The Workshop: A "The Santa Clause" Fanfiction. (Bernard x Female OC)

A Different Point of View

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking?"

I did mind. What was I supposed to say? I failed at my one and most important job? I continued to think hard about this for a moment, but when I looked up to respond, she didn't look like she was asking judgementally. She tilted her head to the side with her eyes curiously scanning my face for an answer.

"I fell out of the sleigh," I waited for her to laugh at me but she didn't. Instead, her face filled with concern, and it looked like she was worried.

"How does that happen?" She asked slowly, petting Nina more intently than she had before. Nina opened her eyes to look at Angie, a bit disturbed by the sudden change in "petting pressure".

"It was 1947..." I went on to explain everything. I was ashamed of this still, even though it was so long ago. I was foolish to not be as careful as I should have been.

Her mouth dropped open and I quickly caught my globe from her hands before she could drop it. She glanced at my hand where one of my scars was, and I instinctually moved my sleeve up to cover it.

"So you're saying that I might get seriously injured like you and that's just a normal fine part of everything?"

I tried explaining to her that we now had many precautions in place to protect both Santa and his helper elf, but none of this seemed to make her feel better. She brought up the last Santa falling off her roof. I wished I could explain to her that was not an accident, and she didn't need to worry about falling off a roof. But it's not very easy to say, "Your dad was chosen to be Santa, so the last Santa only pretended to die by falling off your roof." 

"Angie everything we're doing is to prepare you. I won't let you get hurt out there. I care about you too much to let that happen- I mean we all do."

Did I really just say "I care about you?" to her face? My words surprised me. Of course, I care for her, I wouldn't let anything happen to her. If something did, I would feel awful. I just didn't think I would say that so freely to her.

"I think that's why the other elves are so invested in us. They've been waiting for you to get here for the last... what, 15 years maybe? We have been putting together a plan since then."

She sighed, but this seemed to comfort her a little bit. "Okay fine, I trust you... I guess if I was able to get through last year without incident, I should be fine," She was looking at me again, her eyes searching my face for something, but I couldn't tell what. She was probably wanting to go back. I glanced at my watch and saw that it was now 6:30 in the evening, no doubt she would want to leave and go back to her room. I realized this and felt bad about keeping her for so long. 

"Well, I guess I should get you back. It's getting late and I wouldn't want you to miss dinner." I stood up, looking at her expecting her to stand up also, and start gathering her things.

"I don't mind, really, unless you want me to go. If you are getting hungry I can help you cook." This looked like it surprised her to say, as she made a startled face as soon as the words left her lips.

"Oh, really?" I responded with just as much surprise. It was nice to have company, although I wouldn't so easily admit it to her. Although maybe I should... after all, she did admit the same thing to me. Perhaps she really did enjoy being with me. Or, more realistically she maybe didn't want to move since Nina was still curled up happily on her lap.

"To be honest, I've missed having human food. The chefs at the workshop are great, but nobody serves stuff I'm used to. I was hoping you wouldn't mind as much." She nodded, looking at me with a hopeful smile.

I noticed that my heart was beating faster than normal, maybe I had drank too much tea earlier.

"Yes, I don't mind at all," I answered her. "What would you like?"