Thanks so much to everyone who's leaving reviews, especially those of you who've left multiple comments! I love hearing everyone's feedback, I'm still nervous about how I'm doing with writing a show I've never seen. I'm gonna wind this story down 'cause I wanna concentrate on another one set in the current season, but stay tuned for the final chapters of this!

It's My Party

"This cake is delicious, Mrs. Forman," Jackie says, happily devouring her second piece of the baked good. It's really nice of the Formans to throw her a birthday party. It doesn't matter that half her gratitude stems from the fact that Hyde would be forced to acknowledge her birthday if it was celebrated right under his roof. The point is, she recognizes that none of them had to go out of their way for her and she really does appreciate it.

"She's right, Mom," Eric agrees, digging in as well. "I'm a little offended 'cause, being your son and all, it's rightfully me who should get the yummy dessert and the tasteful social gathering to celebrate his arrival into the world so many moons ago, but I get embarrassing, juvenile parties and –"

"Kid, shut up and cut me another slice," Red orders, adding a light slap to the back of his son's head for good measure.

"Burn!" Kelso shouts gleefully.

Red raises his fork to Kelso's eyes and says calmly, "If you shout out that ridiculous pseudo-insult one more time, I won't be held responsible for where this fork ends up."

"Oh, Red, be nice." Kitty swats his arm down playfully. "He's just a little sugar-high, aren't you, Michael?"

He nods furiously, jamming a huge bite of cake into his mouth to prove the point. Hyde rolls his eyes and whispers to Donna, "Sugar-high looks a lot like brain dead, doesn't it?"

She stifles her laughter, but the private conversation catches the birthday girl's attention. Jackie continues to make a show of enjoying the cake (even though her Daddy would've hired a real chef to bake something from scratch, instead of Mrs. Forman's 'add water to powder' formula) but watches the pair out of the corner of her eye.

"You know, Jackie," Kelso says when he's swallowed enough cake to keep him full for three days, "You look as sweet as this frosting tastes."

Normally, she would point out that it's kind of a backward compliment since he's gonna throw all that frosting up in a few minutes. But with Hyde being a jerk and totally ignoring her – on her birthday, for Pete's sake! – she leans in close and coos, "Aw, Michael, I bet you say that to all the girls."

"Something along those lines usually works," he confirms with his self-proclaimed 'I'm beautiful and I know it' grin.

Jackie is about to deliver a joking retort when she catches Hyde and Donna sharing yet another private laugh and snaps.

"Michael Kelso, you are such a jerk," she announces, scraping her chair back and standing. "I am so sick of stupid boys who pretend to care about me just to pass the time!"

"Jackie, what's the matter?" Donna asks, reaching for her friend's hand.

"Hands off, traitor!" Jackie commands, sidestepping her and running straight into Hyde's solid chest. She sizes him up, pokes a finger in his chest and says, "And you! You're the worst of all!"

His eyebrows nearly hit his hairline and he stands speechless as she storms out of the room. "Well, that was unexpected," he says to the room at large once they've heard her stomp all the way down to the basement.

Red slaps his head in the same manner he'd slapped Eric's, and it's stupid but it makes Hyde feel like part of the family. "Go fix it," the older man orders, and it's as simple as 'do as Red says or die'.

"Fine," he gives in easily enough, "But I'm taking the last piece of cake."

He figures he can use it as an olive branch. Or just shove it in her face when she starts to whine. Properly armed, he marches down the stairs, sits in his usual chair, and waits her out.

"Go away."

He ignores her. "Jackie, it's your birthday. That means people are going to be showering you with attention all day long. And you got presents! What could you possibly be angry about?"

"You didn't get me anything," she mumbles sullenly, still not looking at him.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

"Don't be stupid, Steven," she replies. "Mr. and Mrs. Forman gave me a party, and Donna got me a shirt that looks a little cheap, but is actually kind of pretty, and Kelso gave me a picture of himself, and Fez returned all my clothes he's ever stolen, and even freakin' Eric managed to stick twenty bucks in an envelope! And everyone was so nice and so great, and I know it's half 'cause my dad's in jail and they feel sorry for me, but really, Steven! I hang out with you more than almost all of them! Why couldn't you at least pretend to care about my birthday?"

"I said 'happy birthday' to you this morning," he defends himself.

"Grunting it over a bowl of cereal so doesn't count, Steven Hyde," Jackie insists. "And then you talk and giggle with Donna while I'm trying to enjoy my cake! I can't decide if you're selfish or stupid."

He bristles. "Okay, first of all … I don't giggle. I chuckle. In a manly, masculine, macho fashion. Get it? And second … were you jealous?"

"Ha! Jealous? Please." She flips her hair over her shoulder haughtily. "I'm way prettier than Donna, the whole football team says so. Besides, what do I have to be jealous of? It's not like I like you or anything."

Hyde tries to ignore that the subtle dig hurts a lot more than it should. "Well, if you don't like me, then you definitely don't need a gift from me, so I guess I'll just return it."

Jackie perks up instantly. "You did get me something?"

"Like you'd let me live if I didn't," he scoffs. "Here."

He pulls it out from under the coffee table and hands it over, watching her face carefully as she tears away the newspaper wrapping. "Steven!" she gasps, her joy lighting up her face. "It's beautiful!"

'It' is a necklace, a delicate silver chain from which a thin cursive 'J' hangs. Immediately, she gathers up her hair and settles onto his lap, her back resting against his chest. "Can you do the clasp for me?"

It's harder than one might think, and he fumbles a time or two before getting it right. "Victory," he finally proclaims, and she turns to hug him tightly.

"Thank you," she murmurs sincerely, "It's the perfect present."