Welcome back to The Devereaux Legacy. "Underdog" is the theme for this chapter as it covers a lot of Savannah's (Generation 2 spare) life, as well as addressing Sebastian who until recently was to be the Generation 3 spare.

Due to Lillian's actions of becoming a truly evil witch, Ansley, Sebastian and Lillian's emotionally distant mother, disowned Lillian and kicked her out of the house.

Lillian has since vowed vengeance...as evil people have a tendency to do.

***

Prologue

Sebastian watched as his sister flew off on her broom, his hand rising to his mouth to stifle his dismayed gasp. Before the implications began to register in his mind, Sebastian looked over at his mother who was sitting on the ground sobbing.

Sebastian had never seen his mother in this manner before. Something asserted itself inside of him as he took a deep breath and went to comfort his mother. He was almost a man now, and apparently the new heir. He needed to take control of the situation.

Chapter One

Across town, Savannah Devereaux was also hearing some distressing news.

However, the news she was hearing had nothing to do with her wayward niece.

"Oh, God...no! Please!" Cried Savannah looking at me with pure abject horror.

"I'm afraid that is going to be the case. You're going to do it, whether you like it or not. I will NOT have any more arguments from you," I told her sternly.

Savannah fell to her knees in a pleading manner. "Please! Please no!" She started crying.

I crossed my arms and glared down at her, saying nothing.

"Please! I DON'T WANNA GET MARRIED!!"

I arched my eyebrow at her. I truly detest Romance Sims, but her life could be worse off.

That thought gave me an idea. I pulled out the photo album I keep on hand and began showing her pictures of the misery of the people in Pleasantview, the authoritarian society of Sims that I rule with an iron fist. My "for fun" mini-verse.

I began telling her stories about what life is like there, never issuing a DIRECT threat, but making heavy implications.

* I told her about the smog that hovers like a smoke filled bar, over the once pleasantly green grass and blue skies.

* I told her about the run down tenement houses and apartments that nearly every person lives in, with absolutely no hope of ever moving on up.

* I told her of my lack of regard to their wants, dreams, and sometimes even needs.

* I told her about the hard factory jobs where they make maybe only $200 a day never having hope of being promoted.

* I told her of the nursing home that unsatisfied and unloved elderly Sims are forced to move into if and when they don't have a permanently happy state of mind, only to have their graves constantly rifled through by treasure hunters; their belongings and very bones are then sold to their relatives for a hefty price.

In short, I told her that my Pleasantview mini-verse is the complete opposite of a Legacy run one, and I revel in that world with glee. And then...I began to laugh with delight.

Needless to say, Savannah's tears dried up quickly. Unwilling to close her eyes to blink (lest she see the images behind her closed lids) might have been the cause.

Savannah threw up her arms in a defeated manner. "Alright, I'll get married," she said in a contrite tone.

"That's very sweet of you to agree with me," I replied magnanimously. And with that, I left Savannah's home.

Savannah called the only lover she ever had, Professor Merlin Lewis, and explained the situation to him.

"So the gist of it is this: I don't really WANT to get married, but in a sense of self preservation I HAVE to get married. And if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me," Savannah stated bluntly.

Merlin dropped to his knees and began professing undying love to Savannah in a very poetic manner. Though he closed his eyes to show his heart-felt-ness, he would open them slightly to look at her upper torso region.

"Savannah my sweet," he began, "though, uh, you seem, uh, reluctant now, I swear to, uh, you that my, uh, eternal flame will always burn, uh, brightly for you. Er, uh..."

Savannah wrinkled her nose. Then she sighed.

"Fake it 'til you make it, I guess," Savannah murmured, slipping the wedding band onto Merlin's finger. She knew that even though Merlin had the same aspirational mindset that she herself did, that at the very least, Merlin would be able to act like he was happy about the decision that came from on high. Perhaps she could then draw some sort of strength from both of them being in it together.

However much she felt she could 'fake it until she made it' the next demand that was made upon her still made her inwardly cringe.

"So, uh, we have to have a, uh, child?" Merlin asked. Savannah just nodded as she stared straight ahead, unwilling to look at her new husband. Merlin shrugged with an unaffected air. "Uh, that doesn't, uh, mean that, uh, we can't enjoy the, uh, TRYING, part. Right? Whose to say that, uh, we succeed on the, uh, first try."

Savannah brightened up considerably.

However, when all was said and done, Savannah looked down at the contented Merlin. She could tell. She could FEEL that they had succeeded on the first try. She sighed glumly. Domestic life was not what she was made for.

Chapter Two

Ansley sat on the couch with Hunter cuddling her. She could barely get the words out through her tears about what had happened earlier with Lillian. Hunter listened silently, offering her a comforting squeeze when her words would halt. He knew that she was distressed when she offered no resistance to his touching her. He was startled when she asked him a question, quite bluntly.

"Hunter, am I a bad person?"

Hunter gathered Ansley onto his lap, even more surprised when she let him. He looked into her eyes and saw a marked change in them. He smiled and hugged her.

"Nah. Not that bad of a person. You did what you thought was best for the family. But, what's done is done. There is nothing we can do about the past, only what we can do about our future," he said warmly. Ansley smiled at his fib, and realized that she loved him more than she ever thought she would.

Hunter kissed her on her forehead. "We should probably have a family meeting," he said. Ansley snuggled closer to Hunter and looked into his eyes. "Tomorrow morning, okay? Tonight, I just...want you to hold me."

Hunter carried Ansley to their bedroom.

Early the next morning, however, Ansley got up and went to Lillian's bedroom to cry. If only she could turn back time, she thought to herself, things would be much different.

After a while, she composed herself, and prepared to plan for the future of the family.

"So...magic is a big no no for the family I take it?" Hunter asked.

Ansley looked over with a surprised expression. "No, not exactly. EVIL magic is. Anything causing direct harm to another person. That would mean no vampires and no zombies. Good helpful magic, however, is okay. I want that stated for the future."

Hunter looked somewhat relieved. "Good, because I would hate to think that I was evil because I can fly."

"Hunter," replied Ansley, "you fight crime and help catch 'bad guys'. That is not, nor ever will be considered evil." She shyly caressed her hand over his. "You are a hero, in every sense of the word. A very patient one," she smiled over at him.

"But, onto other topics. Sebastian. I know that you father and I have been rather lax in paying attention to what you and your sister have done with your studies. As the new heir...well, I hope that you will be able to rise to the occasion. Your father and I will help you in any way that we can."

Sebastian looked over at his parents. He, perversely, was glad that they were getting along now despite the recent happenings with Lillian. He squelched those uncharitable thoughts as he answered, though.

"Actually, Lil and I were pretty much on par with each other in regards to scholarships. I think all she had over me was the music and dancing one, and I'm almost there with at least the music."

Hunter and Ansley were pleased, needless to say.

Over the next few months, both parents helped Sebastian achieve his goals. Hunter left the dancing to Ansley though, much to Sebastian's relief.

Hunter and Ansley were also rediscovering each other. Their physical affections were kept behind closed doors, though.

Again, much to Sebastian's relief.

Time passed as it always does. No matter how much everyone wished they could turn back the clocks to do things differently, the pragmatic parts of everyone realized that it was best not to dwell on the would've, should've and could'ves, and only move forward.

Lillian had not been heard from during this time. All anyone knew was that she had not attended college. It appeared that she had dropped off the face of the planet.

Ansley tried to not let her missing daughter bother her. She continued to work and managed to reach the top of yet another career, but her heart wasn't in it.

She worried.

Sebastian, when he wasn't working for his scholarships, spent a lot of his time at the Koi pond, reflecting.

He was also worried. He knew Lillian better than his parents did, so he took her threat of getting even with the family very seriously.

But no matter how much everyone may or may not have danced around voicing their worries, they had to move forward.

As Sebastian was getting into the taxi that was going to take him to college, he looked over his shoulder back at the house. He saw both of his parents waving from the window. He smiled when he saw his father put his arm around his mother. When he next set foot in the house, he was going to be a grown-up with grown-up responsibilities.

He half smiled to himself. He was looking forward to beginning that journey.

Chapter Three

Meanwhile, across town, a very pleased Merlin was coaching his wife.

"Uh, just breathe darling. BREATHE!"

Savannah screamed at the top of her lungs. "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT YOUR FRELLING MOUTH! YOU DID THIS TO ME!"

She panted, and continued, "I'M A ROMANCE SIM! I'M NOT MADE TO HAVE BABIES! IT IS UNHOLY AND AGAINST ALL NATURE!"

But, have a baby she did. Savannah looked at her newborn son, Xander, with a bit of wonder, pain and shouted words forgotten.

"I...made you. You are in this world because of...me." She cuddled Xander and smiled as he grabbed at her nose. She had fallen in love with the tiny baby, as it dawned on her that she is partly responsible for all future generations to come on her side of the family line.

Merlin was also very fond of Xander, and he took every opportunity he could to feed the child.

"You, ah, my son. Er, are going to be, uh, quite the lady killer," he would murmur, smiling when Xander smiled.

As satisfied as Savannah was with being a mother (though she tried her best to deny that in the name of all Romance Sims across the 'verses) she would still make phone calls to me voicing wishes that she desired.

"I said no, Savannah. It's bad enough that I am getting harangued by everyone in the neighborhood about your last public WooHoo incident. Do I have to tell you again what I would do to you?"

Savannah sighed. "I know, I know. You would either send me to Pleasantview or you would build a prison and put me into it. I just thought, you know, you could reward me for good behavior. I got married and had a kid, just like you so nicely asked me to do."

"I am going to ignore the dripping sarcasm in your voice there, Savannah. For the last time, the answer is no. Capiche?"

Savannah just nodded, knowing that I could see it, even if I couldn't hear it, and she hung up the phone. She went inside to tell Merlin the disappointing news.

But, despite the nymphomaniac tendencies, both Savannah and Merlin made excellent parents. Regretfully, they had to hire a nanny to watch Xander while they were at work, but they more than made up for it when they got home.

Almost too soon, it was time for Xander's birthday. Both parents knew the turmoil that was going on over at the main house, so they elected to have just a small birthday party with only the three of them.

Merlin set it upon himself to immediately teach Xander to talk.

Savannah, however, spent a lot of time just playing with him and enjoying making him giggle.

However, she was rarely pleased when she was called out for being a good and loving parent. That would be when she would make her periodic phone calls to my own house begging me to fulfill one of her appalling desires, to which I always declined, particularly on the grounds that she had already fulfilled her lifetime greatest desire, so there was no worry about her having a nervous breakdown.

I always felt justified when I hung up the phone. And a little smug. But mostly justified.

Xander aged up to a rather outgoing and active child. His parents took a picture of his actual age transition, but he promptly destroyed it because of the 'major bad hair day' he was having in it.

"I'm so TOTALLY going to ROCK out at school," Xander cheered, jumping on his bed. Then he stopped when he heard his parents start talking downstairs in lowered tones. Clearly this was a discussion that he wasn't supposed to hear, so he made sure he could eavesdrop quietly through the vent.

"Absolutely not Merlin," Savannah said with a disgusted look. "I don't want to have anymore kids. I'll get fat and all that. I love Xander, really I do, but I don't want to have anymore."

"Ah, er, my dear, I am glad to, er, hear you say, uh, that. I was just, uh, making sure that, er, you hadn't turned into, uh, a Family Sim, when I, er wasn't looking," Merlin teased. Savannah punched Merlin on his arm, giving him a mock glare.

Xander, upstairs, did a victory dance. "Oh yeah! I'm totally going to be an only child. Who's the favorite? I'm the favorite! Who's the favorite? I'm the favorite!" He abruptly stopped when he saw his parents in his doorway. Apparently he was a bit loud.

Savannah arched her eyebrow at her son. "Technically, you're the only one, so there are no favorites," she said, trying to hide her smile.

Xander gave his mother a winning smile. "Yeah, sure. You can look at it that way. Or you can look at it that you love me so much, you don't want to share me." He started dancing again.

Savannah and Merlin could only laugh.

The next day, per Savannah's request, a call to the Headmaster was made to get Xander into private school. Though they might be a Legacy Spare family, they still stopped at nothing to make sure that Xander had the best options available to him.

Naturally, the Lewis family had no problems getting Xander in, though the London Bridge curse still reigns supreme; the curse of not being able to throw a "Talk of the Town" Roof Raiser party.

Xander pondered this dilemma as he walked towards the school bus. He wanted to be the one who broke this terrible tradition. He knew that he just reached school age, but he was already looking forward to attending college...which meant lots and lots of parties. With people. And girls.

But first things first, he needed to go to school for a while, make some connections...and eventually kiss some girls.

Xander grinned as he got onto the school bus. "Heya doll face," he said cheekily to the school bus driver, giving her a finger gun. He then turned to the rest of the students on the bus and waved to them all. It took so long for Xander to finally find a seat (due to his extreme socializing) that all the students arrived at school ten minutes late.

Nobody minded.

Life progressed happily at the Lewis household. Xander loved and was loved by both of his parents.

Though, secretly, he was more of a Momma's boy than a Daddy's one. Not that he ever uttered that thought out loud.

Both Savannah and Merlin settled into a nice routine of working, paying attention to Xander, and WooHooing. Private WooHooing that is.

Xander had intended to make a lot of friends. Friends who would eventually hook him up with the ladies; when he was old enough to date that is. His parents might be of the romance mindset, but they still had limits.

Of course sometimes these friends would take the most inopportune time to want to socialize with him.

"Hey Karen doll face. I'll like TOTALLY let you swing me around later, after I'm done painting this picture. Okay?" Xander smiled toothily at his nanny. He didn't attempt to finger gun her this time, because the last time he did that with a paintbrush in his hand, the paint splattered all over Karen's sweater.

Indeed, life was good for Xander. It was also far happier than his cousins' life over at the main Legacy house.

At least, that's what he heard through the vents when his parents were talking quietly and he wasn't supposed to be listening. He would shrug mentally when he heard about the goings on. He never really talked to either his Uncle Hunter or Aunt Ansley, but from what he gathered, his own parents were far better.

Xander grew into a teenager right about the time that Lillian was disowned. He had heard about it at the new high school he was attending with his cousin Sebastian.

It seemed that Sebastian was more than overwhelmed with his new lot in life, and was taking everything far too seriously; in Xander's opinion of course. Though Xander's mind was mostly filled with thoughts of kissing girls, he also viewed Sebastian as a new potential friend. He had to be, considering that he and Sebastian were to be eventual roommates in college.

Naturally, Xander took it upon himself to invite Sebastian over.

"Dude. College is right around the corner. You know what that means? Parties! And girls! Cheerleader girls!" Xander exclaimed with vigor.

Sebastian's tired eyes lit up a bit. "Oh! Hey! That's right! I'll be allowed to date more high profile people now, won't I?"

Xander nodded, pleased. Of course, he had no qualms about dating "high profile" people despite the fact that he would never inherit the main legacy line. In fact, after a very satisfying time of hanging out with his cousin, Xander arranged a date with one of such said people for the following day.

"Heya Meadow sweetheart. I just thought I would invite you over to tell you that I TOTALLY adore the way you defy the school's dress code," Xander winked, "the pink tights really bring out the tender blush on your beautifully smooth cheeks and oh so kissable lips."

Meadow swooned. Of course, she had much higher standards for dating Legacy people, and Xander was only a child of a spare, but Xander... oh Xander! He had such a way with words.

Needless to say, Meadow had no problems granting Xander his first kiss.

Trusting their son just enough to not let things get too out of hand, Merlin and Savannah listened quietly to Xander's date downstairs.

"In wonder just how many people have kissed Meadow Thayer across all of the universes," Savannah said, bemused.

"Uh, probably, er, more than I, uh, have," the former Drama Professor stated enviously.

"True, but I'm probably one of the only people who actually married you," Savannah teased.

"Er, gee, thanks for putting, uh, that crimp in my, uh, lifestyle," Merlin rolled his eyes in the same teasing manner.

Throughout his high school career, Xander spent a lot of time on the phone. Talking with Meadow, talking with Sebastian, and talking to just about everybody he ever met.

Xander also enjoyed plinking away at his guitar, knowing full well that "the laydeeze" adored jock-like musicians. He had "High School Musical 1-50" movies to thank for that, of course.

"My hair is growingGrowing all the timeLook how sensitive I am'Cause my voice is so fineEvery soda I ever hadIs on a shelf above my bedAnd sometimes I put my speakersFacing out my windows" *

Is what he would often sing to get the girls all in a flutter.

___________*Family Guy 100th Episode

However, despite the fact that he was a massive social butterfly, and terrible flirt, Xander never had any problems making sure his homework was done to perfection. A lot of people gossiped that Xander pulled his high grades because of his constant flirting with the female teachers, but he always took great satisfaction in the fact that he was able to answer every question in every class whenever he was called upon.

On one such night of studying, Xander found himself in a rather uncomfortable situation...

"Ahhhhhhhh! DUDES THIS IS TOTALLY NOT COOL!" Xander screamed, loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood.

"Er, YAY Xander! Total Recall three breasted alien babes, er, are awesome! Uh, That's my boy!" cheered Merlin when Xander got dumped out of the spaceship.

"Oh, Merlin, you are so hot when you are cheering. Reminds me of football games at SSU, and us under the bleachers..." swooned Savannah, reliving a pleasant memory.

Xander glared over at his cheering parents. "Dudes, that is so TOTALLY NOT cool. What's WRONG with you?"

Xander received no other response than laughter. He grumbled under his breath as he went inside.

Xander picked up the phone and made a call to the scholarship committee.

"Yeah. Dudes. I just TOTALLY got abducted. I want reparations! What?! Only $1500? That's it? So not cool."

Xander hung up the phone and glared at it. "I didn't even get to meet the people who did this to me. TOTALLY sucks."

He spent the rest of the night pouting. And wincing. Sitting down was rather painful.

Chapter Four

Sebastian didn't even bother to unpack his belongings at the dorm he was initially dropped off at. He was on excellent terms with his Aunt Aylee and she pledged him into the Greek House immediately.

Though he wondered why the pledge dance involved a lot of arm waving and pretending to cry. He knew his Aunt was strange, but it seemed like he was just imitating her imitating past gestures she had made throughout her life. But he got into the Greek House and he promptly moved there.

Sebastian was rather embarrassed by the clothes that he kind of threw on, but when he saw that his Aunt hadn't even bothered to change out of her nightgown, he was relieved.

Things ran smoothly at the House, though there were some difficulties trying to establish who got to use the computer when.

"Aunt Aylee, come on! Hello? I need to type my term paper now." Sebastian glared at the back of her head. Before he go argue any further, the door opened and a bundle of energy came bounding in chanting a school cheer.

Sebastian's mouth dropped open as he saw the stunning cheerleader. A slow smile spread across his face as he remembered what his cousin Xander told him. Suddenly, despite all the new responsibilities of being the new heir, Sebastian felt happy. He was a geek, and he knew it. But...he could now have a cheerleader for a wife, something that many geeks have dreamed about since watching "Revenge of the Nerds".

"Marry me," Sebastian said to the girl. Then he let out an undignified squeak as her mouth dropped open.

"Whaaat?" the cheerleader drawled out in astonishment.

Sebastian recovered slightly from his embarrassment and he cleared his throat. "Er, I mean...Hi. I'm Sebastian Devereaux."

The girl looked Sebastian up and down and smiled. "Hi there Sebastian! I'm Tristen!" she said brightly. Sebastian squirmed a little at her vibrant smile, well aware of the fact that his inappropriate marriage proposal was still hanging in the air.

Fortunately, one of the streakers came in and started dancing behind Sebastian. Sebastian leaned in to Tristen and whispered in a conspiratorial manner, "I bet if someone were to take a picture of this, it would be worth a thousand words."

Tristen looked at Sebastian blankly. Then abruptly she laughed, "Oh! A joke! I get jokes! Haha!" With the ice broken, Sebastian was able to ask Tristen out on a date in a far more dignified manner than his accidental marriage proposal.

Of course, than didn't stop him from doing and inward (and sometimes outward) congratulatory "I'm dating a cheerleader" fist pump every time he saw Tristen over the next few months.

Despite the awkward start, and her sometimes blank looks at him when he told a joke...Sebastian found himself falling in love with Tristen.

Which of course, made his very first kiss that much sweeter.

Aylee, on the other hand, showed absolutely no interest in dating.

She gazed happily at her finished project; something that she had been working and striving towards ever since she entered college. She was painfully aware of the fact that people never could understand what she was saying. She hoped that her latest Robot, named Zeke, will be able to help her communicate with the humans on this words so much better.

"Happyyappy...purpletaste Robot!" she murmured gleefully to herself as she gazed at Zeke's inactive form.

Soon, she would be graduating. Soon...

Chapter Five

In an abandoned, condemned house on the outskirts of town, Lillian found herself in the midst of a mental crisis. She had banked so much on her being the Legacy Heiress, and all of her efforts were for naught. She had made the fatal error in thinking that her mother was completely oblivious.

As she sat, rocking herself insanely, an image solidified before her. She stumbled to her feet to address it.

"Ah ha, Lillian Devereaux, you appear to be most unwell," the strange looking figure stated in a most observational tone, "No no, there is no need to address me as your mental state is on the wrong side of gibbering. I, am a figment of your imagination and ambition. You made a fatal error, yes you did. But not all is lost. You know what you need to do."

The deformed looking man looked Lillian in her eyes as he waited for her mind to clear.

It took a few moments, but suddenly a basic plan formed, and Lillian's mind solidified. Lillian straightened her shoulders, wiped the remnants of spittle off of her face, and she shook the image's hand.

"Yes. Thank you very much," her eyes gleamed with a smile, "I do know what needs to be done to exact my revenge." As she turned away, the image, which seemed so real, faded without Lillian noticing. She was far too busy inwardly scheming to bother to notice, or care about the implications of insanity.

Not that she would have cared if she had noticed.

"Yes," Lillian cackled insanely to herself, "I know exactly what I need to do. Soon I will put my plans into action. Soon. But first, I must wait, watch, and observe."

She continued laughing to herself for the rest of the night as she hammered out the details in her mind.

Epilogue

And so ends another chapter of The Devereaux Legacy. I have only one more arranged chapter to type out, and then I can get back to observing the main Devereaux house. My husband and I have settled in nicely, though Keith has a lot more problems getting used to being in a Sim world than I do.

“Ang, hon...why is there a camera taking pictures of me in my underwear?" Keith asked me with a sigh.

"Well, if you would actually take the time to spin around back into your clothes..." I answered back with a grin.

"I LIKE BEING COMFORTABLE! DON'T YOU JUDGE ME!"

I stifled back a laugh and just shook my head.

***

Thank you all for reading, and I will see you next time.