#Founder:Campbell

[rurpleplayssims]

“I will permit you to become a test subject in a bid to cure your zombiism” Althea told her husband, completely out of the blue as she sat down beside him later that evening as he read a parenting book.

“But the compromise is that we shall begin trying for a baby” she added, in a slightly smaller voice. “I would hope that every effort will be made by the pair of you to not endanger your life. Personally, I do not believe you aren’t infertile, grant you it’s not backed by any medical knowledge, but a gut feeling. If you want to test and risk yourself, I think it’s not a bad compromise to at least try and give me a child who might - or might not - have your affliction, especially if you do end up leaving me a widow.”

“Do you disagree, or do you want us to start divorce proceedings?”

Thomas’s brain was taking a while to catch up to what he was hearing. He was mostly in shock, why was the subject of divorce being brought up?!

“Divorce?!” he choked out, freezing in place.

Althea’s voice was strong but he could hear the tremble behind it, which told him she didn’t want to say it anymore than he did. “You have given me an ultimatum, one that I didn’t get any warning about before we exchanged our wedding vows. Like you said earlier, you lied by omission to me. I do not want to have a partner who lies to me about what they want in life.”

Althea tried to swallow the lump of emotion in her throat as she pressed on “I do love you and yet I have been shaken by this lack of openness and trust. I told you of all the pain and hardship I have suffered and yet you didn’t do the same.”

“So put the fucking book away if you want to show your wife that you actually care about what you might be about to lose.”

Thomas hurried to shove the book back haphazardly on the bookshelf before he turned back to Althea, his heart tight and a cold sweat coming over him in his fear. 

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[rurpleplayssims]

Nearly two hours later, Roselyn had competed Althea’s hair and makeup.

Althea wasn’t disappointed. She gazed at her appearance for so long it was almost as if she’d turned into a statue, so much that she dazzled by her own stunning refection. 

I’ve not even put the dress on yet, but I’m so beautiful. 

[rurpleplayssims]

Later that evening Althea was the first to head upstairs and get changed into her dressing gown. 

She was enjoying the new look to her bedroom and she was pleased that she’d chosen to install a newer and bigger television in there as well. It was across from the bed so she and Thomas could watch a movie without having to watch it on the sofa downstairs.

“The room looks amazing” Thomas said as he walked in and got changed into his pyjama bottoms. He gazed around the room before walking over and joining her on the bed. “It looks very cosy.”

“What are you watching?” he asked as he settled onto the covers.

“No idea” she said truthfully. “I think it’s a soap opera but it’s so ludicrous!”

“Let’s change the channel, I can’t stand shows like this.”

“Go ahead, here’s the remote.”

[rurpleplayssims]

Thomas tried to smile through his panic but worried he would come across as ingenuous. 

His wife looked so small and yet so firm as she stood before him, her eyes tight with what he guessed was holding back her own tears of fear. They’d been married for just over three weeks and neither of them were about to give up a marriage, especially when Thomas remembered how hard he’d fought to get into a relationship with Althea in the first place.

He pulled her to him, desperately clasping onto her, almost too tightly as he felt his heart beat faster and faster. “Please don’t leave me Althea, please don’t!”

He heard Althea gulp audible in his ear “I don’t want to say it” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “ I don’t want to think any of it! I hate the idea of issuing an ultimatum. How does that make me look to you? I sound like I’m pressuring you into conforming with me. I don’t want to take any of your choice away from you, but you...”

She closed her eyes, trying to remain composed, despite how much she felt like her whole world was being turned upside down. 

She continued, her voice growing. “But...Thomas you didn’t tell me how you felt until after we were married. About something so important that would have far reaching impacts on both of us!  And what did you think I was going to say? You are asking me to give the blessing to your possible death! How...how could you?!” She sounded angry as she too clung to him.

His eyes watered and his voice trembled “I’m sorry, I’m a selfish bastard.”

She was taking deep breaths, trying to compose herself. But she shook her head every so slightly when he called himself selfish.

“I should’ve say this before” he admitted. “I’m sorry I didn’t. I didn’t realise how much it was important to me, I swear it! I didn’t want to not tell you....I just didn’t realise!”

She let him talk, feeling numb.

“I love you above everything else” he told her as she pulled back to meet her tear-filled eyes. He stroked her cheek and was reassured when she didn’t pull away from him. “I don’t want to lose you but if what I’ve done is unforgivable, I won’t blame you if you walk away.”

“Why should I be the one to walk away?” she hissed angrily. Her eyes were small and tight with her own irritation. “You brought this on us, not me!”

He nodded “I did, and I’m sorry.”

There was a long pause in which the pair of them stared at each other, eyes searching for truth and the belief in themselves to see if they could repair the damage that had been done to their young marriage.

Finally, Althea loosened her grip but still held onto his warm frame. “Do you want to start trying for a baby with me?”

He blinked, a little stunned. “Di-did you want me to father your children, after this?”

Althea rolled her eyes “I never stopped loving you, you bloody idiot, I’m just still so angry.” 

Her eyes narrowed again. “You knew I wanted a husband who I would have children with which is what you wanted as well. You knew this, and yet never once thought to voice your fear! It’s just so painful to find this out when you’re hurting me so badly, forcing this choice on me just because you didn’t tell me beforehand, and refuse to chose for yourself.”

He looked sadly at her, tears finally cascading from his eyes. “I love you so much Althea. I want to have a family with you...but how can you be happy with a man whose unhappy with himself? Do you want to see me depressed for the rest of our lives?”

“Is that how you view your future marriage with me?” Althea asked dryly, with ice behind those words. He cringed; he was just making this worse and worse!

“No, that’s not what I meant!” he hurried to say. “I mean, do you want me to be ashamed to even look at my children who share the fate as me? Do you want to see your husband flinch every time he looks at his kids because he sees the karma for that one stupid action? Them paying for my fuckup?”

Another pause as Althea thought over his words. From that angle, she could see what he meant. 

If only he’d told me this before! she thought in aguish. I could've prepared a much better response than divorce! For fuck’s sake Althea! I could’ve put the baby plans on hold and supported him through this time, rather than be angry at him! What kind of wife am I?! Clearly one who doesn’t deserve him!

“You should’ve told me this ages ago” she repeated, her words stern but her voice gentle, as were her eyes. “I know we cannot change that, but if anything, this should teach the pair of us to never lie by omission again. I need to trust you, as you need to trust me. This is a partnership and we are a team.”

“We are” he said, tears still falling down his face. He didn’t want to let her go in case she walked away and never looked back. She was much stronger than he was and already he’d let her down.

The third pause was one in which they both tried to decide if the damage was too much and to not think with their hearts so much. There was no doubt that they each loved each other, but was that enough anymore?

Thomas hesitated before he met her gaze again. When she looked at him, he saw a slight softening in her eyes and he steeled himself for rejection.

Very carefully, he lent forwards and brushed his lips to hers, paying attention to every sense in his body in case he needed to back off. 

As soon as he kissed her, he felt her tears escape as they washed down her face. He closed his eyes, cursing himself. He’d done this, he’d hurt her by not thinking, for not realising sooner, for not deciding for himself and inadvertently hurting her.

He didn’t kiss her for long and he pulled back to gauge her reaction, eyes full of concern. The fact that she saw that he was more worried about her than himself made the choice for Althea.

After taking a deep, steadying breath, she looked up at him. “I need some time to finish processing this” she told him, her voice giving no indication that she had tears silently running down her cheeks. “But I still want you as my husband. I want you, as you are. But if you’re not happy with who you are, I will not resent that. I respect that your fears are not meaningless and I will accept this burden with you, as a loving wife should. I still love you, despite how much you’ve pissed me off.”

His voice was shaky “I...I won’t do the testing if you truly don’t want me to do it, if it’s too much of a risk.”

She scowled at him “We’ve not had this fight for nothing Thomas. You’ve made your bed and we shall lie in it together.”

He wanted to grin but he just felt empty. He didn’t want to not get a cure, even if that made his wife happier. He was an awful person, a worse husband. 

She put her hand to his cheek and her eyes were the warm and kind ones he knew and loved. “I will not demand that you stay in a way that makes you unhappy” she told him firmly. “I will support you in your choice, even if it makes me very scared. And the reason why I’m scared is because I don’t want to live in a world where you don’t live and breathe. For that reason alone, I know that we can get through this.”

He released a breath, eyes still streaming from his eyes. “We can?” he said, words loaded with the hope he wanted her to hear.

She smiled, albeit it wasn’t a full smile but a smile nonetheless. “We both need some time, or at least I know I do.”

Thomas watched her face contort with pain and she spoke again, looking ashamed and guilty. “I’m sorry I that mentioned divorce. I thought you hadn’t told me because you didn't trust me. If you didn’t trust me, then did you want to be rid of me? It was a way for you to get out a marriage that would make you unhappy.”

Thomas stared at her in disbelief. “I never want a divorce” he told her with conviction so strong she couldn’t doubt him. “Never.”

Althea’s eyes watered again “I’m sorry” she whispered, putting a hand on his cheek. “I hurt you by saying that. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Thomas pulled her close again and kissed her forehead tenderly. “We’ve now hurt each other and had our first row. Want to call it even, at least for the meanwhile?”

Althea clung to him and began to sob loudly but he saw her nod once before she sank into his arms.

Not the happiest way to end a round but we now move onto the Morgan household!

[rurpleplayssims]

Sylvie Morgan was a very old being and she wasn’t human, despite her appearance. So old and wary of people knowing of her supernatural status, she was always very much of the defensive when people guessed correctly what she was. There were in fact various names humans used for her species but she had been exiled from her true home, a realm away from where she was trapped.

Even though she knew that Thomas wasn’t a threat to her, her hackles were none-the-less, raised.

“What do you know of me?” she asked, steel in her tone.

Thomas’s smile faded slightly, worried by Sylvie’s cold tone. 

He took a deep breath and decided on honesty. “I’m in need of someone who can remove my zombie state and return me to a full human.”

“I do not know what you are but I know you are a good being and that you are probably far more powerful than anybody truly realises. The important point is that I do not think you will hurt me or anybody else, just how none of us will hurt you.”

Sylvie blinked, not expecting the blatant truth of Thomas’s words. 

He was correct in his assessment of her powers and she could sense that his words were born in pain and anguish. But, if she was correct, he had the same condition as her adoptive nephew.

If she wasn’t able to cure Noah, then how could she cure Thomas?

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Althea was very content to be back home, working and feeling more inspired and motivated to do the best she can for her beloved town. 

Thomas had already mentioned how hard she worked and his concern that she would work herself too hard, but he hadn’t lived with her before their wedding. He was, in truth, seeing the work-mode Althea who was fully committed to her town and residents.

She didn’t become this educated and skilled by not working hard in her life. 

From the many emails that she had in her Inbox, she saw one that caused her to pause.

From: Matthew Miller Subject: Deidre

Althea bit her lip and considered - for the first time in her life - deleting the email before reading it. 

Instead, she closed down her computer without reading the email, deciding that it could wait until tomorrow. Matthew was a valued friend and resident, she didn’t want to ignore anything he had to say, even if the subject was infuriating. 

When she went upstairs, she snuggled into Thomas’s side and didn’t mention it. She didn’t want to show how annoyed she still was at the elder lady for the crime that she had committed and how much Althea’s trust in her had been damaged by it.

[rurpleplayssims]

There was a very long silence after Thomas spoke and he nervously watched his wife from across the table. He really wanted her to consent to the trial, so desperate was he to cure his affliction. 

But of course, there was no guarantee that it would cure him. 

And yet as he’d admitted to Althea, he had no idea if he was infertile and so her wish to have children wouldn’t be achieved until they either found out he wasn’t infertile, or until he was cured.

After a few more minutes, Althea spoke “I think I need time to consider the matter” she admitted.

“Take as long as you need, darling” Thomas said softly, moving his hand across the table to takes hers. Thankfully, she let him.

[rurpleplayssims]

“Phew!” gasped Briony as she jogged up the steps to the veranda. “I am sooo outta shape!”

“You have just had twins” Sylvie said dryly as she continued plucking harvestable fruit and vegetables from her planted garden.

“You know me” Briony said with a laugh. “Always wanting to get things done as soon as I decide on it.”

Jed was helping her getting comfortable with her own body again. Seeing as he was a personal trainer at the gym he owned, she made him in charge of her workout routine.

It was brutal but it was speedily effective.

“I feel stronger already!” she said through her panting, sweat dripping off her skin.

Jed smirked “You already are, babe.”

[rurpleplayssims]

“You’re amazing” Jed told his fiancé, pulling her close.

“I know” Briony said with a smirk. “But these two are even more amazing, just look how perfect they are!”

“Where did Sylvie get the highchair?” Jed asked. “Is it even suitable for his neck yet?”

Briony rolled her eyes “It’s only temporary. The playmat is from Zoey as Maddie’s outgrown it now.”

“Did you set up those bank accounts yet?” she added. 

“Course” he nodded. “They’ve each got a starting amount from each of us and that should sit and get some decent interest by the time they’re old enough to use it.”

[rurpleplayssims]

Over the past few hours, Briony could feel aches coming from her stomach and hoped they were the start of labour pains. 

They were so uncomfortable at times that she had to pause what she was doing and take long deep breaths. 

“Jed, can you ask Zoey to head over?”

As Jed went up to call the town’s doctor, the contraction (or Braxton Hicks) passed for a moment and she caressed her enlarged belly as she had often.

Please don’t hurt me too badly, she prayed silently to her twins. 

I know it’s gotta hurt and I’m so fucking excited to meet you both.

As if the twins had heard her words, a powerful contraction washed over her, far more painful and stronger than anything she’d ever experienced in her life.

“Fuck!” she swore as she clutched her stomach, trying to breath deeply through the agony. “They’re coming now!”

Sylvie and Jed was suitably alarmed. 

Jed tried calling Zoey again and when she answered he almost shouted at her “They’re coming now, what do we do?!!”

[rurpleplayssims]

“I know I’ve been unreasonable a lot lately” Ellen said, with obvious embarrassment and regret in both her tone and face. “Can you forgive me?”

Jasper met her gaze “Of course I can, because I love you. But that doesn’t give you the right to tell me to go fuck myself when I’m offering to help you. I know I will never truly understand what it feels like to carry a child like you are. Please tell me if you need a moment to yourself or want me to get you something. I will not think any less of you. I’m here for you, as you are for me. We’re a team, a partnership.”

“I’m sorry” Ellen said, smiling a little as relief washed over her. “I do love you, I... just...I feel so stressed and overwhelmed, with the baby coming, the wedding, your house being rebuilt, the work-.”

He squeezed her hand in his “There’s no rush sweetheart. Let’s focus on the little one coming as we can’t do anything to hold off that. Let’s live in the moment. Aren’t you excited to meet them?”

Ellen gulped before she answered in a quiet voice “I’m...so scared of the birth.”

He held her close “I will protect you, you won’t have any reason to fear. It’s a perfectly natural process. Trust your body. Trust yourself. Trust Zoey and myself.”

Ellen let lose a shaky breath, trying to not burst into tears “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok El” Jasper reassured her. “Whenever you feel stressed or scared, you tell me, ok?”

She nodded before she lent forward and kissed him. 

“Still can’t believe it took me so long to tell you how I felt” Luke said with a sheepish smile. “I’m so lucky.”

Becky grinned “We're as bad as each other babe.”

[rurpleplayssims]

Althea stared at her husband, astounded by how absolutely certain Thomas was about this choice. It seemed to her that he’d only just made up his mind, having had the problem in the back of his head for months. 

She tried not to feel hurt that he’d never chosen to tell her about this.

“I know it sounds sudden” Thomas said, reading his wife’s shock correctly. “But I...this is a reminder of what I did, that I stole and I got instant karma for it, by becoming this monster.”

Althea’s mouth set into a firm line “I don’t think you’re a monster” she said, her voice stern. “And I’d like to think my view should count!”

“Do you want me to remain like this?” he asked, disgust in his voice.

Her gaze and voice softened “I want you to be happy” she said honestly. “I just get the sense you’re doing this because you think I want it. I don’t care what you look like - I did marry you a fortnight ago, despite how disgusting you think you are!”

“And the fact that you’ve never mentioned this to me does hurt!” she admitted. 

“I tell you everything and you never chose to tell me this - something that means a great deal to you!”

“I never wanted to hurt you” he told her, trying to smile in the hopes he’d be forgiven quicker. 

“It’s just...hard to explain and I don’t think I fully addressed it until I realised the enormity of how people will look at us and judge me without getting to know me. I do not want you to be tarred with the same brush, my love. You deserve the world, not to be judged on who you married.”

[rurpleplayssims]

“Even after all the horror that had besieged me in my young life, you’re still happy to be with me?” Althea asked as Thomas took her hand on the table top.

Thomas’s answering smile was full of affection. “Darling, you married a zombie. I think we can overlook your past. You’ve already done more than enough to overthrow the unfortunate childhood you had.”

“You’ve got me, and I’ve got you now. Forever.”

“Forever” Althea repeated, squeezing his hand back.

After they had finished their meal, they got up to take a closer look at the fire dancing show that had been performed at the other end of the dining room.

“However does he not burn himself?!” Althea exclaimed, hardly daring to breathe as she watched. “It’s magnificent!” 

“Fancy me having a go?” Thomas asked.

“My darling you have many talents but hand-eye coordination is not one of them.”

Thomas smirked as he nodded in agreement.