Title: A Nightmare in Point Place
Disclaimer: Don't own, ain't getting paid. That 70's show and A Nightmare on Elm Street are not mine I'm just borrowing them momentarily.
Pairing: J/H, D/E
Rating: PG-13
Archive: If you want just ask – I will freely give.
Summary: Jackie is having nightmares – so are other members of the basement gang. Freddy wants them all dead. Who is next?
Credit: Wes Craven –mad props –love the universe I'm borrowing.
KKCP for the beta.
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated. I'm being pretty chicken about what has to be done. I decided to end this one kind of suspensy – see what you guys thought. Please give me your ideas. I also really want to thank everyone who already has. I am really surprised that so many of you who don't really like horror movies are giving this a chance. You guys are the greatest.
Jackie sat heavily on the edge of Donna's bed. The bed's owner was at work, the same as Steven. She wished futilely that they were here. She wanted to talk to her best friend. She needed Steven to hold her. Releasing the first and only sigh of relief since this whole mess started, she thanked whatever was responsible for Steven's safety. Thank god his parents were apathetic drunks.
Donna was still in trouble though. The red head's dreams had tapered off but they would return. After Kitty's confession she was sure of it. That sicko was doing this in a certain order for some equally sicko reason. She could only guess at the pattern, but something told her that Donna was last.
And she was next.
Picking up the phone she dialed the house next door.
"Helloo?" Eric answered groggily.
"Hi" Jackie offered just as weary.
"Oh Hi, how you doing?"
Jackie ignored the dumb question.
"I saw that Bob went a little Hey there Hi there WHOA there at the security store today. You and Donna look like prisoners over there."
"She's not home yet."
"Good, I called her after we talked this afternoon. She still hasn't had another dream. Do you think that is a good sign?" Eric asked hopeful.
She didn't want to upset him with her theory, especially if it were true. Sadly she stated "It's the best news I've heard all day."
She heard Eric's own sigh of relief and was glad that she didn't say anything about what Kitty revealed.
"I know who the killer is." She shared instead.
Eric was instantly back on edge "You do?"
"And if he gets me I'm pretty sure you'll be next" Jackie wanted to cry, she really did. But she didn't have the energy.
"Jackie," Eric began. He sounded like he was really concerned. "What are you saying? Come on now, I thought we were insomnia buddies. Us against Morpheus –come on – take some No doz"
She thought it was ironic that they had finally become real friends now that it was too late. "I have to Eric. We all have too. And if you guys are going to survive I have to do something."
Eric sounded scared "What? What are you going to do?"
Jackie didn't know how he would take her plan but she barreled on anyway. "I need you to help…when I bring him out."
"Bring him out…of your DREAM?" Eric squeaked.
"Like I did the hat. Look Eric, all I have to do is have a hold of the bastard when you wake me up."
"I…I wake you up?" He all but shouted this time.
So Eric didn't like the plan. That didn't change the fact that it was the only plan they had.
"Look if it doesn't work – then fine –everybody is right – I'm crazy. I hit my head one too many time dismounting from human pyramids." Jackie attempted to joke.
Eric calmed down. "Well I'll save you a lot of trouble. You have indeed breathed in too much hairspray fumes. No need to prove it."
It was so sweet that he was trying to save her.
"Besides Hyde would kill me if he knew I let you do this. Well…you know if Hyde believed that this was real."
"But he doesn't" Jackie stated. She really wished Steven could be the one to wake her. But she didn't want him involved. If he was safe she didn't want to draw attention to him.
"So what are we gonna do when you "bring him out"?" Eric's sarcasm returned.
"You knock him out." Jackie stated.
"WHAT? And I'm going to do this with my tiny man fist?"
Jackie did laugh a little this time. "You own a baseball bat. Look just be over here at midnight. Donna's working the late shift but you will have to sneak out without waking Steven."
Eric's silence was as much of a promise as she needed. He had obviously accepted the plan.
"And Eric," she warned before hanging up "whatever you do, don't --fall --asleep."
*
Eric paced back and forth, wondering why he didn't argue more with Jackie's plan. It was crazy. You can't just pull people out of dreams. And even if you could –that didn't mean he could hit them with a baseball bat when you did. So deep in his worry he didn't notice Hyde come in the room.
"Hey man." Hyde said. The guy was pretty floored by the whole Kelso thing and the worry for Jackie was starting to show on his face.
"Hey." Eric offered feeling guilty for hiding Jackie's plan from him.
"What are you doin?" Hyde asked indicating the pacing and the jacket he was wearing despite it being past his curfew.
Lamely Eric fiddled with his collar "Oh this – um I was just cold."
"Did you talk to Jackie today?" Hyde asked taking a seat on his friend's bed.
"Um" Eric thought about lying but decided against it "yeah, I talked to her after she got back from the clinic."
Hyde shrugged his shoulders "Yeah she called me –she was pretty upset about her hair."
Eric rolled his eyes as if to say –Well you know Jackie.
"And she is even more convinced this guy is real."
Eric didn't know what to say to that so he remained silent.
"Do you?"
Eric shrugged this time. "Yeah I kinda think he might be. Well he -was..."
"But that doesn't mean he can kill people in their dreams." Hyde mocked.
"Look Hyde –we aren't crazy." Making eye contact with his worried friend he added assuring "SHE is not crazy."
Hyde smiled caught up in the brotherly moment, but quickly shook himself out of it and got up. Walking to the door he turned as he stepped in the hallway – "You really should get some sleep."
*
Bob Pinciotti stood in the doorway of his daughter's bedroom. "Jackie babe, you got to get some sleep."
Jackie smiled and seemed to consider it.
The older man wandered around the room picking up bottles of No doz's and unplugging the coffee maker.
Lying down, Jackie fought her eyes natural need to fall closed. She watched Bob act like her real dad. Knowing he was doing a better job than the real one ever had.
"Tomorrow what say I take you to my hair guy? He is really good with color. Or hey –you could get a perm too."
Jackie shuddered with a different kind of fear but continued to smile. "Thanks Mr. Pinciotti."
Sitting on Donna's bed he adopted a very dad like expression. "Look, I know you are upset. But I'm telling you, a good nights sleep and you will be ten times better. You are safe here."
Jackie knew that bars weren't going to keep her alive. "Sure."
"I'm going to make sure you sleep tonight – Jackie, even if it kills me." Bob promised.
Jackie knew it wasn't him that it was gonna kill. Closing her eyes she willed Bob to leave. After a painfully long minute he did. Jackie's eyes opened wide. Standing up she shook herself fully awake. Reaching under the cot she pulled out another coffee maker and a handful of No Doz. Taking a couple she chased them with her first cup. "Okay Eric just hang on a little bit longer."
*
Eric lay on his bed watching the clock tick the hours to midnight. Picking up the phone he called Donna in an attempt to keep himself awake.
"Hey Hot Donna here." Donna's beautiful voice answered.
"Hey cool Eric back at cha" Eric joked.
Donna laughed. "Hey – so what's going on?"
Eric looked around the room and again checked the clock. Distractedly he responded "Oh nothing."
Donna didn't believe him. "Then why are you still up?"
"What?" Eric mocked "no self respecting teenage boy would be asleep at 11:30."
"You have no self respect." Donna explained in that I know you are lying tone.
See that is why he usually didn't bother lying. He decided to change the subject. "So your dad spent your dowry at the Department of Defense today. Or at least I assumed he raided the U.S Army's supplies."
Donna laughed again. "Yeah I heard about that. I guess we aren't the only ones worried about Jackie."
"We?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, Hyde, Fez, me – you." Donna elaborated.
Eric wasn't worried. He was concerned. Worry was something you did when you didn't realize the situation was real. "Donna?"
"Yeah?" Donna could hear the seriousness in his tone. Eric only had two tones – serious and goofy.
"I love you." He stated simply.
Donna's worry doubled but she didn't show it. "I love you too."
*
Jackie didn't know how Eric was going to get in with Bob downstairs keeping guard. Since he had left, she had ventured a peak –only to find him sitting at the top of the stairs. He had made himself a Bloody Mary. And now her only hope was that he would make a few more and pass out on the couch. Time was running out.
*
At the radio station Donna announced the Midnight Rock Block. 10 songs interrupted. It was her favorite part of the night, break time. Laying her head on the desk, she pushed all the horrible events of the past week out of her head. She wanted sleep and Pink Floyd to make her forget for just an hour.
*
Jackie watched the clock, checked the stairs and grabbed the phone. Dialing Eric's number, she felt the blood drain out of her face as she heard a busy signal. "ERIC no," she whispered.
*
Eric's hand was on the phone in his lap. He had only closed his eyes for a minute. But that was all it took. Rolling over in his sleep the phone fell to the floor.