PART FIVE
This is the last post, sorry to say! I'll start another fic either today or tomorrow! Don't worry!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year all readers!! Hope you enjoy…
"Jack? Where're you going?" Daniel asked, stepping out in front of him. "You're not going to bed at eight o'clock on Christmas! Come on, Janet and I are going to walk down to the local elementary school to see the tree they've set up there and you're coming."
"Wouldn't you rather go with Janet by yourself?" Jack asked.
He spotted Sam near the door. Janet seemed to be trying to talk her into going somewhere as well. Sam shook her head and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her. She hadn't meant to slam it. Everyone turned and looked at the door, Daniel looked questioningly at Jack.
"What exactly happened between the two of you?" Daniel asked.
"Nothing," Jack replied.
Daniel decided that maybe it was better not to push the conversation any further. He walked towards Janet, who was still standing at the door. The two talked for a bit and then stepped out the door. Jack wasn't in the mood for going to bed anymore. Silver Bells had started playing in the background and he had the sudden urge just to get out of the house. The party would live without him.
Sam found herself wandering along the street, staring at all the Christmas lights people had stuck on their houses. She hadn't done anything fancy for Christmas for years. Christmas had almost seemed to disappear since she'd joined the SGC. This was the first year she'd had a real Christmas celebrating – and look what had happened.
Part of her was thanking Teal'c for walking in just before anything had lasted too long. But the majority of her was wishing he hadn't. Most of it was out of curiosity. All she could do was thank her lucky stars it was Teal'c and not some Lieutenant who would spread rumours all over the base. She turned the corner and saw a large tree sticking out above all the houses.
She decided that it had to be the school that Janet had been talking about. She debated whether or not to go over to it and decided it was probably better to leave Janet and Daniel alone. All she had to do was look at what had happened between her and Jack in the small time they had spent by themselves out on the veranda.
"You lost sweetie?" an old man said from his front porch.
"I'm fine," Sam replied.
It was a rather warm Christmas for the Northern Hemisphere, but Sam didn't mind, at least people could sit outside and enjoy their Christmas evening. How come she couldn't enjoy her Christmas evening? It was supposed to have been the best Christmas she'd had for years.
"I should have visited my brother this year," she mumbled to herself. "Then this would never have happened."
She kicked a stone and it skirted across the street, hitting the sidewalk and bouncing up to hit the rubbish bin.
"Nice aim Major," a voice said from behind her.
At first Sam thought it was Jack, but then she realised it was the General. "Hi sir. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas to you too," Hammond replied. "Shouldn't you be at Colonel O'Neill's party?"
"That didn't turn out so well, sir," Sam sighed.
"Would you care to enlighten me with details?" Hammond asked.
"Not really, sir," Sam replied. "You probably wouldn't – never mind."
"Sam you know, if anything happened between you and Jack I'm not going to protest, it's Christmas and things happen – things that I wouldn't normally allow to go on," Hammond started. "But I don't want any of it spread around the base. I know that the two of you have – feelings for each other."
"But how - ?" Sam started.
"Anyone who can't tell has got to be pretty thick," Hammond replied. "Haven't you noticed that in every alternative reality you two are involved with each other?"
Sam looked away, towards the tree. "I shouldn't have joined the military."
"No Sam, you do well in the military – as long as it doesn't interrupt with your work and no one else finds out, I don't see why you can't have a secret relationship," Hammond winked. "I won't tell anyone."
"Yes sir," Sam replied, not wanting to sound too happy.
Maybe this was going to be the best Christmas in years.
Jack was wandering through the local park, staring at all the lights in the distance. The tree stuck out from the elementary school. He kept looking around him, hoping that in some strange way, Sam hadn't gone home but had just decided to go for a wander in the same park.
"I shouldn't have kissed her," he said quietly.
He had ruined everything. Now they would be all awkward around each other. It wouldn't be the same. Just like they had acted awkward for a few days after the Zatarc incident. But he had a strange feeling that this would last longer than a few days.
A house in a nearby street, further down the hill, flickered on and the Merry Christmas sign imprinted itself in Jack's eyes. He couldn't stop looking at it. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas started to waft up from somewhere down the hill. He sighed and pulled a small object out of his pocket. It was a badge, circle with a love heart inside it. He had been planning to give it to Sam, but it didn't look he was going to see her again that day.
The circle represented the Stargate and the love heart represented his feelings for Sam. A breeze started blowing up his back and he pulled his jacket closer around him, looking back at the Merry Christmas house.
"Jack?" a voice said from behind him.
He looked around. Sam was standing there, her jacket pulled closely around her too. Her hair was blowing in the one direction and she looked colder than he felt. Jack smiled as the song What Child Is This wafted up from below.
"Come here Carter, you look cold," he said, trying to act normal.
Sam shivered and pulled her jacket closer around her, walking over to where Jack was seated on the ground. He put his arm out as she sat down and when she was comfortably seated he put his arm around her. She stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed, leaning her head on his shoulder. He leaned his head against hers and the sat there for about half an hour, neither of them spoke.
"Sam you awake?" Jack asked quietly.
"Uh huh," Sam replied. "The light's are pretty."
Silence.
"About earlier…" Jack started.
"It's OK," Sam replied immediately. "I overreacted, I didn't mind – really."
"Really?" Jack said.
Silence again.
"I ran into the General, he said that as long as no one found out we could have a secret relationship," Sam broke the silence.
"I couldn't do that," Jack sighed.
"Neither could I," Sam said, moving closer to him. "Neither could I."
"Maybe some day," Jack said.
"I promise," Sam said, looking up into his eyes.
"This is for you," Jack said, pulling out the badge again and handing it to her. "Sorry I couldn't wrap it up."
"It's OK," Sam said. "I didn't even get you a proper present."
"You've already given me enough of a present," Jack smiled. "You're here with me."
There was no reply. Jack looked down at her and their eyes met. He leaned forwards for the second time that night. Sam closed her eyes as he came closer.
"I love you Sam," he whispered just before their lips met.
"I love you too," she whispered back as their lips touched and they embraced in a kiss.
THE END
