"Got any twos?" Lucy asks Dad. We're playing Go Fish and I'm losing terribly to a six year old.
"Hmm, Go Fish," Dad tells her. We hear a crash from outside, "What was that?"
"I don't know," Lucy answers.
"How is she supposed to know, Dad?" I ask him and he shrugs.
"I'm gonna get some more hot chocolate, you two want some?" He asks, grabbing his cup we both nod and he gets up to go to the kitchen. The bell rings, "Could you get that, honey?" Dad asks me, but Lucy gets up instead.
"Yeah, sure." She hops up from her seat and heads to the door.
"Lucy, wait!" I yell
"Is Scott, or Natalia here?" I hear Curits ask. Oh no, something went wrong.
"I'm coming," I yell, getting up from my seat.
"Who are you?" Lucy asks him.
"Uh, Curtis, a friend from Buffalo," he answers as I get to the door.
"Are you an elf?" I sigh and close my eyes, of course she asks that.
He laughs, "Of course not! Why would you ask such a silly question?"
"How come you have pointy ears?" She asks, looking at his head.
"Lucy, that's not a very nice thing to ask a person," I tell her.
"It's 'cause I never ate my green vegetables," Curtis explains to her. "Do you eat your green vegetables?"
"Uncle Scott!" She cries covering her ears.
"Curtis!" I chastise. He shrugs.
"She bought it didn't she?" I roll my eyes and let him in the house, shutting the door behind him.
We round the corner and see Dad carrying Lucy "Oh! Curtis! What are you doing here?" He asks.
"There's a little trouble at the... plant," he says looking at Lucy.
"It's okay. Curtis is a very old friend of mine. We have a very large firm. We work together in... Buffalo?" He asks hearing Curtis whisper. "We work together in Buffalo. So, we're gonna talk about some business with your sister."
"What business?"
"It's business that's none of your business," he explains.
"Soon, I'm gonna be seven and then I can know things," Lucy tells Curtis. "Goodnight, Curtis."
"Goodnight, Lucy."
"Night, Lucy!" Dad and I call as she heads up the stairs. "What's up?" Dad asks.
"The toy Santa's gone completely out of control. He's locked up the elves, shut down the workshop, he thinks everybody's naughty and he's gonna give the whole world coal!" Curtis explains. I knew something was wrong!
"Well how come Bernard didn't come down and tell me this?" Dad asks.
"He's under house arrest!"
"That's why he hasn't been responding," I say to myself outloud.
"Bernard?" Dad asks in shock.
"You gotta fly back with me to the North Pole to save Christmas!" Curtis yells.
"I can't, I have no magic left. I'm out of magic, look," He says, showing us his watch.
"Didn't you fly here on Comet?" I ask and we run outside to see Comet lying on the ground surrounded by candy wrappers.
"Comet? Comet? Look at me. Look at me. Comet. What are ya doin'? You're not supposed to eat sugar, it's bad for you," Dad explains to him. How are we going to get back now? I can shadow travel there, but only by myself. I can maybe do one other person. "What do you mean you didn't eat this? Who did? A squirrel? Yeah, well get this. You gotta fly both of us back to the North Pole. Yeah, tonight." Nope, that reindeer is not moving. "Okay, I'll help you up."
I don't move knowing that neither will he. "Alright? Ready? You've got to help me a little bit here." Comet groans as he and Dad try to get him on his feet. "Good, good. Okay, we almost got it." Curtis and I look at each other and shake our heads. They don't almost got it. "Okay, now, help me. Can ya move anything?" He asks. Comet makes a bunch of grunting noises trying to move. "Fire in the hole! Get away!" Dad orders Curtis and I and we plug our noses.
Comet farts and sighs in relief as we try to fan away the smell. "Eat some roughage, will you? Oh, what about the jetpack?"
"It kinda burnt up on reentry," Curtis cringes. "What about your shadow travel thingy?"
"With that far of distance I can only travel with myself, maybe push it to one other person if I want to be in the infirmary for a couple days," I shrug. "So, who wants to go first?" I ask, holding out my arm.
"Uh, no. Now, what am I supposed to do? Grow wings?" We look at him, all thinking the same thing.
We tie a string to his tooth and to a door, "I hope he doesn't have too many stops to make tonight," Curtis comments.
"You and me both, pal. Okay, let's just get it over with," Dad says, hanging onto the railing of the stairs.
"Okay," Curtis mutters. "One, two, three." We slam the door shut and the knob comes off hitting Dad in the face. Neal and Mom run out of their room asking what's going on.
"Are you sure about this?" Mom asks Neal who is holding a toaster attached to Dad's tooth. He's going to drop in down the stairs.
"What? The old toaster trick? When we were kids we used to do this to get a little extra cash," Neal laughs excitedly. How do you still have teeth? "Works every time."
"I can't watch this," Mom mutters to me. Neal counts down before throwing the toaster over the railing. Instead of his tooth falling out, Dad falls down with it. "Oh, Scott," Mom runs to him.
"You okay?" I ask him and he gives me a thumbs up.
"Mom!" We hear Lucy yell. "I lost another tooth. Should I put it under my pillow?" She asks.
"Yes," Dad answers her and we wait outside the door for the tooth fairy to show up. Dad grabs Roy by the wing and escorts him out of Lucy's room. "Curtis, get the door."
"It's a Tooth Fairy ambush," Roy grumbles. "What do you people want? I only carry $20 in change."
"Shh, Tooth Fairy, it's me, Santa. I've lost the weight and the beard, but it's me, Santa Claus, " He tells him.
"I know Santa. Santa is a friend of mine. And you, sir, are no Santa," Roy disagrees.
"I am too," Dad fires back.
"Roy, he's telling the truth. I'm his daughter, we met at the last meeting," I remind him. He still doesn't look convinced.
"How did I know I could capture you by holdin' on to one of your wings?" Dad asks him. "At the last meeting you wanted to change your name to Captain Floss or Plaque Man. Or, as I recall, Roy. And it was Santa's idea to call you the Molarnator."
Tooth Fairy grins, "Who are the kids?"
"This is one of my elves and this is my daughter. He's an elf look." Tooth fairy pulls on Curtis's ears and he mutter ow. Okay, why is that adorable?
"Santa!" He and my Dad laugh. "The Molarnator at your service!"
"We need you to fly us to the North Pole," Dad tells him.
"Okay, one thing. I can only take two people. Three is too heavy," He says.
"That's fine. I can shadow travel. I'll meet you both there," I tell them and I watch as they fly off.
"Where'd they go?" I hear someone ask. I turn around and Charlie's there in his Pjs.
"Something went wrong at the Pole and if Dad didn't fix it Christmas would be ruined," I explain.
"Shouldn't you be going with them?" He asks.
"Tooth Fairy can only travel with two people and I can shadow travel, but I need to do something. I won't do it without your permission though," I tell him.
"What is it?" He asks.
~
We go to Principal Newman's house and see her outside wiping the snow off her car. "Principal Newman?"
"What is it, Charlie?" She asks him.
"You keep asking me if there's something bothering me and well there is...I-I couldn't talk about it before, but... I want to talk about it now," He admits.
"Okay, go ahead," She tells him.
"My dad is Santa."
"Oh, please Charlie. Not you too," she complains.
"Hold on, hold on. If you have no feelings for my dad, then fine. But if the only reason for not being with him is that you don't believe in him, you're making a big mistake," He tells her.
"Oh, Charlie." I grab his snow globe from his backpack and hand it to him.
"I want you to take this. Look into this and try to remember what it was like when you were little and you still believed in Christmas," He hands it to her and it starts spinning around. She looks at it and grins.
"Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing," Charlie and I recite from what Bernard told him years ago. She laughs, "You haven't seen anything yet!" Charlie tells her.
We take her back to our house and Charlie takes out one of his teeth. "Oh, why do you need to do that?" Principal Newman asks.
"We're calling the Tooth Fairy, he's going to give you guys a ride to the North Pole," I tell her. We wait in Charlie's room before Roy comes in and we snatch him.
"What do you want? I just got done dropping your father off," He complains.
"We need you to take us, too," Charlie tells him. "This is Carol, she's going to marry my dad and if they don't get married soon he won't be Santa anymore," Charlie whispers to him.
"Oh, okay," He nods. He sighs before flying off with them, just like he did with Dad and Curtis.
I sigh before going into my room and shadow traveling to Dad's workshop. I open my eyes and I'm in Dad's office. I open the door and see giant toy soldiers posted in the halls. "Shit," I whisper to myself. I slowly walk out and close the door behind me. I tiptoed my way around, avoiding the giant toys and making my way into the main room. The elves are trapped in a room all together and the toy Santa has my dad and Curtis tied up.
I hear banging and look to my left where there's another door. I quietly open it and as soon as I do someone comes barreling towards me and knocks me to the ground. "Ha, I got... you. I am so sorry, snowflake," Bernard apologies, seeing that it's me. "Are you okay?" He asks, helping me up.
"I'm okay, are you?" I ask him. "Curtis told me what happened."
"I'm fine, but we have to take down the evil Santa and free the other elves," He tries to run, but I pull him back. "Charlie has the elves covered and the Mrs. Claus," I whisper and pull him into a kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck as his go around my waist.
"Woah," we hear someone mutter. We break apart and see Curtis standing there. "I, uh, came to free you, but I see you don't need any help," he stutters.
"Uh, let's go," I say, taking my husband's hand and leading him downstairs with the rest of the elves. We run after the toy Santa who is in the sleigh with bags of coal. We stand in silence as we watch him ride away. We were too late.
Bernard whistles, gaining Chet's attention. "Get out of the way," I yell. The elves make a path for Chet to get through.
"What are you doing?" Dad asks him.
"You gotta save Christmas," B explains.
"How am I supposed to save..." We watch as Chet crashes into a wall and then runs up to us. "No, no, no."
"Please, don't worry," Bernard tries to calm him down.
"Slow down, slow down," Dad tries to coach Chet, but he just runs right into him.
"OH!" All the elves cringe.
"Thanks, excuse me, pork chop."
"Okay, Chet, this is it. You ready to rock and roll?" Bernard asks him.
"Chet?" Newman asks.
"Yeah, he's still in training," I explained to her.
"How much flight time has he had?" Dad asks, getting on.
"About a minute and a half," B answers, making Dad look at him with a somewhat of a glare.
"Hey, but he's had a lot of crash time!" Curtis says, encouragingly.
"Curtis!"
"He's just a baby," he shrugs.
"Alright, let's see what this baby can do. Ready to go buddy. You know what we gotta do. Hyah," Dad pulls on his reins and Chet takes off, a little unsteadily, into the sky after toy Santa's sleigh.
"Okay, Everybody! Outside, now!" I ordered. We all run back into the courtyard where the army of toy soldiers is waiting.
"Snowballs, on three! One!" The elves crouch down, picking up snow. " Two!" They come back up and pull back their arms. "Three!" Bernard yells and they all fire at the toys. It doesn't really do anything to the toys, "Okay, elves! Let's get 'em!"
I twist my ring, bring out my sword and run at one of the toys. I stick my sword in its leg and cut its foot off. Huh, it is much harder to break through several layers of plastic and metal than it is to cut through flesh.
I aim low for their legs to trip them and then cut through their bodies once they're on the ground. I watch as elves trip them with wires and knock them over like dominoes. Once the toys are on the ground the elves disassemble them and run the parts away from each other.
We all watch as the sleigh comes down and knocks over several of the toy soldiers. The sleigh connects with the stairs and the toy Santa is thrown from the sleigh. All of the elves cheer and start attacking him. We throw him back in the machine and watch as he is sized down to a normal toy.
"Dad, you were great!" Charlie tells him.
"Sounds like you two were, too," He smiles at us.
"We've got like 10 minutes, you guys need to go," I tell him.
"Where's Carol?" he asks. Oh, right! It's time for my dad to get married, again.
"Scott!"
"Carol! Are you alright?" Dad asks her.
"Yes!"
"Where are you going?" Bernard asks him.
"You know this number one, it's Christmas time, I gotta deliver gifts," he laughs.
"Santa, aren't you forgetting something?"
"No."
"You gotta get married," B reminds him.
"Excuse me?" Carol asks. Dad looks down at himself before looking back at her.
"Carol, I... I cannot continue being Santa unless I find a Mrs. Claus."
"Oh, so that's what the whole noodles and pie thing... You just needed a wife," Carol says, trying to make sense of it.
"No," Dad denies.
"No?"
"Yes," He confirms.
"Yes?"
"Yes, I was looking for a wife. No, I didn't figure on falling in love."
"You love me?" She asks him with tears in her eyes. He nods, "This is all happening so fast."
"Well, there's no pressure," he tells her. Really? Because it feels like there is.
"Good," she breathes.
"I mean if I don't get married. I just won't deliver the gifts and children everywhere will stop believing, the elves will lose their jobs, the North Pole will disappear, my daughter will lose her husband, and Christmas will be gone," my dad informs her.
"Get down on one knee," I whisper to him.
"What?" He whispers back.
"Do it! Now!" I order. "Say, 'Carol'"
"Carol," he starts.
"Uh, huh. Yeah?"
"'You say this is happening all so fast'"
"You say this is happening all so fast," Dad repeats.
"'But you've known me your whole life'"
"But you've known me your whole life," Dad grins.
"'When you were little and alone...'"
"When you were little and alone..."
"Santa," We both say. "I can take it from here," Dad tells me and I back away into my husband's side, leaning my head against his shoulder. "Santa was always there for you. And I will be there for you, as long as you continue to believe in me. I know I'm asking you to leave everything at home, but I can guarantee you that this is worth it," He promises. "This place... This place is all about magic and love and wonder. And occasionally a thin-crust pizza and a movie and a long winter night."
"Is there a school here?" She asks him. Dad looks to Bernard who nods his head.
"Yeah, we have one, a school, but the elves need a new principal. 'Cause as of late some of the elves have been acting a bit impish," he says, looking at Abby who crosses her arms with a grin. "Carol, I love you," Dad admits.
"You do?"
"Would you be my wife?" He asks her.
"I will," I whisper to her.
"Thank you, I've got it from here," She whispers back to me. She hesitates, "I will."
~
"By the powers vested in me by me, I now pronounce you Santa and Mrs. Claus," A bell rings signaling midnight. "Well, go on now. Kiss her!" Mother Nature ordered him. I look at Nico and Will who came as did the rest of the legendary figures and we all smile at my dad and Carol as they kiss. Dad changes back into Santa and all of us cheer. I look at my husband and we kiss, knowing that we will still have each other tomorrow.
I see Charlie reach for his mouth and he smiles at me, showing us his new tooth. "Dad, we've gotta go," Charlie tells him. Nico and Will hug him first and then I hug him goodbye. "I want to meet them right after they are born," He whispers to me.
"You'll be one of the first," I wink at him.
Dad and Charlie enter the sleigh and Dad says goodbye to Carol, "Alright. Well, Mrs. Claus, you might want to get some rest. You see, tomorrow begins the vacation season for me, which means a three-month honeymoon for us." The elves laugh while Charlie and I look at each other disgusted. "Nothing tropical. You do not want to see this in a Speedo," Dad tells her and Charlie and I pretend to throw up, although I feel like actually throwing up.
"Don't be home too late," She tells him.
"And so it begins," Dad laughs. "Boys, we've got some toys to deliver!" We all wave to Dad and Charlie as they fly off to deliver presents around the world.
"Oh, so now that that's over," I say, turning to my husband. "I have a Christmas present for you."
"Oh, and what is that?" He smirks.
"What do you say in a few months, we add to the family," I smirk.
He looks lost for a second before getting a look of realization on his face, "No?"
"Yes," I laugh. He picks me up and spins me around before giving me a huge hug.
"I take it she told you?" Nico asks.
"Told him what?" Curtis asks, making the rest of the elves turn to us.
I look at him and nod for him to tell them, "WE'RE HAVING A BABY!" He announces and the elves go crazy.
"Oh, so did you tell her that elves are pregnant for a full year?" Curtis asks.
"Wait what?" I ask in shock and Nico and Will look at each other with wide eyes. "Bernard, what is he talking about?"
"Well, you see...." He trails off, running away.
"Bernard? BERNARD!" I yell running after him.
________________________________________________________________________________
That's it for Santa Clause 2! Santa Clause 3 should be out soon! Hope you guys are liking it!
I don't own Santa Clause or Percy Jackson.
Have a lovely day! Signing off until next time.....