Six at Sunset

Chapter 3 : Brother Darling

2012-09-24T15:58:00.000+05:30

"Darling Darlene, Darlene Darlingggg"

Arlo skunked around the kitchen. At nine, he was two years older and a whole foot shorter than me. He was wearing his favorite gangster t-shirt, with a baseball cap jammed on his straight blonde hair.

I turned my full attention to the muffins in my toy stove. That failing, I stuffed my ears to dim out Arlo's not-so-funny sing-song.

Somehow, 'his secret' made me feel a tad less annoyed.

I have a secret to tell you. Yesterday I discovered that my suspicion had been right all along.

Arlo is not my brother. He is adopted. And he is most probably an alien in disguise.

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It had all started when the lady in the ugly green kit paid us a visit.

Ethan was at work and Mama had gone shopping with Lisa and Arlo. She had wanted to take me too, but I had cried off saying I had a headache.

Papa hadn't wanted me at home.

"I have a very important meeting with Kennedy." he hissed to Mama, hoping I wouldn't hear.

That should have been my first clue. They obviously didn't want me to know that Arlo was adopted.

In the end, I won. I am quite a good actress. I certainly didn't want to tag around town with Arlo making fun of me. He had become insufferable lately.

So, there I had sat in my room, pretending to be asleep but reading a book Morty Goth had loaned me. I wasn't actually enjoying it. The William in it resembled Arlo a bit too much.

I peeked out of the window. Nothing very interesting there. The heat was sweltering..

I was feeling hungry and decided to sneak down to the kitchen. The heat and my 'headache' had given me a craving for ice cream.

I tip-toed down the stairs. Papa was nowhere to be seen. I had just finished my third ice cream scoop when heard a screeching of breaks.

A huge and ugly jeep drove up and stopped right in front of our house. A woman jumped out. Papa was already at the gate and they shook hands briskly.

The woman was around thirty five years old. She had jet black hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was wearing an ugly green jumpsuit with dirty brown pants.

I debated whether to make it up the stairs and then decided against it. I could always tell I had been dying of hunger.

The front door opened and could hear the click of the lock.

"Thank you for agreeing to this meeting, Kennedy." Papa was nearly inaudible.

She just nodded curtly. To my surprise, they did not even notice me and went straight to the backyard.

I didn't mean to listen. I just wanted to experiment how good my ears were. I found out that they there was not much improvement since I tried to listen to Lisa talking to VJ over the phone. But still I could catch snatches of conversation.

"The child is very young. Wouldn't know anything." It was Dad.

"You mean adopted?" The lady's voice was hard to catch.

More murmuring and finally the lady said. "Don't tell me that some aliens are going to control our lives." she sounded annoyed.

I heard the car drive in. Mom and the rest were back. Goodbye to my ice-cream plans! But before I slid away to my bedroom, I found that vital piece of information. "...and so active!"

That cliched it! As I sat on the bed, I gradually put the pieces together. I was by no means a bad detective!

They had definitely been talking about Arlo when it came to active, and being so young. So he had been adopted, and the lady didn't want to think he was an alien! The lady must have been from the Social Services, by the look of how dowdily she was dressed.

It all made everything perfectly clear. Arlo was so annoying and brash. He was definitely an alien. It was surprising he was not green.

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It had made things over the past few days easy, you know.

"Darlene!" This time it was my elder sister Lisa. "Could you please stop daydreaming and lay the table?" she snapped.

Lisa had her shoulder length blonde hair held back with two over-sized silver clips. She would have been quite pretty if she wasn't so fond of experimenting with make-up.

We were making dinner. Lisa was pestering me throughout. Usually Mama would oversee us, but today she was resting. You see, I would no longer be the youngest in our family. I had been frightened it would be another brother, but Mama had assured me it was a sister.

Saturday dinner in our family was a huge and elaborate affair.

We rarely ate together. Both Ethan and Lisa finished their weekday part-time jobs at seven in the evening.. Papa was a squadron leader with a less than regular schedule. Mama usually preferred to eat have dinner late at night after all of us were asleep and the housework over.

So, Papa had made it a rule that we had Saturday dinner together, sharp at seven thirty. Cooking usually started around three in the afternoon after a very light lunch. Mama lets me bake muffins and stuff.

Lisa was not much of a cook, but had managed to put together some sushi to eat with the pizza she had ordered. And then there were my muffins.

The dinner table was quieter than usual. Mama was nearly dozing off and Papa seemed pre-occupied. Lisa was busy describing her work at the spa to Ethan. Arlo was gulping down his food, and I just listened quietly.

"The people are so snooty." Lisa grumbled.

"I heard your friend VJ was in a spot of trouble this morning." Dad broke in suddenly, looking at Lisa directly. "I hope you are not involved."

"It was just been a small school fight, Papa." Lisa looked a bit worried.

"Parker Langerak broke his arm and the Langeraks are not pleased." Dad said heavily. "VJ is really getting uncontrollable. The Principal said he'd be expelled if there was any more trouble."

Lisa just shrugged.

"What was the fight all about in the first place?" Papa probed, speaking more to Ethan than Lisa.

"Something to do with this season's football matches. Parker is the captain. VJ hates Parker and has done some match fixing to stop him from winning."

"You just say so because Parker is your best friend."Lisa said heatedly. "Parker is a snob and deserves any broken arms he got."

Ethan is my favourite from our whole family. He is so good and strong, and rarely gets angry. But now, i could see that he was trying his best to control himself.

"Don't always cover up for VJ, Lisa." he said in a dangerously low voice. "You know he's bad news."

Lisa was famous for her tantrums. She would have flown into one if Papa's phone hadn't started to ring. Papa rarely answers calls, but today he motioned us to be silent.

He listened without saying a word. "I'll be there right away," he said hanging up.

"I've got to go."he said getting up abruptly. Then he looked directly at Lisa. "You are forbidden to leave the house till I'm back, young lady. Drugs have been found in VJ Alvi's possession."

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A/N

Hiya there!

I know most of you hate the Bunch family's legendary 'looks'! And no, they won't be getting much of a makeover. Life isn't always fair. eh!

What do you think? Is Darlene's assumption about alien Arlo going to happen, or is it something alien to what Sunset Valley is used to?

Oh, and I've added a new rating system. I really love comments, but if you just don't feel like commenting (happens to me too), just drop me a rating, anywhere from boring to sizzling!

Thank you all for reading and commenting. I'm serious about my writing and I love any sort of feedback because it drives me to improve!

xoxo
Velocity

Chapter 2 : Heiress in Distress

2012-09-17T05:30:00.000+05:30

Disclaimer : All characters in this story are pre-made sims in Sunset Valley, Sims 3. None of the custom content featured here are my creations. Thank you.
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I am one of those few people who love Monday mornings. Yes, I seriously love school. And no, I'm not a nerd. I'm a somewhat quiet addition to the 'in-crowd', but the nerds don't hate me either. In fact, I wish I am a nerd. With college looming up in the next year, my mother isn't too pleased with my average B.

School is much much more pleasanter than being stuck at home with only Yumi for company. Not to mention the occassional nightmares I get after reading James Hadley Chase. My favourite is of the Landgraabs murdering me.

So, I love Mondays.

But, not this Monday.

And it was all because I was supposed to be prepared for the dress rehearsal Mother's first ever campaign fundraiser.

The issue was that I hadn't practiced the 'small talks' I was supposed to have with the guests! Mother had set aside one hour every other day to coach me the last week and I was supposed to be perfectly prepared today.

I had been forewarned, but somehow the allure of The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo was greater than Mother's word of reproach.And, I reasoned, the campaign fundraiser was a good three weeks away.

At that moment, I thoroughly regretted the slack. The only option was to cut class, something I might as well manage to pull it off.

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It was seven when I dressed and went to the kitchen. Mom had already left for work and Dad was busy devouring a hearty meal of bacon and eggs while reading the newspaper.

"What would you like, Miss Holly?" Yumi asked me. As per Mother's policy we didn't have a whole host of maids like the Landgraabs. Just Yumi, our housekeeper and a regular maid.

"Just some waffles, no eggs please.' I said, sitting down opposite Dad. "Good morning Dad!"

"You and your vegetarianism. Trying to save the planet by not eating half a chicken." he said gruffly.

I merely nodded. Arguing, or even talking to Dad, was pointless.

He was unperturbed by my silence. "Damn you are such a goody-shoes, Holly." He laughed heartily. "I'm surprised you are my daughter."

It was something I myself was surprised at. I had light brown hair and fair colouring, while both Dad and Mother took after their Italian forefathers. As a child, I had wondered whether I had been adopted till i had met my Aunt Isabella. She had looked just like me. She was a nun because, in Mother's words, no man wanted to marry her.

There were times I wondered whether I'd run away to a nunnery too. Romantic images of the beautiful Italian countryside conjured up in my mind.

Dad interrupted my pleasant reverie.

"Montgomery is falling behind in the polls." He said looking extremely pleased. "I always told your mother there was nothing to be worried about, but she just wouldn't listen."

I agreed with Dad. Mrs.Montgomery had been the school Vice Principal while I was a fresher. She had been a nice soul, and very popular. But I doubted she knew much about politics.

"You lost a good teacher." Dad continued. "Just because Nancy Landgraab couldn't bear your mother becoming mayor."

I personally thought she disliked the idea of Dad being the mayor's husband more than the idea of Mother becoming mayor. She had been extremely annoyed when Dad had been elected joint Vice President at Do Peas Tower.

"And that remind me," Dad finished off. "Your mother specifically asked me to remind you to be home sharp at three thirty. She needs to make sure you are ready for the fundraiser."

"Its a good three weeks away." I groaned. Dad was much more easy going than Mother.

Dad didn't smile. "It may be, but that doesn't give you an excuse to slack off." His voice had a dangerous edge. "And with your low grades, impressing the guests may be your only way to get into Snugglesworth College."

I wished I hadn't complained. It would be pointless, of course, mentioning that a B average wasn't that so low.

"And believe me," Dad's voice was gentler. "Your mother and I want you to definitely make it into Snugglesworth. If Nancy Langraab was good enough, then our daughter definitely is."

It was one of those moments that I both loved and hated him at once.

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Whatever my future aspirations of following Aunt Isabella's footsteps were, it did not stop me from skipping Religious Studies to practice my 'small-talk'. I found a cosy spot in the school library and started reading the scripts I had outlined.

A sudden sob broke my peace. I looked around.

The girl was a slim junior with short dark hair and huge eyes. I knew she hadd some classes with me, but for the most part was invisible. She was seated all alone and sobbing in short, uncontrolled bursts.

I hesistated and then walked over.

"Hi," I said. "Anything the matter?"

She looked up horriffied and quickly shook me off. "No no I'm fine." she said, but tears welled in her eyes again. I saw the painting in her hands. It was a blurr of colour as if someone had intentionally ruined it.

"Who did this?" I asked.

"Nobody." she said and began to sob again.

I patted her back. She was quite pretty in her floral print dress and I could say she was not too badly off.

"I think we do some classes together, but I'm sorry I can't remember your name."

"River McIrish."

That reset my memory, alright. I knew Fiona McIrish. She had blasted Mother on last week's Herald.

"I'm Holly" I said, wondering if by any minor chance she would not remember me.

"I know." she said with sudden hostility.

I visibly flinched. I hated how people changed when they figured out who I was. At times it was downright hostility, at other times it was a sickening fawning. I hated both equally.

"What classes do you have now?" I asked.

"We are having our weekend work opportunity placement interviews. I don't need one because I already work part time" she replied sullenly.

"So where do you work?" I asked.

"In the supermarket."

"That is so cool and interesting." I said. "I'm taking on my work opportunity at Do Peas Towers."

I regretted saying it immediately. Work opportunities at Do Peas were rare and I suspected my surname had much more to do it with than my modest grades. I just hoped Fiona McIrish wouldn't pounce on it.

"So how many hours do you work a week?" I asked. Do Peas was notorious for giving their interns a tough time with full day on Saturday and half of Sunday.

"Two hours a day, except the weekends.' she said brusquely.

I was sure the surprise showed clearly on my face. "That's tough." I said. "Couldn't you take a part-time job that is less demanding?"

She laughed, rather bitterly. "It's the same everywhere, and its pretty easy. It must be the easiest, after the bookstore. I do it because I actually enjoy it. It gives me plenty of free time to sketch the people who come and go."

"I'd love to see your sketches."

"Sure." she said uninterestedly and stood up abruoptly. "I have to go now though. Bye."

I watched her hurry off and realized that I still didn't know who had ruined her painting. She seemed the type who'd be picked up to be bullied but I couldn't imagine Parker Langerak and his crew going around ruining paintings.

For a second I wished I was that girl. She had something she actually liked doing in the evenings whereas I spent them lonely in the mansion. I didn't mind being alone, in fact I was somewhat of a loner. But I was supposed to spend my free time practicing the latest dancing, all which was closely monitored by my mother.

I rarely saw my parents. They were away all day and hardly spoke to me other than the sessions with my mother in the weekends where i was supposed to show significant progress. The loneliness was eating me. I'd usually curl up with a book and only worry about the lessons on Friday. But since recently my mother had decided to bring a personal tutor to coach me.

The idea dawned on me so fast I was surprised I hadn't thought of it before. The bookstore seemed the perfect place to indulge in my favorite hobby. And Mother would not be a problem. Which Mayor candidate would not love to see her high school daughter working neck-to-neck with the common folks?

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A/N

So I'm up with Chapter 2. I'm happy to say that I've got more or less up to Chapter 5 penned down, so look forward for frequent releases!

I've always found Holly a tad bit boring and I wanted to make it more interesting. As you see I've given Holly a makover. I also thought it weird that with such a social bee for a mother, that she'd dress so unclassy!

So what do you think of Holly? Is she too good to be true?
What do you think her weaknesses may be?

Look forwards for the next chapter. Things will start get moving really fast.
xoxo
Velocity

Chapter 1 : First Impressions

2012-09-15T23:22:00.000+05:30

Altogether, I had to admit it was better than I had expected. My friends back home had tried to discourage me by all plausible means: the chief horror tale being the hideous dumps in the sleepy, provincial counties.

Sunset Valley was a sleepy old town, with a population of just around five thousand. Its only claim to fame was the Do Peas Tower, one of the oldest companies in the Landgraab Industries. Landgraab Industries was the highest grossing company in the whole state, and unarguably more than half the town worked there.

I would be an exception. I had just graduated with a major in Political Science and would be starting my internship as a campaign organizer at the Town Hall.

Frankly, the job placement had been disappointing. But having barely scraped through college, I had only myself to be blamed for being such a wild party girl.

That was the main reason I had accepted the job. I was disillusioned. I had been one of a handful of cheerleaders to enter college. There I had spent most of my time partying, sleeping around and boozing. It was a nasty stint with drugs that had been my wake-up call.In this quiet old town, there was bound to be less excitement and more chance to start over.

The ring of my phone woke me up from my reverie.

"Hi Xander."

"Hi Tammy, I just got off work. Wanna have a tour around town this evening?"

"Sure, I'd love it. At around four then?"

"Great. I'll pick you up."

At least I wasn't all alone. Xander was a good old friend from high school who had moved here with his family some years ago.

I quickly finished unpacking. I was hungry and eager to explore the town.

The huge area across the landing was a combination of a sitting room, dining room, kitchenette and study.

I would be sharing the place with four others: two girls and two boy. I wryly wondered what Pa would have said about that.

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Two of my roommates were at the table. I had already met Emma. She was a cook at the local bistro: a short, unattractive girl with a massive lump of fat that perfectly suited her job.

"Hi Tam! Come for lunch!" Emma beamed, showing off garishly stained teeth.

The guy beside her at the table screamed out Nerd Unlimited. He looked up from wolfing down his food and winked at me.

My nose pricked up as I caught the whiff of my favorite meal, dim-sum.

"I've made Goopy Carbora today." Emma grinned.

"Wow cool," I said, somewhat impressed.

"This is Cyclone" Emma motioned to the Nerd Unlimited guy.

He grinned at me and then looked pointedly at my top.

"Nice shield for nice goods." he remarked and looked around as if expecting a round of applause.

"Don't mind Cyclone." Emma quickly said as I opened my mouth to retort. "He never understands what is proper and what isn't."

"Come on Emz, I was just joking. And your name ma'am?" he laid down his fork and held out his hand.

"Tamara, Tamara Donner." I gingerly shook his hand.

"I'm Cyclone Sword"

"Pardon?" I blinked wandering whether it was one of his off-color jokes.

"Cyclone as in the Cyclone Ophelia and Sword as well as in the ... well you know what they used to fight in battles."

"That used to be his gamer name in high school and he made it his legal name when he started working." Emma interjected.

I served myself a plateful. The food tasted even better than it smelled.

"Ah Emma, Always my interpreter." Cyclone smiled indulgently, pinching her cheek. She seemed used to it and didn't even winch!

"So you are a programmer?" I asked. It was obvious.

"No, I'm a journalist."he replied airily. He was used to-and evidently enjoyed-the surprise it caused .

I blinked. "That's very interesting."I mustered. Life in this sleepy town was weirder than I had expected.

"Tamara is a representative at the Town Hall." Emma said.

Cyclone raised an eyebrow. "You are bound to have a pretty hectic time." he said. "They say its tough competition between Vita Alto and Malissa Montgomery for the mayor elections this May."

"Malissa Montgomery?" I was surprised. My supervisor, Tori Kimura had briefed me on the candidates. Mrs.Montgomery was a former schoolteacher: well respected and extremely efficient. But against the likes of an experienced local council member like Ms.Alto, she was merely a joke.

"She'd have been mincemeat." Cyclone said as if guessing my thoughts. "If Nancy Landgraab hadn't offered to back her up. In reality, its not Montgomery vs Alto, but Landgraab vs Alto."

"Alto is bad news." Emma said crisply.

Cyclone chuckled. "Emma hates her; thinks she's far too uptown."

"Definitely." Emma shrugged distastefully.

"I say that the Altos were the best thing that ever happened to Sunset Valley. She's been on the council for just a year, and the school and hospital have got major makeovers. And don't forget that Nick Alto has doubled Do Peas Tower's profit since he became Vice President."

"Ms.Landgraab says that the quicker you rise, the faster you fall. I agree with her." Emma snapped back heatedly.

Cyclone laughed suddenly. "Emma decided to hate Ms.Alto after she said in an interview that she had no patience with lazy women who didn't care for themselves and ended up being puddings."

"Talk about unhealthy body image attitude. And no, that's not why I hate her. She's too snobbish for words!"

"Nancy Landgraab is a snob. She barely gives an interview. Ms.Alto is very friendly."

"Nancy Landgraab is from good old stock. These Altos' jumped out of nowhere and think they can change the town."

I listened bemusedly. I would be working as an campaign assistand to Ms.Alto and it seeemd that my campaigning would begin right from home.

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The same sentiments were echoed in the club that evening. From what I could see, the whole town seemed geared up for a campaign that was a good six months away.

"I bet old Montgomery will win." Jared Frio said glumly. "I don't care much for him, but lord is Nancy determined!"

"I like her!" Jared's giggly companion Maddison said. "And Nancy's a dear! She's a bit cool, but once you get to know her, she really shines through. I don't care much for Mr.Alto though. He's a meanie."

"Mr.Alto's tough, not mean. He hates slackers, otherwise he wouldn't be so damn efficient." Xander said almost devotedly.

Xander had brought me to the club at the end of the around-the-town tour. True, I was determined to stop partying but I couldn't see any harm in an occasional trip to a club, specially in a town as sleepy and peaceful as Sunset Valley. And it would definitely be a good place to mingle with people.

I had not been disappointed. It was a Sunday evening, but the club was full. Club Scorpion was a new and trendy club. Built in the shape of a scorpion, looking somewhat out of place in the green landscape.

"Who would have thought of a club like this in sleepy old Sunset Valley if not for Nick Alto?" Xander said as if reading my thoughts. "God, it used to be like Prohibition!"

Maddisson shrugged. "Clubs aren't everything." she said defensively. "You do know that the police made a drug heist here last week?"

"There'll be more." Xander replied curtly. "If Vita Alto isn't elected. Montgomery will ruin the town. Remember how Nancy Landgraab's budget proposals made Do Peas' shares plummet?"

Madison shrugged. "You may have your say," she said wearily. "But mark my words, it will be a disaster." she stood up abruptly. "Care to dance, Jared?"

Jared followed her to the dancing floor and Xnder and I were left together.

"Madison works at Do Peas Towers and is very pro-Landgraab." he laughed, taking a swing at his glass, "Another drink, Tamara?"

"No thanks, I don't want to have a hangover tomorrow."

"Care to dance?" he stretched out a hand and I followed him to the dance floor.

They were playing my favorite band and Xander was a great dancer.

"You seeing anybody?" he asked as we whirled around.

"Not at the moment. I broke up with my ex before coming here. He wanted more commitment and I just wasn't ready."

"Well, you won't be alone for long. you were one hot cheerleader whom every guy would have given anything to date."

I laughed. Xander had been a heartthrob in high school and the years had only improved his looks. I had had a major crush on him during Junior High, but it had gone nowhere. Whenever one was single, the other was occupied elsewhere.

"Except you?" I asked flirtatiously.

"I was too nervous. I regret that to this day." He slipped his arms around my waist and drew me around in a fast waltz.

"But perhaps its not too late."

His smile was entrancing as he pulled me closer.

I held my breath, lost in the moment. It seemed as if his dark hazel eyes numbed my senses.

He suddenly leaned closer. "I always had the biggest crush on you in high school," he murmured.

His lips were very close to mine and I could feel his breath warm on my face.

It was a slow, sweet kiss for what seemed like an eternity. The music was perfect.

"I think I'm not so nervous to ask you out now." he said as the song ended and we drew apart.

We returned to the table and he ordered a round of drinks.

Looking over the waterfront, I mused that my stay at Sunset Valley had taken off well. The club seemed full of cool people. My roommates were crazy, but at least I had a constant supply of good food and information. And I had been reunited with a high school crush.

It seemed almost too good to be true.

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A/N

I'm new to taking photos, so bear up with me:)! I spent hours just trying to position the camera!

Just a few questions to keep us engaged...

What is your first impression of Tamara?

Will she be able to let go of her past habits?

Will she manage to get along with her crazy roommates?

I love comments!

And I'm very much open to constructive criticism for my writing style as well as the plot.

Look forwards to Chapter 2!

Introduction

2012-09-07T20:06:00.001+05:30

“Can you see the sunset real good on the West side? You can see it on the East side too.”
― S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

The once pleasant Sunset Valley is overshadowed by the invisible yet omniscient presence of the bitter struggle between the 'old blood' Landgraabs and the 'new blood' Altos. This battle spanning six years dictates each and every aspect of life in the suburban neighborhood.

And in this anarchic backdrop, the destinies of six very different women collide, to be changed forever...

In a world of high business and low cunning, who of these six women will survive and emerge victorious?

Holly Alto
The only daughter of a multimillionaire businessman and a powerful socialite, Holly has the best of both worlds. It would have been a perfect life, had she not felt so lonely and disillusioned.

Tamara Donner
Beautiful and charismatic, Tamara is an average working girl with a not-so-average streak of ambition. She dreams of prestige and wealth, and would rather use her beauty than her brains to get them.

Bessie Clavell
As a girl, Bessie dreamed of becoming a famous pianist. At fifty, her dream seems never to be realized, but she has a loving (if somewhat bitter) husband and an adorable (if somewhat unpredictable) son.

Darlene Bunch
The youngest (at the moment) of a close, if somewhat turbulent, working-class family, Darlene tries her best, but her losing streak doesn't really help things.

Erin Kennedy
A born recluse, Erin is devoid of any self-confidence. All insecurities, however, are neatly hidden behind an imposing military facade that gives the only excitement she ever had.

Jacqueline Landgraab
The blood of her proud ancestors coursing down her veins, Jacqueline's birth heralds the crumble of the town's royal family.

Author's Note
Hi there!
So how do you like the blurb? Hopefully, you aren't too confused by the myriad of characters. I counted on them being pretty familiar to you!
By the way, I love A/N's, so expect plenty in future!
Velocity