Jack O'Neill hated being away for Christmas. It had been bad enough when he'd been a young lieutenant but now he had a wife and kid it was almost unforgivable. Thank God he was married to Sarah. He doubted that there were many women who would be so understanding. Sometimes he thought she would forgive him anything.
Right now, he was finding it difficult to remember what home looked like. Looking around, Jack almost felt like he was on a different planet. He'd spent enough time in the Middle East that usually he had no problems coping with the culture change but this was different, this was Christmas. Even so, Jack figured that he probably would have been okay if it hadn't been for the letter from home. Charlie must have written it as soon as he realised that his Dad would be away for the holidays.
Even though he knew that Sarah would have been out and gotten gifts from both of them, Jack resolved to get Charlie something special upon his return. Maybe he'd dress up as Santa… even though he suspected that Charlie was already wise to that one, he knew the boy would play along. He was a good kid.
Unable to help himself, Jack withdrew the crumpled paper from his pocket, smiling as he read the childish scrawl.
"Dear Dad,
Mom said you can't be home for Christmas because you're defending our country which is okay, I guess. Mom says that when you get home we'll have another Christmas so you can join in. Will I get more presents? Just so you know I want a bike and a baseball bat and rocket ship.
I hope you are okay and come home.
Love
Charlie."
It was the last part that really made him choke up. He and Sarah had never made a secret of the fact that Jack's job was dangerous. Although they'd never mentioned the fact that Jack might get himself killed, Charlie had obviously picked up on the real meaning behind their well-chosen words. Jack couldn't imagine what it would be like not to see his son again.
Folding up the letter, Jack pushed it back into the pocket of his vest. It was Christmas night and he felt like he'd never been further away from home.
Of course, everyone here was in the same position. Across the way, he noticed a bunch of girls laughing and joking with a couple of marines. They were certainly out to make the best of the holidays despite being in the middle of a war zone, and Jack wondered if he shouldn't be doing the same… then he noticed the young woman who was standing at the edge of the group. She didn't look like she was enjoying herself very much. He had the feeling that she'd been dragged along under protest. She must have sensed his gaze because she raised her head and met his eyes. Even though he'd been married for years, Jack wasn't immune to a pretty girl, and this one was very pretty. He might even gone as far to say beautiful if it hadn't been for the woman waiting back home for him. As far as Jack was concerned, no one could hold a candle to his wife.
There were some guys, married or not, who wouldn't have thought twice about trying to get something from the attractive blonde, but Jack wasn't one of them. He was therefore somewhat shocked to see the fire in the depths of the young woman's eyes. He'd just been looking at her, for crying out loud! It wasn't a crime. Jack held up his hands in mute apology and her expression seemed to soften a little. He grinned at her, just to see if she would flare up again, but all she did was shake her head and smile.
"You still got it, O'Neill," Jack said to himself.
She held up her left hand and wiggled her ring finger. Engaged or married? Jack guessed that it was one or the other. Appreciating her candour, he did the same. Then he shrugged as if to tell her he was sorry that they hadn't met when they were both single. She threw him a smile and a wave before moving away with her friends.
Jack walked in the opposite direction. He had a letter to write to a boy who wanted his Dad to come home… and Jack was going to do everything in his power to make that wish come true.
