Gen 1.1: The Catalyst

Andi looked at the picture sitting on the fireplace mantel. It was hard to imagine it was taken just a little over two years ago, when she was about to head off to college. So much had changed since then. She stared at her siblings and her own smiling face. They had been so happy then. They had actually gotten along. She remembered being so excited to spend time with older brothers, and her friends as she started her new adventure.

She had been close to her brothers since childhood. Her parents were always busy with work, and while she wouldn't say they neglected their children, they definitely weren't as interested in parenting as they were in climbing the career ladder. This left the siblings to look out for each other strengthening their bond.

Her oldest brother Adam, especially was always looking out for her. Reading her bedtime stories, often embellishing them to be more entertaining for her. Her other brother, Christopher would often point out all the inaccuracies, but the would all have a good laugh.

Andi expected to be left out of her brothers' endeavors once they started high school, but they both made sure to always make time for her.

 Adam always made sure she was okay and well taken care of. She chalked it up to the whole protective older sibling stereotype, but she didn't mind. He was her role model, and she thought he was the coolest person in the world.

When she became a teenager, things just picked up where they left out. Through her brothers she made many more friends, and she was never alone. She always had a group to sit with at lunch. She also had the benefit of knowing which teachers were better and which classes to take. She ended up borrowing Christopher's notes quite a lot.

This brought her back to today, where she longed for the old times where she and her siblings got along. Where Adam was on her side.

That had completely changed when she got to college, and her mother for some bizarre reason had chosen her to take over the family instead of Adam. She had always been under the opinion that she wasn't exactly her mother's favorite child. Her mother made a point of subtly clucking her tongue because Andi wasn't as smart or as strong as she was. Andi's interests were considered silly and frivolous. Her personality wasn't commanding enough. Andi thought there were different ways to be strong, different ways to be inspiring and taking care of the family, but her mother's mind there was only one way. Her way.

Adam wasn't exactly jealous that he wasn't his mother's chosen one, but he did use being the protective older brother as an excuse to judge every single little decision that Andi made. He was basically a mouthpiece for her mother whenever she wasn't there to chastise Andi on what was seen as another failure.

They were arguing yet again about how she wasn't living up to expectations. About how she should have at least found a potential significant other by now. How was she supposed to carry on the family without one? It was the same thing over, and over again, and quite frankly she was getting sick of  it.

Finally she turned around to join the conversation, unable to ignore them any longer.

"For the millionth time, I told you I'm not dating anyone, I'm not marrying anyone. I'm done with all that crap. I've tried, twice, and neither of those relationships worked out. What's so wrong with me just adopting a kid or having a sperm donor or something?"

Her mother glared at her, "Do we have to go over this again? That's just not how this works. Our family needs a strong united couple to lead it. People will talk if you just have some random guy's baby. Do you want that?"

She gritted her teeth, "Is there some kind of handbook that says I can't just lead this family by myself? No? I didn't think so. And honestly? No I don't care if people talk. You want me to take over, all that requires is having some kids, running the business, which I'm doing great at by the way, not that you would ever ask. How those kids get here shouldn't matter."

Christopher piped up from the couch, "I think Andi's right. She was able to grasp the ropes of running the business quickly, and we're pulling a profit for the first time in ages. I also think she'd be a good mom with or without a partner."

She was glad Christopher stuck up for her. Going to college, there had been a shift in their relationship dynamics. She no longer looked up to Adam as her hero, instead she always felt torn down by him. Christopher was always gentler and kinder. Understanding her fear of not living up. Understanding the grief she had suffered. At this point, she felt like she could only rely on him, his fiance, and her long time best friend. Adam was no longer someone she could trust and confide in.

"Christopher, we don't need you chiming in. This is about Amanda and her future."

Andi hated when her mother used her actual name. She hated her name and had gone by Andi for as long as she could remember. Of course her mother wouldn't listen to Christopher. He was important in her mother's eyes either.

"I'm just saying, things can change."

"There's no need to fix something that isn't broken. Now, Amanda, there are plenty of people I could set you up with. It's time to stop acting so childish, and accept the fact that you're a grown woman now. You're the head of this family, and that requires getting married and having children. I'm glad to here you're doing well running the family business, but that doesn't matter."

"I tried setting her up mom," Adam said, "She basically refused to even give the guy a chance. How long did that relationship last anyway? A month?"

Andi sighed not wanting to relive that particular train wreck, "It lasted for almost a year. You know why I broke up with him. He didn't care about me at all. He just cared about having a pretty girl he could show off to all his friends.
You know he even said that he was just lurking there waiting for the right time to ask me out, a time where I wouldn't refuse. Well, he succeeded in that, waiting until I was mourning the loss of our father, mourning the loss of the first person I ever loved.
I thought he was my friend. I tried loving him, but I can't love someone who didn't love me back or value me as a person.
You told me he deserved better. You didn't even care about how he treated me. You're my brother, you should have cared about my feelings more than his."

"He did deserve better. You were stringing him along. Please don't give me that crap about the first person you ever loved. Your relationship with Silas was a joke."

She was crying now, and she hated crying in front of other people. She took off for the front door.
"I can't do this anymore. I'm leaving. I'm out. All you do is insult me and tell me I'm not good enough. Adam can have my position. He's the only one you think is capable anyway. I'm going, and you'll never have to deal with me again."

Her mother lunged towards her, but Christopher caught her arm, holding her back.
"And just where are you going to go? This is exactly why you need to realize it's time to mature now. One simple disagreement, and you're threatening to run away."

She heard the sound of someone chasing after her as she went to leave.

Christopher's voice echoed out in a panic.
"You're not really leaving are you. Please don't leave Andi. I know mom and Adam are hard to deal with, but we can handle them together."

"How? You're going to be moving out soon to start your life with Miranda, and then I'll be stuck here all alone with the two of them. I can't do it anymore. I'm just so tired I can't," her voice wavered as  she tried to keep from crying.

"If you think this is what's best you, I can't stop you. I just, I'll miss you. You know I'll always be hear for you even if we're not living in the same house."

"I know, and thanks for always sticking up for me. I just need to be on my own and figure things out. I just feel like I've been drowning in grief for too long. Trying to live up to someone's unattainable expectations for too long."

"I miss them too; dad and Silas. Adam shouldn't have brought him up."

"No, he shouldn't have. I have to leave Chris, but I'll let you know once I'm settled."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

Once Andi walked through the door, she barely made it a few feet before she broke down crying. She had never felt more alone in her life. She would no longer be living with her brothers for the first time in her life. She could go to her best friend's house, but she didn't really feel like explaining everything that happened all over again. She didn't even have a house to go to. She'd have to find a hotel.

She forced herself off the ground to find somewhere more private to cry. She couldn't risk anyone coming out of her house and finding her or berating her.

She headed over to the nearby beach to be alone, but of course she wasn't allowed to be alone for long. This day just had to keep getting worse and worse. Adam had followed her.

"Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you now or ever really."

"Ever? I'm you're brother. You'll have to talk to me eventually."

"Not necessarily."

"C'mon do you really expect me to believe you're just abandoning our family for good. That's not like you."

"You don't even know me anymore, and I don't know you. You're not the same brother I grew up with. That Adam always had my back. You stopped doing that a long time ago."

"I know this isn't you. You never back down from a fight, no matter what it's about."

"Yeah, well maybe I'm tired of fighting. I'm just so tired. Everything that's happened, I just can't handle it anymore. I can't handle the fact that I lost two people I loved within a few weeks of each other. I can't handle that I lost my older brother. I can't handle that you've turned most of our friends to your side. I can't handle having been in a relationship where I wasn't loved. I definitely can't handle having my pain and my grief thrown in my face."

"We're all hurting from losing dad."

"I never said that. I know you miss dad too."

"And you didn't lose me. I'm still here. I didn't turn our friends against you. We all just want what's best for you. Breaking up with your boyfriend, that wasn't what's best for you."

"Yes it was! He didn't love me. I know what real love feels like, and that's not it."

"He was crazy about you."

"No, he was just crazy, period. He was creep and manipulative, and I don't want to be around him."

"I know you say you know what real love was like, but-"

"Don't say anything about me and Silas again. I know you didn't understand our relationship, and I know  you didn't like him. He wasn't good enough to you because he was from a bad family, but that didn't mean he was bad. He loved me. He believed in me and respected me and accepted me for who I was, who I am. That's not something I can say about many people. He was a true partner. He was there for me, he would have my back, and fight to protect me and stand by my side. We told each other things that were so personal, and so raw. When I was with him, the bad things didn't seem to matter, it felt like I could get through anything as long as we had each other.
Losing him was more than losing a boyfriend. He was my best friend. he was everything I had ever hoped or dreamed of in a partner, and now he's gone forever. I don't think I'm ever going to truly get over  him, and that's not fair to anyone else I would start a relationship with. That's why I just want to be by myself. Loving hurts too much."

"I'm so sorry Andi. I know sorry isn't even close enough to apologize for everything that's happened. I want to go back to how things used to be. I want to be a good brother to you. I should have talked to you. I should have listened more. I'll tell mom to lay off of you."

"I'm not coming back. I really need to set out on my own."

"If that's what you want to do, then mom's just going to have to live with that. I'll deal with her. You just take care of yourself. Do you forgive me for being a crap brother?"

"Y-yes I do. I just want you back in my life. I just want everything to start to get back to normal, or as normal as it can be. I just want to stop hurting, and I think leaving for a bit is just what I need to do."

Andi burst out sobbing, and she felt Adam wrap his arms around her. It was just like when she was little and had a bad dream. For a moment everything felt like it was supposed to be. She could breakdown and be protected and not judged. She felt hope for the first time in a while, that maybe, just maybe things would be okay.

Eventually they both decided to leave. Having reconnected, Adam suggested calling Christopher and three of them going out to dinner. As he started walking, he noticed Andi wasn't behind him.

"Uh, Andi, what's taking so long?"

When he walked back to find Andi, he froze. She was laying on the ground near the rocks, a nasty looking bruise on her head, and blood trickling down her face.

"Andi! Andi stay with me."

Andi found herself standing in a dark room looking at a cloaked figure. The Grim Reaper? How weird. Why was she even asleep? She was about to go get some food and start house hunting.

"Um, hey. This is a pretty weird dream, huh? Even weirder that I know I'm dreaming."

The cloaked figure sounded serious, "This is not a dream Amanda Banks. You are being held here to see if anyone makes a successful plea for your life."

Andi recoiled in horror, "No, no, no. I'm not dead this is just a dream."

"It is not a dream," he repeated.

"Okay then how did I die. I'm pretty sure people don't drop dead for no reason."

"You hit your head on a rock. There is internal bleeding. You will not get to the hospital in time."

Andi just stood there for a second in shock. After everything that had happened, now that things might be looking up, she went and died in such a stupid way, tripping and hitting her head on a rock. This had to be the worst timeline. She was pretty sure things couldn't get much worse than this, if other timelines existed.

"They do, and yes this timeline was unfortunate for you."

"Great you can read my mind."

"The plea was unsuccessful."

Andi drooped down defeated. She was dead. She was actually freaking dead. She wanted away from her problems, but she never wanted this.

"I know you did not want this, child. You did not deserve to die so  young. I will attempt to fix this."

"How can you fix anything when I'm dead. Isn't this pretty set in stone. What even happens to people when they die? Do I just disappear? Is there really some kind of after life?"

"Hopefully you will not have to find out. I am going to try and plead with the fates. I will try and get them to have mercy on you."

"Why me? What did I do to deserve your help?"

"You have done and will do more than you will ever know. I have watched your multiple lives. I know who you are. I know what your are capable of. I will talk to them. In the meantime, you will stay here."

"O-okay."

The Grim Reaper walked over to the Fates. It was always a gamble to ask them for mercy, and it usually came with a price. He was carefully to limit who he went to them for. They were more likely to listen to him if the person in question was important in quite a lot of timelines, or if the person's life would not effect much of anything. Amanda Banks was important in many ways, though not always to the Fates' benefit.

"Let me guess, you are here to plead for yet another pathetic mortal's life."

"Yes, if you would please hear me out, you can be on your way and not have to deal with me anymore."

"Until you feel like another human is 'special' enough to plead for. Honestly you come to us, what, at least once a century."

"It is less than that."

"It sure doesn't feel like that, does it sisters," the middle fate, whom he had been addressing turned to the others.

"I say let him have this human. His antics bore me. I am tired of listening to his reasons about how wonderful and necessary these humans are. I do not care why you want to make a deal, I just want to know what it is."

"You cannot be serious."

"I am. I tire of his games. Let us hear him out, and then he will leave."

"We cannot just grant every mortal he brings here a fresh start."

"We usually do, and we argue back and forth for an eternity just to give in. I have other business to attend to."

"Alright, let's hear it. Who do  you want us to save this time."

"Amanda Banks. I propose we reset the timeline to the day she became a young adult, and see how things play out from there."

"Yes because resetting time is so simple for us. Do you know how much that requires us to change? I am sure you do because you ask it of us so often. And you do not care about the changes and consequences this will bring to others?"

"I say no. This mortal causes us too many problems in other timelines. Let her perish in this one. Then we don't have to worry about her."

The Reaper sighed. The Fate on the right was the hardest to convince. He had to guarantee that Amanda would not cause problems.

"I believe once she turns of age, we send her away to a completely different land. Far away from all of those who influence her or lead her to cause trouble."

"People have a way of finding each other no matter how hard you try to separate them. I do not think it is worth the risk."

"Then we'll wipe her memories. She'll wake up, and a brief story will fill her mind. She won't remember anyone or anything. She'll be starting completely anew."

"If she causes any trouble. We will intervene," the Fate said coldly.

"I understand."

"I'll admit, this wasn't as bad as our usual visits, you're getting better at this."

"I try not to take up too much of your time. I know you have much to do."

"Are we finished now," asked the Fate on the left, "He is still boring me."

"I suppose," answered the Fate in the middle, "We will set this timeline back five years, wipe her memory, and hopefully never have to hear from you or her again."

"We will," said the Fate on the right in an aggravated tone.

"We will deal with any consequences, should they arise. You are free to go."

Andi had been pacing anxiously back and forth while the Grim Reaper spoke with the Fates. She hoped they had come to a deal. She really, really did not want to die. She new it was inevitable, but she was hoping she had several more decades at least. When he finally returned, she looked at him nervously.

"You will not die today."

"Really? That's great! That's fantastic! So, how does this all work. Do I wake up on the beach and just carry on with my life?"

"Unfortunately, that is not how things will work. We came to the decision to let you live, but things will be different. Things will change."

"What does that mean?"

Andi clutched her head as a sudden searing pain shot through it.

"What are you doing to me? I thought you were helping me."

"I am sorry it had to be this way."

She could only take so much of the pain before she blacked out.


Sims Nano Information
Word Count: 3585
Picture Count: 29