As it should be said I own none of this.
July 15, 1979 Chicago
Silence was all the was heard in the hotel room as Hyde stared at Jackie who shifted nervously.
One day. She had been gone one fucking day and was already trying to move on. And it had to be Kelso at that. "Forget this."
"Steven wait!" Jackie tried and grabbed on to his arm, but he ripped it away. Tears were in her eyes and his heart felt for her even after the events that just took place. 'Never again.' He shook his head at her. With no more words, Hyde turned and made for the El Camino. It was easy starting the car and putting it in drive.
Not looking back at the crying brunettte was the real challenge.
July 16, 1979
Hyde must have drove for hours. His first thoughts were to go to the nearest bar or liquor store and drown his sorrow and liver in alcohol. That wasn't enough though. Instead he decided to drive nonstop to the one place in the world that might just ge her out of his head.
Viva las Vegas after all.
"Yeah this will work." Hyde muttered to himself. So what if his plan was insane and he barely had any cash on him. Anger coursed through his entire being at the thought of Jackie Burkhart and Michael fucking Kelso being in the same hotel room.
Having drove straight from Chicago, he reached Vegas in record time. No pit stops, no bathroom breaks. He pulled into the first cheapest motel he could find. Van Halen's 'Running with the Devil' blaring loudly in a desperate attempt to clear his head.
He was pissed off, hungry and in need of a joint. Not wanting to waste anymore time he made his way in. A very fat man sat behind a counter and was watching a boxing match.
"How much for a room?" Hyde asked and the man finally looked at him
"30 dollars a night slick." Hyde pulled out his wallet and smacked two fifty dollar bills down. The man quickly grabbed the money and threw a key to Hyde.
"Wheres the nearest liquor store?"
"Right around the corner. If your hungry there's a Mcdonalds right next to it."
Hyde all but bolted out the door and made his way to the liquor store. Buying some cheap whiskey and some junk food was a good way to start his bender. As he walked down the street his saw the familiar M and his stomach grumbled.
"Alright greasy junk food first."
September 20, 1979 Burkhart Residence
Two months that's how long she had waited. The look that Steven had given her as he stood in the doorway of the motel had sent tremors through her. She had only ever seen him look that devastated once and that was through his own doing. Only this time she had caused the pain.
"Jackie are you going to come out of your room today?" Fez had been her constant companion through this time. Donna and Mrs. Foreman had enough problems dealing with Eric being gone. Plus the looks that Mrs. Foreman had been shooting her made her feel worse. "Donna and I are getting worried that your going to stay up her forever." Fez look her over. "Are you still terrified of Mrs. Foreman? I thought I told you that she's not angry with you anymore. Kelso is a different story."
Jackie giggled at that. Mrs. Foreman might not be angry with her anymore, but the looks she gave Michael were downright murderous to say the least. When they had both returned to Point Place after the incident and explained everything to everyone, a metaphorical bomb went off.
Donna hadn't been talking to her in weeks and the Foremans were putting on a strong front, but everyone could see that they were worried about there missing 'son'. Red wouldn't even allow Michael in the house the first month.
"You can come back in when the other dumbass shows up. Until that day you are banned from this house" Red Foreman growled at a terrified Kelso who bolted out the Foreman's kitchen. Breaking the screen door while he was at it.
"I'm fine Fezzy. And my fabulous self will be making an appearance today." Jackie said and she really wished she could mean it.
There was so much she needed to say to Steven. That she wasn't going to sleep with Michael. She would never go back to that.
"Good, because Mrs. Foreman is making a recording for Eric and we really wanted you to be there." Fez said and led her out of her room.
Steven would return. She didn't know when, but she would be ready and waiting when he did.
"This fucking bites." One Steven Hyde muttered to himself as the El Camino roared into Point Place. He had been gone for two months and seeing the familiar sites of his hometown were making him feel si
Catching Jackie in the hotel room with Kelso of all people had caused him to just shut down. Turn off any emotions he had had felt and run for it. Getting drunk wasn't enough then. Getting drunk in Vegas of all places had seemed like a good idea at the time, but she wouldn't get out of his head. It was maddening. Bottle after bottle, but still she lingered.
A bark broke him out his thoughts. Sitting in the passenger seat was a large black and brown dog that seemed to blend in with the rest of his car. He had short fur and anmber eyes. Hyde had figured that he had to be part German Shepard based on his size and pit bull based on his attitude.
"Don't give me that look Z." Hyde said to the mutt who barked at him again. Hyde shook his head and laughed. He was having a conversation with a dog and he wasn't high while he was doing it. "I'm nervous man. What am I going to say to her?"
"Woof."
"Yeah I know. Suck it up and get it over with." He had been waiting two months to say this shit. Unleash the pent up anger that had been driving him insane.
Hyde turned onto the Foreman's street. It was now or never. He pulled up to the same spot he always parked his car and made his way toward the house. His home. His companion following behind him. As he reached the sliding door that led to the kitchen he looked down at the dog.
"Stay Zeppelin." He ordered and the dog gave him a look. Red didn't like most humans, let alone animals. He was going to have to introduce his dog slowly.
This was gong to be a long ass day, he just knew it.
(July 16, 1979 LAS VEGAS)
Hyde strolled back into the parking lot of his motel. A bag of McDonald's in one hand, a bottle of whiskey in his other. A cigarette was hanging from his mouth. He was going over his plan for tonight in his head.
He had about two hundred in cash left on him. With that much he could still have a good couple days of artying. He would grab a shower and then head out and find a casino. Deciding to eat his meal before enacting his plan, Hyde sat down on the curb and placed his bottle next to him. He reached into his bag of food he pulled out one of his double cheeseburgers and bit into greasy goodness. A bark broke the silence of the night. Glancing over at a near by dumpster a shape began to form.
It was a dog, but not like the dogs Kelso played with. It had short black fur that was caked in dirt and god knows what else. It's eye were locked on Hyde or more accurately the sandwich that was in his hand.
"Take it easy fella." The dog wasn't acting aggressive, but Hyde knew that could change in second. Figuring that it was better to just give in he threw the cheeseburger over to the dog who eagerly shot up and caught it his mouth.
Hyde reached down and picked up his bottle and ripped the cork out of it. He threw his head back and began to take several long gulps of the liquid. While he was busy drinking a familiar figure came up to him. Hyde looked over to see the dog happily looking at him.
"Uh hey?" Hyde sputtered as the dog looked at him strangely. Not used to animals in general, Hyde did the only thing he could think of.
"Want some french fries?"
"Ruff."
Foreman's Living Room (Now)
"So Eric I don't think I'll be truly happy until your home." Kitty said into the microphone. Making this recording was almost therapeutic. Without her boys in the house she was going a little crazy. Especially Steven being gone. Not knowing where he was, was just as bad as knowing where Eric actually was.
"Hey." Standing in the doorway as confident as ever was the newly returned Steven Hyde. Same frizzy Afro and shades, acting as if he had never left Point Place.
"Stevens home!" One word of his return and she was happier than ever. With speed surprising of her stature Kitty Foreman got up from her couch and hugged the young man she could call her son and for once he didn't shift awkwardly at the touch. He just returned the hug, happy to see his favorite lady.
"Move aside, move aside." Fez cried as moved Kitty out of the way. "You know he doesn't like to be hugged." He reminded her, before he hugged Steven, who did shift awkwardly this time.
"Don't you ever leave me like that again." Fez said and slapped him on the arm. Hyde just shook his head and chuckled.
"Yeah really don't plan on going anywhere else anytime soon." Hyde than turned to Donna and gave her hug. "Missed yah red." Hyde really was happy to see Donna and her familiar red hair. "You get tired of blonde?"
"Wasn't really my color." Donna said with a smile. Hyde hadn't even back a minute and everything was already looking better in the Foreman household.
"Guys I spilled my soda-Hyde!" She spoke to soon, because based off the look Hyde was giving Kelso right now there was about to be a murder. Oh why did Mrs. Foreman have to lift Kelso's ban today of all days.
Kelso wanted to run. He wanted to run fast and never look back, because nothing scared him more than a pissed off Hyde. His punches hurt when they were just goofing around, but when the frizzy haired stoner actually got mad he could wreck you.
"Look man I'm sorry." He started nervously as he tried to calm his friend. Maybe he could explain before Hyde strangled him. "I mean I don't even know what to say."
Hyde nodded "How about ow?" He said far to calmly.
"Ow?" Confusion was clear on Kelso's face. Hyde swung and Kelso went tumbling down.
"I get it." Kelso managed to mumble out before he saw darkness.
"I think you killed him with your punch." Fez said fearfully as he ran to Kelso, worried for his downed friend.
"He's not dead Fez."
"Not yet at least." Donna exclaimed nervously as she looked over Hyde's shoulder to look at the crumpled form of Kelso.
"No man, all my anger was in that one punch. Got nothing else to say." Having been away for so long had cooled his temper enough that he wouldn't maim Kelso. Physically he was safe. "He's safe until he pisses me off again."
"Guys I think he peed." Fez said awkwardly and Hyde looked at him disgust. He really could have gone without knowing that.
"Eric, Steven just punched Michael and it was very exciting." Kitty said with a grin. Hyde looked at her funny. She hated when he got violent with people. "Don't give me that look Steven I've been waiting two months to see you beat up Michael, that one punch was worth it. Glad your home sweetie."
'Yep everything's back to normal alright.' Donna thought to herself. Suddenly the door opened again and a dog came strolling in and stopped right next to Hyde. "Okay that's new."
"Hey guys there was this strange dog outsid- Steven." Following the dog in was Jackie who looked at her ex boyfriend in shock.
"Ayee people need to stop coming in through that door." Fez exclaimed. "Bad things happen when people walk through that door today."
"Maybe we should leave." Kitty said to Fez and Donna, who shook her head.
"No start recording, Eric loves it when they fight."
Jackie walked towards Hyde nervously. This isn't how she wanted to see him again. She had wanted to talk to him in a place that was more private, but he didn't exactly look up to listening to her.
"Your back." Jackie started
"Yeah I just got in."
"So can we talk?"
"About what? About how you slept with Kelso?"
You never gave me a chance to explain!"
"Because you slept with Kelso." He hadn't felt this much anger in two months. He hated it. Hated that she did this to him. For years he had been the cool headed burn out. Then this little tick burrowed into him.
"I never slept with Michael." Jackie exclaimed with tears in her eyes. She had known this was going to be rough but this was all to much.
"Right because Kelso loves to appear buck ass naked in hotel rooms!"
"Both of you stop it!" Kitty got between the two. Tension was in the air and both of them were angry and upset. Any problem they had right now wasn't going to be solved with their emotions being so out of control.
"Fuck this." Hyde exclaimed and he walked out of the room. "Lets go Zeppelin!" The dogs ears perked up and he followed his master out the door.
Hyde needed sleep. Having driven all day just to come home to a disaster was taxing to say the least. He made his way down to his room where his cot was still placed in the same spot it always was. Locking his door and not needing anymore incentive he laid down and placed his sunglasses on the stand next to his cot. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a restless sleep. He left enough room for Zeppelin who curled up next him.
A loud banging and Zeppelin barking was what woke Hyde up. Glancing down at his watch he could see that he had been asleep for two hours. He was still in a bad mood.
"Hold up I'm coming!" Hyde opened door to see Red glaring at him.
"Hey Red."
"Not another word Steven. You get your ass upstairs and tell us where you have been these last two months." Red growled. Hyde made no move to argue, because he really did owe them an explanation.
He walked out of his room and up to the kitchen to see Kitty, Fez and Kelso sitting at the table. A ice pack was placed against Kelso's face where Hyde had hit him before. Fear was still in him and look like he wanted to bolt.
"Your not going to hit me again are you?" He asked awkwardly.
Hyde shook his head and smirked. "No you dillhole, your safe."
"Good because I think you knocked out a tooth."
"Count yourself lucky. Two months ago I wanted to run you over with the Camino. A month ago I thought about feeding you to Zeppelin." At the mention of his name, Zeppelin let a growl loose towards Kelso who shifted nervously in his chair.
Kitty laughed at the two "Well isn't that nice. You two are friends again. Now Steven please explain where you have been. We have been worried sick about you."
"I was in Vegas, Mrs. Foreman. I needed to get away from everything and it seemed like the perfect place to go at the time." Hyde explained to his surrogate parents and friends. Instead of perfect Vegas may have been the longest bender ever.
"And you couldn't have let us known where you were there!" Okay maybe Mrs. Foreman was still mad at him. That was reasonable. He had disappeared for two months. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Hyde reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny object and handed it to Kitty, who gasped in surprise. "I thought you might like this." It was a tiny slot machine.
Kitty looked at him and smiled. "This adorable, but I'm still angry with you." Her eyes glanced down at his side. "Now who is your furry friend?" Zeppelin must have followed him and Red from the basement
"This is my other souvenir from Vegas." In actuality that dog may have been the only thing keeping him sane the last two months. That and a lot of weed.
"Steven where in the hell did it seem in your doped out head that bringing a mutt into my house was a good idea?" Red asked sarcastically.
"Red don't ask me to get rid of him." Zeppelin whined next to his owner, as if he could sense his discomfort from the rapid fire questioning.
"Why not?"
"Because he saved my life." Hyde revealed to the surprise of the people gathered around.
(July 16 Las Vegas)
Steven Hyde was drunk. Mind numbing, completely out of his mind drunk. His plan for the night was to go to one of the many cheap casinos around and gamble until he was broke. Instead he got lucky and won a couple extra hundred bucks from a slot machine.
Using his new winnings he proceeded to get drunk off his ass and forget about Jackie. Which hadn't actually worked at all, because even after downing his tenth beer she still managed to worm her way into his thoughts. Made drinking less fun. But he pressed on drinking and drinking more until he stumbled out of the casino with a couple hundred dollars on him.
"Why is everything so bright?" Hyde grumbled and put his sunglasses on to protect his eyes. Vegas was lit up and people were out and about trying to enjoy the city of sin. As drunk as he was right now, Hyde realized that he was in no condition to be around people. With that he started to walk back to his crappy motel room and crash for the rest of the night.
As he walked he thought what he was going to do the next day. He wasn't ready to return to Point Place and he didn't think he would be ready for a long time.
Hyde was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize that he was back in the motel parking lot. Or that two men had been following him from the casino.
Something hit the back of his head. He wasn't sure what it was, but it hurt and his already disoriented form went down.
"Get his wallet! That where the cash is!" Hyde wasn't one to give up without a fight, so taking a page from his ex's book he lashed out with a kick that hit one of the guys in the stomach
"Oomph." The kick sent the one guy back, but his partner was ready and punched Hyde across the face. Hyde was seeing stars. A loud barking came from some where.
The dog from before had rushed from his place by the dumpster. Awoken by the commotion between Hyde and his would be muggers. Before Hyde knew it the dog had latched out to one of the guys and was tearing it to his leg. The man screamed in pain and was brought down. His partner, the man Hyde kicked, ran away in fear at the idea of getting mauled by the angered animal.
There was a faint clatter on the ground and Hyde looked over. The mugger had dropped a knife.
(September 20 Foreman Kitchen)
"So you see I can't get rid of the dog, because I owe this dog." Hyde explained. "I'd be gutted like a fish right now if it weren't for him." He scratched Zeppelin behind the ear. Red looked at unsure of what to do.
"Come on Mr. Red, have a heart. Don't separate a boy and his dog." Fez really wasn't helping him here.
"Shut it tonto." Fez in a smart move for once did just that.
"Red he saved Steven's life. We can't get rid of him." Kitty said to her husband who still looked like he wanted to put up a fight on the issue.
"The dog can stay, as long as he doesn't pee on anything. If I even see his leg raise, he's gone." Red gave in. Perfect.
"Oh this is so exciting! I need to go tell Eric the wonderful news. We have another dog! And Stevens back!" Red smiled at his wife happily as she left the room. For the last two months she had been miserable. If letting Steven keep his stray mutt made her happy, then he was alright with it.
"Thanks Red."
"Don't mention it Steven. Now would you go talk to you bossy little girlfriend. That girl has been just as miserable as Kitty and you owe it to yourselves to sort this mess out." Hyde knew Red was right. Didn't make this any easier.
"Whatever."
"Steven your an adult now. So you should know as an adult your going to have to do things you don't want to do."
Hyde nodded in agreement " I know Red, I just can't right now." He knew how lame he sounded right now, but the thought of sitting down and talking to Jackie was a little to much right now. "I will though. Talk to her I mean."
"Good." Red said as he followed after his wife.
"Hey guys. Hyde your back!" In all the excitement he forgot about Charlie. The newest member of their group hadn't changed at all. "Did you kick Kelso's ass."
"Yeah you already missed that man."
"Damn was it a good one?"
"Oh it was a really good one." Kelso said dumbly with a grin. "He punched me so hard that I think a tooth got knocked loose. And I peed myself."
"Ai it was a good punch. The best I've ever seen."Fez said and agreement and Hyde just smiled.
It really was good to be home.
"So Foreman stay safe and rock on." Hyde said into the microphone as he left his message to his friend. It was short message, but Hyde knew that Foreman would understand his true meaning.
"Um Steven." Kitty interrupted his thoughts. "You have a visitor." Jackie had walked in and Hyde knew that the time for them to talk had finally come.
"Can you give us the room Mrs. Foreman."
"Oh sure kick me out when things get juicy between you." Kitty joked, but she still got up from the couch and left the room.
Jackie looked nervous, a look that didn't match her at all. Confidence was her usual look and she wore it well.
"So Fez was telling me and Donna that you went to to Vegas."
"Uh yeah it seemed like the place to go at the time." Man did he hate saying that, but it seemed to be the thing he was saying today. "Anyway I'm sorry about earlier. That wasn't how I wanted to see everyone when I got back."
"Even the part where you hit Michael?" She joked
"No I liked that part. I liked it a lot." Hyde admitted happily with a smirk.
Silence filled the room and it made both of them really look at each other.
"I'm sorry." The both said at the same time. Hyde chuckled and Jackie giggled.
"You go first."
"Steven I'm sorry about what happened in Chicago." Jackie said truthfully. "I was alone and I thought I lost you forever."
"Yeah well I can see why you thought that." Hyde hadn't given her reason to stay. Hadn't given her a reason to wait. That didn't make it hurt less though.
"So are we going to talk about us?" Jackie questioned "I mean where do we go from here?"
"I'm not ready to get married Jackie." Hyde admitted to her. Which was the truth and one of the few things that he learned during his time away. "At least not yet."
"Yet?" It was't much, but it was enough to bring a smile to her face and Hyde found himself smiling to. A knock on the front door caught there attention.
"I'll get it." Kitty said from her hiding spot in the den. Not that she was spying or anything. Kitty opened the door to reveal a pretty blonde woman.
"Sam?" That was not who expected to be behind the door.
"Steven who is this?" Oh this wasn't going to end well. Not at all.
"She's someone I met in Vegas." Yeah probably better to not reveal what her job was.
"Yeah Hyde was the best tipper." Crap.
"Tipper?" Double crap.
"She's a exotic dancer." Hyde mumbled out and the looks Jackie and Mrs. Foreman where giving him weren't anything good. "What are you doing here Sam?" That last time her saw her she was dancing on a pole in sin city.
"You don't remember?" Sam asked and Hyde shook his head. Remember what? "We got married!"
"What!" Three voices shouted in surprise.
Hey guys here my authors note to you guys. Couple of things for yah. One I used go by The Simple Man of Legends, but I haven't used the account in years and I wanted to start over when it came to writing. Since I love rock music and I'm still pretty simple when it comes to life I bring myself to you as The Simple Rocker. My stories on my other account are still and I'm not going to take them. I am however in the process of rewriting everything. I want to make them better, but first I want to work on this which brings me to my second point. I hate season 8. Like really hate it which is funny considering I've never watched it. Before you scratch your heads and wonder how I can hate a season that I've never watched just remember Hyde and Jackie didn't end up together and there's your answer.
Yeah I'm still pissed about it. Anyway this is my version of season 8, because even a guy such as I can write a better version then what they put on our television screens. As you can tell I've already made some changes. Like Charlie is still alive. What can I say. Free alcohol for the gang.
So drop a review and tell me what you think. Chapter 2 should be up soon. Hopefully. If college doesn't kill me first.