What if Jackie and Hyde met long before their adventures in high school? What if they formed a secret friendship that no one knew about? This is just a cute little love story between two young kids who met under the difficulties in both their lives, but they find peace, joy and love with each other.

This is my third J&H story and I hope you love it. It begins during the summer, when Jackie is seven and Hyde is eight (: Of course I do not own That 70's Show, it would be a better world if I did

Enjoy

Chapter 1: Jackie and Steve Meet

Jackie Burkhart, age seven, was tired. Tired of this life. Tired of putting on a fake pretty smile, tired of pretending that everything was alright, tired of her "family" not really feeling like a family. She sat alone in her room, holding her favorite teddy bear close to her chest as tears slowly came out of her eyes. Her parents had once again caused her to feel like an ugly, horrible and unwanted reject, once again. They always made her feel this way.

Her father was barely ever home, he was usually at his job 24/7 or on some kind of long business trip. Whenever he was home however, he wasn't a very kind dad to her. He would drink and say mean things to Jackie, Jackie tried to pretend his words didn't hurt her, but they cut her deeper than she would ever let on. Her mother was a different kind of bad parent. She would also drink, but she would bring home "man friends" and they would "play" together. Whenever one of these men would come over, Jackie would hide in her room out of fear. Jackie's mother never said more to her but cold and cruel criticism. She would pick and prey at her daughter, til there was nothing left, but a sad little girl. Jackie read fantasy stories of kingdoms with a kind king, his loving queen and their perfect and happy princess. Jackie dreamed of her life being different, being happier and filled with more love, but Jackie was too tired to keep dreaming.

She wiped of her eyes with the back of her sleeve and put her teddy on the bed next to her. She got off the bed and squatted down next to her bed. She reached under her bed and pulled out a suitcase. She threw the suitcase on top of her bed and started filling it with some of her clothes, her favorite books, and a few toys. She slammed the suitcase closed and snapped it shut. She went to her desk area and pulled out a piece of paper that she took from her father's stationary. She wrote a very short, simple note, telling her parents she was running away and that she would never ever come back. She left this note on the pillow of her bed. She slipped on her jacket, then put some money and a bus map into her pocket. She then grabbed her teddy and suitcase.

She slowly and quietly left her room, tip-toed past her mother passed out in her parents' bedroom, and her father's study where he was close to screaming on the phone with his secretary. Jackie then found her way down the stairs and made it to the door way. She set down her suitcase for a moment to open the door, but before walking out of it, she looked over her shoulder at what she would be leaving behind. A big empty house, parents that didn't really love her, and a life of empty smiles. She nodded to herself that this was the right thing. Jackie Burkhart picked up her suitcase and walked out the door.

. . .

Steven Hyde, age eight, sat on the steps outside of his house. It was around 8:00 at night and the street lights were all lit up. His mother was currently inside with "Uncle Tom" and Hyde didn't want to be a witness to any of this. Hyde was wrapped up in a jacket that he found in the lost and found at school. His mother never would have been smart enough to think to buy him a jacket now that the weather was getting colder. Hyde was tired of his life. His mother had never been a good mother. She would almost forget about Steven most of the time, unless she needed him to go get her beer or drugs or something. He thought about his friends, Eric, Kelso, Donna and Fez. They all were really close with their families and their parents showed love for them. Even Red Forman with his "foot up your ass" attitude, showed some kind of love for his children. Hyde didn't have anyone to confide in, no one who also knew what he was going through. No one who really understood him.

Suddenly, Hyde saw a girl, a little girl, walking on the sidewalk across from his house. She maybe looked a year or two younger than him. She had curly black hair that looked like it went down to her shoulders. She was wearing a purple overcoat jacket, black tights and some black shoes. Hyde couldn't get a very good look at her face, she was too far away, but he could tell she was pretty. She was carrying a suitcase in one hand and a teddy bear in the other. It was obvious to Hyde that she was a run away, but her coat seemed to belong to someone who came from the wealthy side of town. Why would she be running away? He saw her sit down on a bench by the bus stop that was across the street from him. He thought she looked sad as he saw her wipe her eyes and pull some kind of folded up paper out of her pocket. She unfolded it and studied it. He took a deep breath deciding he wanted to go talk to her.

He stood up from his porch, and ran across the street. He looked at the girl, but her eyes hadn't moved from the paper. He walked very slowly and all cool-like toward her. He stood right next to her, but she didn't seem to notice his presence. Hyde coughed into his hand to get her attention. Her head snapped up and she jumped a little when she finally noticed a boy standing next to her. Hyde saw she had big mismatched eyes, but they were still very pretty. She had a pretty face; Hyde hadn't ever really seen a girl that looked like her before.

"What are you doing?" He asked her. He wasn't really sure what to say to her, but he found her very interesting. She kept eye contact, but seemed to be searching for the right answer to give to him.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She said, looking very confused and scared. Hyde didn't mean to scare her, he just wanted to talk.

"I'm not that strange." He said smiling at her. She let out a small laugh, but then she straightened up and kept eye contact.

"Well, maybe, but I don't even know your name and you don't know mine." She said. He nodded and scratched his head. This girl was different from every other girl he had ever known.

"Ok, what's your name?" He asked her.

"Jackie, what's yours?" She asked.

"Hyde." He said, puffing out his chest a little when he said it so she could see he was tough.

"That doesn't sound like a real name." Jackie said to him.

"Well it is my name." He said, feeling a little annoyed at her comment. He then thought for a minute and said, "My last name."

"Well, what's your first name?" She asked, now very interested in this simple boy.

"I don't like my name." He said, shrugging, as if hoping that would make her forget about it. But no, it only made Jackie more interested.

"Please tell me." Jackie said, pouting her bottom lip. He almost laughed and smiled at how cute he thought that was.

"It's Steven." He said. Jackie smiled at him. She really liked that name.

"I like that name." She said. The corners of Steven's lips curved up, it was a simple, but nice smile.

"So, Jackie, what are you doing?" He asked her again.

"I'm waiting for the bus." She said. She showed him that the unfolded paper in her hands was a bus schedule and map.

"Where are you going?" He asked her. She turned her attention back to the map.

"I don't know yet." Steven sat down next to her on the bench and grabbed the side of the map. They both studied the map. "I was thinking about going to Disney land and live in the castle." She said.

"Why do you want to go there?" Steven asked her. He didn't really think her plan seemed very logical, but he thought it was a pretty cool plan. Jackie shrugged at she continued to look at the map.

"I'm not sure." She said. "I just think it would be a nice place to live." She shrugged and hoped he would let her leave her answer at that. But after a moment of silence, she turned her head slightly to look at him, only to see he was looking back at her. Jackie could tell he knew there was something else to be said. She sighed and pulled her suitcase onto the bench and opened it on her lap. Steven looked inside the suitcase and saw a layer of several books. "These are my favorite books." Jackie said to him. "They're all about princess in faraway kingdoms. The princesses are always happy, and have wonderful lives. I think that's what I need my own kingdom, where I can be happy and have a better life." She said.

"What's so wrong with your current life?" He asked. He didn't think it could be that serious.

"Can you keep a secret, Steven?" She asked him, looking into his eyes as she did. He had amazing eyes, they were so deep and such a beautiful blue color. He nodded as didn't lose eye contact with her. Jackie thought for a moment before she stuck out her hand in a fist with only her pinky sticking out. "Pinky promise." She demanded. Hyde thought for a moment, but wrapped his pinky around hers.

"Pinky promise." He said back, feeling stupid saying something like that. Jackie closed her suitcase and set it back down on the ground. She smoothed out her coat and then stared off into the distance, trying to find the right words.

"My parents . . . They don't . . . They aren't . . . it's really complicated." Jackie said. She really didn't know how to put it. Steven scooted closer to Jackie in an effort to show he was listening and interested. Jackie took a deep breath and tried again. "My parents don't really care that much about me. They're never around for me. My dad is barely ever home, usually at work, but when he is home he usually drinks and says mean things to me."

"What kind of things?" Steven asked her.

"That I'm stupid, I'm worthless, and I'm not a good daughter." Jackie cleaned up her father's words a bit, since what he said was usually a lot worse than that. "My mom isn't that great either. She's always picking on me, and that's all she does for me. When she is home, she usually has a friend with her." Jackie paused for a moment. "A boy friend."She said. Hyde knew exactly what she was saying. He looked for a moment across the street to his own house. "I don't think they ever wanted a daughter or maybe I'm just not the daughter they wanted. I just don't want to be there anymore. I thought I might try and go somewhere else." She said looking at him for a response.

"I know how you feel." Steven said.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Steven then told her about his home life, about his mother, her "Friends" and how he was tired of it. "I'm sorry, Steven." She said when he finished.

"Why, it's not your fault." He said.

"I know, it's just something you say." She said. Hyde nodded, thinking that made some sort of sense.

"I'm sorry, Jackie." He said. She gave him a small smile. They both then sat in silence, staring across the street.

"So, I guess we both know what the other is going through." She said breaking the silence.

"I guess so." He said. They went back to silence for a minute.

"Steven, do you want to come with me?" Jackie finally asked, turning toward him. "We could move into the castle together and get jobs as Cinderella and Prince Charming." She said.

"Jackie, look at me." He said to her. "Do I really look like the "Prince Charming" type?" Jackie looked him up and down. He had curly dirt blonde hair, and somewhat pale skin. His clothes were a little rough, but he was still very handsome.

"Yeah, I think so." She said, smiling at him. He laughed a little and smiled back.

"You know what; I know a place that's better than Disney land." Steven said. He hopped off the bench. "Come on, I'll show you." He held out his hand for hers. Jackie just stared at his hand for a moment.

"I don't know, Steven." She said, a little nervous.

"Come on, don't you trust me?" She looked into his eyes and realized he was probably the nicest, most amazing boy she had ever met. She slowly nodded and grasped his hand. She then hopped off the bench, grabbed her suitcase and teddy bear with her other hand, and then looked at Steven, ready to go.

Steven Hyde led Jackie down the street a ways. They finally found themselves at the local park. It was quiet, of course, since it was late at night. Steven took Jackie to the playground. "This is where I go when I can't take things going on at home." He said. Jackie's eyes sparkled at this wonderful place.

"Steven, it looks just like a castle!" Jackie said, so excited about this amazing play place in front of her. She set down her suitcase and pulled on Steven's hand. "Come on, let's go play." Steven smiled as he and Jackie ran all around the playground. They play all kinds of games together. Hyde was surprised that he met someone that understood him so well, that was so fun, and made him smile and laugh so much. After a while of playing, Steven and Jackie sat on the swings for a while, Jackie was holding her teddy bear.

"Where did you get that bear?" Steven asked her. She looked at the bear in her hands.

"His name is Sprinkles. My parents gave him to me when I was three." She said. "My dad had been gone for a while on business and my mom went on a trip to Miami at the same time. I felt really sad and alone when they were gone. But when they came back they gave me this bear and a bunch of other toys, but I loved this bear the most, I don't know why exactly, but I did." Jackie sighed remembering her parents. "They're always doing stuff like that. They leave me alone for a really long time, but then give me a lot of presents to make up for it." She squeezed Sprinkles, giving him a hug. "Does your mom do the same kind of thing?"

Steven thought for a moment. "Kind of, after being a lousy mom for too long, she'll buy me some beer." They both laughed for a moment. They both listened to the night for a moment, enjoying each other's company.

"Hey Steven." Jackie said, looking over at him.

"Yeah Jackie?" Steven said, looking at her.

"I just wanted to say thank you." She said smiling at him. "I really had a lot of fun tonight." She said to him.

"I did too." He said. Hyde was a little bit surprised at how much fun he had with this girl. Jackie smiled at him, her eyes then went to her suitcase. She sighed, thinking about everything that had happened that evening.

"I think I should go home." She finally said. Hyde looked up at her, surprised. "Well, things haven't changed, and my parents are stills not the best. But I don't think I could leave now that I have a best friend." She said looking at him again and smiling. Steven jumped a little at her words.

"Best friend?" He didn't know how to react.

"Well, yeah." She said, smiling more at him. "I mean, I really like you, Steven. You're really nice and sweet and handsome. I had a lot of fun playing with you." Steven had never been called nice or sweet or even handsome before, but he liked it.

"I had fun with you, too." He said.

"And just so you know, you're my first best friend." She said. Steven didn't know why, but that made him happy. After another moment of silence, Jackie asked him "Do you think you could walk me home, Steven?" He smiled and nodded.

"Yes, dear." He said. They both laughed, Steven jumped off the swing and held out his hand for Jackie's. She took his hand grabbed her suitcase, and they walked together to her house. Jackie talked a lot while they were walking, and for some reason, Steven listened. Finally, they were at the driveway of Jackie's house. They paused in front, Hyde awed at it for a moment, surprised someone living in a house like this could feel so sad and alone.

"Do you want to play again tomorrow, Steven?" She asked him.

"Yeah, sure, Jackie." He said.

"Thanks again, Steven." She said. He was about to say something, when Jackie stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. She then took her suitcase and ran up to the driveway and went really quickly into her house. Steven stood there for a moment, shocked that she did that . . . shocked that he kind of liked it. Steven smiled and walked back to his home.

Well that's the end of chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed it!

Please review and tell me what you think, or send me a message. I would really love to know what you think about this story.

I hope you love this and review (: