December 31, 1983
11:58 PM
He's sitting and nursing a beer in the basement when she finds him. He's in his old room. His cot is still in there even though he hasn't actually lived with the Formans since 1981.
"Hey, Steven."
"Hey Jacks."
Funnily enough, he didn't start calling her that until after she had gone to college. He had been more affectionate with her and everyone after she left. It was ironic.
"That's my blanket." She remarks.
"You left it here. When you were staying with me." After her dad went to jail. After her life fell apart, and her mom left, and she couldn't even afford to pay the electricity and heat bills. He'd snuck her into his room so she didn't have to stay in a dark, cold house, all alone. That was a great four weeks.
"Why are you down here? Alone?" She asks, removing her jacket and sitting crosslegged under the covers.
"Avoiding watching Kelso feel up Brooke. And Mrs. Forman suck Red's face off. And Eric suck off Donna's face."
Jackie chuckles, and turns to face him.
"Can I hide from romance with you?"
"Yes."
She already is, but it's New Years and he doesn't want to argue with her. No matter how fun it is to get her riled up. She didn't need that right now.
"I should have someone to make out with." She says sadly. He knows she's referencing her ex-fiancé.
That April, Jackie had graduated from Marquette with a degree in photojournalism. Mrs. Forman had all but dragged Jackie back to Point Place, for a graduation party. Jackie had only protested for show. And Keith, her then-fiancé, had come too. Steve didn't like him, but Jackie did and that was all that mattered.
Two weeks after she'd left, she'd come back in her Daddy's old Lincoln, all of her belongings in tow, utterly broken. And no ring on her finger. No one knew what happened, they'd all asked, but she was too embarrassed to tell anybody.
"He left me." She said quietly, jarring Hyde from his thoughts.
"What?"
"Keith. Yeah. He said that he wasn't sure that he was ready to commit. And he ran off to Vegas. He came back though. Married to a stripper named Samantha."
Hyde was sure that he'd never wanted to throttle anyone so much in his entire life.
"It gets better." She laughs dryly. "He wouldn't divorce her. And it turns out, she was already married. So she left him, and he comes to my place a few weeks ago wanting to get back together. I punched him in the face. Then came here."
Hyde smiles. That's his girl.
"Jacks...someday you'll meet the guy. Or whatever romantic crap you want."
"Yeah. I...um...I think I'm done with that. I mean. I don't have the best track record with guys."
Hyde is sick with shame. He, Kelso, and Keith have ruined her optimistic views, and hopeful dreams. He's a horrible person.
"Jacks you've always dreamt about having a family." She can't give up on that because a few guys never realized how fantastic she was. Except him. He did. But it was too late. She'd gone to college, and he let her. He was the one who'd told her that she didn't need any guy. He wouldn't hold her back.
"Dreams change. People change. Look at you."
After she'd left in late 1979, he'd buckled down. The record store was thriving. He'd moved into his own small apartment, and actually had a stable future. All that he was missing was her. They'd still talked, were still close, l but then she became busy with school and then Keith. Her distance paid off, because she'd graduated with honors. He knew she was smart. College had also made her less selfish, more independent.
It was really hot.
He nodded. People did change. But his feelings for her didn't. Actually, the distance made him want her more. But she moved on. She was happy, thriving. He was happy for her.
And now, 1983 was ending, and both of them were single, and in his old bed, where they'd spent so much time together. Happy. In love. The memories and emotion hit them simultaneously like a truck.
The others could be heard upstairs chanting the countdown that welcomed in the New Year. Hyde sets his beer down.
10...
Jackie smiled as Hyde's arms wrap around her just like they used to.
9...
Her arms loop around his neck just like they used to. It still comes naturally.
8...
Funny how they always fall back together.
7...
They collapse onto the pillows, smiling the whole time.
6...
There's so much that he wants to tell her. It's been four years, but it can wait another day. He's to content watching her mismatched eyes glimmer with anticipation and smooth lips quietly count with everyone else.
5...
He begins to count with her. It's been awhile since they've done something together. Just the two of them.
4...
She's so glad she didn't stay with Keith. This is perfect. Keith leaving her gave her this moment. She's going to send him a thank you card.
3...
Her forehead leans against his. He's not wearing his sunglasses, and she has a full view of his perfect sky-blue eyes she loves not being denied access to.
2...
God, he missed her.
1...
"Happy New Year!" She murmurs. He cuts her off with a long slow kiss, trying to convey everything he's been wanting to say to her since 1979. She doesn't stop him.
January 1, 1984
8:19 AM
He wakes up first. Her thick black hair is tickling his nostrils, and he's spooning her. And she has no clothes on. He doesn't either.
He peers at her face, lips turned up into a peaceful smile. Face completely free of worry for the first time since the car show they went to a car show in 1979.
His movement must wake her, because she stirs and blinks finally turning to face him.
"Morning." She says sweetly.
"Hey Jacks."
"It's 1984." She says, brushing loose and messy curls out of her face. He takes secret pleasure that her hair is mussed because of him, not Kelso or Keith.
"Think it'll be anything like the book?" She asks. Oh right. She reads books besides Nancy Drew now.
"Nope. That won't happen for awhile." He jokes. She smiles. Not the one that her mother drilled into her. The big one that rivals the sun, and lights up her entire face and the room she's in. The one that he loves. The one he's missed.
"You know that Led Zeppelin shirt you gave me for my 17th birthday?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"I still have it. I sleep in it. Even when I was Keith. He didn't know who it was from or why I would never let him touch me when I wore it." He smiles, and brushes another lock of hair out of her face.
"Missed me?" He's only half teasing.
"Always." She answers honestly.
His heart is doing flip flops on his chest.
Then he asks the one question he could never bring himself to when they were together.
"What do want, Jackie?" He asks softly.
Her surprised look only lasts a few seconds, and he doesn't blame her for being surprised. This is the first time in four years he's actually seen her. Alone and for more than pleasantries. He didn't even do this when they were together.
"I want...I want us to always be friends. And I want you to hold me, because it's cold." He obliges and presses her body to his.
"What do you want, Steven?"
Now it's his turn to be surprised. She never asked him that. Never asked anyone that. Not seriously. Neither of them did.
"For you to be happy."
"I'm happy." She says. "It's not perfect, but I'm happy."
Hyde may have been a little more open now, but he's still not sappy enough to tell her that she deserves perfection. She used to expect it, demand it. But now she doesn't.
"Jacks, remember last night?"
"Yes Steven. I only had one glass of champagne. And even if I didn't remember, I could probably figure it out." She teases playfully.
"I meant," he laughs, "When you said that people change."
"Oh. Yeah. Why?"
"Well, Jacks..." Here it comes. Everything he has wanted to say since she left.
"I think we've both changed a lot. And maybe we're ready to make this work."
Jackie sighs. He steels himself for the rejection. This is why he hates talking.
"Steven...I want to."
Then there's that unfamiliar feeling of hope.
"But...I just don't want to ruin our friendship. It means too much to just throw it away on something that's already failed four or five times."
"What if it didn't fail this time." He challenges. She sighs again.
"If it does, promise me we can still be friends." She says, before pulling him into a kiss. He pulls away, just to see her smile.
"Anything for you, doll."
She blushes at the old nickname, and inhales.
"1984. I wonder what'll happen."