Timeline – After season 8 (maybe it doesn't really correspond with the beginning of season 9 but please, forgive me)

Spoilers – Up to the end of season 8

A/N - sorry if I am wrong about the names and possible ages of Mark's family. If you have correct information, don't hesitate to let me know! Thank you. :o)

Beta - none - all mistakes are mine - and I'm sorry about them! I promise - I will get back to correcting them later. Again - don't hesitate to let me know if you find some.

THAT'S MISTLETOE, CARTER by Isobel

Sam Carter was sitting in the garden of her brother's house. She was already living in Nevada but she would have to be alone on Christmas and her brother had invited her over and because Daniel was spending his holidays with Cassie in Europe, Teal'c on Dakara and … General O'Neill in DC, she said yes. And so here she was, enjoying the sun, the warmth, listening to her niece's voice, drinking cold hibiscus tea…

Actually, she really was happy here. She had more than two weeks off. So she flew to San Diego on 20th December already and she was about to stay till the New Year. She knew that she would probably leave early but she was planning on staying till Christmas for sure.

Lisa was a teenager, already giggling and smiling, talking about boys in her class and about the cute dress she had seen the other day. It was really sweet and Sam loved it. It was like when Cassie was small, during her first year on Earth. She could feel herself smiling most of the time. But she had to admit that her niece was indeed very smart. From what she could see so far, this girl had something in her. Megan had implied something about Lisa trying to graduate early and being exceptional. Sam had every intention on getting to know more about that - later. Now the main topic of their conversations were clothes, guys and some more or less wide-known gossips.

Megan, Sam's sister-in-law was sitting across the table, grinning at Sam, encouraging her. It was nice having her over, they were really having fun. Sam got closer to Megan during the last few months. They used to be close but well, after the funeral they got closer. They started with exchanging e-mails, phone-calls, it felt really good. Sam had always known that Megan was nice but now, after getting to know her better, she could see how amazing she was.

Two days passed them by and the kids were really happy that Sam was there with them. At first Sam didn't want to come over. She was still mourning her father and dealing with some other things and issues. And she actually was hoping she would get the chance to spend her holidays with somebody else, somewhere else. But then, while she was about to reject her brother yet again, her CO appeared. So she ended the call.

"Carter!"

"Hey, Sir…"

"What are you doing here, huh? Aren't you supposed to be … somewhere else? " He asked nonchalantly. He knew exactly where she was supposed to be.

"Yes, Sir. I was just finishing few things here and I'm almost gone." She smiled.

"Okay… but you know you don't have to worry, right? These people almost worship this place… I think your lab's gonna stay the way it is now." He said, grinning at her. And she could only smile back at him.

"Who was that on the phone, huh?"

"My brother."

"Oh. Something's wrong?"

"No, no… he just wants me to come over for Christmas."

"Okay… and the problem is?" He asked, pretty much clueless.

"I don't know if I …"

"You're not working on Christmas, Carter. You're supposed to have time off, lots of time off. So just go and spend the Christmas with your family."

"But…" She tried to protest.

"No buts, Carter. Go and enjoy it!" He told her. She was about to object, she was about to say something but he got called by the intercom. So it was all spoiled, yet again.

"I really hate this thing… But I'm gonna miss it in DC…" He said. But Sam was lost in her thoughts, looking sad and not really herself anymore. She just smiled at him but he could see that the smile hadn't reached her eyes.

"Carter?"

She just nodded at him. And he, confused, walked away.

She wanted to spend the holidays with him. But obviously he had other plans. So she called her brother back and agreed, finally, to join him and his family for Christmas. It was definitely better than being alone, right? And now, sitting in San Diego, she didn't regret it. It was nice being with Mark and his family. Her family actually too.

Sam was glad that Mark hadn't brought up anything through the whole time of her stay. He had lots of topics he had to be interested in but he didn't ask. He could be asking about their father, about the people that had been with her at the funeral, about Pete, about the engagement…

During the last few months, she actually managed to put the pieces of her life together. Everything fell into the right places. At least she thought so. She thought … but obviously something had to be wrong because she was here and not in DC.

In the evening on the 22nd she was sitting with Lisa in the living room, talking, joking, laughing. And she knew she was getting lost in her thoughts every now and then. She just couldn't help it. Her heart was squirming… she just wanted to be in DC. Wasn't it pathetic?

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Her sister-in-law asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm sorry…"

"You're thinking too much, you know?"

"I've been told so before," she answered her, chuckling suddenly with all the memories. How many times had Jack told her? How many, huh? And his I can hear you thinking, Carter.

"So… what are you thinking about?"

"This Christmas actually…"

"What about it? Something wrong?"

"No, nothing. I just thought I would be somewhere else, you know? Not that I wouldn't be happy here, I am, but…"

"Where did you think you would be?" Megan asked, smiling at her. And Sam had to decide… was this the time for her to tell her family? Maybe… but on the other hand. No, she was sure.

"One option was DC and the other one was Minnesota."

"Wow… you know somebody there?"

"Yes, yes I do." Truth-time.

"Somebody new?" Megan was interested. But she also looked concerned.

"No, not really… it's…"

"Let me guess… one of those men from the funeral, right?" She walked over to Sam and sat down next to her. It felt actually good to have her sister-in-law close.

"Yes, one of them. I used to work with him."

"So one of the guys from your old team?"

"Megan, how much do you know about my old team?"

"Not much… just that you were part of a team, sometimes at the front line and sometimes on the base, it was the deep space radar telemetry or something, right?"

"Yeah, that covers it. Yeah…" Well that was one of the official versions so she could – and would have to live with that.

"So this man in DC is… who?"

"The only puzzle I haven't been able to solve in my life." Sam said, bitterly but with a smile. Daniel would probably laugh at her description of Jack O'Neill.

"Now that sounds interesting…" Megan pushed the issue a bit. She looked at Sam and although she couldn't have known, she looked just like Janet with her 'spill it missy' look. So Sam decided to be really honest – not just with Megan but also with herself.

"Somebody I love… I have loved for many years." And then it came. The silence. Luckily Megan knew her sister-in-law rather well by now.

"Somebody you couldn't have because of the military so you tried to settle down with the second best?" She asked her softly, not accusing and not trying to judge.

"Megan…" Now that was worrying.

"I'm a psychologist, remember? Besides I've had too much eggnog, soo… I say what's on my mind…" And they both chuckled. Sam felt grateful. Her sister-in-law summarized everything so easily. It all felt so right, to be talking about it, it was so nice that somebody knew.

"So, can I ask you a question or … am I over the line?"

"I've had too much eggnog as well, so, ask me." Sam offered with a huge smile, drunk only a tiny little bit. The amount of eggnog she'd had wouldn't knock down even Daniel.

"Why are you here and not in DC?"

"Meg…"

"As I understood, situation has changed, right? You said you thought you would be in DC… so… why aren't you?"

"He told me to go, to spend my holidays here…"

"And?"

"And nothing…"

"Sam…" Meg told her in her mother-ish tone, she was scolding her and yet being supportive. Sam looked around the house, it was a beautiful house, all the decorations and pictures and the tree and everything, it was screaming Christmas all over the place and she loved it.

And yet… she really wanted to go to DC. After her father died things started to change. And she really thought that the relationship with Jack would change too… she believed in it. And they really haven't talked about this – spending Christmas together. And Jack probably wanted her to be with Mark because he knew how much she had missed them… right?

"Actually…"

"I'll help you pack." Megan said suddenly, grinning like crazy.

"What!"

"Come on, you want to go there, don't you?"

"I… Megan… I…"

"Christmas magic, you ever heard of that? I know it's a bit crazy but… it's Christmas!"

"Okay." Sam said suddenly.

"Okay?"

"Okay…" she said, grinning.

She reached for her phone and dialed one of the well-known numbers. She needed a plane ticket and she needed it fast. And she was lucky, she got one – she would be flying in the morning. It wasn't easy to get the ticket to DC but well, she had her ways and when she really wanted something, nothing could really stop her. And now she was a woman on mission. Unstoppable.

She knew she couldn't think. The moment she'd start thinking about it, she'd freak out and stop. No. She had to do this. She needed to do this.

When the rest of the family got home, they were surprised to see Sam packing. Especially Lisa was very disappointed. Sam tried to explain to her, to all of them, that there was somebody she cared about, and that this man would be alone on Christmas and that she didn't want him to be alone… and they understood. They were not that happy but they understood. Although Sam was sure that she would have to make this up to them – big time.

Mark was a bit angry but he didn't say anything. They packed Sam's stuff, and settled down in the living room to watch a movie. When the kids went to bed, Megan told Mark to go and to talk to Sam. And that he did.

"Sis?"

"Mark…"

"You sure about this?"

"No…" she answered, smiling, tears in her eyes.

"Sam…" He was worried about her.

"Mark, it's Christmas… please…"

"I have few conditions."

"Conditions?"

"This is the first Christmas you can spend here and you are leaving to DC to see a guy that hasn't even invited you to stay with him and … so yeah, I have few conditions."

"Okay, name it…"

"First – you're gonna call us when you're there, okay?"

"Absolutely."

"And… if it doesn't work out, you're gonna tell me and you're gonna fly back here, all right?"

At that she could only nod. She didn't know what happened but her brother was … her brother. Caring and trying to protect her. She couldn't believe it but maybe… this was part of the Christmas magic too? Silently, she thanked Selmak again. She didn't get to know only her father thanks to the Tok'Ra but also her brother and his family. She would never stop being grateful.

"And… if it works out and I actually think I hope it does…" And obviously he was surprised by admitting so - yet out loud.

"Yes?"

"You're gonna come for the New Year's Eve with him. No arguing."

"Mark I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why?"

"He's military and…"

"I'd be surprised otherwise. Sam, just tell me… do you really love him that much?"

"I do, Mark. I really do." And she was crying while admitting so. Her brother smiled and hugged her. Neither noticed his wife watching them, smiling, moved and happy. This was Christmas magic. Better than a fairy-tale, better than a movie.

So in the morning they had breakfast together and Mark drove her to the airport. Sam found a small package in her coat. When she opened it, she could just smile. She closed it and put it back. All she could do was wait and see… she was smiling all the time, worried but somehow feeling really good.

"Are you going home?" Asked her the lady sitting next to her.

"Yes, I actually am." She answered – honestly. It felt like she was going home! With a tiny little twig of mistletoe from her niece hidden in her pocket – just in case.