ROSE TYLER SAXON

Chapter Nine

"95 bottles of beer on the wall, 95 bottles of beer…" Jack sang as he sat in his cell.

His cell was across a wide corridor from the Doctor and Martha's cell was beside Jack's. Each cell was made of concrete with steel bars on the front and a steel door built into the bars. Each cell had a simple camp bed and a steel toilet and sink. The Doctor glared at Jack as he sat on the camp bed.

"I think that'll do, Harkness," he said to Jack.

"Just being bored and awaiting our death," Jack said.

"In that case, I wouldn't worry since you'll come right back from the dead," the Doctor said dryly.

"What do we do now?" Martha said.

"Just put the perception filters away in your pockets. We'll find an opportunity to use them later," the Doctor said.

They nodded and everyone put their filter in their pocket. The Doctor lay back on his camp bed and folded his hands on his stomach while he stared up at the cement ceiling and tried to figure out a plan.

"Well, hello there."

The Doctor raised his head when he heard Jack and quickly sat up when he saw Rose standing outside his cell.

"He forbid me to come here but I must know more," Rose said to the Doctor. "What you said about knowing me. How do you know me?"

"You were my companion," the Doctor said, standing up and walking over to the steel bars. "You traveled with me for two years through time and space. He went back in time before I met you and altered your future. But somehow it didn't alter mine and Jack's memories of you. I still remember you being with me in my ship. But all of this is a lie. It's not your reality. He did this to you because he knew it would torment me."

Rose gazed into his eyes and sensed his sincerity.

"He has killed," she said as she gazed into his eyes. "He has these ball thing called Toclafane. They kill for him."

"Yes, I saw them when he made his announcement on the telly. I don't know what they are but they're not called Toclafane. How many people has he killed?"

"Three that I know of, a journalist and two people who worked for him. He might have killed more; I don't know everything he does."

"How did you meet him?" the Doctor said.

"At a chippie. I was with my friends."

The Doctor chuckled.

"Figures you'd be eating chips when you met him," he said.

"I thought he was a bit old at first but then I got to know him and I liked him. He was charming."

"Yes, he is, that's how he seduces people…before he brainwashes and hypnotizes them that is," the Doctor said. "But it seems his control over you is slipping. I think your mind is far more powerful than he thinks. He could put you under his control but not for long."

"I s'pose so. It's just that…there's something about ya, something I can't put my finger on but I feel like I can trust ya."

"Good because I won't hurt you and neither will they," the Doctor said, nodding his head at Jack and Martha. "I want to help you and everyone else. Do you know what he's planning to do with these…Toclafane?"

"Not sure. But something big is happening tomorrow night," Rose said. "The president of the United States is coming here to meet the Toclafane in person. Harry and him argued about it. The president is angry that Harry is trying to take control without the US."

"That sounds like him. The Master was never one for sharing," the Doctor said. "I have a feeling we're going to become a part of events now."

"Our deaths broadcast on television," Jack said.

"I wouldn't doubt it. The Master loves putting on a show and being all dramatic. What's more dramatic than us dying for a worldwide television audience."

"I don't want that," Rose said. "Your deaths."

The Doctor smiled tenderly and Rose felt herself smiling back. She liked this man. If he was telling the truth, she could see why she chose to travel with him. She suddenly realized she'd been with them for perhaps too long.

"I have to go. Harry doesn't know I'm here and he threatened to do something if he found out I disobeyed him."

"Go then. Don't get yourself in trouble," the Doctor said. "Just be careful, please."

Rose smiled and nodded. She hesitated for a moment and then reached for his hand through the bars. The Doctor beamed, took her hand and held it. She liked the feel of his hand and smiled shyly when he squeezed it. She took her hand away and bid everyone goodbye while she hurried away.

Martha watched her go and felt another stab of jealously when she saw the longing on the Doctor's face as he stood at the bars of his cell. Then he let out a wistful sigh and lay back down. Remembering Jack's words, she walked over to her camp bed and lay down on it. She put her hands on her chest and closed her eyes. Several minutes later, she drifted off to sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Rose entered the guest bedroom, closed the door and sat down on the bed as she thought about what the Doctor told her.

"The last two years have been a lie?" she said to herself.

Normally she would have laughed scornfully at someone if they told her time travel was real but that's before she saw the Toclafane and what they could do. She didn't know where they came from but they definitely weren't from Earth. She thought for a moment and realized that for the first time in a long time she felt like her mind was clearer like a fog was lifting around her brain. She had always gone along with what Harry was doing but now she looked at everything in a new light and she realized that she had been making up excuses to justify cold blooded murder. She lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about the Doctor. She realized she wanted to see him again but she dared not risk it. She took a big enough risk just going to see him the first time around. But something about him made her want to go to him. He seemed so trustworthy even though she barely knew him.

"I traveled with him through time and space," she murmured. "Must have been nice. Wish I could remember it."

She stared at the ceiling until her eyelids felt heavy and she closed them. She fell into a deep sleep for about three hours. Then she was jerked awake when she heard the bedroom door slam. She gasped and quickly sat up. The Master was standing by the door with the Doctor beside him. The Doctor was in the middle of some sort of glowing blue ball. Rose looked at him and then looked at her husband.

"What is this?" Rose said, pointing to the Doctor.

"I'm in the mood for love," the Master crooned as he walked towards her. "Simply because you're neeeear meeee!"

"Harry, what is this?" Rose said, looking at the Doctor in his glowing blue ball.

"This is what I believe is called fornication," the Master said. "I'm in the mood for love."

"What is he doing here?" Rose said, pointing to the Doctor.

"He's going to watch."

Rose looked at her husband with revulsion.

"What sort of sick idea is this?" she said to him.

"This is my idea and you'll obey it!" the Master growled at her.

"Leave her alone, Master!"

"See? Even the Doctor calls me Master," the Master said, coming towards her.

"No, I don't want to," Rose said, leaping up from the bed. "Leave us alone!"

"Us? You mean you and him?" the Master said, hooking his thumb back at the Doctor. "My, my, we've gotten chummy in such a short amount of time. Since you've done that, you really won't mind him watching."

Rose cried out and dodged him when he lunged at her. She tried to run to the Doctor and gasped when the blue ball repelled her the moment she ran into it.

"Force field, dearest!" the Master said, grabbing her from behind. "That's why the idiot hasn't lifted a finger to help you!"

"Leave her alone, Master! Please!" the Doctor yelled frantically.

The Doctor watched in horror as the Master hit Rose in the face so hard, she fell to the floor, dazed. He bent over and hit her two more times while the Doctor screamed at him to stop.

"I saw footage of him and you when I was in his TARDIS," the Master said as he knelt down beside Rose. "Let me show you what your future was really like!"

He put his fingers against her temples and images flooded Rose's mind. She saw herself in the Doctor's arm as he held her close, saw him kissing her and caressing her while they lay in bed together. Through the images flashing through her mind, she saw the Doctor in his prison and suddenly realized that he was telling the truth and the images in her mind were memories from another time. In her mind's eye, she could see the loving look the Doctor gave to her and suddenly longed to see him replicate the look now. She held her hand out to the Doctor in the prison, begging him to help her. The Master laughed as the Doctor ran to the side of his prison and beat on it, screaming at the Master to let him out.

"See what you could have had, darling. Savor those memories because after I let the Doctor watch your rape, I'm going to hypnotize you and put you back under my control."

The Master hit her hard, knocking her out. The Master laughed insanely and began taking her clothes off while the Doctor screamed and bellowed and cursed him.

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