Caution

Set in the future, though the date really doesn't matter. Completely unrelated to how Season 6 ended, so just suspend T7S reality for a bit—if there's any reality left in Point Place.


"What the hell?" Jackie woke with a start, her heart beating wildly in her chest. The covers of her bed were strewn about at the foot of her bed and she shivered as the cool night breeze from the open window blew over her sweat-covered skin. Closing her eyes and exhaling loudly she tried to steady her breathing.

For the past couple of nights she had woken just the same. She glanced furiously at the clock, only to have it mock her, telling her it was almost 3 a.m. Her whole body shaking, Jackie walked unsteadily to the bathroom. She flipped on the overhead light and closed her eyes at the brightness. Opening them slowly to gaze at her reflection in the mirror, she was horrified at what she saw. Her eyes looked wild and unfocused, dark crescents hovering below them. Splashing water on her face, she leaned heavily on the sink for support.

It had been the same all week. Every night she woke up in the middle of the night, her body wracked with chills, heart racing. She didn't wake from any horrible nightmare but instead she seemed to wake with a sense of dread. If she believed in all that crap about sensing disaster she would believe she had ESP. But regardless she couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to change in ways she couldn't even begin to fathom.

"Jackie?" her boyfriend's sleep filled voice came from the doorway. Looking up to his drooping eyes and slack jawed expression Jackie felt herself calming. His face cleared and his eyes narrowed as he focused on her disheveled appearance. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Concern laid heavy on his words.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry I woke you. I'm okay, just couldn't sleep I guess. C'mon let's go back to sleep." She turned off the bathroom light and grabbed his hand, leading him back to their bed.

"Are you sure? Jacks you looked upset. You know you can talk to me. I don't care what time it is." Steven's voice was sincere. He didn't like to let on that seeing her look so frantic had shaken him. It was unlike him to offer to talk, so she knew he must have been genuinely worried.

Jackie and Hyde had been living together in their own apartment for the past couple of months. Eric and Donna had married only six months earlier and Hyde had stuck around awhile longer in the Forman house. They knew Kitty was upset enough at losing Eric, so he had waited to leave her as well. Still Jackie and Hyde were only living downtown in a nice little apartment. Eric and Donna had stuck around Point Place too; still not ready to leave everyone behind. Both didn't like to admit that there were things about Point Place they actually enjoyed. The two couples saw each other everyday, much like they did in the basement. It was harder to hang with Kelso what with his relationship with Brooke and their daughter Jenna. Having a baby had forced Kelso to grow up, but he was still the same old Kelso, always ready with a crazy plan and a dimwitted comment. It was nice to know some things never changed.

Fez still hung around with them, as lonely as ever. His marriage to Laurie had been over for quite some time and he was back to his normal needy self. He had gotten a good job at The Hub, filling his constant need for food. Hyde had continued to work at the Holiday Hotel while Jackie took courses at the local junior college with Eric and Donna.

During high school Hyde had caught Jackie doodling in her notebook and saw that she actually had quite a bit of talent. It was Hyde who had pushed Jackie to follow this path of art, whether she one day incorporated it with fashion or some other venue remained to be seen. Regardless, Jackie was enjoying her drawing courses and Hyde was glad she was happy.

But the last week had brought a change in Jackie's demeanor. Hyde was well aware that she had been waking up in a panic and he had tried to let her handle it, but after the third straight night he knew it couldn't be ignored any longer. Seeing her in the bathroom, her eyes searching, her skin clammy to the touch—he knew he had to talk to her.

"Seriously Jacks, something's wrong. This is the third night in a row." Usually Hyde would prefer to let the whole issue die, hoping it would go away on its own, but it caused him uneasiness for him to see her in turmoil.

"I don't know what it is, but I really don't want to talk about it right now." Jackie sat in the center of the bed and looked at Hyde pacing at the foot. She was mad that her anxiety was causing him to be upset and she really didn't want to think about it anymore. They were both up and Jackie could think of a better way to spend their time then talking about her panic attacks.

She crawled to sit in front of him on the bed. Hyde continued to pace, unaware of her movement and she was forced to grab his arm to get him to focus. He looked down at her then, his lips parted, ready to speak. One look into Jackie's eyes had him closing his mouth again and inhaling deeply. Jackie raised herself into a kneeling position in front of him. Looking straight into his eyes she grabbed the back of his neck and pressed his lips to hers.

Jackie's lips parted deliciously, inviting Hyde's tongue to enter at his will. His arms tightened around Jackie's waist, one hand slipping down to knead her butt. Jackie's hands were fisted in Hyde's curls, threading the stands around her knuckles, scratching lightly at his scalp with her fingernails.

Before he could get too caught up in the sensation, Hyde pulled away. Jackie's face masked with confusion, he shook his head to clear out the lust that had quickly taken hold. "Jackie. We need to talk about this. Normally I wouldn't stop this, unless I was worried. And I am." His voice was low, the words rolling softly.

"I know. I just really don't want to have to deal with it right now. I'm sick of feeling anxious. I just want to replace that feeling with something else. You make me feel safe." Her eyes were pleading with his, silently asking him for one night of not having to deal with her panic. "Help me feel safe."

How could Hyde refuse that? Any resistance he had built up was shattered as he pulled her to him again, slanting his mouth over hers. She responded hungrily, hoping to replace her anxiety with a better feeling. Hyde wanted to help and far be it for him to deny that this was a much better way of helping than talking. Hearing Jackie say that he made her feel safe had Hyde's stomach knotting; it was such a responsibility, one he wasn't sure he could live up to but he would spend his life trying.

She kissed him greedily, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, his hands gripping her hips. Their kisses were frantic, Jackie expending all her nervous energy and Hyde responding just as fervently; using his own worried feelings for her. Jackie silently thanked God that Hyde never wore a shirt to bed as it allowed her to easily explore the plains of his chest. It was familiar territory and that alone brought comfort. Her fingers danced along his stomach, brushing lightly at the sprinkling of hair that covered his chest and stomach. Hyde's heart beat wildly under her hands, and he moved his hands from her hips to slip them under her tank top. Her back was smooth and warm and she trembled at the feel of his rough hands on her skin. Wanting to feel his skin on hers, Jackie reached down and pulled the bottom of her tank top over her head in one quick fluid movement. Hyde's eyes were wide, the exotic blue in them overpowering the rest, drinking her in with his gaze. Gone was his concern for her and in place was pure and unadulterated lust. His hands immediately went to cup her breasts, his fingers slightly pinching the tip of her nipples. Jackie moaned low in her throat and threw her head back, her hair cascading down her back. Her body responded to his touch, arching into his hand to fill them more completely. She needed to feel like this, alive and empowered, sexy and vulnerable, and Hyde held the key to that feeling. It had never been like this with Michael and Jackie knew it was because she trusted Hyde completely: with her heart and body. Frantic to touch Hyde as well, Jackie grasped at the subtle muscles of his arms and drew him closer to her until their torsos were pressed together completely. Their heated skin caused a delicious friction between them and Hyde struggled for breath.

Jackie focused her eyes on Hyde's mouth, drinking it in, tasting it slowly, before moving her mouth to his ear, pulling on the lobe with her teeth. Hyde's hands were gripping tightly onto Jackie's hips, pulling her forcefully against him, making her feel how much he wanted her. No longer able to stand it, Hyde pulled Jackie's legs and wrapped them around his hips before throwing them both onto the bed. Hyde's body completely covered Jackie's as they fell back onto the bed. Jackie's legs wound tightly around his hips, squeezing painfully, urgently while she used her feet to massage his legs. Jackie couldn't stand the build up anymore; she was seeking a quick and fast release. Using her body to roll them over, Jackie now sat on top of Hyde's hips, rolling her hips slowly, grinding their bodies together. Hyde's breath gasped and he closed his eyes painfully. Jackie reached down underneath her and pulled at the top of Hyde's sweats, releasing him fully from his pants. With one look at how hard he had become for her, Jackie couldn't wait any longer. Hyde's hands pulled her down, crushing her against his chest, taking her nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his teeth. Jackie's breaths were now coming in short gasps, her body responding completely to his touch, wanting him more with each tug. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders causing perfect crescent wounds. Jackie threw her head back and Hyde moved his mouth from her breasts to bite at her neck.

Hyde placed his mouth next to her ear, hovering. "I think it's about time we got you out of those shorts." His voice was low, the timber of it causing Jackie to shudder.

Not wanting to move away from his embrace, Jackie wiggled within his arms to free herself from her shorts, pulling the soft cotton material over her hips before she was able to kick them off. With them both free from all clothing, Jackie positioned herself over Hyde, lacking her fingers with him to steady herself before slowly feeling him enter her. Her head snapped back, her breath choking in her throat as she felt Hyde raise his hips to meet hers. Jackie felt the need to be in charge, to feel like she had some real control over something in her life, and Hyde was giving her the perfect opportunity. She looked down and locked eyes with Hyde, a smile spreading across her lips as the moved in perfect rhythm. He returned her smile as he strained beneath her, aching to flip her over and take control but allowing her to set the pace. Jackie leaned down and kissed him deeply, her tongue licking into his mouth, his teeth pulling at her bottom lip. Jackie knew that she needed him to take over, to guide her, to make her feel whole again, so she moved again so that she was once again underneath him. Hyde took the cue and pushed himself fully into her causing her mouth opening to gasp in pleasure. Her hands pulled at his back, willing him to move harder, grabbing at his butt, pushing him in further. She loved the feeling that he created within her: that she was the only person worth anything and that he would do anything for her. Aching for a kiss, Jackie pulled Hyde's face down towards hers, seeking comfort in his kiss as he kept up the steady rhythm that was much too quickly bringing Jackie closer to the edge. Soon Hyde's movements within her were too much, she could not be kept quiet. Jackie began to pant, her words filling his ears, his breath hot on her neck. Hyde, too, began to moan loudly, his muscles tensing at the upcoming release. He felt her breaking beneath him, her body shuddering with anticipation. "Stay with me, Jacks." His words were like a caress in her ear, causing the sensations to explode within her. She screamed loudly, his name on her lips, his whole presence surrounding her. Feeling the emotion that came spilling out of Jackie, hearing her breath his name hoarsely had been too much for Hyde to control and he found himself hurtling towards his release, his hands curled in her hair, the scent of her jasmine perfume overtaking his senses.

They both lay in the aftershocks, gripping each other tightly, Hyde's full weight on top of her. She didn't mind, it was a pleasant feeling; feeling so protected and sheltered by someone who knew you as well as possible. She understood why it was called "making love" and while it often felt like an overly romantic term, with Hyde it was clearly defined. Her heart soared with every touch from him, and she was completely satisfied with their relationship. Maybe that was the mistake; that was the big cause of her anxiety. She was happy. Shit always happened when people were too happy. But if that were true, then she'd take whatever life threw at her, to hell with the anxiety. She laid in complete silence, enjoying the scent of sweat on his skin, her body slick with his clean scent. Hyde blew lightly into her ear, eliciting a giggle from Jackie. She loved this side of him, when he was completely relaxed and didn't feel the need to keep up pretenses. He had grown a lot in their relationship since moving in together, his walls lowering, though not crumbling completely—it was Hyde after all.

Hyde rolled off of Jackie, and she immediately craved that intimate feeling once more. Lying on his back, he stared at the ceiling, his arm bent under his head. Jackie rolled and laid her head in the crook of his armpit, slowly rubbing circles around his nipple. He bent his head over and kissed the top of her head and Jackie sighed contentedly. Neither wanted to talk about what had been the reason for them being awake at 3 in the morning, and though they knew it should be discussed they chose to leave it for another time.

Jackie's eyelids fluttered; sleep taking a hold, while Hyde's arm wrapped itself around her shoulder. She felt content, happy to be with him, lucky to be with him. Her breathing slowed and Hyde knew she had fallen asleep. He tightened his arm around her and pulled the covers over their bodies, hoping that his presence could drive away any nightmare that would come her way.

"I'll take care of you. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Hyde whispered into her hair. She was the most important thing in his life and he was going to make damn sure she stayed there. Whatever it took he was going to watch out for her and if that made him a pansy, then bring it on. He was ready for whatever life brought their way.

To be continued...


Reviews- I'd love suggestions, I have a basic plan, but it is very basic and can be adapted to any helpful suggestion.