"After you, sir," Brandon said, holding the door to the Peach Pit open for Dylan.

"Thank you, Jones," Dylan told his friend with a salute. Dylan hadn't realized Brandon would be here, but was happy to see him. They hadn't really gotten a chance to talk much lately.

"How's Bren?" Brandon asked him. He'd been at the theater earlier but he'd missed seeing his sister by a few minutes. She was working part time, though she probably shouldn't be. Like always, Brenda refused to listen to anyone.

"She's good," Dylan told him. "She's with Addy and your mom. I think she's ready for Addy to come back home."

"Home, huh?" Brandon said, eyeing his friend. He started walking in the door.

"You got a problem with that?" Dylan asked him, half serious.

Brandon stopped walking. "Is this a serious conversation?"

Still in the doorway of the Peach Pit, the men stared at one another.

Dylan looked down, then back up at Brandon. "I love her Brandon. I always have."

"What you've always done, Dylan, is hurt her." Before Dylan could say anything he continued. "I know that you've been here for her since the shooting. You have no idea how much it means to me that you've done all that you've done. And I see the way you look at her. I know you love her, I've always known. So has everyone else. But in the past that's not been enough. Not to mention all the crap you've put her and Kelly through."

At the mention of Kelly Dylan straightened. "I know I used Kelly. I felt bad for it. I apologized to her." At Brandon's look, Dylan said, "An apology is all I've got. There's nothing more I can do, and I meant it when I said it." He looked out the door, upset.

Brandon sighed. Brenda had talked to Brandon about Dylan and Sammy. As upset has he'd been with Dylan in the past, he would have never wished such a thing on anyone. "I still can't believe what Kelly did to you." Brandon looked at his friend, saw the pain in his eyes. "About that, man," he said, putting his hand on Dylan's shoulder, "I'm really sorry."

Dylan nodded. "Me too, B."

Brandon studied him. "I love my sister. I've not always been there for her when she needed me, and I'm not going to let that happen again."

"When I thought I was going to lose her-" Dylan swallowed, taking a deep breath. "I've wasted so much time, Brandon. I can't lose her now. I need her."

The men looked at each other for a moment. Brandon had no doubt that Dylan truly loved his sister. He could tell in the way Dylan spoke to her and in the way he looked at her. Sometimes when watching them Brandon missed Kate so much he'd have to leave the room. He knew what it was like to love someone with all of your heart and how much it hurt when you lost them. He loved Dylan like a brother and he truly wanted things to work out for him and Brenda. He couldn't stop worrying that things hadn't really changed, though. "Dylan," Brandon started.

"I have to be with your sister, Brandon," Dylan said determinedly. "I've tried to live without her and I can't do it. I won't do it."

Brandon watched his friend. Finally, nodding, he said, "Be good to her, Dylan. I'd hate to have to bury you in the backyard you admire so much."

Dylan smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. What he'd said was true; he had to be with Brenda. But it would have been hard on Bren to have Brandon against the relationship. He admitted to himself that it would be hard on him too. He loved Brandon and wanted to be close to him again. Dylan put his arms around Brandon's shoulders and they walked through the door.

Both men stopped after entering the eatery, taking in the newest makeover. The Peach Pit was always changing, it seemed. Brandon wasn't sure he liked it. Dylan, as if reading his thoughts, said, "Man, this place keeps changing." From his tone, Brandon could tell he was bothered by the newest changes too. Since Dylan had turned over complete ownership of both the Pit and the After Dark to Nat, he'd not been in either building. Now he was thinking he'd been gone way too long.

Both men stood in the entrance, unsure about where they should go; Nat had done away with the counter years ago. "Boys!" a voice called from inside the restaurant. Nat came up to both men, hugging them.

"Nat!" the men said in unison, returning his hug.

Pulling away, Nat studied them, smiling. "Look at you! All grown up. Come in, come in, let's have a seat and you can tell me all about yourselves."

Dylan cocked his head toward Brandon, who smiled and shrugged. It would be good to catch up with Nat. He couldn't believe he'd gone for so long without talking to someone who had been like a father to him.

Getting a table toward the back, Brandon noticed how busy the restaurant was. The Peach Pit had come a long way. "I almost didn't recognize you, it's been so long," Nat told them.

"Too long," Brandon told his old friend.

"So boys, what's new? Brandon, how's your dad?"

"He's doing pretty well," Brandon told him. "His granddaughters are keeping him busy."

"I bet! I need to meet them. Cindy's shown me pictures, gorgeous girls. How's your sister?"

Brandon looked at Dylan, who cleared his throat. "She's doing really well."

Nat raised his eyebrows. "You and Brenda?" he asked, shocked. Dylan smiled and nodded. "Well I'll be damned!" the older man said. "That's the best news I've heard this year!"

"I thought so too," Dylan said, looking at Brandon.

Nat looked over at Brandon. "Are you good with this?"

"I'm working on it," Brandon told the man. Dylan nodded to him, acknowledging the fact that Brandon was going to try to support his relationship with Brenda.

The three spent the next hour catching up. Nat was visibly upset about the news of Brenda being shot. It took both men repeatedly assuring him that she was fine to calm him down. Dylan told Nat that Cindy was actually bringing Brenda to the Peach Pit later to meet him and that Nat could see for himself that she was doing much better. Only then did Nat seem to relax.

Dylan asked how business was and Nat told him it was thriving. Even so, money was tight. Nat told them that he was wanting to retire but couldn't afford to right now. The newest remodeling had cost a small fortune and he was having to work a lot of overtime. Nat was getting older, slower and less able to handle the stress. He'd had another, smaller, heart attack a year ago. While Brandon and Dylan were eating he was called away to solve a waitressing crisis. "It's always something, boys," he murmured to them, getting up slowly. "Let me know when Brenda and Cindy get here, okay? Love you both," he said, kissing the foreheads of both men.

After Nat left the table, Brandon and Dylan looked at each other. Brandon laughed and Dylan smiled. "So are we buying it?" Dylan asked Brandon, his eyebrow cocked.

Brandon sat back in his seat and smiled at his old friend. "Didn't you always figure we would?"

"I already did," Dylan pointed out. "Twice."

Brandon laughed. "But together," he said, "is how it was really always supposed to be."

Dylan thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Just one thing," he told Brandon.

"Yeah?"

"We've got to bring the counter back, man."