The Christmas Clause : Bernard and OC

Charlie

'I sent Dasher down for some Brazilian cocoa beans.' Abby smiles as she walks towards Scott's desk, a tray of cocoa in her hands. Walking over to his desk in realisation, Scott looks down at the young elf, 'What's the bad news?' he asks. 'What do you mean?' Ask Abby, acting all happy, like she was trying to hide something. 'Whenever you play the designer bean card, you have bad news.' Scott says, leaning against his desk, Bernard just behind him. After placing her tray on the desk, Abby lifts the Naughty Nice list from under her arm before giving it to Scott.

'What are you doing with the Naughty and Nice list?' Scott asks, slightly confused as he takes it from her hand. 'Don't shoot the messenger.' Abby replies as Scott begins to unroll the list. Placing his glasses on his nose, Scott looks down at the papers, confused. 'It's Charlie.' The young elf exhales looking up at Scott, her face changing from smile to fear. 'Sheen?' Scott asks, searching for the name Charlie on his list. 'I thought he straightened out?'

'Not that Charlie.' Abby fears, looking up at Bernard. Giving her the side eye, Bernard looks back up at Scott, waiting for him to notice. 'My Charlie.' Scott looks at the two of them, wanting answers. 'My son Charlie?' Abby fearfully nods at Scott. 'Ahhh.' Punch and Judy shout, making them turn to the scared puppets. 'He's on the Naughty list?' Scott asks, turning around at the scared elf in front of him. Abby looks up at her head elf, like asking for some help. Bernard simply shrugs, allowing Scott to continue.

'There's gotta be a mistake.' Scott tries defending his son, turning his gaze between the Head Elf and Abby. 'We don't make mistakes.' Abby shakes her head before looking back up at her boss. 'Does Noel know?' Scott asks Bernard. 'Not yet.' He replies looking away from Scott and down to Abby, tilting his head as if he's asking her to leave. 'I'm sorry, Santa.' Abby looks down at her tray. 'Please excuse me.' She curtsies before lifting the tray and leaving the room, passing a confused Noel, accompanied by Curtis who wheels in a line of magnifying glasses bigger than him.

'How could this happen?' Scott asks Bernard. 'Is this what you were trying to tell me?' Bernard holds his hand to his chin before walking away from Scott to Noel. 'Great! You told him!' Curtis cheers as he stops in the room with the giant microscope. Noel follows and stands beside Bernard, resisting eye contact with him. 'You asked for me?' She says looking over at Scott. Shrugging his shoulders, Scott walks over to his niece. 'I didn't.' He says looking down at her, confused. 'I did.' Bernard states in a dusit tone. Noel turns to him, slight anger from earlier still in her eye.

'Let's get you dressed for that meeting.' Curtis says, breaking the tension between the couple. 'I can't have the meeting here. I'm gonna have to see Charlie.' Scott sighs, waking over to his fireplace. Noel straightens at the thought of Charlie. What has he done? What has happened? Is he ok? 'Charlie?' Noel perks in panic. 'Is he ok?' She asks, holding onto her uncle's broad shoulder. 'Yeah, he um.' Scott struggles with his words before pointing at the Naughty Nice list. Looking over at the open list on his desk, Noel gasps. 'He's on the naughty list?' Scott nods.

'Why didn't you tell me?' Noel shouts at Bernard as she walks over to him. 'I was, but it's complicated.' Bernard stutters, stepping back as his girlfriend grows nearer. 'Wait?' She whispers before turning back around to Scott. 'Scott?' Noel asks, waiting for her uncle to raise his head. 'Are you? You look.. Um, different.'

Bernard turns to Curtis before nodding his head. 'Number two, tell him now.' He grunts in anger. 'Tell him what now?' Noel asks, leaning against Scott's desk, occasionally looking down at the Naughty Nice list. 'Tell me what, guy? Come clean.' Scott demands at his two elfs. Taking a glance at each other, Bernard signals Curtis to explain. 'Santa, there's a clause.'

'That would be me.' Scott smiles pointing to himself. 'No, I mean there's another Santa Clause.' Curtis explains, Bernard smiles at the success of his number two. 'Curtis, in case you haven't noticed, this time of year, the malls are filled with other "Santa Clauses"' Scott sighs, creating quotation marks with his fingers. Noel rolls her eyes at her uncle, 'Your saying there's another Clause. Like Clause Clause?' Noel asks, looking down at Curtis.