The Broke Legacy: Gen 5.5 (Part 1 of 2)

[simgaroop]

Previous update: Gen 5.4






Just as Olive Specter's last breath left her body, a chilly air was felt around the eerie graveyard, announcing the arrival of Death itself.




The Grim Reaper would finally collect the one soul that had avoided its ultimate fate for almost 200 years.
If there's one thing no one can escape from, Olive Specter, it is time. With time, every mortal soul loses its place on this plane and must return to the. You no longer considered this place your home, yet you refused to accept your destiny. And in just an instant, your prolonged existence found its untimely end...




But before Death could raise his scythe and harvest Olive's tainted soul, Buck boldly approached him and dropped on his knees.
What about our mother? Will you take her back too?




I was paid only a fraction of what Lyla Grunt's soul was worth, so that's what you got in exchange. There is no salvation for broken soul like hers. There is no place for her in my world, nor there is one in yours. She is condemned to an eternity as an outcast.




- "Please! I beg you! There must be something you can do for her? She's just an innocent soul... the victim of the feud between two families. She doesn't deserve this fate! You are the only one who can save her!"
- "Very well, Buck Grunt. But I must warn you, that the price for such an extraordinary service won't be easy to pay."
- "Anything! I'll pay you anything to save her! I'll even take her place if you want to!"
- "Very well... then in order to save Lyla's broken soul, you shall do the same favor to me."
- "Wh... what do you mean?"
- "Besides Lyla's, there is another broken soul wandering around the world. A soul that I should have collected a long time ago, but it never found its place in this plane. I want you to save my son's soul..."
- "Your son?! Then Olive's story..."
- "The bond that tied me to Olive was the worst mistake I ever made, not only because it meant the early demise of several innocent souls, but also because it also resulted in the birth of my son's suffering soul. The only thing I want is to take him with me back home, where he belongs...




Find my son and set his soul free... and I shall do the same with your mother's.

The Grim Reaper disappeared, taking Olive's soul with him.

The graveyard was silent for a long time afterwards...


...


...


...







"And..."





"Phi?"





"G-get away from me!"





"It's your fault my mom and dad died!"





"Thomas?"









"You bastard!"





"I admired you! You were like a grandfather to me! My own brother gave up so many years of his life to protect your people and..."





"But it was YOU who took our mother away from us! You nearly destroyed our family... you brought us so much sorrow in exchange for the Brokes' happiness! You damn well knew how much we suffered when we were children... yet you never said anything!"





"And you know what hurts the most? I... I turned my back to my own father once... to defend your ideals. And now I see that he was right! Y-your kind has only brought suffering to my family... I should have listened to him, yet I betrayed him..."





"Please take your time, Thomas..."





"Uhh..."






"There must be an explanation to all this! Grandpa would never..."





"It makes perfect sense to me, Rose Mary! He often said that there was no such thing as right or wrong, and that the only mistake one could ever make is to give up and not fight for what one wanted, no matter what. Well, he followed his own ideals to perfection when he exchanged my mother's soul for your grandmother's, didn't he? Such a lovely legacy... a family that flourished in expense of my own. I wouldn't be surprised if all of you knew the truth all this time!"





"Of course none of us knew about this! How DARE you even think about that? You've known us for years!"






"Well I guess I never knew the real face of the Broke family... and... I don't think I'll ever want to know it."
"Wha...? What are you talking about? You don't mean..."
"I'm sorry, Rose Mary, but I can't live under the same roof as HIS family. I can't call myself a Broke and keep betraying my family... especially my mother... "





"We need to divorce, Rose Mary..."






"After everything we faced in the past to stay together, and all the sacrifices we made for our family's sake. Are you saying it was in vain...?"





"I... I really don't know anymore. I love you Rose Mary, and I'm really sorry... but this is the only way things should be..."






"I guess you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Aunt Rosie and Buck separated after that awful night, but I don't want to talk about this shit anymore."





"Why not, Thomas?"
"Because it's not as if my own parents divorced or anything. I'm not the right one to tell that story... you should ask my cousin Chip instead..."
"But it still affected you nonetheless; otherwise you wouldn't have mentioned it."





"Well, of course it hurt..."




"It was my fault, after all. If I hadn't asked Cody to help Ophelia's parents... none of that would have happened..."

The months that followed Buck and Rosie's separation were hard for everyone in the Broke household.





No matter how much he tried to deny it, Tim couldn't hide to his wife how much it hurt him to know that his beloved Grandfather had committed such awful crimes during his youth. For someone who had worked hard to promote Cosmo's message through his acting at College, he couldn't help it but feel almost as betrayed as Buck did.





Unable to destroy it, Tim buried the mysterious phone in the backyard, along with his copy of Cosmo's memories. He hid under the fake comfort of his job the following years, accepting as many roles as he could that would take him far away from the Broke household, hoping that with time he would eventually get over the shame that kept him awake at night.

In many ways, Tim Broke also buried an important part of his soul that night.





Chip was barely six, so he still ignored the story of his great-grandfather and the bond that tied him to the Grunt family. The only thing he knew was that his parents had somehow stopped loving each other one day and he wondered if it was due something he had done.





Therefore, he did everything to prove them he was a good son. He hid behind his school duties and spent all his time studying. He was a little ghost around the house, barely talking because he feared that'd upset the adults and make things worse.





But Lyla, on the other hand, knew exactly who were responsible for her parents' separation.




She blamed and resented the Broke side of her family for all the bad things that had happened to her father and grandmother. Buck and Lyla were always very close, so now that he was gone, she felt all alone in the house.




She expressed her anger in several ways. She ignored Tommy and Cody. She refused to help around the house. She often played rude pranks on everyone, including her grandparents.




She always did the opposite of what her family expected of her.

So, when her grandmother tried to cheer her up one day at breakfast, complimenting her beautiful long hair,




She went straight to her mother's vanity and chop it all off.
Deep inside, she was horrified by the loss of her hair, a trait she was proud of.
But one glance at the upset faces of her relatives was all it took to convince herself it was worth it.
They had hurt her daddy. It was fair she'd do the same to them.




"I know you are angry and that you miss your father, Lyla. All of us feel the same... but you won't fix anything acting the way you've been doing lately. He's not coming back!"




No matter how much Rose Mary lectured her or how severe were she was punished, Lyla didn' t seem to care. She never showed it, but deep inside she was on the verge of blowing up.




That was a trait she shared with Cody, whose guilt and shame were eating him alive.
No matter how much his parents tried to convince him that what he had done was only an accident, and that he was only trying to make the Grunts' happy, he could not forgive himself for the awful crime he had committed.
He had broken Lyla Grunt's soul! The Grim Reaper had said so! Cody's ignorance had condemned to an eternity as an outcast. It was even worse than what his grandfather had done to her in the past!




And one afternoon, he couldn't take it anymore. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he followed a classmate's example and took a large bottle from the bar. It tasted awful, but he forgot about it as he slowly lost contact with reality. For a couple hours, he felt nothing at all.






He repeated the experience over and over the following months...
No one suspected it, for he was careful to do it when he was alone, when there was nothing that could distract him from his shame.





The rest of the Broke household slowly tried to bring things back to normalcy.





Of all the Brokes, Wanda was the only member who still believed in her father's innocence.
She knew there was no proof of his actions, besides Olive's hateful story.
She couldn't prove he was innocent either, but deep inside she knew there was more to this story than what'd been revealed so far. She just hoped her own children and grandchildren would see it and perhaps discover the truth... even if she wasn't there by then.





With Tim's frequent trips keeping him away from Strangetown, Marsha spent all her time and energies with Tom and specially Edward.









He was only a baby, but Ed was also affected by the anger and sadness around the house.









It was his mother's love and company what helped Tommy the most during those difficult months. I was hard enough to witness his loved ones' darkest times, and the loss of Ophelia's friendship didn't help, of course.









Tommy eventually learned to avoid his relatives and spent his free time in Edward's nursery. Playing with a baby couldn't compare to the long talks and the basketball games he had with Ophelia, but at least he didn't feel so lonely anymore.





He could hardly wait until Ed was old enough to do such things!




And thankfully, he didn't have to wait too long for that.





Three months after that fateful night, Edward turned five.
Hoping that a party would distract his children's from their troubles, Puck organized a small reunion and invited all the Brokes in Strangetown.





Things didn't go as planned, though, and everyone was shocked when Lyla attacked her little brother mere seconds after Edward's transition.













Unfortunately (for her), Chip had inherited the Grunts' physical strength, so he had no trouble teaching a hard lesson to his older sister, despite his small size.





Humiliated from losing against a six year old, Lyla ran to her room.
She couldn't take it anymore! She had done everything she could think about to upset her family!
She had worked hard to "avenge" her father! To make them kick her out of the house, so she could live with his Dad.
I hate them! I hate Mom! I hate Chip! And I hate this house!




I wish this house blows up! I hate this place! I hate it... I...









I miss my Daddy... I-I wish he was here!





"Grandpa?"





"There, there, Sweetheart. Let it all out..."
"He doesn't love us anymore, Grandpa! He hates the Brokes! It's not fair! I..."






"Of course it's not your fault, Lyla. Nor is your mother's either. And your father doesn't hate you. If anything, he must be missing you as much as you are..."
"But then... why did he leave us?"
"If I had been in your father's position, I'd had done the same thing. Actually, I almost did back when your mother was born."
"Really?"
"I think it's time someone told you the story of Cosmo Broke. And that includes you too, Tommy."




Puck told them the strange events that surrounded the birth of his alien daughter Helena. How his father in law had chosen him to take Andrew's place back when he was a teen, and therefore developed a long plan to do so, including mysterious scholarships at La Fiesta Tech that forced him to take the subjects he'd need to raise an alien child.

I felt so betrayed when I was abducted. Somehow, your great-grandfather had manipulated my life to protect his own son. I gave up on my dream of studying in Veronaville and that eventually led to my break up with my girlfriend Hermia, who I had loved since I was a child. Sometimes I wonder what would had happened if I hadn't left Veronaville when I was 15 and met the Brokes. My life would have been completely different...

My first impulse was to leave this place and never come back. I wanted to get control of my own life, to make my decisions and stop being Cosmo's puppet. But in the end I stayed with your Grandma, because I realized that she wasn't responsible for all this. She didn't deserve to suffer, nor did our unborn baby. And somehow this experience also meant the birth of your Aunt Helena and the discovery of my own alien heritage. I wouldn't change my life now...





Unfortunately, that's not the case of your father. I don't believe Olive Specter's story, because if there was something I learned from living with Cosmo Broke for so many years, is that he wouldn't harm anyone on purpose. He was against the forceful abductions, and that an idea that Helena, Calvin and Hobbes promoted for years. He spent his life working in the hospital, developing new techniques to help people and when he apologized for what he had done to me, he told me he made sure I wouldn't suffer any harm during my abduction.

Just like your Grandma Wanda, I think there's more to Olive's story than what she told the Grunts. I wouldn't be surprised if she invented facts to hurt our family even more, for her hatred against the Brokes ran deep.






"Nonetheless, Cosmo Broke somehow was involved in Lyla Grunt's death. Your father admired him very much, sweetie, so you must understand that he's hurt and confused. Not to mention that he now has to look after a zombie, which is not your fault or Cody's either, Tommy. You should had listened to your father, though, when he warned Cody against the use of the telephone.

But your father wouldn't hate you... or your mother, Lyla. If there's something I'm sure, is that the love that tied him to your mother is stronger than the anger and grudge he's experiencing. I just hope that with time he'll realize that."

"I hope the same too, Grandpa..."




Meanwhile, Rose Mary, Helena and Calvin were sharing their own problems with each other.

"I really don't know what to do with her anymore! Ever since Buck left... it is as if he had also taken our daughter with him..."




"I can barely recognize her anymore. I know she misses Buck, but I... why won't she understand that it's not our fault?"




"You have to be patient, Rosie. This has been a huge blow for all of us, so imagine how hard it must be for a child like Lyla..."




"We are also worried about Pippin. Ever since Ripp left our place, he's become a ghost. He used to be a very cheerful child... but it's as if his light has been turned off. Not even the arrival of Fantine has made him happy..."




"Ripp is an asshole! Just like the rest of the Grunts! They think this is all about THEIR suffering... but can't they see that we are also crushed by this... this truth. I believed in Grandpa... and now I feel so... so... tainted! It's as if I had spread a huge lie around the world all these years! Why can't Ripp understand that?! Why can't he and Buck see that their attitude is hurting our children?"




"Helena, I've told you a million times that Grandpa's actions, no matter how awful they were, don't make our mission worthless. Grandpa is only one in a million Graslaxians, and our work has made a lot of people, both human and alien, very happy.

For goodness' sake! Even Ripp understands that! How come he's still the captain of the Space Pirates if he didn't believe in his work? If he left... it's because he's too confused right now and he's afraid of letting his emotions get out of control. It's too bad to share a roof with me... perhaps I should be the one who should leave the house..."






"Oh, give me a break, Calvin! You men are such a bunch of drama queens! I don't want any of you out of the house! We are a family... and families fight to stay together and help each other during the bad times. I just hope Ripp and Buck get over this and realize that they don't have to deal with their mother's problem alone, don't you agree, Rosie?"
"Yeah... I hope the same too..."




Later that night, Helena and Rosie went to the backyard.
"All right Rosie, I'm all ears. What did you want to talk about?"
"Well..."




"You know Buck... he always wanted a large family. I, on the other hand, was happy with just two kids, but..."
"Wait a minute... are you telling me you are pregnant?"
"I'm so scared, Helena. We... we didn't plan this. He was so excited when you were expecting Fantine, so I thought this would make him very happy. But just as I was going to tell him... everything happened..."





"You've got to tell him, Rosie!"
"I... I don't know how he'll react..."
"It's Buck! Of course he'll get happy!"




"How far along are you?"
"I'm expecting my first pop at any moment..."
"These are great news, Rosie. Don't worry... everything's gonna be all right..."

But Rose Mary wasn't so sure of that anymore.




Nonetheless, he called him as soon as the kids were asleep.




"Hey, Rosie. It's been a while..."
"Oh, so you DO remember my name, Buck. What about our children's?"
"I'm really sorry, Rose Mary... I know I've not been there for them... it's just that..."
"Don't mention it. That's not the reason why I called you, though they've really needed you these last two months."




"All right, Rose Mary. So what did you wanted to tell me? I'm all ears..."
"Uh... let's sit down first. It's a long story..."




Suddenly terrified by the idea of telling him about her pregnancy, Rose Mary asked him instead about what he had done the last two months.
To her surprise, he had spent all his time right across the street. He had moved to the Specter household and had been working with his brothers to turn it into a suitable home for Ophelia and... his own mother.




"It's not been easy, Rosie. She doesn't seem to know us anymore. What happened back then, the short lapsus of recognition she showed when I sang her nursery to her... it was just a fluke. She's messy and destroys everything around the house. She refuses any kind of contact and sometimes she gets out of control. And she cries all the time.."

"I... I don't know what to say, Buck. I'm so sorry... if there's anything I can do..."




"Thanks, but you know that's not possible. We'll be all right... But, what about you? You haven't told me why you called me here."




Rosie didn't need to explain anything, for her unborn baby decided to show the first signal of its existence in that precise moment.








Buck could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Oh, goodness! Rosie!




Am I seeing things? Are you really pregnant? Is that what you wanted to tell me?




"Eh... yeah. Surprise!"




Carried away by the joy this news had brought him, Buck pulled Rose Mary close to him.
A new baby! This is awesome, Rosie!

Rosie sighed happily. Helena was right: Perhaps this baby was what they needed to get together again.

Don't worry for anything, Rosie. You won't lack anything and I'll visit you everyday, I promise!




And that's how Rosie's hopes died.
Wh... what? - she took a couple steps back, holding her stomach and keeping it away from Buck.- What do you mean you'll visit every day?




"That means that I'll be there for our baby as much as I always were for Lyla and Chip, even if I won't live under the same roof as him."




"B... but..."
"I'm sorry, Rosie, but this baby won't change the way things are now between us. Our children will never lack their father and I promise I'll do everything to make up for my recent absence, but the decision I made that night is final. I can't go back there. I can't share a roof with that mur... with him. And the last thing I want is to let my hatred for your Grandfather get in the way I feel for you... and our children. They don't deserve it...

Things have changed, Rose Mary. We need to let this go and accept that it's over..."





Rose Mary didn't respond. She just turned around and went back to the house without looking back. She went straight to her workshop and, once she made sure no one could hear her, she broke down in tears.

It would be the last time she'd ever do so.

___________________________________________





"I'll see you tomorrow, Thomas."
"Y-yeah, Miss Cloud..."





H-hey, Tom.





...










If only there was a way to make things go back to the way they were...









"Let me guess. He ignored you yet again."





"He can't keep doing this forever, Chip! He was... IS my best friend! Why won't he just... forget about the past and let me help him?"
"That's precisely Tom's problem. He's hidden inside that "tough guy" mask he's build around him and won't let you or I help him. I really doubt even Miss Cloud can do anything for him..."
"I know... and that's what worries me the most..."

______________________________________









All right, Broke! Focus!
It's the seventh game and you are just two points behind the Sim State's Cows.
This is your last chance to win the InterCollege trophy for the LFT Llamas. You just need to score that triple pointer and you'll get out of this place forever! There are SBA agents here!
A new life is waiting for you!





He shoots...!





And he scores a perfect triple pointer! The Llamas win the Championship and Thomas Broke is named player of the year! There's talk about a big contract with the Sim City Vampires for this young basketball star! Woooo!





Most people think I'm an odd girl. I can't blame them, for my family is far from normal.
They also think I'm weird for spending all my lunch breaks in this room, watching him play all alone.
They'd never understand the reason, for they never knew my Poof.
My best friend and confident, with whom I spent endless afternoons playing and having fun.

But it's been a long time since I last talked to him. Really talked to him.
He's become this empty shell of his former self. And it's only when he plays basketball when I can see him smile, because for just a few minutes, he transform into the Poof of my memories.
The Tommy Broke his loved ones miss... and who began to disappear the very day I rejected him.
Right after that awful night...





Of course I never imagined how much it would hurt him.
Frankly I didn't even care about his feelings.
The only thing I was aware of that night was the intense pain and fear and confusion that made everything scary and dizzy.






Once I calmed down a little, I went outside.
Tank Grunt was in the backyard, digging a hole for my Aunt Olive's corpse.
Although his initial reaction was to call his co-workers at the Police Station and confess his crime to them, his brothers had eventually convinced Tank against it.
There were no records of Olive's existence, for she had hidden away from the public eye just after her last husband's death. How could she ever explain her extended existence? How could she work in her experiments if Strangetown's Law knew about her?
No one would ever believe Tank's confession... and most of all, they didn't want the Police to find out about Lyla's existence. One could only imagine what they'd do to her.




I hope you rot in Hell, you evil hag!





I felt a strange kind of relief once he was done. Aunt Olive wouldn't hurt me anymore... she wouldn't turn my Mom and Dad into monsters either.





Monsters like the scary lady in the kitched. The one who screamed and said things no one could understand. She no longer recognized her sons and grew restless. No matter how much Ripp Grunt tried to calm her, she became more violent with every passing minute.

So maybe Aunt Olive wouldn't hurt me... but this zombie was almost as dangerous as her.





"It's all right, Ophelia. She's not going to hurt you, I..."
"D-don't touch me!"
"B-but..."
"I don't want her here! I don't want any of you here! I-I just want my Mom and Dad!"














I must have slept for a long time, for it was almost dawn when I woke up.
A soft and very sad noise was coming from the living room.






It was Buck Grunt, and he was crying.
He had gotten into a huge fight with Tom's aunt and had left his home for good.





Buck's brothers did their best to cheer him up.
According to them, there were important things to discuss, so they sent me back to my room.





I couldn't listen well to what they said.
I only remember them talking about "my safety" and "the right thing to do".






"But this is her home... her place! We can't send her away from her parents' resting place!"





"We must, Ripp. This isn't a safe place for a child and we can't keep her with us. She's not our relative... we must report her to social services. I'm sure they'll find a new home for her. And speaking of safety, we must make sure that alien thing won't hurt anyone anymore..."





And so they did.
The Graslaxian CowPlant met its end at the hands of the children of its last victim.





It was also buried in the graveyard, right next to Olive's unmarked grave.
The Grunts made sure any trace of their existence was erased for good.





No matter how much I begged him to let me stay with my Mom and Dad, Tank Grunt made that phone call.





And the following night, a social worker came for me.
I spent six months at Sim City's Orphanage.
I no longer had a family or a place I could call my home.
And I often wondered if I'd ever find another one.





But one morning, Miss Andrews, the Social Worker who was working on my case, told me that I finally had a new family. Someone had gone the Orphanage just a week after my arrival, and had signed the required papers to adopt me.
He was really interested in you, dear Ophelia.- said Miss Andrews as she drove me back to Strangetown- He didn't want to adopt anyone else but you. He said it was the least he could do for you...




And here we are! Say hello to your new home, although I'm sure you are already familiar with it.





When I stepped out of the van, I thought Miss Andrews was joking. What were we doing back at Olive's house?
But she looked quite serious as she directed me inside, where my new family was waiting for me.




There was only one person waiting for me at the front door.
And as soon as he saw me, he gave me a bright smile.




Welcome home, Ophelia!- said Buck Grunt as he hugged me.




And that's how, ten years ago, Buck Grunt became my father.




________________________________________

PART 2

Comments

[thebattysoprano.livejournal.com]

Ohh! That's all I can say right now.

Amazing. So heartbreaking- poor Rose Mary, oh my gosh!- and yet somehow heartlifting. Or am I crazy for thinking that?

Can't wait for part 2!

[soma910.livejournal.com]

Wow.

First off, you weren't kidding when you said the Brokes would be taking a darker turn! I don't remember if I said this before, but this legacy really feels like an actual legacy. The whole connection with the new generation and the new is done so well. I feel so bad for the Brokes having learned of this sad secret. It is a burden only family members can understand.

I really like the telling of this chapter, with Thomas going to the counselor and stuff. Again, it adds to the new dysfunctional element.

Love the basketball court/gym. :D

Very sad with Rose Mary and Buck. I remember when I thought she would be the one hurting him!

This chapter really reminded me of how children so easily the victims of domestic disputes. I don't blame either parent, but it really takes a lot to reassure your kids that any separation isn't going to leave them with less love.

I look forward to seeing how the Brokes will brave through this dark cloud. Maybe not immediately but eventually. They're strong!

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

It's good to see the Broke's back, even if this was a really heart-wrenching episode. So many people I want to comfort, so many people I want to smack upside the head. Sometimes the same person even (I'm looking at you, Buck Grunt).

I'm definitely looking forward to Part 2. :)

[naughtydolphin.livejournal.com]

Ohhh Buck and Rose Mary :((

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm really surprised that the Grunts fell for Olive's story hook, line and sinker. I'm not convinced that Cosmo was responsible for "killing Lyla," and Puck and Wanda are right. It makes me wonder though if the Grunt boys were just looking for an excuse to leave. You find out from a questionable source that your grandfather in law is a killer, and now you want a divorce? And before, everything was just peachy? Call me skeptical, I guess. *grrrrr*

Sorry.

Can't wait for part 2. It was cool to see Miss Cloud too! I hope she can help Tom find his way.

One more thing- your school gym set looks great!

ETA: Sorry if this reply sounded angry. I guess I have a grudge against deadbeat dads. While my mom remarried and found a suitable mate, my bio father was a bit of a jerk, and she had to kick him out for fear of our safety. He never visited, paid one month's worth of child support, gave my half siblings the same treatment he did his first wife and me (eldest kid), and felt no remorse for it. Every single one of us grew up with some sort of commitment issues because our dad couldn't bother to be a father to us. Worst of all, he would tell anyone who would listen about how his two ex wives were nothing but trollops who cheated on him, and that the kids (despite our genetic likeness to him) weren't his, and how he'd never pay a dime. I guess I have no respect for men who walk out (even if the women kick them out) and don't bother to be there. I sympathize with Lyla, Tom and Chip, all who are reflected in the story as being torn because of Buck's inability to be a father. Maybe the next part will work out, and I was just letting my emotions get the best of me. This chapter has obviously struck a nerve. It's a good chapter, I just can't help getting mad at Buck and Ripp for their actions.

[cambritariatale.livejournal.com]

Absolutely amazing. I like this darker turn, even though it's sad to see the family starting to break. =(
Can't wait for the next part. Hope you're feeling better now!

[angy182.livejournal.com]

wow, great. i'm waiting for the second part because this was awesome.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Oooo... angst! :D

*shakes finger at Buck*

I feel bad for Cody. :( And I like Lyla's new 'do, even though she did it out of rebellion.

Glad to see you're back! Hopefully the sickies have passed!

[oxxnicolexxo.livejournal.com]

OMG :) i want more!

[onsidewalks2.livejournal.com]

so worth the wait. I am once again anxiously awaiting the next broke legacy update!

[ikichi.livejournal.com]

OMG, poor Rosie! From the preview pics I thought someone had died, but this was so much worse! Buck, you couldn't have taken Rosie and the kids with you?!

This family's been splintered apart so many times by Cosmo. For such a sweet guy he really was great at making people miserable. :/

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was a very emotional chapter. I don't really understand WHY Buck is making such a big deal out of it, he didn't have to move out. Poor Lyla, and Tom, and Chip- so much hurt. I feel bad for all of them.

[kingmike1224.livejournal.com]

WOW what an update to come back to...i gotta say it. the dark cloud over the Broke house looks pretty grim. Poor Phi, Lyla and Rosie...they must be going absolutely insane

But im going to think exactly like Puck and Wanda...theres more to the story than meets the eye.

[aryssabrooke.livejournal.com]

Amazing. Thank you! It is SO good. And the perfect excuse for a break from painting!

I hope you're feeling better.

[emmmkayyyy.livejournal.com]

Wow. that was amazing. I got into it, and now I want the rest. As much as I miss the happy stuff, this makes it all real. Which is odd since your mother can't turn into a zombie and you can't resurrect people. But the emotion. Its amazing.

[nessa-seragon.livejournal.com]

What a putz Buck is being. His own kids need therapy because he won't be a dad to them, but he adopts Ophelia?!

[simsofmylife.livejournal.com]

I love the direction you're taking this.

[ace-kay.livejournal.com]

So Ripp did leave Helena. Aw, more sadness. I really feel for the kids, and I loved the twist you put in about Buck adopting Ophelia. I can understand how Lyla is feeling, and I wonder how that will affect her as a teen.

[robinoli.livejournal.com]

Commenting as I go...

-Nooo! Do not want to have Nervous Subject to "go back home" with the Grim Reaper! He's one of my favorite pre-made sims!

-Ohhh FUCK YOU, Buck. What Cosmo did was douchey, but that's no reason for you and Rosie to get divorced. You love her, yeah? Then you stay together. Rose Mary didn't cause your mom's death.

-O: I didn't even know kids could fight! I feel so bad for Lyla. See, Buck, this is what happens when you act like a DOUCHE.

-Hmm... While I think Buck made a good decision in not getting back with Rose Mary because of the baby (you shouldn't marry someone because you feel obligated to), I can't help being angry at him. They shouldn't have gotten divorced in the first place. I'm happy he's going to try to be part of his kids' lives, but, man, grr anger hate.

Such an emotional chapter... this is great. :) Definitely worth waiting for.

[lovelysims.livejournal.com]

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee* *waits for second part*

[simonym.livejournal.com]

Amazing, simply amazing. So worth the wait. I'm sick so I can't elaborate, but woooow. Great job!

[mysimagination.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEKKKKK!!!!!

I love this and hate this at the same time! You have done such a great job with this storyline. This was an update worth the wait!

[muukau.livejournal.com]

I squeed when I saw this! Yay Brokes!

And OMG, I'm really looking forward to how you pan out this storyline. So much drama and anger :)

[seidoo-ryuu.livejournal.com]

First off, I want to apologize, because I've been meaning to leave feedback for you on the Brokes for a very long time! I kept putting it off because I figured, "I will wait until the next chapter is posted!" I should've gone back and said something right away; I apologize for taking so long to do this!

Anyway! I am enjoying this story so very, very much. The depth of emotion and characterization that you have put into your characters is simply incredible, and your stories are so much fun to read. I'm particularly intrigued by the direction you're taking the story, and am very much looking forward to the next part.

One thing I like is that you haven't made this the 'ideal' family, that encounters no strife or bad times. Nor do they completely fall apart when things start to get bad. It's very realistic, and more often than not I forget I'm reading about Sims, and not real people. ^^;;;

(call me crazy, but I'm hoping for a happy ending of some sort for Buck and Rose Mary. After all they've been through together, I'd hate to see them end like that! ^^)

Thank you so much for sharing your story; I am enjoying it so much, and eagerly look forward to the next installment. I won't be so lazy about commenting from here on out, either. :P

[brilliantcat.livejournal.com]

This is sooo well-done. I can't believe how intricate your storyline is! I can barely keep track of Raven's Hollow and I haven't even hit Gen 2 XD I'm (happily) amazed that you keep writing such incredible stories with each update that fit so seamlessly into the larger picture.

As sad as their breakup makes me, life can't always be happy or easy. I'm definitely not convinced that's the end of the story concerning Lyla's condition. In any situation, there are three sides: Side A, Side B, and the truth. I'm interested to see what the truth is :D

[imaginepageant.livejournal.com]

"I'm expecting my first pop at any moment." LOL, OH LOL.

[simfulacts.livejournal.com]

Man, this story just gets better and better! It's like a really family with the sins of the past affecting the future.

[quean-of-swords.livejournal.com]

I started reading this legacy a few days ago, and I'm just catching up. This is the best I've read, hands down. And now I want to cry! Why does Buck have to leeeeeeeave? *cries*

Off to part 2 I go!

[sazula.livejournal.com]

Just a quick question:
The picture you have where Buck has his arm around Rose Mary when she is crying, is that a Maxis interaction or have you used something such as Hula? It's been bugging me for ages lol x