Chapter Eight
"Everything is all set, right?" Kelso asked nervously, checking his watch.
Fez nodded and pulled on a jacket, "Yes. Now, Kelso, Hyde and I will go to the club. Donna, you know what to do?"
"I do." Donna assured him, shaking her head, "I always knew you were a lot of things, Fez. But I never believed genius was one of them."
"What can I say?" Fez shrugged indifferently, "There is a lot of things you don't know about me."
"We should go." Hyde prompted his two friends, "I don't want to be late."
The three guys left Donna alone in the apartment and she went into the bathroom. She made sure the alarm clock was plugged in and set. She then dropped her bathrobe to the floor and stepped into the shower. She let the hot water cascade down and hit her body. She had just finished rinsing the conditioner out of her hair when the alarm rang. Quickly she got out of the shower, shut off the alarm clock and wrapped a fluffy yellow hotel towel around her body. And just in time to hear a knock on her door.
Smiling to herself, she went over to the door and opened it. The sight of Eric standing in the doorway wasn't a shock to her at all, but she pretended to be as stunned as possible.
"Eric, what are you doing here?" she asked him curiously after she had ushered him inside. She didn't miss the way he looked longingly at her barely covered body and she knew the plan was working. But it was time to put the next part into effect.
"Fez said to come over here at seven." Eric responded, "But I didn't know...." his voice trailed off. Donna had reached up to pile her hair on top of her head and her towel had fallen teasingly to the floor. She was now wearing nothing and she made no move to pick up the towel. She just looked up at Eric, her eyes feigning innocence.
Finally he spoke, "Donna, you might think I'm an idiot for asking this, but are you trying to seduce me?"
"Of course not," she cooed, still not picking up the towel, "I thought you knew me better than that."
"Because if you are, then it's working." Eric continued, unable to pull his eyes away from Donna's still unclad body. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it before, but damn, why was it that, the more clothes she took off, the sexier she looked? He made a move to reach over and pull her into his arms. Figuring she would melt into his embrace like she had the night before, he was surprised when she scooted out of his reach.
"Donna.....?" he gazed at her questioningly.
Donna allowed her eyes to hold his gaze for about a minute longer before pulling the towel back over her body, "Eric I can't." she said self-righteously, "I love you, but I can't let you cheat on your wife with me if you have no intention of divorcing her."
"I don't know what you're talking about." he replied.
"Don't give me that." she said, "You told me you were too weak to do it. You can't even be strong for me. I haven't always been there for you, I know that. But I want that to change. And in order for it change, I need you to give me a chance." she felt tears spring into her eyes and she knew she wasn't just going by the plan Fez had set out. She was speaking from her heart.
"I'm sorry, Donna." he said, touching her hand lightly, "I'm sorry it all had to turn out like this. But it has, and I don't know if it will ever be all right again. Maybe this is the way it has to be. Me with Jackie and you and Hyde alone. That's what you wanted at one point and maybe that's how it's always going to be."
Donna refused to let herself get caught up in the emotions. The clock read 7:10, which meant there were fifteen minutes to go before they had to leave. She couldn't allow the plan to fail because of her, "Look, we can talk about this later. Right now, I need to go get dressed and I then we can head over to Fez's club. After you find out what he needed, we can get a drink or something."
"Okay." Eric said agreeably, making himself comfortable on the bed as he waited for Donna to get ready.
Hyde saw Kelso wink at him as he placed a record into the machine. This was it. Fez, Kelso, Hyde and Donna would find out if their plan had worked the way it was supposed to.
The familiar strains of a song Fez had played for him the night before filled his ears and he knew it was his cue. He took hold of Jackie's hand.
"Let's dance." he told her and she smiled softly at him. After the night before she didn't seem as angry, maybe more open to him. But then again, it was high time all of them realized that they had done a lot of shitty things and needed to move on.
Jackie wrapped her arms around Hyde's neck and rested his head dreamily on his shoulder. Hyde listened to the beautiful words of the music. It was like the song had been made for Jackie and himself.
I'm looking for a way to feel you hold me
To feel your heart beat just one more time
I'm reaching back, trying to touch the moment
Each precious minute that you were mine
How do you prepare, when you love someone this way,
To let them go a little more each day?
Hyde tightened his grasp around Jackie's waist slightly and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "This is one of my favourite songs."
Jackie listened to the soft, romantic strains of the music and looked up at him in surprise, "But it isn't even your type of song. You're more of a Led Zepplin kind of guy."
"I am, aren't I?" Hyde could smell the sweet smell of her shampoo and he inhaled deeply, "But listen. This song is made for us."
The stars we put in place
The dreams we didn't waste
The sorrows we embraced
The world belonged to you and me
The oceans that we crossed
The innocence we've lost
The hurting at the end
I'd go there again,
´cause it was beautiful.
It was beautiful.
Jackie stifled a gasp, "You're right." she agreed, "It's perfect."
"Just like you." Hyde whispered in her ear.
Some days missing you is overwhelming
When it hits me you're not coming back
And in my darkest hours, I have wondered
Was it worth it for the time we had?
My thoughts get kinda scattered, but one thing I know is true
I bless the day that I found you, oh oh
Jackie felt tears well up in her eyes when she heard that verse and she couldn't stop the small tear that dripped down her cheek when she felt Hyde nuzzle her neck.
"Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me, Jackie." he said earnestly, "I don't have any regrets when I wonder whether or not I should have been with you. Because what we had was so right, it made all the hurt that came with it worth it."
The stars we put in place
The dreams we didn't waste
The sorrows we embraced
The world belonged to you and me
The oceans that we crossed
The innocence we've lost
The hurting at the end
I'd go there again,
´cause it was beautiful.
It was beautiful.
"Steven....." was all Jackie could say. She wasn't used to him opening up to her like this, but she liked it. And every word he was saying rung so true in her own mind it was overwhelming.
"Love like ours doesn't die." he stated in a firm voice, "Our love is everlasting. I don't want to have to live the rest of my life without you. Please forgive me for hurting you. We belong together."
Oh, The rules we stepped aside
The fear that we defied
Oh, The thrill of the ride
The fire in our hearts that burned
The oceans that we crossed
The innocence we've lost
The hurting at the end
I'd go there again,
´cause it was beautiful.
So beautiful.
It was beautiful.
The song ended on a final, longing note and Hyde knew Jackie was on the verge of letting everything go. He could feel it.
"So, what do you say, Jacks?" he asked her, "Will you go there with me again?"
She opened her mouth to reply but she heard a voice from behind her that made her blood run cold.
Author's Note: The song I used was Beautiful by Amy Grant. I know she started singing in the early eighties, but this song might be a little later than the period of time the characters of that 70's Show are in. I just had to use it though, because it was on my other favourite show and I think it fit in quite well. Oh, and I know the Hyde in my story is sort of different from the Hyde in the show. But after doing what he did to Jackie, I think he should have to tell her his true feelings and act all mushy to win her back. The same goes for Donna. I know you guys are looking forward to seeing Hyde meet Tory and I promise, I will get on that in the about chapter ten or eleven. So, keep the reviews coming, I really appreciate them.