For LAIsobel. :) Hope today is a better day!

"Where are the guys?" Sam asked, looking up as Jack joined her on the back porch.

He handed her a beer and sat down in the deck chair next to her. "On a hike."

Sam took a sip and frowned, "On a hike?"

"Yeah. I told 'em I was going to propose to you and suggested they take a hike."

If there was one thing Sam hated it was the dreadful feeling of inhaling beer. But that was exactly what she did. She followed it up by spewing beer and coughing till her eyes teared up. She felt a firm hand thumping her on the back.

"Easy, Carter!" Jack urged. "Breathe."

"Sorry, sir." She said hoarsely, sitting back up and trying to stop coughing.

Once she seemed to be a bit calmer, Jack sat back and took another swig of his own beer, putting his feet up on the rail in front of them. Well, that hadn't gone the way he'd expected. Sure, he'd figured she'd be stunned, but choking on her beer hadn't entered his mind. So he tried to restore the previous companionable atmosphere. "How 'bout that sunset, eh Carter?"

Sam wiped the tears from her eyes and cast a confused glance at the General, then a bewildered glance at the sunset. "Sir?"

"The sunset." He waved his bottle. "Best one yet."

"It is beautiful." She agreed hesitantly. Her mind was reeling. Had he meant to say what he'd said? Or had it been merely a careless joke? He seemed to have moved on and not at all concerned, so she was assuming he had just been joking. She looked at her beer bottle, trying to decide if it was safe to take another sip.

"I'm thinking Washington is quite a ways from Area 51."

Sam was more than a lot confused. "It's about 2,500 miles, sir."

"Like I say, long trip." He thought for a moment, "Vegas is pretty close to Nellis though."

"Yes." Sam acknowledged.

"Teal'c's never been to Vegas."

Sam raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure that's wise, sir? Teal'c might…well he might fit in a little too well there."

Jack smiled, "Interesting thought, isn't it? I told him I'm not going to see Wayne Newton with him no matter what."

"You planning a vacation?"

"Yes actually. Before we all high-tail it to the four corners of the Earth….or the universe as the case may be."

"I thought that was what we were doing right now." She motioned her hand around the peaceful setting around his cabin.

He nodded, "Yes, and it's been great. But, well, there's something about Vegas."

She was starting to think he'd lost his mind.

"Hand me the tackle box, will ya?" He asked suddenly, reaching for his rod.

Sam grabbed it and held it out to him.

He was messing with the fishing line. "Hunt in there for a new lure, this one's had it. Still time for some more fishing."

"Yes, sir." She nodded. Even after knowing the man for 8 some years he never ceased to confuse her with his random thinking patterns. She rifled through the box, pulling out lure after lure that he kept refusing.

"Nope." Jack shook his head at the bright yellow spoon lure she offered. He could tell she was confused. He loved it when he could throw her off the trail and catch her off guard.

"Is there something in particular you want, sir?" She asked, a trifle irritated.

"Something shiny…no sparkly. I'm hunting for the prize tonight."

Sam frowned as he stared at her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher. So she dug through the tackle box once more. Nearly impaling her finger on a loose hook, she saw a silvery glitter from the bottom left corner. Grabbing, she brought it out into the dying light of the sun. And promptly found herself completely and totally incapable of thought or movement.

A brilliant diamond solitaire in a beautiful silver setting glittered between her fingers.

"Ah, there it is." Jack's voice broke into her foggy mind. "That's the one I was looking for. I'm hoping it's the right lure."

Sam tore her eyes from the ring and stared at him. Was he serious? Was this for real? Their relationship had gone through so many incarnations during their years at the SGC that she was honestly not sure where it stood now. There had been a time when she had honestly been prepared to leave the Air Force if he asked her. Then she got to the point where she was completely content with the way things were and their relationship had balanced out. Then Pete had come along and the balance had been thrown off again. Now, with Pete gone, the General on his way to D.C. and the threat of the Goa'uld eliminated, Sam wasn't sure where they stood.

Jack met her confused eyes. He wished he could read her mind. There was certainly a lot going on in it right then. He had completely thrown her off her guard. They had never once talked about this potential outcome. He had been content to have her as his second in command and partner all these years, knowing that something more was not likely. And they'd forged a close friendship because of it. But now, now that everything was changing so dramatically, he had seen a different outcome. And he couldn't imagine not having her by his side. Even if it was going to be a long distance relationship. Now, he was just crossing his fingers that this was what she wanted as well.

Sam finally found her voice, "Sir…I don't know…what do, I mean, is this for real? What is this?"

"I believe it is concentrated carbon, Carter."

Sam was so at a loss that she didn't even rise to the bait. "But is it for real?"

"It sure better be, or my best man is going to be dead. He helped me pick it out and agreed with the guy who sold it to me that it was genuine."

"Sir!" Sam shouted, finally having had enough. She waved the diamond in front of his face, "Are you asking me to marry you?"

Jack looked confused. "Isn't that what I said when I first came out here? I sent Daniel and Teal'c away so I could propose to you."

Sam gasped. He was serious.

He gently took the ring from her hand and nodded, "Carter, I am asking you to marry me. Thought we'd fly to Vegas in the morning."

Sam's eyes widened.

"So?" He asked, holding the ring over her left hand, "Did I pick the right lure?"

Sam's brain and heart finally caught up with each other and she smiled widely, then kissed him. He slid the ring on her finger.

Grinning, he asked, "I take it I got the right one?"

"Yeahsureyabetcha!"