Chapter 1

"Oh my god!" Micheal Kelso screeched as Jackie took a quick look around the part they were walking in. "Are you serious?" he added after she frogged his arm as hard as she could. "You mean you went to one of those places and just..." he whispered wiggling his eyebrows meaningfully.

"Yeah. I went and bought some sperm. You tried to do it for a living, Micheal. Lets not make a big deal about it okay?" Jackie snapped feeling her cheeks redden in embarrassment. Who would have thought that Jackie Burkhart would ever end up like this. Fortunately for her money wasn't a problem for her anymore since a her grandmother had died and decided to leave everything she had to Jackie, if for no other reason so that Pam wouldn't benefit in anyway when she died. Spitefulness apparently ran in their family but in this case it had worked in Jackie's favor. She'd always craved love and affection from both her family and her friends and since that was clearly not going to happen she took matters into her own hands. She'd make her own family and she'd make sure she was a better mother than she had. It should be a piece of cake to make that goal come true, Pam was a better gold digger than she was a wife or a mother. "I could really use your support, Micheal. You know I've always wanted a family," Jackie said stuffing her hands in her pockets.

"I just can't believe it. I mean why go to one of those places? You're no uggo or a lesbian," he said walking along the path with her.

"Yeah but this way I don't have to worry that some day, the father's going to come and try to take my baby away from me. This way its safer," she said sneaking a quick look at his expression. Kelso was deep in thought for a moment (a look he rarely got because most of the time rational thought eluded him) and when he did respond his answer surprised and delighted her.

"I'm your friend, Jackie. I'll always be there for you," he said putting his arm around her slender shoulders and giving her dark hair a quick kiss.

"Well, just keep it between us for a while okay? I have to figure out what I am going to tell people," Jackie said breathing a sigh of relief and allowing herself to lean against her ex as they walked.

"I don't suppose you'd like to do it with me then?" he said hopefully.

"Not a chance," Jackie said laughing. "I've missed you, Micheal," she added shaking her head in amusement.

"You can always count on me,Jackie," Kelso said with a grin.

"Guess what I know," Kelso said bursting into the Foreman's basement with such force that he knocked over the pile of records piled next to the door. "My god, hurry up and guess," he pleaded looking at each of his friends in turn.

"You need a shot of penicillin?" Donna offered quirking a confused eyebrow at her husband.

"You just discovered that paint's not a food group," Hyde offered in a snide tone.

"You found my stash of candy!" Fez accused jumping, angrily to his feet.

"No," Kelso said pointing to Donna. "No, but that makes a lot of sense," he said pointing at Hyde. "And no," Kelso said smiling at how Fez immediately relaxed. "Jackie went and bought some sperm and now she's knocked up," he gushed. "Oh, but you guys don't know because Jackie asked me not to tell anyone yet," he added sitting on the couch with a relieved grin.

"What?" Donna yelled slamming the lid of the freezer down and stomping over to Kelso to glare at him. "How could Jackie do that without talking to me first?" she screeched.

"I guess Jackie just figured that it was her decision or something crazy like that," Eric said giving his wife a small apologetic smile. "You know that kinda crazy logic... Hey anyone in the mood for a circle?" he said with a nervous laugh.

"We're best friends. I shouldn't be finding out from Kelso. Jackie should have come to me," Donna whined.

"Donna, I'm an idiot and there's something that even I've noticed," Kelso began awkwardly. "When was the last time you and Jackie even hung out?" he asked wincing. "Its been months, and ever since Sam you guys had started drifting apart. You're not her best friend anymore and haven't been for a while. Sorry, Big Red," he said covering his head.

"Okay, maybe its been awhile since we've hung out per sea but we're still really close," Donna said flopping down on the couch with a frown plastered on her face.

"Actually, Donna. Her best friend is named Veronica. She smells of candy and she has deliciously big boobs," Fez said and high fived Kelso. "Not to mention she has developed a taste for Fez," said Fez in delight.

"What's the big deal? So what Jackie's knocked up. It was bound to happen sooner or later," Hyde said with a sneer. "Can we watch the game?" he said gesturing to the TV. In annoyance.

"Oh, wait until you see the crib I've picked out. Its all white and made of imported wood. Its so cute," Jackie said into her phone as she lay on her bed flipping through a catalog. "I was thinking of a teddy bear theme for a boy and a gingerbread theme for a girl what do you think?" she asked in excitement. "I gotta call you back Ronnie. Someone's at the door," Jackie said in frustration listening to her doorbell go off over and over. "I'm coming, I'm coming. You'd better not be selling some stupid cookies or something," she shouted bouncing happily to her door. "What the..." Jackie said in shock opening her door to reveal Steven Hyde. "Damn it, Micheal," she cursed closing the door behind him and crossing her arms. "Get on with it," she commanded.

"Get on with what, Jackie?" Hyde said. "Did you actually think that Kelso was capable of keeping a secret?" he asked raising a skeptical eyebrow at her. "I woulda thought you'd know better than that," he muttered flopping down on her couch. "A sperm bank huh? " he said sounding amused despite himself. "So do they charge by the pound or what?" he asked with a laugh.

"I'm glad that you are so amused, Hyde. Does you're visit actually have a point to it or are you just trying to see if you can make me cry again?" she quipped angrily.

"So when are you due?" he asked slowly.

"July eighteenth. Not that its any of your business," Jackie told him arching a dark eyebrow at him defensively. "Can you just get to the point I have a lot of work to do," she said in a bored tone pretending to examine her nails.

"So did anything happen on Halloween?" he reluctantly asked after an awkward moments silence.

"Oh my...you think its yours," Jackie said bursting out laughing. "Relax, Hyde. You're conscience is clear. You didn't impregnate Lady Satan," she added sarcastically. "Well, now that you've been reassured will you please leave?" she said gesturing to the door. "I've got quite a bit to do," she said trying to urge him on when he didn't move.

"Why'd you do it?" he asked quietly looking up at her in confusion. "You aren't exactly short of male admirers, Jackie," Hyde said in a low tone. That was the closest he'd come to giving her a compliment in months and a few months ago she would have taken it as such.

"I've always wanted a family, Hyde. Why the sudden interest in my reproductive life?" she told him not bothering to mask her irritation.

"The kid won't have a dad," he said lost in thought. "I grew up like that. It doesn't make for a great childhood, Jackie;" he added shaking his head with a sigh.

"Yes, but this kid will have something neither one of us ever had : a mother and a loving home. I can and I will do this, Hyde. I don't need anyone's permission or blessing either but having the support of friends would be nice," she stated flatly.

"Would you think this through? This isn't the time to be spoiled and selfish..."Hyde began feeling anger begin to heat his words.

"No," Jackie said firmly interrupting him. "I'm not going to listen to another round of 'Jackie's a worthless, spoiled brat crap'. Take your attitude and shove it, Steven. This is not your call, this is not your business and this most definitely doesn't have anything to do with you. How I decide to procreate is my concern: not yours. I am finished listening to you and Donna put me down for your amusement. You know its funny. Now that I have someone to look after makes me realize that I don't need to take your shit. Find some other target for your burns; I'm done," Jackie said swinging open her front door with dramatic flourish. "Have a nice life, Steven," she said before slamming the door closed behind him. She waited until she heard his footsteps echoing in the hall before she let the tears fall. She slid down the door crying silently. "I'm so going to hell," she whispered before closing her eyes.

"Oh this is it!" Jackie squealed hurrying from room to room excitedly. She looked around the spacious Dutch colonial style home in excited awe. Whenever she thought of her dream home it was always something similar. Of course the picture always included a husband and children but at least she'd managed to get halfway there. "Do you take a check or do you need cash?" she asked the smiling realtor.

"A cashier's check is fine," the realtor said opening up her briefcase. "Since the house is vacant we should be able to speed things along a little bit. How far along are you if you don't mind my asking?" she asked pulling out some papers for Jackie to sign.

"I'm almost seven months now," Jackie enthused inwardly amazed at how much time had gone by since discovering her pregnancy. "I'm so glad that I finally found a place like this. Its near my hometown and everything," she giggled signing the papers.

Hyde shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he walked down Point Place's main drag. He hadn't heard from Jackie since the night he'd went to see her. He'd secretly wished she'd told him that the baby was really his. He had never been comfortable expressing emotions, it would have been great to have an excuse ready. Even after all of the Sam and the Fez drama, he still loved her. He'd never stopped loving her. He just stopped being nice to her, or even civil to her. He wouldn't have tried so hard to sabotage Fez if he hadn't still cared. He just really sucked at showing it. After all, showing affection was admitting weakness and weakness could be used against you. He'd learned that the hard way. He realize Jackie had too. Why was it that he was the cruelest to the one person who understood him the most? Every difference they'd had was just surface crap. The big stuff, the important stuff they always had in common. He'd secretly loved her funny nicknames for him. The way she knew the little things about him, like which side of the bed he preferred, his favorite sweets, even his hiding places and what kind of socks he wore. He hated it when the gang poked fun at him for the fluffy things; it made him feel exposed and he'd always blamed her for that. Now she was having some other guys kid, alone and she barely even looked at him anymore. He'd never felt so alone and he had no idea what he was going to do about it. Hyde happened to look up when he reached an intersection and while he waited to cross he noticed a new baby shop had opened up across the street. Filled with sudden inspiration he changed direction and hurried over to check it out.