Sorry for the delay in updating. Recent spoilers have dulled my usual enthusiasm for H & J goodness and this chapter kind of lets out my frustration with next season's Hyde. Still, don't lose heart that these crazy kids won't make it in the end – I'm keeping the faith!

Chapter 8

"Steven," Jackie cooed softly to her sleeping boyfriend. No response. She added a nudge but he remained oblivious. "STEVEN," she barked. "Oooh, good, you're awake," she smiled as he groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes.

"Jackie, for your sake I hope the bed is on fire," he growled.

"Don't be grumpy," she cajoled.

"Why the hell are you waking me up at 6.30 in the morning? You know I need at least 15 hours sleep each day. Now I'm going to have to squeeze in an extra hour during my work siesta."

"I just had the most amazing dream and I couldn't wait to tell you about it."

"A dream? You wake me up to tell me about a dream? So not only am I not allowed to sleep, you're going to tell me about your dreams to rub it in."

"Settle down," Jackie replied, twining herself around her lover, kissing his neck until she felt his body relax. "This was no ordinary dream. I think it might have been prophetic."

Hyde knew he was being played but having Jackie's hands working their delicious wickedness on him was a fair trade for sleep, so he sighed deeply as a token protest and said, "Alright, tell me about your damn dream, then. But leave out any detailed descriptions of clothes."

"Damn," Jackie said, pausing for a quick mental edit. "OK, it was set in the future. You and I looked like we were about 30. I was in a kitchen making bacon and eggs then you walked in wearing a suit and tie, kissed me good morning, stole some of the bacon and then sat down to read the paper. Then our son and daughter came downstairs – the boy was about 8 and had my hair and your eyes, and the little girl was 5 and looked just like you and looked so cute wearing this pink T-shirt with a rainbow -"

"Jackie!"

"OK, OK. Then I gave the kids their lunches in brown paper bags, waved to them as they hopped on the school bus and then you and I proved our love on the kitchen floor."

"Good ending."

"That's it? Steven, I just had a vision of our future! This is momentous!"

"Jackie, it was just a dream and probably had more to do with you watching too many Brady Bunch re-runs than soothsaying." Hyde noted his girlfriend's narrowed eyes and hastened to make amends. "Except for that last part of the dream – I do believe there will be some kitchen floor lovemaking in our future – hopefully the near future."

"Don't get your hopes up," Jackie said disdainfully. The annoyance in her eyes was chased away by melancholy as she said, "So you don't think the rest of the dream is likely to come true?"

"I don't believe in visions and that new age crap," Hyde replied, deliberately misunderstanding her.

"But would you like the dream to come true?" Jackie persisted.

Hyde started to feel the pressure of Jackie's future plans pushing at him, trapping him. The pressure of having to deal with adult responsibilities, of being responsible for another person's happiness, of being tied down to one person and one place. Sometimes the picture of a loving family that she had just painted was everything he ever wanted, but other times it scared him stupid.

"Jackie, we agreed we weren't going to talk about this sort of stuff," he replied more harshly than he meant to. "Just be happy with what we have – stop pushing me."

"Fine," Jackie growled, flinging herself out of her bed. She started to pull on some sweats.

"Where are you going?" Hyde asked, exasperated.

"Taking a walk," she responded curtly.

"Jackie, stop acting like a spoiled brat who's not getting her own way and come back to bed."

Jackie exploded. "Not getting my own way? When do I ever get my way with you, Steven? You never give an inch. Everything has to be on your terms. You've never even told me you were sorry for breaking my heart 5 months ago. You've never even told me you loved me!"

"Yes, I did!" Hyde said, outraged.

"One freaking time you've said those words to me, at a time when by all laws of love they could not be taken seriously. Never since. That's the real reason why you couldn't see a future with me, isn't it, Steven? When you love someone you want to hold onto them but my only purpose in your life is as your sex buddy!"

"What!"

"You said it yourself – you think sex is the only thing we have in common. Well, I've got news for you, Steven Hyde. I deserve better!" With that, Jackie stormed out of her bedroom, leaving Hyde stunned. By the time he had the sense to pull on his clothes and run after her, she was nowhere in sight.

Jackie chose to walk lonely hiking tracks where she was less likely to meet people who would notice her tear ravaged face. After walking for two hours, she found herself at Point Place Park and collapsed in exhaustion on her customary park bench overlooking the duck pond. As the arctic breeze turned her tear tracks to ice, she was too absorbed in her misery to hear someone approach her from behind. As a hand dropped onto her shoulder, she gave a startled scream.

"It's OK – it's just me."

"Michael!" Jackie gasped.