For Cassie
Jack sighed. What on earth had made him think that on this one occasion everything would go well? He really should have remembered past experiences and realised that it was just never going to happen.
He looked around the large room where balloons were now strewn around, despite the fact that they were supposed to be secured for at least another four hours. He covered his face with his hands and then peaked out between his fingers as he turned around in the middle of the room. He spotted the base guitarist of the band that had cost a small fortune bending over some kind of powerful amp that was now smoking after having just caused the lights in the room to fuse - another problem that he wished Sam were here to solve. Spinning to face the other side of the room, he could see what he regarded as the biggest disaster: the cake. The unbelievable cake that he had spent hours choosing, planning and discussing the decoration of, had been placed near the radiator and now resembled a pile of goo similar to that which they had discovered on a planet oh so long ago.
Jack, having decided that there was absolutely nothing he could do at this moment, sat heavily on the nearest chair. It was positioned around a lovely round table but now the little dishes with butter for the rolls were covered in small bits of glittery confetti, as was everything else on the tables. Something else that would need to be dealt with in the next hour or so. He had no idea where to start.
"Jack, you in… Jack! What the hell happened in here?" Daniel came to an abrupt stop as he viewed the large, supposedly beautiful, room.
"Well, the band started playing and they blew the fuse in their amp which blew everything else, including the mechanism holding the balloons we spent all day yesterday inflating. Some burst, releasing their confetti... which, if you remember, I told you was a bad idea... and then, on top of all that, my cake - my well chosen and very expensive cake - was left beside the heater and is now a lump of icing. See?"
"Oh… What are we going to do? People are due here in 50 minutes!"
"Yes, Daniel, as honorary father of the bride I am aware of the start time of this shindig. I'm aware that it's supposed to be the best day of her life. And I can also see that it's in total ruin!" Jack snapped at Daniel after yet another case of Daniel stating the obvious.
Daniel sat on a seat beside his friend and surveyed the damage for himself. "What are the caterers saying?"
"They went on strike as soon as the maestro blew the power for their ovens," Jack answered glumly.
"Okay, Jack, you need to snap out of this. We have less than an hour to make this Cassie's special day, so let's put your strategic mind to good use and go through the problems, one by one."
"Major one is power," Jack said, turning to face Daniel, prepared to tackle the issue head on... at least until he ran into the brick wall he was sure was out there somewhere just waiting for him.
"Siler could be our man. He's coming, anyway. I'll call and get him here now." Daniel pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, hit the speed dial for the mountain, and was put straight through to Siler.
"Siler, Daniel here. We have a bit of a situation at the lodge. Can you come now and bring your tools?" Daniel smiled as he listened to Siler. "Great! See you in a few minutes." He turned back to Jack, snapping his phone shut in the process. "Well, Plan A is underway. What's next?"
"Teal'c! Plan B is candles in case Siler can't work his magic," Jack said, picking up his cell and making the call himself.
"T, need your help! Can you go get a supply of candles for the main room? The power's out." Jack glanced at his watch as he listened to Teal'c's reply. "Good man. Better make it quick. We need to start soon."
"What other problems do we have?" Daniel asked when Jack had finished his call.
"Well, the cake can't be salvaged. That's the first thing I checked. We could send out to the local bakery to get any cakes they have sent over."
"I can do that," a young voice from behind said.
Both Jack and Daniel whirled to see Cassie standing in the doorway. She was smiling but there were tears in her eyes. "What happened?" she asked as she moved towards the men who made up half of her closest family.
"Cass, I'm sorry. The band blew the power and there's a bit of a mess but we're trying to get things worked out and I promise it will be the best wedding ever," Jack said, rushing over and hugging her.
"I know, Jack. You've never let me down before," she sniffed into Jack's shoulder.
"Cass, why aren't you dressed?" Daniel asked from behind the two.
"I was getting ready but the shower went cold and I came to see what the problem was. Now I know." She half smiled over Jack's shoulder at Daniel. "You know, it's good that David and I decided to go for an unconventional wedding with everything happening in the one place. We can postpone things until we're ready," she stated emphatically.
"When did you get so grown up and wise?" Daniel commented.
"When you guys were off saving the universe so I could be safe," she answered quietly.
They stood for a few moments simply enjoying being together.
Jack squeezed Cassie as she stood in his arms before letting her go. "Right, time for action! Teal'c and Siler are coming to deal with the power. Cass, you and your friends get the cake and maybe anything else they have lying around. The damn caterers have refused to work in these conditions."
"Will do, Jack," Cassie said as she snapped off a quick salute. "Did they at least leave the drinks?"
"Yeah, they were just starting to pour the cocktails when all this happened."
"Good! Can you organise the waiters to serve them outside? The weather's great and the view's spectacular. It's why we chose this place, remember?"
Jack smiled, thinking back to the discussion that had quickly been labelled an argument by everyone else who had been present.
Cassie had announced her engagement the previous Christmas and their desire to get married the following June. As legal guardians/parents Jack and Sam had been heavily involved in the planning. However, Sam had been away for much of the actual visiting of potential places to hold the event and it had been left to Jack to carry out negotiations with a stubborn Cassie and her fiancé, who was just a little in awe of the retired four-star General.
They'd started out by visiting a number of chapels and churches in and around Colorado Springs. None of them were to Jack's taste but he'd been willing to give them a try as he wanted Cassie to have whatever she desired. He was enormously relieved, however, when Cassie decided that they weren't for her. Then they'd travelled to some of the fanciest hotels, looking for a place that would allow both the ceremony and the reception to be held in the one venue. By this point in the weekend search David had been willing to put his foot down; these venues were not his style and not suitable for their wedding. Cassie, showing how compatible they were, was in full agreement.
As the group – which included Daniel, Teal'c, and Cassie's best friend, Jenna – headed for home from the last place they'd visited, Jack was sure the wedding would have to be held on the street because they'd never find somewhere suitable. But that was until they were driving along the road heading back into the Springs and Cassie spotted a small building on the ridge above. She had put her hand over Jack's on the steering wheel, causing him to slow down and pull over to the side of the road. She then pointed mutely up at the building. Jack looked at where she was pointing and then noticed a board at the roadside at the bottom of a sweeping drive. The lodge was advertised as being in a secluded location with an excellent view, suitable to be hired for any occasion. So on a whim – well, Cassie's whim and Jack's grumble – they travelled up the winding road to the building.
Cassie had immediately fallen in love with both the building and the location and it hadn't taken long for David to follow and for them both to begin picturing their perfect day in the lodge that looked like it would be at home in the Swiss Alps. Jack, however, was not in favour of a 'hut' for his little girl's wedding. In a real grumble he'd put his foot down, totally denying Cassie the hiring of the venue. The 'discussion' that had then occurred had only been stopped from becoming World War III by a fortuitous call from Sam, who'd arrived back from her travels and wondered where everyone was. Needless to say she quickly changed Jack's mind on the subject and within ten minutes Cassie and David had booked the lodge for the wedding on June 15 – today.
Jack was snapped back to the present when he heard Daniel speaking.
"I'll do that," Daniel responded to Cassie's request about the drinks, seeing the waiting staff standing in the corner of the room, clearly unsure as to what to do now the food preparers had disappeared.
"What about me?" Jack asked quietly, waiting for orders.
"First, you're going to accept that this is not your fault. Then you can come upstairs with me and get dressed in that uniform that Sam likes so much, then go and be the host I know you can be."
"Yes, Ma'am!" he answered and followed her out of the room and up the stairs.
The lodge had four bedrooms that came as part of the package when hiring the function room for the weekend. Cassie and David had one, Jack and Sam another – although Sam had yet to put in an appearance – Jenna, Cassie's bridesmaid, who happened to be married to the best man, had the third, while David's parents had the fourth. Cassie made her way to the master room while Jack turned to his.
David stuck his head out of his parent's room, smiling nervously in Jack's direction before closing his eyes as soon as he spotted Cassie, knowing how she felt about him seeing her before the wedding. "Cass, is everything okay? The power went out in here and no one seems to know what's going on." His voice showed his concern, although he kept his eyes closed.
"We're fine, now. All under control. Is your mom okay?" David's mom was unable to move easily due to partial paralysis following a stroke and the sudden loss of power would have worried her.
"Yeah, she's fine. Jenna came through and helped her to get ready. Cass, this might sound obvious, but you're not dressed yet and we're supposed to start in 30 minutes."
Cassie moved over to him. "Everything's fine. Just a few minor issues with the power and food. Jack and Daniel have it all under control." She didn't seem to notice Jack who was quietly watching them by his door, not wanting to intrude but wanting to be ready to help if needed. "We're going to serve drinks outside to the guests while we get organised." She kissed David, gently at first, while he continued to keep his eyes shut.
"Okay! Enough, enough you two! Time to get this shindig on the road," Jack said, breaking the increasingly passionate couple apart. He had seen way too much and now knew he had enough visuals to disturb him for many nights – make that years – to come.
Almost an hour later, the guests had arrived and were enjoying a non-alcoholic fruit cocktail drink while enjoying the late afternoon sun. The main room had been cleared of unwanted balloons and each table had a selection of finger foods and cakes, and the pizzas which Daniel had decided to order, would arrive once the wedding ceremony ended and photographs had been taken. As they were still without electricity, the band had decided they could play with the instruments that didn't need power, while the arrival of the bride would be announced with an i-pod and battery-operated speakers playing the couple's favourite songs.
Waiting in his room, fighting with his tie, Jack had to agree that things had come together pretty well, all things considered. Siler hadn't managed to fix the power but Jack decided that candles made the whole place look far more romantic than lights would have. The only wrinkle in the day was that his other half was stuck God knows where on a ship that had some kind of fault that Jack couldn't pronounce never mind understand. He sighed again; Carter could have had the power back on without breaking a sweat, unlike Siler, who had a suspected broken thumb from dropping his wrench on it. Siler was putting on a brave face and determined to see the ceremony through but his thumb was beginning to resemble a ball more than a thumb.
There was a quiet knock on the door. "I'm ready, Jack," Cassie said quietly, and Jack opened the door. There stood a beautiful sight to Jack's eyes, although he could be biased. The little girl whom he had cared for, loved and watched for over 12 years was standing before him looking radiant in an empire-line, ivory dress which, according to Sam – who had been there at the last fitting – fell 'just right' down the young woman's body to the ground.
"Looking good, General!" Cassie said smiling at Jack, who hadn't moved since he'd opened the door.
"Cass you look… unbelievable… I can't believe Sam's missing this."
"Don't! If I think about that I'll want to postpone. Come on, everything's ready. Teal'c's done wonders with the candles and all the guests are in place." Cassie suddenly looked at Jack with huge eyes. "I'm getting married, Jack… Wow! I think I need to sit down."
"Oh, no! None of that. You're getting married, young lady, even if I have to carry you down the aisle. Let's go." He took her arm and they made their way down the wooden stairs, meeting Jenna on the landing. She fell into place behind them, wearing a beautiful sky blue dress in the same style as Cassie. As they reached the bottom the music started and they turned into the function room. The guests were sitting around their tables but Cassie only had eyes for her fiancé, who was waiting for her at the front of the room. Jack walked Cassie down the centre of the room to where the Justice of the Peace was waiting for them, reluctantly handing Cassie over to David. David smiled at his bride, love shining in his eyes.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here to witness the marriage of David Barry Harrison to Cassandra Frasier. If anyone here knows of any reason why these two people cannot be joined in marriage, please speak now."
There was silence until in the middle of the room there was a bright light that, when it dimmed, left a figure in their midst. "Did I miss it?" she demanded. Everyone in the room was looking at the woman who was dressed in a military uniform that looked okay apart from the shirt, which was hanging out a little at the back, and the tie, which was skewed.
"Eh, Carter, you in a hurry?" Jack said, looking his wife up and down and then catching her eye and indicating the others in the room.
"Ah… well..."
"Sam," Daniel whispered from her side, "I thought we'd changed how you were beamed down so that it wasn't linked exactly to Jack's position after the incident in the men's room at the Pentagon?"
"Sam!" Cassie breathed and left her fiancé's side to hug her friend. "I'm so pleased you're here!" she said, before whispering just as Daniel had done, "Although I hope you have a suitable explanation to give my guests about how you got here." She looked pointedly at the faces of the shocked people behind Sam.
"Yes... uh... huh..." Sam said, unable to come up with anything. It was Teal'c who came to her rescue.
"ColonelCarter, your magic tricks are improving. However, I feel young Cassandra would not wish to be upstaged on her day. Your seat is over here."
Sam graciously accepted Teal'c's statement and moved to the seat he'd indicated, smiling at Jack as she passed him.
"I think it's safe to continue," Jack said to the JP who was staring at Sam.
"Yes… well..." He coughed.
The ceremony continued, although Sam received some strange looks from others in the room. Jack sat beside her once he'd declared he was giving Cassie away. They watched the young couple exchange vows and rings, thinking back to their own wedding as they held hands and fingered each other's wedding rings. Every so often one or the other would squeeze the hand they held, reminding each other that they were both there and alive and very much together.
The pizzas arrived on schedule, much to Sam's surprise, as she hadn't expected pizza having been involved in in-depth discussions with the caterers they'd hired. She turned and looked at Jack when they were served, raising an eyebrow. Jack merely shrugged and dug in. Although the meal was unconventional, it was enjoyed by all.
The band struck the first chord on their acoustic guitars and the dancing began – a slow one first, of course. David floated Cassie around the room; they were beginning to feel that no one else was there. Jack took Sam's hand and led her on to the floor while Jenna and her husband and David's parents joined them. The candles flickered and the music played quietly and it couldn't have been better.
Jack burrowed his face into Sam's neck. "Have I told you how happy I am you're home?" he whispered.
"No… but I kinda worked it out," she whispered back.
"How long this time?" He hated to ask but it helped him to know how long she was going to be home so he could celebrate for that amount of time.
"Well... I was thinking forever. How does that sound?"
Jack stopped dancing and looked down at her. "What do you mean, 'forever'?"
"Landry called while we were out there." She lowered her voice to stop others hearing them. "He'd like me to do some training to take over running the base. He plans to retire and it seems I've been recommended for the job. You didn't know?"
"No! The old dog must've decided to keep me out of the loop."
"So, you pleased I'll be around?" Sam asked, although she hoped she knew the answer.
"I can think of nothing better. In fact, as soon as we've stayed here long enough, we'll start our celebrations upstairs." He pulled her back to him and they continued to sway to the music.
After several minutes Cassie arrived with David and asked if they could swap; she wanted to dance with Jack. The two couples switched and continued dancing.
Cassie put her arms around Jack. "Thank you for today," she said quietly into his shirt.
"You're welcome, kiddo. You deserve it."
"Maybe… but you're amazing for pulling it off. I thought for sure that we'd have to cancel." She looked up at the man she had considered to be her father since she'd arrived on this planet.
"We'd do anything for you. You remember that, okay? No matter what, we're your family and we love you," Jack said, his eyes shining.
"I know, and Teal'c's already warned David, so you have nothing to worry about!" Cassie giggled.
"Good, as long as that's clear." Jack held her and danced her around the room. Everything had worked out in the end and he'd continue to do anything for her. They all would.
Hope you enjoyed, idea came from reading a post on Gateworld about how Sam and Jack might act at Cassie's wedding. Didn't totally fill that idea but this popped into my mind. Thanks for reading. Would be nice to hear what you think.