Hangman

I'm just a guy who never tried

I'm just a stupid fuck with brilliant luck

And sometimes a bright idea

"Oh, good, Steven, you're home!" Kitty clapped excitedly, paying no attention to the way he slammed the door and started to storm past her. "Eric's on the phone! Would you like to speak with him?"

"Not right now, Mrs. Forman," he said sharply, determined to make it down to the basement so he could brood over the words he and Jackie had exchanged. "I've got some things to take care of."

"Oh. Oh, you've got things." Kitty rolled her eyes, tugging him back by the belt loop. "Well, that's all well and good, Mister Snappy Pants, but my son is your best friend and he doesn't call from Africa just any old day of the week. So I ythink you should speak to him while you have the chance, don't you?"

Hyde sighed. There was no refusing Kitty when she had it in her head that she wanted you to do something. "I guess you have a point, Mrs. Forman. Can I take it in the kitchen?"

"Sure, sure, whatever you want, hon. You just take your call and I'll whip you up a delicious treat," she promised brightly, as if he'd made the choice himself. "Hurry, now, those rates aren't getting any cheaper!"

He was still grumbling when he lifted the phone to his ear and Eric, half a world away, was already laughing. "You, uh, heard all that, huh?"

"Mom hasn't changed a bit," Eric chuckled. "And you haven't either, from the sound of things. Really, Hyde, what's more important than catching up with your oldest friend? Is it circle time or something?"

"Nah, man, sorry 'bout all that. It's great hearing from you. It's just … me and Jackie just got into it."

"A-ha. What'd the she-devil do now?"

"Misunderstood something nice that I was trying to do, overreacted, caused a scene – well. Made me cause a scene, I guess. Humiliated the both of us in public." Hyde shrugged, even though his friend couldn't see the gesture. "The usual, I guess."

"Wow, sounds like nothing's changed," Eric commented. "Except for … oh, yeah … you're married now."

"Ow," Hyde acknowledged. "Definite burn, man. You've improved."

"Well, fighting off disease-ridden monkeys strengthens the muscles and sharpens the wit, what can I say? But seriously, man. Why're you still letting Jackie get to you? I heard the stripper's smokin'."

"She is. But I don't know, I can't help it. Where Jackie's involved … I just get stupid. She just … bugs me." Hyde could feel his blood beginning to boil again at just the thought of their argument. "But, hey, whatever. How're the foreigners treating you? Are all non-Americans as strange as Fez?"

"No, he's definitely one of a kind," Eric said, "But let me tell you, my students here are great. The first day …"

He embarked on a story about a prank the kids had pulled. The boys talked for a few more minutes, until Eric had to go. Hyde put the phone down, feeling slightly calmer. It was good to hear from Eric. Forman's presence had been a constant throughout most of Hyde's life and it was reassuring to know that, oceans away or not, that wouldn't be changing anytime soon.

"So." Kitty slid a piece of pie in front of Hyde, bringing him back to the present. "You and Jackie had a fight, huh?"

"I shoulda known you weren't just innocently baking," Hyde grinned and dug in. "Always an ulterior motive, Mrs. Forman. You're crafty."

Pleased, she blushed and took a seat across from him. "Well, why don't you eat up and tell me all about it?"

"I don't know." Hyde hesitated. "It's a long story and it was a little ridiculous. I'm not sure …"

"Whatever she wants to get out of you, she will," Red advised as he sailed through, hurrying to get himself out of the way of his wife's interrogation. "Resistance is futile."

"He's right." Kitty smiled prettily. "I'm not above withholding second helpings."

Hyde looked mournfully at the plate he'd already cleaned. "Okay. I give. Get comfortable. And pass the pie."

When he'd finished his tale, Kitty stood and busied herself with clearing the dishes. "Well?" she prompted when he remained at the table. "Don't you have something to be doing?"

"Uh …"

"Steven Hyde, don't make me raise my voice," she warned. "You march yourself downstairs and you think about everything you just told me. And then, you go a step farther and think about what it means. And when you've reached a decision, you feel free to come on up and have some dinner."

"Mrs. Forman –" he protested, and she cut him off with a light swat with her dishtowel.

"March!"

XXX

His conversations with both Eric and Kitty replayed themselves in his mind as he headed downstairs. Eric's comment, especially, stuck out – why did Jackie still get to him? He was married, for Pete's sake. If that wasn't reason enough to be completely over her and her antics, he could think of about a million more.

The thing was, Hyde didn't like leaving things so unfinished. And, despite all evidence to the contrary, he felt like he and Jackie weren't done yet. He'd realized, with all the fighting of the past weeks, that she'd been right about a few key points in their relationship.

She and Kelso had never done anything. He believed that now. He thought he might have believed it even back then, but hurt and pride had prevented him from saying anything other than 'out of my life, bitch'. But deep down, he'd known Jackie had been cheated on too many times to ever do it to someone else. It was his own fault that he hadn't trusted her enough. Why had he made her – both of them, really – pay so dearly for it?

And she was right, too, about the supposed ultimatum. He knew how much it must have cost her to swallow her own pride. To have been willing to give up the job for him was a huge sacrifice, something that, prior to dating him, Jackie would never even have considered.

Maybe they were actually … and this was a crazy thought … good for each other. Sure, they bickered like children and rarely saw eye-to-eye, but they also helped each other out. Without her by his side, he never would have gathered the courage to meet his father. And he liked to think he'd had some kind of affect on her, too. God knew she was a lot more bearable than she used to be.

And, okay, if he was being entirely honest with himself … he missed her. He missed how she lit up any room she walked into, the casual grace and careless beauty that held her audience captivated. He missed how she only shrugged one shoulder when pretending not to care about something. Strangely enough, he even missed the way she whined to get her way and how, once she'd gotten it, she bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet.

Suddenly, Hyde saw the situation with absolute clarity. He and Jackie weren't finished. Last night proved it beyond a doubt. Her harsh words this morning had been more about protecting herself than hurting him, he could see that now. And he knew what he had to do.

"Mrs. Forman!" He jogged lightly up the stairs and stuck his head into the kitchen. "Set a place for me, okay? I'm gonna need all the strength I can get."

Kitty understood exactly what that request meant and hurried into the living room to inform Red. Hyde headed back downstairs and called Sam out of the bedroom. She appeared with a magazine in hand and clad in barely-there lingerie.

"Oh. Wow. Uh … you're gonna need more clothes on for me to do this. And that's the first time I've said that sentence to a hot almost naked chick." Hyde moved past her, rummaged in his closet, and pulled out her robe, tossing it over her shoulders. "Better. Okay. Sam … we have to talk."