9.5

Lauren’s hard work and continuous effort didn't go unnoticed. She was soon offered a choice between the secret service and a forensic scientist. Since she felt her calling was in forensics, she quickly accepted the position and moved to a bigger office.

Her quick promotion only helped enforce her healthy running habit. She used this time after work to de-stress before returning home. Each day she would run the two mile track around Central Park before jumping in her car and heading home. She grew accustom to the track and hardly paid attention. Regardless how unsafe she knew that was.

Running calmed Lauren. Each foot on the path was one more step from her problems. One, two, three, she counted each foot step. It wasn't until she ran into a solid surface that she realized she wasn't paying attention. Then she realized it was a person. He was quick to apologize and even quicker to introduce himself. Derik.

Day after day Lauren ran into Derik running in the park. He always played it off as a coincidence, but Lauren wasn't naïve, she knew better. But she indulged him anyway.

As love blossomed, Derik's "coincidences" happened less. Instead of meeting her while running, Derik waited outside her office.

Their daily encounters led to a string of rendezvous. They spent their first date staring at the stars.

Brooke watched from a distance as Lauren put a man first and her job second. Brooke beamed at her step daughter’s growth. She knew Wilson would be happy. Thinking of Wilson brought a soft spot in Brooke’s heart. Brooke touched her growing belly, conceived without a living man’s touch, and knew Wilson would get his wish. They’d have their own child.

Work as a Wiretap Reader was boring compared to her life with Derik. The two were inseparable outside work. Lauren began to believe it was time to take their relationship to the next level. She invited him home.

9.4

After Wilson’s death, Brooke suffered with survivor’s guilt. She’d lie in bed at night her head full of thoughts. She wanted to talk to him one last time.

She’d drift into troubled dreams. The dreams scared her, but she had alone time with Wilson.

She didn’t waste time with small talk as their bodies connected again. He’d return night after night to be with her in her dreams. Each night he returned Brooke was satisfied less and less with just kisses.

Brooke woke the next morning astonished. She didn’t think she was dreaming about the incident, but there was no other explanation.

Life as a lieutenant was difficult for Lauren. Her desk was a constant paper shuffle as cases came in and cases were dismissed. Her longest open case was one of a bank robber who had successfully robbed fifteen banks in Riverblossom and three banks in Bridgeport. She studied his face everyday hoping to find a clue or at least that her boss would remove his cold file. She called three suspects in the first week, all of which had strong alibis.

9.3

Lauren was hit hard. Every time she turned around, something would remind her of her father. Lauren wanted to shake his memories. She pictured moving away. Away from the furniture. Away from his presence.

Wilson's death haunted Brooke for days. There were always little reminders of Wilson. The left over French Toast he made, the paused game on the Maxiod Game Simulator, and worst of all, her own bed with both sides messy.


Both women worked around the house quietly, stealthily avoiding each other. It was too painful to talk.

While Brooke busied herself sketching, Lauren looked for a new place to live. It had to be small, she only had a desk jockey's salary to work with. She knew she'd eventually have to tell her step mom she was moving out, but she'd cross that bridge when she got there.

Lauren looked at house upon house in town. Everything she wanted was out of her budget; everything she could afford was outdated. Nevertheless she pushed on.

Her luck began to improve with her promotion to Patrol Officer which came with a nifty bonus and pay increase. After months of looking, Lauren gave up on the house search and decided it was time to update the furniture in her step mothers home.


((In reality, my game is so loaded with errors that it froze up when I tried to move them. It's probably better that way as Gen 10 has to have four kids.))

9.2

As a desk jockey, the days were long and many nights were filled with over time. Lauren stayed busy while building her reputation at the station. Tonight's activity was servalence at the Llama Bowl. The camera's revealed spectators walking and a middle finger or two occasionally. When her phone rang, Lauren knew something was askew.

On the phone her step mother was frantic. All Lauren could decipher was come home and quick. Lauren was tore between her step mothers wishes and her job performance. Her boss would be upset if she left. Her job performance would suffer. But her step mother never asked anything of her. In the end, Lauren reasoned it was best to go.

"Mom!" Lauren yelled as she entered the house. A quick sweep across the living areas informed Lauren that Brooke was not there. Lauren checked the office, but Brooke's chair was empty.

Lauren headed towards her mothers room when she heard a faint sob from the open garage door. Hesitantly, she walked towards the garage and down the stairs into the basement, the sobs getting louder. "Lauren!" her mother cried before taking her into her arms.
A quick sweep of the situation and a cold chill told Lauren everything she needed to know. Her father was dead, and she barely missed it.

9.1

After her grandfather's death, Lauren moved into his old room. She had updated it a bit, even purchased herself a hover bed, although she couldn't quite figure out what all the fuss was about.

Even with the added comfort of the state-of-the-art hover bed, Lauren could hardly sleep the night before. All of her hard work and dedication had paid off and Lauren was eager to start in the police academy.

Lauren graduated from the police academy with top marks; however, it would be awhile before she saw action. Even upon completion, Lauren was still a snitch.

But the starter position wouldn't keep Lauren down; it was only a matter of time before Lauren was promoted.

Not feeling Generation Nine... But Generation Ten is kicking...

8.22 Family Ties

The music was therapeutic for both Lauren and Wilson. Slowly the pieces of their lives started clicking. Through their nightly jam sessions the two were able to catch up on the years of bonding they missed.

Soon Brooke joined them, and it seemed that the family was back together.


Lauren had a new interest in school. Although Wilson was fairly sure there was a guy involved. Brooke reminded him regularly that Lauren was a big girl, and she could take care of herself. In truth, Lauren found out she needed high grades to get into the police academy. Boys was the last thing on her mind.

Through her family research, Lauren found out that there were many career driven, independent women in her family. Lauren longed to be one of them. She put her dedication into her studies.



Wilson aged gracefully into an elder. Even though his body was physically changing, Wilson was still as shy and clumsy as ever. He decided it was time to start a new hobby, tinkering. In his spare time, he attempted to teach his daughter to drive, although he soon regretted it.



Lauren learned to drive with little time to spare. She quickly graduated into a beautiful young woman.

8.21 Mistaken Intentions

Ruining lives wasn't exactly what Lauren had hoped would happen. Her mother was also slightly over exaggerating her behavior. Yes, Lauren skipped school regularly, but she was visiting her grandfather mostly. Yes, Lauren's grades were dropping, but Lauren felt the best lessons were taught out of school. Her intentions weren't to ruin lives. But when her mom went off the deep end and aired all her dirty laundry, Lauren , as well as the rest of the family, was shocked.

Leaving was easy for Lauren. She loved her aunt and her Pop Noah. Plus the grass was greener on the other side. Until she arrived on the other side.

Lauren entered the house after the death of her Pops to a problematic marriage. She longed to go back but knew that going back wouldn't be any better. Her father's marriage issues plagued her.
She could hear them arguing. Something she'd never heard before. She had caused the problems. After all she was born to the wrong father. Sleep was hard for her; many nights she tossed and turned.
Some nights she would finally get to sleep only to be disturbed by a knocking noise. The noise returned night after night until finally she left the comfort of her room to inspect the noise. She crept across the house trying to find the source. It wasn't until she entered the garage that she noticed the rhythmic beat of drums.


Reluctant to break the beat, Lauren tip toed down the stairs. At the bottom she found her father. As if sensing someone was there, Wilson stopped drumming and turned to see Lauren watching him, "That was good."
Wilson smiled and motioned at a guitar across the room, "Why don't you join?" Lauren wasn't any good at either instrument, but she would try for her father.

8.20 She wouldn't understand

Wilson felt a string of emotions. In the past week he had found out that he indeed did have a child. Even better, not one child but two! Kids were something Brooke always detested, but she enjoyed her nieces. This fact made him feel over joyed. Shame was always nagging because of all the people these two children could come from their mother was his wife's sister. He was angered by the fact that his daughters were now sixteen, and he was just now finding out they were his daughters. He beat himself up for never realizing the family resemblance before.

Once everything was said and done, only Lauren decided to move in. A fact that both upset and elated him. Although Lauren decided to move in, her twin sister Shante decided to stay with the man she called 'father'. He'd always heard the girls call Dean father before, but now it bit at him. Chewed at him. Ate at him from the inside. What he hated the most was that he couldn't tell his own wife. She'd never understand.

She had tried. Many nights, when her father was asleep and Lauren had retired, Brooke would leave her drafting room and find Wilson in the kitchen staring pensively out the window. She tried to comfort him. He could remember being her support all those years ago. He couldn't open up to her though. She'd never understand.


Brooke never quit her job; Lauren was at school, and there was only so much of your father in law you could take. Wilson frequently excused himself to go grocery shopping even though the family didn't really need more food. In the past, Wilson enjoyed watching the families play. He'd dream the impossible, of a family with Brooke. He did this for years, until Dean started taking his baby twins to the park. Every day. At the time Wilson was walking past. He pushed the anger down. He had no one to talk too, and the one he should? Well she wouldn't understand.

It killed Brooke to watch her husband walk away. Something he did a lot now. She knew that he was going through a rough patch, although she didn't know how bad. Brooke felt betrayed. It was her twin sister that did this to her family. Of course, every time she reached out for him he'd find some way to walk away.

Noah, although not oblivious to the stress in his own home, was content. He still talked to all parties on a regular basis. His wife was gone, something he has finally learned to live with. Both of his daughters were adults and beautiful. Even though they had never fought this hard (or had any reason too), he knew they would eventually get over it. He now had four grandbabies (although he really wanted five). And now one of those grandchildren lived in his house.

He knew it was his time to go, and when the reaper came he gladly went home.

8.19 Parental Conflict

Brooke came home from work to find Lauren in the den. "I don't mind you here," Brooke said to Lauren as she played video games, "but you have got to start listening to your mother and not arguing with your father. Lauren, do you hear me?"
"Yes Ma'am," Lauren said, setting down the controller.
"Your mom is worried about you. I think you should go home and visit with her." Brooke thought her niece would argue, she hated going home to the babies and her family, but she went willingly. She even stopped to give her aunt a hug on the way out the door.

Brooke's phone rang interrupting her cuddle session with Wilson. She reached over to answer only to find a frantic Addison on the line. "I need you and Wilson to come to Hideaway Fort. It's an emergency." Before Brooke could ask any questions, Addison had already hung up the phone. Wilson looked at his wife and nodded, there was no use in fighting about it.

Brooke's Bwan Speedster was immediately speeding through town. She could only image what had happened. Her mind told her something was wrong with Lauren. Why had she suggested she leave so urgently?

Brooke's car screeched to a stop in front of the Hideaway. Brooke was half way out of the car before it was even in park. But her sister was crying. She ran to her sister throwing her arms around her. "I have to tell you," she said through sobs, "I can't deal with it any more."

She continued jabbering. "She stays out at all hours. She fights with us. I think she knows. She knows." Brooke rocked her sister trying to calm her.
"Addison, you aren't making any sense right now. What's wrong? Is Lauren okay?" Addison shook her head, relieving some of Brooke's grief.


"Wilson is Lauren's father," she said through gasps. "Well, both of the twins." Brooke's mouth fell open. Addison's eyes darted around the room as Wilson stopped in front of them.
"What!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the empty room's walls. "You didn't think you should tell me this years ago?"
"I wanted too," Addison yelled over him, "Dean didn't want me too." Brooke took a step back trying to soak it all in. Her husband was her nieces father. The issue in front of her escalated as she watched her timid husband's anger hit new highs, "Dean," he shouted, "didn't want you to tell me that he was raising my daughters?"

Suddenly Dean's hostility towards Wilson made sense to Brooke. "No, No," Wilson shouted, "Don't give me your excuses Addison." Brooke wanted to interfere, to lessen the pain on Wilson, but she knew this wasn't her battle. "I want you to let my daughters decide where they want to live." He spat towards Addison.


"Like hell I will," she shouted.
"They are teens now, they can decide," he bellowed. Addison didn't seem to like this idea for as soon as it was out of his mouth she reached through the space separating them and slapped him twice.

With all her rage gone, Addison looked from her sister to Wilson and ran in tears out the door.

Wilson stood, trying to push his rage down. He'd never been that angry before. He'd never had a reason. "Let's go," he whispered to Brooke.

8.18 Unearthed Memories

Sometimes Lauren would go to school once leaving her aunt and uncles. Most days she would spend time by the ocean, playing chess with old widowed men. Lauren loved Sunset Valley. It was a small town with a warm temperature and the majority of the population was ‘old’. Lauren loved the stories the little old people told her.
Lauren found herself skipping school frequently to visit the library. At least once a week her grandfather would join her. At first, she was scared. Scared he would tell her mom or aunt. But Pop Noah didn’t care if she was in school or not. He was lazy himself, and although he was strict on raising his daughters, education had taken a back seat since Lauren was born.

Pop Noah was like clockwork in his old age. Every Wednesday at 11:00 he would visit the library to see Lauren. Lauren would attend school for the first few periods, Art and English class, then slide out the back door. Lauren in turn would always be waiting by the door, book in hand. “Today I have something special,” Pop Noah said, flashing a thick book at Lauren.

“This is our family book,” he said opening the dusty cover, “I just happened to find it while I was cleaning in that horrible outdated basement.” Lauren was intrigued. She flipped open the book. Inside were pictures of people. Very dated pictures. Above the pictures of the happy couple was the name Parkes. Lauren figured this was where her family came from. Each page showed the passage of time as the couple grew and a family was born. As each family grew the elders would pass and a new family was born.

“It stops here,” Lauren said, looking up from the page, “Gavin Brandon.” Noah chuckled. “That’s my father,” he said pointing to a picture. Lauren looked between her grandfather, who was looking away as if remembering, and the image. She could see the family resemblance. There was a long pause before Noah spoke, “He must have worked on this during a project. I guess we have to add on to it.” Lauren looked at her grandfather as he winked her special wink.

Lauren knew what she had to do, and she knew just the place to start.

8.17 Mind of their own

The day after the funeral Addison gave birth to two more twin girls, making Anastasia's drug induced prediction correct. Against Wilson's wishes, Brooke stayed at her sister's house. Four kids were demanding, even in the best of times. It really helped; however, that the twins had just aged into tee


Wilson tried to be the best son in law ever by spending time with Noah on the couch. The two bonded over the cooking network and video games. They were the hardest days of his life, and he wanted nothing more than to have a day job like his wife.


Addison called Brooke regularly to update her Lauren's new defiance habits. "Brooke," she'd often say, "she's staying out all night, she's arguing with Dean and myself, and her grades are dropping."

Brooke usually just listened. "I'm sure it's just a phase," she tried to comfort her sister. Addison hoped it was true, but Lauren's behavior never got any better.


The sun light poured in through the windows. Ugh, Brooke thought as she looked at the clock, why didn't Wilson wake me. Before the thought was even finished Brooke heard a female laughing in the kitchen. Jealously raged through her as she flung open the bedroom door.

She entered to find that the female voice belonged to Lauren. "Lauren, what are you doing here!"

"Baby," Wilson cooed, "She's been over here about an hour. She had an argument with Dean." Brooke eyed her favorite niece. Lauren smiled before grabbing her backpack, "Thanks for breakfast Uncle Will, but I gotta get to school."