Hi…Analyse here back with another story. Don't worry I will still be writing A.N.T.R. , but I've been so distracted lately I have to write these other stories to focus. LOL This story takes place during episode 4x21 aka PALM SPRINGS 2.0! It's pretty easy to follow, but I do add my own twist to the episode to make it fit my story line. Drop a review and let me know what you think! As usual I don't own 90210 or take credit for any of the characters. Enjoy!
Brenda clutched the payphone tightly as she waited for the line to connect. Palm Springs was as gorgeous as she remembered, but after watching Stewart argue with his father in the middle of the resort, the only thing Brenda desired at this point was to leave. She looked around at the resort and saw all the people passing by her with smiles on their faces. Couples were everywhere walking arm and arm with the ones they loved, Brenda sighed longing to be one of those couples.
Finally she heard the ringing stop and someone get on the line. Brenda's joy was short lived as she heard Dylan answer the phone. "Dylan." She said after getting over her surprise, "Hi. Is Kelly there?"
"Sorry Bren she's not here. She's at a power lunch in with your brother." She heard Dylan respond.
Brenda closed her eyes, remembering that her brother had mentioned something about a task force lunch earlier in the week, "I guess that's why he didn't pick up his phone either." Brenda said starting to panic. She had no idea how she was going to make the two hour trip back home with only twenty dollars to her name.
"Something wrong Bren? Can I help?"
"No." she answered too quickly, "I was just hoping Kelly could come get me. I guess I'm kind of stranded."
"That's okay. Just tell me where you're at and I'll come."
"It's not quite that simple." She countered.
"Bren it's not a problem."
"Listen. I'll just take the bus forget that I called." She said moving to hang up the phone. She stopped when she heard his voice call out.
"Would you stop it already? Just tell me where you're at and I'll jump in the car and come get you."
Brenda leaned against the phone booth and weighed her options. She knew going back in and groveling to the Carson was not going to happen. She looked around again and was surprised at the lack of couples waltzing around the resort. Brenda noticed the sun was setting and it was bound to start getting dark soon. If she didn't accept Dylan's offer she would be stranded two hours from home with no money and no place to stay.
"Brenda." She heard him call out again, "Where are you?"
"Palm Springs." She answered afraid of his response.
She heard him let out a big sigh before agreeing to come and get her. After the call ended Brenda stared at the phone in disbelief. One minute she was asking him not to come and the next she was accepting his offer. How had she agreed to let Dylan McKay be her knight in shining armor once again? She hung up the pay phone and made her way to the curb. Brenda tossed her bag on the ground and sat down beside it, hoping the two hour wait would go by quickly. She ran her hand over the soft grass and sighed before pulling out a book from her purse. This weekend was not turning out the way she expected at all.
Half way through her novel she heard a car horn blare. She looked up from her book to see the familiar black Porsche easing into a parking spot across from her. She saw Dylan get out of his car and stand beside it waiting for her to come over.
Brenda threw her book back into her purse and gathered up her belongings. She gripped her overnight bag tightly and made her way to Dylan. She saw him looking around the resort before setting his gaze on her.
He offered her a small wave and a grin before reaching out to take her bag. Their hands brushed momentarily and Dylan looked down at the contact. He noticed her left hand was bare, which immediately set off warning bells in his head. The outrageous sparking engagement ring that had become a permanent fixture on her finger was gone. Confused he asked, "Where's Stewart? "
Brenda pulled her hand back and looked down at the mention of her ex-fiances name, surprisingly not ready to talk about it. She avoided eye contact as she made her way to the passenger's side of the car, "I don't know and I don't care." Without saying another word she opened the door and got in.
After a few seconds she heard the trunk open and close and then the driver's side door opened revealing Dylan. Brenda didn't say anything as he started the car and drove them away from the resort.
She looked in the rear view mirror half expecting to see Stewart chasing after the car begging for her not go and to come back. She let out a sigh of disappointment as they turned out of the resort and she realized he wasn't coming.
Brenda turned to look at Dylan, "Thanks for coming to my rescue." She said breaking the ice and forcing herself to start the conversation.
"Yeah, if I can't do it who can?" Dylan answered keeping his focus on the road.
"Good question" she said looking down at her hands that were resting on her legs. She thought about what Dylan had just said. Other than her parents, who did she have in her life that was there for her?
Brandon's face flashed in her mind briefly, but she shook her head at the thought. Ever since she came back from Minnesota there was a distance between them she couldn't explain. If she was being honest with herself, she was feeling that same distance with everyone from their high school gang.
It was her loneliness that drove her to straight into the arms of Stewart Carson. 'What a mistake.' She thought as she rubbed at the skin on her left hand gently, reflecting on how empty her finger looked without the ring. Her hand had felt lighter the second she ripped the ring off her finger and threw it back at Stewart.
At first it was so exhilarating being with Stewart Carson. He was sociable and funny, which was a welcome change from the constantly brooding from her last relationship. They would spend all night dancing and laughing, getting swept up in each other and the excitement of a new romance. He would spoil her with his constant displays of affection and gifts he would randomly send her. But like any man, Stewart had his flaws and his bad ones definitely outweighed the good.
She let out another sigh as she thought about his harsh words and behavior from the other night in the hotel. She couldn't help but think the lightness she was feeling might have something to do with kicking Stewart and his spoiled ass to the curb. Now that she was free of Stewart she was right back where she started, miserable and alone.
"I don't suppose you want to talk about it." Dylan said after he heard her sigh for the fourth time since they had gotten into the car.
"It was supposed to be a romantic weekend with Stewart." She confessed looking out the window, "But I ended up seeing a side of him I've never seen before."
"Remember when we went to Baja and I made that little mistake."
She turned away from the window to look at Dylan and smiled, knowing how much she was underplaying the seriousness of her screw up. She laughed when she heard him snort, "Little mistake Bren? You left your passport and we were stuck at the border for hours."
Brenda smiled remembering the trip, "No matter how bad things got, you were so understanding. We were able to put it behind us… even laugh about it. We ended up having a great time."
Dylan looked away from the road and offered Bren a big smile, "Yeah…yeah we did." Brenda's smile faltered at the intensity of his smile, for a moment it was like they were back in the car on the way back from Baja.
She took a breath before admitting, "Stewart can't do that. I goofed and he couldn't let it go. It got pretty ugly…it is definitely over between us."
Brenda looked down upset, "Why is it that I can't keep any relationship going since I broke up with you?
Dylan was quite for a moment before answering, "I guess you just have to find the right guy."
Brenda looked over at Dylan and starred at him. "I had the right guy and then I lost him." She confessed in a soft voice, "I've never really gotten over you Dylan…how am I supposed to find the right guy when I'm still in love with you?"
Silenced filled the car, Dylan cleared his throat trying to think of a way to let her down. He looked at her for a moment before focusing his attention back on the road, "Bren."
"I know…I know" Brenda said cutting him off, already knowing what his answer would be. She could feel the embarrassment spread all over her body and immediately regretted even saying anything. She was thankful it was dark out or else Dylan would have seen her cheeks flush bright red at his rejection. The tears came so quickly she had to turn her head and look out the window in fear they would escape down her cheeks. She flipped her hair in an attempt to shield her face from his view.
"It's not that I don't love you." she heard him say softy.
"You're just not in love with me." She answered for him in a shaky whisper. Brenda could feel her throat tighten and her heart rate sped up, all too familiar signs of the melt down that was about to happen.
Still looking out the window Brenda decided to backtrack in an attempt to save face, "Maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself over the whole Stewart thing." She paused to clear the lump in her throat before adding, "I'm glad were still friends."
A tear escaped down her cheek and onto her lap at the word friends. She didn't dare move or take her eyes off the window as she spoke to Dylan, not wanting to see her tears. She dug her nails deep into her palms to try and keep from crying out.
"So am I." She heard him agree.
Dylan had taken his hand off the wheel and extended it out to her, wanting to feel her skin against his. After a few seconds he looked over, surprised not to feel her return the gesture. Dylan saw she was turned away from him facing, almost her entire body was the window. Brenda was squeezing her fists so tight they were turning white from the pressure. He sighed as he struggled to see her face, but judging by her body language he guessed she was crying.
As he drew his hand back, a part of him had hoped she would feel the weight of his stare meet his gaze. He wanted to say something else, anything else, but the words escaped him when he heard her sniffle. Confirming his suspicions she was indeed crying.
Dylan stole another look at Brenda before looking back at the road. He had promised himself after that day in the park that he wouldn't do a single thing hurt to her any more than he already had. Now without even trying he had made things between them worse. They didn't speak again until Dylan had taken the exit, bringing them back to Beverly Hills.
They were stopped a light not far from the beach house when Dylan had an idea. "You know David is having a little get together right now at the apartment." Dylan said trying to lighten the mood, "He's re-christening the place now that he lives there. Want to head over with me?"
Brenda didn't bother move she kept her head firmly against the window. She was still too embarrassed to face him or now confess that she didn't even know David was moving into the beach apartment. For a second she thought about accepting his offer, but quickly changed her mind. She couldn't bear to see him and Kelly all over each other after he had just turned her down.
"Can you just take me home?" She replied in a dejected tone Dylan hadn't heard her use before, "I'm not feeling too well and I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's good time."
Dylan nodded and didn't say anything as he signaled to turn the car in the direction towards the Walsh house. He couldn't help but steal glances at her for the rest of the short ride, not knowing what to say to make things right between them. Before Dylan could come up with something he was turning onto the familiar street and up the drive way bringing their drive to an end.
He heard her let out a sigh of relief and click off her seat belt practically ready to jump from the car. Dylan tried one last time to convince her to come with him and go to the party.
"Are you sure you won't come to David's with me? Everyone's been asking to see you, and it will be just like old times with the gang."
Brenda turned to give him a look, offended at his blatant lie. She didn't speak, but her eyes were filed with a sadness Dylan hadn't seen since that day in the park. "Nobody wants me there." Brenda said in a low shaky voice, "Nobody ever wants me."
Brenda couldn't help the tear that fell from her eye as she looked at Dylan. Why couldn't he just love her the way she loved him. She didn't say another word as he opened the door and got out of the car.
She heard him call her name as she was walking towards the house. She turned around and looked at him blankly giving him her full attention waiting for him to speak, but the side door opening momentarily distracted her.
Brenda stood frozen as she watched her parents walk towards the garage and to the trash bins. They didn't see her, but Brenda had a clear view of them. Her father was waving his free hand around and telling some story to Cindy, which had her bent over in a fit of laughter. Brenda watched her father lift open the trash can and remove the bags out of Cindy's hands first before throwing away his own away.
Brenda had always loved the type of relationship her parents had, she cherished it more after moving to Beverly Hills. She saw first-hand how greed and wealth could taint a relationship. Brenda considered herself lucky to have two parents who loved and respected each other, regardless of wealth. Even if it was something as trivial as taking out the trash they did it together as a team. It was that sort of unwavering devotion Brenda longed for and so desperately wanted it for herself.
"Brenda!" Cindy had exclaimed in surprise after noticing her daughter standing in the driveway beside Dylan's car. Cindy noticed something was off about her, but didn't choose to comment, "We weren't expecting you back until Sunday. Did you know she was coming Jim?" she said looking at her husband and back at her daughter.
Jim grabbed his wife's hand and directed them over to where Brenda was standing, "No, I didn't. I'm just has surprised as you are." He said answering Cindy before talking to Brenda, "You got here just in time bunny fish were just about to play a round of cards and we'd love it if you'd join us."
Brenda didn't know if it was the familiar nickname her father used or the long day finally catching up with her, but she found herself running towards her father and launching herself into her arms.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" he asked as she started to cry in his arms.
The tears she had tried to hold back all weekend were spilling out and over her cheeks. She was now sobbing loudly onto her father's sweater covering the thin material with her wet tears. She could feel her father hold her tighter and rub small circles on her back trying to calm her down.
At this point, Dylan had gotten out of the car and retrieved her bag from the trunk. He was gripping her forgotten overnight bag in his hand with a sad expression on his face. Dylan stood somberly near the hood of his car unable to take his eyes off of Brenda crying.
Jim and Cindy shared a look as they glanced between the teens trying to figure out what was going on. Brenda had left Palm Springs with Stewart and now less than 48 hours later she was home curtsey of Dylan McKay. Hearing Brenda's cries get louder, Jim motioned to Cindy he was going to take Brenda back in the house.
Cindy stood silent with Dylan as they watched Mr. Walsh coax Brenda inside. Dylan could tell he was whispering something in her ear, but was too far away to hear. He could only watch helplessly, as the door closed behind them.
Suddenly finding his nerve, Dylan walked over to Cindy to deliver Brenda's bag. He was still starring longingly at the closed door before he stopped and stood beside her.
"Hi." Dylan said unable to make eye contact with Mrs. Walsh. He extended his hand passing Brenda's bag and stole another glance at the closed front door.
"I take it Palm Springs didn't turn out the way Brenda had planned." Cindy asked him now holding Brenda's bag.
"You could say that." Dylan answered feeling ashamed. He couldn't confess the whole truth about their trip to her. Cindy Walsh had proven to Dylan time and time again, he could rely on her if times got tough. Cindy was one of the only female figures in his life that was there for him and showed him what a mother's unconditional love should be. Dylan found it difficult to confess to her, he was the reason for her daughter's tears not Stewart.
Cindy raised her eyebrow at his vague answer and nodded her head, "Well thank you Dylan. Jim and I appreciate you getting Brenda home safely." Cindy said making her way to the house. She turned to give him one last look and a smile before disappearing inside.
Dylan walked over to the car and sat down in the driver's seat. He angrily hit the wheel a few times trying to calm down. He had never felt so helpless before in his he wanted to do was be there for Brenda, but he didn't know how to do it without upsetting her further.
Frustrated, Dylan ran a hand through his hair and started the car. There wasn't anything else he could do tonight. He looked at the clock and realized he was late to the party and let out a few curses. As he eased down the drive way and onto the street there was only one thought looping through his mind…he officially hated Palm Springs.
Well there you go! I think writing depressed Brenda is going to be my new favorite challenge. Drop a review if you want me to continue! Feedback and suggestions are always welcome