a/n: The next two chapters go along with season 7's finale 'Lost City' If you haven't seen that 2-part episode, you may not be able to follow the next two chapters very well. If you haven't seen the episodes, but, don't mind spoilers, Gateworld has very nicely written summaries for every episode of Stargate.

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Sam had been on cloud nine for weeks. Ever since their first time in Minnesota, Sam and Jack's relationship had gone up another step. Everything was perfect.

She had everything she could possibly want in life. Great friends, a great career, the man she'd always wanted and a baby on the way. Life was, for once, on her side.

It was now public knowledge that Sam and Jack were finally together, in every way possible. So, for the first time since their first meeting that fateful day in the briefing room, they no longer had to hide their looks, feelings, touches. It was great! Sam's life was perfect.

She had been in the nursery for hours. The SGC had thrown her and Jack a huge baby shower the day before and she was busy putting all Grace's new stuff away in the room.

The party had a huge turn-out and Sam had mounds of work ahead of her still. Sam was putting all the newly-washed outfits away in their proper drawers. The SG-3 Marines had gone to the PX at Peterson and bought really cute novelty onesies. When Sam had first opened the present, Jack read them and scowled, but Sam thought they were very cute. One of them said, "Marines Do It Better," and another said, "My Daddy's A Flyboy (I hope I take after my mom), which didn't make a whole lot of sense since Sam was Air Force, too. But, it was still funny.

Sam's absolute favorite onesie, though, was one that Col. Reynolds picked up on one of his recent trips to Area 51. He had stopped at a roadside tourist shop and found a onesie with a drawing of the 'Roswell Gray' alien on the front. Who, of course, held a striking resemblance to Thor. Underneath the drawing were the simple words, "We're Not Alone." Sam thought it was great. Especially considering how Gracie was conceived.

Sam had just finished putting all the onesies in the top dresser drawer when Jack walked in the room and wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her softly on the neck. "Hey, how's it coming?"

"Good. I've got the majority of the clothes put away. I have no idea where to put all these dolls and stuffed animals, though," Sam sighed, leaning back against him.

"I'll build some shelves and buy a toy box. Probably should've already picked up one of those. Hmm, I wonder if we can find one designed like a space ship, it'd look great in here."

"If not, we could probably build one," Sam threw in.

"Yeah, that'd be sweet! We could make it look like a death glider," Jack exclaimed, getting excited. "Oh yeah," he said a second later, his voice dropping it's enthusiasm. "Daniel just called, he wants us to come in."

"What? Why? We're supposed to have today off?" Sam whined. It was a rare thing for her and Jack to get the same day off, and she was really looking forward to spending the whole day with him.

"Oh, Daniel thinks he found another one of those ancient suck-your-brains-out machines again," Jack answered, nonchalantly.

"An ancient repository of knowledge," Sam translated, excitement coming into her voice, as she turned around to face Jack.

"Yeah, that. He thinks if we can take it apart, he can find out where the ancient city is."

"Well, technically, it is possible, if we can figure out how to…."

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ahh!" Jack said, cutting her off and shaking his finger at her. "No science talk in the baby's room!"

Sam gave him a funny look.

"What? Odds are Grace is going to get your brains, so it's obvious there's only going to be a few years that I will actually be smarter than her. So, you don't get to take those years away from me by talking science to her. At least until she's……two."

"One," Sam countered, laughing.

"One and a half, and that's my final offer!"

"Deal," Sam laughed.

"Deal….Why do I feel like I got the short end of the straw here?" Jack asked, jokingly.

Sam just shrugged, and, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pulled him into a kiss. Her life was perfect!

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Sam was going over reports with General Hammond when the klaxons sounded. SG-1, SG-3 and SG-5 had all left for the planet with the ancient repository on it a few short hours ago.

Sam had developed a huge feeling of dread the moment Jack walked through the gate that she just couldn't shake. So, when the klaxons sounded, she went running as fast as she could, being as pregnant as she was, to the gate room.

Just as General Hammond caught up with her, Jack walked through the gate. He looked at her with a grave look on his face and she knew immediately something was terribly wrong.

"Colonel, report!" General Hammond ordered upon seeing the look on his second-in-command's face.

"Sir, Anubis' troops showed up. I had no other choice, Daniel and Hailey couldn't figure out how to remove it," Jack turned to face Sam, an incredibly sad look on his face. "I got my head sucked again, sir," he finished, turning his gaze back to Hammond.

Sam's heart fell into her stomach. Her face went completely pale and she started seeing spots in her vision. "Oh God!" she cried. "No, Jack, how could you? No!"

"Sam," he said softly, wrapping her in his arms before she collapsed. "You know why. I had to do it. There was no other choice." He held her tightly while she cried into his shoulder. No one was brave enough to interrupt them and so, everyone else cleared out of the gate room to allow them some privacy.

When Sam finally composed herself, they headed to the briefing room where the other members of the teams were waiting with General Hammond. After everyone debriefed Hammond on the mission, Jack, who had remained quiet throughout the debriefing, holding Sam's hand under the table, spoke up.

"Sir, last time this happened it took a few days before it started rewriting my brain. I'd like to request for Major Carter and I to have the weekend off to get my affairs in order."

"Certainly, son," Hammond replied, a sad expression on his face. "Dismissed!"

Jack pulled Sam out of her seat. "Come on," he said to her, leading her out of the room and towards the elevators.

"Where are we going?" she asked as he dragged her down the hall.

"Out of here," he replied.

After leaving the mountain and getting in his truck, Jack drove them home. "Pack a bag for the weekend," he said to her as they walked in their house. He headed straight to the computer and went online.

"What are you doing? Where are we going?" Sam asked, worried and curious.

"You'll see. Now go pack," he said, dismissing her as the sight he was searching for came up on the screen.

After buying the airline tickets and hotel room. Jack walked into the bedroom where Sam was quietly packing, tears sliding down her face. He went to the closet and pulled a small lock box out of it. Opening it up with his back to Sam, he pulled out a smaller box and turned around to face Sam.

Sam had her own back to him as she shuffled through her drawers trying to figure out what clothes she wanted to take, having no idea where they were going.

"Sam," Jack said softly, nervousness evident in his voice.

Sam, recognizing the tone, turned slowly to face him. "Yes?" she questioned.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, looking in her eyes to see every emotion that crossed them. Surprise was the first to make an appearance.

"What?" she asked, totally taken off-guard. "Are, are you serious?"

"Yes, Sam. I'm very serious," he said softly, pulling the ring out of the box.

"Wha-where, where did you get that?" she asked, still in shock.

"I bought it the day after we came back from Minnesota. I-I knew before then, but, I thought, it was too soon before. But, in Minnesota, after…..you know…. I knew I couldn't keep putting it off. So, I bought the ring so…..I'd have it when I got up the nerve to ask."

"Oh Jack!" Sam cried, covering her mouth with her hands as new tears started the familiar path down her cheeks.

"Sam, I love you. I don't know what's going to happen this time. The only thing I want is for you to be my wife. Please, Sam. Please say yes."

"Oh God, Jack! Yes, yes! Of course I'll marry you."

With that, Jack slid the ring on Sam's finger and hugged her with all the strength he had. Tears running down his own cheeks, he silently prayed that he would pull through this and have many years married to the woman he loved with all his heart.

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Sam walked to the closet and started frantically pulling dress after dress out of it. "I have nothing to wear!" She whined, frustrated.

"Sam, we're flying at the spur of the moment to Las Vegas, where we will, more than likely, be married by a man who's dressed up like Elvis. I really don't think it matters what you where," he said, trying to calm her down.

She turned and looked at him, sadness clearly written on her face. "It matters to me, Jack."

Jack walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "Just pick your favorite dress, Sam. When all of this saving-the-world-again crap is over, we'll have a real wedding. White dress, flowers, bridesmaids, the whole nine yards. Only the best for my wife," he said quietly to her, stroking her cheek and soothing her frustration away.

"A mini-van?" Sam asked quietly, looking up at Jack.

Jack gave her a perplexed look. "What?"

"Before, when we first found everything out from Thor. You said your intentions were to marry me, move me into your house, raise our child and buy me a mini-van. I'm already living with you, the baby's on her way and once we get married, the only thing left is for you to buy me a mini-van."

Jack laughed out loud heartily. "I can't believe you remember that!" He laughed again. "Geez, Sam. You never cease to amaze me." He leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Pulling away he looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes. "I promise to buy you the absolute greatest mini-van on the market. Like I said, only the best for my wife."

"I must be the luckiest woman in the world," Sam laughed, while leaning up to kiss Jack once again.

Sam picked out her favorite maternity dress and then finished packing. Once they were both ready, they headed out the door. Next stop-Vegas!

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Sam and Jack checked into their hotel upon arriving in Las Vegas and quickly changed into their 'wedding attire'. Jack had received a list of wedding chapels in the city when he checked them in and was trying to find the perfect one for them.

"How do I look?" Sam asked, coming out of the bathroom. She was wearing a light pink, spaghetti-strap maternity dress. She had teased what she could of her hair and had on more make-up than what Jack was used to seeing on her. He thought she looked like an angel.

"You look like you belong in heaven," he said truthfully, hopping off the end of the bed and tentatively reaching out to touch her, wondering if it was all a dream. When his warm hand touched her soft skin, he knew he was going to treasure every second he was married to this beautiful woman.

They had decided against getting married by Elvis and instead, settled on a small white wedding chapel smack dab in the middle of two giant buildings. The small, old-fashioned chapel looked completely out of place between the metal giants. Sam and Jack thought it was perfect!

The minister was a sweet old man who had to be in his 80's. His wife was just as sweet, and since Sam and Jack had no maid of honor or best man, stood in as their witness.

The wedding was very basic. Just the obligatory "I do's". But, before the minister had the chance to say 'you may now kiss the bride', Jack asked if he could say something. Sam wasn't expecting this and looked surprisingly at Jack.

"Sam," he said, clasping both her hands in his. "The first time I met you…..I was speechless. You threw me completely off-guard. I thought I had my life all figured out. I was just coming back from retirement. Incredibly cocky. Thought I could handle anything. And, then…… you walked in the door. You were so beautiful….And, just as cocky. I didn't know it at the time, but, I fell in love with you, right then. You amazed me that day. Not just with your beauty, but your mind, your personality, your guts. Everything. For the first time in a very long time, I was happy to be alive. I felt alive again. You saved me, Sam. In more ways than you realize. Everyday I woke up looking forward to seeing you, those eyes of yours, that smile, the way your face lights up when you laugh. You had so quickly become such a huge part of my life that before I knew it, I realized I couldn't live without you. I love you more than I ever thought was possible to love. I just….I just want to say…that, you becoming my wife is the greatest gift you could ever give me, and I will never, ever take it for granted."

Sam was crying openly, holding Jack's hands tight as he finished. "Oh, Jack!" she cried. "You're the greatest gift to me. I love you so much, for so long! You're everything to me. I will do anything for you," she managed to croak out between sobs.

Jack pulled her close and kissed her passionately. "Uh, you may kiss the bride," the minister said, smiling at the happy couple and closing the bible in his hands.

Neither Jack nor Sam had any desire to gamble, or do anything else for that matter. So, they spent the rest of the weekend in their honeymoon suite. Consummating their marriage, many, many times. The only people who could tell you what the newlyweds in the honeymoon suite looked like were the room service attendants and the bell-hop who retrieved their bags early Monday morning.

Jack had booked a flight out at 0500 Monday morning so they could make it back into the mountain by 0800. And, so, at 0450, Monday morning, they reluctantly boarded their flight and waited for it to fly them back to their dreaded reality.

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