A/n: Previously called "Rich Bitch". Obviously, because I didn't follow guidelines, the title and summery went against the rules, so it was removed. I redid some of it, so here's the redone, agreeable version for the site. R&R if you enjoy :)
Jackie Burkhart settled herself into the passenger seat of Kasey Kelso's car. Her purse sat at her side, her hair blew lightly in the breeze. He was taking her back to the apartment she shared with Hyde, at the obscure hour of 3 a.m. Steven was going to be blistering mad if she woke him up, yet the thought made her want to chuckle. Hyde would only come out, complain for a moment and probably grab a beer. That's the great thing about him; nothing ever really gets under his skin.
Jackie and Fez had split months ago. The relationship had been uncomfortable, and neither was as into it as they had hoped to be. There was no fiery sex like with Kelso and there was no passion and closeness like with Steven. It had been doomed from the beginning, and they both had eventually realized that. They parted on good terms, with Fez moving soon after to the capital, to work at a hair salon. He couldn't be happier.
The dark haired girl had soon found herself without a roommate, and had offered the place to Hyde so he could leave the Forman's basement. After a lot of bickering on both parts, he moved into the larger room, since Jackie couldn't convince him to help her move her stuff in there. The pair had been roommates for nearly six months, and the atmosphere had yet to settle. Surrounded by other people, the hidden feelings from the path that each still harbored could be brushed off and ignored. In a confined space like this, always in each others presence, neither could get away.
So they had opted to spend a lot of time away from the apartment, especially at night when things got severely uncomfortable. That was, of course, before Jackie started dating Kasey and things became a complete mess. Her ex could hardly talk to her these days, and kept telling her that Kasey wouldn't last, and would just end up hurting her somehow.
She wasn't sure exactly what he had meant by that statement.
The elder Kelso had been dating her for nearly a month now, and things were going along smoothly. They went out on dates, they sometimes hung around her place, and occasionally they made out. But truth be told, she felt as stuck in this relationship as she had with Fez, and she just wanted to find a good time to end it.
Kasey parked in one of the visitor parking spots, and the pair got out. He had recently begun to walk her to the door of the apartment, after Hyde made a snide comment about leaving her to wander through a dark neighborhood alone. It was no secret that the two hated each other.
Jackie let him place his strong grip around her waist, and let the older man walk her across the parking lot towards her complex, the entire time only able to focus on the sick feeling in her chest that she would be ending this relationship soon, and he seemed very into it.
The duo wandered into the complex, and he walked her to her door like always. This time however, he pushed her lightly against the hallway wall and began to kiss her. The small girl kissed back with far less vigor, a bit uncomfortable with their placement. She gently turned her head to the side and spoke.
"What are you doing Kasey?"
He smiled against the smooth skin of her neck, before biting into it. He obviously wanted to hear her moan, but got the opposite reaction. She pushed him away before he could get further down her body. "Kasey stop," she urged.
The man in front of her frowned. "What's wrong with you Jacks? Don't you like it," he urged, pressing his body against hers.
Jackie felt an inner hatred towards him at the use of her nickname. Only Steven was ever allowed to call her that, no exceptions. "That's not my name," she snapped, pushing him away and placing her hands on her hips. "We've been over this before."
"Yeah, but you used to let him call you that," he snapped, eyes getting hard. He inclined his head towards the apartment, where Steven was surely someplace inside. "What difference does it make?"
"It's what he used to call me, and only Steven," she replied, turning her back and pulling out her key. "That's all there is."
His hard grip on her arm made her pause in her movements, the girl totally surprised. With the pressure he was supplying, there would be a nice bruise tomorrow. "You know Jackie, you were a lot more fun when you just shut up and did what I told you."
She tried in vain to snap her arm away, but his grip only grew tighter and she suppressed a whimper. "I don't do what you tell me to do, ever. I try to ignore it. Now get your hands off me!"
Jackie felt a stinging pain in her back as he slammed her against the door. "Don't tell me what to do," he growled, pressing her into the door, the knob digging painfully into her back. "Ever."
"Then don't try to tell me Kasey," she countered, struggling against him. She wondered how far he would go in a hallway, against her apartment door after slamming her against it. If the noise hadn't woken Hyde up anything else he did to her likely would.
He pressed further against her, the doorknob digging into her back deeper and making her eyes water. She turned her head down so he wouldn't see.
He was licking her bare, slightly cold shoulder instead. "Why are you so difficult? I don't remember Michael ever having any problems with you."
The girl's head shot up, tears forgotten. "He told you!"
The boy chuckled. "Everyone knew, don't worry. It's not like it was ever a secret or anything."
Although that was true, she didn't want to admit to it. "Because Kasey, I grew up, I got my feelings hurt. I don't act quite so careless anymore, now get off me!"
He slammed her into the door again, and Jackie saw stars. She was sure everyone now had heard the ruckus, and would be opening their doors to peer out and watch. Hopefully, one of them would be Steven to remove her from this mess.
"Why don't we go inside," he suggested, running a hand down her cheek. "You're going to draw attention."
"Me? How am I the one drawing attention Kasey Kelso? You're the one-"
Her sentence was cut off by the abrupt opening of the door behind her, and Kasey let got of her immediately, causing her to stumble into the arms of a very confused Hyde. She noticed, across the hall, a very startled looking old woman, gripping her door-frame.
Hyde's sleepy state melted away quickly as he caught the falling girl. He rightened her, before snatching a hold of the retreating shoulder of Kelso's older brother. He too noticed the older woman, and nodded in her direction. "Nothing to see here, ma'am, just a little misunderstanding."
The woman nodded, and wasted no time in shutting her door again. Steven turned his eyes to the older boy, who had just shoved his hand off and taken a step back. "What the hell is going on," Steven snapped crossing his arms. "It's three in the morning! Do you know what I was doing? Of course you do, which is why I tried to ignore the annoying thumping," he said all in one statement. Jackie realized what he had been doing and almost smiled. Leave it to Steven to be smoking while he's tired as hell.
Kelso held out his hands. "Nothing man. Me and Jacks were just having a little lovers spat," he said, placing a cheesy grin on his face. The girl rolled her eyes and leaned out the door to grab her fallen purse.
Hyde didn't seem to believe a word of it. "Lover's spat? I don't think lovers spat's make that much noise," he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "And don't call her Jacks," he added, snapping.
As Jackie stood back up, the hallway light catching the dark marks on her pale skin. Steven's eye flashed, and he grabbed the collar of Kasey's shirt as he tried for a second escape. "Is that your fault," he practically shouted, pointing to the marks on her arms. Her hands instinctively moved to cover where he had grabbed, not even thinking about the impressions his hands would've left.
The other boy feigned innocence. "Hey man, she slipped-"
"Into me trying to get away from you," he replied, giving the taller boy a hard shove into the ground. What he had in height he obviously lacked in strength.
Kasey glared up at Jackie, pointing to her roommate. "Tell him what really happened," he seethed. "Tell him I was making sure you didn't fall-"
"Oh I don't think so," she said, stepping in front of a concerned looking Hyde. "You shoved me into this ugly door! Do you know how uncomfortable it is to have a doorknob jammed into your lower back? No Kasey, I think you can help yourself out here all on your own, because there is no way I'm getting near you again." She flipped her hair and stormed inside, calling over her shoulder, "And that doesn't mean I'll take you back like Michael!"
Micheal's brother tried to push Hyde aside, but he blocked the doorway and glared. "I think that's your cue to leave," he said, stepping back and slamming the door in Kasey's face. He really wanted to put a nice, solid punch right into the side of his face, but that would be better for a different situation; one where he would have the element of surprise.
The fluffy haired boy sat down in a chair opposite the couch cushion Jackie currently occupied. The set up of their living room had strangely taken the same form their 'circle' furniture had in the Forman's basement, and Hyde couldn't recall when that had begun.
They were quiet for a long time, until Jackie's voice finally broke the silence. "Can you believe him? Thinking he can treat me like a rag doll? I'm not Eric!"
Steven wanted to chuckle, but couldn't. The situation wasn't a funny one, it was serious. "Jackie," he said, leaning forwards to rest his elbows on his knees, "Are you alright?"
She shrugged, rubbing one of the marks. They would probably leave light bruises, and that wasn't okay in his book. "Yeah, I'm fine. Kasey just got a little rough, nothing I can't handle."
His expression immediately hardened. "Has he done this before?"
The girl blinked, before she laughed. "Ha, Steven! That's funny. Do you really think I would stay with a guy like that? I'm not stupid."
The boy felt his temper drop, slightly. "I guess not. And he's never done anything like this before?"
She shook her head, leaning forwards as well. "Of course not, Steven, it was a one time thing and I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."
"Don't worry about-," he cut off to rub his head, "-Jackie, he physically touched you. That's not alright. Don't even try to tell me not to worry about it."
"He barely did anything," she barked, jumping to her feet in defense.
"Yes and how far would he have been willing to go if I hadn't been around," he asked, rising as well and folding his arms. "Do you know Jacks?"
She blinked several times. He hadn't used that nickname since they had been together, years ago. He must be concerned. "It was a hallway-," she began.
"With a room just a key-turn away," he interrupted again, eyes dark. There's no way of knowing he wouldn't have drug you in here."
Jackie narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying Steven? That I can't take care of myself?"
"No Jackie," he said, shaking his head. "I'm saying you don't know what he would've done, and that is something to be worried about."
"Kasey's not a bad person," she snapped, looking up at him.
Hyde took a step forward and flicked one of the marks, watching her cringe. "Do good people leave marks like those," he asked quietly, holding her gaze.
The small brunette seemed to be at a loss for words, and chose to throw her purse at him. "Shut up Steven, just shut up," she screamed, storming to her room.
He watched her retreating form, her bag held lightly in one hand. With a sigh, the man sat down and ran his hands over his face. Why does she have to be so defiant?
The following day Jackie woke up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Her arms were a bit sore, and she knew Steven had been right about them bruising. After showering and purposely ignoring the mirror, she threw on a jacket and walked into the living room, hair still a bit damp. Hyde was lounging on the couch, watching TV with a spaced-out look.
She sat beside him and nervously ran a hand through her hair. The pair hadn't had anything like this happen in a long time, not since Hyde punched that schoolboy at the Forman's BBQ years ago, and that had only been for some badly worded sentences. Kasey had actually left a few dark marks and had been moronic enough to let Steven catch him in the act.
He sighed, and it was several more minutes before either spoke. "You need to do something about that guy Jackie. Report him or something, anything. But don't let him get away with this."
Burkhart shook her head. "Steven its fine. I don't need to report him, I'm over him and that's all that matters."
Hyde was shaking his head. "Who are you and what have you done with the Jackie Burkhart that spouts off all that 'my father' crap? Come on, stop letting him push you around. Its worse then your relationship with Kelso."
She stood up, "Steven, don't bring up the stuff with Michael. My relationship with Kasey was nothing like it was with him."
"You're right," he agreed, propping his feet up on the table, "Kelso didn't abuse you."
"He didn't abuse me," she practically screamed.
"Didn't he," the boy replied, standing up to tower over her. "Those marks I'm sure your hiding with that jacket are proof of that."
She shrugged, looking down. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Well, don't worry, you don't have to. I'll be doing something about it myself." He turned and headed to his bedroom, not bothering to look back at her.
The girl hesitated, biting her lip a moment before stopping his movement. "Steven," she called, and he finally looked back at her, eyes now hidden by the sunglasses he had pulled from a pocket, "what, what exactly do you have in mind," she asked nonchalantly, twirling a piece of her hair.
He grinned and leaned against the door-frame. "Just a little idea."
Kasey Kelso was exciting his house the following Wednesday morning, prepared to go to work. He rounded the side of the house to retrieve this car and stopped dead in his tracks.
Much like Fez's car had looked when he angered Jackie; Kasey discovered his car's paint job to be ruined. He was certain the stupid girl had taken to egging the car, as well as had spray painted some sort of writing onto the once green exterior. In his moment of anger he didn't even bother reading what it actually said; just that she had done it in bright purple.
He was fuming mad. There was no way in hell he was driving that destroyed piece of crap around town, and he angrily turned to go back into the house for a different pair of keys to another car. He would be stopping by the girl's apartment whether her damn roommate was around or not and give her a piece of his mind.
The angry rapping on the front door alerted Burkhart from the kitchen that their guest had arrived. She was grateful for the supportive body of Steven in the room, in case things got violent. Of course, he didn't need to know she needed him that badly.
After shutting the fridge, she walked to the door and opened it. The large form of Kasey shoved his way in, pushing her aside to step into the apartment. Jackie quickly shut the door, glancing at Hyde's relaxed form still on the couch. But Kasey only had eyes for her.
"What the hell do you think you were doing," he barked, shoving his hands roughly into his pockets so he didn't have a reason to strangle her. "Do you know how much it's going to cost me to fix that mess you made on my car?"
"Do you know how much trouble you can be in if the police find out you assaulted a female girl," Hyde cut in, not even glancing up as he continued to watch TV.
Kasey finally paid some attention to him. "Stay out of this man. It's between me and Jackie."
Steven raised an eyebrow and glanced up, feet still propped on the coffee table. "I think you involved me when you decided to crush her against the front door. If you feel like complaining in private to her you'll have to do it some other time."
The boy's eyes flashed. "And what are you going to do? Turn me in? I'll just report the damage she did to my car-"
"I'm a witness," he interjected. "You will get in more trouble for causing her physical harm then she would for destruction of your damn property."
Jackie's eyes flashed over to her ex's as Kasey spoke again. "I always thought you were against the government and the law man."
"I am." He shrugged. "That doesn't mean she is. You've really screwed yourself man, getting into this."
He scowled. Obviously, the girl's little bodyguard was going to counter anything he said. Huffing, he turned and stormed back to the door. Jackie could have her little win today, but he would find her some other day when Steven Hyde wasn't around to fall back on.
The pair watched him go, but he paused as he reached the door, glaring first down at Jackie then to glance at Hyde. "You can have the tramp man; she's not very good, if you know what I mean." With that he turned and walked out the door.
Hyde was already wandering towards Jackie when she spoke. "Not very good? I'll have that Kelso know I'm amazing, if he ever got that far!" She huffed, and crossed her arms, cheeks red. She didn't need the boy accusing her of being a useless slut or anything. She just needed him to get out.
The boy nodded. "Yeah. One second Jacks." She glared at Hyde's retreating form out the door, eyebrow raised. She sighed. All boys are too confusing, she decided. They always have to be tough. The girl walked away from the door and settled into her favorite magazine, not interested in seeing what Hyde planned to do to Kasey. He had been acting strange the last few days, and starting an argument in the hallway wouldn't do any good. No, she would just have to talk to him in here, where he couldn't run.
But Steven was still busy jogging down the hallway. He emerged from the complex to glance around, noticing Kelso about to get into a car, one that was definitely different from the one he helped Jackie vandalize. "Hey man," he called, walking the rest of the way over.
Kelso looked up with an annoyed expression, not interested in what he had to say. "What?"
The fist that came flying the moment Steven was in hitting distance caught Kasey off guard and he fell backwards swearing, face on fire. "I would be careful what I call people," he retorted, satisfied with the crunching sound his nose had made. Turning with an emotionless expression, he returned to the apartment to find the small girl engrossed in one of her useless magazines as usual. Upon his entry her head snapped up.
"What was that," she asked, still scanning some sort of article as he entered the kitchen. He opened the fridge and retrieved a beer, sipping the drink leisurely as he returned to the couch, feet back up as always.
"Nothing," he said, flipping the channel. "I just thought Kasey needed one final push to keep quiet."
The magazine was instantly in her lap, interest gleaming in her eyes. "What did you do?"
He waved his hand at her. "Nothing. Do you have to ask about everything?"
"Oh Steven, did you do something because of what he called me," she asked, smiling now.
Hyde rolled his eyes. "Shut up."
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Thank you for helping me."
"Yeah well," he said, gently pushing the girl off so she was just leaning on him instead, "enough of that."
She grabbed his hand. "You didn't have to help me ruin his car."
"And miss the opportunity to go against the man? Never. I always hated that overdone Kelso anyways."
Jackie smiled, and relaxed against him. Nothing was decided yet, where they stood or how things would evolve from here, but for right now she was content just in Steven's arms.