Chapter 46: Salvation, Part 1

It seemed to take hours for Serendipity to reach the cave opening, even though in actuality it only took a matter of minutes. The snow was pelting her face, making it difficult to see, and her hands were beginning to freeze now, too, right along with the rest of her body. Her footing the last few steps was unsure, and she nearly slipped as she grabbed hold of the rocky entrance way and pulled herself inside.
The opening was narrow, and she had to crouch to slip inside, but once she finally made it through the entryway, though the temperature was still well below freezing, the lack of wind and snow seemed to make it more tolerable, and she collapsed on the damp floor against the mossy cave wall.
Squirming in her pocket let her know that Pozzletot was still with her, though she did not know what shape he might be in. She didn't dare take him out to inspect him as she didn't want to further expose him to the frigid air.?"Oh, Pozzletot," she said in a voice just above a whisper. "Whatever shall we do? If what the Snow Queen said is true, and we can never again leave the North Pole, how shall we get home? I can't bear to stay here now, not knowing Corey was so very dishonest with me all along."
There was no reply, of course, and Serendipity leaned her head back against the sharp, jagged surface of the cave wall in exhaustion.?Her eyelids seemed extremely heavy. "I think I shall take a little nap," she continued, "just a short one. And then, we shall decide what to do next."
Pozzletot's frantic chirping began to fade into the distance, as if he were on a train, traveling speedily in the opposite direction. Her body didn't seem quite as cold anymore. In fact, she was beginning to feel warmer and warmer. Just as she was about to fall asleep entirely, she heard a familiar voice calling her name, and as difficult as it was, she forced her eyes open. There, smiling over her was the most unexpected, familiar face. She couldn't believe it, but there he was, kneeling down beside her, slowly stroking her hair. "Papa?" she asked quietly.
"Hello, my sweet," Rudolph said, his baritone voice echoing off the walls of the cave. "How are you feeling?"
"Well," Serendipity began, glancing down at her body as if she wasn't sure, "I was so very cold before. But now, since I've found this cave. I feel so much better. Whatever are you doing here?"
"I came to see you, darling," he replied with a smile, sitting down next to her on the floor of the cave.?
Serendipity was shocked. "After all this time? Why ever did you choose to appear now, while I am here, in a cave, at the North Pole?"
"Well," Rudolph began, rubbing his nose, "I thought, perhaps, you could use a little help, a little direction?"
"Oh, father, are your allergies still bothering you even now?" Serendipity asked, fondly.
He chuckled, pulling his hand away from his nose. "Oh, no, dear. It's just become sort of a nervous habit of mine. Now, tell me child, why did you run away?"
"I didn't," Serendipity assured him. "I came to the North Pole to get Pozzletot, and then I was going home straightaway, but then well I learned that I couldn't, that I'd have to stay, and then," Serendipity's forehead creased in thought, "well, then, I guess I sort of did run away after that. But not intentionally. I just meant to put some distance between myself and Corey. He's not who I thought he was. Or else, he is who I thought he was before I thought he was someone different. Oh, Father, am I making any sense at all?"
Again, her father's infectious laughter filled the small space and resounded off the cave walls. "Yes, my child, you are making sense, but only because I know you so well and because I have been watching your story unfold from afar."
"You've been watching me, Papa?" Serendipity asked, sitting up as straight as she could, alarm filling her voice. "Then, you know what I did."
"Oh, my darling," Rudolph said, sliding around to sit next to her, his arm draped lovingly around her shoulders. "Yes, of course, I know about the accident."
Serendipity's head dropped. "You must hate me, then," she said, just above a whisper.
"On the contrary, my love. If anything, it has made me even fonder of you. Oh, not for what happened, but in spite of it. I have seen you, every day since that fateful morning so many years ago, toil with the guilt, the remorse. I have seen it all but consume you. Until just yesterday, when at last, it seemed, you had put it behind you, began again, given yourself the opportunity to move on with your life, the life you deserve to live, my darling. No one holds you accountable for what happened, my sweet. No one," he explained in his serene voice.
Serendipity considered every word carefully before asking, "You've seen Mother, then?"
"I have," he nodded, "and your sisters. Often. Your sisters do not hold you at fault, and your mother, well, quite frankly, she blames herself. She understands now, though it is a bit too late, that she was much too hard on you after I departed. Serendipity, my dear, I appreciate the sacrifices you have made these past eight years to try and make things right, but it is time now to go on with your own life, to find happiness, to continue to make us proud. You can do it--but you cannot do it here, in this freezing cold cave. You must trust in those who brought you here, in your friends. They will show you the light."
Every word her father spoke brought new hope to Serendipity. If he had forgiven her--and her mother and sisters--then, perhaps, she could forgive herself at last. Perhaps she could find a way to be happy here in the North Pole, making her dolls amongst those who were so cheerful and jolly, those who kept the Christmas spirit all year long.
She turned her head to face him and realized he was growing more and more difficult to see. "Father? Must you leave again so soon?"
"I must," he replied, his voice growing fainter. "But fear not, my sweet girl. I shall be with you always."
"But how will I know the way back home?" she asked, becoming more frantic as her father began to dissipate into a thousand twinkling stars.
"Follow the light," he replied, faintly.
"Follow the light?" she repeated. "Follow the light. Follow the light."
"Serendipity? Serendipity!"