Behind Steven Hyde's Blue Eyes

By: Tokoyami

Author's Note: Sorry for the horribly long wait for an update. I had ISTEPs (tests that are timed and put on my permanent record) for a whole week. I am also practicing for a play for my school. I also had a slight case of writer's block. Well I got nine reviews this time, which makes me very happy. I want to thank bfan2good4u, ibreak4CSI, crazyschick, bluephoenix70, SpotlessLadybug, YouThinkYouNoeMe, redheadlibrarian, hogwartsalumni, Jessica, and pokey for reviewing the eighth chapter. The title of this chapter is based off a song by Janis Joplin called 'Cry Baby.'

Disclaimer: I do not own That 70's Show or any of its characters. I do not own any of the songs that I am using for my chapter titles.

Chapter Nine

Cry Baby

So many thoughts were swirling and mixing themselves in Hyde's mind. Feelings of panic, comprehension, and rage were coursing through his body. His fist still stung from the impact it had encountered with Kelso's face. His pulse was beating rapidly and his breathe seemed to be caught in his throat. Hyde's mouth had gone dry and his eyes had gone numb. Through all the many confusing and mixed thoughts zooming through his head, he could only clearly hear one of them. And this one thought was repeating itself over and over again.

"Because I love her…Because I love her…Because I love her…"

Suddenly he snapped back to reality. He needed to go. He had to get out of here. He needed to clear his head. Yeah, maybe he said all of these confusing things because he isn't thinking right. He blinked and shook his head thoroughly. Hyde gazed down at Kelso's limp body. He'll deal with him later. He quickly turned around and went to open the door. But just when his hand was about to grasp the doorknob, it turned.

The opening door revealed the one person who had been on his mind for the past few days, the person who he had spent so many good and bad times with, the person he had just realized he had feelings for…there stood Jackie Burkhart. Hyde sucked in his breath fast, as his heart began to quicken. He had never really looked at Jackie like he was now. He gazed into those eyes, those beautiful kaleidoscope eyes. The colors of blue and green gracefully clashed into each other, forming the subtle resemblance of a calm sea. Oh no, his mind was betraying him again.

"Oh shit," Hyde said out loud. He had to go before he did something he would regret. Hyde quickly maneuvered himself around Jackie's small frame, and leapt up the stairs two steps at a time.

"Steven, wait!" Jackie called after him.

"Sorry, it's an emergency," Hyde replied over his shoulder. It was definitely an emergency, the unspeakable had happened. Hyde unlocked his car and jumped into the driver's seat. He revved the engine and drove off, leaving a surprised Jackie in its dust.

----

Jackie was very proud of herself. She had managed to buy a variety of fruits, vegetables, and a few pieces of meat for a reasonable price. She had decided it was about time she got back on track. All her feelings for Kelso had long evaporated. This surprised her because usually it took her about at least two weeks to get over one of Kelso's cheating incidents. Maybe it was because she was tired with the whole scenario, and did not see a future with this relationship. And possibly it could have been because someone had helped her who on previous occasions has not have even cared. Steven Hyde, it rolled off her tongue. Jackie liked the sound of his name and repeated it to herself several times. He had been there to help her and get her life back into gear. He had shown that he cared, in a Hyde caring way, and that meant a lot to Jackie Burkhart.

She decided to head over to the Forman's residence. It was around three o'clock when she left the grocery store, and it was a shorter trip to the Forman's than her house. She did not want her food stolen, so Jackie wanted to get a familiar area as soon as possible. Then, maybe, Hyde would drive her home. Jackie smiled at the thought of seeing him again. She practically skipped down the sidewalk. Lately, many of her thoughts had wandered to the subject of Steven Hyde: the way he talked with a slight smirk, how he walked with a bit of a swagger, how he ranted on about corrupted society and government, his worship of rock 'n' roll, his wardrobe of faded blue jeans and various band shirts, his zen glasses, and his indifference about authority. The list could go on in Jackie's mind. In fact for the rest if the way home, all Jackie did was continue her list about Steven Hyde's irresistible qualities.

As she rounded the corner, Jackie's insides squirmed as she neared the Forman residence. What if Hyde was still at work? What would she tell the Formans if she showed up there unexpectantly? These thoughts continued to flash her mind as she started to walk down the stairs towards the basement. She reached for the doorknob and turned it gently, maybe she would be able to surprise Hyde. But as the door opened, she saw that she wouldn't have to. There stood Hyde looking at her in an odd sort of way. It wasn't a cruel look, just strange. Do I look weird? She gazed into his blue eyes that were identical to the color of a clear sky. How did a man as harsh as Hyde end up with such gentle blue eyes? The only way to fully see the other hidden and buried side of Hyde was to look behind his blue eyes. They showed his emotions and his thoughts. Why did he hide them behind those sunglasses?

Suddenly, Hyde jerked his head and blinked. A mumbled 'oh shit' escaped his lips before he moved around Jackie. What? What did I do? She turned around as he leapt up the stairs. She followed him and called his name. She only heard a distant reply about an emergency before he got into his car and drove away. She coughed as she swiped at the dust around her face. Why had he run off like that? Was it something she did? But she hadn't even said anything yet. What sort of emergency could he have? Jackie slowly turned and walked down the stairs. Why were these things so confusing?

----

Hyde drove his car quickly through all of the Point Place traffic, which consisted of a few cars, two passing trucks, and an old lady in a Cadillac giving him the finger while he cut her off. He had to get somewhere to clear his mind and calm his raging heart. This raging heart was currently beating rapidly to a high voltage ACDC solo. Hyde could almost feel the sound waves ranting from the electric guitar through the radio. He cranked the volume and put his foot on the gas. He twisted and turned through a winding street going upward. As the song was nearing to an end, Hyde began to come back to reality. He realized that he was going up Mount Hump (I think that is the big hill by them) Out of instinct, he turned off the road unto a path overlooking Point Place.

He slowed and turned off the engine, but kept the radio on. Right now the DJ was making a short announcement about an upcoming Rolling Stones concert. Hyde just sat there staring out the window taking all of Point Place in. He had been to the spot where he was currently parked many times with many girls. But the only one that stuck out in his mind was the time he had taken Jackie. It had been his first time here. In fact it was Jackie that had showed him this spot. Here he had talked with her, and at the end they had shared a kiss. Hyde sat remembering those soft lips gently caressing his and she placed her hands softly around his face. It had been amazing and Hyde had never felt the same with any other girl since. But at the end, Jackie had said she hadn't felt anything but hotness. So in a zen-like manner, Hyde agreed hesitantly. Maybe the reason he kept coming back here with other girls was to relive that kiss. Now he realized it wasn't the spot, but the girl that he was missing. That girl was Jackie Burkhart.

As Hyde let this information sink in, a song began to play over the radio. As the first strums of the guitar rippled over the radio, Hyde snapped back. It was a Janis Joplin song. He hadn't listened to her in awhile. He was trying to remember the song. Then the lyrics began to pore through the famous rock 'n' roll singer's mouth.

I know she told you,
Honey I know she told you that she loved you
Much more than I did,
But all I know is that she left you,
And you swear that you just don't know why,
But you know, honey I'll always,
I'll always be around if you ever want me

Come on and cry, cry baby, cry baby, cry baby,
Oh honey, welcome back home.

Hyde listened carefully to these lyrics and it dawned on him. They described him, Jackie, and Kelso, except the she was a he in his position. Kelso had always told Jackie that he loved and no one would ever love her more than he did. But, he always left and cheated on her. Jackie wouldn't know what she did and would turn to Hyde for comfort because he was always there for her. He continued to listen to the song.

Don't you know, honey,
Ain't nobody ever gonna love you
The way I try to do ?
Who'll take all your pain,
Honey, your heartache, too ?
And if you need me, you know
That I'll always be around if you ever want me
Come on and cry, cry baby, cry baby, cry baby,
Oh daddy, like you always saying to do.

Again he was reminded of all the times Hyde had spent "consoling" Jackie while she cried into his shoulder. Bu consoling he meant staring at the television and saying a few words and cliché phrases like, "You can do much better than him." But the last time had been different. Hyde had spent time with Jackie and had actually cared for her. He then tuned into the last part of the song.

And when you walk around the world, babe,
You said you'd try to look for the end of the road,
You might find out later that the road'll end in Detroit,
Honey, the road'll even end in Kathmandu.
You can go all around the world
Trying to find something to do with your life, baby,
When you only gotta do one thing well,
You only gotta do one thing well to make it in this world, babe.
You got a woman waiting for you there,
All you ever gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman
And that'll be the end of the road, babe,
I know you got more tears to share, babe,
So come on, come on, come on, come on, come on,
And cry, cry baby, cry baby, cry baby.

And if you ever feel a little lonely, dear,
I want you to come on, come on to your mama now,
And if you ever want a little love of a woman
Come on and baby baby baby babe babe baby now
Cry baby yeah.

This part of the song seemed to be coming from Jackie's point of view. It talked about settling down with one woman and being a good man. All Jackie wanted were these two things, a good man settling down with her. Her hopes were always being destroyed by Kelso's infidelity. Hyde was never the one-woman type, but now as he had been thinking here for a half an hour, he began to see why Jackie wanted this. She yearned for a good man who only wanted to be with her, to only see her, and to only love her. In return, she would only want to be with this one man, to only see this one man, and to only love this one man.

As the tune ended, the title of the tune surfaced to Hyde's brain. The was called "Cry Baby." He smiled and mentally thanked Janis Joplin for recording this song. It had helped him realize and admit a couple of things. He reminded himself to buy that album when he gets the chance. But right now, Hyde had more important things to do. He inhaled deeply and started the ignition. Hyde drove back down the mountain and towards his destination, Eric's house. Hopefully a certain someone would still be there.

Author's Note: Finally finished that chapter. I wanted to show you guys the real Hyde behind blue eyes. I am pretty sure of what is going to happen next, but if anyone wants to suggest anything I will be checking reviews daily. I am going to be finishing this story pretty soon because I am eager to start my next story, which I hope you all will read. It will be much longer than this story only because I have had more time to work on it and my writing skills are improving. But I will make sure this story ends well. Alas, enough with my jabbering. Please review.