EPILOGIE – IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE

AUGUST 23, 1978

Jackie stood in the driveway of Kelso's cottage and waved, with tears streaming down her face, until she couldn't see Kelso's van anymore. It was finally over. The summer had ended. Thus marked the best summer of Jackie's life.

Jackie had spent the last two days straight with the gang. She never left them. The last two days they had spent together was difficult. They spent the time sitting around, talking, and sharing their summer experiences. They reminisced, and told stories. Donna and Jackie cried a lot. Jackie and Donna ran off at one point, to be alone and talk. She thought back on the conversation that they had.

They had gone up to her and Eric's room to talk. Jackie had collapsed on to the bed, and sighed.

"I hate this. It's way too hard for me to leave you guys," Jackie said.

"It isn't any easier for the rest of us you know," Donna said.

"I know, but at least you all have each other. I have no one. I'm going to go back to Boston and be an outcast."

"But you'll always have us. And in a year, we can all be reunited at the University of Wisconsin."

"Easy for you to say, lumberjack. You'll have everyone in that year. It may go by fast for you, but it won't for me."

"You're really upset by this, huh?"

"Donna, I never had real friends until now. People that actually cared about each other, who don't purposely try to hurt each other. I like what you guys have a lot more. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Donna started to cry at Jackie's confession. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I've never had a real female friend until you. I always just hung out with the guys. Sure, Kelso was always bringing girls around, but I could never trust them and be their friend. It was nice to have another girl around. I'm going to miss that. A lot."

Donna and Jackie then hugged and cried for a good hour.

And then there was Steven. She knew he didn't want to see her cry. But every time she looked at him, she had to fight the urge not to. How could she not? She was staring at the man who had changed her life. The man that was the complete opposite of her. The kind of guy that she would have never been caught with before that summer. Now, she was completely and totally in love with this man, and she had to be apart from him for who knew how long.

The night before the gang left, Jackie and Hyde had made a decision. They were going to tough it out. They were going to be together, ands remain true to each other. It was going to be difficult for Jackie, especially with her trust issues. But Hyde had promised that he would be faithful, that she was the only girl he wanted to be with.

"But Steven, you're going to college, and there's going to be a lot of sluts around. Slits that are going to want to sleep with you."

"Of course they are, who doesn't want to sleep with me?"

Jackie slapped Hyde at his comment.

"I'm kidding! Jackie, I'm not going to college to hook up with girls. I'm going to actually…study. And to make something of myself. Someone your parents can be proud of."

"Oh, Steven, your so sweet!"

"Christmas," Hyde said.

"What about it?" Jackie asked.

"We'll see each other at Christmas. It's only four months away."

Jackie smiled. "Christmas. Only four months. Christmas it is."

They had spent their last night together, and it was the most passionate night of their lives.

Jackie thought back on this as she waved good-bye to the van. Only four months away. Four months was going to be a long time. Things were going to be much different for her once she returned to Boston. Jackie sighed and started to walk back to her cottage once the van was completely out of sight, knowing that they wouldn't be returning.

She wanted nothing to do with her life back in Boston. Her heart was in Wisconsin, with the friends she met that summer. She was going to have to go back to Boston and face her "friends" that had stabbed her in the back, and her ex-boyfriend that had betrayed her with one of her supposed best friends. She was going to have to live with the knowledge that her mother would be off whoring with some rich bastard in Florida. And she was going to have to live with the fact that the only way she would be able to keep in touch with the guy she loved by letters and a phone call once a week.

But one thing was for sure. Jacqueline Burkhart was strong. She may have changed during the summer of 1978, but it was for the best. She was a new person, a better person. And if the people in Boston didn't like that, they could shove it up their asses. Because waiting for her, though 800 miles away, were four amazing friends, and one man that loved her, and lover her so much that he was willing to do something he hated, to be a better man for her. Jackie smiled as she opened the door to her cottage.

She was going to be all right.

A/N: I know the epilogue kind of sucks, but I'm so excited to start writing the sequel. So keep a watch out for that one! It could be up as early as later tonight!!