A/N On Val's History: It doesn't come up much this chapter, but it will, so I thought I'd clarify a little, seeing as the show gave her three separate family backgrounds… I'm leaning towards the earlier explanation of Valerie – suicidal father, maternal towards her younger siblings, etc. – although I may include some of the abuse later on.

Part Six

When Dr. Dana walked into the crowded waiting room, it wasn't hard to spot Brenda Walsh. She was seated between her parents, holding both of their hands with white knuckles. A young man the doctor remembered as her brother sat in a seat caddy corner to Mr. Walsh, his arms around a young blond woman. More young people were scattered around them, leaning against the walls and seated in nearby chairs.

Brenda stood up when she saw the doctor, and with a glance back at her family and friends, she followed Dr. Dana to an exam room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One week.

It had been one week since Valerie had met Stuart Carson. Seven measly little days since they'd first spoken, seven days since they'd kissed, seven days since she'd let herself get more attached than she should ever allow herself to get.

Seven days since she'd thought of Dylan long enough to feel guilty or jealous or hurt.

And only four days until she had to leave her personal paradise behind.

"So Valerie Malone from Buffalo," Stuart spoke directly in her ear, his arms slipping around her waist as they stared at the ocean together. "Tell me about yourself."

"We've been sleeping together for what?" Val pretended to count on her fingers," five nights in a row, now? And you were never curious before?"

Stuart kissed her bare shoulder, and she could feel his lips curve into a smile.

"Well," he answered slowly. "I was curious. But we were a little too busy for conversation."

"Hmm," Val felt like purring when he kissed the pulse point on her neck. The beautiful ocean view went in and out of focus and she tilted her head to give him better access. "We could get busy again."

When he laughed, Val tried to memorize the sound. Four days from now he'd be out of her life once more.

"I'd rather hear about you."

"What's to know?" Val shrugged. "I already told you. I'm from Buffalo. Two younger siblings. College student."

"Okay, let's start with where you go to college," Stuart suggested. "Or your parents. Or why you aren't in Buffalo this Christmas."

Or none of the above.

She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around her own waist.

"Why can't we just have fun, like we were?"

"Because I want to know more about you," Stuart pressed, his hands against her shoulders and stooped down to meet her eyes. "I want to know everything about you."

"Look," Val stepped away again. "January second, I'm going to get on a plane back to California and we'll never see each other again, so…"

"California?"

Stuart looked like he'd won the lottery or saved a stray puppy or something.

"Yeah. It's where I go to school. California University."

"Then it'll be very easy for us to see each other again," Stuart closed the distance between them yet again. "I live in L.A."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was two thirty when Dylan walked into the waiting room. He sought out Andrea first, and when their eyes met she gave him a warm smile and a subtle thumbs up, inclining her head just slightly towards the flowers in his hands. White orchids. They'd cost a fortune but Iris was happy to help pay for them when Dylan explained the situation.

"I hope it's okay that I came," Dylan said quietly to Mr. and Mrs. Walsh. "Andrea told me last night that everyone would be here."

"It's fine," Jim answered, not warmly, but at least he hadn't asked Dylan to leave. Not that Dylan would have left if he had.

"Here," Andrea patted the seat next to her, and Dylan sank into it, watching Mrs. Walsh as he did so. Her eyes hadn't left the floor since he'd walked in.

When he finally gave up on receiving any recognition from Mrs. Walsh, Dylan looked around the room. It didn't seem any different from any other hospital waiting room – just rows of almost comfortable chairs clustered in small, u-shaped groups. Jim and Cindy occupied one rung of their particular cluster, with an empty seat between them that Dylan assumed to be Brenda's. Brandon, Kelly and Donna occupied the next rung, while he and Andrea finished out the group. Steve wasn't seated, but leaned against the wall at the end of Dylan and Andrea's row.

"She just went in," Andrea told him. Dylan nodded; he'd timed himself to arrive late on purpose. He hadn't wanted to be there when she went in, and he hadn't wanted her to send him away before he heard what the doctor had to say. "No word yet."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"David."

Claire pulled the door open and blinked in surprise. "I thought you'd be at the hospital with everyone else."

"Well, ah, Brenda isn't really my friend," David said, stepping past her into the apartment. He stood in the hallway, shifting on the balls of the feet. "She was, once, but we haven't talked in months."

"And yet you seem upset."

Claire took his hand and led him to the sofa. They sat together, not letting go of each other's hands.

"Yeah, I guess I am upset."

"I'm sorry."

The truth was that Claire had no idea what to say. She'd never really known Brenda and David had never talked about her. The other night at the Christmas party they hadn't seemed particularly close, but it had seemed like everyone was avoiding a thousand subjects at once that night. Even when they were laughing and enjoying the evening, it seemed like an awful lot was being left unsaid.

"You didn't know her very well," David shrugged. He turned away for a minute, and when he turned back, he was holding a picture frame. "This was taken at this pool party last year. I think it was a Greek week thing. Neither one of us was really into it, but I was there with Donna and I think she was just there 'cause everyone else was. Anyway, somehow we ended up dancing together and we won this stupid dance competition…"

David handed Claire the photograph. David, Brenda, Andrea, Brandon, Dylan and Kelly were standing by a pool, the sun shining so brightly down on them that every single one of them was squinting. They also all seemed to be dripping wet. Claire's eyes were drawn to Brenda, near the center of the frame. She was striking, not just because of the unique beauty Claire had noticed the other night, but because her smile wasn't the forced 'say-cheese' smile that people typically wore in photos. It was a vibrant, alive smile, a laughing smile, and her head was thrown back with the force of that laughter.

"She was in her element that day. No one can dance like Brenda," David smiled a little. "And from what Kelly said, she might have already been sick."

Claire reached out to him, wrapping her arms around his chest and laying her head on his shoulder. She didn't know what else to say.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"That's the doctor," Kelly announced needlessly, nudging Brandon as they both stood. Brenda was not with Dr. Dana.

"Mr. Walsh, Mrs. Walsh," the doctor greeted Brenda's parents.

"Where's Brenda?" Mrs. Walsh demanded, leaping to her feet. Mr. Walsh stood, laying a hand on his wife's back to calm her. It was a futile attempt. "Where's my daughter?"

"I've decided to admit her," the doctor pressed her clipboard to her chest and gave the Walshes a sympathetic smile. Kelly squeezed Brandon's hand as they all moved to gather around the doctor. "I'd like to take her to surgery as soon as possible. Until we get the biopsies done, we won't really know what we're dealing with. I intend to do the breast biopsy myself this afternoon, as soon as her blood work comes back, assuming I can find an open OR. I'm also going to test her lymph nodes. As to the brain biopsy…"

"Dr. Ross Greenfeld!"

Donna's voice was full of eagerness and pride as she literally jumped, holding a finger in the air. Everyone turned from Dr. Dana to look at Donna.

"My father talked to him first thing this morning. He's a neurosurgeon," she explained. "He's supposed to be really good and he's expecting your call."

"He's the best in L.A.," Dr. Dana nodded, impressed. "And an old friend from med school. I'll give him a call right now."

"Thank you," Mr. Walsh smiled at the doctor, and she smiled back. "Doctor, in your opinion…"

"Like I said," Dr. Dana cut in, looking down at her clipboard as she spoke. "I can't know for sure until the biopsy results are in."

"But?" Andrea pressed, paying even more attention than she normally paid authority figures. Kelly would have smiled if the situation were different.

"But, given her symptoms, her history, her family history, and the unlikelihood of her developing separate non-cancerous tumors…" the doctor trailed off, looking up at Brenda's parents again. She actually seemed upset by what she was saying. "At this point, I see no reason to disagree with the previous diagnosis."

"Can we see her?"

Steve's voice hitched and Kelly wasn't surprised. Underneath his sometimes piggish exterior, her ex-boyfriend was kind hearted and gentle. When his friends hurt, Steve hurt. It was the reason she'd been drawn to him in the first place.

"Just give her a few minutes to get settled, she's in room 312."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brenda leaned back against the not-quite-comfortable hospital pillows and fought back tears. Her family and friends would no doubt be in to visit any time, and she didn't want them to see her cry. It wasn't like she hadn't known there would be hospital stays and surgeries. She just hadn't imagined it would happen right away.

God, I'm not ready for this, she thought. The breast biopsy was familiar enough, given that she'd been through it before, but the idea of some doctor she'd never even met cutting into her brain terrified her. What if I don't wake up? What if I don't remember anyone when I do wake up? What if I lose the number seven, or the capital of Nebraska? Do I even know the capital of Nebraska?

A knock interrupted her thoughts, and as her family and friends filed into her small hospital room, filling it with their presence, she forced a smile, which, after a few minutes, began to feel more genuine. She really was lucky to have them all here, all supporting her.

"These are from Dylan," Andrea said as she leaned down to kiss Brenda's cheek. She lay a bouquet of white orchids across Brenda's lap, and Brenda blinked back tears once more.

"They're beautiful," she whispered. "Is he here?"

Andrea pointed towards the door. Dylan stood just outside the door, staring through the small glass window. His face was unreadable, which was strange to Brenda, because she couldn't remember ever not being able to read his face at least a little bit. But then she saw the moisture in his eye.

And she mouthed for him to come in.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~