Disclaimer: I don't own That 70s Show or the song You Are My Sunshine.

AN1: So this chapter is really long and it's Hyde explaining his relationship with Jackie. If there is one thing I know is that people tend to talk when they are drunk and its easier to tell strangers things than it is to tell close friends. I just figured that since Ashley is an outsider, Hyde would tell her the story. He's a bit ooc but only because he's drunk and high (think of how drunk he was at the beer warehouse) and because it's Jackie, and she sort of (really) makes him soft.

AN 2: I remember that Hyde once said he was passing Spanish class so my headcanon is that he picked up bits and pieces of it from his neighbors when he lived with Edna and so he knows the basics which is why he is doing good in that class, plus Jackie was in his class and he wanted to impress her/do better than her. This is important later on.

"I think I'm ready to tell you about my ex."

Ashley sits up straight and her eyes are wide, she never thought she would ever hear those words from him.

Steven Hyde did not talk about his ex much, she had never once ever heard him said her name. She was always known as the ex, or when he drank too much, doll. He sometimes would make little comments about her, like when she had started dating again and he made a comment about a guy running his hands through her dark hair or the fact that she tasted like strawberries and summer. Or the fact that she was a former cheerleader.

Ashley didn't know much about her, except that she was still in his life. She wasn't even sure what the girl looked like besides the fact that she had dark hair and pretty eyes.

Once, she had to carry Hyde to his bed. She had tucked him in as he rambled on in Spanish and tried to sing You Are My Sunshine. She had been about to turn off the lights when she spotted some frames on the dresser. One was a prom picture with a girl in a lilac dress in it, the other was a group picture with everyone in graduation gowns, Hyde's arms were around a redhead and a tall skinny guy, and final picture was one of two kids smiling at each other. There was a black box in front of the picture and she had opened it up to see a ring.

Her heart had ached when she saw it. He had to love this girl if he got her a ring. Steven Hyde was not the type to marry someone he did not love. She never mentioned it to him and he never knew.

She was curious about this girl and about what had happened between the couple.

So she sits up and faces him, bottle in her hand. She notices how tight his grip on his beer is. If he held it any tighter, it would break. Like he was about to.

"When I was a kid, I got pretend married to this girl, those two weeks were the best of my life. But it caused a big fight between my friends and I was a stupid kid who said dumb stuff and it hurt her badly. A few years later she became one of my best friend's girlfriend and I couldn't stand her. She was my complete opposite, rich and spoiled, a cheerleader, a princess. She believed in true love and all that crap. "

Ashley bursts into laughter and he glares at her.

"I'm sorry this sounds like the beginning of a Disney movie."

She takes a long swig and he watches her smile, lazily. Damm cheerleaders and their fairytale bullshit.

He rolls his eyes and continues on.

"My friend cheated on her constantly and the first time she found out, she flung herself into my lap and cried. She took him back but they broke up again and then she found out he was going to prom with the girl he cheated on her with. She begged me to go with her and when I said no, she burst into tears and buried her head into my chest and I was a goner. I hate proms and dances and school yet I went cause she cried. I got a matching shirt and even spent money on a corsage. I'll never forget the way she looked standing on the porch. She was gorgeous, still, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I stared at her in awe and I told her she looked beautiful and I remember the way she looked at me. She told me I was beautiful and then offered to meet my drunken whore of a mother. No one has ever offered to do that, and here is the princess of the town offering to meet her, like she's something special."

Ashley is in love. She's in love with the way Hyde lights up, talking about his ex. These are all things that he should be telling his ex, if she heard this maybe she would give him another chance. It makes her heart ache the way he talks about his ex, she wants someone to talk about her like that.

"When she saw the corsage I got here, she got all flustered and kissed my cheek and man I was so tempted to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her on the front steps of my porch, where the rats live, with my drunken mother on the sofa 30 feet away, with the neighbors eyeing her fancy car. I let her fuss over me and took pictures with her, I still have that prom picture, hell it even made the yearbook! Anyway, we danced and I was so scared to hold her, I was rough and she was so small, so pure and I didn't to ruin her. She was sad watching my friend parade his whore of a date so I helped get them back together and screwed the girl that my friend cheated on her with, in the backseat of her car. I regret helping them get back together."

Ashley thinks about the prom picture of his dresser, and she admits they make a striking couple.

"He cheated on her again, this time however I wanted him to get caught and I did everything short of telling her, I wished I told her. She called it quits with him and then with a basement full of people with arms open to comfort her, she ran to me. Just threw herself into my arms. A few days later I drive her to the mall because she's lonely. She buys me lunch and boots and kisses me in the front seat of the car after I made her cry again and stroked her hair telling her she was going to find someone better. I had to push her away, and that was hard to do. I don't know what it is about her and crying but it gets to me. She kissed me again, as a thank you for hanging out with her, in front of Kelso, it was on the cheek but it would have been so easy to turn my head."

Ashley made a mental note of the name Kelso, it was the first name he shared in his story.

"Aw, was that your guys' first kiss? Why didn't you make a move? I know you said that you didn't really like her but I think you did."

Hyde rolled his eyes.

"Our first kiss was when we got married as kids. And I didn't want to give her false hope. We couldn't get together, she was my friend's ex."

Ashely rolls her eyes and takes a drink before speaking.

"First of all, aww and second of all, I'm pretty sure rules don't apply when it comes to cheating, third this would make a good story, and fourth, you didn't deny that you liked her then."

"Shut your big fat cheerleader mouth, will you."

"Yes, sir, yes sir."

She would take that as a yes.

"We bonded, I protected her from her ex and his new girl, who was actually my foster sister and I liked spending time with her. But then she followed me around like a baby duck and it was annoying. I had to remind myself that she was my friend's ex and a kid. It was flattering to get her attention. She was a cheerleader, top of the school pyramid and I was a burnout, everyone was scared of me. Then I got arrested.

Ashely's eyes widen and she nearly spits out her beer.

"What? How? Why?"

He gives her a look and she rolls her eyes and reaches for her third beer.

"She wanted me to like her so she scored some film. She's a total square and we got into a fight and a cop came and saw it. She freaked out and I told the cop it was mine, without even thinking."

"How romantic."

"I nearly got kicked out of my foster home because of her."

"Still it's sweet. Most guys wouldn't step up. This guy I dated in high school and I got caught smoking under the bleachers and he took off leaving me to hang. Needless to say, his reputation was hung once I was through with him."

Hyde smirks he knows how dangerous cheerleaders can be. He has seen Jackie in action.

"Then Veteran's day happened."

Ashley could tell the story was taking a turning point.

"Wait. Bathroom break."

She jumps up and he takes the opportunity to grab his stash, she makes popcorn when she sees him and grabs some cookies. He passed the joint to her and after a few rounds, she ready for the story. She sits cross-legged, pillow on her lap, she had changed into pajama pants and a tank top, hair in a ponytail. She claps her hands.

"So Veteran's Day!"

He laughs, Ashley looks like a kid eager for a bedtime story.

"She asked me out and I told her to leave me alone, to die away from me."

She punches him hard in the arm.

"Ouch, woman what was that for."

"Asshole, you don't ever tell anyone to die away from you. How shitty would you have felt if she actually did die?"

He had no argument but that thought had flashed through his mind several times.

"Anyway, she asked me out and I told her off. So she shows up to my family picnic with some asshole in tow. She plays it all cool and I talked to the guy, he talks about nailing her and I give him a warning about her being a kid, you know she's only one boyfriend. He says stuff about her being a bitch and I saw red. I decked him and she came running, hearts in her eye. I went inside and my foster mom was there and she asked me about my little girlfriend. I told her she was wrong and she sort of told me that my argument about not liking her was invalid because I didn't like a lot of things. I told her to shoot me if I liked her. So my foster mom points a finger gun at me and shoots me and it was like cupid. I remember being angry and thinking when did this happen? Why her? How did this happen? What now?"

Ashley wiggles in her seat and raises her hand like a child. The film had to be getting to her.

"I know I know. You like her, you love her."

He hands her a water bottle and shoves a cookie into her mouth to shut her up.

"So I marched outside told her we were going on a date. Man the way her eyes lite up. I never regret asking her, my only regret is what happens later. Anyway, I buy her a burger and I get some pop. We got to the makeout area and I drive to this special spot I found, its father up then most people want to go so no one was there. We sit in silence on the car hood for half an hour. It was nice. She told me it was the best date ever. I didn't know how to tell her it was my first date, that wasn't going to end in sex, and I wasn't sure what to say. Then she started babbling on about I deserved love and what not and I blew a raspberry then, she got upset and jumped off and this panic hit me. I didn't want this date to end. So I convinced her to come back and we sat on the hood, she put my arm around her, and it felt right. She got cold and I gave her my jacket. We were on that hood for another two hours and I liked talking to her. Then she ended our date and I admitted that I had a good time. Then she leaned in and so did I. And we kissed."

Ashely lets out a squeal and Midnight opens an eye as does Luna.

He smiles at her enthusiasm but shoves a pillow in her face.

"Scream into that."

Ashley takes the pillow and does so. He reaches for his fourth beer and two minutes later she stops and smiles.

"So you kissed..."

"I was a goner. I felt something and it scared the crap out of me. How does a 95-lb girl do that? But, anyway, she pulled away and tells me that the kiss was hot but she felt nothing and I felt disappointed but not surprised. She made this big deal about loving me and now nothing, when has anything gone my way? Princesses don't end up with guys like me. After she said that, I had a crisis. Do I tell her the truth or do I lie?"

"You lied didn't you?"

Ashley is sad and he nods and she reaches for his hand and squeezes it.

"I was so tempted. But I agreed and then to get rid of the tension, I told her I was not opposed to doing it and she laughed and told me to take her home. Yes dear, was all I said. When it comes to her, yes dear and anything for you doll are the words that apply to her."

"You call her doll? How precious!"

The fact that he doesn't kill her for interrupting him is a testament to how drunk and high he is.

"She got back with my friend again and I hated it. Then her boss forced a kiss on her at her job and my friend flipped out which is funny because of all the times he cheated on her. Long story short, he proposed to her.

"He proposed? To your doll."

Ashley jumps up and the pets are startled.

He sighs and pulls her down next to him.

"He leaves to California that night taking her best friend, Donna. Donna dated my foster brother Eric and she had just been dumped by a Kelso brother. She had tried to get back with Eric but he said no so she left with Kelso."

Ashley gasps, her mind spinning trying to remember all the new names.

"Wait, her best friend left to California with... wow that's a shitty thing to do. Who would do that? Oh, I wouldn't trust her. Wouldn't be surprised to hear they hooked up or something."

Hyde is quiet, he won't lie, the question had crossed his mind a couple of times, especially considering how Donna had always sided with Kelso on things. He shakes his head, he can't think about it now, he needs to focus.

"She's cries into my arms for an entire day and then a week later she heads into the basement, okay. She sits down and she's still upset an angry but she doesn't want it to ruin her summer. She says they are done for good. She writes a letter, breaking up with him. We spend the summer together, I teach her chess, we head to the pool, to the amusement park, to the movies, but those things cost money and get tiring after a while and we get bored. We were watching tv complaining about how there is nothing to do and suddenly there's this shift in the air. We look at each other and I realize there is something to do. I don't know who leans in first but we kiss then pull away, five seconds later we are making out. We spend the rest of the summer sneaking around but summer comes to an end and a part of me expected her to forgive him but she tells me she wants to keep us a secret. Of course, after we decide that we get caught by Eric and Donna. They lecture us on how we are wrong and bad and we tell them it means nothing. They demand that we end it and we don't so they tell us that we have to tell her ex and I know we should but it's annoying because he cheated on her and no one cares but she moves on and she's the bad guy. "

Ashley opened her mouth and holds up a finger and grabs another beer to try to clear her head.

"So what happens after the Eric and Donna get involved?"

"We become official and he finds out, we go on a few dates and I'm happy, actually happy. I got a family, a girl, a car, a job, what more could a guy want? Then shit happens in her life but I'm there for her, she sort of movies in with me without anyone knowing and we are good but then Kelso invited his California girl into town and it's horrible. He rubs Annette in her face and she's not used to it. He took Pam to prom and rubbed his relationship with Laurie in her face but Pam got kicked off the cheer team and she kicked Laurie's ass. They were making out and she screamed for Annette to get off her boyfriend and my heart just took off and I decided to break up with her. We got into an argument and she blurted out that she loves me. You know she's the first person to ever say that to me. I take her back and we head to the dance and things were good, really good but I messed up, she and Kelso were friends and she didn't seem to care that he hit on her. She told him off but I saw them once on the couch, they were cuddling and I lost it. I went screwed this nurse. All for nothing. Turns out she was comforting him. The look in her eyes when I told her. It felt like someone was hammering nails into my heart. She cried and I couldn't do anything. She used to go to me when she cried but I made her cry this time."

He doesn't realize that tears have escaped his eyes until she wipes them from his face. She's crying and she moves closer and wraps her arms around him. He can't remember the last time someone other than Jackie hugged him. He should feel embarrassed but all he can feel is relieved that it is off his chest. He never told Jackie how seeing her cry because of him crushed him.

"Why don't we take a break?"

He shakes his head.

"No! I need to keep going. I don't know if I will ever tell this story again."

She nods and gets up an comes back with a blanket she tosses to him and grabs one for herself. She reaches for her beer and then reaches for his hand. She can tell that what comes next is worse. He lights another joint and she puts her beer down to take her turn.

"So you cheated..."

"I hurt her badly. She strings me and her ex making me think its a competition, it's my punishment. She picks me but when I found out she made a choice I arranged a date, to protect myself and to show her I won't play her games anymore. we got back together but I got scared. We were growing up too quickly and I freaked, I pushed her away, made her doubt my love for her and then she got a job offer and she asked me what to do, I told her to have a good trip.

I could have open my mouth and asked her to stay, I could have told her how much I love her, how she's the sun in my life, the only women I see a future with. All I said was have a good trip, I get drunk with some friends and that's when I decide I want to marry her. The truth is I got a ring awhile back, I just wanted to wait a few more years, once I had my own place and could take care of her properly before proposing but life took off and I got scared. But I decided. I wanted to be Mrs. Jackie Hyde. So I go to give her the ring, only to find out that she left. She left without waiting for an answer and it broke my heart. I head over to the motel she's at and she's laying on the bed in a nightgown and she looks sad but her eyes light up when she sees me and I think we are going to be okay. Then Kelso comes into the room in a towel, he says something about no one can see them having sex and I lose it. I ignore her screaming and crying and I just take off. "

Ashley is crying, one hand squeezing his, the other cover her mouth trying to muffle her tears.

"I don't come back for a while and instead of leaving, she stays here, waiting for me. I head out to Vegas, go on a drinking binge, and I don't remember anything. One day I wake up from a nasty hangover and feeling like my heart was missing and I knew it was time to go home. So I went home and I was so close to fixing it. I tell her I'm not ready to get married yet, which was a lie because I still had the ring in my pocket but then there was a knock and who should enter but my stripper wife."

Ashley had never heard him sound so bitter, so self-loathing.

" But it gets worse because instead of telling Sam the stripper to leave I let her stay, I tell everyone that I need to make my marriage work and every time I see her, I'm cruel to her, I tell her I don't love her, that she was just an easy lay. I tell her that I love my wife now, I kiss Sam and parade her around in front of everyone. I'm doing everything I can to get her to leave so I can stop looking at her and feeling guilty. I don't know why she gave me the time of day, why she loved me, she could so much better and I swear I spent half of the relationship waiting for her to realize that instead of cherishing and loving her. I still love her, but I ran out of chances. The worst part is that Sam wasn't even my wife. She already had a husband, so I threw away the love of my life, my one chance to be happy, for nothing."

He grabs another beer and drinks it as Ashley wipes her tears away.

So what do you think?"

Ashley laughs and holds up her full bottle of beer.

"First of all, congrats on screwing up in a way I didn't even think or know was possible. All I can say is that you have your work cut out for you but you said she's still around in your life? And I remember you mentioned that she can't date without feeling like she's cheating on you which means she still cares. It's not going to be easy but I think if you really work hard, you can fix this. Your story is done yet, all fairy tales end with a kiss so it's not the end yet. Second of all, about your friends forcing you to come clean, was wrong because they should have supported you, but they had a point. Yes, she cheated but he was your best friend, you should have sat down and explained how important this girl was to you, and don't say she wasn't because you wouldn't have considered ruining a friendship over someone who meant nothing. But your ex didn't owe Kelso an apology, he owed her one because he cheated, she was well within her rights to move on, maybe one of his friends wasn't a good idea but the heart wants what it wants. But the fact that they forced you to come out when you weren't ready is wrong. I'm sure over time your friend might have been okay with the news. I think if you had been upfront about what she meant, things might have been smoother."

He considers what she says, and he knows she has a point. A lot of the issues in his relationship could have been avoided if he had just opened his mouth and said what was on his mind.

"My life isn't a fairytale."

She rolls her eyes.

"My point is, you want the girl you need to prove it, being nice is a start but you need to apologize and then take steps to show her you have grown up and changed and want and deserve another shot. You also need to sit down and talk with your friends. You also need to realize that you deserve love and good things. You are a good guy Steven Hyde, you just don't let yourself see it. "

"I have a basic plan but how should I do that, o wise one?"

She starts to write and they are both exhausted but the fact that Ashley is sitting on his couch at two in the morning, helping him after he just told her how badly he screwed up gives him hope. So he tells her some of his ideas and she either tossed them out the window or fixes them up. It's close to five in the morning when she puts down her pencil and rubs her wrist.

She picks up some of the mess they made and she picks up Luna and smiles at him.

"Hey, Ashley thanks."

"I'm a sucker for happy endings."

She kisses his cheek and leaves.

He yawns, he has a shift at Grooves but he knows he won't make it. So he leaves a message for Leo and Eric and heads to bed.

He glances at the picture that he has of Jackie next to his bed, he actually felt like she was within reach.

"Love you doll."

Midnight jump onto the bed and he's exhausted but Jackie is in his head and is all he can think about. He can't sleep properly, tossing and turning all night, until his alarm goes off at six which is when he falls asleep. When he wakes up, the hangover he gets is the worst one, since Sam left.

He thinks back and he realizes that most day he has one beer unless he's out with his friends. Even with Ashley, its never more than three beers.

When did he cut back?

The others start to pick up on it too. They are all at the basement one night and Eric hands him a beer and he shakes his head.

I'm good Forman."

They all look at him in shock.

"I have to drive and I already had two."

"You could crash here man. Mom would love that."

He glances down at Midnight, sleeping on Jackie's lap. Midnight pretty much goes everywhere he goes and the puppy adores Jackie.

"I'm cutting back."

Donna rolls her eyes.

"First circle time and now beer? Are you sick? Dying? Did you hit your head falling off the Water Tower?"

He grits his teeth.

Donna had been getting on his nerves. He had pretty much laid off Jackie but Donna hadn't. She lets remarks slide out that makes everyone uncomfortable.

Jackie runs her hand through Midnight's fur and she smiles.

"I think it's great that Steven is cutting back."

His heart jumps at the sound of his name coming from her lips.

Donna frowns and she sneers and he wonders how he could he have ever liked her.

"Well as Steven's longtime friend, I'm just concerned about how he is changing who he is."

Its a dig at Jackie, who had not always been friends with Hyde and it hurts.

Kelso frowns and puts his beer down. He has noticed how cruel Donna has gotten, which bothered him and the change in his best friend, which makes him proud.

"Well as one of his best friends, I think if Hyde wants to cut back that's on him. It doesn't affect anyone of you so it's none of our business."

Eric nods in agreement and he doesn't even flinch at Donna's glare.

Africa had changed him, it made him more confident and more open to new experience. It brought him closer to Jackie and he was attempting a relationship with his sister.

He looks over the list that morning and circles the one that he can get started on, apologizing, doing nice things for her, buying flowers for her.

He takes the day to relax and he's surprised when his phone rings. He picks it up.

"Steven?"

"Jackie?"

"Sorry, Eric said you didn't come in today, are you sick?"

"No, I had too much to drink last night and then I couldn't sleep."

"You have been working harder than usual. Eric says you are the last one out."

"Just needed a day to myself, think this might be the worst hangover ever."

"Do you need me to come over? I can bring you some food."

"Don't worry about it doll, I don't want to bother you, I know you have an important exam coming up."

"Steven I'm coming over. What's your address?"

He rattles it off to her and she hangs up. He quickly hides the list and the ring and sits on the sofa it's not long before he falls asleep with a smile on his face because she called him Steven and was worried about him.

He wakes up and finds Midnight asleep, he looks at her bowls only to realize that she had been fed and walked.

He finds food in his microwave and a note on the counter from Jackie.

Steven,

You were so tired you didn't hear me, so I might have picked the lock... you should get that fix. What if someone breaks in? But anyway I didn't want to wake you. I took Midnight out for a walk and left some food for you in the microwave and some in the refrigerator. I did some dishes and did some cleaning. Nice place you have, could use some more pink but I like it. Don't worry I won't tell Kitty that your apartment is fit for a party. I know you like to be alone but just know she is anxious to come over.

Please take care of yourself and drink safely, I know you said you were cutting back. I'm proud of you for doing so. So whatever is bothering you, don't let it be the reason you fall back. Get some sleep and take care. Don't worry, I will pick up the slack at Grooves, maybe I'll even find where you keep all the ABBA records in the store! See you.

Jackie

She signs her name with a heart over the I and he smiles.

The note goes into his Jackie box and he heads to the mall later that evening, he buys the newest Nancy Drew book.

Then he stops by a flower shop.

The next day he gets phone calls from his mother, Laurie, Brooke, Angie and even Donna thanking him for the flowers. Ashley finds flowers in her kitchen when she comes home for an eight-hour shift.

Jackie is the only one who gets the flowers in person. Seeing her eyes light up when he gives her the flowers and the fact that she threw her arms around him and kisses him on the cheek leaves him with a smile on his face that Eric can't help but tease him about.

He takes the teasing.

Wallflowers!

So excited to post this! Can't believe how fast I updated. Sadly, this won't last. Spring Break is over and I will be swamped with school and sorority stuff so updates may take longer. I'll try to update at least once a week (by Saturday, Sunday is the latest) but please understand if it takes longer. I hope it doesn't since I have several chapters started, they just need to be edited and a few chapters need to be finished and then edited! The next chapter might take longer because that one is only about 400 words right not (the one after that is like 2,500) but's that only because I needed something to bridge the weird gap I somehow created.

But I'm excited. I have no idea how this story that was supposed to a one shot of about 3,000 words has become a full fledged story with over 10,00 words and still counting. We are in for a long ride and I can't wait for you all to see what else I have in store for these two (in this story and in the other works I have coming up).

Love you Wallflowers! And thank you for the endless support

-Queen

Guest Reviews:

Guest (3/28): I love Jackie the idea of a Jackie and Eric friendship, they are two of the most loyal characters in the show and I can't wait to expand on it more. I like the idea of Jackie writing to Eric when he was in Africa. I gave Hyde a friend outside the group because part of growing up is making new friends and I think that if everyone had at least one friend outside the group, there would have been a lot less drama. I won't lie they are really comfortable with each other but I figure because they spend a lot of time drinking and talking, Hyde can be more relaxed around her. But don't worry they are just friends... but assumptions are easy to make and what's wrong with a little drama? I will admit I never considered the idea of writing about what Jackie does during her day but I like the idea so thank you!

Guest (3/29): Thanks for your sweet review. The wedding scene was the first scene I wrote for this work. I love how adorable Jackie is when she was younger and I could see Hyde being sweet because she's a girl and because she's small. For me, as a kid, I think Hyde would still sort of believe in good things (this was before Bud left) and I like the idea of him wanting to stop her crying and I think he would be so touch starved that the idea of marrying her makes him happy.

Judy: I'm a firm believer that the gang needs friendships outside of each other. I made his new friend a cheerleader for a reason you will find out in a few chapters. I'm actually proud of myself at how much I love this story and on how fast I have been at updating, as for when this story ends, don't worry because I have other ideas for these two. A few of them just need to be edited before they can be posted so keep an eye out for them. Thanks for your kind review! See you next chapter!

Plsnoluvtriangle: It took me a minute to decode your name but I can assure you there will be no love triangle. I love Jackie and Hyde together too much to do that to them! However, if someone were to make assumptions that would lead to some drama...