Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Chapter 33: Dangerous and Wrong


"I love you, Claire. Will you marry me?"


Claire is thrilled to accept Elliot's proposal. "Kyle's birthday is coming up, and my girls will be right behind him. As soon as my kids are all settled, you and I can can get our own place," Elliot suggests, knowing that Claire will want her own life.

"That sounds perfect," Claire answers.



Later, Elliot shares the news of his engagement with Farrell. 


"She's so much better for you than Shelly ever was," Farrell says, "It will be weird living away from you, since we've been together forever, but I know you'll be happy with Claire."

"We're not leaving town or anything," Elliot laughs, and hugs his brother to hide his tears.


"What are you going to do about it?" Cassidy asks under her breath. Though the twins are the first into the dining room, the rest of the family will join them any second now, so Cassidy is careful not to say what she means directly.

"I'm going to tell Jack today," Delaney answers, and then they drop the conversation as the table fills up around them.


Delaney gets on the school bus with her siblings and cousins, but when it lets them off at school, she runs off in the other direction, to the warehouse where Jack has been holing up since he got expelled. He isn't there when she arrives, so she sits and waits.


"Hey, why aren't you at school?" Jack asks when he comes in to find her waiting for him.

"Jack...I'm pregnant," she says, getting it out there without a bunch of preamble. "I can't go to Dr. Hawksquill, he's a friend of the family. So I thought you could take me out of town, to the city, and we'd take care of it there, privately. So my Dad never has to know."


"If that's what you want, Laney," Jack says, "But-"

"But?"

"I've been working for a guy in the city, getting some money together for us. I'll get us a place, and we could be a family."


He guides her up to the new mattresses he's bought, the start of the nest he's been working to build for her, and holds her while she cries in his arms.

"I want to be with you, Jack," she sobs, "But I'm scared."

"It's going to be okay, Laney. I can take care of us. All of us, you, me and the baby."

Her phone buzzes furiously in her pocket. "Are you going to get that?" Jack asks.

She shakes her head and nuzzles closer to him. "It's my Dad probably. It's Kyle's birthday today. They're expecting me home for cake."


"But I'm not going home," she finishes, her voice growing stronger in the confidence of her decision, "I'm staying here, with you. You're my family now."


"It will be so awesome, you and me and our baby. We're real adults, now, living on our own," she murmurs, kissing his neck, growing more enthusiastic with every word, "Oh, I love you, Jack."


"Where's Delaney?" Elliot asks, cornering Shadow and Aurora in the kitchen, "It's time for Kyle's cake."

"I haven't seen her since we got off the bus this morning," Aurora says, avoiding eye contact with her her uncle.

"Me either," Shadow agrees. They cover for each other, no matter what, so the twins keep quiet about Delaney skipping school that day, and what they know about where she went.


The family, minus Delaney, gather for Kyle's birthday.


Kyle becomes a young man.


A gifted athlete and a talented artist, charismatic and well-liked by everyone, Kyle had many options available for his future. "I've decided to take the Drakes' offer," he tells his father, "I'm joining the team. I'm going to be a professional athlete."

"That's wonderful," Elliot enthuses. He would have had the same reaction to any choice his son made, confident Kyle will succeed at whatever he does. Shelly would be pleased, if she knew, Elliot thinks with a wry smile, her son has turned out to be exactly the man she wanted him to be, all without her influence. 


"Don't be a stranger," Elliot continues, embracing his son tightly before letting him out into the world. "I'm sorry Delaney isn't here to say goodbye. I've tried calling, but she's not picking up."

"Yeah, Dad, about Delaney," Kyle says with a sigh. The pact they shared as teens to cover for each other suddenly seeming dangerous and wrong now that he has a more mature perspective, "She's in trouble...she's pregnant. I know she's with her boyfriend, but I don't know where she is. Cassidy will know though, or her boyfriend will."



"I worried about Laney," Cassidy whispers, "What if Jack gives her a hard time?'

"That's one thing you don't have to worry about," Jesse says, "He wants to marry her."

"Seriously?" Cassidy asks, "She's hardly mature enough-"


"Where's Delaney?" Elliot demands, interrupting their conversation.

"I haven't seen her-"

"Since you got off the bus this morning, I know," Elliot says, "You've all said that already. I know what's going on, Cass. She's in trouble and she's out with the boy who got her into that trouble. And you are going to tell where they are, right now."

"I don't know where they are, Dad," Cassidy says softly, glancing at Jesse.


"I do," Jesse admits, hating to betray his brother, but not as much as he hates to see Cassidy in trouble with her father, "The old abandoned warehouse, near the junkyard."


"Everything will be okay, Laney, as long as we're together."


As soon as he found out where she was, Elliot rushed out to get her. 

"Delaney! Up. Now," he growls, "We're going home."

Jack rises quickly, standing between Elliot and Delaney on the makeshift bed. "She is home," he says.


"You worthless little shit," Elliot snarls, backhanding the boy.


Even with his injury, Elliot still has his strength, and Jack is no match for him in a fight.


"Daddy, stop!" Delaney screams, jumping between them, "Don't hurt him!"

"Don't hurt him? After what he did to you---"

"Stop, Daddy. I''ll go with you. Just, leave Jack alone, okay?'

"You're coming with  me now," Elliot says to his daughter, "And you," he says, pointing at Jack, "You will never come near my daughter again, understand?"



"Laney?" Jack calls after her.

"I have to go with him, Jack," she says gently, barely glancing back at him, "I'm sorry."

"Not another word, Dlaney," Elliot growls, hurrying her out of the warehouse.


Delaney cries all the way home, all the way up to her bedroom, just repeating 'Daddy, I'm sorry," any time he tries to talk to her.


"It's all right, sweetheart," he says soothingly, holding her, "You'll always be my little girl. I'll always be here to protect you."

"Daddy, I love Jack. I want to be with him," Delaney protests.

"You think you're in love, but it's just a teenage crush. You'll get over him, you'll see."

"I won't!" she protests, but Elliot shushes her.

"You're not to see him or talk to him, you understand? I won';t see you throwing yourself away for a loser like him. Baby or no baby."


He takes her phone away before leaving her room, glancing back at her stuffed toys on the dresser, remembering his happy little girl and wondering how and when that all changed.


"I thought you were going to get rid of it," Cassidy says, sitting on the bed with her sister.

"Jack changed my mind. We're going to be a family. It' going to be awesome."

"Laney, having a baby isn't like playing dolls, and you and Jack won't be playing house. It's real life, and his life is going to be hard. I told you he'd end up a criminal, and that's exactly what's happening. Don't go down with him."

"He went down for me. He got expelled protecting me. I can't just dump him. And, anyway, I love him. I'm having his baby and we will be together. When I turn 18 Daddy can't stop me from going to him."


"I feel like this is my fault. I let them do what hey want...I should have been stricter."

"It's not your fault, Elliot. You're a great father," Claire assures him.

"If I'm a great father, why is my teenage daughter knocked up by a juvenile delinquent?" Elliot asks.

"You can't blame yourself for that," Claire insists, but Elliot is not ready to let go of the responsibility for his daughters' lives and decisions just yet.


"Laney," Jack whispers, careful not to wake her sleeping twin as he rouses her with a gentle shake.


"Jack," she murmurs, opening her eyes, "How did you get in here?"

"Too easily," he answers, "You don't even have a burglar alarm. You really should."


"Your father can't keep me away from you," he whispers as he pulls her into his arms, "Nothing can keep me away from you."

________________________________

Poor Kyle's birthday got totally overshadowed by Delaney's events. I've randomized all his traits since birth so as not influence what he would become, whether he would live up to his mother's expectations or not. And he got generally good traits like Friendly, Artistic and Charismatic, and then Loves the Heat as a teen. So I thought he might go into a more artistic career as he grew up, or potentially politics with his charisma. But while playing catch with his dad one day, he rolled a LTW to reach the top of the sports career. And I just thought that was funny, that he would actually turn out just the way Shelly wanted, but she's not around to see it. So, he signed up for the school sports club in high school, and picked up the Athletic trait as his final trait, and is on his way.

Generation 2 has had a long run, but very soon, Generation 3 will be taking over.

32 comments:

  1. Oh, poor Jack. =( I hope he has the chance to turn his life around.

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  2. Nooo! Don't break up Jack and Delaney! I think this is my first time in the story where I'm mad at Elliot.

    But I am excited to see the baby. All of your sims are so beautiful that I'm sure the little one will turn out adorable.

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    1. Aw, sorry, Tsuki. I feel kind of bad for Elliot, he's in a tough position as a father. He just wants to protect his daughter.
      I'm looking forward to seeing what this baby looks like, too.

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  3. I have to say, I'm not impressed with Delaney at the moment. She claims she's in love with Jack, but she won't stand up for him and she's made no attempt to tell her father that Jack took the fall for what she did. I'm starting to think that Jack deserves better.

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    1. I totally agree, Ali, Delaney has been pretty selfish and immature throughout.

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  4. I think I may actually agree with Ali here. Delaney is far too immature to have a baby. Even if she does love him, even if he has every intention of making her happy and providing for them, the life she would have with Jack is not what she has grown up used to. I don't know if she can handle that or not.

    As for Kyle, he grew up quite sexy. I hope that his life turns out wonderfully and he does well in sports. It's a shame Shelly missed all of her children growing up but I suppose she has what she wants now.

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    1. Gosh, yes, I do kind of shudder to imagine Delaney as a parent. She has crazy ideas about how great it will be to be an adult, with no conception of the responsibilities involved. I'm sure the reality of the situation would crush her.

      Kyle did grow up nicely. Shelly never really cared for her children, but Kyle has ended up being exactly what she wanted in a son, but she's not going to get to enjoy that.

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  5. No. No. NO. I just... dammit, Melissa! T_T

    And JUST as I was starting to think Jack was good for Delaney! Aaaargh. Okay, even with that last scene with him sneaking in to hold her I can only see this going downhill for them. Delaney just seems so cowardly by not telling Elliot what Jack did for her. Then again, it almost feels like she's just using that as an excuse now. I don't think she actually has feelings for him, but I think Jack definitely cares about her.

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    1. Yeah, I think the real feelings in the relationship are coming from Jack. He's sacrificed a lot for her, and she's done squat for him. For all the worry that he'd be the one to ruin her life, she's kind of shit all over his. And this doesn't bother her as much as it should.

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  6. The way I see it, anyone who still calls their dad "Daddy" is way to immature and spoilt to take responsibility for someone other than themselves... Things don't seem like they will end well...

    To be honest, with all the teens and the hanky panky, I was expecting a curve ball and seeing someone else pregnant.

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    1. Well, everyone agrees, Delaney is immature and childish (Actually, she has he Childish trait) and in no way ready for an adult relationship or parenthood.

      It would have been funny if I had Cassidy or Aurora turn up pregnant, since I haven't spent as much time on their teen romances. But of all the teens in this generation, Delaney was the most likely to not be responsible about her sexuality, and the most likely to have an accident. Even Shadow and Iola got their act together after their one near miss.

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  7. phew! Kyle turned out HOT!! Took my breath away and everything lol

    Jack seems like a really sweet guy who's just made the wrong choices. I feel bad for him. Delaney really is too immature for a child as every one else has said. And I agree with the others saying she doesn't love Jack the way he loves her. I didn't really expect this pregnancy, though it does fit in with the whole "Jack will ruin your life" thing. I want them to be together but I know they shouldn't.

    Also, love that the teens stick together like that. Really tight family :)

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    1. Yeah, Kyle got some nice features. Mostly he has Elliot face, with Shelley's eyes.
      Jack has made some bad choices, but he's not really a bad guy, that's true.

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  8. "It will be so awesome, you and me and our baby. We're real adults, now, living on our own". That line actually made me hate Delaney a little. She has no idea what she's getting into.

    Anyway, I'm glad to see Kyle all grown up and looking fine!

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    1. Yeah, exactly, Delaney has absolutely no clue about anything, that's exactly what I wanted to convey with that line.

      Thanks, Kyle does look good, doesn't he?

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  9. Kyle broke a sibling bond. You don't rat out a sibling even though you're an adult. He could have maybe talked to her and to Jack if he felt his new found maturity needed to be acted on. I am mad at him.
    Poor Jack. He will never be seen as the diamond I think he really is. I think Delaney is not taking this as serious as it is. She decided to abort and then whimsically decided to have a family, in an abandoned building that likely has no heat or running water. She could have handled this all so much better, but, she's wanting to be rebellious. I hope she really has feelings for Jack and is not just caught in the moment. He will be crushed.

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    1. You know that's true. My sister and I always keep each other's secrets even as grown ups.
      You are very right about Jack and Delaney. He's got the weight of his reputation that make people see him as the bad influence, and she's about as immature as they come. And she could very easily crush Jack with her flightiness.

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  10. I'm so invested in Jack and Delaney as a couple but I can't really see how they're going to recover from all of this. I totally understand Elliot's position here, but I wish Delaney would be a bit more honest with him and not revert back to her little girl act now that things aren't going her way. Poor Jack. :(

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    1. Thanks, Elly!
      Jack and Delaney do have a challenge ahead of them. It would be easier if Delaney could grow up enough to tell her father the truth, but she's not there yet.
      Poor Jack, indeed, he's taking the brunt of everything.

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  11. Uh oh--didn't Elliot read in the Parent Handbook the number one thing NOT to do when you want to discourage a rebellious teen daughter's relationship? Poor guy---if nothing else---he's made Jack more appealing to Delaney. (I get that song in my head, sung by Winger---Headed for a Heartbreak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1knO1Ip9oEg) I hope things work out for them--I still like both of them, and I hope they're able to overcome their own issues in time!

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    1. LOL, I know right!
      Elliot must have skipped that chapter.
      I still like Jack and Delaney too. She's way to immature for what she's getting into, but maybe she will grow up in time.

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  12. Aw geez...I understand Elliot's reaction, but I think he might have taken things a bit overboard. It's only going to cause Delaney to be more interested in Jack. And her feelings seem to stem more from a sense of excitement than they do of true feelings. I hope it works out...

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    1. Absolutely, Elliot has gone overboard.
      And it's true, Delaney is a daredevil and hooked on thrills, which might be a huge part of her interest in Jack.

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  13. Kyle is a very handsome Sim. I love his hair.

    Ah, Elliot, that wasn't the smartest reaction. An understandable one, but not a rational one. I feel sorrier for Jack than I do for Delaney though - I agree with everyone else that she's being rather immature about the entire affair. Being a real adult has nothing to do with age and everything to do with emotional maturity, in my opinion. She should listen to Cassidy. I can't tell if she's in love with Jack or in love with the idea of being in love...It will be interesting to watch it pan out.

    I loved the Farrell/Elliot moment at the beginning. It was very sweet, and I hope that Elliot and Claire have a very happy life.

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    1. Kyle isa nice mix of his parents. His hair color was a random mutation, but I chalk it up (in my head) to coming from Elliot's mother's side. Her daughter, Shasta, was a redhead, too. Or, I just like redheads.

      Exactly, Elliot's reaction was understandable buy just wrong and irrational. Delaney is incredibly immature and in no way prepared for having a child.

      Farrell and Elliot have such a nice relationship. I've enjoyed them since they were kids, and was so happy I was able to keep them both.

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  14. I'm sad at the thought of leaving gen. 2. :(

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    1. Me, too. I really loved Gen 2.But, they are still around during gen 3 even if the focus has shifted.

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  15. I see where Elliot's decision with Delaney comes from but it made me a bit disappointed. Even if Jack is a low-lifer right now he really should try to be more supportive. It was unfair to neglect the feelings Delaney siad she was having. :(

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    1. Elliot was acting out of pure anger. All he wanted was to get his daughter away from a guy he does not like. And he didn't thnk about how what he was doing wasn't going to help.

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  16. I don't know how to feel right now...

    Sure, Jack is a bad boy, and his life is going to be hard.
    And sure, it's not good to have a baby early...
    but, even if he isn't perfect, and even if it's going to be hard -
    doesn't he deserve to be happy? Isn't it possible they could be happy?

    I don't know. Maybe I'm just too much of a sap.

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    1. Aw,, I'm a sap too. And I do think Jack deserves to be happy.
      Elliot just sees a delinquent who'll drag his daughter down, though.

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