Six years ago-

Jackie taps at the wheel of her car obsessively, mad at herself for underestimating the amount of traffic during this time. She glances at the clock on the dashboard and silently curses to herself for being late yet again. At this point, she has lost count of the times she hasn't shown up on time and each time, the disappointment on her face crushes her. At this point, she does not bother apologizing because it no longer means anything. All she pictures is the look on his face and his grumbles as she tries to make it up to him for being tardy. All she had wanted was to surprise him by the time he got home from work, but this traffic will not allow that.

The last few months have been the most difficult in their marriage as distance has taken a toll. Her busy schedule paired with his running the store has disallowed them from seeing each other as frequently as before and their once long phone conversations at night have dwindled to nothing more than a a ten minute catch up.

"How was your day?"

"Fine, how was yours?"

"Not bad, busy. When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure, things around her have gotten so hectic it's hard to get time off..."

It has now been over a month since they last saw each other. She had been hoping that he'd be more excited when she told him she was able to get a few days off, but his enthusiasm was almost nonexistent. Her heart dropped when he rushed her off the phone and in that moment, every insecurity she once had about their relationship and ability to make it came rushing back. She was, once again, the little girl who wanted so desperately a future with a man who wasn't sure it was what he wanted. Except this time, that man was her husband and if they couldn't figure things out, they would quickly be heading towards divorce.

Just under an hour later, she pulls up to their building complex and parks in one of their designated spots. She smiles when she sees his car there and is thankful he waited for her. He had bought that car just a few months after they got married, having traded his beloved El Camino for a car that was, as he put it, "family friendly." She can recall the butterflies in her stomach when those words escaped his lips, without coercion. Finally, he envisioned their future together and it included kids. This car, so unlike anything she would have thought he would buy, was the representation of all that was to come for them.

She quickly gets out of the car and makes a dash up the stairs towards their apartment. How far they have come and how much they have overcome and grown together. Though things have been a bit rocky between them, she knew they could pull through because of everything that they've managed to work through. After Eric and Donna's separation just a few months prior, she had her doubts. If those two couldn't make it, who could? Having had countless phone conversations with Donna about Eric leaving because he was unhappy and wasn't ready to have kids, she tried harder than ever before to make her marriage work because she couldn't fathom her life with her husband. She had lived without him once, she was not ready to do it again.

Pulling her keys out of her purse, she was ready to make it up to him, ready to show him how much he means to her and that their love was her main priority.

Opening the door, she inhales the sweet smell of their home. She admires all the little details, carefully thought out by her, to make this place their own haven. She had wanted this place to be perfect for them because, in actuality, it was their first real home.

As she places her belonging down on the couch, she hears a muffled sound coming from the back bedroom and she smiles, her heart skipping a beat at the mere thought of seeing him again. This is the longest they have been separated and she can't wait to be in his arms again, feeling his lips on her and telling him how much she loves him. Walking towards the room, however, her happiness begins to subside as she realizes he is not alone. Irrational thoughts quickly fill her mind and she tries to push them aside, telling herself that it's not what she thinks.

He wouldn't do anything to betray her, not again. It's not what she thinks.

Pushing ajar the door to their bedroom, she realizes it's not at all what she thinks...

It's worse.

Author's Note: This chapter is shorter than the others, and I do apologize for that, particularly because it took so long to post. I am trying to connect all the dots of the story before the last chapter. I thought writing about the moment Jackie found out about Donna and Hyde was a good way to show what she was thinking and what the state of their marriage was like during this time. Maybe it redeems Hyde in some way (probably not though, right? lol). I hope you enjoy this short chapter and I am aiming to wrap up this story in two more chapters, so stay tuned!