Blue Christmas

Part 4: Jailhouse Rock

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If Missy had been born human she would have course have known that things could always get worse and that the very fact of stating that things surely couldn't get any worse was practically a guarantee that they would. Yet even if she had known this the degree to which things deteriorated would have still been a surprise.

"You are what?"

Cringing in the face of Missy's ice cold façade The Doctor fiddled with the dials on the console. "Missy I am not going to repeat myself I know you heard me the first time."

"Yes." The exhale was long and harsh as if forced through gritted teeth. "I heard you only I chose to believe this was some sort of early April fool prank or perhaps you were finally going senile, nothing else would make any sense Dear!"

The familiar endearment was now anything but loving and The Doctor felt it cutting into his hearts yet even Missy's coldness couldn't make him change his mind. River had sounded rather panicked on the phone and the line had cut out in the end but The Doctor had distinctly heard the sound of an explosion before it had. He had no choice, he had to go and help, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he simply stood by and did nothing.

"I mean you've kept us locked up in the time vortex for six months because it's not safe to leave and yet now because your wife is in danger..." Missy sneered, if there was one word she abused more than Dear it was Wife, from her lips the word wife was positively dripping in bile. "Your double standards are truly breath-taking Darling."

"Missy I am not going to explain this again. River was a part of my life a long time ago, she saved my life on many occasions, and I owe her the same protection in return. I cannot turn my back when she has approached me for help and yes she is my wife, I can't change that and I wouldn't want to!" The Doctor snapped back, regretting his harsh tone when Missy actually flinched.

Fixing a pleading expression on his face The Doctor tried to convey his regret for his outburst visually since his normally reliable words seemed to be failing him today. He reached out, fingertips brushing the exposed skin of her forearm, pleased and surprised when she didn't immediately pull away.

"Please...please Missy just try to understand, this doesn't have to affect us. I will just go and find her and drop her off somewhere." The Doctor stroked his fingers down over the soft skin of her wrist; he didn't even need to extend his senses to feel the waves of grief and fury coming off of her.

If he thought it would do a bit of good The Doctor might have tried to calm her the way he did the twins when they were particularly distraught, yet even human Missy still had a particularly resistant mind to telepathic influences.

"Us? What us?" Missy chuckled bitterly hanging her head and stubbornly refusing to allow The Doctor to see just how badly he had managed to hurt her.

"We live together; we co-parent and let's be honest Doctor that is about it. That is all you will let us be and at least now I know why, you're married."

"Missy it's not like that...it's not that simple." The Doctor replied gently as is coaxing a frightened filly. "Of course there is an us, and I am sorry you are hurt by this I am..."

"But not enough to stop." Missy summarised it simply savouring his touch for a moment before deliberately pulling her arm free and moving to place some much needed space between them.

"You don't want to hurt me but you will anyway because in the end your need to do the "right thing", to play the hero, is more important than my feelings and you just expect me to accept it because you know I love you. Well I am sorry Doctor I am not one of your oh so gullible companions, I know I deserve better, and I won't accept you running off to another woman and expecting me just to wait around for you."

"Missy..."

"No!" Missy snapped cutting him off before he could find the right words, the words that might crumble her resolve. "No Doctor no more excuses, if you are determined to do this then you can drop me and the children off first. Take me to visit Osgood at least there at least I will be welcome."

"But it's not safe out there." The Doctor stuttered eyebrows shooting up to practically merge with his hairline. "You could get hurt..."

"I am already hurt." Missy countered glaring at him, watching with some satisfaction as The Doctor actually looked physically pained at her words. "And if you force me to stay here believe me then it certainly won't be safe in the Tardis either only it won't be external threats you need to be worrying about."

He wanted to argue, he wanted to refuse to do as she asked and yet The Doctor knew it would be futile to try and change her mind now. Besides Missy wasn't his prisoner, he couldn't keep her here against her will, even if his own instincts were screaming at him to lock her up deep in the Tardis until this was all over.

"I won't force you." The Doctor replied sadly. "But I will beg you not to do this. I know you are angry with me but please don't put the children at risk becau..."

In retrospect he really should have expected the slap.

It was hard enough to rattle his teeth.

Yet as The Doctor watched Missy march away deep into the Tardis leaving him alone with his throbbing jaw for company The Doctor could only suppose that despite her anger Missy must still love him deep down, otherwise it would have been a clenched fist.

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