Hard, fat, raindrops smacked down onto them. It was the only sound she could hear. The constant hammering of rain. Hitting the ground. Hitting her skin. Yet, the volume of her physical senses seemed to lower, muting. She could still feel his mouth on hers. Hot and claiming. But it could hardly compete with the tidal wave of him. He had consumed her with his… everything. An endless, burning need. A scorching sinkhole of his obsession, the anger and chaos and love. It wasn't enough. There wasn't a word in the universe that could accurately describe it. She was drowning in it. Drowning in him.
Impatience crackled through him and across into her. His need. Now.
Now.
Now.
All of her.
Rough fingers were struggling with the fastening of her jeans, the material heavy with water. Hot, sharp arousal pulsed between them. She was cold. Her body, their bodies were cold. Shivering. Shaking. A solid tugging, like a string tied, binding her hearts to his.
All she needed was him.
Her hands were in his hair, fingers digging into his scalp as she feverishly tried to pull him closer. Near. Touching. His tongue in her mouth battled with hers, forcing her to take him. Dragging the air from her lungs. All his. A willing puppet in his arms. They could take this world. They could.
Always.
Be free.
He's right.
She has been holding back.
The truth.
Truth.
She doesn't care about the humans.
Not as much.
As this.
This.
Nothing.
Nothing else but this.
Him.
Him.
Just him.
For miles around.
It's just them.
A vast expanse.
Earth.
Green and sky and brown and mud and wet and earth.
But, just them.
Finally, finally, he shoves her jeans down, her underwear joining them, down to her thighs, just above her knees. It's not romantic. No. No.
It's hot, desperate, need.
His hands are unforgiving as he manhandles her around and then, she's on her hands and knees. He's behind her. His warmth against the backs of her thighs and back. Her hands sink beneath the top layer of mud. Cold and wet. Trapped. Underneath him. She keens as his hands grip her, straightening and pulling her back with him until her back is flush against his chest. He thrusts inside her, his primal cry drowned out by the rain.
Yes.
Yes.
The boundary between them blurs. No part of her cares where they are. The rain. Where? When? Just him. Needs him near. To be inside her.
He's there. Everywhere. Shifting his hips, smacking against hers roughly.
Everything else is forgotten.
Even the pleasure of it.
Inconsequential.
Animals.
Taking.
He's completely split open.
His mind a barrage over hers. Everything that he is, crashing into her.
Taking.
She lets him take her. Succumbing to his, everything.
He needs her.
To take her.
Own her.
A gutturally breathless groan crawls its way up her throat. She needs it. Just as much as he does. She needs to know.
She's his.
Throughout time.
No matter what.
He's there.
Mine.
Them.
And the universe.
Fuck the rest.
She will destroy anything that gets in their way.
Whatever it takes.
The sounds coming from him are barely human. A desperate, wounded animal. She grabs at his arm, restraining her to him, her fingernails sinking into his skin. Grounding herself in him. His other hand cups her neck, forcing her face towards his as he covers her mouth with his own. The kiss is not loving. It's not gentle. It's pure possession and dominance. No give. Just take. She melts into his hold.
Her body is shaking, the muscles in her legs protesting. Out of nowhere and to her complete surprise, despite the rain, the freezing cold biting her skin and the edge of pain, she unravels in his arms. Crying out into the empty abyss as every muscle in her body tightens, the rush filling her. White noise. The Master released her mouth only to let out a roar as he followed her into their release. Pain blossomed over her right shoulder. Sharp pain. Heat shot through her. Her brain emptied.
There was only him.
Shockwaves of completeness rippled through her. He was right behind her. His legs were shaking against hers.
Peace.
Absolute peace.
Right where she should be.
In his arms.
His pleasure tickled across over to her in waves.
Content.
Ease.
Right here.
On their knees in the dirt in fuck knows where.
Just them. Content. Nothing else.
Everything that was him, was her. She could see.
He wasn't angry at her for Jack.
He was angry.
Is angry.
But not at her.
His fury was with Jack. Torchwood. Himself.
He wanted to kill them all.
Destroy all of it.
But…
But he hadn't.
He'd got them all out first…
And then.
Then, he'd destroyed it.
Torchwood.
The place.
The place.
It shouldn't have been… but it felt… romantic.
Almost.
That was on her.
Twisted.
But, she didn't care.
Her own anger mingled joyously with his. Someone had touched her. Kissed her. Held her without her knowledge.
But he'd claimed her.
Washed it away.
The Master had, without her truly realising it, given her exactly what she needed.
He hadn't been walking away.
He'd taken action.
Fixing it.
Fixing it for her.
Pain was pulling her back into her body. A dull, throbbing ache across her shoulder. With it came the unwelcome awareness of the rain. The cold. The dirt.
His mouth covered the pain, soothing it with warmth and the gentle movements of his tongue.
Mine .
She reluctantly let her mind rejoin with her body, the present raining down on her. She groaned, exhaling with a weak sigh. The Master's chest vibrated with a low chuckle from behind her. Slowly and reluctantly, he loosened his grip on her. Righting himself.
What had transpired moments before suddenly seemed, rather surreal.
The Master helped her to her feet, not hiding his amusement as she struggled to hoist her soaking-wet jeans back up over her hips, righting her top. A moment of silent staring, accompanied only by the rain, was broken when his face split into a shit-eating grin. She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up, shaking her head in disbelief.
They were ridiculous.
Utterly and completely mad .
Chaos.
Covered in mud.
Soaking wet.
Freezing cold.
Thoroughly fucked.
Pun intended.
Unusually, her shoulder still fucking hurt. She brushed the back of her hand, the only area not covered in mud, over where it was still throbbing. Surprise swiftly turned to irritation as her hand came back with the bright red strain of blood. She scowled up at him. "Did you fucking bite me?"
He hummed a chuckle, eyes sparkling with unapologetic possession.
Rolling her eyes in disbelief, she loudly huffed. "Where are we?" The never-ending downpour forced her to shout her words.
He looked around, somehow nonchalant, a picture of calm despite the torrent of rain battering them. "No idea." His tone indicated that he couldn't care less. He was happy .
Satisfied.
He had her.
She clicked her tongue against her teeth. His previously thunderous mood had practically completely disappeared followed their… tryst.
"Wonderful."
"Earth." He looked around, face scrunched up in thought as he surveyed their surroundings. "Not New York."
"No shit."
He offered her a grunt in response. "Can't you fix the rain?"
"I'm not a fucking wizard, Koschei."
"Well, it'd make it a lot easier to find a way… anywhere, if it wasn't pissing it down."
She huffed, definitely louder than necessary but she wanted him to hear her irritation over the rain. She was way too tired to stop the downpour, so she settled for creating a sort of invisible umbrella over the top of them. Proceeding to dry out their clothes so they weren't soaking wet as well as cold. The mud they could deal with but being cold and wet, she could not.
The Master considered the landscape for a moment, his eyes alight with thought. Then, without a word, he started walking. Increasingly irritated by their predicament, but seeing no other option, Hally followed, jogging slightly to catch up with him.
They walked, side by side, for hours. Hally couldn't help the endless bubbling of anxiety that simmered in her stomach. There were so many questions she couldn't answer. Not being in control didn't sit well with her. Where, or when were they? They were on the back foot. She hated being there. It meant they were vulnerable.
There was also a high chance that wherever they were, they were stranded.
Her mood was only worsened by The Master's seemingly nonchalant attitude. He was perfectly calm. Quite a difference to the man she'd arrived with.
Their… rendezvous, she decided she'd refer to it as, seemed to have calmed him.
Blowing up Torchwood had definitely calmed him.
Hally made a mental note, that once they were back in New York, they needed to work on their communication.
To her left, The Master let out an undignified snort of amusement. Forever privy to her internal monologue.
"If only you didn't kill our therapist." He quipped, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"I didn't kill her, she's fine." She immediately shot back.
"Talking is overrated."
Hally emitted a high-pitched noise of disagreement. "You can't just fuck your way out of all of our problems."
His head turned towards her an inch, eyes glittering. "Are you sure about that?"
It was hard to deny the endless supply of damning evidence, but she did her best. "Yes. You should have just talked to me. You didn't need to detonate Cardiff Bay."
Immediately he looked away from her, eyes darkening as he scrunched his nose in disgust. "Yes, I did."
"No. You didn't."
"I was… erasing it." His words rumbled out as a growl.
She paused momentarily, letting out a weak breath. "Yes. I understand the sentiment." She did. She understood his need to erase. "You're borderline sweet." The corner of her mouth curved with a teasing smile. "But most people don't go around exploding things when they're angry." She clipped, immediately realising the irony of her choice of words.
The Master didn't miss it either, clocking her with a look of dark amusement. Eyes glittered with mirth.
"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything ." He lilted back, eyes widening in mock innocence.
She tried a different tack, crossing her arms across her chest. "Armitage will worry."
Koschei snorted. "Right… because somehow that's your main concern? We're stuck, in the middle of fucking nowhere, we don't know where or when and we could be stuck here for quite some time and your current… main concern is that 'the help' will worry?"
"He's not 'help'."
"I pay him."
"Urgh." It was increasingly annoying to her how calm he was. "I just meant… that we should get better at… not just exploding."
He hummed. Neither in agreement or disagreement.
"We should talk about things."
He sighed, his eyes disappearing upwards in a tired roll.
She pressed onwards. "Like… how did it make you feel?"
The Master scrunched up his face, a scowl falling into place. "You know how I feel. You know how I feel all the time because we are irreversibly bonded." He spat at her.
Something in her tone gave her pause. "… Does that bother you?"
The Master's throat vibrated with a low groan. "No. I didn't say that. What I am trying to say is, why would we waste our time with words when we already have that?" He clipped, everything about his tone and body language was telling her that he wanted this conversation to be done.
But Hally wasn't finished. "Well… because sometimes feelings aren't rational. They don't explain or move through logical thought. We can't control our feelings. So it would be incredibly stupid for us to rely solely on them to understand what the other truly wanted."
He sucked his cheeks in, pouting.
"Don't pretend like I'm not right."
"What is it you want me to say?"
"Why did you just get up and walk out?!"
The Master was silent, eyes fixed on their path ahead.
"Koschei?"
He stopped then, turning to face her with an ugly sneer on his face. "Why do you always need to find the right answer to everything?" His mouth curved into a snarl. "You're just like him sometimes." He spat at her.
It was her turn to roll her eyes, planting her feet as she faced him. "Don't try and distract me by being a twat. Answer my question."
His tongue ran across his front teeth, stewing. He turned from her and continued walking, shoving his hands in his pockets. Sulking.
She rolled her eyes behind his back and followed him, allowing him his sulk.
Eventually, he gave in to her, muttering towards the floor. "I was angry."
She stepped back next to him. "Yeah…" She added, an invitation for him to elaborate.
His eyes flicked up towards the sky as he chewed on his words. "And I didn't want to be angry at you. " He spat, shooting her a dark look full of poorly concealed emotion. "I needed to hurt something and I couldn't hurt you so I needed to walk away." His face twisted in a grimace, as if the words themselves had left a bad taste in his mouth.
She kept her eyes on him, a reassuring gesture that she was listening. "Hmm…"
"I could feel your pain. The… deepness of it. Like something had cut you." Hurt flickered across his face and he looked away from her, eyes focusing ahead as he spoke. "A gnawing bottomless pit of guilt and disgust and I couldn't stand feeling it." His mouth curved into the shape of a silent snarl. "Because something … because he touched you. And I don't care about that. I know that no one had a choice, but that something touched you without you knowing. Without your control."
Warmth heated her cheeks, a heavy, yet not completely uncomfortable feeling sitting in her stomach.
"I needed to wipe that feeling from the face of the planet." His eyes snapped back to hers. "Nothing touches you without your consent."
"Nothing."
They'd walked in silence for a while after that.
At least audibly. Mentally it was never really silent.
The warmth inside her remained.
He hadn't been angry at her. He'd been angry for her.
The sky was darkening when they finally saw signs of life. A small hamlet. Perhaps a dozen houses and what looked like an inn, or pub?
"Ok, so we have humans." Hally commented, her voice lilted with hopeful promise. She dropped the rainproof shield from around them, not wanting to draw any impossible questions their way.
"Oil lamps." Koschei noted.
Hally followed his gaze, taking notice of the outside of the inn and other buildings. Wood and brick and indeed oil lamps. Not a car in sight. They'd passed horses on their way. She could even see some candles flickering against the windows.
Most likely not the 21st century then…
The Master moved ahead and entered the establishment first, Hally following close behind. At least it was warmer inside, a hearty fire crackled in the corner of the room, flickering light against the dark wooden furnishings.
As they entered, there was a slow ripple of acknowledgement as those already inside the pub started to notice them. Hally's eyes flicked around the room. Definitely not 2000s, more 1900s judging by the clothes they were wearing. The interior, as well as the light from the fire, was dimly lit by flickering oil lamps hanging from the low, timber-beamed ceiling. The air was thick with the scent of peat smoke from the fireplace, mingling with the aroma of ale and whisky and human. The room was cosy, if not slightly crowded, with worn wooden tables and chairs scattered across the uneven stone floor. There was a low thrum of conversation, even as eyes turned to check on the new arrivals. Each table was further lit by a cluster of flickering candles in the centre.
Behind the worn wooden bar, a burly bartender with a bushy beard wiped down glasses with a rag, his eyes sharp and watchful. Bottles of various spirits lined the shelves behind him, illuminated by the warm orange glow of the lamps. A slender brunette woman flitted between the tables, delivering drinks. She also paused, her eyes flicking down over the pair of them. Eyes narrowed in their direction, perhaps due to their 'odd' attire for the time, perhaps due to the fact that they were strangers. It looked like everyone else in the establishment was familiar with one another. The barman spotted them, curving around the bar to approach them, his face friendly and yet his eyes glinting with weariness.
"Can I help you?" The man spoke with a rolling Scottish accent. The edge of suspicion audible behind the friendly facade.
Hally cut in before The Master could. "We're just passing through." She offered the man a kind smile that she hoped portrayed trustworthiness. "You wouldn't happen to have any rooms available, would you?"
To her despair, his face dropped into one of deeper suspicion and distaste. "You're English?" He clipped, his tone dripping with insinuation. There was an immediate unfriendly murmur from the others in the vicinity who were listening in.
"Uh…" Hally fumbled.
"You must forgive my wife…" The Master encircled her waist, pulling her in towards him in an outward sign of 'ownership', his voice lilting with a perfect copy of the man's accent. "It is damn unfortunate that she is indeed from England… but, she makes up for it…" The Master shot the man a wry smile. "In other ways." A low hum of chuckling rippled outwards from the surrounding tables. The barman's face split into a grin, his eyes softening. Hally shot The Master a withering glare which only bolstered the amusement from their audience.
"We can set you up with a room, aye." The barman nodded over towards the bar, turning and leading them across the room. The Master's hand moved to her lower back, pushing her forward, keeping her close, highly aware of the multiple pairs of eyes on them both. Once behind the bar again, the man turned to them, giving them both a slow looking over. "I've never seen a pair in such odd dress though mind…"
The Master chuckled softly, shooting him an apologetic grin. "Oh, it's an English thing…"
The man cocked an eyebrow, looking at them strangely. The Master leant in, his face a picture of politeness to anyone watching. He lowered his voice, and immovably caught the gaze of the barman. "My wife and I would greatly appreciate your discretion. No more questions. I dare say you were even expecting us. Nothing strange about our arrival. Your warmest room and two sets of dinner brought up to the room at your earliest convenience. No need for any payment… we're friends after all." The Master's voice vibrated, a low hum, his eyes never leaving the man's. The bartender nodded slowly, a sort of glassy sheen filtering over his pupils for just a moment before it dissolved.
"Of course, Sir. Follow me and I'll show you to your room." He lowered the cup he'd been drying and headed off in the opposite direction. He led them to the back of the pub and up a curving staircase. The noise of downstairs faded slightly as they ascended, following him along a dimly lit corridor. He picked up a candlestick, leading them along to the far end and through into the room at the furthest end. He unhooked a key, handing it to The Master. "Here you go…" Opening the door he then stood back to allow them inside. Hally moved past him and into the room while The Master hovered in the doorway.
"I don't suppose we could bother you for a change of clothes." The Master's voice lilted with the fake accent, but again Hally could hear the unmistakable low hum in his voice.
"Of course. I'll get Anne to bring you up some clothes and your dinner."
"Is there a bathtub?"
"Indeed, I'll get her to fill the tub. Might take a wee while but she'll let you know once it's ready for you."
"Thank you." The Master shot him a charming smile before moving away from the door, closing it behind him. By now, there was barely a slither of light coming in from outside, the sky darkening by the second. Inside the room sat a singular oil lamp next to the bed, the rest was shrouded in darkness. Hally took the candle the man had left with them and slowly lit the half a dozen other candles dotted around the room for a little more light.
She felt The Master's eyes on her and turned to look at him. He watched her, unimpressed, his gaze reminding her that she didn't need to individually light the candles, however, she continued. After she'd finished she moved to the fireplace, a fire sprang up within seconds, the warmth welcome. That's when she turned back to him, he offered her a soft sigh, his discomfort at still being covered in mud rippling through. Both of them were still slightly cold, but it'd be a while until the bath was ready.
Hally made an executive decision and pushed off her filthy shoes, shaking off her top layer of clothing, leaving herself in just her underwear and a T-shirt. The Master cocked an eyebrow at her. She ignored his look and grabbed the duvet and throw from the bed. It was rather scratchy, but it was warm as she wrapped it around herself, sitting on the bed, shooting him a grin. He rolled his eyes and muttering irritably to himself in Gallifreyan, reluctantly followed suit, removing the majority of his clothes before moving next to her and curling into the duvet with her.
"Ridiculous." He muttered.
She laughed at him, pressing them closer together in their blanket cocoon. "So… Scotland?"
The Master hummed with agreement. "Mmhmm, between 1895 and 1910 it seems." She snuggled into him and he reluctantly wrapped his arms around her, giving in to the snuggle for warmth. She sighed, wracking her brain. They were stranded in the arse-end of nowhere with nothing to get them home. The Master didn't even have his screwdriver. Hally sniffed around, chuckling to herself.
"We smell."
"Mmm… I know." He pulled a face.
She laughed softly, her chest pressed against his. "Alright… how do we get back?"
The Master looked at her, eyes twitching, narrowing. "Who says we should go back?"
She cocked an unimpressed eyebrow. "Oh… you want to hang out in the 1900s do you?"
"Of course not. It's disgusting. But, if we can find ourselves a way to hitch a lift… why the fuck would we go back to where we were?"
Hally rolled her jaw, shooting him a scowl. "Huh, maybe because we left an unknown threat wandering around with some sort of time machine device, thing?"
The Master tutted. "It wasn't a 'Time Machine'. More like a rift manipulator. Or a hole-punch. Slices a hole in space and time, drawing on rift energy. It's primitive. The more it hole-punches the more unstable it becomes."
Her eyebrow arched upwards. "Well, that doesn't sound great."
"No, if he keeps using it, whoever he is, it'll rip so many holes that the timelines will start converging. Falling on top of one another. Chaos. You get the idea."
She hummed in acknowledgement. "Well then, seems like we have to go back."
"Not really."
"No. We should go back to stop him."
"You want to go back to help out your little friends? Need I remind you, your little friends want to kill us."
Hally tutted, if her arms weren't wrapped around him for warmth she would have crossed them over her chest. "If time collapses, we'll also be fucked. So yes, we should get back and help." Despite their closeness, she still managed to send him a glare.
"Whatever."
At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Anne entered, the barmaid, politely delivering their dinner. The Master's face was set into a scowl, immediately unhappy at having been caught cuddled up in a cocoon of duvet. Hally snorted, thanking Anne as she left to go and draw them a bath. The pair of them semi-uncurled to eat. Hally hadn't realised quite how hungry she'd gotten.
Once the bath was ready, Anne knocked again politely on their door, letting them know that she'd left bedclothes in the bathroom for them and would place a new set of clothes for the morning in their room while they were bathing. Hally gave her a smile of thanks before she and The Master left their room, heading into the bathroom. They removed the remainder of their clothes, the warm light of the candles sending shadows dancing across the dark wooden walls.
Hally briefly wondered at what point she became 'comfortable' undressing in front of the man in front of her. His gaze on her left butterflies tickling the inside of her stomach and yet she had no urge to attempt to cover herself as he slipped into the tub. The Master got in behind her, both of them more than happy to simply lie in the warm water for a while. She relaxed back against his chest, letting his hands tickle over the skin of her arms. His mouth found the skin just underneath her ear, pressing a soft kiss against her as she shivered. He trailed his mouth down to her shoulder, his mouth covering the area, eliciting another sharp sting. He hummed, slight concern seeping into the sound. "You haven't healed." She shifted, looking back at him, following the line of his gaze to the still very present bite mark he'd left between her neck and shoulder. She shot him a dark scowl, before rubbing her hand across the sore area. He was right, it hadn't healed.
She shifted in his arms, reaching to the small table set up next to the bathtub. Set out no doubt by Anne with a candle and soap on top. She hovered her hand over the candle, wincing as the heat burnt at her skin. She pulled her hand back to check it and in front of both of their eyes, the dark red mark from the burn slowly disappeared. Hally hummed in considered confusion. That was odd. She was fine. She was still healing. And yet the unmistakable mark of The Master's teeth still marred her shoulder. The culprit let out a low rumble of amusement and she twisted, looking back at him in question. "It would seem your body has decided that it doesn't want to get rid of it." His voice lilted with smug satisfaction, a low hum rumbling in his chest.
Hally's face dropped into a scowl and she fell into a silent sulk.
His amusement crackled around him as he picked up the soap, happily washing away the remaining grime from both of their bodies. She let him, his hands pleasant as they rubbed across her skin. She could definitely sulk while simultaneously enjoying his touch. She slipped further into the water, allowing herself to relax as he massaged his hands into her shoulders. The Master pressed his mouth against the back of her head, kneading his thumbs across the taught muscles of her back.
"Earlier…" His voice pressed into her mind, not breaking the content silence that had fallen over the room. A trickle of uncertainty tainted his thoughts. "Did I hurt you?"
Images of the recent memory flickered across her mind. Rain. Cold. The way he'd taken her. She swallowed. "A little." It would be impossible to lie to him. " ...but not in a bad way." She added quickly, feeling his concern. "I didn't mind it. It was… intense."
He hummed thoughtfully, running his fingertips gently over the mark on her shoulder. A flurry of possessiveness fluttered through him, satisfaction at seeing his mark on her skin. "Perhaps I can make it up to you." He spoke, his voice a low thrum next to her ear as his fingers ghosted across her breast. She jolted, sending water sloshing over the edge of the bath. Undeterred, his other hand snaked around her waist, holding her back against him, trapping her to him as his hand continued tickling across her chest.
He thumbed at her nipple, coaxing a moan from her before walking his fingers down to the valley between her breasts, across her stomach, settling between her legs. He didn't tease her, as she imagined he might. Instead, his hand reached his intended destination, easing her legs apart. Fingertips ran up and down over her, moving to a gentle but insistent circular motion. Hally let out a heavy breath, his hold had her captured against him and yet the hand between her legs was considerate, gentle, undemanding although he was still pulling pleasure from her.
Her head dropped backwards to rest on his shoulder, pathetically melting. His presence lingered in the corner of her mind, concentrating only on her, focused completely and solely on the tendrils of tight warmth building in her core. Every movement of his hand was deliberate, measured, attentively drawing her higher and higher. A firm pinch of his fingers had her back arching, stifling a moan as heat peppered her face. Her hips shifted, rocking against his hand, chasing. The Master's mouth fell to her neck, rolling his tongue over her skin. The way she fell apart in his arms, it would never not fascinate him. The muscles of her back tightened, arching as his hand coaxed her over the edge. The pleasant rush brushed over her and into him like a gentle wave as a clipped breath escaped her. His arms tightened, holding her steady as the shiver passed through her. As he felt the tension leave her body, he shifted, brushing his hands up and over her shoulders, tracing patterns across her now heated skin.
The Master held his wife in his arms even as the water around them continued to cool. Contented. The noise in his head had muted to a low, muffled rhythm, satisfied into a calm lull by the woman in his arms.
His.
Mine.
She hummed with a soft exhale of amusement, a sleepy smile stretching across her face. He didn't want to have to move them but the chill of the water was beginning to bite at their skin and if he didn't move her, she would almost certainly fall asleep. A sated, innocent lamb, dozing in the arms of a wolf.
She snorted at that, shifting herself up, using the edge of the tub to pull herself to her feet. "I'm no lamb." She turned to shoot him a teasing smirk. The Master didn't move from his recline, his eyes roaming across her naked, wet body, lit only by the candlelight, without shame. Only once she'd exited the tub and wrapped herself in a towel did he bother to move. Hally dried herself off, pulling the water from her hair as she did so, before dressing in the nightwear Anne had brought up for them. Then, back in their room and much warmer thanks to the bath and the fire, Hally remade the bed, uncurling the previously cocooned sheets and made to get in.
The Master's gaze lingered on her, his eyes trailing down over the modest linen nightgown she'd pulled on over her head. Long sleeves tapered to her wrists, the gown falling just past her ankles. His face fell into a scowl the longer he looked at her, she straightened up, clocking his expression and offered him a questioning eyebrow.
"How am I supposed to touch you like that?" The Master grumbled, frustration evident in his voice as he glared at the delicate lace adorning the high neckline of Hally's gown.
Hally, her eyes twinkling with mischief, looked up at him with a knowing smirk. "I think that might rather be the point."
He exhaled a childish huff and got into bed beside her, pulling the covers with him. His head disappeared under the duvet for a moment, immediately his hands found the offending item, shoving the hem of the nightdress up so it bunched around her waist, leaving her bare from the hips down. She chuckled, laughing at him as he petulantly palmed at her skin.
"Better?" She hummed, amused as his head resurfaced along with his impatient hands.
"Mmm." He proceeded to pull at the collar at her neck, loosening it enough so his mouth could easily find her pulse point. A laugh bubbled up from her chest as he wriggled himself closer to her. Her own hands weaselled their way underneath the light shirt he wore until his skin was against her palms. Finally content, The Master settled.
"The Doctor might not show up for another 12 years or so…" Hally whispered, eyes scanning his face. He'd found out the date earlier, from Anne. February 17th, 1901.
"We could draw him here." The tone of The Master's voice left no confusion over what 'drawing him in' would entail.
Her tongue hit the top of her mouth with a tut, choosing to ignore that train of thought. "Or… I do have the beginnings of an idea, but you're not going to like it…"
His face creased with a frown. "What…?"
"Well… yes, the next time I remember The Doctor dropping by anywhere near us would be in 1912 but… there's a possibly fixable Vortex Manipulator hanging around in Cardiff in this time period too…"
The Master's eyes narrowed immediately. "Captain Jack Fucking Harkness..." He growled.
"Mmhmm. It's sort of perfect if you think about it. He knows me but it's before he met you . He'll help, most likely no questions asked. We can hop a lift back to the 21st century and then send him back here with one trip. Wipe his memory for good measure."
His hands dug into her waist. "Or… we take his manipulator and go wherever we want." There was a brooding impatience lingering in his tone. He was not on board with having to go back.
She let out a soft sigh, rubbing her thumb across the skin of his chest. "We can't change his history, It's too tangled up in ours." She reasoned.
His lips pressed together in distaste, but he didn't argue any further. Instead, his voice pressed into her mind, a gruff command. "Sleep."
"Fine." She replied, shooting him a look of petulant resignation before curling closer against him, closing her eyes.
The next morning they awoke to the sound of Anne bringing them breakfast. The Master rose to bring the tray into their room while Hally sat up in the bed and attempted to readjust the nightgown that had all but been removed by Koschei throughout the night.
They ate and dressed, Hally less than enthused to be back in the long skirts and high-necked blouses she'd come to hate while she'd been posing as the librarian at the Farringham School for Boys. She pinned her long hair up in a loose bun, looking longingly at The Master's trousers and loose-fitting shirt. He shot a lopsided grin her way. "You are so incredibly beautiful." His eyes glittered as he pressed his mouth to hers.
"You're just vying to get into my skirt." She shot back, mouth curving into a smirk as she manoeuvred around him, heading towards the door.
"This time period is making that increasingly difficult." The Master mumbled from behind her, following her out of their room and downstairs in search of Arthur, the bartender and innkeeper. Her husband slipped back into the low Scottish drawl as he found him. "We need to get to Cardiff in Wales. What would be the fastest route?"
"Oh, blimey…"
"Although, we probably need to call ahead." Hally added, taking a hold of The Master's arm and offering him a small smile. "So, directions to the nearest telephone would also be wonderful."
Arthur scratched his head. "Aye, well, your best bet is via the railways. The closest station is over in Arrochar, where you'll have better luck finding a telephone, for certain. We're about half a day's ride from there. We can fix you up with some horses to make the journey."
"That'd be wonderful. Thank you." Hally offered the man. She felt a small twinge of guilt that they didn't have anything to pay him with for the room and now the horses, but The Master swiftly squashed the feeling for her.
Soon enough, Arthur had fixed them up with two horses. The Master mounted his with ease, the taller, robust-looking stallion patiently waiting, its glossy black coat gleaming in the morning sunlight, the bright white diamond in between its eyes the only break in the shiny black. With a bit of effort, Hally managed to mount her own horse, a lean, grey-speckled mare, the unnecessarily long skirts of her attire proving to be a slight hindrance. Though her ascent was less than graceful, she settled into the saddle with determination, shooting The Master a scowl as his eyes twinkled with knowing amusement.
Thanking Arthur once again, they set off. The Master immediately set a brisk pace, his impatience palpable. Hally had to urge her mare to keep up with him. They had, thankfully, 'borrowed' thick woollen coats before their journey, and Hally had wrapped herself up further with a shawl tied over her shoulders, as the wind whipped the brisk morning air against their faces as they rode.
The scent of heather and earth filled the air and for a fleeting moment, Hally was struck with the realisation that, in this particular moment, they were free.
Utterly free.
Dark green and brown sprawled out ahead of them, a tapestry of winding trails against the backdrop of the sky. Tethered by nothing. Running from nothing. Here, it was safe. It was a half-shame, she thought, that they were attempting to leave. Her mind wandered as they continued to ride. Perhaps they didn't travel to Cardiff to find Jack. Perhaps instead they could simply stay. The never-ending landscape would certainly offer them a home somewhere. Or perhaps, they would travel down to London instead and 'acquire' themselves some money. Settle down. Buy a house. Live out a pretend life in 1901 London.
No one would be after them.
No one would know who they were.
It'd be an adventure.
Images scrolled through her mind, a curving street of imposing townhouses. Proud black painted doors overlooking a square of green. An iron fashion rail leading up the steps to the front door. Expensive tailored suits, perhaps a silk dress she wouldn't mind as much. It would just be them. The Master could easily 'invent' them convenience. Warm indoor plumbing. Easily accessible electricity. They'd have time, so much time.
Just them.
"You'd get bored." The Master's voice cut across her daydreaming, they'd slowed to a walk, The Master giving the horses a needed rest from his relentless pace.
"Maybe you would get bored. I'd be fine."
He snorted in disbelief. "No. You wouldn't. I'd give it 4 months and you'd be itching to jump back to the 21st Century."
She tutted. No. He was wrong. It'd be charming. They'd live a small, simple life. They'd have so much time. They could travel. They could do anything.
"I'm not wrong. You'd be bored." He clipped, shooting her a cocky smirk. "So would I. Your charming little life would be suffocating within months. Humans, they're just sheep, cattle. Moving around in their tiny circles. Sleeping, eating, getting up, going to work, coming back, fucking, eating and sleeping. It looks 'cute' from the outside. But you'd be bored."
Her face fell into a scowl.
"You thrive off of chaos."
"No, I don't." She shot back petulantly.
He laughed, the sound infuriatingly wonderful. "Yes. You do. You thrive off of conflict and winning and danger and unpredictability. Why do you think you married me?" The wink he gave her was scandalous.
The scowl didn't budge.
"You know I'm right. Think about it, the rush of those moments. When you took down Davros, leading Harkness on a wild goose chase, New York. You love it. The danger. Tipping the scales." His eyes narrowed at her as they sparkled with excitement. "You were bored even for the short stint you ended up stuck at Torchwood."
"I wasn't bored. " She immediately retorted.
He laughed, a genuine cackle of amusement. She huffed, knowing he'd immediately caught her lie. "Ok, but I was only bored because I was impatiently waiting to bring you back from the dead. And anyway, whether we're stuck here or stuck back in New York, we're still stuck, so surely I'd be equally as bored." She reasoned, sticking her tongue out at him.
His eyes lit up, his face a picture of smugness. "Oh no, because in New York we're forever imminently in danger." He grinned at her. "Social climbing. Alien hunting. Government dodging."
Hally growled under her breath and pressed her horse on, moving to canter away from him. The wind whipped up his laugh around her.
He was impossible.
Although she knew he was right. As much as she was trying to ignore it. Trying to ignore how well he knew her. It was immediately irritating, when trying to win an argument, to realise just how deeply he understood her. Probably better than she understood herself. He was the worst when he was right. She most likely would be bored. But that didn't stop it from being a nice idea, right? A cosy life. A life not constantly fighting, not constantly running from something or someone. A concern wrung at her insides. Was thriving off of danger and adrenaline a bad thing?
Koschei had never said it was a bad thing… that was her own bias kicking in.
She knew he liked it too.
Of course, he did.
He thrived off of it. Same as she did.
Urgh.
Perhaps that was partly the reason they were heading back? Back to Torchwood and the whole world knowing who they were. Was it because it was simply more exciting than the alternative? Because, they could… they could easily take Jack's manipulator and jump off this planet to somewhere else.
Were they forever drawn to the chaos?
Probably, she noted with a scowl.
It was just more fun.
Eventually, she let The Master catch back up with her.
"Petulant, aren't you."
"Isn't that how you like me?"
"I greatly enjoy fucking it out of you…"
The glare she sent him was met with a wide grin.
Finally, they arrived at Arrochar railway station, which consequently was the home to the only telephone in the village. Hally took the receiver, connecting with the local operator. "Hello, I'd like to make a long-distance call to Cardiff, please. It's for a Captain Jack Harkness, or perhaps just a Mr Harkness, at Torchwood."
"Alright, it might take a few moments to connect you." The operator noted, before the line beeped as she started to put the connection through. It took a few minutes, but finally, she got through.
"Hello?" The voice certainly wasn't Jack's, it was female, clipped with a posh English accent.
Hally cleared her throat. "Good afternoon, is that Torchwood Cardiff?"
"Sorry, who is speaking?"
"Ah, yes, sorry. I'm a representative of Torchwood Four. I need to speak to Captain Jack Harkness as a matter of urgency." Hally heightened her own accent, hoping that if she put enough authority into her tone the woman on the other end might just do as she'd asked.
"Torchwood Four doesn't exist." The woman countered.
"No. Not yet anyway." Hally's voice lilted, leaving a pregnant pause for the woman to catch on.
She did, letting out a thoughtful hum, before answering. "He's currently out. Can I take a message?"
"Probably not… can you get him to call back on this number? As soon as you can."
"Can I take a name?"
Hally was about to give her name when a thought struck her, this was Torchwood in 1901, they would certainly have her name on file and she was pretty damn sure not in a good way. "Just… umm… tell him he owes me something. After Satellite Five. It's urgent."
"Umm… alright. He should be back in a few hours."
Hally thanked her and hung up. It looked as though they now had time to kill. The Master 'bought' them tickets to Cardiff, the journey would take almost a day, travelling via Glasgow and Carlisle. The longer they waited the more impatient The Master got, endlessly fidgeting, his face having fallen into a dark scowl. She tried to distract him with lunch but his attention had irreversibly locked onto her. He would pull her close, burying his head in her neck as he inhaled her, which was drawing rather strange looks from passers-by.
Waiting for Captain Jack Harkness.
No wonder The Master's mood was souring.
Although, he was attempting to behave. Which was adorable. So, she let him manhandle her onto his lap, using her like a child might use a cuddly toy. She let him feed her some of her lunch, it had at least distracted him from his growing irritation for a few minutes.
Finally, the phone rang, and Hally sprang up from The Master's lap to grab the receiver. She had to slap his hands away, which were insistent on pulling her back into her seated position.
"Hello?"
"Well, that's not a voice I thought I'd hear for a long time."
She couldn't help the relieved smile that pulled at her mouth, exhaling. "Jack."
The Master curled his lip in disgust at her tone. "'Jack'." He mimicked in a high, breathy voice. She shot him a glare and waved him away.
"Is The Doctor with you?" Jack's voice crackled over the receiver.
"I'll try not to be offended that that's the first question you ask me… No, I'm not with The Doctor. I'm, sort of stranded and could do with a friend." She rushed out, she needed to get him to understand what she needed while giving away as little as possible.
"Satellite Five…" Jack started, his meaning clear in his tone.
"Yeah… It's been much longer for me than it has been for you. I'm sorry Jack, this isn't the reunion you're looking for. I'm currently in Scotland."
"Scotland? On your own?" Concern filtered into his voice.
"Oh… Uuh… no…" Her eyes settled on The Master. "I'm with my… companion."
If looks could kill… Hally would be dead.
She coughed.
Jack's warm chuckle hummed."Oh, following in your father's footsteps? Picking up humans are you?"
"Mmhmm." Her voice clipped with a high-pitched hum, or perhaps it was a whine. "ANYway. We're getting a train. We'll be in Cardiff by tomorrow. Then we can talk."
"I… Alright. Just how far in the future are you from kid?" Jack evidently had many more questions, but he was going to have to wait.
She exhaled a weak chuckle, still caught in The Master's glare. "I'm much older than you Harkness. You're the kid. See you soon." With that, she hung up.
The Master's face scrunched into a disgusted scowl. Hally lightly slapped his arm, willing him to stop being a child. He did not relent. "I could do with a friend Jack, save me Jack. Oh. Please. Jack. Rescue me ." He mocked, his voice high-pitched and whiny.
She hit his arm harder.
"Shut up."
"You're the one giving him your breathy sex voice."
"I…" A growl rumbled in her throat before she clicked her teeth together. "I'm not even going to validate that with a response." She crossed her arms across her chest, fixing him with what she hoped was an unimpressed stare. "If you could stop thinking with your dick for five minutes, you'd realise that this is probably our only escape route. I'm not sure how many times you need me to tell you but I have no desire to fuck Captain Jack Harkness. Get over it so we can both continue with our lives."
The looks they were receiving from passers-by, could only be described as appalled.
The Master cocked her a nonchalant eyebrow. "I am a Time Lord . I am not driven by carnal need."
She snorted. "Sure thing. Because I bit my own shoulder, hmm?"
His only response was a hateful glare.
Her mouth curved into a victorious smirk.
He dropped it, motioning with unnecessary grandeur towards the platform. "The train is coming. My dear."
They boarded the train and found their compartment, both bristling with irritation.
From Arrochar to Glagow they sat in petulant silence.
He was so annoying.
His reaction to Jack was so… childish.
Jack was irrelevant.
She thought they had squashed this.
They had to change at Glasgow station, moving onto the second train. This one would take them all the way to Cardiff, via Carlisle. A sleeper train, and of course, The Master had acquired them one of the most comfortable cabins.
Hence, she found herself lying next to him on the bed in their compartment, both still sulking.
Hally let out a loud huff and shifted, getting onto her knees and straddling his hips, forcing his hands underneath hers. "Stop it."
"Stop what?" He bit back.
"Stop being jealous or whatever bullshit it is." Her face was inches from his, eyes burning as she stared down at him. Willing him to drop his foul mood.
"You think I'm jealous." His voice was low, tinted with cold mockery.
"I think you're an idiot." She spat. He scoffed at her in response. He was withdrawing, she could feel it. Lashing out at her with what he thought might hurt her. "When are you going to get it into that thick skull of yours that I only want you. You. Just you. I'd let everything else burn. Do you actually understand that? All of them. They could all die and I wouldn't care, so long as I have you." Her voice dropped, compelling him, begging him to listen.
His dark eyes watched her.
"And I'm not just saying that. It's true, you're mine Koschei. All mine. And nothing… nothing is ever going to take you away again." She pressed her mouth against his, pouring everything behind her words into the kiss.
He tried to move, to free his hands in order to grab her waist but she didn't relent her hold on them. A low hum vibrated in his throat before he flipped them swiftly, pressing her into the mattress with a warning hand at her neck. "Jealousy…" He rumbled. "Jealousy implies that I want your attention… that I consider him a threat." His lip curled upwards into a sneer. "But I don't. I already have your attention. I have your… everything. Your whole being vibrates for me." Mentally, Hally locked the door as The Master's hand released her throat in favour of covering her mouth. Shutting her up, he lay his body down over hers, capturing her. "I am allowed to despise the man who looks at you as if he knows you. I am allowed to hate him because he's a fraud and a coward. He knows nothing of you. He dares to judge you. To look down on you. That man should be on his fucking knees for you."
His free hand bunched her skirt up around her waist as he spoke. His intentions far from a mystery, she had felt his needy desire to reclaim her crackling from him from the moment she'd picked up the phone to Harkness. A soft chuckle rumbled from him as he removed his hand from her mouth, shifting to push her skirt up above her undergarments, making quick work of removing those too. His face softened as he resettled above her, eyes scanning her face, his hand pressed to her cheek. His voice, barely a whisper as he spoke. "Oh, I'm not going to fuck you…" He didn't move, his focus solely on her eyes. "I'm going to worship you." He murmured, his mouth lowering to encase hers. His tongue caressed her mouth in a warm greeting before he pulled back, his breath fanning across her face. "I'm going to make love to you, my Queen." He wrapped her up in his arms, encasing her in his hold as he sheathed himself inside her. He cradled her, peppering warm, soft kisses over her lips as her legs wrapped around him, drawing him closer.
When he finally moved, it was slow and almost languid, drawing himself out to edge back in. Savouring every single moment, every movement, every inch of warmth between them.
He does make love to her.
The gentle warmth worlds apart from the rough coupling of yesterday. He pressed closer, melding into her as one. His gaze remained locked on hers, his lips tracing a path of kisses that elicited soft moans from her lips. The rhythm of their synchronized breaths the only sound above the steady thrum of the train. Legs entwined, Hally held onto him as if afraid to let go, the lazy drive of his hips filling her with warmth. He was with her, every kiss, every press of his hips against hers, he was right there with her.
Loving her.
He wanted to love her.
Just that.
Just to love her.
Nothing else.
No games.
No power.
Just them.
Just this.