(for Jo, backdated to last week)

[sortofaman]

The truth was all too difficult, and the Doctor didn't quite fancy thinking on it at the moment. Instead, he was sunning himself on the grass outside the TARDIS.

It wasn't clear what exactly he intended to accomplish, considering he was pale as a sheet for starters, and had been liberally smeared with sunscreen before venturing outside. He hummed to himself softly and closed his eyes, considering a nap.

Beautiful day, even if he wasn't still himself after the adventure as Dr Cameron.

Comments

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor slowly sat up, opening his eyes and looking straight at her. "I know," he agreed. "And no, I'm not. I've been watching him, rules about a clean slate or not. I know it's only a matter of time before he snaps, and I intend to get there before then. I promise."

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"Good." She should have been more trusting that the Doctor wasn't just leaving the Master to his own devices. "What's your plan?"

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Don't know yet," the Doctor said. "He has to make a move first, Jo. I can't do anything unless he starts towards something or does something suspicious. I'm under the law here, unfortunately."

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"But the law's wrong." And then she realised what that sounded like. "I mean, in his case everything he does is suspicious."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"I got elected to council, Jo," the Doctor said. "I nearly broke his nose, several months back, I can't take any great preemptive action without getting myself in trouble and then where would he be?"

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"Since when did you care about that?"

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Since I couldn't just bugger off when I'd done something other people could see as questionable."

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

Jo sat back, not wanting the Doctor to think she was completely irresponsible. "I hate that we just have to wait when we know what he's like." She sighed.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"I hate that only a few people believe me when I talk about it," the Doctor said simply. He sighed. "Not you, of course."

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"When I've told people they should stay away from him, they've believed me." Although she didn't know if they then did stay away from him. Or if the Master was staying away from anyone. "But they can't understand what he's like like we do. And he could have hypnotised them all by now for all I know."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor was hardly that optimistic. "I don't think he hypnotised them," he noted, though that did bring some disturbing things to mind. Namely Martha Jones.

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"That's good then." That didn't mean he wasn't going to in the future, though. "At least he's here, where we can keep an eye on him, rather than somewhere else causing trouble."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Well, he was dead back there," the Doctor said, though he wasn't sure how that made him feel, really.

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"Regenerating hasn't changed him at all." Although dying and regenerating didn't really change the Doctor much either, so it was hardly likely the Master would reform with regeneration.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"I think madness sort of transcends regeneration," the Doctor noted. "As does age. He didn't quite used to be like this, when we were boys."

Or maybe you just didn't notice, Doctor.

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"So you think he's getting worse?" Jo was definitely worried by that idea?

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Over a long period of time. Of course, I was fairly certain he was dead." Damn the bloody Gallifreyan Council.

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"If he's regenerated then he must have been dead." Jo sighed. There wasn't really much point discussing what the Master was like because they already knew. "Can't you change the rule so we can lock him up?" Not that locking him up had worked so far, but there wasn't a lot else they could do to stop him.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Not quickly enough for it to matter," the Doctor said. He sighed. "And it wouldn't pass necessarily anyhow."

[unit-girl.livejournal.com]

"I hate doing nothing." Jo shifted over to lean her head against the Doctor's shoulder and settle down comfortably, contradicting her statement.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor was slightly uncomfortable for half a second, then gently brushed some stray hair out of Jo's face. "Yeah," he agreed. "Me too."