Chapter 25: Til I Wake Your Ghost

Tamsin's field trip to the Mausoleum was nothing like the souvenir poster portrays it.

Sunday is an auspicious day to hold a royal feast. Queen Tamsin invites Rex Greenman to her imperial banquet.

Rex knows everything about how royal feasts should go; he's about them in his many books.

Since the prom, Caroline has grown closer to Terrance. Whatever the kids at school say about him, Caroline enjoys his company.

Both girls' guests stay for family dinner.

Autumn retires. It was difficult to give up her position as a world renowned surgeon, but the late night emergencies were becoming too much for her.

The Grim Reaper gives Autumn and Darius no time to celebrate her retirement, coming for Darius just as they were getting ready for bed. Darius has lived an extraordinarily long life, but he still is not ready to give up the ghost.

Grim has no pity for Darius' pleas, or for Autumn's.

"My realm is not so bad," Grim tries to console Autumn, "Your husband will be fine."

"I miss him," Autumn sobs.

"You'll join him soon enough," Grim promises.

"When?" Autumn asks.

"I can't tell you that," Grim answers, and sweeps her into a friendly hug before he leaves.

Autumn places her husband's urn on the dresser next to their prom picture. She's been with him all her life, and now he's gone. Getting into their bed by herself, knowing he'll never sleep beside her again, isthe most difficult thing she's ever had to do.

Darius wasn't really a blood relative to Caroline, but he taught her to walk and talk, and was always there for her.

Autumn does her best to put on a brave face for her family, but when she's alone in her room with Darius' urn, she breaks down.

Caroline becomes a young woman.

She graduates as valedictorian and is awarded 'Most Artistic' by the school. Despite her artistic talent, Caroline has decided to pursue a career in science.

Also graduating is Shelly Martin, Meadow and Fred's daughter.

Meadow attended the ceremony, but stayed hidden in the shadows, avoiding her sister's family. Since becoming a vampire, Meadow hasn't aged a day, but Fred was right, the price is high, having to see your loved ones wither and die. Seeing Autumn with white hair, grieving the loss of her husband, was more than Meadow could stand.

The family bought Caroline a new house and car to start her new life in.

Tamsin becomes a teen the next evening.

Rex Greenman drops by. 'I wouldn't miss your birthday for anything," he says.

His devotion is rewarded with a kiss.

In the early predawn hours, Autumn wakes to the familiar sound of Darius' snoring.

"I've missed you," Autumn says, embracing her ghostly spouse.

"I'm always with you, my love," he answers.

She kisses him, and tries to pretend he isn't incorporeal.

They cuddle for the remaining hours of the night, until the sun rises and he's drawn back into his urn for the day.

"You're...Rory McGreggor..aren't you?" Tamsin says to the ghost wandering around the schoolyard in broad daylight. It was difficult to remember his name; her grandfather had told her stories about the living ghost her great-great-grandfather used to have in his band, but that was long ago, and the details were muddied.

"And you're one of Carey's, aren't you?" Rory responds.

Tamsin smiles brightly, "I am his great-great-granddaughter," she says.

"My wife Isabella died today," he says, "Do you have any idea how many wives I've lost since Carey did this to me?"

"No, sir, I don't," Tamsin says, "I'm truly sorry for your loss." She wonders if she should mention the recent death of her grandfather.

"Neither do I," Rory sighs, "I've lost count. I know Carey meant well, and it was great to cheat death for awhile. But it never ends. Everyone I ever knew is dead. Every new person I meet grows old and dies. Even the vampires eventually die, but not me. I'm stuck here in this limbo between life and death."

Tamsin is moved by the ghost's plight. "I'm a genius," she says brightly, "And I will figure out a way to help you."

"How?" Rory wants to know.

"I don't know that yet. But I will figure something out. Just you wait and see. My ancestor got you into this, and it's my duty to help you out."

Rory can't help but smile at the girl's enthusiasm, even though he doesn't dare hope there's any way to help him.

The Hills Discards may not be the most romantic spot for a young couple to have their first date, but Rex and Tamsin aren't your typical teens. He likes sifting through junk searching for lost treasures, and Tamsin grew up with a family who turns scrap into inventions and sculptures.

The sun sets, revealing a sky full of stars for the couple to sit and gaze at.

"Look, there's Cassiopeia," Tamsin points out a recognizable constellation.

"She was a beautiful queen who angered the gods with her vanity," Rex tells her the story of the ill-fated queen.

"You know everything about everything," Tamsin remarks.

"I read a lot," Rex says.

"What are you going to be when we grow up?" Tamsin asks.

"Isn't it strange the way we identify ourselves by our professions?" Rex answers, "We say we 'are' doctors, teachers, scientists, as though what we do is the most important aspect of what we are."

"Okay, then" Tamsin laughs, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Tam. I don't want to pigeonhole myself so soon. I just want to be...me. Not a thing a person can point to and identify with a label."

"Just being you sounds pretty great," Tamsin answers, "I like you, all free and unlabeled."

"I'm not completely free of labels," Rex says, "I'm your boyfriend."

"My knight in shining armor, my Prince Charming," Tamsin throws some more labels at him, until he laughs.

Curfew comes quickly, and the couple part with a last kiss before the police come out to round them up.


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Challenge Notes:
So, the death I had with Gibson seems to have been a one time thing, Sims can die in my house.
While I don't have room for a family graveyard in my house, I do miss my ghosts. So for now Autumn is keeping Darius' urn in her room. I don't know what I'm going to do in the future, but I'm considering some kind of indoor altar to the ancestors where urns are displayed.

Corinne has achieved her LTW of maxing handiness and Logic, so the goal for Gen 4 is complete. She's currently at level 8 of the inventing career. I'm trying to max it, but that's optional.

I moved Caroline out of the house with getting her a job first, and SP put her into the Science career. Her boyfriend Terrance grew up the next day and they got married.