Chapter 82: Memories

Warning: Language

  "I am so f*cked."  It was the first words Colin had uttered since collapsing onto the floor.  The memories and emotions flew through his mind like a broken water main.  He wished the f*ck he knew how to shut it off.  His head felt like it was f*cking spitting in two. 

  Forgetfulness was bliss, this, this was sheer f*cking agony.

  

  He wanted to f*cking howl, or beat the sh*t out of something, but he didn't.  It would f*cking freak out his girls, who were already a f*cking mess of tears and sh*t.  How the f*ck did people deal with this sh*t?  His mother's words f*cking haunted him.  Black picket fences.  Ivory's last f*cking words to him, words that hadn't meant a f*cking thing to him then, but now...

  Now they f*cking hurt like h*ll.  "F*ck.  F*ck.  F*ck.  F*ck."  He repeated the word endlessly.  "F*ck.  F*ck. F*ck.  F*ck."

  His Dad's voice interrupted his mantra.  "Colin, maybe we should take you to the emergency room?"

  Colin rolled his head over to look at his father.  "F*ck that.  I f*cking hate f*cking hospitals!"  His voice rose.  "Sh*t Dad, I f*cking thought I was the f*cked up one that f*cking lost his memory.  What the h*ll?!  F*cking forget the f*cking hospital.  Mom..."  Colin stopped.  F*ck.  His mother was f*cking dead, and he was being a f*cking as*hole.  Again.  "Sh*t."

  "Colin, I'm just..."  His Dad's voice trailed off, like he was unsure of what to say.  Dimly in the background he could hear Skye sobbing, crying harder because he said a few f*cking curse words. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at her, she was always trying to clean up his language.  Because she loved him.  F*ck.

  He stared back up at the ceiling.  He was f*cked up, his emotions a hurricane within him, and he was f*cking pissed.  Pissed at himself, at his family, at the f*cked up situation he was in.  F*ck.  He was pissed at Life in general.  And he was being a f*cking as*hole to his father, who didn't f*cking deserve it.  He took a deep breath.  Sh*t.  What was he?  A f*cking pansy a*s that couldn't deal with some f*cking memories?  F*ck.  Maybe he was.  No.  F*ck that.  He wasn't a f*cking pansy a*s.  He had to get his sh*t together.

  "Sorry Dad, I'm not f*cking feeling like my..."  He paused.  F*ck.  Which f*cking self was he?  He felt the urge to f*cking laugh his head off, but he reined that impulse in.  His father was already f*cking looking at him with a f*cking mixture of fear, concern, and sorrow. He liked to f*cking think it was sorrow anyway, because f*cking pity would f*cking p*ss him off more.

 

    His Dad seemed startled, which again, made Colin want to f*cking laugh.  None of it was f*cking funny, but at the same time, it was f*cking hysterical.  F*ck.  He needed to punch some...he noticed the two boys standing by the couch.  "What the f*ck are they doing here?"

  "Daddy!  Skye wiped some of her tears away.  "Your language!  Don't you remember, Luna and I are going on a double date tonight?  To the movies?  We're going to see Invaded by Slugs."

  Colin choked out a laugh.  Didn't he f*cking remember?  F*ck.  He f*cking remembered entirely the f*ck too much.  He also f*cking remembered he f*cking disliked the pair of stupid a*s boyfriends his daughters had f*cking picked out. There was that d*ckhead Winters, and f*cking bird boy, who was too f*cking smooth.  Colin could spot a f*cking bullsh*tter a million miles away.  He didn't f*cking know what bird boy was up to, and he f*cking trusted him as far as he could f*cking throw him.  No.  He f*cking trusted him less that that.

  Luna asked, "Daddy, are you okay?" 

 

 
  He sighed.  He had f*cking flushed his whole f*cking theory of child raising down the sh*tter.  Single handedly.  He had actually f*cking parented them, and even done a f*cking decent job of it.  Ivory would have been f*cking pleased.  Just the thought of her, caused another stab of grief.

 Well, h*ll.  He groaned miserably.  His f*cking desire to comfort his daughters was f*cking overwhelming everything else.  What the f*ck had happened to him?  He eyed the two boys again, and sighed irritably once more.  "I'm okay."  He reassured his girls.  "Really."

  "That was terrifying Daddy!  Seeing you pass out like that!  What happened?"  Skylar's voice was still tearful and shaky.

  "Thanks Skye, for rubbing it in."  He joked, trying to put her at ease.  "Just a little bit of a headache, that's all.  It's fading now.  When's your movie start?"

  "In 15 minutes."  Luna answered, both girls were still wiping their tears away.  Colin was finding it f*cking hard to look at Luna, she was the f*cking image of her mother.  He forced himself to smile reassuringly at her though.  F*ck.  It wasn't her fault.

  "Well, then, where's Jack?  You guys better get going."

  "Jack's at a technology seminar."  Luna reminded her dad.

  "I'm going with them."  Alder said quietly.

  Colin chuckled.  "Well, ff..fiddle sticks.  That's even better."  The wave of intense, life stealing anguish was fading slightly, giving Colin some room to breath.  The grief was still there, raw and burning.  He couldn't f*cking make things right with his mother, or with Ivory.  They were both gone.  Forever seemed like a f*cking hollow and painful word.  His mother would never really f*cking know that he had...had loved her.  He had been a sh*tty son.

  And Ivory?  She had f*cking died believing that he hadn't f*cking cared.  Black picket fences...  He could f*cking hear her laughter in his mind.  He just f*cking bet she was laughing her f*cking a*s off at him.  Stuck him with f*cking triplets!  The b*tch.  Sh*t he missed her.  He almost didn't hear Skye's comment, he was so lost in his thoughts, but he caught the tail end of it.  "Hhhh..heck no.  I'm fine, you girls go out and enjoy your movie."

   It took a lot of prodding, but he finally convinced his girls to go watch the movie.  He f*cking needed some time to process.  Once they were gone, he turned to his father.  "I remember everything Dad."

 His dad didn't look at him.  "Everything?"

  "Everything.  I need some time to think."

  Ryder nodded.  He hesitated, then said softly, "If you need to talk, well, I'm here."

  Colin sat up, and cursed his head, and his body, and his f*cking memory for good measure.  He felt as f*cking weak as a kitten.  Pansy a*s kitten.  Sh*t.  And for some reason, it was a lot f*cking harder to not curse, though he would try his f*cking best, he didn't want Skylar getting on his f*cking case about it.   "I appreciate the f*cking offer Dad, I'll keep it in mind."


~<>~


 Colin looked around the room, at his family that were all gathered together by his request.  Sh*t.  Talk about being on the f*cking hotseat.  He preferred this though.  He knew they all had questions; concerns, and he didn't want to keep answering the same f*cking ones over and over and over.  Much better to just get it all done with at once.  Last week had been sh*tty, there was no f*cking doubt on that.  He hadn't know what the f*ck to say, or think, or do.  His f*cking heart hurt, and he hadn't even known he f*cking possessed one, especially when it came to his kids.  He had f*cking hated them, or so he had thought.

 

 
  Except Ivory had known.  He f*cking missed her so much.  She had a way of f*cking knocking sense into his brain.  He had spent the past week in a sh*tty a*s mood, sequestered in his room, trying to f*cking wrap his head around things.  Then one morning he had woken up, and it was like he could f*cking hear her.  Hear her telling him he was being a f*cking dumba*s.  And he knew what he had to do.

  He had always wondered at the f*cking shadows in his older kids' eyes.  Wondered how he could f*cking erase them.  But the Colin who couldn't remember what he had f*cking done to them, that Colin couldn't erase it.  Couldn't make things totally right.  He could though, or f*cking die trying.  Today was step one.

  "I remember."  He stated it matter of factly, and then watched the different reactions.  He was sad to say that it was fear mostly, except for Jada, who looked ready for anything, and the triplets, who had never known the other him.  "Everything.  I remember everything, in case that wasn't clear.  I know you all have questions, so, ask away.  I promise to answer, and answer truthfully, but," he warned them, "you may not like my answers."  Sh*t.  He didn't f*cking like most of his answers.

  "Why?"  The question came from Elliot, his son, but not his son.

 

  Colin briefly closed his eyes.  Sh*t.  Tough question, right out of the gate.  Elliot was standing beside his father Brae, who wasn't saying a word, but was just watching.  Colin knew he had wounded Brae with his actions, knew that Brae had forgiven him, but that had been the Colin that didn't remember.  Would his brother be able to forgive him now that he had his memories back?

  "Did you love my mother?  Hate my...my father?  Did you...did you hate me?"

  Colin rubbed the back of his neck.  Sh*t.  "Elliot, Brae, neither one of you may like my answers.  The truth is, I felt absolutely nothing for your mother Elliot.  She was just a quick f*ck."  Colin winced.  That came out a little harsher than he had intended.  Subtlety was definitely not in his nature.  "I was f*cking jealous of Brae, I thought he had it all.  That he was perfect.  And it made me feel better, at least at first, to know that I had f*cked up his perfect life.  I was a d*ck, to put it bluntly."

  Brae had crossed his arms.  "Yes, you were."

 

 "I never hated you Elliot, nor did I hate my brother, I was just a sh*thead."  That was the honest truth, how the h*ll else could he have treated his family so poorly otherwise?  He knew the anger he had kept for so many years.  Anger at his parents for not paying more attention to him.  Anger at his brother for being so f*cking perfect.  It all boiled down to him being a spoiled a*shole.

  "Then why didn't you claim me?  You claimed the others!"

  Colin laughed harshly.  "Did I?  No, I didn't claim them, the family claimed them for me.  I was an a*shole, only interested in myself, and what I wanted.  You made out much better than Jake, or Nick, or even Jada.  You have Brae for a father, and he f*cking kicked a*s as a father.  He did everything for you.  Went to your stupid a*s ballgames, helped you with your homework, taught you how to f*cking drive.  And what the f*ck was I doing at that time?  F*cking every female I could find."

  "Daddy!"  Skylar blushed beet red.  "Your language!  And..and..the things you say!"

  Colin sighed.  "Sad to say, I was only speaking the truth Skye."   He looked directly at Elliot.  "I'm not your father Elliot.  Brae is.  He raised you, loved you, and took care of you.  I'm just the a*shole that f*cked your mother.  Sh*t."  Colin groaned.  It was so f*cking hard to control his wayward tongue! 

 

  Skylar gasped.  "Daddy!"

  Brae was shaking his head.  "Only you Col.  Was that your excuse then?"

  "No.  I have no excuse for what I did.  It was fff...very wrong.  I would take it all back, if I could."

  "I wouldn't."

  Brae's remark caught Colin by surprise.  "You wouldn't?"

  "No, because I got Elliot out of the deal, and he's a d*mn good kid Col.  I would do it all over again, just so I could have my boys.  Oh, I was mad as h*ll at you for years, but like I told you, I've forgiven you.  I can't speak for Elliot though."

  Colin didn't even know he needed to hear those words, until he heard them.  "You kick a*s as a brother Brae."

  Brae grinned slightly at him.  "I kick your a*s as a brother Colin, and don't you forget it!"

  Colin smirked.  "Sh*t.  You have me there!"

  The brothers grinned at each other.   Colin sobered up quickly though, when Elliot spoke.  "I forgive you too Uncle Colin."  Elliot smiled at Brae.  "I do have a pretty kick a*s father."

  Colin would have responded further to Elliot, but Nick broke in with, "I'm sorry Dad.  I'm so sorry!"  Colin stared at his son, confused.  What did Nick have to be sorry about?  He asked as much.  "It's my fault.  All my fault."

  "What the h*ll are you talking about Nick?"  Maybe the boy was jetlagged.  They had flown in from France, just to be a part of this meeting.

  "I should have called the Police right away.  I mean, you told me to, after I was done with my game, but I accidentally fell asleep for a while.  I called them as soon as I woke up, but, it was too late!  It's my fault that you were hurt, and lost your memory, if I had just called when I was supposed to..."

  Colin stared at his son in horror.  "F*ck Nick, you've held that in all these years?  Sh*t.  It wasn't your fault Nick, the blame is totally f*cking mine.  Who the h*ll asks a child to call the police after they're done playing a video game...in the middle of the night?  F*ck that, it wasn't your fault, none of it."

  "So, you're not angry at me?"

  "H*ll no, I wish you would have said something sooner."

  "What good would it have done?"  Nick asked.  "You didn't remember."

  Colin sighed heavily.  "I'm sorry Nick, you shouldn't have had to live with that burden."

  "Are you going to go back to how you were?"  Jake asked nervously.  Colin swung his attention to his oldest son, and the one who had taken the f*cking brunt of emotional abuse from his former self.  F*ck.

 

   "To what I was?"  Jake nodded.  "No."  Colin said simply.  He watched as Jake let out a sigh of relief.  "Jake, I was a sh*tty father to you, I'm sorry, I f*cking..."

  "It's okay Dad."  Jake smiled.  "You were a jerk the first half of my life, but afterwards, you were pretty great.  So, now I know what to do and what not to do with my own kids."

  "You're own kids?"  Colin echoed.  He narrowed his eyes at Jake.  "Spill."

  Jake broke out in a full fledged grin.  "I'm going to have a baby, well, Sherri is actually, but I'm going to be a dad!  I'm just so excited!  You know what this means Dad?" 

  "A baby?!"

  "You're going to be a grandpa!"  Colin stared at his son, stunned.  F*ck.  A grandpa?  Him?  What the h*ll?!

  Jada chuckled.  "What did you expect would happen Dad?  You have all these kids!"  She waved her arms around.

  "A grandpa?"  Colin was having a hard time wrapping his head around it.  He was too young to be a grandpa!  "Well, that's, wow."  He cleared his throat.  Brae started laughing, and Colin glared at him.  "You'll be a terrific father Jake, I'm sure of it."

  "Thanks Dad.  Sherri and I are getting married in a few days, down at the courthouse.  You're welcome to come to it."

  "I wouldn't miss it."  Colin assured his son.

  Jada leaned over.  "What, no big wedding?"

 

  
  Jake turned to his sister.  "Nah, neither one of us wants a big wedding.  You could all come, though.  I would love to have my family there."

  Sh*t.  He was a lucky b*stard.  He didn't f*cking deserve his family, but he sure was f*cking glad to have them.  Then Luna piped up.  "What about our mother Daddy?  What was she like?"

  Skylar chimed in.  "Yeah, did your eyes meet across the room, and did you guys fall instantly in love?"

  "All we've been told is that she tried to kill Uncle Brae.  Everyone else knows all about their mothers, but we don't.  Was she pretty?"

  Jack groaned.  "That's a stupid question Luna, who cares if she was pretty?  She was crazy!  That's the important part, she tried to kill Uncle Brae!"

 

  The room erupted in chaos.  "Shut up Jack, you don't know anything!"  Luna yelled.

  "What?  It's the truth!"  Jack hollered back.

  "How do you know?"  Skylar shot back.  "She could have been framed, or something.  She could have a really good reason!"

  "I know cause Uncle Brae said so, and he was there!"

  "Well, Uncle Brae was drugged up, and he doesn't remember things clearly.  That's what he said when I asked him about her!  And..." 

  Colin interrupted.  "Enough!" he roared.  They all shut up and stared at him, wide eyed.  Colin grimaced, here was yet another topic he f*cking wasn't too keen on.  He glanced at his father and his grandfather, and noticed irritably that they looked quite entertained, like they were watching a f*cking three ring circus.  Sh*t, at least they still kept their f*cking peace, even if they couldn't hide their interested grins. 

 

   "Your mother," he started, then paused.  Sh*t.  He was already getting f*cking choked up.  How could he put her into words?  They seemed so pale and lifeless compared to her.  He saw that Brae had tensed up, and was watching him intently.  No f*cking wonder, Ivory had kidnapped him.  "Your mother was beautiful, she looked a lot like you Luna."

  "Really?"  Luna breathed.  She looked like her mother!

 "Daddy, how did you two meet?"  Skylar asked. Suddenly Colin found himself the target of rapid fire questions from Luna and Skylar both.  Jack threw in an occasional question too, despite his earlier words of not being interested.

  He laughed.  "Sh*t, I mean, shoot, slow down guys, and give me a chance to speak.  I could tell you guys about her later, I'm not sure everyone wants to hear this."

  "No, no, speak on bro.  We're all ears."  Brae said.  "It changed all of our lives too."

    Colin frowned slightly.  F*ck.  He supposed his brother had a point.  "In a bar."  He nodded his head in confirmation of his words.  "I met her in a bar that I had just bought, and I thought she was the f*cking hottest chick I had ever seen, and I wanted to..." he coughed slightly, "well, that's neither here nor there."  He smiled to himself.  Ivory would have hit him for calling her a chick.  "Anyway, she of course was instantly smitten with me, she just didn't know it yet."

  "Seriously?"  It was Jake, who was also listening closely.

  "Of course, there isn't a female alive who could resist me, and she was no exception."

  His kids all groaned, and Colin laughed, delighted.

  "Daddy!  Seriously!"  Luna said exasperated.

  "Okay, just the truth, the short version, some of it, you won't like."  he warned again.  He had put it off for as long as he could, hoping he could f*cking put them off forever, but they weren't falling for his delay tactics.  D*mn.  "We did meet in a bar, that I had just bought.  She had forced my bar manager to let her in.  I walked in, and...d*mn."  Colin was silent for a moment, lost in his memory of the first time he had seen her...


 

  "She was leaning against the counter, and I owned several strip bars, so I told her she was hired."

  "Daddy!"  Skylar was aghast.  "You hired her as a stripper?"  Funny, in all of her imaginings, she had never imagined her mother as a stripper too!

  Colin snorted.  "F---no.  She spun around, quick as lightning, fire in her eyes, then her eyes met mine, and I..."  He held his hands out, "...I was...I was...captivated.  So was she, or she would have fff-freaking gutted me, I'm sure.  She was an assassin, that I found out later, much later.  All I knew then, was this woman could fff-freaking kill me in an instant, yet I was drawn to her anyway.  Maybe because of the danger, I didn't give a ffff-fudge about much then.  I was self destructing in a f*cking glorious way."

  "So, she really was an assassin."  Jack said.

  Colin nodded.  "We weren't innocents, kids, at all.  No storybook prince and princess romance, that wasn't us.  I was a f*cked up a*shole, and Ivory was a bad a*s b*tch who f*cking killed for a living.  Why the f*ck did I care who she killed?  H*ll, it was nothing to me.  It wasn't like I was her target, or my family.  So what the f*ck?  I didn't know my brother was her target until that day I found him, sh*t, I wish I had known though, things could have f*cking ended differently." 

 

  The room was so quiet, Colin could hear the ticking of the clock, he had his family's full attention.  Sh*t.  "I wanted to marry her."

  Ryder choked.  "Did you say you wanted to get married?  But after your first marriage..."  Ryder's voice trailed off.  Colin's first marriage had ended nearly as quick as it had started.

  "I can't explain it Dad, I barely understand it myself.  We were just freaking good together.  She's the one that told me I was a dumba*s for treating you guys, especially my kids, the way I did.  She treasured family, said it was a gift, and she f*cking pushed me to do better.  P*ssed me off too, but she didn't f*cking care.  She got me, in a way that f*cking terrified me, but I couldn't f*cking walk away.  I understood her too, like we were..."

  "Soul mates."  Skylar breathed.

 Colin's lips twisted.  "Maybe.  All I know, is that I was better with her, than without her. I knew something was f*cked up, those last few weeks we were together.  She was more secretive, evasive, and so f*cking...sad.  So I tailed her.  She wouldn't f*cking talk to me, so I did what I had to.  I found Brae, and my focus shifted.  I had to get him the f*ck out of there, then he told me about Elliot, but before I could do anything, she was there."

  Jack sat up straighter.  "What happened then?"

  "We fought, she told me I was going to be a f*cking father again, she nailed my balls, sh*t that hurt like a mother..."  He winced at the memory of it.  "I asked her to marry me, she said she wasn't the white picket fence type.  I told her I would f*cking build a black picket fence for her, instead of white, she was going to say yes..."

  "Ahh, black picket fence."  Ryder said.  He had always wondered what that message had meant.

 

  Colin nodded.  "I had this idea that we could f*cking get married, raise the f*cking kid together.  D*mn, I was so f*cking sure that I could talk Brae into dropping any charges against her.  It wasn't Ivory anyway, it was her f*cking b*tch of a mother, who was f*cking obsessing over some stupid a*s..."

  "Book."  Brae finished for him.  "I remember that part very well.  Her mother was the red headed she devil?"

  "Yes."  Colin confirmed.  "Ivory was terrified of her.  I only know a little about her past, her growing up years, she didn't like to talk about it.  She had scars all over her body, put there by her mother.  Her mother, sometimes Ivory called the b*tch her sister, was a sadistic b*tch.  I promised to protect her, and f*ck, I failed."  The grief tore through him again, but he pushed it back, determined to finish the story so that he would never have to repeat it again.  It was just too painful.

  "The b*tch showed up, but Ivory and I managed to f*cking kill her.  Then, the cops came, Ivory thought I was f*cking setting her up, and...the rest as they say is history."  Nick moaned, as if in pain.  Colin looked at him.  "Not your fault Nick.  I was the dumba*s, and I reaped the consequences of it.  Consequences that have made me stronger, better."  Colin tasted the bitterness of that truth. 

  "That's right Nick."  Jada said.  "We should all be thanking you.  If he hadn't hit his head, we would have been stuck with the jerk.  Instead, we got a half way decent father out of it."

 

  Colin smiled wryly.  "There is that."

  "So, her family wasn't very nice?"  Luna asked in a small voice.

  Luna's tone of voice clued him in, that something was not quite right.  "What did you do Luna?"  Colin's asked sternly.

  Luna bit her lip nervously.  "Nothing Daddy.  I was just..."

  "Luna."

  Her shoulders slumped.  "We just wanted to know more about her, and since you couldn't remember her, it seemed like a good idea to..."

  "Sh*t.  We?"

  The girls glanced at each other.

   "Skye and I, we just wanted to know more about her."

  "F*ck."

  "Daddy, you keep cursing!"  Skye complained.

  Colin ignored Skye's complaint.  "Tell me what the f*ck the two of you have done, and don't leave anything out."  So Luna told him.  "Sh*t.  That was f*cking dangerous!  What if she had been alive?  You two would have brought the b*tch from h*ll down on our heads!"

  "But she has to be alive Daddy!"  Skye said.  "She picked up the body, according to the report we read."

 
  "Picked up the...sh*t."  Colin was horrified with all the implications of what Skye had said.

  "I'm sorry!  I didn't know it was dangerous!" Luna cried.

  "No more searching, okay?"  All of you, including Jack."

  "Hey, I wasn't a part of it at all!" Jack protested.

  "I'm not leaving any loopholes for Luna.  Now, promise."  They all promised, and Colin was relieved that at least that part was taken care of.  What the h*ll to do with the rest of it?  Even now, the b*tch could be just waiting for the perfect moment to attack.  "We'll be talking about this later."  He promised them.  "Every action has a consequence, whether..."

  "Positive or negative."  Luna and Skylar said together.  "We know."

  "Oh, you'll know all right."  He muttered.  He needed to consult with his Dad and Grandpa.  They might need some help from their Camulodunum cousins.  First he had to get through the rest of this family meeting.  He didn't fool himself into believing that everything would be f*cking okay now, but he knew he had least made inroads.  His family knew that he wasn't going to go back to the a*shole he had been when he was younger, he had changed for good.


~<>~


   "So what did your Dad finally decide to do?"

 

 
   Skye had been telling Hawk all about their family meeting, and how she and Luna had finally come clean about their search for their mother.  Neither one of them had known how dangerous it had been, but they knew now.   "We're grounded until we're hundred, that's what he says."  Skye grimaced.  "I think he's joking about the amount of time.  At least, I hope so!"  She added.  "That's why you'll have to visit me here for a while."

  Hawk smiled.  "That's not a hardship Skye.  I just enjoy being with you."

  Skye smiled back.  "I love being with you too!"

  "I hope you don't move."

  Moving had been one of the options tossed around as a solution to the Raven problem.  "Daddy is going to have some cousins of ours check things out, make sure that our online activities weren't found by her.  If it's all clear, we'll stay.  At least for a little while, Daddy says he's looking for a job and house in a less depressing town.  I don't want to lose you Hawk, if that happens, if we have to move."

  "Skye, I would follow you anywhere."  Hawk answered.  He wasn't worried about any investigation the family might do, he and his mother had covered their tracks well.  He looked like his father, not his mother, so he wasn't even worried about being recognized.  He fully expected them to find nothing amiss.

 

  "Really?"

  "Really." He assured her.


~<>~


  Jack crowed in triumph.  He had finally gotten it to work!  Ethan had given him the schematics for it, telling him they would need a far more powerful computer than what Jack had.

 

  Powerful computer.  Those two words were music to Jack's ears.  And he had done it.  Built a superior computer!   He wished he could patent it, and sell it, but Ethan had cautioned him against it.  They didn't want to cause too many ripples in the time continuum, that would cause untold disasters.

  So, sadly, he had to keep the knowledge to himself, but in the meantime...he had a SuperComputer!  He did a happy Jack dance.  Woot!  Woot! 

 This computer was more capable of processing, rendering, and building the intricate data and equations that Jack would need if he was going to save his family.  He'd had no real idea of the amount of work involved when he had agreed to help.  It wouldn't have mattered, anyway, he would have done it irregardless. 

  It was just taking longer than he had expected, the concepts and figures that Ethan threw out at him were mindboggling at times, and Jack had to actually work a little bit at understanding them.  Throw time paradoxes into the deal, and his mind was blown, on a regular basis.

 

  He tapped on the projected computer screen.  It was time to get back to work.  He was thinking of building himself a helper, one that wouldn't question, and would also be completely loyal.  One that wouldn't need to eat, or sleep, like Jack did...
 



________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes:  Whew!  Got through that one!  I hope all of that made sense. XD  So the "new" Colin is sticking around---losing his memory gave him a new perspective, lol  It was the only way I could think of to get through to such a hard headed, stubborn sim, haha

  They'll still have some issues, nothing is ever really resolved quickly, and Colin is aware of that, but they're on their way.  Brae had forgiven his brother, and moved on, a long time ago.  I figure the triplets are about 16.5 yrs old in this chapter, so a LOT of time has gone by.  Time that Colin spent being a decent human being.

  Colin doesn't like Devon or Hawk, and always rolls wishes to beat them up, lol  He senses something is wrong, he just doesn't know exactly what is wrong. =)

  His cursing is off/on, depending on his awareness of it.  When he's aware of it, he tries to curb himself, to make his daughter happy.  Yeah, Skye is a bit prissy, lol

  And---poor Nick.  He really did think it was his fault, and that everyone would hate him for it.

  Jake has 2 kids now with Sherri Nightblossom, they're pretty cute too.  I know Sherri is part of the Nightblossom tree, but I forget what branch, lol  That family expanded pretty quickly! =)

  Jack is such a cutie, I love all the faces he makes.  He still doesn't have a girlfriend, nor is he remotely interested.  


  The game has been quite obliging regarding Colin's fighter roll.  It sends burglars, lol

 

  Also---I used a ton of poses in this chapter, I took these pics a really long time ago, so I don't remember all of whose poses I used---but I'm pretty sure the crying ones (Skye and Luna) are Sunny's.  Thanks for making/sharing them Sunny! =)

  One last note, one thing I absolutely love about writing, is how knowing a character's motive can change our perspective.  For instance, if Hawk had been legit, that would have been a sweet conversation between him and Skye.  Since he has ulterior motives though, it could be seen as creepy/stalker like, haha  I'll follow you anywhere muahahahaha!

 

  Any questions?  I'll try to answer them.  Hopefully next chapter Gen 8 will take over, if not, then definitely the chapter after that.   Thanks for reading! =D

Chapter 76: Black Picket Fences

 Warning: Language

  Cherie took note of the six police officers standing outside the hospital room, and the two standing guard inside the room as she walked cautiously in.  Her patient was no ordinary woman.  Cherie frowned, she wanted nothing to do with this woman, the woman who would have been executed by now if not for the fact that she was pregnant. Her execution had been stayed temporarily; after the birth, she would be executed within 24 hrs.  Dragon Valley did not tolerate kidnapping and assassination attempts on its Mayor.

  Obstetrics was not Cherie's specialty, she dealt mainly in Oncology. and the strange request from the Women's Prison had thrown her off.  Warden Jeffries had told her the woman was quite insistent that Cherie be her attending physician at the birth.

   Cherie sat quietly down on the stool and waited for her patient to arrive.  She had refused the woman's request at first.  It was not her field of expertise, and she had no interest in the woman that had hurt her family so badly.

   Two things had changed her mind.  The first one was that it had been confirmed through amniocentesis that the baby the woman carried would be Cherie's grandchild.  The second, the woman refused all medical attention, insisting that she would only see Cherie.  Cherie did not want her grandchild to suffer because of lack of prenatal care.

  She twisted her wedding ring, and anxiously looked around the room while she waited.  The room was bare, everything had been removed except for an examination bed, the stool she sat on, and the two guards.  It made her nervous what manner of woman she would be meeting and caring for, that the Prison and Hospital officials would take such care in the way she was being transported, and that not even the smallest of decorations was allowed to remain.

  Suddenly the door opened, and the woman was standing in front of her.  There was a stillness about her, Cherie mused, that was quite intimidating.  She almost felt like the woman was taking her measure, looking for any weaknesses.

  Her voice was lifeless when she finally spoke.  "I'm Ivory." 

    "I'm Dr. Kahekili."  Cherie said awkwardly.  Really, what else could she say?  Pleased to meet her?  That would be lie, she was not pleased to meet her, not at all.  Cherie was first and foremost, a professional though.

  "I know who you are."  Ivory said coldly.

  Cherie's brows rose.  The woman was angry with her?  Her?  The utter gall of the woman!  She felt her mask of professionalism slip a little bit.  "Yes, I suppose you do." she murmured. "You did request me as your physician, but I hope you realize that I am not an Obstetrician, I am an Oncologist.  You really should consider seeing an actual Obstetrician."

  "I just wanted to meet the woman who was responsible, and this was the only way to do so."

  Cherie narrowed her eyes.  "Responsible for what?"

    "For ruining his life."

  Cherie caught her breath.  Had that woman really just said that to her?  And after what that woman had done to her son?!  Both of them?!  She gritted her teeth.  "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

  Ivory tilted her head slightly.  "You know what I mean, you had a beautiful family and you took it for granted.  You took him for granted, you should have spent more time with..."

  Cherie interrupted her.  "You have no right to judge me on my parenting skills, and I fail to see how it is any concern of yours."  Cherie smiled stiffly.  "Now, if you'll have a seat, we can get this examination over..."

  This time Ivory interrupted.  "I have every right." She said fiercely.  "My lawyer tells me that you have filed for custody of my baby in Colin's name, you'll be the one to raise my baby.  I don't want the same thing to happen to my child that happened to your children, all of them carrying a wound from their childhood, thinking they were never good enough.  Thinking that their mother loved this f*cking hospital more than she loved them.  I sure as h*ll don't want my child to have the rotten childhood I had.  I want my child to be happy, safe, loved, and secure.  I want the peace of knowing that my child will be okay, before I die."

  The room was silent as they both stared at each other.

   Cherie broke the silence first.  "Coming from a mother's perspective, I can understand your concerns."  She hesitated for a moment.  Cherie had not expected such an outburst from a woman like her.  In court, Ivory had maintained a stony silence, she wouldn't look at anyone, but simply stared through them as if they weren't even there.  Looking at her now, Cherie could see what it was that had attracted her son.  "I am retiring."  She said simply.  "I will have lots of time to devote to all of my grandchildren."

  Ivory sighed heavily, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  She sat down on the examination table.  "He loved you, you know.  He never said the words, but I could tell when we talked about you."

  For some reason it irked Cherie to no end to know that she had been a topic of conversation between her son and Ivory.  That Colin had talked to this woman, when he would barely say two words to her, unless it was to curse and try to get a reaction out of her.  She prided herself on how she had conducted herself all these years, not once had she given him reaction, she always stayed in control.  "I will not discuss my son, or my relationship with him, with you.  You are just another female, in a long line of his females.  You will soon be a long forgotten memory of his."  The words were cruel, but they were truth as far as Cherie was concerned.  Colin had been with hundreds of women, one he was even briefly married to, but he always moved on.  This woman would be no different.

  Ivory wrapped her arms around her middle.   "You speak of him as if he were alive."

 

  "Yes, your little plan failed.  Both of my sons are alive and well, no thanks to you."

  "He's alive."  Ivory whispered.

  "That's what I said."

  Ivory pinned Cherie with a look.  "Would you give him a message for me?"

  "Why should I?"

  "Because you want him to be happy."  So many emotions were running through Ivory, she barely knew what she felt, except joy.  She knew she felt an exceedingly, overabundance of joy.  He was alive!  She had thought he had died on that cold floor, all that blood...he was alive!?  She had not heard anything at that sham called a trial, she had been in shock, frozen by the knowledge that she had killed the one person she loved more than anything.  Even more than her own life.  The only thing that had pulled her out of it, was the faint stirrings of life in her womb.  She was carrying his baby, and she loved their baby with a ferociousness that sometimes scared her.

  Ivory heard Cherie say something, but she had been so involved in her thoughts she had not heard any of the words, she asked Cherie to repeat it.  Go on, she had said, as if she was reserving judgement.  Ivory did not blame her, she had almost killed both of her sons.  Ivory hugged herself, he was alive.  If only she could get her message to him, she knew he would understand what it meant, that he would find a way to free her.  Then they could move away, and raise their baby together, just like he was saying before everything went so horribly wrong.  Before she had allowed her fears to act ahead of her heart.  "Tell him I want the black picket fence, and everything that goes with it.  Promise me you'll tell him that."  She pleaded.

  Cherie looked away.

 

    What an odd message, black picket fence?  She had no idea what it meant, but it seemed harmless enough.  She turned back to Ivory.  "Very well, I will give him your message."  Cherie watched, stunned, as tears streaked down Ivory's cheeks. 

  "Thank you."

  "Um, yes, well, let's get back to business shall we?  Let's see how that baby of yours is doing..."

  Thirty minutes later, after Ivory had been handcuffed and taken back to her cell, Cherie walked up two flights of stairs and down a long corridor.  She opened the last door on the right, and stepped into the room.  The familiar sounds of the machines greeted her as she slowly approached the bed.  She stopped, and stared down at her son, Colin, hooked up to so many machines, still in coma after all these long months.

  She had misled Ivory a little, her son was alive, and she hoped more than anything that someday he would wake, and all would be well.  His pale, lifeless face scared her, she would infinitely rather have him cursing at her, or ranting about some perceived slight, then to see him this way.  She stifled a sob, it was unnatural to see him so still.

  She felt her husband come up behind her, and his arms came around her, holding her close.  She let the tears fall.  "Oh Ryder."  She wept.  "I should have been a better mother, she was right about that.  I should have.."

  "No, Love."  Ryder said gently.  "Should haves will kill us, hindsight is always twenty twenty.  We did what we thought best at the time."

 
  "And just exactly who is this she you're talking about anyway?"  Ryder asked.

  "Ivory.  That is her name.  The woman that nearly killed both of our boys.  She wanted to know that we would raise the child better than we raised our own children.  She wanted me to give Colin a message."

  "What message?"

  "That she wants the black picket fence, and everything that goes with it."

  "That's cryptic."

  "She said Colin would be happy to hear it."  Cherie sadly looked down at her son.  "If he ever wakes up, I will give him her message, I promised."

  Ryder hugged her tighter.  "When, Love, when.  He will wake up, and return to us."

  "I've read his medical reports, there was so much blood loss, and brain swelling and.."

  "He'll come back."

  "I hope you're right." 


~<>~


  "Let me at him!  I'm going to kill him!"  Brae shouted angrily.

 

   "Brae!"  Alder warned, "either you settle down and tell us what's going on, or leave."

  "What's going on?!"  Brae hollered.  "What's going on?!  What's going on is that a*shole," he pointed at his brother, "slept with my wife!  Not only that, but it turns out Elliot is his son!  What the h*ll Colin!  Let go of me Grandpa!  I'm going to kill him, I'll rip his head off and feed it to the dogs!"

  "Simmer down Brae."  Alder said tiredly.

  Colin looked up, "D*mn.  Is Elliot one of those kids you were telling me about?"

  "Uh, no," Ryder said, startled.  "That's a new development."

 

 "Why don't you start from the beginning."  Alder suggested reasonably.  "Why do you think your brother had an affair with your wife?"

  "I don't just think it."  Brae said sullenly, glaring at his brother.  "When Colin woke up, I was so thrilled by the news that my brother was awake, I told my wife about it.  And do you know what she did?  She broke down sobbing and crying, and she confessed to everything.  She told me, with Elliot standing right there, how much she has always loved him.  That they have been having an affair since highschool!  F*cking highschool Colin!  Wasn't it enough that you f*cked..."  Brae was so angry he ignored his mother reprimand on his language, he was beyond caring.  He wanted to smash his brother's face in.  "..every other female in town?  Did you have to f*ck my wife too?  Did you have to cuckold me?"

  "Oh dear."  Cherie said faintly.  "Brae, there's something you really ought to know..."

  "Not now Mother!  Let me go Grandpa, I'm going to pulverize him, beat him into a bloody f*cking pulp!  He was my son Colin!  My son!  And you stole him away from me!"  Brae yelled.

  "Braern Kahekili, you will cease and desist this very moment, and listen.  Do you hear me."  Cherie said firmly.  She placed her hands in her lap, and stared pointedly at him.

 

  "I'm listening." Brae said mulishly.

  "After talking to you this morning over the phone, we have since discovered that he has lost his memory.  The doctors think it is due to the brain swelling and the lengthy coma he was in.   He may get his memory back, or he may not, only time will tell."

  Brae stared at his mother, then he laughed harshly.  "Oh, f*cking good one Colin!"  He turned back to his brother.  "Fake memory loss just so that you can get out of a fight!  Well, I don't believe it for one moment!"

  Colin tilted his head and looked directly at Brae.  "Sh*t.  Am I the type of guy to run from a fight like that?" Colin asked, dismayed.

  Brae stopped, and looked, really looked at his brother. "No," he said slowly, "you love to get into fights, you start quite a few, but as you like to say, you always finish them."

  "F*ck, that's a relief.  I wouldn't want to be a f*cking coward."  Colin dropped his head back onto his hand and rubbed his temple.

  Brae kept waiting for Colin to start hysterically laughing, and tell them all what a bunch of morons they were for falling for the practical joke.  It was a practical joke, right?  Except Colin didn't laugh, or call him a f*cking idiot, or any other name, instead he sat just sat quietly. He appeared deep in thought, and every once in a while he would grimace, as if in pain.

  "It's true then?"  Brae whispered.  "He really remembers nothing?"

  "Nothing."  Alder confirmed.  "We had to bring out the photo albums to show him proof of who he is, and who we are."

  "I have six f*cking kids!"  Colin said suddenly, in amazement.  "Six!"

  Brae stiffened.  "Seven kids." he said bitterly.

  Colin looked at Brae.  "H*ll, did I raise that...Elliot?  That's his name right?  Did I raise Elliot?"

  "You haven't raised any of your kids Colin."  Brae snapped back.

  "Sh*t, really?"  Colin went all quiet and thoughtful again.  Then he ventured, "D*mn, did you end up raising any of them?"

  "Just Elliot.  The parents have raised the others."

 
   "Is that Elliot over there?"  He pointed to the teen who was shyly hanging back by the door.  Brae nodded his head yes.  "Ah, f*ck.  Well, I can't f*cking say what I was thinking, I'm sorry about that.  But sh*t, it seems to me, that if you raised Elliot, that would make him your f*cking son, and not mine?"

  Brae could feel the stares of his grandfather and father, but he ignored them.  It was all Brae could do to keep his jaw from dropping.  Had he heard right?  Had Colin just apologized?  He also had a good point, Brae was forced to admit, he had been the one to raise Elliot.  Who was this stranger that looked like his brother, but talked like a stranger?  Now that he was paying more attention, Colin really wasn't acting like himself at all, even his language was toned down.  Slowly the realization came to Brae, Colin wasn't faking, his brother really didn't remember.

  "H*ll, I'm sorry."  Colin offered.  "No matter how hard I f*cking try, I just can't remember." he said, frustrated. 

 

 "It's f*cking disconcerting to have no past.  To have a d*mn roomful of f*cking strangers tell you that you're their son, or grandson, or..." Colin's voice drifted off.  "The doctor f*cking says after a couple days of observation, I can f*cking go home, but where the h*ll is home?"  Colin was baffled, feeling overwhelmed, and the f*cking pain in his head was excruciating.  "Then's there's six f*cking kids that will be expecting me to be a f*cking father."  Colin still couldn't believe it, six f*cking kids!

  Brae laughed harshly.  "You can rest easy on that account Colin."

  "Brae!" his mother rebuked him.

  "What?  It's true.  His kids would rather he stay in a coma or die, then come home.  He should know the truth, if nothing else!"  Brae defended himself.

  "The triplets are too young to think any such thing, and the older ones will be happy to have him home, I'm sure of it."

  Brae snorted.  "Sure."
 

 
  
  "Brae!"

  "No, it's okay...Mom."  Colin tripped over the name.  "I prefer the f*cking truth, and d*mn, now I know I can f*cking count on Brae to give it to me."  The names felt strange on Colin's tongue, everything felt strange though.  He didn't feel like he belonged in this body, or in this f*cking life he supposedly led.  From what he was gathering, he was a selfish a*shole.  They all kept shooting little glances at him, like he was going to f*cking  suddenly jump up and start yelling or some sh*t.  Brae, his brother, had said he loved to f*cking fight, so maybe they had every reason to be afraid of his reaction.  Sh*t, that thought was f*cking depressing, that he was such an a*shole, his own family was afraid of what he might do.

  He looked at his brother, d*mn, Brae was seriously p*ssed at him, and for good reason if he had f*cking done what Brae accused him of.  H*ll, at least he knew Brae would f*cking give him the truth, or a closer f*cking version, and not f*cking soft pedal it like his so called mother was doing.  Suddenly he just felt f*cking weary to his bones, and his f*cking head wouldn't stop throbbing.  "Sh*t, I'm sorry, but I'm so f*cking tired, I think I'll take a nap."  Maybe when he woke up, he would have his f*cking memory back, and he would find that this had all been some sh*tty, horrible nightmare.


~<>~


  Unfortunately, the huge f*cking gap in his memory had remained, as had the d*mn headache.  Three days later, he had been f*cking released, and the stupid a*s doctor hadn't been a whole h*ll of a lot of help.  Memory was a f*cking tricky thing, he had been told.  It would f*cking come back when he was ready, well, h*ll, he was f*cking ready, so why the f*ck couldn't he remember?  Whenever he f*cking tried to force it, it gave him a stupid a*s migraine .  He had been advised to be f*cking patient.  He didn't know if he had been f*cking patient before or not, but he sure as h*ll didn't feel patient now.  He wanted his f*cking memory back!

   When he had first got home, he found his older kids f*cking standoffish, the younger three cried like he was the f*cking boogeyman.  His mother, f*ck, she didn't feel like his mother, but she had told to him to be f*cking patient.  That f*cking word again!  She had told him they had never f*cking met him...awake.  So with some help from his mother, he had scrounged up some f*cking patience from somewhere, and he soon changed all that sh*t.  He couldn't deny now that the highlight of his f*cking day was his triplets crawling all over him as soon as he walked in the front door.   His older kids were f*cking tougher, but, h*ll,  he had expected that.  Brae had f*cking told him in no uncertain terms what a jacka*s he had been to them, so he knew it would f*cking take time.  Sh*t.  And f*cking patience.  He really hated that f*cking word.

  His daughter, d*mn, she was a d*mn beautiful young lady, not that he was f*cking biased or anything. 

  He sure as h*ll didn't f*cking like the idea of her dating.  She just f*cking rolled her eyes at him, or f*cking patted him on the shoulder, like he was some dumba*s, and told him she was far more interested in becoming the f*cking Empress of the Free World than dating boys.  Sh*t.  He couldn't f*cking tell for sure if she was joking or not, she was f*cking scary smart.  Like her f*cking mother, she would always say after that.  Apparently he had f*cking told her that a few times, that she was like her f*cking mother.  That was the h*ll of not f*cking knowing things, people could f*cking throw his words back at him, and he couldn't f*cking refute them.

  His son, Nick, d*mn, he was really quiet, and would never f*cking say much at home.  He spent a lot of time at the f*cking animal shelter, training to be a Veterinarian or some sh*t.  Colin had f*cking zero interest in stupid a*s animals, had he ever?  Sh*t, he didn't know, but Nick sure seemed to f*cking love them.  Once he figured out his son was more f*cking relaxed and happy at that sh*tty smelling animal hospital, he had started stopping by more often.  Sh*t, while there, they actually f*cking talked, it was about dumba*s animals, but h*ll, it was a start. 

 
  The f*cking hardest child of his to reach, was Jake.  By all accounts though, he had treated Jake the sh*ttiest.  So Colin gave him plenty of f*cking space, and now sometimes Jake would actually stay in the f*cking room if Colin walked in.  H*ll, he considered that real f*cking progress.

  He wouldn't have f*cking blamed his brother at all either, if Brae had never f*cking talked to him again, but for some f*cking reason that Colin couldn't understand, Brae didn't do that.   Of course when Colin f*cking asked him about it, trying to understand why the h*ll Brae would give him the f*cking time of day; Brae had simply said he was waiting for Colin's memory to come back. Then they would f*cking talk.

  The sh*ttiest part of it all, he had discovered, was that while his f*cking memory was wiped clean, his f*cking muscle memory was not.  The first time he had f*cking tried kicking the training dummy he had found in the attic, he had been surprised that his body actually knew what the f*ck to do.  H*ll, he didn't understand why his f*cking muscles could remember his past when he f*cking could not.  He supposed he ought to be f*cking grateful for the little sh*t.  Like how at some point in his f*cking life, he had obviously learned Martial Arts, and he was f*cking good at it too.  Now he just kept it up because it kept him in f*cking good shape, and it helped ease his frustrations when it became clear his f*cking memory wasn't going to be coming back any time soon.

  

  The sh*ttiest day of all though, had been when his mother died.  Sh*ttiest not only because she f*cking died, but because he had such f*cking conflicting emotions about it.  She had gone to the f*cking hospital to visit a friend and she suffered a fatal heart attack on the way.  Just the f*ck like that.

  She had f*cking tried to clean up his 'potty mouth' as she called it, and he had really tried not to f*cking curse around her.  But h*ll, sometimes he had slipped up, he wasn't f*cking perfect, and he was trying.  She had also spent f*cking hours upon hours, along with his dad, just talking to him, until he had felt like his f*cking ears were going to fall the f*ck off.  He had almost thought she had f*cking stored those words up his whole f*cking life.  He had practiced patience, stupid a*s patience, with her though.  After all, she was his mother, even if she didn't f*cking feel like his mother.

   The f*cking sad part was, he hadn't known her very long.   Well, h*ll, she had obviously f*cking known him his whole life, but his memory of her was only a few months long.  While as far as the f*ck he could remember she had always been there to f*cking lend him a hand whenever and wherever he needed it; he just hadn't known her that long.   He had always felt like she was trying to f*cking atone for something, but he never had the heart to ask her what that was, and now that opportunity was gone.  D*mn, he would miss her, but his grief was nothing like his father's grief.  His father had simply fallen apart.

  The kids too, they had f*cking grieved, even his babies had cried for their 'Gramma', and Colin had been at a f*cking loss.  What the f*ck to do?  His family was hurting, and he felt f*cking powerless to do anything about it.   He hated feeling f*cking powerless, it brought up a whole host of f*cking emotions down deep that he didn't totally understand.  Anger was chief among them.  Why the f*ck was he so angry?

 
  Colin sighed.  He looked down at his little girl who was just waking up from her nap.  "Dada!" she said sleepily, and reached her arms out.  He picked her up, and hugged her.  Things were f*cking changing, he hoped for the good.  His dad had said he couldn't bear to live in Dragon Valley any longer, the memories were too much.  Colin f*cking agreed, but for a different reason.  He was f*cking tired of women stopping by all hours of the day, women calling him f*cking non-stop, and getting f*cking mauled by all sorts of strange women while walking down the street!  It was f*cking ridiculous, he would f*cking tell them he didn't know who the h*ll they were, so stop touching him and sh*t.  They never seemed bothered by the fact he didn't f*cking remember them.  It bothered him a whole h*ll of a lot, creepy a*s b*tches.

  In Dragon Valley,  he had a f*cking reputation, and while he couldn't f*cking remember it, the town sure the h*ll did.  He couldn't be him here, whoever the h*ll he was, he was still working on that.  He sure as h*ll wasn't into making out with some strange chick on the sidewalk in front of everyone.  He sure the h*ll wasn't interested in marrying his ex sister-in law, no matter how many f*cking times she pleaded with him.  He just wanted some peace, so he could get his f*cking act together.  Was that too much to ask?  In this town it was.  Sh*t, and the family had even kept his memory loss under wraps, to try to keep the f*cking drama down.  He seemed to attract drama anyway.  It was f*cking annoying as h*ll.

  Skylar started fussing, and Colin forced himself to calm down.  She was a sensitive little thing, much like he imagined Nick had been at this age.  He didn't f*cking remember Nick, or the others, at this age, but at least his Mom had taken tons of photos of them.  He looked through them a lot, hoping something would jiggle that stupid a*s memory of his, but so far, a whole lot of nada.

  He wasn't sure what to expect in Midnight Hollow, but surely it was f*cking better than here. It wasn't like he would even be losing his f*cking friends or family or anything, they were all making the move too, for various different reasons.  Like some gigantic f*cking exodus.  Brae for instance, he had been offered the position of f*cking mayor of Midnight Hollow.  Since he was going through a nasty a*s divorce from Morri, he was more than ready to leave Dragon Valley behind, and take up a new life.

  "What do you think of that baby doll?  Huh?"  Colin held Skylar up.  "A new life for fff--all of us."

  Skye reached out and patted his cheek.  "Dada."  Colin growled playfully, and nipped at her fingers.  Skye giggled and reached out her hand again, he nibbled at her fingers again, causing her to giggle some more.  "Let's go find Luna and Jack shall we? I bet they're already fff---playing in the playroom..." 
 
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Notes:  Woot!  Moving right along!  Yes, Colin lived as you can tell.  Yes, his memory really is gone.  Will he ever get it back?  Maybe, lol  I had been thinking back when I first came up with Colin's character---what would cause him to change?  It had to be something really major, because he is super stubborn, set in his ways, and refuses to listen to anyone.  Then I watched both versions of the movie Total Recall last summer (I love the Arnold Schwarzenegger version, I've watched it many, many times over the years) and it hit me---memory!  Haha, he needs to lose his memory.  Then I started thinking about how that would happen, and I came up with an assassin lover--big fight--yada, yada, yada. 

 And funny enough, after all those years together, SP gave me notice that Brae could no longer live in the same household as Morri, and just like that, they had divorced.  And yes, Morri calls Colin...constantly!!

  I'd like to say thanks again to my friend Jenn, for letting me use Ivory in this story---she was perfect.  Once again, for those interested in downloading Ivory---she can be found here: Ivory Mist  You must be registered at TFMs Sims Asylum to download her.

  
  Please ignore all the clipping and other strangeness in some of the pics.  I didn't feel like redoing them, those scenes were a pain in the behind to do anyway.  I'm glad to have most of the posed scenes behind me, there are still a few upcoming ones, but not for some time.  Yay!

  I love that picture of Colin and Skye, they are so adorable! <3  Unbelievable, but he and Ivory had triplets.  I was shooting for twins, and girls at that.  I needed twin girls for Gen 8 storyline.  Colin rolled 5 kids, so that would have worked perfectly.  I moved Ivory into the household while she was pregnant and stuffed her with watermelons and made her listen to the kids channel on tv while she read pregnancy books.  Gee, I don't know why she was so cranky!  Haha, everyone avoided her.

  Then, in typical Colin and Ivory style---they ignored what I wanted and had triplets.  I suppose I should be thankful they didn't have quads!  I did get my two girls, but the boy, Jack, he was a surprise.

  So, introducing the triplets---first born was Skylar.

 
  Then came Luna:

 and then Jack, the surprise baby, lol  I know, I know, I had such stellar names for the other two (haha, sorry about the bad pun, but it was irresistible, lol) but then I named the last one Jack.  Well, I wasn't expecting him, I gave him the first name that came to mind. =)

 

  A lot of times I don't reveal my household roll until a lot later, but this time around I am going to go ahead and tell it in advance.  I rolled full house for Gen 8, so the triplets will be around for a while.  Darn Jack though, he messed up my plans a bit, and then he was so blasted cute (especially as a teen!) that I had no choice but to fit him into the storyline a little bit.  I really wish full house was the heir plus four...

  Thanks for reading!  Next chapter---the big move to Midnight Hollow---which by the way happened when Midnight Hollow first came out.  That's how far behind I am!  Oh well catching up. =)