It's all darker from here on...

"Where can we go?"

"Somewhere far away," he answered. "Somewhere he would never think to look for us."

I thought hard. "Then it should be some place remarkably boring. Where nothing ever happens."

"Brilliant!" he yelled. "He knows me, and I hate boring."

I flinched and tried not to think about how the dark Timelord would know my Doctor so well. The Doctor spun the dial, hit the bell and pulled the lever.

"Most boring place in the universe: where nothing ever happens." He threw open the TARDIS door but we both stumbled backward at the strong gust of heat and smoke.

"What the –" the Doctor held his coat over his mouth and stepped out to look. I covered my nose and mouth with my arm and followed him.

Ashes. The planet was ashes. It was dry and empty and dead. Large fires blazed at intervals. My eyes watered and I coughed violently because of the heavy smoke while the Doctor stared at the wasteland in disbelief.*

After a moment we saw something moving slowly through the smoke and we strained our eyes until we could distinguish the figure of a man. My stomach did a somersault.

"Go."

My ears heard the Doctor's command but my mind didn't register it. He grabbed my arm.

"Go. Go!"

We raced back into the TARDIS and the Doctor took us through the time vortex and into a nebula.

I wanted to ask, but I didn't even know what I wanted to ask. And in truth I already knew. I was in shock.

"They were a peaceful planet." His voice was shaking with fury. "Nothing ever happened there. The people never bothered anyone."

I couldn't speak.

"The whole planet was green. The inhabitants were idiots: whenever they got scared, they would hide up in the trees." He ran his hands through his hair. "They were utterly defenseless."

He was silent for a moment. Suddenly he slammed his fists into the console, sending sparks flying and making me jump.

"Billions of people!" he yelled. "Billions! The most boring, idiotic race in the universe all massacred. And because of me!" he bashed the console again.

I started crying – just shaking with the force of my tears.

The Doctor made no move to comfort me. He just stood there, staring at his bleeding hands.

Eternity passed before he spoke again.

"We have to keep moving." His voice was as dead as the planet we'd come from. "There's no hiding, only running."

I wiped snot and tears off my face with my sleeve. "Where?" my voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

"I don't know. I don't know how he knew where we'd be. And I'm not letting him kill anyone else in pursuit of me."

"Then we stay away from planets," I stood, sniffing.

"We'll lead him on a chase through space," the Doctor said.

I nodded. "For how long?"

The Doctor finally looked at me and his eyes filled with pity. "For as long as it takes. I'm sorry, Adalyn, but you can't go home now. If he followed you…"

My face went white and I nodded my understanding.

So we ran. We stayed away from populated areas, keeping to wastelands and the empty parts of space.

The Doctor guessed that the other Timelord was without a TARDIS and travelling with a vortex manipulator, so he built us each a device he called a Vortex Path-Scrambler.

"It basically breaks the energy trail we leave in the time vortex and splinters it into a million paths so that you can't tell which is the real one," he'd explained. Then he'd handed one to me and said, "In case we ever get split up, you take the TARDIS and run."

"That will never happen." I'd told him. But he made me promise to always carry it with me.

Even with the Path-Scrambler we knew we weren't safe, so we never stayed in one place for long. For almost a month we kept running. During that time the Doctor started training me how to protect my mind.

"The Master is a master of mind-control," he'd failed to notice the pun. "If anything ever happens, I want you to know how to protect yourself."

"But I'll have you."

"You'll always have me," he had promised, "this is just in case."

Twenty-nine days. We'd been on the run for twenty-nine days. We'd been traveling randomly, only setting perimeters to keep us away from civilization, so we weren't always sure where we were going to land.

In addition, we were getting tired. We hadn't gotten much rest and we were always tense and on the watch. The TARDIS was getting tired too. At first, we hardly even landed anywhere, but it wasn't sustainable for her so we had to start spending more time in every location.

It wasn't adventure anymore, it was survival, and the strain was getting worse every day.

We decided to step out of the TARDIS while she refreshed, but she'd landed wedged in a corridor so we had squeeze against the wall to get out.

The hall was dark except for dull red lights that pulsed on and off. The effect was eerie.

"Where are we?" I asked the Doctor.

"Not sure."

We walked down the hall and turned a corner into a room that was probably a mess hall.

"Please tell me this building is long abandoned." I said to the Doctor.

"Abandoned, but not for long I'd guess, given the emergency lights." He went over to a window. "But it's not a building."

I joined him and looked out into the stars. "Well, I guess she took us far away from civilization after all."

"Hm." The Doctor agreed.

I turned away from the window and sat at one of the tables, putting my head down on my arms and closing my eyes. I wanted to never move again.

"I wonder what happened here." The Doctor mused.

I didn't respond.

"Let's check it out."

I may have fallen asleep for a moment, because the Doctor was tapping my shoulder.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Mhh. Can we go back to the TARDIS?"

"Really?" he was surprised. "We've hardly left the TARDIS. You don't want to take a look around? Find out what's up with this place?"

I felt a wave of sympathy for my friend, who hated being cooped up. "Ok." I forced myself to stand.

We explored the ship for a bit, but we didn't learn much. It looked like it had been abandoned in a hurry, but we couldn't figure out why.

"The red light everywhere is giving me the creeps." I said.

"Look, a computer!" the Doctor ran over to it, "Maybe we can figure out what happened here."

I didn't even follow him. I felt a little guilty, but I didn't have the energy to care at this point.

"Huh."

"What is it?"

"This ship is on the verge of an explosion."

"Huh! How 'on the verge'?" I said with sarcastic casualness.

"Not sure. I'm not even sure why it's exploding."

"Then don't you think we should get out?" I asked.

"Yeah…" he responded distractedly. He had put on his dorky glasses and was crouching to look at something on the floor.

"Doctor!"

"Hm? Oh yes, sorry!"

"Thank you."

We started down the hall to get back to the TARDIS but the Doctor pulled aside halfway there to look at a computer.

"Just a second."

"Doctor!" Stress was making me short tempered.

"Maybe I can find out what's wrong." He started going through files faster than I could follow.

My skin was crawling from the heat and my heart was beating way to fast. The flashing red lights in the hall weren't doing anything to help.

"I found the ship's schematics."

"Wonderful."

"There's some kind of mess in the engine room. If I could get down there, I could probably stabilize it."

"We don't need to stabilize it, we need to get out of here!"

The Doctor was intently focused on the computer. "The computer is detecting something in the cargo bay."

"It doesn't matter."

"It's a life sign."

At this, I ran over and looked at the scan. "My god, that's a person." I turned to the Doctor in horror. "A person is stuck in the cargo bay of this exploding ship!"

The Doctor continued his scans, face grim. "It might not be a person. These computers are very old and the scan is inconclusive. It might be nothing more than an animal or even a plant."

My stomach was churning. I thought a moment. "What are the chances it's a person?"

"I'd say there's twenty to thirty percent chance," he answered. Then he held out his hand.

I looked at it. "What are we going to do?'

"I'm going to stabilize the ship and then I'm going down to the cargo bay." He said it with conviction. "If there's even a one percent chance that someone's trapped in this ship, then I can't leave until I've gotten answered that question and gotten that person to safety."

I was reminded once again of the kind of man I was traveling with and my heart swelled. I took his hand. "Then let's run."

We ran until we hit a door. I slammed the button but nothing happened.

"The system must be down," the Doctor said and pulled out his sonic screwdriver and started working at the door.

"Why isn't it working?" I asked after a bit.

"I don't know." He yanked off a wall panel and stuck his screwdriver in his mouth to free his hands. He reached in and started working through a mess of wires.

I wiped my arm across my damp forehead. It was frustrating to be on a ticking clock and be unable to help.

"Got it!" the Doctor yelled and started prying at the door.

I jumped in and with much grunting we got the door open just enough for us to squeeze through.

We had to do the same thing with the door to the engine room and when we did get it open a puff of toxic smelling smoke came through.

"We have to go fast," the Doctor warned and we slipped through.

The Doctor took in the room at a glance. "You close that vent –" he pointed, "I'll get the other."

I dashed into the thick smoke, trying not to breath it in and ignoring the stinging of my eyes. The vent was bigger than me and had to use all my weight against the lever to close it. As soon I did, though, the room seemed much clearer. I turned away and saw the Doctor across the room. I hurried to him.

"I'm almost done with this," he was bent over some pipes. "I couldn't do much for the cooler." He was fumbling to connect whatever he was holding so I pulled the sonic screwdriver out of his coat pocket and shone a light at his work. "I honestly can't imagine how this kind of damage even happened."

He finished and wiped oily hands on his coat before taking the screwdriver back. "Thanks."

"Were you able to fix it?" I asked hopefully.

He shook his head. "It's unfixable, but I was able to temporarily stabilize it."

"How long do we have?"

"Forty minutes."

"That's good!"

"Except that there are thirty-six doors between us and the cargo bay."

My heart sank. The first two doors had taken us almost a minute each to open and we were already so tired. "What can we do?"

The Doctor was slumped in defeat. "We don't even know if there's a person in there. If there is, we have next to no chance of succeeding to rescue him."

All I wanted was to sit down and rest. I reached out and took the Doctor's hand.

"Then let's run."

He looked up at me.

"Twenty percent chance, right? Then let's run like it's one hundred."

The Doctor smiled proudly at me and squeezed my hand. "Let's run."

So we ran across the ship, opening door after door.

"Are you sure we're still going the right direction?" I asked weakly. We had gotten our door-opening time down to forty-six seconds and we were on door thirty-four.

The Doctor nodded tersely, his usually happy hair plastered depressingly to his head. "Timelords have eidetic memory. I still have the map in my head."

I nodded and continued holding the screwdriver up for light. After a moment I mused, "Isn't it weird that the system for the doors isn't functioning but the computer system was?"

"Got it!"

We both leapt into action and pried the door open. Once again, we sprinted down the corridors until we came to the next door. The Doctor ripped off the wall panel and I checked my watch.

"Four minutes, fifty seconds. We should have three minutes to get back to the TARDIS." My legs wobbled.

The Doctor grumbled, hands moving frantically, "If we have to carry the person we're going to be in big trouble."

"And if there isn't a person at all, I'm going to kill him for making us go to all this trouble."

The Doctor broke through and we ran to the last door.

"Four minutes exactly!" I gasped.

The Doctor scrambled to fix the wires and at three minutes, twenty-one seconds we pulled the door open and stepped into the cargo bay.

The red light was somewhat brighter in there, but it was a huge room and, of course, filled with cargo.

"You take this side." I waved to my right and started running through the maze of crates.

"Is anyone back here?" I called out. There was no answer. I kept looking. "Anyone here?"

"Hello?" a weak voice sounded not far away.

"Doctor, over here!" I yelled as I followed the voice. Three minutes, ten seconds.

"I'm here!" I heard again, this time very nearby.

"Coming! Don't worry!"

I turned the corner, running straight into the arms of the Master.

I stumbled back from him in horror. At the same time the Doctor ran around the other corner and stopped short at the sight of our enemy.

The Master smirked at me, before turning to the Doctor on his other side.

"Master," the Doctor whispered.

The other Timelord spread his arms and grinned. "Surprise!"

The Doctor and I looked at each other desperately, but there was no way for me to get to him with the Master standing between us. We were trapped. It had only been a matter of time.

The Master laughed joyfully. "To see you both running so hard, so concerned for the poor soul trapped at the bottom of an exploding ship."

"The computers." I stated dully.

"That's right. I needed the computers functional otherwise you never would have found me. But I had to make it hard somehow. It was too funny to see you two trying so hard to save me."

"You sabotaged the ship." The Doctor shook his head, "I should have seen it."

"You did." the Master pointed out. "You saw the blood and scrapes on the floor but then you got distracted."

I had distracted him. I'd been in such a hurry to get out, I hadn't asked what he was looking at. I covered my mouth with my hands.

"What happened to the crew?" I choked out.

The Master smiled sinisterly and my stomach flipped.

"Master, it doesn't have to be this way," the Doctor said quietly and calmly.

I looked at him in surprise but he was totally focused on the Master.

"I can help you. We don't have to be enemies."

What are you saying?! I mouthed to the Doctor, but he wasn't paying attention to me at this point.

The Master rolled his eyes. "Oh for Gallifrey sake, you actually think I need you to be my savior? You make me want to throw up." He wrinkled his nose. "Seriously, Doctor, how did you get so pathetic?"

"Wherever you want to go, I can help you," the Doctor promised.

"There's only one thing I want you to do. Tell me:" he came nose to nose with the Doctor. "What happened to Gallifrey?"

I saw the Doctor's face twist in pain. "You don't know?"

"Know what?" his voice turned sharp.

I listened tensely.

"Gallifrey is gone." the Doctor said flatly.

"Gone?" he scoffed, "How can Gallifrey be gone?"

"The Time War ended. Both sides lost. Gallifrey burned."

The Master turned away from the Doctor and I saw his face, so full of grief. But only for a second.

"Then let's get to the point, shall we?" The Timelord turned on me.

"Just let her go," the Doctor reasoned, "You can have me, just let her go free."

The Master rolled his eyes. "Sure, it's not like this was the whole point."

"What is he talking about?" I asked the Doctor.

"I will stop you." All coaxing was gone from the Doctor's voice.

The Master snickered, "Ooh, now I'm scared."

"Tell me what's happening!" I tried to sound commanding and brave, but my words came out high-pitched from fear.

"Yes, Doctor." The Master moved close and put an arm around me companionably. My knees went weak and the room swirled. "Tell your little friend what's going on."

The Doctor froze.

"Fine! I will!" The Master exclaimed. He removed his arm from me and I nearly collapsed. He strutted toward the Doctor in preparation for his monologue but addressed me.

"You, my dear, are what this chase has been about. You see, the Doctor always picks up humans as pets and becomes attached to them. The problem is," he pulled a face of mock regret, "you humans are super mortal. And if, heaven forbid, one you dies, it breaks his poor little hearts." He put his hand on his chest for dramatic effect.

"Oh!" was all I said. It made sense.

The Doctor continued to argue with his enemy but I closed my eyes and tuned them out. I knew we'd been playing a losing game, I just hadn't wanted to admit it. The whole thing was just entertainment for him – not just our efforts on this ship, but everything since we'd started running back in London. It was all a show: an elaborate play where we were unwitting puppets, and he was pulling our strings.

"We should go." I interrupted them.

"Go where?" the Master raised one eyebrow.

I shrugged, "You like a show. Whatever you have planned I don't think isn't going to happen here, in the dark." And it couldn't happen too soon. One minute, fifteen seconds.

The Master nodded, looking slightly impressed. "Good intuition."

"We aren't going anywhere with you." The Doctor straightened himself to his full height.

The Master smiled sympathetically. "No, you aren't. Just her."

The Doctor's face was transformed by horror, but for me the pieces were finally falling into place. It was never going to be me and the Doctor together against the Master. The two Timelords had an ancient rivalry and I was only a pawn in the fight. And now I knew how it had to end.

"Have fun following." The Master set the coordinates on his wrist device. "Remember, the longer you take, the longer she'll be alone with me."

"Doctor," I addressed my best friend, "don't follow."

Both Timelords looked at me in surprise.

"I don't want you to be trapped too. Following only plays straight into his hand. The only way to save yourself is to not follow."

The Master laughed. "You must really be an idiot to think the Doctor would ever abandon his companion."

"I don't think he would." I held the Doctor's eyes stubbornly. "I know he wouldn't. Because I've seen him lay down his life for complete strangers and I know he would do the same for me. But not this time." I raised my chin. "Don't follow me, Doctor. That's an order. For once let someone save you."

He looked like he would be sick.

"A moving speech," the Master complimented. "But completely in vain. Now, shall we?"

"No!" the Doctor lunged at the Master, who faster than light pulled something out of his coat pocket and shot a bolt of electricity at the Doctor. The Doctor was thrown back and I cried out his name.

"Nice little thing, isn't it?" the Master flipped the device in the air before pocketing it again. "Laser screwdriver: so much better than sonic." He grabbed my wrist roughly and I didn't fight.

Thirty-five seconds.

"I'm coming for you, Adalyn," the Doctor promised with a gasp. He was clutching his body and struggling to stand, but his eyes were on fire.

I swallowed to keep from crying. "No, you're not."

The Master activated his wrist device, and in a breath, we were traveling unprotected through the time vortex. My stomach was on the verge of rebellion, but I managed to reach inside my pocket and activate my Path-Scrambler.

With a jolt we exited the vortex, landing roughly in another place and time. As soon as I felt the stable ground beneath me, I let myself cry. The Master watched me for a minute.

"The Doctor will come, you know," he said.

I couldn't stop crying. "I know."

I wrote this part listening to Tchaikovsky's "Hymn of the Cherubim". So perfect for this scene of desolation.