Please read and review. I appreicate those who have already reviewed, and thank all the readers for their continued support. I wish to know that this story is worth continuing. If I do continue it, please know that updating will be difficult for the next two weeks at minimum -- not impossible, but not probable. This week will be hectic, and the week after that, I am going on vacation to New York City.
I do not own Beverly Hills: 90210, know the actors personally and I am most certainly not making any money off of writing this story. I am simply doing this for the relaxation and enjoyment that I get out of it. Please don't sue -- I have nothing of value.
Steve pulled his car into the driveway behind Janet's and saw his daughter running happily through the yard as her mother tried her best to grab everything in one shot. If there was one thing that they could say they accomplished, it was keeping Maddy comfortable and completely unaware of the stressful situation that they had been in.
"Hey honey," he smiled, grabbing a couple of the remaining bags from the trunk. He leaned over quickly and placed a quick kiss on his wifes lips.
"Hey," she responded.
"Hi Munchkin!" Steve greeted his daughter, making her giggle.
"Daddy!" she greeted, running to her father and hugging his leg before running towards the front door where her mother was trying to open the door without dropping anything.
Janet opened the front door skillfully as she carried six full bags of groceries. Maddy ran past her, nearly knocking her over. "Go upstairs and do you reading!"
"But Mom -"
"Go," Janet said sternly. It had been a long day and she was not in a great mood.
"Do as your mother says," Steve chimed in. He and Janet needed to talk. In private.
"Fine," she pouted, then stomped up the stairs to do as she was told.
"How'd the meeting with the realtor go?" he asked, grabbing a couple more of the grocery bags from Janet's arms, which she gratefully gave up.
They stood in the foyer, just staring at one another.
"Just as we expected," she finally sighed. The meeting wasn't one of her favorite things that she'd ever done since she'd grown used to the home. "He's coming over tonight to have you sign the contract and finalise the details. What about with the investors?"
"Horrible. I would've been home earlier, but the meeting ran late."
She glanced around the home, and took in all that she could see from where she stood. "I don't want to do this, Steve," she said, almost breaking down in tears.
"I know," he nodded solemnly. "I don't want to either." He took a deep breath, and then crinkled his nose. "Is that coffee?"
Janet inhale and smelt the aroma.
"Welcome home, Sanders family," Brandon grinned as he entered the foyer. "Oh, and the coffee you smell, I helped myself. Freshly brewed if you're interested."
"What're you doing here?" Steve asked, a smile forming on his own face.
"I was going to surprise you when you came into the kitchen, but I couldn't wait." He took the bags out of Janet's arms.
She smiled, leaning to hug him. "It's good to see you," she said quietly. "How'd you get in? How'd you get here?"
"I used my key," he flashed his white teeth at her as he smiled. "And I took a cab from the airport."
"Why didn't you say anything this morning?" Steve asked as they made they're way into the kitchen. "We could've picked you up."
"I didn't know I was coming this morning," he admitted. "I got to work this morning and I couldn't stop thinking about The Beat, so here I am."
"So, that means you have an idea?"
"Yeah," he nodded taking a seat at the kitchen table. The same seat that he sat at nearly every morning while he lived in the house. "But, it is going to take time and committment."
"We're willing to do whatever we have to," Janet nodded.
"So, lay it on us -- what's your idea?"
"Close the paper - "
"Brandon, are you crazy!" Steve nearly choked.
"Calm down," Brandon said. "You didn't let me finish. We have to close it down and reformat the entire layout. We sit the current staff down and tell that The Beat is going back to its former glory and they are going to have to conform to the new standards, or we find someone to replace them. I think a couple of internships for high school students and maybe even college students would be helpful. Give them a taste for what the business is truly like."
"And find new investors," Steve sighed.
"What!" Janet nearly yelled. "The meeting was that bad?"
"Almost every single one is backing out. Those that haven't yet made it perfectly clear that we're on thin ice."
"Wow," Brandon sighed, jotting down 'new investors' on the 'to do' list for rebuilding The Beat. "What about advertisers?"
"Better put that on the list too," Janet said, standing up and unpacking the groceries.
"Have they pulled out?" Brandon asked.
"No, but they don't look good in a respectable publication."
"She's right," Steve agreed. He placed his head in his hands. "How long would we have to close it for?"
"We could do it quick, but then it might not be worth it," Brandon pondered. "I think if we shut down for a month, maybe six weeks, that would be sufficient. Ideally, we could have a Christmas re-launch."
"We're still going to have to sell the house," Janet sighed, throwing a head of lettuce in the vegetable crisper in the fridge.
"I'm sorry," Steve said as he stood up and approached his wife. "I know it's going to be hard to say good bye, but we'll find a place that we love. And we will make it our own."
"Even when we talked about having to sell the house, I didn't think about not actually being able to walk through the front door," she sniffed.
"What if I said I can help you out with that?" Brandon asked.
"We can't borrow money from you," Steve said answered.
"I quit my job today," he forged on. "I want to come back home, run The Beat with you two."
"Are you sure?" Janet asked, shocked.
"It's the right time to make some changes in my life," he nodded. "I've given my notice, which starts when I go back the day after tomorrow. But I've wanted to come home for a while now, and this just gives me a reason."
"How does that help us with the house?" Steve asked, elated that Brandon was coming back, but not quite following his friends thought process.
"I want to buy it back from you. I'll have the money transfered to your account and you can stay here for as long as you need until you find a new home. All you'd have to do is sign the house back over to me and we wouldn't even have to get realtors involved."
"You've really thought this through, haven't you?" Janet asked quietly.
"Yeah," he smiled. "I'll still have my old house, and you two can come over and visit any time you want."
"This is really what you want?"
"More than anything," Brandon answered, standing up. "So, do we have a deal?" He extended his hand to Steve . . .
"Let's just go," Chris barked as they walked towards the entrance to the Peach Pit.
"I want a Mega Burger," Kelly pleaded. "I haven't had one in a month. Besides that, we've been so busy, and I miss seeing Nat."
"I don't want too," he stopped in his tracks. "Everyone in there thinks that they know me, but they don't. They look at me like I'm some kind of criminal."
Kelly placed her hand on his arm, and looked deep into his eyes. "No, they don't. They're my friends, which mean they're you're friends."
"You're as blind as you are stupid," he spat angrily.
She winced at his words. She knew that her friends didn't like him and wanted to avoid him at all costs. They all had their own suspicions of her relationship with Chris and what it was really like behind closed doors when no one was around.
"Can we just go in and order take out? We'll wait for our order, talk to Nat for a few minutes, sit with Steve and Janet and be gone before you know it." She watched as he thought it over . . .
He'd put on a convincing act when they first started going out, and then slowly, he had started to isolate her. They're relationship changed, and everyone had become suspicious, but she didn't think they really knew what was going on. If they did, they'd never leave her alone with him . . . and part of her wished that they wouldn't. But the other half just didn't know what he'd be capable of if they figured out the truth.
"Fine," he sighed dramatically, obviously not happy, but knowing that Maddy had already seen them through the window of the Peach Pit. If they left now, Steve and Janet would ask too many questions. "But when I say we leave, we leave."
"Thank you," she smiled at him, and kissed his cheek in appreciation.
She hated feeling like she needed his permission to visit her friends or her favorite burger joint since she was a kid, but anything was better than dealing with the aftermath of not doing as he said. She had to take things one step at a time.
She turned on her heel and walked ahead of Chris into the diner.
"Auntie Kelly!" Maddy greeted happily as she jumped down out of the booth and into Kelly's arms.
She winced as the young girl collided with her lower body. She lowered herself down into a crouching position and hugged her. "You've gotten so tall!" she marveled.
"You haven't seen me in a while," Maddy pouted.
"I know, and I'm sorry," Kelly apologised. "I've been very busy lately."
"Hey kiddo," Chris said flatly, but trying to be apart of the group.
Kelly saw the fear that immediately shone in Maddy's eyes at the sound of Chris' voice addressing her. He'd never been alone with Maddy -- she'd made sure of that. "Hi," the little girl said quietly before running back to the booth beside her father. There was no way Chris had ever had the chance to hurt that precious little girl. Kids were perceptive though, and Maddy wasn't an exception. She was a bright little girl and was able to read Chris from the first time that she met him -- immediately put off by him, seeking the comfort of her parents safety.
"Hey, Kel," Steve smiled warmly at his one time girlfriend, but now life long friend. His gaze shifted to Chris and his warm smile faulter. "Chris," he nodded.
Chris nodded back as both Kelly and Janet greeted each other with warm smiles and an embrace.
"Haven't seen you here in a while," a framilar voice greeted her from behind.
"I'm sorry, Nat," she apologized as she turned around to look at him. But when she did, she was no only greeted with Nat's warm smile, but Brandon's.
She felt lightheaded -- like the wind had been knocked out of her. Her legs turned to jello, and she could've fallen over from shock. She hadn't seen him in years -- since before he had officially moved to DC. "Brandon?" she asked quietly, barely above a whisper. Was she seeing things?
His quiet and warm laughter filled her heart with love, and tears sprang to her eyes.
"Hey, Kelly," he greeted before stepping forward past Nat and wrapping her up in his arms in a soft, but firm embrace. He heard her gently wimper, so he released his grip some. He hadn't thought it was too tight of an embrace, but he hadn't realised that he was actually pressing into her fresh bruises. "I've missed you," he whispered only loud enough for her to hear. He inhaled the scent of her shampoo. It was crisp and clean with just a hint of floral.
"I've missed you too," she smiled, forcing back her own tears. It felt so good to be back in his arms. Like it was where she was meant to be. But the sound of Chris clearing his throat made her come crashing back to reality. She pried herself as quickly as she could from Brandon's arms, immediately feeling a chill as their bodies separated. She stepped back away from Brandon, and stood beside Chris.
Brandon noted that Chris possessively placed his arm around Kelly's shoulders, almost as if to say 'she's mine.' "Brandon Walsh," he introduced himself, extending his hand to Chris. He looked into the mans eyes and noticed a cold, dark soul staring back at him. "Nice to meet you."
"Like wise," he nodded, sizing Brandon up. "I'm Chris."
"Chris is my boyfriend," Kelly finally spoke up. One hand reached up to grab his hand that was dangling over her shoulder, while her other hand wound it's way around his waist. She placed her head on his shoulder, trying to appease the beast within Chris that she knew was becoming angrier by the moment. She looked up at Chris, "I've known Brandon since High School." She smiled at Brandon, a peace settling over her as she looked into his warm eyes.
"Did you two date?" he raised an eyebrow at her, already mad at the thought. He already knew that Steve was her ex, and he'd had to come to terms with that, but to have to deal with a second guy who used to be a boyfriend was something he just couldn't do.
Brandon noted the sudden change in her eyes when Chris has asked his question.
"We're friends," Brandon repeated, nodding his head.
Kelly silently thanked him with a subtle nod of her head. "We're just here for some take out," she changed the subject.
"Two Mega Burgers with everything?" Nat smiled.
"Yeah, thanks," Chris answered.
"Chocolate shake?" he continued.
"No thanks," Chris answered, starting to loose his patience.
"I'd love one, Nat," Kelly smiled back.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Whatever."
Kelly was proud of herself for a small feat. Chris had been on this power kick about eating healthy and staying fit, another of the reasons why they hadn't been to the Pit in a while. But she'd been sneaking fast food, deserts, sodas and slurpees behind his back. She was a grown woman and didn't need to be told what she could and could not eat. Something in her had shifted when she saw Brandon -- like she was starting to find herself again.
"So, what were you doing in the back?" Kelly asked as she and Chris grabbed a couple of chairs and pulled it up to the booth where Brandon, Steve, Janet and Maddy were sitting.
"Surprising Nat and Willie," Brandon answered, fondly remembering the cook. Nat was still happily running the Pit and Willie was his right hand man in the back. "As much as some things change, there are some things that will always stay the same."
Kelly nodded her head. She really wanted to ask him all sorts of questions, but she couldn't find the words. All she could do was watch him, a small smile playing on her lips.
"It really is great to have you back, man," Steve laughed, patting him on the back.
"You're back? As in for good?" Kelly asked, her heart rate increasing. "How? When? Why?" she rattled off.
"I quit my job today and took a couple of days to come out here. When I go back, then I'll start my last two weeks at the paper. Steve and Janet are selling the house back to me."
"What're you going to do?"
"I'm going back to work at The Beat," he answered. "We're going to reformat it and bring it back to it's former glory."
"If anyone can, it's the three of you," Kelly smiled warmly.
"We'll want you to handle the PR for it too," Janet announced.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Kelly agreed.
"Here ya go," Nat said, approaching the table. "Two Mega Burgers with everything, large friends, and a shake for the lady," he winked at Kelly.
Kelly smiled at him. "Thanks, Nat. What do we owe you?"
"You're money is no good here," he protested.
"That's not what you said to me!" Steve acted offended.
"Yeah, we'll you're not a beautiful blond, are you?"
Brandon laughed. It felt good to be home. Some things had definitely stayed the same. He then looked over at Kelly and Chris and knew that some things had changed too.
"But since you're with my boy here," Nat slapped Brandon on the back, "I'll let you all slide tonight." Nat laughed his signature cackle and walked away from the table. It almost felt like it had ten years ago.
"You sure you can't stay?" Janet asked Kelly.
She opened her mouth to answer, but Chris cut her off. "It's been a long day. Maybe next time." He stood up to leave, but Kelly didn't follow suit immediately.
She shook her head and realised that he was waiting for her. She gave Maddy a quick hug and kissed the little girls head, then hugged Janet good bye. She smiled at Steve and then turned to Brandon. There was a magnetic pull to him and she wanted to follow it. But she didn't.
"Goodnight Brandon," she smiled at him, a slight shiver running down her spine.
"Goodnight Kel," he echoed back.
Chris grabbed Kelly's hand roughly, and pulled her along with him. "Bye!" he called out behind himself towards the people they left at the table.
"What's with that?" Brandon asked as soon as the door shut.
Janet shrugged her shoulders. "We don't know. We don't see Kelly much anymore."
"I think you got home just in time, Bran," Steve quietly admitted.
Brandon nodded, and silently looked out the window over Steve's shoulder as they walked towards the car. He couldn't see Kelly's face, but he noticed that her body was stiff and rigid, while Chris looked absolutely pissed . . .