Chapter 7: Everybody Have Fun Tonight?

"Isn't an engagement party just a fancy way of begging for gifts?" David Silver complained as he fumbled with the tie on his tuxedo. Donna smacked him lightly on the arm and swatted his hands away, taking the scrap of black fabric between her own fingers and working it deftly into a perfect bowtie. David raised an eyebrow at her, and she smiled sweetly.

"Years of watching my father dress for hospital galas and black-tie benefits," she shrugged knowingly.

"Thanks," David smiled appreciatively and kissed Donna lightly on the tip of her nose. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"Still deciding between two dresses," she replied, absently twirling the sash on her robe. "Do you think Brenda is making a mistake?"

"I don't think it's any of our business if she is," he answered, adjusting his cuff links.

"That doesn't answer my question," Donna pouted. "I mean, I've tried to be really supportive of her and really excited and energetic about her wedding…"

"But…" David supplied, knowing his girlfriend was heading somewhere.

"I mean, I feel the same way I think most of you do, and part of me really, really wants to tell her I think she should think this through and take her time. She doesn't even know Stuart all that well!"

"That's what everyone keeps saying," David agreed. "But Donna, you have to look at it this way. Brenda is a grown adult. This isn't high school anymore, and we all are going to have to start making these kinds of life-changing decisions."

"Why does high school seem so long ago?" she sighed sadly.

"Because whether it seemed it at the time, high school was pretty simple compared to college. We're that much closer to the real world, and if you ask me, that's why everyone is so freaked out by Brenda's engagement. It's the first "grown-up" thing any of us is attempting to do. And we're all thinking, 'when's it gonna be my turn?' you know?" Donna smiled.

"Why, David Silver, when did you become so insightful?

"I didn't know I had it in me, to be honest," he laughed. "Now you have a decision to make. Go get dressed!" Donna sighed.

"Fine," she exhaled. "But I'm gonna need a second opinion!"

"Second opinion on what?" Kelly stuck her head into David's room. David let out a low whistle.

"Wow, Kel," he shook his head. Kelly stared at him in puzzlement.

"What? What did I do?" Donna and David exchanged a glance.

"Your dress is beautiful," Donna began quietly. "But…" Kelly placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lips.

"But what?"

"But, do you think it's a good idea to look so stunning at someone else's engagement party?" David blurted out. Donna shot him a look.

"What David means," Donna started, shooting him yet another glare. "is that maybe tonight's not the best night to try to prove a point to Dylan." Kelly glanced down at herself and furrowed her brow.

"Who said I was trying to prove anything to anyone? I thought this dress was perfect, so I bought it. I was just waiting for the right occasion to wear it." She stepped across David's room and studied herself in the full-length mirror inside his closet door. She smoothed the silky red fabric over her hips and shifted the razor-thin straps of the gown to raise the neckline just a bit. "Besides, who said Dylan was even going to be there. My invite said Ms. Kelly Taylor and guest, and he's not my guest. Who said he was even invited?"

"True," David agreed.

"Kel, it's a beautiful dress," Donna assured her. "And we're not trying to be mean, here. You know how Brenda can get. Maybe it's best you save that dress for a…different occasion," she finished, giving Kelly a hopeful smile. Kelly frowned.

"You really think it's too sexy?"

"Yes," David replied immediately. "You can loan that dress to Donna anytime." Donna smacked him playfully once more. Kelly sighed and kicked off the red heels she was wearing, bending down to grab them and sling them over her shoulder.

"I guess I'll go search my closet for something more…boring. Maybe black. Isn't that the color of mourning?"

"Kelly!" Donna said in mock horror.

"It's what we're all thinking," she replied simply. "But this is Brenda's life. She can make her own mistakes."

"Be ready to go in ten minutes!" David called as Kelly exited the room. He turned his attention to Donna. "That goes for you too," he warned playfully. Donna nodded.

"Going," she replied.

"This is going to be an interesting evening," David muttered to himself as he headed out into the living room to wait for his girlfriend and the girl he still saw as his sister. For Kelly's sake, he hoped Dylan didn't show up. When Kelly, Dylan and Brenda were all in one place, things were bound to be complicated.

***

"I wish you'd change your mind and go with me to this party," Andrea murmured into the phone, cradling it between her ear and her shoulder as she fastened an earring to her free lobe. "There is going to be no one there that you know, I promise. Well, no one beyond Donna Martin from class, but she sort of already knows about us," she confessed. "I didn't want things to be weird for her."

"Weird for her?" Andrea could picture Dan's troubled expression on the other end of the phone. "No, it's not weird for me, standing in front of a class where my girlfriend is sitting with her friend who now knows said girlfriend is my girlfriend."

"I can tell you're flustered," she teased. "You're not making any sense."

"Andrea, you have to see things from my perspective. I know there's no university policy against what we're doing, but if I want to be taken seriously, both as an adviser and as a grad assistant who one day really wants to be a full-time professor here, it's just best if we lay low."

"And I don't necessarily disagree," she interjected. "But this is a society party, Dan. My friend's fiancé does not run in the same circles as our other friends or the general CU population. No one would even notice you were there."

"Some of CU's biggest donors are wealthy society types," he replied. "Like your friend Steve's dad Rush Sanders." Andrea sighed.

"I can tell I'm probably getting nowhere with you," she lamented. "But I guess I just wanted you to know it would have meant a lot to me if you'd have accompanied me tonight. I'm really happy with you, Dan," she whispered. "And I guess I feel like I should be able to shout it from the rooftops. I want my friends to get to know the man who's making me so happy."

"I understand that," he answered. "Our time will come, Andrea. I promise." There was a pause on the other end of the phone. "I've got to go. Give me a call when you get back from the party later this evening. I'm staying in since I've got a stack of papers to correct."

"Okay," she muttered, not masking her disappointment well. "I'll talk to you later."

"Night, Andrea."

"Night," she echoed, hanging up the receiver on her dorm phone and leaning her head against the wall in frustration. She glanced at the clock. She sighed and picked up the phone again, punching in the numbers in quick succession. It rang twice before a voice answered on the other end of the extension.

"KEG house."

"Just the person I was hoping would answer," she breathed. "Does that offer to ride along with you still stand?"

"Sure," Steve Sanders chuckled. "But my car's in the shop and you'll have to ride in the side-car of the motorcycle I rented."

"Very funny," Andrea mused.

"So you couldn't convince your mystery man to tag along for an evening of drunken debauchery?"

"Steve, this party is going to be anything but, and you know it."

"I know," he laughed. "That's why I said it."

"No, I couldn't," she replied, teasing at the crown of her head with her free hand to smooth some stray hairs back into place. "But I'm not going to let that stop me from enjoying myself tonight. This is important to Brenda, and we all need to be there and show our support."

"Couldn't agree more," Steve replied. "Well, I'll be over near your dorm in about twenty minutes to pick up my date, so be ready, okay? I'll honk the horn six times, and you can just run down."

"Steve," Andrea warned, knowing her friend was joking, but she found she wasn't really in the mood for too many jokes as a result of the lingering waves of resentment she was still feeling towards Dan.

"See you in a few, Andrea." She replaced the receiver and walked over to the small table where she kept her cosmetics and toiletries. She grabbed a tube of mascara and carefully swept the wand over her eyelashes twice before a light knock caught her by surprise.

"Be right there," she called, screwing the cap back on and tossing the tube onto the table. This better not be one of Steve's stupid jokes, she thought. But that was impossible, she knew. She had literally just hung up the phone with him, and there was no logical way he could have been at KEG house minutes ago and at her dorm door moments later.

She glanced through the peephole and drew in a sharp breath at the sight just visible in the dim light of the hallway.

"Dan." She bit her lip and tried not to get too excited as she observed he was dressed in a tasteful pinstriped suit and tie, and that certainly wasn't typical Saturday evening attire for Dan Rubin.

"Surprise," he smiled privately, stepping inside as she closed the door behind them. "I don't own a tuxedo, and it was too late to rent one, so I hope this passes the test for your friend's country club." Andrea felt goose bumps rising on her arms as a feeling of exhilaration spread through her body. He leaned down and kissed her lightly, placing his hands on her shoulders possessively. "You look beautiful."

"What made you change your mind?" she whispered. He smirked.

"I had made up my mind days ago. It was more fun to see you squirm and take you by surprise this way," he laughed softly. "Point is, Andrea, I'm crazy about you. And I'm starting to think I really don't care who knows it," he added. She hugged him fiercely and rested her cheek against his chest, the musky scent of his cologne heavy in her nostrils.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"No, thank you," he replied. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Andrea Zuckerman."

"What took you so long?" she quipped. "I already know I love you." She paused. "I hope you don't mind that my friend Steve was coming over to pick me up. He had offered me a ride before I knew for sure, well, thought for sure that you weren't going. And I accepted."

"Well, I do have a car," he reminded her. "But if you think it's easier to go with your friend, that's fine. He can be our designated driver."

"You don't know Steve very well," she giggled. "One of us is going to be driving him home."

"That's fine. As long as I'm going home with you, I'm happy," he murmured, lowering his lips towards her for another kiss as they waited for Steve.

***

"Stuart, if you don't stop, we're never going to get to the party on time," Brenda chastised him, closing her eyes as Stuart's lips trailed across her collarbone. "And given the fact that this is our party, being thrown by your parents in our honor, I'd say we'd best be on time." Stuart pulled away, lowering his eyes and giving Brenda his best pathetic expression.

"I know," he agreed. "But how often do we have the house to ourselves? My mother and father have already left for the club, and we've got to make the most of our privacy, don't you agree?

"We don't have the house to ourselves," she corrected him. "There must be a dozen servants still hanging around here in some vicinity."

"Please," Stuart snorted. "They've been looking the other way where I'm concerned for years. Amazing what a few folded-up bills in a pile of laundry or under a dirty dish will do for keeping things hush-hush." He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her towards him again. "Besides, we're both consenting adults, and I think it'd be downright naïve to think our parents don't know we're not saving ourselves til marriage." Brenda pushed his hand away and crossed Stuart's room to stare out the window at the large estate spread out before her.

"You know we have to give your mother a date tonight," Brenda said softly. "She wants to announce it at to all the guests at the party so they can mark their social calendars." Stuart came to stand behind her, kneading her shoulders gently with his strong fingertips.

"I know. And I'll be okay with whatever you choose," he added. "I think it should be your choice."

"Sometimes I feel overwhelmed," she confessed, biting her lower lip and worrying it between her teeth. "We got engaged because we love each other, but why do we have to rush this?" She felt the words start pouring out of her before she could stop them. "People have had long engagements. This ring," she wiggled her finger at him, "this signals that I'm yours, and that's good enough for me."

"Are you saying you don't want to get married?" Stuart's expression had grown stormy. Brenda sighed.

"No, Stuart, that's not what I just said. Were you listening to me?"

"I was listening," he growled quietly. "And to me, it sounded like you were making excuses as to why we shouldn't get married."

"Why we shouldn't rush to get married now," she emphasized. "I want to marry you, Stuart. I want to start a life with you, and travel the world with you, and have a family with you…" she trailed off, watching his face ease with relief, and she leaned up to kiss him to further quell his anxiety. "Maybe it's just nerves talking," she lied convincingly. "What would you think about a June wedding, once classes end for the semester. Just in case I decide to re-enroll," she added quickly. She still hadn't made up her mind what she wanted to do with her life, and she knew that was weighing heavy on her conscience too. How could she be making such a huge commitment to Stuart when she couldn't even control her own life?

"I think June would be perfect," he breathed, his eyes wide with anticipation. "We'll get a calendar and find a Saturday in June, then." He dashed towards the large antique roll-top desk in the corner of his room and began flipping through the pages of a leather-bound day planner. "The 18th is a Saturday," he offered. "Which I guess would also give us the 4th, the 11th or the 25th."

"Do you feel strongly about any of those?" she asked. Stuart shrugged.

"They're all the same to me," he replied. "I just know some girls are funny about dates. Like they want a lucky number, or an anniversary of something, or…you know."

"Well none of those have any significance to me," she said. "Let's go for the 4th then. 6-4-94. It sounds good enough." He smiled and took her hands in his.

"Then June 4th it is," he said happily.

"June 4th," she echoed. Stuart brushed a fingertip along her jaw line.

"Have I told you tonight how beautiful you are?"

"No," she replied, shivering at his touch.

"Well, then, I guess I should. You," he started, nuzzling her neck, "look absolutely amazing. I'm a very lucky guy," he added, smiling at her. She smiled back, ignoring the clenching tightness in her stomach and the buzzing sensation swirling in her head.

"Come on," she announced, lacing her fingers through his. "We'd better go. You know how your parents get when we're even a few minutes late for anything." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.

"You're so right," he agreed. "Let's go. Tonight is our night to shine." Brenda nodded, following Stuart from the room, hoping the evening would pass quickly. She scolded herself silently for wanting nothing more at that moment than to crawl into her bed at home, in her parents' house, and to be alone. Because in spite of being by Stuart's side all evening, and being surrounded by her parents, her brother and her friends, she knew that was exactly how she was going to feel tonight.

Alone.

***

Dylan drummed his fingers against the kitchen table, listening to the Muzak on the other end of the phone, indicating that he was still on hold. He sighed and shifted in his chair, using his free hand to tug at the collar of his tuxedo. Brenda's engagement party was the last place on earth he wanted to be, and yet, it was the only place he wanted to be that evening.

He had figured he and Kelly would have eventually agreed to go together, as he hadn't expected her to stay angry at him this long after the firing range incident. But she had made no effort to contact him in the past few days. He knew she'd be there tonight, and he really wasn't sure what they'd have to say to each other when their paths crossed. He found himself more and more confused about where he and Kelly Taylor stood and what future, if any, they had.

But Kelly wasn't really his primary concern at the moment. He groaned impatiently, looking at his watch again, silently imploring the receptionist to get back on the line and tell him what he wanted to hear.

After several more minutes passed, he heard a muted beep and a click.

"Mr. McKay?"

"Yes?" Dylan sat upright.

"You're aware this is a Saturday, your request is highly unusual, and Mr. Wyatt has already left for the day?"

"Yeah," he exhaled irritably. "But I'm hoping you'll still give me the answer I was looking for," he added, an imploring edge to his voice.

"I do have the document you inquired about on record," the woman replied crisply. "I cannot, however, provide you with any copies of said document. I'm sorry."

"But it's there, and someone else could obtain it if they had proper identification?" he pressed.

"Yes," she replied again. Dylan's face broke into a slow smirk.

"Thank you," he grinned. "You've been most helpful."

"Have a nice day, Mr. McKay." She was all-business, and the call ended abruptly. Dylan snapped his fingers and stood, laughing quietly.

"Tonight just got a little more interesting," he announced, grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

-----

Author's Note: You didn't think I'd actually tell you what Dylan is up to, did you? I hope this chapter doesn't feel too rushed. I wrote most of it last night in my head on the way back from a concert, so I wrote fast today to get it all out, and I wanted to get it up for you guys so I didn't proof it too much.

I managed to weave everyone into that chapter, basically, except Brandon. I had started a short scene with him getting ready with Jim and Cindy, but it actually just felt like filler and went nowhere, so it's gone now. He'll have his moments at the party, which obviously is coming next chapter. It's going to take some effort to write that chapter, which is completely planned, but you know how to get me writing faster? Send feedback! Nothing cures a turkey hangover like positive reviews.

Happy Thanksgiving! ~Court