Merry Christmas to all! I hope to continue this story in a few days after the excitement of the holiday has died down a bit.

The Christmas Trip

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 3

The first thing Rodney became aware of was the heavy snow pressing on his back. The second was how difficult it was to breathe. The third was the oppressive darkness and the closed in space.

"Rodney, relax."

Katie's calm voice penetrated his fear and he took a deep breath, trying not to give in to his panic.

"You're alright."

"Uh, are you okay?" She couldn't be comfortable squashed underneath him.

"Sort of." He felt her try to move and heard her make a noise that could only indicate she was in pain.

"Katie?"

"I, think something is broken."

"I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault." She giggled only to break off in a gasp.

"Don't move." He tried to wiggle his arm loose, only to discover he was trapped. "Damn!" Damp fell from the top and he only hoped things didn't get worse. Somewhere between this thought and his next, he passed out.

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"McKay!"

He had to be delusional. Now he was hearing Sheppard calling him.

"McKay!"

Louder and it seemed closer.

"John!" Couldn't hurt to answer, even if it were a bad dream

Cold air invaded his warm snow grave. He blinked at the unfamiliar light and noticed a shadow pass between him and the brightness.

"Found you!" Two strong arms, or was it four? Passed through the hole and pulled him to safety. He sat on the floor as they pulled Katie out. Hearing her scream roused him enough to get up.

"Katie?" He staggered to her side. "Katie?"

"I think she has some broken ribs," Teyla informed him. She took off her scarf and helped the other woman take off her coat. "If you would give us some privacy."

Sheppard pulled McKay to the other side of the room. Slowly the sight of splintered beams and a huge mound of slow reached his brain.

"What happened?"

"Best guess?" John shifted uncomfortably. "These houses are old and the roof just gave way under the weight of the snow."

Rodney shivered.

"Yeah. We lost our fire, too."

"Done." Teyla joined them supporting Katie. "We need to find a new shelter."

"There a several houses." Snow fell through the large gaping hole in the ceiling. "I think we'd better hold hands, so none of us gets lost."

They bundled up in preparation to depart. John took the lead with Rodney clutching his hand, Katie next to him and Teyla bringing up the rear.

"Ready?" Sheppard asked. He opened the door and they stepped out into the night and the storm.

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Restless, Jeanie put aside the book she'd been trying to read and paced to the window. She pulled aside the heavy dark green drape, listening to the pine branches as they thudded against the roof. There wasn't much she could see beyond the darkness and the thick snow falling, even obscuring the jeep parked nearby in the driveway.

"You should come to bed."

She gave her husband Kaleb a smile. "I hope we don't get snowed in."

"Be like home." He kneeled down to put another log on the fire, taking care to close the metal grate. Madison had learned the danger of getting burned, but it never hurt to be cautious. Kaleb joined his wife by the window.

Leaning against him Jeanie felt her body relax. Her husband always made her feel cared for and safe. His familiar scent filled her nose mixed with the pine of their Christmas tree.

"If Rodney is coming," Kaleb said as if reading her mind, "he probably stopped somewhere to wait out the storm."

"Hope so." She put her arms around him snuggling closer. Besides, he was warm and she felt chilled.

He kissed her forehead. "I could pray for his safety."

"Kaleb,"

"I know. But it can't hurt, can it?"

She shook head. "Guess not."

In the silence of the room, Kaleb lifted his eyes and prayed out loud. "Lord," he spoke with such love in his voice it shook her. "Only you know where Rodney is tonight. You know if he's safe or if he's in danger. Lead him and his companions to a safe haven. Watch over them. Please, protect them. In your son's name. Amen."

An odd peace settled over her seeming to fill the entire room. Jeanie closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation and the comfort her husband offered her, even if she didn't believe in this God of his.

"Come to bed," he urged, pulling her close and kissing her.

Willingly she took his hand and went with him to the bedroom. Tossing off her robe she crawled into the chilled sheets, welcoming her husband's warm body as he cradled her in this arms. She fell asleep within minutes while the storm raged outside.

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"We're lost!" Rodney accused, shouting to be heard above the wind.

"No. We aren't!" John shouted back.

McKay had noticed the streetlights were out. The storm had probably taken down a power line somewhere. Darkness surrounded them so thickly he wondered if they would die out here and not be found until the spring thaw.

Sheppard halted so suddenly, Rodney bumped into him and almost lost his grip on Katie's hand. "What is it?"

"Thought I saw something."

"How could you possibly see anything?"

"What is it?" Teyla stood beside them.

Taking advantage of the situation, Rodney pulled Katie to his side, trying to provide a bit of respite for her from the wind.

"My eyes must be playing tricks on me." John rubbed them.

"Wait." Rodney thought he'd seen something, too. It looked like a brilliant light. Now how was that possible?

"I see it as well," Teyla confirmed. "What is it?"

"I have no idea." John took a few steps towards it. It moved to the side as if unwilling to be seen clearly. "Why do I think we should follow it?"

"Is that wise?" McKay remembered the number of times they'd gotten in trouble by following something strange.

"Would you rather freeze to death?"

"No."

"Then we're going to follow it."

They made a human chain again, haltingly following the odd light. He had no idea how long they traveled through the falling snow. Finally they reached a large building. The bright thing, whatever it had been, vanished.

"Ghost?" Rodney asked.

"Right now, I don't care." John forced open the door. They hurried in, relieved to be out of the blowing wet snow. "We need to find the fireplace and get it going." He closed the door.

Teyla disappeared and soon they heard crackling and saw flickering shadows. She came back to get them. "In here."

Shaking off as much snow as McKay could, so he wouldn't be too damp, he first helped Katie do the same, before they joined the other two in the large room. In what little illumination the fire provided, he saw several broken dusty chairs.

"I'd say maybe this was some sort of hotel." John blew on his hands trying to warm them.

"What makes you say that?" He tried to brush one of the chairs, sneezed a couple of times because of the dust, and brought it close to the fire. "Katie."

She smiled gratefully at him and sat down, extending her arms out to the fire.

"That for one." John pointed to the end of the room where a long wooden counter filled the wall.

"Probably right."

"We need to find food." Teyla joined them. "Would such a place have any?"

"Let's find out." Fishing the flashlight out, John took her hand and the two of them vanished down a long hall.

"That's right. Wander off so I have to come and rescue you," Rodney grumped.

"They'll be fine, Rodney." Katie gave him a shaky smile.

"How are you doing?"

"Sore. Cold." Gingerly she touched her side. "Teyla did a good job wrapping my ribs."

"We need to get you to a doctor."

"First, we have to get through this storm."

"We will." He spoke with a confidence he didn't feel. Yet, he needed Katie to believe they would. She'd come to mean a lot to him and it was important what she thought.

"Wouldn't it be heavenly if there were beds." She sighed, pulling a bit of damp hair away from her face.

"Probably filled with mice and who knows what."

"Maybe." She gave him a sidelong glance. "Do you always see the negative side?"

"Just being realistic."

John rejoined them carrying an armful of pans. Teyla came in behind him with a rabbit and some odd looking brownish things.

"What are those?" McKay pointed at the brownish objects.

"No idea." John set down the pans. "I'll go fill this with snow." He left again.

"We will have stew. It will warm us." Teyla went to work skinning the rabbit.

"I'll never be able to look a rabbit in the face again." Rodney went to sit on the rock ledge of the stone fireplace.

"It is meat," Teyla replied. He could hear the faint sounds of her knife hitting the floor as she chopped the rodent up.

"Wasn't my point."

John set the large pot near the edge of the fire. "Should only take a few minutes to melt."

The fire crackled and hissed, the warmth slowly chasing the deep chill of room away. Shadows played along the wall and Rodney's imagination filled them with all sorts of scary creatures out to get them. He mentally shook himself. There wasn't anything in the building that would hurt them.

"Snow's melted," John commented.

Nodding, Teyla placed the chopped up rabbit and brown things in the water. "It will take some time." She rose. "Perhaps we should explore."

"Go ahead," Rodney said. "We'll stay here."

"If you insist." John grinned as he and Teyla went through the arched doorway. "Seems to be stairs."

"Be careful!" McKay called back. "Some of them could be broken."

"I know what I'm doing, McKay."

"Do I need to remind you how many times I've saved your butt?"

"How about the number of times I've saved yours?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Teyla scolded. "Rodney, we will back in a few minutes. If there is anything up here that can help us survive, we need to find it."

"She's right," Katie said quietly.

"Just be careful," McKay replied.

"WE will," John answered.

McKay heard creaking wood and assumed it was the stairs as John and Teyla climbed them. "No one ever listens to me."

"That isn't true and you know it." Katie reached over and took his hand. "All of us owe you our lives many times over."

"I've caused trouble, too."

"We all have, Rodney. Making mistakes is what makes us human."

"I shouldn't make mistakes."

"There's going to come a time," Katie paused. "When you're going to have to realize you're not infallible."

"Says who?"

She smiled. "I don't know who you think you have to impress." She squeezed his fingers. "I already like you."

He blinked. Katie liked him? "You do?"

"Of course. You don't think I'd spend so much time with you if I didn't?"

"I'm kind of bad with people."

"Let you in on a secret." She got up and came to sit beside him. "We all are in some way."

"You?"

"Even me." She looked down. "I'm too shy sometimes. It keeps me from saying what I'd like to and later I regret I didn't."

"Like what?"

"All sorts of things." Her eyes drifted up and met his. "I Really do like you, Rodney."

"Even after our weird first date?"

"Laura explained what happened."

"Must have been embarrassing."

"Funny actually. At least it allowed her and Carson to get together."

"Wonder if she's met his family yet."

"They've been discussing it."

He started. "They're that serious?"

"She told me they'd talked about it. Especially after." She stopped.

"Right." Rodney still hadn't talked to anyone but Dr. Heightmeyer about the explosion that had killed, or at least he'd thought, his best friend. How Beckett had survived the blast he had no idea. At the very least, the doctor should have been badly scarred. Instead, Carson had greeted all of them like nothing had happened and without a mark on him. "Guess I can't blame them."

"Me either." She fell silent. The fire popped and she jumped, like she'd forgotten where they were.

"I want Jeanie to met you," he mumbled, his face burning and not from the heat.

"I'm glad." Katie rested her head on his shoulder.

Tentatively, Rodney slipped his arm around her. She snuggled against him and they said nothing more just enjoying each other's company.

Loud steps sounded. McKay glanced up as John and Teyla rejoined them.

"You two look cozy," Sheppard teased.

"Leave them alone, John." Teyla dumped an armload of musty smelling cloth on the floor. "At least we will not have to sleep on the floor tonight."

"I'll probably sneeze all night," McKay retorted.

"If you were Doctor Jackson maybe." The colonel grabbed an armload of the dirty fabric. "I'll take these outside and give them a good shake."

"I will help you." Teyla grabbed the rest and the two left again.

"I think they'll make a good pair," Katie observed. "Once they figure it out themselves."

"John and Teyla?" Rodney shook his head. "Somehow, I don't see them as a couple."

"You will."

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Opening her eyes, Jeanie wasn't sure what woke her. Trees still thudded on the roof, but otherwise, the cabin was quiet. Moving slowly, so she wouldn't wake her husband, she crawled out of bed and shrugged into her robe. Her feet found her slippers and she tip toed out.

In the main living area the fire still burned, though only embers glowed. She opened the grate, added a couple more logs, and again made it child safe. For a long while she sat there watching the blue, orange and yellow flames lick the new fuel adding more warmth to the now chilled room.

Her eyes drifted around the familiar surroundings. The old blue loveseat her father had given her mother for an anniversary present. The knitted colorful afghan her grandmother had done that was now draped over the back of the wooden rocker her grandfather had made as a gift for his wife when he'd found out she was pregnant. The family pictures on the stone mantle and even the landscape print on the wall she'd added after she'd found it at a yard sale.

"Our family's history," she said into the room. Where the objects were didn't really matter. What did were the stories she'd been told about them growing up. She made a mental note to herself to tell Madison those stories, so her daughter get a sense of where she came from and from whom.

Getting up, Jeanie drifted to the window. Snow still fell. She checked the battery operated clock in the kitchen and discovered it was one in the morning. With a sigh, she took paper and a pen out of a drawer and went back to the living area. Sitting down in the rocker, with the afghan over her legs, she began to write.

Dear Rodney,

Kaleb prayed for your safety tonight. I can't tell you the strange feeling that came over me after he did. My husband's new faith is both disturbing and reassuring at the same time. I know you hold no beliefs except in yourself. That's okay. I pretty much believe the same way you do, but I do respect what Kaleb does. It's part of what makes a marriage successful.

It's still snowing and it seems I can't sleep tonight. The cabin is quiet except for the annoying branches hitting the roof. Maybe next spring we'll come up here and trim back the branches. Would you like to join us?

She stared at what she'd just written. Her mind had a hard time grasping he lived in another galaxy and here she'd gone and asked him to come help with their parents' cabin as if he were close by.

I know Madison would like to get to know her uncle and I would like to get to know my brother again. Are you happy living in Atlantis? Have you met someone there who is special to you?

Now what right did she have to ask that? Granted, they had kept in touch better after her visit there. He'd sent her emails from time to time. Most of it what he talked about was his work and the different discoveries that had made. Sometimes, he even asked for help. That turn she was still getting used to.

You asked me once if I really was happy being a mother and wife. The answer is - most of the time. There is a part of me that wants to use the genius locked up in my head, like the paper I wrote that got Colonel Carter's attention and brought me into your world.

She almost told him about the invitation she'd gotten to work on contract from the Phoenix Foundation. Maybe she'd surprise him with that later.

Christmas is only a few days away. Madison is so excited. Tomorrow we'll hang her stocking on the mantle and we'll drink hot chocolate and eat sugar cookies. And yes, they are without lemon. I remembered you're allergic to citrus.

I really hoped you'd be here with us to celebrate.

Jeanie sniffed and wiped away the tears that had gathered in the corner of her eyes. She really did miss her brother and was disappointed he couldn't be there with them.

Honestly, I do understand if you can't be. I wouldn't travel in this weather either. I just hope you're safe and some place warm. Colorado storms are not as bad as Canadian ones, but I've heard, they cause problems of their own because the natives don't properly prepare for them.

I hope you came prepared. Of course you did, you grew up in Canada like I did. Besides with all the dangers and such you've encountered and survived, I have no doubt a snowstorm would be just a minor inconvenience.

With all my love,

Jeanie

Carefully she folded the letter and sat with it on her lap. The fire sizzled and crackled and Jeanie found herself smiling. Her husband and daughter would be up early tomorrow anticipating the day's events. It was a special time for her family. She laid her head back, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

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At least the rabbit stew had been warm. They had eaten what little there was and now everyone was settling down to sleep. Katie and Teyla had each claimed a drape and had curled up close to the fire. John had claimed another and spread his out near the Athosian woman. Rodney did the same placing his close to Katie.

Yet he found himself wishing they could cuddle together. He'd really enjoyed having her in his arms. Twisting so his back was to her, he firmly told himself to stop it. He and Katie were only dating. They'd had no serious talks about making a permanent commitment to each other.

Still, his mind turned to his sister and her marriage. Jeanie really seemed happy. And he had admitted to himself and to Katie that one day he did want to get married. He'd botched that confession royally, yet the pretty botanist had said she'd understood.

He groaned and flopped over. The fabric sort of shielded him from the floor and was warmer than sleeping on hard wood. He just hoped he didn't throw his back out.

"Can't sleep?" Katie whispered.

"Thinking."

"About what?"

"My sister."

"Oh." She sounded disappointed.

"And you," he lamely added.

He heard her chuckle. "At least you do think about me."

"More than I thought possible." He wanted to put his hand over his mouth. Now why had he just told her that?

"I think about you, too."

"You do?"

"Uh, huh."

He swallowed nervously. "When we get back to Atlantis, I think," he paused. "I think maybe you and I should have a long talk."

"I'd like that." She moved closer to him. He found himself doing the same.

"Would two shut up," John gripped. "I'd like to get some sleep."

Rodney grinned, extending his arms. "Come here, Katie."

She crawled in next to him and he used her drape as extra covering for both of them. "You're just jealous," he shot back to Sheppard.

"Just make sure we're asleep first." The colonel pulled his covering over his head.

"I wouldn't," McKay began.

"Shhh." Katie placed a finger on his lips. "Good night, Rodney."

"Night." She curled up next to him and her breathing fell into a deep regular pattern.

He stayed awake for a long time, trying to decide just where exactly, he wanted his relationship with Katie Brown to go.