Taxi

Future, flashbacks and AU. All characters involved but mainly Donna, Jackie, Hyde and Eric. I heard this song on the radio and it reminded me of a couple on the show. After a disastrous season 8, can we feel a little love?

Disclaimer: I don't own That 70's Show or Taxi by Harry Chapin.

Chapter 2

Hyde

It was raining hard in 'Frisco

I needed on more fare to make my night.

A lady up ahead waved to flag me down,

She got in at the light.

December 1989

So, here I am, in sunny California, driving my Taxi. Only it's raining tonight, it never rains in California. Driving a taxi has its benefits. Meet new and interesting people every day. If you don't want to talk, just put the window up. It gives a person a lot of time to think. Problem was I always think about my past instead of my future. Do I even have a future?

December 31, 1979

Hyde followed Donna as she went outside. He stood by the slider, watched her and drank. She sat on his car, yeah his car, and looked so sad. I've never seen her look so sad. How could he leave her, how could he break up with her? He truly was a dumbass. Her head in her hands, crying softly. She looked to the heavens for a sign, hoping for something, a miracle.

There was no one inside he wanted to talk to anymore. He couldn't stand to look at Fez and Jackie, the happy couple. Jackie, his mind never wondered far from Jackie. Poor Fez, he would get his heart broken just like me, just like me and Kelso. Join the club Fez; membership is free. It was hard to think just months ago, I was going to propose to her. I think she would have said yes. Where did everything go so wrong? I ended up drunk and married, but not to her though. Kelso, the root of all of my problems, is an idiot. Maybe, just maybe, Red really will stick his foot up Kelso's ass tonight. That would be a Happy New Year. That would be something to see. At least they're not moving. Too much change is bad; too much change and things can get really screwed up. Like it did last year.

I need something or someone, I can count on; Forman used to be it; be even he let me down. How could he go to Africa, how could my best friend leave me? He probably has no idea the void he left with me, with the group. Maybe if he would have been here, things could have been different? I only know, she would have been happier. How could he leave her? But luckly I still have Donna. Donna has been the one constant, the one always there for me. She's always been there for everyone. She's a rock, someone you can always count on. But look at her, the rock is crumbling, the rock is crying. I've never seen the rock cry.

Hyde just stood in the door and watched her. He didn't make a move, he didn't make a sound, he didn't try and comfort her, he just watched and drank. Maybe because he felt just like she did, maybe he really just needed to sit on a car, cry a little and think about life? Look up to the heavens for a sign, a miracle. Nah, guys don't do that, especially cool guys. It didn't matter; he preferred to just watch.

Hey, whose that coming in the driveway? Is Randy going to give it one more try? Wait, that's Forman. When did Forman get here, where did he come from, how did he get here? Donna, get off the car. Oh my god, Donna hit him, punch him, stick your foot up his ass. Let him know whose boss. Wait, what are you doing laughing with him, staring at him like he's the world, he's the answer to the prayer you just said to heaven. He left you. He broke up with you. He broke your heart. What are you doing kissing him, hugging him, holding on to him for dear life, talking to him on the hood of his car. What happened to I just want to show Eric, I'm over him? What happened to my rock? I guess Forman must be paper; cause paper beats rock. Now, crying tears of joy! I guess my rock really has crumbled; I can't even count on her.

That was the last thing I remembered from the party.

Get drunk, high and you never know what will happen. I woke the next day, and everything was different. Forman and Donna, although not back together yet, would be soon. Fez and Jackie, Jackie and Fez, God it even seems weird to say their two names together. That was just insane. She will never get over me, just like I will never get over her. I had to get out of this town; I had to get far away from Point Place. A little voice in my head kept saying, make sure you don't get married again, dumbass. Make sure you don't fall for another women again. That won't happen, there's only one woman for me. Kelso, trying to get back into town, made an offer on the store last night. I hope he was serious. He and Brooke were turning into a relationship and wanted to move back. Yeah, Kelso ruins my life and just moves onto the next. Didn't he have a clue what he did to me, to me and Jackie?

Two weeks later, I spoke with WB and he took care of all the arrangements. Got my money and moved here.

10 Years later:

December 1989

Here I am still driving a Taxi. I love the hours; I can come and go as I want. I prefer the night. WB set me up, some connection he had. I own about 10 of these. I don't make a lot of money, but more than enough. After all, how much do I need, a little food, a lot of booze, a little stash and I'm happy. I bought my beach place about 7 years ago. Do you know how much chicks dig the beach? Although, I would have thought, some of my so-called friends would have visited. I can understand Jackie, but Forman, Donna, Kelso, Fez, I don't. Luckily, I don't need to count on anyone, never have and never will. Alone, that's how I always pictured myself.

Poor lady got drenched. "Get in."

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Jackie

Oh, where you going to, my lady blue,

It's a shame you ruined your gown in the rain.

She just looked out the window, and said

"Sixteen Parkside Lane"

December 1989

As she got into the cab, her mind wondered back to the party she just left. She left him there again. My husband, playing footsie with his secretary right in front of me. It's enough to drive me to divorce him. That would be good, take half his money. He has enough of it. He wouldn't even miss it. Maybe I was being a bitch, what did he expect, the DJ started playing Tiny Dancer. So what if he doesn't know what effect that has on me, the effect it's always had on me. It always makes me remember, remember home, remember the basement, remember true friends, remember …. him. As I looked out the window into the dreary night, I remembered.

December 31, 1979

Here we are at the Forman's, where else would we be. What a way to ring in the New Year. Kitty gets done making her speech about not leaving. How much she'd miss everyone. Hell, she didn't even mention her son; except to rub it in Donna's face about him not being here. Her son, that squirmy, skinny, action figure-loving dork we all call a friend. That's where the shit hit the fan. He left. He was Steven's; make that Hyde's, best friend and conscience. Then Kelso, leaves, I thought that might help. But no, Hyde digs his heels in and stays with the bitch.

Eric's first letter from Africa, thinking Hyde and I got together, congratulated me, it sounded so upbeat. Asking about dates and themes, hoping the wedding wouldn't be too soon and if I can wait until after he returns from Africa. That was the last happy letter I got from him, that was the last happy note in my life. I still have it today. It all went down hill from there. I don't know what has been worse, knowing he was going to propose and I blew it or seeing him with Sam. Dam you Kelso. Eric somehow would have made the skank leave, somehow would have made Steven understand nothing happened between Kelso and me. Who am I kidding, Steven wouldn't admit to anything like that. Eric felt bad, tried to apologize, tried to actually be a friend. But we all had to move on, just like he did, just like Donna did with Randy, just like Steven did with Sam, just like I did with Fez.

Fez, poor, dear sweet Fez. I really didn't mean to use you. I really didn't mean to break your heart. I was just so lonely and you were always there for me. You always saw the good in me, always brought a smile to my face. Kissing Fez that night was so exciting, so new, so rubbing it in Steven's face. Yet, he didn't seem to care. He was more worried about Donna.

Donna, my best friend. Huh, some best friend. So what, Eric left, at least he wasn't married! How could she become friends with Sam, why would she rub THAT in my face? I guess, I'm still the outsider, still not part of their circle of friends: her, Hyde, Kelso and Eric. Donna and I should have been commiserating together, instead she runs to Randy, some feminist. Instead of being a strong, independent woman, she clings to Randy. What happened to us all? She was the one who always knew the difference between right and wrong. She was the one who held up to greater ideals. She was the one who had morals. I guess knowing right or wrong, ideals and morals all left and went to Africa. Instead of us getting closer, instead of us becomes sisters in sorrow, we pulled apart from each other. I wonder why? Or maybe she's just hurting and missing someone like I was and I remind her of what we all lost. That hurt almost as much as seeing Steven with Sam. But why was he following her around like a puppy dog? Didn't he understand as soon as Eric came home, she would be back with him? How could he be so stupid to still think he had a chance with her? Or was he just using that as an excuse, just like he used Sam as an excuse?

That's when I realized; maybe Fez was the man of my dreams. He would never leave me, he would always trust me, and he would never cheat on me. Problem was, I didn't love him, I didn't have the passion someone else always brought about in me. We lasted two years, he proposed, I said yes, then I cheated on him. I became Kelso, I became Steven. Poor, dear sweet Fez. I am so, so sorry. I hope someday you will be able to forgive me. I hope you found someone to love you the way you loved me. I had to get away from Point Place; I needed to run away, get as far away from there as possible.

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Hyde

Something about her was familiar

I could swear I'd seen her face before,

But she said, "I'm sure you're mistaken"

And she didn't say anything more.

December 1989

It's funny, I have a way of remembering faces. Not that I have regular customers, but when you drive late at night, you like to look at who you're driving. And she was memorable even thru the rain drops. She turned towards the window, so I couldn't look at her anymore. But something else was familiar, maybe because of the rain. They the sense of smell is one of the strongest aphrodisiacs, it must be. As soon as she entered my cab, I could smell her perfume, her shampoo, her scent, not too powerful, but just the right amount, just perfect. It instantly brought back a face and a memory. A memory I had long ago tried to lock away and never think of again. It brought a smile to my face. A smile I didn't like others to see. A smile I shared only with one other person in the whole world.

It took a while, but she looked in the mirror,

And she glanced at the license for my name.

A smile seemed to come to her slowly,

It was a sad smile, just the same.

And she said, "How are you Harry?"

I said, "How are you Sue?

Through the too many mile

And the too little smiles

I still remember you."

Steven!

Jackie!