4The Doctor waits until the humans are gone and pulls in a trembling breath.
"Right. You can do this. You do this all the time. Making things right- that's your whole job." She reassures herself than grimaces, "Except the pay sucks and we don't really want this to be right but hey- the future must go on and all that." The Time Lady prattles on, fist clenched by her sides as she stares intently at the door, leaning forwards slightly as she tries to make herself do anything that isn't just turn around and leave.
"Come on. It's not that hard- even humans can knock on doors. You've knocked on lots of doors in your time- what's one more?" She asks herself, frowning as she once again remembers what should happen after the knocking on the door despite her attempts to repress thought on it.
"Okay now- come on. You're just being silly." She complains, forcing herself to take one step forwards and just rap squarely in the middle of the door. Almost instantly she jumps back.
She knows that the door didn't try and zap her but it feels like it should have and these nerves really aren't helping with anything and what if-
The door opens.
The room beyond it is somewhat dark but even if it was pitch black the Doctor is sure she'd be able to see the figure sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I knew you'd catch up eventually." She says softly, almost bitterly but not quite, and the Doctor can't help the small, sad smile which forms on her lips.
"Of course you would. You've always been brilliant." She says without missing a beat, somewhere between a murmur and a whisper, as she steps into the room.
Gently the Doctor closes the door behind her and lets her eyes adjust to the dim lighting, back just leaning against it and hands behind her back as she just stares at her old friend who is reading the carpet intensely, eyes scanning back and forth over unseen patterns.
"Mm." It's almost a laugh but too somber for it.
The Doctor steps forwards again, crossing quickly to the Mistress and taking her hands from their light grip on the silk skirt over her knees and holding them both between her own. She kneels before her and feels the familiar warmth thrum beneath her palms.
What light there is catches on the polish on Missy's nails, a dark burgundy, and on the wetness of her eyes.
The Doctor raises her eyebrows, gently rubbing her thumbs in circles on the back of the other Time Lady's hands.
"You really knew, didn't you?" She asks, looking away from the fear the Mistress has almost managed to hide.
"I always know when I'll see you again." The woman responds after a moment, squeezing the Doctor's hands, "I feel it it my bones."
She clears her throat a little and the Doctor looks up again. Her eyes are rimmed with red and she drags her teeth across her bottom lip, painted a deep red to match her nails and sniffs, lips twitching up into a heart-breaking smile for a moment.
"It's like rain in the desert." The Time Lady says, voice quavering before she regains control.
The Doctor takes the Mistress' face with one hand, the other pulling both of Missy's to her chest, between her hearts, as she leans in towards her.
"You know what happens when we fix the timeline, don't you?" She whispers across the distance, eyes closed.
Gently, sweetly, the Mistress presses her lips against the Doctor's, both hands cupping her cheeks as she pulls her closer and then they are breathing the same air for just a second and then they are apart again, foreheads resting against each other and arms around each other's shoulders and neck.
"Yes." The Time Lady whispers after breathing in, "I do."
They are both silent for a while, just breathing between them.
"I'm sorry." Thirteen whispers, eyes slipping closed as she pulls Missy closer.
"Mm." The Mistress hums again, certainly not an 'it's okay' but something that's meant to reassure as much as those words would.
Then they're kissing again and there's something resigned in it in the way which Missy curves into the Doctor's hold and presses her fingers so deeply into her flesh that it should etch her in some irrecoverable way- more than just in her memory.
"You've been drinking." The Doctor whispers, eyes closed when they part. It's not quite an accusation.
She feels the other Time Lady nod, movement carrying her head too where they're pressed together.
"Wasn't going to face this sober." She murmurs and it should be funny but it's so achingly sad.
They are silent, each just listening to the other's breath as they try to cling to the moment before everything that will follow.
Eventually the Doctor breaks it.
"I think that you're out there still." She whispers, fingers running up Missy's arms, "Not in the form you are now but I have to believe that you exist even when you aren't by my side." The Doctor's voice is low and hushed, a secret between them.
The Mistress can't help but bring their lips together again in response, desperation only coming through clearer as she kisses her again and again, in no way unreciprocated by the Doctor.
They're interrupted by a knock on the door and a voice.
"You alright in there Doc?" Comes a rather grandfatherly voice.
The women part slowly, not quite ready to part.
Seconds hang in he air before the Mistress blinks and the moment is sealed behind her eyes.
Graham calls out again.
"Your companion I assume?" The Time Lady says, arching a brow and nonchalantly rubbing beneath her right eye to brush away the tears. She sniffs a little.
"Yeah- companions though this time." The Doctor says then stands, extending a hand to Missy, "Would you like to meet them?" She asks.
There's curiousity in her tone and gentleness and Missy knows that if she said no her oldest friend would help her out the window right now and escape with her.
She's never been shy though- not like that- so the Mistress takes the Doctor's hand and squeezes, fingers wrapping securely around hers.
"I'd like to." She says, staring into her eyes.
The Doctor smiles a little sadly.
"And you will again with your next regeneration too." She affirms.
The Mistress smiles though it's quickly lost to pain.
"Yes. Of course." She says under her breath, knowing the Doctor would catch it.
It isn't long before everyone is back on the TARDIS and introduced.
Nardole seems very glad to have the two Masters off his hands and has decided that instead it is now his job to warn Yaz, Ryan and Graham about the dangers of them.
The Mistress sits with the Doctor, watching over them, the Master safely confined where he can't do any harm. Her legs hang over the railing as she leans against the Doctor.
"It's almost time, isn't it?" She asks, hand gently brushing the Doctor's thigh.
There's no response.
"You're putting it off." Missy accuses and the Time Lady besides her stiffens, smiling brightly.
"Putting what off? I'm not putting anything off!" She says just a little unconvincingly before her smile drops and she lets her head loll onto the Mistress' shoulder and lets out a frustrated sigh.
"I just- it's not fair. You've- you're who you are now and your reward is just-" She cuts out, losing coherency as she gestures frantically with her hands.
Missy huffs, both amused and sad.
"It's not like I don't deserve it." She murmurs, eyes fluttering closed.
"I have done a lot of bad things. To you. To strangers." The Mistress speaks, voice barely over a whisper.
"No. You don't deserve it- to be killed by-" The Doctor starts, eyes furious as she grips the other Time Lady's arms and shakes her a little.
Below them Yaz scoffs somewhat loudly at something Nardole says.
"She doesn't look very dangerous. The Doctor looks more dangerous than her right now."
The Mistress smiles a little, resting her forehead against the Doctor's.
"It's exactly what I deserve." She says finally, raising a hand to gently cup the Doctor's cheek.
"So please stop stalling."
So this is the end! It's been a fun ride and thank you for reading along! I would keep writing but there are so many rather delicious endings and I cannot choose for the life of me so we will end here and everyone can choose their own! Thank you!
