OMG you guys thank you for all the awesome reviews! Even more, thanks for being so patient! I've been ridiculously busy with school, and didn't get to touch this for two weeks straight. It sucked. But now, at long last, CHAPTER FOUR! Enjoy!

I own nothing. I'm zen like that.

Chapter Four

Hyde smiled cruelly.

"How's the baby?"

Can we climb this mountain, I don't know

Higher now than ever before

I know we can make it if we take it slow

Jackie stood abruptly, knocking over her wineglass. It toppled over and exploded onto the floor. Its contents seeped into the ground amidst slivers of shattered crystal, leaving a slowly spreading blood red stain.

"You bastard…" she said softly, before whirling around and running through the living room and back up the stairs.

"Well, nice going, dumbass!" Red was clearly pissed off, and was about to continue into a lengthy tirade that might well have ended with his foot quite literally in Hyde's ass had Kitty not cut him off abruptly.

"Don't start that now. Red, go check on Jackie, I think she may have stepped on some of that glass. Steven, go get the bleach and the broom and dustpan. Now." That rare steely tone was back, and both men knew better than to ignore it. Red made his way up the stairs while Hyde grabbed the broom and started sweeping vigorously. Why did he do it? Why did he have to go and bring up the kid? Why did he have to drink so much damn wine? He was always doing stupid shit when he was drunk. Stupid, stupid, fucking STUPID.

"Steven, be careful, you'll spread the glass around if you keep sweeping that hard. Here, give me the broom, go get the dustpan and hold it for me." Kitty took the broom from him and glared at him while he fetched the dustpan.

He obediently knelt down and held it for her while she swept the shattered remains of the glass into the dustpan and continued where Red left off.

"Couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you? You had to go and upset her by bringing up the baby. I don't know if you remember, but the last time you did that she disappeared for a decade!"

"Look, I didn't mean to, OK? It just sort of slipped out."

"Hah! Who do you think you're fooling, Steven? I practically raised you. I was there when you and Jackie were together, and I know how you were with each other. You said exactly what you meant to say. Was it too much to hope for that you two could restrain your urges to hurt each other for one night?"

She sighed, and stopped sweeping. Hyde poured the remains into a paper bag, then threw the bag away.

"Steven, do you even know why I asked you to come tonight? Just you, and not Eric and Donna, or Michael and Brooke, or anyone else?"

"No idea. I didn't think you had any reason."

"Well, you were wrong, Steven. The reason I invited you is because you were the only person who could relate to Jackie about her family. Do you have any idea how torn she must be feeling about her mother? I was hoping you would; I was hoping you could let go of the past and just be there for her, like you always could before. Was I so wrong, Steven?" Her voice wavered, just a little, and Hyde felt like the lowest scum on the planet.

"Look, I'm really sorry. I'll go talk to her."

"Leave her alone tonight, Steven. If you want to apologize to her, save it for tomorrow. I don't think she'll be very receptive tonight."

He nodded his head, dejected, and gestured toward the door.

"I guess I'll just go then…"

"Oh, no you don't. You've had a few too many to be driving anywhere tonight. You can stay on the couch, and go home in the morning. I'll have Red give you something to sleep in."

"Hope he doesn't kill me in my sleep…" Hyde muttered.

"Don't let him hear you say that; you'll give him ideas." Kitty warned, then shooed him away while she finished cleaning up.

Jackie managed to reach the bathroom and lock the door behind her before the floodgates opened and released it's torrent of tears and memories. She slid down the wall onto the floor, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face as she sobbed. And remembered…

January 3rd, 1980

"Jackie, are you sure you want this?" He lifted his eyebrows questioningly, even as his fingers caressed her flushed skin. She moaned softly.

"I'm sure," She breathed. "I want you. Come here…"

January 14th, 1980

"Fez, I need to talk to you."

"What is wrong, my goddess?"

She took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. Surely he would react well. Surely he would marry her and everything would be ok.

"I'm pregnant…"

Red knocked on the bathroom door nervously. He could hear her sobs, and cringed at the pain he heard beneath the tears.

"Jackie? Is uh… Is everything ok in there?"

Instantly the sobs quieted, and he heard her sniff, then turn on the faucet.

"Everything's fine, Red. I just stepped on a piece of glass, and came up to clean it. I'm fine," She repeated, and he quietly backed away from the door, deciding to give her the space she obviously wanted.

He again found himself impressed by the petite brunette. He knew she had been crying like her whole world had shattered, but as soon as he said something, she was back in control. Her iron will was truly extraordinary.

He beat a hasty retreat down the stairs and saw Hyde sitting on the couch and staring off into space, expressionless.

"What are you still doing here, dumbass?" He barked, a little more harshly than he intended.

Hyde looked at him, his face still bearing no more expression than it had before. "Kitty told me to stay and sleep on the couch. If you want me to, I can still go."

"No, I guess it's fine. I'll get you something to sleep in." He disappeared back upstairs, and returned with a pair of faded blue sweatpants.

"Thanks, Red." He reached out to take them, but Red grabbed his wrist, and looked squarely at his face.

"Tomorrow," he said deliberately, "fix this."

"I will, Red. I promise."

Jackie hadn't lied, she really did slice her foot on the glass. She sat on the toilet and examined the cut that was now shedding slow thick drops of blood onto the tile floor. She grabbed a washcloth from the shelf and held it to her foot, putting pressure on the wound until it stopped bleeding, then searched the medicine cabinet for a roll of bandages. She quickly located the gauze behind a big white plastic bottle and wrapped her foot tightly and tied the bandage off. The cut was shallow enough that it shouldn't need any special treatment. Gingerly she stood on both feet, then knelt down and cleaned the blood off of the floor. As she rinsed the soaked washcloth in the sink, she stared at the pink water and contemplated her situation.

Well, the cat was out of the bag now. She had hoped to avoid the issue altogether while she was here; she should have known better. Even if Steven had kept his mouth shut, sooner or later someone would have let their curiosity get the better of them and started asking questions. She had no idea how she was going to handle being here much longer, yet she knew she couldn't leave. Not yet. Sooner or later, she would have to face her ghosts.

She rung out the cloth and hung it on the towel rack, then carefully washed the makeup from her face. She dried off quickly and darted out of the bathroom and into her (Eric's) room. She closed the door behind her and locked it, then rummaged through her suitcase looking for a nightgown. She located a short slip and changed into it, then crawled into bed, exhausted.

Tomorrow, she thought before drifting off to sleep, I'll fix this.

Yay! Chapter four, and no evil cliffhangers. Up next, Hyde grovels (just a little), Jackie explains herself, and an old friend drops by and says hello... Stay tuned! Until then, reviews always warm the heart keep the fingers a'flying. Cheers!