AN: Sorry it has been taking me so long to post these! I have been keeping a couple of chapters ahead as I want to make sure I am happy with where it is going...
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 13 - Shiny Things
Colonel O'Neill - Jack, she reminded herself - led Sam down the hall and stopped with her in front of the elevator. He looked around the hallway, checking they were alone, before placing a hand on her elbow and leaning towards her.
"Are you okay with this?" He asked, waving his free hand between them in an 'us' gesture.
"Yeah." She smiled back at him, "I mean don't get me wrong, it's a little sudden, sir. But I'm more than okay with it."
He beamed at her, then reached up and grasped her shoulder before they stepped into the elevator. She wasn't really paying attention as they rode the elevator, and was surprised when the doors opened at level 21 and Jack stepped out ahead of her. She rushed to catch up with him and made it to his side as he stopped outside the infirmary door.
"Sir?" She asked, confused as to why they were returning here.
"I uh… need to run an errand. I'll send Daniel to take you home. You mind hanging out with Frasier for a bit?"
Sam was taken aback, but nodded in agreement. "Sure."
"Thanks." He smiled at her, squeezed her hand, and headed back to the elevator.
Sam shook her head, turned and headed into the empty infirmary. Janet was standing by the medicine cabinet doing inventory when she walked in, but looked up at the sound of her boots on the concrete floor.
"So?" She asked eagerly when she saw Sam.
"So…?" Sam began to ask, then it hit her and her eyes widened in shock. "You knew!"
Janet has the decency to look a little sheepish as she replied. "Yes. But I was sworn to secrecy. Well, is there going to be a wedding?"
Sam nodded, and Janet squealed, throwing her inventory chart on the nearest cot as she ran the few steps to Sam grasping her hands.
"Oh my god. You're getting married!"
Sam found herself grinning despite herself. Janet's enthusiasm really was contagious - and it helped Sam who was becoming more excited herself.
"When?" Janet exclaimed, leading Sam into her office.
"Well, we haven't really discussed the details…" Sam trailed off, taking a seat.
"Well, it will have to be right away, otherwise you'll be showing, and that will ruin all the pictures."
"Pictures? Janet, we'll probably just go down to city hall or something."
Janet gaped at her. "City Hall? Nuh uh. No way. You two have waited too long for a City Hall wedding." She scoffed. "No, you are doing this the right way. We have to get you a dress and flowers, oh and the Colonel will have to wear his dress blues, of course."
"Of course." Sam replied, barely holding in her snicker.
"Let's see, you're effectively nine weeks pregnant now, which means you have… Hmm, three to nine days before you start showing. So Sunday. That's four days from now, if you're showing at all it won't be much!"
"Whoa, Janet, you want me to plan a wedding in four days?"
"No, of course not. I'll plan it. You just have to help me pick out the dress and flowers… I'd suggest an empire waist to hide the bump. And of course you'll need to pick wedding colors and bridesmaids, -"
Janet stopped speaking as Sam dissolved into laughter. Finally pulling herself together at Janet's hurt expression Sam spoke.
"I'm sorry Janet, it's just nice to see you so excited about this. Of course, you can plan my wedding."
"Well, let's get started! Who are your bridesmaids and what are your colors?"
—
Sam had been home for a few hours now. Daniel had picked her up and - thankfully - driven her to her own home. It wasn't that she necessarily minded being at Jack's house. It's just there were things she would like to have with her that Daniel hadn't thought to pack when he got her go back. Things like underwear. Well, maybe it wasn't so much Daniel forgot to pack them, as he didn't feel comfortable rifling around in her underwear drawer. Which Sam was grateful for, but it didn't change the fact they were a necessary article of clothing.
Janet had sent Sam home with a list of decisions to make, a list of things she would need, a stack of magazines, and some sort of cream Sorteria had given her based on a recipe that would supposedly keep her skin from bursting or ripping as it stretched at a far greater speed than normal. Currently, Sam was packing a bag since she was fairly certain Jack was going to drag her back to his house once he returned from whatever his errand was.
Daniel sat on her bed flipping through the wedding dress catalogue Janet had sent home. He had tried to help her pack at first, but after a few minutes he realized he was only getting in the way.
"This is a nice dress." Daniel said, breaking the silence. He had graciously offered to help Sam find a dress, something he wasn't at all interested in, but had enough experience with style - if only ancient civilization styles - to at least filter out the gaudy ones.
Sam paused what she was doing and moved to look over his shoulder. He had stopped at a stunning sheath dress with lace overlay.
"It is, but remember what Janet said; we have to look for an empire waist."
"I don't know what that means." He admitted.
Sam smiled at him ironically. Until a few hours ago, neither did she. Fashion wasn't exactly her thing; she was more likely to be found in a leather jacket than a dress.
"Janet said it flares out just under the… uh... bodice? But here, look at the bottom there's a little description; see this one is called a sheath dress."
"Oh! Okay, that helps."
There was a knock at the door, and they both turned to look through Sam's bedroom door in the direction the sound had come from.
"That must be Jack." Daniel said, laying the catalog face down on the bed.
"Yeah. I'll get it." She said, tossing the items in her hand into the open bag as she headed in the direction of her front door.
She grasped the doorknob and opened the door to see Jack O'Neill down on one knee on her front porch.
"Jack, what the hell are you doing?" She said, laughing.
"Hey! You called me by my name!" He beamed.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Oh fer cryin' out loud, just let me do this the right way."
"The right way?"
"Yeah. Oh! Hang on." He slipped his hand into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. "Okay. Samantha Carter, will you marry me?"
He snapped open the box to reveal a stunning ring. The stone was circular, and the exact color of the stargate's event horizon. It was encircled with a yellow gold floral twist pattern that had small diamonds embedded into it.
"Where on earth did you get that?!" Sam gasped.
"Ah! I asked first."
"You already know the answer." Sam said, noticing Daniel slip past her holding his camcorder in his hand. 'So he was in on this, huh?' She thought to herself.
"Carter."
"Jack?" She was really starting to enjoy this. But maybe it was about time to take mercy on him.
"Will you marry me?"
"I suppose.." she teased for a moment, before grinning at him. "Yes, of course I'll marry you."
He scrambled to his feet and grabbed her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her body into his as he cupped the back of her head, his lips crashing down on hers. After a moment, she heard Daniel cough uncomfortably, and they separated. Sam looked over at Daniel sheepishly, but he simply smiled and shrugged.
"Not that I don't think the two of you look great together, I just figured you didn't need your engagement video turning into a sex tape."
Sam felt herself flush, and Jack rolled his eyes dramatically before sarcastically saying "Sorry if we scarred you, Danny."
"My turn. Where on earth did you find this ring?" Sam asked, as he slipped the ring onto her finger. Just like the paper ring, it was a perfect fit. She couldn't quite fathom how he'd figured out her ring size; even she didn't know that.
"I didn't get it on Earth." He said, a twinkle in his eye.
"Explain."
"Well, after I dropped you at the infirmary I went to see Teal'c. He told me about this little trading planet that makes Stargate themed jewelry out of a unique stone that looks exactly like an open wormhole. What did he call it?"
"It is called a khesbedj." Teal'c said, seeming to appear from thin air.
"That's ancient Egyptian for the color blue." Daniel said.
"Teal'c, have you been here this whole time?" Sam asked, feeling concerned she hadn't noticed her friend.
"Indeed, Major Carter. Colonel O'Neill asked that I capture this moment in still photographs. I have been hiding behind that bush." He gestured to a bush on the edge of her property.
Sam snorted. "Behind a bush, huh?" Then she dissolved into laughter.
"Anyway." Jack said, recapturing her attention. "The reason it took me so long is because they offered to engrave it on the spot. Take a look."
Sam stared at him for a second, then slipped the ring off and looked inside the band. Engraved there were the 6 symbols which made up Earth's Stargate address.
"So you can always find your way home." He said, shrugging as though it were silly.
Sam felt herself tear up as she slipped the ring back on her finger and pulled him into an embrace, kissing his cheek as she said "I love it. It's perfect."
"And I love you." He whispered into her ear, before pulling away. "Now, what is this I hear about us getting married in four days?"
"Technically, sir," she said, tacking on the honorific to tease him. "It's three days, since it's already evening."
"Evening. Shit, Sharlynn is gonna be pissed I did this without her!"
"Well, you could always do it again." Daniel said, teasing.
"Maybe we'll just let her watch the video." Jack said, after a brief moment of consideration. "Come on, let's get you loaded up and back to my place."
After a few minutes of hurried packing, Sam climbed into Jack's truck, and watched Teal'c climb into Daniel's car.
"So are they coming over?"
"Yeah, but they're gonna go pick up some stuff first. We're celebrating tonight!"
"Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."