Where Are You Christmas? (A The Santa Clause Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: The Night Before Christmas

"Oh, hmm~. Where are you Christmas~? Why can't I find you~? Why have you gone away~?" 

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Heidi's POV

We were sitting in the car, waiting for dad to show up. I sighed.

"Can we just spend Christmas with you guys?" I asked.

"Sweetie, I would love for you guys to spend Christmas with us, but you know the rules. You spend Christmas with dad." Mom said.

"You do see the two of us for the whole year." Neal said.

"Yeah. Well, it looks like he isn't coming." I muttered.

"Heidi." Mom warned.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to have a good Christmas this year." I said. Mom sighed.

"I know. Me too." She muttered.

"He's here." Charlie said. Charlie, me, and mom got out of the car.

"Alright. Let's go." Mom said.

"Bye, Charlie. Bye, Heidi." Neal said.

"Bye, Neal." We said.

"Oh! Sorry I'm late. Hi." Dad said, walking up to us.

"Hi." Mom said.

"Did you want to come for in a minute?" Dad asked.

"Neal's waiting in the car, so...." mom trailed off.

"Why doesn't he come in?" Dad asked.

"Cause, dad, he says you'll just end up saying something snotty." Charlie said.

"Not necessarily. Could be rude or sarcastic. Whatever it takes." Dad said. Dad waved to Neal. Neal waved back.

"See? I gotta go." Mom said.

"Come on. Come on. It's Christmas Eve. Just a minute." Dad said. "Watch those steps. They're real slippery." Dad opened the door, and mom slipped. "Told ya." Me and Charlie walked in. I hung up my coat. And I walked up the stairs to my room. I heard a car horn. I put my bag on my bed, and I walked out. I walked downstairs, and saw my parents arguing about Charlie not believing in Santa because of Neal. Then, my name came into the conversation.

"Heidi knows there's a Santa." Dad said.

"Scott, Heidi stopped believing in Santa when she was 10." Mom said.

"Oh. Did Neal tell her that too?" Dad asked, sarcastically. They started going back and forth. I had enough. I walked down the rest of the stairs.

"Why do you guys always have to fight?" I shouted. They both turned to me. I crossed my arms over my chest. Charlie stood next to me.

"Heidi, Charlie, we're not fighting. It's your mom singing." Dad said.

"It sounds a lot like fighting, doesn't it? Cats even." Dad pretended to howl like a cat. "The trouble is, Neal and your mom, they don't believe in Santa. Because they were really naughty. Which is why they'll probably get lumps of coal in their stockings."

"Dad, I'm not 5 years old. I'm 13. I'm not a kid anymore. And I'm not stupid." I said.

"Besides. I don't know." Charlie said. "It seems kind of babyish to believe in that kind of stuff."

"What are you talking about? I believe in Santa Claus. I'm not a baby." Dad said.

"Well..." mom said.