"It's working!" she exclaimed. She thanked goodness they were all gathered in the courtyard at breakfast time already because she didn't want to waste time finding anyone. "Look!" she pointed at her computer screen. "The last tremor decreased in magnitude and the levels of metal in the air didn't spike beforehand. The scrubber is working!"

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Jack asked. She really looked at him. He looked relaxed for the first time in over a week. No nervous fidgeting, no slight scowl, and he settled into his hips in a nonchalant sort of way she hadn't seen since just before all the marriage stuff started.

"Well, since that seems to be what it's doing, yeah."

"So now what?" Jack asked

"Now we just...let it keep working," she answered with a shrug.

"You know, Carter, that's rather anticlimactic."

She grinned, "It really is, isn't it?"

As the day wore on the levels of UME-001 continued to fall and the tremors lost more magnitude. Eduan, however, could not be persuaded that the device was responsible at all.

"This is a sign from our god!" he exclaimed when presented with the evidence. "Now that the rituals are complete the true benevolence is being shown."

"Maybe I should be talking to Baurton," Sam said to Jack. "Someone needs to understand what's happening so that these people don't lose their civilization."

Later, Jack led Baurton over and Sam showed him the device, explained how it worked and offered to teach his scholars how to make more of the fuel should they need it.

"This has not been an easy task for you," Baurton acknowledged, "made more difficult by the more...religious half of our village."

"It wasn't easy, no," she conceded. "But I'm happy we've found a solution for you."

"Tonight, however, you will allow Eduan to complete his marriage rituals?" he asked amusedly.

"We think it's for the best."

"Should you wish to go home, perhaps you are right," he said and cracked the first smile Sam had ever seen from him.

"Thank you for the men you allowed to help Daniel find the book. Without it, we wouldn't have been able to-"

"Your Daniel has already lavished me with thanks, Captain Carter. No more are necessary. You will remember I had a much more vested interest in this than you and your people did."

"I suppose you're right," she agreed. "But whatever you want to know, ask me before the wedding. We won't be back," she said, almost apologetically, though she didn't feel apologetic at all.

"I would have guessed as much," he said, his smile growing.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"I woke up this morning feeling good," Jack said quietly, intimately near her ear.

She smiled, "Me too. Very...pleasant," she teased.

"Pleasant?! Is that all?" he asked, mock affronted.

"Satisfied," she amended and checked the urge to kiss him, though she wasn't sure why. He could already be considered her lover and in a matter of hours would be her husband.

She was glad they took the time to talk about everything the previous night because things might have been awkward if they hadn't. As it was, things were very... easy between them.

They'd decided not to beat themselves up about the sex. Everything over the course of the past couple of weeks had been leading them directly there. They'd shared an emotional connection that, though accelerated, couldn't be described as forced and that connection had, naturally, bled over into a physical desire that would have driven them crazy with what-if if they hadn't succumbed.

Besides, the sex was good, she didn't want to beat herself up about it. They still hadn't fully talked about what would happen when they got home, though they'd decided that the sex could stay between them and them alone. No Daniel, no Teal'c and certainly no General Hammond. Not that Daniel was taking the evasion very easily - he was desperate to hear about the final rite. Eventually they just gave up and told him about the massage and left out the rest.

The wedding was to take place between first and second sundowns. Apparently it was similar to an Earth wedding in many ways. She would once again be required to wear the ceremonial shift and Jack, as he had during the fifth rite, would be required to wear robes.

As the time for the ceremony grew near, the village people began to turn up in the courtyard. One by one they all arrived until more than a hundred people stood around. Sam was whisked away and properly attired and when she was returned Jack stood there waiting, once more in his biblical dress. "I'm not sure I'll ever get used to seeing you that way," she said to him.

"I'm not sure I'll ever forget you like that," he returned. She felt herself blush.

"It all stays here, even the sand," she said, nostalgia thick in her voice.

"As they say, all good things come to an end."

"How cliché of you, sir." She smiled at him.

"One for the road," he said with a wink.

Soon, Eduan approached, his robes even richer looking than usual. "We will begin," he said and a hush fell over the congregated villagers.

"Samantha and Jack," he said - and she was momentarily taken aback by hearing her name on his lips, she was certain he thought her name was girl, "you have been brought together by Nenetl to make a tlālli union. Do either of you object?"

"You mean we could have been objecting this whole time?" Jack said out of the side of his mouth, only for her to hear. She elbowed him in the ribs.

"No," she said clearly while Jack also agreed, "No."

"You have been to the matrimally and also undergone the marriage rites of our people: matizoah, ceccan, eztli, itacatl, cocoti, and celmeltia. For this our gods finds you worthy of marriage. You have proven yourselves capable of understanding one another, being able to put food on your table, you have proven the ability to provide service where it is necessary and know how to bring one another pleasure. Do you agree?"

Sam blushed, Jack smiled. The said in unison: "Yes."

"Then by all our rites and customs and the benevolence of our god, I declare you tlālli.

The village erupted into hollers and applause.

"That's it?" Jack asked quietly. "No and you may kiss the bride?"

"I guess not," she said. "No rings either."

"Well, Carter, I guess this is it."

"We're married."

"For now," he said and he almost sounded sad.

She understood the sentiment - and agreed. "For now."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Having never been married before, she wasn't sure what it would feel like, but in the end the actuality wasn't anything like she guessed. She spent most of her wedding night packing up all the equipment the SGC had sent through and loading things onto two FRED units.

"Does it bother you that Eduan will never believe that the tremors were stopped by the scrubber and not by you marrying Jack?" Daniel asked her as he helped her collate notes into folders.

"We're still not sure the device will stop the tremors completely. More devices really may be necessary to do that."

"But still?"

Sam sighed, "No, not really. Not anymore. Besides, maybe Jack was right and their god sent them me. Maybe what happened was exactly what was supposed to happen."

"You're sounding pretty zen about the whole thing."

"I've decided not to beat myself up."

"Good. You did good here, Sam," he said with a brotherly grin, and a half hug around her shoulders.

"Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you."

"The mutual admiration society meets tomorrow at the SGC right after the briefing."

"Deal," she said. "I'll buy you a cup of real coffee."

"I don't care what anyone else says, you're my favorite."

"Go on," she said with a smile, "get out of here - I know you have some more notes you want to take before we head out."

As he was leaving Jack walked in. "How's the honeymoon treating you?"

"I'm hot and sweaty," she said indicating her person, "but not in the way I always thought I'd be."

He looked at her dumbfounded, apparently shocked by her bald joke. "Tough nut, Carter. A really tough nut."

She laughed, "Yes, sir."

"So tomorrow we go home."

"Yes."

"You going to be okay with everything?"

"Are you?" she turned it around him.

"Mostly, yeah."

"Yeah, mostly. Me too."

"Any regrets?"

She thought about it. "None."

"Me either."

"So we're okay?"

"We're more than okay, Sam."

"Good."

They talked a while longer about their expectations - they didn't have any - and what they planned to do when they got home - nothing.

For the first time since all the craziness had started she didn't feel pressure. That might have something to do with the device working, but she thought it had more to do with the fact that she'd ironed out all the kinks of the fake-marriage thing with her fake-husband. They'd decided to play it cool and play along but leave the ultimate Earth recognition of an alien marriage to Daniel and Sha're. They wouldn't ask for special consideration - not because they didn't want it, but because they wanted SG-1 more.

It wasn't the first time she'd played second fiddle for a man, but it was the first time she'd ever felt good about it. It was the first time she ever felt like she was getting more than she was giving up. In fact, everything about the relationship she'd formed with Jack felt that way. Who would have thought that her most fulfilling relationship would be the one she never really got to have?

The next morning they approached the gate, four team members - with their weapons back, finally - and lots of equipment.

"Dial 'er up, Daniel," Jack said and she could watch the last remaining tension leak out of his body.

"Well, sir, this is it."

"Yep," he said irreverently.

The event horizon whooshed open and Sam entered the IDC. Daniel and Teal'c went through, Sam maneuvered the FREDs through and then she and Jack climbed the platform.

He stopped her just before she stepped through. "Any last thoughts, Sam?"

"No," she shook her head. "You?"

"Just one," he said. He reached up, palmed the back of her head and pulled her in for a searing kiss. When he released her she felt a little dizzy. "That oughta holds us until the next time we've got to get married, what do you think?"

She grinned at him, "Yes, sir. I think that'll do," and then she stepped through the event horizon without looking back.

THE END!

Final Note: Well folks, that's it! Hope the ending left you all happy enough - I know that's not an easy thing to do considering it's not a "they walked off into the sunset together" sort of ending. But they're happy, so perhaps that's enough.

Lots of thanks to my beta, Fems, for working with me through an over-extending posting process and kicking me into gear when I needed it. This fic wasn't just my labor, I promise you that.

And lastly, thanks to all the folks who have taken the time to read, to drop me a line, and to let me know when I've screwed up somewhere - it's all important and I'm so glad I have you all!