August 1st, Present Day, Doggett Residence...

Monica woke up still sitting in the chair by Anna's window. Anna was fast asleep and when Monica saw that it was only six am she knew why. She stood up and quietly walked out of the room and down the stairs. She went into the kitchen and made some coffee. It was only then that she noticed how spotless the kitchen was. Dana and Mulder must have tidied up during her run away effort the night before.

She was grateful until she remembered what Mulder had tried to get her to listen to, to believe what he was saying. It was nonsense. The one thing that puzzled Monica was why she thought it was nonsense. Usually she would be the first person to admit things like this really do happen to people. But she refused to believe that there was anything in the previous nights events. Anna had just been upset and wanted attention. End of story. There was no way that John had been in her room, as a ghost, spirit, or anything else for that matter. Not a chance.

For a couple of hours Monica caught up on housework. Cleaning, ironing, washing. Everyday stuff that moms were supposed to do. It made her sleepy and she was desperate to just fall into bed for a couple of hours. She just couldn't bare thinking about facing Anna.

When Anna woke up she got dressed and stayed in her room. She was sure he'd come back and that this time he'd make her see. He'd make her mom see that he was really there and that he loved her. Anna knew it was real, she knew it. And she knew that she could make her mom believe it too if he'd just come back one more time. She was upset that her mom had been angry with her and accused her of lying. But she had watched her mom cry so much without her dad there by her side, she knew how important it was for her mom to get him back, that was all she wanted. Her dad back so her mom would stop crying.

Monica could hear Anna moving around in her room but made no conscious effort to go and see her. To apologise or to ask for an explanation, or just to say that she loved her. Things hadn't been this bad since just after John died. And what killed Monica the most was this was a four-year-old girl she was dealing with, not a grown woman that was trying to hurt her or upset her. Anna was four years old. What did she know about making her mom upset with her wild theories and ideas? They couldn't carry on like this. It would end up killing them all.

July 3rd, Silver Spring, Maryland, Gooding Residence...

"It was funny actually. I was in the house the whole time. I saw Casey and Adam come back together. I heard her scare him and tell him his prints would be all over the hammer after he picked it up horrified at all of the blood. He freaked out and threw it in the pond. It was hilarious."

"Mia... I beg you not to say another word."

"No it's ok. I'm not going to prison. Or a juvenile detention centre or any BS like that. It's ok, I got it all figured out. Now back to my story, Adam tried to console Casey but she was still pissed that he'd left her for an hour that night. And I know where he was. He was working on the car that Casey's parents wanted to give her for her next birthday."

Casey and Adam looked at each other. Every child in the room had tears running down their eyes. More from fear than what they were hearing. Every single person in the room believed that Mia was capable of killing them.

"Mia you can't keep us all in here forever. There are a lot of people outside that want to help you, why don't you let them?"

"Yada, yada, yada... When will you start listening to me! I'm not going out there! Not living anyway!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You and me Monica, we're gonna be carried out of this place in body bags. I could have a fatal bullet wound in you before their asses left their seats."

John felt a lump in his throat and couldn't control himself any longer.

"What the hell is going on why isn't anybody doing anything?!"

"Agent Doggett, calm down..."

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

"We're still in the process of negotiations! We can't rush in there whilst there's a chance we can solve this peacefully."

"She crazy! She's just told us all that she wants to kill Monica and herself! What the hell is peaceful about that?!"

"Agent Doggett..."

"Don't try and BS me Skinner. I'm sick of this crap from you! Now I want somebody to do something now!"

"Sit down!"

"Damn it! That's my wife in there!" Everybody turned to look at John but he was still too angry to think about the repercussions of what he had just exclaimed to a van full of FBI agents.

"And I will not have you bastards putting her life in danger just to make the FBI look good! We have more important things to live for and help with than some piss poor operation to get a fourteen-year-old girl to let her hostages go! She is not going to stay in there a minute longer do you hear me?!"

John was out of the van with his weapon at the ready before anybody even had time to take in the fact he had gone.

Monica looked from the gun to Mia, and she actually feared for her life. What had she been thinking to allow herself to do this?

"You know what Monica, you're right. This has gone on long enough. So lets finish for good. Lets bring this nasty even to a head. Get ready for the greatest show on earth boys and girls."

As Mia lifted up the gun to Monica the room went silent. The children had all closed their eyes tightly and were too scared to even breathe. Monica was taking deep breaths and knew that she had to do something fast.

"Mia please, listen to me. It doesn't have to end this way!"

"Yes it does." As Mia aimed poised to pull the trigger John was in the house, he had come through the back door and Mia was startled to see him.

"I got an audience? This is great! You're just in time." Mia turned back to Monica and as she pulled the trigger John ran to her and pushed her forcefully to the floor. The gunshot echoed through the room but left with it a deadly silence.