Title: The Embassy

Disclaimers in Part 1

Part 6

JACK

I followed her, practically drooling over her bare back and those gorgeous legs, up to the third floor. The spiky heels made them look – oh my god – so good. The sway of her hips inside that blue dress that was snug in all the right places. Wow! I'll never know how I actually got up the stairs without tripping over my tongue.

A nanosecond after we passed through the double doors into her apartment, I pulled Sam into my arms for a kiss that left us both gasping for air. The shoes that had been part of a walking fantasy or two on the way up the stairs brought us eye to eye. It was strangely erotic to kiss a woman without having to lean down. She pulled me close again and put her head on my shoulder. I laid my cheek against her hair, and breathed in her perfume and the fragrance that was uniquely her. We stood that way for a few minutes, simply happy to be together again. Then she pushed back, trailing her hand over my cheek as though reluctant to let go.

"Be right back." She headed through an archway to my right. Her voice drifted to me from the other room. "Make yourself at home, Jack. Check out the view."

Sam's apartment was sparsely furnished. No surprise considering how short a time she'd been here and the hours she worked. The three walls of glass made up for any lack of furniture or artwork. I dropped my pack and vest by her door, and then walked over to the windows. The bank along the left wall displayed the party below. Through the glass panes music and the sound of countless voices washed over me like the echo of distant waves.

The compound was near the edge of a steep slope and the windows before me had a spectacular view of the city below. The countless streetlights flickered in the cooling breeze that wafted through the open casement and reflected in the wide river meandering through the city.

"Fantastic view, isn't it?"

I spun around at her voice and lost mine. My mouth fell open at the sight of her illuminated by the lights of the city. She'd exchanged her dress for a sheer black lace chemise with a garter and stockings showing underneath. She smiled softly as she sauntered in my direction; her high heels making her walk a thing of beauty.

I found my voice, although it was a little rough. "You look so beautiful, Sam."

She walked around to my left, circling me, one hand never leaving my body as she moved. "Thank you, kind sir. Janet will be pleased her work didn't go to waste." She smiled smugly and moved further behind me, causing me to turn or speak to empty air.

"You can't tell me you didn't have half the men at the party chasing you all night," I said, smirking, but feeling a stab of jealousy all the same. I turned again to follow her progress around me and faced the windows again.

She chuckled and my craving for her peaked. "One or two, but I can't even remember their faces now that you're here." Her smile and sidelong glances were making my breathing short. She circled further to my left and I declined to keep turning. Soon after she disappeared behind me, I felt her hand stroke across my back and shivered at the light touch. She purred, "Aren't you warm in those BDUs, Jack?"

"I … suppose so." Her hands snaked under my arms and she began unbuttoning my shirt. Her lips pressed against my neck, working a line of soft kisses from left to right. I moaned her name and asked, "What are you trying to do to me?"

"Have my way with you, sir, but these pesky clothes are in my way." Sam kept up her assault on my shirt and in next to no time was pulling it from my uniform pants. The shirt fell to the floor and my tee shirt slid over my head to join my shirt. Her lips and tongue on my neck, ear and shoulders teased my senses.

"Uh, Sam, aren't we giving the whole city a show here?" The expanse of windows stood uncovered and her lights would make everything in the room plainly visible to anyone looking this way. She snorted softly against my shoulders, causing the hair on my neck to rise to attention.

Her lips left my neck long enough to say, "House, close the curtains." To my surprise, the curtains began to close!

"Cool! How'd you do that, Sam?" I started to turn, but was stopped by her hands.

"Not now, Jack," she whispered against my shoulder. "If you're very good now, I might let you play with this and other toys later." She pressed her body to my bare back, her lips to my shoulder, and her hands to my abdomen where they moved to unbuckle my belt. There was no more room in my brain for curiosity, only sensations.

DANIEL

The party was quite a success, helped, I must admit, by the appearance of the HT. I hadn't actually planned the arrival of the device during the party, but I foresaw that night that they would be quite popular in our new home city. People, including several city officials, stopped me all night to ask about procuring one for themselves, offering immense sums and lucrative trade contracts.

After the last guest left at 3 a.m. Janet and I wearily trudged up the stairs, arm in arm. For nights like this, I could hardly wait for the elevator to be finished. At her door, we stopped and I nervously started to say goodnight, stuttering badly.

"Would you like to come in, Daniel? I could make us some coffee or a nightcap."

"I-I'd love to," I managed to get out around the huge lump in my throat. She smiled gently at me.

I sat on her sofa uncertainly while she bustled about in the kitchen. Wiping my sweaty palms on my slacks, I stood up to pace around the room.

"If you're this wound up, coffee may not be the best thing for you this time of night." Janet strode into the room with her usual vigor altered quite alluringly by the high heels she wore, and carrying a tray with a pot and two cups. She placed the tray on the table in front of the sofa and sat, patting the sofa cushion next to her. "I don't bite, Daniel, … unless asked, that is." She chuckled softly and I blushed slightly at my gauche behavior.

"I'm just a little nervous."

"About being here with me?" I nodded. "Well, I'll admit I'm a little nervous too, Daniel. It's been several years since I divorced and there hasn't been any time for anything but work and Cassie."

Thankful for a safe topic, I asked, "How is Cassie? Have you heard from her lately?"

"I got a letter two days ago complaining about the hours she has to study to keep up at school. Not that she isn't doing brilliantly, but the semester is almost over and she's tired."

"Does she write often?" I missed Cassie like the niece I'd never had.

"Several times each week. Would you like to read some of her letters?" she generously offered. At my enthusiastic nod, Janet walked to her desk and retrieved a neatly tied packet of letters. Handing them to me, she warned, "Just don't be surprised if your name pops up frequently. Cassie, the little romantic, seems to think there's something going on between you and me." Now it was her turn to blush and look away.
I read the top letter and saw what she meant. Cassie was practically planning the wedding. Strangely, it made me feel less nervous. Maybe there's hope for us yet, I reflected.

"Take them with you, if you'd like. You know, she'd really love it if you wrote to her." Astonished, I drew my gaze from the letter I was devouring hungrily.

"Would she?" I asked, hesitant. No one but Nick had ever asked me to write.

"Of course, Daniel! She loves you, all of you who rescued her from Nirrti. You became her second family after hers were killed." Her hand came to rest on mine and I looked down at it. Flustered, she pulled away, but I caught her hand and held it.

"How does her mother feel about me?"

Janet drew a shaky breath and laughed, her face turned down. "Cassie's mother likes you; really likes you." Looking me in the eye, she declared, "In fact, I think she's in love with you."

JACK

Although Sam and I had very little time together, what we had was wonderful. Some days I escorted the kids around the tantalizingly alien city, meeting members of our allies, learning about other races and species. Ambassadors Bragi and Deela were very gracious to my students, explaining about their own species and cultures. The Roswell-Gray alien beamed my team up to his ship, impressing the heck out of the students.

The birds nest haired Nox woman welcomed us warmly to her arboreal and surprisingly large embassy compound. She led the way along paths remarkably similar to her home planet until we reached a cluster of the same huts as those where SG-1 had awakened from the dead. While she didn't discuss specifics, Deela shared the history of how the Nox had risen to supreme heights of technology millennia ago as one of the four great races, and then retreated from a sterile technological existence to the more natural lifestyle they enjoyed today.

I could see the dawning of understanding in a few eyes of her audience, but unfortunately, not all. Until now, they had never met truly alien races. This opportunity would, I hoped, start the broadening of their perspectives and be invaluable to them whether they earned a spot on an SG team or not.

Other days, members of my old team lectured the students in aspects of the job I couldn't directly address like scientific specialties and the advantages of cooperation between military and scientific types. Teal'c spoke about his race, the Jaffa, their rebellion against the slavery of the Goa'uld and the methods of war used by Jaffa against their master's enemies.

Daniel gave them insight into the type of archeological information we'd found over the years. He expounded on the ways in which our knowledge of our own world's history had changed with this new data and the skills he regularly used to meet, greet and treat with the races encountered.

Sam lectured on the importance of the scientific information teams gathered. She showed some of the finds they had brought back, and explained how Earth used the technology and knowledge to aid the fight against the Goa'uld. To their astonishment, she gave the real source of some of the everyday products they took for granted. Her stories of SG-1's exploits under my leadership had me squirming, fighting embarrassment, in the back of the small reception room set aside as a classroom.

We kept one day for ourselves while Teal'c and Major Adams ran the kids through their paces in Jaffa hand-to-hand techniques. Sam wouldn't tell me what she had planned, so I decided to go with the flow for once. After all, what could be bad about spending a day with the woman of my dreams?

Early in the day, after the earliest of laborers were at work but before the nine-to-five types were out, we sauntered out of the gates, waving goodbye to the guards. She set an aggressive pace through the streets, weaving through pocket parks and narrow lanes until we arrived at a little shop, its customers overflowing into the pavement. Grinning at me, Sam pushed her way to the counter and ordered in a language I'd never heard before.

Taking our breakfast, we wended our way back outside and snagged a table, just beating out a pair of turbaned shopkeepers. They harangued Sam in that strange dialect. To my surprise, she gave as good as she got, berating them in the same lingo. They left, smiling at the woman who'd apparently bested them as a local game of one-upmanship. She never ceased to amaze me.

"Uh, so when did you take up linguistics, Sam?"

She chuckled and turned back to her cooling pastry. "Never. I just learned a few things from the Marines; mostly from the women," she replied, grinning mischievously. "It seemed best to blend in with the locals when we're in town, so, I arranged a few lessons in the local dialect for SG-1, even Teal'c. He can't always rely on being scary, you know." She raised her beverage in a salute and then drank, obviously enjoying it.

I tried mine and was equally delighted. It had the bite and smooth finish of good coffee, with a spicy edge unlike anything I'd ever tasted before. The pastry contained a meat and fruit concoction, again spiced exotically. Sam and I ate happily in silence, enjoying the ambiance, excellent food and just being together. Under the table, I rubbed a knee against hers. The heated look she gave me almost ended our breakfast as I debated dragging her back to bed. Grinning she swatted my knee away, so I gave in graciously.

"So, what now, my dear guide?" We stood and two men dressed like laborers immediately appropriated the table.

"Just stick with me, Colonel," she said mysteriously, sauntering ahead of me in the brightly decorated Hawai'ikian dress that did nothing to make her blend in. With her Northern European coloring and clean-cut athletic beauty, Sam stood out like a neon sign. My eyes weren't the only ones following her admiringly that morning. As usual, regardless of how good she was at observing her environment, she was oblivious to the attention she drew.

SAM

He caught up and threaded my arm through his and we walked arm in arm along the narrow lane dodging the morning foot traffic. The small cobbled way fed into a much broader avenue that reminded me of the Champs Elysée, but with palm and eucalyptus trees. We strolled for a while, people watching and enjoying the atmosphere of the city, for once not having to watch our backs constantly for hostile aliens. Oh, that's not to say there weren't hazards – pickpockets and panhandlers – but those we knew how to avoid.

The boulevard ended in an open space filled with tents and stalls – sort of a carnival, without the rides. Jack's eyes got big when he saw the games of chance. I knew he couldn't resist the opportunity to try them after he told me about his favorite summer growing up. He was so adorable working his way through each game, pitting himself against the odds. I never laughed so hard as at his victory dance after winning a contest involving two leather wrapped balls and a moving target. Curly Joe would have been proud. The purple Baraven fetish doll the barker presented to Jack earned a really priceless expression – half confusion and half trademark Jack O'Neill disdain.

Having finished all of the games, we headed for a nearby grassy area.

"Uh, Sam, what's up with that?" He pointed to a group of people surrounding a large dirty white stone.

"Oh, it's nothing. Let's go over there." I steered him toward a patch of grass ringed by benches. Unfortunately, he wouldn't let himself be distracted and we ended up on the edge of the crowd.

"What are they doing?" he pondered aloud. A turbaned man next to us turned from watching the couple confronting the boulder.

"They're testing their devotion against the Lover's Stone." I rolled my eyes and tugged at an unmoving Jack.

The stranger grinned at us, enjoying the spectacle. I'd heard about this "spectator sport" from one of the housekeepers. Couples came to prove to themselves – in a highly unscientific manner – that they were meant to be together. The brighter the light, the greater the love the supplicants shared. We watched as a young couple uncertainly approached the object, faces full of hope and uncertainty. They circled an arm around each other's waist and placed their outside hands, palms down, thumbs overlapping, on the flat top of the uneven rectangular shape.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. A gradual blush of white light crept into the quartz-like block. As the radiance grew to reflect from their fresh, eager faces, their own joy shone back. With a huge sigh of empathy, the crowd sighed and leaned forward as one to touch the pair, as though absorbing their luck in having found true love.

The next pair, a gaudily dressed man and a much-younger woman, her fresh youth a contrast to his middle age, approached the block. His arrogant swagger was another sharp contract to the girl's lithe gait and down-turned face. He grabbed her around the waist possessively and placed his palm on the "altar." His grunt and slight shove leant her impetus to mirror his actions reluctantly. The gathering held its collective breath. Nothing happened - no increase in brightness, no flash of light. After a minute of increasingly strained silence, the man jerked his hand away and practically dragged the young woman away, while she quietly fought a smirk of satisfaction.

The stranger beside us urged us forward, exchanging grins with Jack. Again, I rolled my eyes.

"Jack, no. This is silly. There's no scientific bas-"

"Come on, Sam. Don't be a spoilsport and over-think this. It's just a carny trick. Get into the spirit of things." His grin and enthusiasm were infectious, as always, so I put my hand in his and we stepped forward.

The surface of the slab was cool to the touch. Its cloudy crystals were rough against my palm. Jack ran his thumb over mine as they lay on the stone. I smiled back. For someone supposedly so bad at expressing his feelings, he always managed tiny gestures and looks that left me feeling loved.

JACK

Her smile, so radiant, warmed me as it always did. My mind so wasn't on our surroundings and the "test" we were undergoing - that is, until gasps from all sides drew my eyes from her beautiful face. The Lovers' Stone glowed! Not a puny 25-watt glow, but a luminous mega-wattage lamp like they used in ball fields. A column of light rose from the spot where our hands rested. I glanced around us at the gaping group that was growing larger as more people saw the beam we were apparently generating.

"What!" I asked. The stranger strode through the crowd, his smile triumphant, as though he'd known the response we'd get.

"It has been many years since the Ancient's stone has cast forth such a shaft of light. You are truly blessed. Now, it is best you go unless you wish to be scrutinized by the whole city as it arrives to see who has made the stone shine so." He bowed slightly to us and gestured for us to leave through the opening the growing crowd made for us.

"Ancient's stone? This is technology of the Ancients?" Sam incredulously asked the man, reluctantly walking backward to search his face as we retreated from the stone. He nodded, still smiling. "But, Jack…" she protested as I tugged harder on her arm and finally persuaded her to leave. Hands reached out to us as we passed through the throng, hands that touched, stroked, grabbed. Faces gazed at us with an awe that made my Special Ops trained mind flinch. We made our escape from the park through a stand of trees that separated it from the river.

Relieved to be away from the stone and its devotees, who unexpectedly hadn't followed us, we strolled arm in arm down the grassy verge by the water. After a few hundred yards, I spied a place renting rowboats of all things and looked at Sam to gauge her interest. Her answering nod was all I needed and we headed for the quaintly dilapidated shack.

"Would the gentleman like someone to row for him?" the smarmy guy behind the wooden counter asked, leering, as though I was feeble or something.

"Uh, no thanks. I think we can handle it for ourselves." With a grimace, I grabbed the oars and we soon pushed off the bank into the placid waters. I headed upstream at a reasonable pace – not so fast I'd risk a heart attack, not so slow we'd end up floating downstream.

Sam lounged languidly across the large padded seat in the stern, her long legs stretched toward me. Around her, I noticed the frame of an awning we could raise for privacy and suddenly understood the offer of a rower. Those babies must have been wildly popular for afternoon trysts and I almost regretted refusing his offer.

I rowed for an hour or so, occasionally stopping to watch the city go by. This is the life, I thought. Here on a gorgeous day, out on the water with a beautiful woman that I happen to be in love with. What more can I ask for?

SAM

"Why don't you let me steer back downstream while you lie down in the back?" I asked as we turned the boat around.

"What's the matter; think I'm too old for this, Sam?" he joked.

"Hardly, Jack. You did all the hard work while I rested all the way upstream, now it's your turn to rest." He thought about the idea and then nodded.

We gingerly attempted to trade places, almost overturning the boat when we passed in the middle. I couldn't resist the temptation of stealing a kiss and my sudden move caused the small craft to rock alarmingly. We clung to each other, laughing, until the movement stopped, although it felt to me like everything was still in motion, my heart was beating so hard. His strong arms and uniquely musky scent were making my head light and I thought of other things than rowing a boat. I glanced up into his dark eyes and saw an answering desire.

"There's an anchor under the seat if you'd like to stay put for a while, Jack." My voice had gone husky; my body tingled with need for him.

He pulled me closed and whispered in my ear, "You have the best ideas, Carter. Let's put up the awning, too." His warm breath against my neck raised a shiver of anticipation.

Our "interlude" was over much too quickly in my opinion, but we hadn't rented the boat for more than a few hours and had to get it back; and, my stomach was making it known that the snack we'd eaten at the carnival had been all too long ago. I'd planned a romantic dinner with Jack and, as we walked through the streets, I steered him gradually toward the classy, yet intimate restaurant I had in mind.

"It's just down this lane, on the right, Jack. Vesia says it's the best café in town and I trust her word, despite that fact that she and Mamarce have a quarter interest in the place." We exchanged a smile that spoke of amusement and affection for the embassy's most colorful couple.

We walked up to the crowd milling around the tasteful awning-covered door and watched the maître d' rebuff two very well dressed couples with a sniff. Jack remarked under his breath, "Hope we have reservations."

"No worries. Vesia said it was all taken care of," I replied, hoping it had been. I approached the maître d' station, discretely holding out a Hawai'ikian coin of a substantial denomination, and gave my name. As I spoke, the short, rotund man, whose eyes had lit up as he spied the coin, retracted his hand and stood to attention. He snapped his fingers imperiously and a waiter appeared almost instantly.
"If madam will follow Aninius, I have a table that I hope will be satisfactory." He bowed as we passed his station. We followed Aninius through the chic main room into a wide hallway lined with open doors through which I could see elegant private dining spaces. The waiter led us to the farthest room on the left and, with a flourish, held back a heavy drape for us to enter. Unlike the other rooms, this had a set of French doors open to a lovely little garden lit by torches placed seemingly at random.

"This is beautiful, Sam. I'm impressed," Jack said as Aninius held out the low Etrurian chair for me to sit.

The meal was as great as Vesia had promised; the wine was excellent. By the time dessert, an exquisite confection nearly as addictive as chocolate, was history I was almost drowning in sensation. I gladly signed the bill and included a generous, but well-earned, tip.

"This meal will take weeks in the gym to burn off, but, oh man, it was more than worth it. Thanks, Sam." He gallantly stood to pull out my chair, making me feel like a princess. His kiss on my neck sent shivers skittering down my spine. We walked into the garden, our arms around each other, where small cups of coffee awaited us.

Daniel had introduced the beverage to Mamarce during the Etrurian's first week at the embassy. The chef was so enamored of it that he served gourmet coffee, imported at great cost from Earth, in the restaurant, further enhancing its reputation as the best place in town to find the finest in unusual cuisine. I could hardly wait until Mamarce met chocolate. Oh, what Mamarce could do with food…

The coffee was quickly gone and Aninius escorted us out with the same respect as at our arrival. The walk home, through crowded streets filled with celebrants of some holiday or another, passed in a cloud of happiness and a growing desire. I could hardly wait to get home. Oh, what my man could do with his lips, and his hands, and his body…

Week 26 Day 3

JACK

Sam was due home for downtime at 1700, so I impatiently made my way down to the control room about 1645. Lieutenant Simmons was working busily at the console doing something Sam would probably understand, but I was clueless about.

Right on time, the Stargate began to spin and engaged with its usual splash. "Receiving SG-1's IDC, sir," Simmons chimed out.

"Open the iris, Lieutenant," I said.

To say he was surprised to hear my voice was an understatement. He gaped at me for a few seconds until I fluttered my hand at him to turn back to the console and do his thing. Simmons turned and placed his hand on the palm scanner just in time to open the iris for an inbound SG-1.

Predictably, Sam was the last through the gate, making sure her people all made it first. Our eyes met through the bulletproof glass of the control room and locked for a few electric moments. I'd ached for her presence since leaving Hawai'iki. Realizing the gate techs and SFs were watching us avidly, Sam broke the contact to hand her gear over and say goodbye to her team.

I sped down the stairs and met her in the hallway. Figuring we'd given the gossip mill enough fodder for the day, we walked to the elevator and shut the doors before a young airman could join us. Sam dropped her bag and slipped her arms around my neck.

"Miss me, Colonel?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest, Colonel, I've been just so darned busy… OOF!" I gasped when her elbow collided with my stomach. She stood, eyebrow raised, a smirk gracing her lovely face. "Of course I missed you, Sam. I missed you like crazy," I declared. Her face softened and she moved close again.

I pushed her against the wall and captured her lips greedily. She responded eagerly and moved her hands over my butt, pressing us closer together. Her lips parted and I explored her mouth, our tongues dueling in an age-old dance. "Uh, Sam, I may not make it home if we keep this up," I said between urgent kisses. Thank goodness fatigue shirts covered my growing … enthusiasm at her return.

Just then, the elevator doors parted at level 11, revealing a gawking young man. With my best Big Bad Colonel voice, I barked, "What's the matter, Airman? You've never seen two colonels kissing before?"

I grabbed Sam's hand and raced out of the elevator car for the security checkpoint. We held it together until we'd signed out and had made it around the corner. Giggling like teenagers, we ran for the other elevator and collapsed inside, both laughing until our stomachs ached.

SAM

Well, our reputations would never be the same, but the young airman's expression was priceless, worth any amount of talk and teasing. He was bug-eyed, but there was triumph and amusement mixed in as well. I wondered how much he won. Oh yeah, we'd been aware of the betting pools on our relationship, among others, for a long time. The SGC was like any small community, rife with gossip.

On the ride to Jack's home, I slumped down in the seat, head back against the seat top. "You know what it's going to be like Monday morning when you go in to work."

Jack, incorrigible little boy that he was, smirked. "Yeah, I'm going to be the most or least favorite person of everyone, depending on how they bet. Don't sweat it sweetheart. I think Hammond won a bunch, so he'll keep the losers from stringing me up."

Negative thoughts spun their way around my brain at light speed. If he didn't care, why should I? Because I'm the woman, that's why. Because the guys will wink at him and snicker behind their hands about me. It isn't fair, but that's human nature, magnified by the misogyny of the military. I knew what I was getting into when I joined, though that didn't necessarily make it easier to live with.

Then, he was deadly serious. "But, if I hear one bad word about you, someone will be wishing they'd kept their mouth shut."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" I opened my eyes to glance over at him as we sat idling at a light. His gaze was firm, but filled with love and protectiveness.

"I didn't have to read your mind, Sam. I've been in the military longer than you have and I know how things work. Hammond and I will take care of anyone who's stupid enough to say something he or she shouldn't," he changed his tone from serious to amused and finished, "and they'll have to run for their lives if Teal'c ever finds them."

I chuckled, feeling slightly better and mentally ran through my plans. Next week while Jack's at work, I have some shopping to do for myself and a couple of the other women back home who weren't due for downtime soon; plus, do some reading and catch up with some colleagues. Not having email and access to the Internet on Hawai'iki is seriously cramping my ability to keep current in astrophysics. I have to work on that.

My musing ended as we pulled into his driveway. Jack had dinner all planned for us, but, somehow, we never got to it. About 11 p.m., I got out of his bed, pulled on a discarded shirt and padded into the kitchen for a glass of cold water. I spotted the champagne and berries Jack had planned for dessert in the fridge. An evil thought crossed my mind, which I followed quite willingly, stifling laughter to keep from waking him. I loaded the wine, fruit, whipped cream, and glasses on a tray and took them silently back to Jack's bedroom.

JACK

Years of fieldwork had trained me to wake at any disturbance. Normally, when someone dots chilled whipped cream on my stomach and licks it off, I wake up like a shot. This time, however, I was pretty wiped out by a long hard week and a certain lieutenant colonel's attentions over the past few hours.

I woke into a dreamy state, positive this was just another of my nighttime fantasies about Sam. My subconscious can be pretty creative when it comes to her; and I've certainly had long enough over the past few years to hone that imagination.

A loud "POP" broke through my trance and I was truly awake. Sam was pouring champagne into tall glasses. "Sam?" I asked, sitting up to lean back against my elbows.

She grinned and bit back the obvious answer. The desire I saw in her eyes made my heart beat faster. "Just making us a midnight snack. Interested?" She was definitely flirting with me. I noticed these things.

TEAL'C

Our trip to the Tau'ri alpha site to meet with the remaining Jaffa leaders was most fruitful. The First Primes of two additional minor Goa'uld agreed to join us. Either Anubis had killed their masters or the Goa'uld lords were under siege by his forces. Together, the forces they could have brought to our cause numbered in the thousands.

We arranged to meet again in several weeks time. That would allow me time to explore the veracity of their stories. I would not make the mistake again of trusting too easily.

Rya'c and I gated the world of the Ha'ktyl to meet with Master Bra'tac. He was quite pleased with my diplomatic abilities and praised me to an embarrassing degree. Ishta and Rya'c whispered and laughed behind their hands at my discomfort. In any event, I was happy to see them friends at last. My son had forgiven me for taking another woman into my heart.

My master's remarkable progress with the women of the Ha'ktyl had brought at least another 50 warriors to our cause. Their fierceness and cunning in battle far outstripped that of their men and pleased the old man greatly.

Ishta and her fellow priestesses had continued to save female children, but over time, more and more women came with the babies, often the child's mother. Their settlement numbered over 200, most under 10 years. During the previous year, the Tau'ri had kept their promise of supplying Tretonin and foodstuffs to the Ha'ktyl. It was now nearly their sole lifeline, a situation I pledged myself to alleviate.

SAM

Well, it was today. Ferretti's wedding. Jack came out of the bathroom and I whistled as he pirouetted for my benefit.

"You look fantastic in that suit, Jack. Yummy, in fact. I feel drab in comparison." I wrapped my arms around his trim waist, grabbing onto my favorite part – his butt.

"As if you could ever look drab, especially in that dress." Jack waggled his eyebrows suggestively. He referred to the confection Janet hauled me away from work one day to buy. Clingy cerulean blue silk chiffon, modest enough for a wedding – at least so long as I kept the jacket on – and exactly the right weight for an Indian Summer wedding reception. It showed just enough leg and looked great with my matching high heeled sandals.

He placed a light kiss on my nose and stepped away to rummage in his bureau drawer.

"Are you finally ready, Jack? We don't want to be late." Eooww, had I just said that? Way too much like a wife for my taste.

"Just about. I have something here that should go pretty well with that dress." He turned around and held out a small bag in a metallic material unlike any I'd never seen before. I ran my hands over the bag. It looked and felt like pure gold but was tough like an alloy.

"Sam, open it. That's just the packaging!" He smirked at my geeky obsession with any sort of puzzle.

"Oh." I blushed and pulled the ribbon made of the same soft metal. Turning it upside down, a blue sparkle tumbled from the bag into my palm and I breathed, "Oh-hhhh."

A smiling Jack took the sparkle, led me to his mirror and held the necklace up to my neck. The uneven, rounded stones ranged in size from split pea to chickpea, connected by delicate silver links of exquisite craftsmanship. It perfectly complimented my dress and eyes.

"Where did you get it? How did you know it would work so well with this dress? It's so…"

"Whoa! Sam, slow down. I, uh, know a little elf on Hawai'iki who got it for me after my last visit." He refused to meet my eyes and grinned evilly.

"You know I'll get it out of you, Jack," I asserted with a huge smile.

"I'm looking forward to it, Sam." He met my gaze and his answering wolfish smile made my pulse race. "Shall we go? I didn't think you'd ever be ready." With a wicked chuckle, he dodged my hand flying toward his butt.

We drove to the park reserved for the wedding. The weather was perfect for an outdoor gathering. They'd decorated the sheltered meadow in white and blue flowers; streamers of the same colors hung between trees and formed a woven canopy where the bride and groom would take their vows.

We found a place on the groom's side and sat down to wait, Jack's arm around my back as more and more SGC personnel filled the chairs. One young woman in her early twenties sat herself down next to Jack and tried to engage him in conversation. He was polite and introduced me to Debbie, but was obviously not interested in her prattle about fishing and hockey. I actually felt rather sorry for her as she gazed at him with adoring eyes. Finally, she irately turned to the woman on her other side. He dismissed my raised eyebrow about her as though it was an everyday occurrence and mouthed, "Later." I felt eyes on us from all sides and kept a smile plastered on my face. Being the subject of attention had never been my favorite thing.

JACK

I squeezed Sam's rigid arm. She smiled ruefully, flashed a dimple, and relaxed a tiny bit. "Loosen up, Carter. Only half of them are staring at us." She laughed.

"Gee, thanks, Jack. That really helps."

"Made ya laugh, though."

"You always could do that," she whispered and kissed me lightly.

"Now, they're all looking." I leaned back with what I must admit was a huge smirk.

"So, whose idea was it to come here together, Jack?" She grinned back at me, making a very cute face.

"Actually, it was Ferretti's." She was suddenly very attentive, eyebrows raised. "He sent your invitation to me. Guess he assumed I'd know where to find you during your downtime," I said nonchalantly, careful not to give her the idea I was overconfident of her and our relationship.

"And, he'd got that idea from whom?" I could practically see the steam come out of her ears.

"I didn't say a word, Sam. I swear." This time I was really serious. "But you have to admit that it wasn't too hard to figure out that we'd end up together."

Sam turned toward me, her arm over the back of her chair, smirking. "You had a bit of trouble, as I recall."

"D'oh!" I dropped my head backward as she laughed softly at my admission of guilt. From the back of the "church," music started announcing the beginning of the ceremony. Along with everyone else, we stood for Joan's march up the aisle with her father.

SAM

After the ceremony, we all streamed back to our cars. On the way, several people from work stopped to say hello and I caught quite a few peeking at my left hand and I thought, we just started dating, for cryin' out loud, and they're already looking for signs of an engagement.

The reception was boisterous, relatives mixing with co-workers and the whole bunch having a good old time. Every dance I had a partner, but by the end of the evening, none of them had been Jack. Not that I hadn't tried to dance with him, but there was always someone else there first who wouldn't take no for an answer. It was beginning to look like someone's idea of a joke to keep us apart.

One of Jack's students, the one I'd dubbed "Angry Face," claimed one dance. His name turned out to be Nick Sweers, a name that had been in several of Jack's letters, and not in a good way. However, I was determined to be polite and give the young man a chance. In the end, I shouldn't have bothered.

"You look positively edible in that dress, Colonel," the slimy little creep smirked, sliding his hand under my jacket, and grasped my waist tighter. His hand crept up my back to where the dress left it bare, then down to my butt to pull me into his groin. He reeked of alcohol.

I pulled back a little, breaking his grip on my body. "I think that's quite close enough, if you don't mind, Lieutenant." I didn't want to make a scene at Ferretti and Joan's wedding reception because of one drunk, but I was determined that if Sweers didn't back off, his ass was grass.

Not at all taking the hint, Sweers thought I was being coy. He lurched forward and stage whispered in my ear, "You know, Sam, the very first time I saw you at that embassy party I knew you were going to be mine. Maybe we could go somewhere more private. I have a penthouse apartment not too far from here. The view alone will make you spread your legs."

"Not interested, kid. Now, get lost!" Disgusted, I pushed him away, causing him to stumble backward into another couple on the dance floor.

Sweers shoved away the man who tried to help him up and lurched toward me, his face a picture of wounded pride and rage. "How dare you? Do you know who my father is?"

"I don't care, Lieutenant. If you ever verbally or physically assault a superior officer like that again, you will not like the consequences. You're lucky you're drunk enough for me to excuse your behavior. Now, go home and sleep it off before you embarrass yourself any further." I waited for him to charge me, but two burly SFs dressed in ill-fitting suits denied me the satisfaction of pounding some sense into him. Each grabbed an arm and escorted the glaring Sweers out, accompanied by scattered applause from the other dancers.

More than a little embarrassed myself, I sought the temporary refuge of the ladies room to cool my flaming face. When I returned, they announced the last dance and a young captain I knew only by sight stepped up to claim me.

"Colonel Carter, if I may…?"

I looked everywhere for a silver gray head, but to my dismay, he was nowhere in sight. Just as I opened my mouth to accept, I heard, "Sorry, Captain. She promised the last dance to me." He swept us out onto the dance floor and pulled me close. I settled into his arms, truly happy for the first time all evening.

"I thought you'd never turn up, Jack. I've been danced off my feet and propositioned." I grinned at his expression.

His eyebrows shot for the ceiling. "I've been rather popular myself. My 'friend' – you met her at the ceremony – dragged me out to the terrace. When I got away from her, a couple of lieutenants cornered me to ask about the training program and wouldn't shut up long enough for me to slip away. For some reason, a few people seem to want to keep us apart tonight. Any ideas, Sam?"

"Not a clue. Why would they?" It was a puzzle we wouldn't have answered for quite some time.

Continued in Part 7