Two Heads Are Better Than One

Two Heads are Better then One
Part 3

Not surprisingly, Voltaire found Bernard sitting at a table in the kitchen with a cup of what she could assume was her new creation. She went over and put a hand on his shoulder while sitting in the seat next to him.

"Have any of the other Santa's been that difficult to convince?" he asked quietly.

"No, they usually catch on when they see the Clause. He'll come around, thanks to you," she said rubbing his back a bit.

"Do you want some help cleaning up the kitchen?" he asked looking at her. She looked around and found that it was relatively clean and there were hardly any elves left.

"Only if you want to," she smiled at him before getting up and telling the other elves that they can go help out in the workshop. They left and she started cleaning dishes. Bernard walked over and dried the dishes. They stayed silent through it all, too worn out to talk.

That night after checking the workshop over and locking up for the vacation, returning the day after New Years, Bernard and Voltaire made their way to their apartment building. They each were holding a bag that had their dinner in it. They decided that they would spend the rest of Christmas together and cooling down, so Voltaire made dinner to go and they went to Bernard's apartment since it was bigger.

They put their dinner on the coffee table in front of the couch and sat down and ate enjoying the relaxing moment. Soon they finished and Bernard turned to Voltaire and she just looked at him confused.

"Time?" he asked. She shrugged and they both got up. Bernard went into his bed room and Voltaire quickly ran next door to retrieve the colorfully wrapped box and raced back to Bernard's apartment where he sat waiting for her on the couch and a box, wrapped and topped with a bow, next to him. She sat down and they traded boxes. This was something they did every year.

"You first," said Bernard.

"No you, I was first last year," Voltaire said.

"Because ladies always go first," replied Bernard.

"Oh come on," she complained.

"Oh all right. Let's see what you got me this year." Bernard tore off the wrapping paper and wrapped the ribbon around his wrist. He opened the box and pulled out a long wool coat and a green and red knitted scarf.

"I made both, the scarf is my first attempt at knitting. You're always my guinea pig," Voltaire shrugged.

"I love it, I love both of them. I've been meaning to get a new jacket. Out grew the old one," he said.

"Eighteen hundred years old and you're still growing."

"Yea, now open yours."

"Okay, okay," said Voltaire and she unwrapped the box and put the bow on her wrist. She moved some tissue paper aside and pulled out a leather bound book. She opened to the first page and read out loud, " 'Dear Voltaire, we've had some amazing times and I think they should always be remembered. Your best friend, Bernard.'" She turned the page and saw a picture from the first day they met at elf school. "Oh thank you so much!" She exclaimed and captured Bernard in a huge hug. He laughed and she sat directly next to him and they spent the evening flipping through and reliving all the pictures. Eventually to fall asleep on the couch.

Throughout the next year, the business of toy making was topped with the watching of Scott Calvin to make sure his Santafication process was coming along nicely. Bernard sent the list to his house in the middle of summer and continued to monitor the workshop and then things happening to Scott. Voltaire was busy as ever making new recipes and making sure Bernard didn't terrorize the elves too much.

Thanksgiving in America came and things were getting hectic in Scott Calvin's life. He still did not believe in Santa, Charlie was trying to help but when Scott was no longer allowed to see Charlie, things took a turn for the worse.

"Bernard you have to go down there," said Voltaire one evening as she swept the floor of the kitchen.

"I know, but you know how uncomfortable I am amongst the humans," he said as he leaned against a counter.

"Then don't be seen by them. Just go get Santa and bring him here. It's crunch time," she said.

"Well wish me luck," he said and with that he disappeared leaving behind a dust of glitter. Voltaire continued to sweep and not before she saw Scott Calvin, now full Santa, and Charlie standing with Bernard in the kitchen.

"When I said here, I didn't mean here, here," said Voltaire leaning the broom against the wall.

"Voltaire!" exclaimed Charlie and he ran and hugged her. She patted his head and he let go.

"Welcome back, Santa," she said and Scott turned to her and nodded. Bernard then took both of the Calvins from the kitchen and showed them all the new add-ons and what not. Voltaire went back to sweeping when Quinton walked in holding a rolled up piece of paper.

"Hey Voltaire, can I ask you for something?" he asked with his British accent. Surely you didn't think the international man, Santa Claus, would only have American elves did you? No he gets them from all over the world, but only the finest elves pass onto Santa Status.

"Sure," she said putting the broom away and then sitting next to him at the table. He unrolled the paper and Voltaire stared at the blueprint for Santa's sleigh, but there were some slight changes.

"We plan to add a special device to his sleigh just in case he gets hungry or thirsty. It will dispense cookies and hot chocolate. We decided to use your cookies and expertise in how to keep the hot chocolate war without burning it, but we decided that we will go with Judy's hot chocolate, since Santa seems to like it so much," explained Quinton.

"Fair enough, although I don't think Santa has even tasted my hot chocolate. Anyway, yea, I'll come look at it when I'm done here," said Voltaire staring some more at the plans.

"Great, thanks. Mind if I steal a cupcake to go?" he asked as he rolled up the plans and looked at the freshly baked and frosted cupcakes.

"Nope, go right ahead," she said. He took one and waved as he left the kitchen. Voltaire went and asked a few elves to do the dishes and then went and finished decorating some gingerbread houses. She then went and delivered a house to each department and noticed she had one left over. Smiling to herself she grabbed her jacket and ran to her apartment building. She pulled out a key and left the gingerbread house on the table.

Voltaire returned to the workshop and made her way to the sleigh area. She saw both Quinton and Charlie working on it. She took her coat off and walked over to Quinton to see the plans again. He explained to her what she was to do and they set to work. Soon Scott and Bernard walked by and she nodded at both of them and went back to work.

"She doesn't like me much," said Scott once they had passed our of earshot of the sleigh.

"Why do you say that?" asked Bernard dutifully walking beside him with his arms behind his back.

"Well the last thing she said to me on Christmas was very harsh," said Scott.

"What did she say?"

"Something along the lines of 'no wonder my wife left me and my son hates spending time with me' or something."

"SHE SAID WHAT?!" Yelled Bernard turning around and about to go talk to her.

"Oh come on, I know you won't do anything to her. You two are too close, plus I kind of deserve it. After I treated you and the elves, and I bugged her a lot about you being her boyfriend," said Scott scratching the back of his head.

"You said what?!" asked Bernard turning to face Scott.

"Well even now you two seem closer then…are you sure that…well, you aren't together?"

"Santa, we're co-workers and neighbors. We work the hardest then any other elf here naturally we are close because we are the only people awake when we have time to bond. Now Judy has something to show you in Sewing," said Bernard and he started walking forward.

That night Bernard and Voltaire went home fairly early. Voltaire was sitting on her couch in her black flannel pyjama bottoms and a white long sleeved shit and reading when she heard a knock on her door. She told them to come in and she looked up when Bernard closed the door behind him. He was wearing red flannel pyjama bottoms and a grey long sleeved shirt with his hat still perched atop his head.

"Hey, sit down," said Voltaire moving her leg so there was room on the couch. He sat and she just put her feet on his lap. He put his feet on her coffee table and leaned back.

"Did you put that gingerbread house on my table?" he asked watching her as she read.

"Maybe," was her only reply as she finished the paragraph and marked her page then put the book on the table and looked at Bernard.

"How come I always get the left-overs when you make extras?" he said as he played with the blanket that was wrapped around her legs and draped on his lap.

"Because Santa is already fat enough and you hardly eat sweets as it is. And because I love torturing you," she replied.

"Santa is afraid you don't like him, because he keeps teasing you."

"The last time I talked to him was when we had to convince him he was the new Santa, and you know how that went. And if he knows that I don't like him teasing me, why doesn't he stop?"

"Touché. But you don't think we act like a couple do we?"

"Not that I noticed. I thought both of us were too busy for a relationship. I always saw as best friends."

"Same."

"Aww, you're my best friend forever," cooed Voltaire and she reached over and stole his hat.

"Hey!" he said trying to reach for it but couldn't, "Fine then. I have no other choice." He then removed the blanket that was laying on them and began to tickle the now bare feet that rested on his lap.

"AH! No…stop!" cried Voltaire between laughs and trying to get her feet free of his grasp.

"Only when I get my hat back."

"Okay," said Voltaire and she handed him his hat. He stopped his torture and picked up his hat and put it firmly back on his head. "You are evil," said Voltaire crossing her arms and bringing her feet to her.

"You are just as evil. You know I don't like people taking my hat," he said as he brought his feet up and crossed his arms as well.

"I should have never told you I was ticklish on my feet."

"Too late now. So want to help me eat a gingerbread house?"