Generation 1, Chapter 3

After that first kiss, Lee and I moved quickly. He officially introduced me to his son, Sam. Thankfully, Sam seemed to like me. He barely remembered his mother, so he didn’t resent me for taking her place. I was thrilled. I don't know what I would have done if he had blamed me for what happened to her.

Lee told me that he loved me only a few weeks into our official relationship, but I was quick to reciprocate. I’d loved him for years, I’d just never told him before.

It was only shortly after that when I asked him to move in. I could tell that it was chafing on him that he still lived with his mother, and I wanted him to be able to feel independent. I wanted to give him everything he needed.

Besides… I hated living alone. I still got nightmares almost every night, although they weren’t as severe as they had once been. I wanted someone to be there for me in the middle of the night, to eat breakfast with me in the morning, and to sit and watch TV with me in the evening.

Living with Lee was wonderful. It was everything I’d imagined and more. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was part of a real family. We lived a wonderfully domestic life. Lee and I slept in the same bed, and he was always there for me when I woke up in the middle of the night. In the morning, we all ate breakfast together before we sent Sam off to school. After we all got home in the evening, Lee would help Sam with his homework while I made dinner.

We were a real family, and I was thrilled to learn that we would be getting a new member. A little scared, but mostly thrilled. I was not expecting Lee’s reaction.

Oh, he was happy when I told him, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was what he did next.

“Nyx, I want us to be a real family when this baby comes. Will you marry me?”

“We already are a real family, Lee. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

“What? Why not? Don’t you love me?”

“Of course I do! But Lee, I’m living under a false name. We can’t get married. It would be fraud, and that’s not a crime I’m comfortable committing.”

He seemed disappointed, but he knew I was right. My entire life was a secret. There was no way he could be permanently tied to someone who didn’t officially exist. The baby could be born at home, then taken to the hospital for a check-up and a birth certificate, on which we could easily put my false name. A marriage license was an entirely different story.

Lee remained distant for the rest of my pregnancy. I understood why he was upset, but I was a little bit mad at him for it. Why couldn’t he understand that we were already a family, a good family? A ring on my finger wouldn’t change our relationship or the way we interacted with the kids.

I only hoped that he wouldn’t take his irritation with me out on the baby.

It wasn’t long before the time came for the baby to be born. I knew what was happening, and I knew what to do. I’d spent the past few months doing extensive research on childbirth. Most of it had scared me out of my wits, but I wanted to be prepared.

It was a long, painful few hours, but I finally welcomed Dylan Doe into the world.

He was beautiful.

Author's Note: I know that I'm kind of rushing into the whole "babies" thing, but this is a legacy, after all. I didn't want them to be too far apart from Sam. Also, I changed my eye defaults about halfway through this chapter, but I ended up deciding that I didn't like them and changing them back. They made Nyx's eye color look really weird. You can really see it in the picture where she's telling Lee why she can't marry him. Dylan will already be a toddler at the beginning of the next chapter, because I hate the larva phase and age my babies out of it as soon as they're born.

Generation 1, Chapter 2

He looked baffled. It was obvious that he had no idea why I was here. “I… um… I don't… Do you want to come in?”

I nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”

I followed him inside, taking a seat on his couch. A little bit of my previous discomfort had returned. His house was a real home, and I felt like I was intruding. There was a picture of Ilyana hanging above the couch. I looked away.

“So… you were saying something?” Lee prompted.

I nodded, swallowing around the lump in my throat. “I… I'm the one who told my father where you were.”

I waited for a response. He was silent, so I forged on. “I hate that I did it. It's not who I am, and the guilt is tearing me apart inside. You have to believe me. I hate it, I hate myself for doing it, but I was just so… “ My voice died. I couldn't admit that.

“Jealous. You were jealous.” I looked up at him. “I know, and I forgive you.”

I stared at him, lost for words. “You what?”

He smiled wanly. “I forgive you. How could I not? I figured out that you were the one who told him a while ago. It couldn't have been anyone else. I won't lie, I was upset when I found out, but I believe that you're a good person. You deserve a second chance.”

I felt myself tear up once more. “Thank you. I hope I can prove you right.”

He smiled, a real one this time. “I know you will.”

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As time went on, Lee and I spent more and more time together. He was really my only friend. He always had been. I didn't feel comfortable getting close to anyone else, but Lee already knew about my past and accepted me anyway.

I'd always loved him, but I hadn't even harbored hopes that he might feel the same way for years. Lately, though, I'd started to think that he actually might. Glances that would once have been brief now lingered. Hugs lasted a little too long to be friendly. Whenever he touched me, he seemed reluctant to pull away.

I wanted to ask him how he felt, but I was scared. What if I was imagining it? What if I made him uncomfortable and he didn't want to be friends anymore? I would be crushed. He was the only thing that had ever really mattered to me. So I held my silence and hoped.

This odd state of affairs lasted for months. Months of being on tenterhooks whenever he was around. Months of my breath catching every time his touch lingered a little to long. I was in agony, but I was still determined not to say anything. If he did want to be with me, he would have to make the first move. Finally, he did.

We were sitting on the couch at my house, watching a movie. It was one of his favorites, but I’d never seen it before. I wanted to pay attention, but it was hard when he was sitting so close to me. I glanced at him occasionally, but he seemed to be paying rapt attention to the screen. He didn’t seem to be affected by my presence at all -- until he casually slid his arm around me.

My breath caught in my throat. I glanced up at him, then tentatively rested my head on his shoulder. He didn’t pull away, and I grinned, feeling… triumphant. We just sat there for a while, pretending to pay attention to what was happening on screen.

Eventually, he cleared his throat, and I lifted my head off his shoulder to look at him. “Lissie… Nyx. I like you. I really like you. I wasn’t sure that you still felt the same way. I’m still not entirely sure that you feel the same way, but…”

“I do.” I cut him off, smiling. “I really, really do.”

He grinned back at me. “In that case… can I kiss you?”

This time I took the initiative.

Author's Note: I apologize for Nyx's glitchy hair.

Generation 1, Chapter 1

This was it. Sunset Valley. I was finally here.

Part of me couldn’t believe this was real. It had to be some sort of crazy dream. Soon I would wake up and be back to my old life, back to being Annalise Porter. I would have never had the courage to leave, but somehow I had. I wasn’t Annalise anymore. I was Nyx now. Nyx Doe.

I had taken everything I could easily pawn and run. He had always said that the only thing I was good for was stealing. I was thrilled to be able to fling that judgement in his face.

It was strange, though. I'd always thought that I'd be happy once I got here. I could finally be carefree, but I still felt the same. Scared and guilty. What if they found me here? Going back would be a thousand times worse now that I'd tasted freedom.

And speaking of freedom… what was I supposed to do for a living? The money I'd gotten from pawning my jewelry wouldn't last long, and I couldn't easily get a job. I had no formal schooling, and I was living here under a false name. Even if those things hadn't been true, I had no real marketable skills. As much as I hated to admit it, he'd been right when he said I was only ever good at stealing.

So as much as I despised the idea of returning to my roots, I got a job at the abandoned warehouse where the local criminal outfit had its headquarters. I planned to lie as low as I possibly could. The last thing I wanted was for one of my coworkers to connect me with my father and his Dragons. I had covered up the tattoo on my neck to the best of my ability, but there was always a slim chance that someone here knew what Chance Porter's daughter looked like.

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After a few weeks, nothing had happened, but I was still scared of my own shadow. I woke up sweating almost every night, terrified that he was here to take me back home. The other dreams were even worse, though.

“So you are my daughter after all.”

“I'm nothing like you.”

“Aren't you, though? You ruined three lives because you wanted the Sekemoto boy. There were times when I doubted it, but it seems my blood really does run in your veins. Congratulations. You've earned my respect.”

Those were the nights when I woke up crying.

I hated myself. The guilt from what I'd done was eating me alive. At the time, I'd known it was wrong, but I'd been insane with jealousy. Now, weeks later, I was feeling the full effect of my remorse. I knew there was only one thing I could do to absolve myself. I also knew that it would hurt like hell to do it.

I found myself staring at the paper in my hand, pretending to read it. 24 Sim Lane.  This was definitely the right address. I'd already double-checked five times, and I knew that I couldn't stand on the doorstep much longer without looking like even more of a creep than I already did. Just knock, Nyx. It isn't that hard. Except that it really, really, was. I knew that he wasn't the only one who lived here. What if someone else answered the door? What would I say? Had he told them about me?

I finally managed to dismiss my spiraling thoughts and knock. It felt like I was waiting forever, but I knew it couldn't really be more than a minute.

When the door finally swung open, we both just stared at each other for a moment. He spoke first.

“Lissie?”

Tears sprung to my eyes at the sound of his voice. “Lee,” I whispered. “Lee, I'm so sorry.”

Author's Note: Sorry about the facial expressions in some of these pictures. I like to think that Lee shocked himself cross-eyed when he saw Nyx standing on his doorstep, but I know it looks kind of ridiculous.

Becoming Nyx: Nyx

I was no longer the trusted heir of the Porter dynasty.

 My father's goons followed me everywhere. I was only allowed to be alone when I was in a locked room, and even then they waited outside the door to escort me wherever I needed to go.

 Those few times I was alone, I thought about Lee, and what he must be going through now. I missed him desperately. He had been the one bright spot in my life. Now that he was gone, everything was dark.

Before they left, we’d figured out a way to get messages back and forth. Ilyana had managed most of the logistics. As far as I could tell, she added some hidden code to my laptop that meant it could send and receive emails from a hidden address. Honestly, I didn’t really get it, but I was hopeless with computers. Those messages were what kept me alive.

The messages were the one thing I managed to keep secret from my father during that time. Sometimes I thought that maybe he did know about them, but that was ridiculous. If he’d known about them, he would have sent his people after Lee and Ilyana, but he never did.

They looked for them, but Lee and Ilyana were nowhere to be found. Part of me was strangely delighted to be in on such a private secret, but it was the part I was ashamed of. It was dangerous for all of us for me to know where they were, but they said someone needed to let them know when their pursuers were getting too close.

I did my job for what felt like forever. It was certainly several years. I was kept sequestered in my father’s fortress. My only way of telling time was the pictures that Lee sent of the baby in his updates. I kept their secret faithfully for all that time, even knowing that telling would improve my life drastically. How could I ever do that to them? I would never betray the man I loved that way.

And I did still love him. My dreams, my fantasies… they were all of him. I knew it was utterly impossible, especially now, but I couldn’t help but dream.

I dreamed of us in the butterfly garden, where we had so many conversations. This time was different, though. This time, he loved me the way I always had him, and acted accordingly. It was a beautiful dream…

 But I knew it could never be reality.

Still, it nearly killed me when I got that message.

Lissie,

I hope you're still doing okay. Your father hasn't been too hard on you lately, has he? We're all doing great here. Sam's been growing like a weed. He says hello. I got him some baby books last time I went into town, and I'm trying to teach him to read. Ilyana's going a little bit stir-crazy cooped up in here. I don't really blame her, but she knows we can't go out very often. It's crazy to think that we've been on the run for almost four years now, and that Ilyana and I have been together for five. I'm going to ask her to marry me. We can't actually get married in the eyes of the law, obviously, but we'll know. It might seem a little bit sudden, but we're grown-ups now. This is what grown-ups do. We're still staying just outside of Riverview, so the townsfolk will be a little bit suspicious, but I'm not too worried. No one knows enough about the Dragons to snitch on us. Be happy for us!

Miss you,

Lee

I had to read it three times before I could understand what it said. Lee and Ilyana were getting married. Married.

I was fine. I had to be fine. I couldn't possibly be upset. They'd been together for five years. Marriage was the natural next step.

I couldn't really lie to myself, though. I was upset. I was really upset, which honestly kind of surprised me. I had really thought that I had let go of Lee. But I obviously hadn't, because I was becoming more upset by the second.

I was in a turmoil of sadness and regret and guilt and… jealousy.

Envy was quickly overcoming every other emotion. Why wasn't it me he was engaged to? It should have been me. By all rights, he was mine… until she took him. And the worst part was, I let her. I could easily have told him how I felt, but I hadn't. Still… he had to have known. She had to have known. I hadn't been subtle. They had known, and they'd betrayed me.

They would have to pay for taking what was mine.

In the moment, I had no idea why I hadn't done this before. Neither of them deserved my loyalty.

“Take me to my father.”

In my pain and anger, I could barely even think. I didn't care that I would regret it later. I didn't care that I might be overreacting. All I cared about was making them pay for what they'd done to me.

“You wanted to see me?”

He had his back to me, but I still couldn't face him as I betrayed the only friends I had ever known. “They're hiding in a house just outside of Riverview. The neighbors are suspicious, so that should be enough to find them.”

He hit a button on his intercom and repeated the information I had given him.

He looked back up. “I'm glad you came to your senses.” Then, to my guard. “Please escort her back to her room.”

After I was deposited in my room, I sat down, feeling numb. Why on Earth had I done that? I remembered that overwhelming feeling of jealousy. I knew why I had done that. I just wished I didn't.

I had just wanted him to be mine so badly. I still wanted him, but the uncontrollable envy was fading. I was beginning to really process what I had done.

I had betrayed them. I had done exactly what I had spent the last four years vowing not to do. I was horrified by my actions, but part of me -- the part I buried deep down inside, the part that reveled in theft -- felt a bitter, vengeful glee.

She had taken him from me, so now I was taking him from her.

I shook myself out of it. I couldn’t let myself think that way. Everyday I struggled not to let that part of me out. It had broken free today, but I would just have to lock it down even tighter in the future.

Once I’d gotten ahold of myself, I focused on damage control. My father’s troops would find their house, but if I could warn them in time, Lee and Ilyana might be able to escape. I typed a quick warning:

They’ve found you. Hurry.

I pressed send and waited. I knew they would send me a message as soon as they were safely away. It should only take a few minutes for them to get packed up, and then maybe half an hour before they deemed it safe to stop and let me know they were okay. But the message didn’t come.

An hour passed. Then two. I was beginning to panic. They had to have gotten out in time. If they hadn’t… No. They had. They were just being extra cautious and hadn’t stopped to email me yet. I just had to give it a little bit more time.

After hours of waiting, I finally got a message, but its contents were not what I’d hoped for.

Lissie,

They took Ilyana. They got there just as we were leaving, and they took Ilyana. They didn’t seem to care about me or Sam, but they took Ilyana. I’m sorry if this sounds repetitive, but they took Ilyana! I wish I could go after her, but I know I can’t. I would ask you to try, but I know you can’t either. It’s just not possible. Sam and I are going back to Sunset Valley for a fresh start. Without Ilyana, I don’t think anyone will come looking for us. I won’t send you any more messages, but if you ever want to find us, my mother lives at 24 Sim Lane.

Until we meet again,

Lee

I didn’t realize I was crying until a tear fell onto my keyboard. They had taken Ilyana. I knew what that meant even better than Lee did. I doubted she would even make it back to Bridgeport alive. Part of me, the bad part, had hated her, but I still mourned her. I mourned her because Lee had loved her, because her child didn’t deserve to be motherless, because she was too young to die.

I looked at Lee’s email again. A fresh start in Sunset Valley… maybe I could make one, too.

I had always been good at making plans. I put on my most nondescript clothes and took my hair down to hide the dragon tattoo on the back of my neck. I took the most valuable trinkets from my jewelry box and stuffed them in a bag with some extra clothes. I would pawn them on my way out of the city. Finally, I took all of the pretty ballgowns my father had bought for me and tied them together to make a rope. They weren’t bedsheets, but they would do.

I climbed out the window and slipped out into the night. It was time to begin my new life as Nyx Doe.

Author's Note: The prologue is done! Next chapter will begin the official legacy in Sunset Valley. Honestly, I'm thrilled. This thing was kind of a pain to shoot, and I got a little bit lazy towards the end. Sorry. Also, her new name is Nyx Doe because:

1. She left in the night and she's corny like that, and

2. Her father told her (way back in the very first post) that she would end up a Jane Doe in the morgue without him, and this is her way of spiting him for that.

Hope everything made sense. Feel free to comment if it didn't, and I will do my best to explain. The next time I post, it will officially be Generation One!