John reflected that he probably should've taken National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to heart - studied it closely and memorized it's valuable lesson the last time he'd watched it: Christmas was a dangerous holiday.

He glanced around the back of the jumper where he and his teammates were being systematically checked, bandaged, and medicated.

"Look at my feet again," Rodney was demanding of the medic Dr. Keller had sent along with Lorne's team to rescue them. "Are you sure they're not frostbitten? My little toe looks like it's starting to turn black."

"It's in a shadow," Ronon said, eyes shut, head propped against a bulwark. His swollen knee (nearly crushed by the pine tree they had picked as this year's Christmas tree) has heavily bandaged and strapped with a bag of ice to reduce the swelling. John figured Ronon was just keeping his eyes closed so he wouldn't have to look at the offending tree, currently occupying the center aisle of the 'jumper.

"You're fine, McKay," John assured him through gritted teeth. In fact, Rodney was the only one that had escaped their decoration-gathering mission unscathed.

The medic, Sara, nodded her agreement at John's proclamation before asking, "Those pain meds kicking in?"

"Not yet," John replied. He hadn't even needed to feel the pain to know that his wrist had fractured. The resounding crack, loud enough (in his mind) to start an avalanche, was enough. He cradled his arm protectively against his chest, trying not to think about the knives of pain stabbing at his wrist. In hindsight, maybe trying to grab the tree as it started rolling down a hill instead of just getting out of the way was a bad decision.

Rodney pointed an accusing finger at John. "This is why we shouldn't celebrate Christmas or any other winter holiday on Atlantis. It's too dangerous."

Rodney had been complaining about being chosen to collect the Christmas foliage for weeks now, and John found he couldn't argue with McKay's logic any longer.

Next to him, Teyla moaned and reached for a bucket again. The sound of retching filled the 'jumper. Sara quickly rushed to her side, immediately checking her vitals and whether the laceration stretching from her left ear to her forehead had begun bleeding again. John soothingly rubbed Teyla's back with his good hand, wishing he could do more to help.

Rodney noted the oddly intimate action with raised eyebrows but stayed quiet, for which John was immeasurably grateful.

"I think a flock of seagulls just passed us, Major," John yelled to the front of the 'jumper.

"I'm going as fast as I can, sir," Lorne responded. "We'll be there in a minute."

"See if you can make 'a minute' into 'a second'," Rodney suggested with concerned eyes focused on Teyla.

John flashed the scientist a grateful smile before leaning his head back against the bulwark. "Some Christmas this is," he muttered with a sigh.

The Christmas party was in full swing, and according to snatches of conversation that found their way to the infirmary, the decorations John and his team had risked their lives to collect were a big hit. No one on his team was actually enjoying them, but John supposed it was the thought that counted. Rodney could've been having a good time at the party but, after being there only long enough to pile several plates full of food, he had found himself back at the infirmary with his plunder insisting that it was too noisy in the Gateroom anyway. He had pulled a seat up next to Ronon's bed, and the two of them were immersed in an impromptu Halo tournament on the entertainment system he'd also commandeered.

After his wrist had been set and splinted and his system plied with pain killers, John too had been given leave to enjoy the festivities (within reason) but had opted to stay with his team. Jennifer Keller had kindly set up her laptop for them to watch a few holiday movies while they were there.

"I planned this all out differently in my head," John said as he watched Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby sing about snow. He glanced down at Teyla, trying not to jostle either his injured arm or Teyla's head on his shoulder. She was still too woozy from the knock to her head to leave her infirmary bed, so John had made himself comfortable next to her. "I wanted everything to be perfect, it being our first Christmas together and everything."

"We have been together for several Christmases," Teyla argued, her voice soft and tired.

"Yeah, as a team." He lowered his voice. "But I mean together together."

"Ah." Teyla smiled. "It was not as planned, true. But I believe it has turned out all right in the end."

"Except for the fact that three out of four of us will be out of commission for at least a month."

"Except for that. And Rodney imitating...Scrooge? Is that correct?"

"Yeah. Rodney, Scrooge, check."

"But we are together and that is the important thing."

"Can you keep the Lifetime movie moments to a minimum over there?" Rodney called. "The last thing we need right now is another person losing their cookies."

"Cookies! Good idea, McKay," Ronon said, and grabbed two off the plate balanced on his bedside table. He tossed one to Rodney before stuffing the other one in his mouth.

John smiled at his teammates as Teyla sighed contentedly and gripped his arm a little tighter.

And as Bing Crosby heralded the joys of a white Christmas, John decided that maybe his wasn't so bad after all.