His fault
The Master blamed Jack.
Jack blamed the Master.
The Doctor just wants to get out of this damn prison.
It had started as an innocent trip to Felspoon. The Doctor was almost skipping in her excitement and talking at a a minute as the Master followed, his arms crossed and his face set in that childish pouting expression that the Doctor had gotten used to since she had stopped the Master from taking over the Earth, and in extension the universe.
They hadn't noticed him at first, as he stood there watching the pair with a grin. They were so young to the ones he had seen only a week before, but still as argumentative as ever.
The Master was the first to see him and when he did, he froze and groaned in annoyance. He didn't necessarily hate Jack; he hated what he was. A fixed point. The Master didn't understand how the sight of him could make the Doctor smile like that.
"Jack!" She had shouted gleefully and the Master rubbed his ear, the one she had 'accidentally' shouted in. When he finally made the effort to walk over to them, he noticed that the Captain's eyes were looking at him with happiness, not the anger and hate he had looked at him with only weeks before when they last saw him. The Master tried to think of something evil to do to him, then remembered the Doctor was next to him. Always was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Hey there Time Lords! Made any little baby Time Lords yet?" He asked with a chuckle which turned into full out laughter when both of the people in front of him pulled matching faces of disgust. Oh, he's missed their younger selves.
"Shut up freak," Was all the Master said, he would've made it more threatening and effective if he had his laser screwdriver but the Doctor had hidden it somewhere in the TARDIS, and some rooms he was clearly forbidden from.
"So, what are you doing here Jack?" The Doctor asks, oblivious to the Master's growing irritation. Out of all the past companions she's had, they had to meet this one! He would've been happier to see Mark Jones, because at least he promised he would kill him the next time they saw each other. That would've proved an interesting day!
"Feeling nostalgic. You said I'd meet the pair of you here," He says with grin as understanding lit the Time Lord's faces. He was from the future. And he seemed to know the two of them still. The Master suddenly turned to glare at the Doctor who raised an eyebrow.
"I'm still with you in the future!" He hisses and proceeds to cross his arms, causing the Doctor to roll her eyes. Something she seemed to do a lot of since she had found the Master again.
"Yep! Although, in the future you two..." The Master leaned forward slightly, interested in what he and the Doctor - mostly him - were like in the years to come but the Doctor jumped up.
"No spoilers!" She says and Jack bursts out laughing.
"You were the one to teach him that?" He says between his laughs and the Doctor just stands there with a confused expression. "Oh, that's good!" He says and the Master scowls. The fixed point would never change.
xxxx
The Doctor rolled her eyes, following the two men in front of her with a frown. Was this how her companions felt when they had to follow her?
Jack and the Master was arguing about Jack's effect on the TARDIS. The Master was certain that the TARDIS wouldn't let him touch her whilst Jack was saying - very loudly - that the Doctor had been giving him lessons.
"Spoilers!" She had tried to protest but pouted to herself when both men glared at her before the Master insisted that the only reason the TARDIS let her touch the consoles was because he was guaranteed to fly her better than the Doctor. Jack agreed and now they were both laughing and exchanging stories of all the mistakes the Doctor had made whilst driving the TARDIS. Bipolar much, she thought with a roll of her eyes.
The Master and Jack were so deep in conversation that they didn't notice when a man grabbed the Doctor around the waist and shocked her body, causing her to fall unconscious. The two men carried on walking as the Doctor was dragged in the opposite direction.
xxxx
"...and she was aiming for 1999!" Jack burst out laughing as the Master described - in great detail - the time the Doctor had tried taking them to visit 1999 for a millennium party on Earth that she had apparently been invited to a few decades ago. They had ended up on the edge of a black hole and barely managed to escape. The Master had refused to talk to her for days until she finally promised that the Master could choose where they went next.
"Did you ever pass your exam?" Jack turned around and stopped when he realized that the Doctor wasn't behind him. The Master stopped and looked around as though expecting her to be hidden behind one of the surrounding mountains which has were softly swaying despite the lack of wind. When he realized that she wasn't anywhere near, the Master rolled his eyes and realized that he would have to rescue her.
"This happens every time!" Jack mutters under his breath and starts walking back the way they had come whilst the Master stood there, processing what he had heard.
"This happens again?" The Master shouts before running after him and trying to search for the Doctor's consciousness. He flinched when he heard the Doctor's mental screams. He blocked her out and focused on the figure in front of him, deep in thought.
How could he make sure the Doctor didn't start screaming at him when they found her? Or worse, hide the TV remote. He couldn't miss Coronation Street!
His eyes looked at the figure of Captain Jack Harkness and a smirk formed on his lips.
xxxx
The Doctor was not happy. She had been sat in this small prison and was giving herself a headache with all the screaming she was doing at the Master in her head. How did he not hear?
Apparently, women were not allowed on Felspoon without the traditional and correct outfit; a dress. The Doctor shuddered. This regeneration did not like dresses, she very much preferred the pin striped suit and converse that she looked very good in. Much better than a dress.
She had been sat in this prison ever since that man had shocked her, taking offense from her outfit apparently. She had been quiet, expecting the Master and/or Jack to arrive any moment.
That had been three hours ago.
She wondered if they were still criticizing her driving.
"Someone's claimed you," The guard says and she stands up with a scowl; no one can claim her! She walked out of the cell and her scowl deepened as she saw Jack and the Master waiting for her. Without speaking to them, she brushed past then and started walking in the direction of the TARDIS, hearing the whispers of the men behind her and knowing that they were following.
When they arrived at the TARDIS, she unlocked the door before turning around to face the immortal man and Time Lord with a glare that even the Master was a little scared of. He had spent a long time with her in the Academy, and even longer fighting against her; he knew first hand what she was capable of.
"So, why did it take you so long to come and get me?" She asks and both of the men were silent, sticking to the agreement they had made as they walked to the TARDIS. They wouldn't tell the Doctor anything. The Doctor scoffs and crosses her arms with a smirk as she looked at the Master. "I guess I'll have to hide the TV remote again then," She says and her smirk turns into a grin when she gets the reaction she wanted.
"It was his fault," The Master immediately says, pointing to Jack who looks at him with wide eyes and his mouth wide open.
"Shut your mouth Jack," The Doctor says and walks into the TARDIS.
"You do realize it was his fault, right?" Jack shouts at her retreating back and grins at the Master's glare.
"You're not really going ti hide the TV remote are you?" The Master shouts, entering the TARDIS and when he sees no Doctor he swears under his breath and runs to the TV room and hoping the Doctor was not there.
Jack was left in the console room and with a shake of his head he sets the co ordinates of his Vortex Manipulator for Earth. He left in a crack and a flash of light with only one thought:
It really was the Master's fault.