Epilogue

2008

Our Lady of Sorrows Hospital

"We have a new employee in Security," Dr. Ralph Finnegan, the Director said to Dr. Dana Scully as he introduced her to the man who would now be working the Day Shift.

"Michael Kincaid."

Scully kept her face and voice neutral as she shook hands with the new guy.

Kincaid…for his part, kept an equally neutral demeanor, smiling a bland impersonal smile.

It had been only five years ago…

Five years earlier, she, and her allies, had busted Fox Mulder out of prison. He had been convicted of Knowle Rohrer's murder, been sentenced to death.

Oddly enough, the pursuit of the escapee, and his accomplices, had been half-hearted, at best.

They all knew they had convicted an innocent man…

So, Fox Mulder was safe.

Provided he kept his head down, didn't try to rattle any boats.

Fox Mulder hadn't been the only escapee, though…

Jack McCoy had also disappeared immediately after the trial, only a few days after having completed his Community Service.

In theory, he was free to do whatever he wanted; even if that meant dropping off the face of the world.

But McCoy had had a history of mental illness; a history verified by his breakdown at Fox Mulder's trial.

Michael Kincaid?

She remembered him from years back, when he had been Detective Mike Logan…

Director Finnegan was still talking.

"We were able to hire his brother, John, through our Special Friends Program, as a janitor."

Our Lady of Sorrows Special Friends Program had been implemented to hire Special Needs people-the intellectually disabled, the mentally ill-in various capacities.

Finnegan went off to attend to other things, leaving Dana Scully with the new hire.

"You're not gonna say anything," Logan looked at her with worried eyes. "We only just got settled here, and Jack…"

Scully laid a gentle hand on Logan's arm.

"No, Mike…" she assured him. "Not a word from me. Is Jack McCoy with you?"

Logan regarded her warily, then sighed.

"Yeah…" he said at last. "They got him a job too. He's John now, and I think he's beginning to get used to this place."

"How is he?"

"Skittish as all hell," Logan sighed again. "Emil promised he'd come down every four or five months to see Ja…John. So we're both as good as we can be, given the circumstances. How about you and yours?"

Scully was genuinely touched. Logan had made it clear over the years. He didn't like Fox Mulder.

He blamed Mulder-at least in part-for what happened to Jack McCoy.

But here he was, asking after Mulder.

Maybe he's learning how to forgive…

Maybe that's something we could all learn how to do…