DISCLAIMER: I do not own Beverly Hills 90210 or any of the characters involved in this story.

A/N: Valerie and Ginger do not make an appearance in this chapter. I'll admit that this isn't the most exciting chapter, as it involves a lot of touchy-feely dialogue. I like action and conflict, and there's not really a whole lot of it here. But it's necessary to set up the climax of this story.

I also needed to help set up the Scott/Tracy side story as well. So a lot of that is done in this chapter.

Like I said in the beginning, for those of you who aren't familiar with the first two stories in this trilogy, you should go back and read them. A lot of stuff that happened in those stories is referenced in the dialogue here. And if you haven't read them, it might not make sense to you. From the beginning, the trilogy was always intended to revolve around Scott & Brenda's friendship that was formed back in Peanut Butter & Jealousy. Without Scott & Brenda's friendship, Brenda & Dylan never happen in this story. And that's very important to know going forward.

The eight men who comprise Dylan's bachelor party arrive at Lake Hemet just before 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It is a picture-perfect day there. The sun is out and it is hot but there is a slight breeze in the air making it the kind of day that's just hot enough to go swimming but not so hot that you'll be uncomfortable if you decide you just want to sit somewhere and relax.

As Dylan, Brandon, and the guys get there, they arrive in three separate vehicles. In Brandon's mustang are Brandon, Dylan, and Charley. David is driving an SUV with Scott and Nat riding with him. And Steve and Jesse follow behind them in Steve's corvette. They have all changed out of their golfing clothes and into shorts and t-shirts. Several of them have brought a change of clothes as they anticipate swimming or other water related activities.

The place they pull up to is on a dirt road inside a lake camping ground. There is a tiny cabin there, with a grill out back and a couple of picnic tables. There is a beautiful blue lake out back as well. There is also a dock directly behind the cabin and tied to the dock is a small high-speed motorboat with four seats in it. There is also some fishing gear down by the dock and a couple of beach chairs. It becomes immediately apparent that Brandon was very thorough in setting everything up so that Dylan would have plenty of options to relax, have some fun, and enjoy his final day as a bachelor.

The guys get out of their cars and look around briefly before they start to unpack. In the trunk of the three cars there are a couple of bags of charcoal, some coolers full of soda, Gatorade, and bottled water. There is also another color with some hamburger meat, hot dogs, and some frozen ribs which are planned to be cooked over an open grill later. Inside the SUV that David is driving are some grocery bags of food which contain hamburger and hot dog rolls, lots of bags of tortilla chips with salsa and queso, potato salad, coleslaw, and some mixed fruits and veggies with dip.

As the guys start to unload the coolers and the food, Dylan goes over to help but is immediately halted by Nat who grabs his shoulder.

"Woah, hold up there, Dylan. What do you think you're doing?" Nat asks.

"Just helping you all unpack." Dylan replies.

"Oh no no no. There are seven of us here. And this is your bachelor party. You just relax and let us do all the work." Nat replies.

"Hey, Nat's right, D." Brandon replies as he comes over and slaps Dylan on the back. "We got everything taken care of. So, all you got to do is just relax, take a look around and breath in the lake air, and have a good time."

"Good." Dylan replies. "Just as long as we don't have anymore unexpected surprises like we did this morning with the *ahem* exotic caddies." Dylan says as he emphasizes the last two words and speaks them in Steve's directions. Steve hears Dylan as he's helping unload the food out of the vehicles and frowns slightly.

"No, no. No more surprises. Just us guys and the great outdoors." Brandon says as he puts his hand on Dylan's shoulder and casually walks him over to the dock. "Look at here, man. We got a nice dock for you to come out here, stick your feet in the water and just relax. Steve and I rented the cabin. It'll be just yours for the whole night and I'll be back to pick you up in the morning. Nat took care of all the food. We're going to have a cookout later this evening. David and Scott rented the speed boat here and there's some water skis in there so we can take you out water skiing if you're feeling adventuresome or if you just want to milk the few hours of peace and solitude you have left before you tie the knot with my sister, Jesse loaned us a couple of fishing poles along with the beach chairs down there, so you can just sit down at the dock and do some fishing. Whatever you want to do, man. Your day is on us." Brandon says in a friendly manner and with a smile. At that point, everyone else finishes unpacking and walks over to where Dylan and Brandon are standing.

"Oh yeah, and I brought my stereo, so we can have a little music too." David says.

"I think that's the last of it, Brandon. All the coolers and groceries and everything are out of the cars." says Jesse.

"Yeah, and I got all the drinks in the two blue coolers, and the burgers and hot dogs and food that needs to be kept cold are in the red one." Scott adds.

Dylan looks around at the beautiful lake and the trees and the mountains that surround it. The setting is so beautiful and tranquil. As somebody who spent his whole life in hotels and around very populated areas, there was always something about getting away from everything and into nature that always put Dylan's mind at ease and his heart at peace.

"Hey B, I gotta admit. You guys picked a hell of a spot, man. This is great." Dylan remarks with a genuine grin. His tone of voice and demeanor show that he is genuinely pleased and much more at ease now compared to that morning at the golf course.

"Well, glad you like it, bro. Your day is totally on all of us, man." Brandon replies.

"And what's my contribution?" Charley asks jokingly. Since Charley was a last second addition to Dylan's bachelor party, he didn't get to contribute into the planning or financing of the day.

"Charley your contribution is the biggest one of all. From here on out, you're going to help me keep my head on straight." Dylan replies jokingly.

"Yeah, well, who's going to help me keep mind." Charley jokes as everyone laughs.

"Hey Dylan, man. I'm really sorry about this morning with the dancers." says Steve, the sincerity is in his voice.

"Steve, forget about it. It's in the past." Dylan replies.

"I know. But you were right. You told me, and I didn't listen. Can you forgive me?" Steve asks as he reaches out his hand to Dylan.

"Forgiven and forgotten, Steve. Let's just enjoy the rest of today." Dylan says as he shakes Steve's hand. Steve then hugs Dylan, who hugs him back. Brandon chuckles at this. He finds it amusing seeing as how he's always been the one who seems to get stuck in the middle whenever Dylan and Steve have a disagreement. Still, he's glad they have patched things up for the moment and hopes that there won't be anymore incidents like this morning on the golf course

"All right, guys, glad you two have kissed and made up." jokes Brandon with a smile. "So, what next? Are we all going to hold hands and sing "Kum Ba Yah" or are we going to have some fun now?"

"Hey, bring on the fun." says Steve. At that point, David turns on the stereo and starts to play some basic rock music, the kind that Dylan likes.

"Hey, I don't know about the rest of you. But I'd kind of like to take that boat down there out on the lake for a spin." Charley says.

"Hey, sounds like a great idea." Jesse replies.

"Okay, well we only have four seats on the boat, and one person to waterski, and there are eight of us. So that means three of us will have to stay behind, at least for the first trip. We can make a second trip later." Brandon says.

"You know what, Brando. I think I'm going to take a pass all together on the whole boat thing. There's something about high speeds and being on the water that doesn't agree with me. So, you guys go ahead. Besides, that beach chair on the deck and those fishing rods got my name on it." Nat replies.

"All right, Nat. Any other volunteers or do we need to draw straws?" asks Brandon.

"Uhm, I'll sit out the first trip." Scott politely says. At this point, Dylan sees an opportunity as he has been meaning to have a one on one talk with Scott all day, but with everyone else around, he hasn't had the opportunity.

"You know what. I think I'll just chill here too." Dylan says.

"Oh come on, D. Don't you want first crack at the water skis?" asks Brandon.

"Nah, it's cool, man. I'll try them out on the next trip." Dylan replies.

"Well in that case, I call dibs on the water skis. I'm ready to feel the rush." Steve says with a big grin on his face.

"Just try not to break anything, Steve. Dylan needs all his groomsmen in one piece for tomorrow." Nat jokes.

"Nat, do you honestly think I'd do something that stupid?" Steve asks.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" jokes Nat. Steve chuckles at the joke as everyone else grins.

"All right then. Well, let's hit it." Brandon says.

Back at the hotel, Brenda has made her way downstairs and out to a large table in the swimming pool area. The table has a large umbrella on it, which is to keep the extremely hot Palm Springs sun from beating down on the people sitting at it.

Most of the girls from Brenda's bachelorette party are already sitting down there. The only one absent is Kelly. Neither Brenda, nor any of the other girls are aware of the incident that took place a short while ago involving Kelly pushing Valerie into the swimming pool with her clothes on.

"Ah, there you are. We were wondering where you were at?" Donna says to Brenda.

"Yeah. Sorry. I got held up by my future sister in law. Erica started enthusiastically telling me everything that was going on in her life, including this new boy at school who she kind of likes." Brenda explains.

"You're kidding? Erica's into boys all ready?" Donna asks.

"Who's Erica?" asks Tracy.

"Erica is Dylan's long lost half-sister, who he never knew even existed until last year. She and Dylan's mother just got in from Hawaii this morning." Brenda explains.

"Oh? So, she and Dylan have the same mother?" asks Nicole. Brenda shakes her head.

"Same father." replies Brenda, correcting Nicole.

"And she's living with Dylan's mother?" asks Nicole.

"It's a long story." Brenda says.

At that moment, the conversation is interrupted as Kelly walks to the table with Allison.

"Hi guys. Sorry I'm late." Kelly says. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my friend, Allison. She's the one who saved my life in the fire this past year. And she's really helped me to see life in a whole new way."

Brenda stands up and shakes Allison's hand.

"Hi Allison, I'm Brenda. Kelly has told us so many great things about you. It's so great to finally meet you." Brenda says.

"Well, I'm flattered. But Kelly's a really great person herself. I'm truly blessed to have met her." Allison says. Kelly smiles in an awkward manner as she can tell by the tone that Allison used that what she just said could have been taken out of context. Quickly, Kelly looks to change the subject and starts introducing Allison to everyone.

"Well Allison, you've met Brenda, she's the one getting married." Kelly says.

"Congratulations." Allison says to Brenda.

"Thanks. I'm really happy you made it down here for my wedding." Brenda replies in a polite manner.

"And sitting next to her there is Donna. And that's Andrea. That's Clare. That's Tracy. And that's Nicole from Louisiana. She was Brenda's roommate while she was studying in London last year." Kelly says to Allison as she goes around and shakes everyone's hand.

"Oh, what part of Louisiana are you from? New Orleans? Baton Rouge?" Allison asks Nicole.

"Abita Springs." Nicole replies. "Believe me, honey, it's as small as it sounds. So needless to say, I'm kind of like a fish out of water here surrounded by all this luxury. But I'm a lovin every minute of it." Nicole says in her thick southern accent.

At that point, Kelly grabs two more chairs for her and Allison to sit at and puts them around the large table. Both Kelly and Allison take a seat, joining the group.

"So Kelly, isn't Valerie joining us?" Brenda asks.

"What?" Clare cries out as the all the others except for Donna look shocked.

"Uhm, excuse me, but why would Valerie be joining us?" asks a concerned Andrea.

"She's not." Kelly replies.

"Well, didn't you invite her?" Brenda asks.

"Yes. I did." Kelly said. "And in a not so polite manner, Valerie promptly told me what I could do with my invite."

"Wait a second, who's Valerie?" asks Allison.

"Believe me, you're better off not knowing." responds Tracy to Allison's question.

"Yeah, besides you know the old saying that if you can't say anything nice about someone, just don't say anything. So needless to say when it comes to Valerie, my lips are zipped." says Kelly.

"So what happened after that?" asks Brenda.

"Well, let's just say she got a little hot under the collar, and needed to find a way to cool off." Kelly says with a big smile on his face.

"Cool off? Kelly, what are you talking about?" Donna asks.

"Oh nothing. Our good friend Valerie just went for a little swim. That's all." replies a giggly Kelly.

"Wait a minute. Kelly, let me see if I'm reading between the lines here. Are you saying that you replied to Val's condescending and nasty remarks by pushing her into the pool?" Clare asks.

Kelly look over at Clare with a mischievous grin on her face. "Maybe." she replies.

"Oh my God." Andrea says.

"Kelly, how could you?" Brenda replies loudly, in an unhappy sounding tone of voice, catching Kelly by surprise.

"Look Brenda. I did what you asked me to do. I tried to make peace with her, but she thought it would be more fun to insult and threaten me, so I really didn't see where I had any alternative but to….." Kelly says.

"Kelly! You didn't let me finish." Brenda interrupts. "How could you push Val into the pool and hog all the fun for yourself? I mean this is my wedding. Aren't I supposed to be the one having all the fun here?" Brenda jokes sparking a big laugh from all the girls at the table.

"Now that's what I'm talking about, girl." Nicole says in her thick southern accent as she stands up, leans over the table and high fives Kelly and then Brenda. Donna, Clare, and Tracy all follow suit and high five.

"All right, all right. This is my bachelorette party, and from here on out, we're all having fun. We're not going to use the V word anymore. Agreed?" Brenda says.

"Agreed." says all the girls.

Out at the lake, Charley is driving the speedboat, while Brandon, David, and Jesse are passengers. Steve is water skiing behind the boat. Nat is sitting in the beach chair on the deck fishing while drinking a soda can of iced tea while Dylan is standing next to Nat with his back up against one of the dock posts and his arms folded. Scott has gone off by himself and sits down by the lake away from Dylan and Nat. He is picking up stones and trying to skip them on the lake, but not having much success.

As the boat comes whizzing by the dock, Steve waves at Dylan, Nat, and Scott as he lifts up one leg to show that he's on one ski.

"Steve, quit showing off!" yells Nat. Dylan chuckles.

"You know, I won't be around to see it. But someday his whole attitude is going to get the better of him." Dylan says to Nat, referring to Steve.

"What attitude are you referring to?" asks Nat.

"You know, the way he always wants to be at the center of everything and always throw caution to the wind without thinking about the consequences." Dylan replies.

"Eh, that's just the way he is." Nat says. "Besides, it wasn't too long ago that you were that guy throwing caution to the wind."

"Yeah, I know. Don't remind me." Dylan says. "For Steve's sake, I just hope it doesn't take a brush with death like it did with me for him to grow up a little."

"Some people are like that, Dylan. There are those in the world who always want the spotlight on themselves." Nat says, as they both look at Steve. Then Nat turns his head and sees Scott off by himself. "And then there are those who would just assume stay in the shadows and never have anybody notice them." Nat says as he nods in Scott's direction. Dylan looks over at him, realizing that he needs to have a talk with Scott.

"Hey, I'll be right back." Dylan says. Dylan walks off and leaves Nat by himself to continue fishing. Dylan walks up the deck and back to the grass. He then turns and walks over to where Scott is sitting. He sees Scott grab a stone and throw it into the lake. He tries to skip it, but it only makes one splash and sinks right to the bottom.

"Hey, you know you're doing it all wrong, man." Dylan says. Scott turns to look at Dylan.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asks Scott.

"First, you have to find yourself a stone with a nice flat surface." Dylan says as he looks down and spots a flat stone and picks it up. "Then you don't throw it. You flick it. Like this." Dylan says as he throws the stone out onto the lake and it skips five times before sinking. "And that, my friend, is how you skip stones."

"Cool." Scott says as he smiles briefly at Dylan and then goes back to throwing stone. Dylan takes a seat in the grass next to Scott.

"So, how you doing, man? Is everything good with you?" Dylan asks.

"Yeah. Everything's great." Scott replies a very brief but polite manner.

"You sure about that? Because you know, Brenda's really going to miss you when we go off to London." Dylan replies. Scott grins and chuckles slightly.

"Well, I'm really going to miss her too. But she'll be fine. She's got you and a chance now to start over at RADA. She'll be all right. I have faith." Scott says.

"Yeah, what about you? Are you going to be all right?" Dylan asks.

"Well, sure I'll be. Why do you ask?" says Scott. Dylan takes a deep breath as he looks out at the lake.

"How are things with you and Tracy? Are they cool?" Dylan asks.

"Sure." Scott replies. "For now, anyways."

"What do you mean 'for now?'" asks Dylan.

"Well, my job as tech guy at the tv station is on hiatus until next Fall. So, I won't have any income. And with Brenda marrying you and moving to London, I'm losing a roommate. I can't find another one, so it looks like I have to move back home. And I also found out that I'm not getting a dorm room yet again for my sophomore year. So, it's looking like I'm going to be back home for the foreseeable future." Scott explains to Dylan.

"Well, it could be worse, man. I mean, I know it's not the ideal situation, but maybe living at home won't be so bad." replies Dylan.

"Yeah. That's easy for you to say. I mean it's bad enough that I'll have my overbearing mother and extremely nosey sister in my business every single day again. But what's going to happen when Tracy comes over and meets them. I mean, how long do you think she'll keep wanting to go out with me when mom comes out with Kool-Aid and cookies and asks if we want to go to the video arcade?" Scott says as Dylan laughs.

"Hey man, if she loves you, it won't matter. Believe me, if how well your girlfriend likes your parents determined whether or not she sticks with you then Brenda would have kicked me to the curb a long time ago. She only ever met Jack once, and that was when he and I were screaming at each other. And the first time she ever met my mother, she thought Iris was a total flake. Which I can't say I really blame her." Dylan says with a grin.

"Well, I hope you're right, Dylan. Because I really love Tracy. I just wish I came from a halfway normal family. Because I don't want anything to mess it up." Scott says. Dylan chuckles and shakes his head.

"Tell me something, Scott. Is any family truly normal?" Dylan says as Scott ponders his answer unable to . "You're going to be all right, man." Dylan adds as he gives Scott a friendly slap on the back. They both watch as the speed boat passed by them on the lake again, only this time it is Brandon who is on the water skis. He is yelling and having a good time. Scott and Dylan both smile and laugh at the guys having fun on the water.

"So what about you and Brenda? Are the two of you going to be all right?" asks Scott.

"Yeah. I think we will." replies Dylan.

"You think?" Scott asks, wondering why Dylan isn't sounding more certain. Dylan takes a deep breath as he ponders the trouble he's been having and prepares to ask Scott the question he's been meaning to ask him.

"Hey Scott, can I ask you something kind of personal?" asks Dylan. Scott turns and looks at him with a confused expression.

"Sure. Go ahead." Scott replies.

"Do you remember last year when Kelly was your date to the prom?" Dylan asks.

"Yeah." Scott replies.

"You remember how she accidently took drink spiked with the drug that Clare's friend put in there, and then she come on to you, and when you got back to her place you had the opportunity to sleep with her?" Dylan asks.

"Sure. I remember. What are you asking, Dylan?" Scott replies.

"What stopped you from going all the way? I mean surely you must have been tempted." Dylan says.

"Well, of course I was tempted. But if I had given in and did what my hormones wanted me to do, Kelly would have hated me. But because I didn't, she became much better friends with me. And even though I was crushed when she stood me up that night to go off to Washington and be with Brenda, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. She became almost as good a friend as Brenda. And she introduced me to Tracy, after that whole ugly thing with Val. So, you see, if I had gone for it with Kelly, I probably would have never met Tracy." Scott says.

"So what you're saying is….?" Dylan asks.

"I'm saying that a lot of guys get into trouble because they only thing about what they want here and now. If more people thought about the ramification of their actions and what tomorrow will look like or next week or next month, you'd have a lot less stupid mistakes being made. If I had given in and slept with Kelly, sure it would have been fun at the time. But what about when it was over? Kelly and Brandon would have hated me. Brenda would have lost respect for me. And then my first time, whenever that may happen, wouldn't be nearly as special as what it should." Scott says. At that moment Dylan realizes that Scott just admitted to him that he is still a virgin. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Dylan?"

"Yeah. I think I do." Dylan replies. At that moment, Dylan realizes that Scott was speaking to his conscious and his sense of decency. He knows that if tonight or at anytime in the future, if he were to cheat on Brenda or start drinking or go back to drugs, the enjoyment that he would get would be short lived, while the guilt and pain he would suffer afterwards would be long lasting. Suddenly, this realization makes the temptation he's been fighting go away. Suddenly, he realizes what his secret weapon is when fighting the temptation to drink, cheat, and do drugs. The only way he can fight wanting something that's very bad for him is to want something that's very good for him. Girl's like Valerie and others he's been with can satisfy his hormones and his other cravings, but they can never give him what Brenda can. They can't give him the love that she offers.

"Bottom line is, Dylan, I've waited a long time to have someone love me the way that Tracy does. And no amount of temporary fun is worth blowing that over." Scott says. Dylan nods in agreement as he realizes Scott's words couldn't be anymore true. If you took his statement and substituted Tracy's name with Brenda's, he just described exactly what his situation with Brenda is. Dylan grins as for the first time all day, his temptation doesn't seem like an impossible mountain to climb.

"You know, Scott. I might not get the chance to tell you this tomorrow. So, I'm going to say it now. I've never been one who expresses gratitude very well. But I have to say, if my relationship with Brenda has had a guardian angel over the last two years, it's been you." Dylan says.

"Dylan, I appreciate it, but really….." Scott replies.

"No, man. Let me finish. You were always there for Brenda when she needed a friend. When I broke her heart the first time when I picked Kelly over her, then with getting arrested, and the whole thing with the play, and finally when she moved back here from London and didn't have a place to stay and you let her stay with you, you never let her down. Not once. And in doing so, you've really shown me the type of guy that I need to be for her. Truth is, as her boyfriend I never had a great track record as someone she can depend on. As her husband, I just hope I can be half as good to her as you have been." Dylan says. There is a period of silence as Scott takes in everything Dylan just told him.

"You will be, Dylan. I have faith in you. So does Brenda. Believe me, if she didn't, she wouldn't be marrying you." Scott says with a reassuring grin to Dylan. "You know, two years ago when Brenda turned me down when I asked her to be my girlfriend, she told me I didn't understand then but I would someday when I met the right girl. And well, now that I've met Tracy, I know exactly what she was talking about. Because I never really understood what you meant to Brenda until I met Tracy. So even though I was devastated at that time, I can say now, two years later, I'm really glad Brenda turned me down back then." Scott says. Dylan takes a deep breath, and then stands up and dusts the grass and dirt off of his pants.

"Well, I am too." Dylan says. "Cause, truth be told, if Brenda had liked you more as anything than just friends, I couldn't have competed with you. Because you treated her way better than I did." Dylan jokes as Scott stands up. Both of them laugh and share a lighthearted moment as Scott gets up as well. At that point, Dylan sticks out his hand in a rare moment of sincerity and gratitude. "Thanks, man." he says to Scott.

Scott reaches out his hand and he and Dylan shake hands. In a bit of a surprise, Dylan then pulls Scott in for a hug and the two of them embrace. It is a rare showing of emotion and sincerity for Dylan. But he knows full well that if it weren't for Scott, he and Brenda would not even be a couple right now, let alone getting married. In fact, he knows if Scott hadn't called Brenda and London and asked her to come back when he found out Dylan was into heroine and falling off the wagon, he very well might not even be alive.

Dylan remembers the day on the beach from two years ago very clearly, the day after he and Scott's sister, Sue caught him drinking in an empty baseball field. He remembers the talk they had on the beach when Scott confessed that he always envied Dylan's life cause he had all he wanted, especially Brenda. Dylan, in turn, told Scott that he actually envied him instead because Scott had the one thing he didn't, a family that looked after him and cared about him. And still to this day, even though he'd probably never say it out loud, he still has a lot of envy for Scott and the way he makes the right decision so easily. He also has a lot of envy for Scott's close friendship with Brenda. The way Scott has always been there for her, and the way Brenda's able to laugh and enjoy Scott's company whenever he's around is something that he himself badly desires for himself to have with her.

At that point, Dylan and Scott release from the hug. The speedboat slowly pulls into the dock with the guys as they start to pile out.

"Hey Dylan, Scott! You guys really need to get out there on the lake. This thing is awesome!" shouts Brandon in their direction as he hops out of the boat and onto the dock.

"What do you say, dude? Shall we give it a try?" Dylan suggests to Scott.

"Sure." Scott replies as the two of them walk off back towards the dock to re-join the rest of the bachelor party.

Back at the hotel, the girls are all still sitting around the large table by the pool as they continue to tell stories, joke, and laugh. Brenda is telling the now comical story of the first time she and Dylan were ever in Palm Springs together.

"So there I was, I had just spent the night in a linen closet. I had lost my wallet, had no money. I forgot the name of the hotel. So naturally, I was at my wits end by this point. And when I finally find Dylan, he was in a room hanging out with some girl who turned out to be a childhood friend of his, but I was so infuriated at that point, I didn't care." Brenda explains, telling the story.

"So, then what happened?" asks Clare.

"Well, after I walk out, I came back up to the room. And Janie was still there, wanting to make peace, but I was in no state of mind to do that. So I grabbed her purse and threw it out in the hall to get rid of her." Brenda says, sparking a laugh from all the girls. "That's when Dylan came into the room. So I asked him if he slept with her. He said no. Then I asked him if he wanted to sleep with her. And his reply was 'well yeah, in a theoretical kind of way.'" Brenda says. Nicole snickers.

"Well, he may be a pig, but at least he's an honest pig." Nicole says.

"So then, I just fly off the handle and I was like 'Well then, let's just do it and get it over with. You have needs, and I have needs, let's just do it.'" Brenda says.

"Oh my God, you said that?" asks Kelly. Brenda grins smiling.

"Of course, for once in our relationship, Dylan was being the rational one while I was acting crazy. He tried to talk some sense into me. And that was when I gave him the line." Brenda says, building the anticipation. The girls all lean in to hear what the line is.

"So what was the line?" asks Donna.

"I said 'Dylan, stop talking and take off your clothes.'" Brenda says. At this point, all the girls at the table begin laughing hysterically for a good 20 seconds or more before someone is finally able to stop laughing long enough to say something.

"Oh my God, Brenda, you're like the last person on Earth I'd ever expect to say that." Andrea says.

"Yeah, I mean I've heard those words before, but it's always been coming out of a guy's mouth, not a girls. And when it's directed at me, that's when their butt gets introduced to the pointed toe in my cowgirl boots down there." Nicole says in her deep southern accent.

"And let me tell you, the look on Dylan's face when I said that, words don't do it justice." Brenda says as everyone at the table finishes laughing.

"Oh, what time is it?" asks Andrea.

"Uhm, let's see, almost 3 o'clock." replies Clare.

"Oh, I have to go take my pain meds. Listen, it was really nice meeting you all. I need to go back to my room and lie down. So, I'll see you guys tomorrow at the wedding." Allison says.

"It was nice meeting you too, Allison. Are you sure you won't come out to dinner and to the club with us tonight?" Brenda asks.

"Oh, I'd love to, Brenda. But unfortunately, once I take this medication, I can become a little moody and irritable. And I really don't want you all to see me like that. Kelly knows what I'm talking about." Allison says.

"Oh, you're fine." Kelly says.

"Really. I'm going to take a nap, then maybe order some room service for dinner and possibly come down by the pool and read tonight after the sun goes down. But I'll see you all tomorrow, okay?" Allison says.

"Yeah, actually, I need to shower and change clothes before we go out tonight." Andrea says.

"Me too." replies Donna.

"Okay, so why don't we all meet up down in the lobby in an hour, and we'll go from there." Kelly replies. At that point everyone agrees and gets up from the table and starts to walk off. At this point, Tracy approaches Brenda as she starts to get up.

"Hey Brenda, do you have a minute?" Tracy asks.

"Sure Tracy. I've actually been meaning to talk to you too." Brenda replies. At this point, all the other girls leave and Brenda and Tracy take seats right next to each other at the large table.

"Oh? What did you want to talk to me about?" asks Tracy.

"It's about Scott." Brenda says. "Are you guys okay in your relationship."

"For the most part, yes." Tracy replies.

"For the most part?" asks a concerned Brenda.

"Listen, Brenda. I know how close you and Scott are. I know about the history that the two of you have, and how he was your first crush, and about how the two of you have always looked out for each other. And I'm completely cool with that." Tracy explains.

"Well, unfortunately I'm not going to be around anymore to look after him. Which is why I wanted to talk to you. I mean I know it's between you two, but I also know that Scott's been hurt a lot in the past, and after what happened with Valerie….." Brenda says.

"Look, Brenda." Tracy interrupts. "You don't have to worry. I'm not Valerie. My feelings for him are as real as it gets. Scott is sweet, and sensitive, and devoted. And he makes me happy whenever I'm with him. I was pretty crushed when things didn't work out with your brother but looking back it's the best thing that could have happened to me." Tracy says. Brenda grins in relief upon hearing this.

"Well, that's good to know." Brenda says. "You have yourself a really amazing guy, Tracy. And every instinct I have tells me that you're the right girl for him."

"Brenda, you seem to know him about as well as anybody could. Can I ask you something that may be kind of personal?" Tracy asks. Brenda shrugs.

"Sure. Go ahead and ask now, cause I'm not going to be around after tomorrow." Brenda replies.

"Don't get me wrong when I say this. I love Scott and I want to stay with him. But there's something about him that's just so different from every other guy I've ever dated." Tracy says.

"What do you mean?" Brenda asks.

"Well, we've been going out for almost 3 months now, but uhm….." Tracy stutters as she pauses and takes a deep breath. It become obvious to Brenda that she's having trouble putting her thoughts into words. "It's just that he hasn't once tried to put the moves on me or has tried to get me into bed."

"That doesn't surprise me at all." Brenda replies. "Believe it or not, Tracy, there are still a few guys left in this world who are gentlemen and have some decency. Scott's one of them."

"No, you don't get it." Tracy replies. "At some point soon, I'm going to be ready to take our relationship to the next level. And I'd just like to know that he wants that intimacy with me just as much as I want it with him. And if he doesn't, then at some point it's going to cause problems in our relationship." Tracy says. Brenda looks at her with concern.

"Tracy, you have to be patient with Scott on this. He's never been with a girl before. This is all new territory for him." Brenda says. "If you meet his mother and his family you'll understand why he's like that. It's the way he was raised."

"That's another thing." Tracy says. "He hasn't introduced me to anyone in his family yet, other than his sister, Sue, who I've met once. And that was only cause she happened to come over to you guys apartment while I was there. I was beginning to wonder if he was ashamed of me or something."

"Believe me, Tracy. That's not the case at all." Brenda replies. "Scott's very much in love with you. Believe me, I know. I've been his roommate for the last 6 months. He talks about you all the time. It's not you, it's his family."

"What do you mean? Brenda, what are they like?" Tracy asks.

"Look, you really should be asking Scott about them." Brenda says.

"I've tried. He completely avoids the subject of his family with me, especially his mom." Tracy replies.

"Once again, I'm not surprised. His mother takes the word overbearing to new heights. She made it very difficult for him to make friends back in high school." Brenda explains.

"Well, Thank God he had you." Tracy says. Brenda frowns.

"He didn't always. For the first two and a half years I did what everyone else did. I ignored him. It wasn't until Dylan started going out with Kelly and I felt completely alone that I reached out to him. At first, I did it because his sister asked me too. Then I thought I could make Dylan jealous by pretending to go out with him. But then a funny thing happened, I just connected with him in a way that, well it can't really be described. But it was the best thing that ever happened. Because nobody has been there for me these last two years like he has." Brenda says.

"Well, I know he's really going to miss you." Tracy says with a grin.

"Yeah. I'm going to miss him too." Brenda replies. The two of them sit there alone. Brenda's feeling the sadness as the realization is setting in that she's not going to be around to look after Scott or to talk to him. Their friendship is something that has been a true treasure in her life the last two years, and she wouldn't trade it for a mountain of gold. But the reality is that now it's time for her to hand the reins of looking after Scott over to someone else.

"Tracy, do me a favor." Brenda says. "Look out for him. And be patient. No matter how awkward things may be with him, I guarantee you that the more you let him in, the better it will be." Brenda says, trying to put on a reassuring smile.

Tracy nods her head in agreement. "Sure." she replies softly. She truly loves Scott, but she just wishes he would open up more and let her in and tell her more about his family. Despite Brenda's reassurance that Scott just needs time, she can't help but feel there's something more to it than that.

Back at the lake, Dylan and Scott are now out on the lake in the boat with Brandon and Charley. Steve, David, Jesse, and Nat are at the cabin while Nat is still fishing down on the dock. Jesse is keeping himself busy by reading a law book at the picnic table. But both Steve and David are visibly starting to get bored.

"Hey Steve! Why don't you come down here and give this other fishing pole a try?" yells Nat.

"What, sit there for 20 minutes and wait for a fish to bite? No offense Nat, but that sounds insanely boring." Steve complains.

"Well you know, Sanders. Everything in life can't be one huge party. Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the roses." Nat replies.

"Yeah, well I don't see many roses around here, Nat." David says.

"Come on, you two. You got your youth, your looks. You got this beautiful day, this beautiful lake, the peace and quiet. And you're spending quality time with your best buddies. What more could you ask for?" Nat says with a cheerful grin on his face.

"Oh, I don't know. How about some beer and a couple of dozen good looking babes?" Steve whispers to David so that Nat can't hear him.

At that point, a couple of young and very attractive girls come walking up from a path in the woods to where the cabin is. One is a blonde and the other has light brown hair. They are both wearing "University of Florida" t-shirts and have on short jean shorts and hiking boots. One of them is trying to read a map. David notices them first and nudges Steve.

"Hey Steve, looks like we got company." David whispers. Steve looks over and sees the girls. And at that point, Steve's face lights up with a big grin as he sees the two girls. He runs a hand through his hair to make sure he looks nice and then casually strolls his way over to where the two girls are. David follows behind him.

"Excuse me ladies. You look lost." Steve says.

"Yeah, we are." Says the blonde headed girl.

"We're from Florida, and we came out here with a bunch of our friends. We took a walk, but we somehow got lost. And now we're trying to find out way back to their cabin." Says the light brown-haired girl.

"Well, what's your cabin number?" asks David.

"Number 3." the girls say at the same time.

"Oh, well I'll say you took a wrong turn. This is cabin 18. Number 3 is all the way on the other side of the lake." David says.

"Oh no. Do you know how to get back there?" asks the blonde headed girl.

"Well if you go back the same way you came, I think that trail goes around the lake. You're probably looking at a 4- or 5-mile hike." David says.

"5 miles?" complains the light brown-haired girl. "My feet are killing me."

"Mine too." says the blonde-haired girl.

"Well, have no fear, girls. Your savior is here." Steve says in an arrogantly happy tone of voice. "I will be more than happy to personally drive you two back to your cabin."

"Oh, could you? That would be so great." Says the blonde haired girl.

"I'm Steve, and this is David." Steve says as he introduces himself to the two girls.

"Oh, I'm Bridgette, and this is Tammy." the blonde-haired girl says. At that point, David drags Steve by the arm away from the girls to have a private talk.

"Steve, are you sure we should do this? I mean, you know what Dylan said about girls." David says.

"Relax, Silver. Those were strippers. These are just two poor lost girls from Florida who need help. Plus we're doing Dylan a favor by getting them away from here so he won't have to look at them. Besides, check out the legs on the blonde. You try saying no to that." Steve says. David grins as he looks over at the girls, and at that point doesn't offer anymore resistance to Steve.

"Hey Jesse, we'll be right back, okay?" Steve yells over to Jesse who looks up from the law book that he's reading.

"Where are you going?" Jesse asks.

"These girls got lost hiking and David and I are just going to drive them back to their cabin. We'll be back in like 15 minutes." Steve explains. At that point, Jesse jumps up and rushes over to Steve and David.

"Uh Steve, hold up a minute." Jesse yells as he hops in the middle between Steve, David and the girls, blocking them from walking back over to them. "Are you crazy? Giving a ride to two total strangers?" Jesse whispers.

"Look, chill out, all right. They're just a couple of girls up from Florida, all right. We're doing a good deed." Steve whispers back.

"Steve, you have no idea who these girls are, man. Besides, we're hanging out with Dylan today for his bachelor party, not trying to pick up chicks." lectures Jesse.

"I'm not picking up anyone, Jesse. I'm just giving them a ride back to their cabin so they don't have to walk all the way back. We'll probably be back before Dylan and Brandon even bring the boat in. Just relax, okay." Steve whispers with a cocky grin as he gives Jesse a friendly slap on the shoulder. He then walks back over towards the girls.

"All right girls, just hop in the vet over here." Steve says, referring to his black corvette.

"Steve, shouldn't we take my car. There's a lot more room." David starts to say. At that point, Steve smacks him on the chest.

"Shut up." Steve whispers to David assertively. Steve wants to take his corvette because there are only two seats, which means that the two girls will have to sit really close to him and David, if not on their laps. Steve walks over to his car and opens up the door.

"You girls don't mind cozying up, do you?" Steve says.

"Hey, we'll sit on the hood if it means we don't have to walk all the way back to our cabin." says the blond headed girl.

The four of them all pile into Steve's corvette with Steve driving and David in the passenger seat. The two girls are pretty much in the guys laps. Steve starts the car and backs out of the parking space and heads off down the road.

As he does, Jesse is left there shaking his head as Nat has gotten up out of his chair on the dock and walks up to them. Brandon, Dylan, Scott, and Charley are still out on the lake.

"Where the hell are they going?" Nat asks Jesse.

"Taking some girls from Florida back to their cabin." Jesse replies. Both Nat and Jesse are just left there staring at the back of Steve's corvette getting smaller and smaller as it heads down the dirt road.

"Can that kid not go more than two hours without thinking about his hormones?" Nat asks in a disgusted tone of voice, referring to Steve.

"Evidently not." replies Jesse.

The two of them shake their heads as Steve's car finally vanishes into the distance.

TO BE CONTINUED