Chapter Text
Rose crashed to the ground, whamming onto her hands and knees in the dirt. Her lungs burned as well as the tears behind her eyes, refusing to let them fall. In front of her, she saw the Doctor. Also on the ground, being thrown back by an apparent shield the Master had built around him.
What crushed her the most was seeing the Doctor’s face. Sombre, but also … helpless. She never wanted to see that expression on his face less than right now. She needed him to fix this!
The realisation sank in like a ship slipping into the deep ocean. There was nothing she could do. There was nothing the Doctor could do. Therefore – there was no way out.
The Doctor’s face darkened and she instantly felt his presence behind her. Her whole body tensed up, but she didn’t move. It wouldn’t do her any good. Because he did something to her she didn’t understand. Something physical, something that prevented her to run from him. To be far away from him – exactly where she wanted to be.
The other Time Lord, like a deranged, twisted version of the Doctor, crouched down right behind her, suddenly a hand on her bent back with a mocking appeasement. Rose gritted her teeth, her arms that she leaned on jittered with strain.
He leaned even closer. “Go on,” he prompted with an unnerving softness, even pulling a strand back out of her face, before his palm landed on her back again. “Say goodbye.”
Rose wanted to burst out crying. Yet refusing to accept that this was happening.
But as she saw the Doctor’s face, something in her shifted. He couldn’t save her, not this time. But the Master apparently allowed her to go to him one last time. She needed that. And she needed to not fall apart right now.
So she moved, at first from her knees to her feet and then straightening up. Strangely detached. She walked over there like she was floating. Unreal. But endlessly heavy.
She saw the Doctor standing up, focusing solely on her. She saw him building up his inner walls just as she did, protecting himself of what was to come.
When she finally stepped in front of him, they just stared. There were so many things she wanted to say and didn’t know how. Didn’t know if it mattered anymore. Maybe they mattered more now and still, she couldn’t say them.
He was the one breaking the silence. “I failed you.”
Regret climbed up her chest. She didn’t want him to blame himself. “No, you didn’t,” she heard her surprisingly steady voice. “He’s to blame, not you. Don’t do that.”
The Master injected her with something that bounded her to him, the Master shielded himself so the Doctor couldn’t reach him this moment and the Master said that he would leave in his TARDIS and if Rose wouldn’t come with him, she would die.
“I should’ve seen it coming,” the Doctor whispered, his head flinched. “Somehow.”
Her smile was bitter, yet empathetic. “How?” she wanted to make him see that he couldn’t have.
“Because he wants to hit me where it hurts,” he answered, his voice revealing confessions that he wasn’t ready to reveal. “And he did.”
Tears were forming anew in her eyes. She didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to stay strong. “Tell me there’s a chance I’m not gonna die,” she whispered, pleaded, begged. She’d take every chance, however small. “Then I come with you inside.”
She knew the answer. The Doctor’s look was still like a kick in the teeth for her. Every hope, no matter how naive, was swallowed this moment. He opened his mouth to say something, but he didn’t even seem to know what. “I’m so sorry,” he breathed out.
Her hands flew to his cheeks, in a desperate attempt to feel close to him and comfort him. “You saved me more times than I can count. You gave me the universe.” She stopped briefly, trying to stop her voice from trembling. “You gave me so much. More than I ever thought I’d have. And I’d do it again, no matter what.”
The Doctor’s eyes filled with anguish. “But it’s not enough. I can’t save you from this. I can’t save you from him.”
It hurt so much. She tried to cage in all her grief and fear when she wound her arms around him. Feeling him hug her back like he never wanted to let her go. His head in her neck. Not expecting his whisper, “I’ll find a way, Rose. Somehow.”
She screwed her eyes shut. Don’t give me hope. She wanted hope, but it wouldn’t change the here and now. She just nodded, finally untangling. “Please do,” she quivered, feeling so weak and helpless and hating it. He nodded, giving her a promise she wasn’t sure he could keep.
When she stepped back, he held her hand until she was out of reach, slipping away. Rose turned around and stepped away from him, her body trembling as she turned toward the Master. His dark smirk was resting subtly on his face. So self-assured and effortlessly. She stopped, hate in her face. She hoped that the fear wasn’t that obvious to him. “You win,” she said, her voice barely audible.
The Master’s grin widened, gleaming with triumphant. “Good girl.”
She hated how her heart twisted in her chest, how she felt the weight of the invisible chains tethering her to him. She hated the smug satisfaction in his eyes. Hated the way she had no choice. He turned to the side, stretching out his arm to his ship in a mock gesture of invitation. “After you.”
Rose walked slowly toward the Master’s TARDIS, the oppressive gravity of her fate dragging her every step. She stepped into the dark interior of the ship, feeling the cold, sterile atmosphere swallow her whole.
<>
Inside the Master’s TARDIS, the air was thick with tension, restrictive and cold. The walls glinted with metallic precision, the green-ish glimmer so different from the warmth of the Doctor’s TARDIS. Here, everything felt calculated – every corner sharp, every surface immaculate. It felt like a prison, a cage built just for her.
Rose stood in the middle of the console room, her arms wrapped around herself. She hadn’t moved since the door had closed behind her. It was as though her body had frozen, her mind unable to process the reality of where she was – of what had just happened.
Behind her, the Master moved with eerie calmness, his footsteps light, barely a sound as he approached. She felt his presence before she heard him, that dark energy he seemed to radiate. She shivered as he walked past her to console, apparently making them fly off.
Away.
From everything she held dear.
Moments passed and she was so in her thoughts, she startled inwardly when he spoke. “You look uncomfortable, Rose,” the Master said, his voice lilting with false concern. “Something the matter?”
She didn’t answer right away to his mock question. She couldn’t bear to. Instead, she stared blankly ahead, her mind spiralling with everything she just had lost and what would be happening now.
“Is the silence helping you process?” the Master asked, circling around to face her, his grin twisted, as though he was enjoying watching her struggle. “No comforting words from your beloved Doctor. No promises of safety or salvation.”
“Shut up,” Rose hissed through clenched teeth, her voice trembling with fury. “I don’t want to hear your voice.” She had heard it far too often these last days.
He tilted his head. “You’re quite brash for a pet.”
She observed her fingers stretching out in a nervous gesture. “Maybe you should’ve chosen another pet, then,” she mumbled.
And tensed up the moment she felt him move, saw it out of the corners of her eyes. Her heart started pounding against her chest, hating how he could probably tell. He came slowly closer and her breath hitched when his hand found her chin to move it upwards so she would face him. She tried to calm her breathing, eyes defiant. His smile was like a friendly mask with an abyss behind it. “You know why it’s you, right?” he asked. “Being one of his favourite pets?”
Anger boiled in her stomach. “I’m not a pet to him.”
His chuckle was cold. “Right. You’re certainly important – to an extant. That’s why it’s so perfect.” He came a bit closer, she could almost feel his breath. “And now I have you. Leaving him wondering whatever I will do to you. Knowing that you’re mine now.”
She pulled back out of his grip, partly shoving him, even though he barely moved. Only snickering at her – ultimately futile – display of defiance.
She knew the Master did it to hurt the Doctor. She was only collateral damage. It just hurt that he got away with it. That this was her new reality. That he had crafted a scenario so perfectly cruel, so devastatingly impossible to break free from, that even the Doctor, with all his brilliance, had been powerless against it.
“Aren’t you exited about this prospect?” he taunted her.
“I’m not scared of you,” Rose whispered, before she could think better of that obvious lie, led by her irrational hope she could fake it until she made it.
“Your body reactions tell a different story,” he said rather casually. “And you should be.” His swiftly came close again, his presence looming over her. “You’d be smart to be scared.” His subtle grin returned. “Love doesn’t conquer it all,” he mocked. “The Doctor won’t come to save you this time.”
Her grin was spiteful. “Just you wait and see.”
His smile didn’t falter, he watched her with amused pity. “It will be fun stripping away your hope and love you so cling to. You think love makes you strong, Rose?” His head was way too close again. “It makes you weak. It makes you vulnerable. The Doctor knows that better than anyone. He knows love is a trap.” He whispered his following words with a dark finality. “One I’ve just exploited.”
She hated that she didn’t know what to say to that. Because he obviously did. But in her head, other questions and uncertainties were spinning. “So what are you going to do to me?” she dared to ask, trying to hide how much she feared her bleak future behind sarcasm. “Babble me to death?”
She saw his surprised flinch that was still mostly amused. “Oh, Rose,” he sighed, a light shake of his head. “Death won’t come easy to you.”
It wasn’t what she wanted to hear. But she couldn’t react, because he suddenly yanked her with him, clutching her arm. “What the hell,” she shrieked and was thrown into a chair. One whose buckles automatically enclosed her wrists and ankles. Her heartbeat went through the roof, she pulled at her chains, not moving them one bit. She noticed a machine right beside her, quite big and pulsating with fast lights, accompanied by simultaneous humming. He had turned around, but when he faced her again, he had a device in his hands. Longish, like their screwdrivers, but it wasn’t one.
“What are you doing?” she panicked as he came closer, her breath in heavy gasps.
“Don’t worry,” he said nonchalant, but the frantic buzzing of the machine beside her was too overbearing and she had difficulties breathing. His hand was on the side of her face, pressing her head sidewards, revealing her neck. “You won’t die from this.” His voice suddenly close to her ear. “But it hurts like a bitch.”
She felt the cold surface on her neck shortly before pain jolted from her throat spreading through her whole body. She heard her own scream, before blacking out completely.
<>
Rose awoke in a bed. At first thinking that it was all a bad dream. The stuff of nightmares.
Which it was.
Sadly, it was also real. She saw the metallic walls of his TARDIS.
Suddenly, she remembered what happened last in that creepy chair. She skyrocketed, her hand flew to her neck, feeling a faint mark on her skin. With whatever he did to her. She quickly checked her body, but didn’t find anything. Also, she felt fine. Exhausted, but not injured.
She didn’t know if she would have expected that. She also didn’t know what to think of the fact she was in a room with a bed. Granted, it wasn’t the most comfortable bed, but it was more than she feared.
She swung the blanket to her side and stood up, observing this room. It was nothing in it, really. Spare except for the bed. The only thing was the door which she now went for.
She enclosed the knob, really not expecting it to open. She even froze for a second as it did.
Why the hell wouldn’t he lock her in?
She opened the door more, carefully sticking her head out.
It was quiet bar the hum of this ship. It was different of her TARDIS, but still kind of familiar.
When she stepped outside, she paused again, half expecting it to be a trap. But again, nothing happened. So she continued, carefully walking along the halls like a kid that was doing something forbidden. And mustn’t be caught.
She heard her own steps on the metallic floor, suddenly she heard her own breath and felt her heartbeat. She didn’t understand why the door wasn’t locked, but honestly, she wasn’t any good in these halls either if she didn’t find any rooms.
A sudden snicker made her twirl around, but it was like a far away echo. Her heart beat up her throat, but she saw nothing in that hall. The snicker – it had been his voice. She was almost sure. And it made her angry, she suddenly felt like a rat in a lab.
Her hands balled into fists. “So, you’ gonna come out or what?” Her voice echoed against the walls. But there was no response.
She turned the other way and started running. Somewhere. Anywhere.
She prayed for a helpful room, anything other than these naked walls. So when she finally did discover another door, she just took it, going into the room. She heard the door fall shut behind her. And was surprised to see an actual room. Was this the ship’s infirmary?
She immediately moved, searching for something useful, anything. She skimmed over the tables and drawers. Didn’t know what she was searching, maybe a tool to escape? A weapon?
She only registered a sizzling noise a second later. Irritated, she turned around. Seeing something shoot out of little holes in the wall. Some sort of gas?
Oh fuck, she started coughing and had trouble breathing. Using the crook of her arm to protect herself, even thought it barely helped. Alarmed, she ran to the door again, pulling the knob only to discover that it won’t open. “Shit, oh, come oooon!” she cursed, rattling at the handle, finally knocking at the door, just out of panic. She felt the gas clouding her head.
And then, when she had given up hope, the door miraculously opened. She stormed outside, shutting the door close, still coughing violently, not able to move for a moment.
Out. Get away.
She turned, and jumped with shock, as she ran against his chest, trying to shrink back, but he had her wrists. “Snooping, pet?” he sneered.
She was still recovering from the gas, having trouble breathing. “You left the door open! Why shouldn’t I leave?”
He didn’t let go despite her struggles. “Quite right. Everything else would’ve been a disappointment, really. But hopefully, you learned your lesson.”
Her lungs calmed and it’s the first time she looked at him properly. “Lesson?” she repeated more annoyed than was probably clever. “Enlighten me, you’ve been a terrible teacher.”
His chuckle came from deep within, she rather felt it through one of her hands he held to his chest than heard it. She hated his twisted enjoyment. “Then I shall seek to make more clear lessons so even a simple ape like you understands it, shan’t I?” He yanked her closer, the darkness in his eyes more cutting. “Let me break it down to you. I know where you are and what you do, no matter how safe you feel. I’m in charge. You’re mine.”
“I’m not yours,” she spat with venom.
“Oh yeah?” he taunted. “Who else is there?”
“Me,” she couldn’t help spitting out, deep inside knowing she was starting a battle with this.
“That so?” he drawled, his hand suddenly on the back of her neck, twirling her around with a force that made her feel like a puppet, and he pressed her down so she crashed on her knees. She bit her lip to prevent her cry of pain. His head was close from behind, his voice right there. “You want to pretend you have a choice, a say in this?”
“I’ve never said you haven’t any power,” she hissed. “But whatever you do, I belong to me.”
His chuckle was so goddamn unnerving. “Semantics. But sure. Own your choice. Go back into that room or admit that you’re mine to play with.”
She didn’t even hesitate. “Fine, let go of me and I go gladly back in that room.”
His lips drew closer and it send a shiver down her neck. “Enjoy your stay.”
He pulled the door open again and shoved her inside in one movement. Rose didn’t even know if this stuff would kill her, but the adrenaline prevented her from caring. Just to be sure, she checked if the door wasn’t open again in a twisted gameplay, but no such luck. She ran again to the shelves, searching for something, a towel or a mask, something to protect herself with.
She wasn’t really surprised to find nothing. And while her breath vanishing made a part of her panic, the other part was oddly at peace. She decided it, so she’d be okay either way.
With these thoughts, she fell unconscious.
<>
Rose woke up on the cold ground. She groaned, hands touching her head as she turned on her back. When she blinked her eyes open, the room was empty. Completely.
She looked around, trying to figure out if it was the same room. Probably. His ship must have moved all the stuff.
She groaned again – in frustration. Just staring at the ceiling for a few moments.
Maybe she could wish herself away. If she concentrated. Maybe that could work.
She lay there for a while, while her thoughts shifted from wistful thoughts to more practical ones. Eventually, she convinced herself to stand up and try the door.
It opened again.
Even thought it felt less like being trapped, she knew it was an illusion. She still walked outside. What else was there to do?
But the more she walked – the more the hope vanished.
There were no other doors, no more rooms. Just endless halls after halls after halls.
Rose didn’t know if she walked there for hours, but it started to feel like it. And when she suspected it got even longer, she felt panic.
She ran through the halls, she punched and kicked the walls at some point, she didn’t know for what reason. Maybe to let out frustration, maybe to break through, but also maybe sheer desperation. She screamed at some point and eventually cursed him with every nasty word she could muster. Then, she huddled in a corner, sitting, arms around her knees and head into her arms.
Maybe she dozed off at some point, she wasn’t sure. Time and moments were blurring. She was tired and hungry and wondered if he had just forgotten her. But he probably did it on purpose, trying to drive her insane. Just like him.
She chuckled at her own joke involuntarily. At first quietly, but something more hysterical bubbled up, and the laugh got louder, echoing against the empty walls. Like it was hilarious. Honestly, it was the most hilarious thing in a long while. Wasn’t it?
Tears shot into her eyes, but she seriously didn’t know whether they were because of sadness or simply because of her laughter. She had closed her lids and she never expected that opening them would reveal the Master squatting right in front of her. “Fuck you,” flew out of her mouth, her body jerking. It was a mixture of being startled and hating his guts.
“How are you, Rose?” he asked with a knowing grin.
“Fine, how are you?” she snapped utterly dry. She was in a strange mood.
He seemed okay with it, chuckling under his breath. “If you’re comfortable, you can stay here.”
“As opposed to what?” she spat.
“How about a chair?” The smile around his lips was dark, his look pointedly.
She understood a second later, trying to jump up on instinct with a protesting “No!” but he caught her in his iron grip, already dragging her along. Apparently, his TARDIS decided to finally give them a door. It led to the control room. And to that creepy machine, already pulsating with light and humming.
She tried to struggle, groaning in anger and frustration when he was simply stronger, pushing her on that chair that already caught her in its clutches. She stared daggers at him.
“I thought you would welcome a change of setting.” He turned around, fetching something. She soon saw it was the device he used on her last time.
“No, I’ve already done this, can we do another?” she quipped. She was tense, but she felt like whatever she did, it didn’t matter anyway. Which was quite liberating.
He turned to her with a malicious grin. “Oh, you don’t wanna see another setting,” he promised darkly.
“Not a fan of this one either,” she just let her attitude run free. Because he’d do it either way.
When he came closer and drove the device near her neck, she pulled stubbornly back, imagining her eyes had lasers or something, to burn his fucking smirk out of his face.
She didn’t expect him to pause, watching her with an annoyed plea under a wall of sadistic pleasure. “You don’t have to make this harder.”
She huffed, her lips trembled in anger. “Oh yes, every step of the way,” she whispered matter-of-factly.
“You know I’ll win,” he said rather calmly, feeding the intensity of their closeness. “You know I’m in charge.”
Her feeble grin was bitter. “I take every time you’re annoyed with me as a win.”
“I doubt it’s the way to go about it, but fine,” he said almost bored, but his voice became more demanding. “Hold still and show your neck.”
“Or what?” she mumbled, but already regretted it. His hand shot out to grab her chin and she pulled out of it out of reflex, only to see real impatience behind his eyes and he grabbed it again, much harder. Pushing her head to the side. And using his device.
It felt like she was electrified alive, her body jolted in her seat and she let out screams she could not cage in with all the will in the world. Her vision blanked and she felt like her body would explode, shattering all over his consoles.
She did not expect the pain to vanish.
After what felt like an eternity, the unbearable ache ebbed away, leaving her exhausted and confused.
“Hmm,” came it thoughtful from the evil Time Lord standing in front of the console. Arms crossed and one finger tipping on his lips like he was deciding which pizza he should order.
“What the fuck …” she breathed, everything felt absurd to her in the most horrific way.
“You’re awake this time,” he noted almost casually.
“I wish I wasn’t,” she slurred sarcastically, still feeling like she wasn’t really there.
“Isn’t it more fun this way? Now I can play a little longer with you.”
Her head sunk as a quiet sigh escaped her. “You’re pathetic.”
“What was that?”
She looked up, beyond reason and beyond caring. “You,” she spat, “are a pathetic little worm.”
He looked at her with a frozen grin, like he didn’t know whether to be amused or appalled. She felt a little triumph in making him speechless for a second, but mostly she felt like she was watching him from afar. “I thought I hated you, but honestly, I pity you.”
She saw something flash through his eyes, but had no idea what it meant. She didn’t know how she had the balls to say what she said. It must be a mix of being half delirious and feeling hopeless and forlorn.
She only noticed a moment later that he strolled forwards. Slow and purposeful. When he was in front of her, he leaned forwards, his hands found the armrest she was bound to. She looked up, seeing a predator watching his prey. When he spoke, it was slow, almost purring and challenging. “And what is it you pity about me?”
That he rose to the bait alone, made her almost smile. “Hit a nerve, didn’t I?” she countered. Fine, she couldn’t care less. “I pity that your self-esteem must be so small that you have to make yourself feel better with torturing someone who is already down.”
“Oh, Rose,” he sighed lowly. “You don’t know what torture is.”
She ignored her shudder from his threat. “You have to put someone down to boost your ego, that’s pathetic,” she continued. “You’re here with nothing better to do than putting someone down who has no chance of winning in the first place. What about that scratches your itch? You lonely, sad loser.”
She ignored the looming consequences, just savouring the fact that he didn’t seem to know what to do with that. For a moment. He didn’t break eye contact, as if he wanted to scrutinize her. The incredulous grin still lingering somewhere on his face. She didn’t expect him to shoot forward, making her flinch. “There’s a lot scratching my itch right now,” he hissed. “Bending you to my will, finding out your weaknesses, knowing I could tell the Doctor what I’m doing to you without him having a chance of doing something against it.” Okay, now she felt anger running through her veins again. “Also,” he nudged even closer. “I am not alone,” he added with a mock tenderness. He skimmed her face with a twisted intimacy. “I’ve got you now.”
She couldn’t help the cold shiver running down her spine. She was at his mercy. But she was also glad she got all of that out and that it obviously did something to him – however small.
She didn’t respond anything, she was simply tired. He pulled back at some point, going to the side. She didn’t really care what he did until she heard a water stream. He turned her way, drinking demonstratively his glass of water, letting out a satisfied sigh afterwards.
He was a sadistic arsehole.
She felt her dry mouth just a bit more. “If you don’t feed your pets, they’ gonna die,” she drawled cynically.
The corners of his mouth twitched in an almost appreciative way. “True. You want some?” He stretched out the glass.
Her skin bristled at this obvious game. “Do I want to die of thirst? No.”
His eyes narrowed. “At any cost?”
Her inner sigh was heavy. She didn’t have an answer. So she was caught between her need to fight back and a healthy amount of pragmatism. Doing neither, in the end.
Eventually, he pulled his hand back. “Why don’t you think about that in your room, hm?”
She didn’t say anything to that either.
<>
Rose didn’t leave her room. There was really no point.
She sat on the floor, her back against the bed frame. Her thoughts wandered, at first incoherently, then, at some point, contemplating her life choices. She remembered a school trip where she had forgotten to bring her bottle of water. She didn’t have any money to buy one and didn’t dare to ask someone else. Not at first, at least. She knew how she had thought she could never do a survival training, hating being thirsty. And that had only been a few hours.
She had no idea how much time had passed. She wished for something to pass the time, anything to not go crazy and to be distracted from being thirsty and hungry. That feeling was almost worse than the pain from that stupid device.
Almost.
She slept at some point, no idea how long. Waking up even thirstier and hungrier, her stomach beginning to feel like it ate itself away. She groaned in anger, throwing her blanket to the side and her legs over the edge of the bed. She wanted to stand up, but where the fuck should she go?
So she ended up sliding on the floor again. Down. How she felt.
Her fists balled and her head sank for a moment, barely preventing herself from screaming against the ground. Then, she took a deep breath. Choose your battles.
She looked up, trying to detach herself from her feelings. Choose your fucking battles.
After summoning her strength, she finally called out into the empty space. “Are you there?”
Nothing happened.
Screw him.
“I want that glass of water, you hear?” she tried again.
When she assumed he just wouldn’t react, her door finally creaked open. Revealing him. Questioning, but satisfied. After a moment, he walked towards her. Leisurely. He sat down in front of her with a bit of distance, actually placing a bottle of what she assumed was water in front of his crossed legs. Observing her.
“Do I get it?” she tried not to sound too flippant.
“Will you be behaving?”
What the fuck did that even mean? “What have I done that was so ill-behaved?” she genuinely wanted to know.
His hand found the bottle, not breaking eye contact. “Not understanding the rules,” he empathised. And continued with a soft voice, prompting her. “Who’s in charge?”
She tried to suppress a moan of annoyance, tried to ignore the shiver of disgust, tried to push down obstinate impulses. It was rather obvious who was in control. “You,” she forced out.
He stretched out his arm, the bottle sliding across the floor with it. But his eyes darkened and he didn’t let go. “Of whom?”
She gritted her teeth, not sure if giving in was weak or smart. It didn’t matter. She wanted that water. So she bit the bullet and swallowed her pride. “Me.”
Hearing the word in the quiet room hurt a lot and she wanted to punch the satisfied grin out of his face. He let go of the bottle and leaned back. She fetched it, not able to hide her anger.
And while he seemed disgustingly pleased, she had only one thought. It was certainly partly delirious, because she was hopelessly overpowered here. Still, it was running relentlessly through her mind … Game on.