Okay this is a Christmas one shot. I just felt like writing. Hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the WWE or the wresters in this story. I own only my ocs. This story is fiction and is to be taken that way. No Copyright Infringement Intended.
'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' is the property of Dr. Seuss. I own nothing.
"Daddy, can you read me a story?" Madeline Cena said as she got ready for bed.
"Sure, peanut. What story?" John said walking into his four year old daughter's room.
"Grinch."
"The Grinch." John laughed. "Okay." He walked over to the book shelf and got How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It was one of Madeline's favorite books. He walked back over to the bed and sat down beside her. "Okay, here we go."
He smiled as she got comfortable and snuggled up against him. He opened the book and started reading.
"Every who down in who-ville liked Christmas a lot. But the Grinch who lived just north of who-ville did not. The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason." John said in a playful voice.
"It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. But I think the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small." John laughed. "Sounds like the Grinch needs a heart surgeon."
"Daddy." Madeline said from her position next to him.
"Alright." He laughed and continued.
"But whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes, he stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the whos. Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown at the warm lighted windows below in their town. For he knew every who down in Who-ville beneath was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath. 'And they're hanging their stocking!' he snarled with a sneer. 'Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!' Then he growled with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,' I must find a way to keep Christmas from coming!' For tomorrow, he knew all the who girls and boys would wake up bright and early. They'd rush for their toys! And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That's one thing he hated! The Noise! Noise! Noise!" John took a breath. "Boy, the Grinch is not fun."
"Daddy, that's why he's the Grinch. I saw the cartoon."
"Okay, smarty-pants." He laughed. She definitely got the smart mouth from Hailey.
"Finish please daddy."
"Alright." He turned the page and continued. "Then the whos, young and old, would sit down to a feast. And they'd feast! And they'd feast! And they'd feast! Feast! Feast! Feast! They would start on who-pudding and rare who-roast-beast. Which was something the Grinch couldn't stand in the least! And then they'd do something he liked least of all! Every who down in who-ville, the tall and the small, would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing. They'd stand hand-in-hand and the whos would start singing! They'd sing! And they'd sing! And they'd Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing! And the more the Grinch thought of the who-Christmas-sing the more the Grinch thought, 'I must stop this whole thing! Why for fifty-three years I've put up with it now! I must stop Christmas from coming but how?" He looked over at Madeline who was still listening intently.
"More Daddy." She said with her big blue eyes.
"Alright, just a second." He took a drink of the water he had nearby and continued. "Then he got an idea! An awful idea! The Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea! 'I know just what to do.' The Grinch laughed in his throat. And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat. And he chuckled, and clucked, 'what a great grinchy trick! With this coat and this hat, I'll look just like Saint Nick! All I need is a reindeer..' The Grinch looked around but since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found. Did that stop the old Grinch? No! The Grinch simply said. "If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!" So he called his dog, Max and then he took some thread and he tied a big horn on top of his head." John laughed. "Poor dog."
"Daddy, take this seriously. Mommy reads it normal."
"Okay." He laughed. She was so cute when she got demanding just like Hailey. "Now where was I?" He looked at the book. "Oh, here we go. Then he loaded some bags and some old empty sacks on a ramshackle sleigh and he hitched up old Max. Then the Grinch said. "Giddyap!' And the sleigh started down toward the homes where the whos lay a-snooze in their town. All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the air. All the whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care when he came to the first house in the square. 'This is stop number one,' the old grinchy Claus hissed and he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist. Then he slid down the chimney, a rather tight pinch but if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch. He got stuck only once, for a moment or two. Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue where the little who stockings all hung in a row. 'These stockings.' He grinned. 'Are the first things to go!' Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant, around the whole room, and he took every present! Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums! Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums! And he stuffed them in bags." John stopped for a minute. "Wow, this book just says steal."
"Daddy." Madeline said.
"Alright." He laughed and started again. "Then the Grinch, very nimbly, stuffed all the bags, one by one, up the chimney! Then he slunk to the icebox, he took the whos feast! He took the who-pudding! He took the roast beast! He cleaned out that icebox as quick as a flash. Why that Grinch even took their last can of who-hash! Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with glee. 'And now!' grinned the Grinch. 'I will stuff up the tree!'
And the Grinch grabbed the tree, and he started to shove when he heard a small sound like the coo of a drove. He turned around fast, and he saw a small who! Little Cindy-Lou Who, who was not more than two. The Grinch had been caught by this little who daughter who'd got out of bed for a cup of cold water. She stared at the Grinch and said, 'Santy Claus, why, why are you taking our Christmas tree? Why? But, you know that old Grinch was so smart and so slick. He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick. 'Why my sweet little tot.' The fake Santy Claus lied. 'There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side. So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear. I'll fix it up there then I'll bring it back here. And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted her head and he got her a drink and he sent her to bed. And when Cindy-Lou Who went to bed with her cup, he went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up! Then the last thing he took was the log for their fire. Then he went up the chimney himself, the old liar.
On their walls he left nothing but hooks and some wire. And the one speck of food that he left in the house was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse. Then he did the same things to the other whos houses. Leaving crumbs much too small for the other whos' mouses! It was quarter past dawn..All the whos still a-bed. All whos still a-snooze. When he packed up his sled, packed it up with their presents! The ribbons! The wrappings! The tags! And the tinsel! The trimmings! The trappings! Three thousand feet up! Up the side of mount crumpit, he rode to the tiptop to dump it! 'Pooh-pooh to the whos!' he was grinch-ish-ly humming. 'They're finding out now that now Christmas is coming! They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do! Their mouth will hang open a minute or two the all the whos down in who-ville will all cry boo-hoo! That's a noise' grinned the Grinch. 'That I simply must hear!' so he paused and the Grinch put a hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low then it started to grow.. But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn't be so! But it was merry! Very! He stared down at who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! The he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every who down in who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all! He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming! It came! Somehow or other, it came just the same! And the Grinch with his Grinch feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling: 'how could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!' And he puzzled three hours. 'Till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! 'Maybe Christmas,' he thought. 'Doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps..means a little bit more!' And what happened then…? Well..In who-ville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day! And the minute his heart didn't' feel quite so tight, he whizzed with his load through the bright morning light and he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast! And he… he..Himself! The Grinch carved the roast beast!"
John looked over at Madeline who was now sound asleep. He kissed her gently on the head and tucked her in tight. He looked up and saw Hailey standing at the door. He smiled and walked over to her.
"That was a good story." She smiled before kissed him.
"Thanks. It's long." He laughed.
"Yeah but it's her favorite." She replied as they walked out into the hallway. "And she loves when you read to her."
"I know and I hate that I can't do it more." He looked back into his daughter's room. She looked adorable sleeping.
"Hey, you are here now and that's all she needs. John, you're a great dad and Madeline loves you."
He smiled and kissed his wife. His time with his family might have been short but he wouldn't trade it for anything. And wasn't that what Christmas was about. Spending time with the ones you love.
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