PART 3

"Colonel O'Neill, I wish to speak with you for a moment," Teal'c's voice came from behind him.

Jack spun around. "Ah, for crying out loud, what now?"

"I believe that you are holding a Christmas party – would you like to explain this concept to me?" Teal'c asked, tilting his head to one side.

"Not right now Teal'c," Jack replied.

"But I do not understand, what is Christmas?" Teal'c asked.

"Teal'c you've been living on this planet for four and a half years and you don't know what Christmas is?" Jack groaned. "Ask Carter."

"I have already questioned Major Carter about this matter, she said you were probably better to ask because she never really enjoys Christmas," Teal'c stated.

"She never enjoys Christmas?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, she says she spends it alone," Teal'c replied.

"Well you'd better ask Daniel, I spend it alone too," Jack sighed.

"But you did not when your son was alive?" Teal'c asked.

A stab of pain jolted Jack in the heart and he turned away. Teal'c realised he had said something wrong and moved forwards to apologise immediately.

"I am sorry Colonel O'Neill – " Teal'c started.

"It's OK Teal'c, really – just do me a favour OK?" Teal'c nodded. "Ask Daniel, I have a Christmas party to organise."

Teal'c nodded and walked away.

It was three days before Christmas and the four of them were still hanging around the base, even after the General had ordered them to avoid base for two weeks. Sam had stayed away for a couple of hours and returned because she had no interesting physics equipment at her house. Daniel had returned for almost the same reason. Teal'c had nowhere else to go. Jack had managed to stay away from the base for four days before he came back to ask everyone to his Christmas party.

Janet had agreed to help him organise it, but had basically taken over the whole event. He rounded the corner and slammed into someone else. Books sprawled all over the ground and straight away Jack knew it must've been Daniel. He looked up and found himself correct.

"Jack?" Daniel asked. "Shouldn't you be at home?"

"Shouldn't you be at home?" Jack shot back at him.

"Good point," Daniel sighed. "If you're looking for Sam she's not here today."

Jack nodded and tried to fake a smile. "Actually I was looking for Janet, she's organising my Christmas party, and I have no idea what she's up to."

"Oh – well then you should be looking in the infirmary," Daniel said.

"I thought I'd come and look in your office first, you know – just in case," Jack forced the joke.

Daniel didn't laugh. "I never tease you about Sam, will you lay off the Janet thing – at least I didn't kiss her in some strange time-loop thing we were stuck in."

"Oh so the whole base knows now?" Jack forced another smile. "Just great. Why don't you just tell the General?"

With that Jack turned around and stormed off in the opposite direction to the infirmary. Daniel creased his forehead and watched Jack leave. Why did he have to be such a confusing man? But then again, Daniel had always had a simple life. Normal family, scientist, rejected, moved to another planet where he met his wife who was abducted and turned into an enemy alien race – so maybe he didn't have such a normal life – but at least his son hadn't shot himself with his own gun.

That was something that could really kill a person. Daniel had a feeling that if it weren't for Sam and Jack's forbidden love, he would be completely lost to them. He'd probably be retired, watching the stars from his roof – not travelling to them.

"Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c said, stepping out in front of him. "I have been directed to ask you to explain exactly what Christmas is?"

Daniel raised his eyebrows and looked around. Who on Earth had told Teal'c to ask him what Christmas was? "Maybe you should ask Sam or Jack – "

"Major Carter suggested I asked Colonel O'Neill and Colonel O'Neill suggested I asked you," Teal'c said.

"Ask Janet," Daniel said, walking away.

Teal'c was now the one left standing by himself. "Why do I get the feeling that they do not want to explain this concept of Christmas to me right now?"

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Daniel shouted as Jack opened the door.

Jack rubbed his eyes and looked down at his wristwatch. "Daniel it's nine o'clock in the morning – the part starts at one!"

"Oh, right," Daniel said. "I've been up since five this morning, I just wanted to make an early delivery of presents before I went to help Janet bring the stuff over to your house – I can't carry everything at once."

"I get the point Daniel," Jack groaned. "You do that, I'm going back to bed."

"Janet and I will be back in an hour and a half with the stuff," Daniel said.

"Uh huh," Jack yawned. "Bye."

"Oh yeah, here's your Christmas present," Daniel said, holding out a package.

"Thanks," Jack yawned again. "You want me to open this now or later?"

"You can open it now, but I have to go," Daniel bounced down the path to his car.

Jack checked his watch again and slammed the door shut. Some people were so – early. Suddenly the phone rang. Jack walked towards it, rattling the packet Daniel had given him. It sounded expensive.

"Jack," he sighed, yawning for the third time in five minutes. "Here."

"Hey sir, its me – I was just wondering what time you want us to come over this afternoon?" Sam's cheery voice came from the other end of the line.

That woke him up. "Daniel and Janet are arriving at ten-thirty to help set up, so you can come too."

"Righty, thanks sir," Sam said. "Oh yeah, and one more thing – Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too," Jack yawned again. "See ya soon."

With that he hung up the phone and was so tempted to pull out the phone cord so he couldn't receive any more calls that morning. He moved his hand towards it and then pulled away. After all it was Christmas and it couldn't hurt to get phone calls one day of the year.

And hour and a half later, as expected, there was a knock on the door. Jack opened the curtains to see who it was. It was Daniel and Janet, lugging a hell of a lot of plates and saucers with them. Jack walked to the door and pulled it open.

"Merry Christmas," he said.

"You can change a lot in an hour and a half," Daniel said, sounding surprised. "Did you open the present?"

Jack winced. He'd forgotten to after he'd put down the phone to Sam. Daniel sighed. He hadn't really expected Jack to open it yet.

"I wanted to open it when you were here," Jack came up with quickly.

"Don't lie Colonel," Janet said.

"I'm not lying," Jack said, a twinkle in the corner of his eye telling otherwise.

Daniel coughed. "Are you going to let us in or should we set up this Christmas celebration on the front porch?"

"Come in of course," Jack said, moving out of the doorway.

Once Daniel and Janet were settled in he went to the kitchen to get them both a drink. He saw the parcel lying on the table and decided to open it. He pulled off the silver paper to find bubble wrapping underneath. He unravelled that and smiled. It was a silver photo frame, made out of some breakable material, and inside was a photo of SG-1 that had been taken not long after Teal'c had been allowed onto the team.

"I remember that day," Sam's voice came from behind him.

He jumped and looked around. "Gee Carter, you scared me!"

"Sorry sir, the door was open, so I just let myself in," Sam winced. "You're not gonna tell me off are you?"

"No," Jack said. "Merry Christmas."

For some strange reason Jack had the impulse to hug her. So he did just that. Sam was taken by surprise and the look on her face told the whole world that. But the hug only lasted a couple of seconds.

"That was for what?" she asked.

"Good question," Jack replied. "I just felt like doing it. That was part of the Christmas spirit!"

"Sure Colonel," Janet said, wandering into the kitchen.

It was strange how they were acting. All four of them knew their feelings for each other, yet none of them spoke of it out loud anywhere near each other. Sure Jack and Daniel argued about it in private and Sam and Janet discussed it in private – but nothing was said when they were all around.

"Let's get this party set up then, shall we?" Sam suggested.