Hally stretched, groaning softly as the remnants of sleep left her. Crisp sunlight streamed into the room from the windows on either side of the bed. She was so warm and cosy, the idea of having to remove herself from the cocoon of the duvet was an unwelcome one. She snuggled over to The Master's side of the bed, frowning when the space where he usually lay turned out to be empty, and cold.

She sat up, he wasn't in their room. It wasn't uncommon that he would rise before her, but usually, she'd wake up to the sounds of him existing, showering or dressing. She forced herself out of the bed, assuming he would be down in the library. She showered and went to get dressed. Hally let out a soft noise of surprise, an outfit had been laid out for her in the centre of the dressing room. A comfortable, casual outfit. Black gym leggings and a black zip-up top and trainers. She dressed herself, before going in search of her husband.

He found her.

As she was descending the stairs into the courtyard, he bounded in through the gates. He grinned at her ecstatically, catching her hands in his. He was practically bouncing with excitement.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What have you done?" She eyed him suspiciously, taking in his casual wear. Black jeans and a black jumper. Interesting.

He chuckled, tugging at her hands, pulling her towards the gates. "Why do you always assume I've done something terrible…" He shot her a playfully offended look.

"Because, usually you have." She muttered, he shot her a smug smirk. The Master dragged her from their quarters and they ascended to the surface of the landing strips. The lift doors slid open and fresh air smacked her in the face. It was freezing. The Master grinned, pulling her quickly towards an aircraft. Armitage was close behind them, speaking loudly into an earpiece over the wind.

"… assets coming aboard. Standby flight crew."

Hally shot The Master a questioning look, he just grinned in return. They were leaving the Valiant. He manoeuvred her onto the aircraft, both of them taking a seat, her by the window, him next to her.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He caught her chin with his fingers, pressing a kiss to her mouth, before doing up her seatbelt, followed by his own. She watched him, apprehension flitting around in her chest. He seemed so light today, it didn't seem like he was planning anything untoward. But, even so, leaving the Valiant, it made her nervous. A handful of The Master's guards boarded the plane, followed by Armitage and… Alina?

Take-off was swift. The Master leant across her, closing the window blind, he really wanted to keep everything a surprise. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into him, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. They'd left the Valiant. Her stomach tightened with nerves. She supposed the Toclafane would be nearby. He would have planned for their safety.

The flight wasn't long, just under an hour. Armitage moved towards the cockpit, talking over his earpiece. He looked tense. It didn't put her at ease. "… yes, perimeter is set. Inner and outer sphere barriers are in place."

They landed. Armitage and their soldier entourage disembarked first. The Master rose to his feet, offering her his hand. She took it and he helped her to her feet.

"Stand still." He commanded softly. She gave him a perplexed look, but he simply responded with a knowing smile. "Close your eyes." Hally laughed.

"Really?"

"Yes." He smirked. "No peeking." She shook her head but did as he wished. Closing her eyes. He led her gently from the aircraft, carefully ensuring she didn't lose her footing. One of his hands pressed over her eyes, guaranteeing she couldn't cheat and open her eyes. She stepped from the craft onto something softer. Grass? The fresh air hit her face, the pure smell of nature. Earth. She could hear water. The Master guided her, she let him walk her forwards, the sound of water creeping closer.

He hummed happily, shifting around to stand at her back, his hands holding her waist. "Open your eyes." He murmured softly, just behind her ear. She blinked. Sunlight spilt into her eyes, it took her a moment to adjust. Her jaw dropped.

For a second she wondered if they really were still on Earth.

It was beautiful.

Pristine.

Two proud mountains stood side by side, magnificent against the clear blue sky. Green flooded the valley between them, winding closer and closer until the wide river broke free of the forest. Meandering over the landscape towards them.

It was untouched.

She had no idea he'd left anywhere untouched.

The way the mountains cut into the sky.

It almost looked like home.

"Where are we?" She breathed, awestruck.

He squeezed her waist, a pleasant chill brushed across her skin. She had missed this. The air. Real, air. Outside.

"California." He stated, he pressed his lips to her cheek. His face pulled into a smile. "Yosemite National Park." He announced, as if she had any idea where that was. He hummed. "I liked it. So I kept it. It kind of reminds me of…"

"Mount Cadon." She filled in quickly. He hummed in agreement.

It did look like home.

In a strange way.

The colours weren't quite right but the magnitude of it. The way the rock stood out self-importantly.

"It's beautiful."

The Master's breath tickled the back of her neck, he whispered softly against her ear. "Happy Birthday."

Hally shifted in his arms, turning slightly to look over her shoulder at him, incredulously. He pressed his mouth against hers, chuckling against her lips. She wasn't sure why, but she felt the sting of tears prick at her eyes.

It was so beautiful.

He hadn't destroyed it.

The Master pulled back, noticing the water pooling in her eyelids. His thumb brushed them away. A flicker of concern marring his face. "Don't cry…"

Her lips pulled into a smile. "I don't think they're sad tears." She rested her hand over the top of his. He seemed contented with her answer, he grabbed her hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"For a walk?" His face split into a childishly open grin. "Whatever you want. We're here all day."

Hally laughed at how excited he was. Looking at him right now, in his casual dress, looking so carefree, you would never imagine that he had the entire planet at his feet. She shook her head and fell into step with him, sneaking a look behind her. A few of the soldiers were hovering by the ship. The others were following them in a semicircle, Armitage and Alina nearby. His eyes never strayed from them. Alina was smiling happily, admiring the view with warm admiration.

Koschei took her hand and walked them along the bank of the river towards the trees. She could hear birds, Hally looked up at the sky. Not a single stupid Toclafane in sight.

"Are we safe here?"

"Do you think I'd bring you here if we weren't?" He looked at her. She chuckled and shook her head.

"No."

"There's nothing around for miles. The Toclafane have already scanned the area and are maintaining an inner and outer perimeter." He smiled, proud of his plan. She had to admit, it did make her feel less vulnerable.

"And Alina?"

He shrugged. "You like her being around. She makes you comfortable." He noted, as if it was obvious. "Hungry?" He raised an eyebrow in invitation.

"A little."

He grinned and walked further into the trees. He led them into a clearing, just on the edge of the river. There stood a small wooden cabin, just nestled between the water and the forest. It blended in perfectly with the warm reddish brown of the trees surrounding it. He took her inside, closing the door behind her. The cabin was small, an open living space with a kitchen and dining area. A door led off to the bedroom and bathroom. She could see, through the small window that Armitage and his team had set up a perimeter around them. She couldn't see the Toclafane, but she knew they'd be nearby. Out of sight. Just as he knew she liked them.

The table was set, lunch already laid out for them. It was uncharacteristically cosy.

Hally couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

"Are you laughing at me?" He pouted, rounding on her playfully.

She shook her head, stifling another laugh. "No… not at you. It's just… this is all very sweet." A cheeky smile lit up her face as he scrunched up his at the word 'sweet'. "I love that you would do this for me." She added, pressing a quick kiss against his lips.

"Mmmm…" He smiled knowingly, eyes scanning her face.

They sat down at the table and ate. It was so relaxed and casual. Nothing like on the Valiant. No façade. No pomp and circumstance. They were almost like a normal couple, hiking through the woods on a romantic holiday. Hally's attention slid back towards the window, she hadn't realised how much she'd missed that vibrant green.

The Master moved in front of her, offering her his hand. She looked up at him, realising that music was now playing softly from the sound system in the corner. "Dance with me." A smug smirk tugged at her lips. Like this, she might be able to ask him for anything and she was convinced he would cave. He was absolutely infatuated. She took his hand and he pulled her up into his arms, the warm familiar scent of him filling her senses. He moved them to the music, a slow, tranquil sway, barely any steps at all. She kissed him, his hands trailed up her back to cup her neck. One day. They would have all of this. After the countdown, they would leave Earth. Find a planet. Anywhere. One just as beautiful as this place and they would make it their home.

A small smile ghosted across his face, his thumb brushing across her neck. Something shifted behind his eyes, his pupils dilated.

"I love you."

It was his voice except…

Hally frowned. He hadn't moved his mouth.

Her eyes widened and her hand went to her neck. Her palm connected with bare skin. She looked down, the golden band lay like a dead snake in his hand, shimmering brightly.

Everything hit her all at once.

All of a sudden, it was as if someone had turned on a radio in her mind and pushed it up to full volume. She could feel so much. Hear so much. Minds. Consciousness. All around them. Some nearby, some further away. He was the loudest. He was so close. The steady beat of four knocked loudly at the edges of her unprotected consciousness. She was itchy. Her whole body was itching. Hally shifted in his arms as tiny pins and needles scoured over the surface of her body. She was healing, she could feel it. Power was burning through her body, impatient and furious at being caged for so long. She let out a gasp, closing her eyes tightly. It was overwhelming. Everything.

All at once.

"Breathe." The Master's voice cut through the noise. His fingers pressed against her temples, drawing her focus onto only him. A singular tunnel in her mind, blocking out the rest. Slowly drowning everything else out until it was just her and him. The drums beat steadily between them. She had missed them. She'd missed the feeling of his presence pressed up against hers. "I've got you." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest. After so long without it, she had almost forgotten what it felt like. The fire burned through her veins. It was addictive. She felt… alive. Like someone had flicked the world back into colour. It was vibrant. She could hear and feel everything. Life. Her body felt strong again. The itching had disappeared and she knew without checking that she had healed. Every mark that had been left on her body, the stab wound in her side, the scar in her palm, the pale line underneath her eye. All gone. She was brand new.

And then, there was him. He was dancing patiently on the edge of her mind, holding back so as to not overwhelm her. But he was there. She felt her awareness lean forward into his, he pressed back, welcoming her back into him.

It was only when his thumb brushed across her wet cheek had she realised that she was crying. Her eyes blinked open, meeting his. He looked at her, utter adoration washing over them. The Master bent down and gently pressed his lips to hers. She knew, without him saying, that this was temporary. This was just for today. While they were away from the Valiant. Away from The Doctor. This wasn't long-term, not yet. But she didn't mind, because she could finally feel him.

She had missed him.

Hally wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pulling his mouth harder against hers. She was becoming submerged in him. His presence stroked over hers, the edges of them touching, pressing, and melting together. As they relinked, thoughts and feelings that weren't her own flurried through the bridge. There was pain. Flashes of his human life. The fear. Rage. But there was love there too. It blossomed and grew the more she looked at it until he'd blanketed her with it. He was dipping in and out of her consciousness lightly as his tongue brushed against hers, feeling his way around, finding that all-familiar warmth.

Mine.

She felt, through his eyes, the moment she'd burst into the lab in the silo. The first time he'd laid eyes on her, as him, not Professor Yana, but as him. The rage. The possession. The relief. Shock. Love. Hally groaned into the kiss, running her hands through his hair. She wanted to touch more of him. Her hands moved underneath his jumper, pressing against his bare skin. Pleasure trickled through. It was warm. There was a rush of arousal, Hally smiled triumphantly into the kiss, it had come from him. He growled lowly against her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip as he wrapped a hand into her hair, dominating the kiss. A moan ripped up her throat and her own need slammed against his. The accompanying drum beat lessened, quieting as The Master's tongue commanded obedience within her mouth. He moved them over towards the bedroom door, hands and mouths never leaving one another. He pushed the door open and swiftly they were in the centre of the bedroom. A thought flickered between them, the door was open as was the window. Not a moment later, the door had slammed shut of its own accord, the blinds pulling closed to protect them from any prying eyes. The Master chuckled softly against her mouth, feeling the energy spike around her. Hally pushed his jumper off, over his head, running her hands across his bare chest.

She needed him closer.

She needed him now.

"So impatient." The Master rumbled against her mouth.

"Oh, I think I've been very patient." She compelled into his mind. Desperate heat seared between them. He pulled off her top, both of them slipping out of their shoes quickly. Then her hands were at his belt, he didn't stop her this time, helping her push down her leggings as he stepped out of his jeans. They both stood, just in their underwear in front of one another. His eyes grazed over her face, the black of his pupils blown wide. She could see herself, through his stare, cheeks flushed red, lips slightly swollen. Her hands brushed over the front of his chest. She liked this body. Just an inch or two taller than her. Slim. Toned. Agile. She hummed appreciatively. She wanted this body wrapped up with hers. The Master watched her, dark eyes flashing with hunger. His fingers ran underneath the sports bra she was wearing, pushing that up and off. She could feel him, eyes trailing across her skin, checking for the scars that he'd left. Gone. There was a light rush inside him, contrasting against the heaviness of his desire. She rolled her lip between her teeth, pushing down her underwear as he removed his boxers. Arousal pulsed through them. It was almost scorching hot. Desperate and impatient. She could feel his smug satisfaction, watching her gaze wander admiringly over him. Hally pressed her body against his, skin on skin. Heat. She turned them and pressed her hands against his chest, pushing him backwards onto the bed. It might have surprised him if he hadn't been able to see what she was going to do as soon as the thought appeared in her mind. She grinned and he scooted back into the middle of the mattress. He watched her as she climbed onto the bed, crawling up his body. An image entered her mind. A desire to touch him, to kiss the tip, to take him in her mouth.

The Master groaned, wrapping a hand into her hair and pulling her up roughly to press his mouth against hers. "As much as I'd love to explore that train of thought…" He growled into her mind. Hally straddled him, allowing his tongue deeper into her mouth. He rocked his hips up, feeling her slick heat. "Perhaps, another time." He rolled them over, flipped her onto her back and thrust forward into her. Their minds snapped together. He was everywhere. A deliciously eager groan vibrated in The Master's throat and Hally inhaled sharply.

Finally.

There was a flash of his amusement at her thought, swiftly consumed by ravenous desire. She wrapped her legs around him, meeting the forceful rolling of his hips. She could hear her own moans mingling with his. He was everywhere. All of her senses were engulfed by only him. Waves of adoration fell across her, rolling through from him. Pleasure mixed with pleasure. She was wound so tightly. Or that might have been him. It was impossible to separate what was her and what was him. The line between herself and something other than herself was gone. She was him. They were one. One intense, burning supernova. He caught her whimper in his mouth, her nails dug into his back. There was nothing in the universe that had ever been able to match this feeling. Merging with him so perfectly. So intimately. Everything else simply fell away into inconsequential nothing. She could feel it inside her. Certainty. She would burn down the entire cosmos for him. The Master groaned, awash in her thoughts. The sound was almost pained. There was caution. His movements were measured. He didn't want to hurt her.

She brushed her tongue against his, hooking her feet together behind his back, pulling him closer. "It's ok…Don't hold back…" Even the voice in her mind was breathless. He bucked his hips, she clenched around him. The noise he made was somewhere between a grunt and a yelp. His arms moved, a hand wound its way into her hair, grip tightening with each desperate drive of his hips. His eyes squeezed shut before he released her hair, moving his hand to cup the back of her head, forcing her gaze to meet his. Their breath mingled between them as they became captured in each other's eyes. Skin connected noisily against skin. Hally rocked up against him, heat seared through her. They'd climbed so high, the fall was almost daunting.

"Go on…" It was a soft command. "…take me with you." He nudged her over the edge. Hally cried out as it rushed over her, an inescapable tidal wave. It dragged him with her, his climax crashing into hers. Reality faded into nothing. There was just him. His consciousness and hers. Hally felt like she'd fallen. They'd fallen into a void. An infinite void made solely of them. Ripples started to float through the void. They were warm. Hazy. Love. It felt like love. The feeling of his heavy breath against her face made her remember that she had a body. She opened her eyes, meeting the deep brown of his. There was a sparkle of amusement glinting back at her. "Darling, you're glowing." She frowned and looked away from him, down at herself. She was indeed glowing. Golden energy seeped through her pores.

"Whoops."

It took her a moment to be able to concentrate, but slowly the light faded and dissolved back into her skin. He caressed inside her mind softly. The borders between them were slowly coming back into focus. He was him. She was her. But he was still there. Still inside her. A smile pulled at her lips. After everything. All of this. She could see. See inside him. Hally could feel his need. His pain. The drums, calling him. He wasn't what they said he was. He wasn't mad. Or evil. He was hurting. It would be ok. They would be ok. Together. There was fear there too. He had been so scared that she would choose The Doctor. But she hadn't. She wouldn't. And he could see that too. There was not a universe in which she would not choose him. All of this. The Toclafane. The Paradox. She could forgive him. She had already forgiven him. As long as they could stay together.

He bent down, pressing his lips to hers. Moving them lazily over her mouth. They had no need for speech or even coherent thought. They were so far entwined that the briefest feeling, they could catch. They would know. She wondered how long she could stay like this. She didn't want him to put it back on. She had forgotten what it felt like. She had been numb before. But now she was alive. A wave of sadness permeated from him. He had to put it back on. But he promised her, that it wouldn't be for very long. They would leave Earth and then, as soon as they had, they would throw it into the heart of a dying star. Together. Hally felt her mouth twitch into a smile at that. They would go, together. Leave. They would leave all of them. They would fly across the stars. They would find what was calling him. It would be beautiful. The whole universe just for them.

"Would you leave him, for me?"

"Would you?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Just them. They'd run away. It wouldn't be running. They would find their place in the universe. On their terms. No one else's.

They stayed like that for a while, her consciousness caressing over his. His hands gently stroked across her skin.

Finally, The Master untangled from her, pressing a caste kiss to her mouth.

She wanted a shower.

"There's a bathroom through there." He nodded towards the door. "I just need to check in with Armitage. I'll be right back." He reluctantly removed himself from the bed, throwing on his discarded clothes.

Hally climbed into the shower, she could hear snippets of The Master conversing with Armitage. There was concern lingering around the human. He was closer now. He'd come inside. Something had happened. The Master didn't share his concern.

"… yes, send them. It's probably nothing."

"Sir, we'll send the outer perimeter. Inner spheres will advance. Strengthen the barrier."

"Yes. Fine."

Armitage moved away, but not far, just outside. Hally washed herself quickly, wrapping herself up in a towel. She found The Master in the main room of the cabin. "Is everything ok?" He turned, shooting her a warm smile.

"Mmhmm. There's been an explosion in a rocket yard not far from here." He moved his hand to her cheek. She could feel that he wasn't overly concerned. "Our Toclafane were the closest, to take a look, but backup is on its way. It's most likely nothing." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. Hally frowned, anxiety wriggling in her stomach. She couldn't help but feel vulnerable down here, on the planet. He must have felt it, because he wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his chest comfortingly. "The remaining spheres will tighten the perimeter around us anyway, just to be safe."

"Okay…" She nodded. He gave her a gentle squeeze and she looked up at him, sending him a reassured smile. Hally left him in the main room while she redressed. For a few moments, she searched the room for a hairdryer, not wanting to feel the chill of the air with wet hair. She almost laughed when she remembered that she could currently do it herself. She ran a hand happily over the damp strands, feeling as they dried underneath her fingers.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a flurry of fear trespassed into her senses. It was coming from outside. There were more humans surrounding the cabin now, she could feel them. Their hearts beating rapidly. Had backup arrived? Suddenly, there was a loud shout. Armitage. Followed by an explosion. The glass window next to her shattered. Panic flared inside her. Hands grabbed her and pulled her away from the window.

"Get down." The Master barked as he dragged her out of the bedroom and into the centre of the main room. His hearts were racing in his chest. Anger pulsing through him. Someone knew. Someone had planned this. Hally's own breath was loud in her ears. They were being ambushed. Gunfire blasted from outside. The Master had his Laser Screwdriver gripped tightly in his hand, but she could feel his hesitation. His plan was to wait. He was confident that Armitage's team could hold the attackers off while they waited for the Toclafane. They were just 2 minutes away.

Another explosion rumbled the ground. Hally felt her breath catch in her throat. Glass exploding inwards. A reactionary shield jumped up around them, shimmering gold. It was weak. Both of them could see it flickering dangerously. She was considerably out of practice, but somehow her body seemed to know what to do, the power was acting of its own accord. The barrier solidified and The Master changed his plan. It could be strong enough to get them back to the ship. They shared a look and he gave her a nod. Hally tried to slow her breathing, focusing on keeping them protected. However, the more she concentrated the weaker the barrier grew. The Master grabbed her hand and they edged towards the door. His grip on her was like a vice, she was sure it might have even been painful if the adrenaline flooding her veins wasn't numbing her body. Sunlight hit her face. The cabin had been surrounded. Over the noise, Armitage yelled at them both to get back inside. A bullet ricocheted off her shield. The shooter was quickly dealt with a quick blast from The Master's screwdriver. Rage flooded him. She had felt the impact on the barrier. It had been heavy. It had hurt. Panic constricted her airway. Hally could feel the slither of control she'd had slipping away. Her senses were drowning, her mind overflowing with the mounting weight of them. The humans. Their fear. Panic. Anger. She could hear the drums roaring inside Koschei's mind. Everything was so loud. Rebels. They were here to kill him. They had guns and weapons. How did they have guns? The rebels outnumbered them and the stupid, useless, fucking Toclafane were still over 1 minute away. Something was building inside her chest. A mixture of panic and fear. Energy burned within her. Growing. Sizzling.

The Master turned her towards him, gripping her shoulders. Worry and uncertainty looked back at her. He could feel that something was desperately wrong. "Hal… breathe… just breathe." But it was still building. Rising. "Just focus on my voice. It's going to be fine."

There was another gunshot. Loud and close. A flare of pain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Armitage stumble backwards, hitting the floor. He'd been shot. Her body moved, she wasn't sure how but she was suddenly kneeling beside him. He'd been shot in the chest. He was alive. But barely. He was going to bleed out. She pressed her hands over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. The Master was beside her. His hands were on her arms. He was saying something but she couldn't hear him. She couldn't hear anything. Her chest was burning so violently that she was sure she was going to combust. It hurt. Whatever it was, mounting inside her. The Master shook her, his mouth was moving but she couldn't hear him over the noise. The rising screaming static.

The golden barrier protecting them flickered and died.

Nothing was going to touch them.

White exploded in front of her eyes.

Calm flowed through her.

The light stretched on infinitely. But it wasn't still. It moved. It flowed outwards. Forever moving. The tide pulling away. Rushing. Pulsing.

There was a shrill ringing in her ears.

The Master's hands were on her face. Panic was bleeding through from him. He was talking. Still talking. Her name. He was saying her name.

"Hally. Hally, look at me." He tapped her face gently. "Open your eyes."

She hadn't realised that her eyes had been closed. That was weird. It had been so bright. She blinked them open and her senses winked back into existence.

It was quiet.

Almost silent.

The Master was looking at her. Multiple emotions crossed his face as her eyes focused back on him. Shock, relief, trepidation.

There was a cough underneath her palms and she remembered. Armitage. He'd been shot. Her brain kicked into gear and she forced energy to flow through her hands and into his chest. The human let out a grunt of pain as the bullet inside him dissolved into nothing and his flesh closed.

The Master was unmoving beside her. Watching her.

Everything was quiet.

That was weird.

It hadn't been quiet before.

She rose to her feet slowly, looking around them in calm confusion. Her husband straightened up too, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Hally… it's ok…" He breathed. He was trying to calm her. That was strange. She was fine. "It's alright." Love washed over her through the bond, but there was something else behind it too, something uncertain.

She frowned, taking in the now empty clearing.

It was just them.

No one else around them.

Strange.

She could see the damage from the two previous explosions. Nothing else out of the ordinary. Armitage moved, running his hand across his chest. He got to his feet, he was staring at her too. A mixture of awe and disbelief and a flicker of something else. Armitage cleared his throat, turning to her husband.

"Sir… we need to move." He looked between them both.

The Master nodded slowly, not losing focus on her. "I know… we will." He was waiting for something. She could feel it. Bracing.

There was no sign of anyone apart from them. Nothing. No sign anyone else had even existed. But they had been there. Seconds ago. She looked down at the ground, there were deep rivets in the dirt. Like the aftermath of a bomb going off, or a meteor striking the Earth. Evidence of a blast. The creases centred in on her.

"Where did…?" She began, but the way he was looking at her, the words died in her throat. Because she already knew. She could feel it. His certainty.

She did this.

Fear crept up her spine.

This time it was her own.

She hadn't meant to do this.

She…

Hally looked around once more. Every human was gone.

Gone.

The rebels.

And their guards.

And the Toclafane.

No bodies, no nothing. Just gone.

All of them.

Where?

Where had they gone?

She had done this.

Her chest was rising and falling quickly. Dizziness creeping in.

She'd killed them.

Then.

A thought crossed her mind.

A terrible thought.

Icy dread gripped her chest and her eyes locked onto The Master's.

"Where's… Alina?"

He swallowed and his eyes flashed with empathy. Hally shook her head and took a shaky step backwards.

No.

"Hally…" He grasped her shoulders, holding her tightly.

"No, no…" Tears filled her eyes, she squeezed them shut, trying to block out the tidal wave of pain, of self-loathing.

"Hally, look at me." The Master demanded softly.

Grief smacked her in the chest. A broken sob forced its way up her throat.

"Look. At. Me." The Master gripped her arms painfully, trying to drive her attention back onto him.

She was shaking. Her knees had buckled. The only reason she wasn't back on the floor was because her husband was holding her upright.

Alina was gone.

She had done this.

She'd killed all of them.

She had killed Alina.

No.

No.

"This wasn't your fault." The Master pressed insistently. He pressed his forehead against hers, pushing through waves of calm. Forcing her mind to tunnel onto only him.

"Yes…" She choked out, the sound swallowed by a broken sob.

She'd killed her.

This was all her fault.

"No… No!" The Master commanded. "This was my fault." He growled lowly, desperation sparked through the bond. "Do you understand me?! Mine." He shook her hard then, rattling her eyes open. "I did this. Ok. I brought us here. I brought her here. They came here, to get to me, because of what I've done. This. Is. My. Fault."

Pain wracked through her. He held the sides of her face in his hands, staring at her wildly. Willing her to believe him. "You did not do this."

But she had.

It had been her. Her power. It had killed them all. She could have killed him. This was why, she realised. Why The Doctor had created the Biodampener. To stop her. From doing something like this.

"No…" The Master whispered softly. "Don't. This was my fault. I locked your power away." He let out a shaky breath, fanning across her face. "It derailed your control. I did this." He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

She whimpered.

"This is on me…" He whispered. Holding her gaze captive so she couldn't hide from him. "Do you understand? This is not on you… It was me. I killed her. It was an accident. But it was my fault." He ordered. A fresh wave of tears fell from her eyes as sobs shook her body. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her as she broke down. He pressed his mouth against the top of her head. His sorrow nudged gently against her pain. His urge to help, to take it away.

"Sir." Armitage insisted. "We really need to move."

She felt The Master nod above her. He withdrew ever so slightly to look down at her. "I can put you to sleep, or you can walk…" She could feel her body still shaking. Part of her desperately wanted him to fix this for her. To put her to sleep, to make her forget. But she couldn't. She had done this. She needed to deal with it. Armitage was right. They needed to leave quickly, they were vulnerable out here.

She took in a deep breath, wiping her face. "I can walk."

Armitage nodded quickly, he picked up his gun and guided them back towards the ship. Nausea rose in her throat but she swallowed it down. The Master never left her side, his hand warm on the small of her back. It took them around 10 minutes to make it back to the ship, no one stopped them. There was… no one to stop them. They reached the edge of the trees when Armitage held out his arm, halting them.

"Wait…" His eyes narrowed and he turned to both of them.

The Master frowned impatiently. His anger still seared beneath the surface. Anger that any of this had happened in the first place. "What?"

Armitage looked between them. "Well… someone tipped them off."

The Master nodded, understanding. The aircraft might not be safe for them. Whoever tipped them off might still be on the plane.

"There's only two of them on there." Hally mumbled softly, she could feel the two humans waiting for their return. Armitage ran a hand through his hair. He clenched his jaw and let out a slow exhale. Almost shaky. She supposed he had almost just died. He had just witnessed her massacre about three dozen humans. Bile rose in her throat and she took in a deep breath, fighting the urge to retch.

"It doesn't make any sense. The flight crew weren't briefed until 20 minutes before departure. No one could have organised this in that time." Armitage muttered angrily. "The only people who knew about the two of you, being here, ahead of time, were myself and Alina." He frowned, eyeing The Master.

The Master shook his head. "It can't have been Alina…" He rubbed a hand across his face, deep in thought. "I vetted her. Thoroughly."

"Then it got leaked from the Valiant." Armitage stated.

The Master's face darkened. "How?"

Armitage exhaled heavily, looking towards the aircraft. "Come on." They boarded with no difficulty. Armitage ordered the pilots to get them off the ground immediately. They were heading back to the Valiant. The Master held onto her tightly as they took their seats. Running his hands up and down her arms as if it would somehow help the tremors. Her guard was talking into his earpiece again. He pulled out his tablet, sitting opposite them. "The Valiant is secure." Armitage confirmed after a moment. "There's been no disturbances. It was just on the ground." Armitage flicked through the tablet, no doubt checking the information he had. "The explosion in the Sacramento yard was a decoy. Meant to draw your spheres away." He paused and frowned deeply, his eyes flicking up to give The Master a meaningful look. "Toclafane have confirmed sightings of Martha Jones in the rocket yard moments before the explosion went off…"

Anger rolled off her husband.

"I should have killed her."

"No…"

"She could have killed us."

Hally couldn't argue with that. They had almost succeeded, if it hadn't been for…

"The rebellion knew we'd be there."

Hally swallowed, eyes stinging. "Yes. But they evidently didn't account for me…"

His eyes locked with hers.

She wasn't wrong.

He cleared his throat and looked back at Armitage. "So, who knew? Who knew to leak the exact date and time we'd be on the ground?" The Master pressed. His fury was hot underneath his determined exterior. His rage craved destruction. Revenge. He wanted to burn the entire, putrid planet to the ground for what they had done. But he didn't. Instead, he sat in his seat, holding her. He was trying to remain calm. For her. She could feel it.

Armitage exhaled heavily. "I contacted Alina via her tablet last week. Mine never leaves my sight so someone else must have seen the information."

"But, who would think to look? No one on board knows her connection to us." The Master snapped, his patience wearing thin.

Hally frowned. "Yes… they do."

Both men turned to her. "That day, in the med bay. I called you my husband, I screamed it at you in front of those two guards and the other doctor."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Fuck…" Armitage muttered. He tapped swiftly on the tablet, searching silently. After a few minutes of tense silence, a resolute hum vibrated in his throat and he turned the tablet around, showing them the screen. It was the med bay CCTV. The doctor, the one who had treated The Master, was on the screen. Alina moved away from her workbench for a moment and the doctor leant across her desk, unseen by her, and stuck a device on the side of her tablet. "Got him."

Hally could see the irritation on the human's face. It was almost humanising, seeing him as anything other than cool and collected. Perhaps he was worried The Master would kill him for this. Perhaps he simply hated making mistakes. Or maybe it was guilt…

Guilt.

It washed over her, tearing at her insides. The Master shifted in his seat, pulling her across him. Holding her body tight to his. As if he could somehow protect her from it.

"Stop it." His voice brushed against her mind. It was a command.

"Eliminate him." The Master ordered coldly. The sounds, both from him, were drastically different. Hally made a weak noise of protest. It wasn't that she completely disagreed with him this time. Probably a smaller part of her did than she would admit. However, if they killed him straight away then they wouldn't be able to trace his line of communication. There might be other spies on the ship. They would be leaving themselves open to another attack.

She heard The Master sigh softly, a viewer of her thoughts. He stretched out his neck. "Take him for questioning first. See if we can trace who he was communicating with."

Armitage nodded and got up once more, giving orders through the earpiece to his men back on board the ship.

They were nearing the Valiant. They both knew what had to happen. Perhaps they could ignore it. Perhaps they could pretend he had forgotten. Hally scanned her eyes over his face, his mind just on the edge of hers, but still close enough that she could feel the blue sadness seeping through. What if they were doomed to wreak havoc and destruction wherever they went? What if there was nowhere in the universe for them? The Master's face softened and he pressed a gentle kiss to her mouth.

"I love you."

"I love you."

He moved his hand to his pocket, pulling out the limp trail of gold. She swallowed, dreading the loss of him.

"Soon… I promise." He hummed softly. She lifted up her hair for him, letting him slide his hands behind her neck. His presence pressed against hers in comfort. Tendrils of adoration enveloped her. Then the band reconnected and hardened against her neck. The feeling of him faded. Everything faded. Back into nothing. She'd been flicked back to analogue. The world around her lost its vibrancy. She let her head drop forward, their foreheads meeting. There was a deep, empty space where he had been.

She was empty.

She was alone.