Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Warning: Mild language

AN: Another short chapter...I was orginally going to combine this with the next part, but it's getting too long, so I'm just splitting it up. Thanks so much for reading...and the reviews are great:) I really appreciate your feedback. Anyway, two chapters left...I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of the week.

Reawakening

Chapter 8 – Only If He Grovels

Her door opened again, and Jackie groaned. Why couldn't people just leave her alone? She was tired, cranky, she looked horrible, she didn't feel well, and now thanks to Steven she was in emotional disarray. Wasn't it a sin to upset an injured person, especially one as pretty as her? If it wasn't, it sure as hell should be.

"Hey Jackie, it's just me." Donna walked to the right side of Jackie's bed and smiled down at her friend.

Jackie looked up wearily. "Donna, I'm really tired and not feeling well…"

"I know, but I need to talk to you about Hyde." She shrugged. "I'll be quick."

Jackie groaned and closed her eyes, trying not to see Steven's face, the slight smile he'd given her that always managed to make her stomach feel as if she was careening down a roller coaster hill. "I don't want to talk about Steven."

Donna understood, and she felt a bit guilty about pushing Jackie when she was this exhausted and a captive audience. Then again, this might make her happy. Maybe. Possibly. Hopefully. "I know, but Jackie, he cried. Hyde actually cried." She shook her head, still amazed at what she'd seen. "And I'm not talking pretend crying."

That startled Jackie, and her eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"He cried. See, Mrs. Forman told us about your accident, and we all came to the hospital. Except Hyde. But then he…"

"Wait a second," Jackie exclaimed with as much energy as she could muster. Her eyes opened wider, and her left eye hurt badly because of it, but she didn't care. "Steven didn't come to the hospital after he heard about my accident?" The ache in her heart tripled. "He didn't even care?" Tears stung her eyes and she turned her head away. "Figures. What a jerk…god, I can't believe that I…" Her voice choked off.

Donna grabbed Jackie's hand. "Wait, Jackie. Just listen. I mean, that's what I thought too, at first. But then a couple hours later he showed up. He took his sunglasses off and I noticed…Jackie, his eyes were all swollen and red."

Jackie rolled her head back towards Donna. "Really?" she whispered. Donna nodded, and Jackie began to smile. But then she forced it and the small hint of pleasure she felt away. "He'd probably just been hitting it and the smoke irritated his eyes."

"No, Jackie." She sighed. "He was crying. He was upset." She smiled. "He was scared that he might lose you."

Jackie began to tear up. "Then why didn't he come to the hospital right away?"

"You know Hyde. He doesn't like people to think he has feelings."

Jackie nodded. "That's true," she replied weakly, unable to stop her tears. She wasn't sure what to think. Could it be real? Could Steven REALLY have cried…CRIED over her?

Donna rubbed Jackie's hand. "Think about it. He didn't cry when his mother left the last time. He didn't cry when Sam left. Or when his divorce papers came." She winced at the hurt on Jackie's face and hurried to continue. "But he cried over YOU."

Jackie rubbed her temple that was throbbing again, and she stared at the ceiling. It was so confusing; she had no idea what to think, what to feel, what to do. She wanted to believe that Steven cried, that he'd been petrified of losing her…but how could she? How COULD she after what he'd said to her?

"He wants to talk to you, Jackie. He wants to apologize for saying that he…for what he said to you."

Jackie looked up at Donna, puzzled. She didn't remember telling Donna about that. "Wait…how do you know what he said?"

Donna shrugged. "He told Eric. Eric told me. You know, he's always had a big mouth." She rolled her eyes. "Remember when he told you what Eric said about the man ring I bought him?"

Jackie couldn't help but smile. Yeah, he'd yelled at her for having a big mouth, but he was the one who told her to begin with. And even then he'd known she couldn't keep a secret. So it had really been his fault. "So…" Her smile faded. "You think he wants to apologize?" Her eyes narrowed with bitter anger. "He should. I mean, god! Even if he meant it, he shouldn't have said it!" She closed her eyes tight to keep her tears in.

"He didn't, Jackie."

Donna sounded so certain, but Jackie wasn't so certain. Her eyes opened and she stared at the ceiling. She hated that she was praying with every fiber of her being that Donna was right; she hated feeling this vulnerable to Steven. She'd tried so hard to steel herself to him. And just like always, her steel was threatening to crumble because of him.

Donna noticed her hesitation. "Come on, Jackie. Look at it this way. You can really make him grovel. And I think this time he'll actually do it." Jackie's expression remained conflicted, and Donna sighed. "Jackie, he stayed all night with you."

"He did?" Jackie stared at Donna, her eyes dampening again. Steven had stayed all night with her? Here? "In my room? While I was sleeping?"

Donna smiled. "Yep."

Jackie rubbed her still throbbing temple and tried to breathe. It was all just so…so much; she was completely overwhelmed. "Okay," she found herself saying, almost from outside herself. "I'll talk to him. But only if he grovels."

Donna grinned and squeezed Jackie's hand. "Okay. I'll go get him." She let go and walked out of the room. She looked at Hyde, who sat on the bench with his arms crossed over his chest. "She'll talk to you now," she said slightly triumphantly. She raised an eyebrow. "But she wants you to grovel." Hyde rolled his eyes, and Donna glared at him. "Grovel, Hyde!"

Hyde stood up and slowly moved towards Jackie's door. Grovel? Groveling was sure as hell not his style. Even if she had every right to expect him to.

"Hyde."

Just as he reached for the doorknob, Eric spoke, and Hyde turned around. "What?"

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Grovel."

Hyde shook his head and turned back to the door. He took a shallow breath and opened it, walking in before he could change his mind.