Disclaimer: I own nothing because if I did, well, first I'd be rich, and second, I'd end the show in a shippy style.
Summary: This episode is where Hyde learns to dance to impress Donna; however, in my version, he does so to impress Jackie. Again, this is not a continuation of the last chapter, so nothing from chapter one is carried over; meaning, Jackie and Hyde have not kissed. This is just another one-shot.
A/N: A million thanks to everyone who reviewed part one! I'm ecstatic that this idea has gone over well! And I apologize for the extreme lateness on getting chapter two up. I have been gone on and off for the last month or so, and have also been battling writer's block. Things seem to be getting back on track for me however, so I should be able to write and update more consistently, although in August I am moving down to school so that will be a major adjustment and chapters may again slow up as my freshmen year of college begins. However, I will do my best to keep this story going (and hopefully get some others churned out before I lose my inspiration). So, here is part two! Hope you like! Lyrics to "Fernando" by ABBA.
Season 1, Episode 7: That Disco Episode
It was the day of the big disco, and everyone, save for Hyde, seemed excited for the festivities to begin. Eric was taking Donna, hoping for a chance to get into her good graces even though he admitted he didn't particularly enjoy the dance music; Fez was going because he had never heard disco music, and despite Hyde's assurances that it was utter crap, the foreigner was curious; and Kelso was taking Jackie, although only because he still hadn't found the balls to break up with her yet. This was perhaps what annoyed Hyde the most, though he kept that bit of information behind tightly sealed lips. He wasn't sure why he was so perturbed by Kelso's antics, after all, they weren't anything new. The guy was constantly bragging about girls he cheated on Jackie with, and also about how he was going to break up with her; it was pretty much old hat. Perhaps he was simply tired of Kelso treating the poor girl so badly while she remained oblivious to the whole ordeal, although, a little part of him knew that wasn't the whole reason. A little part of him was always secretly watching her, secretly smiling at her quirks, secretly longing to be near her and touch her. But again, that little part of him was kept secure under lock and key, never to be found out by the others.
"So that's pretty much it," Eric stated as he dropped the last can into the barrel. "I think we've got about…a dollar fifty worth of gas."
"Come on, let's head over to my house," Kelso said. "My dad's got a ton of empties."
He and Eric and Fez all trotted off, leaving Hyde in silent frustration, which abruptly came bubbling to the surface at their departure.
"Man, I can't believe they're wasting all their money on that stupid disco when they could buy a really big bag of…" he suddenly realized Red was still in the garage and offered him a weak smile as he concluded, "…caramels."
Red glanced up, slightly amused. "You're not going to the disco?"
Hyde scoffed. "No."
Smirking, Red tilted his head and studied the frizzy-haired boy. "You can't dance, can you?"
Offended, Hyde stepped forward. "I can dance," he insisted, pointing at himself as if to emphasize his statement.
Red chuckled and shook his head. "Not one step."
Sensing defeat, Hyde bowed his head. "You're right, not one step."
"Then you have a problem," Red said, popping open the tab of a beer. "Because women, they always want to dance. Always."
"Why?"
Red shrugged. "Because they get canclose and wiggle around in front of men in a safe atmosphere."
Hyde shook his head, holding his hands up nervously. "See, I don't really want to wiggle around in public."
"Of course not. You're a man," Red said gruffly, but then he smirked. "But you better learn because if you don't, you're gonna be wiggling around all by yourself." He took a sip of his beer and glanced away from Hyde as he said, "Now, if you want, I can help you out."
The next thing he knew, Hyde was in the Forman's living room, a catchy tune playing as Kitty stood next to him, talking him through the steps of the dance. After their fourth run-through, Hyde became irritated and threw his hands up in the air.
"I can't keep up with the music, Mrs. Forman."
Kitty hurriedly shut off the music, laughing her signature laugh as she said, "Now, now, Steven, don't get discouraged," and came to stand before him. She instructed him to place his hand on her back, and slowly, she taught him how to lead her in the dance as she again talked him through the steps. He faltered on the dip, accidentally dropping her to the floor, but she quickly popped back up and assured him she was fine and they should just keep trying.
He was feeling incredibly stupid, but he had a feeling this disco was the only thing that would get him noticed by Jackie, and as much as he loathed admitting it, even to himself, he wanted her to notice him. He didn't care to think about why he wanted this, and so he followed Mrs. Forman's instructions as she led him through dance after dance, and soon, he began to find his own rhythm. By the end of the evening, Hyde was feeling pretty confident, and even though he was dreading attending the disco and risking ruining his reputation, he couldn't help but feel a tiny thrill of excitement as he thought of the surprise on Jackie's face when he pulled her close out on the dance floor. He supposed one night of humiliation would be worth that…plus, he'd get to see the look on Kelso's face, and that would definitely be worth it.
As the six friends stood around the Vista Cruiser and Mrs. Forman snapped pictures, Hyde tried hard not to glance too often in Jackie's direction. Luckily for him, his signature glasses were firmly in place, so the covert peeks he snuck went unnoticed by the rest of the gang. He was startled by how beautiful she looked in her dark plum gown and furry white coat, her dark hair piled in curls on top of her head, with a few ringlets framing her heart-shaped face. She looked incredibly happy too, beaming from ear to ear as she hooked her arm through Kelso's and posed for the camera. He ignored the slight clenching in his stomach as he watched Kelso's hands on her, trying to convince himself he just didn't want to see her get hurt, although when he silently asked himself why he cared, he couldn't come up with an answer.
Thankfully, he was saved by Eric, who suggested he take a picture of his mother, who in turn promptly stopped furiously snapping pictures and hurried them on their way. He kissed Kitty on the cheek, thanked her for all her help, and slid into the Cruiser next to none other than the object of his secret desire. A lump formed in his throat and he furiously swallowed past it, masking his features in Zen as they rode along down the highway toward the club in Kenosha.
The club was crowded, the lights bouncing around and the music blaring. The gang had found themselves two tables and were currently watching Kelso out on the dance floor making a fool of himself. Hyde's head was beginning to throb from the annoying blaring of the terrible music, but he was slightly amused by the throng of fools wiggling about on the dance floor, namely by Kelso, who had just realized that Jackie was no longer dancing with him. The sweaty goon plopped down beside her, lips turned down in a frown of confusion.
"Jackie, where'd you go?"
"I had to get something for you to bite on because I told everyone you were having a seizure!" Jackie snapped irritably, clearly embarrassed by his lack of dancing skills.
Hyde chuckled to himself, and as the song changed, he glanced over at Jackie, trying to muster up the courage to ask her out on the dance floor himself. Unfortunately, Fez got to her first, turning her face to his when she declined and refusing to take no for an answer. He watched as Jackie was pulled into the crowd, and then his eyes widened as the crowd parted and Fez came strutting down the middle, Jackie following behind him, her body shimmying to the beat. His eyes followed her every move as she swayed to the music, her dark eyes on her dancing partner, sweat beginning to glisten on her exposed skin. He was mesmerized by her, and even when Eric glanced at him and made some comment about how Jackie must not weight that much as Fez twirled her around in the air, Hyde could not tear his eyes away from her. Fortunately for him, Eric, Donna, and Kelso all seemed enthralled with her as well, so they didn't notice his unwavering gaze.
When the song ended and Fez dragged Jackie back to their tables, Hyde heard Kelso huff from beside him and glanced over to see his friend pouting with his arms crossed, glaring daggers at the foreigner. He smirked a little, but as the song changed and ABBA's "Fernando" blared over the speakers, he saw his chance and seized it before the opportunity slipped away.
Fez was about to lead Jackie back to the dance floor when a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned around and to his surprise, found Hyde staring back at him.
"Can I cut in?"
Fez frowned slightly, the opportunity of making Jackie his quickly slipping from his grasp. He opened his mouth to decline Hyde's request, but the curly-haired boy stepped past him and held out a hand to Jackie. Fez felt Jackie's fingers slip from his as she cocked an eyebrow at Hyde and gave him a small, intrigued smile. He pouted as the two walked briskly into the mass of writhing bodies and stomped back to the table, throwing himself into the chair next to Kelso.
"What the hell is Hyde doing?" Eric asked, his mouth agape as he glanced over the bobbing heads and saw the unlikely pair begin to dance.
"Stealing Jackie from me," both Kelso and Fez replied, and then looked at each other in surprise. Kelso's eyes narrowed and Fez became frightened, but Donna's voice snapped both of their gazes back onto the dance floor.
"Oh my God, I've never seen Hyde dance!" she squealed as she watched him glide across the floor. "He's good!"
Out on the dance floor, Hyde pulled Jackie in close; smiling slightly at the surprise he'd anticipated shining in her dark eyes. She was definitely curious about his unexpected behavior, and he decided to let her wonder for a while, choosing to remain silent as they swayed together to the beat.
Finally, the silence got to her, and she asked, "What are you doing, exactly?"
"Dancing," Hyde replied simply, a corner of his lips twitching upward in amusement as she rolled her eyes. He was having fun torturing her.
"But you don't dance," Jackie stated.
He shrugged. "Well, I guess I do now."
She shook her head at him in bemusement. "Now all of a sudden you like disco?"
"Oh hell no," he replied quickly and firmly. "I hate this crap." He gave her a small, shy smile as he added, "The dancing part isn't that bad, however."
Jackie couldn't help but smile at his words as she settled herself more firmly in his arms. She let herself get lost in his eyes as the music washed over them, forgetting about everything else but the feel of his hand on the small of her back and his body pressed closely against hers. She giggled in surprise as he suddenly dipped her, but the laughter died instantly when she saw his intense gaze, and her heart began a frantic tempo, echoing in her ears.
"Jackie…" he said huskily, his eyes flickering down to her parted lips. "I feel like I wanna kiss you."
Back at the table, all eyes were on the bizarre couple. Donna was watching in amusement, Eric in horror, Fez and Kelso both in dismay.
"I think you lost your date, Kelso," Donna said, grinning at him.
Kelso snorted and sunk back farther into his seat. "Yeah, well it doesn't matter because Jackie and I are history!"
"Yes, and it should be Fez's turn now," Fez mumbled from his seat beside Kelso.
Kelso's eyes snapped to him. "What?"
Fez sat up quickly, smiling meekly as he stuttered, "Uh…I mean, Hyde betrayed you, that son of a bitch."
After a moment of thought, Kelso eased back into his chair and nodded. "Yeah, he did. I should kick his ass!"
"I thought you and Jackie were history?" Donna said, smiling viciously at him.
"Yeah, weren't you breaking up with her tonight, man?" Eric added mockingly.
Kelso huffed. "Well, I was, until Hyde decided to steal her from me!"
Eric and Donna shook their heads and glanced back out on the dance floor.
"Man, that looks like so much fun," Donna commented offhand.
Eric grinned at her and held out his hand. "Wanna dance, little lady?"
Donna beamed up at him and took his hand. "I'd love to!"
Kelso frowned as he watched them disappear into the crowd. "Great!" he shouted over the music. "Now we're all alone here, and Hyde stole my girlfriend."
"And now he's kissing your girlfriend," Fez said and pointed to where Jackie and Hyde were standing, Hyde bent low over Jackie, his lips on hers.
"Uh!" Kelso cried indignantly and jumped up from his seat. He marched onto the dance floor and directly up to the couple, ripping Jackie from Hyde's grasp.
"Michael!" Jackie cried in surprise.
Kelso ignored her, focusing his attention on Hyde. "What the hell do you think you're doing, man?"
Hyde's eyes flickered to Jackie, who was looking frightened behind Kelso. "Uh…" he said lamely, having no excuse prepared for this particular turn of events. He hadn't planned on kissing Jackie, it had just happened. And the truly amazing thing was, she had kissed him back. Of course, now he had to deal with her extremely pissed of boyfriend and…wait, hadn't Kelso been planning on breaking up with her? "I was kissing Jackie," he said.
Jackie's eyes clenched tight at the words, and she could almost feel Michael stiffen. How had this happened to her? One minute she was dancing with Hyde, the next she found herself kissing him, and now she didn't know what to do. Well, she knew what she wanted to do; she wanted to be back in Hyde's arms, she wanted to still be kissing him. But Michael was her boyfriend, and she loved him...didn't she?
"Jackie's my girl," Kelso growled, advancing on his slightly shorter friend.
Hyde didn't budge, standing his ground as Kelso stared him down. "Really? I thought you were breaking up with her tonight."
Eyes widening in surprise, Jackie glanced at Michael to confirm this news, and seeing his guilty expression, she knew it was the truth. Anger boiled up within her, and as he began stuttering out an excuse, she felt the urge to slap him, but checked it and instead spun on her heel and stormed out of the club.
Kelso immediately called after her, "Wait, Jackie, I decided not to!"
But it was Hyde who started after her, brushing brusquely past Kelso and dodging his way in between the dancing bodies of the crowd, desperate to keep her dark head in sight as she too wove her way through the maze of people. He saw her exit through the double doors they had come in through and quickly followed, glancing left and right as he found himself in open air. She was standing a few feet away, he saw, her arms wrapped tight around her small frame. He hurried up to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
She shrugged his hand off, thinking it was Michael who'd come after her, and whipped around to snap at him. The words died in her throat as she saw it was Hyde instead, his blue eyes filled with concern as he stared at her.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked softly, again reaching out and touching her shoulder.
Jackie nodded silently, this time allowing his hand to linger on her exposed skin, the feeling of his calloused fingers on her shoulder oddly comforting.
Hyde rubbed the pad of his thumb up and down her arm soothingly. "I'm sorry you had to find out like that," he said quietly, his gaze slipping down to the asphalt.
"It's probably better that I did," she replied just as quietly.
They were silent for a while then, both wondering if they should acknowledge the moment they had shared or if it was not yet appropriate to breach the subject. Jackie shivered as the cold finally penetrated her bare skin, and Hyde immediately pulled her closer, rubbing his hands quickly up and down her arms to warm her. She smiled fleetingly up at him, but just as quickly looked away, embarrassed.
Feeling at a loss, Hyde continued to try and warm her up, but the awkward silence continued to stretch between them. He suddenly felt the urge to apologize for kissing her; after all, she did have a boyfriend...a boyfriend who just happened to be one of his best friends.
"Jackie, I'm…I'm sorry," he said lamely.
She glanced up at him, confused. "For what, Steven?"
Hearing her call him Steven sent a pleasant feeling of warmth flowing through him, and he almost wanted to take back his apology. But she deserved an explanation. He cleared his throat. "For kissing you. I had no right. You're with Kelso, and…"
Jackie shook her head, cutting him off. "I don't want to talk about Michael right now."
"Okay," Hyde said, and cleared his throat nervously. "What would you like to talk about?"
Jackie sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to talk right now. Just...will you hold me?"
She snuggled closer into his embrace, and Hyde's arms instinctively tightened around her. At length, he began to sway her gently back and forth, and then, ever so softly, he began to sing.
"There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though I never thought that we could lose
There's no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando."
Jackie smiled against his shoulder as her eyes slid closed, and quietly, she began humming along with him. All thoughts of Michael were forgotten. There was nothing but the two of them, dancing gracefully in the still night air.
A/N 2: So, I'm not so sure I like this chapter, and I had an incredibly difficult time writing it. I think I wrote three versions before I finally decided this was the most decent of the three. Well, please leave me some feedback and let me know what you thought! Thanks!
