Matt Durning landed in Los Angeles the following week directly from New York. The idea had been Steve's. Dylan needed help, he needed a good lawyer. Who else could advise a lawyer other than a lawyer himself. Matt still held on to the memory of his years in Los Angeles, and a lot had changed. He was no longer a lawyer without money who suited any case, he was now a partner in a New York law firm. He had an apartment. He had built a solid future.
If he had known that it would be enough to change cities he would have done it even earlier, he didn't regret those years, he just assumed that he would do things faster and easier .
In New York he had kept in touch with Gina. They had become very close friends, they often had coffee together, at least once and weeks to update the news about their lives.
When Steve called to tell him what kind of mess Dylan was in, it was Gina who told him to take the first flight to Los Angeles and take care of the case directly.
'Why?' Matt asked while sipping his coffee.
Gina was always beautiful and a little angry but according to Matt she had never stopped loving Dylan, in her own way and from afar.
Gina knew that she was not the best person for Dylan, so she kept her distance however for that intense and hidden love she knew that she could not turn her back on him and if that meant convincing Matt, then she would convince him.
"Dylan McKay is a lot of things, but he's not a rapist."
The waitress brought the breakfast ordered by both of them, both Gina and Matt interrupted the speech to smile at her and give her time to place the dishes on the table.
When the waitress walked away Matt looked at Gina.
"I don't know, it's such a distant world, I know some lawyers in Los Angeles who could help him as much as I could."
Gina nodded no with her head "it wouldn't be the same, you know him, others wouldn't have the same care."
Matt didn't seem convinced.
"Is it for Kelly?" Gina asked.
Matt grimaced with his face "yes.. no.. maybe"
Gina laughed "c'on Matt.. will have passed, how many? A million years?"
"Ah you tell me.. Why don't you come then too..." he said, raising his eyebrow.
Gina seemed uncomfortable.
"It's better not. You will go for me."
"I haven't made a decision yet," Matt replied as he put the money on the table. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and a short smile "I'll talk to you tonight."
Gina watched him walk away in the incessant rain of certain days in New York.
"I think you're going," Gina thought.
XX
Steve and David picked up Matt at the airport. They were genuinely happy to see him. After David and Donna's wedding, Matt had moved away from everyone's lives, had changed cities, and slowly the relationships had faded.
"You'll come and stay with me" Steve told him "I have an apartment"
"Do you have an apartment?"
"Bhe .. " steve laughed "Janet and I divorced."
"Yes" added David "also me and Donna"
Matt looked at them shocked "seriously"
Both Steve and David sighed and simultaneously said 'a long story.'
"Do things change?" Matt asked rhetorically.
They both smiled.
"The apartment is not mine, it's Brandon's"
Brandon's name came out as the car ran away to Los Angeles.
"Did you meet Brandon?"
"Yes," Matt replied, "a few days before he left Los Angeles to go to.."
'Washington' concluded David ' but then he came back'
"One of Kelly's two great loves"
Steve laughed hysterically "no, I wouldn't say.. I would say Kelly's greatest love" then realised that Matt had also been Kelly's boyfriend for more than two years.
"Oh sorry Matt"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't worry, Kelly was messed up at the time... and I tried to cover up the holes she had inside her soul, being with her sometimes felt like I was in an episode of General Hospital."
Steve and David both laughed.
"Kelly is not in a good time now.. " said David.
"Yes, steve told me that" Matt said sadly "and so all that wandering around Dylan exactly what was it?"
Steve shrugged "man .. what do you want me to tell you.. "
"But how was Dylan and Kelly soul mates, before Brandon, during Brandon, and after Brandon?"
"bullshit. All bullshit" just said Steve.
XX
Blanca came back to school after about a week, the paparazzi seemed to have realised that it was useless to chase Dylan McKay's kids
Emma, Sean, Samuel and especially Nate squared around her, protecting her in every way but couldn't protect her from Janet and her group of bitches.
Her looker was again vandalised with black lettering "adopted daughter of a rapist," this became too much for Blanca's fragile nerves. His father was in prison, the judge had refused to release him on bail, and she was not allowed to visit him. She had to be content with the accounts of his mother's talks that were "he's fine, they don't treat him badly" but Blanca knew he wasn't like that, a man like his father, such a free, spirit couldn't feel good in prison and she knew her strong mother was desperate.
The twins were protected by their grandparents, Jim and Cindy, taken away without finishing school but Blanca had insisted on taking the final exams and going back to school. His father was innocent and the whole world should have apologised to him.
The group tried to avoid the other students, protecting Blanca as much as possible. Samuel and Emma had no longer had their date. Dylan's arrest had frozen any enthusiasm and they had never talked about it again. Emma didn't ask, Samuel didn't speak.
Emma came to think it was all a damn joke.
Emma saw Janet and her cheerleader friends pass by, she saw her look at Blanca and laugh miserfully. Samuel followed Emma's gaze as she jumped up and walked towards her.
"Emma no.." he tried to tell her but Emma scold by her touch and marched to where Janet was.
"I would love to know what the fuck you have to laugh about" Emma shouted at her, so much so that the whole school turned to watch the scene.
'Excuse me?' Janet's face was a disgusted grimace.
Emma went under her "I want to know what the fuck you're laughing at"
Nate got up in time and went to grab Emma pulling her back "let it go"
Samuel, Blanca and Sean hoped that Nate's intervention would save the situation.
"Here it is," said Janet looking to Emma "another desperate one."
"What do you mean?"
"How was your date with Samuel? He dumped you without even going out"
Now Janet made herself under her face she wanted go hurt her "and do you know why? Because you are his second choice, he could not have Blanca so be tried to fuck you, and always will be.. the whole school knows, ask anyone, poor girl..."
"Stop it, Janet" Nate shouted.
Janet had a forked tongue but she knew how to bite, spread poison, she knew how to hit the weak side.
Janet was referring to her and Samuel.
Janet took over her group of friends and walked away quickly.
While Nate's hands were still holding Emma's arms. She didn't turn to Samuel, she didn't want others to see when Janet's words hurt her.
"Let me go Nate" she said
Nate got closer to her "only if you come back to sit with us"
"No, I have to go to work out, anyway I had finished lunch"
Samuel quickly grabbed the crutches because he wanted to reach Emma but she was faster to leave and without even turning around.
Nate went back "I couldn't hold her back"
Samuel watched Emma leave.
"Listen," he said to Blanca, putting a lock of hair behind her ear, "what do you think if we skip the last two hours of class?"
Blanca nodded with her head. She looked at Samuel smiling "see you later," he said.
XX
Matt asked to go to Dylan's right away.
The path was a long journey of automatic gates that opened with mechanical sounds.
Dylan was surprised to see him as he advanced on wearing the inmates' orange suit.
"Matt, What are you doing here?" He asked him.
"I'm happy to see you Dylan too," he replied ironically. Dylan stared at him for a long time "Steve called me.."
"Steve... why?"
"Because he thinks you need a better lawyer and I think I've improved enough"
This made Dylan smile as he sat down.
"So, how are you?" Matt asked.
"Is this a rhetorical question?"
'Yes, that's right'
Matt took some folders out of his bag
"I've looked at a few things.."
"Wooo.." Dylan asked "who sent you my file?"
"Your wife Brenda"
"Have you met Brenda?"
'Only by phone.'
Dylan was lost and Matt caught the moment.
"Listen Dylan, I'm not here for anything, but Steve called me, you need help, and I think I can help you, but I can't do anything if you don't want me. It's your choice certainly not mine, I didn't even want to go back to Los Angeles"
"And why did you come back?"
" if I told you, you wouldn't believe me"
"Try to tell me"
"Gina"
"Gina? You mean Gina Kincaid?"
Matt nodded, after I left Los Angeles for New York we decided to stay in touch and talk often. We see each other once a week, almost always to say Bad things on you and Kelly" Matt smiled along with Dylan "no, that's not true. We are close friends, and I see her often, when Steve called to inform me of what was happening to you and to ask me if I knew a good lawyer, she was the one who convinced me that I had to come personally."
"Why? " asked Dylan.
" ..because Dylan McKay is a lot of things, but he's not a rapist, her exact words."
"In fact I'm not, this story is a nightmare, I've been locked up here since the week, I've been denied bail, I can't see Brenda, my kids..." Dylan began to cry.
"Hey.. hey.." Matt was uncomfortable, put a hand on his arm to reassure Dylan and was immediately scolded by the duty guard.
Dylan pulled away his tears using a thumb "sorry, it's like I feel like I'm going crazy."
"Yes, I understand it"
Matt pulled out a piece of paper.
"I need a signature," he said
"For what?"
"To be legally your lawyer"
XX
XX
Nate and Blanca made it all the way to Malibu, to the McKay beach house. The furniture was covered with white towels, soon the weeks would come when some cleaning ladies would open the windows and let in the air. The garden would be arranged and some deck chairs would be put out.
"This house is always wonderful," Nate said with a little envy.
"I think it will be closed this year," Blanca said sadly.
Nate kissed her on the forehead. She smiles weakly at him.
"Come on," said Nate, "let's take off our shoes, let's go for a walk along the sea.
They set off along the beach walking hand in hand and dipping their feet in the water at the end of May.
Blanca immediately felt better.
"Thank you for bringing me here," she told him as she held on to him.
"The house is yours, thanks to you," Nate replied and this made Blanca smile.
He stopped and took her face in his hands.
"I love you," he told her.
"I love you too," Blanca replied, looking him in the eye.
"I just wish I could make you feel better"
Blanca didn't take her eyes off Nate's eyes.
A light sea breeze messed up his hair and Blanca managed not to be overwhelmed by anything other than Nate. There standing in front of her.
"Make love to me," Blanca whispered to him.
Nate began to kiss her deeply and that kiss soon became frantic and moved into Blanca's room. The same where she was surprised with Samuel the summer before.
The two began to undress completely and lay down on the bed.
"Are you sure?" He asked her as his body covered Blanca's.
"Yes," she whispered.
Nate had had other experiences, he knew what sex was, with Pamela, Kristel, he and Janet had spent whole afternoons fucking without looking at each other, eating strawberries, smoking a cigarette at the end, but this time it was different, Nate for the first time made love to someone, and that someone was Blanca.
"I'm hurting you?" He asked her as he penetrate inside her.
Blanca shook her head "no" sighed and then Nate went on, softly and then his movements became more hectic. He explored Blanca's inexperienced body centimetre by centimetre. She gave him the first orgasm that made her entire body tremble.
When they had finished he let himself fall on her. They both were panting. Naked, wrapped in the sheets of Blanca's room.
One on top of the other, one inside the other. And the whole world out.
XX
Brenda and Kelly watched Steve's car enter Brenda's driveway.
"And so that's Matt," Brenda said as she watched the man next to Steve.
"It's Matt" Kelly threw down the remaining wine in her glass.
"Does it make you nervous that he's here?" Brenda asked.
"No' replied Kelly 'I wouldn't say'
"Steve says he's a very good lawyer"
"When I met him he was out of money and took care of the most desperate cases but he went a long way"
Valerie arrived right after the girls.
"That was your boyfriend as soon as you broke up with Brandon, you didn't waste time"
"Valerie please..." Kelly betrayed her.
"Come on, you know what a joke.. anyway it's not bad, it looks like a Wannabe Brandon"
" and maybe that's why I've been so much time with him"
"Because you miss Brandon?"
Kelly looked at Brenda and then Valerie.
"When Brandon and I called off the wedding, from the next day I wanted him back and my day back. The dumbest decision I could make but what hurt me was seeing Brandon being able to move on... he didn't want to go back with me, then yes, then no, we were hurting each other.."
"... and you let him go," Brenda said.
".. and you took the wish I was Brandon to pretend it was Brandon," Valerie concluded by raising her eyebrow.
"Exactly," Kelly replied.
"I just hope it helps Dylan," Brenda sighed as the women saw Matt already near the door.
Brenda went to open she shook hands with Matt who immediately saw Kelly next to her.
"Kelly, it's nice to see you," Matt said hugging her.
KElly returned the hug sincerely and he was happy to see that woman who had once been his girlfriend again.
Brenda's eyes didn't leave them for a moment and Kelly felt the embarrassment.
Then he focussed on Brenda. Damn it if she was beautiful.
"Dylan signed," Matt said, "now we have to start working on these things.
XX
Samuel arrived at the athletics track. He saw Emma sitting on the wall watching the track. She heard him coming but didn't turn around.
'Emma..' Samuel called her softly.
"I'd like to be alone for a while Samuel"
Samuel didn't move.
"Emma," he repeated softly.
Emma turned around. It was evident that she had cried.
Samuel approached her, God how beautiful she was at that moment, said nothing, took her face in his hands and then kissed her deeply. Emma opened her mouth and let Samuel's tongue in.
Emma had never been kissed that way, there was something electric about his kiss, something that clicked perfectly with what Emma held in her heart.
She put her hands behind his neck and he took her by the hips. They couldn't break the kiss and neither of them cared that the others saw. She could feel him. His excitement. They kept moving their tongues, heads and hearts in a sweet dance.
When Sam broke the kiss he looked her straight in the eye.
"Do you want to come with me to a place?"
XX
Samuel and Emma arrived at the clinic hand in hand. The nurses asked who they were and when Samuel replied "I'm Brandon Walsh's son" they couldn't hold back the emotion.
They let him in while Emma was waiting in the waiting room, before leaving her Samuel kissed her once again, intensely.
"Wait for me here"
Emma knew that being there at that time with Samuel meant something important, that he wouldn't bring anyone there, that Samuel's response to what Janet had said was just that. Kiss her and take her to the most important place for him.
Emma felt happy. She settled down in the chair and with all her heart couldn't wait to see him come back, to be with him.
Samuel walked into Brandon's room. He was lying there, he looked asleep if it wasn't for the amount of wires that controlled his heartbeat.
Samuel felt the tears coming up.
"Hey dad.." he said "it's me Samuel"
Sammy looked around and saw a chair.
He took his father's hand and held it between his.
"I don't drink dad anymore and I haven't touched any kind of drugs anymore.. even at school the grades have improved. I'm trying to make mom and Grace smile, every day.. I know she comes often, I think she's definitely better than me. I came here with Emma. I think we're together, more or less, I had never thought of her that way, but something unpredictable happened. She stayed, she was always there, she was brave for me. Suddenly I realised that the My life was better if I had Emma next to me. And I didn't know how to tell her. So I kissed her.. I mean I kissed her seriously... and now I don't know we still have to talk about it..." Samuel was moved by the sight of his father remaining motionless... he pulled away a few tears.
"Sorry I didn't come first dad but I didn't know how to get in through this door, my heart hurt too much, but now that I'm here, I feel better. Dad..." Sammy's voice broke with tears "it was me dad, I didn't want to hurt you, and now I don't know what to do, I don't know who to talk to...forgive me please forgive me"
Samuel wiped his tears. The voice choked in the throat.
"Please tell me what to do"
Samuel stayed a few minutes with his forehead on Brandon's hand. Time to calm his breath, and his crying crisis, he didn't want to be seen that way by Emma. Samuel got up, kissed his father on the forehead.
"I love you dad," he whispered close to him.
Samuel sighed and walked out of the room, went back to Emma, took her hand.
'Are you all right?' She asked.
He kissed her "yes" he said "let's go home".
At that moment Brandon's blue eyes opened. It was like re-emerging after being underwater for too long and in debt of oxygen. It was the light.
He opened his eyes wide and took a long breath.
