Acceptance: Part 1

A/N: This is not a romantic J/H story, which I love writing incidentally. This is a Jackie as Independent Woman story. There are a few references to a Buffy/70s Show crossover I wrote but haven't quite had the guts to post (sigh, oh Spike), so hopefully those moments aren't too confusing. Oh, and I changed Jackie's birthday to November, cuz it suited my needs better. Hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with 70s Show, Buffy, or the Beatles.

Her alarm clock buzzed at six forty five. She rolled over, and turned it off. God, I don't want to get out of bed, she thought, rubbing her eyes. She had a feeling that it was going to be a bad day. She sat up, and forced herself out from under the warm covers. Being back at her mothers house was hard, especially on cold days like this one. Mainly because it meant that the walk to the bus stop was probably going to be intolerable.

Jackie turned on the hot water as hot as it would go without scalding her. She had liked to use lots of flowery soaps, but not anymore. What was the point? Now it was just good old fashioned Palmolive. She turned on the radio in the bathroom, and removed her robe. She climbed into the shower as the Beatles came on.

Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away

Now it looks as though they're here to stay.

Oh I believe in yesterday.

The water relaxed her. As it streamed over her body, she thought about her relationship with Steven, when they were happy. When he liked her.

Suddenly I'm not half the man I used to be.

There's a shadow hanging over me.

Oh yesterday came suddenly.

She forced her head under the stream of hot water, and let her tears mix with it. Why not, she thought. Wash it away. Like a stain. She wiped her eyes with her arm, and held it all in as much as she could. But it was getting harder and harder every day.

She dried her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. She put on her white blouse and long black skirt. She grabbed her nice shoes and put them in her bag. She wasn't about to wear those in the snow. She didn't have time for breakfast, so she grabbed some money from her desk drawer. After she put on her coat and hat, she ran down the steps to the hall closet. As she pulled on her boots, she noticed the note on the door.

Jackie, I'm going to Aruba with Hal. I'll be back Saturday!

Love, Mom

She laced up her boots, yanked the note off the door, and ripped it up. She made sure to throw it away, and remembered she needed a book for the bus. The ride to Green Bay was an hour long on the bus, and she did it every day of the work week. Books would be the only entertainment she had. But lately Nancy Drew wasn't doing the trick. She kept seeing herself as Nancy, starring in the book 'Nancy Drew and the Mystery of Her Ruined Life'.

Instead she grabbed the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird' from the shelf and threw it in her bag. Count your blessings, she thought. You could live in rural depression time Alabama.

She had to run for the bus.

"Wait!" she yelled, knowing if she missed it she wouldn't be in by nine, and then Hannah, the supervisor, would be mad. "Wait for me, dammit!" The bus stopped but Jackie didn't. The fresh snow got the better of her, and her boots skidded. She slipped, and fell under the stopped bus. She banged her leg on the underside of it as she hit the street.

"Oh my God," she muttered, and pulled herself out from under the bus. She grabbed her bag, and stepped onto the bus. Everyone was staring at her, and she turned red.

"Jeeze, are you okay?" the driver asked as she paid. She nodded, and took a seat near the back of the bus. She pulled her skirt up, and saw a bruise was already forming where she hit the bus. There was also a lump appearing. She groaned, and pulled out her book. So far it's been a disappointing day and it's only seven forty five.

The bus pulled up outside Feingold's Department Store at eight forty five. Jackie got off, and walked into the building. She went into the break room and put her stuff in her locker she shared with a fellow saleswoman named Mable.

"Hi Jackie!" Liz said, walking in. "How are you?" She wanted to answer with 'I'm tired, I haven't eaten since last night, I'm reading about southern racism, and I fell underneath the bus', but instead went with

"Fine."

"We're on the floor soon, you ready to give some complimentary makeovers and sell some makeup?" Liz asked, primping her blonde hair.

"Always," Jackie said, and put on the smile customers loved. She was the helpful saleswoman, who knew your skin tone in one look and which makeup went with it. She could make anyone beautiful, because to her, someone had to be. And you would buy everything she recommended because you trusted her judgment. Jackie did love the fact she worked on commission, because she sold a lot of products.

"Have you heard from those schools yet, Jackie?" one of her favorite customers, Emily, asked her as she scanned the products.

"Not yet, Emily," she answered.

"Well, you're so good at what you do, you'll get in," Emily said, examining the newest cold cream.

"We'll see," Jackie answered.

"I haven't seen you since January," Emily said. "Did you ever work things out with that man you were telling me about?"

"Steven? No. And I don't really want to."

"I understand. Men are scum sometimes. Speaking of them, is there any new scum in your life?" Jackie laughed a little bit. The truth was, since she and Fez broke up there hadn't been anyone truly serious. She and Fez only dated for two weeks, and it ended because she couldn't bring herself to love him. She stayed at the apartment until Christmas, and then she moved out because she knew that Hyde and Fez liked hanging out. And she wouldn't be able to deal with that, not after the big Christmas party blow out.

"Not since November," Jackie said, ringing up the cold cream. "And that was short lived."

"Just one night, yes?" It had been. The best night she'd had in a long time. Because that night she met William. Nothing huge happened between them, just a couple of kisses. But he made her feel like a good person.

"Yeah, Spike was just one night," Jackie confirmed. But what a wonderful night it had been. "Enjoy your cold cream, Emily."

"Goodbye Jackie. Have a good day!" Too late for that, Jackie thought.

on to part 2...