Chapter 1: Band of Gold

A Couple of Months Later (a couple of weeks after 'Endgame')

It had been bound to happen. After all, she had been dating him for almost a year. Still, as he gazed at her hands resting on the briefing room table, he could hardly bring himself to believe it.

There on the third finger of her left hand was a simple gold band. He had been trying to pay attention to Daniel's briefing on M35-965, but he could not draw his thoughts away from Sam and what had obviously happened over SG-1's short vacation.

Noticing General Jack O'Neill's inattentiveness, Daniel suddenly stopped his presentation, turned to him and asked, "Jack, have you been listening to anything that I have said?"

Jack's gaze abruptly broke away from Sam's fingers and met the concerned eyes of Dr. Daniel Jackson. Appearing slightly annoyed he replied, "Yes Daniel. M35-965... Moon...Temple... No Inhabitants... One-day mission, etc., etc. It's all in your preliminary report…which I have read by the way."

The three others at the table looked up at him with surprise.

O'Neill looked at each of them with slight indignation. "What? It is my responsibility to make sure you all are not going to get into any trouble. I do read all of your reports contrary to popular belief." He then turned back to Daniel, "Do you want to proceed with your briefing, Dr. Jackson, or have you finished?"

Daniel, looking slightly bewildered at Jack's tone, tilted his head in thought for a moment before answering, "Actually, I'm done."

Jack then turned towards Sam. His demeanor immediately softened as his eyes met hers. "Colonel Carter, do you have anything to add to Dr. Jackson's report?"

Sam shook her head, "No sir. It looks like it will be a routine research mission. We've got it covered."

"Good. Then you have a go for your mission at 0800 tomorrow. Dismissed."

As they rose from the table, Daniel put his hand on Sam's shoulder, "Sam, is there anything you want to tell us?"

"No Daniel. As I said before, I think we covered everything."

Jack interrupted, "I think Daniel is trying to ask about something else…something in your personal life? By the way, that's a nice ring, Carter."

Sam looked down at her hand and then back up at Jack. Embarrassed, she smiled and mumbled, "Oh that. I wanted to tell you guys at a better time. I was going to invite you over after we got back from the mission to tell you."

Daniel smiled softly and replied, "Why don't you just tell us now?"

She smiled nervously at her friends and answered, "Okay. I got married this last weekend."

Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c stared at her – an expression of shock mirrored on each one of her colleagues' faces.

She began to ramble, "I know, I know. It was a spur of the moment thing. So before you all get mad at me for not inviting you, I didn't really even know about it myself until a few hours before."

This revelation did not erase the perplexed looks they wore on their faces.

She continued her explanation, "Okay, okay. The fiancé and I went to Las Vegas last week when we were on downtime. We just decided that if we had to set a date and plan a big ceremony, we would never end up finding the time. So we just decided to go ahead and do it."

There was a moment of silence as each of the men searched for something to say. Jack was the first to finally jump in and state, "Well... Congratulations, Carter. It's about time. I hope you will be very happy."

"Thank you, sir. I know I will be." She flashed him a brief smile.

Still standing there dumbfounded by the news, Daniel just shook his head in disbelief. He, too, finally made an effort to offer the necessary congratulations. "Yeah. Sorry about the reaction, Sam. It was just kind of a shock. But I'm really happy for you."

Teal'c appeared even more stoic than usual. "I add my best wishes for your happiness, Colonel Carter."

"Thanks guys. I still want you all to come over after the mission and we can talk about it some more."

Daniel, still shaking his head in disbelief, replied, "Sounds great."

Quickly changing the subject, Jack stepped in, "Well...you all better get prepared for your mission tomorrow. I will see you all bright and early in the morning."

He moved over to Sam and gently touched her arm. "Congrats again, Colonel. No one deserves to be happy more." With that he gathered her in his arms and gave her a firm but brief hug.

Daniel looked at Jack's rare display of affection with surprise. But more so, he was shocked at Jack's reaction to the news. Strangely, the general was taking it all very calmly – like it hadn't bothered him at all. In fact, Jack was taking the news better than either he or Teal'c apparently had. He knew that underneath it all, Jack was probably devastated that the woman he loved had just run off and eloped with another man and he marveled at his friend's ability to keep his feelings in check.

The group dispersed and Daniel quietly followed Sam to her lab, determined to get the whole story. He knew it could not be as simple as Sam suddenly deciding to get hitched to Pete Shanahan. She was hiding something, he could tell.

As Sam sat down at her worktable, Daniel blurted out, "So do you want to tell me what's going on?"

Sam smiled and shook her head, slightly amused at her friend's concern. "Nothing's going on, Daniel. I was just ready to move on and have a normal life outside of this mountain."

"I thought...I didn't realize that you were so serious about him."

"Well I have been engaged to the man for a couple of months now, Daniel. Getting engaged usually involves eventually getting married at some point," she laughingly replied and then turned her attention to the stack of papers in front of her.

Daniel's curiosity compelled him to ask, "Is he going to be there on Friday? You know, when we all get together at your place?"

"Pete?" she murmured, barely looking up from her work to see Daniel nod his head. She returned to scanning the reports in her hand. "No. He's in Denver and will be there until next week."

Daniel was now even more perplexed. "You mean he's not even going to move down here? He's going to stay in Denver and keep his job there?"

Again, Sam raised her head to look directly at Daniel. "Actually, he's transferring up here to the Colorado Springs P.D. in a month or so. He had a few cases in Denver that he needed to clear up first."

"So, you're not even living with each other?"

"Daniel, this is really none of your business."

"You're my friend, Sam. I care about you. I just think you might have rushed into this. After all, you haven't known Pete for that long."

Sam was beginning to get somewhat annoyed with her friend. She put aside the files she had been looking over to concentrate her full attention entirely on Daniel. She glared at him and responded, "I've known him long enough. Look Daniel, I have waited a very long time to have a home and a family of my own, and someone to share that with. I can't put it off any longer. I don't want to."

Trying to get Sam to see the error in her hasty actions, he continued, "What about the SGC? Saving the world? What's going to happen when you start having this family? Pete's probably going to want you around more to take care of the kids."

"I am not going to give up my career. He would never ask me to. What I do around here might have to change a bit in the future. That's all."

Daniel was still doubtful that Sam could truly be happy having a "normal" life with a police detective. After all, he was certain that there was someone else who truly possessed Sam's heart. "Are you sure about Pete? Is he really the one you want to have this grand future with?"

Sam spoke, her voice filled with both exasperation and determination, "Daniel, there is no one I would rather be with than my husband. I can't imagine my life or my future without him." And with that statement, the interrogation was over.

Daniel looked appropriately chastised. "Okay. That's all I needed to know. I just want you to be happy, Sam. If that means being with Pete, you have my full support. Just be sure to let me know if he ever does anything to hurt you and I'll get Teal'c on the case." Although the offer was made in jest, there was an underlying seriousness to it.

Sam chose to take it as a joke, laughing and then stating emphatically, "That will never be necessary. See you tomorrow, Daniel." As Daniel turned and walked out of her lab, Sam's saddened gaze followed him as he walked away.

TBC