Huge thanks to imokit, antra, Yasmine Lupin, DiedForChrist, Bixata, Eternal Density, Bill and davies-claire who reviewed the last chapter and to all who reviewed this story, it gave me the drive to finish posting it.

This is it, the end of this fic. Thank you for sticking with it and PLEASE break out of the habit of leaving almost no reviews for the last chapter (it's happened so many times it's depressing). Give me lots of reviews instead, they give me the motivation for continuing to write.

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"Now that we're all here." Harmmond declared when he entered the briefing room and sat down, his Texan drawl thickening with irritation "I'd really like to know why you, Colonel and Lieutenant, are sporting tattoos that seem identical, a matched set. And please tell me it's only because you got drunk and decided to embellish some kind of anniversary or an important holiday, because the other reason why you have the exact same designs is already causing me a headache."

He rubbed his forehead as an attempt to fight off the afore-mentioned headache. God, these highly trained specialist that were on SG teams were like a bunch of small kids with the kinds of trouble they got themselves in regularly.

The eight people before him looked at each other uncomfortably, then 6 of them turned to look at the other two, who seemed to try to disappear under the table. Jen pushed her chair back so that Jack's body sheltered her from Hammond's view.

"Well, sir, it's actually quite funny..." Jack chuckled forcedly, fearfully, carefully moving away from the man in question "The Lieutenant and I got married and got these cool tattoos, together with those clothes and a house, as a wedding present. Btw., can we also get a couple of weeks for our honeymoon from you?" he blinked innocently, while the others froze in shock and fear of the General's reaction. Jen whimpered and kicked Jack viciously in the shin, but failed to produce any other satisfying reaction from him than a quick, pained flinch.

Twin lasers zeroed in on him and Jack knew his time on Earth was numbered if he didn't quickly explain his comment. Therefore he, however hesitantly, launched into a haphazard recollection of events, frequently interrupted by Daniel's "helpful" inputs.

Hammond was silent for a few seconds after having heard the entire report on the mission and just observed the freshly-baked couple. Jack was starting to get worried for the older man, blood pressure that high wasn't good for him. What was even worse: Jack didn't know who his CO was mad at, him and Jen or the Romans?

It was several tense minutes before the General managed to calm himself down enough to form an answer, during which the two teams were exchanging apprehensive looks.

"I see. You're right, Colonel, Lieutenant, this marriage will be acknowledged by the US government. Even though Colonel O'Neill is not your CO, Lieutenant Hailey, he still is the base's XO, so a few changes will have to be made. Any matter concerning you will be handled by your team leader, LtCol Michaels, and by myself, with your husband taken out of the equation completely." Several heads nodded in agreement, even those that had nothing to do with the matter.

Finally having gotten that out of the way, Hammond smiled more pleasantly, the way he always did to put at ease the person he was talking to "What do you intend to do now? From what Dr Jackson said there's no divorce..."

Jack looked at Jennifer, who was looking at him imploringly. She obviously didn't want to be the one to say it. Jack cleared his throat and played with a pen. "Well, sir, we talked and decided to make a go of it. There's no chance for us for a relationship with anyone else, anyway, now that we're married and are supposed to stay that way for the rest of our lives. A relationship with anyone else would be pointless anyway since we couldn't marry them. So, we decided to make the best of our situation and take the opportunity we have been given."

Hammond looked at them. "You sure? Nowadays long-term non-marital relationships are becoming widely spread and marriage is no longer a must for two partners to stay together."

This time it was Jennifer who answered, shaking her head. "No, sir. I think I can safely speak for both of us when I say that that is not an option for us. From what I know of the Colonel, he is also a traditionalist when it comes to committed relationships. If I have a long-term relationship with someone I want the safety and legal protection of marriage as well, especially if I am to have children with that person. I could never just live with a man and have a family with him without being married to him. Besides that, it would also be adultery, since I would still be married to the Colo... to Jack and according to the UCMJ adultery is a crime."

Hammond nodded thoughtfully.

"Are you going to have another wedding here on Earth?" he wanted to know next. Suddenly Jennifer had everyone's attention since they all wanted to know, even Jack, with whom she hadn't had enough time to talk about this.

She sent a look at Jack, apologizing for making the executive decision. She didn't know what his feeilngs on this were, but she knew she didn't want to go into the hassle of organizing a big wedding, since she was married already anyway.

Leveling a steady look at her new direct CO she answered calmly. "No, sir, there won't be an Earth-bound wedding. I'm a married woman, sir, as much as I'm still having trouble with that sinking in. I already had one wedding. I just want a marriage certificate and appropriate changes in mine and Jack's files." the ease with which she used his first name and not a 'sir' or his rank, surprised Jack as well as herself. "Besides, I had an authentic Ancient Roman wedding, reserved only for the rich class. How many other people on Earth can claim that and how can anything on this planet top it, sir?"

Chuckling was heard across the room as everyone nodded in agreement. When she looked at him Jack had a small grin in his lips and merriment in his deep brown eyes, so similar to her own.

The General's penetrating gaze didn't waver, though "And what are your feelings on this marriage? How you feel about it, not what you think of it, Lieutenant." he intercepted Jen's reminder she'd already told him.

Jen was stunned speechless for a few seconds, feverishly trying to analyze her feelings on the matter.

"Well, sir." she finally started cautiously "On one hand I'm still angry they forced us into this, while on the other hand... On the other hand I'm oddly grateful to them. Because of the work we do and the hours we keep it's practically impossible to start and maintain a relationship with someone outside this command, even if they are military. From what I've noticed the divorce rate is very high for SG teams. And the further problem is that the people who DO know what we do, who would understand why we disappear for days or weeks on end, why we can't talk about our work or about why we get shot or killed under a mountain in the middle of the continental US, are out of our reach because of the regs. When I really think about it, I'm kinda glad this happened, because otherwise I would've either stayed alone or would have to go through a heartbreak and a divorce because of all these reasons years down the line if I found someone not forbidden by the regs. So, yes..." Jen nodded decisely "in the end, I'm glad this happened."

Murmurs of agreement echoed around the room, everyone having had too much bad experience with working at the SGC and trying to lead a love life with someone from the outside.

"And you, Colonel?" this was something he was really interested in.

Jack regarded his CO for a few seconds, deliberating how to put it, then decided to just be himself "I'm taking it as my second chance, sir. My last chance, at life and happiness."

Everyone was silent, struck by the remembered despair of loneliness and hopeless resignation into a miserable and lonely future that rang clearly in Jack's voice.

"Then one could say this is a marriage of convenience." Hammond finally remarked jokingly, to break the solemn silence Jack's heartfelt words had caused

Jack and Jennifer couldn't help but snort, but it was Jack who spoke up, Jennifer still way too light on rank to be a smartass to a General "Convenient? Ha! Respectfully, sir, this marriage is as inconvenient as it can get. Marrying a 20 years younger geek is not convenient. But somehow..." Jack looked at Jennifer, who had started to distance herself from him at his callous words "Somehow I get the feeling we'll still do alright." She stopped and looked at Jack, cautiously returning his hopeful smile.

Yup, they just might make it.

THE END

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