A Villainous Apocalypse: Final Update (Part 2)
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Episode 26 would have been the end of the teen years: Kahlen Doran has made the entire family angry by hooking up with Tristan, which means Cassie and Simon see each other more often and become closer. Cassie confides her dashed hopes to Simon, who in turn tells her about the bitterness between his mother and the Morgans and how much he hates it. They become teens and start dating.
Saxon, meanwhile, has feelings for Donna but is scared to say so. Everyone else his age is dating, though: Idina is in a long-distance relationship with Lissie Chandler (The Absolutely Crazy Matriarchy), Nora has begun seeing another cousin, and the rest of his friends are pairing off left and right. Elle and Stuart are also very happy together and working out their past miscommunications. Mya dies; Saxon leaves for SPU to get his Art degree ( this scene would have gone in this episode).
It becomes time again for summer elections, and Tristan asks Saxon back to town to escort Cassie to a press conference: he is putting a measure on the ballot that, if passed, would take control of the relief effort away from the Fitzhughs and put it instead in the hands of an appointed representative. Saxon is furious and storms away from the scene, dragging his sister with him.
Episode 27 would have picked up right after that point with the aftermath of the press conference, and I have some scenes written for that as well! Here they are:
-
As the onscreen crowd applauded, the girls could only stare, dumbstruck, at the television set.
“That asshole,” Idina spat.
Lisbeth shot her a look. “Idina…”
“I’m not apologizing. He is an asshole. He’s only doing this to get back at Aunt Ellie for divorcing his abusive ass.”
Donna and Nora exchanged a glance. “But-" began Nora.
“No buts. He’s just a dick.” Idina got up from the couch, ignoring Lisbeth’s outstretched hand. “I have to call Saxon.”
“There’s no way he’ll be able to answer his phone right now,” said Lisbeth, gesturing to the screen. Donna followed her pointing finger to the image of Saxon hustling his protesting younger sister away from the crowds, shooting sharp glares at any reporter who tried to get in their way. His obvious anguish made her wish she were there with him.
“Asshole,” Idina growled again.
Lisbeth got up and put a restraining hand on her girlfriend’s arm. “It’s going to a vote,” she said. “He won’t necessarily win. Just wait for Saxon to get back, then you can talk to him.”
“We have class tonight,” Nora volunteered. “He said he’d be back by then.”
“Eh, it wouldn’t shock me if he skipped,” Idina replied, with a glance at the screen. “He’s probably pissed as hell.”
He certainly looked it. Donna watched the screen anxiously until the cameras switched back to a close-up of Tristan, and Idina turned the set off.
-
Idina stayed until after dinner, then went home to rant to her roommates. After that, Nora left for class, leaving Donna and Lisbeth alone in the house. Both of them started up when they heard a knock, but Lisbeth was closer to the door, so she answered it. “Hi, Saxon,” she said.
“Hey, Lisbeth. Is Donna here?”
“Yes, she is.” She moved aside to let him in.
Saxon nodded his head in thanks and stepped through, stopping short when he saw Donna. Without a word, she held out her arms to him, and he moved into them, holding her so tightly she could hardly breathe.
Lisbeth used the opportunity to slip tactfully from the room.
“Did you see it?” Saxon murmured, into her hair.
“We all watched it together,” said Donna. “Idina was here, too, but she left an hour ago.”
She felt him smile. “Bet she’s pissed. I’m glad I didn’t go there first.”
“What about you, Saxon?” She pushed him back, gently but firmly, so she could look at him. “Did you know he was going to say that?”
“No, I didn’t. I think Cassie did, though.” He ran a hand through his hair, but kept hold of her. It was obvious he needed the physical contact just then, so she tried not to feel self-conscious. “I think that pisses me off more than the speech did. Her whole attitude in general, that is.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s taking his side.”
Donna frowned. “Really? Why?”
“She doesn’t get it,” he said. “She’s Dad’s favorite and he spoils her rotten so she believes everything he tells her. So if he says taking the relief work away from our family will be better for Sierra Plains, of course she’s going to think it is. Hell, today she told me that Mom supposedly only married him for his job, which is bullshit. She was too young to remember it when they got divorced, so who do you think told her that? He’s probably the one who told her that Stuart hates her, too, when she’s the one who wouldn’t even give him a chance.”
“Here, Saxon, sit down.” She took him by the arm and led him over to the couch. “I think we’re going to be here for a while and you look completely exhausted.”
Saxon smiled tiredly. “Any time you want, just tell me to stop, and I’ll stop. It just makes me so angry.”
“I know,” said Donna. “Which is why you need to talk about it before you do anything else.” She hesitated. “Idina said…she said your dad was abusive toward your mom. Is that true?”
“I think so. Mom was really unhappy when I was a kid. I remember he practically yelled at her when she introduced me to Liam at Uncle Billy’s wedding.”
She winced. “Did he ever hurt you or Cassie?”
“Not physically. He just lied to me on a weekly basis for my entire life. And like I said, he spoils Cass. If she wanted something illegal, he’d probably find a way to get it for her.”
“But not you.”
He let out a breath. “He doesn’t love me like he loves her. If he did, he wouldn’t have done this.”
“So you think he’s trying to take control just to hurt your mom? Idina said that, too.”
“It can’t be the only reason, but Idina’s probably right about that.” He leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling. “He’s still bitter as hell that she kicked him out. Mom never talks about it. Dad always does.”
Donna had no idea how to reply to that. Silently, she scooted closer to Saxon and took his hand.
He squeezed hers in return, looking close to tears. “We’re so close to being done, Donna. So close. If Dad takes it away, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“He won’t,” she said firmly. “There’s still time before the voting starts. We’ll find a way to get enough support for your mom that he’ll lose.”
-
“Elle, we’re here!”
Elle poked her head into the front entry to see Liam and Devon walking through the door. She smiled. “Hey, thanks for coming. Devon, Cassie and some of the other kids are out back at the pool if you want to go join them.”
Devon grinned and flashed her a thumbs-up. “Thanks, Aunt Ellie.”
He left for the backyard, and Liam followed Elle into the living room, where Stuart and Edie were already seated and waiting. “Liam’s here and the kids are sufficiently distracted,” Elle announced.
“Excellent,” Edie said, rubbing her hands together and sitting forward in her chair.
Elle sat down next to Stuart and gestured Liam to the chair across from Edie. Looking between the three of them, she had to smile despite the reason for the meeting. They had been her support team throughout the ordeal, and she couldn’t think of a better one. “So,” she said, with a slight laugh, “interview time.”
“I’m glad you’re doing it,” said Liam. “I’m sorry you waited so long, though. Tristan’s already gained a large support group and I’m not sure what we can do to topple that. You’re not good with words.”
“And Tristan’s supporters can and will use everything you say against you,” added Edie. “That’s just a fact. You have to be prepared for it.”
Elle nodded. “I know.” Despite this, she reached over and gripped Stuart’s hand. He covered hers with his other one and hung on tight.
“So you need to prepare statements,” Edie continued. “Get the list of questions they’re planning to ask you if you can. If you can’t, I have a list of topics they will definitely ask about. Tristan’s going to be the big one since there are so many rumors going around.”
“I don’t want to answer questions about my marriage,” Elle said quietly.
“You don’t have to, and you probably shouldn’t, but how you handle that is going to be the key. Don’t get offended, don’t snap. Just redirect the subject to the actual election the best you can.”
“If they ask her direct questions about her reasons for the divorce, she will have to answer,” Stuart pointed out.
“She can answer by stating that her reasons are personal and don’t have anything to do with the issue at hand,” returned Edie.
“They do, though,” said Elle. “They have everything to do with it.”
“You’re not going to get far by accusing him of launching this debate because he holds a grudge, though. Tristan’s support base is largely emotional right now. If you can’t talk about your marriage, you don’t have much to combat him there. He’s going to play dirty-you need to keep it clean. Use facts. That’s something you’re good at. And if you practice what you say…”
She bit her lip. “Facts. Right. What have I got?”
“Track record,” said Edie. “That’s something Tristan hasn’t got. The family’s been around way longer than he has and has done way more good for Sierra Plains than he ever will. Who the hell is he, anyway? Some jackass from Sim City who thought he could piggyback off your reputation to get power, that’s who.”
“But I can’t say that,” said Elle. “You just said so.”
“You can point out what your family’s done. And why you’ve done it.”
Elle leaned back in her seat. That was something to think about. “Why do we do it?” she murmured. “I’ve never really thought about that.”
“Think about who put you in charge, Elle,” Liam urged. “How did it all start?”
She knew exactly how it had started. The problem was, only the family members closest to her knew that story, it would not help her case, and she had no way of proving it with Marina gone. “I…don’t know. I think Rhys just…did it.”
He looked a bit skeptical. “You’re sure no one told him to?”
“If that’s the case, there’s no record of it, not in the history books or Ursula’s memoirs or my dad’s books or anywhere.”
“So he just did it,” Edie said, with a glance at Liam. “No one has any way to prove otherwise unless they knew Rhys personally.”
“There isn’t anyone still alive who did,” said Elle. “That was five generations ago.”
“So if he wasn’t appointed to the position,” Edie said, “not by the military leaders, anyway, then why do you do it?”
Elle spoke slowly. “Because it’s family tradition. Because the job’s not done. Because we have a moral obligation to finish what we started.”
“Not because you have to?”
“No, it’s not as though it’s a legal authority we have…” She trailed off. “No, it’s not a legal authority we have,” she said, suddenly fast, with a glance between her three companions. “No one put us in charge, Liam. General Raikov certainly didn’t, anyway. It’s not government work. I don’t have any actual political power or an official position. We just do it.”
Liam looked angry. “So you’re basically fighting a political battle over a job you don’t actually have. That is fucked up.”
Stuart, to his credit, barely batted an eye. “They can still take control from her,” he said. “They could create an official position and give it to someone else.”
“As if that’s going to stop me!” Elle cried. “So what, if they do that? I’m not going to cower in a corner. I’m going to continue my science work. Saxon is going to keep working toward an Art degree. He will push for those programs as hard as he can no matter what happens. And Cassie…oh, she’ll get involved somehow. She’s her father’s daughter.”
“Let us hope she will have a more wholesome effect than he does,” murmured Stuart, squeezing her hand and brushing a kiss against the back of her neck. She smiled at him.
Edie studied her, arms crossed. “Then say that,” she said. “Not that way. You need to stay calm if you can. But I know you’re sincere and you can show that to the rest of Sierra Plains too.”
“Will it be enough?” asked Elle.
“It may be. One thing at a time. You need to call and get those interview questions. We’ll take it from there. Focus on this one interview and we’ll see how it goes after.”
She squared her shoulders. “Right.”
-
The screen switched to a live feed showing Elle sitting rather uncomfortably behind Ida Fisher’s large newscaster desk. Ms. Fisher smiled encouragingly at Elle in an effort to put her at ease, then turned toward the cameras. “Thank you, Paige. Let me introduce our special guest, the current heir of the Fitzhugh family, who have been heading Sierra Plains’ relief efforts since the days just after the power plant disaster that started it all. Ladies and gentlemen, Elle Fitzhugh!”
The studio audience applauded, and Elle inclined her head and tried to smile. “Hello.”
“This is a really special occasion for us, Elle,” said Ms. Fisher. “We haven’t heard anything directly from you since Mr. Smith first gave his speech.”
“I wasn’t ready to speak about it until now,” Elle replied.
“Did you expect him to speak out about your family’s leadership at all?”
“No, I didn’t. It was…quite out of the blue.”
“Then you were understandably shocked by the announcement.”
“Yes, I was. It took me a while to process it.”
“Could I ask you about your family’s involvement in the relief work? How did that start?”
Elle straightened. “The way I understand it, Sierra Plains was just beginning to be settled at the time of the power plant explosion. My great-great-grandfather, Rhys, was in SPU’s first graduating class. He had just completed his bachelor’s in Biology when it happened. I’m not sure what drove him to work as hard as he did, since it isn’t in any records kept at the time nor in his daughter Ursula’s memoirs, but his work in Natural Science was groundbreaking. The military authorities didn’t waste any time putting it to good use. Then, his wife continued the tradition and they brought their daughters into it as well. We’ve been working on it ever since.”
“So no one appointed him to the position.”
“Not as far as I know. It’s just family tradition. It’s the heir’s job to promote a hard work ethic-we believe that we shouldn’t just sit by while there’s work to be done. That’s also why my mother started Business Row over on Sierra Lane-she knew that even though my grandfather had done a considerable amount to help our trade network, there was a lot still left to be done and she thought local businesses would help.”
Ms. Fisher nodded and shuffled her papers. “By that logic, there’s something for everyone to do, not just your family.”
“That’s the way I see it,” said Elle, looking relieved to have the opening. “Mostly what’s been done in the past was just meant to kickstart things. It isn’t just our line that’s been working toward making things better, either. For example, Lex Holm and Gordon Morgan did quite a bit to build up the police force in their day, and because of that a lot of the extended family have gone into Law Enforcement. We even have outsiders moving to Sierra Plains specifically to help out. The amount of effort that’s gone into making our standard of living so much better is just…really amazing, and I hope we’ll continue to see that kind of community work in the future.”
“Speaking of the future, what are your plans should the votes end up in your favor?”
Elle’s expression wobbled dangerously toward panic, but quickly evened out. “We’ll continue to contribute no matter what. Right now I’m working in the Science track, continuing some family research based on alien technology. My son Saxon is at SPU working toward an Art degree, and what he really wants to do is work toward fostering the visual and performing arts in our community and at the university.”
“Does he have a special interest in the field?” asked Ms. Fisher.
“He is a very talented musician-plays drums and sings well. I’ve sent both my children on trips abroad for school breaks so they would have the chance to experience the arts, and Saxon’s really taken to it. He’d like to create local opportunities for Sierra Plains citizens to get involved in it.”
“Fantastic. Which just leaves the rations, yes?”
Elle nodded. “That will be Cassie’s work. She already has an internship in the Culinary field.”
“How does she like it so far?”
“She’s doing very well,” she said carefully. “I’ve talked a bit to her superiors and they like her attitude. Right now she’s helping out with a research project on better preservation of perishable food.”
“Great. We look forward to seeing them and their work.”
“Thank you. I think they’ll do a wonderful job.”
“So do I.” Again, Ms. Fisher shuffled her papers, leaving her guest looking apprehensive. “Getting back to the election, and the press that goes with it, I wanted to ask if you had heard the rumor that your marriage to Mr. Smith was merely one of convenience.”
Elle bit her lip. “Yes, I have.”
“Is that true?”
A pause. “Not on my end. I married Tristan because I loved him.”
“But you think that was not the case with him?” Ms. Fisher’s voice was gentle.
“It might have been once,” Elle said, haltingly. “I couldn’t say for sure. I did feel, by the time we divorced, that there was no love anymore…if there ever had been.”
“Is it true that you initiated the divorce?”
“Yes.”
“Was that the reason?”
She pressed her fingers to her lips, and for a moment Saxon worried that his mother might cry. He heard her throat clearing. “There were a number of reasons,” she said then. “That was one of them, but it wasn’t the main one. I take the idea of marriage very seriously, and I would not have divorced him for that by itself unless he had asked me to. We might not have been completely happy, but…it was a choice we both made. Choices have consequences, good and bad.”
“That makes sense,” Ms. Fisher agreed.
Seemingly heartened, Elle went on. “Our work did factor into our relationship-it had to. True partnership is really, really important in any good relationship, and we got married knowing that ours would be centered around the relief for a good long while. That puts a lot of stress on you. I don’t think any marriage in my family would have lasted without trust, respect, communication, and a lot of effort-all the heirs before me were under equal if not more pressure, because things were so much worse back then. My parents were a personal example of how much strain that can put on a relationship. It takes work.” She shrugged, deflating a little. “I thought we could do it. When things got hard I chalked it up to stress and figured we could use our quiet time to try to work through it. It wasn’t easy, but I thought it was enough.”
“What changed?”
“I don’t…want to go into too many of the details. Most of it doesn’t pertain to my right to continue to head the relief, and should stay between myself and Tristan. Private issues.”
“That’s fair. Is there something you can tell us that would give us an idea?”
Elle shifted in her chair, eyes fixed on the tabletop. “I, ah…toward the end of our marriage I realized that I could no longer trust him.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He didn’t treasure the family the way the rest of us do. There were some actions he took while he was still working toward becoming Mayor that left us vulnerable and could have hurt our integrity. Take this upcoming election as an example.” Here she paused, and Ms. Fisher nodded encouragingly. “I sort of alluded to this earlier, but let me be more explicit now: the relief is not something we’ve ever been legally responsible for. We continue it because we have a moral obligation to do so. It’s family tradition, not political authority.”
“That makes sense,” said Ms. Fisher.
Elle smiled a little. “So, when you think about it, we’re currently running a political campaign to fight for a position we don’t even legally have.”
A low murmur ran through the audience. Saxon glanced back to see them leaving over and whispering to each other. He could tell that some of them had never thought of it that way.
“So what kind of message is that sending?” Elle continued, and they quieted. “To me, it says that our government is currently more concerned with maintaining control than it is with fixing our problems. Fighting us on this means wasting good money. It’s causing unnecessary stress for everyone involved. There’s no point. If this election goes in their favor, it will cause more harm than good.” She shrugged. “And that was the kind of thing Tristan was doing throughout our marriage-exploiting our family and betraying my trust for his own gain. It got him to Mayor. We have a government now. But I…I couldn’t allow him to have that much access to people I loved, people his behavior had hurt. So I ended it.” Nearly overcome, she sat back in her chair.
Saxon felt Stuart tense beside him, and knew the older man wanted desperately to comfort her. Please let this end soon, he thought. Elle’s returning distress was not a good sign.
“Thank you for sharing that,” said Ms. Fisher. “Is there anything else you’d like to share with us before we wrap up?”
Elle considered it. “I want to encourage everyone who’s eligible to come out for the voting. Every vote counts. It’s up to us to decide what we want for the future of Sierra Plains. I want a high standard of living for everyone here, and as many opportunities as we can create to give the next generation a good future. I hope there are others who want the same thing, but it won’t happen unless we take action.”
Ms. Fisher smiled broadly. “Well put. I think we can all agree that it’s important to stay informed and contribute to the decision-making process, since we have the chance.”
“That’s what I hope Sierra Plains citizens will consider, yes.”
“Well, that’s all the time we have for today, so let me thank you for coming, Elle. You’ve given us quite a lot to think about.”
“Thank you for asking me.” The two women shook hands, and Elle rose somewhat shakily, heading for the stairs.
Here, Stuart shot up and ran to take her arm as she stepped down. Saxon followed him quickly. He knew Cassie would not get up, but he did not care. As soon as his mother’s feet touched the floor, he gathered her up in a tight hug. “You did good, Mom,” he whispered.
Elle hung on, face pressed into his shoulder. “Thank you, honey,” she mumbled. All of a sudden, she seemed very small.
They walked back to their seats accompanied by a standing ovation.
-
When they arrived back at the house, Cassie went immediately upstairs to change clothes. Trying not to be irritated, Saxon followed the others to the living room and sat down next to his mother.
“Well, Ellie,” said Edie, “you did just about everything exactly right.”
Elle perked up a little. “Do you think it’ll help?”
“It won’t convince the cynics, but it’s a good start. You obviously came prepared and made several good points, and you handled the Tristan question without making it too personal. For a first interview, I call that a success.”
“But,” interrupted Azula, “we still have a ways to go until the election, so you’re going to have to build to this. You can’t lose your momentum.”
“I know,” said Elle tiredly. “I just wish we could be done with the whole mess.”
“Soon,” Stuart consoled her. She offered him a small smile in return.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway. “I’m going to Dad’s,” Cassie called, making a beeline for the door.
Suddenly filled with an untamable rage, Saxon jumped to his feet. “The hell you are,” he growled, running after her.
“Saxon!” Elle and Stuart cried in unison, but he ignored them.
Cassie paused at the door and turned to glare at him. “You don’t get to boss me around, Harold.”
“Don’t call me that, Cassandra,” he retorted automatically.
“Bite me. I’m going to Dad’s.”
He jammed a hip against the door just as she reached for the handle. “I can’t believe you. How could you hear everything Mom just said and then run off to Dad like it doesn’t matter?”
Cassie’s eyes blazed. “Move.”
“No.”
“Move!” She tried to shove him away, but he was bigger and stronger than her.
Elle walked quietly up to them. “Saxon, move out of her way,” she said.
“You’re joking, right? You’re just going to let her go?”
“It’s her choice,” Elle replied, looking him in the eye. “You can’t tell her what to think.”
Saxon stared back. His anger flared, and he ripped open the door and stepped out of her way. “Fine, go,” he spat at his sister. “Wouldn’t want you to be late for your brainwashing.”
“Saxon,” Elle said sharply.
Cassie did not reply. She looked at him for a moment, eyes suddenly shiny, then marched past him, deliberately stepping on his foot as she went. He swore as the door slammed shut behind her.
“That was uncalled for,” his mother said, laying a hand on his arm.
Saxon bit on his fist to keep from further painful exclamations. “And her stomping on me wasn’t?” he muttered, almost unintelligibly.
Fortunately, Elle was fluent in Saxon-mumble-speak. “I won’t say you deserved it, but you did provoke her. If she’s going to come around, it has to be her decision. Trying to coerce her into agreeing with you is just as bad as Tristan’s lies.”
He realized the truth of it and turned to her. “It just pisses me off so much,” he said.
“I know, honey,” said Elle. She leaned against him and rubbed his arm. “I know.”
[Cassie’s POV of this same scene can be found here.]
-
Interspersed with all this is Cassie’s inner struggle: she fights with Simon, who thinks that she’s letting her affection for her father blind her to the facets of the issue at hand, and becomes increasingly confused until the interview/Edie’s editorial, when she can no longer deny that her father is full of it. Because she doesn’t need a degree to lift Culinary (another thing she resents, since Saxon got first career choice), she had been planning not to go to college and to help Tristan with his campaign, but she decides to go after a confrontation with Tristan that ends badly. The cab she takes to SPU is hijacked by Raikov’s soldiers. The next morning, Elle calls Tristan demanding to know where Cassie is as she never came home. Tristan doesn’t know, either, and they begin to look for her.
Episode 28 would have been the last full update. Raikov, knowing that Cassie is the only person that Tristan cares about, is planning to use her as leverage to get Tristan to be more effective. The Watchers rescue her and deliver Raikov to Marina, who has come back to town secretly to deal with him and leaves again right after. Tristan apologizes only to Cassie and only for putting her in danger, not for his duplicity. It’s left unclear whether she forgives him or not. She and Simon make up, however, after they both apologize for some horrible things they said to each other. She and Saxon also reach a better understanding, and Cassie apologizes to Elle for shutting her out.
Saxon finally confesses his feelings for Donna and learns that they are reciprocated.
With the fall comes election results: the populace has voted to institute a Relief Coordinator, but the appointment goes to Elle. She and Stuart get engaged, and she tells Saxon that as soon as he moves home, she will be moving out to marry Stuart. He tells her about Donna, and she tells him that she couldn’t be more happy for him.
A short Epilogue would have shown Saxon and Cassie lifting their restrictions and starting families, as well as the general happiness of all involved and possibly some shots of Raikov and Tristan suffering.
-
My deepest thanks go to everyone who has ever let me use a Sim from their story (or would have lent me a Sim for this ending section), which is a long, long list of people. I also particularly want to thank Rose, Di, and De, who knew a lot of what I was going to do and offered feedback on it when I shared snippets.
And thanks, everyone who read and loved the Fitzhughs. They would never have come this far if not for all of you.
Episode 26 would have been the end of the teen years: Kahlen Doran has made the entire family angry by hooking up with Tristan, which means Cassie and Simon see each other more often and become closer. Cassie confides her dashed hopes to Simon, who in turn tells her about the bitterness between his mother and the Morgans and how much he hates it. They become teens and start dating.
Saxon, meanwhile, has feelings for Donna but is scared to say so. Everyone else his age is dating, though: Idina is in a long-distance relationship with Lissie Chandler (The Absolutely Crazy Matriarchy), Nora has begun seeing another cousin, and the rest of his friends are pairing off left and right. Elle and Stuart are also very happy together and working out their past miscommunications. Mya dies; Saxon leaves for SPU to get his Art degree ( this scene would have gone in this episode).
It becomes time again for summer elections, and Tristan asks Saxon back to town to escort Cassie to a press conference: he is putting a measure on the ballot that, if passed, would take control of the relief effort away from the Fitzhughs and put it instead in the hands of an appointed representative. Saxon is furious and storms away from the scene, dragging his sister with him.
Episode 27 would have picked up right after that point with the aftermath of the press conference, and I have some scenes written for that as well! Here they are:
-
As the onscreen crowd applauded, the girls could only stare, dumbstruck, at the television set.
“That asshole,” Idina spat.
Lisbeth shot her a look. “Idina…”
“I’m not apologizing. He is an asshole. He’s only doing this to get back at Aunt Ellie for divorcing his abusive ass.”
Donna and Nora exchanged a glance. “But-" began Nora.
“No buts. He’s just a dick.” Idina got up from the couch, ignoring Lisbeth’s outstretched hand. “I have to call Saxon.”
“There’s no way he’ll be able to answer his phone right now,” said Lisbeth, gesturing to the screen. Donna followed her pointing finger to the image of Saxon hustling his protesting younger sister away from the crowds, shooting sharp glares at any reporter who tried to get in their way. His obvious anguish made her wish she were there with him.
“Asshole,” Idina growled again.
Lisbeth got up and put a restraining hand on her girlfriend’s arm. “It’s going to a vote,” she said. “He won’t necessarily win. Just wait for Saxon to get back, then you can talk to him.”
“We have class tonight,” Nora volunteered. “He said he’d be back by then.”
“Eh, it wouldn’t shock me if he skipped,” Idina replied, with a glance at the screen. “He’s probably pissed as hell.”
He certainly looked it. Donna watched the screen anxiously until the cameras switched back to a close-up of Tristan, and Idina turned the set off.
-
Idina stayed until after dinner, then went home to rant to her roommates. After that, Nora left for class, leaving Donna and Lisbeth alone in the house. Both of them started up when they heard a knock, but Lisbeth was closer to the door, so she answered it. “Hi, Saxon,” she said.
“Hey, Lisbeth. Is Donna here?”
“Yes, she is.” She moved aside to let him in.
Saxon nodded his head in thanks and stepped through, stopping short when he saw Donna. Without a word, she held out her arms to him, and he moved into them, holding her so tightly she could hardly breathe.
Lisbeth used the opportunity to slip tactfully from the room.
“Did you see it?” Saxon murmured, into her hair.
“We all watched it together,” said Donna. “Idina was here, too, but she left an hour ago.”
She felt him smile. “Bet she’s pissed. I’m glad I didn’t go there first.”
“What about you, Saxon?” She pushed him back, gently but firmly, so she could look at him. “Did you know he was going to say that?”
“No, I didn’t. I think Cassie did, though.” He ran a hand through his hair, but kept hold of her. It was obvious he needed the physical contact just then, so she tried not to feel self-conscious. “I think that pisses me off more than the speech did. Her whole attitude in general, that is.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s taking his side.”
Donna frowned. “Really? Why?”
“She doesn’t get it,” he said. “She’s Dad’s favorite and he spoils her rotten so she believes everything he tells her. So if he says taking the relief work away from our family will be better for Sierra Plains, of course she’s going to think it is. Hell, today she told me that Mom supposedly only married him for his job, which is bullshit. She was too young to remember it when they got divorced, so who do you think told her that? He’s probably the one who told her that Stuart hates her, too, when she’s the one who wouldn’t even give him a chance.”
“Here, Saxon, sit down.” She took him by the arm and led him over to the couch. “I think we’re going to be here for a while and you look completely exhausted.”
Saxon smiled tiredly. “Any time you want, just tell me to stop, and I’ll stop. It just makes me so angry.”
“I know,” said Donna. “Which is why you need to talk about it before you do anything else.” She hesitated. “Idina said…she said your dad was abusive toward your mom. Is that true?”
“I think so. Mom was really unhappy when I was a kid. I remember he practically yelled at her when she introduced me to Liam at Uncle Billy’s wedding.”
She winced. “Did he ever hurt you or Cassie?”
“Not physically. He just lied to me on a weekly basis for my entire life. And like I said, he spoils Cass. If she wanted something illegal, he’d probably find a way to get it for her.”
“But not you.”
He let out a breath. “He doesn’t love me like he loves her. If he did, he wouldn’t have done this.”
“So you think he’s trying to take control just to hurt your mom? Idina said that, too.”
“It can’t be the only reason, but Idina’s probably right about that.” He leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling. “He’s still bitter as hell that she kicked him out. Mom never talks about it. Dad always does.”
Donna had no idea how to reply to that. Silently, she scooted closer to Saxon and took his hand.
He squeezed hers in return, looking close to tears. “We’re so close to being done, Donna. So close. If Dad takes it away, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“He won’t,” she said firmly. “There’s still time before the voting starts. We’ll find a way to get enough support for your mom that he’ll lose.”
-
“Elle, we’re here!”
Elle poked her head into the front entry to see Liam and Devon walking through the door. She smiled. “Hey, thanks for coming. Devon, Cassie and some of the other kids are out back at the pool if you want to go join them.”
Devon grinned and flashed her a thumbs-up. “Thanks, Aunt Ellie.”
He left for the backyard, and Liam followed Elle into the living room, where Stuart and Edie were already seated and waiting. “Liam’s here and the kids are sufficiently distracted,” Elle announced.
“Excellent,” Edie said, rubbing her hands together and sitting forward in her chair.
Elle sat down next to Stuart and gestured Liam to the chair across from Edie. Looking between the three of them, she had to smile despite the reason for the meeting. They had been her support team throughout the ordeal, and she couldn’t think of a better one. “So,” she said, with a slight laugh, “interview time.”
“I’m glad you’re doing it,” said Liam. “I’m sorry you waited so long, though. Tristan’s already gained a large support group and I’m not sure what we can do to topple that. You’re not good with words.”
“And Tristan’s supporters can and will use everything you say against you,” added Edie. “That’s just a fact. You have to be prepared for it.”
Elle nodded. “I know.” Despite this, she reached over and gripped Stuart’s hand. He covered hers with his other one and hung on tight.
“So you need to prepare statements,” Edie continued. “Get the list of questions they’re planning to ask you if you can. If you can’t, I have a list of topics they will definitely ask about. Tristan’s going to be the big one since there are so many rumors going around.”
“I don’t want to answer questions about my marriage,” Elle said quietly.
“You don’t have to, and you probably shouldn’t, but how you handle that is going to be the key. Don’t get offended, don’t snap. Just redirect the subject to the actual election the best you can.”
“If they ask her direct questions about her reasons for the divorce, she will have to answer,” Stuart pointed out.
“She can answer by stating that her reasons are personal and don’t have anything to do with the issue at hand,” returned Edie.
“They do, though,” said Elle. “They have everything to do with it.”
“You’re not going to get far by accusing him of launching this debate because he holds a grudge, though. Tristan’s support base is largely emotional right now. If you can’t talk about your marriage, you don’t have much to combat him there. He’s going to play dirty-you need to keep it clean. Use facts. That’s something you’re good at. And if you practice what you say…”
She bit her lip. “Facts. Right. What have I got?”
“Track record,” said Edie. “That’s something Tristan hasn’t got. The family’s been around way longer than he has and has done way more good for Sierra Plains than he ever will. Who the hell is he, anyway? Some jackass from Sim City who thought he could piggyback off your reputation to get power, that’s who.”
“But I can’t say that,” said Elle. “You just said so.”
“You can point out what your family’s done. And why you’ve done it.”
Elle leaned back in her seat. That was something to think about. “Why do we do it?” she murmured. “I’ve never really thought about that.”
“Think about who put you in charge, Elle,” Liam urged. “How did it all start?”
She knew exactly how it had started. The problem was, only the family members closest to her knew that story, it would not help her case, and she had no way of proving it with Marina gone. “I…don’t know. I think Rhys just…did it.”
He looked a bit skeptical. “You’re sure no one told him to?”
“If that’s the case, there’s no record of it, not in the history books or Ursula’s memoirs or my dad’s books or anywhere.”
“So he just did it,” Edie said, with a glance at Liam. “No one has any way to prove otherwise unless they knew Rhys personally.”
“There isn’t anyone still alive who did,” said Elle. “That was five generations ago.”
“So if he wasn’t appointed to the position,” Edie said, “not by the military leaders, anyway, then why do you do it?”
Elle spoke slowly. “Because it’s family tradition. Because the job’s not done. Because we have a moral obligation to finish what we started.”
“Not because you have to?”
“No, it’s not as though it’s a legal authority we have…” She trailed off. “No, it’s not a legal authority we have,” she said, suddenly fast, with a glance between her three companions. “No one put us in charge, Liam. General Raikov certainly didn’t, anyway. It’s not government work. I don’t have any actual political power or an official position. We just do it.”
Liam looked angry. “So you’re basically fighting a political battle over a job you don’t actually have. That is fucked up.”
Stuart, to his credit, barely batted an eye. “They can still take control from her,” he said. “They could create an official position and give it to someone else.”
“As if that’s going to stop me!” Elle cried. “So what, if they do that? I’m not going to cower in a corner. I’m going to continue my science work. Saxon is going to keep working toward an Art degree. He will push for those programs as hard as he can no matter what happens. And Cassie…oh, she’ll get involved somehow. She’s her father’s daughter.”
“Let us hope she will have a more wholesome effect than he does,” murmured Stuart, squeezing her hand and brushing a kiss against the back of her neck. She smiled at him.
Edie studied her, arms crossed. “Then say that,” she said. “Not that way. You need to stay calm if you can. But I know you’re sincere and you can show that to the rest of Sierra Plains too.”
“Will it be enough?” asked Elle.
“It may be. One thing at a time. You need to call and get those interview questions. We’ll take it from there. Focus on this one interview and we’ll see how it goes after.”
She squared her shoulders. “Right.”
-
The screen switched to a live feed showing Elle sitting rather uncomfortably behind Ida Fisher’s large newscaster desk. Ms. Fisher smiled encouragingly at Elle in an effort to put her at ease, then turned toward the cameras. “Thank you, Paige. Let me introduce our special guest, the current heir of the Fitzhugh family, who have been heading Sierra Plains’ relief efforts since the days just after the power plant disaster that started it all. Ladies and gentlemen, Elle Fitzhugh!”
The studio audience applauded, and Elle inclined her head and tried to smile. “Hello.”
“This is a really special occasion for us, Elle,” said Ms. Fisher. “We haven’t heard anything directly from you since Mr. Smith first gave his speech.”
“I wasn’t ready to speak about it until now,” Elle replied.
“Did you expect him to speak out about your family’s leadership at all?”
“No, I didn’t. It was…quite out of the blue.”
“Then you were understandably shocked by the announcement.”
“Yes, I was. It took me a while to process it.”
“Could I ask you about your family’s involvement in the relief work? How did that start?”
Elle straightened. “The way I understand it, Sierra Plains was just beginning to be settled at the time of the power plant explosion. My great-great-grandfather, Rhys, was in SPU’s first graduating class. He had just completed his bachelor’s in Biology when it happened. I’m not sure what drove him to work as hard as he did, since it isn’t in any records kept at the time nor in his daughter Ursula’s memoirs, but his work in Natural Science was groundbreaking. The military authorities didn’t waste any time putting it to good use. Then, his wife continued the tradition and they brought their daughters into it as well. We’ve been working on it ever since.”
“So no one appointed him to the position.”
“Not as far as I know. It’s just family tradition. It’s the heir’s job to promote a hard work ethic-we believe that we shouldn’t just sit by while there’s work to be done. That’s also why my mother started Business Row over on Sierra Lane-she knew that even though my grandfather had done a considerable amount to help our trade network, there was a lot still left to be done and she thought local businesses would help.”
Ms. Fisher nodded and shuffled her papers. “By that logic, there’s something for everyone to do, not just your family.”
“That’s the way I see it,” said Elle, looking relieved to have the opening. “Mostly what’s been done in the past was just meant to kickstart things. It isn’t just our line that’s been working toward making things better, either. For example, Lex Holm and Gordon Morgan did quite a bit to build up the police force in their day, and because of that a lot of the extended family have gone into Law Enforcement. We even have outsiders moving to Sierra Plains specifically to help out. The amount of effort that’s gone into making our standard of living so much better is just…really amazing, and I hope we’ll continue to see that kind of community work in the future.”
“Speaking of the future, what are your plans should the votes end up in your favor?”
Elle’s expression wobbled dangerously toward panic, but quickly evened out. “We’ll continue to contribute no matter what. Right now I’m working in the Science track, continuing some family research based on alien technology. My son Saxon is at SPU working toward an Art degree, and what he really wants to do is work toward fostering the visual and performing arts in our community and at the university.”
“Does he have a special interest in the field?” asked Ms. Fisher.
“He is a very talented musician-plays drums and sings well. I’ve sent both my children on trips abroad for school breaks so they would have the chance to experience the arts, and Saxon’s really taken to it. He’d like to create local opportunities for Sierra Plains citizens to get involved in it.”
“Fantastic. Which just leaves the rations, yes?”
Elle nodded. “That will be Cassie’s work. She already has an internship in the Culinary field.”
“How does she like it so far?”
“She’s doing very well,” she said carefully. “I’ve talked a bit to her superiors and they like her attitude. Right now she’s helping out with a research project on better preservation of perishable food.”
“Great. We look forward to seeing them and their work.”
“Thank you. I think they’ll do a wonderful job.”
“So do I.” Again, Ms. Fisher shuffled her papers, leaving her guest looking apprehensive. “Getting back to the election, and the press that goes with it, I wanted to ask if you had heard the rumor that your marriage to Mr. Smith was merely one of convenience.”
Elle bit her lip. “Yes, I have.”
“Is that true?”
A pause. “Not on my end. I married Tristan because I loved him.”
“But you think that was not the case with him?” Ms. Fisher’s voice was gentle.
“It might have been once,” Elle said, haltingly. “I couldn’t say for sure. I did feel, by the time we divorced, that there was no love anymore…if there ever had been.”
“Is it true that you initiated the divorce?”
“Yes.”
“Was that the reason?”
She pressed her fingers to her lips, and for a moment Saxon worried that his mother might cry. He heard her throat clearing. “There were a number of reasons,” she said then. “That was one of them, but it wasn’t the main one. I take the idea of marriage very seriously, and I would not have divorced him for that by itself unless he had asked me to. We might not have been completely happy, but…it was a choice we both made. Choices have consequences, good and bad.”
“That makes sense,” Ms. Fisher agreed.
Seemingly heartened, Elle went on. “Our work did factor into our relationship-it had to. True partnership is really, really important in any good relationship, and we got married knowing that ours would be centered around the relief for a good long while. That puts a lot of stress on you. I don’t think any marriage in my family would have lasted without trust, respect, communication, and a lot of effort-all the heirs before me were under equal if not more pressure, because things were so much worse back then. My parents were a personal example of how much strain that can put on a relationship. It takes work.” She shrugged, deflating a little. “I thought we could do it. When things got hard I chalked it up to stress and figured we could use our quiet time to try to work through it. It wasn’t easy, but I thought it was enough.”
“What changed?”
“I don’t…want to go into too many of the details. Most of it doesn’t pertain to my right to continue to head the relief, and should stay between myself and Tristan. Private issues.”
“That’s fair. Is there something you can tell us that would give us an idea?”
Elle shifted in her chair, eyes fixed on the tabletop. “I, ah…toward the end of our marriage I realized that I could no longer trust him.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He didn’t treasure the family the way the rest of us do. There were some actions he took while he was still working toward becoming Mayor that left us vulnerable and could have hurt our integrity. Take this upcoming election as an example.” Here she paused, and Ms. Fisher nodded encouragingly. “I sort of alluded to this earlier, but let me be more explicit now: the relief is not something we’ve ever been legally responsible for. We continue it because we have a moral obligation to do so. It’s family tradition, not political authority.”
“That makes sense,” said Ms. Fisher.
Elle smiled a little. “So, when you think about it, we’re currently running a political campaign to fight for a position we don’t even legally have.”
A low murmur ran through the audience. Saxon glanced back to see them leaving over and whispering to each other. He could tell that some of them had never thought of it that way.
“So what kind of message is that sending?” Elle continued, and they quieted. “To me, it says that our government is currently more concerned with maintaining control than it is with fixing our problems. Fighting us on this means wasting good money. It’s causing unnecessary stress for everyone involved. There’s no point. If this election goes in their favor, it will cause more harm than good.” She shrugged. “And that was the kind of thing Tristan was doing throughout our marriage-exploiting our family and betraying my trust for his own gain. It got him to Mayor. We have a government now. But I…I couldn’t allow him to have that much access to people I loved, people his behavior had hurt. So I ended it.” Nearly overcome, she sat back in her chair.
Saxon felt Stuart tense beside him, and knew the older man wanted desperately to comfort her. Please let this end soon, he thought. Elle’s returning distress was not a good sign.
“Thank you for sharing that,” said Ms. Fisher. “Is there anything else you’d like to share with us before we wrap up?”
Elle considered it. “I want to encourage everyone who’s eligible to come out for the voting. Every vote counts. It’s up to us to decide what we want for the future of Sierra Plains. I want a high standard of living for everyone here, and as many opportunities as we can create to give the next generation a good future. I hope there are others who want the same thing, but it won’t happen unless we take action.”
Ms. Fisher smiled broadly. “Well put. I think we can all agree that it’s important to stay informed and contribute to the decision-making process, since we have the chance.”
“That’s what I hope Sierra Plains citizens will consider, yes.”
“Well, that’s all the time we have for today, so let me thank you for coming, Elle. You’ve given us quite a lot to think about.”
“Thank you for asking me.” The two women shook hands, and Elle rose somewhat shakily, heading for the stairs.
Here, Stuart shot up and ran to take her arm as she stepped down. Saxon followed him quickly. He knew Cassie would not get up, but he did not care. As soon as his mother’s feet touched the floor, he gathered her up in a tight hug. “You did good, Mom,” he whispered.
Elle hung on, face pressed into his shoulder. “Thank you, honey,” she mumbled. All of a sudden, she seemed very small.
They walked back to their seats accompanied by a standing ovation.
-
When they arrived back at the house, Cassie went immediately upstairs to change clothes. Trying not to be irritated, Saxon followed the others to the living room and sat down next to his mother.
“Well, Ellie,” said Edie, “you did just about everything exactly right.”
Elle perked up a little. “Do you think it’ll help?”
“It won’t convince the cynics, but it’s a good start. You obviously came prepared and made several good points, and you handled the Tristan question without making it too personal. For a first interview, I call that a success.”
“But,” interrupted Azula, “we still have a ways to go until the election, so you’re going to have to build to this. You can’t lose your momentum.”
“I know,” said Elle tiredly. “I just wish we could be done with the whole mess.”
“Soon,” Stuart consoled her. She offered him a small smile in return.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway. “I’m going to Dad’s,” Cassie called, making a beeline for the door.
Suddenly filled with an untamable rage, Saxon jumped to his feet. “The hell you are,” he growled, running after her.
“Saxon!” Elle and Stuart cried in unison, but he ignored them.
Cassie paused at the door and turned to glare at him. “You don’t get to boss me around, Harold.”
“Don’t call me that, Cassandra,” he retorted automatically.
“Bite me. I’m going to Dad’s.”
He jammed a hip against the door just as she reached for the handle. “I can’t believe you. How could you hear everything Mom just said and then run off to Dad like it doesn’t matter?”
Cassie’s eyes blazed. “Move.”
“No.”
“Move!” She tried to shove him away, but he was bigger and stronger than her.
Elle walked quietly up to them. “Saxon, move out of her way,” she said.
“You’re joking, right? You’re just going to let her go?”
“It’s her choice,” Elle replied, looking him in the eye. “You can’t tell her what to think.”
Saxon stared back. His anger flared, and he ripped open the door and stepped out of her way. “Fine, go,” he spat at his sister. “Wouldn’t want you to be late for your brainwashing.”
“Saxon,” Elle said sharply.
Cassie did not reply. She looked at him for a moment, eyes suddenly shiny, then marched past him, deliberately stepping on his foot as she went. He swore as the door slammed shut behind her.
“That was uncalled for,” his mother said, laying a hand on his arm.
Saxon bit on his fist to keep from further painful exclamations. “And her stomping on me wasn’t?” he muttered, almost unintelligibly.
Fortunately, Elle was fluent in Saxon-mumble-speak. “I won’t say you deserved it, but you did provoke her. If she’s going to come around, it has to be her decision. Trying to coerce her into agreeing with you is just as bad as Tristan’s lies.”
He realized the truth of it and turned to her. “It just pisses me off so much,” he said.
“I know, honey,” said Elle. She leaned against him and rubbed his arm. “I know.”
[Cassie’s POV of this same scene can be found here.]
-
Interspersed with all this is Cassie’s inner struggle: she fights with Simon, who thinks that she’s letting her affection for her father blind her to the facets of the issue at hand, and becomes increasingly confused until the interview/Edie’s editorial, when she can no longer deny that her father is full of it. Because she doesn’t need a degree to lift Culinary (another thing she resents, since Saxon got first career choice), she had been planning not to go to college and to help Tristan with his campaign, but she decides to go after a confrontation with Tristan that ends badly. The cab she takes to SPU is hijacked by Raikov’s soldiers. The next morning, Elle calls Tristan demanding to know where Cassie is as she never came home. Tristan doesn’t know, either, and they begin to look for her.
Episode 28 would have been the last full update. Raikov, knowing that Cassie is the only person that Tristan cares about, is planning to use her as leverage to get Tristan to be more effective. The Watchers rescue her and deliver Raikov to Marina, who has come back to town secretly to deal with him and leaves again right after. Tristan apologizes only to Cassie and only for putting her in danger, not for his duplicity. It’s left unclear whether she forgives him or not. She and Simon make up, however, after they both apologize for some horrible things they said to each other. She and Saxon also reach a better understanding, and Cassie apologizes to Elle for shutting her out.
Saxon finally confesses his feelings for Donna and learns that they are reciprocated.
With the fall comes election results: the populace has voted to institute a Relief Coordinator, but the appointment goes to Elle. She and Stuart get engaged, and she tells Saxon that as soon as he moves home, she will be moving out to marry Stuart. He tells her about Donna, and she tells him that she couldn’t be more happy for him.
A short Epilogue would have shown Saxon and Cassie lifting their restrictions and starting families, as well as the general happiness of all involved and possibly some shots of Raikov and Tristan suffering.
-
My deepest thanks go to everyone who has ever let me use a Sim from their story (or would have lent me a Sim for this ending section), which is a long, long list of people. I also particularly want to thank Rose, Di, and De, who knew a lot of what I was going to do and offered feedback on it when I shared snippets.
And thanks, everyone who read and loved the Fitzhughs. They would never have come this far if not for all of you.