A/N: Yea so I changed the rating back to T because it's not THAT descriptive :)
Jackie awoke with a start. She sat up, brushed the sleep from her eyes and glanced around the room. Everyone else was still asleep. After their incident last night her and Steven and gone back to the hospital in silence and rejoined everyone else in their vigil. After a few hours one by one they had drifted off to sleep. Jackie had been the last. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Steven. He made her so hot she had been about to sleep with a married man. She was a lot of things but she wasn't going to add slut to the list. It didn't matter that he had a sham of a marriage. He still wore a damn ring that told the world he was taken. She had spent hours watching him sleep trying to justify making love with him. Sure, it would be damn good…even after all this time…the small taste she had gotten told her that and nobody would really have to know but in the end she just couldn't come up with a good enough excuse. She would know. She would know that she had thrown her principles to the side and had succumbed to lust with a married man. Jackie rubbed her eyes and sighed. She didn't know how she was going to handle this. Being thrown together again had just brought back desires and dreams she had long since buried.
Jackie stood up and stretched getting rid of the kinks in her back and walked over to the vending machine. She was suddenly famished and she didn't feel like trekking down to the cafeteria. She reached into her pocket but couldn't find any change. She scanned the room for her purse and saw Candy using it as a pillow. She raised her eyebrow at the sight. Candy and Fez were lying on the floor; with Fez using Candy's breasts as a pillow. What exactly had happened when she and Steven had been gone? Jackie wondered. She shook her head not really wanting to know.
"Doctor, you need to tell me the truth. She has a little girl… we need to know."
Jackie turned at the sound of Kitty's voice. When Kitty and Red had arrived everyone had been relieved. It was almost as if they would take control and make everything alright. Jackie smiled inwardly. She walked over to Kitty and placed her hand on Kitty's back. "Mrs. Foreman, how are you doing?"
Kitty's lips trembled. "I'm… Jackie, honestly I'm not okay. I can't believe this is happening now after everything they have been through. It was so horrible to watch them split up after Donna…well, no need to go into that…but over time they worked through it. They were healing, that's why they went to Cancun. And now this…I just cannot believe this." Kitty covered her face with her hands.
Jackie glanced at the floor not really knowing what to say. She turned to the doctor. "You told me that Donna might be okay last night. Has that changed?"
"No, it hasn't. She's stable. That's really more than we had hoped for. But she has an uphill climb. After surgery we induced a coma and until she comes out of that we can't be sure of anything. Her body is getting stronger but she might have suffered irreparable brain damage. I'm sorry Ms. Burkhardt but we just don't know."
Jackie nodded her head. "Can we see Eric? All of us have been waiting here all night and I just need to see for myself that he…"
"Yes, you can see Mr. Foreman but no more than two people at a time. He still isn't awake and he needs his rest to heal." The doctor gave her a sympathetic glance before walking out of the room.
Jackie turned around and guided Kitty to an empty chair. "Mrs. Foreman. They are going to be alright. Eric is almost out of the woods and Donna is worlds better than she was when I got here yesterday. You have to be strong; you have to believe that they are going to make it. I'm going to go in and see Eric."
Kitty closed her eyes and nodded her head. She grabbed Jackie's hand. "Thank you Jackie, thank you for being here and for all of your help."
Jackie smiled. "It was nothing." She walked over to Eric's room and paused at the door. She took a deep breath to steady herself and went in. The sight that greeted her was heart wrenching. Eric was hooked up to at least a dozen machines; he was pale and almost unrecognizable. His face was badly bruised and swollen. Jackie drew in a shocked breath. She hadn't thought he would look this awful. She saw Red with his shoulders slumped sitting next to Eric on the bed holding his hand. She wondered if she should leave. She didn't want to interrupt anything and she didn't think Red would want to see anyone.
Red turned his head and looked at her. "Jackie, don't just stand there gawking. Either come in or leave."
Jackie felt a rush of tears when she saw his face. He looked dejected and broken. She had never seen him like this. "Mr. Foreman… I..." Jackie choked out.
Red sighed, letting go of Eric's hand. He stood up and wiped his eyes. "I'm going to go get some coffee. I didn't want to leave him alone and I don't think Kitty is holding up very well." He turned back around and looked at Eric's sleeping form. Jackie saw his jaw tense before he walked out of the room.
Jackie slowly walked over to the bed and sat down in the chair next to it. She looked around at all the machines and grimaced. Everything had almost seemed like a dream until she had walked into this room, seeing Eric like this brought reality back full force. She reached over and carefully took his hand in hers. She let the tears fall freely this time not bothering to wipe them away. "Eric, I know you can't hear me but…" She could hear her voice shaking and she tried to calm herself before she continued. "Eric, you have to be okay. I know none of us see each other that often anymore but you're our rock. All of us, Fez, Steven, Michael… we all need you. We fell apart while you were in Africa. None of us has managed to find our way back after that but we're all here now. We love you Eric, please…" Jackie felt Eric's hand move and she widened her eyes in amazement. She looked down at him and saw his eyes flicker.
"Eric?" She whispered urgently.
Eric turned his head slightly. "Water" He croaked out. Jackie jumped up and poured him a glass of water from the pitcher a nurse had left. She leaned over him and held it to his mouth while he drank. When the cup was empty Jackie set it to the side and sat back down. "Eric?"
He opened his eyes and blinked. "Jackie?" Jackie sighed in relief. He was going to be okay.
"Jackie, what are you doing here? Where am I, what's going on?" He tried to sit up and Jackie lightly pushed him back down. "Not so fast sport. You're in no condition to be moving around. You're in the hospital, there was an acc…"
"Where's Donna?" Eric said as he pushed her hands away.
Jackie didn't know if he was in any condition to hear about Donna. She worried her lips trying to think of how much she should tell him.
"Jackie!" Eric shouted trying to rip his IV out.
Jackie sprang to action. She pushed him back down and buzzed for the nurse. "Eric, stop. All you're doing is hurting yourself! You need to calm down." She whispered roughly.
Eric shook his head. "Not until you tell me where the hell Donna is. If she was okay she would be in here with me instead of you. Jackie, tell me!" he demanded.
"Mr. Foreman! What are you doing?"
Jackie turned gratefully to the nurse. "He tried to get up. I think he pulled out his IV and some other things." She motioned at the machines with her hands.
"Alright, I'll take over from here. You've been a big help Mrs. Burkhardt." The nurse uttered snidely.
Jackie stepped back and looked at Eric who had lain back down. He was pleading for an answer with his eyes but she just couldn't give him what he needed. She turned and rushed out of the room.
Hyde stopped pacing when he saw Jackie run out of Eric's room. She had tears running down her eyes and she seemed to be searching for something. Hyde walked over to her and enveloped her in his arms. "Shhh, Jacks stop crying. I don't know what happened in there but it couldn't have been all that bad. Is he awake?" He asked as he drew her away from him and looked into her eyes.
Jackie shuddered and tried to calm herself. "Yes, he's awake. The nurse is in there. He asked about Donna and then just went crazy. I didn't know what I should say. I had no idea he would wake up while I was in there. I didn't ask the doctor if it was even okay to talk about Donna." Jackie paced in front of Hyde wringing her hands. "I shouldn't have gone in there... I just made things worse." She stopped pacing and rubbed her temples.
Hyde grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him. "No, Jackie. It's okay. You couldn't have known what to do." He looked off into the distance and sighed. "Someone is going to have to tell him though." He leaned back and glanced at Red and Kitty and could see neither was up to this. He knew without even asking that neither Kelso nor Fez could even begin to know what to say. Kelso would probably make some joke about Eric not being tied down anymore and Fez would just babble. Hyde didn't want it to be one of the doctors; he didn't want it to be cold and clinical. That left only him and Jackie. He glanced over at Jackie and saw that she was still a wreck from the short encounter she had had with Eric. Hyde cursed inwardly. Damn it, that left only him.
"Jackie, I'm going to go in there and talk to him, try and calm him down and I guess I'll tell him about Donna."
Jackie sighed with relief as she wiped her sweaty palms against her skirt. She doubted she could even go back in there much less tell Eric about Donna. "Thank you Steven. I'll just go…" She waved her hands at everyone sitting in the waiting room and walked away.
Hyde watched her leave and then turned back to Eric's room. It was times like these he really wished he hadn't quit smoking. With that thought he pushed forward and opened the door leading to his friend's room.
Hyde looked around the sterile room and tensed his jaw. This was not the best atmosphere for this. But then what would be a good one he thought to himself. Hyde let his eyes travel to Eric's prone form and he took stock of his friend's condition. No wonder Jackie had been crying, Eric looked like hell. He looked like he fought a cheese grater and the grater had won. Hyde strode over to Eric just wanting to get this over with.
"Hey." Hyde whispered.
Eric turned his head. "Why are you here? Why is everyone here? What the hell is going on? I asked Jackie and she couldn't get away fast enough. The nurse wouldn't say anything. Where the hell is Donna?" Eric shouted hoarsely.
Hyde sat down and cracked his knuckles while he looked around the room trying to form his words.
"Hyde, out with it man." Eric uttered in frustration.
"Okay. There was an accident. The details aren't that important. What is important is that both you and Donna were hurt. You're going to be alright. You look like shit but you'll live." Hyde hesitated before continuing.
Eric closed his eyes. "And Donna?"
"Well, Donna isn't doing as well as you. She fractured her skull and broke her neck."
Eric's eyes welled up. "Oh my God…"
Hyde reached over and grabbed his hand. "No, it's not that bad. It's a small fracture and the doctor's think her spinal cord may not be damaged so she won't be paralyzed. But she's in a coma and until she wakes up the doctor's won't know if there is any brain damage or…" he trailed off.
Eric tried to sit up. "I want to see her, I need…"
"No! You're in no condition to be getting out of bed. Just wait a little while I'm sure…" Hyde looked into Eric's eyes and saw a steel resolve there.
"I'm going to see her. Are you going to help me or not?" Eric said as swung his legs out of the bed.
"Damn it! Fine, don't move. I'll help you." Hyde rushed over to the other side of the bed, grabbed a wheelchair and helped Eric into it. He couldn't really fault Eric. If it had been someone he loved in Donna's position nothing would have stopped him from seeing them.
"Alright, wait here for a minute." Hyde rushed out of the room and walked over to Jackie who was arguing with Kelso.
"No, Michael. The Berlin Wall is not in Africa. It's in Germany."
"Bull… it's in Africa…or Europe... but it's not in Germany.
"Doofus! Germany is in Europe…"
"As mush as I hate to interrupt this little geography lesson, Jackie I need to see you for a minute." Hyde pulled her out of the chair and lightly pushed her towards the corner of the room.
"Jackie I need you to help me. I need a distraction." Hyde said as he glanced around the room.
Jackie followed his movement with her eyes. "What's going on Steven?"
"Eric wants to see Donna and I..."
Jackie sliced her hands through the air and shook her head. "No, absolutely not, he just woke up! You're not going to help him are you? Oh my God you are. Are you crazy!" She yelled when she saw him nod his head.
"Look Jackie, this isn't up for discussion. I just need your help. Can you distract the nurses and doctors and everyone so nobody sees me wheel him in there?"
Jackie felt like banging her head against a wall. This was not a good idea. Against her better judgment she nodded. "Yea, I'll come up with something. Just don't take too long alright?"
Hyde leaned forward and brushed his lips against her forehead. "Thanks Jacks, you're a doll."
Jackie watched him walk away and smirked. He might revise that statement after he saw what her distraction was going to be. Jackie looked around the room and tried to formulate a plan. She could hike her skirt up but that would only work on the male doctors. She needed to distract the women as well. She couldn't fake being hurt because that would worry Kitty more than she was already and Jackie didn't want that. Jackie's eyes zeroed in on Diana's face and she smiled inwardly. There was her target.
Jackie walked over to Diana and sat down next to her waiting for a reaction. After a few moments Diana turned to her. "What the hell do you want?"
Jackie crossed her legs and sat back in the chair. "Well Diana, you've been married to Steven for a while now and we've never really talked. I was just wondering how you were, how your marriage is… things like that."
"My marriage is just fine thank you." Diana spat out. "Why don't you just go away? Steven and I can handle this. We don't need your help."
Jackie leaned forward in her chair. "Diana, why are you so threatened by me? Steven and I dated when we were in high school, that was years ago. He used to have a crush on Donna too; do you feel threatened by her?"
"Don't be silly. Me, threatened by you? That's laughable. Why the hell would I feel threatened? In case you haven't noticed I'm the one who is wearing Steven's ring. I'm Mrs. Hyde, not you."
"Nope, I can't argue with you there. I wonder what Steven would say though if he found out about your affair?"
Diana jumped up out of her chair. "What the hell are you talking about?" She shouted.
Jackie watched Diana's eyes and saw them flicker around the room while she fiddled with her hands and Jackie smiled. Bingo, she thought. There was no way someone as vital and pretty as Diana would go that long without a man and seeing as her husband wasn't available Jackie had guessed that she had something on the side and evidently she had guessed right.
A nurse rushed over to them. "Miss, please keep your voice down there are sick people here and…"
Diana turned on the nurse. "Don't you tell me what to do. Do you know who my husband is? Get away… shoo." She motioned at the nurse with her hands.
"Well I never… lady if you don't hush I'll have to call security." The nurse said angrily.
Jackie stood up and stepped between them ignoring the nurse. "Diana, watch your step. I can tell when people are lying and you are nothing in comparison to some of the people I have questioned. I wouldn't even hesitate to tell Steven about your indiscretions."
"You Bitch!" Diana snarled. She reared back and slapped Jackie in the face.
Jackie fell backwards and grabbed her jaw. Well she hadn't expected to freaking get hit she thought.
"Chick fight!" Kelso yelled running over to them.
Kitty rushed over to them. "Girls, please stop... this isn't the time…"
Fez and Candy walked over like they were about to see a show.
Jackie pushed herself up and looked around the room. This wasn't nearly enough to distract everyone. She saw Steven poke his head out of Eric's room and she grimaced. This was not going to be pleasant she thought as she pulled her fist back and slammed it into Diana's right cheek.
At that pandemonium broke loose in the waiting room.