[Cooper tried to come up with something eloquent. Honest. For ten whole minutes.]

I'm leaving.

[That was all he got. He even kills the feed. But a little while later, it clicks back on.] Some of you have reasons to stay, and some of you can't leave, I get that. Most of you use excuses, to stay or go. Mine's the people I care about. Things are starting to look ugly here, and I realized: I don't have to buckle down and live through it.

I did my time. And now I'm going back home to kiss my wife and hug my children.

[Private to Kay]

Thanks.

[And added a few moments later:] I'm letting Heero know he can come visit, when he graduates. Don't let the Admiral forget. All this shit that's going on lately...[Which is his way of saying stay safe.]

[Private to Heero]

There's a guest bedroom, in my house. When you graduate, if you want, tell the Admiral you want to come visit. Anytime you want - any time you can, I guess. No one else uses it.

[Private to Una]

I hope you see your kids again soon.

[Private to t he Admiral]

When Heero graduates, you let him come visit me. Whenever he wants.

...Kay too.

I almost missed it here. And I really mean that almost, there's nothing like being home after a long time away. Sleeping in the same bed as my wife, hugging my kids. I drove Jake to school yesterday. I never get to do that when I haven't died and gone to Barge purgatory.

That's done, though. All I really needed was proof that my handler was corrupt. Shooting someone never felt so justified. I feel like that old timer who fucked up the Saddam mission would have if he hadn't fucked up.

My kids are safe. Hell, they're not even scared anymore. My son was being bullied by some asshole in school, but apparently having a CIA helicopter almost land on top of him was a hell of a story to hold over said asshole's head. I would have broken his fucking nose, but Michelle wasn't too pleased when I suggested that, and I don't really want to sleep on the couch after all this time away.

I did miss people here. I didn't expect to. Not all of you, I don't like most of you. Some of you are okay, though. I was hoping Hayley would be back, but she's still gone. I miss her. She's the one who needed to be here. She needed help. Kid was screwed up. All the kids here need help, it's psychotic that there are children on board. I don't like that at all.

And now I'm back. I don't know how long that'll last.

[Private to Kay]

I want to thank you but it feels sappy and sentimental and we're both better a just shooting.

[Private to Heero]

Hey kid. I want to apologize for leaving without saying anything, but I don't want to make it uncomfortable. Anytime you want to visit me at home, you're free to.

[Private to Sveta]

I thought about apologizing to you for pulling the trigger, but I'm not sorry. I'm sorry I didn't think there was a better way, but I did what I thought I had to. I'm sorry you're afraid of me, now. I don't like that at all. I don't like being frightening to people I don't want to be frightened of me. Sometimes my kids get scared of me. My wife says they're just intimidated because I can be away a lot, but it still hurts. I know you have every reason to be scared of me, too, but I don't like it.

[Private to Kirk]

I never really hated you, I just used you as a kind of scapegoat. You stopped me from getting home, when we first met, so I wanted to hate you for that. But you're a decent kid. When you're not an asshole.

All right. Gingerbread houses. Tis the season, I get it, but things randomly showing up in our rooms - does that happen a lot, or only on special occasions? [lol Cooper snuck into Kirk's room to find out about the fun new things wardens got. :c]

And what the hell is this I'm hearing about mistletoe?

( Fail-private letter to 'Santa,' because eventually technology had to turn on him. )

[Cooper has done his reading. He always does his reading, even when shit goes crazy. Or especially when shit goes crazy. Which is why you, bargians, will not be getting his name for a good long while.] Guess federal prisons just weren't doing the trick. Is anybody actually qualified to be on this boat? You'd think this would be a best of the best service, but I guess that's a little too much to ask for. Out in the middle of space.

I'm starting to think making that deal wasn't worth it. God knows how you people survive with this kind of disorganization.