AN: The dress belongs to fluffybunnies and Sarah. They designed it. If you're an expert dress-maker and you decide to make it and sell it for millions, at least pass on a picture of it!

Chapter 11

(6 months later)

He shuffled his feet again, returning Daniel's irritated glare. He was about to mutter some wisecrack to cover his knee knocking nervousness when the music started. He 'girls' - including Daniel - had taken great measures to make sure he hadn't seen the dress or the woman in the last twenty-four hours. In fact he hadn't seen the dress at all. Janet had given him a list of colours he, Daniel and Jacob could and couldn't wear to match the bride. They had ended up in cream suits that Janet had smiled at approvingly. They were a lot more comfortable than the dress blues that the rest of the church, save for one or two, seemed to be wearing. He took a deep breath as the doors creaked open a little more and the music lifted to the ceiling of the small, tightly packed church.

His jaw dropped and the breath he was holding escaped him in a 'wow' as his bride stepped around the corner on her father's arm. He had to resist the urge to rub his eyes as he realised that she was indeed walking down the isle towards him. A ripple of surprise and awe spread through the crowd.

The dress she wore was a creamy-white that matched their suits perfectly. A wide band spread across her shoulders, delicately decorated with small blue embroidered flowers. From this the dress was a tight embroidered corset to her waist and the material dropped gently to the floor from there. It extended out behind her to where it was picked up by Janet and Sarah, Sam's physiotherapist, and Cassie at the back.

Jack smiled widely at Sam and a quaking smile was returned. This had been planned, it was obvious. Her footsteps were slow and measures, practised and timed to the music. She was leaning heavily on her father, as was evidenced by her pale knuckles, but her steps were sure.

She reached his side and turned to him, smiling widely now, and released her father's arm. Jack's eyes questioned her as she wavered slightly, standing alone, but her smile reassured him.

Minutes later they kissed as husband and wife. Smiling even wider, if it were possible, she leant her head on his shoulder, whispering in his ear, with a laugh.

"If I don't sit down soon I'm going to fall." Laughing as well, he lifted her from the floor, gaining laughs from all watching. Sarah appeared with the chair, but Jack waved her away and carried the love of his life back down the isle to the waiting car.

Sam sat at the entrance to the lower level lift, cursing her luck. Only her wedding could end in a foothold situation at the base. They hadn't even got to the reception when the call had come for Jack. With no time to spare they had left Sam on the changeover level with a gun, a bittersweet kiss and heartfelt apology from Jack before he jumped into the lift carriage his only goodbye. Sam had accepted several more apologies from other SGC members of staff called back from her party as they piled into the lift and made their way down to the crisis below. She wished she was able to make a call to apologise to those left without their hosts but knew all communication with the outside would be locked down during the foothold situation. Silently she sat and waited, and cursed.

The gun was up and aimed before the lift doors even began to open, she was prepared for whatever came through. When Janet was revealed, the gun dropped immediately, but she was no less tense. They'd met aliens able to disguise themselves as friends before. Only when Janet stepped out of the car with her hands clear and in front of her did she relax marginally.

"Sam, the foothold situation has been aborted. But something went wrong." Sam could feel the blood drain out of her face. "Jack went after them... he's dead."

Daniel Jackson thought of the year that had passed since Sam and Jack had returned through the stargate to PX6 666. They had remained on the planet a second time as the rest of the team once again was returned to Earth unharmed. The team had finally settled into a pattern, the time healing the wounds that the second loss of their team mates had caused. Daniel no longer left Earth to seek out new life or old and instead allowed time to examine all material brought back to Earth from the many voyages made by the other teams. Teal'c's prim'ta had reached maturity and a replacement had been found just in time to save him, but after a short term of recovery he returned to join SG2 after they lost one of their team. The SGC had mourned the passing of SG1 and no team had replaced them as a sign of respect.

The General had eventually begun to feel his age and had retired, suggesting one of his closest friends, General Rogers, for the post. The new General was a good soul who had helped the SGC through many problems, even though there was some anonymity in that ranks due to the loss of the General who had lead them for so many years. He had settled in well and quickly understood the SG1' situation.

Time had not stopped with the loss of half of the flagship team, but Daniel found himself suddenly edgy and nervous. Something was going to happen and he knew it. He headed to the control room, hoping to find some hint of what was making him so edgy.

Jack's eyes were blurry as he woke, but he knew the smells and sounds of the SGC infirmary all too well. He flinched as a bright light invaded his mind.

"Colonel?"

"Hey, Doc." He managed.

"Welcome home, again. Do you know where Sam is?"