"Jack..."

The Presence was back, and as suddenly as the empty spot inside him had been created, it was once more filled. Jack felt the pain in his head soothed once again, and again he felt an almost overwhelming love surrounding him. This time it was laced with guilt for having left him to the pain for so long, and it contained traces of concern – not for Jack but for someone else.

"There are Ashrak on Earth, Jack. That's what's causing your headache."

"What?"

He was having enough trouble concentrating around the pain in his head; trying to figure out how a group of long-dead assassins could be causing it was just too much effort.

"Not the dead ones from before," The voice told him, gently. Jack felt the Presence focus a little more on him, and the pain eased to a dull ache. He sighed, and tried to concentrate a little more, knowing that he was being given as much help as he could.

"New Ashrak?"

"Yes."

"On Earth?"

Jack felt the beginnings of concern himself, now.

"They must be. That's why your head hurts. It's a way of letting you know when Ashrak are close."

"It didn't hurt when they attacked Shawn at the SGC," Jack protested.

"It's new. I didn't even know about it."

"How-"

"It doesn't matter right now, Jack." The voice had sounded a little urgent, but it calmed down a bit, and was once more soothing. "The problem isn't how you know they're on Earth – although once you know, your head will stop hurting – the problem is taking care of them before they do any harm to anyone."

"My head still hurts."

"That's because you still don't know about them."

"You just told me."

Now his head was starting to hurt for an entirely different reason.

Jack felt faint amusement, and understanding. He also had a sense of urgency that was being quelled by necessity.

"I don't have time to explain, Jack. Not really. And as much as your head hurts, you won't understand it all that well anyways."

"I'm not as dumb as I pretend to be."

Now there was only amusement and love.

"I know." There was a pause. "Okay. The short version is this; when I talk to you like this, I can only do it when you're asleep, or unconscious."

"Why's that?"

"Because those are the only times your subconscious mind is in command. All other times it's your conscious mind, and it's impossible for me to talk to you that directly."

"Impossible for you? Or for me?"

"For me. You could probably handle it – I know you've been almost expecting it for a long time."

"What?"

"Never mind. This time, though, Jack, you have to remember the Ashrak – even when you wake up. Which means that you have to really concentrate. The other times we talk, you forget about it, as if it was a dream that is fading. This time it can't fade. Not only because your head will still be hurting, but because Shawn could be in serious danger, and we have to go prevent that."

"Shawn?" Jack was instantly more alert, and the headache increased because of it. He gasped.

"I can't think of another reason the Ashrak would be on Earth, Jack. They could be after you, but I doubt it. That only leaves Shawn. They've attacked him before, remember."

"He was older then."

"This group must have figured out a way to come back in time after him, trying to get at him when he's more vulnerable."

"Didn't I see this in a movie someplace?"

"Jack."

"Sorry."

"You have to concentrate. The two ships that those eggheads found are probably the Ashrak's ships. Sam's smart enough to figure it out if you give her a hint. She'd probably figure it out eventually without a hint, but it might be too late by then."

"How do I give her a hint?"

"You won't be able to remember this whole conversation – no one could. Just concentrate on remembering 'Ashrak.'"

"Ashrak."

"Yes. Just say it over and over again, Jack. And keep saying it, like a telephone number you're trying to remember."

"Ashrak... Ashrak... Ashrak..."

Jack felt the Presence fading once more, and the pain in his head was increasing. He closed his eyes tightly against the pain, and kept mumbling to himself, "Ashrak... Ashrak..."

"Jack?" The whisper was soft, and concerned. Sam had been watching him sleep for almost an hour, occasionally running a cool cloth over his face although it didn't seem to be doing much good.

"Ashrak..."

She frowned, unsure what she'd just heard him whisper.

"What?"

"Ashrak... Ashrak..."

Sam leaned forward. He must have been having a bad dream; remembering the time when the Ashrak had come through the Stargate with the older version of Shawn.

"They're dead, Jack," Sam soothed. "They're all dead... it's okay."

"Ashrak..."

Jack opened his eyes, then, and Sam gave him a soft smile, her hand brushing his cheek as she watched him look around in confusion.

"Hey..."

"Sam..."

"How's the head?"

"Awful." He brushed his hand against Jaffer, who was also waking up, and looking as distracted as Jack felt miserable. The black lab moved out from under the comforter and dropped easily off the couch and went over to get a drink of water. Jack sat up, and put his head in his hands. "I've been having... a... dream?"

"About the Ashrak?" Sam asked.

Jack looked up at her. That didn't sound right. Dreaming about Ashrak? He'd been dreaming about something good. Something that loved him. Definitely not the Ashrak. But that did sound familiar, too.

"Ashrak?"

"You were whispering 'Ashrak' in your sleep," Sam explained.

"I was?"

There was a sudden knock on the door. Jaffer, his mouth slobbery from his drink, was the first to the door, his tail wagging slowly – which told both of them that he didn't know the person on the other side of the door too well, although it wasn't a stranger.

"You were," Sam confirmed, standing up. "Stay put, I'll get the door."

"Be careful." Jack told her, feeling a sense of danger, although he didn't think it was directed at Sam. He frowned, trying to figure out through the blinding headache why he was suddenly so sure there was danger of some kind.

Sam gave him an odd look, and opened the door. Like anything was going to attack her with Jaffer standing right next to her?

"Major, I'm sorry I'm so late. I had trouble with a couple of forms."

The officer standing at the door was the one who'd asked her to look at the hologram device earlier that day. It had completely slipped Sam's mind.

"Lieutenant Marsh." Sam looked over at Jack, who was still on the couch. This was definitely not the best of times. The Lieutenant followed her gaze, and saw Jack as well.

"His head still hurts?"

Sam nodded, looking down at the device in the man's hand.

"I'm afraid this really isn't..."

"I understand, Major," Marsh said, amiably. "If I had a headache, I wouldn't want my house filled with people, either. It'll wait until tomorrow."

Sam smiled, glad that the young man understood. She didn't want to send him away so rudely, though – especially since he'd obviously just wasted his night on her, so she thought quickly. "I can at least send you off with a cup of coffee. Come on in."

He looked down at Jaffer, who was looking at the small device the man was carrying. (They'd long since decided it had no radiation emissions and was therefore safe to touch)

"I won't be in the way?"

"No." Sam smiled. "He won't bite you, Lieutenant. Just keep that thing away from him so he doesn't get a chance to eat it."

It was a fair bet that if Jaffer wanted to take the device from him, the Lieutenant wasn't going to be able to stop him, but Marsh didn't say anything. He just walked in the door and Sam closed it behind him.

He looked around the living room while Sam went into the kitchen. Jaffer stayed right by Marsh, watching him and making sure he didn't do anything suspicious. Jaffer didn't dislike Marsh, he just didn't know him all that well – he'd only seen him a couple times, after all. The man didn't smell like fear, though, which meant he belonged, and he wasn't planning on doing anything or causing any danger to his Jack – or his Sam for that matter.

Marsh's eye was caught by the same thing that caught everyone's eye when they walked into the room. The Wall. The Wall was filled with pictures – most of them Jaffer. It had the black lab's leashes and collars and one very tiny puppy coat with the lab's name on it. He walked ver and looked at it, Jaffer right beside him, eyeing the device in his hands.

"Wow..."

Jack looked over from where he sat, debating whether he should be a good host and get up and point out pictures. The pain in his head told him to stay where he was.

Then Marsh saw something else, and he almost dropped the device in his hand.

"Holy shit!"