Chapter 11

Jonas didn't regain complete consciousness right away. He was too preoccupied in his semi-conscious stupor by the unexpected presence of one Jenna Reeyu. He hadn't so much seen her in his mind initially but felt the essence of her in a jumble of emotions, thoughts and memories viewed from her own perspective. The chaos in his mind by her sudden exodus from Sam to him disrupted his thoughts as her mind sought to gain a foothold in his.

After what seemed an eternity their minds began to settle down and merge. Jonas felt as if he had lived every moment of Jenna's life by her side. He experienced the achievements and failures, the good times and the bad, and the loneliness. As Jonas regained perspective he was finally able to 'see' Jenna with his mind's eye lying in a pool of light surrounded by darkness. She didn't seem aware of anything within or without and as he found himself beside her he wondered what could possibly happen next.

Jonas placed a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. He needed Jenna alert in case the being Ama Desala made another appearance. Although the first name wasn't familiar the last was. He'd remembered reading about an Oma Desala and her people in SG-1's mission files, but what he'd read indicated they were peaceful beings. Everything he'd grasped from Jenna's memories showed that this being was anything but peaceful and he didn't want anything to happen to Jenna.

Jenna turned to her side blurry eyes finding Jonas. "Are you all right?" Jonas asked.

"What happened?"

"Based on what I was able to discern from your memories, Ama Desala confronted you in an attempt to make you like her and in order to prevent her power from harming Sam you managed to yank yourself and Ama Desala out of Sam's mind. Now you're here. In my mind."

"How can I be in your mind? I don't understand, who are you?" Jenna asked as Jonas took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"It happened when you forced your way out of Sam's mind…You should know who I am. I shared your memories when you crossed over to my body," Jonas said beginning to become concerned.

"You're still not making any sense. What are you talking about?" Jenna asked bewildered her eyebrows creasing as she tried to remember something, anything as she griped his hand. "I don't know anything, not even my name. Who am I? I can see it in your eyes you know who I am. Please tell me who I am."

Jonas was totally unprepared for this and Jenna was beginning to panic. He'd assumed that this strange series of experiences was the same thing that Sam had experienced but reviewing the memories he'd just acquired from Jenna, he now knew he was wrong. Jenna had simply shared 'space' with Sam's mind and they'd shared only what each was willing to share with the other. He had to figure out what went wrong.

Jonas had once read everything he could on parapsychology and the mysteries of the human mind as a way to learn more about Earth culture. He'd done it mostly out of curiosity for the peculiar field and to fill in the long hours he had to spend within the SGC before he'd become a member of SG-1. Using that information, and all the memories that he'd gained from Jenna, he surmised that his contact with Sam as Jenna had pulled Ama Desala from her must have acted like a lightning rod in a storm. He'd pulled Jenna from Ama Desala as she was attempting to hold on to her. The result was kind of like a partial download where Jenna's memories blended with his yet her consciousness stopped short before it was complete. She could walk and talk but she had no purpose.

Jonas shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if something hadn't stopped the process realizing that if it had been completed, it would have been as if he and Jenna had become as one and would probably have gone insane battling for dominance. Now here Jenna was, a soul without the knowledge that made her who she was. Still gazing into his eyes she searched them needing the guidance she was sure he could provide.

"My name is Jonas Quinn and you are Jenna Reeyu. Do you remember anything?" Jonas asked, needing to be absolutely sure. "Anything at all?"

"No. My name's Jenna?" She said trying not to let her fear overwhelm her, holding on to the knowledge of her name like a life preserver. Hoping that tying herself to it would somehow make everything else fall into place. "What's happened to me, Jonas? You said that I'm in your mind. How is that even possible?"

"I don't know if I can explain everything to you right now," Jonas replied. "I don't even know if I can answer some of your questions." He placed his hands on her shoulders in a show of comfort. How do I tell her that she's dead and that there's an entity out there that wants to twist her soul into a reflection of its own? "There are things going on and I have friends that need me. Their lives may be in danger and I have to tell them what I know. I need you to stay here, Jenna, where I think you'll be safe."

"Safe? Safe from…" Jenna paused, sensing a change. She glanced up into the darkness that surrounded their circle of light as if searching and then Jonas sensed it to. "Something's going on…in the outside world? Jonas, I don't understand any of this. Please don't leave me here alone."

Jonas didn't know what to say his own anxiety beginning to rise. He understood more than she what was going on in the conscious world. Once he had sensed what had caught Jenna's attention he'd begun forcing himself towards consciousness, vaguely aware of something powerful hovering above his body and knew that it was Ama Desala.

He couldn't leave her locked up within his mind but knew that if he didn't move now Ama Desala would strike. He created Jenna's armchair and window to the outside world before he could become fully awake. He felt that a part of her would be comforted by the object and at the same time he knew that she needed to know what was going on and that she really wasn't alone. That done he awoke, fully prepared to move out of Ama Desala's way when suddenly it was too late.

They both screamed in pain as Ama had reached down and gripped Jonas's head in an attempt to claim them both. Jenna reacted instinctively and suddenly the pain was nothing but a throbbing sensation. A solid barrier of energy and thought surrounded them. For the moment they were safe yet at the same time prisoners in Jonas's mind. Around them the barrier began to pulse as Ama Desala, angered by the barrier, attempted to break through.

Jenna was crouched on her knees eyes shut as she strained to keep the barrier up, uncertain of what she had done but somehow knowing that it was essential to their survival that she stays focused on her task.

Jonas felt her straining to keep the barrier and came up behind her. He sat behind her and gathered her to him placing his temple to hers in an attempt to lend her his strength. The barrier grew stronger and after a moment the pounding from without abruptly ended. Jonas and Jenna looked up at the barrier prepared for the barrage to begin again when suddenly a flash of light blinded them.

Jonas suddenly found himself conscious lying on one of the infirmary beds. Beside him, lying on the floor, he gazed in disbelief at Jenna's unconscious body. Getting off the bed and ignoring the others as they inquired after his well being, he leaned down and checked her pulse. She was very much alive and although he was quite relieved he missed her presence within him and felt as if he'd lost a part of himself.