A/N: I've wanted to do a Christmas story since last year, but I had the thought to close to Christmas and as some of you know… I'm a slow writer. So I made the decision in September that I was going to write a Christmas story this year and this is what happened, absolute fluff and barely a plot in site. Consider yourself warned!

This is not the sequel to Kissing Traditions. It is a stand alone, Jennifer Keller and Cameron Mitchell pre-ship Christmas story. I'm still working on the sequel, but again, slow writer here.

I also want to thank ShaViva for the beta work… you were wonderful - again!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG1 or their wonderful characters.

Spoilers: Probably all of SGA and SG1 because it says who is in charge of both bases and mentions peoples titles, which of course do change throughout the show… but no spoiler for any specific episode occurs.

On the timeline: About mid-season 5 of SGA and after season 10 of SG1

1 – Christmas Plans

Jennifer was just about finished packing. It was two weeks till Christmas and she was getting to go home and spend it with her Dad. Woolsey had made the announcement about a month ago. Anyone wanting to go home for three weeks at Christmas should sign up right away. As long as they still had a skeleton crew they'd get the okay. Those that stayed could take a three week break in July back on Earth.

Christmas had always been a very special time with her family and with her mom gone she wanted more than ever to be able to spend it at home with her dad.

Jennifer's door chimed and she opened it to reveal Lt. Laura Cadman, her best friend.

"You packed yet," the red head asked, looking about the room.

"Yep," Jennifer sighed as she made her way back to the bags and zipped them up. "Still can't believe Caldwell let you come with us."

"I'm a little surprised too, but I think part of it's because I haven't put in for any time off in several years. It probably helped too that I'll only be missing half of a trip since I'll meet back up with the Daedalus when they're Earth side in three weeks."

Laura grabbed one of Jenn's bags and the girls made their way to the Gateroom. They were a little early, but after they dropped their bags they'd be able to grab a bite in the mess hall.

"So," Jenn began to tease her friend, "you nervous about Evan meeting your folks or meeting his?"

"Definitely, but I know my family will be surprised I brought someone home to meet them. My brothers are going to be merciless. Bringing a flyboy home to a house full of Marine testosterone ought to make this an interesting Christmas," Laura smirked thinking about it even now.

"You've at least warned Ev, right," Jennifer asked, knowing her friends propensity for the dramatic.

"Of course, I just might not have mentioned how much they think the Air Force is for cake eaters," Laura replied cheekily.

The girls set the bags down in the Gateroom and told Chuck they'd be back in a bit. As they turned their backs and headed out they heard the Stargate begin to activate.

"Unscheduled off world activation," Chuck announced. The gate whooshed to life. "Major Hillman's IDC," Chuck called out. He tapped his com link, "Medical team to the Gateroom."

Laura felt Jennifer stiffen beside her and knew they weren't going anywhere till Jennifer assessed what the emergency was.

Major Hillman came through the gate carrying as much of the gear as possible. Behind him appeared two of his men carrying his fourth on a makeshift stretcher.

Jennifer was immediately at their side and taking his vitals, using her watch and a flashlight from someone's tac vest. She was barking instructions into her com link for Dr. Cole to prep the OR.

"What happened, Major?" Jennifer asked as she continued to check the captain over for any other injuries.

"Jennings lost his footing, Doc, and fell quite a ways on a steep part of our climb back up out of a canyon on our way back to the Stargate. How bad is it?"

Jennifer heard the worry in the Major's voice and tried to reassure him. "I won't know until I get him under the scanner, but I suspect internal bleeding and his breathing doesn't sound good. I don't see any broken bones, but the tests will tell us more." Jennifer looked up at the Major, "Captain Jennings will be better once we get him stable," she reassured his team as the medical team took the injured man away.

Jennifer walked into the infirmary and directly into the room off the OR to begin scrubbing in next to Dr. Amanda Cole.

"Don't you have a gate to walk through in a few minutes?" Amanda chided her boss. "I know how much you were looking forward to seeing your Dad… I can handle this, you're on vacation, you should go."

"I already got the lecture from Marie on the way in," Jennifer said in exasperation. She knew her head nurse and Dr. Cole meant well, but she wasn't leaving. "I'm not going to leave while there is someone in my OR," she stated firmly.

Amanda knew better than to argue with Jennifer when she was in the infirmary. Jennifer's sense of responsibility concerning the infirmary was great, being CMO, it was probably a good thing. "You ready?" Dr. Cole asked.

"What have we got?" Jenn asked as they slipped into their respective rolls with ease.

Seven hours later Jennifer entered her quarters and kicked her shoes off, she was in desperate need of a hot shower. She was tired and hungry, but was looking forward to the warm spray to ease the ache in her muscles.

Captain Jennings was going to make a full recovery. A broken rib had punctured one of his lungs and there had been some internal bleeding. He was now in recovery in the ICU. Marie would let her know if she was needed.

She'd missed the trip to the SGC through the Stargate, but during the surgery one of the nurses had relayed a message from Mr. Woolsey that when she was ready Chuck would dial her through to the SGC. She heard after the surgery that several of the data transmissions from the science labs hadn't been ready yet either and sending them through with her was affording the skeleton staff time to finish.

Dr. Cole would see to Captain Jenning's post op needs. Marie had kept Major Hillman and his team apprised during the surgery. They'd all been anxious while watching in the theater above the operating room. Hillman's team were now taking turns keeping a vigil from the observation theater above the isolation room. If he remained stable they'd move him and allow the team to visit once he woke up.

Jennifer was thankful to see that someone had moved her bags back to her room. She found a note from Laura wishing her a Merry Christmas and informing her that if she didn't leave when she was done in the infirmary she'd kick her butt the next time the Daedalus was in Atlantis. Shaking her head and smiling despite her weariness, Jenn rummaged through her bags and got out what she needed and quickly took her shower.

Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell was making his way with his team, back to the gate. They'd just finished a good will mission and were all looking forward to getting home. It was only two weeks until Christmas and his vacation started as soon as he turned in his mission report to General Landry.

He hadn't been home for Christmas in two years and the thought of a Mitchell family Christmas was keeping a goofy grin on his face as they trudged along.

Colonel Samantha Carter nudged Dr. Daniel Jackson and pointed at Cam. Daniel took a quick look at Mitchell before looking back at Sam and rolling his eyes.

"So, you taking off tonight, Mitchell?" Daniel asked, knowing that it'd set off the pleas to go with him from Vala Mal Doran.

"First thing in the morning," Cameron replied, glad he'd packed before this mission. The walks to and from the village were long and he really wanted a shower and some food.

"I don't know why you won't let me come with you," Vala sulked. "I was on my best behavior at your class reunion wasn't I?" Vala moved up beside Cameron and hooked her arm through his. "I could pal around with Darrell, I'm sure he'd hate to hear I was spending Christmas alone," she said with a pout.

Mitchell rolled his eyes. Truth was he had plans to go snowmobiling with Darrell on one of his vacation days. His friend was quite taken with the raven haired beauty currently hanging off his arm and had inquired several times if she'd be coming with him. Even his mother had asked if he was bringing Vala with him, but he'd informed both that he had no intention of bringing her along.

"Tell you what… next time I have a class reunion to attend you can come with me," Cam promised. "Why didn't you go home with Teal'c?" he asked in exasperation.

"He said he had business to attend to and I'd be bored," Vala admitted.

"And?" Daniel prompted, raising his eyebrows. He quickly regretted jumping into the conversation.

Vala released Cam's arm and slid back to take Daniel's arm. "Okay, he might have mentioned I'd get into trouble and should stay here. What about you Daniel, why can't I come with you?"

"As you pointed out so eloquently this morning, I'll be wasting my days studying some old things someone dug up out of the ground." Daniel let out a breath, "I don't want to babysit you while I'm going over some of the artifacts from a recent dig in South America."

Carter saw Vala swing her glance her way and began to pick up the pace, glad that they had arrived at the gate. "I'll dial us home," she volunteered stepping quickly up to the DHD. Sam had plans with Jack to spend the holiday at his cabin in Minnesota and wasn't about to bring along a chaperone. She was sure that if Vala knew she wouldn't want to intrude, but Sam didn't really want to explain her Christmas plans to anyone.

The group went through the gate and a moment later down the ramp at the SGC. General Landry was waiting for them at the end. "Welcome back SG1. Any plans you have of leaving the base have been delayed. We're in the middle of a blizzard they're predicting will last at least a couple of days."

General Landry looked at each of their crest fallen faces, except for Vala, who looked like she'd just won the lottery.

"Yippee, now you all can help me do Christmas here until you're able to leave. I have such plans. I've been researching it on the internet and your people have some interesting ways of celebrating this holiday, I must say," Vala stated with undisguised glee. It wasn't that she was glad her team mates Christmas plans were on hold, but she knew the weather wouldn't last and a delay of their departure made her vacation less boring. They all had plans to be gone for a couple weeks and the SGC was down right dull on a two day week end. She was sure she'd be bored out of her skull for the weeks they were gone.

"Sir," Daniel started, looking pleadingly at General Landry, "what about beaming us to another base where we could catch a transport home?"

"Sorry, Dr. Jackson," Landry said, with a little sympathy in his eyes knowing that they were stuck participating in whatever Vala had in mind. "The Daedalus is still on its return trip from Atlantis, it'll be about two weeks until its Earth side. The rest of the ships are out on missions, although the Apollo will be here in about three days or so. If Peterson is still snowed in by then I'll have Colonel Ellis beam you all to the base closest to your destinations."

"Thank you, sir," Mitchell tried to say with enthusiasm.