IT'S SPOOKENIN' TIME!!!

2017 Holiday Cards!

Hey everyone! So, here’s the deal. I have a holiday tradition that’s spanned about ten years across a lot of different social media platforms, where I make holiday cards and send them out to fandom friends/followers/anyone else who would like a holiday card. It’s a tradition I have every intention of continuing this year. Consider this your invitation. <3

How to get a card

All you need to do is message me where you would like your card sent and what name you would prefer be on it absolutely no later than December 10th, 2017 to make sure I have time to get them all made and sent out. 

Frequent Questions: 1. I don’t celebrate Christmas… Can I still get holiday mail? YES! If you don’t celebrate Christmas and still want a card (Winter card, Hanukkah, ‘Happy Holidays’ but not Christmas card, etc), please let me know. I’ll do my best. ^_^ 2. I live over seas; can I still have a card? Yep. I’ll send a card to wherever you’re at. 3. I wanna send you a card too! Can I have your address?  Absolutely! I love holiday mail <333 You can message me for my address.

4. I want a card, but I probably won’t send you one in return. Can I still have one?  Of course! I’m sending out cards because I want to. You aren’t obligated to send me one at all.

5. Do I have to reblog/like this post? Not at all, though you’re certainly welcome to. This is an open invitation to folks <3

Feet on the ground

     You’ll come around

          And be human again

you know what that means…

It’s time to get

––but in lieu of that, leave it to the Captain to find him an outfit that was hardly an outfit at all.

    For now, his drinking companion was nowhere to be seen, and taking the opportunity, the Doctor found a darker corner of the pub to sit and sulk, drink in hand as he watched a group of partygoers dancing nearby.

Enthralling as planetary takeovers were, he had to get out once in a while. That he picked this of all places was really just coincidence. He looked a little out of place as well dressed as he was, but there was no real reason to stoop to this particular nonsense. 

He didn’t see the Doctor at first, only noticing once he’d ordered at the bar and turned to lean against it. Much to his credit, he didn’t laugh. He only barely even cracked a smile, and from the distance, could only make out enough of the metal arm to be certain this Doctor was the right one. 

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

The pain in the Master’s voice was obvious, and though he didn’t plan on focusing on that, it still tugged uncomfortably at the Doctor’s hearts. He hadn’t been the one to try and manipulate the other Time Lord, but he was well aware that it just as easily could’ve been. The dice roll just happened to favor him that time around.

“Yes, well, I’m sure he would. Ego’s clearly been my downfall more than once, and he’ll still be chalk full of it.” Not that he wasn’t, of course, some things couldn’t change entirely, but it was far more rational these days, or so the Time Lord hoped. Seemed that way.

The Master’s question was similar to the ones he’d been asking himself for months. You already know how he thinks, Bucky had told him, plan for it. But it hadn’t been quite so simple as that. On his own the Doctor was pulling bits and pieces of the situation at a time, trying to fit them together. The way the Master piled everything together was probably a better was to approach this, and it made him think it through from a different angle. Hadn’t thought about Donna.

There’s a heavy sigh, but other than that the Doctor stayed quiet for a moment as he thought it all over. What would he do? What would he be feeling? It was hard to say, not knowing the details of what the other Doctor had gone through, but if he could guess, and make it close, well at least that would be something.

“I’d want to see her, obviously, but no matter what the Master has done to his head, if he still cares for her, I can’t see him putting her in harms way. And anywhere near the other Master would certainly be that, unless…hold on, putting you on speaker for a moment. Need to check something.”

The moment he’d hit the button he was already scrolling through old text messages, looking for his most recent conversation with the other Doctor, and trying to remember the details of what the Master had shown him from the time spent on board their ship. 

“Following along that pattern, here’s a question for you. Say you’re stuck on board a TARDIS that isn’t yours, and never will be, with a version of me that has no real interest in you that’s angry and desperate to get back at the duplicate of himself with the family he abandoned you for in the first place. I mean, I can see why getting rid of all of us would be appealing to the Master, but I don’t think the other Doctor would let that happen. So why go along with any of it?”

“And I’d appreciate that,” he continued, whatever mild stress he was feeling waning a bit at the offer. Safest option would be for the Doctor to keep his distance as he had been, of course, but if there was an emergency, it was nice to know he’d have somewhere to go. “Either way, I wouldn’t want to bump into any of your soldiers by mistake.”

“Well, considering she’s regrettably stuck with me as her other father, having you as her advisor might not be such a bad idea, at least to start,” the Doctor replied, chuckling again. “I’m absolute rubbish for anything along that vein, so hopefully she wound up with your superior genes. Suppose once she gets a little older, her organizational habits would be a fair tell.”

The Master snorted. Ego was plenty a problem for both of them. It was just that the Master wasn’t above swallowing his to make sure he came out on top. He smile slightly into the phone. “At least you’re consistent in that respect.”

He watched Donna as he listened to the Doctor, trying to think how the other Doctor could get what he had to want. Other Master or not, he didn’t believe for a second that getting Donna wouldn’t be the end goal. In a hurry to make sure he and the Doctor were on the same page, he nodded to the guards to watch over Donna while he headed for his TARDIS.

The other Doctor was still a bit of a mystery to the Master. It was hard to know just how badly this had gone. The other Master, on the other hand, was everything he might have become if the timeline had gone just a little differently. He wasn’t quite that monstrous, but he understood it. 

“It would have to be worth it to me,” he mused, chewing at the inside of his cheek as he thought on what circumstances would meet that criteria. “Either I plan to double cross the Doctor and take the TARDIS, I have reason to believe the Doctor is going to cave to my preference to kill everyone, or my end goal isn’t to change the future... but maybe the past instead. I’ve rewritten the universe to my liking before. Even better, that doesn’t stop me from double crossing the other Doctor.” 

He hadn’t seen enough of the interaction between the other Master and the other Doctor to have much idea of what was true, but it was a start. Inside the TARDIS, he made a beeline for the console, transmitting the data he’d collected. “I’m sending you everything I’ve got on them. Hopefully, it helps.” 

Whatever his intentions, he was a bit glad that his endeavors left the Doctor with a safe place, even if it was just a last resort. “I’d rather you didn’t run into them either. They’re quite effective.”

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

As much as the Doctor had taken to leaving the Master out of his personal plans over the years, he wasn’t about to do so this time. If the Master truly wanted anything to do with what the Doctor himself was up to these days, all he had to do was ask, and if the Doctor knew better than to make any promises, the sentiment was in the reassurance he chose all the same. “I won’t.”

“You did?” It was an unintentional interjection while the Master was in the middle of explaining, but he managed to bottle the rest of his surprise enough to listen properly. Was quite the relief, that, even if it didn’t last. “That…would be brilliant, actually. Very helpful. By all means, send me whatever you’ve got on them, it’ll be good to have physical data to sift through. Feels like I’ve been chasing ghosts.”

The Doctor could tell that on some level, the Master was enjoying this, but it was hardly an off-putting thought. If anything, serious as the situation was, it only gave him confidence that whatever was coming, one way or another, they’d handle it. Possibly even together. It was a nice thought, and he hardly missed the way the Master was referring to the two of them. He’d been doing the same himself without realizing. As pleased as he was with the conversation, it was a much needed comfort he hadn’t had in a long while.

“That’s actually the idea that has me the most concerned,” he admitted once the Master had brought up the possibility of them trying to distract him. “Haven’t bumped into them in person, but they’ve been leaving unfortunate surprises for me to find while I’ve been traveling. They usually end with an attempt or two on my life, but as much as they’re making it appear as though my death could the end goal here…well, let’s be honest. Wouldn’t be all that difficult for them to manage if it came down to it. Long as they cut out the extensive theatrics.”

Funny to talk about something so threatening is such a cavalier sense, but for all the time he spends with his life in danger, it’s obviously a very calculated danger. Never too much for him. If anything, he’s far more worried about the humans he’s picked up than his own life currently. Close calls or not. 

“Thought for a while they were just trying to get my attention, but they have to know they’ve gotten it by now, so why all the secrecy?”

Honestly, for the moment, it had the Doctor stumped. Two heads were better than one, though, or so the saying went. Two Time Lords were certainly better, which is what he had against him right now, so if his Master wanted to help, even if the Doctor wanted to turn it down (which he didn’t) he’d be a damn fool to do so.

But he hadn’t called to bump ideas off the other Time Lord, helpful as it might be, and the way the topic shifted again made him chuckle lightly. 

“Should’ve known one wouldn’t be nearly enough to satisfy you. Probably best for Donna to start small, but you mentioned that she’s already got her security detail wrapped around her little finger, so she’s obviously a natural. You’ve got a few planets, but at this rate she might just charm her way through a galaxy or two in the same amount of time. Considering her parentage, I wouldn’t put it past her.”

The Master wasn’t looking for promises this time. The Doctor’s assurance seemed to be quite enough for him at the moment. 

“Of course. No amount of loving someone is enough to make me blind. As much as I’d have liked to think otherwise, your other self was only trying to toy with me.” It still hurt, and that bled into his voice as he explained, but at least it wasn’t making him angry with the Doctor on the other end of the phone this time. The perhaps unintended consequence of the other Doctor’s efforts was that it was getting easier for the Master to differentiate between them. Whatever face he wore, the man he’d spoken to by the pool wasn’t his Doctor. Not any longer. “Unfortunately for him, he overestimated his ability to outmaneuver me.”

The Master was too deep in thought to care much about the emotional toll of things. There was clearly something missing. He had precious little to draw on himself, outside his interactions with the other Doctor. He’d seen enough to know what the other Doctor thought of him and Donna though. “Okay. So you’re stuck on a TARDIS with your universe’s version of me, which can’t possibly be tenable in the long term. I’m shocked neither of them has regenerated yet. Something in you is so warped that all you can remember of the two of us is like poison, and you’re obsessed with our daughter, but you can’t even remember her face. What do you do about it?”

There was no suggestion in his tone that he thought this Doctor was the same creature, but he trusted the Time Lord on the other end of the line. It was a puzzle, and a dangerous one, but if he had to be in the middle of this mess, he was glad to be on the same side as the Doctor. 

“I probably ought to send you that thing, even if you don’t fancy a visit. I have expansion plans and the shoot to kill order stands... everywhere I control. I figured the more of the universe that’s under my thumb, the fewer places they have to hide.” It was small thing a handful of planets among so many, but he could have just as easily told the Doctor to simply stay away from them. The offer was the closest thing to safety he could give, a subtle way of expressing... something.

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

“At least I’m consistent.” The Master didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the Doctor’s laughter. “I could help you, you know.”

It was an offer the Master had complicated feelings about, because the situation itself was complicated. In his mind, this was, perhaps, the Doctor’s problem. Only, this had all started because the Doctor hadn’t just let him help in the first place, and he was as much feeling out the space between them as he was extending an olive branch. 

The Master may not have been terribly enthusiastic about the company the Doctor kept, but he appreciated the honesty inherent in the other Time Lord choosing to tell him. 

He jumped at the chance to talk about what he had in mind. This was more fun anyway, and if anyone was likely to appreciate his brilliance, it was someone as intelligent as the Doctor (even if the Doctor was also an imbecile). “Well, it turns out that weapon works on just about any organic material I’ve come across. I’m working to adapt it to something bigger and perhaps effective on a target that is more… hybrid of organic and inorganic material. A TARDIS, for instance.”

At his roots, the Master had enormous capacity for cruelty, and on the surface, it might have sounded like he was gravitating back to his worst habits. For a second, he thought about letting the thought sit exactly where it was, but if there was anyone he was willing to let in, it was the Doctor. “A Time Lord without a TARDIS is considerably less of a threat.”

Despite the subject matter, the Master chuckled. “I can’t fault you for that. I’d vote for her too.”

Trust had been a difficult thing for the Doctor to manage for a long time. Sure, he’d had it in his own way, but between his own ego and the way his trust it was tangled in so many fearful ‘what if’s’ by the end, it meant very little, if nothing at all. It was something he’d been learning in the time he’d been away, and if there was a slight pause of surprise at the Master’s offer (the Doctor had made his own bed, of course, he’d long since accepted that) it spoke to just how much progress he’d made that he didn’t dismiss it out of hand.

“I appreciate that, but I’m alright for now, I think. Nothing I haven’t been able to handle so far, anyway, though admittedly there’s been a few close calls. Well, not too close, obviously, but closer than I’d like, so I certainly wouldn’t stop you if you pressed. Actually, I’d be glad to have the assistance. Not quite sure what to make of those two. They keep causing trouble, must be up to something, but I can’t figure out the pattern.“ 

Other than that it was generally directed at him, of course. Hadn’t killed him yet, though. Hadn’t honestly tried to, as far as he could tell. Different as they were, both Masters were generally the same man, which meant his ex-lover would likely have a better idea of what his counterpart was thinking than the Doctor seemed to, or at least as well as the Doctor knew his duplicate. Hopefully better, because while he could track certain motives, the Doctor couldn’t help but feel he was missing something terribly important. 

The Doctor was more than happy to listen to whatever projects the Master might be working on, but that one caught him by surprise, if it didn’t worry him the way it once might have. Between the relationship he’d had with the Master’s TARDIS, and the one he was trying to develop with the one he was currently piloting, he held a great deal of sympathy for the TARDIS left in the other Doctor’s clutches. Between the way she’d been abandoned by her last Doctor and whatever those two were putting her through currently, she’d been through enough, hadn’t she? 

Still, whatever he felt, his family’s safety was priority, and if that meant the destruction of their ship, so be it, and the sad truth of it was that even if they’d somehow managed to save her, it wasn’t as though they had any other pilots lined up so they could pass her on. Maybe it was better that way.

“Ah, I see. Brilliant, as usual,” he commented, tone torn between fondness and his usual awe he reserved for bouts of the other Time Lord’s genius. “Or it will be once you figure it out. Which you will. Would definitely make all of this easier to handle. ‘Course that would still depend on us finding them first, which is more easier said than done, it seems. Knowing they’re generally keeping tabs on me is about the closest I can get to pinpointing a solid location.” 

He smiled at the Doctor’s rambling, which was rather more endearing now that the Master wasn’t actively angry or upset. For a moment, he just listened, humming as he listened. “I might be able to help with that. There’s no telling how long it’ll stick, but I made an attempt at tracking them, the Doctor specifically. It’s not a long term solution, but maybe if I sent you the data I have, you could make more sense of it?”

The Master sounded more alive than he had in ages. He liked scheming more than most anything else, and while he tended to work independently, he’d happily make an exception for the Doctor. “The weapon isn’t necessarily a solution, but the more options available, the more likely it is we can stack the deck in our favor.”

He didn’t even seem to notice the way he’d referred to them, like even if they weren’t a couple at the moment, they were still a team. The Time Lord was already turning over the information the Doctor gave him, and if the circumstances were terrible, he clearly enjoyed the challenge. “I may not know this other you entirely, but I do know me. There’s a reason, even if that reason is to distract you.”

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

“Of course I already managed the army. Honestly, did you think I was just going to play housewife until you were done with all this? Greyfaces aren’t the only things those weapons are useful for, and I have ideas.” The Master cleared his throat, adding. “I ought to give you something, actually, on the off chance you have reason to visit. There are standing orders to kill any Time Lord who turns up here without very specific identification, especially if they look like you or me.”

“Of course I’m right,” the Master drawled. “I usually am.”

The Master’s mouth pulled down in a slight frown as he listened. In all the centuries he’d been alive, the Master had never really shaken his penchant for jealousy. No matter how clearly he was trying, it was hardly likely he’d do so now. All the same, his response spoke a great deal about his own state of mind. Any aggravation about this Rose woman was distilled down to a soft ‘hmm’.

It made him bristle, but there was no real malice from the Master. They could only ever be the creatures they were, after all. Shaking the urge to say something sharp, the Master let the Doctor change the subject. 

“I’m building a dynasty,” the Master replied, as casually as if he were talking about the weather. “and testing a theory… or I will be, when I acquire the materials needed to do so.”

Glancing over where their daughter was playing, he added, “Donna is having a grand time being a princess and charming her security detail. She is clearly my daughter.”

The Doctor chuckled again at that, but certainly not in any way that could be considered condescending. It was mostly that of course the Master had amassed an army by now. It was a strangely comforting notion, with all the troubles the Doctor had of late. He’d had no doubts that the other Time Lord would keep their daughter safe, but that level of backup certainly didn’t hurt his odds. “You always have ideas.”

Mention of a visit tugged warmly in his chest, even though he knew it was impossible for the moment. Well, perhaps not impossible, but more of a risk than he was willing to take, army or no. “Right. Good to know. I’ve seen the aftermath of what one of those weapons will do to a greyface, so I don’t fancy being on the other end of one myself.”

“A visit sounds nice, though it’s probably not the best idea currently. Not that I don’t trust you or any army you’ve amassed, but…well, I’ve certainly had my hands full out here, and I’d much rather it all stay out here, you know?” 

That the Doctor didn’t comment much on Rose or Bucky after that wasn’t surprising, but he felt better getting it all off his chest. No more secrets, even small ones by omission. He recognized the small sound for what it was, and really he’d been worried that he might’ve ruined the pleasant tenor their conversation had developed. Good to know that wasn’t the case.

‘Could’ve guessed that, what with the army and all,” he replied, the teasing banter slipping from his lips with ease, and didn’t that feel nice? “Good to hear you’re back to old habits. It suits you. And what theory would that be? Assuming it’s one you feel inclined to share.”

The Doctor’s grin only widened at mention of Donna, and if the Master couldn’t see it, the love and pride the Time Lord felt for their daughter absolutely oozed into his tone. Desperately he wanted to see her again, but hearing she was living happily somewhere in the universe would have to do for now. 

It was an offer the Master had complicated feelings about, because the situation itself was complicated. In his mind, this was, perhaps, the Doctor’s problem. Only, this had all started because the Doctor hadn’t just let him help in the first place, and he was as much feeling out the space between them as he was extending an olive branch. 

The Master may not have been terribly enthusiastic about the company the Doctor kept, but he appreciated the honesty inherent in the other Time Lord choosing to tell him. 

He jumped at the chance to talk about what he had in mind. This was more fun anyway, and if anyone was likely to appreciate his brilliance, it was someone as intelligent as the Doctor (even if the Doctor was also an imbecile). “Well, it turns out that weapon works on just about any organic material I’ve come across. I’m working to adapt it to something bigger and perhaps effective on a target that is more... hybrid of organic and inorganic material. A TARDIS, for instance.”

At his roots, the Master had enormous capacity for cruelty, and on the surface, it might have sounded like he was gravitating back to his worst habits. For a second, he thought about letting the thought sit exactly where it was, but if there was anyone he was willing to let in, it was the Doctor. “A Time Lord without a TARDIS is considerably less of a threat.”

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

“Good point,” he replied, his unexpected smile sticking on his lips. He’d missed the Master terribly, but this distance had been the best option if they were to salvage any of what they’d once been. Actually, perhaps ‘salvage’ wasn’t the right word, looking back. Maybe this time they could build something far better than what they were before, if given the chance. “Two’s a good start, though, but if we ever figure out where they’re coming from, we really ought to keep that idea in mind. Unless this is you telling me you’ve already managed the army.”

The smile turned into a full-blown grin at that, even with the insult tacked on at the end, or perhaps because of it. It was familiar, if it wasn’t entirely teasing the way it once might’ve been. “You’re right, of course. Not sure how this all ends, though I do plan to make sure it’s in my favor somehow. As much as it can possibly be, anyway.”

His tone was lighthearted considering the subject matter, but unlike the man he’d once been, it wasn’t him being deceptive. It was just the effect this conversation was having on him, and sod all the rest for now. He could stress about it again later. For the first time in a long while, the Doctor was full of hope, and terribly happy to hear the Master’s voice. Even more so in this context. 

“So do you,” the Doctor replied, smile in his voice. That the Master was continuing the conversation willingly was still surprising, but in the best kind of way. He’d wanted to ask after them for a long time now, maybe this meant he finally had an opportunity.

“Bucky? Oh, he’s around here somewhere. He’s well enough, considering.” There was a slight pause as though the Doctor was taking a moment to decide on something, before he added, cheerily, “Picked up another one, actually. Bit unintentional, though.” The words were accompanied by a light chuckle before he continued on, “Name’s Rose. Used to be an old companion of mine. Well not her, specifically, what with all the different universes about. She’s got her own Doctor to bother, but I don’t think I could get her to leave if I whacked her with a broom. Tried just about everything short of that for a while there, but turns out she’s fair decent company.”

The Doctor hoped the Master wouldn’t mind the extra detail, but he wanted to stay honest with the other Time Lord. Had nothing to hide, of course, and he wanted to make sure that much was clear. After all, he knew the Master’s distaste for his ‘penchant for Earth girls.’ “So what have you been doing, if you don’t mind my asking? And Donna? How is she?”

“Of course I already managed the army. Honestly, did you think I was just going to play housewife until you were done with all this? Greyfaces aren’t the only things those weapons are useful for, and I have ideas.” The Master cleared his throat, adding. “I ought to give you something, actually, on the off chance you have reason to visit. There are standing orders to kill any Time Lord who turns up here without very specific identification, especially if they look like you or me.”

“Of course I’m right,” the Master drawled. “I usually am.”

The Master’s mouth pulled down in a slight frown as he listened. In all the centuries he’d been alive, the Master had never really shaken his penchant for jealousy. No matter how clearly he was trying, it was hardly likely he’d do so now. All the same, his response spoke a great deal about his own state of mind. Any aggravation about this Rose woman was distilled down to a soft ‘hmm’.

It made him bristle, but there was no real malice from the Master. They could only ever be the creatures they were, after all. Shaking the urge to say something sharp, the Master let the Doctor change the subject. 

“I’m building a dynasty,” the Master replied, as casually as if he were talking about the weather. “and testing a theory... or I will be, when I acquire the materials needed to do so.”

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

Honestly the Doctor had been expecting the Master to hang up on him the moment he’d sussed out the lack of emergency, but even if he hadn’t, the tenor their conversation had taken was more than surprising. It flowed almost easily, the Doctor cracking his own smile as he added, “Thought I was? And I should hope so. The device you built is brilliant, not that I’m surprised, considering the engineer.”

Keeping the phone pressed against his ear, he finally put a bit of space between himself and the console, plunking down in the jump seat. 

Regardless of the awful situation he’d tangled himself in, those three words blossomed warmly in his chest. If he survived this–if–perhaps he’d still have a home waiting for him. Of course he already had a mountain of things to push him forward, but that gentle offer quickly became one of the more compelling ones. It was more hope than he’d had in ages.

He’d survive. Had to.

“I will,” he said after a moment of silence, tucking the rise of emotions aside as well as he could manage, though the second word cracked, ever so slightly. Didn’t betray too much, though. Could’ve just been surprise. Not that he meant to hide the emotion, exactly. “And I hope so. I miss you both.”

The Master was never one to turn down a compliment, and he smiled a little more broadly, his tone warming a little with it. “Of course it was brilliant. The only thing more brilliant than one of those is an entire army equipped with them.”

This was... surprisingly pleasant, and as insistent as he’d been that the Doctor shouldn’t call, he seemed in no hurry to hang up. He’d thought this would be terrible, but maybe it was getting back to who he was as a person, rather than as the Doctor’s lover, or maybe it was just that the Doctor had said the right thing. Either way, it wasn’t terrible at all. 

The Master leaned against the palace walls, watching Donna play in the gardens nearby. His expression softened as he listened, even if the Doctor couldn’t see it. 

“Good. I’m holding you to it. We miss you. I miss you. Even though you’re an absolute menace.” He hated himself for admitting that. They were ridiculous, the pair of them. “Hope is an idiotic notion. It suggests this is about chance, when really, it’s about determination. Don’t hope, Doctor. You’re a fool, but not the sort that waits for life to happen to you.” 

It was the closest thing to forgiveness the Master was liable to put into words. That he’d said anything at all was surprising... to no one more than the Time Lord himself. 

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

Unintentional as the word was, it hit the Doctor like a bolt to the hearts. He had the other TARDIS, of course, but it could never be a home for him. Didn’t really have one of those, these days, but he was getting on alright, considering.

It was probably better not to comment on it for now.

He’d caught the waver in the Master’s voice, and part of him wondered if it wouldn’t be better to just hang up now and be done with it. The last thing he wanted to do was to make anything worse for the Master. Besides, whatever progress he’d made, he couldn’t come back yet, not while there was still a threat to his family. 

“I know you are. Didn’t doubt that for a second, or well, I wouldn’tve, but they told me you were dead. Just needed to hear your voice, is all.” There’s a beat, the Doctor’s fingers tapping against the lever that would’ve taken him back to the Master’s side. Wasn’t going to use it now, though. 

“I wish I could,” he blurts suddenly, because it was the truth, and what was the point in hiding that now? “I would. If you’d have me, that is, but there’s, ah…a few more things I need to take care of first.” 

A few Time Lords, actually, though he wasn’t sure what that would mean for them if things went as far south as he was anticipating. But he’d told the Master that he’d do everything he could to keep their daughter safe, and he intended to follow through, no matter the cost. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Give me a little credit,” he retorted mildly. Was he teasing? Maybe. A little. It felt like a nice change. “It’s going to take more than their nonsense to get rid of me.I have a great deal more backup than I did last time I encountered one.”

It wasn’t exactly the answer he wanted, and it ached... but it was exactly what he needed to hear. A little distance had cleared his head somewhat, and despite everything, the Master cracked a small smile.

“I’d like that,” he admitted, and even if it was vulnerable in a way that made him bristle, he didn’t take it back. The Doctor had been honest with him this time around, and the Master meant to offer him the same courtesy. 

“I...” The Master paused, pursing his lips as he sought for the right words.The danger that the other Doctor was had stayed with him, and if he’d judged this version of the Time Lord for his behavior before, it was harder to now, knowing what they were up against. He wasn’t sure how he was likely to respond to the inevitable, but the Master was trying, in his own way, to meet the Doctor halfway. 

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

Whatever time passed for the Doctor, it hadn’t been much for the Master. It was for Donna’s sake, more than anything, because whatever transpired between the two of them, he wasn’t about to have their daughter growing up short a parent. Judging by their last brief series of texts, the distance was good for the Doctor too in some way. That didn’t mean it hurt any less. 

For once, seeing that name on his phone didn’t make the Master angry. He frowned, wondering if he ought to pick up. It was foolhardy for them to have unnecessary contact, but maybe it was an emergency. There was plenty of potential for an emergency with the other Doctor and Master on the loose. 

The Master let it ring. He was wrung out, and while the Doctor was out doing whatever it was he was doing, the Master simply didn’t have the luxury. He nearly let it go to voicemail, not sure he could stomach having that voice in his ear, but at the last minute he picked up. 

“You shouldn’t be calling.”

Of course the Master wasn’t answering. It wasn’t as though the Doctor had left him much reason to do so, and even if there was hope for them far out on the horizon, there was their daughter’s timeline to think about.

Still, even if logic told him everything was fine, terror wormed it’s way through his gut, and maybe he ought to have just texted the Master instead. He’d be more likely to answer that way, right? The Doctor wasn’t going to panic (or that’s what he told himself, he was already panicking) he was going to hang up the phone and text the Master and he definitely wasn’t going to track down his ship’s location or input those coordinates into the console (what were his hands doing?) or reach for the lever, (yep, that one there) that would send his ship careening into the vortex and––

“You shouldn’t be calling.”

Relief hit him like a tidal wave, a very short, very high-pitched, very giddy laugh echoing into the receiver before he could stifle it. No, no he shouldn’t be calling, but if regret waited for him on the sidelines, for the moment he didn’t care. The Master was alright, and if he was safe, then Donna certainly was.

The Time Lord had traded coping mechanisms like changes of clothes, and currently the one he was swathed in was distance. He’d survived before the Doctor. He had to stop missing him so much now.

“They do that, as we’re both quite aware,” he murmured, his tone only wavering slightly. “As you know, I’m well equipped to handle them. So, unless there’s an emergency or you’ve suddenly decided to come home, you should probably hang up.”

       It doesn’t matter where the news comes from. Worse than the TARDIS, hearing those words in that particular order make his blood run cold. 

        ❝ No… ❞

      He doesn’t even register the soft denial that passes his lips, or the greyfaces presence any longer. It can’t be true, the Master wouldn’t just–and what about Donna? No the Master wouldn’t just die. The other Time Lord had proved again and again that he was better than death, cleverer, and the Doctor couldn’t just––

      Oh no no no no no no no.

      His phone is already in his hand, fingers trembling as he punches in the wrong number twice, and then the right one, trying to tell himself that the Master had any number of reasons not to answer the call, that if he didn’t answer it didn’t necessarily mean that he was…

      ❝ C’mon, Master. Pick up. Please. ❞

For once, seeing that name on his phone didn’t make the Master angry. He frowned, wondering if he ought to pick up. It was foolhardy for them to have unnecessary contact, but maybe it was an emergency. There was plenty of potential for an emergency with the other Doctor and Master on the loose. 

The Master let it ring. He was wrung out, and while the Doctor was out doing whatever it was he was doing, the Master simply didn’t have the luxury. He nearly let it go to voicemail, not sure he could stomach having that voice in his ear, but at the last minute he picked up.