A Few Weeks Later
Late February
Hyde glanced up at the lunch lady and frowned, pushing his tray of slop back towards her.
"No, thanks," he said ignoring her death stare. "Think I'll go hungry today."
The lunch lady shrugged, taking Hyde's tray and shoving it on the counter behind her. "Whatever," she mumbled readying her next spoonful for the next unlucky student. "Like I care."
Hyde shoved his hands in his pockets, smirking at the woman's all too familiar words. It was like Edna was back running the school's cafeteria, serving crap with a razor sharp tongue. Oh the sweet memories...Hyde chuckled as he walked away.
It didn't take him long to find the boys sitting at a table by the window and by the looks of the empty table it was clear they'd decided to pass on lunch too. For half-wits they could sometimes be smart.
Eric looked up when Hyde reached the table. "Joining us today, Hyde? To what do we owe the honour?"
Hyde nodded outside at the falling rain. "Raining. You know what that does to the 'fro," he lied. It amazed him that his friends were yet to discover his secret tutorials with Mr. Morrison, instead believing he took off every lunchtime to do god knows what. If one of them had ever bothered to step foot in the school library he would've been busted months ago...but they didn't so he wasn't, and with the SATs in a couple of weeks his secret meetings would soon be over.
"Well, then thank you lord for the rain," Fez smiled. "Because we hardly ever get to see you anymore."
Hyde squeezed Fez's shoulder with his hand. "Sorry, man. Between work, doctor's appointments, parenting classes n school, I'm exhausted." He smiled, choosing to leave out the main reason he wasn't seeing a lot of his friends - making out with Jackie.
"I hope that when the baby comes things get back to normal and we get to see more of you. Circles aren't the same without you," Fez grumbled.
Eric scoffed. "Probably because circles are non-existent without Hyde's stash."
"Hey, I gave you a buttload last week," Hyde said, looking across the table at Eric. "You smoked it all up already?"
"Maybe, maybe not. Come hang with us after school n find out," Eric suggested.
Hyde laughed, leaning back in his chair. "No need to be mysterious, Eric, you can't pull it off. Anyway I got work after school so today's out. Maybe I'll come find out tomorrow."
"You say that everyday but we haven't had a circle with you in weeks."
"Now, now, Erica, don't be like that," Hyde teased, a little bummed that his friends were missing him. In all honestly he kinda missed them too, but what could he do? He was being pulled in all directions right now and something had to give, it just sucked that that thing was his friends. "I swear one day this week we'll hang."
Fez sighed. "You said that last week and when you finally did show up you fell asleep in your chair. After two hours it got really boring watching you sleep...you weren't even sleep talking sexy things"
Hyde cocked an eyebrow in his foreign friend's direction. "Whatever," he said before looking over at Kelso who so far had been quiet, totally absorbed in whatever it was he was writing down on a piece of paper. "What'cha got there, Kelso?" Hyde asked, reaching for the paper only for Kelso to quickly pull it to his chest. "You writing lines again?"
"No, actually," Kelso said. "I haven't had to write lines since last year when I pretended to be a substitute teacher."
"Still don't get how those sophomores believed you." Eric shook his head.
"Hey, it got me date didn't it? Chicks love a man in a suit with authority."
"Until they see him writing lines," Hyde reminded him. "Anyway, what're you writing?"
Eric leaned forward enthusiastically. "Oh, our man here fancies himself as a bit of a poet. Hyde, don't s'pose you know a word that rhymes with chrysalis?"
"Syphilis?" Hyde offered smugly.
Kelso shook his head. "Nope. Tried that and there just isn't a way to make syphilis romantic."
"Can you believe it?" Eric mocked. "And here I was thinking that of all the STI's syphilis was for sure the most romantic. I just don't get it."
"I dunno, Kelso," Hyde started, feeling rather happy he was joining the boys for lunch today of all days. "I think there's gotta be a way to make it romantic...maybe something about how special it'd be if the chick didn't catch it from you..."
Again, Kelso shook his head, furrowing his brow as he read over his poem. "Thought of spinning it that way too, but I dunno, man, just don't think it's gonna fly with this chick. Guess it's back to the drawing board."
"Who's the poem for anyway?" Hyde asked as Kelso screwed the paper up into a ball and tossed it over his shoulder.
"Never you mind," Kelso said. "She's just a chick I'm working on in preparation for prom. See, I like to plan in advance...that's the kinda guy I am. I'm not gonna wait 'til the last minute n be stuck with an uggo or a fatty as a date. I'm preparing now n I suggest you guys do the same - 'cept you, Fez, you'll scare 'em off. You just wait 'til the week before n pick one of the desperate ones."
Fez smiled and nodded. "Will do, amigo!"
"Well I'll be taking Donna," Eric shrugged. "So no need for me to prepare."
"And I won't be going," Hyde grinned. "Because proms are lame n so are you guys." He stood up and looked over at the thinning line by the counter. "I need a drink," he said, pushing his chair to the side. "All this talk of STIs is makin' me thirsty."
Hyde ignored Fez's drinks request and made his way to the fridge next to the counter, unaware of the small shadow following him there. He didn't notice her until he went to open the glass door and a hand adorned with bright red nails landed on the glass, pushing it closed. He looked down and frowned.
"Hey, Hyde." Kat smiled, pressing her back against the refridgerator.
"Ah, hey Kat."
"So, I haven't seen you around much lately. Have you been hiding from me?" she purred, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Nope." Hyde folded his arms across his chest, staring intently at the juicebox to the left of Kat's head. "Been busy, y'know how it is."
"Yeah, I know," Kat said as she played with the end of her blonde ponytail. "I've been missing you...have you been missing me?"
Hyde continued frowning. Was this chick for real? "Ah, can't really say that I have. Can you like, shift over a bit? I just wanna grab a drin-"
"So a few of us are going to Selena's this Saturday," Kat interrupted, staying firmly put in between Hyde and the fridge. "Her parents are out of town for the weekend and we're getting a keg in. I thought you might wanna come with me? It'll be fun...I promise."
Hyde grimaced. Kat used to be fun but his idea of fun had shifted from blonde sluts to spoiled brunettes and he couldn't think of anything worse than spending Saturday night with her.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm kinda busy Saturday night. I'm sure Kelso would be keen though. Take him," he suggested.
Kat scrunched her nose in disgust before trailing her fingertips suggestively down Hyde's jacket. "But I don't want Kelso to come, I want you to come."
"Well I can't. I'm busy." Putting his hands on Kat's shoulders he maneuvered her to the side of the fridge and opened the glass door, retrieving his much desired drink.
Kat followed him to the counter, wrapping her arm through his. As he searched his pocket for a crumpled bill he narrowed his eyes at her and tried to shrug her off. Kat Peterson was made of a different breed though and didn't take rejection easily, if at all.
"Oh, I bet you're not busy all night," she whispered up at him, smiling. "Just come over whenever, I'll wait up for you."
"How's about you don't." Hyde finally wrangled free from Kat's grip and smartly turned on his boots away from her. "I'll catch ya later, Kat," he called back, not bothering to turn around and not noticing a particular brunette watching the exchange from across the room.
...
"After you," Hyde said later that day, holding the door to the doctors open for Jackie.
Jackie smiled and curtsied. "Why thank you," she sweetly said as she stepped outside.
Once inside the car, Hyde turned the heater onto high, warming his hands before reversing out of the parking lot.
"You should wear gloves," Jackie stated, holding up her own mittened up hands.
"Yeah, 'cause they look so cool," Hyde smirked sarcastically.
Jackie's doe eyes narrowed. "Better than being so cold you can't wrap your hands 'round the steering wheel."
Hyde glanced down at his white knuckles wrapped around the steering wheel. "I'm drivin' aren't I?"
"Just." Jackie sighed and shifted over next to him, leaning her head on his arm. He looked down at her. She was watching the road ahead, her eyes sad, her cheeks missing their usual glow.
"What's up?" Hyde asked when they stopped at a red light. "You're quiet, too quiet."
"Nothing." Jackie sighed again.
"Jackie..."
She sat up, clasping her hands together on her lap. "Well, it's just...when the doctor asked who'd be in the room with me when I had the baby, I wanted to say you and my mom, but, well, it's been two whole weeks since I heard from her, Steven. The baby is due in six weeks but we both know how advanced I am in everything so I'd say it'd be more like four-"
Hyde rolled his eyes. "Jackie, didn't you just hear the doctor? He told you most first time mom's are overdue," Hyde reminded her. "So it could be more like eight."
"I will not still be pregnant in eight weeks, Steven. Four, maybe five tops. I'm always punctual therefore my baby will be too-"
"You do remember who the father of this kid is, right?"
Jackie waved her hands through the air. "Look, we're getting off track here. Anyway, what I'm worried about is whether or not my mom will be back in time for the birth. I don't wanna do it without her. I don't know if I could do it without her..." She flopped back against the leather seat of the Camino and returned her head to Hyde's arm like she always did. He'd gotten used to them driving round like this. For someone who wasn't his girlfriend she sure acted like one. Not that he minded.
"Jackie, if you have to do this without her you will. Where's she been the last couple months? Not here lookin' after you that's for sure. N look at you - you survived. If she's not here, she's not here. Make a back up plan." He was still biting his tongue when it came to Pam Burkhart, resisting the urge to ban her from his daughter's life altogether. He'd put money on it that Pam wouldn't bother showing up for the birth but he wouldn't tell Jackie that; she was still holding on to hope that her mother would be there wiping her brow in the delivery room.
"A back up plan?" Jackie asked. "Like what?"
Hyde shrugged. "I dunno. Like Rosa, or Donna, or Mrs. Forman or something."
Jackie was quiet for a moment, pondering his suggestions. "Hmmm, maybe," she said quietly. "I mean, I have faith that mom will come back, but just in case she doesn't I guess it wouldn't hurt to write another name down on the hospital form."
"Wouldn't hurt at all."
When Hyde crossed the main road and began heading to the fancier side of town, Jackie sat up again. "Where are you going?" she asked as if she didn't already know.
"Your place." Hyde glanced at her. "I start work at four so I'll drop you home now."
"But I don't wanna go home," Jackie pouted. "Rosa won't be there 'til later n you won't be there..." Suddenly her face lit up with the biggest smile he'd seen all afternoon. She grabbed his arm. "Steven, let me use the Camino for the afternoon!"
Hyde blinked rapidly, not sure if he was hearing things. As much as he hated the thought of her being alone there was no way in hell she was driving his car. Aside from a duffel bag and a few tees and jeans it was all he had.
"As if, Jackie. If you don't wanna go home I'll drop you at Donna's." He swung the car up by the curb before checking the rear view mirror. When the road was clear he did a U-turn and headed back toward the Forman's.
"But I don't want to hang at Donna's...I want to go to the mall with Donna," Jackie moaned. "Didn't you hear the doctor? He said I need to start packing my hospital bag which means I need new pajamas, Steven. Please, please, please let me take the car." She was perched on her knees now, scratching at his beard, kissing his neck, using every trick in the book to pry his car from him. And it was working.
"I'll take you to the mall tomorrow," he offered, concentrating as hard as he could on the busy road ahead.
She kissed the corner of his mouth, pulling away before he could reciprocate. "But I want to go today," she pleaded. "And I promise I'll take good care of it. And I promise I'll be at the restaurant at nine on the dot to pick you up. Please, Steven? Please, plea-"
"Fine!" Hyde swiftly turned left toward the restaurant and wanted to kick his own ass for doing so. It was becoming apparent to Hyde that the bigger Jackie's tummy got, the easier 'yes's' to her demands flew from his big gob. However despite becoming a pushover where she was concerned, he still had rules - especially when it came to his car. "You can take the car, but you better go straight to Donna's, then straight to the mall. No cruising 'round, Jackie. Okay? And don't even try to parallel park her. Got it?"
"Got it!"
Two hours later Donna's head was leaning against the glass passenger window in the El Camino as it headed down James Street for the thirteenth time that afternoon.
From the driver's seat Jackie eyed her friend in annoyance. "God, Donna! Sit up would you?" she ordered, shoving her hand into a bag of chips nestled between them. "No wonder you walk like a lumberjack, your posture's shot to hell."
Donna sighed. "Jackie, we've been up this street so many freaking times today n nothing's changed," she said before pointing at a blue Toyota parked under a bare tree. "Blue car's still there, and look, that kid's bike is still leaning against that house. And there - up ahead - brown station wagon still in driveway." She sighed again. "What exactly is it that you're looking for?"
Jackie kept driving, only pausing as she stopped at the end of the street and turned onto Frederick Drive. "Be patient, Donna," she said as she drove around the block again. "I told you two minutes ago, this won't take long."
"I think I have been patient," Donna argued. "You said we were going to the mall but instead I've been stuck in this car for over an hour driving around the same damn block. I'm starving. I haven't eaten since lunch."
"Always about the food with you isn't it?" Jackie pushed a couple of chips into her mouth and devoured them before handing Donna the bag. "I got you some chips, eat them 'til we're done. Then you can buy yourself six burgers and knock yourself out."
Donna picked up the bag and peered into it, a frown forming on her face. "It's empty," she said, tipping the bag upside down causing Jackie to scowl when salt and crumbs dropped to the floor of Hyde's car. With one hand still on the wheel, Jackie reached over and ripped the bag from Donna's hand.
"Geez, Donna! Don't get crumbs all over Steven's car! He'll flip!"
Donna smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, my bad. Didn't mean to mess up your boyfriend's car."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Pfft, could'a fooled me," Donna grinned. "Tell me again then why you're driving his pride n joy around?"
"Because I can."
When Jackie pulled the Camino back into James Street in the distance she saw what she'd been waiting for. A small, red hatchback was turning off Frederick Drive into James, coming to a stop a few houses from the corner. Adrenaline pumping through her little body, Jackie pushed her foot harder on the accelerator, not wanting to miss her opportunity.
Donna sat up and put her hand on the dash. "Woah, Jackie! Going a little fast there don't you think? It's been raining all day, the road's slippery."
"Oh, calm down," Jackie said, easing up on the gas as she approached the red car. "I was going the speed limit."
The hatchback was parked outside a very ordinary Point Place house. It was tidy enough, but nothing compared to where Jackie grew up. She smiled smugly when a blonde stepped out of the passenger side of the car, not noticing Jackie pulling up her driveway.
Donna peered out of the window before sliding down in the bench seat. "What the hell are we doing at Kat Peterson's house?" she whispered. "I am not coming to one of your pajama, cheerleading parties, Jackie."
Jackie 'sshed' her and opened the door. "Wait here," she said before picking up a book from the floor and stepping out of the car.
Jackie's boots squished beneath her as they made contact with rain sodden front yard and the sound of her steps caused Kat to look over. The smile quickly disappeared from the blonde's face, replaced with a competitive snarl Jackie was all too familiar with. She'd cheered alongside Kat for years and as the girl was older and seemed wiser Jackie had studied her intently. She knew the girl inside and out which meant she was at an advantage. Knowing ones enemy was crucial when going into battle; as was having an army, which Jackie had steadily been able to build up in the form of Pauline and Suzy. Who knew allegiances could so easily be changed when clucky teenage girls were involved?
Ignoring Suzy sitting in the car, Jackie crossed the last few feet of grass that separated her from Kat and smiled. "Hi, Kat," she said, adjusting the woollen scarf around her neck. She'd all of a sudden grown cold, maybe more because of the company than the chilly February afternoon.
"Hey, Jackie." Kat's eyes glossed over Jackie and fell onto the black Camino behind her.
A grin played along Jackie's lips as she stared at Kat staring at the car. The blonde didn't even have the polite courtesy to bury her jealousy beneath the walls of her catty exterior. How Jackie had ever looked up to such an amateur had become a mystery; despite the girl's age and experience she knew absolutely nothing about playing it cool.
"So, Kat," Jackie started, "you have a cheer meeting later on, right?"
Kat nodded, eyes still darting between Hyde's car and the heavily pregnant girl in front of her.
"Oh great," Jackie said. "Because Pauline left her bio textbook in my bag and she really needs it for our test tomorrow. Do you think you could give it to her, please? I've driven all 'round town looking for her n she's nowhere to be found! Probably off getting her nails done or something!" She pushed the textbook into Kat's arms and then rested her hands on her stomach.
Kat looked down at the textbook. "Ah, yeah, sure," she said before focusing back on Jackie.
Jackie's smile was saccharine sweet. "Oh, thank you, Kat! Pauline would've just died if she'd failed that test! You know how much she wants to be a nurse...God knows why. I mean, yuck! Nursing is all butts and old people, I personally couldn't think of anything wors-"
As expected, curiosity got the better of Kat and she cut Jackie off. "So Hyde lets you drive his car, huh?" she asked, nodding toward the driveway.
Jackie shrugged. "All the time," she lied.
Her heart beat a little faster when she thought about what Hyde would say if he knew what she'd been doing with his car all afternoon. He'd be all 'Jackie, that was stupid', 'Jackie, grow up', 'Jackie, what a waste of gas, man'. But even if he did find out, and she did get one of his minimalistic speeches, the sheer look on Kat's face made it all worth it. The skank surely had to know now that she'd better back the hell off.
"Wow." Kat's attempt at appearing stoic were futile; she looked like she'd been kicked in the guts by a pregnant brunette. "I've never seen him let anyone drive that car before, not even Eric."
"Well nobody else is carrying his daughter," Jackie said, swallowing back the smugness that wanted to drip from her tongue.
"Yeah, but you two aren't together."
Jackie's brows knitted together. "Aren't we? Who said we're not?" Pretending to check her non-existent watch, Jackie gasped. "Oh! It's nearly seven - Steven will be waiting for his dinner -" she looked at a Kat and smiled, "- thank you so much for getting the book to Pauline, Kat. I'll see you tomorrow."
If she could've skipped to the car, she would've. But it was wet and icy and she was heavily pregnant, so a quick walk had to do. She could feel Kat watching her and chuckled, imagining the phone calls the skank would be making tonight. No doubt the first would be to Kelly, which would be great because Jackie needed that slut to back off Hyde as well. From there the phone tree would grow and tomorrow at school Hyde and Jackie would once again be the talk of the school, but it was worth it - Hyde liked sluts and sluts loved Hyde and it would be over Jackie's dead body that the father of her child ended up with one.
"What the hell was that all about?" Donna practically yelled once they were safely off James Street.
Jackie smiled and drummed her fingers against the steering wheel in time with the music, which, to her delight, was ABBA since Hyde wasn't within earshot.
"That, my friend, was putting a bitch in her place using a healthy dose of passive-aggression."
Donna rolled her eyes. "What did Kat do this time?" she asked. "Although I'm not sure I wanna know..."
"Oh, Donna -" Jackie exhaled loudly, relieved at finally being free to tell Donna about Kat's lunchtime spectacle. She'd wanted to tell her earlier but the redhead had the annoying habit of trying to talk her out of her brilliant plans therefore she couldn't risk being swayed. She had the car; the job had to be done. " - you should've seen her all over Steven in the cafeteria today, it was disgusting! That girl has no respect for the sanctity of having a baby together-"
"The sanctity of having a baby together?" Donna questioned.
"Yeah, she has no respect for it, putting her scrawny, pastey hands all over him, tongue practically hanging out of her mouth." Jackie's veins coursed with anger at the memory and she gripped the wheel tightly. "It was revolting, Donna. The girl is desperate and needs to find her own man and stay away from mine."
"Yours?"
Jackie glanced at Donna when she realised her faux pas. She bit down on her lip nervously, her mind scrambling for a response. "Well, you know what I mean."
Donna raised an eyebrow. "No, Jackie, I don't know what you mean, so why don't you fill me in? Last I heard you didn't wanna be with Hyde - which, I might add, we're all very grateful for...knowing you two hooked up last year is gross enough, I don't think we could stomach actually seeing it."
And there it was, the disapproving verbal venom creeping out of her best friend. Words no doubt uttered regularly in the basement whenever it was free of Jackie and Hyde and their creepy relationship. They both knew the sentiment was there though - shared by the other four members of their group - but they'd hoped that as they'd grown maybe their friends had grown too; well Jackie had hoped anyway. Their lack of faith in her and Hyde had without a doubt been a contributing factor in her not wanting a relationship with him just yet. Not so much because she cared what they thought, but because she worried their concerns would filter into Hyde and send him running for the hills and she couldn't risk losing him. She wouldn't risk losing him. Hence her afternoon spent shooing away slutbags.
She pulled the Camino into a park outside the Hub and put it in park. "Look, Donna, me n Steven might not be together but that doesn't mean I want him running 'round town with the likes of Kat Peterson, okay? Since I'm having his baby I kinda technically own him-"
"Jackie, I don't think that's how it works-"
Jackie waved a hand in Donna's face silencing her. "Sshh, Donna, you wouldn't know how it works 'cause you haven't had a baby. I am a walking, talking human incubator and while I am I rule Steven Hyde and there will be no blondes in his life. Now go get your burgers, I'll be in in a sec." Donna shrugged and went to open the door but before she could Jackie stopped her. "Wait, Donna," she said. "What's the time?"
Donna checked her watch. "5 to 7," she answered before getting out.
Jackie smiled and dabbed some gloss on her lips. Only two more hours 'til I see Steven, she thought as she stepped out to follow Donna inside.
A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! I love them! Only one, possibly two, chapters til the baby arrives...