Authors note: Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! I love your feedback, and hope you're enjoying this reimagining. Lots more surprises in store as Brenda deals with the emotional fallout from this huge heartbreak in her life. I know there were some questions about why I let Brenda fall down this dangerous path, but honestly I felt she was always very impressionable. After this betrayal I could really see her turning to anything to feel better...The story will continue to have some similarities to season 3 but I will be switching things around and taking things out. Enjoy!

Let's Talk

Brenda hung up the phone softly. They hadn't heard her listening in on their conversation. She and Brandon shared the same phone line now. The sound of his voice had made her palms sweat. She took a big gulp of air after having held her breath not to be heard. Dylan was asking about her. Why? Her heart was thumping even harder in her chest now then it had been earlier. Just hearing the sound of her name from his voice had made her ache. He was still talking about Kelly though.

She took a long look at herself in the mirror. Earlier she had put on a short black sparkly dress to dance around in. Half her hair was braided too. She had been feeling invincible but now she felt ugly again. Turning away from the mirror she opened up a little jewelry box where she had placed the pills Jefferson gave her. She thought she had misplaced them earlier when Brandon was in the room. Now, it felt like her mood was crashing after hearing Dylan on the phone. Watching herself in the mirror, she placed another pill on her tongue and swallowed it down. Blinking her eyes she stared back at her new reflection.

#

"Sup Man. Have you heard? I'm planning the social event of the season."

Brandon shut his locker tiredly. He wasn't quite feeling as chipper as Steve today, but then again who ever was in as good a mood as Steve. Life seemed to be good when you were a regular Beverly Hills golden boy with a bank account bigger than your brain most of the time.

"How you doin' Steve?" Brandon smiled at his friend.

"Definitely better than you Walsh, what did you take the same gloomy pills as your pal McKay this morning?"

"Let's not talk about Dylan right now alright Steve."

"No problem man, I'd actually rather talk about Kelly."

That caught Brandon's attention. "Kelly?"

"Yeah Kelly," Steve said excitedly. "I'm going to throw her an amazing eighteenth birthday party at the Pit."

"Really...I didn't know you were into party planning?"

"Of course I am, when it comes to Kelly."

Uh oh. Brandon didn't like the sound of this. When it came to his new Kelly feelings he hadn't really been thinking about Steve at all. Steve and Kelly had been broken up for so long, since before he had even moved here. Still, he should have known. It seemed like every few months Steve was re-convinced that Kelly was the love of his life.

Brandon was quiet for a moment. How the hell was he going to tell Steve now that he had feelings for her? Brandon let out a long sigh. Just a week ago , he had seemed to be the last guy at West Beverly who hadn't fallen for Kelly's charms yet, and now here he was as lovesick as Steve. He realized he understood Steve a little better now. Being close to Kelly the other night was like falling into a cloud of blond hair, and cherries. Once you were in, she had a way of working her voodoo on you.

"Brandon earth to Brandon," Steve made a pretend megaphone with his hand.

"Right yeah...Kelly. Birthday party sounds great." It really didn't. It sounded like it was going to be super uncomfortable for everybody.

"Great so tell everybody," Steve said excitedly.

"Tell everybody what?" Andrea walked up beside them now. She was wearing a very uncool Andrea outfit as usual. A big bulky blazer with strange print, and a button up top buttoned to her neck with a decorative pin at the top. Still they were both his best friends, and Brandon realized how much he had been missing the gang lately. After everything, and graduation approaching it seemed like they were all gently beginning to pull away from each other.

"I'm throwing Kelly a huge surprise birthday party," Steve answered her.

"Aww I see. Still hoping Kelly wants to become Mrs. Sanders one day Steve?" Andrea smiled at her joke.

"Always," Steve said in a macho Elvis voice, and they both started laughing. Brandon made a face.

"Aren't you still hoping to become Mrs. Walsh one day Andrea?" Steve deadpanned.

Andrea turned bright red now. Brandon felt embarrassed for them both. All of this didn't sound good. Steve still liking Kelly, and from the embarrassed look on Andrea's face could she still be harboring a thing for him? They had taken a stab at turning their friendship into more before but it had always ended up going nowhere. It was Andrea, Brandon realized that was like another sister to him not Kelly.

Brandon had to intervene here. "Look there's going to be no time for weddings if we don't all get to class so we can graduate. So I'm out of here. Catch you guys later." Brandon waved to his friends ready to make beeline for his history class, but before he could who was in front of them but the blonde temptress herself, Kelly.

"Hey guys," she said softly. Her eyes fell on Brandon's. They could say so much to him without words.

"How's my favorite little fun tart?" Steve asked her.

Kelly rolled her eyes at him. "I don't know Steve, how's all that air in your head?" Kelly shot back.

"Ouch that's my girl. Rawr," Steve made a tiger growl sound at Kelly. This was all so lame Brandon thought, and horribly awkward. "So Kel, you here to tell me how much you're going to miss me when we graduate?" Steve continued.

"No, actually I'm here to talk to Brandon... I need his help with a project I'm doing in a class."

"Oh... cool, well me and Andrea will get out of here then because we've got lots more people to see right Andrea?"

Andrea shook her head encouragingly and then they both walked off leaving just him and Kelly standing in the middle of the hall. It felt like the rest of the school was rushing by at lightning speed and they were just standing still.

#

Brenda hurried into school. She had almost been late when she couldn't decide what to wear this morning. She had also barely slept all night. She had taken another one of Jefferson's energy pills after Brandon's talk with Dylan but then she needed a sleeping pill to settle down later. It seemed like the other pill over stimulated her and the sleeping pill didn't help at all now. Despite no sleep she felt like a rocket about to shoot off the moon. Her feet seemed to move like they weren't even attached to her body. The sounds of West Beverly seemed to be muffled together in a long drumming hum through her ears. The sound of her knee high black boots also echoed with every clip clop across the floor she took. When she woke up she hadn't felt like wearing her usual flannel and dirty jeans today. She wanted something that said Brenda Walsh is here so she threw on her knee high party boots and the shortest mini skirt she owned. She topped it off with a sparkling gold low cut bodysuit. She had done her makeup all smoky and dark with a cat eye and glossy red lips. He hair braid was wrapped around her head in a bun. Brenda looked more like she was going to Sunset Blvd to walk the night, than to calculus class. Before she headed to class she stopped to say hi to Donna who was walking with David down the hall. Donna and David were both wearing their usual loud outfits but today Brenda had even topped them.

"Hey Don," Brenda said loud and happily.

"Hey Bren, that's an um... interesting outfit choice you've got on there." Donna looked her friend up and down.

"Yeah I don't think anyone notices." David cracked as guy after guy walked by them checking Brenda out and making cat calls.

Brenda beamed loving the attention. "I thought you'd approve Don."

"Um how the heck did you get out of your house like that without your dad fainting?" Donna asked.

"I made sure he left for work first, and Cindy went to the grocery store."

"Ahh I see...well um it's great to see you up and at 'em." Donna said doing her dorky little laugh.

"Yeah well I figured why sit around and be blue when you can wear this." Brenda gave a little courtsy.

Donna and David stood looking dumbfounded even for them.

"Um Bren...I don't know how to sort of ask you this, but I mean since you seem like you're feeling better and all I wanted to tell you that Steve is throwing a surprise birthday party at the Pit for Kelly, and I know this is a lot to ask you... but we were all sort of wondering if you'd like to come?"

Brenda studied the expression on Donna's face. She did seem to be asking innocently enough. She had to admit to herself she didn't even really care about Kelly right now. What she really wanted to do was find Jefferson and see if he had anything that could settle her since those "energy pills" seemed to not let her calm down.

Brenda bit her lip. I'll think about it okay Don..." Just then Jefferson walked by with his long hair swishing in the air. Brenda grabbed his hand before he could get too far. "Gotta go guys talk to ya laters." With that she was off.

Jefferson saw her outfit and bugged his eyes out. They both started laughing happily. Down the hall they went like two bouncing bunny rabbits. Both of them could barely contain their energy.

#

Dylan's head was pounding but he was determined to be here today. He needed to talk to Brandon face to face about his concerns for Brenda. Luckily he spotted him at his locker with Kelly. They both seemed to be just standing there.

"Hey guys. Hey Kel," he greeted his girlfriend hoping she wasn't too pissed off at him but honestly not really caring if she was.

Kelly looked very surprised to see him. She sort of glared at him and looked annoyed. " So you decided to grace us with your presence today? She said snidely.

Dylan just glared back at her. "Actually I'm here to talk to Brandon," he told her.

"Well isn't that something because I'm here to talk to Brandon too. In fact maybe I should talk to both of you."

Dylan didn't have time for this. "Look Kel it's going to have to wait. This is important."

"Oh and you think what I have to say isn't?" Kelly loved to argue.

"Look-" Dylan was starting to get pissed. He didn't have time for Kelly's shit today. In fact he didn't know how he had ever had time for it. Had the sex clouded his mind that much? It suddenly felt like they were on two separate planets. Like icebergs that started to drift far away from each other after sinking The Titanic.

"Look you guys I think there's a lot we all need to discuss so-"

"Brandon I'll just talk to you later bye..." Kelly walked off without saying bye to Dylan. Dylan didn't care.

"So what's up Dylan?" Brandon asked him when she was gone.

"Look Brandon it's about your sister..."

"Yeah what do you want with Brenda now?"

Dylan tried to ignore Brandon's tone. "Look there's this guy Bren's been hanging around with-"

"Dylan look if Brenda has a new boyfriend or is seeing someone then it's really no concern of yours. After all didn't you dump her for her best friend?"

Dylan felt like punching Brandon. He was being so dense. "Brandon that's not what I'm talking about here."

"I think it's exactly what we're talking about here. My sister is trying to move on with her life and you won't let her."

"No B that's got nothing to do with-" Before Dylan could finish his sentence Brandon socked him right in the nose.