"My Christmas Wish"
Written by: Melissa (Doc)
"What the hell is going on?" Toby came bellowing down the hall. He could hear the Christmas music from a mile away.
"Why don't you ask Mr. Christmastime over here!" CJ said pointing at Sam.
"How was I supposed to know this was going to happen?"
"Why are there so many people in the lobby?" Toby tried to yell over the loud music.
"What?" CJ and Sam yelled back.
Toby grabbed a tuba from the kid standing next to him and blew as hard as he could into it to get everyone's attention. All the music around him decreased a little and he tossed the tuba back at the kid.
"If I hear one more sound coming out of ANY instrument, I'm going to shove it up your..."
"Toby." CJ hushed him.
"Now, will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Toby looked back and forth between CJ and Sam.
"Sam wanted to fill the lobby with music this year like you did last year. Well, he accidentally hired five bands to play." CJ answered sarcastically.
"Sam, how the hell did you hire five bands?" Toby asked confused.
"Well, I got busy about a week ago, so I told Bonnie to find a band because I didn't think I would have the time. I thought, like she always does, she forgot because she didn't mention anything to me. So I asked Ginger to hire a band. Well, again, I thought she forgot. Then Josh had Donna find a band, and he thought she forgot, so he found one. I didn't know any of this, so I found one." Sam said while looking at his feet.
"Okay, let me get this straight. We have five bands here to play Christmas music because you thought no one listened to you when you asked them to find a band?" Toby asked rubbing his forehead. "This is why I suffer from migraines, Sam!" Toby huffed.
"Yeah."
"Well, send all but one home." Toby mentioned.
"We can't." CJ answered quietly.
"Why?" Toby started to yell again.
"Because they say that since they made the trip all the way out here that they want to get the money that we promised them." Sam mumbled.
"You're kidding?" Toby said quietly putting his face in his hands.
"Wish I was, but they want their money."
"Well, can't you get them to play together or something?"
"Each band has their own style of music. They refuse to play with each other."
"How the hell can you have different styles, they're playing Christmas music. No, I don't care. Give them the money. Just get them out of here. I really don't feel like listening to five bands playing different Christmas songs all at once." Toby yelled. "I'm going back to my office, and I swear to God, if I hear one note come out of any instrument, I'm killing everyone here." Toby said while walking away.
"Well, at least we found our scrooge." Sam smiled. "Okay, who's leaving?"
Toby sat down in his chair and put his head on his desk. He hadn't had a headache like this in a long time. He's had a very bad week. It all started when he had to deal with a pissed off CJ, and then he had to apologies to her for something he didn't even do.
A knock at his door made him lift his head. He was about to tell whomever it was to get the hell out, but then he saw it was the President. Toby jumped up.
"Good afternoon sir."
"Toby, I hear you have been quite the little scrooge this holiday."
"I don't know what you're talking about sir." Toby smiled gently.
"Anything wrong?" The President walked in and shut the door.
"No, I'm fine. Is there something you need sir?"
"Well, yes. Everything seems to be not working out this Christmas."
"I think Sam is fixing the music thing."
"No, I think after your little rampage in the lobby, you made everyone in the bands run home crying." Jed smiled. "Look. I need a favour."
"What kind of a favour?" Toby looked at Jed suspiciously.
"Well, the orphans are coming today to see Santa." Jed looked down at the floor.
"Mr. President, out of all do respect, you never look down unless you think it's something I won't like."
"Well, here's the thing. Al's sick."
"Al who?"
"Al Rooker." Jed said while opening the door.
"No!" Toby understood completely and started waving his hands in the air. "No way!"
Charlie then walked in holding a Santa suit.
"Come on Toby, we have so many kids coming that want to see Santa."
"Mr. President, I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but the only way you're going to get me in that Santa suit is if you kill me."
"That could be arranged." Jed raised his brow. Charlie couldn't help but have a smile on his face.
"I'm Jewish, sir." Toby found himself whining. "And get that smirk of your face!" Toby snapped at Charlie.
"I know you're Jewish, but it's just this one time, Toby."
"No, no, no."
"Okay, fine. Security." Jed yelled at the agents outside. They came in quickly.
"What are you doing?" Toby said quietly as three tall, burly men came into his office.
"These are my agents, they do anything I tell them to do. Now, you either put the Santa suit on willingly, or, they'll put it on for you. I promise, it will hurt a lot less if you do it yourself." Jed said smiling. Charlie at this point was laughing so hard that he had to leave. But before doing so, he handed the suit to Toby.
"So, what will it be?" Jed asked.
"You know what, sir?" Toby huffed while snatching the suit from Charlie. "I hate you." Toby held up the suit and looked at it as if it was moldy food.
"I know. I love you too, Toby. You have ten minutes to put that on. If you're not out by then, the guards are going in after you." Jed laughed while leaving. The three agents looked at Toby harshly before walking out.
"This sucks!" Toby said to himself and started to put on the Santa suit.
"The kids just arrived. Did the President get someone to fill in for Santa?" Josh asked Donna as they walked to the lobby.
"Charlie said he did but wouldn't tell me who. He was laughing too hard to even understand him."
"Why?" Josh asked dumbly.
"I don't know Josh, I couldn't understand him." Donna repeated. "Remember, I just said that." Donna said sarcastically.
"Calm down. What's wrong with you?"
"Skis. Why is that so hard for you to understand, Josh?" Donna stopped walking and looked at him.
"Donna, I hate when you looked at me like that." Josh whined.
"Like what?
"You and those puppy dog eyes. I still didn't give you your present yet, maybe it's a pair of skis."
"Josh." Donna raised her eyebrows.
"Okay, I didn't get you skis." Josh looked down.
"You know Josh, I'll be on my death bed when you finally get around to getting me skis. Then I'll have you carry me to the top of a huge mountain, put the skis on me, and push me down. Then I can plummet to my death with the Christmas present I have been asking for the past three years." Donna said all in one breath. Josh just looked at her.
"Well, you can do that, but don't expect me to be the one that carries you up that mountain."
"Arggg, Josh!" Donna screamed and hit Josh hard in the arm and walked away.
"Ouch! That hurt." Josh rubbed his arm. "Donna, my arm hurts now." Josh whined as he continued after Donna.
"Okay kids, we have a special surprise for all of you. The President got a hold of someone who knows someone who knows Santa." CJ smiled. Sam, Donna, and Josh couldn't help but laugh at how much CJ seemed so serious.
"Wow." All the kids said in unison, they began to look around.
"He should be here any minute. Right Mr. President?" CJ let Jed take over.
"That's right, and he is in a great mood. I just talked to him over the phone and he said he had so many presents that he was bringing." Jed talked to the kids as CJ walked over the rest of the gang.
"Where's Toby? He already take off?" CJ asked.
"He said he was coming. Abby was making him." Josh smiled.
"He should be here." CJ whispered and looked around for him.
"Charlie!" Toby came out of his office and saw the young man standing there. "Don't say one word to me, or I'll..."
"Now, now. Santa doesn't talk like that." Charlie let our between laughs. "Thank God I brought a camera."
Toby slammed Charlie against the wall. "I swear. You keep that camera away from me."
Toby growled. But Charlie continued to laugh.
"Man, you look good in a while beard." He joked. Toby let him go and gave him a glare.
"Shut up. I look like an idiot."
"The kids are going to love it. Just let them sit on your lap and hand them presents."
"They have to sit on my lap!" Toby yelled as Charlie pushed him toward the lobby. "I can't do this. I don't do well with kids."
"Well, Toby Ziegler doesn't do well with kids. Santa Ziegler is going to be great with kids." Charlie smiled.
"You ever call me Santa Ziegler again, so help me."
"It's time. Remember, 'Ho, Ho, Ho'." Charlie pushed Toby through the doors and into the lobby.
"Oh God." Toby said to himself when he saw all the kids.
"Santa!" One kid yelled and ran over to him. Then all the rest of the kids followed.
"Um, 'Ho, Ho, Ho' little ones." Toby said in a deep unconvincing voice.
Sam, Leo, Josh, CJ, and Donna all looked at each other. They recognized that voice, but knew that it couldn't be him. Then they all looked back at the man dressed as Santa.
"Oh my God." CJ said slowly but quietly.
"No way. It couldn't be." Sam added.
"Yep, it is. Santa Ziegler." Charlie came and stood by them.
They all started to laugh, but restrained themselves a little bit. Josh was the one that couldn't hold it in and had to excuse himself to go out in the hall.
"Why doesn't Santa sit here so you kids can sit on his lap? What do you say Santa?" Jed smiled while looking at Toby. Jed knew he needed extra protection tonight because Toby was sure going to kill him later.
"Why of course." Toby said in a deep voice which dripped of sarcasm. "Who is the lucky one who gets to go first?"
All the kids raised their hands. Toby pointed to the kid in the back, who wasn't raising his hand.
"What about you there?" Toby asked.
The kid didn't say anything. Toby got up from the chair, walked over to him, and kneeled down.
"Well, hi there." Toby looked up to the woman standing behind him. She mouthed 'Zack' to him. "Zack." Toby finished his sentence, winking his thanks to the woman.
The young boy looked up at him and opened his eyes really big.
"You know my name?" The boy whispered to him.
"Of course." Toby whispered back. "Now, I hear you have been a very good boy this year. Is that right?"
The boy nodded a little, not taking his eyes off Toby.
"That's what I thought. Tell me Zack, what is it you want for Christmas."
"Nothing really." Zack whispered as he looked around nervously.
"Come on, there has to be at least one thing you really, really want." Toby whispered back.
"I don't want anyone else to hear." Zack said quietly.
Toby nodded and stood. He then bent down, but this time he picked up Zack before he stood.
"Now it's just you and me. What is it?" Toby whispered in his ear.
Zack smiled and leaned in near Toby's ear. "I want a dad." Zack whispered.
Toby looked into Zack's eyes and saw that he was truly serious. Toby knew that these kids were orphans, but he didn't think that one of them would ask for a father. It broke Toby's heart to look into the kids' eyes.
"Hmmm...are you sure you don't want anything else? Maybe a bike or a baseball bat?" Toby whispered back.
"No. I have been extra good this year. I really want a dad. Or is it impossible?" Zack looked down.
"I'll tell you what." Toby rubbed Zack's back. "I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks Santa." Zack smiled for the first time since being there. He hugged Toby as hard as he could.
"Now, this isn't what you asked for, but I think you might like it" Toby handed Zack a present.
"Thanks Santa. You have no idea how much this means to me." Zack smiled as he cradled his gift.
Toby put him down and looked around. He could see everyone looking at him.
"Well, who's next?" Toby went back to the chair and allowed the first kid in line to sit on his lap.
Toby had just taken the suit off when he heard a knock at the door.
"What!" He yelled.
"Hey." CJ walked in and closed the door. "That was so sweet what you did today." She smiled.
"Yeah well, this is the first and the LAST time you will ever see me in that suit." Toby declared. "But the kids got Santa, so there." Toby finished.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"What?"
"Why did you go over to that young boy first? He was all the way in the back."
"I don't know why I went there first. I just did." Toby said while looking down.
"Toby, don't lie." CJ looked at Toby for a while until he finally met her stare.
"The kid looked depressed. Kids are supposed to be happy on Christmas. I'm the one who can be depressed. Not a kid. So, I tried to make him feel better."
"You did from the looks of it. What did he ask for that he didn't want anyone else knowing about?"
"It's a secret." Toby smiled shyly.
"Toby." CJ said harshly.
"I already found out that he is getting exactly what he asked for. All he wanted was a dad. And the social worker told me that she has a family very interested in him. They should adopt him after the new year."
"He asked for a dad? Poor kid." CJ said quietly.
"Yeah, but the social worker said that the family that wants him are two very nice people. I think he will be fine."
"You know. You really do have a big heart, Santa Ziegler." CJ smiled and walked closer to him.
"Don't call me that ever again." He smiled.
"You would be a great dad. You know that?" CJ took something out of her pocket and walked closer.
"Are you kidding? I would ruin the poor kid." Toby smiled as CJ stopped right in front of him and lifted her arm.
Toby looked up and saw something in her hand.
"What's that?" He asked still looking up.
"It's called mistletoe." CJ smiled.
"Why is it over my head?"
"Toby, do you know what it means when you stand under a mistletoe?"
"CJ, I might be a scrooge, but I'm not stupid." Toby smiled as he leaned in and kissed CJ on the lips.
The End