Doggett walks into the waiting room and sits next to Skinner.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"How're they doing?"
"He just woke up."
"Really? That's... that's great. How's he doing?"
"Actually I didn't go in to talk to 'em. But I'm sure if you wanted to..."
Skinner shakes his head.
"No. That's okay. They don't need me bothering them. This should be about them."
"Isn't it always?"
Skinner lets out a short laugh.
"No kidding."
He sighs.
"God if I... if you hadn't..."
Doggett cuts him off.
"Don't even start. It's like my dad used to say: If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas."
"Still..."
"Still nothing. Despite the best intentions of the both of us, he's back. He's alive. And he ain't shedding his skin and running around stark naked. I'd say that qualifies as a happy ending, wouldn't you?"
"Even for you?"
Now it's Doggett's turn to chuckle.
"Don't you remember? This isn't about me. It's about them. So..."
He stands.
"...if you'll excuse me I think I'm gonna go home and get some sleep. I'll have plenty of time to practice being the third wheel later. Goodnight, sir."
"Goodnight, Agent Doggett."
On his way out John Doggett can't help but take another look. They haven't moved and it doesn't look like they intend to for quite some time. The happy ending before the storm begins. The happy ending Doggett never received, one that he wonders about every day.
THE END
"Hey."
"Hey."
"How're they doing?"
"He just woke up."
"Really? That's... that's great. How's he doing?"
"Actually I didn't go in to talk to 'em. But I'm sure if you wanted to..."
Skinner shakes his head.
"No. That's okay. They don't need me bothering them. This should be about them."
"Isn't it always?"
Skinner lets out a short laugh.
"No kidding."
He sighs.
"God if I... if you hadn't..."
Doggett cuts him off.
"Don't even start. It's like my dad used to say: If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas."
"Still..."
"Still nothing. Despite the best intentions of the both of us, he's back. He's alive. And he ain't shedding his skin and running around stark naked. I'd say that qualifies as a happy ending, wouldn't you?"
"Even for you?"
Now it's Doggett's turn to chuckle.
"Don't you remember? This isn't about me. It's about them. So..."
He stands.
"...if you'll excuse me I think I'm gonna go home and get some sleep. I'll have plenty of time to practice being the third wheel later. Goodnight, sir."
"Goodnight, Agent Doggett."
On his way out John Doggett can't help but take another look. They haven't moved and it doesn't look like they intend to for quite some time. The happy ending before the storm begins. The happy ending Doggett never received, one that he wonders about every day.
THE END