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

Chapter Thirty-Three

Kelly and I met that Tuesday and on Wednesday, but as Brandon was working that afternoon I invited her up to the house. My parents hawkish eye's made me regret the location though. Their eyes were unnecessary I loved my wife, it made me annoyed they felt that I would need to be chaperoned, that I couldn't be trusted. When she left I didn't hold back my hurt and anger at their lack of trust in me, they swore that night it wasn't me they were concerned about.

"It's Kelly? What about her mum has made you think she'd ever… I mean yes in sophomore when Bren and I just started dating she tried but she hasn't since then." My Mum slightly tilts her head in response to my words, it's my father though who articulates her view in a less subtle manner.

"Dylan you aren't an idiot you have… well Henry and the house managers at our property's gave me regular reports about your many many guests. You are not naïve so stop being so trusting, you should see she's too attentive to you, and on some level you know that's true. You drew on that knowledge the other day in the hospital, your ring deflection embarrassed her because it was right on the money; no girl examines her best friends guy that carefully. Now whether it's because she thinks you guy's are broken up or-"

"No remember Jack I saw it before then, when Brenda was in Paris." My mother looks at me, "was she like that in junior year? The summer you broke up, or was she waiting till Brenda was away?"

I think back to this summer, review every conversation. Sadly, I was distracted a lot of the time and I don't recall much of our interactions in detail but nothing really stand's out as giving me uncomfortable vibe's. "Kelly is a flirt and yeah we hung out more with Bren away but honestly I don't see it. The previous summer we barely spoke and junior year it was the same unless we were in a group, we never have been close."

My mother roles her eyes in a dramatic manner, "though suddenly she brings up your long history together, regularly. I mean really you sat in a room in kindergarten together, I'm not sure why I've had two different discussions with the girl about that class."

My Dad tries to articulate what my mother clearly too frustrated can't; she loves Brenda as a daughter, and then with her history with my dad during her illness this is obviously sitting a little too close to home. "She wasn't a friend, you were very much- well you know how you were raised. The lack of contact from birth made you very hesitant to accept connections. For your sixth birthday we were going to throw you a party with your classmates but you told your Nanny that you didn't really like any of them and you tended to play or read by yourself. Your teacher confirmed it. We went to your happy place instead, I had our cabana at The Beach Club opened for the day. You played on the floor with your new trucks and then went swimming in the waves with me."

I remember that memory, it was a good day, a great one. I thought it was from just a random summer's day but the club in my memory was so quiet I mean I could hear Jack yell for me to go swimming with him; I was in the cabana and he was near the waters edge that wouldn't have been possible if the club was full. I'm brought out my own memories of that day by my dad continuing his analysis on Kelly's behaviour. "Hmmm when Jim laid down the law and you and Brenda were thrown by it at first maybe she felt that your relationship was on the decline it was her chance… though whatever it was your mother and I see it, and it's time you become aware of it."

"Okay well maybe that was true over the summer or before but this is her trying to be nice. She wants to throw the twins a surprise birthday party, and honestly Bren and I know her and Brandon's actual day is going to be overshadowed by our announcement; when she suggested it I thought this was a great idea it means my wife and brother can have a drama free celebration before Jim loses his mind, and it's all fallen into place from there. Nat's letting me hire The Pit on Sunday night- I practically had to beg him to take money, he was willing to shut down for free. Anyway he's making the food, Kelly has organised the guest list and she's working with Donna to decorate the restaurant, David's got the music sorted and Steve is organising the twins attendance with their parents. I get that you are concerned but I don't think the party is some elaborate pick up move she's concocted, cause honestly that's not really her style Kelly's not… well she doesn't think like a McKay." It was the kindest way to say it.

My Dad laughs at that, "oh she's plays the short game instant gratification consequences be damned. She'll burn through a lot of people that way. Okay so she doesn't have a strategic mind, well enough to be trying for the long win. Has she been flirting with you or commenting on you and Bren, making you question your relationship?"

I rub my hand through my hair, "she got angry on Bren's behalf when the girls were zealous in their attention of me when we broke up, and I guess when she questioned me when I babysat with her over the summer. She overheard something on the baby monitor about how many kids Bren and I are thinking of having-"

"Not in your first year of marriage. Please graduate first."

I look at my mum and tease, "but next year it's fine?"

"Well next year it becomes more appropriate, and your father and I are excited by the idea of a house full of grandchildren."

I smile, "house full… there is a lot of bedrooms here Mum, you and Dad may be thrilled by the prospect of them being full of babies but I'm not sure the other Mrs McKay wants that many. Anyway… Kelly questioned if Bren and I would be really together that long to have kid's." I rub my hand through my hair, thinking about all those little comments. I don't like the idea that my interactions with her could be misconstrued. "Bren knows about all our interactions we tell each other everyth-"

"Son relax you haven't done anything wrong. You aren't leading her on at all, I think she just is looking for an opening."

"Really? She's my wife's best friend why would she do that to Bren when she's been nothing but caring and supportive… hell I thought she and Brandon were going to end up together, I thought maybe one day she'd be my sister-in-law. I mean I even joked with her about it, I just thought neither of them were ready."

"Maybe you are right and she will be Darling, it's not common to meet your forever at sixteen and be ready for them. You and Brenda are unusual that way, it's because your part of each other. Though even then you know what that commitment has required, what it has taken to get you here; it's a lot of honesty, brutal honesty and willingness to be vulnerable. Kelly and Brandon may know they aren't ready in themselves yet-"

"So she's making a move on her best friends guy, the best friend who happens to be twins with her potential not ready for guy?" I said it was thick sarcasm I didn't want this to be true even if I was starting to see it through my parents eye's. Bren's parents were enough we didn't need to be attacked from our own inner circle, the circle we had long believed was are chosen family.

"Son you said it before, she doesn't think like a McKay, no strategy no warning in her head that this could blow up that future for her. No brother would ever date a girl who could hurt his sister that way, and the twins are closer than normal siblings, Brandon would never disrespect his sister or you if she did openly make a move to break you two up."

I lean forward and rest my head in my hands and look down at the floor, I sigh- shit. "I'm going to have to tell my wife about this, not the surprise birthday party but your guy's suspicions. Bren isn't going to like this."

As was custom now Bren and I didn't let things fester, we had learnt from the spring; having things unsaid between us creates opportunity for us to be divided. That night on the phone as I lay in our bed and while my wife was submerged in a bath I filled her in on my parents concern's.

Her silence went on for what felt like forever, "are you sure it's not since we pretended to break up? It doesn't make it okay but it's a different type of betrayal."

"Mum said she got the vibe from the first time they met at The Beach Club, Dad saw it as well from his first meeting. She's a flirt-"

"Being a flirt is one thing, I mean I married a flirt-"

"Hey! I do not do that I'm-"

She cuts off my indignation rant before I can even get started, "I'm not accusing you of anything and I know you don't purposely flirt with anyone but me, though you're naturally charismatic- you have bedroom eyes and a when you bite that lip… okay let's stop talking about that."

I laugh, "oh I'm very happy to continue talking about that, very happy to help keep that bath of yours warm."

"Another day I'll take you up on that but I think we should get back to the point. She's a flirt and that can be unintentional but from what your parents pointed out it seems targeted specifically on my husband. She promised me in sophomore that she wouldn't try again…" at the end her voice was sad, full of disappointment.

"She hasn't done anything blatant at this stage, and maybe it started off as harmless flirting only targeted at me because she only really saw David and I this summer. Then she hears we broke up, and-"

"Are you trying to justify it out of care for her or to try and make me feel less betrayed by my best friend?"

"I don't care about anyone but you, I know how you feel about her. I know you thought-"

"That we had built a solid friendship one that was not easily broken, one that I could trust. I thought we had each other's back." She sighs, "she hasn't made an overt move and we have been apart for nearly two months. I imagine if she felt even a slither of interest from you that she would have changed tact by now. She obviously knows this could ruin our friendship and that there is no clear potential reward at this stage. I'm worth keeping unless there is a chance to see her fantasy of you become possible. I know she's going through a rough time and that she's a little lost, I know she hoped her and Jake were going to be something. I know she wants a boyfriend, and I can't fault her taste- you have set the bar pretty high on amazing boyfriends, so high that I married you; I knew no one could ever be better than you."

"And here I thought you married me for my… what did you call them bedroom eyes?"

"Great I give you one complement and now you've got a big head- don't I heard it as I said it, no need to tease your wife. My ability for witty repertoire is misfiring tonight on the fact that I'm stunned."

I don't tease her anymore it's not the time, "what do you want to do?"

"What can I do? Call her out for being too nice to you? That seems petty and harsh, especially as we are broken up. You said you hadn't noticed anything the last few day's…"

"She's really into the event you guy's are planning, and seems to be keen on pursuing public relations." I avoid the mentioning of the twins birthday party, maybe this was her trying to make amends for a guilty conscious.

"Yeah she met with Mrs T on Tuesday morning before period one to discuss college applications and potential courses. She feels like she has a direction now, when we chat on the phone she's excited she's told me all about the potential colleges she is looking into. Jackie is thrilled that she's so happy about it." She sighs, "okay so… now don't take this the wrong way but maybe her being so lost and down made her-"

I bark out a laugh, "wife are you trying to nicely say that when she was feeling like shit I was a good option but now she has other better things to focus on… I'm both hoping that is true and offended that it could be."

"Your ego will survive, and if not just bite your lip tomorrow in the quad and watch the girls flick their hair in response." I'm laughing again.

"Will my wife be one of them?"

"Nope I've stroked your ego enough for the time being."

"Well if you are tired of stroking my ego there are other-"

"Seriously back below the belt, are we feeling a little frustrated my love?"

"We passed a little frustrated weeks ago. I'm getting desperate."

"What reading did you get on the peak flow tonight?"

What the hell?! "That's how you respond to your husband's declaration of a desperate need? How's your lung capacity?"

"Baby it's nine-thirty on Wednesday night, this time next week I'll have been eighteen for twenty-one hours and thirty minutes, if you think your lung capacity doesn't need to be in tip top shape by then I think you're confused about how we will be spending those first twenty-one hours."

"Well in that case it's improved, it's 375."

"All three readings?"

"Close to it."

"Dylan, how close?"

"The first was 350."

"And the second?"

"375."

"And the third?"

"I think we should go with 375."

"Dylan?"

"Bren it's in the high orange zone that's great."

"Dylan, the third?"

"360."

"Okay well you have six day's to be in the green zone for all three, above 390."

"Are you going to be like this when we are old? Denying your husband?"

"Yes if it means I get you around and healthy forever."

"Okay, I should go then. I need to take my tablets and rest, I have six day's to get healthy."

She giggles, "where was this eagerness to follow your medical advice over the last few weeks?"

"I wasn't given a proper incentive now I have one."

Bren's laugh still rings in her farewells and our I love you's. The next morning when the twins pop past my locker she see's my new chart stuck to my locker next to the birthday countdown number, she is back laughing.

"Dylan two readings at 375 this morning, well done!"

"Thank you. I feel it's time to really priorities my health." I give her a serious look, her face is a light in amusement.

"Jones are you finally understanding how serious pneumonia is?"

"Yeah B, something like that."