EPILOGUE

Carly felt dozy and closed her eyes for a few minutes. Her cell phone rang then, making her jump.
She went outside of the room to answer it. " It's Mulder. I have some news."
" Did you get Madeline?"
" Yes but we were too late." He paused, " She shot herself Carly."
Carly went cold, " Shot herself? Is she dead?"
" Yes, I'm very sorry. I didn't reach her in time."
Carly started to cry, " That's all my family now. All of them-dead."
" Do you want me to come by the hospital?" Mulder asked.
Carly looked up to see Byers and Frohike walking down the hall towards her. " L-Langly's not allowed too many visitors. He's not awake yet." Carly sniffled and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She didn't know why she was so upset after all, Madeline did try to kill her and threatened the lives of her friends but still, she was family. Her younger sister…the only left. Now she was gone, Carly had nobody.

" Are you okay?" Byers asked, seeing her tear-stained face. Carly told them what happened and Byers put his arms around her. " We're really sorry." Byers said.
" Even though she tried to kill you…and Langly." Frohike added. He also gave her a hug.

They went back into the room, but twenty minutes later, Frohike and Byers got kicked out by the doctor. He was quite adamant about Langly having too many visitors. Only one at a time is allowed. " How's he doing?" Carly asked Dr. Smythe as he checked Langly's vitals. " He could wake up at any moment now. His vitals are good."
The doctor wrote something down on his clipboard and adjusted the IV drip, " Call me when he wakes up."

Carly reached for her handbag and was about to take her hand away from Langly's when she felt her hand being squeezed-it was hard and it began to hurt. She gently removed her hand and watched as Langly opened his eyes and stared up at her.

" C-Carly?" Langly rasped, his voice hoarse.
" How are you feeling?" " Like I've been shot," Langly tried to sit up but winced as burning pain went through his body.
" Don't even try to move." Carly advised him, " Do you want me to get the others? They are outside, waiting"
" I-in a minute. Water," Langly gasped. Even talking hurt like hell. Carly poured some water into a paper cup that was resting on his bedside table and raised the cup to his lips. He took a few sips and felt slightly better. " I have to tell you something Carly," Langly paused, " I love you Carly"
Carly smiled, " I know Langly." Then what happened next surprised them both. She leaned down and brushed his lips with hers, " I love you too." She straightened up, " I'll get the others." She left the room and Langly sighed, feeling happy-for the first time in weeks. Carly loved him!

Frohike entered the room a couple of minutes later " Where's Carly?" Langly demanded, disappointed that she hadn't returned. " You're only allowed one visitor at a time," Frohike told him, " How are you feeling"
Langly groaned, " If someone asks me that one more time-" he threatened but smiled to let him know he was kidding. Frohike studied his young friend, " Something's happened…you're actually happy for someone who got shot." Langly told him what happened and Frohike nodded, " I'm happy for the both of you"
" Are you? I know you still have the hots for her"
" That might be true but she'll never like me the same way. She loves you-always have"
" I think I've always known," Langly mused.

" She's dead?" Langly stared at Mulder. It was the following afternoon and Agent Mulder was visiting him. It was the first time anybody told him Madeline was dead. The others had simply forgotten to tell him. " Carly's safe again," Mulder said, " even though Madeline tried to kill her-and you, she was still upset to hear the news. She has no family now"
" That's not true. We're her family." Langly reminded him and smirked, " I can't believe I'm getting all mushy"
" Being in love does that to you." Mulder said wistfully.

Meanwhile, in the van, Carly took a bite from her hamburger. She hadn't eaten a thing since last night and she was starving. A bit of ketchup dripped from her hamburger and landed on her clean white shirt, but she didn't care one bit.

" How do you feel knowing your sister is dead?" Frohike asked.
" Frohike," Byers frowned at him.
" How do I feel?" Carly wiped her mouth with a napkin, " I feel free."