So, I really should not start a new fic since I have two incomplete ones. But even with outlines, I have horrid writer's block for those and this idea has been in my head for over a month since my Zennie passion returned when I accidentally caught on the "Nobody's fault but mine" episode and reread a bunch of amazing Zennie fanfic. BTW if you haven't read "November Rain" and "With a new beginning come change" those fics were updated within the last year and are amazing. The second one is incomplete, but still a worthy read.

With that in mind, know that it may take me a while to complete this since I'm busy busy with school and family and work. But I have the idea all panned out to the end. This is a Jackie/Hyde end game with a Jackie/OC in between. If you hate the idea of Jackie with someone else you won't like this since this someone else will be important for her. I'll do my best to keep the characters as cannon as possible, but a bit of OOC may occur and feel free to call me out on it. I might change it. Also, if anyone knows someone who may want to beta this and is into Zennie stories PM me. I'm using a fake timeline since the show itself had a timeline no one could follow, but I'll try to use the season 8 (nightmare that we all wish to fix) episodes with a spin (big one) as much as possible for this story. I love love love reviews, but I can't promise they'll make me write too much faster. I'm hoping for one to two chapters a month for a 10-chapter story. Still I would love to hear what you think, and any constructive criticism is welcome and I might change the story based on that. Also, I don't own T70S, if I did Jackie and Hyde would so have gotten a season like what is written in the fanfic "Season 8 redo" which is crazy better than the real season 8. Now without further ado.

Ch. 1: Dream on and survive

September 15, 1979

I can't believe Donna would invite the whore to her house! She's my friend! Right? Whatever. Don't look weak. Break this bimbo! "So uhm tell me what are you gonna do with all your stripper money? Huh? Buy back your self-esteem?" Jackie asks.

"Ah, actually I bought a Trans-Am." Samantha replies.

"Oooh, a slut-car!"

Donna intervenes. "Okay, stop! Jackie, you and Samantha are gonna have to learn to get along. Mostly because I don't like being the cream filling in your oreo of bitchiness."

"Oh! So, all of a sudden your happiness is more important than mine? You are so selfish!"

"No. It's just that unlike you, I don't think Samantha is the worst piece of trash that ever walked the Earth."

"Ohhh! You traitor!" Jackie angrily answers. She hears Donna's "Jackie! Come on!" as she slams the door and leaves, but ignores her. How could she? This whore shows up, takes the love of my life and I'm supposed to get along with her? I didn't cheat! I didn't destroy everything! She continues to hear the conversation from her spot next to the door.

"So what color is your Trans-Am?" Are you serious!

"Powder blue."

"That's freakin' awesome!" And now I know how the twig felt about Casey Kelso.

"Does Jackie do this a lot? Just run off and lock herself in her room when she gets mad at you?"

"Huh Not always. Sometimes she just tells people I'm four months pregnant."

"How can you be friends with her?"

"Well see the thing about Jackie is... see it's like... uuuhhhmmm..." All is quiet.

Are you kidding me! How about she kicked my fiance in the shins after he left me at the altar and without her the rock in my engagement ring would have been even smaller? Or she's been there every time that Star Wars geek screwed up and she's the reason my nails are not ruined for all eternity! A tear falls down her cheek. Oh God! No job. No boyfriend. Now not even friends.

She runs to the main door like a bat out of hell and gets in the Lincoln. She doesn't know where she's going. She just drives as the tears she's held in since she heard the words "we got married" pour out like a waterfall. Somewhere in her haze she reads the words, "Welcome to Racine."

I've driven for over a half hour.

She takes a deep breath and keeps driving as the freeway turns into main street. She looks around, sees the dark waters of Lake Michigan and decides to park. She takes a few deep breaths.

Enough! No more! Find another way. You're not the girl who gets destroyed by falling for a boy who was only out for a good time and drops her for a whore who can give him kinkier sex. You are not that girl! Stop crying!

She looks at herself in the mirror. Her make-up is ruined. She opens the glove box and finds her make-up case and the emergency fifty dollars Red told her to always keep. She fixes herself.

I'm gorgeous. Hyde, Donna and the gang can choose that whore if they want, but I'm still the freaking prettiest girl in Wisconsin!

After a few minutes she looks at herself in the mirror again and sighs in relief. Her eyes look a bit swollen but the redness of her face is gone and it's enough to make her slightly smile. She's still so pretty. She notices a bar nearby, takes the fifty dollars and heads there with a purpose.

Steven forgot me by drinking. Let's see if I can return the freaking favor! But no screwing a stripper much less marrying one, ewww!

She goes into the bar, flips her hair and smiles at the muscular black bouncer. He whistles at her, says "Welcome to Abbot's" and lets her in. Then with the best sway of her hips she walks straight to the bar and takes a seat.

"What will it be?" asks a tall blond with boobs bigger than Donna's.

Jackie scowls then answers, "The strongest thing you have."

The blond girl looks like she's studying her for a minute then her eyes soften. "Let's start you with a screwdriver."

"Fitting."

The girl disappears and Jackie looks around. The place is nice. Nicer than the bars in Kenosha that she's been to before. The blond returns with her drink and she downs it. "That's not juice," the stranger says. Jackie looks at her name tag and then answers.

"Look… Leah… be a good little barmaid and pour as many drinks as this can buy. Got it?" Jackie slams the fifty on the counter and looks at the girl with contempt.

"Okay, come on."

"What?"

"Move to that section. Over there." Leah points down the bar where a blond guy is drinking. A smoking hot man that's staring at the counter like the world is ending.

"Why?"

"Because misery loves company and if you move and get that one to say more than one sentence I'll let you have a hundred dollars worth of drinks."

Jackie shrugs and stands. "Whatever." She walks over and sits next to the blond man.

"This one prepaid for a hundred dollars worth of screwdrivers," Leah says to another bartender.

"That so?" The older man with silvering blonde hair that falls down to his chin turns to Jackie. "Think you can handle that?"

"Who are you to judge, old man?" she growls.

"Aren't you just a sweetheart," he spits sarcastically as Leah gives her another drink.

"Leave the broken hearts alone," Leah says, watching Jackie down her second screwdriver of the night.

"Who's the owner here?" the man mocks.

"The members of the Abbot family?"

He frowns. "You and your smart mouth better go take care of that side before I can say fired. I got the boy and sweetheart."

"Don't patronize me," the blond guy next to her growls and jumps over the bar.

"Dammit kid!"

"No need to curse or waste time serving us. Me and…"

"Jackie."

"Me and Jackie are having a glorious evening without bothering anyone." He grabs three bottles from behind the bar, puts them in front of Jackie and jumps over again.

"Hell no! You wanna mix your own, get away from my bar."

"Fine by me," the guys says and shrugs. He stands, grabs the bottles and walks over to a side door. "You coming?" Jackie shrugs and begins to follow him. "Get our glasses." She does. They pass the door, walking into an area with tables and music playing. Some people are dancing and some sing what's on as they stand in the small stage in the front of the room or on the tables. He motions to an empty table and they sit. He pours from two of the bottles into her glass and from the other he fills his.

"Bottoms up," he says and downs the brown liquid. She does the same with hers and he's pouring again.

"How do you do that? It tastes the same as the bartender's."

He snorts. "I'm offended. Leah has only been at it a year." He drinks again.

"You're a bartender?"

He nods. "Soldier by day. Bartender, musician by night. You?"

"I… I used to have my own public television show." She drinks. "But, I'm taking a break for now."

"Fancy. Must be nice to have enough money to take a break."

She drinks some more. "It's not really by choice." He raises his eyebrows at her. "Why do you care?"

He downs his drink. "I don't. But maybe your story is as pathetic as my own."

Now she raises an eyebrow. "What's your name?"

"Peter. Peter Mercer."

She puts her hand out and he shakes it. "Jackie Burkhart."

An hour later.

"A stripper? A real life take her clothes off for a living stripper?"

"Yes! Two years! For two years I loved that excuse of man! I encouraged him to meet his dad! Drove to Milwaukee everyday as soon as I got out of school to support him in his job and spread gossip about his sister. But I'm too demanding! I got knocked up and was upset and wanted to pretend I was getting married and starting a family and got caught pretending to live all my fantasies. I needed to know if he saw a future with me for me, not just the baby. That maybe there was a chance to get the dream. That's what my pretending was about. I broke up with him, hoping he'd give me something and everyone thinks I'm a bitch and assumes I did it only because I'm a spoiled marriage obsessed princess. Which I am but, there was more to it. But I lived with that. I forgave the I don't knows, took him back after I lost the baby, and didn't even tell anyone so he didn't get to feel that pain. I tried to save him from pain! Me! The selfish spoiled princess! But I'm the one everyone blames. Then the job comes up and he still doesn't know and when he finally shows up in Chicago, his paranoias about Michael hit full force. And instead of letting me explain, the dumbass goes on a bender to Vegas and trades this," she says, pointing to herself, "for an air head who takes her clothes off for a living!"

"Damn! I'm -"

"Remember the rule!"

"Yeah. Not sorry. Umm… well it's his loss." She slouches. "I'm serious! You're smoking hot. And from what I can tell you're nice enough and you really loved him."

"You think I'm nice," she laughs and then downs the rest of her drink. "No one thinks I'm nice."

He shrugs and they notice his bottle is empty. "Be right back." She slumps on her chair, looks around at the people dancing and laughing at the other tables and realizes that she hasn't cried. She's yelled and cursed the life out of Steven, Donna and every single member of the gang, but hasn't cried since she walked into this place. Peter comes back with a new set of bottles and plops down.

"Got yours too in case you run out," he says.

"Thanks? So what's your story?" He lets out a sigh and shakes his head. "Come on. Can't be worse than mine."

"We're really gonna need this," he says as he pours himself another drink and downs it.

"What is that anyway?"

"Scotch."

"You must have a high tolerance," she slurs and then giggles.

"Might be genetic. Figures, but once it kicks in I'm going down."

"Good to know. So… story time."

"My ex went into labor today."

"What!"

"Not mine," he adds, seeing her accusing expression.

"Oh."

"Yeah oh."

"So -"

"My brother's. The girl I've been in love with since we were five years old and my fucking brother!" Her mouth falls open. She tries to come up with words and ends up making little squeaks of disapproval. "Remember the rule. You made it."

"Of course. I'm not sorry. It's just… that's..."

"Beats the stripper?"

"I don't know. You still have a job."

"Two actually."

"Rub it in. Then again… you're the one who loved someone since you were five years old."

"Stupid, right?"

She shakes her head in denial. "Did you ever tell her? That you loved her."

He nods. "When we started dating, when we lost our virginity, when we graduated, when she got her first job at the Marina, when I got my first paid gig, before I left for basic training. Lots of times since we were fifteen."

"Fifteen? How old are you?"

"Twenty two. You?"

"I'll nineteen on the twenty fourth."

"Happy early birthday," he says then lifts his glass in cheers and drinks.

"Thanks. So... you dated this girl for seven years?"

"I was a sucker for seven years."

She rolls her eyes. "Did you give her jewelry?" He looks at her like she's insane. "Never mind. For the record, she's the stupid one. A stupid slut. How could she not love someone who's loved her since she was five and who told her for seven years? Steven told me once! Once! And it was after the freaking nurse."

"The nurse?"

Another twenty minutes and more alcohol later.

"Let me get this straight. You gave up your chance to record an album with your band and went into the army for the income security to help pay your brother's debts from trial."

"And mandated rehab."

"And he slept with your girlfriend!"

"And they pawned my Fender while high and drunk; on the wild bender that probably led to today's baby. Pawned my Fender on a bender!" he starts to laugh. She is also laughing like crazy.

Two hours later. Standing on a table they scream, "Sing with me! Sing for the year! Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear! Sing with me, just for today! Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away! Sing with me! Sing for the year! Sing for the laughter! Sing for the tear! Sing with me, just for today! Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away!" Half the room is singing with them and flailing about. When they're done he jumps off the table and holds his arms out for a hysterical Jackie to land in them.

"Okay maybe the angry rock isn't so bad!"

"Aerosmith is the best!"

"Whatever. It's still angry music. My turn."

"Oh no!"

"I learned yours!"

"Fine!"

A while later they're screaming at the top of their lungs and disco dancing on stage. "Do you think I'd crumble! Did you think I'd lay down and die? Oh no, not I, I will survive! Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive! I've got all my life to live! And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive! I will survive! I will survive!"

They somehow stumble down the stage's steps without killing themselves.

"I wouldn't have, you know," she says. He looks at her confused. "Told him to walk out the door. Not permanently anyway. If he would have sent the stripper away and come begging at my door, it would have taken time and I would have bitched forever but I would have forgiven him. Like the nurse. Who's stupid now?"Jackie asks, staring at him with the saddest eyes.

He shakes his head in the negative. "You're not. You're beautiful."

Neither knows who closes the distance between them but their lips collide fiercely.

The next morning. Jackie wakes up naked in an unfamiliar bed. Her head pounds as she realizes there's a naked body spooning her and the memories flow to her brain. Peter. Oh God I slept with Peter who I just met last night. She stays still but after some time feels movement next to her and knows he's awake.

"Morning," he says sleepy and then sits up.

Her stomach churns and her head hurts. She sits up as well and pulls the covers up so her breast are hidden. "Look I just want you to know I'm not some slut. You're the first guy I ever sleep with that I haven't known for years. I don't do this."

"I know."

"You know?"

"You kept saying 'You should know I don't do this. Oh God yes! But, know I don't do this' even as we did," he says with a smile.

She scowls at him. "Well as long as you know!" She grimaces as her own loudness makes her head hurt. "So what now?"

"Breakfast?"

"I don't think I can eat."

"I'll make coffee." He stands and she covers her eyes. "Nothing you haven't seen before," he comments as he puts on boxers and grabs a T-shirt.

"I know. It's just... I've only ever seen Michael and Steven."

He nods. "I'd only seen Monica until last night."

"What!"

"Can you tone it down? Head hurts enough."

"You've only had sex with one girl your whole life?"

"Two now. Thought we established I had a girlfriend for seven years?"

"I know. It's just… never mind." He is dressed and looking at her. "Could you go start the coffee so I can get dressed?"

"Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Haha funny."

"For the record you have nothing to be ashamed of."

She throws a pillow at him. "Get out!" He laughs and walks away.

After she gets dressed they settle at a small table and sip their coffees. She remembers making her way upstairs to the small apartment above the bar. God she's so embarrassed and for once I her life doesn't have much to say.

"Look Jackie, I've never done something like this before so we're on the same boat here."

"Right." Silence. She takes a breath and tries again. "I guess we can either walk away and pretend we never met or we can try to turn this into some sort of relationship," she says, sounding like neither is particularly exciting.

"Or we could be friends."

"Friends?"

"Look, I don't know why but last night… I talked to you and I sang and discoed for you. I wanted to help you." She suddenly looks angry and is ready to scream but he intervenes. "But that's not why we had sex! Not at all! I sang and danced because I wanted to help you, but the sex was just… look it's been a while for me and you're hot. And it was good to feel wanted again even if it was only for a little while. Did I say you're hot? Like really smoking hot?"

She smiles. "You're not bad yourself and it's been some months for me. It was nice… the feeling wanted thing, even if you whispered Monica when you came."

"You called for Steven."

"Fair."

"Yeah. My point about helping you is that… it's been a while for that to happen too." She looks confused. "Jackie, I used to be the kind of guy who wanted to help people, family, friends. I might not have done it all the time, but I always wanted to. But since the cheating and the baby… it's the first time I've actually wanted to do something for someone and I even did it. For the first time since I found out, I don't feel that acting like a jerk and closing off is my only option. I even had fun. Thank you by the way."

"You're welcome."

"My point is, if I can, I'd like to still help you. No sex or friends with benefits just… you know listening and what have you. Just friends."

"You'd do that for me?"

He shrugs. "I wish someone would have for me when Monica and Russ happened. I mean someone who wasn't related to both of us or felt stuck being friends with us and having to choose sides or who wouldn't look at me with pity or like I was stupid for letting it happen."

"I get it and… yeah, I'd like a friend. It's not like I have a lot to pick from. They all chose Steven and his stripper." He's quiet and she shrugs as if it doesn't matter. "What time is it?"

"Eleven."

"Oh no!"

"What?"

"I had an interview at ten for a job at the perfume shop in the mall." She lets her head fall to the table and wills herself not to cry or puke from her hangover.

"You really need a job to keep the car and the house, don't you?"

She raises her head from the table. "Yeah."

"I have an idea."

Okay, about the OCs: I always wished that Jackie would have stayed with Hyde or worse case met someone else, but never in my worst nightmare would I have had her go for Fez. That was an insult to her characters, which I felt was kind of the point of season 8. They seemed to just want to bring Jackie down. Horrid! Also, I would have loved to see Hyde jealous after his huge mistake with the stripper and seen his softer side again like we did after the nurse and then when he was getting ready to go to chase her in Chicago. Oh, the missed opportunities! Hence Peter. Physically I based him on a popular actor in the early 2000s since that's when the show happened so when thinking Peter think Kip Pardue as sunshine in Remember the Titans. That's Peter.

Again, I love love reviews, so please let me know what you think.