The sound of dull drumming filled the room, penetrating each and every single sense of those who were lucky enough, -or, rather unlucky, enough to hear it.

The sound was so potent, in fact, that the loudest of sounds could not be heard over it, the drums drowned out everything, and everyone who tried to challenge them.

Drums.

That's all that he heard, day in, day out, night in, night out, that's all that The Master could hear.

It was driving him insane, he had no sense of what was right or what was wrong anymore, no sense of purpose, it was just drums.

Drums that drove people to insanity.

"Harry?" The only voice that could be heard over the drums filled his ears, "Harry, where are you?"

"In here, Lucy." He replied, as coolly as he could, the drums still banging that tedious rhythm into his delicate skull.

Lucy Saxon appeared, my, she was a sight. A beautiful, beautiful sight, but a sight none-the-less.

"There you are! I've been looking for you," She fluttered her eyelashes, and The Master almost laughed, "I missed you." She finished, stroking his face with her free hand.

She looked straight into his eyes, they were big, and they were full of self-hatred and pity, it saddened her deeply, but even she could not do anything when it came to this, she wasn't strong enough to overcome the drums, but she tried, oh, she tried so hard to please him.

She did love him, after all.

"I missed you too, Lucy," He smiled, not a full smile, but a smile that rarely crossed his lips nowadays, "Come here." He engulfed his wife in a big, protective hug, his strong arms protecting her from all the evil that he tried to avoid now.

"How was it?" Lucy asked, curious about her husband's regular disappearing acts, "How was your trip?"

The Master loosened his grip, and looked into her beautiful bright blue eyes, "It was.. -successful." He smiled, kissing her passionately, her smile became visible against his lips, encouraging him more.

"Good," She broke away, her bright red lipstick smudged slightly, "I'm glad, but I did miss you, I missed you so," She kissed him once again, remnants of her lipstick now visible on his bottom lip, "I love you."

"I love you too, Lucy," The Master smiled as he once again pulled her closer, "I love you so much."

Lucy unhooked her body from around his, grasping his hand as she did so, "Did you find out about them, my love?" She asked, seriousness etched onto her face, her perfectly shaped brows furrowed as she spoke, her tone of voice dropped several decibels, as if she was afraid she was being watched.

"Whom?" The Master asked, his own brows furrowed, mimicking his wife's.

"You know," Lucy began, wetting her rapidly drying lips with her tongue, "Them."

"Lucy," The Master began, slower than before, "You know I cannot discuss this with you," He let her hand drop to her side, a look of coldness crossed his face as he spoke, "I cannot talk about such things with you, you know that."

"I- I know, I just thought-" Lucy started, but was cut off by The Master's cool index finger brushing against her lips, "I'm sorry, Harry."

"Don't be," The Master laughed, removing his finger from it's current position and planting a soft kiss on Lucy's own index finger, "Just please, please, Lucy, I need you to trust me."

"I do trust you!" Lucy almost shrieked, "I do, my love, I just want us to be safe once again, and with those-"

"Just forget about it, please, Lucy," He looked into her eyes again, they were full of fear, "Everything will work out soon enough, I promise, I really, really, promise you that."

"How?" His wife avoided his gaze, "How can you promise me that, Harry? I-"

"Have I ever lied to you, my love?" He stared straight at her, "I never have, and I never will. I love you."

"I love you too, but I-" Lucy stopped herself, meeting her husband's expression made her stop in her tracks, it was so cold, so callous, so unhuman, that it scared her, "I'm sorry, I-" again, she couldn't finish her sentence, fear lodged in her throat like a penny sweet.

"I said forget about it!" The Master shouted, making Lucy flinch, this man amazed her, but, oh, did her scare her witless sometimes.

"Okay, okay, I will, just please be careful.. please, I would hate for something bad to happen to you, I-"

"LUCY! I said forget about it, please, please, I'm fine!" This time, his tone had completely changed, his voice so dark and mysterious that it almost disappeared into itself, "Stop fretting. Please."

"I'm not,-"

"Come here, you," He interrupted her, kissing her passionately, "I'll always be safe with you by my side."

And he meant it, he could take on the monsters and demons he would have to face with Lucy at his side.