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

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Bet's

When they walked in the door Erica ran to meet them, Art and I were not too far behind. Iris quickly hugged her honorary granddaughter slash co-mischief maker in crime, and then gave me a hug before plucking her grandson from my arms. The latter on seeing his grandmother started babbling clear complaints, one could imagine his upset was based on her leaving him and then the trauma his tooth was causing him. His patient grandmother listened, nodded, advised him that it sounds terrible, and then kissed his cheeks. He snuggled into her shoulder.

Bren and I shared a look, the mix of McKay and Walsh gene's obviously demonstrating that he will be capable of making any girl smitten, well if his Uncle and I are anything to go off. Karma was definitely going to bite me in the ass being a father. Once Iris had begun to lead the kids into the lounge room, with Erica moaning about her dress that she had to wear to the stupid wedding I looked at Val.

She gave me a nervous smile back, her being timid was a scary look. "Sleaze thank-"

I cut her off by giving her a bear hug before she could say anything more, "now that you are here a reminder of the rules." She pulls back and gone is her nervousness and instead it's replaced by an amused eyebrow lift, "no Walsh sleepovers under the McKay roof. My girl begrudgingly is still a Walsh by law only, but there is no girlie sleepover's, she sleeps only by me." Brenda snorts and from my peripheral vision I can see she is shaking her head.

"And since you said Walsh and not Brenda I'm assuming you are throwing in the male twin into this category?" Her sassiness was back- much better.

Bren steps forward, "I'm vetoing that one. If it gets to that point in your relationship then I need advance warning on sleepovers so I can ensure he knows the rules."

"Rules?"

I jump in, "yep. No loud noises, appropriate dress outside of your closed bedroom door, and no goofy smiles the next day."

"You both are prudes."

I shake my head, "we aren't but you are a McKay now we have to make sure we scare the Minnesota don juan enough that he knows that sleepovers are serious, commitment serious."

She laughs at me, "please my husband is scared of me enough, as if he would even try and play me."

"True, very true."

"Speaking of my twin-"

"Do you mind if I invite him up this afternoon?"

I give her a baffled look, "your house no need to ask. Now I imagine I should go and start unloading these bags, all in your room Val?"

"Yes, but I'll come and help."

"No I've got it, Erica is desperate for you to commiserate with her over the annoying dress she has to wear so you better get in there."

She nods and gives me a grateful smile. When she is on the couch Bren looks at me, "thank you. She wants normal as possible." I nod, "come on I'll give you a hand."

Before she can get to the door I wrap her in a bear hug, "baby I'd prefer your energy was not spent on moving bags."

"Oh really Mr McKay, and how would you prefer me to spend my energy?"

"We could repeat last night again-"

"The movie?"

"No, I was thinking our room."

"Which time?"

"All of them."

She turns in my arms, "we probably shouldn't we almost got too carried away last night, and well I'm not protected at the moment."

"Believe me I know but as hard as self restraint is for the both of us, I'm very committed to you being my wife before we try and expand our family. Call me old fashion but I'd like to see you wearing white walking to me, loudly declaring forever with me as soon as possible." She leans up and kisses me, "and then once our fingers are bound with new ring's and you are with your proper name- no longer sporting the temporary, I will be spending our honeymoon ensuring that my wife is both very satisfied and carrying our third and maybe fourth."

"You had me all in until twins-"

"You prefer triplet's?" The pinch on my arm was both completely expected and a surprise. As I rubbed my arm, she rolled her eyes and began to move away grumbling the whole time that the lice had obviously caused permanent brain damage if I thought triplets would be a good idea.

By the time Brandon arrived we were just sitting down to leftover Lasagna, fresh garlic bread and salad. He joined us but kept giving Val concerned eyes the whole time. After our late lunch Iris and Erica went to garden which translated in their language meant going to have a mud fight. Bren went to nurse Art and I cleaned the kitchen while keeping a watchful eye on Val and Brandon by the pool. Val and he eventually hugged and then she was called away by an excited and muddy Erica- great three crazy McKay's, that outdoor shower could not come soon enough.

Brandon quickly made his way inside, "the anxiety?"

I didn't need the clarification of context, "yeah. Val wanted it kept quiet. I don't think no I know, if Bren hadn't picked up on her weird tone on Wednesday in their phone call she would still be there now. I don't know what happened in that house but it's clear that it's nothing like any of us have experienced- not even Jack's physical displeasure is in the same league. Until she got here we've been pretty restless waiting to make sure she was okay."

"I've heard that tone as well," he runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "I never caught on-"

"I've heard it for years, but she has clammed up when ever I questioned her about it. I never suspected anything that would require police." We both turn to face Bren with big eyes, "she said in the summer she may have to go back as there is an investigation. She needed to protect her younger sister and brother." She could tell Brandon and I were getting even more worried. "Look she said before she goes back she'll tell all of us but in the meantime she wants a few weeks of normalcy." She looks at her twin, "so cool your inner reporter it's not what she needs right now."

He nods and is quiet for a moment, "I can do that. She seems pretty focused on keeping busy, she even wants to arrange a thank you dinner for Claire."

I smile and answer for Bren and I, "we'll be in for that. I can get us a table anywhere Val wants, I'd like to say thank you to her as well-"

"Thank you?"

"She ensured Val could sit her finals at CU, Val may not have come out immediately otherwise. We could invite Steve he thought she was his Stephanie and with us there he's less likely to put his foot in his mouth, hopefully she likes him too-"

"Oh no you've already decided that you want her in the family. Brenda no matchmaking."

"Yes, matchmaking. Steve already gave me permission to choose his girls as his wiring is faulty there. Much like your's is brother-"

"Hey I… there was… no… she was…" he eventually stops his mumbling clearly deciding on the best argument to counter his twin but before he can speak Bren steps in.

"Witness protection and Olympian- though you nearly stuffed that up. They are the only two sane ones." He goes to interrupt, "a few kisses with Andrea does not count." He rolls his eyes, "so Val is therefore not your usual type. She's not a psycho, isn't a kept woman, and not a closeted racist, so I have rules. Don't be stupid."

"That's the rule?"

"If I felt you could handle more than one I'd give you more but let's stick to the basics, don't be stupid."

He rolls his eyes but nods his head, and then approaches his sister. "You're feeling less anxious but it's still not all gone. Is there something else you are keeping from me?" She gives him a smile.

"Yep, I have many things but I'm not sure you want to know what's buzzing through my brain now." He cocks his eyebrow, "your crazy brother thinks triplets would be a good idea. I secretly think he wants to torture me." Brandon laughs and kisses her forehead, he knows she isn't telling him everything but he's clearly accepting she may not be ready to share.

"Well maybe you should have chosen the drug dealer then." She cracks up and I loudly yell hey.

The next morning the architect comes up to the house and goes through the plans for the library level, the garage apartment, the outdoor shower for the main house, and Mum's outdoor bathroom; the latter I request needs to be blocked from all potential views. My mother laughs at my clear discomfort, and I ignore her pat on my hand and what I assume is her attempt at comforting me when she declares it's just the human body.

Once the family house plans are covered Val and mum return to their organising and decorating of Val's room here. Bren and I continue the meeting and go over the design for the new block of land in Malibu with the architect. The two places look great though Bren asks for some adjustments to be made to make them more open, and then we discuss the best materials to keep the environmental footprint down. The architect picking up now that all our houses will be as healthy and sustainable as possible has already got a few suggestions in mind.

After lunch Bren and I head off to her doctors appointment, on the way she tells me she is ready to begin weaning Art. It will be a gradual process but she is hopeful that by the the time we are in Malibu that he'll be nearly transitioned to formula along with his solids. We go through the birth control options again and her doctor gives her a prescription but asks that she doesn't fill it until she does a blood test and a mammogram, he likes both as baseline records especially the latter as some women are prone to lumps from the pill. With Brenda's family history and previous scare he wants her to feel confident that any lumps that form are most likely a side effect. We manage to get her in and finished both tests before we head home, she insists on stopping for ice cream stating that she earned it after her body was squished in way's it wasn't meant to be. I offered to kiss it better, she insisted on the ice cream first.

Even with the prescription it wouldn't work straight away and I wasn't about to jump right in. While we may have come close too many times since our weekend away I wanted to make it special. We were both definitely satisfied so I knew we could wait till after the play, we could wait till I was protected and when we could have an evening of just us. I was going to surprise him with it. Dylan had always been the romantic of the two us but as we discussed in our car weeks ago in the place I had first broken his heart, in the place we acknowledged that all breaks had been worth it for our present and our future together, the place where we decided that this relationship had to be even. To me that meant in all things. Dylan couldn't be solely responsible for the romance, and a part from that I liked the idea of taking the lead this time. I liked that in this relationship we would start as equals in this area.

Monday's dress rehearsal felt good but there was some clunky moments, hopefully by Wednesday they'd be sorted and were mainly due to peoples nerves. Tuesday we spent the day on campus with Val joining us in order to use the library for her upcoming papers. The five of us had lunch with Steve going out of his way to flirt with Val, clearly to get a rise out of Brandon. Val played right along until her husband had steam practically coming out of his ears, Dylan laughed the whole time feeling Brandon deserved it after his Sunday joke. The three of them were like the Three Stooges together, when Val and I got over their carry on we decided to return Art to daycare and leave them to their male fun.

Dylan and I met them down on the beach at Santa Monica, Art was being babysat by Iris and Val. We claimed that with his tooth he was still out of sorts too much for family dinner, in reality we wanted to limit our son's exposure to these people. We chatted to Suzanne and Kevin about the wedding, trying to help get Erica excited. It would be a register office ceremony and then a lunch. We asked if we could take care of the lunch if they hadn't already, when they agreed we discussed if they had any favourite restaurants or places they wanted to try. Erica sat through the conversation only getting excited when she realised that she had three nights at ours due to their honeymoon and that there was a carnival on at campus that weekend.

We discussed San Diego and San Fransisco, Kevin wasn't ruling out either but it was clear neither company had his vision for cleaner oceans as being a viable business idea. Dylan and him immediately began discussing the narrow mindedness of corporations and how this is cutting edge, the next fifty years will be focused on the environment. I indulged the conversation until they started discussing the cost of startup. It was conservative what Kevin was saying but I knew they wouldn't be risking a scam for such a low amount. When I asked about labs and thinking they'd be expensive to set up. Kevin began discussing cheap places to run them from like San Diego or even Mexico being one of them. I played my hesitancy investing role well, I made sure that my nervousness was based about the cost and not about doubting them. Eventually Dylan stepped in and stopped my questions, stating would I be more comfortable with a more formal business relationship set up if we did decide to pursue it. I stated I think it's important to at least have some acknowledgment of profit split, budgeting and then copyright on the idea.

Dylan rolled his eyes and said that I sounded like my dad, but if it made me more comfortable and if Kevin was keen then maybe a more formal chat between the two of them could take place. Dylan clarified that he wasn't promising anything but he'd hate to see this idea die without having a conversation. Kevin had smiled and nodded, "sure Dylan we could do that."

Erica immediately interrupted, "Brenda did I tell you what Ms Walker's said about my history project?" From then on the conversation was changed Erica clearly not liking Kevin and Dylan getting along.

It wasn't a late night as we had met early enough for dinner so knowing we'd get home to an awake house we used the car ride to unpack if we had been too pushy or just right. I was more nervous though Dylan felt we had been spot on, I was worried that we had appeared to eager. My fears were unfounded when while I was in morning class on Wednesday Dylan received a call from Kevin suggesting a sit down to discuss the idea. Dylan agreed but asked for early next week as with me doing four performances of the play starting tomorrow night he was going to be holding down the home front. When he told me I rolled my eyes and said he could easily have arranged it for over the weekend he insisted that it wouldn't be possible as he had a full weekend planned.

I should have been tipped off by that, or the fridge being ridiculously full on Thursday morning. Val had insisted that Iris and her had got in the mood to cook this weekend. If I had been less nervous I would have also noticed the very clean house when I quickly came home to shower on Thursday afternoon, blowing off my last class in favour of spending at least an hour with my son before heading back to the theatre freshly showered and ready to begin my preparation. However, I picked up on none of the signs and instead left for the theatre unaware of any of their plans.

"And here I thought I was the only one who came in three hours before a performance. How are you feeling love?"

"Good. I'm ready, just a few butterflies." It was as we were talking that I noticed the package in my makeup kit. Not knowing who it was from as my whole family had access to the bag, Roy encouraged me to open it. The Genesius medallion, the patron Saint of actor's, was so Dylan that even when Roy was explaining it's history I knew my future husband would have spent weeks ensuring I had one for opening night. When I flipped over the jewellery box a white card was stuck there.

Baby, I'm so proud of you. Love Dylan xx

"From your son's doppelgänger?" I nod, "you guy's are doing well then? I was worried with you being out of sorts late last week."

"No we are good. Dylan and I were dealing with some family matters and then a teething baby on top of that."

"Will your family be joining us tonight?"

"Yes, my brother's, Val, my future mother in law, Erica, and Dylan. Nat will come tomorrow night with Iris to see the performance as he is taking care of Art for us."

"Your parents will they be coming?"

"I'm not sure, we aren't speaking. They are not supportive of Dylan and I resuming our relationship."

"Well hearing the story I could understand their hesitation, but seeing you together that day it was clear you are very much in sync and that if you can forgive then there obviously is a significant amount of love there."

"Sometimes too much, it's overwhelmed us both at times. Being older has allowed it to not be such a problem but I don't think we will ever be the typical couple because of it." He raises his eyebrow at me a silent request for more information, "know many other nineteen year olds with kids, plans for more, and who are designing a life where we both can pursue our dreams without compromising on time together? Or nineteen year olds who think a good time is sitting in a quiet house, kids asleep quietly reading together whilst listening to their favourite classical pieces of music?"

"Okay a little unusual, but does it make you happy?"

"It makes me ecstatic."

"You are both obviously old souls then."

"We are."

"I should let you get ready while I continue my walk around."

Brandon and I collected the family from the airport getting home less than a half hour after Bren had left for the theatre. The family were taken aback by our house and the property overall, though due to my mum putting Art down in our room we skipped over the master suite, "Dylan it's a beautiful home."

"Thank you it's all Bren though. I may have gone along for the shopping, but I was extraordinarily unhelpful, everything appeared like the same shade of white to me."

She laughs, "my late husband was the same. Now when can I see my great grandson?"

"He is napping right now but he should be awake in about forty minutes. Enough time for me to go and collect Erica from school." I looked over to my mum and Val who were chatting with the rest of the family who sat around the island, the two of them were organising tea and afternoon snacks. Steve was helping to bring in the last of the luggage with Brandon, "I'm going to go get Erica do we need anything?"

"No darling. Nat is bringing pies up for a snack for when we get back from the theatre, and Val and I have dinner all sorted." I give them both a grateful smile, they had quickly finished setting up the house after Bren left making sure everyone had beds and would be comfortable on their stay. Val had even gone out of her way to make an epic girls den with three beds and ready for a weekend long sleepover. On seeing it I could completely understand why Brandon always said she was great with kids. If the looks he was throwing his childhood wife as she spoke to his cousins are anything to go off he clearly thought she was great with everyone.

Erica was a whirlwind of excitement and loved meeting everyone in person after spending months getting to know them on the phone. It took three requests from me and a promise that she could wear lip gloss from Val, at that I gave the new McKay a scornful look that she simply laughed off, before she would go get dressed for the theatre. Nat arrived and as always became the life of the party, even managing to cheer up our little loner who had hidden in my chest overwhelmed by the volume of people in his usually quiet house. By the time the three full cars were reaching campus we were all a loud ruckus of a party. However, that quickly changed when we came into the lobby of the theatre and were faced with Jim, Cindy, Jackie and the rest of the gang. Samantha was standing off to one side having declined the invite from Steve to come meet everyone prior to the show as she had a meeting to attend, she was clearly aware of the situation. Steve immediately went to greet his mother.

Jim's face went from shock to annoyance when he clocked who had brought the crowd of his relatives together, however on meeting his mother's glare it instantly morphed into bashful. Cindy quickly approached the family and Jim came a step after.

"Well this is a surprise-"

I was ready for Grandma Walsh to start us off but I was a little shocked when Grandma Beevis interrupted her daughter. "I'm not sure why dear. Brenda's big debut is a significant event, made even more so that it's under the instruction of a world famous director, and then there's the emotional importance. We didn't even know if she would get a chance to meet her son or see him reach six months. The fact that she is here, thriving, healthy, deliriously happy, and living her dreams- well when our grandson in law asked us to come and see it for ourselves, wanting to thank us in person for keeping his son and future wife safe, how could we say no."

Jim's only response at that was to give me a withering stare, "you both are engaged? Not even the courtesy of asking for her parents permission first."

Before I could answer his mother did, "James your recent behaviour sees you in no position to believe you are entitled to such a request, and no they aren't officially engaged the two of them are keeping us all in suspense. We have had a betting pool going since March when they began talking about a future together. Each week we wait to hear if it's gone off yet."

I shake my head, "I didn't know that."

Grandpa Beevis responds, "son you aren't allowed to know just in case you rig the competition." He gives Grandma Walsh a squinty look at that, I immediately know who in the family he thinks would try and make me throw the competition.

Before the uncomfortable greeting could continue the lights begin to flash indicating it was time for all of us to take our seats. It was my turn to take the lead here, "while I'm sure there is more to say I'd like us not to interrupt Bren's first performance by arriving late." I give Jim a not so subtle look, "can we all go and find our seats and remember that a lot of people have put many hours in to make this night possible, so let's go enjoy and celebrate their hard work, and not the family drama." With that I begin to lead Erica and Grandma Walsh into the theatre.

Intermission saw us all dumbfounded in our seats, I knew my girl would be good but she was exceptional. I knew her body better than my own but watching her walk, her posture, mannerisms, her eyes- it was like a completely different person on that stage. Within moments of the lights going down I was leaning forward transfixed by her.

Brandon found his voice from the row behind me first, "okay so when are we starting the family betting pool for her first Oscar win?"

It started us all off raving about the performance so far, so much that the majority of us didn't leave our seats at all during intermission. Val who had taken Erica for a quick bathroom break had quickly grabbed some candy for us all while we continued the conversation. Staying in the theatre also had the added bonus of ensuring that we wouldn't run into Jim again- I didn't want that to distract us all from Brenda's performance.

She got a standing ovation that went on for well over a minute and was not just from our section of the theatre but from everyone. When we made our way out into the lobby, the family was loudly chatting about their favourite parts however on feeling her enter the room I stopped talking and instantly turned my head and locked eye's on her. In less than ten seconds I had crossed the room and I was picking her up and kissing her.

When we broke for air I kept my forehead on hers, "I'm… you were amazing. I'm in awe of your talent." She could tell I was overwhelmed and gave me a sweet thank you and a gentle kiss. This one was interrupted a few seconds later by Erica tapping on both of our arms, causing us to immediately laugh into our kiss. I quickly reach down and pick up the almost eleven year old to bring her to Bren's height. The two share a big hug and Erica give's Bren a bunch of flowers that we had bought this afternoon, she picked out the colourful bunch when I told her it was customary to give an actor flowers on the night of a show. My first bunch of red roses I assumed had arrived in her dressing room an hour and a half before the curtain went up, and the other bunches decorated our room at home.

When we had had our little minute together and Erica was back on her own legs, Bren looked over her shoulder and saw the masses. "Dylan what did you do?"

I smile and turn wrapping one arm around her, "I'm making sure that everyone can say I saw her first College production, the one that launched her career and started her on her journey to becoming a world renowned actress."

We were in the middle of sharing our favourite parts when Dylan had in mid sentence stopped and turned his head, less than a second later my sister walks out from the backstage door. As I'm shaking my head silently chuckling, he begins to walk away. My younger cousin realising what happened looks at me and voices what I'm sure is on the mind of most of my Minnesota family here. "How did he know? She wasn't even in the room yet."

Iris tries to hide her tinkering laugh, Steve is less discrete in his loud bark of a laugh. "They just know. She told me once the air changes but I'm not sure about that-"

Bobby interrupts me, "okay so that hasn't changed I see, and here I thought that would fade a little with age and time. Nope gone the opposite way."

While Bobby is speaking Steve is trying to cover Erica's eye's, she keeps dodging his hand. "Uncle Steve I live with them, I've seen them kiss a lot." When she sees a break in the kissing she runs from Steve and cutely interrupts the two of them. Dylan picks her up and instantly the three of them are huddled together.

My uncle is next, "they act like she is theirs."

Iris steps in on this knowing defining Erica in our family is difficult, "as you know she lives with them half the week and they are very hands on in helping Suzanne with her. She's too young to be treated like a sibling and well Dylan only knew about her since Christmas, that sibling bond is a little muddled with the parenting bond. Not that the three of them mind at all."

Just then David approaches. Donna is with him but it's clear she is hesitant to be there. "Are we all deciding in our next life to be adopted and raised by those two?"

Val smiles and wistfully states, "yeah that's the hope." I reach out and take her hand.

When my sister finally becomes aware of her audience she's like a deer in head lights, clearly she didn't realise that the extended family were here. She always hated surprises as a kid, this should be fun.