A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as it's probably my favourite so far! As usual, a big thanks to all my reviewers from the last chapter:

smilinsteph, Bad Dog No Biscuit, Shifuni, Simpa007, padmay97, Brownbug, DancingQueen411, MayFairy and Mrs. 11th

Enemies Old and New

The Master grinned that devilish smile and said, "I'd say that it's always a pleasure to see you but that would be a blatant lie wouldn't it?" He clambered to his feet and the Doctor watched, dumfounded and speechless. The Master still had that bright, nearly white, blonde hair and dangerous dark eyes but gone was the hoodie. Instead, he wore an old fashioned white shirt with a slight frill around the neckline and sleeves and the top laces were undone. Still kneeling on the floor, the Doctor stared at the Master's large black boots as his mind whirred.

"How...? But Rassillion..."

The Master's face darkened as he recalled his near death experience at the hands of his own people. "I escaped. I timed it right and managed to...pull myself out." He was about to continue when Amy and Rory burst out of the T.A.R.D.I.S talking loudly. They stopped abruptly and stared at the Master with caution.

"Oh, hello!" The Master grinned at them with an alarming cheeriness. "Two companions Doctor? It's been a while since you had two isn't it?"

The Doctor stood slowly. "Amy, Rory this is...the Master."

Amy eyed him."Who is he?"

"I'm an old friend."

"A very old friend."

"I'm only just older than you." The Master snapped. The Doctor noticed Amy and Rory's baffled expressions and said,

"He's a Time Lord."

"What?" Rory frowned. "I thought you said you were last one!"

The Master rolled his eyes. "Oh, he's always saying that. Loves the attention."

"I thought you were dead!"

"You should know me better than that."

Rory huffed. "Alright, girls! That's enough! What's going on?"

The Doctor took charge. "We need to find out what brought us here. Was it you?" He glared the Master who shrugged innocently.

"Nothing to do with me. Look at all this technology. It isn't mine. I'm here to clear up the little robot infestation that brewing upstairs."

Right on cue, there was an eerie ticking noise coming down the steps and into the basement where the four of them stood. The Doctor's eyes widened.

"No!" He said the Master who was grinning again. "Clockwork droids? Haven't seen them for ages!"

The Master nodded. "Seven of them so far but more to come I think. They're coming thick and fast. Bit messy, bit dangerous, lots of fun."

The Doctor saw Amy and Rory squint at the door behind him and he turned in time to see a Clockwork Robot walking towards him, its mechanics covered by Georgian attire and a white mask with black space instead of eyes. It slowly raised its left arm as it advanced. The Doctor backed off towards Amy and Rory and the three of them made their way across to the Master who was still leaning casually against the stone wall, an amused expression on his face.

"Just a little tip, Doctor. I wouldn't let them touch you. My research has shown that things don't end well for the touchee."

The Doctor scowled, not sure if he was giving him a genuine warning or just scaremongering. Realising he didn't really want to find out, he bellowed,

"My team...this way!" He ducked under the outstretched arm of the robot and made for the door. He took the steps up two at a time with Amy, Rory and – much to his dismay – the Master hot on his heels. Once at the top, the Doctor stopped abruptly, not really knowing where to go.

"This way!" The Master dashed past him and down a corridor to the right. The Doctor didn't like not being the one in the lead but he decided that now wasn't really the time to question it.

The Master led them through an extravagant sitting room, along another corridor, up two flights of stairs and along another corridor. They were just about the turn the corner when two more droids appeared in front of them. The four of them turned go back the way they had come but three more appeared trapping them as the droids' eerie tick-tock came closer and closer.

"Doctor?" Amy called over her shoulder. "What do we do?"

The Doctor pulled out the sonic and aimed it at one of the robots. It managed to slow the robot's progress but not stop it. He turned to the Master. "Have you got any ideas? Come on, you're supposed to be the genius."

The Master just smiled smugly. "I'm sure everything will work out, Doctor."

The Doctor looked from the Master, to the robots which were now closing in and back again. "What do you mean? Have you got a plan?" A grin broke out over the Doctor's face. "You have, haven't you? You always have!"

The Master just continued to smile.

"Doctor!" Rory shouted desperately as one of the Clockwork robots reached out for him, merely inches away. Just when the Doctor thought it was too late, just when he thought the Master had tricked him, there was a sudden blast of steam from one end of the corridor, fogging up everyone's vision and making the air damp. Next to him, Amy floundered and fell into him, knocking them both to the ground and the sonic out of his hands. As he felt for it, nearly blind on the floor he realised he couldn't hear the ticking anymore. The moisture in the steam must have driven the robots away. Simple and effective.

"Ingenious, Master." He said as he stood, screwdriver in hand and his vision cleared a little.

"Oh, I'd love to take credit but I think that was my companion."

"Companion?" The Doctor asked, intrigued. "You never travel with anyone. You're always alone."

"I used to be. But when I came back, I thought: The Doctor always wins. Always. And he always has a pretty little companion. Perhaps that isn't just a coincidence, I thought." He shrugged casually but there was still an odd smug expression on his face which put the Doctor on edge. "So I got a companion. It's going well; I can see why you have them. Company has its perks, eh?" He winked at the Doctor, making his meaning very clear. The Doctor sniffed and looked away, uncomfortable and disapproving.

"So where is she, then? This companion?" Amy asked him as she looked up and down the corridor.

"Where are you, Wins?" The Master called while Rory mouthed 'Wins?' incredulously.

"Here." A voice said huskily from the end of the corridor.

The Doctor turned to see her, intrigued to meet someone the Master would consider of being a worthy companion. As the last of the steam cleared, a short, woman dressed all in black rounded the corner, holding a large sliver container the shape of a fire extinguisher. It felt like the Doctor's hearts were racing and still all at once. It couldn't be. It just...couldn't.

"Fred." He breathed as she stopped in front of him, her face blank. She looked a little different, her hair was not longer a mass of unruly curls; instead it was poker straight and sleek. Her eyes looked a darker green than before and more...determined. She was slightly slimmer than she had been before but still not skinny.

"Hello, Doctor." She said coldly. "I knew we would probably meet again someday." She sounded like she resented that fact. She glanced at the Master, smiled at him and said, "Shall we book them in?"

"Oh, yes." The Master confirmed, his voice full of amusement. "I think they'll be staying."

Fred nodded and walked passed them, not even looking at Amy and Rory who were staring at her, speechless with shock. The Doctor glared at the Master, his eyes full of pain. It all made sense now; the Master's smug attitude and his willingness to help.

"You have wonderful taste, Doctor. Faultless." He gave him another smug grin and followed Fred out of sight.

With a jolt, the Doctor realised that, if Master thought he had found a way to antagonise him more than ever before, he was right.

This was so much more damaging than his threats, his violence, his stupid mind games. This felt like great shards of ice in his chest...and it hurt.

Oh my goodness! She's back and she's not happy!

I hope you liked it...please tell me what you think in a review!