Chapter 10

October 1979

His return home had been less than smooth.

For one thing, half of his luggage had gotten lost, but he'd waited until he got settled to handle it. His vaccinations were outdated, so he had to go straight to the hospital.

The jet lag? Forget about it. He was a night owl by this point, and by now so was Jackie, because she couldn't sleep. Due to stress, probably, but her back also hurt by now, considering her small stature.

That didn't stop him from performing his first ever uncle duty, which meant taking her to her 15 week appointment. She was already more than a quarter of the way done with her pregnancy, and already she was freaking the fuck out.

He held a vice grip on the Vista Cruiser, as it was his first time driving in over six months. But, nobody needed to know that. She sat with her hands over her belly, bobbing along to Styx, before Walk This Way came on, and she grinned turning it up. He quirked a brow.

"You like Aerosmith?" He asked, mouth hanging slightly open. "Always have. Steven always thought I had awful taste in music, but I like everything." She told him.

She was tempted to go to Las Vegas and find him. She really was, but her pregnancy was already giving her problems, and she didn't want to put stress on her son. She was adamant it was a boy, and she was even a bit excited. She used to have fantasies of them raising their children together, but she was doing it alone.

Eric guided her into the lobby, and the receptionist smiled. "Ah, I see Dad decided to tag along today!" She beamed, making Jackie awkwardly clear her throat.

"Ew." She scoffed. "As if."

Eric let out a disgruntled noise of offense. "Excuse me, I will have you know, missy, that I'm hot. It's an honor to be mistaken for my bride." He cried. Jackie laughed, signing her name on the piece of paper they gave her.

The woman looked down at her files awkwardly. "It's okay, I'm the Uncle." He assured, winking. The receptionist blushed.

As they walked back to their chairs, Jackie laughed, carrying the clipboard of papers she was required to fill out. "What?"

"When did you turn into such a flirt?" She asked, laughing. "It was awful, really, very bad."

He rolled his eyes.

"You're mean."

November 1984

"I think you needed more than just a bandaid." Donna quipped, sitting beside him in Eric's room. He was currently reading a book to Tyler, who insisted that if she couldn't see her mother, she had to see Unca Eric. He was right, Tyler did in fact, have magic mind control powers. Because here they were, in the room, and she was beside him in his bed.

Hyde looked down at his hand, which was wrapped cleanly in a bandage, and grinned sheepishly. "I had some big feelings." He told her, making her snort.

They had called truce, and while it may only be temporary, he was relieved. Because he had several people out in the waiting room, who basically hated him, and a daughter that he didn't know he had until yesterday. Seriously, he had seen Jackie two years ago. Went home with her even, and he was completely oblivious to the fact that she had a baby. His baby.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Foreman was on a ton of drugs and didn't know his ass from his elbow, but after their chit-chat the night before, he felt that they had come to an understanding of some sort.

There was a reason that he hadn't come back, and while now wasn't the time to explain, he knew eventually he could.

In the last twenty four hours, Hyde's life had been thrown way off course.

He needed a stiff drink, and very quickly. He turned to Donna. "Big red, think you'll be okay? I'm gonna take a walk." He told her, and she nodded. "I'll be back." He handed her his eyeball ring. She quirked a brow.

"Reassurance." He had smirked at her.

"Fair enough." She had told him, and he was on his way.

He walked down the hall, boots scraping. He purposely took the long way, avoiding the waiting room of hatred, eyeing the paintings on the bleak walls. The hospital was bland, brand new, and freezing cold. He had always hated them. But he knew what he was looking for was here. Perks of having to go to them all the time when he was a kid with his Mom. Finally, after what felt like hours of searching, he found it.

The place was set up on the first floor, and he took a deep breath. He opened the door.

For whatever reason, when he was a new comet to these sort of things, he got super awkward. Not today, though. He had to speak his truth.

His daily routine had been shattered, and he needed to get something back.

People were gathered in one of the chapels with muffins, coffee. The whole deal. He walked in awkwardly, as this wasn't his normal group of people, grabbed a muffin and some juice, and sat his ass in one of the hard chairs.

The circle finally started, and when it finally got passed to him, he smiled awkwardly.

"Would you like to share?" The man at the front asked. DJ, the man at the front, sat with his legs crossed. He was dressed casually, his purple collared shirt clashing with his eyes. His hair was neatly spiked with gel.

"Hi my name is Steven," He took a deep breath. This wasn't new to him. He'd done it a few times a day for the last few years. "And I'm an alcoholic."