Chapter 1: The Introduction

Every step she took seemed to make a hollow sound. The hallways had become stretched, so much longer then they'd first been, she was sure. The white bulbs blazed brightly, leaving no room for shadows in the corners. She could hear the muffled sounds of people moving about, going about their chores, their day, oblivious to what was happening to her.

She found them all. They were gathered anxiously in the waiting room meant for family and friends. They all turned simultaneously towards her, waiting, alert, concerned, terrified.

Donna chocked on a sob she'd held in from her long walk from the surgery. "They did all they could…"

Then she fell into the arms of Eric, her ex, her best friend, and released her pent up agony into his shoulder while the others waited silently, praying the words didn't ring true.

**

When Donna had clamed down and fallen into a fitful sleep the others were given a chance to speak freely. Among them were the Formans, Fez and Kelso, who was devastated beyond speaking.

"I can't believe…Oh, Michael!" Kitty cried quietly, conscious of the sleeping red head. She wrapped her arms around him in a motherly hug. "You poor thing!"

Kelso didn't react to her comfort, he continued in his blank stare, his hands shaking visibly. Kitty stroked his hair, trying not to cry. Even Red looked shaken, but he didn't scramble to tears, just sat quietly, looking down at his folded hands. It was Eric who spoke next.

"What are we going to do about…?" He wasn't sure how to word the question and let it trail away to fill the silence.

Kelso looked up. "I can't raise a baby on my own," he said in a strangled voice. "I can't do this!"

Donna stirred but didn't wake, her head rested in Eric's lap. He ran a hand through her hair. "Don't worry, Kelso, we'll figure it out."

They were interrupted by the abrupt arrival of Jack and Pamela Burkhart. While Jack looked furious Pam looked confused and a little far away, probably had had her happy hour sometime before.

Jack stopped in front of Kelso, shaking in rage. "You dirty degenerate!" He yelled, waking Donna and causing Kitty to jump. "You killed my daughter!"

The accusation hung in the air, filling the room with tension. Kelso shook his head helplessly at the towering man. Pam rushed forwards, hugging her husband's arm.

"Sweetie, calm down," she soothed, stroking his upper arm.

Jack was shaking, "You will regret this!"

A nurse came in, sensing the tension she walked slowly forwards. Recognizing Kitty from her days of nursing she addressed her directly. "Kitty, are you friends of Ms Burkhart?"

"Yes," Kitty leapt to her feet, running to the young woman. "Yes."

Jack shoved her gently aside. "I'm her father. What's going on?"

The nurse looked imitated by the glowering man but spoke calmly. "I'm afraid there was nothing the doctors could do. She passed away," she allowed the news to sink in before speaking again, "But the baby survived, a little girl."

"Where is she?" Jack demanded.

The nurse paused, looking a little nervous. "I'm afraid…Well the baby was fine so she was placed with the other children, but when we went back to find her she was gone…"

"What do you mean gone!?"

"She wasn't in her bed, no one has seen her. She's probably been taken by another nurse to be taken care of or-"

Jack cut her off angrily, "Find my granddaughter or so help me-!?"

The nurse scattered and the others looked on at Jack, terrified as he too stormed after the nurse, Pam close behind. Then it was Fez who spoke the question that caused a ripple of unease. "Where is Hyde?"

"He was here before Donna came back," Eric stated quietly.

Donna's eyes widened. "Is his car gone?"

The unease was replaced by cold dread.

"Steven wouldn't…" Kitty tried to defend weakly but it was no use.

"His car is gone," Red stated, having looked outside the window that gave a nice view of the car park. "The dumb ass."

"Why would Hyde take Kelso and Jackie's baby?" Fez asked ignorantly.

"I don't know…" Eric muttered.

Kelso leaped up. "I'm going to kick his ass!"

But he made no move towards the door because he wouldn't know where to go, where Hyde would run to with his best friend and the girl he hated baby.

Leaving the outskirts of Point Place, Steven Hyde tightened his hold on the barely one day old baby that was sleeping soundlessly in the baby seat beside him. Bags of baby items and a box of his only possessions were in the flat bed, covered by a tarp. A thick, sealed envelope was on the dashboard and keys to an apartment in Miami. He looked down at the baby infant.

"Hey baby girl," he whispered quietly into the dark. "It's just going to be you and me now." He reached out, running his hand over her smooth skull and the baby barely stirred.

-TBC-