Aevum of Itero

Chapter 24

They couldn't get her to open up.

Brandon couldn't. Donna couldn't. Dylan couldn't.

Even Brenda couldn't.

Whatever had happened in the Malone household, Valerie refused to utter a word.

She instead clung to Brenda, which she claimed was primarily due to the fact that Brenda could have perished in the tunnel.

Brenda told Val to lay off the historical dramas.

Dylan wasn't much better himself, sticking close to Brenda in the event that Anteros decided to make her disappear.

He wasn't convinced Anteros hadn't been responsible for Brenda's time in that tunnel.

Nor was he convinced of the innocence Kelly projected.

Samantha and Rush had succeeded in getting their son released when Samantha told the police that she had never seen Harry Wilson in her life and that she would bring the matter before the international press if the LAPD continued to harass her son.

Steve said jail hadn't been as bad as he'd imagined it would be. He'd befriended a few men within the station's walls, and discussed with them whether getting a tattoo on his forearm would impress college chicks.

Dylan wasn't in the least bit surprised.

Donna was more traumatized, jumping every few steps as they walked along the sidewalks. Brenda had begun to routinely take Donna's hand, with Dylan firmly grasping onto Brenda's other one.

Halloween approached, and with it, Dylan's curiosity if Brenda would choose the same ensemble she had before.

Or, more like his subtle hinting for Brenda to choose the same ensemble.

Perhaps not as subtle as he could have been, since he had lifted Brenda's copy of Rebecca off of her bookshelf and said she'd look sexy in a '30s costume.

He had, however, not asked her outright to be Bonnie Parker.

Dylan helped Brenda to decorate the Y for their Halloween party, unwrapping sweets to pop them into her mouth.

"You know what's even sweeter than chocolate?" he asked.

"Your lips," said Brenda through a mouthful of dark chocolate. "Yup, I know."

"Well there's that, but I was thinking more of taking Halloween weekend to go out of town. Take the bike down the coast. What d'ya say?"

"We'd have to get permission, and you know my parents have been wary ever since the tunnel thing," said Brenda.

"I don't blame them," said Dylan. "That tunnel thing had you spouting weird stuff for days."

"How was it weird?" asked Brenda.

"You mean, besides me killing a priest?"

"I still maintain that you did. I mean, not you, but maybe a Past You."

"Okay, then maybe not weird, that priest thing and whole running away from the law thing aside." Dylan hadn't done anything to get the police knocking at his door as they had a number of other times in his old life; nor did he anticipate he would. "Was telling me about that harp locket your way of asking for a harp locket?"

"Depends. Would you get me a harp locket?"

"Maybe," said Dylan. "Might consider it if you'll give me another shower," he added, wiggling his eyebrows. "But this time, with less clothing."

"Patience, young cricket," said Brenda.

"It's grasshopper."

"Whatever. Crickets are better."