A/N: As always thanks for the reviews! Sorry it's taken me a while to get this chapter up! Dani thanks as always :)
Disclaimer: MGM
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Sam was woken in the middle of the night by Jack's phone going off. Jack answered it and groaned. After he finished his conversation he turned to Sam.
"I'm needed back at the base. Will you be okay here on your own?" he asked her as he turned on the light.
Sam nodded. "They don't need me?" she queried.
"Not this time. There is an issue with the leader of one of the other teams. It's a staffing problem," he said grimly.
Sam nodded in understanding; Jack as senior staff on the base, sometimes had to deal with discipline problems.
"I'll leave Mitch and Laura's number by the phone. Maybe you could arrange something with them. I'll ring you when I can," he said as he was leaving.
As Jack jumped in the truck and headed off, Sam checked the time. It was two am and after making herself a drink, she settled back down to sleep. It was ten when she woke to the sound of her own mobile ringing.
"Carter," she managed sleepily.
She smiled when she heard Jack's voice on the other end.
"Sorry darling did I wake you?" he asked concerned. Sam picked up on the endearment straight away; it was the first time he had ever called her anything other than her name or rank.
"Yes you did but it doesn't matter. How are things there?" she asked him.
"There's one hell of a stink going on. SG12 hit the town last night and got drunk. The CO managed to get himself arrested and they are pressing charges. It's going to take me a while to sort out. I should be back this evening though," he filled her in.
"Sounds like a fun filled day. I will look forward to seeing you back tonight but we had better head back tomorrow anyway; it's Wednesday and I will only have two days left to get ready for the wedding," Sam advised him.
Jack agreed then Sam could hear him being called in the background.
"I've got to go. Love you." Sam just about had time to say love you back before he rang off.
Now she was awake finally, Sam got dressed and made herself some coffee and toast before ringing Laura's number.
"Laura McDonald," she answered.
"Hi Laura, it's Sam here," she replied.
"Sam! How are you?" Sam could hear the warmth in the other woman's voice.
"I'm fine Laura. Jack has been called back to work so I am stuck here. I was wondering if I could come over and collect my bike?" Sam filled her in.
"While the cats away?" Laura asked laughing.
"No, not really but I want to go shopping and Jack took the truck," Sam grinned down the phone.
"Shopping..." Laura repeated "Fancy some company?"
"Sounds like fun!" Sam agreed and Laura arranged to pick Sam up in half an hour.
"And bring your leathers then you can ride your bike back later on," Laura suggested.
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When Laura arrived, Sam filled her in on the wedding, inviting both Mitch and Laura to the blessing at the church. It took some explaining as to why they were getting married on the base but Sam managed to cover it by saying some people wanted to be there who were unable leave the base easily without cover. This way everyone got to go. Laura agreed and said she was looking forward to seeing her at the church.
They had great fun shopping together. Sam made a list of everything she thought she would need and Laura helpfully looked it over and made a few suggestions herself.
They went into a bridal shop, 'just to look' as Sam put it. Sam had great fun trying some dresses on until she came to one. It was a pale cream silk with a low neck and fitted bodice with a little train at the back and it swished around her legs. When Sam looked at herself in the mirror, she gasped; it was the one. Although she felt a little guilty that Janet was not there to see her, she put it to one side thinking that Janet would have fun picking out her own dress. Laura selected a vale to go with it and some shoes and Sam had to admit it was gorgeous. It was the wedding dress she had always dreamed of.
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A little while later there were some big boxes in the back of Laura's car and they made their way home and Mitch met them at the door.
"Hi you two, what you been up too?" he asked them.
Laura smiled at him. "Just shopping for the wedding!" she told him.
Mitch stopped in his tracks on the way out to the garage and when Laura filled him in, he quickly hugged Sam. Then they went inside to have something to eat and Sam explained the plans for the next Saturday.
"Well if you would like, we could come in on Friday and bring the dress with us? That why there's no way Jack will see it," Laura suggested.
"Actually that would be really helpful. I am planning on getting changed at my friend Janet's house. Janet and her daughter are going to be my bridesmaids. Maybe you could bring it over and give me a hand?" Sam asked Laura.
"I'd love too! What time is everything happening?" Laura asked.
"Well the wedding on the base is going to be early so we should be away from there by one. I think they are putting some sort of buffet on for us. Then it was back to Janet's to get ready for the blessing at four and Jack's arranged for us all to go to a restaurant he knows afterwards," Sam explained.
"Would that be Marco's by any chance?" Mitch asked.
"Yes?" Sam looked at him slightly surprised.
"It's owned by Mark Harding. He's a friend of Jack and mine from back in the day. Tell you what why don't I keep him amused in between times? I don't think I want to be hanging around you bunch!" Mitch suggested.
Sam laughed and agreed then she glanced at her watch and was surprised to find it was nearly three.
"I'd better think about heading back," Sam stated.
Mitch looked at her. "Fancy trying that bike of yours on the circuit first?"
Sam's eyes shone and Laura looked at her in concern.
"Do you think you should? If anything happens to you Jack will kill me!" Laura said nervously.
"Are... but you said yourself Laura, while the cats away!" Sam grinned and got up.
Laura shrugged but looked unhappy about it and Mitch and Sam leathered up and headed out. Sam had to admit it was good to be back on the bike again. Following Mitch, she noticed he handled his bike well and they even raced a little bit on a clear stretch of road. When they reached the track they booked in. Mitch went round first then Sam had a go. Mitch watched as Sam flashed by, she was even faster on her own bike and he found himself turned on watching her. Mitch knew he would never do anything about it, but as he had said to Jack, he would have to get used to men watching her!
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Jack arrived at the cabin to find Sam out so he headed around to his friends and he found Laura hanging out some washing. Laura jumped when she saw him and tried to cover quickly.
"Jack! Hi. I wasn't expecting you back yet," she said hurriedly. And neither was Sam.
"Hi Laura, Sam's not at the cabin. Is she here?" Jack looked around and Laura shifted nervously.
Watching her, Jack guessed correctly and he frowned.
"They've gone out on the bikes haven't they?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid so Jack," Laura said regretfully then her phone rang. The caller display said it was Mitch phoning and her heart went in her mouth.
"Mitch Hi," she answered and Jack watched her questioningly until his own phone rang and checking it he saw it was the SGC.
"O'Neill," he answered
"Colonel O'Neill it's the SGC here. I have General Hammond for you," said the voice on the other end. Great, now what?
"Okay put him through," Jack said, trying to listen in on Laura's conversation as well. As far as he could tell; it did not appear that anyone was hurt, but something was going on.
The General's voice came on the line.
"Colonel where are you?" he barked.
"I've just arrived back at the cabin sir. Do you need me back?" he asked. God he hoped not.
"No Colonel. We have a situation concerning Major Carter," the General informed him.
"What? What kind of situation? Sir," he added as an afterthought.
"It would appear she's been caught speeding and has been arrested. She is at your local precinct. Could you go down there and sort this mess out? And tell her I will be having words with her myself. I don't know what's got into my staff today!" he yelled and with that he rang off. Jack looked up to find Laura watching him.
"Mitch just told you Sam's been pulled I guess?" he asked her holding her gaze firmly in his.
"Yes. I'm sorry Jack I did try to stop her going," Laura nodded, close to tears. Jack pulled her into a quick hug and spoke gently.
"It's not your fault Laura. Did Mitch get pulled too?" he asked.
"Yes. Apparently they were racing each other and triggered a speed trap. They've let Mitch go but they can't release Sam unless someone from the Air Force goes down there," she told him.
"Yes I have just had a phone call from my CO. Come on Laura we'd better go sort this out," Jack said and guided Laura out to the truck. At least I didn't bother changing before I got here. Jack was still looking imposing in full dress uniform.
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Sam had been put into an interview room to await the arrival from someone in the Air Force and the thought of who it might be was going through her head. Knowing that it would normally be her CO in this situation, she hoped to god it was not going to be Jack!
Jack walked into the precinct and took his hat off. A senior officer immediately came forward and filled Jack in on the details. Apparently she had been clocked doing over a hundred. Mitch was lucky, he had been behind and was not doing nearly that much and had got off with a warning. Sam, however, was in hot water and Jack was not impressed. He filled her release papers and then asked where she was.
"We have her in an interview room. Do you want to see her there?" the officer told asked him.
Jack felt that would be a good idea and followed him to the interview room. Sam looked up as he entered and automatically rose to her feet and saluted. Jack looked intensely at her.
"At ease Major, take a seat," he told her.
Sam sat, she recognised that tone. Boy, am I in trouble.
"Well this is a right mess. What were you thinking?" Jack held her gaze and gave her a look she was sorry to be on the other side of.
"I know sir, sorry sir," she responded, falling back on her military training for dealing with the situation.
"You are about to go on the second charge in a month. Do you want that promotion?" Jack asked her. Sam looked crestfallen, she had got so caught up in the moment she had not thought through the consequences.
Jack then let her have it with both barrels. Sam heard something about irresponsible, being a danger to other road users and she hung her head in shame. She had no defence he was right.
Laura and Mitch could hear the shouting outside as could the entire precinct. Jack was impressive when he got going. Mitch looked uncomfortable.
"This was my fault. I encouraged her to go riding. Jack should be shouting at me not her," he told Laura and he went towards the interview room door. Laura put a hand out and stopped him.
"Mitch I think this is the military side coming out. He got a phone call from his CO before he came here. Probably be best not to interfere," Laura filled him in. Mitch looked hesitant for a moment then walked back to where they were waiting.
Jack looked at Sam and his heart went out to her. Part of him only wanted to hold her in his arms and make it all go away. Unfortunately that was a part he could not give into right now.
"Well Major, you will have to sign the charge paper and you will have some enforced down time. The General is royally pissed so you can expect an interview with him and I don't think it will be pleasant," Jack told her.
"Yes sir," Sam replied quietly.
Jack got up and Sam was instantly on her feet saluting again.
"Come on Major let's get you out of here," Jack told her and he opened the door and Sam went through. Everyone was staring at her so she guessed they must have heard most of it.
Mitch was going to ride his bike back but one look at Jack's face told Sam hers would have to remain at the precinct until they could arrange for it to be picked up. Jack indicated to Sam to get in the back of the truck and Laura hopped into the front. Jack and Laura talked quietly in the front and Sam looked out of the window, too humiliated to speak. Jack dropped Laura off with the promise they would be back later for supper.
Jack drove back to the cabin and Sam followed him in, knowing she was not out of the woods yet. Jack's phone rang and he glanced at it then frowned at Sam, holding her gaze.
"Put him through. Hello Sir. Yes I have. I've put her on a charge and given her some enforced down time. Yes she is," and he wordlessly held the phone out to Sam.
"Sir?" she said hesitantly.
The General's voice filled her ears.
"Major Carter, What the hell do you think you are playing at?" he boomed at her.
"I'm sorry sir. I got carried away. I shouldn't have done it," she said trying to hold it together.
"That's as may be Major but if you weren't getting married in a couple of days I would confine you to barracks for this. Consider yourself warned," he barked.
"Yes sir, thank you sir," she replied.
"Put Colonel O'Neill back on the line," the General told her and Sam handed the phone back over to Jack.
"Yes Sir I will. I will fax it over as soon as it's done," Jack replied while Sam watched him nervously.
"Thank you sir," Jack finished up the conversation and hung up.
Jack then walked over to his brief case which he had bought back with him and pulled out a piece of paper. After he had filled in the charge form, he got Sam to sign it, and then he faxed it through. Looking tiredly at her, Jack sighed.
"I'm going for a shower. Mitch and Laura have invited us to supper," he told her and with that he walked away from her. Sam went to sit out by the lake, the sun was hanging low in the sky and Sam gave way to the tears that had been threatening since this whole sorry mess started. It turned into something different after a while and she cried for her mother who would not be there to see her wedding day, she still missed her.
Jack was watching her from the porch now he had changed and was drinking a coffee. If he did not know her better he would have thought she was crying. Watching her closely he heard the unmistakeable sound of a sob and he put his cup down and rushed over to her. The fact that Sam was a complete mess took him by surprise; he did not think she would take his bollocking that much to heart. Sam jumped when Jack pulled her into his arms.
"I'm sorry Sam; maybe I was a bit hard on you," he said gently but she shook her head no and Jack was even more puzzled. Hesitantly, Sam told him about her mother and he held her tight. Some things he was unable to fix but then he remembered something that might just cheer her up a bit.
"I managed to get through to the Tok'ra whilst I was back at the base and Jacobs coming," he told her still holding her tight to him.
Sam managed to smile through her tears, she had got through to her brother, Mark earlier and although he was surprised at the speed of things he promised he would be at the church so most of her family would be there.
"Why don't you go get freshened up? We need to leave soon," he gently asked her, pulling back. Smiling weakly at him, Sam gave him a shy kiss and headed in.
Sam used the time to pull herself together and gave herself a stern talking too. Then went out to where Jack was waiting for her by the truck. Jack held her again before they got in and kissed her deeply just like he had wanted to ever since he had got back.
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The evening was fun and Mitch tried to apologise to Jack. Jack shook his head and took him to one side.
"Mitch I don't blame you for what happened. She should have known better. But when it comes down to it I am her CO and if we are going to work this thing out I have to treat her like everyone else in this situation. As luck would have it I had to go back to base to sort something out that was similar to this, this morning. I couldn't give her any less of a bollocking than I had given them," Jack explained to his friend. Mitch nodded in understanding, wondering if they would make it. Marriage was complicated enough and he just hoped their love would see them through.
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A/N: Thanks for reading! Chapter 13 – The SGC Wedding.
