"Sometimes When We Touch"
by,
Bunny


You ask me if I love you,
and, I choke on my reply.
I'd rather hurt you honestly,
than mislead you with a lie.
And, who am I to judge you
on what you say or do?
I'm only just beginning to see the real you.

Hyde lay, staring at his ceiling, his thoughts turning sour. Nothing! She didn't feel it... the fireworks... How could she not feel what he felt? He had bucked his feelings like a penned bronc for the longest time, but... today they'd come bubbling to the surface, consuming him like an entourage of lava...
The second that he saw her with that guy, he got an ever-tightening knot in his stomach. At first it was jealousy, which he had tried to shrug off, but then it was this overwhelming feeling of protectiveness; just knowing he had to get this guy away from her... And, then... the sweet aching for her... Not just to sleep with her, but... to be with her... to hold her in his arms, let the world know she was his for all time...

And, sometimes when we touch,
the honesty's too much.
And, I have to close my eyes and hide.
I wanna hold you til I die,
til we both break down and cry.
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides.

~Flashback:
Hyde sat across from that Chip guy, sort of watching Jackie talk with Laurie, turning only slightly to the guy to speak as he watched Jackie walk away from her...

"So, you an' Jackie, huh?"


"Yeah, isn't she somethin'?" the guy smiled.

"Sure..."

"Sometimes, though, I kinda hate it when she talks..." he admitted.

"I hear ya..." Hyde laughed, getting up to walk towards the table.

"And, she's always talkin'..." Chip continued, following Hyde. "But, I figure it's worth it if I can nail her..." he said with a cocky grin.

Hyde stopped cold, feeling like someone had an icy grip around his heart, causing it to momentarily cease beating. "Huh..." Hyde said, scratching the back of his head, fighting to mask his emotions. "You know, you should probably think about that man..." he said
carefully. "Ya know, I mean, Jackie's kind of young, and she's only had like one boyfriend, so---"

"Hey, that's not a big surprise." he cut in. "You know, she's a bitch."

"Oh, no..." he said, with a slight shake of his head, rearing back and decking him before he could even think about it.

Hyde could only stand over him, glaring, silently daring him to get up, until he saw Jackie run over...

"Steven, what happened?!"

"What? Nothin'... Just somebody... and then the guy said 'bitch', and it was nothin'..." he mumbled, a bit confused.~

"Nothin' my ass!" he said aloud, hopping off the bed and grabbing his jacket...

Romance and all its strategy
leaves me battling with my pride.
But through the insecurity,
some tenderness survives.
I'm just another writer,
still trapped within my truth.
A hesitant prize fighter,
still trapped within my youth.

Jackie lay across her bed, clad in a peasant-style nightgown, and sighed. What had she done? She was beginning to realize the reason maybe she didn't feel fireworks were because she had built her expectations too high for too long... If it weren't too late, she'd say try again...

"What pride have I got left; why not?" she muttered derisively, absently fiddling with an embroidered pillow.

Suddenly, she heard the window rattling, and skittered back on the bed.

"Oh, no... Please don't mug me!" she called, reaching for some kind of weapon as the window started to open...

"Relax, relax... It's me..." Hyde said soothingly, going over to her.

"Steven? Oh, you scared me..." she said, rushing to him and laying her head on his chest.

"Shhhh... God, you're shaking..." he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "I didn't mean to scare ya, it's just... Well, it's late, and..."

"And?" she echoed, looking up at him.

"And, I needed to talk to you..." he muttered, still holding her tightly in his arms.

"What is it? You know you can tell me anything, Steven..." she whispered.

"Nothing... You cannot have felt nothing!" he yelled, finally letting go as he started pacing and gesturing.

"Steve---"

"No! Not after all this... I love you, and you love me, and... Damnit, neither of us have any pride left, so let's just give it one more shot, okay? Because I can't live with myself knowing I just let my one true chance for happiness slip away... Can you?"

"Oh, Steven..." she breathed, coming up closer, running her palms over his denim-covered chest...

Using both hands to cup over her face gently, brushing her hair back, he pulled her to him, bent back and kissed her gently, with all the passion inside him...

And, sometimes when we touch,
the honesty's too much.
And, I have to close my eyes and hide.
I wanna hold you til I die,
til we both break down and cry.
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. Without even thinking, his hands slid to her back, increasing his grip. Suddenly, he was jolted to reality as he realized her legs had sort of slid up, and he was cupping her rear, her legs wrapped around him, and carrying her to the bed...

"W... wait, Jackie... this is... we can't..." he stammered, although not putting her down...

"Steven, I love you, and you love me, right? How could it be more right or perfect?" she smiled softly.

"I... I don't want you to think I don't respect you, because I do..." he said seriously. "I want you... God, more than my next breath but... I want this to last... I want to be with you for the rest of time... You're... mine, you know?"

"Oh... that is the sweetest, most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me!" she grinned at him. "Honey, it's okay... I know you respect me... You're probably the only guy who does, but---"

"Hey, now..." he said gently, going and sitting on the bed, still holding her in the same position so that she was now on his lap. "I catch any guy disrespecting my girl I'll kick his ass, okay?"

"Okay..." she smiled softly, begining to rain kisses down his jawline...

At times I'd like to break you,
and drive you to your knees.
At times I'd like to break through,
and hold you endlessly.
At times I understand you,
and I see how hard you've tried.
I've watched while love commands you,
and I've watched love pass you by.
At times I think we're drifters,
still searching for a friend.
A brother or a sister,
but, then the passion flares again.

Hyde lay, watching the sun rise, and looked at the sleeping angel in his arms... Her warm cheek pillowed against his chest, her black hair spread about like some sort of halo...

Smiling gently, he traced her kiss-swollen lips with a finger, soft as so not to disturb the sweet, contented slumber, loathing to make her loose the sweet, sleep-induced smile...

"I love you..." he whispered, dropping a kiss on top of her head.

"I love you too..." she mumbled groggily.

"Didn't mean to wake you..."

"It's kay... don't want to miss anything..." she yawned, smiling sleepily.

"I have to go..." he said reluctantly, cupping her cheek in his palm.

"Okay, see you later..." she yawned, leaning forward for a small kiss.

Fighting to keep her eyes open, she watched as he quickly slipped his clothes back on and headed for the window...

"Steven?" she asked softly, as he opened the window to slip out again.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back around.

"You really meant it, right? You do love me?"

"Awwww, Jackie..." he sighed, coming back to her side, taking her hand in both his own. "Of course I do..."

"Can you say it one more time, before you go?" she smiled.

Smiling, he leant down for one last kiss. "I love you..." he said, getting up and walking towards the window. "Heaven help me, but I love you..."

And sometimes when we touch,
the honesty's too much.
And, I have to close my eyes and hide.
I wanna hold you til I die,
til we both break down and cry.
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides...