Two Heads Are Better Than One

Two Heads are Better then One
Part Fifteen

Bernard woke up and felt something pressed against him. It was warm and it only made him move closer. He opened his eyes and smiled as he saw Voltaire sleeping with her face turned towards him. He reached and felt her forehead. Her fever had gone down in the night, but she still was sick. Her face was still a little flushed and she was breathing through her mouth, signifying that she still had a stuffed up nose. He carefully pulled her left hand up from under the blankets and looked at it. It had gotten worse. While he was unwrapping her hand to let it breathe, Voltaire woke up.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" he asked stopping his movement and just delicately holding her hand.

"A little, but I'm fine," she said and just closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.

"Your hand has gotten worse, but your fever has gone down,," whispered Bernard.

"Mmm, that's good. Maybe I can go gift hunting for you then?" she said and opened one eye and looked at him as he finished unwrapping her hand.

"Me too," replied Bernard as he ran his hand through her hair.

"You want to get yourself a gift?" she asked.

"No, I need to get a gift for you. I had been traveling in the middle of no where, no place and no time to get you a gift," he said.

"Ah," was her reply. They continued to lay there for a little while, trying to fight off the sleep.

"Hey Bernard," said Voltaire.

"Yes Voltaire?" he asked.

"Were you suppose to be my gift from the Council?" He laughed.

"Yes, I was. I was actually standing outside your door when you and Mother Nature were talking."

"Well it was a good gift. I have to thank them the next time I see them."

"And then run away because you hate Council meetings."

"Exactly." They laughed and Voltaire opened her eyes and looked up at Bernard who stared back into her eyes.

"We should probably get up now," said Bernard, still staring into Voltaire's eyes.

"Probably," she said, not moving.

"Voltaire?"

"Hmm?"

"I've been thinking and, what if those elves that were being affected by Jack, were us?"

"Jack? Jack! He said something!" said Voltaire sitting up and remembering what the new and bright Jack had said to her.

"What did he say?" asked Bernard sitting up next to her.

"He said that he had been doing 'evil things' against you and me. And Mother Nature told me that the necklace you gave me was something she gave to all head elves and it was charmed so that they gave it to the person they love. Mother Nature said you love me, but you didn't know it," said Voltaire as she held out the necklace. Bernard was looking at it, and then up at Voltaire.

"So, I love you?" he asked. She looked at him.

"And now thanks to my big mouth you know it," said Voltaire. Bernard looked down at the sheets and then sighed and sat cross legged next to Voltaire. "I'm sorry, it must be hard to take in. I'll go make breakfast," said Voltaire sounding defeated. But when she tried to get up Bernard grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"No, it is easy to take in. Now that Jack's powers aren't working against us, we can now finally realize it," he said staring at her.

"Realize what?" asked Voltaire with a smile.

"Voltaire, I love you," he said. Voltaire just wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him straight on the lips. He smiled and kissed her back.

"I love you too," she replied after breaking the kiss.

"How did I know you would kiss me first?" asked Bernard laughing a bit.

"Because you're too much of a wimp to kiss me," said Voltaire laughing.

"Oh really? Well I'll prove you wrong," he said and kissed her with much more force. She smiled and kissed him back. After a while she stole his hat and broke the kiss by running out of the room and into her kitchen.

"Voltaire, even if I love you, that doesn't allow you to take my hat!" he yelled and ran after her. She was in the process of putting a tea kettle onto the stove. He walked over and stole his hat back before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You know what I just realized, we have made my mum very happy," she said as she turned around to face him. Bernard just laughed and pecked her on the lips.

"That woman probably already has the wedding planned out already. I'm going to go change," he said and left to his apartment. Voltaire just kept smiling to herself as she made some waffles. Bernard returned and sat down at her table.

"So do we need to go find a present for each other or is this enough?" asked Voltaire, not wanting to leave her apartment.

"I think this will work decent enough," said Bernard, "and should you really be cooking if you're sick. What is you get me sick?"

"Bernard, we already kissed, if you don't get sick from that then a little food won't hurt," she said and carried two plates of waffles to the table.

"You really should not be using your left hand," said Bernard as he watched her walk over and fill two mugs with hot chocolate.

"Well I didn't want sandwiches for breakfast," said Voltaire.

"I know how to make other things, like cookies," said Bernard as he took a bite of his waffles.

"Well I don't fancy cookies for breakfast either, I'm no 400 anymore," said Voltaire bringing the mugs over to the table and sitting down. They stayed quiet and finished their breakfast. When done Voltaire wrapped her hand up again and they went and sat down on the couch, telling each other what had happened while they weren't together.

"Curtis said he was the head elf! Can we go hunt him down?" asked Bernard getting up off the couch.

"Sure, let me get changed first," said Voltaire and she let to her bedroom and put on some clothes and her jacket. Bernard had his jacket on already by the time Voltaire made her way back into the living room. Bernard laced his fingers with Voltaire's right hand and they left her apartment and headed out. They passed a few elves who were staring at them and whispering with smiles on their faces.

"Is it just me or do I get the feeling that all the elves wanted us to get together," whispered Voltaire.

"Nah, I think it's just you," said Bernard. Voltaire just rolled her eyes and Bernard pulled her closer to him.

"Voltaire, Bernard fancy seeing you two together," said Santa as he was carrying a bag full of food.

"Don't try to fool us Santa we know it was you and the Council that set this up," said Voltaire.

"But we're glad you did," said Bernard as they smiled at each other and Santa looked between them.

"I knew you two would get together, I think the whole Pole did. I was just heading back to the Mrs. want to come see the baby?" he asked shifting the bag of food.

"Sure," said Voltaire.

"But I was going to go kill Curtis," said Bernard.

"Kill him when we vacation is over," said Voltaire and they followed after Santa to his room where Mrs. Clause was resting on the couch and the baby was in her arms.

"Hey you two," said Mrs. Claus looking up from her baby and seeing them holding hands," you aren't, together are you?" she asked.

"Took them long enough huh?" asked Santa.

"Well what matters is that you are finally together. Would you like to hold the baby?" asked Mrs. Claus.

"Uh," said Bernard and he turned to Voltaire.

"Go on," said Voltaire and she gently pushed him forward a bit. Mrs. Claus carefully put him into Bernard's arms and he held him carefully and looked very uncomfortable. That's when the baby started wiggling around a bit. Then he started crying and Voltaire couldn't help but laugh.

"Voltaire want to hold him now?" asked Bernard as he tried to keep his hold on the squirming, crying baby. Voltaire just laughed and walked over and carefully took the baby from Bernard's arms and held him and quieted him down.

"Aw, he likes you," said Mrs. Claus.

"Don't worry Bernard he cries when I hold him too," said Santa putting a hand on Bernard's shoulder.

"You look really tired Santa have you gotten any sleep?" asked Bernard.

"Nope, I came home and little Buddy was crying his eyes out and Carol was still to tired to get out of bed. But things will become easier, just wait till you have children," said Santa. Bernard went wide eyed and Voltaire nearly dropped Buddy.

"Not too soon hopefully," said Voltaire handing Buddy back to Mrs. Claus.

"Right you have to get married first," said Mrs. Claus, which didn't help.

"Speaking of marriage, have you talked to your mother recently, Voltaire?" asked Santa.

"No why?" asked Voltaire confused.

"She called me recently asking how you two are," said Santa.

"Oh thanks, I should probably call her," said Voltaire. She left with Bernard and went back to her apartment.

"You know, I think you should move into my apartment," said Bernard as they sat on the couch.

"Don't you think it is a little too soon?" asked Voltaire.

"Well considering that we are already really close friends, and the fact that we know that each night one of our apartment rooms are highly likely going to be neglected," said Bernard.

"True. I guess we always acted like a couple but never fell or noticed we were in love because of Jack, right?"

"Right."

"I still don't understand why Jack wouldn't like us being together. I know he acts like my older brother, but even older brothers are that older protective, are they?"

"Not that I know of. We'll just have to ask Mother Nature where he is the next we see her."

"Good plan. Anyway, sure, we should probably move into your apartment though, seeing how it's bigger, which means you have more junk then I do."

"We can move tomorrow, tonight we can stay here."

They both continued to talk through the rest of the day, at one point they did go outside to have a snow ball fight against Curtis. Santa had sent him over to their apartment and Bernard had to establish that he was the head elf, not Curtis. It was now after dinner and Voltaire was on the phone with her mum.

"No mum, you don't need to come," said Voltaire, Bernard just laughed at her feeble attempts to keep her mother away.

"I know this is a big deal to you, I saw you last vacation, plus weren't you and dad going somewhere? You didn't decide, well you don't need to come here, it's okay. I just called to tell you, 'cause I thought you'd want to know. No, yes I know, MUM! We just go together this morning, I know we are already moving in with each other but we aren't not that far in our relationship to do that. Okay, I'll call you later, bye," and with that Voltaire hung up and slammed the phone down on the table.

"Not far enough in our relationship to do what, get married?" he asked joking as she sat down next to him.

"No something most newlyweds do on their wedding night," said Voltaire crossing her arms and watching Bernard's reaction. He got rid of the smile on his face quite fast.

"Oh, well. How are you feeling?" asked Bernard in his desperate attempt to change subjects.

"Better, I guess, my hand still hurts but I feel less stuffed up then I did this morning."

"That's good."

"When do you think we'll see the council next?"

"New Years, the party is at the workshop this year."

"Good it's not too far away."

"Why?"

"Well I want to find out where Jack is so I can ask him why he was so persistent in keeping us apart."

"Oh, yeah, that has been bothering me a bit too."