Title: 12 songs by Willie Nelson

Disclaimer:  Haven't gotten that free 70's show character coupon in the mail yet. I'm waiting patiently.

Summary: Jackie's summer alone turns into a summer on the phone with the man that she just can't seem to leave behind.

Credit:  Forgot about me yet?  Yeah sorry about the hold up.  I've been busy with all my other obsessions.  But now I'm back to J/H.  I need to thank Starlight and Kashmir for the lovely quotes.  And for being supportive and enjoying the fic.  If anybody has thought of any new ones I still have 2 chapters left.

Song Cred: Song 10:  Time after Time.  Yes Willie did a cover of the Cyndi Lauper tune.  It is the strangest thing.  He slows it up to countrify it. 
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The way I see it, you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. 

                                                                                                -Dolly Parton

"But I noticed you're alone a lot.  And I'm alone a lot.  So let's be alone together.  Look, we're alone right now.   

                                                                                                -Jackie   Kelso's Serenade

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,

And think of you

Caught up in circles

Confusion –is nothing new

Flashback, warm nights,

almost left behind

Suitcase of memories

Time after

Sometimes you picture me

I'm walking too far ahead

You're calling to me,

I can't hear what you've said

Then you say, go slow,

I fall behind

The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look

And you will find me

Time after time

If you fall I will catch you

I'll be waiting

Time after time

After my picture fades and

Darkness has turned to gray

Watching through windows

You're wondering if I'm okay

Secrets stolen from deep inside

The drum beats out of time

You said, go slow

I fall behind

The second hand unwinds

Lying in his simple bed Steven Hyde thought about all the things he had done in his life.  He believed that things usually worked out in the end.  But that theory was being tested now.  As he lay he thought about the events of the past year.  He didn't make a habit of regret.  Up until his transgression with the nurse he didn't have much reason to.  And he didn't regret his latest actions either.  Nope, there comes a time in every man's life where he has to make a decision.  And his had come. 

When Jackie told him that she loved him, only to follow it up with the bomb of her entrapment in paradise he thought he would die from the roller coaster emotions running through his body.  He'd been so convinced she wasn't going to forgive him.  Twice.  But she had.  And now she was there alone – and he was alone here.  And they had not been able to come up with any solutions between them. 

She wouldn't let him ask the Forman's for some of his college fund.  He knew Kitty would do it in a heartbeat, but Jackie had been adamant.  He didn't really have that much money himself.  He'd been giving all his money to Red since the beginning of the summer as a sort of savings account.  He didn't trust banks.  But now he couldn't get the money without telling Red what it was for.  And thereby breaking his promise to Jackie by getting the Forman's involved.  But he didn't know what to do.  He couldn't handle much more of her waiting tables –coming back to the hotel late and extremely tired and barely getting a whole sentence out before she was nodding off.  It had only been a week but he was missing the conversation. 

He wanted to talk to her without the use of modern technology.  He wanted to hold her and touch her and see her.  So his need had compelled him to do something he would never do normally.  Something he hoped Jackie wouldn't be mad at him for doing.  She hadn't told him not too.  Because she never would have thought he'd do it.  But it was done.  And now all he had to do was wait for the call.

Jackie delivered the 5th cup of coffee to the honeymooning couple that refused to go home.  She had thought she was going to get off early tonight because the place was dead.  But then they had showed up.  With there happy faces and their kissy eyes and she just wanted to throw something at them.  How dare they be happy?  How dare they be with the one they love?

She thought about Steven at home, probably listening to his music in the basement waiting for her to call.  She had called last night and was so tired she didn't even have the energy to talk.  They had sat there for about 5 minutes (all they could afford if she was ever getting home) in silence except for the radio in the background.  She had asked him why he was still listening to the country –since they were back together.  And he had told her that country was about missing as much as it was about losing. 

She wished the café played something besides beach music.  She certainly had enough peppy with the customers.  She sat down at the barstool and waited for the next refill.  At this rate they would close down the place.  Just then Kenny the café chef, another import from the States, came around the corner with the phone. 

"Jackie!" he shouted unnecessarily stretching the cord to reach her spot at the bar.  "You have a phone call."

She was shocked.  And excited.  Was it Steven had he figured out a way to get her home?  She took the receiver out of Kenny's outstretched hand and placed it tentatively to her ear. "You better not have asked the Forman's" she started without even saying hello.

"Jackie?" a strange voice asked.

"Yeah?" she responded still not recognizing the caller.  Then something clicked.  But why the hell would he be calling her?  How did he even know she was here? "Michael?"

"Yeah, it's me.  How you been?" he asked.

She didn't know what this was about but she certainly didn't feel like talking to him.  The last thing she wanted to hear was how much he loved her and how much he knew she still loved him.  She didn't.  "Look, Michael – how did you even get this number?"

There was dead silence for a few seconds then a hesitant reply.  "Hyde gave it to me".

WHAT?  Steven would never have done that.  Why would he have ever done that? Now that she thought about it she realized Steven couldn't call her. He didn't even know the number.  She wouldn't give it to him so he wouldn't call and spend the Forman's money.  Curiosity got the best of her and she asked "How and why and…" this was way weird "and why again?" 

Michael cleared his throat and explained.  "Well see, Hyde told me about your situation Jackie.  And I wanted to help.  So he went to the prison and saw your dad and got the names of some hotels your mom stays at sometimes.  And then he called them all to see which one you were staying at.  Then he gave me the number.  It is like we are Columbo.  Like that episode where the guy kills his secretary and"

"MICHAEL?" she interrupted. 

"Yeah?"

"How do you plan to help?  I mean why would Steven have even thought you could help.  And why would you want to if you know that I've been talking to him?" she was so confused. 

He sighed, sounding much less shallow with that simple expression of feeling than he had ever with his actions or words.  "Jackie, I know I did a lot of stuff in the past to hurt you.  And I know that I have a part in what Hyde did to you too.  But I hope you know that –that doesn't mean I didn't care about you.  I still do."

Here it was, she was going to have to break his heart from across an ocean.  "Michael?"

"Yeah?" he said as if he already knew what was coming.

"I choose Steven." She said apologetically.  She never really wanted to hurt him.  She wished she could go back and do the whole thing differently.  Then she wouldn't be here. 

Michael interrupted her self-pity with his next comment "I know.  I mean it is kinda obvious.  You spent the whole summer talking to him and you didn't call me once.  But you know I'm not surprised."

Well she was –at this new and improved Michael attitude.  Maybe they had all grown up over the summer.  "You're not?"

He laughed.  "No, I'm not.  You would have never left if you didn't love him."

"Huh?"

"You never left me."

Now Jackie was really confused.  "What are you talking about?" 

He explained.  "Well there was plenty of times that we had fights or we broke up and you could have left.  Went away for the weekend or even stopped coming to the basement for a few days.  But you never did.  Because you never really trusted me I guess –so I never really hurt you that bad."

"You hurt me plenty Michael" she informed, but thought about his logic anyway.  She never really had trusted him.  He was such a fun loving guy she always knew that she could lose him. 

"I know.  But not like Hyde."

That offended her "Are you trying to make me regret my decision.  Because it won't work I've for…"

"You've forgiven him. I know.  I'm glad.  As long as we are all still friends?"

She relaxed.  New Kelso could be something she could get used too.  "Yeah friends sounds nice."

He coughed again and continued "So friend –lets talk about getting you home." 

Oh yeah she had forgotten this whole weird conversation was happening because Steven for some reason had enlisted the help of Michael in Operation Come Home Jackie.  "And how are you going to help in that?" 

"Well I have money," he stated. 

"Since when?" she accused. 

"Since my parents paid me to go to college instead of Cop School." He defended.

"You mean they gave you money for college?" she shook her head.  Life would be really good about now if she was still shallow Jackie.  She could take everyone's money.  "Michael I'm not going to let you use your college money any more than I would let Steven."

"No, no, no.  It isn't my college money.  It is like a bonus.  A bribe as you Burkhart's would put it."

She laughed, "Was that a burn?  Did you just burn me?"  They must be friends now. 

"Yeah, anyway – are you coming home or not?" 

One day life was going to quit surprising her.  She hoped it wasn't anytime soon.

"Okay –where is the nearest Western Union?"