Title: Nova: East of Eden

Feedback: I love it more then chocolate.

Rating: NC-17 for possible graphic violence and sexual situations.

Warning: Minor character death and sexual situations.

Disclaimer: Not mine, I’m making no money, just playing.

Classification: Angst, Post-Colonization-sequel to my fic ‘Nova’, available at my page, Ephemeral, Gossamer, and, Annex to name a few.

Spoilers: It’s a WIP, so I really don’t know what will happen. But anything up to but not including the 7^th season finale is fair game. PLEASE PLEASE don’t try to read this fic without reading ‘Nova’ first. Thank you.

Summery: Five years have passes since the ending of ‘Nova’, one late night Scully looks back .

--If you are missing any parts of East of Eden they are at my page and Ephemeral.

Dedication: To Evie for her always perfect beta job and from the get go listening to my endless questions and whining. Melissa for her more then excited response when I told her of this fic, her encouragement and beta. And to all the original ‘Nova’ readers, I became addicted to your feedback and just had to get some more of it. I hope this WIP can live up the standards ‘Nova’ set for me.

Part 3/?

Present day….

Spring came. With less inhabitants there was a lot of work for everyone to do. But it seemed for the first time we were about to profit from the work. We built up our supplies and livestock and were even able to have meat twice a week. Nova flourished as much as possible in the face of such disaster.

4 years earlier…

Early summer

"Daddy, Daddy wake up."

Mulder sighed softly at the insistent tugging at the corner of the blanket. Barely opening his eyes he rolled over and met Aeryn’s distraught face.

"My tummy hurts." She said softly, on the verge of tears.

"I know, Sweetie. Come here." Slipping his hands beneath her little arms he pulled her between him and Scully, quickly tucking her beneath the warm covers.

Scully kissed her forehead as she settled into the bed, one hand rubbing her belly, trying to ease the ache that occurred every night after eating meat. Her little body wasn’t able to handle the sparse meals high in protein and fat. But Scully convinced her that it was for the better. A few hours of discomfort was worth the nutrition. Aeryn’s young mind didn’t comprehend, so she often spent hours at the table pushing her meal around until she actually finished it. More often then not before a few sessions of angry tears. She would then storm off to bed only to wake a few hours later to crawl in with them. It was the only time they allowed her to.

Mulder rolled onto his side. "Better?" He asked, running his forefinger down the bridge of her tiny nose.

Aeryn nodded enthusiastically and Mulder sighed inwardly knowing she would have to be settled down again, not the easiest thing to do. He glanced at Scully who gave him a look of pity and mild annoyance.

"Daddy, will you tell me a story?" Aeryn asked as she fiddled with the cross around Scully’s neck.

Mulder groaned, with a smile. He knew that question was coming. "I don’t know, Aeryn, I’ve told you all my stories." He watched as the light from the dwindling fire bounced off the gold cross as it shifted between her little fingers. The small charm was a fascination to her. Scully had lost count on how many times the little girl had asked when she would be given it. Scully’s answer was always the same, as soon as she was old enough not to lose it by accident.

At his response, Aeryn rolled her head towards him, dropping the cross, forgotten for the moment. "Daddy no teasing, tell me a story." She cried grinning.

He brought his finger to his lips. "I’ll tell you a story if you promise to be quiet and go right to sleep when I’m finished."

Shifting happily between the sheets she nodded, her stomachache a distant memory. "I promise."

"Ok. What do you want me to tell you about?"

Aeryn’s smooth brow wrinkled in thought as she rolled onto her belly, her face turned towards Mulder. "I dunno…" She murmured.

Mulder smiled and winked over at Scully as he watched Aeryn’s eyes begin to drift shut. He made a soft indifferent noise in response as he slipped his hand beneath her night shirt to gently run his fingertips up and down her spine. Her small body turned to jelly under his touch, it always worked.

"I want a story." She mumbled, her eyes fluttering open for a moment.

Leaning over he kissed her forehead. "You can have two tomorrow." Mulder wasn’t sure if Aeryn heard his promise before she fell asleep or not but he would keep it anyway.

He smiled up at Scully. "Out like a light."

"That was too easy." She noted, running her fingers through the child’s hair.

"Too easy." He said with mock suspicion, narrowing his eyes at the small sleeping form at his side before he broke into an involuntary smile.

Scully laughed softly, hand still stroking her head.

"You want me to take her back to her bed?" He knew Scully wasn’t too keen on having Aeryn sleeping in their bed. Her mother never allowed it so it was her impulse to do the same.

She shook her head against her pillow. "In case she wakes up not feeling well I’d like to have her here."

He didn’t reply, fighting the urge to tease Scully on going soft on him. Mulder pulled his hand from beneath the sheets, reaching the short distance to Scully to stroke her cheek. "Go back to sleep."

Letting out a lingering sigh she nodded and shut her eyes. Fully aware of Mulder’s gaze on her as she began to drift off. He loved to watch her and Aeryn sleep side by side. It gave him time to categorize the similarities between mother and daughter. Underneath the round baby cheeks Mulder could see Scully’s high cheekbones and slim nose. Matching rosebud mouths. Even without seeing their eyes he knew the color was almost the same, Aeryn’s being just a shy grayer.

"Mulder." His eyes quickly shot up to Scully’s face, her eyes still closed. "Go to sleep."

He smiled, stretching his arm over their daughter to rest on Scully’s hip.

Next morning…

The first thing Scully did when she woke was smile at the vision of Aeryn sprawled on Mulder’s chest, both sleeping soundly. She frowned when she realized how easily Aeryn could tumble off him and onto the floor. Straining her eyes in the dim firelight she could see the outline of Mulder’s arm beneath the sheet, wrapped securely around their child’s waist. She mentally chided herself for thinking Mulder would let their daughter be put in such a simple danger, even in his sleep.

Suddenly she felt cold with the two of them curled up a few feet away. It was ridiculous but she slid closer anyway. Pillowing her head on Mulder’s free arm she felt warm within a moment. Her internal clock told her she had another hour or so before she needed to wake, she couldn’t think of a better way to spend it.

In the back of his throat Mulder made a slight noise, between a grunt and a moan. He shifted slightly, only enough to turn his head and nuzzle Scully’s hair.

Present day…

I have loved every moment of having my family. The late night fussing and feedings. The over tired and stressed out bickering between Mulder and I. We butted heads more then once on the ethics of raising our daughter. But we never went to bed angry. He was determined we would talk it out until things were better. It didn’t take long before we learned to agree to disagree so we could get some sleep.

For years, four years, I have gone to bed every night with a secret about my family. One I have kept from Mulder. Every night I have dealt with the guilt of leaving him in the dark. Perhaps if this happened Before and I was able to run tests and look within my body I wouldn’t have to hide from him. But how can I tell him that I am the cause that we never had another baby? That it’s my bodies fault that a baby Mulder never knew about died?

Notes: Ok please don’t kill me! For a number of reasons. I know you are saying to yourself ‘I waited almost two weeks for THAT?’ Sorry, I was having major troubles with this part so I change my plan. I promise to get part 4 out sooner! If I don’t start throwing things at me, that will work =).