Daniel stood in the lounge of the hotel in which the group had been staying. Snow was now falling so heavily outside that it appeared that all the guests would be stuck there over the coming days. However for many it was a welcome rest, Christmas spirit now beginning to run very high as it was the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
"You okay Space monkey? this really has turned out great." Jack told his friend looking around the lounge where there now stood a large Christmas Tree decorated with many glittering ornaments, tinsel hanging from the ceiling and fairy lights covering beams and doorways shining brilliant white lights that glittered like tiny crystals covering the room.
"I'm fine ... a little nervous. You?"
"I'm fine ... and a little nervous. I haven't even asked her ... I'm just banking on this surprise being one that she approves of." Jack replied.
"Okay Daniel everything's set. The girls'll help you out when they come down." Michael told the nervous man in front of him.
"Thanks." Daniel replied.
"No problem. Well I've gotta go sort out Dylan ... trying to make him look remotely smart takes a lot of work. See you in a few minutes okay..and don't worry Jack she thinks the world of you. She'll go for it." Michael replied before going upstairs.
"Sam I look huge." Janet told her friend as she zipped her up in a white gown Daniel had bought Janet as a Christmas present as their wedding had originally been due to take place just after Christmas.
"You look beautiful mom." came a voice from the doorway. Janet and Sam turned around to see a very grown up looking Cassandra standing there next to Rosie who was carrying Summer. Her hair had been curled and put up with clips covered in tiny flowers, and loose strands hung down in ringlets. She was wearing a baby blue dress. Summer was also dressed up in a little baby blue dress, her hair put up in two bunches by Cassandra and tied with blue ribbons which matched, little ringlets falling loosely around the face which so resembled her fathers. Rosie meanwhile was dressed in a lilac full length strappy dress her hair hanging around her shoulders in waves, covered in tiny jewels which shone under the light.
"So do you sweetie." Janet replied walking over to Cassandra and Summer and giving them both a hug. "I love you guys so much."
"We know that don't we cutie face." Cassandra said to the little girl in Rosie's arms who gave her mom a cheeky grin.
"You look adorable." Sam told them as she placed a hairband covered with tiny crystals in her hair matching the white scoop neck dress she was wearing which had similar crystals sewn into the shape of tiny roses on her dress, a dress that had been a present from Jack that he had given her last night though not told her why.
"Thanks Sam." Cassandra replied walking over to Sam and giving her a big hug, Summer soon reaching to be let out of Rosie's arms so she could toddle over to Sam and give her Aunt one too.
"And you Janet look incredible. Honey I don't know what you're worrying about." Sam told her friend as she lowered herself onto a chair ready for Sam to put the final touches to her hair. She was dressed in a full length strappy white gown that had obviously been created to fit her in the last stages of her pregnancy, a gown that was covered with tiny crystal butterflies and had a shrug jacket to match covered with tiny crystals in the same pattern as the gown and had a trim covered with baby blue coloured roses.
"Sam I'm huge. Look at me." her friend replied as Sam pinned her hair back with clips covered with baby blue roses to match her dress, so that curls fell at the back of her head and loosely around her face.
"Sweetie ... " Sam said kneeling down in front of her friend. "You look beautiful. You have a baby growing inside you created by you and the man you love. There is nothing more beautiful than that. You're glowing and I swear I have never seen anyone look as beautiful as you do now..well except for myself of course." Sam joked.
Janet smiled at her friend. "Thank you."
"No problem sweetie." she replied giving her a hug before placing a diamond tiara on her friends head. "Now are we all ready?" she asked.
"I don't think I've ever been more ready." Janet told Sam smiling.
"Then lets go." Sam told them all helping Janet out of the chair.
There was a knock at the door and Michael came in carrying a smartly dressed Dylan who immediately held his arms out to his mother.
"Mike you look great sweetie." Rosie told him giving her husband a tender kiss.
"So do you baby." he replied kissing her again. "Wow." he replied after taking another look.
"And my little man looks very smart. How long did that take?"
"Not long actually. He's been behaving himself haven't you slugger?"
The little boy nodded in his mothers arms giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Mommy sweet." he told her.
"You too baby." she replied a tear falling from her eye at what her son had said. She kissed him on the forehead and handed him back to Michael.
"Will you be a good boy for Daddy? Mommy will be downstairs with you guys in a minute okay."
The child nodded smiling.
"Everything's ready downstairs." Michael told them smiling, a glint in his eye appearing when he looked at Sam.
"Thanks Michael." Janet replied.
"You guys look great. See you in a few minutes." he told them before leaving with Dylan.
The group walked out of the room to see numerous guests waiting to wish Janet luck. Summer was being carried by Cassandra, Rosie standing at her side smiling, while Sam was holding her friends hand. For a minute they stood at the top of the stairway looking at the group standing downstairs lit up by the fairy lights that covered the hotel walls.
Janet looked at Daniel who was standing nervously next to Jack. She smiled at how nervous he appeared, at how cute he looked dressed up in the suit he was wearing, her heart filling with love for the man standing before her, his blue eyes sparkling. Feeling that he was being looked at he looked to the top of the stairs and saw a sight which took his breath away because of its beauty. He saw his wife to be standing there smiling lovingly at him, her face radiant and her smile lighting up the room and he saw his two daughters standing beside her looking beautiful and smiling too. Jack looked up at the same moment as his friend to look at Sam who gave him a little wave. For a long time they had harboured feelings for each other but had been too afraid to do anything about it due to regulations, but now, looking at her standing there smiling sweetly at him Jack found it hard to picture a moment when he hadn't loved her and a moment when he would no longer want her in his life. She was his life, and he was hers.
The group began to make their way down the stairs, Sam and the girls making sure Janet got down them safely her swollen stomach making it harder for her to move and her love for this child making her not want to do anything that could risk its safety. As she made her way down the stairs she noticed Daniel move to a microphone that had been placed and somewhere in the lounge a piano began to play. He then began to sing, his voice shaking nervously but full of love.
I didn't hear you leave, I wonder how am I still here
I don't want to move a thing, it might change my memory
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
Janet smiled proudly, all the time making her way towards the man that she adored. This was the song that had played when she had found him painting Summers nursery with Cassandra and Teal'c. It was the song that had been playing when they had given into their feelings for each other for the first time and shared a passionate, yet tender kiss. It was a song that signified the deep love that they both shared for one another, a beautiful song, a song that Daniel was now singing to her.
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
Two more angelic voices joined in with Daniel from behind her. Janet turned around to see Cassandra and Rosie now singing, Daniel's voice getting stronger all the time as the woman he loved, the woman who was carrying his child approached him. For the first time Janet realised how lucky she was to have a daughter like Cassandra, and how much she loved her. She also realised what a beautiful voice she had. Her heart swelling with pride.
I don't want to call my friends, they might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed, risk forgetting all that's been
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
The group carried on walking, the girls singing in harmony behind Janet and Daniel singing in front of her. Never had she imagined a wedding as beautiful as this and never had she pictured herself being as happy as she was with that one special person who was standing in front of her and the friends who stood by her side.
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me.
A round of applause echoed around the room for Daniel and the girls as the song finished and Janet stood by the side of the man she adored.
"I love you." he mouthed as the vicar got ready to start the ceremony.
"I love you too." she mouthed back taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.
"We are gathered here today ... "