Title: "The Ex Factor"

Author: Jackie W.

Rating: PG-13

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Sam gathered her courage a few days later and stopped in the General's office to ask when would be a good time to go shopping for the wedding present he had asked her to help with.

"Well the wedding isn't for another three weeks, but I'm free this Saturday. How about then?" Jack asked.

"That works for me, Sir," Sam replied. "Are Sara and Geoff registered anywhere?"

Jack looked confused.

"It might have been noted on part of the invitation, Sir," Sam informed him.

"I'll bring it with me when I pick you up and you can check it over," Jack delegated with relief.

Sam agreed, hiding her amusement and they set a time for him to pick her up on Saturday. In the days that followed the tension that had been between them for months slowly began to relax. They were a long way from the easy teasing and friendship that existed before Sam had decided she needed to move forward in her life and had started dating Pete, but it was a start. So by the time Saturday rolled around she was looking forward to their excursion.

He arrived five minutes early, but knowing him as well as she did she was ready and waiting, which made him smile. He handed her the invitation and stood back to watch her as she looked it over. Sure enough after a minute her forehead was creased with that look she always got when trying to unravel a puzzle.

"Well, they are registered at Dillard's, but Sir, did you realize that you haven't responded yet to say if you are attending the wedding? The response cards were due today," she pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. Sara called last week and asked me to consider coming, but I'm thinking not. It would just be too awkward. All of those ex-in-laws looking down their noses at me," he explained.

"Wear your dress blues and give them the look you usually give to the Goa'uld," Sam suggested.

"That's what Sara said. Well at least the past about the dress blues. She also suggested I order the prettiest woman in my command to escort me," he chuckled.

"Not a bad idea," Sam agreed.

Jack paused. It wasn't a bad idea. "Well that would be you, Carter, and if I tried to order you to do something like that I think I would get my ass kicked," he commented.

She could feel herself blushing, and saw him grin. Damn the man. He knew how to get to her way too well, and that Irish charm of his turned on in full force should be declared illegal. 'Pretty' my foot. She knew she was no slouch, but she couldn't remember the word 'pretty' being associated with her since she was six and her father's CO had called her 'a pretty little girl'.

"Very funny, Sir. And you are right, I would seriously question an order like that," she responded.

Jack O'Neill was a master at reading the emotions in Sam Carter's blue eyes, and he watched with glee as they widened in surprise and she blushed in embarrassment at being called pretty. Then he observed as she thought about the comment, as he knew she would. He could see the exact moment when she dismissed the remark as untrue, and it made him sad that she didn't see herself as others did.

Most men found Carter beautiful, himself included, but he suddenly realized that no man had ever taken the time to make her feel it. He knew Jonas Hanson had been bad news, and had seriously undermined Sam's confidence in herself on a personal level. Narim and Orlin had put her on a pedestal, making it kind of hard for her to take their compliments seriously. And he bet that she'd always had a bit of doubt as to just whom Martouf saw when he looked at her.

As much as her relationship with Pete Shanahan had hurt, even he'd had to admit that it had been good for her. While Lt. Colonel Sam Carter had never lacked confidence on a professional level, Sam had always been a bit reserved personally. Pete had brought her out of her shell. Then he had dumped her and not only undone all the good he had achieved, but Jack suspected he had knocked her back a few steps in the process.

Only partially realizing what he was getting himself into, Jack followed his impulses and threw himself into the path of an oncoming train with his next words.

"So I won't make it an order. This is simply a request. Would you please consider going with me to the wedding? Make sure I behave myself and keep Sara's family and some of our old friends from ganging up on me?" he asked her.

"Watch your six, Sir?" Sam asked trying to keep her tone light, although she was finding the whole idea much too tempting.

"Well, I don't think you'll need a P-90. The weapon of choice for the evening will simply entail wearing something that will make me the envy of every man in the place," he challenged.

She blushed slightly again at that thought but then nodded. "Ok, I'll go. But I don't know about the other part. For one thing, I wouldn't upstage the bride even if I could. I promise I'll come up with something nice though as long as you wear your dress blues so I can be the envy of every woman in the place," she agreed.

"Deal. Now let's go get this darn present bought," he said feeling slightly relieved.

It would be another week before he realized that he had a date with Sam Carter.

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The day of the wedding was bright and sunny, with just the beginning of real warmth in the May air. Sara O'Neill (nee Downing) took this as a good sign, and it calmed the small fit of nerves she had been battling for the last twenty-four hours. By the time she was walking down the aisle she was the picture of a confident happy bride. The family and friends in the pews to either side of her barely registered, so it wasn't until she was coming back up the aisle as Mrs. Geoffrey McCormick that she noticed the blue uniform at the back of the church and smiled. It meant a lot to her that Jack had come to support her today.

She knew he would be at the end of the receiving line, but still she found herself watching for him. He had responded that he was bringing a guest, and that had definitely peaked her curiosity. She hoped he hadn't actually ordered anyone to come, but she wouldn't put it past the man. When she spotted him and the blond next to him her eyes widened. Well he certainly had taken her advice to invite someone pretty to heart.

As the end of the line made it's way to the happy couple Sara's eyes opened wide in recognition. She remembered seeing this woman that day at the hospital when all hell had broken loose. She was a member of Jack's team then. She hadn't noticed that much about her at the time, except that she was younger and had been incredibly gentle but firm as she's led Sara out of the building to safety. She certainly looked different today in a beautiful but simple lilac and dark blue dress that showed off the figure that the BDU's had been hiding all those years ago. Sara was jolted out of her thoughts when Jack reached her father and her Dad shook his hand in surprise. Then Jack was introducing his date.

"Mike, this is Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter," he said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Michael Downing replied. "I didn't expect to see you Jack."

"I promised Sara, Mike," Jack told him by way of explanation and Mike nodded his approval.

Then Jack and the Lt. Colonel turned to Sara and Geoff to offer their congratulations To Sara's surprise Jack leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"You look great," he whispered before leaning back and once again introducing the blond at his side.

"I'm so glad you came, Jack. You too Samantha," the bride told them with a smile.

"Please, call me Sam," the other woman replied. Then they were quickly introduced to Geoff's parents before leaving to head out to the church's front steps. Before they turned away Sara put her hand on Jack's arm.

"Don't leave before we have a chance to talk," she requested, looking at Sam pointedly.

Jack nodded his assent, and then they were out in the bright sunshine.

"I have a feeling I'm going to get the third degree later," Sam smirked.

"Nah, she's just curious. I'll explain that you are just a friend," Jack assured her, and was surprised to see the smile disappear momentarily before another was forced back on her face.

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Hours later Jack was still wondering about that reaction. He was sure he hadn't imagined it. Sam had definitely seemed hurt when he had said they were just friends. Sam for her part felt like she was going through the motions. During the ceremony earlier in the day she had felt an overwhelming sadness at the thought that she might never find anyone to share her life with. She reminded herself several times that she had decided that didn't need a man in her life to make it complete and had pretty much pulled herself out of the funk she was in by the time they had greeted the bride and groom.

So why had Jack's statement about them being friends felt like a he had just twisted the knife in a bit deeper? Why was she sitting here now watching the bride and groom cut the cake, wishing she could just curl up in a ball and cry? She took another cautious sip of her wine. She knew better than to get drunk in the mood she was in. Besides, she needed to stay sober to keep an eye on the General and make sure he wasn't cornered by anyone looking for to gossip.

Unfortunately for poor Jack, her skills at watching his back were needed badly that night. Several of Sara's relatives had moved in for the kill, and only Sam's smiling presence at his side had kept things civil. Then there had been the overly curious members of Geoff's family who were trying to get the details on Sara's past. Finally Sam was relieved to meet up with a friend of Jack's whose wife had been close to Sara. Amazingly the couple had managed to remain friends with both Sara and Jack after the divorce by not taking sides or judging. Jack and Ed were immediately deep into a conversation analyzing the various baseball teams and their chances this season and Chris took pity on Sam.

"You look like you could use a break. Why don't we grab our wineglasses and head out to the courtyard. It's heated and much quieter," she suggested.

Sam looked at the older woman and saw nothing but open friendliness in her features, so she enthusiastically agreed. A few minutes later they were settled in a couple of chairs around a small table on the patio. Despite the chill of the evening it was quite comfortable as small hidden heaters kept the area toasty.

"So how long have you known Jack?" Chris asked.

"Almost seven and a half years," Sam replied politely.

"I guess you know all about Sara and Charlie," Chris inquired.

"He never talks about them, but yeah," Sam confirmed.

"That sounds like Jack. The man never could open up," Chris sighed. "It was the final straw for Sara after Charlie died. She needed someone to share the grief with, Jack needed to keep it all to himself. It wasn't healthy."

"It might have been the only way he could survive the pain. Sometimes it's so overwhelming that if you give it even a bit of room to maneuver it will swallow you whole," Sam explained somehow needing to defend Jack to his friend.

"There speaks the voice of experience," Chris mused looking at the woman sitting across from her in speculation.

Briefly, images passed through Sam's mind. The terror of being helpless in her own body when Jolinar had taken her as a host; the absolute nothingness surrounding her when the Entity had trapped her consciousness in the computer, and the pain and horror Fifth had inflicted on her a mere six months ago. Jack wasn't the only one to have experiences that were too painful to ever share.

When she looked back up she found Chris Reeves looking at her with wide concerned eyes. "You do what you have to do to survive and move on," Sam told her with a shrug.

Luckily they were interrupted a moment later by the bride, who spotted then as she stepped outside to get a breath of fresh air and immediately joined them sinking down in an empty chair with a sigh.

"I should have eloped," she complained.

Both women smiled despite the seriousness of their previous conversation.

"It was a lovely ceremony," Sam assured her.

"Thank you," Sara smiled. "So what's the story with you and Jack?"

Sam eyes widened in surprise. Well that was direct and to the point.

"We're just friends," she replied. "I was his 2IC for seven years, now he runs the base that I work at so he's still my CO."

"You've put up with Jack as your commanding officer for over seven years? You're either a saint or certifiably insane," Sara chuckled.

Sam had to smile. "The second I think," she replied.

"Definitely the second because she's certainly no saint," Jack agreed from the doorway. "You abandoned me Carter," he complained.

"Sorry, Sir," she said trying to keep a straight face. "Your six didn't appear to be in any danger."

"It's a jungle in there, Carter. You have to be on guard at all times. Sara they are looking for you. I think they are ready for the first dance," he told them.

"No rest for the weary," Sara complained. As she passed Jack on her way inside she put a hand on his arm. "Save me a dance later on."

Forty-five minutes later Sam was bored to tears. The live band was quite good and most everyone had been lured to the dance floor including Ed and Chris. She'd made one attempt to get Jack out there, but even she'd admitted that the music they were playing at that moment wasn't exactly his style. In the mean time she'd turned down three requests from other men to dance. Three very brave men, she thought thinking of the evil eye Jack had given to each of them as they approached. Now however the music had gotten slow and dreamy and she saw another guy eyeing her trying to get up the courage to come over.

"See that guy over there?" she asked nonchalantly.

"The one that's practically drooling over you? Yeah, what about him?" Jack asked.

"If you don't get off your ass and dance with me I'm going to go over and ask him to dance," she told him without blinking an eye.

Jack's eyes widened in surprise. "Was that a threat, Colonel? Because I don't respond well to threats."

"That's you're prerogative, Sir. I'm simply giving you the facts," she sighed.

He decided to call her bluff. "Go for it, Carter."

As he watched her walk across the room, stop and speak to the guy, and then be led onto the dance floor he quickly realized the error in that strategy. Carter rarely bluffed.

"Nice to see you are still an idiot where women are concerned, Jack," his ex-wife said from behind him.

"Yeah well you know what they say about old dogs," he replied.

"Come on, dance with me," she ordered.

This time he knew better than to argue. As they moved smoothly across the dance floor Sara watched Jack as his eyes sought out his date. She noticed that Sam was doing the same thing. She raised an eyebrow when she felt a jolt go through Jack as his eyes locked with Sam's for a split second.

'So, not just friends,' she thought. Aloud she commented, "Why didn't you want to dance with her?"

How could he explain just how bad an idea that was. The inappropriate feelings he had for her that he normally kept so carefully locked up had been released in a rush of relief when he'd found out she was no longer dating Shanahan. Now they refused to be shut away again, and holding her close in his arms was probably a more dangerous idea than trying to overpower a Goa'uld with brute strength.

"It's complicated," he replied tersely.

"She's under your command," Sara commented sagely.

"Yes she is," Jack sighed.

As the song ended Sara took a step back and looked him in the eye. "And yet even though it's complicated for her too she wanted to dance with you," she pointed out.

At her words, his head snapped around to where Sam was moving off of the dance floor. He immediately noticed several men starting to migrate in her direction. Instinctively he took a few steps to block their path and came face to face with Sam who looked at him in surprise.

He didn't say a word, just swept an arm in the direction of the dance floor and raised an eyebrow. She was tempted to just step around him and continue on back to her table, but then stopped. She knew he was a stubborn idiot. This was probably as close to an apology as she could expect.

So she stepped back onto the dance floor and into his arms.