After writing the 'last' chapter and then the epilogue, I decided to take my time and finish this story properly. (sobs as four days worth or writing disappears) This means more chapters...(readers groan)
I got a few comments from people saying I rushed the ending... my apologies. Chocolate anyone?
Oh, kittn's lyrics to 'Doc Fraiser got ran over by a reindeer'. Aren't they great?
Doc Fraiser got run over by a reindeer...
Locking me up down here Christmas Eve!
You may say the Goa'uld are evil,
But also Doctor Fraiser, best believe!
Anyways, I hope you like this chapter! SORRY about the long wait. These past few weeks have been oh so fun. (cough)
Jacob Carter crept into the infirmary, hoping Sam didn't wake up. He had meant to be there on New Year's Eve, but...
"We had important business,' Selmak reminded him. Jacob gave an irritated nod to the two SF's outside the door. One of them opened the door and he stepped in... And promptly stopped, shocked.
"What the he-"
"Shh! "A person whispered from behind. "They were up 'til 3:00 in the morning." The archeologist slipped past the frozen Tok'ra and into the room.
Jacob checked the clock. 7:52. "But why are they holding hands?"
Sam and Jack's beds were pushed together. They were holding each other's hands and on their faces was a small smile.
"What happened?" He demanded.
Daniel quickly took a sip of his steaming hot coffee. His eyes watered and he choked, spewing coffee across the floor.
Jack bolted up. "What the he-" His eyes widened as he saw Jacob. "Jacob!" He said loudly, withdrawing his hand. "How's it going?"
Jacob's eyes glowed. "O'Neill... my host is most angry."
Jack shrugged. "Go figure."
Sam yawned and opened her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and Jacob saw something sparkle on her finger. He stared at it for a few seconds then focused on Jack.
"What's going on O'Neill?"
'Jacob, calm down and you can have some coffee.'
The Tok'ra took a deep breath. "What's going on?" He repeated.
Carter blinked sleepily. "Hey Dad, sorry you missed the shindig."
"Samantha, would you like to explain what's going on?" He asked tersely.
She blinked again. "'Bout what?"
He stared accusingly at her hand. She looked down and a shy smile crept across her face. "Oh... that."
"Yeah. That."
"Jack- Colonel O'Neill- proposed last night."
Jacob gave Jack a very nasty glance. "Don't you have to ask me first?"
"Dad!" Sam cried turning red.
Jack pulled himself up, ignoring the pain in his leg. "Ok... Jacob, can I marry your daughter?"
No!
'Jacob...'
"Can I speak to Sam for a moment?" He asked.
Daniel called the SF's and they moved Jack's bed back to its proper place. Jacob sat next to his daughter and looked into her eyes.
"Is this what you really want?" He asked without any preamble.
Sam smiled reluctantly. "Still the same old dad."
Jacob saw the answer in her eyes. His baby girl was in love. "Why O'Neill," he half complained.
Sam tried to cover a yawn but failed. "Sorry dad, was up late."
"I can see," He said standing. "Go back to sleep, I'll see you later."
Å
"Jack. How's it going to work out?"
Jack blinked. "No... Hello? Hi? How've you been doing?"
"Sorry, it's good to see you, now-"
The Colonel held up his hand. "Jacob, I'm retiring. George is going to use me as an 'ambassador' so I can stay here, go through the gate sometimes."
Jacob gave him a curt nod. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some coffee to get."
And the Tok'ra practically ran to the commissary.
Å
Sam sat on her bed while Janet checked her check board. After a few moments she whined. "Janet!"
The doctor smiled. "You are discharged. Now get out of here."
"No fair!" Jack cried.
Janet swung around. "Colonel O'Neill," She began. "If you don't STOP complaining, I will inform General Hammond that you need an additional week in here."
Jack mumbled something about a "Napoleononic power monger" and was quiet.
Carter slowly stood up, Janet watching her like a hawk.
"Janet, I'm fine." She assured her friend. The doctor nodded and stepped back. Carter grabbed her crutches and hobbled over to her fiancée's bed.
"Hey sir," she said taking a seat on the bottom of his bed.
"Sir?" He repeated.
She blushed. "Jack."
"Well, I'm stuck here for three more days, I feel well enough to run a marathon and-"
"Good morning campers!" Cassie called entering the infirmary.
:"What are you doing here?" Her mother asked disapprovingly.
"Uncle George vouched for me," she said dropping her coat and gloves onto nearest bed.
"Why aren't you at school?"
"Bomb threat."
Janet gasped. "Are you all right?"
"It's a hoax Mom. Some kid didn't want to school so he wrote a note or something saying there was a bomb in the school. No one believes it for a second but they HAVE to search the school so we get the day off."
Sam covered a smile at the shocked look on Janet's face. "Relax Janet... Cassie can help me dust my lab. It'll be good for her."
"Yeah," Cassie agreed unenthusiastically. "Me, the human slave. Yippee."
Å
Cassie and Sam had the lab clean in an hour. Sam instantly began perusing the many files on her table while Cassie loitered around. After amusing herself on Sam's extra laptop for an a few hours, she looked up and froze.
"Sam?" She squeaked.
Carter tore her eyes away from the file. "Yeah?"
"What's that?"
"What?"
"That... THING!"
"What thing?"
"On your finger!"
She looked down and saw the engagement ring. "A ring."
"Who gave it to you?" Cassie demanded.
"Someone."
"Who?"
"Whom," Carter corrected. "The proper-"
"SAM!"
The Major smiled unrepentantly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?"
Sam shook her head and picked up 'The Journal of Astrophysics' and flipped through it.
"Was it Jack? You were sitting on his bed-"
Carter forced her face to look sad. "Um, you know Colonel O'Neill and I can't... you know."
"Have se-" Cassie began knowledgably when Sam clapped her hand over the young girl's mouth. The teenager pushed her hand away and stepped back, her eyes brimming with mischief.
An hour later...
Sam calmly pushed past Cassandra and grabbed a jello goblet.
"Puhlease?"
She placed a roll on her plate and sat down at the closest table, Cassie following closely.
"Are you EVER going to tell me?"
"Major Carter to the control room, Major Carter to the control room," a voice called.
Carter looked at her watch and gasped. "I forgot, I was going to run a gate diagnos..." she trailed off and then hurried off. Cassandra sighed and picked up her aunt's plate then set off for the control room.
Walter looked up as Carter hurried in. "Sorry Sergeant," she apologized. "I was-"
"Eating lunch," Cassie finished handing her aunt the plate.
Walter gave Carter an odd glance as the diagnostic began. He continued to sneak looks at her until she, exasperated, demanded. "What's wrong Sergeant?"
'Nothing!" He assured her. "Nothing... except..."
Carter stared at him as he squirmed. "Are you really... engagedtoColonelO'Neill?"
"I was right!" Cassie crowed. "I knew it!"
Walter grinned. That kid had just gotten him 200 bucks.
Carter saw that look. "Hurray for the SGC betting pool," she muttered.
Å
Jack was watching 'The Simpson's' when Teal'c and Daniel joined him by the bed.
"Hi-"
Daniel turned the TV off and turned to face him. "So…"
"So?"
"When's the wedding?"
Jack scowled. "Wouldn't you like to know." He reached for the remote but Daniel slid it into his jacket's pocket. Teal'c joined the staring. Jack stared back at Teal'c until he finally squirmed.
"Ok, what?"
"I have said nothing O'Neill."
"I know that, but you've got that look that makes you go creepy-crawly all…" Jack trailed off. "Never mind."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.
"Ok, I don't know when the wedding is going to be-"
"January 25th," Teal'c said calmly.
Jack gaped at him. "Excuse me?"
"You must have the day of your marriage on the 25th on this month."
"And… why is that?"
Daniel grinned. "Teal'c uh… well, when he first came to earth, he… well… was introduced to the betting pools. Guy's good, won tons of money. But…"
"You made a bet we'd get married then, didn'tcha?" Jack said shrewdly.
Teal'c inclined his head.
"Not gonna to happen."
"Why not?" Daniel demanded. "You've got three weeks-"
"People to invite-"
"Plenty of time to get things done-"
"Places to go," Jack said with a shake of his head.
"You can have it here, at the SGC, it'd save the cost of having to rent a hall, pretty much everyone you need to invite is all ready here-"
"Daniel," Jack began firmly. "We are not having…"
"On the 25th Jack, what do you think?" Sam asked two hours later.
Jack slumped back. "I've been set up."
Sam gave him a questioning glance, which he ignored.
"Um… Dad have to leave at the end of the month for a 4 month long mission- possibly longer…. Depending on what the Tok'ra find out."
"So… it's now or… later."
She nodded.
He sighed. "Ok… the 25th it is."
She kissed him, ignoring her father's state. "I love you Jack."
"The feelings mutual," he said when he got his breath back.
"You're a lucky dog," Jacob commented as his daughter hurried out of the room.
"I know."
"I know you'll take care of her."
"Didn't we already go through this?" Jack asked giving his future father-in-law a quizzical look.
He nodded. "Just making sure you… understood."
Jack leaned back against his pillow. "I understand."
Jacob nodded again and stood up. His eyes flashed as Selmak took over. "Congratulations Colonel O'Neill. You deserve every happiness you may get."
"Er… thanks Selmak."
'She' nodded and the 'two' swept from the room. Jack looked at the clock. "In 576 hours or so, I'll be married," he commented to the empty room. "Sweet."
And he picked up the remote Daniel had to kindly given back to him and turned back on the Simpson's.
I don't know how many chapters are left, probably only a few.
I hoped you liked it...
Please review!
P.S: I'm not trying to make light of bomb threats earlier... one of our high school is for 'troubled' teens and every six months or so, they have to evacuate the school because a student thinks it'll be a funny joke. Sad huh?
THANKS TO WARMTEA FOR BETA'ING!