Authors Note:

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. Having Christmas at our house for the first time was a lot more work than I imagined – so much that I had to stay up mega late the past few days to get everything done, with no time left to write. So, apologies I didn't get this out Christmas Day as intended. I hope you all enjoy the final chapter ... where Evan's contribution is finally revealed.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Chapter 9: Evan

Lorne squinted, focussed on the details he was adding to his creation. It was late enough that he should be in bed sleeping but he was out of time. If he didn't finish his decorations tonight and get them up on the tree first thing, there'd be no point because tomorrow was Christmas Eve.

He'd known as soon as Doctor Weir announced her plans for decorating the tree that he wanted to paint something, but it had taken him a couple of days to work out how to incorporate that into something that could go on a tree. Then he'd had to wait for the regular check in with Earth to request the supplies he needed. By the time he had everything to get started, the tree was already sporting lots of decorations and he'd been asked a number of times what he was contributing. He'd always replied vaguely that he was working on something. Evan wasn't deliberately cagey but at the same time he wasn't comfortable with everyone knowing what he did during his off hours ... well, what he'd spent hours on in the past anyway. Since coming to Atlantis sufficient free time and the right kind of environment for painting had been hard to come by – hence him burning the candle at both ends to get his decorations done.

Looking closely at the miniature scene he was painting – the view of the central tower from the pier at night – he had to smile. His Mom would be very complimentary of the skill involved while at the same time questioning when he'd shifted from landscapes to fantasy paintings. That was just one of the troubling aspects of being assigned to Stargate Command in another galaxy – the secrets that got in the way of sharing what was going on in his life with the people who mattered most. But he wouldn't have it any other way, despite the challenges, because somewhere along the way Atlantis had become as much home to him as Earth. It was that, along with his own family traditions for Christmas that inspired his current project.

Touching the brush delicately to the night sky he added the suggestion of stars twinkling. Settling back Lorne gave the scene a critical once over.

"Good enough," he murmured, carefully placing it in the specially designed box beside the other seven. The ones he finished tonight still needed time to dry ... with a jaw cracking yawn Evan decided to turn in, setting his alarm for 5:30 am. Four hours of sleep would just have to be enough.

Carrying his box of decorations Lorne made his way to the Gateroom the next morning. Nodding to the guard on duty he moved to the tree and set about hanging each, spreading them from high to low across the front of the tree.

"Wow, those are wonderful!"

Evan tensed, tightening his fingers on the hook of the decoration he was holding as he turned. "Give a guy a little warning Doc," he urged, a faint smile playing over his face as he regarded Jennifer Keller standing directly in front of him. "Fragile," he added when she gave him a puzzled frown.

"Oh," Jennifer smiled weakly. "Sorry - I didn't mean to sneak up on you." She shifted from one foot to the other, looking like she had plenty to say but didn't know how to get started. "I should ... I'll let you get back to it," she finally said, shoulders slumping a little.

"It's okay - stay," Evan said, ignoring the last part he held up his still half full box of decorations. "You can help me hang these."

"I ... sure, okay," Jennifer smiled, shifting closer to look inside the box. "These really are amazing Major," she commented. "May I?" she looked up, eyes locking with his.

"Ah, sure, go for it," Evan held out the box a little so she could reach, watching as Jennifer carefully lifted out one of the decorations and held it up.

It was a simple glass bauble, about the size of a tennis ball. The one Jennifer held was the one he'd completed last, the central tower at night. He knew the instance that Jennifer realised what it was in the way her eyes narrowed before she looked up at him.

"How?" she queried.

"How did I get Christmas baubles with scenes from Atlantis on them?" Evan clarified. Jennifer nodded, looking back at the one she held. "I ah ... I painted them myself," Evan admitted.

"You did this?" Jennifer's tone was awed. "These are incredible Major." She craned her neck to look at the others still to be hung before her eyes tracked to the tree and the ones he'd already put up. "I had no idea you painted."

"Yeah, well I haven't really had a chance since I came here," Lorne shrugged.

"Why these?" Jennifer asked curiously.

"My Mom," Evan smiled fondly. "She had this thing with our tree – nothing store bought was allowed to go on it. My sister and I used to make things to put on there - over the years, after regular Sunday's out painting with Mom, we graduated from popcorn chains and paper angels to stuff like this."

"Well, I'm impressed," Jenn declared. "You could sell these."

"Small customer base, given what's on them," Evan joked. "But I'm glad y–, someone likes them."

"Where do you want this one?" Jennifer held up the bauble she was still holding.

"Ah ...," Evan looked at the tree, working out the positions in his head. "There," he said, pointing to what would be the lowest spot at the end of the set.

"There's an order to these?" Jennifer queried, carefully hanging her bauble.

"Yeah," Evan admitted. Taking the last bauble out, he set the box aside and beckoned Jennifer to come closer. "Home is Earth, right?" he asked. Jennifer nodded, her hair brushing his shoulder as she listened. "But Atlantis is home too," Evan continued, trying to ignore how nice it was being so close to her. "Look closer," he invited.

Jennifer did so, her eyes locked on the bauble scene, this one a sunrise over the shore near the Athosian settlement. Cupping her hand under his she raised the ball and changed the way the light touched it in an effort to see better. She was so absorbed in trying to discern what he wanted her to find, but not enough that she didn't feel the way he caught his breath, stilling abruptly.

"Major Lorne?" she looked up at him quizzically.

They were standing so close that he could see how the green and brown swirling in her irises created the hazel colour he was used to seeing. "Evan," he invited quietly, watching her puzzle out his reaction. When she blushed, dropping his hand like a hot coal and looking away, he smiled.

"Evan," Jennifer rallied well, directing her attention back to his decorations. "I'm not seeing it," she admitted.

"That's because I'm distracting you," Evan pointed out. Moving the bauble, he gestured to the waves, foam curling at their tops as though they were heading for the shore. "Does this pattern remind you of anything?" he asked.

Jennifer slanted him a curious look before she moved closer again. "Oh," she grinned. "It's a gate symbol," she exclaimed.

"That it is," he agreed simply.

"And there are eight baubles because that's how many we need to dial Earth from here," Jennifer deduced. "All of them have one symbol hidden inside the scene you painted."

"Exactly," Evan shrugged. "It's a little corny I know but I couldn't think of any other to make them be about home here as well as home back on Earth – and be something you'd expect to see on a tree."

"They aren't corny at all," Jennifer insisted. Stepping back she watched him hang the last one before he stepped back too. "And they fit – better than my contribution," she added with a chuckle.

"I like the snow globe," Evan stated simply.

Jennifer's eyes shot to his and that frown reappeared.

"You wouldn't know this but ... well, sunrise is a favourite of mine," Lorne explained. "Your snow globe is unique."

Jennifer got that same expression on her face – the one that hinted at the things she couldn't find a way to say. Then, with a look of grim determination, she spoke. "Actually, I did know that," she said. "About the sunrise I mean. I've noticed you sometimes, on the balcony near the infirmary, but only in the morning. I figured it was because you liked seeing the sun rise here. So I ...," she trailed off, giving him a pained look.

"You hung the globe because you thought I'd like it?" Evan asked hesitantly.

"Um, yes, something like that," Jennifer agreed.

"Why?"

"This is going to sound silly but it was Teyla's idea," Jenn began. "We ah ... we both decided to hang something as a kind of message to one particular person that we, you know ... liked." She looked at him and then quickly looked away. "I chose you," she admitted in a rush.

Before he could say anything in response beams of sunlight slanted through the windows and hit the tree, setting off Rodney's decoration. Music filled the Gateroom, stopping everything as they listened.

As the final note died away Jennifer stepped back. "I have to get to the infirmary," she announced, clearly in a hurry to get out of there, nervous after her confession.

"Jenn, wait," Evan grabbed her hand quickly. "Before you go there was something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yes?"

"I'd really like to escort you to the Christmas Eve party tonight," he said simply, "if that's okay?"

"More than okay," Jennifer smiled, her eyes shining.

"Well great," Evan smiled too. "So ... I'll come by your quarters at nineteen hundred hours."

"I'll see you then," Jennifer agreed, hesitating a moment before she smiled again and then turned to leave.

Evan watched her go, wondering at the way things could change so quickly. When he'd gotten up that morning he would have sworn there was no way Jennifer Keller would be interested in him, and just an hour later he'd discovered that she'd hung a decoration on the tree with him in mind.

Turning, he looked at the tree. It really was magical – it had given people a way to feel connected to home, a way to show others what was important to them, and it had brought people together. With any luck it's magic would have lasting consequences, for everyone.

The End