Hyde walked out of the house to see Jackie, sitting on the front porch, crying.
"Where's Mr. Dream Man, Fez?" he asked derisively.
"Gone. He left." Jackie sighed. "Everyone leaves me- I swear, if I have a baby, it'll probably leave me as soon as it can crawl!" she said bitterly.
Hyde frowned, a swell of rage inside him. He just... left her? Why would he do that? He sighed, sitting down next to her and put an arm around her. "All right, Jacks; what happened?"
"Kelso offered him a position in Chicago, and he just rode home with him."
Hyde raised an eyebrow. "What kind of position?" he asked.
"I didn't ask. Didn't care." Jackie spat. "Doesn't matter. What matters is that after all this, and he said he wanted me, he just split! He didn't even ask did I maybe wanna go... It's not like I have anything holding me here..." she sniffled, burying her face into Hyde's shoulder.
It felt so familiar, so safe... just like it had since she was 15 years old... And, the strong arm wrapped tightly around her like it always did.
"I should've just left when I had the chance..." she sobbed.
Hyde shook his head. "I should've married you when I had the chance." he blurted, and she looked up at him in shock.
"What'd you just say?"
"... nothing..."
"Steven, it's a new year, a new decade. Man up and tell me what you really feel!"
"What I feel? What I feel?" he yelled, standing up and starting to pace. "You wanna know what I feel? I feel that I'm never gonna find love with anyone, because I had the real thing with you, and I'm never gonna find anyone to compare! Sam was just a poor substitute and she drove me crazy! The only reason I kept her around as long as I did was because of the sex- well, that and I kind of wanted to hurt you like you'd hurt me." he admitted.
"I never slept with Micheal in that hotel room, I told you! He kept trying, and I put him off by saying we could be seen from the street! I tried to tell you that back then!"
"I know, but, I was pissed." Hyde shrugged. "Wasn't in a listening mood."
"I haven't been happy for real in a very long time." Jackie said quietly. "Maybe I don't deserve it. Maybe it's my fault that nobody loves me- even my parents abandoned me."
"That's bullshit and you know it, Jackie!" Hyde frowned. "You deserve happiness... and people love you. You're a monster pain in the ass sometimes- okay, most of the time- but, you're loved, okay? Just because your bitch mother didn't know how to be a Mom, that's not your fault! People do love you..."
"Oh, who?" she demanded scornfully.
"Donna, for one. You're the one female friend she has ever had. Her best friend. That's saying something."
Jackie smiled wanly at him. "That all?"
"Oh, just fishing for it now, eh?"Hyde smirked at her.
"Continue, please?"
"Well... Kitty loves you. And... I... never stopped loving you, despite having my head up my ass."
"Oh, Steven..." Jackie said, a bit choked up.
"You know, I didn't get to ring in the New Year this year..."
Jackie smiled, standing up. "Let me help you with that, then..." she said, leaning up to give him a gentle kiss...