By Megan Marie Irvin

6/4/98

Part One

Rollie looked up the stairs, from the kitchen where he was pouring himself
his second cup of coffee that morning. He was watching his wife of six
months come down from the loft. She looked pale and exhausted.

"You sure you don't want me to you drive to the doctor's, sweetie?" Rollie
asked as Angie came to stand next to him. Angie hadn't been feeling well for
the past week, and Rollie finally was able to get her to go see a doctor.

"I'm sure. You've got stuff to get ready for Monday's shoot." Angie told her
husband, giving him quick kiss, then started shrugging on her coat.

"Okay. I'll see you later." Rollie said as he watched her walk towards the
door. "Be careful."

"I will." She replied, almost walking into Francis who appeared in the
doorway suddenly. "Oh, hi Francis. Bye, Francis. Bye Rollie."

"Bye, Angie." Both men called out in unison.

"Where's Angie going?" Francis asked, as he walked over to where Rollie was
now sitting at in the workshop area of the old brewery.

"To see a doctor. She hasn't been feeling too good lately." Rollie told the
short detective. "It's probably just the stomach flu or something like that."

Those words reminding Francis of the three times he thought that's what his
wife had and it turned out to three daughters, he asked, "Mind if I ask what
Angie's symptoms are?"

"Well, let's see, for starters she's been real tired lately. And queasy.
Yesterday I made some eggs for breakfast and she actually kicked me out of
the loft, with the food, because she couldn't stand the smell. She's been
vomiting every morning this week."

"Any craving for pickles?" Francis asked, receiving a confused look from the
Aussie.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact she has had a craving for pickles." Rollie
answered, watching absolutely confused as Francis tried to keep himself from
breaking out in laughter. "Why?"

"Well, Rollie, it's sounds like Angie's pregnant." Francis replied, watching
his friend's face fill with shock and surprise.

"You got to be kidding me, Francis! Angie pregnant! Hah! That's ridiculous."
Rollie exclaimed, in disbelief, getting up from his chair moving to the
kitchen to refill his cup and to pour Francis some coffee.

"I was just telling you what it sounded like to me. I do have three kids of
my own. I know what to look for." Francis told Rollie taking the cup,
thankfully.

"Well, you're wrong." Rollie said, still smiling. Deciding it was time to
change the subject Rollie asked, "So, what are you doing here any ways, Frank?"

"I was wondering if you could go over this video I have and see if you can
make out a location for me?" Francis asked.

"Sure, thing Frank."

For the next two hours, the FX man, and the detective looked over the video
feed. After finding the location and exchanging good-byes, Francis left,
leaving Rollie alone.

The Aussie was having a hard time settling back to work on getting a
explosives scene set up for the shoot on "Quest For A Hero". His thoughts
kept drifting back to what Francis had said. Angie pregnant? A small part of
him almost believed that. But Rollie didn't think it was possible. Not that
he wouldn't enjoy having a baby. He just wasn't sure how Angie felt. They
never really had talked about this before.

Deciding he wasn't going to get any work done, Rollie went to the VR
chamber, and loaded it with a program of Australian outback scenery.

After an unknown period of time had passed, Rollie woke up in the VR
chamber, after hearing the front door open and close. Turning the program
off the man stepped out into the workshop. "Hey, Ang."

"Hi, Rollie." Angie answered back hanging her coat up on a monster head.

"So, what'd the doctor say?" Rollie asked anxiously, coming to stand next
to his wife.

"She said it wasn't the flu." Angie replied.

"Well, then. If isn't the flu what is it." Rollie wondered out loud,
forgetting about the conversation he had with Francis earlier.

"I'm pregnant." Angie said, standing in front of Rollie.

Rollie's mind started whirling with thoughts. She was really pregnant. Just
like Francis thought. Before he could say anything to Angie the Aussie
fainted right to the floor.

"Rollie!" Angie exclaimed, as her husband fainted right in front of her
eyes. Well, what did I expect him to do? Angie asked herself, as she knelt
down next to the unconscious man.

Leaving his side Angie went to the kitchen and got a wet rag for Rollie.
Kneeling back down next to him, she put Rollie's head in her lap, and laid
the wet rag on his forehead. "Come on, Rollie, wake up."

Angie was relieved when the Aussie's eyes fluttered open.

"What happened?" Came a disoriented reply.

"You fainted, dear." Angie replied, smiling.

"Fainted?"

"Right after I told you I was....." Angie started.

"Pregnant." Rollie finished, sitting up.

"Yep." Angie said.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. And any ways I made the doctor run the test three times." Angie
told Rollie, smiling. Her smile vanished as a thought crossed her mind.
"Aren't you happy?"

"Of course I am. I'm thrilled." Rollie assured the woman.

"You don't look happy." Angie stated.

"Angie, I am happy. I thrilled. Overjoyed. I'm just a little shocked, you
know? I wasn't really expecting you to come home today and tell me you were
pregnant."'

"I guess we weren't. But you're sure you're happy about this?" Angie asked.

"Yes. I'm sure." Rollie told her, wondering just how many times he would
have to repeat those words before she believed him. "How 'bout you? You
happy about this?"

"Yeah, I'm happy about this. Shocked but happy." Angie replied.

THE END