Filming for 'The Sandman: Season of Mists" has not even begun, but it is already changing Gavin's life. He has to remind himself daily that it will mean everything to Shay, everything she's dreamed of, all her aspirations. But having to show up for costume fittings, giving up school even, to do this..he hadn't thought as hard about the consequences of this decision as he should have. His impulsiveness is a major flaw: he should meditate more, he thinks, slow down his mind & stop to consider before acing so rashly. Because it is too late now to change his fate: he made promises. At least Shay is overjoyed about making these costumes, thrilled to be working in movies at last. Gavin can take pleasure in having done something to really make her happy.

(Big THANKS to Ashaunda of Sims Addiction for 'being my Shay' & making this awesome Sandman costume skin for Gavin!!!)

Meditation helps Gavin come to terms with his decision. It will only be some time out of his life, it will be an interesting experience, and he's doing it for Shay. He can just ride with it. Then, he shows up for the pre-production costume shoot & meets the actress who is to play his character's sister, Death. "Astrid!" he exclaims on seeing her. Of all the actresses in this city, why does he have to be in a movie with one of his ex-girlfriends, and particularly, Astrid? He was desperately, hopelessly in love with her & she broke his heart in the worst way, dumped him for no reason at all. It angered him more than he can even express these many years down the road. It took him many many meditation sessions to cure his anger at what she did to him, and he still hasn't quite quieted his inner rage, just suppressed it by not thinking about it. It's not that he isn't over her, it's that he hates her & resents her, and carrying around unforgiven resentments is very bad for the soul. Another flaw of his that he needs to work on....maybe the universe is doing this to test him....

Astrid goes right on the offensive, telling him she'll 'take him down' if he messes with her. Gavin's already been taken down by her: she crushed him, stamped on his broken heart when he broke up withhim. But she can't do that to him now. He struggles internally with his anger, trying not to remember the pain, to just remember he is with Shay now & that Astrid is just an actress, now. Not his lover. He tells her he's only here to help his girlfriend, the costume designer for this movie, he's not looking to 'mess' with her.

Shay comes onto the scene with the worst possible timing. Gavin already wishes he hadn't told Astrid about doing this for his girlfriend: Astrid will find some way of using it against him.

Astrid turns to Shay with her nicest smile, the one Gavin was in love with, once. "You're the one that made this gorgeous costume!" she exclaims, "I could just take you home & let you dress me up all day." Gavin doesn't like the sound of that one bit....