Samantha Carter stands before the door with nerves curling into her stomach. She glanced down at herself. Impeccably dressed, even if it wasn't really her, shimmer, white, and lots of lace, every inch but her face covered. She raises her hand to the door to knock before she loses her nerve.
A pair of deep brown eyes opens the door. She is lost in them, for longer than she'd like to admit. The eyes are traveling up and down her body, and they like what they see.
She blushes. She finally manages to break her eyes away from his and peruses his body with the same acclaim. The clothes are nice of course, but they aren't him anymore than her dress is her. The long flowing robe with lots of embroidery and tassels. God, he isn't the sort of man who can pull of tassels.
"Hello," she says hoping sound will keep his eyes from her. Her hand finally goes down realizing it doesn't need to knock.
"I assume you are my new wife," he says.
She nods.
The man extends his hand to her. Not sideways like he's ready for a handshake, but palm up like…
She puts her hand in his, "Samantha Carter," she says.
"O'Neill," he corrects. "I'm Jack, come on in."
The marriage cabin is pretty small. There is a bunk bed against one wall. The room divider against the other. Beyond it she can see the next day worth of clothing, and restroom facilities which strike her as a bit primitive, but accetable. There is the table and cushions already on the floor ready for the bonding ceremony.
She drops down onto her cushion right away. He paces.
"Are you okay?" she says nervously.
"Fine," he says with confidence. He flinches as he goes to his knees, "I'm older than you."
She smiles, "I don't mind."
"I think they made a mistake when they paired the two of us together," he observes.
She looks down, "You want to reject me?"
"No," he seems confused, "You're young and beautiful! I thought you'd want to trade me up for someone, more like you."
She smiles at him, "I think this union will make both of us very happy."
He kneels then, as he is supposed to, and pours the tea. It does its job calming her, making her feel peaceful and trusting, and…
"I love you. Only you. Always you. You are mine, and I am yours," he says his vows.
Yes, that is exactly what she feels. She says the words to. She wants to break all the bonding rules. She wants to touch him now. She feels like you should be able to kiss someone after you've said your wedding vows. Of course she knows that that is wrong. She knows what day you kiss on. Still, the force that draws her to him now is powerful.
He's looking at her, starring deep into her yes.
Of course he is, he's doing that because that is the proper way to react when you've just married someone. You are supposed to stare into their eyes for thirty full minutes.
She isn't sure that she can last that long. Not with those chocolate brown puddles melting her. Still, she raises her eyes to his, and she hears him click his watch to begin the time.
Her heart is so full that she can barely breath. It goes on so long she learns to breath through it. She dives into his chocolate eyes, drowns in them, especially the place where the brown meets the white.
He giggles. She wants to ask him what he's laughing at, but talking means the time starts over. Soon the giggle catches. They are breathing together, their hearts are beating together.
It stops being weird, the looking into his eyes, his soul. The watch beeps. They don't stop starring.
"There are cookies," he offers. He looks away first, to grab one. She grabs one off the table between them as well.
"So, Samantha, top or bottom?" he asks. She stares at him in shock for a second before he actually hears what he says. He coughs, "Bunk. Top or bottom bunk."
"Whichever you prefer," she says bashfully.
"Top then," he says with his eyes gleaming at her. He's not just talking about the bunk beds anymore.
They lay in their bunk beds until they are almost asleep. "Goodnight Mrs. O'Neill," he practically whispers.
She's pretty sure she's going to like being married.