Before you guys punjab me for starting yet ANOTHER story, hear me out, please. This is a Christmas story, so I wanted to post it this week. It's a short story, and I'm still writing the others, so don't panic.

The idea for this story hit me after I watched Miracle on 34th Street for the first time on Thanksgiving. The mother made me wonder how Erik would handle the Santa Claus situation. This is just a bit of Christmas-Phantom fluff for you guys, and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter One

"No! Absolutely not!"

Christine winced. While she had expected her husband to not agree, she hadn't anticipated an outburst. "Erik," she began, "surely you don't mean that. Be reasonable. It's not safe around the house, and..."

"You should know better than to wander around when I'm gone, my dear," he reminded her with a scowl on his face. "Besides, you have no need to leave the house."

Under normal circumstances, she would have dropped the subject. After nine years of marriage, she was no stranger to her husband's iron will. Yet, two small faces were in her mind, and she knew they deserved better. "I might know better, but what about Carmen and William? If they were trapped in one of your chambers, they wouldn't be able to escape. It's already bad enough that William is fascinated by your lasso."

Raising an eyebrow, Erik said, "They won't leave the house alone if I talk to them." From his standpoint, that was a very logical solution, for both children knew that their father was more... creative when it came to planning punishments. Christine, however, shook her head. "William won't listen."

"How many times have you said that he takes after his father's intellect? He knows not to defy me."

"He's also obstinate, which is another trait he has gained from his father. And, Carmen will tag along, like always." The petite brunette smirked slightly as Erik gave her an exasperated look. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by a sneeze. Both parents were silent for a moment. Then, as he moved towards the bedroom door, Erik said, "I can tell you one thing that our children didn't learn from me." Christine saw his plan and grinned. "What, pray tell, would that be, oh genius one?" Placing his hand on the doorknob, he promptly answered, "Eavesdropping." Then, he opened the door, and two children tumbled inside the room. They quickly rose to their feet. Eight-year-old Carmen looked properly ashamed of herself, while six-year-old William looked nonchalant.

"Carmen," Christine gently addressed her daughter, who was more likely to tell the truth. "Why were you listening to your parent's conversation without permission?"

The eight year old's large brown eyes met the identical ones of her mother's. "I'm sorry, Mama, but William said you and Papa were fighting, and I was worried."

"I did not!" protested William defiently. Christine smiled. While Carmen was like a cherub, William was more inclined to be like his father. Both of them were pretty children, much to Erik's relief. Carmen had black hair, rosy cheeks, and warm brown eyes, and William had his mother's wavy chestnut hair and father's brown eyes that were flecked with gold.

"Do not tell lies, William," Erik cautioned his son. "They don't become a little boy."

"I'm not a little boy!" he indignantly exclaimed.

"Of course you aren't," Christine told him soothingly. "You're a little man. That's so much bigger than a little boy."

Pacified by his mother, William crawled over to her and sat in her lap. Like father, like son; William was devoted to Christine. True, he turned to his father when he needed help with an intellectual problem, but he absolutely adored his mother like mortals adore angels.

"Were you fighting?" Carmen asked nervously. Her father bent down and kissed her cheek, and her mother smiled. "Mama and Papa don't always agree with each other," she explained. "And, sometimes we do argue. But, we will always, always love each other, just like we will always love you."

"I'm glad," said William, relieved. "You and Papa won't fight anymore, will you?" The two parents met each other's eyes, and Erik smiled slyly. "Not today, son," he promised. "Your Mama and I have reached an agreement."

Christine sighed. Oh, no we haven't, Erik, she silently vowed. You aren't the only one in this family who's stubborn.