A Melody Can Chapter 10: Daring To Move, a that '70s show fanfic

DISCLAIMER: Same as always…I own nothing=(

***

Fez licked at his fingers greedily, the dough is so much better than cookies.

"Thank you Miss. Kitty, Eric is so lucky; a woman who can cook and is sexy? Oh boy"

Kitty blushed slightly at Fez's comment giggling as she pulled the tray from the oven. Over the years she had developed quite a strange affection for the odd little boy.

"Honey you are just the cutest thing! Now be a good boy and take these cookies upstairs to Michael; and make sure to ask him if he needs my help with anything" Kitty winked at Fez who smiled knowingly at her before shaking his head.

"I don't get it. Help with what?"

"The boy can't use his hands, he has needs, now scoot"

Kitty turned away from Fez humming to herself as she cleaned up.

"Oh and honey ask if he wants any tang with his cookies"

Fez's hands trembled slightly and his eyes grew wide.

"Lucky bastard!"

Walking through the door to the living room Fez crammed a cookie in his mouth before stomping up the stairs.

***

If Hyde had been surprised when Red had offered him a beer his face didn't show it. Most people couldn't see through the Zen master but Jackie could. It was in the little things; the small crinkle in the corner of his mouth when he was upset, the way he would scratch at his ear when he was getting annoyed and right now the way his legs were parted, his hands drumming against his thighs meant he was nervous. Jackie had kept her mouth shut knowing that this was one of those times that small talk actually added to the tension as opposed to alleviating it. She was perched on Red's work table, a place she had spent countless afternoons listening to Red talk about cars while the boys played basketball in the driveway. He would instruct her on how to fix an oil leak or tune something or other, taking advantage of her petite frame to reach things he couldn't. She could recall many occasions when she would emerge from the garage, nails blackened with grease, her hair falling from her pony tail just to have Steven all but throw her down the stairs in his haste to get to his bedroom. Steven was leaning in between her legs, his untouched beer beside her while his fingers continued to beat a steady drum. Her arms hung loosely around his shoulders, her nails raking against his shirt. All the while Red watched them, his steady gaze taking in everything; the diamond on her finger, the soft voice Steven had used when talking to her outside, the way his body seemed to tilt into hers.

"What I'm about to say stays in this garage and I will sooner declare myself a commie than I will acknowledge this conversation ever took place, you got it?"

The two of them both nodded seemingly too stunned to talk.

"You're not the same children you we're when you first started hanging out in my basement and I've had the pleasure of watching you both grow up into mature adults. Yes even you Steven. That being said I don't think that marriage is the answer to your problems. If you can prove to me that you are both ready, really ready to make that step I'll give you my blessing and keep the rest of the knuckle heads in line"

Jackie's hair fell over her shoulder as she leant forwards whispering in Hyde's ear, nodding he looked at Red and asked hopefully;

"And you'll control Mrs. Forman?"

Red's laughter was unexpected and echoed in the small space.

"I'll try, do we have a deal?"

Jackie's wide smile answered Red's question. Hyde pushed himself forward and shook Red's hand while Jackie latched herself on Red planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you Mr. Forman"

Hyde watched in amusement as Red hugged her tightly for a moment before pushing her towards him.

"Why is always hugging with you kids?"

***

Eric was wrong once again. His day not only had gotten worse, it was about to be taken to new lows. He had already removed his pants and was in the process of wrapping himself in his blanket when the high pitched squeals of Kelso and Fez could be heard, followed swiftly by the two of them crashing through his door, Kelso's face still stained from the ink which had seeped into his skin.

"I am the King!"

Fez's eyes were sparkling and he had pink fluff in the corners of his mouth which he licked at as he sat down on Eric's bed.

"Of stupidity yes Kelso we all know you are now and forever will be the King"

Kelso smiled proudly while Eric glared at him wondering how long it would take for him to get the moron twins out of his room.

"Well yeah but Eric I'm going to be the only man in the room who can say they have been serviced by not only your sister and Hyde's sister but your mum! You know I never noticed but your mum is totally a hot mum! Not Midge sexy but she's a nurse which gives her automatic points!"

Fez nodded along neither boy noticing the tightened jaw of Eric. The blanket he had wrapped around him fell to the floor as he pointed a shaking finger at Kelso.

"My mother is a saint!"

They say a time comes in every man's life when he reaches a point where common sense goes out the window; for most males this was at puberty but Eric always had been a late bloomer. Kelso's smug smile slowly morphed into an open mouthed gape as Eric lunged at him. It all seemed as though it were in slow motion, Kelso jumped out of the way and Eric crashed into Fez, the two of them tumbling over the bed. Kelso laughed as Eric and Fez struggled to stand, Eric cursing with every breath.

Fez marveled at his friend who stood there, forgetting the danger he was in.

"Run my beautiful prince, run!"

***

Jackie was sitting perched on the couch watching Hyde as he paced in front of the TV, he looked so sexy when he wrinkled his eye brows and was worried. She was seriously reconsidering the nothing below the waist ban she had placed on him.

"ERIC ALBERT FORMAN! Get off of Michael! And puts some pants on!"

Hyde stopped mid pace, his eyes locking on Jackie's who stared back for a moment before jumping from the couch to run up the stairs, Hyde right behind her.

The room fell silent as Jackie half fell through the door, Hyde slamming into her back. Eric was glaring daggers at Kelso who was in the corner, edging towards the door, Mrs. Forman stood between them, arms spread, her head spinning between the two, anger etched deeply into her usually warm features. Jackie elbowed Hyde and tried to straighten up.

"What's going on?"

Eric and Kelso both started yelling over the top of each other, the only clear words being 'mother', 'king' and 'dead'.

"Both of you shut your damn traps!"

The boys fell silent and Mrs. Forman breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Steven, although I don't appreciate that kind of language in my home," Hyde rolled his eyes at that but said nothing as Mrs. Forman began scolding the boys "Eric you should no better than to fight! Look at Michael, two broken arms, one good eye, and stitches in his rear, he could have hurt you!"

Jackie smothered her giggles at Eric's indignation while Hyde's aborted laugh came out as a bark.

"You don't think I could take a one eyed gimp with no arms? Thanks a lot mum!" Stomping away he paused at the foot of the stairs "I'll be in the bathroom, if I'm disturbed there will be dire consequences"

As Eric disappeared all the eyes in the room turned to Kelso who was still near the door, his face red behind the patches of black ink.

"Michael Kelso you tell us what is going on right this second!"

Jackie stamping her foot, her hip jutted out to one side stared at him expectantly. Mrs. Forman seemed taken aback by Jackie's attitude while Kelso was just plain scared.

"Well I was drawing on my cast when the pen broke and I got all this ink on my face, so I went into the bathroom to clean it up-"

Jackie's foot tapped faster her eyes drilling holes into him,

"I don't know how long I was there but it was a while-" He stammered over his words while Jackie glared daggers at him. "Jackie quit it you're freaking me out!" Her nostrils flared and Kelso gulped "Fez came upstairs with cookies and told me about Mrs. Forman was going to help take care of my needs. I told Eric about it and he went nuts!"

The three other people in the room exchanged glances, confusion settling in.

"Why would Eric get upset about me helping you in the bathroom?"

"Bathroom, bedroom wherever you want baby"

Kelso's clicked his tongue and pointed his fingers at Mrs. Forman in a signal universally known as the double barrel. Jackie's eyes slid closed, her shoulders shaking with laughter, faintly rubbing into Hyde's chest whose head was hung low torn between feeling sorry for his dimwitted friend and wanting to kill him. Kelso continued to smirk at Mrs. Forman who stared at him her mouth open in consternation. Fez came down the stairs rubbing his head as he took in the looks of shock and anger displayed across his friends faces.

"Oh I know your pain Hyde; I wish I had someone as glorious as Miss. Kitty taking care of my needs too!"

Fez patted his friend shoulder, growing alarmed when Hyde's hand clamped down on his own, squeezing it painfully tight.

"Ai! That's my love hand!"

Hyde let go of Fez's hand who cradled it in pain.

"Mrs. Forman these two dill holes owe you an apology" Turning to Kelso he took a step forward "Kelso go downstairs and get the stupid helmet, after this I think it needs to be glued to your freakin head!"

Jackie stepped out of the way as Kelso and Fez made their way through the living room door whispering at each other. Hyde looked back at Jackie who was mouthing something at him; he nodded at her slowly before she too disappeared through the door. Taking a seat next to Mrs. Forman on the couch he stared at the woman he had come to think of as his mother as her shoulders began to shake, when the high pitched laughter come spilling from her mouth he moved backwards.

"Oh those boys are such- such- dumbasses!"

***

Jackie was still shaking with silent laughter as she wandered up the stairs of the Pinciotti house eager to tell Donna all about the latest installment of the Fez and Kelso show. Donna's door was closed and loud sobs could be heard followed by the unmistakable sound of Donna choking back snot. Ew. Jackie pushed through the door with her usual tact, climbing onto the bed with Donna who was curled around her pillow, tear stains across her cheeks.

"What happened?"

Donna slowly turned and faced Jackie, her eyes swollen with tears.

"I talked to Eric"

Somewhere in her mind Jackie felt a click and the events of the morning which had seemed so funny moments ago now made a whole different kind of sense.

"You guys broke up; God this is the promise ring all over again! Donna I know I tease you about dating a scrawny Star Wars loving geek but-"

Donna had pulled herself up to lean against the wall, her chin resting on her knees.

"But what, Jackie"

Her voice was tired, emotionless, drained.

"But he loves you, really loves you and you shouldn't throw that away"

Donna sniffled pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Like Hyde did with you, I know I said you should go to Chicago and forget about him but I was wrong. He really does love you"

Jackie clasped Donna's hands in her own, leaning her head against the Blonde's whose tears had all but stopped.

"Donna, believe me when I say it pains me to say this. We can talk about me later, Eric leaves in a month you have to fix this."

For a little girl Jackie was surprisingly strong, her grip on Donna's hands taking on a deathlike quality, her mismatched eyes boring into the blonde's green ones.

"I know you Donna, no matter what I say in public, we are friends. If you and Eric don't make up before he leaves you will be miserable! And I don't want to have to spend the next year with a girl who has permanent PMS!"

Donna wrestled her hands from Jackie trying not to notice the angry red marks from where they had been held.

"It's not just Africa, it's everything, the unwedding, and the way Eric never thinks before he does something. I stayed home for him and now he's leaving for us? I'm just sick of this being so hard; shouldn't it be easy? At least a little while?"

Jackie rolled her eyes slapping her friend over the shoulder.

"When have our lives ever been easy? Was it before or after my dad was arrested, your mum left, Red had his heart attack and Michael had Betsy. None of our relationships have ever been easy. Eric will always say the wrong thing and he will always be as scrawny as a fifth grader. Do you really think you would be happier if he wasn't always speaking in Star Wars metaphors?" She paused breathing hard as she took in Donna's look "Okay bad example"

Jackie took Donna's snort as agreement and continued.

"Okay you know that old saying the best things in life are free? I used to think that was something poor people had to say to make themselves feel better. When I was with Steven all of the things he did that made me happy didn't come from him buying me shiny presents and pretty things like with Michael. Do you see what I'm saying?"

She shook her head more confused by Jackie's babbling than usual.

"Oh I give up; and I thought you were meant to be the smart one in the group. You-you-you…stupid lumberjack!"

"Midget"

Jackie pulled herself away from the bed crossing her arms across her chest in a huff.

"Did being a DJ teach you nothing? All music is about is love and how hard it is. Think of Billy Joel! I took the good times, I'll take the bad times, I'll take you just the way you are. That's damn poetry!"

Jackie trailed off, her anger fading slightly as she took in Donna's appearance, she looked tragic that much she knew but beyond that there was something else, she looked hollow, empty inside. But Jackie could see; Donna was in her own hell.

"What are you so afraid of?"

There was apprehension on Donna's face, almost as if she wasn't sure if she should have this conversation; if this was the best idea, swallowing hard the blonde began to talk, whisper quiet.

"This wasn't meant to be my life. I'm not the girl who gives up everything to stay with her high school boyfriend in a little Podunk town that doesn't even have a McDonalds! Eric and I were supposed to get out of here, to have a life. I think I regret the fact that he is finally getting out while I'm still here, stuck doing the same old shit as always. I'm not moving forward, I haven't for a long time"

The lumberjack sounded so small, so defeated, so not Donna, it made Jackie fell sick, who was this pathetic creature wearing her friends ugly clothing because it certainly wasn't Donna; feeling sorry for herself wasn't high on her list of priorities.

Something began to stir in her stomachs she watched Donna sit back down on the bed, her head cradled in her hands. Her voice wavered slightly, coming out so softly Donna wandered for a moment if she heard anything at all. Looking up she found Jackie standing right in front of her, staring right into her eyes.

"Welcome to the planet

Welcome to existence

Everyone's here

Everybody's watching you now

Everybody waits for you now

What happens next? What happens next?

I dare you to move

I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move

Like today never happened

Today never happened before"

Jackie used all her strength to pull Donna to her feet before settling her in front of a mirror as she combs her hair and wipes her face.

"Welcome to the fallout

Welcome to existence

The tension is here

Between who you are and who you could be

Between how it is and how it should be

I dare you to move

I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move

Like today never happened

Today never happened"

Jackie is smiling as she wraps Donna's hair up in a towel and spins the chair around so that Donna is facing her, making sure she takes in every word.

"Maybe redemption has stories to tell

Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell

Where can you run to escape from yourself?

Where you gonna go?

Salvation is here"

Jackie pushes Donna into the bathroom and steam is seen coming out from under the door, she leans against and sings quietly to herself, pulling her ring from her pocket which she stares at intently before slipping on her finger.

"I dare you to move

I dare you to move

I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move

Like today never happened

Today never happened

Before"

Donna emerges from the bathroom dressed in jeans and t shirt; she slowly shakes her hair out which was once again her shocking red colour. Jackie nods approvingly.

"So what happens now?"

Donna bit her lip before answering Jackie.

"I need to get some shots. I don't want to get any freaky African voodoo diseases"

Jackie's eyes bugged slightly and her mouth fell open.

"Come again?"

"I'm going to Africa with Eric, I don't know why I didn't think of this before"

The newly retouched red head skipped off down the stairs leaving a shocked Jackie gasping in her wake.

"That wasn't what I meant Donna! Crap!"

***

And there you have chapter eight, hope you liked it. I felt the need for some sort of angst and tears. The song used here is Switchfoot's Dare You To Move which is a very beautiful song, if not slightly cliché, but then again what musical isn't?"