Part Four

Warm sunlight emanating from outside in the sub-zero temperatures of the North Pole trickled through the antique glass windows and heated Bernard's face, the dust rising tickling his nose. When he finally came to and squinted out the window he sprang off of the bed, hat in hand. Barely stopping to yank the clipboard off its hook in the front hall, he rushed down the stairs to the workshop. Skidding on the polished tiles, much to the delight of some of the younger elves milling around the center command station on their cocoa breaks, he rushed into an office Santa kept off to the side of the command station, panting and clutching his hat and clipboard.

In front of him, the ancient winter figure had propped his boot-clad feet on the top of the antique desk and was engrossed in the morning edition Elfsburg Times. Upon hearing Bernard's laboured breathing, he lowered the paper and peered at his assistant over his glasses.

"Good morning," he said with a smile, sitting up straight and folding the paper in front of him. "You overslept, I take it?"

"Santa, I'm really incredibly sorry!" Bernard began, his voice slightly higher-pitched than normal. "I don't know what-"

"Bernard." Santa held up a chapped hand. "I took the liberty of having Anna reset your alarm. Not to worry. Mrs. Clause, Anna, and I all agreed that you deserved the sleep."

Bernard spluttered, and started to pace back and forth in front of Santa. "Are… you're not kidding? Santa, I've tried to explain to you the gravity of our situation. Christmas is in exactly two weeks, and we're way behind schedule. Judy and Andrew's wedding took away exactly fifteen hours of valuable production time. My sleeping in is completely unacceptable on this tight schedule!"

Santa gave Bernard a look. "Bernard, if I didn't think that we could pull this off, we wouldn't have reset your alarm. Besides, Judy and Andrew wouldn't have planned their wedding for yesterday if they didn't have my okay first."

Bernard sighed. "I guess I'm just worried. It's a very stressful time of year for us, and the wedding just… made it worse, I guess."

Santa smiled. "And arguing with Belle yesterday didn't help much, did it?" The head elf squirmed uncomfortably. "That's what I thought." He stood up, and folded the paper on the desk. "Bernard, when was the last time you relaxed? I mean, really relaxed?"

"I don't think we really have time for this, Santa," Bernard said coolly. He gestured downstairs to the workshop, which was bustling with elves and package production. "The elves are working harder than they usually do this time of year, and it's my job to make sure that everything goes smoothly."

Santa held up a hand. "But how can you do that if you haven't taken care of yourself?" When Bernard didn't answer right away, he nodded. "I think you should see a professional," he said grimly.

*

"A shrink?" Curtis exclaimed later on their lunch break, breaking off a piece of a gingerbread man. "Santa actually told you to go see Dr. Kane?"

"Yeah," Bernard said, unraveling a piece of gold braid from his shoe.

"When's your appointment?" Curtis asked, through a mouthful of cookie.

"This afternoon," Bernard sighed. "This is ridiculous! I have half a mind not to go, but Santa would not like that at all. Might as well just get it over with and be done with it."

Although he was trying to be the supportive friend, despite Bernard's constant dismissal of his attempts, Curtis was also worried about the head elf. He secretly agreed with Santa's suggestions that he worked too hard and didn't relax as much as he should. Sitting before him now in "their spot," the bench on the merry-go-round in the centre of Elfsburg outside the workshop with his travel mug still brimming with cocoa and a mincemeat pie that had gone almost untouched, there were dark circles around Bernard's eyes, and it looked like he hadn't slept in over a month. If anyone could get through to him, it would be Venetia Kane. The woman was not known for working miracles for nothing, after all.

*

"I don't think I've ever actually seen you here, professionally, have I?" Dr. Venetia Kane, a plump, rosy-cheeked elf with red and white striped spectacles said over a paper folder with Bernard's information.

"No, ma'am," Bernard replied, shifting in the red leather chair on the other side of her desk.

"And Santa himself referred you here, correct?"

Bernard winced. "Yes."

The redheaded elf peered over her spectacles at him. "Very well then," she said, putting the folder down. "What's on your mind, Bernard?"

Bernard was quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was waste more valuable time talking about his so-called problems to an elf that spent her time muddling in other peoples' business. He sighed. "We're on a schedule!" he howled finally, causing Dr. Kane to raise her eyebrows and tap her pen against her flushed cheek. "Everyone should know how much we have to accomplish in order to pull off Christmas, and all anyone is interested in is celebrating mundane things! Who gets married right before Christmas?!"

Dr. Kane smiled. "Why is this so surprising? The celebrating? Don't you think Christmas is worth a proper celebration?"

"Of course I think Christmas is worth celebration!" Bernard replied hotly. "I think as soon as everything is done and ready, that's cause for celebration!"

"And arranging for a wedding to happen on Christmas? Why doesn't that work?" Dr. Kane asked.

"It's not that it doesn't work… it's just… well, you're a woman, you know as well as I do that these things take time to plan. Time that we don't have when we're On. A. Schedule." Bernard was getting frustrated.

The woman nodded, and, after a pause, she leaned forward. "So it's not the fact that the two are not similar occasions has nothing to do with it?" Bernard gave her a look. "Okay, then. Describe the feelings you yourself have during Christmas."

"The feelings I have during Christmas?" Bernard repeated.

"The feelings you have during Christmas," Dr. Kane echoed. Her blue eyes twinkled, and she leaned back in her comfortable chair, propping her elbow on the edge of the cluttered desk.

Bernard quickly searched his mind for anything shrink-y that would come. Because, really, who else would ask? "Uh… well, there's excitement." He looked up to see Dr. Kane's eyes closed, her plump hand waving him on in encouragement. "Scared."

"Of?"

Silence.

"This is a safe environment, Bernard," Dr. Kane reminded him, not opening her eyes.

"Failing the children who believe in Santa," Bernard finally said. "I mean, what if something happens between now and liftoff? What if Santa experiences sleigh difficulty in-flight? What if he gets shot down?" He shifted. "And because of that, the kids who still believe don't get Christmas?"

"I see. Any other emotions?"

"Pride." Bernard couldn't help himself smiling at that one. Quickly, memories of Christmases past came flooding into his head; there was Scott during his first Santa liftoff, Charlie as a kid directing a set of dining room chairs to fly, Judy and Andrew's faces when the North Pole glittered (signifying the last present delivered) after a sleigh malfunction, Judy and Andrew's wedding, Belle commanding a post of E.L.F. operatives when Scott was jailed, despite the fact that she hadn't even been trained for emergency leadership yet, Chet the reindeer and his mishaps.

"Pride in a job well done?" Dr. Kane clarified. She hadn't missed that twinkle in Bernard's eyes. When he nodded, she continued, "Well, unless those are the only-"

"Magic." Bernard interrupted her.

Again, her eyebrows shot up. "Magic?"

"There's just this overwhelming, I don't know… it's like an infection. It usually starts with the younger elves in Toys and Marketing, and then… feeds upward until everyone's as crazed as they are." He paused, realizing that he had been waving his hands around like a lunatic. "That's usually when we get our best work," he admitted, letting his hands drop to his lap.

"Interesting," Dr. Kane said. Adjusting her glasses, she studied him. He seemed more at ease now, but still uneasy that he was missing crucial production time with the elves. She pursed her lips. "What about the feelings you associate with weddings?"

Bernard blinked. "Happy, I guess," he said. He yanked his beret off his head and twirled it absentmindedly on a finger. "I mean, it's supposed to be the happiest moment of your life, right?"

"Some would argue," Dr. Kane agreed.

"And, well, I mean, you dream about your wedding day off and on throughout your entire life, so it's pretty magical in its own right," he continued, focused on watching the dark cloth go round and round. "It's not something you can really describe without having experienced it, I guess."

Dr. Kane sat upright. "Bernard," she began, straightening her glasses, "Can you tell me the similarities between the two holidays? The similarities that you've just described to me?"

"What?" Bernard was confused. "About the magic?"

The doctor nodded, a huge smile on her face. "It's all about the MAGIC!" she said. "Without magic, life's adventures wouldn't be worth two gingerbread cookies!" She snapped her fingers, and Bernard's folder vanished. "When you realize what real magic is like, you'll know."

She dismissed Bernard with a knowing smile and a wave, sending him along with a quick note to Santa stating that he was cleared to return to his duties. She sat down at her desk and sighed, removing her glasses and twirling them between her stubby fingers. The faster Bernard recognised that the spirit of Christmas was in the magic, the faster he would be truly happy.

*

A/N: Hey guys! I know, I'm probably the worst person ever, but here's the (kind of short) update. I still really enjoy suggestions, criticisms (preferably the constructive kind, but if ever you need to take your unchanneled anger out on a poor, unsuspecting chick (right word?) like me, don't), and overall reviews!! Happy Easter, and I promise promise promise that there will be another update by the end of May! Over and out! ~Flyinghawk