Christmas in D. C.
by sg-1fanintn
This story was written for Pol at Gateworld, for the 2009 Secret Santa exchange. I really had a hard time coming up with a story idea that I thought was good enough…so I hope it turned out all right.
Oh, yeah…intense sugar alert. I just couldn't help myself. Honest.
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Jack O'Neill was nervous.
He knew he shouldn't be, but he had either bought the best gift ever for Sam--or he had completely screwed up.
And the sad thing was, he had no idea which assertion was correct. He sighed, and rubbed a hand down his face. "For cryin' out loud," he thought to himself, "I suck at this." Placing the package on the seat beside him, he buckled himself in and started the car.
It was Christmas Eve, and he had left the Pentagon early. He was officially finished with work for the rest of the year…unless, of course, some galactic incident occurred that required his attention. But he hoped it wouldn't happen, and that the galaxy could take care of itself until New Year. After all, he deserved a break here and there, right?
As he made his way onto the expressway, he realized he was anxious to get home. Home…where he had left his soft, warm wife in bed this morning. This was only her third day of leave, and unless something big happened, she would be here until mid-January. It was a nice, long, well-deserved break for her, and Jack was doing everything he could to keep his schedule light while she was home. He had managed to get out of the office the first two days after her arrival, but today, the French IOA representative had a problem that he felt he just had to share with General O'Neill before the holiday break. So, Jack had gone in, listened to him whine and had done his best to pacify the jerk so he would get on his flight to Paris and leave him alone. Jack had breathed a sigh of relief when the guy left for the airport.
Traffic wasn't too bad, now that he was away from the shops. He guessed most people had enough sense to be at home with their loved ones on this day, and he was going to join that group shortly. He was glad he had given his driver the rest of the week off. It was nice to be driving himself for a change…instead of adhering to the formal trappings of his Washington post.
Approaching his Georgetown brownstone, he felt a surprising rush of warmth when he saw the lights of the Christmas tree in the bay window. The fact that the tree was on meant Sam was home and waiting for him…and that knowledge gave him a sense of fullness to which he had never quite been able to adjust. He sighed, pushing back the thoughts that just a few years before, he had thought any chance of happiness was gone for his life for good. But then came that fateful mission to Abydos…and his life had changed dramatically.
He pulled around to the back and entered the garage. Slipping his precious cargo into his briefcase, he closed the garage door, exited the car and made his way up the steps that would lead him into the mudroom.
Sam met him at the door with a warm smile and an even warmer embrace. "See, that wasn't so bad," she grinned, referring to his surprise trip to the Pentagon.
"Well, the fact remains that my plan was to stay here with you," he grumbled, returning her grin as he tossed his keys, gloves and scarf on the small table beside the door. It was then that a new aroma caught his attention. "But I think someone has been baking."
He followed her into the kitchen, where racks of iced sugar cookies covered the kitchen counter. "I baked my mom's sugar cookie recipe today," she said. "I think we have enough to last us through New Year."
"Not if I have anything to do with it." He reached out to grab a cookie, and took a big bite. "You know, I have really come to love these things."
Grabbing a cookie for herself, Sam just grinned.
J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S
Dinner was simple…spaghetti with Jack's homemade sauce…something that had become their personal Christmas Eve tradition. Now, curled up together on the couch, they enjoyed the peace and quiet. There were no lamps on in the room. Instead, the only illumination came from the fireplace and the twinkling white lights of the Christmas tree. And the only sound, aside from the occasional crackle of the fire, was the instrumental holiday music playing on the stereo.
It was quiet.
It was peaceful.
It was as far from their past lives as it could possibly be, and Jack marveled at the wonder of it. Now, if she liked the present he had bought today, everything would be fine.
Either that…or he had made a huge mistake that would disappoint her.
He so hated to disappoint her…especially at Christmas.
"Whatcha thinking?" Sam, who had been curled up under his arm, sat up, turned around and was now leaning across his lap, one arm on the arm of the couch, the other running soft, distracting patterns on his neck.
'Nothin'…"
"Jack…"
"Let's open presents."
The hand on his neck stilled, and looking into her big blue eyes, he could just see the wheels turning in her voluminous brain.
"We always do that on Christmas morning," she said slowly. "What's up?"
Dang it! She was suspicious. He was in trouble now, for sure. "Nothin'. I just…" Looking at her puzzled expression, he shrugged—then decided to confess. "I bought you something, and I'm not sure you're gonna like it. That's all."
Sam laughed.
Out loud.
At him!
He glared in reply, but it only made Sam laugh harder. "What's so funny?" he challenged.
"I'm sorry, Jack. I really am. But for you to worry that I wouldn't like a gift you bought me. It just struck me as funny."
"And may I ask why?"
She shook her head, and her gaze to him she thought he was daft. Meanwhile, the hand that had been caressing his neck slid down to pat his chest. "Because if you never bought me another gift again, it would be fine."
What??? Now, she had really confused him! He opened his mouth to ask for a clarification, but before he could, she continued.
"This…all of this…us…our relationship…our marriage…I mean, anything else is just….extra." She leaned in and kissed him, and his arms instinctively wrapped around her. The kiss was long and intense, and when she finally pulled back and grinned at him, he had almost forgotten what they had been talking about.
"So…."
"So don't worry, Jack. Whatever it is, it'll be right." She stood up and held out a hand to him. "C'mon."
He stood up. "So…presents now?"
"Presents in the morning. Bed now."
He grinned and nodded. He'd follow her anywhere.
J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S J&S
Despite Sam's gentle declarations from the night before, Jack was still concerned. He glanced at the bedside clock. Eight in the morning, and Sam was still asleep beside him. Quietly getting out of bed, he made his way downstairs. He flipped the switch that controlled the lights to the Christmas tree, glancing briefly at the bag containing the gift he had bought on impulse the day before. Seeing it still there (and where else would it be?), he proceeded on to the kitchen to put on some coffee and warm the Danish.
He had just poured his first cup when she appeared at the door. "Hey." She was stifling a yawn, and her blond hair was still a little tousled. She had pulled on one of his t-shirts and his favorite old flannel robe, and he thought to himself that he had never seen anyone so beautiful.
Grinning, he gave her the cup he had just poured and got another for himself. Pulling the Danish from the oven, he placed one on each of two waiting plates and joined her at the breakfast bar. "Sleep well?"
She gave him a wink that made his stomach flip. "Oh, yeah."
"Merry Christmas."
"You too," she smiled, as she took a bite out of the pastry.
In just a few minutes, the coffee and Danish were gone, and at Jack's insistence, they made their way to the living room. He felt his apprehension rising again as he picked up the bag into which he had slipped his last holiday acquisition. Joining Sam on the sofa, he offered it to her.
"Is this the one? The one you're worried about?"
He nodded.
She pulled the tissue from the bag, and peeled away the layers of wrapping to reveal the small, aqua velveteen box. Sam looked at it closely, then turned her eyes to Jack's. "Jack....earrings?"
He grinned, not giving up an answer, but nodding to her to open it. She pried the lid open, and then she saw it...a one-caret oval diamond in a six-prong setting. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes lifted questioningly to his.
"Like it?"
"But this is an engagement ring…and we've been married almost four years..." Looking slightly confused, she pulled the ring out of the box, slipped it on with her wedding band and looked up at him again.
"Yeah, I know...and I know you said you didn't want one….but it just kept eating at me. I...I...you deserve it. I mean, I wanted you to have it. I..." He wanted to give her the universe. That's how much she meant to him. But this was the best he could could do.
But his attempt at explaining was cut short when she wound her arms around his neck and squeezed tight.
"I thought I didn't want one. I really did. But this is beautiful!" She pulled back from the hug to look at him. "Or maybe I was scared the ring would be a jinx to our engagement. I mean..."
He smiled knowingly. "I know. But this isn't an engagement ring. This is a Christmas gift...from your husband...to whom you successfully completed an engagement and are now married."
"Yeah...how about that?"
"You're stuck with me, you know..."
"Good. That's exactly the way I wanted it."
And as he drew her to him for a big hug, Jack realized he had done something right. They hadn't made a big deal about their wedding. They just had a few close friends, and there wasn't a lot of planning or a big "to-do." But ever since then, Jack had felt that he still owed her something important. And that lead him to buy the engagement ring Sam had told him she didn't need.
But apparently, she liked it.
So maybe he didn't suck at this relationship stuff as much as he thought he did. And as he held her close, Jack reminded himself that he was a very lucky man.
THE END