While Sam and Cassie cleaned up after breakfast, Ben took Lucky out for a walk. Jack got Janet changed and dressed as Mark and his family were about to arrive soon. They took a rental car and had planned to go to their hotel first and head over after they freshen up briefly. The car with the Carter family parked in front of the house at the same time as Ben arrived with Lucky.

"You must be Sam's family." Ben said while holding his hand towards Mark.

"Yes, that's right. I'm Mark, her brother. And you are?" Mark replied a little confused, completely forgetting to introduce the rest of his family.

"Oh sorry, I'm Ben, Cassandra's fiancé."

"Fiancé? When did that happen? The last time I saw my niece, by the way, also the first time I met her, she clearly wasn't engaged."

"That would have happened yesterday." Ben chuckled.

"We'll I guess congratulations are in order. Welcome to this crazy family." Mark said, shaking Ben's hands again. "Please meet my wife Penny, my son David and my daughter Lisa."

They all smiled at him, already liking the young men in front of them.

"Nice to meet you all! But I know that I am not the one you're yearning to meet. Come on, let's go inside so you can meet Janet."

He opened the front door and let them all in.

"Hello!" he called. "Where is everyone? Look what I picked up outside."

Cassie was the first one to come around the corner, seeing that the Carter's have arrived.

"Uncle Mark! Penny, Lisa, David! Hello!" She started the greeting with the kids, then she hugged Penny and the last one to get a big hug was Mark. He was always overwhelmed how quickly that young woman came to like him and the other way round, even if they're not biologically connected.

"I heard congratulations are in order. So congrats on your engagement."

"Thank you Mark. Yeah I didn't expect this either, but I'm very happy. We're planning on a summer wedding, so don't make any vacation arrangements until you get our invitation." She lovingly punched him on his upper arm. "But please, come on in. We're all in the living room."

When they entered the living room Sam immediately stood up to greet them. Jack was just about to get up, he had sat on the couch with Janet in his arms, as the Carter children joined him already on said couch. So he sat back down to show them their little cousin.

"She's so tiny, uncle Jack." Lisa said excitedly.

"So cute." David expressed. "Mom, any chance we could have another little one as well?" He asked his mother. That made Penny stop dead in her tracks.

"I don't think so David. But we can come and visit this little one as often as possible." She said, approaching Jack and the baby as well.

Cassie and Ben were in the kitchen, preparing drinks for everyone and giving the others some time to get to know the newest addition to the family.

Mark stood beside Sam at the entrance of the room, observing everyone. His wife and kids were bundled up around Janet, so he waited until it was his turn to see her properly. He placed his arm around Sam to hug her closely.

"You did a good job. She's beautiful!" He said, kissing her on top of her hair.

"Thank you. Yeah, it was a bit of an unexpected arrival, you could say." Sam giggled.

"I need to hear everything about it." Penny stood up to join her sister in law.

"Alright, that's a talk you two should have in private." Mark joked. "I think that's something the rest of us don't need to hear. It's enough for me to know that she's here, safe and sound."

He walked towards Jack, who had gotten up to put the baby in Mark's arms. This was the first time the uncle got a closer look at his niece. When she looked towards him he was regarded with the brightest blue eyes since he took a look at his sister for the first time.

"She looks just like you when you were little, Sam!" He told them in awe.

"I'm glad she does." Jack replied. "She's got the best from Sam. Only my haircolor, that I can live with."

It wasn't long until Cassie and Ben joined them with their drinks.

"When is the rest of the team coming over?" Cass asked Sam.

"In a few hours. I will soon get the cooking started."

"Aunt Sam? Can we open one present tonight? I know you're supposed to open them tomorrow morning, but at home dad let us open one the evening before. It's tradition." David asked her.

"Of course you can. And did your dad ever tell you why it is a tradition?"

David only shook his head.

"Because when your dad was young he was always so excited about Christmas. He used to drive our mom crazy, asking about the presents and he also refused to go to sleep. When he finally went to bed, he at least got up four times afterwards until one Christmas mom decided that we were allowed to open only one present the evening before. From this time Mark never argued and went to bed after opening this one present."

"Dad, I didn't know you were this impatient when you were younger!" David exclaimed.

"There's a lot about your dad you don't know." Sam smirked.

"Sam!" Mark warned his sister not to spill every secret of his. Parenting would definitely be harder if his kids knew about all the nonsense he got up to as a child.

"Okay, okay, I know the meaning of classified. But it will cost you." She nudged him jokingly. "If it's ok with you and Penny we would like to exchange a few more gifts tonight. Look, my team is coming over today because they have a mission scheduled tomorrow afternoon and won't be there for the actual Christmas day, so we thought about celebrating on Christmas eve."

"That's perfectly okay with us Sam. We can exchange our family gifts tomorrow morning. The rest we can do today."

"Is Teal'c coming, aunt Sam?" David asked excitedly. He was very fond of the big man he got to know at his aunt's wedding.

"Yes David, Teal'c is coming as is Daniel and Cam."

"Oh I like Daniel. He's great at storytelling!" The seven year old Lisa smiled. "Do you think there will be time this afternoon that he'll tell me another story?"

"I'm sure there is, Lisa. As I know my team, they're not easy to kick out. So as they always stay here late there's a big chance you get your story."

"Perfect!" With a big smile on her face Lisa went back to join her brother beside their father who was still holding Janet in his arms.

Penny approached Sam to offer her help with the cooking and she gladly took the offer. Penny turned around to the room filled with people.

"Why don't you guys take the kids outside? I know there's a playground around here somewhere." She asked all of them. Jack got up with a smirk on his face.

"You just want to talk with Sam about adult stuff and want us gone!" He teased her.

"Exactly! But the kids need some exercise as well. They sat still for too long now. During the flight and now here. If you don't want overactive children powered up by sugar who can't sit still at the table you better chase them through the park."

"That's a good idea." Ben agreed. "Who wants to hold Lucky's dog leash?"

David was the first one to react. "Me!"

"Argh..." Lisa poutet, but Jack kneeled down to whisper something in her ear.

"Really?" She asked rather loudly. "I got to push the stroller?"

Jack had to laugh out loud. "Of course you can. And on our way back you can change duties with your brother."

"Thanks uncle Jack!" She answered, gave him a sweet kiss on his cheek and was out in the hallway to put on her clothes. "Are you coming or what?"

The guys shared a smile and made their way towards the hallway too to get dressed. Jack stopped by Sam.

"It's okay, right? You just fed her, she won't be hungry until in a few hours I think."

"Yes, you should be alright. Have fun."

"We will, you know me and fun." He kissed her goodbye, dressed his daughter and himself and when he placed Janet in the stroller he gave it to Lisa so she could push her little niece towards the playground. David with Lucky next to her.

"Finally alone." Penny exhaled. "As much as I love being around my family, holidays are stressful, because you can't escape them. And now to you..."

She turned around to Sam, Cassie already got the food out that they prepared yesterday starting to finish with some.

"... How did you do this? Have a baby all by yourself, snowed in in a god damn cabin far away from civilization?"

"I wasn't alone." Sam replied softly, knowing fully well what Cassie was going to say as soon as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm not that opinionated most of the time, but I'd like to say 'I told you so'!"

"Yeah, I know."

"What's that all about?" Penny wondered.

"Oh, just that I warned Sam to go up to that cabin so close to her due date. But she wouldn't listen. Told me she had a good three weeks before the baby would arrive when they got back home."

"I learned my lesson, believe me." Sam said.

"There was really no way for you to go to a hospital in time?"

"No. The snow was so deep and it was so stormy it would have been a suicide mission to try. First I thought it was just back aches, but when the first contraction hit I knew. And soon after that my water broke. We tried to get in contact with Jeff. He's the sheriff and a friend of Jack. We knew that his truck would be the only one to get through the snow, if at all. But the line was dead. So I tried to get comfortable and not panic. "

"And Jack?"

"Oh Jack panicked quickly. As much as he is a badass soldier he's quickly scared when it comes to the ones he loves. You know about Charlie, so kids are his sensitive spot. He didn't want to be responsible if something would have happened to anyone of us. He didn't want it to be his fault, but I got him focused fast. He did a great job. Supported me when I needed it, made sure I drank enough, tried to massage the pain away and helped me deliver the baby on the floor of our cabin. I never thought I could do this without painkillers, but if you have to, anything is possible. And I have to admit, it was such a special moment for both of us. "

"Wow, I can't imagine doing this."

"Believe me, the next one I will have in a hospital. With doctors present and lots of medication."

"The next one?"

"Just saying." Sam blushed.

"You're so not 'just saying'. I can see that."

"Maybe we talked about having another baby. I mean, I know we just had Janet, but we're not getting any younger. So let's see what will happen."

"You deserve it, Sam. Make as many babies as you like. If they all turn out as cute as the first one you're good."

They enjoyed talking about women's stuff while the men were out of the house. They cooked together so that the food was ready when the men and children came home. Shortly after, the others arrived.

Daniel, Teal'c and Cam immediately hovered over Janet as it has been a few weeks since they last saw her. Carolyn took the opportunity to approach Sam and Jack.

"Are you sure that it's really okay for me to be here? I mean it's Christmas and your family is here and I tried to talk Cam out of it, but he insisted on me to come along... I

.."

"Carolyn, stop right there." Jack intervened. "If you're Cam's girl, you're family now. You know we're not just a team. We are family, and that goes for Cam as well. Even when he and I didn't get to serve together. It's SG-1 and the team is family. So shut up about it and enjoy the evening. You won't get rid of us so soon."

"Thanks General."

"Jack! It's Jack, okay? I'm retired anyway and in my house it's Jack for you. I occasionally will call you Doc. but that's just because it sort of is a nickname for you."

"Okay, thank you Jack. And you too, Sam!"

"You're welcome." Sam said, stepped closer and hugged her.

The family sat down for dinner and enjoyed the tasteful meal. Afterwards everyone gathered in the living room around the tree. The kids were so excited to open a few presents. They were surprised that all of the adults had a present for them. Daniel got Lisa an old story book and had to promise to read to her before they left. Teal'c got David a sweater from their favorite TV show. David immediately put it on and he made it clear that he would not take off the sweater so quickly.

Sam, who sat right in the middle, was nursing Janet and observing everyone. She made eye contact with Jack and saw that he couldn't be happier himself. It was a perfect day. All the people they loved together in a room and no threat knocking on the gate so far.

As much chaos this was with so many people around, they loved every bit of it.

David and Lisa tried to talk her parents into letting them sleep at aunt Sam's and uncle Jack's.

"I know you would like to sleep here, but we have our room in the hotel remember?" Penny tried. "And Cassie and Ben are staying in the basement, there's no room. Aunt Sam might be tired. Such a day is exhausting, she cooked and cared for all of us. All while she also had to breastfeed and care for a baby..."

She saw the sad faces of her children, but didn't recognize the look Jack shared with Sam and the nod she gave her husband. Jack leaned forward to take part in the conversation.

"David, Lisa, we don't have any more beds, but if you'd like we could roll out some sleeping bags in Janet's room. We could place the crib in our room so you won't get disturbed when she wakes up during the night."

Their faces lit up instantly. "Really? Can we Mom? Dad?"

"If that's okay with your aunt and uncle, yes you can. But we don't want them to feel obligated."

"That's no bother at all." Sam told them and that earned them the happy scream of the two kids. Janet started to giggle as well, observing their two cousins from the place in her mother's arms.

Cam and Carolyn were the first ones to say goodbye, followed by Mark and Penny. The kids were still playing a new game they got, with Cassie and Ben.

So only the original team members were left in the living room when Jack had put a very tired Janet to bed.

"It was a great Christmas, thank you for everything!"

"You're welcome, Daniel. We loved having you all here. Glad you could make it anyway, it's not a risky mission tomorrow, is it?"

"No, just discussing some treaty that couldn't be discussed a day later. You know how it works. If we want something from our Allies we sometimes have to adjust to their schedule."

"Yeah, I know."

"I think it's time for us to leave. Teal'c and I will head straight back to base, so we can sleep in a little tomorrow." Daniel stood up and kissed Sam on the cheek to say goodbye. Teal'c embraced her in a big Jaffa hug.

Jack got up as well. "I'll see you out."

When he came back everyone else was ready to turn in. Cassie and Ben said goodbye until the next morning. Sam and Jack sat down on the ari mattress that they had placed on the floor of the nursery, in between them David and Lisa layed down.

"Thanks for letting us sleep here. We know you had a stressful day today."

"Nothing to thank us for. I like that sleepover as much as you do." Jack told them. After they cuddled each other goodnight Sam and Jack got up.

"You know where to find us if you need anything. I'll leave a small light on outside, so you don't stumble over anything if you have to get up tonight."

"Thank you Sam! Good night Sam, good night Jack."

"Good night you two. See you tomorrow."

When they closed the door Sam leaned into Jack, exhausted from the day.

"It really was a perfect Christmas."

"It was. Want to go to bed, too? I saw that Cassie cleaned up everything."

"No!" Sam replied.

"No?" He asked, because he was sure his wife must be at least as tired as he was.

"No, Jack. Go grab something warm and the Babyphone and join me outside." Sam side while she headed towards the backdoor, grabbing her jacket on the way out.

When Jack stepped out Sam had already lit a fire in the fire bowl. He felt his heart stop for a moment before he could connect with his wife's eyes. She had remembered his tradition with Charlie. He told them yesterday, but was stunned that she felt the need to do this for him today.

She only shrugs her shoulders.

"C'mere Jack, show me what you were looking at with him."

He sat down on the bench near the fire, putting one foot up so that Sam could comfortably sit between his legs and her back rested against his chest. He placed the Babyphone on the ground and put his arms around her, their gaze directed towards the sky.

His arm showed her the direction as he began to point out Polaris with the Little Dipper and not for the Big Dipper.

"That was our favorite to look at. Whenever I was overseas I looked up at night to see these constellations and knew I was connected with Charlie. He talked his mom into letting him stay awake on weekends to be able to see the stars, to have this connection too."

She squeezed his hand that was placed on her stomach to show him her support, not daring to speak.

He showed her some more constellations and she was quite surprised how good he was at this science thing he claimed to hate. But she knew now it wasn't really hate, it was the emotions linked with all those memories that made him become distant to science.

"That's a great Christmas tradition, Jack."

He inhaled deeply. "Yes, it is. And I can't wait to share all of this with Janet."

"We will Jack, we will." She took his hands to wrap his arms even tighter around her, so that he could hold her tightly.

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I want to give you. I'm not entirely sure, but I think this is the perfect moment to do this."

She turned a bit, placing both of her feet on the ground so she could look at him clearly. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a letter.

"A letter?" She asked, confused.

"It's a letter from your Dad." He told her and when he sensed she had no words to say something he continued. "He gave me this letter when we talked in the infirmary. When he pushed me to not let you marry the wrong man. He told me to give it to you on our first real Christmas together. I asked him what to do with the letter if we wouldn't end up together."

"What did Dad say?"

"He said 'Then, Jack O'Neill, you wouldn't be the man I think you are'. Dad had a lot of trust in us." He gave her the envelope and she turned in her hands for a long time. "I can leave you alone to read it if you want."

"It wouldn't bother you?"

"No Sam, of course not. This is a moment between you and your Dad. I'll go inside, have a look at Janet and you can join me in bed when you're ready."

With tears glistening in her eyes she got up to give Jack room to get up himself. Not yet ready to leave her alone he embraced and kissed her before he stepped inside.

Sam sat down again, the fire nearly burned down by now. With shaking fingers she managed to open the envelope and pulled out the letter.

"Dear Sam, ..."