After Hyde left Eric and Donna's he drove around for a few minutes before
finally going back to Jackie's house. He wanted to calm down before he
spoke to her. The last thing he needed at this point was to lose his
temper and push her farther away than the distance she was already keeping
herself.
He loved Jackie no matter what but part of him missed the old Jackie. The Jackie that told you every feeling as it came into her head, the Jackie that always said I love you over and over again. He knew he was mostly to blame for the changes in her personality. Over the last few weeks though he had seen glimpses of the old Jackie begin to reemerge. He just hoped that the old quirks he had once loved about her would eventually come back as he regained her trust.
Sometimes he had to pinch himself to believe they were actually together again. For years he had wallowed in self-pity and self-hatred and felt that whatever chances he had ever had for happiness had walked out the door that night he had callously broken her heart.
Once he returned to Jackie's house he sat on her couch waiting for her to finally get off of work. Every once in awhile a goofy smile would flash across his face. A baby? They were going to have a baby? He couldn't believe it. It was part of dream he had long ago given up on. For many years he had been convinced that he would never have a family of his own. Hyde just prayed that everything with this pregnancy would go smoothly.
When he had found out about the miscarriage Jackie suffered years ago, on that horrible night he tried never to think about, he grieved for the baby that never got a chance to be. He sometimes wondered how different things might have been if that baby had lived. Would Jackie have come back to him or would he never have known of its existence? He quickly pushed those thoughts aside as it did no good to dwell on things that couldn't be changed. What he had to concentrate on was the here and now. They were finally going to be a family.
Jackie finally arrived home, exhausted after a hellish day at work. It had been non stop disorder. They were short staffed, people were still being trained, and some people were just plain incompetent. Not to mention the ER had been over run all day with accidents of all sorts ranging from traffic, freak, and just plain stupid. Just when she thought someone couldn't do anything to top the dumbest thing she had ever seen someone would beat it, and she had thought people in Chicago were stupid but some of these Wisconsoners took the cake.
She took off her white lab coat and threw it over the back of a dining room chair and went into the living room and just sank into the couch, sitting next to Steven.
She gave him a quick kiss on the lips "Sorry I'm late, Steven" and then reached over to rub her aching feet. "Damn, I'm tired and my feet are killing me!"
After a few minutes of trying to rub the life back into her feet Jackie noticed Hyde staring at her strangely. "What?"
"Why don't you tell me. I just got back from Forman's and he tells me congratulations are in order" said Hyde with a somewhat angry tone.
Jackie looked into Hyde's eyes and immediately knew that he knew. "Steven, please don't be mad. I was just waiting for the right time to tell you." said Jackie, as she tried to soothe the anger and hurt she saw in his eyes.
"What time would that have been, Jackie? When you were too big to hide it anymore? By the way when are you due?" asked Hyde as his voice went from sarcastic to dead serious.
"April 21st and yes it is your baby, Steven!"
"I never thought that it wasn't"
"Well, I just don't want you to ever have any doubts. Steven, the reason I was waiting to tell you was because I wanted to make sure everything was alright before I said anything." explained Jackie anxiously.
Hyde's face suddenly twisted with fear. "Everything's ok, isn't it Jackie?" as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Jackie wrapped her arms around Hyde and instantly relaxed and tried to soak up his warmth.
"So far, so good. I have a Doctor's appointment Friday with Donna's OB. I'll get to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time." whispered Jackie emotionally.
He pulled back from her so that he could see her face "I could go with you if you want me to"
"You want to go?" questioned Jackie, shocked that he would want to go.
"Of course. It's my baby too" said Hyde, a little hurt that Jackie was surprised he wanted to be involved with that aspect of her pregnancy.
Jackie rested her head on his shoulder "I know, I'm just surprised is all."
They sat in silence for several minutes before Hyde finally said "Jackie, We have a lot to get done this week. We need to get a marriage license, figure out where we're getting married, and maybe arrange a small reception."
Jackie sat up abruptly "Steven, hold on. I don't know that we should jump into getting married just yet"
The smile on Hyde's face instantly disappeared. "What do you mean, jump into? As far as I'm concerned it can't be soon enough!" said Hyde angrily, suddenly realizing they might want very different things.
"Steven, I love you so much, please believe that. But I don't think it would be a very good idea for us to get married just yet. I mean, we just got back together and I just got out of a very serious relationship not too long ago."
Just the mere reference to Jackie's former relationship with Aaron was enough to make the hair on his neck stand up. Hyde stood up abruptly and turned his back to her. The room was suddenly filled with palpable tension. Jackie was silent for a moment before finally speaking up. "Steven, I don't mean never. I just mean not right now, maybe in a few months or so. I just think we should try to take things as slowly as possible. Everything is just happening way too quickly. Please try to understand, Steven." pleaded Jackie
Hyde turned around angrily. "You know Jackie I was under the impression that we had wasted too much time as it is. And I will tell you one thing. Under no circumstances will I allow this baby to be born a bastard!" They stared at each other in awkward silence before Hyde bitterly replied "I need some air. I'll be back later!" as he rushed towards the front door and promptly slammed it, not giving Jackie a chance to respond. Jackie sat in utter shock.
Hyde drove out to the lake to the old make out place he and Jackie used to go to so long ago, before life got complicated. He sat on the hood of his car and looked up into the sky and gazed at the stars, trying to clear his head. He hadn't meant to fly off the handle like that. He chided himself for losing his temper with her, the last thing he should be doing with Jackie in her condition. He had just gotten so angry when she said she wouldn't marry him. They were going to have a baby for God's sake. Of course they were going to get married. He loved her, she loved him. It should be simple, should it? But it wasn't.
It was hard to believe that it was nearly ten years ago that they started off by kissing in the Forman's basement out of boredom. Back then his only worries were keeping from getting busted by Red, somehow managing to pass his classes, and getting hot action with random chicks. Jackie had changed all that. They fell in love and she became his whole world. And when she left his world it became an incredibly cold and dark place.
Hyde knew that if he was patient with Jackie she would come around. Every day things were getting better and they were getting closer. It was certainly better than the alternative. After all it wasn't so very long ago his life had been in essence shallow and meaningless with only work and the occasional one-night stand. Now they finally had a chance for the future and the family he thought he would never have the chance for ever again. He couldn't squander it now by losing his temper because things weren't going exactly the way he wanted, or as fast as he wanted. He loved her and they were going to have a baby. That was all that really mattered. All the rest was just meaningless crap. He hopped off the hood of his car and climbed behind the wheel of his car to drive back to Jackie's, hoping he could smooth things over.
Shortly after Hyde had left Jackie had gone to bed, mentally and physically exhausted. She lay in bed unable to sleep. She kept running over their fight over and over again in her mind. She had hoped that he would understand her reservations and be patient with her for awhile longer. Jackie knew that he was frustrated with her and part of her couldn't blame him. But the other part was very angry with him. How dare he storm out just because she wasn't agreeing to everything he wanted! Well, one thing hadn't changed. He still had one of hell of a temper. Hyde had always been Mr. Zen. Nothing bothers me, I don't care, whatever. But when it came to her he could blow his top faster than a volcano. Sometimes they brought the best and worst out of each other but both had figured out a long time ago it was useless to fight it.
Jackie had just drifted off to sleep when she felt a warm body slide up against her and put an arm around her. "Steven?" whispered Jackie sleepily.
"Who else?" whispered Hyde apprehensively. He started kissing his way up her neck and was still for a moment "I'm sorry, Jackie"
Jackie instantly turned around in his arms to face him "Oh Steven! I just need you to give me a little bit more time, ok? I love you so much" Jackie whispered as they rested their foreheads against each other.
"Jackie, I'll try to be more patient but I want us to be married before the baby is born."
"Alright, Steven" sighed Jackie happily.
They lay in each others arms quietly talking before finally falling asleep, both just happy to be where they belonged. Together.
He loved Jackie no matter what but part of him missed the old Jackie. The Jackie that told you every feeling as it came into her head, the Jackie that always said I love you over and over again. He knew he was mostly to blame for the changes in her personality. Over the last few weeks though he had seen glimpses of the old Jackie begin to reemerge. He just hoped that the old quirks he had once loved about her would eventually come back as he regained her trust.
Sometimes he had to pinch himself to believe they were actually together again. For years he had wallowed in self-pity and self-hatred and felt that whatever chances he had ever had for happiness had walked out the door that night he had callously broken her heart.
Once he returned to Jackie's house he sat on her couch waiting for her to finally get off of work. Every once in awhile a goofy smile would flash across his face. A baby? They were going to have a baby? He couldn't believe it. It was part of dream he had long ago given up on. For many years he had been convinced that he would never have a family of his own. Hyde just prayed that everything with this pregnancy would go smoothly.
When he had found out about the miscarriage Jackie suffered years ago, on that horrible night he tried never to think about, he grieved for the baby that never got a chance to be. He sometimes wondered how different things might have been if that baby had lived. Would Jackie have come back to him or would he never have known of its existence? He quickly pushed those thoughts aside as it did no good to dwell on things that couldn't be changed. What he had to concentrate on was the here and now. They were finally going to be a family.
Jackie finally arrived home, exhausted after a hellish day at work. It had been non stop disorder. They were short staffed, people were still being trained, and some people were just plain incompetent. Not to mention the ER had been over run all day with accidents of all sorts ranging from traffic, freak, and just plain stupid. Just when she thought someone couldn't do anything to top the dumbest thing she had ever seen someone would beat it, and she had thought people in Chicago were stupid but some of these Wisconsoners took the cake.
She took off her white lab coat and threw it over the back of a dining room chair and went into the living room and just sank into the couch, sitting next to Steven.
She gave him a quick kiss on the lips "Sorry I'm late, Steven" and then reached over to rub her aching feet. "Damn, I'm tired and my feet are killing me!"
After a few minutes of trying to rub the life back into her feet Jackie noticed Hyde staring at her strangely. "What?"
"Why don't you tell me. I just got back from Forman's and he tells me congratulations are in order" said Hyde with a somewhat angry tone.
Jackie looked into Hyde's eyes and immediately knew that he knew. "Steven, please don't be mad. I was just waiting for the right time to tell you." said Jackie, as she tried to soothe the anger and hurt she saw in his eyes.
"What time would that have been, Jackie? When you were too big to hide it anymore? By the way when are you due?" asked Hyde as his voice went from sarcastic to dead serious.
"April 21st and yes it is your baby, Steven!"
"I never thought that it wasn't"
"Well, I just don't want you to ever have any doubts. Steven, the reason I was waiting to tell you was because I wanted to make sure everything was alright before I said anything." explained Jackie anxiously.
Hyde's face suddenly twisted with fear. "Everything's ok, isn't it Jackie?" as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Jackie wrapped her arms around Hyde and instantly relaxed and tried to soak up his warmth.
"So far, so good. I have a Doctor's appointment Friday with Donna's OB. I'll get to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time." whispered Jackie emotionally.
He pulled back from her so that he could see her face "I could go with you if you want me to"
"You want to go?" questioned Jackie, shocked that he would want to go.
"Of course. It's my baby too" said Hyde, a little hurt that Jackie was surprised he wanted to be involved with that aspect of her pregnancy.
Jackie rested her head on his shoulder "I know, I'm just surprised is all."
They sat in silence for several minutes before Hyde finally said "Jackie, We have a lot to get done this week. We need to get a marriage license, figure out where we're getting married, and maybe arrange a small reception."
Jackie sat up abruptly "Steven, hold on. I don't know that we should jump into getting married just yet"
The smile on Hyde's face instantly disappeared. "What do you mean, jump into? As far as I'm concerned it can't be soon enough!" said Hyde angrily, suddenly realizing they might want very different things.
"Steven, I love you so much, please believe that. But I don't think it would be a very good idea for us to get married just yet. I mean, we just got back together and I just got out of a very serious relationship not too long ago."
Just the mere reference to Jackie's former relationship with Aaron was enough to make the hair on his neck stand up. Hyde stood up abruptly and turned his back to her. The room was suddenly filled with palpable tension. Jackie was silent for a moment before finally speaking up. "Steven, I don't mean never. I just mean not right now, maybe in a few months or so. I just think we should try to take things as slowly as possible. Everything is just happening way too quickly. Please try to understand, Steven." pleaded Jackie
Hyde turned around angrily. "You know Jackie I was under the impression that we had wasted too much time as it is. And I will tell you one thing. Under no circumstances will I allow this baby to be born a bastard!" They stared at each other in awkward silence before Hyde bitterly replied "I need some air. I'll be back later!" as he rushed towards the front door and promptly slammed it, not giving Jackie a chance to respond. Jackie sat in utter shock.
Hyde drove out to the lake to the old make out place he and Jackie used to go to so long ago, before life got complicated. He sat on the hood of his car and looked up into the sky and gazed at the stars, trying to clear his head. He hadn't meant to fly off the handle like that. He chided himself for losing his temper with her, the last thing he should be doing with Jackie in her condition. He had just gotten so angry when she said she wouldn't marry him. They were going to have a baby for God's sake. Of course they were going to get married. He loved her, she loved him. It should be simple, should it? But it wasn't.
It was hard to believe that it was nearly ten years ago that they started off by kissing in the Forman's basement out of boredom. Back then his only worries were keeping from getting busted by Red, somehow managing to pass his classes, and getting hot action with random chicks. Jackie had changed all that. They fell in love and she became his whole world. And when she left his world it became an incredibly cold and dark place.
Hyde knew that if he was patient with Jackie she would come around. Every day things were getting better and they were getting closer. It was certainly better than the alternative. After all it wasn't so very long ago his life had been in essence shallow and meaningless with only work and the occasional one-night stand. Now they finally had a chance for the future and the family he thought he would never have the chance for ever again. He couldn't squander it now by losing his temper because things weren't going exactly the way he wanted, or as fast as he wanted. He loved her and they were going to have a baby. That was all that really mattered. All the rest was just meaningless crap. He hopped off the hood of his car and climbed behind the wheel of his car to drive back to Jackie's, hoping he could smooth things over.
Shortly after Hyde had left Jackie had gone to bed, mentally and physically exhausted. She lay in bed unable to sleep. She kept running over their fight over and over again in her mind. She had hoped that he would understand her reservations and be patient with her for awhile longer. Jackie knew that he was frustrated with her and part of her couldn't blame him. But the other part was very angry with him. How dare he storm out just because she wasn't agreeing to everything he wanted! Well, one thing hadn't changed. He still had one of hell of a temper. Hyde had always been Mr. Zen. Nothing bothers me, I don't care, whatever. But when it came to her he could blow his top faster than a volcano. Sometimes they brought the best and worst out of each other but both had figured out a long time ago it was useless to fight it.
Jackie had just drifted off to sleep when she felt a warm body slide up against her and put an arm around her. "Steven?" whispered Jackie sleepily.
"Who else?" whispered Hyde apprehensively. He started kissing his way up her neck and was still for a moment "I'm sorry, Jackie"
Jackie instantly turned around in his arms to face him "Oh Steven! I just need you to give me a little bit more time, ok? I love you so much" Jackie whispered as they rested their foreheads against each other.
"Jackie, I'll try to be more patient but I want us to be married before the baby is born."
"Alright, Steven" sighed Jackie happily.
They lay in each others arms quietly talking before finally falling asleep, both just happy to be where they belonged. Together.