Last Revised: December 22, 2005
Summary: Sky was chosen to be
the new Santa, and before he could begin his new job, he had to choose a Mrs.
Claus. Now, he has to deal with a wedding, Christmas, and the dilemma of a
weird potion he has to drink.
Rating: M for minor adult situations
Disclaimer: I don’t own PR or the Movie “The Santa Claus 2”, Disney
does.
AN: This story is the
sequel to The New Santa, which I posted in September. It’s probably not as good
as that story, but I think it ties up the storyline pretty well. ENJOY!
In
Dedication To: Those who believe in the magic of Christmas and the wonders it
can bring. Those who believe in the magic of love and the foundations it can
build. Those who believe in magic itself and the worlds it opens up for them.
And last but not least, to those who believe that anything’s possible! Happy
Holidays!
--
“Welcome to
the North Pole, and Santa’s Workshop,” Santa spoke when the sleigh landed on a
runway type area not far from a group of buildings. Looking around, both Syd
and Sky were amazed to see hundreds and hundreds of elves, more reindeer, and a
woman the former rangers recognized as Mrs. Claus.
“Welcome home,
Chris,” Mrs. Claus greeted, hugging Santa tightly when he was within reach.
“Oh wow!”
Sydney gasped as Sky lifted her down from the sleigh, his hands at her waist,
and placed her feet on the ground beside the sleigh.
“Welcome,”
Mrs. Claus smiled at them, before staring up at Sky. “You must be Schuyler.”
Sky blushed
and nodded. “Yes Ma’am,” he told her, before taking Syd’s hand. “And this is
Sydney.”
Mrs. Claus
merely grinned. “Sydney Drew, former B Squad Pink Ranger; I know all about
her,” Mrs. Claus told Sky even as she nodded her head slightly at Sydney. “I’m
Alycia Kringle, otherwise known as Mrs. Claus. Welcome to your new home away
from home.”
Syd grinned
shyly. “Santa said we aren’t the only Rangers to ever visit.”
“And he was
telling the truth. The Morphin Rangers visited us some years ago, and helped
save Santa and the elves. I believe you met Dr. Oliver a few years ago, didn’t
you?”
Syd and Sky
both nodded before a voice rang out, interrupting the greeting. “Santa,
everything’s ready for them!”
Turning, the
four smiled at the young elf that had approached them, a young woman who was
wearing a red dress trimmed in white fur. She wore a small name tag that said
Illianna. “Thank you, Illie. Take their bags up to their room while Mrs. Claus
and I show them around.”
“Of course.”
Several of the taller elves moved to unload Sky and Syd’s bags from Santa’s
sleigh while Mrs. Claus and Santa led the former Power Rangers toward the
biggest of the group of buildings.
--
“This place is
so big!” Sydney gasped.
“We have
guides who’ll get you accustomed to the layout, so don’t worry,” Santa assured
her, smiling at her before turning to speak to his wife softly.
Sky looked
down at the blonde who was holding onto his arm, the fingers of her hand
interlaced with his, and felt his heart swell. He loved her so much, and he was
so amazed she felt the same way about him.
“Here we are,”
Santa announced as the group of four walked through one of the connecting
hallways off the biggest building into what was the workshop. Both Sky and Syd were
at a loss for words when they saw the state-of-the-art workshop, complete with
computers, assembly lines, and anything else you could image.
“Wow.”
Santa smiled.
“Wow indeed. Follow me, I’ll show you to your new office, Sky.” The four moved
through the workshop, stopping every now and then to talk to the elves who were
taking care of last minute gifts.
While Santa
showed Sky the office, Sydney stood back out of the way, her mind on other
things. She stared out the wall of windows in the office that over looked the
floor below where the elves were hard at work. “Are you alright?” a soft voice
asked. Turning slightly, Sydney saw Mrs. Claus had come to stand with her.
“I’m not sure.
I mean, Sky has such an awesome responsibility now. I feel like I’m just going
to be in the way here, that I’m just going to be a distraction,” the former
Pink Ranger spilled her fears to her elder counterpart.
Mrs. Claus
merely smiled and wrapped an around about Sydney’s waist, pulling the younger
woman into a tight hug. “You’ll do more than you can imagine for him, Sydney.
He’s going to need you around, honey, to remind him he’s more than just Santa
Claus, to remind him of the man he was before he took this all important job.”
The tiny blonde
couldn’t help but smile before her face took on another serious expression.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Did you and
Santa have children?”
A soft chuckle
was the first response to Syd’s question. “Actually, we have four; a son and
three daughters. Our son is a doctor in Los Angeles, and our daughters are all
in New York, where we’re from. One is a lawyer, one is a chef, and the other is
a mother of three rowdy teenagers.”
“Do they know
their grandparents are Santa and Mrs. Claus?” Sydney blurted out, blushing once
she realized she’d been so blunt.
Mrs. Claus
shook her head. “No, though I’m sure they wonder sometimes why they can’t see
us for three months every year.”
Sydney
giggled. “How do you not go crazy around here? I love Christmas, really I do,
but it seems like after so many years, you’d be going crazy from the holiday
cheer.”
“I did the
first few years,” Alycia told her, smiling. “But the magic of Christmas ensures
I don’t get sick of it. Of course, it also helps that I have a lot of stuff I
do beyond taking care of Santa. I oversee the doll designs every year, and I am
in charge of the kitchens and the elves caring for the reindeer, and of course,
I watch over the elves in general.”
Sydney
blinked. “Wow, you’ve got as tough a job as Santa!”
“Much
tougher,” Mrs. Claus told her, winking, before she turned to go see what Santa
needed.
Sydney was so
lost in her thoughts that the young blonde squeaked when a pair of arms wrapped
around her waist and a chin rested on her shoulder. “What?” Syd giggled,
turning her head and found Sky’s eyes starring into her own.
“You ok?”
Smiling, she
nodded. “I’m fine, or I will be. I’m just a little overwhelmed,” she told him
softly, rubbing their cheeks together softly.
“I know, I am
too,” he whispered. “Come on, Santa has something to show us.”
Together, the
group of four moved out of the office and headed for Syd and Sky’s quarters.
--
“Are you
nuts?” Syd demanded.
“No. Normally,
the process starts right after Halloween, but since we didn’t think Sky would
be taking over till next year, he’ll have to do it with a little help,” Santa
explained the situation. Santa Claus, whoever it happened to be, had an image
as a jolly old man with a white beard and a big belly to keep, especially at
Christmas time. Since Sky had to unexpectedly take over a year early, there was
a problem with him looking the part of Santa.
Sky’s eyes
were wide in shock while Sydney protested meekly. “A little help from what?”
she asked, gulping.
“A special
potion designed by our science division. You’ll have to drink it too, Sydney.”
The former
Rangers looked skeptical. “You won’t have to drink it until tomorrow night, I
believe.”
The duo nodded
and gave each other a look that spoke volumes. “How about we get you something
to eat and then you can head to bed to rest?” Mrs. Claus suggested, knowing
that the couple was in shock. Quietly, they headed down to the kitchens and
dining room, Syd and Sky silent while Mrs. Claus chatted absently to them about
whatever came to mind and Santa remained disturbingly silent.
--
Sky found her
standing on the balcony of their bedroom after dinner, watching the elves
running the reindeer through their exercises in preparation for their Christmas
flight the next night.
Quietly, he
slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder, which was bare
because of her nightgown. Sky grinned, remembering an hour ago when she had
emerged from their bedroom when he’d been lounging on the couch. She had come
out wearing a soft pink satin and lace nightgown that fell to her ankles,
blonde hair had been pulled back into a simple ponytail and her face was devoid
of any makeup. His fingers splayed against her toned and flat stomach, which
was warm. The combination of his thoughts and mental images of his fingertips skimming
bare skin made him blush.
Sydney’s soft
giggle brought him back to reality. “What’s so funny?”
Carefully,
Sydney turned in his arms so that she was facing him. “Someone’s having naughty
thoughts, me thinks.”
It was only
then that Sky realized he had a hard on, and it was poking Syd’s stomach. “Can
you blame me when you come out of the bedroom wearing that without warning me
first?”
“At least I
know I can arouse you,” she teased, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sky gently
pulled her hips against his own, causing her to gasp and moan softly. “You’ve
always aroused me; I just learned to block it out a long time ago.”
Sydney
grinned. “Sky…” she whispered, leaning up to kiss him. Their bodies strained
against one another as Sky took the kiss deeper, his hands cupping her cheeks
and holding her still as he angled his mouth against hers. Just as quickly as
the passion flared, it died down, leaving them heaving for breath. “Oh wow.”
“No kidding,”
Sky gasped. “Syd, I really want to make love to you,” he told her softly,
nudging her nose with his as his lips attempted to connect with hers again, and
only succeeded in a light caress.
“I know, but I
wanna wait, as much as it kills me to say that, until after tomorrow.”
Sky nodded and
pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin. He understood why she wanted
to wait, tomorrow was their wedding and Christmas morning would be their first
day being Mr. and Mrs. Tate, let alone Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
“I understand,
Syd,” he told her, pecking a kiss to the top of her head.
Sydney smiled
up at him after she felt him kiss her. “Let’s go warm up by the fire and then
go to bed.”
“Do you want
me to sleep on the couch tonight?” he asked, completely serious, as they moved
back into their quarters. Once they had moved into the living room, they
cuddled on the couch together, a heavy blanket covering them as Sky cradled her
in his arms.
Syd still
hadn’t answered him, which was making him nervous. “Actually, no, I want to
sleep with you tonight, just sleep.”
Nodding, Sky
continued to hold her as they warmed up by the fire.
An hour later,
moaning, she stretched, working out the kinks in her muscles. Peeping one eye
open, she saw she were still sleeping on the couch and it was after midnight.
“Welcome back
to the land of the living,” a familiar voice chuckled in greeting.
Smiling,
Sydney looked to her right, to the door to their living room, and saw Sky
standing there, a steaming mug in his hand. “I thought it was a dream.”
Grinning, Sky
moved to sit on the edge of the couch, handing Syd the mug as he did. “I
thought so too, until I got dragged out of bed a half hour ago.”
“I didn’t even
realize you were gone,” Syd yawned before taking a sip of the brown liquid in
the mug. She smiled when the taste of hot chocolate and whipped cream assaulted
her taste buds.
“You were dead
to the world,” Sky teased. “I kissed your cheek but you didn’t even move.”
Syd grinned
sheepishly. “Sorry. I guess I was a little more overwhelmed than I thought.”
Leaning forward,
Sky took the mug from her and sat it down on the coffee table before cupping
her face. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
Sydney asked, clearly confused, before bringing her hands up to close over his
wrists.
“For loving
me; for leaving everything behind and coming here with me.”
Sydney seemed
to melt then. “I will always love you, Santa,” she winked. “And I would go with
you to the end of the Earth, you know that. You’re more than just the man I
love, you’re also my best friend.”
Sky cracked up
laughing before he leaned forward and sealed his lips over hers. “Come on, we
need to get to bed.”
“What time is
it?”
“Nearly one in
the morning, and we have a big day tomorrow,” he murmured, hoisting her into
his arms before carrying her to their bedroom. Carefully, he laid her in their
bed before tucking her in, his hands resting on her cheeks as he looked down at
her.
“Sky?” she
asked when he spaced out for a moment.
“Sorry.”
Sydney leaned
up and nipped his chin. “Come to bed,” she suggestively commanded, her voice
soft and alluring.
The former
Blue Ranger looked startled and then smiled. “Tonight, remember?”
She pouted.
“Tomorrow, because you have something to do tonight, remember?”
Sky’s
expression fell for a moment, but a smile slid back on a second later. “Yeah,
but I promise, we’ll make it memorable.”
Nodding,
Sydney pulled him to her and cuddled close to his chest. “I wish the others and
our families were here for the ceremony this afternoon. I really wanted my
Daddy to give me away, not to mention having Bridge, Z and Jack there with us,
especially after all we’ve been through together.”
Suddenly, Sky
was hit by an idea. “Sydney, I just remembered I have something to do. Go ahead
and go to sleep, I’ll be back in a bit.”
“But..!”
“I love you!”
Sky called, jumping from the bed and racing out of the room, leaving Syd laying
there, the start of tears in her eyes.
“I love you
too,” she whispered brokenly, rolling over and burying her face in the pillow.
--
“I miss them,”
Z murmured. Jack and Bridge were sitting on either side of her as the trio sat
at a picnic table in the park down the street from the Academy. The boys both
looked as depressed and upset as she did over Syd and Sky’s absence, even
though the two had only been gone less than a day.
“I can’t believe
they’re gonna be married and be Santa and Mrs. Claus,” Bridge commented, still
awed that his best friend was on the road to be the jolly gift giver.
“Excuse me?”
The three
former Rangers looked up and saw…an elf; a young lady dressed in red and white
with red boots and a red hat and pointed ears. “Who are you?” Jack asked, not
sure how to respond.
“Are you Jack,
Z and Bridge?” the elf asked sweetly.
“Yes.”
“Santa…I mean
Sky, sent me. He needs your help.”
The three
former Rangers shared a look before they stood and nodded their agreement to
her.
--
“Welcome to
the North Pole,” a young man greeted as the three former Rangers, Cruger and
his wife, Kat, Boom, Sky’s mother and Syd’s parents stepped from the train they
had arrived in.
“What’s going
on? Where’s Sydney?” Meredith Drew demanded to know.
“I think I can
explain that, Mrs. Drew,” a voice called out. The new arrivals to the North
Pole saw Sky come down the front stairs after exiting a building not far away.
“Schuyler
Marcus Tate! You’d better tell me what’s going on!” Anna Tate ordered of her
son, who smiled at her and hugged her tightly.
“Mom, I don’t
know how to say this, but I was chosen to be the next Santa Claus.”
“What does
that have to do with us, Sky?” Warren Drew asked the young man he considered
one of his ‘adopted’ sons.
“In order for
me to become Santa, I needed to pick a Mrs. Claus, a wife.”
“What?”
“I have to get
married before Christmas, and that’s why you’re here. My Mrs. Claus wanted our
family and friends here for our wedding.”
“Huh?” Mrs.
Drew asked, and then looked like she had finally put the puzzle together. “You
chose Sydney, didn’t you?”
Sky grinned
widely and nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Drew. Sydney’s gonna be my Mrs. Claus. She told
me she wished you all could be here, and I asked Santa for a little favor.”
“Oh Sky!” Z
laughed and jumped up to give him a tight hug.
“Sky?” Sydney
called, exiting the house behind Illianna. “Mom? Daddy?”
“Hey there
Pinkie!” Jack laughed, waving.
Sydney looked
shocked as she hugged each of them. “What are all of you doing here?”
“I think I can
answer that,” Illianna smiled, nodding her head in Sky’s direction. “Santa
wanted to grant you your wish for this year, Sydney.”
“My wish?” Syd
repeated, turning to Sky, who looked guilty.
“You said you
wished our families and closest friends could be here for this,” Sky murmured
softly. “I asked Santa for a small favor.”
The petite
blonde looked so awe struck. “Oh Sky!” she cried out softly before moving to bury
herself in his arms. “Thank you, Baby,” she whispered, reaching up to pull his
head down so he could kiss her.
“You’re
welcome,” he looked down at her, smiling, before he reached up to wipe the
tears from her eyes. “Ready?”
“Of course.”
--
Z, Kat, Mrs.
Drew, Mrs. Tate, and Isinia gasped when Syd and Alycia walked out of Syd’s
changing room. The blonde former Pink Ranger looked like a princess in her
pristine, strapless, empire-waist white gown. The only adornment to the silk
and saffon dress was the white ribbon wrapped at Syd’s waist.
“Oh wow!” Z
chirped, moving to take a closer look at Syd’s dress. Z was startled to see how
long the train on the dress really was once she got a good look at Syd’s back.
“My goodness,”
Sydney’s mother exclaimed softly.
Mrs. Claus
smiled. “This wedding dress is very special. Every Mrs. Claus from the first
has worn it to her wedding.”
Mrs. Tate,
Mrs. Drew, Isinia, Kat and Z looked flabbergasted by Alycia’s comment. “How’s
that possible?” Kat asked, her scientists mind kicking into over drive to
figure the mystery out.
“The fabric is
enchanted. Once the new Mrs. Claus touches it, it turns into any design she
chooses.”
“You always
said you wanted simple elegance,” Meredith whispered.
Her eyes
shining with worry, Sydney softly asked her friends, “Does it look alright?”
“You look
gorgeous, Sweetheart,” Anna told her, taking her hand. “Sky’s going to be
speechless.”
“Let’s hope
so,” Syd spoke, before taking a deep breath.
“Now, you need
something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue,” Syd’s
mom told her.
“Well, the
dress counts as the old,” Z laughed.
Carefully,
Mrs. Drew unhooked the necklace she was wearing. It was a three stone diamond
necklace that Sydney’s father had just gotten for her. “Something borrowed;
your dad gave it to me this Christmas.”
Alycia stepped
forward and handed Sydney a box she’d picked up from a nearby table. “Something
new, your slippers.”
Syd opened the
box and inside were a pair of white velvet slippers for her to wear. “Thank
you,” she told Mrs. Claus as Z helped her put them on.
“And now for
something blue,” Mrs. Tate told Sydney softly, before slipping the bracelet off
her wrist and onto Sydney’s. It was a circlet of sapphires and diamonds. “I’d
like it back, but you can use it for now. Sky’s father gave it to me our last
Christmas together before he died.”
Each of the
women present had to wipe away the tears as they watched Anna straighten the
bracelet out on Syd’s right wrist. “Thank you,” Sydney chocked out.
“Now all you
need are some flowers,” Z told her, appraising her best friend.
“Here we go!”
Illianna announced, walking into the room with a bouquet of white lilies and
miniature white roses. The bouquet was tied with blue, red and pink ribbons.
Carefully, Illianna handed the flowers to Sydney and smiled. “Santa said we nee
to get started if Sky’s gonna make it in time to leave.”
Mrs. Claus
nodded. “Let’s go ladies.”
The group
exited the room, and headed for the main staircase where the wedding was to
take place. Mrs. Claus, Mrs. Cruger, Mrs. Tate and Mrs. Drew descended the
stairs together and stood on the appropriate sides – Mrs. Drew on the right and
Mrs. Tate on the left, Isinia moved to stand with Commander Cruger, and Mrs.
Claus stood next to her husband, who was going to perform the ceremony.
Sky stood on
the left with Bridge and Jack right next to him. Commander Cruger, Boom, and
now Isinia stood further down; Boom near Syd’s mom and Anubis and Isinia near
Sky’s mother. Also gathered around the staircase were all of Santa’s elves,
quiet as mice, waiting for the ceremony to begin. The first to come down the
staircase was Kat, dressed in a soft pink silk dress with sheer sleeves. In her
hands was a small bouquet of white lilies and white roses, much like Sydney’s.
Next was Z, in
a butter-yellow colored dress in the same style as the one Kat wore, a bouquet
like Kat’s in her hands. When she stepped down opposite of Bridge, she smiled
and winked at the boys.
Finally Syd
and her dad appeared at the top of the stairs. Carefully, the pair descended
together. Everyone saw the awestruck look on Sky’s face when he saw Sydney and
her father, and they knew he was amazed at his soon to be wife’s appearance.
“Oh wow,”
Bridge murmured. Jack grinned and nodded in agreement.
“You are one
lucky man, Sky Tate,” Jack whispered.
The former
Blue Ranger nodded. “I know.”
Sydney smiled
at Sky once she and her dad had stopped just in front of him. “Who gives this
woman?” Santa asked, looking at Mr. Drew expectantly.
Mr. Drew
choked back tears and sighed. “Her mother and I do.”
Santa nodded
as Mr. Drew gave Sydney’s hand to Sky. “Take good care of her, Sky.”
“Mr. Drew, I’d
give my life for hers,” Sky told him seriously. Syd’s dad nodded, having known
how true that was and smiled because he knew it had taken Sky a long time to
realize that.
“Well, I guess
it’s time to start. Now, I know you two didn’t quite expect this so suddenly,
so I have to ask, are you sure this is what you want to do?”
“Yes,” Sky
smiled, bringing one of Syd’s hands to his lips, kissing the back softly.
“Sydney?”
The former
Pink Ranger blinked back tears. “I’ve wanted this since I was sixteen, I’m more
than positive it’s what I want.”
There were
chuckles all around when Sky blushed. “Forgive me, I’m slow.”
Santa let out
a hearty laugh. “Now, normally, you have vows to recite, but I think you two
can come up with your own. So Sydney, why don’t you start?”
Taking a deep
breath, Sydney looked up into Sky’s eyes and chose her words carefully. “We’ve
been best friends for years, Schuyler, and we’ve seen each other through the
worst moments, the best moments and all the everyday moments in between. There
isn’t anyone else I could imagine standing here with, getting ready to make a
lifelong commitment with, than you.”
Sky smiled at
her, knowing she spoke an unbreakable truth. They’d seen each other through
everything. “You were like my big brother growing up, you were the first boy I
ever noticed once I stopped thinking boys were icky.” At that, there were many
chuckles from those gathered, especially Sky and Bridge. “You were my first
kiss, my first crush, my first prince, but above all that, you’re the only man
I’ve ever loved.”
Sydney had to
pause for a moment because the tears in Sky’s eyes brought more to her own. “We
haven’t always seen eye to eye, and I respect that, just like I respect you.
When you told me about this new phase in your life, I was sure I was going to
loose you before I could tell you what’s in my heart.”
Sky squeezed
her hand, hoping to calm her nerves and share his strength with her. “I love
you, Sky. And I’m am so happy and honored that you asked me to join your
adventure.”
Santa nodded
and smiled at her, putting her at ease, before he gestured for Sky to begin.
“Sydney, my
cotton candy pink Syd,” Sky started, making their audience laugh. “You’re
right; we’ve been through more than most people and through it all, you’ve
stood by me, quietly lending me your strength and love, and being loud and
forceful when I needed a swift kick in the pants. I appreciate that, more than
you’ll ever know.”
The crying
blonde managed to smile up at him through her tears when he cleared his throat
to continue. “More than that, Sydney, I appreciate that you’ve loved me
unconditionally. I didn’t understand what real love was until Z made me step
back and think about the situation, until I thought about you, thought about
me, thought about us.”
Everyone
laughed when the saw Z smiling and giggling, a healthy blush staining her
cheeks. “I’ve loved you since forever, but I didn’t know how to deal with it
until a few days ago. I’ve always though it was because you’re my family, and
you’re not supposed to have feelings like that for your sibling. That’s where I
was wrong. You’re not my sibling, you’re my other half, my soul’s twin, and I
love you more than you’ll ever comprehend.”
Sydney let the
tears continue to roll down her face, unchecked. She never would have guessed
that Sky had been holding back for so long, let alone that he could express
himself like that in front of all theses people. She knew him better than
anyone, and knew Sky wasn’t one to express his feelings like this on a normal
basis.
“I’m honored,
Sydney, that you’ve agreed to spend the rest of your life with me, and I
promise, I’ll make you happy, forever.”
Santa smiled
at Sky’s nod. “You two are taking on two very important duties – each other,
and being Santa and Mrs. Claus; may you succeed at both. If anyone has any
objection as to why these two should not marry, speak now or forever hold your
peace.”
Z, Jack and
Bridge tensed briefly, expecting trouble but relaxed when none came. “Then no,
let’s get on with this. Schuyler, do you take this woman as your wife?”
Sky grinned.
“Yes.”
“And do you,
Sydney, take this man as your husband?”
“Yes.”
“Then I now
pronounce you husband and wife. Sky, you can kiss your bride.”
The newlyweds
met in a sweet kiss that had the elves and their friends and family cheering.
After they pulled apart, Syd and Sky grinned and then followed Santa and Mrs.
Claus and the others to the dinning room for a late lunch.
--
“Come in,
Sky,” Santa greeted cheerfully when the former Ranger entered his office a few
hours later. Sky was surprised to see two elves standing in the room, both
looking extremely nervous.
“What’s up? Sydney
said it was important,” Sky started, referring to the conversation he’d had
with his wife a few moments before when she and Z had headed outside to play in
the snow.
“Sky, allow me
to introduce you to Al and Ian, from the Science Division.” Sky inclined his
head at them both and smiled.
Ian nudged Al
in the ribs. “He’s not as scary as you made him out to be,” the shorter of the
two elves whispered to his taller friend.
Al’s face
paled when Santa and Sky chuckled at their antics. “So what’s going on?” Sky
asked again.
“It’s time for
you to start drinking the formula,” Santa told him. “It’s going to take a few
hours for it to work, and as it is, we have to employ a bit of magic I almost
never do anymore so we can get you finished in time for everyone to enjoy
Christmas.”
“Syd too?” Sky
asked, remembering Santa had said Sydney had to drink the potion too.
Santa nodded.
“The magic of Santa works only when the two of you are in harmony, that’s why
you had to get married so quickly.”
Sky grinned,
thinking how ‘in harmony’ he and Syd were going to be when he got back after
his first trip as Santa.
“Very funny
Sky, that’s not what I meant,” Santa teased, making Sky blush. “You’d better go
tell Sydney. I suspect she won’t be happy about this at all.”
Sky nodded, waved
to Al and Ian, and then trotted out of the office.
--
A half hour
later, Sky sat at the kitchen table with everyone, Sydney sitting across from
him. The former Pink Ranger was staring at the milkshake type drink that Al and
Ian had brought them. She hadn’t freaked out as much as Sky had expected.
“Honey, it doesn’t taste that bad,” he told her, watching her pout.
“It looks
icky,” she murmured, her eyes rising to meet his. “Do I really have to drink
this?”
Sky could only
nod. “For the good of Christmas; do it for the Kids, Sydney.”
Swallowing her
pride, Sydney lifted the glass and downed it in one gulp. “YUCK!” she cried out
and shuddered after it was gone. Sky reached across the table and squeezed her
hand. “We won’t have to drink that next year, will we?” Sydney asked Al,
turning to stare at the elf.
“No, Sydney.
We have a pill you have to take at Halloween that’ll do the same thing.”
“Thank God,”
Syd muttered, turning to Z who was grinning at her. “Ready to go back outside?”
“You got it,
Mrs. Claus.”
Syd rolled her
eyes and the two girls stood to leave. Z leaned over and kissed Bridge softly
while Sydney moved to kiss Sky. “I’ll see you in a few hours, have fun getting
fitted for your outfit.”
“I’m going to
go take a nap before I go down there. You guys be careful outside!” Sky called
to the retreating backs of the girls.
--
It was nearly
six o’clock when Sydney and Z entered the main building, the pair of former
Rangers heading for the staircase. “Sydney!” a small voice cried out, catching
the blonde’s attention.
“What’s wrong
Illie?” Sydney asked, turning to face the young elf.
“You have to
come quickly, we need to get your dressed or everything will be off balanced!”
Illie cried, tugging on Sydney’s arm. Shrugging, Syd and Z followed the female
elf toward where Syd knew Sky was getting fitted for his Santa suit.
Alycia was in
the room when Illie dragged Sydney in, Z following. “Illie, dear, I’m sure
Sydney knows how to walk,” Alycia told the young elf, mildly amused that the shorter
girl was practically dragging Sydney behind her. “Sydney, sweetheart, we have
to get you dressed, Chris said Sky’s just about ready.”
Quickly and
efficiently, Mrs. Claus, Z and Illie got Sydney dressed in a pretty red dress
and white apron, which were both too big for her. Once that was done, they
stood back as Sydney blinked a few times and felt her body expanding inside the
dress.
“What’s
happening?” Syd squeaked in fear, her eyes widening and filling with tears. As
Sydney’s body continued to gain weight, Mrs. Claus gave a small gasp and felt
herself starting to shrink.
“Freaky,” Z
muttered, watching the transformation take place. “Is that what’s happening to
Santa and Sky?”
Illianna
nodded. “Yes. As soon as Sydney put on the Mrs. Claus clothes, they were in
harmony, so it was time for Santa to pass the magic to Sky.”
“Weird,” Z
said, moving forward to hug Syd who was crying softly.
“Dear Sydney,”
a much thinner Alycia murmured, moving to hug the young woman who was now Mrs.
Claus. “It’ll only be like this for this year, I promise.”
“What do you
mean?” Syd asked softly.
“You’ll only
look as you do, this year, until you start to get older,” Alycia explained.
“The pill that Ian and Al have made, it only changes your appearance to those
who do not live here. You won’t actually ever be this plump again unless your
body does that on its own. For this year, you needed to look like this though,
so your body can adjust to the magic.”
Sydney seemed
to understand and accept that explanation. “Besides, do you know how hard it
would be on you when you get pregnant for you to weigh that much?” Illie
teasingly asked, making Sydney blush and Alycia and Z laugh.
“Come now, I’m
sure Sky’s ready.”
--
Sky looked in
the mirror, eyeing himself critically. It was so odd to see his body nearly
three times it’s normal size, let alone the fact that he couldn’t reach his
toes or reach them. “Syd is gonna be so pissed,” he muttered, then heard
someone clear their throat. Turning, Sky gasped softly when he saw Sydney
standing in the doorway, a small smile on her face. “Syd?”
“It’s only for
this year, and since it is, I can handle it,” she grinned at him, moving to his
side. “Are you ready for your first official day as Santa?”
“No, I’m
terrified,” he told her honestly. With Sydney, Sky knew he never had to hide
what he was feeling, because she never judged, never thought less of him for
feeling what he did.
“Just be
careful, Santa,” she teased, leaning up to kiss him softly. “Don’t fall off any
roofs, no getting stuck in chimneys, and no speeding with the sled,” she told
him.
“I promise.
Will you be up when I get back?” he asked softly, reaching up to caress her
face. It was odd to see her normally bouncy, shining blonde hair a brilliant
white. Her body was also like his, nearly three times its normal weight, but
underneath it all, one look in his eyes had told him this was his Sydney. “I
never thought we’d be spending Christmas like this, did you?”
Sydney
chuckled at him and shook her head in reply. “Considering how many Christmases
we’ve spent together, no, I never thought we’d spend one like this.”
“The first of
many,” Sky murmured in her ear when he hugged her. “Alright, Mrs. Claus, it’s
time.”
“Well then,
Santa, let’s get going before you’re late. We don’t want to keep the kids waiting.”
Hand in hand,
the pair walked out of the dressing room and headed outside where Chris, Alycia
and their families were waiting for them.
--
“So how do I
do this?” Sky asked as he sat in the sleigh, the reins to the reindeer in his
hand. Sydney stood off to the side with her parents, his mom, and their
friends, who had yet to go home.
“It’s very
simple,” Chris explained, smiling. “Once you’re ready, all you have to do is
snap your fingers WHILE you think of wanting to go faster, so that no one can
see you. It’ll make up for you not having left earlier in the day.”
Sky blushed.
“Sorry.”
Chris waved it
off. “It’s my fault I waited so long to tell you that you were to be my
successor. Just don’t let anyone see you, or you’re cover will be blown. Be
careful,” Chris told him seriously.
“Oh, I’ve
already gotten the be careful speech from Syd,” Sky grinned and nodded.
“Ready?”
“As I’ll ever
be,” Sky took a deep breath, quietly reciting what he had to say to get the
reindeer to go. “On Dasher, on Dance, On Prancer, On Vixen, On Comet, On Cupid,
On Donner, On Blitzen!” Sky called out, shaking the reins once as the reindeer
began to race forward at his call. “SEE YOU GUYS LATER! MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
--
It was just
after nine in the morning on Christmas day when the sleigh returned to the
North Pole. Sky sighed warily as he hopped out, making sure to move down the
line of the sleigh and pat and talk to each of the reindeer, thanking them for
an extraordinary trip. Turning, Sky saw Illie standing at the base of the
steps, a steaming mug in her hands, which she handed to him.
“It’s hot
chocolate, thought you might need to warm up,” she smiled up at him.
“Thanks. Where
is everyone?” he asked. He wasn’t so much tired physically as he was mentally,
and he wanted nothing else then to sink into Syd’s arms and rest.
“Waiting for
you to change and join them in the living room of the main building,” Illie
told him. “As soon as you change, you should pretty much be back to normal.”
Sky nodded and
followed the young elf back to the dressing room, where the four young elves
who’d helped him dress the night before were waiting for him so they could help
him out of his suit. “Is Syd still awake?” Sky called to Illie, who was waiting
on the other side of the door from him.
“Barely. She’s
probably got enough in her to stay awake to open presents but after that, I
think you two are gonna need to crash.”
“Is it like
this every year?”
Illie giggled.
“No. The first year’s always the busiest. I promise, next year, things will run
a lot more smoothly. Did you have any problems with the reindeer?”
“No,” Sky
answered, emerging from the dressing room in his normal clothes, and not
looking an ounce like Santa, not even physically. “They were wonderful.”
“I’m glad. The
first year Chris was with us, they were a pain in the butt because they were
brand new to pulling the sleigh.” Sky looked confused, so Illie had to explain.
“Every twenty years, the reindeer are replaced with new reindeer, each bearing
the name of one of Santa’s magical reindeer. When Chris first took over, the
reindeer he had were rookies. You’re reindeer have another ten or so years in
them, if memory serves correctly.”
“That’s good
to know,” Sky grinned as the two of them made their way toward the living room.
Illie stopped at the door and touched Sky’s wrist.
“If you need
anything, just give a call. Most of us will try to stay out of your way, so you
can spend some time with your family before they have to go home tomorrow.”
Sky smiled
down at her and nodded, then reached out to give her a hug. “Thank you, Illie,
for everything.”
“You’re
welcome, Santa,” she softly replied, before pulling away and heading for her
own room.
--
“The fires
going, Syd!” Sky called out as he stood up after igniting the fire in the
fireplace. Turning, Sky made to head toward their bedroom and stopped in his
tracks as Sydney emerged from the room, hands behind her back, wearing a
nightgown reminiscent of the one from the night before. The only difference in
this one was that it was white, and it barely skimmed the tops of her thighs.
“Oh wow.”
Sydney smiled
and moved to stand with him. “Z gave it to me. Do you like it?”
Sky could only
nod. He tentatively reached out and let his fingertips skim up her bare arms,
making them both shiver. “Nervous?” Sky quietly asked as he felt goose bumps
raise on her arms.
“A little,”
Sydney whispered. “You?”
“A little.”
Not being able
to stand it any longer, Sydney moved forward so that she was snuggled against
his chest. “It’s been a very long couple of days.”
Sky grinned
and held her tighter. “That it has, but they’ve also been very good.”
Reaching down,
Sky tipped her chin up and kissed her, their lips softly meshing. It started
out soft and innocent, before their mutual passion flared, leaving them
clinging to one another. “Sky,” Syd moaned softly, arching her body against
his.
“Syd, we’d
better go into the bedroom,” Sky muttered. Leaning down, he gathered her in his
arms and carried her into their bedroom.
They made love
into the early hours of the morning, taking care to draw the pleasure out.
Finally sated, they settled down to sleep, Sky laying flat on his back with
Sydney draped across his chest. As Sydney slept, Sky stared at the ceiling, his
fingers skimming her bare back and her cheek, his mind racing, trying to figure
out how he ended up so lucky to have her.
--
“Good
morning.” Sky heard Sydney greet someone in the living room of their quarters.
“I’m sorry to
interrupt, Sydney, but Chris would like to see you and Sky down in the office,
immediately.”
“Of course.
We’ll be down as soon as I can wake him up.”
“Thank you.”
Sky blinked
when the curtains in their bedroom opened, letting the morning light seep in.
“Sky,” Syd spoke softly, moving to sit on the edge of his side of their bed.
“I heard,” he
mumbled, then stopped, taking in Syd’s appearance. She was dressed in his
t-shirt from the night before and a pair of pink and gray sweats. “Nice shirt.”
Sydney smirked
at him. “Get use to it, Tate. I’m going to be staling your shirts whenever
possible.”
Sky couldn’t
help but to laugh. “How convenient I find my wife wearing my shirt sexy.”
Without a second though, Sky grabbed her hand and yanked her down on top of
him. Their lips connected in an electrified kiss that took both of them
surprise.
“Sky,” Syd
moaned when his lips left hers and traveled to her throat. “Baby, we’re needed
downstairs.”
Her words
effectively put a stop to their activities. “Damn.”
“Sorry. I
promise, once we come back up, you can ravish me all you want. For now, get
dressed so we can get going.”
Nodding, Sky
rolled out from beneath her and threw the covers back. He was halfway to the
door when Syd giggled. “You might want to put some close on, Santa. I don’t
know what the laws are around here, but back home, they’d nail you for indecent
exposure.”
Startled, Sky
looked down and saw he was still naked from their nighttime activities. A
boyish grin covered his face as he grabbed a pair of sweats off the chair near
the door and pulled them on, along with a t-shirt, before holding his hand out
for Sydney to take, the pair moving to go down to the main floor.
--
“What’s going
on?”
“It’s time for
all of us to leave,” Chris explained. “You two have to remain here until after
New Years to get things in order, then you can take the train back to New Tech
if you’d like.”
“You’re
leaving?” Sky asked, a little panicked. He wasn’t sure he was ready for this,
at least not to be on his own, yet.
“We’ve given
you enough of a head start on next year, you don’t’ need us. Besides, your
friends and family need to get home too,” Alycia grinned at him, hugging
Sky and Syd
made sure to give each of them their love, and a promise to see them soon. One
by one, everyone headed out the front door until only Chris and Alycia stood
with Syd and Sky. “Promise to visit once we get back to the States?” Sky asked
Chris, who grinned and nodded.
“Of course.
Aly wouldn’t let me think otherwise. Good luck, both of you.”
“Thank you,”
Sky told him sincerely as he and Syd walked them to the door, and then watched
them get on the magical train with everyone else.
The train
began to move, and once it was out of sight,
Sky grinned.
“We get ready for next year, Mrs. Claus.”