"Rudolph," Santa said getting down on one knee, a green gloved hand on the young reindeer's back. "With your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Everyone cheered at this suggestion.

Looking around himself at everyone cheering for him, and his shiny nose, Rudolph was about to agree, when a small voice in his head made him pause and look again.

He saw all those elves, and reindeer young and old, family, classmates, workers at the factory, who all his life had laughed at him and his nose. And all the sudden they're showing love and affection to him and said nose because it was the only thing bright enough to see through the storm that was circling the North Pole.

Frowning a little, Rudolph stood as tall as he could and said "No."

This brought silence from everyone, then murmuring as those standing next to each other asked if they heard what they did, or if the storm's wind was playing tricks on them.

"But, but," Santa said not sure what to say, but pulling away from Rudolph and getting up again.

"Maybe, this will teach you all, if something like this…" Rudolph said to the silent crowd using a hoof to point at his nose "happens again, you all would think about it before you go making fun of the person it belongs to. Because you never know if you might need their help in the future. Or how much your words or laughs could hurt them.

'Do you think I ran away from my parents, from my only friend, and from my home because I liked being laughed at because of this thing?!" His nose shines a bit brighter as he goes on to show his anger.

"You Arrow, are meant to be my cousin." he called out to the teenage buck who had been bullying him since they were young, who was standing beside his father Cupid who looked a little guilty himself, remembering when Rudolph was younger, he and his brothers also laughed at their nephew.

"You Mrs Prancer, didn't try to get the others to stop laughing at me at school. You just wanted order in your classroom. And dad…" he turned to his father Blitzen. "I heard what you said to the Reindeer Games referee. You think my nose is an accident huh? Well seeing as I'm attached to it, I guess that makes me an accident too, right?"

The crowd of elves, reindeer, humans, a bear and a fox all stared at him, no one knowing quite what to say, because all he had said was true. They had treated him like that, like he was an outcast, a stranger, a thing to be laughed at just because his nose was a little different.

Accepting the silence, Rudolph turned back to his friends and started to lead them to the town hall so they could get out of the storm.

They had barely started to move when someone called out: "But what about Christmas?"

"What about it?" Rodolph asked not turning back, but stopping to listen.

"The storm is so bad Santa said he can't fly in it, so the kids of the world won't get their presents if you don't help and use your nose to show them out safely." the voice explained.

"Well maybe you all should have thought of that before you all laughed at me all my life and made me run away." Rudolph said, looking over his shoulder trying to find the person who spoke up. "Besides, I'm sure they can miss one Christmas. From what I overheard from the toy making elves over the years from my time hiding from them and my fellow reindeer, the kids of the world today are getting more and more spoiled. They can do with less gifts than usual for one year."

"Besides," Slyly spoke up, flicking his tail in annoyance. "Seems to me you all are only starting to care about Red because his snoz can 'save christmas' and not that it's attached to him."

"Um yeah that's right," Leonard said speaking up "Why he - he had a chance to get a normal nose, as a thank you from Stormella after he saved her life. But he said he didn't want that."

Everyone was shocked at this.

Rodolph had a chance to get a normal nose, but didn't. Was it because he liked it? No that couldn't be it. He just said he hated it, and how everyone laughed at him about it.

But what would have happened if he did take that wish, then there wouldn't be any chance to save Christmas, just like there isn't a chance now all because of how everyone treated him.

And the fox was right, it did seem that they were only starting to like him because his nose might be able to save Christmas.

With no one else having anything to say, Rudolph, Zoe, Slyly, and Leonard set off again, this time undisturbed.

o0o

That year saw the biggest drop of people now not believing in Santa because the present they asked for did not appear under their tree on Christmas Day. It was a long time before the numbers were back up to how they were before the stormy Christmas eve but just in case something like that happened again, the flyers were now trained to fly while wearing head-torches (the kind miners wear to have light but keep their hands free so they can use their tools) and did practise flights through all kinds of weather.

Rudolph was never really forgiven for not helping out when he was most needed, but inside, somewhere, everyone knew that he had a good point and a good reason to say no. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words leave invisible scars that never heal. A few years later Rudolph had his own calves with Zoe. A set of twins, one, Ruby, with a normal nose and one, Xander, with the nose of their father's.

At first Rudolph was worried his son would be treated like he was when he was younger, and made sure to stick close to him whenever he could so nothing would happen to him. But that only lasted so long because soon the twins were in school, and although there was talk about some bullying, it got dealt with easily, plus they had each other to look out for them. o0o

It was coming up to Christmas and for the last few days the weather around the North Pole had been getting worse and worse. The elves were checking the 'Bad Flying Weather' equipment but they didn't think the lights would be bright enough on their own. On the night before Christmas eve, Santa asked Rudolph and his son to come to the workshop to talk about the weather. "I won't lie to either of you," he began surprisingly calm, as he stood by the window. "This weather will be a difficult thing to fly in, the elves even believe it will be too much for the flying gear." he added to make them see why they were called. "Well then you should look at getting better equipment sir," Rudolph said in a 'I don't care about any of this' voice.

"Yes, unfortunately," Santa continued. "That won't be done until after Christmas because the paths to the post office are blocked up with all this snow." "So why are we here sir?" Xander asked, confused, not sure what he or his father could do. Yes he knew they had noses that could glow in the dark, but how could that help Santa? Turning to face the two reindeer, Santa looked from one to the other judging who to ask this to, in the end asking both at the same time. "I was wondering, if either of you would like to lead my sleigh to help us get through the storm and bring Christmas to all the boys and girls of the world." he said, having a feeling he knew Rudolph's answer. The elder deer said nothing and looked at his son. Xander was surprised, his eyes wide at hearing this his nose glowing a little.

"You want us to lead your sleigh sir?" Xander asked, not sure what to say. "I would like that very much," Santa said, nodding, keeping his distance. "Well I'm sorry," Rudolph said in a denying voice "But you already know I won't do it and Xander is too young." "I am not too young," the young buck said, turning to his dad. "I can do this. Let me help." For a second, Rudolph saw himself in his son's place - which wasn't hard as he was the exact copy of him, only with a lighter coat and Zoe's eyes - wanting to help despite how everyone is to him, wanting to show how great he is, and wanting to one day become a Flyer. Sighing, Rudolph looked from Xander, to Santa, to the scene outside the window and the dark storm clouds that were hanging in the sky. "Alright," Rudolph finally said, giving in "But next year, that flying gear better be up for something like this." he told Santa as Xander was jumping around the room for joy, his now showing how happy and excited he was about this. As soon as they were home, Xanda was the one to tell his mother and Ruby all about it. "Are you alright with this Rudolph?" Zoe asked gently one the children were in bed. "Not really, but Xander was very determined to help so I couldn't say no, especially when you think of count in all that courage, character, and a heart that's true." Rodolph said, sighing a little. "I'm sure he'll be a great Flyer, just like you would have been, if people were more accepting." Zoe said, kissing him before curling up to sleep.

o0o The next night, everyone was there to watch the Christmas Eve launch, all excited and a bit nervous on if they would make it. "Here they come!" Someone called out seeing the doors to the sleigh shed open. Out came the reindeer, eight with headlights sitting between their antlers, one at the front with his nose shining as bright as his father's was shining all those years ago. They took off and flew through the storm, through sleet, hail, over mountains and trying to get above the storm all of them always saying in their heads: "We can make it, if we try." After a rough five minutes, they made it.

After an all nighter of delivering presents, Xander and the other reindeer bring the sleigh home and are welcomed back with cheers and celebrations. Rodolph watching everything with Zoe and Ruby from the sleigh shed waiting for Xander to come home with his new shiny medal of valour. "See dad, did you see?" Xander said, smiling his nose shining in happiness "I told you I could do it!" "I know son, I'm proud of you," Rudolf said leaning over to give a reindeer hug. "We both are," Zoe said in agreement before telling them to go and have some fun. As they race off, Rudolph imagined seeing himself and his wife as a team of elves carried them to the town hall for a welcome feast / breakfast / party, wondering what would have happened if he had chosen to lead the sleigh himself all those years ago.