KAYLA! NOW I'M SOAKING WET! WarmTea: Aww, I didn't want to bother you! divcon: (-: Ilovesg1: (cough) Whoops. Thanks. stargazzr2: Now I feel bad. I'm glad you like it! froggy0319: Aww, thank you!
At least MOST of you were nice. (scowls then hugs Kayla) Thanks for reviewing, hope ya like this chap!
"Talk?"
He nodded. "Talk."
She pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. "About us?"
"Uh huh."
She cocked her head. "What happened after I passed out?"
Jack stepped out of the chair, still rather shaky. "It work?"
Dr. Weir nodded. "It worked!"
Daniel rushed up to them. "JACK, YOU HAVE TO COME NOW!"
"Why?" he asked hearing the fear in man's voice.
"It's- It's Sam. She was shot and she's bleeding... the medic is..." he stopped. "He's not optimistic, there was a LOT of blood and-"
Jack rushed past him and hurried towards spot Daniel had indicated.
"What do you mean?"
She continued to study him. "Jack, for the past couple years I've tried to get you to talk about our feelings for each other and now..."
"Carter!"
She opened her eyes. "Sir?" she breathed.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Hurts... so badly..."
"I know Carter, I know."
Her eyes began to close...
"CARTER!"
She forced her eyes open. "Jack?"
"Yeah, it's me. Do me a favor?"
"What?"
"Marry me."
She inhaled sharply. "Marry you?"
"Yeah."
"Ok..."
"Well let's see. I proposed, you said ok, and then you promptly passed out... again."
"You... PROPOSED?"
"Yep."
She stared at him. "Boy, who would have thought four months ago this would have happened."
He gave her an inquiring look.
"You were dead, err captured. I rescued you, ascended then descend and got my memory back. I went back in time, came back, watched as you blew the mother ships to pieces then got shot. And you propose." She closed her eyes. "That makes me tired."
"Don't fall asleep on me," he warned her.
"Why?"
He leaned closer, his face only inches from hers. "Will you marry me?"
"You?"
"No… Daniel, of course me!"
She shrugged. "What have I got to lose?"
He laughed softly. "What a way to accept."
His face was close. Very close. "I guess I must have missed 'How to accept proposals 101'."
They became very busy.
Å
Daniel stood in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt them but this WAS rather important...
Carter pulled away suddenly. "Daniel?"
Trying not to meet their eyes, he hurried across the room. "The President is making his speech any minute now," he said turning on the TV.
As they watched, an amateur video was showed of one of the Goa'uld ships in orbit over Berlin. A man was chattering excitedly in German.
"He's saying alien ships are destroying us. Please, everyone, come help us. Aliens in Germany..." Daniel translated.
The tape cut off abruptly and the screen revealed Julie Donovan. Carter grimaced.
"We have here some of the witnesses of the attack made on Earth by some alien attack," She announced rather triumphantly.
The camera focused on two frightened looking girls.
"Marta and Ginny Lewis were on their way home from school when they saw..."
"A huge thing just popped in the sky. It just began shooting! One of the blasts hit near us and..." One of them began when for the second time, the tape was interrupted. "The President is about to make his speech." Julie announced.
Carter and Jack watched tensely as Henry Hayes announced to the world that yes there was life beyond our galaxy, yes we had enemies. He quickly added that we had lots of friends, very advanced friends and...
The reporters, unable to restrain themselves, broke out into a perfect babble of voices.
"So that alien shown by Alec Colson was real?"
"Do they all look like that?"
"Why were we being attacked?"
Jack snorted at the questions. Carter gave him a reproving look, which he ignored. He was amusing himself mocking one particular reporter when he heard:
"The lead team of the small facility called Stargate Command will be here Saturday to talk to you. The former commander of SG-1 and now commander of Stargate Command, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, will be able to answer any questions you might have."
"What?" Jack squeaked. "Me? Answer questions?"
Carter laughed.
Å
Despite Jack's many attempts to get out of speaking, The President was firm. Jack O'Neill WOULD speak at the conference and NOTHING would change his mind.
"Jack," Daniel began. "You already KNEW that you had to speak."
Jack scowled at him and ignored the valid point. "It just sunk in now."
Carter patted his leg, something which made him look up and grin. "You'll be fine darlin'." She assured him.
He unconsciously straightened and bent over to kiss his fiancé.
Å
Saturday came too fast for the team. As their homes were swarming with reporters. Daniel and Jack had elected to stay at the SGC until after the conference. Carter was out of bed by Wednesday and drove Jack crazy begging to go back to work. By Friday, he was almost looking forward to this 'thing'... almost.
Å
Daniel looked wistfully out the window as the plane took off. "You realize after this press conference, we'll either be villains or heroes... forever."
"At least they'll know your alien platform theory was right," Jack called.
Teal'c sat stoically in his seat, seemingly unaware of what was going on around him. Carter gave Daniel a sympathetic squeeze. "It's ok Daniel, if we are villains, we can move to Abydos."
He brightened and nodded. "That we could do."
Å
The plane landed on a private airstrip and they were driven to the press conference surrounded by police. Daniel looked uneasy at all the security measures.
The conference was to take place at the White House and Jack groaned theatrically as he entered the gates.
"What is it sir?" Carter asked.
"I held out for six years. Never entered these gates and I wasn't planning on it."
She kissed him. "You'll be all right..."
Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other and grinned.
Å
Jack adjusted his hat and looked over at 'his' team. "We ready?"
They nodded as one. Jack led them onstage. Camera's flashed like crazy and reporters murmured into their microphones.
"Hey guys!" Jack called. "How are y'all? First things first, I am Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, this lovely lady beside me is my former second in command and current leader of SG-1, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter. The man to my right is Dr. Daniel Jackson- it
was because of him who was able to make the Stargate work... with help from Colonel Carter. The large man next to Daniel is Teal'c."
"Isn't he an alien?" A reporter shouted.
"To... you maybe..." Jack said slowly. "Alien or no alien, Teal'c is one of my best friends."
Julie Donovan pushed herself closer. "Didn't Teal'c once serve as First Prime to one of greatest enemies?"
Jack was spared from answering by several calls from other reporters to describe 'their enemies'. Jack obliged.
"They are called the Goa'uld, G-o-a-apostrophe-u-l-d, a parasitical race that inhabits humans and enslaves millions and millions of beings.During our almost nine years with Stargate Command, we've managed to help free many worlds from the Goa'uld, helping to save entire planets from hunger, disease..."
As more reporters shouted questions, Jack looked at Sam and rolled his eyes. This was going to take a while.
Å
Carter watched him deal with the reporters like a pro. Despite his dislike for things like this, he did a wonderful job, answering even the most idiotic of questions and-
"GENERAL O'NEILL!" A woman shouted. "EARLIER YOU SAID THIS AND I QUOTE, "This lovely lady beside me is my former second in command and current leader of SG-1, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter..." WHAT DO YOU MEAN FORMER?"
Jack inhaled sharply. He hadn't been planning on doing it like this but... He checked his watch.
"As of three minutes ago, my resignation was accepted by the President and the joint chiefs. General Hank Landry will be taking over the leadership of Stargate Command."
"You're retiring?" Carter and Daniel asked simultaneously with the reporters.
Jack fumbled for his pocket. "This not how I wanted to do this..." He mumbled setting assorted items on the podium. After a few seconds, his hand closed over something. "Carter..." He began getting awkwardly on his knees. "Will you marry me?"
Reporters held their breath.
"But you all ready asked me."
"Now, marry me now."
Carter gave a look over the audience. She stopped short as a figure came closer. "Dad?"
Jack grinned boyishly. "I was going to ask you to do it tonight...Evening wedding, your dad and brother present..."
"My brother-"
"Hey Sam."
She spun around. "Mark?"
"You're alive!"
She winced as his hug became almost unbearably tight. "Yeah, about that..."
"Dad's already explained it to me," He interrupted. "You look terrific... and... that O'Neill fellow isn't so bad."
She grinned. "Thanks."
"So... what's it gonna be Sam?" He father asked. "You gonna marry this man?"
She cocked her head. "I don't know... well, I suppose I should... I have to get back to my lab."
Jack eyed her. "You won't be going NEAR that lab for a week."
"Wanna bet?"
He grinned. "PRESS CONFERENCE OVER!" Jack yelled. "SEE YA LATER!"
I am planning on only doing one other chapter after this. (Which is, of course, the wedding). (Unless of course, my dratted muse strikes again)
I hope you liked this chapter!
Please review!