All night they searched but the group found no trace of Dipper and Pacifica. In the morning they were exhausted so they spent the day sleeping while another group went to search for the missing two. They all slept til the afternoon, Frida slept the longest though it was a troubled sleep. The news of her being pregnant was earth shattering. She still wasn't even sure that it was accurate but then again it would explain why she was throwing up so much lately, why her appetite had increased, why she suddenly started craving Manny's weird food, and why she was way more tired than usual. God what was she going to do? She couldn't be a mother, she didn't know anything about raising a child.

When everyone was awake and out of bed Steven pulled her aside to talk to her.

"Are you okay Frida?" Steven asked her.

"No. I'm not." She sighed. "I don't know what to do. Steven I can't be a mother, I just can't."

"Well I suppose you could get an abortion."

"No! I could never do that! That would be like killing my child."

"So I guess you'll be giving it up for adoption then?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do." She said taking a bite of a green apple. "Steven could you get me some charred hamburgers and some more of these apples?"

"Sure but quick question when are you going to tell Manny about this?"

"I don't know. I mean what's he gonna say? What if he gets angry? What if he hates me? What if- Oh God!" She stood up and ran to the bathroom where she threw up again. "Blehhhh!"

Steven gave her back a comforting rub as she puked her gutts out. After that he went to get her something to eat while she went for a walk to clear her head. Once she was calm she began to think of options she could do. She wouldn't dare consider abortion so she figured that adoption was her best choice. After all what did she know about being a mother? Her own mother died when she was twelve along with her father and the rest of her family so there was no one to help her if she decided to keep this baby. Adoption was her choice, anything else would end badly. But suppose her child would never get adopted? Supposed it didn't even look human and it frightened people so much that no one would want it. Suppose it spent the rest of it's life in an orphanage? She knew all too well how awful some orphanages were and she didn't want any child of hers to go through what she went through. As a twist of fate Sister Nora asked Frida if she could help her with volunteering at the orphanage in Maine.

"We appreciate you coming here Sister Frida." The head mistress of the orphanage said. "The children love visitors."

"That's good so what exactly do I do?"

"Oh you just talk to the children, play with them, and try to be a friend."a

"Okay I can do that."

"Wonderful. They're all right in here." She led Frida to a room where several boys and girls were playing and talking. "Children say hello to Sister Nora and Sister Frida."

"Hello Sister Nora, hello Sister Frida." The children said.

"Hello." The two nuns said.

One little girl clutching a doll came up to Frida and smiled.

"Will you wanna play tea party with me?" She asked.

"Well I-" Frida wasn't sure if she wanted to play with children and get close to them but Nora's urging gaze along with the girl's pleading smile made her agree. "Alright."

To her surprise she found herself playing with the little girl. Later she played ball with the same girl and other children followed by a game of cards and checkers. In the afternoon Nora read a story to the children and two of them, a boy and a girl who fell asleep on Frida's lap. After the story was finished she tucked them into bed. Frida smiled softly as she watched them sleep, they looked so cute.

"Aren't they precious?" Nora said watching them as well.

"Yeah." Frida agreed.

"Children truly are one of God's greatest creations. Those who are lucky enough to have parents are so blessed."

"You sound like you want a kid. Did you ever want one?"

"Once. A long time ago, before I came to the church. I was eighteen and working as a young school mistress and I was engaged."

"Really? I never knew that. What was he like?"

"Oh he was so handsome and funny and charming. I loved him so much, all we ever wanted was to live in a house, get married, and have children."

"So what happened?"

"Well I was eighteen and I still hadn't got my period yet so I went to the doctor one day to find out when I would get it and he told me that for reasons unknown I would never have my period."

"Never?"

"Never. Which meant I could never have children. So since I couldn't give him a child my fiance left me."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. It was a long time ago and I've learned to accept what God intended. Still I can't help but wonder what it would have been like to be a mother. I truly believe that having a child is a wonderful experience."

That evening Frida thought about what Nora said and about how much she enjoyed being with the children. For the rest of the week Frida continued to visit the orphanage and she began to adore the children. Before she had never had much experience with children and considered them kind of a nusiance and granted those kids at the orphanage could be very annoying but there was something about holding a child and making a child laugh and smile that made her happy. At the end of the week she started thinking. Maybe she shouldn't give up her child. Maybe she could be a mother. She knew that it would be difficult especially since she was so young but she was a hard worker and despite what some people thought she was loving. But what would Manny think?

"Hey." He said interrupting her thoughts.

"Hi Manny. Any luck finding Dipper or Pacifica?"

"Nada. Still no trace of them."

"Huh I hope they're okay."

"So how was the orphanage?"

"It was great actually. The kids were so sweet and fun to be around. You should come by there sometime."

"I don't know. Kids and I don't really get along well."

"Really? You mean you don't like kids?"

"No but they just don't work with me."

"Um Manny remember when you told me that you could never have children?"

"Yes during the war I took a bullet that messed up my sperm so bad that I couldn't reproduce or at least that's what the doctor said."

"Yeah I don't think that doctor was accurate." She mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing just wondering say you never got shot and you could have children. Would you want to?"

"No."

"No? Why?"

"Because I've already got enough things to worry about and cause me stress. I can't be a father, it's just too much and besides I don't need a family. Not when I gave you."

He kissed her and hugged her which made her smile on the outside but on the inside she was crushed. He didn't want the baby but she did. What was she to do now? How could she possibly raise this baby without Manny? On instict her hand slid down to her flat stomach as if she wanted to apologise to her unborn child for not providing a father for it.

"Hey are you okay?" Manny asked noticing a change in her emotions.

"I'm fine. Just tired."

"Yeah I'm beat too. Wanna go to bed?"

"Sure."

"Your room or mine?"

"Mine."

A week earlier...

Pacifica had followed the old man back into his cave where he started a fire and began reading a book. Pacifica watched over Dipper's unconscious body feeling more concerned and afraid for someone then she ever had in all her life. She hoped that he was okay.

"Relax toots he'll live." The old man said.

"How do you know?"

"I've seen cases like these before. He's got one of those freaky bullets lodged in him somewhere and the acid from it is spreading through his body."

"So how do we help him?"

"First we gotta figure out where that bullet is and get out of him."

The old man began to feel around Dipper's body (Not in a perverted way) until he found where it was located.

"Oh so that's where it is. Right in his caboose."

"You mean it's in his butt?"

"Afraid so, okay now where are those tweezers." The old man began searching his bag for something then pulled out a pair of large tweezers. "There we go. Uh you might wanna look away young lady because I'm gonna have to pull down his pants for this part "

At those words Pacifica averted her eyes. The old man then pulled down Dipper's pants exposing his butt and the bullet stuck in it. He then carefully grabbed the bullet with the tweezers and in one swift move he yanked the bullet right out of his butt giving off a pain that was strong enough to wake Dipper from unconsciousness.

"Yeeowoooooo!" He howled and stood up, jumping around, rubbing his butt. "Ow! Ow! Ow! What was that?! What's going on? Where am I?" He looked down and noticed he lacked clothing for his lower body. Embarrassed he covered himself with a rock. "And where are my pants?"

"Here." The old man said handing it to them. Dipper took them and quickly put them back on. "What kind of crazy guy would take off someone's pants while they were unconscious? Seriously are you insane?!"

But his anger turned to shock and amazement when he saw who the old man was. No it couldn't be. It couldn't be him. Not here, not now. He was dead he had to be and yet here he was standing right in front of him looking the exact same way he was the last time he saw him.

"Grunkle Stan?" He guessed still not sure of what he was seeing was true.

"Hi kid, long time no see. Did you miss me? Come give your Grunkle Stan a hug." The large, buff old man then grabbed his grand nephew into a huge, tight hug that made it very hard for Dipper to breathe.

"Dipper you know this crazy old hermit?" Pacifica asked.

"Unfortunately yes. Pacifica this is my great uncle Stanley Pines who I'm very surprised to see right now."

"What? Not happy to see me kid?" Stan asked.

"No but hiw are you here? How are you even alive? Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Yeah I found a way to cheat death." The old man said.

"Grunkle Stan though you were good at cheating people I doubt you were able to cheat death for a hundred years. Don't tell me you made a deal with the devil."

"No! Look kid the explanation of my longevity will have to wait. Right now we need to get that acid out of your body."

"And you know how to do this?"

"Hey I may not have been as smart as my brother but I've learned a few things over the years. Now if you wanna get that stuff out of ya you're gonna have to drink this." He held up a bottle.

"What is that?"

"Alcohol mixed with some herbs. You're gonna have to drink the whole bottle."

"The whole thing? Is that safe?"

"It'll make you as drunk as man who swallowed an entire barrel of ale and you'll have one hell of a hang over in the morning but it should cleanse the acid from your body."

"I don't know, the last time I took alcohol from you I was sick for a week."

"It was your first time."

"And I was eight years old."

"Look you wanna get better or not."

"Fine." Dipper took the bottle from him, removed the lid, and took a big swallow. "Ugh! This stuff is putrid!"

"Hey I never said it was tasty."

Dipper sighed and continued drinking.

"So kid who's the broad? Is she lover?"

Dipper spat out some of the drink when he said that.

"No!" He shouted.

"Oh gross! Me with him? Yeah right!" Pacifica cried.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing except you are so not my type!"

"Oh yeah? Well you aren't exactly my idea of a perfect woman!"

"Oh and what is? A poodle?"

"No but if she was you and her would have a lot in common. You'd both be bitches!"

"How dare you!"

SLAP! She slapped him then turned to her heels and walked away to the other side of the cave.

"Well she's an interesting breed of woman." Stan said.

"Ya think?!" Dipper snarled. "That woman is unbelievable! She's arrogant, self centered, and stuck up!"

"I hear ya though you gotta admit she does have a good ass."

"Shut up!"

"What? I'm just saying-"

"Don't! Now if you'll excuse me I need to start healing myself."

He took another swallow of the drink and went off to drink some more of it. In about an hour he had drained the bottle dry but just like Stan had warned he was extremely drunk. His head was spinning, he had hiccups, he couldn't walk without wobbling, and he had slurred speech. As he wobbled around he spotted Pacifica trying to pull up her hair

"Hey baby. What's up?" He slurred.

"Ah! Dipper you scared me! Don't you know how rude it is to sneak up on a lady?!"

"I'm sorry. Hiccup!"

"Dipper are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

He then fell forward on top of her but she was able to keep them from falling over.

"What are you doung?"

"Nothing."

"Wait a minute, are you drunk?"

"What makes you say that?" He hiccupd again and breathed her face. His entire breath wreaked of alcohol.

"Oh God you are drunk!"

He kissed her cheek which made her blush and freeze for a moment.

"Eww! Ugh! Get off of me!"

"You're pretty when you're mad."

"Then I must be really gorgeous right now because I'm a about to loose my temper now ger off!"

She tried to shove him off but he was a lot heavier than she thought. Then all of sudden she felt his hands squeezing her butt cheeks. He was groping her. He was actually groping her. Her entire face turned bright red and for a moment she couldn't move, talk, or breathe. Then once she had regained control of her senses she became enraged and harshly kicked Dipper off of her sending him flying into a rock.

"You disgusting, drunk pervert!" She screamed. "I hope that hangover you get tomorrow is the most painful one you've ever had in your life!"

"Okay pretty lady! Can I touch your butt again?"

"No you creep! And stop looking at me!"

"Can't help it! You're pretty!"

Her blush spread continued to spread like wild fire then speed walked somewhere to get some sleep. A very awkward and embarrassed sleep.