Set Season 9/10ish. No spoilers. For shipmas2020
How many candy canes have you eaten?
em"T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." - Clement Clarke Moore/em
The base is quiet as Jack walks through the halls deep inside the mountain late on Christmas Eve. He nods at a passing SF, one of the few skeleton crew on duty over the holiday season. Jack, dressed in civies, is determined to liberate a particular Colonel, with a penchant of working late, who's not supposed to be on duty. He navigates the familiar corridors till he draws closer to Sam's lab.
Jack turns the corner and stops. Cocking his head to the side he glances up and down the otherwise deserted hall. The rest of the labs had packed up for the night, probably the next few nights. Except one. Though, not unexpected, he's assaulted by the sound of her giggles drifting out of the open.
He creeps closer, unable to resist the pull of being near her. Poking his head around the door, a lazy smirk grows on his face as he takes in the sight before him. Sam sits on her chair with her feet propped on her desk – he was never allowed to prop his feet on her desk-, her back to the door and him, as Vala perches cross-legged – he doesn't think his knees can bend that far to sit cross-legged anymore- on the workbench. An almost-empty pot of candy canes sits between them. Jack cranes his head as Vala laughs and catches a glimpse of something red and white sloppily holding her black hair in place.
The former host sobers a little and, sensing his presence, her eyes find him in the doorway. Her face lights up before settling into a knowing smile. "Well, hello there, Mister Carter," she purrs at him.
Her familiar nickname hits him in the chest like it always does. She refuses to call him anything else, he'd be disappointed if she did. It's a hard-fought-for title, and he's earnt it. Her eyes fall to his wife as she cranes her head backwards to look at him.
"Hi," Sam drawls, happy and lax with a candy cane half sticking out of her mouth. Her eyes glazed over from the sugar kick.
Jack cocks his head at Sam. He willing concedes it was harder for her to drop the 'sir' than it was for him to be 'Mister Carter'. "C'mon Carter, the halls are decked and all is quiet," he replies fondly. "Except in here," he quips. "How many candy canes have you two eaten?"
Sam looks guiltily at the tub on her desk. "Vala broke into Walter's supply," she explains.
"He owed me after squelching on a bet," the brunette defends from her spot.
"Gotta watch the quiet ones," Jack quips in response only for the brunette to nod in agreement. He smothers a laugh.
Without warning, in one fluid movement, Vala hops down from the worktop and bends over to hug Sam as she's in the chair. Sam wraps her arms around her friend as Vala whispers something in her ear that makes her giggle once more as she flushes bright pink. Jack pulls an innocent face when Vala straightens and pins him with a feral look.
"You're lucky I don't have any mistletoe left, Mister Carter," Vala pokes him playfully in the chest. "It's hung all around Daniel's office."
Jack laughs and drops a kiss to the woman's cheek as she passes. She's a good foil for his best friend. "Don't let Danny-boy give you the slip."
"He thinks he's got the upper hand, but little does he know, he's playing right into my trap," she assures them as she saunters out.
Jack watches her go before turning back to Sam, who's risen from her chair to move closer to him. He opens his arms enough for her to step into them. Their lips meet briefly. She tastes of sugar and peppermint and makes Jack smile. "You taste of candy canes."
Sam hums lowly. "You like candy canes."
"Taste better on you," he pecks her lips again, cutting off her eye-roll. "Let's take 'em home," he murmurs against her lips.