Christmas Eve
Sam sighed as she walked through town. This was her first Christmas since Jack's death. It had happened two months ago.
******Two months ago******* Jack had been confined to the base because Senator Kinsey had been trying to come up with reasons to have him court-martialed and taken off of SG-1. And then there were the accidents involving Jack, too. There was the brake failure on his truck, the gas leak at his house, the truck that tried to run him off the road, and the final accident that ended his life. He'd gotten the okay to take the new Al'kesh for a test flight and while in flight it had blown up.
He'd asked her if she wanted to join him, but she'd told him no because she was afraid that everyone on base would think they were spending too much time together. Now she was sorry she hadn't gone with him.
**********************
The way she felt lately, she'd rather be dead with him than be alive, here, without him. She missed him so much it hurt. No one had been able to console her, not even Cassie. She'd been so depressed that SG-1 was still on downtime until she could pull herself together.
So, Sam found herself walking around town on this cold December day, sadly thinking about all she'd lost the day Jack O'Neill had died. She found herself walking a lot in the last couple of months, she just couldn't stand to be around the others. Now, she knew how Jack had felt when Charlie died. Daniel, Teal'c, Janet, Cassie, and Hammond were all worried about her. She was surprised her dad hadn't been called in yet.
Sam was so lost in thought that she walked into someone knocking him down. Once he'd picked himself off the ground, he turned around.
Sam wouldn't look at him, she felt herself turn red from embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there. Please forg.." Was all she got out. She stopped and stared at the man in front of her. "Jack? Jack O'Neill?"
"I'm sorry ma'am, my name's MacGyver, Angus MacGyver. But I wish I were this Jack O'Neill of yours. He's a lucky man." He smiled at her.
She couldn't believe her eyes, this guy looked so much like Jack that under normal circumstances she might have laughed. He had the same brown eyes and she couldn't see his hair because he was wearing a ski cap low over his brow. "I'm sorry, it's just that you look so much like a friend of mine. But of course you couldn't be him, he died two months ago." She gave him a sad smile.
He looked at her closely. "Are you okay, ma'am? You look like you could use a shoulder to cry on, or someone to talk to."
Sam tried to smile at him but it just wouldn't reach her eyes. She could feel the tears starting to come forth again, but she refused to cry in front of this stranger who looked like Jack. "I know I keep saying this, but I'm sorry. I'm Major Samantha Carter, but everyone calls me Sam. I want to thank you for not being upset."
He smiled at her. "Everyone calls me Mac, so I hope you will too." He stopped and looked around until he spotted what he was looking for. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee and offer you an ear to talk to?" He asked her hopefully.
She stared at him. "Thank you for your offer, Mr. MacGyver, but I should be getting home before my friends start to worry about me." She turned to walk away.
"Please, it would be my pleasure. At least let me give you a lift home so I won't have to worry about you." He asked her with hope in his eyes.
Eyes that reminded her so much of Jack that she was finding it hard to say no to him. It was so tempting to say yes, but at the same time she felt like she was betraying Jack. She was seriously thinking about accepting the ride home since it was getting colder and he was kind enough to offer. She nodded and walked back to where he stood. "Okay, I'll accept your offer for a ride, and thank you." She walked in silence with him to his jeep and he helped her get in. She gave him her address and the directions to her house, and they were on their way.
At first they didn't say much to each other on the ride, but Sam finally decided it was best to talk. "Please, forgive me if I seem to watch you, it's just that you look so much like Jack that I find myself staring at you."
He glanced over to her every so often as he talked. "I'm sorry for your loss. He must have meant a lot to you." He said.
"Thank you." She replied. "And yes, he meant a great deal to me. That's why I was so shocked when I ran into you. His death hit me very hard, well, it hit us all very hard. My friends have been so worried about me, they tried to comfort me and I tried to let them at first. But I miss him so much that nothing seems to be working. I'm even on medical leave right now because of my depression." She stopped talking, this wasn't like her to be so open with someone she didn't know. And she wasn't this open with most of her friends. He just seemed so easy to talk to. It must be because she felt like she knew him because he looked like Jack.
She looked out the window as they entered her neighborhood. "My house is at the end of the block. Well at least it is for the next couple of weeks. I'm getting ready to move." She told him as they slowed down and stopped in front of her house.
"You're moving?" He asked her with a strange, but familiar look in his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm moving to my new house. I inherited Jack's house when he died, and since I don't need two houses I thought I'd sell this one and live in his. I know it'll be hard at first with all the memories, but it'll also make it almost feel like he's still there with me." She explained.
They sat in front of her house for a few minutes watching the children play in the snow. Sam finally came to a decision and spoke before she lost her nerve. "Mr. MacGyver, I mean Mac. Would like to come inside for that coffee? It's the least I could do for the ride home."
He smiled at her and she thought to herself again, 'he looks so much like Jack when he smiles like that.' "You're welcome. I'd like a cup of coffee, and the chance to get to talk to you some more. Thank you." He replied.
They got out of the jeep and he followed her into the house. Sam went into the kitchen, but stuck her head out as an after thought. "Go ahead and make yourself at home while I make the coffee."
Once she had the pot on, she hit the play button on her answering machine. There was a message from Daniel and one from Janet and Cassie. "Hey Sam, it's Daniel. I'm going to Janet's tomorrow night for Christmas dinner, and bringing Teal'c along with me. We just wanted to know if you'd like to come along with us. I've got Jack's truck and we could pick you up on the way there. Let me know, bye." Sam hit the delete button and Janet's played next. "Sam? I know you're there. Pick up the phone, Sam. Cassie and I wanted to invite you to dinner tomorrow night. Hey, Sam. That was Cassie, anyway please say you'll come. Sam, we miss him too, and we should all be there for each other. Anyway, Sam, we love you. Call me." She deleted that message too and went to get the cups for the coffee.
"Here we go." She said as she entered the living room. She looked around for him only to find him looking at a picture of her, Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, Janet, Cassie, and Hammond. It had been taken on Cassie's first Earth birthday. "Oh, there you are."
He kept his back to her as he said. "Your friends sound like they care very deeply for you, and they sound worried."
She smiled sadly. "Yeah they're great friends, but they just don't seem to understand that I just want to be left alone this year. Janet has Cassie and Daniel, and Teal'c will join them for dinner. General Hammond has his daughter and granddaughter's that he'll be spending Christmas with. This year my brother will be with his in- laws and my dad can't get away." She wiped the tears that were streaming down her face. "I was hoping to get to spend this Christmas with Jack, ha and I had made a pact to do that. Then he'd died."
He slowly turned around. "I'm sorry." Was all he said, but it was enough from the look on her face.
She just stared at him as she started walking towards him. She reached for his cap and pulled it off of his head. Underneath was the gray hair she loved so much and above his left eye was the scar that ran through his eyebrow. It was him, it was Jack. "Is it really you, Jack?" She asked hopefully. 'Please let it be him, please say yes.' She said to herself.
He smiled and reached out to caress her face. "Yes, Sam, it's me. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you or any one else. General Hammond and Thor are the only two besides you that know I'm alive. Thor beamed me off the ship before it blew." He took her into his arms and held her tight. I'm so sorry, Sam, I really wanted to tell you. In fact I asked Hammond if you could come with me. I didn't want to hurt you, that's the last thing in the world I wanted to do." He pulled back to look into her eyes, and wiped the tears off her face. "Say something."
She looked up into the eyes she loved so much, she was so happy he was alive. "Shut up and kiss me." She said as she smiled at him.
Jack laughed and hugged her again, but then he tilted her chin up and kissed her long and slow. The kiss lasted for a long time, and they broke away when they needed air. "I've been wanting to do that since you bumped into me. I really wanted to tell you but I'd promised Hammond."
She smiled and kissed him again. "I've wanted to do that since the day I met you." She said as she wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.
He pulled back and took her hand. He led her over to the sofa. "You have to help me, Sam. I need you to get in touch with Hammond and get him over here." He told her. When she started to walk away he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "Hey, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time." He took her face between his hands so he could gaze into her eyes. "Samantha Carter, I love you."
She gasped and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "Jack, I've been wanting to hear you say that for a long time." She paused and gazed into his eyes again. "I love you, too, Jack O'Neill. I have from the moment I first laid eyes on you." She pulled his head to hers and kissed him. She couldn't get enough of his kisses.
When he pulled back, he pulled her up with him. "I think you'd better call Hammond before we get carried away here. I want something settled before we go any further, I want to make sure we are no longer CO and 2IC." He pushed her towards the phone and patted her rear.
Sam laughed as she reached for the phone and called Hammond.
A few minutes later she turned back to Jack. "He'll be here in thirty minutes." She got a mischievous look on her face. "So, what can we do for the next thirty minutes to keep ourselves busy?" She said as she wagged her eyebrows.
Jack laughed and put his hand out to her. "Come here, lady, I need a kiss from the woman I love." When she got close enough he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. She giggled and kissed him. "Love you, Sam." He said.
"I love you too, Jack, and I always will." She replied.
They sat there together, kissing and holding each other until they heard a car pull up. Sam got up, composed herself, and walked to the door to greet Hammond.
"Hello, Sir." She said as he walked through the door.
"Major Carter, are you all right?" He asked as they stood in her entryway. He could see that something was going on, but wasn't sure what it could be.
Sam led him into the living room and told him about her run in with Mac earlier today. "I'm telling you, General, I was blown away by how much he looked like Colonel O'Neill."
Hammond stopped walking and turned around to face her. "Did you just say that you met a guy who looks like Jack O'Neill?" He asked her confused. "Are you sure about this, Major? Are you sure you weren't seeing things? You have been in a depression lately."
She shook her head. "He felt real to me. He even gave me a lift home, Sir." She replied.
Hammond wasn't sure what to think. "Are you sure he looked like Jack?" He asked her again.
He didn't see Jack enter behind him from the kitchen and jumped when he spoke. "Yeah, General, she's sure that I look like me." He waved as Hammond turned around. "I'm sorry, General Hammond, I had to see her to make sure she was all right. I followed her for most of the day and she just kept looking more and more depressed. I had to approach her, and then I just couldn't walk away. When we got here and I heard the messages Fraiser and Daniel had left on her machine, I couldn't keep up the charade. I care too much for her to do that to her. She actually figured it out and then I had her call you." By this time he'd walked up to them and he took Sam's hand.
"Son, are you sure you know what you're doing? I mean you could have just put not only your life, but Major Carter's life in danger." He looked at Jack, then at Sam and saw how happy they both looked. This is the happiest he'd seen Sam in the last couple of months.
"Sir, I can't let my friends and loved ones go through this any longer. Especially, not at this time of year." As he said this, he pulled Sam into his arms. "I'll continue on as Angus MacGyver, and only Sam, SG-1, Cassie, and Janet will know the truth." He shrugged. "Oh, I have one more question for you. Am I still Sam's CO? That is, is she still my 2IC?"
Hammond actually laughed at the questions. "Well, that was two questions, but you're officially dead son, so Major Carter and MacGyver can get on with whatever you've been waiting for." He grinned as Jack pulled Sam into a kiss that left them both very breathless.
"So, how are the two of you going to let the others know that Jack's still alive?" Hammond asked.
Sam got an idea, she picked up the phone and dialed Janet's phone number. Jack and Hammond listened in form her end. "Hey, Janet, it's Sam. Yeah, I'm okay. Janet, can I bring a date to dinner tomorrow night? His name? Oh, it's Mac." She looked at Jack, who was grinning brightly. "I'll tell you all the details tomorrow night, I promise Janet. Yes, I'll tell you how we met. When? Oh, I met him today. Yes, I know it's sudden but he's a great guy. Thanks, Janet, could you pass this on to Daniel and Teal'c so they aren't too surprised tomorrow? Thanks again, Janet, and Merry Christmas to you too. Goodnight."
As she hung up the phone, she turned to Hammond. "Are you sure you don't want to come to dinner too, Sir?"
Hammond laughed again. "I wish I could, but the kids are looking forward to this too much." He hugged her, then turned to Jack. "Merry Christmas, Jack and Sam."
"Merry Christmas, Sir." They said at the same time, then laughed.
As Hammond shut the door behind him, he heard a squeal of laughter coming from inside Carter's house. He smiled and wished the best for the two of them.
Jack pulled Sam into an embrace again, then picked her up and swung her around. She squealed out laughing.
"Have I told you lately just how much I love you?" He asked her as he once again kissed her.
"Jack, I could deal with hearing that a hundred times a day or more. For what had started out to be the worst Christmas of my life, this has turned out to be the best one ever." She kissed him and pulled him close when he started to pull back. "Oh, no you don't, you're not going anywhere without me. By the way, I love you very much."
He picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. "Can I unwrap my present now?" He asked her as he placed her on her bed.
She smiled at him, she'd been doing it a lot today. "Please do, it's been waiting to be unwrapped by you for a long time now. Merry Christmas, Jack."
He leaned down to kiss her. "Merry Christmas, Sam."
The End?
Author's Notes: Mostly Sam's POV **** Flash back **** Please give feed back, I need to know if I kept everyone's interest.
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 ]