It's a lot better than it was. She has to keep reminding herself of that.

Jackie thinks back to just five years ago for a moment and then snaps out of it. There's no use in doing that to herself right now.

She thinks about Lindsay and how sorry she feels for her. Her own husband may be a jackass, but at least he's alive.

Jackie met her husband Daniel when she was sent to Michigan one summer as a punishment, staying with her straight-laced aunt and uncle, along with her geeky cousin Millie. It was all Michael Kelso's fault, really. He wouldn't marry her, so she wigged out and started doing crazy things like making out with Steven Hyde. Her dad caught her sneaking him in the house one night, and just like that, she was sent to Michigan for the rest of the summer.

Daniel had been broken up with his on-again, off-again girlfriend Kim Kelly when they met. They got high together that summer a lot, which was a nice way to get rid of some of the stress that Jackie's aunt was causing her. They fooled around a lot, which was nice also, until Jackie went back home when the summer was done and discovered she was pregnant.

Her father said they could 'take care of it.' Jackie was unwavering, though. She wanted this baby because she loved Daniel.

Eventually, though, her father realized he was in some deep shit with the law and would probably be going to prison soon. With Jackie's mother gone, he decided the best place for her and the baby would be Michigan. He took out a few grand while he still had it and gave it to his daughter to get an apartment for once the baby was born.

"This boy doesn't come from a wealthy family, eh?" he asked numerous times. "I know you'll hate it, princess, but 'better get a job."

So, she and Daniel got an apartment after Alexandra was born. She worked as a secretary and he had a factory job. They married and eventually had Justin as well. When the kids were no longer babies, though, Daniel cheated on Jackie with his ex, Kim. Jackie found out and split, taking the kids with her to Wisconsin. It was then that she reconnected with her old friends, namely Eric and Donna Forman and their kids. She and the kids lived in a house with a man, Andy, who had an unrequited crush on her and undercharged her rent. They got along fine for the most part, until Daniel came and fought to get her back. She realized she missed him and the kids missed him, so they moved back to Michigan. This was five years ago now.

He's supposed to be home at three. It's now nearly four.

Jackie sighs. She loves Daniel, really, but sometimes he drives her insane.

She starts a load of laundry and hears the front door open.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jackie asks, turning around quickly to see her daughter, in tow with her guitar.

"Uh, band practice?" Alex responds, raising an eyebrow at your mother.

"Sorry," Jackie apologizes. "I thought you were your father."

"Whatever," Alex mutters, and begins to walk past her mother.

"Take your shoes off," Jackie reminds her. "Ugh, you know I hate when you wear those."

Alex kicks off her red jelly shoes. "You know everyone wears them, right?"

Jackie rolls her eyes. "Yeah, but I thought you were a black sheep."

"Just because I'm into grunge doesn't mean I'm a black sheep, Mom," Alex says, laughing a little bit. "It's actually quite popular right now. Not like you'd know. All you listen to is Donna Summer and, like, Abbott."

"ABBA," Jackie corrects her, a small smile appearing on her face, which quickly disappeared when she heard the door again.

Alex heads to her room and Daniel walks in.

"Hey, babe," he says, approaching his wife.

"Why were you so late?" Jackie asks, putting her hands on her hips.

"They asked me to stay late," Daniel explains.

Jackie finally drops the detergent in the washer and slams the top down. "Well, you could've told me."

"I'm not one of our children, you realize that, right?" Daniel says flatly. "Anyways, it was only an hour."

"Yeah, well…" Jackie taps her foot. "I could've had something planned."

Daniel tries to hide a laugh. "Yeah, well, did you?"

Jackie bites her lip and shrugs, trying to think. "Maybe."

"Liar." Daniel gives her a quick kiss and heads to the kitchen. "Kids home?"

"Alex just got back from practice, and Justin and Oliver just left on their bikes about twenty minutes ago," Jackie tells him, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Hey, um, Donna called me today."

"Yeah?" Daniel asks. "How's she?"

"Fine," Jackie responds, "But I was thinking, you know… it's been a few years since I've been out there. I—"

"You wanna go to Wisconsin," Daniel says flatly.

"Well, yeah," Jackie says. "I miss my friends."

"Jackie, that place is nothing but bad memories for me," Daniel says, sitting at the table and looking at his wife. "Can't she come visit?"

"She did last year," Jackie points out. "Plus, it'd be nice to see my father. You don't have to come. I don't think it'd be smart to take a week off, anyway."

Daniel was quiet for a moment.

"You gonna see him?" he finally mumbles.

"Who?" Jackie asks, visibly frustrated.

"Th—That guy who wanted to bone you," Daniel utters. "The guy you lived with."

"Andy?" Jackie asks in disbelief, then thinks about it. "I mean, I don't see why I would unless I ran into him."

"Well, try not to," Daniel states, his voice low.

"Daniel, you know I was never into him like that anyway," Jackie says, rolling her eyes. "Have we forgotten that you're the one who cheated on me?"

Daniel smacks the table. "No, we haven't forgotten any of that shit because it's still brought up at least once every two weeks."

"I forgive; I don't forget," Jackie says in a singsong tone.

Daniel snorts. "Clearly." He frowns, looking down at his hands. "But anyway, yeah, go. Just don't call up that guy and don't suddenly decide you wanna get revenge on me for something I did years ago."

Jackie laughs; she can't help it. "Baby, you know if I was like that, it would've happened years ago."

A playful smile appears on his face as he stares at the table. "Yeah, yeah; just checkin'."

Jackie smirks as she walks by him and Daniel grabs her, pulling her on his lap.

"You know you're the best thing to ever happen to me," he murmurs into her hair, his arm around her. "I promise, I'll never put you through that again."

"I believe you," Jackie acknowledges, smiling at her husband's display of affection. "I love you." She gives him a kiss and hops off of his lap.

"Love you, too, sweetheart," Daniel says, slapping her backside playfully as she walks down the hall.

…

Alex has homework to do, but she only does the easy parts. After all, she wants to focus on writing music. Her band mate and close friend Ben told her he wanted to see her give it a try, so she's eager to see what she can come up with.

She decides to pop in her favorite Sonic Youth album and see if inspiration strikes. 'Dirty Boots' begins to play as she sits at her desk, tapping her fingers against it as she listens.

It wasn't working. She was just singing along instead of thinking about what to write.

Suddenly, her mother opens the door. "Alex?"

"Jeez, Mom, knock next time, okay?" Alex whines.

"Oh, please, you have nothing to hide from me," Jackie says menacingly. "Anyway, I'm going to Wisconsin next week to see Aunt Donna. I already asked Justin and he's not interested, but would you want to go?"

Alex thinks about it. Donna's daughter Lisa was around her age but they weren't super close. However, it could be cool to go back. After all, it was summer.

"Yeah, I'll go," Alex says. "It'd be cool to get away for a little bit, I guess."

"Really?" Jackie asks, slightly surprised. "Cool. Well, start packing soon. We'll leave on Monday."

"Cool." Alex picks up her guitar as her mother exits the room.

She figures out a spontaneous chord progression, something she never had a problem doing anyway. It's the words that are hard.

Cold light, hot night.

It's all she could come up with.