Sam rolled over in bed, and to her surprise, discovered the other side of the mattress empty. Lifting her head from the pillow she surveyed the room and found it as empty of her husband as their bed was. Squinting across the bed to the clock on the side table on Jack's side—he got the clock because he was the one living in their Virginian townhouse full time—she saw it was an unusual early hour on a Saturday morning for him to be up already. More unusual, was that he hadn't disturbed her.

Yawning, she rose from the bed. She located her robe and slipped it on and belted it tight before descending the staircase down from the master bedroom to the main floor. On the stairs she heard Christmas carols playing on the radio and the first thing she saw when she reached the living room, was Jack in boxers with his back to her as he sat at the kitchen table. Sam crossed to him and bending around him brushed a kiss across his lips. "Good morning."

He returned the brushing kiss with an absently murmured, "Mornin'."

She set her hands on his shoulders and propped her chin on top of Jack's head and savoured the silky ruffle of his hair against her skin. In response, his left hand that had been carelessly curled around his mug lifted up and settled onto her left hand on his shoulder.

Sam sighed contentedly and surveyed the items before Jack. Besides the cup of steaming coffee, in his other hand was a pen and before him was a simple coil pad of lined paper heavily marked with his writing with most of the words crossed out. She peered at the list and curiously inquired, "What are you doing?"

"Making a list."

She snorted and squeezed his shoulders. "I can see that. What kind of list?"

"It's Christmas, what kind of list do you think I'd be making?"

"Well it's not a gift list for me, that's for sure, otherwise you wouldn't be telling me about it." Sam peered closer to read the words and one crossed-out line jumped at her and she lifted her chin off his head. "Naughty Pines? What in the world? Jack, what sort of list is this?"

Jack chuckled and tilted his head back to look up at her with a grin tugging at his thin lips. "I told you, it's a Christmas list."

"Naughty Pines? What does that have to do with Christmas?"

"It's a nursery."

Sam looked blankly down at her husband.

"Actually, it's a nursery and plantation," he clarified.

"O-k-a-y," she drawled in response. Still not getting it. What did those things have to do with the list Jack was making?

Jack chuckled again as he gave her hand a squeeze, plainly amused by her confusion. "A Christmas tree plantation."

"Oh," Sam felt her cheeks warm and she grumbled in defence, "Well what kind of name is Naughty Pines for a Christmas tree farm anyway?"

"Oh, I think it's very appropriate," Jack said as he waggled his silvered eyebrows at her.

She straightened up and gave her husband a swat. Crossing from the kitchen table to the kitchen counter to the pot of coffee she began pouring herself a cup. "Why are you making list of nurseries and tree farms anyway?"

"Are you kidding Sam? Where else are we going to get our Christmas tree?"

Sam finished pouring her coffee and lifting the mug to her mouth and peered over the brim at Jack. "Don't we have one already?"

Jack frowned at her.

"Packed away in one of the guest bedroom closets or something?" she prompted. Her old one should be around somewhere she thought. She'd switched to an artificial tree for convenience's sake years before joining the program—there'd been no point when it had just been her and her tiny apartment—and really came to appreciate it during her time on the flagship team with the hit and miss of the holiday season due to missions and whatnot. Easier to pull it out of the closet than shopping for a tree the day before—or days after—Christmas.

"Are you talking about a fake tree?"

"Yeah, an artificial one."

He looked horrified at the suggestion. "No! A fake tree? Are you kidding? Where's your sense of tradition?"

"Oh, I was thinking of convenience of not having to go shopping every year for a tree," Sam said lightly as she twirled her fingers around the handle of her mug, "never having to worry about watering the thing, or vacuuming up the mess made by the needles, or—"

"Missing out on the joy of finding the perfect tree, the crappy look, not having the real tree smell," he countered sternly. "We are not buying a fake tree. Ever. We are going out to get ourselves a real tree."

"We can still buy a real tree from the store. In fact, some stores have had tree lots set up since Thanksgiving," Sam edged her husband on and sipped at her coffee.

"No, no trees from stores," Jack said firmly. "It is an O'Neill family tradition to go cut down a tree for Christmas and that's what we're going to do. Get a tree together for our first Christmas together."

"Yes dear," Sam answered as she lifted her mug in front of her mouth to hide her smile over his reaction.

Jack gave her a stern look at that and then turned back to his list. He studied it a bit and crossed through a few more lines while sipping at his coffee.

Sam drank her coffee and rinsed out the mug before placing it in the sink. She crossed back to her husband and she peered at the list again. Now all the lines except one had been crossed off. "Decided where we're going?"

"Yep, Tanner's Enchanted Forest," Jack said with satisfaction.

"And where is it?"

"Maryland."

"Maryland?" Sam asked incredulously. "Just how far into Maryland?"

"An hour or so."

"An hour? You want us to drive an hour into the next state to get a tree?"

"Well, it's not like at the cabin where I can just go outback to get a tree. Our neighbours here probably wouldn't be too happy with us if we went and cut down one of their blue spruces—plus it's illegal to take from the park outback. And it isn't just any tree, Sam, it's a Christmas tree."

"They better have pretty darn good Christmas trees," Sam grumbled. Her plans for the day did not include at least two hours of driving and who knows how long looking through a tree farm for the 'perfect' tree. "Isn't there anything closer?"

"Oh, there is," Jack shrugged. "But they don't offer what Tanner's does."

"And what's that? A tree fit for the White House?"

"Actually, that tree is from North Carolina this year."

Sam blinked.

"It's a Fraser too," Jack offered.

"Who?"

"Not who, what: a Fraser fir. The tree in the White House this year is a Fraser. They've got good body shape with needles that aren't too long and the branches are strong enough to hold up heavier ornaments. Besides the needles being short, they've got excellent retention and a nice smell."

"And this from a man who claimed he knew nothing about trees," she teased.

He gave her a roguish grin as he stood up and tugged on her belt. "Nah, I never said that. I just carped about them being there all the time."

She stepped forward to keep her belt from being pulled open and looped her arms around his neck and gazed up into his face. It was true when she thought of all those offworld trips years ago and the remarks about the trees. "So, the Tanner place has this special Fraser tree?"

"No clue," he wrapped his arms around her and cinched her up close so the only thing between them was the fabric of her robe and his boxers. "Didn't actually phone to see what type of trees they grow."

"So what does this place offer that makes it so special?" Sam was truly curious as she gazed up into his face as her fingertips trailed through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. She loved watching how darkly passionate his eyes got when she did that.

He gave her a bright little smile and answered, "They serve cookies and candy canes and stuff."

Sam couldn't believe it. Cookies and candy canes was the reason they were going to Maryland for a Christmas tree? "Jack—"

He bent his head and cut off anything she was going to say by kissing her soundly.

Sam sighed into the kiss as the taste of dark ground roast and the headier underlining taste of Jack filled her as his tongue teased and played with hers. His hands snuck under her robe and teased her skin and she lost her breath as he took her breath away and made her tingle to her toes.

With a last gentle nibble at her tingling lips Jack lifted his mouth from hers and coaxed. "Come on, it'll be fun. Just think, an enchanted forest..." his breath brushed her lips as he bent his head again and nibbled along her throat, "and candy canes and spiced tea..."

"Alright," she said breathlessly, "Maryland."

His chuckle was a vibration against her throat as he pressed a kiss on the sensitive skin beneath her ear and then sucked as his hands slipped down over the curves of her rear.

Yeah, Maryland wasn't so bad Sam thought as she abandoned herself to her husband. Not if this was the bribe to get her there!

-FINISHED