Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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A/N: Takes place in summer of 1980. Here Jackie did not have a romantic relationship with Fez.
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(my love is strong) with you there is no wrong
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When Jackie looked over at her fiancé standing in the Formans' driveway as he talked with Michael, Fez and Eric, she couldn't help but smile softly knowing he was her heart.
It was Sunday and that meant dinner at the Forman house. Kitty (and Red) had trouble completely letting them all go, and demanded they come over every Sunday to visit and eat a delicious home cooked meal. Michael and his little family used to only come twice a month when they'd lived in Chicago, but that had changed after having moved back to Point Place. And while they couldn't always make it, this wasn't just a good thing for Mrs. Forman, it enabled them to keep up with each other's lives.
Like how once Donna left for college with Eric when he'd come back from Africa, they weren't as close without their lives intertwined and neither bothered with phone calls. Most interaction Jackie had with Donna came during these visits—though to be fair, the new-old redhead had stopped being her best friend when the drama with Sam-the-Stripper happened. That dubious honor now belonged to Fez. Somewhere along the way of living and working together, he became her Fezzie and she his goddess in a far less creepy way.
And when Jackie looked at all of them now, it was almost nothing like the teens who spent a good portion of the '70s in the Formans' basement. Michael was married to Brooke and a father, and was happy to be those things; Fez became some weird foreign Casanova, though she figured him being obsessed with candy and a perv would never change; Eric was less scrawny and twitchy, Donna had toned down her bull-headed ways, and it wouldn't be long before they'd be engaged again; Steven didn't act all Zen and sunglasses with her, quit brushing off things that mattered to her as unimportant, and now drank and smoked less than ever.
As for her? Jackie had really matured much more during her time on the outs with both Steven and Donna. Working in the salon and making half the rent with Fez had taught her something that she'd really needed to learn. In some ways, she would forever be shallow, materialistic, and selfish, because those traits were taught from birth by Jack and Pam Burkhart. But falling in love with the scruffy burn-out from the basement allowed Jackie to start growing up and see things differently.
Pretending to inspect her manicure for a reason to look down and have her curls block her face, Jackie smiled brightly realizing no matter how ugly things had gotten, she wouldn't trade her life for anything. Sure it still hurt to think about what her parents had done, how cruel Steven had once been, and the times Donna was simply nasty, but it was a dull pain. Jackie could never regret meeting this band of losers who'd made their own clique that despite their ever present differences—nerd, man-pretty idiot, loner, foreigner and lumberjack—had these strong friendships. Nor could she ever regret loving Steven J. Hyde with everything she had, even if it almost killed her a time or two.
A warm hand on her shoulder pulling on the strap of her shirt surprised her and made Jackie look up. Steven stood slightly behind her, looking down with his mouth quirked in a confused frown that eased when giving him a true smile.
He eased his sunglasses down a bit so that Jackie could see his eyes. "Grasshopper," he murmured to her, eyes flickering between her and the chair by the glass door as he tapped it. And she instantly knew what Steven wanted—her to sit on his lap.
"Yesterday when I was forced to go shopping with Brooke," Michael's voice floated over as she allowed Steven to sit and got situated on his lap, with his arms holding her tight. "I saw this chick, right? Her chest was better than our own Jugs A Poppin'."
Fez was swift in his usual response of, "You son of a bitch!" while he viciously took a bite off his chocolate bar.
"God, Kelso!" Donna called to him, in the usual tone she used when Michael hit on her. "It's never gonna happen."
"Ugh, fine," huffed Michael sounding offended, and Jackie could feel Steven's body vibrate with his suppressed laughter. "Fine! There's no need to be jealous. I could try and walking in on you changing your close again."
"Eww! Michael, you're married," she called out to him, unable to help herself. "Why Brooke stays with the likes of you, I'm not sure. Pervert."
"Alright, Jackie! Damn!" he yelled back at her the way he always had, "Fine the chick's boobs weren't better than yours. But your boobs can't be better than Brooke's because she's my wife now."
Jackie heaved a sigh breathing an "Oh, Michael," pityingly, while sharing a look with Donna. The doofus would never change.
"Hey man, can you come over here, I got something to show you, Kelso," called out Steven, with a voice filled with devious intentions. One that never failed to turn Jackie on when used in private, or fill her with her own devilish glee in moments like this. Because poor Michael fell for it like all the times before this.
"What is it?" demanded Michael in that overeager puppy fashion he often had when excited.
"This," Steven told him as he reached over to frog Michael hard on the arm, so hard that it made Michael swing his arm and hit himself in the face.
"OWW! MY EYE!" screamed Michael causing everyone to laugh like always, and Fez to yell "BURN!" through his rapid giggles.
"Do I need to go get the stupid helmet?" asked Eric in that typical sarcastic tone.
"Kids, dinner is ready!" thrilled Mrs. Forman from the glass door, before going back into the kitchen.
She still liked to call them kids, and Jackie figured she wasn't ever going to stop. But taking a look around, she couldn't say Mrs. Forman was too far off the mark, because the call for food was promptly ignored due to them continuing to argue.
"Damn it, Hyde!" said Michael in his special loud-voice, "That was my arm and my eye!"
"Well you dink, everyone knows it isn't fun until you've screamed about your eye."
"Right you are, Donna, my beautiful flower," said Eric with a smile and arms crossed, nodding towards where his girlfriend sat.
Right as Michael opened his mouth to continue arguing his injustice, the glass door opened once more, only this time it was Red Forman to poke his head out, annoyed scowl firmly in place.
"Eric, your mother called you and all the other dumbasses to dinner," he said, voice deep and steady, "And if you make her ask again, your all getting my foot in each of your asses!" he drove the point home by closing the door hard and with an ominous thunk.
They moved faster than usual, knocking into each other in their rush to get to the table and Mrs. Forman's meatloaf, also to not gain Red's ire.
Steven tighten his old on her waist as she tried to stand and pat her thigh. "So Doll, wanna tell me what was wrong earlier?" he asked in a soft voice, lips brushing her ear he talked.
"It was nothing," she answered, but sighed when his uncovered blue eyes showed disbelief. "I was just thinking how I have no regrets when it comes to us. If it allowed us to get to here, than I can't honestly want to change it."
Beautiful blue eyes widened and began to swim with emotion, even if his face stayed completely blank. His lips trembled as he took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. "Really?" he asked serious, eyes locked on hers as if to search out the truth.
"Yes. I love you, Puddin' Pop."
"Love you too, Jacks," he whispered back into her ear. Then he pushed her off his lap, standing as well. "Better get in there before Kelso and Fez eat everything. That or, Red comes back to put his foot in our asses." He explained before giving her a pat on the ass.
Giving Steven a big smile, she grabbed his hand to pull him inside to eat with their family.
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[End]