With the big unveiling, the Doctor was actually quite surprised to see that the Master was crying. He hadn't expected that. But he knew deep down that he should have. A look of sorrow came over the Doctor's face as he looked to his old friend. Before he took the drinks he neared the man and placed a hand on his shoulder. But right now wasn't the time to console the man, he knew the Master was struggling internally on what to feel and so forth so he figured drinks would be best. Plucking the drinks and handing one over. The two finally heading to the dance floor.

Women crowded around the two time lords which the Doctor didn't mind too much, though he knew he'd never be interested in them for his heart was still set on Rose. (even though he knew he'd never see her again) Not that his mind could even wander far due to the man before him, he cared very much still for the Master, as a friend of course (just that, right?) His mind would often remember encounters in the past where they'd be sitting beneath a silver leaved tree on Gallifrey, the Doctor as a young man in his early twenties, holding onto the Master the two having had an argument and the Doctor trying to cheer him up. A few tickles here and there, a few laughs and the two would get awfully close, their faces at times would be inches apart until the Doctor would pull away and scoot back. It was always that way. Then he met Rose and his thoughts of the Master simply enough melted from his mind.

Did he love the Master at one point? So many puzzling questions. Ones he'd pushed to the far crevices of his cranium. That in the end simply got piled over that he'd forgotten them. Well … most of them:

-*-

"Why are you crying?" a concerned eighteen year old Theta sat upon the windowsill of his friend's bedroom window.

"I'm not crying!" an angry Koschei rubbed his face as he wiped his tears in the process. "I'm the Master I don't cry!"

Theta was on his feet and moving over to sit beside his best friend "You are, I can see it in your eyes" Theta cupped his friend's cheek "Look at me"

But an angered Koschei shoved him away "Leave me alone! It's not like you care! You're off with Melody, Niken and Patience!"

Hearing the sadness in Koschei's voice, that caused Theta's hearts to sting with pain "… Koschei…" in that moment he felt the pain his best friend was feeling.

"Don't call me that! I have my title now! I go by the Master! Have you forgotten already, Theta?!" Koshei glared up to him. 

At that point Theta didn't speak a word, not a single word. Moving closer he wrapped his arms around Koschei who began to struggle and try to push Theta away. But the more he struggled with the younger time lord the more Theta's grip tightened which eventually caused Koschei to stop struggling and embrace Theta closely. [i]'I'm sorry….'[/i] Theta's voice was heard within Koschei's mind [i]'I'm so sorry, Koschei, for neglecting you'[/i]

In silence the two held one another, for nearly twenty minutes it’s a comfortable silence. At last for Theta, for he knew his best friend held those drums. Theta pulled back and cupped Koschei's face in his palms as he gazed into his friend's blue eyes with a smile. It seemed in that moment there was a undeniable connection between the two as they stared into one another's eyes. Theta's lips moving closer to Koschei's , the two about to kiss when something in Theta's mind caused him to pull back and away from his best friend. "I'm sorry" he whispered.

-*-

Why there? Why now? It was nearly three dances in, and five glasses of Magae Noir within his body but he wasn't feeling drunk, no, instead his mind was plaguing him with memories. [i]'Gallifrey..'[/i] the Doctor had ALMOST missed the Master's words but had definitely heard them. [i]'Always alone … ever since I let him..'[/i] It seemed the songs had slowed down for it was now a slow dance. The Doctor stepped close "May I have this dance?" he smirked and pulled the Master close, holding the man in his arms as he led them both in the slow song for lovers. His deep chocolate brown eyes focusing on the Master's "you know… I know a lot has happened, between us. but… I'm here now and granted I know that nothing can make up for lost time but… I'd like to try" he gave a chuckle at his words but he really did mean them.

Slowly even with the closeness of their bodies, the Doctor reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a [url=http://oi59.tinypic.com/219z5zm.jpg] pendant[/url] "I've been holding onto this … ever since that … day I left you… I had .. wanted to give it to you but .. I was too afraid of what would happen if I did" he was being honest. Shockingly even with all the alcohol in his system, the Doctor could be sober enough to hold an intelligent and semi-emotional conversation which caused him to open up which was what he was doing now. "This is …. very special to me because it’s a stone from the very same caverns we used to play in as children, remember? and if you focus enough you… can hear the tune of Gallifrey" he gave a smile to the Master. "I've always cared about you, Master. I just .. never knew how to express it" he whispered slowly the Doctor leaned in, the gap between the two Time Lords closing as his lips pressed to the Master's in a tender and fragile kiss.

It seemed he let his emotions get the better of him for the Doctor's arms slid around the Master's form, pulling the man closer as the kiss was deepened. From across the room, Captain Jack Harkness had been in mid sentence to a sassy beautiful woman to his left when someone within his 'radar' told him to lift his head. When he did, the sight before him caused his eyes to widen and a rather amused smirk to form upon his lips "Well I'll be damned, I didn't see that coming but … woo wee" he gave himself a fanning "that is some delicious candy" The Doctor's fingers at this point were combing through the Master's hair as he held the man close to him, their lips molding into one another. The kiss was held for quite some time, that was until the clapping from the song finish caused the Doctor to pull from the Master's lips and take a gasp for air.

At that moments, his mind was in quite the haze he was literally trying to piece what had come over him, but in the end he knew what had just happened were his feelings for the Master finally coming to the surface, after all these centuries. "…" The Doctor couldn't think, he in a sense was still surprised by his own actions he looked to the Master in his arms and slowly released the man, taking a step back unsure of how the Master would react.