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

Let's start with Iris

I haven't seen my mother or my friends since graduation, I've spent one weekend in Beverly Hills in eighteen months. When Bren accepted my proposal we both knew it was time to break our bubble. It was an amazing bubble, one that we both had thrived in career wise, academically and socially, we had friends who we regularly kept in contact with from all three cities we had lived in together. Though that wasn't the best part of the bubble, no that was how well we were together. I thought I loved her too much before back in high school, I don't know how to compare what I feel for her now compared to that.

She's in my marrow.

It's not a romantic analogy but it's true, she runs through the very core of my being. It's not one sided either, I know she feels the same. In her sleep she reaches for me, if she's having a bad dream in her sleep she picks up my hand and places it on her stomach, she's calm in a matter of seconds. When she is applauded on stage she focuses on my eyes in the crowd looking to make sure I like it. She makes me coddle when I get sniffly because I loved it when we had a weekend in Ireland, even though she hates the smell. There is so much about our life together that tells me how loved I am by her, it's an amazing feeling.

The morning after she said yes, I thought I'd have to raise it, but she did it for me. "I'm thinking when school breaks up we fly to Hawaii first, if we leave on the last flight out of Heathrow we should be able to get three days with your mum, have Christmas Eve morning with her before we fly to Beverly Hills for Christmas Eve dinner."

"Are we prepping any of them or just turning up together?"

"Well if you're mum is true about the tarot cards being right she should have been seeing this all along."

"When you say that to Iris I want to be there, her reaction is going to be hilarious."

I rang and told Mum that I'd be flying through for a visit before Christmas, she said she was tickled; as a writer I still have no idea what that means. Mum's waiting at the small airport in Maui, I know the moment she sees my fiancee because she practically radiates sunshine.

When I kiss her cheek hello, she declares her joy. "Finally, you are back on the right course on your true soul journey."

"Actually Mum, Bren and I have been together for eighteen months. I flew out to be with her in Minnesota at the end of that summer."

Her smile gets even bigger, "I'm thrilled. Honestly, Darling this is the best news."

When I lift Bren's bag off the carousel and wheel it to her I give her a teasing smile, "there you go chicken." She gives me a look of confusion, "and here I thought you were going to ask Iris about her Tarot predictions."

She shakes her head, "hey be nice jetlag is kicking my ass, and whatever mystery meat I ate on that plane has made me nauseous."

I instantly stop teasing her and instead draw her to my chest and rub her back soothingly, "can I please now change our flights to LA to business class? There is no mystery meat served there."

"It's a stupid waste of money."

"No what's a waste is you feeling unwell for your first few hours here."

That afternoon after she has vomited twice and slept for a couple of hours she allows me to upgrade our flights to LA; I upgrade all of them.

Over dinner that Bren picks at we tell Mum about the last couple of years, my writing success, Bren's achievements; living in Minnesota, Paris, London and now the small village of Gerrards Cross. When we get to telling her of the engagement she's thrilled. That night as I lay gently rubbing Bren's stomach as I spoon her we discuss my mother's reaction and the hope that even if her parents could be half as happy for us that would be amazing.

We spend our time in Hawaii relaxing at mum's place, me surfing and Bren getting her ass kicked by whatever bug she has picked up. By the time we say goodbye at the airport we both have gained some colour, and have extended an invitation to my Mum that she can visit sometime in the New Year.

When we land we get a hire car. When Bren got the scholarship it was finally time to realise that our path was not leading back to Beverly Hills anytime soon. The house was rented out and the Porsche was put on blocks; currently getting maintained by my mechanic to ensure the engine doesn't seize up. Bren's room was also taken over by Valerie an old Minnesota friend who had moved to Buffalo when they were about to start junior high. Her parents had told her that they'd put the old fold out for her when she rang to say she'd be back for Christmas but Bren vaguely refused; they didn't know about me and I can't imagine if they did they'd be agreeing on us staying there together.

When we pull up the Christmas decorations are all out though it's too early in the day for lights. There is also a driveway full of cars; it was clear that the gang was all here, and some of their parents.