Author's Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

Sorry it's taken so long, I was distracted by other stories and the dreaded real life.

Anyway, the next chapter will definitely be the last.

Enjoy


Laura Cadman groaned as she woke up. Her mind slowly registered the distant beeps, the smell of anaesthetic and the crisp clean sheets around her. She forced open her eyes to see Carson moving over to her.

"Well, finally awake I see," the doctor smiled down at her, "How're ye feeling, Laura?"

"My head is pretty sore," Laura murmured, her eyes widened suddenly as her memory returned, "Rodney? I mean, Dr McKay, Turner took him a gunpoint."

"Rodney's fine," Carson soothed.

Relief covered Laura's face, "What about Turner?"

Carson shook his head, "They're still looking for him. What do you think you are doing?" he demanded as she started to move.

"Helping," Laura replied, she stopped for a second as her head swam and stomach lurched, "This is my fault, I wasn't paying attention."

Carson caught her arm, keeping her steady, "This isn't your fault," he reminded her, "And I am not letting you out of here just yet."

"Carson," Laura said softly, "Please. I have to help stop Turner. Please."

At her plea, Carson folded.

"Alright," he sighed, "I'll give you something to help with your headache and the nausea."

As he left, Laura sighed in relief.

x

Jeannie smiled as her brother stepped out onto the balcony to join her.

"How're they coming in there?" she asked, turning to lean against the rail.

Rodney shrugged, "I've no idea. The Doctor called in to say he may have something soon but that was about ten minutes ago."

Jeannie laughed slightly, "Then he'll probably come bounding over with a solution pretty soon."

Rodney stared at her for a few minutes, trying to find a way to ask what was on his mind. Finally he decided to just ask as straightforward as possible.

"What happens to you once this is over?"

Jeannie dropped her head, "What do you mean?"

Rodney frowned at her avoidance, "You know exactly what I mean. You only exist here because the Doctor did something to keep you here. And the reason you're here is to save me from these idiots. So what happens once this is all over?"

"Rodney…"

"What?" he snapped, "Can you go home? Do you just disappear? What?"

"I don't belong in this world," Jeannie said softly, she turned to look at the clouds, "Once I'm sure you're safe, I cease to exist."

"No," Rodney shook his head, "There has to be some other way?"

"There isn't," Jeannie whispered, she reached out and gently squeezed her brother's arm.

Rodney moved to her and hugged her tightly, "I always wanted a brother or sister," he told her, "And now that I have one, I don't want to lose you."

Jeannie smiled at him and hugged him back, "You never will, I'm a part of you."

x

"What have you got?" Elizabeth asked as the Doctor appeared in her office with Radek in tow.

"An idea," the time traveller told her, "Get everyone else in here, I hate repeating myself."

"And you just love showing off to a large group," Jeannie noted as she and Rodney entered the room.

The Doctor simply smiled at her, "We should move to a larger room. Your Conference room is always quite comfortable."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak but Jeannie cut her off, "Don't bother. He's impossible when he's like this."

With a mock insulted pout on his face the Doctor theatrically left the room. Jeannie, Rodney and Radek followed on as Elizabeth called the others to join them.

x

Laura sighed in relief as she entered the Briefing room to see Rodney sitting beside his sister. Not that she didn't trust Carson, but she needed to see the other man was safe for herself. She had no idea why she was attracted to the man she'd known for barely a few hours but there was something about him.

"Are you alright?" Rodney moved to her the instant he saw her.

Laura smiled at him and gently squeezed his hand, "I'm fine. Carson's the best doc there is."

"Lieutenant," Jeannie's voice interrupted them, "Nice to see you awake. Grab a seat."

Laura felt uncomfortable at the way Jeannie smirked at her; she quickly took the seat next to Radek and waited for the meeting to begin.

"All right," the Doctor took charge, "Basically, we only have one choice in this and that is to end it before the Brotherhood attempt to abduct Rodney again."

"Why do they need him?" Laura asked suddenly, making everyone turn to her.

"They want to destroy a being called The Oracle," Jeannie explained, "The power Rodney possesses, if they can focus it properly is the one thing that can kill her."

"Why not do it in your own Universe?" John asked, he leaned forward to look intently at Jeannie.

"Because there the power was shared between them," the Doctor answered for her, "By removing Jeannie from this timeline, the power is only possessed by a single person. A single mind can be manipulated more readily."

"Not to mention, I already know them and they couldn't trick me into helping them at all," Jeannie added.

"The plan," Elizabeth said, moving them back on track.

"Oh yeah, that," the Doctor said, "We've discovered they are using one of the labs in an unexplored part of the city. I say we go and stop them."

"That's it?" John demanded, "We go and stop them. That's your plan? No actual idea as to how we do this?"

The Doctor shrugged, "I think better on my feet. Plans tend to go wrong."

Everyone looked around the room waiting for someone to say something. The silence was broken as Jeannie laughed softly.

"Ah the usual," she murmured, joined in her mirth by Caldwell.

"So," the Doctor clapped his hands together, "Are we ready?"


"Lieutenant," Jeannie caught up with Laura as she headed to get geared up, "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be okay," Laura replied, "I've had worse so nothing to worry about."

Jeannie smiled at her, "So, you and Rodney seem to be getting along quite well."

"You're as subtle as a truck," Laura frowned at the other woman, "Look, I don't know what happened, especially since whatever power he has threw me away after a few seconds."

"Oh," Jeannie mused, "That I think I can explain."

Laura folded her arms across her chest, "Explain," she challenged.

"Your relationship with Rodney in my Universe is…" Jeannie hesitated, trying to find the correct word, "Unusual," she finally settled on, "There is a connection between you two, that I more than likely triggered a latent memory of when I touched his mind. This is why he's reacting strangely to you."

"Well," Laura rolled her eyes, "That's one way to make me feel good."

Jeannie laughed at the other woman's sarcasm; "I'm not saying he doesn't like you, just that he wouldn't have acted on any attraction normally without it."

Laura shook her head; "I'll take your word for it."

"Just," Jeannie hesitated for a second, "Just stick to him when we go after Turner."

Laura nodded, "No problem."

x

The Doctor smiled as Jeannie walked over to him, he'd been watching the Atlantis team ready themselves to go after the Brotherhood. Silently, he placed a hand onto her shoulder offering her support as they entered the final moments of this. Once they'd saved the Oracle and ensured Rodney's safety then it would be time to let her go and he wasn't sure he could do it."

"It's okay," Jeannie said softly from his side, "I've been ready for it for a while now."

The Doctor squeezed her hand, "I know if we had more time then I could find a solution."

"But we don't have the time," Jeannie reminded him, "Look, we both knew I only had a limited period in which to save Rodney. So, I'm going to do just that." She turned and hugged him tightly, "I'm scared, Doctor but there's no other choice. Not even the TARDIS can protect me forever."

x

John checked his weapons before checking the people with him. Jeannie and the Doctor were standing at one side talking quietly. Rodney was with Radek and Carson, discussing something John didn't even want to know about. Finally, Cadman was standing just to one side waiting for orders.

"Are we ready?" John interrupted everyone, "Because I was planning on an early night."

"Is he always like this?" Rodney asked Radek.

"Always," Radek replied with a smirk.

"Hey," John cried, he swept his hand towards the door, "Let's go."

Radek clapped Rodney on the shoulder; "Take care."

Rodney gave him a small smile before he moved to join his sister, receiving a nod from Carson as well.

John herded the three time travellers along with Laura at their side out of the Control room towards the transporter. It had been decided the smaller the group the better. He glanced over at Elizabeth before they left the room.

"Take care," she called out.

John gave her a quick nod and left.


They walked slowly along the darkened passage, towards the room at the end of the corridor that was filled with light, John in the lead, Laura protecting the rear.

Jeannie glanced up at the Doctor, her blue eyes filled with fear and sadness as she knew they were marching towards her end.

Drawing in a shaky breath she gently touched John's shoulder.

"We only have one chance at this," she told him, "And we're going to be making this up as we go along so just trust us."

"Not like I have any other choice," John muttered to her.

She squeezed his shoulder and turned to her brother, "Listen to everything I tell you and no questions. If you start questioning anything the Doctor or I tell you to do, we won't survive this."

Rodney glanced towards the lab they were walking towards and took a deep breath, "I promise."

"Okay," John motioned them to stop, "We go in."

x

"I was expecting you all sooner," Turner noted as the five of them entered the lab, he was standing with several men all wearing black robes. They were gathered around a lab bench which had a tall blue crystal sitting in the middle of it, "Though I expect I did not take into account Dr McKay's slower gait."

"Are we really going to stand here and do the witty bantering insults thing?" Jeannie asked, "Or are we just going to get on with this."

Turner laughed, he looked over at Laura and a vicious smirk appeared on his face, "Lieutenant Cadman, I obviously need to work on hitting people. I was expecting you to be in the infirmary for a while."

"It's more fun coming to kick your ass," Laura sneered at him, "It makes the concussion just disappear."

"So," the Doctor interrupted, "Are we getting on with this or what?"

"You shouldn't have interfered, Doctor," Turner told him, "The Time Lords are the past, we are the future."

"You're an ass," Jennie snorted, disdain filling her eyes.

Turner laughed at her motioning the crystal, "Do you feel that? That is power and in a moment we shall have the Oracle here. And our plan will be fulfilled."

The Doctor made a buzzer sound, "I have one tiny thing to point out about your plan. You," he started to pace, "Want to use Rodney to destroy the Oracle. However, you didn't count on Jeannie being here as well."

"That's easily remedied," Turner nodded to one of his acolytes.

The other man grabbed Jeannie and yanked her to one side, she let out a yell of protest as the others tried to move to help her but it was too late. The stabiliser was ripped from her arm and tossed to the ground.

"Jeannie?" Rodney yelled horrified.

Jeannie looked at them, her blue eyes filled with regret, "I'm sorry," she whispered as she faded into nothing.

Turner laughed, "Now Dr McKay, it's time for you to fulfil your destiny. Focus on the crystal or I kill your friends."

Rodney couldn't believe it as his sister disappeared from the world, the ache that filled him was unbearable and he turned to glare at the man responsible for this.

As Turner ordered him to focus on the crystal, Rodney narrowed his eyes.

"Go to hell," he snarled at Turner, "I'm not helping you."

Turner laughed at him, "Is that your final answer, Dr McKay? You do realise if you even try to use you abilities anywhere near this then you will complete my plan for me. The unfocussed energy you have."

"If I never use them again," Rodney told him, "I never help you."

"Then I'll have to provoke it," Turner laughed, he pulled out a gun and with an amused smirk fired.

x

Rodney gasped in horror as Turner shot Laura. She gave a cry as the bullet slammed into her, falling to the ground and Rodney, somehow, managed to catch her.

"Hold on," Rodney whispered as she took harsh gasps through the pain. The Doctor pressed his hands to the wound as John aimed at the group of men, trying to make sure none of the others were shot.

"I'm sorry," Laura gasped before her eyes closed.

"Cadman?" John called in horror as Rodney let out a cry of pain.

Rodney gently placed Laura's body down and stood to face Turner, rage blazing in his blue eyes. The Doctor grabbed John and pulled him down.

"We're in trouble," the Time Lord muttered.

John glanced at where Rodney was standing, even he could feel the raw energy crackling around the grieving man, "What do we do?"

The Doctor shook his head, trying to think of someway they could control what Rodney was doing but only Jeannie would be able to do that.

Not even the TARDIS can protect me forever, Jeannie's words to him rang through the Doctor's mind.

He scrambled across the floor and grabbed the stabiliser, "Rodney," he yelled, "Use this and focus on Jeannie."

Rodney caught the stabiliser and frowned at the Doctor, "What?"

"She can still be reached," the Doctor yelled back, "Focus on her. Do it."

At the order, Rodney focussed on his sister trying to find her and felt relief fill him as the woman in question started to appear before them.

"Rodney, you're the anchor," the Doctor called out, "Pull her back to you. You can do it."

Rodney continued to focus on his sister and as she seemed to solidify, he reached out and gripped her shoulder. Jeannie grabbed the stabiliser from Rodney and fixed it to her wrist before taking Rodney's hand and turning to face Turner.

"No," the leader of the Brotherhood snarled.

Jeannie smirked at him, "Not a good plan," she gripped Rodney's hand tighter, "Follow my lead."

Rodney felt Jeannie guiding the power between them towards the group crowding around the crystal, panic covering the men's faces. John and the Doctor ducked their heads as the stream of energy emanating from the siblings became so intense, they couldn't keep their eyes open. All the heard were several screams then silence.

x

The room was empty when John managed to look up again with the exception of the siblings, the Doctor, himself and Laura Cadman's body. Jeannie had her arms wrapped around her brother as he shook, everything that had happened obviously overwhelming to the other man.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor whispered, as they leaned over the young woman's body, "I didn't expect…"

"I know," John replied sadly, "I shouldn't have let her come, she had a concussion. She should have been resting."

"Guys," Jeannie whispered, her hand still holding her brother's arm, "We should get back to the main part of the city. We need to let them know its over."

John nodded; he waved away the Doctor's offer of help and lifted Laura Cadman into his arms. They slowly walked along the corridors in solemn procession, not one of them thinking of radioing in to let Elizabeth know the outcome.

Jeannie held her brother's arm, helping him walk as he limped along the corridor; the amount of energy used had exhausted them both. Finally, they reached the transporter and they stopped outside of it.

"We should take her to the morgue," John said, "Then report to Elizabeth."

"Actually…" the Doctor started but Jeannie stopped him.

"Not this time," she told him, "This time we stay. This time we face up to and answer the questions. Laura deserves that."

The Doctor nodded with a long sigh, "I know."