Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters, places, plots...Yeah you get the picture. My first ever Master/Rose fic, never thought I'd write one, but actually I really love writing it!

Chapter 16-The Terrifying, Ticking Dream

On the deck of the Valiant the Master and Rose sat on a chequered white and yellow picnic blanket. The sun shone down on them, warm against their face and arms and the large, wicker picnic basket was tied with an enormous yellow ribbon and sat on the edge of the fabric.
"Only a week till we launch! Isn't it exciting?" The Master exclaimed loudly, leaning back on his arms, his shirt sleeves rolled up past his elbows in a show of domestic bliss and comfort. His wife nodded happily, she appeared slightly dazed, her face glowing in the bright radiance of the Sun,
"I can hardly believe we're actually gonna do it! WOW!" The Master laughed heartily, he shuffled over, and lay himself down on the blanket, resting his head in her waiting lap and closing his eyes contently. Rose smirked loving down at his peaceful face whilst she stroked his face, caressing every inch of flesh with her fingertips affectionately.
"As the Doctor would say, it's going to be fantastic," he teased playfully, then his voice filled with love and adoration, he continued, "I'm so glad we get to share this together, my love. I wouldn't want to share it with anyone but you." She rested her hands upon his cheeks, were he proceeded to cover them with his.
"Me neither," Rose agreed honestly, she waved her hands at the nearby servants dismissively, motioning for them to leave; "Can you go?" She asked politely. The Master smiled at her gentleness. Supporting his wife's request (obviously) the Master lifted his hand from his horizontal position and waved his hand in a mirror image, as soon as his hand dropped the servants left silently and obediently.
"Want some time alone?"
"No, I need some time alone. Just us. It's the one thing I miss sometimes." The Master smiled softly,
"When it's all ours we can spend our every waking second together. I'd do anything to make you happy."
"You promise," Rose stated simply. The Master opened his eyes and looked up into her hopeful face, squinting against the sun.
"I promise. I'll be yours for eternity." With a cheeky smile Rose stared down at him, her eyes bright and cheerful, she raised one eyebrow and spoke with a teasing lilt in her voice,
"I thought you already were." The Master rolled his eyes and blew air noisily from between his lips,
"You know what I mean," he said tiredly, damn humans and their absurd insecurity, "Would I have married you otherwise?"
"I don't know," Rose said playfully, stroking his soft, short-cropped hair lovingly as he folded his arms on his chest, "Prove it to me." Then the Master realised what she wanted. He smiled knowingly, why hadn't he figured it out before? Forcing the smirk from his lips before she noticed it the Time Lord shut his eyes gently and yawned,
"I'm tired." Rose's melodic laughter met his ears and she hit him lightly on the chest, making him jump slightly.
"You!" She exclaimed. Suddenly she felt two pairs of sturdy, affectionate arms enfold her and tug her down beside him onto the soft fabric of the summery blanket; she was still laughing as he proceeded to tickle her and she struggled under the rapid movement of his fingers to escape from his tickling hands. Leaning down as she chuckled hysterically the Master ran kisses down every exposed area of her skin: face, neck, collarbone, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers even her bare ankles, feet and toes. Later they decided it was probably quite a good thing that they had made the servants leave.

Very, very early the next morning the Master and Rose were lying asleep side by side in their enormous bed, darkness and silence surrounded them. Beneath the thin, silk covers Rose tossed and turned, her face contorting into a terrified expression. Then she bolted upright, her breathing was laboured and quick, she had sweating shining on her creased brow and her eyes were wide and horrified, as if she was looking into the hideous face of some terrible monster. Next to her he woke up instantly, completely aware that something was seriously wrong, they were so strongly connected together he just knew there was a problem. Looking at her with a concerned expression the Master placed a hand on her clammy shoulder comfortingly and asked softly,
"Rose?" No answer, he repeated the question, his voice louder this time, "ROSE?" Still silence, she did not even seem to comprehend that he was there, "ROSE SAXON?" He shouted raucously, probably waking up half of the ship as he did so. He didn't care. His cry jolted her from her stunned silence and her head jerked round, her dark, frightened eyes boring into his face; her voice was no louder than a whisper,
"What!?"
You had a nightmare!" He said clearly and calmly, trying to soothe her as he rubbed the tops of her arms with his hand, "What did you see Rose? Tell me darling." To anyone else that would have been a harsh, steadfast order, but for her, just for her, it was a question, a request for information that may or may not be given at her discretion. Rose scowled as she attempted to wrack her memory for any details of the dream. Few remained; she never had been very good at remembering such things,
"I don't remember," she paused to think some more, "Just blue light, an' a ticking clock, wind and then it felt like my heart stopped," she placed her hand on her chest, just to check it was still beating. Then she stopped again and pushed the images to the back of her mind, burying them beneath useless facts and figures about god-knows what. It scared her to even recall them, and she didn't really know why. Saying them aloud they didn't seem at all scary; it was simply a list of random things with no clear link between them. She felt like such an idiot.
"I know you Rose. It can't have been nothing to have made you wake like that." Seeing that his partner was still extremely upset the Master wrapped his arms around her familiar body and hugged her tightly, in his effort to shield her from any pain and fear, and draw out every negative emotion from her shuddering body. Pressing his lips firmly into the soft, untidy mass of blonde hair he tried to reassure her, then he rested his cheek against her hair, "Come here. Forget all about it, it was only a stupid dream," he spoke, emphasising the word 'stupid' as much as he could, yet she was still unusually quiet, "Do you trust me?" He whispered adoringly.
"Intimately," she murmured back, her hands clinging to him desperately so that her fingernails dug painfully into the flesh of his back, he did not even flinch.
"Then trust me now. Everything will be just fine." He spoke with such love and honesty that Rose almost laughed at her foolishness. Burying her face into his shoulder and taking a deep, calming gulp of air, breathing in his exotic, spicy scent as she did so, she kissed the bare skin near her lips and pressed herself closer up to him, trying so hard to believe his wise words, he had never given her cause to doubt him before. But for an unknown reason this time it was a much harder task, and even as she began to drift back to sleep in the oh-so-human way, she just could not accept his answer one hundred percent.

Heya guys, sorry for the REALLY long wait for this chapter. I've had so much on since I've got back from holiday and I just haven't had the time to upload this.

Now to make up for this lack-of-writing, I have given you two chapters, you lucky, lucky people. And the rest will follow as quickly as I can possibly get them up. Is that all right with everyone.

As I said I'm very, very sorry for your wait and if you feel that I have betrayed you and don't deserve a review then don't review:( But please accept my apology and review, because I have missed you guys.