Because of who he was, getting what he needed wasn't as impossible for him as it might have been for someone else. Of course, it wasn't easy – especially since he refused to say why he needed to do what he was planning – but less than an hour after he'd left Ronon on the beach, Ian was landing a Gateship in the special grove of trees behind the White House that were designated for just that purpose. Surprisingly, Jack was actually standing just on the edge of the grove, with Sam and Murray both standing beside him. Ranged around them were the usual Secret Service agents, as well as Chelani, who was a short distance to the side. Ian could see Sam's smile as soon as the ramp lowered, and Murray's tail was in constant state of wagging, but Jack wasn't smiling.

"There's no leftover cake left," Jack told him as he walked over. Despite the light greeting, he looked tense, and Ian could understand why. He hadn't told anyone why he was coming, and he knew Jack didn't like surprises.

"You told me the cake was gone before the party was over…"

"I lied." Before Ian could do more than scowl, though, he spoke up again. "What's going on, Ian? Why the cloak and dagger?"

"There's no cloak and dagger," Ian objected. "I just needed to ask you something face to face."

"Our communications are pretty secure," Sam said.

"What did you want to ask?" Jack asked him, before she could get them off subject.

"You told me once that you got a bad headache that time the Ashrak came to the Academy looking for Shawn…"

POTUS frowned, thinking back on that.

"Yeah, I did."

"It was really bad," Sam told Ian. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you guys made it sound like it was a warning for you," he answered. "A way to know they were there."

"It couldn't have been a coincidence," Jack said. "But I didn't get it this last time – or when they came when he was a little boy. It was just that once."

"If it was a way to know they were there, then it was based on their physiology," Ian told them. "Theirs and maybe something in yours. It has to be something we can use."

"If we knew what 'it' was," Sam pointed out. "We didn't have anything to do with giving Jack the headache, after all."

The New Yorker looked over at Chelani.

"It had to be the Ancients, then…"

Chelani shrugged, and shook his head.

"I'm afraid I don't know have a clue what you are talking about."

"It was a bit before your time," Sam told him with a smile. She turned back to Ian. "If it was Dotty then there really isn't anything we can do to find out how she did it…"

"There's a way," Ian countered. "Just not a really safe way."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"You're not going to skip realities, Ian," Sam said, suddenly, realizing that had to be what he was considering.

"There had to be more realities where they used the headache to warn other Jacks about the Ashrak," Ian said. "If we could find one-"

"Ian," Jack interrupted. "No. No reality skipping. Not for anything."

"But-"

"Cassie was beside herself the last time," Jack told him, scowling. "We managed to get you back that time, I'm not going to risk it again. Not for information, not for anything. Understand?"

The New Yorker tried to think of an argument he could use to get Jack to change his mind, but O'Neill knew him well enough to know exactly the right argument of his own. There was no way Ian would upset Cassie – not on purpose. He sighed, but nodded. He hadn't really wanted to go reality skipping anyway; it had just been his first idea. He'd just need to come up with others. Better and hopefully safer ideas. Which was fine, since that had been the whole reason for risking a flight back to Earth – and to Washington – in the first place. Dotty wasn't the only Ancient, after all, and he hadn't come to talk to Chelani.

"Maybe the Asgard – or the Tok'ra – might have an idea…?" Sam suggested, looking at him, intently. Probably trying to decide if he looked like he was going to argue. Or try something dumb the moment he was gone.

Knowing this – and knowing that she would worry – he managed to force a slight smile, trying to reassure her that he wasn't going to do anything dumb. Ian was well beyond being impetuous, after all.

"I'll have to ask them, then," he said. Then he knelt down and Murray stuck his head into Ian's hand, cheerfully. Ian stroked his head, rubbing his ears, and smiling at the young lab. "Or someone else?" he murmured, softly, the words for the lab alone.

Murray licked his face before Ian could move his head, and he stood up, wiping his face.

"You staying the night?" Jack asked. "Maggie won't give you Zander back, yet, you know…"

"Nah. I need to get back." The sooner he got done with flying around, the better as far as he was concerned. "Let me know if you think of anything else that might help, though, okay?"

"Will do."

"And you owe me cake."

Jack grinned, and waved him off, like shooing away a pesky fly.

"Get out of here, Colonel, or I'll tell the Secret Service you're trying to infiltrate them with Ancients. Oh wait…"

Ian rolled his eyes.

"I'm going, I'm going."

Jack called Murray back over to him as Ian got back into the Gateship, and just to be sure, he held the lab's collar tightly. He was far too familiar with puppies to believe that simple training would keep him out of trouble and a moving Gateship was definitely potential trouble for his baby.

"What do you think?" he asked Sam as the Gateship went invisible and they could feel the air pressure changing around them as Ian lifted off and was gone in an instant.

"I'll fill Chelani in on last time," she told him, looking over at the Ancient, who had fallen into step beside them as they started back toward the House. "Maybe we can think of something that might help him."

"Or someone."

"Right."

"How about some cake before you get started?"

She smiled.

"I thought you told Ian it was all gone?"

"I lied."