Disclaimer: I don't own.

Warning:Mild language

AN: Here's another chapter! It's my weekend, so hopefully I'll have more very soon! Thanks so very much for the reviews...I so enjoy reading them. Hope you're enjoying the story! Originally I thought it would be about 10 chapters...that's shot all to heck. :) I've still got aways to go with it. Which is fine with me. I love writing. :)

Convincing

Chapter 9 – Hypothetical Question

Hyde lay on his cot, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear Kelso, Fez and Eric talking and laughing in the main room of the basement, but he remained still. He wanted nothing to do with those guys right now. He wanted nothing to do with most anything right now. Even his stash and his beer seemed like meaningless crap, and that was disturbing. Especially because those were the only things that would dull his mind enough to get Jackie off of it. And he wanted her off of it.

Damn her.

A sharp knock on his door was followed by the door opening, and he rolled his head on the pillow towards the sound of footsteps.

"Hey Hyde, we're going bowling. Wanna come?"

Hyde glanced up and found Forman standing above him, then closed his eyes and rolled his head back to its original position. "No."

Eric persisted. "Come on, man. There will be beer." He rolled his eyes. "And candy. Fez says he's feeling generous tonight and is willing to share his…" He curled his fingers into air quotes. "Secret candy stash with us."

"As great as that sounds, no."

Eric shrugged. "Your loss, man. I mean, you really can't beat beer and Smarties." He rolled his eyes and turned to leave the room.

Hyde sat up and threw his legs off the side of the cot. "Hey, Forman, wait." Forman turned back, and Hyde shrugged. He was never much into this talking/confiding crap, but for some reason, now, he felt inclined to. God only knew why.

Because you're freaking out, man!

"Got a minute?"

Eric stood still for a moment, staring at Hyde curiously. Wasn't often that Hyde wanted to sit down and talk. It was weird. "Sure," he said, finally taking the few steps over to the cushions across from his friend. He sat down. "What's up?"

Hyde leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and pointed at Forman. "Okay, first off, the only reason I'm talking to you about this is because you're…disturbingly good at this girly talking stuff."

Eric's eyes shifted as he pondered that rather backhanded compliment. "Gee, thanks…I think."

Hyde sighed and looked down at the ground. His fingers tapped rapidly on his knees. "Okay. Hypothetical question. What would you do if…if Donna…" He looked up at Forman. "If Donna was sick…"

"Sick?" Eric interrupted, his back becoming ram rod straight. "Wait, do you know something I don't know?"

Hyde rolled his eyes impatiently. "I said it was hypothetical!"

Eric relaxed. "Good, because I know how sometimes she talks to you when she doesn't…" He shook his head disbelievingly. "Want to talk to me for whatever reason. Which I still don't really understand since I'm her boyfri.."

"Forman!"

Eric's eyes widened. "What?"

"Focus, man!" Hyde shook his head as Forman held up his hands in acquiescence, then sighed heavily. Now or never. He could still back out. Change the subject real quick with some slick excuse. "Okay. Say Donna was sick…"

"Seriously sick?"

"Seriously sick. And she wants you to tell her that she's going to be okay, but you don't think she's going to be." He paused, trying not to think about the devastation of Jackie's face when he just couldn't speak those stupid words. "Do you say it anyway? Even though you don't think…no, you KNOW its not going to be?" He looked back at the ground as his stomach turned roughly. Actually voicing his thoughts…it was just too real.

Something in the tone of Hyde's voice, and the way he was keeping his eyes closed just a second longer than necessary after blinking made Eric think that this wasn't really hypothetical at ll. "Is this…is this about Jackie?"

Hyde's head shot up. "Jackie's fine," he snapped quickly, defensively. Lying through his teeth.

Eric slowly shook his head. "I don't think so." Hyde was about to protest, and Eric raised his voice. "Look, we all know that something is wrong with her. And I'm not just saying that because she's the devil." Hyde gave him a hard look before standing up and beginning to pace back and forth in front of the cot. That told Eric that he was right, that his feeling had been right, that something was definitely and seriously wrong. "Hyde, what's going on? We're all…we're all getting worried."

Hyde stopped walking and looked at Forman to see if he was being sarcastic, but found genuine concern on his face. Boy. Genuine concern. Maybe they were all going soft in their old age. Old. Right. He was hardly out of his teens and he felt like an old man. God, this shouldn't be happening. She was too young. Too damn young.

"Hyde?"

He pursed his lips. He shouldn't say anything…he didn't know what Jackie wanted to say to their friends about it. They hadn't gotten that far. But then again…maybe it would be okay. Forman would find out eventually. And maybe he'd get some perspective if he talked to someone. Hell. When had he started looking for perspective? Or reaching the point where he needed it? He took a deep breath. "Okay, but you can't tell anyone, Forman. Not even Donna. I mean it." Forman nodded, and Hyde sat back down on his cot, rubbing his hand over his face. "Jackie's got this…thing on one of the arteries in her brain."

Eric's heart paused. "Brain?"

"Yeah. Something called an aneurysm." Hyde sighed at Forman's quizzical look. The last thing he wanted to do was explain it. "It's like this thin, weak, bulging spot on the artery." He looked up at the ceiling. One that could burst at any minute and kill her.

Eric raised his eyebrows. "That sounds…bad."

"It is."

Eric waited for Hyde to elaborate, but he didn't, and Eric suddenly found it a bit harder to breathe. "It's not…I mean, it's not going to kill…" Hyde looked at him. "She's not going to di…"

Hyde swallowed hard. "It could. If it ruptures. She could." He stood up and resumed pacing. "She has to have surgery on Friday. The only way they can fix it…they have to cut her head open."

Eric closed his eyes. God, what in the hell was he supposed to say? I'm sorry your girlfriend has to have her head cut open, but I'm sure it will all work out? Somehow that just didn't seem right. He shook his head. "God, Hyde, I just…" He shrugged helplessly. "My god." He was stunned. Nothing like this had ever happened to one of them before. Yeah, they'd all seen their share of the hospital, but usually for stupid things, like falling off the water tower or setting themselves on fire. But never anything like this, aside from Jackie's car accident. Even that seemed minor compared to this. Brain surgery.

God. She'd grown on him. He could even admit, to himself anyway, that she was his friend.

Hyde turned around and faced Forman, halting his pacing. "She wants me to tell her that she's going to be okay. And I just…I can't, man." He scratched the back of his head that had no itch. "Because even if the surgery…" His eyes closed for a moment. "Even if they fix it, she still…there's all these possible complications…she could have a stroke, or bleeding in her brain, or…I just…I can't tell her that it's all going to be okay because it's not." There was that heat in his eyes again, and he had to wince hard to stop it. No way in hell would he let Forman see that. No way in hell. He turned and walked to the other side of the room, putting his hand on the wall and lowering his head to rest on his forearm.

Eric stood up. He was unsure of what to do. Hyde was…tormented was the only word Eric could think of. And that was so…unusual and disconcerting. Hell, they'd always teased Hyde about not having a heart. But over the last couple years, he'd shown otherwise. And he hadn't even seemed to mind, well at least not as much as he used to. Ever since…

Ever since Jackie.


"God, Hyde, I'm so…I just…" He shook his head in frustration, and awkwardly twisted his hands together. For someone so good at the girly talking stuff, he certainly was sucking. "I just can't believe this."

And suddenly, anger burned Hyde, from his feet on up. "Damn it!" he cussed loudly, pounding his hand on the wall. "I should never have gotten back together with her! I wouldn't have to worry about this…this shit if I hadn't…gotten…" His shoulders slumped, and he let go of the wall. His hand caught his shaking head by the forehead.

Eric cleared his throat. "You really mean that?" he asked. After all, it seemed to Eric that Hyde, somewhere along the line, for all his big talk about never feeling anything, had gone and fallen in love with Jackie.

Hyde lifted his head and stared at the wall. Life without Jackie. Yeah, he'd done that before. Stress-free, nag-free, hassle-free. Very free. He'd always enjoyed freedom.

Then again, he'd never really MISSED it when he was with Jackie.

Jackie.

"I'm really in love with you, Steven. You don't have to say it back."

"Oh, come on, Puddin' Pop."

"I want you to go with me."

So many things she'd said to him, so many smiles she'd given him, so many kisses she'd offered him flashed through his mind in the matter of a few seconds.

He slowly turned around and looked Forman straight in the eye. "No." He surprised himself. He sounded like there wasn't any other possible answer. Was there?

Huh.

Maybe freedom was overrated.

God, did he really think that? Had she really made him think that? And actually believe it?

"Hey, guys, if we're going, let's go already!" Kelso hollered as he and Fez trampled into the small room.

Fez nodded with a slight pout. "Yes. I am bored. And if we don't get there soon, all the blue, ten pound balls will be gone." His expression darkened. "If that happens, I am not sharing my candy with you."

Eric glanced at Hyde. "Actually, guys, I think maybe…"

"Forman, you heard the man," Hyde interrupted. "Let's go. Wouldn't want to deny Fez the opportunity to play with blue balls." He forced a grin.

Eric looked at him in confusion. "But I thought you didn't want to…"

"Hey, beer," Hyde said, hoping Forman would shut up. "When have I ever not wanted beer?"

Eric understood. Hyde was done. And he knew better than to push it, especially with Fez and Kelso around. He smiled weakly. "And Kelso bowling drunk is just too entertaining to pass up."

"And don't forget the Smarties," Fez injected.

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Of course. Smarties."

The guys left Hyde's room, Kelso and Fez joking around, Eric and Hyde both much more subdued, both of them thinking about Jackie.

And both of them thinking of another hypothetical question.

What if she died?