Chapter 10: Secret Revealed

For the first time in his life Bernard wasn't there at the crack of dawn, well technically he was, but he wasn't working, he was still in bed and he didn't care. He was awake as usual but he didn't get up, he just laid there looking at Ella. But the feeling of being watched woke her up.

"Good morning." He said quietly as she opened her eyes.

"You're still here?"

"I didn't want to leave yet, there's no need to be in the workshop yet anyway."

She smiled and pulled him down for a kiss.

"We need to tell Noah." She told him.

"I know."

"I'm kind of worried about how he'll react."

"I'll do whatever I have to to make him trust me again."

"I know you will, but I don't want you to have to. I'll talk to him first, I can make him listen. If you talk to him right away he'll just get angry. So let me talk to him first."

"Ok."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He said and then kissed her.

"You should go, you know you want to."

"I'd rather stay right where I am."

"So would I, but we both have work to do. I am determined to get Chet trained, he's been quite the challenge, but I will have it done."

"I know you will. Alright, let's go."

"Ok."

Bernard walked down to the workshop and ran into Curtis.

"You're later than usual." Curtis said, he was suspicious as to why.

Bernard just rolled his eyes and kept going. Curtis went to see Scott.

"Santa, he's here."

"He seem ok?"

"Yeah, but he didn't say anything."

"Is Ella working?"

"I don't know."

"Well go look. If she is see if she'll tell you anything."

"Yes sir." Curtis said like he was excited, which he was. He was curious and wanted to know and he'd be happy for Bernard if it were true.

"Scott." Carol said once Curtis was gone. She didn't like them butting into this.

"I just want to know."

"Why cant you just wait for them to tell us on their own?"

"Because I cant stand the secretive behavior, the vague answers."

"I don't like you butting in. maybe they want it to be secret, they don't want certain people to know."

"So the word doesn't get to Noah right?"

"Maybe."

"I wouldn't tell him."

"Good morning Ella." Curtis said walking into the stables. Ella was brushing Dasher as he ate something out of her hand.

"You know we do have elves who take care of them."

"I know, I just like being with them." She said and it made Dasher happy.

"So, you're here earlier than usual."

"I know, I wanted to."

"And Bernard's never here this late."

She stopped brushing Dasher and looked at him knowing where he was going with this.

"Curtis…"

"Sorry. You just have everyone curious."

"Everyone?"

"Well, mostly Santa and myself."

"That's what I thought."

"Just a yes or no."

"I'm not telling you anything."

He gave her a dirty look and walked off. She just smirked. A little while later Noah showed up.

"Ok, so I've heard a rumor."

"A rumor?"

"Apparently Bernard has been hm, distracted and frankly just not himself."

"Really? He seems fine to me."

"Oh don't play innocent Ella."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh yes you do. why is he oh so distracted?"

"He's not."

"Word is he was later than usual this morning."

"People talk Noah, it doesn't mean anything."

"I think it does."

She put the reindeer back in his stable.

"Ella, just tell me the truth for once."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said slowly.

"You and Bernard."

"What about me and Bernard?"

"Are you with him again?"

"And if I am? What are you going to do about it?"

"I knew it…why?"

"Because I love him."

"But he doesn't love you! Didn't he make that obvious a hundred years ago?"

"You're wrong."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"Prove it."

"If he tells you himself will you listen?"

"Ella – "

"Will you?"

"Ok, if he comes to me to talk I will listen."

At the end of the day Ella went straight to Bernard.

"Hey." She said walking into Scott's office.

"Hi Ella." Carol said.

"Ok, you all want to know, and you wont stop until you get an answer so here it is." She said and Bernard just looked at her shocked. "Yes."

Scott got a surprised happy look on his face and put his arm around Bernard's shoulders. "Congratulations."

"Bernard." She said to get his attention.

"Yeah?"

"I talked to Noah."

"Oh." He said a little worried.

"He's willing to listen."

"He is?"

"Yeah."

"Oh boy, this is going to be fun."

"Don't worry, I'll keep him in line I promise. Come on."

Scott let him go. "Good luck."

They left together and went to her room where Noah was waiting. Noah for once didn't look at Bernard like he was angry with him.

"Noah."

"Bernard."

"Ok, I agreed to listen so I'm listening."

"I know you have her best interest in mind and you're just looking out for her and I realize I hurt her but I promise I wont do it again. I love her."

"Why'd you do it?"

"I thought she'd be better off with her family rather than me."

"But you kept tabs on her all these years didn't you?"

"I would look in on her every few Christmases."

"I see. You couldn't have let her down a little more gently?"

"I knew I had to lie and pretend I didn't love her in order for her to leave, if I showed any sign that I wanted her to stay she would."

"That's true."

"I've regretted it since I said it, because I didn't want to do it."

"Ok, look I will step aside in order to make her happy, just make sure you don't hurt her again."

"I wont."

Noah kissed his sister's forehead hugging her and then left. Very happily she hugged Bernard and kissed him.

"That went so much better than I thought it would." He told her.

"Me too."

"I love you."

"I love you too." She said and then he kissed her again holding her close.