Author's notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Only one more chapter to go after this.
Enjoy.
Jeannie walked at the Doctor's side as he led her to her room.
"Can I get a map?" she asked after another turn through the corridors.
"You'll get used to," the Doctor told her with a smile, "Actually the TARDIS will not let you get lost."
"That's comforting," Jeannie said with a bemused smile before frowning a little, "What do you mean the TARDIS won't let me get lost?"
The Doctor laughed patting her shoulder, "This old thing has a mind of its own. You'll get used to it."
Jeannie stopped dead slight panic wrinkling her brow.
"Something wrong?" the Doctor asked turning back when he noticed she'd stopped walking.
"Wow," Jeannie murmured, "I don't think I thought this out very well before agreeing to come."
The Doctor frowned looking a little hurt, "Are you wanting to return home?"
"I don't know," Jeannie hesitated, "I'm not really the adventurous type," she told him gasping in shock as they were thrown against the wall, "What the hell was that?"
"Come on," the Doctor called motioning the bag she was carrying, "Just drop that and we'll get it later."
Doing as ordered Jeannie followed the Doctor as he raced towards the control room. She gripped a railing as the TARDIS threw them to one side.
"Doctor, what's happening?" she yelled.
The Doctor grinned at her, "Pity you're not the adventurous type, I think we may be having an adventure."
x
"It's too quiet," John noted as they walked through the corridors, "Just…"
"Like it was when we first got to Atlantis," Rodney finished for him.
"And that's not going to be annoying," John told him.
Jeannie laughed receiving an annoyed look from John, "Get over it because it's going to keep happening."
They continued through the corridors, the silence heavy sending chills through all of them.
Rodney caught Jeannie's arm, "Something's wrong."
She nodded in agreement, pulling out her phone and hitting the button to dial the Doctor.
It rang and rang and rang.
"He's not answering," she grimaced, "I don't like this."
"Okay, we get to Tollas lab and work out what to do from there," John decided, "Let's go."
The three of them walked carefully along the corridors John and Rodney had placed Jeannie in the middle of them both hoping she hadn't noticed the move, she had but at the moment was more than happy for the protection as they went looking for the Doctor. The past few hours had scared her more than she'd admitted to anyone, for once she was looking for her brother's protection and having John there as well was something she was grateful for.
They finally made it to Tollas' lab finding it empty. The entire room was filled with broken glass and there were things scattered all over the floor.
"I'm guessing something went wrong," John noted from the door.
"We have to find the Doctor," Jeannie told them heading back into the corridor trying to get a clue as to which way the Doctor had gone.
"What's that?" John asked noting a glint of silver lying on the floor.
"Oh my God," Jeannie gasped as she dropped down retrieving the small device, "It's his sonic screwdriver."
Rodney looked worried, "That's bad isn't it?"
"I've never known him to be without it," she replied softly.
"Which begs the question what happened?" John added turning to the other two, "So how do we find him?"
"It's flashing," Rodney noted nodding to the device Jeannie was holding loosely in her hands.
"What does that mean?" John turned to Jeannie who was staring at the sonic screwdriver.
She grinned, "The man is brilliant. He's set it up for us to follow the signal."
"Then lead the way," John told her.
The Master slammed his hand against the Doctor's chest to feed grinning as the Doctor cried out. After a moment the Master realised something was wrong, the Doctor was…laughing?
"Are you done eating?" the Doctor asked after a moment, "Because you've ruined a perfectly good jumper."
The Master released his old enemy confused, "Why? What?"
The Doctor laughed as he watched the Master pace, "I'll give you a very small clue," he said as he looked for ways out of the room, "Time Lord."
"What?" the Master demanded.
"You seem to have lost a good deal of intelligence by your attempts to extend your life," the Doctor sneered, "I am a full Time Lord. I cannot be fed upon by a creature like the Wraith and if there was any part left of this within you then you would have known."
The Master turned on him, "Oh no Doctor, I saw within the TARDIS you are half-human."
The Doctor started to laugh again, "And you believed it?" he shook his head amused, "Let me remind you of one tiny little thing, the TARDIS belongs to me and will do anything to protect me. Even let you think you have the advantage."
The Master slammed his fist against the Doctor's mouth sending him flying into the wall.
"If you won't let me feed," the Master sneered looking down on his old enemy, "Then I'll just join the other Wraith and we'll destroy this place."
"Doubt that," the Doctor muttered.
The Master turned back as he was about to leave, "That won't be a problem Doctor, considering the shield and city defences will no longer exist by the time I bring the Wraith ships here."
With a laugh he stalked out locking the door leaving the Doctor in the room.
x
The Doctor pulled out his phone noting the missed call. He quickly hit the button and dialled Jeannie.
"Finally," she snapped.
"Jeannie, stop ranting," the Doctor told her, "The Master is influencing a lot of the cities occupants and he's heading to find a Wraith ship and bring them here."
"Why is he not just feeding on the city?" Jeannie asked thoughtfully.
The Doctor sighed wiping away the blood on his lip where the Master had struck him, "Because he's mad. Any semblance of who he was is being swallowed by the appetites and loyalties of the Wraith."
"He wasn't exactly sane to begin with," Jeannie noted.
"Are you anywhere near me?" the Doctor demanded, "Or just wanting an idle chat."
"We're outside," she replied.
"Then get the door open," he told her.
Jeannie gave a soft sigh, "Yeah. That could be a problem."
x
John stood guard as Jeannie talked with the Doctor while Rodney was examining the controls. The link between the three of them was not as overwhelming as it had been when they first connected but it was constant. He could sense his best friend and his best friend's sister all the time now, it amazed him how they could live like this before it occurred to him that they didn't know how to live without each other constantly in their head. It explained a lot about Rodney's fear of getting close to people; he feared making another connection only to lose it again. The way he'd lost Jeannie for so many years.
"Almost got it," Rodney spoke up, "He screwed with the controls pretty good."
"Then keep working stop talking," John told him receiving a dark look from Rodney.
Finally the door opened and the Doctor stood in the doorway looking annoyed at the three of them.
"We have a crisis and you three are bantering?" he demanded before waving away any reply that may come, "We have work to do. The Master is heading to join a Wraith ship and bring them here. And he's done something to the shield and defences."
"I'll go after the Master," John volunteered, "Rodney I'll need a co-pilot."
"What about the shield?" Rodney asked worried.
Jeannie rested her hand on his shoulder, "The Doctor can do that. John'll need you in case something goes wrong with the Jumper."
"She's right," the Doctor said, "Go now."
As the two men started to run Jeannie called them back. She tossed her phone to them. John caught it looking surprised.
"Its feelings not words," she reminded him, "Go."
Jeannie followed the Doctor along the corridors; they passed a lot of the inhabitants all looking confused as the hypnosis from the Master broke leaving them free. The Doctor looked focussed and angry as he marched through the corridors.
"Are you alright?" she asked running to keep up with his long strides.
"If he manages to destroy the city do you know what that will mean to the people back on Atlantis in your time?" the Doctor asked, "What will happen to Rose and Jack?"
"I'm guessing it'll be bad," Jeannie noted.
The Doctor frowned, "And he said I always have a smart remark. I take it the link worked."
Jeannie shrugged, "John had a little trouble with it at first but he's let the connection take hold. He's safe."
The Doctor nodded, "Good. Let's try and keep everyone else safe."
x
John started up the Jumper as Rodney checked its weapons. With practiced ease John flew the small ship out of the city and into the atmosphere.
"Any readings on where he went?" John asked.
Rodney nodded, "Co-ordinates coming your way."
John cloaked the ship as they drew closer to the small ship the Master was using.
"That's a Wraith dart," Rodney gasped, "How the hell did he get one of them?"
"Probably the ship the original Wraith Aris nabbed was using," John noted as he opened the targeting system before blanching, "Rodney, we have a problem."
"Son of a…" Rodney breathed as he saw the Hive ship appear and the Dart enter it, "Can we destroy it?"
John licked his lips, "I don't know. You'd better call the Doctor and warn them."
Rodney nodded and fumbled to get the phone John had passed to him, he quickly hit the call button.
"Rodney?" Jeannie asked the moment she answered, "What's up?"
"Tell the Doctor there's a Hive ship almost at Atlantis," Rodney told her, "The Master's joined them."
"All the cities defences are down," she swallowed, "We're in trouble."
"Understatement," he replied, "Just make sure that shield is functioning and get the drones back online."
He hung up and turned to John, "Any ideas?"
John nodded before wincing as sharp pain shot through his skull. As the pain built he turned slightly to see Rodney gripping his head anguish covering his face.
x
"Can you fix it?" Jeannie asked once she hung up on her brother.
The Doctor rolled his eyes at her, "Are you seriously asking me that question?"
Jeannie rolled her eyes at him, "You know it suddenly occurs to me how alike you and Rodney are. I wonder if that's why I came with you."
The Doctor laughed softly, "I can't believe it took you this long to work that out," he turned worriedly as Jeannie gave a cry of pain, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," she gasped falling to her knees.
The Doctor caught her, "It has to be the Master. With other Wraith he might be trying to break your link or use it against you."
Jeannie let out another cry grasping the Doctor's arms so she didn't fall to the ground, "Then they're in trouble too."
"You have to do something," the Doctor told her, "Jeannie, you're furthest away from the source. You have to do something."
"I…" she squeezed her eyes shut, "There was something we used to do."
"What was it," the Doctor pushed.
"It….we…we could meld," she gritted her teeth, "Meld our minds. Ignore the fighting."
That's good Jeannie," the Doctor encouraged, "You have to do that and include John in the protection."
Jeannie's body was shaking with effort as she stretched out her mind to her brother, she knew once she was with Rodney he could bring in John to the protection.
"I've…never…stretched this…far before," Jeannie gasped as the Doctor held onto her.
"You can do it. You're linked through the TARDIS use its power," he whispered encouragingly, "I know you Jeannie, you can do this."
x
Rodney was on the floor the pain in his head crushing any semblance of thought, he tried to fight against it but it was too powerful.
Rodney.
"J…J…Jeannie?" he gasped.
Rodney, we have to ignore the world.
"What?" he couldn't understand what was going on.
Like when Mom and Dad were fighting, ignore the world.
Rodney nodded to himself, it had been a trick when they were kids but they hadn't done it in so long he wasn't sure he could do it again.
Rodney, focus in. Focus on me.
He clung to his sister's presence pulling the thin thread close and wrapping it around his thoughts until there was silence.
You have to help John, Jeannie told him, he won't know how to do this without you guiding him.
Rodney pulled himself off the floor and after making sure they were still cloaked he gripped his friend's hand.
"John," he spoke, "You have to listen to me."
But John was in too much pain to hear Rodney talking; Rodney knew that he had to do something else.
x
John couldn't even think, the pain was indescribable and every part of his body felt like it had been filled with cement.
John.
"Rodney?" he moaned.
John, listen to me.
"Too much pain."
I know how much it hurts but you have to fight.
"How?"
My voice is in your mind; I'm in your mind. Visualise it as a thread.
"I don't…"
John, Rodney's voice was sharp like steel, you have to do it.
He tried to do what his friend was telling him and finally he could see what seemed to be a fine silver thread. John worried that it would break as he held onto it but it seemed to be getting more and more substantial.
Wrap it around you.
John felt it sounded like both of the twins in unison and although confused he did as ordered. In his mind he wrapped the thread around him and found silence. Opening his eyes he looked up at Rodney who was grinning at him.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah," John whispered, "What the hell was that?"
Rodney shrugged, "Twin thing. Now we have to destroy that ship."
John sat up properly concentrating on the controls; he scanned all the data in front of him.
"Are the cities defences back up?" he asked.
Rodney shook his head, "The Doctor's concentrating on the shield."
John let out a soft wow, "I can't hear her at all. I can only hear you."
"I've had more practice," Rodney told his friend, "Just focus on that ship for now I'll pass along any messages."
x
"Doctor?" Jeannie called, "Clock is ticking."
"I'm well aware of that," he replied with an annoyed sigh, "We have to hope the Atlanteans are distracted enough to let me finish. Explaining this might be a little hard."
As if on cue Tollas stumbled into the room, "Doctor, what's happening?"
"Bad guys on the way," Jeannie told him, "Shut up and let him work."
"This complete meld is not a good idea," the Doctor murmured as he tried to reconnect the Shield, "You're sounding more like your brother."
Jeannie frowned at him, "Are you done yet?"
The Doctor made one more adjustment and grinned, "We have a Shield. Tell them only a few more minutes and I should have the drones ready."
Jeannie nodded and closed her eyes again.
x
"The Shield's up," Rodney told John, "Hopefully they'll have the defence systems up in a few minutes."
"We don't have a few minutes," John replied, "They'll be on the city in less than a few minutes."
Rodney looked down at the console before up at his friend, "What are you thinking?"
John shrugged, "We have drones on the Jumper. We fly in cloaked, fire and get the hell out as fast as possible."
"Are you insane?" Rodney cried, staring in horror at his friend, "That's suicide."
John nodded, "But it's the only way to keep the people in the city safe."
To keep Jeannie safe was left unspoken but understood.
x
Jeannie frowned feeling something going on in the ship.
What are you two doing?
Rodney hesitated, we're going to stop the Hive ship.
"They're going to stop the Hive ship," Jeannie told the Doctor.
"How?"
Rodney what's this plan? Jeannie listened to the plan and gasped in horror. That's insane.
When he didn't answer Jeannie began to panic.
Rodney!
We'll see you soon, was Rodney's reply.
"Doctor?" Jeannie cried.
"I'm trying," he told her, "You should be able to watch them."
Jeannie turned to the screen barely aware of Tollas at her side, all she could see was the small dot representing the two men she cared about more than anything moving towards the large dot that represented death for all of them.
She watched as the small Jumper was swallowed by the Hive ship gasping back tears as she knew they were about to fire.
"I've got it," the Doctor cried.
Jeannie shook her head, "It's too late."
Numbly she watched the Hive ship explode; she couldn't feel either of them anymore.