A/N;; Hey everyone. I decided to try my hand at another Jackie and Hyde summer fic. My other one was a bit of a flop but we'll see how this goes. Read and review!
Disclaimer; I don't own That 70's Show or Led Zeppelin or Budweiser or Dashboard Confessional or Panic At The Disco.
I, I know why I don't
love you I'm just passing the time
Because when I look in her eyes
I just see the sky
When I
look in her eyes
Well I, I just see the sky
You could love me if I knew
how to lie
But who could love me?
I am out of my mind
Throwing a line out to sea
To see if I can catch a dream—"She
Had The World" by Panic At The Disco.
That summer was a hot summer. I remember this because each day her clothes became shorter, looser, and flimsier. For the first few weeks I didn't notice it, because as Foreman had mentioned on countless occasions, she's the devil and evil is not attractive. I mean, sure, she has a nice smile and amazing legs and awesome eyes, but what girl doesn't? She wasn't special or different. Well, she was definitely more annoying then any girl I've met, but besides that, nothing about her was striking or memorable. That's why in all the years she's hung around I never gave her more than a passing glance.
Until that freaking Veteran's Day Barbecue, she was just one of Kelso's toys and she was off limits even if I wanted her, which I didn't. I don't know what came over me when that stuck up, prissy, feather headed prick called her a bitch. Even years later, I tried to convince myself it was just a brotherly instinct or maybe I just had too much beer, but no one really bought it. After a while, it became kind of lame even in my head.
But I really dug my grave deeper when I took her out to Mt. Hump. And I really don't have anything to cover my ass about our kiss. It happened and it didn't mean anything to us. But what happened happened and I can't change it. Not that it changed anything anyway. I mean, we got along a little bit better and she didn't annoy the shit out of me as much, but I just continued ignoring her and her me.
And so for years I continued watching Kelso cheat on her countless times with Laurie and Pam Macy and what other trash he picked up from this crap hole. I watched as she slowly got more and more suspicious and when the pieces of the puzzle fit, the relationship was over. Foreman, Fez and I had a damn good laugh about Kelso's misfortune of finally getting caught juggling two girls at once. No one but Donna paid much attention to Jackie's end of things, but that was mainly because Jackie forced Donna to.
In the long run, though, I think Jackie benefited most from loosing her first boyfriend. We no longer had to hear her shrill voice demanding Michael around, no matter how humorous it was to watch him follow like a dog on a leash. Her obsession with sequins and ribbons and rainbows faltered slightly and she didn't constantly talk about Nancy Drew as much as she used to. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Jackie grew up after dumping Kelso. It was a relief for all of us to finally get to watch something other than The Newly Weds Game. Even after Kelso and she got back together, I still don't remember hearing her once play ABBA while we all sat in the basement together.
That summer started off with a dark cloud, in a way. Donna and Kelso disappeared to California a week after school let out, causing both Foreman and Jackie to despair about their relationship with them. I was left alone with Fez in the basement for the first three weeks, watching Fantasy Island and eating Tootsie Rolls with the kid. Eventually though he started a job as the water boy for the girls tennis team at the Recreation Center in attempt to sleep with all the girls on the team. His goal was to do it with all of them at least once by the time summer was over.
After a while though, Fantasy Island and Tootsie Rolls became old and I spent considerable amounts of time cruising in my truck just to get out of the house. I attempted to ask Foreman to come upon Kitty's request, but he spent fifty percent of the time in the bathroom and the other half in his room asleep. He soon acquired some sort of stubble on his face, which until then, I thought was impossible for him. Donna really had some sort of power over that kid, persuading me to never ever get into a relationship like that. I mean, what was the point? I had no heart, hence I couldn't fall in love anyway, and then I would have to deal with the sloppy breakup and I could not stand crying women. It was up there with pregnant women.
My record and tape collection grew a considerable amount that summer as I spent most of my evenings in the miniscule Point Place record shop. I mostly devoured Led Zeppelin III, though. In my car, in my room, in the basement; no matter where there was a record or tape player, Tangerine was playing. No one said anything for a while, mainly because no one was around to hear the repetition of the CD and I liked that. It may have been a lonesome summer but I was in charge and I could do what I wished without consideration of any one of my friends. Not that I gave them much consideration anyway, but hey, no bitching.
One Sunday evening, I was feeling spontaneous with my half eaten burger and a few beers in the back seat of truck. Point Place was getting old, not that that was news, but I craved for a change of scenery, even if it was only a few miles out of town. I drove toward the sun as it sunk behind the bland Wisconsin hills. Robert Plant drifted out the speakers talking about what a dazed and confused man he was and I sung along in agreement. I wasn't sure where the car was taking me and at that moment I didn't care. As I steered down roads, I finished off my burger and took a swallow of beer, tossing the empty can in the back seat. I wasn't completely wasted yet and I could still focus on the signs, so I took this as a good omen.
Pulling onto a dirt road, I studied the landmarks I had seen many a times on my expeditions to Mt. Hump; the small houses, the misshapen trees, the rock that looked like John Lennon's face. Reaching the cliff, I parked my car under a tree and grabbed a couple of beers on my way out. It always felt nice to be out here, especially in the late evenings of summer. The wind always hit you a bit more forcefully then it did a few feet below and in this humidity, it was welcomed greatly. I was surprised that I didn't see a couple or five as I usually did this time. But then I remembered that the new Godfather movie had finally opened up at the drive in and people would prefer an evening of sucking face there then on a hill christened Mt. Hump.
The rocks and dirt crunched under my heavy boots as I made my way to the familiar flat stone I normally accommodated on. Brushing the dirt and leaves off the grey granite, I looked down the cliff and remembered how many times Kelso had fallen off it. If I added it all up plus how many times he's fallen off the water tower, I would probably need three more sets of hands.
With my beers settled in, I finally fell onto the rock and stretched my legs out in front of me. I cracked open another beer which wasn't as frosty as it was when I left, but still sipped it appreciatively. Everything was perfect. I had beer and I had solitude. I did need some music though. Standing up, I walked over to my car and opened the door, starting the radio up. Grinning happily, I leaned into the car, taking in Zeppelin.
"Steven?" I jerked up, my head banging against the ceiling. "Shit," I mumbled, pulling out of the car and turning around. "Jackie?" I asked, genuinely surprised. And so it was. The brunette stood in front of me in a yellow and white summer dress with a light windbreaker over her shoulders. Her hair was pulled back, making her eyes stand out strikingly with her bangs pushed away.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" she said, biting her lip. "Uh, it's fine," I said uncertainly, grabbing my can of beer from the roof. "What are you doing here, Jackie? I didn't know you were one for the great outdoors." I rubbed the top of my head and winced slightly. "Well, I didn't know anyone would be up here, least of all you. I didn't know you left Eric's basement." I mock laughed and turned my back on her, stalking back to my seat and sitting back down. So much for my solitude.
I turned my head slightly and watched as my unwelcome guest pushed aside my beer cans and sat next to me, bringing her bare knees to her chest. She sighed, resting her chin on them, her dark eyes scanning the sky. "Can I have one?" She broke the silence, gesturing to the Budweiser's. I shrugged and she took that as a yes, cracking the lid with a perfectly manicured nail. I noticed her lips didn't even have the usual thick layer of gloss as she sipped the drink slowly.
"What?" she asked, turning her head to look at me. "Why are you staring at me, Steven?" I shrugged again. "You look different." I looked back out down the cliff. It was her turn to shrug. "I feel different, I suppose." I braced myself for the spilling of the guts and quickly finished the beer, all ready starting on another. "I mean, summer is a time for reinvention," she said, brushing her ponytail off her shoulder. "And maybe it's just about time I made some changes for myself."
"Yeah," I said. "How's that going for you?" "Not very well," she said flatly. I smirked slightly and looked out at the sun. It was almost gone, just a sliver of it showing behind the hills. I knew that soon it would shut off completely and the stars would begin their nightly routine of lighting up the sky for poor saps like me, stuck outside with a 95 pound vulnerable chick that was most likely going to start the waterworks at any given moment.
"I just want to be happy, I suppose," she said, somewhat to herself and partly to me. "Mmhm…" I finished off another beer and cracked open the last one I had with me. I silently cursed to myself for not bringing the whole 24 pack, but then remembered if that was the case, Jackie would probably be driving me home while I lay in the backseat passed out and even possibly puking on my beautiful seats. I would make this beer last.
"Oh, I like this song," she said, swaying slightly. I sat up, concentrating on the eight track in my car. It was Tangerine and I grunted in agreement. She began humming it quietly and I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "So why are you up here, Jackie?" I asked over Zeppelin and her humming. "The same reason you are, Steven," she said, her buzzing noises coming to a pause. "Why do you think I'm out here?" I took a long sip from my can and looked expectantly over at her. "To get out of Point Place."
I raised an eyebrow and laughed sarcastically. "How do you know I'm not meeting a stripper here or something?" "Because you're poor." Damn, good burn. "Hm, well…" I sat there, trying to think of something to say. "I guess you're right," I admitted, somewhat disgruntled. "Who is this?" she asked, referring to 'Since I've Been Loving You'. "Zeppelin, of course." I rolled my eyes at her ignorance. "I should have known." She let her tan legs down and they swung slightly, her sandal wedge shoes gently tapping against the rock. She squirmed around, itching her leg and slowly moving up her thigh. I focused on finishing my beer.
Once the last can joined the pile of other empty cans, I stood up, stretching. "Well, I think I'm going to head out," I said, looking down at her. "Yeah, I probably should too," she said thoughtfully. When she stood up, I noticed how small she was next to me. I always knew she was tiny and petite but being next to her just brought it to a new level. Turning on my heel, I pulled the keys out of my pocket and stalked over to my black truck. I slid inside and slammed the door, pushing the keys in and quickly starting the engine. Putting it in reverse, I began to slowly pull out as so not to hit some unexpected animal.
"Steven!" I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Jackie running over to my car. I rolled down the window and sat expectantly waiting. "Steven," she panted, leaning into my car through the passenger window. "My dad's car won't start, can you come look at it?" I glared at her. "Are you serious, Jackie?" Groaning, I killed the engine and pushed my door open, storming a few trees away to the gleaming black Lincoln. "Try starting it again," I ordered, looking at her. She nodded and slid into the driver's seat, starting the car. It made an awful screeching sound and stuttered and then completely stopped. "Damn," I said, opening the hood. I looked around the engine and studied the hoses but I had never heard a car make a noise like that in my life.
"Jackie, I don't know, man. It might be the battery or something, but I have never heard anything like that before." Her face fell and she pressed her forehead against the steering wheel. "Fuck," I heard her muttered. "OK, OK…" She sat there and I watched as her face went from option to option. Something finally clicked. "Hey, Steven…" "No, no! Oh no, Jackie," I said, horrified. I was not spending twenty to thirty minutes in a car with that. "Steven, please," she pleaded, her eyes round and dark. She stuck her lip out when I didn't budge and I knew she was going for the full effect.
"Dammit, Jackie, come on." I watched as she happily grinned and reached back to grab her purse. "Thank you so, so, so much!" She said as she skipped to my truck. I muttered an unheard whatever and slid inside after her. Starting the engine again, I quickly pulled out before someone else would play me as a taxi cab and maneuvered in the dark down the rocky dirt road. I flashed my lights, making sure no one was in front of me and stepped slightly on the gas. "Steven," I heard her squeak. "Please, please, go slowly. I absolutely hate this road." I looked over at her. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and her dark eyes were flickering out the window. "Jackie, shut up, it's fine. I've been down this road at night tons of times." That was a lie. Usually I was smart enough to get the hell off of Mt. Hump before nightfall. I hated this road in the daytime, but in the dark it was even worse. She squeaked quietly and pulled her jacket tightly around her as the breeze played against her skin.
"You can roll the window up if you want," I said, looking intently in front of me. "I'm fine," she said. Her voice was soft and tired. "Mmk." I slowed down a bit and pulled my glasses off as to see better. "Damn, it's dark," I murmured. I felt her squirm slightly and I looked over to her. She had her head leaning against the half open window. I tapped my finger anxiously against the steering wheel, studying the road in front of me. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and fiddled with the volume knob on the radio, turning Tangerine up a little louder. "You're not used to having people in your car." It wasn't a question, but a statement.
"No, I'm not used to having you in my car." I looked at her from the corner of my eye and saw her sneering. "Hey, you can walk home if you want!" For some reason I was fired up, rather it be the beer or the late hour or just the fact that I had Satan herself in my car next to me. All the same, I was in no mood for her smart ass attitude. I could have very well left her there for the night. "No need to shout," she said quietly, curling her legs underneath her. Her eyelids were dark and they slowly blinked a few times before closing. Her chest rose and fell slowly and her breathing became heavy. Finally, she was asleep.
After going through the Zeppelin cassette twice, we finally drove past the sign welcoming us to Point Place. I sighed, and looked over at the sleeping Jackie. I rolled her window up and she sat there, her head drooping on her shoulder, her small body rising and falling with each breath. Shaking my head in disbelief, I pulled into the 7-11 parking lot and pushed my door open, quietly extracting the keys. As the door gently shut, I watched through the window and was relieved the dragon didn't awake. Smirking, I made my way into the familiar station and headed straight for the magazines. I flipped through my favourite automotive ones and finally picked a few up and headed to the back, to the drinks. I scanned the freezers and pulled out a 12 pack and then took a can of iced tea for Jackie.
There wasn't a line when I got to the front so I quickly moved ahead and pulled my wallet out. I made small talk with the cashier and once I had my purchases, bid him a hasty goodbye and quickly left the store. I adjusted the plastic bags in my hands as I headed back to the car and pulled the keys out of my pocket, when I saw two guys standing near Jackie's window. She was awake and I heard her shouting.
"Get the hell away from me!" It was her normal bossy manner and I was sure once they heard her brisk annoying tone, they would flee. I knew she thought so too. But they didn't. They stood there with knowing smirks on their stupid faces. "But you're so damn pretty," one of them said, touching her cheek with a grimy finger. I saw her shudder and recoil into her seat. "Come on, baby, let's take a drive," he purred, attempting to open the locked car door.
"Hey, back off!" I shouted, walking quickly to the car. I dropped the bags by my door and walked over to them, standing in front of her. They were 10 times bigger then me and by the looks of it, not from around here. Point Place was way too quiet to have thugs and perverted kidnappers; excluding Fez who only made a girl so uncomfortable she kicked him in the balls. They flexed their fists and glared down at me but I stood my ground.
"Steven, come on, just get in the car," Jackie pleaded quietly into my ear. I ignored her and leaned back. "Seriously, beat it," I said sharply. They shared a laugh and a look and before I knew it, one had me by the collar. Jackie screamed. "Jackie, shut up!" I sputtered as my feet lifted a few feet from the ground. "Aw, don't want your chick to defend you, pal?" My fingers grasped his fist and I pulled myself up, pulling my foot back. I released it, kicking him between the legs and was quickly dropped on my knees. Coughing up dirt, I started to stand but a fist came my way and connected with the side of my face. I grunted, spitting dirt and blood onto the ground and quickly jumped up.
"You son of a bitch!" Before I knew it, Jackie sprung out of the car, kicking and scratching every bit of the men she could. She looked rabid, her hair flying around. I heard words come out of her mouth that not even Fez had attempted to say when we taught him English curse words. They were stunned frozen and I must admit I myself stepped back to watch her.
They quickly recovered though, as Jackie's thick shoes dug into one guys shin. The other stepped back uncertainly. "What the fuck are you doing?" his friend shouted, rubbing his knee in pain. He jumped up, obviously ready to throw Jackie over his shoulder, but I pulled her away behind me. "Seriously, back off!" I shouted, throwing a punch. It hit one guy in the eye. His buddy revved up and I half expected to be knocked unconscious. His face was red and full of rage and his fist was arched back. He grunted, and I closed my eyes, waiting…
"Hey!" We turned around as a cop jumped out of his car, a nightstick in hand. The two guys scrambled over each other, their huge feet tripping, but they finally sprung away. The cop panted, hitching his pants up. "Are you two OK?" he asked. I nodded, wiping my mouth. "Yeah, we're fine. Just…" I mumbled something about a disagreement and I steered Jackie into the car. "It was nothing, we're leaving." I grabbed the bags I bought minutes before and threw them in, quickly following after them. I started the engine as the cop curiously watched and nearly flew into reverse and down the street.
A few streets away, I stopped and parked the car under a streetlight. Jackie had been quiet for the past five minutes and I knew she was still recovering. I cleared my throat. "Are you OK?" I asked, looking at her. She stared straight ahead. "I… he… God…" She buried her face in her hands, rubbing her eyes. I noticed they were red, probably from exhaustion and tears. "Jackie, it's OK," I said sternly. She shuddered, hugging her knees to her chest again and looked at me. "Steven that was fucking scary!" I tried to bite back a grin but I couldn't. Every time she cursed, it just got funnier. "It's not funny, Steven!" she said and my smile faltered. "OK, OK, I'm sorry. Are you OK?" I asked as I stuck my hand in the 7-11 bags and extracted her iced tea. She shrugged. "Not really," she said, taking the can from me. "I don't like being touching by dirty men." "Yeah, I wouldn't think so." I really wanted to burn Kelso then but I bit my tongue.
"Jackie, I'm… sorry. I didn't know that would happen." She cracked open the drink and took a long sip. "I know, Steven, it's OK." "But Jackie," I said, my body starting to shake with unexpected laughter. "What the hell were you thinking, attacking them like that?" She grinned embarrassedly and shook her head. "I have no idea. I mean, I didn't like seeing you get punched, that's for sure." My laughing subsided and I turned forward. "Yeah, well, it's over. Let's just get you home." I started the car and resumed down the street.
"Can you turn that song on again?" she asked, setting her drink in a cup holder. I nodded, rewinding the cassette and turning it up slightly. She smiled and leaned her head against the chair, her eyes closed. The houses flew by as I turned into the richer area of Point Place where I knew the Burkhart mansion was. I was stunned into silence by the extravagance of the homes on the street, the unnecessary decorations. Shaking my head, I kept my eyes on the road. "Jackie, what one's yours?" I asked loudly over the song. She sat up and opened her eyes, scanning the road. "Oh it's right there," she said, pointing a few houses down. I drove up slowly in front of the house.
We sat there in silence for a moment as the last minute of the song finished. She smiled appreciatively. "I like that song," she said. I watched as she pushed the car door open and slid out, shutting it behind her. I watched as she skipped up the steps and pulled open the door that was probably 10 times bigger and heavier then her and slip inside.
Shaking my head, I started the car again and turned around, heading back to the Foreman's. I just survived an evening with the Devil.