(2003)
Colonel Samantha Carter stood in the bride's dressing room, zoning out for a moment as Cassie fussed over every detail of Janet's gown.
"Sam? Are you okay?" Janet asked, looking at the maid of honor.
Sam looked up instantly. "Oh...sorry. Just thinking."
"About Joe?" She teased.
Sam gave her a good-natured smile though she didn't expound on her thoughts. "Can you believe you're getting married today?"
"And she starts side-stepping questions." Cassie teased as she continued to button the pearl buttons on her mother's gown.
"I'm not trying to sidestep any questions." Sam explained. "I'm just aware that today is not about me."
"Sam..." Janet said, studying her friend.
Sam sighed. "I don't know. I guess I'm still having some good and bad days. I mean, I'm sure they're right. I'm sure my dad's gone."
"But not having a body to prove that makes it hard to believe." Janet finished, sympathetically.
"Yeah." She admitted.
"Sam, nothing's been proven one way or the other. For all we know it could have been one last goa'uld attack. Or maybe the Aschen got the Goa'uld as they tried to take the Tok'ra out with one last airstrike. The point is, only one of those Tok'ra survived, and even the handful of other survivors who have surfaced since then, haven't been able to tell us a thing. All they know is that there were several beams out of the sky that penetrated into their underground shelters."
Sam nodded. "I know. And the likelihood that anyone else has survived without going to any of our allies or any of the known Tok'ra allies is rather remote."
"So, just enjoy the wedding." Cassie said, softly. "I mean, it's not everyday that two of your best friends get married to each other."
Sam smiled. "That's true."
Janet fiddled around with her ring for a moment.
"Nervous?" Sam asked, looking at the doctor-turned-bride.
"A little." She admitted. "I mean, I've done this before. And it didn't turn out well."
"Daniel's been married too." Sam reminded her gently. "And while his marriage didn't end in divorce, Sha're was taken as a goa'uld host and in that state, she did try to kill him a time or two. I think if neither of you shoot at the other, you'll be a step ahead."
Janet chuckled appreciatively. "I guess you have a point there."
"Of course I do." Sam chuckled. "Now, let's get you ready so that Daniel doesn't pass out from nerves waiting for you.
"Yes, ma'am." Janet said, complete with a teasing salute.
Only a few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "We're ready for the bridal party." The wedding planner announced.
Sam and Cassie both gave Janet a hug. "Good luck." They whispered individually before lining up in the hallway.
At the start of the processional music, Cassie began stepping down the aisle of the church, and Sam took the opportunity to look at the set up. At the front of the church stood Daniel and Teal'c, Daniel's best man. On the other side of Teal'c stood Dr. Robert Rothman, Daniel's friend and colleague from his post-graduate days.
Sam sighed. He'd asked Jack to share the best man duties with Teal'c, but he'd refused saying that he wasn't sure he'd be able to make it to the wedding. She realized over and over again just how badly they'd hurt him when they'd rejected his theories that the Aschen were poor allies.
Speaking of the Aschen, Sam noticed that Mollem, Borem and a handful of other Aschen took up a few seats in the first few pews.
Suddenly, she heard her cue, and she began walking down the aisle, forcing a smile to her lips. Jack should be here, she thought.
She arrived at the front of the church as Janet began walking down the aisle, but her eyes were only momentarily captured by the bride. Sitting in the roped off balcony of the church was that leather jacket clad, white tousel-haired, ex-Colonel that she'd grown so fond of.
Leave it to Jack O'Neill to attend a function in some unexpected way so as to remain undetected by the untrained eye. She caught his eye and he paused for a moment, as if recognizing that his secret had been betrayed. That moment was brief, and Jack turned his gaze to the ceremony. Janet was taking Daniel's hand now. The actual wedding was beginning.
Sam sighed as she turned to face the bride and groom. This feud was tearing them apart. It needed to be resolved before something happened to further alienate them all from each other.