Couldn't resist writing another chapter about the Christmas season, seeing as it is almost upon us. Now that Grace and JJ are a bit older, I thought we should experience the holiday through their eyes, as well as Katie's eyes. Young children certainly make the holiday brighter and more exciting! My best Christmas's were when my own children were young, and the excitement and joy of the season lit their faces. Hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

Chapter 15 –Santa's Little Helpers

Sam absently brushed the hair out of her eyes with her forearm, careful not to touch her face with her flour covered hands. A gurgle from the corner of the kitchen caused her to look up from her task and smile. Maddie was propped in the corner of her playpen, which Jack had placed in the kitchen earlier. At six months of age, Maddie had just learned to sit up, but still required a few pillows to aid her. The little girl was banging two wooden blocks together, delighting in the sounds she was able to make.

"She sure is a happy little thing," Janet commented from the other side of the table, where she was busy rolling out the recently floured cookie dough. It wasn't an easy task, as her protruding belly kept getting in the way. Sam had offered to do the rolling while Janet sat and cut out the shapes with the cookie cutters, but the doctor had declined. She had spent much of the last day sitting and wanted to be on her feet, even though long periods of time standing tended to make her ankles swell. She needed all the stretching and activity her seven months pregnant form would allow.

Smiling in response to Janet's observation, Sam replied, "Yes, Maddie is definitely one happy little girl. Though she seems to be at her best when the other two are in the room." Sam's grin widened as she reflected on how Maddie would follow JJ and Grace with her eyes whenever they were in the room, and how any fussing ceased almost immediately if one of them began to pay some attention to her.

Thinking of her older children, Sam moved away from the kitchen table and peered into the living room, where JJ, Grace and Katie Rose were engrossed in a Christmas cartoon, all three of them flopped on the floor on their stomachs. Turning back to Janet she said, "But I think I'll just leave them where they are for the time being. Once the cookie decorating gets started, we won't have a moment's peace."

Janet grinned back. "Katie has been excited for the last three days. When I told her we would be coming over to bake Christmas cookies, all she could talk about was how she was going to 'trost them with Gracie!" The two women laughed and got back to their task, knowing that the children would be coming in soon wanting to do their part to get the Christmas cookies ready.

They had been planning this little gathering for weeks. Neither Janet nor Sam had the time or the inclination to engage in a lot of holiday baking on their own. But together, they felt they could tackle the job, get some baking done, and have a good time in the process. In addition, the children would get to partake in the tradition of baking Christmas cookies.

Jack had jumped on the idea of the Jackson's coming over with gusto. Not only would he have a lot of cookies to sample, he could enlist Daniel's aid in putting up lights on the outside of the house. Decorating outside was something he had done when Charlie was young, at least when he wasn't on some God-forsaken mission in the middle of nowhere. That all had stopped after Charlie's death. Jack hadn't really wanted to resume the chore once JJ and Grace were born but, when JJ had pleaded for lights outside like Billy had, he had relented. And now, he was on his fourth year of attempting to hang the dreaded tangled mess of lights from his rooftop.

Well, it had started with a few strands of lights. But then it had grown to include two snowmen (complete with glowing pipes), a Santa that stood guarding the front door (Gracie called him Uncle T from time to time), a few reindeer, and two rather portly elves who slightly resembled one retired General Hammond. Sam had added several large candy canes to the display last year. Jack was just thankful that they didn't light up. The way things were going, his electric bill this season would be enough to light up a small country for a month!

All of the outdoor figures had been the product of bringing the children along when he shopped for replacement strands of lights; an errand that Jack was sure to do on his own from now on. Though he'd probably have to add at least one more outdoor item when Maddie got big enough to pick something out, he thought ruefully…one more snowman or rotund elf to round out the mix.

All of this happened to be the reason that, while their wives were in baking cookies and the children were watching a Christmas show, Jack and Daniel were out in the chilly December wind valiantly trying to hang strands of lights in the stiff breeze.

"Is there any particular reason you couldn't have done this right after Thanksgiving…when it was still in the 50's?" Daniel asked while he teetered on the ladder. His fingers were so cold that he couldn't feel them anymore, and he was certain his nose was as red as Rudolph's.

"Quit complaining and just hang the lights," Jack called up as he handed up the trailing strand. He too was beyond chilled, but wasn't about to stop now, not while he had the help; however begrudging that help might be. "One more strand of lights, then we can finish setting up the snowmen and reindeer and head inside."

"Whoever in their right mind came up with the idea of hanging lights on the edge of a roof? This is downright insane!" Daniel grumbled as he latched the end of the strand into the clasp on the roof. He was thankful that Jack had already had that part of the job done …otherwise they'd have been at this all day!

"I'd watch what you say there, Space Monkey. I think you'll be doing some decorating at your own house real soon." Jack glanced over toward the window and grinned. Katie had her nose pressed against the window and was watching from the living room, her eyes wide with wonder at the display being erected on the front lawn.

Finally securing the end of the strand, Daniel came gingerly down the ladder and looked over to where Jack was pointing. "I think that little lady is going to want her daddy to put up some decorations of their own," Jack continued with a grin.

"There's not a chance in hell," Daniel uttered under his breath, even though he gave his little girl a smile and a wave. "Maybe we'll move to Egypt next year. It's downright balmy there this time of year."

"Daniel! How can you say that? Why this is just how Christmas was meant to be…snow on the ground, fingers and toes numb with cold!" He sniffed the air appreciatively. "The smell of cookies baking in the oven."

Daniel blew on his fingers, trying to get some warmth back into them. "Whatever you say, Jack. Let's just get the rest of this exhibit up and glowing so we can get inside."

Jack frowned. "I think I'm the one who's supposed to be giving the orders, Dr. Jackson."

"You're not in command anymore, Jack. Besides, I think since you've gotten married, Sam's pretty much in charge," he added with a grin.

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Very funny, Danny boy. Don't think I'm not aware of who's in charge at the Jackson household."

Daniel glowered back at Jack but, before he could reply, his attention was caught by the opening of the front door and the appearance of two small figures. "Daddy, mommy sayed we could come out and watch." Grace announced to Jack as she bounded down the front steps and onto the lawn. She was covered head to toe in a purple snowsuit, her fingers covered in thick mittens and a large scarf around her neck. She held up a large pair of gloves. "And she telled me to make sure you put your glubes on," Grace grinned up at Jack and waited expectantly.

Daniel raised an eyebrow and muttered quietly, "Who did you say was in charge at your house, again?"

"Shut up, Space Monkey," Jack growled quietly before he turned back to Grace. "Thank you princess. I have to make sure to thank your mommy later." Grace looked at Daniel in confusion when he snorted with laughter, not understanding the undertones to her father's words. "So, you and JJ want to watch us put the rest of the lights up, huh?"

"Yes, please," she replied politely.

"I want to put Santa on the porch. Can I daddy?" JJ asked eagerly as he jumped off the top step and landed softly in the snow. "I'm big enough to carry it on my own. Please!" he begged.

Jack smiled at the little boy, who was so eager to help. Tugging on his hat so it covered his son's eyes, he replied. "Well, I don't know little man. How can you help if you can't even see anything?"

"Daddy!" JJ complained good-naturedly.

"Me hewp too!" came a little voice from the top of the steps. Katie stood there, unsure if she should attempt to come down on her own, but very much wanting to be with her cousins. Like Grace and JJ, she was bundled warmly into a green snowsuit, the only thing showing was her face and the few wisps of red hair that escaped her hat. In her hands, she held a pair of men's gloves.

Daniel grinned when he saw her and bounded up the stairs. "Hey there peanut. Are those for me?" he asked, indicating the gloves.

Katie nodded her head. "Dey's from mommy." The little girl looked behind her, where Janet stood at the open doorway.

"Do you mind if they come out?" she asked with an edge of concern. "They really wanted to be outside with both of you while we finish the baking. But if you want me to come out and keep an eye on them…"

Daniel pulled on the gloves and sighed with pleasure as the warmth surrounded his fingers. Then he walked over to his wife. "They'll be fine." He kissed her on the nose. "We just have one more strand of lights to hang, then have to set up the lawn ornaments. The kids can help direct," he added with a grin.

Janet smiled back. Even though Daniel had grumbled about helping Jack hang lights, she could tell he would put on a show of enthusiasm for their daughter. "Thanks honey. We'll have some coffee and hot cocoa ready when you're done."

"Cookies too!" Jack hollered from the front yard.

"Yes sir," Janet yelled back sarcastically.

Daniel leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. "Get back inside, Mrs, Jackson. Don't want you and the little one catching cold." He patted her tummy gently. Janet smiled and kissed him once more.

"Hey, knock it off already! The mistletoe is hanging up inside the house, not outside," Jack called. Grace and JJ giggled at the comment, then pulled their daddy across the yard to show him exactly where they wanted the snowmen and elves. Janet smiled at Daniel and Katie before she closed the door and retreated back into the warm house.

Daniel turned to find his daughter still standing indecisively on the top step. "Come on, Katie my girl, let's go finish decorating Uncle Jack's front yard." He walked over and scooped his daughter into his arms, smiling as she giggled out loud. When they joined the others in the front yard, Daniel put the little girl on her feet.

"All right you three, we have to hang this last strand of lights before we get out the snowmen and elves. You need to stay right here where we can see you, OK?" Jack looked at all three of them, waiting for a response.

Three little heads nodded up at him in understanding. "Can we makes snow angels, daddy?" Grace asked her father.

Jack smiled. "So long as you stay right here in the front yard, sweetheart."

"Come on, Katie! Me and JJ will shows you how to makes a snow angel!" Grace cried with delight. Then she grabbed Katie's hand and moved a bit further into the front yard, where their snow angels wouldn't get trampled on by grown-up feet.

Mood lightened considerably by the warm gloves and the presence of the children, Daniel readily climbed to the top of the ladder and began to string the last strand of lights. 30 minutes later, the yard was a wonderland of lights and Christmas decorations. Santa stood at his place on the porch, smiling as he guarded the front door. The two snowmen stood on either side of the front walk, their pipes glowing in the darkening late afternoon sky. The portly elves stood together on one side of the yard, surrounded by the large candy canes.

Katie's eyes had grown wider with each new addition to the display until Jack thought they might pop out of her head. The almost three year old girl had vague memories of last Christmas, but enough time had passed to make it a dim memory. True to Jack's prediction, as soon as the last decoration had been set up, the little girl had approached her father. "Daddy, we hab lights too?"

Jack had cast a sideways grin when Daniel had given him a look of disbelief. Heaving a sigh, Daniel said, "We'll see baby."

At the tender age of three, Katie already knew that daddy's "We'll see" usually meant yes, so she clapped her mittened hands together excitedly. "Me wants a 'tanta too! Wike Gwacie!" She pointed her hand toward the Santa on the front porch.

"Every kid needs a 'tanta on their front step, Daniel," Jack teased with a grin.

Grace came and grabbed Jack's hand, pumping it up and down. "And a Mrs. Claus too, daddy. Please, please, can we get a Mrs. Claus? Santa will be so sad wifout Mrs. Claus!"

Jack shot Daniel a slightly abashed look, then sighed in resignation. "We'll see, Gracie." Grace danced up and down in delight before being herded inside. The two cold, tired fathers led their children into the warmth of the house, eager for some hot coffee and hopefully a cookie or two.

-------

Fingers and toes warmed and tummies filled with cocoa and a cookie, the children were ready to get down to the business of frosting the cookies. Jack and Daniel had retired to the living room to watch a basketball game, Maddie in tow, leaving their wives to the frosting and the older children, hoping the latter wouldn't be covered with the former by the end of the event.

"Ok, you three. Here's what we'll do," Sam instructed from the head of the table. "You'll each get a bowl of frosting and some cookies. Gently spread the frosting on the cookie," she demonstrated with a bowl of red frosting and a Santa cookie. "Then, you can put some sprinkles on top, like this." Sam showed them how to lightly add sprinkles to the cookie. "Ready?" she smiled at the three eager faces.

"Ready!" JJ and Grace chorused back.

"Me weady too. Me 'trost cookies wike Gwacie!" Katie chipped in.

Smiling, Janet sat down next to her daughter. "Mommy will help you frost the cookies, Katie. We can work together, OK?"

"O'tay, mommy," Katie readily agreed. All three children set to work, frosting and decorating the five dozen sugar cookies that had been cut out in various Christmas shapes. Janet helped spread the frosting on Katie's cookies, but let the little girl add the sprinkles on her own.

For the most part, JJ and Grace were able to decorate unaided by Sam, but she did have to act as referee when they began to argue over the sprinkles. JJ insisted that the camel cookie could not have green sprinkles, only yellow. Grace disagreed; she wanted her camel to be pretty and green was very pretty! "I doesn't like lelow 'prinkles! It lookses like potty!" Grace insisted, hands on her hips and glaring at her brother.

"But camels is yellow, not green!" JJ shot back.

"Green!"

"Yellow!"

"That's enough, you two," Sam stated sternly. "If you're going to argue, you won't be allowed to frost the cookies anymore," she warned. "JJ, Grace can decorate her cookies however she wants. You don't have to eat them if you don't like how it's decorated."

JJ lowered his head and went back to his work, muttering softly under his breath, "Camels is yellow." Janet stifled a laugh and looked up at Sam, eyes twinkling. Sam rolled her eyes in response and went to retrieve more cookies for the children to frost.

Another twenty minutes and a few skirmishes later, the cookies were all frosted and sitting brightly on trays, waiting to be covered and frozen. With two weeks to go until Christmas, Sam knew if she didn't freeze some of them, they wouldn't have any left for Christmas.

"Can I give daddy one of my cookies, mommy?" JJ asked after he had washed up. He had taken special care to decorate one of the snowman cookies just for his father, and wanted to present it to him right away.

"Well, daddy's already had two cookies honey," she answered hesitantly. "I don't know if he'll want another one right now."

"Daddy always likes cookies, mommy. Almost as much as cake," JJ insisted.

Janet smiled. "He does have a point, Sam."

Chuckling, Sam gave in. "OK, JJ. But put it on a plate please. And ask daddy and Uncle Daniel if they want anymore coffee."

"OK," JJ eagerly agreed before he took the plate she handed him and carefully put his special snowman cookie on it.

"I wants to give daddy a cookie too," Grace complained with a pout.

Sam hunkered down in front of the little girl. "How about if you pick out a special cookie for daddy for after dinner, sweetheart. Then he'll have something special to look forward to after we eat."

Grace brightened at the idea. "OK, mommy." Scampering back to the table, Grace clambered up on a chair and carefully looked over the selection of decorated cookies. Hesitantly, she reached toward the green camel. "Will daddy likes my green camel, mommy?" she asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.

"I'm sure daddy will love your green camel, Grace," Sam assured the little girl.

Grace smiled, then carefully picked up the camel with the green sprinkles and placed it gently on the plate Sam held out for her.

"Me bwing my daddy a cookie!" Katie insisted from her seat at the table. Janet hadn't had the chance to clean her up yet, so the little girl had smudges of frosting on both cheeks and more around her mouth when she had licked off the spoon.

Knowing that Daniel would get a kick out of seeing his frosting-covered daughter, Janet agreed. Like Grace, Katie carefully looked over the cookies before she selected a red Santa sporting a variety of colored sprinkles. "Me wike 'dis one. Daddy eat 'tanta cookie," she informed her mother.

"OK, Sweetheart," Janet agreed, taking the cookie and placing it on a plate. After Katie got down from the chair, Janet handed the little girl the plate. "You can take daddy his cookie now, Katie. And be sure to give daddy a big kiss," she added with a grin.

"O'tay. Tome on, Gwacie," Katie invited the older girl to come along.

Once the little girls had left the room, Sam turned to Janet. "That was rather mean of you, telling her to give Daniel a kiss when she hasn't been cleaned up yet," she said with a grin.

Janet grinned back. "I know." The two women began to clean up, raising their heads to smile at each other when the heard an exclamation of "Augh! Katie!" uttered from Daniel, followed by Jack's hearty laughter.

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Later that evening, after a hearty dinner of spaghetti and of course, Grace's camel cookie presented to Jack for dessert, the four adults bundled their children up warmly and set out for the much anticipated visit to see Santa Claus. The SGC daycare center had arranged to have "Santa Claus" come by this evening for the center's children; a much more private, personal visit than they would receive if they went to the local mall.

As soon as the two families unloaded at the daycare center, JJ and Grace raced off, wanting to get in the doors and see Santa as soon as possible. "Hey you two!" Jack halted their progress with a firm command. "Wait for Katie." He looked over at the little red head, who had just been lifted out of her car seat by Daniel. Once he set her on the ground, Katie scampered off after her cousins…or rather, she waddled after them. Her snowsuit encumbered her movements so much that she wobbled back and forth almost as much as she moved forward.

"Poor kid," Jack commented with a grin as he watched her progress. "She can hardly move in that outfit you've got her in, Doc. She kinda looks like a little green penguin," he added with a grin.

Janet shot a glare his way. "At least she's warm, Jack," she retorted as she walked past him to follow her daughter into the building.

"She may be warm, but she'll never be able to get up if she falls down!" he called after her with a grin.

"Jack," Sam admonished lightly, passing Maddie into his arms.

Ignoring the reprimand, Jack jostled the little girl, who chortled with glee. "Come on, pumpkin. Let's go see Santa."

When they entered the building, their senses were assailed with the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas. Twinkling lights were strung on an enormous tree that stood in the center of the room, decorated with paper chains and home-made children's ornaments. Next to the tree, a large white chair stood in a place of honor on a raised platform. It too had obviously been decorated by children, for the lopsided paper gingerbread men hung haphazardly off the back and arms of the chair. In the chair was a very large, jolly Santa Claus, laughing and smiling at the children who surrounded him.

On the far side of the room, the teachers and daycare personnel had set up a refreshment station. Hot cider, cocoa, coffee and punch were being offered, along with a wide variety of scrumptious smelling cookies. Sam and Janet quickly made their way to the table, dropping off their own offerings of cookies for the evening.

Grace and JJ had quickly shed their outer clothing, hung it on the hooks located in the entryway, and made their way over to Santa, faces alight with anticipation. When they reached the outskirts of the crowd of children waiting in line to see the jolly man, JJ pulled a list from his back pocket and studied it carefully. He had spent an inordinate amount of time on his list and didn't want to miss anything when it came his turn to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas.

Grace had made a list as well, with her daddy's help. She reached into her own pocket but felt nothing but the three pennies she had placed there last night. Grace felt panic begin to seep into her bones when she saw JJ's list; what if she couldn't remember what she wanted? What if, because she couldn't' remember, Santa brought her something that a different little girl wanted? What if she was accidentally put on the naughty list and got bad presents like coal or rotten potatoes? For JJ had told her that's what children on the naughty list got and Grace definitely didn't want to be on that list! While she knew she wasn't perfect, Grace was pretty sure she wasn't on the naughty list…mommy and daddy had never told her she was a naughty girl.

She was nudged from her momentary panic when JJ passed a piece of paper over to her. "Here, Grace. I bringed your list too." Grace smiled her relief toward her older brother as she gratefully accepted the list into her hands. Though she couldn't read it, daddy had helped her draw a picture next to each item so that Grace could remember what he had written down. She heaved a sigh of relief, then looked up at Santa, eager for her turn as well.

After getting the younger girls out of their winter wear, Jack and Daniel came to stand in line behind JJ and Grace. Daniel set Katie on the ground but, instead of going to stand with Grace like she normally might have, she clung to her father's leg.

Daniel shot Jack a questioning glance before looking down at his daughter. "Hey, Katie Rose. Don't you want to go stand with Grace and JJ to see Santa?"

The little girl looked up at her father with trepidation. Then she stuck her thumb in her mouth and wrapped her arm more tightly around Daniel's leg. Daniel frowned; normally Katie was fairly outgoing. What could be wrong?

Bending at the waist, he picked his daughter up in his arms. Shifting her to his hip, he gently removed the thumb then said, "See Katie? There's Santa." He pointed to the man in red, thinking maybe the little girl couldn't see over all the other children. "All of the children are going to tell him what they want for Christmas. See that little girl? She's sitting on Santa's lap and telling him what presents she might like under her tree this year."

Katie gazed at the strange man several yards in front of her, then shook her head vehemently. "No sit 'tanta's yap."

"But why, princess?" Daniel persisted, looking to Janet for help when she came to stand next to them.

"Me 'cared of 'tanta," Katie stated quietly.

Grace and JJ turned as one at her statement, their mouths open in disbelief. They were each thinking the same thing. Who would be scared of Santa? He was the nicest person ever! "Santa is nice, Katie!" Grace stated with meaning. "He gives presents to good boyses and girls!"

"Yeah, and you is always good, Katie. I bet Santa will give you lots of presents," JJ added for good measure. Katie still looked doubtful.

Janet ran her hand over Katie's back. "You don't' have to sit on Santa's lap if you don't' want to, honey. I'm sure Santa will still bring you presents."

Grace and JJ looked at each other, eyes wide in surprise. If Katie didn't sit on Santa's lap and tell him what she wanted, or at least stand next to him, she might not get what she wanted, no matter what Aunt Janet said. Giving each other a knowing nod, they turned back to Katie.

"You can comes with us, Katie. Me and JJ is going to tell Santa what Maddie wants, cause she's too little to talk. We can tell Santa what you wants too. But you has to come and see him, else he might give your presents to a 'nother little girl!" Grace stated importantly.

"Now Grace, I don't think that will happen," Sam interjected. She didn't want her daughter to bully Katie into sitting with Santa if she didn't want to. "Santa knows what children want, even if they don't tell him."

JJ's brows knotted in confusion. "How does he do that, mommy? Can he read our brains?"

Jack chuckled at his son's question, then raised an eyebrow as he waited for his wife's reply. "Well, I don't know if he can read your mind, JJ. But he knows. Santa is magic," she explained.

"'Tanta do twicks?" Katie asked, looking at Sam expectantly.

"Uh, not that kind of magic, sweetheart," Sam answered, quickly getting flustered at the current line of questioning and looking to her friends for help. "He just can…do lots of things that…mommies and daddies can't," she added lamely, shrugging her shoulders when Daniel gave her an odd look. Jack was highly amused: for someone who had calmly explained breastfeeding to her children, his wife was sure having a difficult time with Santa Claus! Must be the absence of scientific facts to rely on, he thought with a grin.

"Like fly with the reindeers!" Grace shouted excitedly, breaking Jack from his reverie . "I likes Rudolph the most. His nose is red and 'parkly. But those other reindeers wasn't very nice to him, was they mommy?"

Smiling weakly at the quick change in topic, Sam replied. "No Grace, they weren't. Not at first. But then Santa needed Rudolph and they were all nice to him after that, weren't they?"

"Yeah," JJ agreed. "Then Rudolph leaded the sleigh and they was all friends. See Katie, Santa is really nice. He made sure Rudolph had lots of friends and he always brings presents. He won't hurt you."

"And," Grace interjected, "When we is done seeing Santa, we gets a candy cane and a color book!" She pointed eagerly to the children just a bit ahead of them who were now receiving their treats from Santa. "I wishes I could fly like Rudolph," she added, bouncing on her toes as she recalled the previous conversation about the reindeer. "Or on Santa's sleigh. I wants to fly really, really much!"

Sam and Jack shared a look of amusement at her comment. There was no doubt in their minds that one day, Grace would be soaring through the atmosphere; either here on Earth or somewhere else.

Katie contemplated Santa for a moment, then looked down into Grace and JJ's eager faces. She looked at the little boy ahead of her, who appeared to be about her age. He was climbing onto Santa's lap with no hesitation whatsoever. If Gracie and JJ, her cousins who had never steered her wrong, said that Santa was nice, well then, Katie would have to believe them.

Looking over at her daddy, who still held her in his arms, she said, "Me see 'tanta now, daddy. Me see 'tanta wif Gwacie and JJ."

"Are you sure, sweetheart?" Janet asked. She didn't want her daughter to do something she wasn't ready for, or worse, get unnecessarily frightened by.

Katie nodded her head, then squirmed to get down. Daniel gently placed her on the ground, where she quickly went to Grace and put her small hands into those of her cousins. Grace and JJ smiled down at her, then turned toward Santa, as their turn was next.

Chuckling, Daniel said, "Boy, those two sure can be persuasive. I don't think Jan or I ever would have been able to convince her to sit with Santa today. I think you have some budding politicians on your hands, Jack," he added with a grin.

"God forbid," Jack muttered dryly, but smiled all the same. The four adults watched as the two older children led Katie by the hand, up the steps, and over to Santa. The little girl hesitated just a minute, letting her cousins do the talking first, before allowing herself to be lifted onto Santa's lap, where she stayed throughout the rest of the proceedings. She didn't say much, just one or two sentences as far as they could tell, but it was obvious that Grace and JJ were doing most of the talking.

JJ pulled his list out and read from it, causing Santa to smile and nod as he listened. Then it was Grace's turn. She pulled out her list and studied it for a moment before crumpling it up and stuffing it into her pocket. Then she leaned forward and whispered into Santa's ear, pulling back after a time and smiling brightly when she was done. Santa smiled and whispered something back, causing the little girl's grin to widen even more.

Jack and Sam looked quizzically at each other; they both knew what she had on her list and had purchased most of her requests. If she was changing her mind now…well, that either meant they'd have to do more shopping, or they would have one disappointed little girl on their hands. Jack gazed over at Santa, who looked remarkably like Reynolds, now that he studied that man more closely. With a slight nod and a wink, Santa confirmed his true identity to Jack.

Sam again turned her eyes toward her husband. "What was that all about?"

"Not sure," Jack replied. "But I think I'll be having a little talk with Santa later."

A college-aged woman came up to them. "Excuse me, but would you like to have a picture of the children taken with Santa? There's no charge," she added with a smile.

"Yes, definitely," Sam returned her smile. Reaching over to Jack, she took Maddie from his arms. "We'd like this little one in the picture as well."

Lost in the anticipation of the older children getting to see Santa, 6 month old Maddie gazed around her in wonder. The baby had been content to look about with wide, interested eyes as she took in the sights and sounds from the safety of her father's arms. As she was placed gently on Santa's lap, next to Grace, the little girl looked up at the strange new person with interest. Santa gave Sam a wink before he looked at his newest guest. His eyes twinkled as he greeted the baby. Having three little girls on his lap and one little boy pressed against his knee didn't seem to faze Colonel Reynolds in the least. He played the part to perfection, giving off gentle smiles and boisterous ho ho ho's left and right. Jack smirked as he watched his friend and colleague play up the part of Santa for his children. Though he'd probably give the younger man a good ribbing the next time he saw him on base, he was thankful that they had found someone so genial to play the part.

As the young lady got the camera ready, Maddie reached her hands out toward the fuzzy, white beard that lay just within her grasp. She latched on quickly and gave it a tug, squealing with delight at the soft, fluffy material in her hands. Santa quickly reached around the baby and grabbed his beard, holding it in place and loudly exclaiming, "Oh my, it seems as if little Maddie O'Neill likes Santa's beard! Santa needs a little help here."

Grace reached over and tried to help untangle the beard from Maddie's hands. "Maddie! You can't pulls on Santa's beard! Santa will puts you on the naughty list!"

Jack came forward to help as well, before Santa's true identity could be discovered. "Oh, I don't think Santa would do that, would you big guy?" Jack winked at Reynolds.

"Of course not, Ambassador O'Neill," Santa rumbled back. Now that he was free, he say back and made sure to keep his beard out of Maddie's reach. "I know Maddie is just curious, Grace. She's just a baby; not a big girl like you and Katie." Katie beamed at the inclusion of being called a big girl like Gracie.

Grace's eyes widened. "How did you knows that my daddy was a 'bassdor?"

Santa chuckled. "Santa knows everything Grace Aeryn." Her eyes grew even wider at the use of her middle name. "Now, let's smile for the camera. Santa has lots of children to see tonight before he goes back to the North Pole. I have to finish getting all of the toys ready for Christmas Eve."

JJ clapped his hands excitedly. "And gets the reindeers ready too, right Santa?"

"That's right JJ," Santa confirmed cheerfully.

Jack handed Maddie her soft doll in the hopes she wouldn't pull on Santa's beard again, then stepped back. With a flash of the camera, the picture of the four children with Santa was etched in history. Two copies would be made, and both would be proudly displayed each Christmas for years to come.

With quick good-bye hugs to Santa, JJ and Grace scampered away, eager to receive their candy canes and coloring books. Maddie was lifted up into Jack's waiting arms and Katie was gently eased to the floor. "Thanks Santa," Jack said with a grin. "Maybe we can chat later." He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Reynolds grinned back and replied, "Maybe when I take a break to call the Mrs… see how things are going up at the North Pole." Then with another wink Sam's direction, he turned to receive the next child waiting in line.

Happy that their visit to Santa had been a success, the children politely accepted their gifts from the rather large elf who was handing out the treats, then pulled their parents over to the refreshment line. Seeing as they had already consumed several cookies that day, Sam only allowed them each one cookie. She also gave Jack a rather pointed look when he reached for a second cookie of his own.

After their snack, they went into some of the other rooms to play games that had been set up for the evening. Sometime during the evening, Jack had snuck off to find "Santa" and have a little chat with him. He came back with a grin, promising that he would tell Sam later what Reynolds had shared with him concerning Grace's Christmas request.

An hour later, Jack, Sam, Daniel and Janet bundled their tired children up and returned to their cars. Once the children were securely strapped in, Jack called over the top of his car to Daniel's. "So, tomorrow at your house to set up lights?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and sighed. "I guess so. But no bringing the kids; I don't want to end up with a lighted Santa and eight reindeer outside my windows."

"Nine with Rudolph!" they heard JJ call from the back seat.

Daniel and Jack exchanged a grin before they all said their good-byes and got into their cars, going their separate ways for the night. Sam and Jack hadn't gotten far when Sam turned around to look at her children in the backseat. All three of them were sound asleep, the adventures of the day wearing them out. She turned back to Jack. "So? Did you find out what Grace's big secret was?"

Jack turned to her with a grin. "Yep."

After a moment's pause, Sam asked, "And?"

Chuckling, Jack replied, "Seems our little Grace doesn't want any gifts at all this year." He glanced over at her with a smile and a hint of pride in his eyes. "She just asked Santa if he could make sure Katie and Maddie get some nice presents, since they're so little an all. And she asked if she and JJ could be some of Santa's helpers one day."

Sam smiled warmly as she glanced back at her sleeping daughter. The little girl never ceased to amaze her. "What did Colonel Reynolds say?"

"He told her that they already were Santa's best helpers, especially with how they watched out for Katie and Maddie all the time," he grinned as he recalled the last part of the conversation. "Grace also mentioned that, if he could spare one, she'd really like a bell from Rudolph's collar. She said it would help her 'magine she was flying with Rudolph and Santa," Jack finished with a grin.

"Well," Sam replied with a quiet voice and a smile, "Looks like we might have a little more shopping to do then, doesn't it?"

"Nope. Santa said to leave it up to him. He couldn't neglect to give his two best helpers each a special bell, now could he?"

Sam and Jack smiled at each other, a warm look passing between them. They were certainly blessed with their children, family and friends. And they knew that on Christmas morning, when JJ and Grace opened the small packages containing a tinkling bell tied to a red ribbon, they would take great delight in the excitement of Santa's little helpers.