Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Drakcir:- I have a reason for everything…
Hope you enjoy.
"Okay," John interrupted the Doctor looking over Tollas' work, "I still don't get why you have this whole idea of Rodney being the dominant one of the pair."
The Doctor sighed, he knew he shouldn't have gotten himself involved in this but he'd started it so now he had to continue with it till John got the message. Telling him straight out wasn't the way to do it, mostly as the Doctor could spend hours teasing the other man
"I never said he was," he told the other man, "I'm pointing out the fact that of the two of them Jeannie always refers to herself as one of two. Rodney doesn't."
"But…"
"Tollas," a voice called pulling John away from his conversation.
"Yes Hiran?" Tollas turned from his work as the young man came running in.
The young man with blond hair slicked back wearing similar white clothes to Tollas and Aris stood trying to catch his breath, "Lab Omega is operational."
"What?" Aris demanded, "That's impossible it can't be."
John glanced at the three Atlanteans, "What? What does that mean?"
Tollas turned to him, "Omega lab is for testing certain experiments within a submerged environment."
"Is there anyone in there?" the Doctor asked drumming his fingers on a console.
Hiran turned to the stranger, "I doubt it."
"But you don't know," the Doctor demanded, "Didn't it occur to you to check?"
The young man looked shocked as he shook his head.
The Doctor crossed his arms across his chest staring at the man, "Then I suggest you do so."
x
"Rodney!" Jeannie had backed herself against a wall as though that could somehow stop the water which was now up to their knees.
Her brother who had been standing at the door working on the controls turned and waded to her, catching her shoulders and forcing her to look at him.
"Jeannie you need to stay calm," he stared into her eyes his voice slow and measured, "I know what you're feeling but I can't get us out of this if you're panicking."
"Rodney!"
"Jeannie, you have to trust me," he whispered, "And I have to concentrate."
Jeannie shakily nodded giving him a weak smile, Rodney squeezed her hand tightly.
"I'm going to get this open," he told her, "I promise. Just hold on."
With that said he turned back to the door and started working on decrypting the controls.
x
Tollas moved the technician from the controls as he brought up details of the lab, he frowned.
"Is something wrong?" the Doctor asked.
"There are two people in the lab," Tollas told him, "But that's impossible, the safety protocols ensure that the door will not lock if there is anyone inside."
"Someone must have overridden the protocols," John murmured.
"Who's in there?" the Doctor asked.
"It will take a few moments," Tollas told him, "The security system was being overhauled the past few days. We're still having some problems with it."
The Doctor rolled his eyes at John before muttering, "So much for the technology you all get so excited over."
John laughed slightly before blanching at the picture that appeared on the screen, "Oh God."
The Doctor spun to see what was wrong and groaned seeing Rodney and Jeannie on the screen, "We have to get them out of there now."
"I can't," Tollas frowned as he fought with his controls, "It's encrypted."
"Then decrypt it," the Doctor yelled, "Get them out of there now."
John took a breath, "Rodney should be able to get them out. He's done this more than once."
"You don't understand," the Doctor turned to him, "We need to get Jeannie out of there now."
"I'm not arguing," John told him, "But why are you so worried?"
"Jeannie can't swim, and she's terrified of the water," the Doctor replied with a sigh, "Something happened when they were kids."
"But…" John frowned, "When we were on Dagan she crossed rivers using only a log with barely a pause."
"And she went over last," the Doctor reminded him before explaining, "It gives her enough time to boost her belief that she can do it."
"How long before the water gets over their heads?" John demanded.
Tollas shook his head, "Less than five minutes."
"Rodney can swim right?" the Doctor asked.
John shrugged.
"You live in a city surrounded by water and you don't know if he can swim?" the Doctor yelled annoyed.
"It's never come up," John replied his voice rising to match the Doctors.
"Gentlemen," Aris snapped making them turn to him, "We have to find a way to get them out of there."
"What about that device thing you use on everything?" John asked the Doctor.
"Sonic screwdriver," the Timelord replied in exasperation before nodding, "Good idea. Let's go."
x
Rodney swam his way through the water towards his sister who was trying desperately to remain calm and losing. He was a strong swimmer having taken a lot of lessons because he felt he had to compensate for her dislike of the water and right now he was extremely glad of it.
"How much longer?" Jeannie whispered trying to keep her chin above the water.
"I don't know," Rodney frowned at the fear that filled her eyes at his words, "You have to float for a bit."
"I can't," she cried.
"Yes you can," Rodney pulled her up so her shoulders were out of the water, "Just kick your feet and use your arms to steady you. I'll get us out of here as soon as I can I promise."
She was shaking as he let her go; Rodney waited until she was doing what he'd told her before he turned round and headed back to the door controls. Unfortunately they were now under water forcing him to take a deep breath before ducking under.
Rodney was more worried than he was letting on; the one good thing about Jeannie concentrating on not panicking was she couldn't sense his worry. The encryption to the door was very complex and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to break it in time but he focussed on it as best he could as Jeannie's fear sat on the edge of his awareness.
"Are you looking for something Rodney?"
Rodney spun to find Daniel Jackson standing watching him a hint of an amused smile tugging at his lips.
"This is a top secret, high class operation," Rodney snapped, "So how come I can't find one working phone?"
Daniel laughed, "I heard they were working on the lines."
"We leave in five hours to go to a completely different galaxy and I cannot find the means to make a damn phone call on my own planet," Rodney fumed.
Daniel smiled amused, "You can use the one in my lab. It's working fine, or it was two minutes ago."
Rodney nodded his thanks before heading into Daniel's lab.
"You can do this," he told himself as he pulled out the scrap of paper with the number scribbled on it before he sat at staring at the phone.
He had five hours before he left the galaxy meaning he had to pick up that phone, dial the number and actually talk to her. He'd called his mother of all people the night before to get the number so he had to do it.
Picking up the receiver he pushed each number deliberately taking deep breaths as he listened to it ring at the other side.
"Hi," her voice came, "This is Jeannie, I'm not here right now so leave a message and I'll think about getting back to you."
Rodney wasn't sure whether he was relieved or not that she wasn't there but as soon as it beeped he started to talk.
x
The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and smiled, "I told you I would get you back here."
Jeannie exited the blue box suspiciously looking around what seemed to be her back garden, "So what was that unscheduled trip to medieval England?"
"A detour," the Doctor replied without missing a beat.
Jeannie rolled her eyes as she pulled out her keys and let them inside, "I just have to grab some clothes. Considering the wear and tear wasn't in the brochure."
"Well, take your time," the Doctor told her, "I'm debating where to go next."
"Let me know how that goes," Jeannie laughed hitting her answer machine on the way past.
"Jeannie, it's your mother," the first message came, "Call me."
The second, third and fourth message were all the same though each became more and more annoyed.
"Your mother really wishes you to call her," the Doctor noted as Jeannie dropped a bag on her couch.
"Yeah I'll do that," Jeannie laughed rolling her eyes.
"Jeannie," the next message started making her stop at the door.
"Rodney?" she breathed.
"I…I guess it's a good thing you're not there," her brother said, "I doubt I could do this if you had actually answered the phone. I just wanted to tell you I'm going away…and I'm not sure when I'll be back in touch. I just wanted to let you know." He paused for a few seconds before he sighed, "Even if you get this message today I'll be gone so I just wanted to say bye. And Mom told me to tell you to call her…can you believe I called her so I could get your number?"
A muffled voice in the background sounded for a few moments before, "I have to go. Jeannie, I just want to…I need to…I love you Jeannie and I will try come see you when I get home."
With that the line went dead.
"I…I…em…I'll be ready to go in half an hour," Jeannie stuttered.
"You can always call him back you know," the Doctor reminded her.
"The date code reads a week ago," Jeannie sighed, "He's gone. We should go too."
x
Rodney burst through the surface of the water taking a deep breath before swimming over to where Jeannie was barely managing to keep her head above the water. Rodney caught her holding her up, he was so afraid he wouldn't be able to save her but he had to stay as positive as possible for her.
"Almost there," he told her his breath coming in short gasps, "You just have to hold on."
"I can't," Jeannie sobbed.
Rodney frowned; he'd only just got her back he couldn't let anything happen to her. Looking around the room he saw the silver handles sticking out from the wall. He wrapped one arm around her as he was taught in lifeguard training all those years ago and swam her to it.
"Hold onto this," Rodney told his sister, "They should work so that when the water gets too high you should be able to reach the next one."
"Rodney…"
"I'll get this," he cut her off, "Just hold on okay?"
Jeannie nodded watching as Rodney dived back under the water.
x
"I can't open it," the Doctor frowned.
"You've been working on this panel for almost half an hour," John snapped, "Why can't you open it?"
"Rodney is obviously working on the door himself," the Doctor explained, "Whatever he's doing I will only end up messing up possibly locking them in for good."
"What the hell do we do then?" John grimaced.
"Trust in Rodney," the Doctor replied chewing the side of his mouth, "That room is filling with water."
"Yes," John said slowly wondering what the Doctor was on about now.
"Where will the water go once that door opens?"
The two men looked at the door, before glancing along the corridor and looking down at where they were standing.
"We should move," John noted.
"Let's see if Tollas has anything for us," the Doctor said catching John's arm, "Move faster."
He watched through another's eyes as they ran around trying to find a way to get the siblings out of the laboratory. The amusement he felt was unable to be expressed as he did not wish to reveal his presence to the Doctor yet.
He turned to watch the Doctor who was worrying about his companion. The Timelord's attachment to the humans he picked up every so often disgusted him, however this companion and her brother had been of interest to him as well as the Doctor.
Their death would cause extreme pain, making sure that the Doctor would be unfocused giving him the opening to finally kill the Timelord.
Watching the siblings die was going to be exceedingly entertaining.
x
Rodney pushed his way to the surface taking a deep breath before heading to check quickly on his sister.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked as he reached her floating beside her.
Jeannie managed a slight nod her fingers gripping the handle so tightly her knuckles were white.
Rodney took several deep breaths, "I've almost got it."
"Are you sure?" Jeannie whispered.
He nodded, "Okay, when I open the door you're going to have to let go."
"No…"
"Jeannie," he cut her off sharply, "You have to."
"Not a chance in hell," Jeannie snapped, she waved a hand quickly before catching a hold of the handle again.
"Jeannie, you have to trust me," he reminded her before taking another deep breath and heading back down to the door.
As he continued to work on the door controls Rodney quickly went over the options in his head as to how to persuade his sister to let go of the one thing she felt safe holding onto. His lungs were beginning to burn at how long he'd been under water but he needed to get this circuit connected first. Rodney pushed to the surface again taking several deep breaths before heading down once more to make the final adjustments. Setting it so that he had one minute Rodney swam over to Jeannie once more without saying a word Rodney grabbed Jeannie's wrists before swinging his legs up and pushing off the wall dragging her into the centre of the room.
"Rodney!" she screamed as he pulled her into the centre of the room.
"Take a deep breath," Rodney told her as he felt the pull of the water pouring out of the door.
He held onto her tighter as they were dragged under.
x
"The door just released," Tollas called, making John and the Doctor turn.
"And?" John demanded.
"We have to wait until the water has drained away before we can get into the corridor and check on them," Tollas explained.
"How long will that take?" John snapped irritably.
"Ten more seconds," Tollas replied nodding to them, "Come."
As they reached the outer door John had everything that could have gone wrong going through his head, the instant the door opened he ran.
"McKay!" he yelled not caring which one answered just hoping somebody did.
"Jeannie!" the Doctor called as he ran behind John, "Rodney, one of you answer us."
"We're…here," Rodney's gasping voice sounded from nearby.
John ran towards the voice, "Rodney, Jeannie are you guys okay?" he stopped finding the twins sitting against a grating both soaking wet.
Jeannie was huddled against her brother shaking violently as he rubbed her back soothingly his head resting back against the wall.
"You guys alright," John asked kneeling down beside them.
"Kinda cold," Rodney murmured continuing to absently soothe his sister.
John grinned relieved to have Rodney in one piece.
Tollas arrived with blankets. The Doctor grabbed one and wrapped it around Jeannie pulling her into his arms holding her.
John helped Rodney to his feet making sure the blanket was firmly around the other man's shoulders noting the gasps were becoming calmer but Rodney was still shaking.
"What happened?" the Doctor asked as he helped Jeannie to her feet.
"Someone locked us in," Rodney snapped, "What do you think happened?"
"Any idea who?" John placed his hand on Rodney's shoulder to calm him down.
"No," Jeannie's shaky voice joined the conversation.
"Someone tried to kill us," Rodney snapped, reaching out he caught his sister's shoulders and pulled her over, "And I want to know who."
The Doctor glanced at Tollas, "You're not alone."