The first of three Christmas stories that were requested. The pairing was Dave/Pen in a romantically/funny scenario, egg-nog (spiked or not spiked), a Santa suit, and a Christmas Tree, with the song "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Although I did use the song a couple of years ago, it is too good to pass up, so I shortened the title. Also, the recording artist is different, too.
To Vonnie G. Hope your Christmas and New Year is blessed beyond all words!
Song prompt: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey
All I Want For Christmas
Penelope Garcia slipped a finger under the heavy wig covering her blonde hair and scratched at her scalp. "I don't know how you managed to talk me into this, but I've changed my mind."
"You look great!" Dave complimented with a smile.
"I look…" Pen caught her reflection in the mirror and frowned, "…old," she finished with a sigh.
"You look like Mrs. Claus. Which is who you should look like."
"This outfit is heavy. You didn't tell me I was going to be in velvet and felt." She tugged on the high collar. It was heavy and hot, but even she had to admire the time and energy that went into making the costume. Still…it spoke volumes for how much she felt for the man next to her if she donned such a ridiculous outfit. But she wondered if it was all in vain. Almost one year of dating and she wondered if her Christmas wish was ever going to come true and she would hear those three little words.
"Remind me again why I agreed to this," she groused and adjusted the apron.
"Because I'm dressed as Santa, and when you have a Santa, you have to have a Mrs. Claus," he reasoned. "And the person the asked had to back out at the last minute."
Pen swept a glance over her red-suit, white whiskered lover. "At least you look good. I look…frumpy." She fussed in front of the mirror. She wondered if it was too late to give Mrs. Claus a make-over. "Maybe I can still add some soft lilac high lights," she wondered.
"You look fine, beautiful."
"Something is missing. I just don't know what."
"That's because you aren't wearing your glasses." Dave reached down for the purple framed glasses. Carefully, he slid them on her face. "Better."
"These are not what Mrs. Claus would wear," she protested.
"And now you're an authority on The Claus's," he quipped.
"The kids are going to see through me!"
"The kids are going to love you."
"No they won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because," she huffed, "they are only coming to see you, anyway. They don't care about Santa's wife. I should have been an elf. At least I would be the one making the toys. They like toy makers…even more than the guy who delivers them," she rushed on in one long breath.
"Well, Mrs. Claus has cookies and she takes care of the Big Guy. That is something," he pointed out.
Pen crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright, Mr. Know It All, what is her name?"
Dave appeared confused by the question. "Whose name?"
Pen rolled her eyes in frustration. "Mrs. Claus. Santa is Nicholas, what is hers?"
He tried to think and gave up. "I have no idea."
"See, she isn't important!" Pen flounced over to the folding chair and sat down. "I can't go out there."
"Wait! You hand out the cookies and smile while I get crying kids and peed on, and you can't go out there. Want to trade places?" Dave requested sarcastically.
Pen opened her mouth, then closed it. "You have a point. But you never answered my question."
"Which is…?"
"Why have a Mrs. Claus if she isn't significant?"
Dave knelt beside Pen. "She is." He stroked her cheek with his finger. "You just have to believe it."
Pen gave a tight smile. "Okay."
"Would it make you feel better if I let one of the kids pee on you?" he teased.
"No," she shook her head.
"By the end of the night, I'll show you just how important it was that you showed up." He grabbed her hand and pulled them both to their feet. "Now, come on before the crumb crunchers start a riot."
"Okay." She hurried to keep up with him as the emcee announced their arrival and the curtain opened to show a room full of children.
"Let's go!"
***********************************
"I don't think I can feel my feet!" Pen exclaimed as she took a seat on one of the empty chairs in the auditorium. "No more spiked egg nog for me!"
"Bad news, the egg nog wasn't spiked."
"Are you saying I danced the feeling out of my feet without any incentive?" she groaned.
"I should say." Dave sat down beside her. "Considering the way you led the locomotion around the Christmas tree to 'All I Want For Christmas Is You', then you practically danced with all the young men…"
"Are you saying that you're jealous?" She slipped her shoes off and let the soles of her stocking feet slide over the cool wood floor.
"Maybe. Just a little."
"My, oh my," she teased. "Mr. FBI Man is pea green with envy."
"Speaking of pea green… I wonder how much it's going to cost to send this out to be dry cleaned." He wrinkled his nose at the memory of the toddler on his lap who had screamed in horror and then soaked his diaper through.
"Now you're officially 'Santa'," she laughed. "So, should we pencil this date in for next year?"
"Penelope…about that."
"Are you saying that you don't want to do this again?" she stammered.
"I'm saying that maybe 'date' is not the right word," he said.
"Oh, you're saying?" She stood up, placed her hands on her hips, and looked down at the man she thought she knew and loved. "Are you saying that you don't want to date me?"
"Penelope…Kitten…" Dave reached for her hand, but she pulled back. "Sit down. Let me explain."
Her eyes flashed hot. "There is nothing to explain. Well, at least you waited until I fulfilled my obligation before dropping the bombshell on me! I should have listened to the people who told me to stay away…"
Dave sat up straighter. "Who said that?"
"Don't worry about it."
"Please, let me explain."
"No." She wagged a finger at him. "But what I will do is wait until tomorrow to let Emily and JJ know what you did, so you can have a head start on getting out of town. No doubt they'll want to stuff you in a stocking and roast you like a chestnut over an open fire."
"Pen…" he pleaded.
"I'm out of here!" In a flurry, she spun around and headed for the exit. Muttering a curse under his breath, Dave grabbed her discarded shoes and hurried after her. Amazed that someone so small could move so fast, he put a little extra speed in his legs to catch her before she made it to the door.
"Penelope! Wait!" he growled and grabbed her arm to jerk her to a stop.
"Let me go!"
"Not until you hear me out."
"You don't want to date me anymore, so what else is there to say?" she reasoned.
Dave let out an exasperated sigh. "Will you let me finish?"
"Okay."
"I was going to say that I didn't want to call that a 'date' because I was hoping it might be a little more."
Pen paused. "What are you saying?"
"I want you to be Mrs. Claus, next year."
"Yeah yeah."
"For real. Damn it, Kitten, what I'm trying to say is that I love you."
She blinked. "Say that again."
"I love you and I want you to be Mrs. Claus to my Santa, every Christmas…and all of the 364 days in between." He reached into his pocket. "I was going to wait until we were alone to give this to you." Pulling out a brightly wrapped box, he held it out to her.
"I thought Santa had given away all of the gifts," she breathed.
"Santa is magic. Besides, I don't think the kids would have liked this. Open it," he encouraged. He waited as she tore off the paper and opened the small, black box.
"Ohhh," she whispered. "It's beautiful."
"You like it?"
"No." She shook her head.
"No?" He was stunned by her response.
"I love it! You mean it? You…me…us?"
Dave took the diamond encrusted ruby ring and slid it on her finger. "Fits, doesn't it?"
"It does." Pen moved her hand to let the lights bounce off the precious gem.
"So, will you?"
"Will I, what?" she asked back.
"Be my Mrs. Claus tonight and forever?" He took her hand and laid it across his heart. "I'll even let you dance with all the men at Christmas parties…so long as they are no taller than four feet eight."
"That's an offer I almost can't refuse."
Dave tightened his free arm around her waist and pulled her close. "What would be the offer you couldn't refuse?"
"Promise that every Christmas will be like this."
"I promise they will be even better. You asked me what Mrs. Claus name is, I can answer it now."
"Oh?"
"It's Penelope."
"Show off."
He looked up in the doorway and grinned.
"What?" Pen looked to see what had caught his attention.
"Mistletoe," he remarked with a chuckle. "Now you have to kiss me." He leaned down.
"I only wanted one wish this Christmas," she whispered.
Dave stopped. He looked deep into her big brown eyes. "Oh? Which was?"
"You. And your love. I got both."
"Yes, Penelope, there is a Santa Claus." He brushed a lock of white from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear.
"And he's all mine," she said. "Forever."
Under the sprig of mistletoe, Dave's kiss let her know that he was. Forever.
The End.