Author's note: Umm…yeah, I'm pretending the whole 24 hours wait thing to go to Atlantis doesn't exist for this fic…Oh, and yes...this my first attempt at an Atlantis fic... :s
This fic is written for my Secret Santa recipient, Amy…gater62. Also known as my wonderful Beta, so all mistakes are mine! Thank you Amy for all your help this year, it was great to give you my Secret Santa gift! Thanks!
Summary: Sam gets two surprises in Atlantis at Christmas. She was expecting neither. S/J established. Christmas fic.
Title: Christmas in Atlantis
Author: Kat Spencer
S/J established
Colonel Samantha Carter sighed in disbelief as she looked into the box. She wondered if her husband knew her at all. She pulled out the offensive garment and sighed again. It was revolting. The sweater was red, she could have lived with a red sweater, but no, it wasn't just red. It pictured a Santa and a Rudolph standing in the snow, smiling. When turned 'on' the nose of the famous reindeer would blink. Oh yeah, it was also a size too big.
The box had been sent with needed supplies about five days ago, but Sam had only just now gotten around to opening it, her duties never stopped in the city. She wished she had left it unopened. Though, today was the 24th so now was as good as time as any.
Jack could have sent her a million things in this box, and he chooses a hideous red sweater with Santa and Rudolph. She frowned as she threw the offensive sweater back into the box. The card was even non-personal. Another damn Rudolph and a Merry Christmas! Love, Jack. Written on the inside of the card. She looked again at the box. Maybe there had been some mistake. She hoped that was the case.
Sam usually loved the holidays, though this one left a lot to be desired. She smiled as she remembered her last two Christmases. They had both been spent with Jack. Their first Christmas together was held two days after the 25th, the only time they could both find time off. Their second was actually a two day span! She smiled. Christmas Eve and Christmas day of last year were two of the best days, ever.
Hands down.
Both Christmases were spent at the cabin. The cabin had become their little getaway, their little love nest. Their-
"Hey, Sam, General O'Neill for you," Dr. Rodney McKay broke through her thoughts. Speak of the devil.
"I'd like to take it in here, if it's alright," Sam smiled.
"Yeah, sure," Rodney said as he still stood in her office.
"McKay!" Sam said sharply.
"Oh, right, going, going."
"Hey, there, General," Sam said as she booted up the correct program.
"Hey, there, Carter. How are things in Atlantis?"
"Going good," she told him. Except for that hideous sweater you sent me. She thought.
"Good, good. So, did you get my Christmas gift?" he asked smiling.
"Yeah, Jack…about that…it's-it's just not my style."
Jack's face fell. She almost felt bad, almost. "What are you talking about? I thought you'd love it! I think it will look great on you, if you try it on I swear you'll love it!" Jack told her.
"Jack…it's an ugly sweater with Rudolf on it, his nose glows, for cryin' out loud!"
"Wait…what? Oh, crap…that means. Great. Oh, Sam, I'm sorry, I'll have to explain everything another time. I have a lunch with some people."
"Who?" she asked.
"You know…important people, the president is going to be there, we'll talk later. Remind me, I have a really important call to make okay?"
Sam's forehead wrinkled ala Daniel. Then her eyebrow raised ala Teal'c. "Jack?"
"Can't explain, gotta go, Mrs. Murphy is going to kill me if I'm not out of this office in three seconds. Love you," he whispered the last part.
"Love you too, Jack," Sam smiled.
And like that, he was gone. Sam sighed.
SJSJSJSJSJSJSJS
"Colonel, our next shipment is due within the hour," John Sheppard let Sam know as she emerged from her office 42 minutes later.
"I'm just hoping they just send the coffee this time. Last week wasn't pretty," Rodney told them.
"You're telling me," John spoke up.
Sam smiled. She knew the Atlantis team would never be like SG-1. Nor would she ever be Elizabeth Weir. Not that she would ever try to replace her. That would be impossible, even if she wanted to. Over the last few months she had done that exact thing, been their leader, but not a replacement.
"Well, you can find out when you get back. You four leave out in 20 minutes."
"Yeah, we should be going, Rodney," Sheppard told him as they left Sam standing alone.
Sam found herself fifty minutes later, standing alone on the deck, looking out onto the ocean. They had been here for several months and she was still in awe of the beauty. She wished Jack could see it.
"Colonel Carter, our shipment is here," Chuck told her as he broke her reverie.
"Oh, thank you, Chuck…I'll be there in a bit."
"Oh…ahh, okay," Chuck told her as he left her alone on the deck.
SJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJ
"Wow, it's beautiful out here," Sam recognized his voice.
She turned to see her husband standing on the deck.
"Jack!" She let out. She wanted to rush at him, but she didn't, she remained professional.
"Hey, Sam, how are you?" he asked.
Four steps and she was in his personal space, they hugged close.
"I've missed you, Jack."
"I've missed you too, Sam. You smell good," he told her, smelling her hair.
She laughed. "Thank you…so your lunch?" she asked.
"Is your dinner…and I told you it was some important people…"
"The president?"
"He's here, finally wanted a walk through…he asked if I wanted to tag along."
"And you did, that's sweet. I guess I should go and greet him…"
"Yes, but hey, about that gift…that one wasn't meant for you. It was meant for my aunt, you know, Eleanor, she loves stuff like that-"
"So…that means…she got?"
"Your gift."
"Which was?" Sam asked.
"Ahh, well…something with a lot less material…though, it was red…with some fluffy white trim stuff…"
"Did it have a hat?"
"A Santa hat."
"You wanted me to be a naughty…what? Mrs. Claus?"
"Yeah, that was the plan…so as soon as I get back…"
"You have to call Eleanor."
"Yeah, she won't open it until tomorrow…this is embarrassing," he told her.
"At least you didn't intend to send me that hideous sweater. How long have you been planning this trip?
"You know, a few weeks, actually. It just seemed that Christmas Eve was the best day for us both. We'll be going tomorrow about 11AM."
"That's a great surprise, Jack…so should we get to the commissary?"
"Yes…that sounds good."
SJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJS
After lunch/dinner and showing the president around Atlantis, Sam and Jack found their way to her quarters. The president had been given quarters. Though, at the moment he was being briefed from earth.
"So…this is it? It's nice in here," Jack told her.
"You like it?" she asked.
"Yes, I do."
"What's wrong?"
"I just thought things would be different by now…but you're here, I'm on earth…I just, I don't know."
"You were one of the people who recommended me."
"I know and I would have never wanted you to say no. It's a great move for you, you're commanding Atlantis, it's just I just expected us to be in a different place."
"Better?" Sam asked as they sat on her bed.
"Well, it would be better if we were on the same planet, so, yeah. Better. I'd be retired; you'd be at the SGC…"
"What else do we have in this little dream life of yours?"
"A house, kids, a dog…we need a do need a dog...a cat…but most of all I have you, at home. With me."
"Where I belong…with you. I miss you, Jack."
"I miss you, but let's just forget all the things we want in life and embrace what we do…and hey, look, I found this in some lab we walked through," he told her as he reached into his pocket, he pulled out a sprig of fake mistletoe. He held it up for her to see and Sam laughed.
"Jack."
"What? It's Christmas."
"Yeah, and we really don't need that skimpy outfit to have fun," she told him.
"But it woulda been sweet," Jack said as he leaned over and kissed his wife.
"Hey, I almost forgot something else," Jack told her as they pulled apart. He reached into his breast pocket. He pulled out his gold wedding band and slipped it on his finger.
Sam smiled. She reached up and pulled her dog tags over her head. Her wedding and engagement rings rested there until she was alone in her quarters at night. It wasn't something they necessarily had to hide, but they didn't want to broadcast it either.
She slipped her rings on her finger and smiled at them and kissed Jack again.
"You know when this day started I thought this was going to be one of the loneliest Christmases. But now…"
"Now it will be a very, very, merry Christmas…" Jack smiled.
"Yes," Sam smiled as she pushed Jack back on her bed.
She giggled as kissed him.
"I'm glad we get to do this," he told her.
Her eyebrows rose.
"No, I don't mean this," he said as he motioned between them, "I mean spend the holiday together, it's nice," he continued.
"Really?"
"Of course, and not that 'this' isn't good…because it's fantastic," he told her as she laughed again and kissed her husband.
"Merry Christmas, Jack."
"Merry Christmas, Sam."
The End!