World's always ending. And I have missed that coat.

[cpt_51century]

"There's one thing I always wanted to ask Jack. Back in the old days. I wanted to know about that Doctor of his. The man who appears out of nowhere and saves the world; except sometimes he doesn't. All those times in history where there was no sign of him.. I wanted to know why not. But I don't need to ask anymore. I know the answer now: Sometimes

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[iehcsok]

"Like I said, we're from the future. We don't have long to talk, timelines and all that, you just have to listen to me. Valeyard is coming back and when he does, bad things are going to happen. You need to put a lock on the TARDIS to prevent him travelling, I don't care how but do it," that was an awkward request but it was worth a shot, it wasn't the true plan but it was a pretty good one if it worked.

Putting his hands in his pockets, he met the Doctors eyes the best he could. His body language was cocky and arrogant as ever but there was a sort of pain behind it, it was all in his eyes, he wasn't comfortable.

"Stop freaking out and make sure you take note, got it? Of everything we say. It's important that you have to put up every security you can against Valeyard. Stop him."

Turning his head, he offered Jack a small frown. Well, was he going to add anything?

[notsoperfect10]

"Vale--" Jack wasn't going to get a chance to say anything. The Doctor had just been delivered entirely too much 'heavy' news and right now? Right now he was still reeling from the whole 'drums are real' issue. Drums were real. Master was alive and madder than ever. But also travelling with Jack Harkness...oh, and the Valeyard was coming?

Give a Time Lord a break, Master!

He climbed up the skiff and Jack immediate tugged the man he hated back, upsetting the wound on his back. The Doctor picked up on it right away.

"You're hurt!"

[iehcsok]

The MAater winced and turned around, whacking Jack on his surprisingly solid arm. Ouch, that actually hurt to hit him! Snarling, he toyed with getting into a fight but he was sort of in the middle of warning and stuff so now was not the time. "Watch it, you revolting freak or I'll tear your skin off."

Turning his head back to the Doctor, he received a rather similar look of anger and frustration.

"Well I won't be if you do what I said. Valeyard proof your mind, your TARDIS and your screwdriver," the Master demanded because he didn't need be near either of these two right now and the sooner this was sorted, the better things would be for him.

The Doctor made his skin crawl just as much as Jack these days.

[cpt_51century]

It wasn't the Doctor's fault that he happened to look like the Valeyard did. It really wasn't. He frowned at the Master as he finished climbing the hill and tried to lay his hands on the other man's shoulders before he yanked himself back.

Oh. Kay. So that didn't help. "Tell me what happened!"

"Spoilers," Jack sing-songed like River Song, humming softly and sweetly all while looking incredibly menacing. How had he managed to pull that off anyhow?

Nevermind. No, really. Never mind. The Doctor didn't have time for that. "Start from the beginning."

[iehcsok]

"We can't give all the details, you moron-- see this is why you should of actually paid attention when we were discussion time and the implications of crossing them in class. We covered this!" And Theta had slept through the whole lesson, drooling on his worksheet and mumbling something about omega.

And on top of all of that... he was kind of embarrassed to say the truth. Which was fair surely.

"Like freaky said, spoilers. We can't tell you but Valeyard will come back because you're a whiny pathetic little child who can't cope with the fact that your face will change. Big deal, you know you're not dying, not really, you're just too vain to give up that pretty boy look," the Master ranted in anger, of course he was frustrated that the Doctor brought Valeyard out because of this. A simple regeneration?

He'd done it about 15 times now and he was clearly still the same man, give or take a beard.

"Grow up and contain yourself, got it?"

[notsoperfect10]

The Doctor put his hands on either side of the Master's shoulders and it was all Jack could do not to toss the Time Lord back into the valley. He wasn't normally this violent, but the Doctor brought out the worst in him. Even this one, who still had no idea all of the awful things he was going to do to Jack just because...

Well, because of this. His little crisis of faith in himself and the loss of himself to soemthing else.

Jack's grip on the Master tightened and he pulled him back, almost possessively.

"I don't--" The Doctor frowned and nearly head butted the Master as his set his forehead against the other man's. Well that had helped last time!

[iehcsok]

It was somewhat overwhelming to have two men he didn't this close to him so he reacted like the cheetah he once was by lashing out at both of them. He elbowed Jack in the gut and did what the Doctor failed to do, he head butted him quite hard. Which nearly knocked him senseless admittedly but he was in flight or fight mode.

Fight was done, now was time to put a nice distance between them all, he backed up and jogged back a fair space to get himself out of that horrible situation.

"Stop touching me! You both make me sick, you make my ears ring and my teeth itch! Just get off!"

Taking a deep breath, he tried to regain his senses. he was meant to be giving a warning, not getting into horrible awkward situations.

[cpt_51century]

Jack wasn't planning on helping the Doctor up, but seeing the Time Lord floundering made the immortal reach down and take his elbow. "You're the one that hurt him, Doc. He's skittish. Don't touch him."

"Captain--" He was hurting him. Oh, yes, Jack knew that. He was squeezing too hard but-- But he really didn't care right now. Let the Doctor wince for more than just the itchy feeling in his teeth.

"Do what he said, Doc. Keep that person inside of you or you're going to hurt him worse."

Jack let go and dialed up the vortex. "C'mon, Saxon. In you go."

[iehcsok]

The Master composed himself to full height and adjusted his tie, which through days of wear had become knotted and unkempt. He glared at the Doctor as he slipped past him carefully, just to avoid any extra touching. "Naismith manner. Hurry up would you, don't forget your granddad either."

The Master bit his lower lip before he headed into the vortex. Which, by the way, was not a fun way to travel still.

He landed on the floor in Jacks flat once more and, once again, he bumped the raw skin of his back against the wall nearby. Wincing, he bit down harder on his lip. Okay, this was just getting insane, he was in bloody agony.

When Jack made it through the vortex, he met the mans eyes with a sort of reluctance. "I have decided that it would be best if I saw the Sisters."

And yes, that was totally his idea, not yours Jack."

[cpt_51century]

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yeah all right, in a little bit." He was not the other man's chauffeur. He needed to check the timeline out first. Jack flicked through the channels on the television and booted up his computer, absolutely ignoring the Master and the puss-like scent that clung to him.

He'd learn, Jack decided, not to fuck with him in the future. Well. One could only hope at least.

Jack worked for the next two hours, growling softly as he scanned Torchwood's computer drives on back up only to realize that...

No. "Shit. Fine. Saxon?"

[iehcsok]

Really hope you didn't love this carpet but one thing definitely was going to have to change now. Especially since the Master vomited on the rather lovely carpet. Oh yes, Time Lord vomit, not many people got to see that, rejoice and all.

The pain had built up an uneasy amount and he couldn't help it, everything just went a bit black and it was an involuntary thing. He'd been in agony for the past hour while Jack played Torchwood moron.

Coughing, he leaned against the wall and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"You deserved that," he croaked out, the Master did say he wanted to see the sister! Really, Jack should of reacted soon and listened to his brilliant idea. The infected wound had not only left him quite ill but it was not looking good, it was cling to the bandages and the blood and pus had leaked out... the back of his shirt was not a pretty sight.

Well, could be worse. Somehow.

[cpt_51century]

"Not really my apartment, so I don't care," Jack informed him coldly. "Next time take the help when I offer it."

So, another vortex trip, which was even harder on the Master than usual given the state of his back. Jack was going to end up having to carry him before too long, but luckily, the sisters were quick with getting a stretcher out to him.

A novice came out to get him a few hours later and Jack sighed, apologizing to the woman he'd been flirting with, before he followed her in. "We were able to save all of his skin. The infection was stopped and in two hours, he'll be fine."

Jack nodded. "Thank you, Sister," he said respectfully before sitting down beside the Time Lord.

[iehcsok]

When the Master woke up, he didn't want to see Jack. But he did. He was lying on his side to prevent his back getting worse, he had been lying on his front but he'd kept rolling over in his sleep. He didn't sleep much, Time Lords didn't really. The Master especially. They had put a lot of drugs in him to speed him through this whole thing. He wasn't meant to of woke up for another hour but he was stubborn.

And he was feeling pretty dopey right about now, it was hard to focus.

"The skies aren't red," the Master informed Jack as he looked around before frowning deeply at the ceiling as if it had wronged him. Who knew, the Master made some very odd enemies, why couldn't ceiling be one of them.

Looking Jack right in the eyes, he smiled an almost friendly smile. "I still hate your guts, freakshow. One day I will rip your face off so you can't grin at me ever again."

Ah how touching.

[cpt_51century]

"Won't work," Jack said, grinning all the harder because, let's face it...there was no hope for either of them. The situation was just...painfully amusing. Emphasis on the painful. "I'll just grow a new face and grin at you a bit more."

He propped his cleft chin up on his palm and gazed down at the Master, at the way his eyes seemed to move all over, swimming and restless. Ah, to be high-- Jack was jealous. The effects never lasted all that long on him... Yes, he was sad too.

"But you know...when we finally pull this off, I'll let you try, how's that? Now relax. We didn't do it. We'll have to try again."

[iehcsok]

"Course it didn't work, he's too emotionally distressed to listen. And I headbutted him, I probably knocked what little sense was in his head. I dunno why I did that," the Master confessed, trying to focus his mind as he slumped downwards again. He'd never been one for physical violence, creative torture sure, but never typical brutish actions

[cpt_51century]

"We have to try again. You want to give up so easily? Don't be an idiot. You're better than that." Jack leaned back in his chair, hands folded over his lap as he watched the Master try to get his eyes to focus on something. "Your childhood is timelocked. What about something closer? First time you both left Gallifrey?"

Maybe they really shouldn't be discussing that right here. All eyes and ears were on them and Jack rolled his own eyes. Oh honestly, people needed to might their own business! He minded his--

Okay, he didn't. But he was allowed.

Sort of.

"So...I don't know. Rest. And we'll get out of here in a little while."