Hanging By a Moment
By Snowflake Shona
Summary: Jack meets an interesting woman while at an Air Force event one evening, which leads to a very interesting discovery about himself and Sam.
Spoilers: '1969'
Season: 8 (before 'Affinity')
Pairing: Jack/Sam (you should know by now! So if you're a fan of Pete, don't read!)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Stargate or its affiliates. They story is my own, but the characters are not, so don't sue me!
A/N: This is just an interesting thought I had. It is taken from Jack's point of view, with the odd input from Sam. It's only going to be short (or so I say now!) but I hope you enjoy. This goes together with a music video by myself which can viewed at Please visit for more information on Stargate and view the other works by myself and co-manager rach0486.
Hanging By a Moment – Chapter 1
The dim lights danced on the walls of the hall creating a beautiful light show. The hum of chatter rose just above the gentle sound of the band playing in the corner. The sea of blue uniforms below him made Jack feel somewhat left out. They were all discussing recent missions, daily goings on at their bases and general chitchat about their lives as officers. He could not join in. He could not tell them that he was now in charge of a base that was the first line of attack against an alien attack. He wanted to say that he had been, for the last eight years, exploring other planets, meeting alien races and fighting for survival against an alien race that is so powerful that he could not believe their luck. He wanted to go down their and praise his fellow team members who on a number of occasions have saved his life and against all the odds have succeeded in stopping the world falling into major destruction. He was immensely proud of his command and wanted to shout to the world their brilliant achievements.
But he couldn't. So he removed himself from the scene and settled for watching them from the balcony above, drinking his whisky and listening to the hum of voices excitedly explaining a battle they had encountered, or political battle they had won against the politicians. He really hated these kinds of events, but now he was commander of the base, he was 'expected' to go. The memos Walter reads to him say 'expected' but he understands that means 'must'.
He turned his back on the bustle of the gathering and walked out onto the outside balcony through a set of French windows. It was dark and chilly night, but the sky was clear. He looked up the stars. How much he longed to be 'out there' exploring one of those stars. A small voice in the back of his head said 'well actually you can only see a couple of inhabitable planets from earth.' He smiled as he thought of Carter trying to explain that to him several times, despite getting it the first time round. He always did that. It wasn't always that he didn't understand the science, he generally got the gist of it, but he loved the sound of her voice. It was therapeutic. Her technobabble although confusing was somewhat relaxing at times. He could listen to her waffling on about wormholes, entropic cascade failure and secretion disks until she completely lost him.
He leaned against a pillar staring into space, when he felt the presence of another beside him. He quickly glanced to the side. It was a woman, in her 60s perhaps, with long grey hair. He turned back to gazing. A shooting star danced across the nights sky, falling behind The Washington Monument and appearing the other side just before disappearing into space.
"Beautiful," the woman beside him said. He smiled but did not say anything. He wasn't particularly in the mood to chat to strangers. "It's a pity the entertainment here isn't as enticing as what is out there. Isn't that right, Jack?"
He instantly spun round to face her. He usually wouldn't react in such a manner, but she was the last person he would expect to know him. He must know her from his past, but he couldn't think how. He looked closely at her face. There was a faint recognition stirring in Jack's mind, but nothing concrete. She must have noticed this in his eyes.
"You don't remember me do you? I mean I was a lot younger then, but I hope I haven't changed that much," she laughed.
"Of course … I… er… well no. Sorry I'm not very good with names," he apologised still scanning his mind for a name – any name at this point. Maybe he had too many whiskeys he thought looking at the glass in his hand.
"Jennifer. Remember? We met long ago. My husband and I gave you and your friends a lift to Washington," she explained.
Suddenly Jack remembered who she was. She was the woman his team met back in 1969 when the gate sent them back in a time a few years ago. Michael and Jennifer were on the run as Michael had been drafted into the Vietnam War. He had always wondered what had happened to them.
"I'm sorry I don't…" he said automatically.
"Don't give me that 'I don't know what you mean' line Jack. I remember you, so you can imagine my surprise at seeing you here of all places."
"I'm sorry…" Jack said again, and he turned to walk away from this awkward situation, but she placed a hand on his shoulder preventing him moving any further.
"General, I don't know how you did it, but you were there in my camper van in 1969. I don't think I would forget something like that. And may I say, you age a lot better than I do."
"Look, miss, I am very sorry but I really don't know what your talking about," he said spieled out. Regardless of how much he wanted to know how she was, the secret of the Stargate always came first. Always.
"General, I leave you with this," and she placed something in his hand. It was a ring. It was gold with a single sapphire shining in the middle. "You left this in my possession along with several other items belonging to yourself and Sam. Please make sure Sam gets this and here's my card so you can come and collect the other items you left in my possession for safe keeping." And with that she left him standing on the balcony once again alone to admire the bright sky above.
Jack was sitting at his large and rather full desk trying to get through all the personnel files he had been told he had to go through. It was doing his head in! He knew virtually everyone on this base, why did he have to read and evaluate every single one of them? But he was instructed to do so by Hammond so he was trying. Trying being the operative word. He had only finished twenty files so far. Only another couple of hundred to go, he thought not so cheerfully. But his mind was not on the paperwork. It kept wandering back to the events of the previous evening. He had been shocked to Jennifer there, but that was not bothering him. What was bothering him was he had no idea what she had belonging to him, and not just him either, Sam as well. It made so sense. They had been so careful not to leave anything trace of themselves behind. So what could she have?
There was a knock at the door and standing in the doorway was Walter with ever more files stamped with 'Top Secret' in his hands. With a wave of his hand, Jack invited him into his office.
"Sir, your 0800 briefing is awaiting for you in the briefing room and Colonel Sanderson is awaiting your decision on that other matter," he informed the forgetful general.
"Right, thanks."
"And Sir," he paused. "You really need to finish those files quickly." Jack could sense the almost fear of reminding him of that. But he knew he was right.
"I'm on it," Jack replied.
"Of course, Sir," and Walter left the office.
Jack got up and slammed the file that he was reading onto his desk and started to move round his desk into the briefing room, when the phone ran. It wasn't the red phone, so really he didn't have an excuse for picking it up when there were other matters at hand, but he really didn't want to go to the briefing. He moved back round to his desk and picked up the phone.
"O'Neill," he answered in his usual tone.
"General O'Neill there is a woman on the other line who insists on talking to you," the young sounding airman announced. Although Jack couldn't be bothered with briefings, he really couldn't be bothered with annoyed wives.
"Have you told her I'm a busy man?" Jack said hinting to the young officer.
"Yes Sir, but she claims this is important. She says it's to do with something that happened in 1969." Jack froze. It was her. She was on the phone. How did she manage to find him? Every protocol and regulation urged him to ignore her and fob her off to someone else, but curiosity was screaming at him from every bone in his body. He just had to know what the hell she had belonging to himself and Sam.
"Patch her through," he ordered and the next voice on the phone was hers.
"General O'Neill."
"Mrs…." Suddenly he realised he did not know her second name.
"Landon, Jennifer Landon. But you can call me Jennifer," she said helping the struggling general. "Thank you for taking my call."
"You're welcome. Not that you deserve it for cornering me like that last night," he said not harshly more playfully.
"General, I wish to apologise for my brash behaviour last night, but you have to understand your presence truly shocked me. You told me that you and your friends were aliens trying to get home," she reminded him.
"I'm sorry. I don't…" he started again.
"General please don't apologise to me. I've had one too many 'I'm sorry's from the military and do not want to hear any more," she said sounding extremely bitter. He could hear her trying to fight back the tears. "My husband, Michael died General," she finally said.
Jack was taken back by the news. He had liked Michael, despite being a hippie. "I'm so sorry. What happened?"
"The draft officers finally caught up with us in Washington and Michael was forced to do 'his duty to his country'," she said almost spitting the words out. "He was driving along a road in Saigon with his commanding officer when the car ran over a Vietcong bomb and the car blew up. Although the general lived, my husband did not. This happened two months before the American government pulled out. I've had enough of hearing I'm sorry!"
Jack understood why she was bitter. Neither her or Michael agreed with the war in Vietnam and it was a final insult that Michael died for a cause he did not believe in.
"I take it that's why you were there last night?" Jack guessed.
"Yes. I became friendly with the wife of my husbands commanding officer and I often accompany her to events. The general pities me, I think, so invites me along."
Jack didn't know how to reply. He was not use to this sort of confrontation. He had written many 'I'm sorry' letters but never really had to say his condolences out loud. He felt somewhat responsible for Michael's death. He, who had known what happened in that war, could have at least told Michael what to expect if not help him out of it. But he did nothing. How could he just stand there and say nothing to him when he had the chance? Because he had to. He had to hold on to the fact that greater things were at stake. The – what did Carter call it- grand-daddy paradox, that was it, could have changed everything, even the outcome of the war!
"General, can I call you Jack?" the woman asked.
"Of course," he answered though his mind was still elsewhere.
"Jack, those days travelling with you and your friends were some of the happiest days of my and Michael's lives. We were carefree and enjoying life. And to know that you were aliens, as you claimed, brought clarity to our lives. Now, I have dealt with enough military generals to understand the words 'national security' so don't be alarmed. I am not asking for an explanation, I just want to return to you what is rightfully yours," she explained. Jack sighed a sigh of relief. At least he knew she wasn't going to become a security risk wanting to know about the Stargate. But that still begged the question, what did she have?
"So what exactly do you have belonging to me?" he bluntly asked. Jack was not a subtle man.
"You will have to collect it from me to find out, Jack. This is something that is too personal to mention over the phone. It would be wrong if I kept this any longer. It belongs to yourself and Sam."
"No hint?" he asked playfully and with hope.
"I'm sorry general."
"No, I'm the one who is sorry because I do not believe you have anything."
"I hoped the ring would jog your memory but you were rather… never mind. I'm sure if you remember you'll come and see me. It was good to hear from you general and once again, thank you for taking my call. I know you are busy man."
"You're welcome," he replied rather confused. He was rather what? He couldn't ask her as she had hung up the phone, leaving him standing in his office with the phone still clutched in his fingers.
Jack sat staring through the tinted windows of his black car. He was outside an ordinary suburban household with a porch and a small garden out the front. The engine was still running, just like his mind. What was he doing here? It wasn't like him to completely disregard protocol like this… well OK, maybe it was, but that was to save the world. This was to save his sanity and it was crossing a line he had not crossed before. This woman had no idea about the Stargate so it would be very hard to explain where he came from and how he has not aged. But the curiosity was killing him! He had it boiled down to human nature taking over him. If there were a big red button with the words 'Do Not Press' everyone would press it. Screw curiosity killed the cat, only killed it after killing every human being first!! Finally he turned of the engine after sitting there for over half an hour, but remained in the car.
"What the Hell are you doing?" he exclaimed to himself. Jack knew his curiosity arose not from knowing she had something belonging to himself, it was because it belonged to himself and Sam. He had been searching his brain trying to figure out what she had, but no matter how many times he replayed those days over and over in head, he came up empty handed. They even burnt the Stargate uniforms. There was a small (very small mind you) possibility that she salvaged something from the fire but he was positive that they ensured that they were completely incinerated.
Why did he need to know? He hated this! This woman had a hold over him. It was such a small thing as well. But no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that it meant nothing to him, he would find himself thinking about what it could be!
He got out the car, surveying the area around him. For all he knew it could be the Trust trying to set him up, but its doubtful they knew about Jennifer and Michael as Jack had not mentioned them in his report. How else would they know? He cautiously walked up to the door, his eyes constantly looking from side to side until he was directly in front of the door. He knocked three times on the door and turned his body to the side so had a view of the door and the street. He heard the distinctive clink of a chain on the door and slowly the big green door slid open to reveal Jennifer standing there. She was wearing chunky brown jumper and blue denim jeans. Very different from the hippy he met…
"General O'Neill, please come in," she said not at all surprised as she stood back to allow him inside.
"Nice place you have here," Jack said looking round the house. He was surveying it for dangers but not finding any.
"Thank you, Michael's military pension covers it." Jack bent down and looked at a picture of Michael and Jennifer. It was from before they had met him. They seemed so happy in each arms. Jack smiled. "I always liked that picture of us," she said smiled. "Back when things were good." She paused as if remembering a memory from long ago. "Shall we?" she said ushering Jack into the living room.
As he entered the living he noted the tasteful decoration and open fire with the warmth of the flames hitting his cold face. The red leather sofas gave the room a warm feel without the fire. The wooden coffee table with a bowl a fruit in the middle and beside the bowl was a brown file. That must be it. He sat down on the couch, upright and alert.
"Can I offer you a drink General?" she asked pleasantly.
"Call me Jack," he said. This was uncomfortable enough as it was without formalities. "And no, I'm fine thank you." She sat down opposite him.
"I can't say I'm surprised to see you here gen… Jack," she corrected herself. "Though I am surprised it took you three days to get here," she said leaning back into her chair.
"Well it's been a busy week," Jack simply said. That's it, keep it simple.
"I bet it has Jack. And I assume it is still very busy for you wherever you are?"
"It is." He wasn't lying to her. It has been a busy week.
"So I'll keep this short. I know you've spotted the file on the table already as your eyes keep looking at it." Jack felt a little ashamed at being found out. For cryin' out loud he was black ops trained! He should be able to conceal things a bit better than that. It shows how desperate he was to find out.
"But before I give you it, answer me this: do you remember me? You don't have to explain how, all I want to hear is the truth from the military for once." She pleaded with him.
Jack paused. Everything was screaming him to deny it but after everything that had happened to her (and he knew it must have been hard to get answers out of the military after Vietnam), he felt he could not lie to her anymore. And anyways, she only wanted to know if she had met him before.
"Yes. We have met before, back in 1969." There he had done it. In a few simple words he had openly admitted to something Stargate related to an ordinary member of the public.
"That is all I wanted to know Jack. At least now I know I'm not going insane," she laughed. She picked up the file and handed it to Jack. Jack looked at the plain brown cover and suddenly he did not want to open it!
"I won't keep you any longer Jack," she said.
"As you've said, you're a busy man."
"Yes, thank you," he said rising from his seat. She escorted him to the front door. Before he went though he turned back to Jennifer.
"I know you're sick of hearing this, but I am truly sorry to hear about Michael," he said sincerely.
"Coming from you, I know that to be sincere. Thank you," and he left her house.
As he walked towards the car his head was spinning. What had he done? If anyone found out about this then he would be mucking out the commissary in McMurdo! He got into the car, threw the file on the front passenger seat and rested against the steering wheel. He looked across at the file on the seat beside him. He could not bring himself to open it, yet he had to know what was in it.
He decided to open it at in the safety of his home, where he could have a few beers also. He set off for home, a place he hadn't been in days although he hadn't been Offworld either. He was about half way home when his cell ran.
"O'Neill," he answered in a rather tired tone.
"General, your presence is required at the SGC," an airman on the phone said.
"What's the problem?" he asked. He really wanted to go home.
"SG-6 and 7 have not returned back from P3X-979, sir," the airman explained.
"Have you tried dialling the gate to establish communication?"
"We have tried Sir, but we could not get a connection. The gate appears to have malfunctioned."
"Ok, I'm on my way," he reluctantly agreed. Turning his car around he headed for the base.
As it turned out, there was no real problem. The reason they couldn't dial the gate was because the gate was actually in use. It was busy. It would appear that SG-6 and 7 were 'enjoying' themselves too much. He would have to calmly remind them of protocol. After all, they stopped him going home!
He was back again sitting at his desk looking over even more personnel files sitting in front of him. Finally fed up, he threw his hands up in the air and a pile of files joined them. They landed in an unorganised pile on the floor beside his desk.
"Great," he said to himself as he bent down to pick them up. He picked a file off the top looked at the sepia photograph that had fallen out one of the files. It was old, from a time before colour photographs, but the subjects in the picture contradicted the age of the photograph. He had seen a similar one to it before, but that was a completely different situation…
He picked up the photograph to examine it closer when he noticed the file Jennifer had given him had fallen open and there was a far more interesting document underneath. Dropping the photograph on to his desk he picked up the other document. 'No, this cannot be right,' he thought.
'This is to certify that Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter are bonded together in the sacred union of matrimony.'
They had got married! 'That was not possible. I mean when…' Jack suddenly retrieved a few long lost memories back from their last night in 1969.
They were all sitting together in that wooded area with the fire blazing in the centre of the group. Jack was sitting with a miserable look on his face staring into the leaping flames of the fire.
"Sir?" Sam said noticing his mood. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, it's just…" he paused.
"Just what?" Daniel urged him to continue.
"I really liked 1969 the first time round so I'm not happy about ruining my memory of it."
"What do you mean O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"1969 for me was fun, and to come back and not enjoy myself feels wrong. We should be out, having a few drinks and just having fun," Jack explained.
"What do you have in mind?" Teal'c enquired. Jack just smiled.
They were then in a bar, with a rather large pile of empty glasses stacked up on the table in front of them. Jennifer and Michael had joined them too. Jack came back to the table with yet another round of drinks. He handed them out, making sure not to mix up Sam's orange and vodka with Teal'c straight orange juice. Daniel on the other hand was looking worse for wears.
"And whers min?" Daniel slurred.
"I think you've had enough Dr Jackson," Jack said sitting down beside Sam.
"I'll be de uge of dat," Daniel demanded. But before he could anything, he collapsed banging his head on the table, spilling the full glasses over the table. Teal'c helped him to sit up, as Daniel was out for the count. Jack was almost pissing himself laughing at Daniel.
"What a lightweight!" he exclaimed. "Even Carter can drink him under the table!"
"And you," Sam challenged. They stared at each other for a moment, both contemplating the challenge until the voice of Teal'c interrupted.
"Maybe it would be wise for me to escort Daniel Jackson back to the vehicle," he suggested.
"Yeah, probably," Jack agreed. "And could you stay to keep an eye on him?" Jack asked.
"It is unwise for us to separate O'Neill."
"I know, but if he throws up while he's asleep he will choke. Need someone with him just in case. And there's no way I'm leaving yet!" Jack said.
Teal'c just bowed his head and picked Daniel up and carried him off out of the club. After another round of drinks, the bar manager approached the group.
"I'm afraid guys that the bar is now closing," he said.
Jack looked around and realised they were the only ones there. "OK," and they left the building. "Now what?"
"We could go back to the van, Sir?" Sam suggested.
"How many times do I have to say don't call me Sir, Carter," Jack said.
"Until you atop calling me Carter," Sam retorted.
In the meanwhile, Michael had taken Jennifer off to one side and saying something to her. Suddenly Jack and Sam heard what sounded like 'Oh my god, Yes!' coming from Jennifer. They turned and saw that Michael was down on one knee proposing to Jennifer. Jack and Sam looked at each other and smiled. When Michael and Jennifer came over the hugged each other.
"I know that we've only just met you, but would you two do us the honour of witnessing our union?" Michael asked.
"Of course!" Jack instantly agreed.
"I'm afraid we can't. We must leave you tomorrow," Sam reminded the colonel.
"Car…Sam?"
"Jack, we cannot stay any longer. We must get to Washington in time," she explained.
"Oh, but we intend to get married tonight," Michael explained.
"Then as I said, we would love to."
They wandered round for a while until they came across an all night chapel rather like the ones that are so common in Las Vegas today. Despite being the dead of night, there were a couple of couples waiting to be married. Since the announcement of the draft couples had been getting married before the man goes off to war. This was a place were it was easy to get married, just perfect for Michael and Jennifer.
After a short wait, it was Michael and Jennifer's turn. They picked out a couple of rings from the counter and headed off down the isle to a slightly warped version of the wedding march. Jack and Sam walked down the isle behind them and watched the proceedings. Jack couldn't help but look at the beautiful woman beside him. He had dreamed about walking down the isle with her, but not quite like this. Sam turned to him and smiled, then reached for his hand. They stood there, watching their new friends exchange their vows of undying love for one another, and Jack and Sam could not help but be moved. Everything that was said reminded them of each other. Jennifer and Michael said their own vows to one another.
"My dearest Jenny, you have been with me through everything, as my rock. Without you, I would have fallen, never able to get back up again. You're the foundation for my reason to live. You truly are everything to me."
"Michael, my sweet, sweet Michael, you rescued from the oppression that was my life. I need you together with me for eternity, holding me close to you, protecting me from the evils in this world. I love you."
The Minister announced them as husband and wife and they walked out the chapel. While Jennifer and Michael signed the marriage certificate, Jack and Sam talked.
"That was so romantic," Sam said watching Jennifer and Michael standing together fingers entwined.
"I love you, Sam," Jack said. Sam looked at him. He even surprised himself. That was not what he was going to say, he was just going to agree with her, but that came out instead. Must be the alcohol, he thought.
"I love you too Jack," Sam said and they kissed. Two years of sexual tension came out in the kiss. Each could feel what the other felt in that kiss.
"Aww," Jennifer said when they came back and joined their new friends. Jack and Sam broken apart.
"You two will be getting married next," Michael joked. Jack turned to Sam.
"I know it sounds crazy, but why not?" Jack suggested.
Sam stood in complete shock for a moment, before she answered. "Of course!" she said jumping up on Jack. It didn't take long for them to sign up and were once again waiting in the queue. There was only couple in front of them so before long they were walking down the isle, to marry each other.
They stood before the minister as he started his speech again, the same speech with Jennifer and Michael, but it didn't really matter they were getting married. Just before it came to exchanging the vows, Sam turned to Jack.
"Jack?"
"Is there a problem?" the minister asked stopping his speech.
"Can I have a word with you Jack?" she said leading him off to one side.
"What's up?"
"Are you sure about this?"
"Of course I am, Sam. Ever since Sara, I never thought I would feel for a woman ever again. But you walked into the first briefing and blew me away. You are confident, smart – really smart – you're strong and you're beautiful. I know your face so well. Everything about you I love. I would rather die myself than have anything happen to you. I know that it is against regulations to be with you, be I can't help it. I love you Sam," Jack explained.
"Really?" Sam said with tears welling up in her eyes.
"Yes really," he said holding her in his arms and looking deeply into her eyes.
'I love you too Jack. I never thought I would end up with a guy like you. But I can't imagine myself with anyone but you. To quote a favourite song of mine:
I'm falling even more in love with you,
Letting go of all I've held on to,
I'm standing here until you make me move,
I'm hanging by a moment here with you.
Living for the only thing I know,
Running and I don't know where to go,
And I Don't know what I'm diving in to,
Hanging by a moment here with you."
Jack gave her a huge hug and kiss and stepped back to the minister.
"We're ready. The minister got the to say their vows while looking deeply into each others eyes. Then he said.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Jack returned out of his memories to find himself sitting at his desk again. There was only one thing running through his mind: 'Oh my god, I married Sam!" He leaned back into his comfy chair in complete shock. How could he do that? I mean, he may have been drunk but he couldn't just lose his senses like that. But he admitted his love to the woman he had loved for so long. And she had said them back! She did love him! A smiled spread across Jack's face. She said that she loved him, regardless that it made no sense to either of them, it felt right. She loved him!!!! Jack mentally shook his head. He was getting off the point a little. He looked at the marriage certificate again, and thought of something. Neither could remember doing this clearly or they would have brought this up to get an annulment… Hold on. Jack looked at the date. 1969. That meant they had been married for 35 years!! Too late to get an annulment now. It also meant that Sam must not have remembered either. That would be an interesting conversation. What would he say? 'Hey Sam guess what? You're my wife!' He had no idea how he was going to break it to Sam that they were married.
And what about Pete? Jack didn't particularly like Pete though. He tried too hard to get Jack to like him, but every time he saw them together it made Jack… well… jealous. He hated that he could hold her, kiss her, and he couldn't. But Pete's relationship with Sam made Jack's discovery harder to announce. He knew how close they were getting, so he would have to pick his timing.
No time like the present. He picked up the photograph and paused to look at it again. It was a really relaxed picture with Sam in his arms facing him, her hands on his face. They are both smiling – probably the alcohol, but something in the eyes of both of them said otherwise. There was a deepness in their eyes of longing and desire, and of true love. When he had seen that pictures that the alternate reality Sam brought through, he had this urge to get it copied. However, he never had to guts to ask her. She thought he did not see Sam 'in that way'. Oh he did alright, not that he could do anything about it. But he did! He married her. He needed to talk to Sam, that was clear, but finding the rights words would be difficult. He found it hard in normal situations, how would he cope with this. It had to be done though. With his new found resolve, he got up and, with the brown file in hand, he headed off to Sam's laboratory.
He walked along the corridors of the SGC, thinking as he walked, trying to come up with a good opening sentence, but everything seemed wrong. She would see right through it. Just before entering her lab he stopped and took a deep breath. Here it goes.
He wandered into Sam's laboratory and was stopped dead in his tracks, by the sight unfolding in front of him. There, in the middle of her lab was Pete down on one knee proposing to her! Sam's face was lit up with joy.
"Of course it's yes!" she said. He got up and gave her a cuddle and a kiss.
"D'oh," Jack thought to him.
"General O'Neill," Pete said suddenly noticing the general standing in the doorway. "Sam's just agreed to marry me. Isn't that wonderful!" he said excitedly.
"Yeah," Jack said trying to sound just as excited. He chanced a glance at Sam who seemed embarrassed. Probably not the way she wanted him to find out. He smiled in a reassuring way. "Congratulations to the both of you," he said shaking hands with Pete.
"Thank you, Jack," Pete said pleased.
'Pushing it a bit,' Jack thought at Pete's usage of his first name, but now was not the time to pick him up on it.
"I'll leave you too alone then," Jack said turning to leave.
"Sir?" Sam said jumping after him. "Was there something you wanted?" she asked.
He looked down at the file in his hands and back at Pete's smiling face. "It can wait," and with that he left them alone.
"This complicates things."
To be continued…
