Generation 1~Chapter 24~Decision Time

*The song for the post is When I'm 64 by the Beatles . My mother is a huge Beatles fan, and she passed that love down to me.  This is one of my favourites.  It actually wasn't my first choice for this post but as I was writing it got stuck in my head and I knew it was perfect for this chapter.  As always, Enjoy!*


Another day of Clarity strutting around sans pants, and this time trying to scare them off her twin and brother apparently.

By the looks of things I would say Harmony and Sebastian have had enough of her.

Today was also the day of the last prom this generation will see.  Clarity had somehow managed to get August to agree to going as her date.

Time for the run for the limo!

Notice somebody missing?  August never got into the limo, and instead stood out on the lawn for quite awhile.  And yet somehow I got miraculous updates about the wonderful time he had Clarity were having   >.< .

While the kids were at prom, Hank received a party invitation. At Pauline Wan's.  That old lady, flirting with Hank and holding her grandchild?  Yeah that's Pauline.  I worried how Hank would react.

I needn't have worried.  Hank told Pauline exactly what he thought of her.

And ran home into the always waiting arms of the woman he loved.

Which of course led to...

Desire driven away, Hank and Crimson cuddled on top of the blankets.  Hank gazed lovingly at Crimson as she smiled contentedly.  He knew that she would be turning elder any time now, was rather shocked it hadn't happened already.  He wondered if beneath her calm exterior she was dreading the onslaught of her elder years.

"Baby?  It's got to be close to age transition time for you.  Do you want to do something special?  I could call the kids home, or get a cake, or..."
"No Hank baby.  Please don't. I don't want a fuss.  I really don't want anybody there.  Just tell me you'll still love me darling, when I'm old and grey." she pleaded.
"Of course I will!  Crimson, baby, I was a fool once.  Never again.  I love you Crim.  I always have and I always will."  he said reassuringly.  Crimson kissed him tenderly as she slid off the bed.
"Thank you Hank.  You must be exhausted you poor dear.  Go to sleep, darling.  It's almost time for me to age up, and I really would rather be alone for it" he began to protest, and Crimson held up a single finger to cut him off. "Please Hank.  I'm not an overly vain woman, but allow me this little bit of vanity.  Let me become old and grey the way I like.  I'll make myself over and be right back beside you, I promise."
Hank started to protest again, but when he looked into Crimsons pleading eyes he relented.  This clearly meant a lot to Crimson and time was fleeting.  She wasted no more of it, and gently closed the bedroom door behind her.  Hank was asleep as it softly clicked to a close.

Crimson made it as far as the kitchen went she felt the first tugs of aging.  She stopped in her tracks and tried to brace herself for what was to come.

Sparkles!  Happy Birthday Crimson Rayne!

Oh dear.  That simply will NOT do!

Much better!

Upstairs, somehow sensing his wife's appending arrival, Hank awoke with a start.  He heard her light footsteps climbing the spiral staircase and hurried to open the bedroom door.  As the door swung free Hank was rewarded with the image of Crimson just reaching the top step.  He rushed (as much as an elder can) to embrace her as she walked towards him.  She giggled as he swept her into his arms.

"Mrs Rayne!  Did you have a birthday, or did you magically manage to stop the clock?  I swear you haven't aged at all!  All you did was cut your hair!" Hank exclaimed playfully, leaning closer to nibble on her ear.  She squealed with delight.
"Oh Mr. Rayne, you old smooth talker!  How's a lady my age supposed to believe a word that you say?" she laughed as she squirmed out of his arms.
"Well Mrs. Rayne, if you won't believe that I find you utterly irresistible, than I'll just have to show you my dear".  He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the bedroom.

Early the next morning Crimson left Hank sleeping peacefully in bed and headed to Heather and Cuddles home to properly meet her grandson, Locke.

She stayed with Heather and her small family for a few hours, than returned home.  She found the house silent and empty.  The kids were at school and Hank at work.  Crimson climbed the stairs to the master bedroom and took a seat on the the chair she had just recently purchased.

She settled back into the soft velvety fabric and thought of her grandson.  Having held the first child of Generation 3 in her arms, she felt a crushing need to reach a decision.  Crimson sat in the silence for a long time.  As her eyes began to grow heavy she knew she had made her choice.  She rose gracefully from her chair and crawled into bed.  For the first time in a very long time Crimson slept peacefully.

She woke up hours later.  The house was dark and silent, and as Crimson slowly regained her senses she found Hank was in bed beside her. Blearily she realized that she had slept into the predawn hours of the next day.  Her body groaned with protest as she slowly walked to the bathroom, a painful reminder that she was no longer a young woman..  She washed her face in the bathroom, scrubbing the sleep from her eyes, and dressed carefully.  She sighed with resignation and on her way out the bedroom door she grabbed the cane propped at the foot of the bed.

She walked down the hall and paused outside the girls room.  Taking a deep breathe, Crimson knew this was as good a time as any to tell the heiress.  If she was quite she would only wake the intended girl.  She would tell the other later.

Harmony awoke to a gentle shaking of her shoulders.  She slowly opened one eye and snapped fully awake when she saw her mother sat on the edge of her bed.  Harmony felt her heart fly into her throat.  Her mother waking her this early in the morning could only be bad news she thought in a panic.  Before Harmony could speak Crimson held a finger up to her lips and pointed towards Clarity's sleeping form.  Puzzled, Harmony stared at her mother.  Clearly whatever had prompted her mother to wake her wasn't an emergency with her father, which had been Harmony's worst fear.  She felt her pulse slow back to it's regular rate but was still concerned. It seemed her mother had forgotten that Clarity has the heavy sleeper trait, and as such can have a bomb detonate under her bed without waking..  Heather slid out of her bed and thrust her feet into the awaiting slippers.

(*Note From Rainwife-Harmony's favourite colour is Grey...which doesn't really work well...it just kinda blends in with the rest of the text.  Because of this I made the executive decision to use purple for her speech, at least for the time being.  Now on with the show!*)
"Ah mom?  You can drop the silent act.  You're not going to wake Clar up, unless you have a drum line behind you somewhere that I don't see"  Harmony teased her mother.  Crimson smiled absently at the girl.  Typical of harmony, always wanting to put others at ease.
"Ah yes, that's right.  Must of slipped your old moms mind kiddo.  I've had a lot to think about the past few days." Crimson said.  Harmony cocked her head and looked at her mother.
"The whole heiress thing?  Is that why you woke me up mom?  Don't worry, I understand.  I've never expected to take over and I know Cl..."
Crimson cut her off "No Harm sweetie! You've got it wrong.  You are it my dear.  When you become an adult I have decided it will be you that takes over the legacy for me". She smiled down at the teenager.  Harmony's hand flew to her mouth as her jaw dropped with surprise.  She had never expected to be chosen, never even dared to dream about it.  Her mother held out her arms and Harmony flew into them.  She whispered her thanks over and over into Crimsons shoulder. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, your (very soon to take over) heiress Harmony Rayne ♥

Crimson sat on Harmony's bed and waited for Clarity to wake up.  She hadn't been waiting long when Clarity's eyes fluttered open.  She felt her mothers gaze and smiled confidently to her self.  Her mother was there to tell her she was heiress, she knew it as surely as she knew anything.  This was her destiny.

Her mother walked towards her as she bounced out of bed.  It was than that Clarity noticed the grim expression on her mothers face, and she felt her blood run cold within her veins.
"Clarity, my dear, I've made my decision.  I'm sorry honey, but I've decided your sister should lead this family into the next generation" Crimson said.  She reached for her daughter, but Clarity shrugged her away. Clarity stared at her mother with rage, than swallowed deeply.
"Fine, mother.  I understand.  I'm sure I would only disappoint you anyways.  the bus will be here in a moment, I gotta go." she said coldly and evenly.  Crimson reached for her again.  Clarity turned from her grasp and left the room.

Crimson heard the door slam shut as she was dressing.  She sighed deeply.  She felt as though she had aged ten years in the past few hours and debated her future.  She was already at the top of her career and after some soul searching Crimson decided it was time to pack it in.  So she called the criminal warehouse and retired.

Yay!

Hank was about to head out the door to his own job.  Crimson's retirement made Hank long for his own.  Deciding there was no reason to wait he also placed a quick phone call.

Double Yay!

The rest of the week passed with little commotion.  Clarity had been quite and brooding, but seemed to be taking the news surprisingly well.  Harmony had tried not to think about the implications of being the chosen one.  She just wanted to enjoy what little time she had left as a teen.

Early on Saturday morning Clarity called August.  He had (magically) asked her to go steady at prom and she had accepted readily.  At the time she had thought he would bring some social standing to the Rayne family name.  Now she saw him as a convenient pawn, and a way to piss off her mother.  She wasted no time in laying her hands all over him the second he arrived.

She toyed with him all morning, pressing her body against him.  She allowed him to caress her soft flesh and than swiftly pulled away, denying him the pleasure.

At last he could take it no more, and pleaded with her to stop.  She had driven his hormones into overdrive, and he desperately tried to hid his arousal from her parents.  Clarity watched as he tried to and laughed evilly.
"Aw baby.  Did I do that?" she cooed into his ear as she again pressed herself against him.  She ground herself lightly against his erection and was rewarded with a low moan of desire.

She felt her mothers eyes upon her as she pulled August closer to her "I'll give her something to watch" Clarity thought as she pressed her lips against her boyfriends.  Again he moaned, although this time it was more of a  growl of desire.  As her lips left his she held them close to his ear "I'm going inside.  Meet me in the big bedroom at the top of the stairs in five minutes" she purred.  She watched her words register with him than bounced away.  As she neared the side of the house she heard Hank call for Crimson to join him again in the hot tub.  She almost laughed aloud at her unknowing co-conspiritor. "If only daddy knew what his little girl was up to" she thought manically.

If only indeed.

Looks like Clarity forgot one major thing