The globe rocked, tipped, and fell straight down on her. Susan barely noticed the crash as she found herself enveloped in a warm, powerful force that embraced her and slowly penetrated her. It felt like greeting an old friend. She could almost feel the quantum changes inside her, and a great sense of controlled, disciplined power tingling, ready to be unleashed.

By the time the Quantonium was all absorbed, Gallaxhar had vanished. She saw an empty place where his escape capsule had been.

"If you ever think about coming back, I'll be waiting for you!" she yelled.

"Ship will self-destruct in T minus two minutes," the computer announced.

"So why has it already started falling apart?!" Susan shot back as she dashed for the door off the bridge. As she ran, she saw her arms start to glow green. The Quantonium was changing her body, growing her, even faster than the first time. By the time she had spotted her friends she was at her full forty-nine feet, eleven inches again. She felt strong, confident. She felt good.

She could see them clustered down below her, on the central section that alone still stood. It looked like they were making their final farewells, though Bob seemed happy enough for some reason. Then she spotted it. High above them, the massive power core was swaying, damaged by the disintegrating ship. It broke loose with a roar, and started to fall towards her friends. They had seen it, but there was nowhere to run. All they could do was huddle together and wait for the end. Susan had no time to lose. She leapt down onto the platform, and just managed to catch the huge piece of machinery before it crushed them. It smashed down onto her, forcing her onto one knee, eyes smarting from the pain. It was incredibly heavy, but she was fuelled by the desperate need to save her friends. Straining every muscle in her body, she slowly lifted it clear.

"By Hawking's chair!" Cockroach breathed, unable to believe his eyes. Having been fully expecting to be crushed by a weight not even a cockroach could survive, for a brief instant he had wondered if time were standing still. But it was an even better miracle. It was Susan—no, Ginormica! She had got the Quantonium back! He had no idea how she had done it, but it was enough that she had. She was fantastic. And demonstrating incredible, inconceivable strength. That power core must weigh well north of five hundred tons, he realised. More than a fully loaded Boeing 747. And she was actually lifting it. Awed beyond measure, almost unable to believe his eyes, he watched Susan slowly stand erect, and, with a final thrust, heave the huge machine over the side.

But there was no time to stand and gape. The rest of the central core was collapsing. Cockroach felt himself be grabbed by Susan along with the others as she leapt off the platform, tumbling before she straightened out, falling straight down towards the bottom, her fist extended out in front. Cockroach was terrified, but a glance at Susan's face showed her more resolute and confident than he could ever remember seeing her. He could almost feel the power radiating from her as they fell.

She smashed through the outer skin of the ship, losing her balance and tumbling head over heels, dropping the other monsters as they all scrambled for a hold on the lowest part of the ship where it flared into a disc. Susan just managed to grab the edge, and then grabbed Bob as he slid over. Link and Cockroach went right over, but Bob extended his body out and caught them as well. The four of them were dangling in a chain off the edge of the ship, high above the green fields of Modesto below.

"Total annihilation in T minus thirty seconds," came the calm, dispassionate voice of the computer.

Susan glanced down. There was no way they could survive the fall from this height. Not even her. Maybe not even Bob.

The lower platform lurched, and started to separate from the disintegrating ship. Susan nearly lost her grip. The ship was too unstable to try and climb up on. Any extra force would probably rip the entire base off.

"Where's Monger?!" she cried in despair. It couldn't end like this, not after all they—all she—had been through.

"He's supposed to be here!" Link yelled in frustration.

"He said the only reason he wouldn't be here was if he were dead!" Cockroach called up.

A huge explosion suddenly threw Susan off the edge, carrying the others with her. Shrieking, she fell back, her mind white with fear. Then, unexpectedly, her fall was stopped. She had landed on something huge, soft, and furry. She gasped. It was Insectosaurus, alive!

"…or late!" Monger, clinging to the huge insect's nose, reminded them.

"Insectosaurus?! You're alive!" Link cried, sliding down so his huge friend could see him. "And you're a... butterfly!" he finished awkwardly.

"Moth!" Cockroach called down. "He's a moth!"

Susan laughed. Even after barely escaping with their lives from an alien ship that was about to self-destruct immediately above them, the Doc was still as pedantic as ever.

The huge moth flew under the ship's belly as it was ripped open by explosions. They could hear the countdown continue, and were barely able to get out from under before it ticked down to zero. There was a brief moment of stillness as the explosions stopped. Susan glanced back, wondering what had happened, and then was rocked by the blast as the entire ship suddenly exploded.

Insectosaurus's huge wings took them swiftly away from the danger zone, and Susan was finally able to relax. She lay down on Insectosaurus's broad back, safe amidst the fur.

"You don't know how glad we are to see you back, Susan… Ginormica," Cockroach told her as they flew back to central Modesto.

"Same here," she said with a smile. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"So, any regrets?" Cockroach asked after a brief silence.

"About saving you guys?" Susan joked. "Don't be silly. I'd do it again in an instant. Well, not sure about Link…"she added with a grin.

"As we would for you, of course," Cockroach agreed. "But you know what I mean. About becoming Ginormica again. Giving up any chance for a normal life."

Susan propped her head up on one arm as she considered, her face now serious.

"I'd be a liar if I said I had no regrets," she said eventually. "Back in my cell, sometimes I used to lie awake and think of all the things I'd never get to do again if I couldn't return to normal. But you see, the thing is, while I liked doing those things, when I look back on it now, I don't think I actually liked myself that much. I was just sort of going through the motions, undefined. I've always been defined by other people—I was the Murphys' daughter, I was Mindy's friend. I was Derek's fiancée. The Weatherman's Wife. I was never just me. Am I being clear?"

"As the finest lead crystal, my dear," Cockroach assured her.

"Aren't you defined as Ginormica now, though?" Link butted in.

"Yeah, but at least Ginormica is me," Susan explained. "Maybe I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time—or the right place at the right time—but it happened to me. I became the monster, I became Ginormica. Derek was actually right, you know. It was something I had to deal with. Not Derek, not anybody else. Me."

There was a long pause. Susan brushed a bit of hair off her face and sat up. "You know, I once thought that my life was over when that meteorite hit me," she added reflectively. "And I was right. My old life was over. I now have a new life, a better life! I am a monster—I am Ginormica!"

Cockroach looked back at her, her strong body glowing in the setting sun. She looked more at peace with herself than he had ever seen her.

EPILOGUE

The huge moth gradually made its way to Sycamore Avenue as Monger gave it directions, and barked orders into his walkie-talkie regarding disposal of the alien ship. It would be taken to Area 52 and stored for careful examination. Cockroach was already bugging Monger about access privileges.

"There they are!" Susan cried, spotting her parents below, and what looked like half the neighbourhood.

Insectosaurus came in for a gentle landing that barely knocked over a single street light, and the others slid gracefully off his wing. Susan stood there, in front of her family and neighbours, tall and proud.

Three of Susan's old friends had gathered, and screamed at the sight of Link. He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, great," he moaned. "They're still screaming when they see us."

But to his surprise, they rushed into his arms, jumping up on him.

"Oh, boy…." he muttered as he lost his balance. It was a new sensation for him, having girls chase him. But one that he decided might have its perks as well.

"Susie Q!" her father called.

"Daddy!" Susan called back.

Her father was looking both very proud and very relieved. "We've been out here for hours, watching that thing in the sky, listening to the news," he told her. "There was panic around the entire globe after his broadcast. Every single army in the entire world was getting ready to fight, it looked like."

"Don't worry about Gallaxhar any more," Susan said happily. "He won't be back. And if he is, we'll be here to kick him off our planet again."

"Oh, Susan!" her mother cried. "Ever since you were a baby, I knew that someday... you would, you know, save the Earth from an invasion from outer space," she babbled in her relief and excitement.

Susan raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Thanks, but it wasn't just me." She clapped Link on the shoulder, not too hard, and gestured to Bob and Cockroach. "We're a team."

"Team Susan!" Bob exclaimed.

"Team Monsters," Susan corrected him. "We're all in this together."

"All for one, and one for all!" Cockroach cried.

Susan laughed. Then she heard a familiar voice. In what she now realised was a familiarly arrogant tone.

"Excuse me! Hello! Coming through! How are you?"

Derek was barging his way through the crowd, pushing aside her mother as he stepped out in front of Susan.

"Susan!"

"Derek?" Susan was not at all sure how she felt about seeing him here. Somehow she suddenly felt very exposed. There was a cameraman behind him, recording, capturing everything. But at the moment she was more concerned with her very ex ex-fiancé.

"Baby, I thought long and hard about what happened between us. And I want you to know... I forgive you."

"You… forgive me?" Susan asked sceptically. She wasn't sure she had heard him right.

"Of course. It wasn't your fault you got hit by a meteor and ruined everything."

Susan's eyes widened. Now that she had grown past him, she realised that this was pure, classic Derek. A smooth, eloquent total non-apology that somehow made everything her fault and painted him as the benevolent forgiving hero. How many times had he done that to her while they were dating? At the time, she had just been glad they hadn't broken up. No longer.

"And you know what?" Derek continued. "I say maybe you didn't ruin everything. I just got a call from New York. They offered me network! All I have to do is get an exclusive interview from you."

"Really?" she asked. For an tiny instant, she remembered how she used to share his ambitions for his career.

"Yeah. I get my dream job… and you get your dream guy," he noted smugly, fixing his expensive tie. "It's a win-win for Team Dietl."

Susan let out a mental sigh of relief. The brief moment of weakness had passed. Derek was even more self-centred and arrogant than before, if possible, now that he had New York in his sights. Susan shuddered to think what he would have been like if his career had ever taken them to Europe.

"Derek..." Susan breathed, pretending to be interested. "That's amazing. Is the camera rolling?

"Absolutely."

"Good," she said, picking him off the ground by his jacket. "Because I wouldn't want your fans out there to miss this. You are a smooth-talking, egotistical asshole who blames everyone else for his own mistakes, and thinks his good looks will bring the world to him on a platter. Well, Derek, looks aren't everything. I'd marry a monster before I ever took you back! This is Susan Murphy, saying, 'Goodbye, Derek!'"

She tossed him up high into the air with a flick of her wrist. Derek screamed in terror as he spun gracefully in a high arc.

Not wanting to actually kill him, Susan bent down by Bob. She gestured up. "Bob, could you?"

The blue gelatinous mass nodded, and caught Derek on his descent, absorbing him before spitting him out covered in slime.

"Derek, you are a selfish jerk, and guess what?" Bob scolded him. "I've met someone else. She's lime green, she has fourteen little chunks of pineapple inside her, and she's everything I deserve in life! I'm happy now, Derek, without you! It's over!"

Susan laughed. It wasn't quite how she felt, but close enough. She did have someone new in her life. Someone who was stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally than Susan could ever have dreamed of. Her personal heroine, the giantess Ginormica.

Derek slowly stood up, his hair plastered down with goop. He was furious. "I'm pressing assault charges! You just brought yourself a lawsuit! I'm going to-–"

He stopped abruptly when he found a furious Monger in his face.

"You're going to do what, boy?" the general growled. "To the woman who has just saved the entire motherfracking planet?! I advise you to think verrrry carefully about your reply…"

Derek turned pale. "I…ulp. I'm going to… to Fresno. Goodbye!"

Susan laughed as Derek hustled his cameraman out of there.

Monger came up to them, and saluted.

"Monsters, I'm so proud of you, I could cry, if I hadn't lost my tear ducts in the war. Not sure which one, now. But not crying will have to wait. The President has just asked me to form a new elite taskforce, known as Monster Force, or M-Force for short, a special branch of the armed forces. Should you agree to join, you will be given a generous stipend, and awarded the rank of Major in the United States Army. The decision is yours, and I would like it by this time tomorrow."

"Hey, General, count me in!" Link called. "Just so long as I can get some beach R&R!"

"Granted!" Monger told him.

"And me," Bob said. "So long as I don't get any beach R&R!"

"I'm with you too," Cockroach said. "Provisionally, mind. I will need better lab supplies. And a smidgeon of uranium…"

"See what we can do," Monger grinned. He looked at Susan. "I know you never wanted this life, and have been trying to get back to normal. I'm not going to pressure you. If you want to go back to your old life, uh, Susan, you're free to go."

"Thanks, General," Susan said. She looked at the other three monsters, and Insectosaurus waiting behind them. "But I can't go back. I don't want to go back. I am Ginormica now, and you know, it feels really good."

"Who'd have thought being a massively strong fifty-foot giantess who saved the world would be so empowering?" Bob asked no one in particular.

"Well, we can't keep blocking traffic all day," Monger said once everybody had caught up. "It's a long trip back to base, and it'll be dark soon. Ginormica, say goodbye to your parents."

Susan broke off from talking with Mindy and her two other friends.

"I'll be able to come and visit any time, right?" she asked the general a little nervously.

"You'll have all the rights and privileges of a major in the United States Army," Monger assured her. "Including the freedom to visit your parents. Just don't go AWOL."

"Thank, general," Susan said, snapping off a salute.

"Oh, my baby girl, a major!" her father said.

"You'll be back soon, I hope?" her mother asked.

"Count on it," Susan smiled. She bent down and carefully hugged her parents, and let them kiss her on the cheek. She then kissed her finger, and touched them both lightly on both their cheeks. "You take care of each other, okay? I'll visit as often as I can."

"We'll move house, darling! Somewhere out in the countryside where you can come visit easily!" her father said.

"With a big barn we'll convert into a room for you!" her mother added.

"Thanks, Mom, Dad, that's so sweet. Love you!"

The Monster Force climbed back on Insectosaurus.

"Call us!" her mother cried as the giant moth took off. It flew up and around the city, heading west.

"Aren't we going the wrong way, general?" Cockroach asked.

"Negative," the general replied. "Heroes always ride off into the sunset. It's tradition. We'll turn around once we're out of sight."

Susan laughed. Monger was a strange character. At first, she had hated him as her jailer. He had been cold, and seemed to have a cruel streak. But she had seen how, under his granite exterior, he genuinely cared for the strange little band of misfit monsters under his care. He had gone out of his way many times to make her life in Area 52 a little more comfortable over her time there, helping make it a little less like a prison.

Once they were out over the countryside, Monger directed Insectosaurus to circle around, and as night fell they were heading out towards Yosemite. Susan lay back in Insectosaurus's soft fur, and tried to get some sleep. She was very tired. But her mind was still whirling with the events of the day. It was scary in a way how much adrenalin could conquer fear. She thought back to her desperate leap off the collapsing platform, holding her friends. She had been acting on pure instinct then. Reabsorbing the Quantonium had given her the feeling that she was literally invulnerable. She had felt like Superman, like she too could fly. But thinking back on it now gave her the willies. Being Ginormica didn't mean she was totally fearless. It just gave her the ability to face those fears.

After about five hours of flying through the night, they landed back at Area 52, and headed back to the monster common room.

"Well, there are going to be some changes in your lives," Monger told them. "More missions, for a start, as you can act publicly now. The army has already been swamped by requests for interviews—I turned them all down. Except for the Colbert Report—I like that guy's patriotism. And the President also wants to meet you, and thank you personally. Probably give you all medals."

"Wow," Susan said. "I don't know what to say."

"I do—goodnight, monsters," Monger said.

"Good night, general," Susan said, saluting. Monger saluted back, and headed off.

"I'll see you guys for lunch," Bob said, oozing off. "Remember the cakes and balloons!"

"Cakes and balloons?" Susan asked, looking after him as he went. "Is it his birthday?"

"I'll tell you about it in the morning," Link told her. "I'm bushed and dehydrated. I need a beer and a bath. Catch you later."

"Good night, my dear. Sleep well. You've earned it," Cockroach told her before scuttling off.

Susan was now alone.

"Well, I'm back," she said to no one in particular, looking around the familiar chamber. It had once been her prison. Now it was her home. Welcoming and relaxing, where her friends were all close by. Sighing contentedly, she headed to her room, where she managed to figure out how to remove her new outfit. Then, yawning widely, she lay down on her bed. Her exhaustion had finally caught up with her, and in a moment she was fast asleep. And, for the first time since her life had been transformed, the young giantess's dreams were happy ones.

THE END

FINAL AUTHOR'S NOTES: As usual, I have made a few changes.

I have let Gallaxhar escape-dastardly villians always get away to fight another day, and, more to the point, he had plenty of time to dash to his escape capsule and make a run for it, so I have no idea why the movie suggested he was still desperately trying to get it launched right at the end.

I have no idea how Susan got from the bridge onto that platform at the end, so had her jump from a conveniently non-specific location.

Now, as to the weight of the generator. Susan's official MvA dossier has her strength at "10,000 women." Taking a fairly wild stab at how much one average woman could lift at max, and multiplying it by 10,000, I came up with around 550 tons. So to make her Crowning Moment of Awesome even more super-awesome, I put the weight of the central core at somewhere over 500 tons (in fact power plant generators weigh about that, so it's a realistic figure). This weight, according to Wikipedia, is comfortably more than a Boeing 747's maximum take-off weight. No wonder Doc was so stunned.

Insecto's adult form is a moth, not a butterfly. After all, he's basically Mothra.

I had Derek be thrown up rather than flicked up, as the latter would probably inflict fatal injuries on him from Susan's finger (yeah, I can be that much of an overthinker...). He also takes it worse than Canon Derek. If he's going to be a dick, he's going to be a dick right to the very end.

Here we see the official announcement of the Monster Force we see in "Mutant Pumpkins." Susan's parents have clearly moved house in the Halloween Special, to a rather nicer one, but frankly they should have moved to the country. I've given the monsters all the rank of Major, much like Charles Emmerson Winchester III in M*A*S*H was brought into the army as a major (and Hawkeye as a captain, etc.).

I debated a lot whether to end this story with another Save the World mission. But in the end I opted to end it quietly, with Susan finally at peace with herself, as that is what this story is really about. The next mission can wait for the sequel (currently being planned/written).

Reviews and comments are still very welcome, even though the story is complete. To those who have made it this far, thank you for sticking with this right to the end. I hope it was worth it, and was almost as much fun to read as it was to write...