TO: Santa

FROM: Midge

RE: No Subject

ATTACHED: Letters...

Nick...

These are too much for us elves to handle. I was thinking that they could use your personal attention... they might even need a little help from the Mrs.

You'll see what I mean once you start reading.

I swear... humans don't... I know... I know... if I can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.

These humans though...

It's enough to make a head elf eat a couple dozen cookies in one sitting.

Anyway... Only 16 days left until Christmas... and I know that I don't need to remind you that really that means you only have about 14 days to deal with them... At least they're all in the same area...

Let me know if you need my help with anything, as usual... I'm just outside the office and can be bought for a couple dozen cookies... LOL

Midge
Head Elf
Director of Personnel
& Chief Elf Officer

Love the start! Fantastic!


More soon, please!

Especially if they are sugar cookies with green, red and white icing, and those little chocolate sprinkles, in the shape of a Christmas tree, a star, you, Rudolf, candy cane, the little Baby Jesus, and even us elves!

Sincerely,

Lynn
Assistant to the Head Elf
Personnel
Santa's Workshop

Great start hun )

nice, really nice, cant wait for more!

poor elf. don't worry if he needs cookies let me know.
I can't wait to see what happens next.

Poor Midge! Hope this head elf will get the help! Can't wait for more!

Santa frowned for a moment. Midge had been his head elf for the last 100 years and she had never handed off a packet of letters this large... so close to Christmas. The only thing that he could figure is that the elves had honestly tried everything they could think of but still hit roadblocks within policy.

He sighed heavily, feeling every one of his 300 years. He glanced up when Margaret, his beautiful Mrs. Claus for the last 250 years, bustled in to his office carrying a tray. "Maggie, my sweet." He said affectionately.

"Oh Nick." She shook her head at him, setting the tray down. "I brought you some of the fresh cookies I just made today. Midge called over and said that you might be in need of some special treats." She smiled and reached out to cup his cheek with her warm hand.

He turned his head, pressing a kiss to her palm as he inhaled a deep breath of the buttery... sugary... spicy scent that was his wife. She spent so many hours baking and keeping all of his elves happy with cookies and hot cocoa. He raised his eyes to meet hers. "Well then I had better get started with the letters Midge gave me then." He chuckled, capturing her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I love you, Mags."

"I love you too, Nick." She said, making sure that the peppermint cocoa with it's dollop of whipped cream and sprinkling of crushed candy cane was within his reach before she retreived her hand from his and dropped a kiss on the top of his balding head. "Let me know if you need anything else, my love." He smiled at her and nodded, reaching for one of the buttery spritz cookies and popping it into his mouth as she hurried out of the office... back to the kitchens where there were sure to be cookies due out of the ovens.

He gave the packet of letters a dubious glance, glancing back over the top letter from Midge before he turned to the first letter, taking a sip of his cocoa and eating another cookie for sustanance as he started to read.

Awesome start!!!!!

I have a feeling Midge and Santa may have their hands full this year...have fun!!!!

I love how you created the loving relationship between Santa and his wife, even after 250 years ) they are still loving

Mmmmmm.....that peppermint cocoa sounds so good right about now....

Whooohoooo! This is me, though it's hard to read when you're spinning. I love Midge already and am curious to see just what she landed in Santa's lap. Glad to see she has a sense of humour, though. It strikes me that it's needed in her line of work. Imagine keeping the same job for 100 years! Can't wait for more.

kav

Dear Santa....

I have no idea just why I'm writing you. I mean... you're such a jolly old bloke... and you've got magic to work with.

And magic might be the only way to fix what I've done.

I've botched things up so badly.

I was such a drongo. I don't know if she'll ever forgive me. Not that she should, mind you.

I guess I should tell you what I'm yammering on about before you end up tossing this in the rubbish bin and chalk me up as being crazier than the hyenas. The whole story's too long though.... so if you don't mind, you jolly old bloke you... I'll condense it for you.

I love Tara Williams.

I do.

My whole very being pounds out her name with every heart beat. Her lips... are the most perfectly shaped... soft... beautiful lips a guy could ever dream of. And she tasted wonderful. All vanilla-y and a hint of raspberry... or was it cherry... It might have been strawberry but still. She smells like vanilla and lavender and it's all I can do to keep myself from grabbing her at the coffee pot and burying my nose in the soft blonde hair that graces the top of her head.

She's amazing.

And I kissed her.

Which for a brief shiny moment... seemed as though we were the only two people in the world. The stars were singing before they exploded... I've never felt that before.

And then I told her that kissing her reminded me that I loved Darcy... my ex... Well... soon to be ex at that point because she moved to L.A. and left me back here in D.C.

I know.

That was a terrible thing to tell Tara.

But I'm a bloke. And I don't think clearly when under the influence of vanilla and lavender.

So my Christmas wish is this....

And if I get it... then you honestly don't need to bring me anything ever again... Tara would be a lifetime of Christmas wishes in a tiny, beautiful, brilliant package that I'd never tire of.

Please help me make things right with Tara.

I love her too much to keep on pretending that I don't love her at all.

I just can't do it anymore. The memory of how soft her lips were under mine haunts my dreams and I wonder what it would be like to have her with me all the time.

Please help, Santa.

Forever in your debt,

Bobby Manning

Whoo-hoo! An amazing start, Mione! I'll give Santa some credit if he can pull this one off though. Bobby's put himself in a tight position and Jolly Old Saint Nick is probably the only man for the job. Bring out some more cookies and a whole vat of hot cocoa. This is going to be a long sixteen days.

wow bobby what a wish . . . fingers crossed santa is able to help

Wonderful start, Mione!! Santa is going to need all the cookies and hot cocoa he can get to grant this wish!!!

What a fun story!! I can't wait to see where you take us!!!

Joy

Glad that bobby's asking for some help with this little smudge he has caused...

Nick absently reached for a handful of cookies from the plate that Maggie had brought him and chewed silently for a moment as he re-read that letter. He took a long drink of his cocoa before sitting back in his chair, stroking his long white beard thoughtfully.

"Bobby Manning..." He murmured. "Why does that name sound familiar?" He wondered. He re-read the letter but nothing stood out to him.

"Midge!"

The tiny, pointy eared elf, poked her head around the corner. "Yeah boss?"

"Why does this Bobby Manning ..." He surveyed the letter again before looking at his head elf over the tops of his glasses. "This Bobby Manning bloke." He smiled. The words said Australian but the postmark said DC. "Why does he sound so familiar?" He asked.

Midge shuffled her feet, nibbling on her lip before raising her blue eyes to meet Nick's. "Well..." She stalled.

"Midge..." His voice held a warning note as he shoved the plate of cookies towards her. "How about if I buy you off one cookie at a time?" He asked, motioning for her to take one.

A buttery spritz tree made it's way from the plate into Midge's mouth before she could stop herself. "That's not fair!" She complained, licking the crumbs off of her lips. "You know I can't stop myself when there's cookies involved." She made a big show of brushing the crumbs off of her blue velvet tunic.

"Midge..." Nick said again. "Please..."

"Well... Nick... boss... See... he sounds familiar because you owe him." Midge whispered.

Nick's eyebrows shot up. "I owe him?" He echoed.

Midge raised her head again, looking at him and nodding.

"Do I owe all the people in this stack?" He questioned, raising the stack of letters.

Midge pursed her lips together and didn't comment but went over to the bookshelves to pull out the Nice list from about thirty years prior. She flipped to Australia and scanned the list, tapping it twice as she found Bobby's name. "You owe him." She said stubbornly, putting the list on the corner of Nick's desk as she dragged a footstool over and climbed up on it so that she could get on his desk as well... it was such a tall desk for a small elf of 150 years. She stood over the book as she kicked it a little closer, using the point of one teeny tiny slipper to show him. "He asked you to bring his Dad back."

Nick stroked his beard again. He seemed to vaguely remember tearing some hair out over the request of Bobby Manning thirty years ago. "Ah..." He nodded, reaching for another cookie, giving one to Midge as well.

"You gave him a soccer ball." she said, unintentionally spraying cookie crumbs over the book. "You owe him." She said seriously before she bent down to sweep the crumbs off with her hand.

Nick helped her off of the desk and sent her back out to her desk as he turned his attention back to the letters in front of him.

I can see Bobby asking that, but i think now after getting his POP he is glad he didn't. But this new request is not one a soccer ball can fix.

Wow! Talk aobut a tall order for Santa to accomplish this Christmas...

Have fun Santa...this is definitely not a request that will be silence with a ball of any kind.

aww bobby and the tara and the little bobby wanting his dad and the (sqeuaks)

Such a sweet beging, Santa definately owes Bobby! Please post again soon!!!!!!!

Midge does have a point - Santa does owe Bobby!! A soccer ball does not equal your dad back!!!

Joy

Cookie bribery! Excellent!

Although I agree that a football simply won't cut it this time!

Midge is an elf after my own heart. I'll spill practically anything for the right kind of cookie...and I imagine Maggie knows how to make the right kind. Poor Santa, he couldn't help not being able to grant that request...still, it would be nice if he could make it up with this one.

kav

Who could resist the temptation of a good cookie? Especially when they're fresh!

Santa owes him, huh? Well, I guess it's time to break out the love magic and get down and dirty.

Nick drained his cocoa mug while re-reading the letter again.

How well he understood not thinking clearly under the influence of vanilla and lavander. Well... more like vanilla and cocoa and peppermint with a hint of sugared frosting.

If he inhaled too much of his sweet Maggie's scents...

He made a mental note to swap the blades on the ice skates that he'd dropped off in South Africa for wheels. He'd already sent a message to the kids in that town that they would be able to use them. And it was easier to change the skates from ice skates to inline skates than it was to get everything to freeze.

"Midge..." He called, reading part of the letter another time.

"Yeah boss?" She asked, patiently sticking her head in his office again.

"Are you sure I have to fix it? It really seems more like Cupid's realm... Valentine's day is lovely for finding your true love." Nick said, his idea seeming more and more silly under Midge's unwavering gaze. "Or not."

"That's right." She gave him a tight smile. "How the heck do you think it got screwed up in the first place?" She asked. "Cupid gave him too large of a dose of 'Darcy' when he hit him the Valentine's day before. It hardwired his system to automatically claim he loved Darcy. I think it's out of his system now if his letter is any proof."

"Have a cookie." Nick said.

"No! I've had two already today!" Midge protested, her feet unwillingly propelling her forward in complete contradiction to her words. "You know where these will end up." She scowled, already reaching for a cookie.

Nick chuckled. Midge had been complaining about cookies ending up on her teeny tiny little elfin rear end for the last 75 years.

"Mmfph fummy" She said around a mouthful of cookie. Midge swallowed and glared at him. "Not Funny!" She said again. "I had to get all new tights last year. I will not do that again." She said, turning away from him. "You'd better get to reading. There's more there than just Bobby." She said over her shoulder as she headed back to her desk, her little blond ponytail bobbing as she walked.

Nick sighed and ate another cookie himself before he finally set Bobby's letter aside and picked up the next one in the stack.

I love the side note about Santa reminding himself to switch the blades on the skates he sent to South Africa to wheels!! Causing a major freeze would be nigh on impossible!! I hope he doesn't think Bobby's request is going to be just as hard!!!

Joy

I know exactly how she feels, all those cookies goes to my Tiny elf butt too . . . P

I wonder who is next.....

Too many cookies are bad for me too.....and I definitely don't need to make my bum any bigger.

Personally, I think it's unfair. North Pole cookies should have a secret ingredient that melts away pounds. Poor Midge!

kav

Dear Santa...

I'm only writing this letter because Tanya... my daughter as you very well know... says that it's the sure way for our family to get what we all truly want.

I admire you.

A respected man like yourself... head of your own team of top notch elves and ace staff of go-to elves that you can count on in a pinch. Respected amongst your peers as well... right?

I mean, really Santa... have the heads of any other holidays... divisions or teams if you wil... ever questioned the authority behind your name? Santa Claus, Saint Nick... Kris Kringle?

I bet they don't.

Because they know that you run your operations with a fair and level hand. They admire the way your team works together and appreciates your success of each passing December 25th.

Why the admration?

Because all I want for Christmas is to have the word 'acting' dropped from my job title.

Don't get me wrong. Ted Garrett's a real stand-up kinda guy. I'd love to just be part of the team again. But you and I both know that his trip to Geneva is merely away of having him be on 'sabbatical' without really being on 'sabbatical' while his pension gains the last year it needs for full vesting.

But everyone questions the 'acting' guy. I get passed over for promotions. Like when they brought in the last idiot... How could they not see that he wasn't qualified to run a team like ours? Even Levi's more qualified than he was. He's doing just fine working for Randy.

I've got a wife... two kids... the house, thank goodness the mortgage is paid off... the cars are fine. This is the only thing I truly want.

So if you can... Send a little magic this way.

Thanks!

Dimitrius Gans

Gotta agree . . . D does deserve that promotion

Agreed!

"Midge!"

Midge pursed her lips, evaluating how much confusion was in his voice before she got out of her chair and went to lean up against the doorway of his office, crossing her arms defiantly across her chest as she looked at him.

Nick looked at her over the top of his half-moon glasses. He waved the letter at her. "I don't understand..." He trailed off when he saw that tiny delicate eyebrow arch up at him. "Let me guess." He sighed. "I owe him."

"That's right." Midge nodded. "You owe him big time."

"I don't remember though." Nick shrugged, scanning the letter again.

"Of course you don't." Midge rolled her eyes as she stopped leaning on the doorway and headed for the section of the office that held the nice lists again. She tapped her finger on her lips as she studied the annual volumes. She held a finger over one list before moving on to the next one. She tugged it out, it stuck a bit because of how tightly it was wedged into the shelf. She staggered back a step under the weight of it.

"All right there, Midge?" Nick asked, a hint of amusement in his tone as he watched her.

Midge scowled up at him and managed to bring the volume over to his desk. Nick reached down to take it from her, waiting as she scrambled back up on top of his desk again. He opened the book for her, waiting as she flipped through a few pages until she could point to D's name on the book. Nick leaned over, peering at the list, studying it carefully.

"You owe him, all right?" Midge said, pointing. "He asked for the money to buy Donna a ring so that he could ask her to marry him. He had to work two jobs for a year to get her the ring she deserved. You owe him."

"But he learned the value of a dollar and the importance of saving money." Nick protested.

"He learned to work too much." Midge countered. "He's a very dedicated man. He loves his job as much as he loves his wife and kids." She smiled. "He finds himself unable to say no to long cases or hours because he knows the kids need braces or college is coming. You at least owe Donna." She said, raising her eyebrow again.

"How does helping with his wish help Donna?" Nick asked.

"Because if he was just a supervisor... no acting in front of it... then he'd have regular hours and would be able to leave at the end of a work day instead of staying late to help his teammates." Midge said, refusing to glance at the cookie plate before she made her way off his desk. "Now would you get back to reading. The calendar's going to get away from you before you know it." She rolled her eyes at him as she made her way back out to her desk.

Nick stroked his full beard again, pondering her words before he set D's letter down and reached for the next letter.

Come on Santa! He deserves this!! Do for Donna!

You tell him girl .. . . D needs this promotion . . . his family needs it too

I also wonder whose letter will be next.

Dear Santa,

I've been ever so good this year.

Really.

I've kept myself out of danger and I haven't fired my gun at all. There was that incident last year of course... but Crazy Loco and his brother were on the naughty list, right? I'm sure we're not in the habit of putting away people on the nice list but that of course is between you and the elves and is none of my business... Oh... being nosy isn't a reason to get put on the naughty list, is it? because I'm sure that being as inquisitive as I am with the searches we run... well... maybe I'd make the naughty list if I was constantly blabbing about what I found.

Not that... I ever WANT to be on the naughty list.

Was Darcy D'Angelo on the naughty list? Oh... there I go again.

I mean...

Maybe... maybe Bobby's not interested in girls that have been on the nice list their entire life. Or maybe he was just being nice when he said there could be a chance... a chance for there to be an us.

Kissing Bobby while I was technically still involed with Stanley didn't bump me over, did it?

Because I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Kiss Bobby.

Would that be naughty list worthy?

Sorry... I ramble a lot as you might remember. I'll try to stay on point and tell you what I want.

All I want for Christmas is for Bobby Manning to decide where... with who... Darcy or me... his heart lies.

There. I've said it. I want him to decide who he wants. I don't think I can stand not knowing where I stand with him for another minute.

But Santa... if by chance his heart doesn't choose me... Could I get a puppy instead? It's been rather quiet around here since my cat died this last summer. Anyway...

Affectionately yours,

Tara Williams

aww come on santa you can do it

The letters have been so cute and in character. Great job! Santa you have a lot of work ahead of you so get movin'! Can't wait for more!!!

Hmmm... Bobby Manning to love her... or a puppy....

Is there really a contest?

I love the letters....Santa you are going to be one busy guy this year!!!

Two wonderful letters to Santa!! D definitely deserves the "acting" removed from his title!! He's done the job a long time and is very good at it!!!

Tara at least deserves to know if there is any hope for her with Bobby!! I know there is, but she needs to know!!!

Mione, I want to comment on the way you paint a picture for us!! Midge getting up on Santa's desk, Midge taking a cookie, Midge getting the Nice Book out and Santa chuckling at her!! You really take us and set us down in that room with them!! I can even smell the cookies and hot chocolate!!!

Joy

So Tara like, i loved it

D definitely deserves "acting" taken out of his title. As for Tara, she's been on so many blind dates, even I lost track....I'd say she deserves Bobby!

Nick chuckled, a jolly rich sound as he re-read Tara's letter.

That Tara Williams.

He could still remember most of her letters. His brow furrowed though when he picked up on the twinge of uncertainty that lay behind her words. Why else would she give him a secondary option for a present? He reached for the last cookie on the plate, disappointed that he only made it three letters into the stack before he ran out.

As though she read his mind, Maggie materialized in his office again, taking his empty plate and mug, replacing them with fresh hot cocoa and a plate of warm cookies... jam thumbprints, glistening with their raspberry filling. "Are you reading my mind again?" Nick asked, looking at her.

Maggie laughed. "Doesn't take much to know what's on your mind this time of year." She teased, her cheeks flushing when she realized what she had said. "Cookies and hot cocoa that is." She clarified.

A throaty belly laugh bubbled up out of Nick and he grabbed her hand, tugging her down onto his lap for a moment. He hugged her close. "Care to share what you want for Christmas this year, bride of mine?"

Maggie smiled. "I think that you know what I want." She said.

Nick tapped the side of his nose. "A new apron and new oven mitts?" He teased.

Maggie raised an eyebrow at him. "Midge was right... you're going to need my help with that stack of letters if that's what you're coming up with." She commented, rolling her eyes as she got off his lap, her red skirt settling back into place as she stood. She bent down and kissed his cheek. "Get reading."

"I read it!" Nick protested. "And trust me... giving Tara Williams a puppy this year is looking tempting."

"You wouldn't!" Midge's indignant shriek from the doorway made Nick jump in his seat and look sheepishly towards the door. "Oh no you don't... Nicholas Jonah Daniel Michael Kristopher..." She trailed off, righteous anger making her leave off his last few names in favor of a few more choice names.

Maggie clucked her tongue at him as well. "You can do better than that dear." She chided him gently before she kissed the top of his head and left his office.

Midge's blue eyes blazed at him as she muttered things under her breath. She stalked over to the nice list bookcase and pulled out the one she wanted, uncaring that all the other books in the row made a soft 'thwump' sound as they collapsed into each other. She heaved it up on the top of his desk where it caused the letters in the pile to ruffle from the breeze it generated. She scrambled up on the foot stool, pushing the book over in front of him and opening it as she flipped through the pages looking for Tara. She helped herself to the cookies on the plate as she looked, not noticing at all when she downed four of them while the pages turned. "There." She said, slapping her hand down on the list. "You owe her big time. All she wanted when she was ten was the super spy mystery kit. She wanted that mini camera to attach to that tiara that was in the princess dress up kit she got when she was six." She glared up at him.

Nick shrugged, still not following.

"You gave her a Barbie doll." Midge frowned at him. "She didn't want Barbies. She wanted to play international espionage." She reached for another cookie and ate it.

"And the puppy is a bad idea because...?"

"You know where Bobby's heart lies..." Midge threw her hands up in exasperation and walked over his desk, grabbing his phone and pushing in a code into the keypad. "Tweak... send Smidge and Wisp over to Nick's office. I need someone to watch my desk for a while so I can walk Nick through this stack of letters personally. Oh and make sure that they bring my lunch. I think I'll be working through it today."

Santa, Santa, Santa . . . you already read bobby's you know how things are . . . why screw them up