We have a myriad of excuses, but none of them seems good enough right now. We promise we will update in a much more timely fashion next time. Oh, to all of you who were asking about my sister: she's home and fully recovered! We received lots of PM's asking about her, so, thank you for those! It was nice to know other people were thinking about her.

We hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 8: And the hits just keep on comin'…

Mark paced the room, looking pointedly from his watch to the digital clock that hung on the wall above the TV. "Where are they?"

Carol didn't look up from the magazine she was flipping through. "They've only been gone a few hours Mark," she answered patiently.

"Exactly," he muttered, standing in front of his wife. "Aren't you the least bit worried?"

She turned a page. "No."

"No?"

His wife sighed. "Mark," she began her exasperation clear, "they're both responsible adults. What kind of trouble could they get into?"

Mark started pacing again. "Who knows what kind of trouble they are getting into-"

"Mark!" When her startled husband stared at her, she said more calmly, "This has gone far enough. Samantha is a grown woman- she isn't a young naïve teenager and in need of protection. She can take care of herself."

"But-" he objected.

"Ah!"

"Carol-"

Carol shook her head decisively. "I don't want to hear anymore remarks regarding their sleeping arrangements, no more insinuations about Jack, or Sam, or anything to do with their personal lives. If she and Jack… well…" She saw the look on Mark's face and hurriedly continued, "It's her choice, her decision. She shouldn't feel the need to defend herself every time you open your mouth."

"But-"

"No but's."

"Caro-"

She picked up the magazine she had dropped earlier. "They're home, Mark," she said sweetly. "Why don't you go start a pot of coffee?"

He hesitated a second and then nodded. Leaning over, he kissed her on the cheek and wordlessly left. Satisfied, she smiled as the door opened and her sister-in-law stepped in, followed by her commanding officer.

"How did the shopping go?" she asked.

Sam looked around her. "Um, fine," she said, looking slightly surprised at the absence of her brother, "we have stuff for everyone. Sorry we weren't back for lunch-"

"No problem," Carol interrupted. "I'm glad you guys had fun."

Jack held up a few bags, a roll of wrapping paper protruding from the top of one of them. "Is there a place we can wrap these?"

"In here!" Emily called from the staircase. "In my room!"

"No, mine!" Derrick appeared at the bottom of the staircase. "As long as I can see Emmy's gift first!"

"Guest room." Carol rose to her feet. "Need any tape?"

Sam gestured to the bag over her arm. "I come prepared." She glanced around the room. "Uh… where's Mark?"

"In the kitchen." Carol gave Sam a small meaningful smile. "He thought he might have been… crowding you earlier."

The Colonel grinned back and mouthed 'Thank you'. Turning to her CO, she asked, "Ready to wrap, sir?"

- - -

"Can you give me those scissors, sir?"

"Sam…"

"Sorry! Jack." She mentally wondered how he was so easily able to switch from calling her 'Carter' to 'Sam'. It wasn't like he stayed up all night practicing saying her name…

The Colonel smiled and handed over the pair of orange shears. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Sam said, placing them between the paper; she carefully cut across the Christmas print paper. Grabbing several pieces of tape, she began to fold the paper around a plain white box, each seam perfectly matched with each others.

Jack stared as he watched Carter work. It was still unusual to see her so… relaxed. "You're really good at this."

Sam looked up and flashed him a bright smile. "I love wrapping gifts. When I was younger, I had a business."

"Wrapping gifts?"

"Yep."

Jack sorted through the bows. "You know that that is one of the very few things I know about your childhood."

Sam rolled her eyes and turned her attention back on the gift. "There isn't much to know about."

Jack left it at that; changing the subject he took the scissors back. "So, what did you get for your family anyways?"

"I bought Emily and Derrick both mall gift certificates- I wasn't sure what they'd want so I decided this was the safest thing. Mark and Carol…" A mischievous smile spread across her face. "Mark and Carol are getting ballroom lessons. Carol has always wanted to try it."

Jack nodded and grinned. He loved Carter's devious streak. "Good idea. Gift certificates for everyone, no one could complain about that." He started to cut the wrapping paper. " What about dad? I seriously doubt the Tok'ra have a Shop-R-Us that you can buy a gift card for."

Sam smiled and carefully positioned a bow on top of the package. "Nope. I got him socks."

"… Socks?"

"Socks," she confirmed. "That's what he said he wanted. He doesn't like the kind the Tok'ra use- if you could even call those things socks. Long, itchy and hot. So, socks."

"Oh. Didn't think about that." He tossed aside the piece of paper and began to cut a new one. Carter watched a moment and then began,

"Sir, you're going to waste paper."

"Don't worry- I've got plenty."

Sam crossed her arms as she watched the Colonel 'wrap' up his box, sloppily taping each of the sides up before adding the ribbon and bows. "Jack," she interrupted. "Do you want me to help you with that?"

Jack looked up. "What? You don't think this looks nice?"

"No, it's not that, I just-"

"Carter, I know how to wrap a box in paper. It's something I've been doing for a very long time now." He slapped on the bows and tossed it across the bed. "That was your present but Daniel gets it now.

"I didn't mean to sound rude, sir, I just thought you might want… some help." Her cheeks were turning pink.

Ha! Score for him. She rarely fell for grumpy General act. "I'm just messing with you," he admitted.

Sam smiled. "I know that, I was just…" she trailed off. "What did you buy, Jack?"

"Oh. I didn't know what your family would want… I looked through their game closet and noticed they didn't have one of the coolest games ever to exist to mankind." He grinned mysteriously as he pulled a package out of a bag.

Sam leaned over to look at the title. "Apples to Apples?" She questioned, raising a brow.

"You've never heard of it?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "Cassie's favorite board game- after chess, that is."

She shook her head.

"Okay, that's it. We're playing it next team night."

Sam laughed. "Okay. If Jack O'Neill likes it, it has to be good."

He gave her a childish look of pride.

"Can you hand me the scissors, Jack?"

----

Emily peered around the corner; her aunt sat on the couch, aimlessly flipping through one of her mom's catalogs. Dropping next to her, she inquired innocently, "So, what did you get me?"

"Nice try Em," her aunt said absently. "I'm not going to tell you and don't think you can worm out of General- Jack."

"I won't have to."

Sam gave her niece a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"You owe me one."

."I… what?" the Colonel questioned. "For what?"

"I didn't tell daddy that Jack slept in your room."

Sam's brows shot to heights that would've made Teal'c's envious. "So what you're saying is-"

"Is that in exchange for a simple answer, I won't tell dad." Emily gave her aunt a sweet smile. "I'll let you think about it." And with that, she stood up to leave the room.

Carter stared after her niece. Clad in a long sleeved pink t-shirt and blue jeans, she looked younger than her twelve years.

"Damn," she muttered.

"Anything wrong?" Carol inquired from the opposite doorway. Sam, startled, hastily answered,

"No, I was just…" She gestured to the bowl Carol held. "What're you making?"

"Just cookies." Her sister-in-law looked down and added ruefully, "I should be able to bake this apron- I don't know how I managed to cover myself with flour every year but I do."

"Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"Yes," Carol said rather quickly. She loved Sam but after the fire department four years ago… "We've got it. Thanks though."

Sam nodded and watched her return to the kitchen. She picked up the magazine but dropped it a moment later. Despite what Carol had said to Mark, she knew her brother would be very, very upset to find out her commanding officer had slept in her room despite the fact that nothing had happened. It'd be Jimmy Williams all over again, except for this time she was in her thirties, not her teens.

"Who's Jimmy Williams?"

She glanced up, startled. Jack was standing in the hallway, giving her a quizzical look. "I beg your pardon?"

"You just said it'd be like Jimmy Williams all over again," he answered. "Who's Jimmy Williams?"

"He was a friend of mine when I was younger," she murmured, suddenly finding the cover of the abandoned magazine fascinating.

"A boyfriend?"

She knew she was blushing. "Only until he met Mark. Between Mark and dad, poor Jimmy couldn't even look at me until we were seniors."

"High school?"

"Academy."

"Wow."

She grimaced. "Yeah."

Jack lowered himself into the chair across from her. "What's up with Emily? She's walking around looking like the cat who ate the canary."

"Oh boy," Sam murmured. "I forgot to say anything earlier but… Emily saw you coming out of the guest room earlier."

"Ahh…" He nodded slowly. "I see."

"Yep."

"What does she want for her silence?"

Sam shrugged. "What she's getting for Christmas."

"That's it?" Jack leaned back in his chair. "Someone isn't very good at blackmailing. She'll find out tomorrow."

"Sir, this is Emily. She'll start with that and then weasel me into tinkering with her go-cart."

"What's wrong with that?" he inquired.

"I promised Mark I wouldn't after the last time." She saw his curious look and shook her head. "Long story."

"I wouldn't worry about Em… she doesn't strike me as the type of kid who'd tattle on her favorite aunt."

Sam slowly nodded. "Maybe," she said slowly. "I guess we'll find out."

----

Ding-dong.

Jack looked up from the video game, causing his car to skid into a tree. He looked over at Derrick and Emily who seemed glued to the TV as they raced each other for first place. Setting the controller down, he stood up, expecting Mark or Carol to answer the door.

Ding-dong.

Not seeing anyone, he reluctantly rose to his feet. After a quick glance in the kitchen to make sure none of the Carter adults were around, he pulled the door open. Standing outside in the cold was an elderly couple with several bags in their hands and big smiles plastered across their faces. "…Hi…"

The lady gave him a questioning glance. "Who are you? And what are you at my daughter's house?"

Jack opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He tried again but was cut off by the arrival of Sam. "Mr. and Mrs. Bishop," she exclaimed, surprised. "It's been a long time! Carol didn't tell me that you were-"

"Are you going to invite us in?" the woman interrupted querulously.

She hastily stepped back, "Sorry, come in."

"I didn't know you were going to be here this year, Samantha," 'Mrs. Bishop' started as she entered the house. "Was this sudden?"

"Mark managed to talk me into it." She shut the door behind her. "So what about you? What are you two doing here?"

The woman didn't bother answering Sam; her eyes were locked onto the General. "Who are you?"

Jack looked a little cornered. "Me? Um, I am… I-"

"He's a very good friend of mine," Sam supplied. "He wasn't doing anything this Christmas so I thought he would enjoy this."

"Why Samantha, dear, it's about time you got yourself a boyfriend. I kept telling Mark it wasn't healthy for a young, attractive woman like you to not have a man in your life. He must have talked to you, hmm?" Carol's mother began, "I-"

"No, no, Mrs. Bishop," Sam interrupted hastily. "He's just a friend, we-"

"I'm sure he must have. Or did Carol? We've talked about how to set you up with some fine men. My neighbor, Mrs. Perry, has a son who is single and I was considering sending you his phone number, but since you already have-"

"Mrs. Bishop!" Sam snapped. She took a deep friend and added, "He's just a friend. We work together."

"Fine," she said with a sniff, "Very well, keep your secret." She looked behind her at her husband who had been calmly removing his outer garments, apparently not listening to her. "Are you coming, Anthony?"

"I'll be there in a minute, Cheryl. Go ahead and see the children." He turned to Jack. "Anthony Bishop," he said, holding out his hand as he spoke.

"Jack O'Neill."

Anthony Bishop nodded. "And Samantha… it's lovely to see you."

"Thank you-"

"Anthony," Cheryl called. "Come look how the children have grown! And Samantha, bring your nice man in here- I want to talk to him some more."

Sam sent Jack a apologetic look before following her sister-in-law's father into the living room.

Jack let out a long breath. And he thought Mark would be the only one who could spoil this Christmas…

----

"Gram, it is so good to see you," Emily enthused as she reached for a second helping of dessert. "Mom said you wouldn't be coming this year."

"My dear girl, it was a surprise. If I had told your mother that would have spoiled the whole plan, now wouldn't it?" Cheryl Bishop said, smiling over at her granddaughter.

"Yes, well, mom, next time, a little more warning might be nice. We don't even have a guest room to put you in," Carol informed her mother as she reduced her slice of pie to apple mush. She clearly did not appreciate her parents dropping by unannounced.

"It doesn't matter," her mother replied. "I'm sure you'll have it ready by the time we are ready to retire."

Anthony Bishop shook his head slightly as he tasted the mashed potatoes. "These are very good, Carol."

"Thank you, dad."

"So… Cheryl…" Mark began reluctantly, "How long are you staying?"

"Oh, just for a few days. We thought we'd spend Christmas with our only daughter."

Mark nodded slowly. "That's great," he murmured rather unconvincingly.

"It was a big surprise to me to see your sister here, Mark," Cheryl reproved. "You should have told me she was coming. But I'm very happy for her. After all these years of being single, she finally finds a man." She smiled at Jack before continuing, "And a very handsome one at that too."

"Mrs. Bishop, I already told you," Sam started in a strained voice, "We're not dating- in fact, he's my commanding officer. We're just friends-"

"Yes, well, that's what everyone always says before they get married." Cheryl shook her head and turned to her daughter. "Carol, you've barely uttered a word- are you all right?"

Carol looked up from her food. "Yes, mom, I'm fine. Just haven't really had a chance to talk."

"There's no reason to be rude."

"I'm not trying to be."

"Why don't we all go into the living and play a game, eh?" Anthony suggested, setting down his napkin and rising to his feet. "I recollect we had a wonderful time last year."

"Dibs on Mrs. Peacock!" Emily cried, slipping off her chair.

"We played Clue last year!" Derrick complained, following after his sister. "I wanna…" his complaint faded away as he disappeared from view.

"Aren't you coming, Carol?" her mother questioned.

"You all go ahead," Carol said, picking up her plate. "I'll stay here and clean up."

"No, you shouldn't be doing housework by yourself on Christmas eve. Samantha can help you."

Though annoyed by Cheryl's calm order, Sam was quickly deciding she'd rather avoid game night with her brother's in-laws. "Why don't you go with your family- I'll clear up."

"No, Sam, really, it's o-"

"That is an excellent idea, Samantha," Cheryl said approvingly. "Your friend can help you with the dishes."

"Mom!" Carol exhaled sharply. "They are my guests-"

"It's fine, Carol," Jack cut in. "Carter and I can finish up."

The grandmother smiled triumphantly. "Put away the food, Carol, and meet us in the living room."

Carol sank into her chair after her mother had gone from sight. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, looking helplessly at the two. "I-"

"It's okay," Sam reassured her. "Really. I don't mind."

She carried the remains of their dinner to the kitchen and hastily bagged it. "Normally she gives us warning when they plan on arriving but-"

"Carol, are you waiting for me to die of old age?" Cheryl called.

"God, I hate Christmas." With an apologetic look, she disappeared, leaving Sam and Jack alone.

He whistled. "Wow."

Sam nodded. "Yeah." Shaking her head slightly, she made her way to the sink and began to fill it with water. "You don't have to help, Jack. I don't mind doing it alone."

"No," Jack said, carefully gathering up all glasses. "It's fine. If it saves me from having to listen to Cheryl…" he shrugged and disappeared, reappearing a minute later with the remainder of the dishes.

Sam winced. "I'm sorry about the whole boyfriend stuff. She didn't mean anything by it. She's just… Cheryl."

"Ah! You don't have to apologize for her, Carter." He scraped the food off the plates and passed them to her. She lowered them into the sudsy sink.

"I know." She reached for the glasses. "I just… I don't know. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry if she made you uncomfortable."

"No sweat." He rolled up his sleeves. After a brief hesitation, he started rinsing the few dishes Carter had washed.

This is cozy.

Sam met his eyes. "Thank you for coming with me, Jack."

"Any time," he said sincerely. "Any time."

A small smile blossomed across her face. "I wonder-"

Her phone began ringing. With a silent sigh, she rinsed and dried her arms and dug into her pocket. "Carter."

"Aunt Sam! How's it going?"

'Cassie' Sam mouthed to her CO who was watching. He nodded and turned back to the dishes. "Hey! It's… going fine. How are you?"

"I'm great! I got to come home, which was terrific, and mom said that you'd be back before I had to leave, so, I'll get to see you."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"So…"

"So?" Sam dropped a handful of cutlery into the warm water, quickly moving back before the water could hit her; it splashed across Jack's shirt. Her eyes widened. Covering the phone piece, she whispered, "Sir, I'm so sor-"

He raised his hand. "Fair is fair…"

Before she could duck, a soapy wave of water hit her. A startled exclamation escaped her.

"Aunt Sam? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she managed a moment. "Just… got some water on me. I'm fine, really."

"Okay. Listen, I'd love to talk more, but mom wants to say something. Merry Christmas, Sam!"

"Tell her hi from me," Jack requested, keeping a wary eye on her.

"Merry Christmas, sweetie. Jack says hi."

There was a moment's silence. "Jack?"

"General O'Neill," Sam reminded her.

"I know who he is. You called him Jack."

"So?"

"You called him-"

"Hand the phone to your mother." Sam ordered.

"Sam?" Janet questioned. "Is it you?"

"Of course."

"Sorry, but I thought Cassie was saying Jack-"

"Cassie said you wanted to speak to me?" she questioned, trying to steer to safer ground.

"I was just going to ask how everything was."

Sam pulled at her damp top. With a frown at her CO who was washing dishes like a model man, she answered, "All right. No problems so far."

"So your brother didn't kill him like you thought he would?"

"So far… no." Sam starting wiping down the granite counters. "How's everything at the S.G.C?"

"I haven't been back since this morning- Dr. Lane is filling in for me." There was a sound of a doorbell in the background. "Get it, Cass?"

Sam strained to hear. "Wait," she said a few seconds later, "is that Daniel that just came?"

"I need to go, Sam. Merry Christmas."

She slowly closed her phone. "Merry Christmas to you too."

"What's up?" Jack inquired.

"Sir," she began slowly, "you don't know if Daniel is… seeing… anyone… do you?"

"Daniel?" Jack shook his head. "Nope. Not that I know of."

"I could've sworn I heard him right before Janet hung up…" she shook her head slightly. "Must've just been imagining." She smiled at him. "Thank you for finishing the dishes."

"You're wel-" He quickly evaded the cup of water hurled at him. "Hey-"

"Fair is fair," she reminded him, filling up her cup again. Before she could toss it in his general direction, Jack gestured to the floor. Carol's new wood floor had puddle of sudsy water all over it.

Sam wordlessly placed the cup back into the sink and started across the kitchen. "Carol keeps the towels in-"

Her foot slipped on a pile of bubbles. Instinctively, she reached out for the first solid thing-, which happened to be her commanding officer. Jack tried to help but as he stepped forward, he slipped in the water, sending him on the ground with her on top.

"Déjà vu," he murmured once he got his breath back.

She let out a shaky breath. "Yes, sir."

Jack wasn't sure if it was him, but she seemed to be leaning closer…

"What the hell is going on here?"

Sam's eyes flew to the doorway. "Dad?

----

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