A/N: Well we finally got some JH action and y'all seemed to like it! And of course it needed the angst. I mean, they're both technically with other people. So now the couples who should be together will start gravitating towards each other, I would hope. Enjoy! Reviews aren't required but I like hearing what you think!
Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW nor FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS.
Jackie woke up to Brooke standing over her bed.
"OhmiGOD!" she exclaimed, sitting up. "Brooke, don't scare me like-!"
"Sorry! I didn't mean to. But I wanted to say goodbye before I left."
"Yeah, I know," Jackie said. "Let me put on some clothes and I'll walk you to your car… How did you get in here, anyway?"
"Your Mom left her keys in the door."
"God."
"… What is going on?" Brooke asked.
"…. Nothing."
"You seem extra mopey and stuff," Brooke said. "…. Are those Hyde's sunglasses?" Jackie's eyes flew to the floor, and she gasped. "Oh my GOD! You broke your wedding vows!"
"Oh shut up, Brooke, we both know that's not a problem on MY side!" Jackie exclaimed. "Yes, Steven came over last night, UNINVITED and UNEXPECTED, and one thing led to another and we slept together!"
"Well that's great!"
"No it isn't! If you forget we're both married to other people!"
"Your marriage to Jude is a joke, he'll be first to congratulate you on your tryst and you know it," Brooke said, and Jackie smiled a little bit. "Because he's the best husband ever, apparently."
"Well there's the matter of Sam."
"Screw her!"
"This is a side of you I'm not used to seeing."
"I say that you have every right to lead Hyde astray."
"I don't want to be the mistress," Jackie said, glumly. "Steven can't be married to her and have me too. It's not that easy and I'm not that pathetic!"
"Well good for you. Is he going to get divorced?"
"It didn't come up," Jackie said. "Maybe. Who knows? I'm the complicated one, remember?"
"Complicated is synonymous with interesting," Brooke stated. "But good for you, standing your ground like that."
"Thanks….. the sex was so good, Brooke. I love him still, and he says he loves me, but… He's said that before."
"If it's meant to be, it'll work out," Brooke said.
"That's a cop out saying."
"I know."
Brooke and Jackie walked down the steps, and Jude sat up on the pullout.
"Where're you two going?" he asked, rubbing his eyes, his hair sticking up.
"I'm going home, Jude," Brooke said, and he tilted his head.
"What, like back to Chicago?" he asked. She nodded. "Oh, well hang on!" He pulled the blanket around him, as he knew Brooke would be embarrassed to see him in nothing but boxers, and walked to the front door as well. "So what should we tell Kelso?"
"Have you thought about it, Brooke?" Jackie asked, turning to Brooke.
"Yes."
" And what should we tell Michael?" Brooke shrugged sadly.
"That I'll see him in a few weeks when he comes to get Betsy," she said. "And that I'm sorry… I really need to get on the road-."
"Okay, you get going," Jackie said, and hugged her tightly. "Thank you so much for everything."
"Of course," Brooke said, and Jude walked to her, attempting to hold the blanket. "Jude, it was so nice meeting you."
"You too, Brooke," he said, and put an arm around her as he held the blanket up with his other hand. "Maybe I'll see you in Vegas again."
"Probably not," she said. "But maybe you'll come to Chicago someday when you're a famous music star." Brooke hugged her friends one more time, and left the house. As Jackie closed the door, she turned to Jude.
"I'm gonna miss her," Jude said.
"I cheated on you last night," Jackie threw back.
"Oh?"
"Yes. Steven came over. We slept together."
"Does this mean I can cheat on you?"
"Go ahead."
"Does this also mean you and Hyde are back together?"
"Not while you and I are married and he's still with that stripper of his," Jackie said. "And who are you going to cheat on me with?"
"….. No one."
"…. It's Sarah isn't it?" Jackie asked, eyes widening. "Omigod, you two would be SO cute together!"
"You think so?"
"Yes!" He grinned a little bit, and shrugged.
"Could be."
"Does she know we're married?"
"Nah, it never came up."
"You may want to tell her."
"What's the point? Once Logan gets in contact with us that won't be an issue. It will be moot, if you will."
"Well it may matter to her."
"Well it doesn't really matter since I go back to Las Vegas in a bit," he said. "Oh, could I use your phone? I should call my boss and check in."
"Please do," Jackie said. He nodded, and walked to the kitchen. She strolled to the record player he'd brought and plugged into the wall, switching it on. She danced slowly to the music, trying not to think about the night before. She sat on the pull out, and stared up at the ceiling, Paul McCartney's voice filling her ears. She closed her eyes, sorry that Jude was feeling bad enough that he had been listening to 'Hey Jude' the night before. She knew he hated it back in Vegas, and wondered why he even planned on going back. Of course, it's not that easy. She also stayed in a situation that caused her pain. At least, until recently.
She sat up when she heard angry shouting coming from the kitchen. She got up, and rushed to Jude.
"Yeah well fuck you! I've been nothing but loyal to you and when I have to take some personal time you fuck me over?!... Go to hell!" he snarled, and hung up the phone.
"What happened?"
"I'm fired," Jude said. "They didn't like that I left, and didn't bother to tell me that I had until this morning to come back if I wanted my job to stay in place!"
"What?! That's ridiculous!"
"They gave my room to the new act they have, and my stuff is in storage in North Vegas!" Jude exclaimed, pacing. "I can't believe this. I'm fucked!" He paced the kitchen, and Jackie was going to say something, when the phone rang again. "If that's my ex boss you can tell him to go and, I don't know, DIE or something." She picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Jackie!"
"Hi Kitty."
"Do you and your husband want to come over for brunch?"
"…. What?"
"Brunch, at our place," Kitty said. "I want to get to know him!"
"Kitty, that's not really necessary, I mean, Jude and I are getting divorced, and-."
"Well I know, but he's still family."
"… No he isn't really, because I'm not family, and therefore my soon to be ex husband-."
"No no no, sweetie, you ARE family, and that makes Jude family too. Even if you are getting divorced or annulled or what have you." Jackie looked at Jude, who was hitting his head against the fridge. He could use some good old fashioned Kitty Forman home cookin', she thought.
"Okay, we'll be right there, Kitty," Jackie said. She hung up, and walked to Jude. "Cheer up. We're going to brunch."
"Why?"
"Because you need to indulge in Kitty's food, it's a sure fire way to make you feel better," Jackie said. "Come on, let's get you in some clothes."
"I don't want to go."
"Oh come on," Jackie said. "The cure to anger is being around people who care about you-."
"Dammit Jackie, I don't want to go!" he snapped, and she jumped a little bit. She then put a hand on her hip.
"Look, I know that you're upset, but don't yell at me," Jackie stated. "You didn't even like that job."
"Yeah, but it was a job! I could deal with it as long as I was getting paid!"
"Yeah, because you didn't want to risk trying for something better," Jackie said. "You should look at this, despite your things being, well, in storage, as an opportunity! You can go and try to do something that isn't in Vegas. You HATE Vegas, remember?" He nodded a couple times, and exhaled.
"Sorry for snapping at you."
"You should be! I didn't fire you."
"I don't know if I want to go to breakfast."
"You'd rather sulk around my house all day and fight off my mother's advances?"
"… No."
"Then we're going." He sighed, and nodded. "There will be other jobs, Jude. And hey. You could always stay in Point Place. Find a job here, work at the radio station…Maybe start something with Sarah." He shrugged.
"I'm pretty much at square one right now. So anything's possible."
"Well brunch at the Forman's is the first step."
"Okay, fine, off we go."
"Good. You won't be hermit on my watch."
"I suppose you think I should thank you for that."
"Just get in the car."
When Jackie and Jude got to the Forman household, they were surprised to see that Kitty had set up a large brunch buffet in the back yard. She was setting out the last of the food, and Red was sitting on the porch scowling at nothing in particular.
"Jackie! Jude! Hello!" Kitty exclaimed, waving. "Oh I'm so happy you two could make it! Red, come and meet Jackie's husband!"
"You kids think that marriage is one big joke, don't you?" Red asked, standing up and walking to Jackie and Jude. "First Steven goes and marries that Barbie Doll and now you come home with your own version of Wayne Newton!"
"Oh Mr. Forman, Jude is classier than that," Jackie said. "And he has an accent."
"John Lennon then!" Red corrected, gruffy.
"Hey, thanks!" Jude said, smiling. "But that makes you Yoko, Jackie."
"It's not the first time someone has called me that but it still hurts, you big jerk," Jackie said, slugging him in the shoulder, playfully. "Mister Forman, Jude and I are fixing this, we're getting divorced."
"Well why?" Red asked. "Divorce is a final option when you don't have any other choices. You shouldn't have gotten yourselves in this mess in the first place but you could at least try to work it out. Consequences."
"No offense, but that's ludicrous," Jackie said, and Jude bit his lip nervously. She was taking on this grouchy and intimidating man. He didn't know she was THAT fearless. "Marriage is something that is important, I agree, but Jude and I didn't mean to get married. And we don't love each other."
"Oh, not even a little bit?" Kitty asked, slightly disappointed. The married couple looked at each other, and then smiled a little bit.
"Well, maybe a little bit," Jude said, and smiled at her, and she knew that her feelings for him were the same way. Purely platonic. But that's love too. She put an arm around his waist.
Lurking behind the screen and listening to the whole conversation was Sam. She smiled gleefully when she heard Jude say that, and slipped back into the house.
"Well do what you two want," Red said. "But you both know you've acted VERY irresponsibly, right?"
"Yes, Mister Forman," they both muttered, looking at the ground.
"Still, at least you aren't fooling yourselves about the situation," Red said.
"Like SOME PEOPLE we know," Kitty said, passive aggressiveness bursting through. "Honestly, I don't see WHY Steven or his wife can't be as realistic about their 'marriage' as you two are-."
"Did I hear my name?" Hyde asked, walking out of the house, Sam clinging to his arm.
"Steven!" Kitty exclaimed, dropping a plate full of sweet rolls in surprise. "Oh darn it! Those were homemade! And they were perfect, I tested one in the kitchen!"
"Kitty, it doesn't matter," Red muttered.
"But they're the dessert part of the brunch! It's breakfast, but served after the meal! Like lunch!" Kitty exclaimed, picking them up. "Maybe they're still good."
"There's grass all over them," Jackie pointed out, and Kitty moaned. "Look, we don't need sweet rolls, Kitty, really."
"Yes we do! It's not brunch without the lunch aspect!"
"Okay, tell you what," Jude said. "I can take Jackie's car and run to town to that bakery to get some."
"Oh, that would be so helpful!" Kitty exclaimed. "Thank you, Jude. I wish that YOU were sticking around as an in-law."
"OH-kay, let's help you gather up those other ones," Jackie exclaimed, because even though it was a barb directed at Sam, the night before indicated that those weren't really needed. "Here are my keys, Jude." Jude took them from her, and poked her in the side when she turned to help Kitty. "Hey! Careful, mister." He grinned, and felt Hyde glaring at him. He sauntered off towards the Camero, and was pretty eager to see Sarah again.
Sam pulled Hyde inside.
"Well they've certainly become cozy," Sam said, hoping to squish any second thoughts or jealousies he was having about Jackie and Jude.
"I guess."
"They're so cute," Sam said. "I mean, I think that they shouldn't get divorced. It's clear that they're totally into each other." Hyde wished he hadn't misplaced his sunglasses, because his eyes were going to deceive him.
"Probably."
"I mean, the way they're so comfortable," Sam said. "It's like you and me, you know?"
"…… I'm going to get some eggs and bacon." With that, he left the kitchen, leaving Sam irritated.
Jackie was serving up some eggs for herself, when Hyde walked up behind her.
"So what is going on between you two?" he hissed, and she jumped.
"What are you talking about?" Jackie asked.
"You two just seemed… cozy."
"Oh not this again."
"I'm sorry, but after last night-."
"I don't see YOU leaping to get a divorce, Steven!" she snapped, and reached into her purse. "So as far as I'm concerned, last night was nothing and it won't happen again unless you take that step! And here!" She threw her sunglasses into his hands. "Next time maybe you shouldn't leave something at the scene of the crime!" She walked off, going to find Kitty to make sure that the sweet roll fiasco wasn't traumatizing, and Hyde fumed, putting on his sunglasses.
Sam had watched the whole thing from the window. She didn't know why Jackie had his glasses, or why Hyde looked so miffed and yet determined, but she didn't like it one bit. So she reached into her pocket, and put on the ring Hyde told her not to wear. He'd tried to hide it, but she found it in the El Camino when she was looking for loose change in the glove compartment. It was time to pull out all the stops and keep those two apart for good.
She skipped outside, and strode up to where Kitty and Jackie were talking, making sure that her hand was quite visible. She turned to make sure that Red and Hyde were at a far enough distance (they were, they were in the garage saying nothing and liking it), and began phase one.
"Kitty, I was so sad to see the sweet rolls drop," Sam said, putting a hand to her cheek so the ring was nice and visible.
"Well Jude is taking care of it and… Is that ring new?" Kitty asked, and Sam smiled snidely as Jackie's face fell a little bit.
"Oh you like it? Steven gave it to me this morning," Sam said. "He'd been waiting for the right time, and he said that today was that day. Isn't it just gorgeous?"
"It looks like it's pinching your finger," Kitty said, and Sam pulled it back. It was probably a size too small, as it was fitted for Jackie.
"No, it's perfect," she said, quickly. "It's so me, don't you think?"
"Is that a diamond?" Jackie asked, sadly.
"It sure is."
"Well then it's not you," Jackie said, full bite in her voice. "You would be a cubic zirconium. You know, flashy but cheap." Kitty held back a laugh, and Jackie walked into the garage to talk to Red. Sam boiled in rage, though somewhat satisfied as her point had been made.
Jude walked up to the bakery window, and peered through. It was true, Sarah was behind the counter. He grinned, and scurried inside. He stood in line, hopping a little bit. While the day had been generally rotten, losing his job and all, things were looking help. He was going to get by, with help from his friends (well, Jackie anyway) and maybe help from this woman who was helping customers with a reluctant smile on her face.
Once he got to the counter, her smile became a little more sincere.
"Hey there, Cinnamon," she said. "Or should I call you Jude now?"
"It doesn't matter," he said awkwardly, his suaveness deciding to take a leave of absence. "I guess Jude. Yeah, call me Jude."
"I was planning on it. So what can I do for you today, Jude? Another cinnamon bun?"
"Actually, I'm looking for sweet rolls," he answered.
"How many?"
"About a dozen."
"Hungry fella."
"Huh? Oh no, not all for me, I'm at this brunch thing and there's a sweet roll emergency of sorts."
"Well we don't have that many out front here, but I can get some from the back," she said. She looked over his shoulder. "Here, there's a break in customers, come help me gather them would ya?"
"… Sure!" he said, and followed her.
She handed him a box and climbed onto a stool so she could reach the top of a cart of baked goods.
"Hold out the box for me," she said, and he obliged. She began dropping sweet rolls in it, and he looked up at her. Even though she was just grabbing pastries, to Jude she moved with a certain grace and elegance.
"You want to go out tonight?" he heard himself blurting out, and she looked down at him from atop the stool. "I mean, you don't have to say yes, but-."
"Sure. Where do you want to go?"
"Oh, I don't know…. I don't know anything about this town, so it's up to you."
"Well, The Hub is good. That's where we were last night with Jackie and Brooke."
"Ah, okay," he said. "That seemed like a good place."
"Cool," she said, and continued dropping pastries in the box in a cool and collected manner. Jude hoped he was presenting himself in such a way, but wasn't quite convinced of it. "Well here are the dozen sweet rolls you asked for. I hope you like them."
"I'm sure I will," he said, and she hopped off the stool.
She rang up the desserts, and smiled slyly at him over the counter.
"Want to meet at five thirty?" she asked.
"Sure."
"Cool. Enjoy your brunch."
"Yeah! See you tonight!" He waved as he left the bakery, and hid his grin until he was in the Camaro . He pumped his fists in the air a couple times, and sped back towards the Forman's house.
