Chapter Seven

A Bittersweet Ending and a Hopeful Beginning

Christine had been able to take her human form as she and her ghostly allies lead the Doctor and Rose back to the TARDIS. The Doctor was still feeling upset that a peaceful negotiation had not helped.

"I don't expect you to ever forgive me for what I did to Davros, but you must understand: whether we like it or not...there are those who do not want to sit down and talk things over like civilized beings. There will come times when we must fight back." Christine explained gently, "I was overly compassionate...two times, I recall...and I ended up getting stalked. Please...don't make the same mistakes I did."

The Doctor sighed. "Well...I see where you're going with all that. And...I thank you...all of you...for saving my life. But...don't think I've gotten over what you did to Clara!" Christine shook her head. "I expect no forgiveness for that, either. I can only hope that one day...you will understand why it had to be done."

"You WILL understand, Doctor...someday. We guarantee this." the lead ghost assured him, "No doubt time with your old friend, Rose, will aid in your recovery." "But the other me I left with her...the half human-half Time Lord...what is he to do?" the Doctor wanted to know.

One of the female spirits shook her head sadly. "She does not have him anymore, Doctor. He was taken away from her. Too soon...as is the case with any lost loved one." The Doctor's eyes widened somewhat. "How did that come to be?" he asked. "He was killed...automobile accident...hit by a drunk driver who was TEXTING." Christine answered, "How's THAT for stupidity?"

The Doctor looked at Rose. Tears came to her eyes as she nodded. "It's true, Doctor...I've lost him. And when a few of these spirits came for me and told me where you were and brought me here...I knew I could not let this opportunity pass me by. Please...take me back."

The Doctor looked at Rose a second time. He really wanted to do that...but he had a concern. "Rose...I am not the Doctor you knew. As you see clearly...I have changed. How can I love you as you do me?" "It is not impossible, Doctor. Search deep within your heart...you will find it. The power to love is within all of us, however rough or firm we may be." said the lead ghost.

The Doctor pondered that for a while. Then he remembered something: his first self had been rather on the rough, stern side. But had that prevented people from wanting to travel with him? No chance! And hadn't he still managed to bring happiness into their lives? Of course he had.

Then something else occurred to him. He looked at Christine. "One thing, though, Dullahan...er, that is...Christine...who is to say Rose would not have a dispute with me and make some rather...unkind choices?"

Christine smiled and shook her head. "It is not possible that she could EVER mean anything unkind she said or did to you, Doctor. She loves you. And it is the same for you. Of this we are certain." she told him.

She paused to hug the Doctor. "I will never forget this." she said softly, "I don't know if I'll ever see you again...but I will always treasure seeing you...my hero...the Doctor!"

Somehow, the Doctor managed to embrace her back. But he spoke with a rather melancholic tone of voice. "Your compliments are appreciated...but I'm afraid I must disagree about the whole 'hero' thing. If there is anything I'm not, it's that." "No, Doctor...that's not true. You must remember: there are many innocent beings throughout time and space who live...because of you." Christine reminded him.

"We know of your deeds, Doctor." added the lead ghost, "Had it not been for you, Martha Jones would have had no idea how to defeat the Master, there would have been NO survivors whatsoever on the Titanic, and Rose...she would have possibly continued to have a dreary, unhappy life. And there are many other things that we can name."

"Like my mother always used to tell me: we're our own worst critics." Christine pointed out. Then she hugged Rose. "I wish you and the Doctor all the best on your new journey together."

Rose's tears found their way out. "Isn't there anything I can do for you at all?" she asked sadly. "Rose...there is." Christine replied, "I only ask that you promise to do one thing for me: the Doctor...take care of him. He is special to me...and he needs you...and people need him." Rose sobbed softly. "I will...I promise."

Christine began to shed her bloody tears again as she went to Frederik and embraced him. "...I'm sorry, Frederik...my beautiful, loving Optimus Prime..." she said tearfully, "I'm so sorry." "No...no, please...don't go away, Christine...I need you...I love you!" Frederik pleaded, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry..." Christine said softly. And she gently kissed his trembling lips. Then she added, "...but you will never leave my memories. And I want you to always remember...how much I love you."

Then Christine began to slowly drift away to her stallion. And as she did, her beauty was once again masked by her fearsome Dullahan appearance.

"Oh, Christine!" Frederik cried, "Isn't there ANYTHING that can be done for you?!" "Please...if there is anything we can do for you, PLEASE tell us!" the Doctor pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes by this point.

The Dullahan shook its skeletal head. "The only way I can be free is if these hurting, troubled souls can rest. As long as the evils of abuse thrive, they cannot. And as long as they cannot rest, I am needed." it said in its deep, scary voice, which still kept sadness in it, "The less abuse there would be in existence, the less there would be need for me."

"Do you understand what she is saying, any of you? If you wish to help put us to rest and free her, there must be more who stand against bullying. People must try harder to spread the message and recruit more to help. The more there are who stand against abuse and the stricter of the penalties for bullying others, the fewer there would be who would practice it. When none or so very little who commit the evils of abuse would be left...perhaps even then, we could finally rest." the lead spirit explained.

"What can we do?" Rose asked sorrowfully. "You must spread the message of anti-abuse. Set a good example for others by standing against it. It will encourage them to do the same. Pass on what you know. Persuade others to develop consequences of abuse that will truly have an impact on those who practice it." the Dullahan said, "Encourage others to do as I have instructed you. Be firm if you must...and perhaps you will have to be. If success reigns, one day these souls will be at peace...and I will be free."

"NO!" Frederik burst out, "I can't wait that long! Christine...PLEASE...take me with you! Who knows how long it would take?! I can't go on without you, my Angewomon! Please take me with you!" "I...cannot do that, Frederik. This burden I must bear alone." the Dullahan said, bowing its head sadly.

Frederik shook his head in great disbelief. "Why not?!" he demanded to know, "Are...are you forbidden to have loved ones with you?!" "My dear boy..." the lead ghost said gently, "...if you wished to stay with her, you would have to become LIKE her: a terrifying death spirit, feared by all, only able to be out by night, and unable to live a normal life. This is not what she wants for you."

Frederik clenched his fist in determination. "Then so be it! I hate abuse too...and the more you have helping you, the better the chances of ending the evil of bullying!" Then he added in a sad, begging manner, "Please...let me stay with Christine. I don't care if I have to become like her. I love her."

The ghosts and the Dullahan looked at Frederik with curiosity. "You are certain this is what you wish?" a child's ghost asked. Frederik nodded. "It is! I don't care what happens to me. I want to be with my love. Please...please take me."

"Frederik, no!" Rose pleaded tearfully, "Please...don't throw your life away like that." Frederik turned to look at Rose, a look of determination and courage on his face. "Throw my life away? Not the term I would use...unless that refers to throwing away a life without Christine, and THAT is no waste! A life without Christine...the woman I love...is not worth living!" Frederik declared bravely.

The lead ghost looked at Frederik pensively for a while. Then he said, "If that is your decision..." and motioned towards the Dullahan, who stretched out its bony, ringed hand to Frederik. Without hesitation, Frederik moved toward the phantom and reached for its hand.

"Frederik, please!" Rose pleaded mournfully, starting to head towards Frederik, But the Doctor stopped her. "No, Rose." he said gently, "Let him go. He has chosen his path...as must we all."

Managing to smile, Frederik took hold of the Dullahan's hand. Then he, the Dullahan and all the ghosts began to glow with a red aura. He turned to look back at his alien friend. "I'll never forget you...Doctor. Thank you for everything. Bye."

No sooner had Frederik said this, he, the ghosts and the Dullahan were engulfed in a passionate, red light filled with cries of despair, accusations and pleads for justice. Then there was a brilliant flash that caused the Doctor and Rose to cover their eyes and cringe back. When they were able to look, neither the ghosts, nor Frederik, nor the Dullahan were anywhere to be found.

But in the fading light, two compact discs were floating in mid-air. Wondering, the Doctor stepped forward and took hold of them. Attached to each one was a note that said, "Please send this to our loved ones."

"What can those possibly be for, Doctor?" Rose asked. "Oh, there's only one thing that makes sense to me: there are messages on there...messages to the families and friends of Christine and Frederik...and are no doubt VERY important!" "But how can we spread the word to all of them?" Rose asked in uncertainty. The Doctor smiled. "Come with me...I'll show you." he said, and lead Rose into the TARDIS.


"All right, and..." the Doctor began to type on the keyboard of the TARDIS' main computer, "...there! Nothing to it!" "Wh...what did you do?" Rose wanted to know. "Simple..." the Doctor told her, "...this computer...can connect with the internet on computers all throughout space. Everyone uses the internet. They'll get the messages eventually. And no worries. They're perfectly safe. They won't get listed as spam or malware or whatever. And in the meantime...we must play OUR parts in raising awareness that bullying must be stopped."

Rose smiled. "I'd be more than happy to do that. And to get to do it with you...even better." The Doctor grinned. "So you don't mind that I'm different now? You still want to travel with me?"

Rose giggled and hugged the Doctor. "It doesn't matter to me what you've become." she said lovingly, "Somewhere in there is the Doctor who made a difference in my life...the man I love. And I came to find him...because I believed this...and was certain that he still needed me."

Upon hearing this, the Doctor began to feel a warm sense of great happiness inside him. This was certainly the Rose he had known. And even though it seemed to good to be true...that she was right here, back with him...there was no denying that it was so, and things were going to be better.

Suddenly, the Doctor became aware that he was leaning down to Rose...and kissing her. A feeling of joy rushed through both himself and Rose as their lips were interlocked in love at long last...as the Doctor took hold of the engines' lever and pulled it.

Then the TARDIS' engines began to sing their heavy, whooshing song again as the TARDIS disappeared...and flew away into the stars...


Soon, many were receiving and taking to heart the special messages from Frederik and Christine:

To my dear friends and family,

I send this message to you to inform you: I have to go away on a journey...and I do not know when I can come back. All I know is that in order for me to return, there must be less need of me to be on this journey. And for that to happen, there must be stronger stands against bullying...of any kind: physical, verbal, sexual, etc.

I humbly ask that you spread the message of anti-abuse. Set a good example for others by standing against the wickedness of bullying. It will encourage them to do the same. Assist those who already fight against abuse, for they need your help. Persuade others to develop consequences of abuse that will truly have an impact on those who practice it. Encourage others to do as I have instructed you. Be firm if you must...and perhaps you will have to be.

The more who stand against bullying and the firmer the consequences of abuse, the less people there will be who practice this terrible art of hurting others. And the fewer their numbers, the less need there will be for me to be away...and the sooner I can return to you.

Till then, remember how much I love you, and I always will. And never will you leave my memories.

With all the love I can give you,

Frederik Kohl/Christine Dieter


The troubled spirits began to feel a sense of peace as they observed how great the fighting against bullying had become and how many more cared.

The lead spirit smiled. "Patience, my friends. At the rate success of stopping abuse is climbing...perhaps it will be some day soon when we can finally rest...and the dear children...will be free."


The moon's light silhouetted the trees of the forest as the Dullahan rode swiftly upon its demonic but magnificent black stallion through the night, seeking out the souls of the cruel.

Just then, another black stallion of the same kind rode up beside her, carrying another Dullahan.

The first one looked at him, and the moonlight made the diamond on her ring glisten as she stretched out her hand towards him. Looking at her as lovingly as his fearsome face could, the second Dullahan reached out for her.

Soon, both their bony hands met in a loving clasp, and they looked at each other tenderly. Frederik and Christine did not know when they could return to their loved ones, and there would be difficulty without them. But they had each other, and that would surely ease some of the pressure.

They held ever so firmly and lovingly to each other's hands as they rode off into the night...to make the world a better place by fighting to put an end to the evil of abuse...

(Now I just have one question, readers: what will you do to aid in the fight against abuse?)

Let's end with the closing theme:

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