SANTA BABY

Story Summary: Christmas time in New York. What else could be more iconic, maybe a little love under the mistletoe? The gang all works at Cullen Department Store in NYC. Things are going well for Bella Swan until she starts getting mysterious gifts from her secret Santa. She wants to solve this mystery and everyone tries to figure out who Bella's secret admirer is. However something interesting begins to happen along the way, will Bella still want to find out who her Santa is when she thinks she's falling in love with someone else?

Chapter 1

November 28, 2008

I rolled over and opened my eyes, taking in my room for what might be the last time in some time. I would miss the faded blue walls and the old rocking chair in the corner. I would miss the old wood floors and small bathroom I shared with my father. I would even miss the clouds and rain. Forks Washington wasn't exactly the ideal vacation spot, but it was home. Now I would have to leave and make another home in a city that is 200 times as big as Forks and it scared me shitless. I heard the cabinets open and close downstairs and realized my dad must be awake. I closed my eyes as the fill with unexpected tears. In that moment, I knew what I would miss the most, Charlie.

My dad had been my rock ever since mom passed. He took on the role as not only a father, but as my mother. Through all the rough years he never once complained. He had always encouraged me to follow my dreams, and was disappointed when I turned down a scholarship to a Ivy League school so I could stay close to home and help him out when he was injured while on the job. He supported me while I worked my butt off in business school, a year later. Then, he encouraged me to apply for an internship with P&G when my professor recommended me. So now, here I was five months later ready to leave everything I knew behind for the unknown.

To top it all off, I realized I wouldn't be here for the holidays. This would be my first Christmas away from the house and it was hitting me really hard.

I heard the floorboard above the stairs creak, it was followed by a muffled conversation I couldn't really understand. I knew it wasn't my father, he would never make so much noise, so I threw the blanket over my head and tried to ignore it. Next, I heard the door to my bedroom open and the boards creaking as someone moved toward my bed. Then, suddenly they stopped. I smiled knowing exactly who it was. "You know, you guys fail at ninja," I said still with my head beneath the covers.

"Aw man! I thought for sure we had her," Seth's voice came through the blanket. I could feel him flop down on the bed to my right. I felt someone else flop down to my left.

"Come on, Bells, get up!" Jake's voice joined Seth's. I groaned. Suddenly, the blanket was pulled from my face and I squinted at the sudden onslaught of light.

"Hey!"

"Oh, quit whining," Jacob scoffed and I gave him my best sink eye as I brushed the hair out of my face.

"Yeah, Bells," Seth chimed in. "It's Christmas."

"No, it's not."

"Well, it's as close as we're going to get this year," Seth shot back.

"You could have just mailed me my presents."

"No, we couldn't have," I rolled my eyes at Jake's quick denial. "It wouldn't have been the same and you know it."

"Yeah, half the fun is watching your face," Seth smiled over at Jake

That look certainly got my attention. "What did you guys do?"

Jake shrugged, "Just some things to help you in the big city."

Seth chuckled. "Just make sure Charlie doesn't see all of them…"

"GUYS!" I sat up.

"Oh, we're only joking Bella, chill out," Seth scoffed.

"Like we'd get you anything you couldn't open in front of your father…those we'd mail to you." My mouth dropped open in shock as I looked over at Jacob. "Joking…Jeesh, who died and took your sense of humor with them?"

"Okay…come on, we were told to come and get you," Seth said, slapping my hip.

"Uh…five more minutes." I flopped back down on my pillow.

"Nope."

"Aw, come on you guys." I knew I was whining, but I had a good reason. I figured if I didn't start the day, then it couldn't end, right?

"Bella, if you won't come willingly…"Jake's voice was menacing and I didn't like it one bit.

"Jake…" I warned, but to no avail. Before I knew it, I was being thrown over his shoulder. "JACOB BLACK PUT ME DOWN!" I beat at his back as he carried me down the stairs.

"Boys, I told you to get her up, not cart her around like a sack of potatoes." I heard my father say, as I continued to try to get Jake to put me down.

"Oh, for heavens sake Jake, put the girl down." A soft voice said from the kitchen. Thankfully, Jake listened and he put me down on my feet. "Thank you, Sue," I said as I pushed my hair out of my face again. I walked over and kissed Sue on her cheek. Sue was Seth's mom and had been seeing my dad for the past two years. I really liked Sue and she made my dad the happiest I'd seen him, in a long time.

"Good morning Bella," she said, softly smiling at me then continued her cooking.

I walked over to the table to sit down, taking a detour and punching Jake hard in the bicep. He reached up to cradle his arm. "Ow…"

"Baby," I murmured, knowing full well he could hear me.

"Chief never should have let you go to those classes, they've made you violent."

"You're lucky I didn't aim elsewhere."

Sue and Seth busted out laughing at that point and my dad finally decided it was time to intervene. "Okay kids…" he told us in a warning tone before he walked over to me and kissed me on the forehead. "Morning sweetie."

"He started it," I muttered before addressing my father, "Morning dad."

"So, where's Leah?" I asked as Sue placed a heaping pile of pancakes on the table and sat down.

"She had to head back to Seattle for school," Sue explained and I nodded. Leah was Sue's oldest daughter. She is my age, but she was going to grad school at UW this year. We got along okay, it's gotten better in the past year. I was definitely closer to Seth than I am with her, but we were friendly with each other when we need to be. We all ate breakfast amid comfortable conversation. Finally, we made our way to the living room and I noticed that they had done it up for the holidays, complete with tree.

"You guys…"

"Hush, Bells…" My dad shook his head cutting me off.

"Thank you." I hugged him and he held me tightly.

"You're welcome, sweetie." he whispered as he kissed the top of my head. "Now, come on, let's open our presents."

We settled in around the tree drinking our coffee and laughing at the gifts that we were opening.

"I can't believe our little Bella is going off to some big city internship. Who would have thought that you'd be the one living in New York?" Jake said.

"I did. I knew that she was destined for stardom," my father said, hugging me around the shoulders.

"It's a business internship, not an acting job on some movie set," I said my cheeks flushing.

"Oh whatever…" Jake rolled his eyes at me and tossed me another present. About a half hour later my father got up from the couch and walked over to the closet.

"So, there's one more," he said, as he came out of the hall with a box.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. They'd already given me so much. I felt silly receiving so much, but they knew this was the only way they'd get me to receive these things.

"No listen…you're going clear across the country, and I wanted to make sure you remembered where you came from."

"Daddy…"I said quietly, as I reached for the package he held out. I was surprised by the weight of the object. Did they get me a brick?

"Open it," Seth encouraged from his spot on the floor near me. I smiled and began to tear off the paper. My breath left me in a whoosh when I saw what was hidden by the green and silver paper. There was an ornately carved rosewood box in front of me. I studied the carvings and traced them with my fingers knowing immediately who had carved it. I looked up to see Jake smiling back at me. There on the back, between the ornately carved scrolls and leaf work was the Quileute tribal sign. On top, there was an elegant Swan that had been painted white to stand out against the dark grain of the wood. I turned it over and was surprised to see a crank at the bottom.

I looked up confused. "Go on…" Sue encouraged. I turned the crank and heard a light tinkling of my favorite tune.

"It plays your favorite…" Dad explained. I looked up at him and saw that he had tears in his eyes. I shot up out of my seat and launched myself in his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you guys, so much," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

"Just remember Bella, we love you very much, and every time you look at that box, remember us," my father whispered tightening his hold.

I buried my face in his shoulder as the tears fell from my eyes. "I could never forget you guys. Never."