Chapter 12: Nightmare before Christmas
A/N- No I didn't intend to steal the Tim burton title. Nobody better come at me in the reviews for this.
Barley recently got a Christmas tree for the small apartment He and his daughter share, He planned on surprising her with it when she finished school.
He placed it on a stand and made sure it stood in the right place and it wouldn't tip over, knocking over the T.V.
"That should do it…" Barley thought out loud. He was proud of the way the tree stood straight. The tree wasn't too big or too small, the only sitch is that it had to fit in the apartment. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall not too close to the door
"Gotta pick up my little girl…" Barley exited the apartment with a proud smile.
When He came to New Mushroomtion Elementary school, His daughter spotted him, mainly because of his reckless driving
"Daddy!" Angel called flying towards him. He caught her and gave his child a bunch of kisses
"How was school sweetie?"
"Good… Tomorrow's my last day until winter break"
"Daddy's got a surprise for you…."
"Ooh ooh, I love surprises…" Angel chanted as She was being carried into the van with a bit of difficulty from Barley. Angel gained a few pounds and was getting a little heavy for Barley to pick up, but she was still his little baby and she likes to be picked up.
"Close your eyes baby girl, no peeking…" Barley told her.
Angel did as she was told when they arrived at the apartment. Barley led her inside and closed the door behind him. Angel waved around her arms trying to touch the surprise.
"Okay princess, open your eyes.." Angel opened her eyes and gasped. She flew around the tree speechless"
"What do you think sweetheart?" Barley asked
"I...Love….Our TREE…" Angel flew around happily and landed in her father's arms.
"Well, We have to decorate the tree first…" Barley said, putting her down and picking up a box of decorations for the tree. Angel smiled and rolled up her light yellow shirt's sleeves.
It took them around an hour to get the tree decorated and Angel flew on the tree, being very careful not to knock down the tree, placing the star on the tree, and flew back on the ground next to her father
"Shall we…" Angel told her father. Barley nodded and flicked on the lights and the tree lit up with beautiful lights and the ornaments complementing the pine tree.
"Wow…" they both say. Then Angel flew into Barley's arms for a hug.
"This is the best tree ever…" Barley smiled and returned the hug, hugging her tighter.
"I'm glad sweetheart…"
Then Angel let out a yawn. "Can we make hot chocolate...Papa…" Angel tiredly asked.
"Sure princess…" Barley said.
The hot chocolate made Angel really sleepy and Barley placed her in her pajamas and straight to bed.
At school the next day, Ms. Willow was reading the nutcracker to the students
"And then the Nutcracker came to life in poor Little Clara's hands and then rats suddenly appeared and began to attack the poor toy"
Angel and her friend Isley exchanged glances and looked back at the teacher.
Ange was a little spooked by the rats and the rat king
"Watch out Angel...the rat king and his army will get you…" Isley taunted
"Nuh-uh...those rats aren't real" Farren reassured Angel
Angel wasn't too sure about that. She was scared about the whole rat attack and when the toy got injured. Even when Ms. Willow read the rest of the book, the battle scene replayed in her mind
When her father came and picked her up, she told him what happened with the story
"Well, I'll make sure no evil army will get to my princess" Barley comforted her.
Angel just glanced at the window and sighed
Later that night, it was raining nearby the small apartment and Angel was in her room, squirming in her bed. She clutched into her teddy bear and whimpered.
In the recesses of her mind, Angel saw a battle in suit and she witnessed her teddy bear growing to the size of a soldier and he had his wizard cloak and hat on. He quickly grabbed his staff as he saw an army of large rats coming his way
"Voltar thundasir" he shouted, creating a wave of lightning toward the rat army but it ends up ineffective.
The rats charged towards the bear and ripped it to shreds
Angel watching in horror was then picked up by the 7 headed rat king himself.
"No...No…" Angel begged. She was being lifted towards his mouth
"Leave me alone" Angel shouted. She tried to flap her wings to get away but she was trapped. As the rat's mouth open she screamed
Angel bolted awake screaming. Barley then burst open the door to find his little girl crying in her bed. He gently scooped her in his arms and began to hush her
"Please don't eat me…"
"No no no, It's just Daddy…Shh" Barley hushed
Angel opened her eyes and squeezed onto her father really tight
"I'm here, It's okay…."
"I-I had a bad dream where a rat with 7 heads tried to eat me…." Angel cried.
"Well, no 7 headed rat is going to eat my daughter...I shall protect thee from thy nightmares…" Barley declared.
"Can I sleep with you…" Angel asked
"Of course, sweetheart,"
Barley carried his daughter with her teddy clutched in her arms and sat her on his bed. Then thunder roared making her whimper
"Shh shh, I'm here princess," Barley told her. He tucked her in bed with him and he whispered something comforting in her ear.
She didn't hear what it was but it made her relaxed. She snuggled gently into his arms and fell asleep
"Good night sweetheart"
Then a few weeks later, Christmas arrived. Angel woke up excitedly on Christmas morning and she silently tiptoed to the tree to see a bunch of presents underneath the tree. She tried to figure out what to get her father for Christmas and with the help of Ian and Laurel, she found a few perfect gifts for Barley.
"Checking out the presents…" Angel turned around to see that it was her father. She silently nodded her head.
Barley shook his head and sat down with her. They both shook up the presents to see with they got.
Barley was surprised that his daughter got him another helmet for his warrior costume.
"It was Gramma's idea…" then Angel looked above his head at the window and saw something white and she gasped
"SNOW…" Angel almost shouted pointing to the window. Barley turned to see what his daughter was seeing.
"Well, Why don't we play in the snow after we open our presents, okay sweetie pie…"
Angel nodded her head wildly.
After they opened their presents, the pair run outside in the snow. Angel raced to the ground and made snow angels and her father joined her
Then they made a snowman together with turned into a snowball fight between the two. Then the neighbors joined in on the fun.
Then after the snowball fight, Barley carried his daughter back into the house
"Come on pretty girl, let's go to Gramma's for dinner…"
"YAY Gramma's" She giggled and Barley chuckled after her as they got into the van
The snow wasn't too bad as they were able to make it to the house, partially because of Barley's reckless driving that got them their
Of course, the family was happy to see the two, and best of all, Ian came too.
After the family ate dinner, they all decided to play in the snow. While the others played in the snow, Angel brought in a mistletoe underneath Colt and Laurel
They giggled at her and they kissed under the mistletoe, to Ian and Barley's disapproval. Angel giggled at her act
"You silly girl…" Colt said, holding her while Laurel tickled her sides, making the winged girl giggle.
"Hey...Who wants a picture?" Barley asked
"ME me me…" Angel flapped out of Colt's arms and the family gathered for a picture. Barley turned on the camera and ran to his daughter, holding her
"Merry Christmas…." they all said and the camera flash went off, getting a good photo.
Then Barley nuzzled his daughter. "Merry Christmas Angel…"
"Merry Christmas Daddy…"
The family awwed at this and they went back inside for a good round of Quests of Yore