The Christmas Clause : Bernard and OC

Start of A New Chapter

'Take us to Elfcon three!' Bernard shouts, pointing towards the flashing radars. The room filled with elves running left and right. Noel stands tall, looking over the shoulder of a typing away elf. 'Take us to Elfcon three.'  One of the elves in a stippy shirt and beret repeats on the phone. The head elf jumps into a seat before tapping away at the buttons on the machine.

Noel runs up behind him, watching as he fiddles with a lever. 'Still visible.' She shouts over to the elf on the phone. An alarm starts blaring, cautioning to the other hard workers in the workshop. The sound of the plane growing nearer. 'These guys aren't stopping.' Bernard gasps watching the little green dot move across the radar.

'Where's Scott?' Noel asks looking around for an answer. Looking back at her cluelessly, the elves shake their heads before turning back to their stations.

'Take us to Elfcon two!' Bernard shouts, pointing back at the elf on the phone, not looking away from the radar in front of him. Noel turns back to her boyfriend, in hopes of helping. After being here for 8  years, Noel knows when and where she's needed, but never has she encountered this.

'Let's go to Elfcon two.' The elf calls down the phone. 'Increase Northern lights.' Noel demands to the elf next to her. He pushes his levers up, watching as the radar turns a deering red.

The pair watches as the plane grows closer and closer. 'Where is Scott when you need him?' Noel shouts her orders before watching the green dot move across the radar screen.

Suddenly the floor opens, revealing Scott on a lift, in his red suit and his beret with every medal he has earnt. Every elf turns to watch his dramatic entrance, except Bernard and Noel, who continue to analyse every inch of the radar. 'We have a partridge in a pear tree.' Scott chimes as he closes up the telescope, breaking Noels consentration.

'You take us to Elfcon one.' Scott demands, 'Let's rig for silent running. Look alive everyone.' He chimes looking around at the military elves. The elves in the room, including Noel start to run about, turning off switching to turning on various light alarms.

'Ok, we're at Elfcon one.' The elf announces over the tannoy.  Before another moment the workshop grows silent. No noise, no machines, no talking. Looking silently over to the head elf, Noel analyses the radar. The small green dot moving slowly across the screen. The sound of the plane now blaring over the top of the Pole.

Silence

Noel POV

Silence

Or so we thought.

Suddenly the sound of music travels down the halls of the workshop, all the way to the control centre.

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

'Find out where that music's coming from!' Scott demands to the elves before turning to me and Bernard. I look at him confused as I watch the elves scatter to their station. I look back over Bernard's shoulder, watching the plane slow down on the radar. 'Oh dear.' I whisper. Bernard looks up at me with an angry expression. 'I'm going punish who evers done th-'

'Santa, I've got her on the locator.' One of the elves interupt Bernard, making all three of us look over at him. We watch as the young elf tracks the sound to a smaller location. I glance at Bernard with a knowing eye. We leave the control room as a three and march down the halls of the Pole towards the stables.

He knows when you are sleeping
He knows when your awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I slam open the doors of the stables in which the sleigh is kept, followed by Scott and Bernard. We run over to the sleigh where we see a pair of feet kicking it's legs in time to the music. Running past the other elves looking in shock, we reach the sleigh to see Curtis, Scott's second, rocking to the music holding a dancing Santa.

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not put I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town-

I cover Curtis' mouth with my hands in hopes to quiet him. Scott turns off the dancing Santa, while Bernard runs up next to me, holding his finger to his lips. Silence grows the Pole again.

'We're at ELfcon four. All clear.' The elf announces over the tannoy. I exhale in relief, followed by a pat on the back from Bernard. Him still looking down at Curtis annoyed. The elves around us cheer as they return back to their work. Looking at Scott, I see his panic leave his face.

'Curtis, what do you say we get you headphones this Christmas.' Scott tells Curtis who responds with a frown. 'It's alright, everybody. Let's get back to work.' Scott ushes the scattered elves back to work. I look back down at Curtis, 'Curtis, your 900 years old. Grow up!' Bernard yells at the young elf in the sleigh. 'B, let him be.' I tell him, rubbing his back. Bernard looks at me with a soft smile before returning back to his serious face. 'Bernard! Noel!' Scott calls for us as he starrts to walk out of the stables.

'Come on.' I say grabbing Bernard's hand and pull him out of the stable. We are followed by a grumpy, short Curtis.

'You know I didn't break any of the rules.' Curtis explains as we walk through the snow covered village. With my fingers intertwined with Bernards, I listen to the young elf explain himself. 'According to The Santa Handbook,' Curtis tries to explain, before getting cut in by Bernard. 'The handbook!' Bernard mocks, 'Curtis, do you pee-pee with that thing?' He asks, resulting in a small slap on his arm. 'Leave him alone.' I whisper in his ear, before looking around at the happy elves watching us pass by. 'It says elves are encouragede to listen to music,' Curtis defends himself, 'It makes them more creative, more productive, more alert. Look out!' Curtis shouts as a young reindeer flies towards us at full speed. Bernard wraps himself round me as he pulls me to the ground for protection. Once he's gone, Bernard lifts his arms from around me before he looks all over me. 'Are you okay?' He asks placing my beret back on my head.

'I'll live.' I chuckle, brushing the snow from his shoulders. We turn around in the direction of the reindeer, watching as he plumets to the ground with a big crash. Elves start to run towards the crash sight, leaving the four of us looking over. 'Is he alright?' Scott asks one of the elves. 'He's okay.' The head reindeer carer calls back. 'Wow! That's gonna leave a mark.' Scott chuffs brushing the snow from his knees. 'Is that Blitzen? Looks like Prancer. Who was that?' Scotts asks looking around for an answer.

'That was Chet.' I tell him looking back from the huddle of elves. Scott looks at me with a raised eyebrow, clearly confused. 'One of our reindeer in training.' I add. 'Oh.' Scott nods, 'Well, please tell me that it's early in his training. Wow, nice fall.' He smiles before patting Bernard on the back and walking off. I wrap my arm around Bernard's waist and place my chin on his shoulder.

'Doesn't he look happy.' I smile, watching my uncle run off. Bernard turns towards me, smiling, 'He does.' He places a small, soft kiss on my lips. 'Not for long.' Curtis mutters under his breath.

'What?' I ask looking down at him. 'Nothing!' Bernard butts in, holding to my shoulders as he stands in front of  Curtis, blocking him from my view. 'Why don't you go see... how Chet's doing?' B says, trying to block Curtis from my view every time I  go to look down at him. 'Okay,' I say, a bit unsure. I place a small kiss on Bernard's cheek, resulting in a gag from Curtis.

Turning around to leave, I hear a Bernard whisper to Curtis. Something about Scott. The two of them had been talking behind my back for thr past few weeks. Whispers and whispers. Bernard had aslo been very distant from me.

What is it?