AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! Thanks for reading. I just want to mention a few things, but I promise I'll be quick about it. First, this is my first FanFic, so I'm not above begging for reviews yet! Second, I apologize for any mistakes. I'm only human. Third, I know a lot of the people may seem out of character, and I don't mean this as any disrespect to the characters because I LOVE them, I just want to show how they developed over the years, and I love the smart, badass Jackie! I also want to add that I was only recently introduced to That 70s Show, and the only seasons that I have seen all the episodes of are Season 5&6, so there may be some mistakes if I mention their history. Finally, enjoy! DISCLAIMER: I don't own That 70s Show. Shocker.

"Which one was Jackie again?" Red asked when he got off the phone. Hyde tried not to choke on his bacon.
"She was the bossy little mean one," Kitty explained as she set a plate of toast on the kitchen table.
"Oh, right, the loud one. I liked her. Whatever happened to her, anyway?" Steven started coughing and quickly downed his OJ. He knew what happened to her . . . Because he happened to her. It was Sam, and Chicago, but also Jackie and Kelso. He still hadn't processed any of it, and he wasn't about to anytime soon.
"Apparently, she's some kind of celebrity." Kitty said, buttering her bread.
Of course. Hyde thought. She was probably some evil prostitute who only got hired by people like the president.
"Bob told me that Jackie is some kind of famous journalist." Hyde couldn't believe what Mrs. Forman was saying.
"Wait, she's . . . Smart?"

Kitty gave her signature laugh. "Now, Steven-" Hyde was saved from a long lecture by the phone ringing.
"That'll be Jackie," Red said, smirking. He knew what had gone on between Steven and the loud one, and after Steven was such an ass, he was bound to create some drama when Jackie got back in town . . . In about five hours.

Hyde heard her arrive before he saw her. Well, maybe he didn't really hear HER arrive, but he heard her arrival, since there was a loud commotion. Hyde refused to move from his seat on the porch, but he was more than tempted to. There was no way in hell that Jackie was really a journalist, unless it was for one of her hopeless, shallow fashion magazines, and he had to see it to believe. Did his friends have to have such big heads? They were blocking his view.

Kitty and Fez's enthusiastic voices practically vibrated through the house as they greeted Jackie with lots of hugs and kisses, as if she were their long-lost love child returning from the war. Although unheard over the more bubbly people, Red, Kelso and Donna were excited too; Hyde wondered if they never realized what their faces REALLY gave away. Eric and Donna were home for the weekend, since Donna was uncharacteristically wired up about Jackie's visit. Hyde kept wondering if there was something else about her that they weren't telling him . . . Why else would Red actually have a smile on his face? Why else would Eric not be totally miserable with seeing the devil's spawn?

After a few moments, the greetings were all over. Eric was civil, verging on friendly, but Hyde could see the glimmer in his eye that gave away how happy he really was to see Jackie. Or was it just the fact that for once the whole group would be together again? It was a mystery. Jackie stood talking to the group while leaning against her car and using animated hand gestures. Hyde couldn't hear what the conversation was about, but he convinced himself he didn't care, even though everyone, including Kelso, was at rapt attention. It had to be something good. Hyde watched Jackie interact with the group, and he was strangely fascinated by how serious her face became as she finished her tale. Something was different about her, he just couldn't put his finger on it. Was it because there was no arrogant hair flipping? Maybe.

It was only when Jackie arrived on the porch carrying a small suitcase that she noticed Hyde.
"Steven!" Jackie said, smiling sincerely. She dropped her carry-on and leaned down to give him a warm hug before straightening. Hyde was pretty much screwed after that.

How could he not be? He sadly still found her touch, and her smell, intoxicating. Her embrace felt familiar, comfortable. Her smile was genuine and her eyes seemed to scan his, trying to convey a message that went something like, 'I know we messed up, but I've moved on so you should, too.'
Hyde scanned her quickly, taking in her tight jeans, worn, genuine-leather cowboy boots, and her black tank top that revealed a few centimeters of her still-perfectly-flat midriff. Damn. He wish he didn't find her so sexy. It was definitely different from her old look . . . But some different clothes didn't prove that she was a different person. Hyde was still contemplating whether that was a good or a bad thing.

"Uhh, Jackie. Hey. What's . . . Up?" Hyde replied, trying to think fast. He had to remain Zen, but it was pretty damn hard with Jackie, who was shallow, self-centered, and bossy, but looking like someone who was calm, down-to-earth and . . . well, not HUMBLE, but not full of shit, either.
"I'm so glad to be back!" Jackie squealed. "I missed you guys." Jackie gave Hyde another hug without thinking twice. This one was quicker but Hyde was sure it was just as genuine. Who was this girl?

Ever since her latest story led her to Point Place, Jackie had been stressing about her return to her hometown. Granted, she was excited to see her old friends again and catch up, but she wasn't sure how it would go. She had moved on from Hyde, and she knew he wouldn't hang around waiting for her . . . But she kept wondering whether he still carried his anger with him. Jackie wouldn't be able to live with herself if Steven still had a grudge against. She kept trying to convince herself that he must've eventually believed Michael, and let it go, but it wasn't like Steven to be easy going when it came to betrayal and abandonment. He pretended to be all Zen and careless, but they all knew he was much more hurt than he let on. It was Jackie's belief that the more hurt he got and the less he tried to show it, the longer it lasted, and the deeper it ran. Sure, she'd changed majors from Psychology to Journalism, but she still remembered a few things. Taking Fez's advice, Jackie had stopped worrying and just did what felt right. She and Fez, after their 94 minute relationship, became even better friends and kept in touch. He was the only one of her old friends that she had kept up-to-date with on her career as a freelance investigative journalist. It seemed like an odd mix, but it basically meant that she got to travel a lot, dig up dirt, and sent the story to whichever newspaper or blog paid her the most. But, Fez, and most of her other friends, new and old, were oblivious to how . . . Respected she was in the media industry. Jackie had always dreamed of becoming a celebrity, but had given up on that around the time she gave up the cheer squad. Steven had really helped her branch out and become less shallow, and she would be forever grateful for that. Sure, she had appeared to go back to those things after their breakup, but once she got to Chicago, she re-examined her life and her goals, and somehow ended up at NYU. After a series of internships following her graduation, Jackie got a job at the New York Press Page, a small newspaper company hoping to go big soon. The schedule wasn't for her so, with the contact she had built, she went freelance. It was a mystery how she had ended up in journalism, though. Sure, her creative writing class had been the only one she actually liked, but back then, she didn't care, because her master plan was to marry rich.

"How have you been?" Jackie said, sitting down in the seat next to Steven.
"Uhh, good, I guess. I'm a bar manager now, at The Groove 2.0."
"Does the original Hub even still exist?" Jackie asked, voicing her thoughts.
"Yeah, and its still exactly the same. Most of the town is."
"Really? I made a promise that I would visit once a year, but . . . Well, I wasn't sure what I would come home to. It scared me a little." Jackie had learned that being honest about her thoughts was the perfect way to get others to open it. It almost always worked when she was interviewing someone . . . Would it work on Steven?

"Whadya mean?" Hyde asked, frowning slightly. Did she mean that she was worried everyone would be totally pissed off at her? Or did she not consider them worth coming home to? Why couldn't she just say what she was thinking?
"I guess its because I felt like I had abandoned everything and everyone here. I didn't want you guys to think that I thought that Point Place was now below my standards or that I was too busy with my life or whatever. I knew I'd have a few explanations to make, and the more I stalled, the harder it became to come back. But I'm glad that I did."
"Is it?"
"Is it what?"
"Below your standards now?"
"No! No way. I know you probably won't believe me, Steven, but I have truly changed. The high school me would've left and never returned, because she wouldn't want to be considered small-town anymore."
"And the new you?"
"She is thrilled to be back." Jackie said, smiling. She gave Steven's knee a small pat as she stood up, unaware of how it affected him. As he watched her strut to her car, he saw her with new eyes. Or tried to, anyway. Her hips still swung when she walked, and her boots still had ridiculous heels, but there definitely was something different about her.

"Tell them about Ojai!" Fez said excitedly as he grabbed the salad bowl from Jackie.
"Fez! I wasn't done with that yet,"
"Sorry." Fez said sheepishly, handing it back to her across the table.
"So . . . Ojai? Where's that?" Donna asked after, to their surprise, Jackie didn't jump right in and tell her story.
"Its in California; its a really beautiful place. I was doing a report on how some towns' tourism industry are increased because of nearby nature reserves. I had to actually stay in the nature reserve. . ." Steven stopped listening to Jackie talk after awhile; not because it wasn't interesting, because it was, but he was too busy staring at her and trying to figure her out. Where was her power suit? Her handsome, rich husband? Her . . . Bitchy side? It was bound to be in there somewhere. Hyde wasn't sure whether to trust the new Jackie or not; was it really her? Or was it an act? There was no way in hell that Jackie could've changed THAT much . . . Was there?

"Thanks for the dinner, Mrs. Forman." Jackie said, giving the small woman a hug. Jackie had always loved that Mrs. Forman was a little bit shorter than her, since, that way, she wasn't the only midget.
"Don't mention it! We are just so glad to have you back." Kitty said. "Now, I left some clean sheets on your bed, I'm sorry that I didn't have a change to change them yet."
"Wait, she's staying . . . Here?" Hyde asked, following them into the kitchen.
Jackie grinned but ignored him. "Oh, no, that's fine. I just really appreciate you guys taking me in while I find a place to stay. I figured my investigation will take at least eight weeks."
"Do you really need to find a new place? Laurie won't be back for . . . Well, let's just say a while."
"I'd love to stay with you guys the whole time, but I think it would be too much of a disturbance."
"No! Why?" Kitty asked, distressed. She wanted all of her babies back home, and maybe if Jackie stayed with them for a little while, she'd think about moving back permanently.
"Its just my job. I'm usually out really late, or making some kind of noise that I promise is work related but still as annoying as hell."
"Oh, really? Well, we can talk about it." With that, Kitty laughed and trudged out of the room.
"'Just your job' my ass. Admit it, Jackie, you're a party animal now," Hyde smirked as he got a beer out of the fridge. Jackie sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed the beer out of his hand when he passed, grinning mischievously.
"Jackie-" Hyde warned, trying to reach for his beer.
"Not so fast, Steven! You weren't a gentleman, so go get your own one now."
Hyde sighed and rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he begrudgingly walked back to the fridge. He returned to his seat, and Hyde had a second to ask himself what the hell he was doing. Was he going to have a civil conversation with his ex-girlfriend, when their relationship had always consisted of either fighting or kissing?