"Nice job Danny, you forgot my socks." said Jack sarcastically and lifted his pant leg.

"Hey, don't blame me" said Daniel "Sam was the one who packed your gear."

"She what?" asked Jack a little startled by this news.

"Yeah, she was at your house getting ready for the party and I passed the buck to her" said Daniel. "Don't be so sensitive Jack; I am sure Sam didn't short sheet your bed or anything."

Jack felt like reaching over and strangling his best friend. A short sheeted bed was the least of his worries. He hoped she didn't go snooping around too much.

Did he ever get around to putting that letter away?

Where the hell did he leave those rings?

O O O O

Sam intentionally avoided Jack for the rest of the morning. Her head was still spinning from her little shock yesterday. The more she thought about it the more excited she became. She even caught herself peeking at a website for bridal gowns.

Sam decided that she needed to get off base and fast.

She then did something that she never does. She left Jack an email telling him that she was taking the rest of the day off to finish party preparations.

It was only a little white lie. She was going to call Cassie to have her go directly to Jack's house and wait for the caterer. That had something to do with the party, didn't it?

Sam was actually going to her favorite spa for a few hours. She desperately needed a massage, a manicure/pedicure and her hair done. She was then going shopping for a new dress for the party, something that would leave him speechless. She might even make a little detour to Victoria's Secret.

O O O O

Jack sat in his office packing boxes. Most of them were only going a few doors down to his new temporary office. The rest were being shipped to his house.

His mind kept wandering back to Sam being in his house alone. He was now sure that he had left that letter in the cupboard and the rings were tucked safely in his top bureau drawer. The letter she could have missed, but the rings…the words 'OH, SHIT!' kept on running through his thoughts.

He knew she would never say anything. She was very good at hiding her emotions, though she did look a bit shaky when he went to see her this morning. He had to think of a way to find out if she had seen them.

It wasn't that big of a deal, technically they were hers anyway. Well, they would be some day when he got up the nerve. He had planned to make it a big surprise. Take her to Minnesota for a candle lit dinner on his lake. He would actually tell her exactly how he felt about her. Profess his undying love and pop the question.

Of course knowing himself, he knew it would come out all wrong. He would end up dropping the ring off the dock on accident, giving the fish a small fortune in diamonds and emeralds to enjoy for eternity.

He had gone a little overboard with the rings. They had taken a while to think out in his head and then translating his thoughts over to the designer at the jewelers had been another adventure.

He just wanted the absolute best for Sam. The rings were not just jewelry but his way to express how much she meant to him, how much she has always meant to him.

They had been gathering dust in his safe deposit box in Minnesota for quite some time. When he had told his mother about Sam's break up with 'Shenanigans', the rings had mysteriously arrived by FedEx within a couple of days. His mom was the only person on earth who knew - scratch that - the only person on earth that he had actually told about his feelings for Sam. He loved his mother, but subtlety was not her strong point.

So, there they sat in the top drawer of his bureau, waiting for him to work up enough nerve to ask her before he did something stupid again and another man came and swept her off her feet.

The letter had been in his desk at home. He was actually going to shred it. It had made it from his desk it to the countertop then found itself stuffed in his catch all cupboard. He was really hoping she had not seen that. What would she think when she saw when it was dated?

Around 1700 hours he called it a day. When he arrived home he found several catering trucks in his driveway. He could smell the BBQ ribs from the street, gotta love that woman for thinking like she did. He loved BBQ.

He thought he would find Sam inside dealing with the catering crew. He was now officially retired. Let the fun begin! His bedroom was located in the back of the house towards the backyard. He would try to keep it down so not to disturb the party preparations.

He was shocked to find Cassie sprawled out on his floor with her laptop, surrounded by her school books.

"Jack!" she yelled as she got up and ran to him. "So how does it feel to be legal, I mean retired?" she asked with a slight blush. The girl was much to smart for her own good.

"Cute, Cassie" he replied giving her a big hug hello. Janet, in her infinite wisdom, God love her, had assigned joint custody of Cassie to both Jack and Sam. Go figure. She would be under both their care until she was out of college.

"You staying with me this time round?" he asked.

"Uh, that's a big no. No offence, but I think you and Sam will want some time alone after the party," said Cassie with a slight grin. "I am staying with a girlfriend from High School while I'm in town. I have to get back to school the day after tomorrow. I have this major Particle Physics exam in a few days and I still want to get in some quality studying. Don't worry. I will leave my cell phone on the entire time." Jack and Sam had provided Cassie with a cell phone and the strict instructions to have it on her person, turned on, at all times. They didn't care how many minutes she rung up each month, they just wanted to know that she would be able to reach them at anytime.

Cassie had stayed at Sam's for a little while after Janet was killed. When Sam started dating Shanahan, Cassie had conveniently moved to her dorm at UC Berkeley full time even through that summer. She would visit from time and stay in her bedroom at Jack's house. Even though she had originally chosen to stay with Sam, Jack wanted Cassie to know she had a home no matter what.

In secret she had told Jack that she did not like Pete the instant she met him. In her exact words, "He has the IQ of a cantaloupe and he's sneaky, always trying to poke around in Sam's business. He also has way too many control issues." In Jack's eyes Cassie had hit the nail on the head, but he just sat back and kept his mouth shut like a dumbass.

"You study way too much" said Jack. "Don't forget to come up for air every now and then."

"Don't worry Jack," laughed Cassie "even Sam says that too much studying can drive a person over the edge."

O O O O

Sam stood in front of her bed looking at the three dresses she had just purchased. They ranged from; cute and flirty, a little daring and then downright provocative. She decided upon the last one. She thought to herself, this should get his new heart pumpin'.

She didn't have to do much to get ready. That had all been taken care of at the spa. She had decided to get her make-up done as well, so all she really had to do was get dressed and dab on a little bit of Jack's favorite perfume. She knew she was late, but she was still taking her time. She wanted to make an entrance.

As she walked into his backyard she noticed that the full crowd of regulars had shown up. Jack's backyard BBQ's had become famous, even without the catering.

Sam took a deep breath and walked over toward Daniel and Sarah. They had been dating for quite some time now and were getting quite serious. Sam really liked Sarah. She had enjoyed becoming friends with her.

As she walked slowly over to them, she noticed Jack standing at the grill with the caterer, probably telling him that the meat was not burnt enough. She then noticed his expression. She thought, 'BINGO!' and then smiled in spite of herself.

O O O O

When Jack noticed Sam it was as though is heart had stopped and his mouth had suddenly gone dry. He realized that he was just standing there staring at her, probably looking like a big idiot with his mouth hanging open and drool running out.

O O O O

Daniel was the first to comment on her appearance. "Don't you look stunning" he said as Sarah playfully jabbed him in the ribs. "Well, she does" he said rubbing his now sore spot. "But you, my beloved, look absolutely breathtaking."

"Thank you," she said with a laugh. "That is the best way to get a man to compliment you, be around another gorgeous woman."

"Why thank you," said Sam as she leaned over and gave Sarah a hug hello.

Jack had just come up to join them and was now standing next to Sam. "Don't you think Sam looks stunning Jack?" continued Sarah.

Jack was still absorbing Sam's incredible appearance. She was wearing this pale pink and amazingly low cut dress that came to just above her knees. He even noticed that her polish matched her dress and strapy sandals. He now found himself wondering if her "entire" outfit matched.

He responded with a very thoughtful, "Absolutely breathtaking." He then, without hesitation, gave her a very affectionate kiss hello. At that moment, it seemed as if the entire party had stopped and taken notice. They released a collective sigh of relief and were silently giving their own personal "Hooray!" to Jack and Sam's first public show of affection.

As they parted from the kiss, Jack kept his arm around her waist and Sam felt herself leaning into his slightly snug hold of her. They then stood there talking with their friends as if it was the most natural thing on earth for them to be a couple.

Throughout the party, they made the rounds together. They accepted the congratulations on Jack's retirement, knowing that from some of their friends the congratulations referred to something else entirely.

At one point Jack asked if Sam could come take a look at a present he had bought for Cassie, wanting to get her opinion on it before he gave it to her.

"You really do spoil her" said Sam as Jack led her into his den.

"Hey, if it makes her happy, I'm all for it" said Jack. "It's not like she's a juvenile delinquent like I was. The kid has a 4.0, at UC Berkeley, no less. A little spoiling will not kill her."

"She told me that you gave her a credit card" said Sam chiding Jack a bit.

"I told her not to tell you" he said knowing he had been caught.

"She said you told her not to worry about the bill, to just charge whatever she needed" continued Sam.

"Did I say that?" said Jack with a little gleam in his eye.

When they entered the study Jack sat Sam at his desk chair and opened up a drawer to pull out the "gift" for Cassie.

When Sam saw the light blue box with the white ribbon her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God," she said silently.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Jack.

"What, what, I have no idea what you are talking about" said Sam trying to play dumb.

"Don't play innocent with me young lady, don't act like you have never seen this box before" scolded Jack now starting to smile a bit. He knew, that she knew, what he knew.

"Do you know what's in it?" he asked.

Sam started feeling her face blush over.

"Cassie's present?" asked Sam.

Jack was now leaning over her practically straddling her in the chair. The energy between them was becoming quite intense.

"You found it, didn't you" he whispered, his lips about an inch from hers.

"Yes" she said weakly.

It was all she could get out before he kissed her. He would know his fate after that. Her decision would be in the kiss.

As he leaned in and deepened the kiss she whole heartedly kissed him back. That must be a yes, he thought to himself. SWEET!

He scooped her up from the chair so that they were now leaning onto the desk.

Leaning closer she whispered into his ear. "I even tried them on, they fit perfectly."

He just looked at her, cocked his head to the side and laughed. "Is that a yes?" he asked now being a bit more serious.

"I haven't stopped thinking about it since" she said, nodding her head.

Jack took the engagement ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. They both stood there for a moment as if waiting for the cosmos to come falling down upon them. When nothing happened Jack lifted Sam up into a big hug. This time she kissed him and wrapped her legs around his waist, as she did so he fell back into the chair. She started pulling his shirt out from his shorts when he suddenly stood up and sat her on the desk.

"The party" he said as he was enjoying her kissing his neck and ears. He then started kissing her again.

"What party?" she asked in between kisses and now managing to get his shirt over his head. Right now she didn't care if General Hammond was in the next room playing chess with the President. They had waited 8 long years for their first real kiss, had suffered the last several weeks being satisfied with just that. Now, Jack was retired and they were engaged. Kissing was great, especially with a man who was as good at it as Jack. If they didn't move beyond that soon Sam was certain she was going to spontaneously combust.

"You know," he said as he was now unzipping her dress, "outside in the backyard."

"Don't care" she replied as she started slipping out of the dress, letting it fall to the floor."

"My God" he squeaked out as he saw what the dress revealed. This was even better than when he caught her skinny dipping on base. He was now able to do what his libido had wanted him to do that night.

"Jack! Sam! You up here?" they heard Daniel calling.

"SHIT!" they said in unison as they dove down to retrieve their shed clothing.

"The door, the door!" whispered Sam as she motioned to the unlocked door as the doorknob was now being turned open by Daniel on the other side. The door swung open as Jack and Sam ducked to the floor behind the desk.

"Jack, Sam, you in here?" Daniel called again. "I don't know where they could have gotten off to for so long." He told Sarah.

"I thought I saw them go out front, let's go look" she said. She had realized that Jack and Sam had probably snuck off to some quiet corner to be alone for a while. Daniel had insisted on going to look for them. She loved him, but sometimes he missed the point entirely.

Jack realized that, where he was positioned, he was now looking directly into Sam's cleavage. I knew it would all match, he thought to himself. Whoever Victoria Secret was, he wasgrateful her for insight into the malelibido. He then whispered "this is by far the best position I have ever landed in."

As if to antagonize him, she intentionally let the lace of her pink bra brush across his lips, as she reached over him to get her dress.

"Oh, yah," he said with a gulp, "not bad at all." Sam was now on her hands and knees straddled across him. She planted a big kiss on his lips and got back up to put on her dress.

Jack rolled over to grab his shirt. "Remind me to kill Daniel" he moaned.

"Maybe it's for the best" said Sam as she turned around to let Jack zip her up. "We shouldprobably wait for our fist time to be someplace besides your desktop." Sam couldn't tell who she was tryingmore to convince, Jack or herself. AsJackzipped up her dress he lightly planted kisses up her back and across her neck. The tingles running up and down Sam's spine sent goose bumps all over. Jack noticed and smiled as he tugged on his shirt and tucked it in.

Sam was now trying to fix her hair and lipstick. She definitely looked a little different than when she arrived earlier that night. She then looked down at her engagement ring. She didn't mind one bit.

Sam reached over and playfully wiped the lipstick off of Jack's face. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Unbelievably tempting" he said with an intoxicated look in his eye.

"Why thank you," she said with a giggle "I especially like my new piece of jewelry."

Jack just smiled, very proud of himself, "How about me?" he asked. As he was asking Daniel opened the door again. "Here you are!" he said as he walked into the room, followed closely by Sarah.

"Hey Daniel," said Jack.

"Hi Daniel, hi Sarah" said Sam who was now beaming. She gave Jack a quick kiss and started to walk toward the door. Sarah joined her, linking an arm through hers and quickly took Sam's left hand to examine the ring; gushing about it all the way outside as they went to find Cassie and give her the good news.

Daniel looked at Jack and coolly said "Your shirts on inside out and backwards."

"Oh, shit." said Jack as he took it off to turn it right side out and the correct way.

This unfortunately revealed an array of smeared lipstick. Daniel just smiled and sort of pointed to it. Jack looked down and saw what he was referring to.

He gave a huge grin and said "Hey, like I told you a few weeks ago, I'm retired, all bets are now off."

Daniel just smiled at his best friend, patted him on the back and said "I wonder who won the pool?" as they headed out back.

When they reached the patio doors, they heard Cassie screech with delight "Let me see! Let me see!"