The Workshop: A "The Santa Clause" Fanfiction. (Bernard x Female OC)

A Glimpse of Your World

January 1995

"Bernard," I stalked over to him in the middle of the Workshop. It had been a busy day, mid-January now, and with the start of the new year, there were lots of things that needed to be done. Elves rushed this way and that. Toy production was just beginning, and there were toys everywhere. "Are you going to tell me what you meant the other day? You know, what you said about my dad and the spontaneousness? You keep putting it off,"

"Angie, I've told you a million times... I need to wait until the time is right," He sighed, setting his clipboard on a nearby table and leaning against it. It was true, I had been asking him non-stop, but he always gave me an excuse about how he shouldn't have ever mentioned anything.

He had mentioned something about how Dad's coat choice wasn't as spontaneous as we thought, and it wasn't the first time he had hinted at this sort of thing either. I had been told by several elves that I was "chosen", a special kid that a Santa would gift his snowglobe to after magic "made him do it". It made me wonder if something similar happened with the whole "passing of the Santa torch". But, Bernard was adamant about not telling me, which was starting to annoy me.

"Well, when will that be?" I tilted my head to look at him.

"Just- You'll know when you'll know. But I can't say anything now." I frowned, but he squeezed my hands reassuringly. "I have to finish some work, but I'll talk to you as soon as I can, alright?" He gave me a small smile and kissed my cheek before his eyes widened dramatically, and he started yelling. "No no no no!" He quickly grabbed his clipboard again and ran off to go help something or another on one of the toy machines.  

"Angie!" I heard Judy's voice call from behind me.

I turned to look at her with a tired smile.

"Long day, huh? Can you believe it only gets more crazy from here?" She sighed and leaned on the table.

"Judy, how long have you and Theo been together?" I asked out of the blue.

"Hm, well..." She closed her eyes and started thinking, "I think it's been about... Well if I'm 1,501... I think it's been about 200 years?"

"200 years??" I gawked, "Why though, why not just... you know?"

"What, get married?" Judy laughed, "Why, I'm not really getting any older?" She laughed.

"Yeah, but that's like... If I was a human everyone I know wouldn't be able to come. If I waited 200 years my grandparents... my family, Charlie..."

"Did Bernard say something?" She grabbed my arm and pulled me out into the tea room where it was considerably quieter. "200 years isn't considered a long amount of time for some elves, but it really depends... some only wait 50 years if that's any better?"

"Well, when Dad, Bernard, and I went out, he had mentioned "courting". I got nervous because obviously I'm not anywhere near ready to be married, but then now I'm hearing all these elves mention that they dated... or courted- for centuries before settling down and that just seems crazy to me. I know I have plenty of time, but I want my family to be able to experience it too."

"That is a tough one..." Judy pursed her lips thoughtfully, cupping her mug of tea in her small hands.

"Bernard mentioned that Dad would age somewhat slower due to his magic, and Charlie is still little, so I'm not worried about them but... I don't know, maybe this whole thing is making me realize just how "mortal" everyone else I love is."

"I can't even imagine," Judy sighed, "I mean, I know my great-great grandparents on both my Dad and Mom's sides. I'd know the set beyond that but they moved to Cincinnati a few hundred years after I was born. They still call though,"