what_works | SG-1 Fic: A Family Christmas

Originally posted on December 25, 2004.

Fandom: Stargate: SG-1
Title: A Family Christmas
Author: Em
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~1760
Spoilers: A Season 7 Christmas—spoilers mentioned for "Meridian" and "Fallen."
Notes: This was written as a Christmas present for

forcryinoutloud. It all started when she mentioned that her cat, Daniel, was eating the Christmas decorations.
Revised and updated 12/20/16

A Family Christmas

Jack grimaced as Carter popped another piece of popcorn in her mouth. "You keep doing that and we're not going to have anything left for the tree." He arched a brow as he threaded another kernel, sliding it along the garland. The bowl rested against his thigh, balanced in the center of the couch.

Carter ducked her head—probably sneaking another piece—and wiped the telltale crumbs from her green sweater. "Sorry, sir."

Jack rolled his eyes. Getting the team together for the holidays was going to kill him. "Carter, this is a Christmas party. Drop the sir."

Carter nodded, that tight-lipped smile in place that clearly said she was going to call him 'sir' right through all the eggnog and after.

SG-1 had gathered at Jack's house for their annual Christmas party. Rather, what should have been their annual Christmas party. They'd spent one peaceful Christmas together off world (none of them even realizing it was Christmas), another together in a prison cell, and last Christmas was spent with Jonas rather than Daniel. This was the first time they were having a proper Christmas gathering and Jack was determined they were going to do it right—the tree, a Yule log, eggnog, the works. They got to have Christmas together again—all of them—it was going to be perfect.

Daniel sneaked the popcorn this time, reaching across from his perch on the coffee table. Jack merely raised an eyebrow, still concentrating on his threading and reluctant to snap at Daniel tonight anyway.

"I still do not understand why we are decorating a tree with food." Teal'c hooked another candy cane on the tree, giving it his best frown.

"It's not about the food." Carter took a careful sip of her eggnog and then handed Teal'c another candy cane from the stash on her opposite side. Jack was going to have to keep an eye on those, too, wasn't he?

"Actually," Daniel raised a finger to make a point. "The Celts decorated trees with apples and nuts to encourage the sun to return to bring spring." He pushed his glasses up his nose in a gesture Jack didn't take for granted any more—the corporealness of Dr. Jackson was a blessed thing.

And then Daniel ate another piece of popcorn.

"That was very enlightening," Jack said with the sweetest tone he could muster. "Now please stop eating the popcorn so the spring will come."

Daniel ducked his head, properly chastised, and the next popcorn kernel made it to the garland.

"It looks pretty." Carter stood, picking a browning pine needle from the nearest bough. She and Jack had argued about whether to get a fake tree or a live one. Carter argued for the live tree (which was what Jack also preferred), but Jack was concerned he'd get stuck at the SGC and the thing would just die on him. Even so, Carter won the argument. It smelled wonderful and she'd promised to help him dispose of it if interplanetary emergencies interrupted the holidays.

"Pretty, yes. That is the point, isn't it?" Jack held up his finished string. "Want to help me with this?"

"Sure." Carter poked at one of the clear glass balls before coming back to collect one end of the popcorn garland.

Daniel reached for the bowl again. Jack swatted at his hand.

"Hey!"

"Popcorn is for stringing, not eating." Jack climbed over Daniel's discarded boots, guiding the strand of popcorn over Daniel's head.

"I believe popcorn is consumable, O'Neill."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Not this popcorn."

"I believe it is—"

Jack held up one finger. "Aht!"

Teal'c frowned, but didn't finish his sentence.

Jack and Carter each took one side of the tree, passing the strand of garland around. The tree actually was looking edible. Aside from the glass balls and baubles Jack had pulled from his attic, over half of it was circled in popcorn and candy canes dangled from the upper-most branches (they couldn't convince Teal'c to squat to decorate the lower branches). Also Carter had brought over thimble-size stockings, each filled with a piece of chocolate. Jack snorted. No wonder he needed to fight everyone to keep the tree decorated.

"I think I'll just make some more popcorn." Daniel picked up the bowl and stood.

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Daniel."

"Jack?"

"Why do we need more popcorn?"

Daniel clutched the bowl. "Because we need more."

Jack tucked his end of the string into the tree. "But why is all the popcorn gone?"

Daniel licked his lips and ducked his head down. He raised his head again, blinking rapidly, before speaking. "Because we used it all."

Jack nodded and then moved back to his beer. Sitting, he said, "Is used it all a euphemism for I ate it?"

"No," Daniel said slowly, backing towards the kitchen. "It's a euphemism for Sam ate it." He smiled and then ducked into the kitchen.

Carter narrowed her eyes. "Is it just me or has he gotten cheekier since his Ascension?"

Jack took a swig of beer. "Nope. You just got used to Jonas." The condensation on Jack's bottle dripped on his leg. "He was a little quieter than Daniel."

Carter laughed. "Sir, I would hardly describe Jonas as quiet."

Jack put his beer down and picked up Daniel's finished popcorn strand, going back to the tree. "Yeah, well, you know what I meant."

Carter sat in front of the fire and hugged her knees. "You think he remembered it's Christmas?"

"It is difficult to recall Tau'ri holidays while on other planets." Teal'c placed another candy cane near the top of the tree.

"Yeah, I know. It's just Christmas—it's a family time." Carter looked over her shoulder, throwing a smile at Teal'c.

SG-1 was Jack's family. Daniel's too. Teal'c's Earth family. And they all spent so much time with Carter that it was sometimes difficult to remember that she actually had a family. Of course she had just been talking about Jonas, not her brother or father.

Daniel came back into the room carrying a bowl of freshly popped corn. "Um, Jack? Do you have any food here?"

Jack cocked his head to the side, running through the mental image of his pantry and what he'd bought at the store for their little shindig. "Uh… no?" he guessed.

Daniel nodded and took Jack's seat, the popcorn secure in his lap.

Carter turned on her knees. "Sir, didn't we talk about what we'd eat for dinner?"

"Did we?" He recalled telling Carter, "Sure, whatever," but he'd thought that had been about the tree.

"You know what this means, right?"

They all turned to Daniel. He plucked a piece of popcorn from the top of the golden white pile and held it up for emphasis. "We have to eat the tree." The popcorn disappeared into his mouth.

Carter grinned, a wicked gleam in her eye. "Well, if we have to." She started to get to her feet.

Jack jumped in front of the tree, gesturing wildly, ready to hold Daniel and Carter at bay. "No! We are not eating the tree." Did he just order SG-1 to not eat a tree? Jack mentally shook it off.

"But, Jack, there's nothing else to eat. And it's Christmas Eve." Daniel put the bowl down on the coffee table.

Jack flared his nostrils. "We are not eating the tree." Jack flailed at the tree. "We're not even done decorating it!"

Daniel stepped to Jack's right, scanning the tree with his eyes. "The decorations will go bad anyway," Daniel said. "How long do you think edible decorations last?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "I'm taking the eggnog away from you."

"Why?"

"Because you're obviously drunk."

Teal'c was the only one not advancing on him. Teal'c was reclined on the couch, the new proud owner of the popcorn Daniel had abandoned. Jack narrowed his eyes, feeling completely betrayed. "Fine."

Daniel's eyebrows jumped above his glasses. "Fine?"

"Yes." Jack stepped aside and held out his hand to the tree. "Go ahead. Eat it."

Carter and Daniel looked at each other for a moment and then both pounced. Carter reached for a candy cane and Daniel went for the chocolate.

Jack sighed heavily, shoved his hands in his pockets, and bowed his head. "I just thought it would be nice to enjoy a real family Christmas. For once." Jack peeked at them from the corner of his eye. "It's been so long."

Carter put her candy cane back first. Her forehead wrinkled in concern.

Daniel popped the chocolate in his mouth, calling the bluff.

"Daniel?" Jack tried again. He rolled his shoulders forward—submissive, defeated.

Daniel took a candy cane off the tree and handed it to Carter, keeping eye contact with Jack. "Jack, if you really mean that, may I never step through the Stargate again."

Jack tried to sell it with his eyes. "Why would I say that if I didn't mean it?"

Daniel pulled another candy cane off the tree and pulled off the wrapper. "To get your way." He stuck the candy into his mouth.

"Oh for cryin' out loud." He retreated back to his beer, pushing at Teal'c's feet to uncover a seat. "Like I'd manipulate you just to get my way," he mumbled.

"On the contrary, O'Neill. I believe you would." Teal'c actually smiled around a mouthful of popcorn.

Carter pulled the candy cane from her mouth, her lips already bright red from the dye. "Does it matter, sir? Decorating the tree, eating the tree. We're together." She shrugged.

Together, that had been the point, hadn't it?

Daniel snagged another thimble-sized stocking from the tree and held up the chocolate, raising an eyebrow at Jack. He tossed it once he had Jack's attention. He offered one to Teal'c the same way—corporeal Daniel tossing out chocolates to his family. Maybe it wasn't the perfectly decorated Christmas party Jack had imagined, but it was perfect in that SG-1 was together, alive, and safe. The threats of the world still existed, but at the moment they were far away.

Sam and Daniel plucked more of the sugared bounty from the tree and sat on the opposite side of the coffee table, spreading their banquet. Teal'c sat up, and even Jack sorted through the haul.

Naturally Sam stole the popcorn at her earliest convenience and Daniel made himself at home by popping yet another bag. The kitchen was going to smell like popcorn for days, but Jack would put up with it in exchange for a real family Christmas.

~Comments and feedback are appreciated.