The Yule Clause

Chapter Fifteen. My Christmas Spirit.

Bernard brought Mackenzie up a hill for sledding. Poinsettia, Quintin, and Curtis were at the top waiting for Bernard, not expecting Mackenzie to be with him. The three smiled at each other when The Head Elf and The Human walked up the hill holding hands. "Hi Mack." Poinsettia greeted. "Hi." Mackenzie said, turning to the blond standing next to Poinsettia, holding her hand. "Hello Mack, I'm Quintin Winter-Pine Poinsettia's husband, nice to meet you." Quintin smiled, shaking the human's hand. "You too, Quintin." Mackenzie smiled back. then turned to Curtis, who had the biggest smile on his face. "What are you doing here!?" he asked happily, the human stared at him confused. Poinsettia glared at him. "I mean uh you must be Mackenzie, the New Santa's niece." Curtis held out his hand. "Curtis Evergreen, Second in command." She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you Curtis, but I prefer to be called 'Mack'." she said, "Oh of course, sorry." He smiled; Bernard glared at him not liking that he was smiling at her. Poinsettia looked up at her brother when she noticed that he was still holding Mackenzie's hand. "Are you and Mackenzie going to sled together? That way you could have your arms around her." she asked in North elfish. Her brother blushed. "No!" he responded pulling his hand away. Mackenzie watched the elves sledding; some of them were laughing and some were arguing, because they had a race and one of them lost. She couldn't understand what the elves were saying, but it sounded like swearing. "Human." Bernard's voice made her turn around to see that he was smiling, she couldn't help but smile back. "What is it, Elf?" she asked.

"Do you want to sled with me?"

"D-do you mean together, on the same sled?" he shook his head.

"No."

"Good." He led her over to the hill, Mackenzie looked down the hill, then at Bernard. "This feels wrong." The head elf laughed. Hearing him laugh surprised Poinsettia, of course she could feel that he was becoming happier around Mackenzie, the same with Mackenzie around him. The last time Poinsettia saw her brother so jolly was when he and Mackenzie were friends when they were younger. But they now didn't remember meeting before the night when Scott became Santa. It was good that they were able to find each other again. "You'll get used to it." Bernard smiled again, then raced the human down the hill. Mackenzie fell off the sled she was using, "Okay, you win!" she laid in the snow dramatically in defeat. He laid beside her and started tickling her. "Stop it!" she laughed. Bernard smiled; the other elves around them stared in surprise as their head elf laid over the human. "Oooo." The elves said. The head elf and human turned beet red, but they just stared into each other's eyes. "Your eyes are beautiful." He whispered. "Thank you...so are yours." She whispered back, it seemed like the world stopped as they stared at each other, not saying a word. After a bit he got up, and helped her to her feet. "Uh wanna go again?" he turned away. "Uh...I would love to, but I should go home." She said, he nodded. Though he didn't want her to go, but he remembered that he would see her all the time after November. They teleported back to her house and into the front room. "Uncle Scott! I'm home." she called as Bernard let go of her. "Mackenzie! Thank goodness, you're safe." Scott called back, running into the room, and pulled her into a bear hug. "Yeah, I'm fine." She answered. The new Santa let go of her and pulled his niece behind him. "You!" he growled at the elf. "You can't take my niece away, without-"