The Unexpected Hero

The Master of What, Exactly?

*Rubie's POV*

"I'm the Master," he states simply, "and you need to find a costume if you're ever going to get to that party on time."

I rolled my eyes. That stupid party was going to mean I couldn't spend that much time with - wait, did he just say he was the Master?

"If you're the Master, do you know the Doctor?" I asked, somehow finding that I was emphasising my words as if I was Amelia Pond.

"Yes," he said, nodding his head behind me in the direction of his costume library. Not a very subtle hint, but whatever.

I turned then. Almost immediately I paused, because I still had no idea what to wear.

The Master's voice emerged right near my ear: "I can help you," and I pretended not to be turned on by the feel of his hot breath on my neck, tendrils finding their way into my ear.

Once I had my traitorous thoughts under control, I turned to face him, only to find that he was inches away from me. My god he looks good up close! said one part of me. Not helpful, said the other.

"What do you think I should go as then?" I murmured, feeling that if I spoke any louder it would ruin the moment.

He pulled back and practically ran away from me. Was I really that repulsive? "I have an idea!" he yelled over his shoulder, wait a moment, was he skipping?

Now that was my kind of man! I thought as I trailed after him, wondering where the shoes were. I had the strangest urge to wear heels tonight.

"They're over there," the Master pointed to my left, to a door I hadn't spotted before. I smiled my thanks, and then transferred every iota of my focus to the shoes I thought I might like to wear. Though that was a challenge, seeing as I didn't even have a costume yet.

Unlike the door I'd had to go through before, this one opened for me without me having to do anything. I thought that was insanely cool. I was a little apprehensive at the thought of being alone in a room where no one knew where I was, with a mad man.

I cocked my head to the side as I analysed my thoughts. No, it wasn't that at all, it was the thought of being without the Master. I'd only just met him, how could I be this attached to him already? God, I hope Lacey isn't this attached to the Doctor.

"Waiting for me?" his hot breath seared my neck again as he spoke directly into my ear.

"Yes," I replied honestly. There was no point lying, he could probably tell if I did.

"Well good, because I've found a costume," he brushed past me, without me getting a peek at what he was carrying.

I followed behind him, looking down at my feet, clad in a pair of black two inch heeled boots. They were practical and I only ever wore them to work, but I had more impractical, gorgeous shoes at home. The great thing was that I had such small feet that none of my roommates had ever been able to steal my shoes.

I looked up, a gasp falling from my slackened lips at the sight before me. This was girls heaven, shoe lover heaven!

I didn't even notice the Master approach me and pick up my jaw until my eyes locked with his blue ones, sparkling again. If he hadn't been still holding my jaw I swear it would have dropped again from the way he was looking at me, with that glint in his eyes. Oh my poor heart, what I put you through!

"You ok?" he asked softly, concern in his eyes, though the twinkle I was coming to adore never quite faded.

"Yeah, I've just never seen so many shoes before in my life. I'm sorry if I've been drooling!" I looked around me again, to reaffirm I was where I thought I was.

He chuckled. "Why don't you see if you can find some shoes you like that fit?" he smiled and I swear my knees went weak.

My smile was a little more manic, and may have involved my tongue poking just past my lips as I bounded past him, on a shoe hunting mission.

I was like the Energiser bunny on crack at first looking at shoes and trying them on, then I slowed down as I still couldn't find a pair that wouldn't mungulate my feet if I had to walk long distances and fit the Master's high standards. I slumped in disappointment. The silence was so immense I could hear the Master approach me slowly.

Then I saw it. A flash of red and gold. I approached it slowly, crossing my fingers behind me, forgetting that the Master was behind me and would see my embarrassing tendency towards superstition. Was this too good to be true?

The pair of three inch heels were tucked away into a corner, hidden away from the rest of the shoes. I couldn't see why, all the others paled in comparison to these, why hide them away?

"I wondered when you'd find them," the Master breathed in my ear again. I was so distracted by my shoe related thoughts I almost didn't notice the effect he had on me.

Wait.... "You wanted me to wear those?" I asked softly, shocked.

"Yes, they would look gorgeous on you, and they go perfectly with this dress," finally he swung out the dress he'd been cleverly hiding from me, saying he wanted me to search for shoes that I actually liked and not just because they matched with what he'd chosen. Then his face transformed, he looked almost... nervous?

"You do like them, don't you?" he asked, for once his eyes the ones directed at the ground.

"Of course, silly, I just don't understand why they're hidden away like this? Shoes like this deserve to be put on display!" I think my vehemence shocked him.

Then he laughed. "Good! Now go get dressed!" he pointed me in the direction of a door I hadn't seen before, because I'd been too busy obsessing over the shoes.

I grabbed the shoes and the dress, brushed past him, smiling to myself as I hummed a tune.

I started to sing along, then realised the words were eerily similar to mine and Lacey's current situation. Why oh why did I ever trust that she'd be safe with the Doctor?

'How many times did I ask why are you with him?

How many times did I beg you to run away?

How many times did he tell you it won't happen again?

How many times did it happen the very next day?

And now I'm asking why didn't you listen to me?

Why didn't I do something, though you said please just let it be

Why did I let him take you from me?

The choices we make to right the mistakes

Too little too late.'

As I sung quietly to myself I'd been pulling the flowing red and gold dress over my petite, barely five foot frame. I pulled and tugged at a few bits that didn't quite sit right, eventually pulling a few bobby pins out of my hair and using them to hold certain bits in place. Once that was done I slipped on the shoes, reveling in the extra inches of height they gave me.

I pushed aside the curtain and walked out into the shoe room, only to find the Master gone. Where was he? I started to panic. I wasn't claustrophobic, not by a long shot. I used to hide in cupboards when I was little and I had friends over when we played hide and seek. They couldn't find me for hours, sometimes even in their own houses! But this, this for once I was terrified of being on my own, feeling as if the walls were closing in on me.

I squared my shoulders, convinced that a little fear would only make me stronger, once I got to that automated door and had found the Master again, only then would I realise how silly I was being.

I strutted to that door like I was an amazonian model on the catwalk. There was no expression on my face, and I even did that stupid pouty thing that all models do for some reason. I knew it looked pretty funny on me, on account of my thin lips.

When I was within a metre of the door, it opened and I sighed with relief, stumbling into the Master's arms. He had been standing on the other side, waiting for me.

"I have one question," I said, feeling really silly but oh so safe as I looked up at his twinkling blue eyes. "What exactly are you a Master of?"