Disclaimer: None of the characters from Stargate: SG1 are mine; I just enjoy playing with them. No remuneration of any kind has been exchanged in relation to this work of fiction. All rights are retained by the legal owners of the Stargate franchise, its subsidiaries, licensees and assigns.

Summary: Can two people running from their past find peace, belonging and true love in a small town at Christmas time? When Sam Carter's car breaks down just outside a small Minnesota town full of crazy but loveable characters her unexpected holiday detour introduces her to Jack O'Neill, a man who is sorely in need of some Christmas cheer. Very AU; totally S/J.

Author's Note: A special Christmas present for my friend SGSuzi on GW. This is really out of the box for me. I blame it on too many Lifetime holiday specials!

Star Gates Crossing

Chapter 1: Crossing Paths

Sam Carter cursed to the empty air as she once again tried unsuccessfully to start her car. It was a classic in the sense that it was not old enough to be called an antique and too run down to be called modern, or at this moment working. It was pitch black and freezing cold. One might think it was the middle of the night, but actually it was just winter in northern Minnesota. It was only a little after 8 pm. Still, the road seemed deserted and Sam was well and truly stuck.

She switched on her emergency lights, bundled into an old Air Force jacket, and stepped out into the blustery air to take a look. She enjoyed tinkering and considered herself a fair mechanic, but it seemed like the internal workings of her car were being held together by nothing more than chewing gum and chicken wire. There really wasn't much she could do without a fully stocked auto shop and whole lot of money. Two things she certainly did not have at the moment. Still, she couldn't just stay out here all night. Her ears were already numb as the short spikey blond mane she sported gave them little protection from the biting December winds. Why didn't she think to wear a hat?

She yanked some tools out of her trunk and went to work. After a few minutes another string of expletives escaped her lips. That kind of language really wasn't the norm for her, but she had just cut a gash across her palm when the small flashlight she had balanced precariously on the frame of the car slipped and she thrust her arm down past the engine block trying to catch it.

The flashlight cast a pale yellow glow on the icy slush beneath her car, but Sam didn't need to see to tell she was bleeding. She left the light where it fell and went around to the back seat to see if she had anything to wrap her hand. Her torso half inside the car as she rummaged around for a makeshift bandage, she didn't see the large pick-up truck careening toward the open door.

o-O-o

Jack O'Neill fiddled with the radio in his truck looking for something with a little less holiday cheer than the usual non-stop Christmas music that filled the airwaves this time of year. He finally found a classical station playing a selection from Puccini's Tosca, the opposite of holiday cheer, and cranked up the volume. It was an unlikely combination, this rugged man crisscrossing forested roads in his four by four listening to soaring arias, but Jack O'Neill was something of an enigma, even to those who knew him best.

He was looking forward to getting back to his cabin. A warm fire, a cold beer and a good book was all he needed at the end of a long day. He spotted the emergency lights of a car up a head pulled over on the side of the road. It only took a moment's debate to conclude that as much as he wanted to get home, he should stop and render some assistance if necessary. There was a strong possibility he'd be the only other person passing this way tonight. Preparing to pull up next to the car and inquire about the problem it was only at the last moment he caught sight of the rear door opened out toward the highway. With a jerk of the wheel and a sharp curse, Jack swerved to miss it. He quickly regained control and stopped his truck in front of the stranded vehicle.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack yelled as he jumped from the cab and slammed the door. He stalked right up to the startled woman who stood beside the now closed car door.

"You could have gotten us both killed!" Jack fumed.

The woman looked at him with wide, doe eyes, "I'm sorry. I was distracted. I needed something for . . ." she lifted her hand, but it was too dark for Jack to see the bloody rag wrapped around her clenched fist. "I should have been paying more attention, but this road seemed so deserted."

Jack took a deep breath and tried to calm down. The woman was obviously distressed and an angry retort wasn't going to help the situation. "So what seems to be the problem?"

Jack was not prepared for the torrent of words that followed that seemingly innocuous question. Turning to the open hood the woman began pointing out possible problems with an alarming amount of detail. Jumping in mid-sentence Jack summed up the situation, "So you're stuck."

She looked up at him and gave an embarrassed shrug, "Yeah, pretty much."

"Then I guess you'd better come with me."

"Excuse me?" She looked at him with mistrust and alarm.

He laid out the situation for her, "Look, you're not going to get a tow truck out here tonight. The closest town is about ten miles that way," he pointed vaguely in the direction of the road, "so unless you want to walk?"

Sam looked at this man who had come at her with such belligerence at first and tried to decide if she should trust him. Realizing that she really didn't have much choice – he was right; she was stuck – she decided to take the chance and go with him.

"I'm Samantha Carter."

"Samantha." Something about the way he said her name made her uncomfortable. It felt almost too intimate.

"You can call me Sam," she quickly informed him, "That's what most people call me."

"Jack O'Neill," he raised his hand to shake.

Sam lifted her hand to his without thinking. That's when he noticed the injury. He gently cradled her hand in his and examined the bandage. Something about his soft touch and intense concentration caused her to feel a little light headed.

"You can get that looked at in town too." He stared into her eyes and they both seemed mesmerized.

"Sure, thanks," Sam managed to reply. He still hadn't released her hand.

After what felt like minutes but was really only a few moments he dropped her hand and turned toward the trunk of her car. "So we should probably get your stuff and get going."

"Right." She got to work securing her car as he transferred her luggage over to his truck.

Once in the cab he turned down the music and Sam tried to make small talk. She learned he was originally from Chicago but was raised in Minnesota. He didn't live in the town they were going to, but he had a cabin a few miles away. He liked fishing. He didn't seem comfortable talking about himself and gave a lot of clipped answers to her questions. She tried to keep the conversation going by talking a little about herself. How her father was in the Air Force and she had lived all over growing up. She didn't really think of any place as home. She currently resided in D.C.

When he asked her what brought her to this neck of the woods she couldn't really give him a good answer because she wasn't exactly sure herself. In essence she was running away. She was dissatisfied with her life and she was looking for something. That sounded just a little too crazy to Sam's own ears, she couldn't imagine what this stranger might think about that. So she just settled on, "Traveling for the holidays." After that the conversation died out. Sam noted a road sign that read, "Star Gates Crossing, 8 miles."

Jack was a man who was generally comfortable with silence. He didn't like others to know his business so he didn't pry into theirs. Still, this woman sitting beside him was certainly a mystery. She was clearly intelligent. He figured that out in the first few seconds after they met. She was also a lot more beautiful than he had at first realized standing in the dark and cold by the side of the road. She had long, long legs, short blond hair, sparkling blue eyes and when she smiled, it was luminous. He wished he could think of something to say that would make her smile again and again.

He tried to tell himself to get a grip. She was just a pretty stranger passing through. What he couldn't figure out is why she was passing this way. Who travels through the back woods of northern Minnesota with no clear idea where she is going in a beat up old car and enough luggage for a very long trip? Jack told himself he didn't care. He was going to do the Good Samaritan bit and get her on her way. That was it.

o-O-o

After miles of silence that felt like an eternity to Sam, they entered a town that could only be described as quaint. It was everything you would envision from a small Midwestern town. A central square, small main street with diner, hardware store, assorted other shops, and a few subdivisions full of Scandinavian architecture. Jack pulled up in front of an inn that was all gables and gingerbread cut outs, but with the odd misnomer "Abydos Inn." Scattered about the yard and porch were numerous statues and antique looking items that appeared to reflect dozens of ancient cultures, but most seemed to be Egyptian in origin. It was a very strange, yet oddly inviting place.

Jack helped Sam out of the truck and then went to fetch her luggage as she walked up the steps and reached for the door. She was startled by a looming presence before her, a large dark man, all muscle and frowns. He glowered down at her. A golden snake emblem glittering from the fore of his bald head.

Walking past them Jack greeted the imposing stranger. "T, nice to see you in such a playful mood this evening."

The other man lifted one eyebrow and then stepped aside for the two guests to enter.

In the lobby, Sam recognized a continuation of the theme from the outside. On closer examination she could tell that some of these items were true artifacts that probably belonged in a museum. At the front desk she saw a bookish man with brown hair and glasses hunched over a computer muttering to himself. It took him a few minutes to register their presence and look up.

"Oh Jack," he spoke in a confused tone, "I didn't expect you to stop by tonight."

"Yes, well, I was picking up supplies for Cathrine's big shin dig."

The innkeeper looked over toward Sam, "This doesn't look like her usual party favor."

Coming around the desk he introduced himself, "I'm Daniel Jackson."

"Sam Carter." Sam pointed at herself nervously.

"It's nice to meet you Sam." He had a friendly face and a relaxed way about him that put Sam immediately at her ease. "What brings you to us?"

Jack jumped back into the conversation. "Car got stuck out on the highway. She'll need Siler to bring it in and take a look at it tomorrow."

Daniel gave Sam a sympathetic nod as Jack continued, "I'm assuming you have room."

"Sure. Of course. We'll get you all settled in right away." Daniel looked about as if he wasn't quite certain what to do next.

"Good!" Jack clapped Daniel on the shoulder, causing him to wince. "As long as I'm here I'll go ahead and get these things unloaded and off my hands. You can let Catherine know they're here."

Jack reached over the front desk and left something on the counter then turned toward the door. Rubbing his hands together with enthusiasm he said, "T, I know you're dying to engage in your usual witty banter with our new friend here, but if you wouldn't mind, I could use some help."

The silent man made a small bow to the room and exited with Jack, leaving Sam alone with Daniel.

"He's interesting," Sam couldn't help but opine.

"Who Teal'c?" Daniel returned to his perch beside the computer. "He's actually a lot of fun when you get to know him."

"He really liked you," Daniel added.

"Really?" Sam asked skeptically. "How can you tell?"

Daniel thought for a second and responded, "You'll figure him out. He's pretty easy to read."

"When you get to know him," they intoned together. And Sam felt more comfortable and lighthearted than she had in days.

"So let's see what we have."

Sam's good cheer faded. She didn't know how she was going to pay for this. Her credit cards were maxed out and she had left town with very little cash. She wasn't sure what she was going to do about the car either, but paying for a room was the more immediate problem.

"Daniel, I'm a little short on funds right now," Sam admitted, "So if you have something kind of cheap?"

Daniel could sense how apprehensive she was, but she needn't have worried. Jack had slapped a couple hundred bucks on the counter on his way out and Daniel was pretty certain Jack intended to cover the whole bill whatever it was. That was just something Jack would do. But Daniel also knew it's not something Jack would want anyone to know about either.

He was distracted when his computer started giving him problems again. Sam noticed and offered to help. "I know a few things about computers," she modestly explained.

Daniel invited her around and she went to work. She seemed to know exactly what to do.

"Thanks," Daniel stood behind her as she worked. "My wife was always much better at this sort of stuff. The whole innkeeper thing was her idea actually."

Sam noticed a picture of an exotic looking woman in Middle Eastern robes on the desk before her. "Is this your wife? She's very lovely."

"Yeah, she was." Seeing Sam's questioning glance he continued, "Her name was Sha're. We met in Egypt when I was on an archeological dig there."

That explains all the artifacts Sam thought.

He went on to tell about how they met and fell in love almost at first sight. After they were married things became difficult for her in her native village so they returned to the States.

"Sha're wasn't much for city life so we found a small town. SGC suited us just great, except for the cold."

"SGC?"

"Star Gates Crossing. It's a bit of a mouthful so most of the locals just call it SGC." Daniel clarified. "Actually, there are a lot more transplants around here than you would expect. It's the kind of place that draws you in."

"I'm beginning to see that." Sam had only been in this town for a few minutes and she was already feeling the allure of this place. "So what happened to Sha're?"

"She died of cancer. It was a few years ago now." Daniel gazed out into a far off place remembering his wife. "I wouldn't have gotten through it without Jack or Teal'c or my other friends here in town. The SGC is the best place I could have found to call home."

Sam felt so much sympathy for this kind man who clearly loved and missed his wife. She wished she could find someone who would mean that much to her. She thought about what she had left behind in D.C. and felt a renewed certainty that she had done the right thing.

Bringing their attention back to the computer Sam declared, "All fixed. It should be running good as new."

Daniel stepped up and punched in a few commands. "Great!" he enthused. "I tell you what, why don't I put you up in one of the smaller rooms and we'll call it even for tonight; payment for IT services rendered."

o-O-o

Looking around the luxurious surroundings Sam wonder what the other accommodations must be like if this was a smaller room. She wasn't sure what she was going to do if she needed to stay in town longer than just the one night. But she was tired, hungry too but decided food could wait until morning.

There was one thing, however, she knew she couldn't put off to the next day. She fished the cell phone out of her purse.

"Hi Dad."

Jacob Carter's worried voice came over the receiver. "Sam. Thank heavens. I've been trying to get in touch with you for three days. Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. I just needed to get away for a while. Clear my head."

"Sam, I didn't raise you to run away from your problems."

"I know." Somehow her dad always made her feel like she was five years old.

"So are you back home now?" Her father's voice sounded more accusatory than concerned.

"Not exactly."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm having car problems."

Jacob let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm not surprised. Why wouldn't you let me get you a new one?"

"Because, I can take care of myself," Sam retorted defensively.

"So you need someone to come get you."

"No." Sam panicked. That was the last thing she wanted. "I'll take care of it."

"You know Pete's worried about you. Have you called him?"

Sam knew the conversation was going to take a turn in that direction eventually, but she really didn't want to discuss her relationship with Pete tonight. "Dad, I have to go."

"Sam?"

"It's fine. I'll call you when I get back on the road."

"In what direction will you be driving?"

"I don't know," Sam admitted.

"Sam, if you're having second thoughts about the wedding . . ."

"It's not just that."

After a pregnant pause Jacob spoke again. "Pete told me you lost your job."

"I didn't lose my job. I quit."

"Why?"

"Because it's not where I want to be."

"What do you want, Sam?"

"I don't know." She needed to get out of this conversation. She had let her dad know she was alright, with that goal accomplished she really had no desire to carry this any further. They would just continue the same argument they always had about her bad choices, in his opinion, and her inexplicable need to get his approval "It's late. I'm tired. We can talk later."

She hung up the phone before her dad had a chance to say another word.

Sam lay back in the bed and tossed the phone on the covers. She pulled an elegant diamond engagement ring from the pocket of her jacket. Why couldn't she just marry Pete and be happy? Why couldn't she shake the feeling that there was something more for her somewhere?

She needed to wind down before she would be able to sleep. So she pulled out the latest novel from one of her favorite authors from one of her bags. It was a story about a father and son who find a gateway to the stars and go on great adventures together as they explore the universe and save the earth from evil alien overlords. Sam read for an hour or so before drifting off to dream about stepping through her own door way to heaven and finding adventure fulfillment and love among the stars.