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"Where are you going?" Curtis asked Scott as the man tried to rush away. "I gotta deliver gifts," Scott answered him. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Bernard reminded him. "No..." Scott replied. "You gotta get married!" Noelle told him while motioning at Carol. "Excuse me?" Carol questioned in confusion. "Carol, I--I cannot continue being Santa... unless I find a Mrs Claus," Scott told the blonde woman. "Oh. So that's what the whole noodles and pie thing... You just needed a wife," Carol responded to him with a hurt expression. "No," Scott told her. "No?" Carol asked with a raised brow. "Yes," Scott told her honestly. "Yes?" Carol encouraged.
"Yes, I was looking for a wife. No, I didn't figure on falling... in love," Scott expressed to her truthfully. "You love me?" Carol asked him receiving a nod, "This is all happening so fast." Noelle leaned into Bernard's arms as Charlie stood with them watching. "Well, there's no pressure," Scott told her. "Good," Carol replied. "Well, 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 and Christmas will be gone. Who knows what will happen to Noelle and my grandchildren," Scott informed the woman.
"Get down on one knee," Abby instructed Scott who hummed back at her. "Do it. Now," Abby commanded, he did as told. "Say 'Carol'," Abby told him. "Carol," Scott spoke before repeating all of Abby's words. "You say this is happening all so fast. But you've known me your whole life. When you were little and alone..." Scott cut Abby off, "I can take it from here." Scott turned back to Carol, "Santa was always there for you. And I will be, 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."
Noelle nodded in agreement with her father's words, she knew this was all worth it in the end. "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," Scott expressed openly to Carol. "Is there a school here?" Carol asked. "Absolutely!" Noelle added with a grin. "Yeah, we have a school but the Elves need a new principal," Scott continued before glancing at Abby, "'Cause as of late some of the Elves have been acting a bit impish." Abby crossed her arms with a playful glare.
"Carol... I love you," Scott told the woman. "You do?" Carol asked with teary eyes and a sweet smile. "Would you be my wife?" Scott asked her. "I will," Abby whispered to Carol who laughed. "Thank you. I've got it from here," Carol assured Abby who nodded and stepped back. "I will," Carol answered Scott who grinned. "Quickly!" Noelle expressed with a wave of her hand. Everyone was quick to set up a makeshift wedding, Mother Nature had shown up to officiate the wedding. Noelle stood in a green dress with Bernard holding her hand tight within his own, and Nicholas was in Charlie's arms wearing a sweater to match Bernard.
"By the powers vested in me by me, I now pronounce you Santa and Mrs Claus," Mother Nature spoke up, "Well, go on now. Kiss her!" Carol and Scott shared a kiss and everyone watched as Scott transformed back into Santa with his white hair and beard along with his large jolly belly. "Dad, we gotta go!" Charlie warned his father. "Walk me to my sleigh," Santa offered his arm to his wife. Everyone moved towards the stables, Bernard taking Nicholas from Charlie's arms. "If I see you on the naughty list again, Charlie Calvin, I'll show up myself," Noelle warned her little brother in her motherly tone. "Understood, Noey," Charlie replied before they hugged.
"We gotta go! When we get back, we start making some more toys," Santa informed some of the Elves. "Merry Christmas, Charlie," Noelle told her brother. "Merry Christmas, Noey," Charlie replied before climbing up onto the sleigh. "All right. Well, Mrs Claus, you might want to get some rest. You see, tomorrow begins vacation season for me, which means a three-month honeymoon for us," Santa told his wife with a grin, "Nothing tropical. You do not want to see this in a speedo." Everyone chuckled at that comment. "Don't be home too late," Mrs Claus warned. "And so it begins," Santa commented with a grin, "Boys, we've got some toys to deliver!" And with that, he was off.
Abby had volunteered to show Mrs Claus around along with labelling herself the official second to the woman herself. This allowed Bernard and Noelle to head back to their home, the former fussing over his beloved needing rest after such a stressful time. Once Nicholas was tucked into bed fast asleep, Noelle and Bernard collapsed onto the couch with tired sighs. "What an eventful Christmas," Noelle muttered as she turned to Bernard who looked deep in thought. "What's up?" Noelle asked him with a loving smile.
"I want you to be my wife," Bernard answered her. "I mean, I already accepted the proposal," Noelle teased before noticing the serious look in his eyes. "When?" Noelle asked as she looked towards the box that held all of their wedding plans, they had finished it all before she fell pregnant with baby number two. "Tomorrow," Bernard told her, she looked at him with wide eyes. "Tomorrow, tomorrow?" Noelle clarified with her beloved. "Yes. I don't want to wait any longer to call you my wife," Bernard told her truthfully. "Okay... Then we have some work to do," Noelle moved to stand but Bernard stopped her. "You rest, we'll handle it," Bernard kissed her before making his way out of the house.
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"Lucy?" Charlie whispered as he snuck into Lucy's room. "What, Charlie?" Lucy whispered back to her big brother. "Come downstairs. I want you to see something," Charlie whispered to her, she tiredly nodded before allowing him to pick her up into his arms. They headed downstairs and stood in front of the fireplace. "Lucy, watch this," Charlie told her before motioning towards the growing fireplace. "Uncle Scott?!" Lucy exclaimed once Santa had been revealed. "Do you have any twos?" Santa asked her with a grin. "Go fish!" Lucy exclaimed, "You are Santa! I knew it was you all along."
"And you were right," Santa replied to her. "Uncle Scott... You look all rosy. Are you feeling better?" Lucy asked him. "I'm feeling much, much better," Santa answered her. "Does that mean Noey is Christmas Spirit?!" Lucy asked them. "Yes she is," Santa answered her with a nod. "Is there anything else I should know about?" Lucy questioned them. "I don't know. But Charlie has something he wants to tell you," Santa said to her before motioning to his son. "You know, I was around your age when I found out my dad was Santa. But I couldn't tell anybody," Charlie told her.
"I can't tell anybody either?" Lucy asked him with a frown. "No. But knowing isn't a burden. It's a gift. Most kids stop believing in Santa when they grow up. But I get to believe in him forever," Charlie expressed to her with full honesty now that he understood how lucky he truly was. "I love you, Charlie. Thank you," Lucy whispered to her big brother, embracing him in a hug. "But do we still get toys?" Lucy suddenly asked Santa. "If you ever get to bed and go to sleep like the other kids!" Santa warned her cheekily. "Oh... okay!" Lucy told him.
"Merry Christmas, Lucy," Santa told her. "Merry Christmas, Santa," Lucy replied with a smile. "Sport, I gotta fly," Santa told Charlie who grinned, they watched as Santa left through the chimney. "C'mon," Charlie encouraged, they pulled on jackets and rushed out the door to watch Santa's sleigh leave. "Look, Charlie!" Lucy pointed at the sleigh, Charlie picked her up. "Merry Christmas, Comet!" Lucy called out to the reindeer resting in the sleigh. "Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night!" Santa exclaimed out loud to the neighbourhood as he disappeared into the night with Chet stumbling through the air as lead.
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Rosemary Speaks
I adore Lucy so much, she's so sweet!
And her reaction to Scott being Santa is so wholesome!
Thoughts?
See you in the FINAL chapter!