A/N: Again, my deepest gratitude to everyone reading and reviewing this story! I practically jump up and down every time I get a new review! Anyway, there's a flashback in italics, and Fez was really hard to write in this chapter, so he may be a bit OOC, and I apologize if he is. Hopefully it's not too bad, but let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Chapter Three – Comfort

Married. The word hit Hyde like a ton of bricks. He could feel his pulse begin to race and his palms begin to sweat, and suddenly, it all came crashing back to him.

He stood at the end of the tiny room, the priest next to him in an Elvis costume. His jeans were torn, his black T-shirt dusty and sweaty from the heat. At the end of the walkway he saw her, her skimpy black miniskirt leaving almost nothing to his imagination, her eyes darkly outlined with black liner. She swayed a bit when she walked, and he couldn't tell if it was just the way she had always walked or if the alcohol in his system was making the whole room look like a Tilt-A-World. When she reached him and grasped his hands, her face swam in front of his eyes, the colors blurring into a familiar heart-shaped face with dark brown eyes and a cascade of dark curls. He smiled at her, but as she placed her hands in his, he noticed they were bigger than they should have been. He blinked and his eyes focused clearly for a second, allowing him to glimpse blonde hair and green eyes.

And then he remembered. Fleetingly, but distinctly, he remembered the petite brunette, tears streaming down her cheeks as she called after him, begging him to wait, to listen. And a sharp pang knifed through his heart.

"You ready?" the blonde asked, smiling excitedly at him.

He nodded mechanically, and followed her lead as she dropped his hands and turned back to the Elvis impersonator. He watched Elvis's mouth move, but the words were jumbled together in his head, refusing to form coherent sentences. He was amused by this, and laughed out loud twice during the course of the ceremony. Elvis ignored him, not even bothering to glance up from the podium, and Sam just giggled and smiled at him.

Sensing she was the less inebriated of the two, Elvis turned to Sam and asked, "Do you, Samantha, take Steven J. Hyde to be your lawfully wedded husband, through sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

Sam nodded, said, "I do," and then gazed expectantly at him as Elvis asked him the same question.

Imitating Sam, he slurred out the words, "I do," and then, as Elvis said, "You may kiss the bride," Sam's arms were around him, her tongue invading his mouth, and his alcohol-addled brain shut down completely.

"Well, isn't this just…well, it certainly is a surprise!" Kitty said, jolting Hyde back to reality. She stepped over to the tall blonde and held out her hand, offering her a strained, and plainly false, cheery smile. "I'm Mrs. Forman, and Steven is like a son to me." The words sounded almost threatening, as if she was warning the strange girl that she would fight tooth and nail for her little adopted son's well being.

Sam didn't notice, turning to Kitty and enveloping her in a hug. "I'm so glad to meet you! Steven told me so much about you." She pulled back and smiled at her husband over her shoulder. "Well, he told me bits and pieces anyway. We spent most of our time in the hotel room, and there wasn't a lot of talking going on, if you know what I mean." She turned back and winked at Kitty, whose eyes were wide with shock.

"Steven, could I see you for a moment in the kitchen?" she said, edging around Sam.

Hyde shrugged and followed her, sparing a quick glance at Jackie as he passed her. Her eyes were glazed over, and he noticed her hands trembling as they hung limply at her sides. She was clearly in shock, and he couldn't blame her. Seeing Sam again had been the very last thing on his mind since his return to Point Place.

"Okay, mister, I want an explanation, and I want it now," Kitty said harshly as the kitchen door closed behind him.

Hyde cocked an eyebrow at her. "That wasn't explanation enough? I thought she was pretty clear."

Kitty was not amused. She pointed to the kitchen table and barked, "Sit!"

Grudgingly doing as he was told, Hyde slumped into a chair, mentally bracing himself for the confrontation he was about to face.

Taking the seat next to him, Kitty softened her voice a little and said, "Steven, what on earth happened? I thought you were with Jackie in Chicago this whole time."

Hyde's face darkened a little at the sound of her name. "Yeah, well, I wasn't."

Kitty waited as patiently as she could, about three seconds, for him to elaborate before prompting, "So what happened?"

He shrugged, Zen taking over. "Found Jackie in a bit of a compromising situation with Kelso and got the hell out of there. Drove around for a while and finally ended up in Vegas. Got piss drunk and, apparently, got married."

"Apparently?" Kitty questioned. "You mean you don't remember marrying…"

"Sam," Hyde supplied and shrugged again. "And yeah, vaguely."

Motherly instincts taking over, Kitty scooted closer to him and pulled him to her, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Steven!" He squirmed against her until she finally obliged and let go, but she gripped his hand tightly. "What are you going to do?"

He stared at her blankly. "About what?"

"About your wife!" Kitty cried.

Hyde glanced over at the kitchen door and then back at Kitty.

"Oh, Red is going to throw a fit," she grumbled as she watched him go back into the living room.

"Come on, Sam, I'll show you where you can put your stuff," Hyde said, picking up one of his wife's bags and leading her down to the basement. Jackie had thankfully left, so he didn't have to face her just yet, though he knew her departure had only postponed the inevitable confrontation they were sure to have later.

Fez looked up at Hyde as he appeared on the steps, and immediately he rushed to him, embracing his curly-headed friend tightly. "Oh, Hyde! We thought you would never come home!" he cried, and tears began welling up in his eyes.

Hyde, immobilized by the foreigner's deathlike grip, could only grumble incoherently and wait to be freed. To his great relief, Sam descended the stairs just as the need for oxygen was becoming an issue, and Fez instantly let him go and proceeded to ogle the leggy blonde.

"You have brought Fez a woman!" Fez shouted, eyes wide as saucers as he drank in Sam's appearance from head to toe.

Chuckling, Hyde clapped his friend on the back, shaking the foreigner out of his daze. "Sorry, little buddy, she's not for you. She's my wife."

Fez's head snapped in Hyde's direction. "Your what?"

"Long story," Hyde mumbled. "I'll tell you all about it later." He jerked his head at Sam, indicating her to follow him, and headed for his room.

"But what about Jackie?" Fez called after him, and Hyde froze.

"Jackie and I are over," he stated coldly, and then ushered Sam into his room, closing the door firmly behind them.

Fez gaped after them, completely taken by surprise. Hyde married? He was barely capable of telling Jackie he loved her, let alone marry her. Hell, that was why she had left in the first place. He couldn't even tell her he could see a future with her, and now, after two weeks away, he came back with some strange, hot blonde wife?

"Poor Jackie," Fez muttered, and realization suddenly dawned on him. Jackie probably didn't know yet. He had to tell her before she saw the two of them together. Quickly, he left the basement and headed for his and Jackie's apartment.

Ai, I'm too late, he thought as his eyes immediately found Jackie's small frame curled up on the couch, her body wracked with sobs. She didn't hear him as he softly shut the door behind him, nor did she look up when he sat down next to her and tentatively placed a hand on her back.

"My poor little flower," Fez cooed.

"He's married!" Jackie's muffled voice lamented, her face squashed in the couch cushions.

Fez rubbed her back soothingly. "Jackie, Hyde is stupid. He doesn't know what he gave up by letting you go."

Jackie sat up. "She's hot." The words sounded defeated, as if in that instant, Jackie realized she'd been beaten and had decided to give up. Her eyes were focused on the floor, the tears still streaking down her cheeks.

"Yes, she is," Fez sighed, remembering the long, tanned legs of the blonde. At Jackie's indignant huff, he leaned forward and cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. "But she is nothing compared to you."

Her eyes flew to his face, searching it frantically for the truth behind his words. Seeing that he was sincere, she leaned closer, pressing her lips timidly to his, her eyes sliding closed.

Fez, startled by the contact, pulled away quickly. "Jackie, I'm not sure we should be doing this."

Jackie's eyes filled with tears again and she nodded, turning away from him.

"You are upset about Hyde's wife," Fez explained, already beginning to regret his decision.

Tensing, Jackie said quietly but firmly, "Please don't call her that."

Fez placed a hand on her shoulder and, gaining courage when she didn't pull away, said gently, "I don't want you to do something you'll regret later."

Jackie turned to face him, her eyes watery and red from crying. "You don't want me?" she asked in a tiny voice, as if she were afraid of the answer.

"Of course I want you," Fez replied without hesitation. "I always have. But, Jackie, right now…"

"Right now, all I want is to feel comforted," Jackie interjected. She edged closer to him so her knees were touching his. "Fez, I need you."

This time, Fez didn't protest as her lips brushed against his. He knew it was a mistake and that in the morning Jackie would probably hate him for it, but he was powerless against her. She had said she needed him, and the words had turned his resolve to mush. He had imagined this moment for so long, ever since he had met her. He had felt for her when Kelso had cheated on her, and now, he felt for her in the wake of Hyde's betrayal, and he simply couldn't bring himself to turn her away when she was so desperately in need of someone.

As she deepened the kiss, he briefly thought of protesting, of pushing her back and talking some sense into her. Those thoughts were quickly dashed from his head as her hands began working the buttons on his shirt. His mind could no longer focus on anything but her.

He pulled away for an instant, and her eyes grew fearful, afraid he would leave her. But instead, he held out a hand to her and drew her to her feet. His eyes locked onto hers as he asked, "Are you sure?"

Jackie nodded twice, barely comprehending anything that was happening. She was acting on impulse alone, desperate to feel needed, to feel loved. She knew Fez could give that to her, if only for a little while. A tiny voice inside her was crying out that this was wrong, that she was taking advantage of Fez and the fact that he had always had a crush on her, but she squashed the voice quickly as he led her into his room.

Afterward, when she was fast asleep, Fez lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, Jackie's back pressed against his side. He felt guilty for somewhat taking advantage of her in her depression, yet at the same time he felt a small sense of hope. He had wanted Jackie for so long, but she had always chosen others over him. First Kelso, then Hyde. But now, they had both betrayed her, both been unable to give her the one thing she craved, and though she hadn't exactly come looking for him, she had been the one to lean in and kiss him. Perhaps that meant the whole thing hadn't only been about comfort. After all, they had become so close over the years, especially since they had moved into the apartment together. He couldn't help but hope that maybe this was a sign that things were changing between them, that maybe they were growing closer, becoming more than just good friends. Maybe he could be the person to give her what she had been searching for all along.

And even though a part of him knew that Jackie was vulnerable and on the rebound, at that moment, Fez didn't care. He had dreamed about her, about this moment, for so long that nothing could destroy it. But, he also knew that as much as he wanted her, he had to respect her wishes. If this night had meant nothing more than comfort, he would bite his tongue and they would go back to being friends.

Fez glanced at the sleeping brunette and wondered what would happen when she awoke.