March 21st, 1981 10:30 pm

Forman House

Randy was cool once or so was the belief. Maybe that was never true and the thought had stemmed from something else. The fact that the group couldn't just consist of the four who remained in Point Place because it wouldn't have worked. They needed someone else to keep them interested and Randy had pretty much fit the bill. He had filled the void in the group left by the others adequately, even made things interesting for a while like when he spear headed the great clown caper.

His personality was an odd mixture of Forman and Kelso, kind of girlish and completely in love with his looks. One minute he was coming up with crazy schemes and the next, he was trying to play mediator whenever someone had an argument. For a while, it made it easier to handle the fact that the once tight knit group of friends had suffered a huge blow and were starting to fall apart. But to be honest, once Forman returned and Kelso started visiting more, Randy had pretty much been phased out.

He still existed at the edge of the group though. Fez had warmed up to him a bit now that the core group was back together. Donna and him still talked but she was back together with Forman and only interested in playing matchmaker. When Kelso was in Chicago visiting Betsy then he'd get the call to come and hang with the group. Still working at Grooves allowed him to take part in circles with Leo and Hyde.

It worked for them. He was who like a stand in when one of them weren't available to have a circle or take part in the latest wacky plan. Basically he was nothing more than a spare part. Someone who was good for a laugh but easily forgotten. Who lifted out without any trouble or lingering ties and wasn't really missed.

Hyde didn't know exactly when that had changed. Or when Randy start getting on his nerves and found his way to the top of the very short-list of people who needed to be punched out. When Forman came home? When Kelso came crawling back from Chicago because he burned down the Playboy club? Was it once he started dating Jackie? Could it have been when he joined Donna and Kelso on the dillhole express?

Was it when he saw him with Jackie for the first time on New Year's Eve? Maybe it was when he walked into the living and found his former friend with his arms wrapped around the amnesiac brunette and her head resting on his shoulder. It could have been when he saw him lean over and press a kiss to her forehead. Could be when he heard him call her honey. Or was it when he saw the prick cop a cheap feel when he "accidentally" brushed against her chest.

Whatever the reason, he was really tempted to drive his fist into the bastard's face. But it wasn't because he was jealous. Nope, not at all. Ok, maybe he was a little jealous but that wasn't why he wanted to hit Randy. Not this time at least. It was because Jackie looked uncomfortable with Randy, really uncomfortable. Her smile was forced, too bright and her posture was stiff, rigid with tension.

That proved how badly Donna lied when she gushed on and on about the perfect, happy, loving new couple. She had described them as a carbon copy of her and Forman. Gloated that they were so perfect for each other it was as if the union was destined to be. The peroxide blonde even went as far as to proclaim that the feathered-haired man was the one Jackie would end up marrying. But the only thing the two couples seemed to have in common was the fact that one was male and one was female.

There was no ease and naturalness to Jackie and Randy. They didn't even look right together, let alone like they cared for one another. Her laughter at his lame-ass jokes was brittle and false. She almost cringed when his lips met her cheek, forehead or mouth. Every time he pulled her closer, she'd scoot away and take a deep breath. Just like she did when she was with Fez.

While most of the group would probably chalk it up to her memory loss, he knew there was more to it than that. She wasn't into the guy and never had been. And it wasn't just him hoping that she had zero interest in the guy, it was painfully obvious. From the expression on her face, sitting next to Randy was about as enjoyable as getting all her teeth pulled by a rusty pair of pliers. Like she'd rather be anywhere else, with anyone else even though Randy had spent countless hours with her at the rehab center.

If his doll could stick it out for more than a month, he'd be impressed. But if it went longer than that, he'd be shocked. Or maybe not since Donna seemed determined to make sure that Jackie ended up with Randy. She'd probably do everything in her power to force Jackie to stay with him. Even brainwash the tiny girl into believing that the puffy haired bastard was her perfect love.

Unless he stepped in and gave his ex a hand in ridding herself of the unwanted idiot. It would be fun and easy, something to past the time. Plus Red did instruct him to be helpful to her; actually it was more like he was ordered to assist her. What would be more helpful than running off her new boyfriend?

He decided to make his presence known as Randy's wandering lips journeyed closer to Jackie's mouth and stepped into the living room. Dropping down in Red's chair, he cracked open his beer and offered the duo a patented smirk. "What's up?"

"Nothing, now." Randy muttered, looking away from him, his hold on the brunette loosening.

"We're just hanging out." Jackie smiled tightly, her face betraying her relief that she no longer had to be alone with her so-called boyfriend.

"That's cool." He stated, completely Zen. "Want me to split?"

"No!" She cried a little too eagerly then laughed. "It's your house too. You can sit wherever you want to."

"Whatever." He took a calculated sip of his beer, feeling Randy's glare on him and enjoying the moment. Suppressing a chuckle, he decided to give the blonde guy a real reason to hate him. "You know, the Forman's usually don't like company past ten. Keeps them up then they're tired when they go into work."

"Oh, I didn't know." She was trying to sound contrite but the words lilted with excitement.

"Figured as much. Just thought you should." Another deliberate mouthful of beer was swallowed slowly and savored.

She turned her attention to Randy, who looked like he had bitten into a lemon. "I think we should call it a night. I don't want to impose on the Forman's anymore than I already have. Plus, I'm tired anyway."

"Ok," He stood up and kissed the top of her head. "I'll call you later and I'll see you tomorrow night Jackie."

"Can't wait." Her voice held no conviction. The hug she gave him was about as warm and lingering as one of her kicks to the shins. She trailed him over to the door, keeping her distance, said another quick goodbye then shut the door on him before he could go for a real kiss.

"Didn't kill your date, did I?" He mused, eyeing her carefully.

Jackie sat back down on the couch, her knees against her chest, chin resting on top of them and her mouth a tight line. "Nope, you didn't."

"Good to know." The words were a grunted and disinterested. A perfect, flat monotone that would lead people to believe that he really didn't care to match the stoic expression on his face. No one could see the curiosity or thinly veiled amusement in his eyes because they were carefully hidden behind his beloved sunglasses.

Casually, he took another drink from the can and waited for the inevitable moment when she'd spill her guts. All he had to do was sit back and wait for her to be unable to take the silence anymore. Then she'd start talking about her "boyfriend" and fish around to see what he thought about it. Because she always had to know what people thought, always needed to have approval. Unless, of course, she wouldn't fall into the familiar pattern this time because she didn't have her memory.

Maybe he could give her a push in the right direction. "What is it?"

She sighed and he could feel the weight of her blue-green gaze on him. "Randy's nice huh?"

"Sure."

"And he's been there for me."

"So I've heard." He threw out tiredly, draining the last of his beer.

"I like him…" That declaration was wobbly, unsure. "Donna says that I always have, ever since we met him. That I was really bummed when they had their little fling because I wanted date him."

He stared at her, eyebrows raised. Usually, he wouldn't care. But he really wanted to know what line of bullshit Donna had been feeding her. And see what details the vengeful blonde had omitted in her version of their lives. "Oh yeah?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded, looking very nervous about that admission. "And I guess I could see why I like him. I mean, he's not bad looking and has nice hair. He's nice…"

"I don't remember that." He rolled his eyes at the pile of garbage that she had been fed. "I remember you asking her why she was dating him because he was so, what was the word you used, lacking. And I also remember you making fun of him and his fetish for his hair. You had a nickname for him."

"I did?"

"Yep."

"What was it?"

"I think it was something like pretty-boy bore or dumb dip-shit loser." He informed her flatly, not tearing his gaze away from hers. "I also remember you rolling your eyes every time he tried to talk to you and making an excuse to get away from him."

"But, I thought, I mean, Donna said…"

His eyes remained locked on hers and he shook his head. "Listen, it's obvious to me that you're just going by what Donna says because she's your best friend. Don't. Because she's going to put the best possible spin on things because she doesn't think you can handle the truth."

"Yeah, I figured as much." Her voice was soft, tired and wavered slightly. "I tried asking the other's some things but they avoided it or they repeated what Donna said. Some of it must be really bad, huh?"

"Some of it is." He broke eye contact; staring into the distance at something only he could see and thinking about the fact that most of the bad stuff was directly related to him and the things he did. "I guess that by not telling you about it, she's just trying to protect you or something."

"I understand that Donna's looking out for me, that she doesn't want to upset me but I should know. The doctor's want them to fill me in on things so I can try to get my memory back." There was so much passion in her voice that it blew him away. "That includes the good times and the bad."

Hyde usually thought honesty was the best policy in situations like these but not this time and definitely not right now. There was no way she could handle knowing the truth. Her emotions were still so raw. It was fine to fill her in on stuff like Donna's need to sugarcoat things or how she really felt about Randy. But not telling her that her own parents didn't care about her, that he betrayed and hurt her or that she had spiraled down into a world of drugs that led to her coma and memory loss.

"I know that I'm small and no one thinks I'm strong, but I can be."

He knew better than anyone that was true. She hung tough throughout their relationship, pushed him into doing he didn't want to but turned out to be best for him. Even that damn ultimatum was a show of her strength. Letting him know that if he didn't want to or couldn't commit to a life with her that she wasn't going to just settle. That she could take of herself and have a career and a life that didn't involve him.

But that strength had been worn down by always being cheated on and never having someone return her unconditional love. It was torn to shreds by pointed jabs and mockery bestowed upon her by the people she cared about. Dashed by the fact that she couldn't find a good one and kept getting fired from the crappy ones she landed. And crushed by the fact that every time she tried to pull herself up, something or someone knocked her down.

She hit rock bottom a long time ago, and had been crushed by the weight of the impact. Because she wasn't still capable of being the same stubborn, determined, strong girl or else she would never have let her appearance go. Wouldn't have retreated into herself. There was no way she would have sat idly by and watched as her life fell apart. Never would have started to drink so much. Would never have even contemplated touching anything more potent than a stupid joint.

"Hyde?" Her questioning tone brought him out of his ruminations and he blinked, focusing on the girl who was looking at him like she was worried about him.

He forced himself not to flinch as she used his last name. It didn't matter how many times he heard her say it, he didn't think he'd ever get used to it. "What?"

"Are you ok?"

Drawing in a deep breath, he released it slowly before giving her a vague answer. "Just thinking."

"And you agree with Donna and the rest of them. You don't think I could handle knowing the truth about my own life. You think that I'm weak and need someone to coddle me." Jackie shook her head sadly, eyes glistening with tears as she stared at him.

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." She snapped brutally, a droplet of moisture cutting a jagged path down her flawless, olive cheek. "It's written all over your face and that damn silence."

Hyde wanted to tell her that she was wrong. That he thought she could handle knowing about her life. But he couldn't. Because he really didn't know if she could handle it or deal with knowing. All he could do was watch as she got to her feet and bolted up the stairs, disappointed in him for what had to be the millionth time since they met.