Vacation
a/n: thanks to Luci for the beta.
Chapter Two: The Flight
"Jackie!" Donna called happily in her friend's direction, waving her hands frantically as she sat down next to the sullen brunette.
"Hi, Donna." Jackie slurred her words together softly as she took a sip from her coke, sadly. Donna hadn't seen Jackie this upset since Hyde cheated on her. Jackie swirled her straw around in her glass as Donna tried to grab her attention. Jackie finally looked up, only to see Donna's overwhelming smile.
"Do you still have that credit card?" Donna asked brightly.
Jackie let her eyes drop back down to her coke, letting go of the straw as she sifted through her purse and produced the shiny plastic card, which Donna grabbed promptly from her fingertips.
"It's such a waste, not to use it, don't you think?" Donna asked.
"I guess," Jackie replied, holding her head in her hands as she pushed her coke away from her. She couldn't muster the energy to drink, eat, or even do her hair since Hyde broke up with her. She was still in shock.
"I was thinking..." Donna smiled hopefully. "What if we took a trip? Just the two of us. We could use this," Donna pushed the card along the table, in front of Jackie's view, "to pay for it all."
"Trip?" Jackie tore her eyes away from the credit card to catch Donna's hopeful eyes. "Where?"
"Well, I was thinking," Donna quickly turned around and rummaged through her bag, finally pulling out a few brochures, throwing them in Jackie's direction.
Jackie sighed, picking one up and examined it carefully. The cover was bright and glossy, with a huge picture of a smiling sun and lots of kids, swimming and having fun.
"Florida?" Jackie asked in surprise.
"Florida!" Donna nodded excitedly. "What do you think?"
Jackie glanced towards the window, revealing the gray patches of clouds that awaited her outside. She could use the sun and maybe a trip was just what she needed to get over Hyde.
"Well," Jackie pushed a smile through her gloomy appearance. "The credit card is in my mother's name..."
"Just another reason to go!" Donna exclaimed. "She owes you for all that emotional damage she put you through."
"I'm not damaged, Donna." Jackie snapped, crossing her arms angrily.
Donna scowled internally; she almost had Jackie, and now she was losing her.
"Sorry," Donna sighed, "It's just, Eric's been really annoying lately and I really wanted a break, just us girls." She gave Jackie a sincere, pitiful look and before she knew it, Jackie picked up one of the brochures and quickly flipped through it.
"Is that a yes?"
Jackie nodded slowly, taken aback as Donna hugged her.
"We're leaving tomorrow!" Donna shouted, pulling Jackie up as she stood up herself.
"Tomorrow?" Jackie questioned. "You already booked the flight? What if I said no?"
"Um," Donna racked her brain for a rational answer. "I was going to take Fez. You know, 'cause, maybe he has some relatives in Cuba and he could, um," Donna winced at what she was about to say, "Take a raft back to his homeland?"
"Fez is Cuban?" Jackie asked, suspiciously.
"Could be," Donna shrugged. "Anyway, I'll pick you up tomorrow, our flight leaves at 8!"
"In the morning?" Jackie screeched. "God, Donna, I need time to pack!"
"Jackie, you have all of today."
"That's not enough!" Jackie grabbed her purse and ran out the door of the Hub before Donna could reply.
Donna sat back down, a smug smile on her face. She couldn't wait to tell Eric that her part of the plan was in effect. Hopefully, his was successful as well...
"Hyde, my man!" Eric clapped his friend's back as he took a seat on the couch.
"What do you want, Forman?" Hyde's eyes remained on the TV screen as Eric bit his lip, wondering how to phrase his next sentence.
"You know where I've never been?" Eric spoke more to himself then to Hyde. "Florida. What about you, Hyde?"
"Nope, never." Hyde mumbled. He had been in an awful mood since he broke up with Jackie. Eric couldn't wait to see his plan in action; he couldn't stand to see his friend heartbroken, even if Hyde would never admit that's what he was.
"Well, lucky for us," Eric stood up, blocking Hyde's view of the TV and gulping nervously as Hyde threw him a nasty glare. Eric pulled two airplane tickets out of his back pocket, throwing them in Hyde's lap. "I won a trip to Florida!"
"That's cool, Forman." Hyde nodded, examining the tickets. "You and Donna will have a great time."
Eric shook his head, an amused smile spread across his face, "Donna can't go."
"Why not?"
Why not? Eric hadn't thought that through.
"She's, um, she's..." Eric paused, scanning his brain for an answer. "She's allergic."
"To Florida?" Hyde asked skeptically.
"To the ocean." Eric nodded. "It's really bad. Hives and everything."
"What about when you guys were in California?" Hyde asked, handing the tickets back to Eric.
Eric grabbed for them, angry at himself for making up such a stupid lie.
"Ok, the truth is," Eric sighed. "Donna and I...we're having a rough time and I figured, you're single...so..." Eric smiled brightly. "Think of all the girls in Florida, man! Bikini-wearing, beer-chugging, girls!"
"Florida girls are pretty slutty from what I've heard." Hyde nodded.
"Extremely," Eric nodded, holding out his hand. "What do you say? A trip to Florida, just us guys?"
"I say," Hyde stopped himself cautiously. Maybe this is just what he needed to get his mind off of Jackie. To be miles away from her. "Why the hell not?" Hyde shook Eric's hand firmly, smiling. "Now, move." He pushed Eric out of the way, watching TV as Eric beamed behind him.
"We leave tomorrow." Eric said loudly, happy with Hyde's understanding nod.
Eric practically ran all the way to Donna's, particularly happy as he bumped into her in the driveway.
He grabbed her waist, raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner, in which she nodded happily.
"Good, then everything is all set." Eric said happily, spinning Donna around as he kissed her. "Operation Get Jackie and Hyde Back Together has begun!"
Donna smirked as her boyfriend ran off; making her way back to the house to pack for what should be one hell of a trip.
The next day:
"Jackie, I still can't believe you brought three suitcases with you." Donna laughed, finding her seat on the plane. She quickly scanned the aisles for Hyde and Eric, happy when she spotted them, a few rows in front of them. Eric and Donna had agreed that in order for everything to work according to plan, Jackie and Hyde can't know that they've been set up until the plane takes off. This way, there's no escape.
"Please, Donna," Jackie huffed as she sat down next to her best friend. "I packed light. I only took the essentials."
"Right," Donna shook her head, refusing to argue with Jackie. You just couldn't win with Jackie. "I'm so excited. I can't wait to get on the beach."
Jackie shrugged. She should be excited as well, shouldn't she? But she wasn't. Her mind was flowing with thoughts, none of which she felt like sharing with Donna.
What was Steven doing? Was he missing her as much as she missed him? What if she just apologized, would it fix things?
Jackie shook her head, her forehead throbbing.
"Jackie, are you alright?" Donna asked softly. "You look kind of pale."
"Flying has never agreed with me." Jackie answered quickly, leaning back in her chair.
Donna nodded her head in understanding, taking out a magazine as the flight attendant started her speech on flight safety.
Meanwhile...
"You know what I just realized, Forman?" Hyde said in astonishment as Eric looked up from his book. "I've never been on a plane before."
Eric laughed, "It's nothing, man."
"Yeah." Hyde nodded unsurely. Was it just him or was it incredibly hot? He pulled at his shirt collar, slipping his sunglasses in there.
Eric watched the flight attendant out of the corner of his eye. She was rambling about safety. Eric made sure that his seatbelt was on securely, quickly glancing back. He caught Donna's attention, nodding in her direction. She smiled back. So far, so good.
An hour later...
"Jackie, are you sure you're ok?" Donna looked at her friend with concern.
"I haven't really eaten much lately, that's all." Jackie said, sighing in relief as the flight attendant announced it was safe to get up. "I'm going to the bathroom, Donna, just in case I..."
Donna nodded, standing up so Jackie could move past her.
She desperately wanted to go talk to Eric, but knew the timing wasn't right yet. Eric glanced back at her, like he had been all flight long and waggled his eyebrows in an amusing way. Donna giggled gently to herself, picking her magazine back up.
Meanwhile...
Hyde took a cool sip of water, trying to calm his nerves as Eric turned towards him.
Hyde stood up, surprised as Eric threw his book down in his seat, standing up and stretching his arms.
"Where you off to?" Eric yawned anxiously.
"Bathroom." Hyde muttered, sarcastically adding, "Is that ok with you?"
"Um," Eric glanced at Donna nervously. "Yeah."
He stepped aside, letting Hyde through, hoping that Donna would notice Hyde coming and hide, fast.
Eric stood behind Hyde, waving his arms, trying to catch Donna's attention. She looked up, practically falling beside herself. She quickly moved into Jackie's seat, which was farther away from Hyde and held the magazine in her face, hiding her nervous smile.
Eric breathed a sigh of relief as Hyde walked straight past Donna, not even noticing her.
Donna did the same, dropping the magazine and meeting Eric halfway between their rows. They hugged and kissed briefly before Donna smacked her forehead angrily.
"What?" Eric asked with concern.
"Jackie," Donna bit her lip, looking back at the bathrooms frantically. "She's back there too!"
TBC.....