Sam's First O'Neill Christmas

Sam had not flown her plane in a few months – it was great to get it out of the hanger. She certainly didn't want to spend Christmas listening to her brother complain about the choices she had made in her life or spend it alone again. And, her Dad would not even be on this planet. So she was on her way to Chicago to spend Christmas with Liz.

Luckily – the weather was good. It was peaceful to be up there; as peaceful as a twin engine prop plane can be. She needed these moments in life to keep her sane, because knowing the things she knew while very exciting and often amazing were equally unsettling.

Liz picked her up at the airfield, and drove her around a little – a quick scenic tour before heading home. Liz referred several times to the list of things she still had to get done on Christmas Eve-Eve. Sam was determined not to be the Grinch to Liz's Cindy Lou Who.

She had four days to spend in Chicago before returning to her real world. Sam had to work New Years, but she didn't mind. No where to go anyway and for the first time in a long time she had plans for Christmas that didn't involve work. They arrived at Liz's late in the afternoon. Liz and Mike had a modest sized, remodeled home in a neighborhood of like homes. There were kids playing street hockey and riding bikes and Sam thought it suited Liz.

Sam brought in her bag and Liz showed her to the guest room. Liz's house was very colorful. The guest room was mostly yellow with lots of daisies. It was a very cheerful room. The room felt like Spring, but the window's view was a reminder of the cold Chicago winter.

Liz left her and told her to come on down when she was settled in. Sam took out the clothes she needed to hang up and went down stairs. She didn't see Liz – so she just looked around.

When she came down stairs she paid more attention to the layout. Now that Sam was in the house she realized it was larger than it looked from the outside. The stairs were in the middle of the house and separated the living and family room areas. The family room, kitchen and breakfast nook were towards the back of the house, painted in greens. Sam imagined some walls must have been knocked down to make the area more open. The family room led out to a large deck, the back yard had a picnic table under the tree towards the back fence. The tree was bare and the grass was brown with patches of ice in the shady areas.

Sam wandered to the front of the house into the living room and dining room. There was a large Christmas tree by the front window. Traditional multi-colored lights blinked on and off making the metallic colored ornaments sparkle. The living room was painted blue. Sam was surprised to see it was still blue. She knew Liz painted it after their trip to the Keys but that had been months ago, and there was talk of purple.

Liz had an unbelievable amount of pictures around the house but an even higher concentration of them in the living room. There were frames on nearly every surface. She saw pictures with various combinations of Liz, Jack, their Mom and Dad and Mike.

There was a picture of Jack and his Dad. Jack was in uniform, the picture had probably been taken not too long after Jack joined the Air Force. Jack looked a lot like his Dad. They were close in height and build, and had the same grin. In fact now he looked more like the picture of his Dad than he did of his younger self. She found a more recent picture of Liz and Jack and their mother. Their mother looked smaller than Sam had imagined. Liz was about 5'6" and Jack was more than six feet tall. But, there mother could not have been more than 5'2" – 5'3". She had beautiful silver hair, not gray, beautiful skin and a full smile. She had a nice figure and a very tailored look in the way she dressed from the pictures Sam saw. Liz had very similar taste in clothing. Lots of solid colors, it suited them both nicely.

There was a picture of Jack in his dress blues, a picture she recognized of Charlie with a prayer card tucked into the corner of the frame, and many people she had no idea of who they were. On the fireplace mantel in an esteemed position was a picture of Mike in his dress uniform. Then she saw one of her and Liz from the keys. Not one of the pictures from the beach, but one from when they were walking around the shops.

"Sorry Sam, I saw an email from Mike and wanted to respond."

Sam turned around, "Oh no problem, just looking at your pictures. Hi Pumpkin."

"Sorry, she's doing her best to be a good hostess, but she's still a little out of it. I just picked her up from the vet this morning they took a lump off her back. The medication has her more subdued than usual. Otherwise she would have been jumping up to greet us at the door. Not feeling so good are you girl."

Pumpkin walked over to sniff Sam's hand and wagged her tail slowly as Sam rubbed her ears. "She's beautiful. Is she okay?

"Yeah, they said it was benign and she should be back to her normal self as early as tomorrow."

"Is Mike coming home for Christmas?"

"He's trying, a couple of his trainees were injured in an exercise. He thinks they're alright, but wants to be sure. He's down in South Carolina." Mike was devoted to his work and Liz admired that about him. She decided a long time ago that couldn't make exception of that if it was an inconvenience to her.

"You have a lot of pictures Liz."

"I love being reminded of my family and friends. Some people collect figurines; I collect moments."

"So what's the plan?"

"Glad you ask! I have some cooking to do; a little baking to finish. You don't mind do you?" Liz said excitedly.

"Nope, sounds like fun."

"Jane's going to come and help. Then we can go to this little bar down the street, I told some of my cousins I would try and get down there. Tomorrow I told Sister Regina I would help her with the Christmas decorations in the Church, then midnight Mass tomorrow night. Christmas morning will be fairly peaceful, but then there is Christmas dinner which starts at about 1:00pm at my mother's and goes until we kick the last drunk O'Neill out the door."

"Your mother's?" Sam had not even considered that she would be spending Christmas with Jack's mother. The schedule of the next two days was a lot busier than she had expected.

"Yes and 40 or so of our closest relatives."

"You're kidding?"

"No. I told you before big family. That's why we're still cooking tonight." She explained as she turned and walked toward the kitchen leaving Sam with her mouth still gapping.

Sam thought she was coming to spend a quiet holiday with her friend and maybe a few others. But no, she was having an O'Neill family Christmas. Oh joy.

Jane came over shortly there after and Sam was finally introduced to the woman she had heard so much about. Jane was about the same height as Liz and truly they could be sisters. She was more fair than Liz, but not as fair as Sam. She had short blond hair and green eyes, whereas Liz had light brown hair and brown eyes. Jane was quite thin and had a very graceful way about her. Her movements were deliberate which probably came in handy as a surgical nurse. She was not fragile, but gentle. Jane was single. She didn't like being single and had a lot of first dates in the last few years, but not many second dates. She was not desperate, but determined. Her mother did not have her until she was 40 and she was an only child. Jane wanted a family – a larger family. Sam respected her for knowing what she wanted and not compromising.

They had a good time cooking. Sam didn't know it could be that much fun. They must of made 10 dozen cookies, which Sam discovered was about one tenth of what Liz made from December 15th to the 25th. Jane explained that about a third went to the church, a third to the hospital and the rest to Liz's brother. Which Liz corrected, they actually were for the entire O'Neill clan, he just commandeered a good number of them.

By nine-thirty they were tired of cooking and cleaned up. They put on their coats and headed down to the bar to meet Liz's cousins. It was cold and it was about 10 blocks over and 3 blocks up, but the company was good.

Liz held out her arms. "This is my little neighborhood, Sam. That's the house I grew up in."

"That house?" Sam asked surprised that they were passing it on this short walk.

"Yep. I grew up and bought a house only a few blocks from my mother's, how sad is that."

"And, that's my house Sam." Jane pointed to the house two doors down.

"This is where the two you spent your entire childhood? In order to show you where I grew up we would have to take an eight state, three country tour." Here was the entire history of these two women as they took a walk down to a bar for a beer.

"That sounds like fun!" Jane said and then explained how she bought her house from her mother after her father passed away a few years ago.

Jane and Liz pointed out memorable places of along the way. Then they were there. It was an old bar. The pictures on the wall seemed to span the last 80 years or so. There was a casual restaurant attached to it. Both the restaurant and bar seemed crowded for this late on a weeknight, but it was close to Christmas. Many people seemed to know each other. Sam could hear lots of "Hey, insert name haven't seen you in ages. Home for the holidays?" kind of greetings.

Liz and Jane went to the restroom and Sam went to the bar to order their drinks. This was all surreal. She had dreams less strange than this and considering the things she had see in the last year and a half that said a lot. Sure it was probably normal for most people to grow up in a neighborhood somewhere, just not to her. And the fact that she would even consider this experience stranger than the dream she had where she lived next door to Hathor, just confirmed that she was not normal by any standards. She ordered three beers.

While she waited she looked at the pictures behind the bar. They covered the walls of this place - politicians, soldiers, entertainers and the like. "Sam, Sam back here." She faintly heard. She grabbed the three beer bottles and headed over to Jane and Liz. They were standing near a bunch of tables pushed together. Sam made her way over. Liz and Jane were greeting and hugging people around the table. Sam handed them their beers. Liz pulled her over.

"Sam these are some family and friends of mine. Melanie, Liam, Robert, Eileen, Henry, Bridgette, Jim, Annie, Dave, Michael, the other Michael, Ian, and Marybeth." Sam nodded as they were introduced. Hoping there would not be a test later. Some were standing and some sitting and still people joined and left the group even while Liz introduced them. They were all laughing and reminiscing about old times. The entire bar seemed to be full of pockets of people doing the same thing.

Liz informed Sam of who was who – relative, friend, or married to one and pointed out Mike's picture on the wall near the table they were sitting at. Soon Sam had finished her beer and offered to get a second round and escaped to the bar.

She stood at the bar, waiting for the beers and scanning the pictures.

"Carter!"

"Sir!"

"Carter, don't call me that here." He looked around hoping no one had heard that, but it was too late.

"See I told you you're getting old. That's what happens when you hit on beautiful, young women, John; you get sired." He was slapped on the back. Jack closed his eyes. He just wanted to have a few beers with some old friends, he did not want to think about work or explain anything to anyone.

"Hi there, I'm Andy, John's cousin and I know he looks old for his age. But, it's the mileage – war does that to a man-"

"Andy stop!" Jack hollered at him, before he tried to give her his hero speech next. Sam was trying to stifle a giggle. The night just kept getting better. "She's a friend of Liz's Andy." Sam looked at Jack surprised.

"Oh well any friend of Lizzie's…nice to meet you. I'm their cousin, Andy."

"Samantha Carter." She held out her hand. She didn't see Liz approach from behind her.

"Liz." Jack seemed to say in a rather accusing tone over Sam's shoulder and then leaned over and kissed his sister on the cheek when she got closer.

"Jack." She responded in the same tone, mocking him. "There are a bunch of us back at our usual table." She informed Jack and Andy. "Your wife just asked me if I had seen you Andy. I told her I saw you flirting with a cute red head." He waved Liz off but even so had already started to blush. "John nice catching up with you. See you Christmas I have to go save my marriage."

Liz left with Andy, leaving Sam and Jack alone. Well alone as you can be in a bar full of people who all seemed to know each other. Sam was really uncomfortable, this was not unfolding the way she had envisioned this visit. Things rarely did seem go as she planned when she was with Liz.

"So you're spending Christmas in Chicago." Jack stated more than asked.

"Yeah, I thought you were working Christmas?"

"Traded…Makepeace. He has a hot date for New Year's." Sam nodded her understanding and took a deep breath.

"So how do you feel about answering questions about what we do in the mountain over the next few days?" Jack asked

"Not in favor of it, Sir."

"Me neither."

"…"

"…"

"Well Samantha Carter, it was really nice to meet you." He put his hand out. Was he serious?

"Sir?"

"Please call me John. Jack is a dead give away we work together and Sir is even worse. I should let you get back to Liz and Jane, before people start talking." He waggled his eyebrows and shoved off from the bar and headed back to the group.

"John." She repeated. Well, she figured in this surreal world it made more sense than 'Jack.' When she looked up she realized one of the pictures on the wall behind the bar was of a very young Jack O'Neill in his pilot suit, in front of a fighter jet. The young, innocent (if he ever was) and yet very cocky smile of the then inexperienced fighter pilot. Of course she thought and headed back to Liz and Jane.

-------------

Sam sat at the breakfast table drinking coffee, picking at her toast and looking through the paper. Pumpkin came in much more energetic than she had been the night before and went to the sliding door and barked.

Sam got up and let her out and walked out with her in the probably 15 degree weather. She shivered and rubbed her arms as she was watched Pumpkin sniff around for a good place to do her business. She looked at the clouds; it was going to snow today.

Sam heard the sliding door behind her. It was 7:00am and Sam thought Liz was still in the shower. She turned around surprised to be face to face with none other than Jack O'Neill's mother. "Oh Hi dear, where's Elizabeth?" Pumpkin ran over happy to see one of her people. "Hi sweetie." She greeted the dog.

"In the shower. I'm.."

"Elizabeth told me she had a friend coming for Christmas. I'm Millie O'Neill, her mother."

"I'm Samantha Carter, ma'am."

"Nice to meet you dear, I have heard a great deal about you." Millie shook Sam's hand, gently enclosing Sam's hand with both of her hands. It was a sweet, genuine gesture. "Why don't we go back inside; I think Pumpkin is finished with her business. Aren't you dear?" The last part of course directed at the dog. They returned to the warmth of the house. "I hope we get a chance to talk while your here, but right now I need to get Liz's serving dishes and get home." Millie went to the buffet by the breakfast table and started pulling out platters and serving bowls.

Liz came downstairs when she heard the commotion in her kitchen. "Mom, what are you doing? I told you I would bring those over this morning."

"I needed them sooner than I thought. Your Aunt Rose brought her food early, I told her to bring it at ten, but there she was on my doorstep at 6:30 am, I can't imagine what time the dear got up. Bless her heart she said they predict snow this morning and she was worried about driving in it. I wasn't prepared for her. I should have gotten these earlier."

"Mom," Jack came running into the house whining. "Mom, I told you I would come over and get those, if you would just let me get dressed. Sorry, Liz. I went up to change and when I got back downstairs she was already out of the house." He brother apologized. "Mom, it's 12 degrees outside, you could have waited for the car." Pumpkin had already run over to Jack to greet him. "Hey Pumpkin, how's my girl." He let her lick his face and barked happily to greet him.

Liz was already pulling out the items she knew her mother came for and that she had intended on bringing over herself this morning.

"I'll have you know son, I have endured more than one Chicago winter without your assistance and Christmas does not wait for the weather. People expect to eat, even if it is 12 degrees outside." Jack looked at her puzzled. "Mom, you could wait 10 minutes for me to get dressed and get the car."

She ignored his edgy tone and took inventory of the dishes.

"Liz the gravy boat?" Her mother inquired.

"John there are two boxes upstairs in my den. One with the punch bowl and the other has the gravy boat and a few other things for Mom, could you get them?"

"Why yes Liz, I would be happy to." Emphasizing this to his mother. Who took no notice of his sarcasm.

Sam stood there taking it all in, learning more of their family dynamics from watching this little scene than she had from all of the stories she had heard. And, between her visits with Liz, dinner with Liz, Jack and Mike and last night at the bar, she had heard quite a few.

"Where's Michael?" her mother asked.

"Still delayed. He's trying to get home, Mom."

"Everything alright?" Jack asked concerned. Never knowing where Mike was, he didn't know if he should be worried.

"Fine a couple of trainees were injured. I was just going to check my email, when I found Mom rummaging through my buffet."

"I don't understand the two of you. Of course, Michael will be home soon. He wouldn't miss Christmas." Liz and Jack rolled their eyes and went back to their tasks.

"Can I do anything to help?" Sam asked.

"Yes dear, thank you. You're tall. Can you go upstairs in Liz's linen closet and get the white table cloths on the top shelf? There should be four of them." Sam looked to Liz, who nodded. She walked towards the stairs, Jack was coming down so she waited for him before she began her ascent.

"Samantha." He finally acknowledged her.

"John." They avoided eye contact, this was far too alien for either of them to acknowledge.

"Okay Mom, I am not bringing my food over until tomorrow morning. That's still when you want it right." Liz confirmed.

"Yes dear you are an angel. You're coming today at two, right? Johnny already vacuumed for me, so I am ready." Sam tried to think of Colonel O'Neill with a vacuum. He probably did vacuum after all he was a single man. Still…

"Yes, I am all yours after I help Sister Regina with the Christmas decorations before the four o'clock Mass."

"John you should go help them."

"I'm sure they have enough help Mom, I am here to help you."

"Don't you think they could use his help Liz?"

"Mom, we have it covered, Johnny can help you."

"Lizzie!" Mike came bounding in loudly through the front door.

"Mike!" Liz ran and jumped into the arms of her soldier home for Christmas. She kissed him passionately. Pumpkin jumped up on him and greeted him as well.

Millie continued her work and Jack and Sam tried to find things to do to keep busy and not acknowledge the two of them. When they finally broke for air, they were still in there own little world with loving terms of endearment. The first thing Sam heard was.

"Hey the living room's still blue, must be a record." Finally they rejoined the rest of the room and everyone welcomed Mike home.

"Hey, Congratulations Lt. Colonel Jensen!" Jack shook his hand and patted him on the back at the same time.

"Thanks." Mike said. Sam congratulated him as well.

The car was packed, Sam offered to help Jack unpack the car at his Mom's to give the Jensen's a little time alone this morning. Even though she was not comfortable about going to Jack's mother's home, she thought it better than to be in the Jensen home this morning.

Sam took one of the boxes from Jack and followed Millie into the house. It was similar to Liz's. She walked through the living area to the kitchen there were several tables set up already. And, sure enough there was the blue tile kitchen floor. It was actually a quite tasteful tile and the color was not nearly as bad as Jack and Mike had led her to believe. From the look of Millie's house, Sam imagined Millie did not do anything that wasn't tasteful.

She took direction from Millie and helped out where she could. Sam wouldn't know where to begin to serve dinner to the 40 plus people she understood would be there the next day. According to the schematic Millie had drawn up, much of the current furniture would be removed and the there would be more tables set up to accommodate everyone and the basement would be set up with two tables for the children.

Millie instructed Jack and Sam to set up the basement. As they set up the tables for the children, Sam had to ask. "You're family does this every year?"

"Unbelievable isn't it? I don't get back every year, truthfully I can't take this every year. Doesn't your family get together for Christmas?" He had only met Jacob – he didn't know who else she would be missing this Christmas.

"No." And, she didn't supply any further information on that.

Millie watched the two of them and could tell they were familiar with one another. When Sam went to the restroom. Millie cornered Jack.

"John you know Samantha?"

"She's Liz's friend Mom." He tried avoiding her, but knew better. "We work together Mom. Liz met Sam when she came to visit me earlier this year and they hit it off."

"She's in the Air Force?"

"Yes Mom."

"You like her." She stated, it was not a question.

"Mom! Stop treating me like I'm 13. I'm her commanding officer. She and Liz are friends. That's it. Nothing else to it." He walked away from her before she could get anything else out of him. There is nothing else to get, he chastised himself.

Mike and Liz arrived a little while later. With big smiles which were certainly due to more than Christmas cheer. Jack and Sam came up from the basement to find Millie going over the list with Mike of which relatives would need to be picked up tomorrow so that they would not have to drive in the snow.

"Hi Sam," Liz greeted her with a big smile.

"Hi Liz, having a good Christmas Eve?" Of course she didn't have to answer.

"You should come with us John." Mike invited.

"No you kids run along and have fun. I'm going to hold down the fort."

"No John you should go." Millie insisted.

Mike and Liz sharing a knowing look. Mike distracted Millie, while Liz pulled Jack to the side. "Johnny you have to leave the house."

"What?"

"Shhh. Mom's tired, but she won't tell anyone she needs to take a nap, so if there are people here she will over work herself."

"Since when, Mom doesn't take naps."

"Jack Mom is almost 70. She won't admit it to anyone, but she needs to take more breaks, so Mike and I kind of build them into the day for her so that she can maintain her dignity. You don't need to go with us, but she needs to think you are."

Jack was a little saddened at the reality. His mother was a 5'2" dynamo of a woman. The woman still walked 2 miles a day, she even had a treadmill in the basement for the really cold days. The realization that his mother was actually getting older shouldn't have surprised him, heck he was getting older. But, it did bother him.

"Alright campers, baby Jesus doesn't set up the manger himself." They all looked at him strange. "Let's go." He kissed his mother and saw more of the wrinkles that lined her face. He kissed her again. "I love you, Mom."

She smiled shyly, "Go on Johnny, have fun. Please for me." He looked at her quizzically. And wondered which one of them was being played here, or maybe both were, or maybe he was just overly suspicious.

Along the way they picked up Jane.

The church was bustling with activity. Preparation for the Christmas Mass could not begin until the daily Mass was over. So the Advent decorations could not be taken down until 9am. By the time they had arrived the large Advent wreath that hung near the alter had been lowered and the Advent banners had been lowered. People were folding and packing up as the Christmas decorations were being brought in. Mike and Jack helped them bring in the 18 Christmas trees that would decorate the church and helped erect the stable for the manager. Sam helped Liz put the white lights on the trees. While Jane set up the white candles. She seemed to be shyly flirting with a man who had come in later.

"Jane dating again Liz?"

"I don't know. He looks a little familiar, but I can't place him."

"It's good to see you Jonathan. Staying out of trouble's way?" Sister Regina asked.

"Sister, can't seem to find any where to hid from it." She smiled. Sister Regina and Jack connected the day he walked in for first grade. He walked up to her and introduced himself. "Jonathan O'Neill, Sister. Mom says God has a special plan for me, because even though trouble always seems to find me I always seem to find a way out." She appreciated the warning and understood by the end of his first day. Sister Regina spent the next ten years or so trying to make it a little harder for trouble to find him.

The church was transformed from the blues and purples of Advent to the gold, white, green and red of Christmas. The trees were lit with white lights and baby Jesus was in the manager.

"Jane we're heading out for lunch." Liz went to let her know they were ready to leave.

"Liz I'd like you to meet Brian, he is the pediatrician I told you about who transferred from Salt Lake a couple of months ago." Liz vaguely remembered the conversation and thought well at least he isn't a surgeon. While surgeon's were a necessary evil, she preferred not to socialize with them.

"Nice to meet you Brian." As Liz watched the two of them she realized that they were a lot more familiar with each other than Jane had let on. Jane had not said much about him, which meant she was trying very hard not to get her hopes up. But, her smile gave her away and showed that she was failing miserably at that endeavor. "Very nice to meet you Brian." And, Liz kicked into social director gear. "This is Sam, that over there is my magnificent husband Mike and my brother John. Do you have family in Chicago?"

"No I just moved here. My parents live in Florida. Being the new guy I'm on call for Christmas, so I couldn't go see them."

"Well then you have to come over for Christmas dinner tomorrow." Jane looked hopeful and terrified all at the same time. She was afraid her adopted family might be too much for this budding romance.

"Oh I couldn't intrude, but thank you." Brian declined politely.

"No intrusion, really. You must come, I insist. I won't take no for an answer."

"Actually it's more like she doesn't know how to take no for an answer. In fact come to think of it she might not even understand what the word means." Jack interrupted.

"I blame you entirely Johnny. As my big brother it was your job to teach me those sorts of things."

"I blame you too John. What are we talking about?" Mike joined in. He found it was always a good idea to blame John for the short-comings of his lovely wife.

"I was inviting Brian for dinner tomorrow he's a new doc at St. Anthony's and can't get to his family because he's on call."

"Hi Brian, Colonel John O'Neill." Jack kicked into older brother gear and Mike shored up behind him and Jane panicked inside. But then she also felt honored that they would care that much about her.

"Colonel Mike Jensen." Sam and Liz rolled their eyes at their bravado.

"So what's for lunch?" Jack's stomach demanded to know.

The six headed out for lunch.

Turned out Brian could handled the two Colonels just fine – after all he dealt with children all day long.

-------------

They managed to make it back to the house by two to set up. First, the furniture had to be brought upstairs to the spare rooms and tables and chairs set up around the house. Plates, glasses and silverware were inventoried. Millie would never let her guests eat Christmas dinner on paper plates. Only the children were allowed to do that.

Millie fed them dinner and Mike, Liz and Sam left to go and return later for the drive to midnight mass. Sam welcomed the chance for a nap. 0700 when she met Millie O'Neill for the first seemed like a long time ago.

Several hours later, Millie proudly walked into the church on her son's arm. Jack looked dashing in the black pants, sweater and jacket. Sam had to stop herself from starring more than once which Liz did not miss. The church was beautiful with the lit trees and shimmering gold banners.

Jane and Brian, and Sister Regina sat with them. Sam recognized several other people from the bar from the previous night.

She had not been to midnight Mass since her mother was alive. Being here brought back a flood of memories. Her mother loved this service with the candle light and smells of incense and pine, she had to wipe away a few tears at particular moments during the Mass.

-------------

Christmas morning arrived quickly. Mike made Sam and Liz breakfast and then they got ready and headed to Millie's. Sam quickly realized that Christmas for this family wasn't about presents; it was about spending time with family and friends and about food.

The final touches were applied and by 1:00pm the tree lights were blinking, the food was set out and the Christmas music was playing in the background. The house smelled like everything good you could image. A few people had arrived early to help set up and bring over more food, but for the most part the festivities started at 1:00pm as schedule.

There were people everywhere. Sam watched as Jane introduced Brian around; Jane was definitely a part of this family. Sam had been introduced around by Liz and Millie when the occasion presented itself. For the most part Sam just tried to step in and help Millie whenever she saw a need. Because if she sat still Jack would enter her line of sight and he looked really nice all dressed up. Without the safety of the uniforms to keep her well trained mind on the tasks at hand she could see the twinkle in his eyes more clearly as he teased Liz, and his grin was more relaxed away from the pressures of the mountain. He was a very handsome man, hard not to notice him. And, that was exactly why she kept returning to lend a helping hand, whether it be washing a few dishes or adding more punch to the bowl.

Jack watched her from across the room. At one point he had seen her washing dishes with his mother. They were talking and laughing, he was wondering just how much Samantha Cater would know about him by the time they returned to work. Later when he saw her laughing with Liz and a few of his younger cousins he was taken by surprise by how beautiful she was when she laughed.

She was wearing a red cashmere sweater, and he could barely keep his eyes off of her. He felt this desperate need to find out if the sweater was as soft as it looked. He had resisted all afternoon and as the sun faded he found himself losing the battle as he crossed the room. He ran his lightly across the small of her back.

When Sam felt his hand on her back she shivered slightly under his touch. She turned and saw him. As if it were an alternate universe, for a brief moment in time they were just John and Samantha and it was Christmas. The noise of room dissipated as she leaned toward his mouth just a little to hear his question, and she could feel his breath on her ear.

"Samantha, would you like something to drink?"

Time seemed slower in that moment. "Yes, thanks John that would be nice." The very light pressure of his hand left her back and as he walked away time seemed to resume it's normal pace. He walked back toward the kitchen, trying very hard to remind himself that Samantha was really Captain Samantha Carter – it was easier to remember where the lines were when she was in her BDU's calling him 'Colonel' and 'Sir', than here calling him John, wearing that damn sweater.

Jack finally managed to get to the punch bowl and get something for Sam. She probably thought he had gotten lost in his own mother's house.

But when he returned he found her deep in conversation with Jane and his mother. Millie asked Liz and Mike to check on the state of the basement where the children had eaten. And, then Millie and Jane cornered Sam.

"Sam this June is Liz and Mike's fifth anniversary and we" Jane moved her finger between herself and Millie "are throwing them a party. We want your help."

"Sure what do you need from me?"

"We are trying to get Liz to get out of town and we were hoping she could come to Colorado Springs and visit you."

"I don't know if that is such a good idea. She's already coming in March to go skiing."

Jane bit her thumbnail disappointed.

"What about the cabin?" Sam asked.

"The cabin!" Jane and Millie repeated conspiratorially.

"You three look like you're up to something." He handed Sam the punch. "Oh yeah, definitely up to something." They informed him of his part of the plan and changed the topic before Liz found them. Sam and Jane arranged to make additional plans by phone and email over the next six months.

The evening was finally winding down, "So when's your flight back?" Jack asked Sam, trying his hand at small talk.

"Can't wait to be rid of me, huh?" she accused him lightheartedly.

"No, just curious."

"I filed a flight plan for 1400 on Monday, but it looks like I'm going to have to leave tomorrow or risk being snowed in by the system on the heals of this morning's storm. I don't want to risk being snowed in."

"Flight plan? You flew here? Samantha Carter you have a plane?"

"Yep."

"Carter you are full of surprises."

"Thank you, I think." His smile ensured her it was a compliment.

"Well if you do manage to get out of here tomorrow can I catch a ride back with you? I'd rather not risk it either. What is it?"

"Excuse me?"

"The plane Samantha. What kind of plane do you have?"

"Piper Seneca"

"Twin engine, very nice?" She rewarded him with one of her huge smiles. She was proud of her baby. She had rebuilt the entire engine. Maybe that was better than a plant. She would have to check with Liz on that one later.

"Enjoying the mayhem of an O'Neill Christmas?"

"Yeah, your family is great. Your mother is really sweet."

"She has her moments." He replied sarcastically.

"Growing up Christmas was usually over by the time Mark and I tore through the wrapping on our gifts."

"And, now."

"It's been Christmas courtesy of the USPS for sometime now." She could tell he didn't understand. "We just send each other gifts."

"Ahhh." He suddenly found himself appreciating his family through her eyes. "Merry Christmas Samantha." He raised his glass.

"Merry Christmas John."

-------------

They spent the next morning restoring Millie's house to it's proper self.

"John I like your girlfriend. She is very sweet." Millie whispered to her son.

"Mom she is not my girlfriend she is Liz' friend," he disputed.

She brought her hand to his face and smiled, "I am so glad you found someone to make smile. You deserve to be happy sweetheart." And there it was. His mother was set on that one like ants on a picnic. He smiled, walked away, shaking his head.

Sam hated saying goodbye to Liz after such a short visit, but she couldn't risk getting snowed in and besides Liz would not miss her with Mike here. They had plans to ski in CO in March. And, then she would be back in Chicago in June, even if Liz didn't know about that one.

When she next saw Jack at the mountain – it was Carter and Colonel and her world had once again gratefully slipped safely and securely back into place.