Chapter 92
Two days later, SG 18 went off world for three days. James was on that team. Grace worked in Sam's old lab with Jennifer Hailey who was on SG1, when they weren't off world. Sam kept busy as always with reports, memos, and briefings.
When it was Christmas and New Year, everyone got together at Jack and Sam's place.
Two days after Christmas, James and Grace arrived at Jack and Sam's house in the evening. They walked in and into the den. "Hey, Dad." He turned around.
"Hey Grace, James, what do you have there?" Jack asked as he turned off the TV. James passed him a box just as Sam entered the room.
"Grace, James."
"Hi, Mom, we brought the invitations."
"Really?" Jack opened the box and pulled out one. He looked at it closely.
"I like it."
He opened it up to read the inside, then he turned to Grace just as she and James sat down, "The Broadmoor Hotel?"
"Yes, Dad. We did a lot of research and checked out different places. This is what we want."
"Ok and the guest list?"
"One thousand and forty three guests. The hotel can handle that many and this is the menu for the reception." She passed Sam the two pages. Sam looked at the menus as she sat down next to Jack so he could look at it with her.
"Wow, they look..."
"Expensive," Grace said.
"No, interesting. Don't worry about how much this is going to cost. Ok?"
"Ok, Dad. We even have the cake selected." Jack looked up and raised an eyebrow.
"Cake, what sort?"
"Well there are going to be two chocolate with mint chocolate filling, a classic white with lemon filling, a coconut with raspberry filling, a marble with lemon cream cheese cake filling, a strawberry pink with classic vanilla cheesecake filling. The main cutting cake is going to be classic white with green food coloring in in so it would be green with classic white cheesecake filling. All of them covered in white frosting and green clovers with bride and groom on top"
"How many cakes are there going to be?" Jack had lost count with the number of flavors.
"Eleven, Dad."
"How big?"
"All of them are going to be four inches high. They are all going to be square. Ten of the cakes are eighteen inches and the main cake is going to be twenty four inches."
"Ok, that is a lot of cake. How...?"
"The main cake will be in the middle of a long table, and then the next two will be on like step then the next two. One on each side." Jack tried to imagine the arrangement.
"Sweet." Grace laughed. James and Grace stayed for an hour while going over the wedding details. They left so James could take her back to her apartment before he went home himself. Jack and Sam went to bed soon after.
"Sam when can you get a weekend off?" Sam laughed.
"How about for Valentine's Day?"
"Sounds great to me." The next day, Sam returned to work.
When Sam walked into her office, there were balloons everywhere and a dozen red roses on her desk.
"Walter." Sam called out.
He walked in. "General?"
"Whose idea was this?"
"Jack's, Ma'am. He had some help... Happy birthday, General."
"Thank you, Walter; I have a fair idea who helped, dismissed."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Sam sat down and smiled. "Jack what am I going to do with you?" Then there was a knock on the door.
"Come."
Sam quickly stood. "General Maynard, Sir. I wasn't expecting you until next week." He looked around the room then back to Sam.
"General, what's the meaning of this?"
"My birthday surprise from Jack, Sir."
"You know that these balloons shouldn't be here."
"Try telling Jack that, Sir... is there something I can do for you, Sir?"
"Yes, there is, General."
"Please, take a seat, Sir." He sat, and then Sam sat, moving the roses to one side of the desk. They talked for the next hour before the general was beamed out of Sam's office.
Once he was gone, Sam picked up the phone and dialed. "Hello?"
"Jack O'Neill, what am I going to do with you?"
"So you like my small birthday gift?"
"Yes, thank you... General Maynard showed up just after I walked into my office." Sam waited.
"Oh crap. How did you handle it?"
"I had to explain to him why they were here."
"Oh, so is everything OK?" Sam smiled.
"Yes it is. He came to give me some great news"
"Care to share" Sam thought about it.
"It can wait 'til tonight. I better go and get some work done and get Charlie and Grace to remove these balloons."
"Ok, Sam, see you when you get home."
"Jack, what are you up to?" Sam shook her head then she made some calls before she started doing paper work.
That night when Sam arrived home, Jack was waiting for her. When she saw him, he was wearing black pants, a white shirt, and his black leather jacket.
"Jack why are you...?"
"Go upstairs and get changed, I'm taking you out to dinner."
"Jack." He raised his hand.
"Go, you have ten minutes." Then he lowered his hand. Sam gave him a kiss then walked past him.
Ten minutes later, Sam walked back out into the foyer where Jack was waiting. She was wearing a black knee length dress with jacket to match.
"Sam you look great, as always." A car pulled up outside.
"Shall we?" Jack opened the door and they walked outside to a waiting taxi. Jack closed and locked the door before following Sam into the taxi. Then they rode to the destination.
"Jack, where are you taking me?"
"You will see. How was your day?"
"Good. Teal'c returned from spending time with his family. We talked, he and his friends decided to have their tattoos removed and since Pat does plastic surgery like that, I spoke to the bosses and they agree to have Pat remove it for him."
"That was good of them."
"Yes, it was... oh, he has hair!"
"No way, I'll have to see that to believe it." Sam laughed. They talked until Sam saw where they were heading.
"The Broadmoor Hotel?" she said in shock.
"Why not?" When the taxi stopped, Jack paid the fare before they got out and quickly walked in side where it was warmer.
They walked down to the Penrose dining room. When they walked in Sam was holding on to Jack's arm. A woman walked over to them.
"Good evening. Do you have a reservation?"
"Yes, O'Neill." She smiled.
"Of course. Follow me sir, ma'am." She led them to a large table. Sam smiled when she saw her kids and James there.
"Happy birthday, Mom," Connor said, then the others did just as Jack and Sam sat down. They talked and had a wonderful evening.
After the main course, one of the chefs pushed a cart over to them. When Sam saw what it was, she looked at Jack who was grinning; the cart contained a birthday cake. Their kids sang 'Happy Birthday' to Sam while the chef lit the candles. Sam closed her eyes then opened them. Then she blew out the candles while the kids clapped.
"Thank you, kids. Jack it's a shame that the rest of the family isn't here."
"Next year, Sam."
"I know." The chef sliced cake, put it on to plates, and passed them to each of the ones at the table.
"Thank you," they all said to the chef before starting to eat their dessert.
They walked about different things for the next half hour. Jack and Sam got up to dance, then Grace and James did. Afterward, Jack paid the bill before they all left to head to their own homes. Liam, Leroy, and Connor returned home with Jack and Sam. Sam rewarded Jack that night in bed.
The next few days were busy with it being New Year. Jack did show up at the SGC and saw Teal'c before the operation.
At the end of January, Grace and James had an engagement party. There was finger food since they were having it at night, with plenty of beverages, and a DJ for the ones who wanted to dance. They paid for it themselves. Everyone had a great time and by the time Jack and Sam got home it was after 0200, since they helped Grace and James clean up the hall before leaving. Luckily, Sam didn't need to be at work until ten that morning.
A couple of weeks later, Jack and Sam went to Las Vegas for three days. While there, Jack booked a spa treatment for Sam for the second day. While Sam was enjoying her spa treatment, Jack gambled at three different casinos. He walked away with over a million dollars from each of them.
When they returned home, they had enough to pay for the wedding, have their house in Washington renovated, along with a new roof since it was due to be replaced; and they had almost half a million left to put aside for when they both retired.
A week before the wedding, Grace and James had their hens and buck's night. Every one enjoyed themselves. Grace and the women went to a restaurant in town for dinner then back to Grace's apartment for the fun.
The men went to O'Malley's for dinner and drinks. They all had a great evening. Some of the men went home drunk but luckily, they had arrived at the bar in taxis and not their own cars.
On Monday morning, Sam was needed in Washington, so Jack flew her there in the Ancient ship. When they got to the Pentagon, Jack stayed with the ship while Sam went to see the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Maynard. When she returned an hour later, she was grinning. Once she was on the ship, Jack look at her as she sat down.
"Sam, from the look on your face, I'd say it'd good news."
"It is." Then she pointed to her rank insignia...
"You've been promoted!"
"Yes, I couldn't believe it myself."
"Well then, Major General, let's go home," Jack said grinning.
Twenty minutes later, Sam was in her office when Grace and Charlie ran in.
"Mom, Dad just told us," Charlie said.
"And what did he tell you?"
"You've been promoted, is it true?"
"Yes it is," she said smiling.
"Mom, you deserve that second star."
"Thanks Grace. Now if you two don't mind."
They walked out of the office. Sam had just started reading a memo when she heard, "Can I have everyone's attention...? Brigadier General Samantha Carter is now Major General Samantha Carter. Way to go, General! Congratulations... WOOHOO... that is all," Grace said. Sam grinned.
On Friday, Grace and James were getting last minutes things sorted out. They were pleased that they had the wedding march and practice of wedding vows for the last three weeks, with the minister, before the big day. Grace stayed with Jack and Sam for the night before the wedding. Sam spent a few hours talking with Grace up in her old room.
Author's Notes: Feed back, yes please
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]