Stargate SG1 is somebody else's, probably MGM/Gekko Corp/Sci-Fi, and I freely admit that whoever's it is, I'm borrowing their show and they retain all rights, etc.
Author's Note: Sam/Jack. spoilers for S8 SG1/beginning of S9. Written for the Gateworld Shipmas Day. Hope you enjoy.
An Unexpected Christmas Present
She could do this.
She could.
Maybe she could do this, Samantha Carter thought with weary acceptance, as she zipped up her suitcase and stood back. She checked her watch.
If she wanted to get to San Diego before it got dark she knew she really ought to be leaving but instead, her eyes flickered to the picture of the Carter family on her dresser and she picked it up on a wave of nostalgia.
Her mother had loved Christmas. Sam could remember the excitement that Katherine Carter would generate just with sheer enthusiasm; the way their house would always smell of baking in December; the fun of trimming the tree, sending the Christmas cards and wrapping the presents. The day itself had always been filled with laughter even when her father, Jacob, had been deployed and away. After her mother had died, they'd tried their best but as a family they'd never been able to recapture the same joy and loving spirit that had made Christmas so magical in the years before.
Sam replaced the picture with a sigh. With her father's death earlier that year had left her and Mark facing Christmas without a living parent for the first time. Mark had generously invited her to spend the holidays with him and his family.
She pulled a face at herself in the mirror. Spending Christmas with her brother shouldn't have felt more daunting than facing down an army of Replicator bugs but it was. She knew it had a lot to do with the last time she'd seen Mark at their father's memorial service. Her brother had been angry at everything; at not being given the chance to say goodbye, the secrecy around cause of death, the military funeral...everything but mostly Sam.
And then there had been the matter of her broken engagement to Pete Shanahan. Mark had been unhappy with her about that too. He and Pete were close friends. Mark had set them up and been thrilled when the relationship had progressed into an engagement. She knew he believed she'd let him down when she'd backed out of it.
Still, he had invited her for Christmas. That had to mean something, didn't it? And even if she suspected that he'd invited her out of a sense of duty, she should go and try to build bridges, maybe even grieve a little with him for the loss of their father. It wasn't as though she had many options for the holidays.
Her original and very vague plans for the Christmas had involved spending it with Pete. They'd been engaged, the wedding date set and they had anticipated being married by Christmas. She really couldn't remember if they'd had plans beyond that because she'd spent a great deal of time trying not to think or plan anything to do with her wedding or her marriage – which in hindsight should have given her a really big clue that it was all a huge mistake way before she'd actually gotten a clue that it was all a huge mistake.
Sam sighed as she moved to gather her suitcase and pick up her jacket, laptop bag and purse. Pete was gone and with him her original plans for Christmas, and she didn't honestly mind that. It was more of a shame that in anticipating that Sam would want to spend Christmas alone with a new husband, Cassie Fraiser had already accepted an invitation from Janet's sister, May. Cassie had offered to change her plans, but Sam knew how much May was looking forward to having Cassie and how much Cassie was looking forward to going. Sam figured the two would spend some time reminiscing over Janet who they had all lost the year before and she knew Cassie needed that just as much as Sam needed to spend some time reminiscing over her own father.
The problem was that Sam wasn't certain her brother was the right person to do that with. Their early childhood memories of their father were few; he truly hadn't been around all that much and later, Mark had blamed their father for their Mom's death. He'd rebelled and left for college, gone into law and pretty much frozen their military father out of his life. The two had communicated only sporadically through Mark's adult life even after they'd reconciled.
She should make the effort with Mark, Sam lectured herself, as she locked up the small apartment she had rented on the outskirts of Las Vegas. She didn't want her relationship with her brother in the wake of their father's death to go the same way as their father's had done in the wake of their mother's. And in some ways, she welcomed the chance to grieve with Mark, to remember their parents, just to spend time with him. It was one of the reasons why she had decided to travel the day before Christmas Eve.
She winced at the evening sunlight, still bright despite the hour, and slipped her sunglasses on before she carried everything to her car, grateful that she'd thought to buy presents online and to have them sent straight to Mark's house. She got into the driver's seat and started the car. She took a moment to change the CD from pop to rock. She reversed out of the driveway and into the empty street. The drive out of Las Vegas to the highway brought home that her father's death and broken engagement weren't the only upheavals she had faced in the past year.
A year before it had seemed an impossible dream; the war with the Goa'uld at an end, the Replicators destroyed and Earth relative secure in the galaxy for the first time since they'd stepped through the Stargate. It had presented all of SG1 with change.
Teal'c had been the first to leave. He'd quietly left for Dakara to help the Jaffa set-up their government in the wake of gaining their freedom. Sam had known he would but she missed her Jaffa friend hugely. Daniel Jackson had been the last to put his hand up to leave. He'd wanted Atlantis and the new SGC commander, General Landry had agreed to his deployment there. Of course that had been before Daniel had gotten himself handcuffed to an alien space pirate and fallen over some advanced alien beings in another galaxy. Given the Ori threat that was emerging with each new Prior that they sent, Sam figured Daniel wasn't going anywhere for a while. She felt a moment's sympathy for him.
And then there was Jack O'Neill. Sam finally let her thoughts stray to him. He'd been promoted again. He'd transferred to Washington in a blur after their former CO General Hammond had suffered a heart attack and had opted for medical retirement. Major General O'Neill was the new Head of Homeworld Security, overseeing everything that was Stargate related although without any chain of command responsibility for any of it beyond his own small staff.
Sam's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. As much as she'd hated to admit it, his absence at the SGC had prompted her to reconsider staying especially as she'd known Daniel wanted Atlantis even if he hadn't asked for it at that point. She had requested the newly vacant position of Stargate Research and Development Commander and had been given it. She had transferred to Area 51 over a month before.
She was enjoying it – more than she had anticipated and enough that she'd happily turned down Cameron Mitchell's offer to return to SG1 without any regret. The science and engineering teams she commanded were bright and worked hard. It was a good post career-wise. She had time to indulge the scientist in her to her heart's content; more time to spend with Cassie who had struggled with college and grief. And she didn't miss going off-world too much. She certainly didn't miss getting shot at. Or missing Christmas entirely because of some alien invasion.
Sam snorted.
Christmas had almost become synonymous with trouble at the SGC and the only benefit had been that it had meant that SG1 invariably ended up spending Christmas together. It seemed strange that she wouldn't be spending Christmas with the team; not that they would all be together even if she wasn't headed for her brother's as Teal'c was back on Dakara. But she knew Daniel was planning to spend the holidays with Jack at the cabin in Minnesota. She kind of regretted not being there with them especially as Daniel's space pirate was going to be there too and she really wanted to meet the woman who could turn Daniel into such a ranting maniac for the first two weeks after her arrival that he'd called Sam every night to complain.
She missed the guys. Really missed them. It wasn't the same not seeing them every day. They'd all stayed in touch. Daniel called her regularly; Teal'c the same whenever he was on Earth; even Jack, despite his insane schedule, made an effort to communicate something every couple of days, even if it was a text or a hastily typed email.
Her lips unconsciously curved upwards as she remembered the last one.
Try to keep the speeding tickets to a minimum– and why are you driving to San Diego anyway? Two words, Carter: Air Force.
We'll miss you at the cabin.
Merry Christmas, Jack x
She shouldn't read too much into it, Sam told herself firmly; thinking of the typed kiss which he'd never done before. He probably hadn't meant anything by it. Probably.
Sam sighed deeply.
If there was one thing that hadn't changed it was her feelings for Jack. She was still in love with him. She had known that she was when she'd agreed to marry Pete. Guilt twinged in her belly again. She had loved Pete too...just not enough. In hindsight it had been stupid to think that she could contemplate giving her heart fully to Pete when it still had Jack O'Neill written all over it. She recalled her half-baked thinking that by the time of the wedding she would have moved on, gotten over Jack given her decision to marry another man and what she had perceived as Jack's disinterest.
She adjusted the volume on the music and settled back in her seat. She'd called it off with Pete because she'd realised she deserved more; that Pete definitely deserved more and that marrying Pete would be a monumental mistake when she loved Jack as much as she did. And Sam was proud of the fact that she had made that decision even without really knowing where she stood with Jack – thinking, in fact, that he was with someone else.
There had been a moment. She'd been in the observation room overlooking her father's infirmary room. She had been watching as his Tok'ra friends came by to say goodbye, caught up in the sadness of losing her father and her mind had drifted to his earlier words to her.
'You can still have everything you want.'
Maybe she'd just been tired of lying to herself. Or maybe it had just got to breaking point: her father dying, the house Pete had bought for them, the sight of Kerry Johnson stepping out of Jack's house as though she belonged there...
Sam had just known sitting in the observation room that she didn't love Pete enough to marry him; that she loved Jack too much to marry someone else. The honesty of it had taken her breath away and settled something inside of her. She'd felt strangely content with her decision; good, even.
When Jack had come to see her, she'd gratefully accepted his comfort and thanked him for being there for her. He'd told her 'Always.' And she'd known that Jack loved her.
Sam bit her lip as she eased her vehicle through the traffic and hit the accelerator again.
Her father had died shortly after and events had overtaken them but Sam cherished the memory of that moment, hoarded it within her. Jack loved her.
Of course, in that moment anything had been possible. Pete hadn't mattered; Kerry hadn't mattered; just them. So selfish, really. Yet Sam knew whatever had happened between Jack and Kerry had ended before Jack had stepped into the observation room. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't have offered her 'always' if he had been with Kerry. And as she'd known her own relationship with Pete was over, it had been easy to believe just for that moment that she really could have everything she wanted. It was a belief that had stayed with her and when they'd gone fishing a few weeks later at the cabin, although both Teal'c and Daniel had also been in attendance, Sam had anticipated something happening.
Nothing had happened.
Well, not nothing. They'd spent a wonderful weekend together the four of them, just reconnecting and enjoying being with each other. She'd even spent time alone with Jack actually fishing. But the topic of them hadn't been raised and her oblique reference, that they should have fished years ago, had been met with Jack suggesting they didn't dwell; she hadn't wanted to spoil the moment so she hadn't pushed.
Sam rolled her shoulders.
In some ways, she was grateful nothing had happened. She'd just buried her father, just buried the embarrassing remains of her engagement, not to mention there had still been the small matter of regulations between them as he'd still been her CO. She wasn't even sure what she would have done if he'd pushed it.
Which he hadn't. She didn't even think he had looked at her the wrong – right – way. He'd been there for her as a friend, a really great friend.
And she'd told herself, it was just that the timing wasn't great for either of them; that she should wait. Two days later, Jack had been on a plane to Washington and the overhaul of her working life had begun.
Since he'd departed, they had only seen each other a few times; once for Jack's farewell party at the SGC where any attempt to get him alone had failed given the number of people who'd wanted to talk to him; the second time when he'd stopped by the SGC just after her transfer had been approved and he'd lunch with her and Daniel; and a third time when he'd attended her farewell party where she had been too in demand. They had talked on the phone, and their communication was warm and friendly; it never failed to cheer Sam up or put a smile on her face. It just never touched on them.
Even though the regulations were no longer an issue.
Even though they were free to pursue their feelings.
She guessed she was back to questioning whether all Jack wanted was friendship.
Sam grimaced. She had told herself she wasn't going to make the same mistake that she had the last time she had thought that; she was going to be an adult and talk to him about it and she would; right after the holidays.
It had nothing to do with her avoiding the conversation, Sam thought primly, and everything to do with just getting through Christmas with her brother and without her father. She could only handle one potential nightmare at a time because the idea that she had misread him in the observation room and that Jack did just want to be friends ranked up there as one of her worst.
She checked the dashboard clock, amazed to see that she'd managed to muse away almost two hours on her non-relationship with Jack. She rolled her eyes and signalled to exit for a roadside diner. She needed a cup of coffee and the bathroom – not necessarily in that order.
Ten minutes later, she sat in a garish green leather booth. The mug of steaming coffee was on the plastic Formica table in front of her. She rummaged in her bag, trying to find the note on which she had scribbled Mark's new address as he'd moved a couple of weeks before, and she figured she might as well programme the GPS when she got back into the car with the zip code. She frowned when she failed to find it and she reached for her cell phone, grateful that she had recorded his new house telephone number in its memory.
She waited impatiently as the phone rang on the other end, her fingers tapping restlessly against the mug, her fingertips glancing off the heat each time.
'Hi there.'
'Emily, hi!' Sam greeted her breathless sister-in-law with genuine pleasure. Emily was a lovely big-hearted generous woman with a great sense of humour.
'Hi, yourself.' Emily said happily.
Sam heard the sound of banging in the background; the murmur of a man's voice and the kids laughter.
'Hang on while I change rooms; it's chaos here.' Emily apologised. 'Pete, you OK with the...great.'
Sam froze. She was barely aware of the sound of a door closing and the background falling quiet as Emily moved rooms.
'You still there?' Emily asked cheerily.
'Yeah,' Sam answered slowly. 'Emily, was that Pete as in...?'
'As in Pete.' Emily supplied. 'Yes, of course.' There was a moment of stunned silence. 'Oh God. You didn't know?' She sighed gustily. 'I'm going to kill your brother.'
'I'm...' Sam tried to find some coherent words but nothing came to mind.
'Sam, I'm so sorry.' Emily hurried out. 'Mark invited Pete. He told me that you knew all about it and were fine with it. Heck, I even joked that you might still be interested in Pete.'
Sam felt her throat close up.
Emily sighed heavily into the phone. 'I'm sure he was just trying to, you know, get you guys back together. He thought you were great as a couple and...' she sighed again, 'he just wants you to be happy, I swear.'
Sam forced out a humourless chuckle. 'Right.'
'I really, really, am sorry, Sam.' Emily said again. 'If I'd had any idea this was some kind of surprise to you, I'd have stopped him or at least forewarned you.'
'It isn't a problem.' Sam lied, her mind searching and settling on a solution quickly because the one thing she was certain about was that she no longer had any intention of spending the Christmas in San Diego. 'Actually, I was calling to apologise.'
'Apologise?'
'Something's come up and I can't make it.' Sam said briskly.
'Sam...' Emily clearly wasn't buying it.
'I'm really sorry, Emily, but I have to go.' Sam snapped the phone shut before her sister-in-law could reply. She held the plastic tightly in her hand and tried to regain her footing.
Mark had invited Pete to Christmas.
Pete.
To Christmas.
Of all the stupid, insane things to do, Sam thought angrily. What the hell had Mark been thinking? That she'd take one look at Pete and change her mind? Was he that dense or did he just not respect her decision at all? Or maybe he wasn't match-making and all he'd wanted to do was make her suffer.
The phone buzzed. She ignored it, snared by the thought. Her anger drained away, leaving behind only hurt.
Did Mark really hate her that much? Could he be that angry with her that he'd purposefully ruin her Christmas? Was Pete in on it?
And even if Emily was right and Mark was trying to match-make, what the hell had possessed him? It was more like the manipulations her father would have done before Selmak and the influence of a thousand year old symbiote – manipulations that Mark had always derided.
The phone buzzed again and she glanced at the display. Mark's cell phone. Emily must have called him. Sam switched her phone off. She couldn't deal with him. Whatever had motivated Mark, clearly her feelings didn't truly matter to him; he'd evidently had a very different plan for Christmas than she had.
The urge to bawl like a baby set in as disappointment swamped her.
As much as she'd not been looking forward to spending the holidays with Mark, not spending the holidays with him suddenly seemed like one more loss on top of the rest; as though it was the smallest and tiniest balanced precariously on the others but the one which threatened to bring the whole pile down on top of her...
Panic had her grabbing her purse and surging out of the diner. She practically ran to her car and got inside of it hurriedly. She sat, trembling for a long time, trying to regain control. She took a deep breath and started the engine. She drove out of the parking lot and into the twilight.
o-O-o
Jack kicked the door shut, blocking out the cold air, and muttered under his breath as he reached for his ringing cell phone in his jacket pocket. New responsibilities, he reminded himself; he couldn't just take off for a week as much as he might want to. He flipped it open.
'O'Neill.'
'Jack.' The familiar voice brought a frown to Jack's face and his eyes narrowed on the clock on the mantel. It was almost lunch time.
'Daniel.' Jack answered smartly. 'Shouldn't you have left by now?'
'We're leaving soon.' Daniel replied. 'Landry decided to give us a military transport because of the issues with, uh...'
'Your companion?' Jack suggested, making his way into the kitchen.
'Yes. Let's not call her that.'
'You'd prefer girlfriend?' Jack bantered back easily, as he got a mug from the cupboard and set it on the counter. He reached for the coffee pot and poured out a strong black stream of liquid. He inhaled appreciatively. 'Consort? Significant other?'
'Funny.' Daniel retorted. 'Are you going to do this all Christmas?'
'Yep.' Jack didn't see the point of denying it. 'So you're calling to give me a new ETA?'
'Not exactly.' Daniel sighed. 'Pete Shanahan just called me.'
Jack's fingers clenched around the ceramic handle he held. 'Oh?' He'd aimed for disinterested and winced as he realised he hadn't quite achieved it.
Daniel sighed deeply. 'According to Pete, Mark invited him for Christmas telling him it was Sam's idea. Supposedly, Mark was trying to get them back together.' He paused. 'Anyway, Sam called her sister-in-law yesterday evening and overheard Pete, so, well...'
'Fan hit. Crap everywhere.' Jack commented dryly. He could imagine Carter's mortification at being set-up. She'd never said anything very much about her break-up with Pete, and he hadn't asked – God knew he preferred to pretend the whole Pete thing hadn't happened at all, but he knew Carter, and he knew she'd feel bad about ending the engagement and breaking the guy's heart.
'Pretty much from the sounds of it.' Daniel agreed. 'Except Sam told them it didn't matter because she had to work.'
Jack felt the muscles in his neck and shoulders tightening. No matter how much she might have been worried about going to her brother's for Christmas, he knew Carter had been looking forward to it – had needed it in the wake of Jacob's death. It was one of the reasons why he hadn't pressed her on joining him and Daniel at the cabin. But finding out that her brother had intended to ambush her with her ex would have put paid to that. Anger stirred; what had possessed her brother?
'She made an excuse to get out of going.'
'That's what I figured.' Daniel said. 'Have you heard from her?'
'Nope.' And he was beginning to feel a significant amount of concern and worry bubble up inside of him that he hadn't, and that she evidently hadn't called Daniel either.
Daniel sighed. 'Damn. I was hoping she'd called you.' He cleared his throat. 'Pete told me Mark tried her on her cell most of yesterday evening but he eventually stopped deciding that Sam was steamed at him and wasn't going to answer until she cooled down. They tried again this morning...'
'But they still can't reach her.' Jack rubbed his belly, trying to settle his churning gut.
'Which is obviously why Pete called me.' Daniel said. 'They wanted her work number. I didn't give it, obviously.'
'What did you tell him?'
'That I would see if I could get hold of Sam and have her call them.' Daniel said. 'Only, Jack, I've tried her cell and her Nevada place, and she's not picking up.'
'Have you...'
'I've tried her office at Area 51. They haven't seen her since she signed out yesterday.' Daniel confirmed. 'Jack, I'm worried.'
Jack's eyes closed briefly. 'Yeah.' The last time Carter had gone incommunicado, she had been kidnapped and it had taken days to find her. Jack felt a moment's regret that one of the ships wasn't in orbit; he could have made a quick call and had her location in a matter of moments.
The base alarms sounded in the background at Daniel's end. 'Uh, I should probably...'
'Go. See what's happening.' Jack said. The line went dead and Jack immediately tried Carter. He got her message centre. He sighed. 'Carter, call me when you get this.' He said succinctly after the beep. He closed the cell again and it rang, he flipped it open with more hope than he cared to admit to that it was Carter. 'O'Neill.'
'Sir, this is Sergeant Murphy.' There was a tremor of nervousness in the Sergeant's voice. 'General Landry has just ordered a lockdown of the SGC, sir. He asked me to inform you.'
Of course he had. 'What is it this time?'
'Sir?'
'What caused the lockdown?' Jack asked impatiently. 'Invasion, virus, what?'
'Uh, virus, sir.' Murphy replied. 'People are turning green.'
'Keep me updated, Sergeant.' Jack ordered. He ended the call before the Sergeant could reply. His cell rang again.
'Jack.'
'Daniel.'
'Have you...'
'Yeah, I just got informed.' Jack said with a sigh.
'That was fast.' Daniel said. 'Apparently, SG18 have brought back some alien virus thing that's causing people to turn green. There's a possibility we all have it. Doctor Lam's working on a cure. She thinks it could be a couple of days so...'
'So, no Christmas at the cabin for you.' Jack concluded. His eyes glanced off the presents under the tree and mentally he began revising his plans.
'Sorry.' Daniel sounded disappointed enough that it took the edge of Jack's.
'Hey, no problem.' Jack said easily. 'It's not like this is the first time something like this has screwed with our plans.'
Daniel sighed. 'Did you...'
'I left a message telling her to call me.' Jack said, anticipating Daniel's question.
'Shouldn't we be doing something more?' Daniel asked. 'I don't know, can't we check her credit cards or something?'
Jack's eyebrow rose a little. The same thought had crossed his mind but he knew Carter would be pissed if they invaded her privacy and all she had done was take herself off somewhere to get to grips with her brother's idiocy.
'I know it's early but I just can't help thinking the sooner we track her down the better. I mean, when she got grabbed by Conrad...' Daniel's voice trailed away.
There was a tense silence as both men remembered how close they had come to losing Sam.
Jack cleared his throat. 'Let's give her a few more hours to make contact with someone. If she hasn't surfaced by eighteen hundred we'll start tracking her down.'
'OK.' Daniel said. 'Uh-oh.'
'Uh-oh?'
'My hand's kind of lime coloured.'
Jack's eyebrows rose. 'Does this make you the Grinch?'
Daniel ignored the jibe. 'I'd better get to the infirmary.' He paused. 'Jack...'
'I'll keep trying her, Daniel.' Jack promised. He ended the call with a heartfelt sigh. His thoughts drifted inextricably back to Carter.
He was worried. He knew her; knew how devastated she would be at her brother's interfering in her love life when she had probably anticipated a Christmas of remembering her father, grieving. She'd been through so much in the past year, so many changes and upheavals. It would take its toll on anybody even someone as strong as Carter.
It was one of the reasons why he hadn't pushed their relationship to the next level. Just after her Dad had died he'd avoided even a conversation about 'what next'. He'd told himself that they both knew they loved each other; that they could wait a little longer while Carter – Sam – healed, especially as the regulations would need navigating before anything else could happen.
And then he'd been transferred, and then she'd been transferred...events had kind of overtaken them. The regulations weren't between them anymore but he continued to believe Sam needed time to process everything; she didn't need him pressing her into a new relationship on top of everything else she had to deal with.
Still, Jack wouldn't deny that he'd already made seducing Carter his New Year's resolution.
There was giving her time and then there was being an idiot in his opinion. He'd come too close to losing her to someone else because he'd pretended he was OK with it, that he only wanted, needed, friendship from her. He wasn't making the same mistake twice, and he was making progress on shifting their relationship in the right direction; their respective transfers had allowed him to set a lot of their communication on a more friendlier footing – like ending his emails with his name instead of his rank or surname. And while he'd debated endlessly with himself over ending his last email to her with an 'x' after his name, he had done it. They were small but significant steps forward in his mind.
He checked his watch and made another call to her cell before trying her Nevada apartment in case she was there and just letting the machine pick up.
He made a call every fifteen minutes for the next four hours in between getting updates from the SGC on the virulent Grinch disease. Apparently, they'd confirmed it was passed through direct contact and half the base was down with it. So far it hadn't killed anyone.
With each hour that passed his anxiety level doubled. The clock was inching very close to eighteen hundred when Jack tried Carter for the umpteenth time.
'Come on,' he muttered as he picked up the fire poker with his free hand, 'answer the phone, Carter.'
'You have reached the message centre for...'
Jack swore and punched the button to the end the call. He glared at the fire as he prodded it into a cheerful blaze. He was going to have to call and...
The sound of an engine penetrated through the quiet strains of opera playing on the stereo. He stood up slowly, his instincts prickling, and made his way to the window. He snagged the edge of a curtain and peeked out. A car had parked beside his rental; its headlights lighting the newly fallen snow in front of the cabin for a moment before they blinked out.
Jack felt his heart start to speed up. It was Sam's car. The rush of relief almost had him staggering. It was followed by a warm flood of pleasure. In the wake of her Christmas plans imploding, she'd come to him.
No, Jack thought, yanking his mind off that trail; she'd come to the cabin for Christmas with her friends. Her turning up on his doorstep had no more meaning than that especially since she had no idea that Daniel and his Space Babe weren't there.
Daniel and his Space Babe weren't there.
The thought echoed in Jack's head. He and Carter were going to be alone. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. His heart raced uncertainly in his chest and he placed one hand over it. He forced himself to take one breath, then another. It wasn't a problem; it wasn't. He could be alone with Carter.
Nothing had to happen.
Nothing.
He ignored the voice whispering in his head that something could happen and the spark of his hope that ignited within him.
If he was right, Carter needed a soft place to land not an ex-CO looking to get her into his bed even if he did have the space reserved for her for the rest of his life, Jack remonstrated with himself firmly. He could do that for her; be her soft place to land; her friend. He didn't need to get her into her bed.
Yeah.
Right.
He frowned.
Why wasn't she getting out of the car?
o-O-o
Sam looked at the cosy cabin with its icing of snow and smoking chimney. It looked like something out of a fairy-tale. The snow was fresh and unspoiled by tracks or dirt, and it had settled like a blanket over the trees and the ground. The yellow lights shining behind the curtained windows spoke of life and warmth. It was as pretty as a picture.
It scared the hell out of her.
She hadn't even really known where she was driving to, Sam thought with a touch of hysteria, she had just been driving away from San Diego. She had fallen into some motel for a few hours sleep when the road had started to blur in front of her eyes. When she had woken, she'd gotten up and started driving again. It was only when she'd seen the Minnesota state line that she had known she was driving to Jack. Somehow, it didn't surprise her.
She realised dimly that her hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly. She slowly peeled each finger off the leather. Her hands were stiff and cold; she rubbed them together, grimacing as pins and needles struck.
She should get out of the car. Somehow she couldn't convince her body to move. She had been driving for hours. And the adrenaline that had triggered her flight reaction was long gone. She needed the bathroom. She needed food. She needed sleep. She needed Jack.
Sam let her head drop back against the cushion of the driver's seat, closing her eyes. She'd get out in a minute. She just needed to think for a minute.
What was there to think about, Sam mused tiredly. Jack had told her she would be missed. He didn't need to know the sordid details of why her plans had changed. And it wasn't as though they would be alone. Daniel and – Sam searched her memory for the woman's name and dredged it from the recesses, Vala; Daniel and Vala would be there too.
So, there would be no crawling into Jack's bed naked and surprising him on Christmas morning, Sam thought wryly. She gave a thin laugh. God, she'd probably shock Jack into her heart attack if she attempted it.
A rap on her window jerked her out of her thoughts.
Sam's eyes darted to Jack. He stood outside her car door, dressed in an open oversize puffy jacket. Snow was falling out of the sky and descending on him, leaving small beads of moisture in his grey, ruffled hair.
She stabbed at a button and the window zipped downwards. 'Hi.'
Jack looked at her concerned and a glance in the mirror told her why; she was deathly pale and her eyes were glazed as though with shock.
'Hi.' He replied cautiously.
Sam opened her mouth to tell him that she'd changed her mind about San Diego; to make light of her decision. She burst into tears.
'Crap.' Jack muttered under his breath. He reached in the open window and grabbed the handle to open the car door. A second later, he was scooping her out of the seat and her arms were curling around his neck as she shifted her legs to help him. He nudged the car door shut again and headed for the cabin.
The heat inside smacked into Sam as they entered, Jack pushing the door shut behind them, and she shuddered. She swiped at her streaming nose, her wet cheeks as she continued to cry.
He carried her to the sofa. He sat down, placing her on his lap. She pushed her face into the side of his neck, her body burrowing beneath the jacket for warmth against his as his arms held her tightly, his hands finding hers and covering them, rubbing them gently. Jack simply held Sam as she cried. He pressed his lips to the top of her head. Sam could hear the soaring notes of the classical music Jack had playing in the background as her tears subsided; his heart beneath her cheek; his breath against her hair.
Jack shifted. He raised a hand and stroked her hair away from her damp face, his dark eyes searching hers. Sam looked back at him, bemused by her lack of embarrassment at going to pieces on him. She guessed she'd needed the crash and the crying jag and she just felt safe. Sheltered. She let her head fall back down onto his shoulder and with a sigh, fell asleep.
o-O-o
Jack heard her breathing change and for a long while he stayed where he was, before the pressing and prosaic need for the bathroom had him gently shifting her onto the sofa and covering her with the throw.
After a quick trip to the bathroom, he headed back out into the cold. He put the car window back up wincing at how damp the seat had become in the hour it had been left exposed to the elements. He snagged the keys from the ignition where they still hung loosely, opened the trunk and made his way back into the cabin with the bags. Carter always packed light and there wasn't much. He returned to lock up the car before he made his final trudge through the snow. He left his boots by the door, hung his coat up and carried everything into the spare room.
He checked everything was fine. He'd cleaned and made the bed with fresh linen in anticipation of Daniel's arrival so there wasn't much to do. He left a lamp on, satisfied as it gave the room a cosy glow.
Perfect.
Jack checked on Sam again before he quietly shut himself in his bedroom. He flipped open his phone and called the SGC. He was put through to Daniel immediately.
'Jack, have you...'
'She's here.' Jack said quickly. 'She turned up about an hour ago.'
'Is she...'
'She's OK.' Jack lied. There was no point worrying Daniel. 'Tired from the drive. She's napping.'
Daniel gave a sigh of relief.
'How are you?' Jack asked.
'Still green.' Daniel replied succinctly. 'So. You and Sam. Alone at the cabin.'
Jack could picture Daniel's waggling eyebrows in his head and he tried hard not to tense up at the gentle teasing. 'She's here because she needs a friend, Daniel.' He winced at the defensiveness at his tone.
Daniel sighed heavily. 'Maybe you should try asking Sam what she needs instead of assuming you know already.'
'I'm not...' Jack began to deny it automatically.
'Aren't you?' Daniel interrupted.
Jack swallowed the angry retort that leaped to mind and forced himself to consider Daniel's words. Maybe, he conceded, Daniel had a point. It had been his job as Carter's CO to determine what Sam needed; what was best for her just as he had for the rest of SG1. He'd needed to in order to keep them all alive. His jaw clenched. But it wasn't her CO anymore, and if he and Carter – Sam – were going to make the transition to lovers, they were going to have to leave their old patterns behind and create new ones. He stared at a photo of his late son that he'd placed on top of the chest of drawers. He pushed the photo frame one way then another.
'I'll call Pete and Mark, let them know Sam's safe.' Daniel offered with a sigh.
'Thanks.' Jack said.
'And, Jack?' Daniel said. 'Merry Christmas.'
'Merry Christmas.' Jack replied before he ended the call. He pushed his hands through his untidy grey hair. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew it had been his assuming he knew what Carter needed that had led to him almost losing her. Not making the same mistake, Jack told himself firmly.
So, he'd ask her.
The decision had him suddenly nervous.
His nerves didn't improve any as he sat at the other end of the sofa and watched her sleep for the next two hours. He felt her stirring and hurriedly turned his attention back to his book.
'Hey.' Sam murmured. She stretched, her foot coming to rest up against his thigh.
'Hey.' Jack said.
She blushed as awareness of where she was and what had happened when she had arrived set in, and she moved to sit. 'Sorry.'
'Not a problem.' Jack gestured at the water he'd placed on the coffee table hours before and wasn't surprised when she picked it up and gulped half of it back greedily. He took his reading glasses off, placing them and the book he'd been pretending to read on the side table. 'Want a bath?'
Sam nodded.
Jack padded away from her. He opened the bathroom door, snapped on a light and set the bath running, water gushing in to fill the tub; he added some bubble bath that she'd left from the team's previous visit. He went back out to the den and found Sam quietly sitting, sipping her water.
'Come on.' Jack said, surprising her with his silent return.
The sooner he got her warm and fed, the better, Jack mused. Her cheeks had a bit more colour in them but he wanted more. He held out a hand and she grasped it firmly to pull herself to her feet. He escorted her into the bathroom.
She smiled at the sight of the bubbles, the scent of lavender filling her head. 'This is great.'
Jack tested the water and turned off the water. 'Towels are on the rack.' He pointed to the big fluffy blue towels he'd put out for her. 'I put your stuff in your room already.'
'Thanks.' Sam said softly. 'Oh God.'
'What?' Jack paused in the doorway, one hand already on the door poised to shut it.
Sam bit her lip. 'I packed for San Diego.' Another blush heated her cheeks.
Jack's eyebrows rose but he nodded unsurprised and he could tell it disconcerted her. She had no idea he knew about why she'd changed her plans. 'I've got some spare stuff. I'll leave it in your room while you take your bath.' His heart ached a little at the term he'd used as he stepped away. 'Your room.' She had a room. His lips twisted. It would be nicer if her room was Jack's room but at this point he'd take her having a room in his cabin as a major step forward for them.
Jack ignored the muffled groan he could hear through the closed door, the splash of water as Sam climbed into the bath and he headed straight for his own room. He searched out a couple of old sweaters and clean, woolly socks. He figured she probably had packed a spare pair of jeans but he added a pair of sweatpants to the pile. He carried the whole lot into her room and left it all neatly laid out on the bed where she could easily find them.
He hurried out of the bedroom and tapped sharply on the bathroom door. 'Carter, you asleep in there?'
'No?' Sam's rough sleep-filled voice gave away she had been dozing.
'You have fifteen minutes and I'm coming in to get you.' Jack said lightly. 'I'm going to make us something to eat.'
'OK.'
He heard the faint ripple of water through the wood as Sam moved in the bath. Food, he reminded himself. He forced his feet in the direction of the kitchen.
o-O-o
Sam took hold of the shower attachment and turned on the water until it ran warmly. She washed her hair using Jack's shampoo. She unplugged the bath, soaped and rinsed the suds from her body. She tiredly turned the taps off and clambered out of the bath. She wrapped herself in one warm towel before towelling her hair with another.
She gathered up her dirty clothing, opened the bathroom door and paused to locate Jack. The noises coming from the kitchen gave away his location and she swiftly padded down to the room she had used on her last fishing trip. She smiled at the sight of her bags neatly stacked in one corner; Jack's spare clothing laid out on the bed. She closed the bedroom door and padded across the hardwood floor to her suitcase.
She dumped her dirty clothing into a cloth bag, pulled out fresh underwear, and took out the presents she had packed. They were from her team-mates and she had packed them intending to open them with the rest of her presents at Mark's. She knew hers to Jack, Daniel and the one she had packed for Daniel's friend, would be under the tree in the den. They'd all been sent ahead of the holiday rush.
She towelled dry quickly, eschewing her own clothing to dress in the warmer choices Jack had left out for her. She dived back into the bathroom to brush her teeth and perform some semblance of her daily ritual of cleansing and moisturising before returning to the bedroom to dry her hair, attempting to create some kind of style before she gave up and settled for simply drying it. She felt almost human, Sam considered, glancing at her reflection.
She picked up her presents and wandered back through to the tree. She placed her presents down and frowned as she realised she hadn't seen or heard Daniel or Vala. She straightened and made her way into the kitchen.
The aroma of tomato soup and grilling cheese made her stomach rumble and alerted Jack to her presence. His chocolate eyes drifted over her, taking in her outfit and rumpled hair.
Sam smiled self-consciously. 'Thanks for the, uh, clothes.' She brushed the sweater lightly.
Jack shrugged, turning back to the soup and only just rescuing it from scorching, as one corner of his mouth quirked upwards. 'They look a lot better on you.'
Sam stared at him. Had he just given her a compliment?
He pointed at the table. 'It's ready if you want to take a seat.'
Sam nodded and sat down on one of the wooden chairs. He'd only set out two place settings, she noted. She cleared her throat as he set bowls of soup down and went back for the rest. 'Are Daniel and Vala delayed?'
Jack placed the plate of grilled cheese sandwiches down carefully. 'They're not coming.'
Sam froze; her spoon mid-way to her mouth. 'They're...'
Jack studiously avoided looking at her. 'The SGC is in lockdown.' He picked up his own spoon and stirred his soup. 'They've all got some virus turning them green.'
'Green?' Sam congratulated herself on being able to talk. She was trying not to be too freaked out at the realisation she and Jack were alone and would be alone all Christmas.
He cautiously raised his eyes. 'Yep. I told Daniel they needed to call in Doctor Seuss.'
Sam laughed, relaxing. She tucked into the food and Jack made quick work of his own.
'That was great.' Sam said, sitting back finally.
'Mom used to make this every Christmas Eve when I was a kid.' Jack admitted, waving the remaining corner of his sandwich at her. 'She told me it was what Santa gave to his elves for doing good work.'
Sam felt a thrill of pleasure that he had let her know about his tradition. 'My Mom used to make us spaghetti and meatballs on Christmas Eve.' Her eyes dimmed as she recalled past Christmas Eves. 'It was my Dad's favourite meal.' She continued sadly. 'But she'd make it every year whether he was home or not.'
'She wanted to make Dad part of your Christmas.' Jack said.
Sam nodded, unable to speak for the renewed press of tears.
The ringing of a cell phone had Jack shooting her an apologetic look. He let go of her to retrieve his cell from the kitchen counter.
Sam took the opportunity to take a shaky breath as she tried to regain control over her churning emotions. She had cried enough on him, Sam thought tiredly.
'O'Neill.'
She felt rather than saw him tense.
He looked at her sharply. 'Hold on.' He placed the phone against his chest to muffle the sound. 'It's your brother.'
Sam bit her lip, considering whether to refuse to speak with him. She wasn't sure she was ready to forgive him; wasn't sure she was ready to deal with it. Of course it was going to look suspicious to Jack if she...
'I can tell him to get lost.' Jack offered.
Her eyes snapped to his and she realised from the tinge of anger darkening his gaze and edging his words that he knew; somehow he already knew why she'd ended up at the cabin and not at her brother's. But then why else would Mark have called Jack's cell phone? She flushed brightly before she shook her head and gestured for him to give her the phone. She should talk with her brother; if anyone should tell him to get lost it should be her.
'Mark.' She said. She got up and paced away from the table back towards the living area.
Jack began to clear up the plates up, apparently attempting not to eavesdrop.
'Telling me that I'm an idiot isn't a great way to start an apology...' Sam bit out, her arms waving wildly. 'What did you think I was going to do when I found out?' She demanded. Her hand was over her brow.
Jack stacked the plates by the side of the sink and started to wash them.
'And did you even stop to think what Pete was going to feel like when he realised I hadn't invited him?' Sam continued. She paced the length of the room. 'And what the hell gives you the right to decide what's best for me?'
A soapy dish slipped out of Jack's grasp and hit the water with a splash, catching her attention. Jack shot her an apologetic look and rescued the plate as she returned her gaze to the tree and her conversation.
'I don't care if Dad told you to take care of me, I doubt Dad meant for you to try and hook me up to the wrong guy,' Sam said in a rush, 'and – I'm still speaking, Mark – and yes, he is the wrong guy. I know he is because I know who the right guy is...' she stopped abruptly, spinning around to meet Jack's stunned gaze across the cabin.
The two of them stood looking at each other helplessly.
Sam cleared her throat. 'I have to go, Mark. Yeah, yeah, I understand.' She responded absently. 'Merry Christmas.' She ended the call without breaking her eye contact with Jack.
Jack suddenly realised that water was splashing onto the floor. He swore and quickly snapped off the water; he reached into the sink and pulled out the plug. The water drained away with a groan through the aged pipes of the cabin.
Sam moved to stand in front of the fire, unable to look at him after what she had stated so bluntly when they'd never really talked about it - about them - before.
He walked over to join her. Barely a couple of feet separated them. The firelight danced over them; it's flickering providing a dance of shadow and light. They stared at it rather than each other.
'I guess you know what happened.' Sam said finally. Jack's knowledge of her original plan, her brother's call.
Jack pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. 'Pete called Daniel looking for you.'
Sam winced at the mention of Pete, gave a sigh and looked down at the floor, wishing it would open up at her feet. 'Apparently Mark thought he was doing a good thing.'
'You had us worried.' He admitted gruffly.
'I didn't mean to.' Sam said defensively. Her brother had already yelled at her for her hours of silence. 'I just...' she wrapped her arms around her torso, 'I was upset and switched my cell off so I didn't have to deal with Mark and then,' she shrugged, 'I forgot it was switched off. All I was thinking about was driving.' She looked up finally. 'I just needed to drive.' Straight to you.
Jack nodded. 'And now you're here,' he said slowly, 'what do you need?'
Sam's eyes widened fractionally. Was he really asking her...she had to be misinterpreting the warm look in his eyes...she swallowed her nerves and cleared her throat. 'What do you mean?'
'I mean, what do you need?' Jack repeated softly. He reached out and with gentle tenderness caught hold of her hand. 'Do you need me to be just a friend here or...'
'Or?' Sam stuttered out.
'You tell me.' Jack said firmly.
Sam looked at him, nervously.
He sighed and met her confused gaze ruefully. 'It occurs to me that your brother might not have been the only one assuming what was best for you.' His fingers tangled with hers.
Sam's mouth formed an O before she closed her mouth. Her teeth chewed on her bottom lip as she considered his admission.
He'd thought she'd needed a friend in the wake of her father's death. Just a friend. Something without the pressure of anything else. Which is why she'd started to think he only wanted friendship again. But it wasn't what he wanted. He'd just been doing what he thought was best for her.
She was filled with a sudden urge to kick his ass.
Or kiss him stupid.
Sam really couldn't decide which.
And she'd let him, Sam mused with some chagrin, because she was so used to him deciding what was best for her; he'd done it all the time as her CO. God, he'd even encouraged her to marry someone else thinking he knew what was best for her, and she had let him. He'd been doing the same thing since her arrival, she realised; giving her what he thought she needed without really asking her if it was what she wanted; comforting her, running her bath and feeding her. He hadn't necessarily been wrong – she had needed everything he'd done, appreciated everything he'd done – but she hadn't even questioned him.
Anger at herself surfaced briefly. She'd long ago lost the feminist chip that she'd carted around in her first few months of serving with Jack but she'd thought herself more independent and self-sufficient than the woman who'd blithely left it up to him to set the pace of their relationship in the last few months. And yet she couldn't be sorry that she'd run to him nor did she want to take back her internal acknowledgement that she needed him. She loved him and neither thing seemed illogical or out of place in that context. She only hoped that he would want to do the same – run to her, need her – if he ever needed a safe place to land. Wasn't that what love was about? Equal and opposite forces coming together to create balance?
Whatever had happened in the past, Sam determined, was in the past. Jack was asking her what she needed. Clearly he knew if they were going to pursue something other than friendship, they both needed to break out of the parameters of their working relationship. It wasn't going to be easy, Sam considered with blunt honesty. They'd worked together for a long time and habits both of leading and following were hard to break. But it seemed he was willing to try if she was, and maybe that made would make all the difference in something more personal working between them.
He was also holding her hand and waiting for her to answer, Sam realised, with possibly more patience than she had ever given him credit for having. He stood watching her as though he was holding his breath and wondering what her decision would be.
Sam's fingers tightened on his. 'I've thought about it and I just need you.'
Jack breathed out again. 'You have me.' He said roughly.
Sam's smile lit up her face with happiness.
She closed the gap between them, letting go of his hand to kiss him, her lips meeting his as her hands went to slide into the short strands of hair at the back of his neck. One of Jack's arms went around her waist as he hauled her up against him; his other hand went to her hair, slowly sliding through the blonde strands to cup the back of her head as their kiss deepened.
Finally, Sam thought.
o-O-o
The sunlight broke through the blinds and painted the room in light bands of gold.
Jack watched Sam sleeping with quiet contentment despite the fact that she was on his side of the bed. He really should be more bothered about that, he mused. But then the fact that she was in his bed at all kind of trumped his annoyance at being usurped.
The bed resembled something of a mess.
The quilt was on the floor; a blue puddle that shimmied as the light struck the satin quilting. It reminded Jack of the event horizon. Not that he was spending much time looking at the comforter. The woman in his bed held his attention.
Sam slept curled up beside him. She was naked but mostly covered by the sheet; the blue cotton tucked modestly over her breasts. One leg had escaped and he let his gaze travel up its shapely form. He had a lot of good memories about her legs. Of course, after the night they had spent together, he had a lot of good memories about the rest of her too.
Jack dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. He couldn't deny that if he'd been completely in charge of the decision he probably would have stopped long before they'd made love. His New Year Carter Seduction Strategy had included a slow, steady shift over a period of weeks where they moved from holding hands to naked bodies getting sweaty together. He much preferred Carter's one night approach, he decided. He'd had one moment of uncertainty when she'd reached for his belt buckle and he'd known that if she did what he thought she was going to do then the likelihood of stopping was slim, and his hand had clamped around hers.
'In a hurry, Carter?'
'Trust me.' Sam smiled at him before pulling him into another deep, fierce kiss.
So he had.
And he did.
Even if there was some miniscule voice in his head muttering phrases and words such as 'taking advantage' and 'grieving and vulnerable.' It had been her choice, Jack reminded himself, and he trusted Carter to know what she was ready to become his lover, his partner. Why she should want to was something that escaped his understanding but he wasn't going to question his luck. He kissed her shoulder again.
He really had to get out of bed, Jack mused, or he was going to wake her. He inched back and she stirred, her blue eyes opening to blink at him sleepily. If he'd had any latent concerns that she might regret their night together, the happiness that shone back at him when Sam caught sight of him, wiped them out.
Sam's arm snaked out of the bed and her hand went straight to his hair, ruffling through the messed up strands. 'Happy Christmas.'
'Yes. It is.' He changed direction and kissed her. Her hand slid down the back of his neck, down his spine, nails grazing his skin lightly and making him shiver.
They loved each other lazily; deep, languid kisses that beguiled and befuddled them; soft tender touches that had them both sighing when pleasure overtook them.
He dozed off again with Sam sprawled across him. She wasn't beside him when he woke the next time and he got up reluctantly. He made a quick trip to the bathroom, taking the opportunity to shower briefly, before he dragged on some clothes and went in search of her.
She was in the kitchen, mixing pancake batter. He took a moment to appreciate she was only wearing the sweater he'd lent her along with a pair of socks before he wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped a kiss on her neck, nudging the damp strands of her hair that gave away that she'd showered at some point too. 'What're you doin'?'
'Breakfast.' Sam smiled at him.
It should be awkward, Jack considered. The morning after the night before was supposed to be awkward but all he felt was a bone deep contentment that he was in the right place with the right person. Jack's stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly.
She laughed. 'Pancakes OK?'
'Great.' Jack said. He looked at the clock. 'I should probably check in with the SGC.'
'Sure.' Sam said.
He picked up his cell and dialled.
'Landry.'
'Hank, it's Jack; just checking in.' Jack greeted the SGC commander quickly. 'Everyone still green?'
'Yep.' Landry asked bluntly. 'You never mentioned anything about turning green when you offered me this gig, Jack.'
'Look on the bright side,' Jack said lightly, 'at least you're not orange.'
Landry laughed gruffly. 'Well, on the upside I got to spend the holidays with Carolyn and hopefully we have a cure. Apparently Miss Mal Doran knew about the disease. Teal'c arrived an hour ago with some herb that we all have to bathe with.'
Jack perked up. 'Teal'c's there?'
'I take it you want put through to him and Doctor Jackson?' Landry asked.
'That would be great.' Jack said. 'Have a good Christmas, Hank.'
'Merry Christmas to you too, Jack.' The sound of piped music as he was transferred made Jack wince before it cut out.
'Jack, hang on, going to put you on speaker.' Daniel said.
Jack waved Sam over. 'The guys.' He mouthed as he set the cell down and put them on speaker too.
Sam wiped her hands on a towel as she made her way over.
'Can you hear us?' Daniel asked.
Sam slipped her arm around Jack's waist as she replied. 'We can hear you, Daniel. Can you hear us?'
Jack felt his heart skip a beat and he placed his own arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him.
'Indeed.' Teal'c's low voice rumbled out of the speakers.
'Teal'c.' Sam said delighted. 'Merry Christmas.'
'Felicitations to you, Colonel Carter.' Teal'c answered.
'Merry Christmas, Sam.' Daniel said. 'You OK?'
Sam looked at Jack and smiled smugly. 'I'm great.' She hurriedly turned back to the phone as Jack smirked smugly back. 'You?'
'Daniel Jackson is green.' Teal'c replied.
'But not for much longer.' Daniel said. 'Teal'c brought me the best Christmas present ever.'
Jack exchanged an amused look with Sam. 'Oh, I don't know, I think I got that.' He said.
Sam blushed but she held his gaze.
'So?' Daniel asked bluntly. 'Does this mean what I think it means?'
'Yes.' Sam replied primly before Jack could say anything. 'It does.'
'Then we are happy for you both.' Teal'c said, sounding immensely pleased.
'Very happy.' Daniel added.
'Yeah.' Jack murmured as Sam smiled at him. His hand rubbed her shoulder as though to check she was there. 'We're happy for us too.'
'And you don't need to worry,' Daniel continued, 'we'll keep it ourselves until you want to go public.'
Sam beamed at the phone. 'Thanks, guys.'
They ended up grabbing cereal and unwrapping the gifts from under the tree with the guys still on the phone. They laughed over the silly gifts. Sam blinked back tears when she revealed Jack's present to her to find a framed photo of her and her Dad, off-world; both in green fatigues and laughing together.
Eventually, hunger had them wrapping up the call and saying their goodbyes.
Sam looked at the clock. 'I should call Cassie.'
Jack handed her his phone. 'I'll make the pancakes.' He was half-way through the second batch when Sam appeared by his elbow.
She handed him the phone and took the spatula out of his hand. 'She wants to talk to you.'
Jack looked at her suspiciously and Sam smiled at him widely. He put the phone to his ear and sharply removed it again at her excited screaming. He shot Sam a look but she simply waved the spatula at him. He put the phone back to his ear.
'This is so awesome.' Cassie said excitedly. 'I'm really pleased for you and Sam.'
'Well, I'm pleased you're pleased.' And he was, but he wasn't prepared to talk about his love life with Cassie even if she was a young adult rather than the pre-teen they'd found on Hanka. 'Happy Christmas to you too. Get anything exciting?'
'You're good for her.' Cassie said, ignoring his attempt to change the subject.
'She's good for me.' Jack returned, darting a glance over his shoulder to where Sam was unabashedly eavesdropping.
'That's what makes you perfect for each other.' Cassie said. There was a call in the background. 'Gotta go. Love you guys.'
'We love you too.' Jack said. He ended the call and tossed the cell phone on the counter. Barring alien invasions, they wouldn't be disturbed for the rest of Christmas.
They took the pancakes into the den, eating them as they watched The Wizard of Oz. By the evening, they were stretched out on the sofa, lying cuddled up together, music playing in the background.
Jack wondered at the last twenty-four hours with a sense of disbelief. Maybe he should send Mark Carter a fruit basket, he considered semi-seriously. He hugged Sam to him and she raised her head from his shoulder.
'When do you go back to Washington?' Sam asked tentatively.
'Tomorrow night.' Jack admitted with regret. He looked at her hopefully. 'You could come with.'
Sam inched up and kissed him soundly. 'I'd like that.' She said when she finished kissing him senseless.
'Not too fast?' Jack checked, his thumb rubbing over her cheekbone.
Sam grinned at him. 'You know me and speed.' She raised an elegantly arched eyebrow. 'You?'
Jack answered her with another kiss that left them both breathless. His New Year Carter Seduction Strategy was so last year, Jack thought happily as he followed her back to the bedroom, maybe it was time to work on a new one. He caught the sweater she threw over her shoulder and his blood started humming at the wicked smile she was left wearing.
Yeah.
Eloping with Carter.
Sounded like a good strategy to him.
The End