Bring Me Home

Chapter 1 - Change in Plans

April 1

Point Place, Wisconsin

Keys? Check.

Purse? Check.

Biscuit? ...Check. Jackie finished off her mental checklist while about to leave for work. That bitch of a boss was going to have her head if she showed up late again, and Jackie Burkhart's head did not belong above a fireplace. The President's fireplace maybe, but anything less just wouldn't do.

"Okay, house...I'm going to work now. See you later." Jackie mumbled. For the last several months her house had become her close friend. After all, who else was she going to talk to? There was no Donna to get advice from (who was too busy starting a new life with Eric), nor a pet she could cuddle up with. And there was definitely no husband that could say "love you" before work.

She had the worst luck with men.

Occasionally, she'd meet up with a nice guy from work to have a drink, but none of her potential boyfriends met her criteria. They were either too ugly, too stupid, too awkward, or too perverted. Or all four.

Jackie had considered getting back with Kelso a few times. Granted, he was pretty dumb, but he had a big heart, and that counted for something. The only thing holding her back was Kelso's daughter and Brooke. It bugged her uncontrollably that he already had a happy family, and the frequent trips to and from Chicago didn't help the situation either. Her life was pretty crappy right now – why give him another thing to worry about?

Steven Hyde was out of the question. He would never get married, and especially not to Jackie Burkhart. She was a joke to him, and she wasted two years denying that fact. Even being friends was impossible. Heck, a relation of any sort would be a recipe for disaster!

Never again, and with that thought echoing in her head, Jackie dashed out to her black Lincoln.

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"Hi Jackie, have a good morning?" her secretary asked in the main lobby. "I'd watch your back for any April Fools pranks. The girls are so... interested in you, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, well, I'm not surprised! The other women are just jealous that I'm beautiful and they're not. Not next to me, anyway."

The secretary gave her an odd look while idly picking up the phone. "Still the same as always, I see."

"Yep!" Jackie said and started over to the elevator. When she finally reached her desk, a blond head popped over the wall separating their cubicles.

"Looooook, it's Jackie Burkhart. Did you forget to brush your hair or did you come straight from a strip club?" Several people walking past turned to stare.

Jackie flushed slightly. "What are you talking about Hannah? You would've known if I was at the strip club, seeing as you go there every day for some extra cash." A few people giggled while others gasped. Hannah's mouth twisted into a weird shape before she silently sunk back down into her chair. Jackie grinned triumphantly at her wonderful burn and turned to the stack of papers flooding her desk.

When lunch came around, one of the nicer girls, Tina, stopped at her cube. "Jackie, Miss George says you have a visitor. It sounds urgent."

Jackie frowned. "A visitor? Really? Do you know what it's about?"

"No, but it seemed important. You'd better go."

Jackie nodded and rode the elevator back down to the lobby. Immediately, she recognized the tall blond occupying the chair.

"Donna! Oh my god, Donna!" She ran to her friend and threw her arms around her. It had been almost a month since they'd seen each other, and Jackie had almost forgotten how important Donna was in her life. Donna was her lifesaver, her level-minded friend who kept Jackie from floating all the way to Mars. "What're you doing here, silly! I'm working!"

Donna gave her a grim smile. "Look, Jackie. It's great seeing you, and I know my wedding planning is taking up so much time, but that's not why I'm here. I have some...disturbing news."

"Disturbing? Like, bad news?"

"Eh, yes." Donna idly examined her fingernails. "You see, you know how Kelso loves April Fool's? And that every year he wants to do this crazy stunt that we all have to talk him out of?" Jackie nodded. "Well, today he was in Chicago, so he didn't have us to restrain him."

Jackie gulped and stared wide-eyed at her friend. "Donna...what'd he do?"

"He sorta, um, jumped off a building."

Jackie's heart dropped to her feet. "...Jumped...off...a building." All feeling went numb. "A building."

Donna looked at the ground. "I just heard it from Brooke a couple hours ago. I had to make a few stops on my way back from Madison, otherwise I'd've told you sooner."

"But Michael... he's going to be okay, isn't he?"

Donna took a deep breath and seemed to relax a little. "Probably. He's not going to die, though, so that's good. At the very least he'll have a broken leg and arm. Brooke's keeping me informed from the hospital."

Jackie let out the breath she was holding in and smacked Donna across the arm. "Damn Donna, you had me thinking the worst!" She checked her watch. "Lunch break is over in ten minutes. Is there anything else I should know?"

"No, I don't think so. If you want details you should probably visit him in Chicago. Brooke didn't really elaborate besides 'Michael jumped off a building'. Then she hung up."

Jackie laughed. It was so like Michael to jump off a building. "I guess all those falls off the water tower were just preparing him for this." After a moment she continued. "I'll visit him this weekend. I'd go right now but Miss George is already short four workers. She's strict, y'know?"

"Jackie, today's Tuesday! You shouldn't have to wait four days to visit one of your best friends in the hospital! Tell your boss it's a family emergency."

"But Donna –"

"Jackie," Donna said in a warning tone. "This is more important than your job."

They glared at each other for a moment before Jackie sighed and unfolded her arms. "Yeah, I guess you're right..." She checked her watch again. "I'd better go tell her now. Five minutes 'til we have to go back to work."

Donna grinned and patted her on the head. "'Kay, I better to get back to Madison. Eric becomes needy if I'm gone for too long. You still coming to our wedding next week?"

Jackie looked at her friend as if she'd lost her mind. "Are you crazy? It's a wedding! Duh, I'll be there."

"Of course. See ya later, Jackie!"

"Bye..." she watched Donna vanish out the door, a little sad. "All alone again." This was how it was in her life. People come and people go. They never stay long.

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April 2

Hospital of Chicago

"Michael, I can't believe this happened to you!" Brooke wailed. "You can't help with Betsy with all these injuries!"

Kelso looked offended. "Brooke, it's only a few broken bones. I can totally still change her diaper."

"Michael, what are you talking about? You've broken almost every single freaking bone in your freaking body! You can't even move!" She indicated his elevated broken legs and wrapped up arms. "What were you thinking?"

Kelso became even more offended. "I was thinking that my spidey senses would save me, obviously! You two need to loosen up."

Brooke put her head in her hands.

Carolyn (Brooke's mother) stood up from a chair against the wall. "I think I'm going to go have a pill or two now. Brooke?"

Brooke shook her head while stroking Kelso's hair. "You go ahead, Mom. I'm going to stay with Michael for a little longer."

"Thanks Brooke." He smiled.

When Carolyn left, Hyde stood up from a chair in the corner. He'd been listening to the back-and-forth idle banter for about half an hour, and frankly, it was getting old.

"It amazes me how polar opposites like you two still put up with each other. It's been what, a year now?" Brooke glared at Hyde. "Yep, but just wait now. Any day, that one big fight will come, and I will laugh."

Brooke stood up as well. "It amazes me why any one would want to be your friend, seeing the way you treat them. And one day, they'll all abandon you, and I will laugh harder!"

Kelso laughed. "Haha, she gotcha good Hyde." Hyde rolled his eyes and looked out the window. "But seriously Hyde, you're one to talk. Look at you and Jackie! You two were polar opposites and almost got married!"

Hyde turned sharply away from the window. "Yeah, well, we didn't!" he spat. "We're over and I'm glad."

Brooke frowned. "Such harsh words about someone you loved. Even if you two didn't work out, you shouldn't talk bad about them."

It was silent for a moment. Hyde cleared his face and sat back down in his chair. He really didn't want to talk about Jackie right now. She betrayed his trust, and ruined their what-could-of-been happily married future. He still kept the ring somewhere in his room at the Forman's, despite all the bad memories that came with it. For some reason, he just couldn't find the strength to get rid of it.

And who else would come through that door at that very moment than Jackie Burkhart.

"Michael, Donna told me what happened! Are you–" She dropped the bouquet of flowers she was holding. "Oh my God! Look at all these casts!" She gently touched one on his leg.

"Yep, thought my spidey senses would come to my rescue. Didn't work out too well. Thanks a lot Spidey!" Kelso shouted to the heavens.

Jackie and Brooke exchanged knowing, defeated faces.

"Aren't you gonna say hi?" Hyde muttered.

Jackie pointedly turned her attention to Hyde. "Hello Steven. How are you? Well, too bad, 'cause I don't care!"

"Good, 'cause I don't care either."

"Good!" She stared at Hyde for a moment, knowing exactly what bad thoughts were lurking underneath those blue eyes. Thoughts like "bitch" or "go to hell" or "I can't believe we were once a couple". But that was okay. She was thinking the same thing.

Little did they know, their lives were about to take a dramatic turn. For better or worse? They'd just have to find out in time.

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A/N: My first JH fic. =D Good? Bad? Leave a comment or two!