A/N: And the chapter we've all been waiting for...
"What'd Cathy say?"
"Hi to you too Jack," Daniel said into his phone as he stood in the waiting room.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. What'd Cathy say? How's Carter's eye?"
"Dr. Ryan said the surgery went well. But Jack, she just came out of surgery, they won't be able to tell for a few hours."
"Yeah, I know," he stated dejectedly. "Has she woken up yet?"
"No they still have her in recovery," he informed him.
"Okay… Well I'm heading to DC tomorrow, the President wants me to brief the Joint Chiefs on the SGC."
"That'll be fun!" Danny offered.
"As fun as having to meet up with Anise again! Anyways, Hammond told me to take some time off and take in the sites of the area."
Daniel could see where this was going, "And you thought seeing Johns Hopkins' medical facilities would be a good place to visit!"
"I hear it's lovely there this time of year!"
"I hadn't heard that one!"
"Don't you read Daniel? It's in all the books!" he teased. He then brought his attention back to why he was calling, "Hey any word on when the Doc is going to release her?"
"Yeah, she's keeping her here 'til tomorrow afternoon. She wants her to stay through the end of the week though so she can check Sam's eye again before we have to head back to Colorado."
"What do you know? Reynolds is covering for me for the rest of the week!"
Daniel nodded his head, "How convenient!"
"Perks of being base CO and getting to do anything I want!"
-
"That'll be all, gentlemen," President Ryan told the assembled Joint Chiefs after they had questioned General O'Neill about the mission of the SGC. "Walk with me Jack," he called out across the table.
General O'Neill quickly gathered his notes and raced to catch up with his friend who was waiting at the doors of the Situation Room. "Yes sir?"
"Good presentation… Didn't know you had it in you, especially after the one you started a few days ago."
Jack O'Neill shrugged, "I have been working there for-"
"Let's be honest with each other Jack," Ryan began as he stopped in the middle of the hall and turned to face him. "You had Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson help you prepare the presentation, didn't you?"
He smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "They really are better at that stuff than I am!'
"You did fine, Jack," he reassured him.
"I'll let Daniel and Carter know they did a good job."
Ryan resumed his walk back to his office, "Actually now that you mention… I'd like for you and SG-1 to come by tomorrow night, there's a little presentation I wanted to make."
"Can I ask what it is concerning, sir?"
He nodded his head, "You can ask, doesn't necessarily mean I'll answer." He looked over at his friend with a sly grin, "You know, Executive privilege and all!"
Jack chuckled, "Yes sir. What time would you like us to be here?"
"Well, I'm having a State Dinner tomorrow night for the UK's Prime Minister and a few others. They'll all be here by 7 o'clock. So how about you and your people show up around 8 or so. I'm not exactly sure when I'll be able to step out, I hope you don't mind?"
"Not at all sir."
"Good! Now I have to get back to running this country, but speak to Agent Price before you leave and she'll set it all up."
"Yes sir, I'll see you tomorrow!"
-
"Jack are you sure you don't know anything about this?" Daniel asked as they passed through White House security.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Danny… Agent Price!"
"General. Colonel. Gentlemen," she greeted them as she entered the lobby and began to lead them to the Mural Room.
"You don't happen to know what this meeting is about do you, Agent Price?" Jack tried.
"Sir, even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you," she informed him.
He bobbed his head, "Right… Guess we just wait."
Half an hour later, Agent Price reentered the room and escorted the four to the Oval Office. When they got there the President, First Lady and General Hammond were waiting for them.
As Jack entered he whispered to Hammond, "I didn't know you were going to be here!"
He looked at him and smiled, "I wouldn't miss this for the world!"
Jack looked back at the General confused before continuing on to the President and First Lady to greet them.
Jack Ryan leaned over his desk and picked up a White House folder before turning to SG-1 in front of him.
"First of all, I'd like to thank you all for coming on such short notice. And Colonel, my wife tells me that she's expecting you to make a full recovery. That is good news, for you and the rest of the world," he pointed out as Sam blushed slightly at his last comment.
"I asked you all here on behalf of the SGC… This nation and world owe each and every one of you who serve at the SGC so much. The world cannot repay you for what you do; you carry on with your duty knowing that you are making our world safe for our children. You are the unsung heroes of a planet who ask for nothing in return. You serve this planet selflessly, led by a sense of loyalty to one another, the planet, and future generations."
He looked over at his wife before continuing, "You have each sacrificed so much for the rest of us. We cannot adequately repay you for what you have given up… There is no value for that of a life saved. All I can and hope to do is make your lives just a little bit easier, a little happier… I know that everyone at the SGC will continue to perform their duties with the same tenacity and strength they have for the past ten years."
He paused and held the folder out to his old friend, "In there is an Executive Order I issued that became effective at noon today."
Jack O'Neill slowly opened it. Before he could begin to read it Ryan continued with his speech.
"This may be unorthodox, but you deserve this," he told them. The tone of his voice implied that he wasn't just referring to the collective 'you' applied for the entire staff of the SGC, it was a personal message from one friend to another.
"In essence, that Executive Order modifies a few Air Force regulations. Primarily, the one pertaining to the regulations prohibiting fraternization."
SG-1 stared pointedly at him at this revelation. Sam and Jack stole a quick glance at one another before looking back at their Commander in Chief.
Ryan stood even taller as he quoted the Executive Order, "'With the permission of a superior officer, in the same chain of command, two individuals in the same chain of command may pursue a relationship outside the confines of the military. The superior officer must deem that all parties involved can continue to operate effectively without endangering the mission of the SGC or hindering their ability to perform their duties. Military decorum is expected from all parties involved while on duty, enforcement to be carried out at the discretion of the base CO. It is so ordered this day…' You guys deserve this," he told them again.
SG-1 all turned to look at one another. Rather, Daniel and Teal'c stared at their other two teammates who just stared at each other, not knowing what to do. Neither one of them had ever expected this. They continued to stare into each other's eyes having their own silent conversation deciding how they wanted to proceed.
Jack finally quietly spoke without ever taking his eyes off Sam, "General Hammond…?"
Hammond smiled at the couple who was lost in each other's eyes. "Go ahead Jack. The President's right, you both deserve this and have shown that you can handle this."
Jack nodded his head absently as he and Carter both took a step towards one another. When they were standing face to face Sam reached out for his hand with her right hand.
They both stared at their hands as their fingers became intertwined with one another. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "Have I ever told you that you have beautiful hands?"
She smiled slightly as she looked back up at his face, "No."
"Well, you do," he began.
They continued to stare into each other's eyes, just enjoying that simple act of staring into the eyes of someone you cared very deeply for.
As the moment dragged on, the others in the room watched on excitedly, waiting for one or the other to make the first move.
Realizing that they probably didn't need an audience, Cathy spoke up. "Dr. Jackson, would you mind explaining something to my husband and I?" she asked him as she led her husband to the other three men who then reluctantly turned their backs on the couple standing in the middle of the room.
They tried to carry on a conversation, but the furtive glances over their shoulders distracted them too much as they rocked back and forth on their feet.
Oblivious to the impromptu pow-wow that had formed in the other end of the room, Sam and Jack continued to stare longingly into each other's eyes.
It was Jack who finally broke the silence, "So do you want to go out sometime?"
She smiled, "Yeah, I'd love to… What did you have in mind?"
He grinned widely at her, "Well there's this great place by the Pentagon that's open late and serves the best Gyros?" he suggested.
Sam raised an eyebrow, "In a rush?"
"Hell yes! I've been waiting for our first date for a very very," he drew out the second iteration, "long time."
She smiled, "Me too."
And by mutual agreement they both leaned their heads towards one another and shared the first kiss of their relationship.
And for both of them it was everything that they had imagined as they let ten years of tension roll off their backs and allow their true feelings for one another be known. Their hands snaked around each other's bodies as they mentally recorded every sensation and tingle they felt course through their body.
Off to the side the other occupants in the room all smiled as they saw the couple passionately express their feelings for one another. After a minute of them kissing they started to feel a little awkward as they continued to kiss.
"Uh, should we say something?" Daniel timidly asked. As happy as he was for two of his closest friends, he was starting to feel uncomfortable. Especially when he glanced over his shoulder and saw their kiss deepen.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow while the other three looked unsure themselves. They weren't about to break up this union, besides they didn't know how they could stop them.
"Jack."
Not getting a response, Daniel called out a little louder, "Jack!"
Still no response. 'Okay try embarrassment,' he told himself as he took a deep breath before calling out one last time. "Jack! This is the Oval Office, get your own room!"
The intrusion worked as Sam and Jack pulled themselves away from one another only slightly. They looked up at the five other occupants in the room and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry about that," Jack called out as he noticed that they had given them some space.
As they returned to the center of the room, Jack leaned over to Sam and whispered, "Just so you know, I'm probably going to ask you to marry me."
Sam nodded her head and smiled. She then looked up and whispered into his ear, "Just so you know, I'll probably say yes!" She then planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
TBC
Happy Dance!!! They are together!! I'm not sure how much more I want to take this story, but I feel obligated to my reviewers to give them lots more ship. So expect to see some more of their relationship!
Also, it will be awhile before I add some more to this story, so be pleased that I left you at least with the knowledge that our favorite characters are together!