Authors Note:Due to all the lovely reviews I have recieved I am posting the final piece of this story now, despite the fact it is 0230 and I've had an 8 hour shift at the pub and have to be at work again in just over 8 hours! This is what reviews do to me, please keep them coming. They make me smile :-)
Jack was right. Nothing was the same again once he took those all-important steps. She turned and looked at him. With no words they walked towards one another. Their lips met and sparks flew.
Their first kiss. At least the first uninfluenced by alien diseases, didn't involve alternate realities and didn't include time-loops. It was amazing, better than either had imagined. All walls that had been built up between them fell during the kiss. Nothing was going to separate them any longer. They would be together, whatever the cost. They didn't need to speak; anyone who saw them at that moment would have known it. Thankfully for them, no one had.
Or so they thought. I had.
Here I am, a few months later, sitting at the top table at their wedding. Waiting to give my best man's speech. Finally willing to admit the part I played in getting them together.
A gong was rung, that was my signal.
I stood and looked at the sea of faces before me.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, sirs and ma'am's, General's, Colonel's, Major's, Captain's, Lieutenant's and anyone else I may have forgotten. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Daniel, a close friend of both Jack and Sam. I've known them both for over 8 years and consider them family. That is why I am so honoured to be able to be Jack's best man on this day that so many of us have waited so long for.
"For those of you who don't know Jack and Sam's history you may find it strange that so many people have waited for this, but anyone who was at their first meeting won't. I was not fortunate enough to be there myself but I have heard too many stories to count. Sam held her own against a room full of male soldiers and gave them a run for their money and then proceeded to challenge her new CO to an arm wrestle. (Many of the guests sniggered at the image of Sam challenging Jack). This meeting set the tone for their relationship. There was often the butting of heads, soldier against scientist, man against woman but they always came out on the same side. They challenged each other to give their best, and they always did.
"They did this, side by side, for years. Never asking for anything in return. They denied themselves the very thing they both wanted in order to achieve their goals. They knew that nothing was more important than that. So they carried on, as always, side by side. Until one day they both knew that enough was enough. They wanted to be together. Regulations were still a problem but they had friends who would move heaven and Earth to see them happy together. After their long days of putting the work first it was time it paid off, and it did.
"They were allowed to be together and everyone who knew what they had been through together heaved a sigh of relief. And in the case of a few, a sigh of joy because they had won on their bets of when Jack and Sam finally admit their love. I hear it was a lot of money, right Harriman and Siler!" At this most of the crowd laughed out loud, the betting pool was legendary around the SGC.
"Enough joking around. Jack and Sam deserve all the happiness in the world and I wish the many more years of living, loving, fighting and laughing together, side-by-side. So I ask you to raise your glasses to the bride and groom, Sam and Jack.
Everyone raised their glasses and I stole a look at Sam, tears were streaming down her face. She looked over to me and smiled. Now for the final part of my wedding gift to them. They never told me about the song and how it got them together, they never told me about the isolation room but I had been watching and here was my chance to let them know that I knew.
I cleared my throat to gain everyone's attention again,
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like your attention as the bride and groom take to the floor for their first dance as Mr and Mrs O'Neill. Now this is a surprise to the both of them as I have changed their song. Some of you may be shocked but I know Jack and Sam enough to know what this particular songs means to the both of them. "
Sam and Jack stood and looked at me with questioning eyes but I simply pointed to the dance floor. Once they were in the middle of the floor the song began. As the first chords were heard Sam and Jack span around to look at Daniel, shock evident on their faces. I simply smiled and sat back down in my seat and watched as they danced together. Slowly other couples came to join them.
"I walked across an empty landI knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple things, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh simple things, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
Oh simple things, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go, so why don't we go
Oh
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know"
Content that I had played my part I sat back in my chair, determined to enjoy the party.
A little later Jack and Sam came back to the top table and immediately pounced on me.
"You bastard, how did you know?" Jack asked disbelievingly
"Well I was the one who gave Sam the album."
"Yeah but you didn't know that I had sent it to Jack. You couldn't have."
"Couldn't I? I gave you the album because I knew the songs on it would get you thinking and I hoped you would do something about your feelings for Jack. You didn't know it but I was hiding in the storage closet down from your lab and once you left I checked your computer to see if you had sent something to Jack. When I saw what song you had sent to him I realised that you were talking about the isolation room and I followed you. I waited outside for Jack to come and when he left the observation room I walked in and waited. I felt guilty spying on you but I wanted to make sure you were both finally on the same page. And, to my absolute delight, you were and here you are now."
"Daniel Jackson, I never knew you could be so sneaky!"
"It's years of working with you that did it Jack."
"Well I guess I can't be angry at you because your interfering gave me what I wanted" admitted Jack, "Thanks Daniel."
"Yes, thank you Daniel," said Sam "You have no idea how much it means to us that you would go to all that effort and would do this for us today."
"It's ok Sam. I love you both and only wanted your happiness."
They smiled at me and went back to the dance floor. Watching them dance together was one of the happiest moments in my life. I did know how much it meant to them because it meant that much to me that they had accepted me and let me become family. I finally had a family again and my way of thanking them was to help them get together. Nothing else would have even touched on how much having a family meant to me.
"Thank you," I whispered to the happily dancing couple.
The End
I hope you all enjoyed my little story. Please review, it'll make the day go quicker tomorrow knowing that I have something to look forward to when I get back from a full day working in the play areaduring the museum's open day!