Rys
I silently stumbled behind the Master as he made his way to the flight deck, my body too weak to move at the pace he was going at. For the past year I'd been his prisoner, the main recipient of his brutish ways. My body was black and blue from the constant beatings I'd received the alarming loss of weight was more noticeable to those around than it had been before. Honestly though, it didn't bother me in the slightest; sad to say, it was nothing compared to what I'd dealt with on Gallifrey. All the torture reminded me of my time as Rassilon's prisoner. It wasn't comfortable or enjoyable; it was how things were, and silently taking it would keep me alive, no matter how much I wanted to speak out or kill him. The Master held the life of the people I cared about in his hands and there was nothing I could do to save them besides remain silent. Thing was, for how long I would just take it before I actually retaliated.
Reaching the deck, he began to dance to the song playing. As he approached his wife, I stood at the bottom of the staircase, keeping my head low. I didn't want to look at HIM. The guilt of not doing anything to save him from the Master festered and consumed me. Even if he could find it in his heart to forgive me, I could never forgive myself. Leaving my thoughts, I looked up and saw Francine enter the room with tea. The Master rang his bell and from the corner of my eye, I watched my aged husband crawled from a straw-strewn tent. I felt a sob rise within me, as well as the desire to rip the Master's head from his body, but I forced it down. That would do nothing to stop the Toclafane. Instead, I shut my eyes, hoping to block it all and when I opened them, the Doctor was in a wheelchair being pushed around the deck by the Master. The two stopped at the massive window. "It's ready to rise, Doctor, the new Time Lord Empire. It's good, isn't it? Isn't it good? Anything? No?" He waved his hand in front of his face. He got nothing in reply. "Anything? Oh, but they broke your hearts, didn't they- those Toclafane- ever since you worked out what they really are." He stopped waiting for some confirmation. When he didn't answer, he continued. "They say Martha Jones… has come back home. Now why would she do that?"
"Leave her alone."
"But you said something to her, didn't you? On the day I took control. What did you tell her?"
"I have one thing to say to you. You know what it is."
"Oh, no, you don't!" He forcefully pushed the wheelchair away, causing it to roll into a far off wall. I made a move to go after it but one look from the Master stopped me. From that look, I knew I'd be paying for it.
"Valiant now entering Zone One airspace. Citizens, rejoice."
"Come on, people! What are we doing? Launch Day in twenty four hours!" the mad man snapped before storming out of the room, followed by Lucy and myself.
Hours of torture later, the three of us returned to the flight deck where Francine, Tish, and the Doctor already were. Standing to the side of the room were a few other women. "Time for my massage. Who shall I have today?" He looked between the women for a moment, contemplating. "Tanya. Come on, sweetheart. Lucy, have you met Tanya? She's gorgeous." I grimaced as he shamelessly flirted with the woman as his wife stood by. It was disgusting. He had no regard for the feelings of others; then again, he was a psychotic murderer. "Tanya, when we go to the stars, I'm going to take you to the Catriga Nova. Whirlpools of gold." He turned to Lucy. "You two should get to know each other. That might be fun," he suggested as Tanya massaged his shoulders. I glanced up to see Lucy give him a slight nod and strained smile. I felt so sorry for her. She was stuck with the man; while I was literally his main punching bag, she received some of it as well, she also had to deal with the emotional and mental abuse I had grow immune to.
"Condition red."
The Master abruptly stood, causing Tanya to jump a bit. "What the hell?"
"Repeat- condition red," the tannoy continued as Francine threw the Master's jacket to Tish who in turn gave it to the Doctor. The moment it was in his hands, he reached in and removed the laser screwdriver, pointing it at the Master, using the banister for support.
"Oh, I see."
"I told you. I have one thing to say,"
The Master began to laugh, which only grew more manic as the Doctor continued to try and get the screwdriver to work. "Isomorphic controls," he spat before he snatched it and punched the Doctor, sending his elderly form sprawling to the ground. Not caring that I'd have to deal with the Master's wrath and undergo more perverse forms of torture, I rushed to the Doctor's side. It was the first time I'd touched him since we'd been there and it was bittersweet to do so. Instead of grabbing my arm, he wrapped his around my waist, pulling me closer to him. It felt so good to be in his arms again, but it wasn't going to last. Instead of facing him, I kept my eyes solely on the Master, watching as he interacted with the Jones' women.
"Which means they only work for me. Like this." He pointed it and shot, nearly hitting Francine. "Say sorry!"
"Sorry. Sorry! Sorry," the woman cried, terror lacing her voice.
Tish raced to her side. "Mum!"
"Didn't you learn anything from the blessed Saint Martha?" Lucy rushed to his side, grabbing his jacket and holding it up for him. "Siding with the Doctor is a very dangerous thing to do. Take them away."
A group of men in black approached the pair, one stepping forward toward the two women. "Move. Come on." As they were ushered from the room, another grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet, moving me to the other side of the room. He kept a firm grip on me, making sure I wouldn't move an inch.
"Okay. Gotcha," the Master said as he helped the Doctor into a chair as Tish and Francine were led away. "Oh boy. There you go, Gramps. Oh, do you know? I remember the days when the Doctor- oh, that famous Doctor- was waging a Time War, battling Sea Devils and Axons. He sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade single handed. Single handed. And look at him now, stealing screwdrivers. And don't get me started on her," he said as he pointed to me. "The famed Destroyer, the bringer of death to all enemies of the Time Lords, silent and helpless, no words, no fight left in her. How did they ever come to this? Oh, yeah. Me."
I bit my tongue until I could taste blood. He had the audacity to call me helpless… me! I was nowhere near helpless. I was waiting, patiently biding my time. Things weren't to end well for him, no the Master would be defeated and when he was, I would gladly inflict the same torture as he had. He would meet the famed Destroyer and he'd wish for death. That was one thing I was certain about. That would be the one time I'd gladly give into the darkness that resided within me. "I just… I need you… to listen."
"No. It's my turn. Revenge! Best served hot. And this time, it's a message for Miss Jones." He smirked at me and soon there was a camera before him. "My people. Salutations on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman. But I know there's all sorts of… whispers down there, stories of a child walking the Earth, giving you hope. But I ask you… how much hope has this man got? Say hello, Gandalf. Except… he's not that old. But he's an alien, with a much greater lifespan than you stunted little apes. What if it showed?" While he turned to the Doctor, his eyes bored into mine, challenging and taunting me. He wanted me to do something, he wanted a reason to cause more pain. "What if I suspend your capacity to regenerate? All nine hundred years of your life, Doctor- what if we could see them?" His eyes still on me, he re-tuned the screwdriver and pointed it at the Doctor who began to judder. I bit down on my lip, trying to keep the cry of pain in. I had opened myself up in an attempt to pull some of his pain into me, so that I could alleviate his agony. While I had accomplished that, it was practically ineffective due to the lack of our physical connection and my lack of strength overall. "Older… and older… and older." He held the laser screwdriver closer to the Doctor, his eyes never wavering, not even with the childish glee that took them. "Down you go, Doctor. Down… down… down the years." Soon the convulsions ceased and the Doctor was no longer visible. All that was seen was dark brown suit crumpled on the floor. Throughout it all, his eyes remained on me, as taunted me, daring me to retaliate. He knew I wanted to, he knew I wanted nothing more than to disarm him, but he also knew I wouldn't, not with the threat he'd bestowed upon me when we'd come from the end of the universe. He knew I'd do just about anything to keep the people I cared about safe. "Doctor." A head slowly popped up, showing a tiny little thing with huge eyes. The Master removed his gaze from me and turned to the camera. "Received and understood, Miss Jones?"
After he had ended the transmission, he grabbed hold of me and dragged me to one of his many torture rooms. What felt like hours passed by and soon, the mad man had grown bored with his attempt so get a rise from me. The Master could spend hours carving into my body, electrocuting me, and whatever else he deemed fun, but if I remained silent, if I didn't show my pain, he took no enjoyment from it. Bidding me a bored farewell, he stepped outside and a maid entered. She hastily but gently cleaned my opened and reopened wounds. She had also given me a new set of clothes to wear, indicating to me that something was going to happen and he was going to use me as a pawn. When I was decent enough, she left, her place being taken by a guard.
As we approached the flight deck, I could hear talking. Taking an uneasy breath, I entered, seeing one of the 'Toclafane' in the room. As quick as I could, I returned to the spot I had stood just hours prior, my head down. I hated those things... what had been done to them and what they had become. "Tomorrow, we rise, never to fall."
"You see? I'm doing it for them. You should be grateful- after all, you love them… so very, very much," the Master taunted before he turned to look outside. He was silent for a while, just gazing out the window. "I took Lucy to Utopia," he said suddenly. "A Time Lord and his human companion. I took her to see the stars. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"
"Trillions of years into the future, to the end of the universe."
"Tell them what you saw."
"Dying- everything dying. The whole of creation was falling apart and I thought, there's no point, no point to anything, not ever."
"And it's all your fault," he spat. I shivered, not from fear or cold, but from anger. I was pissed and could feel a blind rage approaching. The Destroyer was itching to show herself, to show him what she could do. "You should have seen it, Doctor. Furnaces burning. The last of humanity, screaming at the dark." I bowed my head further, letting my hair cover my face as my eyes began to tear. "All that human invention that had sustained them across the eons. It all turned inwards- they cannibalised themselves…"
"We made ourselves so pretty."
"Regressing into children. But it didn't work. The universe was collapsing around them." He stopped, turning to the Doctor. "My masterpiece, Doctor- a living Tardis, strong enough to hold the paradox in place, allowing the past and the future to collide in infinite majesty."
"But you're changing history. Not just Earth, the entire universe," the Doctor rasped.
"I'm a Time Lord. I have that right."
"But even then, why come all this way just to destroy?"
"We come backwards in time all to build a brand new empire lasting one hundred trillion years," the sphere said in a giddy voice.
"With me as their master. Time Lord and humans combined. Haven't you always dreamt of that, Doctor?" He waited for a comeback but received none. "Human race- greatest monsters of them all. Night then." I waited for the Master, Lucy, and the sphere to leave before I followed. As I left the room, I felt the Doctor's eyes boring into the back of my skull as well as the faint nudge of him attempting to enter my mind. Forcibly strengthening my blocks, I continued to follow the three. Once outside the room, a guard led me back to my prison cell.
From the small corner of my cell, I could hear an excited buzz making its way through the ship. I glanced up, hearing footsteps approaching the door. As they walked passed, I let out a small breath of relief but it quickly dissipated when the cell door opened, showing an extremely blissful Master in a silk dressing gown. Something had happened and he was ready to use me. The guard with him roughly grabbed me and pulled me along as we returned to the flight deck, passing four other guards as they led someone to another cell. I glanced back, feeling some familiarity, but without seeing a face, or having enough time to truly investigate, I let it pass. Whoever it was, I hoped would be fine, that they'd survive long enough for things to be changed back.
Upon reaching the flight deck, he woke the Doctor. "Guess what." Without giving him time to answer, he left the room, leaving me with the Doctor surprisingly. Returning, he had changed into a suit and upon reaching me, he forcibly grabbed my arm and we teleported from the ship to what was considered the slave quarters. As the man walked forward, a guard took hold of my arm. "Martha! Martha Jo-o-nes! I can see you! Out you come, little girl. Come and meet your master." All was silent and no one opened their doors. "Anybody? Nobody? No? Nothing? Positions." The men with us assumed their positions. "I'll give the order unless you surrender. And just for insurance, I have Rys with me. Ask yourself… what would the Doctor do?" I let out an inaudible groan as a moment later, she exited a house. "Oh, yes!" He began to clap enthusiastically. "Oh, very well done. Good girl. He trained you well. Bag. Give me the bag." She removed the backpack and moved to hand it to him but he shook his head. "No, stay there. Just throw it." Martha tossed it at him, and with the flick of his hand he destroyed it with his laser screwdriver. "And now, good companion, your work is done." He pointed it at her.
As I steeled myself, a man ran out of the same house, gun in hand. From the instant he ran out, I that he would die. He'd most likely taken a liking to her and was trying to save her, even if it meant his life. It made me happy, and hopeful that the nightmare would soon end, that hopefully, she would find him when it was over. Then again, I also felt bad for her, especially if she had taken a liking to him as well. She had finally found someone and he was ripped from her. I hoped so much that things would change, that we could reverse the year. "No!" the man yelled and he raced in front of her.
The Master aimed at the man and shot him dead before he began to laugh. "But you, when you die, the Doctor should be witness, hmm?" He deeply inhaled. "Almost dawn, Martha… and planet Earth marches to war." A guard grabbed her and pulled her to the group. I felt the woman's gaze on me but could not meet it, especially since she was going to see just how inactive I'd been in keeping the people we both cared for safe. Soon, we were back on the fight deck. "Citizens of Earth, rejoice and observe." Martha was brought in, her family and Jack watching. The Master arrogantly stood on the stand, his hand out. "Your teleport device, in case you thought I'd forgotten." Martha tossed the vortex manipulator to him. "And now… kneel." She did as told. "Down below, the fleet is ready to launch- two hundred thousand ships, set to burn across the universe." He retreated up the stairs and pressed a button, turning on the intercom. "Are we ready?"
"The fleet awaits your signal. Rejoice!"
"Three minutes to align the black hole converters." There was a beep. "Counting down. I never could resist a ticking clock. My children! Are you ready?"
"We will fly and blaze and slice. We will fly and blaze and slice"
"At zero, to mark this day, the child Martha Jones, will die." He chuckled. "My first blood. Any last words? No? Such a disappointment, this one." He motioned to her. "Days of old, Doctor, you had companions who could absorb the time vortex. This one's useless." He aimed the laser screwdriver at her. "Bow your head. And so it falls to me, as Master of all, to establish, from this day, a new order of Time Lords. From this day forward-" he stopped when he saw Martha silently laughing. Giving me a glance, his smirk fell, seeing that I was smiling. "What- What's so funny?"
"A gun."
"What about it?"
"A gun, in four parts?"
"Yes, and I destroyed it."
"A gun, in four parts scattered across the world? I mean, come on, did you really believe that?"
"What do you mean?" the Master asked in confusion.
"As if I would ask her to kill."
"Oh well. It doesn't matter. I've got her exactly where I want her."
"No," I said, speaking for the first time that year, "She's exactly where we want her."
"I knew what Professor Docherty would do. The Resistance knew about her son. I told her about the gun, so she'd get me here at the right time."
"Oh, but you're still going to die."
"Don't you want to know what I was doing, travelling the world?"
"Tell me."
"I told a story. That's all. No weapons, just words- I did just what the Doctor said. Kiel and I went across the continents, and everywhere I went, I found the people and I told them my story. I told them about the Doctor. And I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about the Doctor."
"Faith and hope, is that it?"
"No, 'cause I gave them an instruction, just as the Doctor said-" Martha then stood. "I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time-"
"Nothing will happen! Is that your weapon- prayer?"
Martha continued on as if the Master hadn't said a thing. "Right across the world, one word, just one thought, at one moment but with fifteen satellites."
"What?"
"The Archangel Network," Jack interjected. He had a smug grin on his lips.
Martha stood. "A telepathic field binding the whole human race together, with all of them, every single person on Earth thinking the same thing at the same time. And that word is 'Doctor'." When the clock struck zero, the Doctor and his cage began to glow.
"Stop it. No, no, no, no, you don't."
"Doctor. Doctor."
"Doctor."
"Don't."
On the monitor, the people of Earth also chanted Doctor. The Master backed away. "Stop this right now. Stop it!"
"Doctor." The Master's head snapped to Lucy, the look of betrayal on his face. He didn't even hear Martha and Jack repeat the name along with the crowd below. It was as if he couldn't believe Lucy would betray him although it was obvious to everyone else why she would do so. As everyone continued to repeat his name, the Doctor slowly began to revert to his previous appearance, no longer the little creature that sat in a bird cage.
"I've had a whole year to tune myself into the psychic network and integrate with its matrices."
"I order you to stop!" Lucy and the crowd continued to chant, ignoring his cries. The Master dropped down a level, staring at the Doctor in utter shock. "The one thing you can't do. Stop them thinking." As he said that, I closed my eyes and dropped my mental barriers and thought his title. As he hovered in the air, he returned to his usual appearance. "Tell me the human race is degenerate now, when they can do this." I watched as Martha ran to her family, engulfing them in a hug.
"No!" He fired his laser screwdriver at the Doctor but with the energy field, it did nothing.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Then I'll kill her." As the Master pointed the screwdriver at me, it suddenly flew from his hand. "You can't do this. You can't do this! It's not fair!"
"And you know what happens now."
"No. No! No! No!" The Doctor floated to him, landing on the floor before the fallen man.
"You wouldn't listen."
"No!"
"Because you know what I'm going to say."
"No," the Master said as he curled into a ball in the corner. The Doctor bent down, wrapping his arms around him.
"I forgive you."
He pushed the Doctor away. "My children."
"Protect the paradox. Protect the paradox. Protect the paradox," a mass of spheres chanted.
"Captain! The paradox machine!"
"You men, with me!" Jack said to the group nearest him. "You stay here." With his orders out, he and his group took off, most likely to the paradox machine.
"No!" I heard the Doctor yell before he disappeared.
Coming out of my yearlong shell, I ran over to the window, seeing a tear in the sky. Turning away, I raced to the door. As I did so, I shouted orders. "Martha, get to the control room and keep an eye out on those spheres. I need to know how close they're getting and where their main concentration is. You men," I snapped to two guards, "who did you bring down to the cells?"
"Just a smart mouthed kid."
"Take me to him." The two nodded and waited for me to follow them. Before I left though, I turned to Marhta. "I'll be right back. I have a long overdue appointment."
"But what about the Doctor?"
I stopped and faced her, trying to keep the worry from my voice. I was worried about him, and because I hadn't opened up my barriers, I really didn't know if he was fine. "He's fine," I stated, lied, before I ran out of the room, closely following the two guards.
Reaching the cell, I snatched the key and unlocked it, entering the room immediately. Lying in a thankfully un-bloody heap was Kiel. I dropped to his side and pulled his head onto my lap. After dismissing the guards, I began to mummer little things to him, almost begging him to open his eyes. I couldn't lose him, not when I'd just gotten him back... when I had barely said a word to him. Hearing a groan, I snapped my eyes to him, relishing in the fact he was waking up, that he was alive. "Kiel…"
"Ugh, my head," Kiel said as he sat up clutching his head. "I refuse to do this again."
"Well, I don't think you'd have to."
"Is the Master dead?"
"I don't know. I came straight here after the plan worked."
"Thanks for that."
"Is this a joke though? Are you…"
He stared at me for a moment before wrapping his arms around me. "I've wanted to do this for so long," he sighed into my ear.
"I'm so sorry, Kiere," I whispered. "I shouldn't have let them take you. I should've done something."
"You tried, remember? I never blamed you… or dad." He pulled away. "Who by the way, is a major ass."
I chuckled a bit, only stopping as the ship shook. Jumping to our feet, Kiere and I ran out of the cell and made our way up to the flight deck. As the shaking increased, I grabbed Kiere and pulled him to the ground. Minutes passed before it went calm again. Standing, the two of us walked onto the deck. "The paradox's broken," I said with a small smile, my eyes catching what... who I'd been searching for.
"We've reverted back, one year and a day. Two minutes past eight in the morning." Letting go of Kiere, I raced to the Doctor, throwing myself into his arms as tears flowed freely down my cheeks. Pulling back, he placed a hungry kiss on my lips which I immediately reciprocated, pouring all of my feelings into it, wanting him to know just how sorry I was that I hadn't done anything, that I was useless. Pulling apart, he raced to the controls, taking me with him and turning on the radio.
"This is UNIT Central. What's happened up there? We just saw the President assassinated!" He turned the radio down.
"Just after the President was killed, but just before the spheres arrived. Everything back to normal. Planet Earth restored. None of it happened. The rockets, the terror- it never was."
"What about the spheres?"
"Where they belong, the end of the universe," Kiere- Kiel answered.
"But I can remember it," Francine said.
"We're at the eye of the storm, the only ones who'll ever know." He turned from her, his attention moving to Clive, Martha's father. "Oh, hello. You must be Mister Jones. We haven't actually met." I smiled a bit but it faded as I watched the Master run for the door. Luckily, Jack was entering the room and caught him.
"Whoa, big fella! You don't want to miss the party. Cuffs." The guard beside him handed Jack the desired item who in turn restrained the Master. "So, what do we do with this one?"
"We kill him," Clive said.
Tish and Francine nodded. "We execute him."
"No, that's not the solution."
"Oh, I think so. Because all those things, they still happened because of him. I saw them," Francine spat, aiming the gun at him.
"Go on. Do it," the Master egged.
I sighed and took a step towards the woman, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you do, what makes you any better than him? Sure it'll help and make you feel better, but in the end, you'll have his blood on your hands. Then it consumes you, the desire for revenge at any cost, the intent to kill without any remorse. Trust me, Francine, you don't want to do this." The woman held my gaze a little longer before she lowered the gun. I smiled at her and removed the weapon from her hand and gave it to Kiere, who placed it on a nearby table. What I had said to her, wasn't only for her sake but for mine as well. Throughout the entire ordeal, I wanted nothing more than to kill him, to let the Destroyer have her turn with him. It had infected me as it had during the war. I wasn't that girl anymore though, I had changed. I refused to fall back into that mentality, I refused to be her again.
"You still haven't answered the question. What happens to me?"
"You're our responsibility from now on. The only Time Lords left in existence."
"Yeah, but you can't trust him," Jack interjected.
"No," the Doctor agreed. "The only safe place for him is the Tardis."
"You mean you're just going to… keep me?"
"Mmm. If that's what we have to do. It's time for a change. Maybe I've been wandering for too long."
"We could use a pet," Kiere shrugged as he pushed his hair from his face.
"Kiel! That was rude," I chastised.
"It's the truth. He'd be like a rabbit or something. Locked away and all."
"No, he wouldn't. You get it from that idiot."
"What have I done? What are you talking about?" Before I could answer, there was a gunshot and the Master staggered. The Doctor quickly caught him.
"Put it down," Jack ordered Lucy. Without a word, she handed it to him. A guard moved to her side and grabbed hold of her arm. In her defence, I didn't blame Lucy at all. She had dealt with so much, lived through the same thing we had, it wasn't her fault that she wanted to kill him. I could sympathise but it wasn't right. Killing him was too easy of a sentence.
"There you go. I've got you. I've got you."
"Always the women."
"I didn't see her."
"I did," Kiere muttered under his breath. I jabbed him in the elbow. He groaned but said nothing else. He had definitely inherited a lot of his father.
"Dying in your arms. Happy now?"
"Why would he be happy about that? You were best friends," I softly stated, earning a glare from the man.
"You're not dying. Don't be stupid. It's only a bullet. Just regenerate."
"No."
"One little bullet. Come on," he begged, bringing tears to my eyes. Even though the Master did all those horrible things, he was still used to be the Doctor's friend, and was still cared about.
"I guess you don't know me so well. I refuse."
"Regenerate. Just regenerate. Please, please!"
"And spend the rest of my life imprisoned with you?"
"You've got to. Come on. It can't end like this. You and me- all the things we've done. Axons. Remember the Axons? And the Daleks? Regenerate!" he pled.
"How about that? I win." The Master was silent for a moment. "Will it stop, Doctor? The drumming- will it stop?" he asked with his dying breath.
"No!" He cried, holding the Master's body to him. I moved from Kiere to the Doctor's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Placing the Master's body down, he pulled me to him and just held me as he cried, letting it out until he was ready to go.
Once we had left the Valiant, we made our way to an open field. The Doctor and Kiel, although against the former's wishes, made a funeral pyre. When the Master's body was on it, the Doctor set it alight and grabbed my hand. With a final look, we walked away, making our way to the Tardis. The Doctor had set her into the vortex and a while later, we found ourselves at Roald Dahl Plass again only this time, Kiere was with us. I sighed, content that I had both my boys, that I was getting a second chance to be a proper mother and wife. Looking at the trio beside me, I saw their confused expressions. "Huh?"
"Nothing. I was just saying, time was, every single one of these people knew his name. Now they've all forgotten him."
"Good."
"Back to work," Jack said as he went under the railing.
"I really don't mind, though. Come with us."
"I had plenty of time to think that past year, the year that never was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor- responsibility."
"Defending the Earth- can't argue with that," the Doctor said just as he took Jack's arm and exposed the vortex manipulator.
"Hey, I need that." I chuckled at him. He really must have thought he'd have been able to go on with it fixed.
"I can't have you walking around with a time travelling teleport. You could go anywhere, twice. The second time to apologise." He soniced the manipulator.
"Aww, don't worry Jack," I happily cooed. "I'll fix it up a bit. No time travelling but I'll do something."
"Oh, no you don't. You'll end up teaching him how to make it work again."
"And if he needs us?"
"He'll figure it out," the Doctor replied as he tapped my nose. I rolled my eyes and sent Jack a scheming wink.
"And what about me? Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?"
"Nothing I can do. You're an impossible thing, Jack."
"No, he's my impossible friend. Last I checked, Jack wasn't an object. Right, Captain?"
"Been called that before." He chuckled and walked off, abruptly turning back to us as saluting. "Sir. Ma'am. But I keep wondering- what about aging? 'Cause I can't die, but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know?" I shook my head as I laughed at him, earning an eye roll. " What happens if I live for a million years?"
"I really don't know."
"Okay, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula- tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. 'The Face of Boe', they called me. Hmm. I'll see you." I smirked at his reveal before chasing after him. "Going to fix my vortex manipulator?"
"Of course," I replied as I grabbed his wrist and fiddled with it a bit. "No time travel but you can contact me whenever you need. I even added a feature that can get you on the Tardis, no matter when we are."
"Thanks, Cerys."
"Anytime."
"I've got a question. That Kiel kid…"
"Well, he's not a kid anymore. He kind of grew up and I missed it all," I said with a sad sigh. It was horrible to think of it that way, but it was true. His older sister had been visiting us when she was taken, stolen from her own love and children. Kiel was taken as a baby. I barely had the opportunity to get to know him much. "He's older than you."
"Who is he though?"
"He's our son."
"Does the Doctor know?"
"He could but he's pretty thick," I answered with a laugh. Jack joined in, nodding in agreement.
"Well, all the best. I'll be in touch."
"You better, Harkness. Your vortex manipulator works both ways and I know I'll definitely be checking up on you, whether or not I pop in is a completely different story. Just be prepared for it." He laughed and pulled me into a hug. Releasing me, he walked away and I returned to the others.
Piling into the Tardis, the Doctor and I parked her outside Martha's mum's house. While Martha spent time with her family, I pulled the Doctor inside and closed the door. I sat him on the jump seat and pulled Kiel over. "What's going on?"
"So, what's this about you being an ass?"
"Rys, that wasn't it. You were with the Master and... and MAYBE I was a bit hard on him."
"I was being a jerk too. I mean, I wasn't much help," Kiel admitted before turning to me, an incredulous expression on his face. "Wait, were you seriously going to tell him like that?"
"Well, you obviously have my brains as well," I chuckled. "But yes, I was. Could you blame me, though? He still hasn't figured it out. Always been thick, this one."
"What are you chatting about?"
With a wide smile, I pressed my hands on his shoulders, staring intently in his beautiful brown eyes. "Congratulations, you're a dad… again."
"What?"
"I'm not repeating it."
"How?"
"Well, it's Kiere. Kiel is Kiere."
"How?"
"Turns out my essence can't go into a fob watch. Never was a 'normal' Time Lord, not with mum's genes. Anyways, the Master kidnapped me during the war. Took me with him when he ran," he explained as the Doctor stared at him.
"How?!"
I smiled. "So, would you prefer Kiel or your old nickname?"
"Kie."
"Great," I said as I clasped my hands together.
"Um, I'm going outside. I think he's about to have a fit," Kie said as he stood and left the Tardis, giving the Doctor time to process it all.
"That's Kiere?"
"Yep."
"How long have you known?"
"Figured it out right before the Master kidnapped me. I had an inkling since we met him, though."
"That explains his demeanour though."
"What do you mean?"
"Before we made it on the Valiant, he was all for jumping in and rescuing you."
"I'm sure you wanted to as well. The thing is, we're getting a second chance and I want to take it."
"Never said I didn't." I smiled and hugged him. "You don't have to feel guilty for not doing anything, Rys. I understood why you didn't."
"How did you…"
"It was eating at your mind constantly. I could hear it."
"I wanted to do something though!"
"I preferred you did nothing. He was always ruthless, even more so with you. I didn't want him to kill you."
"I didn't either but I still could have-" he cut me off with a kiss that I instantly reciprocated.
"Really guys? No scaring the companion." I rolled my eyes at Kie and pulled away. Giving Martha a smile, I went over and hugged her while the Doctor went to the console.
"Right then, off we go. The open road!" I sighed, knowing she wasn't coming with us, no matter how hopeful he was. Her family needed her and Martha was not one to leave her family in a time of need. "There is a burst of starfire right now, over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like… oil on water. Fancy a look? Or… back in time. We could- I don't know, Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know! What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie- bet she's brilliant." I placed a hand on his arm, sobering him from his 'enthusiasm'. "Okay."
"I just can't."
"Yeah."
"Spent all these years training to be a doctor- now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them."
"'Course not. Thank you." He went and engulfed her in a hug. "Martha Jones, you saved the world."
"Yes, I did. I spent a lot of time with you, thinking I was second best, but you know what? I am good."
"Well, the fact that you thought you were second best is rubbish. Even with our rocky beginning, you were always a star, Martha."
She smiled at me and nodded. "You going to be all right?"
"Always. Yeah. I've got Rys and Kie."
"So you're going with them?"
"I just got them back. Of course I am."
"Right then. Bye." Martha kissed his cheek and gave me a hug before leaving, only to come back inside. "'Cause the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky. She lived with this bloke- student housing, there were five of them all packed in, and this bloke was called Shaun. And she loved him. She did. She completely adored him, spent all day long talking about him."
"Is this going anywhere?"
"Don't be rude," I snapped.
"Yes! 'Cause he never looked at her twice. I mean, he liked her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him, years of her life. 'Cause while he was around, she never looked at anyone else. And I told her- I always said to her, time and time again, I said, 'get out'. I thought I could do it, but I can't. It's always going to be you and Rys. I've known that for a long while and have grown so close to her… I don't want to feel like this, not about my friend's husband. So this is me, getting out." She tossed me her phone. "Keep that. 'Cause I'm not having you disappear. If that rings- when that rings, you'd both better come running. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Got it."
"I'll see you later." I nodded and gave her one last hug before she finally left.
5/3/2015
Yep, so this chapter is definitely a lot shorter than the previous. I tried to make it just as long but I was having a bit of trouble. However, there was a point where I realised I added enough to the work and that adding more would be overkill. So yeah, that's why it's so short. Anyways, prior to uploading this chapter, I was working on another for the One Shots portion of Her Secrets. I was having a lot of fun writing it but then I really wanted to work on the end of Martha so we could finally hit Donna. But that one will be updated soon. To be honest, it probably won't be updated on a regular basis due to the fact I have to make sure it all coincides with the actual story and whatnot... which is a major pain. But it will be updated soon, that I promise. With that said, thanks to all who favourited, followed, and reviewed. I love getting those emails and I appreciate all of you. It seriously keeps me wanted to update. Now then, off to the reviews.
I'm-a-Klaus-addict: Long time no talk. Hope all's well. I hope your guess was proven right or wrong. Thanks. I've had it for so long that it was a sad moment to let it go. I did however take it apart so I have the motherboard, the memory chips and other parts I could keep in memory of it. Wait, what new thing about the dress? o.0
Takara Matsudaira: So glad you liked the change of view and that it wasn't confusing. I tried to make it easier I can understand how it could be a bit difficult. One thing that always worked with me is remembering that each character has their own voice and speech pattern. Don't know if you wanted to hear(read) that, but I figured I'd share it with you. But thanks so much. I had so much fun writing from Kiel's perspective. He has a rougher exterior than the two combined so it was interesting to basically have Nine in the body of a 'kid'. So yeah, different voices for everyone and Kiel's was the most fun. Heck, when it gets to future chapters, he's so amazing... or at least I have him saying things I think is amazing. I can't wait to hear about your idea. I'm sure it's going to be amazing :)
tardiscompanion101: Thanks. I'm glad you were able to figure it out. I was trying to make it obvious without being completely out there with it and giving the mystery away. Thanks. One of the things I try to do is keep everyone cannon. It's a pet peeve of mine when characters don't match up to how I know them... I know it's fanfiction but idk... I'm a bit weird about it. It doesn't stop me from reading a good story though. Hope you enjoyed getting into Rys' head in this chapter. There was a bit of her personality added to give you guys a bit more to her character.
NicoleR85: Yay. I will say I didn't go into too much detail about what the Master's done to her but I hope it was pretty obvious it was nothing pretty.
Squidtastik: Thanks. As I think I said in the previous A/N, it won't happen too often, but it was refreshing to write from a perspective other than Rys'. Glad you liked it though.
P.S: And can I just say, from the previous chapter, my favourite line is when Kiel tells the Doctor he wouldn't be an enemy, just a disappointment. I don't know, that line seriously got to me when I was writing it. Just felt like sharing that. Oh, I'll be giving you guys a sneak peek into an upcoming chapter in the next one. I think you guys will enjoy it. Oh, and yes, we are back to Rys' POV.