A Starcrossed Reunion (A Doctor Who Short Story)

A Starcrossed Reunion Part 2

Beatrice was busying herself with making a cup of tea. It was early evening and she had finished dinner not long ago. She was just about to pour the hot water when she heard a knock at her door. 

Beatrice's brow furrowed. It was too late in the evening for door-to-door salesmen and she wasn't expecting anybody. Smoothing out her long, green, button-down dressing gown she went to answer the door. 

She opened it to find an older gentleman standing on her door-step. He looked to be in his late sixties and about 5'10. He had white hair and a neatly trimmed white beard and moustache. He wore a brown suit and waistcoat with a pocket watch and a black tie. Though she knew that she had never seen him before there was something very familiar about him that she couldn't place.

"Can I help you?" she asked kindly. The man gave her a small smile and the feeling of familiarity grew. 

"Hello, my dear." Beatrice's eyes widened. Only one person had ever called her "My dear." Her hand came to rest on the Gallifreyan pendant she always wore.

"Master!" she said in surprise. For she knew it was him. It had to be. His smile grew slightly.

"It's been a long time." Beatrice moved forward and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace which he returned. After a minute she pulled away to look into his now blue eyes. Though the colour had changed, the ages of wisdom within them and the warmth they held when looking at her had stayed the same. Finally, she brought herself to speak.

"Goodness, well, please come in." She stepped back to allow him entrance and closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry I'm not more articulate but this really is quite the surprise."

"I don't doubt it, my dear," the Master's tone was kind and he still carried the same air of confidence and charisma.

"I was just about to make a cup of tea would you like one?" she asked.

"That would be very much appreciated. I have missed your tea-making skills." Beatrice smiled at the compliment and gestured for him to come further inside.

"Please sit down," she said, nodding towards the living room couch. "I'll go get the tea." Quickly she moved to the kitchen and got out a second cup of tea. Her heart was racing. She couldn't believe he was actually here after all these years. Fortunately, she still remembered how he took his tea.

Carefully she brought the two cups into the living room. The Master was looking around with interest at his surroundings. Taking in the many bookshelves and pictures.

"Thank you," he said as he took the cup of tea she handed him. "This is quite a lovely place you have here." 

"Thank you, I've retired now and my daughter is married so I live on my own although the Brigadier comes over quite often along with several other of my UNIT friends. Jo is often off travelling with her husband but she stops by when she can.

"You have a daughter?" asked the Master and Beatrice saw him glance down at her hand obviously looking for a wedding ring. She smiled at the gesture.

"Adopted. I was never married. Mainly because I never found anyone I could give my heart to," she said the last part softly, allowing the Master to take in the implication. In all the years since they parted she hadn't stopped loving him. "Have you travelled with anyone else?" she asked. The Master shook his head.

"No, at least not for longer than was necessary for any of my schemes. You always were irreplaceable." He placed his free hand over hers and  Beatrice smiled, her heart warming at the fact that he still cared about her.

"So tell me, what happened after we parted?" he asked her. Beatrice took a sip of her tea.

"Well, with the Doctor able to go off-planet more often I wasn't really needed as his assistant and Jo went off to marry a Welsh scientist. I assume you remember her." The Master chuckled.

"How could I not after the number of times you made me promise not to kill her? She was at least one of the Doctor's less boring companions." Beatrice laughed.

"I should tell her you said that. Anyway, I was moved and went back to helping study any weapons that were found and I was given a raise for all the fieldwork I did with the Doctor."

"And for putting up with the Doctor's rather temperamental nature at times?" asked the Master raising an eyebrow. Beatrice smiled.

"Well, likely that too. Anyway a few years after that I went out into the field one more time. An invasion had completely destroyed a little town and there were very few survivors including the girl who would become my daughter, Gemma. Her parents were killed in the invasion and I was the only one who could calm her. Not long after that, I adopted her." Beatrice paused to take another sip of her tea.

 "Since then I've helped occasionally with preventing a few invasions. I keep an eye out for anything strange that slips under UNIT's main radar. But besides that, I'm afraid my life has been rather ordinary. Enjoyable but not all that extraordinary." She tilted her head.

"But what about you? The last time I saw you you were about to regenerate and didn't know whether it would be successful." She looked away and set down her cup. A part of Beatrice still felt slightly guilty that the Master had needed to use regeneration energy to save her. As if he had read her thoughts the Master set down his cup and used his hand to turn her face back to look at him.

"I told you before, you shouldn't feel guilty about that. I didn't regret it then and I don't regret it now." His voice was kind but firm. She stared into his eyes. They had always been his most expressive aspect. In them, she could see pain, nostalgia, and just as she had seen when they said goodbye, love.

"You still know me so well, after all this time," she said softly. The Master didn't answer but instead leaned in to kiss her. Beatrice was surprised for a brief moment but soon found herself returning the kiss.

 Feelings from all those years ago flooded back in full force. Kissing him felt even more wonderful than she had remembered. The hand that wasn't being covered by his came up to rest on his shoulder as his hand moved from her cheek to stroke her hair. In that moment Beatrice knew that though years had passed neither of their feelings had changed. If anything, they were stronger.

Finally, they had to pull apart and she looked up at him. Her hazel eyes meeting his blue ones.

"I've missed that," she said slightly breathlessly.

"As have I," replied the Master. They shifted their position and the Master pulled her into his arms. Beatrice leaned her head on his chest. She could hear the double beat of his hearts. There was something comforting about the familiar sound. 

She had worried slightly about what may have happened to him. Seeing him here now was a gift. 

"So, what has happened to you. I assume it's been longer for you than for me."

"Over a century for me," he replied. Beatrice raised her eyebrows in surprise. She knew time worked differently for timelords but still...

"Remind me never to complain about thirty years. Though at least you had the courtesy to look older." She said with a smile looking up at him.

"You look no less beautiful now than you did on the day I met you," Beatrice gave a small laugh.

"Charmer. Though you seemed to have kept the gentleman villain vibe."

"I did my best. As for what I've done for the past years well, that is quite a long story."

"I'm retired and you have a time machine. I think that we have all the time in the world." The Master looked down at her and smiled.

"You know my dear, I think that we do." 

Author's note: There's chapter two. Looks like absence makes the heart grow fonder. Please like and comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts on their reunion.