NOTE: So, all the title songs that I'll be using will be songs from the past few years--NONE will be oldies. Sorry. Also, I'm appologizing ahead of time because this next chapter is VERY long. I didn't think it would be, but as I was trying to make sense of why Hyde did what he did I noticed the big MESS that the writers had left and that it was difficult for me to write it just in a 3,000 word chapter! It just took longer for me to pick up all the pieces. And OMG I'm soooooo drained. I've been working on the story non-stop for the last couple of nights. But, I finally finished. THANK GOD! So, anyways. Let me also tell you that this chapter is mostly flashbacks cuz Hyde is analizing EVERYTHING and I seriously wanted to get down in detail.

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CHAPTER 2: "The Reason" by Hoobastank (omg! I can't believe I didn't THINK of this song! It's PERFECT for this chapter!)

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Several minutes had passed and Hyde was still standing there against the wall. His head was spinning and thinking a million things a minute, trying to make sense of everything. However, he just couldn't think properly here. He had to get to his room. There, he was sure to get his head cleared. He had to get out of here, especially because he knew if he stayed there a moment longer someone would come into the room. Someone by the name of--

The kitchen door flew open right at that moment.

Shit, he thought. Too late.

Red's head immediately turned to Hyde, his eyes shooting out death rays.

Yup, he was dead.

Hyde took a deep breath and stood still. There was no way of getting out of it. He silently cussed at himself for not getting out of there just a minute ago.

Red came face to face with his "adoptive" son, finger right in the air and nose flared. He looked more than pissed. In fact, Hyde had never seen Red this pissed off at him before. "Listen here, dumbass! I have kept my mouth shut about this for the last several months because I was certain that you'd wake up from your idiotic coma and clean the whole mess up yourself before you did something even more stupid! However, now I see I should have said it back then. But I'm gonna say it now before your dumbass is in even bigger shit than it already is!"

Even though Hyde really cared for Red, he didn't want to hear what he was about to say. Hyde was already beating himself up as it was. "Red, I--"

"Did I give your dumbass permission to talk?!" Red's voice was getting louder by the minute.

Hyde kept his mouth shut. He knew that if he interrupted again, Red was going to sock him or something. "Sorry."

Red lifted his eyebrows, annoyed and giving Hyde a look he knew all too well.

Hyde took the hint. "Sir."

Red put down his finger, still angry. "You are a fucking idiot! I mean, you make Eric look like fucking Einstein for Christ's sake! How stupid were you when you went to Vegas and said 'I do' to a stripper you knew nothing about and still decide to stay with her after you found out she had another damn husband?!"

Hyde tried to keep Zen, but he couldn't. Red was making it real difficult. He and Mrs. Forman seemed to be the only two people who were able to keep him from it.

"How could you, Steven?" Disappointment filled his voice at this question.

Hyde's heart sunk at that tone. He cleared his throat. "I…um…I wasn't thinking."

"You're damn right you weren't thinking. Cuz if you were, you would have never gone to that stupid city and wouldn't have done that stupid ass mistake! It's like I don't even know you. How could you do that to Jackie?"

Hyde looked away at this. It was getting too intense and he wanted to get the hell out of there.

However, Red wanted Hyde to look him straight in the eye. "Hey, look at me."

Hyde did and he regretted it. Guilt was spread all through his body.

Once Red saw a tint of hurt and regret in his adopted son's eyes, his mood tuned down. He felt sympathy for Hyde; however, this had to be said. "Jackie is a very sweet girl, Steven. She's strong--never lets herself get controlled. She's intelligent--was the best in her class. She's compassionate--even though she doesn't always show it. She's loyal to all of the people she cares about. And she was beyond patient--I mean, she put up with all your bull crap and stuck by you. Even though she was hurt by the people she mostly cared about, she still had a big heart. I was certain that the two of you would make it. Certain you would be the man she deserves. And what you did to her was not what she deserved. I believe she's worth a hell of lot more and deserves nothing but the best."

Hyde looked down at that, ashamed. He cleared his throat. "You and I both, Red, " he said in a small whisper. He then turned to the basement door and was about to exit the kitchen.

Those words tugged at Red's heart and he just could let Hyde leave like that. "Son."

Hyde stopped at the word.

Red walked in front of him and placed both hands on Hyde's shoulders. "Look at me."

Hyde looked up, afraid of what Red might say next.

Red took a deep breath. He hated these kind of talks. Hated showing emotion--other than anger--to anyone. However, he knew that his son needed this. So, he took a deep breath and let it out. "You are worth more than that idiot mother of yours brought you out to think. You are a good boy who's growing up to be a great man. And I know that it's hard for you to believe but you deserve anything good in this world, especially after having a mother like Edna and a father like Bud growing up. But you are. You came out to be pretty decent--and those assholes had nothing to do with where you are today. You are respectful, bright, and confident--and of course stupid a lot of the times. But you still deserve good, because you are a good boy. And you have to learn how make yourself believe that, because if you don't you won't be able to keep anything good in your life."

Hyde swallowed hard. Red had never said anything like this to him before. Red had always been kind of like a father to him, but now he completely fit the role for Hyde.

"Alright?" Red asked with a small smile.

Hyde nodded. "Yes, sir."

Red sighed. "I know you still love her, Steven and that you want to be with her. But what I can't help wonder is why you did what you did these last few months. Or even why you didn't go after her right when she left the house some minutes ago. Hell, why you said what you said to her! There has to be a big reason for you to have let her go and hurt her so. And you won't be able to win her back until you figure out the reason." Red slapped Hyde playfully on the cheek and walked away.

Hyde stood there for several seconds before he finally decided to go downstairs and into his room.

Once he got there, he laid down on his bed.

Red was right. Hyde needed to figure it all out. But where to start?

Suddenly, his mind did it automatically. It was reminiscing last summer. To that night that he found Kelso with nothing but a towel on walking into Jackie's hotel room. The night that changed everything.

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Hyde and Jackie stared at each other for several moments after Kelso had run out of the hotel room. The seconds passed but felt like years to both Hyde and Jackie. Silence. Thoughts racing through both their heads.

Hyde couldn't believe what he had just seen. How could she have done this to him? How could she have slept with Kelso?! Kelso: one of his best friends. Kelso: her first boyfriend. Kelso: her first love. Kelso: her first firstKelso: the guy Steven debated over if Jackie still had feelings for!

Hyde didn't waste another second. He needed to get the hell outta there before he did something he might regret.

Once he started to walk out of the room, Jackie went after him. "Steven! Let me explain!" She grabbed his hand and tried to stop him. Her voice was pleading.

Hyde yanked his hand away so hard that he made her stumble. "Save it. I'm outta here." He got to El Camino and unlocked his door.

Jackie, tears in her eyes, grabbed his arm and tried to hold him back. "Please, Steven. Just hear me out! Michael and I--"

Hyde popped open his car and pushed Jackie off of him. A big knot had just formed in his throat and he tried to swallow it down, but couldn't. "I said save it."

Jackie let out a sob at the hear of the anger and most especially hurt in his voice. God, I've hurt him. She had been such an idiot!!! She had hurt the man that meant the world to her. How could she have done this to him?! HOW?! "Steven, I'm begging you. Lets talk about this. Listen to what I--" Another sob came out of her as she leaned into the car, trying to make eye contact. Fuck those sunglasses!

Hyde turned to her, but didn't meet her eyes. Instead, he pushed her away from him and his car and slammed the door shut, pissed.

Jackie had almost stumbled onto the floor. However, she wasn't about to let him leave. "Steven!"

Right when she was about to reach to the car he turned the engine on and burnt some rubber. Then…sped off into the night.

Jackie ran into her hotel room as fast as she could and took her car keys from her purse. She rushed over to her Lincoln and sped away after Hyde.

For hours, she looked for him on the road. She knew that he hadn't gone back to Point Place. She didn't know how she knew, she just did. Call it a 6th sense that she had gained over the course of her and Hyde being together, but she could always sense him. She always knew what he was thinking before she even took a look at him--before she could even hear his voice. It was a bond. A bond she loved and treasured with all her soul. But…that bond was slowly fading. She could feel it starting to. She didn't know where he was now. She always used to. Knew before he or anyone could ever tell her. But now? She had no idea.

She pulled over to the side of the road them, finally accepting that she was not going to find him. Accepting that this was all her fault. Accepting the fact that he was gone.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and her shoulders shook nonstop. God, she was an idiot.

What she didn't know was that 300 miles away, Steven Hyde was thinking the same thing.

Hyde socked the steering wheel as he continued to drive. For the last few hours, he had kept his cool, but right at this moment all of it had gone down the drain. "Fuck!"

Why had he trusted her? Why had he taken her back that second time?! He should have learned from the first time that Jackie Burkhart was bad news. Should have known to not get back with her! Fuck, he was an idiot. For ever thinking that he could ever have anything with her. For trusting her. Everyone lies and hurts you, so how was Jackie ever different? he thought to himself.

He socked the steering wheel again. His breaths were coming in pants now. He tried to control himself, especially since that knot in his throat was coming back.

No, he thought to himself. I won't. I'm Steven J. Hyde. I'm strong. I will move on. I don't get hurt. I don't feel. I'm the Tin Man. I'm aloof. I'm…Zen.

With that final thought, he sped up a little more and relaxed. Aloof. Zen. Yeah, that's who he was. That's who he's always been…and that's who he'll continue to be: Hyde.

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Hyde was looking up at the ceiling, remembering it all as if it was yesterday. That was the seed that led the future events of the last 6 months.

Ever since Hyde had returned to Point Place from Vegas, he had tried to forget those next days after he found Jackie with Kelso in the hotel room. And even though he didn't want to remember them now, he knew he had to. It's like Red said: he had to figure out what had happened to him in the last 6 months. Why he had done what he had done to not only Jackie, but to himself.

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It was because of that moment that Hyde decided to go wherever the road took him. When he finally was too tired to drive, he noticed that he had landed in Vegas. He was more than grateful when he checked into a shaggy hotel. He needed a beer.

Hyde didn't leave his hotel room for the next two days. He just spent it drinking and getting wasted. He did his best to forget his ex's betrayal.

However, once he was running out of booze--and money--he decided to go to the slot machines and win a couple of bucks. There was no chance in hell he was ready to go back to Point Place right now and he needed cash. He had only brought a little with him.

After a couple of hours in the slot machines, Hyde was getting ready to head back to the hotel. However, something caught his eye as he was walking down the street.

Sweet, he thought to himself. That's what I need right now.

He changed his course of direction and headed off to the strip joint. He needed a new kind of distraction.

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Thinking back, Hyde didn't know why he went into that strip joint to begin with. The more he thought about it, the more he came to two different conclusions. First one: he was frustrated as hell and needed to get it out somehow. Since beer and getting wasted wasn't working, he figured that maybe a good lap dance would cheer him right up. And the second conclusion he had come to: he knew it would hurt Jackie.

Hyde knew which conclusion was the correct answer. He shook his head in frustration. He had acted childish. All he had thought about then was how Jackie had hurt him. Could only picture her and Kelso doing it behind his back. Could only think about her being beneath Kelso in that bed. Couldn't stop thinking that she was giving Kelso all of her during their love making.

God, he knew he was sounding like a pansy, but he couldn't stop it. After being with Jackie for almost two years, he had completely erased sex out of his life. He hadn't had sex for a very long time. He knew he was gonna sound corny once he thought it, but he \ didn't care. What he and Jackie both had shared in his little cot and in Jackie's bedroom had never been sex. It had been love. And it scared him to death almost every time. The thought that he was so vulnerable when he was with her scared the shit out of him.

He never saw it coming. Never saw her coming. But she had come. She'd come in and healed so many of his wounds. She had stepped into his heart and without meaning to, stole him away. Also, without meaning to--and now he knew she was not at fault at all--se had crushed him. Twice.

The first time had been her fault. However, the second time…. God, why the fuck did he do it?! Why the fuck hadn't he just let her talk then? WHY?!!

He let his mind wander back to that strip club. He needed to figure out the reason.

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She was done giving him a lap dance and was now leading him to the back room.

Her long golden hair was covering her naked boobs. And God, she had great boobs. They had felt great up against his chest--as well as in his palms. He had only paid for one lap dance, but she had continued on to give him three more.

Hyde knew she was digging him, otherwise why would she be leading him to the back room and giving him free lap dances?

The blond stripper turned to him with a seductive smile once they got to the front of the couch in the middle of the empty room. She got as close to him as possible, beginning to kiss his neck.

Hyde brought his beer to his lips and took a good sip. He placed his other hand against her thigh. "We alone here?"

The blond made her lips reach his own and started to kiss him, hungrily. "Mmmm…hmmm. For the next ten minutes."

Hyde put down his beer and pushed her to the couch. "Then lets not waste it on foreplay." He took out a condom from his wallet as he began to kiss her.

However, once he was about to open the wrapper, he noticed something that caught his eye. There was a drawing on the wrapper. A small drawing on it that could barely be visible because it was so small. It was a heart with small letters in the middle of it: "JH".

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Hyde frowned at the memory. He had completely forgotten about the condom. Immediately, he reached into his wallet and opened it. There in the one of the slots were two condoms. Two condoms that, for some reason, he hadn't touched in months. He took them out and stared at them both. One condom contained a small heart with the letters JH in the middle of it, the one he had taken out that day in the strip club. And the other had a big heart in the middle with the letters "JH" on it. Repeated words, "J.B. Loves S.H.!", surrounded the entire heart.

Then, another memory came to him.

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Hyde came out of his room. He had changed into some comfortable clothes. God, he hated wearing that damn suit on for 7 hours every damn day! It bugged the hell outta him.

As he came close to Jackie, who was sitting on his chair, he noticed a piece of paper on her hand. She was writing something and he frowned at the sight. "What are you doing?"

Jackie looked up and smiled innocently at him. "Drawing a picture."

"I can see that. But why are you drawing?" He hoped she got the hint that he was thinking she was acting weird for her age.

Jackie went back to her artwork and shrugged. "Bored."

Hyde rolled his eyes and let it be. Sometimes it was best not to push it, he came to find. He turned on the TV and sat next to her on the couch. He noticed that something was making him uncomfortable as he sat down. He reached down and noticed it was his wallet. He took it out and planted it on the table.

Several minutes passed until he was finally bored himself. He turned to Jackie, as always whenever he was bored. Hell, she might not like being bored but he loved it! Cuz that meant that whenever both were bored they….

Hyde stopped at the thought because that's when he noticed it. Jackie had opened up his wallet and had taken something out of it. And she was drawing on it!

Hyde leaned over a little more to see what it was. What the hell?! "Jackie!" He snatched the condoms out of her hand.

Jackie scolded him. "Hey! I wasn't finished! Why'd you take them away?!"

"They're condoms, woman!" He was looking at her as if she had three heads. "They're not drawing papers! "

She gave a pout. "There was no more paper left!"

"You used up all that piece paper already?"

Jackie grabbed her drawing paper from the floor and brought it to his face, so he could see it.

Hyde frowned at it. All over the paper were pictures of ponies, rainbows, hearts, and the name Jackie all over it. And she had been right. She had used every single space available on the paper. He could barely see the white now.

Hyde turned to Jackie, a little irritated. "Whatever. I don't care." He pointed a finger at her. "Stay away from my wallet!" He placed the condoms back in his wallet and put it inside his back pocket again. I swear, he thought. I can't take my eyes off of this woman for more than a minute cuz then God only knows what she'll be doing…or planning.

He returned back to watching the TV, bothered with her.

Jackie, however, was smiling at him.

Hyde didn't have to look at her to know she was smiling. "Stop it."

Her smile only grew wider.

"Stop."

She stood up from the chair and got into his lap, seductively. She leaned into his ear and whispered in a husky voice, "You're foxy when you get angry at me."

Hyde tried to Zen. He would not break. His arms were crossed and he looked up at her, eyebrow raised.

Jackie gave a little moan at the sight of his face. She began to grind her hips against his. "God, Steven. You know that look only drives me crazy."

Hyde had to crack a smirk right then. "As crazy as…flow charts?"

"God, yes!" She gave another moan and grinded her hips harder.

Hyde let out a moan of his own then. He didn't waste another minute. He took her into his arms and got up from the couch. Once they reached the bedroom, he locked the door and started kissing her hard.

He knew that Jackie didn't want any foreplay. She was more than ready.

He reached into his wallet and took out a condom. He was about to snatch it open when he saw something on it that caught his eye. All over the condom were the words "J.B. Loves S.H.". And right in the middle of the condom was a big heart with the letters JH.

A big warm feeling rushed all over him as he saw it. He didn't know why but he was standing there frozen now. He was unable to move.

Jackie was kissing his neck and hadn't noticed him staring at the condom. "What is it, Puddin'?"

Hyde turned to his girlfriend and caught her eyes. Those eyes that drove him crazy.

Jackie frowned at him. "Honey?"

He cracked her a sincere smile and put the condom back onto his wallet. "Nothing, doll." He kissed her gently and brought her down the cot, also gently.

He kissed her cheeks, neck, arms, stomach, legs, toes, and everywhere else in her body. He explored every inch of her. Every sensitive spot of hers. He wanted, needed, craved, and died to know her entire body.

That entire night, had been dedicated completely to her. Only her. Never had Steven Hyde been as unselfish as that night. Never.

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Hyde touched the heart and just stared at the letters JH. And before he knew it, he was taken back to the stripper.

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The blond stripper beneath him stopped kissing his chest and looked up at him. "What is it, honey?"

Hyde was brought out of his gaze at the sound of that word. Once he noticed that it had been the stripper that had dared called him that, he gave her a cold look. He placed the condom back into his wallet and snapped at her. "Don't ever call me that again. Got it?"

The girl looked like an airhead. "Then what is your name?"

"Hyde." He sat back on the couch, losing his desire for her already.

She sat up too. "My name's Sam."

Hyde rolled his eyes. Had he asked her?

The stripper, Samantha, had been completely oblivious to his irritation. "So, why'd you stop, Hyde?"

"Don't got a condom with me. Forget 'em at the hotel," he said simply.

Samantha stood up immediately. "So, lets go and get them. I'm kinda horny and none of the guys here are good-looking."

Hyde hesitated for a minute. Something was telling him that this was not a good idea. He felt that he was going to end up regretting it. However, he did his best to brush away that feeling and get up to his feet.

"Lets go then," he said as he led the way out of the strip joint.

Samantha wrapped her hands around his belt buckle and followed him, smiling broadly…and stupidly.

Hyde rolled his eyes. He didn't understand women. Why did they always crave for that closeness? Why did couldn't sex just be sex to some chicks? God, this girl's pathetic.

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Hyde tried to forget what happened after that. Yes, he had slept with Samantha right when they got to the hotel room--and they used the new condoms they had bought on the way to the room.

God, Hyde wished he could erase those two weeks from his mind. Well, erase the whole having sex with Samantha that is. The rest, he wanted to keep. It may be difficult for some to believe true, but he and Samantha really enjoyed each other's company. A friendship had formed between the two of them. And Hyde really needed a friend during that time. Really, really, really needed a friend.

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In the days that passed, after having sex at least three times a day, Hyde and Samantha would sit on the bed and watch old movies together. The first few days they didn't speak. They just sat there in silence; each wondering why the hell they were in the same room together. It was obvious they didn't have much in common, other than liking sex. But yet they both continued to stay there…. Obviously, neither liked the idea of being alone.

Then, by the end of the first week, they would make small talk. Mostly talking about how Samantha got to Vegas and how she became a stripper. She would talk about some of her most weirdest customers.

Samantha would ask Hyde questions about his life but he would never answer. And whenever it was just a regular question, he always answered in a sentence that was no longer than five words.

She knew he came from a broken. He didn't have to tell her because she knew the attitude all too well. She also came from one.

She was grateful that she had met Hyde. She didn't know why, but she felt comfortable around him. She guessed it was because he kind of reminded her of her husband. The husband she still loved to this day. A stupid love. An idiotic love that she didn't want to tell Hyde about. She didn't know why, but she still had not mentioned her husband to him. She figured that Hyde would tell her she was stupid, like all her past friends did when they found out about her marriage. No, she didn't need to hear it again. Especially from someone she didn't know anything about.

The days went on and the talking got better. She discussed her night life to him and he cracked her up with the way he thought of the government. He was funny.

He didn't know how it started, but towards the end of the second week Hyde pulled out some tequila after the second time of having sex that night with Samantha.

Both chugged it all down in a few hours and lost it.

He didn't remember it then, or even the morning after, but he and Samantha were so damn drunk that they had somehow ended up in a chapel.

"Wanna get married?" Samantha chuckled at this. She had two beers on her hands and she was draining them both onto her body.

Hyde snickered. "Yeah, ri--"

"Good, lets go!" Samantha yanked him over to the register and told the lady behind the counter that she wanted to get married. She didn't know what had gotten into her, but these past two weeks--even though the sex had been great--had been kind of boring to her. Yeah, they had had some laughs, but they never did anything exciting. And Samantha loved exciting.

Hyde was now looking pacing around the waiting room, oblivious that Samantha was filling out all their paper work. She kept asking him personal questions, like his date of birth and first name. He answered her, but didn't wonder why it was that she needed it. He was too entertained by making fun of all the people in the pictures that were hanging on the wall. They looked like such idiots. Most of them were butt ugly! He laughed at all of them.

Then, Samantha was pulling him somewhere. He didn't know where, nor did he care. Everything about the entire building was keeping him from asking questioned. It was as if he was a kid at the circus. Everything was making him laugh.

Then, he noticed that stupid little man standing in front of him and Sam. He had a small black book on his hand and was asking Samantha a question. She gave it to him and then he turned to Hyde and asked him something too.

Hyde didn't answer. He was still laughing at everything in this room.

Samantha nudged him and whispered to his ear. "Just say 'I do.' Then we can go back to the room and do that thing you like so much."

Hyde's head snapped up and immediately muttered an 'I do'. Then, he signed some stupid paper and took Samantha back to the room.

Hyde walked over to his small refrigerator and hit himself on the door handle. He tried to steady himself from falling, but it was a little difficult to keep his balance. It took a while for him to stand a little straight up. When he did, he grabbed a beer from inside the refrigerator and walked--barely--back to Samantha.

"Ya know," a little bit of spit came out as he said this. "I likes you, Samantha. You's a lot better fun than my ex-girlfriend Jackie."

It was the first time he had said her name since that day.

Samantha took a sip from her own beer. She was now more wasted than he was. On the way to the hotel room she had stopped by a liquor store and bought some beers. She burped. "Girlfriend? I didn't nots know you hads a an exes." Another sip.

Hyde barely nodded his head. "'Course I dids. She's hot. She's smart. She's the best person I've ever known." He only said this because he was completely wasted. He had never been this drunk--not even on Forman's last night in Point Place before he went to Africa.

Samantha frowned and giggled. "Then why aren't cha withs her?" She took another sip of her beer.

Hyde recalled what he had witnessed just a few days ago and grew a little angry. "Cheated on me." He took another chug at his beer.

Samantha giggled. "So that explains whys yous here. I figured it was cuz of some girl."

Hyde gave Samantha a look. "Shut up. Don't know why I'm telling you this anyways." He ran outta beer so he popped open another.

Samantha smiled at him, her eyes half closed. "Because I is all you have," she said in a singsong voice. She giggled. "So lay it on me, Hyde. I'm listening." She tripped over herself and fell straight onto the couch face down.

Hyde shook his head at first, but something in him was just crying to let it all out. "I shaved my beard off for her!" He began to pace around the room, the anger finally coming out. "I went to dances with her! Me! I mean, she made me do the most stupidests stuffs! Before we got together I was angry and lazy and I liked it! I liked being pissed off cuz that was who I was. But then that stupid summer I just had to kiss her! And that kiss wasn't like our first. It was intense. And I couldn't stop. I didn't want to stop! And before I knew it, I started liking the damn cheerleader--not just her kissing or body--but her! Me! Steven Hyde liking a cheerleader! She was everything that I stood against, but did that matter?! NO! I went ahead and liked her anyway!

"Then, little by little, the feelings grew stronger. And then she fucking yelled "get off my boyfriend"! But then told me she loved me!" He shook his head, still disappointed in himself. "I was a fucking dumbass. I took her back cuz I wasn't ready to let her go. I wanted to believe her but couldn't. And because I couldn't trusts her…I screwed things up. I hurt her." Hyde shook his head, still upset at himself for what he had done. However, this only got him angry. Why the hell was he still feeling guilty? She had gone behind his back and slept with fucking Kelso! "You know? I don't even know why I still feel bad about the whole nurse shit! Hell, she did worse now!" He grunted. "You know? I put up with all her whining, pouting, screaming, and kicking! She was always so fucking annoying!"

Hyde dropped his body onto the bed and let out a sigh. "No, she wasn't. Not all the time. Only sometimes I couldn't stand her. Most of the time, I liked having her around. She was evil…like me." He chuckled. "She's also hot and incredibly sexy. And God, she can kiss." He smiled sincerely as he continued. "She feels so good. When she sits on my lap, lays her head on my shoulders, or when she kisses me. Love the way she looks at me with those crazy eyes on her. Love telling her she has crazy eyes, too. She gives me that little look that says she's gonna kill me, but I just grin at her and make her laugh. God, that laugh." He closed his eyes, letting his mind wander to a sleep full of dreams about Jackie. "Love her."

On the couch was Samantha, snoring. She had been out the moment her head had hit the couch. She had not heard a word that Hyde had told her.

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Hyde put down his wallet and thought harder than before. Something had just occurred to him. Had that been that the reason why he had decided to stay with Samantha? Cuz he felt as if they had held some sort of bond? It did make kind of sense. Those two weeks had been rough on him and Samantha had been there for him. Well, had been there to give him sex and beer, but same difference. He had grown to care about her because he felt she had helped him then. She had been a sort of friend to him.

God, he thought. I'm such an idiot. Just like I had been when I was trying to go after Donna. He felt he couldn't just be friends with a girl. That's how he had felt with Donna there for a while. As soon as he hit puberty, his hormones got all wack and he went after Donna. He hadn't gone after Jackie then cuz he didn't like her in the least bit. Reason why he also didn't go after Laurie either.

However, Hyde felt as if there was still another piece missing. There has to been. Then, his mind wandered off. Off to right after Samantha left Point Place.

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Hyde hadn't wanted to Samantha's stupid husband to take him. He didn't like the fact that another person he had grown to care about had walked out of his life.

He was pacing up and down his room now. Then, he kicked his chair and it went flying to the other end of the wall. Fuck it all! He hated this feeling. The feeling of abandonment. He had to get out of here.

And he did. He took his El Camino and drove. Drove until he got tired of driving. He parked his car on a woodsy area and got out of the car.

For long minutes, he just walked trying to clear his thoughts. And trying to control his anger.

Then, he noticed someone coming towards him. He frowned.

Thankfully there was a full moon and it shone brightly down on Jackie. She hadn't noticed him, but when she did, she stopped dead on her tracks. "Steven. What are you doing here?" She clutched her jacket closer to her.

"Walking," he said in an irritated voice. "What are you doing here?"

Jackie shrugged. "I always come up here whenever I can't sleep. Always manages to relax me. Especially this spot. It--" She then shut her mouth immediately.

Hyde frowned, not understanding why Jackie seemed to be blushing now. He decided to ignore it. "Well, have fun." He began to walk away.

However, Jackie wanted to talk. "Hey, Steven."

He stopped and turned to her. "What?" He didn't mean to sound so snappy, but he couldn't help it.

Jackie, like always, had patience and didn't take it personally. "I heard about Sam."

Hyde sighed. He figured. Mrs. Forman had a big mouth. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jackie looked up at him, thoughtfully. "You ok?"

Hyde tried to find a smidge of fakeness in her face or voice--wanting to know if she was just being nice. However, he didn't see or hear it. And it amazed him that she was being completely sincere. "I'm cool."

Jackie nodded, she didn't expect him to say anything else. However, she could see differently. Could sense it.

Even though they had been broken up for some months, that 6th sense that they had shared and had been so powerful was still there. It was weaker than before…but it was still there.

"You know, Steven." She took a deep breath and looked at him straight in the eye. "I know that we haven't been close at all these last few months, but…if you ever want to talk about…anything…."

Hyde just couldn't figure her out. Just some months ago he had seriously hurt her…for the third time. But yet, she didn't care. She had disregarded it completely at this moment. And even though they were no longer together, she was still more than willing to hear him out. Willing to be there to lend a shoulder.

He realized he was just standing there, staring at her. He must look like an idiot. He cleared his throat and looked down. "No…I'm good."

Jackie nodded then looked down. He knew she felt a little hurt that she couldn't help. And again, it was her being selfless. All she wanted to do was help him.

And God how he wanted to tell her. But he couldn't. He had noticed her little crush she was gaining on Fez and he just couldn't do that. Fez was a great guy--the perfect guy for Jackie. Now that she had finally found the perfect guy…. No, he couldn't and wouldn't tell her. But he still didn't want her feeling bad. "But thanks anyway."

Jackie looked up at him then and gave him a small smile.

He loved being the reason for that smile.

She then began to walk away again. "See you later."

"Later." He stood there, watching her go and disappear into the darkness.

He turned and found the perfect sitting spot. He looked around the area and frowned the more he looked at it. He didn't know why, but it felt very familiar.

Then, it hit him. He'd been here before…just over three years ago. He had been sitting on top of a car then, a Lincoln. A nice brand-new Lincoln. His arm had been around a hot brunette. It was their first date. He had offered her his jacket--he had never offered anyone his jacket. And he had let her wrap his arm around her. Then, they had kissed. Their first kiss. A kiss he made himself believe then didn't mean anything, but it had.

God, it felt like almost yesterday that he had been here. Been here with that hot brunette--Jackie.

Then, his head snapped towards where Jackie had disappeared as the words echoed in his head:

"What are you doing here?" he had asked just a few minutes ago.

Jackie shrugged. "I always come up here whenever I can't sleep. Always manages to relax me. Especially this spot."

What did that mean? Could she possibly--no. She couldn't. She hated him. She wanted nothing with him anymore. Plus, she found her guy already. Found the perfect one.

-------------------------

That was the other reason, Hyde thought. Hyde knew that Jackie deserved the very best. He knew that she deserved someone that would give her everything she wanted in a relationship. She needed a boyfriend that would open up to her and communicate in a way he didn't think he ever could. She needed a guy that would sacrifice things for her. The way she had sacrificed so much when she was with Hyde. Someone that would never cheat on her. Would never hurt her.

Hyde knew that Jackie would fight to be with him right after he got back from Vegas. And he knew that he would grow weak--like he had the first time--and give in. He didn't want that because he felt that he was sure to hurt her again. He'd be damned if he let that happen. And when Samantha had appeared to Point Place, it was more than perfect. Just what he needed to make Jackie never want to be with him again. He knew that it would hurt her and he hated himself for doing that to her. But he knew that it was better to hurt her now rather than later. Because later would turn out to be worse.

Hyde couldn't have that.

So, he finally had figured out the truth of a lot of things. And now that he had, he knew exactly what to do about it.

He got up off of his bed and headed straight out the door. He hurried up the stairs and found the Formans. He had to have a long talk to them.

GOSH, I'M SO HAPPY THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY! SO, DID YOU GUYS LIKE??? I REALLY WANTED TO DO A LOT OF FLASHBACKS CUZ I WANTED TO FILL IN THE LOST GAPS FROM THE SHOW. HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED IT.

OK, SO CHAPTER 3: "Never Took the Time" by Akon. I want to give you a little summary, but I don't wanna ruin it! Chapter 3 will be posted next Sunday. The story COULD be posted a LOT sooner than that, but I seriously need to take a small rest from writing these two chapters in just a week! My appologies, guys! SORRY!