Forever Our Mistletoe (Bernard the Head Elf x reader: 3rd book of the Trilogy)

8.

"I know you're upset," Scott said.

"You picked up on that, did you?" Bud asked sarcastically.

"Bud, what is that supposed to mean?" Scott questioned, as he turned to his father-in-law.

"Just that, if you weren't working all the time you'd know," Bud said.

"Maybe, you don't understand the pressure I'm under," Scott stated.

"Well, maybe it's not as bad as being ripped away from your family and told you can't see them anymore!" Bud snapped.

"Dad..." Carol trailed off.

"Well, maybe that's why I invited you here, Bud," Scott said. "So Carol can be surrounded by family for love and support while I do things you can't even imagine. But, rather than make things work, it seems like you're trying to make things worse."

"We're leaving," Bud stated.

"What?" Carol asked in distress.

"Maybe, we shouldn't have come," Sylvia suggested.

"Maybe you're right," Scott agreed. "Maybe, you shouldn't have come."

"Dad, don't say that," Y/N cut in. "You don't mean it."

Bud and Sylvia looked at him in disbelief. Carol spoke up, her voice frail and shaky. "Maybe, I should never have come either."

Scott turned to her and opened his mouth to speak. "Don't say anything you'll regret." Jack quickly said.

"Dad... are you okay?" Y/N asked in concern.

"I think we all need to cool down for a second." Jack said. "Why don't you and I take a walk? Let's go. Let's just go."

"Wait, Dad!" Y/N called.

"Not now, little one," Jack sneered as he tapped Y/N's nose. Y/N backed away from Jack and looked at him in disgust. "This doesn't concern you."

Bernard protectively gripped Y/N's waist and glared at Jack as he walked away with Scott.

***

"It's over," Scott began. "I thought I had a second chance at having a family, but I blew it...again."

"Hey. There's no one I know who could hold this all together but you." Jack said.

"But I didn't," Scott reminded. "My in-laws resent me, Christmas is a disaster, and my pregnant wife wishes that she never had met me."

"I was gonna wait until tomorrow to give you this, but...I think you need a bit of a pick-me-up now." Jack said as he pulled out a small present wrapped in blue wrapping paper.

"I can't."

"Come on. Open it."

"I don't feel like it."

"It'll make you feel better." Jack urged.

"I don't feel like it, Jack"

"Come on, would you just open it?" Jack said. Scott sighed and took the present from his hands. "Thanks. So are there times when you wonder..."

Scott took off the bow. "Wonder what?"

"If this was even..." Jack trailed off.

"Worth it?" Scott asked. "More than you know."

"Tonight's one of these times, huh?" Jack asked.

"Wish I'd never put that red coat on."

"So... you wish you'd never become Santa at all?" Jack asked.

"I wish I'd never become Santa," Scott nodded.

"At all?"

"At all," Scott nodded. He opened the top of the present and placed the gift in his hand without looking at it. "At all. Yeah, at all. I wished I'd never been Santa at all. Happy?"

Scott looked down at the gift and his eyes widened. It was his snow globe.

"I am now," Jack grinned. He grabbed onto Scott and the two of them faded away.

***

Scott looked around. He was back at his old house. On his roof, was the old Santa. Jack stood up and called out to him. "Hey, you!"

"Ho ho... Uh-oh!" The Santa said. Jack had startled him and made him slip and fall off the roof.

Jack ran towards the coat that lied on the ground. Scott ran towards him and pushed him onto the ground.

"Get off me, blubber ball!" Jack insulted.

"I will not let you put on that coat!" Scott said.

"Oh, yeah? Watch me!" Jack pushed Scott off of him and as soon as Scott stood up, Jack hit him in the face with a shovel.

Scott fell backwards and Jack picked up Santa's coat. He put it on and tied the belt around him.

"You hit me with a shovel!" Scott shouted. He sat up and his eyes went wide.

"Adios, fatty!" Jack said as he faded away.

"No, Frost, no!"

(Hope you enjoyed it! As always have a good day/night! TOODLES!!!)