Thanks again for all the reviews – I blush as I read them. This story is not exactly pouring out of my soul at this time so I'm trying to commit to an update every Thursday – perhaps you've already figured out that pattern. Except when the fanfic is having trouble loading new additions like lately. But usually it will be Thursdays.

Chapter 4

"OK guys, come and get 'em," Trevor announced as he doled out ID cards to Jackie, Chip and Dave.

"So who is Matilda Smithersonville when she's at home?" Jackie asked, reading the name on her new fake ID.

"Who cares? As long as she's over 18, it can read Queen Elizabeth for all the bouncers care."

"Hey Blue, check this out," Chip said, sleazing up to Jackie. "Richard Woodman – but you can call me Dick."

"Yes, I've been calling you that in my head for some time now," Jackie replied. It was not easy for someone a foot and a half shorter to look down on someone else, but Jackie had always managed that feat with Chip.

"Break it up, you two. We'll be on stage in 10 minutes," Trevor reminded them. "Chip, quit hitting on Blue. We agreed from the start there'll be no Yoko action in this band."

"Hey, all bets are off if she's going to dress like that," Chip answered with a leer at Jackie. Jackie had insisted that they all dress with a theme and had originally suggested matching gold lamé flying suits but was unanimously voted down. In the end they had decided on jeans with leather vests over bare chests (although Jackie's vest was buttoned up). There was something extremely provocative about a girl wearing a vest with nothing underneath, although she was really showing no more skin than in a sleeveless top. On her head Jackie sported a very convincing blonde wig, most of which was caught up in a messy bun and held underneath a leather mod cap which matched her vest, with blonde tendrils framing her face. She had also applied her make up in more mature, darker shades, so with the tinted glasses hiding her eyes, she could have been anything from 20 to 30 years old.

"Gotta hand it to you, Blue," Dave said with a whistle, "your own mother wouldn't recognise you. That is a seriously foxy disguise."

"Thanks, Dave," Jackie said, throwing a smile to the harmless guitar/keyboard player.

"Unless she talked," Chip added. "I mean, Blue could pass for 25 easy in that get-up, but as soon as she opens her mouth and rabbits on about cheerleading or The Love Boat, she's obviously a teen."

Before Jackie could take umbrage, Trevor said, "He has a point, Blue. It's not your fault – you're just acting your age. But if you get onto one of your talking jags to anyone in club management, you'll get us kicked out of here in a heartbeat."

"So what, I pretend my tongue was cut out?" Jackie asked sarcastically.

"No, it's just best you don't use a lot of words. You need to be terse… aloof…"

"You mean Zen?" Jackie asked, seeing a chance to really put her lessons to good use.

"Sure. And try and pitch your voice a little lower so it sounds older."

"Whatever you say, Trevor," Jackie mocked in a deep croaky voice.

"Nice – big improvement. Alright guys, lets go out there and rock this two-bit town! Whoo-hoo!"

Drawing in a deep breath, Jackie picked up her drumsticks and walked through the backstage door into a new world.

…………………………………

"Man, this place is boring," Hyde said to Eric, Fez and Kelso.

"We live in a boring town, my friend," Eric replied, "where even the minor novelty of a new band playing at the dinkiest club in town is worth checking out."

"Some novelty," scoffed Hyde. "It'll just be some lame garage band that can't even tune their guitars together. I've got better things to do with a Friday night than hear some amateurs slaughter the Stones and Zeppelin."

"Hey, come on, give 'em a chance," Kelso said. "Maybe they're really good."

"How good can they be when they don't even have a name for themselves?"

This was true – none of the budding musicians could agree on a name for the band. Jackie had wanted to be called "The Chipmunks" because of Chip and Dave (Dale – get it?) but again her nomination was wholeheartedly squashed. At this point they were like the nameless band in Happy Days.

"Ooh, I think they are coming now," Fez said as three guys carrying guitars walked onto the stage. "Holy Madre Dios! There is a girl with them! The band has a goddess!"

"Great, it's one of those lame-ass bands with someone's girlfriend banging a tambourine out of time," Hyde said, but his eyes zeroed in on the small shapely blonde walking across the stage. To his surprise she took a seat behind the drums.

"What the – " Kelso squealed. "Man, their drummer is a hot chick! A hot chick!"

Jackie had reason to thank her dark glasses as they prevented her from seeing too closely all the faces looking at her as she made her debut performance. You're just in Trevor's garage, she said to herself. No reason to be nervous – it's just jamming with your friends – and Chip. Once the voices of the patrons died to an expectant hush, she raised her drumsticks in the air, tapped them hard together three times and then launched into the opening drum solo for Sweet's Ballroom Blitz. Chip and Dave picked up the guitar parts as Trevor sang the lead vocal. By the time they hit the second verse, popular opinion was this band rocked!

"Not bad, hey Hyde?" Eric said in a smarmy I-told-you-so way.

"Yeah, whatever," Hyde answered distractedly as his eyes were glued to every move of the gorgeous drummer. He wasn't sure if it was some lighting effect they were using but there seemed to be a heavenly glow about her as she laid into those drums, belting out Queen's Another One Bites the Dust. As they worked their way through the set, more young people would filter into the club, drawn like the rats of Hamlin to the kick-ass rock that could be heard over two blocks. By the time the band had finished their first set the owner was rubbing his hands together in glee and had actually had to form a line at the door for people wanting to get in, a tradition his rundown establishment had not seen in years.

"Thanks, Point Place, you're a great audience. We're going to take a break now but we'll be back in 10," Trevor announced.

"Excellent. Now is my chance to buy that divine angel a drink," Fez said. "Do goddesses drink beer?"

"Sorry, Fez but it's illegal for foreigners to date drummers in this country," Hyde instructed.

"Damn! First it's nurses, then waitresses, then crossing-guards and now drummers? Who is an ethnic visitor allowed to date? What is left for the Fez?"

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger, man," Hyde said with a hands up gesture of innocence. "I don't make the rules." This last statement had Kelso and Eric snorting beer out of their noses in amusement. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a hot drummer over there who looks thirsty." So saying, he picked up a glass of beer and made his way over towards the stage.

He soon realised that his plan to offer beverages to the hot drummer was not an original idea; there were about 10 other guys forming a semi-circle around the petite blonde. She was looking down on them from behind her drum set like a princess on her throne accepting homage from the masses.

"Wow, that was just so awesome," a long haired boy in ripped jeans gushed.

"Whatever," replied the girl in a husky voice.

"Where did you learn to wail the skins like that, miss?" another worshipper asked.

"Been around."

"Would you like a drink, miss? I have a rum and coke here."

"I brought you a martini!"

An array of drinks was offered to the high priestess of drums who surveyed the crowd with no hint of expression until her gaze rested on Hyde. He was filled with male satisfaction to see her mouth fall open across her pearly white teeth in surprise; he wished he could see her eyes but the tinted glasses were impenetrable. He took the opening.

"Beer?" he said as laconic as herself.

The pack of males held their breath as she considered the offer and then reached across the drums to accept the drink. "Thanks," was all she said. Jackie concentrated on sipping the beer as an excuse not to look at Hyde. She had almost squealed in shock when she had seen him before her and her heart was currently beating a buzz roll. To judge from Hyde's expression, he did not recognise her but then he was much better at concealment than she so she could not be sure.

"C'mon, Blue," Trevor said, making shooing gestures at the guys milling around her, "Time for the second set." Jackie could not resist one last look at Hyde and found him gazing intensely at her. She made a small nod to him, and then resolutely pushed him from her mind and concentrated on the music. However, for the other two breaks that night she retreated to the dressing room to avoid any more contact with Hyde, much to his disappointment. He considered waiting outside the club for her after the gig but then Red would kick his ass if he broke curfew. Another night, he promised both himself and the mysterious girl called Blue.