The Situation by Lady Cleo

All Disclaimers apply!

Recap: This is an alternate universe where Jackie never dated Kelso so a lot of stuff hasn't happened.

Chapter Two: The Bad Ass, Bad Boy Steven Hyde


Edited 10/18/2010

Point Place High was buzzing with the latest gossip about the largely questionable breakup of the perfectly perfect Jackie Burkhart and the black eyed, big mouthed Chip.

When asked where he got that black eye, Chip had shrugged it off with a, "Had to beat up some freshman who got in a lucky punch." When asked about his break up with the perfect little Jackie Burkhart, "She just wasn't my type."

And Jackie, her response- silence.

A small rumor had briefly surfaced that Steven Hyde, Point Place's own version of a rebel had walked in on Chip making a move on Jackie that she didn't want. Jackie's comment on the situation, nothing.

Everyone knew that it was entirely possible. Chip had been known to act a little crazy and Steven Hyde? Well, just about everyone knew how hard he could punch. But, would Point Place's own bad boy act in defense of its reigning Snow Queen?

No one dared to ask the rebel. But, when they asked Eric Foreman, the scrawny boy who was commonly associated as Hyde's best friend, the answer was: "Hyde, defend a cheerleader's honor? What are you on man? Whatever it is, share."

Donna, considered as one of Point Places currently attainable dates, but also commonly known to be currently head over heels for the scrawny boy added: "Hyde hasn't talked to Jackie in years, but yeah, he's the kind of guy who would probably step in to defend her honor."

No one knew that in reality the unattainable Jackie Burkhart, Snow Queen, and perfectly perfect cheerleader had fallen asleep in the arms of Steven Hyde, the bad ass, bad boy of Point Place. No one knew that said bad ass had carried said cheerleader to her doorstep and deposited her into the arms of a not too worried father. MR. Burkhart had seemed more pissed off because Hyde had wrung the doorbell so late at night instead of the fact that his daughter had a bruise the size of a fist. Consequently, said bruise disappeared perfectly behind the right foundation and concealer.

The world recovered from the rumor of Jackie and Hyde's late night meeting rather quickly when Cynthia Netting spread the news that Michael Kelso and Pam Macy were dating again. Point Place High returned to the order. Burkhart went back to being the perfect little her and Steven Hyde remained the radical bad boy.


The Situation: Point Place High School.

One week after that Friday Night.

Steven Hyde sat quietly on the hood of the El Camino, watching the door to the Gym, waiting impatiently for Kelso to finish making out with Pam Macy. On any other day Kelso would have gotten his ass deserted, but on this occasion Hyde had an alternative motive.

The gym doors swung open and a parade of varsity cheerleaders trotted out in their skimpy little skirts, laughing happily. They never noticed Hyde as they climbed into their cars and roared down the street blasting their god-awful disco music. Hyde focused back on the door, waiting patiently.

Jackie Burkhart immerged, looking exasperated as she walked over to a bench, never noticing Hyde's quiet presence. Silently she pulled out a small compact mirror, her fingers lightly tracing the invisible bruise.

"You know piling that junk over it doesn't help." Hyde commented casually. Jackie's head jerked in his direction, shock running rampant over her features.

"What do you care?" She finally snapped back.

"I stopped him from doing more, didn't I?" Hyde questioned, his sunglasses hiding the glare that slipped past the mask.

Jackie blushed, bowing her head. Hyde couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. She slipped the mirror back into her backpack, hefting it over her shoulder as she walked silently over to the El Camino. She looked up at him with her large brown eyes and softly asked, "Why did you do it?"

Hyde snorted, "I have to have a reason?"

Jackie silently nodded her head. Hyde didn't answer; instead he turned his gaze away from her small form.

Minutes ticked away slowly.

"What are you doing out here anyway, don't you have a car or something?" Hyde asked keeping his gaze away from hers.

Jackie let her backpack slip to the ground as she leaned against the El Camino, straightening the pleats of her cheerleading skirt. "No, mine's not working. It stopped working after my dad left so I have to wait another week before I can get it fixed." Hyde couldn't stop his eyebrow from shooting up. "I'm waiting for Pam; she's going to give me a ride home. That is, once she pulls her tongue out of that man whore's throat."

Hyde let a laugh slip past his lips and smiled in her direction, finally letting his gaze meet hers as he slipped off the hood. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home." Jackie gazed up at him, a look of utter bafflement crossing her face.

Was the Bad Boy of Point Place offering the Snow Queen a ride home?

"Come on, anybody who calls Kelso a man whore doesn't deserve to wait for his latest slut to give her a ride home."

Jackie let a smile creep across her face as she reached down grabbing her backpack and heading over to the passenger side.


The Situation: Burkhart Residence.

Hyde pulled the El Camino to a halt in front of the towering house and turned off the engine. Jackie smiled politely over at Hyde as she reached for the door handle. "Thanks." She whispered before climbing out of the car and heading towards the front door reluctantly.

Hyde watched her retreating back, an internal battle raging within his head. On one hand, his motive had been achieved. She was physical okay, who cared about her obvious emotional struggle, not him that was for sure.

Hyde started the El Camino, shifted it into drive, but his foot wouldn't release the brake. He kept on seeing the lonely expression on her face, kept on hearing the sobbing.

Damn it- He wasn't supposed to have emotions. He DIDN'T have emotions- He was a bad ass Zen master who didn't care about the shallow little Burkhart girl. It didn't matter that she was all alone in that big house with a broken car, and shallow friends who probably didn't give a damn if she starved to death. Damn it-

He was going to have to steal something after this.

Hyde turned off the car and pushed the door open unwillingly. He walked silently across the perfectly manicured yard and rang the doorbell, half expecting some kind of butler to answer the door.

Jackie pulled the heavy ornate wood door open and froze, her eyes going large as she gazed up at him in awe.

"Where's the car?"

Jackie stuttered for a second, then finally took a step back and pointed towards the back of the house. He stormed past her, ignoring the fine interior, the expensive decorations and the museum like feel it all provide. There wasn't a soul in sight, not even a maid.

The garage was just beyond the down-right inviting pool and spa. It was a three-car garage that looked empty with just the one lonely car sitting in the back. Hyde easily yanked open the hood and gazed into the dark confines of the car engine.

Damn, this was going to take a while.

"Tools?" Hyde questioned bluntly. Jackie pointed towards a large wall cabinet. Hyde nodded as he removed his sunglasses, settling down to the hard work in front of him.


The Situation: The Burkhart Residence.

Jackie sat cross legged silently beside the car, two empty cans, and an half empty bowl of chips. Her fingers played with the edge of her clothes, having changed out of the uniform and into a pair of jeans and lose peasant blouse a while ago. She sat there, watching the headless Hyde tinker within the hood. Through the open garage doors she could see the setting sun.

Hyde finally pulled back, wiping his brow as he gazed down at the car. He'd been working on this car all afternoon and he still couldn't figure out what the hell was going on within the confines. If he had believed in fate, Hyde would have said that this car wasn't meant to be fixed easily.

"Well?" Jackie inquired eagerly.

Hyde shook his head no and closed the lid. "Damn woman- What do you expect, miracles? I'm not a paid mechanic and it still needs some work." Jackie slowly pulled herself to her feet, nodding in response to his statement. Hyde frowned for a second, watching as she started picking up the bowl and cans. "I'll pick you up after cheerleading on Monday and we can work on it some more." Hyde causally added, heading towards the house.

Jackie froze in step, a smile creeping across her face. "Sure," She whispered, before following in his footsteps.

Damn, he was going to have to steal a shit load of stuff, and do some pretty illegal things to counter all the good deeds he was doing lately.

As he headed out the front door, Jackie following slowly behind him, the pit of his stomach suddenly launched. There it was again. The nagging feeling that something was changing, something was changing fast. He tired to push it aside, but it just continued to push back.

As Point Place's notorious troublemaker climbed into his El Camino, the perfect Snow Queen stood watching from the front door, the first genuinely happy smile slipping across her face as she closed the door.

The unattainable Jackie Burkhart was slowly falling head over heels in love with the bad ass, bad boy, Steven Hyde.