"What do you mean it's not allowed?"
"I mean 'no', not in my house," Sam insisted. "Look, Jonas, there are lots of styles for tree decorating. I happen to prefer a Victorian look. Icicles and tinsel garland do not fit that theme. When I was growing up, my mother would never have let that stuff within 30 feet of our house. And since Dad is coming tonight, I don't think he will either. I'm sorry." Sam sat on the floor and crossed her legs as she continued to unravel strings of miniature white Christmas tree lights. It was December 24, and she had invited the team to help her decorate during the afternoon, which would be followed by a small party this evening. Her dad was coming, and tomorrow morning, after an old fashioned Christmas breakfast, they planned to hop on a plane and surprise Mark.
Normally, Sam barely got time to put a few candles in the window, much less put a tree up. This year would be different. She had compromised on the artificial tree, since she wouldn't have time to water a real one. Not to mention the fact that, with her schedule, it would probably be April before she got around to taking it down. But she refused to compromise on the decorations. She wanted a tree just like she remembered from her childhood. She even had some of her mother's old decorations. Besides, SG1 was more her family than Mark, and it was fun to sit around decorating and stringing popcorn, (which, she admitted, would probably NEVER make it to the tree). Jonas broke her reverie.
"But it's so pretty. Look at the way it sparkles and picks up every shaft of light. We didn't have anything like this on Kelowna."
"I'll tell you what, you take all this stuff through the gate and give it to the Kelownans. If they are as fascinated as you are, perhaps they will forget their differences and end their war."
"Very funny," Jonas retorted.
"What are you kids arguing about?" Jack asked, entering the room with a huge bowl of popcorn. At the sight of yet another very cool earth food, Jonas forgot his tinsel and began munching.
Sam replied, "Jonas actually likes this stuff. Can you believe it?"
"What's wrong with it?" Jack asked between mouthfuls of popcorn.
"Ugh! No accounting for taste. At least my dad will like my version. Teal'c, what do you think?"
"I like both styles, MajorCarter. However, they do not appear to go well together."
Sam laughed, "Ever the diplomat. But you are right about them not looking good together; which is exactly my point." She glared at Jonas.
Teal'c intervened smoothly. "JonasQuinn, perhaps GeneralHammond will allow you to decorate the base with your tinsel. I noticed there were very few decorations, with the exception of the commissary."
"Good idea, Teal'c. I'll ask him tonight." And with that he stood to help Sam apply the lights to the 6-foot tree.
A buzzer sounded. " The cookies!" exclaimed Sam. "Sir, could you take over for me?" she asked Jack.
"Actually, Teal'c will. I think the aliens have the hang of the tree thing. I'll help you with the cookies." Sam didn't know Jack had made a few-changes-while making the popcorn. She hadn't noticed yet and he was hoping she wouldn't. At least not before he was ready to point it out. Which he wasn't. But that didn't mean he wanted an overly observant Jonas in the kitchen, either. He hadn't had this much fun at Christmas time since Charlie was alive. He'd be darned if he was gonna let the others stumble in and ruin it.
"So, you made cookies, huh?"
"Slice and bake, Sir. I couldn't mix up sugar cookies if saving Earth depended on it. I did make some icing, though. When they're cool, we can decorate them."
"You got a deal, Carter. Charlie used to love these things. He and Sara would spend hours decorating them."
"Well, we don't have that long. My dad will be here at 6. We still have to finish the tree, and I have some other things I want to put up around the house."
Jack quickly changed the subject from other possible decorations. "Carter, do you have more dough? I don't think one cookie each is what we had in mind for this evening."
"Of course. In the fridge. And for your information I baked most of them this morning." Sam grinned. " I just couldn't seem to get them done before you all tromped in here with pizza, popcorn, and tinsel."
"We do our merry best." Jack smiled back. Wow. He loved her smile. Forget the tree lights, just make Sam smile!
They placed another tray in the oven and set out the icing to warm before decorating. When they returned to the living room, Jonas and Teal'c had gotten all the lights on the tree in what Sam had to admit was a very pretty arrangement. Now they were starting on the ornaments. "Nice job. I think, when the buzzer goes off, the Colonel and I will just go decorate cookies while you two create a masterpiece."
"This is fun," Jonas replied, and then launched into a detailed discussion of the recent study of Earth culture that he'd completed in order to better understand Christmas.
"It really seems like a great holiday, with lots of Joy, and good food, too. But I don't understand something about its origins. This Jesus guy-he was supposed to be the Son of God, right? But we've already established that just about every other god of Earth mythology was in fact either a goa'uld or an Asgard. So what about Jesus? Why do so many people still follow Him?" Jonas inquired.
"I believed you have missed the point, JonasQuinn. Those others are, in fact, false gods. I believe this Jesus was who he claimed to be. I have studied the Taur'ii writings on this subject. I do not believe Jesus Christ was a false god. His behavior was not at all typical of any of the alien species which we have met."
"But maybe he was."
The buzzer sounded and Jack and Sam quickly made their escape from the theological discussion evolving in the other room.
"I never knew Teal'c studied the Bible," Sam said as she collected the icing, food coloring, sugar crystals, and nonpareils.
"Neither did I, actually. Not surprised, though. Leaving everything you know to join a different planet in fighting your own former god has gotta leave a guy with some questions."
"Good point. Can you mix up the red icing and I'll do the green?"
"Sure. Carter? What was your best Christmas present ever? Mine was the Major Matt Mason astronaut doll. Betcha didn't know I had one, too. I wasn't a kid, though. I was in high school, and my folks had just found out I had a chance at the Air Force Academy. That was how they told me. I was so excited. Thought sure I'd walk the moon someday."
"Hey, me too. That wasn't my best Christmas, though. There were quite a few really nice ones when my mom was alive, but I think my best was the one right after Dad became a Tok'ra. Having him healthy again was the best gift ever. I hadn't spent Christmas with him in years, but he insisted on coming back to earth to spend it with me. I was so glad he was cured of the cancer, and all the friction we'd seemed to have before wasn't really there. I think a lot of it had to do with the space program. Dad thought I was giving up on my dream. Once he realized what I really did for a living, he couldn't help but understand. Then, I guess Selmac has helped with that, too. It's very important to him that Dad have peaceful relationships."
"I can understand that. You share a body and mind with a guy, his neuroses must get pretty annoying."
Sam laughed. "That's what Dad said."
Jack sighed contentedly. It was time for the fun. "So, Carter, what are the rest of those decorations you wanted to put up?"
"Well, I have a wreath for the door, some electric candles for the windows, a lighted pine garland for the mantel, and I was thinking of putting some mistletoe over the door."
"You mean, this mistletoe?" Jack pointed to the small sprig of white and green hanging from the overhead light fixture.
"Where did you.?"
"I found the box in the hallway when I was waiting for the popcorn to pop. I couldn't resist."
"But no one will get to use it in here," Sam protested.
"Oh, yes they will," Jack grinned mischievously, and wrapped his arms around Sam.
"Sir, I don't think."
"Don't 'Sir' me, Carter. It's Christmas. I order you to do as the mistletoe says."
"That's an unlawful order," Sam's smile belayed her protest.
"If you can disobey a lawful one, surely you can obey and unlawful one."
"Yeah, but that was to save Earth."
"Earth, mistletoe-there's a dif-?" Sam's lips on his were the perfect interruption to that rather silly cliché. Wow. Merry Christmas, Jack.
Neither one noticed Teal'c and Jonas come to look for them, or Teal'c pushing a protesting Jonas back into the living room. Only when the doorbell rang did they wrench themselves back to reality.
"That would be my Dad."
"Always did like Jacob's sense of timing. Merry Christmas, Sam."
"Merry Christmas, S-Jack." With a quick hug, the two separated to answer the door.
"Dad!"
"Sammie! Merry Christmas."
"Jacob."
"Jack. Got a little lipstick, there, on your."
"Uh, Dad, come see my tree." Sam turned, pushing her father in front of her and joining Jack in the act of sprucing up. The two shared a look of embarrassment before they all burst into the living room.
"What do you think, Dad? Just like when I was a kid, huh?"
"It's a beautiful tree, Sam. Only."
"What?"
"Where's the tinsel?"
UGH!
~the end~
Feedback me! Merry Christmas!
Story Notes: Feedback would definitely be appreciated. I had writer's block for a while so I could use the opinions--good or bad. They help me improve.
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 ]