Title: Reindeer and What?
Summary: Bella lives next to a reindeer farm. At sixteen she starts working there. At eighteen, with Edward's help, she finds out there is some truths about Santa and his reindeer.
Pairing: Edward and Bella
Rating: M
Word Count: 3839
Once I turned sixteen I was finally allowed to work on the farm next door. Kris and Jessica have a reindeer farm; my folks just have a regular farm. You know crops, cows… that sort of thing.
My two older brothers, Emmett and Jasper, work at our family farm. I'm not interested in working with cows and never have been, but the reindeers – I find them fascinating.
So a few months before my sixteenth birthday, I asked Kris and Jessica if I could work there. They told me the job was mine starting the day I turned sixteen. That was two years ago, and I've loved every day of it since then.
Just a few months back, I was told that they had to hire another person to help. Kris was getting too old to be working all day and night, besides the Mrs. wanted him to retire. So they decided to hire a reindeer specialist. The man would come and live at the farm in the guest house, starting next month.
Until then, they asked if I could stay and live above the stable so I could help out more. The boss was sick and needed rest, I knew that, but I guess I didn't comprehend it was so serious. But now the fact that he hired another worker and asked me to live there too, made me realize this was more than old age and just being a bit sick and needing to rest.
I was almost done with high school and I felt no need to go to college. I was where I wanted to be. Right here at the farm. I was very happy they wanted me to stay and live at the farm. I didn't have to think twice when Kris asked me, I simply hugged him saying "yes." After that he made me promise I at least would finish high school and graduate, which was only three weeks away, so I had no trouble agreeing. I ran into the house and told Jessica I was very happy and willing to stay with them.
I informed my parents that same night that I was going to be living next door after graduation. Needless to say, we had a lively discussion that night at the table; however, I made them see this was what I always wanted and still want for my life.
The weeks flew by and before I knew it I was packing and unpacking my stuff in my new home. The apartment above the stable was pretty big and soundproof, so I didn't hear the reindeer. The new worker arrived and got settled in as well. His name is Edward Cullen, and man, is he my own personal walking wet dream.
His eyes are a deep green, and if you look into them you feel like you're drowning. His hair is brown with the oddest red highlights. I don't know what he does with it, but it always looks like sex hair. His body is rock hard from working ten hours a day doing manual labor on farms. I can't help but look and drool when I see him. Trust me I look every chance I get, especially when he isn't wearing a t-shirt.
On September 13th—my eighteenth birthday—we planned to celebrate it by going all out for dinner. Kris and Jessica had invited my parents Renee and Charlie, my brothers and their wives—Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Alice—and of course Edward.
We all had so much fun and I got a lot of presents. Even Edward gave me a present. I was surprised by the silver necklace with a little reindeer charm. I plan to never take it off.
After dinner my family went back home and the rest of us drove in Edward's car back to the farm. Back at the farm, we drank some hot cocoa before Kris and Jessica went to bed. Edward and I were walking around the farm enjoying each other's company when suddenly he turned me to face him and kissed me.
His hands held my face as he deepened the kiss. His tongue entered my mouth and danced with mine.
No boy had ever kissed me like that, and I know why. Only a man can kiss like that. I swooned, my knees barely able to hold me up. My hands grabbed his jacket with all I had. I needed to hold on and to bring him closer to me. I needed more.
One of his hands grabbed my hair and held my head in place while his other hand went under my butt and squeezed my jean covered bottom tightly. I felt like my body was on fire and it was only a kiss. Just thinking of what could happen if we took this farther had me moaning in pleasure. Of course this triggered his reaction and he pulled me closer. I could feel his erection rubbing against my leg.
He whispered my name into my mouth and I was sure in that moment that my name would never sound the same again.
"I need you," he whispered in my ear as his kisses had moved to my throat and his hand cupped my breast.
"Edward," was all I could say in return.
"I know you want me too, I see you watching me every chance you get."
Oops, busted. "I don't do one night stands," I told him seriously.
"It doesn't have to be." I heard back before we are interrupted.
"Edward, Bella!"
"That's Jessica," I told him a little concerned.
We ran as quickly as we could to the house, there stood Jessica in her nightgown.
"It's Kris," was all she needed to say. Edward and I ran into the house and upstairs. There in bed laid Kris looking pale white and breathing heavily.
"Call 911," Edward ordered me.
"No!" both Jessica and Kris yelled at the same time.
We both look at them in surprise and asked why not since it's obvious he's not well.
"We need to talk to you both. Now, before it is too late." Kris told us and his tone left no room for arguing.
So we both nodded at him in acceptance. I felt like this was very important and found myself holding Edward's hand for support. He turned to look at me, but didn't let go.
"What we're about to tell you, is something that will be very hard to believe. By the end of tonight you will receive all the proof you'd need to believe us. Just promise you will let us tell you everything without interrupting and, even if you still don't believe us before dawn has come, you cannot tell a soul what you have heard and seen tonight." Kris sounded like he meant business.
Edward and I promised them to keep their secret.
"Do you know our last name?" Kris asked us.
Suddenly I'm ashamed that even though it's a very simple question, and I've know them my whole life, I don't know the answer to that. Edward didn't seem to know that either since he shook his head no.
"That's because we don't tell anyone," answered Kris with a gentle smile on his pale face.
I looked at him in a questioning manner.
"If I tell you my last name is … Kringle?"
"Then I wouldn't think a thing about it," I told him.
"What about Kris Kringle?" Edward asked him.
"That's my given name, the name I work with here, but the name most people know me by is Claus." I noticed a faint smirk on his face.
"Claus Kringle?" I wondered out loud not finding anything noteworthy about the name.
"No child, Santa Claus," I heard him say.
"Say what?" Edward and I said at the same time not believing what we just have heard.
"You heard me right, Santa Claus. We are Kris and Jessica Kringle, also known to most as Santa and Mrs. Claus," Kris said calmly.
"He must be very ill," I whispered in Edward's ear.
He nodded slightly eyeing Kris carefully.
"No, he isn't ill, just very tired," Jessica answered me from behind us.
I had forgotten she was there.
"Sorry, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but you know Santa Claus isn't real, right?" I asked her.
"Oh, my dear child, he most definitely is real. Now listen to what Kris is trying to tell you."
She sounded a bit infuriated at my remark so I turned back to Kris and mumbled out a "sorry."
He nodded and continued his story. "Every fifty years or so, a new Santa is chosen. My fifty years are almost up. This will be my last Christmas, before I hand over the suit."
I decided to sit down on the bed, feeling this will be a long story.
"Next year there will be a new, younger man wearing the suit, a man chosen by the reindeer."
"Ho, ho, ho…" I said and then snorted at my own words how appropriate, "chosen … by the reindeer?"
"Yes, the reindeer, my dear," Jessica said to me, "now let him explain."
"Yes, Bella, the reindeer choose the new Santa," Kris repeated before elaborating a little bit more. "They do this just before the current Santa's last Christmas so the new Santa will have time to get used to his new job."
"So, if this is your last Christmas... the reindeer must have already chosen a new Santa," Edward reasoned out loud.
"Yes, Edward, they have. The decision has just been made." He paused to take a breath. "But before I tell you who will be the lucky one… let me tell you my story."
With a faraway look he began the trip down memory lane. "I was twenty five when I met Jessica. I fell in love with her at first sight. Luckily for me, she loved me right back." He and Jessica share an intimate look that only they seem to know the meaning of.
"Her father worked here on the farm and I had just graduated vet school. I was ready to start working as a vet, but I was new in town, and my office wasn't ready yet. The hotel burned down the night before, so I really didn't had a place to go. Her father let me stay in the guest house. Instead of paying rent, he made me work here taking care of the reindeer after my rounds on the other farms as the vet.
"It took me four months before I realized that they already had a vet in this town. I crossed paths with him when a farmer called both of us for one of his cows, a delivery going wrong. Both cow and the calf made it. But it was this incident that made me question if I had chosen the right job for myself. I could not have saved both animals on my own…"
He was quiet for a moment, seemingly deep in thought before continuing with his story.
"I went back to the guest house where Jessica was waiting for me, the moment I saw her sitting outside my door, I knew I needed to tell her everything… about my feelings for her and about my feelings for the job I now hated. Jessica listened to every word I said never making me feel she disliked me for my feelings. No, instead after I had poured my heart out to her, she stood up and kissed me, telling me she loved me too and to come to her daddy the next morning, which I did.
"He told me what I am telling you now. His fifty years were about to end and the reindeers had chosen me as the next Santa. Just like Jessica had chosen me to love. We talked all night and from that morning I worked only for him. He taught me how to drive the sleigh; I grew a beard and a tummy. Jessica and I got married and later that year he took me with him on his last Christmas night. I learned the last of all the secrets, and they officially made me the next Santa Claus. Jessica's parents now live near the shop, where they help the workers."
Kris just looked at Edward and me with a new kind of shine in his eye. It was like he was trying to tell us something without using words.
Edward was the first to understand what. "Wait... wait a minute... you … you're telling me that... that I, me... I'm the chosen one?" he stuttered.
I look at him when the coin finally dropped inside my head... WOW, Edward's the chosen one... the new Santa… "Wait, what!?" I said.
"No, no, no, who, when, why?" Edward said questioning him.
"Yes, Edward. You will be the next Santa Claus and you, Bella, will be the next Mrs. Claus."
"WHOA! Me? But we are not even married, how can I become the next Mrs. Claus?" I asked him.
"You sealed that deal the moment you two kissed tonight behind the barn my dear." Jessica announced to us with a knowing smile on her face.
Edward and I could only look at each other. This is just too much information to wrap our heads around.
"I … I just turned eighteen, today! How can I become Mrs. Claus, aren't I too young for that?" I know I was almost yelling, but I couldn't help it. I felt scared.
The fact that we were talking about this without realizing that I don't believe in Santa Claus and was thinking they are nuts and lost their minds somewhere tonight. It only took me a few minutes to realize this was serious, they're telling some sort of truth in all of this.
Edward still held my hand and pulled me into his arms, shushing me. I looked into his eyes. They were telling me it was going to be just fine. It calmed me and I was able to relax again in order to keep listening to the rest of the story.
The rest of the night Kris and Jessica told us all we need to know about becoming Santa and Mrs. Claus. Just before dawn they received a phone call. They asked us to walk with them, which we did. When we made it to the front porch of the house there was a man holding a suitcase.
He was clearly expecting us. Without uttering a single word he gave the suitcase to Edward. Then he was just gone—disappeared. On top of the suitcase was a letter addressed to Edward. Edward and I looked at Kris questioningly. Kris only nodded in response, and Edward opened the letter.
Dear Edward,
Inside this suitcase you will find one suit; it will fit you fine. But before you decide to open the suitcase remember that if you do, you will become the next Santa Claus.
This is your last opportunity to step away from the responsibilities of becoming Santa.
You have until tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. to decide. But you cannot talk about any of this with anyone except Isabella Marie Swan, or as you know her, Bella. She will need to make the decision with you, as she will become Mrs. Claus. The changes will happen this year if you chose to become Santa Claus.
No matter what you choose she will marry you, so don't worry about that, her destiny to be your wife was set at birth.
Now before you two go to the guest house to talk, go take a ride with the sleigh to see what it's like… to get a feel of it.
The Reindeer Office
R.O. USA Region
I was so busy looking at Edward that I failed to notice the sleigh that was now in front of the house.
Edward finished the letter and looked at me. He kissed me lovingly and took a seat on the sleigh.
Kris was already in it, the moment Edward sat they were gone. I screamed but Jessica took my hand and got me inside the house.
"Sit Bella, he'll be back in a minute or so," she said with so much kindness in her voice.
"But, but..." I didn't seem able to form a coherent sentence now.
"I know, sweetie. It is real, Santa Claus is real. Everything we've told you is real."
"How..."
"The power of believing, that's the magic of Christmas." She smiled warmly at me.
After I drank some chocolate milk, the two men walked back into the house talking animatedly. I began to wonder if the hot cocoa we had last night was spiked and this was all a dream. Edward and I looked at one other with all these questions running through my mind.
"Go and talk" Kris told us, and that's what we did.
It has been five years since that day. Christmas has never been the same. Being Mrs. Claus makes it mean so much more. Tonight is Edward's fifth time on the sleigh and forth year doing it alone. It's the 24th of December and I think he will always remember his fifth run.
The last present he will be delivering is for him … my idea. He doesn't know it yet, but I got some help from our little friends down at the shop. Jessica and Kris live near the shop now and they promised to call me the moment Edward is back so I could get ready. So here I am waiting for my husband to come home from work.
Jessica called me ten minutes ago to let me know that Edward was back and they were unloading the sleigh and checking everything over. My friends will 'find' one last present in the sack... Edward will have forgotten to give a gift to a child, but the address on it is his own. I told you this will be a Christmas he won't forget.
"Bella!" Ah, he is here.
"Yes, Edward."
"What is this?" He held a present in his hand.
"Well open it. It has your name on it after all…" I said, unable to hide the smile on my face.
"But..."
"Open it, Edward."
He opened the wrapper and looked at it. "What is it?" he asked me holding a picture in his hand with a look of confusion on his face.
"That, Edward; are your children..." I told him.
"What do you mean my children?" Edward is looking at the ultrasound picture, not seeing a thing on it.
"We are going to be mommy and daddy of two babies, Edward. I'm pregnant."
"You are having a baby? I'm going to be a daddy?"
"No, not a baby… two babies, and yes, you are going to be a daddy."
"When?"
"I am now ten weeks pregnant so at the end of July we will have two bundles of joy in our arms."
He picked me up and kissed me deeply, "Thank you, baby, I love you."
"I love you too and Merry Christmas, Santa." I said just as the clock announced the new day – Christmas day.
How it is possible, we'll never know, but the twins managed to be born on different days. Jane was born on July the 24th and Jacob was born on July the 25th exactly seven minutes apart and seven months after I told Edward I was pregnant. So our twins aren't twins on paper, but it does give each of them their own day to celebrate.
Five months later we celebrated their first Christmas.
Edward had arranged for the biggest tree he could fit into our house. Nothing is too extreme for his kids. I shake my head at the memories. The presents, well what can I say… being the kids of Santa Claus himself could be a bit too much. They loved it then, and still do to this day.
When they turned ten years old we told them our secret, it was the sleigh that convinced them. It always will be the key in making people believe.
This year will be different though. Edward is now 70 years old, and the reindeer have just informed us that Jacob Jr. will be the next Santa. Yes, we knew it will be hard for Jacob to find out he will not become Santa, but the reindeer's decision was out of our hands.
Jacob Jr. is now 26 years old and we know he found his truelove and kissed her. That´s what sets the things in motion.
That first kiss locked the seal, no way back from it. The invite to come with his lady tonight to his grandparents has already been sent. It felt strange knowing this will be our last year here as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Next year we will live near the shop helping with the presents and everything.
Just to be sure I've put up mistletoe above the door… to collect another kiss and see magic happen—Christmas magic.
Jacob Jr. and his lady arrived just a little after nine, and yes I got to see them kiss. She's a shy sweet girl, her name is Renesmee. She's named after her grandmothers Renee and Esme. I love her name and her completely.
After some hot cocoa we start our story, the one that will change all of our lives. And yes, Edward is ready for it, ready to let go of his suit. Yes, he will miss it, but we will have a Christmas at home for the first time in our married life together. Just before dawn Edward got his phone call and the next thing I know, I have a fresh cup of hot cocoa with Renesmee. I'm calming her down telling her it will all be just fine, just like Jessica did with me all those years ago.
On December 24th Edward tells me he has a surprise for me. This last year as Santa Claus he is allowed to take me with him, for the first and only time. When he brings back the sleigh we will take residence in our new home, leaving behind our life as we know it. Jacob Jr. and Renesmee will be living on the farm taking care of the reindeer that I love so much.
The reindeer are the reason I've lived my life like a fairytale. I found my love in their stable, learned about Santa Claus secrets on the grounds they live on. I married my Santa Claus there, saw my children grow up in the farm house, and now our grandchild will take over the reins. We still don't know the secret behind the reindeer. They are the biggest secret of all... nobody will ever find out how it works, that's the number one rule.
Merry Christmas to all, and if you happen to see Santa tonight, tell him how proud we are of him and that we love him.
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