Huge thanks to my Awesome beta Josiane
Missing Dad
Sam stood staring at her own reflection in the mirror whilst Cassie fussed over the final adjustments to her hair and veil. Sam missed Janet today, that she wasn't here to be her maid of honour, but Cassie was her bridesmaid. Her mother was also noticeably absent – the loss of her mother was so long ago now.
For Sam, the biggest blow as she stood gazing at her reflection was the fact that her father wasn't here. It was all so recent, and with Selmak's help, he was supposed to have outlived her. He was supposed to be the one giving her away, now that was Teal'c's job.
Sam wished her father was here to see her wedding, she knew the part he'd played in getting them to this point. She'd been going to marry Pete, but Dad had seen that her heart wasn't really in it, that she didn't really want to. The reason for that was why she was here today. He'd known how she'd felt, especially about Jack O'Neill.
He'd liked Jack, Jack had even gotten away with calling him "Dad" on several occasions over the years that they'd known each other.
When she'd introduced Pete, Jacob had shut him down You have to actually marry my daughter before you can call me that. Jacob had known who it was that she'd really wanted to marry, who it was that she really loved.
I just want to know you're happy. That was all Jacob Carter had wanted for her, Sam mused. Don't let the rules stand in your way, one of the last things her father had said to her, as he and Selmak lay dying in the SGC infirmary. Dad wasn't about to be subtle.
That idea made Sam smile, and she thought back to the conversation she'd had with Jack a few days ago, when it had suddenly hit her that her father really wasn't going to be at her wedding.
Sam stood outside on the deck leaning on the railing as the light faded for the evening. She looked so sad. Jack had noticed something had been bothering her all day, for a few days; now, a few days before the wedding he really needed to know what was going on inside that blonde head of hers. Jack slipped out onto the deck, and although she turned her head at the noise she didn't really acknowledge him there.
Jack wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. After a minute or so Sam leaned back into him.
"Tell me"
Sam sighed, "I miss him, I wish he was going to be there. Those 6 years he was with the Tok'ra, he may have been living on the other side of the galaxy, and sometimes he wasn't around for months, but at the same time we were closer than we ever were. He was the one who told me not to settle, to fight for what I want." She turned in his arms to look into his dark eyes, "Who I want, Jack. But he's not here to see it."
This close Jack could see the unshed tears forming in her beautiful blue eyes.
"C'mere," he said as he gathered her into his arms.
"He wanted you to be happy, he knew how much your job meant to you, but your career isn't everything. He wanted you to have everything – to be loved," he said, and they just looked at each other saying things words never could.
Sam smiled at the memory. Her dad might not be here to see it, but it was all because of him.
"There, finished!" Cassie exclaimed, finally finished with whatever it was she had been doing to her veil.
"Thanks Cass. I love you Cass," Sam said pulling the young woman into a hug.
There was a soft knock at the door and it opened to reveal a large man with a strange golden symbol on his forehead.
Teal'c smiled at them. "Samantha, CassandraFrasier, are you ready?" he asked.
Sam smiled at them, "Yes."