Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was foolish. It was a stupid risk but when Dad got cornered in a meeting with Mr Carson asking in front of the firms partners if he and the family were attending Iris McKay's bbq he couldn't say no. The partners were thrilled that Iris who they perceived was stepping back into the socialite lifestyle was bringing Jim and Cindy along for the ride; the partners thought this would lead to great opportunities for Dad to network for the firm. Not that Dad had said that at home to me, no I had heard him complain while doing the dishes with Mum that night. Complaining that they would have to accept the invite now.

My husband and I both loved and hated the idea. Our biggest resistance being that it was a risk, a stupid risk to take. Dylan and I hadn't engaged with each other in front of my parents since the beach club my first day back, a bbq, swimming and spending time for hours in our home was courting trouble. It was courting trouble from all angles. Rarely did anyone see us together anymore, even at lunch we were sitting further apart. Our skins were like magnets, even sitting next to each other in History or Science we found ourselves unintentionally moving together. We needed distance a buffer zone between us, and even then throughout the day I'd still feel the charge I'd get from his skin touching mine unconsciously. Our home, having everyone there was too many eyes and too much of a risk… but I wanted to see my mother-in-law and father-in-law, I wanted more hours in my house, and I wanted to not have to go a day without seeing my husband.

Dylan had been adamant about that after my forced Sunday trip to Santa Barbara, a whole weekend of us not seeing each other had left him strung out on the Monday. He insisted on wearing his ring all day choosing to keep his hand in his pocket, and he insisted as much as possible I wear at least my wedding band. By the end of the day he was calmer and happier but he put the rule in then that we see each other every day, even just for a second. He had also begun a verbal daily countdown to our birthday's, he was desperate for time to move faster. He was hating this whole thing.

Our secret phone calls at night while I had my bath or studied in my room were the only thing getting him through, well that and seeing his parents so happy. For the first time in his life Dylan was coming home to parents asking about his day, wanting to nightly sit and have a meal as a family, and who regularly told him how proud they were of him and how much they cared. He gradually was finding it less surreal to live with them, though he was surprisingly thankful for his dad's touchy-feely ways with his mother it helped counter the weirdness of family perfection. The shudder of disgust at being forced to bear witness to his dad's thinly veiled desire for his ex wife had begun to make Dylan leave the room, his parents laughing the whole time while Dylan reminded them that these were public spaces and to keep those looks and their innuendo to their own rooms. I knew the forced witness of their growing connection both made him happy and wished someone would poke out his eyes- I loved that he was getting the full happy family experience.

We arrived at the gate in front on our parents car, Brandon driving in case the gang decided to hangout longer. When he got to the keypad he looked at me, "should we pretend that you wouldn't know what Dylan would choose for this and use the intercom, or do you want to just give me the number?"

I roll my eyes, "Brandon just use the intercom." Dylan had used our wedding date for the security code, his parents believed it was because it was the day his offer was accepted on the property- it was not the reason. Jack's voice rings through and we are being buzzed in seconds later. "Wow this is a little bigger than the bungalow." I shake my head at Brandon's understatement, this place could eat the bungalow like ten times in the house feet alone, the grounds well I didn't want to think of that. As we are parking to the side of the Spanish fountain that sits in the turning circle of the driveway parking behind Kelly's already parked car, my in-laws and husband exit the house.

"Welcome!" I quickly exit the car, and Iris and I are immediately crushing each other with a ferocious hug. Over her shoulder I see Jack and Dylan wearing the same indulgent smirk, both clearly having the same thought, the bbq was worth it for the McKay women to have this moment together.

When Iris and I finally release each other I clock my Dad's unamused look, however being bold I decide to push my luck and steal my first hug with Jack. He kisses my cheek and whispers, "finally our McKay family is properly together." I squeeze his upper arms as I pull back from the hug, if only he knew how accurate that remark was.

Dylan and I give a brief hug where he discreetly lays a kiss on my neck. As he pulls back I feel him sniff my hair and whisper into the strands, "my wife."

We are ushered into the house with my parents being awkwardly polite and the rest of us being completely comfortable, enough so that Brandon whistles loudly when he looks around the foyer at the rooms falling off it and the grand staircase it houses. I elbow him. My husband laughs, "checking the echo B?"

"No just trying to figure how you are coping going from the bungalow to this? It's a little different."

"Yeah it's a little bigger but the gate alone was worth the move. Mum and Dad went to a gallery opening on Wednesday night and managed to stir up the local paparazzi. Thursday and Friday the gate was the only thing keeping them away from us."

"My wife has always preferred to live behind a gate in LA, they have loved taking pictures of her here ever since she was a little girl, in New York it's nearly as bad."

"Thankfully I'm of no interest in Hawaii, but enough about the fortress that we are forced to live behind. Can I get anyone a drink? Brenda and Brandon, Kelly and David are already in the pool if you want to join them. Cindy and Jim, Jackie and Mel are just putting baby Erin down for her nap up in one of the guest rooms."

"Oh if we are swimming already I probably should change then, is there a room I can change in?"

"Yeah of course. You can use mine, it's far enough away that you won't disturb Erin, seemingly she's going through a sleeping stage and keeps fighting to stay awake." I raise my eyebrow in amusement how does he know that. He immediately responds to my unasked question, "Kelly was yawning in class the other day and all but fell asleep on my shoulder, when I tapped her awake she ranted about Erin's near constant attempts to stay up all night."

"Poor Jackie and Mel, I should reach out and see if they need a break. I remember when you and Brandon went through that stage." My mum looks at Iris, "did Dylan experience it as well?" My mum doesn't know only the four of us do, but instantly Jack is pulling his wife to him, and Dylan is a ball of tension.

Iris just smiles, it doesn't light up her face as normal. "Dylan self soothed a lot. We had Nannies and a house full of staff, but he grew pretty annoyed from a few day's old at people hovering it would make him cry. He only stopped when he was put down-"

"D even then you were a little loner." Brandon's joke doesn't shift the mood of the McKay men, Iris's illness emotionally scaring both of them and destroying what could have been for their family.

"Dyl could you point me to your room I'll make my way up and try and be as quiet as possible so I don't wake Erin."

As he walks past his mum he kisses her forehead, "I'll take you up there I need to take my chain off if I'm going swimming."

Brandon gives Dylan a shocked look at that, he wasn't a guy to wear jewellery. I jump in at seeing the teasing question form behind my brothers eyes, "good idea I'm sure water near your grandfather's watch and chain would tarnish the metal." My husband was playing with fire, tempting fate.

When we get upstairs I immediately walk straight into our room, dropping the act that I have never been here. Dylan immediately closes the door and lifts me up, I'm placed on our bed seconds later. When I feel his hands start to unbutton my dress I pull back from our kiss, "husband what are you doing?"

"Helping my wife get changed into her swimming costume." His smirk at the end clearly demonstrating that he has no intention of the redressing part anytime soon.

I give him another kiss and pull away, "we don't have time. My Dad will come up and look for you if we are alone in 'your' room too much longer."

He groans in frustration but gives me one long last lingering kiss before he stands and looks down at me, "forty five days until I get to see you like this everyday."

"See me like what? All flustered from our kisses or on our bed?"

"Both."

The rest of the gang have arrived by the time I make my way downstairs. When Dylan left I had gone into our dressing room and dropped a few more items I had stored in my bag off. I knew when he discovered them he'd feel better. I had even gone to our study slash library and placed a new picture of us there. It was the one Asher had taken in the quad where Dylan was mock biting my hand. I loved that picture it was exactly how we were together, playful, happy and completely in our own world.

Hanging by the pool I watch my husband swim around, he and Steve are getting ready to play volleyball in the water. Kelly and Brandon planning on joining them. Andrea is sitting next to me chatting to Donna. The sun is beaming down so behind my glasses I close my eyes and let the sun warm my well sunscreened skin.

"This house is incredible I wonder when it was built."

I'm so relaxed I automatically answer Andrea, "1930s."

"It looks amazing for it's age I wonder how much renovation has been done on it."

Without thinking I answer, "it was being restored by the last owner, it has a new kitchen that was put in a few years ago but the guy ran out of money to restore the bathrooms. The replacing of the plumbing, electrical and hand restoration of the original hardwood floors wiping him out. The inside of the house was painted before it went on the market but in the next few years work will be needed inside on the bathrooms, and outside the house will need to be rendered again- the last earthquake left a crack on the side wall near the kitchen."

My Dad's voice has me immediately sitting up and wide awake, "Brenda how do you know this?"

I look up to see the Carson's and the rest of the adults staring at me, my Dad is the only one who appears to be mad. I'm internally kicking myself and so I'm slow to respond, thankfully my in law's are used to thinking on their feet. Jack winks at me in amusement.

"My son couldn't decide on which house he wanted, I seemingly ruined the fun by moving around too much after we sold the manor. Brenda thankfully had the patience to help him decide by listening to him go through each property over the phone while she was in Paris. I think she was fearful that if he didn't decide we would end up going crazy in the tiny bungalow with the constant photographer's out the front."

I smile at my father-in-law, "please crazy would have been the best option, I was worried that you'd all kill each other in there. Dylan was one meditation tape away from going postal."

Iris jumps in then, "I'm not sure why he doesn't like the meditation sounds, the birds or the wind chimes are so relaxing- even Jack likes them."

Dylan yells out from the pool, "that's because Dad's wrapped around your finger Mum, he indulges you. I'm sure they make his ears bleed as well when you guy's meditate to them each morning."

Vivian looks at Iris then, "you've managed to get Jack to meditate. How on earth, I can't even get Lawerence to so much as one Tai Chi movement with me, though Jack has always gone along with your ideas. Remember when you were trying to get pregnant and you got him to give up all pork products?"

"Do I ever, I swear he was starting to dream about his Irish bacon rashers." And with that the conversation is moved off of my slip up, and Iris and Jack continue the requested tour of the gardens. Dylan looks at me when they walk off and wink's.

Steve is the first to break the silence, "so you let Bren pick your house?"

Kelly responds with a level of authority in her voice correcting her ex, "Steve I think Jack said he just discussed it with her I'm sure Bren didn't pick the family's house-"

Dylan breaks our eye contact to look at my bestfriend, "oh no she picked it and pretty much furnished the whole thing. I have the doodles in my desk with her little notes of Dylan put the couch here, and the table this way to prove it." Kelly's eyes go wide.

Steve barks out a laugh, "it seems like your dad's not the only one who is whipped in this house."

Dylan tosses the ball under the net in front of Steve causing it to splash in his face, "Dude do not say my Dad and whipped in the same sentence. I swear the two of them are unable to keep their hands to themselves."

Brandon laughs loudly, "it's not fun seeing that, is it? Now you know the grossness you caused me throughout sophomore and junior year."

"Jones Bren and I had some restraint-"

The loud laughter of the gang and cry's of no you didn't cause me to go red. Kelly thankfully saves me by cutting off the laughter, "come on are we playing or not? Dylan and I verse Steve and Brandon. Dylan same positions as last time, me in the front?"