Hey guys! So, listen, I don't wanna like, beg or anything like that, but this story has only gotten 3 reviews and a lot more people than that have at least reviewed it. I don't care if you like it, love it, or hate it, but if you could please just leave me some kind of response, it would really help. If people aren't interested, I just won't continue it. I hope it's not that bad, though! Enjoy!

Everything Is Alright

I used to rely on self-medication

I guess I still do that from time to time

If life had taught Jackie anything at all, it was that appearances could be deceiving.

Take, for example, her father: a well-known, well-liked businessman who, it turned out, had made half his fortune in dirty deals with unsavory characters. Or look at Eric, so scrawny and impotent-looking, but actually (according to Donna, at least) half decent in the sack.

So after forty eight hours of continuous tears, Jackie had reached a decision. She would model herself after all those around her who weren't quite what they seemed. She would be impenetrable. No more messy-outbursts, heart-on-her-sleeve Jackie. She would be Jackie Burkhart, the Zen version.

At least not all of the time she'd spent with Steven would go to waste.

And so what if her heart was breaking? That was no excuse to walk around with her hair uncombed, her nail polish chipped, her clothes anything less than fresh and fashionable. The whole world didn't have to have front-row seats to her depression.

Which was why she was back at the Forman's, bracing herself outside the basement door, gathering the courage she'd need. This would be her first time facing the gang since Steven's stripper had shown up two days ago. She knew they were all worried about her - Donna had hardly left her side, except to answer the concerned phone calls and assure everyone else she was doing fine. And, once, to physically escort Fez from the house after he snuck in 'to check on his dear friend' and got distracted by the underwear drawer.

"You ready?" Donna asked, rather nervously. She wasn't sure it was such a good idea for Jackie to subject herself to quality time with the newlyweds. For one thing, Sam was hot and she knew it. For another, it seemed like Hyde was warming up to the idea of having a cute little number to wait on him hand and foot.

"No," Jackie answered honestly. "But let's do it."

Fez was the first to react to their entrance. "Jackie!" he cried happily, flinging his arms around her. "Oh, my beautiful flower, I have missed you! You are not dead and this brings me great joy! We should make love!"

Despite herself, Jackie giggled at his enthusiastic greeting. Damned if she hadn't missed Fez in the past few days, the bright smile he never lost, his inane sense of humor. "Maybe later, Fez," she said, returning the hug.

His eyes narrowed. "Later when? I need a time, woman!"

Before Jackie could respond, she was ripped out of the comfortingly familiar dialogue by none other than Sam. "Hi," the blond interrupted, flashing a smile at the much shorter girl. "I'm Samantha. I don't believe we've met."

Jackie forced herself to shake the hand Sam offered and worked her lips into an upward curve. "No, I don't think we have. I'm Jackie. I live next door with Donna." Oh, yeah, and I used to date your husband. I held his hand and bought him shirts and told him I loved him. I still do love him.

"Great," Sam said brightly. "I can just tell the three of us are gonna get along like sisters. I don't have sisters, you know. And now there's two of you, right next door. God, new friends and the world's greatest husband, all in a week. I must've done something right, huh?"

As she spoke, she made her way over to Hyde's chair and settled herself in his lap. "What do you think, hubby? We blessed or what?"

The whole room froze. Everyone seemed to be hyper-aware of the faux pas except for the girl who'd made it, who was smiling brightly and waiting for Hyde's response. For Jackie, it just proved her 'appearances are deceiving' theory. Sam looked like your everyday, run-of-the-mill, scantily clad skank, but was truly the devil in disguise.

She was careful to keep her smile pasted on as she cleared her throat and saved them all from the awkward moment. "You two certainly seem made for each other," she chirped, her voice sounding insincere to even her own ears. "I'm sure you'll have a wonderful life together. But you'll have to excuse Donna and I, we have an appointment we can't miss."

"We do?" At Jackie's harsh stare, Donna backpedaled furiously. "We do! She's right, we do, can't miss it. Good to see you guys, we'll be back later - er, maybe later, if we've got the time. You know how it is. Bye!" Outside, Donna gave Jackie a concerned once-over. "You okay?"

"Nope," Jackie bit out, her normally sparkling eyes dull. "But at least they think I am."

XXX

"They're really best friends?" Sam asked skeptically, the second Donna and Jackie had exited the basement.

The question - or more likely, its tone - caught Hyde's attention and had him actually looking Sam straight in the eye for the first time all day. "Yeah. Why?"

The blonde shrugged. "Just don't seem like a likely pair, that's all."

"Yeah, well, Jackie ... Jackie has a way of winning people over," Hyde said gruffly. "You still going out today?"

"Yeah, I wanna check out the job market, see if there're any openings." She stretched and rotated her hips in a quick move that had Fez's jaw hitting the floor. "Girl's gotta make a living, ya know. I'll be back by dinner, love you!"

She was barely out the door when Fez was at Hyde's side. "Please, Hyde, I beg of you. Tell me of the sex."

"Sure, Fez. When a man and a woman ..."

"I've heard that one!" Impatient for details, Fez stamped his foot. "The sex with the stripper! It is good, yes? Perhaps award-winning?"

Hyde responded with only a long-suffering sigh. "Fez. I think I'd like to be stoned right now. Circle time?"

It was a draw between which one Fez wanted more. Hyde watched the struggle play out on his face - sex or stoned? Sex or stoned? Finally, he seemed to reach a resolution.

"Circle time!" He clapped once, twice, briskly, then waved a stern finger in Hyde's face. "But afterwards I can watch you and Samantha do it."

"We'll see," Hyde promised. He wouldn't say anything to Fez - he had a reputation to uphold, after all - but he and Sam had yet to sleep together. He knew she wanted to - hell, she'd practically tried to get it done yesterday during dinner with Forman's parents right across the table. But somehow, he couldn't get himself psyched up for what was every guy's dream come true. "Let's do this, shall we?"

He couldn't wait to forget his current state of affairs, if only for a few hours. With Fez beaming at him from across the table and the basement filled with smoke, life seemed a whole lot more normal.