady and had started to open up her mind too quickly. If I hadn't taken it, she wouldn't be here."

"But Rose?"

"She's gone, Jack. She's not just living on a parallel world, she's trapped there. The walls have closed."

"I'm sorry."

"It's Rys that I was worried about. After she was trapped, it became too much for her. Something triggered a failsafe in her fob watch that returned her back to a Time Lady." I ignored the glance Martha gave me.

"I know what happened," Jack stated before sighing. "I went back to her estate, in the nineties… just once or twice. Watched her growing up. Never said hello. Time lines and all that."

"Do you want to die?"

"Oh, this one's a little stuck," Jack said as he avoided the question. I let out a sigh, knowing the answer was clear.

"Jack?"

"I thought I did. I don't know. But this lot, you see them out here, surviving, and that's fantastic."

"You might be out there, somewhere."

"I could go meet myself."

"Well… the only man you're ever going to be happy with."

"This new regeneration, it's kind of cheeky." I chuckled a bit.

"I never understand half the things he says," Martha said, going to continue but was interrupted.

"Shut the comm. off," Kiel snapped. I turned to see his eyes on Yana. Following his gaze, I saw the old man was crying, clutching his head. It seemed something that was said triggered something… another headache most likely.

"Why?"

"Just shut it off."

"Chan, Kiel, tho?"

"I don't have time for this," he growled before moving from his spot on the wall and turning the comm. off himself. As he turned from them, he briefly glared at me before standing by Chantho. It was almost a look as though I should know better, that I should have never let Yana hear what was being said.

Martha's eyes widened at his sudden movements before she turned her attention to Yana. "What's wrong?"

"Chan, Professor, what is it, tho?"

"Stay away from him Chantho." The woman glanced at Kiel before taking a few more steps toward Yana. Knowing that whatever was going on was serious, I grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back a few. I could understand the desire to help a loved one, but Yana could be dangerous and I didn't want her getting hurt.

"Time travel. They say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed. But what would I know? Stupid old man." The man sniffed. "Never could keep time. Always late, always lost." Yana pulled out a watch, a fob watch to be exact. I stared at the man, startled before working my gaze to Kiel, finding his expression almost impassive, although I could see the underlying storm in his icy eyes. It was so much like the Doctor's eyes when things were about to get extremely bad. "Even this thing never worked. Time and time and time again. Always running out on me."

"Can I have a look at that?" Martha asked, holding out her hand.

"Oh, it's- it's only an old relic," Yana placed it in her hand, chuckling. "Like me."

"Where did you get it?"

"Hmm? I was found with it."

"What do you mean?"

"An orphan in the storm. I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned, with only this."

"Have you opened it?"

"Why would I? It's broken." As he said that, I felt the throbbing start back up. I flinched, knowing something bad was about to happen and Yana was at the centre of it.

"How do you know it's broken if you've never opened it?"

"It's stuck. It's old. It's not meant to be. I don't know." We all watched as Martha inspected it, bringing it over to me so that I could as well. As I examined it, my eyes widened in shock before I looked back at Yana. He was a Time Lord. The Doctor and I weren't the last! Yet, as great as that was, I couldn't help but wonder which one he was, whether he was good or bad was the next question. "Does it matter?"

"Not at all," I said. "Everything's peachy. Martha, go see if the Doctor needs you."

"You're staying here?"

"Yeah. There're still some things that need to be done around here to help the Doctor and Jack." I waved her off, hoping to get her out of the room as quickly as possible.

"All right then," she hesitantly responded before leaving the room, but not before handing Yana the watch, a move I found very stupid but then again, taking it with her might have been incredibly suspicious.

As Chantho, Kiel, Yana, and I stood in the laboratory, an alarm sounded. I watched as Chantho looked around, startled. Turning to Kiel, I saw his jaw clenched and Yana stared at his watch. I shut my eyes, trying to endure the immense throbbing I felt at the forefront of my mind. Opening them, I saw Yana stumble a bit. Chantho rushed to his side. "Chan, Yana, won't you please take some rest, tho?" Yana continue to gaze at his watch, paying no attention to Chantho's concerned questions. A nauseating feeling overcame me and I quickly ran to Chantho and pulled her away from Yana. Just as I moved her, he opened the watch and a stream of golden energy entered him. My eyes widened as I watched, barely aware of Kiel cursing under his breath. "Chan, Professor Yana, tho?" Chantho hesitantly asked. He turned and glared at me, glaring icily at me. Without acknowledging her, he moved a lever and the control room door slammed shut, locking the Doctor, Jack, and Martha in there. "Chan, but you've locked them in, tho."

"Not to worry, my dear. As one door closes, another must open." Yana then went and turned off the silo's defences.

"Open the door, Yana." The man ignored me. "My husband and friends are out there and if you don't open the door, I will not hesitate to hurt you," I growled lowly. He glanced at me and smirked, the action sending a shiver down my spine. It was so… familiar, like a part of a distant nightmare.

"Chan, you must stop, tho." He ignored her pleads and began to work the controls where she stood. "Chan, but you've lowered the defences. The Futurekind will get in, tho."

"You four just had to show up," Kiel sneered. "He was going to go off, leave for Utopia, die, whatever. Why the hell did you have to ruin the plan? It was a great plan." I looked from the older man to the floor, concealing a smile as the Doctor told me they had opened the control room door.

"Chan, Professor, I'm so sorry… but I must stop you-" He scoffed at her and continued working. "You're destroying all our work, tho," she said as she pointed a gun at Yana.

"Chantho, don't…"

"Listen to her. It won't work," I said.

Yana turned and smiled a sick smile. "Oh. Now I can say I was provoked." He picked up a live energy cable, stalking closer to her. "Did you never think, all those years standing beside me, to ask about that watch? Never? Did you never once think, not ever, that you could set me free?"

"Chan, I'm sorry, tho. Chan, I'm so sorry."

"And you… with your 'chan' and your 'tho', driving me insane!

"Chan, Professor, please-"

"That is not my name!" she gasped in fear. I moved forward to help her but Kiel grabbed my arm, keeping me away from the mad man. "The Professor- was an invention. So perfect a disguise that I forgot who I am."

"Chan, then who are you, tho?"

"I am… the Master." I felt my eyes widen in fear as he said so, right before he thrust the live cable at Chantho.

"What the hell have you done?! You've killed her!"

"Oh quit your yelling, it's giving me an earache. Then again, you always have. I should have killed you when I had the chance," the Master said as he walked towards me, the wire still in his hand. I backed away slightly, knowing that he had all intentions of killing me. Back on Gallifrey, he had been my main tormentor, often putting me in situations that would get me killed or hurt. He always wanted to be the one to bring about my death and it seemed as if he had finally gotten the opportunity, not that I was really going to let him. "The both of you should be dead but your precious Doctor had to get in the way, and you had to run. But I did get something out of the deal, wouldn't you say Kiel?" I glanced between the two, at first confused by his meaning but then seeming to realise what he meant. My eyes immediately went to Kiel.

"Piss off."

"Hmm, I'll think about it. But first." Yana turned from Kiel and held the wire to my skin. As I felt the crackle of electricity run through my body, I let out a strangled cry and fell to the ground. The Master held it there, letting it course through me. I didn't realize it had stopped until I heard the sound of two bodies hitting the floor. Looking up, I saw Kiel and the Master struggling. I clenched my eyes shut the moment I saw him pick up a metal rod, only hear the sickening thud of it hitting Kiel.

"Why are you doing this?" I managed to get out.

I heard him come over and grab hold of my hair. Suddenly he pulled away and I opened my eyes to see him caressing the jar that held the Doctor's hand. Just then, there was a banging on the laboratory door. "Professor! Professor, let me in! Let me in! Jack, get the door open now! Professor! Professor, where are you?! Rys! Are you there? Please! I need to explain. Whatever you do, don't open that watch!" Ignoring the Doctor's cries, Yana removed a circuit board from the gravitational field navigation system.

'Too late for that.'

'Rys! What happened? Are you all right?'

'I'm fine.'

'You're lying.'

'Please, just hurry up.'

"Utopia."

"They're coming!" I heard Martha yell, fear evident in her voice.

"Professor! Rys!" Yana continued to move around the laboratory, disconnecting the power cable from the Tardis. "Open the door, please! I'm begging you, Professor. Please let me get Rys. We'll leave, I promise. Please, listen to me." I felt tears welling in my eyes as he pled. Holding them back, I saw Chantho reach for her gun. I smiled, glad she was alive. "Just open the door, please." Chantho then fired the gun and her arm collapsed. She was dead. I heard Yana grunt before I felt him pick me up. Even in my weakened state, I struggled against the wounded old man. But it was to no avail. Soon I found myself dropped onto the Tardis floor, the machine angrily humming. I watched him leave and return a moment later, the jar in tow. Just as the Doctor reached the door, Yana slammed it close and then ran to the console and pressed a switch.

"Deadlocked."

"Let me in. Let me in!"

"Why are you doing this?" I asked my voice stronger.

"I want him to suffer," Yana replied spitefully.

"She's dead and he's unconscious," I heard Martha say along with the familiar sound of the sonic screwdriver.

"I broke the lock. Give me a hand!"

"I'm begging you. Everything's changed! It's only the three of us! We're the only ones left! Just let me in!"

"Killed by an insect! A girl," he exclaimed in disgust. "How inappropriate. Still, if the Doctor can be young and strong… then so can I. The Master… reborn." With that, he began his regeneration, changing from an old man to one around the age of thirty with a round face a shortish build and really blond hair. "Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!" He ran around the console as he laughed, stopping to turn on the intercom. "Oh. Now then, Doctor…" The Master paused a moment. "Ooo, new voice. Hello," he said in a deeper tone before going to a higher one, "Hello! Hello. Anyway! Why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans, and you can work out a way to stop me- I don't think."

"Hold on. I know that voice."

"I'm asking you, really properly, just stop. Give her back to me. Just think!"

"Use my name."

"Master. I'm sorry."

"Tough!" The mad man began to work his way around the Tardis, putting her in flight.

"I can't hold out much longer, Doctor!"

'Theta!'

'I'm so sorry, Rys.'

'It's not your fault.'

'I'm coming to get you.'

'I know. Look after Kiel… when you escape, bring him with you.'

'Why?'

'Please Theta…'

'All right. I love you, Ceryssida.'

'I love you too.'

I then heard the sonic screwdriver as the time rotor started up. It took me a moment to realise he was trying to stop the Tardis from taking off. "Oh, no you don't! End of the universe. Have fun. Bye-bye!" I cringed as the familiar sound of the Tardis dematerializing rang in my ears. Feeling more exhausted than I had in a very long time, I collapsed, all strength leaving me.

"Ooo, this should be fun."

"Stay away from me, you creep."

"Is that how you speak to your future husband?"

"That is none of your concern. What the hell do you want?"

"You're an abomination. I'm here to eradicate the disease."

"You're here to kill me. Honestly, you should have just said that. Many have tried and failed. What makes you any different?"

"But I'm not them."

"No, you aren't. You're a nutter."

"Do not call me that!"

"You looked into the Untempered Schism and went mad. You're the worst of the lot." Hands made their way around my throat, forcing the air from my lungs and keeping me from taking in more. Soon, I saw black dots and just as I was about to pass out, I found myself thrown onto the floor. "You won't kill me."

"Not yet. This game is quite enjoyable. But I will kill you."

Alrighty, so, I'm finally updating again, YAY. I know it's been a while but still job searching and now with school starting back up, it's a bit hard to solely focus on working on this fic... well at least remembering to post a chapter. I have been working on the Donna episodes and am currently writing/editing the Sontaran Stratagem. That's going to be a fun chapter to write. As for the format, I really didn't like splitting up the chapters like this considering it was a multi-part episode. So, I'll be going back to how I usually do things. With that said, I want to thank everyone who read, favourited, followed, and reviewed HER SECRETS. It makes me so happy that people are still reading the story, and it's wonderful to see those who have been sticking around, even with my lack of updating structure. Now the, onto the reviews.

NicoleR85: Haha, well River episodes are almost up, even if it is her death. But then again, there's so much of her yet to come. I have already written some things (and momentarily lost them) pertaining to a few scenes involving River and Amy and it will be hilarious (at least I think so).

Booklover0608:Can't answer that but you know, it was a good guess. You definitely have to stick around for the answer. Thanks though, I really appreciate it.

Takura Matsudaira: Her secret is a multitude of things. I probably should have added an 's' at the end. But I will say that her name is a secret and there's only one person who knows it... the Doctor. As for the saying, you missed out the rest, 'but satisfaction brought it back.' :)

I too am curious as to what she'll be to the Doctor now. Just kidding, I already have it all planned out. And hopefully the reaction you got was pretty good and slightly realistic to the backstory I portrayed. Haha, I love questions, even when I can't really answer them. Although, I'm sure a few were answered. This is honestly just the beginning of the answers coming out... well at least some. As for Rys meeting Donna, that's a fun chapter.

margie-me:Yeah, I fell the way. There will definitely be a lot of angst coming up. Some of the past will be drudged up as well, but that's a given with what's to come.

Lost Lady of Time: I'm not human but I will update lolz :)