Ashes and pieces of charred wood still littered the ground where Brynnsbeth Asylum once stood. Maggie and Sarah held hands tightly, gazing at the spot where their prison used to stand. Scully put her arm around her only son and whispered, “You were born in the building that used to be here.”
Charlie sighed. “I don’t really care, Mom. This is creepy. Can we go home now?”
Missy punched him in the arm. “Shut up, Charlie, we’re here to save the world. Have a little faith.”
Charlie punched her back. “Leave me alone, freak!” he shouted.
“Cut it out!” Mulder said sharply. “Let’s try and be nice to each other for once, what do you say?”
They all sat on the ground and waited. It was freezing. All of the Mulders were bundled up in jackets and scarves, and all wrapped in blankets as they waited in silence for a good hour or so. Finally, Scully spoke up. “I have a confession to make.”
“What?” Maggie asked, leaning against Sarah for warmth.
“I knew this was going to happen.”
“What, the weather?” Sarah asked, rubbing her hands together.
“No. Colonization. The CSM told us years ago.”
Scully paused, then began to cry. “I’m sorry I never told any of you. I’m sorry you had to learn it the hard way. I’m such a horrible mother!”
“Of course you are,” Sam said, comforting her. “But if we had known, we might not have wanted to stop it.”
A sound came from the bushes. The half of the clan that had guns pulled them out. A large figure emerged from the bushes, surrounded by two small ones. “Roger?” Maggie cried in disbelief.
“Mommy!” the two young children shouted, running over to their mother.
“Roger, what are you doing here?” Maggie asked as her children climbed under the blanket with her and grabbed onto her tightly.
“Maggie, I’ve decided that dating you because you like my name isn’t fair,” Roger said, his eyes blazing. “I’ve thought about it a lot over the past five years, and I’ve decided that I’ve had it. It’s just not fair to our children.”
“Roger, they don’t care! Guys, do you care that Mommy only likes Daddy because of his name?”
Rob was four. “No,” he said.
Laura was a year and a half old. “Mommy,” she replied.
“See?”
“Goodbye Maggie,” he said, walking back into the wilderness.
“Damn,” Maggie said. “What a jerk.”
“Yeah,” Sarah agreed. “I can’t believe he left you for such a dumb reason.”
Maggie sighed. “Oh well. Rob, Laura, you don’t have a Daddy anymore. He doesn’t love you, he never did. Don’t bother wondering why he doesn’t send you birthday cards.”
“Maggie!” Mulder and Scully hollered. “Don’t tell them that!”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. They’ll adapt. Right guys?”
Rob nodded and Laura giggled. “See?” she retorted. “And I’m right anyways.” She sighed again. “Kids, I’m a single mother now. That means you’ll be in daycare about 40 hours a week while I infiltrate the FBI. I won’t have time to cook dinner, read stories, or help with homework. But I’ll keep you alive. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I promise though, I swear on my life, after I bring down the government, I’ll be the best Mommy in the whole world. But until then, I’m gonna be a pretty shitty one. Kapish?”
Her kids nodded. Maggie smiled and hugged them, planting kisses on their heads. “You guys are the greatest.”
“I can’t believe you said all that to them!” Tea cried.
“You can’t?” Sarah asked, giving her a Look.
Tea sighed. “Okay, okay, you’re right.”
And then…
A bright green light appeared above the tree tops.
“THEY’RE HERE!” Mulder screamed, pulling off his clothes and climbing into a cardboard box that happened to be lying there. “They’re HERE!” he screamed again.
“For God’s sake, Mulder, put your clothes on!” Scully shouted.
The light got brighter, and everyone screamed…
Part 11-this is the very end!
All the way back home
