Chapter 8: The Boiled Water & The Boiled Frog

"Do. You. Trust. Me?" She asked him one last time making him sigh with helplessness. "Yes." He spoke softly and stepped back to let her tie her arm up and flick her veins. Cleaning it quickly." "Let me do it." Phoenix stepped in grabbing the needle. "Do you know how?" She asked tilting her head. "Yes. I just need to be gentle you skin is not as thick as ours." Angling the needle and taking two tubes of samples. "Get one more." "NO! We'll make do for now and after you get some sleep you can take more later." He was very firm in his tone making her not able to argue.

"You want to walk me through what all this is about?" He asked watching her hop up and take the some of the random mixture she had before she added their blood work to it. I need… AH this one." She grabbed the Night flower plant and started to get to work. "Why are you bleeding that plant?" "You my friend are a genius you said strength is in my blood. Well my mother was just stabbing me over and over again in my arms. Saying something else you said. That the answer is inside me. You are so damn smart." She said as she put the juices of the Night plant in the mixture under the microscope.

After smiling deeply she moved. "Look." Looking into it. It seemed to be a new liable cure. "I still don't get it. This looks just like when we added Melana blood. Wait your mom was stabbing you in your sleep?" "Yup. Not just with anything. With the end of a thorn of the Night plant." Analeigh said smiling widely. "Ok…" "Turns out you are right." After adding her blood two samples one to the new mixture and one to the mixture with her blood and Melanas. "Look." Smiling to him. "It was blending just as it should. It was healing. Looking up at her he was astounded.

"Growing up I always had something weird with my blood work. They never could figure it out. I was always healed a little faster than I should. My blood was always a little stronger than it should be. It took your words a little bit to set in for me to figure it out. A while back we use to take some of the people like blood because it was rare and mix it with some vaccines just so peoples bodies would be able to accept it. Apparently your species is no different." She shrugged.

"I think this is it Nix. Well leave it to set in three different ways and by next week if nothing happens than we can safely try it with Melana." "So we just sit back and check it every so many hours and than eject it into her and just wait and see?" "Yes we will have to get blood samples on the first day about every two hours. Than I'll go by daily for blood work and scans for a week and by than we will know when they do if it takes. Your bodies are so different from us you heal so much quicker. SO a week is more than enough time." Phoenix couldn't contain his smile.

This was it. This was his peoples hope. He finally could go home and watch his family grow hopefully. Everything they have suffered for by coming here was coming down to this last piece and it was all thanks to her. Walking up and picking her up in a hug squeezing her tightly laughing with her swinging her around. Weight was lifted off their shoulders as they finally had a first sign of hope. Looking at each other deeply.

Pushing her hair back. Picking her back up bridal style and walking back to the cot. "There is noting else you can do for now. Sleep." She smiled and went into a trance sleep as he silently let out a little bit of sleep gas through his bracelet. Pulling up her light blanket. Pushing her hair back. "You did good little one." Smiling to his human friend and walking over to his station and standing at attention as the sun was rising and took down windows he felt someone would be coming and wanted her to be on the safe side. It was now more important to guard her than ever.

It was a whole week of running around every floor for consultations and killing herself with other work as she still stayed on top of the tests of Melana. It hurt them to see herself being chipped away for seven days no more than an hour of sleep each night. No matter how much they protested or wanted to help. They really couldn't besides making her eat and sit with them laughing telling stories. It was like the best slumber party she had in the last few years. Jaxon luckily went away for a week on business and was very busy he made time to video call her when he could or call her in the evening.

It was now on a seven month mark of being in the engagement. Ana was still trying her best to accept it. When she saw a familiar figure coming to the door of her lab and knocked. Phoenix being the only one besides her there quickly to his post where he can see the door completely as well as her desk. He stood still and nodded went to his position. Opening it up she smiled widely hoping he couldn't see through it.

"Hey, you're back." She said told him happily with her hands in her pockets of her white coat. Pulling her into a tight hug. "Landed an hour ago. Came straight her I missed you. I couldn't wait to see you. Pulling away a bit as he put his hands just under her jaw and hair. Smiling deeply at her. "I worked overtime all week so I could get hurry back to you." "Well that's sweet but you shouldn't rush your work. I mean I wouldn't want you to make mistakes because of me that would so careless. How many people would come for my head than?" She teased him making him smile resting his forehead to hers.

Feeling her emotionally and mentally pull back a bit but it was getting a little better. "Did you ever get your wedding dresses to try on?" "They will be here in a few days. Mail got backed up over there." "Did you see the venue I sent the address to?" "Which one?" "All of them." "You sent five I only went to one. I have been a little busy." "It's ok I would like to go see them with you. Maybe next weekend I have time open Sunday afternoon we will narrow down to two of them see them both and pick from there." Nodding her head.

"Thank you Analeigh I know it's still taking a lot of your energy but I do feel like everyday we are getting closer to each other." He told her kissing her nose and cheek sweetly. "What's wrong? Do you not agree?" He was curious. "Ugh. I don't know. Yes and no I guess. Her eyes started to tear up a little bit as she pushed back down before he could see. "I just still have some concerns maybe." She told him pushing him away as she turned and leaned back on her desk.

"Care to elaborate? Maybe there is something I can do to help. Or just you know saying them out loud can help to." He said stepping close yet giving her space. "I just worry you will put so much energy and love into me and take years to get any of it back at least even half way. Turns out I'm more broken than I thought I was." She told him. "So it's not a us thing it's a you thing?" Nodding her head. "Exactly a me thing." Smiling back to him. "Well guess the only thing I can do is continue to support and love you right? In time trust me we will get everything we need." He tried to reach her hand before she put the both on the desk behind her.

"It's just what if we just end up being the boiled water and the boiled frog?" She asked him. "I don't understand that. Is that some type of military thing?" "No. It's just two metaphor like references put together. You know how they say a pot of water never boils if you hover over and watch it. Than they say a frog in a pot of water will never know its being cooked to death as the water changes. Well what if you hover over my pot for so long and it never boils. Or what if I am the frog who never notices it is being boiled to death. What if down this road we don't ever get to the stage you want us to be on?" She asked him containing her sadness at her own thoughts finally coming out.

"Do you feel that I am hovering you too much?" "No, I just. It hurts me to see you waiting for something you deserve to have and not get it." Smiling to her happily. "Well did you ever think that just being concerned like that for me, maybe the first step of the bubbles to boil our little pot. It's a good sign this makes you feel this way. "Do you feel like I would slowly burn you without your knowledge?" "I really, really hope not." Shaking his head. "Its ok to feel this way don't feel bad. We just need to keep working at it. We'll get there. In the mean time I guess I will back off until this weekend. Just please text me. I won't really be able to call where I'll be to next but the messages will send through. I got field work this week." Taking her hand and walking to the door.

Pulling her close to hug her tightly. "Maybe I should be giving you more reasons to be hopeful. He told her as he put his hand on her lower back and kept her close and the other straight back to under her jaw and hair and smashed his lips to hers like his life depended on it. He was so consumed he never noticed she didn't kiss him back. It was hard to breath as she felt like her heart was just being pulled to pieces in every which way. He walked away feeling like he was on cloud nine smiling like he won the lottery or the holy grail.

As the door shut she put the windows back up by er phone which she slowly slid back into her pocket as her whole body just slid down the door clutching her knees to her chest she let out the tears she's been holding back. She let out a small battle cry for everything she has lost since she got dragged her. Her mother, her job, her life, some of her friends. Her freedom. Her finding love on her terms. She felt as if her whole soul was shattering to pieces all around her.

'I don't want this. This is not what I want. What did I do in a past life to deserve this now. There will never be a way out of this.' Phoenix heart broke for her. Seeing her come completely undone he wanted to grab her chosen mate and beat the hell out of him for hurting this way. He couldn't let her know he could hear her thoughts. She was already feeling violated enough. Enough things were being taken from her. Although she knew he could since he gave her the gift. She always forgot and he would make sure not to show it now.

"You know the tests have very promising. Niko and Melana have already been trying to conceive. She is safe and healthy after your 2nd trial period. It got me thinking. Your blood is the key to all of this. How can we take a few vaccine cures with us for a whole planet. How do we come back for the main ingredient. All these plants we have at home. We can make all this at home what we don't have is a Soldier Scientist Analeigh." He asked her making her look at him.

"I think if everything goes the way we think it will. I think you should come home with me. Like you said Analeigh you are the answer how exactly do we get your blood if you are not there. You have any idea how many people we have to help? We can take slowly and make appointments. Weekly quotas. We can give you a great life. We can reward you for you hard work and life saving cure. I think maybe you can finally find your happiness there." Looking down at her. This was the best way to bring it up. No matter what they would need to come back for her. They couldn't keep hiding out here in the lab its too dangerous for his people. They lost so many last time. Her blood thirsty father made sure of that.

"You want me to go with you? Are you so scared you will run out so quickly? Do I just sit there on a drip?" She scoffed at him. "That's not what I mean and you know it. I told you already you have now what you call citizenship in my planet. You are not happy here Analeigh. Why force yourself through this? You are torturing yourself for others. Aren't you tired?" "I have certain things here I can't let go of." "You mean the what six or seven people you consider family? Ask yourself this you know they love you. Is this really what they want for you?" He asked her tilting his head.

"Thank you for your offer Nix. I know what you're trying to do and where your coming from and it is appreciated. Let's just put a pin in this conversation for now. Alright I just don't have the energy for this right now." Taking a deep breath. Let's check the status of the experiments so I can get back up to the other sectors. I think I will go home on time today." "I think you need to. It would do you some good to get out of here for a while." Nix said helping her up.

After the long taxing day she looked down at her phone as she walked into her home. Long exhale before she put it up to her ear. "Hello." "Hey kiddo. How you doing?" The tone of the voice irked every part of her making her skin crawl. "I'm a little busy dad. What do you need?" "I just wanted to check in on you since Jaxon just came home and is now camping out in the field for another week. Making sure you alright. I heard you camped out at the lab all week." "I had some experiments that needed some attention and they have all been completed I just walked in the door so now I am going to shower and sleep." She told him rolling her eyes at her own lie.

"Well glad to hear you are taking care of yourself. I have checked in on your work in some of the sectors and it's really impressive. You sure do not disappoint in your results kid. I am so glad you came here." "Well let's not be nice about that we both know why I'm here. I don't really have the energy for this call right now dad. So if that's really all you calling for right now I would really like to rest now." "Wait. I just wanted to let you know you will be going out for field work as well in about two weeks I need you to check certain areas to see if there is anything growing out there that we can use or shouldn't be there. You know the drill." She looked down at her phone.

"Why two weeks?" "That's when I can free up Eddie and Jace to go with you. You will have two guards with you only. You know the wild life around here is nuts. I want you to take Hunter as well." "No. Hunter irks me. I can't work if I'm to busy wondering if he is ruining the plants and stuff around me. He wouldn't know how to handle the materials I would bring back anyway. If I have to be out there to do this task at least make sure the other guard is capable of the task at hand. Thanks for the heads up I will prepare for it and look for the details in the email." She hung up quickly not wanting to waste anymore time.

'Weird. Why the hell would anything be growing oddly around this time of year? Everything is growing this time of year. Our supply is not short on anything. Maybe some projects in winter will require more needs. That happens a lot. Oh well.' Shrugging to herself sending Jaxon a text she was home and getting ready for bed. After her shower she went down to the lower part and began to watch her mothers videos adding stuff into a journal of her own she started with everything in detail about her life so far. She couldn't help but feel lost in the thought of actually leaving this planet. 'There's so much more out there. So much more to life than being a baby machine. Although apparently it is an issue no matter where you go. It sure would be nice to pick my life partner. Who knows if my soulmate is even human.' Laughing to herself.

'Do I even believe in soulmates? Maybe aliens are on to something maybe there is one perfect person for us out there. Humans use love as a game for so long. Everyone being a chess pawn. Moving across the board to protect others as someone else uses us as sacrifices and yet we can't even get to pick who love. Not that we ever get to pick who we love to begin with. The heart wants what it wants. Just sometimes your left to wonder what the hell was it thinking. Especially with people who we know are bad for us and we still pine for them anyways. We never accept things so easily. Yet other species don't even think twice about accepting what their mind sand hearts tell them. Maybe we are the ones who are getting it all wrong.'

As she walked in to her lab after getting coffee with Sienna she realized how she had slept with no dream at all. In fact she couldn't stop waking up. It felt like the forest around her was so alive last night. Yet nothing out of the ordinary came across to her eye. Even her traps were still the same. Shaking off her feelings she came into check with Nix. "Alright so how we doing?" "Melana is here to get checked over. She has questions for you." "Oh good I got her some fruits." Ana said happily as Niko came up to hug Ana. It has become an everytime thing they all enjoyed as they are touchy creatures with family and special friends.

"There's one of my favorite girls. How you feeling?" "I am feeling a little how you say everywhere. I am happy. I am sad. I am hungry. I am bored. I am mad. I am curious. Why Ana?" "That would be my doing. In the middle of testing I realized you were doing fine. So here humans do something that helps us get pregnant sometimes its just simple injections to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Like an IVF for example. I did something similar to you that goes with your body. However by doing that it has made some changes to your hormonal levels. You will feel all these things. Its ok. Every female goes through it." She said handing her the fruits and a pill.

"What is that?" Niko asked her looking at it. "I created special vitamin pills for you based on your body and species. See here what helps also to get pregnant is to treat your body like it's already pregnant. We take special vitamins called prenatal vitamins that help both your body and that of the babies stay healthy. This also helps you get pregnant. It's something my mother left in her notes that she shared with you guys. She just was never able to get this far with you before." Looking at them.

"It's also why I changed your diet to more healthier things for you to consume so if and when you do get to carry a baby you will have a healthy one and still be healthy yourself. Make sure you take it with food. Protect your stomach lining wall. I know the main goal for you guys is to baby to get pregnant and have healthy babies but here its just as important to make sure mom stays safe too." She said rubbing Melana arm. She was surely beautiful. The whole D'marlian race was beautiful. Even Niko and Nix. 'It must be like a standard to get in.' She laughed to herself.

"You're body is moving much more faster with this than I thought it would." Ana told her taking a look at her sample chart and scans. "When can we test to see if conception was successful." Nikolan rushed out happily and hopeful. "Well how about I test her every Saturday morning. I will take a urine sample and blood work and an ultrasound to cover all ground here. Just try to hold it in the morning the first urination is the best." Analeigh told her as she smiled happily. "Well at least for humans." She added. Melana and Niko left and went on to go about their business as Nix was tending to the plants when he started smelling around.

"What's go you in a trance." "There's a familiar scent in here today. I can't place it out." Looking all over the room he came up and held her close to him. "It's you." "Me?" "Did you change your soap or something." Smelling her neck and clothes. "No that aint it." Inhaling her deeply once again. "Ok starting to get a little weird here bud." She told him trying to ease him back. His eyes went dark.

"Have you met anyone new in the forest?" He gripped her firmly without pressing to hard on both her biceps. "No. Who am I supposed to meet you been to moms cabin aint no one around for miles." She stopped and was thinking about how different the forest had been feeling. "Is there something I should be looking for? What is it do you think I smell like?" She was getting a little nervous. Looking her over. "Stand still." Doing as he said she couldn't help but notice the smell of him was getting stronger around them.

'Hey! What are you doing?" "I'm placing my scent around you. It could just be wild life I'm picking up but in this case as long as you smell like a bigger predator you won't be subjugated to be the prey. Trust me it's just a in case thing." He shrugged and smiled to her. He didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. He didn't want to tell it to himself. He went back to the task at hand. "Oh by the way in two weeks I will be going out doing field research I won't be here. I'll be out in the forest with a couple of guards." She told him.

"Why would you need guards to research in the woods?" "Well why would I need to smell like a huge ass alien in the woods?" "Touché'." He nodded at the end of the day he watched her walk out. He hurried to his brother. "Have you had any other contact with anyone else in the last week?" "No I told you communications broke down and failed I can't get them fixed. Neither can you remember." Niko asked confused. "Analeigh was carrying a faint smell on her when you left I was able to detect it better. I'm worried for her." "What was the smell." "Not what, who?" Nix said bunching up his fist. "Who?" "Scouts."