Thanks everyone for the awesome reviews. I know it's been a while since the last update. Real life seems to be busier than anticipated so thanks for your patience.

I swing by my office again on the way out to grab the stack of paperwork General Hammond gave me to go over with Carter and feel my heartbeat speed up at the mere sight of the red and white folder.

I realize as I'm leaving the mountain that I told Carter I'd be back in three hours, and it's been well over 4. I'm not really surprised once I get my phone out of my glove box that there are no new messages or missed calls. I might as well call her, I'd feel like a jackass if she was worried. I'm about ready to hang up when a distracted sounding Carter finally picks up.

"Yeah, Carter."

"Hey."

"Oh hey. Everything ok?" I can hear what sounds suspiciously like a torque wrench in the background before the sound of metal clanging against concrete.

"Yeah fine. I'm just late, thought I'd call and tell you I'm on my way." I can't help but chuckle, she clearly has no idea what time it is.

"Oh. Sorry. Totally got distracted. I'll see you in a few?"

"Sure. Just gonna run by my place for a few things first. I'll uh...I'll see you soon ok?"

"Oookay." I hear the question in her voice, that one small hesitation giving away much more than I intended. Sometimes the woman just knows me too damn well.

"Okay, later." I can't get off the phone fast enough. I'm already dreading the coming conversation, and I definitely don't want to start it over the phone.

I swing by my place to shower and change. I grab some boxes from my garage and some work gloves and packing tape in case she doesn't have some already. I shove the ring and letter in the deepest recess of my overnight bag. The red and white folder marked 'classified' I leave on the seat beside me.

I think about parking down the street from her place. While we may have the president's go ahead, it's not exactly official yet and this way it's a little less likely someone will connect the dots. Then I figure if they're really trying we're screwed anyway. Hopefully this conversation won't end horribly and we'll be official sooner than later. The view when I make my way into Carter's garage is enough to make me forget what the hell I was worrying about in the first place.

Carter is hot no matter what she's wearing, but the sight before me...well let me just say if anybody else sees her like this I will have to kill them. She's currently on her back on a sliding board, checking the alignment on what I think is a harley flathead. Her bike is tucked away in the corner so either she got another one, or she's helping out someone else. She's wearing cutoff jean shorts and an old pair of combat boots, grease smeared across her pale skin. The shorts are clearly a little too big for her at the moment because with all her twisting and turning to get where she needs to be they've ridden down enough that there's a hint of red lace peeking out the top. She's so distracted she hasn't even noticed my approach yet, which means I can take my time absorbing the sight before me.

She's also wearing a worn out red cotton tank top that's ridden up above her belly button. I notice she's also replaced the silicone spacer that she wears off world in her bellybutton piercing for a silver girly dangly bit. She shifts to the side a bit and yep...she's also bra-less. Fuck me. If this weren't Carter...who is known for being completely oblivious to her hotness, I would think she's trying to kill me.

I decide I've stared long enough. The sooner she gets up the sooner I get to touch. I let out a low whistle of approval and she freezes for a moment before sliding forward on the mechanic board so she can get out from under the bike. She blushes and gives me her megawatt smile, holding her hands out and planting her feet so I can help her up.

I pull with a little more force than absolutely necessary and she crashes against my chest with a grunt. She slaps my chest playfully and then comes in for what I assume is meant to be a peck on the lips. I'm having none of that though. Before she has time to escape one of my hands is in her hair and the other slides into her back pocket to cup a cheek through her well loved denims.

I slant my mouth over hers and she let's out a squeak of surprise at my intensity. It only takes a moment or so for her to give in though, her tongue dueling with mine hotly while her hands begin to wander as well. One finger slides through a belt loop to tug me up against her further the other slides down to tangle with mine, and I can't help but think that her holding my hand while I'm kissing her like this is...well adorable.

The sound of a car driving by is enough to remind us of our surroundings and she pulls back and gives me a slightly silly grin. "I assume things went well?"

And suddenly I feel like I'm going to swallow my own tongue. I squeeze her fingers between mine in apprehension and take a deep breath. "Well it went. I don't know how you're going to feel about it...but it went." I can actually feel sweat beading on my temples...seriously have I reverted to high school?

"Can we take this inside? I just need to grab something from the truck." I back out of the garage quickly taking a moment to rest my forehead against the door before I swing it open muttering to myself to get it together. I grab the file from the passenger side and eye my overnight bag. It might be a little presumptuous but I'd rather have the letter and the ring handy in case things go better than expected and I don't have anywhere on me to stash it. I grab the bag and slam the door behind me heading back in through the garage to see her bending over the bike to pick up the wrench I heard fall earlier. I can't help the growl that escapes at the sight before me. "You trying to kill me Carter?"

"Huh?" She pops up, wrench in hand and stares at me blankly. She has no idea what I'm talking about.

"You are so oblivious. Have you looked in a mirror ever?" She blushes and gives me a look like she's uncomfortable and also a little like I'm insane.

"You wear this outfit a lot?" I step into her space, sliding a single finger tip up the outside of her thigh to tug on the edge of her tiny little shorts.

"Not really. Usually to work in the yard or on my bike when it's warm out." She looks so confused it's ridiculous, and I suddenly want to find every male she has ever been with and beat them within an inch of their lives, because this insecurity must come from somewhere.

"Good. Because it's really, and I mean REALLY hot. And I might have to kill anybody else that sees it. Can we go sit? We've got some things to discuss and I think we should do it sooner than later."

She eyes me suspiciously and then leads the way inside. She detours to the fridge to grab a couple of beers and then sets them on her kitchen table. "Sorry, this will have to do. Living rooms not really functional yet."

I just nod in response. I take a single sip of my beer and then start peeling the label. Carter clears her throat and reaches out to grab the file folder from me. I slam my palm down on it with more force than is necessary, pressing it into the table so she can't take it yet. I stare at her for a couple of seconds until I can see I'm starting to scare her a little.

"I just...I need you to know that this...I mean... I understand if it's not what you want. But I need you to understand that while the circumstances aren't ideal. It IS what I want. I don't want you to think it's just because of the circumstances. I want this." I point at the folder. "I have for a long time."

Then I flip the folder open and flip it around so its right side up in front of her. I have the urge to run while she's reading but I can't bring myself to miss her initial reaction. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment but I just can't help it.

She reads and then rereads, and then reads it again. Her hand starts to shake slightly but otherwise she hasn't let anything show. "I ask again? Are you trying to kill me here? Say something..."

She looks up at me and all the air leaves my lungs. I have definitely never seen her eyes that particular brilliant shade of blue. And then they are welling up and spilling over and I still don't know whether I'm supposed to comfort her or run like hell because she's yet to say anything, and I'm starting to really freak out here.

"Carter." I hope it comes across as exasperated as I feel.

"Are you? Did you? I never thought..."And then she reaches for me and I can breathe again because if nothing else it means she's not running away screaming.

She takes a deep breath and tries again, hands clutching both of mine, seemingly to stop me from bolting. Did I mention how creepily well this woman knows me? "I never once hoped that it would be this...the answer."

"Are you saying yes?"

"Are you actually asking?"

I pull my hands out from under hers and rummage around in the bag at my feet. When My hand clasps the velvet box I look up at her in wonder. Am I really doing this? We just about broke each other beyond repair and days later I'm asking her to marry me? We are seriously messed up.

I slide down onto my knees in front of her, I'd do the whole one knee thing, but even though the sarcophagus seems to have repaired most of the damage, it seems a little too much like tempting fate. I really should have thought this through a little better. Not that I'm really great at speeches mind you. I figure I'll just go with the truth.

"I don't want to live without you. I will literally do anything for you. And I want all of you, in every aspect of my life. I know I'm not an easy person to be around, and that you could do sooo much better. And I feel like it's a lot to ask, especially so soon, but if I can have everything I want out of life, I have to be selfish enough to ask for it. Will you marry me?"

She leans in to kiss me thoroughly before responding. "Yes. We know each other better than most married couples ever will Jack. It may seem soon, but it's really not. And I want this too. Have wanted it for a long time. Do I get to see what's in the box?"

I gulp nervously again. Oh boy. She's either going to be happy or kill me. I pop the box open and pull the ring out sliding it onto her finger before she can get a good look at it. I don't know for sure that she will even recognize it, but Carter is nothing if not observant.

The sharp intake of breath is all that I need to know she knows what it is, and where it came from. "Jack?"

She stares at me in wonder for a second and then goes back to studying the ring on her finger, in a way that is eerily reminiscent of the hundreds of times I've watched her examine unexplained pieces of alien tech. "How did?" She stops abruptly and then turns to grab the abandoned piece of paper off the table. She stares for a minute, apparently just now seeing what I noticed immediately.

She continues to stare, and I squirm in discomfort. "I can get you your own...I just thought it was a pretty awesome gesture, and frankly after everything he's done I don't really want to upset the old man."

And that seems to do it. She lets out a huff of laughter and then places the piece of paper pack down on the table. "Hey I'm sure you gave yourself some time to get used to this whole thing before heading over here, don't forget you've got a couple of hours on me, it was just a surprise to suddenly get everything I ever wanted." Her hand comes up over her mouth as soon as the words escape, apparently having revealed a whole lot more than she intended with that one sentence.

And suddenly I find myself tearing up AGAIN. What the hell? I stand and pull her into my arms, holding on so tight I'm sure I must be restricting her breathing. Thing is I can't actually seem to convince myself to let up. "God. You are insane if this is everything you want, but it is everything I want and I'm way too selfish to do what's best for you if it means letting you go again."

"Yeah, I'm not going anywhere if I can help it. More talking later flyboy...I believe we have some celebrating to do."