Mitchell made his way out the door after a nod from Sam, who was making her own way to a phone.

"This is General Carter." She paused as information came down the line, her jaw dropping. "What?! No…no, we'll be right up." She made a quick glance at Ellie as she hung up the phone before turning to Jack and Daniel. "Apparently, two Asgard just beamed into the conference room."

The looks she got from the two men were what she expected – shock and confusion, just like her own. But the look of confusion on Ellie's face had her backtracking.

"You seem surprised…"

The girl shook her head and looked up at Sam.

"Well, to be honest…I mean, I still don't know how I got here. If this really is the reality I think it is, it would be easy to slip from one to another – they're that close, that similar. But doing it unwillingly – unknowingly – that's a bit harder. And no one would know, technically. I mean, it's not like I've told anyone."

Sam puzzled over it, but decided it would be simpler to just walk upstairs and ask.

The small party made their way to the briefing room, Jack and Ellie lingering back – the odd men out, so to speak. Any concerns about the girl seemed to vanish after the information she gave them settled in their minds, mixed with the latest surprise arrivals.

As they reached the top of the winding staircase, Sam could see Mitchell standing on alert at the closest end of the table facing, what was undoubtedly, two Asgard, their large black eyes blinking in the direction of the newcomers.

"General Carter. Dr Jackson," one of them greeted, nodding.

"And General O'Neill, an honor indeed," the second added, looking shocked – or, at least, as shocked as an Asgard could look.

Sam was full of mixed emotions; the shock and confusion mixing with joy at realizing her friends were alive and well, and saddness that Thor was not with them.

That was, until, she heard the fearful whisper behind her.

"Those aren't Asgard…" Ellie quietly spoke, just loud enough for her, Jack, and Daniel to hear.

Sam started to turn her head back towards Ellie and Jack, as Jack asked her what she meant.

"They aren't Asgard!" the girl insisted, Sam watching as she wrapped her arm around Jack's and urgently pulled.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the first Asgard raise a hand, something indistinguishable wrapped in fingers that seemed transparent. Their black eyes widened to an impossible size as a flash of light blinded them and both Asgard – or, whatever they were – disappeared.

And as the flash died away and her sight returned, Sam turned to find Jack and Ellie crumpled on the floor, unconscious.

Definitely not Asgard.

Definitely NOT Asgard.

Jack clutched his head, trying to blink out the blinding light.

What the hell was that?!

He rolled up to his knees, then thought better of it and simply sat. Slowly, his vision cleared to reveal –

Toto…where'd Kansas go?

He was no longer at the SGC. As he continued to survey his surroundings, memories clicked into place.

He was no longer on Earth.

He was…

"What the hell?!" he shouted, jumping to his feet and frantically looking around the oddly shaped cell. As he wheeled around, he suddenly realized he wasn't alone.

Ellie was laying a short distance from him, eyes shut. He ran over, bending down to wake her. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking. As she looked around, taking in their surroundings, she turned back to look at him with hesitantly fearful eyes.

"Where are we?"

"What are you asking me for?!" Jack shot back, defensively, his mind on overdrive.

Not here. Not her. Not here and not her! He never imagined he'd ever see the place again, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let anyone else get caught here, either.

Thought the bastard was dead! I saw him die! Mitchell assured us…he was the last. This place was supposed to be crumbling ruins!

He looked back down and saw what he was sure was his own fear being reflected back at him.

Not her. Not here.

"Mr O'Neill…? Mr O'Neill…?" She was searching his face, trying to find…something. Something other than the fear growing stronger. "Jack!"

That got his attention. Although…it wasn't that she called him by his first name. There was something more in the way she said it…

Not her. Not here!

The fear grew.

"This is it, isn't it? This is where you came…" she mumbled, looking at him. She looked around, frantically trying to figure out what to do.

"I don't know… I don't know how to get you out… I couldn't stop them…him…" Jack was desperately racking his brain for any bit of information he thought could help, but he kept coming back to the same image.

That laughing face. The glow of the sarcophagus, over and over. Drops of acid falling closer and closer, burning and burning. The slap across his face –

The slap across his face?

Jack's eyes flew open to find Ellie standing in front of him, concern and fear fighting for dominance on her face.

"Did you just…slap me?"

She grinned slightly back at him before returning to the business of severe concentration.

"You were… Look. This isn't real. I need you to realize that so we…can…" she drifted off as she watched his gaze shift to the opening of the room. Two Jaffa stood, waiting. When she looked back, she realized she'd lost him again.

She looked around her, trying to find something she could use, something she could convince him with. But there was nothing. Everything seemed exactly as it should be.

Even though she knew none of it should.

Jack yanked her behind him as the Jaffa took a step into the room. One step and pause. Another step. Pause.

It was as if they were gauging his reaction.

Ellie looked between their seemingly blank stares and Jack's determined one.

There looked like only one thing to do. And she wasn't sure how Jack would take it…

"Of course, you'll be asleep for most of it…so…" she whispered to herself before swinging around to stand between Jack and the Jaffa. He tried to pull her back behind him, but she fought off his grip. "Sorry Jack."

He looked down at her as she placed a hand on either side of his head. As she closed her eyes, a numbing calm radiated through his mind. He knew where they were, what could happen to them, but he suddenly wasn't afraid.

It was as if every thought, every memory he had of this place no longer had an effect on him.

He slowly sunk down to the floor, suddenly exhausted.

And as he drifted off to sleep, he had the strangest feeling he was watching himself walk out the door with two Jaffa.