The Greatest Gift of All
Through the window I can see
Snow begin to fall
Knowing you're in love with me
Is the greatest gift of all
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack exited the gate gracefully, ignoring the mild vertigo that having one's molecules disassembled and reassembled when one traveled by wormhole inevitably caused and watched thoughtfully as Carter hurried down the stairs that led from the gate into her father's arms. He was still unclear as to how it was he'd exactly come to be here...with her and with Jacob, on Christmas Eve. Had it only been yesterday that he'd gone to visit her in her lab and found her busily working at her computer?
"Whatcha' doing?" Was that a guilty look he saw on her face when she looked up from the computer screen?
"Ah...just copying some stuff for Dad."
Okay, that had him intrigued. What could Jacob need from Earth? He walked around her desk and peered over her shoulder at the computer screen. It took him a moment to figure out what she had on her screen. And then he grinned, rocking back on his heels. "The Very Best of Elvis Costello? You're downloading music for your Dad? Isn't that illegal?"
She frowned. "I'm just copying the CD that I bought to an MP3 player. Nothing illegal about that."
"Uh huh. The Tok'ra don't have any music of their own?" The frown again, but this time he could see her lips quivering a bit. He knew she was trying not to smile.
"It's for Christmas. He told me once that the one thing he really misses-besides The New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle-are his favorite CDs."
"What else you copying?" he asked, intrigued now at what kind of music Jacob liked.
"Oh, some classical, country-western, a little classic rock." She waved her hand toward at stack of CDs piled by the computer.
Jack picked up the top one, Jefferson Airplane? He couldn't quite imagine Jacob and White Rabbit, but then he had to acknowledge this was a side of the man he didn't know too well. Of course, the next CD was The Essential Mozart. "Is Jake coming to Earth for Christmas?"
"No, I'm going off-world to meet him, actually."
"Oh." He set the CD back down, a distinct feeling of disappointment washing over him. She wasn't going to be on Earth for Christmas. Which mean she wouldn't be over at Fraiser's on the twenty-fifth, when Fraiser hosted what had now become an annual event, Christmas dinner for those who were either alone or stranded at the SGC over the holidays. He was invited, of course. He was always invited. And this was the first year he had actually considered going...because Carter was going to be there too. "I thought you were going to be here?"
She looked at him and the tender look in her eyes did funny things to his insides. "I only got the message late yesterday that he was in between missions and could meet up with me for a few days."
"And Hammond okayed it?" He knew Hammond could be generous, but to activate the gate for personal reasons-even if it was for Carter and her Dad was unexpected.
She chuckled. "I have to ship out with SG-3 at 0500 tomorrow and then gate to the planet where Dad is from their destination. For economic and security reasons," she added.
"Well, sounds good, Carter." He backed up a few steps, intending to make his exit before he made a fool of himself. "I'm sure you'll have a great time. Give your Dad my best."
She did something totally unexpected then, she reached out and laid her hand on his arm. "Why don't you come with me?" Her voice was soft and gentle and he couldn't quite focus on what she said because all he could feel was her hand on his arm.
"What?" he managed to mumble.
"Why don't you come with me? It's only for a few days." She paused then and he could see she was starting to have second thoughts. "That is if you don't have anything else planned."
She knew he didn't have anything else planned. And it was tempting, so very tempting.
"And if you're worried about Hammond, well, Dad is supposed to deliver some important Intel, as well."
He hadn't really thought about the appropriateness of her invitation, but accepting would certainly be easier if there was some official reason for the trip-and for him to go along. Which he suddenly realized was something he really wanted to do.
"No, that's great." She looked confused and he quickly added, "I accept-your invitation." Her smile lit up the room and Christmas wasn't looking quite as bleak.
So, that was how, less than twenty-four hours later, he was standing shivering slightly in the cool air, at a Stargate in the middle of a small valley on a planet that Carter had told him was called Haroun. And even though Carter had assured him that Haroun was perfectly safe, Jack still carefully scanned the lightly wooded area surrounding the gate, taking note of the not-so-distant snow-covered mountains, as he slowly descended the stairs and approached the two Carters. He stood off to the side and watched as the two talked animatedly, the delight on Sam's face making him smile.
"Jack," Jacob turned to him, holding out his hand. Transferring his P-90 to his left hand, Jack shook Jacob's hand. "Glad to see you. Surprised," Jacob looked at Sam then and Jack caught the hint of some undercurrent he didn't quite get, "but glad you came."
"Yeah, it's hard to say no to your daughter." Sam snorted, Jacob smiled and Jack felt himself start to relax a little bit. "So, where's this Tok'ra hotel?" Jack looked around the suspiciously empty meadow before finally noticing the horse-drawn wagon parked to one side. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Jacob, who merely grinned.
"It's not a hotel, more of a safe house where we can come and rest and recuperate between missions."
"This is a Tok'ra thing?" Jack asked, following after Jacob and Carter who had started towards the wagon, because it definitely didn't sound like the Tok'ra.
They had reached the wagon and Jacob helped Sam remove her pack, swinging it into the back of the wagon. "Oh, it's not really a Tok'ra 'thing', this is Saroosh's home world. She was a great believer in the restorative power of getting away from it all periodically." Jack handed Jacob his pack, which he heaved into the wagon while he spoke. "A policy which has been adopted with varying degrees of success by most of the Tok'ra."
Jacob turned then and looked speculatively at them. "Someone's going to have to ride in back."
"You take shotgun, Carter," Jack said immediately. This was her father after all.
She smiled, that one that always did the thing to his insides and started walking towards the rear of the wagon. "No, that's all right, sir. You ride with Dad."
Jack nodded and helped her into the wagon while Jacob untied the horse. The back was filled with hay and he watched as she settled down against their packs. "You're sure this is okay?" he asked.
She smiled again. "I'm fine. Enjoy your chat with Dad." And then she winked at him. Oh, she could be so evil sometimes and he wondered again about the look that had passed between the two Carters earlier. He gave her the 'you are so going to pay for this if it turns out bad' look and followed Jacob to the front of the wagon.
Jacob vaulted onto the seat and Jack looked from him to the two rather large horses hitched to the wagon. "You sure you know how to drive this thing?"
"You'd be surprised at some of the stuff Selmac knows," Jacob replied, picking up the reins. Jack hastily clambered up onto the high bench seat and ignored the soft snicker he heard coming from the wagon bed.
Twenty minutes later, after running out of small talk with Jacob, Jack decided Sam had deliberately set him up. He only hoped the rest of their stay wasn't quite as...awkward. Not that he felt exactly awkward around Jake, but there was that whole Tok'ra thing going and then there was the whole thing with his daughter. And speaking of his daughter, Jack decided that she had definitely gotten the better end of the deal as his ass was suffering mightily on the hard wood of the seat. Or else Jacob was deliberately hitting each hole in the rutted dirty road they were following. Or it was the horses...Jack gazed at the rumps and swishing tails of the two rather large black horses pulling their wagon and wondered if they had something against him as they plodded along. He shifted restlessly and ignored Jake's soft chuckle. He knew where Carter got her sense of humor.
"Don't worry, Jack. Not much longer."
"Just where is it we're going?" he finally asked.
"We're going to stay at a small lodge in the mountains that the Tok'ra maintain, it's run by a descendent of Saroosh's family. Haroun was once a flourishing planet, before the Goa'uld came. That was when Saroosh joined the Tok'ra." Jake made a sweeping gesture with one of his hands. "As you can see," indicating the heavily wooded area they were passing through, "there isn't much around the Stargate anymore."
"Which Goa'uld, Dad?" Sam's voice floated up from the back of the wagon.
"Selmac tells me that it was Chronos who originally decimated the population and he was only looking for slaves and soldiers. So, once he'd taken what he wanted, he deserted the planet. The remaining population has stayed small and hidden."
Lodge didn't sound so bad, Jack thought, sounded kind of like some place he might stay in northern Minnesota. And while the ambient temperature was probably in the high forties to low fifties right now, the ever-looming presence of the snow-capped mountains told him it probably got cold at night.
"You did pack warm clothes didn't you, sir?" Jack ignored Jake's sudden grin and wondered if Sam had taken up mind reading, or else she was feeling the same chill he was.
"Yeah, Carter." He turned and glanced over his shoulder at Sam, who looked way more comfortable than him, propped up against the side of the wagon in a nest of hay. "I do pay attention when you talk."
"Of course you do, sir," she answered, laughter filling her voice.
He frowned at her and she didn't even have the grace to look ashamed. Jake laughed out loud, snapping the reins and encouraging the horses to speed up, almost unsettling him from his perch. And Jack wondered dismally if he was going to be the butt of every Carter sly look and joke for the rest of the trip.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacob watched his daughter and the man Selmac said she loved with varying degrees of disbelief and affection. "Are you sure about this?" he questioned his constant companion again.
"As sure as anyone can be when it comes to affairs of the heart."
Jacob sighed, which earned him a curious look from his daughter. He quickly smiled at her and picked his spoon back up. Madame Palesa was an excellent cook and he had no intention on spoiling his appetite while wondering about the wisdom of Selmac's plan. Jacob wanted his daughter to be happy, he just wasn't sure the man sitting across from her, who was enthusiastically eating the creamy soup, was the man for her.
"Have I ever been wrong before?" Selmac commented dryly.
"Well, there was that one occasion on Terrana..."
"That was a completely different situation and before you were my host, I might add."
"You really think this is the right think to do?"
"You've seen them look at each other. Samantha is an attractive woman, that she has not chosen another has not escaped your attention. Denial does not become you, Jacob."
Selmac had him there. He'd suspected for a long time that Sam was more than a little interested in her commanding officer. He'd been in the military too long to be comfortable with that thought, but he was also a realist-and living with the Tok'ra these last years had shown him the futility of living anywhere but the present. Sam deserved some happiness, and so did Jack.
"Okay, here goes nothing," Jacob told his friend.
"Have a good day today, honey?"
Sam looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Yeah, it was great, Dad, just to have a chance to relax."
Jack snorted. "Only you would describe taking apart and putting back together the hyperdrive of Jake's Tel'tac as fun."
His daughter actually giggled and Jacob found himself completely stunned by it. And Jack appeared way too pleased with himself.
"What did I tell you?" Selmac just had to comment.
"What about you, Jack?" Jacob found himself compelled to ask, even if it was only to wipe the smirk off the other man's face. "Enjoy yourself?"
Jacob waited-almost patiently-while Jack reached out and broke off another piece of the delicious bread Madame Palesa had served with their dinner before answering. "As a matter of fact I did, Jacob. Had a great time."
And then the man had the nerve to wink at his daughter-right in front of him! "I don't know if I can do this, Selmac."
"Yes, you can. Just do it-or you'll never have those extra grandchildren you claim you want!"
Jacob ignored Jack and looked at Sam again. "I'm glad you had a good time, honey." He must've imbued the correct amount of regret into his voice because she immediately looked at him, the beginnings of a frown on her face.
"Dad..."
"I'm sorry, Sam. The call came through earlier."
"What call, Jake?" Jack interrupted.
"I'm going to have to leave tomorrow," he explained. "One of the other operatives I'm working with has sent word that the situation has reached a critical point sooner than we expected." She got the same look on her face that she had when she was a child and he'd had to miss her tenth birthday party because of his work. "I can't do this, Selmac," he objected.
"Her disappointment will only be temporary."
"I really hope you're right." "I'm really sorry, honey. We can have our Christmas tonight." Jacob watched as she took a deep breath and smiled bravely at him. Just like when she was a kid, he thought.
"It's okay, Dad. I understand. No holidays for the Tok'ra, right?"
"That is a shame, Jacob," Jack added. He looked at Sam. "Looks like we'll be heading back early."
"There's no reason that you two need to leave tomorrow." They both looked at him with varying degrees of bewilderment and hope on their faces.
"See, I was right," Selmac gloated.
"You don't know that yet," Jacob countered.
"Dad?"
"Just because I have to leave doesn't mean you need to cut your vacation short. You told me you were off duty until January fifth, right?"
"Well, yes..." Sam admitted.
Jack nodded slowly.
"You can stay here as long as you want. I have the place reserved for two weeks, since I wasn't sure when I'd be able to get away."
Jacob watched the silent communcation that passed between his daughter and O'Neill. Maybe Selmac was right after all.... Jack finally broke the silence.
"Sounds good, Jacob. It'd be a shame to not take advantage of Tok'ra hospitality, since it happens so rarely."
Jacob let the jibe pass, content with the pleased look his daughter's face at O'Neill's words. He had the feeling that this would be counted as one of the better Christmas gifts he'd ever given her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack sighed happily. Life was good-even on another planet. He was comfortably ensconced on the soft, comfy sofa, a fire burning merrily in the large stone fireplace, with Sam sitting right next to him. Closer than he expected, but not as close as he would have liked...but there was Jacob to consider. Who really didn't seem to mind much at all. If anything, Jack would swear that he'd been encouraging them. Like right now. That was definitely an indulgent look on Jacob's face as he sat in the large easy chair next to the sofa, or maybe it was a combination of good food, the very nice after dinner brandy they were all presently sipping, or the present he'd just opened from Sam.
"Thanks, sweetheart. This is wonderful!" Jacob enthused. "And great! Lithium batteries."
"I figure someone can work on a better power source for you, but those should get you by for a long time."
Jack smiled lazily, his gaze drawn back to the book Sam had given him. He'd teased her about giving him a picture book, but then had confessed he'd been resisting the temptation to buy the same book for some time now. He was a sucker for pictures from deep space and "Beyond" filled those expectations nicely. He was glad now that he'd stopped at the local Borders on the way home last night from the base. Sam seemed pleased with the book on star lore and mythology he'd picked out for her and Jacob had been appropriately enthusiastic with the New York Times Crossword puzzle book he'd found for him.
Jack took another sip of the brandy and watched as Jacob fiddled with the MP3 player, lost in his excitement over the gift. "You did good, Sam," he murmured.
She turned her head from where it lay against the back of the sofa and smiled at him. "This time," she answered softly. She looked over at her dad. "He's not the easiest man to buy for-even before he joined the Tok'ra."
Jack leaned forward and set his brandy down on the low table in front of them. When he settled back, he shifted closer to Sam. She didn't move and encouraged, he discreetly laced his fingers through hers, confident that from where Jacob was sitting he wouldn't see their joined hands. Sam stiffened and for a moment Jack thought she was going to pull away, but then he felt her relax again, her fingers curling around his.
"You're sure you want to stay on after your Dad leaves?" Jack kept his voice low, not really wanting to ask the question but he also didn't want to think he'd misread her signals earlier.
She squeezed his hand and murmured, "More than anything."
"Good," he rumbled softly, shifting his hand enough so that he could rub his thumb gently on inside of her wrist. He felt the delicate shiver that ran through her at his caress and smiled. This Christmas was turning out better than he could ever have expected. He looked over at Jacob, who now had the ear buds on and was apparently happily listening to his music, and sent out a silent thank-you to his unexpected benefactor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack watched, somewhat bemused, as Sam fussed over Jacob. It was a facet of her he'd never seen before and he wondered what had brought it on. Maybe the fact that it was early afternoon on Christmas day and she was saying goodbye to him. She was inspecting the Tel'tac within an inch of its life.
"You're sure we've solved the problem with the hyperdrive?" She asked, pressing the switch that opened the panel.
Jacob put his hand over the panel, preventing it from opening. "Yes, I'm sure we've got it working properly."
"I better check it again."
"You've already checked it twice," Jacob reminded her gently.
Her smile was almost rueful and she let her hand drop away from the panel. "I just...had hoped we'd have more time together."
"I know, honey." Jacob put his arm around her and kissed her temple. "And I really am sorry."
"I know," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder.
Jack felt like he was intruding on a family moment and turned to leave the engine room when Jacob stopped him.
"Jack, could I have a word with you please?"
He looked at Jacob. "Sure, what is it?"
Jacob kissed Sam's temple again and said, "I won't be a minute." He walked over to Jack and ushered him out into the cargo bay, out of earshot of Sam. Jacob stopped then and pinned him with 'the look'. Jack had to stop himself from straightening to attention. "Just why are you here, Jack?"
"Because your daughter invited me."
"No, I want the real reason."
"I'm not sure I understand, Jacob," Jack answered slowly, his mind racing as he tried to figure out where this conversation was going. Jacob's head lowered and when he looked back up, his eyes glowed. And even though Jack knew Jacob was a Tok'ra, it still took him aback whenever Selmac appeared.
"Jacob is concerned about your intentions concerning his daughter."
"He's what?" Jack was totally caught off guard by Selmac's comment.
"You love Samantha Carter, do you not?"
He didn't know what to say to Selmac's blunt question and finally settled for, "I think that's none of your business."
Selmac nodded. "You would do well to remember, Jack O'Neill, that not only will you have to answer to Jacob Carter if you hurt Samantha, you will also have to answer to me."
The whole conversation was decidedly surreal and once again Jack didn't know what to say. He was rescued however, by the timely reappearance of Jacob-but then again, maybe not. "Normally Selmac is a bit more diplomatic than I am, Jack."
"Jacob, I swear-" Jacob held up his hand and Jack stopped talking.
"I don't want to hear it." And then, to make the whole situation even more confusing, Jacob smiled at him. "Merry Christmas."
"Ah, Merry Christmas to you, too," Jack stammered.
"Sam, I've got to go!" Jacob yelled back down the corridor. And while Jack still wasn't sure what had just happened, he had the distinct impression that Jacob-and Selmac-had just given him permission to have a relationship with Sam. He stopped dead in the hatchway between the cargo bay and the bridge of the Tel'tac, a huge grin splitting his face...a relationship...with Sam.
And he was still grinning when he and Sam said their final good-byes to Jacob, waving as the Tel'tac lifted effortlessly into the cloudy sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feeling restless, Sam set her book down and got up from the settee, going to stand by the window in the spacious living room. Pulling the curtain back, she watched the falling snow. It had started soon after they had returned to the lodge and had been coming down steadily ever since. If she looked closely enough, she could just make out Jack as he chopped more wood for Madame Palesa, his figure just visible in the dim glow of the lantern hanging from a nearby tree. The snow was getting heavier, he wouldn't be able to stay out much longer.
Letting the curtains fall back, Sam slowly walked to the fireplace. She was both excited-and a little scared-to be here alone with Jack. And then there was the last conversation she'd had with her father before they'd left for the Tel'tac. She'd gone to his room and watched while he'd packed the few possessions he routinely traveled with.
"I'm glad you like the MP3 player, Dad." She sat down the bed. "I'll get a memory stick when I get back home and download some more songs. I can give it to you the next time we meet."
"That would be great, Sam," he commented. His manner and tone were distracted and she wondered what was bothering him. The upcoming mission?
"What's wrong, Dad?" she asked, concern filling her voice.
He paused in his packing and looked over at her. "Ah, nothing, honey. Just sorry I have to leave so soon."
"Yeah, me too." And she wasn't quite sure why she brought it up, but she added, "Thanks for letting me and the Colonel stay on here."
He set his bag aside then and came and sat down on the bed next to her, his whole expression somber. She asked again, "What's wrong, Dad?"
"Did I ever tell you about when your Grandfather Montgomery and I first met?"
"No..." she answered slowly.
"I was just a lowly first lieutenant, stationed out at Nellis. I met your mother on a blind date arranged by the sister of one of the other guys I was stationed there with."
Sam listened entranced, it was so seldom that her father ever talked about her mother.
"Anyway, your grandfather was a highly respected and well-known surgeon in Las Vegas at that time. And he had far greater aspirations for his only daughter than for her to become involved with an Air Force officer-and a mere lieutenant who could get shipped out to 'Nam anytime, at that. It didn't stop me though, and it didn't stop your mother." He paused then, a faraway look in his eyes before he eventually continued. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I understand what it's like."
"I don't understand, Dad."
He looked directly at her, his brown eyes filled with a tenderness she was unaccustomed to seeing from him. "You and Jack, I understand."
"Dad..." she stammered and blushed. Unable to meet his eyes, she looked down at her hands.
"It's okay, honey." He stood then and picked up his bag. "I just wanted you to know."
She looked up at him then and saw him, as he would have been back then, in the late sixties, a brash and cocky first lieutenant intent on having the one woman he couldn't have. And she realized he did understand, perhaps better than anyone did-and perhaps even better than her and Jack.
She stood and took the few steps that brought her to his side. He looked at her curiously and she just smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Dad."
The heavy slam of the door just off the kitchen roused her from her memories and she could just make out the vague sounds of Madame Palesa fussing over Jack and the deeper murmurs of his replies. Their voices grew closer and she heard Madame Palesa say, "I shall bring you some hot tea, to warm you until it is time for the evening meal."
"That would be great, Madame P," she heard Jack reply.
And then he was there, silhouetted in the entryway to the living room. Her heart did its usual flip-flop when she saw him and then it settled into a slow, steady rhythm. She could feel the blood flowing through her veins, the oxygen moving in and out of her lungs, all her sense heightened and attuned to the man standing before her.
His cheeks were flushed from the cold and he gave her a quick smile as he walked over to stand by the fireplace. He stood with his back to her then, stretching his hands out to the fire. "Getting cold out there," he commented. He looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes filled with tenderness and something more. "Nice and warm in here though," he added.
Still feeling a bit off balance by the whole chain of events surrounding their visit to Haroun, and her father's subsequent departure, she merely nodded and walked back over to the settee, where her book still lay. Despite the fact that she had told Jack that she wanted to be here with him, now that they were actually alone, she was overcome with apprehension. What if she had read too much into his invitation to stay behind after her father left? What if all he really wanted was a vacation away from the rigors of their job and daily lives? What if all he wanted was some fun and games?
"Hey." Her eyes jerked up at the sound of his voice, he was standing right in front of her. When had he left the fireplace? She stopped breathing when he reached out and gently grasped her shoulders, his touch burning right through her sweater to the skin below. He squeezed her shoulders gently. "Don't think so much, okay? No expectations or demands. We can go back to Earth whenever you want." He gave her a crooked smile, "Except maybe tonight. Too much snow."
She smiled, the tension that had filled her dissipating with his words. And she wasn't nervous anymore. She thought of her mother and wondered briefly if she had had the same kinds of doubts regarding her father? If she had, she obviously hadn't let them interfere with her relationship with him. Sam knew she'd been given an opportunity that might never come again and she was filled with renewed courage.
"But what if I have expectations?" she asked.
His eyes flashed with fierce desire and one hand traveled in a slow caress from her shoulder, up her throat until he cupped her cheek. "Then I guess we'll have to explore those expectations together," he murmured.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his caress, the embers of desire that never died completely burning into new life.
"Ah, here we are then." Madame Palesa bustled into the room. "Some nice, hot tea."
Damn...she had forgotten about the tea. She tried to pull away from Jack as Madame Palesa wheeled a teacart into the room, but Jack wouldn't let her. He let go of her, but immediately pulled her to his side, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Looks great," he told their smiling hostess.
The rest of the evening passed both excruciatingly slow and far, far too fast for Sam. Warmed by the promise in Jack's eyes and the fragrant tea, she was content to sit with Jack on the settee, just talking and looking idly through the books they'd received from each other for Christmas. Dinner was served and Sam knew the food was delicious, but knew she wouldn't be able to tell anyone what exactly it was she ate...her attention so wholly focussed on the man sitting across from her.
"Would you like coffee here or in the lounge?"
"Sam?"
"What?" Sam looked at Jack and then realized that Madame Palesa was in the room, clearing away their now empty plates. Which meant she must have eaten something.
"Do you want coffee?"
Did she want coffee? She didn't think so; there was really only one thing she wanted right now...to continue what had been interrupted earlier. "No, I don't think so." She set her napkin on the table and keeping her eyes locked on Jack's face, she reached across the table and laid her hand on top of his where it rested on the table. "I think I'm ready to go upstairs." His dark brown eyes filled with the same desire she'd glimpsed earlier and he stood, taking her hand and pulling her up with him.
Sam was only vaguely aware of Madame Palesa's knowing chuckle and her cheerful, "Goodnight," as Jack led her from the dining room. Her promise to hold their breakfast until they woke in the morning-whenever that was, echoing up the stairs after them. Last night the corridor that led to the bedrooms hadn't seemed quite so long but they were finally outside the door to her room.
Jack paused then for the first time since they'd left the dining room and looked at her, his hand hovering over the door handle. "Are you sure this is what you want, Sam?" His voice was surprisingly serious and she forced herself to really listen instead of just feel. "Because once we go through this door, there's no going back."
He meant it, she realized. Both of their lives would change once they finally crossed the line they had held to for so long. And he meant it to be permanent...which both thrilled and frightened her. Nothing would be the same from this moment onward; her nice, orderly existence would disappear-to be replaced with the uncertainty and disorder that came from sharing your life and your love with a man. And she had never been more certain of anything in her entire life.
She placed her free hand over his on the door handle. "This is what I want, Jack." She pressed on his hand then and felt the handle start to move. "This is what I've always wanted."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack felt the last of his fear disappear with Sam's words. That he wanted her was something he'd lived with for a long time now, that she wanted him was something for which he would be eternally thankful. Her lips curved into a tender smile and Jack belatedly realized that the door latch had released. He grinned back at her and backed through the door, pulling her with him.
The door swung shut behind them and Jack stopped once they were in the middle of the room, keeping hold of both her hands. He glanced quickly around the room, Madame Palesa had obviously been in while they were at dinner. The oil lamp on the small table next to the bed was lit and cast a warm glow over the room, complimented by the fire burning brightly in the stone fireplace. The covers on the bed had already been turned back, the crisp white sheets, fluffy pillows and comforter looking all cozy and inviting.
He finally looked back at Sam, a part of him still marveling that what he had dreamed of for so long was finally going to happen. Tightening his grip on her hands, he tugged her closer, running his hands slowly up her arms, to her shoulders, until she was right in front of him and he cradled her face between his large hands. He felt her hands come to rest at his waist, her luminous blue eyes filled with love and trust as he slowly lowered his head.
Oh god, the first touch of his lips against hers was so powerful, he felt the sensation spread immediately through his entire body. His heart pounded, his blood racing and pooling heavily in his groin. Sliding one hand to the back of her head, he wrapped his other arm around her and immediately deepened the kiss. Her arms wrapped tightly around him and when she whimpered softly, he immediately plundered her open mouth. Her taste was the most powerful aphrodisiac and while part of him wanted to take this first time slow and easy, the part of him that had been denied for so long was more powerful.
Still keeping his mouth fastened to hers, he tugged at her sweater with one hand, only releasing her long enough to pull it over her head. His hands went immediately to her bra and it quickly joined her sweater on the floor. Sam wasn't idle either, her fingers busily tearing at the buttons on his shirt. Jack brushed her hands away and solved the problem by pulling both his shirt and T-shirt off over his head. She wasn't to be deterred though, her hands fastening on his belt next. He couldn't stop his groan; just the casual brush of her fingers against his crotch as she struggled with the belt almost caused him to explode right then.
Forcing himself to ignore her clever fingers, Jack concentrated on the fastening of her jeans. Once he'd finally released the button and the zipper, he ignored her murmur of protest and swung her up in his arms, carrying her to the bed. All but tossing her on the bed, his hands immediately went to the waistband of her jeans. She raised her hips to aid him when he tugged them down her legs, pulling her jeans off and stopping long enough to remove her socks at the same time.
Hastily stripping off his jeans, Jack crawled onto the large bed with her. Pulling her into his arms, his mouth captured hers in another incendiary kiss, their passion flaring out of control. The flames in the fireplace danced and flickered, casting light and shadow across the room, illuminating the lovers as they moved together, caught up in the rapture of two hearts finally joined as one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack was a heavy weight on her, but Sam didn't mind, needing the closeness of his body nestled into hers in the aftermath of their intense lovemaking. That she had found the other half of her soul, she had no doubt. Sam continued to rub his back, his neck, his head, murmuring gentle endearments and eventually his breathing evened out and she wondered idly if he'd gone to sleep. So she was surprised when she felt his body suddenly tense against her and she reluctantly let her arms fall from around him when he slowly eased himself out of her body and her embrace.
Sam felt incredibly cold and bereft when he left her, but he rolled to his side and immediately pulled her back into his arms. He yanked the covers up over them and she snuggled into his embrace, the feel of him surrounding her filling her with a deep contentment.
"Glad you invited me along?"
"Yes," she admitted, ignoring the smug tone of his question.
"Good." The arm he had draped around her waist suddenly tightened. "So you know your father set this whole thing up?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Because Madame Palesa told *me* he told *her* before we got here yesterday that he'd be leaving today. And he told us that he'd gotten that emergency call *after* we arrived."
She laughed softly. "Well, I figured he was up to something, since he was the one who suggested I invite you along."
"A good Christmas gift then?" And this time his voice wasn't smug, there was an element of uncertainty that tugged at her heart.
Turning her head so she could see his beloved face, she smiled tenderly and murmured, "The greatest gift of all."
The Greatest Gift of All
John Jarvis
Dawn is slowly breaking
Our friends have all gone home
You and I are waiting
For Santa Claus to come
There's a present by the tree
Stockings on the wall
Knowing you're in love with me
Is the greatest gift of all
The fire is slowly fading
Chill is in the air
All the gifts are waiting
For children ev'rywhere
Through the window I can see
Snow begin to fall
Knowing you're in love with me
Is the greatest gift of all
Just before I go to sleep
I hear a church bell ring
Merry Christmas ev'ryone
Is the song it sings
So I say a silent prayer
For creatures great and small
Peace on earth goodwill to men
Is the greatest gift of all
Peace on earth goodwill to men
Is the greatest gift of all
mscorkill@earthlink.net
Story Notes: My answer to the S&J list 2003 Christmas challenge. The following criteria had to be met: Christmas off world; a handhold (between Sam/Jack, obviously); and the story summary is lyrics from a Christmas song. Many thanks to Wendy and Linz for all their help.
Feedback: Cheerfully accepted.
Email: mscorkill@earthlink.net
Copyright © M. Susan Corkill, December 2003
Feedback: Cheerfully accepted.
Email: mscorkill@earthlink.net
Copyright © M. Susan Corkill, December 2003
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]