A/N: I'm glad you like the Christmas plot. And wow, there aren't too many
chapters left in "Family Affair"!
Family Affair
Chapter 34: Happy Hallidays
Santa nodded. "Pearlinda Belland, correct?" He asked.
Pearl nodded, as she sat up. "But people call me...." Before she could finish, she was cut off.
"Pearl, I know. After all, I am Santa, right?" Santa asked, with a twinkle in his eye.
"But Santa, it's not Christmas Eve yet. How come you're here?" Pearl asked.
"Because, I need help saving Christmas....only you and your family can help me." Santa replied.
"Well I'll go get mommy then!" Pearl suggested.
"No, they don't believe in me! Only someone who truely believes in me can see me!" Santa replied.
"Well, Phiona believes!" Pearl said. "Can I go get her?" She asked.
"Yes, but you need to find a way to make your mother, aunts, father, and uncles believe!" Santa warned. "Or Christmas will be gone forever!" Santa said.
"Just because they don't believe?" Pearl asked.
Santa shook his head. "No, because I need their help, and they can only help if they believe in me!" Santa said.
"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere!" Pearl said. She hopped out of her bed and walked out the door.
Pearl walked into Phiona's room and lightly shook her cousin, waking her up.
Phiona looked confused. "What?" She asked, grumpily.
"Come with me, don't ask questions." Pearl said.
Phiona glared and got out of her bed.
Pearl and Phiona walked back into Pearl's room.
Phiona's mouth dropped open. "Santa?!" Phiona gasped.
"Phiona Wyatt, right?" Santa asked.
Phiona nodded. "Wow...." She whispered.
"Now be quiet, don't tell anyone Santa is here until I say you can." Pearl said.
"Why?" Phiona asked.
"Because...Now....Moooooooooooommy!" Pearl screamed, at the top of her lungs.
Within seconds Paige orbed in, holding Glenn's hand. "Pearl?! Pearl, what's wrong?!" Paige gasped. She looked around, seeing no danger.
Leo orbed in, with his hand tightly around Piper's hand. "Pearl?! Is everything okay?!" Leo asked, in horror.
Cole shimmered into the room, holding Phoebe's hand.
Phoebe was holding a fully awake Pam in her arms. "Pearl! What's the matter?!" Phoebe gasped.
"Do you believe in Santa?" Pearl asked, as she hopped back into her bed.
"That's all?!" Paige asked, her voice flaring.
"I need to know, it's important!" Pearl shot back.
Prue came running into the room, phasing through the wall. "Pearl! What's up?!" She yelled. A confused look crossed her face. "Oh no....who is up?" She asked.
"Auntie Prue, do you believe in Santa?" Pearl asked.
Prue considered the question for a minute and smiled. "Of course....Why?" She asked.
"Can you see Santa in the room?" Pearl asked.
Prue looked around the room. "No, silly, Santa doesn't come until Christmas Eve!" Prue said.
"You're lying, you don't believe! I want you to believe!" Pearl said.
"I do believe!" Prue said.
"Then you should be able to see him!" Pearl argued.
"Pearl, sweetie, he isn't here!" Prue replied, calmly.
"Pearl, tell your Aunt Prue that I'm sorry, but I couldn't bring Grandma Patty back to her for Christmas." Santa said.
Pearl nodded. "Santa says that he's sorry, but he couldn't bring Grandma Patty back for you, on Christmas." Pearl said.
Prue gasped. 'Nobody but Piper and Phoebe would have known about that and I know they never told the girls!' Prue thought. A few tears formed in her eyes. "You're talking to him?" Prue asked.
"Mhmmm." Pearl said.
"Then he must be here." Prue said. Then before her eyes, she saw Santa. "Oh my God, there he is!" Prue said, pointing to the corner of the room.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige turned their heads to the corner of the room and saw nothing.
"Prue, you're seeing things now, too!" Piper said.
"Tell Piper that I got her letter about wanting a kitten when she was four, but when I discussed things with Grams, she didn't feel that you should have a cat then. Tell Phoebe that I know she wanted a doll house when she was six, but I couldn't bring it, since she didn't believe in me anymore. And finally, tell Paige that I never brought her a blood family, because I knew she'd find them some day." Santa replied.
"Mommy, Santa says he got her lettew about wanting a kitten when you were fouw, but when he talked stuff with Gweat Gwama Penny, she didn't feel that you should have a kitty, den." Phiona said, as she looked at her mother.
"And mommy, Santa says that he didn't bring you a blood family because he knew you would get one, some day." Pearl said, as she faced Paige.
"And Phoebe, he says that he wanted to bring you the doll house when you were six, but you didn't believe...." Prue said.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige's mouths dropped open.
"I never told anyone about the letter to Santa about a kitten!" Piper gasped.
"And I never said I wanted a doll house when I was six, because I knew Grams couldn't afford it." Phoebe said, slowly.
"And I never told any of you about wanting a 'real' family when I was a kid." Paige said.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige followed Prue, Pearl, and Phiona's gaze to the other side of the room. Then their eyes became wide, as Santa Claus appeared before their eyes.
"I can't believe it...." Phoebe and Paige said, in unison.
"Neither can I...." Piper said, as she gazed at the legendary old man.
Leo, Cole, and Glenn exchanged looks. "We don't see anything." They said, in unison.
"Leo Wyatt; he wanted a Golden Retriever puppy when he was five, but he never got it, that was the year he stopped believing in me. Cole Turner; he wanted his father back, the year his mother took him away, but I couldn't interfere with that. And Glenn Belland; you wanted to know if Paige liked you, when you were seven....Well, I guess we already know the answer to that." Santa said.
"Daddy, me didn't know that you wanted a puppy when you was five." Phiona said.
"And Glenn, you had feelings for me when you were seven?" Paige asked.
"And Cole....I'm sorry that you didn't get your dad back for Christmas." Phoebe said, as she stared into Cole's eyes.
A look of pain appeared in Cole's face and he turned his attention to the corner of the room, where to his surprise, stood an old man in a red and white suit. "Santa Claus?" He asked.
Leo just stared at his daughter. "That was the year I stopped believing in Santa." Leo whispered. His eyes wandered to the corner of the room and he gasped, as he saw Santa.
Glenn looked over at the corner of the room, seeing Santa, then he turned to Paige. "Of course I loved you then." He whispered.
"Why are you here?" Piper asked.
"Because, I need your help to save Christmas." Santa replied.
"What? How is it in danger?" Phoebe asked.
"My sister, Santanna Claus. She's escaped the magical binds and is out to stop Christmas." Santa said.
"'Santanna Claus'?" Prue asked, in disbelief.
"Yes." Santa answered.
"There was never mention of a sister." Piper said.
"She's evil and hates Christmas, she was erased from the minds of everyone in the world, then caged with a magical spell. But she's found a way to escape. If she ruins Christmas, then I'll no longer exist and Christmas will be lost forever." Santa explained.
"How do we stop her?" Paige asked.
"I don't know. But you can't vanquish her, she's immortal, just trap her." Santa said.
"Lets go! Me wants to save Christmas!" Phiona said, in a cheerful tone.
Santa turned to the Charmed Ones for approval.
Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige looked at each other and then turned back to Santa. "Fine, we'll help." They said, in unison.
"Yay!" Pearl and Phiona cheered.
"Where do we go?" Prue asked.
"Why, to the North Pole, of course!" Santa laughed.
"On a sleigh?" Piper asked.
"Heavens no, Piper! I'll take you. We only use a sleigh on Christmas Eve, or the reindeer get restless." Santa replied. "Now, just relax." Santa said.
Pearl hopped off the bed and walked over to Paige and Glenn; she grabbed one of Paige's hands and one of Glenn's hands. "Ready." Pearl said, with a gleam in her eyes.
Phiona hopped off the bed and walked over to Piper and Leo, taking one of each of her parents' hands. "Weady!" Phiona tried to mimic.
Phoebe took Cole's hand. "I think we're ready over here." Phoebe said, as she rocked Pam in her arms.
Santa nodded and waved his hand; in a swirl of red and green sparkles the Wyatts, Turners, and Bellands disappeared. Santa turned to face Prue. "Would you like to come with me, Prudence?" He asked.
"Prue is fine." Prue said. She smiled. "I'd love to, Santa." She said.
Santa held out his hand.
Prue giggled and took Santa's hand.
"And away we go, hope it isn't too cold." Santa replied, with a jolly laugh. Then he disappeared, with Prue, in a swirl of red sparkles.
Santa appeared, with Prue, in a swirl of red sparkles; in front of the other members of the family.
"Santa!" A worried, old sounding voice called.
"Martha?" Santa asked, as he turned around to see a white haired old woman coming at him.
"Oh, it's horrible, Santanna has caused a huge blizzard outside and the reindeer are sick!" Martha replied. She looked at the family. "Oh my goodness! Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige Halliwell! You're all grown up!" She said, in surprise.
"Who are you?" Paige asked.
"Oh, forgive me, I'm Martha Claus! A.K.A. Mrs. Claus." Martha replied.
Suddenly there were black swirls in the center of the room, then an tall woman, who looked about 30-years-old appeared. She had long, bright blonde hair. Her eyes were pine green and she wore a long, glittering black dress. "The Charmed Ones, brother?" She asked, as she looked from the Charmed Ones to Santa.
"Santanna.." Santa breathed.
"She looks young." Piper whispered.
"She's not." Santa replied.
"Oh, and she was not happy to hear that." Phoebe said, as she got a major empathic feeling from Santanna.
Santanna looked around the room, then waved her hand, setting a toy train on fire. "Oh, nice." She said, with a cackle.
"You're bad!" Phiona said, as she held out her hands. Orbs shot from her palms and hit Santanna, sending her falling into a table.
"Why you little...." Santanna stopped in mid sentence and was about to wave her hand.
Piper held up her hands, freezing Santanna and the fire that she started. "Don't mess with my daughter!" Piper hissed.
"What do we do?" Phoebe asked. As she rocked a sleepy Pam in her arms.
Suddenly Santanna broke out of the freeze. "I'll be back!" She hissed, then disappeared in the same black swirls, in which she appeared.
"We need to trap her and bind her powers." Paige said.
"But how?" Prue asked.
Paige thought about it for a second. "I don't know.." She finally replied.
Martha sighed. "I'm going to be back later." She whispered. She disappeared in a swirl of red sparkles.
Martha appeared, in a swirl of red sparkles, in her room to find Santanna sitting in a chair. "Santanna...." She whispered.
"Look. I'm not here for forgiveness, I want to make you a deal. Are you up for it?" Santanna asked.
Martha stared at Santanna for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. "I'm listening." She replied.
"You help me destroy Christmas and I'll help you become young again, I know you've wanted that for ages, literally." Santanna proposed.
Martha paused. "That's all, help you destroy Christmas?" She asked.
"That's all. Then have an eternity of youth." Santanna replied. "So, is it a deal?" She asked, holding out her hand.
Martha went silent, then slowly reached out and took Santanna's hand; shaking it. "It's....a deal." She choked.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you." Santanna replied, with a smirk. She pulled her hand back and disappeared in the black swirls.
****2 Hours Later*****
"We have a binding potion!" Piper said, as she held up her potion, with pride.
"Great, now we need to get her here, any ideas?" Prue asked, as she looked around.
Martha walked into the room.
"Martha, is something wrong?" Phoebe asked. "You feel, upset, sort of." Phoebe said.
Martha paused, as if she were about to say something, then shook her head. "No, nothing is wrong, I'm fine." She replied.
Leo thought for a second. "I think I have an idea!" He said.
"Yes?" Prue asked.
"Okay, gather 'round." Leo said. The Charmed Ones, Leo, Cole, Glenn, Pearl, Phiona, and Santa gathered into a small hudle as Leo explained his plan.
Martha stepped back. "It sounds good, umm, I'm going to go now." She said. Then she disappeared in a swirl of red sparkles. TO BE CONTINUED....
Family Affair
Chapter 34: Happy Hallidays
Santa nodded. "Pearlinda Belland, correct?" He asked.
Pearl nodded, as she sat up. "But people call me...." Before she could finish, she was cut off.
"Pearl, I know. After all, I am Santa, right?" Santa asked, with a twinkle in his eye.
"But Santa, it's not Christmas Eve yet. How come you're here?" Pearl asked.
"Because, I need help saving Christmas....only you and your family can help me." Santa replied.
"Well I'll go get mommy then!" Pearl suggested.
"No, they don't believe in me! Only someone who truely believes in me can see me!" Santa replied.
"Well, Phiona believes!" Pearl said. "Can I go get her?" She asked.
"Yes, but you need to find a way to make your mother, aunts, father, and uncles believe!" Santa warned. "Or Christmas will be gone forever!" Santa said.
"Just because they don't believe?" Pearl asked.
Santa shook his head. "No, because I need their help, and they can only help if they believe in me!" Santa said.
"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere!" Pearl said. She hopped out of her bed and walked out the door.
Pearl walked into Phiona's room and lightly shook her cousin, waking her up.
Phiona looked confused. "What?" She asked, grumpily.
"Come with me, don't ask questions." Pearl said.
Phiona glared and got out of her bed.
Pearl and Phiona walked back into Pearl's room.
Phiona's mouth dropped open. "Santa?!" Phiona gasped.
"Phiona Wyatt, right?" Santa asked.
Phiona nodded. "Wow...." She whispered.
"Now be quiet, don't tell anyone Santa is here until I say you can." Pearl said.
"Why?" Phiona asked.
"Because...Now....Moooooooooooommy!" Pearl screamed, at the top of her lungs.
Within seconds Paige orbed in, holding Glenn's hand. "Pearl?! Pearl, what's wrong?!" Paige gasped. She looked around, seeing no danger.
Leo orbed in, with his hand tightly around Piper's hand. "Pearl?! Is everything okay?!" Leo asked, in horror.
Cole shimmered into the room, holding Phoebe's hand.
Phoebe was holding a fully awake Pam in her arms. "Pearl! What's the matter?!" Phoebe gasped.
"Do you believe in Santa?" Pearl asked, as she hopped back into her bed.
"That's all?!" Paige asked, her voice flaring.
"I need to know, it's important!" Pearl shot back.
Prue came running into the room, phasing through the wall. "Pearl! What's up?!" She yelled. A confused look crossed her face. "Oh no....who is up?" She asked.
"Auntie Prue, do you believe in Santa?" Pearl asked.
Prue considered the question for a minute and smiled. "Of course....Why?" She asked.
"Can you see Santa in the room?" Pearl asked.
Prue looked around the room. "No, silly, Santa doesn't come until Christmas Eve!" Prue said.
"You're lying, you don't believe! I want you to believe!" Pearl said.
"I do believe!" Prue said.
"Then you should be able to see him!" Pearl argued.
"Pearl, sweetie, he isn't here!" Prue replied, calmly.
"Pearl, tell your Aunt Prue that I'm sorry, but I couldn't bring Grandma Patty back to her for Christmas." Santa said.
Pearl nodded. "Santa says that he's sorry, but he couldn't bring Grandma Patty back for you, on Christmas." Pearl said.
Prue gasped. 'Nobody but Piper and Phoebe would have known about that and I know they never told the girls!' Prue thought. A few tears formed in her eyes. "You're talking to him?" Prue asked.
"Mhmmm." Pearl said.
"Then he must be here." Prue said. Then before her eyes, she saw Santa. "Oh my God, there he is!" Prue said, pointing to the corner of the room.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige turned their heads to the corner of the room and saw nothing.
"Prue, you're seeing things now, too!" Piper said.
"Tell Piper that I got her letter about wanting a kitten when she was four, but when I discussed things with Grams, she didn't feel that you should have a cat then. Tell Phoebe that I know she wanted a doll house when she was six, but I couldn't bring it, since she didn't believe in me anymore. And finally, tell Paige that I never brought her a blood family, because I knew she'd find them some day." Santa replied.
"Mommy, Santa says he got her lettew about wanting a kitten when you were fouw, but when he talked stuff with Gweat Gwama Penny, she didn't feel that you should have a kitty, den." Phiona said, as she looked at her mother.
"And mommy, Santa says that he didn't bring you a blood family because he knew you would get one, some day." Pearl said, as she faced Paige.
"And Phoebe, he says that he wanted to bring you the doll house when you were six, but you didn't believe...." Prue said.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige's mouths dropped open.
"I never told anyone about the letter to Santa about a kitten!" Piper gasped.
"And I never said I wanted a doll house when I was six, because I knew Grams couldn't afford it." Phoebe said, slowly.
"And I never told any of you about wanting a 'real' family when I was a kid." Paige said.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige followed Prue, Pearl, and Phiona's gaze to the other side of the room. Then their eyes became wide, as Santa Claus appeared before their eyes.
"I can't believe it...." Phoebe and Paige said, in unison.
"Neither can I...." Piper said, as she gazed at the legendary old man.
Leo, Cole, and Glenn exchanged looks. "We don't see anything." They said, in unison.
"Leo Wyatt; he wanted a Golden Retriever puppy when he was five, but he never got it, that was the year he stopped believing in me. Cole Turner; he wanted his father back, the year his mother took him away, but I couldn't interfere with that. And Glenn Belland; you wanted to know if Paige liked you, when you were seven....Well, I guess we already know the answer to that." Santa said.
"Daddy, me didn't know that you wanted a puppy when you was five." Phiona said.
"And Glenn, you had feelings for me when you were seven?" Paige asked.
"And Cole....I'm sorry that you didn't get your dad back for Christmas." Phoebe said, as she stared into Cole's eyes.
A look of pain appeared in Cole's face and he turned his attention to the corner of the room, where to his surprise, stood an old man in a red and white suit. "Santa Claus?" He asked.
Leo just stared at his daughter. "That was the year I stopped believing in Santa." Leo whispered. His eyes wandered to the corner of the room and he gasped, as he saw Santa.
Glenn looked over at the corner of the room, seeing Santa, then he turned to Paige. "Of course I loved you then." He whispered.
"Why are you here?" Piper asked.
"Because, I need your help to save Christmas." Santa replied.
"What? How is it in danger?" Phoebe asked.
"My sister, Santanna Claus. She's escaped the magical binds and is out to stop Christmas." Santa said.
"'Santanna Claus'?" Prue asked, in disbelief.
"Yes." Santa answered.
"There was never mention of a sister." Piper said.
"She's evil and hates Christmas, she was erased from the minds of everyone in the world, then caged with a magical spell. But she's found a way to escape. If she ruins Christmas, then I'll no longer exist and Christmas will be lost forever." Santa explained.
"How do we stop her?" Paige asked.
"I don't know. But you can't vanquish her, she's immortal, just trap her." Santa said.
"Lets go! Me wants to save Christmas!" Phiona said, in a cheerful tone.
Santa turned to the Charmed Ones for approval.
Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige looked at each other and then turned back to Santa. "Fine, we'll help." They said, in unison.
"Yay!" Pearl and Phiona cheered.
"Where do we go?" Prue asked.
"Why, to the North Pole, of course!" Santa laughed.
"On a sleigh?" Piper asked.
"Heavens no, Piper! I'll take you. We only use a sleigh on Christmas Eve, or the reindeer get restless." Santa replied. "Now, just relax." Santa said.
Pearl hopped off the bed and walked over to Paige and Glenn; she grabbed one of Paige's hands and one of Glenn's hands. "Ready." Pearl said, with a gleam in her eyes.
Phiona hopped off the bed and walked over to Piper and Leo, taking one of each of her parents' hands. "Weady!" Phiona tried to mimic.
Phoebe took Cole's hand. "I think we're ready over here." Phoebe said, as she rocked Pam in her arms.
Santa nodded and waved his hand; in a swirl of red and green sparkles the Wyatts, Turners, and Bellands disappeared. Santa turned to face Prue. "Would you like to come with me, Prudence?" He asked.
"Prue is fine." Prue said. She smiled. "I'd love to, Santa." She said.
Santa held out his hand.
Prue giggled and took Santa's hand.
"And away we go, hope it isn't too cold." Santa replied, with a jolly laugh. Then he disappeared, with Prue, in a swirl of red sparkles.
Santa appeared, with Prue, in a swirl of red sparkles; in front of the other members of the family.
"Santa!" A worried, old sounding voice called.
"Martha?" Santa asked, as he turned around to see a white haired old woman coming at him.
"Oh, it's horrible, Santanna has caused a huge blizzard outside and the reindeer are sick!" Martha replied. She looked at the family. "Oh my goodness! Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige Halliwell! You're all grown up!" She said, in surprise.
"Who are you?" Paige asked.
"Oh, forgive me, I'm Martha Claus! A.K.A. Mrs. Claus." Martha replied.
Suddenly there were black swirls in the center of the room, then an tall woman, who looked about 30-years-old appeared. She had long, bright blonde hair. Her eyes were pine green and she wore a long, glittering black dress. "The Charmed Ones, brother?" She asked, as she looked from the Charmed Ones to Santa.
"Santanna.." Santa breathed.
"She looks young." Piper whispered.
"She's not." Santa replied.
"Oh, and she was not happy to hear that." Phoebe said, as she got a major empathic feeling from Santanna.
Santanna looked around the room, then waved her hand, setting a toy train on fire. "Oh, nice." She said, with a cackle.
"You're bad!" Phiona said, as she held out her hands. Orbs shot from her palms and hit Santanna, sending her falling into a table.
"Why you little...." Santanna stopped in mid sentence and was about to wave her hand.
Piper held up her hands, freezing Santanna and the fire that she started. "Don't mess with my daughter!" Piper hissed.
"What do we do?" Phoebe asked. As she rocked a sleepy Pam in her arms.
Suddenly Santanna broke out of the freeze. "I'll be back!" She hissed, then disappeared in the same black swirls, in which she appeared.
"We need to trap her and bind her powers." Paige said.
"But how?" Prue asked.
Paige thought about it for a second. "I don't know.." She finally replied.
Martha sighed. "I'm going to be back later." She whispered. She disappeared in a swirl of red sparkles.
Martha appeared, in a swirl of red sparkles, in her room to find Santanna sitting in a chair. "Santanna...." She whispered.
"Look. I'm not here for forgiveness, I want to make you a deal. Are you up for it?" Santanna asked.
Martha stared at Santanna for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. "I'm listening." She replied.
"You help me destroy Christmas and I'll help you become young again, I know you've wanted that for ages, literally." Santanna proposed.
Martha paused. "That's all, help you destroy Christmas?" She asked.
"That's all. Then have an eternity of youth." Santanna replied. "So, is it a deal?" She asked, holding out her hand.
Martha went silent, then slowly reached out and took Santanna's hand; shaking it. "It's....a deal." She choked.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you." Santanna replied, with a smirk. She pulled her hand back and disappeared in the black swirls.
****2 Hours Later*****
"We have a binding potion!" Piper said, as she held up her potion, with pride.
"Great, now we need to get her here, any ideas?" Prue asked, as she looked around.
Martha walked into the room.
"Martha, is something wrong?" Phoebe asked. "You feel, upset, sort of." Phoebe said.
Martha paused, as if she were about to say something, then shook her head. "No, nothing is wrong, I'm fine." She replied.
Leo thought for a second. "I think I have an idea!" He said.
"Yes?" Prue asked.
"Okay, gather 'round." Leo said. The Charmed Ones, Leo, Cole, Glenn, Pearl, Phiona, and Santa gathered into a small hudle as Leo explained his plan.
Martha stepped back. "It sounds good, umm, I'm going to go now." She said. Then she disappeared in a swirl of red sparkles. TO BE CONTINUED....