Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and told me they're enjoying it.
Hope you enjoy this part and the third part is in the works.
*********************************************
"I don't recognise it," the Doctor said as he looked over the readings Zelenka had found.
"I thought you'd been here before," Elizabeth teased, she was quite fascinated by the intelligence this man oozed along with the exuberant energy of a two year old on a major sugar rush. In a lot of ways he reminded her of Rodney, it was little wonder Jeannie travelled with him.
"I have," he replied, "But they could have brought this here after I left."
"Well Doctor," Elizabeth said, "Thank you for the help. How long do you plan to stay?"
He looked at her thoughtfully, "You seem to have gotten over your distrust pretty fast."
"Rodney put his trust in you," Elizabeth said, "That's enough for me."
The Doctor grinned, "I've been waiting to meet him for quite a while you know. Jeannie talked about him a lot. And of course the twin bond thing is pretty interesting to watch."
"Of course."
-
"Rodney was a quiet kid," John demanded staring at the woman sitting across from him,
Jeannie laughed at the astonishment of the people sitting around the table, "Hard to believe isn't it?"
"You're telling us that Rodney McKay, the mouth of Atlantis, the man who can make people want to bang their heads off a wall till they're unconscious just so they don't have to listen to him anymore was a quiet child?" John asked with disbelief before grimacing, "He bottled it all up till he got here."
Jeannie laughed before looking around at the people sitting with her, Teyla, Carson, Zelenka and John, "You all care for him, don't you?"
They glanced at each other before turning to John silently electing him spokesman, "Yeah we do. Even if he drives us absolutely nuts."
Jeannie laughed finishing her roll glancing over to where Rose was being shown around by a young man who seemed quite taken with her. Rose looked over and gave Jeannie a quick wave before following her guide.
"Your friend seems to be enjoying herself," Teyla pointed out.
"Just a bit," Jeannie laughed, she suddenly stopped and her eyes glazed for a moment before she returned her attention to them smiling, "Sorry, you were saying?"
"What was that?" John asked curiosity in his eyes.
"Nothing," Jeannie smiled brightly, "Just my mind wandering. That's all."
*********************************************
"Elizabeth," John murmured as he looked at the group assembled to head deeper into the city, "Why am I taking along extras?"
"Because I doubt Rodney will leave his sister for the next few hours and I have a feeling the Doctor will be useful," Elizabeth told him, "So stop complaining."
"You know Bates would have a fit," John said.
"Well it's a good thing he and his team are off world," Elizabeth replied, "Rodney saw them off this morning. The scientist he chose to go seemed quite excited."
"Have you had anytime to talk to his twin?" John asked with amusement.
"Not yet," Elizabeth replied, "What's she like?"
John smiled, "She's nice. Different from what I imagined considering they're twins. She's also very protective of him."
"That's a good thing John," Elizabeth reminded him she looked over to where Rodney was standing with Jeannie looking much more refreshed than he had in months thanks to a full nights sleep.
"Okay," John called, "Let's get going."
Everyone turned and started towards the nearest transporter, John moved to join them taking up position beside the Doctor who was looking around interested.
-
Jeannie walked beside her brother a little disturbed by the fact he had a gun strapped to his leg.
"It's the rules," he murmured to her.
"Are you any good?" Jeannie asked softly, she didn't even pretend not to know what he was talking about.
Rodney shrugged, "John makes me practice so I can watch the rest of the teams' back."
"You've changed a lot Rodney," she noted sadly, "And I'm not talking about the military look. You were a nice person, where did your anger and inability to have a normal conversation with someone come from?"
"Take a guess," he snapped slightly, "You were wanted Jeannie, I wasn't. Think what that kind of knowledge would do to you."
"That's not fair," she replied.
"Really?" Rodney fumed, "Think about it, think about everything and you'll know I'm right."
"Rodney," Jeannie started but he cut her off.
"You didn't even want me around," he reminded her, "You never answered any of my letters so why are we even pretending now?"
Without another word he stalked away leaving her staring at him in utter confusion.
"What letters?" she murmured.
-
"You say you travel through time?" Zelenka asked the Doctor, "That is not truly possible. Although we have had experience with time travel but not in any controllable way as you claim."
"Not for you," the Doctor grinned, "For me, everyday occurrence."
"Hey Dr Z," John interrupted, "No more questions. I need you to join McKay and then check on the readings when they switch on the power to this section."
Zelenka frowned annoyed but did as he was ordered knowing it was easier to just do it now rather than arguing. He could get more information later.
"Alright," John said to the Doctor, "I didn't argue with Elizabeth about sending you two along. So just keep out of the way while we do this."
"No problem," the Doctor grinned at him, "Just here to watch, an observer that's me."
"Good," John frowned before turning away and opening the channel on his radio, "Elizabeth, we're ready here. Activate the lab for us."
"Alright," Elizabeth's voice sounded over the radio, "Full power will be restored in small increments just like Rodney suggested over the next half hour."
"Why?" John asked with a sigh, "Never mind, he knows what he's doing."
Elizabeth laughed, "Starting up the initiation sequence."
*********************************************
Jeannie stood watching her brother as he worked her arms crossed confused by his anger towards her.
"What's wrong with you then?" the Doctor asked joining her, "You don't look very happy."
"He just accused me of not caring about him," Jeannie said stunned, "He actually had the nerve to tell me I didn't care about him."
"You always told me that your parents were not exactly happy to have him," the Doctor reminded her, "Maybe that hurt more than you realised."
"I know it hurt him," Jeannie defended, "But there's more to it. This wasn't aimed at them this was aimed at me. He stopped talking to me, Doctor not the other way around."
"Are you sure about that?"
Jeannie was about to retort before stopping as she felt something that she hadn't felt for a long time.
"Did you feel that?" she asked the Doctor who tilted his head to one side before nodding, "You told me they were gone. You told me they..."
"From that point in time and space yes," the Doctor replied, "But I don't know what the Atlantean's did thousands of years before you encountered it."
Jeannie glanced over at where Rodney stood taking readings, "They're waking it up."
"Then let's see if we can stop it," he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the others.
Jeannie shivered as they moved deeper into the part of the city that housed a nightmare from their past, she was terrified of what would happen if it was released into this city.
"Doctor," she called as he pulled her, "What if it escapes? I can't have that thing in my mind again."
"You don't have to worry," he assured her, "The TARDIS will protect you. Its telepathic field will stop anything else attacking you."
Jeannie halted suddenly pulling him to a stop, "What about Rodney?"
"That's why we need to make sure it doesn't escape," he reminded her, "Now come on before they hit full power."
They ran at top speed towards the laboratory Jeannie could feel it getting stronger just before she heard the scream. It entered her brain and she knew they were too late.
"It's loose," the Doctor yelled skidding to a halt, "The energy is going to make everything in that room explode. We have to warn them."
-
John watched Rodney take his readings as the power was slowly brought up in the lab. Zelenka and Carson had headed to another laboratory close by to monitor things from there. He was bored and even worse was that he had just discovered their two tag-alongs were nowhere to be found.
"Rodney, your sister has gone walk-about," John yelled, "Does it run in the family or what?"
"What?" Rodney turned to him in confusion just as Elizabeth informed them full power had now been reached and he fell to the ground clutching his head as something started to scream in his mind.
"Rodney?" John yelled pulling his friend up, "Rodney, what's wrong?"
"Run," the Doctor's voice echoed through the corridor, "It's about to blow. Run."
"What?" John demanded as Rodney pulled away from him to lean against the wall.
"Don't ask just do," Jeannie yelled as she and the Doctor reached them, she grabbed Rodney's arm just as an explosion rocked the city.
"Run," the Doctor yelled.
John turned seeing a fireball heading towards them, he grabbed Jeannie's arm pulling Rodney with them.
Rodney was still shaken by the scream he'd heard but seeing the fireball heading towards them he knew they had no chance of getting out of the corridor by running straight ahead. He pulled away from his sister pushing her towards his friend and hitting a few commands opened doors on either side of the corridor.
"Jump," he yelled before he dived inside the room to his right.
John hooked his arm around Jeannie's waist and threw them both into the room to his left. They landed on the floor with John covering her with his body as flames travelled above them.
"Move," Jeannie told him as he continued to keep her on the ground.
"Not yet," he murmured before pushing her head down when another explosion filled the air. He moved off her and stood up offering her his hand.
"Where's Rodney and the Doctor?" Jeannie cried looking around dropping down beside the Time Lord as he rubbed his head, "One down, where's Rodney?"
"There," John told her as he looked across the corridor into the room opposite where Rodney lay unconscious a force field covering the door.
"Oh no," she whispered achingly, "It's got him."
*********************************************
The little boy sat putting together the puzzle far in advance of his three years, a frown of concentration on his podgy face. He didn't notice the man until the man kicked the puzzle over and tears welled up in his eyes.
"Stupid kid," came the angry voice as a hand swiped away everything he'd been building, "Why the hell are you letting him make such a mess."
"Damn it," a woman cried as she swept the pieces of his puzzle back into the box, "Rodney, we've told you before. Now since you can't do as you're told no more toys."
He watched her take away everything and sat there staring sadly at where his sister was playing with her new doll. She looked over at him and toddled over sitting down beside him. He didn't cry anymore when they took things away from him, just sat quietly until Jeannie came over and shared her toys with him.
-
"Rodney!!!" Jeannie yelled as John held her back from the field, "Rodney, wake up."
"Jeannie, you know he won't," the Doctor reminded her before turning to John, "We have a very serious problem."
"I think I noticed that," John snapped as Jeannie pulled away from him leaning in the doorway looking across the hall to where her brother lay.
"The creature just released feeds off telepathic energy," the Doctor explained, "And it's found the perfect food source."
"Rodney?" John cried incredulously, "Why him?"
"It's the twin thing," Jeannie replied flatly, "We have a bond that used to be extremely strong meaning the potential is still there."
"Then why him and not you?" John demanded angrily.
"The TARDIS protects her now," the Doctor answered.
"But it couldn't the first time," Jeannie whispered, she turned to the Time Lord, "Help him."
"There's no way to get near him," the Doctor replied sadly, "I can't."
Jeannie turned on him, "I don't accept that," she pushed him, "You can travel through time and space," another push, "You regenerate after death," one more push, "And you're telling me you can't save my brother's life. What use are you?"
John pulled her away from the Doctor who just looked at her sadly as she cried turning against her brother's friend for comfort.
"Jeannie..." the Doctor started softly.
"Go to hell," she turned on him shaking with anger.
-
"John," Elizabeth's voice came over the radio, "What happened? Is everyone alright?"
John grabbed his radio sighing, "We seemed to have released something and it's got Rodney. There's a force field holding him in one of the rooms can you shut it down?"
"We'll try," Elizabeth told him.
"Dr Weir," the Doctor interrupted, "Is Rose there?"
"She's not here but I believe she's in the commissary," Elizabeth answered sounding confused.
"Get her to a radio fast," the Doctor said turning to Jeannie, "We need to try and get him into the TARDIS. It won't stop it now but we should be able to slow it down until we can stop it."
"But can Rose work the TARDIS?" Jeannie whispered.
"I'll talk her through everything she needs to know," he took her hand; "I promise I'll do my best to help him Jeannie."
"I know," she sighed turning to look at where her brother lay.
-
"Doctor?" Rose's worried voice sounded over the radio after ten minutes, "What's wrong?"
"We don't have time to explain," he told her, "I need you to get to the TARDIS, take the radio with you."
"Why?" Rose asked.
"Just do as I tell you and I'll explain later," he snapped slightly, "Sorry Rose but this is urgent."
"Alright," she replied, "Dr Weir is coming with me."
"I don't care," he said, "Just get into the TARDIS."
They waited and about another fifteen minutes later Rose announced they were inside the TARDIS.
"Good," the Doctor stood closing his eyes to visualise where she had to go, "Go to the consol straight in front of the door," he ordered, "Now, walk round three to your right."
"I'm here," Rose told him, "It has a blue squiggle at the top."
"That's the right one," he grinned, "Now there are three switches at the top of the panel; flick them down one at a time starting from your right."
"Done."
"Next, turn the dial three times round completely," he continued, "Make sure it's done exactly."
"That's it," Rose told him, "Another button has appeared from nowhere."
"Push it and hang on," the Doctor told her, "The TARDIS is coming to me."
The Doctor turned as the familiar whine of the TARDIS sounded from across the room, he saw John staring in astonishment while Jeannie seemed to relax a little more at the ship's appearance.
The door opened and Rose exited, an astonished Elizabeth just behind her.
"Well done," the Doctor told his young companion, "Now let's see what we can do about saving Rodney."
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