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Title: Dispensing a Little Christmas Cheer
Suggested
Rating: for all readers
Category: Daniel/Janet romance,
holiday
Season: Season 7
Author’s Comments: Warning – warm fuzzy alert! If adorable little romantic fluff
isn’t your cup of tea, then you should turn back now. This is nothing but fluff, pure and
simple. I make no apologies, but
I will “blame” it on two things. One, the danandjan list, which has
been rather prolific in the area of romantic fluff of late. And two, listening to entirely too much
Donny Osmond and Barry Manilow Christmas music while at work. Speaking of, want to get in the mood
yourself with a bit of the piece that more or less inspired this little
story? Feel
free to listen to the last verse of Baby it’s Cold Outside. Hope you enjoy.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly
recognizable characters and places (the Stargate SG-1 stuff) are the
property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. The song, Baby it’s
Cold Outside, as sung by Barry Manilow, is property of Arista Records and
can be found on the CD Because It’s Christmas. It’s all used here without
permission, but was created for entertainment only and no infringement on
copyrights or trademarks was intended.
Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are
copyrighted to the author.
Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and
not intended by the author.
DISPENSING A LITTLE
CHRISTMAS CHEER
By Michelle Lunsford
(2003)
Doctor Janet Frasier hummed along
with the music that filled her office as she worked. It was Christmas Eve, and only a few
reports remained in the stack of paperwork that she had vowed to finish
before leaving base for the afternoon.
There was no need to feel stressed, as everything at home –
except for the few last minute preparations – was in order for the
get-together she was hosting that evening. It wasn't anything fancy, just a
chance to be with her closest friends during the holiday before they
dispersed for their individual personal plans on Christmas day. But it was an event that had become
something of tradition over the past few years, and Janet had come to look
forward to it more and more.
Holiday tunes from her favorite
musical artist had kept her company all morning, and each time Janet signed
off on another report, she felt her mood lighten just a little bit more. Grabbing another folder from the
stack, she perused the papers inside, her fingers absently drumming against
the desk in time with the song that had just begun. It was her favorite track on the CD,
and before long her foot was tapping in rhythm as well. Her humming resumed seconds later.
"I thought you'd have headed
home already."
The voice – although a pleasant
interruption – caught her unaware, and Janet started. "Don't you know it's impolite to
sneak up on people," she chided good-naturedly, fighting a sudden rush
of heat to her checks in realization that she'd just been caught singing
along with her music.
Janet's sensation of mild
embarrassment wasn't helped when Daniel, leaning casually in her doorway with
arms folded across his chest, merely smiled impishly in reply. She wondered how long he'd been
standing there.
"That's a good Christmas
CD," Daniel commented lightly as he entered the room. "Eclectic, but with that
characteristic Manilow style."
Janet felt her eyebrows rise in
surprise. "You like Barry
Manilow?"
"Afraid so," he
admitted. "Blame it on Mrs.
Annette Sanders, one of my foster parents when I was growing up. She had all his LPs, and played them
constantly." He halted
beside her stool, and peered over her shoulder at the remaining stack of
reports. "So, why are you
still here? I figured you'd be
home getting ready for your big shindig."
"Most everything's ready at
home," Janet replied.
"And these reports need to be done before I go." She decided to play his curiosity back
on him. "And what exactly
are you up to, Dr. Jackson, hanging around base on Christmas Eve?"
"Oh, nothing, really," he
responded, that mischievous smile pulling at his mouth again. "Just wandering the halls,
interrupting people's work – all in the name of dispensing a little
Christmas cheer, of course."
"Of course," Janet answered
wryly.
Daniel nodded, as he nonchalantly
reached for her hand and gently tugged her up from the stool. The next thing Janet knew, she was
being guided into the classic ballroom dancer position.
"Daniel? What are you doing?"
"Dispensing Christmas
cheer," he repeated, as he began to dance her around the room in perfect
time with the music.
"Besides, this is one of my favorite songs on this CD."
Janet was at something of a
loss. She'd seen Daniel, in all
manner of circumstances and variety of moods before, but this bold
playfulness was definitely a new side to his character. Her own disposition being
appropriately festive at the moment, she decided to ride this out and see
where it went.
"I always thought Manilow did a
much better rendition of this song than Dean Martin." Daniel commented offhandedly.
"Really?" Janet said, still
a bit bewildered to find herself being danced around her office by the SGC's
chief archeologist.
He guided her in an expert turn. "But then, that's probably a
prejudiced viewpoint, as I never liked Dean Martin."
The impromptu dance continued, Daniel
leading her in increasingly complex steps. Janet wasn't certain what astonished
her most – that they were dancing in the first place, that apparently
Daniel knew how to dance really well, or that he led so well, she was
following him without any trouble whatsoever.
"Ever been to one of Manilow's
concerts?" he asked.
"Just once, but it's been
several years ago." To
herself she added, ‘Not long after I'd divorced. Thank goodness for dear friends
and their efforts to cheer me up back then.’ Aloud she said, "From what I
remember, he put on a good show.
What about you?"
"Seen him in concert? No, never had the
opportunity." Daniel
released one of her hands, and smoothly spun her in a perfect pirouette. "I heard he was doing a
show in Colorado Springs
next month."
Remembering what she'd caught on the
radio during her morning drive to work, Janet replied, "Yeah. But it's already sold out."
"Ah. Guess I still won't get the
opportunity then."
The music flourished toward the
ending, and Daniel proficiently steered her through a quick succession of
intricate footwork before finally leaning her backwards in a graceful
dip. Janet met his eyes as he smiled
down at her, and for a split second found herself unexpectedly
breathless. The romantic
nature of their current position was not lost on her, and fleetingly Janet
wondered how awkward it would appear if someone actually walked in on them at
that moment. She felt her cheeks
begin to flush slightly, but then as quickly as it had begun, the entire
sensation passed, and Daniel was gently guiding her upright again.
"Thank you for the dance, my
lady," he said, making an overly dramatic bow as he backed away. Then, with a final hint of smile, he
turned, and walked out.
Janet stared at the
empty doorway for several minutes, wondering what in the world all that had
been about. If her recent visitor
was to be believed – and she had no reason to doubt him – it had
been just a little Christmas merriment.
She considered. While
Daniel had never really been one to display exuberant holiday spirit –
actually, that more aptly described Colonel O'Neill – neither was he a
Scrooge. Still, the past few
minutes were undeniably outside of Daniel's characteristic behavior.
A little voice in Janet's head
couldn't help but point out she had rather enjoyed getting to observe said
uncharacteristic behavior.
A small sigh escaped her lips. 'Who am I kidding?' she reflected. 'I liked it – I liked it a lot.'
Shaking her head in an effort to
clear her head, Janet returned to her desk. 'Now is not the time to go all
psycho-analytical,' she mused.
'Especially where Daniel Jackson is concerned.' Pointedly ignoring the light laughter
of her internal voice, she delved into her reports again.
~ *
~ * ~
* ~ *
~ * ~
* ~
The evening was progressing
splendidly. Everyone had arrived
in a festive mood. Finger foods
and pleasant conversation were plentiful. Janet somehow managed to divide her
attention between being a good hostess and sharing the company of her
friends. Thus far, she
hadn’t been able to decide what part of the evening she was enjoying
more.
One side of her loved being in
animated discussion with one or more of her guests. But she also found great pleasure in
hanging in the background, watching her friends interact. She had already surreptitiously
observed several things that she knew would be catalogued as special memories
from this Christmas. She had
watched Cassie, Daniel and Teal’c share stories of holidays past, while
stringing popcorn. And perhaps
her favorite moment had been when she’d caught a glimpse of
O’Neill giving Sam a kiss on the cheek – a kiss that lingered
perhaps just a little longer than was necessary – when Sam had walked
under some mistletoe.
Eventually, the time of exchanging
gifts arrived. Per usual,
O’Neill donned a Santa hat, and began distribution from the treasure
trove beneath Janet’s huge Christmas tree. Some gifts proved to be
well-considered tokens of friendship, whereas others were hilarious practical
jokes. ‘With this
group,’ Janet reflected, ‘you just never knew.’ But all were received in the spirit of
the season, and in recognition of the emotion with which they’d been
given.
They were nearing the end of the
festivities, when Janet noticed that Cassie was pointing out something under
the tree to ‘Santa’.
Janet watched with interest as the two whispered between themselves
for a few seconds. She got the
distinct impression that something was most definitely up.
O’Neill nodded at whatever
Cassie had just said to him, then held up the items he’d retrieved from
beneath the tree. He announced,
“I have a feeling this one is going to be especially interesting. It comes with
instructions.” With further
ado, he handed the gift to Janet.
It was the last thing Janet expected,
and she immediately felt all her senses go on alert. Aware there were several expectant
stares now fixed on her, Janet warily took the gift and silently read the
message on the front: To Janet.
From Cassie and Daniel.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas – you must open the three
parts in numerical order.
Further inspection revealed the gift did indeed consist of a trio of
components. There were three
envelopes, with the numbers one, two, and three written on them respectively.
Janet sensed a distinctive tightening
in her stomach, her emotions suddenly vacillating between intense interest
and guarded apprehension. She
glanced up, hoping to catch some clue about the nature of this unique
gift. But while Cassie was
grinning ear to ear, Daniel’s expression was completely unreadable.
“What is it?” Sam asked
into the silence, from where she sat on the sofa beside Janet.
“I, um… I have to open
them in order,” Janet replied, not sure what else to say. Then taking a deep breath, she
carefully opened the first envelope.
It was a Christmas card, beautifully
painted by her daughter.
Slowly, she began to read the handwritten message inside.
Dear Mom, this being
our last Christmas before I graduate, I wanted it to be something
special. Imagine my surprise when
a few weeks before Thanksgiving, Daniel gave me a call and told me that he
wanted to do something special for you this Christmas as well. Of course, crazy with curiosity, I
asked him why. But, I’m
afraid he’s not talking – and you know how stubborn he can
be. I have my suspicions, but I
guess I’ll just have to wait to see if I’m right or not. Anyway, we helped each other pick out
these gifts. Hope you like
them. And I just want to thank
you again for giving me a home, and making my life so special. I love you, forever and
always. Hugs-a-million, your
daughter, Cassie.
Janet felt her eyes sting with
tears. She looked up at
Cassandra, pouring all the love she felt into her expression. The teen was fairly beaming back at
her, but said nothing. Swallowing
hard against the lump that threatened to form in her throat, Janet set the
card in her lap, and opened the envelope marked number two.
It contained two tickets to the Barry
Manilow concert in January.
Janet chuckled softly as she glanced
again in Daniel’s direction.
She raised her eyebrows inquisitively, her mind flashing back to the
spontaneous dance they’d shared earlier that day. But Daniel only continued to return
her gaze steadily, his expression still unrevealing.
‘Stubborn indeed,’ she
thought amusedly, before returning her attention to the final envelope.
Inside was a folded piece of fine,
pale blue stationery. The script
on this note wasn’t as familiar as her daughter’s, but Janet
immediately knew who had written it.
Dearest Janet, I must
confess that I sought Cassie’s assistance in choosing your gift this
year. It was she who told me of
your fondness for Manilow, and that she thought you’d enjoy attending
the concert. As for the second
ticket, Cassie did say that she would “drag herself out with you”
(I take it she doesn’t share your enthusiasm for this musical genre?)
if you couldn’t find anyone else to accompany you. But I also confess that I hoped you
would do me the honor of sharing that evening with me. There’s one final
confession I have to make, to complete this gift. And if what you are about to read
comes as a surprise to you, then it’s been no less of one to me.
One of the lessons I’ve learned from the whole ascension-return
experience is that life is too precious not to make the most of it, to
treasure every moment and every opportunity we’re given. You have been a cherished friend to
me, for many years, and I would never want to do anything to threaten or
strain that friendship in any way.
Still, I can no longer deny that in the past several months,
there’s been a definite change – at least from my perspective
– in our relationship. I
care about you, Janet. Very
much. Certainly as more than just
my friend. And nothing would make
me happier than to risk discovering if those feelings could develop into
something even stronger over time.
But I realize that’s a risk I cannot undertake without your
consent. And so, I actually have
a fourth part to add to this Christmas gift. If you’re willing to accept it,
you’ll not only receive something as a token of my sincere and deep affection,
but it will also be the means by which you can let me know if you’re
inclined to take that risk with me.
Awaiting your answer-- Ever yours, Daniel.
Janet
could feel her heart pounding.
Surprise didn’t even come close to describing her response to
this earnest confession. But the
more significant shock, Janet now realized, was that Daniel’s words had
filled her with warmth and hope.
Intimations of emotions that she had previously suspected now exploded
in her heart. She knew
immediately what she wanted her answer to be.
Struggling to control her suddenly
erratic breathing, Janet raised her eyes. She was vaguely aware of the others,
and a definite sense of silent expectation in the room. She pointedly ignored it all, and
locked her gaze with that of the man across the room. His expression remained unchanged,
except for the briefest flicker of something that Janet thought she detected
in his eyes.
‘It’s now or
never,’ she thought.
Drumming up courage – and hoping her voice wouldn’t crack
with the nervous anticipation she now felt – Janet smiled and said,
“So, I get a fourth part to this gift too?”
Only the hint of a smile broke across
Daniel’s face, but his eyes suddenly shone with all the love his words
had declared. Never taking his
gaze from Janet, he slowly reached into the pocket of the jacket draped on
the arm of his chair, and pulled out a long, slender box wrapped in bright
blue paper. As he stood and made
his way towards her, Janet felt something catch in her throat. ‘Breathe, girl,’ she
quickly told herself. ‘Just
breathe!’
Daniel sat down beside her. “Merry Christmas,” he
said, handing her the box.
Surprised that her hands
weren’t trembling, Janet took the package and slowly began to unwrap
it. When she opened the box, a
gasp escaped her lips. Her hand
involuntarily flew to her mouth in shock.
“Oh, wow!” Sam exclaimed
to her right.
Janet stared at the delicate sapphire
bracelet in her hands, not quite sure how to respond. She met Daniel’s eyes, and
blinked back tears.
“I--I’m…” she
stammered. Janet shook her head
in disbelief. She could scarcely
believe the wealth of emotion she was feeling. “It’s beautiful,”
she finally managed, somewhat breathlessly.
Daniel smiled, and tenderly tucked a
stray wisp of hair behind her ear.
“Just like you,” he whispered. Taking the box from her, he carefully
unhooked the bracelet, and fastened it around her wrist. He held her hand and extended her arm
to get a good look.
“Perfect,” he said.
Janet entwined her fingers with his
and smiled wistfully up at him “Yes,” she agreed. “Just perfect.” Then, without a second thought, she
leaned in and kissed him.
Even as some part of her brain
registered that the kiss was still somewhat reserved on both their parts,
Janet felt herself slowly submerging in sensations of warmth, tenderness,
excitement and fascination. It
was pure delight. And she was
just considering deepening the kiss when the unmistakable sound of someone
clearing his throat caught her attention.
“Say, do either of you two care
to clue the rest of us in on what this is all about?” O’Neill
asked as Janet slowly pulled away from Daniel.
“Indeed,” Teal’c
declared from where he sat.
“Is this some Christmas tradition or ritual with which I am not
yet familiar?”
“Um, no, not exactly,”
Daniel replied. He smiled
lovingly at Janet
“Although, I suppose it is something of a tradition during the
holidays to honestly tell people how much you care about them.”
Janet felt her heart do a tiny
somersault as he squeezed her hand, then raised it to his lips and kissed it.
“And so I’ve just let
Janet know how I really feel about her.”
“I see,” Teal’c
said thoughtfully. “Doctor
Frasier, then may I assume from your response that the sentiment is
mutual?”
“Oh, that would definitely be a
safe assumption, Teal’c.”
Janet knew that she was staring up at Daniel with the expression of a
love-struck hopeless romantic, all the while grinning like a loon, but she
didn’t care. She was simply
too euphoric.
“Well I think it’s
wonderful,” Cassandra announced, bounding up from her spot on the floor
and practically tackling Janet in a bear hug.
“Right,” O’Neill
agreed. “In fact, this
probably calls for a celebration.
Doc, isn’t it about time for your traditional hot chocolate and
peppermint concoction?”
“Oh yeah,” Cassandra
chimed in. “That’s a
great idea. Come on, Mom. Let’s go get ‘em started.”
“Alright,” Janet
replied. She gave Daniel’s
hand a final squeeze before getting up from her seat.
“I’ll help,” Sam
offered, as she too stood.
Janet caught her friend’s eye,
and the definite expression of ‘and then you can fill me in on all
the details’.
“Don’t worry,” Jack
said, as he began to move towards the spot on the sofa that Janet had just
vacated. “We’ll keep
Daniel company while you’re busy in the kitchen.”
As Janet walked away she caught the
beginning of O’Neill’s good-natured ribbing to his friend. “I can’t believe you
didn’t tell me about all this, you romantic little rascal, you.”
She smiled again, knowing the Colonel
would probably tease Daniel about this one for quite some time. But, she also knew it was just one of
the ways they expressed their affection for one another, and it wouldn’t
be all that different from the ‘third degree’ she was about to
get when Sam pounced on her in the kitchen. Reminded once again how much she had
come to treasure this holiday gathering, and the time shared with her friends,
Janet glanced over her shoulder at the sight in her den. Daniel was listening to something
O’Neill was saying, an amused expression on his face. Seemingly aware that he was being
watched, Daniel cast his eyes in Janet’s direction. He smiled adoringly as their gaze
locked, before returning his attention to O’Neill. Janet sighed happily as she pushed
open the kitchen door. Yes, this
would be one Christmas she would never forget.
~ THE END ~
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