After It All
Ch. 1: Aftermath
Author's Note: Takes place after the whole break-up fiasco. Jackie/Hyde. Changing POV's
Disclaimer: Don't own it. None of it.
***
...Jackie, I love you...
...Well, I don't love you...
Honk, honk!
Screeeecrash!
"Sir? Sir! Someone call an ambulance!"
***
After an hour of wandering aimlessly I finally went to the basement. Steven wasn't there, but Michael was. "Have you seen Steven?" He looked up from what he was doing. Cat's cradle. Great.
"Nope, sorry," After a moment he dropped the string and jumped to his feet, taking a stupid "cool" pose. Oh, god, he's gonna hit on me. Jackass. "But maybe there's something I can help you with," He said suggestively.
"Oh, christ, Kelso, shut up!" I shouted. He stared at me, puzzled.
"Since when do you call me Kelso?"
"Since now, you idiot!" Donna was right. Going out with Steven had been good for me. I never would've said that to Michael before. I have to find him. I turned and left before Michael could say anything else.
I didn't get far. I just reached the Foreman's driveway when I heard Donna behind me.
"Jackie!" I spun around. Donna ran up the stairs two by two, almost falling in the process. "Jackie, you-" She rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Man, talk about outta shape. "Ya gotta come with me,"
Something in her expression and the way she talked made my heart start to race. "What is it?" NO, stupid, you don't wanna hear-
"There was an accident, a bad one," She straightened. "It's Hyde," My heart stopped. I felt the blood rush from my face. The world dimmed and my knees buckled. "Jackie!" Everything was brought back to focus when Donna slapped me. I was on the ground, and Eric had joined Donna.
"Oh, god. Steven," Donna and Eric helped me to my feet and then to the car.
***
Jackie
I tried to talk and only ended up gagging. I had a tube down my throat. I forced my eyes open with what little strength I had. A light blinded me. I could hear people talking, but couldn't make out what they were saying. I was numb all over. Suddenly, the tube was being pulled out of my throat. Instinctively, I exhaled. As soon as the inanimate object left me my dinner came up with it. Somehow, it was kept offa me. "Jackie," I croaked. "Jackie!" Darkness was her response.
***
I leapt out of the car before it stopped and ran into the hospital. I didn't stop running until I saw Mr. Foreman. I saw his face and ran straight into his arms, crying. This time, he didn't say anything, just hugged me back.
"He was thrown from the car," He said, his voice full of tears. "It's... it's gonna take a miracle..." No. I can't loose him. Oh god, what am I gonna do?
My knees buckled again, but he just held me tighter.
"Mr. Hyde?" We broke the embrace when the doctor came over. There's so much blood...
"No, actually, but we are Steven's guardians," Mr. Foreman sat down beside Mrs. Foreman, who had been crying silently. I remained standing. "We're the Foreman's" The doctor sat across from them.
"Well, Steven sustained some pretty major injuries in the accident. We fixed what we could, but we'll have to wait until he's more stable to perform surgery," He paused. Here it comes. "His chances are very slim, but I'm willing to try," The Foremans nodded, somber.
"Thank you, doctor," Mrs. Foreman said solemnly, her eyes glittering with tears.
"He is awake right now, but he probably won't be for much longer," The doctor stood. "Is there a Jackie here?" I looked up.
"That's me,"
"How do you know Steven?"
"I'm his-" I paused, unsure of what to say. 'I'm his ex-girlfriend, but I still love him'? "I'm his girlfriend," I finally settled on.
"He's been asking for you. Is it alright if she talks to him?" The Foremans nodded. I followed the doctor down a hallway. I hate hospitals. I always associate them with sickness and death. Now, I have good reason. "Right in here," The doctor gestured to a room. I nodded my thanks and went in.
I froze in the doorway, and my heart stopped again. Steven, my strong, unbreakable Steven, was laying on the bed, covered in tubes and wires, looking like death already. I gathered my strength and stepped over the threshold. "Steven?" I said softly. His eyes opened slowly, then focused on me.
"Jackie," He said hoarsely, trying to smile. That did it. I broke down in front of him. I dropped to my knees beside his bed fresh tears streaming down my face.
"Oh, god, Steven, I am so sorry, please forgive me," I took his hand, the one that wasn't in a cast, and cradled it to my face.
***
Pain flared through my hand as she picked it up, but I hid it. I just regret that I can't feel her skin against the back of my hand. "I forgive you," Her doe eyes widened and my heart ached from the sadness I saw on her face. Sadness I had caused. "Please, don't cry," My voice dropped off to little more than a breath. God, it hurts. She stood up, still clutching my hand, and began kissing my face. I could faintly feel her lips on my forehead, my cheeks, and my lips.
"I love you. I love you so much," She whispered, sobbing.
"Jackie," She pulled back. "Tell Red and Kitty thanks," I gasped out. I'm so tired. "And that I love them," She nodded. I better be quick. When I go to sleep, I'll never wake up. "I love you, too," Sweet sleep.
***
Steven's hand went limp in mine as he fell asleep, or unconscious. I numbly walked out to the waiting room. When I neared the Foremans and the rest of the basement gang, I began to wobble on my feet. Mr. and Mrs. Foreman rushed to my side and eased me into a chair. "He says..." I swallowed hard. "He says thank you," I met their eyes. "And that he loves you guys," They seemed a little surprised, but I understood. They weren't surprised that he did, they're just surprised he said it.
I know how they feel.
I never left Steven's side until he went into surgery a few days later. I lost a lot of sleep, but I don't care. If I left, he might... I don't want to think about it.
***
I stood beside Jackie as Steven was taken to surgery. I had to leave Kitty at home because every time she saw him she started crying. Jackie kept crying too, but she wasn't as loud as Kitty.
"Mr. Foreman," I barely heard her. "He's gonna be okay, right? I mean, he can't..." She trailed off.
"Of course," Truth is, I have no idea, but I'm prayin'.
***
In the operating room, Steven Hyde's heart slowed, then stopped.
Will Hyde live? The outcome depends on the next episode. Stay tuned to find out...
Ch. 1: Aftermath
Author's Note: Takes place after the whole break-up fiasco. Jackie/Hyde. Changing POV's
Disclaimer: Don't own it. None of it.
***
...Jackie, I love you...
...Well, I don't love you...
Honk, honk!
Screeeecrash!
"Sir? Sir! Someone call an ambulance!"
***
After an hour of wandering aimlessly I finally went to the basement. Steven wasn't there, but Michael was. "Have you seen Steven?" He looked up from what he was doing. Cat's cradle. Great.
"Nope, sorry," After a moment he dropped the string and jumped to his feet, taking a stupid "cool" pose. Oh, god, he's gonna hit on me. Jackass. "But maybe there's something I can help you with," He said suggestively.
"Oh, christ, Kelso, shut up!" I shouted. He stared at me, puzzled.
"Since when do you call me Kelso?"
"Since now, you idiot!" Donna was right. Going out with Steven had been good for me. I never would've said that to Michael before. I have to find him. I turned and left before Michael could say anything else.
I didn't get far. I just reached the Foreman's driveway when I heard Donna behind me.
"Jackie!" I spun around. Donna ran up the stairs two by two, almost falling in the process. "Jackie, you-" She rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Man, talk about outta shape. "Ya gotta come with me,"
Something in her expression and the way she talked made my heart start to race. "What is it?" NO, stupid, you don't wanna hear-
"There was an accident, a bad one," She straightened. "It's Hyde," My heart stopped. I felt the blood rush from my face. The world dimmed and my knees buckled. "Jackie!" Everything was brought back to focus when Donna slapped me. I was on the ground, and Eric had joined Donna.
"Oh, god. Steven," Donna and Eric helped me to my feet and then to the car.
***
Jackie
I tried to talk and only ended up gagging. I had a tube down my throat. I forced my eyes open with what little strength I had. A light blinded me. I could hear people talking, but couldn't make out what they were saying. I was numb all over. Suddenly, the tube was being pulled out of my throat. Instinctively, I exhaled. As soon as the inanimate object left me my dinner came up with it. Somehow, it was kept offa me. "Jackie," I croaked. "Jackie!" Darkness was her response.
***
I leapt out of the car before it stopped and ran into the hospital. I didn't stop running until I saw Mr. Foreman. I saw his face and ran straight into his arms, crying. This time, he didn't say anything, just hugged me back.
"He was thrown from the car," He said, his voice full of tears. "It's... it's gonna take a miracle..." No. I can't loose him. Oh god, what am I gonna do?
My knees buckled again, but he just held me tighter.
"Mr. Hyde?" We broke the embrace when the doctor came over. There's so much blood...
"No, actually, but we are Steven's guardians," Mr. Foreman sat down beside Mrs. Foreman, who had been crying silently. I remained standing. "We're the Foreman's" The doctor sat across from them.
"Well, Steven sustained some pretty major injuries in the accident. We fixed what we could, but we'll have to wait until he's more stable to perform surgery," He paused. Here it comes. "His chances are very slim, but I'm willing to try," The Foremans nodded, somber.
"Thank you, doctor," Mrs. Foreman said solemnly, her eyes glittering with tears.
"He is awake right now, but he probably won't be for much longer," The doctor stood. "Is there a Jackie here?" I looked up.
"That's me,"
"How do you know Steven?"
"I'm his-" I paused, unsure of what to say. 'I'm his ex-girlfriend, but I still love him'? "I'm his girlfriend," I finally settled on.
"He's been asking for you. Is it alright if she talks to him?" The Foremans nodded. I followed the doctor down a hallway. I hate hospitals. I always associate them with sickness and death. Now, I have good reason. "Right in here," The doctor gestured to a room. I nodded my thanks and went in.
I froze in the doorway, and my heart stopped again. Steven, my strong, unbreakable Steven, was laying on the bed, covered in tubes and wires, looking like death already. I gathered my strength and stepped over the threshold. "Steven?" I said softly. His eyes opened slowly, then focused on me.
"Jackie," He said hoarsely, trying to smile. That did it. I broke down in front of him. I dropped to my knees beside his bed fresh tears streaming down my face.
"Oh, god, Steven, I am so sorry, please forgive me," I took his hand, the one that wasn't in a cast, and cradled it to my face.
***
Pain flared through my hand as she picked it up, but I hid it. I just regret that I can't feel her skin against the back of my hand. "I forgive you," Her doe eyes widened and my heart ached from the sadness I saw on her face. Sadness I had caused. "Please, don't cry," My voice dropped off to little more than a breath. God, it hurts. She stood up, still clutching my hand, and began kissing my face. I could faintly feel her lips on my forehead, my cheeks, and my lips.
"I love you. I love you so much," She whispered, sobbing.
"Jackie," She pulled back. "Tell Red and Kitty thanks," I gasped out. I'm so tired. "And that I love them," She nodded. I better be quick. When I go to sleep, I'll never wake up. "I love you, too," Sweet sleep.
***
Steven's hand went limp in mine as he fell asleep, or unconscious. I numbly walked out to the waiting room. When I neared the Foremans and the rest of the basement gang, I began to wobble on my feet. Mr. and Mrs. Foreman rushed to my side and eased me into a chair. "He says..." I swallowed hard. "He says thank you," I met their eyes. "And that he loves you guys," They seemed a little surprised, but I understood. They weren't surprised that he did, they're just surprised he said it.
I know how they feel.
I never left Steven's side until he went into surgery a few days later. I lost a lot of sleep, but I don't care. If I left, he might... I don't want to think about it.
***
I stood beside Jackie as Steven was taken to surgery. I had to leave Kitty at home because every time she saw him she started crying. Jackie kept crying too, but she wasn't as loud as Kitty.
"Mr. Foreman," I barely heard her. "He's gonna be okay, right? I mean, he can't..." She trailed off.
"Of course," Truth is, I have no idea, but I'm prayin'.
***
In the operating room, Steven Hyde's heart slowed, then stopped.
Will Hyde live? The outcome depends on the next episode. Stay tuned to find out...