A/N: My first plunge into the world of "The Santa Clause." It's always been one of my favorite Christmas movies, and Bernard has always been my favorite character. I wrote this short little one-shot about his brief house arrest in the second movie.

Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: I don't own the movie. Or the holiday figure...

Christmas Arrest

"Don't listen to him! He's not the real Santa! He has a rubber face…and a plastic tushie! Don't let him ruin Christmas!" Bernard called frantically to the terrified elves in the toy factory. He didn't even notice the menacing soldiers approaching until they were practically upon him, forcing him to cut off his protests and duck to avoid their metal limbs.

They began to march, forcing Bernard, stuck between them, to hobble along as best he could. He heard Toy Santa yelling out orders and clenched his jaw angrily. He hadn't liked the idea from the beginning, and, as usual, he had been right. But he didn't want to be.

He couldn't see where he was going over his tall escorts, but he guessed he wouldn't like it. It was only when the military men stepped aside that he saw they had forced him into the wrapping room. Thrusting him toward the back of the room, they clomped back toward the doors and shut them securely as they left.

Bernard tiptoed to the frosted glass and squinted out. He couldn't see anything; he tried the doors, but they had been secured.

Wonderful.

He flopped down in a chair and idly toyed with a snare of ribbon, wondering what he should do.

"Bernard?"

The hiss caught his attention and he shot up, flattening his ear against the door.

"Curtis?"

The elf on the other side sighed in relief.

"I found you. Look, I'm really sorry about Toy Santa…this is all my fault."

Privately, Bernard agreed, but he felt sorry for the younger elf.

"It's okay, Curtis, but listen – you need to get help. You have to find Santa before the imposter takes the sleigh and gives all the children coal for Christmas."

"I'll try. The other elves are panicking. The factory is chaotic, but those tin soldiers are suppressing any real resistance." He paused, and then his voice took on a new edge of panic. "They're coming this way; I have to go."

"Good luck!" Bernard whispered before retreating from the doors.

Seconds later, they were flung open, and two soldiers entered. One was carrying a scroll, which it thrust at Bernard, who took it hesitantly. He groaned as he read down the parchment.

House arrest.

--

Two hours later, Bernard was sitting in his living room, eyes firmly fixed on the front door. Through the windows, he could just make out a blue jacket that meant there were still soldiers stationed at his door to prevent his escaping. He couldn't contact anyone – his Elf-com link had been shut down. He couldn't teleport because Toy Santa had put up a magical barrier on all of the elven residences.

It was ridiculous, really – he, the pessimistic, perfectionist Head-Elf – under house arrest. At the North Pole. For trying to save Christmas. Bernard would have laughed if it wasn't so upsetting.

If it wasn't for Curtis, the situation would seem to be hopeless. But Curtis wasn't an incompetent elf, and Bernard trusted his second-in-command to find a solution. He stood and began to pace back and forth, watching the clock tick closer and closer to sleigh departure time and grinding his teeth in frustration.

Then, unexpectedly, he received visitors. Turning from his pacing, he was met face-to-face with Toy Santa and two flanking soldiers.

"Hello, Bernard," the plastic man said cheerfully.

"What do you want?" Bernard asked dully, trying to control the anger he felt building inside him.

This was met with chortling. "Where's your Christmas spirit?"

"I guess it disappeared with all the presents," Bernard said coolly, beginning to walk away. He was stopped by a grip on his arm from one of the soldiers, and froze. "Don't touch me," he said in a dangerously quiet voice.

The soldier released him at a nod from "Santa."

"I just came to tell you that I'll be setting off in less than an hour. Wouldn't want the children to miss out on all that coal!"

"Santa will stop you," Bernard warned. "You won't get away with this."

"I am Santa!" the fake said nastily. "And who's going to stop me – you?" He laughed and stomped to the door, trailed by the soldiers. "Merry Christmas!"

"Bah Humbug," Bernard muttered as the door slammed.

--

Barely an hour later, there was a commotion outside, and what sounded like cheering elves, along with a familiar voice. Could it be…?

Bernard wrenched open the door and came face to face with the real Santa, Curtis, Charlie, a woman he didn't know, and what seemed to be the entire North Pole's worth of elves. The soldiers were nowhere to be seen.

"Santa?" he said in relief.

His boss grinned. "Come on, Bernard, we've got to save Christmas!"

Bernard beamed.

A/N: Review?