AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Hello and welcome to my brand new story, The Sins of Yesteryear. As the summary states, this is the sequel to The Error Proof Test and where I would absolutely love it if you would stop and read that story first (and leave lots of reviews!) I don't want people to not read this story because they didn't read EPT. Plus, since I began writing EPT in November of 2007 and had quite a few hiatuses while I was writing it, I'm sure some of you have probably forgotten some of what happened, so I thought I'd give a basic outline for everyone before you read the sequel… If you think the outline sounds interesting, go check out the story itself. :)

The story opens in August of 2000. Andrea has moved back to Beverly Hills from New Haven, CT to become a doctor at The Martin House, a free clinic that Felice wanted to open in honor of John. Kelly was recruited to be the administrator of the clinic, though the task of getting it ready for the opening proves to be very physically and emotionally exhausting for her.

While working for The Martin House, Kelly meets Cameron Bailey, a reporter for the Los Angeles Tribune. He claims he is doing a story on The Martin House, but is clear from the beginning that he has a hidden agenda. He also becomes interested in Kelly, though she repeatedly tells him that she is in a committed relationship with Dylan.

About the same time, a woman by the name of Melanie "Melrose" Hall shows up on Dylan's doorstep. They were together during the summer of 1994 basically spending their entire time getting wasted and getting high. She tells him she is dying of AIDs and she is unsure when she contracted the virus. She advises Dylan he needs to be tested. Dylan looses it and decides to escape to Baja so he can clear his thoughts. The only person he tells that he is leaving is Andrea.

Meanwhile, Steve and Janet are on a "tour of America" taking pictures and spending time together as a family. Steve mentions in an email to David that they are going to cut their trip short due to the fact that Janet is not feeling well.

David and Donna are blissfully happy, however they keep receiving mysterious shoeboxes full of dried rose petals and memories of their past (pictures, demo tape, etc.) Though none of them have been threatening, Donna is still uneasy about the entire situation and they have recruited the help of the police in the matter. Also, a young woman who graduated from West Beverly in 1996 and was friends with Sue Scanlon begins interning at David's radio stations. Her name is Meghan Cavanaugh.

Through her connection with Cameron, Kelly is introduced to Dr. Ethan Goldman, a young doctor who is extremely wealthy and a bit bored. He volunteers to be the Martin House's other doctor and soon he and Andrea begin dating. Ethan and Cameron have been extremely close friends since they were in college together.

On the other side of the country, Brandon is enjoying his life as a successful reporter for the New York Chronicle. The only thing that is missing is a woman to fill the void that was left after he and Kelly broke up. It is clear he still has extremely strong feelings for Kelly but before he can really explore those feelings, he bumps into a ghost from the past – one Emily Valentine. They quickly begin seeing one another and Brandon determines he is going to stop living in the past and move on with Emily.

Shortly after Dylan leaves, Brenda shows up in Beverly Hills as well, her new boyfriend, Ashton Hamilton in tow. She bumps into the gang at the Peach Pit and Kelly offers to let Brenda and Ashton live at the beach apartment until the living situation at Casa Walsh gets straightened out. Andrea is also moving into the beach apartment with Kelly.

Kelly, Brenda, and Ashton show up at the apartment and Kelly finds two letters from Dylan – one for her and one for Brenda. Ashton freaks out and has a nasty confrontation with Brenda. Kelly orders him out of her apartment. She and Brenda then read their letters and learn that Dylan might have HIV and has gone to Baja. Brenda refuses to let him remain there and convinces Kelly they need to go to Mexico to bring him back and make him face the demons of his past.

While driving down to Mexico, Brenda and Kelly finally have it out, discussing their mutual relationships with Dylan. They begin to rebuild their friendship and Brenda tells Kelly why she and Dylan broke up while in London – Dylan saw her and Ashton together, misunderstood the situation, and shot her, though he had been aiming for Ashton. The gun was also filled with blanks and Brenda was not seriously injured, but Ashton forced Dylan to leave before Dylan and Brenda were even able to figure out what had happened.

Once in Mexico, Brenda and Kelly quickly find Dylan and it is clear Brenda and Dylan are still madly in love. Kelly politely bows out and realizes she has to stop being an obstacle in the way of one of the greatest loves of all time. While Brenda and Dylan are taking a stroll on the beach, discussing their relationship, Kelly is kidnapped leaving absolutely no trace as to where she might have gone.

The local police are completely baffled by Kelly's disappearance so Dylan calls in Jonesy to help find her. Meanwhile, Brenda calls Brandon who immediately hops on a plane to join them in their search in Baja. Shortly after he arrives, he receives a message that is intended for Dylan. It is a note from Kelly but written in Spanish with an address on it. He follows the address to an abandoned building which turns out to be a trap, Kelly being the bait. However, their captors were not trying to get Brandon, they wanted Dylan McKay.

Brandon and Kelly are reunited as prisoners and the feelings they have long laid buried resurface and they spend the night together – Brandon confessing to Kelly that he is still in love with her. However, the next morning Brandon seems to regret their decision of the night before, leaving Kelly confused and hurt. Before they have the chance to talk, however, their captors come in.

The man behind Kelly's kidnapping and Brandon's capture is none other than a man by the name of Gabriel Marchette, a nephew of Tony Marchette who fancied himself in love with Toni. His father, Cristano Marchette, became a shame to the family when he failed to kill Jack McKay so he has vowed vengeance against both Jack (for his father) and Dylan (for Toni). He is clearly mentally unbalanced.

Just in the nick of time, Cameron appears making some very startling revelations. He too is a Marchette – Gabriel's half-brother. His mother, Shelby Bailey, had been briefly involved with Cristano but when she learned he was married and what sort of man he was, fled to her family in Minnesota where she raised her son. It was only after her death that Cameron learned he was really a Marchette and was taken in by the family, though never really acknowledged. They use him for their purposes but he was never involved in the truly diabolical and evil schemes of the Marchette family.

Cameron attempts to smuggle Kelly and Brandon across the border as they are still not clear from danger from the Marchette family. They get a message to Brenda and Dylan that they are safe but are apprehended by the border patrol. Brenda, Dylan, and Jonesy show up and due to Jonesy's connections with the FBI, they are released. After figuring out that Cameron is a Marchette, Dylan immediately does not trust him and makes it clear he never wants to see him again. Cameron, however, is extremely interested in Kelly and makes a play for her. Kelly asks him never to call her again.

Cameron crosses the border with Jonesy, Brenda with Dylan and Kelly with Brandon. Brenda and Dylan discuss their relationship and Dylan tells her why he has never trusted Ashton. Apparently, while they were in London, Ashton was a bit of a stalker and had attempted to break into their flat a few times. Brenda decides she will confront Ashton as soon as they are back in the States.

Brandon and Kelly's trip home is not nearly as pleasant and due to complete miscommunication, both of them get the impression that the other is over them and there is no future for their relationship. Kelly is devastated and Brandon is hurt. Therefore, when they do get back in the States, they hardly say a single word to one another before Brandon is supposed to leave for Washington.

Once finally back in California, Brenda has it out with Ashton and he shows his true, psychotic colors. He threatens Brenda, telling her that is not so easy to get rid of him. He only leaves after David comes out and tells him Donna is going to call the police. Brenda then talks with Dylan and learns he has made an appointment to be tested for HIV.

Despite Kelly's wishes to never see him again, Cameron shows up at the Martin House opening and dances with Kelly. He tells her that he has fallen for her and will not give up so easily. Kelly tells him she is not ready for any sort of relationship and he assures her that he will wait for her. He tries to kiss her, but Kelly turns his head and makes him promise not to ever try that again.

After spending the entire afternoon mulling over his feelings for Kelly, Brandon misses his flight back to Washington DC and decides to attend the opening, determined to tell Kelly how he feels. He bumps into Steve and Janet and learns Janet is five months pregnant. After talking with Steve and Janet, Brandon enters the cafeteria where the opening is being held. He sees Kelly dancing with Cameron and sees Cameron about to kiss her. Not waiting to see Kelly actually turn her head at the last minute, Brandon leaves, his heart broken.

The next morning Dylan arrives at the beach apartment to pick up Brenda for his appointment. He remembers a sweet memory from London then takes her to the Martin House clinic where all their friends are being tested at the same time. Andrea is administrating the tests with Ethan's help. David, Donna, Steve, and Janet are all clean though Donna's test reveals she's pregnant. In the next to the last chapter, Andrea reveals to Dylan that he is clear from HIV as well, but Brenda is not. Kelly's test results have not been revealed.

In the final chapter, Brenda is alone in the beach apartment realizing how much her life has forever changed. She comes across an old journal she began writing back before she moved from Beverly Hills. She is in complete despair. Meanwhile, Kelly is at her mother's condo and has just taken a pregnancy test. She is pregnant and she knows the father is Brandon.

Now, without further ado… The Sins of Yesteryear…

Prologue

~*~*~

From the Ashes

~*~*~

October 2025

A contented smile spread across Brenda McKay's lips as she gazed lovingly out against the beautiful Hawaiian sky, resting her arms on the whitewashed railing of her hotel room, slowly absorbing the vibrant hues of violet, indigo, magenta, and gold, silently wondering to herself if there could possibly be a more beautiful place on the entire earth. Though she had visited Hawaii on several occasions now, this trip was special. It marked a very special anniversary for Brenda, one she thought she would never see.

It had been twenty-five years since Brenda had first been diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus. At the time she had believed her life was completely over, that she had, at best, maybe five to seven years before she would die. Having HIV meant she would eventually develop AIDs, and everyone knew there was absolutely no cure for AIDs. And yet, here she was, a month before her fifty-first birthday and quite possibly the healthiest she'd ever been in her life.

"Happy anniversary." Brenda felt Dylan's warm arms wrap around her slim waist, pulling her against him while he planted an affectionate kiss on her temple. "How you feeling?"

"More wonderful than you can know." Brenda turned around in his arms. She moved her arms to his shoulders, pulling his head down for a far more passionate kiss. "I love you, Dylan."

"And I love you." He replied, his eyes mirroring the depths of his love for her. "More and more every day."

Brenda smiled, snuggling deeper against him, enjoying the warmth his body gave off. "You saved me, Dylan. You know that?"

"I saved you?" He seemed surprised by her revelation. "I think you have that turned around, Bren. You were always the one rescuing me."

She shook her head. "Not true, Dylan. If it hadn't been for you, I know I would have never been here today. You were the one who gave me the strength to fight when I thought all hope was lost. I was ready to give up entirely. If it weren't for you-"

"Bren, stop." He silenced her with a kiss that quickly intensified into far more than the peck he had originally planned. Brenda pulled him even tighter against her, amazed that even after all this time he was able to ignite such fire inside her.

Eventually, they broke apart, Brenda wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand as she grinned goofily up at her husband. "Some things only get better with age."

"That they do." Dylan immediately agreed, his fingers interlaced with her own. He gazed at her longingly and Brenda had a hunch that she was not going to be able to get her writing time in like she had originally planned on doing before their dinner reservation. Eagerly, Brenda followed him back inside their hotel room, a coy smile playing against her lips as she eyed the large, king-sized bed that awaited them.

"I think it's high time we give this thing a test drive." Dylan chuckled. Suddenly, he swooped her off her feet, carrying her towards the bed where he gently tossed her down, his eyes filled with desire. "You are so beautiful, Brenda. I'm the luckiest man in the entire world."

"Oh really? Why is that?" Brenda cocked an eyebrow.

"Because," He replied, crashing down on her, propping himself up with his elbows so he would not completely crush her. "I get to spend the rest of my life with you." He lowered his head, pressing his lips against her own as the melted together, the rest of the world fading around them.

Two hours later, Brenda silently slipped out from beneath the silken sheets. She reached for her blue satin robe she had the foresight to pull out of her suitcase before she had gone out onto the balcony. The sun was long set and Brenda knew without even having to glance at her watch that they had missed their dinner reservations. Not really a big deal. She could always order room service as soon as Dylan woke.

Her bare feet padding against the plush, emerald green carpet, Brenda made her way across the room to the large oak desk where she had laid out her journals earlier. There were twenty-four volumes, a different one for each year of her life that she had lived since her diagnosis.

In the beginning, Brenda had made sure she always bought the exact same kind of journal so everything would match. Unfortunately, several years ago the publishing company had gone out of business and Brenda had been forced to buy whatever was available. There wasn't much. Most everywhere she shopped tried to sell her one of the complicated electronic journals that were popular nowadays, but she detested them and refused to use the several her children had bought her for Christmas years ago before they knew better.

She picked up the journal that she had begun writing in October of 2000, quickly skimming the first several entries, wincing at the raw emotion and agony written there. She quickly snapped the diary closed. She did not want to deal with her twenty-five-year-old self's pain at the moment.

Instead, she slowly lowered herself into the desk chair, pulling out her last journal with its perfect, unblemished pages. She picked up her pen, opened the diary and began to write, her heart and mind heavy with memories of those early autumn days when it had all begun…

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Sorry for taking so long to get this up guys… I know you've been eagerly awaiting the sequel and I wish I had more to post. BUT I had always intended the prologue to just be a bit of a summary of Error Proof so people would not be lost. The Brenda scene was a little present to all of you who have had faith in me through this entire process… I'm sorry that I had to end Error Proof the way I did… I know it was pretty cruel. But there is hope (obviously!). I mean, Brenda's 50, married to Dylan and has children. Plus, she's healthy. What more can you ask for, right?

Anyway… I'll try and get a part posted pretty soon. The first half of this story is going to focus a lot of Brenda & Dylan as well as some Kelly and Cameron. Don't worry… Brandon won't be far behind. But he doesn't have a very major role to play until he decides the East Coast gets too cold during the winter. :) Also, for the BK fans (of whom I am the greatest… LOL) please note that though I linked Kelly's name with Cameron's, I did not use the "&" symbol that I use when delineating a couple…

So please let me know what you think. I know it's just the basics and the very beginning, but I'll get more posted ASAP – if I get a lot of reviews… *evil cackle*

Cheers,

Jianna