TITLE: Cassandra's
Surprise
AUTHOR: Meesh
EMAIL: egyptian.queen@ntlworld.com
CATEGORY: Romance, Fluff, Christmas Story.
CONTENT WARNINGS: f/f romance, a few indications of what they are going to get
up to but nothing more.
RATING: Probably just a PG-15 I think.
SPOILERS: None.
SUMMARY: Cassie's first Christmas, but what has Sam bought for Janet.
ARCHIVE: Please e-mail me if interested!
PARINGS: Sam/Janet
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them- I didn't even get a clone for Christmas ;)
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Some lyrics from Faith Hill's song "If I'm not in Love with
you". Written over the Christmas period.
It was Christmas Eve, the Fraiser household was silent. Cassandra, the soul survivor of her home planet, was sleeping soundly in her bed, a brightly coloured stocking embroidered with her name hanging on the landing awaiting the arrival of Saint Nicholas.
Down the hallway in her own bedroom Janet sat on the edge of her bed, her hair damp from the shower she had just stepped out from. Her eyes sore from hours of crying. It was Christmas eve, she should have been looking forward to spending Christmas day with her new family. For the first time she had a child to spoil and enjoy the festivities with.
But it wasn't going to be the family Christmas she had hoped for, her parents had long since ceased contact with her. The break up of her marriage had stunned her religious parents. Bringing up a child on her own, a child that wasn't even her own had further broadened the divide.
Janet pulled at the ties on her dressing gown, pulling it tighter around her. Pushing aside her worries she pulled a bag of presents out of the wardrobe. She'd not really known what to buy Cassandra. What do you buy an 11 year old alien child on their first Christmas!?
Janet tiptoed out of her room dragging the sack that contained surprise gifts for her daughter. Janet and Sam rarely had time off together, but on one such rare occasion they had made a trip to the mall. The trip had proved expensive, as they both decided to spoil their daughter.
They'd picked out sweaters for the girl in almost every conceivable shade of pink, which was seemingly her favourite colour. Sam had bought Cassie sensible gifts, a set of books, stationary and art materials. The young girl had already shown an interest in the arts. At the bottom of the stairs Janet was greeted by an excitable bark from Cassie's dog Bob. Janet waved a finger at him "Shush!" Bob whined and returned to his resting spot on the doormat. Janet padded along the hall towards her den, inside stood a large pine tree decorated in fairy lights and tinsel.
Underneath the tree were already masses of gifts for the girl. Various colourfully wrapped parcels from Sam, Jack, Teal'C, Daniel and George. Plus several gifts Janet had already placed under the tree. Including a stack of CDs, Cassandra seemed to enjoy listening to music so Janet had splashed out in the record store.
Janet added the neatly wrapped fleeces to the pile and dug further into the sack of presents. Janet added the final packages to the pile, recognising the ones Sam had asked her to hide from the bright sparkly paper she had wrapped them in. Janet smiled imagining the girl's face in the morning.
Janet switched the lights off and closed the den door securely. She hoped Bob didn't push his way in during the night, as she was almost certain there were a few boxes of chocolates under the tree for Cassie. She switched the lights off and made her way back up to the bedroom, pausing on the landing to fill Cassie's stocking with the little gifts she had acquired. Topping it off by resting a large stuffed dog in the top of the stocking.
Smiling Janet made her way back to bed. She lay back on the bed staring at the clock on her bedside dresser. It was only just gone midnight. She picked up her cell phone and flicked through the phonebook entries until the display read 'Sam Mobile'. Janet's finger hovered over the dial button, she knew it wasn't late and that more than likely Sam was awake. But what could she say? Merry Christmas, and by the way I've changed my mind, I want a relationship now because it suits me?
Janet hit the cancel button and put the phone back on the bedside table. She was just being stupid, she couldn't bother Sam. She had gone away to her brothers for the festive season. Just because Janet was upset and wanted her here didn't mean she had the right to phone her and make her feel guilty.
With a sigh she rolled over and curled up, waiting for sleep to finally come to her.
****
"Mom!!!!!" Cassie's excited squeals drifted through Janet's bedroom door. The girl banged on the door excitedly.
Janet rolled over yawning, she'd slept later than she had thought and Cassie had beaten her to getting up. "Come in honey,"
The door burst open and Cassie bounded in followed closely by Bob. She leapt onto the bed, stocking in hand.
"Oh my gosh look Mom!" Cassie held up the fluffy dog and cuddled him. Janet smiled.
"You like him?"
"Like him? I love him, thank you. You're the best!" Cassie embraced Janet in a rib-breaking hug and began going through the rest of her stocking.
****
Janet sat back in her chair watching as Cassie played with Bob, she'd bought him some toys. Janet eyed the presents Cassie had bought her; a jumper, a novel by her favourite author, a set of bath salts and a box of chocolates. Janet smiled, Cassie had spent at least a months allowance on her and she was truly touched. Most of her friends from the SGC had bought her gifts two. Bottles of wine, chocolates and another book sat on the table. She noted that there hadn't been a gift from Sam. Janet scolded herself mentally for caring about something as materialistic as a gift but she had at least expected something, after all she had sent Sam a present. Janet felt tears welling in her eyes. Not wanting Cassie to see her cry she went through to the kitchen and busied herself with preparing lunch.
Janet busied herself preparing vegetables for the Christmas lunch, from in the other room she could hear music from one of Cassie's CD's filtering into the room.
"If I'm not in love with you, what is this I'm going through tonight. And if my heart is lying, what should I believe in, will I go crazy, every time I think about you baby, why else do I want you like I do, if I'm not in love with you."
Janet stifled a cry as she listened to the words. She finished chopping the parsnips and took out an onion and began to peel it. She was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't notice the tears streaming down her face, or Cassie rushing to the door as a motorbike pulled onto the drive.
***
"Hey Squirt!" Sam grinned, as Cassie leapt at her on the driveway. Sam hugged the girl and looked towards the house.
"Is your Mom up yet?"
Cassie just nodded.
"Cass is something wrong?"
"She's acting all weird and sad like, she thinks I've not noticed. Maybe I should have told her you were coming over."
Sam shook her head, "Where's the surprise in that. Come on I'll go surprise her!"
Sam slid out of her leather jacket and hung it in the cloakroom before following Cassie towards the kitchen. Sam grinned when Cassie motioned for Sam to wait outside the kitchen door. Sam stifled a giggle, Cassie had taken on her new mothers' devious streak. Cassie slipped into the kitchen, pulling the door shut behind her. Sam strained to hear the conversation.
"Mom, I kinda haven't given you all your presents. You looked kinda sad so I got you something extra special."
"Cass you didn't have to you already spent far too much on me."
"I wanted to Mom, and this didn't cost me anything."
Janet looked puzzled.
"Well what did you get?"
"Close your eyes!"
"Cass I'm trying to cook lunch!"
"It won't take long I promise, take my hand and close your eyes!"
Janet complied with the girls' wishes and Cassie led her out of the kitchen.
Cassie had to force herself not to burst into a fit of giggles when she caught sight of Sam stood in the den. Sam had pulled some tinsel off the tree and draped it around herself, topping it with a big silver bow on her head. Sam winked at Cassie, desperately trying to stifle her own giggles.
"OK you can look now Mom!" Cassie announced
Janet smiled and opened her eyes. Sam tried not to burst out laughing as slowly realisation dawned on Janet's face. Sam began to worry, she wasn't sure if Janet was angry or not. Her face remained a neutral mask, devoid of all emotion.
"Sam what on earth do you look like!" Janet finally laughed, moving forward to embrace her friend. Tears forming in her eyes.
"Well I didn't really want to be wrapped head to toe in sparkly paper so this was the best I could do!" Sam giggled, shrugging the tinsel off and tossing it to Cassie who promptly enticed Bob into chasing it.
"I thought you were at your brothers?" Janet motioned towards the kitchen leaving Cassie and Bob to chase one another around the den.
"I was, I went up there at the start of my down time, but Cass called me yesterday, said you were acting weird and wanted me to come back and check on you. I caught the first flight back from San Diego."
"You did that for me?"
"Of course I did, so are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Sam asked, wiping a tear from Janet's eye.
"It's nothing, I don't know where Cass got the idea from, honestly getting you to come back like that." Janet shook her head, turning away from Sam and attacking the onions with her knife with new vigour.
"You can't fool me Janet, but if you want to wait until later to discuss this," Sam gestured towards Cassie who was visible through the open doorway.
Janet just responded by way of a nod.
"So am I invited to lunch?"
"Of course you are, I'm not going to let you go hungry after travelling all the way back here!"
****
"Cassie come on its late, you should get to bed."
"Aww Mom do I have to? Sam's still here."
"Yes. Now come on say goodnight and I'll come tuck you in."
Cassandra nodded, hugging Sam.
"Night Sam."
"Night squirt!"
Janet tucked Cassandra into bed after she'd changed and brushed her teeth. She kissed her on the forehead as the girl curled up in bed, hugging her new cuddly toy tightly in her arms. Janet rose and turned to leave.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?" Janet turned to see Cassandra's eyes staring straight back at her.
"Did you like it? My surprise?"
Janet laughed, "Of course I did, it was the best present ever. Thank you."
"Promise?"
Janet nodded, "C'mon sleep!"
Janet sighed and made her way back down to the den, she paused in the doorway, looking in on Sam. Sam was sitting gazing into the fire, fiddling with the silver bow she'd donned earlier in the day.
Janet took a breath and walked back into the room, sitting beside Sam on the sofa. Sam glanced sideways at Janet.
"I think that went well."
Janet groaned "Who would have thought that children from all over the universe would dislike sprouts so intensely though!"
Sam laughed and turned to face Janet.
"So."
"So,"
"You said you'd talk..." Sam murmured.
Janet nodded "I said that didn't I."
"Yup" Sam smiled, resting a hand on Janet's shoulder. "But you don't have to."
Janet sighed, "Thank you."
Sam bit her lip, "Janet, when Cass called me she said you were really upset. That she'd heard you crying at night."
"She heard?" Janet closed her eyes, thinking she'd managed to conceal her anguish from her adoptive daughter.
Sam nodded "Yeah, she was really worried. She didn't know who else to call so she called me."
"She really cares about me doesn't she?"
"We all do Janet."
"We?"
"Well alright, I care about you Janet."
"I know you do, coming back from San Diego proved that to me. You didn't need to though. I appreciate it though. I really need you right now." Janet took a deep breath, reaching for Sam's hand.
"I've been dreading Christmas since Cassie came, my parents have been less than nice about the reasons why I chose to leave my husband, the choices I've made, and now my involvement with Cassandra. They don't think I'm suitable to look after her."
"Why not?"
"Because of what I am." Janet bit her lip and blinked back the tears.
"Because of your sexuality?" Sam's jaw dropped as Janet simply nodded.
"Oh Jan," Sam gently wrapped her arms round Janet pulling into a hug.
"I've been so selfish. I, I've been thinking about you. Since, it happened." Janet's mind cast back to a stolen kiss when the two women had been alone together. The decision not to pursue it any further had been Janet's. "I've not stopped thinking about you since it happened."
"Are you saying?"
"That I want to start something? Something that we both know is against regulations, that could potentially ruin both of our careers? Get involved in a relationship with someone who didn't even remember to buy me a Christmas present?"
Sam nodded
"Well then, yes if that's what you want."
"I didn't forget."
"What?"
"I didn't forget the present. You just haven't unwrapped it yet." Sam grinned devilishly waving the silver bow seductively at Janet.
With that the two women became lost in one another's kiss, as Janet discovered the best presents were always saved till last.