Christmas Eve, 1980s, NYC
The nun, Sister Anne, cuddled and rocked the baby in the nursery, singing softly. Christmas decorations hung all over, artwork by the older children hung on the walls. Stockings hung up. And a Christmas tree stood in the mess hall.
It was a busy day at the orphanage on 7th Ave. Potential parents came to visit, adopting a few. The ones who were chosen were ecstatic to go home with a new family while the unwanted ones were disappointed. To cheer up them up, the staff had the children do Christmas art projects and hang up their stockings. It lifted their spirits and got them excited for Christmas Day.
This little baby was one of the unwanted. Sister Anne didn't understand. This baby was beautiful with chubby cheeks, bluest eyes and the most adorable face.
"I guess there's always tomorrow," said Sister Anne to the baby.
She laid the baby in the crib and whispered Merry Christmas. The baby gurgled. Sister Anne left.
There was a row such a clatter from the roof. Then, from the extinguished fireplace emerged a huge man, dressed in red, carrying a bulging sack. The baby sat up, looking at the man, curious. The nun forgot to put the drop side of the crib. It spied a fuzzy brown rabbit in the open bag. It wanted it. The baby climbed out of the crib and fell with a plop.
North thought he heard something, but saw nothing. He picked up the cookies that were left for him, munching contently. He resumed his work.
The baby was learning to walk, but barely. It crawled quickly towards North's open sack towards the stuffed bunny...
When North finished at the orphanage on 7th Ave, he picked up his bag. His work was done here, but not yet for the rest of the world. Christmas Eve was his busiest time of the year.
North Pole
After he was finished, an exhausted North returned to the Pole, sighing. He was ready to sleep...he grabbed up the empty sack, feeling a weight inside.
"Oh!" he exclaimed. Then groaned in exasperation. "Did I forget?"
He was so sure every child got their toys. After all, he checked his list twice. With a giant hand, he reached in and felt something warm and wiggly. It made gurgling noises.
"What...?" the Russian exclaimed, furrowing his bushy brows.
Upon pulling out the wiggly, warm mass, there was a baby. Its big eyes stared at North, squealing with delight.
"How...did you get in here?" North said curious.
More giggles from the baby, reaching its tiny hands towards North. The minute it saw the big man, it chose him.
"We'll have to bring you back," said North.
"Dada," it said.
It struck a heartstring in North...hearing the tiny voice. No! He couldn't keep the baby. It belonged to someone. He decided to let it stay for tonight. Then first thing, return it where it came from.
North ordered the yetis to make a suitable bed for the baby. Some groaned and got to work. He held the baby in his giant tattooed arm. It tugged on North's beard, making the Russian cry out painfully.
Upon seeing the lights and hearing the noises of North's Workshop, the baby stared in wonder...like his Russian doll. The yetis and elves stared curiously at the new doll that wiggled that North had.
Once a cradle was made, the yetis brought it to North. He placed the baby in the new cradle. The elves rocked it; the bells jingling on their hats. North yawned and went to bed...until he heard the loud cries of the baby.
The yetis and the elves were confused. This doll that North had brought home wouldn't stop making noise. It got louder and more piercing.
North sighed, covering his ears with the giant pillow, trying to block out the baby's screams. He really needed to sleep. He was exhausted. The cries drilled in his ear. He rolled out of bed, fuming. The Guardian of Wonder had to keep his temper...he had to.
"Why you not sleep?" he said to the baby. "I'm tired. Need sleep."
The baby just kept screaming. Its screwed up face was red. It balled its fists, its arms flailed and legs kicked wildly. North loved bringing joy to children along with his fellow Guardians, but they never actually had time FOR them. He knew nothing about taking care of them.
"Please!" he pleaded, rubbing his temples. "Go to sleep! I need sleep too."
The baby didn't stop. North felt his patience running thin. He didn't know whether to lose his temper or cry as well. After twenty-four hours of delivering toys to all children of the world, he was overwhelmed.
What was he supposed to do?
This was an emergency. He pulled the switch, sending out the colorful northern lights signal to his fellow Guardians.
Jack Frost was spreading winter in parts of the globe, making sure it would be a white Christmas this year. He saw the signal, stopping and flew off towards the Pole...
In the misty mountains of Southeast Asia, Toothiana hovered, ordering her Mini Fairies to various locations to collect teeth. She saw the signal and took off with her most trusted fairies...
Sandy was sending streams of golden dreamsand towards the sleeping children of the world...visions of Christmas and sugar plums dancing in their heads. He saw the signal in the sky, gathering sand to form an airplane and flew off...
In the underground Warren of Austrailia, E. Aster Bunnymund was painting eggs. Sentinal eggs surrounding him with smiling faces. He saw the signal in the sky and took off with rapid hops through the tunnels towards the North Pole, sighing. If there was one thing he hated, it was the cold.
Upon arriving at the Pole, the other Guardians heard terrible screams from North's Workshop. They wondered what creature made such noise. They saw a very exhausted and frustrated North, holding a red faced baby at arm's length.
"Uh...what is that?" Bunnymund said, pointing to the baby. "And what's it doing here?"
Sandy formed a question mark above his head. The Guardians and Mini Fairies covered their ears.
"Please!" North said, weary and at his breaking point. "Make it stop."
Jack shook his head, stepping forward. He took the baby, cuddling and bounced it. It stopped crying. It looked up at the silver-haired boy. It tugged at the string on his hoodie with its tiny fingers. He quickly tucked them away in the neck of his sweater.
"Aw," said Tooth, hovering over the baby, cooing adoringly with her violet eyes.
"How you know to do that?" North asked.
"Just needs to be held," said Jack with a shrug.
With a burp, the baby spit up all over the front of his blue frosted sweater. The winter spirit grimaced in disgust along with the Big Four. The smell was overwhelming that Jack had to hold back the urge to vomit as well. Well, at least the baby saw him.
"Nice new look there, Frosty," Bunny laughed. "Goes well with the frost on yer sweater."
The Guardian of Fun scowled at first, wanting to make it snow over him. Then with an impish smirk, he handed the baby to Bunny so he could clean up the mess off his sweater.
"Don't give it to me!" Bunny complained. "I don't want it throwing up on me."
"Oh, and that's not all it does, Kangaroo," said Jack, grinning.
"Whadda ya mean, Frosty?" Bunnymund said.
"Let's just say when this darling bundle of joy goes to the bathroom, where do you think it goes?"
Bunnymund grimaced when he realized what he was talking about, holding it at arm's length. "Babies are...disgusting."
The baby cooed and drooled as it looked at the Guardian of Hope, reaching for his whiskers, making the pooka twitch.
"Oi! Stop that, you littl' ankle-biter," he whined in annoyance.
"I wanna hold it!" Tooth said, feeling the motherly instinct.
Bunny handed the baby to Tooth.
"Just be careful," said Jack, worried. "Don't drop it."
The baby looked at the violet-eyed, colorfully feathered fairy. Tooth smiled and stroked the baby's cheek with a finger. The baby smiled, showing four tiny teeth.
"Looks like someone's getting their first teeth," she said. "Can't wait to collect them when you lose them."
The baby reached for Tooth's feathers by her ears and pulled, making the fairy cry in pain. The baby giggled and stared at the yellow feather. Tooth smiled painful.
"Where did you find it?" Bunny asked.
"It was in sack," said North. "I'm bringing it back tomorrow."
"Dada," said the baby, reaching towards North.
"I think it wants you, North," said Jack, still trying to get the spit-up stain out of his sweater.
"No," said North, shaking his head. "I couldn't..."
"Just hold it," said Jack.
North wasn't sure. He was afraid of crushing this delicate little doll. He certainly didn't want to get soiled after seeing what happened to Jack. He reached towards the baby and held it. The child looked with big eyes adoringly.
"Dada," it said.
North felt a smile spread across his face. The baby snuggled in North's long white beard and his giant chest. His love and devotion to children was his greatest joy and to actually hold a child brought that caring side of him.
"Sandy, little help," said North.
With a nod, the Guardian of Dreams hovered over the small baby, blowing a ribbon of golden sand. Immediately, the baby was asleep. Sandy reached to hold the baby, smiling. Dreamsand formed the baby's dream, showing all of them. Sandy gently placed the sleeping child in the cradle.
"Aw," said Tooth. "I love her. Do you have to bring her back, North?"
The big Guardian shrugged.
"It's the right thing t' do, Tooth," said Bunny. "She can't stay here."
"I dunno," said Jack. "The kid seems to think your it's Dad, North."
"Snowman, no way," said Bunnymund. "It doesn't belong here."
North knew he had to take the baby back. He wouldn't have time to take care of it if he could. There had been times he wished in his former life to be a Dad...if he was. Having a little girl of his own.
He'd decide tomorrow. Sleep first.
"Thank you for your help, my fellow Guardians," he said.
The other Guardians nodded, assuring him it was no trouble at all. They took off to resume their work. North looked at the sleeping baby. If he could, he would name the baby. No. He had to bring her back. If he named it, he would want to keep it.
Yawning, he went to sleep in his giant bed.