Melting: Chapter 11

Author's Note: I'd like to apologize for taking so long for the next post. I have been running around like a crazy person because I was on the committee for a charity event that took place recently. But it was a success, and is thankfully over, so now I can resume procrastinating my school work by writing fanfiction. I tell you this stuff is addictive…at any rate, my apologies and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not Mine.

"So that was, uh, good. A nice reading." Hyde shoved his hands in his pockets nervously as they stepped outside the studio building into the bright sunlight of a California afternoon.

"Yeah, hmm, well, thank you, Steven." They carefully avoided looking at each other as they hastily crossed the busy street and continued their way back to the apartment.

Silence had fallen between them, and for some reason the awkwardness made Jackie angry more than anything else. She felt like she'd come too far and tried too hard to chip away at the pain to just let things continue this way. She was in California. She had a place of her own. She was working, however sporadically, as an actress. And while things may not be great, or even fine, she refused to let the past hurts of her relationship with Steven Hyde sweep over her again like an avalanche. She began fuming as they continued to walk, and Hyde was surprised as he had to quicken his pace to keep up with her.

Her little legs moved briskly, picking up speed as she considered the thought of backtracking, the idea of him leaving her again in ruins, the notion that she'd never be able to get over him. Hot angry tears began to leak out and down the curve of her cheek. Her breathing turned to huffing and at some point she even forgot he was beside her. If she wasn't so angryshe might have noticed the top layer of ice slipping away...

Hyde watched her melt down, his head cocked to the side, his face revealing confusion and worry. Finally, as she began to mumble angrily words he did not understand, he reached out and pulled gently on her arm, "Jackie."

Her head snapped, her walking stopped abruptly, and he was taken aback by the raging fire in her eyes.

"Jackie?"

"You." Her voice was harsh, and dangerously even. "You make no sense.Why are you still here, is all of this a game to you? Do you like to play with me to make yourself feel better? Do you have any idea how dead I was, how cold I am? Do you realize you did that to me? Locked me away in ice? Or do you not care that I had to leave my home because you made me a stranger in it? I will not go through all of this again, I am still trying to climb my way out, I won't let you knock me back down. And you are out here playing watch dog, pretending like you give a damn about me? And you look at me while I read my lines, and it's you and me on a page, and you don't even look sorry or sad that we lost anything, that I lost everything. Are you really such a heartless, unfeeling bastard? Cause if so, that's not zen, that's, that's, that's unfortunate. For you. And for me. And…" He'd been watching her, and as upset as he was to hear what he was hearing, the thing that got his attention most was that color had returned to her cheeks in a way that he'd missed. Her eyes had a blaze in them again, and he had to grin. Smugly and satisfied. "You're smiling. Why are you smiling? Damnit Steven, can you not take this seriously please? Steven." Hyde had begun to chuckle at how much he'd missed this whining demanding side of Jackie. He watched her huffing return and her fact contort into the pout pre-tantrum he loved so much. He could see her gearing up and was about to interrupt her when he noticed the figure of a man, watching from across the busy street, leaning against the brick wall of a local store, puffing on a cigarette like he was casually taking in a film. Something in his gut told him this wasn't just a stranger, but the stranger. Hyde felt his body tense and Jackie who'd kept rambling fell silent at the new expression stretched out upon his features. His face paled, his jaw trembled from clenching so tightly, and even under the guard of his sunglasses Jackie could see his sight grazing over her shoulder and glaring behind her. "Steven? Steven, what is it?" She went to turn and follow his gaze when he clamped a hand on her shoulder to keep her locked in place.

"Don't look." He growled. Jackie's forehead furrowed in confusion but she could feel this was one of those times when it was in her best interest not to argue. Hyde moved to remove his sunglasses as he continued to stare at the man across the street. He wanted the stranger to see his eyes and know he was watching him. After exhaustive seconds of a silent stare down, Hyde put his hands on either side of a further perplexed Jackie's face. Kissing her deeply he felt her body tense and then melt, he held her firmly and it was a long moment before he let her go. He set his stare right back on the man across the street. The man threw his cigarette down and stepped on it before turning and heading into the store. Satisfied at the outcome of this encounter, Hyde placed his hand protectively around Jackie and led her away, silently.