A/N Thanks for the reviews I really appreciate them. Sorry I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine and there could be a lot in this chapter because it was typed with a squirming 9mth old on my lap! And yes I agree 'Grace' is an overused name in this fandom but it's so overused it almost seems wrong not to name Jack and Sam's kids Grace and Jacob! g .

Finally!

"Jack, Daniel is coming from another galaxy – the least you can do is come from Washington!" Sam was getting exasperated and started twisting the phone cord with her free hand. She knew the pressure he was under but Cassie had asked them all to be together for her birthday and Sam was going to do everything she could to make it happen.

"I miss the technobabble." Jack smiled in to the phone. Cassie's birthday and a chance to spend time with Sam – no way was he missing it but he thought he would mess with her a bit longer. "Do you have any idea how hot you are when you talk in geek?"

"Jack!"

"No really. For eight long years I had to listen to it and you've got no idea what it does to me." Jack teased. "I did think though, when we finally started this relationship thing that there would be a lot more physical contact involved."

"All the more reason you should be in Colorado for Cassie's birthday" Sam told him triumphantly.

"Ah the promise of a beautiful woman and cake – wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Who said anything about cake?" Sam teased him.

"What's a birthday without cake? Gotta go. Miss you."

"Miss you too." Sam said quietly but Jack had already hung up

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One week later

Daniel, Teal'c, Jack, Sam and Cassie had just finished birthday cake much to Jack's delight.

They had decided to have the party at Sam's, where Cassie had been living while she finished high school. Jack and Sam were sitting closely at one end of the couch with Cassie at the other end, Daniel and Teal'c having taken the oversized single chairs.

"It's just like old times". Jack said as he put his arm around Sam and she snuggled in closer. Actions that did not go unnoticed by the rest of the room.

"Not quite like old times" said Daniel smiling.

"I agree DanielJackson. O'Neill you and ColonelCarter appear to be more relaxed in each other's company." Teal'c said.

"Well I should hope they are more relaxed – they have eight years of unresolved sexual tension to get out of their systems." Cassie hid a smile as she said this, knowing it would get a reaction out of Sam and Jack.

Jack and Sam looked at each other wondering when the small frightened little girl had grown up and then Jack said "Nah, there was only about five years of actual tension". Sam smacked him on the shoulder and then gave him one of her most beautiful smiles while the others laughed.

"O'Neill, I believe you told us some months ago that your intentions towards ColonelCarter were honourable - I have yet to see any evidence of this."

"Yeah Jack I know I've been in another galaxy but I've been expecting an invitation" said Daniel.

"Wait! You two are getting married and you didn't even tell me!" Cassie's tone was a mixture of hurt and excitement.

"No-one is getting married." Sam said to the room at large not really wanting to discuss the whole topic of marriage with a room full of people – even if they were people she loved.

"We're not?" Jack turned and questioned Sam. "I kind of assumed we were."

Sam sat there stunned for a few moments before standing up and shooting what Jack had come to call her death glare, at him. He knew he was in deep trouble he just wasn't sure why.

After Sam had left the room he took another sip of his beer - after all this was Carter – she'd calm down and then he would be able to speak to her rationally and find out what it was he did wrong and then he could fix it . Yeah that was a plan.

"Ah Jack? I know you and Sam haven't spent a lot of actual time together since you became a couple but you have told her how you feel haven't you?"

"Daniel." Jack said in his best 'I'm warning you back off this is none of your business' voice.

"Jack!"

"Okay. Maybe not in so many words. But this is Carter – she knows how I feel about her!"

Daniel turned to Teal'c "I think it's time we called it a night. Cassie can we drop you anywhere?"

"Oh yeah!" Cassie knew Sam had a real temper under that cool exterior – it didn't come out often but when it did – watch out. "You can drop me at Sue's – I think I'll stay there the night."

"Traitors! You are all traitors." Jack told them.

"Jack, I think you and Sam really need to spend some time alone." Jack's demeanour brightened at this thought. "And talk." Daniel emphasized.

"Yeah alright."

Jack said goodbye to his friends and told Cassie he would se her tomorrow before he left to go back to Washington – to which Cassie responded ominously "I guess that will depend on what you say to Sam tonight."

Jack went back in to the house and began to clean up. He knew he was procrastinating but he wasn't even sure what he had done to upset her let alone what he was going to say and do to fix it.

Once he had finished all the cleaning including putting on a load of washing he decided he couldn't prolong the inevitable any longer. He entered their room tentatively. Sam was lying with her back to him but after years of watching her sleep he knew when she was awake even when she was faking it. He moved over to the bed, sat down and slipped his shoes off – still no movement from the other side – he propped his head on some pillows and put his feet up.

"Soooooooo. I'm not exactly a complex man Sam – I'd never do anything to hurt you – well not intentionally anyway. I love you and I want to get married – sorry, not seeing the problem."

Sam turned over to face him "Jack O'Neill I know you are not as dense as you pretend to be – but how could the first time you bring up the subject of marriage be in a room full of people!"

It was all becoming clear to Jack. "Sam – you know I want us to get married – I just assumed it was what you wanted too. God I am as dense as I pretend to be – Sam I just want us to be together married not married it doesn't matter."

Sam lay there staring at the man she loved. "Jack I know you think I'm – what was it? – 'a brilliant scientist' but last time I checked I wasn't psychic – you have never once mentioned marriage. How was I to know that's what you wanted?"

Jack was mentally smacking himself in the head. "God Sam. All these years of working with you, you just seemed to know what I was thinking sometimes before I even thought it – I guess I kind of assumed …….."

"It's okay – I know I over reacted a bit out there it's just……..well……..I wanted to bring the topic up this weekend and that's not how I wanted to do it." There it was out – Sam let out the breath she didn't even know she had been holding.

Jack was silent for a few seconds trying to digest this new information. Sam had wanted to bring up the subject of marriage – "Oh my God!" The penny finally dropped and a tendril of excitement coursed through him. "Sam are you pregnant?"

Sam, who had rolled on to her back and been staring at the ceiling looked over to him. "What?! Of course not! Jack since we have been together we have spent a sum total of 18 days in the same house."

"Only takes once." Jack smirked as he rolled to his side and put his arm across Sam's waist. Sam glared at him. "So – not pregnant?"

"Definitely not pregnant" Sam stated firmly but smiled at him – she would like to see that look in his eyes again sometime in the future.

"So then, why do you want o talk marriage? And just for the record I am all for it ."

"Jack." She looked serious and began to absently stroke his hand "I've been recalled to active duty – I'm guessing there will be something on your desk when you get back to work – I spoke to General Landry during the week."

Jack's gut twisted – he didn't realise how much he like knowing she was safe at Area 51. "The Ori?"

"I'm needed" she said simply.

"I know." What she didn't know was that Hank Landry had been mentioning bringing her back to the SCG for about a month now. It wasn't that Jack had been interfering with her career – Hank had just been talking about doing it and Jack just hadn't really responded.

"So anyway I was thinking …."

"No big surprise there." Jack smiled. "No, for once let me – you were thinking that if we were married the frat regs would not apply even though I'm not your CO I will still be in your chain of command."

Sam smiled at him. "Actually no. Although that is very sound thinking. No I was thinking that is we were married and something happened to me while I was in the field you would be my next of kin."

Jack pulled her in close. "Sam nothing is going to happen to you – even if I'm not there to watch your six Daniel and Teal'c will."

"I just feel like eventually my luck is going to run out and I don't want to have any regrets." Jack could understand that. He felt like he had been living on borrowed time for years – and he knew he would regret not marrying Sam when he had the chance.

"So does this mean we are getting married?"

"I guess it does" Sam giggled

"Not the most romantic of proposals but then my knees probably aren't up to anything traditional. So when and where is this momentous event to take place?" Jack held his breath waiting for Sam to launch into a list of wedding plans a mile long. He should have had more faith in his 'Carter' he thought to himself a few minutes later.

"I was thinking of keeping it small – just the guys and Cassie and maybe General Hammond and Mark and his family if they can make it." She looked up at Jack just as he breathed a sigh of relief. "What about as soon as possible on the jetty at the cabin?"

Jack's grin was huge "Sweet!" Marrying his favourite person in his favourite place – life really didn't get any better than this.

TBC

Next chapter we'll see if Geeky Sam and her Jack have made any decisions about little Grace's future.