Chapter 6. Thanksgiving Tradition
"Oh…I…don’t know, Jack.”
“Daniel, will you stop stalling! You guys won’t let me watch football! It’s freezing, not to mention snowing outside, what do think we’re going to do for the next 8 or 10 hours?”
“We could play games, Sir.”
“No, Carter! It’s Thanksgiving! We’ve finished dinner. The kitchen’s clean, leftovers are put away, now it’s time to put up the tree!”
“I don’t usually even put up a tree, Sir.”
“Well, see, there you go! We have to have a tree! It’s tradition.”
“But, Sir, aren’t you going back to Washington in a few days?”
“Yes. Your point?”
“Um, I guess I don’t have one.”
“Thank you, Carter! Now, come on Daniel, you and Teal’c can help me get the stuff down from the attic and Carter you clean out that corner, make room for the tree.”
“Jack, can’t we just read or nap or something?”
“No, Daniel. Where’s your Christmas spirit?”
“I would be happy to help you, O’Neill.”
“See now why can’t you two be more like Teal’c?” Sam and Daniel turned to look at each other with slight amusement and exasperation. Jack was not going to give in and they both knew it but neither of them was ready for Christmas with the Thanksgiving turkey still sitting heavy on their stomachs. “Come on T!”
Jack and Teal’c disappeared down the hallway but Daniel remained behind with Sam. “Sam, can’t you make him stop? Use your feminine wiles on him? Lead him off in another direction? Please?”
Sam turned a puzzled, amused face towards him, “Why, Daniel, whatever do you mean? I would never even think of doing such a thing to the General.” Sam batted her eyelashes at Daniel and pretended to swoon. “Besides, he’s all excited about this, can’t you just go along with it? Didn’t you like Christmas when you were a kid?”
“Well, sure…” His sentence was interrupted by a loud thud followed immediately by Jack’s loud, pain filled groan as Sam and Daniel ran towards the sound.
“Sir!” Sam’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle her giggles as she rounded the corner and found Jack on the floor beneath the box that had held the tree. The branches were scattered all around him and he was trying to disentangle himself from the mess. “Are you all right, Sir? What happened?”
“My apologies, O’Neill.”
“No problem, Teal’c. Daniel, would you mind?” Jack waved a hand toward the box and it’s partially spilled contents.
“Oh, sure, sorry, Jack!” Daniel moved quickly around him and lifted the box as Sam grasped the other end. In a few moments Jack was free and the only real wound was his pride. “What happened?”
“Oh, Teal’c just got a little over enthusiastic, that’s all. Lost my balance when he tossed the box.”
Daniel smiled as he watched Sam running her hands through Jack’s hair, searching for bumps and bruises he supposed, but the look on Jack’s face was priceless.
“You have a bit of a bump, Sir, maybe we should wait on the decorations.”
His expression changed from one of content to utter exasperation. “Cut it out, Carter. I’m fine!”
“Well, you need some ice on that anyway. Just be glad you have a bump or I’d be taking you to the infirmary!”
“Carter, are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”
“Come on, Sir.” She extended both hands, pulled him to his feet and then they started down the hallway towards the kitchen.
“Hey, Sam! He started this you know, he’s not getting out of it for a little bump on the head!”
“Just help Teal’c get the rest of the boxes, Daniel! This won’t take long!” Jack growled in mock infuriation and Sam’s glance over her shoulder was met with Jack’s devilish grin.
“Sir!” She admonished him quietly.
“Hey! I didn’t slip on purpose, ok, but at least he’s helping!” The smile grew across his face and she couldn’t help but smile back as they moved into the kitchen. Sam pulled a chair out from the table and indicated for Jack to sit down while she opened the freezer. It was almost empty but there were several ice packs, testimony to their often-bruising occupations.
Jack was rubbing the bump on the back of his head and grimacing slightly as Sam walked back to where he sat. “Ok, Sir?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Sam stepped into the space between his legs and dropped the ice pack into his lap. He snatched it up quickly with his free hand. “Jeez, Carter!”
“You know that little boy attitude doesn’t work on me, Sir. I’ve been in the field with you for too many years to buy that act, now hold still.” She grasped his head on either side and pulled him forward so that she could examine the back of his head. She pushed and prodded until he yelped.
“Ouch! Yeah, I think you found it!”
She moved in closer pushing his face into the space between her breasts and chuckled as she heard him moan slightly. He jumped as she pressed down on the bump and his hands grabbed onto her legs, sliding ever so slightly until he was cupping her firm hips in his hands, fingers innocently squeezing her flesh. “Better, Sir?” She chuckled.
“Oh, yeah, much!” She could hear the smile in his muffled voice, as he pressed closer, rubbing his face against her. She lowered one hand between them, picking up the ice pack and holding it in place on his head pretending not to notice his hands on her. She could hear Daniel and Teal’c struggling with boxes in the hallway and Daniel was beginning to chuckle at their ineptness. There was a bit of banging and clunking as Teal’c passed the boxes down to him.
“Hey, guys! Be careful! That’s stuff’s breakable you know!” He had lifted his head from her chest momentarily to yell but immediately lowered it again when he felt her fingers pressing gently into his scalp. ‘Is she flirting with me? Of did I just imagine she pulled me against her?’ She was still holding the ice pack in place but her other hand had drifted down to his neck and was slowly messaging his bare skin. He involuntarily stretched against her hand.
“Is that better, Sir?”
“Oh, yeah, Carter. Oh, God, don’t stop.” He was pressing into her breast, his lips opening against the soft tee shirt when he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. For just a moment, he entertained the thought of turning his head and sucking her sweet nipple into his mouth but Daniel’s laughter squashed that thought before it fully flowered. But he did open his mouth and allow his teeth to scrape against her, smiling at her startled shudder. Then he spread his fingers wide and pressed them deep into the flesh of her hips and even as he felt her pelvis tilt slightly toward him, he expected her to pull away or slap him senseless. But she didn’t. Encouraged, he moved one hand back to her leg and stretched his thumb towards her center, dragging it softly against her.
Then suddenly Daniel’s voice was very close and his hand stilled. Sam’s hand was immediately on top of his and pushing it to a neutral position on her leg. He couldn’t stop the smile that crossed his face as he imagined a nervous sparkle in her eyes and pulled back until only his forehead rested against her.
“Ouch, Carter!”
She was surprised but quickly fell into his deception. “Sir! Be still, it can’t be that bad!”
“Easy for you to say! It’s not your head!”
Jack was wriggling against her and she was almost laughing as Daniel stepped into the doorway. A moment later Teal’c was beside him and staring at the strange scene as Sam attempted to hold an ice bag against Jack’s head while he complained and squirmed against her. Daniel shook his head slightly and rolled his eyes at Teal’c before he turned back to Sam and Jack.
“So…are you guys almost done or should Teal’c and I find something else to do?” Then he crossed his arms and let an evil grin spread across as his face as Sam glared at him opened mouthed.
“I don’t know, Daniel. Are you feeling better, Sir?”
“Sam, I told you I was fine before!” He sat up straight and grabbed the ice bag out of her hand tossing it into the sink. Sam smiled at him openly as she rubbed her hands on her hips. “Now, let’s get on with…let’s um…what were we doing again? Oh, yeah, let’s decorate the tree!”
“Well, we have to put the tree up first, Sir.”
He turned quickly to deliver his load of sarcasm but met her smiling eyes and stopped in mid-step, grinning stupidly.
“Oh, pleease!” Daniel moaned. “You guys really should just get a room.”
Jack and Sam flew apart as if they were opposite poles on a huge magnet and Sam shrieked in absolute disbelief. “Daniel!”
“Oh. Sorry, Sam, did I say that out loud?” He kept moving toward the den and Teal’c followed, grinning slightly. She swatted a hand across Daniel’s shoulder as he moved away. “Ok! Ok! Behave yourselves then!”
Jack shrugged his shoulders and smiled, as she looked at him open-mouthed. “Damn!” She muttered the word softly under her breath and then moved to join the others.
Forty-five minutes later the tree stood tall in the corner of the room and SG1 stood back staring quietly at the site.
“Um…this doesn’t look like your usual tree, Jack.”
“Well, that’s because it isn’t…my usual tree. I usually get a real one, Daniel, just before Christmas because we were always going off world. But since we’re all here this year, I thought we’d put it up now and revive an old family tradition.”
“It’s a bit…sad, Sir.”
“No! No it isn’t. It’ll be fine! Once we get the decorations on it’ll be great!”
“I do not see how, O’Neill.”
“Teal’c! You, too?” Jack looked at Teal’c hoping for some sign of his being persuaded. Then he turned to look at the tree again and spoke up in defeat. “Ok, what do think it needs?”
“We could try spray paint.”
“Daniel! You can’t spray paint a Christmas tree!”
“Oh. Ok, Teal’c?”
“Perhaps a zat’ni’katel!” Daniel was practically rolling on the floor laughing now.
“Very funny, Teal’c! And thankfully, we don’t have any zats here, for cryin’ out loud!” Jack paused to scowl at Daniel as he continued to laugh loudly. “Daniel!”
“Sorry, Jack.” Daniel tried to rein in his amusement but still chuckled softly while Jack glanced to Sam for some much needed support.
Jack continued to toss a glare at him until he had calmed considerably and then turned a much softer, pleading gaze on Sam. “How about you, Carter? You’re always one for great ideas. What do you think?”
“Hmm. Maybe a dustbuster…”
“What!” Jack was almost screaming as he watched Sam collapse under a wave of giggles. “No giggling, Carter!”
“I’m sorry, Sir, but it really is sad!”
“And you think sucking all the needles off of it will help?” Jack voice rose in volume as he spoke, peaking at the end of the sentence as he waved his arms in frustrated amazement.
“Wait! You actually have one of those, Jack?”
“Daniel, I swear!” Jack pointed one threatening finger at Daniel, holding it in place until he somehow managed to smother his laughter and Jack had totally missed the smiles on Sam and Teal’c face. “It will be fine! I will think of something! Or Carter will…think of something! Just…start decorating! That’s an order!”
“Oh, I don’t think you can order us to do that, Sir.”
“Wanna bet, Carter?” He raised his eyebrows and turned on his best threatening stare.
Sam crossed the room and pressed one hand against his tight abdomen. “Ok, Jack… I’ll think of...something.” Daniel smiled and shook his head then winked at Teal’c as he mouthed, “Jack?” and then joined Sam and Jack to trim the tree.
The tree was almost finished when Jack suddenly stopped and turned to Sam. “I got it!”
She tilted her head and stared into his eyes. “You’ve got what, Sir?”
“Snow.”
“Snow?”
“S-N-O-W! Snow.”
“Um, I don’t think that will work, Sir.”
“Why not?”
“Well, for one thing, it melts…Sir.”
Jack shook his head quickly. “Not that kind of snow, Carter!” He pointed out the window to drive home his point. “This kind of snow.” And he pulled a bag of white fluff from one of the boxes and began to sprinkle it in drifts on the limbs of the tree.
“You know, Sam, that might actually work.”
“Well, you don’t have to sound so surprised, Daniel! I do have good ideas now and then.”
Sam smiled at him as if he was a naughty child that she couldn’t possibly punish. “Of course you do, Sir. You’ve done it again!”
The four friends began to cover the tree in snowdrifts, transforming the murky green tree into an acceptable version of winter beauty. Just before they’d finished Jack tossed a bit of the fluff at Sam, smiling as it drifted down and settled on her hair and shoulders. She turned to him and smiled a very fake grin and then pelted him with the snow in her hand. His eyes twinkled and grew wide, enjoying the familiar teasing as he tossed another large handful of flakes directly at her. In seconds the air around them was filled with the man-made snow while Daniel and Teal’c paused to watch them.
“Here we go!” Chanted Daniel.
“Yes.” Teal’c drew out the word a bit, indicating his long-time familiarity with this particular form of flirtation.
“Reminds me of that time on, what was it, Teal’c…P3X-915? Without the mud and rocks of course. Maybe they won’t have so many bruises this time.” Daniel spoke softly, his mind traveling back to that archived memory while he watched Sam and Jack giggling and struggling as the game escalated.
“Colonel Carter seems to encourage O’Neill’s behavior.”
“Yeees. Yes, she does, doesn’t she?” Teal’c looked away and continued to drape icicles on the tree, unconcerned with their antics just as Sam shoved a handful of the snow into Jack’s face. He froze and so did she, staring into his eyes with a teasing smile and suppressing a giggle between pursed lips.
“Uh, oh.” His voice sounded mockingly fearful, but Daniel was smiling, his words pulling Teal’c’s attention back to Jack and Sam again.
“Saaam.” Jack’s voice was a low threatening growl, but Daniel knew it was part of the game even though Sam stood between them and he couldn’t see Jack’s eyes.
“Yes, Jack?” Her voice was soft and innocent, almost seductive as she answered. Then she squared her shoulders, twisting her hips the tiniest bit as she continued to tease him and Daniel tried to imagine the smile in her eyes. Then suddenly she bolted for the back door, tearing it open in one smooth movement and running across the deck in flight. Jack’s reaction was instantaneous, following her out the door in full pursuit, his long legs devouring the earth beneath his feet as he closed the gap between them.
“O’Neill!” Teal’c raised his voice in protest but Jack didn’t acknowledge him or slow down. By the time he and Daniel reached the door Sam and Jack were running through the snow, scooping their hands along the ground as they ran and pelting each other with the cold, wet magic.
“Ah, forget it, Teal’c, unless of course, you’d like for me to chase you?”
Teal’c turned a steely glare on Daniel, holding it steadily locked on his eyes for several seconds before answering. “No.”
“I didn’t think so.” He chuckled. Then he reached out and slid the door closed, shutting out the cold air and watching for a moment as Jack and Sam continued their snowball fight. “Ok, well, I guess we should finish the tree.” Daniel turned to walk away but Teal’c continued to watch.
“They’re so cute together.” The big man spoke the words slowly, his deep voice lending a strange inflection to the common phrase.
Daniel’s mouth fell open slightly at the unexpected words flowing from the Jaffa’s lips. “What? What did you say, Teal’c?”
“Am I incorrect, Daniel Jackson? Is this an inappropriate observation?”
“Well, no, not…exactly, not when you’re talking to me and certainly no more inappropriate than what they’re doing…ah, never mind.” Daniel waved his hands in the air to dismiss his words before looking back to Teal’c. “Just…don’t let Jack hear you say that.”
“Cassandra Frasier has given voice to this observation on numerous occasions.”
Daniel chuckled, unable to control his amusement at his friend’s seemingly serious demeanor. “Yeah, I’m sure she has, but not to Jack.” He slapped Teal’c playfully on the shoulder. “Come on, T, let’s finish up.”
They moved back to the tree finishing up quickly and then began to remove the boxes that littered the room. They worked efficiently, the quiet atmosphere interrupted only occasionally by Sam’s squeals mixed with Jack’s laughter as they played like carefree children in the newly fallen snow. Once the boxes had been returned to the attic and they had cleaned up the leftover snow, Daniel went into the kitchen to make coffee.
When he returned a few minutes later with a steaming cup of the favored liquid in hand, Teal’c was standing at the window, a slight smile coloring his features. “Are they still at it?”
“Indeed.”
Daniel moved beside him and watched as Jack chased Sam around the yard. She was running backwards, pelting him with snow as she fled. “O’Neill should be able to easily capture her.”
“Yeah. I think it’s the thrill of the chase, Teal’c. They’re playing.”
Teal’c’s eyebrows lifted high on his forehead as he turned to Daniel. “Playing?”
“Yeah.” Daniel chuckled. “You know, blowing off steam, relaxing, having fun.”
“It appears to be part of your mating ritual.” Teal’c stated the words matter-of-factly and Daniel’s gaze seemed to focus on the couple as he listened.
“Hmm. You could be right about that, T, but I think we should stop them before they freeze their butts off!”
As that thought escaped Daniel’s lips, Jack dived at Sam, his arms trapping her legs and pulling her to the ground. She was giggling and launching handfuls of snow as he inched forward. His hands grabbed at her clothing while he pressed his weight against her to hold her down, digging into the snow with his feet, he crawled up the length of her. When their faces met and his body completely covered hers, she rubbed the snow into his face, watching as he blew it out of his mouth and then rewarded her with his deep laughter.
Suddenly Jack leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Daniel was so surprised that he narrowly avoided spitting the coffee from his mouth, struggling to swallow without choking as he watched. He saw Sam’s arms slip around Jack, pulling him closer and stared, almost in shock as her leg wound around his in an almost intimate caress. They were rolling in the snow, locked in a tight embrace, kissing and laughing as if it were the natural culmination to their game.
“I do not think they will be cold for some time.” Daniel looked over at his friend who was openly smiling.
“Right! Well, maybe we should, uh…” Daniel paused still amazed at their sudden open behavior. “Do you think they know we can see them?”
He turned his head as he felt Teal’c eyes on him. “I believe that fact to be of little concern at the moment.”
“Well, I think we should...” Daniel reached for the door and Teal’c’s large hand was immediately on his arm preventing him from reaching the door handle. Daniel looked up in surprise.
“Join them?”
“Um…” Daniel looked from Teal’c to his other teammates and after a moment a smile tickled his lips. “Sure, why not? Us against them? Might be fun!”
Teal’c released his hold on Daniel’s arm and quietly opened the door. “Stealth would be the most effective mode of attack, Daniel Jackson.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Teal’c. I’m right behind you.” The two men slipped out onto the deck undetected and when they were within a few yards of Jack and Sam, began pelting them mercilessly with hastily gathered snowballs. In a heartbeat they separated and began returning fire as all four members of SG1 launched nature’s weapons into the air, feeling the bonds of friendship tighten around them.
A few minutes later they were all lying in the snow, breathing heavily and laughing almost hysterically as the snow drifted down onto their faces. “O’Neill?”
“Yeah, T?”
“Is this another of your Thanksgiving traditions?” Teal’c asked as they all slowly came to their feet.
Jack raised his eyebrows questioningly and looked at each of them for a moment and then he smiled, thankful for his friends and their relationships. “Yeah, Teal’c, I think it is now.” He clapped Teal’c affectionately on the back and punched Daniel on the shoulder. “Whadda ya say we get some coffee, guys!”
Daniel and Teal’c started back to the house and Jack quietly slipped his arm around Sam’s waist. When she turned to meet his eyes he placed a quick, soft kiss on her waiting lips.
“I think this should definitely be a tradition!”