Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 39 - The Lonely Survivor

The Master stiffened, one hand twitching towards his other arm before he forcibly stopped himself. "I still have her," he retorted at last, glancing pointedly down at the figure by his feet. "And there's no getting out of it this time, Doctor. You know that."

All hints of humor vanished. "Yes. I do," he said gravely. "I knew it as soon as I saw the coordinates. And I came anyway."

The Master raised an eyebrow. "Well, well, it seems like you do know just about everything." He smirked. "Except, perhaps, who." He nudged the hooded figure with one foot, and they slowly rose to their feet, revealing a slender form garbed in a simple tunic and pants that were ripped and burned around the edges. "Take off your hood, love. It's time for the Doctor to understand what he's done. Let him know who you are."

The figure raised their hands to their head and slipped the hood down. Lyssa couldn't make out their face for some reason, but she caught sight of gold hair before it was blocked by the Doctor as he staggered backwards, a harsh cry escaping his mouth. 

He stood there in shock for a moment, breathing hard, before curling his hands into fists. He slowly raised his head to glare at the other Time Lord, eyes burning with rage. "What is this?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "What have you done?"

"I should think it quite obvious who it is," the Master said calmly, rolling his eyes. "The Siren. Duh. Did you really not know? I mean, I was surprised at first, I'll admit, but once I found out who she was, and why, well. I could hardly turn down the chance to bring chaos to the universe. To time itself. To you. As for what I've done, I think a more accurate question would be, 'what have I undone?'"

"You know what she's supposed to do," the Doctor bit out, rage falling away as he turned to the woman, heartbreak taking its place. "Why would you do this? You know what it means."

The Master shrugged uncaringly. "Why not? There's a saying among the humans, though, that I think might fit the situation here. It's what we love most that destroy us. I mean, maybe you don't love her anymore, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

The Doctor smiled bitterly. "You know that's not true. You know what it could cost if I face her."

"And why is that?" The Master leaned forward suddenly, his dark eyes glittering with malice.

"The same reason you chose this place to meet," the Doctor said, indicating the forest around them. "I've been here twice before, and both times, I nearly lost everything."

"I know," the Master said gleefully. "Only - the first time you were here, you saw what happened because of what's going to happen now. Does that comfort you? Knowing how it's going to end? That you've already lost everything?"

The Doctor shook his head slowly. "You're missing the point. I fought then, for the same reason that I can't fight now."

"Oh, dear, I seem to have forgotten why," the Master pouted. "Do remind me?" 

The Doctor looked the mysterious woman straight in the eyes, a sad, soft expression creeping over his face. "Because I owe her too much to let her die because of me. The only way to stop her is to kill her, and I can't kill her. I won't."

The scene flickered and began to fade, colors melding together into the glittering spiral of the Time Vortex in the span of a few seconds. Lyssa looked around frantically, but there was nothing to hold onto, and the Doctor - and the duo he had been facing - were lost.

"What was that?" she demanded. Her voice sounded shrill in the unsettling quiet, and she winced. "I don't understand," she whispered, hunching in on herself uncomfortably, the previously familiar swirls of the Vortex now strange and disquieting.