All is now revealed, leaving only the details for the final chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Thank you for your reviews guys, but it would be nice to know your opinions concerning my decision. Thank you to those who did let me know their thoughts. Should I give up this name and stick to the new one?

Danger Zone.

By Lingren.

Previously:-

"I'm hurt that you should say so Carter!" he bluffed, but the corner of his mouth twitched and she collapsed into a heap of giggles. Poor Daniel.

Chapter 28

Jack picked them all up as promised, though Sam had spent the night with him at his house. It was their first real – and official - night together and it was everything they had dreamed of. Jack had gone out of his way to be romantic and Sam saw a side of him she'd only ever dreamed of before, and loved every minute of it.

They made it to the airport in plenty of time and Jack dropped them off at the terminal, then left the truck in the long stay parking lot and headed back to where the others were waiting at the check in.

Jack ordered Daniel and Teal'c to go find something for breakfast while he and Sam checked them in. Daniel went happily, barely able to contain his excitement. He'd kept his agenda for their days sight-seeing a secret so that he could surprise them, and it wouldn't be all museums either. There was so much to see and do in Egypt.

Soon they found a table at one of the cafés and ordered some breakfast with coffee. Jack and Sam joined them a few minutes later and they sat down to a hearty meal.

Jack kept an ear out for their departure announcement and sure enough their flight was eventually called.

"Come on kids, that's us!"

"What?" Daniel cried. "I didn't hear them call us?"

"Then it's a good job I was listening wasn't it Danny-boy!" Jack said, grinning.

Daniel picked up his bag and followed behind, confused by not having heard their flight called.

They arrived amid a crowd of excited people all clamouring to get on board the plane.

Daniel watched as Jack handed over the tickets and followed him down the corridor to the airplane, where they were greeted by a hostess who welcomed them on board the flight to...Las Vegas...

"Las Vegas?" Daniel gasped in disbelief. "Jack we're on the wrong plane," he cried, we need to go back..."

People were stacked up behind him, growing annoyed with the young man who was blocking the aisle so they couldn't get to their seats.

"Daniel, sit down!" Jack commanded in his best no nonsense voice, though Daniel still hesitated.

"What? Jack?"

"What's the problem here?" a male steward approached looking for the trouble maker.

"Nothing. No problem, my friend here panicked because he thought he was on the wrong flight. " Jack soothed. "Sit down Daniel, your upsetting the natives."

Thoroughly confused, Daniel sat in the seat next to Teal'c directly behind Jack and poked his friend in the ribs from the rear.

"What the hell are we doing Jack?"

"We're going on vacation Daniel," Jack growled, turning round to see confusion and disbelief on Daniel's face, which was turning red with embarrassment too for causing a kafuffle.

"You said we were going to Luxor!" he snarled through clenched teeth.

"We are, see," Jack said, taking out and holding up their hotel reservations. "The Luxor. It's a pyramid shaped hotel and casino complex in Vegas."

"Argh!" Daniel could have screamed if he didn't think they would throw him off the airplane. But, maybe that would be a good thing, yes; to get left behind? Maybe he could go back to the SGC and get some work done.

Daniel couldn't believe his ears. He'd been well and truly had. Jack had duped him into leaving his work to go to Las Vegas? 'Oh god!' He slumped back in his chair, all the anger and fight gone from him, leaving him limp and listless and just about ready to cry with frustration. Vegas! Of all the places he wouldn't ever dream of going for a holiday, Vegas would be at the very top of his list to avoid. It was noisy, crowded, loud, brash, far too bright, and noisy...did he mention it was noisy?

He sat and fumed silently all the way there and didn't speak to Jack again until he was in the taxi on the way to the 'Luxor'.

"So why are we here Jack? Tell me! Give me one good reason why you dragged me away from my work to come to this...place!" he asked through gritted teeth.

Jack refused to answer him and by now Teal'c was curious too, that is, when he wasn't being mesmerised by the sights and the sound of fruit machines disgorging copious amounts of metal coins to the occasional lucky winner.

Because of Jack's continued silence and refusal to explain to him, Daniel eventually fell silent too, and it wasn't until they were in the hotel suite that Jack gave in and gave him a taster of the justification he'd been demanding.

"Jack...?" Daniel said, looking round the room they'd just been shown into. "There's only two beds in here. Where are you going to sleep?"

"Me?" Jack queried.

"Well, it's not going to be me that gets to sleep on the couch! Not after that little fiasco of yours. What were you thinking?"

"Daniel. Change. Put on your best suit! We're dining out!"

"I don't want to!" Daniel scowled. "At least not until you tell me what's going on!"

"Okay!" Jack sighed tossing his plans to the winds. "Get dressed first and then I'll tell you when we get there. Please! It's very important Daniel. I can assure you it's for a worthy cause."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Scout's honour!"

"You were never a boy scout Jack!" Daniel snorted unpacking his clothes. He didn't have a suit as such, but had some neat navy blue pants, a white shirt, blue tie and a subtle blue chequered sports coat.

"I was too!" Jack retorted, getting ready for the shower.

He ignored the look of utter disbelief on Daniel's face and headed off to the bathroom, leaving Daniel to pump Teal'c but the Jaffa wasn't any the wiser than he was.

By the time Daniel had finished in the shower too, Jack was dressed and putting the final touches to his tie. Daniel almost dropped his towel when he saw his friend looking so debonair. If he thought Jack looked...well, okay... 'smart' in his uniform, then he looked even 'smarter' now. He was dressed up in a black satiny tuxedo, complete with white high collared shirt and black bow tie. His black shoes shone so much they were like mirrors.

"Wow! Do I know you?" Daniel asked with a touch of cynicism whilst moving towards the bed where he'd laid out his own meagre outfit. Up against Jack, he felt he would look shabby, but at least he would feel comfortable. By the end of the evening, he just knew Jack was gonna want nothing better than to rip that tie from his neck and undo the top button on his shirt. He looked over at Teal'c who was wearing a smart enough outfit, but the effect was spoiled by the Cowboy hat; so maybe the Jaffa should have brought his Trilby or Panama instead.

"Sarcasm doesn't become you Daniel!" Jack responded, putting away his clothes brush, and checking his appearance in the full length mirror yet again.

"Jack!"

"No Daniel!"

"But."

"Not yet!"

"You promised!"

"When we get there! Patience grasshopper."

Daniel released a strangled, frustrated sigh, knowing he would have to wait until Jack deemed it time to reveal all. Whatever it was, it had better be a damned good reason and judging by Jack's get up it probably was.

They met Sam in the lobby. All three men dropped their jaws, their eyes boggled and had their tongues hanging out. Sam looked stunning in a deep sky blue figure hugging dress which swung loosely around her ankles over white satin slippers; she wore a white wrap over bare shoulders and had a beautiful necklace and matching earrings set with sapphires and diamonds; a gift from Jack.

Jack, unable to take his dark eyes from her, recovered the quickest and took her by the arm, a huge smile on his lips. He leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss over her cheek, avoiding ruining her lipstick. He then led her outside; Daniel and Teal'c still stunned at the contact, following as they called for the doorman to hail a cab.

They piled into the taxi and Jack gave the address of their destination which unfortunately didn't mean a thing to Daniel.

He did notice though, that Sam hadn't released Jack's arm yet, and quietly contemplated that they made a stunning couple. He was amused that Jack could barely keep from drooling over her.

They entered the lobby of the venue, and were shown into a suite of rooms with plush mock Georgian upholstery in a green regency stripe, matching the pale green walls.

They sat down and a second later Daniel was hounding Jack again.

Jack sighed and looked at Sam.

I guess now is as good a time as any huh?" he asked her. She nodded and blushed cutely. Jack took her hand and squeezed it.

"Okay, seeing as you asked. We invited you two here, because, you are our friends; not just team-mates, but real friends, and we couldn't do this without you here beside us. We've all been through a lot lately, some of us even dying, but we're here and I'm proud to say, all in one piece. There's nothing in this world, or the others," he whispered in an aside, "that would come between our friendship. I know the rumours you guys have had to put up with about Carter and me, and I hope that we treated you fairly because I did care for Sam more than I should have. In fact I love her and have done so for a long time, so you are here today to bear witness to that."

"You guys are getting married? Is that what this is all about?" Daniel looked askance at the pair of them, crying with happiness for them inside, but outwardly he shook his hands in the air. "Why didn't you say something before? It's not like we would have refused to have come!"

"Because we didn't want anyone else to know Daniel. It was our little secret and we wanted to surprise you. And besides, if we'd have said we were gonna get married, it would be all over the base by now."

"I wouldn't have said anything," Daniel pouted, affronted that they would think he would tattle.

"I didn't say you would, Daniel, I know you wouldn't have, but you know what that place is like! Walls certainly do have ears down inside that mountain. News spreads like wildfire inside the SGC."

"Hey!" Daniel gasped, suddenly latching onto the fact that this was supposedly a secret. "Can you two do this? I mean, what if the Air Force find out? Isn't it against the regulations?"

"Not any more Daniel," Sam said happily clinging to Jack's arm, "Jack's no longer my commanding officer, so it doesn't matter."

"Then why all the secrecy?" Daniel was confused.

"We just don't want everyone to know yet. There would be rumours circulating about how Sam got her promotion and favouritism."

"Oh! Of course," Daniel sighed, knowing it would be true.

"Then may I offer you my congratulations Major Carter, O'Neill." Teal'c rumbled, dipping his head in salute with a hint of a smile lighting up his dark features.

"Thank you Teal'c."

He stood and bowed low before them in honour of their nuptials, then took Sam's hand and pressed a light kiss on her knuckles , finally turning to symbolically shake Jack's hand in the Jaffa way.

TBC