You'll Just Come Back Running
Disclaimer: I do not own Beverly Hills 90210 or any characters mentioned in this story. Title is from the song All The Same by Sick Puppies.
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
And do it all over again
It's all the same
Summary: Dylan can't say commit. Kelly can't say no. They both can't keep their hands off of each other. Season 10 AU oneshot. M/K/D.
The church was packed with people.
"Where is she?"
"I'm sure she's just running late."
Matt sighs before reluctantly nodding along with Donna's words. She's Kelly's best friend. She wouldn't lie to him, would she?
Late for her own wedding rehearsal, wouldn't that be quite the story to tell their grandkids one day.
Two minutes pass. Then another five before heels race down the hallway and Kelly appears in front of his eyes. He smiles when he sees her, goes in for a hug, and it's not until he pulls away that he notices, is finally able to take in, her full appearance. Her eyes, however shiny they seem, are nervous, her lipstick is off, hair messy (and not from the running she did just now. No it was messy long before then.) Her hands are shaking slightly and her smile is not quite reaching her eyes. Although, it never quite reaches her eyes anymore, she's never all there with him. Not these days.
"Should we go in?" Her soft voice brings him back to reality.
She takes his hand and leads him inside the church, it's a loose grip. Not one you'd expect for a soon to be husband and wife.
It goes off without a hitch. A perfect sign that tomorrow would be even better. That things would finally fall into place.
"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." Kelly giggles down the hall, pecking him on the lips, not a second more, before letting Donna and Janet drag her away for the night.
Then they are taken away for their separate bachelor and bachelorette parties scheduled. Matt's grateful for the distractions, but besides the few friends from New York that did come, most of the guys with him are her friends. Her friends and her brother, in her town. He's just glad he didn't come. The evening would have taken a turn for the worse.
When Kelly stumbles into the beach apartment that night, after having one too many shots, it was late. Her head is spinning and she has to be up early, she was getting married after all. That thought alone sent chills through her body.
She threw off her shoes and made it to the couch before giving in and collapsing, not bothering to make it to her room.
A knock on the door made her groan, ready to feign exhaustion and wave off the intruder.
The knocking was persistent and she almost thought it was Matt, but he had told her he was staying with one of his friends from back home for the night.
Kelly blinked a couple of times, staggering and swaying as the door swung completely open.
"Well are you going to stand there or invite me in?"
Dylan McKay smirks before her. Standing in front of her in all his glory.
She shrugs in response. Tongue in cheek. "I'm debating on it."
He lets out a low chuckle and shakes his head before kissing her. He does it so casually she wants to roll her eyes. Subtly was never Dylan's strong suit. She smiles the first real smile of the day as he kisses her hard and shuts the door behind him.
The first time it happened, well really that was years ago, but the first time the actual affair happened was at the start of last year.
Kelly was still getting over the rape she had endured weeks prior, still not comfortable with the idea of intimacy. With anyone. Especially intimacy with Matt. It was easier with Dylan, it always was.
Maybe it was the familiarity that came with knowing Dylan for years, whatever it was she craved for it at times like this.
"They want my forgiveness."
"Kel? Are you drunk?" Dylan stifled a laugh as she stood in front of him, short and mad, arms crossed over her chest.
"They are indirectly making me feel guilty. What kind of bullshit is that?" Whatever amusement he felt faded at her next words. "Sorry I killed your son in self defense. I'm really sorry that he raped me. Sorry that you want to feel better about yourselves but I don't want to forgive him or you or anyone and I shouldn't have to."
In any other situation he would laugh at whatever drunken ramble she was on, but this was not one of those times.
"Sit down at least, I keep thinking you are going to fall over with all the pacing you are doing." He suggested, raising an eyebrow as she scoffed before shrugging and sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"I mean do you think I should?"
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do." He shrugged, sitting beside her and placing a comforting hand on her knee.
"That was strangely just what I needed to hear." Kelly finally breathed, letting out a soft sigh of relief. "You always know what to say."
"When it comes to you I'm an expert."
Her breath hitched at the realization of just how close they were to each other. One of them could just lean in and then.
Kelly began to lean in towards him when he turned his head slightly.
"I'm not Matt and you aren't Gina." He pointed out, as if that would make such a difference.
"And let me guess, you are trying to change?" She raised an eyebrow in mockery.
"Something like that."
She leaned down and softly kissed him. A quick, chaste kiss.
"Make me forget." She said with a low laugh, the vodka she had drank earlier in the day coming into effect.
"What?" He asked, eyes lighting up in confusion. Was she serious?
"Make me forgot about it." She repeated, eyes locking directly with him, as she moved to straddle him. "About everything. Just for a little while."
"Kel-are you sure?" His comment only made her arch her eyebrows, challenging him to turn her down.
"You make me feel safe." Their eyes met and with that last send off from Kelly, Dylan knew he was a goner.
Their lips reconnected in a passionate kiss as they fell back onto the bed.
The door to his hotel room slammed shut.
"David thinks you are coming between him and Gina. Matt thinks you are coming between us."
"David isn't my problem. And neither is Gina anymore. And Matt can think whatever he damn well pleased."
"I see a pattern here."
"I see a pattern here too. You. Coming here. Coming to me. Repeatedly. I wonder why that is."
"Did you not just hear a word I said?"
"I heard you loud and clear. But I didn't ask you to come here and bitch at me about your petty brother and jealous boyfriend. You came here by yourself voluntarily."
"So?"
"So you wanted to see me. It seems pretty obvious to me."
"Look Dylan, if you think there is something unfinished between us-" Dylan rolled his eyes before crashing his lips onto hers. Only to pull back a second later.
"Kelly, when are you going to learn? It'll never be over between us." He huffed out as they stared at each other, breathless. She numbly nodded in agreement before their lips met once more.
They were clumsy and desperate for each other as they stumbled to the couch, clothes peeling away in a haste.
"The bed's too far away." Dylan smirked at Kelly's comment as he trailed kisses down her neck.
"Just don't leave any hickeys." She warned, eyes narrowing down at him.
"Or maybe I just won't leave them in plain sight." Her breath stopped completely as his mouth moved further and further down her body.
She moaned and shook in ecstasy eyes shutting as she felt the full effect of his mouth's wicked ways.
Damn, she was weak.
"Fuck Dylan." Kelly groaned as their bodies finally came together and he peeled himself off her a few seconds following.
"People that say sex with the same person over and over again loses its touch has obviously never had the pleasure of doing it with you."
"I should probably get to work." Kelly finally peeled away from him longer enough to find her shirt.
"Donna can survive without you for a few more hours." Dylan smirked, nipping at her collarbone.
"She's gonna start to wonder where I am." She pointed out with a arched eyebrow. It didn't help that every time she finally got her the buttons on her shirt to corporate Dylan unbuttoned the previous one. "People are going to start to wonder."
"What people? People like Matt you mean?"
"Yes him," Kelly paused before glancing towards him in wonder.
"Screw him." Dylan retorted.
"I love him." She rolled her eyes, waiting for an angry objection of some sort. It didn't come.
"I've heard it all before." He simply shrugged in a knowing way. "You also loved Brandon. That didn't stop us. And I loved Brenda once upon a time. Your point being?"
"He loves me."
"I do too."
"You what?"
"I love you Kelly."
Kelly sat back, a little stunned before practically jumping on top of him, kissing him hungrily, with everything she's got.
"I love you too." The words fell out of her lips as she fused their mouths together again, their tongues tangling. Everything seemed to slow down in that moment. Things became much more real with emotions out in the open, dangerous words falling without a single care in the world.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Everything else can wait. Right now I just want you to make love to me."
"He asked me to marry him."
"I know. You think I didn't see the little charade over at the Walsh house. Nice announcement." The bitterness in his laugh sends shivers up and down her spine. "For an engaged woman, you might want to smile a bit more."
"You were saying something to me before Steve came, what was it?" She cautiously steps closer to him.
"Now you want to hear it? What excuse did you even make to come over here?"
"I desperately had to show Jackie the ring."
"That's cute." He let out another chuckle. "Really fucking cute."
"Grow up Dylan."
"You know you're usually sexy when you're mad, but I'm not getting turned on right now."
"Good."
"Maybe it's that thing on your finger."
"The ring Matt gave me. Because he wants to marry me. He sees a future with me."
"If you would have let me explain at the Walsh house you would have heard that I do too. I see a future with you. I always did."
"When it's convenient for you. When Brenda went to Paris, when Gina broke up with you."
"So when are you naming the kids?"
"Fuck you."
"You already have."
A slam of the door is the only response he gets.
She stirs awake in the middle of the night, still tightly tucked away in his arms. She's getting fucking married tomorrow. She and Matt are going to walk down the aisle, Erin will be the flower girl and then they will seal the deal with a chaste kiss. Followed by a honeymoon, maybe they would end up moving to New York to help Matt's sister in law with the baby. Maybe all of this would really end up staying in the past.
Even in the dark, Kelly could sense Dylan's movements, however quiet they were. She let out a breath as she felt his lips grazing her neck, kissing her bare shoulders.
"You're tense."
Normally at this point she would retort something back, snap at him for stating the obvious. But instead she bursted out laughing. "I bet you know why too."
She manages to stop laughing as she cuddles in closer to him. "I don't want to ever leave this bed."
"So don't."
"I have to eventually. Tomorrow."
"Don't do it. Don't get married. You don't love him."
"I do-"
"No you don't. Not in the way that we love each other. Not in the same way I love you."
"What am I suppose to do Dylan? Just not show up."
"Maybe we could finally get out of this town. Take the trip that's been years in the making. Around the World in 80 Days and all that."
"This is no time for jokes McKay."
"Who's laughing? Come away with me. Let's finally start over. A new location. And most importantly be together."
He grabbed her hand, lightly kissing her fingers. "I asked you years ago to take a chance on me, to choose me. Now I'm asking you again."
Everyone stares in awe, Kelly walks down the aisle, Dylan gets drunk at the bar. Matt and Kelly share their first dance, feed each other cake, Dylan gets completely wasted and fucks the first attractive girl he finds, anything but a blonde.
Matt and Kelly do go on their honeymoon, but they don't use Dylan's wedding gift. They don't go around the world. They go to islands, one after the other, tropical and exotic.
Kelly ignores the nagging voice in her head telling her she chose wrong. She does everything to silence her inner conscience as Matt hovers over her for their first night as man and wife.
And she definitely ignores the growing guilt finally settling in her gut as he falls asleep beside her.
Kelly and Dylan aren't alone together again until two months after she and Matt return from their honeymoon. Matt leaves to New York to visit his sister-in-law and check in on her.
She didn't plan on bumping into Dylan at the AfterDark.
Matt didn't plan on bumping into Gina at a coffee shop. And from what he could tell she was exactly the same as the last time he saw her.
They drink in silence, both happy to see a familiar face, until Gina starts in on the advice he never asked to hear.
"You actually think Kelly's happy? If happy is looking like she wants to jump off of a cliff every five seconds then yes she is thrilled!"
"Gina." Matt warned, hoping she wouldn't take things too far and bad-mouth his wife more than what she usually did.
"I've seen the wedding pictures from Donna, Matt." She interrupts before he had a chance to say anything to the contrary. "Matt open your eyes. Marriage does not suit her. She's not happy being a wife, and as much as she loves you, it's not enough to keep her from straying."
"That doesn't mean she's cheating." He interjected.
"We both know that's bull. You see it Matt. Everyone can see it. You just don't want to admit it. She is screwing with your head. How long are you going to allow yourself to be trapped in her web of lies?"
"Kelly wants to be with me."
"While you are out of town, here talking to me, what do you think she's doing right now?"
Matt sat back in his chair and sighed, some of what Gina was saying was starting to rub off on him. It was starting to make sense.
Somehow they end up back to where they started. Heated, angry, pushing each other to the extreme.
One kiss Kelly tauntingly stole and it was back in the screaming match.
"You're pathetic." Dylan shouted, Kelly staring at him from her spot on her couch.
"Well so are you." She shouted back, huffing as her voice rose.
"Why did you even call me here? Matt's out of town so you want to go at it?
"That's not what this is."
"Sure it is. You saw an opportunity and you took it. But i'm not playing along."
"So what, you suddenly don't want me anymore?"
"Of course I want you. But for a cheap fuck? A meaningless hook up while your husband is out of town? No thank you!"
"Dylan-"
"I don't want that from you. Not anymore. I want you. All of you. And I can't really have that while you're someone else's wife."
"I don't know what you expect me to say." Her arms crossed as she stared down at her shoes.
"You. Speechless? That's a first." He sniped.
"I-"
"We both know how this ends. It's you and me. Bottom line." Her heart sped up at his words. His stare was so intense she literally felt like she would break under the pressure of it. "You just won't admit it."
"Well you aren't ready for it." She pointed out bluntly.
"Alright, fair enough. I wasn't before. I wasn't ever ready for us. But I am now." He paused before leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. "And you will be too, eventually. Maybe not now, but soon it'll come."
"And you're so sure about this? About us?"
"Yes I am."
She nodded softly, glancing towards him with a small smile. "It's getting late."
"Say no more." And with that he was gone. And Kelly was alone with her thoughts. Which at times, was even more dangerous then Dylan.
"When was the last time you saw Dylan?"
She knows she shouldn't be surprised when Matt asks to speak with her. It's three days later when he returns home and she knows something is up. He had never been as quiet as he had been during dinner a few hours prior.
"Matt-"
"Is he here right now hiding somewhere or does he only come out when I'm not around?"
"Matt he's not some kind of vampire that only comes out when I'm alone."
"Seems like it."
"Kelly I've heard some things here and there, and I just want to know the truth. I want you to be honest with me with anything and everything. Are you having an affair with Dylan?"
Kelly shook her head with a sigh. Wow, he was being real upfront about this. "Who did you hear that from?" She stuttered out, her heart felt like it was going to drop down to her stomach. She felt sick.
"Wrong answer." He glared as he started walking out the door.
"Matt. Wait." She sighed before reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder, anything to stop him from doing something drastic.
"Don't touch me Kelly. What more do you have to say to me Kelly? You not saying anything spoke volumes. What more is there? Your silence was answer enough." He was getting angrier by the second and just standing in the same vicinity of her made him want to hit something.
"I didn't mean for it to turn out this way. It stopped. It stopped the second we got married."
"It should have stopped the second I asked you to marry me. It should have never started to begin with. Dylan was the past. He was suppose to stay in the past. You and I have a future together. We were suppose to at least. Now I'm not so sure about anything."
"Matt no matter how many times you word it, I get the message. It was wrong and messed up and I don't even know why it happened."
"But it did happen. And you lied about it. And you should give me more than that as a reason to not walk out of this door right now."
"I can't." She tried to speak more, to tell him something, anything from leaving. But she couldn't. She couldn't think of a single reason why he should stay with her. He deserved better. And now they both knew that fact was true.
"Then we're done."
She waited until the door finally slammed, until she was completely alone, to cry. To cry until she fell asleep.
A week passes. Then three more until she hears from Dylan. And it's not even directly from Dylan. It's gossip from Donna and David, because even they speak to Dylan more than Kelly does now.
"He's leaving? What do you mean he's leaving? He can't just pack up and leave!"
"Actually Kel, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he does best." David interjected, giving a knowing glance to his sister.
"Oh shut up David." She glared in response, even though technically he wasn't wrong in any way. This type of thing just screamed Dylan.
"Look he doesn't leave for a few more hours-
"Hours!?"
"What? This is what you get when you come looking for answers at the last possible second."
"David!" The glares he was getting from his sister AND his wife just made him roll his eyes in mild annoyance. Because really, they have been rolling their eyes at him since freshman year of college. Maybe even longer than that.
"You know where the airport is Kel. If you want to go, because your heart is telling you it's the right thing to do or something, then go for it...But if I were you I would make up my mind sooner than later."
Maybe it's because beforehand she never appreciated having him as a step-brother, but if anyone's going to give her the push and shove she needs to get out the door, she's happy it's him. She's never been more glad to have David Silver as a part of her family.
"I have to go."
Kelly Taylor has never ran this much in her lifetime. Sure it's not that long of a distance getting to the airport, but getting past the crowds and crowds of people, in heels mind you, is consuming enough. It's made her out of breath yet at the same time, have all of the energy in the world. She was in a state of sheer panic, fearing the worst and hoping for the best, but she's never felt more alive. If that wasn't love, she didn't know what was.
"Kel?"
A voice gets her out of her self-pitying internal monologue. Her head snaps up, hair falling out of her loose ponytail, physically defeated, and she just stares with a mouth gaping open like a speechless idiot. Dylan is standing in front of her, hands in his pockets, duffel bag at his feet.
"W-What are you doing here?" She's the first to speak, through nervous hesitations and whispered questions.
"Fancy seeing you too." He shakes his head in bewilderment.
"David said you were leaving. I assumed you had left already."
"The flight doesn't leave for another hour Kel."
"Oh."
"Is that all?"
She looks confused, almost angry at his quick assumption.
"No. There's more trust me. That is, if you want to hear me out."
"Well, any girl willing to run through an airport at 9 in the morning sweating like a pig, in high heels might I add, is at least deserving of a chance. Just one though." He smirks and she takes it as a positive sign. Maybe things aren't totally broken beyond repair. Suddenly she finds herself racked with nerves. She's flustered and trying to figure out what to even say, how to explain things, how to admit her feelings. But everything goes out the window because a second later it all comes tumbling out.
"I choose you." She takes a deep breath before looking directly at him, baring her soul for well all the people in the airport to see. "You asked me to choose and I did. It's you Dylan. I chose you. I want you." She lets out a tiny smirk as she recites his own words back to him. "I've always wanted you."
His laugh is rewarding enough because she had no intent of stopping and now there's no way she's going to until she's back in his good graces.
"Will you ever forgive me?"
"You've got 80 days to convince me why I should."
"I like those odds."