Sam was waylaid by her niece on the way back from the shower and taken to see her impressive collection of dolls. After being personally introduced to all the inhabitants of Emily's small kingdom, she was pressed to take tea and cookies with them before getting dressed. As enjoyable as the hour spent at the impromptu tea party was, it found her rushing to get ready in time to meet everyone downstairs. At 2:14 she was heading down the stairs where the rest of the family was gathered. Mark was down on his knees, fastening the buttons on Austin's coat, while Allison was tugging at the hem of Emily's angel robe. Her father was standing to one side, his trench coat over one arm, and a fuzzy white costume in the other. Daniel stood next to him his suit jacket tossed casually over one shoulder, her coat in the other. As soon as her foot hit the tile of the floor, all heads turned her direction.
"Aunt Sam! We waited forever for you! Grandpa said you were going to turn into a pumpkin." Sam shot her father an evil look. Since his blending with Selmak he had developed a decidedly mischievous side to his personality.
"And it was worth the wait," Daniel offered as he crossed the small foyer to hand her her jacket. She blushed a bit at the gallantry and went to pull on her coat. "It's a good color for you." Keeping with the spirit of the holidays, Sam had chosen a rich red sweater with a wide cuff along the top that just caught the edges of her shoulders. A black, flirty, knee-length skirt finished her outfit. Daniel gave her a subtle once over as he shrugged into his suit jacket.
"You don't look bad yourself," she returned. Sam had always liked him in blue, and the shirt he was wearing was royal in color with a sheen to it, that almost begged you to touch it. It brightened up the otherwise somber hues of his charcoal gray suit that he jokingly referred to as his 'dress blues' because it was the one he kept in his office for those surprise VIP visits. Daniel grinned, a little self-conscious under her scrutiny.
"I guess we need to get out more often," he teased and rested his hand at the small of her back as they went out the front door.
The church was only a few minutes away, and soon they found themselves seated in a pew midway up the nave of the church. They had tried to arrive early so they could get a good seat near the front. The place was already packed, and a sea of other families surrounded them, their voices filling the air with good wishes and a festive spirit. Programs had been handed out at the door, listing the day's hymns as well as the different acts the children would be providing during the service, culminating in the living nativity. Daniel leaned back in the pew, getting comfortable while waiting for the services to start. He studied his surroundings, looking at the stained glass windows and the statuary featured in niches through the church.
"I always like it here." Sam said breaking into his thoughts.
"Why's that?"
"There's just something about the holidays," she shrugged. "Here you're away from the craziness of shopping and fighting the food stores. It's all different types of people coming together to celebrate:" she nodded her head to indicate all the other peoples assembled in the church. "Families, friends, complete strangers. No matter what your personal struggles, or the unpleasant realities of daily life, there's hope. You're part of a greater tradition, wishing, like people have been for hundreds of years for your own Christmas wish."
Daniel tilted his head to one side, "What are you wishing for?"
"Uh, uh. Can't tell," she teased back, her eyes sparkling, "It won't come true then."
"Did it come true last year?" She sat there, with Daniel's solid warmth beside her, reassuring her of his presence. The fabric of his suit brushed against her arm, as he moved to put the program away. He eyed her curiously, waiting for her answer. Slowly she slipped her hand into his and answered, "Yes, yes it did." Daniel stared down at their hands, fingers entwined, resting against his knee.
"So what's the deal with them?" Mark asked, nodding his head in the direction of Sam and Daniel.
"Heck if I know." Jacob said. "Some days I'd swear it they were 'just friends', other times. . ." He watched his daughter snuggle into Daniel, her hand in his. Their voices were low, and he couldn't make out their words, although their was no mistaking the emotion in their voices. They sat there in silence for a few moments both of them surreptitiously watching Sam and Daniel talk. It amazed Mark how relaxed Sam seemed to be this year, and the rapport she had with her friend was uncanny. He had noticed this morning at the house had they didn't need to communicate with words to express themselves. It was such a difference from the withdrawn Sam of last holiday.
"What did you wish for?" Daniel asked gently, rubbing the palm of her hand with his thumb.
"You," she stated matter-of-factually. Realizing what she said and how it could be construed she corrected herself quickly, "I mean not dead." That statement drew a curious look from the woman seated in front of them. "I mean, back with me, us. . ." she stammered trying to express all the complexities of his ascension and return without betraying anything classified, or her own uncertain emotions. Daniel suppressed a small chuckle and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close in a sideways hug. He rested his chin briefly against her hair and said, "I know what you mean." She sighed and leaned into him, avoiding the inquiring glances from the parishioners around them.
A frown furrowed Mark's brow and he leaned over to ask Jacob, "Not dead?" Jacob groaned inwardly, yet another fun aspect of leading his secret life. It had been hard enough to explain last year how someone who worked as an interpreter for the Air Force could go MIA, presumed dead.
"That's what she said."
"So he's the guy that she was upset about dying last year."
"That's him." Mark just sat there and looked baffled for a moment. He understood top secret and classified, and he knew that both his sister and father worked for just such a project. But he couldn't understand how the man his sister had been mourning last holiday was now sitting with him in church ready to watch his children's play. Seeing the wheels turning in Mark's head Jacob hurried to explain, "It seems there was a mistake."
"Mistake," he repeated dumbly.
"You see they never found the body. Mudslides are like that. Turns out he had amnesia and was living with a group of locals. They found him naked in the woods."
"How did he get back here?"
"A different team working in the area stumbled across him and realized who he was and brought him home. He still has some gaps in his memory." The woman who had turned around to look at Sam studied Jacob curiously. Jacob smiled at her as if nothing he was saying was at all out of the ordinary. The woman hurriedly turned around in the pew.
"Must be some career, this Deep Space Radar Telemetry," Mark commented indicating that he was done trying to get a straight answer. Jacob reached over and clapped his hand on his son's shoulder, "It keeps me young, kiddo."
'I thought I'm the one that did that,' Selmak chimed in. It was tough for her to suppress herself on these Earth visits. Not that she didn't enjoy herself. Jacob chuckled inwardly at his symbiote, 'The best cover stories always have a grain of truth to them, Sel.'
Allison returned to the pew after having gotten the kids settled in their costumes in the dressing room. There was a bit of shuffling and chatter as everyone got themselves situation with Mark ending up on the end of the row so he could get clear pictures of the kids during the show. A few moments later the services began, and the time for talking was over.
There was something timeless about the Christmas service, whether it was the message, the songs, or the adorable kids trying hard to remember their role in this time honored tradition. It left the assembled participants with a sense of peace on Earth and goodwill towards mankind. For the younger ones it was the tingling anticipation that Santa would be arriving this very night. It was with buoyant spirits that he congregation relocated to the community rooms to have punch and refreshments. The children were all congratulated on their performances before running off to play with their friends and discuss the all important topic of what Santa would be bringing. Mark had met up with a few of his colleagues who attended the same church and had stolen Daniel away to meet them. Jacob was schmoozing with an old military friend, who was stationed at the Naval base nearby. Sam grabbed two glasses of punch and a plate of cookies and sat down next to Allison who was relaxing on a chair by the window.
"Thanks," she said taking the offered glass and a cookie, "It's nice to sit and relax for a few moments."
"It's been a busy day."
"I feel like we haven't caught more than a few minutes here and there to chat."
"No, we haven't have we. So what is new with you?"
"Same old. Austin is loving pre-school and Emily is thrilled at being in a grade with a number. Says she feels grown up. Flew out to New York for a conference last month, saw the sights. You know the usual. How about you?"
"Same old," Sam answered smiling. "Go to work. Come home from work. On occasion, I go to the grocery store for kicks."
Allison laughed at the absurdity of it, "You need to get out more."
Sam looked thoughtful, "Daniel said the same thing earlier."
"As in go out together more. . ." Sam blushed.
"It's not like that."
"It's not?"
"We're just really good friends." Really good friends. That's what she had told him back on Vis Uban. After all it was the truth, wasn't it. Sam thought back to earlier that day and the kiss they had shared out on the porch. Friends could kiss, right. Besides, it wasn't like she kissed him, after all. . .
"He kissed me," Sam said speaking her thoughts aloud. The moment she realized she had spoken the last part instead of thinking it her eyes went wide with embarrassment. She'd never been a kiss and tell. Allison's smile broadened into a grin.
"And?" she prompted.
"And nothing!" she exclaimed. Taking a hurried sip of her punch. Allison settled back in her chair a knowing look on her face.
"Of course, nothing. Just brotherly affection."
"Mark doesn't kiss me on the lips."
"I certainly hope not. Remind me to hang the kissing bough up tonight, would you, Sam?" An impish smile played across her lips as she studied her sister in law who refused to meet her gaze.
Although Sam did not remind Allison about the kissing bough, it made its appearance after dinner in the archway leading to the living room from the foyer. Allison smiled innocently as she stood up on the chair to fasten it in place, Mark offering to 'help' her so he could steal a kiss since they were under it. When they went in the living room after dinner, deftly avoiding the mistletoe, the coffee table was covered with seven brightly wrapped packages. Apparently Santa had dropped by while they were at church. According to the note he thought they might want to open one present early.
There was a box for each of them, and like Austin had prophesied, Santa did know everything for there was a box for Daniel as well. Inside were new pajamas. Daniel pulled out the pair of kitchy lounge pants and laughed out loud. They were royal blue and covered in roller skating dinosaurs. There was a matching henley style shirt with a stegosaurus on a skateboard embroidered where a pocket would go.
"You need to wear those on base, " Sam commented dryly.
"Oh, and are you going to wear yours there, Major?" he asked. Sam had received a pair of red pants covered in ice skating penguin and a strappy red tank top with a small parade of penguins embroidered along the squared off neckline.
"Next briefing, I assure you. Of course we'd have to get a set for the Colonel and Teal'c as well."
"Do you think we could find some Darth Vader ones in Teal'c's size?"
"I think I'll join you," Jacob held up his pair of blue pants covered in a variety of whimsical airplanes.
"Traditional red holiday PJ's are so blasé," Allison commented as she showed everyone her purple pj's with polar bears building snowmen. "These have personality." She grinned at them so there was no doubt in their mind who had down Santa's shopping.
Later that night, after the kids had finally fallen asleep, the adults crept back down stairs to do Santa's work. All of them were proudly wearing their 'gifts' from Santa and drinking the eggnog that Mark had put out as refreshment.
"How come I can put a satellite into orbit, but I can't put a play kitchen together?" Sam muttered in frustration as she unscrewed two pieces of what appeared to be a toy refrigerator and turned them around. "Apparently when they meant attach the left side of panel B into the slot of Section L they meant my other left."
"Maybe the directions would help," Jacob commented from where he was seated stuffing stockings.
"I -am- using the directions," she groaned as she fought with the panels. "Does anyone have a sledgehammer?"
Daniel got up from the floor where he had been sorting gifts into piles and stood behind Sam, to read the directions. He placed a calming hand on her shoulder, "Apparently this is a choose your own adventure kind of instruction sheet."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, although the tension was leaving her voice.
"Well, the Spanish option recommends the right hand side attaches to section L. However in German it suggests that you use 'the left side panel' instead of 'section' L. I'm still learning Chinese but I'm pretty sure that it says something about shelving."
Sam stared up at him and blinked incredulously, "You are kidding, right."
"No, I'm not." He studied the instruction sheets, "Maybe the pictures would be the best route. Of course there seem to be several intuitive leaps involved there as well."
"There are a lot of pieces with similar names, and shapes. There is section L and panel L like you mentioned," she sighed. "This is going to be fun." Daniel slid down on the floor next to her and picked up the screwdriver.
"Let me give you a hand."
An hour and a half later the kitchen was assembled and adorned with festive ribbons and bows and given a place of honor to one side of the tree. The bicycle for Austin had been much easier to assemble, and the instructions were far less humorous, no matter which language you read them in. After Allison had satisfied herself with the arrangement of the gifts on the tree and taken the requisite pictures before the carnage began in the morning, they said their good nights. Jacob, the most alert out of all of them, even at 2 AM headed up the stairs calling first dibs on the bathroom. Mark and Allison busied themselves in the kitchen making sure that Santa and his reindeer left 'crumbs' on the plates of treats the kids had left out for them.
"Come on, Daniel," Sam said as she headed for the stairs.
"Ich bin ze mude umzuziehen," he mumbled from the couch.
"You're doing it again," Sam remind him. He had a habit of slipping in and out of English when he was tired, or highly medicated.
"Traurig, er, I'm sorry." He said pushing himself up into a sitting position. Sam walked back over and took his hand to help pull him out of the couch. "I said I was too tired to move. Jacob kept me up half the night with his snoring." He followed sleepily after her still holding her hand. With the other hand he rubbed his eyes and realized that he had left his glasses in the living room. Sam waited in the doorway for him to return. Allison and Mark had just headed up the stairs and saw her standing there waiting for Daniel.
"Planning to make use of that kissing bough?" Mark teased, pausing on the stairs.
"What?" Sam blinked sleepily before looking up when Allison pointed. She stared at it blankly for a moment before glowering a bit at Allison. Although it is hard to glower when one is half asleep. Daniel wandered back into the doorway and noticed everyone looking up so he did the same.
"Oh, mistletoe." he commented. "I guess we're stuck, eh?" He glanced over at Allison and Mark on the stairs who were grinning evilly.
"You don't have too," Sam protested taking his hand and tugging him towards the stairs. "Come on we're tired." Daniel took a step closer to her, allowing her to retreat if she wanted.
"Tradition demands it." Allison admonished. Sam sighed in exasperation. She could still remember the feel of his lips from earlier, and although she hadn't had the chance to sort through all those feelings from before, she knew that it was an experience she wouldn't mind repeating. After all, they were friends, one more kiss couldn't hurt.
"Fine then." Sam turned to face Daniel, planning to give him a quick friendly kiss on the cheek. Either she had moved too quickly, or he hadn't stopped walking towards the stairs for she collided against him, pressing herself full up against him. Instinctively he reached out to her wrapping her in his arms to keep her from falling over from the impact. The inertia still knocked her backwards a bit so she was leaning back in his arms. Obviously the only choice she had was to throw her arms around his neck to steady herself, or at least that's how she rationalized it internally. All thoughts of a chaste kiss flew out of her head, as Daniel's lips touched hers for the third time today. Before his kisses had been tentative, there was nothing tentative about it this time. Soft, yes, tender, yes, sensual, definitely. The most delightful tingles ran through her body, and for a moment she felt as if she was floating. She barely noticed when her brother and sister in law decided that it was too voyeuristic to stay and headed up the stairs to bed. Moments later Daniel released her, steadying her back on her feet. The sensation of floating had not been entirely imaginary she realized as her feet hit the carpeting.
Daniel took a step away and ran his fingers absently through his hair not quite meeting her gaze. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Ah, sorry. . . I uh, overstepped."
Sam stood there for a moment processing his words, rational thought escaping her. It took her a minute to realize he was apologizing for the most amazing kiss she could remember. "Don't apologize," she placed her hand on his shoulder and made him turn to face her.
"I just wondered," he was still avoiding her gaze.
"Wondered what?" she asked softly. Taking his face in both of her hands she forced him to look at her.
"What if there was something between us, and we just didn't know it?"