Warning angst ahead, there isn't anything I could do about it, it's just that kind of episode, but I'll make up for it, promise. Thank you for new subscriptions. Hope I did the Master justice, he is mad as hell.

Spoiler alert: Sound of Drums

Beta-ed: TattooedLibrarian

At Martha's flat Jack made coffee for the three of them. He had a craving for it, he'd gotten too used its flavour. It wasn't special, but it he knew how that kind of small offering could make things more normal, understandable.

In no time Jack, the Doctor and Martha found themselves out casted and on the run and the Master sent him a message that his `gang` was in the Himalayas. Jack took that as a relief, they were safe but he felt exposed at the same time. There was nowhere to go; his Hub was out of reach.

Jack felt obligated to share Torchwood with the Doctor and as expected Doctor went into a furry. Jack felt all sorts of emotions under his gaze but he stood his ground explaining that he changed it in his honour. Jack knew this was true, he did try doing that, but he knew there were still many things the Doctor wouldn't approve. Jack didn't had freedom of the Tardis and mind of Time Lord and he did make mistakes, and there were things from his past he would never share with the Time Lord, but he had made a difference and it was in an attempt to live up to the Doctor's standards. Doctor calmed down soon enough and they focused on their task.

Jack struggled through his key chain while the Doctor's hand waited for the key the Doctor would turn into the Tardis key that would cloak them. The number of his keys showed Jack just how long he was domesticated on Earth; there were so many doors his keys opened. He chose a small key from a flat he never uses. There was no point in going there; the place where his children had grown up, but he couldn't give it away.

"It's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist" said the Doctor explaining how the Tardis key works when it hides them. Martha looked at Jack with her big eyes desperate.

"You too" said Jack without surprise. It was easy to dash about behind the Doctor and look at him adoringly, and it was normal for him not to notice it. After all, he was more amazed that the Master found himself a wife than that he was the Prime Minister. It wasn't all that easy to accept it though.

Watching Saxon mocking Martha's family made Jack wish he could come up behind him and break his neck, but the Doctor declined him saying that it sounded like Torchwood.

"It's still a good plan" Jack didn't stand down; Torchwood methods were efficient no matter how much they might seem rough and cold. Jack admired the Doctor, and believed in him, but there were those times when he was not around to help and somebody had to make a stand. The Doctor denied him access to the Master declaring he wanted to save him. Jack doubted that could be achieved but the Doctor clearly was in charge here and Jack knew how to honour ranks. It was very important to trust the man in charge, the one that had more information and skills then you do. In other case you could end up with Abbadon above you and in cold morgue. Jack didn't mind the morgue but all those dead people did bother him.

Aboard the Valiant they found the Tardis and Jack instantly recognised the paradox machine. It was the one thing the Time Agency feared the most. It could destroy time and cause unspeakable things.

"Can you stop it" Jack asked dreading that he couldn't, that they've lost. The Doctor kept his optimism, but it was hard to follow that. He was too alarmed by the danger and utter destruction that was near.

When they captured the Doctor Jack charged at him just to be struck down. Jack woke up with a gasp of pain, it hurt, that laser screw driver hurt like hell. He saw the Doctor in a blur, the Master was in control.

"Teleport, we can't stop him, get out of here" Jack said to Martha and handed her his wrist strap. He knew enough of the Doctor to know he couldn't stand if Martha would suffer this, it would be worse than anything the Master could put upon him. Jack didn't consider going with her, the Doctor would need back up, and it wasn't easy to get rid of Jack. Besides he had practise in dying.

Then the sky opened and Hell broke loose. Martha was gone and that was one thing on their side, she was the link, someone the Master could torture to hurt both the Doctor, her family, and even Jack would be hurt from that. But there were something else in the Doctor's eyes. Determination was still there, he had a plan, and even Martha was a part of it. They just had to wait until everything was in place. With a paradox of this size it could take time to build up power for reversing it. The Master shot Jack again just in passing, for no special reason. When Jack awoke he hoped it won't be too long of a wait. But he didn't show it, the Doctor was watching.

Later on the guards took Jack to his new quarters. They chained him to the walls so he had to stand with his hands spread apart.

"I know you're the resourceful one" said the Master in his ear when he came to inspect his confinements. "No walking about for you freak, or girly, what do you prefer?"

Jack didn't respond.

"What, out of your wits already Captain, I'm disappointed, it will be boring if you don't cooperate, but I always can be innovative about the killing, I lack the practise, and this dull lot of people die too easily. My luck is that I have you for practise so I'll do them justice when they're up. It would be rather cruel to diminish their experience in death, they can experience it just once, and it's a thrilling experience, don't you agree?" with those words he hit him in the back of his neck.

Jack woke up alone gasping for air.

"And the best thing is" Master continued his monolog when he came back "if I forget to kill you, I am a busy man, the strain of standing will, even if your little admirers fed you, you can't stand forever."

Next time Master brought a chair with him.

"You're in luck, today I have time for you, and I can wait to see you came back to life. It's not as thrilling as dying but I get to see all the abomination of your existence at work. You see, I'm the Time Lord, I know what that little Rose did. She made you a freak, now you're not just a girl, freak of nature. A man like me can appreciate that, but our Doctor is, like you said, prejudice. Why do you stick around by his side? I've put you here to spare you from his disgusted looks when you come about. Didn't you notice how he looks away when you wake up? I mean, I can't blame him, I can appreciate it, but I wouldn't touch you. Pity really because you are a handsome devil and you do miss the touch, don't you?" Master leaned forward looking for signs of distress on Jack's face but he stood firm.

Master laughed at that and went on with the killing.

"Curious really" said the Master later on "how you decided to shut me out. What, you don't want to waste your charm on me? I've seen you on the cameras, how you talk about anything that comes near you. You just don't give up. I bet my soldiers find it difficult just to stand near you, I bet they would give in, but they know I'm watching, so you talk to them in vain. Maybe you have noticed that I send them away when we have our special time. I think it's best for them to think you're mine to use, because you are, and I don't want them to think you're something special with that show you make when you revive. Because you're not, you're just a dull plain human, nothing especially strong or smart, the only different thing you've got is that you're stranded on this side of death and you're stuck with them. Isn't boring to watch them die and live like that, this, this wonderful destruction I've brought is much more fun, pity is that you can't enjoy it locked away like this."

Jack squeezed his jaw not to answer him, not to tell he would rather live a thousand lives watching them live and die than one minute with his ugly face. He couldn't believe he'd ever looked at that regenerated face and thought it to be beautiful. There was nothing beautiful on that face now, just hatred, madness and anger. The Master must have seen his thoughts on his face because his face turned into furry and he struck him down with that damn laser screw driver, it seemed like it hurt even more every time.

"Funny" the Master came in a very bright mood and Jack felt fear "it's real funny you decided to work a silent treatment on me. All those witty and devilish comments locked away, they must be killing you from the inside. Sometimes I listen to your ramblings just to spend time. To be understood you're not old at all for me or the Doctor, but your anecdotes are so fun because you choose to spend your time like a child, indulging yourself, chasing after people, making things happen in dullest of places. But more interesting are the things you don't talk about, I mean you never talk about some people and it just amazes me. Do you think that I could overlook that kind of gap" there was a big grin plastered on Master's face and he started to walk around Jack enjoying tension of his shoulders. "I leave you to dwell on that."

Jack stood there feeling the abyss in his stomach. What would he do? Who would he find? Jack was old enough to have more than one person down there for whom he would suffer for. He feared already that most of them were already gone, but that was a much better option than to end up in the Master's hands. Jack had enough experience in torture on both sides of the stick to know that the things that hurt the most were not the ones that someone can do to you.

"It's such a pity" Master said holding his hands behind his back "I'd hoped we'd have some company in a form of that `gang` of yours, that dear little team you never speak about, but they were too stubborn to come. I'll have to admit you did train them well, when they' went down they took two of my children with them. Imagine where we've found them, in the middle of the China, they tried to reach home on foot from the Himalayas, isn't that just adorable? Ah well, now there is just mush left of them" he shrugged his shoulders looking Jack in his eyes. When Jack roared and started to fight his chains Master started to laugh, and his laughter echoed the metal corridors of the ship.