AN: Okay, I think we'll move a little faster now. As always I own nothing, except Mr. Wilson and any others from the TV station. And italics are all in the character's heads
MONDAY NIGHT (Night after Jackie comes to store)
Hyde still wasn't used to the silence in the basement. No Foreman sticking his foot in his mouth, no Kelso screaming "BURN!" Donna and Fez came around occasionally but it wasn't the same. No Jackie chattering on about her nail polish and ABBA. Hyde sighed. Seeing her again just pushed his mind over the edge.
After Jackie left Hyde sat in his office for an hour, with his head on his desk. Then he'd gone back to the basement for a little "film"…but he just couldn't bring himself to do it alone. When did I start caring if I smoked or drank alone? He asked himself.
When you lost the option of smoking with the group, his self answered. In the past it didn't matter, he'd have a little private circle time then hang out with the guys. Or have a little personal time with Jackie. Now he did everything alone. The only people he saw with any regularity were the Foremans and WB.
WB. What had he said the other day? "In fact you might find it very eye opening"…WB knew. WB knew that Jackie was working there. In a flash Hyde was heading for the phone. Time to get some answers.
JACKIE AND FEZ's APARTMENT
After a long day at the salon Fez had finally returned home to relax with his candy and Charlie's Angels. But as he walked through the door his hopes were dashed. For there on the couch, where he wanted to watch his beautiful jiggling angels, was his roommate. Surrounded by papers. Aiii the secretaries in Playboy never do paperwork.
Jackie looked up quickly to greet her roommate. "Hey Fezzie."
"Hello Jackie, what are you doing my princess?"
"I'm working on a segment I'm producing. I'm actually in charge of the whole thing so I can't screw it up." Then under her breath she muttered "I can't let him see me screw it up."
"Him who? Your boss?"
"Yeah, sure." Jackie averted her eyes.
"What is the story about?"
Jackie sighed, wishing she could just lie. I'll never get a moment's peace once I tell him. "It's about the expansion of Grooves, they're the biggest franchise in the Midwest now." Jackie said, in her most carefully indifferent tone.
Fez's eyes bugged comically. "You are doing a story about Hyde's store!?"
Jackie rolled her eyes while she looked over the background info on Grooves. "Yes Fez I'm doing a story of Hyde's store. It's just business, I barely have to see him." Dear God I hope that's true.
"No I can see it now, it will be just like the last time you got back together."
"Fez-"
"Shhh, Fez is talking now."
Jackie sighed and sat back for what would be an undoubtedly long Fez story.
Hyde was patiently waiting for WB at the bar where they'd arranged to meet. Well "patiently" might be an overstatement, he was drumming his fingers on the table and tapping his foot. He would have been pacing the bar if it weren't so crowded.
"Hey Steven."
"WB."
"So," WB said settling in with his beer, "what's up?"
Where do I start? "Jackie."
"Jackie? That little loud girl who was always hanging around the office?"
"Cut the crap man, I know you know what I'm talking about."
"Okay, okay son. You're right."
"Is there even an interview, did Grooves even expand?"
"Of course there is, I may like meddling but business is business Steven. Look, I saw Jackie when I stopped by her boss' office about the segment, but she didn't see me. So, I asked Marcus about her, she's apparently an organizational wizard."
"Yeah she was certainly professional." And Zen the likes of which I've never seen.
"Yeah when I told Marcus how I knew her he said it was the perfect chance to give her some more responsibility."
"He doesn't mind the crowd of secretaries around her desk for gossip sessions?"
"Actually from what he said Jackie doesn't really socialize at work. She does her job and eats lunch at her desk reading the AP wires."
Jackie doesn't socialize? She eats alone? Jacks hates being alone. "That doesn't sound like her."
"Well Steven you two haven't been together in a while maybe she's changed. Whatever happened with you two anyway?"
"I married a stripper…remember?"
WB shook his head, "Yeah son I remember but what made you run away from Jackie in the first place?" WB watched speechless as Hyde's whole demeanor changed before his eyes. His cocky, stoic son was slumped over the table rubbing his face between his hands.
"I got freaked out. She wanted all these things-"
"Things you didn't want?" WB couldn't believe Steven was talking to him about this. I wonder how many beers he had when he was waiting for me?
"Well no. I mean I don't want to get married and have kids tomorrow but I don't wanna be that pathetic 50 year old guy sitting at the kids table at Thanksgiving either."
"Well son if you wanted those things then what was the problem?" If WB had to put a name on it he'd call Hyde's current expression 'ashamed'.
Hyde's voice was low and thick, "Because what if I couldn't give her those things. I mean history repeats itself an all that what if all I could give Jackie was that crappy little shack I grew up in."
WB felt terrible watching his son so down on himself.
"I'm just some freeloader who lives in Foreman's basement. I mean god Foreman doesn't even live in Wisconsin anymore."
"Steven, you listen to me. There is no doubt in my mind that you could give Jackie the kind of life she'd be proud of, in fact I'm more confident in that then in any of your other friends. Your childhood was shitty, but it gave you something none of your friends had." Hyde still looked perplexed. "Self-reliance son. You've been paying rent to the Foremans since you were 16. You've been earning your own living and dealing with the worst circumstances your whole life. If you decided to make a life with Jackie you would do whatever it took."
Hyde finally looked up at his father. "How do I start?"
"Start? Steven you aren't even dating Jackie."
"Look, I don't know much about this dating crap. But I think the purpose of it is to figure out if you can stand the person for an extended period of time. I already know Jackie's the ONLY girl I'd want to put up with for the rest of my life. Now I just have to prove it."
WB looked at his son…his brand new son. "Okay, here's what we do first…"
BACK AT JACKIE AND FEZ'S APARTMENT
"…And then Hyde will throw you down on the couch like he did when I used to hide in the basement."
Jackie was banging her head on the sofa, hoping to knock herself out and end this misery. "Sure Fez, whatever you say."
"You always used to like get-back-together fantasies. What happened to my cheery pink Goddess?"
"She stopped deluding herself Fez. There's no "get back together" with a man who doesn't want you. Fantasies are set ups, all they do is make you want what doesn't exist…people who want to be together forever."
Aiiii my poor Jacqueline.
FOREMANS' KITCHEN A FEW HOURS LATER.
Hyde walks through the door to find Red and Kitty eating dinner in the kitchen.
"Hello Steven, did you have a nice time with your Dad?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Foreman…I'm moving out."
AN: Sorry, cliffhanger. But I have some direction now so the wait shouldn't be long. Thank you for the awesome reviews you guys are great for the self-esteem.