Chapter 7- Christmas

(Set on Christmas Eve)

Jack cursed at himself as the Merry Christmas sign he just put up started to droop.

"It needs more tape," a voice said from behind him. "Danny! I didn't even hear you come in." Jack said sarcastically. "I know, you weren't answering your door, so I let myself in." Daniel said.

"Well, now that you're here maybe you can help me with these damn decorations!" Jack exclaimed pointing to the decorations piled on the floor. Daniel smiled, he hadn't seen jack this happy in a long time.

"Sure, uh jack where do you want the nativity set?" Daniel asked. "Uh, on that ledge on top of the fire place, make it look nice, even though one of the wise mans arm's missing." Jack said with a chuckle.

"The holidays really do bring out the classic O'Neill charm, don't they?" Daniel asked with a sigh. "Yep!" Jack exclaimed.

After a few minutes jack's living room was decorated in the best Christmas style. Daniel and Jack looked a round and both sighed at the same time in contentment.

Then there was a knock on the door, it was probably Carter and Teal'c. Janet said she would be a little late. Jack opened the door and was greeted with a hug and handshake.

"Merry Christmas si…..Jack." Sam corrected herself. "Happy holidays O'Neill." Teal'c said with a smile. "Teal'c, lose the O'Neill, just call me jack for once!" Jack exclaimed, Teal'c nodded, "Ok Jack." Teal'c said happily.

"Come on in!" Jack finally said and Teal'c and Sam stepped in. "Daniel, remember when we went shopping for Christmas gifts and did the wrapping all in one day, well you left all the gifts at my house I also have the ones from janet and Teal'c. So you know what? You can venture into the cold with me to get them all out of my car!" Sam exclaimed as she walked over to Daniel and grabbed him by his ear and pulled him out the door.

"Jack, you did a very good job in the decorations." Teal'c said as he removed his jacket. "I didn't do it alone, Danny helped me, he came early." Jack said as took the Teal'cs jacket and put it in the closet.

Moments later Daniel and sam returned with their arms filled with gifts. "Whoa! Talk about 'looks like people are gonna have huge ass credit bills to pay'!" Jack said as sam and Daniel placed the gifts on the floor around the tree.

"let me take your coats." Jack said as sam handed him hers, daniel had already put his away. They all sat in the living room talking. Then, there was a light knocking on the door.

"Must be Janet!" Daniel exclaimed happily, almost a little too happily, "I'll get it Jack, don't you worry I'll get that door for ya, you bet!" Daniel exclaimed as he rushed over to the door, he opened the door in one swift move and there out in the cold stood Janet.

"Merry Christmas sweetheart," Daniel said as he took Janet in his arms and kissed her on the lips lightly. "Merry Christmas to you too!" Janet said as she kissed him back.

"Shouldn't keep the party waiting." Daniel said as he lead janet, his girlfriend for the past 2 years, into the living room. "Janet! Where ya been?" Jack asked as soon as Janet stepped into the room. "I had to do last minute shopping!" Janet said with a laugh.

"So what and when are we eating?" Daniel asked, it was always a surprise every year, they never knew what they would be eating! Last year was a Christmas Chinese food feast. Not once did they ever have turkey. "We are having turkey for once!" jack exclaimed and everyones jaws dropped, "Jack, you cooked?" Sam asked in surprise, "hell no! I begged my mom to do the cooking! All we got to do is heat it up!" Jack said with a huge grin.

Then, he showed every one to their seats at the table, which was nicely decorated. They ate and talked until daniel demanded for coffee. "Ok, danny, I'll get the coffee, just shut up!" Jack said to daniel playfully, as jack got up a beeper went off. "oh, that's me! Sorry! I'll be right back!" Jack said as he rushed out of the room.

"AZT?" Daniel asked as he looked at the clock then at janet who nodded in response.

Moments later jack returned and then another beeper went off, "That's me again, I'm sorry, it's time for my monthly T- cell check, they have a new machine that tells you right away! Ain't it cool?" Jack asked trying to sound happy but failing.

Jack went and got his little machine of more or less AZT breaks. Jack put his finger in the whole and the machine poked it with a needle and then took blood. Moments later the machine beeped and a number appeared on the screen, a pretty low number.

"Is that good or bad?" Daniel asked and jack gave him a sad look, "Not good, no it's bad. That's the lowest I've been! Last month it was sky high!" Jack said frustrated, but then the look of worry started to fade, "I'm SO not going to worry about this on Christmas! Hell no!" Jack said as he looked to the presents, but first got up and went in the kitchen.

He soon returned with coffee for every one, "If I didn't get it Danny wouldn't shut up!" Jack said with a chuckle as he gave everyone their coffee. "PRESENTS!" Jack shouted like a 5 year old, everyone laughed as one of the presents with holes in the top of the box started to bark. "Jack that's for you." Janet said as she pointed to it, "You can guess what it is!" Janet said as jack opened the gift and out came a cute little puppy.

"AWWW! Janet it's so cute!" Sam exclaimed as she went over to the puppy that was now attacking Jacks face with kisses, "Whoa down boy, you are a boy right?" Jack asked the puppy while 'checking' for the gender, "Yes, it's a boy!" janet said as she giggled.

The rest of the night was filled with laughing and celebrating.

Later that night-

"Thanks for coming!" Jack said as he waved good bye to his departing friends. "Well that was fun, right Bud?" Jack asked his puppy that was chasing his tail. "Your full of surprises aren't you?" Jack asked the puppy and receiving a bark as an answer. Jack shook his head and started toward his bed room.

Suddenly, Jack ran in the kitchen, "Shit! SHIT!" Jack exclaimed as he went in his medicine cabinet and got his AZT pill bottle, "I can't believe I forgot to take one all night! DAMN!" jack said as he put two pills in his mouth and swallowed them.

Then jack went to bed only to dream of how life is and how it is going to get.

End until next chap.

Next chap- Chapter 8- Trying to Live