Cocoa Butter Kiss

When can we leave?

"When can I get outta here?"

Scott asks, looking at Bernard. He wants to leave this place that his son seems to love and his daughter understand. Scott could never seem to get Alexis to stop believing in Santa, for whatever reason. She just won't believe him.

"Dad, you have to see this place!"

Charlie squeals, running up and preventing Bernard from answering. Alexis was generally a quiet person, but she was extremely affectionate with certain people. Charlie was one of those people.

"You leave tomorrow morning. You have eleven months to get your affairs in order and you're due back here by thanksgiving."

"I'm not coming back here during thanksgiving."

Scott protests, looking down at his son and then over at his daughter. He then looks back at Bernard, giving a disapproving look.

"I'll ship the list to your house."

Bernard says, gritting his teeth. This was starting to get to him. Her father was lucky that Alexis was here, Bernard would've lost his temper a while ago if it wasn't for her.

"What list?!"

Scott says, not getting it. There was only one list for Santa, and yet he still didn't get it. Even Alexis didn't know that her father was just that dumb. She still somehow loves him, though. How? Well that was a mystery that Scooby-Doo will have to solve.

"You know, the list."

Bernard says, trying to get him to realize exactly what list he was talking about. It's not like it was hard to think of, considering that there was multiple songs including Santa and a list.

"He's making a list."

Bernard sings softly after a sigh. It seemed that this would be the only way to get through to Scott. Scott Calvin. A smart toy maker, but as dumb as a rock in nearly every other category.

"Checking it twice."

Charlie continues, singing louder than Bernard. All of the elves heard. All of them. Charlie didn't feel bad about it. Alexis hummed along with the melody.

"Gonna find out who's naughty or nice."

The elves finish off the verse for them. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out what list Bernard was talking about when he said 'the list' now.

"Ugh. Look. You put a 'P' next to the kids who are nice and a 'C' next to the naughty ones."

Bernard explains, trying to make sure that Scott did the list right. That was one thing his daughter couldn't do for him. She couldn't tell who was naughty or nice, he could. So, therefore, he had to do the list.

"P and C?"

Their father questioned, trying to figure out something even his eight year old had figured out on his own. It was pretty self explanatory, and yet, their father still could not understand it. Alexis had to have gotten her brains from her mom because she understood everything within thirty minutes of working with it.

"Yeah! 'P' for presents. 'C' for coal. Right, Bernard?"

Charlie said, figuring it out for their dad. Scott wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, and both of his children knew that. They didn't say anything, though, because he'd get all defensive. And you can't have a productive conversation when you're yelling at each other.

"Right."

Bernard confirmed, giving Charlie a small smile and a nod. Alexis had spent a good two hours with Bernard, and there's not one person he's as nice to as he is to Charlie. Bernard had a soft spot for kids — Charlie in particular.

"Wait a minute, how do I know who's good and bad?"

The father asked, not understanding these things. Everyone but him knew that Santa can't constantly watch kids, apparently. Santa's a human. And human beings need food, rest, to use the bathroom, and have other things to do. Santa can't be watching people at all times.

"You'll know."

Bernard said, pushing past a few elves and to the staircase. He only makes it down one or two steps before Scott's next words, which have him turning around and walking right back up those steps.

"What if I don't wanna do this?"

Scott put up, giving the impression that he was serious. He didn't want to be Santa Clause. He only put on the stupid suit and got in the stupid sleigh for his kids. He didn't think that there'd be strings attached.

"Don't even kid about a thing like that."

Bernard's voice was oh so serious, implying that this was not something he'd ever joke about. Based on Alexis' mental profile of him, he was someone who had a good sense of humor when he wasn't working.

"Come on. What if I don't buy into this whole Santa Clause thing? What if I choose not to believe it?"

Scott throws that statement out into the open. For all ears to hear. The elves slowly stop working and look at him, and awkward silence filling the workspace when the clatter and clang of work used to be.

"Then there will be millions of disappointed children around the world. See, children hold the spirit of Christmas within their hearts. You wouldn't want to be responsible for killing the spirit of Christmas, would you... Santa?"

Bernard says, looking Scott straight in the eye. But that's not what it through to Scott. What got it through to him was the icy look his baby girl was giving him as of daring him to say something wrong.

"Judy will take you to your room. Get out of the suit, it needs to be cleaned."

Bernard continues after a small pause, letting the reality of what that would mean sink in. Now, he was talking about sending Scott and Charlie to go sleep. He was also now just talking away about the cleaning of the suit.

"And taken in!"

The father says, sarcasm lacing his voice. The Santa suit was too big now, sure, but it won't be that way for too long. It'll fit by thanksgiving, without a doubt.

"Then get some sleep. We've got a lot of work to do and only a year in which to do it."

Bernard replied, ignoring the man's sarcasm. That will be a repeating theme. Bernard chooses to ignore many things that people say so he doesn't get pissed off at them.

"Now, as for you, you're coming with me."

He said, turning to Alexis and dragging her along with him. It has been a while since a Santa has had children, much less two. In addition to that, the kids usually aren't sixteen!