Ackart; G1 - Life Goes On

The following is a direct transcript of surveillance tapes:

"Cybil, honey, we need to talk..."

"Oh, boy..."
...

"What's going on with you?"

"What are you talking about, Mom?"

"You know what I'm talking about. I don't want to lecture you and you're not in trouble. I just want to know what's going through that head of yours. Don't insult me by playing coy - talk to me."

...

*sigh*

...

"I know you miss your father. So do I."

"Mom..."

"It's hard for me, too. Do you think it's easy? I miss your father every day. And then I worry about you and Nathan, and what about Thaddeus?"

"Mom, if Dad hadn't left us..."

"LEFT us?!? He didn't "leave" us. He died. It's not like he had a choice about it. Is that what you think? That he just up and left of his own free will? Oh, honey..."

...

"Mom, I'm sorry. It's just so hard. I miss Dad."

"I know you do, honey. So do I."

"I guess I've just been trying to forget..."

"Cybil! You should never try to forget him. Don't you realize that's the only way he lives on? Hold him close - that way he'll never leave you; he'll always be with you."

"You're right. *sniffle* But, Mom, I've been thinking... what if Dad didn't die in an accident?"

"Cybil. Your father is dead. We saw the body, we went to the funeral."

"Oh, I know that. I just mean - what if it wasn't an accident?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Dad was doing that research... what if he found out something?"

"Well, I suppose it's possible. But honestly, I don't think so. I think you're trying to rationalize his death. Sometimes bad things happen for no good reason. Besides, think about it - why would someone kill your father over DNA research?"

"I guess you're right..."

Investigation will need to be made into this. Subject may need memory repair or neutralization. - R.A.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After that, Cybil seemed like a different person. Her friend, Dominic, was over at the house all the time, but she was staying away from Payton and her old friends that were somewhat on the wild side.

I'm actually pretty fond of Dominic. He's got a good head on his shoulders. He's got plans to go to college, and he's polite, and, well... any boy that will help his girlfriend's kid brother with his homework is all right in my book.

It seemed like every time I turned around, Cybil was surprising me. Here she is reading to Thaddeus.

And bathing Ares. And that's quite a feat - I think that dog's as big as the bathtub.

And work was going well for me, too.

I had enough money saved up to throw a nice party for Thaddeus when he grew into a teenager.

Heh. That boy LOVES chocolate.

And... never mind. I so did not need to see that. I won't fuss, though - Cybil's almost a grown woman now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some random family shots:

Cybil, entirely too chipper first thing in the morning...

Nathan, right after he lost his job. Not a happy camper...

Thaddeus, in love with himself...

I think if he gets much bigger of a head he's going to be stuck in the bathroom - he won't be able to fit back out the door.

Here I am on my way to work - and yes, I got another promotion. Go, me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And then the day was here...

My babies are off to college.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm going to miss them. But, at least I've still got my baby boy home for a bit longer.


Him, and his ego...