Disclaimer: I don't own.

Author's Note: I know I said I'd post this on Tuesdays, but I finished this chapter and figured it wouldn't be nice to hold it hostage. :) I'll try to have another chapter ready for Tuesday. Thanks so much for the reviews! Authors love reviews. Love, love, love. Keep the J/H faith through this one, kay?

Warning: A little language

For Her Sake

Chapter 2 – Her New Year

Buy Me Flowers

The rush of victory was amazing, and as Jackie Burkhart looked around her, at all the swirling smiles coming her way, the sound of enthusiastic applause filling her eager ears, she couldn't stop smiling. This was the kind of adulation she'd been born and raised for. And her new boyfriend, the guy she'd overlooked for so long, had made sure it happened for her. He stood a few feet away from her, his face – quite handsome, she'd realized just about a month ago – lit up with a smile as bright as hers felt. His eyes met hers, his instantly filling with worship, and she shivered.

How had she missed it for so long?

"Jackie, my sweet princess, we won!"

He pulled her into a hug, and she instinctively nestled her face into his neck. His cologne was too strong, and she had to turn her head away from him in order to breathe. But still, as she rested her cheek on his shoulder and enjoyed the warmth of him, she closed her eyes and smiled. This was so right. And felt so good. After nearly a year of dealing with pain that had often left her wishing for death, she deserved happiness. She drew back and gave her boyfriend a flirtatious smile. "Thank you, Fezzy." She leaned in and kissed him softly. "You're the best boyfriend ever."

Fez grinned. "Yes, I am."

Jackie giggled, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Steven, and she turned to look at him. He was only a few feet away, well within hearing distance, and the look on his face was odd. His sunglasses were off, and he wasn't quite Zenned over enough to hide the slight furrow of his brow. It was a look she'd seen a few times lately, one that seemed to suggest confusion or bitterness. It lasted only briefly, because almost immediately when her eyes landed on his eyes he rolled them and turned away.

Had he heard what she'd said to Fez? A slight pang of guilt curled in her stomach. She'd once told Steven that very same thing. But it was different now. Fez really was the best boyfriend ever. This time she meant it.

You meant it then, Jackie. Don't lie to yourself.

She shook her hair over her shoulder and turned back to Fez, ignoring her stupid inner voice. Steven was probably just now realizing what he'd so willingly thrown away. Maybe he was feeling regret, and he should. It served him right. That is, if the cold bastard ever felt anything, something she hadn't been sure of since he'd kept his slut of a wife around.

"Jackie."

She turned and found Donna grinning down at her.

"Look, I know we've had some issues this past year, but I'm…" The huge redhead shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. "It's just nice to see you this happy."

Jackie grinned. "Boy, Donna, looks like Eric's return has softened your frozen lumberjack heart."

Donna swatted at her. "Shut up, midget."

The girls hugged, and Jackie sighed as she drew away. "Thanks, Donna."

The gang stood in a little circle, talking, laughing, admiring the trophy Jackie and Fez had been given. "And since we live together, we won't even have to argue about who gets it!" Fez cried happily, his arm wrapped protectively around Jackie's shoulders.

Jackie was about to respond when Steven interrupted. His glasses were back on, and he was scowling.

"Can we please get the hell out of this place? There's so much lameness here my skin is crawling, and if we stay here much longer, I'm gonna punch everyone with a pair of roller skates on in the head."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Steven." She waved her hand at the gang.

"You guys go ahead. Fez and I have our own plans." She smiled sexily at her boyfriend. "Fez has to go buy me some flowers since Roller World has become so cheap they can't buy the Roller Disco queen roses."

"In that case, shouldn't you be the one buying flowers for Fez?"

Michael Kelso pointed at Jackie. "BURN!"

Jackie glared at her ex-boyfriend, whose scowl was now curving upwards in a self-satisfied smirk. God, he was too much. Such an asshole, even to people he pretended were his friends, and she hated him. "Funny, Steven. Really funny. That's big talk coming from someone who can't even keep a whore interested in him."

This time Kelso pointed at Steven. "BURN!"

Jackie turned to Fez and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Fezzy. Lets go. And after you buy me flowers, we'll go to Mount Hump."

Fez pulled his hand away and clapped his together excitedly. He began doing a rather awkward jig, considering he was still in skates. "Oh! I am going to do it! I am going to do it!"

Jackie laughed and again caught his hand. "Come on!"

Paper Roses

Half an hour later, the parking lot of a 7-11

Jackie sat in Fez's car, waiting for him to come back with a dozen beautiful red roses for her. Surely this store would have them; they'd already been to five others. He'd very generously left he car running so she could listen to the radio. She smiled. He was so considerate. Perfect. He was perfect for her. She gasped and clapped her hands when the notes of a familiar song began to play. "Oh my god, I love this song!" She sighed happily and began to sing along. "When I need you, I just close my eyes and I'm with you. And all that I'd so like to give you, it's only a heartbeat away."

It was playing the first time she and Fez kissed.

She stopped singing and froze as something occurred to her.

It had also been playing the first time she and Steven kissed. Veteran's Day. After he'd punched that Chip guy out for calling her a bitch. On the hood of her father's Lincoln. That night she'd felt so much but denied it because she was frightened he hadn't.

How could she have forgotten? How could she have let her first kiss with Fez happen during that song?

She shook her head. No. No. It was good that she and Fez had kissed while that song was playing. Now instead of Steven, it would remind her of Fez, and she'd feel happy when she heard it. Nothing she'd shared with Steven mattered anymore, because she'd finally found her perfect mate. One who roller discoed with her, took care of her, left the radio on in the car for her.

The driver's side door opened, and Jackie clapped, squealing in excitement as Fez climbed in. But when he handed her two roses, two roses made out of paper, her excitement disintegrated. "Fez, what are these?" She looked at the fake flowers, both a sickening shade of yellow. "Are these paper? And why aren't they red? Red means love! You gave me roses that mean friendship!"

Fez sighed. "I'm sorry, Jackie, but they didn't have any real roses. These were the last two fake ones they had and I didn't want to come back for the sixth time empty handed." He grinned. "Besides, I thought these were kind of pretty, and they don't die. You can keep them forever!" He put a hand on her thigh and gave her a suave look. "And that is how long we are going to be together, my sweet princess."

Jackie shook her head. "Well, these aren't gonna cut it, Fez! I'm not like those crazy skanks you used to date. I actually expect real flowers." Fez stared at her, and she knew she was being bitchy, but hell. Paper was for losers. Paper was for girls with cheap ass boyfriends who didn't really love them. Like Steven. And Fez wasn't supposed to be one of those. He was supposed to be perfect. Perfect didn't include paper roses. She shook her head and pouted, turning to glare out her window, then turned her glare back to Fez. "Okay, look. I've had it with cheap boyfriends. If you're gonna be my boyfriend, you can't be cheap. So tomorrow, when the floral shops open, you're gonna go out and by me a dozen red, real roses. Got it?"

Fez nodded quickly, his expression now quite apologetic and almost afraid, so much like how Michael had always looked at her after he'd screwed up. "Of course, my sweet."

She sighed, and her anger softened. Maybe she'd overreacted, but still. Fake flowers were worse than no flowers at all. Much, much worse. And she was surprised that Fez didn't realize that.

"Do you want these flowers anyway?"

Jackie shook her head no, and Fez took them out of her hands.

"Well, I think I will give them to Kelso, since as you say yellow means friendship." His eyes raised, and even in the relative darkness of the car, Jackie could see what looked like a dreamy glaze over them. "I am so glad he is back. It just wasn't the same without him."

Jackie frowned, staring at her boyfriend and wondering….No. No, no, no. Fez lusted after women too much. Yeah, he'd always had some weird and rather creepy fascination with Michael. Then again, so had she. She cleared her throat and decided to get his mind focused back where it should be, on her. Her lips curved up seductively and she reached out to touch his thigh. "Do you still wanna go to Mount Hump?"

Fez gasped. "You are still willing to go? Even though I was not able to buy you flowers?"

Jackie nodded and rubbed his leg. "Yes, because I said I would. Good girlfriends do what they say they will, unless, of course, the guy screws up big time, and I'm a good girlfriend." She smiled. "You're gonna make up for your screw up, so I'll forgive you. Like a good girlfriend does."

Fez leaned over and placed a damp kiss on her lips. "You are the best girlfriend!"

She laughed when he turned back to the wheel and hurried to back out of his parking place. As long as Fez remembered that, their relationship would be absolutely perfect.

I'm Not Ready

Half an hour later, Mount Hump

The vinyl back seat of Fez's car was cold under her back, but Jackie did her best to ignore it and to concentrate on the sweet kisses Fez was trailing over her neck. "Fez," she whispered, smiling slightly. His lips returned to hers and pressed back her soft moan to her throat.

But when she felt his hand slip under her blouse, his chilly fingertips lightly caressing her stomach, she tensed. He was ready for more; she could feel heat against her inner thigh. And she knew what that was.

His hand crept hesitantly upwards, and her stomach tightened enough to make her feel sick. Instead of delirious passion coarsening through her body, panic streamed and cooled the gentle pleasure his kisses had just been bringing her. Just as his fingers reached the bottom of her bra, she broke their kiss and pushed his shoulders.

"Fez, stop," she whispered. "Please."

Her eyes opened, and she found Fez staring down at her in confusion, panting. Odd that he was panting, because she wasn't out of breath at all. "I just…I'm not ready."

Fez sat up, and he pouted at her. "But I thought you said I was really getting good at the kissing thing!"

She sat up, too, and straightened her shirt. Her upper body missed the heat of his, and she wrapped her arms around herself in protection against the frosty air in the car. "Oh, you are, you really are. It's just that…" She looked away, wondering how to explain herself. "I'm just not ready to go further yet."

"But you and Kelso did it! You and Hyde did it, and you did it with Hyde while you were still with Kelso."

Her head whipped back towards her boyfriend, and she glared. "No, I didn't. Michael and I were broken up when Steven and I…" She sighed and her voice softened. "Look, yeah, I did it with them, but…" She managed to hold back the sudden tears in her eyes. "Look how those relationships turned out, Fez. I just…I don't wanna screw us up by doing it too soon."

Fez rolled his eyes. "Well, I wish you would have told me that before we came here." He squirmed on his seat, making his oh so familiar 'I have needs' face.

They sat in silence for a moment, until Jackie hesitantly spoke. "Are you mad?"

Fez sighed and smiled weakly at her. "No, I am not mad. I understand, my sweet. But we have to go home now. Right now."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Because you have given me needs." He pointed at her and frowned. "And since you have refused to take care of them for me, you cannot complain about me doing it myself!"

She stared at him, the same creepy feeling he used to inspire in her filling her stomach, the feeling she thought would vanish. "Whatever, Fez," was all she could think of to say.

Steven Box

Three hours later, Jackie and Fez's apartment

"Fez? Are you sleeping?" Jackie stood in front of her boyfriend's closed bedroom door and knocked lightly. She couldn't sleep, there was nothing on television. She figured she could coax Fez into keeping her company. After a minute, she sighed and opened the door. "Fez, wake up. I want you to wash my hair and then maybe we can…." She turned the light on, but Fez wasn't in his bed. She looked around. "Fez? Are you here?"

No one answered her, and she sighed unhappily. "Great. Those idiots probably took him off to get drunk." She turned and walked out of his room and back into hers. She sat down on her bed. Or he went to hide in Donna's closet. Her eyes closed and she grimaced. No. No. He wouldn't do that now that he was with her. Now way in hell. Having her beautiful presence in his life cured him of his perverseness.

She opened her eyes and looked at her open closet door. It was a mess; she hadn't managed to get it quite right yet. She shrugged and stood. "Might as well do it now."

As she began pulling boxes out of the closet, she tried not to worry about where her boyfriend was. It wasn't unusual for Fez to go out with the guys after she'd gone to sleep. That's all it was. Of course that's all it was. She reached for the next box, and paused when she saw it was marked "Steven". Her heart stopped; her Steven box. She pulled it out and held it on her lap. It had been awhile since she'd looked in it; she'd forced herself to forget she even had it.

She stood up and carried the box to her bed. Sitting down, she pulled a few things out. A bottle of Old Spice she'd stolen from him. The tin foil wrapper from the first burger he'd bought her at the Hub. The corsage he'd given her when he'd taken her to Prom, long before they'd began dating. A straw from the pop he'd had on their first date. Several pictures of them together, a few notes he'd written each other in high school. The one and only rose he'd ever given her, now dried and dead and crumbling. A program from church.

She smiled and turned it over. Kitty had managed to force the entire gang to attend church one weekend, and she and Steven had kept themselves entertained by writing back and forth to one another. Her eyes traced over the best part of the conversation, her favorite part, the part she still knew by heart.

I love you, Steven. And you?

Whatever.

Okay, fine. How about this? If you love me, draw a heart.

I don't draw hearts.

Steven! So you don't love me?

Pass.

Fine.

She'd looked away from him after that, holding the program on her lap and staring at Pastor Dave who was in the middle of a tedious sermon. Tears had filled her eyes, and she'd had to blink repeatedly to control them. He'd sighed, tugged the program away from her, and when he gave it back, there was a crooked, tiny heart in his scraggly scratch. She'd gasped and whispered to him. "Oh, Steven!" And of course, she'd written more.

Wait, you're not just saying that to get out of trouble are you?

He'd rolled his eyes and drew another heart.

Jackie smiled. She'd rewarded him well that night, and after that, he wasn't too adverse to drawing hearts.

She set down the program and pulled out the last thing in the box, the shirt he'd given her. His favorite Led Zeppelin shirt. She stared at it, smiling at first, then dropping from her lips. Her chest ached, but not as much as it used to. It didn't stab her like it used to, or weaken her entire body like it used to. And in fact, instead of growing stronger as she looked at the shirt like it used to do, it faded.

Her smile returned, bittersweet.

She was finally over him. Now she had a boyfriend who actually cared for her and wasn't afraid of showing her, a boyfriend who would do anything for her. It was a new year, her new year, one that wouldn't involve grieving over her lost relationship with Steven Hyde.

She folded the shirt, put it in the box and followed it with the rest of the stuff she'd collected throughout their time together, and smiled with relief.

Happy New Year, Jacqueline Burkhart .