Mariah was escorted to the cage where Jack had been tortured. She held back a deadly snarl when she saw what they'd done to him…well, the result of it. There had to be Jack's weight in blood covering the walls and floor. His arms and legs were chained apart, his chin against his chest, breathing heavily.

"Open it…" she whispered softly. When the guards hesitated, she screamed at them. "OPEN IT! NOW!"

A soft 'tsk, tsk' was whispered behind her…The Master. He was close enough that she felt his breath tickle the back of her neck as her fingers wrapped around the bars of the cage door imprisoning her beloved husband…

"Now, now, my darling Mariah…" The Master's voice was soft, seductive, and mocking. "I can't just let you in there. The entire plan revolves around your pain…and his." Mariah turned sharply on her heel to face The Master, glaring daggers at him. "Ooh…if looks could kill!" he snickered. "I'm sure you wouldn't want Jack to see you so…conflicted."

Mariah snarled. "Let me see him."

"Hmm…" The Master tapped his chin, pretending to think, and then nodded to the guard still inside the cage. "I think…" the guard held an electrical device to Jack's skin and smiled as his captives' agonised screams filled the room. "Not…"

"Jack!" Mariah beat and tugged on the cage door but, try as she might, it would not budge. "Stop it! Stop it now!" She looked back to the Master in desperation. "Please, stop!"

The Master smiled, then pouted and nodded once again to the guard. Jack's screams ceased immediately. He looked at Mariah, leant against the cage, her fingers twined around the bars of the cage, her head resting against the cage. He moved to stand beside her, his stance non-threatening as tears finally began to fall from her eyes. "Now, it's up to you, you know?" he began and she looked up at him through wet eyelashes, spirit almost broken, and he smiled gently. "You can stop his pain, Mariah… all it takes…is one little word…"

He let her finish his train of thought, and knew what her answer would be as she looked once again at Jack and hung her head. When she looked back up at him, The Master saw the defeat in her eyes. She would do anything to spare her beloved pain… and he would do anything to get what he wanted.

With a heavy sigh, she finally stood straight and looked him dead in the eye. "Deal…"

"No…" Jack groaned, coughing and sputtering. "No…Mariah…you…you can't…"

She looked at the Master again. "You'll stop hurting him?" The Master made the 'cross my heart and hope to die' gesture and she nodded. "The deal is struck, Jack." She looked at Jack sadly before whispering. "Let me help him…please…"

The Master nodded and the guard let Mariah into the cage. A triumphant grin spread across his face as he watched her go to the aid of her darling Captain Jack once more… He had won!

...

Slightly longer!

...please don't kill me! ;)