The Santa Clause 4: The Christmas Chase

Sequel To: The Santa Clause 3: The Spirit of Christmas

Author: Drakelah Whip

Rating: PG, for language, and brief scenes of character distress

General Information:

Set in the months following Bernard and Noel's wedding, the story picks up at the end of May. Charlie and Jennifer have returned to the North Pole to celebrate their completion of their first year at college. Bernard and Noel are living happily together after honeymooning for the entire month of January.

Chapter 1: The Joy and Pain of Love

It was nearing the halfway mark of the season with the end of May approaching the North Pole. As in the many years before this one, it heralded the speeding up of the final toy production. Though not as panicky as the feeling of the Thanksgiving rush, there was a definite pacing difference.

Noel was up earlier than her husband almost every day this week. She hadn't been getting much sleep lately and she often got up and did her makeup at five a.m. due to this insomnia. It was one morning like this when Bernard got up right after her.

"Can't sleep?"

"Not lately."

"Maybe it's because of the season. You always were a workaholic."

"I guess it could be that. This is my first full year in awhile." She sighed and rubbed a little blush into her cheeks. Elves usually had naturally rosy cheeks, but she was still trying to regain hers. All the years in the mortal world, in temperatures much higher than she was used to, had diminished it. The sparkles on her cheeks were glittering brightly though, enough to match her husband's.

"What are you gonna do today?"

Bernard shrugged, "The regular things I guess. Supervising workers. You?"

"The same, and I'm going to check up on the progress of the tech staff. And I need to fix the main computer in workshop."

She leaned back and gave him a kiss, "They're already waiting for you."

"Are you so anxious to get rid of me?" He joked playfully, kissing her neck.

"Aww, don't ever think that."

Noel turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love you. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Kissing her cheek, Bernard walked out of the room and down towards the workshop.

Back in the bathroom, the elfess sighed and put down her makeup. She reached over and grabbed a tiny bottle of headache medicine. Thinking better of it, she opened the small counter drawer and pulled out another box. Her eyes scanned the writing on the carton and she bit her lip, it was a long shot, but it just might work.

Noel sat up from her place on the floor and gazed up at the clock. It was half past three, and she was ready to take a short break. Since noon that day, she'd been working on the inside of the main computer. It wasn't that comfortable, she had to lie on her back like and auto mechanic working on the underside of a car. However, whatever had to be done, got done, Noel just wished that they would get a newer system instead of the old style computers that took up a whole room.

As she looked around the room, she noticed, with much satisfaction, that Judy had brought her a cup of hot chocolate.

"Bless that girl." She whispered, getting up and walking over to the mug. The minute that the warm liquid touched her lips, peace flowed into her. Nothing was more sacred to an elf than hot chocolate.

Turning around to Quintin, who had been working on the side computers, she made a decision, "Hey Quintin, could you watch this area for me? I've got to go talk to Bernard."

"Well, sure but I - ."

"I'll have one of the kitchen elves send you up a snack."

"Thanks." He seemed pleased with the promise of food and did not further object to her request.

Noel quickly left the room and walked back towards the main workshop. A small elfess in full chef dress suddenly came out of the kitchens on her left and she stopped her.

"Hey Jessica, will you make Quintin some cookies and get him a big glass of hot chocolate, please?"

"Will do boss!"

"Thanks Jess."

Gazing over the crowds of worker elves in the workshop from the second story, she finally spotted her husband and raced down the stairs. Bernard turned around in time to catch her and pull her in for a hug and a kiss.

"Hello love." Whispered Noel.

"Well hello to you too." He replied, holding her tightly to him. Suddenly, the pair noticed that they were the center of attention. Nervous laughs came from their throats and they walked a little away from their original place in the workshop.

"Are you still feeling tired?"

"Yes, but it's not so bad. It goes away once I start working."

"That's good. Maybe Mrs. Clause can get you something that will help you sleep more."

"Maybe, maybe not." She grinned at him.

He tried to look like he knew what her secretive smile was all about, but it failed, "What do you mean?"

"After you left this morning, I decided to try to see if I could diagnose the problem myself."

"Okay, and?"

"Well, when I started thinking about it, I realized that this had been going on for two months."

"But you've only had sleep problems for the last week."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "That's not all I've had."

"Huh?"

Noel leaned forward and whispered directly into his ear, "I'm pregnant."

Bernard turned his head to look at her directly, "Really?"

"You're gonna be a father."

Disbelief crept into his face for only a moment, before he hugged Noel to him, "This is the best news I've ever gotten."

The loving couple shared a long kiss.

"Have you been to the doctor's yet?"

"No, after the news finally sunk in, I came to you."

They just stared at each other for a minute before he just started to laugh out of pure joy, "Noel, this is so great!"

This last outburst caught the attention of Curtis, who had been helping with some other elves nearby.

"What's going on?" He asked, jogging up to them.

"I'm gonna be a father!" In his excited state, Bernard didn't realize how loud he was talking. The entire workshop got quiet, and even Santa and Mrs. Clause came out from the kitchens.

Though no one except Curtis had heard what Bernard had said, all the elves could tell that it was important.

Scott Calvin gazed down at the two head elves, waiting for an explanation.

Bernard and Noel held hands and she looked at him, "Everyone, Bernard and I have an announcement to make. We're going to be parents."

"Noel's pregnant!"

There was a stunned silence that swept over the others.

Carol looked over at her husband, "I didn't know elves could have children."

"Neither did I. This is the first elf baby ever, I think." Scott shrugged, that wasn't what interested him. All he knew was that his two most trusted advisors were about to be blessed with a child.

The workshop finally seemed to get its voice back and the other elves erupted in cheers and well wishes. Judy threw herself in a hug with both of her bosses and even Curtis gave small embraces to both of them.

Judy started to imagine out loud, "Think of how cute it'll be! Little pointed ears and glittery cheeks! Is it a boy or a girl?"

Both of the expectant parents shrugged, "We don't know. As long as she or he is healthy, we don't care."

"That's good." Carol commented, staring wistfully at the couple, momentarily lost in her own thoughts.

Scott reached over to shake Bernard's hand, "Congratulations." He decided better and pulled his friend into a hug.

At the same time, Noel was gladly embraced by Carol, "Sweetheart, I'm so happy for you."

Noel and Bernard mumbled their thanks against the shoulders of their bosses.

Carol looked at her husband, "You know who has to know about this? Charlie."

"He's coming to visit with Jennifer and the Miller's tomorrow actually."

From where they were standing, Bernard reached over and grabbed Noel's hand, squeezing it lightly. It was all that needed to be said.

"I am not getting on that thing."

"Neil, it's just a reindeer, it's not gonna bite you." Laura sighed.

From their place on the now fully trained Chet, Charlie and Jennifer snickered and watched the psychiatrist refuse.

"I've seen them bite."

"Prancer won't bite you." Charlie said, leaning forward to rub Chet's neck.

As Neil approached, the reindeer decided to play and gave a fake nip at the doctor's hand. The shock sent him tumbling to the ground and raised a ton of laughter from everyone else.

"C'mon, we need to get going, before Lucy comes home from school."

The reluctant doctor climbed aboard, taking great care to avoid the reindeer's mouth.

"Why isn't Lucy coming with us?" Charlie yelled to his mother as they took off.

"We're only going for a short visit and a small party the elves and your father have put together for you two."

"Really? That's all?"

"Yes, unless you have something else in mind."

The day after their big announcement, the two head elves were up early, helping to set up the party. Though Scott had objected to Noel lifting, carrying, or even using a step ladder, he relented when she refused to become useless. When Carol explained to him that the child was not due until near Christmas, he finally stopped worrying.

Christmas, it seemed, was more than just the holiday, but a pivotal point in the existence of all of them. A day of union, of life, and love.

From their place hanging banners, Bernard and Noel looked at each other. Neither of them had slept at all last night. They had spent the night in the other's arms, Bernard kissing and caressing the still flat stomach of his wife while she watched him and just enjoyed his attentions to her body. The last time he had truly seen an infant was when he had held his baby sister and brother, over two thousand years ago.

With the prospect of creating a new family for himself, he had remembered and came to accept all that had been his past in the last night. Things he had told Noel, that he'd never mentioned before, came out into the open.

He recounted to her his position as second child in a family of five children. Before he was even six years old, the youngest three children had died of illness, the infant twins and the third eldest. His mother perished of the same disease and his father, it was rumored, was so brokenhearted that he decided to take his own life.

It wasn't long before the occupiers got wind that there were two unattended young children. His sister was eight and he was six when they came for them. Helping him escape, she sacrificed her freedom, and he had never seen her since, though he'd heard she'd be sold as a maid to a high ranking officer in the heart of a Roman stronghold.

Until he was fifteen, he'd run the streets, getting fed by his parents' friends and relatives, though none of them could afford to take him in permanently. It was at this age he was caught and thrown in prison for two years. On his seventeenth birthday, Noel found him, saving him with immortality.

Like many survivors, he'd been holding onto a sense of guilt that he hadn't saved his family like he should've. Noel had pulled him into a deep kiss, reassuring him that he'd done nothing wrong and his family was proud of him, wherever they were.

Charlie, Jennifer, and the Millers landed at the North Pole only a short time after they took off.

Jennifer gripped Charlie's hand as she looked around, "I love this place. It's so beautiful."

He looked at her, "Not as beautiful as you."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Charlie Calvin." She grinned at him, brushing a lock of hair from his eyes.

"Are you sure?" He grabbed her hand and ran with her inside the workshop.

A curious Neil and Laura followed them, wondering what had Charlie in such a rush. The minute they all walked inside, the elves cheered to see their friends again, and Scott, Carol, Bernard, Noel, Judy, and Curtis began to walk down the stairs to greet them.

Into the center of the workshop, the couple walked, until Charlie was sure everyone could see them. Jennifer looked rather nervous and confused over what was happening, along with some of the other elves and the couple's relatives.

He leaned in close to her, "I hope you're not mad at me."

"For what?"

"This." Grinning, he reached into his pocket, and dropped to one knee.

"Oh my god." Carol grabbed her husband's shoulder as he stopped short in front of her.

At the door, Neil and Laura froze in their tracks, and Noel turned to Bernard, "Is he?"

Charlie began to speak, and all ears were focused in on him, "Jennifer, I've been waiting to do this all year."

He grasped her left hand and presented her with the ring he had been carrying in his pocket, "I love you, you're the one person I can see myself with for… well, forever. I want us to be together, grow old together."

Her eyes were locked on his, almost not believing what he was saying.

"Will you marry me?"

It didn't take her long to respond with a tearful, "Yes, I will."

There was a mix of delighted gasps and gleeful cheers coming from the elves. Scott, Carol, Laura, and Neil just stood there, in shock. From across the room, Scott and Laura caught confused glances.

Laura waited until the couple was caught in a kiss before she literally ran over to where her ex-husband stood.

"Did you know about this?"

"No. You?"

"No."

Scott scratched his beard, "I mean, I'm happy for them, but… I think they're way too young for this."

"Same here. Charlie's just a baby. I like Jennifer, but this will ruin their lives!"

Resigning himself to the circumstances, Scott thought for a moment, "Let's talk to him about it after the party. This way he won't be upset for ruining his special day."

The adults bit their tongues for the rest of the day.

Laura and Neil had long left the party by the time Santa sent a few elves to saddle up four reindeer to take himself, Carol, and the kids back to the mortal world.

Bernard and Noel accepted the congratulations from the young adults as they left the party. Both pairs felt exhausted with the days events, especially Noel, and they all decided to retire early.

As Scott and Carol escorted Charlie and Jennifer, Charlie noticed something was off, "Why are there four reindeer?"

"Carol and I are gonna ride home with you to make sure you'll be okay."

As they all rode off into the darkening sky, Noel watched from her bedroom window, Bernard at her side.

"Why do I have a feeling that this is not going to end well?"

"Probably because Santa looked like he was gonna have a heart attack when it was announced."

She sighed and her husband hugged her, "We've got more important things to think about anyway."

"Such as?"

"How about names?"

The reindeer dropped Jennifer off at home first, and, after she and Charlie exchanged an extended kiss, they returned to the Miller household.

Lucy had long since gone to bed, and Charlie was greeted with a frightening silent and still Laura and Neil seated at the dining room table.

Scott and Carol nodded to the other couple and Scott pulled up a chair for his son, "Charlie, your mom, Carol, Neil, and I want to have a talk with you."

"About what?"

Laura looked up at him, "This engagement to Jennifer."

The young adult looked perplexed, "You guys don't like it?"

"Statistically Charlie, people who get married at your age have a higher rate of divorce and bad relationships than any other group."

"Neil, I don't think a pie chart is what we need here." Scott half-joked with the doctor.

"We just want you to wait honey."

"I don't want to wait, Jenn doesn't wanna wait. She accepted, didn't she?"

Scott was now the one to look more than a little confused, "What are you going to do though? How are you going to support her or a family? You have no job, you haven't finished school yet, not to mention you'll have to start paying for your own insurance! God forbid Jennifer accidentally gets pregnant or anything! How would you care for a baby?"

Getting to his feet so fast his chair almost fell over, Charlie yelled, "I know there are gonna problems! Plenty of people have done this before, why can't I? I'm going to get a job for after school, and so will Jenn. And why do you think we're gonna have kids right away? Neither of us want kids right now!"

Laura leaned forward and grasped her son's shoulder, "We're just asking you to think about this. Don't set a date, just realize what a big decision you're making."

"We already set a date."

Every set of eyes in the room immediately were turned to Charlie, whose countenance had become more solemn and resolved than ever before.

"When?"

"Mid-August, right before we go back to school."

Carol put her face in her hands, "Oh dear God."

With that, Charlie decided that he was finished with this conversation, "This wedding is happening, whether you are all there or not. If you can't be happy for me, I don't know what to say, but I'd rather have you there, than lose four people I love."

He turned and walked up the stairs to his old room.

Those left at the table just looked at one another. Neil was the first to speak, "That definitely did not go the way we planned."

"Thank you Captain Obvious." Grumbled Scott.

The four sat and talked for the rest of night.