Hello! The idea/inspiration behind this fic is from the book Landline by Rainbow Rowell, but it's totally Jackie and Hyde's story. It's a fantastic book that I definitely recommend, but it's not necessary at all to have read in order to understand this story.

We all know season eight was horrendous so Jackie and Fez never happened in this universe. However, Hyde and Sam did happen (it's the only way I could see them not getting back together right after Chicago).

I've been active in this fandom on different platforms for a while but this is the first time I've written for it, so I hope you enjoy!

December 15th, 1996

Long Island, New York

Jackie closed the door lightly behind her, kicking her boots off immediately. The lights were off in the foyer and she could hear the humming of the TV in the living room. She had to fumble to the closet to put her coat away.

She walked down the hall and peered into the living room. Steven was sitting on the couch with his arm around a sleeping Carrie. David Letterman was playing at a low volume.

"Hey," she said softly, leaning against the doorless-doorway. He looked over his shoulder.

"Hey," he gave her a small grin. He moved his arm off of Carrie and laid her down against a pillow. He stood up and readjusted the throw blanket on her before walking to Jackie.

He gave her a kiss when he reached her. "You hungry?"

"Starving," she smiled at him. He led her to the kitchen.

A tray covered in tinfoil sat on top of the stove.

"I didn't know what time you'd be home," he explained as she eyed it. She just nodded and sat down on a stool at the counter. He turned the oven on and put the tray in, not bothering to wait for the oven to heat up completely.

He took out a half empty bottle of wine and a beer. He poured her a glass, sliding it towards her.

"How was it tonight?" He asked as he opened his beer.

"Fine, exhausting. Charlie refused to listened to me about the story. It wasn't until Jonathan said the same exact thing as me that he accepted it." She took a sip of her wine, white and sweet.

She was currently working at the night time news as both an on and off camera journalist. She started at the station as the same position, but on the morning show. That was where she wanted to be, always dreamed of being ever since Wake Up Wisconsin. Screw sophisticated "real news". She wanted to have fun while reporting the news. She wanted to bring her love of fashion into her work.

But at the beginning of this year, the station offered her more money to move to night time news. So she took it, hoping she'd eventually be able to sneak her way back to daytime eventually.

Night time news was never as fun as the morning show. It usually wasn't fun at all, it was depressing.

"That guy's an ass," he took a swig of beer. She just nodded.

"I did the rest of the laundry when I came home, and packed the kids. I put some stuff in your suitcase that I cleaned." He told her.

"Oh," she took another sip of wine, unprepared to talk about it. She looked over her shoulder, back in the direction of the living room. "How were they tonight?"

"Pretty good, Connor went down pretty quick. Carrie wanted to stay up to see you. I let her but she passed out around nine." He was grinning, so she smiled too. He was in a good mood tonight. Usually when she got home this late he was grumpy.

"So you know that story Charlie's been having us do?" She asked, almost cautiously. Maybe it won't be bad she thought, maybe he won't be that upset, he hates going there anyways.

"The one about the State Park Stabber?"

"Yeah, well, for some reason he's got it in his head that this is gonna be Jonathan and mine's big break," She started.

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. So the trial runs through the 23rd, picking back up on the 27th through the 31st."

"Jesus Christ, don't those people ever take a fucking break?"

"Justice only takes a break for Christmas and New Years," she took another sip. "He feels like all the other station's bests aren't going to be in town during the case."

"Well yeah, it's Christmas."

"— so he wants Jonathan and I to stay, keep up with the news cycle."

Steven put the bottle down, leaning on both of his hands now. He looked her right in the eye, "Jackie, what are you saying?"

"Maybe we should skip Point Place for Christmas, Steven."

"We didn't go last year," was all he offered.

"They came here last year. And we can go in February for Kitty's birthday."

"And take the kids out of school?" His forehead was wrinkled, despite his voice starting to go zen.

"It's kindergarten, Steven, I think they'll be okay missing a week. I'll teach them the primary colors myself if we must."

He shook his head, "Everyone's going to be in Wisconsin for Christmas, we'd be the only one's here."

"I know, honey, but this feels really important to me. This could be my big break, Charlie seems to think so despite his misogyny." She tried to search his eyes, but he was closing himself off.

"Right," he sighed.

"We'll make it fun for the kids. We'll do Christmas morning breakfast, we can take them into the city to see the Christmas displays."

He just shook his head, "it's fine, Jackie."

Jackie he only used her name that many times when he was mad.

"I'll just take them myself," he said simply.

"What?"

"You're going to busy with work, I'll just take the kids to Point Place myself."

"Are you kidding?" She could practically feel her blood pressure jump up. The timer on the oven rang, but she didn't move. He did.

He took out the pan and turned off the oven. He unwrapped to tinfoil and plated the chicken and asparagus. She watched him walk over to her. If looks could kill.

He set the plate in front of her but she just stared at him.

"It's fine Jackie, you need to focus on work. We were supposed to go to Point Place anyways. I'll take the kids and get out of your hair." He said it so nonchalantly, like he wasn't proposing to take the kids away on Christmas and leave her alone.

"Steven, I can be home on Christmas Eve and Day. It's not like I won't be here." She was talking fast and her voice was getting high.

"It's fine, Jackie. I have to get to sleep." he leaned in and kissed her cheek, mumbling love you. She let him do it, but didn't say or do anything.

He walked out of the kitchen, she watched him walk back into the living room and turn off the TV. He gently lifted Carrie up. She whined a little but didn't open her eyes. He whispered something to her and rubbed her back, walking out of the living room and up the stairs.

What the fuck. She knew this would upset him. She knew he hated that she'd move to evening news. But she didn't think he'd do this. And for once in her life she didn't know how to fight. She didn't want to argue about it or anything. She wanted her family to be with her, she wanted to get the story over with. She wanted her big break.

Steven hadn't done something like this in years. He'd been understanding of her career, he knew how important it was and he always supported her.

But back in January, it changed. She was moved to evening news. She wasn't able to take care of the twins after school anymore. She spent a lot less time at home now. Some weeks she barely even saw Steven or the kids when the story was big.

When she got upstairs she peered into each of the kids' rooms before going into hers. Steven was asleep already, buried under a blanket in the far corner of his side.

She got undressed and crawled into her side of the bed. On good nights if Steven was asleep before her, she'd curl up behind him with her face against his shoulder.

She stared at the back of his head for a while. She wanted to shake him awake and make him talk about it. This was so not them. They never didn't talk like this. Not anymore, not in sixteen years.

At six in the morning, the alarm clock started blasting. Jackie groaned as she rolled over, reaching out to the other side of the bed. It was empty. She sat up in a panic, hitting the snooze button and scanning the room.

"Steven?" She called out. Would he leave without saying anything to her? No. No matter how mad they got at each other, they would never upset Carrie and Connor like that.

A minute later, the bathroom door opened and Steven stepped out. He was wearing a sweater and jeans, no shoes yet. His hair was still wet.

"Hey," he leaned over the bed and gave her a quick peck on the lips, "you didn't have to get up so early."

"Are you joking? Of course I was going to say goodbye to you, Steven." She pushed the comforter off of her and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I'll drive you to the airport." She stood up but he shook his head.

"It's fine, Jacks," his voice was soft, and he only called her Jacks when he was apologetic. "I ordered a cab to be here by 6:40."

"Oh," she said, leaning against a bedpost.

"Look," he took a few steps closer to where she was standing, "I should've talked to you about this last night, I didn't mean to be a dick about it," he was in front of her now. She just nodded.

"I just, I need to get out of New York right now, okay?" He put his hands on her shoulders. She shrugged in response.

"Jackie—"

"We're supposed to be a team, Steven." She stopped him.

"I know."

"This was really shitty of you, Steven. You decided to leave me alone on Christmas without even consulting me. I don't want to be here either Steven—"

"Don't you?"

"What?"

"Don't you want to be here though?"

"No Steven, I really don't. I have to be here. It's for my career and I thought you'd understood that." Her voice was beginning to shake and tears were swelling in her eyes, but she was always a fighter. "I'm really upset about this Steven, I feel like you're walking away from me."

He looked almost shocked, but before he could respond the door of their room opened.

"Mommy? Daddy?" They both looked over. Carrie was standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes and wearing the sweatpants she went to bed in. They always dressed the kids in pajamas they could leave in when they had an early flight.

"Hi honey," Jackie said with a small smile, "Are you ready to go? Is your brother up?"

"He's awake but he won't get out of bed."

"I'll get him," Steven said, letting go of Jackie and walking out past Carrie.

At 6:30 they were all downstairs. Jackie had toasted Eggos for the twins to take with them.

"Daddy will get you breakfast at the airport okay?" Jackie told them, kneeling down in front of them. They both nodded.

"Mommy, why aren't you coming with us?" Connor asked.

"Something came up at work, so mommy has to stay in New York. But you two are going to have such a good time and Grandma and Grandpa's house! Uncle Eric and Aunt Donna will be there and so will Tommy and Sarah. All your other cousins will be in Wisconsin too." She did her best to smile.

"But what if Santa brings your presents to Wisconsin! I told him we'd be there when we went to the mall last week," Carrie's eyes were wide. This conversation felt like someone was stabbing her in the chest.

"You can hold onto them for me if he does. Bring them home to me and we'll have our own Christmas when you come back, okay?" They both nodded. She pulled them both in and held them close to her, kissing the top of their heads all over.

"I love you both so much." She told them with her face pressed against their heads.

"I love you too mommy," Carrie said.

"Me too! I love you too mommy," Connor said.

She smiled and prayed to God that tears wouldn't start to fall out of her eyes. She didn't want to upset them. She kissed both of their cheeks a few times before they heard a horn honking out front.

"We better get going," Steven said, gesturing towards the door. Jackie nodded and stood up, taking both Carrie and Connor's hands and walking them out to the car.

She helped get the kids into the taxi, kissing them both a few more times before letting go and stepping away from the car. She turned back to Steven who'd just put the luggage into the truck, only a duffle bag hanging off his shoulder now.

"Hey," he said as if they hadn't been together all morning.

"Hi,"

He took a step closer, placing both hands on either side of her face, "I love you," he told her, kissing her to quickly before taking a step back.

"Love you too. Call me when you get there." She said. He nodded and stepped away from her, getting into the taxi.

"I love you two so much. Have a safe flight my loves," she leaned in the doorway once more. The twins nodded.

"Love you too mommy! Merry Christmas!" They both said simultaneously. She giggled.

"Merry Christmas!" She told them before stepping away, closing the door of the car. She watched them drive down the street, until they turned the corner and she couldn't see them anymore. Steven didn't look back.

She didn't go back to sleep. She called Jonathan.

"What's up?" Is how he always chose to answer the phone.

"Hey, they just left," she said with a sigh.

"How'd it go?"

"Not great. I'm being taken away from my family on Christmas," she started to pace around the kitchen.

"Should we meet at the office soon? It'll take your mind off it. And the courtroom opens at eight. And breakfast can be on me," he offered. She didn't realize how long she's been wandering around aimlessly until she saw the time on the stove read 7:36.

"Oh yeah, sure. I'll be there soon." She hung up before anything else could be said. The office was in Manhattan, so she wasn't getting there for at least another hour if traffic was forgiving.

She went to work in a pair of jeans and tall boots, hoping they would somehow hide the fact that she was wearing one of Steven's old Led Zeppelin t-shirts. She had a grey wool coat on over it.

"Hey, rock on," John greeted her as she walked into their office. She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's Steven's," she explained as she hung up her coat and sat down at her desk.

"How'd it go when you told him?"

"Not great, he's still taking the kids to Wisconsin." She clicked the power button on her desktop.

"And you're okay with that?"

"Not really but it's not like we had much of a choice." She didn't look up at him, hoping it would prompt him to stop.

It did.

"So this stabber guy, Jacob Comer, he's pretty fucked up," John lifted the morning paper up in the air. She reached over and took it.

She was done with work by nine. She flipped open her phone and dialed Steven's number as she walked out of her office building.

"We're sorry, the person at this number isn't available right now..." the answering machine said. She sighed and hung up before dialing another number,

"Hello?"

"Hey,"

"Jackie?" Donna sounded almost confused.

"Yeah, Hey, how's it going at the apartment?"

"It's fine, are you alright?" Donna had to stay in the city longer before going to Point Place too. Jackie and Steven had let her use their old apartment in the city that they still kept for "emergency use".

"Well actually, I'm stuck here for work now too... and Steven took the kids to Point Place." She swallowed.

"Are you serious? Are you going over on the 24th too?"

"No, I have to stay here through New Years."

"That's so shitty, and Hyde just left?"

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to let you know I'm coming over to the apartment." Jackie told her. She dreaded being alone for a week before she remembered Donna was here too.

"Yeah Okay, See you soon."

Jackie hadn't been in the apartment in years. She and Steven bought it in '84 after she graduated college. It was their first place together, and when they decided to move out to Long Island after the twins were born, they couldn't let go of it. So they kept it around for the possibility of work emergencies that would keep them held up in the city.

Jackie had cleaning staff come in before Donna came. She had to stay for her production job at one of the top FM stations in the New York area. But Donna was able to leave on the 24th, Jackie wasn't.

Donna was sitting on the old blue couch watching TV on the old set. (God, they really needed to update the apartment.)

"Hey," Jackie greeted her as she came in. The living room, kitchen, and "foyer" were all connected

"Hey," Donna looked over her shoulder at Jackie. She waited for her to get settled in.

Jackie sat down on the old couch next to Donna, Who was looking her over carefully.

"Jackie... did Hyde leave you?" She blurted out.

"What? No!" Donna always laid everything out right away, but Jackie didn't expect her to be that blunt right now. "I have to work through the 24th and then go back on the 27th. I didn't find out until yesterday, so I wasn't able to tell Steven until I got home."

"So he packed up the kids and went to Wisconsin anyways?"

"Yes. Even after I offered to go to Point Place in February once this mess at work is finished." Donna nodded once, and paused for a moment.

"He shouldn't have gone," Donna said simply.

"Well yes, obviously Donna." Donna was never the best at offering the level of comfort Jackie needed in these situations.

"I'm sorry Jackie," she rested her hand on Jackie's knee, "it was fucked up for him to take the kids like that. Should I kick his ass?"

Jackie shook his head, "not yet. But maybe once the holidays are over."

Donna laughed and so did Jackie.

After showering and changing, Jackie figured she should try to call Steven. He'd told her that he'd call her once they were there, but that was over sixteen hours ago.

Her old pink landline phone was still plugged in in her, their bedroom. When she and Steven first moved into the apartment, they filled it mostly with old furniture and hand-me-down household products from their youth. Eventually they replaced most things when their incomes became more stable and they got married. But she always insisted keeping her old pink phone in their room and he never really seemed to care.

She picked it up and listened for the dial tone. She pushed Steven's cell number in and waited.

"We're sorry, the person at this number isn't available right now" fuck. She hung up the phone and immediately picked it up again. She called the Forman's landline.

"Hello?" Kitty picked up after two rings.

"Hey Kitty—"

"Jackie! Oh my! How are you doing in New York honey?" If it were anyone else in the world Jackie would be annoyed by the inquiry and would've just asked about Steven. But she smiled.

"It's good—stressful but good."

"Oh I bet, but you've always been a firecracker."

"Yeah... Mrs. Forman, is Steven there?"

"Oh my... I think so. Hold on dear, I'll go get him." Jackie waited. It was two minutes before she heard the receiver being picked up.

"Hello?" Steven.

"Hey, it's me"

"Jackie?" He sounded surprised.

"Yes, Steven?" She suddenly felt nervous. Really nervous.

"Jackie...um, hey,"

She giggled, "Hey. How's everything been?"

"How's everything been?" He paused. He'd sounded almost confused, "it's been... fine."

Another paused, "how's it been for you? Being in New York and everything"

"Oh, fine. How are the kids?"

"The kids?" He almost laughed, "I mean the knuckleheads are fine."

"Good." She paused now.

"Steven, I don't like how we left things." She heard him sigh. She let him take a moment.

"Jackie... I don't either," She sighed in relief, not even realizing she was holding her breath.

"Good. I'm sorry I sprung everything on you so quickly. Believe me, I didn't want that to be how it all went down."

"Jackie," His voice was soft, "What are you even apologizing for?"

"For breaking us apart for the holi—"

"God, Jackie, please listen to me. I don't know when I'm gonna have balls like this again." She stopped talking.

"I fucked up. I fucked up really badly with you."

"Steven it's fine," she couldn't help but interrupt, "it's fine. We both messed up. I just really need you to talk to me right now. I don't want you to push me away."

"Jackie, don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Treat me better than you should. Fuck, you always give me a second chance."

"So what?" He was her husband, he'd never done anything completely unforgivable in their marriage. So what if she always forgave him? He always forgave her, usually.

"So what? So I don't deserve it. I've been treating g you like crap, Jackie."

"Steven—"

"Jackie—" He sounded tired, "Jackie I don't think I can do this right now. I have to go."

"No Steven wait!" She heard a click and the dial tone. Shit.

She slammed the phone down on the hook and sank under the covers. She felt like they were teenagers again. Like she couldn't talk to her husband and he didn't want to open up to her. If she called back now, the Formans would answer and uncomfortably tell her he wasn't available. She shoved her face into the pillow, closing her eyes.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think of it so far!