DISCLAIMER: It's been 35 chapters and I think by now we all know that I do not in fact own this. I will give you a moment to grieve for this fact.
Ch36…Lesson #265
***
Eric bit his lip; Hyde had been in his room a long time. Kelso and Fez refused to move from their seat on the deep freeze, still afraid of the mouse. Not going to plan was a saying created for this kind of situation. Donna was next to him wringing her hands together, her eyes were bloodshot and her face slightly puffy from crying, he mentally congratulated himself on not making those observations aloud, he was learning.
"They should have been back with Jackie by now." Eric paused in his pacing with a large gasp. "What if she figured out what we were planning and killed them?"
Fez and Kelso groaned throwing half eaten popsicles at his head, Donna glaring up at him from the couch, okay so that wasn't what she needed to hear. Still it could have happened. Hearing a scuffle Eric moved to the door peering through the window, the Toyota was nowhere in sight although there was a pretty brunette making her way down the stairs.
"Hello, are you guys in there?"
"It's Brooke!"
Not the brunette they were hoping for but better than nothing. Donna stood up making her way to the door.
"Hey, hi Betsy!"
The redhead waved at the little girl safely tucked up in Brooke's arms, she frowned slightly when the former librarian just smiled stiffly at her not meeting her eyes.
"Your parents called, they can't find Jackie anywhere." Eric and Donna exchanged uneasy glances; they hadn't covered this in their contingency plans. "Can you guys think of anywhere else she might be?"
Eric shook his head while Donna shrugged, the couple turned to Kelso and Fez with hopeful glances, one had to be hopeful when the fate of something rested in their hands.
"The old school?"
Fez scoffed at Kelso's suggestion hopping down to join the other two at the door.
"No Jackie hates that place, maybe she went back to my apartment? Or she could be with that son of a whore Fenton, he was always trying to take my Goddess away from me."
"Fez no swearing in front of the B-A-B-B-I-E." Kelso spelled frowning at his best friend, Brooke just rolled her eyes, this was getting them nowhere.
"Can you ask Hyde? No one's seen her since last night, I'm really worried about her." Brooke asked jiggling her daughter up and down when she started to fuss. Eric was silent until he realized all eyes were on him.
"Why do I have to ask him?"
Donna just looked at him, the look that pretty much said 'just do it.' He knew that look well.
"Fine, but if he kills me, I want my gravestone to read 'Here lies Eric Forman, beloved son, friend and Jedi Master. May the force be with him.' Ow! Donna I'm moving, I'm moving!"
Eric stepped away from his violent girlfriend moving hesitantly towards Hyde's door.
"What about the mouse?"
Donna rolled her eyes and pointed at the door stubbornly.
"Be a man Eric. If you see a mouse just stomp on it."
Eric blanched at the thought of dead bits of mouse stuck to his shoe. Taking feather light steps he made his way to the back of the basement, eyes narrowing at the muffled voices he could hear. He raised his hand poised to knock when the door swung open and Hyde exited all but barrelling him over.
"Geez Forman what are you doing? Trying to take over for Fez as the wardrobe stalker of Point Place?"
Carefully Hyde manoeuvred Eric back into the central area of the basement.
"Jackie's missing, Brooke wants to know if you can tell us anywhere the devil may be hiding."
Hyde's face didn't move an inch, on anyone else that would have been a clue.
"Now why would I do that?"
Arms crossed behind his head, smirk, legs on the table and glasses in place. Phase one, check.
"Well the sooner they find her the sooner this will all be over." Eric pointed out, he hadn't really factored in that this would take more than a day and he didn't relish the idea of sleeping on the couch.
"And have her abuse my shins when she realizes I helped set her up? No thanks."
Hyde's arms fell to his sides, his fingers unconsciously reaching for the paper he'd stashed in his pocket. Standing quickly he walked over to where Brooke was still standing on the other side of the door; she really did look worried. He glances around the room, the moron twins were trying to open the deep freeze without moving off it and Donna and Eric were now back on the couch the former with her head in her hands, Eric comforting her. Swiftly he dropped the piece of paper to the floor using the tip of his foot to slide it under the door.
Look down.
Brooke crinkled her eyes shaking her head at Hyde, what?
Look down he mimed again, nodding with his head. He smiled inwardly when she caught on, her eyes widening as she took in the crumpled paper. She stuffed it her pocket and smiled at Hyde.
"Sorry Brooke, I can't help you."
Okay maybe that was a bit much, he could count on one finger the amount of times he had apologized let alone in front of the group, thankfully they were preoccupied.
"Well if she's lying in a ditch dead somewhere you'll be sorry!"
His eyes widened behind his glasses, he'd never heard Brooke speak that way, he'd actually be worried if he hadn't caught the twinkle of amusement in her eyes. She stomped up the stairs for good measure. Keeping his zen in place he stalked over to the deep freeze lifting up the lid with the two idiots still on top, they crashed into the wall. Before anyone could react he was back in his room the door slammed behind him, in the commotion no one had noticed that he had taken out two popsicles.
***
Jackie was pacing the small room noiselessly, her shoes lined up carefully by the cot. She jumped slightly when the door swung open, her heart hammering in her chest even though she knew it would be Hyde. She swallowed a squeal when he shot her a thumbs up, holding up the popsicle she accepted it gratefully, she hadn't eaten all day if Mina found out she'd kill her.
"Thanks, I'm starving." She admitted practically attacking the sticky treat completely oblivious to Hyde's discomfort as her mouth closed around the Popsicle. "Cherry, yum."
He flopped onto the cot biting into his treat with much less enthusiasm, the room was dim, the only light coming in from the old lamp balanced on the shelf above his bed. Hyde grabbed his pillow and tossed it next to him gesturing for Jackie to join him.
"It was Brooke, lucky break for us. I slipped her the note now all we have to do is wait."
Jackie pulled herself back against the wall and curled her legs beneath her.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jackie asked rubbing her lips together. "I want to teach them a lesson but I don't want to be mean."
"And Eric thinks nobody's changed." Hyde said tossing his popsicle stick in the direction of the bin not bothering to look to see if it made it, Jackie gave him a look. "Just think of it as Karma."
"Are you making up words again?"
Hyde bit back a laugh Jackie's look of disapproval proving to be too much.
"No, it means what goes around comes around. You do bad shit and bad shit happens to you."
"You know Mrs. Forman always said that whatever you put out into the world would come back to you times three but I always figured she was just saying that to make people feel better, like when she told Eric that sweater vests made him look manly." Jackie said slowly trying to wrap her head around this idea. "So we're just giving them what they have coming anyway?"
Hyde smirked; she always had been a fast learner.
"Exactly grasshopper, of course it's a pretty awesome burn too."
"I guess."
A ghost of a smile played upon her lips, visions of their plan unfolding in her mind. He could tell the exact moment that any doubts she was having vanished, her lips set into a devilish smile and her eyes glittered.
"You know what? You're right these guys need to be taught a lesson. I don't think it'll be too hard for Brooke to get Red to go along with it. Mrs. Forman will be the holdout, was Betsy with Brooke?"
Hyde nodded to the affirmative; he'd honestly never been as attracted to Jackie as when she was scheming. It was so badass.
"Good, she can't say no to the baby and Brooke is not averse to using her to manipulate people."
"I knew she'd been hanging out with you too much." Hyde remarked revelling in Jackie's look of huff. "Kelso taught her how to do that." Jackie corrected him nudging him on the shoulder. "I taught Kelso."
Hyde took in her sly look, she looked so perfect like that. Without any thought he leaned forward capturing her lips in a kiss before she could react. She responded eagerly moulding her mouth to his bunching his shirt up in her fists as she pulled him closer to her falling back against the bed. Every part of him screamed to let this continue but he knew that he'd regret it later on if he did.
"Jackie, we should stop."
She nibbled on his lip her fingers dancing across his neck pulling lightly at the hairs she found there.
"Mmhmm, just one second." Pulling down on his head she kissed him hard pulling away moments later. "Thank you."
Hyde inhaled shakily still half in shock she hadn't pushed him away and kicked his shins.
"Not that I'm complaining but what bought that on?" Jackie asked trailing her hand across his shirt.
"That look, it was the same look you got when you busted Eric the summer we got together. Sneaky, evil and a little proud."
"Wow, please stop before you make me melt with your sweet words." Jackie replied rolling her eyes, for Hyde that was sweet talk. He smirked back at her pretty pleased with himself.
"If you want girl talk date Forman or Fez."
Jackie blanched, shuddering at the thought; the twizzler or the perve, no thanks.
"That was just cruel."
"I know, I said it to be funny but I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit." Hyde stretched his jaw, definitely threw up a little.
"And they thought we were creepy and unnatural." Jackie teased lightly, his body was sagging slightly into her own and his heart had settled into a steady rhythm. "About last night-"
"Hyde some of us are kind of getting worried about you back there, the cot's squeaking you're not back there enjoying yourself are you?"
Damn Eric. Hyde felt like punching the wall, Jackie was right he definitely had the worst timing of anybody he knew. Hyde exhaled noisily through his teeth an identical look of frustration on Jackie's face.
"Go." She whispered softly. "Brooke should probably be coming back to 'break the news' soon anyway." Reaching up she kissed him softly on the lips. "We can finish this after."
"Count on it." Hyde growled pulling himself up with a frown. Jackie stayed lying down, her hair slightly mussed, lips pouty and slightly swollen, he was going to kill Eric. Watching him go she snuggled back into the sheets with a smile on her face, they had no idea what was about to happen.
"Ow! What was that for?" Eric wailed his high pitch piercing through the walls to Jackie clearly. Hyde's reply was muffled but it didn't matter she knew why he had really frogged Eric; he was just lucky she was hiding out, his shin would have been broken in half.
***
"What do you think I should do?"
Brooke looked over taking in her eyes and sighing loudly.
"I know, I know it's completely juvenile but then again so is locking six people in a basement."
The young girl just stared the slim brunette was going to go crazy if she kept walking back and forth like that.
"Don't look at me like that! It's not like I'm doing anything that wrong. We're just going to give them a good scare."
"Burn!" Betsy clapped gleefully succeeding in halting Brooke's pacing. She smiled to herself, a burn.
"That's right baby, after the last few months they deserve a little payback."
Leaning down she picked up her daughter and jiggled her on her hip, stepping out of the way as the old Toyota that Jackie and Red were so fond of pulled into the driveway.
"You ready for this?" She asked hesitantly allowing Kitty to take Betsy from her arms the surrogate grandma helpless in the face of an adorable baby. Red watched as his wife disappeared into the kitchen with Betsy an evil smirk appearing on his face.
"Are you kidding? This is going to be fun."
She followed him down the stairs and into the basement schooling her expression into one of extreme nerves not hard consider she was already nervous.
"Where's Jackie?" Fez asked scrutinizing the two new arrivals. Red glared at him before turning his steely eyes on his son and his girlfriend.
"I hope you're happy. Mina just rang your mother, Jackie's been to the hospital apparently she was upstairs when you idiots were talking, overheard your whole damn plan."
Donna paled noticeably her hand clutching onto Eric's, Kelso and Fez had slid off the deep freeze and joined their friends around the table.
"What do you mean she was at the hospital?" Hyde cut in a mixture of worry and anger colouring his words.
"She's fine, as far as we know. Mina said she ran off mumbling something about ending things once and for all." Red was practically steaming the anger coming off him in waves. "I've got your mother upstairs convinced Jackie's gone off to kill herself somewhere, I promised her that you dumbasses would find her and make sure that didn't happen."
"My goddess!" Fez gasped holding his hand to his heart. Kelso reached over and hugged Fez.
"We can't let Jackie die!"
Brooke let out a nervous breath, time for the big reveal.
"We don't know where she is or what she's doing. The last time I spoke to her she kept talking about wanting to see the lights of Paris one more time." Her voice broke towards the end her hands trembling, if they could tell it was from nerves it didn't show.
"But Jackie's never been to France." Eric said his forehead knotting in confusion.
"The water tower, Jackie said the view was like the lights of Paris. She told me when we painted-" Donna broke off feeling Red's eyes on her. "Nevermind, we have to get to the water tower, now!"
"We'll take the vista cruiser." Eric scooped the keys from his pocket and made for the door.
"You better be right about this dumbass." Red threatened.
"Or else we'll get your foot in our ass. Yeah, yeah we know why don't you try a new threat out every once in a while" Eric called over his shoulder ignoring Red's glare that followed him out the door. Hyde slowed for just a moment, pausing as he past Red and Brooke; the three shared a small smile. The door to the basement shut with a bang the vista cruiser screeching away moments later. Jackie poked her head out the door breathing a sigh of relief.
"You ready to see something really funny?" She asked once she had joined them.
"Lets go." Red replied ushering the girls out the door, so Eric's not so worried about getting a foot up the ass. Let's see how he handles this.
***
Okay so that chapter took a lot out of me! I knew that I needed to get a JackieHyde moment in but it couldn't just be for the sake of it. Keep an eye out cause this fic is almost done! Special love goes out to &&&& for her very awesome review and as per her request very soon there shall be a crossover fic coming up between our favourite basement gang and the gang from Buffy.