Chapter Ten: Both Hearts
The Master had been with Rose Tyler for almost five months. His plan to take over the world was within reach. Everything was in place, though that was one of the last things on his mind. Sure, he wanted the world and the universe to be his. Except, there was a different conquest. It had become the most important. He sat awake at night trying to comprehend what the hell had happened to him. He felt a high when he took Earth and lived the Year that Never Was. All that pain and destruction was like a fine and rare wine. His life thrived on suffering and power. Sure, it'd be nice to feel that again. Only now, he felt the same satisfaction…from a human.
Even though he spoke every known language in the universe, he could not explain it. When he fell onto Bad Wolf Bay, he dreamt of trying again. Of taking it all for his. And then some blond waltzed over and took him home with her. He wanted the universe, all right. But, he wanted it so that he could share it with her. He wanted to give it to her. Impossibly, her good nature and winning smile turned him from a fierce lion into a little kitten. He hated it…but he loved it. He loved her. It was thought to be impossible, but that was who she was. And it was love.
Damn it all.
"No, I'm serious! This is my serious face," he told her as he pulled a dramatically stoic expression. "If you say no, I will fall to microscopic pieces all over this very shiny floor and your poor servants will have to scoop me up in their vacuum. Do you want to harm the poor servants? Do you want there to be bits of Time Lord strewn about? No, of course you don't. It's a silly question. By this logic, you do have to agree."
She smirked at his peculiar manner, ignoring the pang of grief that always hit her when something reminded her of the Doctor. This moment had. The Master put his hands together in a pleading motion and she sighed in defeat.
"Yes, all right? Will you stop it now? You've been on about this for a week."
"It's a date! Finally, a proper date! I have you all to myself at long last!"
He pulled her into his arms for a victory dance. She laughed as he twirled her around the kitchen. They danced together for a bit before Rose put an end to it. "I should get my things before I change my mind."
"Right! Go on then! What are you waiting for?"
Once she had her things together, they got into her car and wandered into the city for a first date. She wasn't necessarily ready to move past the Doctor, but she had waited around for a very long time. Besides, the Master nagged and nagged and nagged. Genuinely, she liked the man. Maybe it could be more than that. Still, he wasn't her Time Lord…the one with sonic screwdrivers, great hair, brainy specs, and French catchphrases. She knew that she'd have to accept that no one was sooner or later.
After getting some dinner and seeing a horrid film, they went for a walk in a local park. She was telling a story about her childhood on the other Earth, and he was actually listening. He discreetly took her by the hand and they continued to wander in silence. Finally, they sat by a pond on a bench and he had his arm around her.
"You're an incredibly cunning woman," he informed her with a devious grin. "A person like you could do so many things. Wonderful things. Magnificent! I could list every synonym for that in every language for you, and you'd be able to do it. You do know what you're capable of, don't you?"
"Yeah. I know."
"But you aren't doing any of it now."
"Well, I do what I can. It's not like I have a TARDIS and the whole of time and space as my playground."
He moved closer. "What if I could give you all of the world? Every last piece and person. It wouldn't stop there. I could give you every world in every corner of the galaxy. Even further."
"Wow, you're laying the romantics on thick, aren't you?" she chuckled.
"I'm serious, Rosie. Wouldn't you like that?"
She gave him a small shrug. "I don't know what I'd like. For my first nineteen years, I was this nobody from London. Then, I was a time traveler. Saving worlds and people. Where I am now? I want my old life back, but I know that it won't happen. Too much time has passed. Torchwood isn't making me happy. But, will anything make me happy? That's what I really wonder. Listen to me going on. Sorry about that. Such a downer, wasn't it?"
"Why don't you try something new? You could try with me. It's not the same as the past, but it could be even better."
"I'm sorry…I don't know what to tell you because I don't know what I'm thinking. It's all blur at the moment."
He chuckled lightly. "That's a good thing. Tell you what, I can see in your head. Will you let me do that? Learn what you really want?"
They locked eyes and she nodded silently. Carefully, he put his fingers to her temples and shut his eyes. At first, he only found memories of her early life. Then, like a brick wall, he was stopped. There was still a portion of the Time Vortex locked away. It was protecting the rest of her head, probably a failsafe put in by the Doctor somehow. While he tried to get around it, Rose was inside of his head as well. She could hear the drums pounding. She saw so many things and felt his emotions. It was terrifying…but only because that's how he felt. The Master was scared to death.
"It's so loud…" she whispered quietly.
"What?" he asked distractedly, still battling the Time Vortex wall.
She listened. "The drums. One two three four. One two three four."
Quickly, he pulled away and the noise stopped. "You heard them?"
"Yeah. What'd you see?"
"The Bad Wolf. Nothing else. Sorry, but you were in my head?"
"What, it doesn't work that way? I thought that it was like that Star Trek moment. You know, my mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts. That stuff Spock says when he does that melding thing."
He studied her closely, ignoring her rambles. "What else did you get from my head?"
"You were so scared. I felt it. Why are you afraid, Koschei?"
After the shock wore off, he tried to seem unbothered. "I'm never scared. The Master is a force to be reckoned with. Nothing can ever reach me, and it never will."
"Not buying it. I know you're terrified. What it is? I really want to know."
"I'm not going to tell you."
She frowned. "I give you an all access pass to my head out of trust, and you can't answer one question? What kind of bloke are you?"
"I'm an angry villain who takes pleasure in being the most powerful and vicious man in the universe. No mercy. No sympathy. Just suffering. That's who I am, Rose."
"You want me to believe that?"
"Why don't you?"
"Have you noticed how you're holding my hand?"
His eyes drifted down to the light grasp he hand on her. Quickly, he let go and she laughed. He scowled. "Stop it. I mean it. Don't you dare mock me."
"Or what? What will you do?"
He swallowed dryly and held her eyes. "Don't test me."
"You wouldn't do anything. You couldn't, could you?" she murmured as she searched his angry expression. "Oh my God…that's it. That's why you're so scared, isn't it? You actually like me and that's got you completely terrified."
"Please. You're being stupid. I don't like you."
She laughed hard at that. "Then why have you begged me to go out with you? Why are we out right now?"
"Because I love you."
That stopped them both dead.
"You…love me?" she repeated slowly.
"Apparently. This is new for me. I can't say I like it. Human emotion. It makes you weak. Pathetic race with your pathetic feelings. I was like God once. I was above all this. And then I met you. It keeps me awake, wondering where I went wrong. Where it happened. Every time, I trace it back to that damn bay. I hate it. I really hate it. The warm, fuzzy feeling from love. From both hearts beating to your name. It's sickening. You're as loud as the drums. The noise. It won't stop. I used to be happy with sorrow, but now I want you. I want us. I want this. I need this. The Master needs a human girl. I never thought that I'd see the day…but here it is. Love. I love you. I know that this is where you need to be. At my side as my empress. That's how I'd treat you, my Bad Wolf. I'd give you everything. Even the stars."
"I really like you, but I don't…" she whispered sadly.
"Not yet. But you will. I know you will. We met for a reason, and I know what it is now. We're meant to be together. Use that Time Vortex and see the universe like I do. This is our future. You are my future."
Before she could answer, he kissed her roughly. She didn't kiss him back at first, as all she could remember was the Doctor. Finally, she returned the kiss with some hesitation. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. They pulled apart and she looked away with a frown.
"It'd be a long time before I could give you my heart."
"I'm all right waiting. Give me a chance. Join me. Together, we can build an empire. I can make you more powerful than you've ever been. Let me. I offer myself. Both hearts. I know you better than anyone else. I can understand. Believe in the life we could share."
Her resistance was wearing down. He had an honest smile and seemed to be authentic. Still, she had learned to never trust a soul so easily. Eventually, she decided to give him an answer. As much as it pained her, she knew that she needed to start her life over.
"All right. I'll trust you. Let's see where this can go."
"Together? You'll be at my side no matter what?"
"Yeah. I won't walk away from you."
Joyously, he embraced her and placed a kiss on her forehead. Plans and plots shuffled around his mind. There was no stopping them now. They'd have everything, and he was happy to give it to her. If the Doctor could see him now, how jealous he would be! Of course, he'd probably die from shock. The one fib the Master hadn't told was his love for the human. As twisted as it was, he couldn't help it. He tried to forget it, but there was no going back. He felt how he felt, and he was going to use it to his advantage. He wasn't going to go weak.
The rest of the night, he kept her in arm's reach. She wasn't comfortable with his constant contact, but she had known him for months. Sincerely, she thought that she could make him better. Maybe that was enough. Maybe it would become love just like it did with the other Time Lord. And, maybe he was right. Maybe it could be better than before. Not that she was holding her breath. It'd be hard to erase her Doctor, and she figured it was damn near impossible. Still, it wasn't like the Doctor was coming to get her.
Miles from London on a deserted bay, the sounds of the TARDIS mixed with the ocean. Inside, Donna had her eyes shut and fingers crossed. The Doctor was on edge. He knew that it was an irresponsible risk to take, especially for personal reasons. If the universes were destroyed, he'd never forgive himself. Well, it wasn't like he'd have much time to spend feeling guilty.
When they felt the TARDIS land safely, they paused. Donna opened one eye and looked around while the Doctor grinned and half chuckled. She let out a squeal and flew into his arms. "We did it!"
"So it seems! Let's make sure we're in the right place," he answered less enthusiastically. For all he knew, they were still on their world and the jumper failed.
Cautiously, he opened the TARDIS door and stuck his head out. The waves shimmered in the moonlight and he swallowed all of the bad memories. This was the place. There was no doubt about it. He turned to Donna and nodded in confirmation. They were in Pete's World.
Instantly, the Doctor grabbed his equipment and set to work in the dark. Donna explored the area, as she couldn't tell which end was up on his little tools. She smiled at the pretty landscape, asking, "How's it coming, spaceman?"
"There's a very faint signature. Someone has passed through the void within the last year. Could be a month, could be six or seven. I can't be sure. But, he was here."
She laughed excitedly. "Look at us! We are brilliant! So, what's next? Hop in the TARDIS and pop over to London? He would be in London, wouldn't he?"
"Yeah. I'm almost certain of it."
"Great! Let's go! Or, what is it you say? Something about Allen and seas?"
"Allons-y. There's a bit of a problem I didn't explain…"
"What kind of problem?" she drawled slowly.
Sighing, he motioned to the dark TARDIS. "It feeds of the energy of our universe. Now that the momentary gap has closed, it has no power."
"…no power? So we're stuck here then? Oi, you said we'd get back!"
"We will. I have a secondary source. We just can't use the TARDIS while we're here. It'll drain the power and we won't have enough to get back."
"We're in bloody Norway! How are we getting to London? How are we getting back? You want us to walk?"
"Yep. Pretty much."
"You have to be joking."
"Just until we get to a town. Then, we get a car."
That calmed her down a bit. "How far is the nearest town?"
"Well, Bergen is fifty miles…"
"Fifty miles?!"
He winced at her voice. "Louder, Donna. I don't think that they heard you in Africa."
"Oi, don't get smart with me. It'll be a long walk if you keep acting so cheeky."
"It'll be even longer if you keep shouting."
After getting more suitable shoes and locking the TARDIS, they started their very long walk towards civilization.