Terrified

AU. After Sammy and Dylan are caught in a car crash, Kelly rushes to their side. Set up in 2018

Rest in peace the beautiful soul that was Luke Perry.

I own nothing

Brandon Walsh had last seen Kelly Taylor a few months before when he had flown to a press conference. His ex- fiancée looked just as beautiful as always but it was not a lie that work, marriage and kids kept little time to be traveling around to his old home so they didn't see a lot of each other.

And for the longest time, Beverly Hills was just too painful for Brandon to fathom. Washington was his home now and he figured it had all worked out in the end for everyone to end up with whoever they were meant to.

"Brandon…"

"Hi Kelly." She smiled at him sweetly, her face was tired and it seemed to show just how delicate the situation was, specially because it came to Dylan, but he still wondered why she hadn't called him but rather than to have Steve tell him about what had happened.

She hugged him happy to see him and relieved to be out of the hospital, even if it was just for a moment. "I came as soon as they called me, how's he doing?"

"Awake, so that's a bonus." Kelly said. "He had been unconscious for the last 3 days and a half."

"And Sammy? Is he okay?"

"He's fine, just a few bruises and a cast I'm sure he's going to want you to sign , Honestly? He's done much better than me, I'm a mess." Kelly laughed softly.

"Kel, you are one of the strongest people I know, okay?"

"Yes, well, this has been a little too much for me, if it weren't for Donna, Janet or my sister and the guys, I'd gone crazy already." She sighed, breathing into her hands. Sorry but... hey, "I'm glad you are here."

They walked inside as she led him to the elevator, just as her phone chimed again.

Erica McKay was at the airport. She had finally arrived after telling Kelly she would flight from her small Alaska town home as soon as she could, the weather had been quite the issue and she had not being able to fly since finding out about the accident.

From having no options to lean on, it seemed that possibilities were raining on Kelly at the same time.

She would call that a blessing.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, Erica just landed, I'm going to ask David to go and get her, how is Nikki, the kids?"

"They're good, I'm getting used to normal sleep again." Brandon said. "You know how it is, twins, plus Ben, plus the new baby, it's a recipe for disaster."

"Yes but I don't think we'd change it for anything at this point would we?"

"No, you are right." Brandon said just as they reached Dylan's door. "Wait Kelly, he did know I was coming, right?" She nodded. "And does he know about Brenda?"

"Yeah, she hasn't gotten back to Steve though…" Brandon nodded as if he knew something but wasn't letting it on.

"It doesn't have to be awkward, does it?"

"No, of course not, we've always been friends, haven't we?"

"Right…" Brandon smiled as he knocked softly on the door and opened it.

"Uncle Brandon?" Sammy lifted his head from his spot next to Dylan's bed. He was sleeping, the boy moved to the side and away from the bed as they stepped almost outside.

"Hey Sammy, man, you got tall, when did that happen?" Brandon said measuring him up jokingly with his hand.

"Summer I guess."

Brandon smiled. "How's he doing?"

Sam shrugged. "Okay, the medicine makes him tired though. Mom, the doctor just came in and said he needed to talk to you."

"Okay honey thank you, where's everyone?"

"The cafeteria…"

"Oh, okay, would you stay with him a little longer while I go find the doctor?"

"Yeah, sure, how long are you staying Uncle Brandon?"

"I'm… not sure yet, depends on what the doctor says…"

"So you are doing it?" Sam asked. Kelly looked at him the way she would stare at Dylan when he did something he wasn't meant to. "Mom told me."

"I'm just taking the test for now, and then we'll see, how's that sound?"

"Good I guess. but if you are a match, you'll do it, won't you?"

"Sammy…" Kelly warned but Brandon didn't want to make a fuss, he didn't want to wake up Dylan, but he understood where the boy was coming from, it was a matter of life and death.

"Sorry but Mom if he can help…"

"I get it bud, I do, and if I can help your Dad, I will okay?"

"I'm sorry about that…" Kelly said to Brandon as they took yet another elevator to try and find Dr. Bean.

"Don't worry Kelly, really, I know how that can be. Remember my Dad's heart attack a few years back? no one should be in a position like that, I get it." Kelly sighed, she had been there actually, way too many times to count.

They found Sandy on the floor just as Dr. Bean was coming out of a room. "Mrs. McKay…uh, Kelly, sorry." He said when she crossed her arms in annoyance which made Brandon smile a little.

"This is my friend Brandon Walsh, we'd like to see if he's a match to Dylan..." Kelly said. Dr. Bean shook hands with the other man.

"Of course, Sandy will take you down whenever you are ready." He said. "Thank you."

"Sam also said you needed to talk to me about something else?"

Kelly listened to the doctor the best she could as he explained Dylan's current status. He was still to make 3 hour walks to prevent from swelling of the joints or any other complication.

"And we must keep Dylan as active as possible until we are able to perform the transplant. I also wanted to ask you about your husband's past health issues…"

"Past health issues?"

"He told the nurse he had had drug problems in the past?" Dr. Bean said as neutrally as possible as if he'd seen it before.

"Yes, uh when he was in his 20's, but he's been clean for years…" A wave of fear filled Kelly as if the doctor would simply judge Dylan due to his past but she brushed it off, she knew he was just doing his job, and her husband was not a kid anymore, he was someone she and her children could count on.

"That explains why he rejected some of the drugs we gave him and the abnormalities we found in his liver…"

Sam had curled his good arm around Dylan to help him stand but it was quite funny to have them both balance each other out as Sandy held onto his other side. "If you are tired Dylan, we can take a break."

"Nope, I'm good thanks." He said to the nurse with his most charming tone. "Where's your Mom?"

"She and uncle Brandon went to find Dr. Bean…"

"Brandon's here?"

"Yeah and so is aunt Erica, she just texted me about how much she hates traffic and LA. "

"That sounds like my sister alright." Dylan mused. "Dogs and slades sound quite nice, compared to one of the most crowded cities in the world huh?" They took another step as Dylan winced in pain "But your Mom hates the cold…" His dad mused.

"Okay, I think we're done here."

"Alright, let's get back on the bed." Sandy said sweetly, really seeing for the first time a real interaction between father and son as Sammy helped Dylan back into bed gently.

"Brando, so good to see your pretty face, where's Nikki?"

"She's flying in later with the kids." Brandon said. "I thought we could stay and visit Casa Walsh for a little while, Mom sure misses the kids and I know Nikki would love to have a full night's sleep for once "

"Oh yeah, how's the baby?" Donna asked.

"Getting big actually, I can't believe he's going to be six months next week." Brandon said taking out his phone and showing off the most recent picture of baby Jamie. Kelly felt a rush of excitement as she glanced down and touched her still flat tummy.

"Man, he's cute, looks just like Nikki though."

"Oh, wait are we getting into that? My kids are not that little anymore but…They are just as adorable" Janet took out her own phone, a picture of Maddie, Stevie and Caroline popped up on her phone.

Kelly smiled at her friends, it was so good to have almost the whole gang back together, smiling, laughing and getting into the discussion of just how cute or difficult their kids were. Kelly grabbed her own phone and a picture of Dylan and the kids appeared on her screen, it was one taken at Dylan's birthday the previous year at the Peach Pit, Dylan had his arms around both Hannah and Evan as Sammy stood behind him.

"So, have you heard from Andrea?" Brandon asked, pulling Kelly from her thoughts.

"Yeah, she said she might be able to fly soon to visit, told me she could use the sunlight."

"You know? I always thought you and Bren would compete on names for your kids, not you and Andrea." Brandon said trying to get her mind off everything for a moment.

Kelly sighed at the seemingly never ending discussion of her child's name. "We agreed to call her Gracie in the beginning but Dylan was the one who liked calling her Han and it stuck, remember?

"Oh, I remember." Brandon mused. "And Hannah goes by Rose now anyway so I guess it all worked out for the both of you."

"I guess, everything has worked out for everyone so far, hasn't it?"

"I guess it has." Brandon said as Kelly placed his hand on hers.

"So, have you seen Dylan yet?" Donna asked Brandon as she stood with them again.

"No, he was sleeping before we went to see Dr. Bean, but I'm on my way to take the test, I just wanted to see all of your pretty faces." Her friend said.

"As it should be, we should go anyway." Janet said to the group. "Maddie's got a date so there goes our babysitter. "

"Oh, new boyfriend, how's that going?"

"Why don't you ask Steve?" She mused to her husband and Donna turned to him. "Him and that boy seem to be best friends now, as weird as that might seem."

"Oh come on, he's a good kid, I wouldn't allow him to marry my daughter but he's a decent young man, better than I was at his age, that's for sure."

"God, I can't even imagine how David is going to be when the girls start dating…"

"Can you imagine Dylan?" Kelly could, and their child's terrified boyfriend but a sudden feeling of fear filled her and she went serious again.

If the transplant didn't work, then he wouldn't be there for any of it.

"Kel?" Donna touched her shoulder, pulling her out from her thoughts. "Are you okay honey?"

"I'm fine." She glanced at her phone as it buzzed again. "David and Erica are here."

In the years since she had reconnected with what was left of Dylan's family, the one unexpected surprise had been Erica who had reformed herself, having left her mother and mostly everyone of her past behind, had fallen in love with nature and was now a photographer based in Alaska but no matter how far she was, Dylan had seemed to always have her in his mind and would keep tabs on her.

"Kelly!" David called as she came down the stairs that led to the lobby. She had just left Brandon with Sandy.

The younger woman smiled as she just hugged Kelly and they exchanged words of hello. "And he's out of danger now?" She asked as they began walking.

"Yes, but he needs that transplant."

"Well, I'm his sister, there's no one better to be a match than me, right?" David glanced at Kelly."What?"

"We'll have to see." Kelly said as she led them back upstairs, in the short almost week that she'd been there, she was already learning her way around the hospital."Apparently it's trickier then it seems."

"Where are your kids? I'm dying to see them."

"Sammy's the only one here, where are you staying?"

"Here if I can, or are you spending the night?" Erica asked as they kept walking.

"No, actually, she's not." David said. "I'll be staying, I think it would be good for everyone to sleep in their own beds for a change."

"Right, David's staying, So you're more than welcome at the house with us, the kids will be so happy to see you."

"And I them." Erica mused, then turned serious "It's been too long Kelly and I'm sorry, but.."

"Life has gotten in the way? Yeah I get it." Kelly said wrapping an arm around her. "But you are here now."

"Are you okay Dad? Do you need anything?" Sammy said as Dylan tried to get somehow comfortable in bed for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"I'm good buddy, don't worry but I'll tell you what? If I ever complain of the Ranch's mattress, remind me of this moment?" Sammy laughed.

"I will." He said.

"How's the arm?" Dylan asked. Sam stared at his cast, signed by almost everyone he was close to in his life.

"It's fine." He said, changing his tone. "Hey Dad, I... I wanted to say I'm sorry for that day, the day of the accident. I shouldn't have given you a hard time on the whole babysitting thing..."

"No, you were right Sammy." Dylan said after a moment. "You said you wanted to prove yourself responsible and we just haven't given you the chance..."

"I just, I feel like I can do it, you know? Watch Hannah and Evan on my own. I want to be able to help you guys."

"And I get that son, I do trust me and I'm grateful but you know what? I think I'm just scared of letting you take on it because to me you are still that little kid who used to fall asleep in my arms and I don't think that feeling is going away anytime soon, but I'm learning the ropes of parenting a teenager still, so if you are up to it, Mom and I will try too."

"Okay, yeah I think I can do that." Sam said with a smile sitting back down on the chair and grabbing his phone. "Thanks Dad."

"No problem, and Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, don't you ever forget that, alright?"

Sammy smiled. "I love you too Dad."

They made it back to Dylan's room, Sammy was still there sitting on the chair beside the bed on his phone as Dylan was reading.

"Well, if it isn't the Mckay boys?" Erica mused. They both looked up at the same time.

"Hey you, I was wondering if you were actually going to show before I was on my deathbed.." Sammy and Kelly almost rolled their eyes at the same time.

"Dylan, please don't joke." His wife said, shooting him a look.

"Come on Kelly, this one is hard to beat right, he's too much of a tough guy for that to happen." Erica joked as she hugged him and Sammy.

"Even in old age." Dylan added. "How are you, how's Bobby?"

"He's good, busy with work, sorry he couldn't make it."

"Well, we'll be seeing him at the wedding soon, right?" Kelly said as she sat beside Dylan on the bed.

"Yeah, about that…"

"Oh, please don't tell me you two decided to put it off, again.." Kelly said.

"No but, as much as I love Alaska. I thought we could move it over here, I mean, this is were my family is and it's warmer."

Kelly and Dylan smiled looking at each other. "I'm sure Donna and I can help you out, we've managed to do it before."

"Good, thanks. So Sammy, where are the curls man?" He blushed slightly. "Oh, right, I forget you are in High School now…" Sam blushed at her words and just as on cue his phone buzzed.

"Ummm. Anyone want anything from the cafeteria?"

"No, honey thank you, but would you do me a favor and check on your brother and sister with Silver?"

Sammy nodded as he said his goodbyes to Erica and both his parents and closed the door behind him. "So, does he have a girlfriend or…"

"Not that we know of…"Kelly said with a sigh.

"Yet." Dylan added in as they all laughed.

There was a knock on the door as Brandon peeked his face inside, "Hey brother." He smiled at Dylan. "So, I'm guessing you are doing this so I visit more often?"

"You know it Walsh…"

Kelly rolled her eyes at both of them. Brandon smiled. "It's good to see you Dylan."

"You too man, you look good, better than me for that matter."

"I've always looked better than you, even if the girls liked to differ." He joked.

"So, uh, should we leave you kiddos to bond for a little?" Erica said. "Come on Kel you can buy me some coffee."

Brandon settled beside Dylan on the chair next to the bed. "So, what are you reading?" He asked, as Dylan stared at his iPad.

"Some revision I have to send in…" Dylan said almost annoyed. "Since when is writing such a business huh? I love it but it's like I don't get it anymore man."

"Yeah well, that's the new millennium for you, tough crowd, don't even get me started on ny job."

"Oh, yeah, you still jumping all around chasing stories?"

"Well, no, not so much anymore, truth is, Nikki has her own business now back at home and she's doing that and taking care of the kids, I just felt like she did it all and I did nothing you know?" Dylan nodded. "So, I try to chase the dream locally now, I don't really want to miss out on my kids growing up."

"I hear you man, Sammy is in high school and I keep trying to make sense of the moment that happened all I can tell you is that he turned into into such an amazing young man and I almost missed it." Brandon could listen to a lot of emotion in his friend's voice. "And to think I was afraid I was going to turn into my father and not be good enough for my kids." Dylan said. "I've been thinking about all those years I was afraid to have a normal life, I feel like that was an alternative universe or something now."

"I guess a brush with death can do that to you huh?"

"Yeah, it sure can, man."

The hospital was backlogged and they wouldn't get Brandon or Erica's results until the next day so Kelly decided she needed to make it home. Honestly, she missed it and her kids too much. She picked up her sleeping children from Donna's and with Erica in tow drove them all to the house which stood near the beach, she remembered going down there at night when the kids were younger and couldn't sleep to walk them and how they would fall sleep instantly.

She and Erica settled Hannah and Evan down as she greeted her dogs, Sam then offered to take them out for a walk and invited his aunt to come along.

"So, what's the deal with that Bella girl?" Erica asked as they walked away from the house and into the sidewalk. "Are you two dating?"

"No, she's my friend." Sam said with annoyance.

"But it might turn into something more?"

"No, I don't think I'd want to risk caring for her like that and then have it not work out." He admitted.

"Well, it did for your Mom and Dad." Erica said to him for which Sammy laughed.

"We can't all be Dylan and Kelly, aunt Erica…" The young woman sighed at the irony and the truth of his words.

"Fine, but you give it time and if you really like her, I think you should go for it."

"You sound like Silver." Sammy mused.

"Well, she's a smart lady, you should listen to her." Erica agreed. They walked in silence for a bit. "So, how are you, really? Other than the arm or the girl, I mean?" His aunt asked, Sam shrugged.

"Fine, I'll be better once I know Dad's going to be okay and he's out of the hospital." He admitted to her. Erica smiled as she wrapped an arm around him.

"He will be buddy…" Erica said to him sweetly. "You'll see."

"Yeah but if he hadn't woken up, I don't know what I would have done, if what i said to him happened to be the last I said to my own Dad..." Erica stared at him as he continued. "We were arguing about something stupid when it happened and then when he didn't wake up, I don't know, I guess I pictured the worst.."

"But he's right there for you two to talk about it, even if it was stupid, it came up for a reason.."

"Yeah we did and he said he'd talk to Mom about it."

"But?" Erica asked as Sammy kept walking, looking at the dogs ahead of him.

"It's just, sometimes, they, treat me like a little kid and I'm not, I mean I'm a freshman, I don't want to be Sammy for the rest of my life."

Erica sighed. "You want my two cents?" Sam nodded. "I remember when I found out I had a big brother for the first time and then meeting your Dad, he was already such a grown up Sammy, he didn't have a father or someone to care for him, not that I did either but he was already making something of his life and he was barely 18, my guess is that your parents want to let you have the little bit of childhood you have left and have you enjoy it, because, take it from another Mckay kid who had to grow up too fast? It doesn't come back."

When they returned to the house, Kelly was still in the kitchen. "I think I'm gonna go and get some sleep you guys, I'll see you in the morning?" Erica said as she smiled at both of them and climbed up the stairs.

"So, Dad told me you two had a little talk?"

"Yeah, are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad of you wanting to help out? In fact I'm proud of you, I'm sorry I keep seeing you like this little boy, Sammy, but I'm gonna try and do better okay?"

"I'll try and do better too." Sammy said as Kelly hugged him.

"Deal, you are a good one Sammy McKay, I hope you know that."

The next morning Kelly found herself making breakfast for the kids as it was just another day. "Hey, you are up early." She told Erica as she walked in and sat by the kitchen island.

"Oh, yeah, I'm not much of a sleeper." She said. "Any word?"

"No, not yet. I'm guessing we'll know when we get to the hospital." Kelly said to her as she handing her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks." Erica said as Kelly got some tea for herself, they drank in silence for a moment listening to the kids rustling upstairs. "Tea, huh?"

Kelly didn't respond. "Dylan told me about the baby."

"Well it's still a bit early, I haven't even told the kids about it."

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed, but congrats." She smiled.

"Thanks, it's something that actually keeps me going through all of this with some kind of sanity."

"Morning…" Sammy said as he came into the kitchen before Kelly could add something else.

"Good morning sweetie..."

"Hey so you'll text me as soon as you know anything?"

"Yeah and aunt Donna will be driving you guys to the hospital later okay?"

They drove the kids to school then and headed back to the hospital.

"So, she's not a match…" Kelly said to Dr. Bean as they all stood in Dylan's room.

"No, but Mr. Walsh is."

"Of course he is." Kelly laughed bitterly.

"Kel…" Dylan said, pulling her back gently on her spot on the bed. "Relax, alright? It's not good for you or the baby.."

"How can that be? I'm his sister." Erica added in staring at Dylan before Kelly could reply.

"You are his half sister, correct? That can be a factor for compatibility…" Dr. Bean explained. "But the good news is that we found you a match and if Mr. Walsh is up to it, we can have the transplant performed today."

Today

"I'd like to talk to Brandon as soon as he arrives. Again, this is good news." The doctor added pulling Kelly back to reality as his words kept echoing in her mind.

"Of course it is." Kelly said, looking back at Dylan. "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm trying to process this could actually happen as soon as today. Thank you Dr. Bean."

"That's what I'm here for." He said, shaking hands with Dylan as he got paged away with another patient. Erica then got a call from Bobby, leaving Kelly and Dylan alone in the room. "Do you think we deserve it?" Kelly asked.

"What?"

"That Brandon is the one who is a match out of all of us."

"Kel, you heard the doctor, that's good news, I mean we hoped someone would be and we called everyone we knew."

"Yes and believe me, I'm happy this will be over soon but, it still feels weird…"

"Come on, you said it yourself we are friends first…"

"Yeah, but It's Brandon, Dylan…"

"So?" Dylan said, his voice a bit hurt, Kelly turned around on the bed to look at him as he took his hands in hers."It was a long time ago Kel and if what happened should teach us anything, it's that we need to look forward to stuff, not back.." He glanced down at her tummy. "Right?"

"Right, but It's just, it's a little bit too much to ask and then there's all that history."

"It's a big decision to make for anyone and Brandon being a match, it just means that life has a wicked sense of humor, that's all." He touched her cheek slightly. "And for once, that is a good thing…"

"Fine, I'm sorry, I guess I'm just nervous."

"Me too." Dylan admitted after a moment as he felt Kelly's body against his on the bed, "But you know what? If I had to choose someone to save my life, my money would be on Brandon Walsh."

Okay guys, here's the next one! Brandon is a match but will it be as easy as it seems? Stay tuned, we'll see a little of Silver and Dylan bonding soon too.

Don't forget to review :)