CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO – THE FINAL TRUTH

Everyone had come so far. Gillian was herself again, cracking jokes, laughing and making me laugh. She floated around the set and glowed, if you can accept the cliché. I think I was in a pretty good spot myself. I was happy, my wife and child were happy and I loved working. Robert and Annabeth settled in, although it was only for a short time.

Even though Gillian and I had been on the X-Files cast since the beginning, I think it was Ally who missed the show most. I walked up to her as they packed up the sets. She was sitting off set watching. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks. She smiled at me though, as she always did.

Gillian and I had had our fill. We'd seen the show start and grow, then slowly fade out and it would always be the biggest part of our lives, but to Ally, it was more than a job, it was her friend. The X-Files had kept her company for so many years and she'd miss it.

"There's always reruns," I said and wiped her cheeks. She smiled and nodded.

"I'm so privilege to have been part of something so wonderful, something so much greater than I am, than I could ever be."

"You're part of what made it great Ally, perhaps it started with us, but you were still part of it."

"Actually, it all began with Karen Swenson." She smiled. I shook my head. "I'm an addict ok. I won't deny it."

"What were Mulder's first words?"

"'Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted.'" Ally smiled.

"To which Scully replies…?"

"'Agent Mulder, I'm Dana Scully. I've been assigned to work with you.' But those aren't her first words."

"Oh,"

"No, they were 'Agent Dana Scully'." Ally answered. "When she goes to visit Blevins' office."

"She's right." Gillian answered walking across to us. She sat on a chair behind Ally. "What were Beth's first words?"

"Amy." Ally answered. "And Amy said,

"The final truth." Gillian and I said at the same time.

"Fade to credits." Ally smiled.

"I guess the final truth is that it's really over." I said. Ally smiled and reached across to take my hand. She took Gillian's hand as well.

"And the world is a better place for it having existed." Ally said.