Epilogue

Two years later

Sam slid into the government car beside Jack, enjoying his liberally admiring and suggestive look at her black evening gown.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked. "You hate these formal events."

"Colonel, need I remind you that I am a highly successful diplomatic negotiator who has facilitated many a treaty between Earth and alien species, bringing peace and solidarity to the planet?"

"Why stop there?" Sam smirked. "You solve the whole universe on a daily basis."

"There wouldn't be a universe to solve if it weren't for you," Jack replied as he drew her close. Sam eyed the partition that shielded them from the driver's view.

"We won't even make it to the party at this rate," Sam warned him.

"I hate these formal events," Jack retorted, pressing his lips to hers and running his hand up her skirt to grasp her thigh, getting those butterflies spiraling in her stomach all over again.

"I love that full dress uniform," Sam murmured between kisses, referring to the stiff attire he ceaselessly complained about being forced to don. "So many...medals..."

"I love this whole thing you have going on," Jack said, playing with the clip that held back her now longer hair until it all went tumbling down around her shoulders.

"Now look what you did," Sam accused, her cheeks flushing at the arousal in his eyes. She was constantly amazed at the potent effect he still had on her and how the passion between them just seemed to burn brighter every day.

The driver knocked on the partition politely to indicate that they'd reached their destination.

"If we must," Jack groaned, regretfully pulling Sam's dress back down over her knees

"We can continue this conversation later," Sam said playfully, deciding to leave her hair the way it was. She hardly ever had a chance to leave it down, anyway.

Sam threaded her arm through Jack's as they entered the hotel lobby and were ushered through to a ballroom densely populated by high ranking officials from the government as well as the SGC. This was a charity function to raise money for a foundation Jack had started, one that provided help to children left orphaned by Ori attacks. Since the Ori had arrived on the scene with their decidedly un-hallowed and quite villainous selves wreaking new havoc, Sam and Jack's lives had followed in the chaotic wake of their mischief.

After Jack's retirement, he and Sam had moved in together quickly, and had talked distantly, wistfully, of marriage, though another adventure or diplomatic deal for Jack to broker always seemed to get in the way of solidifying their wedding date. Now, despite her happy glow to be out on the town with Jack, Sam was also troubled by a new conundrum.

Recently, she'd been asked to take a post in Atlantis...actually, she'd been asked to head up the team there, an exceptionally intriguing opportunity, and one she might have jumped at with more immediate enthusiasm...if it weren't for the fact that it required her to leave Jack and her life here, at least for the time being. The thought of being so far away from him made her miserable even in theory, yet she'd strived her whole career towards such an immense opportunity. What was she supposed to do?

Of course, Jack hadn't pressured her at all. He wanted her to do whatever would make her feel most fulfilled, and didn't want to hold her back from this chance to explore all the mysteries that waited in Atlantis. Part of her wished that Jack would just say what he really felt, whatever it was. Okay, all of her wished it.

Jack was dragged away by some foreign dignitary and Sam was left chatting with General Landry, though her mind was miles away from the cordial chitchat about SG1's latest journeys and the follow-up plans thereto. Where was her life going? What was she going to do about this offer?

Her eyes flitted up randomly and locked on Jack's as he stood at some distance still talking with the dignitary. That magical chemistry flickered up between them instantly, taking her breath away just as it had the first day she'd met him. She recalled when he'd stood up at that conference table, so proud, condescending, dismissive...but she could see through his veneer to who he was underneath. A tortured soul and a fragile heart seeking redemption. Now he'd long since found it, and then some. An interesting look crossed Jack's features presently as he regarded her. His expression seemed to shift gradually from questioning to realization, though Sam couldn't imagine what he'd suddenly hit upon. She smiled curiously at him as he began to approach, striding faster the closer he got.

"I'll take it from here, Hank," Jack remarked boldly, taking Sam gently by the elbow and leading her off in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" Sam inquired, tripping along in her high heels, perplexed by his urgency.

"This'll do," Jack announced, happening upon a small, cozy lounge area adjacent to the lobby that was completely abandoned.

"For what?" Sam asked, taking his hands and scanning his face. "Jack, what's got you so spooked all of a sudden?"

"I was just looking at you from across the room, and I couldn't believe how gorgeous you were," Jack explained, making her blush again. "From a few feet off, I was too far away from you. I couldn't stand it. But I could close the distance within seconds, and there we were, together again. Here we are."

"What are you saying?" Sam asked tremulously, her heart pounding at his implication.

"I'm saying that I got spooked by the idea that you might go somewhere incredibly far away from me and I wouldn't be able to be with you, to touch you, to hold you, for weeks or even months."

"Jack, I..."

"Just let me finish," he implored, his voice wavering and dropping to a near-whisper.

"Sam, don't go to Atlantis."

"What?" She had never expected him to speak so fervently in opposition to the possibility.

"Stay here," Jack pleaded. He lowered himself to one knee and stared up at her as the world seemed to freeze. Still holding her hand, he fished something out of his pocket and held it to her. A ring. A beautiful diamond ring.

"Marry me," he said, "Let's set the date, for real. Hell, screw it, let's head to Vegas right now and seal the deal. I'm 100% serious."

Sam laughed at his impetuous suggestions, but knew the basis of what he was saying couldn't possibly be more sincere. Leave it to Jack O'Neill to make her giggle and cry at the same time during his proposal. All at once, she didn't know what she had ever been thinking, even considering the Atlantis post.

"Yes," she breathed, exuberant, as he put the ring on her finger and she sank to the floor in front of him, clutching him in disbelief. "Jack, this life I have with you...our life, the one we've built together, finally being with each other these last couple of years - I wouldn't trade it for anything. I couldn't."

"Well, that's a relief," Jack admitted, collapsing into a sitting position as she did the same.

"I'll never leave you, Jack," Sam promised. When it came down to it, she wanted him to know this - desperately wanted to assure him of the honest truth of those words. He'd lost so much in his life, but she would always be with him.

"Thanks," he murmured, holding her, overwhelmed with emotion. He must have been so worried that she was going to leave, but he'd hid it as long as he could to give her room to make up her mind, until he couldn't take it anymore. Truth be told, she didn't think she'd ever have summoned the strength to force herself to what once would have been her dream job. She was glad he'd lost patience with the notion. So had she.

"You know," Jack resumed, a glint of humor returning to his eyes inevitably, "I meant it about Vegas. But maybe we should just bring the whole gang. You, me, Teal'c, Daniel, Vala, Mitchell, Landry…"

"Why?" She asked, giving in to the gag.

"Because Teal'c is dying to meet Elvis. You know this, Sam. Come on!"

"Well, seeing as those Elvises are all impersonators, I think it would only disillusion him," Sam replied with a grin. "So how about a real, old-fashioned church wedding with everyone there?"

"We can do that. Even if I do have to wear a tux," Jack mused.

"Especially because you have to wear a tux. Let's do it soon, Jack. I don't want to put it off anymore."

"Then we won't," Jack agreed, resting his head against hers as she nestled into his shoulder.

And they didn't. Predictably, the wedding about a month later was as quirky, thanks to the guest list, as it was sweepingly romantic, thanks to the bride and groom. During the reception, the core group of friends gathered outside, under the stars, staring up at the endless sparkling realm where they lived so much of their lives.

"Do you ever find it odd, being on the other side like this? Down here on the ground?" Vala mused in a moment of rare reflectiveness.

"Yeah," Daniel agreed. He was shifting from foot to foot, doing all he could to hold back from wrapping an arm around Vala's shoulders.

It's just a matter of time, Sam thought with a smile, recognizing the all-too-familiar battle of the wills between Daniel's head and heart where Vala was concerned. She also knew that in the midst of such a delicious build-up of romantic possibility, resistance was pointless. Jack had taught her that.

"Oh, I don't know," Jack remarked, "Earth still feels like home to me."

"Speak for yourself," Vala put in wryly.

"Indeed," Teal'c added, raising an eyebrow.

"I feel like I just put down roots for the first time in my life," Sam said, linking fingers with Jack. "But I can still fly." She looked up at the night sky and then back over to her husband, who was just as dashing as she'd expected in his groom's tux. He smiled at Sam with such an expression of complete peace that her heart flooded with joy.

"That must be a nice feeling," Mitchell observed, still searching the heavens for answers, his hands hooked in his pockets as he scanned the view above them.

That's putting it lightly, Sam thought, then she said, "Go on back in, Cam. The bridesmaids are looking for you."

"That they are," Mitchell drawled, turning to go.

"I believe I shall partake of the open bar," Teal'c determined. "O'Neill, as your best man, It is my duty to inform you that you and Colonel Carter must soon cut the cake."

"Thanks, Teal'c. I'd just like a few minutes alone with my bride in the meantime," Jack answered. Teal'c nodded sagely and departed.

"And that's your cue to ask me to dance," Vala informed Daniel.

"I don't want to dance," Daniel argued feebly.

"Yes, you do," Jack interposed. He clapped a hand on Daniel's shoulder and smiled warmly. "Trust me, man. Life is too short." Daniel frowned thoughtfully, then shrugged and followed Vala.

"So, Mrs. O'Neill," Jack began once he and Sam were alone.

"So," Sam replied, leaning into his embrace, "husband."

"That is one hell of a dress," Jack stated, staring at Sam in the downright princessy, strapless confection she'd unexpectedly fallen in love with.

"Thanks," Sam replied. "I can't wait to get into my pjs later, though."

"You still have that little pink and white number from the night I came by to confess my love?" Jack asked.

"You know I do," she grinned, thinking how different and crazily bleak life had seemed before they'd talked that evening.

"Yes, I do. Well, Sam, what do you think? You're married, you're about to go on a honeymoon to a scenic cabin near a lake utterly packed with fish, and when you get back, you'll be going off on yet more intergalactic journeys to save the world. Any further requests?" Jack's question only emphasized the truth Sam knew all too well.

"I don't need anything else," Sam decided, looking up into Jack's loving eyes and glancing back at their friends, who were heading back inside to cause mischief, each in their own inimitable way. "I think I've finally got it all."