THE RIGHT WAY AROUND.

A/N: So this is my first attempt at a story since I've been mooching off everyone else's fics for long enough. Basically I decided that if Sam had not rang the doorbell in Bohemian Rhapsody, then our favourite couple might have worked things out. Or maybe they wouldn't have worked things out. Either way, I think it is time we found out so here's how things could have gone. They need no interruptions for a while to work through anger, betrayal and being horny before a happily ever after scenario becomes an option. I have no idea how this will turn out but I hope as much as you that I come up with a happy ending. Also, thanks to twiztv for this excerpt from the episode and to luvcali76 for encouraging me to write this. (Makes sure you read "November Rain" and "Do You Think It's Alright" – the latter has received a lot of bad reviews for some reason but do not give up on it!)

FORMAN LIVING ROOM.

Hyde is talking in the mike, Kitty is sitting next to him

Hyde: So anyway Forman, ramble on, keep on keeping on, most of all my friend, rock on. Kitty: You know, I never used to understand that hippie-jargon, but ever since my "bathroom-experiment", I'm cool man! (Jackie comes in) Oh, let me just give you two some privacy (she walks off)

Jackie: Hey. Hyde: Hey. Kitty hides in the den, turns on the tape recorder and holds the mike in the air Jackie: Steven I am so sorry about what happened in Chicago. I was alone and I thought I lost you. Hyde: Yeah well, I can see why you thought that. Jackie: Look why didn't you tell me sooner you wanted to get married?

Hyde: Because I wasn't sure I wanted to. And now that I've thought about it, I'm right; I'm not ready to be married yet.

Jackie: Yet? Oh, okay. Kitty (in the mike): Well there you have it Eric, Steven's not ready to get married yet.

Jackie: So, where do we go from here?

Hyde: I don't kn…

Jackie: Do not finish that sentence!(Hyde smirked sheepishly

Hyde: OK, how about… (looks behind him to see Kitty listening intently) how about we go somewhere a bit more private?

Jackie: Sure, basement?

Hyde: Since when has that been private? (Jackie couldn't help but smile) What about the Hub?

Jackie just stared at him.

Jackie: You want to have the most important discussion of our relationship at the Hub?

Hyde: Well if, you get lucky I might buy you something shiny.

Jackie laughed and they exited through the door to the kitchen with Hyde behind her, leaving Kitty holding the mike looking exasperated.

Kitty: Now, what the hell am I supposed to do?

Kitty looks around and realises that, for once, nobody is in the house. She sits down on the piano bench, drops her head and sighs, lost.

THE HUB.

Jackie is sitting at the gang's booth by the bathroom, nervously playing with her blouse while she waits for Hyde to bring back some food. He comes over and she smiles weakly. They begin to eat in silence, at first comfortably but after a few minutes Jackie decides to bite the bullet.

Jackie: So, what would you have said if I had waited around for your decision?

Hyde choked on his soda, obviously not expecting things to get so serious so fast. But then again, things had always been that way for the two of them. Still, that didn't make him any more prepared to answer the question. Determined not to make him feel forced into giving her an answer, Jackie decided to give him the time to perfect the classic "Steven Hyde" response that she had come to love and despise.

Jackie: I mean, Michael told me that you were coming to Chicago to propose but now you are telling me that you are not ready to be married, which is fine because…

Hyde: (interrupting, quietly) Jackie.

Jackie: (still rambling) …God knows our relationship isn't in the most stable place at the moment but still I think it's important for us…

Hyde: (a bit louder) Jackie.

Jackie: (still not listening to him) …to be clear about what we want if we are going to move on and not go through anymore…

Hyde: JACKIE, will you shut your pie-hole for two seconds?

Hyde exhaled loudly and Jackie looked returned to fidgeting with her blouse. Hyde immediately looked apologetic for snapping at her because if there was one thing he had come to realise about Jackie Burkhart, it was that he could always count on her to be honest with her feelings.

Hyde: Look, I'm sorry for snapping but you and I don't exactly have the best track record for dealing with our problems. So let's just start slow, OK?

Hyde looked at her pointedly and she slowly nodded.

Jackie: OK.

Hyde: OK.

They were both silent for a moment before…

Jackie: So what exactly would you have done if Michael hadn't been there?

Hyde: Oh, God.

He dropped his head on the table, quickly growing irritated since Jackie wasn't willing to work with him. Jackie could sense his patience was wearing thin but so was hers. It was time they stopped screwing around with things and were completely open before jumping back into a relationship. After all, the last two times they had gotten back together it was because they were lonely and not because they were ready. Jackie would be damned if it was going to happen again

Jackie: I'm sorry Steven but what did you really expect? I love you more than I have ever loved anybody but after all these years, I am still completely clueless about you! We are not going to be able to settle this with a civilised conversation so can we please go somewhere where we can say what has been left unsaid for the last two years? Please?

Jackie stared at him imploringly while Hyde just looked back, blank. He knew she was right but that was what was pissing him off. As much as he liked to think that he had learned the ropes to a relationship, it still troubled him that he could never figure out how to handle a rocky situation. As a result, he was always left feeling vulnerable and this time was no different. Thinking back to "get off my boyfriend" the nurse, Raquel, last Christmas and finally Chicago, it dawned on him that all those things had occurred because he truly didn't trust Jackie. He didn't trust her to let Kelso go. He didn't trust her to pick him when she said she needed time. And he didn't trust that she would stay with him, even if he gave her reason not to. And if they still didn't trust her after everything that they had been through, what kind of chance did they really have of surviving this? With this realisation, he immediately stopped being Steven and reverted back to Hyde.

Hyde: What's the point?

The complete lack of feeling in this question left Jackie speechless. Did he really just ask "What's the point?" Blinded by utter confusion Jackie could barely squeak out a response before Hyde continued;

Hyde: I mean we both know how this will play out. Your pathetic wish for true love and my need for a good fuck will get in the way of common sense. Things will be fun and easy for a while but when life gets in the way we'll give up. 'Cos that's what we do. We give up and I'm done with it.

Hyde's palms were sweating with fear beneath the table, begging her to block out what he was saying and be the one to fight for them again. He just couldn't do it because as much as he wished otherwise, what he said had a gem of truth in it. Throughout their entire relationship they always cracked under pressure. Both were responsible for it although Hyde couldn't deny that he has been the catalyst each and every time, and he would be again which was why he had to see if there was anything left here before letting her back in. "Please Jackie! Prove to me I can trust you! Prove to me you won't leave me no matter what!" was screaming in his head over and over again as he prayed she would understand him.

But he realised that his prayer wouldn't be answered as Jackie fell apart before his very eyes. Her mouth opened with only a crack sounding from her throat. She was dying and there was nothing she could do but stare at his mouth. The mouth which she had always relied on to help her see the real him when he had his sunglasses on had now uttered the words she had longed since feared he believed about their relationship. During the summer, there had not been a lot of talking but she had gathered that he felt for her what she had felt for him and that had remained throughout their time together. Even when they broke up, she never doubted that he didn't want to be with her so to hear these words was more than heartbreaking. It was stabbing into her soul and tearing her apart. The final blow came when she had understood his point: "'Cos that's what we do. We give up." And she believed it.

Jackie: I'm really sorry you feel that way.

Spoken not with aloofness or spite, but with pure serenity, Hyde was at a loss. She was giving up. She, Jackie Burkhart, his girl, his… his, was giving up on them and for some insane reason, he had never been more proud of her.

SLAP!

Scratch that, now he had never been more proud of her.

To be continued?

A/N: That ending kind of wrote itself but believe me when I say that I am one of the truest Jackie/Hyde fans there are and will not screw things over for dramatic effect. This is the first time I have tried to write for any fandom but I promise I will help these two oddballs/characters through their issues if you stick with me. Please give me a review!

Stay safe. ")