4.41 Meet The Parents

**Warning: Language, long**

Ok, so I normally do my authors note at the end, but it would feel like I was interrupting something. A little disclaimer, I know nothing about chemistry and just googled 'corrosive chemicals' - you'll know what bit I'm on about. Enjoy!

  "I told him." Elise fumed. "I told him he liked her, but rather than admit that he has to be a baby and turn it into a fight."
  "Chill. We called it." Arlandria handed Elise the lit cigarette, blowing the smoke from her lungs long and slow. "What's it to you anyhow?" She asked, watching the smoke dance away on the light evening breeze.
  "Well she's going to be round my house all the time now, isn't she? I can handle Autumn, you just need to shout loud enough and Kaity will come and ground him... But Trisha?" Elise took a long drag on the cigarette before passing it back to her friend.
  "Yeah, she's something else." Arlandria yawned, wiping a stray flake of ash from her top.
  "Entirely." Elise agreed. The girls sat in silence for a minute while they passed the cigarette back and forth, before Arlandria finished it and flicked the butt into the bushes nearby. "Did Josh ask you to prom?" Elise broke the silence.
  "Yeah. Thanks for setting that up. Do you think he'll put out?" Arlandria grinned.
  "Ew!" Elise made a face. "I don't wanna know. 'Sides, we're fourteen..." She trailed off, not really knowing how to finish that sentance.
  "So what? Age is just a number, when you're ready, you're ready. That's what Mrs. Peterson said in sex ed."
  "Yeah, but I think she meant so we didn't feel like we had to have sex just because we'd turned sixteen." Elise pointed out, staring at the ground infront of her. Arlandria kept quiet, sensing her friend was a little uneasy talking about this subject.
  "We should probably go home." She mused. "I wonder if Trisha will be at yours making kissy face with Tummy." She giggled.
  "I doubt it." Elise's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! I bet he's keeping it a secret! I can't wait to tell Kaity." She burst out laughing. "When the twins got boyfriends, she organised this whole 'meet the family' thing where all the cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents and great grandparents came over."
  "Please invite me!" Arlandria cackled, imagining the awkward introductions already.
  "Maybe Josh will invite you and you'll get to meet the family too." Elise winked, before jumping off the wall.
  "Hah!" Arlandria laughed, joining her friend at ground level. "Can't see me being accepted into the Lansing family all to well, can you?"

***

  "Don't you dare!" Autumn shouted, grabbing Elise's arm and pulling her back towards him.
  "Ow! That hurt!" Elise turned to face him. "She's gotta find out at some point. Unless you're embarrassed? Are you embarrassed of your girlfriend?"
  "No, I just don't want to tell my parents yet. We've been dating six hours, it's hardly serious."
  "But she's your first love, Autumn!" Elise mocked.
  "Shut up!" He hissed, yanking on her arm.
  "Stop doing that! It hurts!" Elise kicked him in the shin and he pulled her arm again in retaliation. "You're gunna break my arm!"
  "Stop being a baby." He accused, finally letting go. Elise instantly rubbed her wrist.
  "I hope that leaves a mark. You're gunna be in so much trouble." She spat.
  "Oh, and I wonder what your dear Papi would think of you smoking, drinking and doing ecstacy." Autumn smirked as Elise's face fell.

  "How- You- How did you know?" She stammered quietly.
  "I know everything." Autumn replied cryptically.
  "Are you psychic like your parents?" She whispered.
  "No. I just have eyes everywhere." The pair fell into silence, Elise absent-mindedly rubbing her wrist while Autumn smirked at her, each studying the other carefully.

  "You wouldn't, would you?" Elise breathed uncertainly.
  "That depends. Fair's fair, a secret for a secret."
  "It was just one time, Autumn."
  "So? Do you think that will matter? He can forget about the drinking because that doesn't affect you as a vampire anyway, and the smoking... Well, who ever heard of a vampire with cancer? But ecstacy's different."
  "I won't do it again. It made me really sick." Autumn just shrugged and continued staring into her eyes. "I won't breathe a word about Trisha." She promised finally.
  "Then your secret's safe." Autumn agreed, turning to walk towards his room.
  "But Autumn." He turned back to face her. "I'm not just being a bitch, there really is something weird about her. If my Papi ever agrees to teach me to read minds-"
  "Leave it, Ellie. I'm old enough to make my own decisions about who I date, and I don't need you reading her mind."
  "But-"
  "And that goes for anyone else I date after her." He finished, heading to his room and closing the door behind him.

***

  "What do you think?" Kaity asked, eyeing herself critically in the mirrored walls.
  "I think I prefer the last one, but honestly you should be a wedding dress model or something because they all look so amazing on you." Shaena responded, tempted to join her friend in trying on dresses.
  "Stop saying that!" Kaity laughed. "But I prefer the last one too. This one's too... I dunno. Something."
  "It's too something?"
  "Yeah, you know what I mean."

  "Though I do like the colour of this one better." Kaity added, turning to face her cousin.
  "Yes, that colour suits you better, I think the other was too pink."
  "Really?!" Kaity scolded, Shaena giggled. "Hun, there's no such thing as too pink."
  "Ok, sorry." Shaena laughed. "This lighter pink looks better on you though."
  "No, this shade is just more wedding-y." Kaity corrected, turning back to the mirror again and sighing. "I really want that first one. It was so perfect."
  "But it was two hundred simoleons over your budget." Shaena reminded her.
  "I know, I know." Kaity smoothed the dress down and sighed again. "What do you think I'd have to do to get Winter to give me some more money for the dress?"
  "Kaity, he's been more than generous, don't put him on the spot."
  "But I'm his princess." She pouted, turning back to face Shaena as her phone started ringing on the sofa. "Is that him?"
  "Yes." Shaena replied, looking at the screen before handing it to her.

  "Baaaabyyyy?" Kaity put on her sickly sweetest voice as she answered the phone.
  "Oh no. Now what?" Winter joked on the other end.
  "Is there any movement on the budget for my dress?" Shaena shook her head disbelievingly, hearing her friends request.
  "What kind of movement?" Winter sighed.
  "Uhm... Two hundred simoleons..." Kaity replied sheepishly. Winter sighed again on the other end, and there was a pause. Kaity bit her lip in anticipation.
  "No, Kaity. Not unless you take the two hundred from something else."
  "Oh Winterrrr!" Kaity whined.
  "No." He reiterated.
  "Well where am I supposed to magic two hundred simoleons from then?!"
  "The same place you expected me to, I suppose? And don't make me out to be the bad guy either. You've got more than enough money to buy a dress that you'll only wear for a few hours. We're flying your entire family out of the country, Kaity. We have a budget we need to stick to."
  "Fine. Whatever. What did you want?" Kaity sighed, Shaena stifled a giggled at the grimace on her face.
  "Well, I rang to tell you that I think we've worked out that stone pillar and how it works, so we can sit down and talk about that later, but I've got to stay a couple extra-"
  "Are you kidding me, Winter?!" Kaity cut her fiance off angrily. "Your son is bringing his first girlfriend over for dinner tonight, or did you forget you have a family?! What, are you not going to be there for dinner now? You can't spend all your life at work!"
  "I know, I've not forgotton! I'll be home for dinner, I promise. And I won't work any extra for the rest of the week, and I'll even come home early one day and sweep you off your feet. That ok?"
  "No. It's not ok, Winter. Don't you remember last time you stayed late? You said you'd only do a couple hours and didn't get home until gone midnight."

  "Kaity..." Shaena tried to remind her friend they were in public, but all she got was a hand in her face shutting her up.
  "Kaity, last time I stayed late one of the lab technicians broke a test tube of chloroproponic acid and I had to help clean up. I promise I'll be home for dinner."
  "And what if you're not?"
  "What do you mean? I will be."
  "Well, if you're not, how will you make it up to me?"
  "I don't know, but I won't give you an extra two hundred simoleons to spend on the dress."
  "Oh, whatever. Bye."
  "Love you-" Kaity cut him off by hanging up the phone.

  "Shae, we're going. I'm not in the mood for this anymore." Kaity announced, heading towards the dressing room.

***

  "Mum, this is Trisha." Autumn introduced the pair, resting an arm around his girlfriends waist to show support.
  "Hello, Trisha! It's great to finally meet you." Kaity smiled warmly, welcoming the girl into her home.
  "Thank you Miss Mattell, I feel like I know you already." Trisha smiled. Kaity had a tingle run up her spine at those words, it really did feel like they'd already met, but she shrugged it off.
  "You can call me Kaity." She insisted. "My partner is working late, but he assures me he'll be here for dinner, Jaydean and Sophie, Autumn's sisters, you know them?" Trisha nodded her head yes as a response. "They're up in their room playing with makeup or something." Kaity looked around, not really knowing what to say. "This is Elise." She added, spotting the girl sulking behind her. "You already know her, though. My mum and nan are in the next room. Mum! Nan! Come meet Trisha!" Kaity called the last bit, and smiled awkwardly at Trisha as she waited for them to come through and hopefully save her from small talk. She had to remember to punish Winter for abandoning her later. He knew how much she hated things like this, she never knew what to say without embarrassing her kids.

  "WITCH!!" Lisa shouted as she spotted the unmistakable sim before her.
  "Trisha.... How....?" Taylor gasped to herself in shock. How was this possible? Trisha died of old age while the triplets were still in elementary school, how could she be standing in the room again?
  "Nan, what the hell?!" Kaity turned, appauled by her familys response to her sons girlfriend.
  "Hello, Lisa. Great to see you again, Taylor." Trisha took a few steps forward, flashing a decievingly warm smile to a very confused Elise.
  "What are you doing here?" Taylor demanded, putting on a brave face as she wrapped an arm around her mother.
  "What, you expected me to let you raise our children and never visit? You underestimated me."

  "I knew you were a psycho." Elise accused, not fully understanding what was going on.
  "Your mother sends her best." Trisha responded half-heartedly.
  "Will someone tell me what the f*ck is going on here?" Kaity demanded.
  "Trisha is your father, Kaity!" Taylor explained.
  "What?!" Autumn took a step away from Trisha, confused and repulsed.

  "What are you on about?" Kaity asked, confused. "How can she be my father? She's the same age as my youngest son."
  "It's her, it's her, it's her." Lisa repeated as she broke down crying. Taylor cradled her mother in her arms.
  "I don't know Kaity, please just get her out of here and we'll talk about it."
  "Oh, Kaity." Trisha smiled. "My beautiful youngest daughter. You're very special to me, you know? And you could be so powerful if you'd come with me and let me teach you."
  "Get out of my house!" Kaity shouted, Trisha just laughed, so Kaity grabbed her by the hair and started pulling her towards the door.

  "Mum! What the f*ck? Get off her!" Autumn still wasn't sure what to believe, but knew he didn't want his night to end like this.
  "Let her, Autumn." Elise hissed, bareing her fangs at Trisha in pain on the floor. "I've not finished my feeding lessons, Patricia. I don't mind you being my first live trial."
  "Autumn, I'll explain later. She's not your girlfriend, she's not an innocent little fourteen-year-old human, she's a centuries old witch who has tormented our family for generations. She's your grandfather, and don't say you don't believe me because you've always known I had two female parents." Kaity began to drag the witch towards the door again.

  "ENOUGH!" Trisha screamed, before disappearing into thin air, leaving a shaken and confused family in her wake.

***

  "What happened?"  Winter asked, confused, after returning home and finding the house quiet.
  "Trisha." Lisa sniffed, wiping another tear away.
  "She was Kaity's father." Taylor explained.
  "What?! Where is everyone?"
  "Autumn's in his room, bless him, I think he's blaming himself. I think the twins are with him. Shaena and Josh are still at Leightons, Kaity didn't want to disturb them-"
  "I assume she didn't want to disturb me, either?" Winter cut Taylor off, annoyed that his fiance hadn't called him home.
  "No, sorry. She went up to your room and cried for a while, then she came down and said she was going for a run to clear her head. I think she went to see Bonnie. Rose is on her way over to put some protective wards on the house."

  "Kaity went to the graveyard, alone?" Winter asked as the pieces of the puzzle slotted together in his mind.
  "Yes, I think so." Taylor looked worried at the look on Winter's face. "Why?"
  "She's not safe!" He replied, grabbing Kaity's car keys off the hook on the wall and running out the door.

***


 

Autumn felt violated. This was somehow his fault, he knew it. He'd put his entire family in danger, and the worst part was that Elise had warned him about her only a few weeks before. Why did she have to be right? When this had blown over she was going to be insufferable.

  "Knock knock." Elise said softly as she let herself in to his room, closing the door behind her.
  "Go away." He muttered half-heartedly.
  "I came to see if you were ok. Jaydean and Sophie said you wouldn't let them in-"
  "So you thought I'd let you in?" Autumn questioned. "I want to be alone."
  "Nobody wants to be alone." Elise replied, not moving from the doorway. He didn't respond, and she eventually sat beside him on the bed.

  "Wanna talk about it?" Elise asked after some minutes. Autumn just grunted, and they fell back into silence.
  "What was it about her?" He asked, finally.
  "What do you mean?"
  "You said there was something weird about her. What gave you that feeling?"
  "Oh, I dunno." Elise shrugged. "She just seemed a bit strange. Like, just not normal."
  "Like she was a reincarnation of my evil witch grandfather?"
  "No, I have to say I never saw that one coming." Elise chuckled.

  "My family is so f*cked up." Autumn sighed, turning to face her slightly.
  "Can't argue with that." Elise smiled. "But at least living here is never boring." The friends laughed a little, thinking back on the bizarre events of the evening.
  "I'm sorry I'm such a d*ck to you. You don't deserve it really."
  "Don't worry about it, it's just hormones. I'm the same to you." Elise smiled, and Autumn leaned over to brush the hair out of her face.

  "What are you doing?" Elise breathed, leaning into his embrace.
  "I don't know." Autumn admitted, before kissing her softly. "But it feels right."

***

  "I bet you would have known what to do." Kaity sighed, absent-mindedly plucking blades of grass from the ground as she spoke. "Oh, I started trying on dresses today. I wish you could have been there, just the three of us like old times. I found one that was perfect, but Winter wouldn't let me have the extra money to buy it." She sighed, ignoring the screeching of a car breaking just down the road. "I still think about you every day. Elise looks so much like you, and she's a stubborn cow like you as well." She laughed to herself, remembering when she and Bonnie were teenagers themselves.

  "Kaity!" Winter shouted as he ran towards her.
  "Great." Kaity sighed, recognising the voice. "When I want him home he's working, and when I want to be alone he comes to annoy me. Why doesn't he understand that sometimes I want some girl-time with my bestie?"
  "Kaity, we need to get out of here." Winter told her as he came to a stop beside her.
  "No, you need to get out of here. I assume my mum told you what happened tonight? When bad stuff happens I want to talk it out with Bonnie, and you know that." She replied, refusing to look up at him. "Plus, I'm still mad at you."

  "Kaity, we don't have time for this." Winter sighed, grabbing her arm and tugging gently to try and get her to stand.
  "No, I don't have time for you. I want to talk to Bonnie, there's a lot I have to tell her and I don't want you invading our privacy."
  "Kaity. I'm serious, please. I'll explain in the car."

  "No, I'm sorry, but I never get time to just sit and think, what with the kids and work and the wedding. You go away all the time, and don't have to think about running the house or forcing the kids to do homework or anything like that, you have time to be alone and think about whatever's on your mind, so let me do it for once."
  "Kaity, please, stop being difficult."
  "I'm not being difficult!"
  "You came to the graveyard, on your own, at night, after finding out there was an evil witch in town."
  "Oh chill out! I'm a big girl, I can look after myself."

  "Kaity, the stone pillar. Someone had to put the magic in there. When you tried to have a vision about it, you formed a connection, and the magic stored inside transferred to you. That's how you became a fairy."
  "But who would keep their magic in a stone in such a public place?" Kaity asked, calming down.
  "I don't think they were storing it, I think they left it there for you to find."
  "Well who-"
  "Trisha." Winter answered, cutting her off.
  "Oh." Kaity breathed, eyes wide.

 Sarcastic slow clapping sounded behind them, and they both turned to see the source.
  "Well done, Winter. I always knew you'd choose wisely, Kaity, and that you have. Pretty and clever."
  "What are you doing here?" Kaity demanded, scrambling to her feet.
  "Well, you kicked me out of your house, so I came to see my Jackson."
  "My grandfather? Look you obsessive little bitch, why don't you just leave my family alone?

  "Jackson was my first love, but he abandoned me. He walked all over me then moved away for a better education. How do you think that made me feel? I came to visit him and caught him kissing that Lisa. I told myself to forget about him, but I couldn't. He was the love of my life and we were meant to be together. I decided to move here. There was no way I'd win him back if he never saw me again, but he was faithful to your grandmother. That was when I realised I didn't need him, I didn't need love, I needed power. I could be more powerful than any other sim in history, and all it would involve was patience."

   "You bitch!" Kaity lunged forward, but Winter grabbed her, pulling her back. "All I am to you is a f*cking lab rat?! You did this to me! What are you going to do now? Kill me?" Winter tightened his grip on her, watching the witch carefully incase she made any movements.
  "I won't let you near her. No matter what you do, you'll have to kill me to get to her, and I'm sure you know what happens when you kill a genie." Winter threatened.

  "Hmm, now this is interesting. Yes, you've got a good catch here, Kaity. Hold on to this one." Trisha took a few steps closer and Kaity swiped at her with her hand, but she'd kept enough distance to be safe. "No, I'm not going to kill you. The original plan was to take your powers once you'd got the hang of them. Your psychic powers are ready for harvesting, and you've always been a natural at your fairy powers, which I always found strange as you were born a witch but can't even conjure a simple apple."
  "What do you want?" Kaity demanded, finally relaxing and letting Winter hold her.
  "Well, a psychic fairy witch is one thing, but then, just as I was thinking it was all over because I'd picked the wrong sister, you met a genie."
  "No!" Kaity shouted, swiping at her again.
  "Yes." Trisha smiled. "A wingless fairy witch genie, now that's an offer too good to pass up."
  "Stay away from my son!" Kaity cried, Winter considered letting her attack the woman, but he wasn't sure it would help.
  "Well, who knows? Maybe now he's single again he'll shack up with your pet vampire?" Trisha laughed at the tears of anger rolling down Kaity's cheeks.

  "NO!" Kaity screamed, lunging forward one final time as Trisha disappeared before their eyes. "Stay away from my son!" She repeated as the electric sparkles fizzled out and Winter's grip on her loosened.

  "Winter..." Kaity whispered, turning in his arms. "Winter, what will we do?" Winter looked into her tear-filled eyes, they were begging him to fix it all, just like he was wishing he could, but deep down they both knew there was nothing he could do.

   "Lets go home." He replied, as rain began to fall around them. He wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her close. "Forget about her. If you let it play on your mind then she's won. We'll train Autumn up and make him more powerful than she expects. We'll win this."
  "I hope it works." Kaity whispered, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked towards the car.

The Hills Have Ears! #9

'TIL DEATH DO WE PARTY

OUR Krazy Kaity was spotted out at local hotspot The Grind on Friday night. It was no surprise to see her tearing up the dancefloor with her cousin and best friend, Shaena Lansing, who recently started dating DJ legend Leighton Sekemoto. It was, however, a big surprise to see an engagement ring sitting proudly on her finger! Unfortunately, there was no sign of her beau, Winter Snow, and the club bouncers seemed to be under strict orders to stop anyone approaching the star.

Luckily our cameras have a good zoom, and although we can't print in colour, we can assure you the ring is exactly to Miss Mattells tastes. Either Mr. Snow braved the jewelry shop and got it right, or Kaity picked it out herself. The ring is a brash, bold, pink diamond set in silver, it certainly makes a statement and we'd expect no less for the fiery Krazy Kaity.

Our reporter waited outside at closing time, hoping to corner Kaity about her engagement, unfortunately she was carried out by ex-flame DJ Lazy, and in her barely concious state she wasn't fit for interview. Her friends hurried her to the back of her decomissioned police cruiser, and drove off before we could ask either of them.

So, how long has Kaity been engaged? Can she really settle for one man given her past? How did he propose? And will marriage finally calm the krazy in our Kaity?

4.40 Party Spirit

**Warning: This chapter contains strong language,

drugs, alcohol, maybe even some sex and violence**

 The younger teens were settling in well at school, Autumn and Josh mainly stuck together like glue, and occasionally hung out with a few of the other boys their own age as well as the twins' boyfriends. Elise had made a new friend, Arlandria Bennett, and they'd really become good friends very quickly. Arlandria was to stop over tonight, and Elise would be staying over hers the following night. The adults all agreed this was great for Elise, as she'd never really had friends as a child.

  "She is not my girlfriend!"
  "She SO is!" Arlandria teased. "Or, at least she thinks she is." Elise cackled and Autumn shot her a look as Arlandria continued. "She follows you around like your little lap-dog, and she's always gushing about how amazing you are."
  "She's a freak!" Autumn protested.
  "You love the attention." Elise accused, grinning. She was thouroughly enjoying being the one to wind him up for once.
  "Not from her I don't!" Autumn turned to leave as Kaity walked through the front door, fumbling with the keys to the shop.
  "Tummy's got a girlfriend!" Elise chanted, making sure Kaity heard.
  "Tummy?!" Arlandria burst out laughing, and Autumn tossed Elise a death-look.
  "Oh my plumbob, my baby boy!" Kaity cooed, pulling Autumn tight to her and squeezing him.
  "MUM!" Autumn shouted, forcefully pushing himself free.
  "Ow! Be careful!" Kaity scowled.
  "You're so embarrassing! She is NOT my girlfriend, and neither is anyone else, and I don't even want a girlfriend because girls only exist to annoy me!"

  "What's her name?" Kaity grinned, looking straight at Autumn but expecting either of the girls to answer rather than him.
  "Patricia Robison." Arlandria announced, watching Autumn's stoney expression with glee.
  "'Call me Trisha!'" Elise mocked, laughing.
  "Trisha and Tummy, sitting in a tree..." Arlandria began chanting.
  "If you f*cking dare call me that at school...!" Autumn threatened, cutting her off.
  "Autumn! She's a guest, we don't abuse our guests!" Kaity reprimanded, slapping his shoulder lightly.
  "I can abuse any guest I want if they abuse me, and I hardly abused her anyway! Are you f*cking blind or something, woman?!"
  "Oh my plumbob!" Arlandria gasped before Kaity had a chance to respond. "Do you seriously talk to your mother like that?! That is disgusting! If me or Ellie had mothers we'd never dare be so disrespectful, I hope you're ashamed of yourself." Arlandria's parents had died when she was just a baby, her mother in a car crash, and her father from a drug overdose as a result. She'd spent most of her life in various foster homes in Bridgeport, until her aunt had taken her in a few months earlier and she'd moved to Sunset Valley.

  "Thank you, Ria, but Autumn was just going upstairs to do his homework, weren't you." Kaity glared at Autumn as she spoke, and he knew that meant he was grounded again and wouldn't be able to go to the party on Friday. Whatever. It's not like he even cared anyway. He sighed and marched himself upstairs, leaving the girls giggling as Kaity started talking to them about pizza or something.

***

Friday night....

  "Please come out." Kaity begged, tugging Winters hands as she pulled him towards the door a little.
  "No, someone has to watch the kids, remember?"
  "But Winter! They're fine on their own now, and we've not been out together in ages, and I wanted to say this was our engagement party." She pouted as she tried to win him over.
  "We're not having an engagement party, remember? You said you didn't see the point because you wanted a huge wedding." Winter raised an eyebrow. She wasn't going to win this time.
  "Yeah, but this isn't a party, it's just a night out."
  "Then you and Shae go and have your night out and I'll be here when you get back to hold your hair."
  "You won't need to hold my hair because I'm not even going to get that drunk." Kaity insisted. "I'm driving." She added, as if to prove a point.
  "You're driving now? I thought you were getting a taxi?"
  "No, I decided to save the money and use it for our wedding."
  "I could come and pick you up?"
  "Then who would be watching the kids?" Kaity stuck her tongue out, using his earlier point back at him.

  "Kait, the taxi's outside." Shaena announced as she came down the stairs. "You ready?"
  "Winter won't come." She scowled.
  "Then leave him here, he's a big boy."
  "Yeah but I'll be bored! Leighton will be there, obviously, so you'll just be hanging around him all night and I'll be lonely. There's no point even going."
  "Don't be silly, once we've had a couple drinks we'll be owning that dancefloor." Shaena said, trying to hurry her out the door.
  "But I'm not drinking anymore because I'm driving."
  "You're driving? Then why didn't you cancel the taxi?"
  "Because I only just decided!" Kaity pulled away from Winter and grabbed her keys from the hook on the wall.
  "So what are we going to do about the taxi?"
  "I dunno, we'll give the driver some money or something." Kaity replied, annoyed by the questions, as she opened the door.
  "Bye, then?" Winter tried reminding his fiancee that he was there. "Do I get a kiss?"
  "No, I'm mad at you." Kaity said as she walked out the door, and Shaena turned and mouthed 'sorry' as she closed it behind them. Winter chuckled to himself as he went to join the boys in the living room.

***

The Grind...

Leighton bit his lip as he spotted Shaena enter the club. The way she held herself tonight with such confidence, was enough to make his pants twitch, and that dress? He had to remind himself he was working. He spotted Kaity walking beside her, and held back a laugh at the scowl on her face. He had no idea what could be wrong, maybe she was having yet another 'falling out' with Winter over their wedding. He waited, watching them pick their way through the crowd. When the bouncer stopped them at the bottom of the podium, he signaled to the man to let them up.
  "Hey." Shaena smiled, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

  "Give me a proper kiss." Leighton grinned, catching her arm as she pulled back.
  "But you're working." Shaena pointed out.
  "So what? I've not seen you for a few days and I want to kiss my girlfriend." Shaena looked around nervously. "Nobody's watching, and even if they are I don't care." He wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm not letting you free until you kiss me." His eyes sparkled in the flashing lights, his mischievous grin daring her. She gave in, reaching on tiptoes and pressing her lips to his. He smiled against her lips, happy at his little victory, before pulling her closer and opening her mouth with his tongue, gently stroking hers, teasing, until he coaxed a response.

  "Hel-looo!" Kaity's moody voice broke into the moment. "Shae, you promised you wouldn't spend all your time up here!" Shaena broke the kiss, letting out a little laugh of disbelief.
  "We've been here about two seconds, Kaity. I'm just saying hello, then we'll go to the bar." Shaena explained, trying to calm her friend. Kaity rolled her eyes and huffed, and Leighton snorted a laugh at her.
  "What's got your knickers in a twist, baby K?"
  "Winter wouldn't come." She sighed. "It's like, he doesn't want to do anything with me any more." Both Leighton and Shaena burst out laughing at that.
  "You are such an idiot." Shaena told her, pulling out of Leightons grasp and taking her hand. "Come on. You still not drinking?"
  "Well, yeah. I drove here."
  "See you in a bit." Shaena called over her shoulder to Leighton, and he smiled and blew a kiss as a response.

***

475 Landgraab Avenue...

The party was in full swing already, quite a few teens had showed up and crammed into the small house. Someone had broken into the hosts' parents' alcohol cabinet long ago, and ignoring his pleas, everyone was enjoying downing the supply. Arlandria tugged Elise's hand, and pulled her to a bedroom away from the loud music and rowdy people.

  "Lesbian sex time?" Elise slurred jokingly as Arlandria locked the door behind them.
  "Totally." She giggled back, before sitting on the bed. "I got a present." Elise sat beside her.

   "Oh yeah?" She asked, concentrating hard on not spilling her drink as she crossed her legs. Arlandria dropped a little plastic bag on the bed between them, and Elise looked sceptically at the two small, green pills inside. "What is it?"
  "Ecstacy." Arlandria replied simply. She slowly sipped her drink as she watched her friends expression.
  "Where from?" They had recently learned about drugs at school, and Elise knew that not everything was as it seemed sometimes.
  "This guy." She replied vaguely. "I only had to show him my boobs and he just gave me them." Elise was a little shocked by this. She'd known Arlandria for a few months now, and she hadn't seemed like the kind of girl to be into that scene.  
  I guess alcohol really does change you. She thought to herself.

  "I'm not gunna force you, I just thought you might like to make the night more enjoyable." Arlandria smiled, leaning back on the bed a little.
  "F*ck it!" Elise said after a short pause for thought. Arlandria smiled and handed her one of the pills, keeping one for herself.
  "On three." She grinned. She counted down, and the girls popped the pills into their mouths, taking a swig of their drinks to wash them down.
  "I don't feel any different." Elise said after a moment or two.
  "Nah, it'll be a little bit. Do you want to just chill out in here while we wait?" Elise nodded, and the room fell silent, neither really knowing what to say.

   "Your brother's really hot." Arlandria announced after a few minutes. Elise looked at her and both girls giggled.
  "Who?" She asked, she'd not told anyone about what Kaity had told her a few years ago, so as far as Arlandria knew she didn't have any brothers.
  "Sorry, not brother. I forget because you live with him. Josh."
  "Oh thank plumbob! I thought you meant Autumn for a minute." Elise laughed.
  "Nah. I mean, he's not ugly, but he's such a d*ck that it's hard to feel anything for him." Elise nodded her agreement. "Can you get Josh to ask me to prom?"

  "Prom's not for months! But I can ask him, but I think Rosa West has her eye on him."
  "Ugh." Arlandria pulled a face. "That girl never washes her hair, he'll pick me. Who are you going with?"
  "Dunno." Elise shrugged. "I don't really like anyone. Kaity said that if nobody asked me then I'd go as Autumn's date." She laughed. "But I think he'd have something to say about that." She took a swig of her drink. "It doesn't really matter anyway, I'll still have fun if I go alone. I think Kaity just wants to take pictures of Autumn with a pretty girl on his arm." Both girls giggled at that statement.
   "Right. Let the party begin!" Arlandria announced, standing and pulling Elise off the bed, leading her out the door and back to the action.

***

The Grind...

  "I gotta pee." Kaity announced, before pushing her way through the crowded dancefloor. Shaena made her way up to the podium. She was a little tipsy by now, and wanted to stand out of the crowd for a minute. Seeing her approach, Leighton lined up a few tracks as Shaena leaned against the railing, watching the mass of writhing bodies beneath her. She smiled as her stomach did a somersault when Leightons arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her close.
  "I didn't get a chance to tell you how amazing you look tonight." He muttered in her ear before gently kissing down her neck a little.
  "Thank you." Shaena blushed, turning her head to kiss him.
  "Where's the moody one?" He asked, pulling away a little as he remembered he was working.
  "Toilet."
  "How's the not drinking going?"
  "Good, I think. She's had a few cocktails but she said they were virgin."
  "Hmm." Leighton sounded sceptical. "So she's either actually not drinking, or she's going to try to act sober later so we'll let her drive."

  "I don't want to argue with a drunk Kaity." Shaena sighed, resting her head against his. Leighton took the opportunity to sneak a kiss onto her cheek, while smelling her sweet watermelon shampoo.
  "When she comes back, get her keys and give them to me. Tell her I didn't want her to lose them while she was dancing, and then I'll sort it out later."
  "Ok. Good plan." Shaena smiled, leaning into his embrace a little more.
  "Sorry." Leighton sighed. "I just spotted Miss Moody herself. She's at the bar doing shots with a random man."
  "Great." Shaena rolled her eyes, pulling away from him. "I'll go see what's going on." They shared a quick kiss before Shaena rushed off down the steps and towards the bar.

  "I fink I had too many." Kaity slurred, her head swimming. The man laughed.
  "Me too. Who won?"
  "I dunno, I lost count." She lifted her head to look at the bartender, nearly falling off her stool backwards. "Hey lady!" She called. "Who had the mmmmostest shots?"
  "I couldn't say." The bartender sighed. "But I think you've both had your fill." Kaity was about to argue with her when a hand wrapped around her arm.
  "Kaity!" Shaena looked a bit angry. "What are you doing?"
  "Celebrating." The man answered for her.
  "Well, how about we go dance for a bit?" Shaena suggested, keeping a firm hold of Kaity's arm because it felt like she was the only thing holding her up. "I guess you're not driving?"
  "Oh! I forgot, sorry. Can you drive?"
  "Probably not." Shaena sighed.
  "Don't worry, I'll pay for a taxi. But first you still owe me a dance." Kaity tried standing, and got the heel of her shoe caught on the kick-bar of the stool. She fell forward, but both Shaena and the man managed to stop her from smashing her face into the bar. "Whooppsss!!" Kaity giggled, freeing her shoe and trying again, more successfully. "Thank you, Man. It's been a good night." She smiled to the man as Shaena pulled her onto the dancefloor.

Shaena laughed at her friend. Even standing up seemed to be an effort for her.
  "You're a state." She accused.
  "I know. Winter's gunna kill me." Kaity giggled. "I don't care. He should have come out and looked after me."
Shaena smiled as she thought about Kaity and Winter. One without the other didn't seem right anymore, but she remembered the days, back when the twins were tiny, when Kaity was adamant that she'd be single forever because all men wanted to do was 'get you, get off, and get out'. She remembered the little smile Kaity had the first few weeks after she'd returned from the conference. She'd never say what she was smiling about, but she knew something had happened. She wondered if she'd ever have what Kaity and Winter had; someone she was completely in-sync with.

  "I love this song!" Kaity shouted, doing some sort of chicken-twerking cross. Shaena laughed and joined her in dancing, though a little less outrageously. Eventually, the lights came on and all the revellers filed out onto the city streets. Shaena and Kaity waited for Leighton to pack up, helping themselves to some juice to sober them up a little.

  "If anything, this is making me feel more drunker." Kaity slurred, taking another big gulp of what she assumed must be pink grapefruit juice.
  "You sure it's non alcoholic?" Shaena asked, noticing the juice bubbling a little.
  "No. I don't know what this is. It's probably alcoholic." Kaity downed the rest of it before clumsily sitting on the stool beside her. Shaena shook her head and went to find Leighton.

Sitting down had been a bad idea for Kaity. After a lot of fuss trying to get her to walk to her car so Leighton could drive them home, he'd just slung her over his shoulder and walked out.
  "Leighton, there's paparazzi there!" Shaena hissed, attempting to hide her face.
  "Well, I'm sorry." Leighton sighed. "They were probably inside earlier and wanted a shot of her leaving."
  "They've got the scoop of the century now, then." Shaena shook her head, stubbornly keeping her hand infront of her face despite the fact everyone would know who she was. "Is her dress pulled down far enough?"
  "I don't know. Lets just get out of here." Leighton picked up speed a bit and Shaena trotted along behind him, struggling to speed up in her heels.

***

  "I'm so sorry." Kaity blubbed, stumbling from Leighton's arms to Winter's. "I'm sorry I didn't kiss you bye, I'm sorry I tried to pressure you to come out when you didn't want to." She sloppily kissed him, and he smiled into her lips.
  "It's ok, you're forgiven." He brushed the hair out of her face and wiped a few tears away.
  "Will you still have sex with me?" Winter, Leighton and Shaena all burst out laughing at her. "What?"
  "You and your one-track mind." Leighton teased.
  "I don't have a one-track mind. Winter, tell him." She moaned, burying her face into Winter's shirt.
  "She doesn't have a one-track mind. She also thinks about the wedding." Winter joked, and Leighton and Shaena laughed with him.
  "Winteeerrrrr." Kaity moaned, slapping his chest.
  "Poor baby." Winter cooed, hugging her tight to him. "Are you too drunk for your own good?" Kaity nodded her head against him. "Shall we get you to bed, then?" Kaity nodded 'yes' again, before pulling out of his hold and grabbing Shaena's hand.
  "I love you, Shae. Thank you for looking after me."
  "It's fine. Get some sleep." Shaena smiled. Winter scooped Kaity up and cradled her in his arms.
  "Come on Misses Fiancee. Let's get you to bed."
  "Ok Mister Fiance." Kaity yawned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "My feet hurt, can you give me a foot rub?"
  "Maybe." Winter replied, carrying her up the stairs.

  "Stay and talk a while?" Shaena suggested after theyd heard their friends' bedroom door close.
  "Sure." Leighton smiled, following her into the living room.

  "Plumbob above, Kaity! How much did you 'not' drink?" Winter asked, rubbing Kaity's back soothingly as she chucked her guts into the porcelain throne.
  "I'm sorry." She sobbed at the next chance she got, before violently lurching forward as she wretched again.
  "As long as you had fun you don't need to be sorry." Winter reassured her, catching a stray curl as it tried to fall into the line of fire, and restraining the rest her hair. "Im just surprised because you said you weren't going to drink..."
  "It's not my fault!" Kaity tried to defend herself.
  "What do you mean?" Winter asked, a little worried that maybe her drinks had been spiked.

Kaity coughed and spat out a mouthful of saliva.
  "Water." She demanded, and Winter handed her the glass by his feet. He waited while she swilled her mouth out before cautiously sitting back on her heels. "It was that stupid guy I was doing shots with."
  "What stupid guy?" Winter asked, annoyed that his heart sank a little at the thought of her drinking with another man. He knew he could trust her, she'd proved herself to him endless times, and she'd never even truely cheated on him in the first place... But then again, she was a beautiful, bubbly girl. What guy wouldn't try something? And if she was drunk enough maybe she wouldn't be thinking straight.... He shook his head to clear it as she started replying.
  "Just some guy. He spotted my ring and wanted to know what 'lucky chappy' had 'bagged' me. And then he bought us way too many celebratory shots. I don't even like vodka." The ease with which she explained calmed him a little. She couldn't lie in her state even if she tried.
  "That was nice of him." He responded plainly. He sat himself back against the wall, he didn't know how much longer they'd need to be in here and his feet were starting to ache from crouching.

  "You're so f*cking sexy when you're jealous." Kaity purred, scooting herself aross the floor to kiss him.
  "Jealous?" Winter questioned, turning his head to avoid kissing her pukey mouth.
  "Yeah." Kaity grinned, twirling his hair around her finger. "Of the shots-man." Winter made a face. "Don't give me that look, I could hear it in your voice." She giggled a little, turning her back and standing shakily to flush the toilet and brush her teeth quickly.
  "Ok, maybe a little." Winter smiled, watching her at the sink. "You can't say you're never jealous though."
  "Only because of that bitch Cindy." Kaity half-snapped, reaching for the mouthwash. "And she gets to go around the world with you, staying in fancy hotels, wearing nice evening gowns to nice meals. While boring, drab Kaity gets to stay at home and raise three and a half children."
  "Boring and drab-? Kaity. Can we not do this again? I'm tired, you're drunk, it's probably about five in the morning..." He rubbed his face, exasperated.
  "We're not doing this again." She stated, shutting the tap off. She sounded almost cheerful. "I just still don't get why you had to get a young, pretty, female assistant. A balding, fat, ugly man with a hairy belly button peeping out his dirty tshirt could have done just as good a job."
  "For the last time, I didnt choose her. She was assigned to me for one two day conference in Egypt because she spoke the language. Can you please forget about her?"

  "I have. I'm over her." Kaity smiled, sitting herself between his legs and wrapping her arms around his neck. "But now we've had an argument, and that means make-up sex."
  "Seriously?" Winter laughed. "Your logic is unbelieveable, Kaity."
  "I could always call up shots-man if you're not up for it. It's not like he wasn't interested..."
  "Kaity, don't even joke about it."
  "Oh there's that tone again!" She bit her lip, giggling. "Look at you, all jealous. Have I been a bad girl? Maybe I need spanking." She winked at him before leaning in to gently kiss him.
  "You'll get a slap in the face if you don't stop this." Winter teased, before kissing her back.

***

  “Stay.” She wasn’t even sure she’d said it loud enough to be heard, but the way he pulled back from the kiss to look at her told her he’d heard her.

  “Are you sure? I know I’m a horny bastard, but I can wait if you’re not ready.”

  “I’m sure.” Was she? Her heart was pounding in her chest, she’d not been this nervous since way back when she lived with Alex. He leaned in and kissed her again, but she couldn’t respond. She could feel his hands all over her, leaving dirty marks that she’d never get off. He’d tainted her. He’d ruined her and made sure she could never enjoy the company of another man again. She tried to stop the tears, but they forced their way out and she gagged as she remembered the way he used to touch her, kiss her, tell her he loved her.

  “Shae?” She opened her eyes. She hadn’t even noticed Leighton had stopped kissing her, but he had and he was staring at her, worried.

  “I’m fine.” She protested, quickly wiping her tears with her hands and forcing a smile.

  “You’re not fine. You’re not ready for this and I’m not going to push you.”

  “Push me.” She whispered. “Maybe I need pushing. Maybe if you push me you’ll push him out of my mind.”

  “And maybe you’ll forever associate me with what he did, and I don’t want that. I want us to have a chance, and we’ll never have a chance if every time you look at me you see him.” Shaena began to shake as more tears escaped her, and Leighton pulled her into his arms and cradled her, rocking her like a child.

  “I don’t see him.” She mumbled as the tears began to dry up.

  “Hmm?” Leighton asked, kissing her hair as he continued gently rocking her.

  “When I look at you, I don’t see him. I don’t see him when I look at anyone, not even Josh. I burned all the pictures I had of him in an attempt to erase him from my life, but it didn’t wipe my memory.”

  “What is it then?” Leighton asked softly. “What is it that reminds you of him?”

  “I don’t know.” Shaena shrugged. Leighton stopped rocking her and just held her, waiting for her to gather her thoughts. “I don’t know what reminds me of him… I’ll go days without thinking about him, but someone will say something, or do something, and I’ll suddenly remember.”

  “Was it the kissing?” Leighton asked, running his fingers up and down her arm soothingly. Shaena shrugged as she thought about it.

  “I don’t know. I hope not. You’re a good kisser.” She smiled shyly as he looked at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He pulled her head up to his and gently kissed her lips, before running a light trail of kisses along her jaw, towards her ear.

  “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” His husky voice whispered, sending shivers down her spine. She pulled his lips to hers, and he wasted no time in deepening the kiss. Slowly he lowered her so she was lying beneath him on the sofa. He ran a hand down her side and stopped at her waist, pulling his head back he sighed. “You need to stop me. I have very little self control, and stopping at kissing is not an option.”

 Shaena propped herself up on her elbows, lifting her head and kissing him gently.

  “I already told you, I don’t want to stop at kissing.”

  “And I told you, I’m not pushing you.”

  “Yes, but I’m fine now. I’m fine and I want you.” She blushed a little, not used to being the initiator. Leighton rested his forhead against hers, closing his eyes as he groaned.

  “You’re really not helping. ‘I want you’? Seriously? No self control, remember?” He pushed his crotch against her thigh as proof, and Shaena gasped a little, shocked by the gesture.

  “Lets go upstairs.” She breathed, wriggling out from beneath him and standing from the sofa. Leighton wasted no time in standing himself, and let her gently take his hand and lead him to her room.



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Wow, sorry for the silly-long delay, guys! So basically, February was hectic and I seemed to have a social life? IKR! Crazy. Looks like things are going back to normal now though, so I can spend all my free time simming again, phew! There was a point where I actually didn't even get to load the game for three weeks. It was awful. But anyway, I have a week off coming up soon so hopefully I can get a few chapters done so if I do end up having friends again, you won't know about it.

Right, Arlandria. I'm kinda wishing I'd chosen a shorter name now. Haha! But anyway, you may call her Ria, and she's a slightly edited Natalia Riverhaven by Misty (thank you), and she's named after a Foo Fighters song, just 'cus.