The front door of Janet's house swung open and the two girls hurried in out of the freezing cold winter air, laden down with dozens of plastic carrier bags and boxes. Janet laughed as Sam tried to put some of her luggage down on the sofa and almost fell over.

"Are you sure we got everything?" she joked. Sam started laughing too and pretty soon they were doubled up on the floor in hysterics. Sam eventually sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes, the occasional giggle still escaping her.

"Oh, we are a right pair!" she exclaimed. Then she glanced at the clock. It read 4.30pm.

"Janet, quick! We're going to be late! We'll never have time to get everything ready!"

She pulled the doctor up off the floor and pushed her towards the stairs, thrusting a few bags into her hands.

"Aren't you going to get ready too?" Janet asked.

"In a minute. I have to call Daniel and let him know what's going on. It wouldn't be much of a party if there was no one there!" she grinned.

"Very true," Janet replied, and with that, she left her to it. 

*****

A few hours later, they had everything they could possibly need stuffed into the boot of the car and they raced off to the base. A few people gave them strange looks, but they had managed to get the word around to most people, so they knew what was happening. Most of the SGC staff had gone away for the holidays, but quite a few of the SG teams and team leaders would be there, and it promised to be the best Christmas yet.

*****

It was nearly 8pm on Christmas Eve and Jack was sitting in front of the T.V., drinking a beer and feeling totally relaxed. He'd slept all day and felt pretty good for what all the rest had done him. He did feel guilty about Daniel though. He'd seemed kind of offended when he left and Jack wished he hadn't been so abrupt with him. After it wasn't his fault that his best friend had been having far too many thoughts about a certain Major recently. No, that was Jack's fault. Although, the way he was feeling about Carter at the moment, she wouldn't be winning any favouritism prizes.

The phone rang and he had lean over the arm of the sofa to answer it, and in the process spilled his beer on the carpet. He swore and hit the 'talk' button on the phone.

"O'Neill."

"Colonel O'Neill, I have an urgent message from General Hammond. He wants you to return to the base immediately, Sir."

"What's the problem, Airman?"

"There's an emergency at the base, Sir. The General asks that you come immediately."

"Okay, Airman. I'm on my way."

He swore one more time for good measure, grabbed his coat and ran to the car through the snowdrifts piling up on his porch.

*****

He arrived thirty minutes later, soaked from melted snow and not in a good mood at all. He didn't bother changing; he just hurried straight down towards the control room. As he got in the lift, he noticed a scribbled sign just inside the doors, reading,

'All SGC members please come to the commissary upon arrival.'

Intrigued, but also frustrated that he was now going the wrong way in the lift, Jack hit the level for the commissary instead.

*****

The huge amount of people crowding around in groups was amazing. Most people brought a gift and their own contribution to the ever-growing spread of food. Sam was approached by many of the Colonels and other Majors from the other SG teams and congratulated on getting this under way so quickly. Many people were very glad they now had an excuse to celebrate Christmas; they didn't usually get the chance. Even General Hammond made it to the party and he approached Sam to let her know, if not in so many words, that she was forgiven for her unprofessional behaviour the previous day.

Janet and Daniel looked around the commissary for Sam, who had mysteriously disappeared.

"I wonder where she's got to. This whole party thing was her idea in the first place," Daniel said.

"I'll go and find her. You go and keep watch by the door for the Colonel."

Janet eventually found Sam hiding at the back of the kitchen, looking terrified.

"What are you doing back here?" she questioned. "You're missing the party!"

"I know, but I'm nervous! What if I'm doing the wrong thing?" Sam replied, anxiously.

"You want to get back into Colonel O'Neill's good books, right?"

"Yes…" Sam agreed slowly.

"And knowing how he feels about you, I think you stand a pretty good chance. It is Christmas, after all. The season of giving and sharing?"

"Yeah, but what if this doesn't work? I don't think I could stand to have my heart broken by a man I care about so deeply."

Janet looked at her best friend and hugged her.

"Life is all about taking risks and living for the moment, and you have my full support on this. If it doesn't work out… you can plead temporary insanity, a side effect from all that alien alcohol you drank, and I'll back you up! Now come on, before I have to drag you out there!"

Sam smiled at her,

"Thank you, Janet."