Note: Again, next chapter will be up whenever I have free time (which is close to never recently), but I'm always contactable, and reviews are always hugely appreciated.

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Chapter 42

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the dark corridor. Beyond the small circular windows, flurries of white brushed silently against the side of the ship on their slow descent to the surface. The black-clad figure turned the corner and paused, holding his gun tightly across his chest as he scanned the empty space ahead of him for movement. Apparently satisfied that there was no-one there, he turned and began pacing back the way he came.

The Doctor peered out, watching the shadow of the guard disappear around the corner, and then stepped out from the doorway he had taken refuge in. He pulled the screwdriver from between his teeth and advanced as silently as he could.

He hadn't been expecting this. He'd hoped to make a beeline for the machine, but the route he had taken all those months ago with Martha and Jack was now out of the question: it ran down the centre of the ship, and he couldn't run that gauntlet. He had no idea where the Master might be, but he had to keep his distance or it would be as though he had raised the alarm himself, and every parallel route the Doctor tried was dotted with guards. It was slowing him down more than he could afford.

He paused at the junction where the guard had disappeared, pressing his back to the cold wall before he took a quick glance around the corner. He could see the figure moving away from him along the passageway. He pushed himself from the wall and strode silently past, making his way to the next junction as fast as he could.

The Doctor's legs ached. He'd spent the last five months doing nothing more than pacing across a confined space, and his muscles weren't used to this kind of exertion. He was sure it was only the adrenaline keeping him moving; adrenaline and that terrible awareness of how little time he had. His own heartbeats were beginning to sound uncomfortably like a countdown. It could be hours or mere minutes until the Master realised something was amiss, and if he did before the Doctor could reach his destination everything could be lost.

He halted at another doorway. The Doctor looked furtively round in the darkness and raised the screwdriver to the doorframe. The noise it made seemed worryingly loud in the Doctor's head, but he knew that was just anxiety. The engines were close, and the sound of them was beginning to act as cover for his actions. This was good: the room he was heading for had to be nearby. All he needed to find was a way down.

"I don't get why you risked so much for that woman." Said Jack quietly. Even though he knew he and the Doctor couldn't affect the memories they were watching, he was almost convinced he should be whispering.

The Doctor at his side remained silent, following his former self through the newly-opened door as if he hadn't heard. Jack, however, knew that he had, and he suddenly stopped. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt stupid that he hadn't realised before. "That wasn't the only reason." It wasn't a question.

"It was a good enough reason." Said the Doctor firmly, almost defensively. He continued to follow the suited figure, expecting Jack to come with him. He didn't.

Because he was finally starting to understand his role in these memories now. Since their last conversation inside the Tardis he was beginning to see that everything he was being shown really did have a purpose, even if the Doctor himself didn't want to admit why.

"Doctor…" he said tentatively. The Timelord paused, but didn't turn. "…you're a great guy – an amazing guy-"

"Oh flattery really doesn't suit you." Interrupted the Doctor, cringing as he finally turned back.

"…but," continued Jack, ignoring the distraction, "you said it yourself: you're not perfect. If you were, you'd be no better than the Daleks or... I don't know - the Cybermen." He watched as the playful cringe fell from the Doctor's face. They looked at each other seriously in the half-light. "There were other reasons here. There had to be."

The Doctor blinked and looked away, narrowing his eyes on the snow beyond the window. It seemed to suddenly freeze mid-air, suspended impossibly in the dark sky. The suited figure in the distance halted mid-step. The Doctor had paused the memory.

"There were a few, I suppose." He conceded, tilting his head a little. He placed his hands in his pockets in what Jack was almost certain was an act of discomfort. Jack walked forwards, closing the distance between them.

"Like?"

"Well for one thing, if this ended today nobody else needed to die."

"And?" Pushed Jack.

"…And Martha would never even have to remember whatever she'd been through."

Jack didn't doubt for a moment that the Doctor was being sincere. He'd proved a thousand times how much he was willing to risk for the people he cared about, which was why one particular reason was now screaming out at him, and why he felt so sure that the Doctor was avoiding it.

He tried one final attempt. He spread his arms and shrugged. "And?"

The Doctor glanced at him with a frown, then turned back towards the window and stared out at the snow hanging there, as if suspended on invisible threads. "And…" he sighed, apparently ready to admit defeat, "I thought that if I could end it today… get him back to the Tardis…" he trailed off here, as though unable or unwilling to finish the sentence. But this was the reason Jack had been waiting for, and he knew precisely the words that the Doctor couldn't bring himself to say. He remembered something the Doctor had said on the final day of this year. He hadn't even been able to comprehend the reasoning behind it then, but he did now: put into the proper context, it was one sentiment he understood painfully well. He bowed his head.

"…you could finally take care of him."

"Well it had always been the plan to take him back with me." said the Doctor, a little too quickly. "Stop him causing himself or anyone else any more damage." He turned away from the window and looked down the hallway at the figure in the distance. "When we first came across him, previous experience told me there wasn't much hope for him, but by this point…" He pulled his hands out of his pockets and walked off, catching up with his previous self, still frozen in that same position.

Jack followed at a slower pace. Apparently that conversation had gone as far as the Doctor was willing to take it right now.

"You look a little lost." He called, changing the subject. The Doctor looked back over his shoulder. He raised his eyebrows.

"I thought about coming to find you." He said, almost apologetically. Jack smirked half-heartedly.

"Thought appreciated."

The Doctor smiled. "…but I found someone else first."

The snow outside the windows began to fall once more. The Timelord in the memory shot forwards, resuming in his long strides. Jack and the Doctor followed.

The Doctor halted as he came to another junction in the corridor. The sound of the engines was becoming louder here, making the floor beneath his feet vibrate with the power of it. He glanced around the corner. This stretch of hallway seemed to be clear.

For the first time since he'd been imprisoned he took a deep breath spurred himself forwards, breaking into a flat-out run. The hum from beneath him covered his footsteps, though he tried to be as light-footed as he could. It felt like remembering a part of him he'd lost. He could feel the cold air sweeping through his hair; making his jacket flutter out behind him. Despite what was at stake, he couldn't deny that he'd missed this: just the simple act of being able to run felt intoxicating. Granted, it wasn't making his headache feel any better, but a headache was the least of his problems right now.

Doorways flitted past him on one side, windows on the other. He ignored both, concentrating on the route ahead. He was looking for a staircase, an elevator, anything that might take him down into the lower levels of the ship. The sky outside was becoming worryingly light now. Dawn couldn't be too far off.

There was a clattering sound in the distance and the Doctor skidded to a halt, grabbing the wall for support. His face was enveloped in a frown as he listened. Footsteps were drifting to him over the noise of the engines; footsteps heading towards him.

He swallowed and shrank back into the nearest doorway, pressing himself as close to the door as he could. It wasn't much of a hiding spot, but turning back was out of the question. He held his breath as the footsteps came closer. He couldn't afford to be found now he'd come so far.

"…not even daylight. How does he expect us to see what we're doing?" came a voice, carrying over the engines.

"I don't think he cares." came another, quieter voice. The Doctor suddenly realised that there were two sets of footsteps coming towards him. "I think he just likes making us work."

"Oh like last time? You nearly broke your neck." There was a disgusted grunt. "Just give me five minutes alone with that man." The voice lowered to a mutter, as if worried it might be overheard. "I'd make short work of him."

"Mum…" hissed the other voice quietly.

The Doctor had been trying to remain still, but now he froze in earnest. Those voices were the two he'd least expected to hear on this little escape, but he had to admit that they were a relief. Perhaps his luck was about to change.

The footsteps came closer. "I mean it." Snapped Francine. Apparently five months of servitude hadn't improved her temper. "And that woman. One chance, that's all I ask. Just one chance and I'll-"

The Doctor suddenly lunged forward and grabbed one of the figures as they passed by. Tish gasped as he clamped a hand over her mouth, pulling her into the doorway. Francine's head snapped towards them. The bucket she was carrying clattered to the floor.

"Don't scream." Whispered the Doctor, still holding his hand tightly over Tish's mouth. Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice but she shook her head, understanding. He let go.

Francine was staring at him. The Doctor stayed in the doorway as Tish turned and backed away into the corridor. She smiled, but looked deeply confused. "Doctor." She breathed.

"Oh yes." He said quietly, smiling back at her. It felt good to talk to someone again.

"We thought you were dead." Interrupted Francine coldly.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint." He said offhandedly. He didn't have time to contend with Francine's dislike of him right now. He turned his attention to Tish instead, stepping out of the doorway and into the corridor. He grabbed her shoulders, bowing his head as he looked at her intently. "Listen, I don't have much time. How's Jack?"

Tish looked away. She still looked in shock. "Oh he's… alive."

The way she said it didn't bode well, but he didn't have time to enquire further. He had to trust that Jack was strong enough to deal with whatever was being thrown at him. "Good." He said quickly, "That's good. And your dad?"

Tish opened her mouth to reply, but before she could her mother reached out and snatched her arm, pulling her forcibly from the Doctor's grip. He dropped his arms back to his sides, his face darkening as Francine dragged her daughter behind her as though afraid he might suddenly attack.

"Get away from him." She growled quietly. "He's dangerous."

The Doctor swept a hand over his face in frustration. This was the last thing he needed.

Tish jerked her arm away and went to walk forwards once more. "Mum-"

"No." She snapped. She took a step towards the Doctor, staring at him with that same contempt he'd seen there since the first time they'd met. "I don't know what you're doing, Doctor, and I don't care." She whispered, her voice shaking with what the Doctor could only imagine was anger. "But we want nothing to do with it. You've already managed to drag Martha into your twisted little game and I will not-"

The Doctor rolled his eyes in desperation. "Francine I really don't have time -."

"I will not," she continued more pointedly, raising her chin proudly. The Doctor took in a deep breath, trying to remain patient. "let you put any more of my family in danger."

The Doctor looked at her for a moment. She was right, of course. Martha was down there, risking her life for him. Everyone else in her family except her son were prisoners, and there was every possibility that Leo was already dead. He could understand why she was placing the blame on him, but time was running out. He sighed and raised his eyebrows. "I swear, I never wanted any of this." He breathed. "But right now-"

"Oh of course." She said, her voice full of cold sarcasm. "Well then, that makes up for everything."

"Mum, just listen to him." Hissed Tish, placing a hand on her mother's shoulder. She, at least, seemed to understand the urgency. She looked up into the Doctor's face expectantly, and in the darkness the family resemblance was so striking that it made his stomach jolt: with that expression, it was almost like looking at Martha. He took a step closer to them both, trying to make them both understand how desperately he needed their help.

"Listen, I'm sorry, but I don't know how long I've got." He growled, keeping his voice low. "I can stop all this today. But first I need to get down to the lower levels without being seen. Now do either of you know any way for me to get down there?"

His eyes flickered from one woman to the other, waiting for a reply, his hearts hammering furiously in his chest. Francine sighed and turned away, pursing her lips disapprovingly, but she did seem reluctantly willing to help. Tish looked into his face as she thought. Eventually she shook her head.

"All the staircases down are guarded. We're only allowed down there with permission."

The words took a moment to register in the Doctor's head, and when they did he felt a creeping sort of sickness begin to settle in the base of his stomach. He should have known.

"Elevators?"

"The Master keeps them all off limits." Added Francine sourly, keeping her face turned away from him.

The Doctor shook his head desperately. "…Access shafts? Anything."

Tish simply looked at him, and the lack of reply was answer enough. He closed his eyes and rested back against the wall, placing a hand on his forehead. That was it then. If there was no way down then this whole gamble had been for nothing. The chase was over. He would end up wandering the corridors until either the guards or the Master himself found him, and then there was every possibility he would be so enraged that he really would kill him. He'd doomed everyone – himself and the Master included – with that single step out of his room. And he'd been hoping for so much more…

Tish watched him for a moment, biting her lip thoughtfully. She sidestepped her mother, wrenching her arm free as Francine tried to pull her back. The Doctor opened his eyes slowly at the movement. He suddenly felt exhausted. "There might be one way." She said uncertainly. The Doctor tilted his head away from the wall, listening carefully. "But it's locked."

The Timelord raised an eyebrow. "Not a problem."

But the uncertainty stayed in her eyes. She frowned. "…And it might be too dangerous."

The Doctor slowly pulled himself away from the wall, the tiredness sliding away as quickly as it had arrived. A new wave of adrenaline took its place. If there was still a chance, that was good enough for the Doctor.

"Oh Letitia Jones…" A smirk of relief began to spread wide across his lips. It made his face hurt. "...you really don't know me very well."