"Other Choices"

Okay, this is a 90210 story taking place during "Little Fish" of Season 3. I thought that something definitely should've happened between Brenda and Dylan whilst they were fishing. So read on… JJ

"Oh geez, did I hook you?" Brenda Walsh looked at him for an answer, beginning to feel guilty if she had in fact hurt him. But Dylan McKay shook his head and said, "It's just my sweatshirt."

She exhaled a sigh of relief and then nodded. "Here, I'll get it." She began trying to remove the hook and then she heard Dylan breathe through his nose. She knew he was inhaling the smell of her hair.

Brenda couldn't help but smell him as well. It was definitely something she had missed while being away in Minnesota. She hadn't missed just him, obviously, but he had been on her mind quite a bit. Ever since she had returned from Paris last summer and found out about him and Kelly, her heart was broken. She would be lying if she said she hadn't missed him and missed what they had. And to know that he had just recently gone to Paris with Kelly…that hurt too.

She thought she may have been a little crazy, but she could swear he felt it too. Especially the way he was looking at her right now. She knew that look; she had seen that look in his eyes many times before.

"I've, uh, seen that look before.", She said aloud, looking into his eyes. Damn those eyes, she thought, shaking her head a little. No one could see her the way Dylan could. And no one would probably ever be able to either.

Dylan couldn't help but look in her eyes as well. He had missed her when she went away to Minnesota, but he didn't think he was allowed to express that because of Kelly. Kelly. This situation was so confusing. Because he had found himself in a similar situation only months ago, only the roles were reversed. But he couldn't help the way he felt about Brenda, he had never been able to. And today proved it.

"Yeah.", He said, in response to her statement. "You have it too." There was no denying the chemistry that the two of them had, it was so obvious. And they each felt in every part of their body.

"Dylan, we can't go down this road again…", She said, her face only inches away from his. He looked at her and asked, "Why not?" Brenda sighed, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Because…we're in such a good place right now, with our friendship. And I don't wanna do anything to spoil that." Dylan appeared thoughtful for a minute and then his face got further from hers.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Brenda cleared her throat and shook her head. "Me too." They shared a small smile and then Dylan said, "You wanna keep on fishing?" She nodded and said, "Sure."

She sat in the beach chair, listening to ringing on the other end of the line. A moment later, she got the answering machine. "Dylan, it's me. I'm sorry I was mad at you earlier. Are you there? Pick up." He didn't, so she hung up.

Brenda had finally caught a fish, but he was too little to eat, or so Dylan said. So she threw him back, proclaiming she was done fishing for the day. So she and Dylan just stared out at the water for a minute.

"You ready to go?", He asked. She nodded. "Sure." So they began walking back down the pier. "Today was fun.", She commented. Dylan nodded. "Yeah, it was. I'm glad we were able to do it. I wish we could spend our lives fishing and hanging out."

Brenda laughed. "Yeah, if only. That would be the perfect life." They shared a smile. The reached Dylan's car a moment later and as he went to get in, he saw that she was thinking, not getting in the car.

"What's wrong?" She shook her head and looked at him, causing him to get back out of the car and look at her. "Bren, what's wrong?" She continued looking at him, making him nervous as to what she was thinking.

"Dylan, I lied." He raised his eyebrows. "Okay…" She shook her head. "I don't care what place our friendship is in." She went around to his side of the car and without another word, she kissed him.

She sighed, going to the phone, picking it up, and dialing the number again. It rang and rang and rang and then she got the answering machine again. "Hi it's me, call me back. Bye." And then she hung up.

He had wrapped his arms around her by now. Brenda couldn't believe how perfect it felt to kiss him again, how right it felt. And she knew he felt the same way, she could just tell by the way he was kissing her.

After a few minutes, they pulled away at the same time, both breathless and speechless. Dylan looked at her, intensity in his eyes, and Brenda returned the look with the same fierce intensity.

"Wow.", He said first. Brenda nodded. "That's one word for it." He looked at her. "So you felt…?" Brenda nodded again. "Yes, definitely. You?" He nodded too. "Oh yeah." Then they stayed silent for a minute.

"I should probably take you home." Brenda nodded and they both got into the car this time, driving all the way to the Walsh house silently. When they got there, Dylan shut off the car and sat back.

"This was definitely a different choice." Brenda couldn't help but laugh. "That's true. Only, it's kind of the same choice, just a different time." Dylan laughed too, thinking that was true.

"Well, I should probably get inside." Dylan nodded. "Yeah. Um, thanks for spending the day with me, Bren." She smiled. "My pleasure Dylan." She shut the car door and then looked at him.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" He nodded. "Yeah, I uh, gotta go to Kelly's." Brenda nodded knowingly. "See you tomorrow Bren." She nodded. "Tomorrow Dylan." And they shared a smile.