The sound of planes overhead had Rose, Bernard, and the other elves on high alert. Bernard had already called for them to be taken to Elfcon 3, just to make sure the planes wouldn't find them.
     Rose shook her head as she tried, and failed, yet again, to fix the holes in her shield. "These guys aren't stopping!" Bernard said in a panic. "Take us to Elfcon 2!"
    The elves did so with no hesitation. Rose frustratedly spoke, "I'm so sorry, B. I can't seem to keep my shield up. Something's wrong with it!"
    Bernard took Rose into his arms. "Shh!" He whispered. "Just relax, love. This is not your fault."
    The other elves turned away. At that moment, Santa appeared out of nowhere and paused a second before shouting, "And a partridge in a pear tree! You take us to Elfcon 1!"
     "We're at Elfcon 1!" One of the elves shouted over the intercom.
     Immediately, the whole place grew quiet. At that moment, the elves and Santa heard music playing over the speakers.
     "Find out where that music's coming from!" Santa shouted.
     An elf pulled up a map of the Pole and began tracking it, showing it was somewhere in the workshop. Santa, Rose, and Bernard ran off to find the culprit of what was causing the noise. As the three raced through the workshop, elves pointed them in the direction of the culprit.
     Finally, the three burst through the door to find Curtis lounging in the sleigh playing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". Immediately, the three rushed over. Santa placed a hand over Curtis' mouth and turned the music off.
    Rose and Bernard followed Santa into the room. "Curtis, why don't we get you a nice pair of earmuffs for Christmas?" Santa said.
    Bernard grumbled as he and Rose approached the sleigh. Santa was already leaving the room. "Curtis, you're 900 years old! Grow up!"
    "Really? I think he's grown up enough!" Rose joked in her usual smartass tone.
     Bernard looked at Rose and managed a small smile. "Very funny, Snowflake!"
     Rose childishly stuck her tongue out at Bernard. Before he could say anything, however, Santa called out to both Bernard and Rose. Bernard made an annoyed face at Curtis before rushing out the door after Santa.
     Rose took this moment to make her way around the sleigh to offer Curtis a genuine smile. "Don't worry about him, Curt." She said. "He's just stressed over taking care of Christmas. He'll come around."
     "Does he hate me?" Curtis asked, looking genuinely hurt.
     "Of course not! Bernard cares for you. He's just...not always good at showing it. I mean...look at how long it took him just to reveal his feelings for me." They both laughed. "Just give him some time, ok?"
     "Rose!" Both Santa and Bernard called out.
     "I need my daughter/guardian!"
     "I'm coming!" She shouted. "Take it easy on him, ok? I'll talk to him."
     With that, Rose spun on her heel and followed after her dad and her boyfriend. She rushed to catch up with Bernard and Santa, who kept stopping to check on everything.
     It had been 7 years since the night that Scott had put on the Santa suit and became Santa, 6 since he had accepted the job, and 5 since Rose had become his guardian. A lot had happened in those years and Scott had been seemed the best Santa ever by children everywhere!
     As they walked, Curtis trailed behind the Head Elf and Santa's Appointed Guardian. "I did nothing wrong. According to the handbook--"
     "Oh the handbook!" Bernard called out sarcastically. "Curtis, do you go pee pee with that thing?"
     Rose shook her head. "Boys, can't the two of you get along? Let's all just calm down. Bernard, Curtis means no harm. He's only trying to help. Curtis, lighten up about the handbook. It's more a set of guidelines than actual rules. Both of you just try to get along, please?"
    They both looked at her, blushes covering both their cheeks. "Sorry." Curtis mumbled.
     "I'm sorry too." Bernard said, giving Rose his patented puppy dog eyes.
     She gave Bernard a look. "Don't you try that on me. And I'm not the one the two of you need to apologize to." She gave Curtis a quick hug before turning to Bernard. "I have to go. There's somewhere I need to be right now but I'll be back soon." Grabbing ahold of Bernard's shirt, she pulled him to her and kissed him. Then, with a wave, she disappeared from sight.
     Even though she had kissed Bernard numerous times, he still got butterflies when she did it and it always left a smile on his face. Curtis rolled his eyes as he noticed the look, knowing full well what was going on.
    "So...when are you gonna ask her?" Curtis asked.
    Bernard snapped out of it and turned to Curtis. "What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
     "Oh, c'mon, Bernard! Everyone at the Pole knows you're planning on proposing to her! We're all just wondering when you're gonna get off the fence to do it."
     "Has anyone said anything to her?" Bernard asked, anger starting to flare in his eyes.
     "No one wants to ruin the surprise." Curtis said. "Although I'd be surprised if she didn't already have a clue. She's too smart not to."
     Bernard smiled. "Yea. She always seems to know everything that's going on. And, more likely than not, she's probably right about the two of us arguing."
     "Should we tell her?"
     "Definitely not."
                           * * * * *
    Rose sighed through her teeth as she pulled a pair of earmuffs over her pointy ears to keep them hidden from view. Slinging her scarf over one shoulder, she walked into Charlie's school, making her way through the very halls she once walked through when she was in high school. Had it already been 5 years since she'd graduated?
     She took another deep breath as she knocked on the door of Principal Newman's office. "Come in." Came the voice of the principal.
     Rose entered the room, taking in the sight of the office and her now 15 year old brother sitting in one of the chairs. He had grown since that first night. He was now taller than her and more mature looking but with the same boyish face and wonder-filled eyes.
     Charlie shrunk in his seat sheepishly as he saw her enter the room. Carol Newman stood from her seat to greet Rose. "Ms. Calvin. Pleasure to see you again. Where's your father? Or is he not showing?"
     It was hard not to mistake the disgust in Carol's face as she spoke the words harshly. Luckily, Rose wasn't the slightest bit intimidated by the older woman.
     "He's a bit busy with work. This is his busy season, after all. Besides, I can handle this just fine. What's the issue this time, Ms. Newman?"
     Carol looked as if she was trying to breathe fire with the dirty look she threw Rose's way. "Charlie is a very willful young man. He doesn't adhere to the rules, refuses to follow basic protocol, and is a general menace."
     Rose let out a little laugh. "Is that all?" She turned her attention to her brother. "Char, what's the action that caused Principal Newman to call me down here?"
     "I skipped school to form a rally about the lack of Christmas. And I may have spray painted a window in the boy's locker room."
     "Well, let's not skip school or resort to vandalism. Ok, Charlie?"
     "Ok, sis."
     "And as for you." She turned to the principal. "I'd like you to not terrorize students, especially not my little brother. I'm not someone you want to get angry. And neither is my father and if I hear you speak ill of him again, you won't like me very much." She said, being purposefully vague.
    With that, she took Charlie's hand. Once they were out of sight, Rose transported them to the Miller's house. She exhaled loudly as the trip had made her dizzy.
    "I have to go but I'm warning you now, Charlie. No more of this acting out in school. I can't keep coming here and covering your butt from dad. I do have other things I have to do."
    "Sis, are you ok?"
    "I'm fine. Just having some trouble with my magic. But I'm serious, Charlie. Behave yourself."
    "I miss you and dad." Charlie confessed.
    "I know, kid. I'll try to get his butt down here soon. I promise. Now go inside before you catch a cold." Rose gave him a fond smile.
     It was obvious that Rose cared for her brother. Actually, all of her family. They were all important to her. And she wouldn't trade them for anything.
     Charlie gave his big sister a hug and then turned and went into the house. After that, Rose took ahold of the necklace she had worn ever since her dad became Santa Claus. Spinning the vial, she called Bernard's name.
     A second later, Bernard showed up just in time to catch her. The last thing she saw was Bernard catching her and looking at her with worried eyes. Then, only blackness...

So what do you think is wrong with her?