So, after the delay, here's the newest chapter! I've been having a serious case of writer's block, and I'm not particularly sure I like this chapter. But it gets the job done, I suppose. And I apologize for the shortness. Enjoy!

"So, Corny, you never settled down and started a family?"

Brenda's eyes shot up from her plate in Corny's direction as soon as the words left Brad's mouth. Clara and BJ were picking at their food, BJ more so picking it up with his fork and letting it fall back onto his plate in a bored manner while his sister tried her best to ignore him. Corny's eyes scanned the table rather quickly, then looked back to Brad with a smile. "Ah, no. Although I almost did. A couple years back, me and this gal Margot were engaged for a couple months. Needless to say, it didn't end too well."

"What happened?" Brenda pried slightly, more than eager to hear about Corny's failed relationships. At least, it was obvious to him. He bit his lip, then said, "Well…I found someone else…and then another someone else…while I was still kinda with Margot. She wasn't too pleased with the whole 'open relationship' idea I pitched to her." Brenda bit her lip to try and hide a growing smile, looking back down to the plate before her. Brad chuckled slightly, and Clara looked up at Corny with a small smile. "My friend Miriam's parents are trying that. They're really happy with each other now."

Brad didn't look at his daughter, but still responded. "Yes, well, Miriam isn't the most…stable girl around." Clara gave a small scoff, setting down her fork in an angsty teenaged manner. "Just because she's been with a few different guys lately doesn't mean anything, Dad. She just hasn't found the right one yet." Brad shook his head slightly, and Brenda looked up at him. This was not the time to be starting an argument with their daughter. "Brad, please. Miriam is a good girl, and we'll leave it at that." Miriam Maxwell was a very nice girl, and she was also one of Clara's close friends. She lived just down the block, and perhaps Brenda felt closeness with the girl because she knew what she was going through. After all, she herself had been through a questionable selection of men, two of them sitting around the dinner table with her. Clara rolled her eyes and asked, "May I be excused, Mom?"

"Yes, honey. Go ahead." Brenda said as Brad opened his mouth to say 'no', and Clara promptly left the table with her plate in hand. BJ was still playing with his food, completely ignoring everything around him. Corny watched the young girl leave, and then turned to Brad. "Teenagers never change, do they?" Both the men chuckled at the comment, and BJ finally looked up. "Mommy, I'm tired." Brenda smiled warmly at him and said, "Well, sweetheart, do you want me to tuck you in?"

"No, I want Daddy to."

Brad took his son down the hall to put him to bed, and Clara had long since locked herself in her room and called up Miriam on the new phone they had allowed in her bedroom. This left Corny right where he wanted to be: Alone with Brenda for the first time in years. She was in the kitchen, setting the dishes in the sink as Corny leaned against the fridge and watched her silently. She could practically feel his eyes burning holes in her back, so she swiftly turned to him and asked, "Okay, as much as I appreciate the fact that I for once have your complete attention, what do you want?"

"What do you think I want, Bren?" Corny gave her a small smirk, and Brenda's hands fell on her hips. She was not in the mood to be playing games with Corny Collins, but he clearly didn't care. He kept his arms folded over his chest, watching her with that goddamn smirk and waiting for her answer. Brenda sighed, "You want a lot of things. I know you well enough to know there isn't one answer to that question." He chuckled slightly, then said, "Well, that's probably true, but what do you think I want right now?"

A sigh escaped her light pink lips. "Corny, please don't play games with me. I'm really not in the mood for it. It's been a long afternoon." She sounded completely done with the conversation, so Corny decided to reel her back in as quickly as he could. "I understand that, but just listen to me for a sec, please." He took her hand, pulling her a little closer as she glared at him over the brim of her petite nose. Corny sighed with a bemused smile, glancing her over for a moment. "You are still one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen, Bren."

Her mouth fell open slightly in disbelief as she stepped back. Holding up her hands in exasperation, she said, "No. Don't even try that with me, Corny. I'm married, happily. Really, truly happy for the first time in my life, happy to have unnecessary complications finally out of my hair. But then you show up, acting like nothing has changed." Corny watched her call him out in silence, but at that last comment, he had to say something. "Bren, a lot has changed. I've changed. Since the show finished its run, I've been tryin' to put my life in order. Make amends with all the people I've hurt."

"Gee, was I at the top of the list? Is that why you decided it'd be a good idea to move in next door? So you could apologize?" Brenda snapped, and Corny fell silent. "I don't want your apologies, Corny. I stopped caring about anything you had to say the day you let me walk out the door and marry another guy. I figured that, if I was worth anything to you, you would have stopped me. But you didn't. So I grew up and moved on. Isn't it about time you did the same?"

Corny Collins looked at her, speechless for the first time in years. Move on? How could she say that? Brenda had been the girl that had been in love with him, pursued him relentlessly, and now she was disgusted with the sight of him. Clearly, he'd done more damage than he'd realized. And it wasn't necessarily an apology he'd come for. But before he could make a complete sentence to come back with, footsteps down the hallway turned into the presence of Brad standing beside him. A hand clamped down on his shoulder in a friendly way as Brenda turned back to her dishes. "Wanna beer, man?" Brad asked, and Corny shook his head.

"Ah, no. But I should probably be gettin' back home soon. Thanks anyways."

TBC

Oh, Cornwallis. Shot down in an instant. Will his luck change, you ask? Why is he trying to pursue dear Brennie again? Just wait and see. Please review, also. It makes me a smile (and sometimes encourages me to write more!).