A/N: If the end of season 7 hasn't been set as a preview of the disaster that was season 8 (gasp), maybe the short and frustrating verbal exchange Hyde and Jackie had in episode 23 ("Take it or leave it") could have gone differently. Here is my version of it, and of what might have happened next! These two have a lot of issues but they do love each other and boy do we love them together!

So here it is, read, enjoy and of course, review! (pretty please?)


Disclaimer: I don't own anything


Chapter 1

Friday, July 20th, 1979.

Eric Forman's basement

1:00 pm

"I thought we just agreed not to talk about our future?" Hyde was getting pissed at this turn of events. But mostly he was scared. He didn't want to go down that road again and he knew her determined tone and tears in her eyes wouldn't lead to anything good.

"But our future is happening right now, Steven!" Jackie took his hand and sent him a pleading look.

Hyde took in a deep breath and struggled to keep his voice level:

"No, what is happening right now is you bullying me into marrying you when I specifically told you that don't want to talk about marriage!"

What? That felt like a slap in the face. She didn't believe what she just heard. Yes, she knew his take on marriage, but this was a serious matter. She was going to leave is he didn't give her the right answer. She didn't believe she was being manipulative. She knew she was on the verge of crying.

"Is this your answer? You don't see a future with me? You don't want us to get married? Ever?"

There was a long pause. She clung to every slight move his body was yet to make. Finally Hyde let out a sigh and spoke:

"Jackie..."

But she had been waiting too long, she wasn't prepared for the rejection.

"No, Steven, listen to me. I know I have been acting crazy about the marriage thing." She shifted uncomfortably on her seat as Hyde watched with what appeared to be an amused smirk forming on his lips. "I just... I can never tell how you feel about me. Marriage is the biggest dream of mine since I was five years old, Steven, you know how important it is to me." She looked at him, trying to catch his gaze, but he suddenly backed against the back of his chair, obviously angry.

"Oh, so that's it, huh?" Jackie didn't understand. "The only thing you want is to get married, right? Well why do you waste your time with me then?" Instead of leaving, he turned completety away from her and crossed his arms on his chest. His whole body stiffened as he went deep into his zen, ignoring her completely.

Jackie let her head fall on the back of the couch and sighed. She was remembering all the reasons she broke up with him a few weeks ago. She knew in her heart she had pushed too far, acted like a spoiled brat, something she thought she managed to overcome. The reason was though, no matter how good it had been with Steven, sometimes she wondered if their couple could survive both of them growing up. Back then, she knew she was going to graduate soon, she knew she would have to make decisions about her future, and even though she didn't want an engagement ring from Steven as a graduation gift, as she had wanted for so long when she was dating Michael, she was scared of the future, of the too many options ahead of her, and just wanted to be reassured that the man in her life she loved with all her heart would still be a constant after she was done with high-school.

It was a rash decision to break up with him, no matter what she told him that night, but then again, she was afraid, and felt lost in the weeks following her break up. She thought she could get back at him in a way that had proven to work before, but she was not a little girl anymore, and he certainly wasn't a boy. And even though she knew exactly why both of them ended up together again, she felt more comfortable bringing up stupid reasons the day Fez confronted them both, as well as him, apparently.

The wounds were still fresh, and talking about the future was a sure way to speed up the relationship wrecking game she apparently was playing, but now it didn't matter anymore because if she didn't do anything she would lose the only man she had ever truly loved, and it would all be her fault.

Meanwhile, Steven was still in his chair, his arms folded on his chest and his eyes locked on the TV.

Jackie gathered all her courage and brought herself back to the tip of the couch.

"Steven, what are you afraid of?"

"Huh?" He paused. Still staring at the TV, he slowly began to turn his body towards the couch, finally landing his eyes on her. It was obvious the question had hit him, but he wasn't ready to let her see it, especially since he was still angry with her. He could have gone away by now, but he didn't want things to end like this, even if he didn't think for one second he was well equipped to fight back, or to fight for her for that matter, not when she acted like this anyway. Things had been good so far, he was enjoying his time together, he thought she knew how he felt about her, he had even told her he loved her, he had told her she made him happy. Maybe it was a long time ago, but then again, hasn't he been a good boyfriend for the last couple weeks? What more did she want?

"Look, I get that you might not be ready..." Jackie was still looking at him, obviously willing to continue this conversation.

"Good thinking Jackie." He sounded sarcastic. Of course he would. Steven could never talk about his feelings, not long enough anyway.

Hyde was almost angry. If she understood it, why did she keep bringing it up? The whole marriage thing was definitely driving him insane, and her too, apparently.

"But Steven..."

Jackie knew she was pushing her luck, but she was determined to get to the bottom of this, to know once and for all if Steven was acting like this because he really didn't see a future with her or if there was something else. He was hard to read all right, but she knew that underneath the zen facade there sometimes was a turmoil of emotions, and she was determined to get them out. To get some answers. Before she could continue though, he interrupted her.

"But what Jackie?" He paused, not really waiting for her to answer. "This is crap! I thought we agreed, I thought you were finally ok with the way things are between us?" He shifted in his seat, paused, then looked her in the eyes. "You know, I've had enough of this. Go away, go to Chicago, go to your job, get married for all I care!" He was really hurt, but he did had enough of it, when nothing he did or said was apparently enough for her. If she only wanted to use him, he wouldn't fall for it this time. He was feeling more stupid by the second.

Jackie raised from her seat, her hands balled in tiny fists at her hips.

"I know you don't mean that!" Her eyes were bright with anger and she felt tears coming up. How could he say that? After everything they had been through? Was it really all just a big waste of time?

Hyde lifted his head to meet her gaze.

"Oh yes I do." He didn't care anymore, he was barely keeping his zen. He was sounding mean, he knew that, but he knew that if she kept going on she would manipulate him, again. The blackmailing thing was hot for a while, but he had been serious about her for too long, she knew too much of him already, and now she was acting as if she never did. He took a long breath. « Because guess what Jackie, I don't want to get married, not right now anyway, maybe not even ever, and if that is want you want, well, you shouldn't waste any more time with me." With those words, he finally stood up, facing her.

Jackie came closer, anger and pain welling in her eyes. He should have known her better than this! Was she really coming along so shallow and bitchy?

"Seriously Steven? You think I want to get married just because I am some crazy... marriage.. addict?!"

"Oh you're crazy, you're right about that!" Hyde took a step back, folding his arms on his chest.

Jackie had enough of this. She wasn't perfect, she admitted that much to herself, and she was admitting it to Steven, who should have known how difficult it was for her, Jackie Burkhart, to do such thing. But if she was stubborn, it was nothing compared to him. He was the king of stubbornness and pride.

"You know what, Steven, I don't need this, I don't want to take any more of your crap. I'm not asking for you to propose right now, I'm asking you to think just for a minute about our future together, to just give me sign, something, that will tell me that you see me in your future, that you see a future for us, that I still have hope." Jackie came even closer and put her hand on Hyde's arm.

"Hope for what, Jackie? For a white picked fence fantasy?" He was still stiff and didn't seem to care for her contact. " Well, let me break it to you, doll, this is just a fantasy. I thought you knew that by now."

Jackie moved closer by an inch.

" I do, okay, I do. But am I not allowed to dream any more, Steven?"

Hyde practically screamed at her:

"So this is what you want? A white picked fence perfect future with your perfect Malibu Ken husband and perfect children? Get real already Jackie, you know I can't give you this." He took a step back, breaking their contact briefly, but she was persistent and came closer once again, putting both her hands on his folded arms.

" Why? Because you really can't or because you don't want to?"

Steven paused for a minute, considering his options. He could say that he couldn't, it was true, at least part of it: no matter how much money he made, he would never be the one to spend it on a « perfect » house and a « perfect life ». He could say that he didn't want to, and that would be true as well, because he wasn't this guy. He wasn't the one to buy jewelry, of flowers, for his girlfriend. He didn't want a future of him working his ass off only to come home to a boring suburban life. He was never this type of guy. Then again, coming home to her wouldn't be that bad. And maybe even being a dad someday could have a nice ring to it. That way he could maybe redeem his own crappy childhood. But if he was to consider a future with her, it certainly wouldn't look the way it probably was playing in her mind right now. The only thing both their visions had in common was both of them being in it, together.

"Because I don't want it." He gritted his teeth as those harsh words left his mouth. He never was good with words.

Eyes filled with tears, Jackie let her arms fall by her side, turned around and headed for the door. Here, she had her answer. Steven didn't want to be with her.

"But I know I do want to be with you".

She thought her ears were playing a trick on her. What? She looked back at him.

Steven let out a sigh.

"Jackie, I do want to be with you, okay. I know that." I don't want to be your Malibu Ken though if that's what you're after.

Jackie returned to face him, a tear already running down her cheek but a small smile forming on her lips. Although relieved to hear his confession, soon enough though she found herself asking the same question. He might want to be with her today, but she couldn't live with the uncertainty of tomorrow. And there still was the problem of Chicago.

"For how long Steven?" She asked calmly.

Here she goes again. He was no the verge of exploding. He just said he wanted to be with her. What more did she needed? Why was anything he did never enough? He sighed.

"Why do you need to know, Jackie?"

Jackie was amazed at how he didn't get her sometimes. She stared at him.

"Why do you need me to say something you know I can't say?" He uncrossed his arms, only to wave at her. "You broke up with me the last time I told you I didn't say the things you wanted to hear, you didn't want to talk for weeks after that, and now we're back together and you nag me again with this crap!" His hands were both down his sides now, balling into fists.

"Steven..."

" Is that why you're giving me an ultimatum? Because you want to break up?" It was stupid, but he wasn't sure of anything anymore. If she didn't let go when he told her he wanted to be with her, then she wanted something he couldn't give. After all, she maybe didn't want to be in this relationship anymore.

Jackie took another step towards him.

"No. I just told you you were the most important person in my life Steven, how can you say that?" Her voice was welled with tears, her bright eyes guilting him into looking at her.

"I don't know Jackie, how can you keep nagging me when you know it can't end well?" Hyde was speaking more calmly now, as if he already believed this was over.

She wanted to say she was sorry. Say that she wanted to be with him too, and not think about tomorrow, but she couldn't. She couldn't afford to. Tomorrow was happening right now. Before she could think of anything else to say, Hyde let his shoulders fall and put his hands on his belt buckle, facing her with all the zen he could muster.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You know what, Jackie, fine by me." She really had it coming this time. He bared his feelings once again to her, but she just kept pushing and pushing. He had given her an answer, the best one he could come up with, the most truthful answer by his standards. And it still wasn't enough.

Hyde then turned away from her and walked to his room, leaving Jackie practically fall on the couch.

He wouldn't let her play with his feelings again. If this wasn't what she wanted, he couldn't possibly give her anything else.


A/N: What did you think? It's an angsty cliffhanger, but these two have a lot to process, so it's going to be a fun ride! See you in the review section?

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