#lives!

After coming back into contact with Stas, Sunni's widower, the plans for the Keep have changed. Disregard most of what was posted above.

We WILL be remaining open for the foreseeable future, accepting both new members and new content. The site will remain a historical- and fantasy-focused Sims 2 forum.

Going forward, the Keep will be managed by a "Regency Council" instead of just one Regent. This will consist of PBK moderators CelestialSpider, Davina Ojeda, and rugrat0ne, as well as Discord moderators Fire_flower and Sonikku3.

Fractured Moonlight will be stepping back into something of a "silent partner" role so she can focus on creating. We thank her for her years of service running the Keep all by herself, especially out of the blue. We know it was not easy.

We are already establishing better lines of communication with Stas in hopes of avoiding the annual early March panic, and reminders have been set for February fundraising.

There will be annual fundraisers on GoFundMe or similar sites to offset the cost, and to provide more transparency than we've been able to provide in the past.

Meanwhile, archiving efforts will continue until the site is fully backed up, as a failsafe. We will also periodically archive new content in the future.

He does his research. He knows what day and time the trash was picked up, with Elijah snuggled between soggy noodles and overcooked rice. He narrows down which sections of the city dump were filled in on that day. He knows he’s in the right spot.

Now he just has to find that damn corpse! 

He feels something scurry around his gloved wrist and flings it away with a curse. He doesn’t know how much more of this he can take before he breaks. And after everything that’s happened, he doesn’t feel he has the right.

A comforting hand rests on his shoulders, “We don’t need to do this.”

He wants to snap and growl, but his voice is barely more than a sigh. “You shouldn’t even be here.”

“I already told you, if you insist on coming out here, then I’m coming with you. We don’t know what they have planned and I don’t intend to let them catch us off guard again.” The hand tightens on his shoulder. “We do everything together.”

There’s a moment of silence between them. If they weren’t surrounded by the smells of rotting meat and decay, it would feel almost reassuring. After a moment, Ed gives a quick nod and they part. He doesn’t want his pity. He doesn’t want to be forgiven. He just wants to find Elijah’s corpse, throw it back in it’s grave, and finally get a good night’s sleep.

It’s only a moment later when he sees a familiar shock of finely woven fabric sticking out above the filth. He’s about to call out his success when he realizes just how stupid that is. Argh! Will he ever learn?!

Yes, yes he can!

“Uhhh, why don’t we call it a day and head back? You really shouldn’t be on your feet this long. Recuperation statistics for penetrating wounds of the abdomen state that-”

“No need for that! I am more than willing to head back. Give me a hand, won’t you?”

Ed reaches out for his hand and helps him down from the pile he’s been exploring. If Ed can keep him moving in the opposite direction then he can come back later and deal with it himself. He should after all. It’s his fault they are in this mess. If he’d seen. If he’d realized! He’s supposed to be the genius and she did a number on them. Almost destroyed them completely.

Almost.

After a little shuffling and patting the muck off of each other, they are on their way back to the car and Marconi’s old cabin. The one spot no one seems to know about, where they can lick their wounds, and plan their next move.

And plan they will. To take them all down. To destroy everyone who ever challenged them.

His only hesitance is that they’ve finally found a modicum of peace out in the cold woods. He knows he can protect him there. In the city, in Gotham, he feels like he failed the one man who ever loved him. They came for him and Ed not only didn’t stop it, he pulled the trigger.

How could he ever make amends? He just doesn’t know how to get there.

Whoops.

you came back.