Pamela Burkhart had made motherhood look easy. Okay, she hadn't spent her time making lunches, cooking dinners, or baking delightful after school treats - Rosa had done all of that. But Pamela had made other aspects of being a mother appear breezy; namely the times she'd left her only child at home while she attended numerous charity auctions, cocktail parties, or trips abroad. It would take hours for Pam to get herself ready but only moments would be devoted to kissing Jackie goodbye.

The older Burkhart had made saying goodbye look so damn easy.

But it wasn't.

"We shouldn't be going," a tearful Jackie said as she watched Kitty wave Tyler's little hand from where they stood at the kitchen door.

Hyde started the Camino. "Jackie, we've been over this, she'll be fine."

"But what if she's not?" Jackie couldn't tear her eyes away from her daughter as the car slowly reversed down the driveway. "What if she needs me? Or gets scared? Oh my god, Steven, what if she suffocates?!"

"Are you kidding me?" Hyde stopped the car momentarily and looked straight at Jackie who at that moment was having a slight panic attack. "Tyler is not gonna suffocate."

"She could choke...what if Mrs. Forman doesn't check her crib properly for little objects before she puts her down?" Jackie's hands were growing sweaty and her heart was racing. Just as she reached for the door handle to escape the car and get back to her rightful place with her baby, Hyde quickly leaned across her and locked the door.

"Jackie," he said softly, resting his hand on her leg. "Mrs. F is a nurse. Tyler couldn't be in more capable hands tonight, okay? Hell, she's probably safer tonight with them than she is when she's with us."

"But -"

"But nothing, Jackie. We've been over, and over and over this. The baby will be fine and we needa get out, man. So can we just go?"

Hyde looked exasperated and Jackie couldn't really blame him. Donna, Eric and Fez had left to go to Simon's an hour ago, but because of Jackie's fretting Hyde still hadn't made it down the driveway. He had been patient throughout Jackie's anxiety but it was clear the patience was now wearing thin. Jackie sighed and gazed up the driveway. Deep down she knew Tyler would be fine with Mrs. Forman, but it didn't make leaving her any easier.

"Okay, we can go," she affirmed with a curt nod of her head.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Really, really sure? Coz you've said we can go ten times in the last hour but so far we've only made it six metres down the driveway."

Jackie clasped her hands together tight on her lap and nodded again. "This time we can go, Steven," she said confidently. "Nothing will happen to the baby if we leave her for an hour or two..."

"That's right," Hyde said, patting her twice on the shoulder before pressing his foot down on the accelerator before she changed her mind again. "Now try n relax and have a good time."

Hyde flashed Jackie a quick grin as the tyres hit the street, motoring the two parents closer to their destination. Finally allowing her body to relax, Jackie lay her head back on the seat and watched the houses whiz by. Simon lived on the nice side of town, the side Jackie had lived on until a couple of days ago. His house was five down from the Burkharts' and even though Jackie had spent years denying it, his house was even grander than hers. But it wasn't just a neighbourhood Jackie and Simon shared; he too was the product of parents who worked, travelled and socialised too much. Hence his frequent parties. Jackie's stomach twisted as she thought of her house, on that street, and she wondered if there would ever be a time her and her family would be reunited.

But she needed to forget that her life was nearly in ruins, after all, she was still beautiful and still only 17. It hadn't been easy leaving her baby but hopefully the night would be worth it.

He didn't want to look at her. And he sure as hell didn't want to ask her what was wrong. He wanted to get to the damn party and down some beers - something he would've been doing an hour ago if she hadn't been so damn emotional. Crazy chicks and their crazy feelings.

He chanced a quick glance in Jackie's direction as he made a right onto Kennedy Street. She was still snivelling. They were only going to the party for a few hours. What did she think was gonna happen to Tyler in that time? Oh, that's right, she could choke, or drown, or suffocate...Hyde shook his head at the thought. Tyler was in the most responsible hands out. There was no way Mrs. F would let anything happen to his girl.

He stopped an audible sigh escaping, and said, "Jackie, we're only gonna be a couple hours, she'll be fine."

"Oh I know." Jackie sat up a little straighter and ran her hand through her hair. "I know the baby will be okay with Mrs. Forman. It was just hard y'know...leaving her. I'm used to her being with me. And she's still so little, and cute, and needy..." She bit her lip thoughtfully and Hyde's wall crumbled ever so slightly. He should be happy Tyler had a mom who loved her so much that she couldn't bear to go out for three hours. Especially as his mom had hated him so much she'd left forever.

He smiled and nodded. "Yep, she is cute," he said. "And remember, I said I'll call every half hour to check in on her and I will. Swear I won't forget."

"Damn right you won't forget, coz I'll be reminding you," Jackie stated, arching her eyebrows before letting her head fall back on the seat.

They drove the next couple of miles in silence and the awkwardness was precisely the reason Hyde had wanted to drive to the party with Forman and the others. Being alone with Jackie was torture. Every time he saw her he wanted to touch her, she was a freaking magnet and his hands were the paperclips scuttling over the desk towards her. But as strong as his physical desire for her was, his head was stronger. Jackie wasn't gonna make him stupid anymore. He'd been there, done that, and written the book. They could be friends, but that was it.

"You have got to be kidding me?"

Jackie's words snapped Hyde back into reality. "What?" he asked as he pulled the Camino into park two doors down from Simon's.

"Cynthia is wearing the same top I bought last week," Jackie said, picking up her bag.

Hyde rolled his eyes, pulled the keys from the ignition, and stepped out of the car. Once he'd joined Jackie on the sidewalk he lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. A few kids were milling about on Simon's front lawn and offered 'hello's' as Jackie and Hyde walked past. As he puffed on his cigarette, Hyde pretended to not notice the death glares Jackie was directing at Cynthia, but when she slowed her pace and raised a hand to her hip he had to intervene.

"What are you doing, Jackie?" he said putting his hand on her lower back trying to usher her inside. "Who cares what she's wearing?"

Jackie looked up at him like he was stupid. "Uh, me! How can I wear that now everyone's seen her in it, Steven? She's a freshman."

"It'll be hard, but I'm sure you'll figure out what to do," Hyde said, pressing a little harder on her back. "But figure it out tomorrow, k? Coz right now we need to find the beer."

Surprisingly, Jackie listened and quickened her step in time with his. As they walked side by side, his hand still on her back, Hyde could feel people's eyes on them. Aside from a couple of trips to the Hub and the mall, this was the first time he and Jackie had been out together since the baby had arrived and it was sure to set tongues wagging. Part of Hyde - probably the part of him that kept his hand on her - wanted the tongues to wag. Let them think he and Jackie were together. That would keep other guys away from her. But the other part of him knew that eventually he'd have to set everybody straight. She wasn't his, and he didn't want her to be...

"You're finally here!" Donna threw her arms around Jackie's neck and Hyde quickly shoved his hand in his pocket. "Kegs out by the pool," Donna said, ushering Hyde and Jackie through the lounge and out to the backyard.

If Hyde had to guess he would've said the whole school had turned up to that party. Kids were everywhere, and not just the 'cool' kids either, there were band kids and even some of the mathletics team. He smiled and nodded as he walked over to where Eric and Kelso were by the keg. He sure liked how non-discriminatory Simon was.

"Great party, huh?" Eric said, handing Hyde a plastic cup of beer.

"It will be when I find the stereo and change the music." Hyde winked and took a sip of his drink wondering why Donna Summers had to be the soundtrack to every high school party in America.

"But I love this song!"

Hyde watched Jackie for a moment. Bronzed legs, only partially covered in a short white skirt, glowed as she danced in one spot. Oversized sunglasses balanced on her little face as she took in the party-goers, her eagerness displayed in a huge smile.

God she looked good.

"Of course you do." Hyde didn't know why he did it, and he regretted it immediately, but for a moment his index finger landed on the tip of Jackie's nose. Again he shoved his wandering hand back into his jacket pocket, but not before Jackie's smile grew even larger as she looked up at him. "So," he said, turning and facing Kelso, "when are you gonna do it?"

"Very soon, my friend," Kelso beamed holding up his cup of beer. "Just need a couple more of these and then I'm good to go!"

Eric's face contorted slightly. "Yeah, Kelso, I dunno about it, man. The pools not that deep down that end."

"It's deep enough," Hyde threw in. If Kelso wanted to be an idiot and jump off the roof and into the pool who was Hyde to try and stop him?

"But that roof is high, like high high and I know I'm not that good at physics but I just don't think that water is deep enough for you to land in without breaking numerous bones." Eric shrugged as Kelso's eyes went from the roof to the pool, then back to the roof, and back to the pool. "But it's up to you, Kelso."

"Yeah, it's up to you, Kelso," Hyde agreed. "And I say do it." Sipping his beer, Hyde decided that at least watching Kelso fuck himself over would stop Hyde thinking about the little brunette dancing next to him. He needed a distraction, and Kelso was always good for that.

"Oh I'm doin' it!" Kelso cried. "Even brought my little brother's trike. I'll be like Evel Knievel, only I won't be on fire." His face turned thoughtful and he looked at Hyde. "Any way we could set me on fire, Hyde?"

Hyde grinned enthusiastically. "Oh I'm sure we could find a way." Grabbing the keg tap, Hyde filled his cup again before directing the gang over to the hedge and out of the way of the beer queue.

"You guys are idiots!" Donna said, tossing her bag down on the grass. "Kelso, you're not jumping off that roof."

"I know I'm not, I'm riding off!"

Donna rolled her eyes. "You're not riding off that roof then. And you guys," she said turning to Eric and Hyde, "stop encouraging him! He'll kill himself!"

"I don't know that it'd kill him. Probably just maim him." Eric looked at the tiled roof and nodded.

"And who are we to stand in the way of a guy with a plan, Donna? Kelso has been planning this all day - are you really gonna let those plans go to waste?"

Donna eyed Hyde critically. "Well I'm not taking him to the hospital, Hyde. When he hurts himself, you're looking after him."

Suddenly, Jackie popped up, pulling her sunglasses from her face. She pointed her finger at Kelso sternly. "Look, mister," she started. "I'm the driver tonight and I am not, repeat NOT, driving you to the hospital. Got it? You are not ruining my night by breaking a bone. I am going to dance, eat, and show off my fabulous post-baby body and tan, then I am going home to my precious baby and am not detouring anywhere for you. So, Michael, you will not jump off the roof, or the table, or a chair - in fact, you will not even jump off the side into that pool, okay?"

With eyes wide, Kelso nodded at Jackie. "Okay," he mumbled.

"Good," she said. "Now go over there and get me one of those deck chairs. I can't sit on that grass in a white skirt." As Kelso ran off to fetch a chair Jackie smiled at Donna. "You're so lucky you don't wear nice clothes, lumberjack. You can sit anywhere you want! Your life must be so easy."

"Oh yeah, it's a total breeze," Donna mocked, flicking her red tresses out behind her. "Anyway, why are we sitting here with these morons?" she asked Jackie seriously. "Let's go for a walk around or something?"

Jackie raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Is somebody hungry already? Is 'let's go for a walk' code for 'let's go find the snacks'?"

Eric nudged Hyde in the side and whispered, "Oh how I long for the days when she was laid up at home all pregnant unable to come out with us. I'd nearly forgotten she was Satan's sister."

Hyde chuckled, feigning his agreement, when really he was kind of enjoying having Jackie around. At home it was all 'baby, baby, baby'. But here she was relaxed and as cutting as she'd always been.

Donna sighed. "No, Jackie, as shocking as it may seem I am not going searching for food. I just wanna have a look around, see who's here n stuff."

Kelso returned with an armful of folded up deck chairs. Hyde took two, opening one for Jackie, and then one for himself.

Jackie sat down and folded her legs. "Maybe later," she said to Donna. "I'm happy here for now."

Eric groaned and flopped down on his chair. "Oh great. So Kelso's not jumping off the roof and we have to hang with the Wicked Witch of the West all evening. Some party this is shaping up to be."

"Bite me, Eric," Jackie scowled.

"No thanks, I'd probably start frothing at the mouth."

"Now, now, you two, play nice." Hyde stood up. He needed a whiz and he had to call Mrs. Forman. "Back soon."

He'd barely made it three steps before Jackie was at his tail, pulling on the end of his jacket. "Wait up, Steven, I'm coming," she told him, tucking her small hand around his bicep.

"Why?" Hyde asked gruffly, equally irked and chuffed at her physical proximity. She was getting to him. He'd brought her tonight to try and cheer her up a bit but now he seemed to be the one getting all cheery and he knew that once he got cheery he got stupid.

When he got cheery he got people pregnant.

And then he got hurt.

"You're calling to see how Tyler is right?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah. You don't need to come though. I'm a big boy, Jackie, I can use a phone all on my own y'know?"

Jackie giggled and her grip on his arm tightened. "I know that," she smiled. "But I just want to come and see how she is. Plus, I need to use the bathroom."

The telephone wasn't hard to find, every kitchen had a telephone in it, but Hyde bet that not every kitchen had eight girls in barely there bikinis parading around in it. Their presence was making dialing the damn number an arduous task, and Jackie's glares were making the job even tougher. When a slim blonde wearing a hot pink bikini bent over to look in the fridge Hyde knew it was time to turn and face the wall.

"Surprised you could rip your eyes away," Jackie grumbled under her breath as the phone rang.

Thankfully Kitty picked up after two short rings and Hyde was more than happy to keep her on the phone...until Jackie ripped it off him.

"I'm so pleased she's okay!" she said into the phone. Hyde watched her talk, careful not to pay any attention to the bevy of beauties walking in and out of the room. "And she had half a bottle when?...That should tide her over for a while then...Yes, I'm having a good time, I'm just...I know she's fine with you, it's...yes, Mrs. Forman, I'll try and enjoy myself...Steven? Oh he's having a great time! He can barely keep his eyes in their sockets..." She pursed her lips at him and he glared back at her. "It's a pool party remember, Mrs. Forman, and we all know how much Steven loves girls in bathing suits..."

With that, Hyde grabbed the phone off Jackie and quickly said, "Bye, Mrs, F, I'll call again soon," before slamming it back in the receiver. "Damn, Jackie, what did you say that for?" he said as she followed him down the hall to the bathroom.

"It was just a joke, Steven, calm down."

"Funny joke. Ha. Ha."

The line to the bathroom was short by normal party standards but then again it was only 6pm, the night was still young. Hyde stood next to a guy from his chem class and made small talk about the weather and partaking in a minor drug deal later on at the back of the garage. High school parties, man, the easiest way to make a quick buck.

When it was Hyde's turn to use the bathroom he was dumbfounded to find a certain cheerleader skirting in on his time.

"What the hell, Jackie?!" he said as she pushed the door closed behind him and locked it. "You know the rules, get back out there n wait your turn, man."

Paying him no mind, Jackie walked straight to the basin. "Ignore me," she told him before lifting her flimsy top and exposing her white bra.

Hyde felt a twinge in his pants when he saw her reflection in the mirror and he panicked. "What the hell are you doing?!" To his horror and delight Jackie unclipped her maternity bra and pulled the fabric down until all Hyde could see were her perfectly rounded breasts. His pulse quickened as he stood frozen.

"I've got to get rid of some of this milk, my boobs are killing me," Jackie stated nonchalantly. She looked across her shoulder at Hyde and smiled sweetly. "Don't mind me-" she nodded at the toilet in the corner, "- I've seen you go to the bathroom before."

Hyde took a deep breath and paused for a second, waiting for his hard-on to go. Once Jackie started squirting breastmilk into the basin he knew he was safe to take a piss without it flying everywhere.

As he relieved himself he caught Jackie's eye in the bathroom mirror. He smiled. "You're something else, you know that, Jackie?"

She grinned back at him. "I know."

"What took you so long?" Donna asked when Hyde and Jackie got back to the others.

"Steven was checking out sluts."

"Jackie was milking herself."

Eric shuddered. "Don't tell me anymore!"

The skinny dork put his hands over his ears as Jackie sat down in her seat and poked her tongue out at him. A cool sensation touch her bare arm and she smiled sweetly at Hyde when he handed her the ice cold can of lemonade he'd swiped on the way out of the house. "Thanks," she said. He half-smiled back at her before sitting down.

Jackie watched him take a swig of beer, waiting to see if she'd catch his eye again. What was going on with him? All day he'd been so sweet; taking care of the baby so Jackie could get ready; telling her she looked nice when really she felt like a big fat pig. He'd even put his hand on her back all protective like when they'd arrived at Simon's. Could the hard shell that protected Hyde finally be softening?

God Jackie hoped so.

"Hey, Jackie -"

Jackie frowned when Kelso spoke. She'd much rather stare at Hyde than talk to Michael freaking Kelso. "What?" she snapped.

"Your hot friends are looking for you."

"Which ones? All of my friends are hot - except you guys of course - so you'll have to be more specific."

Kelso's mouth fell open. "Take that back - I so am hot!"

Donna groaned. "It was Pauline and Chloe," she told Jackie.

"Chloe B. or Chloe L.," Jackie asked, ignoring Kelso who was still babbling something about being hot.

"Chloe L. Chloe B. is still grounded for getting that hickey the other week." Donna stood up and brushed bits of grass off her denim shorts. "Anyone need another drink?" she asked, taking Eric and Kelso's cups before heading over to the keg.

Jackie tut-tutted as she thought about Chloe B. "Ew, hickies are so gross," she said to the boys. "My parents would've been so disappointed in me if I had come home with slut marks all over my neck."

"As opposed to how proud they were when you came home pregnant," Eric remarked before swiftly being punched in the arm.

"Can it, Forman," Hyde growled. He looked over at Jackie next to him. "You wanna go find your friends?"

Butterflies took flight in her stomach and she grinned at him. "Are you coming with me to find them?"

Hyde frowned. "Ah, no. But feel free to go for a walk. You haven't seen your friends in a while so don't think you gotta stay here with us."

The butterflies plummeted to the ground but Jackie did her best to stay outwardly composed. Maybe she'd misread Hyde's signals. Maybe he hadn't blushed when they'd been in the bathroom. Maybe he hadn't puffed his chest out when Troy Hart had stopped Jackie to say hi by the pool.

Maybe there really wasn't any hope for them.

Gathering up her handbag, Jackie swallowed hard. "Yeah, why would I sit here with you losers when I could be hanging out with people who are actually cool," she said with a smile. "I'll catch you later."

She didn't turn around or stay long enough to hear a response. She just walked until she was lost in the crowd by the pool where her heart could break without anyone hearing it.

Hyde pinched the bridge of his nose to stop the headache that was brewing and hung up the phone. It was getting dark out and for some reason the darkness meant the volume on the stereo had to go up a few hundred notches. Disco music was penetrating its way into every fibre of Hyde's being. No wonder he had a freaking headache.

He turned around and bumped right into a chick, knocking her beer.

"Shit, sorry," he said, even though he didn't really care.

"Don't worry about it," the girl said, smiling brightly. She was tiny, smaller than Jackie even, and had her black hair cut short into bob. Hyde didn't recognise her. She had to be from Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow 'cause Hyde knew pretty much every chick in Point Place bar the Catholic ones. "So how's your little girl?" the chick asked before he could get out of the kitchen.

"Huh?"

The girl nodded toward the telephone on the wall. "I heard you on the phone, checking on your baby. Is she okay?"

Hyde rubbed his temple, he could feel the dull throb through his skin. Fucking disco crap!

"Ah, she's - " Hold up, he didn't have to tell some stranger that Tyler was safe and sound tucked up in bed. The only person who needed to know that was Jackie. But he hadn't seen her in two damn hours. He shrugged and mumbled a 'whatever' before leaving the chick standing in the kitchen.

Where the hell was Jackie? Her disappearance was starting to really fuck him off. So what if he'd told her to go? It didn't mean that she had to listen. He'd told Kelso to set himself on fire and ride a three year old's tricycle off a roof and into a pool and that moron hadn't listened to him. So why did Jackie?

And what about Tyler? Didn't Jackie care about her kid? She hadn't been back once to see how she was doing and Hyde knew she hadn't called Mrs. Forman because Mrs. F would've told him. Jackie was just off having a good time on her own without him.

Not that he cared.

Much.

Eric and the others were still in their spot by the keg, only now they had extra additions, namely Fez and the poor chick who Kelso had chosen to suck face with all night. She was a Junior from school and an alright girl. She didn't say much and willingly filled up the boys cups with beer so Hyde didn't mind her hanging around, plus she kept Kelso occupied with her mouth so at least they didn't have to hear him talk all that often.

Hyde sat down in his seat and picked up his cup from the ground.

"Tyler okay?" Donna slurred.

Hyde nodded. "Yeah, she's asleep. Any sign of Jackie yet?"

"Nope, so it looks like there really is a god and tonight he's listening to Eric Forman!" Eric did a lame fist pump before Donna elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Shut up, Eric," she said.

"Well, alls I can say is that she better not be fuckin' drinking, coz she said she'd drive us home and I'm already drunk." Hyde threw his empty cup on the ground and kicked it around. He was meant to be having a good time tonight. Having some laughs. Shooting the breeze. But all he was doing was thinking about damn Jackie.

It was pissing him off.

"She won't be drinking, Hyde," Donna said, wrapping a blanket around her and Eric, protecting them from the cool evening breeze. "She wouldn't drink when she knows she has to breastfeed."

"Well where the hell is she then? She better be here when I'm ready to go home. I ain't walking."

Just then a vision in polyester arrived at the hedge holding a large pitcher of something fruity.

"Fez told you all he would deliver and he did!" Fez threw everybody a fresh plastic cup and Hyde frowned. He wanted a fresh beer, not a fresh empty cup.

"What did ya get us, Fez?" Kelso asked, coming up for air.

"Pina coladas! The girls in the pool house have all the best stuff." Starting with Donna, Fez made his way around the gang pouring them each a cocktail, finishing them all off with a little paper umbrella. "They even have decorations for their drinks in there!" he exclaimed. "It's like a whole other world beyond the pool."

Hyde scoffed at the umbrella, tossing it over his shoulder, but drank the drink anyway. He would never admit it, but he did quite enjoy the pineapple concoction.

"Gimme another one, Fez," he said, holding out his cup.

Fez shook his head and frowned. "No way, mister. You threw your little umbrella away and you do not know the lengths I had to go to get those fine things!"

"C'mon, Fez..."

"No!"

"Just pour him a drink, Fez," Eric said between sips of his own cocktail. "He's just in a grump because his satanic girlfriend has done a runner."

"Shut up, Forman. She's not my girlfriend."

Eric shrugged. "Baby mama, friend with benefits, friend with no benefits...I'm running out of labels, dude."

"Are you talking about Jackie?" Fez asked handing Hyde a new drink.

"We're talking about no one." Hyde downed the drink in one go. Shit he was gonna pay for it tomorrow.

Fez sat down next to Hyde. "Oh, because if you were talking about Jackie I was going to say she's fast asleep in the pool house. I tried to wake her up because she is missing all the fun, but she's out like a candle."

"I think you mean like a light," Donna corrected him.

"That makes no sense..."

Two minutes later Hyde was in the pool house dodging cheerleaders and jocks left, right and center. He hadn't thought to ask Fez exactly where in the joint Jackie was asleep. Probably because his brain was stupid on pina coladas.

A cheer came from over by the pool table and when Hyde looked over he spotted Pauline holding a pool cue jumping up and down. He walked over, ignoring Kat's lecherous advances as he passed her.

"Hey, Pauline," Hyde said, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Oh my god, Hyde!" she squealed. "Everybody, it's Hyde!"

Hyde did his best not to turn red as a chorus of "Yay, Hyde" rung out in the pool house.

Pauline dropped the cue on the floor and put both of her hands on Hyde's shoulders. The girl was plastered. Hyde only hoped Jackie hadn't had any of what Pauline had had.

"Hyde, we've been looking for you everywhere," she started, her words sloppy, her breath reeking of booze. "We want some stuff, and we know stuff is your business."

Damien Fullerton, the captain of the basketball team was soon by Pauline's side. "Yeah, Hyde, and we got the money," he said pulling out a wad of twenty dollar bills.

Dammit. Drunk rich kids with stacks of cash. Hyde could've made a fortune but his stupid brain was more worried about finding Jackie.

"Yeah, look, I'll hook you guys up in a bit. First I gotta find Jackie." He looked hard at Pauline. "Pauline, where's Jackie?"

Almost in slow motion Pauline pointed to a door just off the kitchenette. "She's in there, fast asleep," she told Hyde. "She was so tired coz she's a mommy now. And you're a daddy, Hyde! Everyone! Hyde is a daddy and his baby is sooooooo cute! Little Tyler is sooooo cute, everybody..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." Hyde said as everyone erupted into 'aaawwwws'. He pushed through the crowd and made it to the room. When he opened the door he saw Jackie curled up on a single bed, her little high heels placed neatly on the floor beside her. She was holding her handbag tightly in her arms. Fearful that she was unconscious Hyde shook her shoulders hard.

"Jackie! Wake up! What did you take?!"

Should he slap her? That's what he would've done if it were Forman, Kelso or Fez. But he just couldn't slap her pretty face. But he could throw water at it if it meant saving her life. He picked up a glass on the beside table and sniffed it to make sure it wasn't vodka. Lemonade - he shrugged, that'd do. Just as he stood to throw it, Jackie opened her eyes.

"Steven! Oh my god! Don't!" she yelled.

Hyde stopped himself before the liquid left the glass.

"Fuck, are you okay?" he said, sitting down next to her on the bed. He felt her head, she was a little warm. Then he pulled her eyelids to check her eyes, not that he knew what they were meant to be like. She swatted his hands away angrily.

"Stop it, you idiot! What the hell are you doing?"

"What did you take?" he asked her, visually examining her thoroughly. She looked okay in his opinion, just a little pissed off.

"I haven't taken anything!" she growled before pushing him off the bed and standing up. She slipped her feet into her shoes and glared at him.

Now Hyde was getting annoyed. He got up from the ground and straightened out his t-shirt.

"Well if you didn't take anything why the hell were you passed out like that?"

"Um, maybe because I haven't had a decent night's sleep in two months?" Jackie answered.

Hyde raised an eyebrow. "And you figured you'd get some z's while 150 kids partied around you?"

Jackie shrugged, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "Why not? Nothing else to do."

"Thought you were catching up with your friends?"

"I did. Then they got drunk and I got tired. I lay down and figured I'd have a little rest while I waited for you." Jackie smoothed out her hair and adjusted her top. She looked sleepy, and slightly embarrassed. She didn't need to be.

It had to be the stupid pina coladas that made Hyde reach out and brush the back of his fingers up and down her warm cheek, because surely he wouldn't have done that had he been sober?

"Look, I'm sorry for waking you like that. You should've just told me you were tired and we could've gone home," he said softly, stepping in closer to her.

She frowned and took a step toward him. "But you were having a good time, I didn't want to ruin the night for you."

"You wouldn't have been ruining it, Jackie. Kelso ruined it when he didn't jump off the roof. It was always gonna be downhill from there for me." Hyde smiled and hooked an arm around Jackie's waist. There was no denying the relief he felt when she returned his gesture with two arms around his own. She was so warm and sleepy, and she smelled like the vanilla shampoo Kitty wouldn't let the boys in the house use. If Hyde couldn't hear the basketball team yelling, 'scull scull scull' in the next room, it would've been like he was in heaven.

And if Damian hadn't burst in the room and said, "are we ready to do business, Hyde?", Hyde maybe would've tried to kiss her.

But instead he sold $40 worth of green stuff for $80 and kept his arm around Jackie's shoulders as they walked to the car.

"So what exactly is the time?" she asked as she started the Camino.

Hyde checked his watch. "8.40."

He closed his eyes while Jackie maneuvered the car out of the park, and bit his tongue when he heard the hubcap scrape the edge of the sidewalk. It was only a hubcap, it wasn't worth fighting about.

"8.40, huh?" Jackie glanced over at him. "We really are like old people, leaving a party before 10."

"Watch the road, Jackie," Hyde warned. "And some of us are more like old people than others, some of us actually fall asleep at parties."

He watched as Jackie raised her eyebrow. "Hmmm, but some of us complain about headaches at parties...which is worse?"

"Fuck knows." Hyde relaxed back in his seat, relieved Jackie was okay, happy to be going home to his baby girl, thrilled to have ripped off some jocks. "Hey, so I made 80 bucks tonight. You want me to buy you something shiney?"

"I would love something shiney, Hyde," Jackie replied, flicking the indicator left to head to the Hub.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I love 'em!