Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not own Beverly Hills 90210.

The funeral was held on a Saturday. Dylan had been staying with the Walshes, who were like a second family to him, and for once even Jim was welcoming him with open arms.

"Is Dylan there?" Kelly asked upon entering the kitchen that morning in search of a banana to hold her over for the morning.

"I just tried to call him, just to tell him about possibly having to miss his dad's funeral. Brenda said he wasn't at the house. Maybe he had to make all the arrangements and everything?" David announced, walking by and taking a doughnut from the kitchen counter.

Upon hearing that Dylan wasn't at the Walsh's, Kelly grabbed her keys and drove down to the one place she knew he would be. A place where they would always go when the other one needed an escape. Walking along the sand, Kelly's eyes finally rested on Dylan, perched on a rock, staring blankly ahead.

"Dylan I'm so sorry."

"Couldn't get a hold of Iris. Ended up leaving a message, but I wouldn't bet on her making an appearance." His eyes remained on the ocean, he always felt a sense of calm while being around water.

"I wish there was something I could do or say." Kelly simply sat near the edge, careful to keep some distance between them since Dylan was obviously there to be alone.

"After the way I've treated you these past few weeks?" A shake of his head and Dylan still tried to avert her gaze. "I don't even know why you're talking to me, you don't have to just because my dad blew up."

"I didn't mean any of the things I said you know. I was mad. Or maybe I did mean them, at the time, but not now. I could never hate you Dylan. "

"I could never hate you either. Never have, never will."

And with that affirmation, they simply sat together in silence and not a word more needed to be said.


"Are you going to go to the funeral?" Donna asked later that evening as they sat in Kelly's room.

"Hey dinner's almost ready, do you want to stay?" David asked, eyes glancing towards his girlfriend as he stood in the doorway.

"Sure, what are we having?"

"Meatloaf."

"Yum!"

Kelly scrunched up her nose in disgust. Could they be eating a more fatty meal?

"Who's not going to the funeral?" David walked further into the room, peering at his stepsister in curiosity.

"Kelly's saying she doesn't want to go now."

"Well wouldn't it be kind of weird seeing as Dylan and Brenda basically cut Kelly out of their lives only a few days ago? Are we just supposed to pretend that it didn't happen?" David pointed out, shaking his head at his girlfriend's logic.

"For one day, it's not about Kelly and Brenda and their dumb feud or who wants to date who this week or why. It's about showing up and being there for Dylan when he's going through something terrible."

The step-siblings remained silent. Donna made a good point, and they knew there was no point in arguing.


After the funeral and the wake, everyone was invited back to the Walsh house. Kelly stood by the food platter, nervously chewing on potato chips, much to the annoyance of Amanda who stood beside her. These days, you don't see Kelly without seeing Jake or Amanda lurking nearby. It made most of the gang a little uneasy but Steve and Donna were trying to make the best of it.

Steve had sat next to her at the funeral services, but spent the better part of the day talking to Brandon, trying to get their friendship back on track. The last few days had really given the guys some perspective. Kelly was happy for Steve, but she knew it wouldn't be that easy for herself and Brenda.

"These chips, they're so salty." She commented to Donna, swallowing almost hesitantly as she reached for a couple and plopped them on her plate.

"So stop eating them." Donna shrugged.

"I can't, I'm nervous. Being in this house, with Brenda and Dylan, I feel so out of place."

"Do I have to do everything for you?" Amanda's harsh voice crept up on Kelly as her friend's hand swiped the remaining chip out of the blonde's grip. It was a low yet embarrassed whisper. It was like hearing Jackie's voice throughout her childhood all over again.

The harsh tone startled Donna, who glanced over at her once outspoken best friend with concern. Kelly was staring ahead, quietly nodding in agreement, her eyes void of any emotion. She made a mental note to check in later, when they weren't at a funeral.


"We made our appearance, can we get out of here? It's clear nobody actually cares if we are here." At first, Kelly thought the voice in her head was saying such blunt things to her. Then she realized, that no, it wasn't her subconscious. It was still Amanda.

"Amanda, chill." Jake mumbled under his breath, fidgeting with his tie as he stole the chips that Amanada was about to discard.

"No, she's right. As usual, I just didn't want to see it." She glanced outside to see Steve, Brandon, and Andrea playing basketball and trying to get Dylan to join them. Brenda and Donna were talking to Christine. Everyone seemed to have a place there, in Dylan's life. And Kelly didn't, not anymore.

She had seen Dylan sitting with the Walshes during the service, and they looked like a family. Maybe, their current predicament was the right thing after all. Brenda was able to offer Dylan stable parental figures in his life. She tried to picture Jackie in the same role and almost laughed. Sure, her mother had become more maternal to Erin, Kelly, and even David, but she wasn't the type to invite Dylan to stay at their house in the aftermath of his dad's death.


When Brenda sought her out before Kelly left the Walsh house, the blonde thought she was just having some kind of dream, an alternate reality. Yet Brenda took a step, a hesitant one at that, but still a step towards her, and lightly touched her shoulder.

"I'm going to go give my condolences." Jake mumbled, giving Kelly a kiss on the forehead before walking away.

"All this fighting is pretty stupid in comparison to the bigger stuff huh?" That comment alone made Kelly look at the brunette in confusion. Was losing your best friend and finding out your boyfriend had cheated on you considered small stuff? Nevertheless, Kelly attempted to smile solemnly.

"A lot of stupid things were said in anger." Kelly commented, knowing that she chose to say and do some things that were foolish or harsh.

"Look at how short life is. That is the most important lesson we can learn from this tragedy." Brenda glanced back towards Dylan who was now sitting with her parents looking through old pictures. "Everything has gotten to the point where I just want to move on. No matter how difficult it may be to truly forget, I'm willing to forgive." She let out a laugh before adding, "Or at least try."

"Truce?"

"Truce."