Poor Pete... NO ONE wants him to get together with Sam?

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Ten children sat on the floor, holding pizza slices in their hands, with their heads bowed. Emma sat in a special stroller, her head still jerking. Nicholas was in playpen in the corner of the room.

The adults sat on the other side of the room waiting...

"Corin, go ahead," his dad admonished.

The little boy grinned. "Sorry, daddy. God, thank you for de food and everything. Oh and let uncle Jack give me a car."

Ariel looked over at her uncle with an engaging smile, "And I'd like a real pony."

Joseph and Max asked for a trampoline. Alexander shouted for a Lego set. Cody and Tyler said simultaneously they wanted roller skates. Connor begged for a motorcycle and a big guy watch.

Shareese, Anna's daughter, got it back on track. "Help Aunt Melanie and Auntie Jenn be happy."

The two women exchanged ashamed glances and looked down at the plates they held. Jack secretly thought it would take a miracle for the two to be happywith each other.

Gabrielle smiled at her little sister. "Thank you for letting us be here, bless Emma and Aunt Melanie's new baby Nick whom we found out about today," She stopped and peeked at Sam, "and bless Sam, Amen."

"Dig in!" Jack ordered.

As they got comfortable, Anna scooted over towards Sam. "I'm Anna."

"Sam."

Anna grinned mischievously. "I know." She rotated her neck until it popped. "So… how do you know Jack?"

Sam was distracted by two of the children fighting but finally answered, "He's my CO."

Her eyebrow lifted. "Realllllyyyy..." At the Colonel's nod, she looked thoughtful.

Gabrielle scooted closer, intent on hearing this conversation. Sam noticed, and tried changing the subject. "So, who else is coming?"

Anna thought for a second. "Zack's here, Jenn and Ellie, Mel and I... there's just Maya."

"Maya?" Carter asked, "What's she like?"

Anna grinned. "Maya is... very energetic... very... sarcastic... very... Maya."

"Does she have any children?"

"Five," Anna said with another grin.

"Five?"

"Three girls, two boys. Miguel, Harry, Italia, Wylie and then baby Tabitha."

Gabrielle grinned. "Harry's actually a relation of ours… my second cousin. Aunt Maya adopted him before she married Uncle Dayvid."

"Jack, when is Dayvid going to arrive?" Ken called, after hearing his sister-in-law mention Dayvid's name. "Then the party can start!"

"Dayvid?" Carter whispered.

"Maya's husband. Iraqi."

"He's really cool," Gabrielle said quietly, "He always brings us kids cool things."

Anna excused herself a moment later as a cry came for "Mama!"

Sam watched her CO as he sat in the midst of the children, eating and laughing with them. She wondered for a brief moment what it would be like to be a mother… surrounded by all these children, Teal'c words, spoken a long time ago, came to mind… Perhaps a mother's instinct… She firmly shoved those words away.

"Muuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Leslie waved for Eleanor to remain in her seat and knelt next to her niece. "Hey, Emma," she said quietly, stroking the soft cheek. "I haven't seen you in a few months." Emma gurgled something. Leslie looked delighted and smiled at her.

The children had finished eating, and one by one they began entreating their uncle for a game of tag. After a little while, he gave in and they followed him into the next room with the exception of little Nikki toddled up to her aunt. "Aun' Jenn," she mumbled. "I tired."

Jennifer swept the little girl up. "You're tired " she asked, rocking her. "You tired?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw Melanie stiffen. Looking back at Jennifer, she could tell the elder sister didn't notice her sister's reaction. "Alright, bath and bed," Jenn announced. "Mel, do you know if the bathroom downstairs is habitable?"

"Yes," Sam said quickly. "Soap, shampoo, and clean towels."

She smiled her thanks and hurried down the stairs humming a tune. Seconds later, loud squeals announced the fact that 'Uncle Jack' had begun his name of tag. Anna excused herself and went to help Ellie take Emma out of the room.

Gabrielle scooted closer to the woman she had met only hours ago. "I like your hair," she said softly.

"Thank you." Sam said, automatically touching it. "I like yours."

Gabrielle pulled her long, dark hair forward and frowned at it. "Thanks," she said politely. She studied her for a moment. "Are you really in the Air Force?"

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"What are you? Major?"

"Actually, I'm a Colonel now. I was recently promoted."

Gabrielle grinned. "That's cool," she said sincerely, "Uncle Jack is a General so you work for him?"

"Yes."

"What do you do?" came the next question.

"I… it's called Deep Space Radar Telemetry."

"What exactly is that?" the teen asked curiously, "Mom said you just look in telescopes?"

Carter smiled at her. "Not exactly- it's more complicated then that. I-"

"Do you want to play tag?" one of the little girls asked breathlessly as she raced from the adjoining room and halted directly in from of her. "Uncle Jack said to ask you."

Carter studied her carefully; she was slowly learning the differences between them. "Are you Shareese?"

"Reese," she said with a small giggle. "I'm Reese."

"How old are you, Reese?"

"Five-" she stopped and said in a stage whisper, "but I'm tree when I go to Disney Land."

Carter gave Gabrielle a puzzled glance. "I- tree?"

"Three. It's a joke with us," Gabrielle explained. "Dad taught her to say that. You know- you get into Disney Land free if you're three…"

"Oh," she smiled. "I see."

"Wanna play?" Sharesse asked, shaking her head 'yes' so vigorously that some of her abundant brown hair escaped its ponytail.

Sam grinned at the little girl. "All right. Why not?"

"You play, Gabby?" 'Reese' entreated, tugging on her sister's arm. "Please? Miss Sam is…"

Gabrielle shrugged and gracefully rose to her feet. "I guess," she said, smoothing her skirt. "Is Uncle Jack playing?"

"Of course," Anna answered as she re-entered the room. "Your uncle never misses a chance to play with the little guys. You playing too, Sam? I-"

Carter's cell rang. She pulled it and her expression fell. "Excuse me," she said standing up. Anna nodded and Carter hurried out of the room. She navigated her way through the kids in the hallway and stepped into her CO's room. Once she was sure she was out of earshot, she answered it. "Hello?"

"Sam?"

"Pete."

"Yeah." If he had noticed her lack on enthusiasm, he didn't comment on it. "Hey, whatcha doing tonight?"

She ran her fingers through her blond hair. "Um, I'm busy tonight," she said. "Sorry."

"Oh. Okay, babe. What are you doing Christmas Day?"

Carter looked up as her CO entered the room, a curious look on his face. "Hold on," she told Pete, lowering her phone, "Sir?"

"Just wanted to make sure it wasn't the SGC calling," he said, leaning in the doorway, studying her.

She shook her head, "Pete."

A familiar look of annoyance flitted across his face before his mask settled back into place. "Oh."

She hesitated, looking between him and the phone. "Sir, am I intruding?" she finally asked, "I mean, this is your family and I'm-

"No," Jack interrupted quickly. "Not at all."

"Well-"

"I am issuing you a formal invitation to join us Christmas day," the General said. "Heck, why don't you just stay here? We have plenty of room..."

She looked at her cell. "I... I..."

"That is- if it is okay with Pete..." he half taunted as he exited the room.

She stiffened and put the phone back against her ear. "You still there?"

"Yeah," the voice assured her. "I'm here."

"I have plans for that day."

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Going to my CO's house."

There was a pregnant pause. "Your CO's house..."

"Yeah."

"Where are you now?"

She winced. "His house."

"Is something going on between you two?" he demanded.

"No!"

"Okay then... can we go do something... tonight?"

"Like what?"

"I don't care… coffee?"

Sam sighed and checked her watch. "Pete," she began, "it's getting late and-"

"I have to drive back into Denver tomorrow afternoon… come on, Sam…"

She rubbed her forehead. Why had she thought it a good idea to accept her CO's invitation to stay for Christmas? "Okay, fine. He lives at..."

Ten minutes later…

Sam was fixing her hair when she was surprised to see Zack's wife appear in the doorway, obviously annoyed.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, looking at the woman's reflection.

Leslie snorted. "Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it." She hesitated for a moment, obviously debating on whether or not to talk. The latter won. "I don't know you," she quickly said, "and you don't know me but I have to ask you this... what the hell are you to my brother-in-law?"

Sam stiffened and faced the woman. "Leslie, not to be rude, but that's really not-"

"He's like a brother to me," Leslie interrupted, "I mean, you are at his house, you are going to spend Christmas with him and yet you're going to have coffee with another guy? What is that?"

Carter opened her mouth to speak when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Melanie called, "It's just Sam's boy..." her voice trailed off and two simultaneous exclamations filled the hall.

"Mel?"

"Pete?"

I finally brought Pete over!

Hope you liked it and... PLEASE review!