The last thing Bart remembered before loosing consciousness, was the horrible silence as his whole body became engulfed in the freezing lake. The water felt like needles poking every inch of his body as he tried desperately to bring himself back up for air. But the cold was so intense that his whole body felt rigid and the more he tried the longer it took to make it to the top for air. What made it worse was the fact that his lungs were not the strongest at the moment so he became weaker faster. He almost made it, his hand broke the surface as he was ready to breathe the fresh air again, instead everything around him became dimmer and he knew nothing more.

Bart was now standing on a dirt path with trees on both sides, how he got there he had no idea, and he looked around nervously. The path was dark and lonely and the only sound he could hear were tree branches brushing up against each other as the wind blew through them. He looked to his left and noticed how dark the path was and that he could not see where it led, but when he looked to his right he saw light and could see that the forest was ending, perhaps Mr. Burns' mansion was just outside there.

He made his way forward and it did not take him long before he was out of the forest. As soon as he reached the clearing, he instantly knew that something was wrong by the fact that there was no more snow on the ground, just a blue sky under the greenest grass he had ever seen. Ahead of him was a hedge, much like the one Mr. Burns had, but this one was bigger and well taken care of. He then noticed that the path headed toward a gate that was between the hedge and what looked like a podium of some sort. Bart stared at that spot for a moment wondering why such a thing would be there; perhaps it had a guest sign in sheet on it like at Graceland, but why in the world would Mr. Burns have something like that near his gates, he hated visitors.

Curiosity finally got the better of him and he moved forward toward the gates to find out more. Once he arrived, he noticed that someone was standing nearby, pruning part of the hedge. Bart stopped in front and stared at the man curiously. He was older looking, probably in his late fifties and dressed mainly in white. His hair was graying and he had a beard that looked well groomed but just as gray. He had his back toward Bart so he had not seen him.

"Hey can you tell me where I am, I need to find my way home," Bart finally said after watching the stranger prune for far too long.

The old man turned his head and let out a startled look of surprise before quickly tucking the pruning shears against the podium and began to leaf through his little book.

"Bart Simpson, my my I see you've been having a rough time lately," said the man.

Bart stared at the man, how in the world did he know his name? And how in the world did he know of his problems? That was when Bart realized where he was, and this was definitely not what he had planned.

"Oh God! I can't be…" Bart stopped what he was saying, the whole idea of passing on was not something he was ready for, he believed he still had years ahead of him.

"Not yet, but once you pass these gates you will, you are only lost between the world of the living and the dead," said the man.

"No, I don't want to pass through those gates, I have a mom and two sisters to take care of I can't leave them now," Bart said nervously as he began to back away wondering if he should run, but where would he go? He had no idea how to get back to his living form.

"What happened to the idea of not coming home to show your mother a lesson?" asked the man.

"I didn't mean by dying as well, I just wanted……I couldn't………It's just that….." Bart was having trouble making up an excuse and the old man only lifted an eyebrow as Bart struggled to come up with one.

"And how about the idea that your family has been broken because of the death of your father? Surely what has just happened to you has created an even weaker chain," said the man.

"I am just in mourning, loosing a father is the worst thing that can happen to you and it just tore me up inside," said Bart as he stared back at the man with a pitiful face.

"But that doesn't help the fact that you are hurting your family even more than what they have already dealt with. Unfortunately it is now time for you to leave your world and family behind. I just need to write your name under deceased and when I am done, you will sign and go through these gates," the man said as he began to write down Bart's name. As the man began to write, Bart only watched him and began to cry, wishing that he could change his life and that he could say sorry to his mother for what he said to her.

Suddenly as if someone had heard Bart's wishes, the old man's quill was quickly snatched out of his hands by a young man; a man Bart would only know in old family albums, but only if he bothered to look at them. He was the same man who entered Lisa's dreams less than a week earlier. Like Lisa, Bart did not recognize him because of all that hair and he was neatly dressed in white, but then again he never really looked at those old photo albums.

"What is the meaning of this!" The older man grumbled.

"Pete can I talk to him?" the stranger asked.

"It's Peter and why do you think you can talk to him when he won't listen to anyone else?" asked Peter.

"First off I would rather call you Pete because Peter makes me think of a big fat guy who shows no compassion for anyone but himself and I know you show that, don't ya Pete?" said the stranger.

"Well of course, you have to for this job," said Peter.

"Then will you let me talk to my son, perhaps I can straighten him up," said the stranger

Bart gasped; did this man just call him his son? It couldn't be who he thought it was, there was no way he could see that guy again. Peter stared back at the stranger for a moment, there had been instances like this in the past and he had permitted family members to do so. Usually those talks failed, sometimes they worked, it really just depended on the circumstances.

"Well you already made it all the way out here," said Peter who waved his hand toward Bart who was only staring back with a dumbfounded look.

"And before I talk to him further, you said I had no chance of coming back to the living. Will my son have a chance?" The stranger asked.

Peter stared back at Bart, he was a strong kid who was just lost and troubled at the moment, and he could sense that once Bart had the proper talking to then he would know how everyone else felt. He could go back to the living if he was straightened out properly, what had happened to him wasn't as life threatening as cancer; he just needed to be educated more.

"He will, but he will feel miserable for a while, of course it won't be as bad as what you had to endure," said Peter.

"Then please can I talk to him and send him back to his mother?" asked the stranger.

"I permit you, but if he does not understand, I cannot return him home. Do you think you can help him?" asked Peter.

"I do Pete," said the stranger.

Peter then gave him a nod and closed his book so he could return to his pruning and let father and son have their moment together to discuss what brought Bart here in the first place. For a moment, Bart followed the man who said he was his father a little ways through the field. They almost made it to the field when Bart suddenly stopped, he couldn't go any further, it felt too strange to him.

"What's wrong son?" asked the stranger.

Bart stared back at him. This had to be an illusion of some sort and he would hopefully wake up any minute from this horrible dream of believing that he was dying and going to heaven.

"This can't be real, I'm just asleep and I will wake up any minute now and find that this is all just a bad dream," said Bart nervously.

"Oh but its real Bart, it's as real as the nose on your face, and it wouldn't have happened if you listened to Lisa or your mother," said the stranger.

Bart then tried to pinch himself but only jumped up from the pain, he was still where he was, in a strange place standing next to a man who claimed to be his father.

"You can't be my father, my father was bald and fat and not as bright as you are," said Bart.

"You should know that when I was younger I did have hair, was skinny and was……a bit smarter, but not by much. Heaven just brings you back to your healthiest form," said the stranger who was walking toward Bart. Bart only backed away nervously. He hated waking to nightmares. This one he was definitely not in the mood for.

"No, I don't believe it," said Bart who now had his back up against a boulder.

"How about if I show you then," said the stranger who then bent down to his knees and pulled out his arms to show that he wanted to give Bart a hug.

Bart stood there for a moment, wondering what would happen, would he wake up? Would something terrible happen? He was now scared and he wanted to run, until he looked into the strangers eyes. He saw compassion in them, and for one brief moment, it brought him back to the time when he was a tiny infant being held in his fathers arms. He remembered that brief moment how those eyes told him that his father would be there for him and that he would never leave him.

Bart moved forward and embraced his father, as soon as they both connected he knew that this was not any kind of illusion he knew about. This was as real as it could get, there were no strings attached. Only the amazing love that a father could give to their child through one of the hardest moments in a young boy's life. The last time Bart had hugged his father was the night he passed on and he felt so cold and weak, but this hug felt so strong and warm, as if all his energy was passing through both of them at that exact moment.

"Oh Dad, it's really you, it's been so hard without you," Bart cried as he clutched himself close to his father.

"I know son, I know," said Homer who let Bart stay close to him for as long as he wanted.

"I wish you were still there with us, it's not the same without you," said Bart.

"I know that as well Bart," Homer said as he pushed Bart backwards so he could look his son in the eyes. Bart stared back at him, his father's hands on his shoulders while he looked into his fathers eyes. They were sad but somehow he could sense it was not because he could not be with the family any more, but because Bart ended up here to learn his lesson. "I know it hurt you deeply son and I know you thought it was unfair but that's what happens in life. It's kind of like the game, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose."

"But I wish it wasn't so unfair, I wanted you to fight and win. I wanted you to see me graduate from high school. I wanted you to take me out and play catch. I wanted you to be with us until…until I don't know just until it was the right time for you to go. Not like you did now, it was just too soon," said Bart tears now flowing freely down his face.

"I wanted that too Bart, I had hoped for better options for me, but the disease was too strong, we caught it too late, there was nothing to help me," said Homer who was now crying himself.

"And it's so hard for Mom to take care of all of us on her own, I try to help but I can't do everything," said Bart as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"But that's why you have Ned Flanders," said Homer knowing that it was time to get to the point as to one of the main reasons why Bart was there.

"But I don't want Mom to fall in love with him," said Bart in a voice that showed how much he hated the idea of his own mother falling in love with the neighbor.

"Why do you even think that will happen?" asked Homer as calmly as he could.

"Because I saw them kiss and I saw how much happier she is with him," said Bart.

"Did it ever occur to you that your mother does not want to cry for me all the time?" asked Homer in a way that sounded very sarcastic but it really wasn't.

"Yes but…" Bart began.

"And did it ever occur to you that love is not just about marriage?" asked Homer.

"Then can you tell me what it is?" asked Bart sounding a bit frustrated especially since he asked it to both Ned and Marge and both did not give him a correct answer.

"I will not tell you, mostly because I am not as religious as Ned, he can tell you all you need to know about love, just ask him and listen and you will understand," said Homer. He knew that Bart thought love was about kissing, holding hands and getting married. But love was something more than that and Homer knew that Ned could tell it better than he could.

"I hope so," said Bart.

"And who says I'm not dating anyone up here, I could be dating Maude Flanders," said Homer.

Bart let out a gasp of surprise. "Are you really?"

"No, I'm just messing with you," said Homer with a chuckle.

Bart raised his eyebrow a little, and Homer could tell that Bart did not believe him.

"I love your mother just as much as she loves me, even the greatest celebrities that I had a crush on won't replace your mother up here. She is more beautiful and amazing than any of them," said Homer.

Bart only smiled; he knew his father was telling the truth, there was no lying behind those eyes. "What about Maude, is she dating anyone?"

"Nope, she is waiting for Ned to get here; it won't be until he turns one hundred and three so she has a while to see him again. Just like her though I will be waiting for your mother, and she will stay faithful to me, and when her time comes it will be all the more sweeter," said Homer.

"Just don't take her too soon from us," said Bart.

"It's going to be many years before that happens Bart, but do you understand that the love between your mother and Flanders is not the way you see it?" asked Homer.

Bart looked up at Homer; he did seem very sure of what was going on in the world of the living. If Homer trusted his own wife to be with someone else in a different kind of love that Bart had yet to interpret, then everything had to be okay. Of course Lisa and Marge sort of hinted at this, but when they tried to talk he was angry and didn't want to listen. Now he was scared and willing to take any advice he could to get back to them.

"I sort of do, but I think I will understand more once I talk to Flanders," said Bart with a small smile, he was satisfied with his answer.

"Then are you ready to return home?" asked Homer as he motioned for Bart to follow him back to the forest.

Bart nodded and together both father and son took one more walk together. Bart would go back home and live to see many more years. Homer would watch him go and then head back to the pearly gates where he would wait for Marge to come to him.

They soon reached the edge and Bart looked into the lonely trail that was dark and mysterious. He could see why many did not venture back. Bart then turned to take one last look at his father and embraced him in the biggest hug he could muster.

"I love you Dad!" Bart said with tears in his eyes. Homer looked back at his son with a startled expression, Bart rarely ever said that he loved him and he knew that he had done something right to help Bart understand.

"I love you too Bart," Homer finally replied.

Of course, Bart hadn't hugged his father in so long that he had missed the feeling so much and was now in no mood to let go. He wanted to find a way to bring his father back to the living with him.

"Is there any way you can come back with me, you went this far to take me back?" asked Bart hoping with all his heart something could be changed.

"If I did I would look too much like the Thriller music video," said Homer with a silly grin.

"But what about the idea of Deus Ex Machina?" asked Bart remembering how movies would often change something for the better.

"You've been watching too many Disney movies, life isn't really like that. I know it sounds wonderful but it just doesn't work in real life, in a cartoon maybe but not for us," said Homer.

Bart let out a sigh of sadness, it was hard to let go again but he knew he had to take care of his mother and sisters. Homer even asked him to. "What would happen if you followed me in here then?"

"Then I would be nothing but a memory, you would never see me again, even in heaven," said Homer.

Bart did not like the sound of that, he wanted to see his father again when he passed on, memories were great but he still wanted to share them with Homer when his real time to pass would come.

"I'll miss you Dad," Bart finally said as he gave his father one last big hug before staring back up at him. He tried not to shed any tears, but a few had to come out and they were enough to make Homer all misty eyed.

"Remember that goodbyes aren't forever, I'll be waiting for you when you come back, both your mother and I," said Homer making sure that Bart understood that it would happen one day but not for a very long time. Bart said nothing and knew that he had to make his way back home no matter how badly it hurt to separate from his father.

Finally Bart found himself walking alone on the trail through the forest. He looked back once to see his father watching from the entrance waving goodbye.

The next thing Bart knew was that he was opening his eyes and feeling much heavier than before. His body felt sore and weak while he could feel the pain in his chest as if he had been underwater for a very long time. But he was no longer outside, instead he saw white all around him and a few things made of metal.

It wasn't long before a familiar face appeared in his vision looking concerned yet happy to see that he was finally awake.

"Bart can you hear me?" Dr. Hibbert's deep voice asked.

"Yeah," Bart said weakly.

Dr. Hibbert smiled and looked toward a nearby window. Bart lifted his head up for a brief moment to see Marge, Maggie and Lisa running into the room with tears of joy in their eyes. As soon as he fell back, he felt Marge grab him and hug him tightly. He no longer felt angry toward her; he only felt a great happiness to be by her side again.

"Oh Bart you scared us half to death!" Marge said as she set him back down.

Bart gave her a weak smile before responding. "Dad says hi."

Lisa looked at Bart wondering how serious he was while Marge gave a concerned face to Dr. Hibbert. Dr. Hibbert decided it was best to leave Bart in peace while he took Marge, Lisa and Maggie outside to talk to them about what happened. Bart watched them go before putting his head back down on the pillow to rest and make a full recovery.


A/N: Man this chapter went through a lot of revamps and hopefully it came out in a good way that you all enjoyed especially near the beginning, I just felt that calling Homer a stranger at first would be interesting. I am starting to wonder too if the first paragraph should have been in the last chapter, oh well you can all tell me what you think about that, I can change it if I need to because I do feel that it's missing something. It was dialogue heavy too but I guess it brought everything out the way I wanted it to. But I will let you all decide on that.

Well I guess that's all I have to say for now, please review when you have a chance; I still have three more chapters to go. See you all next week.