Wow, I wasn't expecting the response I got for this. I wasn't sure about how the pairing would be received, but I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you all, and don't forget to let me know how you felt about this chapter.
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Part Two
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He measured time in semesters now. Three semesters later, Veronica turned a year old. Two semesters after that, Jackie moved into her own place across the river from Brooke and Kelso's house. A semester later, and she landed a job managing a nightclub. Half a semester after that and she'd started singing openers for some of the bigger acts. Half the town knew her if not by word of mouth than by sight. She'd gotten the little taste of fame that she'd always wanted.
Two semesters later and she was thriving. The 'Jackie wall' was long past full and he had three photo albums stuffed to the brim. And then before he knew it she called him with a cheery greeting and cartoons in the background, wishing him a happy twenty-fourth birthday and when the hell was he gonna come visit?
Veronica was three and a half and he'd seen her only through phone lines and photographs and he'd exhausted all his energy and tolerance for Africa. He was less skinny and more tan than he was five years ago and his daydreams had switched from a Madison apartment with a redhead to a Chicago loft with two brunettes and he figured that that alone said that he was different enough now to justify returning to the States.
So he packed up the pictures and sent them in the mail on ahead and sold his car and gave notice on the lease and negotiated in half Swahili, half English with the landlord and did all the normal, adult things that were routine by now and bought a ticket and wondered when the hell he'd grown up because it felt like just yesterday he was some scrawny kid that people pitied because he had the disadvantage of being born Red Forman's son.
He slept on the plane and dreamt of waking up in his bed amongst Spider-Man sheets and the girl next door still young and subtly manipulative and Hyde in the basement watching Charlie's Angels and Jackie on Kelso's lap. But it was the eighties now and Hyde was (a jackass) gone and Kelso was married (and sober) and had a daughter and another on the way and Donna was who knows where and Jackie was picking him up at the airport. Red was in Florida in retirement and Charlie's Angels was canceled and things were so different, but for once he thought that might be a good thing.
She had no idea of his feelings, or if she did she never let on, and by all accounts he should be nervous and freaked out and practicing speeches and pick up lines, but instead he calmly sipped his small glass of soda and ate his peanuts and made faces at the girl in the seat in front of him and made her giggle. The plane taxied in and he didn't remember feeling this calm on the flight over during landing, and it was just yet another thing to add to the 'things that changed' list.
He walked into the main lobby, feeling out of place and too tan and that's when he saw her, looking exactly like the photos except warmer and substantial and smiling a smile he'd never seen before. And then, near her feet, a little girl sat, her dark hair bobbing in a ponytail on top of her head, her face buried in a coloring book, her tiny sneakered feet poking out from her little girl jeans. A pressure that he hadn't realized had been pressing on his chest released with a huge sigh, and he didn't even know where to begin.
She decided for him and two seconds after he reached them he was buried in a Jackie hug and she smelled like cigarette smoke and cinnamon and bananas (from Veronica, he assumed) and her hair was in his face and he hugged her back and felt real for the first time in a long time. When she let go she tugged him down to his knees and beamed at him, turning her bright eyes to her daughter, who was eying him carefully.
"Veronica, baby, this is Eric. You remember I told you about him."
"From the pictures," came the voice of the little girl, and it was Jackie's voice except smaller, and it was Jackie's eyes staring up at him (chocolate brown) and her hair and smile and he searched for anything Hyde but found nothing.
"Hi, Veronica," he said, marveling at the fact that his voice didn't crack.
"Hi," the girl replied timidly. He smiled at her and she blushed, burying her face in her coloring book again.
Jackie laughed and ruffled the girl's hair. "Shy one," she said fondly. Straightening up, she grinned at him again. "I'm so glad you're here," she said, and this time he initiated the hug, hoping it was enough.
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There was a party and Kelso and Brooke were there, and Fez drove up from Minneapolis where he owned his own general store (the candy was delicious, he'd heard) and Kitty and Red called about halfway through the night, alternately yelling at him for not coming to Florida first because it upset his mother (Red) and crying and telling him that he was meant for great things all along (Kitty) and did he get enough to eat at Jackie's because there were a few recipes that he could try?
He felt overwhelmed and exhausted and by the time everyone left, Veronica had fallen asleep on Eric's lap and Jackie was running around, carrying dishes to the sink and picking up toys and looking all like the personification of a busy mother that it made him laugh a little.
He carried Veronica into her bedroom, laying her on the bed and tucking her in, watching her small chest rise and fall in even measures. This little girl, this small, fragile life that Jackie, his Jackie had created. He no longer thought of Veronica in any way as Hyde's, there was no evidence apparent. The girl's hair was no longer curly as it'd been when she was born, nor was there any trace of Hyde in her features or structure. Jackie said it was because of her superior Burkhardt genes, and Eric was fine with believing that, but he had the lingering feeling that what Veronica lacked for in physical resemblances she'd eventually make up for in emotional or personality, and Eric couldn't decide which would be worse for Jackie—to wake up one day and see Hyde's face in her daughter, or to recognize him in her actions.
But right then Veronica was little and innocent and beautiful, and Eric kissed her on the forehead and shut the door behind him on his way out.
He walked into the small kitchen, seeing Jackie up to her arms in soapy water, her hair falling from its bun, wisps framing her face and neck. Her face was flushed from the alcohol from the party and the kitchen felt warm and steamy and he bet that if he put his arms around her she'd feel even warmer and maybe smell like dish soap.
"Need any help?"
She turned around and smiled, pulling the plug on the sink. "Nah, I'm done." She grabbed a dishtowel and dried her hands briskly.
"Look at you, Susie Homemaker."
She blushed slightly to his amusement. "Someone has to be," she said, her eyes averted. Then, a deep breath, her chest rising visibly, and she met his gaze. "I missed you," she said vehemently. "Every day, practically." She looked down at her feet than back up at him. "It's so strange," she said idly. "I never knew I was capable of missing you before."
She was so close and it'd been so long and he might as well, right? He practically fell into her and his arms closed around her tiny waist and her arms wrapped around his neck and her mouth opened underneath his. Something shifted that had been out of place for a long time and he started breathing again.
She was so tiny, so light, so easy to just lift her up on the counter like that, and push her down like so, and her hips fit right into his hands and her legs were fucking hot and why hadn't they done this before? Oh yeah, the Devil thing might've had something to do with it.
Later in her bed, in her apartment, with her daughter down the hall and his suitcase in her closet, he laid his head against her shoulder. He felt her relax beneath him, the tense muscles unwinding one by one until she was boneless against the mattress.
This was it, he realized. He'd been searching so long for that 'I'm not a screw up' feeling, trying to hold on to it in Africa, moving around and trying to catch it like smoke between his fingers, and here it was the whole time. He felt incredibly ironic and glad and stupid and thankful and happy all at once, and for once he lay and decided not to question it.
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Hyde came back on a Saturday when Eric was at an interview for a position teaching history at one of the inner-city schools. Jackie had the night off so of course she was busier than ever, lining up the babysitter and 'cooking' (ordering) dinner and setting up candles and white tablecloths and all those little romantic things that she'd always wanted to do but never had the chance. Kelso had been, well, Kelso, and she knew that Hyde would've just made fun of her if she'd showed up with candles and a jazz LP. But Eric was different, the kind of different that she'd dreamt of and maybe never realized was possible for her before.
Veronica was dancing around the kitchen excitedly, singing along to a cassette of kids' songs that Kelso had bought her last week and occasionally helping her mother. She smoothed down the white linen that Jackie had spread out on the table and adjusted the flowers in the vase, narrowing her small eyes at them importantly for a few moments before deeming them with her approval. Jackie grinned as the girl strutted around below her feet, and to her credit didn't make that much of a mess when she knocked over the candle holders once or twice.
She didn't think twice when the doorbell rang, because she'd told the doorman that she was expecting the babysitter anyway, so when she flung the door open and Steven Hyde was standing on the other side she nearly screamed in alarm. "Jackie." He said her name like a challenge, that's how he'd always said it, like he was expecting her to come back and demand that he call her some kind of fluffy nickname like 'snookums' or 'honey bee.'
"Steven Hyde." They stared each other down for a few moments. "Where's Sam?"
"In the car."
There was silence for a few more seconds before the tape in the kitchen turned off and Veronica came into the foyer. "Mama, phone's ringin'."
Hyde's gaze switched to the little girl and his expression hardened. Jackie felt a cold fist of fear clench around her heart. She tore her eyes away from Hyde and walked over to Veronica. "Go back to your room, baby," she said, patting the girl on the shoulder. The girl gave Hyde a detached, curious look, but because she adored her mother, she just smiled and skipped back down the hall.
Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, she walked to the telephone on the wall and answered it. "Hello?"
"Jackie, Fez just called me." It was Brooke. "Hyde's on his way from Nevada, Kitty told him about Veronica."
"You think?" she said sarcastically.
"He's there?.!" Brooke said, her voice panicky.
"Yeah," she said vaguely, feeling his gaze on her back. "Okay, if you're sure," she said loudly. "You're sure it's an emergency and you need me right now?"
"Wha—oh!" Brooke said, surprised. "Yeah, total emergency. You should race over here. Right this second."
"Okay, I'll be right there." She hung up the phone, barely refraining from slamming it. "Veronica! Get your stuff, babe, we're going over to Aunt Brooke's a little early!" she called.
She whirled back around to face Hyde before she lost her nerve. "Sorry Hyde, but I have to go. So sorry we don't have time to catch up," she spat.
"Running away again, Jackie?" he said. "I'm not surprised."
"I'm running away?" she asked incredulously. "That's rich."
His jaw clenched, he looked like he was fuming. He was quiet a second and his hand tightened on the door jamb. "How could not tell me?"
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "You mean how I couldn't tell you that you knocked me up after screwing me and then breaking my heart ruthlessly... again? How I couldn't call you in Las Vegas with your stripper wife that my daughter has half your genes?" She shook her head. "I'd have thought you'd be glad that I didn't make you take responsibility."
His eyes were burning. "Don't bring Sam into this. The fact remains that you're the same as ever, Jackie, only thinking of yourself." His voice rose until Jackie was afraid that the neighbors would hear.
"Don't you dare yell at me here," she hissed. "If you do anything to scare Veronica, you will regret it, I promise you." He just stared at her, silently fuming. Jackie shook her head, sighing. "What do you want?" she asked tiredly.
He stayed quiet. "I..." he trailed off.
"Do you want to know her? Help me raise her?" Jackie asked briskly. "Want her to have your last name? Do you and Sam want to live with a four year old half the year?" He flinched. "Does Sam even know?" He stayed silent still. "That's what I thought," she said, drained. "I have to go."
She turned on her heel and walked down the hall, walking into her daughter's room. She waiting until she heard the front door close until smiling at Veronica, who was playing on the floor innocently. "Ready to go, sweetie?"
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Two hours later, Eric got back to the apartment to find Jackie on the couch, silent tears tracking their way down her cheeks. A half-set dinner sat on the table, candles unlit and music unplayed. He dropped his coat and seated himself next to her, slipping an arm around her shoulders.
"Kelso told you?" she asked, laying her head against his chest.
"Yeah." He kissed her temple. "Do you still love him?"
She was quiet for a beat. "Kinda," she admitted. "Do you still love Donna?"
He shrugged. "Sorta, yeah." He had felt unsure about divulging this to her, but now that it happened he knew he shouldn't have worried that she wouldn't understand.
They sat in silence for a long time. Then, Jackie moved her head so that her chin was resting on his shoulder and looked up at him lazily. "I have food," she offered.
"Good," he replied. "Wait, you didn't cook it, did you?"
She laughed and smacked him playfully.
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There should be at least one more part left. Don't forget to review.