Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story. I hope the final part doesn't disappoint.
*********************************************
"Stay calm," the voice said over and over in his head, "Just stay calm."
Rodney was amazed that even though she had a knife to her throat Jeannie was still more worried about him. He aimed the Jumper to the planet Koyla instructed him trying hard to stay as composed as his sister was telling him to for her sake.
"How much longer?" Koyla demanded.
"Soon," Rodney replied sharply, "You might want to sit down though."
"Why?" the madman snarled his knife moving closer to Jeannie's vulnerable throat.
"Because I can fly but my landings are not exactly great," Rodney snapped back, "So sitting down and strapping in would be a good idea."
Koyla didn't say another word just pushed Jeannie into the seat beside her brother while taking the one behind her, the knife resting so the siblings could see it.
"Are you okay?" Rodney threw the thought out to Jeannie.
"For the moment," she replied, "I've been in this type of situation before Rodney. Don't worry about me just now, just worry about landing this thing."
He frowned wondering what she meant about being in situations like this before but decided it could wait until they were safe. He hoped John understood the message because if his friend and the Doctor didn't find a way to come after them Rodney was pretty sure they would not get out of this alive.
-
Rodney sighed slightly relieved that they landed with minimal of bumps; landing was not one of his strong points and John kept saying he'd have to give him more practice. Rodney just hoped he'd get the chance to have the extra lessons.
"Move," Koyla ordered pointing the gun he'd taken from Abbott at them.
Rodney moved Jeannie to his side as far away from Koyla as he could, for the first time in his life protecting her as opposed to her protecting him.
Koyla laughed at the small act, "The coward acting as hero."
Rodney grimaced as Jeannie squeezed his hand tightly while they walked to where Koyla pushed them.
"Where are we going?" Rodney demanded.
"You'll find out when we get there," Koyla told him.
"Look I'm here," Rodney turned to their abductor, "Let her go. You don't need her just let her go."
Koyla put the gun in his belt pulling out the knife again; he pushed Rodney out of the way and grabbed Jeannie again by her throat.
"You said I don't need her," Koyla smiled sadistically wielding the knife, "Well let's just get rid of her."
"No," Rodney cried.
Jeannie waited until he pulled the knife back far enough before she slammed her knee up, Koyla didn't buckle but his grip on her faltered giving Rodney the chance to pull her away. Without thought the twins started to run heading into the forest before them.
*********************************************
John looked around as the TARDIS stilled, "Are we there?"
"Yes," the Doctor told him, "I've located the ship. It's a bit of a walk though."
"That I don't mind," John picked up his weapon making sure he had the rest fixed ready, "What about this...ship?"
"No one can get in here except for me," the Doctor said before musing it over for a second, "But I'm pretty sure Jeannie still has the key. If she gets here she'll let them in and she'll be able to get the TARDIS to find me."
John nodded, "Let's go," he turned back to the Doctor, "And Koyla's mine."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow but didn't answer as he followed John out into the forest.
-
John moved carefully through the trees worried about Rodney. John knew his friend still had nightmares about what Koyla had done to him during the Genii invasion of Atlantis, the scars on his arm had faded but in the right light they could still be seen clearly. John had caught Rodney staring at them during the night when they were on missions and if Koyla was threatening Jeannie, John worried what her twin would do.
He said it himself, he was not the bravest man in the universe but John had seen the lengths a desperate Rodney McKay would go to and if his sister was in danger, the sister he'd just got back in his life, then John was sure Rodney would sacrifice everything to protect her.
"She's not exactly the most stable person when her brother is threatened either," the Doctor seemed to read his mind, "She once told me something about breaking someone's nose when he was being bullied at school."
"That sounds like a story," John noted hearing a rustle from nearby.
He spun aiming his gun relaxing as Rodney and Jeannie appeared both jumping at having the weapon shoved in their face.
"You took your time," Rodney snapped taking the gun John offered.
"Nice to see you too," John replied turning to his friend's sister, "You okay?"
"I've had better days," she answered with the familiar McKay sarcasm.
"We need to get back to the TARDIS," the Doctor told them.
"What about the Jumper?" John asked.
"We can use the TARDIS to bring it with us," Jeannie explained.
They all turned as they heard Koyla closing in, John licked his lips as he weighed up his options.
"Alright," he decided, "We split up. Two and two, each heading back to the TARDIS."
"Jeannie goes with you," Rodney told his friend.
"What?" Jeannie demanded harshly.
Rodney turned to her his fear showing clearly in his eyes, "He's a better shot than I am. He can protect you."
"Besides if we run across the Jumper I'm also the better pilot," John interrupted grabbing her arm, "See you guys at the TARDIS."
-
John had spent enough time around Rodney to be used to the McKay traits but having Jeannie display them was actually quite unnerving. She was a lot prettier than her brother but there was something in her eyes that told John she could be just as dangerous when threatened.
"I take it you're not happy about my company," John stated as they moved slowly through the trees.
"Nothing personal," she replied sharply.
"Rodney is right," John said pulling her behind a tree as he thought he saw Koyla, "I am a better shot."
"I don't need protecting," Jeannie snapped, "I took care of myself just fine when I travelled with the Doctor."
John turned to her, "Look, Rodney just got you back. Allow him his moments of playing overprotective brother, from what I've seen he never got to do it before."
Jeannie sighed.
"And," John continued, "Did you actually break someone's nose when they were bullying him?"
Jeannie rolled her eyes, "I didn't break it, I burst it. Besides she deserved it the bitch."
They continued moving slowly through the forest, "What happened?"
Jeannie snorted, "She decided it would be fun to pretend to like him, got him to help her pass several assignments then in front of her gang humiliated him."
"So you found her and..."
"No," Jeannie frowned at the memory, "I was heading to meet him for lunch after a meeting with a teacher. I felt how upset he was while she was doing this and I got so angry, I marched over to her before she'd even finished her spiel and punched her. I almost got expelled."
John laughed softly, "Why didn't you?"
Jeannie smiled back, "Rodney. It was a well known fact in our school that you couldn't separate us, and not to mess with one of us. Rodney was..." she trailed off her eyes filling with worry before she suddenly darted off, "Rodney!"
John swore, she was worse than her brother.
*********************************************
Rodney ducked as Koyla attacked him wondering what had happened to the Doctor. Koyla had managed to jump them despite them being careful. The crazed Genii had flung the Doctor into a tree before turning on Rodney. Rodney didn't manage to even get one shot off as Koyla kicked the gun from his hand before coming at him with the knife.
The knife was almost exactly the same as the one that had been used to torture him so many months ago and anger built up within Rodney. He wasn't a kid anymore; he wasn't the boy who spent his days hiding in his books as his sister protected him from his parents and the outside world. He had fought the Wraith and survived. He had faced things no one else on Earth had ever experienced and there was no way in hell this bully was going to beat him.
Rodney licked his lips as Koyla stalked him slowly, he ducked the next slash of the knife but wasn't able to keep his balance and fell rolling to one side as Koyla came at him.
He gasped as Koyla kicked him before grabbing his throat holding him to the ground.
"I didn't want to kill you just yet," Koyla spat at him, "You could have lived Dr McKay and instead you will die knowing that your sister will die at my hand after a long painful torture. Just imagine everything I will do to her."
Before Rodney could reply Jeannie swung from the tree her feet slamming into Koyla moving him enough so Rodney could free his hand slamming his fist into the other man's jaw sending him flying back.
Rodney scrambled up catching his sister's hand when she landed smiling as John appeared, "I don't think you'll be torturing anyone again."
As he stood up Koyla started to laugh and the three of them noticed several men appearing from the forest all armed and aiming at them.
"I think our odds dropped," John muttered as a now familiar whine started up behind them.
All three watched at the confusion covering the Genii faces as the TARDIS appeared. Jeannie quickly opened the doors and they scrambled inside just as Koyla ordered his soldiers to open fire.
-
"I was wondering where you went," Rodney snapped as Jeannie ran up to join the Doctor at the controls.
"I saw there were more of them so I thought a little surprise would be good," the Doctor replied with a grin, "Jeannie, I need you to grab the Jumper so we can get back to Atlantis."
"On it," she smiled, flicking switches staring intently at the controls.
John dropped onto the couch with Rodney who watched his sister with a relieved smile.
"You okay?" John asked softly.
Rodney nodded, "It's been a busy few days."
"I noticed."
Rodney smiled a little more turning to his friend, "I'm not alone anymore."
"You were never..."
"I know."
"Good."
They looked up as the engines stilled.
"Atlantis sweet Atlantis," the Doctor grinned his hand sweeping towards the doors, "Please mind your step as you disembark."
*********************************************
"Thank you," Elizabeth said softly as she sat with the Doctor in the quiet mess hall drinking Athosian tea.
"For what?" the Doctor looked a little confused.
"Well, helping us in the two crisis," Elizabeth smiled, "But most of all for bringing Jeannie here. For a while there I thought we were going to lose Rodney to despair after everything that's happened over the past year but since she arrived he's been alive again."
The Doctor smiled, "I'm glad. She seems different as well, after all those years apart and just a few hours together they're stronger than before."
"I'm just wondering how they'll cope when they are apart again," Elizabeth mused.
The Doctor shook his head, "Won't matter. They know the other is there for them still. That was what was missing, that knowledge."
Elizabeth nodded, "I was wondering if you were staying here any longer?"
The Doctor shook his head, "I don't stay in places long. Not my style, besides there's a big universe out there to observe. Jeannie asked that we wait so she and Rodney could spend a little more time together, we leave tomorrow morning."
-
The twins at that moment were lying side by side on the pier watching a meteor shower. They were both sad about being separated again tomorrow but they no longer felt alone.
"How are the people who were hurt?" Jeannie asked.
Rodney smiled very slightly in relief, "They're all going to make it. Dr Kusanagi doesn't want to leave the city again though."
Jeannie laughed at his rueful look.
"Are you going home?" he asked softly.
"I don't know," Jeannie shrugged, "I know the Doctor only came to say hi and then brought me here but I wouldn't mind spending a little more time travelling with him."
Rodney laughed, "Did you think when we were kids we'd end up like this? Going through space to other planets as an every day activity."
"I always knew you'd go far," Jeannie teased, "I didn't expect it of myself."
"I don't want you to leave," Rodney blurted out.
"How would you explain my presence here though?" she challenged.
Rodney shrugged, "Who says I need to explain? I'm a genius, no one understands me anyway."
Jeannie punched his arm, "I will miss you Rodney which is why you are going to promise here and now that the moment you return to Earth I will be the first call you make. That even if it is three in the morning where I am you will call me."
"I promise," he smiled, "Though I'm now going to have to make sure it's three in the morning when I get back to Earth."
Jeannie stuck her tongue out at him.
"I see you two have matured," John said from the doorway, "Is this a private party or can someone bearing chocolate and coffee join in."
The siblings swung up and round to face him sitting in identical poses as John shuddered.
"You two are just plain freaky," he muttered joining them placing the tray he was carrying on the ground in the centre.
They smiled as they took their mugs.
"A toast," John said with a grin, "To the McKay twins...you are both as a big a pain in the ass as each other."
Jeannie and Rodney grinned at him.
"To all three of us," Rodney said, "For beating Koyla...again. And may you never be in my mind again John."
"I second that one," John told him as they touched their mugs to each others and all three settled back to watch the rest of the shower.
-
"Here," the Doctor said to Elizabeth as Rose finished saying goodbye to her guide from the past few days.
Elizabeth looked at the small picture frame he handed her confused.
"I thought you might get some fun out of it," he grinned.
Elizabeth turned it over and laughed finding a picture of John, Rodney and Jeannie on the couch in the TARDIS just as she'd wanted.
"Thank you," she smiled taking his hand in hers, "Take care of yourselves," Elizabeth bade her final goodbye to the Doctor and Rose as she joined them.
The Doctor touched Jeannie's shoulder murmuring to her before he followed Rose into the TARDIS.
-
"Thank you," Jeannie smiled at Elizabeth, "For letting me have the time with him."
"It was an absolute pleasure to meet you Jeannie," Elizabeth told her, "Though I wish you'd stay to keep him in line."
"Hey," the outraged cry came from Rodney who rolled his eyes, "A little respect is all I ask."
"Keep asking," John muttered smiling as Jeannie moved to him.
"Look after him," she said, "Or I will come after you."
John grinned, "Even after hearing some of the stories about you, that isn't that bad a thing."
Jeannie turned to her brother a mischievous glint in her eyes before turning back to John and planting a kiss on him. Before he could react she'd moved into Rodney's arms. The twins stood like that for several minutes just holding onto each other before managing to step back.
"Here," Jeanie shoved a piece of paper into Rodney's hand.
"What's this?"
Jeannie grinned, "My address, phone number, cell phone number and email address. You will have no excuse not to call."
He smiled and hugged her once more quickly, "I promised didn't I?"
Jeannie nodded and stepped away from them moving to the TARDIS, "Bye," she whispered before quickly entering the ship leaving them watching until it disappeared.
"So," Rodney spoke first turning to John, "What exactly are your intentions towards my sister?"
John glared at him for a few seconds before stalking away muttering under his breath. Rodney turned and winked at Elizabeth before following not letting the question go. Elizabeth smiled laughing slightly; it was nice to have things back to as normal as they could get around here.
-
"So," the Doctor asked once Jeannie joined them wiping away the tears that had formed after leaving, "Home...or somewhere else?"
Jeannie sighed, "I guess..." she trailed off tilting her head thoughtfully, "You know I remember someone offering to take me on the skiing holiday of a lifetime."
"Do you now?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes," she replied turning to the other companion, "Rose, can you ski?"
"Never tried," Rose replied.
"Well?" Jeannie asked.
The Doctor grinned at her, "Alright, skiing it is. I know the perfect spot."
Jeannie smiled closing her eyes for a moment and finding the essence of her brother she'd been missing for a long time. Looking over at her friends she grinned again ready for whatever came next.
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