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

Spoilers: All of Stargate SG1 and SGA

Chapter 2

Cameron tried to enjoy the festive atmosphere surrounding him as he made his way through the throngs of people in the Chapel Hills Mall. He'd hoped to finish his Christmas shopping while off base tonight. Tomorrow night was the Christmas party on base and then he had a week of leave to visit his family in Kansas for Christmas. It'd be nice to not have to sneak in any shopping while he was there.

Cam checked his watch and noted the time. He still needed one more gift for his Mom, but he was running out of ideas quickly. He also wanted to stop by and check on his condo before he was beamed back to base.

Now that Stargate Command had been relocated to Atlantis, he found that he spent most of his nights staying in his crew quarters there. With the Pendergast Space Station finally up and operational with fully functional Asgard beaming technology, moving back and forth between Atlantis in the Antarctic and Cheyenne Mountain was quite simple, but he was still enjoying the novelty of Atlantis and all its beauty. Even Colorado couldn't compare to it, at least not yet.

The piped in music in the mall changed to Rockin' around the Christmas Tree and Cam realized he wasn't going to make it much longer. He was a little more traditional at heart when it came to most things 'Christmas'. He preferred listening to a little Bing Crosby crooning a Christmas classic that conjured scenes from a long ago black and white movie over this more up beat music he'd been hearing most of the evening.

When he saw the book store a few stores ahead he made a decision that it'd be his last stop of the night. Maybe something would jump out at him as being perfect for his Mom while he wandered around in the mega store. He wouldn't mind finding a book for himself either. It had been ages since he'd taken the time to read a book and suddenly the thought of doing so sounded pleasant. With a week off in Kansas he should have the time.

As Cam rounded an isle in the fiction section of books he saw the back of a woman just rounding the isle at the end of the row and disappearing out of site. Although it had only been the briefest of glimpses, he found himself holding his breath. He mentally called himself pathetic as he ran his hand through his hair and slowly made his way to the end of the row to turn in the same direction the woman had disappeared in.

Once he gazed down the next isle he was able to confirm that his eyes were not playing tricks on him. Looking through books a few feet away from him stood Dr. Keller. With a mental shake he shook off the lame feeling that came over him at realizing he was more hung up on the doctor than he'd realized. He didn't even know he could recognize her just from seeing her retreating form for a split second.

Since the crews had combined a few months ago and settled on Atlantis he had become a bit fascinated with her, but he'd played it off to himself that it was just that she was new and sweet in a girl-next-door kind of way. Now he couldn't deny that maybe it was a bit more than that.

As she returned a book to the shelf she turned just a bit and obviously caught sight of him.

"Colonel," Jennifer greeted in astonishment at seeing the military man in this setting. She hoped that she wasn't blushing too furiously, even though she could feel her cheeks heating.

"I think as long as we're both standing in a book store that maybe it should be Cameron and Jennifer."

She felt her blush heat, "I think you're right… Cameron," she replied, trying it out. "It feels a little weird seeing you in a book store in the mall."

Cam chuckled, "I'd have to agree. I wasn't sure it was you either. So… are you looking for a book for yourself or as a gift?"

"Both actually. I've got the newest Harlan Coben book for my Dad," she replied holding the book in her hand aloft. "Now I'm trying to find one for me to read on the plane this weekend. How about you?"

"Same. I'd like to find one for my Mom and possibly one for myself."

"What kind of books does your Mom like?"

"Not too sure," he said looking at the shelf in front of them. "I know that she and Dad read a lot of the same books. Maybe something with some mystery in it or even a thriller, but no blood or gore."

"Hmmm… well," Jennifer started looking at the books in front of them. "I was just looking to see if there were any new books in the Jane Whitefield series that I had missed. They're written by Thomas Perry and I don't remember too much blood and I know there is no gore in them. Female heroine too, so that is kind of a plus."

Cameron nodded at her, already kind of excited because that sounded perfect for his Mom and he'd finally be done shopping for Christmas gifts.

Jennifer gave him a slightly nervous look before handing him a book. "This is the first book in the series. It was pretty good and if she likes it then there are several more she could read after it."

"Thank you. You've just saved me from wandering around here for hours trying to find something for my Mom. I most likely would've given up and left empty handed." Cam gave her a smile and noticed that she'd settled on a book for herself and would most likely be checking out and leaving soon. "Do you have more shopping to do tonight?"

Jenn couldn't help but laugh. "No, in fact I don't know how I'm going to make it out to the parking lot with all the bags I do have. A gal at the counter by the entrance to this store graciously, but adamantly, 'offered' to hold my bags for me."

Camron quickly grabbed the Harlan Coben book that Jennifer was getting her Dad from the shelf as they moved out of the isle. They both ended up with different attendants for checking out, but it went quickly and Cam waited at the end of the counter for Jennifer.

As the gal continued to hand over bags to Jennifer, he couldn't hold in the smirk. She wasn't kidding on the number of bags she'd accumulated shopping. He moved swiftly to her side as the last bag was adjusted in her hands. "Why don't you let me take several of those?"

Jennifer shook her head, embarrassed. "I'm good. You'll just have to hand them back and right now I'm balanced. She laughed at his stern look of disapproval, but didn't budge as she began to walk back out into the mall.

"At least let me walk you to your car."

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm just going to catch a cab back."

"You took a cab to the mall?"

"No, Dr. Lam dropped me off on her way to her Dad's for dinner." The Doc shook her head, "I think she just wanted to make sure I got everything I needed to be able to go to the Christmas party. Now I'll have no excuses."

"I'll have to admit, I'm a bit curious to see which Major Dr. Lam dances with. You wouldn't want to just give me a few hints who she's sweet on?" Cameron smiled at her, thinking that he liked the turn his night had taken when he stumbled upon the Doc.

Jennifer's eyes went huge, "No way! Carolyn would kill me. I wouldn't put it past her to set me up on blind date after blind date till she felt she extracted an adequate revenge on me."

Cam laughed out loud at that. "I've seen her stern side, but not her vindictive side."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather not have someone show up at my door thinking they were there to pick me up for a date I didn't know about," Jennifer said wryly.

"C'mon, I'll give you a ride back to the Mountain. I'm heading that way." He'd check on his condo on the way to the airport on Saturday, instead of tonight.

"Ummm," Jenn hesitated, "I was kind of going to grab some ice cream before I left."

Cameron looked from her arms laden with bags toward the food court just a little bit in front of them. "I tell you what. How about we take your bags to the car and then stop for ice cream on the way back to the mountain."

"Okay, but I'm buying."

The Southern gentleman in Cameron wanted to say no, but seeing the earnest look on Jennifer's face caused him to reluctantly nod his head in agreement.

After a few slow and careful steps in the snow once they got outside, Cameron reached for all of the bags in her left hand, shifting them to his own left before taking her hand in his. "Think of this as my insurance that you don't fall. I don't know how I'd get you and all these bags to the car if you went down."

"Nice try," Jennifer laughed with only a hit of the awkwardness she was feeling with her hand in his large, warmer one. "You're just afraid that if I don't show up at that party tomorrow night you might not get to see who Carolyn's interested in."

Cam grinned back at her, "There is that too," he replied with a wink.

XXX

As the pair walked down the halls of Atlantis, Cameron couldn't help the small smile that didn't seem to want to leave his face. Somehow he'd ended up carrying all of Jennifer's bags and he tried not to shift them too often and draw her attention to that fact.

Although since they were within a few feet of the transporter that would take them to the crew quarters, he knew she'd notice soon. The transporters on Atlantis were not all that big.

Jennifer entered first and turned around to watch him enter and as he'd predicted quickly noticed.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you make me carry some of those, they are mine after all," she rambled on while trying to relieve him of some of the bags.

Cameron allowed her to take most of the bags from his right arm before turning his body into the transporter and then bringing his left arm with the rest of the bags in. The only problem he could see is that not all of the bags were completely in the transporter.

"If this were a telephone booth I'd be suspicious that there were a Guinness Book of World Records you were trying to beat," he laughed as he maneuvered the bags until they were finally all inside the transporter.

Jennifer mocked a punch to his arm. "Hey, it's not that bad."

Cameron cast her a look of incredulousness at her statement.

"Well… a girl's got to look pretty, especially at a Christmas party." She shot Cameron a very innocent look that sent them both into a fit of laughs.

"Are you telling me that most of these bags are for tomorrow night?"

"I don't know if I'd say most," she started but was cut short when she caught him trying to peek in the bags. She gathered them closer and tried to make her way out of the transporter.

Cameron laughed all the harder watching her struggle to make it through the opening of the transporter without letting go of the majority of the bags she held. She finally gave up, laughing as well and dropped them so she could exit the transporter then proceeded to pull the bags out one at a time and deposited them in a heap in the corridor.

"Some of these are Christmas gifts," she tried in vain to justify, "and…" she added looking in two of the bags before setting them in their own pile, "I do believe that those two bags are yours."

"Wow, two whole bags."

Jennifer blushed up at the Colonel completely enjoying herself, despite her embarrassment.

"C'mon, I'll help you get these to your room," he promised as he began loading his arms with her bags.

Jennifer scrambled to lift as many bags as she could not wanting him to carry them all, but in the end she only ended up with three, while he held his two plus seven of her own.

Once they'd deposited them all in her room she walked Cameron back to her door.

"Thank you for the ice cream," Cameron began once he'd reached her door.

"You're welcome. Thank you for carrying all of my many bags."

He grinned at her. "Well if I end up in the infirmary with a bad back…"

Jenn glared at him through narrowed eyes for a moment before brightening, "I'm sure there is a desk somewhere that could use your attention for a week or so while you heal and get your strength back… if a doctor deemed you unfit for gate travel."

"Point taken." He gave her a small salute before activating the door and walking out into the hall. "See you tomorrow night doctor," Cam said by way of goodbye when he turned to look back at her.

When she gave him a resigned look he smirked at her, "It won't be that bad," he tried to reassure. When she didn't look convinced he leaned in close, "I'm looking forward to seeing you in whatever is in all those bags." He leaned in the rest of the way and kissed her cheek before leaving.