Chapter Thirteen: Turns and Twists

Rose stopped walking before he could do anything at all. How could she leave when this Time Lord needed her more than ever? In her heart of hearts, she would always belong to the Doctor. But, the Master was right in front of her and on a warpath. She knew that could help him, and that's what the Doctor would want. Slowly, she turned back with tears in her eyes. "Do you know why I'm not going to walk away from you even now?"

"Do I care?"

"Yes, you care. You are going to shut up and listen to what I have to say right now or I will slap you silly."

He smiled at her. Still fearless. After seeing his true nature, she still wasn't the least bit afraid to confront him. "All right."

"Good. I'm not going to walk away because I said that I wouldn't. And I won't leave you. I won't run from you. Because there's hope for you, Koschei. That's who you are. The Master is in your head. Just like the drums. There was a person before you went barmy. A little boy. I saw him in your head. So fragile. And he needs me. You need me. We met on purpose, remember? I don't think that it was so that the Earth could bow to us. I think that it was so that I could show you something better than power."

Laughing, he smirked. "There isn't anything better than that."

"Liar. You've thought it before. Why are you taking the world and the universe? You're doing it for me. You aren't doing it for you. For once in your long life, you're putting someone else above you. Because you love me. That's better than anything you've known. Answer me this. Just one question. When you saw the Great Pyramids fall, was it as much fun as finding ducks in the clouds with me?"

His glance hardened. "I'm the Master, Rose. I don't…"

"What? Fall in love? Enjoy life with a human? You were heartless once and for quite a while…but you aren't anymore, are you? I know for a fact that you can't hurt me. Right now, I dare you. Hit me. Leave bruises. Make me cry. Go on then. I'm waiting."

With rage, he lifted a hand and went to hit her. He couldn't. Slowly, with a look of horror, he lowered his hand. "What? What? Oh no…I'm a sissy."

"You're not a sissy. You're a man in love who treats his woman with respect."

"Like I said, a sissy. This isn't me. It can't be me. Can it? I don't want to be weak."

"Stop that. You're ten times stronger than you ever were. Both your hearts are beating again. You feel. Accept that. You don't have to do this. You don't have to give me the universe. I'd be fine with a flat, maybe a nice car, maybe a pet or two, maybe tiny spaceship we go on holiday with. That's all I need. It'll hurt me if you hurt the human race. You don't have to like them. You don't have to be a nice guy. You can be a total wanker for all I care as long as you don't harm anyone needlessly. Please. For me. Quit trying to give me things. I have all that I need. I can have you, and you can have me. Together. Two wolves. Unstoppable."

He was so confused. His entire life was spent trying to hurt other people. Trying to have the power. Now, this woman had turned his life upside-down. With a shaking hand, he brushed her cheek. "What did you do to me?"

"I don't know. Once, I touched a Dalek and it could feel. It evolved into this machine that couldn't kill. Dalek. Couldn't kill. Because I touched it. So, it might be a DNA thing, but I like to think that it's more than that. Take the Doctor for example. He was a mess. Worst attitude. Big ears. I turned him around. It's like a curse or something. I can't explain it. I'm glad I met you. You're not half bad, you know. You have some assets. And I know you could be something great. You don't know what you're capable of doing for good. We could find out if you want. I don't know…believe in that life we could share. You just have to stop this. I swear on my family that if you do, I'm yours."

"And if I don't?"

"Remember that bit about me having an ego?"

He smiled widely. "Yeah."

"Well, it's telling me that you will. It's telling me that I've gotten to you. Am I right?"

Gently, he kissed her. When they pulled apart, he smirked. "Well played, Rose Tyler. I'm very glad I met you. Finally, a match. Someone who can beat me at my own game. No wonder I love you so much. Halmono, we need to talk!"

At Torchwood, the Doctor was helping isolate the secret codes and transmissions. The Master was very clever and had sufficiently blocked everything. Even the Doctor couldn't access it. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and checked something. "Ah! I've got it!"

Everyone rushed over, but Donna was the first to ask. "What? What is it?"

"He's controlling Torchwood remotely. I can put a trace on the signal to find their exact location. The other transmitter is bouncing about. Scrambled like eggs. But this one has to remain constant or there could be a serious error. After I trace it, we'll need a way of traveling up there."

Mickey frowned. "What, you left the blue box in the other universe?"

"We don't have enough power to play about. It's parked on that beach," Donna explained.

"What about a teleportation device?" Pete suggested. "We lifted a couple a few months ago, but they aren't working."

The Doctor sighed. "Of course not. Bring them here. I'll see if I can get them to work."

"What if they don't?" Jackie wondered fearfully.

"We'll find another way. This man ain't about to leave here without Rose. And I'm not about to let him do that either. She's all he talks about. I can't wait to meet her. She must really be something," Donna nodded, causing the Doctor to turn bright red. "Look at him! Blushing like a schoolboy!"

"Not helping, Donna…"

On the ship, the Master and Rose went to see Halmono. The blob regarded them with a ripple. "Have you settled your lover's quarrel?"

"Ah, yes. We have. The plan is off. I know it's an inconvenience, but this isn't going to work out after all. I appreciate your time and effort, Hal. Until we meet again," the Master answered as he began to pull Rose towards their ship.

A force shield held them in place. "Um, we might have a problem…" Rose whispered quietly.

"We are taking this world for our own," Halmono announced. "In fact, we never planned to give it to you in the first place. Did you really think that we'd let a lesser being have ultimate power in the universe?"

The Master scowled. "I screened you carefully. You were being honest."

"Yes, I was. I said that I'd like you be the Master. That's your name. And I let you keep it."

"Yet another reason I don't like that title," Rose commented dryly.

He frowned at them both. "So, what are you going to do with us?"

"You're going to the dungeon until we have time to dispose of you."

In a flash, they were sent to a medieval style dungeon and restrained by chains on their ankles and wrists. The Master tested them with a pouty expression. "Well then. That's a first. Outsmarted twice in one day. I'm getting old."

"Why does this modern spaceship have a grimy dungeon?"

"They like to be traditional. If we're executed, I'm hoping for a hanging. I'll regenerate."

She glared unhappily. "What about me, then?"

"Well, if I go first I can regenerate and save you. If you go first."

"What?"

He paused and met her eyes. It was like the words were on the tip of his tongue, but he seemed too scared to say them. "Nothing. We need out of this place. Soon rather than later would be better."

"Do you have a sonic screwdriver?" she wondered hopefully.

"That's just stupid. Who looks at anything and thinks that it could be a bit more sonic. It's just daft."

"Haven't you ever been bored?"

"Is this how our relationship is going to go? Are you going to defend the Doctor at every turn?"

She pulled a face. "Of course I will. Why is that a problem? I thought that you were mates."

"We were. It's just that until I met you I didn't really like anybody. It's how I was."

"Well, that's just rich. You really did have to meet me, didn't you? You sounded like you were a real—"

"Less talking and more thinking. If you want us to spare that decrepit planet, we need a way out. Can you hand me your broach?"

Confusedly, she managed to get it off and hand it to him. "What'd you need that for?"

"It's a transmitter. I used it to link Torchwood to this ship."

With some difficultly, she was able to whack his arm. "Oi, I thought that was a sweet gift!"

"Ouch, it was! It just happened to double for a transmitter. I could have hid it in my shoe if I wanted to, but I put it in a handmade flower. Blimey, I'm a total cream puff. Look at me. Trying to escape to do something…good. Yuck. It feels weird."

"Get used to it, mate. You're on my side now, and you know that there's nowhere you'd rather be."

He grinned. "Confident, Rosie?"

"Just a bit, yeah."

At Torchwood, the Doctor put the final touches on the devices. They came back to life and could teleport them to and from wherever the transmitter was. The Master had to have kept it somewhere close for it work with the ship, so the Doctor knew that it was either on his person or near it. He fit one device to Donna and one to himself. Jackie embraced them both for good luck.

"Bring her back," Mickey nodded, slightly emotional.

Pete shook the Doctor's hand. "Once again, I have to depend on you."

"That's me. The dependable Doctor. Hang on, Donna. We're going to go for a little ride."

Meanwhile, the Master had failed at using the transmitter as a tool. He fell against the wall with a disappointed sigh. "I'm useless. This is your fault. You have made me a complete weakling."

"I have not! Do not blame me. I didn't go and put you in some trance or mess with your mind."

"It'd explain a lot."

"Oh, shut it. Less complaining and more thinking."

"Don't you tell me to shut it, you idiot. If you had accepted my gift, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Wait a minute! They said that they'd have done this anyway!"

"Well."

"Yeah. Well."

He loved fighting with her. It was a rush every time. Gingerly, he moved the heavy chains and reattached her broach. His face was incredibly close to hers. She could feel his breath on her lips. Slowly, he pressed his mouth to hers and she reciprocated. They kept going with more and more intensity. Though they knew that they should be focused, it didn't stop them.

Neither did the rays of light that beamed into the room.

The Doctor and Donna had arrived in the dungeon. At first, Donna had her eyes shut and the Doctor was looking up. When he looked down, he saw the Master and his Rose snogging like there was no tomorrow. His hearts broke in half. Donna opened her eyes and saw the two of them kissing and she had to cover her mouth with her hands. She looked to the Doctor who looked close to crying or shouting angrily.

The Master suddenly pulled back, sensing the other Time Lord. He groaned. "You always have to show up, don't you?"

Rose followed his gaze and gasped. "Doctor?"