Author's Note: Wow, you all sure know how to make an author feel loved. Of course, I'm not deserving of all this good response. That belongs to the original minds behind The Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm talking about Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, the overlooked (sorry!) Henry Selick who directed the film and who I will kick myself over for not mentioning previously, Disney and Touchstone Pictures, and Capcom. Those people deserve much love. However, I appreciate all of your patronage, I really do. It makes me hyper update, and that is good. I'd say more, but I just really want to start the chapter now, mmmkay? (Re-edit Comment: I still can't believe I only remembered to starts giving Henry Slick credit at this point. Whoa.)

I'm quite sure all of you know what transpired in as most of the world's powers entered another war. There are horrors that took place that could never have happened in the land of Halloween itself. Unfortunately for Doctor Finkel, he was one of many victims in the war to come. Once again, I must warn of the gruesome death to come. Read on, if you dare to find out the truth behind Doctor Finkelstein's demise.

— Henry Cadaver

October 31st, 1938

Frederick and Eva hardly spoke to each other during that day. It wasn't that they were quarreling, not at all. They were just nervous. The pair had been packing what they could stuff into carry-on trunks and looking out the windows for a parade of cars to come their way. Nothing was out of the ordinary during the day. It was sunset when there was really any action.

The pair could hear cars coming down the main street. Frederick quickly made his way to the front door with his trunk and Eva's, holding the door for his companion as she looked towards them. The leading auto was a pickup truck. One person out of many sitting in its bed stood up and waved to Frederick and Eva. It had to be Johann. He directed the parade up to the scientist's house. When he jumped to the ground, his blonde hair glistened in the sun's remaining rays. The boy's hazel eyes shone with warmth as he approached Doctor Finkel.

"Hello, Papa!" Johann exclaimed as he hugged his adoptive father.

"Hello, my boy," Doctor Finkel said, patting Johann on the back. "How has the trip been so far?"

"Wunderbar, Papa Finkel. All we do is pick people up. They all want freedom too."

"Speaking of freedom, I have a guest coming with me who also wants it," Doctor Finkel said as he broke the hug and nodded towards a bashful Eva. "Don't be shy, Eva."

"Hello, Herr Johann," Eva said as she approached the merry college student.

"Nein. Just call me Johann, Eva. We're friends now."

"Even if I'm a Jew?"

"Especially if you're a Jew. We're not going to let anything happen to you." Johann said comfortingly before turning to the rest of the cars, "Are we?"

The people in the cars responded with a loud 'Nein'. Without a second thought, Eva hugged Johann. Doctor Finkel sighed to himself before throwing his trunk onto the pickup truck's bed and then lifting himself onto it. Eva and Johann soon followed with Eva's trunk. With one last look at his home, Frederick signaled to Johann that he was ready to leave. Johann whistled to the driver and the car sped off deeper into the Black Forest, followed by the rest of the caravan. In a matter of a couple of hours, they would be safe in Switzerland and free from the Nazis.

"I never thought I'd make a new beginning at this age," Doctor Finkel said to Johann.

"Ja, you always were stubborn," Johann said.

"Wretched boy," Doctor Finkel replied.

"Just telling the truth, like you taught me to do."

"At least you retained that. Did you bring the science books like I asked?"

"They're in my bag."

"Good," Doctor Finkel said before turning to Eva. "Feeling well, Fraulein?"

"Just a bit sick, but I've grown accustomed to that by now," Eva replied, nodding her head slowly.

"Is that healthy?" Johann asked.

"It is for a pregnant woman," Doctor Finkel said. "At least we know your child is alright."

"Die Gratulation, Fraulein," Johann said. "I wouldn't mind having children of my own one day."

"Danke, Johann. I only wish Wilhelm was here."

"Wilhelm?"

"My husband. He didn't make it with me to Freiburg."

"I'm sorry."

"Curiosity killed the cat, Johann," Doctor Finkel warned his boy.

"Ja. I know, Papa. Finkel."

"Don't scold him, mein Herr," Eva said to the doctor. "I brought it up."

"No need to start arguing. We're starting a whole new life," Johann said with a wide smile, taking a book out of his bag. "Where do you want to stop Eva? Papa?"

"I'm going to Geneva to stay with Wilhelm's father," Eva said. "Where are you headed, Herr Finkel?"

"To Bern. Albert kept a lab there until he moved to the United States. I hope I can use it once Johann and I get there."

"Albert, mein Herr?"

"Albert Einstein. He left a few years ago. I should've gone with him," Doctor Finkel sighed before looking over to Johann, who was reading a science book. "Johann here is going to enroll in the university and become valedictorian."

"Ach, Papa!" Johann exclaimed, looking up from the book. "You expect too much from me."

"I've seen your progress reports, boy. You've done well so far. Just stay away from temptation."

"Papa, not in front of die Mutter!"

"I'm not a mother yet, Johann," Eva said as the pickup stopped suddenly.

"Was zum Teufel?" Johann asked before crawling towards the driver.

"Watch your mouth!" Doctor Finkel said.

"Why have we stopped?" Johann asked the driver.

"We've got company," the driver said, nodding to the area in front.

Johann looked forward and gasped. There was a roadblock across the path. He could make out who had put it there by the symbols on the trucks. The Nazis must have gotten word of their little freedom train and decided to put a stop to it. Johann quickly moved back to Doctor Finkel and Eva and told them what he saw. Before they could come up with any plan, the back of the pickup truck was visited by an officer from the road block.

"Well, if it isn't Doctor Finkel of Freiburg. Why haven't you replied to der Fuhrer?" he asked, looking down at the trio, sneering at them. "We've been sending mail for weeks. We thought we would have to break into your house to get an answer from you."

"I did. I sent a letter stating that I wasn't joining the scientific team at Auschwitz months ago."

"That is not the correct answer."

"It is for me. I know what you do to those poor people. It's sick," the doctor said in a stern tone.

"People? They can hardly be called people. More like inferior beings," the officer said, looking straight at Eva. "Fraulein, why do you frown so?"

"My husband is one of those inferior beings," Eva said, eyes squared in fury.

"Is he here with you?"

"Nein."

"Then you should say was. He is surely dead by now. Don't cry, Fraulein. You'll be joining him soon enough."

"No she won't!" Johann exclaimed before swinging his bag right into the officer's face, knocking him down. "We have to make a run for it," he said to Eva and Frederick, "The border's few hours away on foot, but we can lose them in the forest."

"You two go ahead," Doctor Finkel said, throwing Eva's trunk to the ground.

"What about you, mein Herr?" Eva asked.

"I've lived long enough."

"Papa, are you serious?"

"Johann, stop wasting time and get this girl to Geneva. The Nazis have been looking for me to perform experiments on prisoners. If I travel with you, they'll find all three of us and kill us. You have a better chance without me. Hurry, before they figure out you knocked out their commanding officer."

"Ich liebe dich, Papa Finkel," Johann said as he hugged his father for what would most certainly be the last time. "I'll make you proud, I promise."

"Go. Good luck to the both of you."

Johann let go of Doctor Finkel and jumped to the ground with Eva's trunk. Eva hugged the doctor goodbye before making her way down as well. Frederick watched them sneak off into the woods until they were cloaked in darkness and trees. They had left just in time too, for not two minutes after the pair vanished, officers surrounded the caravan. They beat and murdered those who were part of it, and left Doctor Finkel for last.

"Who were the people with you?" asked one officer.

"I only met them today," Doctor Finkel said, earning him a slap on the right cheek..

"Tell us the truth." said another officer, pointing a gun at the doctor's legs.

"Go ahead, shoot me. I'm old, I'm not going to be using those for much longer anyway."

"Suit yourself, Herr Finkel," the gun holding officer said before shooting out each of the doctor's kneecaps, not even flinching as the man screamed in pain.

"A minor setback," the doctor said, biting his lower lip and holding back tears.

"We'll find them, with or without you." said the first officer.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Your mind is too precious to waste for that girl and her companion."

"I've made my choice. I will never help you or your insane leader. I'd rather die."

"Is that so? Give the old man his wish," the first officer said to the one with the gun.

"Ja. Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Finkel." the second officer said as he put the gun to the doctor's forehead and pulled the trigger.

The gunshot scared off the remaining birds in the forest. They never saw the Nazis leave the carnage behind them. They never noticed the walking corpse approach the still body of the murdered scientist and pull his soul out of the remains. That event was never meant for mortal eyes to see. Henry was about to walk deeper into the forest when he noticed the soul wasn't following him. It sat on the ground next to the dead body, unable or unwilling to move.

"Is something wrong?" Henry asked the soul.

"I can't feel my legs." the soul said.

"Can you move them at all."

"No. Look at them, just lying there. Useless."

"I'll carry you then," Henry said as he picked up the soul.

"Who are you? You sound familiar," the soul said.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you all about myself when we get home."

"Where do we live?"

"Halloween Town."

"My head hurts," the soul said, changing the subject.

"You'll feel better soon enough," Henry said, noticing how the doctor was beginning to take on his new form.

From that point on, they were silent. Henry eventually found the clearing of trees and managed to open the door to Halloween Town without dropping the new resident. As he traveled onward into town, he was met by the Mayor, who had a grim look on his face. Uh-oh. Oogie Boogie must have been up to something.

"Henry! Oh, thank goodness. Oogie's been bothering people the whole time you've been gone," the Mayor said.

"Why haven't you done anything about him?" Henry asked, slightly irritated.

"He doesn't listen to me, and frankly, he scares me."

"Alright. Do me a favor and look after him while I take care of Oogie," Henry said, gently sitting the doctor on the ground before running towards the Town Hall.

"Hello. Welcome to Halloween Town," the Mayor said, switching his mood to help the guest feel welcome. "What's your name?"

"I'm not sure," the man said, absentmindedly scratching his large head before noticing it could open. "Could I always do this?" he asked the Mayor.

"I don't know. We just met."

"Hmmm," the man said to himself as he opened his head and picked at his brain. "Let's see. I'm a doctor, that's for sure. Doctor... Finkel. No, wait... Doctor Finkel... Stein. I'm Doctor Finkelstein."

"I'm the Mayor. Nice to meet you, Doctor Finkelstein."

"Thank you. You wouldn't happen to have a lab here, would you?"

"As a matter of fact, Henry was working on one a while before you came. He said you'd want one."

"Good. I'm going to have to build myself a way to get around. My legs are paralyzed for some reason," Doctor Finkelstein said before catching a glimpse of Oogie Boogie coming towards him and the Mayor.

"Oogie! I'm the Pumpkin King, you face me when I'm speaking to you!" Henry yelled, following the boogie man.

"Or what? You'll kill me? Already dead," Oogie said to Henry before seeing Doctor Finkelstein. "Who's this, another addition to the freak show?"

"You keep your opinions to yourself," Doctor Finkelstein said, crossing his arms. "You can call me Doctor Finkelstein."

"Old geezer doesn't know his place," Oogie Boogie said. "Check it out, his head opens up," the boogie man said as he tried to touch the scientist's brain.

"That belongs to me. Hands off!" Doctor Finkelstein exclaimed, slamming the lid of his head on the tip of Oogie's right arm.

"AHHH!" Oogie Boogie exclaimed, taking his right arm close to himself and sneering at the doctor.

"Perhaps that will teach you some manners, you obese ill-mannered sack of vermin," Henry said.

"That geezer doesn't scare me."

"Geezer? This geezer can invent all kinds of torture devices to test on such a bright subject such as yourself," Doctor Finkelstein said to a nervous looking Oogie Boogie. "Unless you can stay on my good side, that is."

"Yeah, sure. Lousy old coot," Oogie Boogie said to himself as he walked away, muttering even more.

"Thank you," Henry said to Doctor Finkelstein.

"No problem at all. Just get me off of the ground."

"Of course. Let's take him to the lab, Mayor."

"Sure, Henry," the Mayor said as he propped the doctor up on his shoulder, "Did you really mean all that you said about torture devices?"

"No. But it's good to see someone that obnoxious so scared."

"Well played. I think you're going to fit in here just fine, Doctor Finkelstein." Henry said as the three walked to the doctor's new home.

Present

Having the doctor in town curbed Oogie Boogie, for a little while anyway. He was truly scared of the scientist. That is, until three little henchmen came along and started doing his dirty work for him. I should have known Louis, Shirley, and Barry would be attracted to him. I also should have taken precautions against their little union. Alas, what's done is done. Now, all I can really do is tell their story.

— Henry Cadaver