Daniel Gets A Ring
Anunnaki Part 23
By Michele
Rating: PG
Summary: Jack has spots, the Tok'ra have something up their sleeve, and there's a handfasting to be had.

Note: The song Bird on a Wire was written by Leonard Cohen, and there is a beautiful version of it by k.d. lang on her CD, Hymns from the 49th Parallel (Canada, for those who are geographically challenged). I can usually be found with hard rock blasting in my walkman, Godsmack and Shinedown, so that alone should tell you how incredible this CD is.

"You just spent a week in here with an alien virus and it didn't occur to you to use a condom on your first night home?"

Daniel and Jack stood in front of Dr. Lam with their heads hung.

"He started it," Daniel accused, pointing at Jack.

"Did not!"

"Did!"

"Not!"

"He told me I was beautiful," Daniel informed Dr. Lam. She looked from one to the other, one inscrutable eyebrow raised.

"He came out of the shower and paraded in front of me," Jack defended himself. "You've seen his naked ass; I mean, come on!"

"I did not parade!"

"Boys!" Dr. Lam silenced them and pointed to the beds.

"Please tell me Col. Carter is NOT at home," Lam asked, pulling the curtain across for some semblance of privacy.

"No, Ma'am," they said, starting to undress and get into scrubs.

"She's in Nevada," Jack said. When they called Sam, she howled in laughter. Daniel sent her an image via the cell phone and she howled even louder.

Stacy was being examined by a nurse across the room. She was spot-free, but they weren't taking chances.

"Am I going to find anything inside of you other than the obvious?" Lam asked Jack. He sighed, hating the whole finger in the ass part of it. Daniel took a swab, ran it around the inside of his mouth, and handed it to her, slightly pink-faced. She didn't say anything as she bottled it for analysis.

"Oh, and maybe some lube," Daniel muttered. He told her the brand. She nodded and wrote it down.

Gen. Landry came by to see for himself. He also laughed at seeing Jack's spots.

"I thought you cleared Dr. Jackson?" he asked his daughter.

"I did," she said. "I didn't check seminal fluid, though. My mistake." She handed Jack and Daniel each a sterile cup.

"Those are not for urine," she informed them. Both men dragged pillows over their faces as Landry left, plugging his ears with his fingers. "And you may NOT help each other."

"Dr. Jackson, may I offer you a little personal female advice?" Dr. Lam asked quietly. Surprised, Daniel nodded. "I'm assuming Col. Carter didn't notice because she isn't home often, but you may want to consider taking your daughter shopping. Or have a woman in your life take her. I'm guessing Stacy will need her first training bra by the end of the school year. The hormones have begun to flow."

Daniel and Jack glanced across the room where Stacy sat on an examining table in just her underwear. Her chest was looking a little puffy; Daniel had assumed it was baby fat.

"Does a period come with that?" Daniel asked.

Lam shook her head. "No," she said. "Each girl is different; some begin to develop a year or two before their cycles start. Breasts first are a normal development and 10-12 is the average time to start them. She'll be 11 in two months? Again, each girl is different; some develop later. Her chest is a little achy, though, so she has started the growing process. Girls do get growing pains with growing breasts, don't be surprised if she starts rubbing at herself. The muscles and skin stretching can sometimes be a little painful. Growing pains are real. I'll show her how to massage the muscles but she might be a little embarrassed about it all. If she becomes self-conscious of the budding, and I don't know a little girl that isn't, there are cute little halter-top outfits that young girls like. What was her mother's physical build?"

"About 5'3", brown hair and eyes, slim but a little top-heavy. Stacy has my frame, though, and like me, she puts on weight easily if she doesn't stay active." He could tell that unless Stacy had an unexpected burst of height, she would also be about her mother's height. She may have his facial features but she didn't have his gangly legs, so he was assuming she'd remain under 5 and a half feet.

Dr. Lam nodded thoughtfully. "Well, a lot of girls take after their mother in the chest department; if Stacy does, puberty may be a nightmare for her. Twelve year olds with full breasts are usually not happy twelve year olds. Just help her to keep a positive outlook and be sensitive to her insecurities."

Daniel thanked her.

The alien virus did show up in the seminal fluid, so both men were confined to the infirmary until Dr. Lam decided what to do with them. Sam came home and took over Stacy-watch. Some wise-ass kept leaving the men pamphlets on STD's and childish drawings about cooties. Various personnel visited often and felt it their sworn duty to tell all the STD stories they could think of. At least Daniel had a little respite when Dr. Weir stopped in for a visit. She stood at the bed, looking at him and then over at Jack.

"Don't say it," Jack begged her. "We've heard all the jokes."

"I wouldn't dream of teasing you, general," she assured him. "I only came to offer candy to Daniel." She picked up a box that she had set on the floor. It was filled with various alien artifacts from the Pegasus Galaxy.

"Marry me," Daniel said, almost salivating as he pawed through the box.

"Too late," Jack said. "Did you come all this way just to entertain Daniel?" he asked her.

"No, actually I have a few personal things I needed to take care of, and I have a shopping list from my people," she said. "You would not believe how our library and DVD collection has grown. Even our alien allies are enjoying the movies, once we got them to understand what a movie was. At first, they were convinced those were images of real life on Earth and wondered how we survived for so long."

Daniel glanced up. "I'm still wondering about that, too."

Since the virus was only present in Daniel's seminal fluid and not his blood or saliva, Dr. Lam allowed him to go home three days later. When Jack's blood was cleared a week later, and the virus only in his seminal fluid, he was also sent home. They were forbidden to engage in sexual activity until she cleared them, however, and they were to present themselves three times a week for testing until she DID clear them. Jack needed clearer instructions: were they forbidden to have sex with each other? Yes. What about with a condom? No sex. No S.E.X, no nookie, no hankie-pankie, no hiding the salami, no pigs in a blanket, no rolling in the hay. Jack carefully considered her. How about watching each other? Alright, but use a condom. Can he kiss them? Yes, the virus was gone from their saliva. Jack could live with Dr. Lam's response. For a short, SHORT, time.

If nothing else, it gave them time to plan their handfasting. Davis listened to the men as they sat in the livingroom discussing the contract. Sam watched from the kitchen doorway and kept looking back at Davis.

"Ok, one of you may be bi, but you guys are definitely not gay," Davis finally said, interrupting them.

"Not female, either," Sam put in.

"What's the problem?" Daniel asked.

"This has all the romance of a wet noodle," Davis told him. "That piece of paper is only a minor part of all this; what about the rest of the ceremony?"

"What about it?" Daniel asked.

Paul shook his head in pity. "Turn in your toaster oven, Martha," he huffed at Daniel. He took the pad and pen from Daniel's hands.

"Ok, boys, -and Ma'am, do we have a location?"

"Off-world," they said together.

"I was assuming that," Paul said. "Can we be a little more specific?"

"Well, since we're taking family with us, how about Kelona? It's civilized, it has hotels." Daniel suggested after they looked at each other. Jack and Sam nodded.

"It even has indoor plumbing," Jack said. Davis scribbled notes as Daniel swatted at Jack's arm.

"Ok; first, though, we'll need to double-check with Dr. Quinn that we won't be breaking any local ordinances," Paul told them, ignoring his general. "Do you have a secondary location, in case this one falls through?" No, they didn't. Paul nodded and told them they could work on that later.

"Do you have a guest list?" He was handed a piece of paper with three columns containing names. It was a short list; Paul approved.

"How about a choice of attire?" he asked. They were undecided. "Ok, if I may suggest, uniforms would NOT be good; it's going to piss off our government enough when you guys do this, you don't want a charge of disgracing the uniform. May I suggest a suit and tie for you guys and something pretty and feminine for Sam?" They could live with that.

"Atmosphere?" Davis asked. "Light and upbeat? Formal?"

They went round and round with questions and answers, stuff that neither Jack nor Daniel had thought about, like a cake and what flavor, did they want a priest or spiritual leader? Did they want music? A formal walk down an aisle? Inside or outside? After several hours of Q&A, Sam and Paul were satisfied with the first round.

"Did you go through all this before marrying her?" Daniel asked Jack.

"Believe me, a honeymoon is for sleep, not sex," Jack told him.

Paul spun around as he was about to walk out the door. "Honeymoon!" he snapped his fingers. "Is there going to be one? If so, where?"

"We haven't decided where," Jack told him. Davis nodded and continued his leaving. As soon as the door was closed,

"Are we having a honeymoon?" Jack asked Daniel.

"I better damned well be getting a honeymoon," he was told.

"How about Disneyworld?"

Jack looked at Stacy, doing homework at the table, and then back at Daniel.

"I don't think so, guys," Sam called out from upstairs.

Jack was stuck at home until Dr. Lam cleared him. Once more, Davis politely ignored whatever couple-huddle was going on whenever he walked in. Jack and Sam, Daniel and Sam, Jack and Daniel, and once, a threeway with a giggling Sam between the men.

"Ok, tell me something," Davis finally said, coming to an exhausted halt in the middle of the livingroom. Jack took his hand off Daniel's butt and both men turned to look at him. Davis refused to focus on the bulges in their pants. "Are you three on some sort of alien Spanish fly or something?"

"Why, does Nick need some?" Daniel asked innocently.

"You're a turd, Daniel."

When Jack was finally cleared for 'duty', Davis made it a point to stay away from the house altogether.

Having the ceremony on Kelona was fine with Jonas. He was so honored that they thought of his fair city that he convinced his Prime Minister to set aside a wing at their most prominent hotel, and with the permission of those intended, he offered a week at a mountain lodge for their honeymoon as his gift to them. Davis was happy to finally cross that one off his list. Jonas came out to the house with additional gifts for them; formal suits for the men and a dress for Sam. He wouldn't be offended if they'd rather wear Earth clothes. Jack took one look at Daniel in the dark high-necked dress shirt and over-coat, and accepted the gifts. Jack didn't want to try his on, yet, he was busy playing with baby Danna, blowing bubbles on her belly and making her laugh outrageously. He, Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c were her godparents, so Jack felt it was his sworn duty to at least make an attempt at eating tiny toes and fingers.

"Uncle Danny," Jack crooned. Daniel jerked his head up, his eyes widening.

"No."

"Danna, your namesake is going to change your diaper," Jack informed her. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I've changed hundreds of diapers on two beautiful baby girls, so why don't we take this opportunity to share this wealth of knowledge?" Sam and Jonas were no help, snickering and laughing as Jack instructed him on the cleaning of a baby girl.

"Hey, at least there's no fountain shooting up," Jack tried to assure him.

"Just make sure the diaper is on before picking her up, or there will be a waterfall," Jonas offered. Jack shushed him.

During the month leading up to their ceremony, Jack tried but couldn't get permission for the civilians of their families to use the Gate for such a personal purpose. If, say, some alien came along and scooped them up, making them disappear for a while during an "alien abduction," what could Jack do?

They talked to their families about the plan and all except Megan were agreeable. She was hesitant to risk the baby who was already on shaky ground. Jack asked Enki to take a look at her.

"I have to agree with her, Jack," Enki said after listening to Megan's body. "The baby isn't quite ready to be born, her lungs are still a little immature."

"You can't do anything?" Jack asked, wiggling his fingers.

"No, I'm sorry," Enki shook his head. "Growing a baby is woman's work, not mine. At this stage, if I were to interfere in Olivia's development she would become, basically, immortal, like us. Believe me, Jack, you don't want that for her; it's been difficult enough on those of us whom I tampered with once we were adults. I can fix something minor after she's born, if I need to, but not this."

Jack was disappointed but he understood.

A call from the Tok'ra brought Jack to the SGC a week before they were due to take off to Kelona. Jack and SG-1 stepped into the gate and came out at the Tok'ra's latest encampment. Two escorts were waiting for them and led them quickly to the entrance to the underground caverns. Malek was waiting for them. He took them to the main meeting room where a tall form was waiting for them.

"Thanatos," Jack greeted him. "How's the Gathering?"

The Masharu didn't understand the reference but gave it a shot.

"My brothers and sisters know I am here in this galaxy," he said. "Baal is quickly losing not only people but also ships."

Several more people came into the meeting room. Jack and SG-1 stiffened, knowing Goa'uld when they smelled them.

"They are with me," Thanatos told Jack. "My siblings. Apollo, Athena, Taranus, Morrigan, Hecate, and Lugh. So far. I believe there are a few more but we have not been able to get them through. Baal knows we are here and has tightened his borders." Which explained to Jack why Baal had been quiet lately.

"What happened to Bastet and Kali?" Nyan asked.

"Unfortunately, they have been lost to us," Thanatos said. Nyan expressed his condolences.

"Baal had them killed some time ago," Taranus said bluntly. "He knew they were conspiring, so he made an example of them. Didn't work." The large, broad shouldered man with flaming red hair seemed to fill the room all by himself.

Malek leaned forward and laced his fingers as he looked at Jack.

"A battle is coming," he warned Jack. "We are approximately 5000 strong, Tok'ra and Masharu, these war lords, plus Jaffa loyal to them. We have not been able to get an agreement from Dakkara. They seem to be having a little problem of their own."

"Gerek and Bre'tac are not happy with each other," Jack told him after a thoughtful moment.

"Civil war?" Malek guessed. Jack was non-committal but Malek was right. Teal'c had filled him in the last time he was on-world. Bre'tac was taking those loyal to him back to Chulak while Gerek and party remained on Dakkara. Gerek did not have the field experience Bre'tac had and was going wild with the sudden, false sense of power that freedom brought to those newly freed. Gerek was out of control of himself, from what Jack understood; he seemed to believe he could take Baal on all by himself.

"Let's just say I'm grateful that Carter managed to shut down that ancient device on Dakkara before anyone got it into their head to start pressing buttons," Jack said.

"Will Tau'ri be able to join us when the time comes?" Malek asked straight forward.

Jack leaned forward, meeting him on equal ground. "I can't answer you," he said. "My job is to protect my planet, not send ships out to defend others. I would need to bring this before other committees. You get me a battle plan, and if it's good, I will set up a meeting for you with those who ARE in the position to ok our participation, and I will recommend we start putting our money where our mouths have been. I'm not happy with the Tok'ra in general, but you personally have always done your best by us, so I will do what I can. The problem that I foresee is that my planet is new to the idea that we are not alone in the universe. Our people are still pretty scared of what's out here. Those in charge of making this decision may refuse it on the grounds that the battle may bring Baal's wrath down on us and Earth is not prepared to defend herself against an entire armada. I can remind my people that the Tok'ra did assist us with the Enlil problem. We have three battle cruisers, Malek, and a handful of gliders. That's it. The fourth cruiser won't be ready for another year. I can let Inanna and Thor know what's going on and ask them to contact you."

There was no set battle plan, yet; sides were still being determined. Malek would get back to Jack when they were better prepared. Jack had a long talk with the Joint Chiefs when he returned. They were willing to hear what the Tok'ra had to say.

Jack, Sam, and Daniel each went in three different directions to be with their families when they were beamed up. All the adults were nervous about the experience, the children were excited. Daniel and Stacy stayed a few days with Martin and Joy, meeting more family before leaving for Kelona. The cousins were distant on the Tree, but Daniel was just happy that they shared a few common genes. If they were expecting a stuck-up, stuffy scientist who wanted only to talk about himself, they were mistaken; Daniel wanted to know about everyone else and made everyone tell him their life story. He even wanted to hear about school from the children.

Daniel gathered Martin, Joy, and the boys together when he was notified that it was time. He once more assured them that it wouldn't hurt. They wouldn't even notice it other than they would be in one place one minute and in another place a second later. It was a little disorienting, that's all.

It wasn't so much the ship and the beaming that stopped families speechless, it was the site of the little gray alien with the big black eyes.

"Hi, Thor!" Stacy gave the little alien a hug and ran off to find the rest of her parental units.

"The Roswell aliens are real?" Martin breathed, wide-eyed.

"Yep," Daniel said, giving his shoulder a light pat. "This is Thor, the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet. Thor, this is Martin, Joy, Dennis, and Stewart Applegate. My cousins."

O'Neills, Carmichaels, Carters, and one Frasier were all on the bridge looking at the Earth through the main window. Nate had Davy balanced on a hip, pointing out the window at different land marks far below. Jack was keeping particular watch on his parents, but they seemed to be taking it well. Michael was looking a little green around the gills. Families greeted each other, a few remembering others from the recent party over the summer. The rest of the guests were all SGC personnel, so they would be gating in. Daniel couldn't convince Mrs. Arthur to join them; she said she loved her boy but she wasn't going to participate, and she was too old to be gallivanting around the galaxy. Daniel understood and left Mrs. A at the Mountain where she was making sure everything was ship-shape. She had even given Gen. Landry the 'clean your room or else' eye when she walked into his office and saw the state of his desk.

"How long will the trip take?" Joy asked, concerned. "We brought only a couple days worth of clothing changes."

Before anyone could answer, they were over another planet.

"We're here," Sam announced, and gathered up her niece and nephew for the short walk back to the beaming room.

"God, I love this ship!" Jack declared, giving the consol a pat.

"Yes, the Daniel Jackson is our best ship," Thor proudly said. The others all looked at Daniel. He reddened.

"I had nothing to do with it," he stated, holding his hands up in protest.

They were met by Jonas and Kianna in the courtyard of the hotel. Jack immediately took the baby from Kianna as families stopped, startled at the sight of the large moon in the daytime sky.

"That's Ramara," Jonas told them. "She's almost always in the sky during the day. If you will follow me? I will take you to your rooms while Kianna gets you registered."

"Thank you for doing this, Jonas," Daniel said as they walked into the building.

"Daniel, I owe you so much, this is the least I can do," Jonas told him.

SG-1 and 3 were waiting in the hotel lobby. All the teams had insisted on being honor guard for these three while off-world, but Landry sent 1, 3, and 15. There were also several scruffy looking types all in leather kilts hanging around the lobby. Stacy ran over to one and jumped at him. He swung her around, trying to get the clinging weed off of him while she giggled and hung on.

"Just how many aliens does your daughter know?" Martin asked, leaning over to Daniel.

"Quite a few, actually," he said, smiling at his daughter. "That's Erra, one of the Anunnaki. The Heaven's Bow must be in orbit."

"Oh, right, the ones from the picnic," Martin remembered.

"They've been sweeping the place," Jonas told them with a wry grin. "They're just a little over-protective of you guys. SG-15 is sweeping the ceremony site, Jaffa are sweeping the mountain lodge, and General Hammond is overseeing the food prep. Col. Reynolds and Col. Bosco have already been through your suites with a fine toothed comb, Major Davis has been storming through red tape getting everything together; and with Nick glaring at people from over Davis' shoulder, the tape is being burned away rather quickly. The four horsemen of the apocalypse, over there, have been sitting around scaring the natives." Shara, Gibil, and Ninurta were lounging while Erra played with Stacy and David. He was pretending to be down for the count on the floor as children piled onto him.

"Ninurta!" Jack called out. "You boys quit scaring the locals. Polish that leather, Mister."

Ninurta looked down at his kilt and gave it a brush. "It is polished," he said, looking fondly at the centuries old leather. "Or did you mean you? It's too late for that, your leather is past polishing."

"I'd say up yours, Ninurta, but you'd take it as an invitation," Jack said.

"Jack, you DO love me!" Ninurta declared, hands over his heart.

"Two men in my house are plenty," Sam told him. "I don't think I can deal with three. Sorry, Ninurta, I'll just have to leave you with your queen and these reprobate partners of yours."

Ninurta bowed over her hand, kissing the back of it. "I will forever wallow in grief as I pine away," he informed her. Jack and Daniel gagged.

The families got situated in their rooms and spent a lot of time on the balconies looking at the strange moon. Dinner was unusual, none of the foods at all familiar. Jonas assured them that the foods were all safe for them; he was as human as they were, and, having lived on Earth for a year, he could attest to their safety. If he could eat it, so could they.

Jack was disappointed that Megan was unable to make it, but the children were having fun. His parents had begun to relax; he wished Michael would.

"Michael, you're over-analyzing," Jack told him. "Pretend you're in a different country, instead of on another world."

Michael was hesitantly trying various foods on his plate as he contemplated life.

"This is the world where Daniel was hurt?" he asked.

"Yes." Jack had taken Michael aside during the summer and showed him the footage of Daniel's first ascension. Michael didn't take it well.

"Why did you choose this world for this…ceremony?"

"We're a little pissed with the former government, not the current one," Jack told him. "This is an ally planet and they've bent over backwards to apologize for the past. Besides; Daniel returning to life sorta spooked them."

"It's spooking me, Jack," Michael said.

"Did you talk with him about it?" Jack asked. Michael shook his head. "Well, you should. He knows you've seen the tape, he's probably waiting for you."

Michael was silent for a few minutes as he nibbled thoughtfully at his food.

"I suppose it's too late to talk you out of this ceremony?" he asked.

"Yes, it is," Jack said good-naturedly. "Did you read anything at all I sent you? Daniel went to a lot of trouble to dig up information on these kinds of marriages."

"Jack, I'm well aware of the history of polygyny and polyandry unions," Michael told him. "They are just not part of my faith."

"It isn't like he's making this stuff up," Jack said. "They're still going on."

"Yes, in places like Tibet, Nepal, and Southern India," Michael told him. "And they have nothing to do with the men sleeping together."

"Ahhh," Jack nodded sagely. "That's the problem. Well, Michael, he's sleeping with me, not you, so stop taking it personally; I happen to enjoy what he does to my body. Crowns, Michael."

Michael's mouth closed and he went back to his food.

Their parents were enjoying baby Danna and talking about their soon to be newest arrival back home. They compared grandparent notes with Hammond, much to the embarrassment of his granddaughters. Davy wasn't having any problem with the food. His family kept looking at him, waiting for the first sign of a rash, but none appeared. Jack was becoming suspicious.

To Jack's dismay, Teal'c absolutely insisted on separating Daniel from them for the night. All he could get out of Teal'c was that "traditions must be upheld." For some reason, the Jaffa were on a traditions kick lately. Jack's eyes narrowed when he spotted SG-1 snickering.

"What did you tell Teal'c?" he demanded, cornering Reynolds.

"Nothing!" Reynolds swore. "He wanted to know about marriage traditions, that's all."

"That isn't all," Jack informed him. "What exactly did you say?"

"Just that the groom usually didn't see the bride before the wedding."

"Teal'c!" Jack turned on his heels to hunt down his Daniel. Sam grabbed a zat and followed him. They didn't find Daniel but he called in on the comm and informed them he was on Heaven's Bow. Inanna was playing the game and refusing to send him back down. They didn't see him again until just before the ceremony the next day.

"A little anticipation is good for you," Inanna told Jack when she saw him. She reached out and straightened his coat. "This style looks good on you," she said. "The dark fabric brings out your coloring. You should wear dark colors more often. You are quite handsome."

Jack did have to admit that he was a little surprised at how well the outfit suited him when he looked in a mirror. The coat seemed to broaden his shoulders, and the dark color and the same high collar that Daniel had seemed to make his iron gray hair glow.

"Thank you," he reluctantly responded. She had brought Ereshkigal in to them. The blind woman touched the men and gave a satisfied nod.

"What do you sense when you do that?" Jack asked curiously.

Ereshkigal gave a quiet smile. "Put your hand on Enki's chest," she told him. Jack put his hand flat against the old man's chest. "Close your eyes. Relax. No expectations. Listen to the universe breathing. Reach out with your awareness, just let it float as though you were floating on a calm ocean. Tell me what you feel. Just put words to it, don't try and reason it out, don't pre-judge your words. Speak them."

Jack knew how to listen to the darkness, it was one of the kel'no'reem exercises.

"Gravity," he said. "No -centered. Strength. Here and now. A rush of breeze. Beauty. Destruction. Construction. A cliff. No –the hand pushing someone off the cliff. A dark cavern with no end. Danger." Startled, Jack opened his eyes and looked at the man. Enki smiled at him.

"Change is a scary thing, for most people," Enki told him. "Sometimes people need to confront their fears in order to be cleansed of them. Sometimes people need to be pushed into that confrontation so that the phoenix can burst into flames and be reborn into a thing of glorious beauty."

"What if some people find the change to be too scary to confront?" Jack asked.

"Then they will stagnate and die," came the blunt answer. "I can hold out a hand but I can't force anyone to take it, no matter how loud, long, and hard they scream about it."

Sam came into the men's room when she was done dressing. Enki passed out paternal kisses. Sam seemed taller in the long, dark red dress that hugged her trim waist before falling easily to the floor. Stacy was in an identical dress, her brown hair tied back with a red ribbon, her father's face easy to see on hers. Daniel kissed her cheek and told her how pretty she was. While Cass took Stacy outside, Sam told the men that she agreed with Dr. Lam's assessment; she and Cassie had a talk with Stacy while they were dressing together, telling each other about their own initial growth into puberty. Sam clearly remembered Cassandra's own turbulent times. Stacy admitted that her chest sometimes hurt and she was a little embarrassed about how puffy it was. She was assured that there was nothing wrong and she had no reason to feel embarrassed about it; both her father and Jack were expecting her to grow up, so she didn't need to hide from them, either. Sam and Cass would take her shopping for new clothes when they got home; they'd make it a girls' day out so the guys would need to find something to occupy themselves with. Cassandra shook her head at the look the men gave each other.

"Not white?" Jack asked when he saw his girls.

"Kianna said that their wedding colors are dark because we start in darkness and we end in darkness. Finding the light is the journey in between," Sam said.

The private courtyard of the hotel was lightly decorated with flower petals strewn across the lawn. A water fountain sat in the middle of the yard, tinkling softly in the mild air. SG teams were in their finest as they stood honor guard along the sides of the space. The three waited with Ninurta in front of the fountain as guests came out and took their seats. They almost didn't recognize Ninurta; he had left the black leather behind and was in a white robe. His black hair was combed out, blue tints gleaming in the sunlight as it lay flowing over his shoulders. He had even trimmed his beard.

"Welcome," Ninurta said after everyone had been seated. "Almost all of you are from Earth, Tau'ri, therefore familiar with your own customs. This ceremony will be unfamiliar to you, and not just because of the participants." There were a few chuckles. "This is a handfasting, not a traditional wedding as you know it. The two, technically, mean the same thing but have undergone semantic changes over the centuries. This ceremony is to bind Daniel to Jack and Sam, who are married to each other. I am Inanna's priest, my function is to oversee this ceremony, to bless it, and to be the official spiritual witness. I facilitate gatherings and I council those who wish it. You are their social and familial witnesses; it is your duty to witness their contract to each other. It will continue to be your duty, during their life together, to bring them to task should they become negligent of their contract with each other. This contract has two parts: the first part is dry legalities. Who brings what to the union and the duration of the union. The second part is their personal statements to each other. That part was not necessary, but they wished to include it."

Paul stepped forward at Ninurta's nod and read the contract to the witnesses. It was for a year, at which time they may or may not renew the contract to five years. Should they wish to dissolve the contract, the party wishing to depart will take with him or her that which he or she brought to the union. Each will keep their money and contribute equally to a household fund. If anything untoward happens to one of them, the others will inherit equally. If Sam has a baby, the child will have her name and both men will be fathers to the child. Should anything happen to Daniel, Jack will assume responsibility for Stacy as her legal guardian with Sam secondary, should anything happen to Jack. All will contribute equally to the education of any children. All will have an equal voice in any household decisions.

Jack, Sam, and Daniel all signed it and Paul held it up for everyone to see. Sam then stepped up next to Ninurta. The men weren't expecting it and looked at her.

"Jack was scared to death when he first told me how he felt about Daniel," she began, smiling softly at Jack. "He hadn't planned on telling me but he called out Daniel's name a couple times when we made love; that kinda gave it away. Maybe he was expecting me to kick him out. I didn't. Obviously." There were chuckles. "I'm not sure what surprised me more; the fact that my straight husband had feelings for another man or that Daniel was actually receptive to those feelings. I love them both, though, and I have for many years, so neither revelation threatened me.

"We talk a lot in our house, a lot about feelings. This type of relationship was new for all of us and we felt it was important to keep dialogue as open as we could so that there were as few misunderstandings and hurt feelings as possible. During one of those discussions, and several since, Daniel introduced us to the concept of consorts. He told us he considers himself to be Jack's consort first, mine second. Jack was my consort first. It took us a while to understand that concept. I do understand it, as much as I think I ever will, and I respect and accept his position. This ceremony is less about me and Daniel, and more about Jack and Daniel. After discussing this with Ninurta and Inanna, I have made a few changes to this ceremony, so carefully planned by our good friend, Paul, whom I am sure is hyperventilating at this very moment. Breathe, Paul. Daniel has said more than once that he considers me to be the queen of our little family, so that's what he's getting."

"Jack." She looked at him. "You have requested that Daniel be made your consort through this ceremony. As I love you and as I love him, I am agreeing to this request and everyone here is a witness to that agreement. Daniel is your consort. The vows we took in our ceremony and the contract that we wrote together for this ceremony are equally binding. At Daniel's insistence, your relationship with me takes priority. At my insistence, your relationship with Daniel is to be equally as meaningful. Nate tattled on you, Jack." He was blank as he glanced over at Nate. Nate stood and grinned as he reached down behind the fountain and came up with a guitar. Jack paled. Sam took Jack by the chin and turned him back to face her.

"Do this for me," she said softly, staring into his eyes. "Do it for Daniel."

Jack took Sam's place in front as she and Ninurta stepped aside. He was silent for a moment and cleared his throat.

"I uh… Sam didn't tell us she was changing anything, so everything I wanted to say has blanked out. It was probably a good thing that I was sitting when I found out Daniel was bisexual," he began. "I won't say how I found out. I was also sitting when, after I confessed my feelings for him and waited for him to run screaming into the hills, he told me he wouldn't mind kissing me. It was a good thing I was sitting when he did kiss me, or I would have fallen. Only two people have ever made my lips tingle from being kissed, and they're both standing here. Only two people have ever been witness to my Truth, and they're still standing here. Since my wife….my queen….has requested a command performance, I will apologize to the rest of you before hand. I haven't done this in about 40 years, and Nate has only recently goaded me into even trying and I now know why. I will exact revenge when we get home, Jonathan."

He paused and then looked at Daniel. "As most people know, I have been a true bastard to you over the past years. Because of you, I have been pushed, pulled, turned upside down and inside out, shot, had the crap beaten out of me, and I've been killed several times. I have never been more alive in my life. You are my inspiration, my savior, my consort."

He nodded at Nate who began to play a soft cord.

Like a bird on the wire,
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Like a worm on a hook,
Like a knight from some old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee.
If I, if I have been unkind,
I hope that you can just let it go by.
If I, if I have been untrue
I hope you know it was never to you.
Like a baby, stillborn,
Like a beast with his horn
I have torn everyone who reached out for me.
But I swear by this song
And by all that I have done wrong
I will make it all up to thee.
I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch,
He said to me, you must not ask for so much.
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door,
She cried to me, hey, why not ask for more?
Oh like a bird on the wire,
Like a drunk in a midnight choir have tried in my way to be free.

Jack's head was bowed as the final cord fell silent in the air. He swiped a hand across his face and fell to his knees. With a trembling hand, he took Daniel's right hand and slid a ring onto the third finger. He fell forward, his face against Daniel's thigh. Daniel waited, one hand caressing Jack's hair. When he stood, Sam took him in hand as the men changed places.

"Every once in a while, he does something that surprises me," Daniel told their families after a moment. They chuckled. "Shocked the hell out of me when I found out he was 'interested,' shocked me even more when I discovered exactly how good a kisser he is. The first time he told me he loved me, I actually cried I was so surprised to hear it. He's the one who proposed, by the way, three times before I settled down to actually discuss it. And he isn't the only one who has had Truths witnessed. When I needed to be held, he didn't hesitate to open his arms. I think I have to credit his parents for that; they raised a son who isn't afraid to express himself. You have stood at my side when I was in the right, and you have stood at my side and yelled at me when I was wrong. You always seem to know what to say and when to say it. You have been my world, Jack; I have never loved anyone as much as I love you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out two rings. He showed them to everyone. "These, and the one Jack put on my finger, are extremely old. Shara gave them to Jack and Sam after telling him and Sam that I had been playing with them. Everyone knows I'm a freak for ancient things. Take my interest in Jack, for example." Everyone laughed.

"We won't need these, Ninurta, thank you." He handed them to the warrior. He reached into his pocket again. A gold band dangled from the tip of a finger. He took Jack's right hand. "Jack, this was my father's wedding ring. Please wear this for me; the two men I have loved most in life deserve to be together." He slid the ring onto Jack's finger. Jack clenched his hand into a fist, holding tight to the unexpected band. He hadn't known Daniel had his parents' rings. Daniel held Jack's face between his hands. "I love you," he whispered, staring into the dark eyes. He kissed Jack. Jack slid his arms around Daniel's waist and held him close. After a moment, Daniel stepped back. He pulled Jack to his side.

"Sam." Daniel paused and smiled. "Samantha. I know you think this is about me and Jack, and to an extent you're right, but don't ever feel that you are second place with me. Or with him. I stand in awe of you, Samantha Carter. I worship the ground you walk on. You think I'm joking when I call you my queen? I'm yours to command; command me. My God, Sam, your heart is so big, you were willing to open your home, your marriage bed, and share your husband with me. Your capacity to love is truly incredible. My memories of my parents fade more and more as I get older, but I think they would have loved you. This is my mother's wedding ring." He reached into his pocket a third time and pulled out another gold band. Sam's hand was trembling as she held it out to him. Her face was wet as Daniel slid the ring on. "You stood by my side as, time and again, I watched them die," he whispered. "Continue to stand at my side as I live." He kissed her, took her breath away, and she buried her face in his shoulder. Jack stood behind Sam and wrapped his arms around them both, burying his face in her hair for a moment before taking another kiss from Daniel over Sam's shoulder.

"I know that some of you are simply indulging us," Jack said to their families. Daniel and Sam stepped to either side of Jack and each slid an arm around his waist. "We do appreciate your indulgence. Others have accepted us with open arms and we appreciate that, too. However you feel, know that we love each other and this is the way we have chosen to express it. We may catch some fire for it when we get home, I don't know. As far as our superiors are concerned, nothing has changed and they've put up with us, so far.

"Our thought for taking this party to a different planet stems from a precedent which Daniel set when he married Sha're on the planet Abydos. Actually, her father 'gave' her to him, and they were considered married by the laws of her tribe. When Sha're died, our government gave Daniel the status of widower. By that precedent, we can argue for the legality of this union. If it comes down to that. We don't care about taxes and we have excellent benefits all on our own. We don't need the government's approval. If, and this is a big IF, someone decides to make a stink about us, there will be a fight. Sam and I could be court-marshaled for this. We don't give a crap. I'm not going to force any of you to get involved in that fight. If you are willing to be involved, if that time comes, we would like you to sign our contract as witnesses. There is a page provided for signatures. Please don't sign it if you are not willing to testify in court. All of you are here today because you are our family and we love you. We will not think less of you, feel less for you, if you don't wish to sign; you don't need to justify your decision to us.

Daniel held his hand out. "Come here, sweetie." Stacy jumped up and rushed to him, taking his hand. He positioned her in front of them.

"This is our family," Daniel told everyone. "This is what matters most to us. There have been days when I have wanted nothing more than to kick Jack's ass across the galaxy, but I would cross the boundary of death itself to be at his side. He told me I did, several times; I wish I remembered it. If we can over-come death to be with each other, there is nothing on that beautiful planet we call home that will keep us apart."

Ninurta came to the front once more to look over the crowd. He smiled faintly.

"When it concerns the will of two or more people, no law should stand in the way of love," he said. "With all the pain and death on not only your world, but in the galaxy, who claims the right to keep them apart? Jack, Sam, and Daniel have shown a true, powerful love and devotion to each other, and I declare them united and their union blessed."

Their honor guard gave a shout, startling the civilians, and fired zats into the air. The party was on.

While food was being set up, a reception line was formed, and formal thanks and best wishes were given. The SG teams were actually on their best behavior as they shook hands with Jack, Sam, and Daniel. Hammond looked at the trio, smiled, and gave a shake of his head.

"I don't know what Jacob would have thought about this, but if anyone deserves this happiness, it's the three of you," he told them. Sam put her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Did Reynolds give you that refund?" Jack asked him, shaking his hand.

"Yes, he did," Hammond assured him with a chuckle. "You could have blown me over with dead air when he showed me the tape of you two men in the gateroom. I was joking when I made that bet."

He held his hand out to Daniel. "Son, you deserve this most of all. I hope you know you can count me in as part of your family. Your parents would have been proud of you; I couldn't be prouder if you were my own."

Daniel hugged the general. "I would have been proud to have had you as my father, sir."

During lunch, Jonas had local musicians play for them. It wasn't too different from Earth, human ears and vocal cords being the same throughout most of the galaxy. For the sake of politics and good neighbors, Jack made nice with the Prime Minister and several cabinet members who stopped by to congratulate them. Sam handed a new MRI to Jonas along with the schematics. The PM was tickled to play with it, aiming it at people and peering at their insides, comparing human and Sua skeletal structures.

They were surprised to see T'Keet, almost didn't recognize her; she had suddenly sprouted several inches and could no longer lounge on shoulders. A lot of her kitten playfulness had been replaced with that of an older child as she played with the other kids out on the lawn. One of the Sua cubs had recently undergone HIS changes and joined the ranks of adult Sua while his new mane had begun to grow in. M'Net said he hoped they were still around when it T'Keet's turn came, because she wanted Daniel to be at her initiation rites. M'Net told him that only very close family and friends were witness to an initiation rite, and T'Keet still looked to Daniel as one of her fathers, although she now understood that he was not.

Jack danced with Sam and then his mom, Katie, and Stacy. Daniel danced with his daughter and suddenly found himself upset that there would be a day when he'd be dancing with someone's new wife.

"Are you guys ok?" Jack asked, sitting next to his parents. He kissed his mom's cheek. She was behaving and not asking questions about her 'grandson,' although she kept looking at him with a strange longing in her eyes. Jack was only sorry he couldn't satisfy that longing.

"This….has made it all so real," she said, indicating the alien landscape. "I don't know what I was expecting, maybe purple skies and pink grass or something, but this is all so normal."

"The aliens are just as human as we are," he told her. "When they were taken off Earth all those centuries ago, they needed someplace there they could live, which meant an Earth-type planet." He put an arm around her and gave her a squeeze and put his mouth to the side of her head.

"J'ck!" T'Keet bounded over and spouted at him. "Me kiss!"

"You?" Jack questioned. "Why would I want to kiss your furry face? I'll get a hairball."

"Cute face," she told him, serious as she teetered on his lap and put her paws on his shoulders. "D'nl say so."

"Oh, well, if Daniel says so, it must be true," Jack told her, looking into the dual colored eyes. She had sprouted several inches to about two and a half feet tall and could look Jack in the eye as she stood on his legs. He put noisy kisses all over her face as she hooted and wiggled. He put his nose to hers and rubbed the side of his face against hers in a Sua caress.

"Love J'ck," she said. "Love D'nl, love S'm."

"We love you, too, baby," Jack told her, stroking her back. Michael had a strange expression on his face as he watched and listened.

The peaceful background music was suddenly replaced with drums. The Anunnaki had decided they wanted to dance, particularly since a couple of them had been making goo-goo eyes at a couple of local women. There was absolutely no way Jack was going to shake his booty to drums, so Daniel made Jack pay for it; he kicked off his shoes, tossed his coat and shirt down, and made sure Jack was paying attention, much to Jack's eternal embarrassment as his family and military people laughed and whistled at Daniel's half-strip tease in Jack's face.

Jack took his revenge later that evening.