Alright. Now, this one's a little more violent than the rest. This one is all about trying to torture the Doctor via Rose. I'm not generally a horrid person, so writing this was hard. But things have got to get bad before they can get better.
Enjoy anyway!
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Got the Message?
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Rose was startled when suddenly the elevator doors opened to reveal the Master spinning about as a song played over the speakers. She vaguely recognised it as a song from the Scissor Sisters, but was too preoccupied by the man who was twirling about and kissing a woman in a long red dress. He ran up the stairs and started to ring on a bell. With a sigh, the Doctor crawled out of his tent, looking resigned. In the next second the Master was down beside them, forcing the old Doctor into a wheelchair and hooning him around.
Slowly the music faded out and the Master settled himself and the Doctor over by a window. She watched as he talked to the Doctor, taunting him. But the Doctor didn't react, he didn't even move.
Not until the Master said something that obviously hit a nerve. Suddenly he spun around and growled something quietly. After the Master replied, he said something else. It was little above a whisper.
"Oh, no you don't!" the master cried. He stood and pushed the Doctor's chair away until he hit the wall. Rose tried to get up and reach him, but she could only just stand with her hand chained to the rail, even with the long chain. As the Master ranted on, oblivious to what the people around him were doing, she saw the Doctor press three fingers to his leg and Francine Jones nod discreetly.
"What? No!" the tantrum like cry distracted them. "Why is she still tied up? It won't be any fun if she's tied up!"
Quickly someone came over and unlocked her cuff. She began to rub her wrist, getting the blood flowing again. She knew it would bruise. But suddenly the Master pulled her up roughly and spun her so fast she almost fell over again.
"Right. Miss Tyler. Let's have a look at you. Now I'm afraid we didn't get a very good introduction yesterday. I'm-"
"The Master," she finished for him, somewhat bitterly. "You're an old friend of the Doctor's but became enemies somewhere along the way and somehow escaped the Time War, living as a human. And you're a… well, quite frankly, you're a crazy, screwed up, psychopath of a Time Lord. I already know who you are."
"It appears you do," he grinned at her. The grin was not a nice one. "But… I don't know anything about you. Oh, I know the whole sob story and background. Grew up on a Council Estate in London. Raised by your broke mother after your father died when you were a baby. Worked at Henrik's clothing shop for three years before it was blown up. A few days later you mysteriously disappear for a year and return with a man, refusing to say where you've been other than that you were… travelling. After that it was a bit of a whirlwind ride as the Doctor took you on wonderful adventures for… what was it, two years? But then tragedy struck when you were found 'missing presumed dead' after the Battle of Canary Warf. But you weren't really dead, were you? No, you were sucked into a parallel universe and trapped there. Separated from the man… alien - who you loved."
"Are you going to tell me my whole life story?" she asked, her tone very close to being snappish.
"Ooh, Doctor, I like this one!" he said to the man in the wheelchair. The Doctor had rolled closer and she could see he was struggling to school his features into that mask he had on before.
"Leaver her alone," he commanded. But the Master paid no heed.
"Hmm, you've changed since he last saw you," he commented, looking her up and down. "You've gotten a little older. It suits you, you're quite pretty… for an ape. Your hair is more natural now. Although, I'm not sure whether you're skinner or fatter. You look skinnier, but what is with that belly." He poked her hard in the stomach, making her wince since her abdomen was still a little tender. "And your breasts are bigger… did you know that your bra is too small?"
Rose looked down and self-consciously crossed her arms over she chest. But looking down, she had realized they were bigger. She used to be a 32DD, now she looked like she was up to an F! And her bra was probably a size too small. God, breastfeeding had taken her up two cup sizes!
"Hmm, and your eyes. They used to be so full of life, so happy. What happened to that light? Now you look empty. But, looks aren't all that important. What I want to know… is what you did while you were away. What fun did you have when you were with the Doctor."
"What? You're holding me captive, you've been torturing the Doctor for a year and you want us to be buddies?" she said incredulously.
"Are you going to tell me?" he replied calmly.
"No," she scoffed.
"Right then, time for some fun."
Suddenly he reached up and grabbed her head in his hands. The grip was painful as he pressed his fingers into her temples and tried to hold her still. Quickly he tried to force his mind into hers. She felt him press against her mind. It was horrible and felt like something was battering at her head. It hurt.
She cried out as he tried to get in, but her mind revolted against the feeling, working harder to push him out. He tried harder, but she only rebelled more. She was so focused on trying to get him out, trying to stop the pain that she hadn't noticed that she was now on her knees. Nor did she notice the Doctor screaming her name, trying to get the Master to stop, both vocally and physically.
Finally, he stopped. She was panting heavily and his breathing was pretty strained too. "She's strong this one. I've never seen a human with such strong mental barriers."
"Who says I'm human?" the words hiss from her lips without her consent. It shocked all three of them. Rose blinked at the words. She didn't even know where they had come from. Of course she was human. She was just a little bit different.
"Aren't you now? The Master said snidely. "Then what are you?"
"I - I don't know," she stuttered.
"Well then, we'll just have to find out, wont we?" Before she could even form the thought to move, the Master had stepped forward and yanked out a small handful of hairs. She cried out and held her hand to the sore spot as he pocketed the dark blonde threads. Behind them the Doctor growled angrily.
"Leave her alone," he ground out, slowly lifting himself from the chair.
The Master all but ignored him, except to reach out one hand and push him out of the way. "And you've gained telepathic abilities," he continued. "But I'm willing to bet that you've never been taught how to use them. Your mind is working on instinct. The big bad man wants to get in your mind and pick it apart. It will do all it can to shove the invader out. But, to a mind, that's something that you must keep out. But, no matter how much you may hate it, you're mind doesn't see messages as a threat. Nothing to harm you. And that's why I can do this."
He reached for her head again and suddenly a torrent of images flooded through her head.
She saw a planet with burnt red grass and a smoke filled orange sky fall to ruin. Thousands upon thousands of people killed at the hands of the Daleks, and some things she had never seen before. Children at least 8 years old, forced to fight. The children younger than that were simply slaughtered as their parents couldn't protect them.
She saw many different cruel ending of lives at this mans hands.
She saw the Toclafane sweep down and murder billions. They killed men, women and children. Whole families dying. Every country, every city. They killed with their spikes and their lasers, childish manic laughter flowing from them the entire time.
Then the images became more personal. She saw Mickey lying on the ground, dead and bloody. Her mum screaming as she was tortured. Pete's body being crushed and mangled as the car reversed and drove back over him repeatedly. The Doctor, locked in a room of scientists, his hands strapped to the table. He screamed as they cut open his chest while he was still awake…
By the time the images stopped, she was a sobbing mess on the ground. She had hardly been aware that she had been whimpering for him to stop. She took deep gasping breaths. 'It's not real. It's not real. It's not real," she chanted in her head. But she felt sick to her stomach, knowing that it was only the last four visions that hadn't been real.
The Master bent down low so his face was right next to her, his hand on her back. "That's just a taste of what I can do, Miss Tyler," he whispered in her ear. "Oh, I have such plans for you. Now that we've discovered this little mind trick, I am going to break you down piece by peace until you barely have any of your mind left. I will show you things that would stop your heart in fear and sorrow and make you feel pain so excruciating, you will wish you were dead. I can torture you physically and mentally and do anything I want to you. I wonder how he would react if I took you hard on the floor. Would you fight? You seem like a fighter. But you won't be by the time I'm done with you. I must thank you, Rose. You've given me the best thing in the entire universe. You've given me the one thing that can break the Doctor completely."
Rose's eyes widened and she gasped in fear. But only a little of that fear was for herself. If he could break the Doctor using her, what could he manage with their children? If he did mange to get into her head, there would be no way of stopping him from finding out.
She had to be strong. She had to protect them. It was only a matter of time before everyone found out. Having a child changes your body. She couldn't hide those changes forever… she doubted she could even hide them much longer anyway.
Suddenly she cried out in pain as he aimed a small, but still very painful, kick to her head.
"Mrs Jones," The Master called. Bitterly, Francine came forward. "Take out guest to the bathroom and help her clean up. Find her something of Lucy's to wear. They're about the same size… Of course, Rose is more well endowed in the chest area and that part may be a little small, but who's complaining."
Rose opened her mouth to retort that she did, but Francine purposely cut her off. "Yes, Sir," she growled. Then she helped Rose to her feet. She tried to walk forward in the way that Francine was leading her, but she stumbled and fell instantly. She felt so weak. She had used so much energy protecting herself from his mind that she was exhausted.
Francine went back to her, put an arm under her to support her, and led her away.
?...DW…?
Francine wasn't stupid. She had been a mother before… three times. She knew the signs easily. It wasn't really the girl's appearance, that wasn't much of a give away. It was in the other details.
It was the way she held her arms, the scared look in her eyes. The look of a mother, scared for her children. But the biggest evidence had to do with her clothes. Rose was still breastfeeding, and it was apparent that she hadn't done so in a while. Any longer and others may have started to notice that. And she was still bleeding, so it couldn't have been long since the children had been born.
Silently, without hinting anything, she arranged for things that would help cover those small, but obvious giveaways. She understood why Rose was terrified of the Master finding out she had given birth. She knew better than anyone, the fear of having your children suffer at the hands of that vial man. And she would do anything to help her prevent that.
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Rose looked down at the flashy dress. She wasn't comfortable in it. But Francine had kindly and very silently handed her things to help postpone the inevitable finding out of her pregnancy and childbirth. If she was lucky, they wouldn't find out for a few more days.
She fingered her pocket subconsciously. Francine had been lucky enough to find her a dress with at least one pocket. The letter was now hidden safely in this pocket. She wasn't going to let it go. It was for the Doctor. But she couldn't give it to him yet.
Suddenly everyone looked about in alarm as the PA announced a 'condition red'.
"What the hell?" the Master cried running up to the bridge. Quickly Francine dived on his jacket, tossing it to Tish, who passed it to the Doctor. The Doctor dug into the pockets and took out the laser-screwdriver, aiming it at the Master just as he turned around at the sound of the small scuffle behind him. It all happened before Rose could fully take in what was happening. "Oh, I see," he sighed, putting his hands up.
"I told you," the Doctor rasped. "I have one thing to say." He clicked the screwdriver, but nothing happened. He looked at in confusion and the Master laughed. The Doctor tried again, to no avail.
"Isomorphic controls," he grinned smugly, leaning over and taking it from him. Suddenly he backhanded the Doctor, sending him to the floor. Rose gasped and moved over to the Doctor's side. "Which means they only work for me," he explained to all the people who didn't have an IQ higher than a super computer. "Like this." He shot at Francine. He missed her mostly, but nicked her arm, which she instantly cradled to her. "Say sorry!" he demanded.
"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" she all but shrieked at him, fury dripping from the word.
"Mum!" Tish cried, running over to her.
"Didn't you learn anything from the blessed saint Martha?" Lucy helped him into his jacket. "Siding with the Doctor is a dangerous thing to do. Just look at Rose's family." He waved his hand out at the woman at the Doctor's side. She glowered in response. "They're not even here anymore. And Rose herself has lost her mind. Take them away. Not her, just keep her back."
A guard took Tish and Francine away while another dragged Rose away from the Doctor and held her back by the wall. The Master came over and helped the Doctor into a chair. "Okay. Gotcha," he said. "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. Ooh, and look at him now. Stealing screwdrivers. How did he ever come to this? Oh yeah, me!" he laughed excitedly.
The Doctor acted unfazed by the words. "I just need you to listen."
"No, it's my turn!" the Master growled. "Revenge! Best served hot. And this time… it's a message for Miss Jones!"
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It was minutes later that they had a camera set up ready. But it took another half hour after the announcement of the broadcast that they actually went on air. The Doctor was sat in the wheelchair behind the Master on screen. Rose would be off screen, but she was only just to the side, this time held by two guards.
Two guards, she wasn't sure whether that was stupidity or a complement. On the one hand, she was a fairly petite woman who was weak (not that they knew what from) and still slightly affected by her confusion. On the other, she really was quite a formidable opposition when she really fights. Many, many people and aliens had underestimated her before. It may have been a while since she had done fieldwork, but she still had it.
Rose watched as the crew behind the camera counted down, and then signalled that they were broadcasting.
"My people," the Master said in his smarmy voice. "Salutations on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman. But I know there's all sorts of whispers down there. Stories a child, walking the Earth, giving you hope." He walked back to reveal the Doctor behind him to the camera. He went and stood with the Doctor. "But I ask you… how much hope had 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?" he suddenly said. He took out the Laser screwdriver and began to fiddle with the settings. "What if I suspended your capacity to regenerate? All 900 years of your life, Doctor. What if we could see them?"
"What? No!" she cried in alarm. She struggled to move forward to protect him, but the guards held her back. "Stop! Please! Don't hurt him!"
The next second, the Master had pressed the screwdriver and something strange happened to the Doctor. It was almost as if he had been put on hyper speed as he thrashed and shook about, rapidly aging and getting smaller.
"Down you go, Doctor!" the Master said gleefully.
"Stop it!" Rose shrieked as she strained against her captors. She was torn as to whether she would run to the Doctor or at the Master if she were able to escape. But in the back of her mind she could feel a searing pain. She knew that it was coming from the Doctor, in the same way she could constantly feel how sick the TARDIS was. She wanted it to stop.
"Down, down, down you go," the Master continued to taunt. He stopped then and cautiously headed towards the bundle of clothes that lay where the Doctor used to be. As he got closer the bundle began to move and a head popped out of the top of the Doctor's shirt collar.
He had shrunk down so small; his head was almost as large as his body. His big brown eyes were the same as ever, only now they were so large they took up most of his face. He looked something between Gollum and a small eared house elf.
Grinning, the Master walked right up to the camera. "Received and understood, Miss Jones?" he almost laughed. And with that, the transmission ended. He turned to face the room. "Everyone, leave us. She stays here."
Finally the guards let her go and she fell to the ground when her straining was no longer necessary and she over balanced. She didn't even look as everyone filed out. She only had one thing on her mind.
"Doctor!" she cried, running over to the small bundle. Reaching through it, she pulled him out and wrapped his old shirt around him, and cradled him to her.
"It's okay, Rose," he attempted to sooth her, but his voice was barely a harsh whisper. "I'm alright."
"Well, you wont be for long," the Master said cheerfully. Behind him, a large golden bird cage was bought in and hung up. "I've been saving doing that for a special occasion," he grinned. "Had everything ready for a while now." He reached into the cage and grabbed out a ball of brown fabric, showing it to them. "I even hazarded a guess as to how big you'd be!"
The master grabbed the Doctor from Rose's arms and shoved him and the mini suit in the cage and melted the lock shut. Rose stood in anger, but held herself back. She knew it would do no good to fight him.
"Do you like it?" he asked the Doctor, nodding to the cage. "I thought you would like a good seat for your punishment."
"Punishment?" Rose cried in alarmed anger. "You've already shrunken him down to the size of a bloody house elf!"
"Oh, Miss Tyler. That was not his punishment. That was a message for Martha Jones. And now it's time for his."
Her anger faded and fear took over at the look in his eyes. Slowly he advanced towards her.
"Master," the Doctor said, his voce begging him not to do it.
Soon the Master was pressed up against her, her back pinned to the wall. He ran his hand up from her hip to the back of her neck. His touch was so gentle… Until he suddenly yanked at her hair.
He taunted both her and the Doctor with his words as he hit, punched and kicked her. She could dimly hear the Doctor shouting for him to stop, begging, and promising him anything. But she was trying to concentrate on not crying out.
If this was the Doctor's punishment, then she would not make this easy on the Master. She had stopped trying to fight back when that only made him hit harder. But she managed to stay as silent as she could.
Until he kneed her in the stomach.
The cry that tore itself from her lips was enough to make anyone flinch. Her abdomen, still sore and tender from giving birth to twins burned in agony. Delighting in her reaction, the Master did it again. He redoubled his efforts, attacking her viciously now that she had finally slipped.
She knew that he was going easy on her. Hurting her enough to bruise and cut and make her cry out and curl up on the ground, but not enough that she would need medical attention.
Finally, when he was done, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her over to the cage. The Doctor's large eyes were filled with pain, anger and sorrow.
The Master grabbed the cage with his over hand and leant in close. "Got the message, Doctor? He growled.
