Title: Nova

Author: Angel

Feedback: Please!

Archive: Please!

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. Don’t sue me; I don’t have much, just a computer and a horse, not even a good car, believe me!

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!

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

(6/?)

Day 57

"Who knew Canada could be so hot." Mulder mumbled.

Scully nodded in agreement as she pushed tree limbs out of her way.

Once in Canada there wasn’t any main roads to take. Everything was poorly marked and overgrown with brush. It was difficult walking with rocks and uneven ground in some places. They had to move around newly fallen trees from the bombings.

It was hot.

And humid.

Mulder wanted nothing more then to sit down with a cold beer and forget about all this for ten minutes. But that wouldn’t get him away from the heat, and he didn’t have a beer, much less a cold one.

If Mulder had to choose between that cold beer and real food, the food would win out in a second. They only had two days of food left. A couple weeks of vitamins, but those only did so much.

But it was better not to think about it, so they didn’t. They just walked.

"I’m taking a break." Scully announced then immediately sat down in the shade.

"I’m not going to complain." With a yawn and a stretch Mulder sat beside her and leaned against a large tree. They sipped water in silence for a few moments before Mulder looked over at Scully in thought. She looked tired, stressed and bored. He continued to watch her silently as she recapped her water and tipped her head side to side, cracking and popping away tension. He tried not to smile as she stretched her arms over her head with a groan. Suddenly Mulder reached out and grabbed her waist. Ignoring her shriek of surprise he pulled her into his lap and tickled her through her damp t-shirt.

"Mulder! Stop!" She forced out around laughter, trying to push herself off of him.

Mulder danced his fingers along her sides relentlessly. It was wonderful to see her laugh. He was never able to often. Their lives have always been busy and hard. It was the still the same, but he wanted happiness added to that equation.

Scully finally managed to tear herself from his grasp, causing her to tumble off his lap and onto the dirt.

With a smug grin Mulder stood and pulled his bag on. "Well… we better get moving."

Scully squinted up at him from where she still sat on the ground pulling her bag on. "You gonna help me up?" She held out a hand expectantly.

"Well I guess so." Nonchalantly Mulder leaned down and took her hand. With a sharp tug he pulled her up and over his shoulder.

"Mulder!" Scully’s yell was muffled by his hiking bag. Desperately she kicked her feet.

"Hold still young lady." Mulder scolded easily holding her legs down with his forearm.

"Mulder! I’m serious! Put me down."

Mulder walked along the tiny path. "If you are so serious why are you laughing?"

Realizing Mulder wasn’t going to give up, Scully did. She dropped all her weight against him making him work to carry her. "Fine, if you won’t put me down I might as well enjoy the ride." Folding her arms she rested them on the top of his bag, then lay her head on them and closed her eyes. The up down motion of Mulder’s stride was relaxing.

Day 59

Scully wiped the sweat from her brow as she walked silently behind Mulder down the narrow path. It was hot, she was hungry, and it was barely noon. The day didn’t look promising.

A painful ache settled in her belly. Scully suddenly felt cold despite the heat in the air. She paused her stride and pressed the heels of her hands to her temples as a high pitched ringing sounded in her ears. Her vision became spotty and darkened.

She watched silently as Mulder took a step away from her. Two steps. Three.

She wanted to say something to him, tell him she needed to rest. But her head spun and her mind wouldn’t focus long enough for the sound to travel from her throat out her mouth. The last of her focus was spent on putting a hand to her nose, she pulled it away. She saw only sweat covered fingers, no blood. That relief only lasted a moment before she wavered helplessly on her feet.

Four strides away. Five. Six.

Mulder, not hearing Scully’s answering footsteps, turned around. "Scully?" She was pale and shaking slightly. His six easy strides of distance was recovered in two long steps to her. "Scully!" He caught her around the waist just as her knees gave out. "I’ve got you, it’s ok." He said softly as he lowered her to the ground.

He gently pulled her bag from her shoulders then laid her on the ground. After wrapping her in a blanket he sat her up with her back to his chest. Running his fingers through her hair he spoke softly to her. "Come on, Scully. Come on back to me." He pleaded gently.

Slowly Scully was able to focus on his voice and not the ringing in her head. Lolling her head back she kissed his neck lazily in a silent reply that she was ok.

Letting out a long breath Mulder squeezed her tightly and let her relax a while longer before speaking. "What happened?"

Scully shrugged the blanket off and turned to him. "I don’t know." Shaking her head she ran her hand over her face. "I think the heat is getting to me."

Mulder frowned. He didn’t know what to say or do that wouldn’t upset her. "Let’s stay for a while longer." He said tentatively as he handed her water.

She nodded. "A few more minutes. I’ll be ok. I feel better now."

A knot of anger settled in Mulder gut. "No. I want you to rest."

"I will, for a few more minutes." She repeated meeting his angry gaze with her own.

He rubbed his face with his hands in an attempt to erase some of the frustration he felt. "Scully please." He got up onto his knees in front of her. Begging, out right begging. "Please. I’m worried, can you lay down for a little longer?"

Scully’s first reaction was be yell at him. Tell him she was fine, even though she knew she should rest for a bit longer. She hadn’t fainted in a years. She wanted to be mad at him, part of her was. It was always so much easier to be angry with him instead of herself. But seeing the way he put the anger and frustration away for straight out concern made her think twice.

"We don’t have the luxury of sitting, Mulder."

He nodded and took her hand, pulling her down with her head pillowed on his thigh. "Close your eyes and take it easy for a little while, then we will start walking again. Just a little while."

"I’m not tired." She mumbled at him. She wasn’t, she was hungry and hot, but not tired.

"You don’t have to sleep, you just have to rest."

Scully jumped at the sensation of something cool and moist on her neck. Mulder shushed her and continued to run the damp cloth over her exposed arms, her neck, her forehead.

Despite not being tired Scully was easily lulled into a calm half sleep state.

Day 62

"Mulder, get off of me it’s too hot." Scully mumbled and pushed him off of her shoulder where he had placed his hand

The sun had gone down a few hours ago but the air was still heavy and the fire, lit only for safety, was not helping.

He batted her hands away when she tried to push him away. "I’m trying to help you." He informed helping her pull her shirt over her head.

"Thank you, but I think I can handle washing myself." She stripped off the rest of her clothes perfectly aware of him starring at her.

Mulder grabbed the towel and water from her hands. "Yes, I know you can. But won’t it be more fun if I do it?"

Scully bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt not to smile, it didn’t work.

Returning her smile, Mulder moved behind her and washed the sweat and dust from her pale skin. Once finished her laid her down onto the blankets and washed her chest and arms.

"I think you are favoring certain body parts over others, Mulder." Scully accused good naturedly since the focus was on her breasts.

Mulder only smiled knowingly, her voice was light and airy as he traveled down her body. He bypassed her midsection, going straight to her feet.

Scully let released a low groan of approval as he massaged the soles of her feet with him thumbs. Mulder continued until he felt she had relaxed completely into his hands before moving to her calves. He cleaned and massaged the tight muscles all along her legs until he reached her inner thigh.

Scully slowly became aware, within her relaxed haze of arousal, that Mulder’s hands were gone. "Are you stopping?" She whispered without opening her eyes.

"Just for a minute."

Cracking her eyes open the bare minimum she saw Mulder. His back was to her as he washed the day’s grime off of himself. With a soft sigh of anticipation Scully closed her eyes again and waited for him.

A few moments later Mulder settled himself on his side next to Scully, pressing the length of his body against hers. Leaning down he kissed the underside of her chin and stroked a hand down her body. With his fingers buried in her heat he settled himself on claiming her mouth with deep thorough kisses.

Scully returned his attentions on her as well as she was able, but his strong skilled fingers continued to distract her. Finally, she gave up trying to keep up with him and relaxed into the sensations. Closer and closer she came to release. Mulder brought her right to the edge then eased up, avoiding stroking her sensitive nub or working his fingers into her body. He stroked her gently, bringing her down but not far from where she wanted to be.

Opening her eyes sleepily, Scully looked up at Mulder. He smiled down at her look of annoyance and kissed her softly.

In a wordless invitation Scully opened her legs. Without breaking eye contact Mulder settled down against her. She happily wrapped her arms around his neck, holding his familiar and comfortable weight to her body.

They closed their eyes in unionism as Mulder sank into her body. Warmth radiated through Scully’s body as she kept her eyes closed and Mulder began to move in relaxed strokes. Welcoming his body into hers Scully bent her legs around him.

The warmth that built in Scully increased, along with her heart rate and breathing. Times like this she found it easy to accept the world as it was now. She could pretend it had always been like this. She never had a job, or a house, or a family outside of Mulder. That the ones who were destroying the world around them for only God knows why never took her away, never took her life force, never destroyed part of her. Scully let the heated ripples of pleasure take her away from the memories of what life was once.

Mulder nuzzled the side of her face until she opened her eyes and focused on him in the firelight. Half his body glowed with orange warmth, the other half lost in the shadows of the night. He was a living eclipse over her, the Nova charm swinging gently in the firelight with his motion.

Scully struggled to keep her eyes focused on his as the fire inside her consumed them both. With breathy calls of the others names they relaxed spent against each other.

When the focus returned to Scully she dropped her legs from his waist, wove one hand into his hair and soothed his back with her other. Mulder rested his head on her collarbone, his arms around her waist, still inside her body.

After many moments of silence he shifted, rolling onto his back and pulling Scully onto his chest as he struggled to pull a light blanket over them.

"We should get there any day now." Scully whispered as she toyed with the charm low on Mulder’s neck.

His only response was to bury a hand in her hair and place a kiss on her forehead, leaving his lips to rest there.

"What do we do once we get there?" Scully asked after long moments of silence. She carefully wrapped the chain around her index finger, watching the silver catch the orange light of the fire.

"Doesn’t say."

Scully glanced up at him with worry. They had nothing more to go on other then what Mulder had been told about Nova which wasn’t much at all. But without the idea of Nova they had nothing.

"We just have to walk until Nova finds us."

Letting out a long breath Scully looked back at he small charm now settled into the palm of her hand. Turning her hand over she trapped the star between her hand and Mulder’s heart.

Day 63

Scully was her usual two steps behind Mulder on the small dirt road. Their order of walking wasn’t about sexual rank. Mulder would walk slowly wanting to set the pace so Scully wouldn’t push herself too hard, she knew this, but humored him into thinking she didn’t. He would push the heavy branches away with his longer arms. Scully preferred to stay behind him anyway, otherwise he would try to help her too often. Guiding her up embankments, around ditches, and through trees. She didn’t mind much, it was the chivalrous part of him coming through. She actually enjoyed his help, but not when it was this hot. She just didn’t want to be touched until it was dark and cooler. That and she liked the view.

Their usual comfortable silence was ruined by Mulder cursing then falling to the ground.

Scully walked up next to him, looked down with her hands on her hips. Her expression was a mixture of question, concern, but most of all humor. Mulder could be so damn clumsily sometimes.

"I stepped in a hole." He looked up at her with his lost puppy eyes.

With a smile Scully shook her head and kneeled down by him. "Which foot?"

"My left."

Sitting in the soft dirt she carefully pulled off his shoe to inspect for injuries. "Did you sprain it?"

"I don’t think so. It doesn’t even hurt anymore. I think I just lost my balance."

"I saw." Scully stated trying not to laugh.

"You’re just lucky I was walking in front. I found the hole for you."

Deciding there was no damage she put his shoe back on. "If your feet weren’t so big you wouldn’t have had any trouble." She teased, after all there were a few perks of being petite. One of them being you didn’t often trip in holes, just fell in them. Ok so maybe it wasn’t a perk, but she had to tease him when she could.

"Well you know what they say about guys with big feet." Mulder grinned, proud of his comeback.

Shaking her head in good humor once again Scully stood and started walking down the path away from him.

"Hey!" Mulder jumped to his feet to follow her. "Just gonna leave me all alone?"

"No," She glanced over her shoulder at him. "I just thought I should take over the hole searching for a while, you don’t seem to be doing so well."

Mulder mumbled a wordless reply but didn’t push the fact that he usually led. He liked the view he had now anyway.

Day 64

Scully actually wasn’t hungry anymore. It was strange, she woke up and for the first time in a long time her stomach didn’t cause her pain. It was still empty, she knew that, but it didn’t bother her.

And that frightened her. She wasn’t starving to death. That took months. They had water, so that wasn’t a problem. But she didn’t like the fact that she wasn’t in pain. It had become a comfort to her in a way. Something that was always there no matter what they did. But that seemed ridiculous. She didn’t like that though. She wanted food. Wanted something to chew, to fill her stomach, something to use their pot for besides heating water.

"Hey Scully…." Scully followed Mulder’s line of vision to a group of five people walking in the sparse trees by them. "Stay here for a minute and keep an eye out for me."

"Mulder?" Her voice was filled with warning and concern.

"I’m going to go see if they want to trade anything." He started to walk towards them in a calm non-threatening stance.

"Be careful."

He smiled over his shoulder. "I always am… and when I’m not you are there to save my ass."

Scully watched, unamused, as he walked up to them. They group was suspicious towards Mulder at first, but Scully could pinpoint the moment he said he had cigarettes to trade.

Standing alone was something that didn’t happen to Scully anymore. She and Mulder were never far from each other. It made her feel vulnerable and protective at the same time. So she watched Mulder carefully. The group didn’t look armed, but then again neither did Mulder. When in fact he had two guns and a knife hidden on his body. They talked and bargained for quite a few moments before Mulder walked back over.

"Well?"

Mulder put his arm over her shoulders and guided her back down the path they were on. "Well… we’ll be eating a nice dinner tonight. I traded pretty well, still have a whole carton of cigarettes if we run into anyone else. It’s amazing what people will trade for an addiction."

Day 67

Mulder paused his walking beside Scully.

"What?"

Not looking at her he placed a finger to his lips as a signal for her to stay quiet. They both drew their guns slowly, scanning the surrounding area.

Scully cursed herself silently, she was so lost in thought she wasn’t paying attention to everything around them. She had been doing that often. Thank goodness Mulder didn’t have that problem. Multi tasking was simple for him. He could be in deep thought, walking, listening and watching all at the same time.

A few feet in front of them a middle-aged man, armed with a rifle, stepped out into the road. They all watched each other silently, with respective firearms lowered but posed at their sides.

Scully waited for some sign of what Mulder wanted to do. Walk on? Speak to him? See if he had any food to trade?

Slowly Mulder reached under his shirt, pulling out his chain. The Nova charm was displayed to the man on the pad of Mulder’s thumb.

Note: *evil laughter* Sorry! As a WIP I HAD to leave something at a cliffhanger. What will happen next you ask? *more laughter* You will find out soon enough! Well I got to this point faster then I thought I would, but oh well. I can always rewrite if it come to that. Enjoy and let me know what you think!