Daughter of My Heart, Chapter Thirty-Six
Daniel sat in Jack's living room, Teal'c on the chair opposite, while Jack himself busily refreshed drinks and grabbed more snacks.
"We're all out of pretzels, but I found a bag of mixed chips," he announced, returning to his friends.
"Jack. Correct me if I'm wrong. But shouldn't we be doing the work for your bachelor party?"
"Ah, you forget, Daniel. I've already done this once before. You and Teal'c, however..."
"Have both been married once as well," Daniel continued for him, confused.
"Have never had a bachelor party," Jack corrected, smirking.
Daniel glanced around, looking back to Jack. "It's a bit tame, isn't it?," he asked innocently.
"Yes, well...Samantha threatened my manhood if I exposed you two to anything too exciting..."
Teal'c's eyebrow shot up in questioning disbelief. Daniel frowned.
"Doesn't really sound like Sam," he noted.
"Perhaps Colonel O'Neill has mistaken Major Carter's name for that of his intended bride," Teal'c added with a glint of humour.
Jack glared at them both. "Well, she's not getting any strippers either," he grumbled. Daniel smirked.
"I think I like this better, anyway," he replied. Jack sighed.
"One of these days, Danny..."
Jack plopped himself down on a free seat, reaching for a handful of chips.
"What is the purpose of this evening, O'Neill?," Teal'c asked, eyeing the junk food curiously.
"It's a man's last night of freedom, Teal'c. A celebration of brothers, if you will. Starting tomorrow, I'll be a happily married man. So, no more carousing or painting the town red. Tonight is all we have. After this..."
"Do husbands of the Tauri not retain their freedom, O'Neill?"
"I think what Jack is trying to say," Daniel piped in, "is that beginning tomorrow, we'll have to take Janet's plans into account as well when planning our guys' nights."
"Was Doctor Fraiser not repeatedly consulted on the details of this evening, Daniel Jackson?," Teal'c asked curiously.
"She was," he nodded happily. "But Tauri husbands-to-be like to pretend we don't relinquish our independence until after the wedding."
"Shut up," Jack retorted, glaring at them both.
"I see," Teal'c replied, settling further back in his seat.
"Didn't you have to clear things with Drey'auc before having company?," Jack asked, looking pointedly at Teal'c.
"Never," he replied, unblinkingly. "On Chulak, it is a wife's duty to comply with her husband's demands."
"Huh," Jack replied, taking another swig.
"Actually, it was the same on Abydoss," Daniel confessed. "The women are raised from birth to accede to their husband's wishes. It took a lot of practice to get Sha're to stop deferring to me for everything."
"Must have been rough," Jack retorted, shooting his friend a look.
"It was a bit uncomfortable, actually," Daniel remarked.
"You prefer being mated with a woman of strong opinion, Daniel Jackson?," Teal'c asked curiously.
"Ah, well, yes," he replied, awkwardly.
"Here, here," Jack smirked, clanking bottles with Daniel. "So when are you planning on making an honest woman out of the good Major, Daniel?"
"Wh-what?," Daniel spluttered, turning to Jack.
"You've been together for years now. Longer even than Janet and I. When are you planning on tying the knot?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?," Jack asked skeptically.
"Major Carter is an excellent mother to young Cassandra. I believe you would do well in choosing her as your wife," Teal'c observed.
"I haven't really discussed it with Sam...," he trailed lamely.
"Daniel. Do you love her?," Jack asked.
"Yes," he replied, without hesitation.
"Can you make a life with her?," he pressed, never breaking eye contact.
"Yes."
"Then what's the holdup?"
"I don't know. Everything was just so weird after my ascension... I guess I just didn't want to push my luck."
"You've been back for over a year now."
"I know."
"And you've been living with her and Cassie again for the past five months."
"I know."
Jack stared at him pointedly. "I think it might be time, Daniel," he said, spelling it out.
"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.
"Why are you picking on me? Aren't we supposed to be razing you, for actually going through with it?"
"As you've already pointed out, Daniel, we've all already been married once. And if a battered old warhorse like me can do it again, then so can you."
"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.
"Unbelievable," Daniel muttered.
Cassie giggled as she applied the finishing touches to her Mom's facial mask. "I wish Dad could see you like this," she chuckled, dodging out of the way as her Mom swatted her arm.
"Here," Janet said, tossing something her way. Cassie caught it, grinning wickedly as she snapped a photograph of the two older women.
"Cassandra!," Sam squealed, reaching for the camera.
"Leave her be, Sam," Janet admonished. "I want pictures of this!"
"If Daniel or Jack ever get hold of them..."
Janet snorted. "As if we don't have worse on them!," she retorted.
"Well, if you like this, then you'll love the next stage," Cassie replied, grinning.
"Oh?," Janet asked curiously.
"I found the most amazing nail polish at the mall the other day. It'll match our dresses, and give you your something blue." She held out the bottle of indigo polish, waiting for the squeals of delight.
"Cassie, that's perfect!," Janet gushed, chuckling.
"It is a good match," her Mom conceded. Janet smacked her with a pillow.
"Will you loosen up already?," she demanded. "This is my last night as a single woman!"
"See, that's something I don't really understand," Cassie replied. "I mean, you haven't really been single since you started seeing Uncle Jack, have you?"
Janet smiled wickedly. "Maybe not, but I'll take any excuse for a party!"
"Are we doing fingernails and toes?," Sam asked, contemplating the bottle.
"Absolutely!," Cassie replied adamantly. "A bride can't have too much good luck!"
"So what are the rest of the things you found?," Janet asked curiously.
"Ha! Wouldn't you like to know?," Cassie teased. "Blue nail polish tonight. Everything else tomorrow."
Sam smirked. "I think you're really going to love your something old."
Janet narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "It's the Colonel, isn't it?"
Cassie snorted before catching the look her Mom shot her, eyes twinkling mischievously. Holding her breath, she managed to stifle the worst of her mirth, watching in fascination as the two women zeroed in on one another.
"Would we do a thing like that?," Sam asked innocently.
"He's not that old!," Janet defended.
Cassie clamped a hand over her mouth, desperately trying to hold it in.
"Seventeen years older than I am," Sam replied evenly.
"Samantha!," Janet squealed, thwacking her once more with the pillow.
"Twelve years older than you," Sam continued. "In high school before you even started kindergarten. College before you'd hit puberty. I'm pretty sure he'd even joined the Air Force and gotten married before your senior year. If that doesn't qualify him as something old, then I really don't know what would!"
Janet gaped at her in wide-eyed horror. "Sam, that's...that's...that's...," she spluttered, at a loss for words.
"Kind of gross," Cassie finished for her, laughing.
"Thank you," Janet replied, sarcastically.
Sam beamed proudly. "Glad I could help!"
Thwack went the pillow. Cassie fell into her seat, laughing so hard tears streamed down her face.
"I take it you didn't really pick Jack?," Janet asked, rounding on Cassie for answers. She shook her head, still unable to catch her breath long enough to answer properly.
"Like the kid said, you'll just have to wait until tomorrow to see!," Sam added cheerfully.
"But we have so much more in store for you tonight!," Cassie added gleefully. Janet groaned.
"You know, just for that, I think I'll have Jack aim the garter at Dominic tomorrow evening," the doctor retorted. "And I'll make sure Cassie here catches the bouquet."
"You wouldn't dare!," Sam replied, eyes widening in shock.
"Oooh, I know exactly what I'd want for my wedding, too!," Cassie said, happily playing along.
Janet chuckled evilly. "Two can play this game," she reminded, a wicked gleam in her eye.
Daniel was the last one up, waking to the rather confusing sounds of extra voices in the house.
"Nice of you to join us, there, sleeping beauty," Jack greeted as Daniel stumbled blindly toward the counter for coffee.
"It's all your fault," Daniel grumbled. "You made me drink."
"You only had a beer and a half last night, big guy," Jack retorted. "It's sacrilege, really, leaving half a beer out to go stale."
"Perk up, Doctor," a very familiar Texas voice said to him. "We have a big day ahead of us."
"General," Daniel blinked, surprised. "When did you get in?"
"0400 hours. I wish I could have been here for the bachelor party last night, but apparently Washington is the city that never sleeps."
"Oh, you really didn't miss much, Sir," Jack replied evenly.
"Indeed. It was very much the same as many of our team nights," Teal'c confirmed.
"Really? I don't remember the two of you ganging up on me to marry Sam on any of our team nights," Daniel grumbled.
General Hammond chuckled. "I know a certain off-world ally who would have loved to have been part of that conversation," he said.
"Yeah, Jacob's been a big fan of yours for years," Jack replied, smirking.
"He has?," Daniel asked, mildly surprised. As far as he could tell, the General-turned-Tokra merely tolerated his presence in Sam and Cassie's lives, nothing more.
"Jake's a man of many secrets, son," General Hammond added, catching the confused look on his face. "But Jack is right. He does like you."
"Huh," Daniel replied, taking a sip of his coffee.
"How about I take the three of you for a nice breakfast, before I meet up with the bride?," the General asked, smiling.
"Ah, breakfast. One of my favourite meals of the day!," Jack quipped.
"Bride?," Daniel asked, confused.
"God, you're useless without coffee," Jack muttered, grabbing his mug for a refill. "Janet really should set you up with an IV system one of these days."
"I was planning on simply attending as a guest," the General explained, "but by special request of the bride, I'll be a part of the wedding instead."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow, as Daniel frowned. "Did she finally see reason and choose you over Jack?," he asked innocently. Jack shot him a withering glare. Hammond chuckled.
"No, son, I'm afraid not," he replied, grinning. "I do, however, have the honour of escorting her down the aisle."
"Can't think of a better man for the job," Daniel replied, smiling. Jack glowered at him.
"Says the man who thinks a two-star General could replace moi, at my own wedding," he grumbled darkly.
"In many cultures, a man of General Hammond's advanced position could easily replace you, O'Neill," Teal'c observed. The glare shifted over toward the Jaffa.
"Not helping, T."
"Don't worry Jack," Hammond replied, eyes glinting with mirth. "I won't try to steal your bride."
"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate that," Jack said, shooting venomous glares toward the other two men.
"It's about time someone else takes responsibility for keeping you in line," he finished, draining the last of his own coffee.
Daniel quickly raised his mug to his lips to hide his own smirk as Jack scowled at the General. The morning was definitely looking up.
"I guess this is it," Janet said, walking toward the dress waiting for her in the corner of the large bridal dressing room. She was feeling surprisingly nervous, considering this was her second time married, and to a much better man.
"Stop right there," Cassie ordered, coming in behind them. "You can't put your dress on yet. You need the rest of your things!"
"Before my dress?," Janet asked, looking to Sam for help.
"How else are you supposed to hide everything?," Cassie replied innocently, as Sam grinned and shrugged. Janet stood with raised eyebrows, waiting.
Cassie lifted the bag she was carrying, grinning triumphantly. "First up," she said, rummaging through the contents, "is a little number we found in an antique shop last fall, just after you got engaged." Smiling brightly, she pulled out a lace shift that could have been from her great-grandmother's era. "This," she said proudly, "is your something old."
"Cassie, it's beautiful," Janet said, fingering the delicate lace.
"Put it on!," Cassie laughed, handing it to her. Janet did as directed, curious to see what other treasures her friends had found.
"This is your something new," Sam replied, handing Janet a small package containing...
"Is that edible?!," Janet asked, fingering the delicate garter.
Sam snorted. "Uh-huh," she replied, smirking.
Janet rolled her eyes, carefully shimmying the thing into place just above her knee.
"And last but not least," Cassie announced, rummaging once more, "your something borrowed."
Janet frowned at the Homeworld Security letterhead she held out in her hand.
"What is it?," she asked, taking it to read over herself.
"Well, we thought...I mean, Mom and I...that since your dad died, maybe you would like..."
Janet's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "General Hammond? You've asked a two-star General to walk me down the aisle?," she squeaked.
Sam shrugged. "It was either him or my dad, and we both agreed that General Hammond knows you much better."
"Plus, he's already walked a daughter down the aisle, so he knows exactly what to do," Cassie added. "Is this okay?," she asked nervously.
Janet quickly grabbed them both in a huge hug. "This is better than okay, sweetie," she replied honestly, tears gleaming in her eyes. "Thank you both so much for being here, and doing all this for me."
"Of course! What else are friends for?," Sam asked, embarrassed.
Janet ignored her, and just hugged them both tighter.
Cassie had never been to an Earth wedding before. She'd seen plenty of the simple ceremonies on Hanka, but nothing of the lavish affairs so common on Earth. Her eyes widened nervously as she took in the enormous gathering of family, friends and colleagues awaiting the ceremony. The music began, and her mom nudged her gently to walk out into the aisle, smiling timidly at the sea of unfamiliar faces before she caught sight of Dad, Uncle Jack, and Teal'c all smiling encouragingly at her as she made her way to them.
She joined the men at the front of the church in time to watch her Mom gracefully move in beside her, and Janet, arm in arm with General Hammond, walk slowly down the aisle. Her Dad grinned over at them from his place beside Uncle Jack, but Uncle Jack's eyes never for a moment left the face of his bride.
Cassie sighed happily. This was so much better than the movies. She couldn't believe how happy everyone looked.
As Janet paused before the aisle, the minister asked, "And who gives this woman to wed this man?"
"I do," the General announced proudly, kissing Janet on both cheeks. Janet smiled and blushed, giving his hand an extra squeeze before he joined the rest of the guests in watching the ceremony. She walked the last three steps to the alter herself, joining a beaming Uncle Jack as they faced the minister, and the ceremony began.
Sam leaned happily against Daniel as they made their way around the dance floor, the song slow and sultry for the older couples in the room.
"Sam?," Daniel whispered, his hot breath tickling her skin.
"Hmm?," she hummed, just enjoying the feel of him.
"Do you ever think of doing this? Someday?," he asked softly, his words more nervous than casual.
"Dancing?," she teased quietly, nuzzling his face. "All the time."
"That's not quite what I meant," Daniel replied.
"I know what you meant," she laughed, looking up to smile into his clear blue eyes.
"And?," he asked carefully, never leaving her gaze.
"I've never needed a ceremony to remind me who's important in my life," she answered evenly, gently caressing his cheek.
"Oh."
"Have you? Ever thought about this?," she asked, lightly kissing his jaw.
"Honestly? Not really," he replied, embarrassed. "But I feel like I should have."
"You know, if it's important to you, I'm not opposed...," she began, before he silenced her with a kiss.
"Don't," he whispered. "Don't answer until I ask. Please?," he begged softly, sending tingles down her spine.
She kissed him in return, effectively ending the conversation as they lost all sense of the beat, making out like a pair of teenagers on the dance floor.