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A Supernatural Legacy (Founding Generation)
LunBeauty
Posts: 2,734 Member
I started this legacy about a week ago, give or take a few days and have it posted on one of the threads in the Sims 3 General Discussion. I also decided that I would post it here as well so that everyone can easily read it without having to scroll through other sim updates/stories.
It's your pretty standard Legacy, except I'm playing it in Moonlight Falls, so I'm hoping to incorporate Supernatural sims throughout the generations through marriage or potions or other means.
The founder is one of the spares from a Legacy I had a few months ago that ended up dying due to corrupt save files. I ended up finding his sim file in a back-up folder that I had. I'm also trying a slightly more narrative style rather than the observational play-style that I usually do.
I'm obviously following most Legacy rules such as no money cheats and have incorporated a few handicaps to make things a bit more challenging and fun. This is also a Patriarchy, which I've never done before. Therefore, the first born male will inherit. I'm playing with a bit of behind the times handicap as well. Some electronics are allowed, but they'll have to be the most vintage/oldest one in the build/buy category. This means no wall mounted flat screen television or huge stereo system.
Anyways, here's the first few parts of my legacy, which I hope you all enjoy!
It's your pretty standard Legacy, except I'm playing it in Moonlight Falls, so I'm hoping to incorporate Supernatural sims throughout the generations through marriage or potions or other means.
The founder is one of the spares from a Legacy I had a few months ago that ended up dying due to corrupt save files. I ended up finding his sim file in a back-up folder that I had. I'm also trying a slightly more narrative style rather than the observational play-style that I usually do.
I'm obviously following most Legacy rules such as no money cheats and have incorporated a few handicaps to make things a bit more challenging and fun. This is also a Patriarchy, which I've never done before. Therefore, the first born male will inherit. I'm playing with a bit of behind the times handicap as well. Some electronics are allowed, but they'll have to be the most vintage/oldest one in the build/buy category. This means no wall mounted flat screen television or huge stereo system.
Anyways, here's the first few parts of my legacy, which I hope you all enjoy!
1
Comments
Far away from the town of Storybrook County, a young man, perhaps in his mid to late twenties, lay on a soft patch of grass. He was completely unaware of his surroundings for it was as if he had just appeared here without any explanation. After a few short moments, he groaned and began to stir, symbolising that he was about to awaken.
His hands groped the ground beneath him. This definitely didn't feel like his bed. In fact, it felt harder, and he could smell a scent that could only be that of the outdoors. Rubbing his head, he brought himself into a standing position. The head-ache pounded as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the light. Once they did, he found that nothing seemed familiar.
He was immediately disgusted by the eyesore of what appeared to be a small house in front of him. Whoever had designed it had the most terrible building skills. Not that he was an architect, himself. Still, it was easy to see that the house had been built in a rush.
On top of that, where were Beverly and Anisse? The last thing he remembered was putting his little girl in her crib and crawling into bed next to his fiance. How had he woken up here? He looked towards the house again and grimaced. Maybe they were in there? But why would they be? Steeling his nerves, he entered the 'house'.
The house was even worse on the inside. It only had the bare necessities, and cheap at that. Much of the furniture seemed outdated, especially the rotary phone and the type-writer. Who even used something like that anymore? It had to be from the late 1800s, or maybe early 1900s.
There wasn't much room for his fiance and daughter to hide, but he happened to glimpse what appeared to be an orange envelope on the nightstand next to the phone.
The words 'Greyson Richards' was scribbled on the front, but there was no return address, nor a stamp. Picking up the envelope, he tore it open and pulled the letter out and began to read.
Dear Greyson,
I realize that this might be hard for you to bear. It certainly is very hard for me to be the one to give you this news. But I'm afraid that family you once knew, the love you once had, and the experiences you shared with all of them are all gone.
Gone? What did that even mean? Greyson continued reading.
Many things were done to try and save everyone. Unfortunately, your hometown of Storybrook turned out to be unstable. In the end, you were the only one I could save. Your mother, father, brother, sisters, and even fiance and child all perished with the town.
This had to be some sort of joke. Someone was playing a horrible trick on him.
I wish I could say that this was just some really badly thought up prank and shout 'April Fools!' at you. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. However, all is not lost. You can still continue what your mother, Jessica Richards, started.
"Rebuild? What's the point without my entire family with me?" Greyson muttered, his voice shaking.
The sleepy town of Moonlight Falls is the perfect place for you to rebuild the legacy that started with your mother. I realize that the last thing on your mind is remarrying as you have so many wonderful memories with Beverly and your daughter. But I feel like this is what she would have wanted for you. She wouldn't have wanted you to pine for her for the rest of your life.
"You don't even know her..."
I may not have known her personally, but I do feel as if she would still want you to be happy. No one is expecting you to fall in love again and get married right away. Your mother chose to focus on her career and honing her different talents before she settled down. Perhaps you could do that too?
"Hmmm..."
Please consider this. I truly believe that the reason you were saved was so that you could rebuild what was lost.
Sincerely,
L.B.
Greyson wiped away the tears that had fallen down his cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt. He had no idea who this person was, but they seemed to know him and knew about his life quite well. He found himself moving towards the ugly brown sofa and sitting down, running his fingers through his shortened hair.
Mom, Dad, Killian, Kiera, Elise, Scarlet, Lucy...Beverly, Anisse...they're really all gone, Greyson thought. He'd never felt more alone before.
His eyes scanned the letter again. As much as he wanted to tear it into hundreds of tiny pieces and cast it outside to the wind, he couldn't bring himself to do it. In fact, the more he thought, the more he realized that maybe the words in this letter rang some truth. While he desperately wished to find Beverly and his daughter, he could also hear her words, telling him to be happy. After all, they'd promised each other that if anything should happen to one of them, the other would not remain sad and miserable for the rest of their lives. They would find love again, eventually.
"I hope you and Anisse are happy wherever you are," Greyson said to himself as he put the letter back into the envelope and stashed it away in the bookshelf. He felt like he should keep it instead of throwing it away
As Greyson didn't have a working computer, he went outside to grab the newspaper that had been dropped off onto the lot and perused the job openings section. He definitely wasn't the Criminal type, nor did he see himself in Law Enforcement. The other jobs also weren't his cup of tea. He finally reached the last job. An Organ Donor in the Medical Career. He'd always wanted to something in medicine. With his intelligence, he would surely get promoted rather quickly.
He paid a trip to the Medical Center for an interview and received the job almost right away. Of course, he had a lot of studying to do in order to make it far in his career, but he was confident that his success would be 100%.
After coming out of the Medical Office, Greyson decided to visit some of the other places in this unfamiliar town. He found himself at the Elixir Shop. It had a very old, behind the times feel to it with the vintage furniture and the dusty books, many of them being first editions and with titles written in Latin. Still, it seemed cozy too with a set of chairs near the fireplace, which was unlit given the fact that it was summer.
Curiously, Greyson approached a large tome sitting atop a podium with a small cauldron right beside it. He perused the pages. It appeared to be a book filled with many recipes for various concoctions. Interested, he continued to read on until he had a basic understanding of some of the recipes. Maybe he could buy one of these for his home once he earned enough money?
Even though the Shop was interesting, it was a bit too dusty for his liking, so he went outside for some fresh air and found a Green Macaw. He seemed friendly as he let Greyson pet him. As much as Greyson would've loved to keep him, he needed the money more and the beautiful bird was promptly sold for a good 400 Simoleons.
The back of the Elixir Shop had much more to offer, including a strange bush with...jellybeans? Against his better judgement, Greyson picked one of them and ate it. Almost immediately, his body began to feel warm and he felt a weight lift off of his shoulders. While he wanted to try another one to see what it would do, he decided not to chance it as the next one could lead to a negative effect.
*I actually saved before letting him try a jelly bean because they've been known to kill your sims sometimes too.*
The beekeeper boxes also caught his interest. He found a white hat with protective netting around it and proceeded to tend to the box. Surprisingly, the bees didn't seem too bothered by a large hand coming at them and taking their honey.
Once the honey was sold for a decent price, he went back inside to speak with the shopkeep, asking him what else there was to do in this town.
"We're a pretty close-knit community," the shopkeep said. "There's not a whole lot to do, but there are a few places to grab a drink and a bite to eat. Plus the Arbitorium is interesting if you have an interest in the fairfolk."
"Fairfolk? As in fairies?" Greyson knew that other races existed in other towns, but there had never been any in Storybrook.
"Oh sure, we've got quite a few fairies around here. Vampires, Werewolves, and even some witches too."
Greyson could feel himself getting a bit overwhelmed. "Right, well...this should be interesting."
The shopkeep chuckled. "Oh don't worry. There's plenty of humanfolks like yourself. They found it easy to fit into this society. So I have no doubt that you will too."
Greyson decided to take his advice and thanked the shopkeep before leaving. As much as he wanted to buy a few things, he just didn't have the money for it.
Greyson went to a place called The Toadstool, not a very appealing name, but at least it was fairly quiet and would give him time to think.
"What'll you have, sweetie?" the bartender asked. She was rather cute, but Greyson had never been very attracted to blondes.
"I'll have whatever's cheapest." Greyson couldn't afford to spend much money. In fact, he probably shouldn't even be here. But he really needed this drink.
"Coming right up, dear."
As he waited for his drink, he heard a set of footsteps behind him. At first he ignored them, thinking it was just another bar patron, but when they came around the bar, Greyson's heart stopped for a split second. Long bright red hair cascaded down her back in long waves, which curled slightly at the ends. The red dress with white floral print hugged her figure. She looked like...no...she couldn't be...
"Beverly?"
She turned around and Greyson's face fell when he realized that it wasn't her, but someone entirely different.
"Sorry, I thought...nevermind."
She raised an eyebrow. "Okay then." Greyson could see the fangs and came to the conclusion that she was a vampire. Although, she didn't exactly dress the way he thought a vampire would. Aside from the wickedly pale skin and fangs, she looked completely normal.
She crossed the room and sat down at the far end of the bar, but didn't seem interested in ordering anything. Then again, her diet was probably pretty limited. After a few moments, Greyson broke the silence.
"Sorry about the confusion a bit ago. You just looked like someone I once knew, that's all."
She only looked at him and tilted her head. Shuffling his feet, Greyson continued. "I'm Greyson by the way.
She turned away for a few seconds, as if contemplating on whether to speak to him. But finally, she opened her mouth. "Jessica."
The same name as his mother. Then again 'Jessica' was a very common name.
"So, you're a vampire, huh?"
Jessica rolled her eyes. "No, I'm just a human with abnormally pale skin and my teeth just happen to grow like this."
Greyson sighed. "Stupid question, huh?"
Jessica's lips curled into a smile. "Eh, I've heard worse. You new to town?"
Greyson nodded. "Actually just moved in today." His eyes dropped down to his drink.
"You don't like it here?" Jessica asked observantly.
"It's all right. It's not what I'm used to though."
Greyson was surprised when she stood up to sit next to him. "I know what you mean. I moved here just a year ago from a place called Bon Temps and it's so much different."
Greyson had never heard about such a place before. Maybe he'd look it up later. "So, were you born a vampire or turned?"
Jessica shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. "I was turned."
"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that."
She shrugged. "I've come to terms with it."
Greyson could see that she didn't want to discuss it any further. "So, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
Jessica chuckled. "Well, technically, I'm 27 years old. Of course, I stopped aging when I was 17."
"I-I see." Was it okay for him to be talking to her then? He knew that some parts of the world considered 17 as being a legal adult. But he didn't know if Moonlight Falls was one of them. Then again, did she even count as being seventeen?
They continued talking for a few minutes before Greyson stood up to try out the Claw Machine.
He was surprised to see that it was free, but it would be a good way to earn a bit of extra money. After a few moments of playing, Jessica came up beside him and started playing the Whack-A-Mole games.
"So I guess it really is true that vampires and werewolves hate each other," Greyson couldn't help teasing.
"Mmm...not really. We basically keep to ourselves for the most part. Live and let live sort of thing."
"Right." It would take him a while to learn all there was to know about these other races.
Jessica had to leave for work not long after they finished talking, so Greyson went to the summer festival where he took part in an eating contest. While he devoured the hotdogs as quickly as he could, he wasn't prepared for how fast the other contestents ate, especially the elder man who ended up winning in the end. Even the child next to him had wolfed down the hotdogs like it was nothing, hardly choking at all during the contest.
After a much needed trip to the bathroom, Greyson went around picking the flowers. A few of them fetched him a pretty penny and could go towards improving his house.
Just as he had finished picking the blossoms, he was approached by a rather attractive young woman with long dark hair and olive skin.
"Hi there. I'm Haley Sumari. I've never seen you around here before and I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood."
Greyson was stunned for a second, but returned her handshake. "How did you know I was new?"
Well, I know just about everyone and I've never actually seen you before. So, I figured that you must be new."
"Good point." Greyson chuckled. He felt an instant attraction towards her, but mentally shook it off. He'd just met her after all. Still, as pretty as Jessica was, he hadn't felt that 'yutz'. Then again, maybe he had just been nervous being around a vampire?
"Have you met many other of the town residents?" Haley asked curiously.
"Er...yeah. I met the shopkeep at the Elixir Shop, the bartender at the Toadstool and a vampire named Jessica."
Almost immediately as Greyson mentioned meeting a vampire, Haley frowned. "Please be careful around them. I'm not prejudiced against any of the other races and believe in giving everyone a chance, but they are rather unpredictable at times. Sometimes their thirst can overpower that bit of humanity they still cling to."
Greyson opened his mouth to argue, but from her expression, he could see that she wasn't spouting hatred against vampires. But merely just telling him to be cautious. "You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."
Haley relaxed and smiled. "I'm sorry. We just met and I'm basically forcing my opinions down your throat."
"Nah, you're not. It's actually pretty nice to have someone show concern for me." He would never admit it out loud, but he was proud to see Haley blush a little bit.
The two of them eventually migrated to the skating rink and Greyson found himself skating with a few people, even though he was nowhere near as good at it. Still, he couldn't help laughing as he realized that Haley was just as bad, if not worse. Instead of getting offended, she laughed as well.
It was getting later on in the day, but Greyson wasn't even close to ready to going home yet. He traveled to the local gym and was happy to find it fairly well stocked. He'd never been as athletically inclined as his brother or his father. But staying in shape would be helpful. The gym was fairly empty aside from an older woman with red hair and a purple workout top. She didn't seem too interested in conversation though.
*It took me so long to realize that Doreen Caliente is basically a parody of Endora from Bewitched, which was one of my favorite shows growing up.
Once Greyson was unable to work out anymore, he took a quick shower in one of the gym's bathrooms and traveled to the local beach, wanting to do a little bit of fishing before finally heading home. When he reached the beach, he was surprised to see someone else already fishing.
"Ah, sorry. Didn't realize someone was already here."
"No worries, man!" The man turned around and Greyson was rather pleased to see that he looked pretty normal. "Mike Nix."
"Greyson Richards." Greyson shook hands with him.
"I like to come here to do some fishing and think sometimes. It's a good place to contemplate life, you know." Mike grinned. "Sometimes I forget that it's a public place."
"I didn't interrupt your thinking time, did I? I could leave if you want me to."
"Actually, I was just about to leave. So you're welcome to take my fishing spot. I need to get back to the wife and kid. Annie hates it when I'm too late coming home."
Greyson almost smiled as Beverly had been the same way. A wave of sadness washed over him.
Mike clapped him on the shoulder. "Besides, you look like you need to do some thinking, yourself."
Once Mike left, Greyson rented a fishing pole and began fishing. Mike was right in that he really did need to think. It had only been one day, and already he was so overwhelmed. He'd met quite a few people, all of them very nice. He found himself thinking of both Jessica and Haley. Jessica was a little mysterious and while she was attractive, he couldn't deny that he didn't really feel an attraction to her. At first he accumulated it to the fact that he was still missing Beverly too much to think about anyone else. But then he met Haley. While they hadn't talked much, she seemed so open and bright. There was a strange, but good feeling in his stomach about her. If he was going to get remarried, he wanted a marriage that felt natural. He knew that the relationship wouldn't be the same as the one he had with Beverly. To him, she was his one true love. But this didn't mean that she had to be his only love. Maybe he should wait a bit and meet more people before he decided what to do.
When he got home, he was surprised to see that some renovations had been made, including a proper stove, some counters, a refrigerator, a brand new desk and chair, and an enlarged bathroom. A short note was also waiting for him on the computer desk.
I hope you enjoy the small renovations. I'm sorry it isn't much, but I thought you'd appreciate being able to eat some real food and sleeping in a more comfortable bed. Your fridge should be fully stocked with everything you need and some cooking related books have been placed in your bookshelf.
L.B.
Greyson wished he knew who this L.B. person was. But he would worry about that another day.
He went outside to find that a garden had been started for him, although was in terrible need of care. Greyson spent a few hours plucking the weeds and watering each individual plant.
Finally, Greyson was finally able to change into his pajamas and crawl into bed. It was far more comfortable than the one he'd had previously and he really appreciated the feeling of the cool sheets against his skin as he fell asleep. Who knew what tomorrow, or even the next few years would bring?
Greyson had been able to sleep throughout the night with very little tossing and turning. The slightly more expensive bed had been far more comfortable than the one he'd had previously. He made his bed, then headed towards the small kitchen area to prepare something to eat.
Greyson had never been much of a cook, even living in Storybrook County. When he was young, his mom or dad usually did most of the cooking. Then, when Beverly and him moved in together, she cooked or they ordered out almost every night. Here, Greyson didn't exactly have the funds to be able to eat out every night. So, he thought it best that he at least learn how to cook a few simple meals. Even though it wasn't exactly a proper breakfast dish, he made a full plate of Autumn Salad. It was easy enough to prepare and there was no chance of him burning down the house after only having it for a few days.
After he was finished eating, he found time to take a bath and work outside in his garden for a little while until his carpool arrived.
Greyson didn't much care for having to depend on someone to get to work. But as it was, he couldn't afford his own car right now. He knew that many of the more eco-friendly residents of this town would applaud him for conserving energy by carpooling. But he couldn't help yearning for just a little bit of independence. Unfortunately, independence could be expensive sometimes.
The hospital that Greyson would be working at was based in a much older building than the one that had been in his old hometown. But the staff was also very reliable. Taking a deep breath, he entered through the front doors, ready for his first day of work.
He worked until 3:00 pm that day and when he got out, he was greeted by one of his co-workers, Beatrice Crumplebottom, who happened to be part of one of the older families living in Moonlight Falls. She invited him to the local coffee shop for a nice chat.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Greyson asked as soon as he'd finished his muffin and she'd finished her bagel.
"I really despise beating around the bush, so I'm going to come out and say it. I know of your predicament."
"My...predicament?" Greyson raised his eyebrows, confused.
"To put it simply, you were from an entirely different place, but the world was so unstable that it had to be destroyed. You were the only one that survived. And now, you basically have to continue what your family started years ago."
"Huh?" How did she even know? "Have you been getting mysterious letters too?"
"Not exactly, they've communicated with me through another form. As this L.B. person cannot directly interact with you, due to circumstances preventing their real physical body from entering Moonlight Falls, they have asked my sisters and me to aide them...communicate to you through them."
"Oh..." This was a lot for Greyson to take in. "I was hoping I'd get to meet this person who's been leaving letters around my house? Do you have any idea who it is?"
Beatrice shook her head. "If I did, I'd teach them a lesson about letting other worlds be destroyed. They should've done more to save it, if you ask me."
Greyson winced. Beatrice seemed like she could be intimidating when she wanted to be. He had a feeling that she wasn't someone he wanted to cross. "So, that all aside, why did this L.B. want you to keep an eye on me?"
"She didn't go into a lot of detail, but she mentioned that our magic would be enough to keep any harm from befalling you. In fact...that reminds me. Stand up, please?"
Confused and a little concerned, he did as he was told and cringed as Beatrice began waving her wand and muttering words in a language that he didn't understand. Then again, he'd failed nineth grade Spanish.
"Wh-What're you doing?" Beatrice only continued muttering, before a few sparks hit him. Greyson closed his eyes tightly, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. He slowly opened his eyes in time to see Beatrice putting her wand away.
"That should do it. The spell I put on you was a protection spell. While you are still susceptible to some injuries, you are completely immune to the more severe injuries that might lead to much worse and more permanent consequences."
"Oh." Greyson felt a little dazed, like he was about to faint, but Beatrice snapped her fingers and conjured up a glass of water. "The dizziness will pass. Just sit down for a few minutes. I actually need to go. It's Bianca's turn to cook tonight and if I don't get home right away, she'll probably set the entire kitchen on fire with her magic."
Greyson could only wave as Beatrice left. He saw her climb onto her broomstick and fly off. Shaking his head, he slowly sipped his water until the dizziness slowly began to fade.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the town residents, a werewolf from the looks of it, scratching up the furniture. He seemed frustrated about something and was taking out his anger the only way he knew how. Feeling sympathy, Greyson approached him, pushing past the women who were scolding him and offered to let him channel his anger in a more healthy way, such as a game of fetch. After consideration, the werewolf, who introduced himself as Param Singh, accepted.
While playing fetch, Greyson learned that Param had been turned into a werewolf by his wife on their wedding day. While he reveled in the feeling of being a Supernatural, he sometimes found it hard to control certain urges. His wife had told him he would get better with practice, but he didn't know when that would be. He admitted that hanging out with Greyson did make him feel a little better and he enjoyed the belly rubs that Greyson gave him, even if they a bit questionable to the other residents.
Once Param had left to go home, Greyson found himself at the festival again. He tried his hand at the claw machine there, but this machine must have been rigged for the only thing he could get from it was a measly toy robot not worth very much. Maybe he was just secretly unlucky? If only Beatrice had cast a 'Luck Charm' on him instead.
He'd wanted to enter the eating contest, but by the time he had been able to get to the festival, it was already underway, so he watched the contestents instead, cringing and wondering if he looked like that when he participated the other day.
He was interrupted by the familiar sound of a toddler laughing and turned around to see a little girl hovering. While she didn't have wings, Greyson still assumed that she must have been a fairy.
"Cute, isn't she?" a voice said behind him.
Greyson turned around to find himself face to face with a young, but very mature looking young woman. She had to be the little girl's mother, although Greyson couldn't see much of a resemblance. Maybe she looked more like her father?
"She's very adorable. What's her name?" Greyson asked.
"Sophie...and I'm Linda...Linda Rodgers."
Greyson shook her head. "Greyson Richards. You and your husband must be so happy to have such an adorable little girl."
A wave of sadness washed over Linda and Greyson wondered if he'd said something wrong. "I'm afraid my husband passed away just months after our wedding six years ago."
Now Greyson felt really horrible for being the one to bring up bad memories. "I'm so sorry. But wait...little Sophia definitely doesn't look six years old."
A sad smile moved Linda's lips. "I adopted her a few years ago. I definitely wasn't expecting a fairy for a daughter and wonder if there might have been a mix-up with the adoption, but I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world."
"She is very special. I had a daughter of my own once as well."
"What happened to her?" Linda asked curiously. But before Greyson could answer, Sophie started crying. "Oh dear." Linda started going towards her daughter, but Greyson stopped her.
"Maybe I can help?"
Linda bit her lip. "Well...okay. She might get a little fussy with you though. She doesn't much like strangers holding her."
But Linda was pleasantly surprised when Sophie not only let Greyson pick her up, but she also laughed when he tickled her.
"No more tears, okay little Jelly Bean?" He felt a wave of emotion wash over him as he held her. He remembered the feeling of holding his own little girl like this in his arms. Sophie patted his cheeks as if to comfort him, which made him smile.
He set her down and covered up wiping his tears by making it look like he was giving her silly faces, which made her laugh and clap her hands.
Greyson asked if Linda wanted to play a game of soccer with him, which she agreed to, but as he stood in front of the goalie post, Linda seemed concerned. "Are you all right?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine." Greyson had managed to hide his tears from her.
Once Greyson changed into some more suitable clothes for playing sports, he began playfully taunting Linda. "Give it your best shot!"
"Oh, you totally asked for it, Mr. Richards!" She kicked the ball as hard as she could.
Greyson dove in what he thought was the direction of the ball, but ended up completely missing, which made Linda laugh.
"I think I definitely brought it." Greyson made a face at her, but couldn't help laughing.
He did manage to block a few of the goals, though. In the end, despite a few misses, Greyson won the shootout.
As it was getting late, Linda took Sophie home to put her to bed and Greyson, feeling hungry, ended up buying a funnel cake and enjoying it. He hoped he'd be able to see Linda and Sophie again.
At the end of the night, Greyson lit the fireworks and gathered around with everyone to 'ooh and ahhh' as they lit up the night sky. It was the perfect way to end his night here in Moonlight Falls.
Greyson came home from work one day and noticed that his house looked rather different as he was checking the mail. Another letter from the mysterious L.B. read: I hope you enjoy the new renovations to your house. I'm sorry it isn't much, but I figure you'd appreciate a proper bedroom, some actually wallpaper, and a dining table to eat at.
The brick outside was a welcome change to whatever had been on the outside of the house previously. He went inside and was pleasantly surprised by the new wallpaper and lower paneling. While it wouldn't have been his first choice, he had to admit that it was a definite improvement. It was too bad he couldn't have gotten a better couch or new chairs for his chess set and maybe a new bookcase, but those would come in time. He was pleased to see that he had his own bedroom, albeit a small one, but his bed had been fitted with new sheets and a rather nice blanket. The bathroom looked mostly the same, although did have some new wallpaper as well. He wasn't too concerned with how it looked since he didn't spend a lot of time in there except to take care of his business and take baths.
Once Greyson finished looking at the changes in his house, he sat down at his new dining room table and read a cooking book. He wanted to learn how to make few new dishes in case he ever did decide to have guests over. Plus, he couldn't live off of Autumn Salads the rest of his life as much as he liked them.
When Greyson was comfortable enough to make a few simple dishes, he picked up the phone and dialed the Chess Rank hotline. Greyson really loved the game, he loved the challenge and strategy behind it and really wanted to win a ranked chess match against someone.
His opponent was Navita Singh, who turned out to be the wife of Param Singh, whom Greyson had met a few days ago. She wanted to get directly to business and the two of them began their ranked chess match together. Unfortunately, even though Greyson played his hardest and managed to take many of her pieces, in the end, it was Navita who took his king and had the privilege of calling out, "Checkmate!" Greyson wanted a rematch, but unfortunately rules stated that there could only be one ranked match a day and if you lost, then you had to wait until the next day to call over a different opponent and play again.
While Navita was getting ready to leave, Greyson got a phone call from some girl that he didn't know wanting to go out on a date.
"Sorry, but I don't accept random date calls from people I don't even know...No, just because you waved at me at the festival the other day does not mean we know each other...I'm very flattered that you think that, but the answer is still no."
Once he got off the phone and saw Navita out, he headed to the Arboretum to try and see if he could find any fairies. Unfortunately, they seemed to be very good at hiding because all he found on his little adventure was a jar of fairy dust. He decided to keep it, even though he had no idea what it would do.
Feeling a bit famished, Greyson headed to the Toadstool and ordered a plate of Firecracker Shrimp from the Mixologist. There was something very satisfying about bar food. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't have to cook, or maybe it didn't hurt that the Mixologist was rather cute.
Once he finished scarfing down the shrimp, he watched Erica Wolff play her guitar for a little bit. She was very good at it and he found himself tapping his foot. As he did, a voice called out from behind him.
"Greyson?"
Greyson turned around and gasped. Linda was standing right behind him and he found himself staring. He hadn't seen her in a few days, but they had talked on the phone twice since they'd met at the festival. She looked stunning! He tried not to make it obvious that he was staring, but his eyes couldn't help briefly roaming over her features. He thought she'd been very attractive at the festival, but with her hair in a very sensual, but also practical bun and, the little bit of light make-up, and her outfit that made her look like a cross between a young school teacher or librarian, Greyson was feeling some things that he hadn't really felt since he was with Beverly.
"Wow, hey! I almost didn't recognize you!"
Linda's cheeks reddened and she tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ears. "I just thought it was time for a change, that's all. You don't think it makes me look too old?"
"Are you kidding? This sort of look really suits you! You look beautiful, Linda."
Linda's cheeks darkened some more and she bit down on her lip. Greyson held his breath when she did that. There was something so unbelievably sensual about it.
The two of them exchanged a bit of gossip of what was happening in their lives. Linda told him that Sophie had a birthday a few days ago and Greyson told her about the new renovations to his house.
"I really can't wait to see your new place. Maybe I could help with the decorating? I'd like to think I'm really good at it."
Greyson smiled. "I bet you are. It's not much to brag about though. I can't wait to see Sophie. I bet she's gotten so big and so pretty."
"She really has. She's going to be a stunner when she grows up."
Greyson couldn't help hugging her, which surprised and pleased Linda at the same time. "She will with you as her mother. Now, how about I order us some drinks?"
"I am pretty thirsty," Linda admitted.
Greyson went to the bar and placed his order. Linda couldn't help watching him as he watched their drinks being made. They hadn't known each other for long, but there was something in her that made her want to take care of him. She found herself imagining cooking breakfast for him every morning and dinner every evening. She pictured ironing his shirts and helping him with his tie when they went to formal events. She also saw the two of them lying in bed together cuddled up as they decided to be lazy on those rare mornings when they both had the day off from work.
Her thoughts were broken when Greyson returned with the drinks. She smiled and took hers with a 'thanks'. She wasn't much of a drinker, but enjoyed indulging every now and then.
With their drinks in hand, Greyson guided them over to a couple of leather chairs to sit down by the unlit fire place.
"How are you liking your job so far?" Linda asked as she set her drink down on the end table placed between their two chairs.
Greyson did the same with his drink. The sweat accumulated on the outside of their glasses and trickled down to create two small puddles on the wood. "I actually really like it. I've always wanted to work in the medical field. It's a lot of hard work, but I can't really see myself doing anything else."
Linda smiled. "So, you hope you'll get to stay with that career for a long time?"
"For as long as I can. What about you? Do you like your job?"
"Oh, sure! The bistro is amazing! I've learned how to prepare so many dishes working there. I just wish my hours were better. By the time Sophie gets home from school, I always have to leave for work and I don't usually come home until late at night and only have time to kiss her goodnight before I go to bed."
"How does Sophie take it?"
"She's pretty mature for her age and understands that I have to work a lot so that we can live in the house that we do. I don't think she likes the baby-sitter too much though."
"She'd rather have you around," Greyson observed. He remembered that his daughter, Anisse hadn't liked baby-sitters either and would always give them a hard time, constantly crying and kicking them.
"She would, but I don't know what to tell her. I can't take off of work though whenever she wants me to, especially with my boss throwing a fit every time I do try to call in sick."
"That does sound like a dilemma. If the baby-sitter isn't working out, maybe she wouldn't mind me baby-sitting her too much? I mean, we do know each other fairly well I'd say. She might respond more positively to that. Plus I've dealt with my fair share of little girls kicking me in the past."
Linda chuckled. "I'd have to think about it."
The two found themselves outside under the stars. Greyson couldn't believe how beautiful Moonlight Falls really was. At first, he hadn't been completely sure about this town, but he was really growing to love it, even with its eccentric residents. He reached for her hand, which surprised Linda, but instead of pulling away, she scooted closer to him, wanting to rest her head on his shoulder, but held back. He was probably still hurting from having lost his wife and child and she didn't want to overstep any boundaries.
What she didn't know was that Greyson was thinking the same thing. He really wanted to pull her close and kiss her underneath the stars. As cliche as it sounded, Greyson had always been some-what of a romantic. He didn't believe in love at first sight, but he did believe that once you did grow to have those feelings for someone, they should feel like they were in a fairytale and never have to question whether or not they are loved. Still, as much as he wanted to kiss Linda, he didn't. Instead, he merely enjoyed this time he had with her.
Once it was finally getting too late, the two of them let go of each other's hands and stood up, exclaiming that they needed to get home. They both went their separate ways with butterflies in their stomach and slightly disappointed expressions that neither of them made a move.
The next day was Greyson's day off. He was able to sleep in late and once he got up, he ate a salad, read a little bit, then worked outside in his garden for a little while. Since it was the weekend, he decided that he would throw a party.
He rented out a buffet table for the day and had it catered with a huge turkey and a few side dishes for his guests.
At around 5:00, his guests started to arrive, he mostly invited his co-workers, and a few other friends he'd met around town. He was surprised when everyone showed up.
Someone turned on the music and Haley immediately began dancing at him. As pretty as she was, he found himself staring at Linda as sh ewalked in, carrying a plate of delicious looking hot dogs.
Linda gripped the plate tightly as she smiled at Greyson. She wasn't mad at him for dancing with Haley. She knew that Haley had a bit of a reputation for being a flirt. To be honest, she hoped that Greyson wouldn't fall for her as so many other guys had.
Haley soon switched to dancing with Greyson's boss and Greyson started dancing with Jessica. He really wanted to dance with Linda, but she seemed to be talking to a woman that hadn't been invited. Still, Greyson didn't mind party crashers too much.
The woman introduced herself as Belinda Crumplebottom.
"You're related to Beatrice?"
Belinda grimaced a little. "My older sister. She's a piece of work, isn't she?"
Greyson smiled. "Eh, a little bit. So, I'm guessing you came to make sure I was still alive?"
"Maybe. Plus, Linda invited me. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all! The more the merrier! Help yourself to anything that catches your interest, including the men here," he joked making Belinda laugh.
Another party crasher entered the party as well and Greyson made a beeline for her.
"Sophie? Your mom was right. You have gotten big...and so pretty too."
Sophie stared up at him. "Why haven't you asked my mom to dance yet?"
"Well, I--"
"You're dancing with all of these other girls. But you haven't danced with my mom yet. I bet she's feeling left out."
"Sophie, please..." Linda was glad that Greyson couldn't see her mortified face. Sometimes her daughter just didn't have a filter.
But Greyson approached Linda and took her hand. "Sophie's right. I have been rude talking and dancing with these other women. I've neglected the prettiest woman here."
Linda lightly slapped his arm, but allowed him to pull her close and the two of them began swaying to the music. "Sorry for my daughter. She has no filter at all sometimes."
"It's all right." Greyson smiled. "Besides, she did have a point. You're lucky to have such a precocious little girl looking out for you the same way that you look out for her."
"She really is something special, isn't she?"
With her little bit of matchmaking done, Sophie sat down to enjoy one of her mother's hotdogs. She didn't know Greyson that well, but she vaguely remembered him playing with her at the festival when she was still a toddler. Other 'couples' started dancing together, except for once person: Belinda.
Still, she was used to being left out at these sorts of parties. Her two sisters were always the ones being asked to dance while she remained the Wallflower.
Linda immediately noticed Belinda over in the corner, looking a bit miserable. "Poor Belinda."
Greyson glanced over to where Linda was looking and frowned. "I can't believe no one has danced with her or even really talked to her."
"Her sisters tend to receive more attention than her, even though Belinda is the nicest of the bunch, I think."
"You don't mind if I danced with her for a little while, do you?" Greyson offered. "I promise I'll come right back to you."
Linda smiled. "You're so sweet. I think she'd like that very much."
Belinda was surprised, but pleased when Greyson started dancing with her. "You don't have to, you know."
"I know, but I want to. No one should be left out when it comes to dancing at a party."
Linda watched the two of them. She was happy to see her friend with a smile on her face, finally.
Not long after Greyson started dancing with Belinda, one of the other guests, who also happened to be a co-worker of Greyson's cut in and started dancing with Belinda, leaving Greyson free to dance with Linda again if he wanted.
Linda, however, was starving and grabbed a plate of food from the buffet and sat down across from Sophie.
"Why are you holding back, Mom?" Sophie asked.
"Holding back from what?" Linda really didn't understand what her daughter was talking about.
"From how you really feel about Mr. Richards."
"Sophie, sweetie. You're too young to understand--"
Sophie scoffed. "Why do adults always claim that us kids are too young? That's just an excuse, you know. They only say that when they know the kid is right and don't want to admit it."
Linda sighed. "I really do like him a lot, but I don't want to rush into anything and have it all fall apart."
"Well, you still need to hurry up a little bit, or else one of the other women in this town is going to snatch him up."
"Whatever happens, happens." But deep inside, Linda was thinking about how she didn't want that to happen.
It was especially hard to watch him be given flowers by Haley. Although, she was pleased when he didn't exactly flirt back. He merely smiled and thanked her for the gift. His only feelings towards Haley was that of friendship. He didn't have any romantic inclinations towards her, whatsoever.
Of course, it wouldn't be a party without a few guests arguing with each other. In this case, Jessica and Belinda had a bit of a disagreement, which Greyson decided to stay out of.
"Aren't you going to stop that?" his co-worker asked as he plopped down next to Greyson with his plate of food."
"No way. I had four sisters growing up and I learned early on just to stay out of all of their disputes. Besides, I wouldn't stand a chance against a powerful witch and a vampire. It's best for me just to keep quiet and let them duke it out on their own."
The party was a roaring success and the guests soon began to leave one by one. Greyson set to work cleaning the house, but in the middle of it all, he got a phone call from Linda, asking if he wanted to come over. He didn't even have to stop and think before immediately agreeing.
Linda's house was very large and bright. It definitely fit her quite well. He crossed the room and gave her a bit hug. While he rubbed her back, Sophie piped up.
"It's about time you got here! You know, it's not nice to leave a pretty lady waiting and pining over you. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
Linda rolled her eyes. "Sophie, bed now."
"I'm goin', I'm goin'." But Sophie grinned as she saw Greyson take her mom's hands out of the corner of her eye.
"She's right, you know. I took too much longer than I should have."
"No, you arrived here at just the right time. Sophie's just being her usual bossy self, that's all."
Greyson's smile made Linda blush and look away. "Do you want to sit down?"
The two of them sat down on Linda's very comfortable sofa and began talking. Linda talked about her work and Sophie and Greyson found himself talking about his life in Storybrook County and Beverly and Anisse.
"Do you miss them?" Linda asked.
"Everyday. But I know they wouldn't want me to spend the rest of my life sad and alone."
"Do you think you could ever love someone else the way you loved Beverly?"
"I don't know if it's possible to ever love someone the same way you loved your first love, you know? I think it is possible to love again, but not to that intense degree."
Linda smiled sadly. "But you'd be willing to try, right?"
"Of course! In fact..."
He scooted closer to her. "I know that I've been developing feelings for you recently. I don't want to hold back anymore."
Linda gasped as she looked into his green eyes. "I've been feeling the same way too, but I held back because I didn't know if you were still mourning over your fiance."
Greyson silenced her with a kiss and gently pushed himself against her. Linda ran her fingers through his hair and sighed softly against his lips. He felt so warm and so right against her.
After some time, he pulled away, but still kept his arms wrapped around her. "I am a little bit, but I also know she would want me to find love again with the right woman. I think you are that woman. We can take things slow if you want. We have all the time in the world, but I do want you to be my girlfriend."
"You really mean that?"
"I do. More than anything in the world."
"I think I'd like that very much." On the inside, Linda was jumping for joy, but she remained calm with the biggest grin on her face.
Their couch cuddling time was interrupted by a telemarketer calling Greyson.
"I told one of your last agents to take me off of the list. I will not ask again!" Greyson hung up his phone and shoved it into his pocket.
Linda laughed. "Those dang telemarketers, huh?"
Greyson snorted. "Yeah. But I should probably get home. I don't want to overstay my welcome too much."
Linda agreed and stood up to pull him into a kiss. He pulled away before it began to get a bit too heated between the two of them. They had agreed to take things slowly, after all.
"I'll call you tomorrow?" Linda asked.
"I'll be waiting by the phone," Greyson said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her nose. "Be safe all right? Tell Sophie I can't wait to hang out with her again properly."
"I'm sure she'd really like that," Linda said as she gave him one last kiss good-bye not wanting to let him go.
Greyson spent the next morning cleaning up around the house before grabbing a plate of leftover cookies for breakfast. Back in Storybrook Country, his mom and Robina, the family plumbot, did most of the cleaning. Of course, Greyson and his siblings had been expected to take on chores as well. However, his mom had been good at spotting a crumb a mile away and had always been able to spot where messes still lingered, even though Greyson couldn't see any. He was sure that if she was here today, she'd be able to spot even the tiniest speck of dust with her naked eye.
Greyson's small garden was coming along nicely. He hoped to have a big one someday, perhaps in a greenhouse-like structure to prevent the plants from going dormant in the winter. Although, he also hoped that by that time, he would be married and that his wife would be able to help out in the garden as well.
Once his outside chores were finished, Greyson was able to sit down and start up the first few pages of his novel. He was playing around with the idea that perhaps his children and their children and so on would also write their own novels as well.
Greyson really wanted an Alchemy Table, but unfortunately, he couldn't afford one. So, he opted to use the one as the Elixir Shop, provided he didn't make too big of a mess. With a little studying, he learned how to make a Vial of Bliss and began adding the ingredients that had been given to him.
The bells above the shop door jingled, signaling the arrival of another customer and in walked Bianca Crumplebottom. She looked around, her eyes stopping on Greyson, before she sat down in the high backed red chair that was near the Alchemy Table and opened up a book to read.
Greyson managed to successfully make the potion and put it away for another day. Noticing Bianca, he introduced himself to her.
"I'm guessing you're here to check up on me?" He looked her over. She was considerably younger than her two sisters and quite easy on the eyes. Still, he believed in being faithful and would not give in to temptation, no matter how form fitting her clothes were or how...well endowed she was.
"Well, of course! I'm not about to let anything bad happen to someone as handsome as you." She winked at him, flirty undertones in her voice.
Belinda had mentioned that her and Beatrice's younger sister was a bit of a flirt and had a reputation of even going after men who were spoken for.
"Haha, well...as you can see, I'm alive and well," Greyson said nervously. "But I really should go. You know...busy and all that."
Greyson bolted out of there. He knew that he would never, ever cheat on Linda. But he was afraid that Bianca might have made a move on him if he'd stayed any longer and it would've gotten back to Linda, who might have taken it the wrong way. He settled down near his chess table and studied a recipe for Chili Con Carne.
Not really wanting to stay cooped up inside, he headed to the local gym for a quick workout, loving the feeling of his burning calves. Although, he did feel sorry for the man on the treadmill next to him, being yelled at by the Alcide Herveaux wannabe.
A cry of pain alerted him and he quickly stopped the treadmill, sliding to a gentle stop and looked over. One of his friends, Mike Nix, was doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach.
As an aspiring doctor, Greyson firmly believed in the Hippocratic Oath and walked over to see if he could aide his friend, despite the fact that he wasn't on the clock.
Greyson ran a couple of tests and asked Mike the standard medical questions to assess his medical history. It didn't take long to reach a diagnosis and Greyson assigned Mike a couple of anti-biotics to help with his stomach problems, urging him to avoid citrus type fruits for a couple of days and to only drink water.
While he was at the gym, Greyson got a call from Linda, asking if he minded coming over to help put Sophie to bed because she had to work an extra hour tonight. Greyson immediately agreed because he wanted to see both of his best girls again and hurried over to their house.
"My mom's working late again, isn't she?" Sophie asked as soon as Greyson was welcomed inside.
"It looks that way. Does this happen a lot?"
Sophie shrugged. "Sometimes. I used to have a baby-sitter who made sure I did everything before bed. But I didn't like her too much. So, Mom fired her."
Greyson was sure that Sophie didn't like the baby-sitter for a good reason, so he didn't pry. Instead, he politely requested that Sophie get herself ready for bed.
Sophie diligently took a shower and brushed her teeth. Greyson was pleasantly surprised by how well mannered she was, even if she had no filter sometimes. Once she was tucked into bed, Greyson sat down to read to her.
"You don't have your own bed?" he asked, concerned.
"We haven't really had much time to get another one," Sophie admitted. "I don't mind sleeping in the same bed as my mom though. At least until you take over."
Greyson blushed at her blunt matter-of-fact tone, but smiled and began to read.
Linda had tried to finish up her work as quickly as possible and get home. She hated having to work late because it took time away from Sophie. She came home starving and made a quick plate of waffles, making sure to prepare enough for Greyson as well in case he was hungry as well.
Once Sophie was sound asleep, Greyson tiptoed downstairs, smelling the waffles as he came into the kitchen. "Looks delicious!" He smiled as he sat down. The two of them talked about their days and Linda laughed when Greyson told her about the other people at the gym freaking out over Mike's stomach problems.
"So, why didn't Sophie like the old baby-sitter?" Greyson asked curiously as he poured more syrup over his waffles.
Linda set her fork down. "Well, she was all right until Sophie found her stealing money one day. I keep a bit extra hidden here for emergencies. Apparently Sophie caught her and then told me. I know my daughter wouldn't just make stuff up, so I counted and sure enough...there was over 150 missing."
"Wow...did you manage to get it back?"
"You bet I did. I threatened to press charges and made that girl pay me back with her own baby-sitting wages, plus interest. I also made sure to write the Baby-Sitting Agency she came from to let other potential customers know that she was a thief. I doubt she'll be able to get another baby-sitting job in Moonlight Falls."
Normally, Greyson would feel bad for anyone potentially losing their job, but anyone who steals a hard-working mother's emergency money doesn't deserve to be allowed to work in the baby-sitting profession.
Greyson helped Linda with the dishes before passionately giving her a good night kiss. He wanted to stay over, but he did have to work the next day. Linda asked if he wouldn't mind taking Sophie to the toy shop tomorrow after school so that she didn't have to stay cooped up at home all day. Of course, Greyson said yes.
Greyson picked up Sophie from school the next day and the two of them went over to the Toy Shop. Throughout their walk there, he noticed Sophie looking sour. Finally, Greyson asked her what was wrong when they reached the Toy Shop.
"It's nothing." But Greyson knew better.
"If you tell me, maybe I could help?" Greyson wanted her to trust him.
Sophie seemed to be pondering whether to tell him. "Okay, so...there's this girl at my school named Fawn Goodfellow. She was adopted just like I was, but her family is a bunch of fairies...like me."
"And she's not?"
Sophie shook her head. "She's human, and she's always boasting about how she's better than everyone else because a bunch of fairies chose to adopt her."
"She doesn't sound very nice," Greyson said sympathetically.
"She's not! What's worse is that...today, she came to school and it turns out that her grandmother bestowed the Gift of the Fae to her, which turned her into a fairy, so now she's especially smug about it!"
"Bragging isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can be if you do it too much."
"Yeah! She's going to be even more insufferable now!"
Greyson leaned in a bit closer to whisper. "You want to know a secret?" Greyson asked conspiratorially.
"What? What?"
"You're a much better fairy than she could ever be."
Sophie giggled. She knew that Greyson was just trying to make her feel better and she appreciated him for it. He seemed good for her mom and...well...she liked him a lot.
The two of them seemed to bond over their distate of ghosts as well. Greyson found them creepy, and Sophie didn't like how they just seemed to pop up out of nowhere and go through walls. To her, this meant that they could invade your privacy with they wanted.
Greyson tried to buy her a toy, but Sophie turned it away, claiming that she already had enough toys at home and didn't need anymore.
Greyson was a little hurt by her refusing his kind gesture, but a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors cheered him up right away.
Haley was showing off the more mischievous side to fairies and cast a Freezing Charm on Deedee. However, her roommate seemed to like it quite a bit and was good-natured about pranks.
Greyson managed to talk Sophie into a water balloon fight with him. She was very good at dodging and weaving past the water balloons. Greyson wondered if her fairy state gave her good reflexes, or if she was naturally good.
It also turned out that Sophie had a good arm as well and managed to hit Greyson more times than he hit her. By the end, it was clear that Sophie won that match.
They took a cab back home with Sophie falling asleep in the backseat. Not wanting to wake her, Greyson carried her inside, feeling a rush of protection towards this little girl as he took her upstairs and put her to bed. He would leave putting her pajamas on to her mom as he didn't think it was appropriate for him to dress her.
Greyson found Linda outside in the garden shed where she thanked him for keeping Sophie company today. Greyson expressed his admiration for both of them and ended his evening with a good-night kiss from Linda.
Chapter 1.1 ...Love the beginning with the young man waking up from a deep sleep. Greyson is a nice looking guy! And he still had memories from his past! ...He seems to have gone back in time a hundred years or so! ...Wow, that letter about the destruction of Storybrook! So touching, but I loved the idea. ...The Medical career seems like a good match. ...I liked the screenshots of the bird and Greyson at the elixir shop. ...And this world has supernaturals! All this must be very odd to Greyson. ...Jessica is lovely! But she's a vampire, mysterious. ...Poor Greyson. Now he's confused about Jessica's true age!
Chapter 1.2 ...Interesting conversation with Haley. So she doesn't trust vampires like Jessica. ...Fun skating pics. ...Mike Nix. He works in the medical career too, doesn't he? ...Another fun note from L.B. about renovations to his home this time. ...I enjoyed the beginning of your story. Great narrative.