Innocent Games Series: Game Six

Summary:  Through a series of games, Jackie and Hyde discover how they feel about one another.  And eventually the others discover it as well. 

A/N: Tell me what you think.  I promise the next game is going to be the one you were all hoping for.   

Credit: Thank you Angeleyes (Kashmir) for helping me.  You are such a dear.  Thanks for the encouragement. 

"So what is going on with you?" Donna asked the younger girl as she wandered around her room with a goofy grin on her face. 

"What are you talking about?" Jackie responded. 

Donna flopped down on the pink comforter.  "You are all chipper today.  Well actually you have been chipper all week.  What did you win some cheerleading award or something?"

Jackie rolled her eyes and continued putting her things in a suitcase.  They were going to her family cabin for the weekend.  It had been Steven's idea.  After a week of trying to find the moment to tell them about their secret relationship to no avail, they had decided to get them all in one room and sit them down. 

Okay well actually Steven had wanted to just keep fooling around until somebody walked in on them.  And she had insisted on doing it in an official way.  But it was so hard to get the whole gang together these days with Eric working and Donna in Catholic school and Michael still dating that slut Pam Macy.  So Steven had suggested going to the cabin and getting everyone plastered and then dropping the bomb. 

"I'm just glad we are going away for the weekend.  I think it'll be fun." Jackie insisted. 

Donna looked skeptical.  "Yeah and why are we going up there again?"

Jackie had been avoiding this question all day.  Blowing her off with the same excuse, "God Donna! I just wanted us to have some fun together.  Why do I have to have some ulterior motive?" 

"Because you are you.  It is not like the group's happiness is what you are all about.  And aren't you like mad at Kelso?  Why would you want to be in a cabin with him all weekend without Pam Macy to distract him?" Donna questioned and then gasped.  "Oh GOD, you aren't going to try to get him back now are you?"

Jackie picked up a pillow and threw it at her "God no Donna!  I am never getting back with that buffoon.  Why can't you get that through your lumberjack head?"

She was so sick of Donna doubting her.  She would be so glad when she knew about her and Steven.  Not for the first time she wondered how her friend would react.  Eric she knew would freak out.  He would start stuttering about her being some Darth Vader devil.  Fez would probably act betrayed but ultimately be supportive.  And Michael, well Michael was probably going to spontaneously combust.  He would never understand how she felt about Steven.  And never be okay with her not feeling that way about him. 

"Fine, Fine.  I'm sorry.  It is just I guess I always thought you would stay hung up on him.  I mean you guys have been together forever it seems."

"Yeah, if you don't count all the times we weren't." Jackie snapped. 

"Hey, I'm not saying that you should get back together with him.  I'm glad you are staying alone for a while."

Jackie averted her eyes and zipped up her bag.  From outside they heard a car horn signaling that the boys were there to pick them up.  "Yeah well, thanks for the support."

A couple hours later the gang all arrived at the cabin. Eric was struggling with his and Donna's bags.  Jackie laughed at his macho façade.  Fez, Donna, and Michael followed close behind.  Steven was in the front with her carrying her bag.  It was there subtle way of preparing the others for the big news.  The funny thing was now that they wanted them to –no one noticed. 

Hyde threw Jackie's bag on the couch, ignoring her look of annoyance at the disrespect of her property.  He didn't know how they were going to tell everyone.  And he was getting more hesitant the longer they took in doing it.  He had secretly hoped they would just figure it out and call him on it.  All week he had been pretty reckless but here they were. 

"Ooh can we get in the hot tub already." Fez asked. 

"Fez we just got here" Donna stated. 

Fez pouted as they separated putting their stuff into the cabins bedrooms.  Hyde rounded the corner grabbing Jackie and pulling her into an isolated spot.  "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Are you not?" Jackie asked losing the good mood she had been in since her and Steven's game in the car.

"No" he began defensively "No I'm just making sure you haven't changed your mind."   

Eric came around the corner "Hey Jackie, where do you keep the towe—whoa, what is going on here?"

Hyde stepped back from Jackie and addressed his friend.  "Nothing man.  Just asking Jackie if we had any beer in this place."

"Oh" Eric accepted looking to Jackie for her response.  "Do we?"

Jackie was more than a little perturbed.  She thought they were here to tell everyone and now he was acting as if he wanted to keep up the charade.  Uggh Men!  Was this a new game? 

"No" she answered testily.  "Some one will have to go down to the store"

"I'll go" Hyde quickly volunteered leaving before she could stop him.

She sighed in frustration and followed Eric out of the room. 

In the den Kelso was teaching Fez about the finer points of pool.  Jackie and Eric joined them.

"Jackie?" Donna began as they crossed the threshold.  "You want to play doubles with Fez and Kelso?"

Everybody knew Eric sucked at pool.  She wasn't much better but years of watching her father play gave her some knowledge.  "Sure"

Eric sat on the sofa to watch "I thought you said your dad was going to get rid of the table because no one used it."

Jackie blanched at the lie.  The truth was he was going to sell it.  For some reason he was selling a lot of things these days.  "Yeah he said he would wait until after this weekend."

"Cool let's play.  Where did Hyde go?" Kelso asked racking the balls. 

"He went to get some refreshments" Eric offered "He was acting kind of weird.  Jackie did you notice?"

"Nope.  Didn't notice anything." Jackie answered quickly picking up her stick. 

Donna broke sinking the 9 ball.  Jackie sized up the table and made her shot. 

"So Jackie, homecoming is coming up." Kelso stated as her ball missed its mark. 

"So?" She huffed.  She was in no mood for this now.  Her current boyfriend was giving her enough trouble without the added hassle of her ex. 

"Well I was just wondering.  Who you will be going with to the dance…"  He propped himself on the edge of the table as Fez took his turn. 

Jackie began to speak but decided to ignore him instead.  The Homecoming dance was the last thing she wanted to think about.  She had planned to go with Steven.  But now she wasn't sure if that was in the cards.  Steven's absence made her more than a little sad and just a little bit angry. 

"Cause I guess I'm going to go with Pam Macy." He finished obviously trying to rile her up. 

Donna groaned.  And Eric even joined in.  "God Kelso would you just leave it alone." The skinny boy demanded. 

"What?" Kelso exploded "It's just FYI Eric."

"Well keep it to yourself and play the game." Donna yelled. 

"FINE."

10 minutes later Jackie and Donna were winning.  Jackie was going for a bank shot for the eight ball into a side pocket.  She concentrated but couldn't keep her mind from wandering to Steven's whereabouts.  He should be back by now.  And she couldn't help but think he was taking his time on purpose. 

"Jackie" Kelso started.  "You are never going to make the shot that way."

Fez and Donna both gave him looks that said definitively-- Shut up.  "Don't help her Kelso" Fez voiced. 

"Sorry little buddy.  I just can't watch a lady suffer" he strutted over to Jackie and flipped his hair.

"What are you talking about?" Jackie asked looking up at him pissed. 

"You are horrible at bank shots.  You never aim right.  Let me help." He insisted grabbing her elbow and repositioning her. 

She pulled back.  "I don't need your help."

"Well I think you do."

"Well I don't." she bit back.

"Look" he demanded grabbing her arm again.  He leaned over her reaching his other arm around to encircle her hand on the stick.  "if you aim for just left of the farthest dot you'll…" he instructed but was interrupted by the loud sound of a bag of ice hitting the floor. 

Jackie looked up from her position in Michael's stupid arms.  She saw the Zen look on Steven's face and knew it meant trouble.  She elbowed Michael and stepped away from the table, hoping she didn't look guilty. 

Hyde felt a blind rage.  He'd come back expecting to have to play nice to get back in Jackie's good graces. He had come back prepared to tell the group and stop being a pansy about it.  He had not come back to see Kelso pawing his woman.  And her allowing it.  He wanted to fake indifference but spoke up anyway "Don't tell me I missed the happy reunion." He stated sarcastically. 

Donna looked confused at the anger that seeped through his statement.  And then at Jackie's rushed explanation.

"NO! Please Steven.  Kelso was just trying to molest me into losing a game of pool".

"Why do you care Hyde?" Eric asked shaking his head with a befuddled expression on his face that rivaled his girlfriends.

Hyde was staring at Jackie trying to decide if he believed her.  Was she trying to make him jealous?  Or was she really just playing an innocent game when Kelso attacked?  "I don't care man" he answered breaking his gaze.  "But you know the saga of Jackie/Kelso is my favorite soap opera.  Didn't want to miss an episode."

The sarcasm was dripping off of him and Jackie found her anger flare up again.  He was the one who had run off.  How dare he make her feel at fault.  She thought they had made progress.  This whole thing had been his idea. 

Kelso came around to Hyde's side and put his arm around his shoulder, missing the look of annoyance Hyde shot him as he did it.  "Well let me give you a recap my friend.  I asked ole' Jackie here who she was going to the Homecoming Dance with.  I told her I was going with Pam Macy and she ignored me.  Then we all pretty much took that as a sign of her deep and overwhelming sadness.  Oh and her obvious lack of a date"

Jackie picked up the eight ball and through it at him.  She had to avoid Steven though so it didn't do much damage.

"Ow Jackie my leg" Kelso whined. 

She turned around and began to leave the room when Steven's words stopped her. 

"She has a date for the Homecoming dance." He stated. 

She turned around in the doorway looking hopeful. 

Kelso looked up from his position crouched over holding his leg.  "Who?"

"Me" he replied crossing his arms looking toward Jackie.   

It wasn't the confession she was expecting or that they had planned.  She knew that Eric would probably think he was only being noble to save her from Kelso again.  And that Donna would never think that Hyde would do anything but hate her.  But she could wait for them to be proven wrong. 

"What?" Kelso shrieked.  "You and Jackie?  Going to a dance again?  Eewh!"

Jackie walked back to the pool table.  This time she threw the ball harder and Steven stepped out of the way. 

"Ow! Damn Jackie" Kelso howled in pain reaching for the other leg. 

Before anyone could respond Jackie grabbed the ice walking quickly out of the room.  Hyde followed behind with the beer smirking. 

Donna looked at Eric and he returned the blank expression.  It was clear they didn't know what to think.  Fez reached over and picked up the abandoned pool stick throwing it to Eric.  The foreign boy looked pitifully down at his fallen comrade and felt no sympathy.  "Kelso, pick up your balls and come back and play."

A/N:  Okay guys I'm shooting for two more chapters.  I'm thinking maybe I will out them (make it perfectly clear) in the next chapter and then have them together together in the last.  What do you think?