3 hours to count down:
The president could only stay a few minutes and shook the hands of the SG 1 and the allies that had come, first of course being Thor. Dancing followed and before Jack could ask his second in command for a dance an airman did, no other options for her Sam said yes leaving the table and her friends.
"You out rank him Colonel." Janet stated as the grey hair man turned back to the table with a shrug not realizing he had turned to watch.
"There are other songs tonight." The team had nothing else to say to that so Daniel turned to the red haired woman beside him.
"Would you care to dance Doctor?" she held out her hand out for him to take
"Why thank you Doctor." Daniel led her out to the dance floor.
Cassandra asked Teal'c leaving him alone at the table to watch. Each time a song ended someone else would ask Carter for a dance and each time she would look over to Jack and see him looking else where, sigh and say yes hoping he would come and pull rank sending all the airmen running. Sam had thought Jack wasn't going to leave her alone for the party since he had been very chatty during supper. Sam smiled at thinking the word chatty and Jack in the same thought. The air man she was currently dancing with thought it was something to which he had said, but she pulled away and said she was sorry. Jack had just left and she was going to follow. It took her a few minutes to cross the room for each person she passed wish to talk to her, when she finally made it out into the hall free of crowded bodies she landed back to the wall and took a deep breath of the blessedly cooler air. Jack wasn't waiting as she had hoped and with out thinking the Major headed to the gate room, not sure where he might have gone. It was eerie to be walking down the halls when no one was about. Coming to the gate room she heard the chevrons engaging and ran up the stairs to the control room and found her CO sitting at the computer typing in the commands.
"Sir? What's going on?" Carter moved toward the standing computers.
"Don't worry Carter, there's nothing wrong with me." He looked up from the keyboard and grinned.
"How can I trust you?" her hand was easing up now to grab the zat gun hidden behind the computers. The worm hole engaged as it did so jack stood so fast she didn't have a chance. He had her pinned against the wall; his brown eyes looked at her with out his walls as his body pressed hers to the wall.
"Just trust me." he smiled as her body relaxed "Now I have a call to finish if you don't mind." Leaving her to sit once more at the computer his fingers flew over the keyboard sending out a previously recorded message. The transmission finished and the worm hole disengaged and O'Neill turned once more to the Major wearing one of those "I'm doing something I shouldn't but will anyway" grins and she couldn't help but ask.
"What are you up to?" he hadn't moved from the chair so she took the one next to him.
"Oh nothing special." He reached into his pocket and brought out the silver chain that held a blue stone heart surrounded by tiny diamonds that sparkled even in the artificial light of the base. Her eye lit up and she gave him one of her 1000 watt smiles making his own heart ache.
"You found it!" a motion from his hand moved her forward so he could place it around her neck once more. Lilac once more drifted around him as he finished clasping it. She pulled back and a pale hand touched the heart as it nestled warmed against her. Sam opened her mouth to speak but the Stargate started to spin and oddly enough the alarm did not sound. She stood startled as did the colonel but he was expecting it.
"Go down there." he gave her a gentle shove towards the stairs. Sam looked at him as he wore that mischievous grin but she trusted her Co so she went to the gate room.
As she came to the door a man was standing there before a shimmering blue event horizon stood a man worn with age and experience wearing To'kra clothing and a nervous look about him. When the woman stepped into the room the blue horizon disappeared at first she was hesitant moving into the room, her blue eyes around before landing on the old man.
"Sam" His voice was hesitant as were his movement.
"Dad?" She was questioning her own eyes but it didn't stop her from running to the bottom of the ramp to meet up with her father. They hugged and her father looked her up and down.
"Oh Sam, I'm sorry. Can you forgive a foolish old man?" he held her from him watching her face.
"Oh Dad, of course!" They talked and she pulled him to the party where everyone welcomed him
"Jacob, glad you could make it!" General Hammond slapped the Tok'ra's back and shook his hand.
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1 hour to count down:
The party was starting to get louder as Jack sat in the corner watching his friends enjoy themselves. His eyes followed the father and daughter a crossed the dance floor. Daniel and Janet landed in chairs beside him laughing at something Cassie had said. Both would have to be drunk.
"Jack! Can't you believe Jacob made it? No one could get through the Tok'ra to invite him." Daniel leaned in to make him self heard better.
"Did you see Sam's new necklace? Her dad must have brought it." This came from Janet who put a hand on the drunken archaeologist's leg to turn the attention back to her, slightly jealous.
"She does look great." Danny kept it up. "Come on Jack, you haven't danced at all tonight." His thumb jerked to the blond in blue. "She'd say yes if you asked her." Janet gave the space monkey a slap on the shoulder.
"Stop that He's to chicken to ask." She looked Jack right in the eyes as she challenged him. The song ended father and daughter came over to the table and sat. Sam took Jacks other side her father beside her.
"Beats dancing with fly boys!" Carter said and they all laughed and got caught up with Jacob but soon Janet pulled Daniel back to the floor, leaving Jack to carry on without them. Not long after that Hammond came for his old friend to chat alone at a different table. Alone in a dark corner with Sam, Jack finally asked her to dance.
Out on the floor arms around one another they ignored the whispers and knowing looks.
"Thank you Jack." Her voice was low so none but him could hear. When she said his name he pulled her close as they danced. He knew why she was thanking him but he asked anyway.
"For what?" She gave a sigh
"You know." She looked over to her father talking with Teal'c and General Hammond.
"Oh that. I figured they owned us and the least they could do was send the most respect Tok'ra to our little gathering." He looked down as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And if he happened to be a relation it wouldn't hurt our relationship with them."
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30 minutes to count down:
Dancing so close in front of the whole SGC, many who would be drunk had the whole room gossiping more about them. Rumours were flying fast and Jack no longer cared and he rested his head upon hers letting the sweet lilac take his mind from what he shouldn't do, to what he was going to do. More couples crowded the floor, Daniel and Janet to their left, Teal'c and Cassie to their right all wearing the look, the about time look neither could stand.
"Let's get some air." Moving apart Jack led the way out to the hall and then to the briefing room.
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15 minutes to count down:
Much to Sam's surprise the briefing room was full of candles. They covered cabinets, window stills and the table. Jack couldn't have been alone in this set up Sam couldn't help but thing; her eyes roamed the room noting the cameras were covered and the middle of the table was bare but for a small box covered by a black cloth.
"Sam." He sighed the first time all night he allowed himself to say her name and her attention was drawn back to him. He clicked the CD player on and soft classical music began to play and she smiled and stepped into his waiting arms. O'Neill didn't let the dancing distract him for long though her fingers playing along the back of his neck did their best.
"Jack there's something on your mind." He grinned
"You know me." Her hand rested over his heart.
"And yet you manage to surprise me." She looked up and met his chocolate brown gaze. They were filled with such intense emotions that she had only seen twice before. Once when they were about to die on Apophis's ship on opposite sides of a force field and again when the za'tarc device forced them to admit those hidden feelings for each other. Both times she didn't shy from them as she didn't this time.
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5 minutes to count down:
Jack had only loved two women in his life. His first wife never could look him in the eyes when he let down his walls so it was no surprise that she finally left him after Charlie died. The woman he now held always held his gaze since the day she walked into the briefing room, now she would search it out and mirror it within her blue eyes when no one else was watching. A dance more complicated had taken a toll on them both. He was now going to end it. Moving her to the table he stood her before the cloth covered box. Reaching he drew it off with out hesitation. It reviled a black velvet box. Her eyes were glued to it as long fingers picked it up and held it out to the trembling woman who hadn't noticed the box sat upon a pale folder with classified stamped on it. So sure of him self he opened it. Blue eyes grew three times bigger and filled with tears. Her voice wavered as she said his name.
"Jack?" full of question and hope
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2 minutes to count down:
"Sam I nearly lose you every time we step through that gate. I can no longer bare the thought that we will never have a chance. I want to know that each time our lives are in danger that at least I've had the chance to wake up beside you each morning, to fall asleep with you in my arms." He went down on both knees as he held the sparkling ring in its nest, pain ran through his bad knee but he wouldn't feel it. Colonel Jack O'Neill never begged but here he was on his knees heart pounding and it was laced with fear.
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1 minute to count down:
His words washed over her rocking her from all thought. Then he went to his knees and knew of the pain he would be feeling but he didn't show it. Her eyes no longer on the ring but his face up turned to her. He took another breath.
"Samantha Marie Carter would you share the rest of your life with me and make me your husband?" Shock moved her to her knees in front of him.
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30 seconds to count down:
Her hands came up to his face tracing the scare over his left eye and his eyes closed as he moved into her gentle touch.
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10 seconds to count down:
The mess hall was full; bodies close hands were held, smiles all around and the count down began. No one missed the Colonel or the Major.
10
"Jack" she wasn't thinking now
9
"Nothing." His heart stopped and her mind was made up.
8
"Would." Noting could stop them now.
7
"Make."
6
"Me."
5
"Happier." He heart began again and his eyes opened
4
"Then."
3
"To."
2
"Be with you."
1
"Forever."
His arms enclosed her and their lips touched. Soft and gentle at first and it moved into passion
"Happy New Years!" The cheer erupted from the mess hall. Daniel having explained the New Year's tradition of kissing to Teal'c took Doctor Frasier in his arms and kissed her as others around the room began kissing one another, mostly pecks on the cheek but others like Jackson took advantage of the tradition. Feeling slightly left out the Jaffa looked at Cassie who was also not taking part. She looked at him and smiled, pulling at his arm to lower him she gave the silent one a peck on the cheek and got him to grin.
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