Everything is Possible Ch. 7

"So when are you going to leave this old store and go get a job at one of the museums or dig sites around here? Or are you planning on trying to get funding and travel to somewhere else to dig up the past?" Elnora asked Ann the next day.

"Well actually I was thinking about staying here for now and maybe doing some genealogy on the side for a while," Ann replied.

"But you always use to talk about getting out in the field or at least joining the research department at the museum. Why the change of plans?" Elnora asked.

"Well because there have been some unexpected surprises over the last week that have changed things quite a bit," Ann replied.

"Does it have anything to do with you having been kidnapped?" Elnora asked.

"Not exactly, more just to do with something I found out when I was kidnapped," Ann replied.

"What would that be? I'd think after that you'd feel safer working around larger groups of people than in the shop where it's usually just the two of us," Elnora said.

"Maybe, but I can't really get a new job right now, I'll probably be going into hiding and rarely leave the house in the next couple of months," Ann told her.

"Why?" Elnora asked.

"Because if I don't, my reputation will be absolutely ruined since I can't tell anyone else that I'm married," Ann said then smiled, "How would you feel about adopting another grandchild, or more accurately a great grandchild who happens to be half ant?" Ann asked.

Elnora's eyes widened in shock, "You're pregnant?" she asked.

"Yep," Ann replied grinning.

"Oh that's wonderful, I thought you said that wouldn't be possible," Elnora said.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you later, but basically there were some things that we didn't anticipate that have made it possible. There's still no way to know if the baby will actually survive which is another reason I'll be pretty much staying at the house, so Zoc can make sure I don't do anything to put any stress on my body. Not to mention if anyone knew I was pregnant they'd probably want to see baby pictures eventually and we have no idea what the baby will look like yet," Ann explained.

"What are you going to tell Doreen?" Elnora asked.

"I- hadn't really thought about that," Ann admitted, "I guess I've just been so distracted with getting everything moved and stuff I haven't had time to think through all of the details or people I'll need to avoid,"

"You'll never be able to avoid Doreen, from what I've seen of her, she'd probably bust your door down to make sure you're alright if she doesn't see you for a while," Elnora said.

"You're right, maybe I could introduce her to Zoc, wait a few weeks and then just tell her we eloped or something to explain not having a wedding and then worry about telling her about Zoc being an ant once we know how human the baby will look," Ann said.

"How can you introduce her to him without her knowing he's an ant?" Elnora asked.

Ann smiled, "He finally got the potion to turn him in to a human to work.  Another reason I've been so distracted the last few days," she said blushing slightly.

"Oh stop blushing, I was young and newly married at one time too. Just remember one thing, once the baby is old enough to walk and open doors, keep your bedroom door locked, having a child suddenly run into your room and jump onto the bed and onto your husband's back while you two are under the covers making love isn't the most pleasant experience. Not to mention it's quite difficult to get yourselves untangled and some type of clothing on without the kid asking what's going on," Elnora told her.

"Oh you poor thing." Ann said.

"It was quite horrifying when it happened, but we had a good many laughs about it afterwards," Elnora told her.

-----------------------

By the next morning Ann and Zoc had agreed to introduce Doreen to Zoc in his human form. They would invite Lucas over to help move the last few things out of the moving truck so that they could tell him about Zoc's ability to become human and the baby. That way he wouldn't freak out or saying anything to make his mother suspicious when Ann showed up with Zoc. Once they had finished unloading the truck the three of them would head back to the Nickle's house to introduce Doreen to Zoc.

----

The next day everything had gone according to plan and they were just getting ready to take Lucas home.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Zoc asked as he got dressed after turning himself human.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine," Ann said walking over to him and trailing her hand over his chest for a moment,  "you handled the mall and meeting Little Eagle just fine," Ann pointed out as she began to button his shirt.

"Little Eagle new I wasn't human as soon as he saw me," Zoc reminded her as he shrunk his staff and put it in the medicine bag around his neck.
  
"Well, that's just because he can sense things like that, most people can't, so don't worry about it," Ann told him, "Now get you're shoes on and get that sexy butt of your's downstairs, Lucas seemed impatient to get home and see how this goes," she said before leaving their bedroom and heading downstairs.

Just as she came off the stairs there was a knock at the door, "What are you doing here Doreen?" Ann asked when she opened the door.

"Ellen is driving me crazy so I thought I'd save you the time and gas and come out here to pick Lucas up. I just had to get out of the house for a while," Doreen explained.

"What has she been doing to drive you that crazy?" Ann asked as she let Doreen come in.

"She just keeps going on and on saying someone has kidnapped the aliens in our yard or that something must have happened to them. She's occasionally mentioned thinking there were aliens living in the yard for several years now, ever since Fred and I left her and the kids home while we went on a trip for our anniversary, but she's never been so persistent about it," Doreen explained.

"I'm sure she'll get over it soon enough," Ann told her, then, when she heard Zoc coming down the stairs, "There's someone I wanted you to meet," she said taking Zoc's hand as he stepped into the room, looking slightly startled to see Doreen there, "This is Zoc, my h- boyfriend," she said mentally cursing herself for having such a hard time lying to people she knew well.

Ann felt his hand tighten around hers for a moment and noticed his face go deathly pale before he suddenly raced out of the room towards the downstairs bathroom.

"Um, just a minute," Ann said before following Zoc, fear gripping her for a moment when she heard him throwing up and she worried that he could have caught some human disease that an ant might not have any immunity to that could turn deadly.

"Zoc?" she said as she stepped into the bathroom, shut the door then put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," Zoc replied as he dropped to the floor and leaned back against the wall, pulling his knees up and resting his forehead against them.

"Zoc, you're pale as a ghost, shaking like a leaf and throwing up, you are not alright," Ann said kneeling down next to him, forcing him to lift his head and pressing her hand to his forehead to check for a fever.

"I'm not sick," he told her.

"Then what happened?" Ann asked.

"Flash back," he replied slowly, "It use to happen a lot after Hove died, but happened less and less as time passed until shortly after I met you. I thought they had stopped completely, but seeing her, it- it just came back to me as clearly as the day it happened. Most of Hove's body crushed and mangled beyond recognition, blood everywhe-" he suddenly leaned forward empting what was left in his stomach into the toilet.

"Maybe we should skip any further introduction, I can just tell her your sick and that she and Lucas should go home, then tell her about us being married sometime when I'm over visiting her and come up with some excuse for you never being around if she comes over here. Then if it's obvious the baby isn't human I can tell her the truth and I'm sure she'll understand you not being able to handle being around her," Ann told him.

"And if the baby does look human, how would you explain me never being around for the rest of your life?" Zoc asked.

Ann handed him a glass of water and a washcloth, "I- I don't know, but we'll think of something," she told him.

"No, I need to learn to deal with this," Zoc told her as he stood up.

"You're sure?" Ann asked hugging him tightly.

"Yes, I-"

"Mom what are you doing?" they heard Lucas say from outside the door.

Ann opened the door to find Doreen standing there looking embarrassed, completely unsure of what to do and maybe a little scared.

"I- I was just coming to ask if everything was alright," she said.

"You were standing there listening through the door," Lucas said.

"I- I-." Doreen stuttered more fear becoming evident in her voice