An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
The Doctor buzzed around the corridors, “Ah, I know there is something, what is it? There has to be something, I can feel it. It’s right under my nose but I can’t see it.” Finally pausing for a moment, “There is always something, some secret room with. Well with something. We are not asking the important questions.”
“Your right, we’re not. Like what just happened ten minutes ago.” Oh asked, pointing down the hall which the Doctor was flying through.
The Doctor paused for a moment, “Not the important question. The question is how is a place where people are known for doing stupid things and getting into fights have no record of any fights? There has to be something either stopping the fights...or hiding them….or-”
She paused only when she saw a disappointed look on his face. “So, was.” he paused, not quite meeting her gaze. “Was, you know, bring me here a mistake?”
“That’s not what I meant,” She quickly began to defend herself. Turning and began rambling on again about there having to be something that’s in the building that wasn’t right.
“If there is something like you think it’s not necessarily in the building. It could be anywhere in the world. It could quite literally be on the other side of the planet. I’ve seen it before.” Oh casually said, walking only a few inches behind her.
The Doctor quickly turned around, “What do you mean you’ve seen it before?” The two of them now face to face.
“Um, In a movie,” he said, holding his breath.
“Well, that’s not really useful here now is it?” looking down briefly then back up. “Really big, important question.” Pulling her right arm, still attached to his, “When did this happen?”
*****
Yaz sat on the edge of her seat. “Where could she be?” frantically looking around the room. “She’s been gone for a long time now. You think she’s alright?” waiting for Jack or Graham for reassurance.
“I wonder if Oh is with her?” Jack said, only half paying attention to what she was saying.
“What?!” Yaz eyes widened. “Why would you say that?” She shot a look at Graham who turned half in his seat.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen him in a long time,” Graham said, looking around the room.
“I know this was a bad idea.” Yaz’s eye darting back and forth from each side of the table.
Jack watched her as she did this a few times. “Why are you worried, Are you saying you don’t trust him?”
“No,” she said flatly. “He tried to kill her. He tried to kill all of us.”
Jack moved in, his full attention on Yaz now. “Why would she trust him if that was true.” turning to Graham slightly, “Who is he?” A severe expression on his face now, responding to the fear in both of their faces.
Graham did a few takes of the room before leaning in, “He calls himself,” quickie turning once more before facing Jack who moved in closer, and in a quieter voice. “He calls himself the Master.”
Jack jumped back, now howling with laughter. “Do you think we should look for them?” Yaz said, the same worry and concern in her voice. Jack held out his hand, tears of laughter almost subsiding before another fit hit him. “This is serious. He’s dangerous.” Yaz instituted.
“Yes, yes, I know,” he finally started to calm down. “No, you're right, the Master is very dangerous, and on any other day, any other place I would have been torn half this building. But as we are here, he can’t kill anyone here.”
“So what, we just wait till they get back and hope he hasn’t found a way to kill her or do something worse,” Yaz asked, not quite convinced.
“Maybe they are not even together,” Graham suggested.
“Oh no, they are most definitely together,” Jack said, amusement still in his voice. “But in a place where it’s impossible for anyone to hurt anyone, I don’t want to be the one to walk in on them when-” Jack made some faces, trying to figure out his own words. “Well, let’s just say I don’t want to intrude whatever it is that they are doing.”
“What does that mean?” Yaz becoming enraged by what she thought he was implying, “She hates him, she would never.”
A more serious look came over Jack, “You don’t cry for three hours when you think someone you hate dies.”
*****
Casually slipping back to the main room, the Doctor looked slightly disappointed. “I’m sorry there is not a big bad you were hoping to fix.” Oh whispered in her ear, his hands around her shoulders
“No, it’s probably for the best,” she said as his eyes made it across the room, a split second the Oh mask slipping to reveal the monster underneath.
“Why don’t you go back to the table, I’ll get you another drink.” The Master said, focused on the corner of the room. Eyes wide the Doctor turned, only to see a broad smile from Oh. “Same?” Giving him a blank look “same drink as before?”
“Yeah, that would be lovely.” shaking her head to make it back to the table. The Master slipped thru the crowd to the end of the room where he casually took a set next to a young redheaded woman with a slick business dress.
With his widest grin, facing her, one arm wrapped around the back of the barstool, the other on the counter. “Long time, fancy seeing you here. Lovely as always. New face?”
She turned to face him, a split second later she was turning back around, eyes rolling so far back the colour hardly visible. “Uuhg, And if you’re here does that mean Tweedledee is also around here somewhere?”
“Tweedledee?” he asked, scrunching his face up.
“Yes,” she said, furiously truing back to face him. “Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Agreed to have a battle; For Tweedledum said Tweedledee, Had spoiled his nice new rattle.” with a softer roll of her eyes she was now facing the bar. “If that doesn’t sum you two up perfectly I don’t know what would.”
The Master placed his hand to his chest, contorting his face into something resembling a hurt expression. “The Rani, are you implying I’m Tweedledum?”
She turned just enough to glare at him with a raised eyebrow. “The fact that you have to ask should answer your question.” Turning back “I’m telling you right now, I have a good thing going here. And if either one of you ignoramus messes it up. I will personally make the rest of your life cycle a living hell.”
“How does it work? Keeping everyone complacent like this?” The Master asked, his smile never fading letting his hand resting on his hand that was people up on the bar.
“Do you remember that one time on earth, I was harvesting ‘parts’ from the humans?”
“But that did the exact opposite. That was making everyone hostel.” He turned from her long enough to order a drink.
“And this is why you’re Tweedledum. I extracted those hormones form them to make.” she made a broad wave over the drink in front of her.
“That’s it? You did all of that to open a bar?” he said, disappointed in her answer.
“This is just a by-product, nothing more nothing less,” a small smile curled at the side of her mouth. “What you and the Doctor didn’t find anything when wandering around my halls?” she asked, this time not looking at him as she spoke.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” With a raised eyebrow she slid a table in front of him.
“I have cameras all around this place” The Master’s face fell. “I see EVERYTHING around here. You know, with you two here and all, it almost feels like we are back in school.
At the bartender handed him two drinks, he reached for them as he stood up. “Well then in the nature of nostalgia I’m sure you wouldn’t make putting this on the house.” The Master’s smile back on his face. “As always, it’s been a pleasure to see you once more.”
As he began to walk away he didn’t notice the person who was sitting to his left. Ryan, casually pulling his jacket over his face so he wouldn’t be spotted. The Rani smiled at his as he turned, dropping the side of the jacket that hid his face. “See what I mean, Tweedledum.”
This is my first Saturday off in months and I got to sleep in and now my boyfriend is making homemade breakfast and then I have the entire day to myself so I’ll get to replies at some point 😄
I will have to get to replies tomorrow after work or Saturday (I have the weekend off) I had a particularly trying day at work today and as I’m trying to write replies they are very half assed. So I have them drafted and will get to them when I’m in better head space. Thanks 😊
