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

Chapter 5: Santa Looks A Lot Like Daddy

"I'm not the same one~. See what the time's done~. Is that why you have let me go?" 

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Heidi's POV 

(Time skip)

I was at home. I heard music blasting from Charlie's room. I sighed, and grabbed the Christmas cookie plate in my room. I walked over to Charlie's room, hoping that maybe these cookies could make him stop. I opened the door, and saw him pretending to be Santa. I smiled. I grabbed a elf hat, and put it on.

"Santa!" I called, making him look at me. "As head elf, I made it my job to get you THE best Christmas cookies ever." He grabbed one off the plate.

"Thanks, head elf Heidi. These are the greatest cookies I've ever had." He said. I chuckled. We played for some more, and then we went to bed.

(Time skip)

Neal was trying to convince Charlie that there was no Santa Claus. He's a kid. Let him believe whatever he wants for a while.

"Charlie, it's just not logical." Neal said. "How can one man, in one night, visit all the children of the world?"

"Not everyone celebrates Christmas." Charlie said. "And I think there's some sort of time continuum that breaks down once Santa's in his sleigh."

"What about fireplaces? A lot of people don't have them." Neal said. "How does Santa visit those people?"

"He turns into Jell-O and..." Charlie said, them made a slurping sound. "The fireplace kind of appears and he goes through it like this." He showed what he meant with his hands.

"What about the reindeer?" Neal asked. "Have you two ever seen a reindeer fly?"

"Yes." We said.

"Well, I haven't." Neal said.

"Have you ever seen a million dollars?" I asked.

"No." Neal said.

"Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." I said.

"Hi Neal. Howdy, sport, sweetheart." Dad said, walking into the room.

"Hi dad." Charlie said.

"You wanna take a walk? I wanna talk to you." Dad said.

"Sure. I'll get my coat." Charlie said, getting up, and leaving the room.

"Okay. Hustle up." Dad asked. "Sweetie?"

"No thanks. I'm just gonna go study for the test on Monday." I said, getting up.

"Okay." Dad said, I walked out of the room, but hid behind the wall to hear what they were saying.

"Scott? Can I have a minute?" Neal asked.

"Sure." Dad said.

"I think Charlie and Heidi are conflicted at the moment." Neal said.

"Wow. Really?" Dad asked, and he whistled. "Boy. Hmmm. Appreciate your analysis, I really do. Boy, you got more important things to worry about, you know. Like, where are you gonna get more sweaters after the circus pulls out of town?"

"Scott! I mean, you're not listening. We are very concerned about this." Mom said.

"Concerned about what?" Dad asked.

"This..." mom trailed off.

"If the kids spending time with you is the best thing for them." Neal said. I covered my mouth with my hand. They can't make us not see dad! I heard someone coming, so I ran up the stairs, into my room.

(Time skip)

Over the next few months, kids have been bullying me. I would come home from school, and ignore everyone but Charlie because he was the only one who would understand what I am going through. And every day, dad looked more and more like Santa. Today, I was at Charlie's soccer game. I was sitting on the ground, reading a book. I was waiting for mom and Neal to get here. I heard a car pull up. I closed my book, and I looked up. I saw mom and Neal walking towards us.

"Hi mom." Charlie said. I just waved.

"Oh my god. Oh my god." My mom said, looking behind me. I looked to see dad had a line of kids with him. I stood up, and walked over to mom.

"Hi. Hey." Dad said, walking over to us. "This is probably looks pretty odd, doesn't it? These kids lined up all by themselves."

"Scott, I think it's safe to say you're taking this Santa thing to an unhealthy level." Neal said. You wouldn't know unhealthy unless it hit you in the butt, Neal. Oh yeah, I'm still mad at him. Neal passed dad his card. "Here's my card. Call me."

"Scott, I really have to tell you that this is beginning to scare me. I never my wildest...well, no, okay, maybe my wildest..." mom said. "But certainly never in my normal dreams...but the this is Scott we're talking about."

"Laura, the point." Neal said.

"I never thought you would stoop to changing your physical appearance in order to make Charlie and Heidi like you." Mom said. "Do you have any concept of how dangerous this is to kids?"

"Whoa, whoa. "How dangerous"?" Dad asked, as mom grabbed my hand.

"Mom, what's the matter?" Charlie asked, coming over. Mom grabbed his hand too.

"Come on, kids. We're going home." Mom said.

"But we just started." Charlie said. We started walking away.

"You let them stay. I'll go." Dad said.

"If you don't get your act together, Scott, so help me.." mom trailed off.

"Mom!" I said.

"I will just..." mom trailed off. Mom pulled us to the car, and we got in.