Thank you guys for being patient. I'm getting such mixed reviews about Brenda and David and I completly understand. I LOVE Brenda and Dylan and you guys know that. I am actually obsessed with them and I believe they belong together. But I'm glad and hope people are sticking around. Its just about to get more interesting. Anyway I just wanted to say thank you guys for the reviews, they mean a lot to me and if no one was into it or reading I wouldnt do it. So please keep it up. Alright enough of m groveling....enjoy!

Chapter 16 It's Been Awhile

During the night Brenda and David had shifted out of each others arms. Brenda opened her eyes slowly and stretched. She looked over at David who was just waking up as well.

"Hey." Brenda whispered with a smile.

"Hey there." David stretched.

David moved closer to her and gently kissed her. "I like you waking up in my bed."

Brenda smiled shyly not really knowing exactly what to say. "Coffee?"

"Sure." David sat up and glanced over at the clock, "God its 10:30 already."

Brenda sat up and held the covers over her, "Do you have a shirt or something? My dress is out in the living room." Brenda smirked and looked down.

David nodded, "Sure."

Brenda looked the other way as David got out of bed with no clothes on and opened his drawer. Brenda peaked a little as he turned around tossing her a plain white t-shirt. Brenda brought the sheet covering herself as she stood up and uncomfortably looked at David.

"Bren…it's a little late to be modest huh."

"Sorry…I know, this is just kind of weird." Brenda looked down and then looked back up at him, "I don't want it to be weird."

David walked over and put his hands on her upper arms, "It won't be, unless you make it weird." David tilted his head and gave her a soft smile. He leaned in and kissed her gently. Brenda looked down and held in her laugh as she felt him become aroused. David looked down and covered himself, "It's the morning…" he said embarrassed.

"Yeah." Brenda smiled nodding her head. "I see that." Brenda giggled a little.

David laughed as he pulled out some pajama pants and pulled them on. Brenda quickly put on his t-shirt. She slowly opened the door. Oh god please Brandon don't be home, she thought.

"Brandon?" David called out not hearing anyone. "It's safe." David pulled the door open as both of them walked out into the living room and looked around. David rubbed his shaved head and smiled. He looked over at her, "Coffee first?"

"Absolutely." Brenda nodded looking around at the mess they had made.

Brenda lifted herself onto the kitchen counter as David made the coffee.

"What are you doing today?" David asked as he looked up.

Brenda shrugged, "Nothing…I have a audition tomorrow, hopefully I get some work before I am broke. If not, then it looks like I will be trying to find a job. What are you doing?"

David shook his head, "Nothing."

Brenda smiled, "Sounds like a plan."

David scooted closer to her as he reached over and pressed the coffee pot on. He gently placed himself in between her legs kissing her deeply. David placed his hands high on her thighs pushing the t-shirt up a little. "This is nice." David whispered to her in between kisses.

"Yeah…it is." Brenda kissed him back.

Brandon and Steve made their way in stopping in their tracks. "Hi ho Silver." Steve growled.

Brenda and David jumped apart and Brenda jumped off the counter pulling at the t-shirt so it was longer.

Brandon shook his head and sighed not wanting to even think about what they had walked in on, he looked around at the mess, "Was there an earthquake or something but I was too drunk to feel it?" Brandon made a face feeling his head pound.

"I'm…going to get dressed for the day." Brenda was embarrassed and moved quickly to her bedroom.

"I need Advil." Brandon mumbled as he went into the bathroom.

"Nice." Steve nodded his head, "I recognize this." Steve smiled.

"What are you talking about?" David crossed his arms.

"This." Steve waved his arm pointing at the mess. "This is crazy…can't make it to the bedroom fun." Steve wiggled his eyebrows.

"Not." David shook his head and walked over starting to pick up the stuff off the ground.

"David…this is me…Steve…you know I'm the biggest perve you know." Steve walked over picking something off the ground, "But this my friend, doesn't look like your size." Steve laughed holding up Brenda's discarded dress.

David moved quickly grabbing the dress out of his hand, "Steve will you be quiet." David looked toward the bedroom.

"Oooooh." Steve laughed out, "You and Brenda? Oh my God…that is amazing." Steve almost jumped up and down. "Tell me everything, how was it? Oh it was good I can tell."

"Steve…nothing happened." David was getting annoyed.

Steve walked over to him, "You are a BAD liar, I have known you for a long time man, come on, I always wanted to know about her. She is a wildcat right?" Steve nodded lifting his brow and smiling from ear to ear.

David took a deep breath and looked toward the bedrooms, "You aren't going to say a word, I mean it Steve, I will kick your ass."

Steve crossed his heart and gave him his best puppy dog look.

David sighed, "It was amazing." David looked down with a goofy grin.

"Ohhhhhh I knew it…I soooo knew it. Oh that's hot. You lucky bastard. She is sexy as hell. So tell me was it like hot and rough and sweaty or was it." Steve mocked yawned, "Soft and romantic?"

David shook his head, "Steve…I'm done, that's all you get, you already turned me into an asshole." David started sweeping up the cereal off the floor.

"There is just one thing man." Steve rubbed his chin with a serious face.

David rolled his eyes, "What's that?"

Steve started to laugh out loud, "Duuuuude…McKay is going to kill you." Steve looked toward the ceiling and laughed harder, "Oh my God, you are so dead."

David exhaled, "They are broken up." David shrugged it off trying to shake it off.

"Oh whatever dude, he is going flip out. He has had his name written all over her for years…since high school dude. And besides that douche bag Stuart who has Brenda even been with? You guys are scandalous. Everyone including me has been too afraid to even attempt anything with her, even when he was with kelly man...he owned her." Steve went plopping down on the couch as he set his feet up on the coffee table. "But hey by looking at your face and the mess in here, I can tell it was the hot and sweaty kind and even death by Dylan, may be worth it."

David took a deep breath, "Steve...Dylan doesnt own Brenda." David thought about it, Steve was right. The only thing David could hope for was that he wouldn't find out exactly. "Dylan will be in rehab for another 9 weeks."

"Lucky for you." Steve nodded and switched on the TV.

The phone rang and the first person David thought would be calling at 11 am in the morning was Dylan. He cringed as he grabbed it bringing it to his ear, "Hello."

"Hey David…it's Kelly."

David breathed out relieved, "What's up Kel?"

"Is Brenda or Brandon there?" Kelly sounded worried.

"Ah yeah…is everything ok?"

Brandon walked out of the bathroom looking glossy eyed. He had spent the night partying with Steve, watching Kelly, kiss, dance and cuddle with Matt the whole night. He had to drink as much as possible to take the gag reflex away.

"Not really, can I talk to one of them?" Kelly said quickly.

"Sure." David handed the phone to Brandon. "It's Kel."

Brandon looked at the phone surprised, "Hello?"

"Brandon…Matt just got a call from the assistant D.A., it looks like they dropped the charges on Dylan and I called a friend that works at Promises, she wasn't Dylan's therapist but she told me Dylan checked himself out of rehab today."

"Oh man." Brandon breathed out. "Do you think he went to get wasted?"

"I don't know, but I wanted to call you guys because as far as I know, Brenda has his car and his clothes are there. Maybe he will just go there." Kelly sounded a tad panicked.

"How could they just drop the charges, did Matt say anything?"

"He has no idea and he has calls into the D.A. but nothing. The assistant said she is on vacation."

"Alright…thanks Kel, I will call you if he shows up." Brandon pressed the off button on the phone. "Dylan checked out of rehab."

David looked at Steve with wide eyes. David worried about Brenda first, he wondered what kind of condition Dylan would be in and then…he worried about himself.

"They don't know where he is?" David said as he looked away from Steve and made eye contact with Brandon.

Brandon shook his head, "Nope…Kelly said they said he checked himself out. He is over 18 man, he can check himself out as long as the charges were dropped there is no law against him leaving."

"Oh man." Steve said as he sighed.

Brenda walked out dressed for the day and walked over pouring herself a cup of coffee. She looked up and as she took a sip she saw David, Brandon and Steve staring at her. "What?" she made a face.

"Ah Bren, Kelly just called…" Brandon looked over at the guys before looking back at her.

"Yeah so?" Brenda looked at them confused.

"It's Dylan, he checked himself out of rehab this morning." Brandon waited for her reaction.

"What?" Brenda said shocked and raised her voice. "Why would he do that? He knows he has to do the 90 days or he goes to jail."

"That's the thing…Matt got a call from the assistant district attorney and they dropped the charges. He must have gotten word and decided he wanted out."

"Well where is he?" Brenda got worried thinking the worst. He was back on drugs and maybe lying dead as they spoke.

"He didn't say anything, I mean why would he." Brandon looked back and forth between everybody.

"I cant believe this…I mean how could they just let him leave?" Brenda said with tears in her eyes, "He needs to be there."

"I know." Brandon took a deep breath.

"Well I'm going to go look for him." Brenda set her coffee down and walked quickly grabbing her purse.

"Bren…how are you going to find him? Where are you going to go?" Brandon said stopping her.

"I don't know…the beach…the pit…a bar…pool halls. I cant just sit here and wonder if he is alive or dead. Brandon he did his detox over a month ago, one batch of heroin could kill him. His body isn't used to it anymore."

As Brandon and Brenda were going back and forth David had gone into his bedroom and gotten dressed. He walked out and grabbed his wallet and keys off the table.

"I'll go with you." he said walking toward Brenda.

"No…David, I'll go." Brandon said thinking David going was not a good idea.

"No…David is right, you stay here in case he comes back. I mean his car is here. What is he going to do buy drugs in a cab?" Steve made sense.

Brenda nodded as she opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Dylan standing on the porch. She looked toward the street and saw a cab drive away. She dropped her purse to the floor and just wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. She thought the worst and it was a relief to see him there.

"Hi baby." Dylan hugged her tightly with a smile as he closed his eyes.

David watched and bit the inside of his cheek as he looked down, he felt sad and jealous.

Dylan held Brenda close for a few moments and went in kissing her neck, he squeezed her so hard he groaned, "I missed you." he whispered.

Brenda broke from his embrace and grabbed his hand pulling him inside, "What are you doing here?"

"I checked myself out, the charges were dropped and I'm fine." Dylan said nonchalantly.

"You are not fine…you are going back." Brenda crossed her arms, now that the initial relief of him being ok was over she was mad.

"I'm fine." Dylan said dropping his bag to the floor, "Dude…Brandon…what are you doing here man…its good to see you." Dylan walked over hugging him as he patted him on the back.

Brandon stood speechless, "I came to make sure you and Brenda were ok." Brandon said it slowly and dragged it out not really seeing anything wrong with him.

"Well we are ok. Right baby?" Dylan wrapped his arm around her.

Brenda swallowed hard and looked over at David. She shook her head and looked at Dylan, she pushed his arm off her shoulder, "I need to talk to you NOW." Brenda emphasized. She grabbed him dragging him by his jacket into her bedroom.

After hearing the door close Steve looked over at David, "I would run now."

"She isn't going to tell him." David shook his head.

"Not tell him what?" Brandon said looking at both of them.

The guys looked at each other as David crossed his arms and took a deep breath.

**

"Even better, alone." Dylan moved in wrapping his arms around her placing kisses down her neck. "God I missed you."

"Dylan." Brenda pushed him away.

"What, didn't you miss me?" Dylan raised his eyebrows and went in to kiss her with a smirk.

"Stop…talk to me, you have to go back." Brenda pushed him off her again.

"I'm not going back Bren, I'm fine." Dylan said backing off a bit and sitting on the bed.

"But you were only there for three weeks." Brenda said as she said next to him sighing. "How did the charges get dropped?"

"They approached me when I first got in there and wanted the name of my dealer. I told them no. After time went by I had to get out of there, I didn't belong there Bren, I'm fine now. I contacted the district attorney and told them I would out my dealer if they dropped the charges against me and they did."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Brenda looked over at him.

"They wont know its me, that guy sells to every junkie from here to Long Beach, they had enough on him to out him away, I dont even have to testify."

Brenda closed her eyes and sighed, "You cant just come back here and do this, you are an addict, you need help." She saw Dylan leaning into her for a kiss, "And...we…are broken up." she pointed in his face.

"Oh come on Brenda, I love you and I know you love me. Just let me prove to you I am fine and I don't need all that rehab crap…I promise…all I need is you, I will go to meetings and continue my sessions with the therapist." Dylan stared into her soul. He slowly let a small smile creep across his face as he moved his body closer to her lowering her to her back as he kissed her neck. He began to kiss her more and more eagerly, Dylan ached for her, it felt like forever since he had been with her, even longer since he had been with her sober. He moved his hands across her stomach gently caressing her and up to her breast. Brenda closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Dylan I cant." Brenda pushed him away.

"Don't tell me you are still mad about Stacey, baby I didn't touch her, I swear to God. I actually have been avoiding her." Dylan kissed her on her lips, "Why." he kissed her again, "Would I want to sleep with someone else when I have you to make love with?" He kissed her again deepening it as he moved his tongue against hers. Dylan was hot and ready. He had been thinking about her every single day he had been in there and every hour. Dylan began to unbutton her pants. Brenda kept her eyes closed as tears began to fall .

"Dylan…I can't have sex with you." she whispered.

"Why?" Dylan stopped undressing her and kissing her body and looked down at her. His eyes were intense, confused and sad. He looked at her with a longing Brenda hadn't seen in a long time, maybe even years.

Brenda began to cry as she closed her eyes again, "Because I slept with David."

Please Review!!!! I know I am soooooooooooo mean. You love me. I was listening to It's Been Awhile by Staind when I was writing the end of this so it was inspiring me, that song always reminds me of Dylan and Brenda even though I think its about Heroin lol not a girl. I will update soon.