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Epilogue: For the Love of the Game

Author: Gillian Leigh

Summary: Once again, it's the epilogue. Short, sweet, the ending to the story… What more do you want?

Disclaimer: The X-Files and its characters belong to Chris Carter and Ten Thirteen Productions. I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them intact and in mint condition, though I might hang onto Mulder a little while longer. :o) I also don't own the Georgetown University Hoyas or the Penn State Nittany Lions, and I don't know if there really is a Coach Jane Murphy. I made her up, but if there is or ever was one, any resemblance was purely coincidental.

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Five Years Later

            It was a hot, humid July day in Georgetown, and the spectators in the stands were fanning their faces with their hands, not for a moment taking their eyes off the field. It was the Championship game, and the Georgetown Hoyas were on their own turf. With the home field advantage and hoards of cheering fans on their side, the college's best softball players were focusing. They were playing the Nittany Lions, and it was the final inning, with a tie score. 6-6.

            The Hoyas were up at bat. On the sidelines, their coach paced back and forth nervously, whispering again and again,

            "C'mon Eve. C'mon." The bases were loaded, and a homerun would give them a triple-run score and a definite win. Pulling the helmet down on her head, Eve Mulder stepped up to bat, touching the Alabama Slammer to the plate. She nodded to the pitcher to signal that she was ready.

            Not a sound came from the bleachers. The nine people in the front row, holding their signs which said  "We Love the Coach" were silent, their eyes trained on the girl at the plate. Coach Dana Mulder's eyes were trained on her star player as well. Mulder sat with his two year-old identical twin sons Caleb and Keegan in his lap, watching his daughter and muttering the same thing that his wife was.

            "C'mon, Eve. C'mon." Beside him sat five year-old Meghan, four year-old Jackson, and three year-old David, who were uncharacteristically quiet and still. They understood how serious this was, without having to be told. Beside them sat Elena, Jake and Gwen, who watched with nervous anticipation and linked hands, whispering a chant.

            "Go Eve. You can do it. C'mon Eve," they said in unison.

            The ball left the pitcher's hand and traveled at what seemed like an impossibly slow pace as she categorized it. High and inside. She swung the bat forcefully, and felt a jolt of exhilaration as the bat made contact and sent the ball soaring out over center-field. She didn't take the time to watch its path, but as she was taught, ran to first base. The crowd saw the ball, however, and rose to its feet, cheering and hollering as it sailed over the fence.   

            As she crossed home plate, Eve was wrapped up in the arms of her teammates, and it finally occurred to her. They'd won the State Championship. Smiling, she jumped up and down and embraced her teammates. After a few minutes of ecstatic congratulations, the crowd parted, and Eve found herself being embraced by her stepmother.

            "You did a great job, Eve. An absolutely perfect job," Dana said. Eve smiled, and said,

            "Thanks, but the team doesn't get anywhere without a great coach." Hearing several ecstatic cries, they both turned and found the nine other members of the Mulder clan coming at them in a full run. Mulder wrapped his daughter up in an embrace and then his wife. He held her tightly, and kissed her once before looking into her eyes and saying,

            "Congratulations, Coach D." They were interrupted by a microphone being shoved in their faces, and a reporter said,

            "Coach Mulder, a word please? Can we get a statement?" She turned to face them, and nodded.

            "Sure," she said.

            "Coach Mulder," the reporter began. "We've all heard of the many sacrifices you and your family have made so that you could travel with the Hoyas for the past two seasons. Can you tell us if you can comment on whether this will be your last season, and why you made such sacrifices?" Taking a deep breath, Dana said,

            "Sadly, yes, this will be my last season. My husband and I decided that we didn't want to move around so much, and as for why I'm willing to make the sacrifices? In the words of my predecessor, the legendary Coach Jane Murphy, 'we do it for the love of the game.'"

-the end-

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Author's Notes: Woooo! It's done! I know the epilogue sucks, and it's cheesy, but I just needed to wrap up this story, and it was pissing me off that I didn't have it done already. So if you hate the epilogue, just pretend it doesn't exist, and enjoy the rest of the story. LOL.

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