Chapter Ten



Eric's POV:



I came home to find Jackie sprawled out on the couch, a heavy-hearted look on her face. I sat down beside her in an armchair and looked into her sad eyes.

Finally I spoke, "I can't believe the way I've been acting. And I don't know what to say."

"I know," Jackie sighed, "I feel so different, like everything that's happened has made me a worse person or something."

"You're not a worse person. If anyone is really at fault here, it's me. I acted like a-"

"Don't say it," Jackie interrupted, "You let Donna get the best of you. The same thing happened with me and Hyde. I just don't want to let them get to us anymore."

"We have to stay together," I said, with determination. Before my little conversation with Donna in the back lot, I hadn't been so sure. But now I knew that it was the right thing. I wanted to keep Tory in my life and I didn't want to hurt Jackie any more than I already had. She had been hurt already by all the other men in her life and I wanted to be different from the rest. Even if I couldn't bring myself to love her, she was my friend.

"I'm sorry about what I said about Tory," Jackie told me softly, "I was wrong, it was a stupid thing to say. You've always been such a good father to Tory and I would never want to take her away from you."

"That means a lot to me." I replied, "But what are we going to do about Hyde and Donna?"

Jackie's jaw clenched, "Once they get the idea that we want to be left alone, I'm sure they won't be a problem anymore."

"I hope so." I agreed, although I really wasn't sure one way or another. Donna was keeping something from me and I had to know what it was if she really wanted me to give her another chance. She had changed so much, I had no clue what she could possibly be hiding. And I was sick of dealing with the unknown where the woman I loved was concerned. Maybe this would be easier, just getting some closure and forgetting about her. Not better, but easier.



Hyde's POV



It was a week after the episode at the club with Eric and Jackie. After such a big turn of events, Donna and I had decided to lay low for a while. But I had finally got up the nerve to go over to Red and Kitty's house and officially meet Tory. I had been dreading and looking forward to this moment at the same time. I wandered what my daughter would be like and how should react to meeting me. I didn't know what I was going to say or what I was going to do. I just had to pray I didn't screw it up.

I saw Tory outside, riding around on a little red tricycle. I was glad she was outside, because I hated facing Red after that first time since we had returned to Point Place. He had always been grouchy, but now he really...... hated me. And Donna too. Kitty was sweet as always, but dealing with Red really wasn't pleasant. I approached Tory when she leaned down to pick up one of her stuffed animals that had fallen out of the basket on the front of her tricycle.

"Hi, Tory." I said finally, not knowing what else to say. She looked up at me and her eyes widened in fear.

"My mommy and daddy said I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." she said timidly, clutching the little stuffed koala bear so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

"Oh, I'm not a stranger." I quickly assured her, "I know your mommy and daddy. And your grandparents too."

"You know Grammy and Papa?" she asked and I smiled at the cute names she used for Red and Kitty. I nodded and she grinned happily at me, "My name's Tory. What's your name?"

"I'm your........ Uncle Steven." I finished quickly. She was already four years old and I didn't know how I could ever break the news that I was her real father to her.

"I have two other uncles." she told me, "Uncle Michael and Uncle Fez. And Auntie Laurie."

"That's nice." I responded, then remembered the present I had for her, "Oh, I brought you a present."

I handed her the medium sized box wrapped in pink wrapping paper. She took in and pulled off the wrapping paper and opened the box that had been covered by the paper. The box revealed a doll that resembled Tory, with it's chocolate brown eyes and head of blonde curls. It was wearing a little pink party dress. Hyde had seen it at the toy store and thought that it looked like something Tory would like.

Obviously he had made a good choice. Tory's face lit up when she saw it, "Oh, Uncle Steven, I love it. Thank you." she gave him a hug and Hyde laughed.

"I'm glad you like it." he said once he had finished hugging his daughter for the first time, "I picked it because it was so cute, just like you."

She beamed at him and gingerly placed the doll in the basket on her tricycle, between the koala bear and a fuzzy stuffed monkey with a pink bow on the top of it's head. She was clearly a huge fan of stuffed animals and dolls.

"I take really good care of her." she promised him, but suddenly she looked past him and she let out a delighted squeal, "Mommy!"

Tory hurried past Hyde and flung herself into Jackie's outstretched arms. Jackie lovingly gave Tory a kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, Tory." she said, "Are you having fun with Grammy and Papa?" she eyed Hyde suspiciously.

"Yes, Grammy said she's going to make brownies for dessert tonight and Papa bought me candy from the store. And Uncle Steven got me a really pretty doll and I'm going to call her Melanie."

"That was nice of Uncle Steven." Jackie turned to Hyde, her eyebrows raised, but she said nothing else. She didn't want to make a scene in front of her daughter.

"Listen, Tory, why don't you go in and tell Grammy I'm here, and then I'll come inside in a minute and we'll play a game." Jackie suggested and Tory nodded eagerly.

"Bye, Uncle Steven." she called, waving at him. Hyde grinned at her and waved back.

Once she was gone, Jackie turned to Hyde, her eyes flashing, "How long have you been coming to see her behind my back?"

"Just today, I swear." Hyde told her, "And besides, I have every right to see my daughter."

"Why can't you just leave Eric and I alone?" Jackie asked, "We are trying to raise Tory in a peaceful environment. We do not need any distractions."

Hyde was very offended now, "So, her father is now classified as a distraction?"

"You're only her father biologically." Jackie shot back, "Eric has been her father in every other way."

"And whose fault is that?" Hyde retaliated.

"That doesn't matter anymore," Jackie said, exasperated, "If you even bother trying to go to the courts about this, I will win. I have a steady job and a husband who can support me. You have nothing."

"I'm not going to go to anyone about this," Hyde sighed sadly, "I just want to spend time with my little girl. Is that too much to ask?"

Jackie looked at him guiltily, "I'm sorry. I just don't want anything to destroy my marriage to Eric. Feel free to see her whenever you want."

Jackie pushed past him without another word, "Thank you." Hyde yelled after her, before walking back to his truck.



Fez, Donna and Hyde were all in Donna's hotel room. Kelso wasn't there yet and his three friends were beginning to get restless. He was supposed to be there with them to start conspiring to break up Eric and Jackie's marriage again. Just when they were about to start without him, he and a girl burst through the door. The girl looked familiar, with strawberry blonde hair and eyes so blue they were almost purple. Kelso had his arm around the girl's shoulder and Fez, Donna and Hyde looked at Kelso curiously.

"Do you guys remember Leandra?" he asked excitedly.

"I think I saw her around school sometimes." Hyde commented and Donna and Fez nodded in agreement.

"We were dating in secret during one of Kelso and Jackie's break up periods." Leandra spoke up, "We didn't tell anyone, because we didn't think it would be a very popular match."

"Why not?" Donna asked.

"Come on, Donna, one of the most sought after guys in the school dating the straight A student who also happened to be captain of the debating team." Kelso shook his head, "But it was so much fun. I could really talk to Leandra, she never made me feel stupid."

"Kelso and I just clicked from the first time we went out." Leandra contributed, "I saw him at the club and I went over to say hi. Now he's taking me out to dinner tonight."

"That's wonderful." Donna said, genuinely happy for Kelso. He really seemed to care about Leandra. Maybe, like Jackie, she was one of the few girls his relationship had been pure and wonderful with, not cheap and dirty like it was with most girls.

"Yes it is," Fez added, remembering how Kelso had said earlier he wanted to find a nice girl, "It's good to know that some people can have what they really want."

Realizing what he just said, he turned to see the wounded looks on Hyde and Donna's faces, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Don't worry about it Fez." Donna cut him off, "I have to go do something. I'll see you guys later."



Donna's POV



Eric finally answered the door and his eyes flashed pure ice, "What are you doing here? Didn't I make myself clear before?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, "Can I come in?"

Eric opened the door wider and let me come inside. I was surprised he had done that much. We went into the living room, sitting in arm chairs

opposite each other.

"Did you need something?" Eric asked bluntly.

"Yes," trying to keep my voice even, "Eric, I'm here because I want to tell you the truth about what happened five years ago."

"Really?" he softened a little when I said that.

"Really," I clarified and took another deep breath, preparing to tell him everything.



Author's Note: There, I left you all hanging. I'm so evil. If you want to know what Donna's secret is, then give me lots of reviews. The more reviews I get, the faster I will update. And I don't think any of you have guessed yet what that secret is, so hopefully it will be a big shock when you finally find out. The next chapter will be a flashback from five years ago in Donna's POV, just to let you know.