John sat drumming his fingers on the console waiting for Carson to get through with the check-up they were on the mainland for. He knew Rodney was due back soon and he was anxious to find out what had happened with his sister. John had been relieved when he’d heard Rodney was on the Daedalus, mostly so Zelenka would shut up.
“You are anxious.”
John looked up to where Ronon was standing; he hadn’t heard him approach, “What makes you think that?”
“You have been acting restless since Dr McKay left,” Ronon noted, “You worry about him more than anyone else.”
“Have you actually met McKay?” John laughed.
Ronon frowned.
“It’s an expression,” John told him quickly, “I just mean that Rodney gets in trouble almost every time he opens his mouth and we kinda need him on Atlantis.”
Ronon looked unconvinced but nodded, “Dr Beckett will be here soon, Teyla has decided to stay for the night.”
John shrugged, he had a feeling she’d stick around her people for a few extra hours now if Carson would only move his ass John could get back and check his friend was still in one piece.
“It amazes me that you are called genius yet you do such stupid things.”
“Hello to you too, Radek,” Rodney smiled as the Czech scientist glared at him.
Zelenka let off a stream of expletives in his native language before throwing his hands in the air, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Rodney shrugged, “But there is some stuff you need to know but it’ll be easier if I tell you and John together.”
Zelenka rolled his eyes, “He has been unbearable since you left worrying about you.”
Rodney dropped his head reminding Zelenka how different the real Rodney was from the façade he portrayed to the rest of the world.
“Hey Doc,” John’s voice interrupted them over the radio, “Is he back yet?”
Zelenka motioned Rodney to answer who smiled.
“John, I’m back and I’m fine,” Rodney told him, “Are you in Atlantis yet?”
“Just landed.”
“Good,” Rodney breathed, “Meet me in my lab, there’s something we need to tell you.”
“How bad is this?” John asked sounding worried, “On a scale of one to ten?”
“About a five,” Rodney laughed, “Just get to my lab and I’ll explain.”
*********************************************
Parker stood in her father’s office her expression blank as she waited for him. Her brother was standing in the opposite corner annoyance clearly written on his face, it had been three weeks since Jarod had rescued both women and there had been no sightings of him since. Normally Jarod would have got in touch with one of them at least once but there had been nothing.
Parker was worried.
“Since there’s been nothing from Jarod in several weeks,” Mr Parker said the instant he entered the room, “It’s been decided that you are both going to bring Rodney home this time.”
“What?” Lyle looked even more annoyed at this.
“You’re sending us to Atlantis?” Parker asked a little confused, “How are you going to do that, Daddy? I thought you wouldn’t be able to get anyone else back into the SGC.”
Mr Parker nodded, “That was true. However we have as you know some contacts that can get you both assigned to the ship that travels between here and Atlantis. This time you bring Rodney back and we use him to get Jarod. Understand?”
Parker pursed her lips, “Daddy, I am known to the people there but I don’t know if…brother dear can blend in.”
“I can blend,” Lyle told her, “As long as you don’t tell Rodney who I am.”
Parker crossed her arms giving him a frosty glare, “I don’t like what you’re accusing me of. If Rodney finds out who you are it’s due to his gifts. You think Jarod is incredible because of his Pretender abilities you obviously haven’t seen Rodney at his best. He will know you’re a danger to him.”
“And you’re not?” Lyle laughed.
“Rodney’s gifts are clouded by his emotions,” Parker continued, “He has always seen me as his friend since we were children. He won’t suspect I would bring him back here.”
Mr Parker shook his head, “I’m sorry, Angel but after the last time the Triumberate feel it would be better if you both go.”
Parker winced inwardly this would be hell.
“When do we leave?” she asked.
“The Daedalus shall return in a month,” their father told her, “That gives you time to continue to track Jarod until then.”
“Are you kidding me?” John demanded as he stared at Jarod, Emily and Jeannie, “You can’t seriously believe you can keep this a secret.”
“We didn’t have a choice,” Rodney replied, sitting with his arms crossed, “This was the only way we knew that could keep them safe.”
“This isn’t exactly the ideal solution,” Jarod interrupted, “But it is the only one we had at the time.”
“Considering the Earth ZPM was destroyed the only way here is via the Daedalus,” Rodney reminded him, “It means we will have warning before anyone new comes through.”
“Major,” Jarod started.
“Colonel,” Rodney corrected, “They promoted him for some reason.”
A soft giggle came from Emily as John frowned at her; Zelenka hid a grin as Jeannie gave a very slight smile.
“Colonel,” Jarod corrected, “We had no choice. Emily knows how to fit in and Jeannie has spent the entire journey here making sure she doesn’t give us away. It’s only for a few months and then we should be able to take them home.”
John groaned dropping his head into his hands before something occurred to him, “You’re telling me General O’Neill knows who you really are?”
Rodney nodded.
“I think that worries more than anything,” John muttered before sighing, “Alright, just you two try and keep out of trouble, don’t get too friendly with anyone because we don’t need that kind of exposure. If Elizabeth finds out, if Caldwell finds out… this is not a five, Rodney.”
Rodney shrugged, “I didn’t want to worry you.”
Rodney sat catching up on everything that had happened over the few weeks he’d been gone. Jarod and John had taken Jeannie and Emily to their rooms while Zelenka had disappeared back to his own work.
He was scared, Rodney admitted to himself, but bringing Jeannie here had been the only solution they had at the time.
“It is not that bad,” Zelenka said from the doorway.
Rodney sighed, “I can’t shake the feeling something’s coming, Radek. It’s been with me since we boarded the Daedalus.”
“Have you told Jarod?” Zelenka took a seat.
Rodney shook his head, “He’s worried enough about Emily I can’t heap this on him as well. And John takes these things worryingly too serious.”
“Your empathic abilities are incredible,” Zelenka reminded him, “John has never known anything like them before so he takes everything about it deadly serious.”
Rodney sighed, “You can’t say anything, Radek, not until I’m sure.”
Zelenka frowned but nodded, “I promise but you must tell us the moment you are sure.”
“Sure,” Rodney grinned.
Zelenka rolled his eyes, “You are impossible, no matter who you are being.”
*********************************************
Jeannie sat sorting through the screeds of paper Elizabeth had sitting around her office, she and Emily had each taken over one section to sort. Jeannie was comfortable doing this work; she’d worked as a secretary in a legal office during college for extra money so this morning when they’d started their ‘new job’ Jeannie didn’t actually mind.
“I do have a system,” Elizabeth said, making Jeannie looked up, “Honestly I do.”
“It’s not that bad,” Jeannie laughed softly, “I’ve worked in places with worse systems.”
Elizabeth couldn’t stop her smile, “As long as you can understand it then there’s no problem but Dr Beckett wants to see both you and Emily as soon as possible.”
“Dr Beckett?” Jeannie asked confused and a little worried.
“Our Chief Medical Officer,” Elizabeth clarified, “He likes to touch base with all new personnel. You’ll get the standard speech. It’s nothing to worry about.”
“I’ll grab Emily on my way there,” Jeannie gave her a small smile before jumping up and heading to where Emily was working hoping between them they could find the infirmary.
Emily was sitting sifting through papers, “Your brother is so meticulously neat it’s scary,” she said as Jeannie appeared.
Not wanting to talk about anything to do with her brother Jeannie just nodded, “The Doctor wants to see us.”
“Which one?” Emily asked with a grin, “There are so many around here it makes my head spin.”
“I think this is the medical one,” Jeannie replied softly, “The Chief…Medical something or other.”
“Well we may as well go,” Emily smiled standing up.
“Doesn’t this ever bother you?” Jeannie asked getting annoyed that Emily wasn't.
Emily shrugged, “My life has always revolved around the fact that we had to keep moving, that the Centre had stolen my brothers and they were after us. So now I’m somewhere they aren’t, I’m enjoying it.”
Jeannie let out an annoyed sigh heading towards the infirmary not even noticing that Emily was following her until Emily grabbed her arm.
“You don’t have to get angry with me,” Emily told the other woman, “I’m not the one you’re mad at.”
“I don’t know who that is,” Jeannie replied, motioning the door ahead of them, “I think we found it.”
Emily smiled and headed in followed by Jeannie, “See, who needs the…” she trailed off suddenly making Jeannie turn to her worried finding Emily staring at the man who was staring right back.
“Emily,” the man whispered.
“Oh no,” Jeannie breathed.
Carson Beckett had been having a good day until he turned to the woman who walked through his door.
She hadn’t changed at all in the few years it had been since he last saw her. Her dark brown hair was slightly longer but it still framed her pale face like a curtain. Her dark brown eyes were wide with astonishment and shock.
“Carson,” she stammered.
Horror filled him and he caught her arm pulling her to one side, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m one of Dr Weir’s new admin assistants,” Emily said automatically.
“You’re a reporter,” Carson snapped, “You can’t be here.”
“Carson, you don’t understand,” Emily tried to calm him.
“Emily…how did you…I don’t care,” Carson closed his eyes, “Emily, if they discover you’re a reporter…”
“I’m not,” Emily tried to tell him again, “Carson, you have to listen to me.”
He looked at her the betrayal he’d felt the day she’d left flooding into his eyes, “No.”
Jeannie hit the button on her radio, “Rodney?”
“Jeannie?” he sounded surprised that she was calling him, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Emily…” Jeannie hesitated, not knowing who else could overhear this.
“It’s a secure channel,” Rodney told her sensing her worries.
“The Doctor knows Emily from before,” Jeannie told him.
“Which Doctor?”
“Doctor…” she hesitated, trying to remember his name, “Beckett.”
“Damn it,” Rodney snapped, “I’ll be right there.”
Jeannie could hear him starting to run just before her radio clicked off. She looked back at where Emily was looking like a deer caught in the headlights as she tried to talk to the Doctor. This was obviously the guy Emily had been forced to leave and Jeannie felt sorry for both of them. She could feel the anguish radiating off Emily as she tried to explain without explaining to the man who looked totally shocked by Emily’s appearance.
She heard footsteps coming quickly behind her and she turned relieved for the first time since she first saw him relief that her brother was there.
“Carson,” Rodney grabbed his friends arm and pulled him into a corner talking fast as Jarod appeared behind them and he pulled Emily away. Jeannie watched both pair of people talk wishing she could help in some way.
*********************************************
“Rodney, you cannae be serious about this,” Carson snapped, “I know this woman; she was a reporter, Rodney we have to tell Elizabeth that this is a security breach.”
“Carson,” Rodney started to think fast, “General O’Neill sent her, he knows who she is and she’s here for a reason.”
“And what the bloody hell is that?” Carson demanded.
“To work with Elizabeth,” Rodney replied, “She used to work with a newspaper, not anymore.”
“Why is she using a different name then?” Carson challenged.
“Maybe she got married,” Rodney shrugged, “I don’t know, maybe her real name wasn't the one she used when she knew you.”
Rodney realised he should have kept his mouth shut on that one as the pain filtered into his friend’s eyes.
“Maybe,” Carson stated coldly.
“General O’Neill sent her here, Carson,” Rodney reminded him, “Elizabeth knows who she is,” Rodney took a chance, hoping that Carson would not go to her about this, “No one else is supposed to.”
“Why do you know?” Carson demanded angrily.
“Because she’s Jarod’s sister and we’re friends,” Rodney couldn’t get out of his mind how weak this argument was.
Carson glared at him for a few moments before nodding, “Alright,” he sighed annoyed, “For now.”
Rodney nodded, “I have to get back to my lab before Kavanagh destroys something else.”
Rodney left Carson in his office. He headed over to where Emily was sitting being comforted by Jarod as Jeannie stood by looking as though she felt useless.
“Well?” Jeannie asked him as he joined them.
“He’s not going to say anything for now,” Rodney told them squeezing Emily’s hand, “But…”
“But it won’t last long,” Emily finished for him, “It’s so typical of my life that the one place I came to escape is the one place I run right into my past.”
Jarod hugged her, “I know what you mean.”
“Are we safe?” Jeannie asked softly.
“For the moment,” Rodney replied, “But we better tell John about this because I sense a major problem with this.”
“You don’t have to have empathic abilities to know that,” Jarod rolled his eyes.
Rodney sighed, “Let’s get out of here just now. We’ll meet up again tonight about ten in my lab.”
“Come on,” Jeannie whispered to Emily, taking her by the arm, “We’ll see you later.”
“Rodney, this just hit a ten,” John snapped as he stalked into the lab just after ten o’clock, “How did this happen?”
Rodney turned to Jarod, “I told you he’d be a little upset.”
“McKay,” John snarled.
“This isn’t my fault,” Rodney told him, “How were we supposed to know that Emily and Carson knew each other?”
“It explains the feeling you had,” Zelenka noted, even as Rodney shook his head at him.
“What feeling?” John demanded annoyed.
Rodney frowned at Zelenka, “Thanks.”
“Rodney!!!”
“John, I felt something was coming,” Rodney explained, “This was obviously it.”
“Are you sure?” John demanded.
Rodney shrugged, “As I can be.”
To everyone’s surprise Jeannie started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” John demanded.
“You are,” she cried in annoyance, “Listen to me. You have to tell him, now, today. Okay, forget debating this. He’s not going let this go and it’s more than likely he will go to Dr Weir. So tell him.”
John shrugged, “Next question,” he turned to the two Pretenders, “Who tells him?”
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Fortune\'s Favor by Offworlder FAM
Winner of the Atlantis challenge for the December 2007 fic challenge contest.
Winner of the Atlantis challenge for the December 2007 fic challenge contest.
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