Title: Belonging (Chapter 3)
Author:
onewhodreams Rating: R
Characters: Ten/Rose, Master, Martha, Donna, Jack
Spoilers: Journey’s End
Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who…the BBC does.
Story Summary: The amount of humans traveling with the Doctor has always been slightly disturbing to the Master since he moved in after that unfortunate experience on the Valiant. But at least Martha, Jack and Donna hadn't minded him shagging the Doctor every chance he got. But since Rose Tyler's moved back in the Master's world has come to a crashing halt. His lover has abandoned him and his journey on board the TARDIS has become unbearable. He plans a rebellion and in the process he wants desperately to get rid of the meddling Rose Tyler once and for all. If you haven't read the previous chapters you can find them here:
Chapter 1,
Chapter 2.
Chapter Summary: The companions need Dr. Jones to help heal the wounded Doctor but Martha is nowhere to be found. Jack and Donna are left to worry, search and try to comfort Rose.
“We need Martha,” Rose lamented as she applied pressure to the Doctor’s still bleeding wound.
“You don’t think the Master…?” Donna let the question fall as she looked around at the worried faces surrounding the bed.
Jack just shook his head, “I don’t know, but before we can find out we’ve got to get that bleeding stopped.”
“I’ll run to the infirmary and get supplies,” Donna offered helpfully. Jack nodded in response but she doubted that Rose had even heard her.
Before she could get to the door Jack grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Donna, don’t go near him. He’s dangerous. I mean it.”
Donna disliked being ordered around, but she knew Jack meant well. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
He didn’t like that answer. They were in a crisis situation here. The Doctor was seriously injured and Martha was missing, he’d be damned if he’d lose another member of their crew. He tightened his grip on Donna’s arm and tried again.
“I mean it, stay away from him. Do you understand.”
“Yes, father,” Donna answered flippantly before yanking away from his grasp and starting for the infirmary. Jack watched her go, a worried frown on his face.
“He’ll be alright, won’t he?” at the sound of her voice his gaze turned back to Rose.
Jack didn’t know how to answer her, couldn’t answer her. The Master was locked up for now but Jack knew how dangerous he could be. If the drums had taken over again they could all be in grave danger.
When he looked at Rose he saw the depth of her love for the Doctor. There seemed to be nothing that could ever separate her from him…but the Master, Jack thought morosely.
He knew about the relationship between the two Time Lords. He knew that they were lovers, had been lovers for a very long time Jack suspected. There was a familiarity between the two of them that only came from a long intimate association. And yet there was enmity there also. The two men warred with each other and fought epic battles across uncharted universes, but when they loved their minds merged, melded. Jack had seen it happen on the Valiant as the Doctor was taken in front of him, seemingly against his will. But there had been a subtle submission in the Doctor, as if there was an unspoken understanding between the two of them. And when they had come together it had been unlike anything Jack had ever known in all his years of experience. He’d been unable to look away.
When the Doctor had brought the Master on board the TARDIS the sleeping arrangements had been obvious enough. Jack had often wondered at how they could be such bitter enemies one moment and such close bed partners the next.
Of course, he couldn’t tell Rose any of this. It was the Doctor’s place to tell her and Jack was certain that the subject of past lovers hadn’t come up any time over the last few weeks with the two of them.
One thing was certain, if anyone’s life was in danger right now it was Rose’s. The Master’s words to him earlier echoed in his mind. He hadn’t been aiming for the Doctor. Jack filled in the blanks to complete the thought…He’d been aiming at Rose.
Donna gathered the supplies they needed and started back to the others. She stopped along the way to call out for Martha and check various rooms but there was no answer, she had simply vanished. She knew Martha was capable of taking care of herself but where was she? After the Master’s attack there seemed to be only one explanation.
His room loomed before her and she stopped outside and listened. Metal clanged against metal as he fought his bonds trying to get free. Curses in every language she recognized and some she didn’t drifted through the door. The Time Lord did have a very colorful vocabulary. Then came a more menacing sound…an underlying rhythm being tapped out. The drums.
They were kept under control while he and the Doctor were together but now…they had driven him to this. She had always known that he wasn’t completely trustworthy, that his madness was never really gone, just well hidden. But now, without the Doctor to counter that madness there was no telling what he had done with Martha. She put a hand to her mouth, worry washing over her, making her careless. She had to find out where Martha was and if she was still alive.
The door slid open at her command and she stepped carefully inside. The Master went perfectly still in his bonds. A strange smile on his lips, as if he’d known she would come to him.
“Hooray, a visitor. Come to let me loose?” he questioned good naturedly.
Donna shook her head, “I’ve come to find out what you’ve done with Martha.”
But the Master had other things on his mind and voiced a question of his own, “Is the Doctor still himself?”
“What d’you mean?”
“He’s still injured, he hasn‘t regenerated?” the Master tried again.
“Yeah, he’s still injured. What d’you think all these bandages are for?”
The Master sighed and rolled his eyes at her, “Are you just here to annoy me to death.”
Donna huffed and started again, “Where is Martha? Have you killed her? Is she alive?”
He let out a mad laugh, “Oh no, I’m not telling you. That’s my little secret.”
Donna was getting very worried, she was yelling now, “Please, at least tell me if she’s alive.”
“Bring me Rose and I’ll tell her where Martha is.”
“What did you say?”
The Master spoke very slowly and clearly this time. Suddenly, he didn’t resemble a madman at all, but a man very in control of his situation. “Bring me Rose Tyler. I will only tell her the whereabouts of Martha Jones.”
Donna nodded mutely then turned and ran from the room, locking the door tightly behind her.