"So... is he dreaming sugar plums?"

Carol nodded and stood next to Kerry at the window, "Sorry about the cotton candy on the nose thing."

Kerry didn't look at the other woman, "No. You're not."

Carol paused, "Okay. So I'm not."

"You're not like her you know. Even though you look like her."

"She has curly hair."

Kerry finally looked over at the taller woman. "Do you know where she is?"

Carol closed her eyes for a moment, "New York, New York. And yes, she does seem to be happy."

Kerry looked back out towards the street and the rest of Chicago. "Did you use your... however you do the 'I know all about you' trick to know I was going to ask you that?"

Carol put a hand around Kerry, "No. Just getting to know you. I would have been there for you, you know, when you were a kid."

"You?

Carol turned just the slightest bit pink as Kerry looked over. "Uh, not me Carol, but me Santa. Or, even my boss, you never have to go through this world alone Kerry. Santa, God, Buddha..."

Kerry stared down at the hand that did look quite different than Kim's. All along its back were thin, light scars. "I wasn't alone. My parents loved me more than anything else in the world. Before you were Santa..." Kerry took one of Carol's hands in both of hers. "What did you do?"

"I was a principal before I met Scott." Carol flexed the captured hand, "My father's a carpenter. When I was a young child they couldn't keep me away from the tools and wood. Once I even drove a nail through my own hand. Also managed to saw my leg a couple of times. I loved putting things together, but I wasn't always great at the actual doing of it. Good thing I wasn't using power tools."

Kerry found the scar on Carol's left hand and rubbed it gently. Then she turned the hand and found the exit wound scar. "No damage. You were lucky."

"You can tell that just by the scars?"

Kerry patted Carol's hand and let go, "Where they are, sure. Yes. I'm an ER doctor. I've seen nails through every part of the human body."

Carol raised both eyebrows in surprise, "Every?"

"Yes... every. So, what does Henry really want for Christmas?"

Carol blinked at the sudden change of subject. "Why?"

"Last night. Henry said something to me. That you don't have to tell Santa what you want for Christmas. Santa already knows, that's how you can tell its really Santa, not one of his stand-ins."

"Stand-ins?"

"Mall Santas."

"Oh... what he wants. That's easy. He wants you to meet someone who makes you smile again."

Kerry sighed and walked to the couch, sinking into it. "That's what I was afraid of."

"You know that since I met you, you haven't smiled once. You made a joke here and there, but never a smile." Carol got down on her knees in front of Kerry and took a hold of both of the redhead's hands. "All you have to do is decide to do it. Smile once every day to start, or somethin' like that. Hey... I know smiling. Once you start, sometimes it's hard to stop. Henry knows that you have a lot on your plate, and that you love him. Not to mention that you make him happy, but he wants someone else to make you happy too. He's a wise little kid sometimes."

"Wise ass."

Carol smiled, "Whatever you say. I... I need to go, or millions of children will be mightily pissed off at me. But, first, you should check under the tree."

Kerry frowned, "What, do I get a smile? I know every thing that's under that tree but the one package from my son."

"So, now it's two packages. C'mon. Gah, you're such a sour puss. Just open the damn package."

Kerry raised an eyebrow at Carol. "Are you allowed to say that word?"

Carol shook her head, "Nope. I'm going all rebel on you. Open your present." Carol stood up and moved out of the way.

Kerry shot Carol an annoyed look, but stood as well, and then hunched down so she could see under the tree. "You're kidding me." She pulled a hoop in wrapping paper out from under the blinking tree. She carefully removed the paper and shook her head. "A hula hoop."

Carol gripped it and lowered it over Kerry's head. "The present you wanted when you were six years old, but never got because your parents didn't know if you would balance well enough to use it. The present you wanted most as a kid, at least, the non-human present you wanted most."

Kerry took the hoop over her head and before Carol could react, brought it down again so that it encircled both of them, pushing them together. "Do you think that a present from my past will make me fall for you, make me smile at you?"

Carol mumbled under her breath with a sigh, "Worked for Scott on me." Carol tried not to touch Kerry, but it was a loosing battle as Kerry brought the tall blonde closer with her free hand. The hula hoop bounced on the floor as Kerry reached up and captured Carol's head with her hands and the blonde's mouth in a kiss.

Only a moment or two into the kiss there was a knock on the front door and Carol nearly jumped through the roof. Kerry smiled and let Carol go. Kerry answered the door and put a hand over the mouth of the short man on the other side. "My son is asleep. Don't wake him up." The short man with pointy ears nodded, "Good, what do you want?" She removed her hand.

Curtis hurfed as his eyes went to Carol, "It is past time when you should have been back Santa. And yes, on this night I will call you that. You have responsibilities, either give them to someone else or do them."

Carol didn't seem to notice the elf's annoyance. "Kerry Weaver, this is Curtis, my Arch-Elf," she turned to Curtis, "I'm not Scott. I have all my powers at full strength. We will get the presents out right on schedule Curtis, don't worry so much." Curtis didn't move, "Really. Just give me another minute." Curtis opened his mouth, but Carol didn't let him get a word in edgewise, "As a figure of speech, not literally Curtis."

Curtis gave another hurf and retreated out the door.

"Sorry."

Kerry put her hands on Carol's waist, "It's alright. I understand being yoked to your work. It's not a good way to live." A small smile came to Kerry's lips, "So, what do I want for Christmas Santa Babe?"

Carol cupped Kerry's cheek in her hand, "Something that would put me far behind schedule Doc Weaver."

Kerry shrugged, "If you insist."

Carol leaned down and the two women kissed again, separating when they heard a throat clear. They didn't acknowledge Curtis. "Are you sure Kerry, about all of this. I thought you didn't believe in love at first sight?"

Kerry raised an eyebrow, "Do I have to fly up to the North Pole and get married to you tonight?"

"No... no." She glanced over at Curtis then back to Kerry, "My Arch-Elf over there won't let me procrastinate. I have... five years or so."

"Well, considering that I fell in love with Sandy Lopez in the second that she landed on top of me while saving me from death by electrocution. A day at the zoo is leisurely."

"What will you tell Henry tomorrow?"

Kerry gave Carol a real smile, one that only Henry had seen for the longest time. "That his Christmas wish came true, and that maybe we'll be having a visitor or two on Boxing Day."

"And..."

Carol waited.

Kerry was confused for a moment, "Ah... that, yes, I do believe in Santa Claus."

Carol leaned down, then jerked back as Curtis' hand appeared in between the two women. "You have five years to marry her, kiss her, do other less G rated things to her or whatever, on the other hand Santa, we're already ten minutes late." Curtis pulled a smiling Carol away, still mumbling mostly to himself, "This wouldn't be happening if Bernard was still the Arch-Elf, but no, he had to go retire because he's what, a little over 1500... puleeze, my father was Arch-Elf 'til he was 2000, but Bernard is just special isn't he..."

The door closed and Kerry stared at it for a moment. She walked down the hall and peeked into Henry's room. He looked so much like Sandy when he slept. She shook her head. She was crazy. She believed that she'd just spent the day with a woman who claimed to be Santa Claus. She rubbed at her eyes and continued to her own room. Sleep would help. And when she woke up, maybe it would all make sense.

A smile came to her face unbidden. But it had felt real, in parts of her body, her soul, that hadn't felt like that, if she were honest with herself, for years. She hadn't felt a connection like that since Sandy. Not with Courtney, or her ex, or even Kim.

She changed into her sleepwear and crawled under the covers. She smiled again, "A hula hoop."

December 25th, 2009

"Mama... Mama..."

Kerry felt like she was on a sinking ship her bed was shaking so much. "Stop bouncing young man."

Kerry pushed herself up so she was sitting against the headboard, "What do you have there?"

"Two envelopes, duh Mama."

Kerry narrowed her eyes at her son, who just laughed, "And what's in the envelopes?"

He shook his head, "Didn't open 'em Mama. They're from Santa."

Kerry patted the bed next to her and Henry scrambled to her side. "Do you want to go first?" He nodded, "Go for it kiddo. Be careful not to get a paper cut"

Henry sighed, "Mama... I'm almost six."

Kerry ruffled his hair, which he immediately straightened. "When I'm sixty five and you're thirty I'll still worry about you getting paper cuts Henry. Better get used to it Henry my boy."

Henry sighed again and carefully opened the envelope. He held his hands up, "See Mama. Not hurt."

Kerry put her arm around Henry, "What's it say?"

Henry pulled out a single sheet of off white paper. "I. O. U." He looked up at Kerry who nodded. He looked at it again and frowned, "I don't know what else Mama."

"Just go slowly. Word by word, it's how everyone starts. I used to do this with my father you know."

Henry concentrated, "Oh... Ne... oh, One?" Kerry nodded and Henry continued, "I. O. U. One duh..." His mouth dropped open in an 'O' shape. "I. O. U. One dog. A puppy Mama, from Santa?"

Kerry sighed, picturing pooper scoopers, plastic bags, walks galore, ripped up furniture and many lost socks. "It seems so."

Henry looked up at his mother again, "Are you gonna open yours Mama?"

She undid the sealed flap and pulled out her piece of paper. "Let's see, Dear Kerry..."

"Really?" She held it down and let Henry read the first line, "Oh... yeah."

"Dear Kerry, sorry about the abrupt exit. Last night was quite busy for me. I would like to try to make it up to you and invite you and Henry up for a bit of New Year's Eve fun. Henry's present will be, well, present as well. If approved by you of course. P.S... She trailed off as she turned a bit red and folded the piece of paper. "So... do you want to go to a party at the top of the world?"

Henry nodded quickly, "Yes, yes Mama. And can I have the puppy, please, please, puleezzee?"

Kerry raised an eyebrow, "I don't know. Can you?"

Henry hurfed, but rephrased his question, "May I have the puppy please Mama?"

"Why not. Now, up and at 'em. We need to get out of our bed clothes and..."

Henry practically levitated from the bed, "Time to make the turkey."

Kerry smiled, though she got out of her bed a bit slower than her son. "Are you going to be a famous chef one day Henry?"

Henry nodded enthusiastically, "In space. Ooh, and I have other presents too... I saw 'em."

Kerry bit off a chuckle, "You know why we give each other presents on Christmas Henry?"

Henry made a bit of a face as he concentrated, "I know. Uncle Eddie told me. I know. Um. It's 'cause the three wise dudes brought baby Jesus presents right? Gold and all the smelly stuff, and you shouldn't eat any of it, but it's all pretty and sparkly." He barely took a breath before he changed the subject, "Can we wait for Carlos to open presents? And have eggs and sausages for breakfast with English Muffins?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. But first you have to get changed and let me change too."

Henry nodded, "Okay. Bye." And he was out the door.

Kerry put a hand to her heart, "He is gonna kill me with his energy."