Chapter 31 Save Me

Dylan sat in the front while Brandon drove. He tuned out the pointless conversation that was happening in the back seat. He stared out the window and thought about Brenda. How could he screw up so many times when he had never felt for anyone like he felt about her? Dylan was well aware she should have told him where to go and stopped talking to him years ago, but she never did. There was a time when Dylan was going through withdraws when he told her he didn't want her to see him that way. That once she saw him that way, there was no way she would ever want to be with him. Brenda had refused to let him go threw it alone. She had witnessed stuff that people only see on television. Dylan was in so much pain he remembered yelling at her, telling her to get away from him. Brenda never once left that room. She never once showed how hurt or upset the things he was saying was making her. She was there for him and after those horrific days, she still loved him, maybe even more. Dylan knew he would never find anyone that loved him more than Brenda. Even Toni never saw the hard side of Dylan. She may have loved him with all her heart but when someone can see your faults and love you anyway, it said a lot. Brenda had been through his mood swings, his drinking, cheating, his drama with his mother, his father, the drugs and she still loved him. Dylan deserved everything that was happening to him. He deserved her leaving him for good and washing her hands of him. Dylan sighed and Brandon noticed turning to look at him.

"You ok?" Brandon said glancing back to the road before looking at him again.

Dylan nodded looking down. He wasn't ok, he wasn't even alright, he was miserable and depressed. Dylan thought about when he showed up in London. After drinking his coffee and realizing he was literally sitting on her street.

Dylan walked down Brenda's street, he came to a tan building and looked up. This was it 175 Drury Lane. He had literally been drinking his coffee around the corner from her apartment building. It was so close she probably even frequented it. Dylan hadn't come this way to chicken out even though he thought about it. Dylan knew Brenda would greet him with open arms, she would never turn him away but he also hadn't talked to her in a long long time and she probably moved on, Dylan cringed at the thought that she may even be seeing someone. Still Dylan wanted to see her, he had come to London because of her. He was okay admitting it now. He missed her and there was absolutely no closure with them what so ever. Dylan nodded slightly slowly climbing the steps up to the apartment building. It was the kind of building that you had to get buzzed in but to Dylan's luck, someone was leaving. He held the door open for an older women and slipped inside. Brenda had a walk up and she was on the fourth floor. Dylan realized how out of shape he was even though he knew he had lost weight in the month he had been away from home. Dylan walked down the small hallway glancing at the numbers on the door. He stopped and stared at 4A, took a deep breath and knocked. His heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest. Dylan waited for an answer but didn't get one. He sadly looked down thinking maybe it was meant to be, her not being home. His attention moved to the right as he heard a voice.

"Hi…are looking for Brenda?" a girl said from down the hall a bit. She looked their age; she had short brown hair, big eyes and a thick British accent.

"Uh yeah…doesn't look like she is here though." Dylan said nicely.

"No…she is at rehearsal." the girl eyed him, almost checking him out. Not in a sexual way but as a…what do you want with Brenda way.

Dylan looked down awkwardly and nodded.

The girl smiled seeing his demeanor change, "Well, bye then." the girl started to walk down the hall.

"Yeah bye." Dylan said sadly.

The girl turned around and smiled, "I was wondering if you would ever come visit her or if you were going to continue to be a wanker."

Dylan looked curiously, "You know who I am?"

The girl nodded, "Dylan…right? What can I say, your girl is a light weight, give her a few bloody drinks and she won't shut up." the girl joked.

She made Dylan smile as he walked up to her and held out his hand, "Dylan…nice to meet you."

"Angela…Brenda will be home in a half hour or so." she said shaking his hand.

"Thanks." Dylan smiled.

Angela nodded and continued on her way down the hall.

Dylan sat reading his book, 30 minutes had turned into an hour and it was for sure dark out by now. Did Angela run into Brenda and tell her he was there? Did she not want to see him? He stared down at the pages of his book but hadn't read a single word of it. After some time he felt her, he sensed her. He slowly lifted his head and looked down the hall. There she was, she had stopped and just looked at him. He gave her a weak smile as she moved in quickly to him. Dylan pushed himself to his feet and as she got close to him he embraced her. He held on to her tightly and closed his eyes. Dylan took in her scent and moved his hand down the back of her head. Dylan wasn't sure how long they were hugging, there were no words spoken, he felt completely safe and happy. He hadn't felt that way in the month he had been gone. The feeling was so overwhelming he cried, and he knew she was crying too. She sniffled and he felt her shake.

"I missed you Bren." Dylan whispered.

Brenda nodded, "I missed you too."

"I never stopped loving you Bren." Dylan said still at a whisper but louder than before.

Brenda leaned out from his embrace and smiled. Dylan smiled back. "Are you going to invite me in or are we going to stay out here for another hour?" Dylan said light heartedly, taking the pressure away from Brenda because Dylan had just told her he loved her still and always did.

Brenda laughed, "Sorry…I am so glad you're here."

"You are?" Dylan tilted his head and looked into her eyes.

"Yeah." Brenda smile grew bigger, "Come in." Brenda relaxed and unlocked the front door without taking her eyes off his.

"Yo…earth to Dylan…we are here." Steve said standing outside the passenger side door.

Dylan shook his head and opened it up, getting out.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Brandon said.

"Yeah." Dylan shrugged, "I am fine…just spacing." Dylan played it off.

Dylan looked up and shook his head, "A strip club? You guys are taking me to a strip club?"

Steve laughed, "What better way to cheer you up then to watch naked women." Steve wiggled his eyebrows.

"It's not really my scene and they do serve booze." Dylan knew himself well enough to know he was too upset about Brenda to know he could go in there and not drink.

"Since when are beautiful women not your scene?" David said joking but rudely.

"Shut up David." Dylan shook his head. He had been making small comments to him the whole night and Dylan was over it.

"It's always about you huh…maybe we all want to go here, maybe all of us want to drink…it shouldn't be our fault you can't handle your liquor."

Dylan slowly looked over at David and moved in grabbing his shirt and slamming him against the car. "What the fuck is your problem with me Silver?" Dylan shoved him against the car again.

David shoved him off and this time it worked, "You bother me, it's always about you, and well I personally don't think you're worth it."

"Is this about Brenda?" Dylan seriously had no clue why David hated him so much. "Because if I remember correctly you were the one who slept with my girlfriend."

"Maybe it is about her." David looked at him intently.

"I told you this wasn't a good idea." Brandon mumbled to Steve.

Steve moved in, "This is ridiculous, you have been friends for a long time, we're all here to have a good time. Get it out…with out beating the crap out of each other, what's going on?"

The two of them stared at each other and no one said anything.

Brandon stepped forward, "Come on, let's go inside, they don't serve booze here Dylan, Steve and I made sure of it. They only serve alcohol at topless bars."

David angrily moved past Dylan hitting him in the shoulder on his way in the club. Dylan shook his head, as Brandon began walking with Dylan as they moved slowly up to the front of the club.

"Brandon…its taking everything I have not to punch him out." Dylan gritted his teeth.

"I know…I know…come on." Brandon said gently pushing him towards the club.

"This isn't a topless bar?" Dylan changed the subject.

"No my friend, this would be a nudie bar." Brandon smiled setting his arm around Dylan's shoulders.

"Nude? You mean totally naked?" Dylan looked at him.

Brandon nodded and smiled as they went inside.

**

Brenda wasn't herself since the boys had come and gone. She heard all the conversations going on but wasn't actually in any of them. She had drank a lot of margaritas but instead of loosing her up and helping her have a good time it just seemed to make her more depressed. Gina noticed Brenda sitting in the group but her mind wasn't there. She went over bringing herself to the floor and sitting next to her.

"What's going on with Dylan Bren?" Gina said looking at her.

"Everything is a mess…but what's new right?" Brenda tried to make a joke but found it hard to even laugh at her own jokes.

"Did he start drinking again or did you catch him with a girl or something?" Gina was really trying to get any information out of her she would give.

Brenda sighed, "No…that's not it."

By this point the girls had heard Gina and had focused on Brenda. Brenda looked around and noticed everyone staring at her.

"We are just going through a hard time?" Brenda said almost defensively.

The girls looked at each other uncomfortably; they all wanted to press her but didn't want to upset her.

"Whatever the drama is that's happening with Dylan, is totally your fault." Valerie said under her breath but loud enough so everyone heard.

Kelly and Donna both brought the margaritas up to their mouth and took a sip looking at Brenda for a reaction.

"Excuse me?" Brenda said giving her a look.

"I am just saying." Valerie shrugged, "Come on Bren…we all know you have a flair for mellow drama…you're playing hard to get."

Brenda got up and went to grab her things, she didn't have to stay there and take this crap, especially from Valerie. She would be more comfortable in a hotel.

"Brenda…don't leave, you've been drinking." Donna pleaded.

"Let her go, she wants us to make a big deal about it." Valerie had been quiet taking the dirty looks from her and the whispering too long. Now she had some liquid courage and her point was to get under her skin and make her talk.

Brenda turned around, "You think I am being dramatic?" Brenda said bitchy.

"I do." Valerie smirked, "Dylan loves you…its obvious and you like to make him suffer. Maybe because of what he did with her?" Valerie gestured toward Kelly.

Kelly glared at Valerie, she didn't say anything because she didn't want to get in the middle of it but she was mad she even brought her up.

"This has nothing to do with Kelly and it sure doesn't have anything to do with Dylan. What it has to do with is that fact you slept with David hours after we broke up. I hadn't even moved my stuff out of his room yet and already you sunk your claws into him." Brenda fumed, she was trying to be mature and not tell everyone in the group exactly what Valerie did to her but now Valerie opened her mouth.

"You did that?" Kelly chimed in.

"Oh yeah…miss perfect…how many minutes did you wait before jumping Dylan after Brenda went to Paris?"

Brenda took a deep breath wincing at the memory.

"Shut up Valerie." Kelly said angrily.

"I went there to get my stuff, talk to David and try to salvage whatever we could of our friendship and you're in bed with him. The bed I had been sharing with him. So don't tell me I am being dramatic, I don't know many girls that would be just ok with that Val." Brenda stuck up for herself.

"No you're right…but David and I love each other. We didn't do it to hurt you; we just realized we wanted to be in each other's lives. I am sorry that it went the way it did."

Brenda looked at her, "You never cared about me…our friendship has been over for years. You care about what Valerie wants and that's it."

Valerie swallowed hard and took a deep breath, "I do care about you…and that's why I think you should be with Dylan. Whatever it is, it can't be that important. Trust me Bren…he loves you. And your getting on my case but seeing you with David really messed him up, how do you think he felt about that."

Brenda was trying not to cry as she looked around at her friends. They were like statues looking to see what Brenda was going to say, what she was going to do. Brenda looked up with tears in her eyes and shrugged, "I don't know." Brenda shook her head taking her things and leaving out the backdoor. She didn't want to be there. Brenda didn't want to hurt their feelings, she didn't feel like part of the group and she hadn't since even before she moved away. She had grown apart from them and sometimes after all the betrayal and everything else, there just wasn't any way to go back.

"We can't just let her leave." Donna said worried.

"Nice going Kelly and Valerie, she drank and now she is going to drive." Gina went after her.

"Me? What did I do? Valerie is the one that started this whole mess."

"Kelly…stop acting like everything is perfect with the two of you. You and Bren haven't been close since high school."

"Stop all of you, who cares who started it."

Gina after a minute walked back inside, "She's gone."

"I am calling Dylan." Donna grabbed the phone and dialed.

**

Dylan laughed as he watched Steve and Matt fling dollar bills at the completely naked blonde in front of them. He shook his head, this little outing was definitely more for them then it was Dylan. Of course Dylan could appreciate a beautiful woman but Dylan was always better with one and one and honestly these loose girls didn't turn him on at all. Dylan felt his cell phone vibrate from in his pocket and he glanced down at the caller id. The phone said Kelly & Donna's…Bren? He thought. He brought it up to his ear.

"Hello?" Dylan said loudly over the music.

"Dylan…hi its Donna….where are you guys?"

Dylan looked around, "Uh…we are out…at a club, what's up?"

"The After Dark?" Donna put her finger to her ear trying to hear him.

"No…another club…what's up Donna?" Dylan was trying to get to the point of the call.

"Did Brenda call you, in the last couple of minutes or anything?"

Dylan stood up, "No why?"

Donna looked around at the girls and shook her head as Kelly grabbed her cell trying to call her, "There was a bit of drama here tonight and she left pretty upset. Kelly is trying her cell now but she isn't answering and normally we wouldn't of worried about her, if she wanted to blow off steam or cool off…"

"Donna…what?" Dylan now was getting worried and frustrated by Donna's stumbling around. Dylan moved towards the entrance where it was quieter.

Donna sighed, "Well she had been drinking, I mean she isn't falling down drunk but I mean she barely touched her pizza and we have gone through a handle bottle of tequila already. We are worried about her Dylan. If she calls you, please call us and let us know."

Dylan took a deep breath, "I will Donna, same goes for you ok?"

Dylan clicked his phone closed and sighed, he thumbed through his phone book and clicked send hitting Brenda's name.

Brenda pulled over on one of the side streets close to the beach apartment, she grabbed her cell and saw Dylan's name.

"Hello." Brenda said sadly.

"Brenda, where are you?"

"Santa Monica, by the beach apartment."

"Stay there…do not drive anywhere, I will come and get you."

"Dylan…I am fine." Brenda shook her head. She was telling the truth, she felt stupid leaving like she did and even though she felt fine she knew she shouldn't be driving.

"Brenda…stay there." Dylan said sternly.

"Ok." Brenda gave in.

"What are you doing driving if you have been drinking?" Dylan said as he looked around for Brandon.

"I just had to get out of there, I know." Brenda shook her head.

"Where are you?" Dylan waved over Brandon from across the room.

"I am pretty much on Kelly and Donna's street, I didn't go far."

"Lock your door and I will be there soon. Bye." Dylan clicked his phone closed.

"Bran, can you guys find a ride home?"

"I'm sure we can take a cab but why?"

"I just got to go…is it cool?"

Brandon nodded, "yeah…yeah no problem." Brandon handed over his keys.

Dylan grabbed the keys and ran out to the car, luckily he was only about 10 minutes at most from Kelly and Donna's apartment.

Brenda sat in the car and noticed a convenience store about 15 feet from her. She got out of the car and walked in, she went to the counter.

"Can I have a pack of Marlboro Lights?"

The women nodded and set down the pack on the counter, "$3.50."

Brenda paid the women and grabbed a book of matches and started back to her car. She stopped in front of an alley and set the cigarette to her lips, striking the match, lighting the end. She took a puff and inhaled. As she blew the smoke out she instantly felt better. She started walking as she felt someone grab her. Brenda dropped her cigarette to the ground as she felt a hand cover her mouth and an arm around her waist.

The man pressed his lips to her ear, "Don't scream…or I will kill you."

Brenda froze terrified, she felt him pull her and force her into the alley. She couldn't see his face, he was behind her and she started to cry as she went farther and farther into the alley, it getting darker and darker.

All you could hear was the muffled sounds of Brenda trying to talk as she begged him to let her go. The man threw her as her back hit a brick wall hard. Brenda grabbed her head and her sounds finally came through.

"Please…I have money…take whatever you want.' she sobbed and pleaded. The man's black outline was all she saw as she closed her eyes imagining the worse. Was she about to die? Was this guy going to kill her?

"I don't want your money." the man forced himself against her covering her mouth. He reached his hand up her tank top as Brenda cried harder and closed her eyes. As the man touched her she felt him grab her boxer shorts and tug them to the ground. As the man fumbled with his zipper he loosened his grip on her mouth.

Brenda screamed…a ear piercing scream. "Help me…" The man back handed her as she fell to the ground. As Brenda hysterically cried the man covered her with his body. Brenda felt the man rip her under wear off. Brenda fought back hitting him in the head and the side of the ear but he was too strong. As the man struggled to get her to open her legs. He lifted his hand from her mouth so he could use both hands.

Seeing lights pass from the street. Brenda screamed as loud as she could, "DYLAN…help me!." It was piercing and loud and she was desperate for anyone to hear her. Please Dylan hear me.

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