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"Alright, fam!" The Doctor had cheered, grinning at her companions. "So, I was thinking we could pop over to this gorgeous spot. It’s absolutely stunning this time of year. It’s like a proper winter wonderland! Or-" she grumpily pouted while crossing her arms, "we could go to your boring, overcrowded, human Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, with the overpriced hot chocolate."
You weren’t a fan of that version of Winter Wonderland, either. An adventure won’t hurt, you supposed.
You'd been listening quietly from where you were sat in the console room, on a seat. "What kind of adventure are we talking about? Because if this is another 'quick stop' that turns into running from monsters, I'd like to know now."
"No monsters!" The Doctor held up her hands defensively. "I promise it’s not. I just want a proper field trip with you lot. I’m pretty sure one of those Disney films based its setting on the location I’m thinking of."
You paused and really thought about it. "...Do you mean "Frozen"?"
"Yes! That one, exactly! Thanks!" The Doctor stared at you like you'd just solved the question of a lifetime.
Ryan immediately pinched the bridge of his nose. "Doctor, if we end up meeting an ice queen-"
"We won't," The Doctor promised you. "I checked the scanners earlier. There were no life signs except for some research outpost personnel. It’s completely safe. Just beautiful scenery and maybe, just maybe, some interesting geological formations."
Yaz raised an eyebrow. "You checked? That's not like you."
She was right, The Doctor had always been more of an "act now, think later" person. Though, you couldn’t exactly blame The Doctor for her cautiousness. You’d all gotten into trouble during the last adventure. It’s a very bad idea to piss off a yeti, apparently.
"I can be responsible!" The Doctor protested like a child. "Sometimes. When I remember." She stammered hesitantly.
You crossed your arms, "And the research outpost is definitely still operational? They’re all fine, then?"
"Yes!" The Doctor paused, "Well... The last check-in was three days ago, but that's normal for remote stations. That’s merely a blip in their long projects. They're probably just busy doing research-y things. Science-y things, you know?"
You exchanged a glance with Yaz. Three days feels like a long time for a check-in, you’d made up your own mind.
You had to take her word for it but something about it just didn’t feel quite right. But that was what intrigued you in the first place. To you it was just another case to solve, and The Doctor knew that was your weakness.
"So," The Doctor clapped her hands together, already reaching for the dematerialization lever. "Who's up for a proper winter adventure? Snow, ice, maybe some northern lights if we're lucky?"
You’d given her the go-ahead. "I really need to see northern lights at least once in my lifetime."
The Doctor smiled. "Great!"
The TARDIS wardrobe had at least supplied you all with proper winter gear. None of you would have to freeze to death.
You had gone for a thick maroon puffer jacket with blue insulated pants to keep your body warmth in as much as possible. You weren’t quite sure what to expect from the environment. The TARDIS had given various readings that kept contradicting each other.
The moment you stepped out of the ship, your breath misted in front of your face. The wind cut through even your thick jacket, making you pull the collar up higher. You even shivered slightly. You reached the research post.
"Gorgeous, no?" The Doctor said, walking through the snow without even a shrug. Damn time lord biology.
"It’s way too cold," Yaz said and you agreed with her.
All of you had discovered a few core issues: there wasn’t any signal of communication, which made sense for its location, maybe. The bigger issue there was the fact the research post looked... abandoned.
The building looked wrong, almost haunted. There were no lights coming from inside, no smoke from heaters or fireplaces and there were no tracks in the snow. You all had to face the truth: this research post was abandoned for a while now. And none of you had any idea why.
"This does not look like only three days without a check-in, to me..." You’d murmured to yourself, walking behind The Doctor and Yaz. Ryan and Graham were in front.
"Cheer up, (y/n). It’s possible they had an emergency, or maybe they had an incredible breakthrough in their research? Who knows?" The Doctor kept up her optimism.
While Ryan was attempting to guess the passcode on the entry of the research post, The Doctor started calculating the endless possible entry codes on her sonic screwdriver. You figured they did not need someone hunching over their backs.
With that in mind, you walked over to Yaz and Graham. They were theorising over what could have possibly happened to the scientists.
"Maybe we should check out the area? See if anything is amiss?" You’d proposed. "It kills our time."
They nodded and you proceeded.
You were walking, talking to Graham about your homes when Yaz’s voice cut through. "Hey, guys?" She'd stopped several meters ahead, staring at something. "I think you should see this." You both turned around and went to look at whatever Yaz was looking at.
She led you and Graham to the spot she’d been at.
Statues. These were actual ice statues. And they looked very realistic at that. The realization came to you they might be actual, real-life human beings.
"Christ," Graham breathed. "Are they-?"
"Real," you finished, your voice hollow. "They are- were real people."
Some of them had terrified expressions, some of them covering their faces with their hands, and some were just blank.
Oh god. You felt nauseous. I think I’m going to be sick.
Yaz looked pale. "How many are there?"
You forced yourself to look around. At least a dozen figures scattered across the snow. You didn’t know whether they were dead, or still alive. Neither did you want to know, you’d decided.
"The Doctor needs to see this," you said, trying to keep your voice steady. "You two wait here. I'll go back to the research post and get her. Maybe she'll know what's going on."
"Are you sure?" Yaz asked. "We should probably stick together-"
It’s the only idea I’ve got. It probably was the only plan that was efficient, in the first place.
"I'll be quick," you promised, starting to turn back from where you'd come from. "Five minutes, tops. Don't touch anything. Stay here."
They had agreed and you went on your way.
This is not the research post. Wasn’t I here already before?
You stopped in front of a frozen tree. The same tree you saw 10 minutes ago. You’d come to realise that you’d been walking circles the past half hour.
Just my luck.
You reached for your phone, it had received The Doctor’s "upgrade" when you first became her companion. She claimed that you’d have signal, anywhere, anytime. Even on the moon. The screen lit up: no signal. Of course. You were stuck out here until you either found your way back or someone found you.
"Doctor?" you called out. "Yaz? Graham?"
Nothing. You let out a sigh. It looked like you were stuck here, at least for a while. You had no other option but to wait.
You only lasted fifteen minutes. What else could you do in a bleak landscape? Only wait and freeze, you’d thought bitterly. Then you picked a new direction and started walking, more carefully this time, trying to memorise landmarks.
You almost could’ve sworn that the snow started falling heavier, and at a faster rate. It’s probably just the area, you’d relativised, like how in some areas of a city it doesn’t rain at all and in some it does.
You don’t know how much time had passed between the statues discovery and you getting lost. All you knew is that you weren’t in the area you were in before. You’d gotten to somewhere new.
Only now you’d started to realise that wherever you were, it probably didn’t mean any good. The formed ice crystals were more jagged yet intentional. It was also much, much colder. You probably didn’t stand a chance in your puffer jacket.
Eventually you found a snowed backpack. As you rummaged through its contents you found a notebook, with a few entries. It seemed to be from one of the scientists of the research post.
23 november
I have no idea where I am. I promised Chris to be back at our post by 4pm, as I thought the sun would’ve set by then. Except it didn’t. It’s 6pm right now, according to my watch. Time seems to be frozen here. Or at least, its surroundings. My hypothesis is that something here is very wrong. I just haven’t figured out what it is, yet.
25 november
I keep hearing laughter. Not mine, but someone else’s. Earlier I could’ve sworn I saw a white figure. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. I’ve been walking and walking for days. I don’t see an end to this. I just want to go home.
You turned the page.
26 november
We never should’ve come here.
Right as you closed the book, you heard laughter. Shit, you swore, this is probably the thing that presumably has hurt or killed this scientist. This was not good at all. You were utterly fucked in that moment.
You scrambled to your feet, scanning the white landscape for any sign of movement.
And then you saw him. It, actually, because you couldn’t quite describe what you were seeing at first. This was winter, personified.
White eyes, hair seemingly made from frost, his entire body was like ice, ice crystals following his every move. Beautiful, but deadly.
"Hello there," he said, and his voice was like wind through frozen trees. "You look lost."
Great! There IS, in fact, a monster when The Doctor said there wouldn’t be. Just amazing!
You gather up your strength and start walking fast. You had to get out of here if you wanted to survive, stat.
You didn't get far.
The cold hit you like immediately. It began as a static sensation in your fingertips that headed all over to your feet. You stumbled, and started panicking when you saw ice forming on your hands.
"No-" you gasped, trying to shake it off. But the ice kept spreading. Up to your hands, wrists, forearms and shoulders.
He appeared in front of you. "You should’ve known better than to interrupt my beautiful winter," he said gently. "Didn’t your parents warn you of Jack Frost, nipping at your nose?"
You attempted lunging at him, but to no avail. The ice reached your chest. Your breathing became shallow, laboured. You couldn't feel your legs, or anything for that matter.
Everything felt numb and distant and wrong. You decided you might as well accept the fact you were going to die there and then, all alone. Your eyes nearly fluttered close until you heard footsteps through the snow.
In your view the winter entity shrank down until it became a figurine. Where had you seen that before? You couldn’t quite remember.
"Well," a familiar voice said from behind you, "that was cutting it a bit close, wasn't it?"
You tried to turn your head. It hurt like hell. You let out a whimper. The voice - he, you'd distinguished - hushed you. "Save your energy. We should go, before you do end up as an ice statue. I’ve always preferred you as a talkative captive."
Your eyesight sharpened a little, still blurry but at least you could see shapes. You saw black hair, brown eyes, a thick plum jacket suited for this kind of weather. Is that-
Warm hands pulled you up. You finally got see your saviour and confirm it: The Master. The realisation came and disappeared quick. You didn’t have the physical or mental capacity to process it.
He wrapped a violet scarf around your neck. "Up you get. You’re coming with me."
"Doctor..." You slurred, "Got to warn her..." Your head lolled against his chest.
"We’re a bit past the warning stage, darling. I just solved that problem for you. The danger is gone," The Master sounded humoured. "Thanks to my beautiful Tissue Compression Eliminator," he said conversationally, tucking the device back into his pocket. "Conveniently useful, illegal, mine."
You shivered. The Master stopped gloating. "You need warmth. And medicine, maybe some alien treatments too, while we're at it. And you not dying. Preferably in that exact order."
"B-but..."
"No buts. You’re coming to my TARDIS. Do try not to lose consciousness."
You couldn’t help it, though. Your consciousness came and went.
You were being lowered onto something soft. Were you sitting on a bed? Blankets were being wrapped all around you.
"Drink," he commanded. "Your throat will hurt, but you need to warm up from the inside. And you need something in your stomach so you can take a bunch of medicine before it’s too late."
You forced your eyes to focus.
The Master smiled down at you, somehow managing to look both concerned and infuriatingly smug. "Hello, darling. Miss me?"
Your brain blanked.
The Master. The most infuriating person to exist in this universe. Probably the most heartless one, too.
"W-what..." you croaked.
"Questions later," he said firmly, adjusting the blankets around you. "Survival now. Drink."
After you obeyed his command, he warned you, "This is going to hurt." What followed immediately was warmth, but it was too fast and was becoming painful. You gasped, and he made a soothing sound. "I know. I know. But we need to get your core temperature up before the frostbite decides to like you."
"There we go," He murmured, one hand coming up to brush stray hairs away from your face. "You're tougher than you look, you know. Most humans would've been dead by now."
You wanted to ask about Jack Frost, The Master’s TCE, what the hell he was doing here and why he'd chosen to save you.
"Sleep," The Master said, though it sounded distant now. "I'll keep watch. You're safe."
Yeah, right, you thought. Safe? With The Master? That thought was pure comedy.
You wanted to protest him, but you felt your consciousness leaving you like sand through your fingers.
You woke some time later. The blankets were still heavy around you, but the crushing exhaustion had eased slightly. The Master was at the controls, turning his back so he didn't face you.
"Why did you save me?"
His answer came quick, too quick. "Mere inconvenience."
Your eyebrows furrowed.
"I mean it- can't have you dying before I get the chance to kill you myself, no? I want that pleasure all to myself. Not from a pathetic winter entity."
You weren’t sure whether you were buying that.
"Right," you gave him a look that said otherwise.
He pushed back his hair. "Don't."
"Don't what?" You replied.
"Don’t turn this into something big." He turned away. "There's nothing to figure out. I saved you because it was convenient. That's all there is to this."
You looked at the TARDIS interior as The Master put in coordinates and pulled a lever. It didn’t seem like any of you would talk. You were just scared to make things even more awkward. You were supposed to be enemies. Still were, in fact. Yet he saved your life and got rid of Jack Frost. The Master was like one big contradiction.
Neither of you exchanged words while the TARDIS was travelling back to the research post.
You almost forgot to take off his scarf. "The scarf," you said suddenly. "I should give it back."
"Keep it. You'll need it for the walk. And..." He paused. "Consider it payment. For your silence."
What the hell was he going on about?
"My silence?"
"The Doctor can't know about this." His voice had gone serious. "Any of it. That I was here, that I saved you, that we spoke. If she knew—"
"She'd what?" You pressed.
"She'd make it complicated." He turned to face you fully. "More complicated than it already is. She'd read into it, probe in your mind in an attempt to find meaning where there isn't any. It’s easier for both of us if nothing happened."
"But it did happen."
"No, it didn’t." He sounded decisive.
The TARDIS made a landing sound.
"We're here. Can you walk?"
The Master dropped you off at the research post, without much of a word. You supposed you couldn’t blame him. You were supposed to be enemies. Still are, in fact.
"Oh my god, (y/n)! Where have you been? Are you okay?" Yaz asked. Ryan helped steady you. You weren’t quite recovered from the near-death experience, probably. "I’m- I’m fine. I lost my way around here. I had to find shelter as it was really cold. Did you guys find out what happened to those statues?"
The Doctor stared at you for a long moment. You could practically see her brilliant mind working, connecting dots, finding patterns.
But then she nodded slowly. "Right. Well. You're safe now, that's what matters." You knew she was not convinced by your lie, but thank god she didn’t call you out.
"Well. We found a journal of one of the scientists, here. My conclusion is that it might’ve been a cold-hearted winter spirit. Dunno what’s happened to it, though. Because out of nowhere the statues thawed. So I suppose it doesn’t matter..." She continued babbling.
You tuned out, adjusted the violet scarf on your neck.
The Master had found you when The Doctor couldn’t. He’d saved you, taken care of you, and then demanded you erase it.
You’d probably never understand him. But at least you knew that, maybe, the smallest part in him is capable of caring
The thought didn't comfort you, because you'd just lied to The Doctor for him. A part of you couldn't help but wonder, what else would you be willing to do?