He doesn't mean to but he doesn't tell anyone about Ashley. He doesn't want anyone to get the wrong impression about them. He doesn't want to have to deal with that conversation because it might get back to Jackie and he's tired of being burned for loving Jackie.

So he doesn't tell them about Ashley and Ashley never brings up meeting his friends.

But of course, fate had other plans.

Jackie had kept her word and he had managed to keep everyone from visiting his place for three months saying that he was still unpacking and he even made sure to visit the Forman house enough times to keep Kitty from storming his place, that all came crashing down when everyone appeared on his doorstep with food.

He could tell that they had no plans for leaving and he hoped that Ashely would not stop by but of course that was not how it went.

Ashley came into his apartment, singing "Honey, I'm home", a case of beer in one hand, an opened bottle of wine in the other.

Everything fell apart. Kitty dropped a plate and Jackie dropped the record she had picked up and it shattered as it hit the ground.

Laurie looks murderous and Hyde's eyes are on Jackie who looks likes she was going to cry.

Ashley pauses and he can see the flush on her cheeks and she realizes the mess she created.

"I see I came at a bad time. Rain check, Steven Hyde?" He could tell something was wrong but his eyes were on Jackie. The others all exchanged looks and Kitty stepped forward, being a good host. Kitty was not overjoyed that the new woman in her son's life, and she needed information. She hurried to greet the woman with a hug.

"No I insist that you stay for dinner, I would love to meet the new woman in my Steven's life."

Ashley raised an eyebrow, and she looks uncomfortable.

"Ma'am thank you for the invitation but I'm not..."

"Stay for dinner," Kitty said firmly, already guiding her to the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am."

Red shoved a broom into his hand.

"Pick up the glass before one of the girls steps on it." Hyde is still staring at everything in shock, how did everything go so wrong so fast?

Eric takes the broom from Hyde and gets to sweeping before his father can threaten him with a foot in the ass.

Ashley could see Hyde was looking at Jackie so she pulled him into a corner.

"Hyde? Should I leave?"

He looked at her shook his head.

The damage was already done.

"Of course not, look we are friends. I want you to meet my family. Plus Mrs. Forman's food is to die for."

He is aware that Jackie is staring at them before she excuses herself to the bathroom.

Dinner was a disaster.

Ashley had been relaxed, unaware of the interrogation heading her way but Hyde senses the tension in the air.

It had started off with Kitty asking how they knew each other and she had made a soft hum when she realized that the girl was the landlord.

Eric had asked some basic questions, Fez asked about her hair routine but Kelso asked how long she and Hyde had been doing it.

That was when Hyde notices that Jackie is gripping her fork tightly and that everyone seemed to be waiting for an answer.

Ashley raised an eyebrow. She knew exactly what the question was asking but curious to see how far she could push the issue.

"Doing what? Hyde and I do a lot of things, it's what friends do."

Kitty snorted and Laurie rolled her eyes.

"How long have you been having sex?"

Kitty raises a hand to her heart and Jackie's knuckles are turning white.

Ashley burst into laughter.

"Hyde and I are not having sex. We are good friends, I got my eye on someone and Hyde is head over heels with he ex-girlfriend. He's going to win her back."

Jackie dropped her fork and Laurie snorted. Hyde didn't know what to do, why was she spilling everything out of her big fat cheerleading mouth?

(She had not realized that Jackie was his ex because Eric had stuck close to Jackie's side the entire night and Hyde had never told her his ex's name until the night they were super drunk and even then all she remembers is him calling her his doll.)

Laurie grinned wickedly. She loves a good burn.

"Oh really?"

"Hyde never shuts about her. He's got a ring hidden in one of the drawers and he's working on a plan to get her back. I told him he needs to grovel. It would take some serious groveling to forgive what he did. I can't even imagine the hurt the girl feels. Of course, Hyde feels bad so I'm kinda rooting he gets the girl. She's a lucky girl, the ring is gorgeous."

Hyde groans.

Everyone grew quiet and Jackie was pale.

"What ring?"

Hyde is frozen as Ashley giggles, cocking her head and smiling at Jackie, unaware of the bombshell she dropped. Eric, however, sees something in her eyes that makes him wonder if she knows exactly what she is doing.

"The ring he got his ex before she left to... where did she go? California? Cinnaitti? Chicago? One of the C's. Anyway, he got her a ring. It's really pretty too. Princess cut. Has an engraving inside. My.. what was it? Sol. Soul? Sun?"

Jackie looked at Hyde, with eyes full of tears.

"You got me a ring?"

Ashley freezes.

"Oops."

Eric is grimacing as Jackie stands up from the table slowly, his hand curls up against the fist she made. Laurie is eating, Kelso and Fez are quiet, heads following them both. Donna is annoyed and Kitty and Red are quiet.

Hyde signs and reaches for a bottle of water and hands it to Ashley.

"Drink. "

Then he turns to look at Jackie, her eyes are big, shiny with tears and he wants to wrap his arms around her but he knows she won't let him.

So he shrugs, hands in his pockets, thinking about the ring he got.

"You gave me an ultimatum doll. It wasn't a hard choice."

He thought the news that he wanted to marry her would make her happy, or at least lead to a conversation.

Instead, she looks at him, a tear sliding down her cheek and then she let out a sob and takes off, wrenching open the door and he's frozen again. He wants to chase after her but the pain in her eyes killed him, it roots him to his seat.

He had really hurt her, broken her in a way that her parents, Kelso, and Donna never did.

He slumps his shoulders and Donna stands up.

"I'll talk to her."

Fez frowns at Donna not liking that the redhead was going to his goddess and Eric stood up.

"No, I will."

Donna shoots them a glare.

"I think she would rather have a girl talk with her best friend."

Eric wants to yell that they aren't best friends but Donna is already gone and he sighs. Kitty laughs awkwardly.

Hyde turns to look at Ashley who is sitting at the counter, a bottle of water unopen.

"Fuck, I messed up Hyde. I'm sorry, I didn't know. I didn't know." She is crying and he sighs, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, Ash, it's fine. I mean I never told you her name or showed you a picture of her besides the one in my room from when we were kids.

"I should have kept my big fat cheerleader mouth shut."

"Don't worry about it, I mean I was going to have to tell her eventually."

Ashley pushes him away and slides off the counter and wobbling, she brushes his hands way.

"I'm sorry for ruining dinner. I'm going to head to my apartment now."

He watches her stumble off to her apartment and debated whether or not to help her out but he knows he has to do some damage control.

He will check on her later, once he gets everyone out of his apartment, and tries to salvage something with Jackie.

Ashley wanders down the stairs when she hears arguing so she follows the source of yelling. As a landlord, it's her responsibility to check up on her tenants.

She finds Jackie and Donna arguing on the hood of Hyde's car. Jackie is perched on the hood and Donna is standing. She notes how calm Jackie appears to be as opposed to Donna who is gesturing angrily.

She can't help but listen in on their conversation and the conversation makes her blood boil.

Hi everyone! Sorry that it's been forever.

I thought I would have more time to write but I been busy with sorority stuff and I just started a new job so I have been everywhere.

So good news: I have the rest of the story planned, out, the epilogue is done and I would say we have maybe four-six more chapters, depending on if I combine any of them.

Bad news, the next two chapters are not written out, at all. I have maybe 200 words and that's it. So it's going to take me a while.

I have also lost some of my motivation but I'm sure I can and will get it back!

My goal is to have this all done by my birthday (in August), so you can look foward to that. I also have some short one-shots that I'm working on, so keep an eye out for them

Love you Wallflowers!

-Queen

Guest Reviews

Rachel: Thank you for the rereading, I'm glad that you were so moved. To be honest, I had a hard time writing from Jackie's pov so I'm glad you liked it. I have an idea about where I want to go with Donna and I will say that there will be a confrontation in either the next chapter or the chapter after that (but I won't say who it's between).