RIP LUKE PERRY. I can't believe he's gone. Hope this chapter brings someone a little comfort. I also re-wrote the last chapter of One is the Loneliest Number so check it out.

Sammy sat in the corner of the living room, nursing the third drink he scammed from the bar. He had noticed they weren't carding and his parents had left him to his own devices long ago. Sammy took a big gulp and leaned against the wall, wishing he could disappear.

The funeral was sad. Depressing is more like it. He wasn't even close with Mr. Walsh or his family, but the sight of his own parents weeping made him breakdown and cry with them.

The car ride to his Uncle Steve's house was silent and uncomfortable. Like always, his parents refused to speak to one another until absolutely necessary. His mother practically leapt out of the car the minute it was placed into park, desperate to get away from them. His father on the other hand had lingered behind, gripping the wheel tightly with a dark look in his eyes and a sour expression on his face.

Sammy slammed the rest of his drink back, rolling his eyes. Sometimes he hated being alive. For as far back as he could remember his parents had hated each other. It didn't matter the time or the place, they could always find something to argue about.

He gave up long ago trying to figure out how they even got together in the first place, but carried the guilt for making their lives so unhappy. When he was 11 he overheard an argument between his parents, basically confirming the only reason they were together was because the condom broke. They didn't know he was there of course, but that didn't change how bad he felt afterwards.

Scanning the room, he pushed his hair back trying to shake off the feeling of being watched. Glancing to his left, he locked eyes with Mr. Walshes daughter, Brenda. She was watching him from her place on the couch. There were people talking all around her, but her gaze stayed locked on him.

He offered her a small nervous smile, but she got up and walked away quickly, pretending like nothing happened. Sammy frowned at the brush off. He looked down quickly, swirling the ice cubes around his empty cup, suddenly feeling in-significant.

He sighed, crushing the empty cup under his grip, wishing he had more. Almost as if his father heard his thoughts, he appeared at his side. Dylan looked down at the cup in his sons hand and moved closer to him.

Sam tried to back away from his Father so the alcohol on his breath wasn't as noticeable, but Dylan grabbed his arm preventing him from moving.

"Sam." His father sighed, the disappointment clear in his tone. "Seriously? You're drinking."

"Seriously…you of all people are on my case about a drink? Chill." he snapped, not bothering to be polite.

He didn't know if it was all the alcohol coursing through his veins or the Xanax he swiped from his mother's purse, but his filter was gone.

Sam could feel his heart pounding in his chest...did he really just say that? He watched his father take a step back, shocked by his words. His cheeks flushed red for a brief moment before he composed himself, returning to his indifferent facade.

Dylan gestured his head towards the hallway and walked out, not bothering with words. Sam gulped and slowly followed. He knew from past punishments when he got a look like that from his Father, he was in for it.

He tossed his cup into the trash and walked towards the door, hoping he didn't look as nervous as he felt. The chatter from the living room became nonexistent as he ascended up the stairs. His buzz from earlier had now escalated to pure panic at the dark look from earlier returning to his fathers eyes.

'Shit.' he thought, looking at his father who was leaning against the top of the railing, barley masking his anger.

"I understand you're upset, it's a sad occasion." Dylan said the moment Sam got close enough to hear him. "But talking to me like that, especially on a day like today, may not have the best outcome for you. So I'll warn you now Samuel, watch your mouth."

"Sorry." Sam slurred out an apology quickly, avoiding eye contact with his father. "I'm just on edge, I don't know why I even said it. I didn't even mean it."

He was spinning. The mix of alcohol and drugs was affecting him harder than he anticipated. He had mixed the two before, but never had a reaction like this.

Sam felt like the room was floating all around him. 'This is not good.' he thought trying to blink away the drowsiness that was taking over his body.

"You alright?" Dylan asked forcing his son to make eye contact with him.

"I did something dumb." Sam slurred trying to look at his dad, but it was hard to keep his eyes open. "I stole pills from Mom's purse and had shots from the open bar. I'm sorry, don't be mad Pa."

He glanced around the hallway, afraid to look at his Father. He walked towards the first door he saw and fell against it. After fumbling with the knob, Sam opened the door and sighed in relief at the king sized bed in the middle of the room.

"Jesus, Sam, get back here." Dylan snapped, walking into the room. "How many did you ta—." He froze, coming face to face with a surprised Brenda.

She was tucked into the top part of the bed, snuggled up next to her sleeping daughter. Dylan could only watch, mortified, as his son drunkenly kicked off his shoes off one by one, letting them flop to the floor.

"Dylan? What's going on?" Brenda asked rolling over and sitting up.

"Nothing. It's ok." Dylan said softly to her while trying to control his rage, "Samuel McKay, answer me. Don't you dare get into that bed."

"I'm sorry I just had one." Sam slurred, flopping onto the bed. "I gotta sleep now. Don't hate me. I'm sorry."

Dylan walked over and tried to wake his son, but he was out cold, sprawled out like a star fish at the foot of the bed. He let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to control his flaring temper. Sam abusing drugs and alcohol wasn't a new occurrence to him, but he didn't want Brenda to know that.

It had been ages since they had a real conversation and he didn't want their first conversation in decades to be all about his failures as a parent.

He was embarrassed to admit that his son was struggling with the same problems he had as a child. He was even more humiliated to acknowledge that he was struggling as a parent to help his son. Dylan sheepishly scratched at the back of his neck, not knowing what to say.

He was surprised to see Brenda smiling at him, switching her gaze between his eyes and his sleeping son. Her free hand poked out from under the pillow, patting the empty space of the mattress beside her silently asking him to join her.

Dylan felt his breath catch in disbelief, surprised she wanted his company. Many nights he had fantasied about this very idea, simply being with Brenda, and now it was happening. He glanced over at Sammy, who was now snoring softly in his sleep.

Dylan knew from prior experiences his son would be asleep for a couple of hours. He looked longingly at the empty space next to Brenda for a moment and slid in beside her.

'What was the harm?' he thought, glancing around the room and finally back at her. He was surprised at the sudden feeling of ease that overtook his body. Even though the wallpaper was different and the bed was new, lying here with her now felt just like it did in 1991.

"So." Brenda said after they both got comfortable, "Hi."

"Hi." He replied, smiling brightly. "What's it been stranger, twenty years since I last saw you?"

"Twenty-Two." She quipped, reaching out and running her finger over the scar in his eyebrow. "Last time I saw you face to face was London in '98."

Dylan pulled away and looked down quickly, letting the smile fall from his face. He remembered his last days with Brenda and felt the anger rising within him. He was horrible to her during the final days of their relationship ... and horrible was putting it gently.

Instead of leaning on Brenda during his time of need, he pushed her away and turned to drugs for comfort. It started off slow, just using here and there, and before he knew it he was spiraling back into his addiction. Once Brenda realized what he was up too, he was too far gone. They fought about it and she had given him an ultimatum, get clean or get out.

At the time, he had been too afraid to loose her, so he lied and said he was done. He lasted about two days before she found him shooting up in the bathroom and the next day he was gone.

Heartbroken and relapsing, he ran back to Beverly Hills and spent the rest of the late 90's in a drug induced haze. Sleeping with anyone who crossed his path and could get his mind off of Brenda and the pain he caused her.

"Hey." She whispered, pulling him out of his self-deprecating thoughts, "I know what your thinking, but that was a long time ago. You are different, I can tell. I knew it the moment I realized it was you standing in that hallway. I honestly can't believe I'm looking at you."

"Me too, because look at you." he praised, changing the subject quickly wanting to get the focus off him. Brenda blushed under the compliment. He reached out and grazed the hand she had resting between them. "You're glowing. Motherhood suits you, I always knew it would."

"Sometimes I can't believe it finally happened." She admitted. "After all those years struggling with my fertility and she's finally here. She's perfect. I'm so lucky."

"Enjoy it while it's like this." She looked at him curiously and he continued, "I mean enjoy this time with your baby when she still wants to be baby. One day they're holding your hand and asking you to kiss their boo-boos and the next thing you know they're breaking your heart and getting drunk in the middle of the day."

Dylan slipped his hand off of Brenda's and rolled onto his back, again embarrassed. He clasped his hands together and placed them behind his head, too ashamed to meet her eyes.

"Sammy's been giving you a hard time ?" He heard her ask.

"Sam is... well Sammy is adjusting." Dylan replied, trying to keep his answer vague.

He was unsure what Kelly had told anyone about Sammy's problems and he didn't want her to start a fight about it. He knew he would have to confront her later about the pills Sammy had taken and he didn't want to start an unnecessary fight.

Dylan sighed deeply, thinking about his son. Sammy was usually a pretty well behaved kid, but boy did he struggle. He could be happy one moment and then raging mad the next. It didn't help when Sammy would add alcohol into the mix. The only time Dylan could recall anyone acting out in the same manner was the late Jackie Taylor.

Over the years, Kelly had refused to accept that their son could be struggling from the same illness her mother had and it drove him crazy. They were constantly at odds on how to raise their son. His erratic behavior today just helped emphasized his point, something was seriously going on with Sam.

"Hey." Brenda called out to him, pulling him from his thoughts. He tore his eyes away from Sammy and locked eyes with her. "You don't have anything to explain to me. I just- well you know I'm always here for you."

"I know." he quickly responded rolling back to face her again, daring to scoot a little closer to her than before. "Trust me, I know and I don't know what I've done to deserve your compassion after everything. I've let too much time go by, not reaching out to you, but you have to know I am always here for you. And things with Sam are ... complicated and I want to tell you about it, but now isn't the time. I don't want you worrying about me when your focus should be on you. I know you're hurting right now."

Brenda broke eye contact with him and looked down. He was right. She was hurting, feeling absolutely wrecked inside. Her father's death took her entire family by complete surprise. She could feel her eyes getting misty and tried to control her emotions. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"I honestly can't believe he's gone. I know it's crazy, but I had this idea that my Dad would just be around forever, you know? Bossing us around and playing that stupid electric piano. When Mom called and told me that he had a heart attack and had died, I was just shocked. I still am in shock. I can't believe he's gone."

Dylan reached out and tucked some of the falling hair in her face behind her ear. He smiled softly when she nuzzled into his touch, "He's still with you. He always will be."

"I know, but deep down I feel like I cheated my Father. I wasted so much time." She wailed, now crying, "I waited too long to have kids and now he's gone! Prue doesn't get to have my dad in her life, just his memories and that's not enough! I know when you knew him he was over bearing and strong minded, but he really was the best Dad to us growing up and he's ... he's gone Dylan. He's gone and I don't know what I'm supposed to do with out him."

He gathered his courage and pulled her close, letting his head rest next to hers, "I just know Prue lit up his life from the day she was born to the minute his ended. Don't you dare try think otherwise, okay? And you're going to do what you always do, move forward with your head held high. It's gonna be hard, but I know you can do it. You can do anything."

Brenda nodded in agreement, but continued to cry. He kissed her forehead a few times, letting her breakdown and grieve. "I've missed you Dylan, so much. You are the only person who just gets me." She confessed.

"It's gonna be okay." he smoothed rubbing her back, "It's been so long since we've seen each other, but holding you know still gives me the same butterflies in my stomach just like I did the day you kissed me for the first time."

"Dylan... we shouldn't." Brenda said trying to pull away from him, but refused still holding her, "Please what about Kelly?"

"What about Kelly?" he challenged, whispering in her ear, "I still love you."

He heard Brenda gasp at his confession, so he continued quickly. "I know my timing is, awful, sorry, but it doesn't change the way I feel. I just want you to know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'm here for you, no questions asked. Like you've always been there for me so many, many times. I'm not foolish enough to think that you could possibly still love me and —"

Brenda leaned forward and ended his rambling by pressing her lips against his. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help herself. It had been so long since they had seen one another and she didn't know the next time she would get a chance to do this.

There was some irrational part of her brain that was forever sixteen and head over heels for Dylan McKay. All he had to say was I love you and stare at her with those intense caramel eyes and she was like putty in his hand. The past didn't matter, she would always fall at the feet of Dylan McKay.

She kissed him again, this time with a little more urgency. She slid her tongue into his mouth to deepen the kiss, even more if possible, but froze when she felt Prue stir behind her. The little girl had rolled over, flopping her arm into her back.

Pulling away from his lips, she rested against the pillow, trying to calm down. 'Jesus, Brenda, Get a grip.' She thought to herself.

Distracting herself from her racing hormones, she reached out and stroked his face, allowing her fingers to comb through his thick beard. She smiled as Dylan closed his eyes, relaxing under her touch.

She took the chance to memorize the changes to his appearance. The only major change was beard and a few worry lines on his forehead. "I've never seen you with a beard before." She commented, "I like it."

It tickled her lips when they kissed and now all her brain could focus on was feeling the sensation again. "This is crazy. I am acting crazy." she said to him, vocalizing her thoughts.

"You aren't crazy." Dylan replied simply, not opening his eyes.

"What I want sounds crazy."

"Yeah what's that?" He asked now gazing at her intensely.

"I want to kiss you again and I don't wanna stop. I just - I just want to lay here with you and our kids and pretend for a while that we are a real family. I wanna pretend like we didn't spend the last twenty two years apart from each other. I wanna forget all the bad things that happened between us and just be here with you. I know it sounds crazy, I know I'm acting crazy, this whole day has been crazy, but it's what I need. It's crazy right?" She finished ranting, looking over him at the end of her speech.

Dylan smiled, shaking his head. Same old theatrical Brenda, "No baby, its not crazy to me."

He watched confused as she removed herself from Prue's hold and adjusted the sleeping girl so she was safely nuzzled into the top corner of the bed. Realizing what she wanted, he scooted over making room for her on his side of the bed.

Brenda leaned into his arms and cocooned herself into his hold. They both let out a mutual sigh of relief as they got comfortable, drifting off into a comfortable sleep.

Ugh I love this story. What do you guys want to see in future chapters? Review!