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

For disclaimers etc see part 0:

A/N: This it. We made it!!! If you are still with me 12 days later
then I want to say thank you – I hope you all have a fantastic
holiday.

All the previous parts are available on my yahoo group;
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Jennyssamandjackff/

12 Days of Christmas pt 12; The Christmas Song

Day 12 – Friday 24th December 2004

***
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
***

Sam walked very, very, slowly down the aisle, her father at her
side. Cassie was trailing her, Mark's daughter went ahead throwing
flower petals. The walk seemed endless to Sam, not least because she
wasn't used to wearing the stiletto heels that went with her dress
and was a bit concerned that she would fall over in the middle of
the church.

`That's the least of you worries' she thought to yourself, trying to
look at the crowd discreetly to see if he had arrived. Her groom
stood at the front of the church looking handsome in his wedding
attire, his brother, acting as best man, standing beside him.

The groom had turned to watch his bride enter the church the minute
the wedding march had begun playing. Now Sam was closer she could
see that he was smiling at her, smiling at how beautiful she was.

Sam stepped up onto the raised platform at the front of the church
and the minister greeted her. She took the opportunity to take one
last glance around the church but he still wasn't there. `Fine' she
thought. `He doesn't care enough to be here, he doesn't care about
me.'

The minister droned on, Sam almost wasn't listening until it came to
her part.

`I Samantha Carter take thee, Pete Shanahan to be my husband….' Sam
said the rest of the memorized wedding vows automatically.

`I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.' It was
done. Pete leaned forward and kissed Sam with an enthusiasm that she
tried to respond to.

`Stop!' The door flung open and Jack burst in. But all Sam could
think was that it was too late, she had married Pete. She threw her
bouquet on the floor of the church and screamed.

***
Everybody knows a turkey and some
Mistletoe help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight
***

It was the screaming that woke Jacob up, he ran down the stairs
where his daughter was asleep with her head on the coffee table,
obviously having a nightmare.

`Sam, wake up' Jacob shook her gently.

`W..what?'

`It was just a nightmare.'

`I can't do it dad.'

`I'll get the phone.' Jacob headed for the kitchen.

`No. I need to do this in person. Let's go to his hotel.'

In the end it was easier than Sam had imagined it would be to break
up with Pete. Last night him and his brother had been drinking and
Pete had broken down and confessed that he didn't think his fiancee
loved him. His brother and Mark had talked him down but when Sam
confirmed that they were both having doubts her final worries about
calling it off disappeared.

`You deserve someone who loves you, and only you.' Pete just nodded,
he knew she was right.

`So O'Neill got his act together huh?'

`He hasn't said anything. But I've decided it's time that I fight
for what is in my heart.' Sam leant over and kissed Pete gently on
the forehead before standing to leave, a weight lifted off her
shoulders.

In some ways facing the church full of people was harder than facing
Pete. There wasn't time to contact everyone individually therefore
Sam had decided she was going to get up and make an announcement.
Colonel Samantha Carter rarely made mistakes and so admitting she
had messed up on something as big as this was hard.

`And so Pete and I have decided to call it off.' Everyone sat,
trying not to look too pleased. `But the party for the SGC is still
on.' That did elicit a round of applause from the SGC staff present,
especially as Sam was smiling.

From the empty entrance way outside the church where Thor had beamed
him down Jack heard the clapping and his heart sank, fearing that he
had arrived too late. He ran to the doors and threw them open,
shouting.

`Stop!'

Everyone turned to stare. This was something they had been waiting
for. This was going to be better than any cheesy Christmas film.

`Wait.' Jack looked around, confused. `Where is Pete?'

Jack couldn't see the smiles of everyone in the church who knew
about him and Sam, he was focused on her.

`Gone. I think we need to talk Jack.' Sam turned to their
audience. `In private.' She put out her hand, Jack followed her out
of the church and off into the distance.

***
They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies
On his sleigh
***

Paul was standing under the doorway as Jen came up to him. The SGC
party was in full swing, despite the absence of the two main stars.
The atmosphere was helped by the `punch' which had been spiked by
three different members of SG 3, luckily everyone had seen them do
it and both Davis and Hailey were staying well away.

A slightly wobbly Walter approached them. `Look up.'

Paul looked up to see a sprig of mistletoe, something he was sure
hadn't been there before.

`It's Felger's latest invention.' Jen explained. `It senses when
there are two members of the opposite sex within a small distance of
it and the computer generates a mistletoe hologram.'

`Well who am I to argue with technology?' Paul turned to Hailey and
spent a good deal longer than necessary kissing her, only stopping
when someone needed to get through the door.

Later at the party Paul approached Jay and asked him about the
invention.
`Who did you invent the mistletoe for?'

For a moment Jay was silent, unusual for him, and then his eyes
drifted to Chloe.

`For me.'

***
And every mother's
Child is gonna spy to if
Reindeer really know how to fly
***

Walter and Siler were singing the `twelve days of Christmas' so
loudly that they didn't hear the person approaching until she was
whispering in their ears.

`Pete has…..' Sam started. `two broken legs so he can't walk down
the aisle, an infected voice box so he can't say his wedding vows, a
broken finger so he can't put the wedding ring on and he has lost
his sense of time so he doesn't make it to the church.' At their
stares she explained a little further.

`Well we've got to make absolutely sure that the wedding doesn't
happen, after all the bride is in love with someone else.' Siler's
wrench hit the floor with a loud clatter as he dropped it in shock.

It was then that Cassie saw Sam and ran across the room screaming,
drawing everyone's attention. Cassie threw her arms around her
adopted aunt and gave her a big hug.

`What happened? Tell me you guys worked it out.' It was a question
everyone wanted the answer to, especially the rest of SG1 who had
moved to stand closer.

`Maybe we shouldn't tell you.' Interrupted Jack who had entered the
hall. `Revenge for all the money you guys have made on us.'

`Pleeeeaaaassseeee.' Daniel whined.

`Oh okay. We talked a little.' Jack winked at Sam; they were going
to make their friends suffer just a little longer. `About some
things that happened in the past, like Laira and Pete. We talked
about the fact that as of this afternoon I am officially retired.'
Jack let that news sink in and then continued.

`And then I said I didn't think that we should wait any longer and I
asked her to marry me.' At that point Sam couldn't contain herself
any longer, she held up her left hand which had a new engagement
ring as the SGC stared. For almost a full minute there was complete
silence in the room and then someone started to clap. Within seconds
the entire room was in uproar, shouting, cheering and hugging the
happy couple.

Through the madness Jack kept his arm around Sam's waist and
whispered into her ear.

`I don't know if I've said this yet, but I love you Samantha Carter.'

Sam's smile grew wider. `I know Jack, I think I've always known. I
love you to by the way.'

***
And so I'm offering this
Simple phrase to kids
From one to ninety two
***

`Congratulations sir' Davis said when he finally got a moment with
Jack.

`We've both retired, you can drop the sir.'

`Yes sir' Paul replied with grin.

`I want you to know that we couldn't have done it without you.' Jack
spoke seriously for a moment.

`Done what?'

`The SGC, the stargate, any of it. You are a fine man, an
outstanding officer and it has been an honor to serve with you.'
Jack looked at Paul. `Now I'm going to find my fiancee and see if
she wants to dance with an old man.

***
Although it's been said many times
Many ways;
***

Jacob was once again sitting at a table with George, watching all
the young people dancing to Christmas music with the lights down
low. They watched as Karyn ran over to Daniel giving the surprised
archaeologist a big kiss before returning to her husband. They
watched as Felger took Chloe in his arms, Clare led Teal'c to the
floor and Cassie persuaded Daniel into a waltz. They watched as
Davis and Hailey snuck out of the room thinking they were unseen and
finally they watched as Jack and Sam got caught under Felger's
mistletoe and Jack dipped Sam in the kiss everyone had been waiting
for.

`All in all I think Father Christmas has been good to us this year.'
Jacob raised his glass; Hammond nodded and joined him a toast.

`Merry Christmas.'

***
"Merry Christmas to you"
***

Epilogue – Christmas Eve 2005

Jack was enjoying this year's Christmas party, it was a chance to
catch up with old friends, some of whom he hadn't seen since he had
retired. His thoughts drifted back to this time last year and how
much had changed since then.

Daniel, Teal'c and Sam still made up SG 1. They had both stood up
with him on the day he had married Sam. There were now decisions
going on at high levels about whether or not the relationship that
Teal'c had started with Clare could be allowed to continue, an
argument Jack knew Teal'c was going to win as he had everyone on his
side.

Jay and Chloe were going to be the next couple to get married, Jay
had proposed in a way that only he could, sending the engagement
ring through the mail as every time he tried to ask in person he got
tongue tied. Jen and Paul had stopped into the party briefly with
their son, Jon, who was only a week old.

Sam reached Jack and threaded an arm around his waist. `Hey.' He
smiled down at her.

`Do you miss all this Jack?' Sam asked, a little concerned.

`Sometimes,' he had to be honest. `But then I look at what I got
instead and I can't regret giving it up.'

Sam kissed him. `I was going to give you your present tomorrow but I
can't wait.' Sam's eyes were glowing as she took his hand and placed
it on her flat stomach. `I'm pregnant Jack.'

Jack lifted Sam from the floor and swung her around, kissing her
madly. `Happy Christmas Jack. Happy Christmas.'


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

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night." ~ The night
before Christmas, Clement Moore