AN: First off, I know it's been over seven months (yes, I know 7!!) since I've last updated this story. No, I have not abandon it; I've merely had a busy real life with a touch of writer's block to boot. But I'd like to thank everyone for being patient with me for the excruciating long break. Anyway, if you're still with me, thank you and I hope you enjoy this installment.
Chapter Eight—Draw the Line
She knew it's wrong, but she had to taste the bitterness;
She clings to anything that keeps her out of loneliness.
Pretty pretty girl meets guy
How could they know that two wrongs can never make a right?
That two wrongs can never make a right.
"Steven!" Jackie gasped as she realized that he was the last person she talked to last night. And we were in his car, she recalled as a few more bits of her memory came back to her. We kissed and made out and then. . .but Jackie couldn't remember what else happened after that. Donna! she quickly thought. Donna might know what happened last night!
Scrambling out of bed, Jackie hurriedly scurried across the hall and flung open Donna's door. Not bothering to notice that there were two bodies in her bed instead of one, Jackie bound over to it and flung the covers off. "Omigod!" she exclaimed when she saw Eric lying there in nothing but his underwear and Donna in her pajamas. Quick as lightning she turned on her heels, but Jackie just made it to the door when Donna spoke. "Jackie? What's going on? What time is it?"
Jackie turned around reluctantly to face her redheaded friend. "Oh, it's . . . it's not time to get up yet. And I just wanted to know how I got home," she answered desperately wanting out of there. "But it's nothing."
"Oh okay," yawned Donna as she stretched before grabbing the covers and covering herself back up.
"But, you can tell me later," Jackie quickly replied. "You're kinda busy with scrawny neighbor boy." And then she darted out of the room and back into her own.
Donna snuggled underneath the warmth of the covers while Eric rolled over onto his side. Shivering from the cold air that was hitting his exposed skin, Eric mumbled with chattering teeth, "Ssssso cccold."
Donna opened her eyes and rolled over on her side to look at him. Seeing him laying there in his undies with no covers over him, Donna smirked to herself.
Eric scooted closer to Donna and grabbed the covers before pulling them over him. Warming up again, he sleepily asked, "Is it morning already?"
Meanwhile, Jackie paced back and forth in her room trying to piece together what happened. Finally giving up, she laid back down under her covers. She sighed deeply. How was she supposed to face him again if she ran into him? Smothering her face with a pillow, Jackie didn't hear Donna enter her room.
"Jackie?" Donna questioned unsure if she was trying to sleep or was crying.
Throwing the pillow off her face and springing up in her bed, Jackie replied. "Donna! Omigod! You startled me! Geez, don't you knock?"
Donna rolled her eyes as she sat down on her bed. "Well, you barged into my room earlier, so I'm just returning the favor," she smirked.
Now it was Jackie's turn to roll her eyes. "Whatever."
"So, what's wrong?" Donna asked.
"How did I get home last night?" Jackie asked her best friend.
Donna inhaled and then quickly exhaled before answering her. "Hyde. We all got a ride home with him."
Jackie nodded her head, glad to know she wasn't the only one; that and because the others were around so nothing could have happened between them. Sighing in relief, Jackie then asked, "Okay, so how did I get changed and in bed?"
"Hyde again," Donna answered. "I told him to carry you upstairs. Eric and I had to take care of a passed out Fez and Kelso, and I didn't want you waking up in the El Camino terrified and ready to kick someone's ass when nothing happened. Although, the thought was tempting," she teased.
Jackie grimaced. "Well, that explains why I'm wearing this then," Jackie responded.
Giving her a questioning look, Donna asked, "What are you talking about?"
Jackie sighed. "This," she said as she showed her the black Led Zeppelin t-shirt.
Donna looked at it, not quite getting what Jackie meant by it. "It's a Led Zeppelin t-shirt," she shrugged.
Jackie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Duh, Donna; but what I mean is it's Steven's Zeppelin shirt."
Donna looked at her puzzled for a second before she realized the meaning. "Wait, you mean that's theLed Zeppelin t-shirt?"
Jackie nodded her head slowly.
"Omigod!" Donna exclaimed as a hand quickly covered her mouth.
"I know!" Jackie exclaimed throwing her arms up into the air before they landed in her lap.
"So, where did he find it?" Donna asked once the shock wore off.
Jackie sighed. "I'm guessing he was looking through my drawers to find something and grabbed this."
Donna nodded in logical agreement. "Well, hey at least he found bottoms that would go with it," she said hoping to cheer her friend up.
Jackie snickered. "Yeah, surprising even for him," she answered.
"Okay so what? You think it's a sign from him or something?" Donna asked after a moment.
Looking down at her lap, Jackie answered, "I don't know. Maybe he grabbed it by accident or maybe he grabbed it on purpose." She looked up at Donna. "How am I suppose to know?"
"Well, you could ask him?" Donna suggested. "No, bad idea. Just thank him for taking care of you last night and see if that leads to anything else."
"So, how is that giving him space exactly?" pondered Jackie with a puzzled look upon her face.
"Huh," Donna pondered herself. "Well," she paused for a minute, "what if you were zen about it? Y'know, give him a bit of his own medicine. Just say thanks for last night and leave or something?"
Jackie thought about it for a moment, but she was skeptical of it. "I don't know. I can be pretty zen, but maybe I should just stay away from him."
Donna sadly nodded her head. "Maybe you're right. Do as he says and keep some space between the two of you. I mean, absence does make the heart grow fonder."
Giving her a quizzical look, Jackie merely responded, "Huh?"
Rolling her eyes, Donna replied, "Never mind. Look, you obviously still want Hyde, but you want to punish him."
Nodding her head, Jackie insisted, "Go on."
"So, what's his punishment?" asked Donna.
"Wait," she said as she furrowed her brows, "what do you mean?"
"Well, what are you going to do to make him grovel? I mean, you're Jackie-freakin'-Burkhart, you make guys suffer for their wrong doings," Donna reminded her friend.
"Yeah, yeah I do," Jackie answered as she thought it over for a second.
"And obviously the whole going with Ben to the party thing was a bad idea," Donna added. "Because it ended up just like it did with Chip. So, what's plan B?"
"Plan B?" she questioned her. "Plan B is . . . yeah I don't know," Jackie fessed up.
Throwing her hands up in the air defeated, Donna heavily sighed, "I give up! You're hopeless, you know that? The Jackie I use to know would already be scheming on how to make Hyde squirm in more than one way. She'd stick to her guns and make him suffer for making her suffer. And you want to make him suffer, don't you?"
With tears in her eyes, Jackie was touched by Donna's pep speech. Putting a hand over her heart, she said, "Oh Donna, you know I do!"
"Good," the redhead stated. "So, let's start brainstorming."
…
As Kitty fried some bacon for breakfast for her soon to be hungry boys, Eric snuck out of the Pinciotti's house and was about to sneak into his own when he saw his mother in the kitchen making breakfast. Quickly recalculating his plans, he ducked down the outside stairs to the basement. Easing the door open, he slipped through to find the TV on and Hyde sleeping on the couch. Puzzled yet wearing an evil smirk on his face, Eric said loudly, "Oh hey JACKIE!"
Startled from his sleep, Hyde jerked in his sleep and sat up. "Huh?" he mumbled as his eyes slowly got use to the light. "Oh, it's just you," he grumbled before laying back down.
"Hyde man, what are you doing sleeping on the couch?" Eric asked as he sat down in Hyde's usual chair. "You've got a room with a bed."
"Pft! If you want to call it that," he mumbled. "Look, I only made it as far as the couch so I crashed here."
"And so, what you couldn't sleep because of your deep thoughts for your raven-haired elf princess so you turned the TV on?" Eric teasingly questioned him.
Glaring at him for a moment, Hyde reached over and frogged him. "No," he simply answered while Eric winced in pain, "I turned it on when I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep."
"Oh right," Eric nodded before he continued, "Because you were dreaming of your bossy little cheerleading ex-girlfriend."
SMACK! Earning another frogging, Eric grabbed his forearm in pain. "Hyde, hurt me all you want, but you and I both know that I'm speaking the words you just can't find."
"Get bent!" Hyde grouched as he got up and stretched before heading towards the stairs.
"Hey, you know I'm right!" Eric exclaimed after him.
"Would you shut up?!" Hyde shouted back down at him before climbing the rest of the stairs up to the main floor. "Mmmm . . . bacon," he quietly acknowledged as he entered the kitchen.
"Oh, good morning, Steven," Mrs. Forman greeted him with her cheery smile. "How many eggs and toast would you like?"
"Two and two, Mrs. Forman," he answered as he got a glass out of the cabinet for juice.
"Alrighty, two eggs and two toasts coming up!" she cackled as she pulled the bacon out of the hot frying pan and lay them on a paper towel covered plate.
Steven opened the frig to retrieve the orange juice pitcher. Closing the door and walking over to the table with juice and glass in tow, he took a seat and set down his glass and poured the juice into it. Setting the orange juice pitcher aside, he took a long drink of OJ while waiting for his breakfast.
As Kitty sprinkled some salt and pepper on to the eggs and put two slices of bread into the toaster, Eric emerged from the basement and snuck into the dining room and through the den to the living room to enter through the swinging door of the kitchen. "Mornin' mother of mine," he greeted his mother cheerily as he headed for the cabinets for a glass.
"Good morning, sweetie," she returned as she watched the eggs. "Sleep well?"
"Oh, I guess so," he replied wondering why she would care.
"Well, that's nice sweetie," she answered as she flicked a little grease from the pan on to the eggs. "So what did you boys do last night?"
As Eric sat down in his usual seat at the table, he and Hyde shared a look. "Oh uh . . . we uh," stuttered Hyde.
"We um, y'know," Eric replied at a loss for an alibi.
"We hung out at the Hub for a bit and then drove around town," Hyde answered.
"Huh," Kitty replied thoughtfully as she scooped out Steven's eggs and placed them on his plate and grabbed the two pieces of toast from the toaster and set them on the plate too. "Well, I just saw the strangest thing this morning," she said as she handed Steven his plate and began working on Eric's eggs. "I looked out of my window and saw clothes draped from the trees next door. Now I know Helen's a little crazy, but I didn't think she was so crazy as to hang clothes from her trees to dry."
The boys snickered. "Wow, that's pretty crazy, mom," Eric replied.
"I'll say it is," Steven chimed in before taking a forkful of his eggs.
"Well, here's the crazy part," Kitty laughed as she sprinkled salt and pepper on to Eric's eggs and put two more pieces of bread into the toaster. "The clothes weren't ladies' clothes, they were men's!"
"Say that is crazy!" Steven replied as he and Eric shared another look.
"So, any idea how boys' clothes got there?" she questioned them.
"No idea."
"Haven't the slightest clue."
Standing akimbo, Kitty looked at her boys like they were crazy. "Really? Then neither of you can explain why Michael Kelso went streaking across our driveway half an hour ago in a dress?"
This made the boys snicker in sheer pleasure knowing that their burn had succeeded. "Seriously?" questioned Hyde.
"Steven, Eric, did you pull a prank on him?" she asked them as she flicked some grease onto the eggs.
"What? Mom, why would we do something like that to Kelso?" questioned Eric. "That's totally embarrassing."
Kitty rolled her eyes, "Oh Eric, please; I wasn't born yesterday. I know for a fact that you two are always embarrassing the heck out of each other and your friends." Scooping out his eggs, she placed them on his plate and did the same for his toast before setting his plate down in front of him. "So, why did you do it?"
"Well Mrs. F, Kelso got intoxicated last night and passed out in my car, so we thought as a punishment for him, we'd drop him off at the wrong house."
"And?"
"And mom, we just couldn't help but think the punishment would be more meaningful if he had to wear a dress," Eric answered her.
"Uh huh," she remarked as she placed the bacon plate on the table. "So, that's your way of punishing someone? Omigod, you two ARE Red's sons!" she said in horror.
The boys smirked at each other, proud of their hard work and accomplishment. "Yeah, we really are, aren't we?" Eric replied sarcastically.
But before Kitty could reply to her snarky son, she gasped at the sight on her driveway. "Oh dear."
Both boys got up to look out the glass door only to find Fez in his underwear walking toward them. Quick as lightning they all plopped down in their seats at the table, pretending they never saw him. Unfortunately, the sliding door was unlocked and Fez let himself in.
Standing behind them, hands on hips, he cried angrily, "Where the hell are my clothes, you sons of bitches!"
"Fez man, watch your language!" Hyde reprimanded him as he thumbed at Kitty.
"Man, what are you talking about?" questioned Eric.
"You know what," Fez coldly replied. "I was awoken by crazy bird lady's birds attacking me. She said crazy foreigners should sleep elsewhere and not on her front lawn."
Trying to stifle their giggles, because the visual they each had in their minds was just too much; they bit their bottom lips.
"She didn't even let me try to find my clothes, she just chased me off," Fez continued. "And I don't know what kind of birds she grows, but they're big and scary. And their beaks and claws are sharp."
"Fez, honey, why don't you go put a pair of pants on?" Kitty suggested to him as she got up to find him something to wear. "You really shouldn't be walking around town like that at this time in the morning."
"Okay," he replied softly. Once the kitchen door swung shut, he said to Hyde and Eric, "I hate you," and then followed Kitty through the door.
"But Fez?" Eric exclaimed.
"I said I hate you," was the response he got.
"Well, I think the plan worked," Eric commented to Hyde, who merely nodded his head in agreement.
. . .
An hour and half later, Fez was clothed and headed home while Kitty reprimanded Steven and Eric for their prank before informing them that as a family they were going to go and bring Red home. Grumbling as quietly as the sky above them, the boys agreed to go and headed for the car. The drive to the hospital was quiet, save for Kitty's singing as she sang along with the radio.
When they arrived at the hospital and entered Red's room, they found him lounging in his bed flipping through TV stations. "Good morning, sweetie!" Kitty greeted him as they entered his room. "Are you ready to go home?"
Red switched his gaze from the TV to his family. "Are you kidding me? I'm dying for some home-cooked meals. Who eats this crap?" he asked as he gestured towards his breakfast tray. "Weaklings, that's who."
Eric merely rolled his eyes while Steven smirked and chuckled to himself as Kitty grinned embarrassedly back at her husband. "Well, here are your clean clothes to change into," she said to him as she handed him a small bag. "We'll step out and let you change and we'll be right back."
Once the three of them exited Red's room so he could change, they weren't standing outside his door long when the doctor approached them. "Nurse Forman, good to see you," said a handsome young doctor. "I'm Dr. Blythe. I'll be dismissing your husband from the hospital today."
"Oh, thank you Dr. Blythe," Kitty greeted him as she shook his hand. "I know Red's been looking forward to getting out of here."
Dr. Blythe smiled. "I'm sure he is. Lying around not doing much of anything has most likely driven him up the wall. My father's like that too. Always has to be doing something."
"Yeah, something like that," muttered Eric as Hyde nodded his head in agreement.
"And these must be your sons," the doctor asked as he nodded his head at the boys with a smirk of his own and a sparkle in his eyes.
"Oh yes, they are," Kitty gave a nervous giggle. "This is Eric and Steven."
"Well, it's nice to see the family together to bring home the father," Dr. Blythe replied.
Just then, Red opened his door to find the small group standing around talking. "Alright, enough with the chit chat, let's get this over with so I can get the heck out of here."
Dr. Blythe chuckled. "Alright, let's step into your room and do a few last routine checks before we go over a few things you need to follow while your home."
"Well, let's make this snappy, doc," Red replied as he clasped his hands together and rubbed them. "I want to be home in time for the Price is Right."
Kitty let out a nervous laugh while Eric and Dr. Blythe snickered and Steven raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Alright then Mr. Forman, let's get down to business," the doctor said as he had Red take a seat on his bed and began checking his heart rate and blood pressure and other vitals. After giving Red a quick check over, Dr. Blythe removed his stethoscope from his ears and draped it around his neck. "Well, everything sounds good. You're in good shape."
Red beamed. "Good! So what else do we need to go over?"
"Well," Dr. Blythe began, "we need to go over what things you can and can't do for the next few weeks, and what kind of a diet you should be on from now on."
"Diet?" Red questioned.
"Yes, sir, after a heart attack it's customary to put patients on a healthier diet," he explained. "A majority of the time diet is one of the causes for a heart attack. Stress being the other major factor."
"See Red, I told you the last few times you've returned from the doctor's office that you needed to be following the doctor's orders," Kitty snitched on him.
Red looked at her appalled that she just snitched on him. "Kitty –"
"Well, I'm sorry Red, but it's true," she told him matter-of-factly.
"Mr. and Mrs. Forman, it's alright. What's in the past is in the past. Let's just focus on the future," Dr. Blythe said in a positive light.
"Yeah," he grumbled, "the future. Wondering when these two idiots will get out of the house so I don't have to support them. Or how about my ungrateful daughter who flunked out of college and only knows her family when she wants something, like money? Shall I tell you about the joys of having children, Dr. Blythe?"
Dr. Blythe chuckled knowing that no matter what he answered he was going to hear of the joys of having children by Red Forman. "Well, a little advice couldn't hurt a newlywed I suppose."
"Doc," Eric whispered, "no."
"Oh dear," Kitty muttered under her breath as she folded her hands in front of her.
Red grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Marriage is a contract bonded by two people in love. And when those two people in love decide they want to be crazy for the next twenty years or for the rest of their lives, they have kids. Kids are like a money pit. You're always feeding money into them for what – absolutely nothing. It starts out with baby supplies and clothes and food, then its toys and clothes and food. And when they hit the teenage years," he said as he looked over at Eric and Steven, "they turn into smart-mouthed dumbasses that still need food and clothes."
Hyde cleared his throat. "Yeah, we can vouch for that," he said nodding his head.
Red glared at him. "See? Smart-mouthed dumbasses," he said with a smirk as he waved a hand at them to prove his point. "You're only hope is that they graduate high school and move away. Far away."
Dr. Blythe chuckled to himself. "Well, my wife's a teacher, and she sees first hand how kids behave. She says it's the best birth control method."
"Now see Kitty?" Red gestured to his wife.
Kitty stared at her husband in disbelief. "Well, I'm sure Dr. Blythe has heard enough about your joys of having kids," she said oh so sweetly with a glint to kill in her eyes.
Red merely smiled. "Just sharing my wealth of knowledge on the subject, that's all."
"So, um, Dr. Blythe," Eric jumped in the conversation in hopes of turning it back on track, "what kind of things should my dad being doing?"
"Well, basically, sticking to this diet that's recommended on this sheet," said Dr. Blythe as he handed it to Kitty, "and for the next two weeks don't do anything strenuous. For instance, lifting heavy objects or having intercourse."
Both Steven and Eric cringed at the mere thought of their parents doing such an act.
"So, when can I return to work?" Red asked bluntly.
"Well, in two weeks I'll have you come in and we'll do another round of check ups. I would say anywhere from four to six weeks, give or take a few," Dr. Blythe answered him.
"Wait, Dr. Blythe, you have red wine on this list," Kitty noticed and questioned him. "Why?"
"Well, in recent studies, it's been proven that having a glass of red wine at supper every night helps the heart," he answered frankly.
"Does that list include beer?" Red asked as he snatched it from his wife.
"No," Dr. Blythe quickly answered. "Beer, like any liquor, is good in moderation. For now, I want you to stick to the glass of red wine at supper every day."
"What? No beer," Red said in disbelief. "Is that even American?"
Dr. Blythe chuckled. "Tell you what, Mr. Forman. If you stick to this diet for eight weeks, and you're in good health, I'll consider adding a beer in the mix."
Red considered it for a moment. "Alright, I'll try it. But only if it means I can have a few beers again."
"Good," Dr. Blythe beamed. "Well, if you've no other questions about things on that list, I'm ready to sign you out."
"Hot damn!" Red exclaimed as he clapped his hands. Eric and Hyde snickered as did the good doctor while he signed his release form.
"Well, here you go," he said as he handed Red his form. "Remember, two weeks from today I'll be seeing you for a check-up."
"Whatever you say, doc," said Red as he patted Dr. Blythe's upper arm as he exited the room followed by his family.
"Thank you again, doctor," Kitty said as she squeezed his hand.
"No trouble at all," he answered as he squeezed hers back. He watched the Formans walk away, smiling to himself as he thought about Red's advice. Money pit, eh? He thought to himself, wait until I tell Anne that one.
. . .
That rainy afternoon while Kitty got ready for work and Red sat in his chair reading the newspaper, the gang was out and about. Silently, the front door crept open revealing the person standing on the other side. Standing on the doorstep a bit apprehensive was Laurie. She stood there for a second taking in the sight before her. Inside that door was home, and her father who had recovered from his heart attack. She smiled sadly as she watched her father sitting in his chair reading the newspaper; almost as if nothing had happened. She nodded her head vigorously, trying to buck up her courage and nerve. Quickly she stepped over the threshold and into the house setting down her luggage bag on the steps heading upstairs. Laurie Forman had returned home.
Having a false sense of security as she shut the door behind her, Laurie turned to face her father with a cheery smile. "Hi daddy! I'm home!"
Ruffling the paper a bit, Red never once looked up as he greeted her. "Laurie," he said coldly.
Heading over towards the couch and taking a seat, Laurie said trying to break the ice, "It's so good to see you out of that hospital, daddy. I'm glad you're okay."
Red sighed because he knew what his little girl was doing - buttering him up like a piece of toast. "Laurie, cut the crap. I spent two long weeks in that place and not once did I see or hear from you, I think it's time we had a little talk."
Laurie's face fell wiping away the cheery expression she had plastered on it just moments ago. "What do you mean?" she asked sweetly yet confused.
Red grimaced as he closed the paper and folded it in half turning to face her finally. "Laurie, your mother and I have raised you and your brother to be good kids. Your mother babied Eric a lot, God knows, and I did the same to you. You went off to college, came home only on holidays or when you needed money. Then you flunked out and lived here for a while, mooching off us again. After that you left for six months never once telling your family where you were or that you were okay. You showed up again because you needed money and a place to stay. So once again, we allowed you to come back home and stay here. All these times we hoped that if we did so, you'd be able to get back on your feet again. Only, I don't think you were ever on your feet alone.
"Now, I know you're trying to help the foreign kid, but," he sighed still finding it a bit hard to digest, "you're married now, Laurie. Marriage is a big responsibility, and you obviously don't know much about that. Well, it's time you learned. Your mother and I can't keep bailing you out of these situations. You're twenty-one and old enough to take care of yourself."
"But daddy – " Laurie cried as the cold reality of what he was saying started to sink in.
"You can't live here anymore, kitten," Red simply told her. "I'm sorry. But you're married now, and you need to live with your husband. You've got a week to find an apartment." Standing up, Red smiled sadly down at her.
Laurie looked up at her father, tears evident in her eyes. "But daddy, I –"
"I'm sorry Laurie, but that's my final decision," he told her before pushing the swing door open and heading into the kitchen.
Laurie sat on the couch stunned trying to compose herself and not cry. Kitty, who heard every word from the landing upstairs, took a deep breath and exhaled before descending the stairs. "Oh Laurie! I didn't hear you come home," Kitty said sweetly. "It's nice to see you again." She smiled as she approached her daughter.
Suddenly, Laurie jumped up and immediately hugged her mother - a most uncharacteristic thing for her to do. Startled by her daughter's actions, Kitty slowly hugged her back. "Well, I didn't know you missed me that much," she teased.
Laurie choked out a sob as the tears in her eyes poured down her cheeks. "Oh mommy! Daddy said I can't live here anymore because I married Fez and that I need to learn responsibility!"
Kitty frowned thoughtfully. "Well honey, he's right," she said softly. Laurie pulled away and wiped her face. "You're an adult now, and your actions come with a price."
Sobering up more, Laurie said, "But mother, daddy's never been hard on me! I'm his little girl! He's hard on Eric!"
"Well, I'm sorry, but that's how your father feels," Kitty said sternly. "Now, he still loves you, he just wants you to act like a grown up."
Laurie sighed as she sat back down. "But what am I going to do? I don't have any money."
"Well Laurie, you'll have to get a job to pay for rent and utilities and groceries," her mother answered in a matter of fact voice. "Welcome to the real world," she said as she patted her knee. "Now, I have to go to work. So why don't you invite Fez over so you two can start apartment hunting."
Laurie rolled her eyes. "Fine," she answered flatly, "I'll call the foreign geek. But I can't promise much else."
"Well, have fun hunting," Kitty said as she pushed open the kitchen swing door.
. . .
At the Hub, Jackie sat idly playing with the straw in her soda as her mind wandered elsewhere. Donna and Eric had just left saying they had a TV show to "catch", but she knew otherwise. So she sat alone at the gang's usual table with a sad look on her face. The jukebox in the opposite corner began playing a song Jackie preferred not to hear at the time, making her feel even worse and thinking about things. Pondering what went wrong with her and Steven, Jackie was unaware of a pair of eyes on her.
It's a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Hits you when it's too late
Hits you when you're down
It's a fool's game
Nothing but a fool's game
Standing in the cold rain
Feeling like a clown
It's a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Love him till your arms break
Then he lets you down
It ain't right with love to share
When you find he doesn't care, for you
It ain't wise to need someone
As much as I depended on, you
Steven had been thinking about Jackie a lot that afternoon about the events of last night, how he messed up to begin with, and what he could do to fix it. But no matter how many times he said he was sorry, Jackie refused his apologies. Steven understood why she was upset and why she wouldn't move on; she had heard those same exact words from Kelso. Hyde thought she knew that he was different from Kelso. What he did was a fluke; what Kelso did was cheat—a lot and often, and he didn't care about anyone except himself. How could she not know how much he cared? He had been trying to give her space so she could work out her thoughts and feelings, but it was getting to be too hard. Tired of these thoughts, Hyde entered the Hub from the cold summer rain only to find the one thing, or person rather, that he was trying to stop thinking about—Jackie.
It's a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Hits you when it's too late
Hits you when you're down
It's a fool's game
Nothing but a fool's game
Standing in the cold rain
Feeling like a clown
He stood just inside the entrance staring at her for a moment. God she's beautiful, he thought to himself. Studying her for another minute, Steven removed his sunglasses and clipped them onto the collar of his black AC/DC t-shirt before slowly walking up to her table. "This seat taken?" he asked her as he grabbed the back of the chair across from her.
It ain't right with love to share
When you find he doesn't care, for you
It ain't wise to need someone
As much as I depended on, you
Shaken out of her thoughts, Jackie lifted her eyes up to meet Steven's clear sky blue ones. Hesitating from the shock of seeing him stand before her, she quickly tried to hide her surprise by nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head. "Doesn't look like it," she told him as he nodded his head, pulled the chair out from under the table, and sank down into the seat.
It's a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Love him till your arms break
Then he lets you down
"So," he slowly breathed trying to start up a casual conversation with her. "Where's mom and dad today?"
"Back at Donna's or Eric's most likely," Jackie answered with a roll of her eyes. "And doing that thingthey like to attempt."
It's a fool's game
Standing in the cold rain
Feeling like a clown
Hyde snickered. "Huh, imagine that. Well, I guess, ahem, that they are uh, having a good time seeing as they like to do that over and over again."
Jackie ruefully grimaced as she knew what Steven was getting at. "Probably," she responded, "but who would want to reenact it?"
It's a heartache
Love him till your arms break
Then he lets you down
Hyde devilishly grinned back at her. "Yeah, only Forman would and he's no Casanova."
"Well, what would you expect from a skinny little twerp like him?" she returned as she looked him in the eye.
"Not a whole lot since he's kinda girly," Steven replied with a smirk as he quickly looked away. "I mean, it's Forman, man. He's lucky Donna hasn't broken him in two."
It's a fool's game
Standing in the cold rain
Jackie snickered at Hyde's remark. "Donna just takes it easy on him," she replied nonchalantly with a shrug of her shoulders. "She's a giant lumberjack; it's bound to happen sooner or later."
Hyde nodded in agreement. "Yep," he answered.
"So," Jackie said pausing for a moment trying to find something to talk about. "I heard Mr. Forman came home from the hospital today."
"Yeah, he did," Hyde answered her.
"Well, that's good," she replied.
Hyde nodded his head, "Yep."
Soon afterwards an awkward silence filled the air between and around them; neither one knew what to say or do next. They both looked around trying not to meet the other's eyes for fear of what they might actually see there. After another weird moment, Hyde asked, not really wanting to ask this but did so anyway, "So, have you uh, seen Fez or Kelso?"
"No," she calmly replied as she shook her head while staring at her Coke.
"Huh," he mumbled. "Well, I suppose they're stirring up some kind of catastrophe somewhere in this Podunk town."
Jackie merely nodded her head in silent agreement. Feeling the awkwardness creeping up again, Jackie sighed and said, "Steven, look. What are you doing here? If you've got something to say just say it. It would save us a lot of time, don't you think?"
"I'm not doing anything but sitting here," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
Giving him a look, she said, "Whatever. If you've got something to say, then say it because I can tell something's on your mind."
Hyde sighed heavily as he combed his fingers through his curly mane. "I'm done playing games," he said frankly.
Jackie stared at him confused. "Excuse me?"
"Look Jackie, I know you want me to jump through hoops for your affection and all, but I'm sick and tired of putting myself on the line for you. I've given you endless apologies for my screw up, and I'm trying to give you space, but you gotta understand where I'm coming from, alright? I know I don't share my feelings with words; I honestly thought you knew that. So when I do share them, I mean every word. So I'm done playing these games."
"Steven, I am not playing any games with you," she began with a spark of fire. "And I appreciate your apologies, but the pain is still there. How can I trust you again when you didn't even trust me?"
"I don't know," he blurted out while Jackie stared at him with wide wild eyes. Quickly Hyde tried to save himself. "I mean, I want you back, but you gotta help me figure that out here."
She smirked as her brow furrowed and looked him directly in the eye. "Help you? You want me to help you? Yeah, I don't see that happening any time soon."
"Jackie, you gotta give me a break," Hyde bluntly commanded her. "I can't go on forever apologizing for this. What's done is done. Can't we just move on?"
Cynically, she laughed as her eyes began to fill with water. "Move on? Sure, I can move on. I can move on to the next guy that won't break my heart."
"Jackie—"
"No look, Steven," she started as she cleared her throat of the lump that was developing there. "I thought you were supposed to be the guy who was better than Michael, and you almost were," she ended softly as she looked down to her hands in her lap with tears in her eyes.
Hyde looked down at the table for a moment before looking back at her. He knew she was right, and he hated to see her cry. "Hey, come on, babe, don't cry. Look, you know I'm sorry and that I," he softened his voice so she would catch his meaning and looked her directly in the eye when she raised her head to look at him, "y'know." He paused for a moment to let it sink in before regaining his normal voice. "And you know I'd do anything for you. Why else would you make me compete with Kelso or try to make me jealous by going out with other guys if you didn't want to see me squirm?"
Jackie guiltily gave him a small lop-sided smile as the tears she had been fighting fell from her moist eyes. Gliding down her cheeks, she reached up with a hand to wipe the tears away only to have Steven's hands grab her own and seize them. Interlacing his fingers with hers for a moment, he reached up to gently wipe away her tears with the pad of his thumbs. Jackie allowed him this tender moment and even rubbed her cheek to his hand showing him that he still had some power over her. Smiling sadly as he did this, he squeezed her hand and quietly whispered, "I'm sorry I made you cry, doll."
Choking back her tears, Jackie knew he really meant it. She wanted to tell him that Michael was the one who was adamant about their rivalry not her, but she couldn't find the words to tell him. As fresh tears rolled down from her stormy eyes, Steven continued to wipe them away with a napkin. A moment later, when the last of her tears fell, he couldn't help but say with a hint of a grin, "So, I bet you wanna go and freshen up, huh?"
Slightly chuckling at his statement, Jackie slowly nodded her head in the affirmative and squeezed his hand. Returning the squeeze, Steven slowly let go of her hand, not yet wanting to lose contact with her, but trusting that she would return momentarily and hopefully give him some kind of hope that she would give him just one more chance as he sighed and returned his sunglasses to his face.
Jackie got up from the table, grabbed her purse, and turned to head into the bathroom. Inside she cleaned up her face and reapplied her make up. She was touched that Steven actually cared. Perhaps there was some truth to what he said, and some hope that he was nothing like Kelso. She took her time freshening up, figuring Steven could sit and wait. After all, he could learn to be a little patient too.
Meanwhile out at the table, Hyde sat patiently waiting for Jackie to return, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the bathroom door wondering how long it would take her. While he was waiting, someone had decided to play some Aerosmith on the jukebox.
Checkmate honey, beat you at your own damn game
No dice honey, I'm livin' on the astral plane
Feet's on the ground, and your head's goin' down the drain
Oh, heads I win, tails you lose, to the never mind
Where to draw the line
Lost in his thoughts, Hyde didn't notice that Kelso came over and sat down next to him backwards in the chair, his back to the front of the Hub; at least not until Kelso spoke. "Yep, just another day raising cane in this pokey old town."
Hyde raised an eyebrow and stared at his friend through his sunglasses. Taking a swig from Jackie's Coke bottle, Hyde put the bottle down, still holding onto and staring at it, before responding to Kelso. Slowly exhaling, Hyde replied, "The rain put a damper on your firework extranzaganda, didn't it?"
"Yeah," Kelso replied with a bummed out frown. "Oh, but I did blow up a couple of things in the garage."
"Only you would, Kelso," Hyde remarked with a nod.
Giving a light chuckle, Kelso agreed. Changing the subject he asked innocently, "Hey, have you seen Jackie?"
Clenching his jaw tightly while an annoyed look rapidly spread across his face, Hyde lied. "No man, I haven't seen her today."
"Well shoot, I mean good," Kelso exclaimed. "I was going to ask her if she wanted to see a movie or something 'cause we all know how she's still attracted to my foxy bod."
Moving in for the kill with his arm pulled back and fist formed, Hyde frogged Kelso hard in the arm while Kelso grabbed his arm and yelped, "Damn Hyde!"
"Kelso man, when are you gonna get it into your thick skull? Jackie has been over you since you returned from California. She had all of last summer to get over you. So when will you get over her?" Hyde asked his supposed best friend heatedly.
"Dude, I just don't believe that she's really over me. I mean, come on, I'm hot!" Kelso returned in his defense. "How could she have fallen for someone else like you? I mean, obviously, she's confused, which is why I'm going to get her back now that you two are broken up."
"Whatever man," Hyde returned with zen as he crossed his arms over his chest again.
"Yeah, keep saying that Hyde," Kelso told his friend smugly. "You just sit back and do nothing while I get some action with my soon to be girlfriend again because she has all of this summer to get over you."
If looks could kill, Hyde's definitely would have blown Kelso up leaving only the remains of his intestines strung out across a beach in a neat straight line like one would see from a Pacific World War Two battle. Such a shame the smoke tinted glass of his sunglasses deflected that piercing gaze. But instead, it was another's glare that beat down upon Kelso. Noticing the person standing in the doorway leading to the bathrooms, Hyde merely smirked at his so-called friend. After all, he had seen that look many times before and knew that it wasn't a good sign.
Jackie stood there beyond words as she witnessed the conversation her ex-boyfriends were having about her. "Michael!" she screeched at him.
Kelso's eyes bugged out before he whizzed his head around to see her standing before him, hands on her hips and madder than a cat with a knot in its tail. "Jackie, look I was wondering if you would—"
"Save it, Michael," she said as she rolled her eyes and held up a hand at him. "Ugh! God, I'm so tired of you grumbling about why I broke up with you, and why I dated Steven. You wanna know why? Huh, do you? Cos I'll tell you why, so you better listen and listen good!"
Heads I win, tails you lose, lord it's such a crime
No dice honey, you the salt, you're the queen of the brine
Checkmate honey, you're the only one who's got to choose
Where to draw the line
Hyde now silently chuckled as he watched Jackie put fear in Kelso's eyes much like a drill sergeant would to his new recruits. He peered over to Kelso and then up to Jackie to see what would come next.
Michael, meanwhile, had never seen Jackie look so upset or scary before in his life. Perhaps this was a bad time to ask, Kelso thought to himself before Jackie reamed him with her answer.
Jackie had plopped down in the booth frustrated that she had to say this all over again, but this time in front of Steven. Sighing, she continued. "Look, you left me last summer to go to California with Donna because you were too scared to commit yourself to me. That broke my heart because I thought you really cared about me, but I should've known better because you always cheated on me and never cared how that made me feel. Steven has always been there for me through all your mistakes. So to me, it was only natural to turn to him for comfort and advice. I never thought something would spark between us, but it did, and I don't regret that. Steven's been there for me no matter what, even if he didn't know how to say the words I was looking for. He actually cared, and as crazy as this might sound, he cared so much that it scared him that he could lose me."
She paused for a moment as she broke her eye contact with Michael and gazed over to Steven, who looked astonished that she had just candidly admitted his true feelings to her ex and his friend. Trying to stay zen, Steven gazed back at her curious as to what else she had to say.
"And that's why he did what he did," she added quietly as she broke her gaze with Hyde to look back at Kelso. "Because he thought I'd actually want you back, just like all those other times." Looking away from either of them, as fresh tears began to collect in her eyes once more, she turned to look at Kelso with a sniff. "But you and I can never happen again. I'm completely over you and have been for a year. Yes, I'll always care for you in some way, Michael, but never in the way that I once did. We're never going to get that back."
Kelso dropped his head as he stared down at the table, not believing that Jackie really said those things. "You know, never is a mighty strong word, Jackie," he said with a tinge of annoyance.
Jackie rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Duh, Michael."
"Well, this sucks!" Kelso exclaimed as he looked back up at her. "Why Hyde? What's so great about him, huh Jackie?"
Jackie stared at her ex; unbelievable, she thought. "Okay, look. I'll use small words so you can understand me."
"Well, good because I totally didn't catch what you were trying to tell me!" cried Kelso.
"Fine," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I love Steven. That's why I can't ever get back with you."
Kelso stared at her not believing her at first. But then something in her eyes convinced him that she spoke the truth. Kelso's features softened as realization hit. Dude, she really loves Hyde like how she used to love me. But before Kelso could say anything, Hyde broke in.
"Jackie," Hyde breathed surprised Jackie just admitted to loving him after she told him about four weeks ago that she didn't. "Is that true?"
Switching her intent look over to him, she frowned and nodded. "Yeah Steven, it is," she answered him quietly as her eyes filled with more moisture.
"Wow," Kelso exhaled as he witnessed the scene unfolding in front of him, finally understanding the depths of it. Pointing at one and then the other, he remarked with a dopey smile, "Hyde loves Jackie, and Jackie loves Hyde!" Standing up he exclaimed, "Man, I'm telling everyone!"
"Kelso, would you shut the hell up, man?" Hyde hissed as he made a fist and was about to frog him again.
"Nuh uh," returned Kelso with his doofy grin as he shook his head back and forth. Then dodging Hyde's fist, he ran for the door as Hyde stood from his chair ready to retaliate only to turn back to shout at his friends, "Hyde and Jackie sitting in a tree, they're in love like two bunnies!"
Running out the door into the pouring rain, safe for now from Hyde's rage, Kelso laughed at his friend's expense. Some of the patrons in the Hub snickered at Kelso's taunting words. Hyde, meanwhile, was still standing up from his chair peering at the door as if daring Kelso to stick his juvenile face back in again. He only sat down mere seconds before he heard Jackie speak. "Steven, let me clarify what I told Michael," she stated.
Once he sat in his chair, he looked at her, confusion written across his face. "What do you mean clarify?"
"I mean," she exhaled, "that I still have feelings, strong feelings, for you, but I'm not ready to be back with you – not yet."
"Huh," muttered Hyde tired of the mixed signals she seemed to be sending him. "Well then, enjoy your space," he informed her as he rose from the table and walked away leaving the Hub.
Sitting all alone at the table once more, Jackie took in a sharp breath before resting her head in her hands. What have I done? she thought to herself. Slowly removing her head from her hands, she made a soft rap on the wall with her head as it made contact behind her. Closing her eyes briefly as she mulled over the current events, she realized Steven had drawn the line for her just as she had drawn the line for Michael. But was she willing to cross it? That was something she had to ask herself and find the answer to as a different Aerosmith song played on the jukebox.
Ooh woe is me I feel so badly for you
Ooh woe is me I feel so sadly for you
In time bound to lose your mind
Live on borrowed time
Take the wind right out of your sail
Standing just outside the door to the Hub collecting his thoughts, Hyde stood against the brick building as the heavy rain poured down from the sky. Exhaling and shaking his head to clear his thoughts and trying not to care about Jackie, Hyde walked away heading for his car. As he opened his car door, Hyde sunk into the driver's seat wet from the rain and exhausted from the frustrations of Jackie. Sighing to rid himself of the bad vibes, Hyde rolled his neck before putting the key in the ignition and turning the car on. Just as the car started, the radio blared out a familiar tune.
Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today
Knitting his brows together while rolling his eyes, Hyde reached over to the radio and pushed the button to tune to a new station.
When I need you
I just close my eyes and you're right here by my side,
Keepin' me warm night and day.
Scoffing at that station and song, Hyde once again switched stations only to hear another familiar song that reminded him of his little zen kitten.
Hey, won't you play
Another somebody done somebody wrong song?
And make me feel at home
While I miss my baby,
While I miss my baby.
Sighing in frustration once more, Hyde decided to try another station, hoping beyond hope it wouldn't lead to another Jackie induced memory. He was in luck; Zeppelin was blasting out of the speakers. Jimmy Page was rocking it on his guitar while John Bonham crashed it on the skins. But soon, the moment was ruined for him as he pulled away from the Hub.
Whoa, the girl I love
She's got long black wavy hair,
I do declare.
The girl I love—
And with that, Steven flipped the station fast, even though it was Zeppelin. Damn, even Robert Plant's against me, he thought to himself as he stopped at a stop sign letting the car that arrived first the right of way. A new set of crashing banging drums opened up on the radio and Hyde began nodding his head to the new beat.
Baby please don't go
No baby, please don't leave me
Why must you go away and do this to me, baby?
I wanna suffer for you; suffer, suffer
Oh baby, please don't go!
No!
"Damn it!" he muttered under his breath as he crossed the intersection. Reaching across to try another station, he pushed the preset button.
Nobody's fault but mine,
Nobody's fault but mine.
Trying to save my soul tonight,
It's nobody's fault but mine.
"Shit," he cried out as he smacked the steering wheel with his hand. Hoping that one of the stations was done with whatever song they were playing before, he opted to give them one more chance. Pushing one of the buttons, a new song came over the air waves.
Look what has happened with just one kiss
I never knew that I could be in love like this
It's crazy but it's true
I only want to be with you
Running his tongue over his bottom teeth before it poked his inner cheek; Hyde gritted his teeth as he quickly changed stations. God that's nauseating, he thought.
When I'm tired and thinking cold,
I hide in my music, forget the day,
And dream of a girl I used to know.
I closed my eyes and she slipped away.
Next! he thought as he instinctively pushed a different radio button.
You're so vain;
You probably think this song is about you.
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you,
Don't you? Don't you?
"Oh god!" he sighed as he tried one more station, pleading with the powers that be that it wasn't yet another song that reminded him of Jackie. Recognizing the bluesy guitar riffs of Jimmy Page, Hyde pursed his lips and slowly banged his head in rhythm to the song while John Bonham kept time.
When you hear me moaning and groaning,
You know it hurts me deep down inside.
Oh, when you hear me,
You know you're my one desire.
Yes, you are.
"So much for Zeppelin," he said to himself as he changed stations one final time.
Bye, bye, baby it's been sweet love, yeah, yeah.
Though this feeling I can't change.
But please don't take it so badly,
'Cause the Lord knows I'm to blame.
But if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
"Huh," Steven grunted as he shook his head at the memory of junior prom just as the guitar solo started in. Opting not to go down memory lane right at this moment, Hyde reached for the volume knob and turned it off. Silence was golden; silence was just what Hyde needed in order to clear his head. In another block he was home.
Pulling into the Forman's driveway, Hyde put the El Camino in park and turned off the engine. Draping both hands over the steering wheel, he briefly rested his head on top of his arms before snapping his head back up and pounding his hands on the steering wheel. "Damn it!" he shouted to no one or thing in particular. How could he be shook up about a ninety-five pound cheerleader? Oh yeah, he knew why; three little words he had uttered that day to her and that other day over three weeks ago too. That's how and why. Exhaling he pulled the keys out of the ignition, pulled open the handle to his door and pushed it open, letting the fast raindrops smack against the interior of the door. Stepping out, he quickly slammed the car door and raced for the house. Almost slipping his way down the concrete stairs that led to the basement, Hyde quickly opened the basement door and slipped inside. Shutting the door, he turned and found his three friends sitting on the couch and lawn chair watching TV. He knew exactly what they all needed in that moment.
Circle:
There's only one girl that I will ever love
and that was so many years ago.
"Well guys, it's official," Kelso announced to the guys. "Jackie dumped me." He sadly nodded his head. "Yep, she just lashed out at me and told me she's in love with some other guy. Pft! Well, good luck to that guy!"
And though I know I'll never get her out of my heart
She never loved me back.
Ooh, I know.
Fez, looking amused, asked, "So, who's the lucky fella?"
"The what? Oh the guy!" Kelso said as his foggy memory triggered his thoughts. "Some dude named Steven."
Looking around at the other two sitting in the circle, with a lop-sided smirk gracing his face, Fez said, "So Jackie is in love with Steven, and Steven is in love with Jackie." He paused for a beat. "And I am married to a whore!"
Choking on the smoke he was inhaling, Eric quickly stopped coughing in order to speak. "Yeah sorry, that's still a bit of a shock to me. Oh hey, check this out guys. Red's making Laurie move out. She has a week to find an apartment for her and Fez. Yeah, he's making her live with Fez since she married him. Something about being responsible for her actions or something, I don't know. Is that not like the greatest thing to happen to me? I mean, she's officially being demoted as the favorite one. That means now I'll be the chosen one."
Hyde shook his head and slightly smirked. "Yeah, except you forgot one thing – me," he said pointing at himself. "Red likes me ten times more than you, so you're still at the bottom of the totem pole, Chachi. Man, I can't believe Jackie. I apologize, she doesn't accept it. I give her space, she reels me in only to toss my happy ass back out. Pft! I don't get it, man. Nothing that I've done seems to work and it's pissing me off."
"Hyde, I know what you're going through," Kelso replied, "and believe me, it's no picnic. Mainly because I'm the one you're taking it all out on. But since Jackie's dated you, she's become a complicated woman. I mean, half the words she uses I don't understand or comprehend. She's like above my intelligence level."
I want you
(I want you)
Hyde smirked. "Kelso man, everyone's above your intelligence level."
I need you
(I need you)
"So, at least I'm smart enough to know I don't need a complicated woman," he retorted.
But there ain't no way
I'm ever gonna love you.
Now don't be sad,
"So Laurie and I are looking for apartments," Fez said as a silence fell among the guys in the circle. "As soon as we find one, it'll be our own little den of love."
Cos 2 out of 3 ain't bad.
"Den of love?" questioned Eric with a puzzled face. "I think you mean 'Little House of Whores', Fez."
Now don't be sad,
Fez glared at his brother-in-law. "Do not speak of my wife in such a way! You're just jealous because your red-haired floozy isn't your wife."
Cos 2 out of 3 ain't bad.
"Only because we're still engaged," Eric shot back.
"You're just jealous," Fez said calmly.
"Fez-"
"I said you're jealous," he stubbornly replied as he put a hand up and rolled his eyes upwards.
. . .
Picking up the receiver of her phone, Jackie quickly dialed the telephone to her cheerleading pal Katie. Twirling the cord around her finger as she listened to the ringing, waiting patiently for someone to pick up on the other end, she sighed and looked over at Donna, who sat at the opposite end of the bed. Donna merely nodded her head and smiled in encouragement. Just then Jackie's eyes widen when someone answered the phone on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Katie? It's Jackie."
"Oh hey, Jackie. What's going on?"
"Not a whole lot. Actually, I was wondering if you could set me up with someone," Jackie quickly asked as nonchalantly as she could.
"Set you up with someone? Like who?"
"Who?" Jackie repeated while Donna mouthed 'anyone.' "Uh, anyone you think would be cool enough for me."
"Oh," Katie said slightly puzzled by Jackie's request. "Well, I'll see who's maybe interested. Maybe someone like Jake Bradley or Drew Montgomery."
"Oh, that would be fantastic!" Jackie exclaimed as she smiled to Donna who seemed momentarily puzzled. "Thanks!"
"No problem," replied Katie. "If either one's interested I'll have them call you."
"Sounds like a plan," Jackie said enthused. "Well, thanks Katie. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay Jackie," she said slightly confused and humorous. "Talk to you then. Bye!"
"Bye!"
Hanging up the telephone, Jackie turned to Donna excitedly. "Omigod Donna. Katie's going to see if Jake Bradley or Drew Montgomery would want to date me. Uh, this was the best idea we've had!"
Donna chuckled. "Wow, Jake Bradley or Drew Montgomery; they are so the anti-Hyde. Impressive."
"I know!" Jackie said excitedly as she quickly and quietly clapped her hands. Then she sighed. "Yeah, anti-Hyde."
"Uh oh, you're not getting sucked into another 'Hyde coma', are you?" asked Donna concerned for her friend.
"No," Jackie quickly answered, trying to hide the fact that she was. "I mean, I was just thinking how he's going to freak out and want me back because I'm with someone else."
"Nice, you're turning the tables on him," Donna said with admiration. "Make him want you. Guys like things they can't have."
"Yeah," Jackie sighed again, "it's how we got together in the first place."
"Huh? I thought you guys got together because you were bored over the summer?" Donna asked in confusion.
Jackie rolled her eyes. "No, not that beginning, Donna, I'm talking about back on Veteran's Day when my miracle happened," Jackie explained to her lumbering red haired friend.
"You're Veteran's Day miracle?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow and an amused look on her face.
"Yeah, back when I came to the barbeque with Chip, and he got jealous and decked him."
"Oh no," Donna groaned, "didn't we just try this with Ben?"
"So?" Jackie volleyed back. "Ben obviously wasn't the right choice. I need someone Steven will get jealous over and whisk me away from, proving that he really does care for me."
"So hold on a minute," Donna interrupted her. "How was going with Chip and playing hard to get a miracle?"
Jackie sighed and shook her head slowly. "Donna, Donna, Donna. It was miracle because he not only punched Chip out for calling me a bitch, but because he actually asked me out on a date – IN FRONT of everyone! And then on the date, towards the end of it, we kissed. God, that was so hot. Anyway, afterwards, I asked him if he felt anything. He hesitated before answering."
"So what was his answer," Donna asked intrigued, apparently not knowing about any of this before.
"He eventually said no; changed his mind, and then said no again."
"Okay?"
"Don't you see Donna? He didn't want to admit that he did feel something," Jackie kept explaining. "So he tried being zen about it, only I already knew his game. In fact, I knew it so well that I played zen on him first."
"Wait, what? How did you play zen on him?"
"By asking him if he felt anything and acting as if I didn't feel something."
"So let me get this straight. You both felt something from that kiss, denied it to each other, and kept up the charades so well, that eventually when left alone last summer you guys were finally able to act upon it?"
"Yes, exactly!" Jackie exclaimed with a huge smile plastered on her face as she nodded her head excitedly.
"But you got back with Kelso after that date."
"Only because he proved to me that he cared," Jackie cried out in defense. "Besides, by that point I had buried my feelings for Steven so far down, that I had forgotten about them."
"Until prom," Donna pointed out.
"Prom?" Jackie questioned puzzled.
"Yeah," Donna replied with a small knowing smile. "You guys came together and danced. You even matched your outfits. He was being really decent with you, and you two looked like you were having a good time."
"Yeah, yeah we did," Jackie said as she remembered prom. "But remember, I was concerned about Michael. Steven was being sweet, and that night reminded me why I liked him in the first place."
"Omigod!" Donna gasped. "You love him. You really love him."
"What?"
"Jackie, this is like your love story," Donna explained. "God, if you two don't get back together eventually, we're all gonna go nuts hearing about how much you two love each other!"
Grabbing her pillow, Jackie smacked Donna with it. "Ugh! Whatever Donna! Look, Steven will get me back. I just have to motivate him first."
Donna laughed. "You're crazy, you know that."
"Crazy in love with Steven, you mean," Jackie corrected her. "Look, once I make Steven realize that life without me is pointless, he'll beg for me to come back, and we'll live happily ever after."
"Yep, that sounds like a good old fashioned fairytale come true," Donna sarcastically commented with an eye roll.
"Donna, be positive for me," Jackie scolded her. "We'll be happily together again just like that Elton John and Kiki Dee song."
DREAM SEQUENCE
(intro of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is playing)
Hyde walks up to Jackie who's sitting at a table in the Hub with Donna and the guys. Jackie gets nudged by Donna to look up. As she makes eye contact with him she says, "Steven?"
"Jackie, I've been such a pigheaded idiot. Can we get back together?"
"Oh yes, Steven!" Jackie says as she grabs Hyde's shirt and pulls him down to her level. Taking a hint from her lead, Hyde leans in and kisses her tenderly. Releasing her fists from his t-shirt, she quickly placed her hands on his cheeks reveling in his kiss. But just as quickly as he started the kiss, Hyde ended it. Kneeling down between her legs, Hyde grabbed one of Jackie's legs placing her foot on his thigh just as he started to lip sync.
Hyde: (quickly unlacing her shoe, he removed it from her foot as he grabbed a white roller skate that was hidden by her chair and placed it on her foot.) "Don't go breaking heart,"
Jackie: (looking down at him, she smiles fondly as he ties her skate's laces)
"I couldn't if I tried."
Hyde: (removing the other shoe and slipping the other skate on, he looks up and smiles coyly at her) "Oh honey if I get restless,"
Jackie: (smiles knowingly back at him as she drapes her arms on his shoulders and gently rubs the back of his neck with her thumbs) "Baby you're not that type."
Hyde: (ties her skate, then puts her foot down before placing his hands on her knees) "Don't go breaking my heart,"
Jackie: (smiling coyly at him, she quickly stands up in front of him)
"You take the weight off of me,"
Hyde: (watching Jackie skate away from him, he slips his boots off and pulls oh his skates) "Oh honey when you knocked on my door,"
Jackie: (gets out of his grip, turns to face him, dangling a small key chain with a key in front of him) "Ooh I gave you my key." (skates towards him and around him)
Both: (Hyde – smiles coyly before standing up, he grabs Jackie by the waist standing behind her swaying to the beat; Jackie turns her head to watch him and smiles as she sways along) "Ooh hoo! Nobody knows it."
Hyde: (still holding her waist, he leans to one side of her)
"When I was down"
Jackie: (hands on top of his, she leans from the opposite direction)
"I was your clown"
Both: (sway in opposite directions of each other)
"Ooh hoo! Nobody knows it"
Hyde: (removes his hands from her waist and with one hand grabs her hand and skates out an arm's length) "Right from the start"
Jackie: (gives a quick squeeze to his hand as she skates into him)
"I gave you my heart"
"Oh ho! I gave you my heart" (leans in for a kiss)
Hyde: (leans in like he's going to kiss her, but slowly pulls away)
"So don't go breaking my heart"
Jackie: (slowly shakes head with a sad smile) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Both: "Don't go breaking my heart" (they kiss; kiss deepens fast as Hyde pulls her in to him closely, his hand rubbing her back before rubbing her upper arm; satisfied for the moment, Jackie breaks away with a dreamy smile plastered on her face slowly rolling backwards; Hyde takes her hand and leads her to the middle of the floor)
Hyde: (skates away from her backwards doing the disco pointing) "Nobody told us"
Jackie: (arches an eyebrow at him and copies his disco pointing)
"Cause nobody showed us"
Hyde: (shrugs as he circles her once before come up behind her his hands on her hips)
"And now it's up to us, babe"
Jackie: (with a determined knowing smile) "Oh, I think we can make it."
Hyde: (grabs her hand, skates out so their arms are extended)
"So don't misunderstand me"
Jackie: (skates towards him before twirling into him)
"You put the light in my life"
Hyde: (holds her for a second before she gets out of his hold; he watches her)
"Oh, you put the spark to the flame"
Jackie: (skates around him with a coy smile)
"I've got your heart in my sights"
Both: (Hyde – watches Jackie skate around him once more before getting out of her circle)
"Ooh hoo! Nobody knows it."
Hyde: (drops down to his knees and slides across the floor towards her) "When I was down"
Jackie: (standing over him, her thumbs on her cheeks, wiggling her fingers) "I was your clown"
Both: (Hyde coyly smiles as she helps him up and holds her tightly) "Ooh hoo! Nobody knows it"
Hyde: (skims his hands down her arms and holds her hands) "Right from the start"
Jackie: (gives his hands a quick squeeze) "I gave you my heart"
(putting her hand to her heart and cocking her head towards him, her chin up in the air, she belts out)"Oh ho! I gave you my heart" (extends her arms out away from her torso)
Hyde: (grabs her hands as they skate backwards) "So don't go breaking my heart"
Jackie: (gives his hands a squeeze before letting go of them and turning around skating off, shaking it to the beat) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Both: (smiling at each other) "Don't go breaking my heart"
(Instrumental)
(Jackie – skates off away from Hyde, doing some disco pointing moves. Hyde – comes up from behind her and grabs her hands, extending her arms out; together they skate around the Hub. Hyde then lifts Jackie up in the air before setting her back down.)
Both: (Hyde – hands still on her hips, he leans in one direction as Jackie leans in the other; they alternate sides during the oohs before freezing in place momentarily) "Ooh hoo! Nobody knows it."
Hyde: (leans to the left) "When I was down"
Jackie: (leans to the right) "I was your clown"
Hyde: (leans to the right) "Right from the start"
Jackie: (leans to the left) "I gave you my heart"
(tilts her head back as her arms are straight at her sides, fists clenched; then her hands cross over her heart as she turns to face him)"Oh ho! I gave you my heart"
Hyde: (looks at her with a thin zen veil as he skates off) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Jackie: (a sympathetic look upon her face as she watches him) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez, Eric, Donna, and Kelso are lined up in the middle back of the floor; Fez and Donna step out with their left feet shaking a finger) "Don't go breaking my"
(Eric and Kelso step out with their right feet shaking a finger) "Don't go breaking my"
Hyde: (gang steps back into their line as Hyde skates around them) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez and Donna step out with their right feet shaking a finger) "Don't go breaking my"
(Eric and Kelso step out with their left feet shaking a finger) "Don't go breaking my"
Jackie: (gang steps back into their line as Jackie skates around them) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Hyde: (comes up from behind Jackie and grabs her hand, placing his other hand on top of hers) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez and Donna step out with their left feet shaking a finger while Eric and Kelso step out with their right feet shaking a finger)
"Don't go breaking my"
Jackie: (squeezes his hand as she places her other one on top of his) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Hyde: (skates faster removing his one hand off the top of hers) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez and Donna step out with their right feet shaking a finger while Eric and Kelso step out with their left feet shaking a finger)
"Don't go breaking my"
Jackie: (squeezes his hand as they skate, smiling with conviction) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Hyde: (returns a quick squeeze before dropping her hand and grabbing her by the waist taking her by surprise) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez and Donna step out with their left feet shaking a finger while Eric and Kelso step out with their right feet shaking a finger)
"Don't go breaking my"
Jackie: (slightly shakes her head just as Hyde picks her up, making her feel like she's flying) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Hyde: (sets Jackie back down and begins to slow down his skating, grabbing her hand once more) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez and Donna step out with their right feet shaking a finger while Eric and Kelso step out with their left feet shaking a finger)
"Don't go breaking my"
Jackie: (stops skating and turns to look at him, letting go of his hand) "I won't go breaking your heart"
Hyde: (stops skating when Jackie did; looks back at her as his hand is released from hers, but soon places both on either side of her waist) "Don't go breaking my heart"
Background singers (aka the gang): (Fez and Donna step out with their left feet shaking a finger while Eric and Kelso step out with their right feet shaking a finger)
"Don't go breaking my"
Jackie: (places her hand over his heart as she looks up to him) "I won't go breaking your heart" (they kiss as the gang cheers and hugs one another in celebration)
END DREAM SQUENCE
"You hallucinate a lot, you know that," Donna said after a moment. "If you hallucinate like this during the day, what are your dreams like at night?"
Jackie coyly smiled to herself. "If only you knew."
"Hyde roller dancing," Donna said in afterthought as a smile slowly blossomed, "I'd pay to see that."
AN2: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed thus far! I cannot express how much those little messages mean to me. I can only hope that my efforts in writing this pays for itself, so I hope the long waits are always worth it.
Anyway, the title comes from Aerosmith's song of the same name, released in 1977, which is later quoted in this chapter too. Giant chocolate chip cookie and a kudos star in the next chapter for anyone who can name the album it's originally from. Also appearing in this chapter is Bonnie Tyler's song, "It's a Heartache", on her 1978 album Natural Force, track #1. "Seasons of Wither" is from Aerosmith's 1974 album, Get Your Wings, track #7. Songs on the El Camino's radio are: Elton John's "Tiny Dancer"; Leo Sayer's "When I Need You" from his 1976 album, Endless Flight, track #4; BJ Thomas' "Another Somebody's Done Somebody Wrong Song"; Led Zeppelin's "The Girl I Love"; AC/DC's "Baby Please Don't Go"; Led Zeppelin's "Nobody's Fault But Mine"; Bay City Rollers' "I Only Want to Be With You"; Boston's "More Than a Feeling"; Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"; Zeppelin's "I Can't Quit You, Babe"; and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird'. Meatloaf's "2 Out of 3 Ain't Bad" is from his 1977 album, Bat Out of Hell, track #5. Elton John's duet with Kiki Dee "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is from his 1977 album, Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II, track #4. Again, thanks for reading and reviewing! Your reviews really do put me in a good mood!