She'll Be All Night Long

(A/N This story is set between the episodes "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" (the second part of the "Get off my boyfriend" episodes) and "Bring It On Home" (when the Foremans find out that Jackie has been living in the basement after her father is sent to jail). The title of the story is taken from a commonly made mistake about the lyrics to "You Shook Me All Night Long". The line which many, including me, believed to be "she'll be all night long" is actually "shook me all night long"…but I think the first one suits the story better and since that's what I thought the lyrics were, it's what I chose.)

Sex. It had always been an important part of her life. Even before she had actually done the deed, giving herself heart, body, and soul to Michael Kelso, "doing it" was always there, lurking in the shadows. Once they started, it just took over. And in the end, it destroyed things between them, or at least it certainly helped. The pain of being cheated on was something Jackie had never forgotten, nor would she ever.

Yet, in direct opposition to her first relationship, sex was strangely absent from what she had with Steven. And this puzzled her. Why had it never once come up? It wasn't like either of them was still clinging to virginity. Or that there wasn't passion between them, there certainly was, it had been what the relationship started on during the summer that seemed so long ago. But in all this time they had been together, after everything that they had gone through…still, they had never slept together or even talked about doing it. She couldn't figure out why.

She was sitting in the basement, in her usual place upon Steven's lap. His arm was wrapped firmly around her, usually a comfort but now it just made her wonder. Why hadn't they had sex? Did he not want to? No, that didn't make sense, all guys want it. Maybe he just didn't want to do it with her. No, no, she was Jackie Burkhart, everyone loved her. There wasn't a man alive who wouldn't want to sleep with her.

It just made no sense.

The others were there in the basement too, in the middle of the usual drama. But for once, she was oblivious to it, lost in her own thoughts, a silent observer. She just couldn't think of any reason why they hadn't slept together by now. She was so caught up in trying to find some reason that she didn't notice when the others left, leaving her and Steven alone in the basement.

Maybe he was just nervous to ask…Jackie…after all, she was so beautiful it could be intimidating…Jackie….but then again, they had been dating for months and he should be been used to her looks and being able to touch them by now…Jackie…

"Jackie!"

She snapped out of her reverie. "Yes Steven, what is it?"

He was looking up at her in confusion. "You were all zoned out and not talking. Now, usually I wouldn't complain, but it was just too weird."

"Oh," she said, standing up and walking behind the couch, "it's nothing."

He raised an eyebrow at her before getting up and coming towards her. "Jackie, what's wrong? And don't give me that nothing crap."

"Steven…why haven't we slept together?"

The question clearly caught him by surprise. "What?"

"I've been thinking about it and I can't figure out why we haven't had sex yet. I mean, it's not like we're not attractive people, you're a bit scruffy but I've grown to like that. And both of us have done it before, just not with each other. Don't you want to sleep with me?"

"That's what this is about? Jackie, of course I want to sleep with you. You're hot."

"Then why haven't we done it yet?"

"I…well…"

"Yes Steven?"

"It's just that…I've never had sex with someone that I, you know…cared about."

They stood in silence for a moment, before Jackie leaned in and kissed him. "I know you haven't, because you were poor and your orphan soul didn't know better. But that's no reason not to do it now."

Steven smiled, grabbing Jackie's hands. "Well then, let's go. The Forman's are out for the night, we have the house to ourselves."

He started to walk towards his room, but stopped when he saw she wasn't following. "Jackie? If you want to do this, we need to be in the same room."

"Not that room. It's dark, dirty, and ugly. Where's the romance?"

"Hey, babe, it's all part of the look. Now are you coming or not?"

With a sigh and a smile, Jackie followed Steven into his room and onto his bed.