The Master Calls

Chapter 19

Nine months later.

Rose looked at herself in the mirror of their bedroom in the Tardis. She had come a long way since a year ago. Gone was the jaded look in her eye. Her eyes actually now sparkled with excitement and curiosity and hope. And love.

Rose and the Master had kept themselves rather busy, building up the Tardis. The Master had made a Vortex Manipulator to travel to other worlds to get some parts that he needed. He always came back, almost as though the thought of leaving her for any extended amount of time was torture for him. And every now and then they would accept an assignment from Torchwood, in exchange for the Master raiding the Vault.

She stood there, dressed in a beautifully fitted white floral dress, her hair down and styled in loose waves. He still enjoyed it when she dressed up and she had to admit that she rather liked the clothes he bought for her. Though that still didn't stop her from wearing sweatpants or jeans from time to time. She still wanted to be comfortable on her downtime.

That morning when they had returned from Torchwood nine months ago, she had gone too her room and gone through all her old clothes, keeping some and packing up other. She had given him the box and he looked at her quizzically.

"I would like you to donate those," she had answered.

He had flipped open the lid and saw her leather jacket neatly folded on top of the pile of clothes. He looked up at her. "Are you sure?"

She had smiled at him and replied. "Yes. It's time to move on from the past."

Since then things had been smooth between them. She had actually felt a sense of freedom letting go of that jacket and the past it had represented. And this small action had been some sort of reassurance for him.

She smiled to herself and made her way to the console room. It looked very different from the Tardis she had known before. This Tardis had taken on some of the Master's characteristics, especially his love for elegance and style.

The console itself was smooth polished wood, all the dials and knobs high-tech looking. The flooring was hardwood and buffed to a gleam. The walls were an off-white color with tiny diamond shaped glass embedded into them, making the walls almost shimmer. A chandelier hung from the ceiling and in their 'sitting area' was a grand black piano with two leather reclining armchairs.

She found him under the console, fiddling with some wires. She went over to the stereo system he had installed and selected a song.

"Care to dance?" she asked in a low voice.

She heard the whirring of his screwdriver stop and then he slid out from under the console. He stood and looked her up and down. He had taken off his jacket to work on the Tardis, his tie loosened at the neck and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Depends on what kind of 'dancing' you're referring to," he replied, sauntering up to her.

She gave him a cheeky grin. "Show me your moves, Master."

He grinned and then took her hand in his, his other hand on her waist and they both started to dance around the console to the music playing. She giggled when he twirled her around and dipped her low when the song ended.

She laughed breathlessly. "You certainly have the moves."

His face looked so happy and relaxed. It was hard to believe that this was the same man she had met a year ago. Gone was the haunted and cold look, though he still had a callous and vindictive streak in him. "Just needed the right partner."

She groaned. "You've been watching Captain America again, haven't you?"

He shrugged, not denying it. "Still the truth."