"Where are you going Master?" John spoke up, as he saw the shorter man head toward the fence of a popular eating establishment. "I'm going to eat? Feel free to join me, although, I assume you have better ways of obtaining nourishment." The Master replied, gathering food from the unfinished plates. "Doctor…invite him to our place. I'm sure we would have enough food for an extra mouth." Rose whispered in John's ear.
"Master," John shouted over the fence. "Come with Rose and me to have food at our place." The Master turned and looked at the pair across the fence when the waitress came through the door.
"And what do you think you're doing? You have to pay to eat here, mister. Now leave before I call security." The woman shouted. John scurried back to his newfound mates and left in a hurry.
"I've never been seen before stealing food, thanks for distracting me. I guess the least you can do is feed me." The Master replied to John while motioning for him to lead the way.
They arrived at their flat, the Master's stomach grumbling from a lack of food, and entered the kitchen. Jackie's voice became clearer as she made her way from the bedroom. "Honey, did you find him? I bet you two are hungry, the food is almost ready, it just has-" She stopped in her tracks when she saw the third figure standing next to them. "Hello…who are you?" She questioned.
"This is…umm…" Rose started. "My friend. …Harold." John finished for her. "He's going to be staying for dinner, if you don't mind."
"I didn't know he had friends." Jackie mumbled in a hushed tone to her daughter. She raised her voice to an audible volume again. "Of course I don't mind. Pete's working late tonight and Tony is at a friend's again. Harold, is it?" She asked the Master who nodded in confirmation and gave a slight look to John. "You're welcome to eat with us whenever you'd like. It's not often that we get to meet one of John's friends."
"Mum, can you check on David and tell him to get ready?" Rose interrupted her mother before she made a completely awkward situation. "Sure, sweetie." Jackie left the three and retreated through the hallway.
"Does she really not believe that I can make friends?" John said in an incredulous tone. "The Doctor always did have trouble making friends when he was younger." the Master admitted. John and Rose both turned to look at the Master when Jackie returned with little David, dressed in his Sunday best for the visitor, much to the disagreement of David. "Ohhh look at you in your little suit and bowtie." John crooned. "Come give daddy a hug." "And mommy too!" Rose added. David complied and the Master looked at the smiling family in complete adoration.
Dinner ended with as little awkwardness as possible and Jackie went to put David to sleep. "So…now you're fed, can you tell us the cryptic story that you started in the TARDIS?" John asked the Master.
"Anything for you, Doctor." The Master replied. "Well, after you thought you destroyed me by burning my body, I survived and was brought back to life. Unfortunately, my ex-wife disrupted the process, so I wasn't restored completely. I was dying the minute that I stepped foot on that Earth again. I had to live in the wastelands and devour everything in sight in order to get enough energy to survive. The Doctor met me there one night and I was taken to this mansion. Once there, the owners, I assume, wanted me to fix this "immortality gate" that they had. To make a long story short, the entire planet became me and the signal in my head was amplified. The Time Lords returned with Gallifrey. They escaped the Time War."
"But isn't that good?" Rose spoke up and turned to John, who was looking at the Master with fearful eyes. "No." John responded. "The Time War brought the worst out of everyone by its end. Their return would have meant the end of time itself. Continue, Master."
"The Doctor had to stop it; he always had to save the day. He pointed his gun at me, and that was the moment I knew that it was real. One of us was going to die today. It wasn't just another one of our silly little games. He broke the link and spared my decaying life. Of course, when the Time Lords turned to him, I had to do the same. I got sent back to the Time War with the lot of them. To save my Doctor. The only man I ever loved." The Master sighed. "But I was determined to find him again. And I ended up here. At least I'm out of that bloody Time War. Glad I missed it the first time around." The Master let out a long breath after finishing his story and put his head down. Rose laid a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. After a while, John spoke up.
"But, if you saved the Doctor…why has he regenerated?" John asked. Rose and the Master both looked at John, completely shocked, and waited for further explanation. "What?" Rose exclaimed and stood up from the table. "He regenerated and you didn't tell me?"
"I didn't think it was important, you have me now!" John shouted at her. "Or do you still think I'm some inferior…thing?" John was angry to the point of tears now. Rose ran away from him, sobbing.
"Whoa. What is this all about?" The Master asked. John wasn't quite up for explaining anything right now so the Master continued, "That's alright. Go tend to her. Your kind of love can't break that easily. Just apologize, say some sweet words, and give her a kiss. Of course, be sincere about it. They can tell if you're not." John got up to find her while the Master said, "It's hard not to love the Doctor, mate. There is no doubt in my mind that she loves you just as much, but…just remember that."
"I know, Master." John walked a few steps into the corridor and turned to him. "And I'm sorry." He turned around and disappeared into the darkness.