"Have there been some chats about (a reunion)?"
"I very much would - would, uh, be interested in doing it this time. I'd like to get back with them and - and work with my guys … I would love to do scenes with Shannen again." - Luke Perry, TODAY, the 27th of January in 2017. (*insert heartbroken emoji here*)
xx
For someone who walked out on her only son six years into her parenthood, Iris McKay had a surprising way with children.
Or, more specifically, she had a way with the granddaughter of her old acquaintance Rush Sanders, who persuaded her way onto Iris' lap and talked four adults into a rousing game of Pictionary until her father reminded her that bedtimes still existed even during holiday break.
Laughing, Iris shared with them of the time a bitty, defiant Steve Sanders crashed an important networking event in his parents' dining room to announce that he felt bedtimes an unnecessary punishment for children and, as he was a good little boy who did everything his mother said, even be nice to that "mean lame-o" Chuckie, he would no longer "ahide" by them. He had been swept away by his Portuguese nanny regardless, who explained that she believed he had tried to say "abide."
Steve flushed as Erica teased him about karma.
Iris slipped out to an early train, waking her half-clothed son and his girlfriend donned in his shirt. She accepted Brenda's request to visit with them again, wherever it may be. Dylan told his mother that he would fly to Hawaii and retrieve Brenda's box - or "our box," as he emphasized - if she didn't send it by a specified date.
He then took his time cherishing every part of Brenda, until she fell asleep with him still buried deep within her.
She awoke to his empty half of the bed and a clattering in the kitchen. Concerned for the condition of her normally tidy kitchen, she skipped down the soft carpeting of the stairs.
"Look, I know we tend to leave the heart-to-hearts with the Walshes because damn, are they good at them, so fucking good that it's annoying, but, bro, I gotta know."
She paused by the cracked door, lifting a finger to her lips to keep the nearby Madeline from spilling her whereabouts.
Her niece, however, was far too engrossed in a scene occurring outside to pay attention to anything happening in the other room.
Steve filled a glass of water from the tap, swishing it around in his open mouth before he continued.
"Bren's been hurt a lot and I hate that I was a big part of that at CU. No matter what she says, I'll never be able to make up for it. I've tried year after year after year to convince her to talk to you. I'm glad you two finally tackled each other's stubbornness and came out on the winning side. But," he hesitated, his hand moving to grip the egg beater.
"But?" Dylan pressed, pulling various fruits out of the fridge.
"But is Brenda the one you choose only because Kel is marrying Brando and because your wife is gone?" he rushed out.
Brenda paused at the door, her throat closing as if her kidneys had slid upward into her trachea. She'd wondered the exact same, but avoided bringing up the subject of Toni McKay. She'd fought getting back together with Dylan when he arrived in London the first time, worried that he mistook his gratitude for her comfort as love. Toni had always been this partially opened gate between them, one she feared opening further. Dylan had already been so broken following his father's car bombing; seeing him after his wife's brutal death, Brenda barely recognized the man. She knew Dylan loved her, but she didn't know if that love would have lasted had his wife survived.
And that terrified her.
But Steve had the guts to ask, so she would suck in her breath, wait patiently by the door and listen.
"Steve, do you love Andrea?"
"Obviously. She's one of my best friends."
"You know that's not what I mean. Do you love her, man?" Dylan emphasized.
Steve's hand rapidly moved through his hair.
"Yeah," he whispered, spinning the electric beater around the glass bowl. "Yeah, I think I do."
"And you loved Janet. Would Andrea replace her?"
"Bro, of course not. Janet is irreplaceable."
"Did Janet replace Clare?"
He shook his head.
"See, that's the difference between us, Sanders. You don't know who you've loved more. You married Janet and never would've cheated on her, but you would've hated seeing Clare with someone else. If anything, your great love is your daughter." Steve searched through the fridge, nodding with enthusiasm. "Me, though; I knew who I wanted the moment I lost her."
Dylan studied the bowl of batter, his fingers clutching the counter.
"Losing Jack was hard," he swallowed, "but there was a piece of me that - I don't know, man. I just know if Jack hadn't died, or pretended to get killed, Bren wouldn't've spoken to me and it would've been all my fucking fault. I'm the one who discarded my best friend, twice. I thought I'd lost my chance for good when she left for Minnesota and then - and then got engaged to fucking Carson." He dropped the batter into the individual circles of the muffin tin, somewhat spattering it in his remembered envy.
"I still don't know what she was thinking with that. Pompous ass." Steve circled a dish sponge over the spilled batter.
She couldn't decide whether to make her presence known and save her breakfast from ruination, or continue to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"I don't know what most of us were thinking after high school," Dylan confessed, "or in the last year of it. I mean, Andrea should've gone to Yale. You shouldn't've have tried to steal that asinine legacy key. And I -" his voice shook, "I should've never cheated on Bren." He stared out the frosted window, losing himself to the past. "I shouldn't've told Kelly I'd chosen her when I knew every ventricle was screaming otherwise. If I hadn't been so fucking hurt about Bren skipping out on Jack's party -" He looked back at Steve. "We all fucked up, Steve my man, especially at CU."
"Speak for yourself," Steve huffed.
"Right. Do I need to remind you about Lau -"
"Don't say it!" Steve placed both hands over his ears, removing them slowly. "Yeah, okay, you have a point." He sat an orange on the squeezer. "But if you still wanted Bren so much, you could've gotten back together with her when you broke up with Kel - the first time."
"No, I couldn't," Dylan sighed. "She made it very clear that she just wanted us to be friends."
"You two do that a lot, huh?"
"Not anymore," he insisted, swearing at the egg shells which swirled around inside the batter. "And it would've been too soon then, anyway, even if I was aching to have her back."
She stifled her laughter at his picking out the broken shells, one by one.
"So basically, if given the chance to do it all again, you would've chosen Brenda over Kelly."
"Fuck yeah. No question. Would've pushed Brandon over to Kelly back in junior year, too. All four of us took too damn long to realize who we belonged with. I know that sounds really strange, coming from me. But, bro, the way Bran looks at her? The way Kel looks at him? I've seen it, in the mirror. It's the way I look at Bren. I can almost guarantee it's the way I've always looked at her. I was a fucking idiot to not realize it before. And I should've been the one to take her to our prom, not fucking Miller. Cantrell, Rivera, Fredericks. I heard them, man. They all wanted to take her."
"Rivera wanted to take Bren to prom?" Steve gave a low whistle. "Damn, if they'd ended up together -"
"She would've married into one of the wealthiest families in the entire fucking country," Dylan growled, slicing through a banana.
"No offense, man, but the Riveras make your wealth look like chump change."
"Yeah, I know. God, teenage me would get an earful from me."
Attempting to salvage the batter, Steve picked out additional white spots.
"Weird. That's the same thing Silver told me after he married Don. You better count your lucky stars that Bren isn't already hitched to a patrician."
"Patrician, Steve?"
"It was a vocabulary word in one of Mads' textbooks."
High school sweethearts rarely stayed together, Brenda knew. Her parents had met in university. Her brother was marrying his college sweetheart; her oldest cousin had married his. If she and Dylan had remained an item throughout senior year and then into CU, they still would have been too young and could have easily broken up regardless.
But, she wouldn't have needed to stomach Kelly and Dylan at the prom together, and that certainly would've been a bonus.
She momentarily imagined a world in which she and Dylan danced throughout the entirety of prom night, whilst Kelly tried to coax Brandon to do the same.
On the other hand, she also imagined a prom on the arm of the gorgeous West Beverly swim captain, Emilio Rivera - the same Emilio Rivera who later went on to compete for Team USA in the summer Olympics.
"So if Toni hadn't died -" Steve quietly began.
They were interrupted by Madeline running through the kitchen from the opposite swinging door with Erica at her heels.
"I'm gonna get you, Maddie!"
The girl shrieked and ducked behind Steve's legs.
"Dyl, why didn't you ask me to help? This batter is ruined. You're gonna be tasting crunchy egg shells." Erica peered over her brother's shoulder. Taking the muffin tin, she dumped out its contents in the waste disposal.
"I wanted to surprise Bren. Thought she could use some breakfast in bed in more ways than one, if you know what I mean." Dylan's eyebrows wiggled.
"Ew, big bro! Why is it that you never kiss and tell, except to me?" she huffed, latching her arms around a squirming Madeline.
"Hey, I had to hear you and Hollie going at it the entire time I was at your place."
"Not the entire time."
"Okay, Miss Technical, every night."
"My walls are thin," she shrugged.
"Walls as in your apartment, or walls as in -"
"Sanders!"
Pushing the door wide open, Brenda laughed.
"There's my girl." Coming over to bundle her into his warm arms, Dylan's double-dimpled grin displayed in full force. "Sorry about your breakfast," he frowned.
"I appreciate the thought," she assured, standing on her tiptoes to connect their lips.
Pumping her fist in the air, Madeline cheered.
"Auntie Bren, are you and GD gonna get married? Daddy says kissing is for people who are 'on the train toward marriage.'"
Brenda raised an eyebrow at Steve, whose posture lifted into a shrug. She didn't think it wise to correct him, even if he had engaged in hypocrisy by informing his daughter that she would be unable to kiss anyone until she prepared for wifery.
Steve Sanders, who himself had kissed more women than he could count on one hand, with no intention of marriage until he fell for Janet Sosna.
"Not yet, Maddie."
"Bummer." Madeline's face fell before brightening again. "Well, when you do, I call flower girl."
"Bren isn't ready for that yet, Madster, but one day we will. I promise. I'm gonna make her my wife if it's the last thing I do."
"Bro! You're talking marriage? You're talkin' marriage and still expect me not to tell anyone?" Steve gaped. Straightening himself out, he eyed his daughter. "Now, Mads, you remember what GD told you, right? You can't tell anyone about him and AB - and that includes Hannah. They'll do it on their own time."
"I can keep a secret just fine, Daddy. It's you who needs to keep quiet."
Erica mimicked the sound of a sizzling fryer behind them.
"See? Your daughter's got your number, Sanders." Dylan smirked.
"Is this why you wanted me to ask AB to join us on the carousel, GD?"
He turned bright red.
"Thought you just said you can keep a secret, Mads," he mumbled.
"Not from Auntie Bren! You should never start a relationship with secrets."
"Madeline Sanders, you are wise beyond your years." Erica bent to fling an arm around the little girl's shoulder. "You definitely don't get that from your dad."
"Hey!"
Dylan led Brenda into their bedroom, leaving his sister to her baking and Steve to debate with Madeline over how exactly he would be able to keep silent over what his daughter dubbed "such an important matter."
"I've got an hour and a half 'til I'm supposed to go over to Wachinski's and wait for Steve's text. You know what we can do in an hour?" He tugged her against him, sliding his hands underneath his own shirt which they both agreed looked much better on her.
"I have some ideas," she grinned, tucking her hands around his neck.
He bent to devour her collarbone, pausing before his lips touched her skin.
"Baby?"
"Bren," he pulled away slightly, caressing her cheek, "Sanders asked me something and if you're also wondering, then I should probably give you an answer."
She pretended to be unaware of their discussion.
"He asked me if I would still choose you if Toni had lived."
She sucked in a breath woven with jagged glass.
"And - and what did you tell him?" she whispered.
"I didn't. Mads ran in." He cupped his hands around her waist. "But I do know the answer, babe. I couldn't tell you before, so soon after she was killed, but I know now. After years of AA, years of being separated from you, I know."
"You don't have to do this, Dylan. I know you would've never broken your vows. I know you wouldn't have wanted your marriage to end up like your parents'. I wouldn't have wanted that, either."
"Brenda," he kissed her jawline, "didn't you ever wonder why I didn't tell you about Toni myself?"
"I just figured you didn't think about it and I understood." She clutched his hair. "I mean, we'd barely talked in a year."
"I thought about it, Bren. I thought about it constantly." He walked with her towards the bed, lifting her to straddle his waist. "Hearing Bran read that telegram - only the Walshes would send a telegram in the last decade of the twentieth century - well, it hurt. You sounded so final. I was marrying someone else and after listening to your words, I couldn't stop picturing you."
Slightly bending his knees to match their eyelines, both of his hands brushed through her hair.
"Do you remember right before graduation, when I told you that I loved you more than I ever thought I could love anybody?" She nodded, her lips partly open. "Still true to this day, Bren. I've never loved anyone to the extent that you make me feel and I never will. Even if Toni were still alive, you would be the only woman I'd want. Even as I stood there, telling her my vows, my thoughts drifted to you over here, in London." He stroked her skin. "I imagined you running in and stopping my wedding, kinda like I tried to crash your elopement. Bren, the simple truth is that my marriage with Toni wouldn't've lasted. The second I heard about you moving on with someone else, I would've shut down on her. Hell, I'd probably fly over here and kick the guy's ass, like I imagined doing to Wachinski and then Nabisco so many times."
"Dylan," she breathed, salty tears streaking down her cheek.
"It's you, Bren. In every lifetime. It always comes back to you. When I needed refuge from myself, I found it with you. When I lost you, I lost everything." He kissed her tears away. "I'm just sorry it took me years to realize it. All that time we missed - if you hadn't gone on tour, hadn't shown up at Vandenberg - just say the word, babe. Say the word and I'll put that ring on your finger 'cause darlin', I am more than ready."
She tugged him onto her, silencing him with her lips.
"Let's wait until I don't have to share my wedding season with Bran. Then we'll talk."
And before he could reply, she hurriedly discarded his nightwear in favor of their mutual favorite activity.
Ensuring any trace of Dylan McKay was either hidden or brought over to the Wachinski's flat, especially that damn Angels cap, Brenda prepared to greet her friends.
Dylan had razzed Steve for not figuring out the relationship sooner with the cap as evidence, to which the other man huffed out that he "had a lot of things on my mind, okay? And, again, you were supposed to be in Baja."
The man with too many thoughts tangoing through his brain sat on her sofa, a bowl of buttered popcorn between his legs. Squinting at the blaring television, Steve hollered over to her despite being mere inches away.
"Bren, what do ya call this, again?"
"That's bandy, Steve. It's Levi's favorite sport."
"Looks like hockey."
"No, believe me, I made the same mistake. It might be a variation, but there's a difference."
"Yeah, okay."
The doorbell rang, bringing with it Madeline's scampering feet and consequent tumble into the five people revealed by the opening door.
"Alright! The Silvers are here!" Steve stood to his feet, nearing the entranceway to gather Donna into his arms. Turning to David, they linked hands, moving towards each other in an embrace that ended with mutual claps on the back.
"You made it!" Brenda squealed, pulling both Silver spouses and their three children into a hug. "Hope you had a better flight than Steve here did."
Steve shuddered, undoubtedly remembering the fear of his initial flight to the island nation.
"Oh, it was great," Donna brushed off. "The kids behaved so well. Of course, David did tell them he would purchase ice-cream cones if they did," she frowned.
"Hey, whatever gets the job done. Right, Bren?" David kissed her cheek.
"Ice-cream cones? Oh, we can do better than that. We'll get them Knickerbocker Glories."
"Like in Harry Potter?" screamed a voice behind the Silvers.
"Yes, Hannah. Like in Harry Potter. It's even better than the description." Greeting Andrea and her daughter, Brenda winked.
Steve, too, immediately went forward to embrace the newcomers. He paused, recognizing the man beside Andrea.
"Keith?" He stood flabbergasted.
"Sanders. Hey, man. How's it goin'?"
"What - why are you here?"
"Craziest thing!" Andrea laughed, walking in to hug Donna. "I ran into Keith at Heathrow. He piloted my flight, can you believe that? We've just spent the morning confabulating. It's astonishing how much we have in common. He's in London for a few days and didn't have any plans for New Year's, so I invited him here. Hope that's okay?"
"Of course. It's fine. Keith, come on in," Brenda ushered him in. Her gaze fell on Steve, who began playing a visual round of pin-the-thumbtack into Keith Christopher's back.
She herself barely knew Keith. She had removed herself from much of the CU social life, particularly fraternity parties, but she did vaguely recall him from one of the few parties she attended freshman year. She knew from Steve's active social media that he had remained close with the majority of his KEG brothers following graduation, including Keith.
She wondered if he would still remain friendly with Keith.
Damn, did he have stunning eyes - not her type at all, not even close, but she could still appreciate Keith's eyes.
"Let's get this party started!"
"Val!" Noticeably relieved, Steve elbowed Brenda out of the way to get to their cosmopolitan friend first.
"Rude!" Brenda glowered, rubbing her shoulder.
The next time the bell rang, she found herself staring at a tower of wrapped boxes balancing above a pair of jeans.
"Bran?"
"Hey, sis! Can I get a little help?"
Kelly appeared then, removing some of the boxes from the stack. "There was a sale," she shrugged in explanation, before warmly embracing Brenda.
She looked down, smiling at Sammy Taylor hanging onto her leg. Dylan had texted her that he and Kelly were discussing the idea of Brandon formally adopting the little boy. Dylan would become his uncle, as he had always been, but her brother would be the boy's primary caregiver.
He seemed fine with the idea, but she did wonder if he only pretended to be for her sake. She hoped he knew that she would continue to support him whether he remained Sammy's father or simply became his favorite uncle.
The engaged couple distributed the gifts as appropriate, explaining that they had been delayed in Chicago and then passed by a Primark on the way to Brenda's. She debated explaining to Kelly that Primark always had a sale, but if it kept her away from Harrods, then so much the better.
"Yo, McKay, how are those Angels looking this year?"
Steve wandered over with his arm wrapped around Valerie, spotting the McKay siblings coming in through the open door.
"I don't know, Sanders." Dylan gave him a look. "Get back to me during baseball season and I might have an answer."
Erica greeted the group, faking a reunion with Brenda as she had been instructed.
"Brando, what about those Twins?"
"They're gonna crush everyone this year," Brandon nodded firmly, sitting patiently whilst Joni and Brielle Silver covered him in blush.
Brenda burst out laughing. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine Brandon permitting anyone to put makeup on him, even two sweet little girls like the Silvers.
"Think they'll play the Angels?" Steve gave a half-grin. "The Angels and the Twins, playing together."
"Well, yeah, I guess it's a possibility," Brandon shrugged.
Dylan glared at Steve. Brenda tapped her foot against his leg.
"Hey, Bren."
"Hi, Dylan." She waved nonchalantly.
"Been a bit." He tucked his hands into his pockets, shuffling his feet in a performance worthy of an Oscar.
"I saw you last month," she reminded him, which was true. "Liking your new place?"
"Absolutely. It's heaven."
"Good to hear."
"Yeah, it's great. A little cooler than I expected. But, listen woman, I've got a bone to pick with you. Didn't you promise to write? I haven't received anything, Brenda."
"I've been busy."
"Let me guess. With Small Elf."
She inwardly smiled at his acting. They both knew sending a letter to her bedmate would be pointless.
He did, however, still write to her, sticking a Post-It on her bedside table when she fell asleep before him.
"It's Ralf."
"Oh come on, you two, I thought you were on good terms again." Raising her hands to the ceiling, Donna shook her head. "God, you're hopeless."
Jiggling his knee, Steve whistled nervously. "So what's the plan, guys?"
"Well, we all came to see Bren. The plan is whatever she tells us." Brandon peeked over Valerie's shoulder, trying to read the text in the magazine she rifled through.
"I mean, it's up to all of you. You're the ones with the kids. We could just have a quiet night in, if you want."
"Are you kidding me, Brenda? It's New Year's! I wanna get drunk!"
"For once, Valerie and I agree." Urging Sammy to play with the other children, Kelly kicked her feet over Brandon's legs. "I mean, I love all of these kids, but God, would it be nice to just forget about adulthood for one night."
Brenda followed Erica's pensive glance, which trailed to Sammy.
To her surprise, the others also asked for a night out.
She called Shane, who in turn called his mother. Poppy Wachinski was already sitting for the children of Shane's middle sister, Felicity, and she agreed to watch the gang's children with the help of her youngest daughter, Daisy. Uncomfortable at the idea of leaving her girls alone in a strange city with strange people, despite Brenda's endorsement and Andrea's reminder of Hannah's excellent babysitting training, Donna fished through her personal calendar for the number of her sorority sister Leslie, who, she told them, had moved to Aberdeen the previous year with her husband, Charlie Dixon, and recently posted to Facebook of visiting Charlie's third cousin in none other than London, England.
"How fortuitous," Valerie remarked drily.
"SAT word. Nice!" Steve nudged her shoulder.
"Sanders, that's - never mind."
Keith shook his head. Andrea appeared besotted. Steve scowled.
"Brenda, will that boyfriend of yours be joining us?"
"He should be there later, Bran."
"Good. I can finally meet him."
Steve guffawed. Brenda glared.
They met her usual crew at a new elite club which only accepted the créme-de-la-créme of society - with the exception of one Brenda Walsh and her entourage, for her new stage partner Colin secured her and other members of the cast entrance to make a solid first impression.
Believing himself to still be the only one other than Valerie and Steve to know her friends, Brandon introduced them to the group.
Dylan nodded at Shane, who played his part well. Sophie complimented Kelly's dress. Katie found a common interest with Donna in their art. Valerie answered Vee's questions about the East Coast.
Her California troupe meeting her old gang of friends had been surreal enough. Brenda's two worlds not only merged, as they had during the tour, but sewn together seamlessly.
For once, she didn't have to choose.
Halfway into the evening, Donna glanced around the club appreciatively.
"I spy with my little eye a lot of really cute guys. Bren, I bet anyone in here would be more than willing to kiss you at midnight if your boyfriend delays too long."
Dylan gulped down his soda.
"You know, Bren, there's nothing wrong with not feeling obligated to kiss anyone at midnight." Erica twirled her glass of water.
He attempted to pinpoint a subtle glare on his sister.
"Well, I bet I can get a kiss from him and from him and ooh, from him. Hello, gorgeous." Valerie sucked on her straw, surveying a man standing on the other side of the room. "If you'll excuse me." She sashayed over, placed her hand on his shoulder and immediately began to entice him in a way that was purely Valerie Malone.
"So, Keith, don't you have a plane to go pilot or something?" Steve stared at his friend, who had invoked laughter in Andrea several times over the last ten minutes.
"Nope. Free as a bird for the rest of the week." Keith grinned, receiving a beaming smile from the woman sitting next to him.
"I wish you'd make like a bird and fly away," Steve muttered under his breath.
Quickly exchanging an amused glance with his girlfriend, Dylan turned to David, who sat discussing music with Levi and Benji. Having been gifted a new guitar by Brenda for Christmas, Dylan eagerly questioned the three musicians on their preferences for sheet music.
"If David's gonna talk music, then come on, Bren. Up and at 'em, Erica. I wanna dance." Donna grabbed Brenda's hand, slowly tugging her upward. "You, too, Kel. Katie, Sophie, Vee," she hesitated, "Andrea?"
"You go ahead, Donna." Flicking her gaze to the women before turning her focus back on her flirtation, Andrea overlooked Steve still scowling away.
"Whatever. Wachinski, Walsh, you're comin' with me. We're gonna go scout out some drinks." Issuing a glare to the twosome which went unnoticed by either, Steve stalked off.
"I know that look." Shaking his head, Brandon pressed his lips to Kelly's and slowly pulled away. "Be back soon, honey. Come on, Shane. We're needed. Silver, McKay, find us when you're done."
Brenda sat torn between following the men and sticking with the women. She compromised: a few dances with the friends lacking the Y chromosome - Valerie later joined in - then off Brenda went to find her oldest friend in the other species.
"Are you really gonna sit here pouting into that glass?" She leapt up on the stool beside him, angling herself towards his slouched figure.
"What do you expect me to do, Bren? She's barely looked away from the guy all night. Keith Christopher. Had to be fucking Keith Christopher. Of all the fucking places in the world he could fly to, it just had to be here."
"Isn't Keith your friend, Steve?"
"Was my friend," he scowled, pouring the amber liquid down his throat.
"Steve, slow down. We do not need a repeat of Tonga."
He set the glass back down, staring at it with a forlorn expression. "Yeah. I guess you're right."
"I told you. If you want Andrea, you need to go for her. If that means you have to fight for her, then so be it. Babe, the Steve Sanders I know wouldn't give up this easily." She leaned in more closely, trying to not cringe at his sour breath. "She doesn't have a clue how you feel. For all she knows, you two are very much still just friends."
"I'd love to know how you and McKay managed to do this for so long. It fucking sucks."
"After a while, you just don't think about it," she lied.
His concentration broke with the sight of Valerie, who ran over to them with the speed of a gazelle.
"Brenda, if you need me, I'll be up on the roof with Brendan. He says there's a great view of the city."
"Did you say Brandon?" she shouted over the music.
"No, Brendan!"
"Well, it was just a question, Val; no need to yell."
"No, his name is Brendan - oh, forget it!"
Brenda brought Steve back to the group, which had since been divided. The Wachinskis slow danced to the fast song; so did the Silvers. The space near Kelly sat empty. She herself snuggled against Brandon.
"Where'd Andrea go?"
"Oh, Christopher told her about this museum he knows around here that is still open, so -" Brandon began.
"- so she left," Steve finished, dejected.
"Come on, Sanders. If anyone can help you with your woman problems, it's me. When Hols and I started dating, Mrs. Halloway -"
"Halliwell?" Brenda thought she heard.
"No, Bren, Halloway. Anyway," Erica continued, going with Sophie to soothe Steve's injured soul.
"And then there were four," Brandon grinned, tucking his hand around Kelly's waist. "Sis, where is your boyfriend, anyway? I've waited all this time to meet Ralf Smalls and he isn't even here. Surprised he's missing out."
"Ralf Little," she corrected, as always. "You know; I'm not sure. He was supposed to be here. I'll go look for him."
"Well, you better hurry. Eight minutes to go."
"Then we are getting on that dance floor, together, for at least one whole minute. It is New Year's and you did promise, baby." Kelly stood, impatiently holding out her hand.
"Yeah, I did promise," Brandon agreed with a sigh.
Scattered though they were, the original group of five still stood within hearing distance of Dylan and Brenda.
She spotted Valerie in the corner, flirting away.
"You know, Bren, if you ask me, any boyfriend of yours who isn't already here is not worth your time."
"Thanks for that assertion, Dyl."
She waded into the crowd, which began chanting the annual countdown.
He followed, snagging her waist.
"But if you want a man who knows how to treat a woman right, knows how to treat you right, I've got the perfect guy in mind."
"Oh, you do, do you?"
They stood inches away from everyone: six members of the London coterie, five members of the Beverly Hills gang, Valerie and Erica.
"Yeah." Grinning, he pressed his hand to the back of her head. "Me." He smashed his lips onto hers right before the crowd screamed the obligatory felicitations.
"Well," she murmured against his lips, "then it's a good thing we're already living together."
She heard the gasps of her stunned friends, the gloating shout from her brother, the "Ah, yeah, right on! Get it, McKay!" from David. Audible reactions elicited from everyone except Steve, whom she noticed had slipped away during the final note of the countdown.
When the noise of the crowd died down and the couples within began to break apart, Dylan and Brenda remained, two teenagers making out in a parked car well past curfew.
-x
I just love the McKays. Had to get them in here at some point! Glad you all enjoyed. Also delighted you're enjoying the platonic scenes as much as the romantic scenes, even when Dylan is absent from the page. I greatly enjoy exploring all kinds of dynamics in my writing.
Charlie's surname is literally Dixon in the series lmao. Totally didn't realise that. Unsure if he bears any relation to Graham.
It has been a goal of mine since I began this fic to stick to weekly updates so that it would not go unfinished, as other fics of mine have done. Heads-up that I might start spacing these updates out more, now that I know it is indeed possible for me to get twenty-two chapters into a story.
I've finally created my first B/D video, inspired by Illumination and Seven. For those of you who wish to check it out, it is on YT, under the channel wish upon a dream (formerly SappySoapChick07.)
As always, thank you for the reviews, faves, follows, discourse, etc!