So close…

He could smell it. The scent of another Time Lord, not far from where he sat in the warehouse. So good, it was almost intoxicating. The Master smiled to himself. Oh, this is going to be fun.

He picked himself up slowly, tossing aside a bone stripped bare from his raving hunger, and faced his enemy with a look of menacing insanity. He watched the Doctor; and the Doctor watched him. The skinny man moved forward at a pace that seemed to stretch on forever. His face was a steel mask of determination. How cute.

Taking a step forward, the Master sneered, sending a bolt of Artron energy streaming from his outstretched hands. The Doctor's features lit up from the explosion, nearly missing him as he continued walking. He shot out another blast, causing a pile of rubbish to burst into flames; but still the Doctor was unfazed. The Master narrowed his eyes with a dark grin. He pressed his hands together, the blue energy sparking madly as he charged it up. Faster, faster; he poured everything he had into the charge. He could feel the heat of it - the sheer power radiating between his palms, playing on his fingertips. He licked his lips, and then everything was a sheen of electricity as he shot at the Doctor. The entire room lit up as the Master hit him square in the chest, highlighting his now pained features with the unnatural light.

The Doctor held out as long as he could as the energy surged through his body. His hearts beat wildly, and it felt as if every nerve ending were on fire. He grit his teeth in agony, fear now showing in his eyes. Would the Master really kill him? His chest pounded with the myriad of his heartbeat, and the pain was unbearable. Just as he felt his head would burst from the pressure, the Master ceased the brutal attack. The Doctor stumbled and sank to his knees. His head swam and his vision was black at the edges.

Just as he was about to hit the dusty floor, the Master rushed forward and caught his limp body. He held the Doctor in a tight embrace, becoming lost in his scent and heat. Then, as if disgusted with himself, the Master stepped back, letting the Doctor fall with a muted thud. He plopped down onto the ground, looking at the Doctor distractedly.

"I had estates," he growled, ignoring the Doctor's grunts of pain. He looked up, and his face changed. "Do you remember my father's land back home?" He met the Doctor's gaze. "Pastures of red grass… Stretching far across the slopes of Mount Petition." He sighed, caught up in the memory. "We used to run across those fields all day; calling up at the sky." The Master's face hardened, and he glared up at the black overhang. "Look at us now."

The Doctor was looking at him, still out of breath. "All that etiquette," he rasped. "But how many people have you killed?"

The Master's eyes widened mockingly; distractedly. "I am so hungry."

"Your resurrection went wrong," explained the Doctor. "That energy… Your body is ripped open. Now you're killing yourself."

"That's human Christmas, out there," said the Master, ignoring the Doctor's words. "They eat so much! All that roasted meat, cakes and red wine… And hot, fat, blood food…" He rambled on, his voice growing more crazed with every word. His eyes were wild and glazed, shifting rapidly around the room.

"Stop it," the Doctor whispered. He couldn't bear to see the Master like this. "Stop it." But he still didn't stop, obsessing over the food and fat and grease. He didn't even acknowledge the Doctor's presence in the room.

"It's mine, mine! Eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it!"

"Stop it!"

The Master finally quieted, dropping his head in his hands and pulling at his own hair. He gasped, breaking out of the trance.

"What if I ask you for help?" said the Doctor, meeting the Master's eyes.

The Master scoffed.

"There's more coming than you and me."

"Oh yeah?"

"I've been told," he explained, "that something is returning."

"And here I am."

"No, something more."

"But it hurts!" whined the Master, clutching his head in his hands.

"I was told the end of time—"

"It hurts," the Master moaned, cutting the Doctor off. "Doctor, the noise. The noise in my head." He crawled toward the other Time Lord. "Doctor. Onetwothreefouronetwothreefo uronetwothreefour… Stronger than ever before. Can't you hear it?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Listen, listen, listen," he murmured. "Every minute; every second. Every beat of my hearts. There it is. Calling to me." He leaned in. "Please, listen."

"I can't hear it."

The Master leaned in. "Listen." He took the Doctor's face in his hands, pressing their lips together firmly.

And there it was. He could hear it.

Badadadum, badadadum, badadadum, badadadum…

The Doctor's eyes widened and he backed away from the Master suddenly, breaking the contact. "But that's…"

"What?"

"I heard it," he whispered. "But that's no noise. It never has been, it's just your insanity that's…" he trailed off. Then his face twisted in horror. "That's the Connection." He looked up at the Master. "The Time Lords put the noise in your head to connect you; so they could use you to bring back Gallifrey." He paused. "Master, you can't listen to it!"

"Oh, but Doctor," the Master grinned. "They tell me things. The Drums speak of a new era of Gallifrey. One where I rule the Universe!" He threw his head back and howled with laughter. Artron energy shot from his hands and carried him away. The Doctor shuffled in the dirt, picking himself up and racing after the Master.

He made his way out of the warehouse to find the blonde Time Lord standing on a hill of rubbish, grinning madly. Suddenly, a white light sounded the Master, and the sound of helicopters could be heard from above. Wind gushed all around him, and the Master raised his arms skyward, as if the light was his savior.

"No!" shouted the Doctor. Men were strung from the helicopters, surrounding the Master and containing him. The Doctor ran forward, still yelling at the men to let him go, when someone shot at him with a machine gun. He skidded to a halt, narrowly avoiding the flying bullets. Then, before he knew it, they injected some sort of narcotic into the Master's neck, and he was being carried away with the helicopters.

Okay, so basically, this story is going to follow very closely to The End of Time for the next few chapters. But don't worry; I'm planning on some smut for the next chapter ;3

Please review!