A/n: Thank you too keacdragon and Chaos Infinity-X for your reviews of Chapter 20! I love reviews so much and I am genuinely amazed that this story has fifty reviews! Special thanks to everyone who made that possible! So Chapter 21 is a bit full of fluff, but hey it's a wedding chapter! So Chapter 22 will begin the flash forward to The Santa Clause 2 Which means I'll have to decide if Jessie stays at the pole or not. I'm toying with the idea of her going back and forth, which is probably what I'll end up doing. Thanks again to everyone who enjoys this story! Please continue reading, Favoriting, Following, and reviewing!
"Curtis! Report to my office!" Bernard's voice cracked through the loudspeaker of the main workshop building. The number two elf was taking his mid-day cookie break in the kitchen with Abby when the call came for him.
"You'd better go Curtis." Abby suggested. "He sounds really upset."
All the more reason not to go." Curtis shrugged. He reached for another cookie and took a large bite.
"Curtis!" Santa had gone to the kitchen for his own mid-day snack and was surprised to see the Keeper of the Christmas Handbook there. "I think Bernard just called for you..."
"He did, Sir." Abby confirmed.
"Well, you'd better get going." Scott suggested before plucking a cookie off the plate between Abby and Curtis. Santa took a bite out of the cookie before using it to point at the chubby elf. "Rumor has it our head elf has something to ask you."
"Really? What?" Curtis questioned, adjusting his glasses excitedly.
"Well you'll just have to head up to his office and find out!" Scott insisted, a mischievous twinkling present in his eyes. Following Santa's suggestion Curtis hustled out of the kitchen, through the main floor of the workshop and up to Bernard's office. He knocked rapidly on the office door before letting himself in.
"You wanted to see me Bernard?" He questioned his mentor. Curtis noticed Bernard looked more frazzled than usual, scraps of paper covered the desk between them. "What are you doing?"
"Jessie asked me to design the wedding invitations." The head elf replied without looking up. "I wouldn't mind it's just...I want them to look perfect!"
"Is that why you called me up here?" Curtis asked.
"No." Bernard sighed and put his pen down. This was going to be the hardest thing he'd done in at least four hundred years. Overall, Bernard supposed he liked Curtis. Sure they butted head sometimes but like Jessie said, the younger elf meant well. "Curtis, as you know, Jessie and I are getting married at the end of the month. We've got the meals planed out, decorations, I'm working on the invitations...we have everything we need except a best man."
"You want me to find you a best man, sir?" The young elf frowned.
"No, Curtis." Bernard did his best not to sound irritated. "I want you...I'm asking you, if you would like to be my best man."
"Is Jessica making you do this?" Curtis wanted more than anything to be a part of the wedding, but not if Bernard didn't really want him there.
"No!" Bernard said with genuine offense in his voice. "Let's face it Curtis, you're the closest thing I have to a friend."
"We're friends?" Curtis chimed in excitedly.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Bernard grumbled in agreement. "So will you do it?"
Jessie and Bernard were lying together in their bed the morning of their wedding.
"Morning." Jessie yawned before nestling her chin on his neck.
"Good morning future Mrs. Head-Elf." Bernard murmured. "Ready to get married?"
"That requires getting out of bed." Jessie complained.
"You didn't have to leave in the middle of the night to pick up Charlie, Lucky, Dr. Miller and your mother." The Head elf pointed out.
"So let's just go back to sleep." His bride resolved. She wrapped her arm across his chest and closed her eyes.
"As much as I would love that," Bernard gently plucked her arm off of him before sliding out of bed. "We have a wedding to attend."
"Mmmhhh." Jess mumbled. She dragged her groom's pillow from his side of the bed and cuddled it.
"Jess, come on." Bernard complained. "I have to get out of here so you can put on your dress, but I'd like to have breakfast together beforehand."
"Oh fine." She sighed playfully before throwing his pillow at him. "It's always about what you want." Jessie was joking but as she got out of bed she watched Bernard's face falter.
"You're sure this is what you want right?" He asked her seriously. "Because Jessica, once we're married and you become an elf, you're an elf forever, there's no going back from that if we don't work out."
"And how many forevers will it take for you to stop blaming yourself for my choice?" Jess accused. She looped her two arms around his neck. "Bernard, I chose you, and I'll keep choosing you a hundred times over. I love you and I love being at the pole. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life working with you in the workshop and being married to Santa's number one elf. So yes, this is what I want, for as long as you'll have me. And if you wake up someday, and decide you don't want me around...I suppose Curtis will have to do."
"I'm going to assume that part about Curtis was a joke?" Bernard asked. He scooped Jessie's legs out from under her and carried her into the kitchen.
"Jess, Bernard?" Someone was knocking on the front door an hour later. It was Laura, Charlie and six month old baby Lucy.
"Mom! Charlie! C'mon in." Jess answered the door. "Hiya Lucy!" She scooped her half-sister out of her mother's arms and carried her into the house. "Bernard, say hello to your sister-in-law!" Jess and the baby entered the kitchen where Bernard was drying the breakfast dishes. He set down the plate he was working at to greet his houseguests.
"Hey Lucy!" he cooed to the baby. "Wow she's gotten big!" He added to Mrs. Miller who entered the kitchen with Charlie.
"Happy Wedding, Bernard! Happy Wedding Jess!" The eleven year old boy hugged his sister and his favorite elf.
"Thanks, Sport." Bernard said, ruffling the little boy's hair.
"Charlie, you know that after today Bernard will be your brother right?" Jessie asked him.
"Really?" Charlie's face lit up. "This is the best day ever!" Then he frowned as he remembered something else. "But wait, aren't you going to become an elf?"
"Yes." Bernard answered for her. The last thing he wanted was for Charlie to think he was taking his sister away, even though he was sort of doing just that. "But you know Sport, Jessie'll be able to visit you just like Santa and I can. And you can call her on phone anytime you want."
"Promise?" Charlie turned to his sister.
"I promise." Jess agreed.
"Hello?" Scott's voice called through the small house just before the ceremony was supposed to begin.
"Shh!" Jessie poked her head out from the bedroom. Most of her figure was hidden in the room, but Santa could still make out the silhouette of her mermaid dress. "Lucy's just waking up from her nap." The bride explained while Scott let himself into the house. He was dressed in his nicest red Santa Clause suit, complete with a newly sewed hat.
"Where's your mother?" He questioned, stepping into the kitchen.
"In here." Jess pointed to the bedroom behind her. "Where's Neil?" She asked, peeking over her father's shoulders. The two men were getting along better these days, but she didn't put it past Scott to try having the wedding without Neil.
"He's outside." Santa said casually.
"You left him outside in the snow! Dad that's a rental suit!"His daughter groaned. She started charging through the kitchen, but her dad caught her by the elbows.
"Now wait just a second!" Scott insisted. "I said he was outside, not that I left him in the snow! He's working with Curtis on something Bernard asked us to do. We've got to stay in here until he knocks three times."
"How very...cryptic." Jess laughed.
"Jessica, your veil." Laura said as she joined her daughter and ex-husband in the kitchen. Laura was wearing a flowing red cocktail dress, with a green sash tied around her waist. In one hand she held out a snow white veil, and in the other little Lucy. Lucy was wearing a Green unitard and a fluffy red tutu. What little curly red hair she had was held back with a silky green headband.
"Let me help you with that." Scott took the veil from Laura and fixed in Jessie's hair.
"Is it time to go yet?" Charlie said, rushing out of the bedroom last. Charlie was wearing a black tuxedo with a red button up dress shirt and a green bow tie.
"Not yet Char." Jess said to her little brother. "We have to wait for Neil's crypt knock."
"How long's that gonna take?" Charlie asked. He jumped off his feet and sat in one of the kitchen chairs. Three distinct knocks could be heard from the front door.
"That's the signal, everyone wait here." Scott ordered. He poked his head out the door to talk to Neil. After a few seconds of whispered conversation, both men stood in the sitting room. Neil was dressed similarly to Charlie with a tuxedo on. Only between his jacket and red shirt, the stepfather wore a loudly printed green sweater. He also swapped his bow tie out for a simple green necktie. "Alright, here's the plan," Scott explained. "Charlie you and your mother are going to walk out with Lucy, then Neil and I will escort Jessie outside. Jessie, you've got to stay in the kitchen until we call for you, otherwise it'll ruin the surprise."
Everyone agreed to follow Santa's plan. Laura carried her youngest daughter outside with a basket of flowers. Charlie went out with them, carrying a pillow with two rings tied to it. At last it was time for Neil, Scott and Jessie to join the procession.
"Ready Princess?" Scott said offering his left elbow out to her.
"More than ever." Jessie promised him. She looped her right arm through his left and Neil swung the front door open. "Wow!" Jess marveled when she finally saw what Bernard's surprise had been. A bright red carpet leading from the front door of their house all the way to the center of town where the ceremony was to be held. The head elf himself stood under the wedding arch, with Curtis on one side of him and Niklaus the notary on the other, waiting for his bride. Neil shut the door to his stepdaughter's new home and joined her on the red carpet.
"Last chance to run." Scott whispered before the party of three began their march.
"Dad..." Jess sighed.
"I'm kidding." Scott laughed. "You know I like Bernard. He's a good catch."
"You're going to make an excellent elf." Neil whispered. "I'm glad Bernard makes you happy."
"Thanks Dad, Neil." Jess smiled. "Let's go."