Subject: FRONTIER: Our dearly departed

SD 80131

m-Caroline's room
Some time during the night

<nrpg>
Is it just me or are the mirror characters getting one heck of a mention
in this thread? <G>
<rpg>

"Caroline," said a voice softly.

She turned in the bed, but did not wake.

"Caroline," repeated the voice, slightly louder.

A sigh escaped her lips. Still she slept.
 
"Caroline, wake up."

She woke, groggily wiping the sleep from her eyes.  She squinted into the 
darkness, seeing little.  Eventually she turned enough to catch sight of a 
figure silhouetted against what little light there was in the room.

"Who is it?" she asked.

The figure approached the bed more closely, and she saw...

"Will?  But you're-" she began.

"Dead?  Yes, I'd heard that myself."  Ramsay looked puzzled, or concerned, 
or... she couldn't think what his expression meant.

"Now wait a minute.  How did you get in here?" Caroline said, suddenly not 
sure who this was or what they were doing here.

"I don't quite know myself.  What I do know is that I've got an important 
message for you.  Now what was it..."  He stopped, deep in thought.

She grasped for him, intent on getting some answers.  Her eyes went wide 
with shock as her hands passed straight through him.  "What is going on?!"

He seemed slightly less surprised, but surprised nonetheless.  "You tell 
me."

Caroline sat on the bed, stunned.  Finally she said, "You said you had a 
message for me."

"Oh yes.  This is a new experience for me, I must say.  Last thing I 
remember was..." he began, then frowned.  "Right, lets skip that since I'm 
obviously having trouble remembering."  Then he smiled, dipped into a
pocket in his uniform, and produced a PADD.

After reading what was on the screen, he added, "You know someone called 
Angus?"

"Yes," said Caroline, not committing herself in any way, waiting for an 
explanation of some kind.

"Go easy on him," finished Ramsay.

"What?"

"Hey, I'm just reading the message, don't hassle me."

She sullenly replied, "He's concerned with saving his own neck, and that's 
all.  I don't need his dumb tactics *or* his friends in high places."

"I think I'm remembering something," he said, raising a hand to massage his 
temples.  Finally, Ramsay replied, "Was I any different?"

"Yes.  You cared about me.  You loved me."

"I did?"

"Look, I'm not going to put up with this charade any more.  You may look 
like him, but you're obviously not if you can't remember you loved me!" she
snapped.

"I don't know.  My mind is so blank..." he gestured helplessly.  "Can I 
finish?  I get the feeling I'm needed somewhere."

"Oh, go ahead," she sighed.

"Okay.  What about someone called Patrick?"

"Yes. Yes, what about him?" she asked, suddenly gaining interest.

"Make sure you marry him."

Caroline couldn't fathom out what this was leading up to.  "That's for him 
to decide - I've already asked him."

"You have my blessing," added Ramsay suddenly.

"What?"

"I want you to be happy.  I don't want my death to become a black spot on 
your life.  Move on, Caroline.  Believe me, if you want Patrick to love
you, you're going to have to stop grieving for me."

"It really is you, isn't it?" Caroline said, suddenly guilty that she
hadn't believed him, yet not understanding how he was here.

"Yes, Caroline."  He looked down on himself and commented, "Wouldn't you 
know it, I'm a ghost.  Never believed in them, and now I am one."  He
looked up at her, grinning.

She couldn't help but smile back.

"Farewell," he said, and vanished into thin air.

For a while, Caroline just stood there. Then, she got back into bed and sat
up, thinking.

Ten minutes passed, and she made her decision.

Although she still didn't know what had brought her dead lover here, 
Caroline knew in her heart that what he'd said was right and just.

She rolled over and slept peacefully, undisturbed until the morning.


                          Respectfully submitted:

                              Sam M. Edwards
                    [Captain] Will Ramsay, CO FRONTIER
                  [Cmdr] Caroline Ramsay, rodXO FRONTIER
                   [LtCmdr] Joanna Houston, aXO FRONTIER

    "The next time you go over my head, I'll have yours on a platter."
                         Commander Benjamin Sisko


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