December 24th, 2009

It hadn't snowed too much the previous night. So, Kerry decided that she should take the EL to her interview with Cate Banfield. She did and got to County, but she was early and decided to take a break by the water. She rarely got time to herself. She walked by the water, not thinking at all, just being. She stumbled to a stop as she could have sworn that she saw a face under the water. But then it was gone.

She watched the water closely and the face appeared, this time closer to the shore. She waded in quickly and pulled a woman to the shore. She checked that the woman was breathing and had a heartbeat. Yes to both. Then she stumbled backwards as she saw the woman's face. "Oh my God."

Kerry knelt down next to the woman and put a hand on her face, "Kim, Kim, wake up Kim..."

The woman mumbled something and squeezed her eyes shut, "Ughhh... C-cold, de-def-finitely c-cold..."

"What?"

"Not Kim... Carol. And Dasher's gonna get bumped to JV. Ahhh..." She opened her eyes and blinked. "Oh... you're not in my head. Pretend you didn't hear any of that."

Kerry put a hand to the woman's head as she tried to sit up. "Just because you're not dead, doesn't mean that you're not hurt. Especially if you don't know who you are."

Carol frowned at Kerry, "I know who I am. Carol Newman-Calvin, Toy maker. And you?"

Kerry shook her head, "You're Kim Legaspi, Psychiatrist. Either this is a joke, which I don't find funny. Or you're hurt badly enough that you don't know who you are."

"Oh, and generally when someone gets amnesia they make up a whole new person on the spot? Please, let me get up, I have to figure out a way to get home, and soon."

Kerry stood up and took a step back as the woman, Carol, got to her feet as well. She was a little unsteady, but truthfully didn't look as worse for wear as she should have. "Carol. I don't know how long you were in that water, or how you got there..."

"...I fell from..." she paused, then with a hurf continued, "I fell from my Reindeer."

Kerry winced and put a gloved hand on Carol's shoulder, "And I think you need a bit of help."

Carol shook her head with a slight smile, "I'm not crazy, really. I'm just Santa. Why am I telling you this?"

Kerry pointed towards the hospital. "I uh, I have to go now. There. Are you sure that you shouldn't join me?"

"You're going to escape to the hospital, where there are people and guards." She smiled, "It's okay. You'd be surprised how well I understand."

"Uh," Kerry paused, then shook her head, "No, I'm not escaping, I have an interview."

"On Christmas Eve?"

"People get hurt every day of the year."

Carol let loose a quick laugh, "Don't I know it. We get so many smashed thumbs up north." Carol saw Kerry's look and held up her hands, "Sorry. Weird-ing you out again. But really, I'm fine, it was good to meet you..."

"Kerry, Kerry Weaver." Kerry narrowed her eyes at Carol, "But, you knew that. Kim... this isn't funny."

Carol's eyes wrinkled at the side as she smiled again, "How to prove I'm Santa. Let's see, I know everything about you. The hip problem, the fact that you're adopted..." Kerry didn't look convinced, "The reason why you stopped believing at the young, young age of three years old."

Kerry's face went slack. "Santa isn't God Kerry. And, you have reunited with your birth mother now, he just couldn't do it then."

Kerry poked at Carol's chest, "How did you know that. I have never told anyone that I wanted my present to be to meet my birth mother that year. Not even Sandy. No one. Who are you."

Carol removed Kerry's finger from her chest, and kept hold of the redhead's hand. "I told you, I'm Santa Claus. Carol Newman-Calvin."

"Saint Nikki."

Carol chuckled and let go of Kerry's hand. "Well, I'll let you go to your interview. Still, it's a waste of a perfectly good day."

"Don't you have to get back to... to..."

"The North Pole. Of course. Tonight's a busy night." Carol was still for a moment and then held out her hand, "C'mon, play hooky with me. We'll make my Arch-Elf send someone to get me. Really freak Curtis out. Get your son early and have some spontaneous fun."

Kerry stared at the hand. "I don't believe in you. Isn't that supposed to make you burst into flame, or disappear, or your bells not ring or something?"

Carol smiled, her hand still held out. "Nah. Do you know how many little kids from here to the other end of the world are believing the hell out of me. So... what'll it be. A happy day or another day of responsibility."

Kerry waited and waited, finally she sighed and took Carol's hand. "You'd better not kill me and my son."

"Most Serial Killers are men. Did you know that?"

Kerry winced, "Are you sure you're Santa."

Carol sighed herself, "Every day until I die."

"Is that Kerry down there? Leaving the beach?"

Morris glanced down, he was standing next to Chaz Pratt. He squinted, "Sorta looks like her. But she's supposed to be in Miami. You know, where it's warm. Gah... okay. Enough air, I'm going to put my hands in a warm body or two."

Henry ran to his mother and she picked him up. "Mama... I'm out early." His face creased into a frown, "Is Carlos okay Mama? And... and..."

Kerry shushed her son, "Everyone's fine. Okay?"

Henry nodded as Kerry let him down. He looked past his mother and his mouth dropped open. "Mama... Mama..."

Carol put her finger to her lips. "Your Mama doesn't believe me yet. Now, where do you want to go?"

Henry nodded once, "Home."

"Oh, c'mon, you can do better than that Henry."

Henry's eyebrows went up, then fell, then went up again. "Ooh, can we go to the zoo? See the polar bear?"

Carol looked to Kerry who shrugged, "This is your idea... Carol, up to you."

Carol put out both her hands. "Zoo it is. You know that I have a little boy too. SJ. Short for Scott Jessie, I call him Scottie, everyone else calls him SJ."

Henry took Carol's hand right away, but Kerry shook her head, and after a moment Carol let the hand drop to her side.

They all walked towards the EL. "So, what did you tell Santa you wanted for Christmas Henry?"

"A puppy.. and to see Uncle Carlos and Eddie."

Carol nodded seriously, "Have you been a good boy?"

Henry bit the inside of his lip, "No. I broke the purple flowery vase." He turned to his mother, "I'm sorry Mama."

Kerry's eyes narrowed and she shook her head, "We'll be taking about it later." Henry nodded and stared down at the ground, but looked up as Kerry went to his other side and took his free hand. "But for right now, let's go see some animals."