Author's Note: Sorry about the cliffhanger you guys (well, not really) but I am sorry this took so long to get out. My laptop modem went down, and I had to transfer this chapter over but I couldn't until this morning. Not sure how the temporary loss of the laptop will affect my posting, but I'll try to keep the chapters rolling as much as I can!

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Her hands shaking so badly that she could barely hold the box, Sam did what he told her to, and opened the little container, revealing a delicate golden ring with a beautifully cut diamond that was perfectly proportioned for the ring itself. It sparkled even in the uncomplimentary light of the kitchen and hall. Sam had never seen anything so beautiful, even with the case covered in Jaffer drool.

The dog slobber that had been on the outer case hadn't made its way to the velvet that protected the ring, and even though Sam's hands were covered in slaver, the ring itself was safe and dry in the case.

Was it just a present? Did it mean more than that? What was he thinking, giving her such a gift on his birthday, when he was supposed to be the one getting, not giving? A million questions went racing through her mind, but she couldn't vocalize any of them.

"Um... Jack?"

She looked up at him, still kneeling on the floor beside Jaffer, and he frowned slightly as he looked down at her, realizing they were definitely in the wrong position.

"This isn't right."

He reached down and took the box from her with one hand, and pulled her carefully to her feet with the other. Then, once she was standing, Jack dropped to his knees in front of her, right beside Jaffer, who was watching the two of them and sitting completely still and behaving for once in his life.

"Jack..."

It couldn't be what it looked like. He hadn't mentioned anything like this, and Sam was certain he couldn't have kept it a secret from her. He was terrible at secrets.

He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and failing. This was important to him - even if he hadn't planned on doing it like this - and he didn't want to screw it up. He'd planned on a big speech. Had it all worked out what he wanted to say, and how he wanted to say it, but his mouth was dry all of the sudden, and he couldn't remember any of it.

"Sam... will you marry me?"

"M-marry you?"

He'd hoped for a little more enthusiasm, and didn't realize that Sam's normally agile brain was completely numb by the sudden turn of events. He cleared his throat, and tried again.

"I... love you. I know it's sudden notice," he glanced over at Jaffer, but then turned back to her. He wasn't any help. This whole thing was his fault, for that matter. "I want you to be my wife. Please?"

It sounded woefully inadequate to Jack. Even the speech that he'd had prepared had been inadequate for all that he was asking from her, since he was well aware that she was way too good for him. The makeshift one was terrible, and so spur of the moment that he was surprised she hadn't laughed him out of the kitchen.

Sam wasn't laughing. Far from it. She was so dumbfounded that she was actually having trouble standing. She sank to the floor in front of him, reaching out and taking the little box from him and looking at the ring once more. Not just the ring. Her ring. Her engagement ring. She smiled, and her vision blurred as tears stung her eyes.

She realized he was waiting for an answer, and she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, clearing her throat because the first time she tried to speak, nothing came out but a croak.

"Of course I'll marry you."

He smiled, then, and pulled her into his arms, right there on the kitchen floor, and Sam found herself crying and laughing at the same time as Jack crushed her against him. Then the two were bowled over when Jaffer joined in the celebration, pressing close against them as he sensed the highly charged emotions coming from them, and wagged his tail furiously since his two favorite people in the world had never felt happier to him. Sam's tears were licked from her cheeks, and Jack's kisses to her cheeks were frequently intercepted by Jaffer, who wanted his share of the attention, but neither of them minded. Nothing could have ruined that moment, and Jaffer was so much an integral part of Jack that Sam hardly noticed.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear, stretched out on the kitchen floor where Jaffer had knocked them down.

She smiled. There had never been any doubt in her mind that he loved her.

"I love you, too."

She sat up, leaning against him and Jaffer, and looked at the ring once more. It was just as lovely as it had been the first time.

"When did you get this?" She hadn't noticed him being absent lately, which would have been a sure sign of ring shopping.

"A few days after we got back from camp."

"Last July?"

"The first time we went to camp," He corrected her.

She smiled, surprised. He'd had it for three years?

"Are you serious?"

He nodded. "It's been in my desk waiting for the right time. At least it was until the other day, when I decided it was time. Then it was in the stand by my bed. Until someone snooped and found it and rushed me a little sooner than I'd intended." The look he shot Jaffer was far from hostile, no matter how stern his words were. Nothing that dog did could ever anger Jack.

"We can wait," Sam told him, misunderstanding.

"Oh, no." Jack took the box from her and took the ring out of it, then slid it on her finger. "You already said you would marry me. You can't change your mind, now."

"I'm not changing my mind." She said, holding her hand out to admire the ring. Not only was it beautiful, but what it stood for made it the most treasured thing she possessed. And she'd only had it for two minutes! "I'm just saying... if you weren't ready to ask me..."

"I was going to ask you tonight, Sam. Just not this second."

Jack hugged her close once more, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her for a long moment before he released her. His butt was getting sore from sitting on the hard kitchen floor. The kitchen hadn't been the place he'd been planning on proposing to her, after all. He got to his feet and helped her up as well.

"Is that why you didn't want any company tonight?"

He shook his head. "I didn't want company because I wanted a quiet night at home. I was just hoping – counting on, really – that you'd want to come over and spend some time with me." He smiled, leaned forward and kissed her, unable to really believe that she was finally wearing his ring.

She melted against him, leaning into the kiss as a warmth spread through her. Her hands went under his shirt, one going up to press against his flat stomach, the other heading down, for the waistband of the sweats he'd dressed in after he'd gotten out of the shower. She felt him tense, and smiled, pleased as always by his reaction to her touch, and she was just sliding her hand –

BUUUUUUZZZZZZ!

They both jumped, and Jack almost tripped over Jaffer, who was standing close behind him. Her heart racing at the sudden fright, Sam couldn't help but giggle.

"Your cake's done."