by Angelesque
Disclaimer: the characters of Stargate are not mine, otherwise I'd be rich. :)
Spoilers: there is a reference to Divide & Conquor, so upto and including that.
Author's Note: not set within any particular timeframe other than one December 31st. I do not apologise for pure, unadulerated 'shippyness :)
Jack's House
31 December ****
19:47 hours
Colonel Jack O'Neill looked at his reflection and sighed heavily. The preparation
for SGC's New Year's party was taking longer than he had allowed for.
Daniel Jackson glanced over at his friend and saw him fiddling with his bow
tie and grinned. Both Daniel and Teal'c had spent the last day of December and
the year at Jack's house, watching videos and drinking beer.
"How many times are you going to tie that thing Jack?" He asked with
some amusement.
"Why does this party have to be black tie?" Jack moaned.
"You'd prefer it in full dress uniform?" Daniel pointed out.
Jack shuddered, grimaced and sighed resignedly.
"I am ready," Teal'c announced. Jack looked up at him and bit back
a smile. The huge Jaffa looked decided odd in his suit and bow tie.
"I think we're all ready if Jack will stop mauling that tie," Daniel
said.
"Okay, okay, it's done for crying out loud," Jack replied. He grabbed
his suit jacket and pulled it on. "Let's go party."
Cheyenne Mountain Complex
20:16 hours
The huge conference room at SGC had undergone a massive transformation. Bunting
criss-crossed the room and a stage had been set up at one end behind which hung
a huge banner printed with "Happy New Year".
The room was already buzzing with voices when Jack, Daniel and Teal'c arrived.
General Hammond greeted them at the door and he introduced them to a couple
of politicians and their wives. After several mind-numbing minutes talking politics
before Jack made an excuse and they made their escape. Heading for the buffet
tables, Daniel fixed them all a drink. Jack was fiddling with his bow tie again
and it came undone.
Daniel groaned. Jack gave his friend an apologetic look then passed the limp
fabric over.
Shaking his head in mock despair, Daniel retied the fabric at Jack's throat.
"Now leave it alone," he scolded.
"Yes sir," murmured Jack.
Daniel opened his mouth to retort, then stopped as he happened to glance over
in Hammond's direction. He stared.
"Urm Jack?"
Jack looked puzzled. "What?"
Daniel said nothing, pointing silently instead.
Jack turned and saw that Samantha Cater had arrived. His jaw dropped.
Stood in animated conversation with Hammond and her father, Sam wore a halter-necked
dress of gold satin that clung to her slender frame, enhancing her feminine
curves. She turned so her back was towards Jack and he felt his stomach cramp.
The dress was backless, the material skimming just a few inches above her buttocks.
"Oh my," Jack whispered, his voice hoarse.
In comparison with a room of men and women dressed in dark colours Sam with
her blond hair and golden dress shone like a single bright star against the
night sky.
Sam turned then. Her eyes ran across the room then meet Jack's. Noticing his
rather shell-shocked expression she flushed slightly. She turned back to he
father with a smug smile.
Jack abandoned his drink, moving across the room in a trance. Daniel called
after him, but Jack was deaf to his friend, all attention on the beautiful blond
woman at the other end of the room. Earth could have been overtaken by the Goa'uld
and he would not have noticed.
Sam watched Jack approach. Her mouth had gone dry and her pulse raced. She thought
he looked incredibly handsome in his dark suit and even the slightly lop-sided
bow tie couldn't distract from it. It seemed to take forever for him to reach
her when all she wanted was to feel his arms around her.
Jack halted an arm's length from Sam. His eyes swept down over her and back
up to settle on the pale beauty of her face. Or at least it was usually pale,
right now her cheeks were suffused with a faint blush.
"Good evening Jack," Jacob Carter greeted him. He had not failed to
notice Jack's reaction to his daughter's appearance and it amused him considerably.
Jack forced his attention to Sam's father.
"Evening Jacob, nice to see you," he managed. "How is Selmak?"
"Selmak is fine, thank you Jack,. Now if you two will excuse me, there
are some people I must catch up with." Jacob said. "Have fun,"
he added with a sudden grin.
Sam and Jack watched Jacob move over to another group, then Jack looked back
at Sam.
"Well Major you look... nice," he told her.
Sam smiled. "Thank you sir," she said softly. "You look nice
too."
Jack frowned and ran a hand through his short brown-grey hair.
"Sam," he said. "Could we drop the formalities tonight? I mean,
you can't call me Colonel or sir all night. It's Jack. Jack. it's not hard to
say."
"Of course Jack," Sam murmured than cast him a mischievous smile.
"Sir."
Jack pulled a face. "Behave," he told her. "Or I'll spank that
luscious behind."
"Oh promises, promises," Sam retorted, then passed past Jack heading
for Daniel and Teal'c and leaving her commanding officer at a loss.
"Evening Daniel, Teal'c," Sam greeted her friends.
"Sam you look fantastic," Daniel said, kissing her on the cheek.
"Indeed Major Carter," Teal'c agreed. "That dress is certainly
you."
"Thank you Daniel, thanks Teal'c."
Jack came over, looking vaguely distracted. "Where did my drink go?"
He asked.
Daniel handed Jack his drink back.
"Oh prawns," Sam said and took one from the buffet.
"Sam!" Jack exclaimed. "The buffet opens at nine o'clock."
"So?" She replied popping the prawn into her mouth.
"So give over," he told her.
Sam rolled her eyes at Jack
"Sam?" Jacob Carter approached his daughter with a smile.
"Dad?"
"Come on, let's give the dance floor a whirl."
Jacob led Sam into the middle of the floor.
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Jack mumbled to himself.
Half an hour later and Jack was still asking himself the same question. Like
moths round a candle, the male members of SGC virtually queued up to dance with
Sam and he couldn't get near her. He was beginning to despair when General Hammond
climbed the steps onto the stage and announced that the buffet was open.
Sam rejoined the group breathless and flushed.
"Isn't this fun?" She asked them.
"I guess," Jack replied. "Come on Sam. What do you want to drink?"
"Oh I'll have a glass of wine please Jack."
"White or red?"
"White." Sam grinned. "It goes with the prawns."
After the buffet, Sam was talking with Daniel about one of the latest recoveries
made when General Hammond came over.
"I hope you are all having a pleasant evening," he said.
"Yes sir," Jack replied.
"Yes General, it's great," said Sam. "The food was lovely."
"Glad to hear it Major Carter. Now may I have the honour of this next dance?"
"Of course, I would be....."
"No, sir, sorry," Jack interrupted quickly. "Sam's promised this
one to me."
Before she could make an arguement, Jack grabbed Sam by the wrist and quickly
led her away.
"Exactly when did I promise?" She hissed at him.
"Just now," Jack informed her.
"I did no such thing. You just refused the General."
"I know, but I got fed up waiting for my turn."
"Jack..." Sam started but he put one arm around her waist and she
lost her thread as his warm hand made contact with her bare back.
"Yes?"
"Nothing. Okay, I'll dance with you."
Jack held her close as they danced. He could smell her perfume and, coupled
with the feel of her skin, it had a heady effect.
"Erm, Sam?"
"Excuse me Colonel O'Neill," Hammond said, interrrupting him. "Sam
may I have this dance?"
Sam glanced at Jack, then at Hammond. She gently eased herself from Jack's embrace.
"Of course sir."
"Later Sam," Jack warned her.
She smiled. "There's always later," she replied.
The Party Room, SGC
23:57 hours
Throughout the evening Sam must have danced with every single male in the room.
She had danced a couple of times with Daniel and even once with Teal'c, but
she couldn't help looking for an excuse to get back into Jack's arms.
Though it hadn't lasted long, every second of their dance was imprinted on her
memory. He had been the only one to put his arm around her and her heart still
lurched when she thought of his hand on her back.
Sam glanced at the clock. It was only a few minutes to midnight. Decided on
something, she looked round the room, located Jack and made her way towards
him.
"Jack," she said softly.
He turned with a smile that made her heart flip. "Hi Sam."
"Urm, is it against protocol to ask you to dance?" She enquired.
"Maybe," Jack said slowly. "But stuff protocol, come on."
They danced for a couple of minutes before the music was silenced.
Over the tannoy came the radio tranmission from New York of the several thousand
revellers there counting down the dying seconds of the year.
As a one, the room joined in.
"Ten...nine...eight..."
"Seven," said Daniel, grinning at Teal'c.
"Six," replied the Jaffa.
"Five...four..three.."
"Two," said Sam, leaning against Jack.
"One. Happy New Year Sam," he whispered in her ear. She grinned up
at him.
Chaos reigned around them but the second Sam's eyes had met Jack's something
had happened.
"Stuff protocol," Jack said again, and he pulled Sam towards him and
kissed her full on the lips.
Sam melted into Jack's arms. She didn't care about protocol at that moment either.
The kiss went on and on. Daniel noticed and prodded Teal'c, grinning from ear
to ear.
Hammond noticed and looked furious, but Jacob took the General's arm.
"Leave them be, Hammond," he said softly.
"It's against regulations," Hammond pointed out.
"Ah regulations are us old fogies," Jacob laughed. "They're young
and, to be honest, I don't think Sam could find a better man."
"But... but..." Hammond said, then stopped. He watched Jack and Sam
continue to kiss completely oblivious to the fact that the entire room was now
watching.
"They're professional Hammond," Jacob said then. "You know as
well as I they will not allow their personel feelings interfer with the SGC.
After all, they haven't so far and it looks to me like they have had feelings
for each other for some time."
Hammond sighed. "Point taken Jacob."
"Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter!" He bellowed then.
Jack and Sam dropped each other like hot bricks. Sam saw Hammond and her father
watching them and flushed a bright red.
"Urm... General," Jack said. "Happy New Year?"
"Really Colonel, such behaviour."
"Er, yeah. I'm sorry sir."
"I should think so," Hammond said as he approached the two. "I
mean, what do you intend?"
"Sir?" Jack asked puzzled.
"Yes Jack," Jacob added. "What do you plan on doing with my daughter?"
"Doing? Nothing. I mean...." He looked at Sam. She smiled at him.
Suddenly he put one arm around her shoulder. "I plan on marrying her. Dad."
Sam jumped and looked shocked. "You do what?"
"Hmmmmmm." Said Jacob. He looked at Hammond. "What do you think
General."
"Well for starters, I think we need a better announcement."
"Indeed," Jacob agreed.
Jack looked from Hammond to Jacob and back again.
"I beg your pardon?" He said, utterly confused. "But are you
two giving me permission?"
"I do," Jacob said with a chuckle.
"Dad!" Sam exclaimed and gave her father a huge hug.
Hammond led Jack to the stage. Standing in fromt of the microphone and a very
interested room of people, Jack cleared his throat, swallowed and coughed again.
"Urm everyone can I have your attention please?"
The room stilled.
"Samantha Carter... Sam. I lack the words to tell you what you mean to
me. I see you every day, but I wish the days were longer. Or at least you were
home with me and then my bed wouldn't be so lonely." He grinned at her
as she flushed. Chuckles rippled through the room.
"So to that end, and because I love you, I ask you - Sam, will you marry
me?"
Sam stared at the floor, willing her cheeks to stop burning. She looked up at
Jack.
Suddenly she remembered being trapped on Apophis' ship, seperated from the man
she loved and who she later discovered would rather had died with her then to
live without her. Tears filled her eyes.
"Yes," she said, emotion making her voice hoarse. She swallowed and
her head went up. "YES," she repeated, the single word ringing clearly
in the silence.
The room erupted into applause. Jacob hugged her, as did Hammond. Jack jumped
off the stage and raced to her.
"Yes," Sam cried exultingly as he grabbed her and hugged her tight.
She threw her arms around his neck and laughed happily. She looke dup into his
eyes and smiled. She was vaguely aware of people congratulating them.
"Thank you," Jack said.
"Shut up and kiss me," Sam told him. Not wanting to disappoint his
fiance, Jack did as he was told.