Title: Nova

Author: Angel

Feedback: Please!

Archive: Please!

Classification: MSR, Colonization fic.

Rating: NC-17 (for some parts-very mild but to be safe!) Others are probably PG-13 or so.

Summery: The inevitable happens. Mulder has planned ahead and now does everything in his power to keep Scully safe. You MUST read all parts to understand! Available at Ephemeral and my home page.

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Characters are property of Fox, 1013, ect. No money is being made. No infringement is intended. Some poems are used without permission, names of authors are given. Prayers which I did not write, and I don’t know who wrote are included in some areas.

Homepage: (to find missing parts and sooner or later the completed version, also posted at Ephemeral)

A HUGE thanks to Evie my beta reader! Nova would never be doing this well, or going as fast, without her help! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!

Note: Want Nova updates in the mail? Just let me know!

"Baby don’t look up, the sky is falling." Tori Amos

(10/?)

Day 72 (Sunday)

"Where are you going?" Mulder asked sleepily, holding tightly to Scully when she tried to rise out of bed.

Scully struggled in his grasp to get up on her elbows.

"It’s Sunday, stay in bed with me." He mumbled trying to pull her back down.

"I know it’s Sunday. I want to go to mass this morning."

Mulder’s arms dropped from around her. He wasn’t going to push for her to stay with him. Going to church just wasn’t something he understood, he didn’t even try to. All he knew was it is important to Scully.

"You don’t want to go do you?" She asked as she placed water on the stove to heat so she could wash up.

Mulder rolled onto his side to look at her. "Sorry, not my thing."

She smiled softly. "I didn’t think so, but I thought I would ask."

Scully smiled politely at the people who had already arrived at the church but sat in a row all by herself. She looked around the small room, it was nice. The walls were decorated tactfully with paintings of saints and biblical scenes, most she recognized. Tall natural colored candles, obviously hand made, lined the front of the room. A small altar stood in the center of the line of candles.

The smell of incense, surrounded her. She inhaled deeply, feeling a deep sense of contentment.

Scully leaned back in her chair. She was comfortable. It was quiet and small. Perfect. She didn’t feel forced to relax, it already felt like the church she had often gone to with her mother.

Scully studied the far right hand corner of the room. Two small doors were side by side. Confessionals.

It had been a while since she had been, but for the first time in a long time, there was no guilt clouding her heart. She had made her peace with the tumultuous events of the last couple of months, realizing that there was no shame in being glad that she and Mulder were alive, while as far as she knew everyone else she had known and loved had died.

The mass was simple but beautiful. Though she had been going regularly Before, she had not felt the sense of wonder and hope that she felt in this little room. So many people had gathered to share her same thoughts and prayers. How odd it was that the smallest mass she had ever been to was more important, more moving then any other. The prayer for the day was short. Spoken softly and slowly. Everyone listened with polite and eager minds.

"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life."

The final words of the priest remained with her long after the mass had ended. "Go in peace." He had instructed them.

Scully marveled how those three words could hold such power. All her life she had longed for a sense of inner peace. And only now, after the sky had almost literally fallen, had she found it within herself, and with Mulder.

Mulder looked up from the book he borrowed from the library when Scully walked in. "Hey."

Wordlessly she walked over, took his face in her hands and kissed him. "I love you." She said barely pulling away, just to press another longer kiss against his lips.

He smiled as she sat down next to him, not releasing his lips completely. When she finally pulled away Mulder spoke. "Enjoy your time?"

She smiled and nodded. "It was wonderful. I loved it."

Mulder patted her thigh. "I’m glad… So what do you want to do today?"

She just shrugged and flipped the pages of his book unseeing.

"When I was out on patrol with the group they showed me where a small lake is. It’s not a hot spring, but it is warmer then the river. We could hike up there if you want."

Scully nodded quickly. "I would LOVE to really get cleaned up. Just soak up the water, turn into a raisin, it sounds wonderful."

Mulder chuckled and stood up, turning off the lamps. "Let’s go then."

"Wow." Scully whispered looking at the large lake. It was so shallow the rocks were easily seen through the sun reflecting water. To one side the water flowed very gently down a natural hill of rocks. All long the edge wildflowers grew, the bright yellows and rich blues mirrored off the gently rippling water.

The lake wasn’t empty by far. Many people swam, played with their children, or just soaked up the sun and cool water.

Wordlessly Mulder took her elbow in his hand and lead her around to part of the water where no one was. He stripped down just to his boxers and looked at her pointedly, but she was still starring off at the scenery. "Scully? You going in?"

"Oh. Sorry." She smiled shyly and pulled off her clothes, leaving only her black tank top and panties on.

They both walked out into the almost too-cold-for comfort-water, it only came up to Mulder’s waist, and Scully chest. The sun beating down quickly warmed their cool skin making the water a pleasant contrast.

Scully was silently cupping the water and running it over her body as she watched a few of the children laugh and splash around. She couldn’t help but smile. They were happy and carefree. Maybe it was best they were so young when They came, they wouldn’t remember what life was like before. How easy some things could be taken for granted, like being warm and having a full stomach. To be naïve. How she wished to be naïve like when she was young. Thinking the only problems were getting her brothers to leave her alone, the fight she had with a friend over who took who’s Barbie doll, when she would finally grow out of her training bra, and where her family would be moving to next. The fact that those were her worst of her worries shocked her.

As she grew older her worries changed of course. Would she pass medical school? Was she making a mistake joining the FBI? They became more important of course.

The last few years before They came her worries seemed to revolve around one man. The man that had saved her life more times then she cared to count. The man who she threw away many of her morals for and who changed her life tremendously. If she was a petty woman she could easily blame all her problems, three months of her life missing, the death of her sister, a daughter she only knew for a short time, on him. Maybe if she didn’t love him more then life it’s self she would be able to give him some of that responsibility. But as amazing as it was, she believed if all the sacrifices she made the last several years had brought him to her, it was worth it. It was all worth finally having some one who understood her and loved her for who she is.

Mulder touched her shoulder lightly. "You ok?"

She blushed lightly realizing how spaced out she must have looked. "Yeah, I was just thinking. I think I am going to get dress, but let’s stay for a while longer."

Nodding Mulder walked with Scully to the shore. They dressed and sat on the rocks by the water in a comfortable silence. It was nice to just sit and relax. For the first time since they started to walk Mulder didn’t feel the need to look over his shoulder and watch over Scully every second. It was calm and peaceful. No threats appeared to be near them. They were in the company of new friends and honest people.

Mulder glanced over at Scully. "Hey?" He said softly placing his hand on her back.

Scully rubbed her temples trying to ease the headache she could feel starting. "I must be allergic to some of the flowers." Mulder stood and moved to help her up but she held up a hand. "I’m ok Mulder. My head just hurts a little, sinuses I think."

Frowning Mulder looked at her closely. "Let’s head back?"

She nodded and started to walk in front of Mulder, staying just out of arms reach so he couldn’t help her every step like she knew he wanted to.

Mulder stared at Scully’s back as she made her way slowly down the trail. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything. Not that he had anything helpful to say, but he wanted to share what was on his mind. He was worried, it was very simple. She hadn’t had any more nosebleeds, at least none that he knew of. She didn’t seem to be feeling ill, but he didn’t spend the day with her anymore. This headache could very easily just be from pollen. But this wouldn’t be the first time she had hidden how she was feeling from him.

He took a few large steps to stand at her side. He gave her a soft smile, one of apology for his uncontrollable worry and understanding that she didn’t want to speak about it, he has learned how she worked. He didn’t like it, but he accepted it. Mulder took her hand lightly in his, interlocking their fingers he brought their hands to his mouth and kissed each knuckle softly.

They walked hand in hand all the way back to Nova, not uttering a single word. Mulder didn’t say anything to her when they reached their room. He just laid her down on the bed next to him and read aloud from the poetry book by Anrienne Rich he had been reading while she was at church.

"The glass has been falling all the afternoon,

And knowing better then the instrument

What winds are walking overhead, what zone

Of gray unrest in moving across the land,

I leave the book upon a pillowed chair

And walk from window to closed window, watching

Boughs strain against the sky

And think again, as often when the air

Moves inward toward a silent core of waiting,

How with a single purpose time has traveled

By secret currents of the undiscerned

Into this polar realm. Weather abroad

And weather in the heart alike come on

Regardless of prediction.

Between foreseeing and averting change

Lies all the mastery of elements

Which clocks and weatherglasses cannot alter.

Time in the hand is not control of time,

Nor shattered fragments of an instrument

A proof against the wind; the wind will rise,

We can only close the shutters.

I draw the curtains as the sky goes black

And set a match to candles sheathed in glass

Against the keyhole draught, the insistent whine

Of weather through the unsealed aperture.

This is our sole defense against the season;

These are the things that we have learned to do

Who live in troubled regions."

Mulder finished reading and looked down at Scully where she had fallen asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. He couldn’t help but smile at the peaceful look on her face. Tucking her hair behind her ear with one hand he placed the book on the floor with the other. Carefully he turned, Scully’s head shifting to rest in the crook of his arm. He studied her face while she slept.

He wished there were a way for him to tell her what he would do for her. The words that he would give his life for her just didn’t cover it. He would give his soul if needed. He would do whatever it took to protect her from what was happening around them. The world had crashed down, now they had to deal with the after shocks.

Day 74

Mulder woke with a start to loud banging on the door.

"Dana! Dana we need you!"

Scully sleepily stumbled off the bed pulling on enough clothes to be presentable. Swinging the door open she shielded her eyes from the dim hallway light and focused on a panicked looking Greg Wells. Mulder had patrolled with him many times, saying that he was a nice man but always very jumpy. "What happened?"

"I-I shot a man! I didn’t know he was a member. Oh god, oh god what have I done?!" Greg shook frantically.

"Ok." Scully held up a hand. "It’s ok, I’ll be right there, let me just put warmer clothes on."

Greg nodded and ran off toward the Medical Room.

Scully turned around and took the sweatshirt Mulder was handing her. "I might need your help Mulder, not many people can handle the sight of blood."

"Oh and I just love it." He mumbled as he pulled his shoes on.

"Come on." Scully rubbed her face quickly, feeling the rush of adrenaline flow through her body. They quickly jogged down to the Main Room and into the open door of the Medical Room. Scully stopped short when she saw the man who was shot.

"Oh my god." Mulder whispered at the sight.

…..

Note: Was that mean? It was? Good =)

Well at least one reader knows what is going on right now… anybody else have any guesses? Not that I will tell you if you are right or anything, but that’s not the point.

I’ll be working on part 11! And I promise, I am writing as fast as I can!

Hope you like it!