Chapter 4: I'm not leaving

In the morning Noah was up early, about as early as the elves are. Ella though wasn't, she was still sleeping, as usual. She slept a lot now because of how depressed she is. Noah snuck into her room in order to pack her things but realized she didn't have anything to pack, she had been wearing clothes the elves gave her to wear. He sat down next to her and moved her hair away from her face looking down at her lovingly, he hated being a jerk to her, but she was his baby sister, he was just trying to do what was best for her so she didn't get hurt again. Her hand came up to his grabbing it and she whimpered.

Santa, Bernard, and Curtis were in the stables with the reindeer and they were trying to help Chet fly.

"So how's Chet's training coming?" Santa asked as he walked over to Curtis.

"Well, it could be better."

"Who's training him?"

"That would be me." said a little male elf.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"I've run out of ideas, I don't know what more to do."

"Is there anyone else who can help?" Santa asked.

"I could ask around." Curtis said.

"Ok, you do that."

Curtis left to get to it.

"Any other problems?"

"No, we're ahead actually, not by a lot but enough."

"Well that's good. How you doing?"

"Santa I'm fine."

"Mhm." Well they are leaving today."

Bernard just got a fake grin on his face.

Ella woke up and Noah was still there sitting in a rocking chair next to her bed.

"Morning."

"What time is it?"

"Almost noon."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

She groaned and stretched. "Oh, I'm hungry." She said as she sat up slowly. She got up and looked in the mirror on the wall. "Ugh, that's what I get for going to bed with a wet head. Oh well." She said and put it up with the pony tail holder on her wrist. She always had one on her left wrist and her watch was on her right. "Good enough." Then she walked to the kitchen.

"Ella!" one of the girls said and rushed over to her and hugged her.

"Hi guys. Sorry if I don't remember names, it's been a long time."

"It's ok. I'm Abby."

"Hi Abby."

"What can we get you?"

"Um…surprise me."

"Ok."

She sat at the table waiting while they cooked. Soon Abby gave her a plate of French toast with powdered sugar.

"My favorite."

"I know."

"You remembered that?"

"Yep."

"Wow, you're good."

Abby smiled and went back to work.

Ella ate her late breakfast and then washed her own dishes.

"You don't have to do that."

"It's ok, I'm going to make you do it, you have enough to do."

She left to get dressed. Judy was in her room.

"Hi Judy."

"Hi Ella."

"What's up?"

"Just taking your clothes in to get washed."

"I can do it myself."

"No it's ok."

"Ok…" she said as she sat down on her stool looking into her mirror and started brushing her hair. She put it up again with a clip. Then she went to the dresser Judy had stocked for her and got dressed. She put on a long red shirt, it went just below her waist, she had a sleeveless vest on over it, it was red and gold, and she had on tan pants and her boots that had a small heel so they clicked when she walked. And of course she had her necklace around her neck.

She walked out and ran into her brother who had been waiting for her.

"About time…are those your clothes?"

"No."

"They look like something you wore."

"That would be the point."

"Well change into your own clothes and let's go."

"I'm not leaving."

"Sis, come on, we have to go."

"No we don't, they have no problem with us being here, if you want to go so badly then go, I'm staying." She said and started walking down the hallway.

"Ella, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, I came to take you home so let's go." He said following her.

"I'm not leaving." (still walking)

"He doesn't want you!"

She stopped stunned, turned around, walked to him, and then quickly smacked him across the face. Then she ran away.

He just stood there rubbing his cheek.

As she ran through the workshop everyone would watch her run as fast as she could crying. Carol noticed and decided to follow her. she ran all the way outside to the ice spot that she skated on when she was a kid. She sat on the bench next to it crying with her face in her hands. She was trying really hard to fight it breathing hard. Carol caught up and sat next to her.

"Ella?"

"Oh hi." She said sitting up straight wiping her face taking a deep breath.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Something happened."

"It's just my brother, I'm used to it by now."

"What'd he do?" she asked worried like he did something to her.

"He didn't do anything, it's what he said, what he always says. He is constantly reminding me about what happened. As if I need reminded."

"What's he say?"

"He gets mad about how upset I still am and he says things."

"About Bernard?"

She nodded once with her lips and jaw pressed tightly. "He says how he let me go, no made me go, and therefore he must not - never mind."

"Your brother's wrong."

"What?" she asked surprised.

"We talked to him, Bernard I mean, he was just trying to do what was right, he didn't want you to leave."

"Maybe he lied."

"He tried but we saw through it and the truth came out. Besides he did leave her to make sure you were ok, he saved you. Would he have done that if he didn't care?"

"I don't know what to think. I've been trying to convince myself for so long that leaving was the right thing to do because he never loved me and even if he did it didn't matter, there was that stupid rule. And then he does that and I see him again – " she stopped and buried her face again crying. Carol put a hand on her back.

Scott and Bernard saw Noah and his cheek was all red.

"What happened to you?" Scott asked.

"My sister."

"What happened?"

"I was trying to get her to leave and that led to an argument then my big mouth said something it shouldn't have said and she slapped me."

"Ooh, looks like she got you pretty good."

"Yeah she did."

"What'd you say?"

He looked at Bernard glaring at him for a second then looked back up at Scott. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is she ok?"

"No, she ran off crying." He said and Bernard left. "I just get so mad because she's holding onto something that hurts her and I just want her to be happy again."

"Is there anything I can do?" Carol asked her.

"No."

"Can I get you anything?"

"No." she said but a few seconds later she looked up at the ice and a thought crossed her mind. "Actually, do you skate?"

"Not for a long time."

"Me neither, I used to spend all day on this ice, I could skate forever and I was happy. God I was good too."

"You want to?"

"You mean it?"

"Sure. I kind of miss it."

They got up and went to the workshop to get some ice skates, Ella also grabbed a CD player, and then went back to the ice. They sat on the bench to put them on then she was on the ice. The CD player sat on the bench with a CD in it, her CD, and played. She skated to the music, and to Carol it looked like she still skated every day, she was still good. Ella got lost in her own little world when she skated, and she used up the whole ice, moving around like a pro, doing things Carol could never do, so instead of skating with her she just watched in amazement as she did spins and jumps and other stunts. Soon Bernard showed up. Carol started to say something but Bernard put his finger to his lips and waved his hand to keep her quiet, he didn't want to disturb Ella. Plus, Carol noticed she had started singing along to the song. At first she was just mumbling, then her voice got louder and louder until she was fully singing it. Carol had no idea she could sing like that. The song was definitely not something the elves would listen to, it was popular with the humans, Carol didn't know it.

Rihanna: Russian Roulette

Take a breath, take it deep
Calm yourself, he says to me
If you play, you play for keeps
Take a gun, and count to three
I'm sweating now, moving slow
No time to think, my turn to go

[Chorus]
And you can see my heart beating
You can see it through my chest
And I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger

Say a prayer to yourself (they first notice her starting to sing)
He says close your eyes
Sometimes it helps
And then I get a scary thought
That he's here means he's never lost (Bernard realizes she means him)

[Chorus]
And you can see my heart beating (she starts really singing)
You can see it through my chest
And I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger

As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many won't get the chance to say goodbye
But it's too late to think of the value of my life

[Chorus]
And you can see my heart beating
You can see it through my chest
And I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger