A/N: I know, this has been done over and over again, but I figured, why not? This one is based on Christmas, with a hint of romance between Jack and Sam (because they should be together, dang it!). Anyway, this can be a one-shot or I can maybe work on a short series of them, depending on response. DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stargate SG1, I just like playing with them for my own amusement and to shamelessly beg for attention.
"Well, this sucks," Jack announced, throwing a piece of wood into the fire. They had been stranded there for two days and, from the grunts of frustration coming from beneath the DHD, it seemed like a third day was in store. Normally, he wouldn't care too much about being stuck on a nice, beach-side mission with a quiet forest around them and no Goa'uld or crazed locals trying to kill them. But tomorrow was Christmas and he had…Well, frankly he had nothing back home. No family, no wife or… not even a dog to get back to. The only thing waiting on him was beer and a good bottle of scotch for when the beer ran out. Petulance giving way to sullenness, he fell quiet and just stared into the fire while Daniel finished making some coffee and Teal'c stood a few feet away, on guard.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I can barely see what I'm doing in the dark. I promise to figure it out tomorrow, though. I'm almost there, I think. I just need some light and maybe a naquada generator." Sam said, joining them by the fire a few minutes later.
"Maybe we can ask Santa for it, Carter." Jack growled darkly, "Not that it matters now, anyway. It's too late." He saw her wince in guilt and he sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry. I know you're doing your best."
"Yes, Sir," she muttered, the apology not quite enough to soothe her.
"I'm just going to hit the hay. Teal'c, finish the first shift, then me, then Daniel, then Carter," he grunted and climbed into the nearest tent. Sam took his seat as he left, depressed and kicking herself for not figuring out why they couldn't get the gate working.
"Don't take it personally, Sam. You know how hard this time of year is one him, especially because of Charlie and Sara," Daniel offered and she nodded. She didn't bother pointing out that he was just as alone as the Colonel, what with no parents, no grandfather, and no Sha're now. No sense in spreading the lousy feelings.
"I know," she just sighed, then shook her head. "I think I'm going to just go ahead and get some sleep, too. Maybe I can figure out the gate in the morning." And with that, she climbed into the second tent. Daniel watched her go, hating the somber mood that had fallen over the small camp. It was true, he and Jack were alone during the holidays, and while Sam and Teal'c had families, it wasn't like they got to see them much. But, there was more to family than just blood, and he wondered if there was some way of showing them that…
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It was amazing how, even with their crazy hours on different worlds, Sam could always wake in time for her shift without an alarm or wake-up call. Pulling her boots and jacket on she crept out of the tent, being careful not to disturb Teal'c's kel-no-reeming. Stretching lightly beside the tent and hoping Daniel had some coffee brewing for her, she frowned at what she saw.
A few feet away from the fire, Daniel was carefully placing a few glow-sticks on a small tree. Sitting below were odd-shaped bundles, wrapped in two of his spare bandanas. As he made eye contact with her, they both grinned and she hurried over to join him.
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Jack sighed as he woke up, the memory of what day it was threatening to sink him further into the previous night's funk. The idea of remaining in the tent and brooding until Carter had fixed the gate was appealing, but his duty to his team was stronger. It wouldn't do for the leader of the group to hide in a tent, alone and surly. Sure, he was missing Christmas, but really- it was just another stinking day, right? He just needed to get through it and move on. Shaking his head, he dragged himself from the tent… and froze.
"Merry Christmas!" Sam and Daniel cried, then looked at a stoic, confused Jaffa.
"I still do not understand this holiday, Daniel Jackson. If this is the celebration of your god's son's birth, do the Tauri not say 'Happy Birthday'?" he asked and Daniel sighed.
"Just say it, Teal'c. I'll explain later." Daniel hissed and the Jaffa nodded.
"Very well. Merry Christmas, O'Neill."
They stood there, waiting for the Colonel's reaction, unsure of how he was going to take their attempt at holiday cheer. Jack's eyes took in the scene around him: the small tree, decorated haphazardly with glow sticks, different colored wire (no doubt Sam's contribution), and what looked like seaweed from the nearby ocean. Situated below the branches were several "presents" wrapped in bandanas, spare computer paper, and what suspiciously looked like a pair of pants. Even the tents had been decorated with paper chains stretching around and between them and paper-snowflakes taped to the fronts. Blinking at the waiting trio, Jack silently turned and dived back into his tent. Daniel and Sam looked at each other, let down by his apparent aversion to the efforts, but brightened when two minutes later Jack reemerged with three bundles of his own.
"Let's get this shindig started!" Jack crowed and they all grinned… well, the humans grinned while Teal'c raised an eyebrow.
Placing his gifts with the others, Jack sat down by the fire and they started their impromptu Christmas breakfast (which, okay, was just MRE's again, but this time it was with Christmas spirit!).
"So, whose idea was this?" he asked, sipping a cup of coffee and looking around.
"Daniel's, Sir," Sam replied, "When I came out for my shift, he had already started the tree and everything, so I joined in. Teal'c heard us, I guess, and came out a while later to help."
"Well, I don't know how the budget committee would feel about us using wire and paper this way, but you guys did a great job with what you had," Jack said and they beamed at the praise. "So, when do we get to open presents?"
"After breakfast, Sir," Sam replied, sounding more like his mother than his second-in-command.
"Aw, c'mon! I want to open them now!" he whined but she shook her head.
"Not until you finish your breakfast," she said firmly and he rolled his eyes at Daniel, who grinned at the two's banter as Jack began wolfing down his food.
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"Alright, we've got one for Carter, one for Daniel, one for Teal'c, and one for me," Jack said a while later, playing Santa and handing out gifts to everyone. The next couple of minutes were filled with presents being unwrapped (and Teal'c returning a pair of Jack's boxers, which he had used to wrap his present), and their reactions to what they had received.
"Sam? How did you get a pair of my glasses?" Daniel asked, gratefully replacing the cracked and scratched ones he was wearing with the new pair.
"I got Janet to give me a spare set when she last placed an order for them. I keep them in my backpack just in case you ever need them. When the Colonel accidentally stepped on them yesterday, I meant to give them to you, but forgot." Sam explained. Leaning over, he kissed her cheek in thanks.
"Better not do that when you open my gift, Danny-boy," Jack muttered and Daniel shot him an amused glare. "What did you get, Carter?"
"Sunblock from Teal'c," she replied. "I ran out yesterday, so this is great. Thank you!"
"You are most welcome, Major Carter." The Jaffa nodded.
"What about you, Sir?" Sam asked and Jack held up his gift. It was a small, oddly shaped bauble made of wires and tinfoil.
"I'm not really sure, honestly," he replied, staring at the strange contraption.
"Oh! That's from me!" she said excitedly. "It's a fishing lure!" Looking back at the bauble, Jack could see the makeshift hook and the way the light glinted off of it. In fact, it would probably work better than some of his store-bought ones.
"That's actually pretty good, Carter. Thanks, " he said approvingly and she smiled back at him. Finally, they turned to Teal'c, who was inspecting a pair of socks, and Jack coughed. "Those are from me. Sorry, but you're hard to buy for even at home, but especially here without any stores." Jack admitted but the Jaffa nodded gratefully anyway.
"They will be used well, O'Neill." He replied.
The next round of presents found Daniel with a small bag of his favorite coffee (courtesy of Jack, who always kept it as a precaution for when they ran out), Sam with a bag of M&M's ("They don't melt and they're chocolate!" Daniel pointed out proudly), Teal'c with another pair of socks ("The Colonel kind of beat me to it," Sam muttered), and Jack with a rubber ball that looked suspiciously like the one that had disappeared the day before (weird how Teal'c made no comment about where he had "found" it...).
Finally, the last round of presents went around and they all sat back, pleased at what they had received. For Teal'c, Daniel had given him a book about Greek mythological gods and goddesses ("Sorry, Teal'c, but at least it isn't socks again. Just think of it as a fiction novel."), and Daniel received a spare boonie hat from the Jaffa (he had forgotten his at home and his sunburned nose was paying the price, so it was a welcomed gift). Jack could have almost kissed Daniel when the archaeologist pulled a stick with some string from behind the tents, having made him a fishing pole ("Just don't eat anything that you catch, Sir!" Sam had warned, much to his chagrin). Lastly, Sam sat looking at a well-worn, razor sharp Swiss Army knife.
"Uh, that's from me, Carter," Jack said quietly beside her. At her questioning gaze, he sighed, "Charlie was big into some TV show where the main guy had one of those. He saved up his money to buy one and then he gave it to me. He said I had to have it because then I could use it like the guy on TV, and I would always be able to get out of trouble."
"Sir, I… I can't take this…" Sam said, realizing how important the item was to him. She tried to hand it back, but Jack shook his head.
"Take it. It's a gift and it is rude to refuse it, " he said, trying for levity but it fell flat as she continued holding the knife out to him. "Please, Sam. I want you to have it." The use of her first name and the deep timbre of his voice using it made her nod and put it in her top pocket where it would be safe. She couldn't help but feel a few tears fill her eyes as she looked at him, but then an awkward cough interrupted her thoughts and she looked over.
"Merry Christmas, guys," Daniel said, toasting with his coffee cup, and the others joined him.
"Merry Christmas, guys."
"Merry Christmas, kids."
"Happy Birthday."
"Teal'c! No, that….ugh…."
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A/N: I warned you, didn't I? Pure fluff, with a *hint* of romance. I know, I know- this has been done to death, but I needed to post something and I thought you guys might like it. I was thinking of doing more, as time allows, and include different holidays. But, a lot depends on how many likes and reviews I get on it. Feed my muse, please! Thanks guys!