Chapter Five – You'll be my only guiding light

Molly led Bernard down the hallway, towards the E.L.F.S. room. The earlier chaos in the North Pole had slowed, and the building was mostly empty. Molly assumed everyone was taking the opportunity to rest after the craziness.

"You can fly those jet pack thingers right?" she asked, walking straight to the doors.

Bernard pulled Molly to a stop and frowned. "Well yeah, but we only use them for emergency situations. E.L.F.S. equipment is very difficult to keep up, and not supposed to be used on a whim."

Molly snorted. "Well, this is a whim, but it's also an emergency… technically… so, we're going to go in there, you're going to hook up a jet pack, and the two of us are getting out of here." She pulled away from Bernard's grip, and grabbed the handle the big doors that led into the room.

Much to her surprise, the doors that looked like they swung open easily in the movies were actually extremely heavy. It took throwing her whole body weight into it to pull open the doors, completely disrupting the dramatic entrance she had hoped for into the room.

Unlike the rest of Santa's workshop, the E.L.F.S. room looked very normal. Rather than being filled with extravagant colours and decorations it looked like a standard locker room. This fact alone gave Molly reason to start meditating on if there was more to Christmas Elves than what they made kids believe in the movies. Still… she could try to figure that out later. For now, she had a depressed elf and a mission to cheer him up to worry about.

"Are you coming?"

Bernard looked conflicted. On the one hand, as head elf, rules really needed to be adhered to. On the other, he found himself completely caught off guard by Molly's mischievousness. He also had to admit that he was curious as to her solution to his current demeanour. And, if he was being honest, getting away from the North Pole for a while held far more of a pull to it than he would ever admit out loud.

With a nod, he followed her into the room, then went straight to the storage locker and began pulling out equipment.

"So where are we going?" he asked as he began to check all the dials and wires to make sure everything was set and ready to go.

"It's a surprise." She was slowly turning in circles eyeing the lockers with a contemplative look on her face.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to figure out which locker would have a jacket big enough for me in it." She trailed her finger along the names posted on the lockers, almost as if she was looking for one in particular. Her finger stopped at Quentin's locker. She crinkled her nose as she did, what Bernard could only assume were calculations in her mind, as she waved her finger about.

"You could have just asked me you know. I do have multiple jackets." Bernard pointed out.

"But where the fun in that?" she asked as she pulled a hairpin out of her hair, smiled innocently, then picked the lock.

Bernard looked at her, raising an eyebrow at the mischievous grin that was spread across her face as she pulled out a coat and tried it on. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Molly shrugged. "Movies?"

Bernard snorted. "Somehow, I don't feel inclined to believe that."

The coat, much to Molly's pleasure, fit her just right. She had been fairly certain that she was close to Quentin's size, but one could never really tell just from a movie. She walked over to Bernard and reached over to take the jetpack from him.

Bernard laughed and swung it over his own shoulder. "You think I'd trust YOU with this?"

Molly pouted but didn't respond. Secretly, she was thrilled, as it meant that Bernard would have to hold onto her, whether it be her hand or around her waist. It was the kind of thing that every fangirl would want to happen, though Molly realized it would be very dumb to make Bernard aware of that fact.

"So where are we going?" Bernard inquired as he fastened the buckles and pressed his watch to open the smaller departure hatch directly within the locker room.

"Toronto," Molly grinned. "Just touch down somewhere near the Yonge and Dundas Square and we'll walk from there."

"You want to land in downtown Toronto, at NIGHT?" Bernard wondered if she actually knew where they were going – somehow the idea of going downtown in a large city in the middle of the night didn't seem all that safe.

"It's going to be fine," she replied, another mischievous grin. "I know the city well enough. We'll be fine."

Bernard didn't seem convinced.

"Just trust me, please?"

The mischief in her eyes settled into something else – something genuine, and maybe a bit intense and earnest. Like she believed in her very soul that this would truly help him. He contemplated a snippy remark about having just met her and trust needing to be earned, but he realized he was far too tired to engage in banter right now. With that, Bernard sighed and nodded.

"Very well."

Bernard activated the jets and held out his hand. Molly hesitated, taking a deep breath. Maybe it was the adrenaline finally wearing off – or perhaps it was the small action of holding Bernard's hand, but reality crashed on her like an anvil in that moment. As much as this was the movie she had loved and adored, and standing before her was the character she had crushed on since she was nine, this wasn't fiction. Regardless of whether this world truly existed or it was some strange manifestation, in this moment, the Bernard standing before her wasn't a character. He was a real, living breathing person. And regardless of whether she could control the actual feelings of a crush, he didn't deserve to have her obsession seeping into every interaction. He deserved to be treated like more than his character.

With that, Molly took a deep, steadying breath once more and took his hand, willing herself to ignore the rush of electricity sparking through her. This trip was about Bernard – about giving him a chance to get away from the space he never left. And she intended to keep her intentions focused on the right thing.

Bernard pressed the controls and the two slowly lifted into the air, hovering slightly for a moment before moving upwards more quickly.

As they moved out into the open sky, Molly was smacked with the realization that there was one element of this trip she hadn't thought through – her overwhelming fear of heights.

They climbed higher into the sky and her facial expression quickly shifted from one of bold determination to being extremely terrified, on the verge of tears, and whiter than a sheet.

Bernard took no notice until Molly, unable to contain her fear any longer, swung herself around suddenly and latched onto him, clutching so tight it almost caused his breath to hitch.

"Uhh… I'm really flattered and all," Bernard began, "but we did just meet." He started to push her off, not noticing the look of sheer terror on her face.

Molly responded by bursting out in tears.

"Whoa… I didn't mean it in a bad way… I mean, you're cute and all, and seem to be pretty cool, but uhm…" he rambled, feeling his cheeks grow hot. He knew he must be blushing from the neck up but couldn't stop it. He was confused and slightly embarrassed.

"It's-not-you, you idiot," Molly choked out. "I'm petrified of heeeiiiggghhhhts." The last part came out in a wail as she buried her face in his coat.

For the first time that evening, Bernard burst out laughing. "You're afraid of heights?"

Molly stopped her crying to glare up at him. "Not afraid. Petrified. And it's not funny."

Still laughing, Bernard shook his head slowly. "So, being terrified of heights, you decided to bully me into taking a jet pack, to fly over the world?" For the second time that night, he held out a hand to her. "You're going to be okay," he said softly. "Nothing will happen to you so long as I'm holding your hand."

Molly sniffed and slowly shifted from clinging to him to holding onto his hand. Her whole body was shaking and she gripped his hand so tightly it almost hurt, but even in her fear, she returned the trust he was showing her in taking this trip.

Bernard had to admit to himself that it felt kind of nice to have that sort of close contact, if even for a minute. It had been well over two hundred years since he had even thought of holding someone that close, feeling that kind of intimate interaction. Not that he was thinking of wanting that now, he quickly told himself, pushing the thought aside.

"So tell me a little about yourself," he asked, trying to keep her mind off their height from the ground.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Well, I'm from a small town in Southern Ontario. I've lived there all my life…"

The rest of the journey took another fifteen minutes, and Bernard listened intently as the blonde told her life story. He had to admit, he was impressed with the strength the girl had, after hearing some of the things she and her family had been through. Death, it seemed, hounded the family's doorstep. Bernard couldn't help but wonder, after hearing all that, whether or not the girl's bubbly personality and optimistic attitude was a mask, or if she had genuinely walked away from everything with such a positive outlook.

The Toronto skyscape was lit up, glittering with multicoloured lights that shimmered over the ice-covered Lake Ontario. The CN Tower was lit in red and white for Christmas, and as they neared their destination, Bernard was caught off guard by just how bright and flashy everything was. He watched in amazement as he slowly guided himself and Molly to the ground.

They landed just to the far southeast corner of Yonge and Dundas Square, using some of his Christmas magic to keep them concealed until they could safely emerge from the shadows.

"It always catches me off guard how much larger than life it feels here," Molly said breathlessly, looking around in wonder. "It almost feels surreal."

"Do you come here often?" Bernard asked, shrugging off the jetpack and pressing a small button on its side that caused it to shrink to a pocket-sized storage device.

"Very rarely. Never alone. The last time I was here was a few years ago, on a school trip."

Bernard blinked. "How can you know where we're going if you've barely ever been here?!"

She grinned. "I have a vague idea. Besides, it's as much about getting to the destination as it is about the adventure to GET there."

Bernard shook his head slowly but couldn't help from smiling slightly. "So what exactly would one be able to find at—" he glanced at his watch as it shimmered and shifted to local time "—ten at night?"

Molly whistled. "10? Man, this whole night of Christmas Eve time thing is weird."

"That's the magic of Christmas – things are… time is…" Bernard paused, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "Time is a weird soup."

"A weird soup?"

"Yes. Exactly."

Molly crinkled her nose again, Bernard noting that this seemed to be the face she made any time she was concentrating really hard on a thought. "How exactly is time a weird soup."

He shrugged. "Beats me. It sounded right at the time."

Molly laughed, then grabbed his hand and started walking forward, dragging him along. "This is Toronto. Ten at night is still early! I guarantee where we are going is still open."

They walked through the city in silence for the most part, looking in wonder at the many different buildings, taking in the people, the sights, the sounds. At some point in their walk, Molly had let go of Bernard's hand and slipped her arm through his as she led him along with purpose. They passed another large open space, with cement arches and an ice rink filled with people. Bernard had to admit, as little time as he spent in the populated parts of this world, there was a strange beauty and a sense of serenity that hung over their cities. Even with all the horns, alarms, and overwhelming sounds.

"Aha! There we are!" Molly exclaimed, shaking Bernard from his thoughts.

He followed her gaze across the street to a small coffee shop with an open sign flashing in the window. It looked like a quaint little place, and Bernard allowed Molly to pull him across the street.

"What is it with you humans and coffee?" he asked.

Molly shrugged. "It's wonderful, it's warm, and it's energizing. Plus, it tastes amazing."

"Yeah, but hot chocolate is the same," Bernard pointed out.

"Maybe for elves, but hot chocolate doesn't really give me energy. That's what coffee is for."

Bernard slipped his hand from Molly's to hold open the door for her. He gave her a kind of lopsided grin as they entered the shop.

"Well, that explains all your energy," Bernard chuckled.

"Nah, I haven't had a coffee in a few days, this is just me normally."

Bernard paused for a moment, wondering if he would be able to handle the girl on caffeine if this was her normally.

"Merry Christmas," the man behind the counter said glumly as the two approached. His expression and unenthusiastic response caught Bernard off-guard. He realized there was no reason to expect cheerfulness – humans were rarely as cheerful as elves, and the man was likely unimpressed to be working on Christmas Eve.

Molly smiled kindly at the barista and pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of her pocket, then dropped it in the woefully bare tip jar. He looked surprised, then smiled gratefully.

"What can I get you?" He asked, looking between the two.

"I'll have a large hot chocolate," Bernard ordered, "With extra whip-cream please."

He heard a small snort escape from Molly and looked over.

"What?"

"You are worried about me drinking coffee, and you're about to have a large hot chocolate in this late at night?"

Bernard just shrugged in response.

Shaking her head, Molly rattled off her order. "Caramel Dulce Latte, medium please, soya milk, with whipped cream," she rattled off.

"Order that much?" Bernard teased.

"All the time."

Molly paid for their drinks then picked a table in the back corner of the café and sat down, Bernard following. They sat quietly for a few minutes, each enjoying their drinks. Molly was staring at out the window at the soft snow that had begun falling, chewing her lip and crinkling her nose again.

"So, what was the point of this?" Bernard asked, looking around the quiet coffee shop. He wasn't really sure where he had expected Molly to take him, but he had expected something louder, like a nightclub, or somewhere full of people. He hadn't pictured her as the quiet, coffee shop type.

Molly shifted her gaze from the window to Bernard.

"The point, my dear Bernard, was to get you out of the North Pole and somewhere a little more relaxing," she explained, taking off the jacket and pulling up one of her knees so that she was hugging her leg as she settled into the chair. "Coffee shops are my favourite places to go and unwind… although usually, with a book or a notebook."

"I'm sorry, but I really can't picture you being the type hidden away in a coffee shop with your nose in a book," Bernard teased, noting that her whole demeanour had shifted into something calmer – something, perhaps, even more natural than her previous almost-hyper state. He realized there had been glimpses of this earlier in the night – in moments where she was distracted from all that was going around her and focused on something or someone else than the chaos. Like when she had first picked up on the stress dragging him down so heavily.

Molly shrugged. "Believe it or not, I'm actually a huge bookworm and a writer. I prefer the solitude of being alone in a coffee shop to being around a large group of people."

This also surprised Bernard. From the little amount that he had seen and spent with Molly, she struck him as the kind of person that was a social butterfly and preferred lots of friends to being alone. He would never, in a million years have pegged her as someone, well, someone more like him, more of an introvert.

"I'm actually quite socially awkward," she admitted shyly, taking a sip from her latte. "That's part of why I love reading and writing so much – I don't have to worry about the impression I make on the characters."

"You didn't seem that awkward earlier this night. You seemed… bold? Like you knew exactly where you were going and what you wanted to say." Bernard laughed as he thought back to their semi-public blowout. "And you certainly didn't seem bothered by the crowd of elves when you were yelling at me."

Molly blushed. "To be fair, I didn't really know the crowd of elves was there at first. I don't really know how to act around people. I get this, weird anxiety I guess? My brain feels like its spinning and I overcompensate with being bubbly and hyper out of sheer panic. Crowds, people I don't know? They make me want to run away and hide."

Bernard was surprised, but he realized pleasantly so. He hadn't met someone who quite understood that sense of overwhelm he also got around large groups. This was mostly because elves were naturally drawn to crowds and cheer and socializing. Bernard had always been the odd one out. "Well, this might sound strange as well, but despite being Head Elf, I'm kind of socially awkward as well."

"I kind of guessed that one already," Molly teased.

"It's hard, being Head Elf. I think I had more social skills before I got the position. Don't get me wrong, I have friends – Judy has been my friend for over 300 years, and Quentin and I share a good laugh now and again. It's just hard, to be their boss, and their friend."

Molly listened intently, sipping away at her coffee but not saying a word. Bernard was slightly surprised at how easy it was to talk to her, at how easily he began to unload all his burdens. He hadn't wanted to pour his problems out, but once he started, it just wouldn't stop. Bernard hadn't even realized this had all been bubbling around inside of him.

"And then there's this whole Santa thing. I mean, you would think someone would be thrilled to be Santa Claus. Sure, there's that whole adjustment period for adults to believe, but never has a Santa been THIS un-accepting!" He stopped and flushed slightly. "Sorry… I've been whining for over an hour now."

Smiling, Molly shook her head. "Don't apologize – this was the point of getting you away, to let it all out."

Bernard smiled sheepishly at her. "I don't think I've ranted like that in… well, ever."

"You know… this may be why you have such rage issues, you bottling it all up and everything."

"What are you a counselor now?"

Molly shrugged. "I can be whatever you want me to be." Realizing exactly how that sounded, she stammered. "Uhm, uhh. Well, you know what I mean."

Bernard laughed. "Just, can you tell me one thing? This Scott Calvin… do things get any better with him?"

"If they happen like in my movies, yes."

He breathed a soft sigh of relief, then reached across the table and squeezed Molly' hand slightly. "Thank you for this."

"You're welcome." Molly squeezed his hand back, then withdrew it politely before glancing over at the clock. "Wow… it's after midnight already. Should we get back?"

Bernard smiled. "If you are still awake enough, how about a little walk through downtown? It seems like the perfect night to see the city."

Molly clasped her hands together excitedly. "Really? Oh my gosh that would be amazing!"

He nodded and stood to his feet, then held out his arm. "Shall we?"

Without a moment of hesitation, Molly leapt to her feet and slipped her arm through his. They bid the barista goodnight and made their way back out into the cold.

Bernard made an adjustment to his watch and flashed Molly a lopsided grin. Gold flecks and sparkles began to swirl around the two of them, creating a warm breeze. After a few seconds the flecks and sparkles faded leaving just the warmth in its wake. They walked back into the calming city streets, chatting away.