A little piece of music history is gone and Jackie has to go to enormous lengths to right a mistake. The big question is will Steven ever forgive her or is this goodbye?
Author Note:: Okay, I was challenged by the creative, talented, imaginative and wonderful fan fiction writer – MistyMountainHop, to take on a Jackie/Hyde story. In return, she would write a Jackie/Eric fiction. Please know that I respect your ship - and that if I've missed a detail of J/H canon here and there, it wasn't my intention. My hopeful aim is to entertain you with this little three-shot story.
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Chapter 1 - Accidents
May 1984
Steven Hyde was still pecking away at the keyboard of his new IBM Selectric typewriter when his nearly wife of two years slid her hands over his eyes. "Can I read it now?" Her animated voice tickled the shell of his ear.
He sighed happily and grunted, "Nope. It's an editorial piece not for entertainment."
Jackie Burkhart-Soon-To-Be-Hyde insinuated herself into the space between her boyfriend and his damn typewriter. She brushed the curls at his temple and sing-songed, "I'm making your favorite dinner…."
Steven removed his glasses, which he ironically needed now for reading, and tugged on a lock of brunette hair. Those smiling eyes warmed his soul. "…and what is my favorite dinner?"
She giggled, "Whatever you want to pick up from China King. I was thinking maybe some shrimp lo mein and a couple of those crispy egg rolls."
He faked astonishment, "What?! You're not cooking?"
Jackie laughed and popped a kiss on his lips. "You know my cooking skills are horrible at best. It's a good thing the Forman's gave us a microwave for our housewarming or we'd starve to death!"
Hyde gave her a gentle push from his lap as he stood up from the kitchen chair, "You would starve maybe. I can always make toast." He smiled as he said it and she swatted his arm. "I could always make something from Edna's recipe book….."
Hyde frowned, "When did you get any recipes from Edna?"
Jackie shrugged, "I think I was remembering high school cafeteria food. Don't you miss cigarette butts in your chili?"
Steven reached out and tickled the soft skin of her exposed belly. "You're so funny I forgot to laugh." Jackie giggled and followed him into the kitchen. "So…is it an article for… Tiger Beat?"
Hyde deadpanned, "Yes. Yes it is. You nailed it."
Jackie smirked, "I know and I also know that you've been sneak-reading my favorite Donny Osmond advice columns when I'm not looking."
Hyde lifted a brow and replied, "It's an article for Creem. The ONLY rock and roll magazine worth a damn and if you read it you would understand." He walked over to the bookshelf beside the television. "You'll never guess what W.B. gave me today."
Jackie's eyes got big and she clapped her hands joyfully, "A house with a white picket fence? Oh Steven...I know just the one! There's a small two bedroom on North Parker Drive and its blue and …" and he closed his eyes and just smiled. Yeah, she would think that. His chick was trying so hard to cement the relationship but he loved her for it.
Hyde put a soft palm over her mouth so she would stop talking. "It's better than that."
If Jackie's eyes got any bigger they would have popped out of her sockets. In a hushed voice she whispered, "Better?"
He nodded and pulled a vinyl LP from the bookshelf and held it out for Jackie to see. She held the brassy colored album in her hands and why didn't she marvel at the falling blimp or the half naked British people? She handed it back and replied, "Eh."
'Are you serious? Don't you know what this is?"
Jackie shrugged, "It's not Pat Benatar or Blondie, thank God. What's so special about it?"
Hyde was flummoxed. Why didn't his chick get it? He tried to explain, "Doll…this is a Led Zeppelin bootleg copy of Live on Blueberry Hill. I mean you know the song right?"
She smiled, "I heard Potsie sing it on Happy Days. Same song?"
Hyde glared. "Yes and no. The important thing is that this was recorded live in front of an audience when I was only twelve years old. It has all the beginnings of Zeppelin's greatest songs."
Jackie shrugged her shoulders, "You get all excited over a record that's been out for 14 years? I thought you were getting all excited about Joan Jett or the Go-Go's."
"The Go-Go's? Are you insane?" He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, I will admit that Belinda Carlisle has something going for her. But that's not the point Doll. This is a rare copy and it's valuable." In a more tender voice he added, "My dad gave it to me."
She cupped his cheek, "Aww Steven….that's all you had to say."
He smiled and held the soft palm against his skin. "So, why don't you get on your little Vespa and go pick up some dinner?"
T7S
Jackie was nearly fuming. How dare Steven suggest that she get dinner? Oh, yeah, it was so he could listen to his precious album. Jackie stopped in front of the China King and locked her scooter to a parking meter. The white wicker scooter basket was adorned with daises and made her smile as she pulled her purse from the basket.
The panes of glass in front of the restaurant reflected back a sexy brunette in tight denim pants with bright pink heels accentuated by brilliantly white lacy anklet socks. After removing her bubblegum pink helmet, Jackie smiled at her reflection and fluffed her hair. Yes, it was definitely a good hair day. She set her helmet in the daisy basket and walked towards the entrance. Pushing through the glass doors and a little bell overhead tinkled her arrival. Heads swiveled as she strutted into the order line. She knew she looked good and appreciated the soft wolf whistles that came her way. Now if she could only get Steven to show some of that same attention…..the kind he reserved for the girls of rock and roll that is.
-o-
The headphones were comfortable and having just inhaled a big toke, Steven Hyde sat back in the arm chair, closed his eyes and listened to Robert Plant's haunting rhythms and fucking sweet guitar that introduced The Immigrant Song.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow…
This was unadulterated rock and roll at its finest and he appreciated the annoying background noise because this was history in the making and he was listening to it as if he was there. The weed calmed him and heightened his listening experience to a different level than when he used the stereo at Grooves. This was the only way to get mellow.
It was only until he got the munchies and could smell the Chinese takeout that Steven removed his headphones. A brown paper bag was deposited on the coffee table and Jackie straddled his leg, hooking her hand around his neck to bring his mouth to hers. She whispered, "You have to play the Fortune Cookie game with me."
Trapping her with an arm around her slim waist, Hyde asked, "What is the Fortune Cookie game?"
She looked at him with all sweetness and adoration, "You read your fortune and at the end you add….in the bedroom. C'mon Steven, it's fun. Maybe….you might get….lucky!"
He rolled his eyes, "Oh kill me now."
Jackie laughed, "…in the bedroom!"
T7S
Classes let out early so Jackie decided to give the apartment a thorough cleaning. Brooke and Michael were bringing Betsy for dinner this weekend. A dinner hadn't really been planned out but there was plenty of take out places close by so no problem!
The bedroom and guest room were spotless and the little cot from the Forman's basement was decorated with stuffed unicorns for Betsy. Brooke and Kelso would be very comfortable tomorrow. Jackie sighed. Living with Steven had its perks but she wanted to be married. Her wedding ring set was on layaway and a date hadn't been set. Of course Steven wasn't in a hurry – he had the cow and he milked it too! Without her engagement ring Jackie really couldn't say she was his fiancee because everyone looked at her bare naked ring finger. Bare and naked – ugh.
The feather duster glinted off the bookshelf and over the pair of bronzed "J" and "S" bookends and there she spied that obnoxious album W.B. gave Steven. Jackie pulled it off the shelf and looked at the cover. So what if he was twelve when this was recorded – music was music was music. He sold it. He wrote about it. He lived it.
Jackie pulled the vinyl record out of its sleeve and clicked on the stereo. Maybe she could listen and find out what was so freaking wonderful about this particular album. Very carefully, she lined up the hole in the 33 rpm record with the turntable post and centered it so the arm would hold in place. Unfortunately, the telephone rang and startled her, then the whole stereo came off the shelf crashing down onto the carpet and the bootleg record split into four jagged pieces.
"Oh shit."
That was all she could say.
Blueberry Hill was busted in pieces in her green shag carpeting.
Steven was going to kill her.
The telephone stopped ringing.
T7S
Jackie didn't cry. She didn't stomp her feet or scream. Instead, she calmly went into the kitchen and rummaged around in her junk drawer until she found a small tube of airplane glue. She was going to put that damn vinyl disc back together like it was a jigsaw puzzle. Really, how hard could it possibly be?
Three hours later, one piece of the album was still glued on her index finger and refused to budge. The two major pieces she joined together semi-overlapped and it was pretty obvious that her repair job was sub par. Now where was that extra piece supposed to go?
Jackie threw her hands in the air and the little piece of grooved black vinyl on her finger followed like a petulant child. Maybe she should just tell Steven the whole thing was an accident and after all, the stereo is still in perfect working order….just not the special gift from W.B. She sighed and walked into the bathroom to retrieve her nail polish remover. She had to get this jagged thing off her finger or there would be hell to pay!
What was she going to do now?
-o-
Steven came home to the smells of a pot roast simmering on the stove. Wait a sec….when did Jackie learn how to cook a pot roast? He set his wallet and keys on the kitchen counter and walked around to the stove. He lifted the lid on the big pot and there was a nice sized pot roast simmering with baby carrots and tiny red potatoes and it was dotted with white pearl onions. He smiled.
Jackie came out of the bedroom and when she saw Steven standing at the stove she nearly stumbled. It had just been minutes ago that she finally got that damn piece of glued record from her finger. "Steven….what are you doing home so early?"
He turned and grinned, "I could smell dinner all the way from Grooves. It's like you were calling me doll." He sauntered over to the bedroom door which Jackie quickly closed behind her.
"It's a mess." She quickly explained. Steven framed her face in his hand, his rough fingers stroking the soft skin of her cheeks before he kissed her. "Hard day babe?"
She closed her eyes and murmured, "You have no idea."
-o-
All through dinner, Jackie kept her eyes on that album cover that now housed a Bay City Roller's record while the broken bootleg was hidden under the bed. As long as she didn't bring up the topic, perhaps Steven wouldn't notice until she could get a replacement copy.
They watched a television movie together and that damned album stared at her from the bookshelf like it was mocking her. Absentmindedly, she rubbed her fingertip that had been glued. Removing the piece of record took off a couple layers of skin.
He picked up her hand and kissed the palm. "What did you do to yourself?" Why was Jackie's finger all red and angry looking?
She pulled her hand away and explained, "Glue. I was practicing with those Dragon Lady fake nails and glued one to my finger." Her voice was high and tight and she hoped he couldn't tell she was lying. "It didn't work for me so I threw them away."
Steven seemed to accept her explanation and stood up. "Hey, you want to hear some of my new album?"
Jackie could feel all the blood drain from her face. "Uh….um….how about later? I was thinking maybe….let's shower together – we haven't done that in a long time."
Apparently the little head was thinking for the big head and he grinned, "I'll race you to the bathroom."
She smiled and felt somewhat relieved. "You're on!"
T7S
The following Monday, Jackie learned just how rare that stupid album was. She tried to find a copy in every competing record store and there was none available. The worst part was that the smug little clerks dared to laugh at her for breaking the copy she had. It was just music okay? It wasn't like she wrecked the El Camino!
There she was, missing out on a day of Real Estate school to find this bootleg copy and now she would go home empty handed. She needed someone's help with this and fast! The huge phone book was hanging on a wire tether in the phone booth so she plopped it on the stainless steel ledge and began looking up all the music companies and anything similar. There had to be a way for her to make this up.
There had to be. Right?
She opened the book to the yellow pages and found the music section was between Money – Nurseries. Point Place had nurseries? Huh. She ran her polished pink fingernail down the offered selections:
C & M Music Center….. 262-555-1753
Creative Toons ... ...... 262-555-9831
Danny's Guitar Picks….262-555-8749
Myles & Myles Music….262-555-6008
Terrie's Top Tunes ...…262-555-5843
Wow – big selection. Jackie chewed on the tip of her nail. Danny's Guitar Picks sounded like a friendly place to start. She dropped two dimes in the payphone slot and dialed the store. After a couple of rings, the end of the line was answered and Jackie got the address. This was either where she started this journey of redemption or ended it.
T7S
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A/N:...special thanks to Lisa for salvaging my book cover - you rock! Also I don't own any of the That 70's Show characters...I only use them and put them back when I am done :)