Written for Wendy at GateWorld for the 2009 Secret Santa. This took me forever to come up with and then longer to get written down on paper, so hope you like :)

Jack sat on the couch staring blankly at the window. There was a perfect view of his pond outside his cabin window, but he couldn't go outside to fish even if the pond wasn't frozen over. Well he could try ice fishing, but after last year Sam had banned him from dragging a chair onto the ice, or dock even, just to fish when the pond was frozen and there weren't even any fish. Of course he had grumbled at first and whined like a child, but Sam had quickly taken his mind off his complaints.

But Sam wasn't there right now, so he sat there quietly, just imagining how he could be fishing in his fishless pond. But of course he wasn't going to defy Sam, no matter how much fun it always seemed to be. The day after Sam had forbidden him from trying ice fishing again, he did. They were running a little low on food so Sam volunteered to go and buy some. So after she'd left he eagerly grabbed a chair and dragged it across the ice. The thought of actually setting the chair on the dock never even crossed his mind for some unknown reason. All Jack knew was that he'd never done this before and he was going to try it.

So he got out every possible item he could use, power drill, saw, even a hammer; basically anything that might cut through the ice. He tired a few different methods and finally succeeded in making a small hole in the ice. Of course, he'd only been sitting for about five minutes when Sam pulled up. Though Jack didn't hear her, so when she waked around the side to go in through the back door she was stunned. There was Jack O'Neill, lounging on the ice with his fishing pole. Doing exactly what she'd told him not to do.

When he finally looked up and saw her glaring little holes into him, he got up and quickly retreated from the ice. And with Jack's luck, the minute he stepped off the ice and onto the dock, the chair fell through.

"Well, guess I don't have the ice fishing gene," Jack thought to himself as he guiltily turned to face Sam. He gave her as sheepish look and she'd then stormed back into the house. She'd made him sleep on the couch for three nights before she finally gave in and let him back into their room. Of course she'd been angry, but she'd never been able to stay mad at Jack O'Neill for very long.

Jack grimaced as he recalled those three nights on the couch. It was comfortable, but not made for laying on it for an entire night, let alone three full ones.

He sighed as the memories passed through him and he soon heard Sam pull up into the drive way. Jack smiled and went outside to help her bring in the bags. But by the time he was halfway across the room Sam was already walking through the door. She shut the door quickly and turned towards Jack with a smile.

"Coming to help?" Sam asked smiling.

"Of course, but it looks like you've got them all," Jack said.

"Christmas lights aren't very heavy Jack," Sam said smirking, "but after all the old ones you blew out I wouldn't be surprised if I got more than we need."

Jack smirked back and just nodded his head. A few days earlier he had ruined every set of Christmas lights they owned. He'd accidentally and unknowingly had them all plugged in and then spilt water on them. There were sparks and smoke everywhere, but no lights.

So on Christmas Eve, Sam ventured out and tried to find a store that was open and that had any lights. She'd obviously found some, and quite a few at that, seeing as the bags looked a bit large.

Jack took one of the two bags from Sam and walked over to the tree in the corner. It had no decorations on it what so ever. Since they didn't have any lights, they wanted to wait to decorate it with everything else they had along with the lights.

"Should we decorate now?" Sam asked as she walked up to Jack and sat down her bag on the floor.

"Well, seeing as tomorrow is Christmas, I'd say yes," Jack said as he pulled Sam into his arms and he imagined how the tree would look this year and the finished product that he and Sam would create.

"What?" Sam asked looking up at him.

"Oh nothing," Jack replied, "just thinking about how the tree's going to look this year."

"Jack…" Sam said pleadingly.

"No way Sam, you promised" Jack said. There was no way he was letting her get out of this deal.

Jack was always whining to Sam about how she decorated the tree like it was some scientific equation. Vice versa, Sam was always complaining about how he haphazardly threw the ornaments where ever his hand was at the moment. So in a moment of genius, Jack suggested that they switch. He would carefully consider where he placed each ornament, if Sam would just have a little fun and not plan everything out to the letter. She had reluctantly agreed to it, but only because of Jack's pleading look. She gave in easily with that look, and Jack knew she would.

"Fine," Sam said as she went into another room to get the ornaments out.

So an hour later, Jack and Sam were quietly staying on their side of the tree. The fireplace was one of the few sources of lights, except for a few darkly shaded lamps. The light form the fire created dancing shadows across the walls and spread warmth all over the room. In the background, a soft blend of Christmas and classical music could be heard playing.

The room had a glow to it and not only from the fire. Sam and Jack were absolutely at peace with each other and didn't feel the need to fill the room with talk. Every once in a while, Sam would catch Jack watching her and he would smile gently. Sam would blush lightly and look away with a smile. She loved how he still had that effect on her.

Finally, they were both done and stepped away to get a full look. Sam held back a gasp, she couldn't believe how beautiful it looked. Knowing that no matter how hard Sam tried, Jack knew that her side would come out looking coordinated, even if it was unconsciously. So he took meticulous care to place the ornaments adjacent with each other and made sure everything looked balanced. Jack wanted Sam's tree to be perfect. So he took care to make sure that she got it.

Jack pulled Sam into his arms as they stood next to the fireplace admiring the tree.

"You like it?" Jack asked.

"It's perfect," Sam whispered.

Jack then pulled Sam on the couch with him and she laid in his arms; admiring the tree, watching the snow drift outside the window, and enjoying the feeling of just being in Jack's arms.

After an hour Jack noticed Sam's breathing had evened out and she'd fallen asleep. With a content sigh he pulled Sam closer and she snuggled closer into his arms with her pillowed on his chest. He lightly pressed a kiss to her forehead and let himself drift off to sleep with Sam.

It was Christmas Eve, he was at the cabin with his beautiful wife, and she was asleep in his arms. What more was there? Life was perfect.