An Unwelcome Truth

Chapter Seven

The Doctor could be oblivious sometimes. Beautifully oblivious.

"You had no right to do that!"

She had gotten right into his face, an anger starting in her gaze that The Master was very familiar with.

"What is it with you, eh?! Always killin', always hurtin' people. Why are you here, Master, really?" She flung her arms out to her sides, as if to challenge him. "Did you not have enough of my company on Gallifrey? Decided to break me out of prison to continue playtime?"

"We don't have long." Came a voice from behind him, at the door.

Irritation boiled in his blood; between The Doctor being - well, an ignorant shit, and Tecteun, his insistent, monster of a mother, he barely had time to even open his mouth before the woman before him continued; accusation hot in her voice.

"And who's that? Another ally? Someone else that you make bow to you and your every sadistic whim?"

Enough.

He slid forward, and grabbed The Doctor's wrist, eyes burying deep into hers. And for a moment she stopped; an expression on her face turning from her initial shock, to a disgusting curiosity.

"Doctor." He said, firmly. "That - is Tecteun."

There was a stillness between them; one that stretched out as The Doctor took in this new piece of information with wide eyes. Glancing between the woman at the door, and her best enemy before her, it took her a moment for her come up with something to say; to form a voice around it. But before she could get any word out, The Master continued.

"I can explain everything. But we need to leave. For once in your life, trust me." He tightened his grip, moving closer, and The Doctor saw something in his gaze that she hadn't seen for a very, very long time. Desperation. A silent plea.

And she was speechless.

"Master." Tecteun's voice was somehow more insistent than before.

"Doctor." The Master didn't relent his gaze, searching for approval. Searching for a sign that she would listen. And eventually he got what he was looking for. An absent nod of her head. Taking that, he let go of her, moving back to Tecteun and finally looking down the corridor in the direction that she was looking.

It was a long one, filled to the brim with cells, and at the very end of it was a door, deadlock sealed by The Master and Tecteun the moment they had entered the place. There were noises on the other side of it. Those trying to break in. There was a breath, and a relaxation of The Master's shoulders, before he whipped around, and lead the way down the other end of the corridor.

An unlikely trio.

There was a side glance to Tecteun from The Doctor, but she kept quiet. They all did. There was a silent understanding between them; talking came after escaping, despite The Doctor not really knowing what she was escaping from - nor what she was walking into with the two of perhaps the worst people in her life. But - she had seen the look in The Master's eyes. A look that spoke to her on a deeper level, and she didn't know what it meant. Not really, not truly. She just knew that - when he looked at her like that?

She couldn't deny him.

"I'm guessin' you know your way out of here?" She perked up, rushing to walk by The Master, side by side. She was uncomfortable not being able to take the lead, especially when it came to him.