Disclaimer: I don't own.
Author's Note: I won't say anything...except to thank you VERY much for the reivews,and for hanging in there with me. I hope you keep hanging in there with me.
Warning: A little suggestiveness.
For Her Sake
Chapter 18 – He's In There
Softly As I Leave You
Hyde stared at the ceiling, the morning light peeping in from the blinds over Jackie's bedroom windows. He'd never really liked daybreak, and today, he hated it. He hadn't slept much, neither had she, though she was sleeping now, her head on his chest, her hand on his hip. Holding him. The record he'd put on a little while ago still played, and now Frank was singing that song he'd heard the other night in the car.
Softly, I will leave you softly
For my heart would break
If you should wake and see me go
He should just sneak out. Not say goodbye, not say anything. Why make it harder than it was? Frank gave good advice. He knew what he was talking about.
So I leave you softly
Long before you miss me
Long before your arms can beg me stay
For one more hour, or one more day
She stirred and rolled off of him onto her back. "Steven?"
He swallowed. Too late. "Hey, kitten." He looked down at her, her sleepy eyes struggling to open, her lips parting with a sweet smile He sat up and stretched. Trying not to think. Trying not to acknowledge that the night was over. Time was up.
Jackie watched him, her body warm and weary, satiated with him, with them. She reached up and gently ran her fingernails over his back. "You getting up?"
He closed his eyes. Her hand flattened on his back and rubbed circles. For a moment, he just sat there, not thinking, just feeling her touch. The warmth underneath his skin she gave him so easily. He cleared his thickening throat. "Yeah. I gotta go to the store." He pulled away. Had to. Otherwise he'd never leave.
Jackie sat up, and stared at her boyfriend as he got dressed. She smiled, feeling misty, feeling so happy she could dance on air if her ribs weren't hurting as much as they were. "Will you come home for lunch?" she said flirtatiously. "I'll make you something special." She licked her lips as he pulled his pants up. Yeah. Nothing involving food, of course.
Hyde turned and looked at her, sitting up in the bed, the sheets pulled up to her chest. Her hair was a mess, her make up all gone, but her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were glowing.
Jackie smiled at him, her lust converting to the softer part of the love she had for him, the part that made her want to just hold him, run her fingers through his hair, to whisper to him things that he should have heard his entire life but didn't. "I love you so much, Steven," she said, the emotion cracking her words.
He knew he should leave. Right now. Without saying it back, without saying anything. But as he stared at her, mesmerized by her happiness, his heart pumping faster and faster, he knew he couldn't. Not yet.
Instead, he tore off the shirt he'd just slipped on, undid the fly of his pants and strode back to the bed. He pounced on her, forgetting her ribs, and kissed her hard, silencing her squeals and giggles. Pulling up only a tiny bit, he smirked down at her. "One more for the road."
Just one more time. One more time.
And then time's up.
Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded eagerly. "Oh, yeah, Steven…" He started kissing her and touching her, his hands instantly groping for her breasts, and she threw her head back, moaning in pleasure. "Oh, YEAH, Steven!"
Better Than Just Lunch
A few hours later
Jackie looked up at Steven, licking her lips nervously. She couldn't see his face, couldn't see if he was pleased. Her knees hurt; carpeting was definitely not good for the skin. It would be worth it, though, if he'd liked it. "Steven?" Her stomach was tight with nerves. "Was it…okay? I mean, did I do it…okay?"
Hyde chuckled to himself, still panting, ecstasy still coursing through his veins, his body nearly useless because of it. Somehow, he managed to lift his head, and when he looked at Jackie, something tugged in the middle of his chest. She looked so little and anxious. "Jackie," he said huskily. "It was amazing. You were amazing. So much better than just lunch." He reached for her, pulling her up to his lap, and they settled on the couch. She buried her head in his shoulder, and he laughed at her shyness. "I mean it, doll. It was…god, it was hot." He wondered if he'd have time to pay her back. Hell, he'd make time.
Jackie smiled, but didn't lift her head. She wanted to stay right here, inhaling him, tasting his skin. "I'm glad. I was so…nervous."
Hyde closed his eyes and stroked her back, her hair. Her heart beat through his skin. So fast. So strong. He winced. This was all for that. All for that heart beat.
"So Steven…" Jackie lifted up, giving her boyfriend a wicked smile and squirming on his lap. She'd never realized that giving him pleasure would make her feel so…hot. She touched his cheek. "Are you gonna pay me back now?"
Hyde grinned. "Are you asking me to?"
She batted her eyelashes, tossed her hair over her shoulder, arched her back, pressed herself to him. Did everything she could to flirt with him the way he liked. "It's only fair, Steven." She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Don't you wanna hear me scream your name? Moan like this…"
He bit his lip when she moaned into his ear, sounding so turned on. And damn it if it didn't arouse him all over again. He stood up, lifting her up as well. So he was supposed to be back at the store by 1. Didn't matter. He was the boss. "I think you're right. And then you'll have to pay me back. Right?"
Jackie giggled and began sucking on his neck. "I always play fair, Steven."
Remember Last Night
Two hours later, Jackie's bedroom
Jackie sleepily opened her eyes and rolled her head to the left. At first, she was startled that Steven wasn't with her, but then she remembered hazily that he'd left a little while ago. She'd been half awake when he'd kissed her lips, her nose, her eyes and forehead and told her he'd see her tonight. She smiled and stretched, then winced. Her ribs were killing her. She'd obviously done too much, but she didn't care. It was worth it. She sat up, groaning and biting her lower lip. Yep. Worth even the feeling that her own ribs were stabbing her internal organs and trying to kill her.
She noticed a note lying on Steven's pillow. Steven's pillow. She smiled. She liked the thought of that. She wondered if it was too soon to even consider moving in together. Picking up the note with one hand, she rubbed her eyes with the other, dislodging the last bits of sleep. She opened the folded piece of paper and smiled at Steven's handwriting. So bad, so messy, but so him.
Hey Jackie,
So you got all the romance you're going to get out of me. I hope you can live with that, cause I'm never doing anything like that again. I hope you liked it, though. And I hope you'll remember it. I know I will. You don't forget the first time you sell out, but I suppose…considering all the sex I got, it was worth it. And I guess I don't mind that it made you happy. I've got to work late, so I'll just see you tomorrow. And put ice on your ribs. I know they're killing you, you liar. I'm not saying that again, so just look at your banner if you have to know how I feel about you.
Puddiin' Pop (don't you EVER show this to anyone, Jackie!)
Jackie smiled, her eyes filling with tears, and she brought the note to her heart. She'd never expected, not really, any of this from Steven, and yet he'd given it to her. Something in her stomach wondered why, but she suppressed it. It didn't matter. Didn't matter why, all that mattered was that he had. And she would always remember it, always. She tried to twist around so she could look up at her banner, but the ribs raged, and she grimaced. Better put some ice on that.
As she got up to go to the kitchen, she felt so exhausted. Better get some more sleep, too. The doctor had told her to get lots of rest, and she really hadn't so far.
She came back to her room and noticed that Steven's sports coat was on the floor. She grinned and picked it up. After putting it on, she settled into bed, putting the ice pack on her ribs and pulling the covers up over her. With a happy sigh, she closed her eyes, ready to drift into sweet dreams about Steven, and the beautiful night he'd given her.
"Don't worry, Puddin' Pop," she mumbled. "I'll always remember last night." She thought about his touch, about how many times he'd told her, whispered, kissed into her skin that he loved her. Seven. She'd kept track. And maybe tomorrow he'd tell her seven more times.
Smoke
Later that night
"Why do we have to go to Grooves?" Kelso whined from the back seat of the Vista Cruiser. "I'm hungry, and all Hyde has there is film." He threw up his hands in frustration. "And that just makes me MORE hungry!"
Donna sighed. "Well, I'd give you some of the dinner Jackie packed for Hyde, but she specifically told me not to." She dug in her purse and pulled out a roll of lifesavers. "Here." She turned and held it out to Kelso. "Maybe these will tide you over."
Fez, sitting next to Kelso, grabbed the roll. "Candy!"
Kelso glared at him and tried to take the candy back. "Give me that, Fez! She was giving it to me, not you, you candy hog!"
Donna rolled her eyes at the struggle. "God, do I have to separate you? Don't make me come back there!" The arguing duo ignored her, and she turned back to face forward, crossing her arms in irritation.
"Are we there yet?"
:"Yeah, because I have to go to the bathroom!"
Donna closed her eyes. "No! God, we'll be there in a few minutes!" She glanced at Eric, who was driving. "It's like we're going to California or something."
Eric grinned. "Well, we could, you know. All I have to do is take a right up there." He pointed. "And we're on our way."
Donna chuckled and swatted at him. "Dillhole."
Eric glanced at his fiancée, his smile fading. "Is Jackie by herself right now?"
"No." Donna stared out the windshield, and began to frown. She leaned forward, squinting. "Your mom went over to see her because she said her ribs were really…Eric, do you see that?" They were almost to Grooves, about a block away. Donna could see Hyde's El Camino, parked to the side of the store, just like always. "It looks like smoke."
Eric followed Donna's gaze and noticed the smoke. "Yeah, it does. I wonder what the hell is go…"
Just as he put the car in park, his voice, the sounds of Zeppelin from the radio, the sounds of Fez and Kelso arguing, all disappeared, vanquished by a hideous explosion that pierced the Point Place night. The ground vibrated with the echoes of the booming screams, and instinctively, the gang ducked down, all of them yelling for the Lord Almighty.
After a moment, they sat up. No debris was flying, that was a good sign, but just ahead of them, a block ahead of them, a building was awash in flames. Streaks of red, orange, gold stabbing at the brick and mortar in a violent and dizzying rush. Billowing black smoke tumbled upwards into the now glowing sky.
"Oh god…" Eric muttered. "That's…that's…"
Donna shook her head. "Don't say it. Just don't…don't say it, Eric!"
Her eyes filled with tears. Eric reached for her hand and she gripped it as tightly as she could.
In the back seat, Kelso and Fez sat in silence, both faces pale, eyes wide, mouths open.
All of them noticed the El Camino. It was upside down, just about fifty feet in front of them wrapped around a telephone pole.
The flames attacking Grooves darted in a sickening feeding frenzy, crackling like a chorus of witch's laughter. And the smoke swirled faster, upwards in spiral after spiral, carrying with it the remnants of that just consumed.
Eric stared at the flames. "He's in there. Hyde's in there." He wanted to get out of the car, run to the burning building, rush in without fear and find his friend. His best friend. Instead, he sat in cold stillness.
"He's in there."
Repeating himself, repeating that horrific sentence, shot his body with adrenaline, and he pushed open his door.
Donna flipped her head and saw her boyfriend exiting the car. "Oh, crap." She got out and chased after him, panic completely overtaking her. "Eric!"
"He's in there, Donna! Hyde's in there!"
She started to cry, hardly able to run because of the sobs gripping her body as they got closer to the quickly disintegrating Grooves. "I know," she whispered.
When they stopped, prevented from going any closer by a few of the people who'd gathered, Eric, his eyes full of tears, looked at Donna. "He's in there," he whispered.
Donna turned away, unable to look anymore, unable to stop seeing it even with her eyes sealed tight.
"I know," she squeaked, just before collapsing to the cold concrete.
He's in there…he's in there…Hyde…oh my god….
Oh my god….
No….
