***
Dinner was awkward. They had been together for eight years and now, finally, a first official date, and they couldn’t talk to each other. After Jack and Sam admitted their feelings for each other, amidst some serious kissing and teenage groping, Jack formally asked her out on a date. No Daniel, no Teal’c, just a Jack and Sam date. Dinner, a little dancing. Sam had to admit, Jack wasn’t clumsy on his feet. It never occurred to her that he could dance.
“Just the slow stuff,” he had said with a curiously shy smile. Sam smiled back at him and assured him that if she wanted something fast, she’ll take Daniel out. Jack’s eyebrows were lost in his hair.
“Daniel?” he questioned incredulously. Sam nodded.
“Sure,” she said. “He’s an anthropologist, remember? He takes cultural studies seriously and you know he’s a hands-on kinda guy. Pick a tribe, he’ll show you their dances. Including the modern American tribes.”
So, Jack took her to dinner and danced with her a couple of times. He felt good against her. He smelled good. His natural, masculine scent filled her senses making more than her mouth water. She laid her head against his shoulder as they swayed, his hand held hers, their fingers laced together. His sure hand at her waist felt perfect.
“Are we nervous or is this just hormones to be worked out?” he whispered into her ear.
Sam lifted her head, disconcerted yet pleased by the shower of butterflies that landed in her belly as she looked into his dark eyes just inches from hers.
“After an eight-year courtship? I think we should be nervous. I know I am,” she admitted. “We know everything about each other except this. God, Jack, you know when I have my annuals.”
He smiled at her. “Yeah, aren’t you due soon?”
She gave him a light slug in the chest. “Behave, or I’ll send you out for tampons in the middle of the night,” she warned. He touched her cheek with a finger.
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he said with a shrug. He winced at himself. “I’m sorry; shouldn’t have said that, I think.”
Sam shook her head. “It’s ok,” she said. “You have a past. So do I. Your experiences are part of who you are. You had a good marriage until Charlie died, right? So you have good experiences to bring to us.”
Jack kissed her temple. “I had dinner with Sara a couple months ago,” he confessed. “I told her about you. How I felt. I think I needed her blessing. She gave it.”
Sam smiled at something internal. “That’s funny,” she said. “Dad had a little father-daughter talk with me just before he died. He liked you, Jack. And he approved of you. I didn’t say anything to him but he already knew. He practically pushed me into your arms. I talked to Daniel the other day. And I called on General Hammond at his house.”
Jack stumbled and then got back in line with the music. “Are we being court-marshaled?”
“No,” Sam chuckled. “Daniel said, and I quote, “It’s about freakin’ time!” and the General gave me a hug. I told Daniel we were having our date tonight. He kissed my cheek and said for us to have fun and play safe. He also said that if you hurt me, he has a zat and he knows how to use it. Three shots and no one will find the evidence.”
Jack smiled at her, his eyes a teasing gleam. “Zats aside, is playing safe something we can count on in the near future?” he asked, his voice low and husky. Her heart skipped a beat.
Sam placed a soft kiss on his lips, part of her still unable to believe that she now had the right to his lips. “Take me home and find out,” she whispered.
Their first make-out session was in an ancient pyramid during a very strange rescue of themselves in the past, in ancient Egypt. They fell on top of each other, anxious in their amorous, newly confessed feelings for each other. Sam slid her hands into Jack’s shirt as he reached under hers for her breasts. Sam almost came at the touch of his roughened hands on her skin. He managed to get her shirt up and his mouth on a nipple before they heard the others running in their direction. They had gotten themselves quickly together just before Daniel ran in. They were presentable but Daniel still gave Sam a knowingly raised eyebrow. She flushed. Jack held his gun in an unusual position for a while.
Jack drove to her house, carefully making sure he kept both hands on the wheel and paid attention to the traffic signals. More carefully than usual. Sam found it unnerving to be wanted so badly by someone that Jack had to force himself to keep control. Sam’s hands were shaking slightly as she unlocked the door and let them in.
She had wanted this man for so long it made her ache. Knowing she couldn’t have him due to military rules, she took her needs out on others. Sometimes it was frustrating; she had wanted Narim but was confused over Martouf and the entire Jolinar thing at the time, and then just getting used to Orlan when he disappeared. Literally. Pete was a nice guy, but only a comfortable lover and companion and she did feel guilty about treating him so badly. She tried getting the hots for Daniel, he had not only the looks but also the brains to keep her interested, and she certainly didn’t have to keep any truths from him, but couldn’t get any more feelings for him than something to cuddle up with on a cold off-world camp-out. He was her buddy, her little brother, a close friend and confidant, and nothing more, much to her own disappointment. They had even tried making out once while away from the base on a little R&R. Kissing Daniel was nice, he kissed very well, and he knew how to hold a woman and make her feel special, but there were no fireworks. They pulled away from each other, declared it movie time and broke out the popcorn. At least that was out of the way. Through it all, she wanted Jack. He’s the one who made her tingle and tremble, and made her heart skip beats. He made her laugh, cry, made her angry, and made her happy. He made her FEEL. She was alive with him, and wanted to be no place other than in his arms.
Sam let them into the dark house, shutting and locking the door behind them. She could feel Jack’s presence, the heat from his body as she took his hand and nervously led him through the house. She turned on the bedroom light, glad that the place wasn’t a mess. She turned to him. His eyes had darkened to almost black as he took in her nervous energy.
“We don’t need to rush, Sam,” he said. “If you want to wait….”
“If I wait any longer, I’m going to explode,” she said with a smile. “I’ve wanted you too long to wait longer. I’m officially saying it –make love to me, Jack O’Neill. Here. Now.”
Jack chuckled and took her into his arms. “Ma’am, Yes, Ma’am,” he murmured and lowered his face to hers.
They undressed and explored each other along the way, taking delight in each other. Sam became confused at one point and cried, unable to explain about the aching need that wasn’t being released. Jack laid her down, promising to fix it. His sure, experienced voice and hands helped to soothe her as he moved down her body and spread her legs. He licked at her center and sucked at her. Sam cried out and grabbed the sheets in both fists. He slid a couple of slim fingers into her and encouraged her to just let go. He sucked at her clit again, using his tongue and teeth, and Sam arched her back, screaming as she came. When she had stopped spasming around his fingers, he slid up her body and nestled himself between her legs and settled on top of her. He wiped the moisture from her face as he made himself at home inside of her. She wrapped her long legs around the backs of his thighs and held him in place, his hardness feeling perfect within her. He didn’t move at first, looking into her face.
“I love you, Sam,” he whispered.
“I love you, too, Jack.”
He watched her as he began to move his hips, staring into her beautiful blue eyes as she once more became alive under him.
They made love several times during the night, including once in the shower where they giggled like children as they poked and prodded each other with soapy fingers. Sam never saw Jack as the playful kind of lover but he was, and he had no problem laughing in the middle of sex or asking Sam what she liked and didn’t like, and how she liked to be pleased. And he had no problem asking for whatever made him happy. With a few helpful pointers, Sam discovered where a man’s prostate was and how to make Jack speak in tongues when he came in her mouth. Sam declared she now had a new weapon. Maybe Daniel could translate. She’d have to set up a recorder next time. Jack discovered that if he tossed Sam onto her stomach and spread her legs, taking her from behind in a caveman grip, he could make her bite and claw and growl and scream when she came. At one point in the shower, he bent her over and licked her anus. Surprised, she almost melted to the bottom of the tub and begged him not to stop. No one had ever done that to her before; she didn’t know it would feel so good. Jack later told her that there wasn’t too much he didn’t like to do and as long as it would reduce her to a quivering mass, he’ll be more than happy to do it. He had a very active imagination and she was free to explore it. Exhausted but happy, she smiled at him and teasingly asked him if he’d like to be tied to the headboard. Jack had looked down at himself and groaned; he wasn’t up for it, ask him later. Sam laughed and they snuggled in for the remainder of the night.
In the morning, Jack watched Sam slowly awaken. He had been looking at her, the sunlight streaming in the window and across her body which he now knew every beautiful inch of. She caught him watching her and she smiled at him, sleepy and stunning. Jack touched her face with one finger, wondering what she saw in an old fart like him, fourteen years older than her and technically old enough to be her father.
“Will you marry me?”
Sam stopped in mid-stretch and looked at him. With a yelp, she toppled him onto his back, settled onto his torso, and peppered his lined, stubbly face with kisses and a “YES!” for each one.
***
At the morning briefing, General O’Neill handed out the day’s assignments and stood up. He held a hand out.
“Wait,” he said as the others were preparing to leave. He had been ignoring the smug looks Sam was trying not to cast in Daniel’s direction. Jack wasn’t sure he wanted to know what they had been whispering about earlier. Whispers that were punctuated by smiles and giggles.
“I have an announcement.”
SG-1, 2, and 3 sat back down, looking at him curiously.
“I have been offered a position with Homeland Security,” he said. The others sat back in their chairs, stunned, including Sam. He forgot to mention that little detail. “I have accepted. You will have a new CO here shortly. And I am happy to announce that Col. Samantha Carter and I are engaged.”
Money was instantly brought out with groans on one side and snickers on the other. Jack frowned as Daniel and Teal’c hugged Sam while the other two teams exchanged cash.
“What’s going on?” Jack asked as he accepted Daniel’s hug and Teal’c forearm clasp.
Reynolds looked up in innocent surprise. “Well, Sir, we were making bets on who was going to end up married to who.”
“Whom,” Daniel interjected after kissing Sam’s cheek again. Reynolds ignored him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jack asked, an arm around Sam’s waist.
Reynolds pocketed several large denomination bills. “The main odds were on you and the Colonel, the Colonel and Dr. Jackson, and on you and Dr. Jackson.”
Jack’s mouth dropped as his eyebrows went through the roof. “Me and Daniel?” he squeaked. Even Daniel was nonplussed.
Reynolds shrugged. “It could happen,” he said. “Not that I want to even consider such a scenario,” he shuddered. Daniel scowled at him. “There were also odds on a threesome thing, which actually had quite few people behind. Although, I think you’d have to give Jackson a kiss, first, to prove that one.”
Sam laughed, turning into Jack’s chest for a moment as Daniel took a step back.
“Sir, may we be excused?” Reynolds asked, giving out handshakes. “I need to call General Hammond and tell him he lost his bet.”
Jack sat down. “Do I want to know?” he whined.
Reynolds grinned. “He was in for a threesome, Sir. He owes me $500. Thanks, Sir, Colonel, I cleaned up with this one.”
Jack’s head clunked onto the table as Daniel burst out in laughter.
***
The day was warm and the sky clear as they gathered outside Jack’s cabin. Sam found it surreal to see Jaffa and Tok’ra representatives dressed in Earth clothing and mingling with hers and Jack’s families. The symbiotes promised not to be vocal during their own off-world excursion, since the strange deep, dual harmonies would disconcert the non-SGC initiated. The Pentagon wasn’t happy with the inclusion of non-Tau’ri but Sam insisted, citing diplomatic relations. Jack was sure she got it from Daniel. Major Davis was sent to make sure things went well with the non-Tau’ri present. Teal’c whispered helpful Tau’ri information to Bre’tac and Rya’c but since the information was coming from episodes of Cheers and the Brady Bunch, it was in the air as to how much the Jaffa were actually learning. The Asgard were watching from on high. Jack and Sam knew they were there when a strange tablet appeared directly in front of them at breakfast. They took it to Daniel for a translation. He said that it was a blessing in Sanskrit, and a few helpful wedding night tips. Before he could stop her, Sam informed Daniel that Jack needed no helpful hints. Jack flushed as Daniel laughed.
Daniel played a soft cantata on the piano as Sam walked into the clearing on General Hammond’s arm. All the military personnel were in their dress uniforms, including Sam and Jack. Jack took Sam’s hand from Hammond, and Daniel left the piano and took his place at Jack’s side.
Instead of the usual wedding vows, they had a long talk with Daniel about marriage customs and decided that since neither of them held any remnants of the Western Judeo-Christian beliefs that they were raised with, much less anything else, they would write it themselves and have it witnessed by their friends, families, and a JP from a nearby Ute reservation. Daniel gave them a lecture on hand-fasting customs, making Jack’s eyes glaze over, while Sam took notes. Sam’s California family wasn’t particularly disturbed by it, but Jack’s Irish-Catholic family needed to be pacified. They couldn’t have a church wedding because Sam wasn’t Catholic and she didn’t want to be Catholic, so they agreed on an informal blessing from the priest from the church that his parents attended. They would have to wait until after the honeymoon, though; Jack couldn’t tell them that they had reservations on Kelowna in a ritzy mountaintop hotel set up by Jonas as a wedding present, so he told them that he and Sam were going to the Bahamas for a month.
Promises were made, rings handed out by Daniel, and kisses exchanged.
Mingling later, Teal’c had to be told that, no, they were not going to be able to watch the happy couple’s mating ceremony and that, no, it wasn’t like on TV where the entire world got to watch. Jack was going to have to take steps in breaking Teal’c of his TV addiction. It would probably be a long and painful process, especially for Jack, but it was going to happen.
What Jack found even more interesting was watching Daniel walking leisurely down the road with Major Davis. He’d swear their hands were almost touching. His own hand was touched and he looked down at his wife.
“Sam,” he began, looking down the road.
She shushed him. “Leave him be, Jack,” she said quietly. “He’s in good hands.”
He watched Daniel and Davis smiling at each other, Daniel laughing easily at something Davis said. And obviously Sam knew something he didn’t. He took a deep breath.
“Ok,” he said. “Do we need to include ‘and significant other’ on any future invites?”
Sam smiled at him and tugged on his hand. “Come on, dance with me,” she said.