Come Morning Light by untapdtreasure

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Devon woke earlier than normal. The heat didn't help with sleeping, and the nausea was worse that morning than any time before. She didn't even want to move for fear that she'd hurl the contents of what she didn't have in her stomach. She gave a soft whimper, unable to even turn her head. "Uly?"

The boy was half asleep by some small miracle. "Mom? Huh?" He opened his eyes, turning his head to look toward her cot. "You okay? Are you sick?" He was up on his bare feet and dropped down onto his knees by her bed.

She nodded slightly, barely able to even do that. "Get Julia? Please?" She managed to shift, feeling the bile rising in her throat. "Now, Uly. Go!" Her hand came up, clamping over her mouth as she managed to push herself to her feet and head for the tent flap.

She made it to the edge of camp before dropping to her knees and vomiting bile the color of a bird's egg yolk. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and groaned slightly. Her lips quivered, and she shakily got to her feet.

She had one destination. The med tent. And their doctor. Something was wrong, and there was no more denying it. She felt her pace quicken when she saw Julia coming with Uly following behind her.

Julia stopped in front of Devon, looking her over. "Your color is off, Devon. I wish you had let me check you over last night..." But that didn't matter now. She slipped her arm around her patient's back and helped her toward the med tent.

Uly's eyes were bright, fear burning brightly. "Is my Mom going to die for real, Julia?" He grabbed Devon's other hand, holding onto it tightly. His hand was shaking, but he felt her squeeze it reassuringly.

"We won't know until we know what's causing it, Uly." Julia eased her into the tent.

Alonzo was half dressed, pushing his feet into his boots. He wrinkled his nose. "What's wrong?" He hurried to help her ease Devon onto their unmade cot.

Julia shook her head. "I don't know. Can you take Uly and keep him occupied while I run tests?" He nodded, quickly ushering the boy toward the exit. She immediately began to run her tests. "Tell me your symptoms and precisely when they started."

- -

Devon stared at Julia. She hadn't heard a word since Julia had said that she was five weeks pregnant. Everything else just faded away. At this point they were behind schedule for New Pacifica. And this wasn't great news. This wasn't happy news. Not like she'd want it to be. They had so much work ahead of them. Two weeks is what she and Danziger had roughly guessed the night before after dinner that would get them to their new home.

Julia touched her arm gently. "Devon? Are you alright? You look kind of pale." She pressed a few buttons on her diaglove and started to run it over Devon again. She frowned. Her readings were not what she'd have liked to have seen in a pregnant woman, but she was still trying to determine when this had happened because she was certain she knew who the father was.

"What? Oh. Yeah. I feel fine. Except for being tired and puking my insides out." She'd done a good job at hiding that from everyone. And had kept them from seeing how tired she was. She sat up then, maybe too quickly as her head began to swim. "Are you certain, Julia? Could the tests be incorrect?" Something could be interfering with the readings. Stranger things had happened after all.

Julia shook her head. She steadied Devon and tilted her head. "I have to say I am surprised, Devon."

Devon met her eyes. "You're surprised?" She snorted. She put her head in her hands and groaned. "He's not going to be happy about this." She rubbed her hand down her face and then met her eyes. "You cannot tell anyone, understand?"

Julia nodded. She sat on the cot beside her patient. "Devon, I would never divulge anything without consent. Especially something this sensitive." She touched her back. "Is it John?"

Devon's head whipped around, eyes locking with hers. "How... I don't think we should discuss this." She stood up, moving toward the tent flap and disappearing. The morning sun was already heating the air, and she felt like the sun was beating down on her and felt the bile rising up in her throat. She put her hand to her mouth, moving quickly toward the edge of camp.

Hitting her knees, she threw up into the bushes and then rocked back and landed on her rear. She closed her eyes and sucked in several deep breaths. She jumped as a hand fell on her back and her eyes moved up to lock on a familiar pair of blue eyes. She frowned. "Danziger..."

"Hey, Adair. You feeling okay?" He'd seen her ashen and hand to her mouth as she ran from camp. He'd been in sight when she threw up, and no matter what was going on between them right now, he still cared. "Should I get Julia?"

She grabbed his arm, gripping it so tightly she made half moon marks in his skin. "N-no." She looked away. "Don't get anyone. Don't leave me..." She didn't like the vulnerable feeling she got as she let the weight of it all rain down upon her. "Danziger...John..."

Now she was starting to frighten him. He sat down heavily next to her. He kept his arm within her grasp. His other hand moved up to cup her cheek. She looked terrified. "What's wrong?" And then a fear washed over him. "Are you sick again, Devon? Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

Her lip quivered as she shook her head. "Not sick. Not...really." She closed her eyes and whispered, "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Didn't mean for what to happen? Devon, will you just talk to me?" He shifted then, turning her and shaking her slightly. He willed her to stop beating around the bush.

"I'm pregnant..." She felt the words rush from her, feeling herself like she'd used every last ounce of her energy as she laid her head on his shoulder.

His eyes widened, but instead of being angry, he wrapped his arms around her. "Christ. Is that all?" He hugged her tightly then. He couldn't even remember why they were angry with one another in the first place. All that mattered was that she wasn't sick again.

She pushed at his chest. "Is that all?" Her voice was louder than she'd intended with a sharp edge to it. "We're still two weeks from New Pacifica, John. I don't even know what we are...and now I'm pregnant." She buried her face in his chest then, feeling the nausea glide over her and make her want to throw up even more of what she didn't even have to give.

He kissed the top of her head. "Well, Devon, we've faced other hardships since landing on this rock. We're gonna get through this one just the same." He lifted her chin gently. "As for us?" He searched her eyes. "I've made it perfectly clear that I want a home with you and Uly when when we get there. Or I thought I had..." Hell. He'd fallen in love with her kid from day one on this rock even if it had taken longer to warm up to his mother. "I love you both..." He wanted to be that boy's father. "Devon..." He put his palm very gently to her stomach and gently brushed his fingers against it.

She put her hand over his and breathed, "And I love you...and True." Truth was, she saw so much of herself in the girl. She leaned in, kissing his cheek. "It's just happening so fast."

He shifted, laying his arm across his knee as he kept his eyes focused on her. "Can't change what's happened. Gotta embrace what's happening and this precious gift..." And that's when he saw the hint of the smile form on her lips. "That's my girl."

She moved her hand back to his chest and laid it over his heart. "Would you still want this if I wasn't..." Her voice trailed off.

"You can just stop right there, Adair. You know I would. And you've known this for weeks..."

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