What's appropriate
What's appropriate
by Poppy
Title: What's appropriate
Author: Poppy
Email: poppygirl2001@hotmail.com
Category: Holiday
Holiday: Christmas
Season: any Season
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Summary: Teal'c and Jack decide to do something nice and festive for Sam seeing as it's Christmas after all. This is my first fanfic so be nice.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Major Samantha Carter sat alone in her lab busy 'tweaking' as Colonel O'Neill would put it with the latest alien device to be brought through the gate. Had she been facing the door or not so engrossed in her work she would have seen Jack and Teal'c enter her lab with an unusual present hide under Teal'c's jacket. Unfortunately she didn't notice there presence until a little conifer tree was unceremoniously dropped in front of her. Sam jumped in surprise finding herself face to face with Teal'c's smiling face. Or as close to smiling as you will ever get since this is Teal'c that we are talking about here. The still shocked Sam looked from the impressed Jaffa, who looked like he'd been drinking too much at the base Christmas party to the tree. Then to her CO who was stood in the corner and then back to the tree again. Putting two and two together she looked at Jack saying, "this was your idea wasn't it." "What was" Jack replied innocently still staying in the dark. "This" Sam stated as she pointed towards the tree. "What you don't like it" answered Jack as he stuffed his hands into his pockets staring directly at her. Sam sighed in resignation and taking her goggles off she decided to study the tree more closely. It was only very small and looked even smaller in the makeshift pot it was stuck in which Sam figured must be a bedpan Jack 'borrowed' from the infirmary. He better pray that Janet didn't find out. However the red ribbon tied round the base did make it look somewhat attractive. Even minus the fact it was so full of snow spray it was almost falling over, the angel on the top was a misshapen paperclip made to look like a star and the piesta resistance, the tree itself on second glance looked half dead.
'Oh well' Sam thought to herself 'at least they've tried.' Besides Teal'c was looking down on her with the same expression that a child has when given a particularly large Christmas present, who could she refuse that look. "It was only partly my idea" stated Jack as he carefully studied Sam's expression from across the room. Sam felt immediately guilty and had to say something, as the tree was starting to look worse and worse everytime she dared to glance at it. "Its not that I don't appreciate the sentiment guys. It's just that there are a lot of sensitive equipment in hear and I dint think that a Christmas tree is really appropriate." Sam secretly hoped that it didn't sound as ungrateful to there ears as it made her feel. "Actually it was all his idea" added Jack as he moved to stand next to Teal'c who was looking slightly crestfallen. However to the untrained eye it would be almost impossible to tell the difference. "I believe that it is customary to decorate ones room with a tree at this time of year" stated Teal'c as he began to defend his actions. "We, or rather Teal'c hear" Jack said in his usual manor "just thought that with it being Christmas and all and you not going anywhere that we would remind you that its still Christmas. Even if you're stuck down here forgetting about it." Sam hadn't forgotten Christmas its just easier to put it off with work to save yourself the pain of realizing that you've got no where to go, nothing to do and no one to spend it with.
Smiling up at them for the first time that afternoon she finally began to see the 'gift' for what it really was, a truly caring thought. Sam sighed with relief as she realized that there are worse things that they could have done given the festive circumstances. "What?" Jack asked puzzled. "Nothing, its just that I've been worried for weeks that you where going to do something stupid" Sam said with a tone of relief and disappointment. She could have used a good laugh. "Me never" quipped Jack slyly "like what." "Oh I don't know you could have spray painted my office with snow spray or something" added Sam in a suddenly playful mood all of a sudden, must be all the Yule tide spirit that's going around. "Couldn't" mentioned Jack "we used all the snow spray on the tree." Both Sam and Jack smiled as did Teal'c in his own unique way. Jack motioned for Teal'c to leave the room and he complied, closely followed by Jack himself. Sam so preoccupied with trying to make the star on top look vaguely presentable she suddenly realized that she'd completely forgotten to ask them something. "So what are you guys doing tomorrow then. You know with it being Christmas." "I am joining Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson for Christmas dinner." Teal'c said as he was about to exit the room. Teal'c bowed slightly and left the room but not before he wished Sam a merry Christmas though.
Jack was about to follow before a very confused Sam asked, "I thought that it was going to be family only." "Nah, besides that big guy is family and anyway what real family have I got to spend the holidays with?" Looking over to Sam he realized that his sudden outburst of Christmas melancholy might have hit a little too close to home. You only had to look at the pained expression on her face that had replaced the smile that were there before to realize that. "Hey Carter I didn't mean... that wasn't why you turned down my invitation to join me was it?" questioned Jack. "No I'm just really busy this time of year," Sam said hoping that it sounded convincing. "I can see that," added Jack as he scanned the half-empty lab. "Well I better be off, see you later" said Jack trying not to make her too awkward. In his experience women are like elephants, they never forget and Sam isn't someone you want holding a grudge against you even if it is the season of goodwill. Looking at the clock on the wall and realizing that his shift finished ten minutes ago he added "Sam." That one little word like the tree brought a smile to her face. Yet she found herself staring at the floor. For some reason she couldn't bring herself to show him the same favor and say his name in return. Instead she choose a simple "merry Christmas sir and thanks for the tree." Secretly hoping that he would read between the lines and understand why, appreciating the sentiment anyway.
"No worries, you know it was all my idea" boasted Jack as he through her a wistful smile. "Yes sir" added Sam suddenly realizing she must be the only one at the base with no where to go for Christmas and she would have had plenty of offers, if she hadn't burned most of her bridges already. Jack seemed to pick up on this and added "you know where I'll be if you change your mind." "I know" she was grateful that he tried. The look that transpired between them was enough for now, especially when Jack finally left. Catching up with Teal'c before he started to wonder where he had gotten to.
Sam slumped down on a near by stool and stared at the Christmas tree for what felt like an eternity before she rose to her feet. With the sudden realization that things where much clearer than they had been for a long time. Research could wait, Christmas comes but once a year and being a time for family she wanted to spend Christmas with hers. Grabbing her jacket and the tree, covering herself and her lab top with a shower of white spray in the process. Just what would the cleaners think she had been up to in hear. Laughing at the thought of the possibilities Sam jogged out of her lab to the elevator. If she hurried she might be able to catch up with Jack and Teal'c and maybe then she would call Mark.
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