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"Just uh…" Jack pondered, looking at Sam's rather bulky suitcase. "Just leave it there for now would you?"

"No no Sir…it's okay…I'll take it along to my room just now."

Why couldn't Sam be as efficient in the real world as she was when she was off world? Why the massive suitcase?!

Jack could never understand women. Particularly not military women, and especially not this woman!

"Your room's going to be a problem Carter."

Sam stood outside the spare room where she normally slept during her visits. The door was locked, and Jack handed her the key.

"Open it." he sighed.

The room was simple really. Not cluttered like the rest of the cabin. It contained two sets of bunk beds, reserved for guests, or some of the General's family. Not that she'd ever met any of them.

She turned the rusty key clockwise, and the equally rusty hinges of the door squeaked in protest as the door swung open. The room was filled with bright, natural light, and Sam looked up at a gaping hole in the roof, a treetop sticking through the gap.

"Got up here two days ago and it was like this."

"It's okay sir…I can sleep on the couch."

"No you can't!" Jack whined. "I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I let you do that…You take the bed."

"Dr. Lam says that you have to have a good back support sir…I'll take the couch."

"Nope…you are taking the bed…I'll sleep on the couch for tonight, and well head down into the village tomorrow and pick up a camp bed for you."

Sam couldn't argue with his logic for once, but still insisted on sleeping on the couch.

"Sir…I was the one that came up here unannounced. I am going to sleep on the couch whether you like it or not."

Jack's face said it all. He'd stopped listening. Sam watched as his eyes surveyed the damage.

"Sir?"

"…uh…What?"

"Never mind."

They sat in front of the crackling fireplace in silence. Jack was acting…different. To say the least. His wit and whining both seemed to have taken a festive vacation. Instead Jack was almost mute, and when he spoke his voice was level and calm.

"What do you want for dinner?" He asked out of the blue.

"Uhm…what's there?"

"Some cold pizza…Pepperoni…uhm…some frozen…stuff…and the turkey…just a small one though."

"Anything else? I didn't bring any food." Sam said sheepishly.

"That's about it…unless you're wanting a liquid dinner?"

Sam snorted in amusement. "What about the turkey? I'll cook it and we can pick another one up tomorrow…I'm sure Dean can give us one."

"Dean at the shop? Oh he'd do anything for you Colonel, and let us men starve!" Jack gently jibed, knowing of the shop owner's crush on Sam.

Sam looked down at the ground, smiling and blushing.

"Turkey it is then…you can use that charm of yours on that boy tomorrow…after all it'll be Christmas day and he'll be nice and happy"

"Does he open tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure…why not? If he's not…I know where he lives!"

Sam wrapped her arms around herself in the cold of the night, hugging the fleece blanket the General had given her.

She'd got her wish, and was now freezing her butt off on the couch. She'd been tempted to start the fire, but Jack had warned her that it would need to be constantly watched in fear of sparks igniting the shag pile rug.

Stupid men. Stupid stubbornness. He'd wanted to keep a 'traditional' feel in the cabin, so there was no electric fire.

But he had a TV. And a radio, DVD player, desktop computer and even a mini fridge in his room.

"Stupid stupid stupid." Sam caught herself growling under her breath.

The night was bitter. Ten below the General had said, joking about how mild this winter was. While she'd suffered much worse, she'd always been suitably wrapped up. 'Like a yeti', Daniel had joked one on mission. Even in Antarctica they'd had those flimsy standard issue blankets that held a surprising amount of heat. What Sam wouldn't give for one right now.

Sam suddenly heard some creaking come from the direction of Jack's room and squeezed her eyes shut, feigning sleep as his door opened. Jack crept into the room, trying in earnest - despite the squeaky floorboards - to keep quiet, as he made his way across the room towards the kitchen. Sam had no idea what he was doing, and opened an eye briefly.

He had pulled a book out of one of the kitchen drawers, and in the gloaming, she could see a hint of a smile.

Satisfied with what he'd found, he shut the door and crept back towards his room. As he passed Sam however, a gust of wind broke into the room through one of the window frames. Sam couldn't help it and shivered violently.

She could hear Jack's frown through his sigh.

"Sam?"

She gave up, opening her eyes.

"Sir?"

"C'mon." He said, pointing to his room. "Don't take the fleece…I've got plenty of sheets."

Sam merely nodded, and rose from the couch, shivering as her back felt the cold. She let the fleece be, and followed Jack through. It was only after Jack had shut his bedroom door that Sam realised her stomach was churning, and that her heart was beating rapidly.

She was going to be in his bed.

Holy Hannah…his bed.

Jack's bed.

If she didn't faint first!

"Sir? You sure about this?"

"You're freezing…it's a king bed…I don't see a prob- Well…um…we'll talk about that in the morning."

"Yes sir."

Sam hesitated before getting in, watching Jack as he got under the covers too. She purposefully stayed close to the edge of the bed, not wanting to touch Jack. But he had other ideas, as his arm suddenly found it's way round her waist, pulling her closer to him. Before she knew it, her back was against his chest, his chin resting on her shoulder. She tensed up, a million panicked thoughts flooding her mind.

Keep calm Sam…it's just because of the cold…keep calm

After a few minutes, her body obeyed her mind's demands and Jack held her closer as her body relaxed. Before she knew it, she was asleep and content in his arms.