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

Chapter Fifty-Three: Change?

On Monday I spend a lazy few hours in the morning in my pyjamas playing with Art. Dylan unwrapped himself from me early this morning and reluctantly got ready to meet Kevin for his sunrise surf, he complained the whole time popping back every few minutes after brushing his teeth, getting changed, bringing Art to me, and then just coming back with his keys. Each time I got a passionate kiss, a reluctant sigh, and then a grumble that he had to leave our only morning that we have each week to really stay in bed. It was only when I said he had to go for Erica that he didn't return again.

When Art was down for his morning nap I decide to continue my lazy morning and run a bath, as I am dozing in the warm water I feel Dylan come into the room and a few seconds later I get a kiss on my neck and a whispered sit forward. As soon as I do he is climbing in behind me and then pulling me back onto his chest. He bury's his face into my neck and then begins laying more kisses, "this is how I think you should always be when I get home."

I laugh, "in the bath or in my current state of undress?"

"Either, both." I laugh again. "You were very difficult to leave this morning, you were all warm, sleepy, and in full monkey climbing mode. I've decided next semester we need to arrange our schedule so we have at least a few mornings off together."

"That sounds exactly how we should plan our higher education, class choices based not on knowledge and skill development but on what allows us to spend longer in bed each morning."

He ignores my sarcasm, "Baby I'm so glad you agree with me."

"Half way through next semester we'll have a toddler on our hands. Sleeping in won't be an option for probably the next ten year's."

"You forget we have a very loving grandmother on the property and by then a very helpful Aunt, that is if Brandon doesn't steal her away."

"You think that's an option, did he say something to you last night?"

"Just called her his wife again and now is quoting her assessments as accurate."

"They usually are."

"We know that but Brandon…" he leaves me to fill in the blank.

"Okay for my know-it-all twin to default to her that is a big deal." We are quiet for a few minutes after that, just enjoying our closeness. "You ready to tell me about your morning?"

"I saved his life." I go to sit up to look at him but he hold's me closer, "he began to step in front of a bus I pulled him back."

"On purpose?"

"Pulling him back, yes."

"Ha ha. You know what I'm asking smartass."

"Oh so sarcasm can only come from you?"

"Yep. On me it's cute."

"Everything on you is cute." He kisses my neck, "I don't know if it was on purpose or that he just got excited telling me about his revolutionary environmental vision, either way the morning surf and breakfast were almost a perfect lesson in being a con artist."

"Almost perfect?"

"Jack, watching him do business he never discussed the details, he always said that was a bean counter issue to solve or he'd deflect and say his lawyers were working out the details. Kevin speaks in general sweeping statements with some scientific jargon thrown in. If I wasn't paying more attention I'd swear he has answered my question but in reality I'm no wiser about the science once he's finished talking. Remember our chemistry teacher last year when he was able to make even the most complex theory make sense, he could do that because he genuinely understood what he was talking about."

"Roy can do the same."

"Of course the man you are obsessed with can do that." His jealousy was very sweet.

I turn my head and look at him, "the only man I'm obsessed with is you."

He immediately leans down and capture's my lips, by the end of the kiss I'm facing him and we have moved more into the middle of the bath. "That was a very good answer and the feeling is completely mutual." He kisses me again, "maybe a little more obsessive on my side."

As he kisses down my neck I respond, "impossible."

We leave the bath only when it gets cold. The rest of the day is spent driving down to Malibu to check the progress on the houses, and then a quiet lunch with the three of us in a local Malibu café. When we get home I need to leave immediately for my rehearsal.

As I'm leaving the campus Kelly stops me, "Brenda do you have a minute?"

I internally sigh but then turn around, "I wanted to let you know that the calendar committee at the sorority house is refusing to change the cover. Donna and I have asked and have stressed it wasn't the deal we made with Dylan but they are refusing to budge especially as it wasn't written down."

Seriously? "They wanted a contract when he never signed one for the use of his image?" This time I sigh out loud, "I'll talk to Dylan. It's his image and well I don't know if he'll be okay with it's current use, he may not be and I guess then-"

"What he'd get a lawyer or something?" She looks shocked. He's a multimillionaire and is known by the media in this town, he is also unbelievably private- how does she not realise this about him after dating him for so long?

"We have a lawyer but whether he goes down that path is his call. Thanks for letting me know, if you'll excuse me I'm hoping to get home in time to put Art to bed."

Dylan was not happy, he wasn't happy when I had described the cover after the dinner with the girls and he wasn't happy now that they were refusing to change it. He called the sorority house and advised the president that he'd like a copy, Kelly had obviously pre-warned them that it could turn legal as they didn't refuse but kept emphasising it was for charity. Dylan simply advised that he has no issue supporting the charity but he expects ethical behaviour from a group trying to claim to be helping others.

His rant after putting the phone down was mixed in with praise, thanking me for never signing up for a sorority. His rant was escalated when I said due to being pregnant with Art and then having him I would find it difficult to find a sorority that would let me join so it was a good thing I was never interested. When it got into minute twenty of the destructive Greek system I finally asked what this was really about, he eventually calmed enough to articulate his real issue. He didn't like the fact that something that was meant for me only was being seen, hung up on the wall of others.

It was very sweet. "Dylan you do know if I'm successful at being an actress I may have to appear intimate with others in play's and on camera?"

"I'm refusing to think about that." His short immediate response had me give him a look, "no we aren't discussing it. After the weekend we just had I'm not prepared to think of that, I'm too much in selfish mode."

His very sweet and definite response had me crawling into his lap and kissing him until he picked me and carried me to bed, he ignored my protests that the lights were still on and a few minutes later I forgot all about them.

Our day on campus was a mix of routine and us finding time and places to kiss each other senseless. After spending our lunch break in the library with me attempting to research a final paper whilst Dylan decided that the stacks gave a privacy hard to find on the busy campus we made it to our poetry class. Dylan spent most of the lesson staring at me while I bit my lip trying not to smile too much as I pretended to read my page. We were ridiculously in love.

As we leave campus we pick up the calendar, even seeing it for the second time I'm struck with how unsubtle it is in its attempt to highlight Dylan. His picture was significantly larger than anyone else's on the cover.

We were picking up Erica from school today as Suzanne worked the evening shift and then the morning shift, as we drove there I tried to soften his mood. "Baby you look unbelievably hot in that picture and I'm still very happy to buy all the calendar's, I've told you it's a fantastic investment."

"The sorority president said they already have pre-orders for half the order." Shit, well so much for buying them all.

"What do you want to do? You have my support either way."

"I hate it but I'm wondering if I'm taking it so badly because it's the only problem in my life I can solve, Suzanne and your parents I'm unable to do anything about but this I can fix."

"Are you that upset about my parents still?"

"Baby it didn't pass my notice how upset you got from your mother's chat with Iris. I also know until we figure out those relationships our life won't move too far forward."

I always took his desire for more kids as a little tongue and cheek, like it was a great dream but not something he desperately wanted. If it was I guess it should be properly planned and discussed, "you want another child that much?"

"I want you as my wife. I know you told me not to worry about fate and I'm not really, I just want us married. I want the world to know we belong to the other." He picks up my hand and kisses it, "and yes I want another child, another five at least."

"At least? Five more?" I sigh, "we need to work on your expectations in that area."

"We are nineteen we have another twenty years to have babies together, five more is like one every four years."

"That's your logic we'll spread the births out over twenty years? Twenty years of diapers and limited sleep, Baby I love you but you are crazy if you think that's going to happen."

"Fine we can have them over the next ten years." She laughs I give her a serious look. She sighs and shakes her head, thinking I was not serious- I was.

Erica kept us entertained with her excited school stories the rest of the afternoon until Bren had to leave for her rehearsal. It was only once she left, and Erica was outside gardening with Mum before dinner that I checked our answering machine. Christine had finally rung advising that she'll call tomorrow at nine sharp and that she hated talking to machines so she won't leave another message. Her meaning was clear- I'd make sure to answer the phone. The architect rang about the permits on the new property- we could subdivide, as it was our preferred option he'd finalise the plans on the property before we met next week. The subdivide would see us nearly double the profit of an already very profitable build- it was great news. The last message was from Jim wanting a meeting with me immediately. He didn't say if this was about the last of my investments with him, about Brandon, or about Brenda but either way I knew this meeting could help me reach my goal sooner. I called back and left a message with his answering service with my only available time tomorrow at eleven.

Bren came in as usual just as Art needed to be fed, once she had nursed him and put him to sleep, she had a late plate of dinner while playing a card game with Erica. It was then time for Erica to go to bed with our usual story time. It wasn't till both kids were in bed asleep did I finally get to tell her about the messages. She was thankful that Christine called back, thrilled about the property, and concerned about her father. It was clear the latter played on her mind a bit, throughout the night as we sat in our study trying to get some of our assignments done she kept asking questions about how I'd handle the meeting. On the tenth question I stood and went to her chair picked her up and placed her on my lap.

"Okay you're stressed by this. Do you not want me to go?"

"No you should go."

"Do you want to come with me?"

"No that will just annoy my father more. I just don't want him to upset you."

"Baby I stopped seeing your Dad as a potential father figure a long time ago, he won't upset me unless he mistreats you and our kids. I don't need him to like me unless you need him to?"

"No, would I have liked a big peaceful happy family, absolutely but I mainly have that. What I want more than any of that, what has always been number one to me is you. It's why I ran away to you, you I won't compromise on."

As she plays with my hair at the back of my neck I look at her, "do you know how much I love you?"

"Yes. I feel it all the time." In January she told me she hadn't felt it in over a year. That she could feel it again trusted in it, was pure bliss after the last eighteen months we had.

I kiss the tip of her nose, "come on it's time to go to bed."

She rolls her eyes, "in your mind it's always time to go to bed."

As I pick her up and begin to walk to the door with her in my arms I respond, "because it is."

Christine's phone call the next morning is brief, after I explain the situation and back story with Suzanne, Erica and Kevin she merely say's she'll look into it. If there is nothing suspicious in their histories she'll pass my details onto her friend J. Jay Jones to help me arrange security just in case, if it's something more then her or her colleague with be in touch. It's the best Bren and I can ask for.

After dropping Art to campus for his morning feed I go straight to Jim's office, he leaves me waiting for at least ten minutes. If this is a strategy to make me sweat it's not going to work, especially as I have to be back on campus at midday so all it is is eating into his meeting time.

"Mr Walsh will see you now." I nod at his secretary and move to open his door.

"Dylan thank you for coming, please take a seat."

As I sit I notice he has file's in front of him, "Jim. This about the last of the investments? I thought that money was contractually tied up in those business ventures for at least the next six months?"

"No it's not about those investments, though they are on track." I nod. "I received the paperwork to confirm Brenda is now off my insurance policy."

"Yes."

"You didn't think we deserved to be informed first?"

"You were informed. Our agreement in this office in January was that once her medical issues were resolved then she would move onto the McKay Family Policy. As I'm sure Cindy confirmed to you on Sunday after your golf game, she has the all clear."

He sighs, "yes it's disappointing that we had to find that out through Jackie."

If he expected me to apologise or own this mess then he was delusional, "yes it's disappointing for all involved that it's come to that."

"I assume you won't change your mind on this? I would of course prefer to know my daughter is well taken care of and covered in case she needs any medical assistance. As her next of kin her mother and I should also know her medical information in case it's needed and she is not in a position to provide it."

"That won't be needed. Brenda and I are each other's emergency contacts and we have legally signed documents authorising the other to make decisions if we can't. With kids, houses, investments and money together I'm sure you can appreciate we wanted to make sure if anything was to happen to one or both that legally our wishes are clear."

His face gradually took on a red quality throughout my response but he held back from saying anything more on the matter. He moves the top folder to the side and looks down at the next, "The Peach Pit." He looks up, "I'm sure you are aware that Nat refused my financial offer to help him be the sole owner of the restaurant once again. I was hoping that you could convince him to take the very generous deal-"

I interrupt as this is a non-negotiable, "that offer and matter is closed. I won't disrespect Nat and discuss his decisions behind his back. He is a man of experience and has determined what is best for him." He looks at me with narrowing eyes, obviously annoyed that I was refusing to entertain the very notion. I stand he hasn't asked about his grandson or daughter once, this wasn't a meeting that was going to restore the relationship. "If that's all I should go as I have class soon."

"Wait." I raise my eyebrow, "Brandon. His mother and I would like to reimburse you for his share's of The Peach Pit."

I shake my head, "Jim. Neither Brenda or I would accept that money, they were gifted to him and as it's part of a business there are partnership contracts. We won't mess with the business, and Brandon has more than earned those share's. If that's it, I've got to go."

As I touch the door handle I hear the frustrated tone he only ever seems to aim at me, "Dylan!"

I spin around, "Jim. I have no interest to hear what you have to say. I have no interest in helping you financially gain back control of either Brenda or Brandon. The fact that you need to or want to control them speaks volumes about you. I'm done here." I turn and open the door trying to reign in my exasperation.

"Dylan they are my family!"

I shake my head and look at him, "yes they are your family and mine, but they aren't property for us to buy and sell like you have tried to do today. Until you realise that and accept that they are adults, that all three of us are adults I don't think anything is going to change." I take a step out of the room and then turn back, "oh both your daughter and grandson are well thanks for asking."

If he responds I don't hear it as I move to the elevator. I guess it's time to let Grandma Walsh know nothing has changed from the separation and I'm not sure it ever will. I'm not sure he is capable of it.