Author's Notes: I hadn't really planned on writing a Christmas fic this year. Then I got this idea and couldn't resist. I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope you have a great holiday. This story takes place between Season 4 Slow Burn and Season 5 Broken Peace.
Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.
Christmas Date
Sergeant Greg Parker looked around the table at the rest of his team with a heavy sigh. He couldn't ask for a better team and considered each person sitting there as more than just a colleague and friend. They were family, and right now his family looked as weary and down as he'd seen them in a long time. They were just completing a shift that had been long and difficult, just as the previous eight shifts had been. It was December 22 and apparently the city had gone Christmas crazy in a not so good way. He was pretty sure they were all looking forward to having the next two days off even if it did mean they would be back to work on Christmas Day. All they had left to do was finish the debriefing of the latest hot call they'd had that day and then they could all leave and go home.
"Anybody want to add anything?" He specifically looked at Jules when he asked. It had been perhaps the most difficult call of the last eight days, especially for the young woman he loved like a daughter. During the debrief, she'd been relatively quiet, contributing only what she had to, which wasn't like her at all. It was the proof he needed that the outcome was still bothering her.
No one said anything; Spike, who had the transcript of the call in front of him, closed the file. Greg bit back a frown; he wouldn't pressure Jules to talk now in front of everyone because he knew that would just cause her to shut down even more. Instead, he regarded the team as a whole.
"Okay then, I know it's been a long week, and we've definitely earned these two days off. Get changed and go home. Enjoy the break and don't forget the team Christmas party on Christmas Eve. Let's hope Santa brings peace to the city for our Christmas Day shift."
"And anyone who doesn't have anything to do tomorrow, I've got a garage full of toys that need to be put together for Santa to deliver Izzy." Ed offered. "I swear Sophie didn't buy a single gift that doesn't take some sort of engineering degree to assemble."
"Shouldn't Santa and his elves be putting everything together?" Spike quipped.
Ed gave him a look. "Sure, so long as you realize that I'm Santa and you guys are my elves. Although, this Santa pays his elves in beer and pizza instead of milk and cookies. Any takers?"
Spike and Raf agreed to help. Sam looked to Jules, surprised she hadn't been the first to volunteer, even before the offer of beer and pizza. Projects like that were right up her alley, but she didn't seem to even have registered the conversation going on around her. Instead, she was one of the first to stand after it was clear the debriefing was over and they'd been cleared to leave. Sam looked to Sarge to see if he'd noticed and the older man gave him a slight nod to acknowledge that he had.
"Jules, can I talk to you a moment before you leave?" Sarge asked before Jules could reach the door. Only he and Sam noticed that she stiffened slightly at his question. Then she turned and sat back down at the table without a word.
Ed looked from Greg to Jules as if realizing something was wrong. He raised an eyebrow in question but Sarge waved him on. The others started filing out of the room with Sam being the last to leave. When he was alone in the room with Jules, Greg sat on the edge of the table next to her and folded his arms across his chest.
"You didn't have much to say during the debrief."
Jules shrugged. "Wasn't much to add. It's all there in the transcript. I discussed it enough in the SIU interview; I guess I'm all talked out about it."
Meaning she didn't really want to talk about it now. Sarge pressed on anyway. "It was a tough call, but you did what you had to do."
She nodded. "I know. The subject was escalating and was going to shoot his hostage. Negotiations weren't going to work on him. He wasn't listening to words because he was too tied up in his emotions. I had no choice but to call Scorpio."
Her words said she was okay but her body language and the way she wouldn't meet his eyes told a different story. He nodded. "I agree. I know you, Jules. You worry about failing and not being perfect. You didn't fail here. You did everything right. Sometimes negotiations don't work no matter how hard we try. If words always worked, we wouldn't have the need for Sierras or Scorpio. There's nothing you could have done differently to change the outcome of that call."
"We don't judge; I know that. But it's hard to look at the situation and feel good about it. He was a grieving son; determine to make the man responsible for his mother's death pay. I know what he was doing was wrong, but I also understand where he was coming from. I tried everything to avoid having to make the call, but I also knew that if I didn't call Scorpio, he was going to kill. I couldn't let that happen even if I did understand what he was feeling."
"Knowing it's the right call doesn't make it feel okay. Especially not when it's the first time you have to make the call."
Jules still didn't look up at him; a sure sign that it was bothering her more than she wanted to admit. She pushed her chair back and stood. Then she turned to sit on the table next to him so they were sitting side by side. She sighed. "I've taken the Scorpio shot before. Every time I've been in Sierra position, I've known the possibility is there that I'll have to fire the shot that will take someone's life. Why is it different being in the position to call Scorpio rather than taking the shot?"
"Because it becomes your decision rather than following an order. I wish I could say it gets easier the more times you are forced to make the call. It doesn't. Every time I've had to call Scorpio, I've questioned whether I made the right call; whether I could have done more to end the situation peacefully. Every time. It doesn't matter that it was the right call or that other lives would be lost if I didn't make the call. I still question it."
Now she did glance up at him. "You do?"
Greg nodded. "I think if I ever reach the point where I don't question if I did the right thing, it's a sign I should leave SRU. It shouldn't be easy make the call to end a life; questioning the need for calling Scorpio keeps us human. Don't feel bad about feeling bad that you made the call. Just don't let it overwhelm you either. You've got a couple of days off, and it's Christmas. Enjoy it."
Jules offered him a slight smile and leaned her head against the side of his arm. "I've been looking forward to the holiday for weeks now. It'll be the first Christmas Sam and I get to celebrate together. The way this week's gone though, it's difficult to be in the Christmas mood though."
It really had been that difficult of a week. Each shift, it seemed, had had its own hot call that left a bad taste for one reason or another. It was hard to get swept up in the spirit of the season. "Then do something fun. The two of you go look at Christmas lights and decorations or something. Go ice skating. Do something to get back into the Christmas mood. Enjoy being together. Don't let the call today or any of the others this week spoil things for the two of you."
Jules nodded. "I'll try. You know, Sam; he'll do everything possible to try to lift my mood."
Greg put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a sideways hug. "Good for him. If you need to talk to someone who knows a little more about what you're feeling, don't hesitate to call me."
Jules nodded. The two left the debriefing room together and separated at the separate locker rooms. She changed clothes quickly and when she left the locker room, Sam was waiting for her, leaning against the wall. Seeing her, he pushed off from the wall, his concern evident in his blue eyes. She offered him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Let's go home."
Sam took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "Want to stop somewhere to eat first?"
She shrugged. "You think we could just pick something up on the way? I'd kind of like to have just a quiet night in."
Sam nodded. "Sure, how does a night on the couch watching Christmas movies sound?"
Her smile was genuine as she nodded. "Sounds absolutely perfect."
- FP - FP - FP -
"Okay, Daddy, I'll talk to you soon. I love you. Merry Christmas." Jules terminated the call and set her cell phone on the table behind the couch. She hugged her knees closer to her body beneath the quilted blanket that covered her. She rested her head on her knees.
A moment later, a bowl of popcorn and two sodas were set down on the coffee table and Sam's warm body once more nestled next to hers. Sam rubbed her arms and kissed her cheek. "Everything okay with your dad?"
They'd already watched The Santa Clause and had started watching Santa Clause 2 when the phone had rung. Once he'd realized it was her father, he'd paused the DVD and excused himself to make them some popcorn while she talked to him. Now that she was off the phone, he didn't make a move to restart the movie. Instead he brought his hands up and started to gently knead the tense muscles in her shoulders.
"He always knows. I don't know how he knows but he does. Whenever we have a really bad call, I can always count on the phone ringing with Dad calling to check on me. It's like someone's told him he should call."
She sighed in appreciation of Sam's touch but he couldn't feel any relaxation in her shoulder muscles. Pausing only briefly, he swept her hair to one side and kissed her neck. "I swear I didn't call him, Sweetheart."
She smiled at his earnest promise. "I know. I said it was like someone had called but I don't really believe anyone did. I used to think Sarge gave him a heads up. Now I just think he's got some sort of weird Dad super sense going on. It's like he knows something happened but has no clue as to what it is. Maybe all fathers are like that."
She hissed as Sam inadvertently strayed too close to the bruise that had formed on her shoulder from one of the earlier hot calls during the week. He apologized and kissed it before moving closer to her neck. "Not my dad. Of course, he was always the better soldier than he was father. Mom, however, has that kind of sense. She always seems to know when something is bothering me. Did you tell him about the call?" Over their take-out dinner, Jules had confided in him her guilt over having to make the Scorpio call. Even though he hadn't been on that side of such a call, he'd listened as she explained how she felt. As she talked, he'd been glad to see some of the guilt lessen in her expression. Now, however, she felt tenser than she had when they'd first left the station. Talking to her father hadn't seemed to help.
She shrugged. "I didn't go into details. Over the years, Dad's gotten a little more accepting about what I do, but he still has a hard time thinking about his only daughter running towards people with guns and bombs instead of running away. I told him that we had a hard call but that I was okay. And I am. I would have preferred a different outcome, but I know I did everything I could." There was a sincerity in her voice that he didn't question.
The tension in her shoulders, however, suggested something different. "So what's bugging you? And don't try to tell me nothing because I know something is. I've got super secret powers myself; not to mention, the evidence is in your shoulders. You are really tensed up."
Jules tried to force herself to relax; Sam's massage felt good and she wanted to fully enjoy it. She knew however that he would keep pressing her for details and would just worry more if she didn't tell him what was wrong. "All four of my brothers were at Dad's. For the first time in I don't know how many years the whole family is spending Christmas together, everyone but me that is."
Sam stopped his massage of her shoulders and just wrapped his arms around her tightly, snuggling her close to him. "Which upsets you more? The fact you aren't there or that they didn't tell you they were doing a big family thing?"
For a moment Jules didn't answer. She twisted in his embrace so that her right ear was directly over his heart. She drew the blanket closer around her. Then she sighed once more. "Both. Neither. I don't know. I mean; I can't get away at Christmas. Dad knows that. We always have to work either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. For me to take off means I either leave the team shorthanded or make someone else come in to work in my place. So Dad didn't tell me what the others had planned because he didn't want me to feel bad about not being there. If I hadn't heard all the noise in the background and asked about it, I still wouldn't have known they were there."
"And now that you know?" Sam knew that Jules didn't get to spend much time with her family but it had never seem to really bother her before. Was it the holiday that was making her feel more nostalgic, or the hard week?
She shrugged. "I'm looking forward to my holiday here. I couldn't imagine not spending this Christmas with you; it's our first real Christmas together. No more sneaking around or denying how we feel. Even if I had been able to get the time off to go home, I wouldn't have gone. This is where I want to be."
"Right here with you is where I want to be as well. I hate seeing you upset though. I can tell it's bothering you not being there with your family." If it were possible, he'd somehow get her to Medicine Hat to spend the holiday with her family. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her.
"Sometimes I just miss having family close by. I have you and I have the rest of the team; I couldn't ask for a better family..."
"But it doesn't take the place of your real family." Sam supplied.
Jules frowned. Hearing Sam say it made her feel ungrateful for everything she did have. "I love you, Sam. I really do. I know how fortunate I am. I have a family of choice not blood here in Toronto. A family who would do anything for me, and one I would do anything for in return. I just wish it meant the same to the outside world as it does to me."
Sam eased his hand beneath the back of her t-shirt and skimmed his fingers over her bare back. "What do you mean?"
She shifted slightly, giving him better access to touch her and where she could look up into his blue eyes. "You remember that hot call the other day, the one where the victim tried to turn on Sarge?"
Sam nodded; the bruise on her shoulder had been a direct result of that call. A man had been holding his girlfriend hostage. Sarge had talked him down without incident. After the man had been handcuffed and led away, Sarge had gone to comfort the woman who'd been held at gunpoint. Angered that her boyfriend had been arrested even though he'd threatened to kill her, the woman had tried to take Sarge's gun from his holster. Seeing what she was about to do, Jules had tackled the woman before she could free the gun. Jules had subdued the victim turned subject but not without colliding painfully against the stone steps of the building they'd been standing in front of. Sam had been in the Sierra position at the time and watched everything through the scope of his Remy. He hadn't been able to catch his breath until he saw Jules stand relatively unharmed. Even now, days later, the thought of what could have happened sent a chill down his spine. He had to make a joke to dispel the image from his mind. "Yeah, you've always had really sharp post-incident reflexes."
She elbowed him lightly in the ribs, knowing he was referring back to the first time they'd met and she pulled a gun on him thinking he was reaching for a weapon himself. He chuckled. "Sorry. What about it?"
"What if I had been hurt?"
The look he gave her spoke volumes as his hand traveled up her back to lightly cup her bruised shoulder as if to further remind her that she had been hurt. She rolled her eyes before continuing. "Okay, so what if I had been hurt seriously enough that I'd had to be taken to the hospital? The only way the hospital would have given you or the others on the team any information about me would be if I signed permission for them to. I have to have a medical proxy on record authorizing you and Sarge to okay medical procedures in case I'm unable to sign for myself. All because I don't have blood family nearby. It doesn't matter that I'm closer to you than anyone else; nobody wants to legally recognize your importance to me."
Sam tightened his hold on her. Pretty much everyone on the team had a medical proxy on file because of the lack of family nearby, with the exception of Ed. It was just one of those necessary things that went along with the job that they usually didn't give a thought to. Was it just the conversation with her father that had gotten Jules brooding about her lack of family or had she been thinking about it for awhile?
For a few minutes, they contented themselves with just holding each other. Sam was trying to think of something to say that would make her feel better. Before he could, however, Jules stretched up to kiss him. "Don't pay me any attention tonight. I'm fine. Chalk it up to the long week at work and the sentimental melancholy of the season. Like I said, right here with you is right where I want and need to be. Let's just forget it and watch the movie. We're just about to the part where Santa uses his magic to take Carol to the faculty Christmas party in the open sleigh. That's my favorite scene in all three Santa Clause movies."
Sam wasn't ready to forget anything but he wouldn't say anything more about it if she didn't want him to. Instead, he grinned down at her, pulling her even closer into his arms. "It is, huh? Why is that?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Sleigh ride in the snow, drinking hot chocolate, snuggled together under a blanket, a pretty romantic Christmas date don't you think? They make you think she falls in love with him because of the baby doll but I personally really think it's the sleigh ride that does it. Want to hand me the popcorn and start the movie back?"
It crossed his mind to remind her that she was the one lying practically on top of him, and that it would be easier for her to reach both the bowl of popcorn and remote. However the thought was only fleeting as he kept one arm tightly encircling her body so that she didn't move far when he retrieved the aforementioned articles.
Nothing more was said about families, hot calls, or Christmas for the rest of the evening. As Jules watched the rest of the movie and then the third part of the trilogy, Sam could feel her completely relax. Even though nothing more was said about it, Sam's thoughts were whirling with possibilities. By the time the movies were over, he was pretty sure he knew exactly how to make this Christmas perfect for the woman he loved.
- FP - FP - FP -
"Sweetheart, you don't mind if I disappear for a couple of hours do you? I have some last minute Christmas things to take care of." Sam asked after lunch the following day.
Jules, who had been baking Christmas cookies almost from the moment they'd finished breakfast, looked over at him. She raised an eyebrow in question. "I thought you finished your shopping weeks ago. Weren't you the one who said nothing or nobody could drag you shopping the week of Christmas?"
Sam reached around her and snitched a tree shaped cookie from the cooling rack. He bit off the tip of it, laughing as she swatted him. "I didn't say I was going shopping. I just have some things to take care of. And no asking me what because you aren't supposed to ask questions this close to Christmas. So do you mind?" He popped the rest of the cookie in his mouth.
Jules rolled her eyes. "No, I don't mind. Probably the only way I'll have enough cookies to give to the neighbors. Go, have fun, just remember we're supposed to be at Ed's for the 'Great Toy Assembly' tonight. Since he's providing beer and pizza for all his 'helpers' I'm not planning on cooking anything for supper. Be there or be on your own for supper."
Sam leaned forward and kissed her, tasting like sugar cookie. "I'll be back in plenty of time for us to go to Ed's. You aren't going to give away all the cookies, are you?"
Jules laughed. "No, not all of them. I'm going to plate up enough to give as gifts and a couple of batches will go to the Team party tomorrow night but I'll make sure I save you plenty to eat here as well. Although you should remember that Ed'll put us all on the scale after the holidays for his infamous training drills. No blaming me if you put on a few extra pounds."
Wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close, he kissed her again. "I can't help it if you make the best Christmas cookies I've ever had. They are addictive, kind of like your kisses." As if to prove his point, he kissed her again. Only the timer going off indicating that a batch of cookies was ready to come out of the oven interrupted them.
Sam decided the timer had excellent timing. He was pretty sure if he didn't leave soon to run his errands, he'd be too tempted to convince her to postpone her cooking and join him upstairs. Only the fact that he had a limited amount of time to work out the logistics of his perfect Christmas plan for Jules kept him from giving in to that temptation.
Once he was out of the house and in the privacy of his own vehicle, Sam pulled out his cell phone. After searching through his contacts, he found the one he was looking for and called the number. After a couple of rings, he was greeted with a friendly "Merry Christmas."
"Hey, it's Sam Braddock; I need a favor. Is it okay if I drop by?"
- FP - FP - FP -
Sam woke up on Christmas Eve morning to heavenly smells gently rousing him. He opened his eyes and sat up as Jules entered the bedroom carrying a wooden breakfast tray. The delicious smells that had woken him were coming from that tray. She sat on the bed beside him and settled the tray on his lap. The tray contained two plates each filled with a large cinnamon roll and two mugs of steaming coffee.
"Breakfast in bed?" Sam asked with a grin.
Jules nodded. "It's sort of a tradition in my family. One I haven't really done in years because I didn't have anyone to share it with. Every year on Christmas morning, we kids were forbidden to go downstairs until everyone was up and had breakfast. The night before, Mom would make homemade cinnamon roll dough. My brothers and I would all camp out in one room for the night - our way of making sure no one sneaked downstairs to spy on the gifts. Mom would get up really early in the morning or maybe she'd never go to bed that night, I don't know, but then she'd bring us all breakfast in bed. After we'd eaten our cinnamon rolls we could go downstairs and see what Santa brought."
Sam broke off a piece of the pastry and popped it into his mouth. The taste was even better than the smell. "Jules, these are amazing. You do realize that it's Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day though, don't you? Not that I'm complaining."
She nodded. "Yeah, I thought about waiting until tomorrow to make them but since we have shift, I was afraid we wouldn't have time to really enjoy them. So I decided to do them this morning instead for us. I made plenty of dough though so I'm going to make another batch to take to work tomorrow. Sort of share part of the tradition with the rest of the family."
"I'm glad I get a preview. Seriously, Jules, these are the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had."
Jules flushed with pleasure at his words. It wasn't the first time she'd tried her mother's recipe; she'd taken over the reins of making the traditional Callaghan breakfast for several years after her mother's death. Each of those years, she'd felt like her efforts had paled in comparison to what her mother had always done. To hear Sam praising her efforts now made her feel good, like maybe she had really learned something from her mother. "I'm glad you like them."
She took her own bite of the pastry. It was good but it still lacked something that the ones her mother had fixed all those years ago had. Watching as Sam devoured his cinnamon roll like a man who'd been starved for days, she wondered if perhaps what she was missing was just that childlike innocence of the time instead of anything different with the cinnamon rolls themselves.
After a few more bites, Jules washed it down with a swallow of her coffee and then looked at Sam. "What about you? Any traditions in the Braddock household around Christmas?"
"I would have never survived Christmas Eve in your house. For as long as I can remember up until I was probably a teenager, I spent every Christmas Eve trying to wait up for Santa to come. I'd never made it all night; I'd wake up in the morning curled up on one end of the couch with Nat on the other end. The presents would already be under the tree and neither of us would have even heard a single jingle bell. I went all out every year, determined to see Santa. I even borrowed Dad's night vision goggles so I could watch the sky for the sleigh and reindeer. If I'd had some of the technology that exists today back then like web or trail cameras, I would have put them to use as well. I guess it's a good thing I didn't. Mom and Dad had enough trouble putting out gifts around me as it was; they would have had to be really creative if I'd had better technology. So you never sneaked down to try to catch Santa?"
Jules shook her head. "Never. Mom and Dad had always warned us that if Santa caught anyone awake and peeking, he would probably take our presents back. One year when I was about four, James couldn't resist trying; he'd heard noises downstairs after we'd all gone to bed and slipped downstairs- this was before we started camping out in the same room on Christmas Eve. He saw Santa putting gifts under the tree; watched him eat the cookies we'd put out, but as he moved closer, he made a noise on the stairs and Santa turned to look at him. James ran back upstairs and told the rest of us what he'd seen. Then Christmas morning when we went downstairs, we all had gifts waiting for us except for James. Instead, Santa left him a note saying he was sorry he couldn't leave anything for him because he hadn't been in bed when he stopped by. After that, there was no way we would have dared try catching him at work."
Sam chuckled. Though his parents had never tried to discourage his attempts to sneak a peak at Santa, he couldn't see his father going to the extreme of dressing as Santa to deliver the presents just in case Sam succeeded. He was impressed that Jules's father had gone to the effort to keep the belief in Santa alive for his kids. "I'm glad Santa never got that idea with me. So poor James went without that year."
Jules smiled at the memory. "Not completely. Mom suggested that he write Santa a letter apologizing for peeking and promising never to do it again. I think James practically promised everything he could think of if Santa would give him another chance. Two nights later, Santa made a second visit and left James his gifts. I think Mom and Dad held James to every one of his promises for the next year, maybe even for the next couple of years."
Pretty soon both cinnamon rolls had disappeared and the coffee mugs drained. Sam set the tray aside out of the way on the nightstand. Then he twisted on the bed so that his body covered Jules's. Then he kissed her tenderly. For a few minutes, they lost themselves in the kisses. Finally Sam pulled back just enough to look into Jules's face.
"If anyone had told me last Christmas that this year I would be spending it with you; that we'd be dating again without fear of what would happen at work, I don't think I would have believed it. I think I would have been too scared to think it could ever be possible. I already feel like I've been given the best Christmas ever."
Jules reached up to caress Sam's cheek. "Me too. I kept thinking last night as we helped Ed put together all of Izzy's presents that even though their Christmas tree is going to look like a toy store, it's nothing compared to the mother lode I've already received. Anything wrapped under the tree right now is just icing on the cake. I don't need anything else."
Sam grinned down at her. "Well, that's too bad because I've got something special planned for you today."
"Today? I thought we agreed we were going to exchange our gifts tonight after the party since we have to work most of the day tomorrow." Jules protested. From the number of wrapped boxes under the tree that she hadn't put there and hadn't arrived in the mail from family, she knew he'd gone all out on buying gifts. She hadn't complained because she'd done the same for him. It'd been nice to actually have someone special to shop for this year that she hadn't been able to stop herself when she'd been out and seen something she thought Sam would like. It was nothing too extravagant but mostly little fun things she knew he could either use or would get a kick out of.
"I said special, I didn't say it was necessarily a gift. Now, we need to get dressed or we'll be late. Make sure you dress warmly; we'll be outside for a while." With another kiss, Sam eased out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom.
Jules stared at the closed door. Dress warmly? What did he have planned? They'd talked about going ice skating but was that it? It didn't really matter to her what they did; anything Sam had planned would be special simply because he had planned it and that they would be together.
She heard the shower start. She could imagine Sam shedding his sweatpants and t-shirt in preparation for standing under the hot spray. She shifted off the bed and made her way into the bathroom, shedding her own clothes as she did. When she stepped into the shower with him, she noticed that Sam didn't seem all that surprised to see her.
They didn't rush the shower but they didn't completely lose themselves in it either. It was as if neither were in a hurry to do anything but spend time with each other. Finally, Sam turned off the spray. He and Jules dried off quickly and returned to the bedroom. Keeping in mind Sam's suggestion that she dress warmly, Jules put on a pair of her warmest fleece Cuddl Duds before adding a pair of jeans and a warm sweater as well. Seeing Sam don a pair of his thickest socks and his hiking boots, Jules followed his lead.
"You going to tell me what you have planned?"
Sam grinned back at her. "Not until we get there. You trust me, right?"
"With my life and my whole heart." Jules assured him.
Before they left, Jules insisted on taking their breakfast tray back to the kitchen. Once the dishes were in the sink, she let Sam lead her to the door. He handed her her thick Sherpa wool lined jacket before putting on his own ski jacket. As they made their way to the Jeep, they were both putting on their gloves, scarves, and hats. It was milder than some of their more recent winter days but still cold enough. Sam turned the heat on high as soon as he had the Jeep running.
Once they left the city proper, Jules was more confused as to where they could be going. If they were ice skating, they would have stayed in town for one of the rinks there, but Sam seemed to be taking out into the surrounding countryside. After about a thirty minute drive, he pulled turned off the road onto a dirt road that lead to a big field. A truck with a trailer was parked off to the side and beside it was a beautiful small open sleigh. She looked back at Sam.
"A sleigh ride? You arranged a sleigh ride for us?"
Sam grinned. How could he not after hearing her talk about the one in the movie they'd watched the other night? "Yeah. Not just any sleigh ride, look what's going to be pulling us."
Jules looked again as a man just a few years older than Sam started hooking up a harness. She did a double take. "Is that a real reindeer?"
Sam nodded. "Yep. Jeff served with me during my first tour but was discharged due to an injury he sustained. His injury left him permanently disabled. At first he had a hard time adjusting to not being able to do the things he used to do. A lot of guys in his situation would have suffered a complete breakdown but not Jeff. Instead he bought a Christmas tree farm. Last year, he bought a small herd of reindeer and several sleighs in order to give rides when people came out to pick out their tree. He also does parties and parades and things like that. I called him yesterday and asked if he could help me set something up. He was more than happy to help."
Jules was speechless. Sam really had gone out all out to do something special for her. She left the vehicle with Sam right behind her and approached the sleigh and reindeer. Sam's former teammate smiled at her.
"You must be Jules. Sam told me a lot about you yesterday when he called. You must be pretty special to turn Braddock into a hopeless romantic."
Sam wrapped his arms around her waist. "She is. Jeff, this is Jules Callaghan. Jules, Jeff Carter. Thanks for doing this for me. I know you've probably have a lot going on today."
Jeff shrugged. "Not too many people interested in buying trees on Christmas Eve. I do have a group coming out to the actual tree farm for a Christmas party this afternoon. They want the big sleigh though so it was no problem loaning you this one and old Cupid here."
Jules blushed slightly and looked up at Sam. "Cupid, huh?"
"I've got nine reindeer, named them after Santa's team." Jeff explained. "When I told Sam their names, he requested Cupid. Surprised me, most people want Rudolph even if he doesn't have a red nose. Okay, the two of you have fun; Sam, Cupid knows every inch of the property so you don't have to worry about getting lost. I'll meet you back here later. Have fun."
Sam thanked him again and then helped Jules up into the sleigh. There was a thick blanket on the seat that Jeff had left them to cover up in as they rode. Once it was snuggly tucked around them, Sam urged the reindeer forward. Once Jeff's truck had faded from sight, Jules stretched upward and kissed Sam's cheek.
"This is perfect. Thank you for this."
"The sleigh ride is just a start. Jeff also packed a picnic basket and a big thermos of hot chocolate. You aren't too cold are you?"
She shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm glad you suggested that I dress warmly but it's not too bad under this blanket snuggled up next to you. Even if it was colder, I wouldn't complain. I can't believe you did this."
"I don't have magic to make it snow directly on top of us, but at least there's still snow on the ground."
Jules wrapped her arms around his body and buried her head against his chest. "You don't need magic to make this the most special thing anyone has ever done for me. Trust me, Tim Allen has nothing on you."
They rode around the property for a while and then stopped to enjoy some of the hot chocolate Jeff had provided. Then they continued on until it was lunchtime. After they'd eaten the sandwiches they'd found in the picnic basket Jeff had left, Jules took the baggie of carrots to the front of the sleigh and fed them to the reindeer. Finally Sam pulled Jules close and kissed her.
"I guess we should start heading back now. It'll be hard to explain tonight if we're both giant popsicles for the party. Will you do me a favor on the ride back though?"
Jules grinned up at him. "After you've done all for me? Name it."
"I forgot to ask Jeff to give us Christmas music to listen to on the ride. Will you sing some Christmas carols on the way back?"
Jules blushed; even though she'd performed plenty of times as a teenager, she hadn't really sang for anyone in years. But if Sam wanted her to sing for him, she would. She went through Jingle Bells, Rudolph, and Sleigh Ride before Sam requested Winter Wonderland. She realized she'd been set up when she reached the part of the song that talked about the snowman Parson Brown and Sam stopped in front of a perfectly formed snowman. She paused in the song as she stared at the frozen figure in a top hat and long scarf.
Sam grinned at her. "You know, I always preferred the second verse, where he's a circus clown."
Jules frowned, wondering what he was up to. "Me too, but with that top hat, he looks more like Parson Brown than a circus clown."
Sam reached into his inside coat pocket and pulled out the floppy jester style elf hat he'd worn the week before when they'd helped at the party for the department's widows and orphans. "So switch it out with this one. It looks a little more circus-y."
Jules took the hat from him and climbed down from the sleigh. "You certainly looked more like a clown when you wore it. Okay, if you want to hear about the kiddies knocking down the circus clown, I'll switch out the hats and sing the second verse."
She lifted the top hat off the snowman's head, being careful not to mess up the creation someone had obviously spent some time on. She dropped the top hat to the ground as she stared at the top of the snowman's head. Sitting on the round, bald head was a small jewelry box. She looked from the box to Sam who had joined her at the snowman's side. "Sam?"
He reached up and took the jewelry box and opened it. Nestled inside was a beautiful diamond engagement ring. He dropped down to one knee, looking up at Jules. "So what do you think? Can we legally make me your family?"
Jules nodded as she removed her left glove. Sam slid the ring on her finger. Then he stood and kissed her. His arms wrapped around her and he swung her around, never breaking the kiss. When he finally set her down and released her, he cupped her face in his hands. Jules bit her lower lip. "Sam, of course I want to marry you; I want it more than anything. I've got to ask one question though. My answer isn't going to change, but I've got to know. Are you asking me to marry you just because of what I said the other night?"
Sam shook his head. "No. I'm asking you to marry me because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life loving you. I had already bought the ring. I was planning on asking you on New Year's Eve just before midnight. I wanted to start the new year knowing that every minute of the rest of our lives, we'd be together. After the week we've had, after hearing you talk about wanting family nearby, I didn't see the sense in waiting. I love you, Jules. I want to be your family, not just in your eyes but in the eyes of the law and anyone who sees us. I want us to have a family together at some point. Simply put, I want you."
Tears filled Jules's eyes. "I want you too. And Sam, this ring, it's beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it…"
"Like it?" Jules protested, incredulously. "Are you crazy? I love it. It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. I never want to take it off. The only thing that worries me is that it looks like you paid a small fortune for it. I'd hate for something to happen to it. You know how things get at work."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, I thought of that. There's a nice sturdy chain in the bottom of the jewelry box. I thought at work you could possibly wear it on the chain. That way you wouldn't have to worry about something happening to it but would still technically be wearing it."
Jules stared down at the ring on her finger. Her bare hand was getting icy cold without the glove on but she didn't want to cover her hand, didn't want to cover the ring that meant so much to her. Of course he'd thought to get a chain so she could wear it safely even while at work. A single tear ran down her cheek and her lip quivered. It had nothing to do with the cold. She hugged him tightly and kissed him once again.
Once they broke apart, Sam led her back to the sleigh. He was glad Cupid pretty much knew where he was going and that Sam didn't have to do much guiding. He kept an arm firmly around Jules. She kept her left hand free of the blanket so she could keep staring at the ring. Finally she looked up at him. "I know we got permission to remain on Team 1 even if we dated, but you don't think they'll change their minds about that since we're now engaged do you?"
Sam shook his head. "We've been nothing but professional at work. Hell, outside the team, I'm not sure how many even realize we're dating we've been so careful. As long as we continue to act professional at work, I don't see why our engagement would change anything. And if they want to give us a hard time, then let them. I'm not giving you up."
His words sent a surge of warmth through her. She leaned her head against his chest again. "I'm not giving you up either. Face it; you're stuck with me."
Sam's grin only widened. "Hear that, Cupid. I'm stuck with her. Good thing I wouldn't want it any other way."
"When do you want to get married?" Jules asked next.
Leave it to Jules to want to jump immediately into wedding plans. Sam kissed the top of her head. "I was thinking summer. A lot easier to do the honeymoon of extreme hiking with remote trails and no outhouses during the summer, don't you think?"
She liked the sound of that. She also loved the idea that she would be Mrs. Sam Braddock by next Christmas. She couldn't wait.
"You know there's no way we'll ever be able to beat this Christmas." Jules warned.
Sam shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past you to figure out a way. Even if you don't, as long as we have every Christmas for the rest of our lives together, nothing else matters."
- The End -
Author's Notes 2: So, we never got a proposal on the show to know when or how Sam proposed. I'd love to think that the proposal came before the news about the baby. Since the show really didn't show much of their relationship outside of work, it would be nice to think it could have happened something like this, and they were engaged for all of Season 5. I hope you enjoyed this story and that you have a wonderful Christmas. May all your wishes come true.