A deal with a Devil is made...

The pain had subsided when he'd heard the voice, but the fear remained until he felt the presence of the Master.

"Calm," the Master said and he sank into a less restless sleep, the fog that had been wrapped round his memories lifted...and he remembered everything.

When he opened his eyes again he saw the woman for what she really was, an empty darkness.

"Darkfiend," he snarled and reached for her, but she stepped back, out of reach. Pain shot through his midriff as he moved to follow.

With a grunt of pain, he pushed himself up and put his feet on the ground and stood, and went straight to his knees.

The woman stopped, any fear leaving her face. She advanced the knife once again visible.

"You will finish what was started and you will bleed, willing or not," she snarled.

The sounds of the struggle around him faded and the woman became his only focus, her and the blade, its surface dulled by his own dried blood.

In the seconds it took for her to move he'd argued with himself about what he had to do. In those seconds he knew it was the only thing that could be done, and only he could do it...no matter the cost.

He would understand...they would understand.

In those seconds he got to his feet and despite his legs wanting to give way he moved backwards, making the woman follow him.

The woman was so intent on spilling more of his blood that she didn't notice he was moving closer to the barrier. He backed up until he was almost against it and the snarls and growls of the creatures still trapped filled his ears.

Then he stopped and waited.

The woman smiled, but there was no warmth. "So nice of you to make it easy for me, my key."

She moved closer until she was within striking distance, blade aimed at his guts.

He steeled himself and to her by surprise pushed himself onto the blade. He gritted his teeth against the pain as the knife entered his body.

He pushed until he was almost eyeball to eyeball with the woman and said.

"That's the thing with keys, they don't just unlock things."

He suddenly pushed back and this time he did cry out as the blade was ripped out. He twisted and threw himself straight into the gap.

The effect was instant and spectacular as the whip-crack sound split the air.

It made the fighting stop as all the combatants had to cover their ears.

But the effect of the creatures was more than painful, it was deadly.

The huge creature let out a bellow of pain as one of its feet cracked and shattered like clay. Its leg followed and it toppled in a shower of shards and dust.

The smaller creatures just exploded into dust, showering Jack and the others.

There was that odd silence that happened when something unexpected happened.

Then everyone was asking and checking that everyone was okay, and a collective sigh when Seska appeared.

The Master shattered the euphoria by asking. "Where's the Doctor?"

He answered his own question by looking over at the barrier.

The woman was staggering like she was drunk, blood streaming from her nose.

But the Master's attention wasn't on her; it was on the barrier which was now closed, and the absence of the Doctor.

It was easy to put two and two together and make a terrible four.

"No," he breathed.

He ran to the barrier, ignoring the woman. There was a smear of blood on the barrier.

"No" he yelled and kicked the barrier, which shimmered under the assault.

He was joined by Harkness.

"He closed the barrier."

He nodded.

"I'm sorry," Harkness said.

He said nothing, just placed a hand and his forehead on the barrier. A shiver ran through him; he couldn't feel the bond...the Doctor might as well be dead.

Then he would treat him as dead.

"Re'ah meamorie, e'shala Si'arila," he said hearing Seska's sudden cry and the sound of weeping.

He turned his attention to the woman.

"Krisha va'ishi!" he spat and dragged her up. "Now you will know the true meaning of no mercy. Seska, come."

He began pulling her away from the barrier and back towards the opening that lead back to the destroyed mountain.

His path was blocked by the Xanz and one of the humans, both with weapons drawn. He stopped, turned and looked at Harkness.

Jack had been the next to react and had moved to join the Master. He'd already guessed what the Doctor had done.

He heard the Master say something; he didn't understand the words, but judging by Seska's reaction, it wasn't a positive thing.

He didn't stop the Master when he turned away and snarled at the woman in Gallifreyan and pulled her up and began dragging her, calling for Seska.

When the Master stopped, his way blocked by Draz and Jason, he turned.

"Let him go."

"Captain, they are both criminals, murders," Draz said.

"He tortured me!" Jason said, his gun aimed at the Master.

"Let him go, wherever he's going, he won't be bothering us again. Isn't that right?"

The Master nodded and said. "Seska, vas."

Jack turned and looked at Seska and was shocked to see him shake his head.

The Master let out a snarl. "Fine, stay with the stunted apes."

He pushed past Draz and Jason, dragging the woman with him.

When they were finally out of sight, they all rounded on him.

"Enough!" he roared. "Do you think you would have stopped him? How many of you would be dead!?"

He turned then and went to Seska.

"Are you okay?"

Seska nodded.

"Why didn't you go with him?"

"My place is to make amends for what my parents did. If my mother had been sane, he would have wanted me to."

Jack nodded. "First we have to get off this rock."

Seska gave him a small smile. "I don't think that's going to be a problem."

A gust of wind blew up dust and shale and sound Jack thought he would never hear again filled the air.

A familiar shape began to materialise. He looked at Seska, who had a grin on his face that was so similar to the Doctor's that Jack's heart broke a little.

"Mother loved father, but he never really trusted him. He programmed the TARDIS to find me if something happened to him. She'll take you home...one last trip."

"Isn't that sweet," a voice said behind the Doctor. "He thinks you're dead."

"To him I am. Our bond is broken," the Doctor said. "I wondered how long it would take before the real brains appeared."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Shame our daughter is going to be collateral."

"Your spawn, not mine," the Doctor replied and turned. "At least I'll see the puppeteer before I die."

The black shape in front of him took on a more defined shape.

"Oh. Are we thinking of dying? Well, not here. Your wound has already healed. I can't have my prize dying on me."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "All that, just to get to me?"

"Would you have come willingly?"

"Perhaps not, but what does the last of the Darklings want with me?"

"Want, I have what I want...you. Even hear your name evokes fear. I wish to strike a bargain."

"No bargain," the Doctor retorted.

"A bargain for their lives. I will let them go, let your song go, if you serve me."

The Doctor knew he had no choice, but he had his own bargain to make.

"Done," the shadow figure said.

"So, what do you want from?"

"This dimension is in chaos...I want to bring order. I want to rule."

"Yes, my Lord," the Doctor replied and bowed.

Nine Months Later

Ianto was woken by someone knocking at his door.

By the time he'd gotten to the door the corridor was empty, and there was no sound of doors closing.

Whoever it was, they had gone; probably one of the kids from upstairs.

"Little blighters," he grumbled then his foot hit something and he looked down.

"Good Lord," he said.

He never saw the shadow with the shadows...never saw it lean back against the wall and never saw it fade away.

TBC in "Gallifrey's Legacy"

Author's Notes

re'ah meamorie, e'shala si'arill - peaceful death, beautiful beloved.

Krisha va'ishi- Murderous bitch

vas- come.