Bad Wolf From Space

45. The Black Swan Awakens

I opened my eyes to the chaos of the moment on the Valiant right after the President was disintegrated. I rolled back my shoulders and tilted my head side to side, it was freeing to no longer be weighted down by Rapunzel hair.

I glanced over at the newscasters who stood shocked by their cameramen, then to the delegates around the table all in shock.

"What's happening? What's on my head? Why is it so dark?" Came from the 'Toclafane' behind the Master. Awakening from the charade they'd been commissioned into.

I stood, "Jack its time to inform UNIT."

Jack jumped from where he had been standing in the doorway with his perception filter. He ran up the steps passing by an in shock Master who stared at me eyes wide.

The Master dissolved into hysterical laughter.

Jack opened the comms link and the speakers echoed with, "This is UNIT 7 what happened up there? We just saw the President assassinated."

"This is Agent Harkness from Torchwood Cardiff, we have a code 404. General public needs checkups and Prime Minister staff needs to be deconditioned."

The Doctor shook himself easily off the guards who held him before walking toward the news cameras and shutting them off.

The 'Toclafane' slumped on the floor of the staircase shaking their shiny heads, their hands raised trying to pull their helmets from their heads.

A shot rang out in the hall causing everything to almost freeze before the Master crumbled falling down the stairs. My gaze went up to see Lucy with the gun still held in her hand, a vacant expression on her face.

"No!" The Doctor shouted.

A rush of air blew around the room as a large grandfather clock appeared in the corner. Seemingly out of place, I breathed in the smell of blackberries and sea salt.

I was closer and I sprinted to the Master's side. I pulled the Master into my arms.

The Doctor neared me, "Rose, be careful he's..."

I didn't need to see them to know my eyes glimmered in a white gold light,

"Time Lord, you must know Time must be upheld."

The Master's arms wrapped around my middle pulling me close.

"None of that." I undid his arms around my middle and pulled him up before dragging the Master to the grandfather clock. The middle of the clock swung open allowing me to slip through with the Master.

The door closed behind us just as I heard the Doctor call out my name.

The inside of the Master's TARDIS was nothing like Corner Shop Cafe or apartment yet. Sleek lines of chrome like metal surrounded the interior, elegant lines along the console with no fuss.

I smiled, "Hello Handsome."

A welcoming hum turned orchestral score rose around me as the TARDIS welcomed me.

A groan came from the Master and I made my way to his side.

I let out a long sigh as I saw the pain on his features.

"Can you hear it?" The Master looked up almost pleadingly.

"Yes, I can hear it." The drums were thunderous around the Master, I placed my cool hands on the sides of his temple. "Would you like to hear what I hear instead?"

He was oddly docile as his head lay in my lap.

I closed my eyes and channelled the song of Time and how it overlapped the drums making them no longer an irritating non-stop pattern but something beautiful in their complexity.