Baby, It's Cold Outside
A/N Ok, this is pure romantic fluff. It is a Christmas story set in season 7 after Grace and before Heroes. Sam and Jack of course with a hint of Daniel/Janet.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story was created for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
-x-x-x-
Colonel Jack O'Neill sat on his sofa, stocking feet propped up on his coffee table, drinking a beer and watching a football game when his cell phone rang. He muted the TV and flipped open the phone.
"O'Neill," he barked into the device.
"Hey, Uncle Jack, it's me Cassie!"
"What's up kiddo?" Jack cringed slightly as he realized he sounded like Jacob Carter.
"Oh, not much," replied Cassie innocently.
"Come on Cassie, I know you better than that. You're up to something. What is it?"
"Ok, well, I was thinking how nice it would be to have a Christmas party with everybody, you know, Uncle George, Mom, Sam, Teal'c, Daniel,..."
"I get the point," Jack interrupted. What does this party have to do with me?"
"Well, you've got such a nice big house, fireplace, deck and everything, that I thought your place would be the perfect setting for the party!"
"Uh, Cassie, I'm not much for Christmas parties. You know me, bah humbug and all that."
"Jack, it's me you're talking to. If anybody has a right to be all bah humbug it's me!" Cassie had just played her trump card.
Jack thought about everything that Cassie had been through, losing not only her mom and dad, but everyone she had ever known and being forced to relocate to an entirely different, alien planet. And that was just for starters.
"Ok," Jack submitted, "what do you want me to do?"
"All you have to do is let us have the party at your place, oh, and I want to have hot spiced cider with rum. You'll have to get the rum and whatever else the adults want to drink. I'll take care of decorations and music..."
"Decorations! You're gonna decorate my house?"
"Jaaaack," Cassie whined "you can't have a Christmas party without decorations."
"Ok, ok, what else?"
"Mom and Sam will take care of the food..."
"You're gonna let Carter help with the food?" he asked incredulously.
"Jack, she's not that bad of a cook, besides we're talking finger food here, you know, chips, dip, cheese and crackers..."
"Ok, it's your party, Cassie!"
"Thanks, Jack. By the way we're having this party next weekend, oh, and I will send out invitations too!"
"If I know you, Cassie, you've already made the invitations and you've just been waiting for me to say it's ok to have the party at my place."
"Right, again, Uncle Jack! Well, I've got party planning to do! Gotta go! Love ya! Bye!"
"Alright, see ya Saturday," Jack said as he hung up the phone.
-x-x-x-x-
The next Saturday Cassandra Fraiser showed up at Jack O'Neill's house at 1:30 in the afternoon with two boxes full of Christmas decorations. Jack was dismayed at the amount of stuff she brought, but helped her carry it all into his house.
Cassie even had an artificial tree to put up in Jack's living room. After setting up the tree and thoroughly decorating the Colonel's house, Cassie pulled one final item out of the box.
"Where should I put this, Jack?" she asked innocently.
"What is it?"
"Mistletoe."
"Oh, fer cryin' out loud!"
"Come on, Jack! It'll be fun!"
"Yeah, right," Jack replied sarcastically.
"Ok, well, if you're not going to help then I'm just going to put it here at the entrance to the kitchen where everyone who comes in to get food or another drink will have to pass underneath it!"
"Knock yourself out, kid."
-x-x-x-
An hour before the rest of the guests were suppose to arrive, Sam and Janet arrived with the food. Jack led them to the kitchen where they began setting up a buffet style table with mini meatballs, barbequed little smokies, several varieties of cheese, crackers, chips, Chex Mix, veggies and dip, a meat tray, mixed nuts, and just for Jack, a decorated cake.
While Sam and Janet were setting out the food, along with holiday paper plates and napkins, Cassie pulled Jack aside and whispered "Jack! Sam stood right there under the mistletoe and she didn't even know it was there! You could have kissed her!"
"Cassie, we've been over this before. Sam and I can't date...or...anything...even if we wanted to."
"I know, military rules! But they're stupid rules, Jack and it's Christmas! You can kiss her on Christmas. It's a special one time thing...for now."
Jack closed his eyes and rubbed them with the heel of his hand, "Cassie..."
Cassie put her hands up in surrender "Ok, Jack. Whatever. It's your life. I just know how Sam feels about you that's all."
Jack cocked his head to one side and said "So, how does she feel about me?"
As if on cue the doorbell rang. "Sorry, Jack, I gotta answer the door!" and she hurried off to the front hall with Jack following right behind her.
"Daniel! Teal'c! Come in!" Cassie invited. "There's food in the kitchen and I'm sure Jack would be glad to get you a drink." She shot the Colonel an innocent look.
"Yeah, come on in," Jack said.
"Gladly, O'Neill, it is beginning to snow."
"Cassie insisted on some rum drinks, but I have beer if you'd rather,"
Once Teal'c and Daniel were out of the entrance hall, Cassie went to the living room and put her carefully selected Christmas CDs in the stereo and lit several holiday candles. Jack had built a roaring fire in the fireplace earlier, at Cassie's request.
After lighting the candles and turning on the music, Cassie looked around the room to review her handiwork. Lights twinkled on the small, beautifully decorated Christmas tree, the room lights were dim, the music was a collection of what Cassie considered the most romantic Christmas music ever recorded, and the fire crackled and popped invitingly.
The doorbell rang again and Cassie rushed to answer it. General George Hammond stood there with a bottle of wine in his hands and Jacob Carter by his side.
"Hello, Cassandra. Thank you for inviting me to your party. I brought a bottle of wine and Jacob." He handed her the bottle and she invited them to come in and get something to eat.
Cassandra followed General Hammond and Jacob Carter to the kitchen and handed the wine to Janet who set it on the table near the punch bowl.
"Hey kiddo!" Jacob said as he saw his daughter.
"Dad!" Sam exclaimed as she came over to give him a hug.
"I just found him lurking around the SGC," General Hammond quipped.
Sam knew better. General Hammond had personally contacted Jacob to ask him to come to the party and Sam was very grateful.
"Thanks for bringing him, General!"
"Hey, Sam, you and your dad are under the mistletoe!" Cassie announced.
"Well, sure enough!" said Jacob as he kissed his daughter lightly on the cheek.
"Well, everyone's here!" exclaimed Cassie. "Now, once you all have something to eat and drink let's go to Jack's living room. I've got it all decorated and everything!"
She was so enthusiastic that the adults couldn't help but get caught up in her holiday spirit.
The group of friends sat around Jack's living room eating, drinking and sharing stories. Cassie was seriously pushing the cider and the hot buttered rum, thinking that the more Sam and Jack had to drink, the more likely they would be to take advantage of her mistletoe.
Cassie even managed to sneak a cup of the spiked cider for herself.
After a couple hours of food, drink and conversation, Cassie announced that it was time for a movie. Cassandra Fraiser had carefully selected the movies, choosing two that Janet had bought her when she was 10 years old along with the one she wanted everyone to watch.
"You have three choices," Cassandra informed the group as she held up the DVD boxes. "Your first choice is Cinderella!."
That announcement was met by groans from almost everyone present, although Teal'c stated that he was interested in seeing the film.
"Wait, wait! There are two other choices. Your second choice is Beauty and the Beast.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow as there were more groans from the rest of the group.
"Cassie, weren't these your favorites when you were 10 or 11?" asked Sam suspiciously.
"No, I still watch them,"she replied innocently. "Alright, your final choice is African Queen, with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn."
"You know, for a kid, you have strange taste in movies," Jack informed her.
After a short discussion the group settled on African Queen.
Cassie put the DVD in the player and turned off all the lights in the living room so that everyone could "see better". The only light in the room was coming from the candles, the Christmas tree lights and the TV.
Jack had 3 overstuffed chairs and a sofa in his living room. Jacob and General Hammond were sitting in the 2 chairs adjacent to each other while Teal'c was occupying the one on the other end of the couch. Daniel and Janet sat side by side on the sofa with Cassie sitting between Jack and Janet. For most of the evening Sam had been sitting on the floor facing the sofa, with the coffee table between her and the couch.
After Cassandra had placed the disk in the DVD player she said "Sam, why don't you take my place on the sofa, I want to stretch out on the floor to watch the movie."
"Well, there's room for both of us on the floor, Cassie."
"No, it's ok, Sam, take my seat."
"Well, if you're sure..."
"Oh, fer cryin' out loud, just get up here, Carter!"
Sam got up and apprehensively settled on the couch between Janet and Jack.
As the opening credits started to roll Cassandra went to the kitchen and filled an insulated carafe with hot spiced cider, came back to the living room and refilled everyone's cups.
Sam Carter was feeling the effects of the spiked cider and, while far from drunk, she was feeling a warm, pleasant buzz. She was intensely aware of her commanding officer sitting beside her. Jack's sofa was a tight fit for four adults which meant that Sam and Jack's bodies were in contact from their shoulders to their knees.
As the group began to get into the movie no one except Sam noticed that Daniel had slipped his arm around Janet and she was leaning into his body. It opened up a little more room on the couch and Sam shifted away from Jack. He turned to look at her as if to ask why she was moving away from him.
Sam grinned at her CO and indicated Daniel and Janet with her head. Jack smiled back at her, but no one else in the room seemed to notice.
Cassie kept refilling everyone's drinks and brought the Chex Mix into the room to encourage them to drink more.
Suddenly a very tipsy Daniel Jackson interrupted the movie. "Hey, has anyone else noticed how much the Humpfrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn's characters are like Sam and Jack?
"WHAT!" exclaimed Sam and Jack in unison. They sat up straight and both turned to look at Daniel and Janet who now looked very cozy in their corner of the couch.
Janet was the first to feel awkward at the situation as she sat up straight and untangled herself from Daniel.
Daniel, too tipsy to notice the looks he was receiving, continued with his Jack and Sam analogy. "So, don't you think Jack is as grizzled and grumpy as Charlie Allnut and Sam is so proper, always following the rules, just like Rose! I mean she even calls Jack 'Sir' all the time just like Rose in the movie keeps calling Charlie Mr. Allnut."
Jacob eyed Sam and Jack suspiciously then looked back at the drunk archeologist.
Cassandra wanted to keep her plan on track, but she also did not want to get Sam and Jack in trouble so she quickly paused the DVD. "Hey, I think its time for cake!" she said as she jumped up from the floor.
"I'll help you with the cake," Jack said as he got up from the sofa. "I need to switch to beer anyway, I've had enough of the spiked punch."
Once in the kitchen Cassie informed him "You can't switch to beer, Jack."
"Why not?"
"Because then you'll have beer breath and Sam won't want to kiss you or if she does kiss you she'll be grossed out by your beer breath."
"And just how did a high school senior become so knowledgeable about beer breath and kissing?"
"Oh, well,... I've... just heard kids talking about it at school," she explained nervously.
"Cassandra Fraiser, I'm not buying that story for one minute."
"Ok, ok, but you can't tell mom. See, I went to a friend's party and it turned out to be a kegger. And anyway, there was this guy I liked, his name was Brandon, but anyway, Brandon had been drinking a lot of beer at the party and then he asked me to dance. Then this slow song came on and we were dancing and he kissed me and it was gross. After that I didn't like him anymore. So, you can't drink beer and then kiss Sam!"
"Cassie, I can't kiss Sam anyway."
"But she wants you too! Really bad, Jack."
"Has she told you this?"
"Not in so many words but I know!"
Jack puffed out his cheeks as he blew out a breath. "Ok, Cassie, for you I won't drink beer. But I can't drink any more of that punch crap. I'll switch to rum and Coke, ok?"
"That's fine, Jack. Thanks," she said as she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Cassie and Jack brought small paper dessert plates with chocolate cake into the living room and distributed them to everyone.
"After the cake, I'm afraid Jacob and I will have to go," General Hammond stated.
"But, General, we haven't finished the movie yet!" Cassie complained.
"I know, but the streets are getting slick with the snow and I have to take Jacob back to the Mountain. He's staying in the guest quarters tonight because he has to get back to the Tok'ra early tomorrow morning."
"Ok." Cassie sounded defeated, but inside she was actually pleased because without the General and Jacob looking on, she thought Jack was much more likely to kiss Sam.
Once they had finished the cake, Sam said goodbye to her dad and thanked General Hammond for bringing him. Sam and Jack walked the two generals out to the car and realized that the snow had gotten much deeper than they thought.
After George and Jacob pulled out of the driveway Sam and Jack hurried back into the house.
"I think everyone is going to have to stay here tonight," Jack stated firmly. "The snow is pretty deep and you have all had too much to drink."
"I have not had too much to drink O'Neill. I can take Daniel Jackson home."
"Thanks for offering, Teal'c, but it really is getting bad out there and the wind has started to come up. I would feel better if everyone just crashed here."
"Yes!" Cassie cheered to herself.
"Ok, can we get back to the movie now?" she asked.
"Alright start it back up, Cassie."
When the movie finally ended Daniel and Janet were asleep in their corner of the couch and Teal'c had his feet stretched out in front of him and his hat down over his eyes. Cassandra pretended to be asleep on the floor and, although Sam was completely fooled, Jack suspected the truth.
"I'll help you pick up the living room, Sir."
Sam and Jack picked up the empty cake plates, forks, drinks and the Chex Mix bowl and carried them all out to Jack's kitchen.
"It was a really nice party, Sir," Sam said as she rinsed the glasses and silverware in the sink. "Thank you for letting Cassie have it here. I know it really meant a lot to her."
"It was nothing, Carter."
Sam dried her hands on a kitchen towel and turned around to find herself face to face with Colonel O'Neill.
"Has Cassie been bugging you too?" he asked.
"Bugging me about what?"
"She's...uh,... been trying to get us under the mistletoe all night."
"Oh, that. Yeah, she's been after me about that too."
"It would be a shame to let the kid down after she's gone to so much trouble."
"But, sir..."
"Oh, don't worry, she won't talk. I happen to know she went to a kegger that Janet doesn't know about. We have something to blackmail her with."
Sam smiled at Jack as he took a step closer to her. "You know, this is just a one time thing? I mean until we rid the universe of the Goa'uld..."
"I know, Sir..."
"Sam, I..."
"I know, Jack."
Hearing Sam call him by his first name was more intoxicating to Jack than a whole bottle of rum.
Jack O'Neill closed the space between him and Samantha Carter. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. The kiss was soft and gentle at first then his tongue began to explore hers and his hands slid down her arms, stopping at her waist. He pulled her closer to him and she responded by wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Suddenly they heard a sound and broke off the kiss, but not the physical contact, to look in the direction of the sound.
Cassandra Fraiser stood in the entrance to the kitchen, smiling like the cat that had captured the canary.
Jack pointed at her and said "Kegger? Brandon?"
"Don't worry, Jack my lips are sealed, but, whoa! That was hot!"
"Alright, show's over. Let's go watch another movie," Jack suggested. "But one of mine, not that junk you brought!"
The three quietly returned to the living room where Daniel and Janet were still asleep in their corner of the couch and Teal'c was still stretched out in the chair.
While Cassie blew out the candles, and put How the Grinch Stole Christmas in the DVD player, Jack went to get blankets and pillows for everyone. He carefully covered Daniel and Janet with a blanket while Sam put one over Teal'c.
Cassie stretched out on the floor with her own blanket and pillow and Sam and Jack sat back down in their corner of the couch. They both took off their shoes and propped their feet up on the coffee table.
Somewhere in the middle of the movie Cassie discovered that Sam and Jack were asleep too. She turned off the TV and put a special Christmas CD in the stereo and set it to play continuously. While planning her party, Cassie had painstakingly listened to every Christmas CD Janet owned and then had burned her own mix of romantic Christmas songs. There was one particular song on this CD that was just for Sam and Jack. It wasn't even really a Christmas song, but Cassie thought it fit the situation perfectly.
Cassandra carefully covered Sam and Jack with a blanket and then curled up on the floor feeling quite proud of herself.
Somewhere around 0500 Major Samantha Carter groggily opened her eyes and was shocked to find that she had been sleeping beside her CO, with her head on his chest and his arms around her. They were both covered with a soft blue blanket and everyone in the room was still asleep. The fire had gone out in the fireplace and there was a slight chill in the air.
The next thing Sam became aware of was Barry Manilow singing a bluesy duet with a female singer. The female was singing that she had to go home and Barry was singing "Why don't you stay cause, Baby its Cold Outside."
Sam smiled at the sleeping form of Cassandra Fraiser on the floor and decided it really was cold outside. She snuggled into Jack and felt his arms tighten around her.Soon it would be back to rules and regulations, Gou'ald and Replicators, but for one more hour she could enjoy the Christmas present that Cassie had given her.
-x-x-x-