Disclaimer: I don't own.
Author's Note: I'm getting anxious to finish this up, and it's really in my head, so here's another chapter. I'm expecting about five more chapters. Don't forget to head over to Fanforum to vote for your ten favortie Zen fics! And thank you for the reviews...I'm feeling crappy about my writing at the moment, and you all make me feel better. :)
P.S. Don't kill me. Please.
Warning: Language, slight violence.
For Her Sake
Chapter 14 – Couldn't Stop
Stay With Her
The next night
The house, some place on the other side of Point Place, was full of teenagers, laughter, smoke and loud Zeppelin. The house belonged to some friend of Eric's from school, and since he and Donna had come home for the weekend, the gang had decided to check it out. Hyde glanced at Jackie, who was clinging to his arm. "Stay close."
She grinned up at him and squeezed her hand around his arm. "Okay. Don't want the rapist to get me." She giggled at the stare he gave her. She had his number. The rapist story was crap, but he was being so cute and protective. She loved it.
He wanted to say something smart-ass to her, but instead leaned down and kissed her firmly on the mouth. Hell, he liked that better than talking any day. And the smile she gave him after the kiss…well, that was a whole lot better than talking, too.
"Dance with me." She let go of the arm she'd been cuddling and moved to stand in front of him, taking his hands and tugging on them.
He made a face. "Jackie, no one is dancing. They're just…" He glanced around the room, then back at her with a grin. "Standing around and drinking. Which sounds pretty good to me."
She pouted and moved closer to him. She dropped his hands and put hers on his chest. "But Steeeeeeven…"
He shook his head, though he already knew he was going to give in. That stupid pout. God damn adorable, and got him every single time. "No."
"Can't we just find some corner and slow dance? Pweassse?"
He rolled his eyes. Might as well just acquiesce. Fighting a losing battle took too much energy. "Fine." She squealed and let go of him, grabbing his hand again and pulling him off. He shook his head. Whipped, whipped, whipped. But when she found an available corner, she turned to him with another one of her looks that never failed to get him, this time her sexy, come-get-me look. Narrowed eyes. The hint of a pink tongue slipping across those damned sweet lips. The cock of her chin, and the toss of her hair. And of course, the crook of her right index finger as she pulled him towards her with her left hand. He smirked. She knew what she was doing. He put his arms around her.
Jackie was about to say something, but was stopped by Steven's mouth pressing against hers. She moaned, her eyes closed, and lost herself in the long kiss. When it ended, she smiled up at him. He started to gently sway her and her heart swelled. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and the blue of his eyes was soft tonight. Her skin, her soul felt as warm as the spring earth, caressed by a tender sun, with colorful flowers, grass, trees, bursting up everywhere. It was such peace, such hope. Such happiness. "Oh Steven," she sighed. "This is so romantic."
Hyde chuckled. Only his chick would take something like this, hiding in a corner of a stranger's living room, the rest of the room filled with drunken college kids, the walls vibrating with loud music that wasn't ABBA or Donny Osmond, and think it was some romantic dream. "Isn't it?" he asked, half-mocking her. She rolled her eyes and pressed herself closer to him. "Hey." He looked down at her, knotting his forehead. "When are you gonna do something romantic for me?"
Jackie rubbed his chest and smiled. Normally, she'd pitch a fit and inform him that it wasn't her duty, as the girlfriend, to be romantic with him. It was the boyfriend's job. But he'd been incredible since they'd gotten back together. So sweet, and yet still him. He'd been perfect. "Well, what do you want me to do for you?"
Hyde arched an eyebrow and gave her a little grin. She'd never do it, a fact he'd reluctantly accepted, but he had to try.
To his surprise, she returned the raised eyebrows, added in another lick of her lips. And she purred. "I can do that."
"Holy crap…you can? You will?"
She laughed. His voice rose and cracked, his eyes widening and lighting up with excitement. "Yeah, I can." She snuggled into him, laying her head on his chest. His heart beat rapidly, so fast. He'd done so much for her…made her think, made her feel so much, so deep…made her believe in herself. The least she could do for him was this. "And I will."
If he hadn't noticed Mackey across the room, staring at him rather nastily, Hyde would have picked Jackie up and taken her home right then. Instead, he shrugged her up. "I'm holding you to that, you know." He glanced over at Mackey. Still staring. Fuck. "Look, I need to hit the head." He scanned the room and found Donna standing near Fez and his chick. "Come on."
He took Jackie over to Donna, gave her a quick kiss. "I'll be right back." He pointed at Donna. "Stay with her."
Donna sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, sir." As Hyde walked off, Donna turned to Jackie and frowned. "Hyde's acting so strange. I mean, don't you feel smothered?" It was so odd. She'd never seen Hyde this way. He seemed even more paranoid than usual, at least when it came to Jackie. Then again, he'd never seen him smile the way he had been smiling at Jackie tonight. Weird combination.
Jackie swatted at her friend. "No, you stupid lumberjack. I feel…" She sighed, smiled dreamily. "Loved. He really loves me, Donna. So much he can't stand to be apart from me." Her eyes began to feel hot. All the emotions of the past few days…it was all so much. "Donna, I'm just so…so happy. Finally."
Donna grinned, ignoring the twinge of guilt inside. She'd been partially responsible for the misery Jackie had experienced. She knew that. And she'd made a vow to be a better friend. After all, Jackie wasn't just a shallow, materialistic cheerleader anymore. "I'm glad, Jackie. Really glad."
The girls hugged. When Donna pulled away, she looked around. "I need to find the bathroom."
"I'll come with you." Donna looked at her, and Jackie frowned. "I have to, Donna! Steven doesn't want me to be alone, and he'll get mad if you make me!"
Donna shook her head. "Fine, midget, come with me."
Jackie took her hand and the girls headed off.
One Hot Chick
Across the room, Hyde stood in front of Mackey, his arms crossed. "So." He raised an eyebrow. "You wanna explain why you're giving me the evil eye?"
Mackey smiled warily. "I want you to start dealing again." Hyde rolled his eyes and started to turn away, and he reached out to grab his arm. "Hey, man, I'm losing customers. One asshole even told me the stuff Toad got him wasn't as good as the stuff you got him." He raised his brow. "I don't like losing customers, Hyde."
Hyde shrugged. "I really don't give a damn. I'm done with that crap." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a tiny, sexy doll coming his way.
Jackie pounced up to her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hey, baby."
He inwardly groaned. He'd told Jackie about the dealing, and she'd yelled at him. The last thing he wanted was for her to think that he'd lied when he'd told her he'd quit.
"Who's your friend, Steven?"
Mackey smirked, checking out the little beauty in front of him. "Oh. I see what the problem is. You've got other things on your mind, eh, Hyde?"
Jackie frowned and looked up at Hyde. "What does that mean, Steven?"
Hyde shook his head. "Nothing."
"You've got yourself one hot chick, Hyde."
Jackie smiled brightly, not noticing the nearly homicidal scowl on her boyfriend's face. "He does, doesn't he?"
Hyde undid her arms from around him and gripped her hand tight. "Stay away from me, Mackey." He noticed Mackey's eyes moving up and down Jackie's body. "And keep your fucking eyes to yourself." He turned to Jackie. "Come on."
Jackie stumbled along after him, wondering what in the hell had just happened.
Talk In His Sleep
Late that night
She watched him sleeping, or rather, trying to sleep. The light on her nightstand she'd turned on didn't appear to be bothering him, but something inside his head, inside his sleep, was. Steven's head rolled back and forth on his pillow, his lips parted and closed with unspoken words. He was sweating, breathing hard. Jackie wondered if she should wake him up.
"Jackie…"
She sat up. "Steven?" She put a hand on his chest.
He didn't wake. Instead, he continued to mumble. "No…nothing can happen to…Jackie…no…don't…leave her…alone…"
She began rubbing his chest. Something was wrong. Steven didn't dream. All those nights they'd ever spent together, she'd never known him to talk in his sleep this way. And she had to admit to herself that Donna was right. He was acting strange. Oh sure, she loved that he was being all protective and wanted to be with her, wanted someone with her all the time. But it wasn't him. She didn't buy that story about the rapist in Madison anymore than Donna had.
"Steven, what's going on?" she whispered. She continued to rub circles on his warm, bare chest, and it seemed to work. His head stopped rolling, his breathing began to settle.
He kept talking.
"Don't…don't do it…please…I'll…let go…let go…"
"Don't do what?" How she wished she could be inside of him, in his mind, in his dream.
Instead, she kept rubbing. The quickened heartbeat underneath her palms began to slow, his jaw began to relax.
She kept rubbing.
Something was wrong. Something was on his mind. He was worried about something. He was scared, and she'd never known him to be scared. At least not in this way.
As soon as he'd completely settled down, after turning off the light, she lay back down, her head resting in the center of his chest. She closed her eyes, but they didn't seal. Sharp slivers of silver moonlight stabbed into the room through the spaces in her window blinds, and she looked at the jagged pattered those slivers created.
They were happy together. She believed him when he said he loved her. And she knew he believed her when she told him she loved him. They were meant to be together, her soul sang that to her everyday, to him everyday, and he, despite his unromantic, non-desitny appreciating mind, knew it too. It was in his eyes, his touch, his voice. Tiny little things that she used to take for granted, or that she used to not recognize.
Yet, she couldn't help but think, even lying safe in his arms, that there was something out there. Another shoe to drop.
And she couldn't help but suspect that he knew what that other shoe was.
Now or Never
The next day, the Burkhart mansion
Hyde stood at the end of the walk that led to Jackie's childhood home. Home, right. More like a museum run by servants. Parents hardly around to play with and care for their little girl. He wondered if that was why Jack was suddenly so interested in Jackie's life, some sense of guilt. He snickered under his breath. Yeah. This was a great way to show parental love. Threaten to kill your child.
He took a deep breath and began to walk towards the front door. Now or never.
It wouldn't work, he was almost positive. It was probably pointless. Jack would never listen to him.
But he had to try.
He'd woken last night to feel her hands rubbing circles on his chest, to hear her whispering to him. That she loved him. Asking him what was wrong. Telling him to relax, she was there. Taking care of him.
He'd given up on that kind of care enough in his life. He wasn't going to do that again. He couldn't do it again. He just didn't have it in him. He smiled slightly. That chick had finally broken down his will to fight.
He reached the door, and took another deep breath. Now or never.
He's Late
That evening, the parking lot of The Vineyard
The gang stood around the Vista Cruiser, dressed up for their dinner out. Donna glared at Kelso. "And Kelso, before you get any ideas, we're NOT doing the dine and dash thing again."
Kelso grinned. "You're just mad because you and Eric had to wash dishes for a week." He glanced at a smiling Fez. "Yeah, that was a classic burn!" He sighed and looked at his watch. "Damn, Jackie, you're boyfriend is late. And I'm really hungry."
Jackie shrugged, looking around. Steven had told them he had an appointment, told her he'd meet her at the restaurant. Kissed her like there was no tomorrow before letting her go. "I know. He's late. He'll be here soon, though. His meeting is just running long." She looked at the others. "Why don't you guys just go inside and get us a table? I'll stay out here and wait for Steven." And then smack him around a little bit as punishment. She grinned wickedly. Maybe a little fooling around in the Vista Cruiser. Steven loved doing that. They'd walk into the restaurant and Steven would inform Eric how far he'd gotten with his hot chick in Eric's car.
Donna elbowed Jackie lightly. "We can't. We can't leave you alone, remember?" She looked at Eric, who rolled his eyes. They'd all gotten several lectures the last day and a half. Stay with Jackie. Don't let her go out alone. I'll kill you if you let her walk anywhere alone. Blah, blah, blah.
Fez frowned. "That is true." He winced and rubbed his left arm. "Hyde punched me hard when he found out I let Jackie walk to Grooves from the salon by herself." He glared at Jackie. "Your boyfriend is a jerk!"
Jackie rolled her eyes. "Look, I'll be fine. Just go inside." She smiled innocently. "I'll make sure Steven's in a good mood when he gets here."
Eric pointed at her. "No fooling around in the Vista Cruiser! I mean it! That's juts…" He shuddered. "God, the mental image!"
With a few murmurs, the gang headed for the restaurant. Jackie scanned the parking lot. No sign of the El Camino, and she shook her head. "Come on, Puddin' Pop." She turned to the Vista Cruiser and began fiddling with her hair in the reflection. She wanted to look beautiful. She always did, of course, but she wanted to look extra beautiful. She wanted him to be proud of her. And she wanted him to have something to enjoy. She knew he hated dinners out like this.
She heard footsteps; saw a shadowy figure in the car windows. "Steven?"
She turned around.
She couldn't scream as the fist came hurdling towards her. Couldn't move from the violent blow that twisted her neck and bombed her head with fast spreading fire.
Couldn't lift her body as it fell to the cold concrete.
Couldn't roll away from the attacking fists and feet. Her stomach, her shoulders, her face, her legs. Everywhere.
Couldn't stop everything around her from becoming pure black.
