A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

……Amity Park, one week 'til Christmas……

"DANNY!" the Red Huntress shouted, catching the ghost's attention. Valerie had put two and two together when she met Danielle, because she had saved the girl only a year and a half earlier. She hadn't spoken to him for a week.

The halfa turned mid-flight and stopped, waiting for his former enemy to catch up.

"What is it, Val?" he asked.

"The Guys in White, they're gonna watch your house; they may already have the place bugged," she warned her friend.

"What? Oh, no, Danielle!" he said, worried, "Valerie, how do you know this?"

"They thought I'd help," Valerie told him. He nodded.

"Thanks, Val. I can't believe them!" he said, angrily. It was almost Christmas and he had to get those last few lists done!

"There's more; I think that Vlad's the one that tipped them off," she said.

"He's probably trying to get rid of my dad. Thanks," he said, flying home and thinking, I'm gonna have to have a little talk with Vlad about the Christmas Truce, since this extends through then.

Once he was home, he took his parents and little sister outside and told them what was going on, excluding the part about Vlad for his dad's sake.

"Danny, are you sure?" Dani asked; he nodded.

……later……

"ClockWork, will my checking the lists trigger the GIW's equipment? Otherwise, I'll have to do that in the Workshop," Danny asked in Santa form.

"It won't, but you must finish those lists soon," the time ghost cautioned.

"I will; I'm almost done with Yugoslavia," Santa said, unnecessarily. ClockWork did, after all, see everything. Danny looked at his watch, "I'll have to talk to you later; I'm gonna be late."

…

"Mr. Fenton, I can't thank you enough. I wish we had the-" the nurse whispered in his ear so the children wouldn't hear.

"Don't finish that. I don't want to be paid; I'm here for them," Santa told her, "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!"

"SANTA!"

"Ho ho ho! Who wants to sit first?" he asked, jolly. His eyes glowed blue, "Perhaps Molly Miller?"

A small girl who was sitting in the back quietly looked up. Perhaps she was too sick to say anything, but it was more likely that she was just too shy.

"Me?" she asked, quiet as a mouse. Santa smiled kindly and knelt next to the child.

"Yes, you Molly. You've been very good this year," Santa said and gently lifted the child to his lap in the giant chair the hospital kept, "So, what do you want for Christmas this year?"

She whispered her wish in his ear and smiled shyly.

"I think I can get you that sweetie," he said, hugging her as he set her down.

……FentonWorks……

"Hey, everyone, I'm home," Jazz announced as she walked through the door.

"Hi, Honey, did you see your brother when you came in?" Maddie asked, coming up from the lab.

"No, should I have?" the girl asked.

"No, we just haven't seen him for a couple of hours. Honey, can you help me shovel the deck?" her mother asked, confusing her.

"Uh, sure," Jazz agreed.

Maddie explained the situation to her daughter as they shoveled the thick layer of snow away.

…

Meanwhile, Operatives O and K of the Guys in White were frustrated by the lack of evidence their stakeout had given them.

"Maybe that anonymous tip was a phony. We've already checked the Fentons and Jack Fenton doesn't seem bright enough to be harboring the ghost boy," O. doubted.

"It has to be a trick. We can't be deceived by his appearance," K. persisted.

"You're right, K. We must keep watch," O. said.

…

"Any ideas about what Danny's up to?" Jazz asked.

"Probably at work," Maddie sighed in code.

"Uh! I wish he'd just tell us what's going on! Cl- C.W. is keeping him working day and night. Over Thanksgiving break I saw his light on until past midnight," Jazz said, thinking on her feet to keep from blurting out the ghost's name.

"I know, Sweetheart. First the beard, now all-nighters? Danny must really love this job… What is it, Honey?" Maddie asked. Jazz had just gotten an epiphany.

So that's why that song was bothering me! But it can't be, can it? It's not-

"Jazz?" Maddie asked, interrupting her daughter's thoughts.

Jazz shook her head and said, "What? Oh, nothing; I just have to talk to Danny about something."

"Talk to me about what?" Dani asked, smirking. She knew perfectly well the other girl meant their brother.

"No, I- DANI!" Jazz yelled, falling into the trap.

"Ho hohohohoho! Be nice, Dani," her brother said from behind.

"Danny! Where have you been?" Maddie scolded.

"I've been…busy," he replied, vaguely. His mom smiled sadly, breaking his heart. At least Jazz has it figured out, he thought.

ClockWork had told him on his way through the Workshop that since she had figured it out on her own, he could talk freely to her.

He smiled as he said, "So, let's go talk."

Jazz looked a little unsure, doubting her thoughts. Everything points to this…But, it's impossible…But that laugh and that beard; he has to be.

Danny led her down to their parents' basement lab and stood next to the closed portal.

"Danny, where are we going?" she asked, worried.

"We're going where no one will hear us," he explained, opening the large yellow doors and taking her in.

"Danny…are-I mean…is your job?" she began when they were far enough in, then, taking a deep breath, tried again, "Are-Are you Santa Claus?"

The logical girl instantly felt foolish…until she saw her brother's face.

He was beaming with pride and…relief? She couldn't tell, but she could see that he was happy. What was more amazing and exhilarating was that he had transformed from the familiar form of Phantom he'd taken to enter the Ghost Zone, to the red coat, hat and black boots of Santa.

She rushed forward and hugged her little brother, Santa Claus.

"You're making me feel old," she laughed, after a couple of minutes, wiping away a few stray tears.

"You okay?" he asked, always worried, she nodded, "We should probably be getting back. I'll tell you more later."

"Alright. But, first…can you tell me something?" she asked, looking into his blue eyes nervously.

"Sure," he agreed.

"Th-the heart attacks…" she couldn't finish. He looked down sadly.

"I-the heart attacks I feel…are the pains of children. If it weren't for the fact that it's limited to a ten mile radius, I don't know if I'd have survived this first year," Danny explained, once again in ghost form.

She nodded, accepting the information as she wiped away still more tears. This whole thing was a lot to take in.

"Jazz," he said, just before leaving the Ghost Zone, "You have to promise me something."

She looked confused, but nodded cautiously.

"Promise that you won't tell anyone. In your own way know all is well, In your own time the secret's tell. Each person has to figure it out in their own way, in their own time. It's very important that it works out like that," Danny conditioned, reciting the little rhyme that ClockWork had given him.

"But-!" she started to protest.

"No buts, Jazz. They have to figure it out on their own; it's the only way I know they're ready," he said.

"Alright," she answered, reluctantly, "But I feel really bad not telling Mom and Dad; they're really worried."

"I know; I've wanted to be honest from the beginning, but this is how it's meant to be," he said, sadly.

……Christmas Eve……

Danny glanced nervously from behind the curtain at all the ghosts gathered there.

"Relax," ClockWork said, calmly.

"How can I relax? Half of those ghosts want me dead!" he freaked, quietly.

"It is Christmas Eve and you are Santa Claus; you will not be harmed," the ghost said, sagely.

"I know, I know. Doesn't make me any less nervous," Danny said.

"It's time," the Guardian of Time told him.

Santa took a deep breath and walked out to the crowd.

There were various cries of surprise when the ghosts saw their new Santa Claus.

"NO! Not the WHELP!"

"Phantom!"

"PUNK!"

"Friend!"

"Great One!"

"DIPSTICK! No way!"

"Ho ho ho! Heh, my reaction exactly," Santa joked nervously. Some laughed at his joke. He looked around at the hateful glares of his enemies and the warm gazes of his friends. He also looked at the happy expressions of ghosts he had yet to meet. All in all, it was a mixed bag.

Rubbing the back of his neck, the young Santa Claus sat down. After awhile, he began to relax, though he wished that he could spend this day with his family.

His ease, however, didn't last, because he then noticed the evil form of his arch foe mingling with the crowd.

Oh no…

"Why did he have to be Santa!" Skulker complained angrily.

Plasmius rolled his eyes at the comment, "Skulker, hasn't anyone ever told you? Santa Claus does not exist."

Vlad was irritable because these ghosts were reminding him of that imbecile, Jack Fenton, because they believed in the childish myth. He wasn't even entirely sure why he had decided to actually accept the invitation when it arrived. At least those government idiots, what do they call themselves, the Guys in White, will take care of Jack and that insolent little brat.

"Ha! Shows what you know. Since the first Santa died, his successor has always been a ghost," Skulker scoffed, "Rumor has it, it was because he didn't trust humans to take his place."

"What!" this was the first he'd heard of this.

"See my employer for yourself! BEWARE!" Box Ghost said as he danced by with his wife; their infant daughter being watched by a friend.

The man decided to take the blue ghost's advice and flew over to the man in red.

Danny clenched the armrests as the ghost approached.

Vlad looked at the new Claus. He knew that face somehow, but he couldn't place it.

Danny smirked at the confusion on his face, his nerves forgotten, "What, you don't recognize me, Fruit Loop?"

Santa almost laughed at the pure shock and disbelief written across Vlad's face.

"But-but…" he stuttered, unable to find the words.

"Yeah, I know, only 17," Danny answered, laughingly.

……Midnight, time frozen……

Santa smiled tiredly as he flew down the chimney of the final stop of the night.

He worked quickly and quietly, (though he could have made the loudest noise and no one would ever hear a thing), then bent over the hospital bed deposited next to the tree and kissed the forehead of the small occupant.

"Merry Christmas, Molly," he whispered to her. He was happy he'd been able to convince, (with a little Christmas magic), the doctors to let her go home for Christmas and grant her Christmas Wish.

……………

A/N: Mele Kalikimaka, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year, too and as alwaysALOHA!