Sam was true to her word and scarcely let Jack out of bed much of the next day. Much like honeymooning newlyweds, they spent the day getting familiar with each other on the most intimate of levels. If they'd had a copy of the Kama Sutra on hand, they probably would've tried every position; as it was, they found they tended to get rather creative. At least their sex life would never be boring.
It was late in the afternoon by the time they finally decided to get dressed and stay out of the bedroom for a while. Jack promised Sam a great dinner, but as usual, he burned the meat. They settled for a light salad and beers out on the dock as they watched the sun set.
"So…" Jack began slowly.
"Yes?" Sam prompted.
"I'm afraid I've got some bad news." Sam frowned, but didn't say anything, just waited patiently for him to open up. "While you were inside fixing the salad, I got a call from the President."
"I thought you had decided to remain incommunicado for this trip."
"I wanted to, but the President insisted that he be able to get in touch with me should the need arise. It arose."
"Oh. So what's the bad news?" Sam asked with no small sense of trepidation.
"My resignation will not be accepted after all."
"Damn," Sam swore.
"It gets worse." Jack's face was the picture of malcontent. "Brace yourself: I'm being transferred to Washington."
"Washington? The Pentagon? Why? Doesn't he know we need you at the SGC?"
"Hammond's retiring. They want me to take his place. Effective yesterday, as a matter of fact." Jack took a long swig of his beer.
Sam swallowed hard as she closed her eyes. "So… who's coming into the SGC?"
"General Landry is already there. He's a good guy, much better than a lot of the bozos they could've put in charge." Jack took another pull of his beer before continuing. "I'll have time to clear out my office Monday, and I'm expected in bright and early Tuesday morning in DC."
Sam was shaking her head back and forth. "I don't know if I want to continue there if you're gone."
"Sam, the program still needs you," Jack said solemnly.
"What about R&D?" Sam said suddenly.
"What about it?" Jack asked.
"Well, what if… what if I transferred over there?"
"You know that Nevada is actually farther from DC than the Springs, right?"
"Yes, but… it wouldn't be front line work. To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of having my six shot at every week."
"Can't blame you there." Jack finished his beer and set the bottle down on the dock next to his chair. "You'll miss the action, though."
"But when I think about all the technology we've acquired over the years… technology that I've barely been able to scratch the surface of… I think I want to do it, Jack. I want to transfer to R&D."
Jack mulled the idea over in his head for a quiet moment. "At least you'd be safe. I wouldn't have to worry about who's watching your six every week."
"We should talk it over with Daniel and Teal'c, don't you think?"
Jack sighed. "I'm sure they'll support whatever decision we make. But I've got a gut feeling Teal'c's going to want to go his separate way with the newly freed Jaffa nation now that the Goa'uld are pretty much history. He's all but said as much to me already."
"What about Daniel?" Sam asked.
"Oh, I'm sure Daniel will find plenty to keep him busy and out of trouble for while."
"So… this may really be it, then." Sam took a long, last drink of her beer. "The end of SG:1 as we know it."
"The end of SG:1 as we know it happened the day I accepted the promotion to run the base." Jack stood up, extending a hand down to Sam. She accepted and stood up with him. "But things are definitely going to be… different."
"We can handle different," Sam said reassuringly.
"So, I'm thinkin'…"
"Again?"
"Yes, again," Jack retorted with a cheeky grin. "I'm thinkin' maybe we ought to call up the nearest Justice of the Peace tomorrow."
Sam blinked a few times in surprise. "You want to get married tomorrow?"
"Versus giving them a chance to mess around with us any further, like keeping you in my direct chain of command? Right now, you officially report to Landry, not me. I'd say it's the perfect opportunity."
"I didn't exactly pack a wedding dress, you know."
"You could wear a kimono and I'd be happy, you know." Jack pulled her in close. "We can always have a second ceremony later on if you want to do it right."
"I never really wanted the big, fancy church-wedding, to be honest. A simple ceremony sounds great. And I do have a dress, nothing fancy, but it'll work. As long as you're there, it'll be perfect." She stretched up and pressed her lips to his; Jack deepened the kiss.
"All right," Jack said as they finally parted. "I'll make a few phone calls, and after the boys arrive… we'll get married."
Sam made a happy little squee sound as she grinned from ear to ear. "I can't wait!" She kissed Jack again before taking a step back and bending down to retrieve their bottles. Jack grabbed their folding chairs and the two went back inside. After putting their respective burdens in their proper places, they walked hand in hand back to their bedroom.
They were fairly exhausted from their day's activities, and yet, they still couldn't keep their hands and bodies off of one another. As Sam stripped down, Jack sat on the bed watching her. She then turned and began stripping him down, too. Once they were both fully disrobed, she lay down on the bed and Jack spooned up beside her, his hand slipping around her waist. He began gently fondling her and she sighed in bliss. Jack hitched one of her legs up over his and entered her from behind, gently rocking them from side to side as he slid in and out of her. They fell asleep like that.
Sam was the first to wake early the next morning, and the first thought that passed through her head was that Jack was still buried deep inside of her, as hard as he'd ever been. The next thought was that they would be joined together as man and wife in a short while. Muscles deep within her tensed up in anticipation, and the erotic gesture was enough to stir Jack.
"Mornin'" he said in greeting, his lips fastening to her neck. Sam moaned in response, and Jack quickly began thrusting deep inside of her. "You ready to become Mrs. O'Neill?"
"Oh, I'm ready all right," she managed to reply, her voice breathless.
Jack simply grinned as one hand fondled her breast and the other fondled someplace much lower. Sam again moaned in response. Jack rolled onto his back, bringing her with him; he then twisted her around so that she was facing him. She immediately brought her face down to his for a deeply passionate kiss, one filled with all the excited anticipation she was feeling for their impending nuptials. Their tempo escalated, and in a matter of minutes, they were collapsing together in orgasmic bliss.
They slowly got out of bed and hit the shower together, taking turns lathering up and rinsing down. Jack exited first, leaving Sam to wash her hair solo. She savored the hot water beating down on her body as she listened to Jack making the requisite phone calls to find a Justice of the Peace willing to come out to the cabin and perform the last-minute ceremony. It only took a couple of attempts before everything was secured.
"There is one detail I kind of over-looked," Sam called out as she got out of the shower.
"What's that?"
"Cassie. She's gonna kill us for getting married without her."
Jack looked at the clock, then heaved a sigh. "It's too late to catch Daniel and Teal'c and have them bring her out. What do you want to do? I could cancel the JP, and we could get married later—"
"Forget that. You're marrying me today, Jack O'Neill." Sam wrapped a towel around her as she went back into the bedroom. "Like you said, there's no telling how long this particular window of opportunity is going to last."
"Think she'll forgive us?" Jack was already dressed in jeans and a simple gray t-shirt, the nicest attire he'd brought with him, and was in the process of putting on a pair of well-worn sneakers.
"Well, we could go with that second ceremony idea you had. But let's keep it small and simple. I really don't want anything too… formal."
Jack nodded. "Whatever makes you happy, Sam." He crossed the room and dropped a small and simple kiss on her lips.
"Don't make me start saying corny things, like 'you make me happy'…" Sam moved out of his easy embrace and pulled her dress out of her garment bag. "You know, I had wondered at the time why I packed a dress for a fishing trip… Now I'm glad I did."
"Sixth sense?"
"More like, be prepared for anything."
Jack left the room just before she dropped the towel, an action certain to distract him from his current task—getting some breakfast ready.
"Daniel and Teal'c should be here soon," he called out. Sam kicked the door closed as she pulled out undergarments and proceeded to get ready for the big event. "Do you want anything to eat?"
"No, thanks," she answered. She slipped the dress on. It was a simple, one-piece sundress of a pale peach color which brought out the natural blush in her complexion. It had three-quarter length sleeves and flowed around her, clinging to her curves in all the right places. It ended at mid-calf, and she slipped on a pair of matching sandals. She grabbed a brush and ran it through her hair before she went back to the bathroom to apply a little bit of makeup.
While she was getting ready, Daniel and Teal'c arrived. Daniel rapped on the door before opening it, not giving Jack time to cross the cabin and answer.
"Knock, knock," Daniel called out as they entered.
"Back here, Daniel."
"Hey Jack! How's it going?"
"Do you really want to know?" Jack replied.
"Uh-oh… everything all right between you and Sam?" Daniel asked, concern filling his voice. Teal'c closed the door behind them and the two men crossed into the kitchen where Jack was just finishing the cooking of his "world famous" omelet.
"Everything is great on that front."
"So… what's going on?"
"The President turned down my resignation," Jack said without preamble.
"Oh. I thought that was a done deal," Daniel said, a frown filling his features.
"Me too. But apparently, Hammond's ready to retire, for real this time, and they want me to take his place." Jack turned the fire off on the stove and set the omelet onto a plate. "You hungry?"
Daniel shook his head; Jack repeated the offer to Teal'c, who wordlessly declined as well. Jack sat down at the table.
"So that's it, you're off to Washington?"
"Pretty much. Such is life in the military. They say jump, you jump. Then you ask how high."
Daniel shook his head. "You know, it doesn't matter how long I've lived with it, I'll never fully understand the military mind-set. What's this gonna do to you and Sam?"
"Funny you should ask," Jack said between mouthfuls.
"You have a plan, I take it."
"Of course we do. This just bumped up the timetable a bit."
"Okay…" Daniel said slowly. "So what's the plan?"
"We're getting married." Jack grinned, a very proud beam that lit up his eyes in a way Daniel was pretty sure he'd never seen on the man.
Daniel's eyes widened; Teal'c's eyebrow inclined, but that was the extent of the reaction from the bigger man. "When?" Daniel asked after a moment.
"This morning."
"Wow. You really aren't wasting any time, are you?" At the shake of Jack's head, Daniel continued, his voice concerned. "Are you sure you're both ready for this? I mean, a week ago, Sam was supposed to be marrying… someone else… and now you two are suddenly ready to tie the knot? Isn't that rushing things a bit?"
"Maybe. On the other hand…" Jack set his fork down before continuing. "Sam knew for a while that marrying Pete," Jack spit the name out as if it had a bad taste, "wasn't what she wanted, it just took her a bit to bow out gracefully. And as far as she and I are concerned, this has been in the making for the better part of eight years. I think that's a long enough wait, don't you?"
"And Sam… she's sure?"
"Yes, I am." Sam answered for herself, coming up behind Daniel. She wrapped her arms around him in a sisterly hug. "Thanks for the concern, though." She turned and gave Teal'c a similar embrace. "And thank you for joining us. It wouldn't be right without the two of you there to witness the occasion."
At last, Daniel smiled as Sam made her way around the table to sit beside Jack. "You look great, Sam."
"Thank you," she said with a blush and a downward tilt of her head.
"So when exactly is the ceremony?" Daniel asked as he took a seat opposite the pair. Teal'c remained standing, his hands clasped behind his back.
"In about an hour or so. Soon as the JP gets here." Jack finished off the last of his omelet. So, Daniel," Jack said as he stood up to clean off his dishes. "Would you mind doing me the honor of being my best man?"
Daniel smiled and nodded. "I'd love to."
"And Teal'c," Sam said, "I'd love for you to be my best man."
Teal'c again inclined a single eyebrow. "What function does this 'best man' serve?"
"Well, basically all you have to do is stand beside me and give me your support through the ceremony," Sam answered.
Daniel started to explain the traditional roles served by the attendants at a human, American wedding, much to the amusement of both Sam and Jack. He explained that Sam would normally have a "maid of honor" but that they were going a non-traditional route in the absence of any females to serve that function. "There would also normally be a reception following the ceremony itself, and the two lead attendants, you and I in this case, would make toasts to the bride and groom, wishing them all the best in their new life together, etcetera, etcetera. I don't think there's going to be a reception, though." Daniel looked to Sam and Jack for confirmation.
"No, no reception. Just the simple ceremony. We're going to redo it back home once we get everything settled, give Cassie a chance to witness the occasion as well," Sam answered. "Oh, and… I don't know if Jack mentioned, but… I'm going to put in a request to transfer out to R&D."
"R&D?" Daniel went bug-eyed once again. "No, he failed to mention that."
"Sorry," Jack said.
"So this is it, then. The official end of SG:1."
"Oh, there'll still be an SG:1. It just won't be us anymore." Jack moved back to Sam's side, pulling her up into his embrace. "We spent eight years on the front lines, Daniel. Don't you think that's enough? Aren't there other things you'd rather do now that we've beaten all those nasty bad guys?"
"Well, yeah, now that you mention it, there's a ton of stuff I'd love to do. I never seem to have time for the archaeological stuff for which I was trained… and then there's exploring some of that 'meaning of life stuff' we keep stumbling across that I never have time to really get into… But, Sam… Are you sure you're ready to spend all your time in a lab? Won't you miss the action?"
Sam chuckled. "Jack asked me the same thing, and the answer is an unequivocal 'Yes.' I am definitely ready for some serious lab time, maybe even something resembling a normal 9-5 schedule."
"As long as you're sure," Daniel said once more, still appearing less than thoroughly convinced.
"I'm sure. Don't worry, everything is going to be fine, Daniel. You'll see," Sam said reassuringly. Before any further conversation could take place, though, there was a knock at the door.
"Its show time," Jack said with a grin.