Chapter 1 - The Librarian (Baby 1)

I had trouble thinking of a song to match this video, but decided on the song "Back To Life" performed by 3Oh!3. The song goes well with the scene where Evan and Caryn dance among the candles, and even when they are in the club.

It was a beautiful Monday morning when I woke up. The sun was rising over the city of Sunset Valley, and people were already scurrying about, attending to their daily lives. 

I climbed out of bed groggily, glaring at my bare, grey walls. The construction on the Black Manor was postponed until after Christmas, and most of the rooms were still unpainted and stood bare and empty.

I quickly scoured through some boxes for something to wear, and put on my lucky crucifix.

Like every morning, I quickly greeted Morning Star. He was glad that his stables were finished, and he whinnied when I stroked his snout. "Aren't you glad your home is done, while mine is still a grotto?"

He snorted at my remark, as if to say Mine is a grotto as well, or have you forgotten?

I chuckled at him, and quickly scattered some hay for him to eat. He didn't like eating out of the big piles. While I worked he watched me intelligently.   

After Morning Star was well fed and attended to, I hurried back inside to grab some breakfast, when I remembered that I didn't have a fridge and that the power of my house was still off while the lights were being installed. I sighed in frustration as I walked to the garage to get out my car.

After throwing open the garage door, and getting in my car, I set down the hill of Summer Hill Court. It was secluded and private, just like most warlocks and witches like their homes to be. We didn't like attracting attention to ourselves. I stopped by Hogan's Deep Fry Diner and bought some breakfast and took it to-go.

It was only when I reached the hospital that I realized I was a little nervous. Pushing the last piece of grilled cheese sandwich into my mouth, I got out and approached the entrance. What if there weren't any surrogates? What if they didn't want to be my surrogate? What if they didn't like me?

They don't need to like you, Evan, a small voice in my head reminded me. They just need to give birth to your children. 

 I entered the waiting area in the A.I. Center of the hospital, and it seemed empty, besides for a blonde woman sitting on a seat and reading. She glanced up as I walked in and smiled. "Hey! Are you Evan Black?"

I smiled at her nervously. "Yes? Why do you ask?"

She stood up and turned to look at me. 

"I'm your surrogate, Caryn Dae. I've been waiting for you."

I was a little taken aback. "Really? My surrogate?" She smiled at my shocked expression. 

"Don't worry, I didn't wait too long for you, I took the day off from work and decided to catch up on my favorite book." She indicated the book she sat down on the table. "So, shall we get started?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After me and Caryn finished up at the hospital, we loaded her bag into my car, and I took her back home, where she and the rest of my surrogates will be staying until the birth of our baby. Caryn admired the outside of my home as we walked up the path. She was pretty talkative and friendly. 

"Wow! Your home looks amazing!"

"Thanks," I answered her. "Though, it's not finished yet. The power is still out, and I barely have any furniture. You can sleep in the bed, I bought myself a sleeping bag."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Besides, your the one getting pregnant." We both laughed nervously at that.

"So, what are we going to do?"

"I'd like to introduce you to my friend."

"Is that a good idea?"

"Of course, you'll love him."

We moved around the garden, reaching the stable. Morning Star was drinking some nice cold water, slurping it up. Caryn's eyes widened. "You have a horse on your home lot? And stables?"

"Of course. There's no way I was going to leave Morning Star here at the Equestrian Center outside of town. He'd miss me too much."

I called Morning Star over, and he trotted to where I was standing. He nuzzled me with his snout and I petted him, smoothing out his fur. "There, there boy. I want you to meet someone. She's a friend."

Morning Star snorted. Yeah right. You never have any friends.

I glared at him as he snorted again, although this time is sounded like a chuckle. Sometimes I wondered if I really could hear Morning Star's voice in my head because I'm a warlock. But it wasn't in any of my spell books and grimoires, so maybe I was just crazy. 

I turned to look at Caryn. "Are you ready to pet him now?" 

"Me?" she asked incredulously. I nodded, and she moved closer. Morning Star's brown eyes watched her every movement. 

"Hold out your hand so that he can sniff you," I said excitedly. This was going to be the first person Morning Star will officially meet, besides from myself. 

Caryn held out her hand, and Morning Star sniffed it cautiously. Then he whinnied and licked her hand. Caryn squealed, and pat him gently on his nuzzle. I gave her a few carrots I bought on the way back from the hospital, and she fed them to him. He seemed delighted to meet her.   

"Do you want to give him a ride?" Caryn looked at me with a big smile. She carefully climbed on to Morning Star, and I helped her up when she stumbled. I blushed a little as my hands touched her waist. I never have been good with girls. 

We spent the rest of the morning riding Morning Star. Caryn enjoyed it very much, and I was glad that we had something in common. After her but began to get a little sore, we gave it a rest. A volunteered to make lunch, but then remembered that we didn't have a stove or any electricity. so instead I drove Caryn and myself back to Hogan's Deep Fry Diner. 

We spent the afternoon getting to know each other. She told me that she was a Librarian, and worked at the Memorial Library here in Sunset Valley. I told her I was a self-employed writer, but that I haven't really published anything yet. I explained to her how I had made my fortune through investments. But I was currently writing a book, I just didn't have a lot of time these days to finish it. 

Caryn told me that she liked to go to dance clubs, so I invited her to the Port-A-Party Mini Warehouse down by the beach for the night, before she became too pregnant to go anywhere.

We played some skee ball, which she turned out to be pretty good in. She bested my ass with 4800 points to 2500. I told her I owed her a drink after the pregnancy. We met up with some locals, Sunny Bakshi and 

Dave Ramsey, who invited us to play some pool with them. I was in my element, and used my warlock enhanced senses to easily shoot the balls accurately. 

Later that night, Dave performed a live show for us, and me and Caryn just had to cheer him on. Caryn use to go to school with the guy, and at the end of the show she even threw a bouquet of roses at him! Everyone wanted more, shouting and cheering, and eventually Dave sang another song, dedicated to Fiona McIrish.

We hit the dance floor after that. Caryn was quite the dancer, and she told me that she came to the clubs often, although mostly alone. We chatted and danced, and I drank a few shots and she just ordered a few glasses of juice. The night was great, and a little warm. Summer was rising quickly.

Although, after a few more juices, Caryn had to retreat to the bathroom to vomit. Could this be the first sign of the thing that we created growing inside of her? Stop it, Evan. You're getting emotional again. 

But no matter how much the voice raged on in my head, I knew that I was growing close to Caryn. 

After the club closed, we returned home. Caryn offered to show me some constellations she has read about, and we sat down inside the stable grounds to look at the stars. Morning Star joined us, laying down behind us, but not before nickering at me. So now you're watching the stars together? How romantic. 

Well, no more carrots for you, I decided. 

Caryn slept in the bed that night, after I insisted. I unrolled my sleeping bag and snuggled in, my thoughts filled with prospects for the future. I soon dozed off, exhaustion from all the dancing finally overwhelming me. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up early the next morning, unable to sleep too long. I tried to push the nightmare I had from my head, and got out carefully from my sleeping bag. I put on my swimming trunks and headed out to the pool. The early sunbeams washed over my bare chest, and it felt good. I climbed on to the diving plank carefully.

I paced myself, counting down, and then strode to the front of the. plank. I jumped, the plank bending beneath my weight and then I was in the air. I dove into the cold water, spinning under the water. I found my lounger, and then lay on it, relaxing in the sunlight.   

I soon heard footsteps, and then Caryn was there, already wearing swimming gear. She smiled as I opened my one eye to look at her. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all."

So we spent the morning together, lounging in the pool. I got a few more hours of sleep in, and Caryn read some of her pregnancy books. I promised her I'd have a read at them later on. We were pretty much lazy the rest of the day.

I grilled us some hotdogs for lunch. Caryn sat by me, and we chatted all the way. She told me about some of her favorite movies, and we argued about who has read the most books (eventually she won).

She even sat by me while I attended to Morning Star. We moved in a rocking chair for her to sit in, and she read more while I cleaned. I brushed Morning Star's glossy coat, and cleaned the dirt out from his hooves. He nickered at me, glad for all the TLC. 

It rained the night, so we had to spent it inside the house. The builders had installed all the new fireplaces in the house, and we curled up by the one inside the dining room. I had gotten some candles from the boxes around the house, and lit them, placing them in a circle around us. Caryn was sketching on one of my sketch pads, while I was reading a pregnancy eBook. 

Caryn looked outside the window at the rain. "Too bad we can't go to the club tonight. Seems I'm a real party killer."

I glanced up at her from over my laptop. She was avoiding my gaze.

"You know what?" I asked her. She looked up at me. "Every party can be brought back to life."

I went and fetched a small radio I knew was stored in the "STORAGE" Box. I tuned it in to something we could dance to. Caryn giggled as I pulled her up from the ground and we began dancing inside the candlelit circle. She laughed as I spun her around gently. We stood facing each other again. "See," I said. "Any party can be brought back to life. All you need is candlelight."

"And an old fashioned radio?"

"And an old fashioned radio."

The rain pelted against the house as we stood watching the flames of the fireplace. Caryn's hand rested on her stomach, and I held her to keep her steady. It was a great night. And I knew that I would never be able to forget about Caryn. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning was no sunshine and all rain. I was getting my car keys so that me and Caryn could go and have some breakfast at Hogan's, when I heard her scream from the bedroom. "Evan!! Come quick! I think my water just broke!"

So instead of waffles and syrup, I drove Caryn to the hospital to deliver our baby.

We already knew which name to give him when he was born, since we had agreed upon it at the A.I. Center the first day we met. My first baby was here. 

Say hello to little Jayden! I knew he was human like his mother, but I loved him all the same. I felt myself being tethered to the small child, who was half me, half his mother. He had my fair hair, but his mother's shocking green eyes. 

I hugged Caryn goodbye, and I promised to stay in touch and to invite her to Jayden's Age Days. And then she said something that really stuck to me. "Goodbye, Evan, my friend." And that's when I realized that she was my friend, and that she was the first in a very long time.  

I picked up Jayden after Caryn left, and hugged him closely. I felt all my hatred for demons begin to lift. And then it re-established itself just as quickly as I realized that I needed to protect this new family of mine. I had to destroy the demons if I ever want my children and their children to live happily ever after. Even if it meant that I will work long and hard. I knew then that you'll be willing to give anything for the ones you love.

Well then! I hoped you guys loved that chapter! I loved the candlelight scene <3

Evan's turmoil has started: protect his family by either fleeing from demons or destroying them?

Thank you Caryn for letting me use your sim! 

Jayden is already my favorite <3

Can't wait to show you guys Chapter 2, when things start taking a supernatural turn. ;)