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Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews! I'm so glad you remember this and are still enjoying it. Yay! I hope you continue to do so. :)

Warning: Mild language.

Convincing

Chapter 15 – Surprise!

Eric sat at his mother's kitchen table, watching as his girlfriend prepared to wrap a rather thick gift box. He reached out and thumbed the edge of the sickeningly purple and pink wrapping paper she was measuring. "Why does it have to be unicorn paper?" he grumbled. "I mean, how old is she, anyway? Six?"

Donna smirked and wrapped the paper around the box. "You really shouldn't talk, Mr. I-spend-hours-playing-with-Star Wars-dolls-in-the tub." She looked at him with an arched eyebrow. "And you're older than she is."

He nodded sarcastically, then leveled a stern look at her. "Okay, first of all, they're ACTION FIGURES. Not dolls. And second of all, Star Wars is a classic tale of good versus evil. Something we can all learn from. Unicorns…well, they aren't even real."

She struggled not to laugh. She loved Eric, hell, she adored him, but sometimes he could be such a geek. "And Star Wars is?"

Eric stared at her and spoke with deadly seriousness. "Oh, yes."

She shook her head and grinned affectionately. Yeah, he was a geek, but he was hers, and she wouldn't want him any other way. "Whatever, Eric." She returned her attention to the present she was wrapping and began taping the paper on the box. "So, you think Jackie knows about this "hope you have fun in the hospital" party we're having for her?"

Eric pursed his forehead in an effort to appear thoughtful. "Well, she IS the devil, Donna, so I'm sure she does." He grinned, proud of himself. "Plus, we told Fez about it."

The sliding door behind Eric opened, and Kelso walked in, holding a brightly decorated package. "Hey guys," he said. He stopped next to Donna and looked her up and down. "Looking good, Big D."

She shook her head, but her lips bore a small smile.

"So, you got your present for Jackie?" Eric asked. "And is it something she can use in the hospital?"

Kelso sat down across the table from Eric, and his eyes lit up. "Yes and yes," he said. "Jackie's gonna love it, and I can guarantee you that it's better than whatever crap Hyde's gonna give her." He shook his head and released a little huff of disgust. "He's probably just gonna give her another stupid tee shirt." He grinned. "You know, I've never seen her wear that. I gave her a buttload of clothes, and she wore all of them."

Donna and Eric exchanged glances. "Um, Kelso, I don't really think now is the best time for you to be trying to one-up Hyde."

Kelso sighed, and his expression became solemn. "Okay, look. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately…"

Eric nodded. "No wonder I've been smelling so much smoke." Donna chuckled, but Kelso didn't, and his eyes narrowed.

"I'm serious, Eric. Look, I still love Jackie, and I'm gonna get her back." He grinned widely and patted his present. "Starting with what's in this box."

Eric and Donna stared at him for a long, tense moment.

"You should have seen her the other day when we were at the mall. She was flirting and laughing…she wants me, man! And I mean, how can I blame her? My foxitude is overwhelming!"

Donna groaned softly. "Kelso, please."

Eric frowned. Damn. He'd been afraid of this. He'd noticed Kelso staring at Jackie more and more lately, and he knew that it wasn't because Kelso was worried about her. Hell, he barely understood what was going on with her. "Kelso, she's with Hyde. And I'm pretty sure he's not going to just give her up. Remember what happened last time you tried to interfere?"

Kelso looked at him, and for once, he was completely serious. "I know," he answered quietly. "But I'm willing to take a punch if it means I can get Jackie back." He stood up. "Look, Hyde is just wrong for her. I mean, he cheated on her AND he married a stripper. He just doesn't get her, man. He never buys her stuff or anything. He never does what she says. He never compliments her. And I DO. See? I can make her happy and Hyde can't."

Donna stared at him incredulously. "Kelso, YOU cheated on her! Half a million times! How is that making her happy?"

Kelso rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Because, Donna, after I cheated, I always got her stuff! Lots of stuff! Shiny stuff, just like she likes! What has HYDE ever got her that was shiny? Nothing!"

Eric shook his head. "Kelso," he said quietly. "Don't do this. For the love of God, don't do this." How he'd love to tell Kelso what had happened just last night, how Hyde had confessed that he loved Jackie, how he'd more or less admitted that he was afraid of losing her. But he couldn't. Hyde would kill him.

Kelso glared at him. "Fine. Take his side. But you're gonna lose." He shook his head and began to back away from the table. When Eric began to speak, Kelso waved him off with a hand. "You know what? Forget it. I don't care what you think. All I care about is getting Jackie back."

Both Donna and Eric watched as Kelso stalked out of the kitchen.

She looked at Eric. "Why do I suddenly have a really bad feeling about this party?"

Eric grimaced and nervously tapped his fingers on the table. "Maybe we should arrange for an ambulance ahead of time. Since obviously, blood will be shed."

Donna dropped her forehead into her hand and gently rubbed her now aching temples. When was this damn triangle going to end for good?

Two hours later, the basement

"SURPRISE!"

Jackie gasped and forced herself to look surprised as Steven led her into the festively decorated basement. Balloons were tied to the furniture, streamers hung on the wall, a pile of presents on the table, and a cake (with a few pieces missing) next to the gifts. "Oh my god, is this for me?" She clapped her hands and squealed, bouncing on her feet like the little girl she sometimes still was.

Hyde smirked. He knew Jackie knew about this. He'd caught her giving him those little smug glances as he made excuse after excuse this afternoon to keep her away from the Forman's. "Okay, Jackie, you don't have to pretend that you didn't know about this party. The only question I have is, who told you?"

All eyes, including Jackie's, immediately swung to Fez. He flushed and shrugged. "I did not tell her. Okay, maybe I told her that I had to buy balloons and streamers. But I did not tell her for what." His eyes darted between the five faces directed at him. "Fine! I did! But in my defense, she bribed me with candy!" He gazed at Jackie and smiled sweetly. "You know me so well, Jackie."

Hyde arched an eyebrow. "Did you also eat those two missing pieces of cake?"

Fez hung his head. "I cannot lie. I did." He glared at Jackie. "She did not give me enough candy!"

Jackie giggled, but looked confused when she noticed the banner hung on the shower curtain. "Why does that banner say "Happy graduation"?"

Donna shrugged. "It was the closest we could find to "Happy going into the hospital"." She walked over to Jackie and pulled her into a hug. "We just wanted you to know that we're going to be there for you. Every day."

Jackie smiled against Donna's shoulder, and when the hug ended, she pulled back and smiled gratefully up at her. "Thanks, Donna. I know I don't say it much…well, at all…but you really are my best friend."

They hugged again, and Kelso leapt off the lawn chair. He pointed at the girls. "See, you two totally wanna make out!" He grinned. "I KNEW it!"

The girls broke apart, and both shot Kelso annoyed looks. He shrugged and sat down. "Well, I did! And you DO!"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Kelso. Okay, Jackie, wanna open your presents?"

More hand clapping and squealing from Jackie, and Hyde chuckled as she nearly skipped over to the couch to sit down in front of the pile. He walked over to his chair and sat down, trying not to smile too much. Trying not to let how adorable he thought she was be too obvious. He had to be careful since he wasn't wearing his glasses, and so he looked at Kelso. His slight smile immediately faded. Kelso was staring at Jackie, and the look on his face opened a gnawing sore in Hyde's stomach.

"Open mine first, Jackie," Kelso said excitedly. He glanced across the table at Hyde, and couldn't stop himself from smirking. "You're gonna love it."

Eric sat on the couch on Jackie's left, Donna was on her right. He noticed the look Kelso was shooting at Hyde, and he groaned inside. "Kelso," he muttered. "Don't."

This was NOT going to be good.

Kelso heard Eric, but ignored it. "I guarantee you, Jackie. It's going to…well, lets just say it's going to put everything in perspective for you."

Hyde crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at the moron across the table from him. "You don't even know what perspective means, moron." Something was going on. Something he didn't like. Something that was already making him crave Kelso's blood.

He's going to make a move on her.

Kelso just smiled. "I guess we'll see about that, now, won't we, Hyde?"

Jackie picked up the package from Michael, and, oblivious to the non-verbal communication going on between him and Steven, giggled and began to open it. "God, I love presents!"

Donna laughed and watched Jackie tear through the paper. "Gee, Jackie, really? Who would have guessed?"

Jackie laughed. "Shut up, you lumberjack, I just thought…." Her words and smile died when she saw what was in the box she'd just opened. "Michael…oh my god…" She shook her head in disbelief, and without thinking, pulled out of the box a thin strapped, pink satin nightie.

Kelso smiled. "Surprise! Something for you to wear when I come visit you in the hospital."

Hyde stood up, his face already flaming with the anger that now boiled lava hot in his stomach. "You better run, Kelso," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Because I'm going to kick your ass!" He started towards Kelso, kicking over his chair in the process, but one word stopped him.

"Steven!"

He stopped and looked at Jackie. She was staring at him almost desperately, her face pale, her hand rubbing her temple. He took a deep breath, but it wasn't enough, so he took another. Then another. Then another.

The rage inside was building, and he was almost literally seeing red.

Jackie climbed over Donna, cursing her lumberjack sized legs, and scurried to stand in front of Steven. "Steven, just…just wait. Please." He didn't look at her, but he stood still, and she touched his chest briefly. She turned around and looked at Michael. Her stomach hurt. She should have known this was coming. She should have seen it coming after the other day at the mall. He'd flirted, tried to seduce her, made all sorts of disparaging comments about Steven.

She should have known.

"Michael, we need to talk. In private." She looked around the basement. "Lets go to Steven's room."

"Hell no!"

Jackie turned around and found herself the victim of one of Steven's nastiest scowls. "But Steven…"

"No. There's no way in hell you're going in there with him. Not after he gave you a present like that." God, couldn't she SEE what Kelso was doing? What he wanted?

Or maybe…maybe she…maybe she did, and maybe…

Maybe she liked it.

Jackie noticed the slight twitching of his lips, and she knew immediately what he was thinking. She took a step closer to him and put her hands on his chest. "Steven," she said in nearly a whisper. "Remember what I told you yesterday. I meant it."

Hyde took a deep breath, and stared into her eyes. Mismatched, yet so perfect for one another.

Kind of like us.

"I just want to put an end to this for good, and I don't want to embarrass him, okay?"

He closed his eyes, and then opened them again. "Fez has to go with you."

Fez had such a big mouth. Besides, he was susceptible to both threats and bribes. It would be easy to find out what went on.

Fez stood up and smiled. "Yes. I will keep an eye on things." He turned to Kelso and spoke softly. "And I will join in if you and Jackie start to do it."

Not soft enough. Hyde took a few steps past Jackie, this time his glare directed at Fez. "No, Fez. You'll keep an eye on things and come get me if Don Juan El Tardo here makes a move on my girlfriend. Unless you want your problem with your needs permanently solved in a very, very, very painful way."

Fez shuddered. He had no doubt that Hyde meant that threat. "Yes. Yes, that is a much better plan."

Kelso gave Hyde a self-satisfied and gloating smile as Jackie took him by the hand and led him back towards Hyde's bedroom, the two followed by Fez.

Donna stared at Hyde. He'd turned and walked over to the washing machine, and was standing there, his hands on the machine. He was obviously breathing hard, because his shoulders were rising and falling quickly. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

What was there to say?

Instead, she looked at the nightie Jackie had dropped back into the box. "This is what Kelso thought was going to get Jackie back?" she asked quietly, turning towards Eric.

Hyde turned around. "I'm gonna kill him." He spoke to no one, and stared at the table. "I am GOING to kill him!"

And the thirst for blood, Kelso's blood, became so strong it nearly crushed his throat.

Eric leaned over to Donna. "I think I'm gonna go call that ambulance now."

Donna nodded. "Probably a very good idea."

Hyde closed his eyes.

I am going to KILL HIM!