I called Dolph the next day, and explained that the case had been broken, although not terribly successfully. After that I began to pack up my things. I couldn't believe that it was finally over, and I was going to be able to go home.

Mulder and Scully didn't seem too broken up about my leaving. They said they'd miss me, and that they would have trouble replacing me as their nanny. I was equally stoic. I don't think any of us were prepared to admit how much we liked each other, not when my leaving was inevitable.

The children, however, were none so inhibited as the adults. I thought it would be easier to tell William, if only because he was less likely than his sister to understand my explanation. I, however, underestimated the comprehension skills a nineteen-month-old might have. Or this particular one, anyway.

I sat him on my lap, remembering at the last minute to sweep my long hair away from his chubby little fingers, and tried talk to him. "William," I started. His bright blue eyes were riveted to my face, as if he knew I had something important to say. "It's been a lot of fun looking after you and your sister- "

"Em." He corrected me.

"Right, Emily." I hesitated a moment, my train of thought broken. "I like you kids a lot, but I need to go home now. Back to where I live. I'm going to miss you."

He gave a startled blink. "Ne-ta go bye-bye?" He asked. I was surprised that he understood so easily. "Not come back?"

"Yes. I need to go." I said gently.

"Noooooooooo!" He howled. He punched me in the nose before he burst into tears and ran off. I couldn't tell if the punch had been deliberate or not.

I really hadn't expected that. I heard Mulder catch him in the next room, and try to comfort him. During all this, Emily came in, apparently wondering what the noise was about. I rubbed my sore nose.

"What's wrong with Will?" She asked, giving me a wary look.

"I said something that upset him."

"What?" She asked, getting right to the point.

I sighed and gave her a sad look. "I had to explain to him that I'm not going to be able to continue to be your nanny. I'm needed back home."

"At home?" She gave me a blank look. "Your home is some place else? Where?"

"Saint Louis."

"That sounds really far away." She said in a small voice.

"It is."

"So you're not going to be able to visit." I was afraid she was going to cry too. Me too.

"Maybe some times. There are airplanes, you know."

Emily threw her arms around my neck, throwing me off balance. "I'll miss you."

I hugged her. "I'll miss you too."

The coffee steamed merrily as Maggie Scully sat at the kitchen table with Mulder. She gave him a kind look. "I really don't mind, Mulder." She repeated for at least the third time since she'd gotten there. This did nothing to erase the guilty look from his face.

"It's too much to ask-"He began, but she cut him off.

"Of course it's not. They're my grandchildren. How could helping to care for them fall into the realm of above and beyond? Many grandparents raise their grandchildren without complaint, so looking after them for a few hours a day is nothing in comparison." Maggie said with a bright smile.

Mulder had to resist a shudder when she mentioned people raising their grandchildren. That sort of statement seemed too much like tempting fate for his comfort. "We'll be getting another nanny soon, of course." He hastened to assure her.

"I'm sure you will." Maggie said, patting his hand. "It's a shame that you lost that lovely young woman, though. She seemed so nice."

Mulder smiled to himself. The girl had turned out to a tough as nails vampire hunter, how does that stack up against nice? He didn't think Maggie would understand that. "The kids miss her already." He said instead. "We all wish she wasn't needed back home."

"True, but the willingness to honor one's commitments is admirable, even if it disrupts one's plans." Maggie said with conviction. Scully had told her that Anita had to go home to care for a sick parent, so Maggie was slightly mislead about what commitments it was that the girl was honoring.

"You have a point." Mulder told her. "I can't thank you enough-"

"Now, now... I'll be by to care for William in the morning. Perhaps he can help me come up with fun ways to spend Emily's vacation." Maggie said in a tone that suggested that there would be no further question about her caring for the kids while they were at work. Not up to arguing any longer against such a formidable opponent, Mulder could only nod.