Author's Note: Sorry about the wait on this guys! I've been sooo busy lately!

OOOOOOOOOO

Sam gave Jack a helpless look, one that made his heart break, but he had to stand fast. Luckily, Jacob saw the look as well, and was quick to reassure her.

"Don't worry, Sam. We'll get it straightened out."

Jack nodded, but as much as that sounded like something Jacob would say, it also sounded like something that a Goa'uld might say to convince them that he was trustworthy and that they should release him. Something Jack couldn't do, of course.

"Jacob, we'll do what we can to keep you comfortable, but you understand that there'll be guards on-"

"Yeah Jack, I know the drill," Carter interrupted. "Just go take care of things, okay?"

OOOOOOOO

When they reached the corridor, Jack let the others get a little ahead of them and took Sam's arm to get her attention. She turned, and he could see the fear in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Sam. It'll be okay."

She bit her lower lip, and he reached out and pressed his finger against it before it could start to quiver.

"Ian might be right about the dogs being able to tell the difference – and if he's not, the Asgard can probably figure something out."

"What do you think, though?" she asked.

"My gut instinct says he's really Jacob and Selmac."

"But we have to wait and make sure…"

He nodded.

"And you'll have the hardest job of all of us trying to keep from going crazy while we wait…"

She nodded, and looked back towards the door, which was now being guarded by a Marine and a secret service agent.

"I'll try."

He gave her a quick hug, and then released her.

"Come on. Hammond and the President are waiting for a briefing, and we need to have everyone there."

"I should get McKay, then…"

As much as Jack wanted to say otherwise, he knew she was probably right. He put his arm around her and smiled.

"I'll come with you."

She leaned against him, needing his touch and the quiet strength he was always willing to give her. As the others headed for the briefing room, the two of them headed for the labs.

OOOOOOOOO

The President was sitting alone in the briefing room when SG-1 (minus Jack and Sam) walked in, but Hammond saw them coming from his office and moved to join them immediately.

"Mr. President? You remember Doctor Jackson and Teal'c…"

Hayes smiled and held his hand out to Daniel, who shook it.

"Yes, of course. How are you doing, Doctor Jackson? Teal'c?" Hayes looked down at the yellow lab that was watching him cheerfully, and smiled. "And Jack, of course!"

Teal'c nodded his head slightly, pleased that Jack had been acknowledged.

"It is good to see you again, President Hayes."

The President looked at Ian, and Hammond was quick to make the introduction.

"This is Lieutenant Ian Brooks," he said. "He's the newest graduate from the Air Force Academy."

Hayes took Ian's hand with another smile.

"Congratulations on your graduation, Lieutenant."

"Thanks."

Ian wasn't all that much for small talk, and certainly not with the President of the United States. Especially when his head was still pounding like a drum.

Hammond looked at Daniel, clearly taking the attention off Ian as if he expected the young man to say something wrong.

"Where's Colonel O'Neill? And Jacob?"

Daniel hesitated, and then sighed. He didn't really want to be the one to answer all theses questions, but it was pretty obvious that he was the one who was going to.

"There's been a… situation…"

Hayes frowned.

"We're already up to our asses in situations, Doctor Jackson. What is it this time?"

"Well…" Daniel began. "We've had some trouble with the Tok'ra."

"You're probably going to want to sit down," Ian added, taking a seat himself – mainly to see if that would stop the pounding in his head.

Now Hammond and Hayes were both frowning, but Daniel sat down, too, clearly agreeing with that suggestion.

"What happened?" The President asked, sliding into the chair he'd just vacated.

"We're not exactly sure," Daniel said, wishing Jack would get in here so he could take over the briefing. "But I'll tell you what we do know…"

OOOOOOOOO

By the time they'd reached her lab, Sam was feeling a little better. After all, her dad wasn't attacking people and trying to kill them, so he was probably still himself – she kept telling herself that, anyways – and Ian was up and around again, and Shawn was safe. Things could be a lot worse, she knew. If Jake was with her – and Jaffer – then things would be much better, but she knew the two of them were in the best hands they could be in, so she tried really hard to not worry about them.

McKay looked up from the diagrams he was studying when she walked in, and couldn't hide his frown at the appearance of Jack – which was entirely mutual, since Jack scowled slightly when he saw McKay's frown. He did try to be civil, however, because the last thing he figured Sam needed was to deal with a squabble – and to watch McKay get his ass kicked for being a jerk.

"How's it coming, McKay?" he asked, instead.

"I'm this close…" he held his thumb and forefinger only centimeters apart. "…To figuring this thing out."

"We have a briefing we need to go to," Sam told him, fairly certain he was exaggerating. "You should come, too."

"A briefing?"

"With the President," Jack added.

McKay stood up.

"Well, sure. Of course I should be at a briefing. Especially since we all know that the solution to this whole situation is going to be a scientific one and not a military-"

"Just get whatever you think you'll need and come with us," Jack interrupted.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"So not only can we not count on the Asgard," Hammond said. "We can't count on the Tok'ra for any help, either…"

Daniel shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. We don't know whether this thing with Pia and Ralna is limited only to the Seterios thing, or if there are deeper implications that may link them to Anubis – and to Jacob. And we can't risk calling for more Tok'ra without knowing if they're Tok'ra or Goa'uld."

"This is the second and perhaps the third time the Tok'ra have been infiltrated by a Goa'uld in the past several months," Teal'c added. "We cannot allow them near the planet with any technology that might be used against your people."

"What about the Jaffa?" The President asked.

"My people will not be much help against an attack on your planet," Teal'c said. "We may, however, be able to provide places of relative safety for your people in the event of the worst happening, and you being forced to evacuate this world."

"They also have some technology we might be able to use," Daniel added. "But like Teal'c said, nothing that will do a lot against a full fledged attack from a system lord."

There was a stirring at the door as Sam and Jack entered with Rodney McKay, and the discussion was held up while there were introductions made. Sam went over and sat by Ian, and was joined a moment later by Jack. McKay sat beside Daniel, who repeated what they were just discussing.

"The best bet," McKay said, "is to get the Asgard back into this. They can help us more than anyone. The Goa'uld are afraid of them."

"How is Thor coming on a communications device?" Hammond asked Sam.

She shrugged.

"We assume that we'll know as soon as he's got it done, sir. Shawn and Andrew are both assisting him with it."

Ian had only been paying partial attention to the briefing. His head felt ready to pop off at any minute and he was seriously considering going back to the infirmary and seeing if Janet Fraiser had anything really strong that might cut through the headache. He realized what everyone was discussing, finally, and frowned, looking up.

"What are you talking about? What's going on with the Asgard?"

McKay snorted.

"You mean, besides the fact that Thor's ship was blown out of the sky, effectively trapping him here with us until he can get hold of someone else?"

"What?"

"I said… Thor's ship-"

"What-"

"Ian," Hammond interrupted, suddenly, realizing that he didn't seem to be completely focused on the matter at hand. "Doctor Fraiser did release you from the infirmary, didn't she?"

Meaning he wanted to make sure Ian hadn't just decided to leave on his own.

Ian nodded.

"Yes, sir. I'm…" he trailed off, staring at the large map on the far wall of the briefing room, his eyes suddenly a million miles away.

"Ian?"

This time it was Sam who called his name, but everyone was staring at him, including a somewhat annoyed President, who didn't understand why this young man was disrupting his briefing.

Ian got out of his chair, moving over to stare at the map, his fingers running along the continent of Antarctica.

"Subo glaciuse…"

Daniel frowned – as did McKay.

"What?"

Ian turned to look at Daniel, his dark eyes intent.

"Subo glaciuse…"

"That's Latin…" McKay said.

Daniel shook his head.

"No. It's Ancient. It means 'under the ice'…"