CH-14-Baby Come on Home

Hyde drove aimlessly around Point Place. He knew he had been gone for hours because it was pitch black outside. He figured he should go home and talk to Jackie but he just couldn't bring himself to turn the car in the direction of the Foreman's. So he kept driving…as he drove the sounds of "Baby come on Home" by Led Zeppelin drifted through the car.

There was a time, I used to call you on my very own
We were so happy woman, Talkin' for hours and hours on the telephone

Jackie sat in the Pinncioti's kitchen with a glass of wine in her hands. The lights were all off and she was thinking about Hyde. Tears welled up in her eyes as she listened to the radio station…the same one that Hyde was listening too.

Then one day, I set you up to walk right outta my life
Leavin' me all by myself, All alone, to cry every night

As Hyde continued to drive…he thought of the first time he kissed Jackie. Back on their Veteran's Day Date. She had looked beautiful, and he couldn't believe that he was actually on a date with her. She was always Kelso's girl. But that night…for the first time she was his. And SHE kissed him, and being the idiot that he was, he lied and said he didn't feel a thing.

(Babe...) oooh, I want you to come back home yeah (come on home)
(oooh yeah) Sweet little girl (ooh yeah, been gone so long)
been away so long

Jackie smiled as she remembered when Hyde had called her his girlfriend for the first time, she had never been so happy. At that moment, she knew that he would mean more to her than Michael ever had. She wanted to be with him, she needed to be with him because he protected her. He made her feel safe and beautiful and sexy, the thought of loosing him again made her sick.

Now listen to me: I said I made up my mind
Woman when you left me there, oh
I was gonna find another sweet lover
Who's gonna feel all of my... cares

Hyde's hands clenched the steering wheel when he thought about the day he had told her he had cheated on her with the nurse. The sparkle that had been in her eyes when she looked at him died so fast it broke his heart into a million pieces. When she got out of the car, he wanted to kill himself because he knew he had screwed up, he had hurt her just like the idiot Kelso had. He didn't want to do that again.

So I met a sweet little girl, Just about as nice as she could be, oh
I fell in love with that woman, But she turned around,
and did the same thing again to me...

Jackie thought about the nurse incident and how mad she had been at Hyde…how bad she wanted to make him pay for hurting her. And she had made him pay, she flaunted Kelso in front of him pretending she wanted him to drive him slowly insane. And after the horrible summer and Raquel…she finally got him back. Their first night back together was perfect and all she wanted was to go back in time to that night and be with him. Not like tonight when she was sitting in a kitchen…anxiously waiting for him to come talk to her, to decide her future for her.

(Babe...) Baby, please come home (come on home) hoome yeah...
I know, (ya been gone too long) been away so long
(Babe...) I want you to please come home, oh (come on hooome...)

Hyde's breathe began to quicken because he knew that he had to figure out both of their futures right then. He was angry at her for making him do that all in one night but he knew that there was no other choice. He knew she deserved to have an amazing job and be successful but that would mean giving her up. Could he do that? And he knew that if he told her to leave, she would hate him, she would yell and scream and beg him to tell her to stay. But the thought of her giving up her dreams for him…didn't seem right. Because he wasn't sure if he could give her everything she wanted and deserved in life.

So I made up my mind, I gonna crawl right back to you woman
I'm gonna plead and plead and plead, yeah, 'Till you're here by my side

Jackie put her head down on the table and cried so hard her eyes were stinging. After their last breakup, she thought that everything was going to be perfect for them. He had even said it would be. And now…they were back to square one. Jackie was pushing for a commitment and he was pulling away, after working so hard to get away from that place, they were back there again. And there was nothing she could do about it.

I can't even walk down the same old streets we used to walk down
'Cause I keep thinkin about all the good times
Keep thinkin' about it, I wanna make you mine

Hyde passed the Hub, and all of Jackie's favorite stores. He passed Mt. Hump and every single place they had ever shared a moment together. His heart was aching, and he almost had to pull off the side of the road because the tears in his eyes were blurring his vision. If he told her to leave…she would meet someone else. And then…she would come back to Point Place and he would have to see them together…the thought of another man kissing her, touching her even talking to her made him want to punch someone. But he still didn't know what to do…

Babe, babe, babe, please (come on home, yeah) (come on home)
(You've been gone too long)

Jackie wiped her tears away and got another glass of wine, nervously pacing the kitchen. What was she going to do if he told her that he didn't want to marry her? If he told her to go to Chicago. Could she not break down in front of him? Could she pretend to be ok and put a smile on her face. Tell him that it was ok and move on with her life? And when she saw him with another woman, would she be ok? Would she not rip her eyes out for touching the man she loved? No. The answer to everything was no. She sat back down, and cried…and waited.

Babe, babe, babe, please (come on home, yeah) (come on home)
(You've been gone too long)

Hyde took a deep breathe, slapped himself a little to wake up and did a complete U-Turn in the middle of the street. He had made up his mind. There was no other choice. He drove as fast as he could to talk to her…to tell her he had made up his mind. Yes…Steven Hyde had made up his mind.