Things were going well.

A pleasant surprise to both of them.

They had been working together for some time, sharing the decisions, compromising, all of it. He had actioned everything he had promised. Martha Jones was no longer being hunted. Everyone now working on board the Valiant, was doing so 'willingly' and with fair pay. She watched him from across the desk, he was typing at the laptop. They were supposed to be discussing how to get South America back on target. They were running behind. The rockets wouldn't be ready. However, Hally had checked out of the discussion around fifteen minutes ago. She'd been distracted by his adorable concentration face. Sometimes, when he totally zoned out and forgot she was there, he'd stick his tongue out in thought. Then she'd starting thinking of all the other things he could do with his tongue.

And it had sort of spiralled from there.

They hadn't had any further problems from Japan since capturing the rebels. Although, Hally could tell that The Master was waiting for her to slip up. For her way of doing things to not work so, he could switch them back to his way. But so far it hadn't happened. Although, South America was currently quite far behind target so there was that. She'd suggested that they simply move the countdown, delay it by a week. But he hadn't liked that idea at all. So as of now, he was running simulations to work out the fastest way to get them back on track. A frown line was beginning to form in the centre of his forehead. He was stressed. Perhaps, what he actually needed, was a way to destress.

Hally moved from her chair, climbing unceremoniously into her husband's lap. The Master had to move away from the laptop as she straddled him, looking up at her in bemusement. She gave him a wry smile and he huffed softly. "This is not helping me fix our problem."

Hally smirked. "No… but it'll fix my problem."

His eyes flashed darkly. "Oh? And what problem is that?" His words dripped with invitation.

She bent down, pressing their mouths together as she ground her hips against his. "That my gorgeous husband won't sleep with me…" She pouted childishly. A chuckle vibrated within his chest, his hands came to her hips and gently pushed her off his groin to settle in the middle of his thighs. He kept her close but turned them in the chair so he could continue to access the laptop. His left hand pressed against her lower back.

"Shall I tell that to the Toclafane, hmm? I'll let the entire planet know that our countdown… the one that's ticking away in the capital cities of every country across the globe… will have to be pushed back, because I was far too busy, fucking my wife." He murmured, looking up at her with a knowing smirk.

"I think that's perfectly reasonable." She quipped back.

He laughed softly, bringing her mouth to his in a firm kiss. She rested her head on his shoulder and let him continue, albeit slowly, his left hand tracing circles into her lower back. It was a soft rejection, but she felt it sting nonetheless. Hally didn't understand why he was still holding out. They'd barely left their courtyard for the past few weeks. Sleeping, working and eating around one another. They wouldn't have left at all, if not to see Alina and for their recent visit to see her father.

The Master had brought it up at the most, inopportune time.

It was evening, the sun had barely set behind the horizon of the earth. They were entangled on the oversized sofa in the lounge. The Master had already removed her top and bra and was now lazily kissing over her chest. She smiled, watching him fondly. There was no intent in his ministrations. Not yet, anyway. He was simply enjoying exploring. Hally moaned weakly as his tongue rolled experimentally over her nipple, his hands ghosting across her skin. He hummed appreciatively against her skin, before turning his head to the side. "Your father has been asking after you…"

Hally shot him a scowl. "And you're bringing this up now, because?" She huffed, the flush in her cheeks emphasizing her frustration.

He smothered his chuckle with the softness of her stomach, shifting so his face was hovering above hers. "I was thinking I could bring you to him, sometime this week. Prove to him you're alive and well." He watched her calmly, but the slight pout of his lips gave away his distaste for the situation. She didn't want to, she made that known with a loud exhale. Being around The Doctor was complicated. It made her nervous.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes, shooting him a look that let him know that she was only doing it for him.

He rewarded her with his mouth at her neck, sucking deliciously at her pulse. A moan fell from her mouth. But, she wanted something else in return.

"… I want to see Jack first."

His gaze snapped back up to hers. Jaw pulsing. "Why?"

"I just want to talk to him. You can be there if you want."

His face shifted into a dark scowl.

"Master…" She reasoned, softly. "I just want to talk to my friend."

The scowl didn't lessen. Instead, he moved down her body, roughly pushing up her skirt. "Fine."

Hally released a strangled moan as his mouth demonstrated just how 'not fine' it was.

"Well, to what do I owe this honour?" Jack drawled, leaning casually against the far wall of the bedroom. Hally crossed her arms at his attitude, eyes quickly scanning over him. It appeared that The Master was leaving him alone. The bedroom was small, with just a single bed and a desk. But it was better than where he'd previously. It would do. The Master had opted to wait outside, no doubt observing them via the cameras.

"I suppose I have you to thank for the upgrade?" He quipped when she didn't respond. "Honestly, I really need to report this hotel. One-star service."

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't have anyone to thank, Jack."

"Oh, so it wasn't your idea?" His eyes flashed with knowing.

She huffed. "Of course, it was my idea. But I didn't do it for thanks. I know it's not ideal…"

He scoffed, cutting her off. "Understatement of the century, Hal."

She considered him. He wasn't wrong to be angry at her. "Yes, probably." She clicked her tongue against her teeth. "But, what exactly would you have me do, hmm? What is the ideal here?" She cocked her head to the side in a silent challenge.

He matched her stance, crossing his forearms over his abdomen. "Oh, I don't know, don't fall in love with a psychopath?"

She winced, shaking her head. "I fell in love with him a long time ago. I don't like what he's done. I want to make it better. But I left him once, and I promised myself that I would never leave him again."

"Even after all this?" Bright blue stared back at her.

"Are you really telling me, Jack… that you've never fallen in love with someone, knowing that you shouldn't… that you really, really shouldn't. But you did anyway." She sent him a small smirk.

He exhaled and the corner of his mouth twitched. "Mmm… I suppose I can relate." He jutted his chin out. "Although none of my ex's enslaved an entire planet."

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well… what can I say, only the best."

He snorted at that. "Mmhmm, your Dads 'arch nemesis' too? You really went all in on the teenage rebellion."

"They're not arch nemeses. They're just dramatic." She shrugged, a mischievous smile tugging at her mouth.

Jack smiled for a moment before the look dropped from his face. There was a flicker of uncertainty, settling on genuine concern. "He hit you."

There was no avoiding that.

"Yeah… he did." She inhaled, looking at the floor. "But…"

"How is there a but, kid?" He cut in. Voice firm.

"I did hit him first." Her eyes trailed back up to his.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Hardly."

"I broke his nose."

"Good for you."

She shook her head, grimacing. "No… it's not…" She scowled. "It's not going to happen again. We've talked about it."

"And hence, all this…" He motioned to the bedroom.

Hally nodded, her face grim.

"I guess it's something." He muttered slowly, considering her. "Are you safe? With him." His eyes swam with genuine concern.

Hally nodded. "Yes."

A noise vibrated at the back of his throat, not totally convinced. "Have you seen The Doctor?"

"Not yet…"

Jack's eyes narrowed as he watched her look away from him. "So, what's the plan?"

"The plan?" She asked.

"Yeah, or are you going to keep us here forever?" The cold edge had returned to his voice.

She grit her teeth. "I haven't really thought that far ahead."

"Master of strategy." He smirked, not kindly.

She bit back, feigning nonchalance. "Not really my thing."

He laughed. "Well, I guess we're all at your mercy then. Aren't we?" His eyes twinkled with something disapproving. Challenging.

She chewed the inside of her mouth. "That's not how it is."

"It kinda is." He shot back.

They were talking themselves in circles. Which she had expected. She knew he was going to be angry, but he needed to accept that she was doing her best. Her eyes flashed, matching his cold mirth. "Well… I guess you'd better start being nice to me then."

He smirked.

The door to his room clicked open behind her. "Time to go." The Master commanded from behind her. Jack's gaze slid from hers to glare over her head. She turned, The Master was scowling openly at the man. She rolled her eyes at them both, sending Jack a look of farewell. He nodded his head back at her.

On the short walk between Jack's room and The Doctor's, The Master bristled irritably. "He was flirting with you."

"No, he wasn't." She shut him down quickly.

He shot her a look of doubt.

She shook her head. "He talks like that with everyone."

"He doesn't talk like that with me." He scowled at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Well. No. Because you've been torturing him."

"It's flirting." He insisted. Rather childishly.

They stopped outside The Doctor's door and she turned to him silencing him with a stern look.

The Master pulled a face, unlocking the door and taking a step back, motioning for her to enter the room with unnecessary flare.

She clenched her jaw, stepping into The Doctor's room. Not dissimilar from Jack's. Her father sat stiffly on the chair at the small desk, his head turned towards her.

The Master followed her inside. "Here you go. One daughter. Not murdered or harmed. Viola." Disdain heavy in his tone.

The Doctor's eyes trailed over her. He looked tired, but at least he would be more comfortable here. Something panged in her chest. She tried to squish it quickly.

"Are you… ok?" His voice cracked with effort.

Hally swallowed. It was a complicated question. "Yes. Are you?"

He nodded slowly, his expression never changed, but a deep sadness swam behind his eyes.

The Master rolled his eyes. "Riveting."

Her face scrunched with discomfort. His eyes hadn't aged. It was still her father staring back at her.

"Right, well… hasn't this been lovely." The Master interrupted the silence, steering her from the room by her shoulders. The door slammed shut behind them and he started leading them back to the courtyard.

She frowned deeply. "Why doesn't he ever say anything…?"

The Master looked at her. "What is it that you want him to say?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Literally, anything."

"Hmm." The Master rolled his jaw, offering his hand. She took it and they both retreated back home.

Alina looked between them both, sitting side by side on the sofa. "You've been working together for a little while now. Managing things together." She nodded. "How does that make you feel? Sharing those responsibilities?" Her gaze turned to The Master first.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, still not forthcoming with his answers. "It's different. But I'm willing to try."

Alina smirked slightly. "You don't think it'll work?"

"I didn't say that." He snapped back. "We have vastly different approaches. We will disagree. I'm not overly looking forward to that."

"You don't like arguing with her?"

"No."

"Do you think her approach is any less than yours?" Alina cocked her head to one side.

The Master considered the question carefully. "Not less than. Perhaps slower." A smug smile played at his mouth.

Hally raised an eyebrow, shooting an irritable look at him. He chuckled. Alina turned her attention to her. "What about you? How do you feel about sharing this responsibility?"

Hally deflated. "It's not something I want. It terrifies me… having power over so many people. I don't want it at all but I'd rather do it together than have him only do it his way."

The Master frowned deeply as if her not wanting to rule had never occurred to him before. "The entire kingdom of An Ghàradh is going to be yours one day. That's an entire planetary system. You can't shy away from that power. Whether you like it or not, it's yours."

She scowled at him, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "I know that… but it doesn't mean I want it Koschei."

His eyes flashed in anger as his name fell from her lips. She sighed. "She's heard it before."

He growled lowly. "That doesn't mean you should use it."

Alina watched the interaction silently.

"It's your name." Hally clarified bluntly.

"No. It's not." He bit.

"It's one of your names."

"My name, is The Master."

Hally made a face of displeasure.

Alina jumped in. "You don't like using that name?" Her eyes were trained on Hally.

Hally sighed, of course, Alina would jump down this rabbit hole. "Not always, no."

"Why?" The human probed.

Hally shrugged, not providing an answer.

Alina raised an eyebrow. "You have no problem referring to your father as The Doctor. So why do you avoid speaking The Master's name when you can?"

Hally let out a heavy exhale, looking up at the ceiling. "Because… it's…" She closed her eyes. "It's what it represents. He uses it to make others feel small."

"Does it make you feel small?" She could hear Alina's pen scratching on paper.

"Sometimes." Hally looked back at the human.

"When would it make you feel small?"

She rolled her neck. "Well… when he's using it on purpose. I know that it's just a name… like I know The Doctor isn't a real doctor." She bit her lip. "But he uses his name to force himself on top." She shot him a look. He watched her. He made no move to deny it. "So, sometimes it bothers me. Because… well." Heat spread across her chest, creeping up her neck. "Because he doesn't need to do that." She swallowed, turning back to Alina. "I am completely and utterly his. As equals. So sometimes I use his other name, to rebalance the scales a bit." A wry smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. "Plus… I like how it sounds."

He cleared his throat. "I thought… you liked using my name… when I…"

The giggle that erupted from her had her covering her mouth. "That's not what I mean. I do like it when you make me use your name when we're..." She pressed her lips together, trying to squish the stupid smile on her face. "When we're… being intimate. Because you give me a choice. I let you take control. It's the times when you steal control that I don't like using it." She explained, trying to be as clear as possible for him. "That first day… on the bridge." His eyes flashed with understanding. After he'd taken control of Earth and he'd lined them up to speak his name. When she had refused him. "Times like that… I won't use it. Because that Master, is not my Master."

The atmosphere in the room crackled, The Master's eyes shimmered hungrily at her words.

Alina coughed, attempting to pull their focus away from where it was evidently going. "You just have one name?"

Both Hally and The Master turned to look at her, she heard The Master's soft taunting chuckle. "Yes. Time Lords have a childhood name and then a name that we pick ourselves." She explained briefly for the human. "I just picked the same name."

"Because she's so original." The Master mocked playfully. She knocked her leg into his, shooting him an impish look.

"Well, at least I'm not a pretentious prick. Honestly, whose name starts with 'The'?" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "The Master… The Doctor. So unnecessary."

He hummed darkly. "Well, nowadays I prefer to go by 'Master of All'."

She groaned loudly, covering her face. "You're unbelievable."

His laugh bounced around the room.

His laptop was now firmly closed.

Her head dropped back, an expression of ecstasy passing across her face as his tongue encouraged her over the edge of her release. He rose to his feet, pulling her mouth to his, demanding entry. She was perched on the edge of the desk, legs wrapping shakily around him.

She whined into his mouth. Nudging her forehead against his. "Why won't you?"

He trailed delicate nibbles down to her neck. "Why won't I, what?"

She groaned in response, her hands grabbing at his belt in response. He caught her wrists easily, moving them away. "Is my wife unsatisfied?" His hand caught her face, squeezing her cheeks in warning.

She mewled, her body was already exhausted. He had satisfied her far too many times. But that wasn't what she wanted. "Do you not want to?" She whispered.

The Master growled deep in his throat, pushing her down on the desk, his body covering hers. "Does it feel like I don't want to?" He rolled his hips against her, his trousers the only thing separating her skin from his erection.

A soft moan tumbled from her mouth. "So why won't you?"

His teeth grazed dangerously down her jaw. "Because… I will not be inside you, until I can be inside you." He retraced his steps with soft kisses, up the side of her face and to her temple. Pressing a firm kiss against it meaningfully. She pouted, catching his meaning.

"So take it off." She whined, stretching out her neck, the golden band heavy against her skin.

He chuckled softly. "No."

She bucked her hips up, rubbing herself over him through his trousers. The Master swallowed a moan. "Why not?" She hissed.

He rocked his hips forward, hissing out a breath at the delicious friction. "What would you do?" He huffed, she could hear it took more effort than normal for him to speak. "If I took it off?" His breath fanned over her face, his body pressing down over hers.

"I'd be yours." She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer.

He groaned. "Yes. But afterwards… What. Would. You. Do?" He emphasized each point with an uneven thrust of his hips. Heat spread across her face, cursing the thin fabric that separated them.

"I'd take you far away, with me." She whispered, meeting his movements with her own. Grinding against him unapologetically.

The Master's jaw clenched and he let out a short breath. "Exactly." His hand hit the back of the desk as he gripped the edge, using the leverage to press harder against her.

She bit her lip, stifling a moan. It was hot. Watching The Master take his pleasure from her. Chasing his own release after so much time meticulously orchestrating hers. Hally hummed, catching his bottom lip between her teeth. He grunted and slammed his mouth onto hers, claiming her. She bucked her hips as his stuttered and stilled, a hoarse groan pulling from his throat.

Hally hummed, a quiet chuckle bubbling in her throat. The Master exhaled deeply, adjusting his trousers.

"Would that truly be so awful?" She whispered.

He opened his eyes, his pupils contracting as he focused on her face. His fingers ghosted her cheek. "No… I want nothing more… but I have to do this first."

Hally shifted and pressed down on the desk, moving them both upright. "Why? What is it you need to do?" She brushed her thumb across his cheek.

His arms pulled her closer to him, their chests touching, his forehead resting against hers. "I wish you could hear them." Pain flickered across his face. "They're so loud. All the time. Drawing me further. Calling me. All. The. Time." He bit out, grimacing.

"You can share them with me… I can help." She looked up at him.

His head tilted downwards, a soft hiss escaping him. "I need to do this. We will take our forces and we will fly across the universe." His hands squeezed her, almost painfully. "It's drawing me somewhere. Maybe when I find it, it will finally be silent." A wild fire was burning behind his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. Somehow, she could not deny him this. If it would help him, she would do it with him.

She leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. "Okay."

He relaxed in her arms, mouth moving against hers gently.

Then, he shifted and let out an irritable groan. "But, as of right now… I need a fucking shower."

Hally pushed off against the wall of the pool, circling her arms out and round as she slid through the water. She was trying to 'unwind'.

Her husband was being annoying.

The food was running out in Europe. As in, the food was basically gone in Europe.

They had been bickering about what to do about it, however, they'd been talking around in circles. They weren't getting anywhere so Hally had decided to leave and go for a swim.

But, unfortunately, the problem had followed her.

More specifically, he had followed her.

"The problem won't go away if you ignore it." He hovered by the edge of the pool, laptop in hand.

"I'm not ignoring it, I just wanted a break." She told him, her voice was level, trying to be the mature adult in the conversation.

He huffed and sat on the edge of one of the loungers next to the pool. He sat back, crossing his foot over the other, staring at his screen. "My plan will work."

She rolled her eyes, looking straight ahead in the direction she was swimming. "Yes, of course, reducing rations to the point of starving them will elongate the food supply. But it doesn't solve the problem long term."

"We're not planning on being here 'long-term'. We have just over 2 months left on this planet, then we're gone. I'm not planning on coming back." He snapped.

She reached the wall, turning and pushing off once more. She sighed. They were disagreeing about multiple aspects of his plan. The Master wanted to simply, launch the rockets and follow, taking the TARDIS with him. Leaving the Earth desolate and barren. Essentially, he would leave the humans on the surface to die.

"Alright… so, if we leave, why can't we leave them to rebuild? What harm does it do you if the humans actually survive you?" She shot him a look, he caught it and pulled a face. She continued. "Plus, are we taking all the 'prisoners' with us too?" Neither of them had specifically said out loud what would happen to the inhabitants of the Valiant once the rockets had launched.

He frowned. "Of course… what else would we be doing with them?"

Hally stopped swimming, placing her feet down and turning to him. "You could just leave them here."

He crossed his arms over his chest, cocking his head to one side. "What… all of them?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. What if we just left? We take the rockets and the stupid Toclafane and we go? Just us." Hally bit her lip, swaying her arms lightly through the water. The Master was staring at her. She'd surprised him

"You'd leave The Doctor here?" He established slowly, checking that he was understanding her correctly.

"If you would."

One of his hands came up to rub down his chin. "He'd come after us."

She shook her head. "Not without the TARDIS. They could all rebuild. He could have the Earth."

She can see that The Master was considering it. He didn't like it. But he was entertaining the idea. Finally, he sighed loudly. "So, what do we do about the food now?"

Hally sunk back into the water. "Well, you said there was a surplus in Russia. So get it moved."

"That's a lot of manpower." He rubbed a hand through his hair. He was sort of sexy when he was in a mood.

She chuckled to herself, pushing off against the floor and restarting her laps. "They're all basically on target now. You can sacrifice a dozen humans to drive food across the borders."

He growled, irritably. "There won't always be a way to 'save' everyone."

"Maybe not. But I will always try."

Alina.

She typed up her notes from the day in the med bay, leaving some handover items for Dr Tomlinson who would be on shift the next day. It had been a quiet one, which she didn't mind. Most of her time she spent mentally preparing for her next session with Hally and The Master. Bringing him in had been a risk, so far it was paying off. But, it certainly added an element of danger to the sessions. But, to her genuine surprise, the pair were actually making progress. She still had access to their surveillance footage, so she was making a habit of checking in each day. Mainly to help her understand the things they were struggling with as a couple, she used it to plan their next sessions. Lists of topics to approach. She still hadn't retouched the topic of Hally's mother. Perhaps it might actually be beneficial for her to talk about it in front of The Master.

Her tablet pinged and she picked it up.

02.02.09: 18:34: USER ID 11813920175

Dr Pearce, please make arrangements to be off ACC Valiant 07.02.09, between 10:00-20:00 HRS

Armitage

Alina frowned. She was being taken off the Valiant for one day? Next week. She checked over her shoulder, the A&E doctor who had helped treat The Master was the only other person in the room, Dr Springer, his attention focused on the blood sample he was testing. She quickly typed a reply.

02.02.09: 18:35: USER ID 16511835

What is it for?

Alina

He responded quickly and professionally, as always.

02.02.09: 18:34: USER ID 11813920175

Details are confidential. Your presence has been requested by 01. Both 01 + 02 will be present.

Armitage

She raised her eyebrows. The Master was taking his wife off the Valiant and had seemingly requested that she go along with them. Interesting. She sent a quick confirmation to Armitage, getting to her feet.

"Luke, I'm going to be unavailable next Wednesday. You might need to rota someone else in." She explained to him. He turned, an inkling of confusion passing over his face.

"Oh? How come? Everything alright?"

She nodded, shooting him a small smile. "All fine." She gave him no further information.

He paused, then nodded quickly. "Sure. I'm sure Tomlinson can cover for a day."

"Great." She sent him a smile, grabbing the tablet as she clocked out for the day.

Martha Jones.

Almost one month ago, she'd stopped being hunted.

Before, every time she'd entered a new country and the Toclafane had gotten wind of her general whereabouts, their presence had increased ten-fold. But for the last twenty-seven days, Toclafane presence had been at an all-time low.

It certainly made her mission easier.

She could move around more easily.

But Martha couldn't help but worry that the reason The Master had stopped hunting her, was because he'd finally killed The Doctor. If The Doctor was dead, would The Master then stop bothering to find her?

Although, if the rumours she'd heard were true, The Master believed that she was searching for a weapon. So even if he had finally killed The Doctor, he'd still need her dead to stop her from returning the favour.

So it was something else.

It was the 3rd of February when one of the leaders of the human rebellion had found her. He'd approached her in New Mexico.

He had brought her an opportunity.

A plan.

If The Doctor was dead, the countdown wouldn't matter.

If The Doctor was dead. They needed an alternative.

The rebellion had an alternative.

They had information.

The Master would be on Earth.

07.02.09

37.71644800775253, -119.66267524882466

They were going to need a distraction.