Jack moved around his office in Torchwood, agitated, he hadn't heard from his team, when he arrived he found a note from Ianto, saying they'd gone out, some sort of weevil attack. When he called they insisted he stayed, he told himself they could handle themselves but so far nothing. The Doctors hand bubbled furiously in its tank, he frowned at it, before his eyes widened as he realised what that meant. The Doctor was in town, after so long. It was weird, after he got taken from Abi again, he arrived back where she had first found him, London 1869, it was ironic, seeing as it could've been anywhere else in the universe. He had thought about Abi, he never really stopped, and now they could finally be together, he knew he had Torchwood and she had Sky but they'd work something out, they had too, it had been too long, a lifetime, there was no way he'd ever let her go now. It took centuries but he finally knew he loved her. He just hoped she loved him. He packed his backpack with the hand and and raced out of the underground hub, across the Plass was a blue shining box, just as he remembered it, with he hoped his love inside.
"Cardiff", The Doctor said, randomly, making both girls look up,
"Cardiff?", Martha asked,
"Oh, are we refueling?", Abi remembering what Rose and 9th him explained,
"Yep, the thing about Cardiff, it's built on a rift in time and space, just like California and the San Andreas Fault, but the rift bleeds energy. Every now and then I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel".
"Pit stop", Abi summarized, grinning, "I remember when we last came here",
"They had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of years ago. Was that you?",
"Bit of trouble with the Slitheen", he looked at Abi, who obviously didn't remember that bit, "After you left", he clarified,
"You have all the fun", she grumbled,
"A long time ago. Lifetimes. I was a different man back then", He continued, feeling reminiscent. Abi looked at Martha and mimed 'big ears', as a description of the Doctor. Martha giggled faintly, but loud enough for the Time Lord to hear, he turned around to see Abi looking around innocently. The Tardis made a noise that diverted his attention, Abi silently thanked the box for the act.
"Finito. All powered up", The Doctor went up to the screen, Martha beside him, they saw a picture of Jack running towards them, immediately the Doctor flicked the screen of and set the Tardis running, getting away from Jack. He feared what his presence might do to Abi, he glanced at Martha who looked at him with big brown eyes, asking silent questions but he only shook his head. Suddenly the Tardis jolted and tossed and turned, rather aggressively,
"Whoa! What's that?", Abi exclaimed,
The Doctor stared at the scanner in confusion, "We're accelerating into the future. The year one billion. Five billion. Five trillion. Fifty trillion? What? The year one hundred trillion? That's impossible.",
Abi looked at him, faint amusement plastered on her face, "No way, lemme see", she ran and looked at the scanner, she grinned and looked up at him, surprised to see a serious face.
"We're going to the end of the universe.", He said, solemnly.
They remained silent for the rest of the trip, it wasn't long till the Tardis jolted again, softer this time, indicating they'd stopped.
"Well, we've landed.", The Doctor'a gaze was looked on the doors, as was Martha's,
"So what's out there?", Martha whispered though she didn't know she was doing it, Abi smiled at her friends worry,
"No idea", She answered,
"Not even the Time Lords came this far. We should leave. We should go. We should really, really go.", he looked at the girls who both had grins forming of their faces, they all knew they weren't going to go. Martha laughed at her friends and race to the doors, "Come on!".
The Doctor grinned at Abi and they both ran after their friend. Abi was the last to leave the box and when she did she saw her friends looking down at a body of the floor, a body that made her heart skip a beat, she didn't know why. Her friends were looking at her, as if they wanted her to explain what they saw,
"Who's that?". Both of them deflated, much to Abi's confusion,
"Old friend", The Doctor stated, Abi took a step closer to the dead man, paying attention to his facial features,despite his deathly form, he was good looking and fit. Abi shuddered internally, how could she think that of a dead person.
"Well, is he alright, he looks a bit...dead", Abi tilted her head whilst observing the dead body, she felt an enormous wave of deja vu as she looked at the man unaware that the Doctor and Martha where looking at her intently trying to hear her thoughts. When Abi looked at them, they immediately averted their eyes, she frowned and was about to question the when Jack gasped back into life. She squealed slightly and covered it up with a clearing of her throat, though she was still amazed at the mans resurrection.
"How the f-",
"Language", the Doctor hissed, Abi ignored him as she stared at the now standing man who looked back at her with a similar expression, though she didn't know why.
"Abi", the man breathed, she glared at him, shocked and slightly angry, something about him bugged her.
"You..you were dead, dead! How can..." she looked her friends who weren't as shocked as she believed they should have been, "He was dead! Why aren't you shocked?",
"What are you talking about, you've always known about my immortality?", Jack said, Abi scoffed,
"You're immortal? Oh this just gets better and better", she frowned, finally understanding what he said, "Always, what do you mean always?",
"Abi-". Jack stepped towards her but she took two steps back,
"Woah, mate, I don't even know you, so less of the familiar..ness", she frowned, wondering if familiarness was a word, she missed the fact that the man was know gaping at her. She didn't get to see his face as the Doctor pulled him gently away. Far enough that she couldn't hear them, she noted. Martha placed her hands and her shoulders, taking her attention away from the men. Abi shook her head,
"What is going on, its bad enough that Mr X is acting all besties but then theres you two",
"What, me and the Doctor?",
Abi nodded, "You've been acting all weird since Efflor",
"Oh" was all Martha could say,
Abi sighed, "Who is he?"
"Captain Jack Harkness, pretty hot right?", Martha grinned,
Abi shrugged, "Meh, what's more interesting is his job, time traveler right?",
"Yep, how did you know?",
"His wrist, vortex manipulator, pretty basic though", Abi smirked, lifting her wrist to admire her vortex manipulator. She looked back to see the Doctor in mid monologue, as he usual did, explaining something to Jack, something delicate, clearly. Jack kept glancing at Abi, checking something, before looking back at the Doctor. He looked so, so distraught, and all Abi wanted to do was console, him, hug him, hold him, but she didn't know why considering she just met the guy. She gazed back at the view, the empty horizon, with no stars or suns, the end of the universe, no one left. At all. She paused. Well no one left except that guy running about 50 feet down, and except the group of creatively decorated people chasing him. Actually it looked a bit more dangerous. Like a hunt.
"Oh God...", she whispered and without a warning she left her group and raced down the hill, and decided that the fastest way to reach the guy was to cut him off instead of chase him with the tribe, she climbed over some large rocks, painfully scratching herself, but she ignored is and continued down the shortcut. Meanwhile the Doctor, Martha and Jack had followed her down the hill, a few yards behind, they would've followed her through the short cut but a tribe cut them off, so they had to go the long way round. Meaning they had to be faster. Abi finally raced out of the path and gripped the man to stop him running. He screamed hysterically.
"Hey, its okay, your safe, don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you",
"No but, but they're coming", He pointed back down the hill and there was the tribe scurrying up the hill. Abi frowned,
"Yeah...",
"Hey!", Jack called she turned, seeing the trio catching up with them,
"They're coming! They're coming!", the man exclaimed,
Jack brought his gun out of the holster,
"Oh shoot them, I dare you.", Abi growled, glaring at him.
Jack looked back, hurt that she spoke with such coldness he sighed and fired into the air, making the tribe stop their advance. This gave them the opportunity to run,
"What the hell are they?", Martha asked no one in particular,
"There's more of them. We've got to keep going.", Padra explained,
"I've got a ship nearby. It's safe. It's not far, it's over there.", they all looked back up the other hill, to see another set of tribesmen coming down, blocking that way. Abi sighed,
"Or maybe not"
"We're close to the silo. If we get to the silo, then we're safe.", the man said, already walking in that direction, the Doctro looked at his friends,
"Silo?", he asked
"Silo.", Abi grinned,
"Silo", Jack replied,
Martha raised her hand, "Silo for me."
The man, who they found out was called, Padra, was shouting well before any of the guards could hear them,
"It's the Futurekind! Open the gate!",
"Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!", the guard ordered, Abi rolled her eyes in exasperation, but did it anyway,
"Human! Let them in! Let them in!", two other guards pulled on big gate door each, and the group slipped in hurriedly,
"Close! Close! Close!".
The leader of the tribe smirked at them, in a way that made Abi scowl, he started speaking in a mocking tone,
"Humans. Humani. Make feast.",
The guard who let them in, brought his gun out, threateningly. Abi glared at him,
"Go back to where you came from. I said, go back. Back!",
"Don't shoot at them, there as human as you or me", Abi said, disappointed at what humanity has come to, end of the universe and its just come down to every race for themselves.
"They're not humans, they're animals", Abi scoffed but was happy that the guard didn't intend to hurt them. She over heard Jack saying,
"Oh, don't tell him to put his gun down.",
"He's not my responsibility.", The Doctor replied, nonchalantly,
"And I am? Huh, that makes a change.", Jack scoffed,
" Kind watch you. Kind hungry.", The tribesman said, rubbing his belly, Abi sighed,
"You don't have to murder people for food, we can help, if you promise not to hurt us", Abi pleaded, not wanting to let these people go out into the wilderness with nothing.
"Pity. You pity us. No honor", The man said, Abi nodded reluctantly and let the tribe walk away, though the tribe leader smiled at her warmly, she smiled back, happy that there was less hate in the air. She turned to see Jack grinning at her fondly,
"What?", she asked,
"It's just, its nice that you want to help everyone",
"But...", Abi prompted,
"But I don't want you to get hurt",
Abi widened her eyes, feeling awkward, she cleared her throat, "Well as sweet at that is, you've known me for, what, five minutes, don't think that's enough time for you to feel protective", Abi shrugged,
Jack nodded, masking any pain he felt from that comment, "Yeah, of course..."
They were walking down a narrow corridor, filled with people, buzzing around, it looked like a village, sort of. Abi was in midst conversation with Jack, about his past,
"So there I was, stranded in the year two hundred one hundred, ankle deep in Dalek dust, and he goes off without me. But I had this."
"Vortex manipulator", Abi nodded lifting hers.
He smiled at her, "Clever."
"I know", She smirked back, Martha cleared her throat,
"Back to the story?"
"Right, I used to be a Time Agent. It's called a vortex manipulator. He's not the only one who can time travel-"
"Oh, excuse me. That is not time travel. It's like, I've got a sports car and you've got a space hopper." The Doctor exclaimed, bragging as per usual,
Abi and Martha sniggered, "Oh ho. Boys and their toys.", Martha mumbled.
Jack nodded in defeat, "All right, so I bounced. I thought 21st century, the best place to find the Doctor, except that I got it a little wrong. Arrived in 1869, this thing burnt out, so it was useless.",
"Told you.", the Doctor said,
"Hey, my ones good", Abi slapped his arm,
"I had to live through the entire twentieth century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me.",
Abi frowned, "But that makes you more than one hundred years old.",
"And looking good, don't you think? So I went to the time rift, based myself there because I knew you'd come back to refuel. Until finally I get a signal on this detecting you and here we are."
Abi looked at the Doctor, almost angrily, "But the thing is, how come you left him behind, Doctor?",
"I was busy.", He shurgged.
Abi raised her eyebrows, threateningly at his, then she began hitting him, "We. Do. Not. Leave. Our. Friends. Behind."
"Ow!" The Doctor complained, Abi sighed and looked at Jack,
"I apologize on behalf of the idiot Time Lord, our race doesn't do him any favours.", Abi said,
"You're a Time Lord?", Jack asked, surprised,
"Well, it complicated." She shrugged and walked over to where the Doctor was talking to some guard.
"It looks like a box, a big blue box. I'm sorry, but I really need it back. It's stuck out there."
"The computers are down but you can check the paperwork. Creet! Passenger needs help.", the guy was pulled away their attention yet again, to their annoyance, he came back though,
"A blue box, you said.",
Abi nodded, "Yeah, big, tall, wooden. Says Police.",
"We're driving out for the last water collection. I'll see what I can do.",
"Great, thanks", she grinned and he smiled fondly back,
"Thanks, not a lot of people say that",
"It's hard, like this, but you are helping a lot of people.",
"Is it worth it?", He mumbled, Abi heard,
"Of course it is, that's not fighting talk", She exclaimed, causing Jack to look up form his conversation with Martha, he saw her talking to that guard and scowled deeply, not liking that at all. Normally he wouldn't mind her talking to guys, but if she didn't know who he was then there was nothing stopping her form being with anyone else.
The guard sighed, "It's been like this for years, decades, what if it never ends, relying on false hope.",
"You'd be surprised what hope can do for people, even if it's false it gives you some kind of reassurance that tomorrow is going to be different. If all else fails you, hope will remain pure", she said, wistfully, when she looked at the guard she saw him grinning at her, she laughed, "Sorry, I go off sometimes",
"I don't mind, I ac-"
"Abi!", Jack called, irritated that their conversation was still going on, she looked back and sighed,
"Sorry, I'd better see what he wants", she left after the guard nodded, Jack kept his head down until Abi got close enough so that no one could hear them, "What?",
"You're flirting", Jack stated,
"No, I'm not and even if I was, why do you care?", she folded her arm, quite annoyed that her brought her away from this. They were now walking through the corridors, behind the Doctor, Martha and a little boy guide, who was calling for a "Kistane Shafe Cane",
"I don't, it's just, well don't you have...someone?", Jack asked,
"No, I - wait did the Doctor tell you I'm married?", Abi rolled her eyes, angry at the Doctor,
"You're married!", he exclaimed, outraged.
"Yeah", Abi scoffed, not sure why he was so upset, "So what?",
"When did this happen?",
"Oh well the first one-",
"You've been married more than once?",
"Well, yeah, 16 to be exact",
Jack frowned, wondering if all this happened once he left, he was more than heart broken now, even if she couldn't remember him there must have been one bit of her that remembered her love for him. Maybe she didn't love him, they never actually said it to each other. Abi smiled at the people she walked past, happy that humanity had found some way of surviving,
"It's like a refugee camp", Martha mumbled,
"Stinking. Oh, sorry. No offence. Not you.", Jack apologized, Abi laughed, gently shaking her head,
"It's brilliant though", she grinned as the Doctor excitedly nodded,
"Exactly! Don't you see that? The ripe old smell of humans. You survived. Oh, you might have spent a million years evolving into clouds of gas, and another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans.",
Abi patted his shoulders, almost as happy as he was but no where near as excited, "Calm down",
"But here, end of the universe and here you are. Indomitable! That's the word. Indomitable! Ha!".
Finally, the boy guide found Padra's family, and the group watched as the family reunited in a way that warmed all their hearts,
"See", Martha said, "It's not all bad news.",
"No it isn't" Abi agreed, watching them hug. A man stood up and greeted the group, Jack first.
"Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?", Jack said, smoothly, the Doctor rolled his eyes,
"Stop it.",
"Oh let him have his fun", Abi scolded, but she wasn't looking at either of them, she was observing a panel. "Give us a hand, it's half deadlocked and I'm lazy", Jack went up to her, not caring if she was talking to the Doctor, he fiddled with the panel next to her as she looked through the thick doors circular window. A bell indicated that Jack disabled it and it slide open easily. There was no ground on the other side of the door so Abi nearly tumbled in but Jack, lighting fast, encircled her waist, and pulled her tightly against him. She breathed a sigh of relief and comfort as he buried his head in her hair and kissed the side of her head.
"Okay?",
She cleared her throat and left his embrace, blushing, "Yeah, thanks", she tried to go over what just happened but her mind was so fuzzy, so she concentrated on the massive rocket directly in front of her
"Now that is what I call a rocket.", Martha breathed,
"They're not refugees, they're passengers.", Abi said, finally understanding what Utopia meant,
"He said they were going to Utopia.", Martha said, stepped away to look at the people,
"The perfect place. Hundred trillion years, it's the same old dream. You recognise those engines?", The Doctor looked at Abi who shook her head, then at Jack.
"Nope. Whatever it is, it's not rocket science. But it's hot, though.", He said, fanning the air to cool himself,
"Boiling. But if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?",he closed the door, Abi leaned against the wall, head down, she felt really odd, like something in her mind was resisting something else. But she couldn't dwell because now there was a old man, approached them. The man looked at Jack,
"The Doctor?", he asked,
"That's me.", the Doctor replied, getting into the mans view, he immediately took the Doctors hand and began dragging him away,
"Good! Good! Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.", the man smiled, Abi stared at him scared and confused, she felt an overwhelming sense of
"Hey, you alright?",
She looked up, taking deeper breaths, "Yeah, just, I feel weird",
"What kind of weird?",
"I dunno", she sniffed and composed herself, "Doesn't matter, I'm fine now", she smiled and walked off, leaving him no choice but to follow.
They caught up to the rest of them, in a lab, it looked like it was made from recycled things. From candy to plastic, it was amazing, Abi smile at the innovative imagination that went into making this. She was met at the doors by a lizard creature, green and blue all over. Abi grinned, eyes filled with glee,
"Hi!",
"Chan welcome tho", the lady smiled back,
"That must mean you're Chantho, yeah?", Abi asked, unsure.
"Chan yes, how did you know tho?",
"I'm familiar with your race, it was so beautiful, I'm sorry",
"Chan thank you tho",
Jack looked over Abi's shoulders he smiled at Chantho,
"Captain Jack Harkness", He grinned,
"Stop it, Abi come here", he ordered,
Abi rolled her eyes and walked over, "Please", she grumbled,
"Now, this is the gravitissimal accelerator. It's past its best but it works.", He lead them both around the lab, "And over here is the footprint impellor system. Now, do you know anything about endtime gravity, but we can't get it to harmonise.",
"And all this feeds into the rocket?", Abi asked, ignoring that weird feeling she still had,
"Yeah, except without a stable footprint, you see, we're unable to achieve escape velocity. If only we could harmonise the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor? Abi? Any ideas?",
"Uhh, nope, nothing, sorry", Abi said,
"Well, er, basically, sort of, not a clue.", the Doctor apologised,
"Nothing?", Yana tried,
"I'm not from around these parts. I've never seen a system like it. Sorry.",
"No, no. I'm sorry. It's my fault. There's been so little help.", Yana walked off, rambling, which gave Abi time to observe the equipment, properly. And it was now even clearer that the scientific equipment was very advanced considering it was made of non perishable foods.
"Oh, my God.", Martha began, she sat down and brought out a jar, with a floating hand immersed in a blue bubbling liquid, "You've got a hand? A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag.",
Abi giggled as the Doctor pointed accusingly at the jar, "But that, that, that's my hand.",
Abi snapped her head to him, "Now that's a fetish",
"I said I had a Doctor detector.", Jack shrugged, Chantho came up behind Jack and frowned at the hand,
"Chan is this a tradition amongst your people tho?",
"Not on my street. What do you mean, that's your hand? You've got both your hands, I can see them.", Martha said, eyeing him up.
"Long story. I lost my hand Christmas Day, in a swordfight.", He waved his hand as he explained, Martha's eyes were transfixed on them.
"What? And you grew another hand?", she scoffed, the conversation about the Doctors amputated hand went on but Abi didn't listen, she stared at the Professor, feeling once again terrified at the fact he actually existed. And the scariest part was she didn't know why, and if things weren't bad enough she also heard, very faintly, this drumming. Four drum beats. Like what Koschei heard, that little boy. Jack placed his hands on her shoulder to get her to look up at him,
"Okay?", he asked,
Abi smiled, "Yeah, just, felt weird..", she shook her head, feeling silly for bringing it up. He frowned,
"Do you know why...what's that?", he pointed to her foot, which was bruised and had traces of blood. She looked down and saw her foot, her eyes widened as she questioned why, yet again, she didn't feel the pain. Jack crouched and brushed his hands on the wound,
"I cut myself running", she explained,
He got up, "And you didn't say anything?",
"Well, being hunted down by a tribe at the end of the universe isn't really the right time to complain", she said, his frowned, once again remembering that his Abi would told him, not complained, just told him for peace of mind. But this wasn't his Abi, except he still loved her, she laughed, "Honestly Jack, I'm fine",
"Sure", he placed his hands on her shoulder, she side glanced his arm and he removed them immediately, mumbling a sorry. She smiled and went back to the group,
"So what were those beastie boys out there then?", she asked, pulling them out of their 'Doctor losing his hand' conversation.
"We call them the Futurekind, which is a myth in itself, but it's feared they are what we will become, unless we reach Utopia.", Yana summarised,
"And Utopia is?", the Doctor asked,
"Oh, every human knows of Utopia. Where have you been?", Yana laughed, thinking them mad for not knowing,
"Bit of a hermit.", the Doctor said, smiling crookedly,
"A hermit with friends?", Yana frowned,
"Hermits United. We meet up every ten years and swap stories about caves. It's good fun, for a hermit.", Abi nodded, confirming whatever rubbish came out of the Doctor's mouth, " So, er, Utopia?".
The professor lead then to the computers to show them how they heard of Utopia and after that the Doctor was set on helping them fly, which of course meant that everyone had to do their bit, it astounded the Professor of how much genius the Doctor and Abi had, they were by far the most intelligent things he has ever come across in his long long life, but he had a suspicion that the Doctor and Abi experienced a longer life than his despite their appearance. It was all going so well, until on of the Futurekind sabotaged the ships ventilation systems, Abi heard through the grapevine that they shot the person, which did not please her. The computers Abi was working started to fizz and she stepped back, eyeing it to see if it was just going to explode, someone near her a rather big explosion erupted which diverted her attention to Jack was trying to work them again,
He pulled out to cables, "We can jump start the override!", he exclaimed,
"Don't, its gonna flare!", Abi called, but it was too late, she stared as the power surged through him, she immediately went up to him and crouched, placing her hands on his cheek. She looked at his lifeless face but then blinked and stood up facing the Doctor and Martha,
"He's, he's gonna be alright yeah? He said he was immortal".
They both nodded and Abi sighed seeming happy with that, though Yana and Chantho didn't think he was coming back
"Chan don't touch the cables tho.", Chan said, moving them back so she could move the cables away,
"Oh, I'm so sorry.", Yana sighed, rubbing his eyes. The Doctor didn't seem all that bothered by it,
"The chamber's flooded with radiation, yes?", Yana nodded, "Without the couplings, the engines will never start. It was all for nothing.",
"Oh, I don't know", Abi smiled, "It strikes me, Professor, you've got a room which no man can enter without dying. Is that correct?",
"Yes."
"Well", the Doctor began, waiting till Jack gasped back into life, "I think I've got just the man."
Abi ran into the below chambers first,
"Hiya", she smiled at the guard from earlier, "Might wanna get on board now, Utopia's awaiting", she fiddled with the controls he was beside, but before he could say anything Jack and the Doctor ran in,
"Lieutenant, get on board the rocket! I promise you're going to fly.", the Doctor ordered, Abi smiled back at him,
"Told ya", the guard smiled back, but turned to the Doctor,
"The chamber's flooded.", he protested, on his left, Jack began pulling the braces of his shoulders,
"Trust me. We've found a way of tripping the system. Run!",
He looked at Abi, "See you on the other side?", she shook her head,
" 'Fraid not", she kissed his cheek while Jack looked on, fuming, but not showing it, "Find a missus, yeah?". The guard nodded and left, leaving just the three time travelers, Jack went up to Abi,
"So, what? You like him?", he asked,
"Well, he's nice, don't really know him", she shrugged,
"What did you whisper to him?",
"Just-", she stopped noticing that whilst they were talking he was undressing, "What are you taking your clothes off for?"
"I'm going in.", he shrugged. She looking at the Doctor to clarify her doubts,
"Well, by the looks of it, I'd say the stet radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh.", the Doctor explained,
Jack grinned, "Well, I look good though.",
Abi laughed, "I love this guy!", making them both stare at her, which she found immensely creepy, she frowned at them, "What?".
"Nothing", the Doctor mumbled, while Jack just went in the chamber without another word.
Abi leaned against the window in the door, with the Doctor to the side, jut fiddling with buttons
"So how did you find out you were all...immortal and stuff?",
"Earth, 1892. Got in a fight in Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart. Then I woke up. Thought it was kind of strange. But then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War One, World War Two, poison, starvation, a stray javelin. In the end, I got the message. I'm the man who can never die.",
"Must be hard, never dying, must be hell", she mumbled,
"Oh you're cheerful", he grinned, teasingly, "It's fine, as long as you spend it with someone",
"Oh yeah, I heard immortal market is buzzing with life, I hate to tell you but you haven't got a range", she said, watching him pull out a coupling,
"I know there are many other immortals, but I'd settle for a really long life then",
"Oh so that narrows it down to, Appalapachians, Daleks, Ood and Time Lords",
"Never heard of Appalapachians, Daleks would be hell in bed and I can't get over the Ood chin",
"Ha, spaghetti chin", she giggled, then frowned, "What about Time Lords?",
"What about Time Lords?",
"You never said why you could settle for a Time Lord",
"Why can't I?", Jack frowned.
Abi smiled and looked back at the Doctor, who was fully distracted, "Well, I hate to say it but the Doctor really isn't your type", she said, acting sympathetic,
"He's not the only Time Lord", Jack said, staring he deep in her eyes, she raised her eyebrows but couldn't say more because the final coupling fell into place, she stepped away from the door window and looked away, straight at the Doctor who mouthed, "Okay?", she only faintly nodded. Then she ran to the telephone,
"Lieutenant, everyone on board?",
"Ready and waiting.", came the reply, Jack exited the sealed chamber and began aligning the buttons with the Doctor when Martha ran in, breathing deeply. The Doctor ignored this and started rambling.
"Ah, nearly there. The footprint, it's a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It'll take the both of us to keep it stable.",
"Doctor, Abi, it's the Professor. He's got this watch. He's got a fob watch. It's the same as yours. Same writing on it, same everything.",
Abi left the phone and walked up to them, "What?", she asked, eyes wide,
"Don't be ridiculous.", the Doctor dismissed,
"I asked him. He said he's had it his whole life.",
"So he's got the same watch.", Jack shrugged, not getting its importance,
"Yeah, but it's not a watch. It's this chameleon thing",
"No, no, no, it's this, this thing, this device, its-",
"Koschei...", Abi breathed, not looking at any of them,
"What?", Martha asked, but the Doctor knew what Abi meant, she looked at them,
"Make sure they launch", she said before running out.
She got through the lab door, just before it closed behind her, only to see Chantho on the floor, she bent to help her but a cable with harsh electricity bouncing on the edge was thrust in her face. She flinched to avoid it and then saw who held it,
"What are you doing?",
"So long, so long I've had this stupid noise, never ending", he moved closer, "And you knew", he hissed. She stared at him, then she looked over his shoulder at the controls, at a screen, showing the bases defences.
"You lowered the defences, the Futurekind will get in, Professor!". He only smiled at her,
"You know that's not my name", she glared at him, wanting to shout but knowing there was no time, so she sweeped off his legs from the ground, causing him to tumble and groan, she ran to the screens and began furiously typing in it, putting back the defences, she hoped she did it in time, but she couldn't dwell on it. She turned and saw the Professor standing again,
"Oh that was quick", she quipped,
He glared at her, "Stupid old body, no matter, I'll sort that", Voices from outside drifted in, it was the Doctor, Martha and Jack, shouting to let them in,
"Are the Furturekind in the base?", she called, her and the Professor circling each other.
"Abi! No, no we're fine, but where is he?", Martha shouted back,
"Oh you're not gonna like the answer", she replied,
"Professor! Professor, let us in", The Doctor called,
"What's gonna happen to me?", Abi asked, feeling more certain that he wasn't going to hurt her,
"I want you to get in, but you could fight me, I'm an old man. Why haven't you run yet?",
She looked at him, of course he didn't recognise her, little Koschei, he wasn't even awake when she saw him.
"Abi", Jack hammered on the door, "Abi!",
"He wants me to come with him", She replied, inching toward the box with him, "I'm sorry!",
"What? Stop him, do something!", The Doctor yelled",
"I can't Doctor, I can't hurt him!", She called, ignoring the fact that he was staring at her, because of her words, "It's him, it's Koschei", she looked down, then back at the Professor, "I can't hurt you" she whispered.
"You know me?".
She just walked into the box before he followed, slightly stumbling up the ramp, she noticed this, "You alright?"
"Ahh, when you knocked me down, I'm fragile, one more push was all it took", he winced in pain,
"I'm sor-"
"Still, if the Doctor can be young and strong, then so can I. The Master reborn.", he glorified as he began to glow that familiar orange, she stepped back and sheided her eyes from the light, eyes filled with his screaming. It died down and so did the light, she was fearful to move her arms and only did when he asked,
"What do you think?", his arms spread in question, she stared at him, noticing his youth made him look, tiny but attractive.
"No bad, horrible clothes though", she remarked,
"Rude, oh, oh", he cleared his throat, "New voice. Hello, hello.", he fiddled with his throat, then turned on the speakers to talk to the Doctor,
"Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me, I don't think", Abi rolled her eyes,
"I'm asking you really properly. Just stop. Just think!", The Doctor pleaded. The Master looked up at Abi and smiled, annoyingly, so she stuck her tongue out,
"Use my name.", he ordered,
"Master. I'm sorry.", Abi scoffed at the Doctor's willingness to fold.
"There's only three of us left, please!", Abi's eyes widened, she had the tiniest of hopes that the Master didn't hear that, but he was staring at her, so he did.
"Who's three of us?", he asked, turning off the speakers again, "Who's three of us?". Abi stepped back from him just a little, "Who are you?",
She cleared her throat and walked around him, to the console to turn back on the speakers, "Doctor?",
"Abi! Stop him, please",
"Yeah Doctor, trying, listen, the sonic, use it".
The Master growled and moved around the console,
"Oh no you don't! End of the universe. Have fun. Bye, bye!".
The Master set the Tardis in motion and unconsciously Abi helped a bit, pushing buttons that were next in the order and without him telling her to, he frowned and looked at her, "Who are you?",
She was angry, angry that the little boy didn't listen to her, she told him, she left him that message. Didn't it help at all? She looked at him, sad, "Such a small boy", she whispered, "Such a lonely little boy",
He moved away from her, "Who are you?", he asked harshly,
"Do you really not remember? You must feel some kind of psychic connection. I told you, didn't I? I said don't let the drums control you. You don't have to do this."
"Salia?", he asked, eyes wide, she nodded, smiling slightly.
What he did next scared the hell out of her.