ames hargreaves ∞ the master (usemyname) wrote in thereincarnates, @ 2011-10-26 11:59:00 |
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Always late, always lost.
But not this time. Not in this life. New fingers curled around the side of the console, trembling, shaking violently. Regeneration. Never easy. Especially in this damned life. Oh, these pathetic human forms, never meant to herald such majesty. No, not yet. Stepping stones, yes. That's what they were. Amelia, Ames. They'd served their purpose. After all,
As one door closes, another must open.
That's what this was. Another door, another rung of the ladder. Sacrificing the old to become the new. A necessary evil even for one such as him. One, two, three, four. The sound that stayed. That comforting noise. The beat of four. The sound of drums. They grew louder with every face. In this, they screamed, inviting him, calling out to him. Given a new purpose, given a new chance. A clean slate.
A sharp burst of light erupted somewhere inside of the TARDIS. His TARDIS. There were two now. The only two in existence. Metal clanked, lurching horribly under the strain of the universe. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be. The universe was his and it sang aloud as he scoured for a place to hide. One, two, three, four. Someplace. Any place. Everything was moving according to a plan. His plan. The captain played his part admirably, as he always did. Spinning, whirling, crashing through the vortex. A hum gave way in his chest. It was time.
The Torchwood Hub needed a decorator or two. Since all those children began to inhabit the place, for some ungodly reason the mess had only increased. Ames wrinkled his nose, bright eyes flicking from here to there as he moved further inside. This morning the pterodactyl appeared to be sleeping somewhere. Either that, or they'd finally been rid of the creature. Such a shame to see something so horribly full of potential locked up with something as equally wasted on heroics like the reincarnate of Captain Jack Harkness.
His elbow nudged a something and he turned his head. The hand in a jar bubbled excitedly, or perhaps out of fear, and he leaned forward to get a closer look at it. The blank expression he wore twisted into a grin that filled every nook of his face. He spread out his palm and placed it to the glass, to which the bubbles only grew more rapid, and Ames stepped back. "How delightful. You remember," he whispered, amused at the exhibition.
"You get his number?" came a voice as jaunty as it was surprised. Ames turned around, glancing up to the next floor's balcony. The same floor as Captain Jack's office. Sterling Swift, dressed in the familiar Captain blues and braces grinned, both his hands in his pockets. "I've been trying for years now. You ask me, he's just playing hard to get." Sterling chuckled. Ames did the same, though he hardly found this funny. The other man seemed to hop down the short flight of metallic stairs and stayed planted on the very last step. "You're up early. Special occasion?"
"Oh, hardly," Ames rolled his eyes, "I've got the most rubbish neighbors. Honestly, you wouldn't even believe how loud they get in the mornings. Figured I'd pay you lot a visit. See how it was all going down here." He looked away, pretending to observe the state of the Hub once more. "Seems I've dropped in just a bit too early." With a shrug of his shoulders, he faced the reincarnated Captain fully, a lazy smirk on his lips. "Sorry about that."
Sterling shook his head, finally stepping down to the ground, level but still noticeably taller than Ames. "No need. You're one of us." One of us. It sounded so earnest coming from the Captain's mouth. One of Torchwood. The good guys. The home team. The heroes of the story. How soon that was to change. "Speaking of, you want anything? I was just about to make a pot of coffee."
"That would be lovely, actually. Although, before you head that way, I've got to ask - did you really tie him up to a chair?" Ames snorted, the laughter in his voice suddenly very real. The idea of The Doctor, helpless, in the clutches of his companions tickled him to no end. It was only a matter of time, wasn't it? That was the trouble with new faces and tight-knit groups such as theirs. Without an obvious picture for their worst fear, they blamed the first person to enter their life for being who they weren't, when they were truly who they were. If only he'd been able to see it all with his own eyes.
Sterling scratched at the back of his head, sidling up to the nearby railing. "Had to be done. Probably not in that exact order, but we needed to be certain. If Avi was The Doctor, it had to be known by everyone. I'm sure he won't want to come back for Thanksgiving dinner anytime soon, but hey. I'll sleep better at night knowing he's back with us again." He began to turn on his heels then stopped to point a finger directly at Ames. "Don't wander too far. We've got some catching up to do." When Sterling'd finally turned to walk towards the refreshment room, Ames' broad smile left his face and his features hardened.
A new Doctor was never truly a part of this new layout of his, but it was always an option with the rate The Doctor seemed to regenerate. Everything was taken into account. There would be no room for foul ups. What was to happen would. One, two, three, four. Soon. So very, very soon. His head snapped toward the room holding the precise reason he'd entered the Hub. Not for coffee, not for Sterling, not for information on this new Doctor. For the final chapter of this specific story.
Excellent, Doctor, envy is the beginning of all true greatness.
Each finger outstretched as his palm hovered just before the TARDIS doors. His TARDIS. How very blue it was. A new sort of blue. She'd changed since the last time they'd met. Her insides were different, but he didn't need the doors to open to know this. He could feel it, feel Her. She didn't like his touch. She never did. Those instances in which he grew closer to the machine, it often appeared as though the universe shivered in its wake. Even in distance, the smallest parts of The Doctor grew fearful at his mere presence.
She was made to be his. One day near, he would see to it that this was made certain. Until then, he set his jaw, the tips of every digit sliding down that stretch of blue. One, two, three, four. Hush now. We're nearly to the fun part. The sound of footsteps rose above the suddenly loud hum coming from the TARDIS and Ames peered over his shoulder. "Jeez," Sterling said, "Haven't heard her make a noise like that in a while. I think she likes you." Ames patted where his hand sat and wheeled around.
"I doubt that. She was rarely ever fond of the other people in The Doctor's life. Ours was an estranged past, I should think." His brow furrowed. "Did you need something, Captain?" Sterling's eyes had never once left the sight of Ames' hand on the TARDIS, but still he answered the other man's question.
"You take any sugars?"
"Just two, thank you."
"Adventurous. I'll leave you two alone for a little while longer. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
The Captain disappeared for the second time that morning. Ames turned his back only to peer up at the TARDIS. "Trying to taddle on me, are you? My dear girl, after all we've been through together. I'm crushed," he hissed under his breath. That was when he heard it. The placing of the pieces. Behind him came the sound of a gun being cocked.
"Smarter than she looks," Sterling announced. "Hands off the time machine, Mister Hargreaves. I want you to turn around. Nice and slow." A dark smirk flashed across his features before he did as was asked of him, his hands up in surrender.
"Come again?"
"I really don't think now's the time to play your hand with the victim card. Do you?" He pointed the revolver directly between Ames' eyes. "Checked your records. A little more thoroughly this time. I've gotta say, you did a pretty good job. Dr. Ames Robert Hargreaves. Heh. It's the name that shoulda tipped me off. A little close to home, don'tcha think?"
Ames tilted his head, but he didn't move. "Sterling, love, I really think you're overreacting here. I honestly don't know what you're playing at-"
"Oh, shut up! You're not fooling anybody. Not anymore. Dr. Ames Robert Hargreaves disappeared a long time ago. You saw to that. But somewhere along the line, somebody remembered. Fat guy, balding, one helluva doctor. Even by your standards, dressing up in a labcoat is a little desperate. Playing doctor. Everybody trusts that alibi. Even me. But I dug deeper. Turns out Amelia Graves? She went missing, too. Amelia Graves. Ames Hargreaves. All leading up to one obvious answer." He spat through his teeth, "The Master."
The Time Lord clapped his hands slowly, raising the gesture into a quick, mocking applause. "Oh! Bravo! Well done! At last, you've seen through my clever plan! Dear me, how long has it been? Weeks? Months? Oh, so many months." Ames laughed harshly, "Such blind faith you have in that man! You know," Ames stood at his full height now, taking one step forward. "If that man told you he needed his shoes shined, you'd get on your knees and spit them bright again."
"Move and I swear to God I'll blast your damn head off, you sick son of a -"
"Will you? Oh! That would be fun! You may wear that man's clothes, but you've got to mean it. You sound nothing like him. Truly. A sad, scared little boy parading around like a captain. But no, him." He pretended to shudder, "He'd seen it all. Done it all. And you, Mister Swift, what is it you've seen?"
Ames took another step forward. Sterling watched him, hatred in his eyes. "Enough to know that you're not going to leave this building alive." It was Jack in his voice this time. The immortal Captain.
"Oho! Theeere he is," The Master spoke, but it made not a difference. The two were one in the same, a snake with two heads. Sterling stood his ground. "Oh, Captain, my Captain. It has been far too long. I bet you saw right through me, didn't you? It was the eyes, wasn't it? They're such horrible little eyes." The Master wasted no time. He seemed to bounce in his step, his arms outspread. "Have you come to shoot me, Captain? I have been awfully naughty with this face, haven't I?"
"That's enough -"
"But it isn't. You see, there was that nasty ginger boy. Reggie. Oh! Did he scream. I put his heart in a jar. Nasty stuff. That Kai boy's family? Slaughtered them in their very own home. Shall I tell you how they begged, Captain?"
"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Captain Jack screamed hoarsely, pushing back The Master until his back slammed mercilessly into the TARDIS doors. "One more word. That's all it'll take. You've gone too far this time."
The Master showed no signs of pain. Simply pleasure. "And what will The Doctor say when he finds out you've killed his eldest enemy? Congratulations, Captain. Have a pint on me?" He lifted his chin, the eyes of the Master meeting the eyes of the Captain. "Does he know of all those people you've killed? All those pathetic insects crawling onto the battlefield for you? The ones you've slaughtered in cold blood?" He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "You got them back and for what? All to watch them die over and over. All the Captain's horses and all the Captain's men couldn't put his broken heart back together again." He pouted his bottom lip and moved his face forward. "How sweet."
You do not understand hatred as I understand it. Only hate keeps me alive.
Jack moved his arm back, launching it forward to slam his fist into The Master's cheek. "Don't you dare. You're a monster. A cold, soulless monster who murders innocent people because he's bored. Don't compare me to you. You are nothing. Do you hear me? You're nothing. You killed me. You killed me for days on end. And when I breathed in life again, you did it all over again. Three hundred and sixty five days of death. My death. But that isn't what matters to me. Not anymore." Jack tightened his grip around The Master's collar. "You murdered my team in front of me. Gwen, Ianto, Owen, Tosh. All of them -"
The Time Lord laughed out loud, "And you killed them for good, didn't you?"
'You told me you'd keep me safe, Jack,' Jack turned his head. A puddle of blood at his feet led to the steps of the medical area, stopping at the sight of Toshiko Sato, bleeding out onto the floor. She looked gaunt, she was dying. 'You promised.'
"Tosh -"
Ames followed Jack's eyes, licking at the drip of blood pooling into his mouth. He saw nothing, but he preened nonetheless. "Yes, Jack. Do you remember? Gorgeous Tosh. Shy Tosh. Beauty and brains. Shot by your brother. Heartbreaking, wasn't it?"
"No." Jack moved his attention back to The Master. "What the hell are you doing to me?" In truth, Ames was doing nothing, but nothing could stop the laugh leaving his throat.
'What good were you, Captain? You felt guilty, did you? Thought you'd sleep a bit better at night by bringing me back? Selfish fucker. I could've been happy. We all could have been happy.' Half of Owen's face appeared next to Jack's shoulder. 'He should have destroyed you for good.' The doctor, showing off the part of his face with flesh sliding off his nerves and bone the blast had since destroyed, glowered. 'We'd have been better off without you.'
"NO!" His hold on The Master released itself and he darted backwards, tripping over something hard. Landing on his backside, Ames brushed off his shoulders and watched as Jack began to crawl toward whatever had initially made him lose his balance.
The Captain leaned in, sliding down the red sheet to what he knew would it would reveal. Ianto Jones stared up at Jack's face and tears welled in his eyes. "Ianto, I'm sorry."
'You swore to us, Jack. All of us. But in the end, you're still the last man standing, aren't you? It always was about you.'
"I'm sorry. I tried to save you. All of you." Captain Jack could see only the three of them now, walking slowly toward the sniveling captain, "I tried."
"You failed, Captain," said Ames, stopping between the three heads that only Jack saw. "All of them. Just as you'll fail again and again. And, oh, well, probably again.."
"No," Jack felt a fear he never knew before. It wasn't his fear, and yet it crawled all over his skin and filled his mind until he couldn't see straight. They were all dead. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. He'd seen each of them die. This was a new life, wasn't it? Sterling's life. Soon, he didn't know who Sterling was. There was simply Jack. Ianto. Owen. Tosh. The Master. "You -" Jack breathed in heavily through his nose. The revolver in his hand lifted and he aimed it toward The Master.
'Shoot first, ask questions later. That was you all over, wasn't it?' Owen growled curtly.
"Come on, then, Mister Swift. Prove me wrong. If you don't, I'm afraid all your new friends will be here soon. And I'll spend my time killing each and every one of them. And this time, oh, they won't come back."
"I can't -"
'Weak,' spat Tosh.
"So very, very weak. You were so close."
Ames spun round on his heels, a skip to his step. It was when he reached the TARDIS that he stopped. The doors did not open, the doorknob did not give way. "No! No!" He shouted, banging his fist against the TARDIS.
He glowered over at Sterling, who held up the key, standing back on his own two feet. His shoulders were hunched and his breathing was shallow. He looked as if his limbs were being tugged on and his face had been scratched, but he grinned. "Locked, asshole." Without any hesitation, the revolver fired and the bullet pierced all the way through one of Ames' hearts.
Stunned, his body slumped backwards, sliding down the TARDIS without another word. Sterling's body did the same. He dropped the revolver onto the floor, holding fast to the railing of stairs as he hit the ground with a harsh thud. Words filled his ears. Coward. Murderer. Nothing. Owen. Tosh. Ianto. He saw darkness, but his eyes were not closed. Some part of him was bleeding but he couldn't tell which.
Sterling!?
When he'd open his eyes again, he would see Jonathan running at him through the ghost of Owen Harper. The body of Ames Hargreaves, however, would not be found.
If The Doctor can be young and strong,
A blinding light overwhelmed every part of his TARDIS. Leaving The Doctor's behind was no true loss. Not when this was so much more interesting. When he'd gotten what he'd wanted. Now they would all know the truth. He'd destroyed them. Changed them. Every cell was changing. It seared every part of him, dug cruelly into his insides. Oh, did he love it. He held out his arms, orange and yellow bursts of energy streaming from each inch of his existence. He could feel it as his face turned, twisted, morphed into something unusual. Something new. A howl of pain took over the sound of the universe, but it did not last long. No. Soon, it was a laugh. A cold, deep laugh that seemed to teem from the mouth of Hell itself.
then so can I.
The button up t-shirt no longer fit him, rolling over muscles in a binding sort of way. The black trousers felt uncomfortable in every location past his hips. He stood upright, gasping in through his mouth. He glanced at his hands, stretching out the veins, rolling his wrists. The expression on his face felt like a new kind of disgust. He reached up, feeling his palms through his hair. Short, but not too short. His face felt strong, hard, and his jaw .. Oh, it was good. All of it felt capable. Fit. New. For the first time, he grinned so comfortably it might as well have been the only expression he was now capable of. Ames Hargreaves was gone. One, two, three, four. It was time for something different.
The Master reborn.