Free Fall

Dylan and Kelly had been spending a lot of evenings together the past couple of weeks. Kelly enjoyed the escape, managing to convince herself that since there was no physical contact involved, she wasn't cheating on Brandon, yet the fact that they were sneaking around made her feel uneasy. Brandon hadn't seen as much of her as he'd like, apart from their days together at college and the occasional dinner Kelly would come to, he kept burying feelings of doubt, Valerie was not making it easy to avoid them. Donna had been preoccupied with the idea of her new roommate Claire dating her ex boyfriend, that she hadn't paid much attention to the fact that Dylan picked up Kelly almost every night from 11pm.

Steve walked into the peach pit to find Dylan behind the counter. He hadn't seen Dylan since his drunken outburst the night he came back. Surprised to see Dylan in good spirits, as Steve had no idea what had been going on the last 2 weeks.

"So do you think Brandon stole Kelly because you bought half the peach pit?" Steve smirked as he sat on the stool in front of Dylan, could not pass a chance to rile him up.

"Good one." Dylan replied, sarcastically, "What do you want?"

"Mega burger and fries." Steve grinned at him, "So do you plan on squaring it out with Brandon?"

"Nope." Dylan shook his head

"Well maybe I can help." Steve had a smug look on his face, "I'll give you the same wise words you gave me, when I caught you with Kelly... what was it? Oh yeah! I hate to break it to ya, but she's your ex, not your property."

Dylan ignored Steve's remarks

"Hey, come on! It's a joke... from one guy Kelly dumped to another." Steve grinned

"For your information, Steve. Kelly didn't dump me." Dylan warned

"She sure is making her way through the group.. How does it feel to lose?" Steve joked

"Drop it, Steve." Dylan ordered

"Alright, you're right. Shouldn't mess with the people who serve you food... please don't spit in my burger." Steve joked, causing Dylan to let out a chuckle.

"Kelly." Donna entered Kelly's room, shutting the door behind her. "You have a visitor."

"Oh yeah?" Kelly asked, folding her laundry

"It's Dylan." Donna replied

"Oh okay." Kelly said, dropping the clothes back on the bed and heading to the door, but Donna stopped her

"Kelly, sit down for a sec." Donna suggested, "...What are you doing?"

"Nothing..." Kelly shrugged

"What about Brandon? Does he know about this?" Donna asked

"We're just hanging out, Donna!" Kelly said defensively, "It's not like I'm cheating."

"Then you shouldn't have to hide this new found friendship" Donna replied, her fingers gesturing air quotes at the word friendship.

"The world just isn't ready for a Dylan slash Kelly friendship, alright?"

"Or maybe you aren't... Kelly, Brandon is a good guy... he doesn't deserve this." Donna's words cut through Kelly. She looked down at the floor. Donna just said the one thing she was afraid to admit. Brandon did not deserve this.

"You're right..." Kelly spoke softly, "He's one of my closest friends... and has been a stand-up boyfriend."

"So... why are you torturing yourself with Dylan?"

"Because! Ever since he showed up it's like... he reminds me what's been missing."

"What do you mean?" Donna asked, sitting beside her on the bed

"...Brandon is so... perfect, that sometimes... I feel like I have to be on my best behaviour, you know? He puts me on this pedestal. I'm not saying that's a bad thing... he sees the person I could be... but he doesn't see the rest."

"What does that have to do with Dylan?" Donna asked

"Dylan accepts the rest. He accepts it all... I can relax around him, I can be myself, no judgment. The craziest thought I ever had... the wildest thing I've ever done. He loves me through all of it... I'm afraid if Brandon saw that side, he couldn't love me."

"Brandon can't love what you don't show him." Donna sighed

"I know... I just can't think straight when Dylan's around... Maybe I just wasn't ready to let him go yet." Kelly let out an exasperated sigh

"Well, running off to escape with Dylan, isn't going to make things clearer." Donna assured.

"Yeah..." Kelly nodded, "...Could you talk to him for me? I'm afraid if I go out there and see his face, I won't be able to say it." Kelly pleaded, Donna replied with a nod.

"Who was that?" Valerie asked as Brandon hung up the phone

"Kelly." Brandon said all giddy, "Set another place for dinner, she's coming over to help me work."

"Well, that's good I guess." Valerie forced a smile

"What is it now?" Brandon rolled his eyes

"Come on, Brandon, she hasn't been around here much."

"Well she just needed space to clear her head. Now she has. I understand that, why can't you?"

"Brandon... maybe when guys take space they're just clearing their head... but when girls do it... they're pulling away from something, and in her case, she's pushing towards something else." Brandon ignored her comment and focused on setting the table.

"Brandon... let's take a break." Kelly begged after a couple of hours.

"I'm sorry babe, I gotta finish this."

"Can't we finish it later? Let's just get out the house, be spontaneous, you could use a break... I promise you won't be disappointed." She smirked

"Look, I promise as soon as everything settles down, I'll make it up to you." He kissed her before returning to write his notes down.

Kelly observed him. He really was such a good guy. Someone to aspire to. He was always doing something for humanity. She didn't even know what he was working on this time but she knew he never passed a chance to help others. She felt an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. A very familiar feeling. A craving. A craving for adventure, just like her old adventures with Dylan.

What the hell is wrong with me, she thought. I have this great guy. This great, handsome, dependable, stable guy and I was completely content. When Dylan left I didn't think I'd ever find happiness again, Brandon and I bonded over having to say goodbye to past loves. And we've formed a beautiful relationship out of it. But Dylan has returned only to remind me that we're not swinging from chandeliers.

Kelly arrived home to find Dylan sitting on the porch of her beach apartment.

"Dylan what are you doing here?" She asked, watching him as he slouched on her rocking chair.

"Thought, you had to come home sometime." He murmured

"Dylan, you can't do this." She pleaded

"Do what?" He asked, completely expressionless.

"This! Waiting for me outside my house, making me feel like I owe you some explanation as to why I'm hanging out with my own boyfriend!"

"So that's why you blew me off." He nodded

"Dylan..."

"What changed?" He now stood up, staring right at her. Kelly let out a helpless breath. What was she supposed to say? Donna made her realise how foolish her actions have been? She felt guilty for the way she was treating Brandon? What could she possibly say to Dylan that will make any of these easier.

"Dylan.. we've had a lot of fun lately... but escaping into our own world is what we always do. I thought since we're not sleeping together it was okay but... I'm 20 years old now. I can't act carelessly, disregarding other people's feelings. I think it's time we face reality..."

"This is reality, Kelly."

"No. The reality is you left. And I'm with Brandon."

Dylan shook his head, letting out a scoff.

They were both silent. She observed his mannerisms. She couldn't quite read him.

"Dylan, say something." She pleaded

"...I don't wanna talk." He shrugged

"Well we need to... I need you to..." She let out a helpless sigh "I need you to respect my life now." Her knees were weak. Her voice was shaky, as he began to walk towards her.

"Is that what you really want?" He asked, causing her even more anxiety, as he got closer and closer

"I... I..." She tried to stand her ground but his lips now hovered over her ear. His cheek now rested on hers as he smelled her hair. His breath now on her neck, making it harder and harder for her to talk.

"Have sex with me, Kelly." He whispered