Scampi

[Sarah Jane]

She watched him trace her life line with a careful fingertip.

She did not let go of his hand as Ivy came, and smiled up at her in welcome and making soft happy exclamations over the fine looking salad until the woman left.

"I'm not trying to change your mind, Jake. I'm just telling you how I feel. I want you to know that I'm angry at them for all of you. I guess I had to get that off my chest so I could enjoy this dinner with you." She took three of his fingers in hers and squeezed before letting go and drawing back to claim her heavy white linen napkin and flip it into her lap.

It had dawned on her what incident that Jake was talking about six months ago. She had forgotten the actual time frame, and had little details to go on. It was the very latest incarnation, the fellow with the fez who had come, taking her and Luke off Earth sight seeing at a wonderful intergalactic Zoo. When they returned, they'd missed two weeks on Earth.

"I'm sorry I'd almost forgot about that incident six months ago. Luke and I weren't on Earth when it happened." She gave him a saucy wink. "You didn't think the Doctor would leave one of his best friends unprotected? I'm afraid it's been difficult to figure out what exactly happened. Thanks for telling me." Her face was more serious for that last, for she knew it was not a happy story for him.

"I like it that you don't have any goals right now. Perhaps this can be a time for exploration for you instead of a time of conclusion. Now that you have another chance."

[The Master]

"I'm not trying to change your mind, Jake. I'm just telling you how I feel. I want you to know that I'm angry at them for all of you. I guess I had to get that off my chest so I could enjoy this dinner with you." She took three of his fingers in hers and squeezed before letting go and drawing back to claim her heavy white linen napkin and flip it into her lap.

"That's fair," he said, carefully unfolding his own napkin. "Unnecessary perhaps, since they're all dead now, but fair." There was no particular inflection to his words, a casual reference to the extinction of his civilization the way another man might have mentioned the weather.

He tasted the Caesar salad, considered the flavor. Then he added nearly a tablespoon of black pepper, and tasted again. He pursed his lips in thought, then added the contents of three packets of artificial sweetener. Finally, he seemed satisfied.

"I'm sorry I'd almost forgot about that incident six months ago. Luke and I weren't on Earth when it happened." She gave him a saucy wink. "You didn't think the Doctor would leave one of his best friends unprotected? I'm afraid it's been difficult to figure out what exactly happened. Thanks for telling me." Her face was more serious for that last, for she knew it was not a happy story for him.

"Do I think the Doctor would leave one of his best friends unprotected?" he echoed. He took a bite of the Caesar salad, and considered his words. "Yes," he said, voice bleak and cold, his gaze distant and full of memories, "yes, I fully believe he would."

He ate another bite of salad, not actually tasting it. "But," he added, attempting to lighten his mood, "I'm... glad he protected you."

The silence was awkward for a moment.

"I like it that you don't have any goals right now. Perhaps this can be a time for exploration for you instead of a time of conclusion. Now that you have another chance."

The Master's smile looked more genuine, this time. "Another chance, eh?" He considered it. "Exploration?" He considered it a little longer, then shook his head. "I'm no Doctor, Sarah," he said, "I've never had the urge for exploration for exploration's sake."

He ate a little more salad. "I'm certainly no hero. My name is spoken across the stars, across time, in tones of dread. And yet... there was a time." The memory came unbidden...

His hands gripped the railing. "There are three thousand refugees on this vessel, Captain." He half turned, and looked at her over his shoulder. "We promised them - I promised them - that we would get them to Malcassairo, and then to Utopia."

"Assuming Utopia isn't just a myth."

He smiled, thin and hard. "It isn't, Captain. Utopia is real. If I have to build it myself, it is real."

He shook his head, irritably. "And look how that turned out," he muttered.

He ate another bite of salad.

[Sarah Jane]

She watched in silent horror at what Jake did to his salad. If she had any lingering doubt that he was now in a Gallifreyan body, it was put to rest by his sugar travesty. All it took, though, was one more good look at her own salad. She ate with perfect manors and much enthusiasm. She makes small noises of contentment.

Swallowing her currant mouthful and tapping the corner of her mouth with her napkin, she frowned at him. She frowned not because she was upset with him, but it was simply the expression on her face when she was rolling the tape back in her head and playing it again. When she ate, little else crossed her mind.

"Well, everything is different now, isn't it. Now you are free in a way you have not been since you were a child. I hope you don't confine yourself again any time soon."

[The Master]

"Well, everything is different now, isn't it. Now you are free in a way you have not been since you were a child. I hope you don't confine yourself again any time soon."

"This is very true," the Master said, dabbing his lips with the napkin. "And I suspect that I am out of the 'universal conquest' business for good. It lacks a certain je ne sais quoi, when there is no hope of capturing Gallifrey."

He drank a little more wine. "Perhaps I'll try my hand at espionage, or being a thief. When I finally grow bored with UNIT, that is."

His laughter was self-deprecating. "It's interesting, Kamali. I've spent so long as the Doctor's Shadow, that I've never really asked myself what I want out of life."

[Sarah Jane]

She was glad when Ivy buzzed by their table depositing a basket of hot bread. She'd been wanting to ask, but was afraid that Jake just might have her flogged or some such for her omission. She put her utensil's down and reached for the hunk to begin tearing it with her hands. It steamed and smelled wonderfully.

"I've been thinking of joining the world domination biz. I mean, after all, I believe I am one of the most powerful humans on Earth. Last time I checked." She looked around casually "All this could be mine."

She buttered her bread, eyes sparkling, and mouth trying not to smile too much.

[The Master]

"I've been thinking of joining the world domination biz. I mean, after all, I believe I am one of the most powerful humans on Earth. Last time I checked." She looked around casually "All this could be mine."

The Master sipped at his wine. "In place of the Master you would set up a Princess?" he said with a carefully straight face. "A Princess who is not dark, but radiant and terrible as the Morning and the Night? Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain? Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning? Stronger than the foundations of the earth?"

He refilled his glass, maintaining that carefully straight face. "Shall all love you and despair?"

A small snort of suppressed laughter escaped him, and his eyes glittered with good humor. He reached out and took her hand, gently. "Ah, Kamali, you tempt me."

A pause. "Of course, if you're serious, I have a few suggestions as to where we could start..."

The glitter of good humor remained, but something else - something resembling hope, or possibly desire - had been added.

[Sarah Jane]

His hands were large and strong and soft. So were his words. For a moment, she just let herself imagine it. Princess Sarah Jane, ruling the Earth with a hand like velvet covered steel. No more bombs. No more guns. No more fighting past the government to make the right decisions about the extra terrestrials who chose to come to earth. She could even tell Jack Harkness what to do.

If she kept Jake close to her, she wouldn't have to worry about him. By the look in his eyes, he would even let her drive the show. Well, at least until he changed his mind.

No more worry about bills or scrubbing her own kitchen floor. Hot tea brought to her in bed.

She sees the imagining in Jake's eyes as well, and grips his hands in turn.
"Jake. You're going to live for a very very long time. Why not let yourself be the adolescent you have found yourself and go learn about yourself before you try to make any changes in the world around you. Sure you can see there is no hurry. And for serious-" She gave a little, smiling shake of her head.

"I think I like scrubbing my own floor, if you know what I mean. Please. Jake. Think about moving slowly into this new life."

[The Master]

The Master watched the progression of Kamali's (and for some reason, he was having a hard time thinking of her as "Sarah") thoughts with interest. He wasn't bothering to read her mind - that would be easy enough, particularly since he was holding her hand - but that would take the challenge out of it.

No, he was just watching (and being utterly captivated by) the subtle play of her emotions as revealed by the tiny movements of her face. He strongly suspected what her answer would be, but it was fascinating watching her as she realized that it could be done. And quite easily.

"Jake. You're going to live for a very very long time."

He inclined his head, acknowledging the extreme justice of this remark.

"Why not let yourself be the adolescent you have found yourself and go learn about yourself before you try to make any changes in the world around you. Sure you can see there is no hurry."

"It is so very easy to make those changes, though," he said, sipping at his wine. "So very easy. A word here, a bit of strategic domination there, a subtle use of sufficiently advanced technology..." He let his voice trail away, then shrugged.

"What is that saying, Kamali? When the only tool you have is a hammer, the universe looks like a nail?" He shrugged again. "But your point is well taken. Why hurry? Life, rich and full of possibility, stretches out before me."

"And for serious-" She gave a little, smiling shake of her head. "I think I like scrubbing my own floor, if you know what I mean."

He thought about that for a moment. "No. I don't think I do."

"Please. Jake. Think about moving slowly into this new life."

"Kamali," he said, idly running a finger the length of her index finger and then softly tracing a design on the back of her hand, "for things that are worth having?"

He retraced the design with a gentle finger, and slowly ran his finger back along hers. "I can move very slowly."

[Sarah Jane]

In one second half a dozen images flashed through her mind as she sat there watching his finger slowly trace her skin. She slammed a quick door on that, letting out a breath from pursed lips. She does not move her hand away.

"Alec . . . . . ." For once she fishes for what to say, when words are usually overflowing an in need of editing. She searched his eyes for an answer. "There is a universe full of bright beautiful beings out there who will easily be captured by your charm. I worry about you playing with your heart with such a short lived race as humans."

She had over heard something the time the Doctor had found her at the school. At the diner. She'd gone out to the parking lot to find him, and found him with Rose instead. She didn't mind, really, but she should have left. That she didn't do. They had started talking about her, though she wound up example, not subject to their conversation. She had overheard much of their conversation.

"Humans. We wither and we die." She quoted, the words stinging her just a little bit, and she changed to her own words from there. "And if you think your heart won't be involved, think again. You've been human. In some ways that humanity might cling to you. I hope in all the best ways. If it does, well, love is one of the most amazing things about being human. I think you'll find it . . .unpredictable."

[The Master]

She let out a breath from pursed lips. "Alec . . . . . ."

"Alec?" he echoed with a smile. "Should I be jealous?"

For once she fishes for what to say, when words are usually overflowing an in need of editing. She searched his eyes for an answer. "There is a universe full of bright beautiful beings out there who will easily be captured by your charm. I worry about you playing with your heart with such a short lived race as humans."

"Kamali," he said, meeting her eyes. "I am all but immortal. Nearly every species is 'short lived' next to me."

"Humans. We wither and we die." She quoted, the words stinging her just a little bit, and she changed to her own words from there. "And if you think your heart won't be involved, think again. You've been human. In some ways that humanity might cling to you. I hope in all the best ways. If it does, well, love is one of the most amazing things about being human. I think you'll find it . . .unpredictable."

"Love, you say?" His finger traced the lines of the tendons in her wrist, and followed the curve of her thumb. "Love is hardly unique to humanity. And I have found it to be... unpredictable."

He'd meant it to be casual, and flirtatious. But the words brought back memories, strong enough to bleed through the fragile, intimate connection.

...A little girl with hair like fire, playing a game of make believe with a little boy in leg braces...

...A young woman, sandy haired and dark eyed, laughing and running just enough to make the chase interesting...

...The same woman, older and utterly different in appearance, smiling indulgently...

...A different woman, blonde, leaning against a door and laughing with him as screams echoed from the other side...

His hand suddenly jerked away from hers, as from something hot. "I'm... I'm sorry," he said, looking away, body language tense and uncomfortable. "That was, well, I haven't lost control of my thoughts like that in... centuries."

[Sarah Jane]

"I'm sorry Jake. Don' be jealous of Alec, he's someone, sometimes a friend, who you remind me of. . ." She winced at her mistake, then went on listening to him. She wondered if things would be different for Jake or not, now. She hoped many things for him would be different.

Then she was lost to seeing what he was seeing in his memory. Feeling what he had been feeling. The love and loss and pain were ancient, but still so terribly sharp.

When her vision cleared and she was once again simply sitting across from Jake at the Steak & Stuff, she found herself clutching the edge of the table, mouth softly open, tears wet on her cheeks. She is searching his face, trying to understand.

"It doesn't have to be like that again, Jake."

[The Master]

"I'm sorry Jake. Don' be jealous of Alec, he's someone, sometimes a friend, who you remind me of. . ."

"Really?" he asked, surprised and amused. "You'll have to tell me about him. Some other time.

Then she was lost to seeing what he was seeing in his memory. Feeling what he had been feeling. The love and loss and pain were ancient, but still so terribly sharp.

When her vision cleared and she was once again simply sitting across from Jake at the Steak & Stuff, she found herself clutching the edge of the table, mouth softly open, tears wet on her cheeks. She is searching his face, trying to understand.

"It doesn't have to be like that again, Jake."

"I hardly see how I can avoid it," the Master said, tilting his head slightly. "To the best of my knowledge, there are exactly two surviving Time Ladies. One I used as a cats paw in a dangerous game I found myself having to play a few years ago, and the other..."

He smiled. "The other is the Archivist."

There was a pause, and Fay took that opportunity to bring both the main course and a basket of bread. "Do you need anything else, Jacob?" she asked.

"Another bottle of wine, I think," the Master answered. "And..." he paused, as if this were alien to him. "Thank you."

Fay smiled at him and walked off.

The Master cut a bite of his salmon and prawns, and chewed slowly.

[Sarah Jane]

Her lobster arrived. It looked very much like the Arachnoids they'd fought that very day. It brought a little smile to her face. She began neatly tearing at it with her hands and the tools provided. She managed to make it look more like unwrapping a fancy present than tearing apart a cooked, hard shelled animal.

She was still a little thrown by the brush of emotions she'd had with Jake just now, but covered it well. When Jake asked for a second bottle of wine, she realized she was on her third glass. It was alright, the seas were calm in her.

"The Archivist?" She said, that name having caught her attention for certain. "Seren, from today's battle. The one who was almost the Doctor's wife?" She asked. "Were you three all friends together as children?" she asked, perhaps indelicately, but then again, there was the wine.

[The Master]

"The Archivist?" She said, that name having caught her attention for certain. "Seren, from today's battle. The one who was almost the Doctor's wife?" She asked. "Were you three all friends together as children?" she asked, perhaps indelicately, but then again, there was the wine.

The Master ate another bite of prawns and salmon, and considered his answer. "Yes," he said.

He drank some wine, and smiled. "I could just leave it there, I suppose. But then, I remember that you are an investigative journalist. I doubt you would be satisfied with a monosyllabic answer."

Another sip of wine. "I have known the Doctor since I was eight years old. We could have been brothers. We practically were brothers." His tone was light but brittle, as if he were forcing himself to sound casual.

A pause as he considered his words. "Both of us knew the Archivist from the same age, although it was about a decade later before we really became friends." A frown. "Our Initiation was, as you may have gathered, difficult. She required a great deal of assistance to recover from the... ordeal."

He ate another bite of his meal, not really tasting it. "It was the Doctor that really brought her into our circle of friends. The two of them were so hung up on each other that, really, it was a relief when they made it official and started dating."

A sip of wine. "The Archivist. The one who was almost the Doctor's wife," he repeated with a sad expression and a humorless laugh. "They were together for a century and a half..." Another humorless laugh, and ancient hatred burned in his eyes.

[Sarah Jane]

She had seen that look in his eye. She had seen the Master inside of him. Her hands shook just the littlest bit as she folded her napkin and pressed it into her lap. She would not quite admit to being afraid in that moment, it would not help her situation at all. Besides, frustration was taking precedence right now.

She made herself meet his eyes.

"You know what? I think you find it thrilling to be angry. I think you chew it like a cud and swallow it and bring it back up just so you can chew it again trying to remember what it tasted like when it was strong, never bothering to try to imagine what you're doing to the other beings around you." It was a disgusting analogy, but she was done eating anyway. Suddenly her lobster did look too much like one of the creatures that had attacked today. What macabre state of mind had she been in when she ordered this? What the hell was she doing here?

"Is that really what you want to do with this new life you've found? Don't you understand what you've been given? A second chance. A real second chance, your life will be exactly what you make of it. It can be beautiful or ugly. Your choice."