Chapter 3: The Trouble With Life

"He's a doll, boss," the elf reported, standing before the jolly fat man. For the first time, the elf was worried about what the usually happy man would do. Everyone who worked for him knew that this particular Christmas wish had been his favourite from the moment he set eyes on it, and now there was a complication.

"You're certain," he said, soaking in this information as he looked at the pictures Pumpernickel had taken of both the Baron and of Tsuge Junior's auntie Haru. It was undeniable; the Baron was definitely a doll. No real person looked like that – cat face, tail, large ears holding his top had in place.

"Thank you, Pumpernickel," Mary said, resting a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder. "You've done a marvellous job, now, if you wouldn't mind…" there was a suggestion hanging there, and everyone knew it. The elf bowed apologetically and raced for the door, shutting it behind him.

The instant the latch clicked shut the bringer of joy burst into tears. It had been wonderful, just perfect, and now it wasn't as simple as it had been.

"You are being silly, Chris," she told him, patting him on the back as he made the shoulder of her red dress damp. "You can sort this out. Just because you haven't needed much magic for the past four hundred years doesn't mean you don't still have some. Come on, you old fuddy-duddy," Mary laughed quietly.

Chris Cringle brushed the tears out of his beard and looked up at his wife, the love of his eternity. Life had been too simply for him for too long, he had forgotten how much magic he could work on Christmas Eve.

"Thank you my dear," he said light coming back to his eye. "You're wonderful."

"I just love you. Now go on, if you're going to have this ready for Christmas, you had best get a move on."

With care born of centuries experience, old Saint Nick stepped into the fireplace – avoiding both the mantle and the burning longs as much as he could – and tapped his nose. Leaving just a little dust behind, as well as some soot, he disappeared from the North Pole workshop, intent on another project all together.

-o0o-

Perhaps it wasn't the way things were done, but the old man had a very good reason. Somehow or other, he was going to have to magic a change in the world on Christmas Eve this year, and he wanted to be certain on the best way to do it.

Late at night he slipped into the dreams of a young woman, just watching from the sidelines, not imposing in any way, barely a breath of wind in the room, but utterly aware of everything that she felt as she dreamt.

I've been here before… This is the Cat Kingdom… No! Paws! Oh, I don't want to be a cat! Why can't the King just get it through his thick head!

A voice interrupted her thoughts: "Excuse me, would you care to dance?"

This was why she held onto this dream, despite how very much like a nightmare it so often was. Unlike the time it had really happened, she didn't raise any objections, simply placing her paw in his gloved hand, and let him guide her.

The room dissolved, but the dancing went on. Just the two of them in the emptiness of an un-focused dreamscape. She was aware of whiskers sprouting from her face at one point as she stared up at him, and he stopped leading her.

"I told you, Miss Haru, believe in who you are," her dance partner said.

"I know Baron, but when I'm with you, I forget who that is," she whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes, a scared little kitten still, though she had long become a woman. Blinking, she found herself alone, completely a cat. She woke up.

The spirit of Christmas slipped once more out of her window, leaving the woman to sigh alone, not wishing to see her cry herself to sleep over a love she believed lost. He had another's dream to visit still. He had, at first, been doubtful if the doll did dream, but as he had a soul, it was more than likely that he also dreamt.

She was so light as he ran with her in his arms. Up, up, ever up to the top of the tower. She had to make it out by dawn, she had to be human again, or he would have failed her. He didn't want to fail her.

Upwards, ever upwards. An explosion sounded from beneath them and his heart tightened as she wrapped her arms around him, holding on desperately in fear. Still he kept on running, knowing that the exit was unbroken yet.

The portal flew past them, sending them hurtling into the human world just as the sun began to rise. This was not how it had really happened. She was still holding tightly to him as she returned to her old self. Toto caught them on his back and flew them to the ground, that wasn't quite what had happened either, but it didn't matter.

He felt cold when she let go of him to thank Toto for catching them. He felt small when she bent down to speak to him. He felt his heart ache when she told him how grateful she was to him for saving her from marrying a cat. That wasn't what she had really said, but faced with what she was saying now the Baron couldn't remember what it was that she had said.

"Just for the record, Miss Haru," he said softly, green eyes yearning for her to hear him as she turned away, returning to her normal life. "I want to go with you."

"Tell Muta that I'll miss him too, will you?" she called back, waving as she left the Bureau behind. He woke up.

The old man slipped away while the feline gentleman tried to cry the pain away.