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"I want a puppy." Libbey said.
Jackie looked over at Libbey who was playing with her stuffed animal in the living room. Jackie bit her pencil then went back to reviewing some paperwork she had to do for the agency she was working for. Timo was out and about with Kelso so Jackie and I were at her place going over bills, college papers, and her agency work. I read over her college term paper for the fifth time, I swear every time I took a second glance I was finding more errors than there had been the previous time. Maybe I was putting them there myself, I mean I never was really one for college. But I didn't think I would sink low enough to sabotage Jackie.
"Maybe in a few weeks." Jackie told her after looking at her check book.
"Why can not we ask Opa for it?" Libbey pouted and walked over to us.
"Because we're big girls, Libs." Jackie kissed her forehead. "We have dignity."
Libbey nodded slowly and went back to the animal lying in the middle of the floor. Jackie muttered incoherent ramblings to herself as she added the total income she would have if she worked days at the modeling agency and nights at Grooves with me. The night shift really wasn't my thing but I'm sure Randy would have to problem switching to days so Jackie could have his nights. I read over her term paper one more time before deciding it was at least high B work and then pushing it aside and moving to her check book.
She had gained a certain amount of pride in Germany, maybe she figured out that making your own living was really worth it.
"I want to buy a house." Jackie muttered, glancing at Libbey.
"A house?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "She'll be getting bigger and once my first pay check comes in I can get a dog by for one month. But I need to start looking in the long run. I can finish up this year at the community college and earn my Associate, that'll get me by. And with working for you and the agency," She paused and did some long hand calculations. "I can afford to buy one in the Foreman's neighborhood in two or three months."
I wanted to say it, I needed to say it, but I wasn't sure if it was in my place to say it. First of all she was married, even though he was an ass, I still had to respect the marital binds, even if he didn't. I looked at Libbey and then back to Jackie, I didn't want them to leave, who was I kidding. If she stayed with Timo then they'd be out of my life faster than Bud was. Would it really hurt to insinuate something to her, maybe something vague for her to piece her own puzzle together. I paused, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I opened my mouth and gave her something to ponder over.
"But..." Libbey started.
"Libbey!" Jackie gave the little girl a stern look.
"I found one." I told her. Jackie looked up at me.
"You left the nest?"
I shrugged. "I can't depend on the Foreman's forever, you know, I have to be my own man."
Jackie nodded. "Where's the house at? Is it yours or just one that you'd like"
"Here." I gave her the paper of the house from my back pocket. She looked it over. "I'm leaving the Foreman's tomorrow."
"You leaving?" In came Libbey's pouty face again. "Are you going back to Germany with us?"
"Libbey!" Jackie snapped.
"You're going back to Germany?" I sneered. "With him?"
"What does it matter to you?" Her words were cold and acidic. I'm sure even Libbey picked up on the change of tone in her Jaja's voice. She flashed her doe eyes up at us and Jackie pulled me into the kitchen.
.
"She's just going?" Kelso asked.
He, Foreman, Fez, and I were sitting in the bar going on our fifth round of shots, the round sometime after I lost count of the tenth. Foreman kept telling me that I was going to find my fate at the end of one of the glasses. But I figured, what the hell, I'd stop once those two little brunettes were far away from my comprehension. I couldn't believe that little bitch was leaving. It wasn't enough for her to marry that ass in spite of me? She has to come home with a little girl and then just pack up her things and go back home with her son of a bitch husband. She was the reason I was now going on my sixteenth round. I always new Jackie was cold-hearted and low, but I didn't even think she could sink below this. It was losing Libbey that had my mind whirling...naturally.
I shrugged my shoulders at Kelso. I didn't care what she did anymore. I tried playing nice, I gave her a job, security, and I was even going to buy her precious baby girl and Goddamn puppy. Its a good thing I found this oasis otherwise I would have had to use my money on a yapping little runt. I beckoned for another round. My alcohol tolerance was almost as good as my tolerance for other things. Temper wasn't included, of course. I buried my face in my arms, when was this damn nightmare going to be over with. I just wanted to wake up and see no one beside me, have no one waiting for me in the basement, and I sure as hell didn't want that one brunette walking into my life only to walk straight back out.
"I just want to bash his pretty boy face in." Kelso reached up and felt his face even though he knew I wasn't talking about him. Pretty boys did that, I guessed, they were all equally pretty and equally stupid. They shared in each others pain and personality.
I stared at Kelso.
"This is all your fault, man!" I exclaimed.
"And Senor Shots makes his unwelcome presence known." I heard Foreman mutter as I lunged across Fez to get to Kelso.
"What the hell, Hyde!" Kelso snipped after tumbling backwards out of his chair. "Your Jackie problems are not my fault!"
"You screwed her up!"
"I screwed her up? Me? Are you serious? Dude! I was a Saint compared to you."
I glared at him and went back to my bar stool, again, beckoning for another round. I sunk ack my last round, pulled some money out and slapped it on the table before making way to the door.
"Where are you going, Hyde?" Foreman asked.
"Jackie's."
"You can't drive."
"I'll walk."
Flashback - Two Months Before Jackie Leaves for Germany
_____________________________________________
"Let's go somewhere." Jackie grinned as we walked hand in hand around the path that encircled Point Place's pathetic excuse for a park. It was past midnight on a Sunday night and we were just taking in the beauty of the night, well Jackie mostly. I was absorbing in the presence of something more beautiful than a silver specked blue sky and the moon hovering like Fez.
"Like where?"
"Does it matter? Anywhere is somewhere compared to this place." She kicked a beer can out of the way.
"You name the place." I said, veering off the path into the field.
Jackie laid the blanket down on the grass and lit her candles. We kissed for a while, it was passionate, hot, fierce, sort of like the last make out session before a girl dumps you. But Jackie wasn't going to dump me, I just knew what buttons to press to get her motor running. Anyways, she liked this sort of thing; kissing and cuddling under the stars. She got all romantic on my ass when it came to stuff like this. I didn't mind too much, it was just us and it wasn't like she was going to run and tell all the guys what we did in our spare time, other than doing it.
"Paris." Jackie said as we stared up at the sky.
"France?"
"Yes, why?"
I shook my head and scooted closer to her.
"Those stars right there," She pointed to a cluster of stars south of us. "That could be the Effiel Tower. See, they kind of make a triangle shape."
I nodded and pointed to another cluster, "That could very well be Robespierre." Jackie smacked my stomach.
We laid there for about an hour pointing out the scenery of Paris. There was no way I could actually take her there, but this was better, for me at least. I got all the luxury of being in Paris with Jackie without all the money burning. I thought she enjoyed it too, she was smiling and smiling was always good. But a part of me knew that she would have really rather been in France, after all, make believe is great until you crash land right back into reality. So whether or not she was actually happy was a mystery to me. But for the time being, I was just going to make sure her fall back to reality is light and pain-free.
"Steven." Jackie whispered. Her head was on my chest and her eyes were on the verge of fluttering shut. Both of us were exhausted, maybe this Paris wasn't so bad. Like I said, all the luxury without losing a dime.
"Hmm?" I asked, glancing about for my shirt.
"Will you take me to Paris? The real Paris."
I didn't answer so she went on.
"It doesn't have to be now, or tomorrow or anytime soon for that matter. Just take me to Paris, please."
I looked down at her, "Maybe."
_______________________
I threw a shot glass that I left with into the field where the memory shined vividly in my mind. I was the one who was supposed to travel across the pond with her. Not some lying, cheating, scum for a guy that she married. Me, I was supposed to give her romantic evenings in Europe, not Mr. Richie Rich. I kicked the ground and picked my pace up a little faster.
I stared up at Jackie's apartment building and waited for my feet to carry me the rest of the way. They didn't move though, as if they were telling me to get a grip and go back to the Foreman's. Libbey was in there, and I sure didn't want her to hear the words I had for Jackie. I paused, trying to make up my mind. Oh well, I could whisper. My feet moved faster than they had through the park, it was good to know that they were on my side now.
The lights in the complex were dimly lit for the night hours, no lights shined from underneath any of the tenants doors on the first floor. And only one lone light shined on the second floor. Damn, I thought to myself, I was really looking forward to waking her skinny little ass up. As my fist made contact with her door I could practically hear her jump. Something fell from the other side of the door and feet shuffled before Jackie's eyes peeked through the now open door. She rolled her eyes and shut the door.
"Open the damn door, Jackie!" I pounded again.
Jackie yanked the door open and quickly pulled me inside. She slammed the door shut, locked the locks, and gave me one good slap in the face. It stung like hell, but in some sick way I liked it.
"Who do you think you are?" She hissed.
I looked around half expecting Libbey to be in a corner.
"Huh?"
"If you shut up maybe I could tell you!" I barked, still looking around.
I gave up on Libbey, if she was here she would have been out here by now. I took a step towards Jackie, she was taken aback, probably not expecting me to come closer to her. And every step I took in advance, she took one in retreat.
"I am the guy who has read your stupid 'book of quotes' every night for the past nine months." I took another step. "The guy who woke up every morning praying to God that you were sitting on the couch filing your damn nails." Jackie froze at my next step. "I'm the guy who let the best thing that ever happened get away." Locomotion found her and she took another step back, right into the wall. "Who do you think you are?" I asked, placing my hands on the wall. Trapping her.
Jackie's chest rose and fell harshly, she stared up at me with eyes very much like Libbey's. She opened her mouth but noting came out. I felt a new sense of pride, I left her speechless.
"I'm..." She froze again, searching for words. "I'm a runner." She glanced over my arm.
"Don't run." I told her, resting my forearms on the wall now.
"I don't have a choice." She muttered, her chest still setting and rising fast.
"You have me."
"You're drunk." I pressed my body closer to hers.
"I'm determined."
"To what?" She swallowed slowly.
"To make you stay."
I kissed her neck and she let out a whimper. Screw the rules of matrimony. I had Jackie first and I was going to have her last. Germany would have to kill me before he got her back. Keeping one arm on the wall, I wrapped my other around her waist pulling her close to me. Jackie pushed me away as our tongues had began to do the dirty tango.
"No." She demanded and scrambled to the door with shaking knees. "You need to leave."
I stared at her for a minute or two before adjusting my shirt. "Fine." I said. I started towards the door and 'tripped' over my own two feet. I guess thats what I get for drinking and dancing. Jackie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I think I hurt my ankle." I whined rubbing my left ankle.
"So?"
I sneered up at her. "Can you at least help me up?"
I pulled Jackie down on the ground with me as she offered her hand. She shoved my chest and called me a stupid drunk as I laughed at her.
"Come on, Jacks."
"Steven." Jackie frowned. "You're drunk and if you do this, you'll regret it in the morning."
"I wouldn't." I shook my head and kissed her bottom lip. "Would you?" I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her more passionately. She had to want to stay with me. She couldn't leave me here in Point Place for Germany. Not again.
Jackie snaked her arms around my neck and kissed harder. "I'd rather regret doing it than regret not doing it."
I pulled her on top of me. We rolled, we moaned, moved from one room to the other. We knocked down everything that was in our path. It was great. I missed Jackie more than she could ever know and more than I would ever say. The sex wasn't what I had in mind for the first time since a long time ago. I would have much rather it been somewhere clean, on a bed prehaps, hell I wouldn't have objected to the park. But it didn't matter, not the passion, the heat, the sex, the kisses, none of it. Because the fact of the matter was that this was a one time thing, I knew full well that she wasn't staying here, she was going back with him.
.
"Jaja!" A high pitched voice called from the front room. I glanced up at the shower and then over at Jackie. I figured the voice was just a dream and I could feel myself falling back into a sleep until a fist pounded on Jackie's bedroom door.
I was under a rug, my head was spinning, and I was bare ass nude. Any string of dignity I had was now gone. I felt around for the alarm clock, I found it under the pillows that really served no use last night. It said it was noon, I figured she spent the night at someones house because if she had been home she would have pounded on the door sooner. Jackie groaned as I scooted closer to her and kissed her shoulder. I ran my fingers along her side and watched a smile play across her face. She didn't object when I nibbled on her ear and kissed her neck softly, but she objected big time to my hand on her leg.
"Not now."
I rolled over and used the bath tub to pick myself up.
Jackie giggled, "When did we end up in here?"
"Sometime between the first time and..." My voice trailed off when Jackie's bedroom door opened.
"Shit!" Jackie scrambled to her feet, wrapping the shower curtain around her as she shut the bathroom door.
"Jaja." Libbey's fingers were under the crack at the bottom of the door.
"Not right now Libs." Jackie told the little girl. "Jaja's going to jump into the shower."
"Hyde can come." I whispered and pulled her over to me.
Jackie pushed me back, "No he cannot."
I cupped her face and pulled in for a kiss. She moaned into my mouth and pressed her body against mine, she was now well aware of what she did to me. Her tongue played tricks with my mouth that should have been ruled illegal, they could make a man do bad things. But, of course, she untangled herself from me and handed me my jeans which were in the sink.
"You have to leave now before Libbey knows you're here."
.
"Where've you been all night?" Timo asked when I walked into the basement with the same clothes he had last saw me in. "Busy on the streets."
"Oh I was busy alright." I smirked.
Foreman and Donna exchanged looks. "What were you doing?"
"More like who were you doing." Fez grinned.
"I really don't want to hear about who or what Hyde's been doing."
"What has Hyde been doing?" Libbey skipped through the door, holding my shirt.
Jackie followed her, she was showered and wearing the same dress she had worn when she first introduced Libbey to everyone. She glanced at me with her eyebrows raised and a jerk of the head to Libbey, and then walked over and squeezed herself between Foreman and Donna. She crossed her arms and slouched back. Donna looked from her to me.
"Oh." She muttered.
"What?" Timo asked.
Donna gazed at Timo for a second, "I have twenty-eight teeth, I think."
Timo gave Donna a doubtful look. "Was ist dass?" Timo asked Libbey in her native language.
Libbey held up the Led Zeppelin shirt and Timo looked at me. "I found it."
"I bought it." Jackie spoke up. "Libbey wanted one like Hyde's.
Timo's jaw locked and he stood up, "Let's go, Jackie."
"She just got here." I leaned against the door.
"I want to go," Timo grabbed Jackie's arm.
"Hey man, just let her stay." Kelso said as he watched them from the arm chair.
"Say something, Jackie." I barked. "Grow some balls and take your stand." Jackie stared at me. "You deserve better than him, you hate him and you're with him."
"Like you're any better," Timo sneered.
"Jackie." I said. "You don't want him."
Something itched within me when Jackie kissed his cheek and took his hand. I should have seen it coming, I had seen, I knew that she was going to do this, and yet I allowed myself to get into her mess. Jackie stopped in front of me and put a piece of paper into the pocket of my jacket. I sucked on my cheek as I watched her walk away with Libbey and Timo.
"What...what does it say?" Foreman asked.
"I'm a runner." I whispered.
"No she isn't." Kelso laughed. I stared at the piece of paper.
"What are you going to do?" Donna asked as I took my jacket off and put a fresh shirt from the dryer on.
"What I should have done a long time ago."
I have a new found obbsession: Buffy and Spike. If you know any really good fan fics, let me know. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter. I'm writing the next one after this is posted so I can start picking up the flow of things.
