Daniel held the santa hat in his hand, handing it around the room to his friends.

They did secret Santa every year and every year everyone was pleased with their choice. He turned to Shelley, watching as she put her hand inside it. The redhead gave him a little smile, both imagining that she was putting her hand elsewhere. She pulled out a small piece of paper, the smile staying on her face.

Everyone so far had smiled.

Daniel placed the hat under Vala's nose. Putting her hand inside, she pulled out a similar piece of paper, opening it up to look at it. She hadn't the same smile as the others, but something much more mischievous. Everyone suddenly became very nervous.

A day later.

Sam found herself in Shelley's lab, having no clue what to buy her secret Santa for Christmas. Having picked out Daniel's name from the hat, she wanted to ask Shelley for some advice.

She peered around the door, seeing Shelley at her desk, going over some notes. Having come back from Atlantis there were a lot of things she had missed out on and ad to catch up with Luckily her assistant Mindy was an excellent note keeper.

"Hey," Sam said, making Shelley look up. "You busy?"

Shelley shook her head, taking off her glasses and placing them down on the table.

"No, no come in. What's up?"

Sam sat on the empty stool in front of her friend, looking confused.

"I picked Daniel as my secret Santa and can't decide what to get him!"

The redhead smiled. Buying for Daniel was easy. Usually a book or some historical DVD.

"Don't worry. I'll give you a list," she added.

Sam stretched her arms out across the table an eager smile across her face.

"So, who did you get?"

Shelley's smile widened. Feeling lucky that she hadn't picked out Vala's name from the hat, that particular honour going to Mitchell!

"I got you and no I'm not gonna tell you what it is."

The blonde pouted. As a child she could never wait till Christmas day, always wanting to open her present beforehand and always tried to sneak a peek.

"And I'm not leaving it here so you can try and find it."

The two of them laughed together!

"I should get back to work," Sam said.

Shelley nodded.

"You still up for dinner tonight and the annual gift giving."

"Yeah,sure I'll be there. Oh and don't forget to email me that list for Daniel's present."

"I won't. "

Sam smiled at her friend as she left the room. No one knew what Daniel would like, apart from his wife. She just hoped that the rest of the presents would be met with a similar gratidude.

Later that night

They had decided a while ago that it was best to give gifts before Christmas as Mitchell was going away to visit his parents and Sam was spending the holidays with her brother and his family. Daniel and Shelley were also going away. Going to Washington to visit Jack, taking the girls with them! Leaving only Vala and Teal'c at the base! They all felt a little guilty about it, so made an extra special effort.

The living room looked as though a bomb had hit it. Christmas wrapping paper scattered all across the floor. Even Daniel's girls didn't make this much mess on Christmas morning. At times he felt as though he had another kid, Vala. She making the most mess of all! Mitchell had brought her a gift set, comprising of a hair brush, comb plus loads of hair bands and clips, all quite fancy and glittery. Vala used the brush to brush her hair, smiling as she did so.

After the gift giving, they all sat down for coffee, Daniel realising that his wife hadn't received a gift yet. Shelley looked up at him, having worked out who her gift would be from, Vala. She had kept quiet, hoping that they would forget. But they hadn't. Vala held the gift wrapped present in her hand, practically jumping up and down in her chair, eager for Shelley to open it.

"I thought she'd forget," Shelley said to Daniel who was purched on the chair next to her.

Vala stood from her own chair, placing the package in the redhead's hand. Shelley looked down at it. It looked remarkably like a book or something similar and began unwrapping it. Daniel peered over her shoulder, hoping to get a better look. Suddenly Shelley began to feel very nervous. Vala had managed to wrap it the wrong way around and Shelley was looking at the back of a DVD cover. As she turned it over, a feeling of hurt and anger washed over her. The redhead felt Daniel's hand on her shoulder.

"What is it, what is it?" Sam asked, eagerly.

Shelley stood up from her chair, quickly, almost knocking Daniel over. She headed into the bedroom, trying not to get too emotional. Although being pregnant, it was difficult not to.

Daniel took the dvd off the chair, looking at it more closely.

"The Stepford Wives," Daniel whispered under his breath.

He stood up, making his way towards the kitchen, hearing Sam talking behind him.

"Stepford Wives. Do you practice being insensitive or does it just come naturally." Sam said.

"What.....I thought she'd like it. Didn't she?"

Daniel opened the door to his bedroom, seeing Shelley sitting on her side of the bed, staring out of the window. He closed it slowly behind him. She was just sitting their quietly.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Her head nodded, still not saying a word. Daniel sat down on the bed next to her, looking at her. Knowing from experience that his wife had a tendency to bottle things up! Typically O'Neill!

"Why does she think that I'm like that? Those kind of women are everything that I hate. I'm nothing like that, am i?" she asked, finally turning to look at Daniel.

Then he saw them, tears forming in her eyes. Daniel wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I know you're not, we all know you're not. She was just ...."

Shelley pulled away, determination in her eyes.

"I know what she was trying to do. What she's been trying to do for the last few years, to undermine me. Make you realise that you can do better than me!"

Daniel shook his head.

"I know she can be a little.... forward sometimes and a bit abrupt but... I'm sure she didn't do it to hurt you."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Shelley whispered.

There was a different smile on her face, determined and a little devious.

"I'll show her what a Stepford Wife can do!"

tbc......