Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are not my property. No copyright infringement is intended.
Flashbacks are in italics.
Sam carefully climbed the snow-covered steps of her front porch and shivered as she put the key in the lock, pushed open the door and stepped inside. As she turned to close the door, a blast of cold air hit her in the face. Quickly closing the door and locking it, she breathed deeply as she placed her purse and keys on a small hallway table. Taking off her gloves, she threw them on top of her purse. After quickly unbuttoning her coat and slipping it off, she hung it in the closet.
Stopping in the hallway, she turned up the thermostat to warm the house.
Glancing at the kitchen clock, she saw that it was a few minutes past midnight, making it officially Christmas morning.
Going into the bedroom, she turned on the bedside lamp, took off her shoes and undressed. After changing into her pajamas, she got into bed and turned off the lamp, thinking how good it felt to be back on Earth and in her own home.
As she snuggled under the covers and found a comfortable position, she thought back over the last few days.
General Hammond had sent SG-1 on a mission to an unexplored planet. She hoped it would not take long so they would be back on Earth before Christmas Eve. But as luck would have it, the people had been wary of the strangers who had arrived from another world and had put the team behind bars.
Sitting on the cold floor with her legs bent and arms wrapped around her knees, she caught the Colonel staring at her but he quickly looked away. She had noticed him doing that several times since her engagement to Pete. Leaning back against the wall, she stretched out her legs.
After sitting awhile, Daniel stood up, walked around in circles for a few minutes and stretched his arms over his head, then sat down beside her.
"What are you and Pete doing for Christmas?"
"We're spending Christmas with his family" she answered as she glanced at the Colonel. He stared straight ahead as if trying not to listen to her plans for the holiday.
"What are you doing, Jack?"
"Going to my cabin like I always do. Want to come with?"
Daniel grinned. "Sure. It'd be good to get away for a few days."
Jack turned to Teal'c. "How about it, big guy? It'll be just us boys. We can play Monopoly, have snowball fights, make snowmen, drink hot chocolate and go caroling."
She started to laugh.
Jack didn't crack a grin. "What's so funny?"
"I can't imagine the three of you doing all those things, sir, especially the caroling."
"I have you know, I have a great singing voice, Carter."
Daniel grinned. "Oh yeah? Let's hear it."
Jack glanced at the guard standing outside their cell, set up straighter and took a deep breath as she, Daniel and Teal'c stared at their leader.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way" Jack began to sing and waved his hand for them to join in.
Teal'c raised his eyebrow as Sam glanced at Daniel and they both began to sing along.
"Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh."
Jack motioned to keep going so they continued as the guard slowly turned his head and stared at the singing trio.
"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh, o'er the fields we go, laughing all the way, bells on bob tails ring, making spirits bright, what fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight."
They grinned at each other as they sang the chorus once more and as they finished the song, they applauded themselves.
Daniel laughed and shook his head. "Never in my life would I have imagined SG-1 would be singing a Christmas song while sitting in a cell on another planet."
She chuckled. "Neither would I."
No one said a word for a few moments until she looked at her CO. "You do have a great singing voice, sir."
Jack smiled. "Thanks. See what you'll be missing by not coming with us?"
"Yes, sir. I wish I could go with you, sir."
She could feel tears start to sting her eyes as she realized she would much rather spend Christmas with Jack at his cabin than be with Pete for Christmas. She quickly blinked back the tears before anyone noticed.
Everyone sat lost in their own thoughts until Teal'c spoke.
"O'Neill, what is 'bells on bob tails?'"
She looked at Jack and grinned.
"Well, it refers to the bob tail of a horse with bells tied to it."
Teal'c thought for a moment. "Why would anyone tie bells to the tail of a domesticated equine?"
Jack looked at her and Daniel. She put her hand over her mouth, trying so hard not to giggle. Daniel didn't even try to hide his grin and burst out laughing.
Teal'c turned his head and stared at Daniel. "I do not see the humor of this question."
Jack waved his hand through the air. "It's just . . . well, if you tie a bell to a horse's tail, if it wanders away from you, then you can find it."
"A horse is a large animal, O'Neill. Could you not find it without a bell attached to its tail?"
Jack glared at Teal'c. "It's just the words of the song, for cryin' out loud! I don't know!"
By this time, she and Daniel were leaning against each other laughing.
Jack crossed his arms and stared at her and Daniel. "Okay, you two. It isn't that funny."
Daniel nodded his head. "Yes it is, when you think about it. Why would anyone do that to a poor defenseless horse and why would they put it in a song?"
Jack rolled his eyes. "How the heck should I know, Daniel? I didn't write the stupid song."
She put her hands to her chest and laughed harder.
A few minutes passed and Teal'c asked another question.
"O'Neill, is hot chocolate the drink we enjoyed during the last celebration of this holiday?"
Jack nodded his head. "It certainly is."
She sighed. "It's really good with marshmallows."
Daniel rubbed his stomach. "You're making me hungry, Sam."
Jack grinned. "So, how about it, Teal'c? Want to join me and Danny on our trip to the great frozen north?"
Teal'c tipped his head. "I will accompany you, O'Neill."
Jack slapped his hands together. "Excellent."
Early the next morning, the team finally got a break. A man guarding the cell unlocked the door to allow a woman to enter to bring them food and water. The Colonel nodded his head, giving Teal'c a silent signal. Teal'c lunged for the guard and easily overpowered him. They locked the guard and woman in the cell, found their way out a side door and ran to the stargate. Just as Daniel finished dialing Earth's address on the DHD, they heard yelling and looked back to see men running toward them.
"Go!" Jack yelled as he made sure all members of his team entered the event horizon before stepping through himself.
After a short visit to the infirmary and debriefing with Hammond, the General sent them on their way, telling them to take five days off and enjoy Christmas.
The team went to the locker room to change clothes.
Daniel put on his jacket as he turned to her. "I wish you were coming with us, Sam."
"Me too, Daniel, but I promised Pete."
She glanced at all three men. "I thought we'd be back in time before Christmas so I could give you your presents, but I guess we'll have to wait."
Daniel grinned. "That's okay, Sam. We'll open presents later when we're all together ."
She started to reach for her coat but suddenly stopped. Walking quickly across the floor she put her arms around him.
"Merry Christmas, Daniel."
He returned the hug with a smile. "Merry Christmas, Sam."
She stepped back and looked at Teal'c as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Merry Christmas, Teal'c."
A slight grin came to Teal'c's face as Sam let go. "Merry Christmas, Samantha."
She turned to Jack and saw sadness in his eyes as she walked toward him. Hesitating for a moment, she placed her arms around his neck. "Merry Christmas, sir."
Closing her eyes, she held back the tears as Jack put his arms around her, gave her a warm hug and whispered in her ear "Merry Christmas, Sam. I'll miss you."
She held on a few seconds more, wishing she could hug him longer.
Her teammates stared at her as she put on her coat, grabbed her purse, closed her locker and walked out the door.
After getting in her car, she placed a call to Pete to let him know she was back on Earth. They chatted briefly and he told her he would pick her up at 7:00 Christmas morning.
Turning over on her side, she stared into the darkness, realizing she would have to be up soon to pack what she would need for the trip to visit Pete's parents.
Her last thoughts were of hugging Jack. Being held in his arms had felt like the most natural place for her to be. She tried not to cry and closed her eyes.
~oOo~
Sam felt cold air as she raised up in bed, squinted her eyes and looked closely toward the door of her bedroom, seeing what looked like an apparition.
She rubbed her eyes. "What the heck is that?"
"Do not be afraid, Samantha."
Sam's instincts took over as she jumped out of bed, looking around for something to use as a weapon.
"Who are you?"
"I am the ghost of Christmas past."
Sam stared at the ghost for a few moments before speaking. "So, I'm the female version of Ebenezer Scrooge?"
The ghost spoke softly. "No, you are not."
"What do you want?"
The ghost seemed to glide across the floor and stood a few feet from her. "It isn't what I want. The question is, what do you want?"
Sam frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"You are not happy, Samantha."
"Who are you and who put you up to scaring the living daylights out of me on Christmas?"
"You put yourself up to this. I am just here to reflect on your past."
Sam smirked. "Sure you are."
The ghost held out its hand. "Come."
Sam took a step back. "Go away. I'm not coming anywhere with you."
"You have no choice."
In the blink of an eye, she was suddenly in a house that she remembered living in when she was about eight years old.
"What am I doing here?"
The ghost pointed. "Observe."
She heard voices and saw a young version of herself enter the living room. Behind her was Mark.
"Mom, when are we going to decorate the tree?" young Sam yelled.
Sam gasped as a pretty woman came around the corner. "Mom" she whispered as she watched. Tears filled her eyes as she put her hands to her chest.
Sam's Mom smiled. "Now is a good time as any, honey, and Mark can help."
"I'm too old to decorate trees" Mark protested.
"Let's wait until Daddy gets home" Sam suggested.
Her Mom hesitated a moment before speaking. "I just got off the phone with your Dad. I'm sorry to tell you that he will have to work on Christmas."
"Again!" Mark shouted. "He promised he'd be here! He missed Christmas last year!"
Sam's Mom put her hand on Mark's arm. "I know you're disappointed, but you know he has to follow orders. He really wanted to be here. He loves you both very much."
Mark glared at his Mom. "No, he doesn't! If he did, he'd be here!"
Mark stormed off down the hall and they heard his bedroom door slam.
Young Sam looked up at her Mom as tears filled her eyes. "I miss Daddy. I want him to come home. I want him here to help decorate the tree and give out presents on Christmas morning."
Sam's Mom knelt in front of her and hugged her. "I know, sweetheart. I miss him too."
Tears spilled down Sam's cheeks as she watched this event that happened so long ago.
The ghost spoke from behind her. "Your Father was absent many Christmases."
Sam nodded her head.
The scene suddenly changed and she remembered this house all too well.
"Oh, no. Please, I don't want to be here."
Sam could see herself baking cookies as the front door opened and in walked her Dad. As he came closer, she realized that he had been crying.
"Dad, what's wrong? Where's Mom?"
Tears filled his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Sam."
Realizing that her Mom would not be coming home, she dropped the utensil she was holding and fled from the room.
Sam watched the scene change to a few days later, the day they had buried her Mom. Teenage Sam came through her bedroom door and closed it. Her long blonde hair spread out against the pillow as she lay down on her bed and sobbed.
"Please stop this" Sam pleaded.
"There is something else you must see."
Sam turned and realized she was at the Air Force Academy Stadium, the day of her graduation. She stood at a podium making a speech, wishing her Dad had come but he'd called at the last minute, telling her he had to work.
After she finished speaking, she sat down as tears filled her eyes and thoughts filled her head. 'Mark's mad at me for joining the Air Force and now Dad didn't even show up. Mom would have been proud of me though.'
Sam turned away. "I don't want to see any more."
The ghost pointed again. "Oh, but you must."
She turned to see Jonas Hanson follow her through the door of her apartment.
"We are not calling off this engagement, Sam!"
"I don't want to marry you, Jonas! You're manipulative and controlling and you have no respect for me or my career!"
Jonas stared into her eyes as he drew back his hand as if to slap her but she pushed him away.
"Get out, Jonas! Get out of my apartment! Get out of my life!"
Jonas pointed his finger at her and headed toward the door. "You'll regret this, Sam."
She stood her ground. "No, I won't! Leave! Now!"
Sam covered her face with her hands and tried not to cry before looking at the ghost once more as it said "let's look back to your recent past."
Sam saw herself enter the briefing room of Stargate Command. Coming around the corner, she saw Jack for the first time.
"He was . . . and is . . . so handsome."
"You were attracted to Jack from the day you met him."
"Yes, I was, but I couldn't allow my feelings to get in the way of my job."
"Your job always comes first, Samantha. Has it been worth putting your personal life on hold? You long to love someone and be loved in return, to share your life with one special person. You know in your heart that the man you love isn't Pete. It's Jack."
Sam shook her head. "No, I'm not allowed."
"Allowances can be made, if you want it badly enough."
Suddenly, Sam was standing in a room she remembered so well, the room where she and Jack were confessing their feelings for each other during the zatarc test.
Sam shook her head. "I shouldn't have told Jack that our confessions could stay in the room. We should have talked about our feelings. It's one of my biggest regrets."
The ghost turned to look at her. "A missed opportunity, Samantha."
The ghost seemed to fade away and Sam jumped as she heard another voice behind her.
"Hello, Samantha."
Sam turned quickly and stared at another apparition. "And who are you?"
"I am the ghost of Christmas present. Watch and you will learn."
Sam found herself standing in the commissary at the base. Sitting in the farthest corner of the room, she watched the Colonel as he placed his elbows on the table and rested his forehead against his hands.
"He looks unhappy" Sam whispered.
The ghost turned to look at her. "This was just moments after your conversation in the elevator, the day you told him of your involvement with Pete."
Tears filled Sam's eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt him."
"But you did."
She shook her head. "He has never given me any indication that he still cared. I didn't think he did any more."
"He cares deeply for you, enough to let you go, even if it is to the detriment of his own happiness."
The scene changed again to her and Pete on a dance floor, the night they had crashed an older couple's anniversary party. She stared at them as Pete held her close.
Sam suddenly looked down at the floor as a tear fell from her eyes.
"What is wrong, Samantha?"
Sam whispered "when I was dancing with Pete, I was wishing that he was Jack."
Next, Sam could see herself in a private room of the infirmary where she was hugging Jack, just after Janet had been killed and he had been hit by a staff weapon and almost died.
Sam put her face to her hands. "Please. I don't want to remember that day."
"Did it make you realize how much you care for him?"
"Yes."
For the third time, Sam suddenly found herself facing another apparition.
Sam wiped her face. "How many more of you are there?"
"I am the last. You must now take a look into your future."
In a brief moment, Sam found herself standing in grass. She turned around to see Jack and Daniel sitting in chairs on a dock beside a small house. Realizing this must be Jack's cabin, she and the ghost listened in on their conversation.
"Why didn't you ever tell Sam you love her?"
Jack stared out over the water and didn't answer for a long moment. "At first, I guess I always thought I was too old for her and if we had gotten involved, it would have ruined her career. After we admitted our feelings during the zatarc test, I was willing to wait, but apparently she wasn't. Sam got engaged to that cop and I thought she had moved on. I thought it was too late for us."
"You didn't tell her how you feel, Jack, didn't give her a chance to choose between you and Pete."
"No, and now I regret it. The day she married Pete was as bad as the day I lost Charlie."
"You should have fought for her, Jack."
He shook his head. "Now it's too late."
Sam closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands as the ghost gently touched her shoulder.
Sam opened her eyes to see Pete in the living room of a house she did not recognize. It was dark outside as the front door opened and she watched herself come inside. When Pete saw her, he crossed his arms over his chest with an angry look on his face.
"Working late again?"
"Pete, I told you there are going to be many nights when I won't be home until late and when I'm off-world, I may be gone for days."
"You never spend any time with me, Sam. Married couples should spend time together."
"I told you before we got married what to expect. We're not going to be like other married couples, Pete. I don't have a nine-to-five job."
"Then you should quit your job!"
Sam took a deep breath. "I'm not quitting my job. I love what I do and if you can't deal with that, then maybe we should never have gotten married in the first place!"
"I thought you'd change when we got married, Sam."
"I'm not going to change and if you don't like me the way I am, then you married the wrong woman."
Pete stared into her eyes. "Yes, I believe I did."
Pete walked out the door and slammed it behind him as Sam sat down on the sofa and cried.
As the scene changed once more, she suddenly found herself in the back of a church. Hearing music, she slowly walked to the door and peeked inside, realizing there was a wedding about to take place. Watching the bride walk down the aisle in a long white dress, she noticed that the groom was Jack and beside him stood Daniel. The bride stopped beside Jack and as they turned to face each other, she did not recognize the woman's face.
"It isn't me" she whispered as tears filled her eyes.
"Another woman has won Jack's heart" the ghost said softly. "Is this what you want your life to become, Samantha? Never giving Jack a chance? You still have the opportunity to change your future, to have what you truly want. It's up to you."
~oOo~
Sam sat up in bed, taking deep breaths as she realized she had been dreaming.
Throwing back the covers, she placed her feet on the floor and her elbows on her knees. Putting her hands to her face, she realized her cheeks were wet with tears.
Turning on the lamp, she wiped her eyes and ran her hand through her hair as she tried to control her breathing.
"What a vivid dream" she said out loud and glanced at the bedside clock. It was 5:15.
Realizing she was now wide awake, she put on her robe and wandered into the living room. Pushing back the drapery and looking out the window, she noticed the security lights from her neighbor's house reflecting on her snow-covered backyard. The snow had stopped, the clouds were gone and a full moon was shining brightly.
As she stared out on the silent and beautiful landscape, tears started down her cheeks as she realized what her dream had been trying to tell her. She was content but unhappy.
She thought back over her childhood and the Christmases she had spent without her Dad. After her Mom had died, Christmas had always been a sad holiday. Usually her Dad was working or if he did manage to come home, it just wasn't the same without her Mom.
When she had been in school at the Academy, she stayed on campus during Christmas since her Dad was usually working, or went home with a roommate or skiing with friends.
When she joined the Air Force, the divide between herself and Mark grew even wider. He had blamed their Dad for their Mom's death and wanted nothing to do with the military.
After her Dad had become a Tok'ra, they had visited Mark and began to repair their damaged relationship. She and Mark had started communicating more frequently and he had introduced her to Pete.
She realized that her happiest Christmases had been with Jack, Daniel and Teal'c. The team would get together at the Colonel's house, have dinner and exchange gifts before going their separate ways for Christmas day. In recent years, the Colonel had invited them to go with him to his cabin but she had always declined. Knowing that relaxing and being away from the Mountain, her feelings for the Colonel might begin to show through her carefully guarded exterior and she just couldn't take the chance that would happen.
Tears filled her eyes as she now realized that she should have accepted the Colonel's invitation and gone with them to his cabin.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she remembered the wedding in her dream.
"I don't want anyone else to be your bride, Jack. I want it to be me" she whispered.
Turning from the window, realization began to dawn on her and she knew what she had to do. In just a few hours, she would have to break the heart of a man who loved her, but knew that she didn't truly love in return. It wasn't fair to Pete to let him believe that they had a future together.
Looking down at her hand, she stared at the ring on her finger. Biting her lip, she knew this engagement had to be broken. She could not spend her life with a man she was not in love with.
She knew in her heart there was something else she had to do. Thinking back to the part of her dream where the ghost told her that allowances could be made, she knew she had to let Jack know how she felt about him, and if he felt the same way, they would deal with the regulations.
A plan began to form in her mind. She knew that Jack, Daniel and Teal'c had taken a late flight to Minneapolis and rented a car.
She hurried to her computer to search for flights from Colorado Springs to Minneapolis. She found a flight that would get her to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the afternoon.
After booking a flight and a rental car, she stood and took a deep breath. Knowing she didn't have much time before Pete would arrive, she hurried to her bedroom.
After taking a shower, putting on some make-up and getting dressed, she packed clothes and other things she would need to take with her to Minnesota.
After packing, she went to the kitchen. Not feeling particularly hungry, but knowing she needed to eat, she quickly ate a bowl of cereal.
Pacing the floor and holding a cup of coffee, she waited nervously for Pete to arrive.
She had just put the empty cup in the dishwasher when the doorbell rang.
Her heart began to beat faster and her mouth suddenly became dry. Slowly walking down the hall, she took a deep breath and opened the door.
Pete looked at her and grinned and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Sam. Ready to go?"
Sam didn't say anything as Pete came inside. She closed the door and crossed her arms over her chest.
Pete frowned. "Are you okay?"
Pete followed her into the living room and they sat down on the sofa. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know how . . . to say this" she whispered as she clinched her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking.
Pete continued to stare at her. "I don't think I'm going to like this, but say it anyway."
Sam looked into Pete's eyes. "I'm so sorry, but I can't marry you."
Pete didn't respond for several moments. "Why?"
"I have feelings for someone else, Pete. Feelings that I've tried to ignore for a very long time, long before I ever met you."
"And you just now, on Christmas morning, decided to tell me? You accepted an engagement ring from me, Sam. If you don't love me, then why did you do it?"
"Because I didn't think I could have the life I wanted with him."
"But now you do? What changed?"
"I've been thinking a lot the last several days and something happened that I can't tell you about. I've just come to realize that I don't love you enough to marry you and it isn't fair to you to let this go any further. I'm sorry."
"And if things don't work out with this other guy?"
"I'll know I tried, at least I'll know for sure."
"I certainly don't want to be someone you just settle for, Sam."
"You deserve to find someone who will honestly love you."
Sam looked down at her hand, slowly pulled the ring off her finger and held it out to Pete. He hesitated for a moment before he took it.
He kissed her forehead and as he looked at her one last time, she could tell he was trying not to cry. "Be happy, Sam."
She could feel tears sting her eyes as she followed him to the door and watched as he walked down the sidewalk. Turning around, he stared at her for several seconds before he got into his car and drove away.
She had not meant to hurt Pete, especially on Christmas day, but at the same time, she felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Deep inside, she knew she had done the right thing for them both.
Quickly wiping her face, she went into her bedroom to check her bag to make sure she had everything she would need.
Glancing at her watch, she found her cell phone and called a taxi.
As she waited, she realized she did not know how to get to Jack's cabin from the airport in Minneapolis. Knowing Daniel had been there several times over the years with Jack, she knew he could give her directions.
Picking up her cell phone, she punched Daniel's number.
"Hello."
"Daniel, it's Sam."
"Hey, Sam. This is a surprise."
"Is the Colonel around?"
"He and Teal'c are outside getting more wood for the fire."
"Okay. Don't tell him I called."
"What's going on?"
"I broke my engagement."
"What? Why?"
"I'll explain when I see you. I'm going to come stay with you guys. I'm catching a flight to Minneapolis but I need you to give me directions how to get there from the airport."
"Okay."
Sam wrote down the directions as Daniel gave them to her in detail.
"How's the weather?"
"Still snowing some. Sam, you are you okay?"
"I'm upset that I hurt Pete but this is for the best.
"Does this have anything to do with Jack?"
Sam took a deep breath. "Yes."
Daniel grinned. "Good."
"I don't know what I'm going to say to him exactly, Daniel, but I have to let him know that . . ."
Sam hesitated.
"That you're in love with him" Daniel stated as he completed the thought for her.
"Yes."
"You two definitely need to talk. This has been a long time coming."
Sam heard Jack's voice in the background.
"Sam, gotta go" Daniel whispered. "Drive carefully."
"Okay, bye."
Going into her bedroom, she zipped up her suitcase and rolled it down the hallway to the door.
Hearing a car horn, she looked outside to see a taxi waiting.
As she sat on the plane, a smile came to her face as she thought back over the times that Jack had made her laugh. She had always loved his sarcastic sense of humor and no one else could make her smile like he could.
As the plane descended, she could see that it was snowing in Minneapolis.
After signing all the paperwork and getting the keys for the rental car, she hurried to the vehicle and started the motor. Taking the directions out of her purse, she laid them on the seat beside her.
She had been driving for about an hour when it began to get dark.
Stopping for a bathroom break at a convenience store, she bought a granola bar and a large cup of coffee on her way out. As she ate, she read the directions once more.
After driving for another hour, she knew the turnoff to Jack's cabin should be just up the road.
The snow was coming down faster and the pavement was getting slippery so she breathed a sigh of relief that she was almost to her destination.
Slowing down, she saw the road which had to be the one to Jack's place, so she turned onto the dirt road. From the headlight beams, she could see how pretty the snow-covered trees were that lined the drive.
Coming around a curve, she saw the lights inside the cabin.
Her heart began to beat faster knowing she would soon be facing Jack.
Pulling up into the yard, she stopped and turned off the motor. She grabbed her purse and suitcase and locked the vehicle. Stepping onto the porch, she knocked softly.
A few moments later, the door swung open and there stood Jack. His eyes grew wide when he saw her.
"Carter. What are you doing here?"
She smiled. "Surprise, sir. I know I'm a little late but . . . Merry Christmas."
Jack stared at her as if he could hardly believe it was really her and then a slow smile lit up his face.
"Just couldn't stay away, could you?"
Sam grinned. "No, sir."
"Well, don't just stand out there in the cold, get in here."
She came inside and Sam lay her purse on top of her bag as Daniel gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you're here, Sam. It just wouldn't have been Christmas without you."
Teal'c smiled. "I concur."
"So . . . what happened?" Jack asked.
Before Sam could answer, Daniel suggested they sit down as Sam took a look around. A large fireplace was in the middle of the room, an eat-in kitchen was to the right with a round table and six chairs. To the left was a hallway which led to the bedrooms. A sofa and two recliners sat in front of the fireplace.
"This is very nice, sir. Everything I thought it would be. Very cozy."
Jack grinned. "I knew you'd like it if I ever got you up here."
Sam sat down on the sofa with Jack beside her. Daniel and Teal'c sat in the chairs.
Everyone was silent as she glanced at Daniel. He winked at her and smiled as if to give her the courage to tell them why she was here.
Sam looked down at her hands and back up at Jack.
"I broke my engagement."
Jack stared at her. "You did?"
"Yes, sir."
Jack held up his hand. "You are only allowed to call me 'Jack' while you're here."
Sam smiled. "Okay . . . Jack."
"So, what happened?"
"I just . . . I've been having second thoughts for awhile now. The engagement wasn't right for either of us. Getting married would have been a mistake."
The three men looked at each other, not knowing quite what to say so Jack changed the subject and glanced at his watch. "Turkey should be done."
Jack went into the kitchen and everyone followed. As he opened the oven door, a wonderful aroma filled the room. As he set the turkey on top of the stove, Sam took a deep breath. "That smells great."
Jack clapped his hands together. "Okay, campers, time to eat."
As Jack carved the turkey, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel helped with the rest of the food.
Jack put bread in the oven and as they waited for it to heat, he poured coffee for Sam, Daniel and himself and a large glass of milk for Teal'c.
Teal'c sat down at the table and as soon as Jack set the glass in front of him, Teal'c took several big gulps and the glass was empty.
Sam, Jack and Daniel stared at their friend.
"A bit thirsty are we?"
"I am, O'Neill."
Jack opened the refrigerator, got out a gallon of milk and set it in on the table in front of Teal'c.
"Okay, big fella, drink all you want. After all, growing boys need calcium."
Sam and Daniel looked at each other and grinned.
Jack took the bread out of the oven and everyone joined Teal'c at the table.
Jack looked at Sam. "It's really good to have you here."
Daniel nodded his head. "I wholeheartedly agree."
"Your presence was greatly missed" Teal'c added.
After dinner was over and the dishes were washed, they gathered around the table to play Scrabble. Daniel kept putting words on the board that Jack had never heard of so he kept challenging him.
"Daniel, that is not a word, for cryin' out loud."
"Yes, it is, Jack. It's a word that's used by the Abydonians."
"We're not on Abydos so it isn't an Earth word. You can't use it!"
Sam and Teal'c glanced at each other and smiled as they watched their two friends bicker back and forth.
It was almost midnight. As they finished the last game, Sam put her hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn.
"Are we keeping you up?" Jack teased.
"I'm rather tired. If you'll show me to my room, I think I'll turn in."
Jack stood up. "Sure. Right this way."
Sam grabbed her bag and purse as Jack showed her where the bathroom was and led her to a bedroom. He stood in the doorway as Sam put her purse on the dresser.
"I'm glad you're here, Sam."
"Me too, Jack."
They stared at each other for several moments before Jack closed the door and went back to the living room. He sat down on the sofa, stretched out his legs and turned his head to see Daniel staring at him.
"What?"
Daniel grinned. "I think this is going to be your best Christmas in a very long time."
"Why do you say that?"
Daniel smiled, stood up and headed down the hall. "Just wait. You'll find out."
~oOo~
Sam awoke to the smell of bacon.
After a quick shower and dressing in jeans and a turtleneck, she came into the kitchen to see Daniel frying bacon, Jack making pancakes and Teal'c setting the table.
"Good morning."
All three men turned to look at her.
"Sleep well?" Jack asked.
"Like a baby."
Wandering over to the window, she looked outside. The snow had stopped but it was still cloudy and everything was covered in a blanket of white.
"Oh my. It's beautiful."
Jack walked up behind her. "Yes, it is. I'll have to show you the place after breakfast."
"I'd love to see it, Jack. I'm sorry I didn't come here sooner. I see now what I've been missing."
After breakfast was over, Jack was most anxious to show Sam his property, so Teal'c and Daniel volunteered to wash dishes while they bundled up and went outside. Just as they stepped off the porch, it began to snow again.
Sam could see the excitement on Jack's face and how much he loved it here as he told her about this place he had loved since he was a boy. They took their time as she followed Jack up a hill. When they reached the top, they turned around and looked down below.
Sam's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the cabin with smoke rising from the chimney, the snow-covered ground and trees and two ducks were walking across Jack's frozen pond.
"It's truly a spectacular place, Jack, and the snow makes it even more beautiful; like a picture on a Christmas card."
"Thanks. You'll have to come back during the summer. It's beautiful then too."
Sam grinned. "Gonna take me fishing?"
Jack smiled. "You betcha."
They stood in silence admiring the beauty of nature as the snow fell faster.
Jack looked up at the sky. "We better get back."
As they started down the hill, Jack realized how slippery the ground was so he held out his hand to Sam to help keep her from falling. They were almost to the bottom when Jack's feet slipped and he lost his balance, falling on his back and bringing Sam down with him.
As Sam realized she wasn't hurt, she started to giggle.
Jack turned his head and she could see the twinkle in his eyes.
"What have I told you about giggling, Carter?"
This made her laugh even more and Jack joined in the laughter. Jack propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at Sam.
The laughter left their faces as they gazed into each other's eyes. Jack slowly leaned over and gently pressed his lips to Sam's. Putting her hand to the side of his neck, the kiss deepened. As the kiss ended, Jack looked into her eyes again.
"I'm glad you broke your engagement."
"You're the reason I broke it."
His eyes widened. "I am?"
Sam set up and they faced each other. "Yes. That's why I came here, Jack. I need to talk with you about something that happened early Christmas morning."
"Okay, but let's get inside before we freeze to death."
The four friends spent the morning talking and playing cards.
Late in the morning, Sam sighed.
"Are we boring you?" Daniel asked.
Sam leaned back and stretched. "Just a little tired of sitting."
Jack stood up. "Well, in that case, let's build a snowman."
They all put on their coats and gloves and Jack hurried outside before everyone else. As Sam came out the door, Jack threw a snowball at her, hitting her on her arm.
Sam glanced at him, leaned over quickly and made a snowball. Taking off after Jack she threw it at him but the snowball splattered as it hit a tree.
He put his hands on his hips and grinned. "You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, Carter!"
Sam squinted her eyes as if she were mad. "Oh yeah? We'll see about that."
They both made snowballs as fast as they could. Daniel and Teal'c joined in and soon there were snowballs flying in every direction.
As Sam had her back turned, Jack gave Daniel and Teal'c a sign to go after Sam. As she turned around, she quickly saw what was about to happen as all three men came rushing toward her. Turning fast, she ran around her vehicle, dodging snowball after snowball. Running up on the porch, she quickly opened the cabin door and slammed it behind her.
She giggled as she leaned against the door and breathed deeply to catch her breath as she heard footsteps on the porch. "Come out, Sam" Daniel yelled. "We promise not to gang up on you again."
Sam waited a few moments before peeking out the window.
As she came out the door, Jack grinned at her. "Truce?"
"Truce."
They worked together to build a tall snowman. Sam found some acorns and used those for the eyes, nose and teeth.
Eventually they began to get cold so they returned to the cabin and Teal'c added more wood to the fire as Jack made hot chocolate.
For dinner that evening, they made sandwiches from the leftover turkey and had chocolate cake for dessert.
A few hours later, they set around the fire eating popcorn and reminiscing about some of the missions they had been on until they all began to feel sleepy, so everyone headed off to their bedrooms.
~oOo~
Sam lay tossing and turning, thinking about the kiss she had shared with Jack. She didn't realize how long she had been awake until she glanced at the clock. It was 2:03.
Getting out of bed, she put on her robe and went into the living room. The embers in the fireplace had not gone out completely so she could see how to get around without bumping into the furniture.
Wandering over to the window she looked outside to see if it was still snowing.
"Can't sleep either?"
Sam jumped as she turned around to see Jack lying on the sofa in his pajamas, hands behind his head.
"You scared me."
Jack set up, put his feet on the floor and turned on a lamp. "Sorry. I should have warned you I was here."
Jack stared at Sam as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You said something happened early Christmas morning. Want to tell me now since we're both awake?"
Sam chuckled nervously. "You may think I'm crazy."
He patted the sofa for her to sit down. "I like crazy."
Sam made herself comfortable as Jack stood up to put more logs on the fire. Pulling a blanket from the back of the sofa, he put it over Sam's lap.
"Don't want you getting cold."
Sam looked up at him as he sat back down. "Thanks."
He turned sideways to face her and waited for her to speak.
Sam clasped her hands in her lap. "After I said goodbye to all of you at the base, I went home, went to bed and had a dream."
"What kind of dream?"
"Well, I'm sure you know the story of Ebenezer Scrooge."
Jack slowly nodded his head. "Yes."
Sam glanced at Jack then back down at her hands. "Well, in my dream, I was like Ebenezer Scrooge."
Jack frowned. "You're mean and selfish?"
Sam shook her head. "I mean I had ghosts visit me."
Jack stared at her. "So what did they say?"
"The first ghost showed me my past, that I had a lot of unhappiness when I was growing up. Dad was away from home a lot and I missed him. I saw myself when I was a little girl and Dad couldn't come home for Christmas. I relived that horrible time when my Mom was killed. I saw myself speaking at my graduation from the Academy and Dad nor Mark had shown up. I relived the time when I was involved with Jonas Hanson and the eventual breakup of our engagement."
Sam put her hands to her face as she took a deep breath.
Jack waited for her to continue.
"I watched myself come into the briefing room, when I met you for the first time."
Jack smiled. "Ah, reproductive organs."
Sam chuckled. "Yeah."
Sam grew serious again. "I thought you were the most handsome man I'd ever met and I tried to convince myself that I wasn't going to fall for someone as attractive as you, Jack."
"I told myself I wasn't going to fall for you either, Sam."
Sam turned her head and looked into his eyes.
"You thought I was attractive?"
"I thought you were feisty and beautiful and . . . well, I had to remind myself, on more than one occasion, that I wasn't allowed to think about you in that way. But anyway, back to your dream."
"The ghost tried to tell me that I always put my job before everything else."
Sam paused.
"Then there was the ghost of Christmas present. I saw myself in the commissary watching you, sitting at a table by yourself, looking unhappy. It was just after I had seen you in the elevator and told you that I was dating Pete."
"I remember that day, Sam, all too well."
"I thought I could never have what I wanted to have with you, so Pete came along and I tried to make it work with him, and yesterday morning I broke his heart."
Jack changed positions on the sofa. "I didn't want you to date Pete, or anyone else for that matter. But, at the same time, I wanted you to be happy so how could I ask you not to see other men when I didn't know how much longer we'd be fighting these wars with all these egotistical aliens we keep running into? You deserve a life outside your job so I tried not to think about you and Pete."
"When we confessed our feelings during the zatarc test, I shouldn't have told you that it was okay to leave it in the room. That's one of my biggest regrets, Jack. I'm sorry."
Sam quickly wiped her eyes as Jack shook his head. "Water under the bridge, Sam."
"The last ghost was one from my future. I was here at your cabin, down by the pond. The ghost and I listened in on a conversation between you and Daniel. Pete and I had gotten married and you were having regrets about not telling me how you felt about me."
Jack took a deep breath but didn't say anything.
"The next scene was a house that Pete and I apparently lived in. We argued over my job and the fact that I wasn't at home as much as he wanted me to be. We both realized that the marriage was a mistake."
Sam stared straight ahead. "The last scene was a wedding. Your wedding."
"My wedding?"
"Yes. I saw a woman in a white dress walking down the aisle of a church but it wasn't me, I didn't recognize her. Apparently she was someone from your future."
Sam turned to face Jack as tears filled her eyes. "I want to be that woman, Jack, the woman in the white dress. I want to walk down the aisle of a church to see you waiting for me. I don't know how we can make this work but if you care about me the same way I care about you, can we find a way to make it happen or is it too late for us and I've just made a complete fool of myself?"
Jack looked into her eyes. "No, you haven't made a fool of yourself."
Sam began to cry in relief as Jack moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face in his chest. In all the years he had known Sam, he could count on one hand the number of times he had seen her cry, but he knew that underneath the tough soldier exterior, lay the heart of a sweet, kind and sensitive woman.
"I love you, Samantha."
"I love you too."
Jack brushed tears from her cheeks. "We'll make it work, Sam. That's a promise."
~oOo~
Sam hurried around her kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner. The guys would be here soon to eat and they could finally open their Christmas presents.
They had returned from Minnesota yesterday and tomorrow they would have to report back to work at the Mountain.
She remembered the night at Jack's cabin as they sat on the sofa holding hands and discussing their future, after she had told him what the ghosts had revealed to her during her dream.
They had decided to be honest with General Hammond and tell him that they loved each other and wanted to have a future together. They would discuss their options with their commanding officer and if one of them had to resign or ask for a transfer, then that is what they would do. After committing their adult lives to the Air Force, it was now time for the personal life they had both put on hold for so long.
She grinned as she realized once again how much in love she was with Jack and how much she was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him. He was handsome, intelligent, witty, sexy, kind, loyal and caring. He could also be harsh, impatient and stubborn but all those personality traits were just part of Jack. Although she had known him for eight years, she sometimes felt she was barely scratching the surface with Jack O'Neill and she wanted to know everything about him.
A smile lit up her face as she looked forward to adding "fantastic father" to that list of traits.
Her daydreaming ended as the doorbell rang and she opened the door to find her three guys. Holding the door open, she welcomed them inside and as Jack entered, they gave each other a kiss.
They soon sat down to eat and after the dishes were done and the kitchen was spotless, they went into the living room to open presents.
Daniel handed the first one to Jack. "This is from Teal'c and me."
Jack tore off the paper and opened a box. His eyes grew wide as he realized what it was.
"It's a Daiwa Accudepth Plus Casting Reel, one of the best fishing reels that's made. I had been thinking about getting one of these. Thanks, guys."
Daniel grinned. "I heard you complaining a few weeks ago that you were going to have to buy a new reel, so I knew then what we could get you."
Sam put her hand on Jack's arm. "I'm sure you'll be back at the cabin to try it out as soon as the weather gets warmer."
Jack smiled. "You betcha."
Sam handed Jack a long box.
As he ripped off the paper, a smile lit up his face. "This is the Calestron 21062 AstroMaster 70 EQ Refractor Telescope. Sam, how did you know I wanted one of these?"
Sam grinned as Jack opened the box and pulled out the contents. "A few months ago, I heard you mention that you'd like to replace your old one and I happened to notice you looking at that one on the Internet."
He turned to Sam and gave her a kiss. "Thank you."
Sam's eyes lit up as she smiled. "You're welcome."
Sam stood and handed Daniel a box. "That is for you from Teal'c and me."
Daniel opened his gift to find a new coffeemaker. "Wow. Thanks, I need a new one."
Sam nodded her head. "We know. The one you have in your lab doesn't heat very well any more. You can program this one to turn on and off and it has other features."
Sam handed a gift to Teal'c. "We all went in together to get you this. We weren't exactly sure what you might want until Daniel came up with this idea. We hope you like it."
Teal'c quickly tore off the paper to find a digital TV recorder.
"Now you can record all those programs that you like so much while we're off-world and watch them when we get back" Jack explained.
Teal'c smiled. "My thanks to all of you. Someone will have to instruct me in the operation of this machine."
Daniel grinned. "I'll be glad to help."
Jack leaned over and picked up a gift. "Okay, Danny, here you go."
Daniel opened his gift to find a new digital camera with a tripod.
Jack grinned. "Since you lost yours on your last dig, I thought I'd buy you a new one."
Daniel smiled as he turned the camera over in his hands. "This is great. Has more features on it than my old one. Thanks, Jack."
"You're welcome."
Daniel picked up a small box and handed it to Sam. "This is from Teal'c and me."
Sam untied the red ribbon and pulled off the paper. She carefully opened the box to reveal a beautiful gold necklace with a round pendant. Picking it up, she looked closer as she realized that it looked like the stargate with the symbols.
"This is exquisite. Where did you get this?"
"Remember the guy we ran into a few months ago on 331 that makes jewelry?" Daniel asked.
"I remember."
"I drew a picture of the stargate with all the Earth symbols and asked if he could make it. When we were back there for treaty negotiations, I went by to pick it up."
Jack looked closer at the necklace. "It's truly one of a kind."
Sam slipped the necklace over her head and looked at the pendant again. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
Jack stood up and looked at Sam. "Now it's my turn and while Daniel and Teal'c are here with us, I want to make this official."
Jack reached into his pocket, pulled out a tiny box and knelt on one knee as he looked into Sam's eyes. He opened the box to reveal a diamond engagement ring. Holding out the box to her, he asked "Samantha, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears filled Sam's eyes as she put her hands to her mouth.
Daniel and Teal'c watched as Sam stared at the ring.
Several moments passed as they waited for Sam to answer.
Jack stared at her. "Uh, Sam, you're making me nervous. Say something."
"Yes" Sam whispered as she held out her hand and Jack slipped the ring on her finger and as he did, he kissed her.
Daniel smiled at the happy couple. "Well, I have just one thing to say."
Sam grinned. "And that would be?"
Daniel sighed dramatically. "Finally!"
The End