Disclaimer: I do not own That 70's Show.
Okay so it's been a while. Let's just pretend it's still Christmas yes? Grab a cup of hot cocoa, play some Christmas music, and bundle up.
Jackie woke up feeling heavy and warm. She was in a cocoon of blankets that weighed down on her in the most fabulous way. She smiled into her pillow and stretched out wide.
Of course, that meant that Steven was nudged awake by her movements. She turned to face him and burrow into the body heat he offered. He hummed deeply and hugged her without opening his eyes.
Jackie thanked the heavens that it was Sunday and she didn't have to get up for anything. She didn't even know what time it was. It could be six in the morning or going past two in the afternoon. She sighed happily.
Steven hugged her closer. He began to kiss her neck, pressing soft and sleepy kisses in a path up to her earlobe. Jackie ran a hand up his arm lightly and she felt him shiver.
As he worked his way back down her neck and lower to her chest she laughed. But her giggles were soon cut short as the mood turned serious and heated.
Sometime later, the pair left the bedroom in search of food, only half dressed and their hair mussed.
Jackie led the way to the kitchen in a pair of panties and one of Steven's shirts, "What's on the menu today?"
Steven followed her in, "How about some of these sweet buns?," he said grabbing her ass from behind.
Jackie laughed, "I'm going to need to eat before you get anything sweet of mine." She took a seat at their small kitchen table as Steven started taking out pans and utensils.
"In that case, anything you want, doll," he said moving on to make some coffee.
She hummed in thought, "How about some eggs," Steven nodded, scooping coffee into the filter, "and some bacon," he nodded again, "and some pancakes shaped like hearts."
As the coffeemaker began to come to life, he retrieved the eggs, bacon, and milk from the fridge.
"I'm not making hearts, Jackie, no matter how sweet you are."
"C'mon, Steven, it's Christmas," Jackie whined.
"The Pope could be coming and I still wouldn't make 'em," he replied easily, setting the bacon on the hot pan.
"Steven…" Jackie tried again, her voice sad and weak; he turned to a cabinet and took out the bag of pancake mix, along with a whisk from the drawer.
"Nope," he measured out the ingredients into a bowl.
Jackie narrowed her eyes for a second before-
"Pwease?"
Steven started to whisk, "…Fine," he grumbled, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.
"Thanks, Puddin' Pop," Jackie grinned, and got out of her seat to join him by the stove and began to flip the bacon.
He waved a hand over a different pan to check the heat before pouring out the batter into a heart shape. This, he found, was easier said than done. The batter spread quicker than he could manage and the heart turned into a blob. His brow furrowed in frustration.
Jackie was getting a plate with a napkin to start placing the bacon. When she turned and saw the poor state of the heart, she grimaced but said nothing when she saw the look of concentration on his face.
Steven flipped the pancake and waited for it to be done, planning how next to try and make a goddamn heart. Maybe if he started at the middle? One swift motion?
She continued to finish the bacon but watched him out of the corner of her eye, waiting to see if he could do it.
Seeing the pancake was tanned going on dark brown, he set it aside and prepared to try again. Zen, he thought. In one, slow motion he drew out a small heart, hoping the batter would spread evenly. He held his breath, not knowing Jackie did the same.
Well…it looked like a heart. Kind of. It was definitely better than the last. Although a little on the small side.
Jackie noticed the small smile of pride, and held back a laugh. The heart was definitely an improvement, if not perfect. She kissed his shoulder.
Soon enough, they sat at their table with a plate of eggs, bacon, and pancake each. Just after Jackie took a bite of her eggs, she sprang out of her seat with an "Oh!" and ran out of the kitchen.
"Jackie?" Steven asked, his piece of pancake falling off his fork.
"Don't move!" Jackie's voice answered.
Relieved she was okay but also unsurprised at her crazy outburst, Steven picked up a piece of pancake again and continued eating.
Suddenly, there was a bright flash and he choked on his food from the shock. Coughing, eyes watering, he reached for his cup of coffee.
He looked up to find Jackie holding a camera, grinning, "What the hell, Jackie?!"
"We need to take more pictures! That couple the other day at the Christmas tree lot made me think about all the small moments we're missing!" she said, taking her seat once more.
"And I'm guessing it's too much to hope that next time I won't almost die in the process?"
Jackie rolled her eyes, "Steven don't be so dramatic," she took a bite of egg, "Besides, candid photos are the best!"
A smirk appeared on his face, "If candid's what you want, just ignore any flashes you might see when you're in the shower."
"Don't think I don't know you already have some of those," she said, cutting up her heart pancake gently.
"The benefit of knowing someone who owns a photo-development shop, baby, is I can take care of the whole process in no time."
"Oh I know," she smiled, "Leo's taken care of some photos for me too."
His smile dropped from his face, "Wait what?"
Jackie got up to refill her coffee, "Would you like some more coffee, Steven?"
He swiveled in his seat, eyes following her to the coffeepot.
"Are you telling me there are naked pictures of me lying around?" he asked, eyebrows raised.
"Maybe," she said easily, "You know…you don't notice much when you're singing in the shower," she wondered aloud, returning to the table.
"You're sneaky as ever, Jacklyn Burkhart…And I love it," he grinned.
"I know, baby," she smiled and leaned over the table to kiss him.
It was half-past noon by the time they managed to brave the cold outside. As much as Steven wished they could spend the rest of the day as they had spent their morning, Jackie was set on both wearing another Christmas outfit and picking out their Christmas tree. Or as Jackie had said: "the first Christmas tree that would reflect the love they felt in their hearts."
They were back in the El Camino. Turning on the heater, shivering. Steven put up a half-hearted fight against Christmas music. Jackie won.
By the time they reached the tree lot, Steven was tapping the steering wheel to the beat of "Little Drummer Boy" as Jackie sang (quite terribly actually).
Since it was a Sunday, and right after lunch, the lot was more packed than it had been the night before. They did have quite the advantage though, Jackie thought, because they knew the lay of the land so to speak. Kind of like pre-planning a shopping trip.
She knew they wouldn't be able to squeeze a tree as big as the one they had bought for the Forman's into their apartment. That meant they could maybe handle a five footer…A nice full, four footer wouldn't be bad either.
They strolled into the lot, Jackie holding onto Stevens arm, taking their time passing families and friends debating trees' qualities.
"So what're you thinking, doll?" Steven asked, preparing himself much like he did when he went to the mall with Jackie.
"Well, we didn't measure how high the ceiling is so I can't be sure but I was thinking of starting with the five-foot trees?" She eyed some an ornament display set up along the path. She would also have to decide soon what kind of theme they would be doing. Elegant? Rustic? Modern and clean cut? There were so many decisions to be made. Jackie couldn't wait.
"Alright," Steven said, stopping himself from sounding too relieved at the thought of getting out of here in less than two hours.
They turned into the row of five-footers. To Steven it was funny how small the trees seemed to him and yet as Jackie started her inspection she was only inches taller. He often forgot how small she actually was, but then when he was reminded he had to fight the urge wrap her up in his arms and kiss every inch of her beautiful face like some sap. They were in public dammit.
Instead he caught up with her and wrapped an arm around her waist, rubbing a mittened thumb against her hip. She had found a tree it seemed.
"This the one? That was fast," he said.
Jackie didn't say anything and stared at the tree.
"It's too full."
Make that less than three hours.
"Too full? How can a tree be 'too full'?" he asked confused, trying to see what his girlfriend did.
"It's basically a circle! It's, it's like an egg!" she exclaimed gesturing toward the tree, "Our first tree can't be an egg, Steven."
He rolled his eyes, but he could see what she was saying. The branches were full and overflowing to the point where the tree didn't have so much a Christmas tree shape.
"How about that one?" he pointed to a tall and skinny tree.
Jackie's nose wrinkled, "Ugh, that's Eric in tree form. I do not need a scrawny Eric Forman Tree falling apart in a week."
Steven couldn't help but laugh at the comparison. He was at a loss with what tree to offer up to Jackie's critical eye.
She left the warmth of his embrace to walk ahead. He followed behind slowly, ready for the long wait.
"You would think they would have better trees, it's as if they brought out all their ugly ones…"
He hummed in agreement. It was best not to disagree with Jackie when she was shopping.
"I can't imagine anyone ever buying this one…" she shook her head in pity at a tree with numerous gaping holes.
Jackie stopped before a tree, leaning innocently in the corner of one of the square stables. She tried to drag it out but it was too heavy. She huffed and tried to regain her footing for another attempt.
Steven reached her quickly, "Here."
He easily lifted the tree and moved it more towards the center. Feeling bad for the tree's possible put down he thumped it heavily to settle the branches into their best positioning.
Jackie's gaze started at its trunk, through the thick, green needles, up to its long and thin top. This tree had a tree shape, full but not egg-like. She contemplated the needles, fresh and green, wild at the ends. This was definitely not a straight-lined and elegant tree.
"It's perfect," she sighed.
Steven raised an eyebrow, "Really?" He looked at the tree he was holding. It wasn't what he imagined Jackie choosing. He pictured a regal tree, one that you would fine in a homemaker's magazine. This tree definitely had the feel of belonging in a wild wood with squirrels and birds making their home in it.
"Yes. Definitely," Jackie nodded, "It's us!"
"Right…" Steven nodded, "Except, what the hell are you talking about?"
"It's us, puddin'! Like me, this tree is perfect. Perfect tree shape, perfect shade of green, and no holes. But like you it's a little scruffy, it's strong, and- and plenty of um…branches for pretty ornaments."
The ending was a little off, but Steven did see a bit of what she was talking about. But he wasn't gonna admit it, "You're crazy, it's just a tree."
"Steven! This is a symbol of our love and you think it's crazy! Maybe we shouldn't even get a tree!" Jackie exclaimed, her eyes welling with tears.
"Woah, woah, Jackie I don't think it's crazy!" Steven said, worried. It seemed like messing with during Christmas was out of the question. This tree lot was bad luck for them apparently.
"You don't?" she sniffled.
"Of course not," he sighed regretting his rough words, " You think if I thought our love was crazy I'd be out here spending a perfectly good and lazy Sunday out here buying a tree?" Steven let go of the tree to lean back against the wall. He went over to hug her.
Jackie rested her cheek against his chest and took a deep breath. They stood for a minute, simply listening to the chatter of other people and smelling the pine around them.
She eventually lifted her head to look up at him, "God, I'm sorry I got all angry again. My period must be coming up soon."
"Either that or the smell of pine is a trigger," he joked, smirking.
Jackie's smiled quickly turned to worry, "Hey, that's our tree!"
Steven turned to see a startled man quickly release their tree.
"Oh, sorry, I just thought it wasn't claimed," he said quickly.
"Well, it is," Jackie said protectively, holding on to it.
The man raised his hands in surrender and walked off.
"Down, girl," Steven said smiling.
"He was going to take our tree! The nerve," Jackie huffed.
Steven still smiled, "I'll go get a guy. Don't attack anyone while I'm gone."
Jackie rolled her eyes but smiled. As she watched Steven leave to find a worker, she wiped the remaining tears off her face. God, she had to stop getting so worked up over nothing. Sure that's what fifteen year old Jackie was like but twenty-three year old Jackie was a lot more Zen.
PMS was going to be strong this month, she thought. At least her period would be over with before Christmas really kicked in. It was a little odd though; she tended to have her period during the third week of the month…
She thought back to November trying to remember what week her last cycle had hit…
Definitely not Thanksgiving week, she and Steven had shown their gratitude to each other many times…
In fact…the last time she remembered having her period was at Mrs. Forman's Halloween party. She was sure because she had felt bloated and ugly in her old cheerleader outfit.
But if she didn't get her period last month…
"Oh my God," Jackie muttered, her face draining of all color.
Well there you go. I don't know what else to say but I've been trying to get this news out since my very first chapter. It was supposed to be a one-shot but it didn't seem the time yet, then chapters flew by and Jackie still wasn't ready to find out.
Please let me know what you think! I'll try to have another chapter out before the next major holiday!
