A/N This is a quick one shot AU/What If story. A what if Jackie did not run out after yelling Get Off My Boyfriend. Again clearly AU. Hope you enjoy!
"Get off my boyfriend!"
The words rang out loud and clear in the living room and everyone froze turning their eyes to the brunette standing with a look of fury on her face, her redheaded friend Donna standing behind her with a look of astonishment.
The blonde named Annette, who the comment was directed to, turned towards Jackie. "Excuse me? What did you just say?"
"You heard me." The ex-cheerleader said with a fierce look in her eyes. "Get off my boyfriend!"
"Uh he is not your boyfriend honey." Annette said standing up placing her hands on her hips. "He's my boyfriend."
Jackie raised her hand and slapped her hard across her cheek sending her tumbling backwards. She then advanced toward her nemesis. "You listen to me. I am sick of this! I am sick of skanks like you thinking you can just up and take Michael from me! No more! I am not going to let you steal him! He's mine! You hear me! He's mine! I'm done sitting back and saying nothing while some cheap skank sinks her claws deeper into the one I love!"
"For your information I did not steal him!" Annette shot back.
"You just admitted you're a skank." Jackie smiled.
"Burn!" Kelso exclaimed.
Annette shot a look at him and he got an apologetic expression on his face. "Sorry." He said sheepishly. "But it was a good burn." Kelso added.
"Look Jackie." The blonde from California began. "You and Michael were history when he met me. He actually prefers me to you. I don't boss him around. I don't force marriage on him. I accept him for who he is and not who I want him to be. You on the other hand want to change him. You want him to be something he's not."
"So wanting him to be my loving husband is something he is not capable of? Is that what you are saying? All I ever wanted was Michael to love me and to want to marry me. I've loved him since I was a little girl. There was never anyone but him in my heart."
Hyde spoke. "Um Jackie…Hello? I'm standing here. Your current boyfriend. For the time being anyway."
Jackie took a deep breath. "Steven. I'm talking. This is a long time coming and I'm going to say it." She then turned back to Annette. "Michael is my soulmate. There is no question in my mind about that. I've always believed it. You don't feel that way about him. You couldn't possibly. You have not loved him as long as I have and as much as I have. So why don't you get your blonde shanky ass out of here right now!"
Annette turned her head towards Kelso who appeared to not know what to do. His eyes went to Jackie and then back to Annette. He held his hands up in despair indicating he was undeceived about where he stood.
The blonde rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm outta here. Good bye Michael. Don't call me!" She grabbed her purse and stormed past Jackie giving her an angry glare and then she brushed past Donna before opening the door and slamming it behind her almost causing the house to shake.
Kelso stood up and approached the firey brunette who was shaking. "Jackie…Did…did you mean what you said? You love me?"
"I've always loved you Michael." She said with tears in her eyes. "I never stopped. I can't deny it…I love you.."
He took this in and glanced over at Hyde then back to Jackie. "What about him?" He asked. "Jackie you are with him now."
She slowly walked over to the curly haired frowning young man. "Steven. I'm sorry. I know this is a rotten thing to do. I…I can't help it. I still love Michael. I will never stop loving him." Tears welded up again. "I'm sorry Steven." She sobbed. "I don't want to hurt you. I never meant to. I….I've been trying to deny it for so long. I told myself that I could make it work with you. I can't. I can't do it. Steven…I'm sorry. This is not how I wanted things to be. But when I saw Annette kissing Michael…I don't know..I couldn't deny it anymore. Something just snapped. There was no way I could hide it anymore."
"I see." He sighed.
"I will always be grateful for you taking me to the prom when I was feeling blue. I appreciate you helping me out of that depression I was in when Michael left. I tried to feel the same things for you as I do for Michael but I can't. I just can't. I never will feel those same emotions as I do when I'm with him. I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry."
"That's cool." He said in his usual nonchalant manner.
"Are you angry?" Jackie asked.
"Whatever." Hyde shrugged.
"Steven please I swear to you I did not want to inflict this on you. I'm really sorry."
"Jackie just go be with Kelso." He sighed. "He's who you love. I'm not going to stop you. It's your choice." Hyde's eyes then went to Kelso. "You better treat her good." He said sternly. "I'm warning you Kelso you hurt her again…"
"Can I say something?" Michael said. "I would like the chance to have my say."
"What is it?" Jackie asked. "Go ahead."
He took a deep breath. "Jackie the happiest time in my life was when I was with you. I loved you. I know I had a terrible way of showing it but I really truly loved you. But you..you kept pushing marriage. I wasn't ready for that. I wasn't ready for kids and all the responsibility. It scared the hell out of me. Mostly because we were too young to be thinking about that. At least I know I felt that way. Then I met Annette. I thought she was great. I liked being with her but she wasn't you. She wasn't my shrill bossy Jackie. You wouldn't think I would miss hearing Michael you idiot but I did. Because that's who you are. And you were right. I was an idiot. And idiot to have someone as great as you only to allow you to slip always. Jackie I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry I caused you pain. I'm sorry took off to California like a chicken. What I should have done was tell you how I felt and where I stood. We could have worked it out. Hell Eric and Donna fought and they worked out their problems. There is no reason we couldn't work ours out."
Kelso moved closer to Jackie lifting his hand to gently touch her face. "I promise you Jacqueline Burkhart that I will never run again. I will never seek out another girl. There is only one for me. That is you. I love you. From the bottom of my heart I love you Jackie."
"I love you too Michael. I love you so much." She said throwing her arms around him tightly.
He lifted his arms holding her close. "I will never let you go. I swear."
"I'm never letting you go." Jackie said through tears of joy. "Never ever."
Kelso lifted her chin up with his finger before placing a kiss on her lips. They held each other for a minute or two before letting go.
Fez blew into a tissue. "This is so beautiful." He said.
Donna smiled feeling happy for her two friends. She figured they would eventually find their way back to one another. If anyone was it would be Jackie and Kelso.
The End!