Chapter 3- Going through the motions
"My father Jack Burkhart was brought here he was in a car crash, please can you…." Jackie was cut off by Hyde who gently called her name. He hated what the next few moments would bring.
"Jackie, Jackie come here." Hyde put his arms around her shoulders and steered her away from the emergency desk as the officers began to walk towards her accompanied by the doctor.
"No, Steven they may have some information on daddy, no I have to ask them!" Jackie tried to turn back towards the desk by Hyde stopped her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mrs. Forman running up to the doctor. She stopped him and the officers and spoke to them for a brief moment them started in Jackie and Hyde's direction.
"Thank God," Hyde thought, "someone familiar to give her the news."
"Mrs. Forman! Have you heard anything on daddy? Please say you've heard something?" Jackie grasped Hyde's hand and looked hopefully at Kitty. Hyde gripped Jackie's hand more tightly as Mrs. Forman gave her the news.
"Oh, Jackie honey, I'm so sorry." Kitty's voice was no more than a whisper as she tearfully told Jackie that she was now an orphan, just like Hyde.
For what seemed like an eternity, Jackie just stared at Kitty with a blank look on her face. Finally she turned to Hyde and collapsed to the floor. The doctor came running over saying that she was just in shock, and he and Kitty carried her to an empty cot and laid her down. Hyde couldn't imagine what she was going through. Watching her lying there, he wondered what she was going to do now that she had no parents. He had no parents but it was a different situation. Hyde was abandoned. He didn't lose two parents that he loved dearly.
A few hours later Hyde paced around the Burkhart mansion, waiting. Jackie has awoken at the hospital distraught and extremely upset so the doctor had given her something to make her sleep…and it worked thankfully. She was out cold in her room where Hyde had laid her a while ago. He had made use of this time to get in touch with Eric, Donna, Kelso and Fez, who were coming home immediately to be with Jackie. Now he waited anxiously for them to return.
About an hour later Hyde had drifted off to sleep in a chair next to Jackie's bed. He was awoken to a knock on the bedroom door as Eric and Donna walked in.
"Ana let us in…..how is she?" Donna looked worriedly at a sleeping Jackie.
"God, I can't believe this happened. It doesn't feel real." Eric stood next to Donna who clasped his hand tightly.
"Jackie's not too good at all, and yeah, it feels like a dream. A nightmare really." Hyde shook his head. The days events still hadn't sunk in yet.
"I know you've been here all day. Eric and I will stay with her, you go home." Donna said quietly to Hyde who was dropping tired.
Hyde thought about it for a moment. What if Jackie woke and he wasn't there and she wanted him? She was so vulnerable now…..Why was he thinking this? Earlier today he dreaded coming to see Jackie now he was wondering if she'd be alright without him! Of course she would.
"Thanks guys. Give me a call if there are any problems. I'll come back in the morning." Hyde clasped Eric's shoulder and Donna gave him a gentle hug. They were all still in such shock. All their lives had been touched so much by this one event.
Hyde walked through the Burkhart mansion. What was to become of it? What was to become of Jackie? He thought of Jackie all alone in this big house, all alone in the world. Well at least she still had her friends. But would she be strong enough to stand on her own? Sweet, innocent Jackie…….Hyde just wanted to take her in his arms and hold her forever and maybe even kiss her. Where had this thought come from? Since when did Hyde want to kiss Jackie? Maybe it was just out of pity he thought about her this way. No, it couldn't be. Hyde didn't pity anyone.
It was at that moment that Hyde realized he had feelings for Jackie, strong feelings, feelings of love…..at that moment Hyde realized he wanted to keep Jackie close to him forever. At that moment he realized he loved her.