AU: Very excited to start season 4 section of the story. Hope you like it :)
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home, before you
And I know it's easy to say, but it's harder to feel this way
And I miss you more than I should,
than I thought I could
Can't take my eyes off you
The fear you won't fall - Joshua Radin
Dylan arrived at The beach house Brandon and Steve were staying in for the summer. It was obviously a mess from the party they had earlier.
Dylan was introduced to the girls and after a fair amount of cleaning up, the gang sat down for a late breakfast
"So how was your summer?" Brandon asked
"Well... It started off perfect..." Dylan began
Kelly met Donna and Brenda at the beach. They sat just outside Kelly's cabana and sipped on mimosas as they began celebrating a girls' day.
"So!" Donna exclaimed, "Isn't Dylan back?"
"Yeah, where is Dylan?" Brenda asked
"I have no idea.." Kelly shrugged, followed by the girls' confused expressions "We kinda broke up."
"What?" The girls both gasped, "What happened?"
-Flashback -One year anniversary
"Oh my god, Dylan this is beautiful!" Kelly gasped as Dylan led her to a secluded roof, overlooking the Paris city lights.
"You like it?" Dylan smiled, rubbing her back, "The owner of the restaurant downstairs is a good friend of Jack and he offered to do me a favor."
Dylan motioned to the single round table that was surrounded by candles and flowers.
Once they had sat, and their appetizers arrived Dylan decided to propose a toast.
"It's been a rocky year." He said raising his glass of water, however he had a bottle of the restaurants finest champagne brought for Kelly
"But the parts with you were the best parts of my life." He gazed at her
"It's been pretty great overall." She gazed back into his eyes
"Affairs, births, deaths... we've been through a lot." He nodded "I know it's been hard, but when I look at you, I'm happy to be alive."
"I agree." She smiled, "I feel like I was lost... until you found me."
"Well, cheers to getting lost together." He cheered their drinks together and leaned over to kiss her.
"And in Paris!" She squealed excitedly
"We've come full circle." He grinned,
"We'll definitely always have Paris." She exclaimed
"And shooting stars, and playgrounds, and paradise cove." He smiled, as he felt her leg brush against his inner thigh, "And the heat of passion!" He smirked and she winked back at him, "Let's at least try and stay for dinner." He joked
After dinner. Dylan and Kelly made love on the roof. A passionate embrace in public, once the wait staff had left. Once they were done, Dylan let Kelly know that there was one more surprise for their anniversary. As they walked through the most romantic promenade of the city to the bridge.
"Oh!" Kelly gasped, "I heard about this, people write their names on lockets and throw the key in the river."
"Yeah... it's pretty romantic." Dylan nodded
"It looks so beautiful. Look at all these" She bent down to observe all the lockets, "They're bonded now... for life."
"Kinda like soulmates.." He announced, causing her to stand up to look at him, where she saw Dylan pull out a locket from his pocket.
"Seriously?" She asked,
"Well, we're young and in love. How many chances does a man get in his life to be on this bridge with his soulmate." He eyed her closely and she let out a grin.
He then pulled out a marker and wrote his name on the locker. 'Dylan &'
He handed it to her, "You're it." he uttered. She took the locker and the marker and wrote, 'Kelly"
"You know what to do." He smirked, She then locked the locket on the bridge with the others and handed him the key back.
He threw the key into the river and pulled her close.
"I love you, Dylan McKay."
"I love you too, Kelly Taylor." He wiped the loose strands of her hair from her face and kissed her forehead, before they wrapped their arms around each other and locked lips passionately
-End of Flashback
"That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard!" Donna looked like she was going to cry, she was a sucker for romance.
"It was the most romantic week ever... but the second week..." Kelly began
"I found out I didn't get into Berkeley." Dylan told Brandon and Steve
"Damn... I'm sorry man." Brandon said apologetically
"It's fine... but I wasn't at the time."
"He was moping around for days. I did everything I could to get him out of that hotel but he was just miserable." Kelly sighed
-Flashback -Broody
"Dylan come on!" Kelly pleaded as they sat in the hotel cafe/bar. "It's so dark in here. Let's go out and have some fun, it'll do you a world of good."
"Kel, would you drop it." Dylan sighed, "I'm good here. I'm reading."
"You know I'm getting a little tired of your attitude. I've tried everything to get you out of it. I'm tired of your self-pity."
"I'm sorry my misery's boring you, Kel."
"You know what, I don't need to sit here and have every idea I come up with be shut down."
"Then don't!" He hissed
"Fine, I won't."
"Fine, go!" Dylan snapped as she got up and stormed out.
"I felt pretty bad. Kelly was trying to cheer me up and I was having none of it. So I waited for her to come back from shopping. I apologized, told her to get dolled up and took her down to the bar for a drink..." Dylan sighed
"So then what happened?" Steve asked
"Kelly went to get a second round of drinks for us... and she was taking her sweet time."
"He was in a pretty foul mood, so naturally his crazy jealousy kicked in!" Kelly sighed
-Flashback -The Bartender
"Can we have the same again." Kelly asked the bartender
"Sure... you American?" Gaston asked
"Yeah..." She smiled
"I didn't know America had such beautiful women." He grinned and she chuckled
"Thank you." She replied
"That your man over there?" He asked, nodding towards Dylan's direction
"Yes." She smiled again
"I don't know about America, but in Paris, if we have a beautiful woman, we don't take her to dark, dangerous bars." He smirked
"Where do you take them?" Kelly mocked
"On a tour through this romantic city... if you're up for it?" He flicked a loose strand of her hair.
"Well." Dylan cleared his throat, surprising both of them as he stood before them. "I don't know about France..." Dylan warned, leaning in, "But in America, if you try to put it on my woman, I'll punch your lights out."
"Dylan!" Kelly gasped, "Are you crazy?" She said through gritted teeth, pulling him away
"Take it easy, kid!" The bartender shouted over
"Anytime!" Dylan threatened
"Dylan!" Kelly said once they were outside the bar. "Why are you threatening the bar tender?"
"What the hell are you doing, Kelly? Flirting with that French bastard in front of my face!"
"I was just talking to him while he made our drinks."
"Talking? Talking?! Why's he touching your damn hair then, Kel!" Dylan growled
"You've gone crazy..." She shook her head, heading up to the room but he pulled her arm back
"You stay away from him." Dylan warned
"Dylan, don't start having a go at me just because you're depressed alright? Don't push me away because you're lost." She warned
"Excuse me? I'm supposed to be cool with a front row seat watching some guy drooling all over you?!"
"It wasn't like that, Dylan... we were just having a laugh." Kelly shrugged
"Did you want him?!" Dylan glared at her but she didn't answer, "Do you want him?!" He raised his voice
"No!" She yelled, "Stop being so damn paranoid!" She ran upstairs.
-End of Flashback
"Whoa..." Brenda sighed, "Never seen Dylan so jealous before."
"Well... you know Dylan had just gone through a lot of loss... He didn't want to lose you too." Donna added
"So he pushes her away?" Brenda asked
"Well... you were flirting Kelly..." Donna turned to face her
"Okay, fine. I'm sorry I got a little caught up with a guy showing me attention. I didn't flirt, I didn't cheat... I just laughed with a guy. Sorry but I needed a laugh and a good time after living with Broody-McMisery for the last two days." Kelly groaned
"Dylan... you trust Kelly don't you?" Brandon asked
"Should I?" He hissed "Look I know I went a little crazy but I was in a rut... And I felt I was gonna lose."
"This possessiveness is getting pretty ugly..." Steve sighed
"Well... what was I supposed to do?
"Dylan... what are you saying?" Brandon urged
"She cheated on me!" Dylan yelled... followed by the boys' silence.
"Well... maybe you did something to deserve it." Steve joked, and Brandon quickly hit him over the head.
-Flashback -Wuthering Heights
Dylan was reading his book in the cafe. Kelly and him had gone to bed not saying a word the night before. When he woke up she was gone. Her bags weren't packed so he knew she hadn't left. He assumed she was off doing retail therapy.
"Excuse me?" A lady asked, and Dylan looked up, "Mind if I join you? There are no more tables available."
"Sure." He nodded
"Wuthering Heights?" She said, reading the front of the novel, "Classic."
"Yeah..." Dylan sighed,
"I'm Brigitte."
"Dylan." He said, shaking her head
"I don't mean to be so forward, but it's not everyday you see a handsome American man reading such a tale... especially here in Paris."
"Well... I like the contradiction." He sighed
"Broody, jealous, angry men?" She smirked
"Most people don't get them... but I do."
"Ah-ha. I assume it's personal.." She implied
"It's necessary." He agreed
"Who's the girl?" She asked
"A certain blonde who has me wrapped around her finger." He groaned
"You enjoy the torture." She gazed at him
"How else do you know if passion is real if it doesn't torture you every waking minute..." He groaned
"I see... You shouldn't be reading the book. You should be written about." She smiled and Dylan laughed
"Well, how's this for a story. Man takes his lady for a romantic getaway to Paris and the next thing you know, she's frolicking with the bartender."
"Tragic... You could get her back you know? Say with a French waitress who just happens to find you attractive." She smirked, and Dylan turned to face her
"I gotta say..." He leaned closer, "That is so tempting... if it was 2 years ago." He leaned back, "Now, I'll settle for a deep conversation with a friendly stranger."
"Alright..." She sighed, "I'll settle for that. But if you change your mind..." She grinned
"...I think it was a nice moment, let's leave it at that."
"...Whoever your 'Catherine' is... She's a lucky lady. If a man was obsessed with me... I'd hope it was someone like you." She shook his hand, "I'll let you get back to your romantic tragedy... the book too." She winked
He held her hand, "Thanks for crossing Deep conversation with a friendly stranger in an unknown city off my bucket list." He grinned
"Well isn't this cozy..." Kelly stood before them. "Pot calling the kettle black I see."
"No, Kel..." Dylan sighed
"So this is the certain blonde..." Brigitte smiled, "Au revoir, Heathcliff."
"No need." Kelly stopped her from leaving, "I'll go." She stormed off.
Dylan chased her down
"Kel, what's going on?"
"I came back to find you sitting with some girl! That's what's going on!" She snapped
"Nothing happened... we were talking..."
"Oh, somehow I find that hard to believe after it wasn't a good enough excuse when I said it last night."
"Kelly." He said firmly, "You always get these things messed up in your head. I didn't even flirt with the girl... which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for you, last night!" He snapped
-End of Flashback
"Did you get Brigitte's number? If yes, can I have it?" Steve asked
"Steve!" Brandon warned
"What? He passed." Steve murmured
"So then what happened?" Brandon turned back to Dylan, ignoring Steve
"What do you think?" Kelly chuckled to the girls, "I did what I always do. Put on my sexiest outfit and headed out for a night on the town!" Kelly exclaimed
"I couldn't find her anywhere. So I waited and waited... it drove me crazy, waiting for her to come home!" Dylan let out a frustrated sigh
-Flashback -2am
Dylan sat there impatiently. Trying to focus on his novel but his jealousy got the better of him. He looked at his watch. It was 2am. 2am! He brushed his hair back, anxiously awaiting her return. He looked up and sure enough she arrived.
"Do you know what time it is?" His voice was firm, rough, angry
"Nope." She stood there, swaying her hips, purposely trying to provoke him
"Where the hell have you been all night?"
"Didn't ask you to wait up..." She sighed, "Gaston gave me a tour of the city... among other things."
She kept composure until Dylan's hand slammed the table. Hard. She had to admit it made her jump. It frightened her a little. He got up and headed towards her.
"The bartender?" He said, his voice was firmer, harsher, scarier.
"Yep." She remained calm. If anything she felt pleasured by his anger at this point. She wanted revenge and she got it.
"You're telling me, that jerk's hands have been on you." He said, not leaving much space between them
"What do you care? You've got Brigitte to keep you company." She snapped and his hand then slammed the wall behind her. He exhaled loudly, then glared at her, right in the eyes
"Hope your little French lover was worth it." He growled, causing Kelly to slap him across the face
"Oh it was." She yelled, before turning to leave
"Good. Go spread yourself thin." He yelled back. She glared at him and left.
-End of Flashback
"Oh my god! Kelly how could you cheat!" Donna yelled at her
"I didn't exactly cheat... We just drove around in his car and grabbed a bite to eat." Kelly sighed
"Kelly." Brenda warned
"Fine... It was awful I know, I'm a terrible person." Kelly groaned, "But I had been drinking, and jealous and I don't know what came over me."
"Please tell me you told Dylan the truth" Donna sighed
"...I kinda... packed my bags and flew to Barcelona as soon as possible." Kelly cringed
"So you ditched Dylan there?" Brenda asked
"He was furious with me, I was furious with him. The last thing we wanted was to see each other's faces. I had to get out of there!"
"I'm so sorry man... I wouldn't have expected that of Kelly." Brandon sighed
"Yeah..." Steve nodded, "I mean, how do you know anything really happened?"
"I wanna tell myself that to relieve the torture but... I'd rather not be vulnerable when I see Kelly here."
"Steve's right... you should talk to her." Brandon agreed
"No. I'm too mad to talk to her. Besides I don't even have her new number..."
"So you did try to call?" Steve teased
"No. David told me he, Donna and her are moving in together." Dylan snapped