**8 months later **
"You know, I still can't work out how you managed to get a nicer office than me - Major!" Jack walked into Paul's office and looked around.
"Maybe because unlike a certain Colonel I could mention - I actually *do* my paperwork!"
Jack looked at the grin on Paul's face and laughed. "You know...you're getting a bit too big for your boots. Just because you're seeing Carter doesn't mean you can join in with the obligatory 'Tease O'Neill'."
"Whatever you say Colonel." Paul chuckled and placed the last piece of paperwork into his out tray.
"So...everything set?"
"Yup." Paul glanced at his watch. "You guys are staying just down the road and Daniel has promised to come up early and help with the cooking. Both cabins have been decorated. The food and drink has been stored away and the caretaker is going up there to start the fires about 1 hour before we arrive, so the cabins are nice and warm."
"Ok. Well. Have a safe drive and we'll see you tomorrow."
"Night Jack."
Paul watched the Colonel leave his office and smiled. It was Christmas Eve and he was going to make sure that this was the best Christmas Sam had ever had. He'd been planning it out for months and had even enlisted the help of the other three members of SG1 to make sure he didn't forget anything. He glanced at the photo of him and Sam on his desk. It had been taken the night of the party. Of all the pictures he had of them, he'd chosen this one, because it always reminded him of when their relationship changed.
That night, he'd seen another side to her. They laughed and talked together for most of the evening. She'd leant into his embrace whilst they'd been sat at the table and then had danced with him at the end of the night. When they'd left together, he'd known in the back of his mind that it was the alcohol influencing her decision, and he'd been all ready to stay in the cab and go back to his hotel. But that decision had been shattered when she'd dragged him out of the cab and into her house, She'd backed him up against the front door and kissed him, so softly and so gently, it had melted what little resolve he had left.
"Made your decision yet?"
Paul looked up as Daniel sat down opposite him. He sighed softly and nodded. "I love her Daniel. I love her so very much. These past months have been...some of the happiest of my life." He smiled. "Every moment I spend with her leads me to believe I'm doing the right thing. I want her in my life forever. There's no one else for me now. I just...I'm not so sure how she'll react."
Daniel shrugged slightly. "There's only one way to find out Paul. Ask her." He got up. "Drive carefully and I'll see you in the morning."
"Ah. My two favourite men." Sam smiled as she entered Paul's office. "Merry Christmas Daniel." She gave him a big hug and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"You all packed and ready to go?" Daniel queried as he watched her walk around to Paul and place a tender kiss on his lips.
"Mmm...although this meanie still won't tell me where we're going." She poked her tongue out at Paul who rolled his eyes and grinned back at her.
"It's a surprise Samantha. And the whole idea is that you are - surprised."
Daniel chuckled. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Bye Daniel." Sam sat down on the desk and looked at Paul. "So?"
"I'm not telling you."
"Will I like it?"
"I bloody well hope so. It took a long time to plan!"
Sam punched him playfully on the arm. "You ready to go?"
Paul nodded and switched his desk lamp off. He followed her over to the door and locked it. Looping his arm round her waist he responded to her raised eyebrow. "What?! It's Christmas. It's allowed."
"You know, I still can't work out how you managed to get a nicer office than me - Major!" Jack walked into Paul's office and looked around.
"Maybe because unlike a certain Colonel I could mention - I actually *do* my paperwork!"
Jack looked at the grin on Paul's face and laughed. "You know...you're getting a bit too big for your boots. Just because you're seeing Carter doesn't mean you can join in with the obligatory 'Tease O'Neill'."
"Whatever you say Colonel." Paul chuckled and placed the last piece of paperwork into his out tray.
"So...everything set?"
"Yup." Paul glanced at his watch. "You guys are staying just down the road and Daniel has promised to come up early and help with the cooking. Both cabins have been decorated. The food and drink has been stored away and the caretaker is going up there to start the fires about 1 hour before we arrive, so the cabins are nice and warm."
"Ok. Well. Have a safe drive and we'll see you tomorrow."
"Night Jack."
Paul watched the Colonel leave his office and smiled. It was Christmas Eve and he was going to make sure that this was the best Christmas Sam had ever had. He'd been planning it out for months and had even enlisted the help of the other three members of SG1 to make sure he didn't forget anything. He glanced at the photo of him and Sam on his desk. It had been taken the night of the party. Of all the pictures he had of them, he'd chosen this one, because it always reminded him of when their relationship changed.
That night, he'd seen another side to her. They laughed and talked together for most of the evening. She'd leant into his embrace whilst they'd been sat at the table and then had danced with him at the end of the night. When they'd left together, he'd known in the back of his mind that it was the alcohol influencing her decision, and he'd been all ready to stay in the cab and go back to his hotel. But that decision had been shattered when she'd dragged him out of the cab and into her house, She'd backed him up against the front door and kissed him, so softly and so gently, it had melted what little resolve he had left.
"Made your decision yet?"
Paul looked up as Daniel sat down opposite him. He sighed softly and nodded. "I love her Daniel. I love her so very much. These past months have been...some of the happiest of my life." He smiled. "Every moment I spend with her leads me to believe I'm doing the right thing. I want her in my life forever. There's no one else for me now. I just...I'm not so sure how she'll react."
Daniel shrugged slightly. "There's only one way to find out Paul. Ask her." He got up. "Drive carefully and I'll see you in the morning."
"Ah. My two favourite men." Sam smiled as she entered Paul's office. "Merry Christmas Daniel." She gave him a big hug and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"You all packed and ready to go?" Daniel queried as he watched her walk around to Paul and place a tender kiss on his lips.
"Mmm...although this meanie still won't tell me where we're going." She poked her tongue out at Paul who rolled his eyes and grinned back at her.
"It's a surprise Samantha. And the whole idea is that you are - surprised."
Daniel chuckled. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Bye Daniel." Sam sat down on the desk and looked at Paul. "So?"
"I'm not telling you."
"Will I like it?"
"I bloody well hope so. It took a long time to plan!"
Sam punched him playfully on the arm. "You ready to go?"
Paul nodded and switched his desk lamp off. He followed her over to the door and locked it. Looping his arm round her waist he responded to her raised eyebrow. "What?! It's Christmas. It's allowed."