I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying this. All your questions will be answered in time if you read on. You will understand the following chapter better if you read my notes at the beginning of chapter 1.

Thanks for all your reviews, as usual, it helps to motivate me and keep me on track.

A CHRISTMAS NIGHTMARE.

By Lingren.

Previously:-

Jack leapt off the bed with a smug smile that said...I told you so! He pulled on his jacket, thanking the Doctor for...whatever!

Chapter 3 – Reunion Time

"Ah...I'm...we're gonna go finish up. We'll meet you guys later," Daniel stuttered, so that Jack knew there was definitely something brewing between them all. He caught Daniel's nod to Sam as he and Teal'c left the room. He and Sam continued on the way to the lab.

"So, what was that all about?" he asked, clearly trying to worm it out of her.

"Oh, nothing, why?"

"No reason," he said nonchalantly. Yes there was, but he wasn't going to confess he was that interested; even if he was. He was just...curious.

They arrived and Jack shut the door behind him, then he pulled out a small remote from his pocket and winked at Sam. Pointing it at the security camera, it blinked and the little red light above the spy in the corner winked out.

"General?" Sam said cautiously. What was he up to?

"C'mere Sam," he said with a wide smile. He held his hands out to her and she took them. He curled his fingers round hers and reeled her in like a fish on a hook, until she was right up against him.

"Major General O'Neill, you're in uniform," she pointed out.

"So," he countered. "No-one to see us," he smirked. Just to be on the safe side I'll lock the door and turn the lights out if that's what you're worried about."

"No, it's okay," she sighed. "Most people have gone home by now I guess," she said seductively with a sly smile.

He grinned and raised his eyebrows at her tone.

"Hey, what have you done with my Carter?"

Sam giggled and placed a butterfly kiss on his lips.

"You should know sir," she giggled, emphasising his rank. "you're the one that set her off," she purred.

An answering growl came from his own throat and he leaned into her and captured her lips with a desperate need.

She let him in and the kiss deepened until they both had to break for air.

He was reluctant to let her go though, so he just held her tight, burying his face in her neck and breathing in her scent. God, how he'd missed her.

"I love you Sam, always."

Sam snuggled into his embrace with all her being. He was warm and strong and yet he was tender and generous with his love. Showing her with actions rather than words. Words were never his strong point when it came to emotions, but he didn't need them with Sam; she understood him perfectly.

"I love you too Jack!" she huffed; her breath warm against his ear, sending shivers of desire down his spine.

"Can you leave yet?" he asked, wanting to go somewhere they could be alone.

"Not yet. We're expecting company soon. I have to be there."

He pulled away reluctantly and pouted.

"You can come too. You don't have to ask!" she giggled. "You're the boss!"

He beamed again just as the klaxons announced an unauthorised gate activation.

"This it?"

"Maybe," she teased.

He frowned and shook his head as she walked past him and unlocked the door before walking out of the room. A few seconds went by before she poked her head round the door again.

"Coming?"

"Why, should I?" he harrumphed, unamused.

"Oh, perhaps because it might be someone you would like to see?" she said mysteriously and ducked out of the doorway.

"What?" he called after her, but she was gone. "Who? Carter!"

He hurried out of the room. She was nowhere in sight and he wondered then if he would be able to keep up with her if she ever accepted his proposal. He'd have to take to the gym every night after work just to keep himself fit enough to... Don't even go there, he told himself. You haven't asked her yet, and she could always turn you down ya know, he argued with himself.

He was slightly out of breath when he finally entered the gate-room. That's what comes of sitting on my butt all day, he sighed, regretting the loss of his old life.

Sam turned and beamed cheekily at him.

He pulled himself up to his full height and frowned down on her.

"Jack! Good to see you!" General Landry called as he spotted Jack below with SG-1. "You okay?"

Jack looked up and waved a hand at his friend.

"You too Hank!" he called with a grin. "And I'm fine thanks!"

Mitchell was there too, he'd been busy elsewhere. Leaving the old SG-1 enough time together to catch up with the base gossip. He wasn't part of the old team, and he felt like he would be intruding, so he'd made himself scarce. Now, he was here too. He nodded a greeting to the senior officer.

Jack wondered just who it was they were expecting. He'd heard Walter announce that they were receiving the Tok'ra IDC. He'd looked up then in surprise, his eyebrows doing a good impression of Teal'c's.

"The Tok'ra? What took them so long? I didn't think we were buddies any longer," Jack grouched with another pout. He'd never really trusted the Tok'ra; at least he trusted only two of them, but as far as he knew Selmak was dead and Mike or rather Maldek...well, he hadn't heard from him in an eon, well, maybe at least a couple of years so he could only assume he was dead too. The thought of Mike's passing wasn't something he wanted to dwell on.

"I think you'll want to see this one Jack," Daniel said, barely holding on to his composure. A smile was trying to break out which puzzled Jack even more.

The vertical shimmering puddle like event horizon rippled and a tall Tok'ra, dressed in his usual sandy coloured outfit, stepped from the surface; his grin as wide as any of the others in the room when he spotted Jack.

Jack couldn't believe his eyes and gaped open mouthed at the visitor.

In a few short strides the Tok'ra was at the foot of the ramp and looking Jack up and down. A Major General now? Wow, he mused, never saw that coming. The face was still as familiar as his own, if not a little more haggard and definitely looking older. The hair more silver now than it was the last time he had seen him. That was the one advantage he had in being a Tok'ra, he hadn't aged one bit. He could probably run rings round his brother now.

Jack turned a quizzical eye on his ex-team.

"How?"

Sam shrugged.

"We have our sources sir!"

Jack turned back, smiling broadly at the man before him.

Maldek stepped off the ramp and embraced the General, slapping him on the back in delight.

"Mike!" Jack sighed with pleasure.

"Hi Jack. Surprised?"

"Ya think?"

Jack returned the embrace just as warmly. If everything went right, this was gonna be the best Christmas ever. Well, almost! He couldn't forget Charlie, but this could go a long way to help put that particular ghost of Christmas past, to rest.

Mike slapped his brother on the back, grinning widely.

"You know, you look...?" Mike began, looking closely at Jack.

"Great? Fit?" Jack prompted.

"Well, actually, I was gonna say...old!" snorted Mike.

"Hey! Cut it out kid," Jack cried in consternation. "Carter throw this reprobate back through the gate will ya!"

"Yes sir," she replied, hiding her own grin when Mike gasped out his mock indignation at Jack's remark. She made a move on Mike, but he backed away laughing.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" the Tok'ra snorted with laughter. "I take it back, Jack, you're looking good!"

Jack visibly preened.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really! Right Sam?" Mike asked.

"It's no good asking her," Daniel guffawed, "She's prejudiced."

"I am not!" Sam replied denying the allegation from her friend and team-mate and giving him a playful shove.

"Are!" Daniel nodded.

"Daniel!" she warned.

"You are Carter!" Jack confirmed, making Sam blush. "And I wouldn't want it any other way!" he added, grinning an aside to her.

Sam melted under the adoring gaze and admitted that okay, perhaps she was biased. Just a smidgen though.

TBC

Just in case you still don't understand who Mike is...I created him a few years ago and have written several stories that include him. He is Jack's younger brother, who also happens to look very much like Jack. Mike was dying of Cancer until Jackreceived permission to introduce him to a Tok'ra symbiote named Maldek. Now as they say the rest is history, and he pops back every now and then to see Jack and his friends at the SGC. If you feel like reading the original stories go to Jackfic where you will find all of them. The first story to feature Mike is 'A Twist of Fate.' Please also bear in mind that it was written in 2002 and a lot ofprogress has been made in my writing since those early days. Well, I hope it has! LOL!