Acknowledgment: This is for Rachel. She convinced me to write this, and if thanks is deserved, it should go to her for pushing me into writing this for her and all of my reviewers of "Forbidden Love".
Author's Note: As I said, I still don't ship Sam/Jack, but seeing as everyone else does, I figured that the point of my account is to make others happy, so…here it is. The sequel. Don't get your hopes up. I'm pretty sure it's not very good…
By the way, if you don't know the song in here (which I doubt anyone else actually does…) don't worry. I put the lyrics in it—the tune's not important. Lyrics are the reason I picked the song in the first place because I thought it would be cute. Cute? What am I talking about? I AM NOT A J/S Shipper!!! Anyway, enjoy!
Legally in Love
He let out the breath he had been holding slowly while rolling his shoulders to try to relax. But for pete's sake, it was hard to relax in a tuxedo!
But, he supposed tuxedos were the proper attire for a wedding. Especially his own wedding…finally.
And to think he had only proposed a week before. He could clearly remember submitting his resignation to the General Hammond.
"Jack? Are—are you sure you're ready to retire?" Hammond had asked carefully, taken aback at how the letter had been basically thrown onto his desk.
"Yes, sir. I'm positive. I mean—look at me! I'm not gonna get any older!" he paused to think for a minute. "I mean younger…" he said, cocking and eyebrow and staring at the ceiling.
General Hammond took a moment to consider it. It was his natural instinct to try to keep Jack at his job, but O'Neill did have a point. He wasn't going to get any younger. If he had plans for his personal life—and Hammond know darn well that he did—it would be best to get started soon. Jack had given more time than was necessary already serving his country—no serving his world—and he deserved a more peaceful life.
"All right, Jack. I'll submit your resignation," Hammond said calmly.
"I know, sir, but you see there's just something I gotta do and this job is stopping me from doing it and…" he stopped. "Wait…what did you say?"
"I said I'll submit your resignation."
"Just…like that? No…arguing or anything of that sort?"
"None here."
"Oh," Jack said, surprised. "Okay, then. I'll go…start packing."
"Okay."
"Right. See ya!" he said, heading out the door.
"Oh, and Jack?" Hammond called him back.
"Yes…George?" Jack said, slightly wincing at the use of Hammond's first name.
"I'd better be invited to the wedding."
"Wh-who said anything about a wedding?" Jack asked nervously.
"Your resignation," Hammond replied simply.
"…Right."
He had proposed that night. SG-1 had just returned from a mission, so he asked them to accompany him to dinner. His treat. They all agreed to go, yet somehow, Daniel and Teal'c managed to conveniently "forget" to come, leaving Jack and Sam alone at dinner.
"I can't believe Teal'c would forget something, ya know? I mean, Daniel I can understand. The guy forgets to eat sometimes, but Teal'c…hmm…it just seems odd to me," Sam had said when the dinner was finished.
"Not to me," Jack said, looking at her; drinking in her beauty so that he could gain the courage to go through with his plan.
"Really? Well, I suppose you 'guys' know everything about each other. I swear I will never understand you…"
"Mm. Hey, Carter, what's that in the sky?"
"Where?"
"There," he said, pointing at what appeared to be a group of stars.
"Holy Hannah! I have no idea!" she said, squinting to get a better look at them. They appeared to be moving…organizing into a pattern. She concentrated carefully and noticed they were forming letters—words.
"Will you marry me?" she read as the stars stayed in a fixed pattern with the very words she had just said.
Jack mentally reminded himself to thank Thor for this later…she really seemed impressed.
"Wow! That was some trick! Someone must have put a lot of effort into that little show…" she said, realizing that it must be projector machines on a building somewhere or some other fancy device and not really stars.
"Yes," Jack said. "I know they did."
"Really? Do you know the guy who arranged for that?"
"Yeah…pretty well, actually. Though I have a feeling you know him better than he'll ever know himself…" then, he slowly got down on one knee and took out the ring that had been burning a hole in his pocket all night long.
"Sam…will you marry me?"
Sam stood speechless. She had no idea what to say. All of the blood seemed to have left her brain and limbs, preventing her from speaking or moving.
It's okay…Jack thought to himself. Remember, everyone told me she wouldn't answer right off the bat…I mean, it's a surprise, after all and she wouldn't be expecting it. I just wish she would answer soon! My knees and nerves are killing me!!
Finally, Sam regained her ability to speak. "I—I, well, uh, what I mean to say is, um…yes. Yes, Jack. Of course I'll marry you!"
Jack had smiled.
And now he stood, smiling again, in front of a moderately packed church. Daniel stood next to him as his best man, and all that was missing was the main attraction—Sam.
Why did it have to take women so long to get ready for a wedding? Especially her, he thought, she's perfect just the way she is.
But his thought was interrupted when he saw her—Samantha Carter and soon to be Sam O'Neill—walk into the room.
Everyone turned around, their eyes fixed on her; and when he saw how beautiful she looked, he no longer cared that it had taken her so long to get ready. She was worth it.
As she approached the alter, she turned to look at him. Geez, the look in her eyes just made his heart melt.
"Are you ready for this?" She asked, unable to contain her smile.
"Are you kidding? I've been ready for years…"
The whole "formal ceremony" was lost to O'Neill and he barely managed to utter his "I do". He was too busy staring at the beautiful woman next to him—the woman who today was becoming his wife.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
"Finally!" Jack said, paying attention to the priest for only a moment to hear those wonderful words.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and eagerly met her lips with his own. Neither of them could help but smile into the kiss, knowing that this was the first time they could be legally in love.
SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG
A lot of time had gone by, Jack was sure, for it was nearing the end of the day. He didn't want this night to end. It had been, by far the best of his life.
"Come on, Jack. Let's dance to just one more song," Sam said gently, pulling him closer to her and onto the dance floor.
They swayed back and forth to the song, Jack himself wishing it had been a bit more up-tempo song so that they could get some real dancing in, but he supposed there was time for that later…
"That doesn't make sense," Sam said, pulling Jack out of his thoughts.
"What? What doesn't make sense?"
"This song."
Jack listened. It was The Day That I Stop Loving You:
The day that I stop loving you
Could never come to be
And know that even if the sun and moon
By chance collide
Or space and time should spit in two
There will never be the day
That I stop loving you…
"Hmm…I don't know. Just seems kind of cheesy to me…"
"No. I mean, the sun and moon collide? Space and time splitting in two?!? That's impossible!"
Jack smiled, "I think that's the point."
She ducked her head and buried it into his chest, giggling. "I know," she said, "I was kidding. Why is it that no one ever gets it when I make a joke?"
"Because you're horrible at making jokes!" Jack said.
Her head shot up and she gave him a hurt, inquisitive look.
"See, two halves make a whole, right? You're half and I'm half. You be the smart, practical half that keeps us out of trouble and I'll be the half full of sarcastic remarks and witty banter," he smiled. "We're going to be perfect together."
She tried to hide her smile at his attempt at being romantic and failed miserably, ending up nestling her face in his arm. At last the song stopped.
"Well, what do you say we--." Jack was cut short by a blinding flash of white light and a second later both he and Sam had disappeared from the room.
Daniel stared at the empty spot and said to the stunned crowd, "Well…who wants cake?"
That was a little early, Thor. Just be glad everyone here has security clearance, Daniel thought as he went to help Teal'c distribute the remaining food.
SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG
"—get out of here. What just happened?" Jack asked no one in particular.
"Jack, I think we're on Thor's ship!" Sam said.
"Indeed, you are correct as usual, Samantha Carter—or should I say, O'Neill," said a familiar gray alien, emerging from behind his control console.
"Thor? Wha—what are you doing here?" Jack asked.
"I was, as you say, 'in the neighborhood' due to your earlier request for a light show, O'Neill."
"Oh…right."
"Jack, look over here!" Sam said, pointing to Thor's "rear window".
Jack looked carefully and saw that it read "Just Married"…in twenty-seven different languages.
"Wow, Thor! You didn't have to do all this! I mean…"
"I didn't. That is the work of Daniel Jackson. The idea, however, belonged to Teal'c."
Jack smiled, "That sly dog…"
"So, where is it that you wish to go on this 'honeymoon'. Daniel Jackson has instructed me to send you anywhere that you wish to go. He explained that he promised you 'better transportation than a limousine' and believed that this ship would suffice."
Jack and Sam looked at each other and smiled, "Minnesota," Jack proclaimed.
"Then it was as he expected. I will beam you down to the coordinates. You have the congratulations of all of the Asgard, O'Neill."
"Uh, thanks, Tho—," he was once again cut off by the Asgard beam.
SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG
Unfortunately, the coordinates Daniel had supplied Thor didn't quite land Jack and Sam next to his pond.
It landed them in his pond.
"Oh, geez!" Jack said, grabbing Sam by the hand and helping her out.
"Oh, no! My dress! It's ruined," she sulked, tears forming in her eyes.
Jack gently took her chin between his fingers and thumb and brought her almost-red-brimmed eyes to meet his clear, liquid brown eyes.
"No…it's perfect."
He shut his eyes and closed the space between them, pulling her ever closer and passionately kissing the woman of his dreams.
When he pulled away, he noticed her eyes were no longer brimming with tears and a small smile had been put in their place.
"Well," Jack said, clearing his throat. "I guess we should go inside and get dry."
Sam smiled deviously, "Or…we could go inside and do the opposite."
"On second thought, I like that plan better."
"That's why I'm here—I am the brains of this outfit."
They held hands and walked into Jack's cabin to start their happily ever after…at last.
THE END!