Chapter 18
Still wide awake Dylan starred into the darkness. While he was glad he came back that evening, the whole situation just felt awkward. Lying there alone in guestroom of what was in fact still his house as well. He let out a soft sigh and pushing the sheets aside made his way out of the bed. He knew pretty darn well he won't be able to fall asleep any time soon.
Opening the door he made his way into the hallway and was surprised to see the soft light coming from living area, he was sure Kelly was already asleep as he heard her rumble and tumble about an hour ago.
"Hey!" He said softly once he reached the living area and saw her seated on the sofa; she jumped a little when she heard his voice not expecting Dylan or Ava to be awake at that hour.
"I thought you were long asleep." Kelly said looking up in his direction.
"I thought you were already asleep too." Dylan smiled sitting down next to her, his eyes falling on the photo album that lay open on her knees, Kelly's eyes following his line of sight.
"She was so tiny." Dylan said softly running his thumb over a photo that was obviously taken in hospital not very long after their daughter has been born.
"Yes, my tiny little bird." Kelly smiled sadly gulping down before she continued. "Even years later those first days surrounding Ava's birth feel like blur. I was so afraid I was going to lose her..." Kelly's voice gave up on her and she had to look away from the photo and Dylan before the emotions would take over again.
"Kel..." Dylan said softly his hand touching her arm in an effort to sooth her.
"Years later, I'm still afraid that I'll lose her." Seemingly calm again she narrowed her eyes on Dylan. "She has been my last link to you. Now that you're back I'm afraid to lose you again too, I can't handle that, not again..." The sobs that she was trying to avoid took over as the tears streamed down her cheeks, verbalizing her fears was maybe as difficult as it has been living with them from the moment he left.
Without a word Dylan wrapped his arms around her holding her tight while she cried, the only thing he could do right in that moment without screwing things up again. Kelly's hands found their way around his waist too the two of them holding onto each other for what seemed like eternity.
"That's what I felt all those years back when I stood in our bedroom watching you sleep." Now it was Dylan's time to confess. "I felt so much fear I couldn't breathe. I felt like if I don't do something you and our baby will be taken away from me. I couldn't handle that, I couldn't stick around to watch until it happens, so I made the selfish decision and left. It was easier to leave you and Ava on my own terms. Turns out it was the biggest mistake I've ever made..." Dylan voice trailed off, Kelly's teary eyes on him.
Reaching up she cupped his face making him look at her before she spoke again. "We can't change what happened and we can't make the fears go away in an instant, but we can work through this...together."
The confidence in Kelly's voice took Dylan by surprise. She has been the worry wart in their relationship, the one who could over thing everything to the point of exhaustion. He was sure she was still capable of all of that, but the years apart changed her. How could they not? He kinda liked that change. Leaning forward his lips captured hers, he knew he was moving on thin ice but there was no use he needed the comfort and unsurprisingly she needed it too, his arms drawing her closer both of them lost in the kiss.
Even seconds later with their lips apart his eyes remained closed, his mind trying to process everything that has been said that evening, he felt a wild mixture of feelings, but for the first time since he returned to LA he was sure there was a hope for them and more importantly, future...they still had future together, that thought finally filled his heart and mind with calmness.
"Can you hold me tonight?" Kelly's voice pulled him out of the trance.
"It's undoubtedly going to make the giving you space and time thingy a little bit harder for me, but I'm a big boy, I can handle that." Dylan gave her his famous smirk pushing a few lost strands of her blond hair away from her tear streaked face.
"Thanks."
"Anytime." He added taking her hands and dragging her up from the sofa, the two of them disappearing in what used to be their bedroom seconds later finally falling asleep in each other arms.
Hours later Dylan's eyes fluttered open. Waking up with a warm body pressed into his he felt utterly confused for a moment, but only until his eyes fell on Kelly and moved further to Ava who has found her way into the bed sometime through the night. With both girls still sound asleep a content smile crept on his face. Closing his eyes for a moment longer he tightened his grip around Kelly.
"Good morning." Kelly's sleepy voice made his smile even wider.
"Morning." His eyes fluttered open again as he felt her move. "How did you sleep?" He asked softly, seeing that Ava was still sound asleep next to Kelly.
"Heavenly." Kelly smiled resting her hand on top of his.
"Me too." Dylan let out. "When did she come?" He asked referring to their daughter.
"Around 3am, I guess she missed us, she climbed into the bed and promptly fell asleep." Kelly let out her other hand stroking her daughter's dark hair.
"This feels nice." Dylan mumbled kissing the crown of Kelly's head.
"Yes, it does." Kelly agreed, wishing that morning like this will not be only a one time occurrence.
"Can we go to the pool daddy?" Isaac's eyes lit up when he saw the big pool outside through the balcony glass.
"After we unpack our suitcases we will sure go and check it out." Brandon smiled standing in the doorway leading to the balcony. His smile growing bigger when he felt Andrea's arms sneak around his waist.
"Can we go now and unpack later?" Isaac turned around giving Brandon his puppy dog eyes, but there was no use this time.
"You heard, daddy. First unpack your suitcase, and then we will head to the pool." Andrea jumped in, sliding under Brandon's shoulder.
"Okay." Isaac let out a dramatic sigh before he walked past them and disappeared inside.
Brandon chuckled at his son's antics, giving his wife an amused look. "Are you sure you want another of those little overdramatic ones?"
"Why not?" Andrea shrugged. "Our life will never be boring again."
"Like if it ever was. We better start unpacking as well; he will be back in a minute." Brandon noted ushering his wife inside.
"I wonder where he gets his impatient streak from." Andrea chuckled, their conversation halted when Hannah appeared in their room, already dressed in her swimsuit with a floral sarong draped around her.
"Can we go to the pool mom?" She asked stopping by the doorway.
"Did Isaac send you?" Andrea asked chuckling softly while she ignored Brandon's failed attempt at hiding his laughter.
"No, he didn't." Hannah replied looking from her mother to Brandon and back not sure what was going on.
"Have you already unpacked your suitcase?"
"Mom, can't we do that later?" Hannah pleaded with her.
"No, the sooner you and your brother get it done the sooner we can head to the pool." Andrea answered watching as Hannah left the room with a dramatic sigh as well, just as her brother did few moments before her.
With Hannah gone Andrea turned to her husband who was still laughing.
"What?" She asked placing her hands on her hips biting into her cheek.
"That pretty much answers your previous question. They are all you." Brandon laughed.
"Well, maybe I'm the one to blame." Andrea grinned, crossing her arms tongue in cheek. "There was a group of boys heading to the pool when we were checking in; I bet that has something to do with Hannah's impatience." She added opening her suitcase.
"Oh boy, isn't it too soon to have a boy obsessed girl in the house? She's not even thirteen I'm not nearly ready for that." Brandon chuckled.
"Well, you better get ready for it, once it comes there will be nothing we can do about it." Andrea shrugged taking out a pile of her clothes and carrying them to the dresser.
"We can lock her in her room and throw the key away." Brandon offered mirroring her actions.
"Did it help your father when he was dealing with Brenda?" Andrea asked amused by the idea.
"Nope." Brandon admitted closing the drawer.
"Than what makes you think it will help you with Hannah?" Andrea chuckled.
"I'm not sure, was just an idea." Brandon shrugged, wrapping his arms around his wife and leaning down to kiss her his mind already elsewhere.
"I'm ready." Isaac ran into their room dressed in his swim shorts before Brandon's lips could touch Andrea's. Brandon let out a frustrated sigh looking down at his wife.
"Just remember where we were and we will continue this later." She smiled up at him.
"Promises, promises…" Brandon mumbled taking his swim shorts and disappearing in the adjoined bathroom to get ready.
Dylan, Kelly and Ava had the best morning. Ava was excited to see Dylan when she woke up. The threesome cooked breakfast together and Dylan offered to take Ava to the beach while Kelly was expecting a visit from Donna. While Kelly was strictly against a trip to the beach at first, she finally gave in when they both promised her there would be no jumping into the water, surfing or swimming involved, just a walk down the shore and some sand castle building before she will join them for the lunch.
Just as she was waving them goodbye, Donna pulled into the driveway.
"There are definitely some things you need to update me on." Donna raised her brows as Kelly let her into the house.
"I guess I do." Kelly noted, a soft sigh escaping her mouth as the door shut closed behind them, she wished she could finally figure the whole mess with Dylan out.
"So you and Dylan?" Donna asked directly as soon as they were comfortably seated in the cozy living room.
"We are doing this for Ava's sake." Kelly replied quickly.
"Right." Donna said tongue in cheek, not buying a single word Kelly said. She knew Kelly well, she was her best friend, and while she had not always agreed with the choices she made when it came to Dylan, she knew perfectly well that if Kelly let him in again it was not only for Ava's sake.
"Okay." Kelly breathed out, pulling her knees close as she leaned against the sofa looking up at the ceiling. "I'm falling for him and it scares the crap out of me."
"How bad?" Donna asked leaning back as well, popping a grape into her mouth.
"He is pretty much living here at the moment and I'm struggling to keep this relationship platonic." Kelly bit her lower lip looking at her friend.
"Well, after all the stories you told me while the two of you were together and the drought period you had recently, I don't blame you at all." Donna said cheekily.
Kelly laughed slapping her friends hand playfully. "We certainly haven't gotten that far yet."
"I'll make a bold prediction and say that with the two of you living under one roof it's only a matter of days, if not hours." Donna chuckled.
"I think you are going to be proved wrong on that one, our priority is Ava, if something is meant to happen it will take a while before we get there." Kelly opposed.
"Oh boy, I forgot I'm dealing with Kelly Taylor the Queen of unresolved hidden feelings." Donna rolled her eyes.
"That's not fair." Kelly noted taking a few grapes from the plate on the table and popping one into her mouth while she made herself comfortable on the sofa.
"Really? That isn't fair? So let me get the facts straight for you, you've been waiting nearly six years for him to return back, all that time hopelessly in love with him. Now he came back for you and for your daughter, clearly willing to continue right were you two left off. You want it, he wants it, and Ava is overjoyed to have both her parents around. What the hell is holding you back?" Donna narrowed her eyes on her friend.
"It's Dylan, I can't have him without already thinking when I'll lose him again. I can't handle that, not while Ava is sick and going through the treatments." Kelly said softly.
"Then you have to stop thinking my friend." Donna shook her head. "You have to let your fear go; otherwise you might miss out on something beautiful."
"So you think I'm making a mistake when I hold him at arm length while Ava gets better?" Kelly questioned her friend.
"No, or not exactly, I think you are making a mistake when you are hiding your feelings behind your daughter's wellbeing. Your and Dylan's relationship isn't about Ava, even if she is a vital part of it, it's in the first place about you and Dylan. If you are falling for him and he is falling for you, Ava being unwell should not be something that should stop you from letting your heart go where it wants to go."
Kelly opened her mouth, but closed it quickly. Donna was right; there was no point in denying their feelings anymore or hiding her own fears behind her daughter. "Thank you." She mouthed wrapping Donna in a hug.
"That's what friends are for." Donna mumbled tightening her grip on her friend. She had to put her own prejudice aside to give her best friend the much needed push and what she really hoped for in that moment was that it was the right thing to do and Dylan won't let any of them down again.
Andrea observed the scene in front of her from behind her shades with utmost interest, Isaac standing on Brandon's shoulders and holding his dad's hands for stability in the hotel pool ready to jump into the water; she loved the relationship they had. With a laughter and loud splash Isaac made it into the water appearing above the water surface seconds later still laughing loudly. She could hear his "again" and saw Brandon nodding his head.
"He is amazing, isn't he?" Hannah's voice pulled Andrea out of her thoughts.
"He has his flaws, but when it comes to Isaac and you, I think he does a pretty amazing job." Andrea smiled sitting up on her lounge chair.
"I wish dad was like this when I was little." Hannah let out, the words coming out followed by a barely audible sigh.
"Well, he was a bit more uptight than Brandon is these days." Andrea admitted looking at her daughter whose lips curled up into a smile.
"Uptight is an understatement mom, he had no idea how to have fun, he still doesn't." Hannah concluded her words followed by another round of laughter as Isaac made it into the water. She looked longingly at Brandon and Isaac who were obviously having a ball.
"Why don't you join them in the pool?" Andrea asked following her daughter's line of sigh.
"I'm too old for that." Hannah replied lying back down on her lounge chair, her eyes still not leaving her brother and step-father.
"Yes, twelve going on thirteen is really dinosaur age these days." Andrea agreed.
"I'm not a kid anymore." Hannah stated her eyes moving to the four boys aged around sixteen who were having fun on the other end of the pool.
Andrea smiled looking in that direction too. "So, which one do you like?" She asked her daughter.
"Mom!?" Hannah groaned upon her mother's question.
"What? I can't ask you anything now that you are all grown up?" Andrea teased her daughter.
"Discussing boys with you is just…embarrassing." Hannah huffed crossing her arms.
"It's not more embarrassing, than not having fun even if you want to, because of a boy, that won't even look in your direction." Andrea noted.
"You are being really mean now." Hannah let out, her lips curling up into a smile.
"Maybe all you need is a little bit of though love." Andrea smiled at her daughter.
"Ah, thank you, already got that from my dad." Hannah chuckled, standing up and letting her sarong fall on the lounge chair. "At least my new dad is a really nice guy."
"That he is." Andrea agreed watching as Hannah jumped into the pool.
"Are you coming?" Hannah shouted from the water and Andrea needed no further invitation to join her family.
"What do you think, Avie?" Dylan asked his daughter who stood a few feet away looking at the nearly finished sandcastle that they have been working on for the past hour.
"It's pretty." Ava concluded, looking at the castle while resting her hands on her hips. Dylan had to smile, that expression was all Kelly.
"I told you we can get it done without mommy as well." He chuckled standing up and brushing the sand off his knees.
"Mommy would have placed some shells there and there..." Ava pointed to where they carved an entrance to the castle. "…but it is a really pretty castle." Ava smiled walking to Dylan and wrapping her arms around his neck as he was still bent forward brushing the sand off his jeans. With a smile he stopped what he was doing and picked his daughter up the two of them looking at the castle and the ocean that was just few feet away, the waves coming on the shore one after another.
"Are you going to stay with mommy and I?" Ava asked suddenly her eyes on her father.
"I'm going to stay with you until you head back to hospital again." Dylan said slowly, deliberately avoiding a direct answer to Ava's question as he had no idea what to tell her or when Kelly will have another change of heart.
"Are you planning on going anywhere?" Kelly's voice made him and Ava turn around and they both could see Kelly standing there with a full picnic basket and a blanket in her hand.
"Mommy!" Ava squealed in delight. "Look what we made." She said pointing to the castle.
"It's pretty, but it needs some finishing touches." Kelly wrinkled her nose as Ava nodded enthusiastically.
"Can you get this ready while we finish the castle, daddy?" Kelly asked her eyes on Dylan who nodded in reply. Setting Ava on the ground he took the basket and blanket from Kelly. There was something in her eyes, he couldn't put his finger on it, but something was going on.
While they were preoccupied with Ava he had no time to figure out what it was, so it wasn't until 9pm way after Ava's bed time, when they found themselves alone. Kelly was closing the door to Ava's room behind them leaving it open ajar, the two of them standing in the hallway.
"I'm beaten." Dylan let out, yawning.
"She can be handful." Kelly agreed, standing across from him and resting her back against the wall.
"Yes, just like her mamma." Dylan smiled.
"Ah, all those years I've been sure she got that trait from you." Kelly wriggled her nose letting out a soft laugh.
"Just like every negative trait she's got I suppose." Dylan added a smirk on his face.
"Well, there aren't many." Kelly said quickly, her eyes on his and the same look in her eyes that was leaving him confused and so did her following words. "You still haven't answered my question." She reminded him.
"Which question?" Dylan took a step closer to her.
"Whether you are going anywhere?" Kelly asked again her breath catching up in her throat.
"Where would I go?" He said softly taking another step the two of them now standing only inches apart with Kelly's back against the wall.
"Are you going to stay?" Kelly asked vaguely although they both knew perfectly well the topic on hand was very specific.
"We both know that me staying here, in this house, with you and with our daughter is not only my call." Dylan breathed out.
"Right, all or nothing." Kelly said softly.
"All or nothing." Dylan echoed her words the suspense and longing palpable around them as their faces came closer again.
"You know it's a really dumb ultimatum you gave me?" Kelly spoke softly. "We can't go to nothing after we had everything." Kelly bit her lower lip her right hand reaching up and cupping his right cheek. "I want it all." She said finally, Dylan's lips curling up into a smile as he finally figured out the look in her eyes. "The house with white picket fence, 2.2 kids, dog…I want that all with you."
Not wasting another second Dylan leaned in his lips capturing hers, his hands picking her up as he pressed her firmly against the wall; Kelly's legs wrapped around his waist tightly both of them getting lost in the kiss like it was their first one.
"Just for the record, Kel…I want that all with you as well." Dylan said softly the two of them resting their foreheads against each other. "We will just have to renegotiate the number of kids." He grinned carrying her towards their bedroom.
"I'm not going below two, Ava needs a sibling." Kelly warned him just as he kicked the door shut behind them and safely placed her on their bed.
"I was not talking about the lower limit."
"What number do you have in mind?" Kelly asked watching as he joined her in the bed.
"I don't know yet, but there's something telling me we will end up with more than two if they are going to turn out to be just as amazing as the little girl we already have." Dylan grinned leaning down and his lips capturing hers again. It was not too long before their clothes found their place on the floor in between the bruising kisses and electrifying touches the two of them lost in their little world.
"Shit!" Dylan mumbled quietly grabbing his jeans from the floor and roaming through his pockets in the darkness that engulfed them.
"What?" Kelly turned on the night lamp looking at him confused.
"I was not expecting you'll take things this far today or any time soon and I don't have any…" He said apologetically, silently cursing himself.
Deep in thought Kelly closed her eyes. "We should be fine to go without it." She said finally.
"Are you sure?" Dylan asked once again.
"I am and if I counted wrong we might have a head start on the little McKay's." She shrugged watching the smirk appear on Dylan's face.
"Didn't took us long to conceive Ava back in the day." He quipped.
"We were not planning on it either, but our first night in this house turned out to be quite a night, no wonder we made a baby." Kelly said tongue in cheek.
"No, wonder." Dylan echoed her words with a beaming smile, leaning down he placed another kiss on her lips before his lips moved down exploring and exciting her body. His kisses passed her neck, breasts and belly button, before stopping abruptly a smirk adorning his face.
"I like it." He said running his thumb over the bird tattoo that was placed just under her barely visible C-section scar. "A little bird?" The scar did not surprise him as their stubborn baby has been breach the whole time, the tattoo however did.
"She has been a tiny little thing after birth and made these cute little sounds when she was crying. I used to call her my little birdie for quite some time hence the tattoo." Kelly smiled playing with Dylan's hair.
"That's a cute idea behind." He agreed kissing it softly.
"Yes it is, but enough with the chatter." Kelly grinned.
"Impatient?" Dylan raised his brows inching up his butterfly soft kisses warming up her skin.
"Like, you have all the patience in the world when it comes to sex, Dylan McKay." Kelly gave him a wink chuckling at his expression.
"No, you're right, I don't." He agreed grinning as well, kissing on her neck as he finally entered her. The room was soon filled with loud moans as they were moving in perfect unison as if no time passed since the last time when they were in bed together.
"I've had the best day." Hannah announced, taking her mom's hand into hers while they were returning to their holiday suite.
"I think your brother would have said the same had he not nodded off to sleep over the dinner." Brandon chuckled softly over his son's head while he carried the sleeping boy in his arms.
"It's been a long and exhausting day for him." Andrea smiled at her husband and children. Just one not even a full day of vacation and she already felt so relaxed and refreshed.
"Are we really going to take a helicopter tour over the island tomorrow?" Hannah asked excitedly.
"We sure are." Brandon confirmed.
"Amazing." Hannah enthused as they reached their room, Andrea opening the door for them. "Good night, mom." She kissed her mother's cheek. "Good night, dad." She kissed Brandon's before she disappeared in her room leaving her parents standing there in silence.
"She never called me dad before." Brandon looked at Andrea stunned.
"I think you should get used to it." Andrea smiled at him brightly.
"It has a nice ring to it." Brandon smiled back at her.
"Yes, it does." Andrea confirmed standing on her tiptoes and kissing her husband before she kissed her son's head.
"I'll tuck him in and I'm all yours." Brandon said softly disappearing in the other room with Isaac while Andrea moved into the main bedroom. Turning the light on she stopped in the middle of the room. There was a big bucket of red roses placed on the bed with a bottle of champagne and two glasses waiting for them at the night desk.
The door closed behind her with a soft thud and she could feel Brandon's hands resting on her shoulders. "Do you like it?"
Their relationship has never been a great romance, so seeing this waiting for her made her tear up. "I do, but what brings it on?" She asked turning around.
"I thought that after five years together, this relationship does deserve a little bit of romance." Brandon smiled down at her brushing the tears away from her cheeks with the back of his hand.
"Thank you." Andrea mouthed leaning in and kissing him softly.
"Thank you." Brandon smiled at her taking her hands into his before he spoke again. "You know, on the flight here I got a lot of time to think about what we discussed yesterday evening and I guess putting a thing or two into perspective here and there made me change my mind about the baby."
"You don't want another baby?" Andrea said feeling disappointed after it all looked so hopeful the day before.
"No…" Brandon looked down at her hands running his fingers over her knuckles. "…on the contrary, Jesse crap going on or not, I don't think we should wait if you feel like you want another one now." He smiled up at her.
"Really?" Andrea asked smiling brightly.
"Really." Brandon confirmed again. "With a good lawyer and Jesse's papers we will have the adoption finalized in no time, or at least way before another little one will join this crazy family."
Leaning down his lips captured hers and the rest of the night became a blur.