Jorge watched in amusement as Beckett and Alison left the office hand in hand. The pair had spent a few moments in the good doctor's office, and he'd not had the heart to interrupt them. After the display he'd seen, he knew Beckett was probably struggling to keep from dragging Alison back to his home for the afternoon. He'd seen the way the doc's eyes had lit up, as well as the smirk that crossed the other man's face. Jorge couldn't blame him. Had his wife nearly taken another woman down, he would have reacted the same way.

He still couldn't believe meek Alison Porter had almost started a cat fight. Though, based on what he knew about her background—namely nothing—Jorge didn't put it past her to take Katie to the mat and walk away with hardly a hair out of place. The smallest ones always surprised him, and Alison was no exception. That she worked for a classified military operation meant she knew enough soldiers to have taught her a thing or two about hand to hand combat. Although he was happily married, Jorge freely admitted that the thought of little Alison appealed to the male side of him. He couldn't imagine what it had done to Beckett, who was actually dating the girl.

They slipped out the back of the clinic, leaving him to watch in silence. As they strolled down the street, Alison slipped her arm through Beckett's and laid her head on his shoulder. As a person, Jorge was thrilled. The doc was alone too often, and seeing him so happy was a relief to a lot of people. In particular, to Jorge. It meant there were fewer women manufacturing excuses to come see the Scottish doctor and try to seduce him. It also meant that Beckett didn't ask as many questions as normal. Though, with the doctor's background, Jorge didn't mind questions. He'd willingly share details with Beckett, but the doc had stayed out of the investigation.

The reason for his presence in the clinic brought Jorge back to his plans for the evening. He had a meeting with his handler, and he had no other information to pass along. Since closing the pharmacy for that brief time while Beckett did an inventory, there had been no further drugs dealt from that location. That could mean two things: Katie was dealing or someone else was using the location. There were several other hot spots for drug distribution in town, however. Esperanza Cafe was one, and the local school was another. Thankfully, none of the drugs had fallen into the hands of younger children, but Esperanza's miniscule K-12 school boasted a healthy drug trade for the older kids. It was only a matter of time before one of Esperanza's precious youngsters got their hands on something.

The commonalities didn't help Jorge any. Katie was common to both the pharmacy and the cafe, but a high school senior waitressed at the cafe, as well. Since the dealing at the pharmacy had stopped, Jorge leaned toward the troubled daughter of a single mom. Clarissa, the girl, worked after school to put food on the table and often took breaks to study between customers at the cafe. Her mother spent more time dating than anything, desperate to find another husband to take care of her. Jorge understood the dilemma she faced, but he hoped the mother woke up before Clarissa ended up in jail. Or worse.

Not really wanting to think about it, Jorge finished closing the clinic for the day and headed for the cafe for dinner. He would have preferred the coffee house, but he refused to show up and bug Beckett again. He saw Alison talking with her mother inside and let out a sigh of relief that he'd been able to clear that whole trio of their involvement in the drug trade going through Esperanza. He'd been here for over a year and knew that the dealing was only a portion of the problem. Methamphetamine was a street drug, but other more expensive drugs, like heroin, passed through Esperanza. So far, the DEA had not been able to pinpoint the exact location of the activity. This town wasn't as idyllic as people like Beckett believed. It had secrets, some of them deadly, and Jorge was determined to learn them. Only then would his job be complete. When his job was complete, he'd think about settling into a similar position as Beckett's. After he'd ensured the town was safe for his family, of course. He couldn't have his newborn son growing up down the street from a meth lab. It just wouldn't work.

oOo

Katie stalked from the clinic, fuming. She'd never been dismissed before, and it stung. On top of that, sweet and innocent Alison thought she could tell Katie what to do. Well, she had another think coming, and Katie was of a mind to march right back into the clinic and show Carson how weak his girlfriend really was.

Instead, she kept walking. Her shoe turned, causing her to stop and catch her balance on a lamp post. Irritated, Katie yanked the shoes from her feet and ignored the cold cobblestones as she stormed home. Once there, she slammed the front door and threw the shoes across the room with a yell. The sound of glass breaking was satisfying, and she looked for something else to throw. Nothing else popped into view, and she dropped her keys on her counter with a growl.

She'd never been so humiliated in her life! Oh, she'd had moments when she felt about as useful and nice as dirt, but she'd never seen such a transformation. The look on Carson's face when he turned to a fuming Alison was nothing short of besotted. Katie wanted him to look at her like that, not at some wimp from the coffee house. What did Alison even do? Surely it couldn't be as important as she acted. Katie couldn't deny the grip that little girl had, but she refused to admit defeat. She would have Carson Beckett as her own, but she would do it in such a way that he wanted to come to her. She wasn't a stalker, after all. She just had her own goals to meet, and Carson was part of them.

All anger fading, Katie sank onto the edge of her bed and dropped her aching head into her hands. She was tired of pretending, tired of scrabbling to live the life she wanted. She had enough money, and she could "retire." But that would mean leaving Carson to Alison. And she couldn't have that. Though it had started as a means to an end, Katie had fallen hard for Carson. That personal investment—that he'd break her heart if he stayed with Alison—kept her from just leaving. That and the consequences if she did. She liked living too much, and she was in way too deep.

oOo

The rest of the week passed in a tense sort of peace. Carson watched Katie warily, seeing how she sulked as she went about her duties. He'd half-expected her to quit—had half-hoped she'd quit. If she walked out, he wouldn't have to constantly spend his days on guard against her. But she'd stopped even speaking to him save for the absolutely necessary conversations. She did her work to with the excellence he'd come to expect but left him alone. Except for glaring at Alison when she appeared for lunch, Katie did nothing to endanger her job.

For his part, Carson quite enjoyed seeing Alison's dander up. Every time she walked into the clinic, she pinned Katie in place with a glare perfected during her time off world. He knew better than to cause it himself, and his grin whenever the two women passed each other was always carefully hidden from them. He'd always assumed that women would fight over Sheppard or Ronon. Seeing it happen because of him really boosted his ego. Of course, it didn't help that Alison obviously told her mother what had happened—not that Carson minded—and Margaret supported her daughter. So did Carson, though he made certain he didn't mention anything about it to Katie or Jorge. Still, two days after the incident, Jorge caught him watching Alison icily glare at Katie as she left the clinic and clapped him on the shoulder. "Down, boy!"

The comment was so out of left field that Carson actually laughed. The coming trip to wherever Sheppard sent them couldn't come quick enough, and he looked forward to removing himself and Alison from the stress of the entire confrontation. Hopefully, things would settle over Christmas and life would return to a semblance of normal.

Early the day of their departure, Carson rose and made breakfast for himself. He and Alison were meeting at a pre-determined beam-out point, Sheppard having informed him that Cheyenne Mountain was providing transportation. It was code for using the Daedalus's transporters—or whichever ship happened to be in orbit. Thankful for not having to spend as much time in transit, he hoped to find time to get his thoughts about Alison straight. He knew what he wanted, but he wanted her to be certain of her future as well. They needed the time away as a couple. He knew a team Christmas wasn't the best way to get it but also realized that Alison would likely enjoy herself.

Once prepared, Carson stowed his luggage in the back of his pickup and drove to Margaret's. The woman was thrilled they were going off together for a weekend, and Carson grinned at her excitement. Margaret had grown into the place of a surrogate mother, and he loved seeing her so happy. Her approval of his relationship with Alison didn't mean she didn't have her reservations, however, and she met him at the door. "She's almost ready."

Carson touched Margaret's elbow as he slipped into the house. "Thank you, Margaret."

"I couldn't keep her here if I wanted to." The older woman met his eyes. "Take care of her."

"I will." He smiled at her. "I promise you, Margaret, that nothing will happen between us."

Margaret snorted. "Quite frankly, I don't want to know about your relationship with my daughter beyond that she's happy. That said, don't break her heart."

He heard the warning and smiled for the benefit of Alison, who appeared at that moment. "You have nothing to worry about there, Margaret."

"Good." Margaret hugged her daughter close and then pulled Carson down for a kiss on the cheek. "You two enjoy yourselves. And don't worry about me. I've got plenty of help in the coffee house, so don't be worried about rushing back."

Alison flushed. "Mom!" She glanced at Carson, her eyes sparkling. "We'll be back on time. There's no way I'm missing Christmas at home."

With another laugh and mock warning glare at Carson, Margaret waved as he backed out of the driveway. Once they were out of eyesight, Carson and Alison exchanged glances and promptly burst into laughter. They left town, driving to a slightly larger town on the way to Albuquerque, storing the truck in a warehouse rented by the SGC for this purpose. Apparently, Landry thought Carson a big enough asset to make certain he could easily get to the SGC. In the warehouse, Carson pulled the luggage from the rear of the truck and activated the radio he'd brought to Esperanza. Moments later, they materialized in the gateroom of Atlantis.

Carson immediately felt the press of Ancient technology on his mind. He'd been away long enough that it was a bit uncomfortable and took a moment to close his eyes. As if sensing his needs, the hum in his mind calmed a bit. He still had an instant headache—much like he'd had whenever he first arrived on Atlantis all those years ago—but it was tolerable. After an hour, he likely wouldn't notice it.

Alison stood next to him, her hand on his elbow. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"Aye," he answered with a smile. They pulled their luggage from in front of the gate to where Woolsey was waiting for them. "Just a wee headache from the technology."

Woolsey met him. "Dr. Beckett. It's great to see you again." He turned. "And I was surprised to hear you'd be accompanying the group, Dr. Porter."

Alison flushed and glanced at Carson. "Well, I thought it would make a great vacation."

Woolsey wasn't an idiot. He saw the unspoken communication between them and cleared his throat. "Right. Colonel Sheppard would like to see everyone in the mess hall, and then you'll be departing. The SGC has been outfitted with modified transporter technology, so you'll beam directly to your destination."

Thinking he might get some answers out of the city's leader, Carson frowned. "And where is that, exactly?"

Woolsey grinned at him. "I promised Colonel Sheppard I wouldn't say."

Carson shrugged and carried his and Alison's luggage toward the mess hall. They were stopped several times along the way by personnel who wanted to chat with him. Carson smiled as they walked, loving the warmth of the city and allowing himself to imagine that nothing had changed from what he remembered before his captivity. This wasn't a time for regrets or bad memories. Christmas was about family, and he was about to see the only family he still had outside of Alison and Margaret.

A shout of laughter echoed through the mess hall as they entered, and Carson grinned at the sight of Ronon nearly falling out of his chair. Dusty Mehra sat across from the big Satedan, also laughing, and Major Lorne was grinning as he told his story. It was loud, chaotic, and completely familiar to Carson. Teyla sat next to Amanda Cole, and Anne Teldy listened with a bemused expression. The only faces missing from the group were Rodney and Jennifer, who had departed for Canada the day before. Carson didn't begrudge them that trip, especially knowing what Rodney had planned.

Alison immediately grinned as Teldy caught sight of her. She scampered off to join her team, being absorbed by them while Carson watched with a smile. The familiarity the three women displayed reminded him of his own welcome when he was with Sheppard's team.

"Doc." Sheppard startled him, and he turned suddenly.

"Colonel." Carson set down his bag and shook his friend's hand. "Thank you for invitin' us."

Sheppard grinned at him. "It just added to our little group. Couldn't have Porter there and not her friends."

"Aye," Carson agreed. He smiled as Mehra glared at Chuck, who had come up to her and tried to wrap her in his arms. The Marine looked great, if the truth was told. With her hair around her shoulders and a touch of makeup, she looked positively feminine and happy. Teldy was also dressed down, her winter wear giving her a tough look that hid what Carson knew was a lithe body. He glanced at Sheppard. "Sorry about any inconvenience."

Sheppard waved his hand. "Don't give it another thought, Doc. The more, the merrier." He shifted uncomfortably. "Listen, I don't want to pry. But are you and Porter. . .uh. . . ."

Carson flushed at the colonel's insinuation. "No!" He grinned ruefully. "Nothing like that, Colonel."

Sheppard raised an eyebrow. "Is that a 'nothing like that,' meaning not a chance in Hades?" Apparently the colonel was trying to use less profanity, though no one knew why. Carson figured it had something to do with little Torren's presence in their lives. "Or 'nothing like that,' meaning not yet?"

Carson watched Alison, trying to figure out how to answer the question in such a way that wouldn't completely embarrass him. While he didn't mind the team knowing about his feelings for Alison, he didn't want Sheppard knowing exactly how she affected him by just walking through the door. Let alone when she got angry at Katie. That thought caused another smirk to cross his face.

Sheppard snorted. "I think I figured it out, Doc." He leaned close. "I say go for it."

Carson glared, not really upset but wanting to put up a front. "If and when Alison and I cross those lines, Colonel, it will be between myself and her."

Sheppard grinned as if he knew the truth. "Got it, Doc." Moving toward the group, he raised his voice. "Okay, everyone. Thanks for coming to the John Sheppard Christmas Gala. I'm sure you'll enjoy every minute of the festivities. Now, we've arranged for transportation through the SGC, so the passports I asked you to bring won't be necessary. As always, hope you enjoy your flight."

Carson snickered as he slipped to Alison's side. She grinned up at him and leaned into his side, rolling her eyes when Teldy and Mehra exchanged amused glances. A few moments and some coordination later, the group was beamed to their destination.

oOo

Alison's jaw dropped as soon as they materialized. They stood in the middle of a massive great room complete with fireplace, wet bar, glass windows looking out over a breathtaking view, massive sectional couch, huge television and doors leading to parts unknown. A fire roared in the fire place, and all the lights were on. Wood gleamed, and the neutral tones of the furniture only added to the luxurious feel. White fur rugs covered the hardwood floor, and soft music floated from somewhere nearby. Having only seen this type of setting in magazines or on television, Alison couldn't believe her eyes and glanced up to see Carson was equally as shocked.

For his part, Colonel Sheppard stepped forward and looked around with a satisfied grin. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Chateau Schäfer, deep in the heart of the Swiss Alps."

For another long moment, the stunned silence was punctuated by the pop of the fireplace and the soft violin music. Then, Ronon stirred. "What are the Swiss Alps?" he asked, nonplussed. It broke the shock, and the group snickered as they spread out to look around.

The main room consisted of several areas, including a reading nook, breakfast nook, and the breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps. Alison was drawn to the window, the warm golds and woods of the room contrasting with the brilliant blues and whites seen out the window. The Alps rose in sheer drops, and Alison felt a slight thrill at the thought of being in such a luxurious setting. Behind her, Teyla and Ronon drilled Sheppard about the place, and she listened with half of her attention as Sheppard explained that he'd managed to convince his brother to let them use the family chateau for three days. The announcement that this palatial lodge was owned by Sheppard and his brother shocked everyone, and Alison needed a couple of moments to absorb that bit of information.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Carson asked softly as he stepped to her side.

She smiled up at him. "It is." Shaking her head, she chuckled. "I never, in my wildest dreams, thought we'd be coming to the Swiss Alps!"

"Aye," he agreed. Glancing over his shoulder and realizing they had a bit of privacy for the moment, he asked, "I hate to put you in this situation, love, but how much do you want them to know?"

Alison stared up at him and realized his dilemma. They were still new to their relationship and didn't want to embarrass her in front of her team. A quick glimpse of Dusty and Chuck arm-in-arm as they also admired the view settled it in her mind. "I don't care how much they know," she said.

A slow grin covered his face. "Good."

Sheppard drew the group back together long enough to explain that they had no responsibilities while here. A full-time staff would come in to clean and cook, a masseuse was on stand-by, and there was a chopper pilot waiting to take them wherever they wanted to go. Ski equipment was provided, and Alison was surprised to see Carson's eyes light up at the mention of flying down the slopes. Of course, the group would have time for themselves, but the point of the entire outing was to "get away." To Sheppard, that clearly meant no responsibilities.

Once Sheppard handed out room assignments, everyone darted upstairs to settle in. Carson insisted on carrying Alison's things into her room. The two of them stopped to stare. Plush white rugs covered the floors in there as well, and the king-sized bed had two neatly-folded white terrycloth robes on the foot of it. The platform bed was lit from the bottom, the cool white light not taking away from the warmth of the room. A half wall that formed the headboard hid the water closet, sinks, and massive bathtub. Alison could barely wait to soak in it and flushed at the thought of Carson joining her. It was too early to be entertaining such ideas, she thought, but she knew how she felt about him.

Turning to study the equally breathtaking view in this room, she shook her head. "I'll get lost in here."

"Aye," Carson agreed. She suspected it was because he couldn't say anything else. After setting her luggage down, he pulled her into his arms. "Are ye sorry you came?"

"No," she said instantly. Draping her arms around his neck she stood on tip-toe to kiss him. "I think a break from Esperanza was what I needed."

He didn't answer but simply kissed her again. By the time he slipped out to head to his own room, Alison had abandoned all ideas of a hot soaking bath. Instead, she explored the room and seriously considered finding out how cold the water in the shower really was.

~TBC

Author's Note: Btw, "Schäfer" is German for "shepherd." A fitting name for the chateau, I thought. :) As always, let me know what you think. ~lg