That stupid Naughty List. One glance at it and his life had fallen apart. Sleep had become a fantasy. Singing was a chore.

Four Christmases passed before he realized what would bring him peace. Justice.

His brothers and sisters were overjoyed he had become his old self again. They thought he had gotten over the atrocities he'd seen on the list. The truth was that he had a purpose again. Cole thought back to that first nightmare after he saw the list. A shadowy figure approaching a young boy curled up sleep. The child's small hands hugging a doll that Cole himself had made.

Now those nightmares were dreams. They began the same as the nightmare, but now there was another shadowy figure. One emerging from the fireplace. A small matte green blade in his hand.

It took him twelve years to make that a reality. The boots were easy, Santa threw those away every year. The chimney dust was a problem. It took six years to get enough dust for the names on his list, and the list kept growing. The hard part was the reindeer. It took him years just to befriend them enough to find the one that would help him, Rudolph.

That one had a chip on his shoulder. Years of bullying, flying out just a couple times every ten years. He cared about the kids, but more than anything, he wanted freedom.

Then came the weapons. Santa would know if any of the elves made anything dangerous. Blades disguised as decorative parts, hilts as bicycle handles. He'd even managed to make enough parts for a small revolver, but not the bullets. That was no problem, the naughty list would tell him where to find them.

Christmas Eve came and went. Santa came home and they all gathered for dinner to celebrate another successful holiday. Cole ached to say goodbye. He wanted to tell them how much we would miss them. How he'd miss the way Bubbles would snort when she laughed. Jazzy's cookies. Cole snuck out before he started crying. He had to do this.

He walked through the snow to the valley where Rudolph was waiting. Their first stop would be to pick up the cover for his nose, masked as part of a baseball that Cole had made for a little girl in Arkansas. Cole ran the last few steps towards the valley, he could see a faint red glow from Rudolph's nose, and, no, it couldn't be. He had been so careful!

What was Santa doing here? He was supposed to be at dinner, giving his speech. Years, wasted.

"I know what you're doing". Cole gulped, he'd never heard Santa's voice so solemn. "It's a bad idea."

"I- I-" Cole's voice came out a squeak.

"It's disappointing". Cole began to shake. He wasn't afraid of the consequences, he just couldn't bear to stay home another night. Santa continued, "I thought you were smarter than this"

"Someone has to do something!" Cole found himself yelling, his voice had come back and stronger than it was stronger than it had ever been. "There are MONSTERS out there. I make toys for kids that cry themselves to sleep. Toys their parents steal and sell to buy drugs, parents that beat them and..."

"I know", Cole didn't know when Santa had started to hug him, but he was now crying into the big man's belly. "This isn't the way to do it" Santa was now kneeling, looking into his eyes. "You'll be through that list in a couple of months. And then what?"

"Then I-"

"Then, you'll come home and get another list". Cole tried to speak, but no words came out.

"You're not the first Cole my son. There aren't many of you, but enough. Go the South Pole. You'll find the others there."