Still own nothing but my OC's and a cat, but my cat is named Kingsley (he's a boy though) so there's that.
A/N I hoped you all liked the last chapter? I enjoyed it at any rate. And to JA Ingram – the time line is hazy even to me, but basically its set in 1980. I don't know the specific details of Stevie ray's career anymore, but I'm fairly sure he was around at the time and really, who else could make a musical prodigy sit up and take notice? I've loved him since I was a little kid and I vividly remember when we found out about the crash. But anyway you are totally awesome for putting that together and it makes me really happy that it wasn't a lost reference.
As I go forward with this there are going to be a lot more music references, and I will be happy to explain them to anyone who doesn't recognize them. Seriously – I love talking about the bands that had such a dramatic impact on my life. A major element in the story is about finding a place where you feel like you belong, and as the incomparable Rancid said in journey to the end of east bay 'there wasn't always a place to go, but there was always an urge and need to belong' I've taken that concept and run with it, so I want to pay homage to my hero's by dropping them in where I can but I promise to try and make it subtle. Now on with the show! I seriously don't know how to end these? And I should mention that I quoted the song from memory and there's a possibility that I mixed some of the words up.
The next few weeks flew by in a flurry of activity. Since Hyde had been the first to finish his packing – because he owned the least crap, as he pointed out to the other two repeatedly, he was delegated by Red and Kitty, to help Eric and Jackie sort through their excessive amounts of belongings and decide what came with them, and what went into storage in his basement room? The battle over how many G.I. Joe's Eric would be taking along had been long and loud, but eventually Hyde had convinced him that he really only needed one. He had a similar encounter with Jackie over her books of all damn things! He had expected it to be over clothes, but he'd forgotten about her wardrobe purge after first meeting king, so instead he was arguing over how many Nancy drew books one 'needed' as opposed to 'wanted'! The final number was 10 as it turned out.
In the end he was fairly pleased with the amount of boxes loaded into the back of the el Camino, most of it was food Kitty insisted that they take with them as she was convinced that there would be no food available on the road to Berkeley. Eric and Hyde knew there was no point in reminding her about the existence of restaurants and loaded the food without a word. Jackie had also conserved room in the flat bed by constructing a nest in the backseat made of all her bedding. Hyde had to admit it looked damn comfy, but he had always been a fan of Jackie's taste in bedding – oh how he missed his goose down duvet! He was angry at Kelso for a lot of things, but ruining that duvet with one of his stupid stunts was embarrassingly high on the list.
Their good byes with Mr. and Mrs. Forman were surprisingly short, this was mainly due to Hyde having convinced them to come out and visit (in reality check on them) in a few months as his treat. Eric had been on board claiming that by then he could take a small break and be there too. Jackie had simply hopped excitedly at the thought of seeing the older couple so soon, and promised to find the best places to show them before they go there.
The only hitch in their departure came when Jackie had been building her nest in the el Camino while the others were inside. She was scrutinizing her supply of pillows, when a hesitant voice spoke from behind her.
"Uh, hey Jackie, can I talk to you for a minute?" Donna asked softly.
Jackie turned and looked at the girl she had once thought of as her best friend, but she felt not even a lingering affection "talk" she told Donna simply.
Donna frowned and began saying what she had come to say "i…well I wanted to apologize for how I treated you after Sam came, I know it was really uncool of me to make friends with her and I'm sorry for not being there for you" she said regretfully.
Jackie stared thoughtfully at Donna for a moment before responding "ok, what about before Sam came?" she asked flatly
Donna looked confused "what are you talking about?" she asked blankly.
"Wow, nothing Steven said to you that day sunk in did it?" Jackie asked wryly.
"He told you about that?" Donna asked with surprise that Hyde would blow his own horn that way.
But Jackie shook her head "no Steven doesn't know that I know what he said to you, Eric told me – turns out he was listening to you two from the stairs. But that's beside the point, what about the way you treated me before Sam showed up and spit on my whole life?" Jackie demanded of the tall girl immovably, if she wanted to talk, they would talk.
"Everything Hyde said to me that day was total crap Jackie! And I can't believe Eric was there and didn't call him on it!" she said indignantly.
The look Jackie gave donna was straight up pitying "you simply never stop amazing me donna, in all the years I've known you there have only been a handful of times that you've called anyone on being mean to someone, and that handful never included me. But I have seen you revel in being lusted after, I've seen you completely change who you were for a guy that wasn't in love with you like Eric, I've seen you break your dad's heart with your selfishness and insult your mom and Mrs. Forman because you got some ridiculous idea in your head that you were somehow better than them? But I'll ask again just for my own amusement, you're sorry about how you acted after Sam showed up, but what about how you acted before that?" she put to the stunned bottle blonde without remorse.
"I don't have anything to apologize for from then, hell Jackie I let you live with me and you were not easy to live with" Donna said with bits of her habitual condescension slipping through already.
"No Donna, Steven guilted you into asking me to stay in a decent way, that one he did tell me about. But you did a lot of things I would never have done to even my worst enemies. You knew about Kelso cheating on me and said nothing, then turned around and claimed that I owed him an explanation for being with Steven after we broke up, that's so incredibly hypocritical that it took me a long time to figure out how you could ever act that way? But then it hit me – there were no compliments on your body from me, I never bowed to your supposed intelligence, so of course you would side with Kelso behind my back, he was a horny fan of hot donna, while I was competition for the guys attention." Jackie imparted her revelation without remorse, she knew exactly what Donna's motives were for approaching her and she would have none of it.
"That's absolute crap Jackie!" Donna denied stringently, but the look in her eyes told Jackie that what she had said was all too true and Donna knew it.
"Whatever donna, I don't feel like rehashing the past with you so you'll feel better. You need to face the fact that you might be able to get guys to agree when you say how smart you are - while their distracted staring at your tits, but I'm the one going to college. And you'll have to accept that, no matter how many times you put me down and insulted me – I'm the one driving out of here with Eric and Steven as friends, because even when it's annoying and bitchy – I'm myself, and you are just too damn scared to be that" Jackie felt a little bad being so brutally honest with donna, but a quick review of all the tall girl had said and done over the years eased her guilt.
"God you are such an unforgiving bitch Jackie! I just wanted to try and make up before you moved away, but I'm not going to apologize for things that you made up in your little cheerleader head!" donna yelled at her.
"call me whatever you feel like, the opinion of a cowardly pseudo-intellectual, who uses her body to get attention because she knows without it she's boring and too self-centered to be likable for herself, means nothing to me" Jackie told donna with a disinterested shrug, and turned her back to the fuming neighbor until she heard her footsteps storm away. When Jackie was sure it was safe to look up again, she saw the proud beaming faces of Eric and Steven.
"Jackie, that was even better than when you hit Laurie in the eye!" Eric told her happily
"Damn Jackie! That was brutal!" Hyde told her proudly.
Jackie smiled ruefully "I feel kind of bad, I mean – I know she was only trying to say sorry to keep us how she liked us being, her superior and me pathetic. but I would have rather just left without ever seeing her again, I have everything from my life here worth taking with me already, and I want a clean break from the rest, is that too much to ask for?" she asked looking to them for help.
"nah jacks, you deserve that and more, don't worry about her, she'll get it one day….probably not any day soon, but hope springs eternal ya know?" Hyde comforted her as best he could, while really just wanting to cheer her for finally standing up to the girl that bullied her most of her life.
"Frankly, I think she was trying to makes amends so we'd offer to take her with us, 'cus I don't think Donna's ever going to get over being cool in high school." Eric told them sadly
"but as fun as that was to see you stand up to bottle blonde Goliath - if we don't get back inside for mom to over mother us one last time, red will be out here to 'fetch' us and that sounds unpleasant" Eric told them with a grimace, they both nodded and moved to follow him back inside to listen to yet another speech about staying off back roads – there could be violent hillbilly's apparently? And making sure to stop often to use the restroom – it seemed that bladder infections were far more common than they knew?
"Actually, I forgot I had something to take care of at grooves real quick" Hyde said stopping at the door and turning towards the half packed Camino.
"Dude, we need to finish packing the car or were here another night and that starts the whole thing over again" Eric reminded him realistically.
"Good point" Hyde agreed thoughtfully "I'll take the cruiser instead" he told them quickly and walked away before they could point out that he'd missed the point.
Watching Jackie finally shut down Donna had made Hyde realize there was something he needed to do before he left point place for good, he parked the cruiser outside the two story house and went to the door – knocking with purpose he took a step back to wait.
Finally the door opened "Hyde? What the hell are you doing here?" Kelso asked crossing his arms and glaring, he might have the mind of an inbred fruit fly but he knew he was pissed at Hyde for not having his back against the big dude who sounded like a leprechaun in that one cartoon.
"Me, Eric and Jackie are about to leave, were moving away – for good" Hyde began, but Kelso cut him off.
"And you wanted to come apologize for being a lame friend so that when you get back we can still hang out" he finished for Hyde, who stared back aghast that he could be that wrong?!
"No you freakin' moron! We're not coming back – any of us! I'm here to tell you that in seventh grade at pam Macey's birthday party I kissed Jackie in the laundry room – so that means I had her first, since you seem to think that counts for shit! And before we all leave this Podunk town forever I wanted to do something I should have done a long time ago" he told Kelso calmly, then before Kelso could reply, Hyde threw a punch at his face with everything he had and laid him out eerily similar to what king had done to donna?
"That's for how you treated my friend you piece of shit!" he spat angrily and strode away back to the cruiser, then stopped short when he remembered something he should have already known.
"And I'm talking about Jackie you brain dead hamster!" he called back to Kelso who was moaning weekly on his front porch.
Hyde remembered it with a satisfied smirk as they drove out of the point place limits with a wave and a cheer, Eric was driving the first stretch because Hyde had 'whacked his hand on something stupid' as he'd put it when Eric had asked why he was driving first. They rode in thoughtful silence for a short time before Jackie leaned over the front seat between them.
"Put my tape in please, I want to hear what King picked for me" she requested of them a lot more politely than she used to.
"Why yours first? I want to find out why she said I'd love this Dead Kennedy's group" Hyde told her seriously
"And I'd like to listen to my pick first, so let's figure out a way to decide without arguing in a cramped car" Eric said as the voice of reason like usual.
"Fine, let's go alphabetically" Hyde suggested
"No, that makes your tape first and you know it!" Jackie called him out for his transparent attempt,
"Fine! Chronologically, oldest to youngest" he offered with a smirk, knowing he was winding Jackie up.
"Still you Steven! Eric, hold up the tapes and I'll pick one with my eyes closed" Jackie suggested fairly. Eric was about to comply when Hyde stopped him.
"No way Forman, we all know Jackie picks the one on the right because she assumes your first choice will be in the middle. Find another way to choose" he ordered them from the driver's seat, now that his hand felt better, he'd switched with Eric during the first bathroom break – that had been an embarrassing 20 minutes after they had started driving.
"Fine, this is getting ridiculous" Eric grumbled while looking through the three tapes hoping to think of a way to decide without bloodshed, when something caught his eye. "Guys, there's papers sticking out of the tape cases" he told them, and pulled the papers out to read aloud.
"I'm guessing by the time you see this note that you've started bickering about what to play first? If I'm right, don't feel bad because I've got it covered. Play the specials first, you'll all be wound up from starting on such a huge trip and they're the mellowest. Love King" Eric read to the other two with a note of amazement.
"What do the others say?" Hyde asked curiously
"Uh, the one from your tape Hyde, says 'play this last, it'll be late enough that you might need the adrenaline rush DK will give you' "Eric read to them, then opened his own note from King "hey Eric, how's it going? I'm guessing also that you're the one reading these as I'd bet money Jackie's in the back seat comfy as hell while you're riding shotgun, play yours second because not only is it a good mix of fast and mellow, but you'll all be awake and Iggy is for everyone, see you all soon!' damn, she is one scary woman!" Eric said when he was finished reading.
"Hey! Don't call my friend scary" Jackie demanded, then smiled her signature smile "besides she said to play mine first, so put the tape in!" she ordered like her old self, which made the two guys grin fondly.
"Yes dear" Hyde chuckled, and popped the cassette into the player and turned the volume up so Jackie could hear in the back.
They're first experience with Ska was quite the success, Jackie ended up trying her best to dance in the back while sitting down, and Hyde had to admit it was some good stuff. When the tape played out they decided to stop for lunch at a diner they'd seen a sign for on the highway, they ate too much greasy food and went so far as to order milkshakes to go, figuring that if they were going to be unhealthy it was best to do it at the start of the trip.
Eric reminded them that it was his turn to play his tape before they had even put their seatbelts on, which made Hyde level a hard look at him.
"Forman, it's going to be a long trip to Berkeley, let's all agree to do our very best not to make each other want to commit murder ok?" he told him in a tight voice.
Eric nodded contritely "yeah, you're right, sorry Hyde and sorry Jackie" he apologized but still popped the new tape in before Hyde had put the car in reverse.
King had been right about Iggy and the Stooges, although Jackie really did prefer the specials, but it was just enough rock for Eric to hear the music in it and not just the noise. Which was not the case when it was finally Hyde's turn a bit after sunset, the Dead Kennedy's were too hardcore for Eric, and though Jackie was sure she would enjoy the music live, she couldn't really see herself listening to it while she studied or something. But Hyde loved it! They were talking about how fucked the government was, and how angry they were about it, they had a mistrust for authority and anger about that too! Their anger channeled the anger Hyde had through their music and he felt for the first time like someone else cared about the shit he cared about, worried about the same crimes from authority figures he worried about. Where the hell had this been all his life?!
When Eric and Jackie wearily asked him to find a motel for the night, Hyde was reluctant to stop mostly because he wanted to hear jello Biafra yell about injustice and other stuff some more, but Jackie's sleepy "please find a motel puddin'" got him to pull into the first decent motel he saw. While Eric and Jackie took turns in the shower, and divvied up the two queen beds between the three of them – Hyde sat in his car and started the tape over again while he read the liner notes and learned everything he could about this band that took away the feeling of being the only one to feel the way he did. He was muttering along to the words of 'kill the poor' trying to commit them to memory, when a tap at his window startled him. Standing in her purple bathrobe, looking at him with an amused fondness, was Jackie.
"Come to the room Steven, its late and we drove along way" she said sweetly
"I just wanted to listen to this a little more" he explained honestly, he was done hiding the truth from Jackie to maintain his cool.
Jackie gave him a fond smile "it'll be there in the morning puddin' in promise, now come inside and tell Eric I get a bed to myself and you guys are sharing" she asked with a glare towards Eric in the room.
"Uh, jack's? There's no damn way I'm sharing a bed with Forman, he sleep gropes" Hyde told her seriously
Jackie made a grossed out face "is that why you guys don't go camping anymore?" she checked, wrinkling her nose.
"Yeah that'd be why, the arm over me I could handle, the trying to put his hand in my pants was a bridge too far" Hyde admitted with a shudder.
"Ok, you can share the bed with me, but if I catch you trying to 'sleep grope' I will kick your ass!" she threatened dangerously.
"I can sleep on the floor jack's it's not much different than the cot" he reminded her decently.
"No Steven" she denied flatly, giving him a long suffering look "you're driving remember? You need to get a good night's sleep, it's a queen size bed and to be fair I am somewhat….on the smaller side" she put her tininess in delicate terms.
"Ok, but don't forget I offered" he told her unconvinced he would get more rest sharing a bed with her than sleeping on the floor.
As it turned out, awkward was an understatement and Eric smirking at them didn't help much! But eventually they both managed to fall asleep after watching a terrible late night movie that seemed to be both a cop drama and a crappy love story? But it was just boring enough to lull the three friends to sleep at last.