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..." 
 
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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. =)
 

Chapter 75: Loss

 Warning: This chapter has lots of bad language and lots of bad behavior.  Read at your own risk!

 

 Ivory woke with a start, sweating, her heart pounding in her throat.  The nightmare had been all too real.  She closed her eyes briefly, trying to banish the images, but they wouldn't go away.  Night after night they had plagued her, and because of their intensity and frequency, she had refused to turn off the lights when she slept.  Colin had humored her in this, told her he preferred the lights on anyway.  She turned her head to look at him, while she couldn't see his face, she could hear his soft snores.  The man was a heavy sleeper, and rarely stirred.  She studied him, committing all that she could to memory, because after this day, that was all he would be, or could be.  A cherished memory.

  She carefully got up out of the bed, and quietly pulled her clothes on.  Her heart hurt, she wanted nothing more than to snuggle up against him, pretend that they were a normal couple.  Pretend that Raven didn't exist.  She swallowed the bile rising up her throat, and took a deep breath.  She had no choice.

  Her anguished heart cried out inside of her. Romeo...Colin...my Love. She held back a sob.  Here in this moment, she would acknowledge to herself what she would never be able to acknowledge to him.  She loved him.  She had tried not to, but that was like trying not to breath, it had been impossible.  The memories of their days together played through her mind, a kaleidoscope of life.  Of a lifetime hoped for, but one she could never keep.

  What would he think of her, when he found out?  What would he think when his brother was finally found, tortured, his throat slit?  He would know it was her.  He would know then why she had come, who her target had been.  Her terrible purpose.  Would he hate her then, for tearing his family apart?  Would he hate her for taking his brother from him, the brother he both loved and hated?  Would he remember their conversations about his family, and wonder about his part in it?  Would he regret the words he had spoken to her, regret meeting her? Regret loving her?

  A lone tear escaped, and trailed down her cheek.  She ignored it, and forced herself to open the door, and put one foot in front of the other.  She should have already been there, should have already finished the process she had barely started, but she had selfishly wanted one more night with him.  Just one more memory to help warm her soul on the cold nights of her eternity of regrets.

  As soon as the door shut, Colin rolled over and opened his eyes. She had been acting f*cking peculiar for the past couple of f*cking weeks now, and she had f*cking refused to talk about it.  F*ck.  It p*ssed him the f*ck off.  He f*cking hated the f*cking sadness in her eyes, f*cking hated that she f*cking tried to f*cking hide it from him.  He really f*cking hated the f*cking wall he sensed she was f*cking trying to build between them.  Well, f*ck, no more of that sh*t.  He was going to f*cking find out what the f*ck she was up to.  Then they could f*cking solve her f*cking problem together.

  
  He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and flicked it open.  She would be f*cking pissed off when she f*cking found out that he had put a f*cking tracer on her.  He rolled his eyes.  She would f*cking get over it.  He dialed a number, and waited until he heard a small voice say, "Hello?"

  "Nick, what the f*ck are you still doing up?  On a f*cking school night?  Sh*t, nevermind, I don't f*cking have time to f*cking deal with that right now.  I want you to f*cking listen to me okay?  I need you to f*cking do something.  This is f*cking important, so don't f*cking mess this up."  Colin gave Nick his instructions, then ended the call.  He jumped out of bed and threw his clothes on.  "F*ck Angel, what the h*ll did you f*cking get involved in?"  He muttered as he grabbed the key to his motorcycle and ran out the door. 

  Twenty minutes outside of town, he found himself staring at an abandoned warehouse.  "What the h*ll?" he whispered.  "F*ck, must be one of her f*cking hits."  There was no sign of life, so he cautiously moved closer.  Still nothing.  He crept up to a set of steel doors, and slowly pushed them open.  They made no sound, like they had been recently oiled to keep them silent.  Glancing around him, all was still quiet.  With a shrug, he went inside.

  It was dingy and damp, poorly lit, with a row of doors in front of him.  F*ck.  Which one should he f*cking try first?  He opened one door, and nearly had a dusty ragged old mop clobber him for his efforts.  "Sh*t."  He put the mop back, and shut the door.  Wrong f*cking door.  The next one he tried led to a narrow corridor.  He followed it, and opened the first door he came to.  The light was weak, but he could hear faint sounds of what sounded like moaning, and rattling of...chains?  He followed the sound, then abruptly stopped, stunned by the sight in front of him.  "What the f*ck?!" he asked in disbelief.

 

 "Brae?  What the f*ck are you doing here?"  His brother looked roughed up, but otherwise seemed to be in fair condition, for being f*cking chained to a wall.

  "Col, you need to get out of here, and fast.  Go get help!"  Brae's voice was hoarse, urgent.  "Before the she devil comes back!"

  "She devil?"

  "The white haired woman is scary enough, but the red headed she devil is.."  Brae shuddered violently.  "Get the h*ll out of here Col."

  "F*ck that Brae, I'm not f*cking leaving you here."  He scanned the room, looking for any traps that may have been set.  His brother seemed to be alone, and it didn't make any sense to Colin.  Why the h*ll hadn't they left a f*cking guard or something?  What the f*ck was he missing?  How the f*ck was Ivory involved?

  Sh*t.  At one time, he would have f*cking thought he would f*cking enjoy a moment like this, but the f*cking realization hit him, and hit him like a f*cking eighteen ton brick on the head.  He actually f*cking loved his brother, and didn't f*cking want to see him f*cking get hurt.  D*mned inconvenient timing too, f*ck.  No f*cking escaping this one, he couldn't f*cking leave his brother there.  "What a sh*tty a*s time to grow a f*cking conscience." he groaned out loud. 

  "Sh*t Col, get the h*ll out of here, the she devil will be back any moment now.  They have Elliot."  Brae pleaded.  "Go get help!"

  "F*ck, they have Elliot?"  Colin's heart stopped.  Elliot.  How the h*ll did Elliot figure into things?  "What the f*ck have you been up to Brae?  And why the h*ll did you f*cking involve your son?"  My son!, he wanted to f*cking yell, but he had f*cking given that right up f*cking years ago.  Elliot wasn't his f*cking son, he was f*cking sh*t for brains Brae's son.  Sh*t.  Colin was f*cking p*ssed, what the f*ck was Brae thinking?  To f*cking get Elliot involved in some f*cking scheme that could f*cking get them all killed.

  Brae went into a coughing fit.  "I don't know!" Brae cried out, "I swear I don't know.  They used him as bait, to get me, and they keep talking about some book.  It's really important to the she devil, but I have no idea what the h*ll they are talking about.  For Elliot's sake Colin, you have to get out of here!"

  

 

  Sh*t.  He needed a f*cking plan, and f*cking fast.  "Where the f*ck is he being kept?"

  "I don't know.  I haven't even seen him, he could be dead for all I know."  Brae said hopelessly.  Brae gasped.  "Col, behind you!"

  Colin didn't f*cking need his f*cking brother's warning to f*cking know she was there.  He f*cking always knew when she was nearby.  He turned slowly.  "Angel."

  "Why are you here?"  Her voice was cold, emotionless, but her eyes, they spoke volumes.

 

 "You're not supposed to be here." She hissed.  It was all for naught.  She wanted to rail, and yell, and hit something or someone.  She had wanted to protect him, protect him from Her, but there he was.  He wasn't supposed to be!

  "You have to f*cking let him go Angel."  Colin said softly.

  She shook her head sadly.  "You don't understand Romeo.  I can't let him go, Raven wants him."

  Raven, her f*cking mother?  What the h*ll would she want with his f*cking brother?  "It'll f*cking make family introductions a b*tch, I agree.  But f*ck, Brae can be f*cking reasonable.  Just f*cking let him and the boy go, the f*cking family will be p*ssed, but f*ck.  They'll f*cking come around.  Don't f*cking take this path, Angel."  He couldn't f*cking stand there and let her f*cking hurt Brae or Elliot.  He f*cking wanted to beg her, please, please, please...  He couldn't f*cking bear to f*cking see her hurt either.

  He saw the indecision in her, and he could see the moment she made her choice, it was written all over her face.  He felt his heart sink.  F*ck.  "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I have no choice."  She repeated it again, "I have no choice."

  "Sh*t!"  He yelled, as he dodged a kick.  He blocked her punch, and tried to grab her, but she wormed away, then came back at him with another kick.  This was no f*cking foreplay, she f*cking meant business.

 

   "What the h*ll do you f*cking mean?" He grunted, as he blocked another flurry of kick punches.  "F*ck, you always have a f*cking choice Angel!"  Colin f*cking refused to give up on her.  Sh*t, it would be h*ll with his family at first, but he was pretty f*cking sure he could f*cking talk them around.  F*ck, he had always been able to f*cking talk them around.  Why the h*ll should this time be any f*cking different?  He just f*cking needed her to f*cking listen to him for two seconds, instead of f*cking wasting her time trying to f*cking kick his a*s.

  "Easy for you to say Romeo, but my life is not like yours, I don't have the same choices that you do."  She panted, slightly out of breath.  She feinted a left side kick, but Colin knew her moves too well, and didn't fall for it.  She did a cartwheel kick to his head, which he easily blocked.

 

   "Angel, would you f*cking listen to me?"

  "I can't!"  She did another kick, Colin grabbed a hold of her leg, but she came up viciously, like a cornered animal.  He let her go, and watched as she did a back flip.  She landed on her feet, and raised her fists, ready to go again.

     Colin held his hands up, in a conciliatory fashion.  "Angel, would you f*cking be reasonable!  Sh*t, I don't want to f*cking hurt you, and I f*cking know you don't want to f*cking hurt me."

  "How do you figure that Romeo?"  She asked coldly.

  "F*ck, for one thing, you're f*cking slow as sh*t, not up to you're usual f*cking speed."

  "You f*cking a*shole!" She yelled.  "It's your f*cking fault, you f*cking knocked me up, and I told you what I would do if that happened!"

  Colin stared at her, had he f*cking heard her right?  Sh*t.  They were f*cking going to have a baby?  A baby?!  He felt hope bloom, f*ck, that was why she was so f*cking p*ssed?  He was so  caught up in the moment, he wasn't paying close enough attention.  She took advantage of his inattention and drove her knee into his groin.

  "F*ck!" he howled.  "You f*cking b*tch!  That f*cking hurt!"

  She paused, watching him, dispassionately.  "You should have blocked a*shole.  I'm the one that's going to go through f*cking labor pains!  That little pain of yours is nothing compared to that."

 

   "What the h*ll?  Are you f*cking trying to make sure we don't f*cking have any more kids?  Sh*t!"  He would f*cking throttle her, just as soon as he could f*cking move.

  "More kids!" she hollered.  "Haven't you been listening?  We can't even have this one!" She felt the tears threaten again, "I can't keep this baby, Raven..." she choked up, unable to say the words.  She knew what Raven was capable of, the horrors she could inflict on the innocent.  How could she protect her baby, when she couldn't even protect herself, or the man she loved?

  All of her life she had wanted only one thing, a family of her own.  By some miracle she was pregnant, she had suspected for a little while, but hadn't been able to believe it, she had been told she would never carry a child.  Then she had worried what it might all mean, how Colin would react to the news...

  Colin grabbed her and pushed her up against the window.   "Look at me." he growled.  Ivory looked up, refusing to meet his eyes.  "Ivory!"

   She met his eyes, and Colin could see the unshed tears in them.  He sighed.  "I don't know what you're so afraid of, but I can protect you, just give me a chance to prove it to you."

  Ivory shook slightly.  "You don't know my mother."

  "I don't need to.  I can protect you, and our baby." he swore, "What happened with Brae and Elliot, it won't ever happen again, I can promise you that."  He felt a f*cking twinge at the reminder that his f*cking brother was still f*cking chained to a wall, his nephew was f*cking somewhere in the f*cking building, possibly f*cking hurt.  They f*cking needed to be rescued, but, d*mn it, so did his Angel.  He f*cking knew he could f*cking rescue them all.  He just f*cking needed one more minute...

  Ivory stared at him. Was it possible?  Dare she even hope?  She remembered the day she first met him, at that bar, and the words that Raven spoke came back to her.  Magic."  Raven had snarled the word at her.  "The very thing I cannot use directly against them because they are still protected."

 They were still protected, by something that Raven herself could not get past.  She glanced at his brother, still chained, and remembered that while Raven had struck his face many times, and warned him what she could do to him, she had not really done any of it to him.  Ivory had thought she was just waiting, biding her time, but what if she wasn't waiting?  What if Raven really could not use her powers on the Kahekilis?  Her child would be a Kahekili, her child could be safe...

  Colin relaxed his hold on her.  "I think we should get married." He said it gently, and watched her face for her reaction.  He had f*cking been thinking of f*cking marriage for some time now, unsure if he could f*cking go through it again, his first f*cking marriage had been a f*cking disaster of epic proportions.  He found, to his f*cking amazement, he really did f*cking want to marry her.  She had f*cking branded his heart, his soul, he was already f*cking hers, why not f*cking make it official?

  He could even f*cking picture them, in a house, with a f*cking white picket fence and a f*cking dog, raising their baby.  Together.  The image should have f*cking given him hives, a rash, a f*cking panic attack, but it didn't.  In fact, he f*cking loved the idea.  Him.  Her.  Their baby.  D*mn, even the idea of having more f*cking kids with her didn't f*cking faze him.  With her, he could f*cking do anything.  "How about it Angel?  We could f*cking get hitched, buy a f*cking house with a f*cking white picket fence, f*cking raise our baby.  D*mn, maybe even get a f*cking dog?"

  Her eyes shone up at him, with a glint of humor in them.  "I hate white picket fences."

  "F*ck, I'll f*cking paint them black for you then!  F*cking black picket fence just for you.  Marry me."

  Ivory felt hope and love, and a whole bunch of nameless emotions swell up in her.  She wanted to marry him, and have a family with him.  She was just about to say yes when a swirl of smoke appeared behind him, and Raven materialized, knife in hand, she pressed it to Colin's throat.  Stark terror hit Ivory, and she couldn't move.

  "Go ahead Pet, I'm most interested in what your answer will be."

  Colin gritted his teeth.  He couldn't f*cking see the woman behind him, but he f*cking knew that this was her mother.  The b*tch that had f*cking hurt his Angel.  F*ck that sh*t, she would f*cking rue the day she had f*cking messed with his Angel.  He saw the panic in Ivory's eyes, and did his best to give her a reassuring smile.  Her lips formed a no, but he ignored her silent plea.

  He slammed his head back, against Raven, causing her to drop the knife with a howl.  His head smarted, and he saw a few stars, but he didn't let it slow him down any. He twisted his body, grabbed Raven, and with a few short moves, flung her to another part of the room.  She turned her cobra eyes on him, touched the blood flowing from her nose and hissed.  "You'll regret that."

  "F*cking b*tch." Colin snarled.  "You don't f*cking scare me.  I'm going to f*ck you up b*tch!"  He looked around the room, his eyes seeking something big and heavy  Anything he could f*cking use to f*cking knock her head off.

  Raven laughed nastily.  "You stupid fool."  She chanted a few words, and a mist of white sprayed in front of Colin, then disappeared just as quickly as it appeared, leaving him unharmed.

  "Stupid b*tch." He mocked her.  "What, you think some f*cking mist is going to f*cking hurt me?"

  She held her hands out once again, and chanted, a whirl of color appeared briefly over her hands.  Colin glanced over at Ivory when he heard her moan.  Ivory sunk to her knees, clutching at her throat.

  "What the f*ck?"  He watched in horror, as Ivory desperately gasped for air.

  "Pet, you are such a disappointment to me.  I thought you had learned."  She made a tsking sound.  "It appears I was wrong.  You know what that means Pet?  And as for this," she flicked her gaze at Colin,"man, I'll make sure he's properly punished.  Your arrogance Pet, thinking you could best me?"  Raven chuckled coldly.  "You are no match for me, and neither is this pathetic excuse for a man.  You will pay Pet, oh yes, you will pay, and this man with you."  She cackled.  "Oh the fun we'll have Pet, breaking his spirit.  He is a spirited one, now isn't he?  I will really enjoy breaking this one."

  Colin was still frantically searching the room with his eyes.  There, he finally found something, a f*cking large piece of wood, it was f*cking perfect.   He looked over at Raven, who was speaking only to Ivory, totally ignoring him, as if he wasn't a threat to her at all.  He smiled grimly, well, he was about to f*cking show her he was a f*cking threat.

 

  With precision timing that would have f*cking impressed Woo, he grabbed the f*cking wood and f*cking hit the b*tch with it.  The force of the blow whirled Raven around, and she staggered backwards, releasing her hold on Ivory.  With lightning quick reflexes, before Raven could turn back around, Ivory sprang into action, grabbing the knife that Raven had dropped earlier, she threw herself at her mother.

 

  The force of her weight shoved the knife deep into Raven's back.  She screeched, a banshee's wail as a green mist enfolded her.

  "This is not finished!"  Raven shrieked.  "I will have my revenge!"  Then she disappeared.

  Ivory broke into noisy sobs, and ran into Colin's arms.

 

  He held her tightly to him, and looked up at her.  He had almost f*cking lost her, he couldn't f*cking bear the thought.  "I love you."

  She smiled down at him, her heart in her eyes.  "I love you too."

 

  "We did it, Angel.  We vanguished the b*tch from h*ll, f*cking sent her back where she f*cking belongs."

  "What if she comes back?"  Ivory worried.

  "We'll f*cking chop her f*cking head off."

  "I love the sound of that." she sighed.

  Colin grinned.  "I f*cking thought you would."  Colin opened his mouth and started to ask her about the black picket fence when he was interrupted by one word, shouted by more than one person.

  "Freeze!"

 

  Sh*t!  He had forgotten about his instructions to Nick.  "Put your hands up where we can see them."  Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, he had to get Ivory the f*ck away from here.

  Ivory backed away from him, devastated.  "What?!  You set me up?"  She yelled.  "You a*shole!"

  Colin looked up at her, startled.  "What the f*ck Angel?  I didn't..."

  "Did you call the cops?"

  "Well, not exactly, but..."

  Ivory's face hardened.  "You f*cking a*shole!  I'll f*cking kill you!"  In her fury she struck out at Colin.

  "Angel, it's not what it f*cking seems..." he said, and the rest of it f*cking happened like a f*cking slow motion nightmare.  The police shouted freeze or we'll shoot, distracting Colin for that one precious second.  Ivory's foot connected with Colin's head, sending him crashing backwards.  He heard shots ring out, but they sounded far away.  Then nothing, all was blackness.

  Ivory screamed as she fell on the ground, she clutched her side.

   The tears rolled down her face.  "Colin!"  She screamed his name over and over, but he didn't answer.  She was barely conscious of the police and medical personnel that were pouring into the building.  All she could see was Colin, the stillness of his body, and all that blood that pooled around him.  She couldn't stop the screaming, she had killed him.  It was an accident, but that didn't matter.  He was gone from her, forever.  She felt her body cramping, and the grief overwhelmed her.  Was she to lose his baby too?  The last part of him?  She felt hands reach for her, she fought them off, and still she screamed.  She felt a pinch, a pinprick really, and within moments she could feel the blessed darkness descending.

  She would never forget that last image of him as she faded into silence; never, nor would she ever forgive herself; ever.  Her last conscious thought was that she hoped she never woke up.

 

 

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Notes:  Don't hate me! *hides*  What all can you expect from a Romeo romance?  lol  Colin had rolled single, so as I hinted very strongly throughout their romance---they were doomed from the beginning.  So, that was kind of nice, right?  Lots of hints that this wasn't going to end very well...I'm all sad though, cause when I came up with this storyline, I wasn't expecting to love them so much as a couple, they just meshed so well.  *sigh*

  Is Colin really dead?  Sorry, I'm gonna be mean, and make you wait until next chapter to find out for sure. *hides again* =P

  Is Raven really gone?  Here I'll be semi-nice, and let you all know that she is severely wounded, but not dead.  So we may just see her once again...

  I think I have one, maybe two more posed chapters before I can finally get back to game play chapters.



  Some outtakes, cause, after that ending, I need a little humor---



  Colin:  *laughs*  And then, do you know what the crazy b*tch said...uh, she's behind me, isn't she?

 

 Colin:  Help!  I'm the heir, you won't let her kill me right?!

  Raven: *grins*

 

 Colin: "You are so hot."

 Ivory:  "No, you're hot."

 Colin:  "No, you're hotter."

 Ivory:  "No, you're the hottest."

  Um, guys, in the middle of a scene here?  Hello?

  Brae:  Yeah, I'm chained to a wall here!  Could we get this this shoot done already?

  Thanks for reading!  Next chapter will be the aftermath of this one. =)