Author's note: It's been a while since I last wrote fan fiction so I hope you enjoy reading this. Reviews and constructive criticism always welcome. This will be a two parter story.
Santa Claus is coming to town!
Belle hummed along to the Christmas song on the CD player as she ensured everything was in place for the library's Santa's Grotto opening at 10am. With two and a half hours to go, all she needed to do was get changed into her outfit and wait for Happy to arrive to be Santa. The phone rang and Belle answered it cheerfully. "Hello?"
"Belle" said Happy's apologetic voice from the other end of the line. "I'm not able to be Santa today. I'll spare you the details but I'm too ill to leave the house. I think it must've been something I ate last night. I am so sorry"
"That's fine. I hope you get better soon. Bye!" Belle said kindly, not wanting to make Happy feel guilty. As soon as she hung up the phone, her calm demeanour turned to panic. She had a Santa's Grotto with no Santa, and just under two and a half hours to find a replacement or else she'd be faced with a lot of disappointed children. Picking up the phone, she quickly dialled Doc's number. After all, he'd been her second choice for Santa when all seven dwarves decided to audition for the role.
"Hello?" answered Doc.
Belle breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Doc, I'm so glad I got hold of you! Can you do me a favour? Happy's had to pull out of being Santa at the last minute and I need a replacement. Can you do it?"
There was a pause. "I'm really sorry, Belle, but I've made other plans" replied Doc regretfully. "It's too late to cancel them".
Belle felt like screaming in terror, the Grotto's opening drawing ever nearer and still no Santa to be found. However, she kept her voice bright and breezy. "No problem. I'm sure I can find someone else, bye!"
Belle immediately crossed the next five dwarves off her list of potential Santas. Sneezy was working, Bashful was too shy, Sleepy wouldn't be able to stay awake, Dopey was his usual mute self, and Grumpy was still in the sheriff station after last night's drunken antics. Belle had an idea, she ran outside to the holding pen where Anna and Kristoff were feeding carrots to Sven the reindeer. "Kristoff, I need you to be Santa!" cried Belle.
"What? No way" replied Kristoff. "I don't do great around little kids"
"Oh come on" Anna chided. "You grew up with twenty brothers and sisters and you've got about thirty nieces and nephews"
"First off, they were rock trolls, not small humans with sticky hands and runny noses" protested Kristoff. "Secondly, I had six brothers and sisters and only 12 nieces and nephews. Did they not teach you to count at princess school?"
"I never went to princess school, I was home tutored!" argued Anna. "And if you don't like kids, how are you going to cope when we have a baby of our own?"
"Our baby will be our own little mini us so that makes it okay and are we really having a discussion about having a baby?" Kristoff's demeanour changed in an instant.
"Oh my god we are!" laughed Anna. "I was thinking we could have a boy and a girl and Elsa could babysit and she could teach them how to build snowmen..."
Belle left Anna and Kristoff to their discussion about starting their own family. She had a Santa to find. She saw Charming and Hook sat outside Granny's diner and raced over. "Charming, I need to ask a favour!" Belle panted.
Charming listened to Belle's request and politely turned her down. "Neal was up all night with teething and Snow needs me to look after him whilst she gets some sleep" was his excuse.
"I suppose I could give it a go" volunteered Hook.
Belle forced a smile. Hook was nowhere near who she'd envisioned as Santa, but beggars can't be choosers, and a Santa was better than no Santa at all. "I've got a few more enquiries to make, but I'll keep you in mind. Thanks!" she said, hoping, praying, that she found someone else.
"No offence, but I don't think the kids would appreciate a Santa with a hook for a hand." Charming commented to Hook as Belle left.
Belle hurried along the street to ask the one person she had left who could be a potential Santa otherwise Hook would get the role. She expected him to say no, the Grinch had more Christmas spirit than he did, but if he didn't agree when she needed his help then she would make sure he spent Christmas sleeping on the couch. The bell jangled as Belle entered Rumplestiltskin's shop.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" smiled Rumplestiltskin as he emerged from the back of the shop.
Belle decided to get straight to the point. "I need you to be Santa".
Rumplestiltskin looked puzzled. "I thought Happy was Santa?"
"He's not well" explained Belle. "Please, Rumple, otherwise I'll have to ask Hook"
Rumplestiltskin saw the pleading look in Belle's eyes. As much as he really didn't want to dress up in a cheap suit and false beard, he couldn't refuse Belle in her hour of need and he was loathe to force her to beg the pirate for help. "Okay" he relented.
"Thank you" beamed Belle as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
Rumplestiltskin reciprocated the gesture, wondering what the children of Storybrooke had in store for him.