Thanks once again for all the kind and wonderful reviews.

Sorry, not much action in this shorter chapter but I promise there will be some in the next longer one. A little more fluff here though. Enjoy!

NOTHING IS EVER THAT SIMPLE

By LetitiaRichards

Previously:-

"Sweet!" Jack commented with a wide grin. Serves the bastard right. If the ex-senator couldn't stomach the Asgard food, then he was going to find himself somewhat thinner by the time he returned to Earth; supposing of course the smug sonovabitch decided he would admit to the charges.

Chapter 25 – I know Something You Don't!

"Now that you're back to full health Jack, we've got to change some of our plans. I've been thinking over the problem. You can't take back command of SG-1 again until those six months are up, unless of course you two have had a change of heart."

"Ah...yeah about that sir. We talked it over and after everything that's happened, we've decided that we don't want to wait any longer. We'd like to bring the date forward."

Hammond sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers together against his lips in thought whilst contemplating his reply. He could see Jack was being honest with him and who could blame them for wanting to get married straight away?

The original estimate was based on the assumption that it would take that long for Jack to heal, but now Thor had worked a miracle on him, it was a problem with what to do with Jack until then.

Thor had left the two of them to talk while he went off to check on Kinsey, if only to make sure the man didn't starve to death, while they awaited his decision.

"You're both sure of this?" Hammond was worried about any possible repercussions.

"Absolutely sir." Jack was more than determined.

"Do I get an invite?"

Jack relaxed and grinned.

"Top of the list sir!" Jack replied with his customary smirk.

"In the meantime I'm granting you and Colonel Carter two weeks off while I think over what the hell I am supposed to do with you for the next thirteen weeks. But, before you disappear, there is one more thing that I need you for Colonel. We have something for you. Make yourself available for a brief mission at 12:00 hrs."

"Yes sir," Jack replied. Now he was damn curious about whatever this new 'mission' could be. He guessed he would have to wait. There was one thing more he had to raise before he left the office.

"Thank you sir. Actually General, Sam has something she wanted to ask you, as a favour."

Hammond nodded, and Jack stood and headed for the door. Opening it he spotted Sam still waiting patiently. He beckoned too her, smiling reassuringly. Standing back, he allowed her to pass him but resisted the temptation to reach out and touch her as she entered the room.

Hammond looked up at her and gestured for her to be seated. Jack hovered in the background, his hands stuffed into his pockets, seemingly more nervous the Sam appeared. If anything, Hammond noted, she seemed rather shy.

"Colonel, Jack said you have something you wanted to ask of me?"

"Yes sir," she replied, dropping her eyes to her lap, her fingers tightly clenched together. "We, or rather I, was wondering, seeing as my father's not... I wondered if you would do me the honour of giving me away at our wedding?" Her blue eyes gazed up at the General, pleading with him to say that he would. She hadn't been sure if he would, but there again in the absence of her father, George Hammond was a sort of surrogate father-figure. He was her Godfather after all, though nobody knew that, not even Jack; something she would probably have to tell him eventually.

Hammond watched her for a moment before a wide smile lit his features. He stood up and walked round the desk until he stood opposite her. He took her hands in his and Jack looking on wondered what he was going to do.

He came to stand behind Sam watching them closely, puzzled slightly by the General's manner.

"Sam, I would consider it a great honour to be a part of your special day. Thank you. I only wish Jacob could be here instead. He would be so proud of you."

Sam sniffed back the threat of tears and stood, pulled up and into the General's light embrace for a few brief seconds.

Jack swallowed rather harshly, feeling like an intruder on this very intimate moment. Had he missed something here? There was more than meets the eye between these two; he thought he'd known both of them pretty well, but he'd obviously missed something. He coughed, making Sam giggle at his awkwardness.

"Somethin' you wanna tell me Sam?" he asked, his eyebrow cocked and his cheek dimpled with curious amusement.

Sam smirked and turned back to Hammond who nodded his approval, before retaking his seat.

"I think you two need to be dismissed," Hammond ordered, shooing them from his office. "I have work to do even if you two haven't. I'll be expecting to hear from you soon."

Sam grinned and led the way out of the room, Jack following on, still puzzled but ready for her explanation.

They stood in the briefing room beside the huge picture window that overlooked the Stargate below. Sam kept her voice low as she turned to face the man she loved.

"There's something I haven't told you before. I never thought I would need to mention it, but now things are different, you would probably have found out later anyway."

Jack eyed her with suspicion, wondering if perhaps there was a skeleton in Jacob's closet that had been hidden away all these years. All sorts of weird and worrying things were buzzing around inside his head.

"C'mon Sam, out with it," he commanded when she hesitated, chewing nervously on her lip. "I mean it can't be that bad, can it?"

Sam giggled, shaking her head. She'd always gotten on well with General Hammond and she didn't want Jack to think she had been shown any personal favours by him as a result of their connection. That's why neither of them had mentioned it.

"It's no big deal really Jack. Honest. It's just that...well...General Hammond has known my father for a long time. They were friends before my mom and dad were ever married, and well, when I came along it was only natural that... General Hammond is my Godfather. Our families have always been close. I never mentioned it before because I didn't want people thinking..."

"That's okay. It isn't a problem. And I would never have thought that Sam. You didn't get where you are because of being related to Jacob, and I'm pretty certain that you didn't get to be a part of the Stargate programme because Hammond happened to be your godfather. You earned this on your own merits Sam. You're a brilliant as well as beautiful woman. I would never have presumed anything of the sort."

Jack didn't know whether to be angry that she should have thought he would be bothered over the connection, or to think her silly for her unfounded presumptions.

Sam looked so apologetic that he couldn't help smile in relief.

"I'm so..."

"Don't!" he interrupted her quickly. "Don't you dare apologise for something that you had no control over and had nothing whatsoever to hide."

Sam dropped her eyes to stare at the floor, unsure if he was upset or not. She saw his feet shuffle closer; felt his hand wrap round her arm and then shivered as his warm breath huffed on her neck when he whispered in her ear. It was as much as she could do to not reach out and seek his comforting embrace, but it was too public out here.

"I love you Samantha Carter. I couldn't give a damn if your were Goddaughter to the President. It wouldn't change the way I feel about you."

She smiled, feeling her insides melt. Bringing her head up slowly she sighed in relief at the love she saw shining in his dark eyes.

"I love you too Jack!" she whispered back.

"Sweet!" he exclaimed, stepping away a little; their moment of intimacy over when he heard footsteps echoing on the metal stairs.

A moment later there was an excited bark and he found his arms full of boisterous puppy, smothering him in wet slobbery kisses. He returned the enthusiastic affection, making a big fuss of the young dog, as if he'd not seen him in ages.

Jack released the pup and stood up, something which he couldn't had done without a twinge of pain before the 'accidents' which had befallen him. Now though, now that Thor had healed him, he could move with an ease which he'd long forgotten. It felt good. He bounced on his feet, feeling great. Life was good.

OoOoOoOoO

The elevator seemed crowded. Jack glanced around, taking in everyone that was there.

Teal'c was stood at the back, his passive countenance not giving anything away; his steady gaze riveted onto the closed doors. Daniel stood next to the Jaffa, silently, his posture self-hugging and he was staring at the floor rather than at anyone else. Hammond, if anything, looked smug, but even he was avoiding Jack's eyes for some reason. Janet was there too, sharing knowing looks with Sam, who had her back to him.

Jack leaned back against the wall, folding his arms across his chest wondering what they had been up to. They were all hiding something from him. Even the dog seemed to sense the tense, expectant atmosphere and was sitting silently at his feet, barely moving from his position as he leaned into his master.

Something was most definitely going on and he was sure he was about to find out what exactly it was.

TBC