The Twelve Days of Christmas (10/12) – Jenny L- rating G

For disclaimers etc see part 0:

A/N: I heard a weather report today which said that we might be
getting snow in London on Christmas day; somehow snow just sets the
mood – it inspired this.
This is for Helen who came up with the `Pete has' for today and
tomorrow! They are a lot more creative than anything I could have
come up with, thank you.
P.S. This is kind of where I start getting sappy – you have been
warned.

12 Days of Christmas pt 10; Let it snow!

Day 10 – Wednesday 22nd December

***
Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let is snow, let is snow, let it snow.
***

Jacob took one last quick look around him before entering the office
and surreptitiously slipping the unprepossessing scrap of paper on
the table. He wasn't even supposed to be on base, let alone
participating in this game. His daughter had been surprisingly tight
lipped about the plans the rest of the SGC staff had formulated for
her fiance but it hadn't put a stop to the game. Everyone needed a
way to vent and this was harmless enough.

Walter winked as he accepted the paper and waited for Jacob to leave
before opening it.
`Pete has…death by Ebola anthrax spores.' Nice one Sir, thought
Walter, although how they were going to draw death on the dummy that
was now safely hidden in his locker was another problem. Walter
continued to read. `Pete takes the handkerchief from his top pocket
to wipe his brow before the wedding, he's sweating because he's
nervous about what Jack will do to him. As he wipes his face he
breaths in the spores and drops dead.'

`Sergeant Siler.' Teal'c asked as he entered the room.

`How can I help you Teal'c?'

`I am searching for my son, Ryac. I was informed that you are aware
of everything that occurs on base and that you may be able to locate
him.'

Siler paused for a moment and glanced over to his wrench, almost as
if it had the powers of a crystal ball. `I'm sorry I can't help you.'

`Thank you sergeant.' Teal'c left and Siler removed his crossed
fingers from behind his back. He didn't *know* where the young
lovers were but did have a pretty good guess, giving Ryac the key to
that empty room was kind of a big hint. Still he had promised that
he would tell no one of their location and he could be the soul of
discretion when he wanted to be.

Siler had worked out what he was going to spend the most of the day
doing, apart from cleaning up after Jay's latest invention that was.
The technicians thoughts turned for a moment to the SGC's most
eccentric man. This morning he had presented a very clever mobile
gadget that would read any text book in any language so that you
didn't have to. Unfortunately Jay hadn't realized that it was all
very well having a machine read the book, someone still had to read
the machine.

Siler's attention was drawn back to his task. It was finally coming
to an end, the betting pool that had been running for eight years;
ever since Sam had invited Jack to an arm wrestle in front of
Ferretti there had been money running on the date of their wedding.
Tomorrow was the last official day that anyone could place a bet
before the winnings were distributed, now somebody had to work out
eight years of dates that had been repeatedly rolled over.

There was now over five thousand dollars in the account that Siler
had set up to keep track of the money – it was just going to be
complicated to work out who had won what. Nobody had bet on either
of them marrying anyone else, or Siler didn't think anybody had
until he came across a piece of paper that was several years old and
that he had totally forgotten about.

***
It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I brought some corn for popping:
The lights are turned down low,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
***

The snow flakes were gently falling as Sam pulled into the parking
lot of the shopping mall. In all the preparations for the wedding
Sam had managed to forget her Christmas shopping and was now
stealing out at the last minute to fight the Christmas crowds. Also
if she was honest going out gave her a break from Pete who was at
home. Somehow she just couldn't stop imagining the list of things
actually happening to him.

Sam's first reaction to the game had been to get angry but she
hadn't been able to keep it up for long. The SGC personnel were
totally loyal to Jack, as he was to them. They wouldn't give up on
him in anything and they saw her as his girl. It was kinda nice to
know that they would stick by him in anything.

The first store she was heading for was the outdoor shop where she
was hoping to find some inspiration about what to get for Jack. She
knew that for Daniel she would get a book and for Teal a new hat, he
former CO was much harder. The gift had to mean something but it
couldn't mean too much. Over the years they had been very careful
about that. She still had all the astronomy books Jack had given her
carefully hidden in her bedside cabinet, the inscriptions inside
them read and re-read many times over the years.

On the way through the mall Sam glanced idly through the window of
the shop and saw something perfect. It was a cream cloak made of
pure wool and it would look amazing with her wedding dress.

Sam stepped inside the smart boutique and went to the rail where the
cloak was hanging on a peg. At just the same time that Sam reached
for it another female hand shot out and beat her to it.

`Oh I'm sorry.' Said Sam before she looked into the eyes of the
other woman.

`This is going to sound strange but I could swear that I know you.'
The woman stared hard at Sam who had turned an interesting shade of
white when they had made eye contact.

`Sara.' Sam managed to get out without sounding too shaken up. `It's
Colonel Carter. I work with your husband.'

`Ex-husband. I'm getting married to someone else next month, it's
why I wanted the cloak, wedding dresses are fantastic but the
designers tend to forget that you have to stand outside the church,
even in winter. But what am I saying, you know all about getting
married in winter, it's close now isn't it?' Sara chatted happily,
pleased to get a chance to talk to this woman who meant so much to
Jack, and glad that they could meet in better circumstances than the
last time.

`Two days, Christmas eve. You're getting married again?' Sam
couldn't resist the question.

`To a wonderful man, he's assistant principal at the high school.'
She smiled and Sam could see how happy she was.

`But what about Jack? What about the phone calls to him? I heard him
tell you that he loved you.' The loyal second in command part of Sam
was already squaring up for a fight, prepared to defend the man who
meant so much to her.

`Jack always does that when he's drunk, it doesn't mean……' Sara
looked again at Sam. `But you thought?' Suddenly the proverbial
light switched on in Sara's mind. `I think we need to talk – lets go
get coffee.'

All thoughts of Christmas shopping left Sam's head as she followed
Sara to Starbucks, aware that this was one bizarre meeting. As soon
as the two women - who looked so similar but were so different -
were seated Sara began to talk again.

`Jack phones me when he gets drunk and depressed. I learnt how to
deal with his moods when we were married and I know how to talk him
down. But it doesn't mean anything, we really are over and you know
how I know?' Sam shook her head, too stunned to speak and feeling a
little nauseous. `Because the first time he rang me up it was when
his newest second in command had fallen for some guy called Narim.
At that time he didn't want to talk about his feelings but over the
years he accepted that we both knew that he loved you.'

`What? You must be wrong.'

`And both of you are too good at denial.'

`But he was trying to send you flowers, white Orchids?' Sam was
trying to control her wildly spinning head.

`They were my favourite. Every time he was sent off on a mission he
would send them as a sort of apology for not being there. It's just
a tradition between the two of us.' Sara leant over the table and
squeezed the younger woman's hand. `Sam, I hope you don't mind if I
call you that, if you love Pete then what I've said shouldn't mean
anything and you should get married with a clear conscience. But if
you have any feelings for Jack then you owe it to yourself to at
least try it, because god knows the man has been through enough and
he deserves a second chance at happiness.'

***
When we finally say good night,
How I'll hate going out in the storm;
But if you really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.
***

`Did you have a good night O'Neill?'

`It was fine thanks Thor, although I can't claim that I'm not
missing a mattress.'

The grey alien shook his head and continued to fly the ship as Jack
watched him. Yesterday had been amazing. After beaming Jack and all
the other SGC personnel on board Thor had blown up Ba'al and his
entire fleet in seconds. He had even let Jack press the button,
something the general had greatly enjoyed.

`I apologize O'Neill that it took me so long to retrieve you
yesterday – we had to ensure that we had identified all the SGC
personnel present.'

`Don't apologize, you got me out, I'm grateful. But I do have one
question?'

`Go ahead' Thor intoned.

`Not that I mind you blowing Ba'al up but don't you usually refrain
from interfering with the Goual'd.'

`Normally yes. However, to use a Tauri phase, Ba'al was becoming a
pain in the.. .' Thor glanced briefly at O'Neill. `Neck. O'Neill I
have heard something most unusual from some of your team members. We
had understood that a wedding on Earth was a great occasion for
family and friends, yet you did not wish to be present at the
wedding of Colonel Carter. Although we had hoped that you and she
would pair up we believed that you were her friend and would be
present to support her.'

`It's complicated.'

`Humans are a strange race. If you do not want to be present at the
wedding why do you not attempt to prevent it?'

Jack took a good long look and the alien he had come to see as one
of his best friends.

`So how long will it take for this ship to get us home?'

`At this speed, three of your days. Would you like me to go faster?'

Jack thought for a second, tempted to say yes but knowing he
couldn't. What could he do? Rush down the aisle as they ask `speak
now or forever hold your peace' and declare his feelings, then have
her reject him for her Mr Potato head look-a-like.

***
The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bye-ing,
But as long as you love me so.
Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow.
***

The snow had being falling since early afternoon leaving everything
covered in white. It had stopped now but the night was clear and it
was so cold that Jennifer could see her breath on the air as she
approached Paul's front door.

It was now or never. With every step she took towards the blue door
her stomach started to roll just a little more. The footprints she
had left on the snow covered path were footprints that seemed to be
leading away from her sanity.

Finally she was there. Standing on the porch, close enough to ring
the bell. She pressed the button and heard the corresponding ring
from inside the house. She had a strong temptation to duck behind
the fence and pretend she wasn't there but Hailey resisted. She had
to do this. Finally someone walked towards the door and it creaked
open, letting out shafts of warm, yellow light.

`Jen?' Paul asked. `What are you doing here?'

Hailey had had a whole speech prepared, ready to discuss her
feelings at length, but in the event there was only one thing that
she could do. She took a deep breath, leaned forward and kissed
Davis square on the mouth.

After a shaky start the kiss got better and better. Jen lifted her
arms around his neck and Paul wrapped her in his embrace, trying to
protect her from the cold outside. Finally they broke apart.

`What was that for?'

`Because I love you.'

For a moment Paul couldn't process her response and then a wide grin
slid across his face. `I love you to.' And he stepped aside to let
her enter his house, a place he had a feeling she was going to be
spending a lot of her future off duty time.

I'd love feedback if you feel so inclined…......... Jenny L
bray_4_amber@...