McKay woke with a jump. What the hell was that? He listened.

"Rodney!"

Oh hell. That was his father, on the warpath again. McKay stared over at his finished project on the desk. It crossed his mind for a moment to wonder just what would happen if this didn't work, if he didn't fix it for young Rodney to win the science fair and get the scholarship. But before he could follow the thought through and consider the consequences his bedroom door flew open and his father was towering over him waving a piece of paper and an envelope.

"What's the meaning of this?"

McKay tried to sit up, but his father was so close he barely had room.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he declared. "Why don't you enlighten me?" Then he caught sight of the letter heading.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" his father roared. He pulled the covers off McKay and grabbed him by the arm, almost dragging him out of bed and onto his feet.

McKay pulled himself out of his father's grip and stood upright. "How dare you manhandle me like that?" he shouted back. "All the years I've put up with your bullying! You think you're so smart, but you're not smarter than me, you were never smarter than me, it just took me a long time to realise that!"

"What?" cried his father. McKay closed his mouth determinedly. This was really not a good idea. But his father took a step backwards, and McKay realised that at the age of twelve he was beginning to grow taller, was only a few inches smaller than the man who in his memories had always seemed so tall and menacing. He looked more closely at him and noticed the puffy jawline, the frownlines and the tension in his father's shoulders. 'Why did I never see this before?' he thought to himself, but he knew even as he thought it that it was because he'd always been too wrapped up in his own misery to see what was before his eyes.

His father showed him the paper. It was from the music teacher. "It says he's cancelling your lessons, effective immediately."

McKay nodded.

"Good, perhaps now that stupid piano nonsense is at an end you will concentrate on your studies," growled his father.

McKay shook his head. "I'm never going to be a medical doctor," he explained patiently. I'm going to be an astrophysicist."

"A what?" his father snorted. "You'll never be an astrophysicist. You can't even do simple math."

McKay refused to answer, and stood his ground until his father retreated from the room. Then he sat down on the bed, his legs trembling suddenly. He realised that that was the only time he had ever stood up to his father.

When Rodney first awoke he couldn't think where he was. He lay quietly in bed, staring at the ceiling and listening. He could hear the sound of people somewhere in the distance, but mostly what he could hear was the sound of the ocean. Eventually he remembered where he was and jumped out of bed, taking a blanket with him as he walked to the big window. He looked out, trying to work out what was real and what wasn't. He was dreaming, of course; so how come in his dream he'd been to sleep and dreamt?

He was startled by a knock on the door. "Come in," he said.

John stuck his head round the door. "Are you ready for breakfast?" he asked cheerfully.

"Just let me get dressed," Rodney answered, staring around the room again.

McKay carefully packed everything he needed into a box and carried it downstairs. His mother was waiting for him. "What did you have to go and upset your father for?" she demanded as soon as she saw him. "Now he's in a bad mood, and I need to ask him for something. You really are too much, Rodney!" She took herself off in a huff.

"Where are you going, squirt?" asked Jeannie, coming out of the dining room.

McKay smiled. He still felt a certain fondness for his big sister. Granted, she had always stood back and watched the battles he had with his parents, but at least she was usually around to pick up the pieces afterwards.

"I'm going to win that science fair," he answered her confidently, and went out carrying his box.

Rodney enjoyed his breakfast with the others, but was relieved when they said it was time to head back to the lab. The commissary was filling up as they finished their meal, and many people looked over at him as if they knew him and wanted to talk to him. But after a couple of people headed towards the table as if to speak to them and then suddenly changed direction Rodney spotted John glaring at the next one and shaking his head. He welcomed Elizabeth to the table, however, and Rodney was pleased to see a familiar, friendly face.

When they were all finished Elizabeth and John took Rodney out of the commissary. They found Zelenka in his lab. Rodney stared around him in delight. There was a steady hum of activity in the room, with half a dozen scientists in white coats moving around various workstations and benches, and walls glowed with patterns of flashing lights. The hum of electrical equipment was all around them. "What's it all for?" asked Rodney in awe.

"Just think, Rodney," answered John cheerfully, "In a few years' time it'll be you telling us what it's all for."

Rodney opened his eyes wide. Could it be true? But soon Zelenka joined them, muttering something in Czech under his breath and gathering a bag of things together. He gave Rodney a tablet pc to hold, and Rodney carried it proudly along the corridor, trying to figure out how to use it as they went.

Elizabeth excused herself as they went past the infirmary and went in to talk to Carson, while the others headed back to the lab and the equipment that had caused all the trouble the previous day.

McKay's arms were aching by the time he reached the school. He stopped for a moment on the steps, resting the box on the edge of the step in front of him. As he did so, he felt a shove in the back and turned to see a gang of four boys standing there.

"What you got, McKay?" demanded the biggest one.

"It's my science project," McKay answered shortly. He had no intention of getting involved in any long conversation with these boys.

"Oh yeah? What you made?" The boy tried to peer in the box. "Is that part of a vacuum cleaner?"

"Oh, Rodney's going to clean the school for us," jeered another of the boys.

McKay ignored him, picking up the box again and walking into the building.

The boys pushed forward and crowded round him, slowing his progress. "Let's look then," demanded the one who'd been doing all the talking.

McKay racked his brains and dragged the name Lucas Goldsmith out of his memory. "Get lost, Lucas," he said roughly. Lucas pushed him with one hand, grabbing at the box with the other. McKay lowered the box to the floor, grabbed at Lucas and threw him neatly over his shoulder. He stood dusting off his hands and feeling grateful for the fighting lessons he had had with Colonel Sheppard recently.

"McKay! Goldsmith! What the hell do you think you're doing?" a voice roared down the corridor.

"Sir, it was him! He started it!" Lucas jumped to his feet and pointed indignantly at McKay.

"Both of you, in my office, NOW!"

McKay finally recognised the voice. It was Mr Burns, his dreaded science teacher. He picked up his box and walked in the direction the teacher indicated.

"Leave that here!"

McKay shook his head. "No way am I leaving that for those punks to destroy!"

"You're only making things worse!" Mr Burns threatened. McKay shrugged and carried on walking. Lucas almost danced along beside them, telling Mr Burns how nasty Rodney had been picking on him. McKay gritted his teeth and ignored him. He wasn't going to let anything get in the way of his entry in the science fair. He just had to win, to complete events that had already happened. He wasn't sure how long he had, but he knew that if anything went wrong, he never would get back to Atlantis.