Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.

Chapter Thirty-One

I wake on the morning of Christmas Eve in Dylan's bed. I wake to a tongue, a little tongue licking all over my face. When I open my eyes I'm met with a tiny little black nose and tiny little dark brown eyes staring back at me, with a tiny little pink tongue darting out to the side.

"Well hello there little-"

"Boy. He's the little boy."

He's the little boy? I look down to the base of the bed and see Dylan gently playing with another little Golden Retriever puppy, the little boy not liking to be looked over begins to kiss my face again. I quickly capture him and sit up against the headboard and scratch his back.

"Is she the little girl?"

Dylan not taking his eyes off the little puppy smiles, "yeah she's clearly a Daddy's girl. I put them both on the bed a few minutes ago but she is refusing to leave my side." He quickly picks her up and crawls up the bed and sits next to me putting the little girl on his chest. "I was only going to get one but they were the last two of the litter left, I couldn't break them up. The breeder just dropped them off as she's going to her family farm for the holidays." He looks at me then and smiles, "merry Christmas Baby it's twins!"

I laugh. The sound makes both little puppies turn to look at me with tilted heads, "well hello there you two I'm your human mummy. I'm the one who will make sure you get fed, scratched, and loved. You've both met your human daddy he'll make sure all your poo gets picked up and goes in the bin-"

"Hey how did I get poo duty?"

"You take care of it with the fur babies and I'll do the diaper duty with the human babies. Deal?"

He smiles and leans over and kisses my lips when he pulls back he whispers, "deal. Two dogs to pick up after while you get four children's diapers I think that is absolutely fair."

"Who said anything about four kid's?"

"Sorry we can have six if you want; eight may be too many, it would absolutely mean two cars and with your driving record well I'd have to hire-"

"You were being all sweet and romantic with the puppies and then you had to ruin it by being mean. I'm an excellent driver."

"Sure you are Dustin Hoffman. Though if you have to say it you probably aren't-" I lean over and pinch him, "ouch!"

"Let's go back to sweet and romantic okay? So is this why you wanted me to sleep in here last night?"

"No I want you always to sleep with me and since the move you have been spending all your nights in your room, the fact you were in here just meant that the puppy drop off was done in here not in there." The little twins had climbed off our chests and had begun wrestling between us on the bed. "Do you like them? This breed is really good with people, likes the water and can follow instructions. I thought living on a public beach that was all very necessary."

"You researched this?"

"You have mentioned a dog a couple of hundred times I thought it best I get you one before you begin to kidnap one's off the beach, and this way I was hoping they may actually like me too." I smile over at him remembering the last beach stray that came for a visit when we were wrestling and sat on his head.

I reach over and kiss him, "thank you this is the best Christmas gift."

"Who said this was your only Christmas gift?"

"Dylan we agreed that with the house, furnishings, and everything- our home together would be the gift this year?"

"I don't remember agreeing to that. Was that after I put up the mistletoe or before?"

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Well if it's after, I've spent so much time kissing your lips that I've become dazed. I'd agree to anything to keep kissing them."

"I'd believe you except that yesterday you disagreed with me."

"Woman the couch did not need to be moved again. I swear you're trying to break my back, and not in the fun way."

I roll my eyes, his grumbling about moving furniture had been daily since arriving in San Diego. "Dazed yeah right!" I give him a mocking glare he returns my mock with an outraged one. Within a few seconds the edges of his mouth are turning up forming a smile. It makes me crack as well.

"I think us living together has started exceptionally well." He say's it with the same smile that has been nearly glued to his face since we got the letters.

"Well we've had plenty off practice over the last six weeks."

"True but this is different, this is all ours. Us setting up a life together."

"Yeah it is different, I think this is the longest we have ever been alone together."

"I know." He reaches over and moves a piece of hair behind my ear. "Is it bad that I prefer it this way? I'm actually annoyed that I can't get you all to myself for Christmas- I don't want to have to share you. I like having you all to myself."

"Feeling is mutual." I look down at the wrestling duo and then back up at Dylan. "Do they have names yet?"

"Just a last name- McKay, I thought it might incentives you to agree to run off to Baja sooner rather than later as you'll be the odd man out in the house."

"I'm going to kill Brandon for putting that thought in your head."

"Please, him saying it was not the first time I thought it."

"Dylan-" he cuts me off before I can remind him that I'm not there yet. Dylan was convinced it was a done deal, that I'll be able to trust him completely again but the longer it took the more unsure I became. I knew Dylan wanted no doubt but I wasn't sure that was realistic, how do you return to blind faith trust after having your world crumble under your feet in a park?

"I know I know you aren't ready to trust me with your heart completely and I want all of it, so I'll be good and wait. So what shall we name them?" He says it all with a level of understanding but too much ease, it increases me worry.

"Johnny and Francis?"

"Good name's but are you keen for Brandon to tease you for at least the next decade about your Dirty Dancing obsession?"

"We could always name them Lord and Byron-"

"So he can tease me, yeah no."

"Okay so symbolic is out-"

"Well let's not be too hasty. Symbolic but maybe not so obvious."

We spend the next half hour going through potential names and getting lots of puppy kisses. When the twins get bored of their surroundings and want to go and find food we get out of bed. They remain nameless all day. Periodically, we would try and give them a name and see if they respond, test it out but nothing seems to stick though Lady and Tramp did get head tilts so we were making progress.

The front yard was walled and required you to come through a gate so the puppies spent time exploring that while I tried to organise the flower beds out there. When our little Lady McKay began to dig next to me thinking it was a game I called it quits. She was a naughty rebellious little thing just like her human daddy; no wonder they were obsessed with each other. Our little boy was more well behaved and loved being on your lap, giving kisses and getting scratches. He was my little shadow, he kept looking back for me.

Over dinner on the back deck we chatted about their personalities and Dylan agreed with my characterisation, especially when his little girl tried to steal some of the steak he had barbecued for us. By the time we walked them down to try the sand on the now almost abandoned beach we could clearly see that he had a rebel who ran without fear straight for the water, and I had a shadow.

It was during that walk that officially Lady Rebel McKay and Lord Shadow McKay were named.