Chapter 9
"Is that is?" Lucy asked, clearly unimpressed, looking from the two bodies on the ground to the Master who was smiling smugly at them, "Find him, kill his friend, kill him? That was your great revenge? Wasn't it a bit… quick."
The Master laughed slightly and smiled proudly at Lucy, "You think?" he asked, rhetorically, "No, no, no, Lucy, this is not my great revenge. This is simply the first step, not stand back," he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back a couple of steps just before the Doctor's regeneration started.
Lucy stared, shocked into silence as the Doctor seemed to explode into flames, an orange light coming from his head and his arms. She watched carefully and saw his body shape changing, hair growing where it before hadn't been. She wanted to ask what was going on but she couldn't bring herself to speak, she was too awestruck by the sight.
The regeneration finished just a moment later, the man the Master had killed completely transformed. The Doctor – Lucy assumed it was still the same person – sat up slowly and gasped quietly at the sight of the dead Rose beside him. He quickly scrambled away from it, standing up and staring at the Master, tears pricking at his eyes.
"Long time no see, Doctor," the Master said before punching him square in the face, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious. The Master laughed and turned to Lucy, "That normally wouldn't work so easily but he's still weak from the regeneration. Now, help me get him into the TARDIS."
V
The first thing the Doctor realised when he woke was he was in a TARDIS, the quick second realisation was that it wasn't his own TARDIS. His thoughts quickly went to Rose, where was she? And it was only a moment later that tears pricked his eyes as he remembered what had happened to Rose. Opening his eyes, he looked around and found he was in a small empty room just a little bigger than a prison cell on Earth. He tried to move but found himself screaming in pain instead. A metal collar was around his neck and sent a jolt of electricity through him when he tried to move. He realised then that there were metal cuffs around his wrists as well, all of which were holding him to the wall.
A quick moment after the Doctor screamed, the Master came in smiling broadly, "Aw, Doctor, you didn't try and get away did you?" he pouted overdramatically, "And there I was thinking you'd be glad to see me."
The Doctor noticed the human standing half beside, half behind the Master and briefly wondered how he should think of her. The Master's friend, companion, lover, slave? With the Master he could never tell but as far as the Doctor could remember the Master had never had a human travel with him, why would he start now?
"Aren't you going to say anything, Doctor?" the Master asked, an amused smirk playing on his face, "I've known you a long time and it's not like you to stay quiet," anger entered into his voice, "Come on, speak. Let us know what's going on in that treacherous mind of yours."
The Doctor looked beyond him to his friend (the Doctor settled on friend for now) and the Master cut in before he had a chance to say anything, "And when I say speak I mean address me, your Master, not poor little Lucy here."
The Doctor glared at him, "Well you just-" he broke off and cried out in pain.
The Master laughed, "Now you see, that thing around your neck? It's going to shock you if you so much as move too much or if you speak, because I don't want to hear anything that you have to say, d'you hear me?"
The Doctor did nothing in response, he just looked beyond the Master to Lucy, wondering about her. Why was she there? And more importantly, he thought somewhat selfishly, could she help him?
"I'm going to take that as a yes," the Master said after a brief silence. He turned to Lucy, "Leave us for a while," Lucy nodded and walked out without arguing despite the clear confusion on her face. Once she was out the Master turned back to the Doctor, "She's not as innocent as she looks, but she's still delicate. You'd know all about delicate humans, look at your English flower."
"Don't ta-" the Doctor automatically went to shout back, but quickly broke off as the shock came and he winced in pain.
The Master laughed, "I was tempted to gag you to shut you up, you know. But this is clearly a much better idea, it's going to be amused to see how many times you cause your own pain. Anyway, where was I?" he couldn't keep the smirk off his face, "Ah yes, Lucy, she's very much like your English flower, delicate, pretty, not really wanting to see what's going to happen to you. She's not quite ready for that yet."
The Doctor watched the Master, thinking this through. What did he meant by not quite ready? It took the Doctor a moment but then it clicked. The Master was trying to corrupt Lucy, trying to make him as dark and messed up as he was. His eyes widened just slightly with this realisation but he had the sense to stay quiet this time. His mind then briefly wondered what was going to happen to him but he knew he would find out soon enough and there was no point dwelling on it beforehand.
"Maybe I'll bring her in later, once I've explained to her better why you deserve this, maybe then I'll let her see how far I'm willing to go to destroy you," the Master continued, thoughtfully, shrugging slightly as though he wasn't really sure what he would do. The Doctor knew from experience though that this was more a sign that he had a detailed plan of what he would do. Not that the Master being sure or unsure was more or less of a comfort. "Because I swear to Rassilon, Doctor, you are going to deeply regret what you did."
The Doctor looked down to he didn't have to look at the Master anymore. He wanted to tell him that he was already living in regret. Despite him staying quiet, though, the Master read it in his face.
"And that's sweet that is. Are you sorry, Doctor?" the Master asked, now glaring in anger, "Because I can tell you, it makes no difference. You're still the biggest traitor Gallifrey's seen. You still deserve to be punished. I still deserve my revenge. And believe me I'm going to enjoy every moment of it."
A/N: The metal collar/electric-shock/no taking thing? Yeah I didn't plan that. I don't even know where that idea came from. I guess that's what happens if I'm allowed to be writing fanfic between 1 and 2am.