Chapter 8

United States Virgin Islands

March 2010

As they exited the plane, Jack breathed in the air. "This is going to be fun."

"I can't believe we're actually doing this!" Rose exclaimed for the twentieth time. She spun around slightly, her head tilted to catch the sun.

Smiling, Jack checked his Blackberry. From the airport, he'd asked Al to assure they had a place to stay and a car. He smiled noting that Al had rented a private villa, probably to prevent either of them from being in public too much. Pulling up the information on the Internet, he saw that the place looked elegant. "Al's a good man," he said smiling. "I wonder what kind of car he got us."

"So... where are we going?" Rose asked, seeing Jack's actions and knowing, from what he had said on the plane, that Al had picked out a place for them to stay. He handed the Blackberry to her to look. "You're kidding me," she said, gawking at the photo. "This is a joke, right?"

Jack pointed to the description. "Secluded. I don't think Calavicci wants us to be seen much."

"I don't care," she answered. "We're in the Virgin Islands!"

"Yeah. We'll have a nice visit. Might even rent a sailboat for a day."

"Like you visit a tropical haven every day of the year," she taunted him. "Nice visit? That's all?"

"Well, I've been to my share of them."

"I bet you have. But I haven't. Well, at least not here on Earth." She grabbed his hand. "Come on! Let's get our car and go!"

He smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yeah. Let's go."

They made their way down to the car rental counter. As Jack produced a credit card and completed the transaction, Rose went to get their luggage. Once in the Jeep, they headed to the villa management office to pick up the key. Finishing with a stop at the market for food, they finally arrived at the villa.

Rose practically dropped the groceries on the nearest counter that she could find. "This place is amazing."

"It is great. I'm ready to jump in the pool. How about you?"

"Twelve hours on a plane or in an airport? More than ready. Plane travel makes me miss the TARDIS."

"Yeah. Travel by TARDIS is the best."

She paused, considering as she put away the groceries. "Miss it?"

"I do, but my team in Wales is an awesome group. This is the longest I've been away from them."

"I wonder what the Doctor would think if he knew you were the head of Torchwood."

Jack looked out at the ocean. "He understands."

"You mean he knows?" Rose questioned, going up to him.

"Well, he's not comfortable with it at the moment, but that will change."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll get over it. I just didn't know that he already knew and never told me."

"He found out after you arrived at Sam's project."

"Bet that went over well. Anyway, that pool out there is calling." She started for the bedroom where she had put her newly purchased suitcase.

Jack nodded and moved to his room. A few moments later they both came out, Jack in trunks and Rose in trunks with a t-shirt.

"I promised I wouldn't look," Jack said with a hurt expression.

"Yeah, well, I'm not used to going topless anyway and, well... Sam would just look a little too strange in a bathing suit."

Jack sighed. "You're probably right. Now last one to the pool gets to cook dinner." With that the two headed out for some fun in the sun.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

Melbourne, Australia

February 2009

The Master was lying beside his new bride of a week and a half, surprised by how truly happy he was that, in this life, he'd finally found someone worthy of his affections. She was almost perfect. Almost being that, until he'd figured out how to build the Endowment Chamber and use the Black Eye - the meteorite found in the Australian Outback - to fuel it, she would continue to exist physically on the same level with the apes. Once more a smile curled his lips as he thought about how he would be the one to change all that.

A month before their nuptials, Peri had insisted that they purchase a house - a proper house - to replace the suite they shared at the top of the Prometheus Institute building. Given Lothos' propensity to invade their privacy despite assurances - or rather excuses, in the Master's opinion - that he was only doing so to ensure their safety, the Time Lord had no issue with Peri's request. He did have some issue, however, when she had suggested that they do a proper human marriage ceremony rather than a Gallifreyan one, which was really more of looking into each other's souls and promising a life together. It was only after she pointed out that they wouldn't really be married according to human laws that the Master finally relented to a civil ceremony performed by the local justice of the peace.

After taking her back to their house, the Master and Peri had no problem make it physically clear just how important the Gallifreyan ceremony was in comparison to the human one, however.

As he lay on their large bed, the doorbell rang. Peri had gone into shower so she wasn't there to hear and answer it. Reggie, normally in the guest house where they had ensconced him so that he'd be available, was off on an errand. The Master had decided to ignore the sound, figuring the person would simply go away. When a good three minutes went by, the ringing almost constant, he pulled himself up and tied a robe around his naked body before stomping down the stairs ready to give the rude sot a what for.

He pulled open the door about to say something witty, brilliant, and shockingly blunt about the annoyance that had been pounding the ringer when he was drawn up short. In front of him was an older woman who, if she'd been Peri's age, would have to be her twin. He stood there trying to figure this out. If he didn't know better, he'd think this older woman was Peri's mother... but, from what he'd gathered, she'd died years before. Maybe an aunt.

"Well, don't just stand there like a dolt! My heavens, she knows how to pick them now, doesn't she. Why she can't find someone with more than a thimbleful of common sense, I'll never know..."

He blinked. "Now see here..."

"No. You see here. I can't believe you got married at a justice of the peace. That's for... for… the common people. Not a Langford of Queensland! Her father's likely turning over in his grave!"

"Just who in Rassilon's Tower are you?!" he demanded, not allowing the woman to enter. His power to keep her out, however, was hampered as she pushed past him into the house, gaining a stunned look that threatened to turn homicidal at any minute.

"Where is she, that daughter of mine? Periwinkle Agnes Langford! Where are you, child? Now don't play games with you dear Mama..." she called out, walking from room to room.

"Agnes?" the Master questioned with a frown. He blinked for a moment. "Wait a minute... you're Peri's... mother?" Instantly, his mind went into a whirlwind. It just wasn't possible!

The woman turned, giving him a sarcastic look to match the tone of her voice. "Well, who else would I be?" She turned and continued looking into the various rooms, making comments about the style and quality of the furnishings, making it sound as if they'd been pulled from a thrift shop rather than custom made by master craftsmen.

The Master clenched his hands into fists, biting his tongue figuratively and nearly literally to keep from speaking. If there was one thing he learned from watching human entertainment, it was that you didn't dare insult your wife's mother, no matter how horrid the woman was. Not unless you really wanted a divorce.

A sound came from upstairs. "Harry? Who's down there with you?"

"Your mother!" he called up, watching the woman in question with growing irritation.

"My... mother?" There was a pause. "Are you sure?"

"Ah, there she is!" the woman stated as if it was a great discovery. She started up the stairs. "Periwinkle... we need to talk."

"Absolutely right! We definitely need to talk!" the Gallifreyan agreed, though not on the same subject. How could Peri, his own wife, not tell him her mother was very much alive? Seeing said mother starting up the stairs, he rushed to block her path, not wanting this invader to get any further into his sanctuary than she already was. "She just stepped out of the shower. Perhaps you could wait for her in the den. I can have tea ordered... or something." Anything to delay the woman for long enough to get some answers from his bride.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. I've seen her naked from the day she was born so there's nothing I haven't seen." She turned to him. "You... on the other hand... what in the world possessed you to answer the door in a dressing robe... and a satin one to boot? You can see every curve on you, man. Not very decent in my opinion."

The Master stared at her, trying to interpret the expression on her face in conjunction with her words. While the phrases that escaped her mouth reflected disgust in his attire, the look in her eyes indicated that she was more than a little interested in seeing what was under his robe and what she could do with it. Just the thought of Peri's mother wanting him - her own son-in-law - caused him to pull the robe a little closer around him in an attempt to hide his "curves," as she had put it. He didn't get a chance to verbally react, however, as the current bane of his existence continued up the stairs.

"Periwinkle, dear. Where are you?"

Peri, having thrown on a tracksuit to cover herself, stormed out of the bedroom and marched up to her mother, who had just reached the second floor landing. "What the hell are you doing here?" she growled. "I'm on my honeymoon!"

"I was shocked - shocked, I tell you! - to hear from my butler - who'd seen it on the television no less - that you had married! Married and didn't even tell your mother. Oh, it's a bitter, bitter pill to have such an uncaring and selfish daughter. Don't you think it was... unseemly for a Langford to receive such news from a servant?!"

"Oh, please! Like you really give a damn about me. You just don't want your precious little name soiled," Peri replied, storming down the stairs.

The Master looked from Peri to the woman before realizing that the mother's attention was no longer on his... assets. Slinking away, he quickly returned to the bedroom in search of a change of clothes. As he dressed, he could hear the continued argument between the two women. Even though he'd been around humans before, this... insight... into dysfunctional families was quite disconcerting, especially since this was now his family.

"Of course, I care about you, Periwinkle. Who sent you to the best schools money could provide? Who made sure that you had tutors to teach you all the right social graces? Introduced you to top level connections so your entry into proper society would be assured? Why would I do those things if I didn't care?" She looked at Peri's face carefully, tutting slightly as she noted the odd lines on it. "And speaking of caring... you really have let yourself go, darling. One word: make-up."

"Mother, stop it!" Peri bellowed at her, ignoring her crass comment about the scars on her face. "We've already gone over this before! You only did those things because that's what Langfords do. And that wasn't what I ever wanted. The only reason I went along with it was for Father." She paused and then raised her voice slightly more. "And I told you before! Don't call me Periwinkle!"

"I thought you didn't want me to call you Agnes."

The frustrated, suppressed scream from his mistress's lips was enough to make Reggie cringe as he walked into the house at that moment through the kitchen door, his arms filled with groceries. Quickly putting the items down on the nearest counter, he edged his way towards the location of the angered cry, hoping that he wasn't about to have to take sides - yet again - between the Master and Dr. Langford.

"It's not lady-like to make such sounds, Periwink..." The mother stopped. The look on her daughter's face was shooting arrows at her. "...Peri." She shook her head. "So common. Why would you prefer that?"

"I just do," came the reply. "Anyone who has ever really loved me has called me Peri, including Father. You're the only one who insists on calling me Periwinkle all the time."

"That is your given name. You should carry it proudly."

"Why? Because you gave it to me? Father wanted to name me Anna but you insisted on naming me after a bloody flower!"

"My mother named me after one... and she was named for one by her mother. I was just carrying on the Douglas tradition."

"Well, I'm a Langford, not a Douglas," Peri retaliated. "Just why are you here, Mother? Came to check him out, did you? Wanted to know what kind of 'trouble' I was up to? Because that's all you think I'm ever up to. Trouble."

"Only because that's all you've ever shown me. You graduated with top honors. You had offers from the leading scientific research programs. And what did you choose? A charity. Prometheus Institute. The worst thing is, you made it to CEO and then lost it to this... common sort who you then married. What were you thinking? You should have left your position the moment they lowered your status."

"If she had done that, I would have missed out on falling in love with the most remarkable woman in the whole universe," Harold Saxon stated as he walked down the stairs. Dressed in a track suit to match the one Peri was wearing, he gave the woman a disarming smile, determined to play nice-nice with the woman if only to get her out of his castle. Raising his voice, he called out, "Reginald, tea for three, please."

Reggie had been watching this match between the two women from the crack between the kitchen door and the frame. He was amazed by the similarity in appearance between his mistress and, he'd gathered, her mother. From his angle, he realized where Dr. Langford had gotten her intensity. He could only assume her other traits were her own or patterned after her father's. He was not in the least surprised by the Master ordering tea - the Time Lord always seemed to know when he was in the house. He immediately turned back to prepare the light meal.

"And who is this Reginald, then?" the mother questioned haughtily.

"My assistant," the Master replied briefly. "He makes an amazing tea." He gestured towards the den. "Shall we make ourselves comfortable?"

Peri rolled her eyes. "As if that could happen while my 'mom' is here." She knew the word was abysmal to her mother. The Americanized term acted like fingernails on a blackboard.

"If you must use a diminutive, please at least be British about it," the mother protested as she allowed the Master to guide her into the den.

"I thought you were Australian," the Gallifreyan commented. He gave a cheeky grin at his words.

"The Douglases are relative newcomers to Australia. We've only been here four generations. My great-grandfather was a peer in the British parliament. Retired to Australia when it was still a part of the Empire," she explained. "But I wager Peri's pedigree is far more luminous than that of the Saxons. You married well, sir."

The Master's smile dropped slightly at the insinuation of her words. "Yes, I know," he replied, although his words were more of a reflection of his own standards than that of Peri's mother. "I must admit, though, I've never heard of any Douglases in Parliament and I've known quite a few people in the British government. He must have been a lower ranking peer."

"He was a representative peer from Scotland. Served in the House of Lords for many years and was a well respected legislator. What has any Saxon done? I checked your bio which is provided by the Prometheus Institute. Oh, you've done well for yourself considering your beginnings, but really, man, do you really believe you're actually worthy of Peri?"

He gritted his teeth under a false smile, his nerves already reaching its end. "Probably not." He turned to Peri. "Darling, can I speak with you alone for a moment?" He walked out of the room quickly, needing distance between him and the woman who had inserted her arrogant, small-minded, prejudiced persona into his new domestic bliss.

Peri nodded. "Of course, dear." She noticed that Reginald was coming out of the kitchen at that moment, a silver tray laden with the tea and small sandwiches. "Reggie? This is my mother, Mrs. Camassia Langford. Would you please see she is well taken care of?" For a moment, Peri's mind went to one of the videos that her beloved had made for her that she knew Reggie had assisted on. Taking care of her that way would be too easy on her and then again, there was that whole matricide label. She sighed with resignation that such was only a fantasy, before leaving the room to follow her beloved.

The Master turned to the meaning of his existence the moment they were alone and out of earshot. "You said she was dead!" he growled at her.

"I never said she was dead. I said she was no longer in my life. Although I suppose I should have warned you."

"You suppose?" the Time Lord complained. "She's... she's..." He paused dramatically and then finished."...alive." The words were said ominously, almost reminiscent of Colin Clive's performance of Dr. Henry Frankenstein.

"I know, dear. I grew up with her." She cuddled up to Harry. "I'm sorry. I promise to make it up to you."

The Master tightened his hold on her, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, like a boy just waiting for Christmas morning. "Please... Please... let me kill her. I haven't killed anyone in months and it would feel soooo good to kill her."

"I wish that were possible, dear. Truly I do," Peri answered.

"Sure, it's possible! No one would miss that old biddy," he contradicted. "I could take her into the cellar! They'd never find her there!"

Peri considered his offer, her lips curling in a smile for a moment before she shook her head emphatically. "No. It's just not possible as much as I'd really appreciate the bitch getting hers."

"But... why not?" the Time Lord pouted.

"Because I promised Father."

He frowned at her words. "You promised your father that you wouldn't kill her?"

Peri looked at him confused. "No," she said slowly, "I promised him I'd take care of her."

"Well, I could do that for you quite easily. Still have that cellar, you know," he offered. "I'll make it quick, just for you. Bullet to the head..."

"Harry!" Peri reprimanded. "That's not what he meant when he asked me to take care of her. He wanted me to keep her safe."

"Then we can keep her in a cage. She'd be safe in a cage," the Master tried to convince her.

Peri appeared to consider it for a moment but then sadly shook her head. "No. He also wanted her to be happy."

"We can give her toys she can gnaw on to her heart's content! It would be like having a pet!"

"I'm sorry, dear. I may not do much to encourage her happiness, but I'm sure that a cage would not make Mother happy. Toys or not." She gave him a kiss. "But thanks for trying."

The Gallifreyan hung his head slightly at her words but accepted her kiss. "All right," he grumbled. "But do we have to put up with her interrupting our peace? I was about to join you in the shower this morning when she ruined the whole thing!"

Peri reached her hand out to cup his face lovingly. "Were you, Harry? I would have loved that... your soaping me up and hands everywhere." She paused, closing her eyes to picture it in her mind. "Mmm." Just as quickly, though, she opened them again. "And no, we don't have to put up with her interruption. I'll just get her a suite at the Langham and she'll be quite..."

"No," came a firm and commanding response, the Master's face turning dark.

"Surely you don't want her staying with us!"

"Rassilon, no!" the Time Lord squeaked suddenly at the thought. "Just not the Langham." The expression on his face shifted into one of a wounded puppy. "Peri... that's our hotel!"

She smiled. "Of course. What was I thinking?" She put her finger to her chin as she thought. "There's always the Stamford...or the Winsor..."

"Either of those is fine. Just not the Langham," he told her emphatically. "I don't want our hotel soiled by... her!"

"All right. I'll get Reggie on it right away." She gave him another kiss and then walked back to the living room, her husband following slowly. "Mother, I'm afraid staying here is just not a realistic possibility. I'll have Reggie book you a suite at the Windsor."

"Why would I want to stay in this rat trap?" Camassia commented with a slightly huff. "You had better make sure your manservant gets me the best suite. I won't put up with low standards."

"Please," the Master practically begged Peri, hoping for one last chance to kill the annoying woman.

Peri looked at him, telling him with her eyes he needed to mind his manners. "See there, Mother? Harry insists on the best suite for you. Reggie will see that taken care of post-haste." As she spoke, the man in question went into the other room to make the arrangements.

With the statement made, the woman's eyebrows rose a bit. "Hmm, yes. Well, maybe I misjudged your young man after all."

"Only the best for my wife's mother," Harry replied, smiling disarmingly. Anyone who really knew him, however, would see a hint of restrained madness in his eyes.

The three waited in silence, taking tea together as they waited for Torkinson's return. Reggie re-emerged a few moments later with the announcement that the suite of rooms had been booked.

"All right, then. I suppose I should leave you two to your honeymoon. Since you'd likely wish to be alone, I'll borrow your manservant while I'm here. Franz was unable to attend me on this trip."

The Gallifreyan's eyes blazed. "You will definitely n..." he started before Peri stepped in.

"...definitely need to borrow him... but only until we can find a suitable servant for you. Harry really does rely on Reginald so much as his personal assistant."

Reggie looked from one to the other as his fate was being decided. He was grateful to both the Master and his mistress that they would stand up to the old witch.

"You mean to tell me this man is... your husband's secretary?" Camassia exclaimed in surprise. "Where are your servants?"

"We choose to keep our privacy and Reginald is more than sufficient."

"Nonsense! One person to clean this whole house up? To cook the meals? To tend to the gardens and the grounds? No wonder this place is such a rat trap!" She huffed.

Reggie saw the Master's step forward and read his body language at an instant. "That may be, madam, but you will not need to stay a moment longer. Let me drive you to your hotel." He shuffled the woman out the door quickly, seeing that his actions had pleased Peri. A moment later, the two were out of the house and on their way to the Windsor.

The Master took a slow breath to calm his raging anger as he turned towards the woman he chose to spend the rest of his lives with. "Periwinkle," he growled dangerously. "If that... hag... comes within fifty feet of me or mine, your promise to your father or not... I'll kill her!"

His bride looked dismayed. "I don't like her anymore than you do, Harry. Normally I don't see her at all. This was the first time in over ten years that I've even set eyes on her. Please, just be nice to her."

"Nice?! Nice?!" the Master exploded.

"Okay. Poor choice of words. Just don't maim, batter, crush, disable, disfigure, dismember, harm, hog-tie, hurt, impair, incapacitate, injure, mangle, mar, massacre, maul, mutilate, vivisect, or wound her."

"Why the hell not?! And don't give me that you promised your father! That... creature... didn't even visit you in the hospital!"

"I'm not surprised," Peri said drily. "Mother was never... warm or all that caring."

"I'm not warm or all that caring either but I still stayed by your bedside every day, didn't I?"

"That's different." She sighed. "Please, Harry, for me. Just don't do anything to hurt her. Whether you like it or not, I will not dishonor my father's last request."

"Are you sure that I can't hog-tie her? That's a great idea."

Peri's lips turned up. "It is, isn't it?" The sides of her mouth dropped again. "But no."

"Can I hog-tie you instead?" he suggested.

Her lips rose again, this time lecherously. "Only if you promise to torture me a bit when you do."

The Master grinned broadly. "You really do love me!" As they made their way up the stairs to engage in the activity, he asked, "Strangle? You didn't say I couldn't strangle her..."

She ruffled his hair. "Oh, you're such a boy at hearts..." Then more serious, she finished. "...but no. Now, where did we put those ropes..."