DISCLAIMER: The story, characters and everything regarding SG-1 belong to MGM, Gekko, Secret Productions etc. They are not mine and never will be.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It was originally going to be called 'A Family Christmas' but 'Christmas Traditions' seemed more appropriate when I had finished. I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas everyone!
CHALLENGE RESPONSE: Submitted for the Passion & Perfection Xmas Challenge 2005
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Christmas Traditions
By KC
"I'm glad you could make it." Janet said as she let Sam in.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world." Sam smiled warmly as she handed a bottle of rather expensive wine over to Janet.
It was the first Christmas after Cassandra had come to live with Janet, therefore it was Cassandra's first Christmas, and they had both wanted Sam to be there. Sam had, after all, stayed with Cassandra in the bunker and helped her get settled in with Janet.
"Do you remember our first Christmas together?" Sam asked softly as Janet took another sip of her wine.
"Of course I do." Janet beamed. "It was the foundation of this little tradition of ours."
Sam chuckled. "And what a tradition it is! Spending Christmas with family has always been special to me. I even manage to drag myself out of my lab for this."
"I'm surprised you haven't become sensitive to natural light by now!" Janet quipped.
"Ha ha, very funny." Sam drank the last of her wine and refilled her glass, topping Janet's up as well.
"I'll be back in a sec." Janet jumped up, only to feel dizzy at her sudden movement.
Sam stood up and grabbed her protectively. Janet instantly relaxed into Sam's strong arms until she regained her equilibrium. Even then she remained as she was for a few moments. Janet turned in Sam arms to face her. They locked eyes and time seemed to freeze.
They both jumped as fireworks exploded somewhere near by. They both automatically went to grab the other, and laughed when they realized it was probably just some kids down the road setting them off.
Janet cleared her throat and repeated, "I'll be back in a sec."
She disappeared into the hallway and returned moments later with a small box. She handed it to Sam who looked at it with puzzlement.
"It won't bite, you know." Janet grinned.
"What is it?" Sam asked.
"Open it and find out." Janet replied whilst returning to her seat.
Sam sat down and then lifted the lid to the box to reveal a silver bracelet. Sam gazed at it in awe, then at Janet. She was touched. It was such a lovely gift. She leant over and hugged Janet, unsure of her ability to speak.
"It's inscribed too." Janet pointed out nervously.
Sam removed it from the box and twisted it to see the inscription. It read – Forever and Always. Sam smiled. In fact she couldn't stop herself from smiling, she was just grinning like an idiot.
"Janet, th-thank you. It's b-beautiful." Sam stammered.
"I'm glad you like it." Janet said as she let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
"Would you mind?" Sam asked as she held out her wrist.
"Of course not." Janet took the bracelet from Sam and gently put it around her wrist, re-connecting it and letting it fall into place.
"It's perfect…" Sam whispered.
Janet just nodded. She wasn't exactly thinking about the bracelet.
Sam smiled at Janet and then got up. She found her bag and started to rummage through it. When she had found what she had been looking for she withdrew it and took it back to where they had been sitting. She sat down and held it out for Janet to take. Janet took the box, bigger than the one she had given Sam, and looked at it timidly.
"It won't bite, you know." Sam mimicked Janet's earlier comment.
Janet smiled at Sam and then lifted the lid off the box, just as Sam did, to reveal a beautiful gold necklace with a heart shaped pendant hanging from it. She delicately ran the pad of her finger over it in admiration. She lifted it out of its container and held it out to Sam as she lifted her hair.
"Would you mind?" Janet asked, a slight moisture to her eyes.
Sam smiled warmly and took the necklace, placing it around Janet's neck and clasping it together at the back. When Janet turned to face her Sam could see it hung perfectly just below the hollow of her throat.
"I love it…" Janet whispered.
"It's also inscribed."
Janet lifted the heart and turned it over. There was one word, one word that said all she needed to know. Yours. Janet smiled and looked up at Sam who had this adorable shy smile on her face.
"It's beautiful." Janet said.
"You're beautiful." Sam countered.
Janet's eyes twinkled at Sam, and it was the last thing she remembered before Janet was leaning forward and kissing her. Yes, that's right, Janet was kissing her. Although she was in shock, she was still capable of reacting by wrapping her arms around Janet's waist and pulling her closer, until their bodies were pressed firmly together.
More fireworks went off but neither noticed. They were too wrapped up in each other to notice anything other than Sam pulling Janet on top of her and Janet slipping one leg between Sam's as they continued their exploration with their mouths, which were soon joined by their hands. They were definitely going to have to add this to their Christmas tradition.
Forever and Always, Yours
The End