"Don't worry, you'll like James, he'll like you too." John said as he drove their rented car ontpo a dirt road as snow begain to fall. John was happy for once. He was with his best friend in the universe, and she had accepted his invitation to visit his younger brother in Flint. Not only that, but also be abel to meet with James and his wife Surylia, a woman who had ties with the SGC, in fact it surprised John that his brother worked for the SGC and Homeworld Security as well. He did not know that James had met his ewife when off world. So two people where from another planet in their family John had mused.
"You may be right John. His wife sounds like one of my own people." Teyla replied watching the snow begin to fall. What was the stuff?
John took another turn as he said. "we're here" He parked the car as the snow began to fall steadliy, it was cold, and both were ready for the weather, but not for the hard sudden snow. "There's James' truck, he's home." The black Ford F450 was parked next to a silver E350 van. John was right, his brother and his wife were home. But then John did not know that Surylia had a drivers licence already. the silver van was hers.
"It looks like a puddlejumper" Teyla remarked seeing the silver van. She was partly right. It had the size of a jumper, but it wasn't a jumper. it had more windows. and was colored silver instead of the metallic brown. and it was gathering white stuff also. The black truck looked ready to fall apart. Or maybe it was gettin g repaired. It was hard to tell.
"Come on, lets go inside, I smell something cooking." John said Teyla threaded her arm through his and let John lead her to the house, they stepped up to the porch and John rang the bell. a minute or so passed before James appeared and opened the door.
"You two must be freezing, come on in, and get this cold wet coats off, weather channel said we're to get a few inches of the wet white stuff." he held the door open for the pair to enter. After a minuteo f looking abouts he took their coats and hung them in the coat room. "Come on in, have a seat." James led them to the living room where a large fireplace was built in the center of the room and was burning brightly. James took a seat.
"I see nothing changed, James" John said.
"Nothing out of the norm other then buying up another thousand acres behind the lake house" James said.
"Thousand acres? Whatever for?" John asked. Then he remembered Teyla, "I forgot, James, meet Teyla, a friend I work with through the SGC." He said introducing Teyla to his brother.
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise I'm sure" James replied. he turned to his brother. "You'll have to ask Surlia that. She had need of the land for something in terms fo training, barracks are being bulit noryhhern end for troops for Homeworld Security. Also goingot be used as a staging grouond for the Cariusis. the new Daedalus class battleship." James explained. Homeworld Security payed fior the land but in my name.
"one thousand acres, a small based in Michigan that is to be top secret. google earth'll find it pretty easy." John said.
Then Teyla spoke up. "What is it that?" She asked watching the snow outside.
"That... is snow. when it falls it is pretty, but it is also dangerous to drive in." James said
"Unless flying. Only our car isn't a jumper." John said
"I have one here, the president requested a few m odels be made for earth use. using one as the base to do the rest from so far so good." James .
"Dinner time" came a voice from the kitchen as Surylia stepped into view, dressed in a dark green and purple dress, her wild black hair was tied back in a dark pink ribbon. "Hello John, good to see you again. You must be Teyla" Surylia said seeing them both. at Teylas nod Surylia smiled. "I hope you enjoy dinner, pot roast meat, and pasta, Darreon style"
Dinner was good, that much was clear. Afterwards they all took part in cleaning up then went backot the table. "It's been a while since we last saw each other John. How are things with the SGC? I haven't been there since june of oh four." james said to John.
"Things are going good I guess, back on earth again, Atlantis flew by the way, got it back home." John said.
"I heard about the sudden tidal wave on san Fran bay, dead fish everywhere, most seafood places went batcrap all over the dead fish on shore to sell and cook.." James said. He noticed Teyla watching the snowfall outside. "It is pretty isn;t it?" he asked her. She nodded. "Have you ever wondered what John and I used to do growing up out there in that exact same snow storm" She looked at him, John looked sheepish.
"Not until now." Teyla replied. James smiled, John shook his head.
"Not this soon after dinner Jame!" He said.
"Oh come on, the snow is perfect, its also still daylight out too, wont be more then a few minutes, we gotta have some fun, after all, wasn't it an old wise man who once said. "you only live life once, so live it as best as you can"." James said, making John remember their father. the old man was one of those you would just love to hear stories from.
"OK, lets have some fun.... no traps". John said giving James a hard look.
"No traps" James agreed, John found out the hard way of how his brother was getting a good edge in the snowball fights, he set traps, which is why the hunting trips they both went on made them learn more things then ever, even to surviving a snowball fight. They all went outside, the first trap went off which Surylia had set up. catching both John and James clear in the chest. Teyla and Surylia both broke down laughing as both men went down into the snow.
"John?" Teyla spoke up
"Send for a St Bernard Dog I'm snowbound!" John said poking his head up from the snow like a bush of some kind.
"Lookout below!" James cried out as a snowshovel full of snow launched its load. John laid flat on the ground as trh snow sailed over him and james and hit Teyla and Surylia.
"Uhmmmm......" John said seeing both women soaked in snow. "James, do you think we're in trouble?"
"I'd think so....." James said seeing his glowering wife, and the slightly put out Teyla, but what scared him more was Surylia showing Teyla how ot make a slushball. "uh.... John... I think we should get some ammo"
"Indeed" John replied grabbing a handful of wet snow, not even bothering to form it into a ball before chucking at the two laides only having it explode in the air as Teyla's shot connected squarely with it. "This isn't good!" John yelled. as he and his brother began to get pelted with snowballs.
"I agree' James replied.
"I thought we agreed no traps?" John asked
"We did, but I already had them set up...." James said.
"Cheater" John replied before getting hit in the shoulder with a snowball. "wha?" He made the mistake of turning to see Teyla right next to him, expecting to get hit face first with a snowball. She grabbed him and kissed him. When they pulled away, John had a confused look on his face. "What was that for?"
"Thanks"
"For what?"
"Bringing me with you here."
"oh... well... your welcome then." John then held out a handful of snow. "Hold this" When Teyla took it John asked her. "Do you know what this is that I just gave you?"
Teyla looked at the snow in her hand, even with the snow falling lightly rather then heavy as it had been, She smiled. "So this is snow. Isn't it?" John nodded and hugged her, Surylia and James stood nearby also hugging each other.
"You know, I remember our first snowball fight when we were boys." James said bringing John and Teyla back to relaity. "It was at school remember? the bullys wouldn't leave us alone, and Lau got mad and threw a snow ball at the lead bully, who then decleared war."
"We barely won that with our clothes intact." John said remembering that snowball fight, "a few teachers took part in that too didn't they?" James nodded, the two brothers then hooked their arms with their ladies and started on a walk in the winter wonderland of Flint.
As they walked, James spoke up. "I hear Bronners has a good christmas lights display at Frankenmuthe, what say we go?" John aggreed, as did Teyla, then all four of them, siblings and friends alike, went on a good night at Frakenmuthe,.
The End
Merry Christmas