Sam insisted that she and Cassie take a taxi to the Broadmoor Hotel where the retirement party was taking place. Sam had never actually been inside the place before as it was the priciest place in town, but since several of the Joint Chiefs and the President would be attending and staying overnight, it had been picked to accommodate their needs. She had to admit the place took her breath away.

While Sam was in her dress blues as required by the occasion, Cassie had been thrilled at the opportunity to buy a new dress and Sam had to admit that her taste had matured beautifully in her year away at college. The dress she had chosen was simple and sophisticated at the same time. A two piece in midnight blue, the long skirt was a straight satin design while the velvet top with thin straps was set with hundreds of tiny platinum-set crystals that sparkled like the stars. The color fit in wonderfully with all of the dress blues that filled the room.

Both Sam and Jack were surprised to find Jacob Carter standing amongst the General's talking at one end of the ballroom. Sam was thrilled. It had been four months since her Dad had last checked in, but evidently someone, probably Hammond had clued him in about Jack's retirement and he had snuck in that morning through the gate to attend the party. She immediately dashed over to him and wrapped him in a hug.

"Dad, what a great surprise!" she exclaimed.

"Sam, what a nice welcome," he grinned, returning her hug. "I've missed you kiddo."

"I've missed you too. Have you seen the guest of honor?" she asked.

"I said a quick hello a few minutes ago, he's over by the bar," he told her.

"I'll just go say 'hi' and then we can catch up," she said kissing his cheek.

She found Jack surrounded by a group of the team leaders, with a beer in his hand. He looked relieved to see her.

"Carter, glad you could make it," he teased, knowing he had kept her at his house until the last possible minute and that she'd had to rush to pick up Cassie and go home and change.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Sir," she assured him with a grin. After all, she was really looking forward to staking her claim on him tonight.

"Sam, our ex-CO refuses to tell us his plans for retirement. Tell him fishing is not classified," Colonel Reynolds ordered.

"Oh. No I'm not getting in the middle of this one," she protested. "I just came by to give the General my congratulations and to get a glass of champagne. Then I will leave him to you all. Just don't get him too drunk before he has to give his speech," she warned. "Congratulations, Sir."

"Carter, you can stop calling me 'Sir' now," Jack pointed out.

Sam gave a snort. "Sure, as soon as you stop calling me Carter."

"Yeah, come on Jack, loosen up and call her Sam," Griff entreated. "And Sam, it wouldn't kill you to call him Jack."

The two started at each other for a moment, lost in the memories of this morning when they had called out each other's names in the heat of passion.

"Ok," Sam said not breaking eye contact. "I can do that. Congratulations, Jack," she practically purred. "I hope you enjoy every minute of your retirement."

"Thank you, Sam," he replied emphasizing her name and giving her a sexy grin. "I plan on it."

The bartender handed over Sam's glass just then, and she broke eye contact to take it.

"Well I'll see you later. I'm going to go catch up with my father," she said and walked away.

Jack watched her walk away. Damn witch was swaying those hips on purpose. He could feel the eyes of the other team leaders on him.

"Hey, Griff, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think O'Neill and Carter just propositioned each other," Reynolds said in disbelief.

"That's what it sounded like to me," Griff agreed.

Jack snapped his attention back to them. "I think you guys are hearing things," he told them, but he knew that the rumor mill would be in full swing any minute now.

Sam spent the better part of the next hour catching up with her dad. Jack was happy for Sam's sake, but could only hope that when they made their little announcement later there would be enough people around to protect him. He held out no hope of Jacob taking this news well. Sam on the other hand was sure that her father would be happy for her. She tried to set the groundwork a bit during their conversation.

"So, I talked to Mark last week. You need to call him tomorrow. He'll be thrilled to know you are ok. I didn't do a good job of reassuring him when we talked last week because I was worried myself," she explained.

"I'm glad the two of you are talking more often," Jacob commented.

"Yeah, it's been good," she admitted.

"So how is everything with you? I'm sure that SG1 and your lab work are keeping you busy, but have you been seeing anyone?" her dad asked.

"Yeah, there is somebody. I'll make sure you meet him this weekend," Sam assured him.

"It's serious?" Jacob inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"It's serious," Sam confessed, and knowing that once her father's curiosity was aroused he would not give up she raised a hand to ward of questions. "He's retired Air Force, and he used to work at the SGC so he knows all about what I do for a living, and that is all you are getting out of me for now. I promise to tell you more later. Now I have to go mingle."

Jack wanted to spring their engagement later in the evening so her beautiful ring was tucked safely in his uniform pocket. She seen him check twice during the cocktails to be sure that it was still there. Other than the brief greeting when she had arrived they were doing their best to ignore each other. Each of them set out to mingle and chat with the other guests and not do anything that would draw attention to the two of them, but still there was a buzz going around the room as people watched for any little sign that they were together. By the time Sam got up to give her speech after dinner the rumors were flying and everyone was waiting to see if she would give anything away.

She'd kept her speech fairly light hearted. It mostly consisted of a list of things she had learned over the years about her CO, including how it was best not to startle him awake unless you wanted to risk being taken down before you could even blink. And how despite all of her extensive research proving that blue was the best flavor of Jello, he insisted on eating red. A couple of the anecdotes were more serious, about how he taught her to never give up when stuck in an ice cave with him in Antarctica, and how he'd inspired an entire command of twenty-four SG teams to adopt the philosophy of never leaving a man behind. She concluded by saying that she felt confident in commanding her team because she had learned from the very best. It was the perfect speech from the perfect junior officer, and gave nothing away about how she had grown to love him as the years went on, or how she saved his butt because she couldn't imagine her life without him.

After she finished Hammond spoke and got the crown chuckling about his stories of trying to get Jack to do paperwork, or follow orders. While he was speaking and everyone's attention was on him, Jack slipped Sam's ring out of his pocket and handed it to her. She slid it onto her finger with a smile. This was going to be fun.

When Hammond was done, the President stood and said a few brief words about Jack's incredible years of service to his country and to his planet. Then he introduced Jack, and the General rose to a round of thunderous applause.

Once the crowd had quieted down, Jack began to speak. "As you know, speeches are not my strong suit. So let me keep this brief. I have had a long and varied career in the United States Air Force. But the last eight years, serving with the SGC have been an honor. The people I've served alongside of have been the best and the brightest, and it has been my pleasure to know each and every one of you. I can only say that the President did not have to twist my arm to get me to agree to continue in a more part time consulting role. I would miss you all too much if I couldn't stop by and bug you once in a while. Which brings me to a question that a lot of you have been asking me tonight, what my plans are now that I'm retired. Am I going to move to my cabin in Minnesota? No, although I do plan on getting there a lot more often than I have been able to in the past years, I am planning on living here in Colorado Springs most of the time. You see, now that I'm retired, I really only gave one thing left I want to do. And I plan on getting started on that new venture immediately. So Lt. Colonel Carter, Sam, would you do me the honor of the first dance?"

With that Jack signaled to the DJ who had special instructions for the song he was supposed to play. It was an old Frank Sinatra song 'All the Way' that he had once caught Carter playing in her lab late at night. She had blushingly admitted that her mother and father had once danced to it at a wedding when she was about ten and that it was moment of love between the two that had always stuck in her mind. She played it when she was missing them. It was one of her favorite romantic songs.

He'd picked a more recent recording of it, one that was a duet between Sinatra and Celine Dion. As the first strains of the song began and he held out his hand to Sam, he saw recognition widen her eyes and a huge smile light her face. Then he had Sam Carter in his arms and they were twirling around the dance floor. He was vaguely aware of Daniel and Teal'c smiling their approval, and of Jacob questioning Hammond with a raised eyebrow. What he couldn't see was that Sam had turned the ring to the inside of her hand so she could enjoy dancing to this song with him without interruption.

She couldn't believe he had remembered. It had to have been at least three years ago that he had walked into her lab and caught her getting all sappy over this song. It had been around the anniversary of her mom's death, and she hadn't seen her dad in months. They had just lost the Tollans and she was feeling pretty low. She'd put the CD on to try to escape to a happier time. It hadn't worked, but Jack had stayed and talked to her for hours, and that had helped.

Now as she was led around the dance floor she couldn't think of any time in her life when she had felt so loved, or loved anyone so deeply in return. Even as she thought it Frank Sinatra crooned out the line about love being 'deeper than the deep blue sea is' and she smiled. She nuzzled Jack's neck and then raised her lips until they were next to his ear.

"That's how much I love you Jack O'Neill," she whispered.

She felt his arms tighten momentarily and then he was kissing a spot behind her ear making her whole body tingle.

"All the way, Sam, forever" he promised.

As the last lines of the song were playing she twisted her ring so that it sparkled under the ballroom lights and everyone in the room could see it. And as the last notes of the ballad faded, Jack leaned down to kiss Sam just as all hell broke loose.

There was shriek of joy from Cassandra who had been amongst the first to spot the ring. Whoops and hollers from various SG team members and a particularly loud call 'to get a room' from a couple of the marines. Above it all, one voice was loud and clear and very pissed.

"O'Neill what the hell do you think you are doing with my daughter?"