EAN- Jackie and Hyde are not together, and the water tower it just a wee-bit taller.
I own NOTHING.
"So, all six of us on the water tower, not as good in reality as it seemed coming from Kelso's mouth." Eric confessed as the whole gang stood, squished, bottles in hand, on the water tower late one Friday evening.
"Yeah, lets get out of here" Donna said simply.
"Dude, but no ones fallen off yet, and when I say no one, I mean Kelso."
"Hyde, I am not going to fall off the water tower."
"Not ef I can help it." Fez giggled, reaching over to tickle Kelso.
"Hey, hey, hey, stop it." Cried Jackie from her spot squished against the railing, near the two boys as they rough housed.
The boys broke apart panting from their fit.
"Sorry." They both said in unison.
"You two act like six year olds, you can't fight on the water tower when I'm on it, I mean, I could fall off, and we all know how horrible that would be."
"Yes, Jackie, that would be the worst thing in the world." Hyde replied.
Picking up his sarcasm, she just sneered back at him.
"You guys we should probably get going, I love you all, but right now, I'm just a little too close to some of you." Donne said, looking towards Fez, who was way to close to her for anyone's comfort.
"Just let me finish my beer." Hyde said, chugging down the rest of the amber liquid and throwing it down to the ground below.
"Aw, look, Kelso, that will be you soon." Forgetting Jackie's former protests, Fez continued with his feeble attempt to push Kelso off the water tower.
Before anyone could stop the two of them, they were in a full fledged wresting match.
A scream was first to break the bout, followed not a second later by a loud thump of a body falling, not off, but onto, the steel floor of the tower.
It was then that they noticed there were only four people who remained standing.
Hyde was sprawled out amongst everyone's feet, his arm dangling over the edge, where small whimpers could be heard.
The gang stood stoic watching their two friends, one dangling off the tower, kept from falling only by the other, who lay panting for air.
"Damn it; don't just stand their go get her down." Hyde wheezed, breaking the gang out of their silence, and sending them scrambling to get off the water tower. His hand was getting sweaty, he could feel her slipping away from him. He was surprised how horrible he felt about the possibility of dropping her, when the worst that could happen would be fore her to have a bruised ass the next day.
A minute later Eric and Fez were at Jackie's side, helping her down to the ground as she reluctantly let go of the one big hand her two smaller ones were wrapped around, while Donna and Kelso made sure Hyde was okay, something they weren't sure of.
By the time all six of the friends were down on the ground they were all quiet. Jackie's eyes were glued to Hyde, but he wasn't returning the gesture. She didn't quite know why, but it was almost as if she was afraid to speak to him, and visa versa.
"Well, um," Eric began hesitantly, "Maybe we should get going."
As the gang started walking to where their cars were parked, Michael and Fez took tentative steps towards Jackie.
"Listen Jackie, Fez and I, we're really sorry."
"Yeah, we would have stopped if we knew you were going to fall off." Fez said guiltily.
"That's why she told you to stop you idiot." The three looked over at a furious Hyde, and they didn't say another word.
Fez and Michael gravitated towards Hyde's car once they reached it, but Jackie stopped them before they could swing the doors open.
"Guys maybe you should drive with Donna and Eric, I'll go with Steven."
They turned around knowingly, and she slid into the car next to the man who saved her from harm. Both of them still silent.
They stayed that way until Hyde put the key in the ignition, starting up the engine.
"I'm sorry." Jackie blurted out.
"What?" He asked.
"I said I'm sorry."
"I know what you said, but why?"
"For, um, falling and hurting you like that."
"It wasn't your fault Jackie." He stated adamantly, once again ending the conversation.
After a few minutes of silence Jackie tried talking again.
"Well, are you okay, I mean, you seemed like you got the wind knocked out of you pretty badly."
"I'm fine, it's not like I haven't been hurt before." He said harshly.
'What was with him tonight' Jackie wondered.
"Sorry," he said quietly, "I shouldn't have…"
But Jackie cut him off before he could finish.
"It's okay, after tonight you're allowed some liberties."
"No Jackie…" He started.
She cut him off again, surprised at how sincere he was sounding.
"Steven just…" She took a deep breath, "thank you, for tonight, I don't know how you did it but, you did, and thank you, so much."
"It's not like I meant to."
That comment stung her.
"Oh" was all that came out of her mouth.
Hyde just kept the blows coming that night, and he didn't know why he couldn't stop.
"I mean, it was just instinct."
"Instinct?" Jackie questioned. "Instinct like a mother has for her children, or husbands have for wives?"
Hyde remained quiet.
"Does that mean you really care about me Steven?"
"No."
And they just kept coming.
"I mean, yes, but not like I, I mean." Hyde stuttered, not knowing how to verbalize what was in his mind.
The truth was, it was instinct, what kind he wasn't sure. All he could remember was hearing her scream, and feeling his heart drop all the way down to his feet, the next thing he knew all the wind was being knocked out of him as he face planted into the floor of the water tower, he had had her hands in his, and that was all he wanted.
"Steven what are you trying to say."
"You were the first person who let me love them." This was a simple explanation in his mind.
This was a totally different type of blow for Jackie.
"Okay." It was the only thing she could think of to say.
"I mean, no one ever wanted me to love them, not even my parents, and then you came along, and now I can actually care about people. I guess the instincts were just kind of leftover from what we once had."
Jackie didn't expect that last comment to hurt, but it did, and badly.
They pulled up to the Forman home, Eric's car already sat in the driveway.
"Listen Jackie it's been a long night, I think I'm going to turn in."
"You sure, I could come down if you want?"
"No, I'm fine."
"You sure you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Positive you feel okay, you don't…"
"Jackie, I'm fine!"
"Fine, sorry, sue me for making sure you're not hurt after that fall you took for me."
She turned away, out of his sight, but for some reason something in her told her to stop and look back. Maybe it was instinct, she couldn't be sure, but as she turned around she was shocked at what she saw.
Steven leaned up against the car, hands on his knees taking in hard deep breaths. He looked about ready to pass out as he stood there, bent over trying to regain his breath. That fall really did hurt him.
It scared Jackie to death when he simply walked into the house, she couldn't leave him alone tonight, if anything were to happen she wouldn't be able to live with herself. So five minutes later she walked into the empty basement and lay down on the couch.
It may have been the uncomfortable couch, or the thoughts that rifled her brain, but Jackie couldn't fall asleep for the life of her. There were many times throughout the night she tip-toed into Stevens room, just to make sure he was okay. Every time she realized he really was breathing she let out a sigh of relief.
This wasn't how someone was supposed to feel about their ex. They weren't supposed to care whether or not they broke a rib, or even whether they died in their sleep, for the most part anyway.
But Jackie did.
She was asleep when he woke up the next morning. Curled up in a ball with her head under her arms, he smiled despite himself when he saw her.
She woke up not a second later, sensing his presence, and he shot her a death glare, his mood suddenly changing.
"Why are you sleeping here Jackie?"
"I saw you by your car after you though I left last night." She said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"So you decided to baby sit me."
"I, I was worried."
"You shouldn't have been, I'm fine."
"I know that now, but I didn't last night, and I couldn't sleep," She paused, deciding if she wanted to say what was on her mind, "So, in the mean time, I was thinking. I kept replaying that little incident on the water tower in my mind, and, Steven, how did you manage to grab my hands, it seems impossible in my mind."
"Well, maybe I was closer than you thought, plus, like I told you, instinct."
"Leftover instinct." She replied sadly.
"Yea, so?" He asked.
"It just seems a little more you know." She replied not meeting his eyes.
"Maybe." He shrugged, finally sitting down in the worn chair.
"Maybe? Care to elaborate?" Jackie questioned, finally looking at him.
Apparently he didn't, so she was the one who spoke next.
"It's like the shoulder shrug, Steven, you can't have a maybe."
"Why not?" He said uncaringly, but she could tell he knew what she was talking about, he wasn't as stupid as people labeled him to be.
"Because it's not fair to me Steven, that's why."
"Well I'm sorry Jackie but it is a maybe, because I don't know myself."
"Don't know what?" She was past frustration now.
"Whether I'm still in love with you or not!"
She was shocked at his outburst, but surprisingly, he didn't seem to be. This was it, he had lain his feeling out there, and it would be stupid for her to pass up this opportunity to do the same.
She stood up, and turned towards him.
"Would it help if I told you I was still in love with you." She told him quietly.
"Maybe."
His response made her smile, and she sat back down on the couch, surprised when he moved to sit next to her.
"I never stopped you know."
She knew what was coming, she hoped she was right. As he slowly opened his mouth it seemed like years were passing in her mind, and when he finally spoke, she realized she was holding her breath.
"I never stopped loving you."
"Oh Steven, me either!" She exhaled all the oxygen in her lungs.
"We just kind of got a little…"
"Messed up." She finished, smiling now.
"Yeah, let's not let that happen again." He said scooting closer, and finally closing all distance between them with a kiss that sped both their hearts up.
"Steven, I love you." Jackie said when they broke away from the kiss.
His only reply was another kiss.
Breaking away yet again, Jackie spoke.
"Tell me." She told him.
"Jackie..."He began.
"No Steven," She interrupted, "you just told me, why is it so hard now. I need to hear it, is that too much to ask. I mean…"
"Jackie"
"I know you're not and open person, and I understand, but you're all I have now."
"Jackie"
"Please Steven, I don't ask for a lot, or maybe I do, but you of all people should understand. And after what you said very loudly not five minutes ago you would think that saying it wouldn't be a prob…"
Her rant was cut off by his two lips smothering hers.
"Jackie, I was going to say…"
Before he could he kissed her once again.
"I love you too."
"Oh, sorry." She said, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry I cant tell you everyday, its just not who I am."
"I'm not asking for everyday, just, not never."
"Deal" Hyde agreed, sealing it with a kiss.
"So, you're instincts are to save me huh" Jackie teased.
"I'm never going to live this down, am I?"
End.
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