Hello lovelies! How is everyone doing? I hope you're safe and healthy and happy! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed or even just read the last chapter. I really love getting to hear your thoughts on our story. It brings a smile to my face knowing you guys are enjoying reading this, because I'm having a lot of fun writing it!

A little warning, there are mentions of bullying in this chapter as well. So if that is not something you like to read about please take caution while reading this chapter. I care about each and every one of you and want to make sure you're caring for yourselves as well.

I'll have a funny little tidbit at the end of the chapter for anyone interested. Enjoy reading and if you want, let me know what you think! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing of The Santa Clause movies.

7. June '96

Scott watches as the postal elf sets the third overstuffed bag of letters down onto one of the armchairs in his office. It starts to tip over, a few letters spilling from the top and falling to the floor. He bends down to scoop them up, admiring the messy, crayon-written address on the fronts on the envelopes. One child, who must have asked their parent to write a return address because the name Cecilia is written in neat cursive in the top left-hand corner, had even drawn a little picture next to the words "The North Pole." He smiles at the tiny reindeer and the odd-shaped Christmas tree, tracing his finger over the lines and chuckling when some of the wax rubs off. Scott sets the letters safely onto his desk and turns to look at his Head Elf, who is shutting the door behind the postal elves as they leave, a roll of oil paper under his arm.

If he's honest with himself, Scott feels a little awkward around Bernard. It's not Bernard's fault. He's treated Scott exactly the same as always. But ever since that trouble with Charlie getting into a fight at School, when Scott had just sort of dismissed the boy when he's sure he was only going to try and help, he's felt like he owes the elf an apology. He's sure Bernard would say it wasn't necessary. Scott just can't stop thinking of the elf's expression when he left the office that day. In the time that he's known Bernard, his face has been like an open book. Scott can tell when he's angry, annoyed, happy- he even catches the little smiles the boy tries to hide when he's particularly proud of something the elves have done. The look he'd given Scott though... it just didn't sit right with him. It was like a gate had been slammed down between the two of them and no matter how hard he tried, Scott couldn't see past the metal bars. And now every time he looks at Bernard, he's expecting to see it. He's waiting for the blank mask to slip back on and shut him off from whatever the elf could be thinking.

The elf turns to face him, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Looking at me like I might try and bite you- or hide under your desk. What's going on?"

"Um..." he hesitates. Would it be weird to bring it up? He really wants to patch things up, because he values the elf's friendship and his advice, but he doesn't exactly know how to go about it. Bernard starts tapping his foot, which means he knows Scott is stalling. "Okay. I think we should... clear the air."

"'Clear the air?'"

"Yea, you know, between the two of us."

Bernard blinks at him. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, I just think, you know... a couple weeks ago, when I told you to leave me alone... well-"

"Is that why you've been acting so weird?"

"I don't think I've been weird-"

"Trust me, you have." Bernard sighs and then walks over to Scott's desk so he can put the roll of paper down. He looks up to meet Scott's eyes once his hands are free. "Listen, Santa. You don't have to worry about saying sorry, or clearing the air, or anything like that. I'm not oblivious. I know sometimes people need time to themselves to work things out."

"Yea, but you seemed..."

"Seemed?"

"I don't know, like I upset you? I don't know how to describe it. I'm not very good with this sort of thing."

Bernard snorts. "No kidding."

"Hey!"

"Sorry. But, you didn't upset me. I just... felt bad that you'd had such a rough day. I get that you needed time alone, though. You don't need to apologize for that."

"So... we're good?"

"We were never not good, big guy. Now, do you want to start looking over these letters, or do we need to hug it out?"

"Har, har," Scott snorts. He starts to sit at his desk, but then pauses to reach over and ruffle the boy's hat, knocking it off his head. Bernard squawks, affronted. He snatches the hat from where it fell to the floor and then busies himself with smoothing his curls so he can put it back on. Scott flops down into the leather chair, adjusting until he can find a comfortable spot. "You know, I think I do want to redecorate in here. I hate this chair."

"I'll get Irv on it." Bernard mumbles, grabbing the closest bag of letters and dragging it over to the desk.

"Thanks. So, how do we do this? There's a lot of letters here."

"So, either Curtis or I will go over them with you, that way we can make a list of the specific presents each child has asked for." Bernard unrolls the oil paper as he speaks, writing at the top in his neat curly script Letters to Santa: Gift Requests, 1996. "The list is more for the elves, but I can always have a copy made for you too."

"Why is it just for the elves? Wouldn't it make sense that I have the list? I need to know what the children want too, don't I?"

"Of course, but your magic helps you remember. Same way it helps you remember the names of all the elves."

"Really? That's good. I was actually a little afraid of getting kids' presents mixed up."

"No, you'll be fine. Besides, we use the list at the end of the year to try and double check that we haven't missed anyone. Of course, not every kid who sends you a letter gets a gift. Some of them end up on the Naughty List so they'll get coal instead."

Scott picks up Cecilia's letter, about to open it when he realizes something. "Speaking of the Naughty and Nice List- where is it? I haven't even checked it once yet."

"It's still being prepared. Clara told me the other day it should be done by September."

"Oh, okay, so we still have a little while then." He looks around for his letter opener, finally finding it crammed inside a drawer full of pens, scrap paper, broken toy pieces, and- this really has Scott confused- a chipped tea cup. The Santa before him seemed orderly from the outside, but apparently that's just because he liked to hide his clutter. Scott shakes his head and makes a mental note to finally clear out the desk. He opens the envelope carefully and pulls out the letter.

He doesn't get the chance to read it, though.

A tingling warmth spreads from his chest, down his arms and legs, and lingers in his fingers and toes. He shudders against the odd sensation, immediately recognizing it for what it is, even though he's only felt it once or twice since becoming Santa.

"Charlie's calling me."

Bernard looks up from where he'd been digging through the sack of letters, eyes round with surprise. "Oh. Okay. You know, I was starting to think he'd forgotten about that snow globe."

"No, he still carries it around in his backpack actually. But, we'll have to do this later. I need to go see what he needs." Scott gets to his feet, the elf standing up with him.

"Yea, of course. Do you want me to teleport you down, or are you just going to take one of the reindeer?"

"Would you mind? I don't want to be late if it's important."

"Not at all. Let's go."

Scott rushes to go grab his coat from his bedroom and then once he's ready, Bernard whisks him away down to Lakeside. They land in the Miller's backyard. Scott walks over so he can knock on the sliding glass door. He hears Bernard come up behind him so he turns. The elf is fussing with some of the plants Laura has in pots, carefully snapping the dead blooms away with gentle, practiced hands.

"Thinking of taking up gardening?"

"Hm?" Bernard hums like he didn't quite hear what Scott said. He's too engrossed in his task.

Scott is about to repeat himself when the door slides open. Laura is standing there, telephone in hand, a pleased smile on her face. "Oh, Scott, thank goodness. I was hoping Charlie would try and get hold of you, but if he didn't I was just about to call."

"Everything okay?"

"Well... let's talk about it inside."

Bernard finally steps away from the flowers. "I'll come back for you later, boss. I can get started on those letters if you don't mind me opening your mail?"

"Um," Scott thinks, wondering if he wants to miss out on doing that. It's his first batch of letters since his vacation ended so he was kind of looking forward to getting to open them himself. "I guess-"

"Oh, you don't have to leave, Bernard." Laura interrupts. She grabs the elf by the hand and pulls him into the house, ignoring his squeak of protest. Scott can't help but laugh as she sits the elf down at the kitchen table, fussing at him to take his hat off indoors and asking if he'd like some lemonade. Bernard, pouting, slides the hat off his head- his curls immediately springing all over the place now that they're free- but he does give Laura a big grin when she sets a large glass of the ice cold drink down in front of him. Scott takes a place at the table too, muttering his own thank-you when she hands him a drink as well.

"So, what's going on?" he asks, once Laura's settled at the table with them. "Charlie used the snow globe to call me so I figured it was important."

She sighs. "I thought he might do that. He was pretty upset when he got off the school bus today."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure exactly, but I think it has something to do with his birthday party."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, you know how I've always sent him with invitations to give to his classmates the last week of school?" She waits for Scott to nod, and then continues. "I saw him throw them in the trash. I tried to ask what happened, but he just ran upstairs without telling me. I had a feeling he'd gone up to call for you."

"He threw them away?" Scott shook his head, utterly confused. "He loves having a big party. Why wouldn't he want to invite anyone?"

"I was hoping you could go talk to him and find that out."

Scott nods and pushes his lemonade to the side He gets up and heads to the stairs, leaving Bernard and Laura chatting at the kitchen table. He climbs the steps and walks down the hall to his son's room, knocking on the door gently. He hears a soft "come in" so he pushes the door open and steps inside. Charlie's room is as colorful and cluttered as its been since Laura and he first moved in with Neil. The man had chosen a neutral wallpaper- off-white with outlines of ships, trains, cars, and planes all done in a soft brown- but he and Laura had let Charlie hang whatever he wanted to make the room his own. The boy had taped his favorite drawings all over the walls; some of animals, others bright crayon-colored renditions of his family. On his overflowing bookshelf he stuck construction paper stars shiny with glitter and holographic stickers. Across the window hangs a mobile of the solar system Charlie made with paper and felt. His tiny desk is crowded with art supplies- colored pencils, a children's watercolor paint set, markers, and more crayons- and there's a half-done picture of what Scott thinks might be him in his red suit hanging off the side. He's glad Laura and Neil let him do whatever he wanted to the room. And honestly, he's a little jealous, but only because Charlie had never wanted to do the same with the room he had at Scott's townhouse. Then again, Scott never had the urge to make that place more home-like- comfortable, or familiar- so it shouldn't be all that surprising that his son didn't want to either.

"Hey, sport," he says when he spots Charlie sitting crossed-legged on the bed. He's flipping through a coloring book, a green crayon held tightly in one hand. The snow globe is lying on the bed beside him, the fake snow puddled along the side of the glass. Scott walks over and takes a seat beside his son, the bed dipping low with his added weight. "Can we talk?"

"About what?"

"You tell me."

Charlie sighs and then tucks the crayon into the book and closes it. He instead picks up the snow globe and gives it a hard shake so the snowflakes start swirling through the liquid again. Scott feels the magic start to buzz inside the glass ball. "Bobby and Alex are jerks."

"Alex? Do you mean Alex Gonzalez from your basketball team? I thought the two of you got along?"

"We do, if Bobby isn't around."

"Well, tell me what happened. How were they jerks?"

"I was getting my invitations out before we had to line up to go to the school buses. Jessica saw them and said Bobby and Alex were telling everyone at recess not to come to my party this year."

"Why on earth would they do that?"

Charlie shrugs. "Bobby's been doing stuff like that ever since I pushed him during recess and Alex always goes along with it. Jessica promised she'd still come, and she said the others would too, but... I don't think I want to have a party."

"Oh, come on," Scott ruffles the boys hair, trying to get him to smile, but it doesn't work. "You can't let them ruin your birthday. You love having a big party. Your mom always rents out that room at the public pool so you and all your friends can go swimming and we get a bunch of pizzas and cake. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"I guess so... but I still don't think I want to."

"Eight's a big year, Charlie. I don't want you to miss out on a great day because of a couple of jerks."

"Unless no one shows up. Then it won't be so great." Charlie mutters this last bit, gaze focused on the last few snowflakes settling to the bottom of the snow globe. Scott runs a hand down his face, trying to think of something that might change his son's mind. He can't promise Charlie his classmates will show up, because if he does and Charlie has the party only for no one to come, the poor boy would be heartbroken. He's sure Laura could call the other parents and invite the kids that way, but what if Charlie found out? Would he think his mom had to make all his friends come?

Scott suddenly remembers the elf waiting for him down in the kitchen- which makes the perfect solution pop into his brain.

"Look," he says, squeezing Charlie's shoulder reassuringly, "don't make any decisions just yet. I have an idea. I just need to check some things first. Okay?"

The boy gives him a look like he doesn't know whether to be hopeful or disbelieving, but he does nod his head. Scott ruffles his hair one more time, and then excuses himself to go back downstairs. In his time gone, Laura had shoved a huge slice of chocolate cake in front of the elf. Bernard couldn't look happier.

"You keep eating all these sweets and Tooth Fairy will have to check you for cavities." he jokes.

Bernard turns to him and sticks out his tongue. "I take great care of my teeth, thank you very much. And you're one to talk. Your main diet is milk and cookies."

Laura laughs, and then pats the empty seat beside her. "So, what did Charlie say?"

"Well, apparently Bobby Lawson and Alex Gonzales told all the kids in Charlie's class not to come to his birthday party. So, now he doesn't want to have one because he's worried no one will show up."

Bernard lets out a derisive snort. "Of course that kid would do something like that. Bobby's been on the Naughty list the last three years."

"I can't believe that! Of all the rotten things-" Laura cuts herself off, breathing shakily through her nose to try and control her temper. "What are we going to do, Scott? We can't let Charlie let his birthday be ruined just because those two kids are being awful."

"I know, and I told him that, but he still says he doesn't know if he wants to have one. But, I kind of had an idea that might get him excited about his birthday again."

"What is it?"

"Well, I was thinking of letting him come up to the North Pole and spend it with me? The elves and I could throw him a big party and I know they'll all come to celebrate with him. They love Charlie. But it's up to you Laura. You usually throw his party so if you'd rather have it down here we can do that instead."

Laura hums in thought, absentmindedly tilting her drink back and forth so the ice clinks against the glass. "I... I think it might be the best idea. I'll miss getting to throw him a party, but I'd rather he not be worried about no one coming. Neil and I can always have dinner with him the day before. We'll let him pick the restaurant and maybe take him to a movie."

"Great! Oh- it's okay if we have it at the Pole, right Bernard?"

"I don't see why not. We've still got like half a year before Christmas. Besides, you're the one in charge, Santa. You don't need to ask my permission."

"Perfect! I'll go let Charlie know, then we've got to head back so we can get some work done. But I'll be back this weekend for family counseling."

"Alright," Laura says as she starts cleaning up the few dishes on the table. "Thanks, Scott, for all the help."

"Of course. Anytime, Laura."

Charlie really perks up at the idea of having his birthday up at the North Pole. He gives his dad a big hug and thanks him for fixing his party. Scott can't keep the smile off his face as he and Bernard leave to go back home. This is the first time he is going to be in charge of his son's birthday, and he couldn't be happier that Charlie is so excited. The happiness stays with him for the rest of the day and several days after, not leaving even when he accidentally spills cocoa all over his suit or when Louie calls and says the couple who is interested in his house has to reschedule the showing to early next month. And when he goes back down to the Miller's Friday afternoon so they can pick Charlie up early on the last day of school and head to their counseling appointment, he can still feel the smile lingering at the edge of his lips.

He wishes his good mood would last forever, but life doesn't really work that way. He remembers reading in one part of the handbook he's skimmed about the world being all about balance. Good and bad, light and dark, happiness and misery; without these in equal parts there's no balance, and Nature needs balance in order for its magic to exist. Scott didn't really understand that part of the book, and if he's honest, it bored him so much he dozed off reading it. But he thinks he recognizes the world at work when Neil brings up Charlie getting suspended last month and he feels the last traces of his smile slip from his face as his son hangs his head low to hide his expression from the adults around him.

"Oh my, a fight? Charlie, can you tell me about this?" Dr. Sanchez asks.

"Do I have to?" the boy mumbles.

"I won't make you talk about it if you're not ready to, but if you are, I think we should."

Charlie sighs and looks up at his mom. Laura gives him a soft smile, leaning over to gently brush his bangs away from his face. She whispers, "it's okay."

"Okay," he says, and then he lifts his head up to speak to Dr. Sanchez. "This kid from my class was being a jerk to me at recess so I pushed him."

"What exactly was he doing that upset you?"

"He... he was saying mean stuff about my dad."

"What was he saying?"

Charlie hesitates, fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt. "He- he kept saying how Dad was a bad guy... and that he was going to jail."

"Oh." Dr. Sanchez writes something down in her notebook. There's a deep frown on her face. "Why did he say something like that to you?"

"'Cause the kid's a bully." Scott can't help but mutter.

"Ah, I was asking Charlie, Scott." She gives him a patient, yet reprimanding look. He sits back in his chair, silently mouthing 'sorry' as he settles against the overstuffed cushions. She motions for Charlie to continue.

"I don't know. Bobby's always been like that. He told everyone that Jessica O'Hara's cat ran away over spring break because it didn't like her anymore. He just likes being mean, I guess. But... I know I shouldn't have pushed him. Mom and Dad and Neil said I need to ignore him and walk away when he's being mean like that. It's hard to, though."

"Why's it hard?"

"'Cause... well, 'cause it's my fault he's saying stuff like that."

Scott sits up straighter, looking back and forth from Charlie to Laura and Neil. He has no idea where that came from, and from their expressions, neither do they. Dr. Sanchez sets her notebook to the side and leans forward in her seat, giving the boy her full attention.

"Why do you think that?"she asks.

"'Cause I was the one who asked Dad if I could stay with him last Christmas. If I hadn't then maybe people wouldn't think he was a bad guy."

"Oh, Charlie-" Laura says, reaching over and brushing her hand through her son's hair.

"I've got this one, Laura," Scott interrupts her, holding up a hand to ask her to wait. He gets out of his seat so he can kneel down in front of his son. "Now, sport, I'm going to need you to really listen to me. None of that is your fault."

"But-"

"No 'buts,' Charlie. Now, listen. You're the kid, I'm the parent. I'm the one who should have checked with your Mom and Neil if it was okay for you to stay with me. I shouldn't..." He thinks over his words carefully, remembering the counselor in the room who would think he was crazy if he mentioned anything about being Santa, or delivering present, or the North Pole. "I shouldn't have just assumed they'd be okay with you staying with me for a while. I should have told you no, or that we'd have to ask your mom first. I just got excited about getting to spend time with you. But, sport, anything that happened after that is not your fault."

"Are you sure?"

Scott ruffles his son's hair, which earns him a small grin from the young boy. "Absolutely."

When he finally gets back up, Dr. Sanchez is smiling at him. It oddly feels like the kind of smiles his own mother would give him as a child when she was extremely pleased or proud of something he'd done. He fidgets in his chair as he sits, not used to being looked at like that by someone he barely knows. She picks up her notebook again. "Well said, Scott. And you're dad is right, Charlie. You're not to blame for how other people think or act. Now, it seems like you all have already discussed with Charlie a better way to deal with bullies, which I'm very glad to hear. So, unless anyone has anything else they want to add or ask, do we want to move on and talk about what else has happened since the last time we were together?"

At their nods, the conversation leads to the rest of last month. The end of the appointment comes faster than normal, at least to Scott. Soon, they are all climbing back into Laura's minivan. They stop by McDonald's for dinner, since it's the last day of the school year and Charlie's favorite place to eat. Since Scott had taken Comet down this time, he spends the night so they don't have to fly back in the dark. He leaves the next morning, promising to see his son soon when he and Bernard come to pick him up for the birthday party.

The next three weeks fly by at the pole. All the elves are excited about throwing Charlie a party. Most of the elves attending are ones that work in the workshop. Scott tells Bernard to invite everyone, making sure to let him know the retirees are more than welcome to join in on the fun. Since he'd come to the North Pole, Scott really hasn't gotten the chance to get to know that many of them. They mostly stay to themselves, preferring the outskirts of Elfsburg and its tiny cottages and leaving the apartments to those still working for Santa. Unless, of course, they're running one of the small shops around Elfsburg, like the cafe or the shoe store. A couple say they'll come, but most decline the invitation. They do send their happy birthday wishes along with Bernard, and quite a few send presents they've made for Charlie. They decide to have the party in the town square since the guest list is so big. Judy and the other kitchen elves really outdo themselves with the food. They make nearly two hundred cupcakes- vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet- all topped with sweet cream cheese frosting. There's also dozens of cookies: gingerbread, sugar cookies, thumbprint cookies, chocolate chip. They make homemade pizzas, some with only gooey cheese or pepperoni and others with every topping you can imagine. Several tables are laden with pretzels, fresh veggies and dip, and homemade potato chips. Others have sodas and punch and large pots filled with fresh hot cocoa. Judy bakes an enormous cake, nearly half the size of one of the long tables. It's decorated like a basketball court, with little players and baskets made of rice crispy treats and covered with fondant. Scott's a little confused as to how the girl even put a cake this big into the oven, but she just laughs and tells him it's a secret.

Curtis is in charge of setting up games for everyone to play. He sets out board games, has the ice on the skating rink scraped and cleaned, hooks up a radio so everyone can take turns playing musical chairs, and even has a huge ball pit set up to play in. Scott asks him where it came from, or if one of the elves made it specifically for the party, but Curtis just shrugs and says he found it in a storage closet. There's a place designated for dancing, and one for playing tag, each separated by color-coded rope. In fact, all the games are divided into neat areas. Bernard rolls his eyes when he sees, but Scott thanks the smaller elf for his orderliness, though he does secretly think it might be a little over the top. It's certainly not hurting anything though, so he lets Curtis have his fun.

Everything is coming along perfectly, except...

"Bernard, this isn't going to work. These decorations are all for Christmas. It's June. It needs to be more summery."

The Head Elf jumps off the ladder he's climbing down, skipping the last few rungs and sliding a little in the snow as he lands. Scott reaches out a hand to steady him, barking at the boy to be more careful. Bernard just laughs and waves his boss's hands away. "Uh, Santa, you do know where you are, right? This is the North Pole. All we have is Christmas decorations."

"Well... let's make some new ones then. We can't have garland and mistletoe hanging everywhere. We need party streamers and balloons."

"Alright, alright." Bernard turns to face a group of elves behind him. "Irv! Santa says take it down. It's too Christmasy!"

"Did ya' remind the old grump he's at the North Pole?" snaps a voice a few yards away, it's owner high up on a ladder.

"Yea, but he doesn't care! He says he wants it more 'summery.'"

"Oh, well excuse me. Let me just grow some palm trees for ya'. And why don't I build ya' a pool while I'm at it!"

Bernard snorts at the waspish remark and tries unsuccessfully to hide his grin behind his hands. Scott rolls his eyes. He knows Irv's tone and comments are the boy's way of teasing his boss, so he's not upset at the remarks. In fact, he's figured out during his time here that the more sarcastic Irv gets about a job, the better it turns out to be. Scott cups his hands around his mouth to help his voice carry across the square. "Actually, a pool sounds great! Why don't you throw in a couple of beach chairs too!"

The boy beside him howls with laughter, especially once they hear Irv's grumbling over the sound of the construction crew pulling down all the decorations. Scott reaches over and flicks Bernard in the ear. The elf yelps and hops farther away from him. Scott asks, "we've got to go grab Charlie soon. Think they'll be done by the time we get back?"

Bernard makes a big show of rubbing at his ear, even though Scott knows he didn't actually hurt him. "Of course. A little magic and he'll have those decorations looking just how you want them. Let me go make sure Irv has what he needs to do it and then we'll go grab the birthday boy."

Scott watches as the Head Elf makes his way over to where the Head construction elf is. He calls up to the boy when he reaches him. Irv descends his ladder in the same dangerous way Bernard had, and Scott suddenly wonders if he needs to have a seminar on workplace safety. The two elves chitchat for a bit, and then Scott watches Bernard place his right hand over Irv's chest. They stand there, not moving a muscle, for a few moments. Scott's curiosity moves his feet towards the elves. He's never seen Bernard do whatever it is he's doing, but before he can get close enough to pry, the boys step away from each other. Irv calls out a 'thank you' to his Head Elf as he turns towards where the other elves are piling the unwanted decorations.

"What was that?" he can't help but ask.

"Hm? Oh, I told you. I was just making sure Irv had enough magic to fix all those decorations."

"So, what, you were giving him a check-up or something?"

Bernard gives him a look he often reserves for Curtis whenever he goes on a long-winded rant about the Head Elf's disregard for the Santa Handbook. "Uh, no, I wasn't giving him a 'check up.' I was giving him magic."

"Oh." Scott blinks. "I didn't know you could do that."

"It's one of my jobs as Head Elf. I have to make sure the others have enough magic."

"So Irv needed more?"

"Eh, he said he didn't, but fixing all those decorations with magic instead of by hand is going to take a lot out of him. I'd rather he have a little extra just in case. Anyway, ready to go get Charlie?"

Scott's still really curious about the whole sharing-magic-thing, but he puts it on the back burner when he pictures the smile Charlie's sure to have at the sight of his party. "Yea, let's go!"

Charlie is practically buzzing he's so excited. He bolts out the door and latches onto Bernard as soon as they appear in the backyard. He bounces up and done, a chorus of "let's go, let's go, let's go!" ringing through the air.

Bernard laughs and ruffles the boy's hair. "Hold on, sport. Let me get my bearings first."

"Where's your overnight bag?" Scott asks.

"Oh yea! I'll go grab it!"

Charlie takes off towards the house again, squeezing passed his mom who's watching them from the backdoor. Scott walks over, waving at Laura. "Hey! How was dinner last night?"

"Good. Charlie picked Chuck-E-Cheese so we spent the night eating pizza and playing arcade games. Is the party ready?"

"Just about. Oh, before I forget. Judy said she's going to take pictures for you and she'll have them developed at the North Pole so you don't have to worry about taking them somewhere else. 'Cause, you know, they might be a little freaked out when they see photos of over a hundred kids at one party."

Laura smiled. "That's sweet of her! Tell her I said thanks."

Charlie comes rushing back out, backpack slung over one shoulder. "Bye Mom! See you tomorrow!"

"Have fun!" She calls out to him.

Bernard and Scott call out their own goodbyes, and then the Head Elf whisks them away. They land in the center of the town square. Immediately there is a roaring, boisterous chorus of "happy birthday, Charlie!" Scott hears his son gasp as he takes in the crowd of elves waiting for them. Charlie seems a little shell-shocked, so he nudges him forward. "Go on, sport. Let's get this party started!"

That evening is a blast. Charlie starts off with musical chairs, losing two rounds but winning three others. He plays each board game once- absolutely demolishing Scott in a game of battleship- and then joins Quintin and Judy to play tag with some other elves. They play freeze tag, red-light green-light, and then the three of them hop around the dance floor for a while. Charlie dives into the ball pit after that, resurfacing a while later when Bernard offers to teach the boy how to ice skate.

Charlie's face is flushed red, a happy, tired grin stretched across his face when he comes over to sit by his dad at one of the empty tables. They eat pizza and cupcakes and drink cold sodas until it feels like their stomachs will burst, and then everyone gets started on the cake. They sing Happy Birthday to Charlie, their voices a pleasant euphony echoing through the chilly air of the pole. Bernard helps Scott gather all of Charlie's presents. Thankfully, the elf had limited how many gifts the elves were allowed to give the birthday boy. If not, they would have been opening presents for days. Charlie loves everything he was given, but he tells Scott later that his favorites are the gifts he got from the Head Elf and his dad. Bernard gives him a toy model of the sleigh he helped Quintin build last Christmas. Scott gives him an acrylic paint set and brushes, all placed snugly inside a beautiful cherry-stained wooden case.

By the time the night winds down to an end, everyone is exhausted. Not in a bad way, but the kind of happy tired you get after a long day of fun. The kind you feel in every bone and muscle, where you're warm all over and perfectly content and you can't help but fall asleep with a smile still lingering on your lips. Scott tucks Charlie into bed. Last November, Charlie had stayed with his dad in his room the first week they were at the pole. But then one day Judy had surprised the young boy with his own bedroom. The walls and carpet are done in soft greens and silvers, the furniture an off white. The sleigh bed is big enough for three and the comforter on top is made of a heavy, dark green velvet. There are toys scattered about- now even more so with all the gifts Charlie received- and a big desk and bookshelf cluttered just like the one he has at home. Charlie's room carries its own unique scent just like Scott's, but instead of the sweetness of Christmastime desserts, it smells like candied oranges, honey, and fresh lavender. Scott smiles as he grabs the book Charlie wants him to read from the bookshelf. The orange and honey smells like the perfume Laura has worn for years and the lavender is the laundry detergent they use at the Miller's house. He recognizes the latter from all the times he's helped out with chores while staying with them this year. He'd asked Bernard in passing one day on his vacation why the rooms had such distinct smells and the elf had said "because the magic wants to make sure you feel at home." Scott appreciates this, because the pole is so different from what life is like down with the rest of civilization. It's nice his son always has a little bit of home with him.

Charlie's almost completely under Sandman's spell by the time Scott closes the book. The boy does manage to peek up at his dad through heavy lids, not even bothering to stifle a huge, sleepy yawn. "Thanks for my party, Dad. I had a lot of fun."

"You're welcome, sport."

"Maybe next year..." Another yawn, and Charlie buries himself deeper into the covers. "we can see if Bernard and Quintin... and the others want to come swimming with us? I think the pool is big enough..."

Scott has to stop himself from laughing when he thinks of the shocked faces of the public pool employees if over two hundred people showed up to swim for one child's birthday party. "Maybe."

He gets up from his seat by Charlie's bed and turns off the table light, casting the two of them into darkness. The only light in the room now is shining in from the hallway from the cracked-open door. He hears Charlie yawn again and then whisper, "goodnight, Dad."

"'Night, sport." he whispers back with a smile.

So, I don't think they ever actually state Charlie's age in the first movie. I know the actor who played him was eight at the time, but I think he was meant to be younger. It took me forever to decide on what age Charlie should be turning for his birthday party. And I kept going over what grade he should be in (I have him just finishing up his second grade year) and what the average age is for kids in that grade, but then I thought well what if he started a little younger? Because I started kindergarten when I was just a little four year old so I was younger than all my classmates so what if Charlie is too and-

I seriously drove myself nuts thinking about this. I honestly felt like that Pepe Silvia meme from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. And then one day I had the second movie playing in the background when I wrote and I heard Charlie tell Lucy he was her age when his dad became Santa. Lucy is six in that movie. Which means Charlie was six at the begining of the first movie and at some point turned seven. Which means he turns EIGHT in our story. The answer was right in front of me the entire time!

Anyway, thought I'd share that story with you guys. Thank you so much for reading! See you next time!