Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.

"So remember," Santa Claus said to the small child sat on his knee, "if you're a good youngling, I will bring you lots and lots of presents!"

"Thank you, Santa!" The child beamed as he jumped to his feet, waving as he prepared to leave. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you…" Santa smiled with a wave in return. "…and may the Force be with you!"

The child blinked, his smile disappearing as his face filled with confusion over what Santa had told him. "What?"

"Oh, nothing! Nothing!" Santa said quickly as he realised his mistake. "You didn't hear anything."

"Come along, honey, let's go." The child's mother gently took his hand. "Santa has a lot of children waiting to see him."

The moment the puzzled child was led by his parent out of Santa's grotto, the bearded figure wiped his brow, letting out a sigh of relief.

"That was close…" Obi-Wan murmured to himself. "I can't let these younglings know I'm not the real Santa. I would've failed this undercover mission Master Yoda placed me on as part of my training."

The Jedi-in-Training tugged his robes around himself, making sure his lightsaber was concealed inside his red cloak, before calling out through the door of the grotto to the children waiting outside to meet him.

"Ho Ho Ho! Who's next to meet Santa?"

A scrawny small boy entered the wooden shack. His face lit up at once as soon as he saw the jolly-looking bearded figure sat before him before him. Believing he was looking upon the real Santa, he raced excitedly up to his throne before perching himself on his knee.

"Hello there!" Obi-Wan said, smiling.

"Hi, Santa!"

"And what's your name, little youngling?"

"Anakin!" The boy introduced himself. "Anakin Skywalker."

Obi-Wan gazed softly at the innocent-looking child sat on his knee. He looked sweet enough, not the sort which Santa would have to place upon his naughty list.

"And what would you like for Christmas, Anakin?"

Anakin beamed broadly up at Santa. He was sure he was with the very person who could make his wish come true.

"I wanna be a Jedi!"

Obi-Wan blinked. He was astonished to hear what this child wanted for Christmas. Most of the kids he'd spoken to that day had asked him for toys of all sorts. None of them had expected them to turn into what he was training to become himself.

"A Jedi?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Anakin grinned. "With my very own laser sword! I can't wait for you to bring me that so I can play with it on Christmas Day!"

The small boy proceeded to make lightsaber noises - failing to notice the bewildered way Santa was staring upon him. Obi-Wan knew he couldn't tell Anakin that becoming a Jedi wasn't something a person couldn't just get for Christmas. A lightsaber was not a toy to be played with. If Santa were to bring a child the weapon of a Jedi Knight, there would be severed arms before Christmas Dinner.

"Well…" Obi-Wan said, trying to keep up his charade. "If you're a good boy and think of others before yourself, then you may just have what it takes to become a Jedi-"

"YIPPEE!"

The happy cry which Anakin let out filled the whole grotto. He jumped down from Obi-Wan's throne and danced on the wooden shack, convinced his lifelong wish was going to come true on Christmas morning.

"Santa's gonna make me a Jedi! Santa's gonna make me a Jedi!"

Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head. A small smile crept upon his bearded face. Seeing how happy Anakin was, he didn't have the heart to tell him that he couldn't make his wish come true.

At least, Obi-Wan didn't think he was the one who was destined to make this boy become a Jedi…

"You'd better get going," he urged, eager to send the child on his way. "Merry Christmas, Anakin!"

"Merry Christmas, Santa!" Anakin grinned and bowed. "May the Force be with you!"

Obi-Wan watched as Anakin made his way cheerfully out of his throne. He rubbed his white-dyed beard. Of all the children he'd met during his time as Santa, this one had to be the most unusual.

"Nice boy…" he remarked to himself. "Bit of a strange one, thinking Santa can turn him into a Jedi. I know I certainly won't be doing that. It's not like I'll be seeing him again."

Obi-Wan shook his head as he chuckled softly to himself. He was certain he had seen the last of Anakin Skywalker.

"Well, it's not like he's a bad kid," he mumbled. "I can't see him causing any trouble. I don't know about him becoming a Jedi, but I certainly can't see him becoming a Sith Lord. There's no way a sweet little boy like him would ever join the Dark Side…"

THE END