Round Ten - Chalmers

Ash was completely entranced with being a father, and hated letting little Josh out of his sight. It was such a shame he had to go to work; he would have loved to be a stay at home dad. Unfortunately, they needed the money.


Jacinta was less impressed. Sure, she loved the little wriggling thing that had lived inside her for nine months, but she hadn't bonded as completely as her husband had.

Josh grew into a toddler, and a difficult one at that. Things would have been okay if Ash had been able to take off more time at work, but life isn't always easy. Jacinta was feeling permanently tired and hungry and couldn't keep up with her toddler son, often falling asleep where she sat.


She was also feeling nauseous on top of everything else, often having to stop in the middle of teaching Josh some skills because she felt too sick.


She ended up spending a lot of time in bed. Then one day she woke up in extreme pain and was rushed to hospital, fearing a burst appendix.


It was there she found out she'd miscarried. She hadn't even known she was pregnant! Suddenly it made sense. She hadn't wanted another child so soon but she was still extremely upset.


She was still very tired and weak, which, when combined with how depressed she was, meant she spent a lot of time in bed and started avoiding Ash and leaving the childcare entirely in his hands.

She also renewed an acquaintance with a girl from their old apartment complex. She was very pretty... it seemed her attraction to girls as well as boys hadn't faded entirely. Jacinta briefly considered having an affair.


Eventually, though, the darkness lifted. She couldn't believe she'd been so reckless! She would never leave Ash. They were good together.

Note: Ash had to go to work because he would get fired otherwise and Jacinta had a day off anyway. Josh picked that day to be especially difficult and Jacinta's needs kept plummeting. Whenever I sent her off to bed, she'd wake up straight away because she needed food. Whenever I sent her to get food, she'd either eat a tiny bit then run off to be sick or, as you saw above, fall asleep in the food :(

Round Nine - Chalmers

Ash and Jacinta were enjoying their life as newlyweds in their very own suburban house. It offered a lot more privacy than their tiny apartment with the paper-thin walls!



Jacinta had always had a big appetite but now she was finding herself getting so hungry she woke up in the middle of the night and had to raid the refrigerator. She was also putting on a bit of weight, which wouldn't have been surprising except she had always had a fast metabolism and was feeling sick all the time... the symptoms clicked into place. She took a pregnancy test and lo and behold, it was positive.


Ash was overjoyed when she told him. In fact, he was probably considerably happier than she was - not that she was miserable, just that she had her career to think about whereas Ash had always been more of a family man who looked forward to grandchildren someday.


She got into the idea of parenthood quickly, though, and soon they were discussing names.

"What do you think of 'Daisy' for a girl?" she asked over a delicious roast turkey dinner.


It wasn't long before she was showing and had to start taking time off work. She was a bit resentful but tried to keep it out of her mind.


All her resentment washed away when she gave birth to a little boy that she and Ash named Josh. He looked like his father except for his bright green eyes, inherited from his mother and grandfather.


Jacinta went back to work as soon as she could - even if she'd wanted to stay home, Ash hardly let her be involved in parenting at all! He was always picking up Josh from his cradle and playing with him or feeding him.


Sometimes Jacinta thought back to her own childhood, wrecked by Jill and her manstealing ways. Really she was lucky to be able to offer her child more stability - Ash would never stray, she could tell. She had to keep that in mind whenever she was annoyed because Josh's crying called her away from studying.

Note: Even though I've got the hack that makes them stop harassing the babies, Ash is ALWAYS going and waking Josh up. ACR was responsible for Josh and Ash had a want for a baby while Jacinta didn't.

Round Eight - Chalmers

Jacinta had moved in with her boyfriend, Ash Chalmers, and was trying to put the whole kissing-a-girl-and-liking-it incident behind her.


Unfortunately, just because she'd moved out didn't mean her mother wasn't going to interfere. Sabrina stopped by the apartment for an impromptu visit and instantaneously started getting on her case.

"When are you two getting married?"

"Mom! He hasn't even asked yet! And we'll get around to it in our own time! I'm too concerned with my career right now."

"Well hurry up, I want grandchildren. Legitimate grandchildren."


As much as Jacinta did want to marry Ash, her career was indeed the first thing on her mind. She perfected the last few skills in her mental armoury, hoping she would soon reach the highest ranks she could in the scientific community. She didn't want to be like poor Lisa Mackenzie, kept behind in her career due to too much maternity leave...


Despite Sabrina's frequent intrusions on their privacy, they were happy together. They hadn't... "done the deed", as it were, but they were plenty romantic enough without.


Jacinta wasn't surprised when Ash popped the question, but she WAS delighted. She wanted to be reserved and sensible, consider it, ask if it was too soon, but she started doing an awkward little dance of joy.


Jacinta found herself enjoying the domestic life and rediscovered her love of the culinary arts. She happily made pancakes for the two of them every morning, as Ash was definitely not a morning person and probably would have burned poptarts.


They got married in a small, private ceremony, but asked Jacinta's family, including her step-family, over for a reception party at their apartment.


It went swimmingly. The whole family seemed on the same level as Ash about things, with the possible exception of Ruth who was considerably less down-to-earth.


Jacinta was happy. She was sure she could get used to married life...


...and finally being "an honest woman" had a few extra advantages!

Note: I refused to let Ash and Jacinta do anything beyond make out until they were married. As soon as the party was over, they got busy on the couch and Jacinta instantly got pregnant. What happened to your career dreams, lady?!?!

Round Seven - Davies

Things were going well for Sabrina and her new family. Adam was a healthy baby with a big appetite, and his presence didn't seem to have upset the teenagers as it would have done in a less balanced "blended family". Jacinta and Destiny rallied round to help out, although Sabrina made sure they made time for school and meals.


Jasper was especially happy and even took breaks from his workaholic schedule to help care for his son. He couldn't have been more different from Sabrina's ex-husband, James, and for that she was extremely thankful.


One of the tactics they used in keeping their family together was shared mealtimes, especially breakfast. Even if Sabrina had been up all night taking care of Adam, she would cook pancakes or omelettes for the rest of the household before going back to bed.


Even though Hiro had graduated from high school and she still had a little while to go, Destiny didn't stop seeing her boyfriend. He was a professional sportsman now and that just made him hotter.


Jacinta was also dreaming of an age-gap relationship, although the gap was slightly larger in her case. She and Ash had yet to even kiss or do anything more dramatic than flirt but the chemistry was definitely there.


The house was definitely completely loved-up; even prickly Amanda was having some luck. She didn't have quite the same desire for stability that possessed Destiny and Jacinta, though, so after her first kiss she didn't even call the boy in question and instead put her energies into organising the Best Party Ever.


Destiny didn't let her relationship with Hiro get in the way of family matters. She still frequently saw Ruth, who was technically her aunt but was more like a little sister to her. Jacinta was slightly less involved, but didn't hide away like Amanda.



"You know, Dad, I wouldn't mind another baby brother or sister," said Destiny conversationally over left-over chilli.
Jasper smiled. "I don't think so. Sabrina and I are getting a little bit old for that..."


But when Jasper looked at Adam, he doubted his position on the matter. Yes, he and Sabrina were getting on in years, but their love and care for Adam made them feel young. Why not try for another baby?


Amanda's plans for the Best Party Ever were derailed slightly when her mother and step-father very firmly told her "NO BOYS!", but she went ahead with an all-girl party anyway and it was a blast.


Unbeknown to the rest of her family, Jacinta had her first kiss that night, and it wasn't with Ash. She'd never kissed a girl before, never even thought about it, but it was... nice. Very nice. After the party was over she pushed it out of her thoughts - she loved Ash! She couldn't let this get in the way of that...


Jacinta and Destiny graduated, becoming very beautiful young ladies. Jacinta moved out to Ash's place, just like she planned, while Destiny was waiting on a proposal from Hiro. They would both be sad to leave little Adam, but it wasn't like they couldn't visit, and he'd be old enough to use the phone soon!

Notes: Oh my gosh. Jacinta and the blonde was utterly spontaneous; curse ACR. She didn't even have a want for a First Kiss anymore, that span away a long time ago... Sabrina has a want for another baby that just won't go away, and it still pops up for Jasper from time to time. We'll see, though.

Round Six - Davies

Amanda craved love without confines, commitments or consequences but it was hard to find when she put up her defenses every time anyone approached her, especially boys. Know-it-all jerks! Her dreams of being adored by many weren't going to be fulfilled any time soon if she kept arguing with every guy who went within 5 yards of her. She briefly considered lesbianism in a fit of teenage rebellion, but the thought made her feel weird in a bad way.


There was one boy she didn't think was annoying or a jerk or any of the other epithets she applied to the teens who followed her and her sisters home. Ewan Mackenzie was different. He was kind, considerate, funny, and taken.


Her interest in the older boy didn't go unnoticed. Once again, Destiny took it on herself to be the protective big sister. She cornered Ewan and started a perfectly normal conversation. Then she smiled in an unnerving manner. "One last thing. If you mess with Amanda, I'll smack you so hard you'll be eating through a straw for a month."

Ewan gulped. "Message received loud and clear."

"Just stick with that Meadow girl," said Destiny with a more genuine smile. Then she wandered off to fix the TV, leaving a very perplexed Ewan in her wake.


Life wasn't all romantic trauma for Amanda. She still hung out with her sisters although she often bullied Jacinta for being a nerd.


As if life in a house with three teenage girls wasn't hectic enough, Sabrina had a new surprise for the whole family. Jacinta went to the bathroom to get ready for school and found her mother puking her guts out.

"Mom, are you alright?"

Sabrina sat on the floor looking (unsurprisingly) a bit green around the edges, then smiled. "I think I'm pregnant."


Sabrina's instincts were right. She was indeed pregnant and soon she started to show. As usual Destiny was the first one to start watching out for in-utero kicking; Jacinta was studying and Amanda was sulking over the loss of her position as baby-of-the-family.


Jasper was still shaken up by his father's death, which lead him to make a bad decision at golf game with his bosses that resulted in a demotion. Most people would have just sighed, put it down to bad luck and the fact that rising through the company on golf and schmoozing skills rather than merit was a screwed up system, but Jasper was a workaholic and therefore devastated.


Sabrina made a special effort to get everyone to sit down together for breakfast and dinner and her pregnancy progressed. The whole family together was noisy and happy.


Of course, Jacinta and Destiny made sure that their most important conversations were kept away from the dinner table and parental ears.

"So, are you and Hiro going steady yet?" asked Jacinta. Destiny blushed and giggled. "YOU ARE! You're so lucky."

"I really, really am. Don't worry, there's a guy-who's-not-a-jerk out there for you, somewhere."


Little Adam Knox joined their confusing combined family with little fuss. He looked just like his father. Jasper was glad for another boy to offset the smothering presence of so much oestrogen.


Note: Amanda wants 20 lovers but she doesn't get on with anyone. Sigh.