"Pilot "

On Their Own

She was the clichéd serpent. The teeth of the hydra upon you. A petite but attractive tan body layered in

gold jewelry and designer clothes. Her gaze could drive a man to insanity, and even after all this, if you

weren't careful you could be in bed next to her, you were the conquest, how ironic. Then amidst the

bucket of champagne and perfect crystal flutes there were two little girls. The 4 year old, stubborn as

hell, who looked like both of her parents, brunette hair, blue eyes, and she would be a looker when she

grew up. She'd have to be locked in her room until she was thirty. The 2 year old was held by the

serpent, her light brown hair in tight ringlet curls, her eyes also blue. She wore a dress that looked like

she was going to meet the Queen pink ruffles, lace collar, and black Mary Jane shoes. The 4 year old

picked out her little white t-shirt, denim jacket, jeans with the purple flower patches, and the cutest little

black boots with fringe. Oh, she knew of the serpent's games. She stood by her little purple plaid

suitcase; she didn't want to be here. The father looked tired, physically he was, mentally, he thought he

could've been better. He could care less about his own pain; he just didn't want to see his daughter's

hurt. It's so different when you have a kid. You don't matter anymore, unless you were the serpent,

then it's all about you and the kids were just a convenient backdrop to be ushered out when you wanted

to impress the right people and handed off to staff or daycare when you couldn't be bothered. How did

she get this way? She used to have some human quality to her. He couldn't even blame her similar

minded mother when she returned to town. They were more on again/off again than the television. He

went to Las Vegas* to clear his head and when he came back, he just couldn't do it. He had too much

going on, to build his relationship with his true biological father, a record store, and to have one last fling

of independence before they settled into their adult lives. He gave her credit for one thing; the serpent

knew how to set a trap.

She was good like that. Now the little baby was going to cry, was she really, REALLY not going to let him

hug his smallest child goodbye? That wasn't going to happen. Who did she think she was?

"Come here, Stevie." She was the reconciliation baby, thank God, he had the foresight

not to remarry the serpent.

"Daddy."

"It's going to be okay, buttercup. I love you." He kissed her on the cheek and goddamn

it, if the tears didn't hit his sunglasses.

The 4-year- old had her hand on the doorknob; she wasn't going to say a damn thing to

the serpent.

"Give me the baby, Steven, it's time for her nap."

"You are so callous, Jackie. Why don't you say goodbye to Kit?"

"I don't wanna say goodbye to her!" The 4-year-old put her hands on her hips.

"That's you right there. Poisoning her against her own Mother."

"Yeah. That's what I do…Are you for real?"

Jackie put the 2-year-old in the playpen that was next to the long white sectional sofa.

"Come here, Kit."

"NO!"

"Steven…"

"I'm not going to make her do what she doesn't want to do."

Jackie walked over, "I love you, Kit. Be good, okay?" She hugged her and kissed her on

the cheek. She smelled like a giant perfume counter.

"You better not f-mess with my visitation."

"You can see the baby. Just call first. Bye, Kit." She didn't even look at her oldest child

as she took her youngest out of the playpen to put her in her crib in the nursery. As

soon as her ex-husband left she was going to have one of her gentleman friends over

for champagne and well, that's all she needed were champagne and her finest silks.

Hyde grabbed the small box off the end table and his 4-year-old little soldier opened up

the door for him. That image of her carrying her own tiny suitcase was breaking the

pieces of his heart that he had left.

She pushed the down button for the elevator. Not a tear from her, nor an outburst. He

put the box down when they got in and picked her up.

"I love you, Kit." He hugged her tight and kissed her on the cheek, "You're my

lovebug."

"I love you, Daddy."

When they got to his standard car…this wasn't his fun car, this was the Dad car, a

sensible light brown 4 door Honda, with its two baby seats in the back. He opened the

door, "Get into your seat…I have to put the box in the trunk." She knew what to do.

It was a 2 hour, he could do it in less, but not with the lovebug in the car, trip back to

Point Place. Hyde made sure Kit put her belt on correctly, "Good job." He covered her

legs with her purple quilt that Mrs. Forman made her.

About 5 minutes into the trip, he looked into the rearview mirror and the little girl who

obviously carried the weight of her parent's troubles on her shoulders was fast asleep

with her thumb in her mouth.

Home

Hyde could get the box later he had to put his daughter to bed. He was surprised to see

the green Toyota with the Michigan license plate JDI KGT blocking his spot in the

driveway. What was Forman doing here? Hyde really wasn't in the mood to be social

to anyone.

Eric was at the foot of the steps as Hyde entered through the kitchen carrying his

sleeping daughter, he was holding his son also 4 years old and sleeping.

"Hi, Hyde…Donna left me."

"I'm sorry, man."

Did she have a secret club meeting with the serpent?

"Do you have a matt? Robbie's not going to appreciate Stevie's crib."

"In the basement by the dryer."

"I'd put him down, but he just fell asleep before you came home….he cried for

hours…Donna's a bitch."

"Jackie and I ended our reconciliation period today."

"That sucks."

Gone were the days when they talked about Samantha Vs. Jeannie.

Hyde walked up the stairs as Eric comforted his son and put Kit in her miniature white

bed. He took off her boots and placed them at the end of the bed where she liked them

to be. She picked out the dark purple sheets and pillowcases by herself. Eric came in 5

minutes later with the white plastic matt; Robbie's spaceship blanket was in the car. Hyde

moved the crib so Eric would have a spot to put his sleeping son. He knew what Jackie

was capable of and his youngest daughter was going to wind up hating him.

"I have to get Robbie's blanket, it's in the car…."

Eric thought he could use a beer and any other relaxant that Hyde might have

available.

Hyde watched the two 4-year-olds sleep, how innocent they both looked. Hyde didn't know

what Donna's problem was other than she never wanted to be married to Eric, so why

did they force it? Now she bailed on her son. Nice move. Of all the cheerleaders in all of

Point Place High Kelso had to bring the evil one, Forman was right all along, into

their lives.

Jackie was not going to make anything easy for anyone involved. The serpent had to

get her way all the time…but Hyde was damned if it was going to be at the price of his

kids.

Game on.

Author's Note: Just a "pilot" version of a story I have brewing. I will finish Scab, no worries there. I know

Jackie is going to be quite the bitch on wheels in this one, but in my Donna at series Jackie grows to the

dutiful loving wife and mother, so that's why I'm writing her this way. There will be a special bond

between Hyde and Forman 2.0 respectively, but not the same kind of relationship that the children had

in the Donna at history.

*No Sam, No Randy, and Red kept the muffler shop.

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