Chapter 14: Voices

December 25th 4:46 A.M. North Pole

Steve was pacing back and forth as the elves continued to stare at the monitors. They couldn't send a search party because they would only get lost and then they'd be even more men down. Arthur would have to be manually moving the sleigh or else abandon it altogether. He didn't stand much of a chance either way. He considered calling his parents who were asleep but couldn't bring himself to have them or himself prepare for the worst yet.

"I want Communications up and running with that sled."

"Our reports say outgoing is fine but the incoming device has been compromised. You can talk to him but he won't be able to talk back." Steve nodded and a podium was wheeled in with a microphone. Steve clicked a red button which began to glow.

"Arthur, it's Steve. I know you're in a poor situation but you need to keep fighting. You just have to make it to any door and we will get you. I promise. Don't give up on me or all those kids who need you for another seventy-five years. Just keep going. I believe in you." He clicked the button again, struggling to keep all his emotions under check. The last thing Arthur needed was for his calm and stoic brother to lose it on him. The elves from the EVIE started flooding in, peeling their eyes to the screen as well. Snow knocked some of the signals out and Steve groaned. This couldn't get any worse.

"Arthur!" a voice rang out from the top of the stairs. Steve instantly froze at the voice. He heard footsteps run down the stairs and come to a squeaky halt as the voice crashed into the back of him. "I'm sorry. These are really slippery on ice." He had to take a moment before turning and seeing it was indeed Molly Scrooge. "Steve, is everything alright?" Behind her was another person, a boy who looked older and had a very strong resemblence. The brother, it had to be. And if he was here- she'd told him. Great, this evening couldn't get any better.

"How did you-"

"B-Bambi came to my apartment. We rode him here- we just beat the storm. We've been wandering for the past hour trying to find somebody. This place is enormous. So then I followed the elves when I saw them come in. Where's Arthur? I have to-"

"Please remove her from the premises," Steve ordered, detached. A bunch of elves who had figured out her identity grabbed her by the arms and started dragging her towards the stairs.

"Wait. Let go of me. What's going on? Steve? Steve!" He turned his back to her.

"What's happening is my baby brother is trapped out in a storm without any way of getting back, and right now you are in my way just like I warned you. And like I said, things aren't in my way for long."

"Steve, you can just-"

"I can't just show you the door. Well, that's what I understand you did to him. Do you have any clue what these past few weeks have been like for him?"

"I'm sorr-"

"I'm not in the mood to hear it." The brother came to stand next to him. "You-"

"No, I totally see where you're coming from. But some of your cameras are being thrown out by the storm. I can fix them- I'm real good with that sort of stuff." Steve looked him over. "If it was this guy saying those things to my sister I'd be the exact same way. I'm just trying to help you get your brother back, because I understand that too." Steve continued examining this Scrooge sibling before finally giving a nod of approval. He extended his hand. "I'm Michael Scrooge."

Steve returned it. "Steve Christmas."

"It's going to be alright."

"I hope so."

December 25th 5:03 A.M. North Pole

Molly's slippers slid across the ice as the elves continued to drag her back even as she fought. She couldn't believe this- Michael was acting all buddy buddy with the guy who was physically removing her from the North Pole. So much for sibling loyalty! But she had not flown all this way on a psychotic reindeer to just be shoved aside like this. She saw where Steve and Michael were coming from and deep down she deserved it. But if Arthur was in trouble, now was not the time.

"Steve, let me talk to him! Please! Let me talk to him!" He wasn't even acknowledging her anymore. It was like when Arthur tried to convince her he was Santa Claus- a brick wall. He had warned her and she has obviously fulfilled that prophecy. How could she get him to change his mind?

She knew it was crazy. It was all she had. 'The best way to spread Christmas cheer' as that Will Ferrell movie had said. It was completely stupid. But she had to try. Molly made one final lunge for her slippers and the music started echoing through the enormous Mission Control. "You'd better watch out. You better not cry. You'd better not pout. I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town." She was far from the best singer but she put her heart in every note. All the elves were staring and they stopped pulling her. "He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake." The elf, Bryony, walked over to Steve and whispered to him. Michael was merely watching her, very confused by his sister's seemingly insane reaction. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Steve nodded at Bryony.

"Let her go." The elves backed off and she ran to him. "Why did you come here?"

"I came here to grow up and be happy." She felt her eyes swim with tears. "You have to let me talk to him. He needs to know I came."

"Why is it so important he know?"

"He needs to know I came to make him happy too." Molly did the opposite if what she'd done her entire life- let every emotion show through her eyes. She destroyed the wall and just showed Steve everything through her eyes. Finally, he gestured towards the microphone. Michael was busy at the controls, slowly bringing monitors back up on the screen.

"Click the button and talk. He can't answer." She nodded and walked up to the podium, fiddling with the buttons on her coat. She removed her hat and took a large deep breath- pushing the button. The red light came on and she forced the lump in her throat to disappear as she began.

"Art-Arthur it's me. It's Molly. I really hope you can hear me right now, but I'm just going to keep talking." She cleared her throat, all eyes locked on her as her voice steadily grew stronger. "I'm here. I'm standing beside your brother right now at the North Pole in my slippers. I-I quit my job, turned down the promotion, packed a bag, and flew here on a very bad flyer of a reindeer. I came to you. I came for you.

"I said some unforgiveable things the last time you saw me- despicable horrible things that broke you heart right in front of me." Tears came to her eyes at the memory. "It broke my heart too. I've been miserable even though I probably shouldn't complain. I am so sorry for what I said. I am so, so sorry.

"But I'm even sorrier for lying to you. I promised to tell you the truth and I didn't. I said I wasn't scared- but I was petrified. So many people have hurt me that I couldn't- it was so easy to open up to you and it terrified me. It would have been so easy so I freaked out. But you would never hurt me in any way and it's like that song you put on my phone. The first guy gives her heart away, but then she gives it to someone special and he takes care of it.

"I lied when I said I didn't love you. I love you with my entire heart and soul and everything I have. I love you and I know this is the real love because I cannot picture a moment worth living if you're not part of my life. So that also means I lied when I said you couldn't make me happy. You make me the happiest girl on Christmas and every other day of the year. I believe in Christmas because you are Christmas. You are what makes it so magical and now that I've found it I can never live without you. I don't want to live without you. That's how I know I love you.

"But most importantly, I lied when I said I didn't believe in you." She pulled the letter out of her pocket and smiled. "'I believe in you Santa.' I was so much smarter when I was seven, you know. I stopped for so long." She couldn't stop the tears now and didn't want to. "I was lonely for so long but then you were stuck in those lights. You made me laugh. You held me when I cried. You made me believe again like I did when I was a kid. I can never thank you enough for that. So you need to get back here so I can spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Because I'm not scared of life with you. I'm petrified of life without you." She looked at the letter again. "'I believe in you Santa.' I will always believe in you with all my heart Arthur. That… is the truth." She felt her hand fall on the button and the light was gone.

She slowly went to her knees sobbing. Michael pulled her up and hugged her as she just cried. He brought the final screen up. She had been too late. He was-

"Look!" an elf shouted. Her eyes flew to the screen Michael had just pulled up. "Over there! I see red!" Sure enough, she could see it too! Her heart literally jumped out of her chest.

"Send out a team to help him!" Steve ordered. A swarm of elves were soon out and pushing the sleigh through the door. Molly didn't waste a beat. She was running up the stairs.

"Molly!" She turned to see Steve staring at her. She ran up to him.

"Listen, I know I screwed up! But I am seeing him, so don't-!"

"This way's faster," Michael cut in, "he said." He looked at Steve a long moment. "Now it's you brother's turn to make the decisions. Either he forgives her or he doesn't. But you can't tell me she hasn't understood what she did to him." The two stared at one another before Steve moved aside.

Molly didn't waste a second taking off, the entire North Pole behind her.

December 25th 6:18 A.M. North Pole

Arthur was bruised, bleeding, and exhausted. He wanted to just pass out from the pain. But he knew he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't see her first. He had to know that voice wasn't just an illusion. He had to know.

He climbed out of the sled as the other elves closed the door behind him and helped the elf, Phil, out of the sleigh. He was worse for wear from the fall out of EVIE. His leg was begging him to fall to the floor, but he tried to say upright- gripping the sleigh for dear life.

The door was thrown open and Steve emerged. He managed a weak wave as his brother hugged him. He then moved aside and she slid into view. Her hair was black and shorter, but it just made her more beautiful than before. She did even have the slippers on. They locked eyes for a long moment before she ran and practically jumped in his arms.

Then everything went back.