Chapter Fourteen: The Wedding Part 1

"This is ridiculous," Virginia said, pacing back and forth. "I hate this. Really hate this. But you know that. And I really will leave for Atlantis. Really."

"Virginia," Cassie said. "Shut up."

Virginia huffed and sat down. A phone rang and someone picked it up. "Virginia, it's for you."

Virginia made her way to the phone, leaving Sam alone.

Sam was nervous. Very nervous. The proverbial "butterflies" were jumping and fluttering all over. She was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to feel like this. At all. And her mind wasn't even on Pete…it was on Jack.

Virginia had been no help at the rehearsal dinner. She had made Sam think about everything that she and Jack had gone through from the first day of working together till recently. He had loved her for a long time, and so had she.

Virginia's watered down comments of missions or things that occurred brought back those memories. Memories she really didn't want to think about.

Like how he had leered at her.

His expression when he saw her in that hideous dress on whatever planet it had been.

And that kiss, even if she had been going cave girl at the time…And how he had responded to her kiss and then said, "Not like this!"

'No, don't go there Samantha,' she thought to herself.

But Jack had always been there for her.

When Jolinar had possessed her, that whole Jonas fiasco, when her dad told her he was dying of cancer, when they took him to the Tok'ra Homeworld, though the bracelets, the Za'tarc—which she really could spell…But Jack was always there for her.

And when did she start calling him Jack again? Even if it only was in her mind…

"Jack sucks!" Virginia said. "He gets to skip out on this wedding now and I can't?"

Sam's heart constricted painfully. So he was there for her every time but now…not that she could really blame him…

"Okay, five minutes," Jacob said as he came in. "And don't you all look beautiful."

Sam had chosen a thick strapped tank dress that flared out from the waist and was made from a tight, stretchy material in red for her bridesmaids and a simple white gown for herself.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked.

"Oh. Nothing," Sam lied. "Pre-wedding jitters is all."

Jacob's eyes softened. "You know I just want you to be happy, right?"

"Of course, Dad."

"Pardon me for bursting in…" a voice said from the door.

"Uncle Henry!" Virginia shrieked, running to the man and hugging him tightly.

All but Virginia's sisters jaws dropped. "Mr. President," Jacob said.

"I hope you don't mind that I've sort of invited myself," the President of the United States said. "But I wanted to see one of the top members of NORAD get married."

"It's no problem at all, Mr. President," Sam said.

"So Virginia," Hayes said. "Where's this fiancé of yours?"

"You'll meet Skaara later. Go sit now," Virginia said. "We have to go to the wedding from Nerut. And then I get to vanish to bother McKay and maybe get some couples together. Perhaps I'll fare better there. After all, Lindsey Novak's told me that Dr. Weir and Colonel Caldwell are flirting. And that Colonel Sheppard and Teyla Emmagan are too."

"You astound me," Hayes said before he left the room.

"So, we gonna get this awful thing on the road or what?" Virginia asked. "And yes, I promise I won't say anything during the 'speak now or forever hold your peace' part."

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Daniel sighed. He could understand why Jack wasn't here, but it still made him feel sorry for his friend.

"You're so tense, Daniel," Vala said, squeezing his hand. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine. It's just this wedding…" Daniel trailed off.

"She can do so much better than this Pete person…That handsome General O'Neill for example," Vala said with a smile.

"Vala!" Daniel hissed.

"Don't be so jealous darling," Vala said, cupping his cheek with her hand. "You're the one I married."

Daniel was about to retort when the wedding march began. Everyone craned their neck around to see the flower girls, the bridesmaids—Virginia, Cassie, Mandy, Angelina, Mark's wife Katie, and Lisa one of Sam's cousin-in-laws—and lastly the bride herself.

Her eyes darted to Daniel and Teal'c smiling at them. Daniel smiled back while Teal'c nodded. She reached Pete and Jacob gave her away.

The wedding continued. A presence near Daniel made him look up. It was Jack. Sam hadn't noticed him yet as her back was to him.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace," rang through the church.

Daniel motioned at Jack to say something, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Virginia biting her lip, staring at Jack, as was Leona's new host—a last minute addition to the guest list.

Jack said nothing and slid into the seat next to Daniel. When no one else said anything else, the priest continued.

"Do you Peter Michael Shanahan take Samantha Jessica Carter to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Do you Samantha Jessica Carter take Peter Michael Shanahan to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Sam's stomach lurched. Did she? Was this all a mistake? Was this really what her dad/subconscious was trying to tell her when she was trapped on the Prometheus?

"Sam?" Pete asked, worry creasing his features.

"Do you take this man?" the priest asked again.

"Do you, Sam?" a very familiar voice said. She turned and saw that Jack had stood up. All eyes were on Jack. "Do you, Sam?...If you'll have me, to love and to hold, to cherish forever." Mark and the rest of Pete's family practically ran to restrain Jack, who was walking steadily closer to Sam. "Do you Samantha Jessica Carter take Jonathan Sean O'Neill to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do!"