Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Sorry it took so long for this chapter but I got writers block then distracted with another story.
Enjoy
The Master fumed annoyed that the Doctor's companion was still alive. He had hoped to kill her before they'd discovered his control of the human.
He'd decided to use her as bait for the Doctor, before using his new abilities to kill her in front of the Timelord but he found using the other man even more entertaining. The attraction between them was tangible as was the man's feelings for her.
Now, he was trapped within a force field and although it would take some time to escape it he knew he would.
"I've just thought of a problem with this plan," Rodney told the Doctor.
"Which is?" the Doctor asked from under the console as he fixed the TARDIS to make the connection.
"He hypnotised me," Rodney told the Doctor, "When I first met him."
"Jeannie wasn't there," the Doctor reminded him, "Or in close enough proximity."
Rodney sighed glancing over to where John was sitting looking pale and tired, "What does that have to do with anything?"
The Doctor sighed, slid himself out from under the console and jumped up, "When you are together side by side you're strong. You more than likely notice it yourself, you feel stronger, more confident in yourself. If you're near each other then it's still there," the Doctor stopped Rodney from saying anything, "When she's away with me you two are still connected, I've seen her pull out the phone just seconds before you call but the connection is not as tight as it is when you're side by side. Trust me, there's no way the Master can control either of you."
x
Jeannie arrived back carrying the headsets they needed to connect the three of them together. She saw her brother talking with the Doctor but she focussed instead on John who was sitting away from them, his face pale as a result of what had just happened. Jeannie sighed as she remembered the way he'd kissed her, she knew it had been him and it had surprised her. She knew she had to actually talk to him about it but not yet. Just now they had too many other things to focus on and then she wanted to find her own way through what had happened to Aris.
"Jeannie," the Doctor interrupted her thoughts.
"I have them;" she gave him a weak smile.
"Good," he caught her hand, "Talk to them."
"Doctor…"
"I've known you a long time," he reminded her, "The three of you are going to be connected by the TARDIS soon and it's not a good idea with all this unresolved tension, you need to talk to them."
"Doctor…"
"I'm going to talk to Tollas and then the council," the Doctor told her, "While I'm gone I want the three of you to discuss whatever is on your minds because you have to be focussed for this otherwise it could be a disaster."
"Doctor…"
"Do it," he ordered sharply before squeezing her hand, "Jeannie, I'm sorry about Aris. He was a good man even if he couldn't learn his lesson. Talk this out then do the connection, come find me when you have."
She nodded and placing the headsets down waited until he left the TARDIS before turning to the two guys.
"We need to talk."
The Doctor hoped they'd sort out at least one or two things that were simmering between the three of them.
Although Rodney knew it hadn't been John attacking Jeannie he was still feeling anger and confusion regarding it while John was feeling guilty.
The Doctor cared a great deal about Jeannie; she'd travelled with him for several months in his previous form and now for several in this one. She was a strong person but the past few hours had shaken her badly and the Doctor knew it would take both men to help her build herself up again.
His mind settled on his big concern, the Master.
It didn't take him long to work out how the creature had managed to get here, the Master knew that touching the Doctor would give him enough power to leave the dying body and return to his snake-like form. Now with the Master inside a Wraith the Doctor had no idea how to stop him.
x
"Rodney," Jeannie said softly to her brother, "I need to talk to John for a few minutes. Can you go somewhere for a bit."
He looked at her intently for a few seconds before nodding, "Remind him it's not his fault."
"Can I remind you too?" Jeannie asked.
His face dropped and looked guilty sighing as his sister hugged him, "I..."
Jeannie hugged him tightly, "I'm fine," she touched the high neck of her top, "See you can hardly see anything."
"And about what happened?" he asked, "About what happened to Aris?"
"Once this is over," Jeannie told him her voice soft, "Then I'll deal."
Rodney gently kissed his sister's forehead before heading through the door deeper into the TARDIS.
"Don't get lost," Jeannie called after him before she turned to John.
Walking over to the couch she sat beside him, "Hey."
"Hey," John sighed managing to look up at her.
"How're you feeling?" Jeannie asked.
"What?" he stared at her in shock, "Jeannie, I nearly killed you."
"The Master nearly killed me," she reminded him, "Actually twice in the past few hours."
"But…"
"I know it wasn't you John," she rested her hand on his, "I didn't see your face, I saw his. The only thing I need to know is…" she bit her lip, "Why did you kiss me?"
John stared at her before swallowing hard, "Why did you kiss me? When we were on Atlantis before you left the first time?"
Jeannie laughed softly, "You'd just taken a walk around Rodney's mind, and he needed some sort of power back. I gave him something to hold."
"Oh," John felt quite deflated.
"Now you answer my question," she said her voice soft, "Why did you kiss me?"
"You know why," he replied looking into her eyes.
Jeannie gently stroked his cheek with her fingers before squeezing his hand, "I thought we agreed on this."
John shrugged pulling out the Sheppard bravado, "I'd just saved your life, I got a little carried away."
"Okay," Jeannie told him with a wry smile, "How about we forget about it and focus on what's going on just now. We'll talk about it after."
John nodded, "Deal."
x
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Rodney asked as Jeannie tinkered with the dials of the TARDIS controls.
"For the last time Rodney," Jeannie snapped at him, "Yes."
John chuckled slightly at the twins not noticing Rodney give Jeannie a quick nod, trying to keep things light was the best way for them all to deal.
"Okay," Jeannie murmured turning to her brother first and setting the headpiece on him first before repeating the action with John, "Rodney," she ordered giving him the final one for him to place on her head.
They were all ready for the connection to place so Jeannie rested her hand on the lever to start it.
"Wait," Rodney said, "We should warn him."
"Warn me?" a little panic slipped through John's voice.
Rodney turned to him, "Just at the intensity of this connection. Jeannie and I have had this for years but you're going to have this sudden emotional connection that might be a little overwhelming. Especially for you."
"What do you mean for me?" John demanded.
"Please," Rodney replied, "Mr 'I'm everybody's pal just don't get to know me' Sheppard."
"That's Lt Colonel to you," John shot back, "And you're not exactly the person everyone invites to parties."
"I have Jeannie," Rodney reminded him.
"We have no chance of getting this done today if you two are going to keep fighting," Jeannie interrupted, "John, this will be intense he's not lying. Can you handle actually having us in your head?"
"If I want to leave this box and stop the Master I have to," John said, "Right?"
"Right," the twins answered in unison.
"Then push the button."
The Doctor stopped.
Cocking his head to one side he frowned, he couldn't hear anything. There was absolute silence throughout the city which considering the population shouldn't happen.
It had to be the Master but how? And what exactly was he doing?
The Doctor didn't like not knowing the answer to a problem; it meant he wanted answers no matter who he annoyed to get them. Shaking his head he decided to go towards the Council chambers and see if anyone there would be able to help. Turning he saw a man walking towards him.
"Finally," he murmured, "Life signs. Hi," he called out freezing as the man coming towards him aimed a weapon.
"Oh no," the Doctor sighed finding there were many more people coming towards him all armed.
Turning the other way he started to run.
x
The Doctor pounded along the corridors his thoughts racing as he tried to work out where he could go to help not only himself but everyone in the city. He hoped that the other three had finished connecting themselves together because he needed some help unfortunately they had to join him first getting through the mob of brainwashed citizens.
"Doctor," Tollas appeared just before him, "This way."
The Doctor sighed in relief at a friendly face, he knew there was a distinct possibility that this was a trap but considering his options he ran towards his friend.
"Is the force-field still up?" the Doctor asked Tollas.
Tollas shook his head, "Someone shut it down and then everyone went crazy."
"Can you find the Master?" he looked at the screens showing the city layout.
Tollas shook his head, "He's somehow found a way to avoid the sensors."
"I could try using the TARDIS but getting back there will be a problem," the Doctor mused, "However destroying him will be worse and should be the first thing we work on."
"Where are the others?" Tollas asked.
The Doctor shrugged, "Hopefully on their way here."
Tollas nodded, "Until we are sure we need to keep ourselves safe."
The Doctor chewed his lip deep in thought, "Let's get to work because one more attempt on Jeannie's life might just really annoy her."
Jeannie sat working on her homework well aware that her brother was lying on her floor with his legs stretched up along the wall reading a book because he'd finished his homework hours ago. They could hear their parents fighting over something but they were now experts in ignoring outside noise. It was a skill they would lose as they grew older and grew apart but at thirteen they could emerge their minds in each other's so that all they could hear was each other's thoughts.
x
John gripped his head as his senses were overwhelmed.
"You have to relax," Rodney ordered as Jeannie tried to lessen the connection, "John, listen to me. Don't fight against it or you'll only end up getting worse."
"Too much," John forced out through gritted teeth.
"Jeannie?" Rodney called.
"I'm working on it," his sister replied as she furiously fought with the TARDIS controls.
"How can you live with this?" John cried as Rodney held onto his arms stopping him from removing the headset.
"Jeannie's always been in my head," Rodney replied, "You've been in my mind before, I know this is different but you have to relax and control it."
John pushed Rodney away, "You've had all your life to learn, I've had thirty seconds."
"You try," Rodney told Jeannie who nodded and moved to take her brother's place.
"John," she whispered catching his face in her hands, "John look at me," he looked up at her pain filling his eyes, "You've trusted us before, trust in us now. Relax, stop fighting us."
"I don't know if I can," John told her, "I can't just give in."
"You have to," Jeannie said, glancing at Rodney he nodded, "This is an order Colonel. Do it."
John laughed slightly, "Nice try."
"Well it was that or Rodney started doing a rain dance," Jeannie replied making him laugh again at the image.
A few seconds later he looked up at them confused, "What happened?"
Rodney grinned, "Laughter is relaxing. Feeling better?"
John nodded, "It's weird. I can actually feel you two here," he motioned to where they stood, "And here," he tapped his forehead, "This is how you always feel?"
"Depends if we're in the same time zone," Jeannie shrugged, "But yeah. If we have time we'll show you a few tricks."
"But we don't have the time," Rodney added, "We have to join the Doctor and find a way to stop the Master-Wraith thing."
"Without me getting almost killed or wet in any way," Jeannie added.
x
The Doctor pulled out his phone and dialled Jeannie quickly.
"What's up?" she asked instantly.
"Well the entire city seems under the Master's hypnosis and we don't have a way to stop him," the Doctor replied, "How about you?"
"We just managed to do the link," Jeannie reported.
"Is it stable?" he asked.
"We'll only find out once we leave the TARDIS," she told him, "Where are you?"
"Tollas and I are holed up in his lab," the Doctor said, "Get here as fast as you can. Try not to hurt anyone, it's not their fault remember."
"Will do."
The Doctor slipped his phone back in his pocket frowning as he heard clapping, turning he saw Tollas standing slapping his palms together in a slow measured beat.
"Good Doctor," the voice came from Tollas but the tone was one the Doctor knew only too well, "I was wondering how I would get them out of your TARDIS. You've improved its security."
"Jeannie's suggestions," the Doctor replied, "I was wondering how long it would be before you showed yourself."
"I was waiting until you called your companions here," the Master replied, "Miss McKay and her brother are an incredible find. Telepathy in humans is rare and finding such powerful subjects must have been exciting."
"Jeannie's not a science experiment," the Doctor replied, "Neither is Rodney nor John. They're people."
The Master laughed, "They're food now. My new body needs human life to feed upon and to feed upon a Time Lord…Doctor you can only imagine the power."
"I'd rather forgo the pleasure," the Doctor told him, "Sorry but I'm not the ideal dinner guest."
He looked around finding the hypnotised residents of Atlantis coming towards him, the Doctor started to move but every exit was blocked. Looking around the Doctor saw a gun sitting on the workbench closest to him.
"There is a way through them," the Master taunted through the mouth of a friend, "But will you kill people who have no way to control their actions?"
The Doctor made no move towards the weapon and didn't fight as several people restrained his arms. As they walked through the corridors of Atlantis he used his elbow to dislodge the sonic screwdriver from his pocket. It fell to the ground unnoticed and in full view for when the others hopefully arrived.
A cold shiver slid along the Doctor's spine as he could feel his old enemy's presence growing closer with each step. He could only hope that Jeannie understood what he was telling her. He also had to hope the other two would listen.
They stopped inside a large empty room similar to the one the McKay siblings had almost drowned in earlier, he was left standing alone and the door swung shut solidly
"At last," a low chuckle alerted the Doctor to the rooms other occupant, he turned to look at the Master's latest form.
"And I thought your last look was bad," the Doctor told him, "Are you feeling aright? You look a little pale."
The Master laughed, "You always were so amusing Doctor. Always filled with witty sayings and remarks. I may actually miss that. But then again," the Master started moving towards him, "I can always just think back."
The Doctor grunted as he was slammed against the wall, the Master's grotesque features inches away from his face.
"I shall miss you Doctor," the Master said before he slammed his hand into the Doctor's chest to feed.