AN: So this chapter is a little short, but I really didn't want to continue with what I have next in this one. Hopefully the content will make up for its shortness. This is the Jackie/Zach convo chapter, so I hope you guys enjoy!


Chapter 14: The Grudge and the Patient

Jackie rolled over and snuggled into the warm body that dozed away next to her. He immediately wrapped his arm around her possessively, and she found that perfect spot right on his chest that was heaven to rest on. Jackie slowly blinked her eyes opened and looked around at the room she was in. Memories of the night before flooded her brain as she recognized everything about that room. After returning from their date, she and Steven made love until their bodies were absolutely spent. They spent the rest of their waking hours talking about everything they needed to say. The euphoric bliss that proceeds after sex helped alleviate some of the blows of their confessions and explanations.

He had clammed up a few times, and she almost stormed off into the bathroom on multiple occasions. However, it was all important to get to where they were when they fell asleep in each others arms. No one can erase a life time of pain in one night, but they were okay again.

Jackie turned her head upwards and gazed at the sleeping Hyde. He still looked angelic when he slept, just like when they were teenagers. She pushed her body upwards to plant a kiss on his cheek. His strong arms that were still snaked around her body tighten and pushed her towards the bed as he followed suit. Jackie giggled at the trail of kisses he left down her neck. He made his way to her mouth, and Jackie caught his lips in a passionate kiss that told him just how much she wanted him right then and there.

Hyde suddenly became very aware of the bright light that filled his room from the window. He broke his kiss with Jackie and looked to his alarm clock. Once he realized what time it was, he groaned into Jackie's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she stroked his head.

"I have to be at this meeting in like 20 minutes. I've got to go."

"Can't you reschedule?" Jackie pouted as he left the bed and began to search for clothes to put on.

"I'll only be hour." He answered, pulling on his boxer shorts. "I'll come right back to you once it's over with."

"What am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Jackie groaned. She continued to pout at him in hopes that he would change his mind.

Hyde quickly turned around and walked to his closet to pull a shirt out. She was being very tempting, but he had to go to this meeting. "No amount of pouting can change the fact that I'm the owner of Grooves, Jackie. You'll just have to wait for an hour."

Jackie decided to pull out the last or her arsenal. She breathed a huge sigh. "Well I don't know if I'll want to do it in an hour. You just can't will this kind of thing."

Hyde perked an eyebrow up at her as he pulled on his slacks. "I think I can think of a few things that do not involve 'will'." He zipped up and moved to his shoes. Jackie rolled her eyes and hid her face in the pillow to hide the grin that over took her features. He was just too sexy.

"Just help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen."

Hyde gave Jackie a kiss goodbye and took off. She rolled over in bed and decided if she wasn't going to get any sex, then she might as well eat. It was the second best thrill in life anyways.


Jackie perched herself on the barstool in Hyde's kitchen as she ate an omelet she had made. She found one of Hyde's old shirt and put on some of his sweatpants that she had to roll up on her waist. The previous night just kept replaying over and over in her head. Jackie smiled too herself. She couldn't imagine that life could be much better than it was right then.

Light footsteps that sounded behind her interrupted Jackie's thoughts. She turned around to see a sleepy Zach making his way into the kitchen. He briefly looked over her but didn't seem too surprised to see her. He didn't seem exactly happy about her presence either. Jackie suddenly felt very uncomfortable being in Hyde's house and eating his food because it wasn't just his, it was Zach's too.

Zach opened up the refrigerator and picked up the orange juice from the side door. He began to pour himself a glass as he tried to ignore the brunette that was still eating in his kitchen. He knew that she came home with his dad last night. He heard them come in together and then turned on his music to drown out whatever they were going to be up to. He didn't want to know. The fact that she was sitting in his kitchen in his dad's clothes really left little up to the imagination.

He really didn't feel like bullshitting around with meaningless small talk with her. He had seen her chatterbox in action, and he wanted to go back to his room by the evening time. Instead, Zach had a much better defense hidden in his sleeve.

The kitchen bar was in an L shape, and while Jackie sat at the shaft of the L, Zach took a seat at the extension so that he could somewhat face her. He studied her while she ate her omelet. He could tell she was uncomfortable and trying her best not to notice his staring. She looked up for a second and gave him a polite smile.

"You know, I find it interesting that the two people that hate Sam the most in the world are sitting in this kitchen." Zach said as he took another drink of his orange juice.

Jackie slowly gulped, trying her best to recover from the blow he just delivered. He was definitely cynical like Steven.

"Well, you never know. She could have ruined other people's lives that we just don't know about."

Zach grinned at her response; impressed at how fast she answered as well as that she didn't deny it. She wasn't going to sugar coat anything with him and that was something he could respect. He decided to continue.

"Dad told me what happened between you two." Zach waited a moment, gauging Jackie's reaction. "Why are you getting back together with him after all that? Don't you hate him too for what he did?"

Jackie shifted in her seat a bit. Bingo. Zach thought. His tests were hard to wriggle out of, and he knew that this one would be an obstacle for her.

She noticed that Zach was not only cynical like his dad, but his eyes were also just as piercing. She felt the pressure as his ice blue orbs demanded an answer.

"Wow, you really aren't one for small talk, are you?" Jackie crossed her arms against her chest. Zach just smirked again, still waiting.

"Um… well." Jackie blew out a nervous breath. How was she supposed to answer a question like this to a kid she barely knew? "Well, I did sort of hate your father for a long time because of it. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it hate. I'm not sure what you would call it." Jackie looked up at Zach and saw he was definitely paying attention. It coaxed her to continue. "After a while I just realized that you can't spend your whole life hating someone. It really sours who you are."

Zach nodded to himself. He took another sip of his drink. The citric acid was a little harsher on its way down his throat this time. He had to give her credit. She took his patronizing antics like a champ. Part of him wanted his to the bone questioning to have this woman rethink her little rendezvous with his father, but then the other side of him could care less. Apathy was slowly creeping into Zach's heart as one thing after another seemed to not go his way. Well, except with Kat. Things with her had been surprisingly well.

Awkward silence wasn't the proper term to describe what Jackie and Zach were experiencing. Choosing jumping off of a bridge rather than sitting in the quiet was more like it. Zach's brain was in overdrive as he tried to rationalize with himself why his dad being with her was such a bad idea. He really couldn't logically wrap his finger around it. It was just a protective feeling he was getting. Jackie tapped her fork against her empty plate, trying her best to find a good exit out of the situation.

Zach cleared his throat and began to speak. "So this thing you have with my dad, is it for real this time?"

Jackie stopped tapping, alarmed at how this angry boy could voice her own insecurities verbatim. Even though Steven assured her the night before that things were different this time, a little piece of her was still uneasy. She dared herself to look into Zach's eyes once more, and she found something she wasn't expecting. Sincerity replaced the haze in his eyes, and now it was clear that his intentions with this question were purer than the previous ones. It didn't feel like another stab at what she and Steven used to be. Jackie allowed her tense body to relax as she tried to find her words. "It's real for me this time."

Zach thought back to the moment that he walked in on his father and Jackie meeting for the first time in over 20 years. He remembered how he could feel the tension on his skin that just radiated off the two. But more importantly, Zach remembered the look on his father's face as he just stared at Jackie. He had never looked so exposed before.

Damn it, it was real for him too.

Zach got up from the bar stool and nodded his head. "Good to know."

Jackie watched Zach's back as he began to leave the kitchen. This departure just didn't feel right in her gut. There was a purpose to the confrontation, and Jackie had a feeling that she knew exactly what it was.

"Hey Zach!" she called to him.

Zach turned around, and he quickly took notice to Jackie's new confident demeanor.

"I know you probably don't like the idea of me entering you and your dad's life like this, but I promise I won't do anything to come between the two of you."

Zach wiggled his toes in his shoes to be sure that he was still standing. He was absolutely floored by her declaration. It was as if she read that part of his mind that he tried his best not to delve into. She had rise and overcome the expectations he had set for her previously. If anything else, this woman was definitely going to be challenging.

Jackie watched Zach walk away once more, satisfied that she got her point across. However, she knew that things would not be that easy. She had first hand experience when it came to winning the over a Hyde boy. It would definitely take months of proving that she was "cool". Jackie was willing to take on the challenge. Being with Steven also meant being in Zach's life as well, but she really didn't mind that idea. She wanted to be apart of a family again.


AN2: And there it is! Hopefully it met your expectations. Review!