Author's Note: Finally! Hyde's in the story. Only for a little bit, but hey, a little Hyde is better then none at all.

Cruel Summer

-chapter three-

Memorial Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 14, 10pm

Hyde gazed at his mother in bed. She was asleep, finally. She had struggled to stay awake all night, wanting Hyde to tell her everything that she had missed over the years.

It had been a perfect time to improve his lying skills.

Hyde rose from the seat beside his mother's bed and walked to the window. He closed the blinds, not wanting light to shine through. Light meant happiness and it was not a happy time. He wanted to go home. He…he missed Jackie. But, he couldn't. Duty called and he had to oversee his mother. His cancerous mother. Hyde didn't think he had it in him, but he was a good guy after all.

She didn't deserve it. When Edna Hyde had left her son alone, she hadn't turned back. When Edna Hyde stepped out of her son's life, she meant it to be for good. Yet it wasn't for good, otherwise Hyde would not be there right then.

But she couldn't just change her mind like that. That's what frustrated Hyde most. It wasn't until she was in trouble that she wanted to see him. What kind of mother was that?

The mother of trash, that's what. He sneered.

Hyde sat back down. It was amazing how far he had gotten. He lived with the Formans in a nice house, he was doing okay in school, and he had a mother. Mrs. Forman was the closest thing to a mother that he'd ever had.

And then there was Jackie. Sometimes, he would wonder what she saw in him. She was beautiful rich girl Jackie and he was little poor boy Steven. Little orphaned poor boy Steven. Their relationship truly was something.

The phone rang. Hyde walked around to the other side of the bed to pick it up.

"Hello? Steven?"

It was Jackie. "Jackie? I thought you were in New York. How'd you get this number?" He was happy that it was her and it could be heard in his voice. He calmed down, not wanting her to know how happy she had just made him. But he was also curious. He'd only given the number to the Formans.

"Mrs. Forman gave it to me. I miss you, Steven!"

"I—" He almost said it back, but stopped himself in time. No emotion. Instead, Hyde said, "I'll be home soon."

"Good. Then I can show you the gorgeous necklace that Fez got me."

Hyde smiled to himself. That was his Jackie. "Yeah, okay," he replied, trying to sound disinterested.

"Well, I'm going to Eric's, so…"

"Wait, Jackie?" He just wanted to hear her voice a little longer.

"Yes, Steven?"

"Well…maybe I could call later."

Jackie hesitated a moment. "Sure, of course, Steven."

"And then you can tell me why you're not in New York," said Hyde.

"Well, Kelso—"

"Later, Jackie. Later."

"Okay, Steven. I'll tell you about it later."

Hyde hung up.

"So, you got a girlfriend?"

Startled, Hyde looked at the woman in the bed. Her eyes were slightly open. He gave a slight nod. "She pretty?" Edna went on to ask.

Hyde nodded again. "Look…Mom…" Even though he had been there a few days already, it still felt strange to him calling her "Mom." I'm going to get something to eat." Without waiting for her answer, Hyde left the hospital room. He didn't want to talk about Jackie with his mother. She was too special.

Jackie hung up the phone, smiling. She leaned back into her pillows. She missed Steven. But, he would call her later and that was something to look forward to.

On the other hand, she had something else to look forward to. Michael was coming back that day. He would definitely hear it from her. He and that…slut. But, she was a bit tall. Jackie wished that Donna were back so she could handle the slut for her. Lumberjacks could handle anything.

Looking down, Jackie fingered her new necklace adorning her neck. It was so pretty and it matched the outfit that she was wearing that day perfectly. Fez had given it to her in hopes of having a make out session as a thank you, but he had settled with just a kiss on the cheek. That's all that Jackie was willing to give him.

She looked at her clock. It read twenty-five after one. She had planned on going to Eric's in hopes of catching Michael there later, but she didn't want to leave just in case Steven called. Maybe she would put on a record to keep her occupied while she waited for his call.

Before putting on the Bee Gees, she took the necklace off and set it on her nightstand.

Eric lay spread eagle face down on his bed, dangling his arms over the sides. He was grounded. Grounded. He was eighteen years old and still getting grounded. But, the missing necklace did not sit well with Red.

There was a knock on the door.

"Yeah," called Eric in a muffled voice.

Fez walked in. He saw Eric's gloomy demeanor and asked, "Who ran over your poodle, Noodle?" and then he laughed. "Get it? Noodle. Because you are skinny. Oh, Fez. You are ever so clever." He sat on the edge of Eric's bed.

"I'm grounded, Fez," answered Eric, ignoring his bad joke.

"Grounded? For what?"

"For losing my mom's necklace." He turned and sat up so that he was facing Fez. "I just don't get it. I left the necklace in a paper bag in the Cruiser. It was on the passenger's seat. Then, when I come back, it's gone. I searched that car a million times. It just doesn't make any sense."

Fez began to look uneasy. "What kind of necklace was this?"

"It was gold…"

"Uh huh," prompted Fez, anxiously.

"And it had a stone."

"What kind of stone?"

"A red one. Yeah, it was a red one."

"Keep going…"

"There were little diamonds around it." Eric surveyed him, suspiciously. "Why?"

"I did not take your necklace!" exclaimed Fez, standing up. He backed away, hands up in defense.

"Whoa, Fez, I never said you did."

"Fine! It was me! But only because I needed something to get Jackie to make out with me because your sister wouldn't. It must have been her off day."

"Fez!" Eric too stood. "You gave the necklace to Jackie? Now I'll never get it back. You guys better have had sex or I'll—wait… so that was why Jackie kissed you yesterday? For the necklace? You gave her the necklace and all you got was a lousy kiss on the cheek?" Eric began to pace a bit. He couldn't believe it. Fez should have gotten more than just a peck on the cheek, otherwise it wasn't worth stealing the necklace. And, he shouldn't have stolen the necklace in the first place.

"Maybe you can give the candy to her instead."

"What candy?"

"Didn't you see the piece of candy I left in its place?" asked Fez. Then he said, "Oh Eric. It is okay if you ate it. I have that problem too sometimes—"

"There was no candy! There was nothing! And there wasn't supposed to be nothing. There was supposed to be something. And that something is the necklace."

"No candy? But I thought…oh yes. I was going to leave you candy, but I got an urge," said Fez, sheepishly.

"Man…" said Eric, sitting on the edge of his bed. Then he stood again. "Okay, Fez. You're going to Jackie's to get that necklace back."

"Why don't you?" asked Fez, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Because you…just go." He pushed Fez out of his room and shut the door.

* * *

"Fez!" exclaimed Jackie when she opened her bedroom door. "What are you doing here?"

Fez leaned against the door frame seductively. He had worn one of his nicest suits and heaps of cologne.

"No, let me rephrase. What are you doing?" She sniffed him and wrinkled her nose. "Eww, you reek of cheap cologne."

Fez stepped inside, twirling as he went past her and leaned back, throwing his arms behind him and waiting to see her reaction.

"What was that?" Jackie demanded, watching Fez. He could be so weird sometimes.

"What?" said Fez, straightening up. "You are not impressed and amazed by my sexiness?"

"Nope."

"Not even dazed and confused?"

Jackie shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.

"But you are supposed to be putty in my hands."

"Fez, I already told you. I'm not making out with you."

Now it was time to get down to business. Fez was a bit afraid; Jackie was no ray of sunshine, but he could do it. He was the Fez. "Listen Jackie, I did not come here to play smooching games. I came here for the necklace."

Jackie's face lit up and she retrieved the necklace from her nightstand. "Fez, you love it as much as I do, don't you? You had to come and visit it? Well, here it is. But no touching."

"Jackie—"

"Okay, visiting hour is over." She began to push him towards the door.

"No, Jackie. That is not what I wanted. I…" Say it, Fez, his brain told him over and over. Say it, say it, say it—

"You what?" Jackie's eyes seemed to bore into him.

"I want the necklace back."

"No."

"Okay." Quickly, he left before the weight of her "No" brought him down. It was not until the maid ushered him out when he thought about the mistake he'd made. "Oh, no," he muttered to himself. "Eric is going to be so upset."

* * *

"Fez!" cried Eric. He stood up from his bed and faced him. "I'm so—"

"Upset?" Fez filled in for him.

"Yes!" He sat back down on the bed and put his head in his hands.

"And that is why I brought you this." From behind his back, Fez produced a brown paper bag. "Go ahead," he encouraged Eric, "take it."

Eric took the bag and looked inside. He pulled out a large rainbow lollipop. "Wow, Fez," said Eric, unenthusiastically.

"Yes. I only bring these out on special occasions. Go ahead, take a lick."

He stared at the lollipop for a few moments. "Well…I always have wanted one of these—no! Fez, this doesn't make up for the necklace."

"Ai," said Fez, throwing his hands up in the air. "It's just a stupid necklace. Your mother will get over it."

"No, Fez, you don't understand." Eric gestured for Fez to kneel in front of him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Quietly, he said, "Do you know what it's like to hear your mother cry? Over and over and over…it never ends. It never ever ends. And all Red ever says to me is "Dumbass, look what you did to your mother." That's it. That's it. He hasn't threatened me in, like, a day. He's lifeless, Fez. Lifeless. My family is being torn apart." He took a deep breath, sounding as if he was on the verge of tears, and continued. "And until you get that necklace, Fez, until you save my family, that's how it's going to be. Forever."

Fez stood. "So what do I care?"

"Fez!" exclaimed Eric. He too stood. "If you don't get that necklace back, I'll…I'll…plant my foot so far up your ass, you'll be tying my shoes with your teeth!"

"Oh, Eric," said Fez, shaking his head. "Pitiful, pitiful Eric. You can't even come up with your own lines. Red used that one on you yesterday, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot I told you about that…" Eric said, a bit embarrassed. So much for the "I'm tough" act.

Fez smirked. "Besides. You could not kick my ass if you tried. You can barely kick a kickball."

"Fine," said Eric, annoyed. "If you don't go get that necklace, I'll have Hyde kick your ass when he gets back."

"Done," said Fez, snapping his fingers. It was time to get the necklace.

Review Corner

kenzimone: Thanks for reviewing. I think this chapter has answered your question.

Allybally: Thanks. It's fun writing Fez's dialogue.

Candy.7: Thanks for the review.

End Note: Okay, this fic is NOT going to be centered on the necklace. That's just…there.

Thanks for reading.

January 18, 2003

Copyright, theMuse