Chapter Twenty:
I smiled softly as the breeze ruffled my blonde hair. It had grown over the last couple of months and now hung about an inch below my shoulders. I had to admit I kind of liked it that way. The sun was warm and the scent of wildflowers hung in the air. I gazed down the beach from the balcony on which I stood, and caught sight of the white sand and blew ocean. You could even smell the salt on the air.
I felt the slight droplets of sea on the wind and could smelt the salt in the air. I smiled as I continued to gaze out over the beach below me. The sea was a beautiful deep blue and the sand was golden. With the green of the trees coming right down to the edge of the beach, this truly was a paradise. Finding a place for the Lost City of Atlantis like this less that half an hours walk from the Alpha Site had been perfect, and now Atlantis finally had a home.
It has been a busy four months since we found the fuel cell for the city, and I had not been here as often as I had liked. Don't get me wrong, I still had a home on Earth and always would consider it that way – after all, I had been born and raised there – but Atlantis was also my home now, and I missed it when I wasn't there. I finally had permission from the government to use Atlantis as my home base, as it were. It made things easier, as I was still classified as an alien diplomat due to the role I had to play for the Ancients.
On the up side, the SGC would soon be sending a team of scientists and an armed escort to the city to help get the systems up and running again, as well as study any knowledge it might give, so I would soon have some company. Dad was also going to use this as his base, as were the others like him, but Dad spent most of his time at the SGC and the others were still at home with their families. After so much time apart, I couldn't drag them away unless they were desperately needed.
Earth now had a Global Defence System, and along with the new fleet of space-going ships they were developing, we could now take most things that the Goa'uld could throw at us – baring a full scale war, of course. Atlantis was within defensible range too, so we shouldn't have a problem. It was nice to know that we didn't need to rely so heavily on our allies anymore. Earth could finally hold its head high – because we not only defeated more System Lords than anyone else in a long time, but we could now defend ourselves. Apparently, the Tok'ra were very interested in procuring some of our new technology, which had Dad crowing. He hasn't been very fond of the Tok'ra ever since they turned their backs on us a long time ago.
I don't really care much about that, though. The petty rivalry between the Tok'ra and SGC could be sorted out by someone else. I had bigger problems to deal with – although none at the moment. I had seen no evidence of a Descended One in this part of the galaxy for a long time, which probably meant we would have to go looking for them soon. I was just content to enjoy life at the moment – and life was good.
Dad had finally proposed to Mom about two weeks ago and everyone was delighted. They seem to be really happy, and I'm over the moon of course! No one has the heart to tell them that about half the SGC witnessed the proposal, but I suppose it will all come out soon. I think Daniel might even be saving it for his wedding speech. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered the unique event. Just like some of my memories from childhood, I had witnessed a side of my parents that I didn't see that often – their tenderness and such obvious love unhidden. I guess after hiding it so long, there are some things that take time to show.
"For crying out loud!" Dad snapped loudly. "I'm fine!"
I shared a knowing grin with Janet from where I sat next to my father's bed in the infirmary. "Sure you are, Dad." I said.
"You were not fine ten minutes ago, Jack." Daniel tried to soothe an annoyed Jack. "You couldn't walk!"
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.
"It's just a tiny sprain." Dad grumbled. "Nothing to get carried away about."
"That's for me to decide, Colonel." Janet told him firmly, still examining his swollen ankle. I smiled at the absently used rank, even though Dad was officially retired and classified alien diplomat (like me).
"Fine." Dad said somewhat sourly. "But what am I going to do for the next ten hours?"
"I'm sure you'll think of something." Janet said. "Although, if I catch you harassing the nurses, I'll sedate you."
I grinned at the threat. Dad could be a little bit of a pain when he was cooped up to long. "How about cards?" I suggested, pulled a pack of cards out of my pocket.
Dad looked at me consideringly. "Go Fish?" he asked.
"Sure." I agreed easily. "Why not?"
"I, too, shall join you." Teal'c added.
So that was how Daniel, Janet, Teal'c, Dad and I all found ourselves playing a tournament of Go Fish in the middle of the infirmary on a Friday evening. No one really considered just leaving Dad there, and it's not like I really had a life or anything. I mean, all my friends were either in another state or worked at the SGC just like me – and were probably off-world or buried under a mountain of paperwork. I know Mac was.
"Jack, have you got any twos?" Daniel asked.
"Go Fish." Dad replied rather smugly and winked at Janet.
I laughed as Janet turned to Daniel and sweetly asked for his twos. Janet was winning this round, but I had to admit, Dad wasn't far behind. I suspect the two of them were cheating, but I couldn't prove it.
"You're playing Go Fish?" An annoyed voice snapped from the infirmary's door.
"Hey Mom." I greeted cheerfully. "Wanna play?"
"No thanks, Shan." Mom replied absently, before levelling a hard stare at Dad and Janet.
"What can I do for you Sam?" Janet asked.
"What can you do for me? Tell me what's going on for a start!" Mom snapped. "I get a memo saying that Jack is in the infirmary, to be kept for observation all night - which no one decided to tell me in person. I get no details as to why, and when I do I find you all playing Go Fish!"
Janet winced slightly. "Sorry about that." She said. "We got kind of sidetracked."
Mom nodded, but she still looked really annoyed. I wondered what was going on. "And what do you have to say for yourself?" she snapped at Dad.
Dad blinked. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"You know exactly what I mean." Mom said. "Your note."
Dad winced. "You found it? You weren't supposed to find it yet." He said softly, then added in a louder voice. "I was coming to see you."
"You know what." I said, standing up before Mom and Dad could start arguing too hard. I knew the look on my mother's face and knew this was something they had to work out for themselves. "I just remembered I have something to do in my lab. I'll see you later, Dad."
Daniel nodded vigorously. "Me, too." He said.
"And I have work to do as well." Janet added.
As we all got up to leave I watched Mom raise an eyebrow as Teal'c followed. "I will leave you two alone." He said simply, and followed us away from the bed.
Janet gently shut the privacy curtain around the bed before we all rusher to her office were we could listen away from prying eyes. Hey I know! But when I said they had to work this out for themselves, I never said I wasn't going to listen!
For a few minutes, Mom and Dad muttered to each other in soft voices, obviously suspecting that someone might be listening (damn, but they knew us too well!) before getting louder as the argument became more heated.
"I hope this isn't a bad sign." Daniel fretted quietly.
"Don't be silly." I said. "They just need to get a few things out in the open, that's all. Now be quiet. I want to find out what that note was all about!"
"…not exactly romantic!" Mom snapped, her voice getting louder.
"Well, you weren't exactly supposed to find it yet!" Dad snapped back. "Give me a little credit!"
"And when exactly was I supposed to find it!" Mom asked.
"Later!"
"Later, when? I've been trying to talk to you about this for the past two months, but you keep changing the subject whenever I try and bring it up!" Mom said. "Why?"
"It's complicated." Dad replied.
"Complicated? When it anything not complicated in our lives? Are we going to talk about this or not?" Mom demanded.
"Talk about what, dammit!" Janet muttered and I had to agree with her. Just what was going on?
"No, we're not going to talk about it." Jack said, softer, but still audible. "I've already made my decision."
"And that's it?" Mom asked, and I could hear the sudden tears in her voice.
What the hell was in that note? And what exactly did Dad think he was doing?
"Yes." Dad said.
"Well, fine." Mom snapped angry again. "Have it your way. Just don't expect me to speak to you!"
"Speak to me?" Dad snapped back. "I thought you wanted me to make a decision!"
"I wanted to discuss it with you, not have you decide without talking to me! I'm involved in this too! Or at least I thought I was!"
"Will you just sit down a minute!" Dad snapped angrily.
"No!" Mom retorted and we all heard the curtain get yanked back and Mom storm out.
Thankfully she was too angry to see us, as no one made a move to get out of the doorway. We were all too shocked at what was going on. Mom never yelled at Dad like that! I really had to find out what had annoyed her so much in that note and what the hell Dad had decided!
"Damn it!" Dad swore, jerkily getting out of bed, before hobbling towards the corridor after Mom. "Sam, wait!"
As soon as he was through the door, everyone in Janet's office poured out and ran towards the corridor. I put my hand on Janet's arm, just before she called out to Jack. "He's supposed to stay in the infirmary." She whispered.
"I know, but they have to sort this out." I replied, just as softly. "Besides, he won't be going very far."
Since we didn't care if we were seen anymore, and blatantly squished through the door and stood watching in the middle of the corridor. I noticed we weren't the only ones, as this was one of the busier corridors in the SGC and Mom and Dad were attracting quite an audience.
"What, Jack?" Mom said, turning back to face him.
"Will you just come back and sit down?"
"No. Whatever you have to say, you'd better say it now, because I'm done listening to you!" Mom snapped. "So spit it out or get lost!"
Man, I hadn't seen Mom this angry since I'd stolen the neighbours dog and trailed mud through the house (Mom hadn't let me get a dog, or keep that one after everything).
"Spit it out?" Dad snapped. "Fine. Just remember this was what you wanted."
Taking a deep breath, my father continued, this time in a more reasonable voice (although still annoyed and loud). "Samantha Carter, will you marry me?"
Mom stared at him in shock – as I glanced around, I realised everyone was staring at him in shock. Why? It's not like we hadn't seen this coming. Okay, so the delivery could have been a little better, but Mom had kind of forced him to just say it.
"I thought you said you'd decided?" Mom asked when she regained the ability to speak.
Dad frowned slightly. "I did decide. I decided to hell with it, I was going to marry you anyway." He said. "You never did ask me what my decision was, you know."
Mom continued to stare at him in silence, and I noticed that everyone watching was holding their breath, hoping they weren't noticed. But Mom and Dad either didn't notice anyone, or didn't care.
"Mom!" I hissed. "Say yes!"
"What?" Mom blinked.
"You haven't exactly answered my question." Dad explained for me.
I could see the tension in every line in his body and silently begged Mom to hurry up. Couldn't she see that this apparent indecision was killing him?
"Sorry." Mom said softly. "I'm still waiting to see when I'm going to wake up."
Dad relaxed a little and walked forward, until he was standing in front of Mom. "You're not dreaming." He said. "So will you marry me, Sammie?"
"Of course I will!" Mom said. "But if I wake up I am going to hit you, Jack!"
Dad let out a whoop of glee and swooped down to give Mom one of the most thorough kisses I have ever seen (or want to see my parents do again…it is a little gross, but sweet). Everyone cheered loudly.
When they finally stopped, Dad turned towards me and grinned. "You happy?" he asked.
"Do you need to ask?" I retorted, grinning like a madwoman. "It's about time!"
Dad laughed. "That's what I thought."
The wedding was going to be held in about an hour, on the beach just below Atlantis. I thought it was rather appropriate, and everyone else had thought it was best considering the number of aliens that had been invited. And as Dad said, everyone who really mattered knew about the Stargate Programme anyway, so having it off-world wouldn't matter.
Except then Mom objected that her brother (Uncle Mark) couldn't come, so Dad promised they'd have another small ceremony at the registers' office later. This meant everyone had to invent a reason as to why Dad wasn't actually dead, so no one started asking any tricky questions. Which led to the General declaring that no one else was to get married, because it was too much effort.
I was just going to enjoy the day for what it was. The day my parents finally got married.
"Shannon, are you coming?" Janet called from behind me.
I turned and grinned at her. My bridesmaids' dress fluttered around my legs. "Of course." I said. "I wouldn't miss this for anything!"
"Then let's go!" she grinned.