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

Chapter Twenty-Five

After the volleyball game that Steve declared himself and Brandon the winner of, and once lunch had been grilled and eaten we turned on music by the pool. It immediately caused the expected complaints from the parents table. When they realised that they were fighting a losing battle with the complaints about "nonsensical lyrics" and with the sun getting warmer they moved to take up residents in the lounge room.

When they departed David tried to get Donna to hit the dance floor or in this case the pool side, after one dance she insisted it was too warm. He then turned his puppy eyes on me.

Three songs later Kelly tries to get Dylan up but he refuses, though Steve hearing the request dives in and turns Kelly onto the dance floor next to David and I. "You know Kel if you wanted to dance I'm always down for it."

"Thanks Steve but maybe Donna's right and it's too hot." The blonde joker instantly loses his sparkling smile it's then that I subtly indicate for Donna to come back up and I cut in taking Kelly's spot. Steve and I have never danced together and it's surprisingly easy and hilarious all at once, he loves a good classic dance move and when he starts mimicking Kevin Bacon I squeal.

"You've seen Footloose?"

"Have I seen Footloose? I was at the premiere."

"No way?"

He spins me around, "yep. Sarah Jessica Parker even introduced herself to my mum and I- she's a Hartley House fan."

"What's your favourite dance move from it?" He and I spend the next five minutes mimicking moves and routines, Donna, David and even Andrea joins in. By the end of it I'm laughing my ass off and Steve is insisting we need to have a movie viewing together.

I agree until I look over and see my husband's face, I give him a confused look and when he just lifts his eyebrow I am still unsure what's got him in a funk. A few minutes later I excuse myself to get a soda from the fridge and when I get requests to grab everyone one Dylan stands to help me. When we get into the kitchen and he hasn't said a word I whisper to him, "there is no way you actually think that Steve and I-"

"No of course not. Not that I trust him not to try but I know that is never going to be something we have to worry about with each other- we vowed even before Paris that that juvenile stupidity was over with."

"Well if it's not jealousy then-" he gives me an embarrassed look. "So it is jealousy?"

As I rest my sarong hip against the kitchen bench he reaches out and rubs the other side just above the knot. "I just want to be the one dancing with you."

"You could be."

"No I can't, it would be too much of a risk. I'd touch you and it's a slippery slope, even being in here with you is dangerous anyone could come in."

It's his sad eyes that have me being an idiot, stepping closer and standing on my tippy toe's kissing his lips. It takes less than a second before he loses control and pulls my hips even closer to him and deepens our kiss. His shirtless chest rubbing against my bikini top has me clinging to him even further, the electricity running all over my skin. It's heaven.

We are lost in the moment pulling each other even closer. His hands begin to move further down my hips but before he can lift me up. There is a throat clearing.

Dylan doesn't jump away like I expect instead he rests his forehead on my shoulder, "perfect timing Dad."

I begin to blush, "there are how many rooms in this house and you two pick the most frequently used one. McKay's are smarter than this son."

Dylan groans, "your parental lectures are still strange Jack. You aren't lecturing me for doing the wrong thing but instead lecturing me that I'm not doing it well enough."

I whisper in his ear, "I thought you were doing it very well."

He pinches my side and then lifts his head to face his dad holding me in front of him. Jack's smirk is blinding the room, "neither of you are doing anything wrong though the location is foolish." He smiles rubbing his hands together and walks forward, "I remember when Iris and I began-"

Dylan groan's, "please do not ruin our moment with images of you and mum." I squeeze my lips together to hold in the laugh but Dylan must feel it rumbling in my chest as he squeezes me hips playfully I turn and look up at him and show him I'm fighting to not find his annoyance at his parents connection funny. He gives me a mock glare and then kisses my forehead, smiling at me before turning back to his dad. Jack just smiles larger, "so this is what it's like. You both look good together, son you are beaming."

"Not just beaming no this room is buzzing with your aura's, they are amazing." Jack turns to his ex wife, "I thought I'd make tea while you got the dessert." She walks over to him, "this is a real treat having us altogether seeing how happy you both are. Sweetheart I hope you know how missed you are here. Our son is like a bear with a sore thumb without you around."

"I'm no better without him." My husband moves his hands from my hips to wrap his arms around me.

"I hate to separate you darling's but…" I nod and with one final squeeze and kiss on my neck Dylan releases me. I'm instantly cold.

As Dylan turns back to the fridge to grab the sodas Iris holds out her hand to me. I move around the kitchen and go to her arms. "I hope someone is looking after you sweetheart, are you confiding in Brandon?"

"Not really, he kind of knows it's not what everyone thinks- us breaking up, but we don't want to put him in the middle have him lie."

"Fair enough but you can't hold it all in by yourself that's not good."

"It's fine Iris I have your son to share it with." I try and lighten up the room, "that is when he isn't complaining about how touchy you and Jack are."

Jack's bark of a laugh and Iris's roll of the eyes are interrupted by Kelly who comes in through the laundry back door, we instantly feel the change. "Sorry I just thought I'd see if you needed a hand in here with the drinks, you've been awhile."

I give her a welcoming smile knowing that me standing between Jack and Iris with the latter's arm around my shoulder may look strange.

Jack proving that he is always quick on his feet is the first to answer, "oh no they are fine. My wife and I thought we'd just use this opportunity to see how our girl is doing." He looks at Dylan and the pile of soda cans on the bench. "We should probably let you two kids get back to your friends." He then moves in front of me, "remember sweetheart if you need anything Iris and I are just a phone call away."

I smile, "thanks Jack. I hope you know I expect to be invited onto that boat of yours… well once it's guaranteed not to sink."

"It's seaworthy now-" I lift my brow, "it is."

"Jack I've seen the pictures and grew up in the land of ten thousand lakes, that boat is one good kick away from a sinking."

"Well you never mentioned anything about kicking it." I raise my brow again, "fine it's nearly seaworthy. She's going to be a beauty when I'm done with her."

"Have you thought of a name yet?"

Dylan groans from behind his dad watching our interaction with contented eyes, "Bren don't get him started on that… the list currently all relates to my mother it's gross-"

"Dyl it's sweet. Isn't that right Kel?" I feel bad as she has been awkwardly standing there observing our interaction, I'm guessing not sure if she should stay or leave.

"Yeah I'd love a boat to be named after me."

Iris smiles, "in theory yes, but I'm with Dylan some of Jack's choices are a little too intimate-"

"Mum." I break out in laughter my husbands face is priceless.

When she leaves the house it feels empty, her and Brandon stayed as long as they could but they knew they had to get home before Jim and Cindy grew annoyed- we didn't want to push our luck. After helping to tidy up the house, and once the pool area was once back to normal it left me nothing to do but disappear upstairs to shower the saltwater from the pool off. Once I climbed out of the shower I walk with a towel around my hips to the dressing room, I am immediately shifted from my funk by a green shirt hanging up. A green shirt I knew well.

When I turned to the draws smiling I see hanging on the long rack a black dress with a white strap, and a gold dress that I once held her close in while we danced just before Christmas. After putting on pyjama pants on I run my finger down the material of the silk shirt, over the embossed pattern of the gold dress, and stop when I get to the black dress. I lean in and smell the dress, it still has tracers of her perfume. That dress that night, I pick it and hang it on the door of the dressing room and then go to our bed and look at it. While I read my book for the rest of the evening I continue to find myself looking up and smiling at it. My wife is magic, she knew exactly what I needed after she had to leave.

We see each other on Sunday evening at the Pit. She's having a coke with Steve while Brandon stands behind the counter chatting with them. When I come in for a coffee before my AA meeting I move to sit next to her bumping her knee as I sit down. "What are you three discussing?"

"The merits of doing an SAT cram course before we resit them on Saturday." I give her a look it wasn't really her thing, usually Bren liked to study methodically taking advice on study usually stressed her out. "I'm thinking about it and Steve really rates it."

"Yeah taught me some great tricks on how they write the paper and common mistakes people make. I'm going again and I think Donna, David and Kelly are keen just trying to convince the Walsh twins here."

"I don't know man, it's a test you can't really study for I just think it would be a waste of money."

"Brando trust me even Andrea found my tips useful when I took the course last time. And it's not like we are signing up for the four week one it's one Wednesday afternoon cram session just before Saturday's test. Dylan you in?"

I shake my head, "nah it's not really my thing, and anyway with the bay clean up project I'm committed to being there Wednesday afternoons."

My wife smiles at me, "did you hear what the mum's came up with yesterday for the charity event?"

I groan, "it's so bad."

"What I think it's cute, an under the water theme is going to be great."

I look at my wife, "Bren seriously?"

"Yep I'm already thinking of trying to find an ocean blue dress, or maybe a dress the colour of the green room."

Aquamarine it would bring out her hair and her chameleon eyes. I quietly say, "go with the green room." She nods and looks back to her brother and Steve who are back arguing over the merits of the course. It gives me a moment to lift my hand and under the counter gently reach out and interlace our fingers together. Twenty minutes later I'm back in my car on the way to my meeting, I'm feeling calmer picturing my wife in an aquamarine dress- okay maybe the theme wasn't so bad after all.

The next week is full of SAT conversation, the gang had all signed up for the course on Wednesday and I decide to pop in on my way back from the bay to see if I can convince everyone to grab a late dinner at the pit- by everyone I mean my wife, and the rest of the gang because perish the thought of me being alone with her in a public place. When I walk into the building I see a reporter standing there ready to pounce. I have to wait only a few minutes before I see the gang all exit the room, the reporter is immediately sticking a microphone in their faces but predominantly my wife's asking her opinion on these expensive elite SAT courses and the unfairness they generate.

Even without seeing me she is pushing the microphone away from her face, and looking down, stating that they don't have permission to film her. I smile she gets the need for us to be under the raider, any footage now could rise up when people find out we are married. She gets that we need to maintain a low profile. The reporter quickly moves on to another group who look keen to answer her questions. Bren then lifts her head knowing she is no longer being filmed and winks at me.