Where they do everything right, just to play right into someone's hands.

-0-

When the Bad Wolf summons the universe shakes
The cry will herald the rebirth of the forgotten race
Time will shred and twist and dance in a new form
Worlds and stars will clash and be reborn

Walker of Worlds she'll be the destruction of all
But not if the three can hear her call
The Time Touched, the Time Itself, and Time's Beloved
Reality's hope for keeping the stars above

Those once noble twisted time for their use alone
But they have forgotten how the starlit path was shone
The three can call her back to what she should be
Their hearts bound together as all can see

Weave the binding of the Bad Wolf's cry
Mend the broken battered bleeding sky
Bound by love home at last she'll find her place
The Big Bad Wolf protector of every single race

Listen now to the star child's song
Soon the danger will be ever gone
Protector and protected rest at last in your new home
Know that you will never again be all alone

~A Prophecy of the Big Bad Wolf~

~~~~~-0-~~~~~

The Doctor's face had gone completely mask like as he listened to the Void Walker. The Master was a combination of his worst and best of nightmares and memories. This single person, who had done so much to help and harm him, it made his stomach turn. Hearing that person being named as their opponent shook him. Even now part of him craved to reach out and help him, but not at the cost of everything else.

If The Master was alive in this universe, then chaos would follow. If he was trying to bring back the Time Lords, well they would destroy everything. That was after all what the ending of the Time War prevented, destruction to the universe. The fact was his own people put their survival and ascension as a race, above every other living thing. That could not be permitted, it was wrong.

He barely noticed Void Walker and Jack coming to his side; he was so lost in his own thoughts. Funny how he had been an outcast of his people, then called upon to save them, and then called upon to save the universe from them. In this universe, he wasn't sure what happened but it could not have been good.

When it did register that they were there, he locked gazes with Void Walker. He was asking without words, how she was sure it was him. She had brought the report over with her and placed it on the table.

"Throughout these stories, they speak of a prophet that passed from place to place telling the Wolf's story. Though some accounts also refer to him as a madman. Most accord his voice as compelling, and being very sure his words are true. The names that pop up, well Harold Saxon were the most common. Other familiar names were Professor Yana, and the Master, listed in the stories. It disturbed me to think he was spreading these tales. If he was weaving me into the paths of this universe, he has to had a reason for it." Her lips thinned as she finished, uncomfortable with that thought.

This Jack, having never faced the Master was uncertain of any ill intent. "I hate to play the devil's advocate, but is it possible that there is a benign reason behind all this?"

Void Walker looked back at him evenly. "I considered that, but if it was benign, he would be here helping."

The Doctor had been remaining silent, while he worked on putting the pieces together. "Right, so he's drawn you in, but we don't know why. Obviously he's got some sort of reason, but why and how would he know of you. So either he saw you in the schism or someone else did. Without more information, perhaps focusing on preventing him from using the Rift is our best course of action."

Folding his hands together, he considered the available information. "If he's trying to use the rift, then we need to find a way to block his access. With a bit of jiggery pokery I can fix the stabilizers to seal it more completely. The only thing is we don't have the kind of raw power needed to make a complete seal."

"Yes we do." Both men looked over at her with surprise.

"We have me; I have enough energy to do that. I'll be a bit tired afterwards but it won't take me too long to bounce back. The only thing is, if he's after me, using my energy directly in the seal might be a bad idea."

"Well is there a way to convert your energy as it goes through the stabilizers?" Both of them turn to look at Jack as he offers his suggestion. The Doctor's manic grin flashes.

"Brilliant, I can do exactly that when I set up the stabilizers. Lend me a couple of your people and I'll have it done in no time."

He reached into the pocket of his blue jacket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. Void Walker gave him an amused glance. "Had time to build one already?"

"Nawww, nicked it from the other Tardis."

That earned him a giggle, and yes, the tongued touched smile. Both men grinned at seeing it, hearing her. It was almost like years of weight had started sliding off her. She'd lost none of the power, the skill or the experience, but the spark that was Rose was shining even brighter. Void Walker had always been Rose underneath; she had always had the compassion, the determination, and the desire to help. However the spark of fun, that was coming back despite the seriousness of the situation, and she liked it. What tomorrow might bring, she wasn't sure, so she'd hold on to the joy she could have today.

It took a lot less time than Jack thought, and the stabilizers were ready. Leaning back against the wall he watched the Doctor work with his people. Void Walker came up next to him and leaned on the wall as well. "A penny for your thoughts?"

"He is so different and yet the same. If that is confusing for me, how many of them have you seen?"

She didn't need to know who he was referring to. They both were centered on the same person after all. He was a magnetizing force, without any effort on his part. That was part of the Doctor she had seen in virtually every universe he had been in.

"He's only in a small percentage of the universes out there. The Time Lords didn't like to share, so in the universes closest to them they destroyed their counterparts where they could." Mulling over her thoughts something occurred to her. "Actually that habit could be why they might know about me. I have been through all time and space, so many of my visits in places were prior to the Time War. Still doesn't answer why."

They fall silent again, until she finally offered up another explanation. "The Doctor, at his core, represents the same things in most universes. He can change his face, his personality quirks, but not the essence of who he is. It can be buried, but never truly over-written. Sometimes it just needed to be woken up. So no matter what face he wears, if he is sarcastic or hyper, he is still the same man."

"So, you say sometimes it needed to be woken up? The Doctor can go bad?" Jack' gaze settled on her, eyebrows raised.

"Oh yes, he most certainly can." Her gaze stayed on the man bouncing around the hub.

"What keeps him from going bad then?"

Now she turned to look at him. "I thought the answer was obvious, we do Jack, we do."

He watched her as she pushed off the wall and moved to the Doctor's side. When she got there, he shot her a wide grin, going into some techno babble about the set up. She gave him an affectionate shoulder bump and Jack smiled. Moving away from the wall he sauntered over to join them both. He put his arms around them with a grin. "So, we good to go, or do I need to bring in more bananas to make it work."

"Jack never underestimate the power of the banana. You can solve all sorts of problems with them. Really great for parties don't you forget. But in this case it won't be needed except for a snack. We are all set here. Just need our Rose here to power the thing up. If you can watch the screen there, I can make any adjustments over here."

Void Walker gave a small pause when he called her Rose again. A thought occurred to her. "Jack, before I forget, can you make sure the proper people here are notified about what happened to Rose Tyler and her Doctor?"

Folding his arms across his chest Jack bowed his head for a moment. "Already took care of that, but thanks for thinking of it." He looked up and for a moment she saw the trace of soft grief in his eyes.

If there was one thing she had learned, alternatives never truly replace the people you love. It was more like a second chance to get to know someone. That person happened to be a great deal like them, but it was never fair to you, or to them, to treat them as the exact same person.

The next moment though the look had vanished and Jack was rubbing his hands together. "So, everything is clear, let's go for it." He flashed his grin at them both.

Void Walker nodded, taking a step back to get some space. She was a little uneasy showing her full strength, but it was needed to safely seal the rift. The uneasiness came from the fact that someone there would be able to translate the symbols that had been placed on her skin oh so long ago. Couldn't be helped, this was necessary.

"In case I forgot to say before. I have a small amount of shape shifting ability. What you see here, is more or less my default, where most of my energy is safely locked away. For this, you are going to see me at full strength. How I looked when the Big Bad Wolf fully evolved. So, no matter what you see, it is still me. In this case, still the same woman."

She shot a smile at the Doctor before closing her eyes to start the transformation. Void Walker knew he would get it. The smile on his face told her that before her eyes shut.

Inside she reached for the power, and the power answered, flowing up over her. First her form was overlapped with the liquid golden metallic color. It flowed around her and her clothing rippled as if pushed by the wind. Then she grew taller, her hands and feet became more talon like as her "clothes" melted into her body. Finally her form shifted completely, into a wolf on two legs. Softly glowing Gallifreyan script trailed up around one arm and down the other. It circled around her torso, and she opened her eyes. They too, glowed a golden color.

If her form for walking the void was one of energy, this form was utterly Bad Wolf. It was the perfect merging of physical body, and the energies of the Time Vortex within her. It lacked some of the pure power of the Vortex, but in return it would not kill her, nor kill any that tried to help her. In order to harness the power, there must be some limits.

Void Walker could hear the Doctor's swift intake of breath, and knew he must be reading what was written on her. There were so many things she could tell him, but it needed to wait until later. So she simply let her voice whisper across the front of his mind. ~Later Theta, I will talk more of what you see later. It was a sacrifice, and a half fulfilled pledge that kept me alive. What you do is your choice, not to be forced. ~

With that she turned her regard to the machine. Her voice had become tonal and echoed through the room. "I am ready."

Unsurprisingly, many of the agents gaped at this transformation. After a few moments though, training kicked in. Some flushed but they returned back to their tasks. Jack and the Doctor moved to either side of her as she placed her hands on the machine. Power started to pulse from her and into the machine.

The Doctor and Jack moved as one, making adjustments and calling out readings back and forth. Energy swirled through the room, and even the least sensitive could feel the pulse of it. Yet as a team, they worked flawlessly. The Void Walker never pushed too much power at once, and the two men adapted to create a complete seal on the rift so it couldn't be tampered with.

Finally it stopped, and the three could feel it as something settled in place. Void Walker took a few steps back, the golden edge to her dulling as she swiftly shifted back to her default form. She seemed more than a bit tired and disoriented, but she waved the two men off. "Just need a moment, little sensitive." She started muttering about pathways realigning and energy flows to herself as she moved back to lean against the wall.

The two men hugged and there was excited chatter in the room as folks realized they had succeeded. The happy sounds of celebration though were shattered by a sarcastic laugh of triumph. The Doctor twirled in the direction it came from, horror written on his face. There was a familiar man with dark brown hair and the light of madness in his eyes. He had his arm around the now unconscious Void Walker holding her up. "Congratulations, you just gave me exactly what I wanted."

"Let her go!" The Doctor took a step towards Harold Saxon, the Oncoming Storm settled on his features.

"Not a chance, now say goodbye to your girlfriend." With that, the Time Lord known as the Master vanished, taking Void Walker with him.