A/N: So finally this is the last chapter. I'm sorry this took so long to post but I've been working on the surprise I mentioned in the last chapter. It's a video to compliment the story and it's set to 23 by Jimmy Eat World and if you'd like to download it just PM me and I'll give you the link. Lastly I want to thank all those who gave written encouragement and to anyone who just took the time to read my story.

Chapter Seven - Futures

I'm here I'm now I'm ready
Holding on tight
Don't give away the end
The one thing that stays mine

The noise from the shower started to filter into his brain waking him from his deep dreamlike state. He slowly began to realize where he was and that he had in fact spent the night with Jackie. He lay in her bed and listened to her fuss around in the bathroom until she finally emerged. She ran from one side of the room to the other picking things up and putting others down until she finally stopped to turn to him.

"I'm going to be late for work, can you lock up on your way out?"

"Sure"

She took one last tentative look in his direction before rushing out the door.

Jackie spent a good portion of the morning sitting at her desk staring at the wall. She had no idea what she was going to do about Steven. As much as she wanted to be with him she'd been hurt so many times that if it happened again she knew she wouldn't recover. Her phone ringing startled her out of her reverie, it was reception informing her of a visitor, Hyde. She wasn't ready to see him, in this state she had no idea what she would say or do and that scared her. But it looked like she didn't have a choice so she went down to reception to face him.

"Hey Steven" she said putting on a brave face.

"Hey, do you think we could go outside for a minute?"

"OK"

He led her outside and they took a seat on a bench.

"So how's work?" he started, clearly trying to buy time.

"It's fine."

"Cool"

"Steven why are you here?"

"Well about last night, it was…..unexpected"

"Unexpected? OK I get it, you want to pretend like it didn't happen, well that's fine with me." she said trying desperately to suppress her anger.

"Look Jackie that's not what I'm saying"

"Steven don't, I'm letting you off the hook. You should go home and we'll pretend like it didn't happen"

"Is that what you really want?" The challenge evident in his voice.

"Yes it is"

"Fine, well have a nice life" and he walked off as abruptly as he'd shown up.

He spent the next couple of hours walking around the city aimlessly. He knew what he should be doing was going back to his hotel to pack but his feet had other ideas. It was well after dark when he found himself at Jackie's door. He had no idea what he was going to say but he couldn't leave things between them like this, not again. He knocked on her door until he heard her voice.

"Who is it?"

"It's me"

"Go away" she said defiantly.

"Jackie just open the door"

"Why? There's nothing we have to say to each other"

Hyde couldn't help but raise his voice "Maybe there is and maybe there isn't but you don't know that until you open the damn door"

He heard the lock open and saw her retreating form as the door swung open. Closing the door he followed her into the kitchen where she was pouring herself a stiff drink. She passed him a beer and they both leaned against the bench, looking anywhere but each other.

"So did you come here to stare at my floor or do you have something you want to say to me" she said with unmasked hostility.

"Well I see the ice princess is alive and well"

"Steven if you just came over to insult me you can leave right now" and she walked back into the living room.

He sighed as he rubbed his face with his hand and followed right behind her.

"Look I'm sorry, you're just not making this very easy"

"Why should I? Anytime something meaningful happens between us you shut down and I just can't take it anymore"

"I know but I just can't lay it all out there like you can, its just not me and I'm sorry for that. Being able to just hang out with you the past couple of weeks has been cool. So when last night happened I guess I kinda freaked out cause things haven't been this good between us in a long time and I didn't wanna mess that up"

"Do you think the past couple of weeks can erase years of pain. I was willing to give up everything for you but you couldn't do the same for me"

"What you gave me was an ultimatum and you were gone before you even gave me a chance to decide. Then Chicago happened and …………."

"But I came back didn't I. Gave up my dream to try to save us and all I got was having to witness you being married to a stripper. But what hurt me the most was that you didn't even try to fix it. You just gave up on us and settled for her"

She turned around dejectedly and walked towards the window. He came up beside her and grabbed her shoulders to turn her towards him. She half heartedly tried to fight him but he just gripped her even harder.

"When I married Sam I did the one thing that you asked of me with someone else and I knew I'd screwed it up with you for good"

Jackie gave an exasperated sigh "That's what you've never gotten Steven. The only thing I ever really wanted from you was to know that you loved me and wanted to be with me"

"Jackie, I do love you, I always have. I guess I was afraid if you knew how much you could use it against me. But I guess the joke's on me cause I ended up hurting both of us by not telling you"

Jackie couldn't contain herself any longer, the tears poured from her eyes and the harder she tried to fight them the harder she sobbed. Hyde tentatively stroked her hair and when she didn't pull away he inched closer until his arms encircled her tiny heaving body and he rested his head against hers.

6 Months Later

It was 8:30pm Saturday night and Jackie was standing in the doorway of Hyde's newest record store. She could hardly believe it, the lights were dim and she could hear Tiny Dancer being played. She walked further into the store until she felt his arms wrap around her middle. Jackie leaned her head back into his chest, closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. He had been away on business for the last week and she wanted to savor the feeling of being back in his arms. He slowly spun her around, gave her a gentle kiss on the lips and started to sway them in time with the song.

After that night where Hyde had finally opened his heart to her they had been able to steadily rebuild the relationship they once had and more. Since Jackie was so busy at the Station and Hyde with his new store they had decided the only way to see more of each other was to move in together. So Hyde had permanently moved to Atlanta and into Jackie's apartment. They'd had there ups and downs at first but were now falling into a more relaxed routine. It was turning into the mature relationship she always hoped she could have with him. She hadn't brought up the M word yet but she was sure when she eventually did she'd get the answer she'd always hoped for. As she stood there in his arms she felt the love that she had thought gone forever was now the most sure thing in her life.

The End