Holly was an elf in the Naughty and Nice Department at the North Pole. Her job was to check on the progress of all the naughty children in the Real World. Unlike times passed, she was working with a magical computer system that let her check in on children all over the world. It allowed her to see what they were doing, to see what each naughty thing that they did and the reason why they were put on the naughty list in the first place.

"Oh goodness, this is so daunting." She murmured rubbing her eyes and then looked to the ancient book behind her.

The one constant thing was the book that was resting on the pedestal in the middle of the Tower Room. After all, even with the banks of computers, the Book was the only thing that ever worked right, but using the computers was a little bit faster.

And Holly was getting a headache trying to watch the names on the naughty list get longer and longer each day.

Holly's friend Kristy would be starting her jewelry box painting job, she realized when glancing at the American clock on the wall. After all, it was the day after Thanksgiving and it meant that Christmas was fast approaching.

Outside the nearest window the usual snow fall was blowing against the frosted windowpane. Another storm was expected to hit that night and already the reindeer had narrowly missed getting their barn caved in.

"Holly," she turned around in her seat, letting her eyes adjust to the fact that she was nearly blind thanks to the computer screen.

One of Santa's right hand elves was standing at the door. Edgar, he was one of the oldest, but not as old as Barnaby, her supervisor. Edgar stood so rigid he almost looked like a tree.

"Yes?" She asked, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"Santa wants to meet with you. He says it's important."

Standing up, Holly straightened out her holly and candy cane dress before following the older elf out of the Tower Room.

Down the stairs there were elves of all types doing the jobs she had wanted. Over the years, Holly found she missed her stuffed bear stuffing job. When the job for the Naughty and Nice department came open, she signed up for it. Now she was stuck with it.

There were all sorts of jobs Holly could have done. From Kristy's jewelry box painting job, stuffing stuffed animals toys, to making sure that the remote controlled cars were working right. Then there were the gift wrapping elves that seemed to be always singing. Several of them had started singing the moment Holly had gotten down into the main workshop area of the larger than life hall.

"What does Santa want with me?" Holly asked.

"Huh?" Edgar held a hand to his slightly floppy pointed ear. The noise in the workshop was louder than what Holly had remembered it. "What did you say?"

"I asked, what does Santa want with me?"

"I don't know, I think it is something important though."

Holly knew only a select few elves were ever asked to go see the man in charge. This just made her so much more tense than what she had anticipated. How could Santa really want to see her when he only ever really talked to either Edgar or Barnaby.

Santa's office was up on the second level of the workshop, he had a balcony that overlooked the launch site of where the sled took off. The other balcony was so that he could look in on the workshop.

It seemed like the music was starting to get louder. Other elves were running around with toys and packages, each with their own Christmas tune that just matched with the anticipation of the upcoming Christmas holiday. It was the anticipation that really got everyone into the mood for their busiest night of the year.

"Holly, come on in." She heard Santa through the door when she knocked on his large oak door.

At first she hesitated, then she turned the gold knob and opened the door. The room was old, ancient just like the Naughty and Nice book up in the spire. But unlike down in the workshop it was almost normal looking, whatever normal was to an elf. It did have lights and wreaths but not as much as down in the rest of the workshop.

Mrs. Claus was sitting down behind Santa's desk, but she was looking at some papers. It was Santa that caught her attention, since he was standing next to a window watching the snow coming down harder now.

"You wanted to see me, Santa?" Holly asked with her hand clasped in front of her. She couldn't help but fiddle with her right thumb nail and think that she had done something wrong with her job. "Did I do something unacceptable in the N&N Department?"

He turned his head to look at her. His long white beard shone in the twinkling of lights and he didn't wear he usual red suit with the white fur cuffs. No, he looked older than that image. He looked really older.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Holly. I assure you of that." He smiled, and like a lot of the stories said his eyes twinkled. "No, this is about a mission I'm sending you on."

"A mission, Santa?"

Mrs. Claus spoke up. "Yes, we're sending you to the Real World."

Real World, the world where humans lived. It was a place Holly only ever seen through a computer screen when she watched naughty children doing things like putting frogs in their teacher's desks. Or watching little boys cut the hair off their sisters' dolls. It was a place that Holly knew nothing about just the same.

"Why?"

"I have received word for Upstairs that they need someone to help a family."

"Upstairs?" Holly asked.

All Santa did was point to the ceiling, but there was a deeper meaning to that he didn't say out loud. But Holly knew what he was talking about.

"It seems there is an unrest in a family down in Florida that needs some Christmas joy this year." Mrs. Claus said as she stood up from the desk with her papers in hand. "And you were chosen to do this assignment."

"How could I be chosen?"

"Those type of things are best not to ask. There is plenty of magic in the world to understand in one setting." Santa said.

Mrs. Claus came towards Holly, the papers were held out to the young elf. "This is the family that you will be helping. Everything about them and their history is written down here for you. The family is the Reigns Family, but the two main people involved is a father and a daughter, Roman and Joelle. This is Joelle, the one whose wish is being fulfilled this year."

The picture that Holly saw was of a girl maybe eight years old who was in a picture with a man and a woman, a mix race but a still loving couple.

"That is Roman Reigns, he owns a very popular chain or gyms around Florida." Mrs. Claus pointed to the long haired, and obviously large framed man.

"Who is the woman, Joelle's mother?" Holly asked.

Mrs. Claus nodded. "She was, yes. Unfortunately, Gina Reigns' fate meant dying early. She had breast cancer."

"Oh, that is so sad."

"Roman has set up a request for a nanny to come live with him and his daughter at their large home so that he can take more time to be with his business. It's a live in thing, so you'll be living with them."

Santa walked over to the desk and pulled a parchment paper out of the top drawer. "And while you are there, you have to follow a set of rules that must never be broken, Holly. Otherwise, well you may never come back."

"Never come back? I don't think I want this assignment." Holly took a step back. "Maybe you should find someone else to do this."

"Having doubts?" Mrs. Claus asked.

"Yes, I mean, I don't know much about the Real World and from what I've seen it's a scary place."

"Maybe you shouldn't have worked on the naughty part of the naughty and nice department. We should have them switched up so they can see both the good and the not so good." Mrs. Claus looked at her husband.

All Santa did was nod.

"Come on, let me show you something." Mrs. Claus said and took Holly by the shoulder. "I'm going to show you the real magic of the Real World. Maybe you'll accept the mission."

Now Holly was more worried than she had before.


Yep, so far so good. How can Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus convince Holly that not everything is so bad in the Real World? Stay tuned, and lets see what happens.