A/N: Thank you so, so much for the reviews, I really appreciate it, you guys are the best!

Here is the second part of the dreadful conversation.

The songs in this chapter are from the first Led Zeppelin album (1969), "Dazed and confused" and "Your time is gonna come", I strongly suggest you listen to them!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything (neither T7S, nor Led Zeppelin).

Chapter 2

Friday, July 20th, 1979.

Eric Forman's basement

2 pm

Just as she was getting numb from sitting, Kelso came bursting into the basement, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Hey Hyde! Guess where we're going tonight? Charlie has this warehouse..."

He stopped then and there, seeing Jackie on the couch, lost in her thoughts and tears running down her cheeks.

"Hey... you're still here?"

Kelso didn't really know what to do or say. By the look of things, the "serious" conversation didn't go that well. Not that he wasn't surprised. He would have ran out of here long before Hyde apparently did.

"Where is Hyde?"

"In his room", Jackie said, barely keeping it together.

"Oh... I'm sorry, Jackie"

Kelso sat on the couch besides her and patted her arm, offering a shoulder to cry on. But she wasn't interested. Instead, she turned to him, brought her knees to her chin, and said with a sad pout:

"He said it was over."

"Oh, sweet pea, I'm sorry." Genuinely concerned, Kelso couldn't help but smile. "You want to make out?"

"Pfft what? No!" Jackie quickly sat straight, but had to admit that at least this sweet idiot made her smile.

"Michael... what do you think I should do?"

Kelso put his hands up, leaning away from her.

"Hey, don't ask me! Your..." he wiggled a finger at her "... er... relationship...it's way too complicated for me, Jackie. I mean, I'm here for you if you want me... you know..." he raised raised both his eyebrows and pointed at himself, "but I can't solve this for you." Jackie relaxed and leaned against the back of the couch, smiling again.

"Yeah... I don't know what I was thinking." She paused. "But still..." Jackie looked at him expectantly.

"Hey", Kelso threw his hands in front of him, "I don't even know what happened! Did he run off when you brought up the marriage thing?... I can't say I'm surprised". He was almost speaking in his "cop" voice.

Jackie frogged him lightly on the shoulder.

"No, Michael, he didn't run off. That was you, remember?"

Kelso laughed

"Oh yeah".

"Anyway... we talked about it. Or... I guess, I tried to talk, but he wouldn't listen. And then he thought I didn't want him anymore and he said it was over and went to his room." Saying those words, Jackie felt her eyes welling up again. Kelso stayed silent for a moment, then said, pondering his words:

"So you got Hyde to talk, huh?"

Jackie looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so? It didn't do any good, he still left. Maybe he really doesn't want me anymore" Kelso jumped in his seat.

"What are you talking about, Jackie? You got him to talk! This is Hyde, man! I for one was sure he was going to bolt or... say some crap like "have a good trip" or something. The guy can be mean." He practically cried the last words, obviously remembering all the not so nice burns he had endured from his best friend over the years.

She still wasn't sure. Was is possible that Michael was getting at something?

"I guess..."

"Well, go back in there and get him to talk again! You're Jackie! You can do anything!" A huge smile lit his pretty face. "You can do me if you want, I'm all up for it!"

Jackie frogged him again, now laughing. Yeah, what was she thinking? She did always get her way! This time would be no different. No one, not even Steven Hyde, could resist her.

Kelso was grinning in his sweetly moronic way that he somehow though was sexy, but Jackie was already up, straightening her jacket and running a hand in her hair. She smiled at Kelso, sincerely grateful for his input:

"You're right! Thank you Michael. I'm so not going to let him get away with it! Who does he think he is, not wanting to marry me!"

"That's the spirit!" Kelso went to the deep freeze and dug up a popsicle. "Oh," he waved the popsicle at her, "and if he still doesn't want to talk, just kick him in the shins, that'll do it!" Man, was Hyde in trouble.

Jackie laughed and made her way around the couch, eager now to confront Hyde again. But with each step she took, little bits of her determination faded away. Was there really a point in doing that? If the situation was different, she would have taken Michael's advice, but this was a serious matter. Hadn't Steven just ended things with her? She was sure of one thing though, this wasn't how it was supposed to end. But she didn't really know what the right solution was, nor how they were supposed to go from here. For the first time in her life she was ready to admit she wasn't in control. But she wasn't ready to surrender yet.

She was in front of his door now and listened to the music that filled the small room behind it.

Been Dazed and Confused for so long it's not true.

Wanted a woman, never bargained for you.

Lots of people talkin', few of them know

Soul of a woman was created below.

Hyde was sitting on his cot, leaning against the wall behind him.

You hurt and abuse tellin' all of your lies.

Run around sweet baby, Lord how you hypnotize.

He'd heard her come in. God, she was persistent. And annoying. But there was no way in hell he would give in this time. This girl who used to know him better than anyone else seemed so estranged now. There wasn't much he could do. He didn't want her to give up her dreams for him, and even if he didn't want her to leave, he didn't want to be her second choice. There was no middle ground.

Jackie was still standing by the door when she spoke calmly, trying not to sound too threatening.

"Steven, what are you afraid of?" Hyde didn't move.

Every day I work so hard, bringin' home my hard earned pay

Try to love you baby, but you push me away.

Don't know where you're goin', only know just where you've been

"Steven, I asked you a question." Jackie wanted to move closer, but she was scared he would push her away. Still staring at the bare space in front of him, he finally spoke:

"Yes, and I chose to ignore it. Now go to Chicago, have a good life." He looked at her briefly, his sunglasses on again, but she swore she could feel the cold gaze he gave her.

She was about to turn around and walk out, but stopped herself, determined, once again, not to let it all go to waste.

"Steven, just answer my question."

Hyde sighed, as the next song began playing, and pushed himself to the tip of the cot, laying his hands on his knees.

"Jackie, I don't know what you're talking about, I'm not afraid of anything."

Jackie let out a small gasp. "You're certainly afraid of marriage! And of the future! And, oh, of me talking to you about marriage and the future!"

"No, I'm not, you just piss me off."

Jackie sat besides him, laying her hand on his shoulder. She could feel how tense he was, which gave her a little hope. Underneath the harsh words, he wasn't all that zen. She tried to make him look at her.

"No, Steven, admit it, you are afraid. Because you have to make a big decision and it frightens you. But we can talk about it."

"I thought we already did." Jackie let out a sigh, but didn't let go of his shoulder. He wasn't making it easy for her. "You know what, I'm sick of it, all right? I'm done talking."

"Well I'm not." Since he still didn't want to look at her, she stood up from the cot and sat in the chair opposite to him, putting a hand on his knee. Hyde sighed and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms on his chest, determined not to let her touch him. She heard him mumble "Go figure" before she spoke again.

"Steven, why can't you tell me that you see a future for us? You say you want to be with me, but the minute I make plans for longer than a day, you pull back and act as if you don't want to be together anymore? Do you think we're so "creepy and unnatural" together that there is no future for us?... Don't you want a life with me? Don't you want to grow up? Us to grow up?"

Hyde sighed, slowly got up from his cot and walked to the stereo to flip the record.

"Jackie, what is growing up, anyway? What is life, for that matter? Who's to say?" He wasn't going to make it easy.

"Oh, don't give me this crap!" Jackie raised her voice, her angry gaze burning a hole in Hyde's back as he was adjusting the stereo.

Hyde knew it was a stupid thing to say, but he actually was scared, scared of things he didn't want to admit even to himself. He had thought for a while that he could confide in her, but the way she had been acting lately... He had prefered to go back to the old ways. Still, the girl was stubborn, you could give her that. Maybe he could tell her, so that she'll leave him the hell alone.

- "Fine", he said through his teeth, facing her. "You really want to know?" He sat back on his cot.

Drive me insane, trouble is gonna come to you,

One of these days and it won't be long,

You'll look for me but baby, I'll be gone

Jackie nodded in silence, her eyes locked on his face, leaning forward so that she could put both her hands on his knees.

"I don't see a future with you because I don't see any future. There." He looked away, staring at the stereo, drinking in the music.

Made up my mind to break you this time,

Won't be so fine, it's my turn to cry.

Do what you want, I won't take the brunt.

It's fadin' away, can't feel you anymore.

Jackie raised her eyebrow, expecting an answer any minute now. But it was as if Zeppelin had some kind of hypnotic power over Hyde.

"You know what, forget it."

"No, no Steven, please tell me. Please tell me something, anything." She put more pressure on his knees.

Hyde paused again, weighing his options. She wouldn't budge. Man, was she annoying. But he also cared about her, so he decided she at least had the right to know the truth.

He sighed.

"Look, I know things change, and life happens, and all this crap. Hell, up until a few months ago, I didn't know I had another father than Bud. And a bitchy sister." He paused. "And now, I have a family, well kind of, and a job that I like, and... a girlfriend... » Hyde whispered the last words, as if he wasn't sure anymore, but Jackie encouraged him to continue, sitting herself right besides him on the cot.

"Yes, I'm with you so far."

"But... what if it all goes to crap again? I mean, I just begin to see a little more clearly. But I don't know what will happen tomorrow. What if, I don't know, what if all of this disappears as quickly as it came? One day I live in Forman's basement, the next I'm the son of a rich black guy and before you know it I'm wearing a tie..."

Jackie nodded and smiled :

"Steven, you're not working at the office anymore. You have a record store. You like your job. Even if you're barely putting in any effort" The last words were said with a scoff, and Jackie hugged Hyde's shoulders lightly.

"That's nice, Jackie."

Jackie was struggling not to laugh, and patted his back.

"No no, what I'm saying is, yes, things happened fast, but everything is all better now, isn't it?"

"Well it was." Hyde looked at her. "Until you opened your big fat mouth again to talk about marriage. »

"Hey, my mouth isn't fat!" Jackie leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered. "But if you don't trust your future Steven, don't you want something in it that will be a sure thing? Don't you trust me. Don't you trust us?"

Hyde threw his hands in the air:

"I already told you, man! I don't trust anyone!"

He knew it was a conversation they had already have. He wanted to believe they were a sure thing, but having lived all his life not relying on anyone, it was hard to make a decision that would mean letting go of a part of himself, and he wasn't prepared to do that just yet.

Jackie leaned against him.

"Steven, I'm scared too, okay? I've never had to make such a big decision in my whole life."

"Oh so you're using me to make that decision for you, is that it?" He really didn't trust her.

"I'm not using you for anything!"

Hyde pointed a finger at her, fully facing her:

"Oh yes you are, you're afraid to go to Chicago and take a job, but in the meantime, you want it really bad, so you bring up the only thing that you know will piss me off so it will be easier for you to leave!"

Enough was enough. Jackie raised her voice as well:

" You're so full of crap, Steven! I don't want to get married just to get married, I want to get married to you, I want a future with you!"

Hyde turned away from her and leaned back on the cot:

"Well, I told you I can't think about the future, Jackie. I'm uncertain of today as it is, so it's not really easy to make a decision that will affect the rest of my life, you know?" He said those words calmly, and his tone soothed Jackie as well. She wrapped her hands around his chest and let her head fall on his shoulder. After a few minutes of silence, she whispered slowly:

"Okay, I understand."

" You understand what?" She could feel the scowl on his face.

" I understand that you need to grow up. I understand that while you might not trust anybody there are people out there who trust you, and love you, and rely on you as much as you rely on them, even if you'll never admit it."

She was still speaking calmly, and her usually high pitched voice was now relaxing, even though she truth she told wasn't easy to hear. Jackie raised her head and looked at him:

"Why do you think the Formans took you in, Steven?" Nothing. "They took you in because they love you and care about you, and they wanted to keep you safe. And I know you know it, because otherwise you wouldn't be grateful, and, most importantly, you wouldn't behave like you're part of this family."

"But I'm not, Jackie, I'm not part of it, I don't even know if I'm part of anything anymore."

Happy from hearing any words come out of his mouth, Jackie leaned even closer and whispered in his ear:

"You're part of me." This girl was crazy. And she wasn't finished yet. "You are Steven. You and I we are our own family. I know you know it. I know you feel it, because you wouldn't have done everything you've done if you didn't feel the need to protect me and be with me. I know it's hard for you to imagine that someone might depend on you, Steven, or even want to, but I do. Because I know you feel the same way."

This time he pushed her slightly away from him, crossing his arms, and said roughly:

"No, I don't. I don't need anybody's help and I'm perfectly fine by myself."

Jackie laughed, as her sparkling eyes met Hyde's barely « zen » face.

"Oh Steven, if you were fine by yourself, you wouldn't be living here, and liking it, and you wouldn't be in a relationship with me, either." He didn't know what to say. "Look, I know it's all happening a little fast, okay? But you said yourself that you wanted to be with me, and that you needed me... "

Hyde raised his eyebrow, smirking, amazed at how she could turn everything at her advantage.

"Jackie, I never said I needed you."

"Well, you might want to say it now then", she said with a pout, crossing her arms as well.

After a long silence, he finally gave in.

"Fine." What the hell. "Jackie, I do need you. I don't want you to go away, okay? But... I don't want to get married either. Yet." He whispered the last word, and wasn't sure she heard it. She sighed and seemed lost in her thoughts for a few minutes. He put his hand over her shoulder, bringing her closer. "What are you going to do then?" he asked.

" I don't know."

A/N: What did you think? Do you think they are finally getting a hold on their issues? It won't be smooth ride from here, but they're Jackie and Hyde, they have to make it! And reviews from you might just do the trick! Just kidding, but who doesn't like a review? Please, pretty please?

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