Set after Full Circle (Season 6), tenth in the 'By My Side' Series
It's the day everyone has been waiting for!
Author's Note: Once again, thanks for the reviews... remember, the more reviews, the happier I am:) I hope everyone will enjoy the happiest day of Sam and Jack's lives!
CharmedAli: Yes, I thought that might be pleasing news for all of my readers.:) Keeps the interest going! I hope it meets your expectations.:)
feb04: Glad you liked it. Sorry, but no he doesn't appear in this chapter since they have not been to Vis Uban yet (but he is not forgotten, and we will deal with him soon, I promise!) I hope you like this chapter anyway:)
froggy0319: Don't we all play that scene over and over again!;) I agree that it was one of Daniel's best ideas... or else I wouldn't have mentioned it! Yeah, Teal'c cracks me up when he shoves the door shut on the poor guy... I love the self-satisfied smile on his face, too! Well, I posted fairly soon with this chapter (the draft just needed some fixing), so I hope you approve:)
Sci Fi Fan Gillian: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Feel free to make any other comments about what you especially like, so I know what especially to include in future stories.:)
This story is dedicated to you four - my consistent reviewers! Thanks so much for your encouragement.
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'After everything that had happened recently, our big day has finally come!' thought Sam, waking up to the rays of sunlight flickering through the blinds. She felt excited and terrified at the same time. Things hadn't been easy over the last few weeks, with Abydos, and Daniel's fate unknown, but they had made it here to this day. With that, Sam stepped out of Cassie's bed, having spent the night at the Fraisers', since it would be easier to organise things that way because of it being a morning wedding.
Sam walked into the kitchen to get herself a coffee. She found Janet there, making breakfast.
"Hey there, happy bride! I know you probably feel too nervous to eat much this morning, so I've just put together some muesli, fruit and yoghurt," Janet smiled, as her sleepy friend emerged.
"Wow, it looks delicious. But you're right - my stomach isn't the first thing on my mind today. Still, if I don't eat, I'll know you'll pull the 'doctor's orders' routine," Sam wryly noted.
"Well, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We want you looking your best, now don't we?" Janet smiled.
Cassie, clad in her fluffy frog bathrobe, with her hair in disarray, after a night on the spare mattress, then walked into the room. "Mmm, yum!" she grinned, and grabbed one of the bowls Janet had put together.
"We can't take too long with breakfast, as Yvonne will be here soon, to do our make-up, do dig in," Janet told them. And with that, the three ate their breakfast, and showered.
Forty-five minutes later, Yvonne Brown, a make-up artist, who had been recommended by one of the nurses in the infirmary (since they happened to be cousins), rang at the doorbell. Soon, Sam, Janet and Cassie were being made-up, and having their nails and hair done. When Yvonne had finished her handiwork, she stood back, and scrutinised the three. "Gorgeous! You make a beautiful bride and bridesmaids."
Sam's hair had parted at the side and been curled under slightly, giving it a soft look, while Janet and Cassie's hair had been pulled off their faces, and fastened into knots at the back of their heads.
The doorbell rang again. This time it was Stephanie and Larissa Carter, who had come to help out. They had arrived the day before, and had spent the night at a motel.
"Oh, wow," Stephanie gushed, as the pair walked in through the door. "You look lovely!"
Sam introduced everybody, and then Yvonne left, since her work was done. Then it was time for the three to put on their dresses. Janet and Cassie helped each other put on their maroon, strappy dresses, while Stephanie helped Sam step into her strapless, beaded, cream gown, and checked to see if her veil was on straight. Larissa watched, interested.
"I'm so happy for you!" beamed Stephanie. "I'm sure you two will be very happy together."
"I hope so, I just love him so much. I had never dared hope that this would ever happen," Sam replied, indicating her dress.
Carefully, they hugged, glad to be sharing the moment together before the ceremony.
"Riss and I had better get going to the church. Mark and Matt will be waiting there for us," Stephanie told Sam. "But we'll see you at the reception, okay?"
The three hugged their farewells, leaving Sam to out on her jewellery, to check on Janet and Cassie, and to wait for their limousine ride to the church.
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Jack had woken up with butterflies in his stomach. It may not have been his first wedding, but he was as nervous as hell. He couldn't believe he was about to marry the woman of his dreams - the woman who had been off-limits for so long. He was woken from his reverie, when he heard the sound of loud clanging coming from the kitchen. He groaned, sure, both his mom and Teal'c weren't a problem, but why had he let Jonas stay over last night? Sure, he had taken to him a lot more recently, and had even agreed to let him be a groomsman, as Daniel wasn't to be there. But sometimes...
He walked down the stairs of the house that was now Sam's and his (his former home had been sold at a good price last week) to check what the hell was going on. He would have thought his mother would have been in the kitchen (she loved to cook), but sure enough, as he had expected from the sounds going on, he found Teal'c and Jonas there. Jonas was apparently trying to cook a traditional Kelownan breakfast for Jack for his big day. It was times like this, that Jack wished he would just continue his appreciation for 'traditional American food'.
"Jonas Quinn, I did advise you that this was not wise," Teal'c told Jonas, as Jack entered the kitchen and glared at the mess.
At that moment, Mary O'Neill entered the kitchen, carrying some groceries. It looked as though she had been up some time. "My goodness, what has been going on here?" she clucked, like a mother hen. "I think you boys had better leave breakfast to me. Go and get yourselves cleaned up," she said, ushering the three men out of the kitchen.
The three 'boys' did just that. Soon the aroma of pancakes wafted from the kitchen, and Jack's mouth started to water. Jonas looked eagerly at the kitchen, and even Teal'c seemed to like what he was smelling. Soon enough, they were tucking into high piles of pancakes, covered in syrup, fresh fruit, and ice-cream. Even Jack, as nervous as he was, managed to get through his. While they were eating, Jacob arrived in his uniform, having just come through the Stargate. He too, enjoyed Mary O'Neill's cooking. And he had been interested in meeting the poor woman who had spawned Jack O'Neill.
After they had eaten their fill, Jack dressed in his uniform, and Jonas and Teal'c dressed in their blue suits (and Teal'c wearing a hat, in blue to match his suit). All three looked very dashing.
Mary and Jacob appraised the three. Mary looked very proud, and Jacob made an off-hand remark that if he ever hurt Sam, his life would not be worth living, but as he was grinning, no-one took him too seriously.
Soon, it was time for everyone to depart for the church.
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The church that the ceremony was to be held at, was a lovely, older building. It was the church that Sam attended on occasion, and the minister, Reverend Philip Holbrook was to conduct the service. He was pleased to be doing this, though Samantha Carter did not frequently attend, he and his wife, Anne were quite fond of the young woman.
The church was filling, with family and friends alike, though it was not to be a large affair. Reverend Holbrook saw who he knew must be Samantha and her fiancé's family filling up the front pews. 'That little girl there, certainly does resemble Samantha', he thought.
It wasn't long before the ceremony began. Janet and Cassie made their way towards the altar, escorted by Jonas and Teal'c, carrying bouquets of white and deep-red roses. They looked beautiful, though Jack, standing at the altar barely noticed them. His stomach was fluttering, and he could hardly believe what was happening.
Soon he heard the first bars of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major (a piece Sam had insisted they use and had hired violinists for). Sam, a vision in cream, appeared, carrying a bouquet of white roses. Jacob proudly escorted her up the aisle, and nobody could help but notice how beautiful she looked. Jack's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets - he hadn't seen her that dressed up, since their visit to the Shavadai more than five years before!
Sam walked up the aisle, with her father. By hell, she was shaking, but seeing Jack there, she was filled with love, she had cared for that man deeply for years, and now they were finally here, getting married. How handsome he looked! The walk to the altar was over in what seemed like a matter of moments, and she soon found her hand joined with Jack's. They looked at each other, both so pleased with what they were seeing, so glad that they were going to live their lives, side by side. Both of them were more than a little misty-eyed.
Reverend Holbrook commenced the ceremony, "We are gathered here, in the sight of God to witness the marriage of this man, Jack O'Neill and this woman Samantha Carter."
The whole of the bridal party could not help but smile at these words. It had taken the pair long enough!
All too soon though, Sam and Jack found themselves saying their vows to each other. Jack grasped Sam's hand, looked her in they eyes, and said:
"I Jack O'Neill, in the presence of God, take you, Samantha Carter, to be my wife; to have and to hold from this day forward; for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both live. This is my solemn vow and promise" Jack pledged, feeling very choked up with emotion.
Sam', eyes were watering, she was melting in Jack's eyes. She too made her pledge:
I Samantha Cater, in the presence of God, take you, Jack O'Neill, to be my husband; to have and to hold from this day forward; for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both live. This is my solemn vow and promise" They continued gazing into each other's eyes, faces grinning so hard, they looked as they both might break.
It was then time for them to exchange rings. Teal'c produced them, and Reverend Holbrook blessed them. Jack slid one of the rings onto Sam's finger, while saying "With this ring I wed you, with my body I worship you; with all that I am and all that I have I honour you; in the name of God. Amen.
Sam took Jack's ring, and uttered likewise, "With this ring I wed you, with my body I worship you; with all that I am and all that I have I honour you; in the name of God. Amen. They squeezed each other's hands with these words.
Soon after, Reverend Holbrook uttered the final prayers, and ended the ceremony with the words, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" he grinned, eyes twinkling.
Jack threw back Sam's veil, and they kissed each other thoroughly, arms wrapped tightly around each other. How sweet those words were for them! "I am proud to present to you, Jack and Samantha O'Neill" ended Reverend Holbrook.
With the ceremony over, the newly married couple exited the church, where they were showered with rice. The atmosphere was happy and filled with excitement. They were swarmed by the aforementioned family, friends, and colleagues. However, as it was time for the photographs, they had to leave the small crowd, and the small crowd departed for the restaurant, where the reception was to be held.
For the photographs, Sam, Jack, and the rest of the bridal party went to a park that was only across from the church. Sam had posed for some earlier upon her arrival at the church, including stepping out of the limousine. Fortunately, she was a much more patient person than Jack, and she had to admit that she enjoyed the fuss. Fortunately, the session went well, and they had posed for some terrific shots. The photographer was pleased with the group, as they had been fairly easy to work with (with the exception of the bridegroom). With the photos out of the way, they departed for the reception, which was being held in a function room of a local restaurant.
They made their way there, to a beautifully-decorated room full of excited guests, while the photographer chose that moment to take some more shots. Soon enough, the happy couple and the rest of the bridal party were seated, and the meal began. Settling the menu had probably one of the harder things to decide on for the wedding, but they weren't disappointed. For starters, there was the choice of turkey and avocado salad, or pumpkin soup. For mains, there was the choice of roast lamb, chicken parmigiana, or spicy grilled vegetable. For dessert, there was the choice of crème caramel, or chocolate mousse.
Jack and Sam enjoyed the chance to speak to everybody, especially their families. Jacob, Mark, Stephanie and the children were pleased that Jack was to be a part of the family. Mary, likewise was pleased to have a new daughter-in-law. And as for their friends and colleagues, they all winked and nudged at each other, thinking that it had taken the couple long enough. Sam couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard mention something about someone being the winner of a bet. She shrugged it off, she had better things to think about.
After the speeches, and the cutting of the cake, it was time for Sam and Jack to dance. Jack stood up, held out his hand, and Sam stood, and the pair walked over to the small dance floor. Jack wasn't much of a dancer, but he had found himself unable to refuse Sam's request, though he had muttered comments about getting soft in his old age. But none of that mattered now, as the pair wrapped their arms around each other, and started dancing, as the words of Bryan Adam's '(Everything I do) I do it for You' played out of the loudspeakers. Tears welled in Sam's eyes as she looked up at her new husband. She loved him so much, she could not fathom a life without him. How she had gone all these years of restraint she could not understand. After all they had pulled through together, the words to the song were meaningingful.
They continued dancing together, arms wrapped around each other, as the music changed, and Lonestar's 'Amazed' then began. Though Jack's taste in music leaned more toward classical, he pondered on the truth of the words of the song. There was no other woman in this galaxy for him. He turned his face toward Sam, and gently kissed her.
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Sadly, it was over all to soon, and it was time to leave. They departed back to their home, to change outfits, as Jack had made arrangements for their honeymoon to fly to Minnesota, and stay there for two weeks. He had told Sam that spring was one of the best times of the year at his cabin.
Sam was starting to wonder if they'd make it to the flight, the way the present mood was going. "Jack," she managed to get out between kisses, "don't we have a flight to catch? We're late already."
Jack grinned. "I found us a quicker way to the airport!" With that, they broke apart long enough to finish changing, and Jack led her to an empty field near their home. In that moment, a helicopter arrived, and landed.
Sam's eyes widened. "How on earth did you manage that?"
"A friend owed me a favour. I know it's not as though neither have us been on a chopper before, but I thought it might be fun." Jack replied, pleased with the happy expression on Sam's face.
Sam's face grinned in delight. "Definitely. Hey can I have a turn controlling the craft?"
Jack groaned laughingly. He might have known. "I don't know, you'll have to ask," he grinned affectionately.
The ride was over shortly (after both Sam and Jack had each taken a turn guiding the chopper), and they arrived at the Denver airport, with time to spare. While they were sitting, waiting, Jack smirked. "I told you I'd get you to Minnesota. I never turn down a challenge!"
Sam smiled sweetly. "If I didn't agree now, I knew it would be all I heard about all our married life."
Jack laughed. "Well, all it took me to get you there, was a ring on your finger!"
At that moment, their flight was announced, and they started to make their way towards the departure gates.
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That evening after their flight had ended, they made their way out of the plane, in Minneapolis. Jack arranged a rental car, and he drove them to his cabin.
Though it was completely dark, by the time that they arrived, Sam could make out enough of the surroundings to see that it was a pretty location.
"So what do you think?" Jack asked her, as he led her into the cabin, both carrying their bags.
"It looks a great place to spend time together... alone," Sam winked, walking ahead of him.
"Mmm," Jack caught up, and nuzzled up to her. "I like your thinking."
And with that, Jack led her to the bedroom.
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As they lay there early the next morning, side by side, Jack watched his beautiful new bride peacefully sleeping. A small smile formed on his lips. What had he done to deserve such happiness? After all he had been through in his life, and what he and Sam had been through together, he was not going to waste a single moment. He was going to spend the rest of his life with her, 'by my side', he thought.
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Coming soon to - Story 11: It's a Secret (Yes, that's the real title! LOL)
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