A Very Happy Holiday
For years, Happy Hogan had done everything requested of him by his employers. It hadn't always been easy, but he'd found a way to get it done. However, as he looked at himself, he wasn't so sure about this time.
"Happy? Are you ready?" Pepper's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Almost."
"The daycare kids have already started their party." She waited a minute before speaking again. "May I come in?"
"Uh...yeah. Sure."
The door cracked and Pepper's head appeared. "What's wrong?"
"I...I don't know if I can do this."
Pepper walked into the room. "Oh sure you can. You look great."
"But, Pepper. Santa Claus?"
"It's Christmas. Who else would you be?"
"But...me?"
"Why not you?"
"What if they don't like me?"
"You're Santa. Every kid likes Santa."
"I don't know..."
She walked and stood in front of the head of security. "Happy, listen to me. They will love you. You have no idea how much it means that you agreed to do this. You're a natural. Santa is supposed to be be someone kind with a big heart. Who else would I ask?" He gave a shy smile. "Besides, seeing Santa is all A.J. has talked about for two weeks. You wouldn't want to disappoint him would you?"
"Not on your life."
"Good. Tony should be here with him by now."
Happy blanched. "Oh crap."
"What?"
"Tony."
"Tony what?"
"Well...if it isn't Happy Ho-ho-hogan."
"That," he replied, jerking a thumb in the direction of the man now standing in the doorway.
"I must say. This looks to be perfect casting. The poem did describe him as 'chubby and plump' so it's pretty much spot-on."
"It also said he was an elf. That would make it a pretty good fit for you."
"C'mon...laugh. I wanna see if you can do the whole 'bowlful of jelly' thing."
"I'm...jolly."
"So that's what they're calling it now? Tell me something, Kris Kringle. Did you get this because you're 'jolly' or because they needed someone who has actually eaten their body-weight in candy canes? Don't act like you don't remember that weekend."
"Being Santa would mean going from driving you around to driving around with a herd of animals. At least the company would be an improvement."
"Yet another reason you're prefect for this. Who else has your experience sitting on their duff for hours?"
"I'm not dignifying that with a remark."
"Only because you can't think of a comeback."
Pepper sighed. "Are you through?"
"Almost," Tony said, wanting to get in one final shot. "I just have one question for ya..."
"And I have a question for you," Pepper interrupted. "Where is our son?"
"He's out there...somewhere."
"May I suggest you go find him before we have a repeat of the Thanksgiving debacle. I really don't feel like replacing another dozen cupcakes because he inherited your sweet tooth." Before he could reply, she added, "I will join you as soon as I'm done here. I want to be there when A.J. talks to Santa." When Tony left, she turned to Happy. "Whatever it is you need to do to get rid of those butterflies in your stomach, do it quickly. The natives are getting restless."
Pepper walked out and closed the door behind her, leaving him alone again. Happy sighed and ran his hand through his hair before picking up the wig and beard off the table.
"Where is he?"
"He will be here," Pepper said.
"I can't see." Four-year-old A.J. Stark stood on his tip-toes and craned his neck to look over the crowd of other children. He tugged on his father's hand. "Pick me up, Daddy. I wanna see!"
"There's nothing too see right now, Champ." Tony watched a very familiar pout come to his son's face. "You better roll that lip in if you want to stay off the 'naughty' list."
"But, I wanna see Santa. I have something 'portant to tell him."
"You will get to tell him anything you want," Pepper assured him. "Just be patient."
"Can we go first?"
"If we are first in line."
"Can't we make them let us be first?"
"No."
"But…you are the boss."
"I am, but that doesn't mean we can jump in front of everyone else."
"It's our name on the building," the child said defiantly.
Pepper shot an inquisitive look to Tony. "I wonder where he's heard that?"
"Hard to say. You know how kids pick up things."
"Uh huh." Pepper squatted so she was on her son's level. "A.J., we are not going to get in front of all these other children. They have been waiting as long as you have. It wouldn't be fair."
"But…"
"No 'buts.' If you don't want to wait like everyone else, Daddy will take you home. You don't want that do you?"
"No, ma'am."
Pepper brushed her hand through his hair. "You know what? When it is your turn, I bet Santa will let you stay as long as you want."
"He will?"
"Oh, I can almost guarantee it." Pepper saw the frown change to a small smile. She kissed his cheek before standing.
It wasn't long before the jingle of sleigh bells could be heard over the din of celebrating children. At the sound of the first "ho ho ho," A.J.'s eyes lit up. "It's him!"
"Who?" his father said, feigning ignorance.
"Santa Claus!"
"Santa Claus? Is he going to be here?"
"You're silly, Daddy," he said with a giggle. "C'mon." A.J. took each parent by the hand.
"Where are we going?" Tony asked.
"To see Santa."
The closer they got, the more excited the child became. By the time he was next in line, he was bouncing up and down. When the child in front of him finished, A.J. dropped his parents' hands and fairly ran to the large chair.
"Merry Christmas, Slugger," Santa said to the child scrambling into his lap.
"Merry Christmas...Uncle Happy?"
"Huh?" Happy recovered as quickly as he could when he saw the puzzled look on the little boy's face. "I'm...I'm Santa Claus."
"I think you're Uncle Happy."
"Nope."
"Are you sure? You sound like Uncle Happy."
Happy cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice was an octave lover. "No. It's me, Santa."
"You said 'Merry Christmas, Slugger.' That's what Uncle Happy calls me."
"I say that to a lot of good little boys."
A.J. leaned in slightly. "You smell like Uncle Happy, too."
"I do?"
"Uh huh. Uncle Happy smells like that stuff in the white bottle with the ship on it."
"Oh." Happy could feel the sweat running down the back of his neck. He looked over the top of the child's head and saw Tony. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat. It was only a matter of time before he completely lost his composure.
"I know it's you, Uncle Happy."
"You do, huh?"
"Yep," the child said, lowering his voice, "but, I won't tell your secret."
"My secret?" He didn't want to admit it, but Happy was befuddled.
"That you are one of his helpers."
"Who?"
"Santa. Mommy said the real Santa may not be here today. He can't go everywhere, so he has helpers," A.J. explained. His eyes grew wide. "I didn't know you were one of his helpers. That's cool!"
"It is," he agreed. Happy smiled at the admiration he saw in his little friend's eyes.
"Mommy said that when we tell Santa's helpers what we want for Christmas, they tell Santa. If I tell you what I really want for Christmas, you can't tell nobody else 'cept the real Santa, right?"
"Right."
"I have something 'portant for you to tell Santa, but, you can't tell nobody else."
"Okay." Happy had no idea what he was about to agree to do, but, he was in too deep to back out now.
"Promise?"
"Yep."
A.J. held out his hand and extended his little finger. "Pinkie promise?" he asked, wanting to make extra sure of the confidentiality of his request.
The older man linked his finger with the child's. "Pinkie promise," he confirmed. "What do you want me to tell Santa?"
A.J. looked behind him at his parents to make sure they couldn't hear. He cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered into Happy's ear. "What I really want for Christmas is a puppy." The child pulled back, his smile a mile wide. "You can't tell, okay?"
"Okay." Happy reached into the bag hanging off his chair and retrieved a candy cane. "Here you go. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Unc…uh, Santa." A.J. placed a kiss on his cheek before hopping off his lap and rejoining his parents.
Later that afternoon, Happy made his way to the CEO's office carrying his costume. He now knew what his mini-best friend wanted for Christmas. However, a puppy wasn't just something you could spring on parents without at least finding out whether or not they were completely opposed to the idea. He also knew that he could not break the child's confidence. There had to be some way feel out Tony and Pepper's opinion on the idea of pets without betraying A.J. He knocked on the office door. He learned a long time ago, you never barge into a room where they two of them were without knocking first or you could be in for a very awkward experience. More than once, he'd accidentally caught them engaged in various activities in varying states of undress. Happy waited until he heard Pepper tell him to come in before opening the door. "Here's your suit," he said.
"Lay it there on the back of that chair. I will have Bambi take it back tomorrow," Pepper said from her desk. "I cannot thank you enough for playing Santa. The children loved it. You were the hit of the Daycare Christmas Party." The former chauffeur blushed at the compliment. "I don't have to tell you how A.J. felt. He hasn't stopped smiling since he talked to you."
"Where is he?" Happy asked, noticing for the first time that she was alone.
"He and Tony have already left. He informed us that he needed to get some extra-special cookies to leave out for Santa this year and he needed to get them today."
"That's my boy," he said with a chuckle. He laid the suit where she instructed, thinking of how to broach the subject. "Hey, Pepper...at your house, you've got a yard and everything now don't you? I mean, more than before right?"
"Yes."
"Plenty of room for A.J. to run around and stuff?"
"If he wants, to, yes."
"And if say, he had a, uh, friend he wanted to play with him..."
"There would be room for any of A.J.'s friends."
"Okay. That's good. I know there's lots of room inside. I mean, this house is bigger than the one that was...than the old one."
Pepper laid down her pen and looked at him. "Happy, is something wrong?"
"Nope."
"Why all the questions about the house and yard? You're over there all the time."
"I know. I was just, uh, making conversation."
"Okay," Pepper said, still unclear of the purpose of their last conversation.
Happy looked around the office and spotted the family picture hanging on the far wall. "A.J. seems excited about Christmas."
"Oh yeah. You should have heard what all he told us what he wanted."
"I still haven't gotten his present. What can I get him?"
"Anything. You know A.J. He'll love whatever his Uncle Happy gets him."
"You don't care what it is?"
"No. We trust your judgment."
"So, whatever I get him..."
"Will be fine."
"Alright." Satisfied with the answers he'd gotten, Happy decided he could now leave. "I'm gonna go double-check the camera and make sure all the blind spots are covered before we close up for the holidays."
"Okay. Thanks again," Pepper said. "You were a big help."
"Anytime," Happy said, before slipping out and closing the door behind him.
Christmas Day was a happy one at the Stark house. A.J. was up with the sun, jumping right onto the middle of his parents' bed to ask if it was time to see what Santa had brought. He tore into the packages with gusto, each gift bringing a new round of excited squeals. He sat there, opening box after box, until he'd opened them all. Everything A.J. told his parents he wanted was there, along with things he hadn't asked for at all. Still, there was something missing. He got on his hands and knees and peered under the tree.
"What you looking for, Champ?" Tony asked.
"Is that all the presents?"
Tony got beside him and looked where he was looking. "Yep. I believe so."
"Oh."
"What?"
"Nothin'," A.J. sighed.
"How about you and Daddy play with one of your new toys while I make breakfast?" Pepper said.
"Can we play with the 'rector set?"
"Absolutely," Tony said. "That happens to be my favorite."
"Cool!"
Tony and A.J. dug the Erector Set from the piles of gifts and discarded wrapping paper. Pepper headed to the kitchen to make the traditional Christmas pancakes while they played. She was stepping out to call them to the table when a strange scratching sound came from the direction of the front door. Intrigued, Pepper went to investigate. She reached the door just as A.J. rounded the corner from the living room.
"Mommy, where is my..."
His question was cut off. Pepper opened the door a few inches to see what was making the noise. A.J. gasped at what came wiggling its way through the opening. Standing a few feet in front of him, with a big red bow tied around it neck, was a beagle puppy. The boy and the dog saw each other at the same time. A.J. ran and scooped up the puppy. The puppy responded by eagerly licking the child's face. The little boy dissolved into delighted shrieks and giggles.
Tony came to see what caused the commotion. Pepper caught his eye and nodded in the direction of the dog. Tony shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"He did it! He really did it!"
"Who, Sweetie?" Pepper asked, curious to hear his answer,
"Santa Claus. I asked him for a puppy and he brought it."
"When did you ask Santa for a puppy?" Tony asked.
"At the party."
"I didn't hear you ask Santa for a puppy."
"I whispered it." The puppy continued licking his face. A.J. giggled. "He's silly." He put the dog on the floor and went running through the house. The dog followed close on his heels.
Pepper watched her son run past them. "Did you do this?"
"Nope," Tony replied. "I thought you did."
"No," she said, "but I think I know who did."
"Who?"
Before she could answer, there was a knock at the door. Pepper opened it and found Happy standing on the other side, arms loaded with packages and gift bags. He stepped inside, pausing to give her an affectionate peck on the cheek. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to you. Let me get some of those," she said, taking the top packages from his stack.
"I'll tell you Merry Christmas if I don't have to kiss you," Tony told Happy with a grin.
"Well, there goes my Christmas wish," he replied. "Where's my godson?"
"Being chased by his favorite gift. Speaking of...you wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
"He hasn't even opened his presents from me," Happy said, being as vague as possible.
"Uh huh. You sure about that?"
"Here they are." Happy held up the gifts he carried. "Where do I need to put these?" he asked Pepper.
"Under the tree is fine."
The three adults walked to the living room. Happy had time to set his presents under the tree before A.J. and his new friend came barreling into the room. "Uncle Happy! Look! He did it! Santa brought my puppy! You said I would get him and I did."
"You asked Uncle Happy to buy you a puppy?" Pepper asked.
"No. I asked Uncle Happy to tell Santa I wanted a puppy. He is one of Santa's helpers and they tell Santa what we want for Christmas. That's what you said Mommy."
"It is," Pepper agreed.
"He made a Pinkie Promise that he wouldn't tell anybody but Santa and he didn't."
"Well, you can't break a Pinkie Promise," Pepper said, giving Happy an understanding look.
A.J. picked up his puppy and held him out. "Here...you can hold him." Happy took the dog from the little boy, who greeted him the same way he had A.J. "See, he likes you."
"Friendly guy, isn't he?" Happy rubbed the pup's head.
"Uh huh."
"What are you going to name him?"
"How about Harry?" Tony suggested.
"Harry?"
"Yep. I think that's the perfect name for the one who's going to be your faithful friend for a long, long time."
"Harry the dog," A.J. repeated. "I like it!"
Happy handed the puppy back to his owner. "I think he wants to go play with you."
"Okay." A.J. sat his new pet at his feet. "C'mon, Harry." He took a few step before turning around, running to his godfather, and throwing his little arms around his neck. "I love you, Uncle Happy. You are the best Santa's helper ever!"
Author's note: This was an experiment of including another character into my little fanfic universe. How was it? It's a little piece of Christmas fluff I came up with one day at work. Thanks so much to my BFF and nancyozz (my Pepperony buddy) for all of their help and support. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Reviews are awesome. Please leave one. :) PEPPERONY FOREVER!