A/N: It feels like forever since I last updated. I'm sure it feels that way to you guys too, so this chapter is a bit longer than normal. It also has some of Bernard's back story, so I hope you guys enjoy! Oh and before I go I want to tell you guys to please head over to RandomMan5113's page (you can find the pen name among my reviews and click the link) and read "The Story of Michael Calvin" The story is similar to this one as it covers how The Santa Clause would be different if Charlie had an older brother. It going to be a full story and so far it is pretty great! So definitely head over there and give RandomMan5113 some support! Ok my shameless plug's over now. :)
As always, I can not say enough that I wound be nothing without you wonderful readers! So thank you too Alyssa. Applejacks XD, SummerMistedDragon, Lightraygirl, RandomMan5113, FlowerChild23, and Anon for your reviews of Chapter 48! I can't wait to hear from you all again!
"Hey Judy!" Jess greeted as she stepped into the kitchens in search of Curtis. Judy greeted Jessica back with a smile and a nod as she carried a tray of cookies to the ovens. "Have you seen Curtis around by chance?" Jess questioned, following her friend to the oven. Judy nodded.
"Last I saw he was talking to Abby over by the hot coco machines." Judy lowered her voice to a whisper. "He thinks he's going to get fired because of the reindeer."
"I promise he is not going to get fired." Jess assured before going over to the coco machines. Curtis and Abby were there, each of them holding a steaming mug and laughing, neither of them noticed the painter elf until she spoke. "Curtis!" This startled the number two elf so badly that he almost spilled his hot chocolate.
"Hi, Jessica!" He exclaimed. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine Curtis, I feel fine. In fact I have some news that I would like to share with you."
"With...me?"
"Yes, with you, and Abby of course." She added when second elf started to walk away. Abby turned around, eager to hear what the news was. "You two will be the first to know outside of the family, Im pregnant."
"You're having a baby?" Abby repeated excitedly. Like most elves, she loved kids and was very excited that there would soon be baby elves around the workshop. The that it would be Jess and Bernard's baby somehow made it more exciting.
"Technically we are having two." Jess explained. She knew she'd have to get used to correcting people with that. "I'm pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl."
"Babies? That's...that's great news!" Curtis let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He gave Jessica a hug. "I thought I was going to get fired because of…"
"Because of the reindeer incident? Most everyone's probably forgotten about that by now." She tried to comfort him. In truth no one had forgotten about the baby reindeer running through the workshop last week, but It wouldn't help to tell Curtis that. "I would really appreciate it if you two could keep things quiet for now, I'll tell Judy my secret on the way out, but other than that you can't tell anyone. I'm sure Bernard will want to make some sort of official announcement."
"Don't worry," Abby assured, "You're secret's safe with us."
"I know I can trust you both. And the reason why I came to find you Curtis, is because Bernard and I are going to be very busy with preparation for the babies and Christmas. And my husband's not going to ask you for your help, so I will."
"But how can I help?" The number two elf gulped.
"Well for starters, no more unauthorized experiments. The last thing we need is a Toy Bernard running around demanding this or that. And no more animals outside of their designated areas, agreed?" Curtis nodded. "Curtis I know you're smart. You know what things needs to get done in order to get ready for Christmas. So this year, help Bernard. Help me and the rest of the Pole. Make sure the important things don't slip through the cracks."
"I think I can do that."
"Thanks Curtis. Thank you Abby." Jess gave Curtis another hug and one to Abby before seeking out Judy over by the ovens. The head of the kitchen was also overjoyed to hear Bernard and Jess's life changing news. Like Curtis and Abby, Judy also promised to do everything she could to assist the couple. So Jessica left the kitchens satisfied that her friends would be there if and when she needed something from them.
Bernard was still in his office but he felt much better after his heart to heart with his father-in-law. It was probably the most serious conversation the two had ever shared. Needless to say Bernard was feeling a little emotional when his wife finally made her way up to his office. She let herself in and perched on the corner of the desk, despite his urging that she sit in a chair.
"So…" She let the word trail off and Bernard knew she was trying to gauge his response. "Twins, huh."
"Have you ever noticed that my parents aren't around?" Jess tried to suppress a snort but it came out anyway.
"Considering you haven't mentioned them once in all the time that I've known you? Yes, I have noticed they are not around."
"You never asked me…"
"Well, I figured you would talk to me about it when you were ready. You're not exactly very forthcoming about your family tree. It took me three years to find out Judy was your cousin and she's the one who told me!" Jess chuckled her sweet laugh that jingled and jangled like the bells on her father's sleigh. It made Bernard smile. "I just knew you'd talk about them when the time was right." She added seriously.
"My father was a Santa Claus." Bernard confessed. His wife gasped. "Not the one your father pushed off the roof." He assured her. "In fact no one pushed him off of anything. It was more than twelve hundred years ago."
"Most of the elves around today weren't even born then. We lived in England somewhere, it was so long ago I've nearly forgotten. But the winter that year was especially harsh. My father went out in the yard one night to chop some wood for our stove. He found a man, in our yard, wearing a bright red suit. Well you know what happened after that. For some reason or another he put on the coat and we were whisked away to the North Pole. My mother became Mrs. Claus the same year. Which left only me. I was 17 when I begged the Head Elf at the time to let me be an elf too. I was kid and I was scared. I wanted to be with my parents for as long as I could."
"What did the head elf say?"
"He said no at first, but there are rules in the Christmas Handbook that even apply to children of Santa. Human children of Santa are not allowed to live at the North Pole…"
"So eventually the Head Elf had to give you what you wanted."
"Exactly." Bernard nodded. "And once I'd become an elf, well I set out to make myself the greatest elf the North Pole had ever seen. I studied everything from Reindeer Games to exotic Coco blends. And when I was ready I got my first job."
"In the Naughty and Nice room." Jessie remembered from a story he had told her once before.
"Yes. I quickly worked my way up to other titles though. I was promoted faster than any elf had ever been, until Curtis came along. And like Curtis I was an ambitious young elf. Always proposing new projects, new ideas. The highlight of my career was when I was promoted to Keeper of the Christmas Handbook. Head Elves take forever to retire so I knew it would be centuries before I could even attempt to reach for that position. As number two elf, I could finally start to implement some of the rules we'd been ignoring for decades. I could initiate real change and instill order to what was at the time a very chaotic workshop. At the same time, my parents grew tired of being Mr. & Mrs. Claus. My father went out and found someone else to pick up the mantle. Nothing was explained to me until the new Santa showed up in his red coat full of questions…"
"So you went looking for your parents. But they had already forgotten about the North Pole. They had forgotten about you." Jess realized. That was why Bernard had wanted Scott to find a Mrs. Claus. He didn't want to be forgotten again.
"My own mother and father had no idea who I was. I had never existed to them. All those years were lost. Every birthday, anniversary, and Christmas." Bernard sighed. "So I worked. I worked harder than even I thought possible. If they could forget me, then I could just as easily do the same…"
"But Bernard," Jess interrupted. "It doesn't work like that. It was magic, they didn't have a choice."
"Of course, but that didn't make it any less painful. Then I finally became Head Elf and I had to prove myself. And so I didn't have time for a family…"
"And then in came Scott Calvin and his two adorable children." Jess interjected. She knew how the story went from here. "Little Charlie with his dimples and innocent smile, and Jessica who managed to thaw the frozen heart of the North Pole's greatest Head Elf. Before any of them even had time to blink there was a wedding, a new Mrs. Claus and Twins. And so Bernard found himself at the center of a family much larger than he had ever anticipated."
"You can understand why I'm feeling overwhelmed." Bernard sighed again. "I was an only child, and I was on my own for so long. Jessica, I don't know how to be a father."
"Of course you don't!" Jessie snorted. "And I don't know how to be a mother either. But my mother does. And Carol was a teacher so she might know a bit about parenting. And my dad is a great dad. Neil's good too. They'll help. And the elves too."
"That's exactly what your father said when he came to talk to me." Bernard chuckled.
"Well he's not really wrong. Everyone here loves you."
"No," Bernard shook his head. "They love you. They simply tolerate me because I am their boss."
"Be that as it may, they are our friends and you tolerate them just as much as they tolerate you." His wife joked. "I have to get back to work, see you at dinner?" She kissed him on the cheek and left the office.
