A/N: Seriously fluffy ending ahead. If you're wearing black, you may not want to proceed without a lint brush.
Teal'c discreetly moved away from the door as he heard Colonel Carter approach. When, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the raw vulnerability in her expression, he was glad he had anticipated her need for space. If only he had anticipated the curiosity of Daniel Jackson and Cassandra Frasier. He caused quite a disruption by plunging through the crowd to circumvent their approach.
"Give her time," Teal'c instructed.
"I will, Teal'c," Cassie replied. "I was just going to help her assemble the gift. I won't ask about Jack, I promise."
"A distraction may benefit her," Teal'c conceded, letting Cassie – only Cassie – pass.
"Aliens are never any fun," Daniel muttered as he walked away. Cassie turned back as Teal'c watched him go.
"I think he has spent too much time with Jack."
"Indeed."
"Sam?" Cassie approached her friend cautiously. Sam stood motionless a few feet inside the door, looking around yet clearly seeing nothing. She touched her arm gently to get her attention. Sam turned to her and smiled. "Hi," Cassie said, returning the smile. "Let's put your gift together, okay?"
Sam opened her hand and looked at the delicate object she held. It appeared to be platinum set with a bright blue gem she didn't recognize, a pendant in the shape of the gate. She reached into the bag Cassie had given her, pulling out a handful of platinum beads. She rolled them over in her palm, each engraved with a gate symbol. "How?" she whispered, awestruck.
"Jen found them in a market off-world. Jack authorized a special mission just to go back and barter for them."
"Do you have any idea how much it costs just to dial the 'gate? He could be in hot water..." Sam worried.
"Oh, you know Jack. I'm sure he has it covered," Cassie said dismissively. "See the blue chevrons? That was his idea. He said it could be your 'something blue.' Jen said it took a lot to get them to do it, since they had them already made with orange, yellow and red stones."
"What did they barter with?" Sam asked curiously.
Cassie grinned. "What's the one thing Earth has over every planet you've ever visited?"
Sam returned the smile. "Chocolate."
"Cases and cases of it," Jen piped in as she walked up to the pair.
"Thank you." Sam was humbled by the trouble they had gone to for a wedding she knew none of them likely thought should happen.
Jen shrugged. "It was the General's doing really," she whispered confidentially. "For a month, he cornered every female soldier who stepped through the 'gate and told them to be on the lookout for the most beautiful gift in the galaxy."
Sam dropped the precious objects back into the bag and handed it to Cassie. "Everyone," Sam called loudly, drawing the attention of the room. "An urgent situation has come up – not at the SGC," she added hurriedly in response to the worried looks. "I have to leave for a short time, but I will be back. I hope, if you can, you'll stay and celebrate with me."
Turning to Cassie and Jen, she whispered, "Keep him here." There was no need to be more specific. She was met with matching grins. "You two have been comparing notes! Now I see the whole scheme. Whoever introduced you obviously didn't see the potential danger."
"Teal'c's your designated driver," Cassie replied mildly, and Sam set off to find him.
Sam slipped back in almost two hours later, plus one warm jacket, minus one engagement ring. The party was still going strong. The crowd had thinned, but not by much. Those who had left early were about to regret it.
She spotted her target immediately, vaguely wondering if she didn't have some of the same ability he did, and made a direct path for him. His eyes met hers before she'd gone ten steps. She continued towards him. Without regard for the conversation he was holding or the sentence he was in the middle of speaking, she took hold of his arm and dragged him away.
Once alone on the balcony, Sam launched herself at him, kissing him as hungrily as he had kissed her.
"Carter," he moaned, pushing her away. "Don't. We can't."
Sam smirked at him. "Oh, but we can." Standing at attention, she pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her jeans and presented it to him. "General, I'd like you to accept my resignation."
"Are you crazy?"
"Maybe, but I don't see the relevance."
"Why would you resign?"
"I'm getting married."
Jack grimaced, now thoroughly confused. Kissing him, getting married, resigning – what the hell was she getting at? That certainly didn't seem like goodbye.
She watched him piecing it together, turning the facts over in his mind. He was so adorable when he was confused. She knew he'd worked it out when she found herself crushed in his arms, his face buried in her neck.
"You know what you want?" he whispered.
"I want you."
Jack pulled back to look at her. "My resignation has already been handed in."
"What?" she yelled. "You can't do that. The SGC needs you much more than me right now. I can work as a civilian. I'll have to eventually anyway, when I get pregnant."
"Boy, you've got me married with kids already, huh?"
"Non-negotiable. I've waited long enough."
"Fine, but I'm not accepting your resignation." He raised a hand to silence her protests. He reached for his cell phone and pressed the speed dial, keeping one arm possessively around her. "George, sorry to call so late. Just two questions. I was wondering, can we change the date my resignation is effective? Umm, I was thinking of today, immediately, right now. Yes, Sir. Well, I think I have that covered – my second question was whether it's too late to change my mind about staying in the job as a civilian. Yes. You guessed it in one!" He paused, listening for quite some time. "Effective immediately? I'm truly grateful, George. Yes, I'll tell her."
"George sends his congratulations." Jack hung up, pocketed the phone, and released Sam long enough to tear up her letter. "No more 'Sir,'" he announced happily. "As of right now, I am no longer your CO."
"But you're still my boss?"
"Only at the office," he clarified. "Obviously, you have the rest of my life planned out for me. Care to tell me when I'm getting married?"
"I'm not sure yet, but I do know when you're announcing your engagement."
"I, uh, think I'd better announce my retirement first."
"You can do both at once. C'mon."
He resisted her attempt to pull him inside. "I think you've forgotten something," he said with mock annoyance. "I thought I was the non-communicative one in this relationship."
She looked at him as though he were the most shockingly ignorant man in the universe. "I love you."
He kissed her softly. "That's better. Now we can go."
"Hey!" It took little effort for Jack to command the attention of the room. "As of today," he announced as silence descended, "I am officially retired from the U.S. Air Force." Always one with a flair for suspense, Jack waited for the ripple of surprise to pass through the crowd. With smug satisfaction concealed, he continued. "I know you all are wondering who the new commander of the SGC will be. The powers that be still want a civilian in the position. They've already selected someone, and he will be starting Monday morning. Unfortunately, I understand he can be a real pain in the ass. He's arrogant, demanding, and has a bizarre sense of humor. But, on the plus side, he's dashingly handsome. Carter, don't you agree?"
"On all counts," Sam grinned. She let his audience in on the joke. "You're all looking at our new, dashingly handsome, pain-in-the-ass civilian leader."
Jack quieted the cheering and laughter that broke out. "But now for the good news." He reached out and pulled Sam close, his arm resting around her waist. She leaned into him contentedly. "There have been a few changes in Carter's wedding plans, starting with a change in groom."
There was no quieting the crowd this time, as they erupted with expressions of congratulations, laughter, and discussion of this turn of events. All Jack could do was hang on tight to Sam's hand before the crowd of well-wishers could sweep her away. He had finally gotten her; nothing would ever make him let go.