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

Chapter Forty: Story Time

When no one put up a fight to her suggestion, I think in fairness because they didn't know how to tell the story Val jumped straight in. "Let's see the twins move here at the start of sophomore year, Brandon meets Dylan they become friends. Brenda meets Kelly they become friends. A few weeks later by his locker Kelly asks Dylan a random hair question, on answering his eyes for the first time find Brenda's and they instantly fall in love- well the way they both describe it they do."

Val gets the look in her eyes, it makes me automatically breath out as if my body was preparing for the blow even if I knew it wouldn't be aimed at me. Here we go. "A few weeks after that they are officially together. Bren's new best friend Kelly struggles with this concept of Bren and Dylan being monogamous and goes behind Brenda's back trying to get a date with Dylan. She comes clean to Bren later about it, using the excuse that it was justified because they had both flirted all freshman year when Kelly had actually been in a monogamous relationship with Steve. Amazing a year of flirting with the player that Dylan was she still couldn't land him, anyway she swears to never go after Dylan again." Even saying it in such a pleasant jokey tone didn't hide the hit. Kelly's eye's were on fire.

"They are together through cancer scares, Bren getting held up at gun point, Dylan's personal and family issues. They have problems, meeting your great love in sophomore year is kind of difficult to adjust to especially with the intensity of it and understanding the idea that you don't go blind to others when you fall in love. For those first two year's they talk through it all, being honest to a fault with each other."

"The intensity though is hard to take, not only for them but others. Brenda's twin, Brandon feels it first. He tries to warn Dylan off in sophomore year, when that doesn't work he begrudgingly accepts them together as long as he is still number one to both of them. That obviously doesn't happen and he later withdraws his support for the couple, though not publicly. Brandon's jealously and deep offence at the selfishness of his sister for not liking his junior year drug slipping pyromaniac stalkerish girlfriend, basically turns him into a toddler having a tantrum. He spends most of the summer after junior year and then most of senior year wanting to punish his sister for not liking crazy girlfriend and not worshiping the ground he walks on." The gang look at Brandon with a mix of confusion and uncertainty on how to respond. Val raises her eyebrow to him in challenge, he doesn't deny it and instead nods his head. Val looks to the gang. "Don't worry I'm working on my husbands superiority complex but if you could all stop believing he walks on water that would be great. Really, you all maybe should widen your friendship circle if you think Brandon is perfect." She turns back to Roy who is finding her obviously amusing, and I'm pretty sure was well aware of her game.

"Brenda's parents Jim and Cindy also feel the relationship has gone too far, especially after they sneak off for a weekend to Baja near the end of junior year. They ban them from seeing each other which is bizarre and impractical as the eight of them by that stage are inseparable. The ban means Bren and Dylan are now living out their own version off Romeo and Juliet sneaking around, when they get caught Bren decides to take a stand and moves to Dylan's place." She looks at me, "babe next time we are in crazy panic mode what are you going to do?"

I laugh at my best friend, "call you. I know it was an idiotic move but hey I was seventeen give me a break." She puts her thumb and pointer together till they are almost touching.

Our amusement was broken by the accusing tone of Kelly, "how come Brenda gets to talk?"

Val turns to Kelly. "Why Kelly I didn't know you wanted to, my apologies. Did I skip something important in the story? I didn't think you lusting after Brandon after Dylan had turned you down, was really plot point worthy but I could go back and fill in the gaps, or were you desperate for your stepbrother David's infatuation with you before he was your stepbrother to be noted? Look I'll save time and add a footnote." She looks back to Roy, "Kelly feels it's important for you to know by the end of junior year that either every guy here had either wanted her or she has wanted them, not sure why it's relevant but each their own." Val doesn't even bother looking back at Kelly but by the slight quirk of her lip she knows that the blonde wants to kill her. Roy is once again amused by my sassy friend, thank god.

"Where was I, oh yes so stupidly Brenda runs away to Dylan's and then it all gets nasty. Dylan can I discuss the?" She rubs her thumb, pointer and middle finger together in the universal symbol for money. He rolls his eyes and nods. "Dylan has money." He fake cough's, I roll my eyes this time- so not the time. "Sorry Arthur's parents have money, how much well that's a guarded secret between Bren and him, and really no one else's business. During this time in his life the money was in a trust managed by Brenda's dad and with his daughter not in his control he decides to blackmail Dylan. Essentially, he threatens to freeze the trust which is Dylan's only source of income, and on top of that he threatens to accuse Dylan of statutory rape of his three week in age difference girlfriend if he doesn't get her to agree to go to Paris for the remainder of summer."

"Blimey that's intense."

Val nod's in agreement. "Bren thinks the Paris offer is a sick Beverly Hills bribe and a way for her parents to control her but Dylan gets her to go. He doesn't tell her of the extent of the blackmail threats. In their time together as a couple it will be the first secret about them he keeps from her." She pauses, "Roy that would be the end of act one I guess the setup, are you interested in more?"

"That wasn't act two the confrontation? Oh my this is juicy, as long as Brenda and Dylan are fine with it then I'd love to hear more?"

"They're fine with it." I laugh she didn't even bother to look at us, I can sense Dylan is tensing next to me he knows act two will be hard. With Art sleeping in his arms I can't hold his hand instead I place my hand on his thigh for comfort. "Dylan well I'm not going to go into his thinking, it takes too long and you have to understand his history around the complex emotions he has around family and abandonment. His mother and I have agreed it's easiest just to say beach lice invaded his brain." Steve cracks up at that and Brandon looks down to avoid showing his smile.

"So start of act two, Brenda's been banished to Paris for six weeks and Dylan gets infested making him throw away his morals and personality and accept Kelly's advances. The two spend a few weeks messing around under everyone's noses, well except her new brother David'. He knows and accepts it because he's busy cheating on his girlfriend Donna who is also in Paris. Side note the girl David is with that summer a few months later ends up becoming Brandon's girlfriend, he then cheats on her by making out with Andrea who also has a boyfriend." She stops and looks at them all, "your collective morality that year was all really bad." Fuck me, let's hope they hold their tongues till Roy and Art are no longer here.

"Anyway Bren comes back from her trip and her parents have decided to back off. This surprises both her and Dylan, they are now free to openly be together once again. Bren notices within hours of being home that something is off and asks Kelly if Dylan had messed around while she was away. Kelly reassures her best friend that her boyfriend loves only her. Bren takes her best friend at her word and later that afternoon confesses to Dylan that she kissed a guy in her last few day's in Paris, she apologises and asks if Dylan wants to continue their relationship in light of this new information. He does. The next two months are bizarre. Kelly walks around depressed." She turns to Kelly, "did you really paint your room black?" Kelly just glares, "I'll take that as a yes. And from what I understand you both agreed," she points at Dylan and Kelly, "that those weeks didn't happen because you are such a good friend. But then you forget that and find bullshit reasons to pop over to Dylan's house at night to flirt and undermine his relationship with Brenda." What? I close my eyes, Val had spoken to Dylan on the phone a couple of times. Of course when I had not wanted the specifics in January and therefore was not able to provide them to Val she would have found another way to fill in those blanks, going to the only source who was there who would talk to her- Dylan; he may not even be aware that she was fishing for them. Val would want to know how much betrayal there was, what rank on her list they both deserved. I move my hand from his thigh.

"Brenda's worried about her friend being depressed and tries to be supportive by including her more with her and Dylan. Dylan is all over the place, the lice make him angry, unable to communicate and basically a pain in the ass- well according to him he was. He eventually comes clean to Brenda that there was a girl that summer, swears it didn't mean anything and when she asks who he refuses to give the name as that's unimportant. Within hours Bren has dumped him."

"So then it's rebound time. This part is actually just disturbing for women in general and even more so that the gang including her twin convinces Bren that really it's her fault for breaking up with him, therefore to suck it up and let him play Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe. Anyway this horrible few months starts with Dylan going on a date with Kelly, and Bren who had randomly run into Paris guy going on a date with him. Both pairs choose the same restaurant on the same night and of course run into each other, the ex's are angry at the other and the blonde best friend is shocked that her brunette best friend would judge her for dating him less than twenty-four hours later. The Blonde actually takes the moral high road and claims to be the victim having done nothing wrong- she obviously has forgotten about her summer and secret visits. It's a part she will continue to play for the next few months, convincing everyone she is just a victim of innocent love, and it's that performance that will lose her Steve's loyalty when he finds out- he doesn't like to be made a fool of. The rest of the gang here don't have the same self respect so don't mind as much." Oh my, she rolls straight onto the next part leaving them no time to register and respond to her words.

"The back and forth between the three of them goes on for weeks, and eventually at Christmas when friendship fails they decide to tell him to choose. By February Dylan's dad comes back in the picture and wants to have a party, Dylan invites all his friends. Only Kelly shows up as Jim considers Dylan's dad too dangerous for Brenda to be around, and I guess the other parents feel the same way. Triggered by Jim's interference in his life with Brenda again, Dylan makes his choice that night. Anyway the next day they wait till after school, go to her house together, ask her to go for a long ass walk and then together they tell her that her boyfriend of two year's has chosen the blonde, oh and the girl that summer had been her best friend Kelly, but it was all an accident and they didn't mean to hurt her." The sarcasm and disgust was palpable from Val.

"Blimey. How are you all sitting here together? And wait your son together he must be-" He looked at me the whole time he said that, I know he isn't really asking me about the group dynamics but rather my ability to sit here.

I smile and nonchalantly state, "I didn't find out about Art till I was two months pregnant, by then it was the end of March. Dylan and I were talking by then. His father had passed away less than two weeks after the park and being his only family support I invited him to stay with us. In the light of that tragedy our relationship and the hurt I was feeling seemed unimportant. Dylan needed support so when we held the wake at our house I made sure that his new girlfriend was invited. Dylan stayed a few day's with us and then came for dinner regularly, sometimes with Kelly as well."

"That's an intense relationship you guy's have to be able to put that hurt aside and still support the other. Did you guy's get back together after you found out you were pregnant?"

"No. I was pretty sick and the pregnancy was risky for a number of factors. I didn't think Dylan needed that worry and potential pain on top of everything else he was dealing with. Brandon and Steve took care of me and helped me move back to Minnesota to complete my first semester of college during summer school. I finished the courses but by that stage I was pretty unwell and any stress became life threatening. I gave birth to Arthur and when my Doctors felt I was healthy enough I came home to LA. When I arrived on New Year's Eve Dylan found out."

"And you guy's are…?"

I could feel Dylan's eyes on me, my moving my hand was not lost on him. "We are family have been since that locker, and now we have one. We understand each other and well Val was right, meeting the love of your life at that age has made it hard. It means that we have to grow together and sometimes that growth can only be accomplished a part."

"Dylan and Kelly?" Roy was only looking at me.

"Together till mid October of last year, separated for their own reasons." I smile at him and give him an apologetic look, "even though I've missed the start of my next lecture I should get going. Art needs to go back to daycare for the rest of his nap, it's getting too warm out here for him and then I need to grab some books they are holding for me in the library."

"Oh can I walk with you this campus is still a little confusing but I know I parked by the library?" He was a lifesaver Dylan wouldn't come with me now.

"Of course." I lean over and collect Art from Dylan. I avoid his eyes. "I'll see you at lunch."

We are quiet as we walk over to the daycare and sign my sleeping son back in. Roy waits for me.

"You are one hell of an actress. I could almost believe that none of that had effected you at all."

There was no point in lying. "What was my tell?"

"Your body, you moved your hand and stopped leaning in his direction as much- just a fraction mind you but it was enough."

"Do you think they could tell?"

"Well I think Dylan could tell, but I beat he'd pick up on even the slightest change based on your breathing?" I nod. "Your friend Val, well I think she can read everyone she meets."

I laugh. "Yes. You made her day by asking that question and I'm sure she is continuing her fun now."

"Is it fun for you?"

"Not at all. Val dislikes them because they are characters in letters and phone call stories, you can hate someone when you only see them in that light. It's the other stuff that doesn't translate that makes them people to me. People who I once trusted and loved. Val and I have always called a spade a spade we are the same that way, but calling people out for their behaviour a year later seems unhelpful."

"But clearing the air is essential if you want these people in your life."

I lift my shoulder's I didn't know if I did want that. "I'm sorry you had to witness that I hope you don't think too badly of Kelly or me."

"I'm not sorry I saw that at all. I'm actually glad I did. The range of emotions you have access to, that you understand, it makes you very impressive in someone so young. I'm looking forward to your audition on Friday even more now, and while I don't give direction for callbacks I'd suggest for the monologue you have chosen you may like to consider how that park scene would have gone and felt if it had just been you and Dylan."

"I've imagined that a time or two. Thank you Roy."

"My pleasure, now I must go and find Laura and ask her for coffee, then I can't be accused of favouritism at all." He winks at me. Before he nods farewell and walks away.

Dylan looks at me but doesn't call me out for going too far, I know he thinks it but he respects me enough to keep it to himself in company, it's the same reason why I won't call him sleaze in front of these people. My respect for him grows. When I look over at Brandon he is curious about his sister but doesn't ask just keeps watching her walk away. Steve is looking at me with a mix of amusement and resignation he knows this isn't over. When I look at the four of them Kelly is fuming, Andrea is speechless, Donna is looking fearful and David surprises me by looking amused. He I quirk my eyebrow at, he understands my unasked question. "Dylan and I spend Sunday nights together." Oh the AA Meeting, well then I imagine he knows a lot.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

I turn back to the self righteous voice. "Kelly we were introduced before have you forgotten already, and here I thought your memory issues only extended to the word monogamy and promises you make to your supposed best friend."

"You had no right to say any of that especially in front of a director I'm auditioning for."

I laugh, "please you are only going for this part because you are continually single white femaling Brenda. Actually is that how you make all decisions now, 'I'll take whatever one Brenda wants'?"

"She doesn't own the part."

"No she doesn't but she wants it and that's all you care about, that was your only criteria. In your head you are taking everything you can of Brenda's in punishment for her always getting Dylan."

"Dylan chose me, he always wanted me." She was fucking delusional it was kind of sad.

"Always? So in freshman year when he didn't ask you out or at the start of the following year when you were no longer with Steve and he still didn't ask, that was him always wanting you? In sophomore year when you asked and he said no, was that him also always wanting you? When Bren came back and she gave him the immediate out and he chose her was that also him always wanting you? When after your first date together he didn't jump into a committed relationship, and then he was back seeing Bren again, and then when he couldn't decide for nearly two months, let me guess that was also him always wanting you?" I shake my head. "You should add to your to do list looking up the words always and wanting, because like monogamy and promise you seem confused about their meaning."

I pause to let that sink in. "You my dear were chosen by default, the path of least resistance. With Dylan's dad back on the scene and Jim well being Jim, Dylan understood Bren would never be allowed to be part of that world while she was still at home, and for Dylan the hope of that relationship with his Dad was crucial. Add that to his knowledge, that when Bren found out about the summer and the months of his lies were exposed… well Dylan knew he wouldn't have had a choice then."

She tries to hold onto her delusion. "He stayed even after she knew and even after Jack."

I try and be as gentle as possible, this had been damaging on her as well. "Yes and the stress of that, the paranoia, the need to be perfect to keep him, made you… well you know what happened. My god you need a best friend," I look at Donna and Andrea, "seriously you both need to step the hell up. Best friends don't gush that the spring queen likes them. Get over the childish popularity contest, your insecurity, the need to be liked and accepted by a popular kid, and do your job as friends. Here let me show you how it's done."

I ignore their clearly taken-aback faces and turn back to Kelly and maintain the respect discussing Jack and her history deserve, "your insecurities started the moment Jack died, you think that was a coincidence? It wasn't. Either consciously or subconsciously you knew that the hurdles between Dylan and Brenda were removed. It became worse when you could see that Brenda understood the support he needed. Understanding she put aside her pain to help him because that's what they signed on for, they'll always be there for the other. It made you scared. You spent the next month trying to make yourself as perfect as possible- well what you saw as perfect back then. Your best friend's should have told you no man was worth that, and they should have said if you need to hold on so tightly then he was never yours. You deserve one who is."

"And you think Dylan is Bre-"

I hold my palm out I can't listen to that sarcastic tone, "stop. Don't make me point out publicly to you how when you were together with him and since how he only wants Brenda. Honestly, if you seriously are blind to that then I'll go through it with clear examples privately, you can bring your fan club and they can learn how to have difficult conversation to stop friends getting hurt." I turn back to both Donna and Andrea, "which ladies should have been the first conversation you had when you found out about her first date with Dylan. Something along the lines of, you'll get hurt and it's not your fault it's just that Bren and Dylan are meant for each other so don't do it to yourself."

I knew I was getting through when she stopped trying to argue the point. "This has nothing to do with you, any of this."

"Kelly I'm family to the twins, I'm Arthur's and Erica's Aunt Val, I'm-"

"She's part of Brenda's and my family, she's a honorary McKay she has the right." I look at Dylan who is looking at the blonde with stern eyes. Bren was right, family his family was everything to him it was clear- I fucking respect that. I'd have to ask Brenda later if he really considers me a member of it.

"You are okay for her to speak to me like this about our relationship?"

"Kelly we don't have a relationship we have a history, and has she lied about it, said anything untrue? No. I've apologised for it all, for bringing you into something you were never supposed to be a part of and even if you were asking to come in I shouldn't have let you- you were only going to be hurt. I've apologised it was my fault." He sighs, "Brenda is the person this all happened to she didn't create this, for you to blame her for our actions to think she is somehow at fault and then to continue to punish her for it… well it's crazy and mean."

"She was always getting between us. We never had a chance."

"She wasn't getting between us, she wasn't even there for most of it. Even before she moved she rarely spent time with the group and she wasn't there when we were in Europe. We didn't work because honestly I didn't love you and you didn't get me, and I don't think you loved me either not the real me. I think you had this idea of what I was like and the reality is I'm not that, I'm pretty fucked up you can't have my life and not be."

"We had the same life."

"No you had a permanent house with an alcoholic mother but she was a parent who tried to be involved in your life at least, even at her worst she tried to be there for you, let you know she cared. I'm not saying your life was easy, I'm just saying our experiences were different. I had no parent at all. I had drugs, alcohol, I was kicked out at fourteen, I lived in a hotel room by myself until sophomore year. I was brought up around dangerous men and the nicest thing I can say about Jack during that time when he actually showed up, was that he tried to limit my exposure or make it seem like it was all above board. Our lives were different and you don't understand how that effects me."

"And Brenda who grew up with the perfect family who she selfishly keeps trying to reject she understands you?"

"The Walsh's aren't perfect, no man who is capable of threatening a seventeen year old they way he threatened me is perfect, but yes even when I thought they were I knew she got me. She got me from our first date, she saw first hand my relationship with Jack, the shady shit he involved me in and she got it. She understood the car, wardrobe, the reputation, the money and the image are all bullshit illusions-"

"I've told you before they aren't, they are just the least interesting things about you." I turn quickly and give my best friend a smile. "I forgot to grab the car keys and I'm not going to carry this stack of books around with me till lunch."

Dylan from what I can tell is relieved that she is looking at him. "Did Erica's books come in yet?"

"Yes I think we have a book covering every potential science fair project she could make."

"Seriously that's it? You guy's are just going to carry on as if nothing happened."

Bren looks at Kelly, "what happened? Val told the story of the last few year's, we were all there it wasn't like it was new information."

"She embarrassed us all."

"She told the truth Kelly. If you were embarrassed by the telling, if any of you felt shame over your behaviour from back then well that's on each of you." I can see the moment in her eyes that she decides fuck it. "And yeah if I was you guy's I'd been fucking embarrassed about it." Yes my girl was finally ready to play.