1. Hello, and welcome back to The Four Legacies! My apologies for the long delay. RL started getting in the way about a week after I finished the last chapter and I only recently got everything under control enough to finish this off. TO compensate though I present the longest legacy chapter I’ve ever written. You might remember from last chapter that Charlie and Alice both graduated from college at long last and got married to their fiancés. If they doesn’t sound familiar then I’d recommend going back and rereading the last chapter. In fact I’d probably recommend it even if you can – it’s been a long time. Aaanyway, on with the show!

2. “All right, boys. What did you want to talk about?” Gil said as he sat down between the two younger men. To his left was his son-in-law, a young family sim by the name of Amar who Gil had come to know fairly well in the past few months since Amar and Charlie had moved in with him. To his right sat Dom Huerta, a knowledge sim and his daughter’s best friend’s husband. Gil didn’t know Dom too well, just well enough to know he was an all right kinda guy. The two younger men looked at each other across the sofa for a moment, both with terrified expressions etched on their features. “Fatherhood,” they said as one. “What about it?”

3. “How do you do it?” Dom asked. “How do you stop your kids from hating you?” Amar added. “What if I drop the baby on its head?” “Oh Plumbbob! I hadn’t thought of that!” “What if we forget to change its diaper?” “What do we do when the girls’ are in labour?” “What do we do after labour?” “Oh Wright! We’re so screwed!”

4. The questions kept coming thick and fast for several minutes. It was like once the two fathers to be had started voicing their concerns they just couldn’t stop. They ranged from the fairly simple such as the right temperature for baby milk, to the sort of thing only a panicky knowledge sim could think of, such as what he do if he got abducted by aliens on a night when his wife happened to be working.

5. “You two are asking completely the wrong guy for this,” Gil finally said when there was a lull in Amar and Dom’s questions. “But you raise three kids!” Dom protested. “I didn’t exactly do any of the raising.” “But none of them hate you! You must have done something right!” Amar pleaded from his other side.

6. “Not really,” Gill said, shaking his head. “But-” “Amar, please calm down,” Gil said as calmly as he could. “I made probably every mistake in the book when it came to Quinn and the kids. When she first got pregnant with Charlie I bolted. I didn’t see her until she was a toddler, and I didn’t even meet her until she was in school. I was only slightly better with her brothers. The way I see it you two are already doing better than I did. You’ve both stuck by Charlie and Alice, and you’re actually ready for those kids of yours.”

7. “But you must have done something right! You must have! Something better than we’re going to do!” Gil sighed. He thought back to when Charlie was growing up, Gideon and James too. He hadn’t done much. Quinn had done most of the work. All he’d done was be part of their lives. “I just kept coming back, for as long as they wanted me,” he finally told the young redhead. “And the kids wanted me for as long as I kept coming back. It’s about the only thing I didn’t get wrong.” “But-” “Will you just cool it, Dom? I didn’t do anything special. It’s gonna take a hell of a lot to make your kids hate you when they’re here. You may make a few mistakes, but you’d have to work to get your kids to hate you.”

8. “I can’t believe you’re almost due!” Alice said as she rubbed a heavily pregnant Charlie’s stomach in the next room. “I can,” Charlie said with a grin. “I can’t wait til this baby’s outta me. ‘Sides, you’re not that far behind.”

9. “I know, isn’t it great?” Alice looked up with a grin. “You look like you’re about ready to pop now.” “Still got another week,” she replied, grinning as Alice’s own smile became infectious. Charlie shook her head. “I can’t believe I was actually pregnant at my wedding.” “I was pregnant at mine too,” Alice pointed out as she stood up. “It’s what happens when you start woohooing without protection.” “Yeah, but you were only a week gone at most – I was a whole month pregnant!”

10. The two women moved over to the seating behind them and sat down heavily. “That’s a relief,” Charlie sighed. “I know,” Alice said. “My ankles are so swollen with this kid, it’s not even funny.” “How do you think I feel?” Charlie said gesturing down her own body. Her own bump was larger than Alice’s, as were her ankles. “Man, I can’t wait to get this kid outta me so I can get my body back and get back to work.”

11. “I don’t know how you can like work so much,” Alice said sceptically. “I just do. I like helping people at the – ow!” “The ow?” “OW! The baby’s really ki- OW!” “Baby not settling?”

12. “No, I’m in labour!” Charlie let out a yell of pain as another contraction hit when she stood. Alice jumped to her feet just as everyone else in the house – including the maid – ran in to see the commotion. Charlie didn’t really notice all the fuss.

13. “I’m not ready for this,” whimpered Amar. “Well you don’t have a choice!” Charlie snapped. She couldn’t help it – it hurt so damn much! The pain didn’t last much longer though. Before she knew it she was spinning and her baby was in her arms.

14. “Here she is,” Charlie said, holding their new daughter out to Amar as all the fuss settled down. She had her father’s colouring, from his black hair to his golden brown eyes. Amar looked at her in awe. He couldn’t believe that they had made that – her. “Hello baby girl,” Amar said, hardly daring to speak above a whisper lest he find this was all a dream. “I’m your Daddy.” “Do you want to hold her?”

15. Amar didn’t reply. He gingerly reached out without a word and took his daughter. She looked curiously up at the pair of them with wide eyes, and Amar felt all his concerns melt away. “We never did discuss names,” Charlie said quietly, her voice hushed. “We thought we had another week, she just decided to be early. We should have been a bit more prepared,” replied Amar, still looking at the baby girl in his arms in amazement. “How about... Nadine? She looks like a Nadine.” “Nadine Jacquet,” Charlie tried the name. It fit. “Perfect.” And so generation 3 finally began with young Nadine Jacquet. Only time will tell what the future holds for her.

16. Later that same day Tazama Wilson headed over to the Legacies’ Greek House only to find his arms full of Gideon the moment he shut the front door behind him. Tazama let out a laugh and hugged his boyfriend tightly. “Not that I’m complaining,” he said as he lowered Gideon back down to the floor, “but what was that about?”

17. “I’m an uncle!” Gideon replied, smiling wide and practically bouncing with joy. “Charlie had the baby this afternoon. I have a niece!”

18. “That’s great. Charlie’s okay?” Tazama asked, looking tenderly into his boyfriend’s eyes. He hadn’t gotten to know Gideon’s sister that well before she graduated, but he did know that she’d been excited about having a child – almost as excited as her husband. “She’s fine – tired, but fine,” Gideon replied. “I’m going to visit them this weekend.” “I’m sure she’s looking forwards to it. And hey – you’ll get to meet the baby.” “Yeah,” Gideon said, almost dreamily, then the smile faded. He looked almost worried. “I want you to come with me. Meet my Dad – and my Mum if she’s over there.”

19. “What?” Tazama pulled back, his smile fading. “Meet your parents? That’s... That’s a huge step, Gideon.” “I know,” Gideon replied looking, for the first time since Tazama had met him, terrified. “Please, Taz?” “I-” Tazama faltered. “Gideon...” “Please?” Gideon pleaded. “I want to introduce them to my fiancé.”

20. “What? Gideon? What are you doing?” Tazama asked, his eyes widening as Gideon knelt down in front of him.

21. “Taz, you’ve always been here for me, ever since that first night in the dorms, and, well,” Gideon pulled a box from his pocket. He opened it, showing the ring inside to Tazama. “I always want to be there for you. Marry me?”

22. Tazama said nothing. Sometimes, he thought as he took the ring from the box, placed it on his finger and hugged Gideon tightly once again, words aren’t needed.

23. The following day, back over in Quaver Kanyon, Kate peered into the fridge, her mind elsewhere. Not for the first time since Ed and Dec headed off to college she was struck by how utterly quiet the house was without them. It was surreal – after so many years and treasuring every single moment of quiet, when the kids were all asleep or at school, to have so much quiet all the time... It was just too strange.

24. It was distracting too. Kate shook her head and reached in, grabbing hold of the ingredients for Chilli. She had to keep stopping herself from listening out for any noises of the kids fighting, and she kept catching herself thinking that they were all up to something before she remembered that it was just her and Waylon alone in the house.

25. Suppressing a sigh, Kate slowly placed all of the ingredients in the food processor. It was times like this, when the entire house was still and the only sound that could be heard was the muffled sounds of Waylon on the phone in the other room that Kate wished that they had actually gotten around to having that sixth child. She’d wanted another child after the boys, but they had decided to wait a little while – put more of an age gap between the children. Then life had got in the way – Waylon’s career had really taken off and Kate had wanted to wait a little longer, until everything had settled down so she could be sure Waylon would be in their final child’s life growing up. Before they’d known it Kate was too old to have another child.

26. Kate emptied the food processor into a bowl and started mixing by hand. It had been a hard day for here, when she’d found out she couldn’t have more children, but she had calmed herself with the knowledge that it would only be a few more years the grandkids started coming – and now it was only a couple of weeks before Kate would get her first grandchild. It wouldn’t be quite the same as having another child, or as she imagined it would be when one of the younger ones moved back in and continued the legacy, but she couldn’t wait all the same.

27. Kate pushed all thoughts of further children and grandchildren from her mind as she put the Chilli on the heat. She stirred it, checking the taste every so often. Waylon’s voice was a bit louder now, carrying further and more clearly through the house. He sounded angry and agitated though Kate couldn’t quite work out what he was saying. Funny, he was only meant to be calling up the pet adoption service to get them a kitten or a puppy. Although, she supposed, Waylon had been a little reluctant to get a pet. Perhaps all his concerns had just bubbled up again while he was on the phone.

28. Kate shook her head free of those thoughts and quickly dished out the chilli. It was just in time too, as the moment Kate placed two bowls on the table a disgruntled looking Waylon came into the kitchen and sat down at the table. The two ate in silence for a moment or two, Waylon looked up anxiously at her as they ate. Finally Kate could bear it no longer. “So what did they say? Are we getting a cat or a dog? Young or old? Male or Female?” she asked excitedly.

29. “Yes, about that... How set were you on the idea of a pet?” Waylon asked, his brow furrowed uncertainly. Kate felt her face fall. “We’re not getting a dog or a cat? Didn’t they have any?” She asked, but narrowing her eyes at the guilt in his expression. “You changed your mind, didn’t you!”

30. “No! I didn’t change my mind! I just... My finger slipped when I was dialling and –” “Waylon, what did you do?” Kate saw Waylon swallow hard. “We always did say we wanted another child, right? Well, I kinda, erm, rang the adoption agency by mistake. Our new daughter will be here ten tomorrow morning. Surprise?”

31. ‘You certainly were a surprise,’ Kate thought numbly the next morning as she walked back inside and hard the social worker’s car drive off. Just moments before she’d been handed the little girl now in her arms, a girl with a nose that was too big for her little face, the most curious red eyes and long straggly looking blond hair. “All right, Vicki,” Kate said, trying out the name Kate had been given by the social worker and hefting the little girl high on her hip. Kate tickled her new daughter, Vicki letting out a shriek of joy. “Let’s get you settled in, then I’ll see if I can find that old crib for you.”

32. Meanwhile, over at the dorm, two brothers were sat on the floor talking. “Come on, Ed,” Dec said. “Why are you so resistant about this? I know you’ve been going crazy without a girlfriend. You don’t do well when you’re not seeing someone.”

33. “I can get my own date, you know,” Ed pointed out. “Then why do you keep flirting with the cafeteria lady?” “I’ll have you know that Jasmine is a perfectly wonderful woman with many years of experience and knows how to do things that would make even you blush,” he paused and shrugged. “And she’s hot.” “Ew, Ed. Just ew.” “And ignoring Jasmine for the minute, why should I go on a date with whoever you’re talking about? How do you know her?”

34. “Oh, I don’t know Stacy personally,” Dec replied breezily. “Manuel assures me she’s perfect for you, though.” “Manuel?” “Yeah! Manuel Ajjanagadde! You remember Manuel!” “No, I don’t.”

35. “Sure you do! I met him down at the Crypt the other night!” “You met a lot of people at the Crypt the other night.” “Oh yeah,” Dec grinned. “Well he’s the guy with black hair.” Ed looked at Dec blankly. “Grey eyes?” Blank look. “Wears makeup?” Blank look. “You called him mass murdering biker guy and told me I’d be insane if I went to talk to him.” “Oh yeah, that guy.” “Anyway, I went to talk to him –” “Dec!” “What?”

36. “He could have killed you!” “Oh, please, Manuel’s a sweetheart,” Dec dismissed Ed’s concerns with a wave of his hands. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly. In fact, he’s kinda scared of them. Said a swarm ate his mother. Odd, huh?” “Dec!”

37. “Aaaanyway,” Dec continued, drawing out the word. “Me and Manuel got talking, and I brought you up, and then we were talking about you, and how you’re pathetic when you’re single-” “Hey!” “- and Manuel mentioned Stacy, and from what he said the two of you would get along.”

38. “And what’s in it for you?” “Why Edmund Brown! How dare you accuse me of trying to set you up with someone for my own personal gain! I am shocked and appalled!” “Yeah, you wouldn’t be trying this hard to set me up if there wasn’t something in it for you,” Ed pointed out. It wasn’t the first time Dec had ever suggested setting him up with someone, but it was the first time they’d spent more than a minute talking about it. “So what’s the real reason, bro?”

39. “Damn, I was hoping you’d believe that,” Dec muttered. “Yeah, yeah. Out with it.” “Well... Ever since Alice got pregnant Mum’s been getting on at you to find someone and give her the grandkids she wants, right?” Dec asked, and Ed nodded. “Well she’s been doing the same to me, and you know it’s gonna carry on, even with this accidental adoption. So I’ve kinda been looking for someone whenever you go searching for a girlfriend too.” “And?” “And, I told Manuel. Manny said he knew someone who’s probably perfect for me, but Knut won’t date unless his best friend Stacy does. And by the sounds of it, Stacy’s perfect for you.”

40. “Fine, I’ll go,” Ed said, sighing in defeat. Then he realised what his brother said. “Wait, Knut? That’s a guys name. I thought you were straight.” “What gave you that idea?” “Well you’ve only ever talked about girls being hot, never guys.” “That’s cuz I’ve only ever met hot girls, not hot guys,” Dec shrugged. “And just because I haven’t met them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.” “Whatever floats your boat. So when’s the date?” “Tonight – at Red’s.”

41. Elsewhere, back in Quaver Kanyon Proper, a certain young romance sim was about to make his very first steps into the world of love, romance and dating. It was a big day, and one that was long awaited by Galahad. The poor boy had been scouring community lots in the hopes of finding someone. All he had discovered was a disappointing lack of teens, and an even more disappointing lack of teens that were the slightest bit good looking. Eventually, though, Galahad grew weary of his search. He called up one of the local matchmakers, an old woman by the name of Amaya, and made his plea. “Alright,” the old woman said, her voice deep and croaky. “What’ll it be? Lad or lass for your date?” “Uh, guy, I guess,” Galahad responded with a shrug of a shoulder. He wasn’t too bothered either way so he might as well try dating guys. “All right then! Comin’ right up!”

42. A minute later and a Galahad’s date appeared – a redheaded teen Galahad could vaguely recalled seeing around school. “Hi!” Galahad said cheerfully, so glad to finally be getting the chance to exercise his romancing muscles. “I’m Galahad.” “David,” the other teen replied. “And I gotta go.” “What? Why?” “Because I’m straight?” And with that David walked away.

43. With a slightly heavy heart, Galahad turned back to where Amaya was still loitering on the lot. “That was quick, didn’t it go well?” she asked airily, a slight glint in her eye. Galahad frowned. “No,” he replied. “Let’s try this again – you know what I like, you have my money. Now can I have another date – preferably not a straight boy this time.”

44. “Coming right up!” replied Amaya, whipping out a crystal ball and peering into it. “And – yep! I’ve found you someone, and rest assured she is certainly not a straight guy!”

45. “Oh thank you so much!” Galahad grinned broadly as he vigorously shook the matchmaker’s hand. “No problem kid, just doing my job,” Amaya said as she wrenched her hand from Galahad’s grip. “Your date’s name is Kana Darga, by the way, and she’s just landed.”

46. At those words Galahad turned and came face to face with his new date. He smile at her and greeted her. She smiled back before cocking her head to one side, an inquisitive expression on her face. “You look familiar...” she said slowly. Then, all of a sudden, the confusion on her features vanished. “Hey, do you know Amelia Merton?” “Yeah, why?” Galahad replied cautiously, suddenly very suspicious of where this conversation was going. “I totally used to make out with her!”

47. “Remind me not to use the matchmakers again.” “What?” “Nothing.”

48. And indeed it was. That evening, shortly after the sun had set, found Ed and Dec waiting for their dates to arrive outside of Red’s. The night air was quiet and still, and almost chilly for the time of year. There were few people about just yet, and the boys were amongst the first people to arrive after the restaurant had opened, having arrived early at Dec’s insistence that they leave now or they’d be late. “Better to be early than late!” Dec said blithely with a grin. Ed rolled his eyes. “I would’ve preferred if I could’ve grabbed a coat first,” he muttered under his breath. “What was that? “Nothing,” Ed shook his head and nodded over his twin’s shoulder. “I think those two are our dates.”

49. Dec turned in an instant to look at the newcomers, a woman in pink and a hat, and a man in grey. Indeed it did seem as though the pair were their dates as the two of them made their way closer to the boys. Ed saw his brother give the woman a cursory glance as they got closer before his eyes flickered over to the man. After a moment Dec’s face split into a huge grin and as soon as the couple got close enough for conversation Dec began talked with the man. Ed didn’t pay much attention to what was being said. He’d had all too much experience in listening to his brother get to know new people, particularly people who he wanted to, ah, get to know more intimately would be the delicate way of putting it. Instead he walked around the chatting pair and tried to strike up a conversation with the woman in pink.

50. “Err, hi,” he began lamely as he got a good look at the woman for the first time. “I’m Ed.” “Stacy,” the woman shrugged uncomfortably, the whole introduction feeling awkward to Ed. An uncomfortable silence settled over the pair, neither sure of what to say. After a few uneasy moments Ed looked back towards Dec only to find his brother had already vanished inside the diner with Knut. With a weary sigh, he turned back to Stacy. “Shall we go have dinner then?” he asked, already dreading the meal.

51. Inside the pair of them were seated quickly at a booth, both on the same side of the table.. For a moment neither of them spoke, each intent on looking anywhere but at their date. But Ed knew that he couldn’t keep that up, at least not for too long. “So, err, how do you know Knut?” he jerked his head over to where Knut and Dec were playing a game of red hands. “We work together,” she said shortly. He looked at her eagerly, waiting for her to expand on that. At first it didn’t looked like she was going to, until she finally sighed.

52. “We both work in one of those huge office towers here in downtown. Knut tends to drag me out of blind dates a lot. How about you? Knut didn’t say much about you or your brother earlier?” “Oh, I’m a student. I, ah, study?” he finished that lamely and he knew it. Stacy smiled nonetheless and even let out a little chuckle. “Literature mostly. No idea what I want to do with it though.” “That makes two of us,” Stacy sighed. He gave her an inquisitive look until she relented. “I haven’t got a clue what I want to do with my life. I’m only really in business to pass the time. So you’re not aspiring to anything at all?”

53. “Only if you count marriage and kids,” Ed shrugged his shoulders, suddenly acutely aware that that probably wasn’t the best thing to say on a first date. Stacy just grinned though. “Hey, it’s about as much as I’ve got figured out,” she replied with a grin. Ed grinned back at her and relaxed for the first time that evening. The rest of their date seemed to go so much smoother. They even managed to get to enjoy themselves.

54. On the other side of the diner, surrounded by people just as you would expect with a pair of popularity sims, was Knut and Dec, though they seemed rather more focussed on one another and on Stacy and Edmund than the strangers around them. “All right, they’re getting along, you were right,” Knut said quietly to Dec. “Now can we start working towards BFFs?”

55. Not for the first time Professor Craig Kosmokos wondered what on earth he was doing. Here he was, in a park in the middle of downtown where anyone he knew could come by and see him, waiting for a student – not one that he taught, but a student nonetheless. If anyone caught him, well he could wave goodbye to his job at the college at the very least. Getting caught would not be pleasant.

56. Yet he was still here. Craig heaved a sigh as he looked around the park. Everyone was going about their business like every other day. He didn’t know any of them, and none of them paid him any mind. That was good. Relaxing slightly, Craig allowed his thoughts to wander. He and Cole had been seeing each other for some time now, more than three years in fact. Less than a year after that the two of them had gotten engaged and now... There was less than a year until Cole graduated and the two of them could be together without fear of recrimination. He was looking forwards to that day. And not too long after that would be the wedding.

57. Ah, the wedding. Craig grinned. He could hardly wait. Craig was a family sim, through and through, and there was little he enjoyed more in the world than a wedding. There was just something about watching people starting their lives together that Craig just adored about weddings. And since this would be his own he was feeling particularly ecstatic about it.

58. “Hey, honey!” Craig started and glanced over to where Cole had plonked herself down on the other bench. He smiled.

59. With so much dating going on in the desert and the surrounding areas, you’d be forgiven for thinking that that was all that was going on, but that was far from true. Other parts of life must march on as well. Indeed, some things simply must continue, no matter what. One such thing was Alice’s pregnancy. “Alice! You need to sit down! You shouldn’t be exerting yourself so close to your due date!” her mother, Kate, fussed one day when she came over. Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Mother, I’m just standing up. It’s hardly difficult,” it took all Alice’s willpower not to snap – she was incredibly hormonal, and she’d been putting up too many people hovering around her ever since Charlie gave birth. She hadn’t realised that having another pregnant person around gave her a buffer from overly concerned relatives until after Nadine’s birth. “You should know I can do this – you were pregnant four times, after all.” “Three, dear.” “Whatev-ah!”

60. Before Kate could ask what the matter was, Alice let out a piercing scream. She clutched her stomach tightly, wishing it would end. “YOU DIDN’T TELL ME IT WOULD HURT THIS MUCH!” she bellowed at her mother. “Frammit Dom! Get in here!”

61. “What? I heard scream- OH DEAR PLUMBBOB!” Dom entered the room, still in his police uniform. “You’re having the baby!” “No, really?” Alice spat through clenched teeth as another contraction hit. “Oh, err – err – I can help! I know what to do! I was at Charlie’s when she gave birth!” “SO WAS – ARRRGH!” Any further conversation was cut off as Alice gave one hard push and a baby arrived.

62. “It’s a boy,” Alice said, handing him over to her husband. “And he has your eyes.” “He’s amazing,” Dom replied. Indeed, the little boy did have his eyes, and most of his colouring. The only part of his mother they could see in the little boy was Alice’s brown hair. “What shall we name him?” “We decided on Benjamin for a boy, right?” “Yeah,” Dom smiled down at his son – his first boy. “Hi, Benji. I’m your Daddy.” “Yeah, you keep being cute with him. I have something I need to do.” “Oh? What’s that?”

63. “Have the second one!” Another wave of contractions hit Alice, but thankfully this labour passed by much quicker. Before she knew it –

65. “-a sister,” Alice finished just as she held the third child, a daughter this time, in her arms. Like both the boys she had her father’s light pink eyes and like Topher she had Alice’s skintone, but unlike either of her brothers she had her grandmother’s black hair. “You name this one,” Dom said, slightly dazed – he didn’t think there’d been any cases in recent history of three children being born from one pregnancy. It was a little hard to take in.

66. “Okay,” Alice shifted her daughter into her arms, supporting her head and thankful that she wasn’t going into labour yet again. “How about... Daisy? Benji, Topher and Daisy Huerta?” “That sounds perfect.”

67. Shortly after the birth of the Huerta triplets and a big milestone in on pair of sims’ lives, another two sims had reached a milestone of their own. James and Henry sat down to dinner at the end of their first day of college. They’d arrived that morning and had been directed to a newly built dorm where the first thing James had done was dye his hair back to red and pull on what could only be described as a raver’s outfit. Henry had updated his image slightly as well, but had put far less effort into it – changing his clothes, pulling out his old glasses and ruffling his hair before heading out to face the day.

68. “So what do you think?” James asked at the end of the day as he all but threw himself into the chair opposite Henry.

69. “Well, the food’s kinda...” Henry’s eyes flickered down to his bowl, “gloopy.” “No, not about that!” James shook his head vigorously. “I mean about – everything else! Doesn’t it suck we got dumped in this place ‘stead of the dorm with the others?” “But this place is nice...”

70. “Seriously?” James asked, eyebrow raised. He shook his head. “Whatever you say, bud. So – hey, have you thought about your term paper yet? Or any of the assignments? Or-”

71. “It’s the first day!” Henry replied incredulously. “Don’t tell me you’ve already started them.” “Try finished,” James grinned back at him. “What? You try having two knowledge sims for older siblings – they rub off on you! What have you been doing anyway?”

72. “Err, well, there was this girl, Erin-” “Black Mohawk and glasses?” “That’s her – anyway we kinda hit it off after class and, well, I think she might be The One.”

73. “It’s the first day!” James pointed out sceptically. “Don’t tell me you’ve already got a crush on her.” “Actually I think I’m in love,” replied Henry as a blush coloured his cheeks. Then added, his eyes glinting, “you try having two romance sims for older siblings – they rub off on you.” “Ah, touché.” “Besides, I’m not the only one who’s might have found someone. You seemed pretty taken with whatshername – Kyra?”

74. “Kiera,” James corrected. He shrugged. “Yeah, she’s pretty cute and all.” “Hah! I knew it!” “Yeah, but I’m not going to fall in love with someone the same day I meet them. I’m not even sure I want to date her.”

75. “Really? Why not?” “She’s a family sim.” “Ah, that exp- hey!”

76. True to his word, James didn’t begin dating Kiera as Henry suggested he might. While Henry pursued the mohawked, bespectacled Erin with the tenacity that only a family sim could muster, James spent very little time around the other redhead in the dorm. Truth be told, James didn’t exactly spend much time at the dorm. He was too busy out meeting people, making the contacts he’d need in his career after he graduated. And, well, the rest of campus was so much more interesting than the dorm.

77. Even Henry had to admit that. James managed to drag his friend to campus most of the time and they came across a wider range of people than either had known exist, from friends from back home, to students in an odd uniform who seemed to show up anytime either of them left the dorm, strange men in monocles and top hats and even a witch on occasion. And despite James’ protests at the start of the semester, that there wasn’t any point in getting involved with anyone so soon there was one person who just kept turning up, one person who James just kept noticing, one person who James just got along with so easily and with whom time seemed to fly so much quicker. Yes, it was fair to say that James was falling for one Ally Reeves.

78. It wasn’t just as Henry and James’ dorm where time seemed to be speeding by. Ed, Dec and Amelia’s dorm was similarly afflicted, the constant stream of visitors making it hard for even Amelia with her maxed skills to keep up with her schoolwork.

79. In the Greek House too, time was flying by, due in part to the other students visiting the Greek House – there always seemed to be at least three people who didn’t lived there at the house at any one moment, some of whom were obviously getting rather... close. The regular toga parties that Ivan insisted that they throw at least once a week helped speed time along. However what perhaps caused time to pass quickest of all was a gift one of Ruby’s dates had left outside the house – a superpowerful telescope. The fallout of every one in the house using that telescope was entertaining for everyone.

80. Well, everyone except Todd. “Aw man, that’s the fifth time this week,” he moaned as the spacecraft deposited him back at the university with only vague recollections of what had happened to him over the past few hours. “And I wasn’t anywhere near the ‘scope this time!” Needless to say, it didn’t take too long before Todd took to spending all of his nights inside. He might be a knowledge sim, and he might enjoy the abductions, but he was a college senior and there was only so much study time he could afford to miss out on.

81. With all these alien abductions, toga parties and everything else, before everyone knew it, it was the end of the semester, and for some it was the end of college. Bayley and Cole both graduated without fuss or a party. Neither twin had ever been particularly outgoing, and neither felt any desire to celebrate the end of their college lives with a graduation party. Besides, they would be going to a party not too long after they got back to Quaver Kanyon anyway, for it was time for a certain little girl to get a little bit bigger.

82. “Mama! Me grow big!” little Vicki Brown declared quite firmly on the morning of her birthday. Kate chuckled a little as she bent down to pick up the most recent addition to her family. “Yes you will,” she said. “But first we need to get you walking properly, don’t we?”

83. Kate carried her youngest into the kitchen, and after a quick dose of smart milk and grabbing a thinking cap she was all set to finish off Vicki’s final toddler skill. It had been an exhausting ride. Truthfully Kate had forgotten how tiring and demanding toddlers could be.

84. Kate and Waylon had quickly rediscovered some of the things they had forgotten about toddlers, such as how they had a tendency of keeping their own hours. Just like their other kids hadn’t, Vicki didn’t follow the same sleeping pattern as adults. She would sleep for a few hours before demanding to be let out of her crib. She’d spend the next few hours tiring herself out, getting into everything before she nodded off again. And while Waylon and Kate were pretty good at putting her back in her crib before she nodded off, occasionally they didn’t quite catch her before the toddler decided to curl up on the floor and sleep there. And, well, no parent likes the thought of waking a sleep toddler.

85. The day wore on quickly, and while it took longer than Kate would have liked eventually Vicki was walking like a pro. Just in time too, as the guests started to arrive. In the nursery, Kate took one last look at the toddler in her arms. Vicki giggled. “Ready to get big, Vick?” she asked. “Yah! Want cake!” Well, that answered that.

86. Kate carried Vicki into the kitchen for the second time that day. Now the guests had all arrived – kept carefully down to just immediate family, plus husbands and fiancés too, of course. And even for as few people as there were, relatively speaking, the kitchen was still crowded, far more crowded than it had been in a long time – ever, really. It was... Wonderful.

87. The sun had just set then Kate finally leaned over the cake with Vicki, the candles lit and the toddler eagerly trying to blow them out. She wasn’t have much success. Laughing, Kate discreetly blew the last couple of flames out and prepared for life once again with a child in the house.

90. Vicki wobbled slightly as she landed, taking a second to get used to her new, higher centre of gravity. Once she regain her balance she took in her now bigger body – she was tall! And she had bigger ahdns! And she could reach everything she couldn’t as a toddler and – “Yuck! I hate these clothes!” Vicki declared as she caught sight of her sleeve then looked at the rest of the outfit she grew up in. “I thought you might,” Kate said. She nodded towards the stairs. “I got you some more clothes yesterday, they’re in your room upstairs.”

91. “We have an upstairs?!” Evidently, Vicki didn’t need to be old twice. She was off in a flash, running as fast as her legs would carry her to explore the one part of the house she had never seen before.

92. After looking into all of the room upstairs – all of which turned out to be much less interesting than she’d expected – Vicki finally stepped into what could only be her room. She rummaged through the clothes in the wardrobe for a few moments, grimacing at most of the clothes her mother had picked out. They just weren’t for her. Then, finally, she fou8nd something right at the back of the wardrobe. She pulled it on and grinned. “Perfect.”

93. After quickly brushing her hair out, Vicki was ready to finally get to know all her brothers and sisters.

94. Vicki’s birthday kick-started what would be the first of many seasons of birthdays this generation. Only a day or two later over in Bluewater saw the next birthday with the youngest Jacquet finally reaching her toddler years. It was agreed by all that Nadine was simply adorable.

95. ... And would soon be joined by an equally adorable baby brother or sister. Perhaps a little too soon for her mother’s liking, but that’s what happens when you have unprotected woohoo and cause your creator to headdesk.

96. And only just after Nadine’s came the Huerta triplet’s birthday, a day that Alice and Dom were both eagerly awaiting for it meant there would no longer be three screaming babies in the house, but also dreading for it also meant there would be three screaming toddlers to replace them. So it was with mixed feelings that Dom and Alice – who was also pregnant once again and the cause of much headdesking brought their three babies to the cakes and grey them up.

97. Immediately after all three were grown, their clothes changed and their hair brushed, Alice made sure to snap a picture of her babies. It would prove to be one of the few times when Benji, Topher and Daisy were all awake, clean and happy for the entirety of their toddler years. Like Nadine, these three were deemed adorable right away. Unlike Nadine, these three were also deemed to be trouble as they proceeded to run their parents ragged for the foreseeable future. (Daisy’s in the middle, obviously. Benji’s to her left, with the paler skintone and lizard shirt, Topher’s in brown on the right.)

98. Back at the university life was still going at it’s usual mile a minute pace. You blinked and you missed out on enough gossip to see you through an entire month anywhere else. Like how Professor Kevin Chalmers was seen fraternising repeatedly with one of the Greek House girls.

99. Or how Todd Merton had managed to get himself abducted for – geez, what was it now? The tenth time this year? The aliens really like that boy.

100. Or how Todd’s vampire brother had finally proposed to his girlfriend now they were seniors, fulfilling a want she’d had locked since they were freshmen, a want which Ivan had refused to roll a corresponding want to the entire time. Really, it was enough to make you question who was the romance sim here.

101. Indeed, before anybody realised it a whole semester had passed since Bayley and Cole graduated and now it was Todd’s turn. And after a brief conversation with Ivan about how sims with 0 outgoing points are more likely to roll fears of graduation parties than wants for them, Todd grew up once again without any fuss or bother. He also cunningly grew up in his gym clothes so no one would see the awful clothes he undoubtedly had on underneath.

102. And the next couple of days? Bayley and Cole finally had their weddings.

103. Wise men say only fools rush in

104. But I can’t help falling in love with you

105. Should I stay?

106. Would it be a sin?

107. If I can’t help falling in love with you

108. Like a river flows surely to the sea

109. Darling so it goes

110. Some things are meant to be

111. Take my hand, take my whole life too

112. For I can't help falling in love with you

113. Like a river flows surely to the sea

114. Darling so it goes

115. Some things are meant to be

116. Take my hand, take my whole life too

117. For I can't help falling in love with you

118. For I can’t help falling in love with you. Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling in Love

119. Sterling hugged the little boy who hopped out of the social worker’s car tightly. “So you’re Griff,” he said, pulling away after a minute or two. “Yep,” the boy said, clinging to Sterling for a moment longer. “I’m Griff Beckett now.” “You go ahead inside, son. I need to finish signing some paperwork with your social worker here, but your Dad and me set up your room for you. Got some clothes picked out we thought you might like too.”

120. Little Griff raced inside at once. He sped up the stairs and quickly found his room – all done up in a racing theme. It didn’t take him long to change his hair or to pull on the clothes his new dads had bought him. Suddenly his future was looking a whole lot brighter than it had yesterday.

121. “I can’t believe you’re actually sitting on that bed,” Galahad said, eyebrow raised as he looked over to the other side of the room. “Everything’s all so – pink over there! And girly! It’s almost... Blinding. I think I’m gonna have nightmares.”

122. “Think yourself lucky, I have to live with this,” Tessa said from her spot on the other bed. She gestured around at the entirety of that side of the room, her younger sister’s side which was completely pink and purple and plastered with so many girly posters that in some spaces you couldn’t even see the pink plaster below. “Still doesn’t explain why you sat over there.” “So I don’t have to look at it, duh,” Tessa blew a stray lock of hair from over her eye. She shifted slightly on the bed, scowling momentarily down at the skirt of her uniform. “I hate this stupid thing.”

123. “Quit complaining, Tess. You’ve only got yourself to blame for that uniform.” “I have not!” “Oh, so it wasn’t you who spent months convincing her mother that school wasn’t – what was it? The tool of the bourgeois for controlling the proletariat? Or spent ages telling her dad that private school really was the only option for his children’s education?” Tess shrugged uncomfortably. “So my knowledge sim tendencies got the better of me,” she said before going on the offensive. “It’s not like you’ve never had trouble with your aspiration unless...”

124. Tess leant back on her hands and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “... the rumours about your run-in with the matchmaker are true. Are they?”

125. “I don’t know what-” “I knew it!” Tessa exclaimed, cutting Galahad off. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. You’ve always been a terrible liar. So spill, who did she set you up with?” “David Gothier,” he replied. Tess gave him a blank look. “You know – red hair, doesn’t do much with it, small nose-”

126. “Oooooh, you mean Davey Gothier, he’s fine,” Tess interrupted. She paused. “But he’s like mega-straight.” “And that’s why the date lasted less than a minute.” “Ah. Well it was just one dud of a date. That’s not too b-” “I asked the matchmaker for another date.” “Okay, I’m listening.”

127. “You know, somehow I always forget how much of a gossip you are,” Galahad rolled his eyes. “Oh shut up and tell me,” Tessa was getting impatient now. “Fine, fine,” Galahad sighed. “Anyway, I told her that I didn’t want a straight boy this time.” “She didn’t.” “She did. Kana Darga. Lasted a whole two minutes before she started telling me how she used to make out with my sister.”

128. “Still, two bad dates-” “It’s happened six times now – with three different gypsies. I haven’t even had my first kiss yet!” “It’s still not so bad. Lots of people don’t get their first kiss until college.”

129. “You’ve had yours,” Galahad replied, a tad bitterly. “Yeah, and regretted it. I mean, it was with Goopy Garth of all people!” said Tessa, genuine horror in her voice. “Still...” “Hey, if you want to kiss Goop then you’re welcome.” Galahad didn’t respond to that.

130. The pair sat in silence for a few moments, each gathering their thoughts. Tessa watched her friend carefully, waiting for him to get to what was really bothering him. Finally she grew impatient. “What did you want to talk about, anyway? I know it’s not your love life or mine. We talk about that enough in drama.”

131. Tessa didn’t think Galahad was going to respond at first. He closed his eyes, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Tessa watched him, taking in his appearance. He was tense, and although she’d noticed it before the bags under Galahad’s eyes were especially evident now. He looked tired and more than a little stressed, to an extent that Tessa hadn’t seen him look for a while. The pair sat in silence as Tessa waited for Galahad to speak. Time passed slowly, the only sound to be heard was the chirping of the birds outside and the clicking of the clock by the door. Tessa was about to speak again when Galahad spoke.

132. “I’ve been having those dreams again.” Any thoughts of joking around fled Tessa’s mind. “The ones with-”

134. “That other kid? Yeah, those ones.”

135. “They’re kinda freaky,” Tess suppressed a shudder. Hearing about those dreams always weirded her out. “You get up to anything different in them this time?” “Not really, we’re just...”

138. “... Playing. Like all kids do.” “Just playing?” “Yeah. Well... We go roller skating.” “Really? You any good?” “Err...”

142. “Sure, let’s go with that. Me and Nev were the greatest skaters since – I dunno, whoever sang that song about that skater boy.”

143. “Okay, one, I am definitely updating your CD collection,” Tessa cut him off before he could say any more. Galahad chuckled. “Two – who’s Nev?”

144. Galahad’s looked away. Again, he was quiet for a while. “It’s...” he began again after a minute or two, “her name. I got that from last night’s dream.”

145. “Neville’s... A weird name for a girl,” it was all Tessa could come up with at the moment. She stared down at the floor, at her sister’s purple fairy princess rug before glancing back to Galahad. “Have you though about telling your parents? Maybe they’d have a clue what this is about.”

146. “Because, yeah, that’d go over so well,” Galahad paused for a split second, putting on a happy, oblivious expression. “’Hey Mum! Dad! I know you’re super busy and all, what with Todd’s wedding, Ivan’s graduation and wedding, figuring out what the frig the aliens were talking about when they abducted Dad, researching pregnancies between same-sex couples for when Amelia comes home and takes over the legacy and – oh yeah – your jobs, but I’ve been having some dreams!’ I can just imagine it now.”

147. “Fine, ignore my advice then,” Tessa waved the conversation off and began searching for a new topic – they’d get nowhere with this current one. “Hey, did you see Asylum last night? The new series started last night and it’s a-maze-ing!”

148. “No way, Tess. You know I’m much more of a Bachelor Challenge kind of guy.”

149. A new day dawned over at Académie Le Tour. The sun rose over a beautiful blue sky and the mist slowly dissipated over the hills. It was the start of a new semester, for some exactly the same as any other but for others it was the very last semester they would spend before their adults lives began.

150. For some of the students in their final semester it started just as every day did. Some got out of bed, had breakfast and started studying. Others... “Ah! The sun! I must flee!” Well some student never did get the hang of mornings.

151. Ruby started the semester much like she started every other day: on a date with a guy she liked. That the guy was a professor was neither here nor there. She didn’t care, he didn’t care, and eventually the rumour mill had stopped caring. But this date... Well it was a little different.

152. Ruby and Professor Kevin had hit the juice bar pretty hard during this particular date. She was feeling more than a little lightheaded. Kevin too was looking a little rosy cheeked and his eyes were a little unfocussed. Neither was exactly thinking clearly, which really can be the only reason why committed romancer Ruby did what she did next.”

153. Stifling a drunken giggle, Ruby dropped down to one knee. She looked up at Kevin for one moment. “Kevin, my love!” Ruby said in as overdramatic a fashion as she could muster, all the time fighting back another giggling fit. “Marry!”

154. Kevin glanced between Ruby and the ring she pulled out.................. “Sure,” he said, his words slightly slurred. “Might as well.” “Great! Now to the bedroom! We must celebrate with much woohoo!” Well, at least they’d enjoy their celebrations even if their hangovers would be a touch worse than normal.

155. “Ruby,” Kevin said slowly several hours later as he woke up in bed next to Ruby, head throbbing slightly and with a fuzzy memory. “Am I imagining things or did we get engaged this morning.” Well, it was certainly one way to start your last semester.

156. Ruby’s proposal might have been the first proposal of the semester, and it was certainly was the least planned proposal, it was far from the only one. In the days that followed Amelia proposed to her girlfriend, Ichelle, and was shortly followed by Ed and Dec proposing to Stacy and Knut.

157. Rather unsurprisingly, the answer was yes every time.

158. That semester time was, well, a blur at college. At the boys’ dorm Henry and James spent most of their time building relationships, either with their girlfriends Ally and Erin, or with one another and the rest of their dormmates. The rest of their time was spent either studying or, and this was much more likely, over at the Greek house.

159. As for the Greek House, they had two popularity sims in residence as well as a whole host of very outgoing sims of varying aspirations. The toga parties were pretty much a given.

160. As with all parties, the inevitable happened and some people saw some things they didn’t want to see... “Can you please put some clothes on, Ichelle?” Todd fought back a shudder during one of the parties – he’d never been all that comfortable with that much flesh on display, and he doubted it would ever change. “No she can’t,” Amelia cut across Ichelle’s reply. “I like her just like this!” “You can’t keep me in my underwear forever, you know,” Ichelle whispered in Amelia’s ear. Amelia grinned. “But I can certainly try.”

161. ... And of course situations only got more complication after hitting the juice. “Those clothes look too tight, lemme take them off you!” “But I only came over to talk about breaking off the engagement!” “And we can do that in our underwear. Now strip for me, elfy.”

162. In fact with so many parties, and so much happening on campus in general, Ruby, Gemma, Gideon and Ivan could hardly believe it as the four of them posed for the camera in their caps and gowns. They had all done it – they’d graduated, and graduated with honours too.

163. All that was left to do was to have a party – thrown by Ivan, with everyone invited of course. It was a roof raiser, thanks in part to all of the couples, well, I’m sure you can guess.

164. And then it was time. College was over for four sims and it was time to head back to Quaver Kanyon to start their adults lives. Ivan graduated Cum Laude in Drama, with a GPA of 3.7. Not bad, considering he had earn most of it through assignments and term papers.

165. Ruby and Gemma both graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a GPA of 3.9 in psychology – hardly surprising for anyone who remembered the twins’ tendency toward such things from when they’d initially rolled the same LTW as teens.

166. And finally Gideon made the phone call last of all, graduating with a GPA of 3.9 and a degree in physics.

167. And this is where I leave you, with pictures of the toddlers of gen three being cute. Once again, sorry for the delay in this chapter. Hopefully RL won’t get quite so much in the way now though.