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Sam awakened Christmas morning to the intoxicating smell of Jack O’Neill on her pillows and maple syrup in the air. Beaming as she stretched, she took a moment to marvel at her contentment and how much more precious the condition than the word itself might suggest.
Ready to greet the day and the source of her contentment, she jumped out of bed to find a red envelope declaring “read me” taped to the bathroom door. Taking it down, she took it in with her, wondering if Jack had imagined her reading it while peeing. Probably. She laughed as she opened the card.
Sam,
I’d intended to buy you a proper present for Christmas but found myself inert. I hope that won’t cause any unnecessary friction between us.
I do have something for you though, an impulse purchase made just a few days after you finally dumped that absolute zero and we had our big bang. :) :) :) We’ve got good energy, don’t we? Kinetic, thermal, electrical, and, of course, gravitational.
The grin on Sam’s face grew wider as she read. This man. Ever a source of wonder.
Speaking of gravity, I really enjoy the force by which I’m drawn to your center. You're a black hole I can’t escape.
Sam's left palm met her forehead and dragged the rest of the way down her face.
When we collide…the charge, the power, the explosion…it's a supernova.
Giggling, she realized his idiocy was kind of turning her on.
You’re a real joule, Sam, and if reading this hasn’t caused your eyes to roll too far back in your head, accelerate your ass in here so I can do this thing.
What thing? Quickly finishing up in the bathroom, she rushed out to find him.
“Jack, you are incorrigible,” she said, finding him looking adorably domesticated, wearing a yellow apron and setting the kitchen table. “And I love you all the more for it.” She walked straight into his arms as he turned to greet her.
“Yeah?” He smiled and pulled her in for a kiss.
“Yeah.” Sam returned his smile. “You scienced for me. That means a lot.”
His eyebrow rose. “Is scienced a word?”
She shrugged. “It works.”
He stopped her as she leaned in to kiss him again.
“Wait. I have to do the thing.” He took off the apron, threw it over a chair, and dug into the pocket of his sweatpants.
Sam waited to see what nonsense he was up to this time as his attention returned to her.
“I love you, Sam and hope I’ve done enough to make you sure of that.”
“Of cour—”
Jack put a finger up, shushing her. “Let me finish.”
She nodded.
“Hang on,” he said, furrowing his brow. “Now I have to start again.”
Sam clamped her lips together tightly to suppress a giggle as he took a deep breath and readied himself to restart.
“I love you, Sam and hope I’ve done enough to make you sure of that. There are moments when I can’t believe we’ve really finally made it to this place. Being able to love you is a gift I’m sure I don’t deserve and your loving me is a miracle in and of itself. That said, I never again want to have to use so many words, especially not scientific ones, to express how I feel. So, I’m doing this instead.”
Her eyes went wide as knelt before her.
“Marry me.”
The sparkling diamond he held out to her begged for attention but her eyes never left his.
“Yes. I’ll marry you,” she said, swiping at the tears wetting her smile. “I love you.”
He placed the ring on her finger and stood back up to kiss her. “Merry Christmas, Sam.”
“Merry Christmas, Jack.”
She relaxed against him as he wrapped her up in his arms. Yes. She was utterly content. And it was wonderful.