AUTHOR'S NOTE / I re-did the first chapter to this series because I didn't like how the first couple of drafts turned out. I believe this one is an improvement. I'm sorry to keep you waiting, I've been extremely busy these past few months. Working almost two full-time jobs, having a social life, and writing. But I'm going to do better, I promise! The next chapter should be out in a week or two. Thank you guys again! You're amazing.

Burkhart Mansion - Point Place, Wisconsin.

September 24, 1971.

2:00 PM.

Jackie Burkhart could honestly say she was the prettiest girl at her birthday party. She wore a navy dress that reached her knees with small white anchors scattered here and there. Her dark chestnut colored hair was in pigtails - with navy ribbons of course. On her feet she wore white socks that went slightly over her ankles, and navy tennis shoes with white trim to match. She was adorable! No one compared to her beauty, even her mother said so.

Looking around at her backyard, she longed to see her father. He had missed her last two birthdays, but he promised he'd be here today. HE PROMISED! So Jackie kept her faith. He wouldn't stand her up again. He loved her and he wouldn't hurt her. The minutes went passed in a blur, and then the minutes turned into hours. Then the party was over and her father hadn't shown up. He lied to her yet again and her small heart broke. She held back her tears though, she wouldn't cry. Not yet anyway. She had to talk to her mother and learn the truth. She was determined - she wouldn't take no for an answer this time.

A ten year old Jackie tugged on her mothers' tan cashmere shirt. A perfectly tanned hand smacked at Jackie's tiny wrist.

"What did I tell you honey? Never touch the cashmere." Pam Burkharts' tone was filled with annoyance at her daughter. Jackie shrugged it off though, she had more pressing matters to deal with.

"Daddy said he would be at my party. He wasn't there." Jackie small voice held strong until her last sentence. Tears once again filled her mismatched eyes, but she held them back.

"He was working sweetie." Pam simply said, like Jackie's concerns were nothing, and took another sip out of her "big girls" cup. Jackie couldn't held her tears back anymore. She let out a loud scream as the tears ran down her cheeks.

"BUT.. HE... PROMISED... !" Jackie shouted out between sobs, clutching onto her mother. Pam slid down until she was Jackie's height.

"Oh sweetie." Pam sighed, pulling Jackie into an awkward hug. "Your father has to work so he can get us all these nice things." Pam whispered into her ear before standing back to her full height. She took Jackie's small hand into her own. "I was saving it for later, but I suppose now is a good time. Your father got you something special for your birthday, since he couldn't make it." Pam explained before pulling Jackie up the plush carpeted staircase.

"But mom..." Jackie started to speak before Pam cut her off.

"It's something shiny." Shiny? Did her father get her those stunning gold earrings with the huge sapphires?

"Shiny?" Jackie asked her mother hesitantly, and Pam looked back at Jackie and nodded her head. The tiny brunette could feel her heart healing slowly with the thought of something shiny.

Eric Forman's Basement - Point Place, Wisconsin.

May 15, 1977.

Late Afternoon.

An older Jackie Burkhart was standing in front of a scruffy looking burnout. Steven James Hyde the third, to be exact. He was sitting on the deep freeze, in a relaxed position and staring at her. Jackie's breath got caught in her throat for just a second.

"You can say very much by saying very little, small Grasshopper. Pretend you're Laurie and insult me." Hyde remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay…"Jackie started off slowly as insults racked her brain. "Hey Hyde! You're stupid!" She yelled, her arms crossed and a slight shake of her head. Then to top it all off, a slight smirk.

"Whatever…" Hyde responded with a shake of his head.

"Wow that was great!" Jackie exclaimed, pushing her chestnut curls from her face. A look of pure shock on her beautiful face.

"Yeah!" Hyde nodded, adjusting himself on the deep freeze. "Now, another part of this is ambiguity. Say it with me..." He continued looking at Jackie.

"Am - bi - gu - i - ty!" They both cheered at the same time. Happiness overtook Jackie in that moment, a huge grin plastered to her pink lips.

"Very good. See, you don't want people to know exactly what you me-" Hyde begun to spoke but his voice faded out. Then everything was black.

Eric Forman's Basment - Point Place, Wisconsin.

August 04, 1978.

Mid Afternoon.

"Uh, finally." Steven remarked, sitting down on the old, rugged couch. A slightly older Jackie jumped down beside him, with an easy smile on her lips.

"Yeah! I though they'd never leave!" She exclaimed before Steven's arms encircled her shoulders. Her hands automatically went to his sideburns as his lips met her own. After a few moments though, Jackie pulled back and she moved her hands from his face until they rested lightly on his chest.

"You know... it was really nice of you to get that ticket for Eric." Jackie spoke, a slight smile on her lips. Although she couldn't see it because of his damn sunglasses, she knew he was rolling his eyes at her.

"This usually works a whole lot better when you don't talk." He answered plainly. Jackie knew this was his way of telling her that he didn't want to talk about it. After a few moments, she finally shrugged her shoulders and her lips met his again.

She knew in that moment she was screwed - she was in love with Steven James Hyde the Third.

Silver Cloud Inn - Chicago, Illinois.

June 18, 1982.

10:45 AM.

The first thing Jackie Burkhart noticed was the splitting headache, next was the unusually bright sun burning her closed mismatched eyes. The next moment she remembered where she was, and that she had been reliving moments of her life through her dreams. Her fragile heart broke inside of her chest.

"Why am I here?!" Jackie shouted into the motel's stained covered pillow. She couldn't stop the tears running down her perfect face. Ever since she left Point Place two years ago, she would repeatedly have that dream every night.

Keep on haunting

Keep on haunting me

I was as pure as a river

But now I think I'm possessed

You put a fever inside me

And I've been cold since you left

It tore her insides to shreds, and it made bile rise in her throat. She thought after so much time, it would have lessened by now. It was like she was haunted by what she and Steven could have been. Every time she thought about it though, it crippled her beyond repair. She had never loved anyone like she loved Steven. She still did if she was being completely honest with herself. She also knew she would never love anyone after Steven. The price was too high, and she couldn't give herself over to another person. Not fully, not like she had with Steven.

She couldn't think about him anymore - her pounding headache was only getting worse with the thoughts. So she pushed aside the ratty and stains sheets of her bed, and stumbled her way into the disgusting small bathroom. A stained yellow shower was against the back of the wall, a slightly less yellow toliet was pushed up inbetween the shower and counter. The sink wasn't much better from the shower and the toliet. Jackie ignored it though, and flipped on the lights. It wasn't much better, but at least now she could see her reflection.

Once upon a time it brought her joy, knowing she was the most beautiful girl in Point Place. But looking at her reflection now? It disgusted her. Her normally olived skin tone was a pasty white, purplish bags were under her usually bright mismatched eyes. Now her eyes were glassy, unfocused, and darting over herself in the mirror. Her usually perfect hair was in disray and greasy.

"Oh god." Jackie thought she was going to be sick looking at herself. Who was she? She had never wanted to turn out like her mother, but it seems to turned out worse. Much worse. The thought alone made bile rise to her throat. The sight along with her thoughts done her in, and she puked whatever food she had left in her stomach into the questionable toilet.

I've got a boyfriend now and he's made of gold

And you've got your own mistakes in a bed at home

I'm hoping you could save me now but you break and fold

You've got a fire inside but your heart's so cold

'Cause I've done some things that I can't speak

And I've tried to wash you away but you just won't leave

After cleaning herself up, and taking a shower - Jackie felt a little better. She just had to avoid looking at herself in the mirror. She had to get herself to stop thinking about it, she needed a release. She quickly got dressed in a pair of simple blue jeans, black flats, and a black Led Zeppelin t-shirt. Then she put on make up to hide that purple bags, and pulled her dull chesnut hair into a ponytail.

She walked over to the bed, and opened the wooden night-stand. Inside was everything she need - a brown bag filled with "film", a stack of needles, cotton balls, a spoon, a lighter, and a small bag of a crystal like rock. A relieved smile crossed Jackie's face as she grabbed the spoon, the lighter, and the small bag. She pulled the crystal out of the bag and placed it on the spoon. Next she grabbed the lighter and held it under the spoon, waiting until the crystal melted into a liquid. She grabbed a single cotton ball and absorbed the liquid, then she grabbed a needle and placed it in the cotton ball. After a few seconds the needle was full of the liquid crystal.

"Anything for you, doll."

His voice rang out from no where.

"I am liking you more and more."

No! Why can't he just leave her alone? She just wanted some peace and quiet damn it! She tied a pink silk scarf to her upper arm. He couldn't stop her. She didn't want to be stopped.

"Jackie... I love you."

She stuck the needle into her arm and slowly pushed the liquid into her blood stream. After a few seconds, she pulled the scarf off her arm. A content sigh left her lips as she leaned against the night-stand.

We walk as tall as the skyline

And we have roots like the trees

But then your eyes start to wander

'Cause they weren't looking at me

You weren't looking for me

Finally it was quiet. She couldn't hear his voice anymore, but that didn't mean she couldn't feel him. She pushed herself from the night-stand and stumbled to the door. She had to get out of this room. She couldn't stand its puke green walls anymore. She was going to get more heroin, she was out now, and she was going to the liquor store. She wanted to separate herself from him permanently, she was going to kill herself. It wasn't like she was living anyway. She was dead inside without him in her life, but he could move on without any problem. It wasn't fair! She didn't want to die, but she couldn't be here anymore. In this life she had fallen into.

Jackie had wanted to so much, she had wanted to be so much - but look at her now. She was a alcholic junkie! A loud, humourless laugh escaped her. People on the street probably thought she was crazy, but she didn't care anymore. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

She thought about her suicide all the way down town, until she rached a run-down looking shack of a house. She concluded she would leave a note - only for Brooke though. In these last two years, Brooke was the only one that had even bothered to check up on her. She deserved to know. She would leave the note with Brooke on her way back, making sure she told Brooke not to open it until tomorrow. It would be too late then to be of any good.

Jackie watched her step as she made it up the falling apart stairs to the shack. The screen door was partly on its hinges and the wooden door was closed shut. Jackie paid no mind, and walked straight into the house.

"Hey Bruce!" Jackie shouted out once she was inside, going straight into the kitchen and grabbing a joint that was in the ashtray. She sparked it up as she walked into the living. Sitting on a ratty, worn down couch was Bruce. He was in his early thirties, blond hair matted down, pasty white skin, and brown dull eyes.

"Oh hey, Jackie." Bruce spoke once he could see her. Jackie waved a hand in front of his face, she didn't have time for his small talk today. She took out a hundred dollar bill and threw it at his face.

"I'm in a hurry today, so can we make this quick?" Jackie asked and rolled her mismatched eyes. Bruce nodded his head, got up from the couch and disappeared into the back of the house. He returned shorty after with a large sized bag with a crystal like rock inside. A huge smile appeared on Jackie's face as she took the bag, it was almost over.

"Thanks Bruce, see you later!" Jackie shouted as she walked out of the house. Of course she knew it was a lie, but she had to keep up appearances - for now.

Twenty minutes later, she had written a letter to Brooke explaining everything, and making her promise - a dead womans last request, not to tell anyone from Point Place. Including Michael. She dropped it off with Brooke's mother around three o'clock. Only one more thing left to do, and then she would be free.

The liquor store wasn't far from Brooke's, maybe four blocks at most. She made it there in good time, going straight for the tequila. Like mother, like daughter she supposed.

"That's not her you moron." Jackie heard a gruff voice a few sections down from her. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"OW! Damn Hyde! It looks like her from behind!" Another voice added, sounding hurt. In that moment Jackie's heart stopped. She knew those voices, she had dated both of them. One still held her heart captive. She had to get out there before they did realize it was her. She grabbed two large bottles from the shelf, and quickly made her way to the check-out counter. So far so good.

"Jackie?" She heard Steven's voice from behind her, and she stopped. She held her breath, didn't move a muscle. "Jackie?" The voice sounded closer now, but she still didn't turn around. She was paralyzed by fear. The next thing she knew, she was face to face with Steven. The look of surprise quickly disappeared from his face. She knew him better than anyone - he just went Zen.

"Hey Steven." Jackie was the first one to speak, her voice soft and unsure. When he didn't say anything to her, she gained enough courage to look at him.

"What the hell happened?"

I'm begging you to keep on haunting

I'm begging you to keep on haunting me

I'm begging you to keep on haunting

I know you're gonna keep on haunting me