Searching the Stars

by Singingfrogs

REWORKING Seven years ago she was taken from him, and seven years on she is still missing. The Doctor only has the TARDIS left and as he travels the universe with his new companion he has to investigate every planet for some sign of her. But when he starts crossing time lines things start getting complicated. Will he ever be reunited with her? Will he ever have his wife back home?

19. The Sound of Drums Part 3

Sound of drums Part 3

I'm really sorry about the long update, I've been really busy which is why I'm updating now, but its a nice long chapter and I hope you enjoy it ! so please REVIEW

The Doctor and his friends had been running for most of the day. All the while they were constantly looking over their shoulders. Constantly looking out for anyone who could be a threat and pull them into custody. But now, with rain pouring down outside they had to find some shelter. They had managed to find a disused warehouse which was perfect. A few tables and broken chairs were littered around the place, while paper and rubbish plagued the floor, the windows dirty so no one would see them using it.

Martha was at this moment outside somewhere looking for a chippy or somewhere to find some food while Jack was scouting the area. The Doctor was just left with his thoughts and his memories. Memories of the Time War flittering in to his mind. Hundreds of Time Lords screaming with terror and pain as they watched the mighty civilisation fall. Large Dalek mother ships burning as the ceased to exists, all this death and destruction was due to the Doctor. Images of the Doctor and his friend the Master playing with Romana... He was watching the memories of another man's life.

But his thoughts shifted again and this time they were to Rose. How long had she been captive by the Master? How badly was she hurt? What did the Master do to her? And just how much had he taken from her mind? All these questions and not one of them being answered. His hearts had been lifted for the short period of time as he spoke to his wife via the phone. The peace of knowing she was in the right time was such a relief. But how had the Doctor not sensed her? He would have been able to feel the connection to her mind when he had first found Martha? So why couldn't he pick up her mind? He had constantly been calling for her, searching for her life force with his mind but came up empty. The need to find her and protect her had got so huge Jack had struggled to keep the Doctor in the warehouse. The Doctor's need to find his wife again was becoming so unbearable he couldn't sit still... but the fact she was so close was making it even tougher. He couldn't cause a scene... not now that he was on the run.

Martha had finally walked into the warehouse her eyes wide as she looked around. Jack standing facing the door while he tapped away at his vortex manipulator. The Doctor was sitting at the table, one of his elbows resting on the table while his hand was placed on his chin, looking at the computer through his glasses

"How was it?" Jack asked gently as he looked up at Martha's approaching form.

"I don't think anyone saw me. Anything new?" Martha asked as she stood in front of Jack, her hand going into the bag as she opened it to pass out a portion of chips to the Captain.

"I've got this tuned into the government wavelength so we can follow what Saxon's doing." Jack stated as he moved his coat from the manipulator before taking the chips from Martha

"Yeah, I meant about my family." Martha snapped up at Jack while the Doctor continued to type away at the laptop

"It still says the Jones family taken in for questioning." The Doctor said from the place he had occupied. Jack simply walked past Martha with his chips, rolling his eyes slightly at the younger woman who walked over to the Doctor. "Tell you what, though, no mention of Leo."The Doctor chimed as he brought in a lungful of air, took his chips, sat back in his chair while his right foot was resting on the edge of the table.

"He's not as daft as he looks." Martha said softly so only the Doctor could hear. The Doctor simply raised his eyebrows and moved his lips down into an n shape and looked at Martha comfortingly. "I'm talking about my brother on the run. How did this happen?" Martha complained as she straightened up.

"Nice chips." Jack said as he plonked his heavy form into a neighbouring chair.

"Actually, they're not bad." The Doctor chimed as he continued to look at Jack with his eyebrows raised, popping another chip into his mouth. Realising now that this was the first time he had chips without Rose. Martha simply stared at the two men with her with disbelief as they realised the conversation they were having. She sat down delicately and started to eat her own chips. She looked at Jack who looked at her and she nodded her head slightly in the Doctor's direction, urging him to start the conversation they needed to have.

"So, Doctor, who is he? How come the ancient society of Time Lords created a psychopath?" Jack asked from the position of his arms resting on his outstretched knees, his chips in his hands as both of them continued to eat.

"And what is he to you? Like a colleague…" Martha stated shaking her head as she tried to encourage the Doctor to tell her. Her eyes boring into the Doctor's while her eyebrows were raised.

"A friend, at first." The Doctor chimed, before flinging another chip in his mouth.

"I thought you were gonna say he was your secret brother or something." Martha joked. Jack simply looked at her with his eyes wide. A chip half way too his mouth. The Doctor also stared at her, a chip already in his mouth chewed slightly, stopping as he looked at her, his eyebrows raised at the same time. After a slight pause the Doctor managed to say something.

"You've been watching too much TV." The Doctor stated. His mouth chewing his chip once again while his eyebrows moved into a frown, his forehead creased as he looked at her though his glasses. Martha simply chuckled half-heartedly, suddenly very tired.

"But all the legends of Gallifrey made it sound so perfect." Jack said, his hand in his chips but not eating them as he frowned over to the Doctor

"Well, perfect to look at, maybe. And it was, it was beautiful." The Doctor cried as he leant back in his chair, his hands cradling the wrappings of his chips as he brought in a lungful of air, his eyebrows now raised as he spoke over to his friends. "They used to call it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords…"The Doctor said. His eyebrows raised, his eye flickering either to Martha or Jack. His voice varying with pitch as he explained to his friends. His eyes staring off to space as he spoke about his memories, knowing that the things he was explaining would never give it justice, and he was pleased he had shown Rose these pictures... these memories to his Wife. "The oldest and most mighty race in the universe…looking down on the galaxies below…sworn never to interfere…only to watch… Children of Gallifrey, taken from their families at the age of eight to enter the Academy. And some say that's when it all began. When he was a child… that's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation, it's a gap in the fabric of reality through which could be seen the whole of the vortex. You stand there, eight years old…staring at the raw power of time and space, just a child. Some would be inspired…some would run away…and some would go mad." The Doctor said. His face changing all the time. His eyes heavy with tiredness, but with sadness. But when he snapped himself from his thoughts he breathed through his lips and sucked in a huge lungful of air and went back to his chips.

"What about you?" Martha asked quietly

"Oh, the ones that ran away. I never stopped." The Doctor cried loudly his mouth full of chips as he continued to lean back on his chair. But all of them were pulled from their thoughts when they heard Jacks manipulator beep. Jack jumped into action by placing his chips back onto the table, his hands moving his coat so he could get a better look at the device on his wrist.

"Encrypted channel with files attached. Don't recognize it." Jack stated as he frowned down at the information he was receiving.

"Patch it through to the laptop." The Doctor said as he moved his legs from the table, placed his chips back onto the desk while he licked his lips to remove the grease from his fingers.

"Um, since we're telling stories, um, there's something I haven't told you." Jack said in all seriousness, but worry and nervousness was evident on his features and in his stomach as he looked over to the Doctor. Knowing exactly why he would be angry... knowing that the people he worked for was the reason him and his wife had been parted for the last 5 years. Jack typed something in to the internet while his manipulator was hooked up to the computer to see the TORCHWOOD logo appeared on the screen.

"You work for Torchwood." The Doctor said angrily his arms folded across his chest as he rested the lower part of his back on the other table. Martha was simply looking at them confused.

"I swear to you, it's different. It's changed. There's only half a dozen of us now." Jack defended

"Everything Torchwood did and you're part of it?" The Doctor snapped again, his hearts constricted as he though back to the events of Canary Warf.

"The old regime was destroyed at Canary Wharf. I rebuilt it, I changed it. And when I did that, I did it for you, in your honour." Jack argued with passion, never once looking at the Doctor until the last part. But the Doctor simply glared at him before Jack pulled away and opened the file. It was a video of a woman Jack knew as Vivien Rook.

"If I haven't returned to my desk by 2200 hours, this file will be emailed to Torchwood. Which means, if you're watching this, then I'm… Anyway, the Saxon files are attached. But take a look at the Archangel document. That's when it all started. When Harry Saxon became Minister in charge of launching the Archangel Network." The young women stated before the screen changed to show a graphic of a spinning earth with satellites hanging in orbit.

"What's the Archangel Network?" The Doctor asked, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"I've got Archangel. Everyone's got it." Martha informed as she pulled out her mobile from her pocket, pressing a few buttons while the Doctor simply looked up at her. His arms still firmly crossed over his chest. Jack continued to look at the screen on his face, his face in a frown as he tried to take in the vast majority of information that was being shown to him.

"It's the mobile phone network. 'Cause, look, it's gone worldwide. They've got 15 satellites in orbit. Even the other networks, they're all carried by Archangel." Jack said pointing at different things on the screen as he spoke to them. The Doctor took Martha's phone and moved his left hand into the inside pocket of his blazer as he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. He then pulled the device on to her phone and started working on it.

"It's in the phones! Oh, I said he was a hypnotist! Wait, wait, wait. Hold on." The Doctor cried, his jaw guttering out in concentration while he moved his screwdriver slightly away from the phone before moving forward and tapping the phone against the table, and holding it out in front of him as the phone began emitting the same rhythm. Jack was just looking up at the phone, his face the same but his mouth was hanging open, while Martha just looked on curious "There it is. That rhythm, it's everywhere. Ticking away in the subconscious." The Doctor informed. His voice harsh while he stared straight ahead. Jack was looking forward a frown on his face while Martha was looking down. One of her arms was resting against the other which was wrapped around her small body, while her hand rested on her chin. The Doctor's other hand was still holding the screwdriver while it rested on his bent knee.

"What is it, mind control?" Martha asked, her eyebrows frowned in confusion.

"No, no, no, no. Subtler than that." The Doctor said quietly, his head shaking slightly " Any stronger and people would question it. But contained in that rhythm, in layers of code… Vote Saxon. Believe in me. Whispering to the world." The Doctor said again. His eyes wide as his mind was raked with so many ideas. His hand moving the phone up and down slightly to try and prove his point. But suddenly he squealed with excitement. His voice raising as he flung his body back and then forward again. His mind finally understanding what was happening. "Oh, yes! That's how he hid himself from me. 'Cause I should have sensed there was another Time Lord on Earth. I should have known way back. The signal cancelled him out. Maybe that's how he's hiding Rose" The Doctor stated. His hand moving with the phone. His face moving from a frown to one with his eyebrows raised. His voice rising and falling. His thoughts falling back too a way of helping Rose. Jack noticed the way his heart lifted at the mention of Rose, or a way to help her... But Martha's plummeted as she looked down at the two most remarkable men she had ever met so infatuated with her.

"Any way you can stop it?" Jack chimed in as he spoke up to the Doctor.

"Not from down here. But now we know how he's doing it." The Doctor cried, his mood lightening slightly at the thought of stopping the master

"And we can fight back." Martha stated happily

"Oh, yes!" The Doctor bellowed while placing his sonic screwdriver back in his pocket, while Jack laughed slightly up at them.

Rose found herself back in the basement of the building she was being kept in but this time she wasn't on her own. Martha's family were also with her. All of them cold and shivering, huddled together to keep warm while Rose was on the other side of the room. Her hand resting over her wrist, the device causing her some discomfort due to the itchiness and the throbbing pain. After her phone call from her husband the Master had been very excited and happy. Everything he wanted was coming true and Rose had never felt so unhappy in her life. Now that the Doctor was here and was coming to get her her heart was lighter but the Master wanted to cause her so much unhappiness it hurt. Her ribs were still sticking in at funny angles. They were piercing her lungs slightly and she found it hard to breath. Her body ached all over and she was exhausted. Still trying to replace the extensive amount of blood she had lost in the last few days.

Rose was sitting on the opposite side of the room to the other occupants. Her head rested on the wall while one of her legs was raised so her wrist could rest on it while her hand flopped over her knee, the other was resting on her leg which was stretched out in front of her her wrist covered with a bandage. Her eyes were closed as she got lost in her memories. When Rose had first seen the Master he was adamant that he wanted to beat her. And in a way he did when she refused to give any information but since yesterday things had started to change. A certain way he looked at her held something she didn't like. He would look at her with desire and need. He would place a kiss on her cheek or her hand which made Rose shriek back in disgust. But something in Rose was telling her to be afraid. Telling her that something was going to happen. Telling her that she was in danger.

But Rose was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the three other people whispering to each other. Rose couldn't make out exactly what they were saying but she was pretty sure she was the main topic of interest. She simply closed her eyes again before she snapped them open when she heard the younger one. A women named Tish she believed started to crawl towards her and sat right in front of her outstretched leg. Rose simply rolled her head so it was straight and she looked at the young woman. Slim figure, brown curly hair held tight against her head in to a bun. Her secretary cloths now dusty, her skirt clutched tightly to her thighs. Her hands were either side of her legs while she spoke to Rose.

"Are you alright?" She asked Rose. Rose was simply taken aback slightly at the question. Normally she would have expected her to talk about Martha. Demanding for her to tell her about her sister. But Rose simply nodded her head a slight smile on her lips.

"It's nothing I can't handle"

"You were brave standing up to him like that" Tish said towards her. Her eyebrows rose as she leant on her hands and moved her torso forward slightly. Rose simply smiled at her comfortingly

"Thank you" Rose said softly "I'm not afraid of him Tish" Rose stated, moving her head towards her slightly. Tish simply laughed slightly in surprise.

"After what he's done to you? Rose he locks you up in a freezing cold basement, he beats you and makes you bleed to death. He keeps you away from civilisation and uses you to get to your husband... if that was me I would explode... How can you deal with that much suffering?" Tish exclaimed. Rose simply smiled and looked down at her legs.

"After what I have seen, done and been through... everything that is happening to me now is just a walk in the park" Rose said as she looked up to Tish.

"You really believe your going to see him again... don't you" A voice said over to Rose from the corner. Rose simple frowned slightly to see Francine and her ex-husband coming into view and sitting with their daughter.

"You really think the Doctor is coming to save us" Francine stated.

"I know that the Doctor will stop at nothing until the Master is stopped" Rose commented as she looked at the frightened woman in front of him.

"But he could destroy everything!" Francine argued.

"Where have you heard these things from?" Rose asked leaning forward slightly as she was prepared to argue with the woman and make her look at her husband in a different light. Yes the Doctor had done some terrible things. Rose had seen them in his mind. They affected the Doctor and the people close to him, but the majority of the people were saved.

"Harold Saxon..." Francine said sadly trailing off. Rose simply smiled and nodded her head comfortingly.

"The man now holding you in a cold cell..." Rose stated. Francine just looked down. "Listen to me" Rose said soothingly taking the older woman's trembling hand. "I know you have been misinformed but I want you to hear what I have to say" Rose started, Francine and the others looking up at her as they listened. "When I first met the Doctor my Mother didn't like him either. She thought he was taking her daughter away from her, but when she realised at just how happy he made me she learnt to trust him and in a way she also drew very close and attached to him. The Doctor is such a remarkable person I can't even explain him to you. He has such a complex way of thinking and feeling I would get confuse myself. But I want to tell you one thing. The Doctor has seen and done many things. He has caused so much death and destruction. He has sacrificed thousands of people but all for the greater good. If he hadn't made those difficult choices the universe and the planet you live on would be a completely different place. You would either have been living in slavery, living a world with so much destruction, or you may not even have lived at all. The Doctor gives so much to the universe and gets very little out of it" Rose started. "But out of all that the Doctor has such a kind soul. When he is friends with someone he is friends for life. He is loyal, compassionate and he would do anything to see them happy and safe. He always puts the safety of his companion's firsts. The Doctor has shown me such wonderful things in the universe. He has shown me the wonders of the world I live in and I would never change anything. I know I may be biased just because I'm his wife. But when I tell you he will try and help us, when I say he will save the world I mean it. He's a fighter and he never goes down without a fight. And I know Martha knows it" Rose finished as she looked at the people in front of her.

Tish was smiling at her with tears in her eyes as she heard about the Doctor. Her trust for him growing as she realised just how much Rose loved the Doctor. She knew then that she would side with Rose. She knew then that everything this young woman had to say was correct and she trusted her. Clive was nodding his head in understanding while Francine was struggling not to cry. Rose smiled and pulled her into a hug. The older women melted into the embrace and for once in her life she knew that she was in safe hands. No matter what happened to her, even if she was wounded or she went through all the suffering the child in front of her had been through. Everything would work out in the end.

The Doctor was slowly taking apart Martha's mobile and laptop apart. All the fancy machinery was littered around the table as he went to set out his work. He had a small magnification device evident on his glasses as he looked at the small parts. A pencil was tucked on his ear while his tongue was sticking out slightly through his teeth in concentration. He then stood up and motioned for Martha's and Jack's TARDIS keys. Martha handed it to him almost immediately while the Doctor had to rush Jack for his as he took it off his bunch of keys. The Doctor had his pencil in his mouth at this moment but when he had both of the keys he placed them on the table, he rubbed his hands together, removed the pencil and then started to sonic pieces of the laptop and things onto the keys. All the while Jack and Martha stood their watching.

"Three TARDIS keys, three pieces of the TARDIS with low-level perception properties because the TARDIS is designed to blend in." The Doctor rambled at 100 miles of an hour, all of them watching the Doctor or looking down at the keys. "Well, sort of, but… Now! The Archangel Network's got a second low-level signal." The Doctor informed as he explained what he was talking about, both his hands held up slightly in a ok sign before taking his key and stepping back "Weld the key to the network and… Martha, look at me. You can see me, yes?" The Doctor said before stopping and holding the string the key was attached to in both his hands

"Yep!" Martha said happily, her face normal while she nodded her head.

"What about now?" The Doctor asked as he slipped the key over his neck, his hands going behind his back while he raised one of his eyebrows and looked over at her. Martha simply looked towards where he should have been but her vision veered away from him and she blinked. Jack was chuckling slightly as he rearranged his feet into a more comfortable position. The Doctor was swaying on his feet now, his mouth hanging open slightly, while Martha continued to blink

"No, I'm here. Look at me." The Doctor said, his voice echoing slightly while he waved his fingers at her.

"It's like…I know you're there but I don't want to know." Martha informed, her hands snapping in movements down to the ground shaking the whole of her body.

"And back again." The Doctor cried taking off the key and skipping over to them slightly. "See? It just shifts your perception a tiny little bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed." The Doctor stated before picking up the keys and handing them out to his friends. Martha smiled slightly impressed with him, admiring his knowledge while he pasted her her key back. He smiled at her before waking away but then snapped his torso back towards and spoke with a smile on his face "Oh, I know what it's like. It's like—it's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist. That's what it's like. Come on!" The Doctor cried happily as he ran from the warehouse. Martha simply looked over at Jack sadly. Knowing exactly how that felt and now fully understanding the key. She had her eyebrows raised, her eyes sad and her mouth pursed slightly open as she looked over at Jack. Jack knew that look and smiled inwardly as he realised just how caught up she was with him. Jack knowing that there was never going to be a chance for her.

"You too, hunh?" Jack stated, clicking his fingers towards her, before looking at her once more and then following the Doctor into the street outside.

"Don't run. Don't shout. Just keep your voice down. Draw attention to yourself and the spell is broken. Just keep to the shadows." The Doctor said to his friends as they rounded a corner of the wet rain covered street. He was holding the string in both of his hands as he looked over at his friends and spoke to them quietly

"Like ghosts." Jack asked, his own key present in both of his hands

"Yeah, that's what we are. Ghosts." The Doctor whispered, Martha had her mouth open as she looked from both of the people in front of her. The Doctor ducked his head slightly and placed a key around his neck, making sure not to displace any of his hair before walking forward slightly. Jack was still at his side while Martha was walking behind them. They rounded a corner and started heading up the hill by the bridge. The Doctor held a hard face while Jack was looking around curious. Both the Doctor and Jack parted slightly when two people walked forward. Martha walked out of their way before looking behind her and then following the Doctor and Jack, her hands forever holding her key.

Mr Saxon and Lucy were standing on the runway to greet President Winters on the tarmac. The Master was wearing a thick black coat with black gloves as the US president walked over towards him. He smiled at the older man as he came to standing in front of him

"Mr President, sir!" Saxon stated as he pulled his hand up to his forehead and saluted the other man.

"Mr Saxon. The British Army will stand down. From now on, UNIT has control of this operation." The President stated, ignoring the childish behaviour of the Master and looked at him coldly

"You make it sound like an invasion." The Master smiled

"First contact policy was decided by the Security Council in 1968. And you've just gone and ignored it." Winters said with a frown, his breath being seen by all due to the cold night air

"Well, you know what it's like. New job, all that paperwork." Saxon stated, his eyebrows frowned slightly, his mouth never closing fully "I think it's down the back of the settee. I did have a quick look. I found a pen, a sweet, a bus ticket and uh…have you met the wife?" Saxon listed before motioning towards Lucy who took a few steps forward a huge ugly smile on her face.

"Mr Saxon, I'm not sure what your game is but there are provisions at the United Nations to have you removed from office unless you are very, very careful. Is that understood?" Winters snapped while Saxon mimed zipping his lips "Are you taking this seriously?" He cried frustrated while the time lord nodded "To business. We've accessed your files on these…Toclafane." Winters cried, all the while the Doctor and his companions could hear everything that was happening, word for word. "First contact cannot take place on any sovereign soil. For that purpose, the aircraft carrier Valiant is en route. The rendezvous will take place there at 8:00 am." Winters stated while Saxon tried to talk through his zipped lips. Winters just sighed angrily. "You're trying my patience, sir." Winters cried before the Master unzipped his lips

"So America is completely in charge?" The Master asked.

"Since Britain elected an ass, yes. I'll see you onboard the Valiant." Winters snapped as he turned to leave

"It still will be televised, though, won't it? Because I promised, and the whole world is watching." The Master asked cautiously, his body ducking slightly as he tried to look at the president properly.

"Since it's too late to pull out, the world will be watching. Me." Winters stated with a smirk on his face before walking towards the car.

"The last President of America. " Saxon said while whispering to Lucy who smiled at him. "We have a private plane ready and waiting. We should reach the Valiant within the hour." He stated before motioning for Lucy to go first "My darling." He stated. She walked away first. Saxon was about to follow when he stopped and turn to watch Winters drive away. The Master then turned to look towards the direction where the Doctor, Martha and Jack were standing. He frowned slightly, his coat bellowing in the wind as he focused his gaze in their direction. Jack had his hands at his sides. Martha' were pulled over her chest while the Doctors hands were in his pockets. The Master lifted his head slightly, while the Doctor mirrored his movements. They stared at each other slightly, both looking at the other intently, the Master not sure what he was looking at. He frowned before continuing to walk forward. Jack had lifted his hand to his vortex manipulator again while he watched the Master walk away with his eyebrows in a frown and his mouth hanging open slightly.

The Master walked over to the car he was sharing with his Wife. He placed his hand onto the door handle before frowning over at the police car and the black car which had now turned up on the runway. Martha and everyone frowned at what was going on in front of them, each on of them confused. Martha looked intently on the car, hoping and praying to every god that it wasn't her family. The Jones family were pulled from the van. The Master was laughing as he ran over to the family. Clive was first out, his hands bound while the others were being pulled out

"Hi, guys!" The Master cried waving his hand. He motioned his hand out towards the other man but pulled it back, placing it on his nose and waggled his fingers teasing him "All will be revealed!" The Master cried again, as the police continued to grab the family. Tish just doing as she's told. The Doctor had moved one of his hands from his pockets and placed it gently on Martha's arm. His head raised and tilted towards her slightly, his face in a frown while his mouth was hanging open slightly. Martha had her hands to her sides, scrunched up in tight fists while she glared at the man in front of her. Her eyes hard as her eyebrows were raised.

"Oh my God." She muttered

"Don't move." The Doctor alleged

"But…" Martha cried, her mouth hanging open

"Don't." The Doctor snapped harshly. Jack just frowned

"Whose in the other one?" He asked. The Doctor just looked over at him. The Jones family were finally transferred into a land rover, struggling and protesting the whole time.

"I'm gonna kill him." Martha breathed as she watched her mother struggle into the car.

"Say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?" Jack said quietly

"Now that sounds like Torchwood." The Doctor complained. His eyebrows raised, his forehead creased as he looked over at Jack and then back towards the Master who was finally watching the other black car sort itself out. A man was getting out of the car, pulling on some gloves while they prepared for the person to get out of the car.

"Still a good plan." Jack muttered.

"He's a Time Lord, which makes him my responsibility. I'm not here to kill him. I'm here to save him." The Doctor stated, his eyebrows in a frown. Even after everything the Master had done to the Doctor. Taking his TARDIS to then taking his Wife he never one thought about killing him. But the next thing that happened made him struggle to not run out and get notice. The man had opened the door and he held out his hand. Two beautiful and elegantly soft hands were placed into his. They were bound shut together, one of her wrists bandaged, a red substance evident on the material as he watched. His breathing hitched and was stuck in his throat when he saw who had emerged. A young woman with long blonde wavy hair that travelled to her back merged from the car. A grimace on her face as if she was in pain. A small thin silky pale blue dress was present on her body which ended mid thigh and was tied up around her neck. Rose. Jack grabbed hold of the top of the Doctor's arm to prevent him from running towards her.

This was the Doctor's Rose. She was in the right time, she was waiting for him and she was so close. Could she see him through the perception filter? She must have considering she was so close to the TARDIS. But his hearts were beating rapidly in his chest. Love was coursing its way around his body. The need to run to her and hold her in his arms was too much. His chest rising and falling quickly as he tried to reign in his emotions. His eyes never falling away from Rose. His eyes in a mad sense of panic, his head moving slightly as his eyes drank her in; trying to make sure she was ok, trying to make sure she wasn't hurt. But she walked up to the Master. Her hands held down to the ground as they were bound. Her dress falling around her body as it pleated out slightly from her hips. Her high shoes making her tanned legs look longer and prettier than he ever remembered.

Martha was looking down as she realised who she was looking at. She had met her before several times and looking at the Doctor react in this way made her even more jealous. Rose meant so much to the Doctor and looking at him right now just made her heart heavy and a lump in her throat form. Rose had now made it right in front of the Master and her face was showing no emotions. She simply stared at him. Her arms littered with small scratches, her wrist still bleeding though the bandage. The Master smiled and moved his hand to her cheek. She moved her head to the side slightly, not allowing the Master to touch her. The Master just left his hand there; his eyes never leaving her face but smiled and then rubbed it against her cheek anyway. The Doctor's anger was rising in his chest as he watched his 'Friend' take advantage of his wife who was gritting her teeth and grimacing all the whole time, defiantly not enjoying the sensation. But after that the Master led her over to the car he would occupy and slowly they drove away.

"Aircraft carrier Valiant. It's a UNIT ship at 28.2N and 10.02E." Jack stated while pushing some buttons on his device, trying to get his feelings of Rose from his face. Once upon a time he would have done that to Rose. They were both so close and still are. She was more like his sister than anything else, and it pained him not to be able to help her

"How do we get onboard?" Martha whispered

"Does that thing work as a teleport?" The Doctor asked as he looked over at him. Trying to get his thoughts away from Rose.

"Since you revamped it, yeah." Jack stated, his eyes always staring forward, watching the car which held Rose "Coordinates set." Jack stated, finishing pushing the buttons onto his wrist. The Doctor nodded before reaching down and grabbing hold of Martha's hand. He motioned towards Jack's wrist and placed their hands on top of each other while he placed his either side of the crowd of hands. He nodded towards Jack and he activated the manipulator. They all landed in one of the Valiant's engine rooms. Jack grabbed hold of one of the railings groaning while Martha fell to the ground clutching her head. The Doctor landed on the ground before standing up. His eyebrows in a frown, his mouth open as he scrunched up his face.

"Oh, that thing is rough." Martha cried, finally missing the TARDIS and the way she travels.

"I've has worse nights." Jack complained, grunting and groaning as he cracked his neck. The Doctor was looking at his friends as they got to their feet. The Doctor then turned his attention to the window, his mouth still open "Welcome to the Valiant."

"It's dawn." Martha cried as she walked to the porthole while the Doctor walked over to another window. His tongue resting on his top teeth while he squinted through the light and frowned slightly "Hold on, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?" Martha breathed, a frown on her face as she placed both her hands on the window as she looked out

"A ship for the 21st century. Protecting the skies of planet Earth." Jack stated as he walked over to Martha and looked out at the clouds floating around them.

The Doctor and his friends were running down the corridors. Ducking and crouching sometimes as they tried not to hurt themselves when they ran through one of the maintenance corridors. But suddenly the Doctor stopped, his trench coat flapping around his legs and then to the ground. The Doctor listened intently to the singing he was hearing in his head.

"We've no time for sightseeing!"Jack complained, his arms out his sides, palms up but the Doctor cut him up holding his hand up by his head

"No, no. Wait. Shh, shh, shh. Can't you hear it?" The Doctor cried, his eyebrows raised, his eyes wide as he listened

"Hear what?" Jack asked confused

"Doctor, my family's on board." Martha cried angrily as she strode past him

"Brilliant!" The Doctor cried happily, beaming to himself before snapping his head in the opposite direction to Martha "This way!" He commanded, they were travelling down corridors and corridors. Twisting and turning, always running until the Doctor opened a set of doors to reveal the TARDIS.

"Oh, at last!" The Doctor cried happily. He was smiling widely while his tongue was resting on his teeth.

"Oh, yes!" Martha cried while she was laughing

"What's it doing on the Valiant?" Jack stated with a frown, as he ran to catch up with the others. But as soon as the Doctor ran up the familiar stairway he stopped dead in his tracks. His happy feeling swiftly disappearing as he took in the deathly red light of the TARDIS console. His mouth was hanging open as he took in his life long companion, his hand resting tenderly on the banister. His head filled with the tormented song of the TARDIS.

"What the hell's he done?" Jack asked in the doorway, his eyes in a frown as he took in the machine which meant so much to his Time Lord companion.

"Don't touch it." The Doctor ordered

"I'm not going to." Jack cried worried

"What's he done though? Sounds like it's… sick." Martha stated after the Doctor had run up to the consol, making sure not to touch it. The console which had now been stripped of certain parts and caged off so no one could damage it

"It can't be. No, no, no, no, no, no, it can't be." The Doctor stated at 100 mph and in a mad panic. His face in a frown, anger boiling as he thought at what the Master had done to his friend

"Doctor, what is it?" Martha cried

"He's cannibalised the TARDIS." The Doctor grunted though his teeth

"Is that what I think it is?" Jack asked from across the console

"It's a paradox machine." The Doctor snapped as he continued to look up at the machine.

The Doctor was currently crouched down at the TARDIS console, by a dial and he was talking up to his friends

"As soon as this hits red, it activates." He stated as he tapped the back of his fingers onto the dial "At this speed, it'll trigger" The Doctor muttered while grabbing hold of Jack's watch, his head flickering between the dial and the watch. One of his eyebrows raised, while his teeth were clutched together as he spoke "at two minutes past 8:00." He stated

"First contact is at 8:00 and then two minutes later…" Jack continued, finally picking up on the Doctors trail of thought. The Doctor was still sitting on his knees while he moved his left hand over his cheeks and mouth while the other was flopped over his knees.

"What's it for? What's a paradox machine do?"Martha asked, waving her hands down towards the gratings of the TARDIS floor.

"More importantly, can you stop it?" Jack stated as he looked down at the Doctor who had his mouth open while his hand was resting on his chin, his eyes wide.

"Not until I know what it's doing. Touch the wrong bit and blow up the solar system." He said sadly as he looked up at the ceiling of the TARDIS

"Then we've got to get to the Master." Martha said as she knelt down next to the Doctor, taking his hand to try and provide him with some comfort.

"Yeah. How do we stop him?" Jack asked, while the Doctor continued to look at the dial, his eyebrows raised, his mouth now closed and his hand with the other one,

"Oh, I've got a way." The Doctor said dragging out his first word. "Sorry, didn't I tell you?" The Doctor said his voice rose in pitch as he looked over at Martha and Jack who were rolling his eyes. He simply grinned at them before striding from the room.

When the Doctor and his companions walked into the room winters was talking to the world while the Master was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. The Doctor immediately found the man he was looking for and watched him like a hawk. But the Master suddenly bolted upright and stared straight ahead as if he sensed them in someway. The three of them crept into the room quietly and stopped at the back in between people as they continued to watch and listen to the American President.

"This plan, you gonna tell us?" Jack asked while he looked around the room

"If I can get this" The Doctor whispered while holding the TARDIS key out towards his friends "Around the Master's neck…cancel out his perception, they'll see him for real." The Doctor continued, his jaw guttering out while he breathed and spoke through his mouth "It's just hard to go unnoticed with everyone on red alert. If they stop me…you've got a key." The Doctor whispered again before looking at his friends

"Yes, sir." Jack whispered

"I'll get him." Martha whispered angrily. Her eyes never leaving the man who had her family captive.

"And I ask you now, I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane." Winters said into the camera before the spheres appeared around him "My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President-Elect of the United States of America and designated representative of the United Nations. I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon." Winters said to the aliens. The Master had his hands clasped together while he had a huge smile on his face. The Doctor was creeping slowly around the room, his eyes raised, and his eyes holding concern

"You're not the Master."

"We like the Mr Master."

"We don't like you."

"I… can be Master, if you so wish. I will accept mastery over you if that is God's will." Winters said slightly flustered as he looked around him, his body moving every now and then trying to look at each sphere, worried about what they could do

"Man is stupid."

"Master is our friend."

"Where's my Master, pretty please?"

"Oh, all right then. It's me." The Master cried holding out his hands and then standing up "Ta-da!" He said sliding across the room and laughing "Sorry. Sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy!" The Master babbled crazily

"Saxon, what are you talkin' about?" Winters asked frustrated. His arms going to the banisters either side of the stairs. The Master simply turned around, crossed his arms across his chest and placed his right foot slightly to his side

"I'm taking control, Uncle Sam. Starting with you." The Master said in all seriousness before turning towards the Toclafane "Kill him."

One of the Toclafane moved from the Master's side and flew over to Winters shooting him dead with a laser and he disintegrated. Chaos was erupting as everyone tired to take cover or hide from the Toclafane, some even running from the room. The Doctor was looking around him. His chest heaving, his eyes hard, his teeth bared as he tried to think about what to do. All the while Saxon's people pulled out their weapons

"Guards!" Saxon instructed laughing.

"Nobody move! Nobody move!" The Guards yelled. The Doctor was looking around, his fingers and hands moving up and down the string which held his TARDIS key

"Now then, peoples of the Earth, please attend carefully." The Master cried as he spoke into the camera, But the Doctor suddenly rushed forward

"Stop him!" The Master commanded and guards grabbed hold of the Doctor's arms, forcing him to the ground, all the while he struggled.

"We meet at last, Doctor. Oh, ho! I love saying that!" The Master taunted. His laughed while a huge smile was on his face.

"Stop this! Stop it now!" The Doctor yelled angrily. His eyebrows in a frown, his teeth bared in anger

"As if a perception filter's gonna work on me." The Master stated. The Doctor licked his lips as he breathed heavily, his key still hanging in his hand. Lucy was slowly walking up the stairs next to her husband as he spoke to his enemy. Saxon slowly pulled away his blazer and reached for something which was evident on his belt. "Oh, and look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which." The Master cooed. The Doctor snapped his head to look at his friends while the Master cradled the thing he had removed from his belt. Jack was breathing heavily before he rushed towards him. Saxon simply fired his laser and Jack fell to the ground. People gasp as Jack fell to the ground and Martha rushed over to his side once again "Laser screwdriver, who'd have sonic?" The Master asked as he held up his screwdriver "And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!" The Master chimed excitedly a huge smile on his face as he laughed at the whole situation.

"Master, just calm down. Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself…" The Doctor cried heavily. The Guards were still grabbing hold of him but the Doctor was still struggling. Martha looked on helplessly while the Doctor spoke through his teeth his eyebrows raised, his voice coming out in gasps.

"Oh, do excuse me, little bit of personal business. Back in a minute." He sighed as he spoke to the camera before turning to the guards "Let him go." He stated to the guards as he walked down he steps. The Guards pushed the Doctor to the floor that let out a grunt as he landed. He slowly rose onto his knees, his hands going to his legs while he tried to recover his breath, his chest forever rising and falling

"It's that sound, the sound in your head. What if I could help?" The Doctor asked, his eyebrows raised and his forehead creased while Martha looked at him, worry and fear in her face as she knelt by Jack

"Oh, how to shut him up?" The Master asked while clapping his fingers and his palms together. "I know. Memory Lane!" he Master chimed as he sat on the steps facing the Doctor "Professor Lazarus. Remember him? And his genetic manipulation device?" The Master asked.

"Did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time." The Master stated again all the while the Doctor was frowning up to him "And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver…But, ooh, if I only had the Doctor's biological code." The Master taunted, his hand going to his mouth and he tapped his lips "Oh, wait a minute, I do!" He shouted before clicking his fingers and the doors at the entrance of the room opened to reveal Rose.

She was still in that dress, her skin deathly pale, her skin taunted and stretched. She was wounded, she was ill and she was exhausted. The Doctor simply gapped at her. He had found her. He had been reunited with her but under circumstances he wished were so much better. The Doctor found himself rising to his feet as he looked at her, his mouth hanging open as his hearts started to beat in his chest once again. She looked forward to see the Doctor standing there. She looked at him and her own heart stopped beating. She looked at him. I mean really looked at him and her heart filled with so much love it hurt. The way his hair pointed in every direction. The way his eyes looked at her and were filled with so much love and devotion. The way his arms hung from his body. The way his hands would curl around hers and hold them tight.

She took a few steps forward along with the Doctor but the Doctor felt strong arms grabbing hold of his arms while the Master came to stand next to Rose holding her close to him. The Doctor began struggling at his captors while Rose did the same with the Master.

"Let me go! Rose! Rose!" The Doctor grunted, yelling at the people, struggling on his captors.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed again, her torso moving forward in the Master's arms.

"Oh isn't this sweet" The Master smiled as he looked back to Rose."You would have thought you haven't seen each others in years... oh wait you haven't" The Master laughed.

"Master let her go. Whatever you do JUST LET HER GO!" The Doctor screamed. His hearts breaking as he took a look in Rose's sad and watering eyes. He was struggling again against his captors wanting to get to Rose.

"But oh she has been helpful" The Master said gently as he started to circle Rose. "In her mind are so many different things. Your mind and her mind are linked. She knows everything you know. She's seen everything you've shown her. And oh she is devoted. She was standing up for you even when I was beating her" The Master smiled over to the Doctor over Rose's shoulder and then looked back to her. The Master grabbed hold of her hair and pulled it behind her head. Rose snapped her head away from him, trying to get away but it didn't work the Master simply placed his hand on the back of her neck.

"And she is beautiful don't you think Doctor. You've done well. A young woman with so much spirit so much fire and so much power. She could suck in the time vortex and save your life sort of makes Martha insignificant don't you think" The Master taunted as he looked over at Martha who looked down sadly and then back up again when he moved Rose over to the Doctor. The Guards moved the Doctor so he was looking right at Rose. In touching distance but not able to touch her. The Doctor looked down at Rose while she looked up at him. He could smell her delicious scent of vanilla. He could see how weak and unwell she looked, but her hazel eyes held so much love, so much devotion it managed to mask the pain she was feeling. But Rose looked up at the Doctor. Able to see every freckle on his nose. Able to see ever strong line of his nose and high cheek bones, able to drink in his beautiful appearance and wanting to just kiss him and never let him out of her sight again. But the Master was holding her back, while the Guards were holding him back.

"But if I have all that technology in this screwdriver and have your genetic code why have you not questioned how I have retrieved it? Well don't worry ill tell you Doctor" The Master said snapping "It's all because of this woman here." The Master cried while Rose simply looked down at the ground. The Doctor didn't know what to think. "The TARDIS has changed her more than you think. Her DNA is so similar to yours its unbelievable. She shares a link not just with you but with the TARDIS as well. She looked into its heart. The TARDIS saw how pure and how perfect her soul was and she imprinted yours and the machines genetic code into her. All because of your strong bond you have with the TARDIS and for Rose. She's becoming more like us than you know" The Master smiled once again looking down at Rose and then smiling at the Master. "So Lazarus managed to make himself younger, so what if I reverse it? Say... another hundred years?" The Master cried before aiming his screwdriver at the Doctor who suddenly screamed with pain as he started to convulse on the floor as his genetic makeup was being altered. Rose could do nothing but look at him. Her screams for the Master to stop was not being heard and all she could do was watch the small tears fall from her eyes as she watched her husband scream and writer with agony. She was so wrapped up in what she was seeing she didn't notice her brother waking up from his recent death.

Jack looked on at the withering Doctor and then to his friend who was standing so close to him.

"Rose" He whispered, gasping for breath, exhausted. She managed to pull her thoughts and her eyes away from the Doctor and looked down. The Master was too busy smiling and torturing the Doctor she managed to fall down at Jack's side.

"Jack... your awake" She cried as she took the hands he was offering her. Her tears flowing freely. Jack simply looked at her and then back to the Doctor. He was resting his head on her shoulder in comfort but also to help him sit up.

"We can't stop him" He managed to gasp out. Martha simply looked at him sadly and then up to Rose. Seeing her so caught up, and so panicked about the Doctor she couldn't help but empathise with the girl. They were both in the same boat, her feelings for the Doctor was uniting the pair of them together in this moment of time. But Rose looked down suddenly and unstrapped the Vortex Manipulator from Jack's wrist and grabbed hold of Martha's hand. Martha just looked down at it with her eyebrows frowned and looking down at it

"Teleport" Rose whispered to her, her brown eyes boring into Martha's

"I can't." She confessed, panic and fear evident in her features

"We can't stop him. Get out of here. Get out." Rose said to her before her eyes focused over on the Doctor. Saxon had stopped what he was doing to reveal the features of a very old man who had fallen by Rose's feet. She crawled over to him.

"Doctor, I've got you." Rose said to him comfortingly as she grabbed hold of his shoulders gently and pulled him up so she could look at him. His hair gone, his face covered in wrinkles, his eyes so sad as she looked at him. But Rose simply looked at him and smiled weakly as she placed her hands to his cheeks, rubbing soothing pattern into his cheeks while he closed his eyes in comfort. His sadness engulfing his heart while he succumbed to her comfort.

"Aw, the faithful companion" He stated. But his gaze then found Martha's and a huge smile erupted over his face "But tonight, Martha Jones, we've flown 'em in all the way from prison—"The Master cried happily and the door slid open to revile Martha's family. She stood up from Jack's side and looked at them. Rose had the older Doctor lying half on her while she held him up. His head was resting on her shoulder while she was holding his sides delicately, helping him hold himself up.

"Mum." Martha whispered

"I'm sorry." Francine said crying. Martha simply cocked her head slightly to the left, her eyes watering as she looked at her family. But she was brought out of her thoughts when she heard the Doctor's voice and she ducked at his other side.

"The Toclafane, who are they? Who are they?" The Doctor asked breathing heavily, his eyes looking up at him, while Rose was rubbing his back comfortingly

"Doctor, if I told you the truth, your hearts would break." The Master whispered as he knelt down in front of him, placing his free hands on the Doctor chest. But he stood when the Toclafane started talking and Rose, the Doctor, Martha and now Jack came to watch him, all of them sitting in front of them

"Is it time?"

"Is it ready?"

"Is the machine singing?"

"Two minutes past." The Master said as he looked at his watch and he mounted the steps to stand next to Lucy and look at the camera "So! Earthings. Basically, um, end of the world. Here…come…the drums!" He yelled before holding up his screwdriver and Rogue Trader's 'Voodoo Child' Started playing

The Doctor had now grabbed hold of one of Rose's hands as he watched the Master with his wife by the window. Rose scouted closer to the Doctor while Jack looked over at Martha.

"Shall we decimate them? That sounds good. Nice word—decimate." The Master said to his wife with upmost bliss before turning his attention to the Toclafane "Remove one-tenth of the population!" He cried the toclanfane moved down towards the planet to carry out there orders. But suddenly the young couple clung onto their heads in pain, each one of them screaming slightly, Rose clutching her head with her free hand while the Doctor lowered his. The Master smiled at them while Martha and Jack looked at them in worry.

"What's happening to them?" Martha cried over to Jack who was looking on sadly. Jack simply looked at them with pain in their eyes.

"It's the TARDIS. Their linked to it by a bond I don't understand... He's activated the Paradox machine. The TARDIS is screaming and they can hear it. They can hear and feel the pain of that ancient machine" Jack said, his eyes watering as Martha and Jack looked at there companions. All the while the people on the Valliant could do nothing but listen. A single tear was rolling down Rose's cheek as she listened to the massages coming from the surface. The Doctor looked at Rose and pulled her closer. She looked at him and both of them turned to talk to Martha when the pain had finally ceased.

"Valiant, this is Geneva! We're getting slaughtered down here!" The General on earth cried while Martha stood leaving her friends. Jack came to sit next to Rose as he looked at Martha who was looking at her family

"Help us, for God's sake! Help us! They're everywhere!"

"This is London, Valiant! This is London calling! What do we do?"

"They're killing us! The Toclafane are killing us!"

But with a last look towards the Doctor and his friends Martha activated the teleporter and disappeared. The Doctor looked over at Rose and Jack before Rose pulled both of her favourite people closer to her after that the Doctor turned to look over at Saxon.

"And so it came to pass…that the human race fell and the Earth was no more. And I looked down upon my new dominion as master of all and I thought it…good." The Master said down to the Doctor and his companions before smiling at the helplessness evident on the Doctor's face and cleared the room, leaving the Doctor, Rose and Jack to mourn the lives of the people who had been killed down on the planet.

Jack looked over at Rose who looked at over him. He smiled at her and placed his arm around her shoulders while the Doctor sat up with Rose's help and pulled her closer to him as the three of them provided each other with the necessary comfort that they needed.

To be continued