The dressing room in the church basement was thrumming with noise-women's voices rising and falling. Kitty was trying to soothe Pam's nerves. Laurie was arguing with Brooke over little Betsy's hair. Laurie thought it should be teased and sprayed but Brooke insisted that as the flower girl, it should be left in its long braid, decorated with flowers.

"She's three-not thirty," Brooke fumed, comforting her crying daughter.

Donna was trying to help the grooms Grandmother pin her corsage on and in the middle of it all, Jackie sat, staring at herself in the mirror. She was the only one not talking-not that anyone had noticed.

Dispassionately she knew she looked incredible. Her long raven hair was pulled back into a sleek chignon, ready to be topped with the diamond tiara that belonged to Jake's Grandmother. Her "something borrowed". Her long sleeved, white satin gown had a modest, rounded neckline. It looked very simple until you saw the plunging back and how it hugged her rear end. Steven had always loved her rear end.

flashback

She'd always thought Steven liked her legs the best. He preferred it when she wore skirts-but maybe that was because it made for easier access to other parts of her. He was always running his rough, calloused hands up and down her thighs. But during the summer they

got together-when Donna and Michael had gone to California-she found out that he had a thing for her backside, which was kind of weird when so many other parts of her were so

fabulous.

She had decided not to go to over to Eric's basement one especially hot day because the

Forman's didn't have air conditioning and even though the basement was a little cooler and she really wanted to see Steven, a day spent at the city pool sounded so much more refreshing. She called Fez and asked if he'd like to join her. No sense calling Steven. He

hated wearing shorts and he hated the pool. Of course Fez was eager to go. He was still on a mission to see "pool boob" and maybe if he was lucky, "pool boob" would also be

"Jackie boob".

She swatted his hand away when he tried groping her, as she lay on a lounge chair, soaking up the sun. "Stop it" she snapped at him.

"But Jackie, Kelso is gone and I only want to keep you from missing him" Fez whined.

"It is what a good friend would do".

"I don't miss him-the jerk. And you groping me is only going to result in you losing a

hand". She didn't even open her eyes behind her big Jackie Onassis sunglasses.

'Yeah, man. Unless you want to pull back a bloody stump, keep your paws off the cheerleader" a familiar voice growled behind her.

"Steven!" she sat up, whipping off her sunglasses-and almost forgetting she had untied the straps of her bikini top so she wouldn't get tan lines. Fez' eyes got enormous as she made a grab for her top.

"Whoa-that was close!" she laughed, clutching it to her.

"Damn, so close! Now I must try to see someone else's boobs today," Fez pouted, stomping his foot.

Hyde smirked, "Good idea, man. Besides, Jackie's boobs aren't as big as Pam Macy's and she's right over by the snack bar".

Fez' head whipped around-and spotting new prey, he was off. Hyde chuckled and took

his vacated chair. Jackie was pouting up at him.

"What's the matter, doll?"

"Steven, I thought you liked my-boobs," she half whispered, glancing around to make sure no one heard her.

"I do-believe me!" he grinned. "Even if they are a little small."

"I am a petite girl so of course they are small. However, they are in perfect proportion to the rest of me." Her bottom lip plumped out so he reached over and poked it. In a huff,

she flipped over onto her stomach and turned her head away from him.

When he didn't say anything for awhile she peeked over her shoulder at him, thru the veil of her hair. He sat as still as a statue, except for his eyes which were roaming from her pink polished toes to her rear end, barely covered in her bikini bottom, and back again. Interesting, she thought and wiggled her bottom a little. She saw him swallow hard-and a trickle of sweat run down his forehead.

"Steven, could you put some lotion on my back? I don't want to burn," she pleaded.

"Yeah, I'm not going to do that," he said but he didn't take his eyes off her.

"Please? I'd ask Fez but the last time I did, he drooled on me. It was so gross!"

"Jackie," he stood up, taking the lotion from her. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't let Fez touch you. He's seriously perverted."

"I know," she giggled.

He opened the lotion and poured some on his hands before bending down to smooth it over her sleek, warm skin. She watched him covertly and could have sworn his hands shook a little. Then his hands were on her, smoothing the lotion across her shoulders

and down her back. She almost purred, it felt so good. Steven had big, strong hands but they could be surprisingly gentle. He worked his way down to the small of her back and stopped. She waited a minute then wiggled her bottom again, trying not to laugh when she heard his breath catch in his throat.

"Damn, woman-if you don't sop that I'm going to spank you right here in front of all

these kids-and Fez-and half the town." He had just noticed that there were a lot of people here. He and Jackie weren't supposed to like each other yet here he was rubbing oil on her and fantasizing about that it would be like to yank that bikini bottom off and continue lubing her up all the way down her fine ass and firm, toned thighs. Shit, his erection was straining against his jeans and unless he wanted to be the joke of the community pool, he needed to get out of here. Damn if he was going to leave her here though, for all the geeks and pervs to stare at. He grabbed her arm.

"Come on. Jackie. Let's get out of here. Grab your stuff…" he practically growled at her,

starting to cram all her crap in her big straw tote bag.

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked but she shoved her pink painted toes into her sandals and wrapped her towel around her waist, which was a relief because if he had to follow her cute little behind all the way to his car he couldn't promise something wouldn't happen right there in the parking lot.

"It's too damn hot here on this cement slab and besides, I know somewhere where we

can actually go swimming without worrying about some kid pissing in the pool."

"Oh, ewww, Steven!" she said, letting him pull her towards the exit. "What about Fez?"

"He can find his own way home. Besides, he probably hasn't filled his pool boob quota today." Hyde practically shoved her in the El Camino, put it into gear and was headed out of town before she managed to slip her t-shirt on over her bikini top.

They spent the rest of that hot August day at the lake, just the two of them. They made love for the first time that day. Sure, they had fooled around a lot but never gone all the

way before. She really, really liked him and he was so sexy with his wet curls falling into his beautiful blue eyes. That sly smirk on his face when he pulled his jeans off and dove into the clear, cool water was her undoing. A little shy, she waded in, arms raised to twist her hair into a knot. He swam towards her and pulled her against him, his big hands clutching her rear. He buried his face against her neck.

"God, Jackie, I thought I was going to lose it at the pool. You have the sexiest ass I've ever seen. I swear it's the best in the Midwest," he kissed her neck when she laughed.

"I couldn't wait to touch it," he had her bikini bottom off and was tossing it toward the

shore before she even realized he had let loose the ties on either side. That was when she

first realized he had a thing for her ass.

Back in the church Jackie wondered if that was why she had chosen this particular wedding gown. It showed off her backside to perfection and Steven would have loved that. She shook her head-why was she even thinking about Steven? She was marrying

Jake Bradley today-one of the most popular boys in Point Place history. He was tall, blonde, handsome, athletic, smart-and he adored her.

When she had gone to register for classes at Point Place Community College last January he had been one of the student counselors. He was in his third year of working towards a business degree. His family owned several sporting goods stores in the Midwest and he

was planning to take them over eventually. Jackie had been happy to see him and he had offered to show her around campus. They had been friendly in school but other than sporting events had no interaction. Now that she was single he jumped at the chance to ask her out and even though she was still hurting from the long, horrible breakup with Steven, she took him up on his offer. Why not? Although Steven's whore of a wife had left she knew there was no chance, even if she had been secretly hoping for it, that she and her ex would get back together. He could barely be civil to her and all he seemed to do was make fun of her, especially when she thought she and Fez could make a go of it. He hurled insults at her with a fierce disregard for her feelings. So, that was it. She decided after a horrible New Years where she and Fez broke up that she needed to get on with her life-and get over Steven.

College seemed like a good start. She took out a student loan and everything seemed to fall into place from there. Her plan was to be an Interior Designer-after all, she had a

knack for it and it interested her. Donna let her decorate her and Eric's apartment in Madison and Mrs. Forman liked it so well she asked Jackie to redecorate her kitchen.

It was time for the harvest gold appliances and orange flowered wallpaper to go. Mrs. Forman loved the job she did and Red was pleased that she kept in within the budget he'd set. She remembered that Steven had reluctantly admitted he liked it when she decorated his dingy bedroom in the Forman's basement.

Her first semester went well-as did she and Jake's relationship. He was sweet and funny.

He made her feel special and like she mattered, which she hadn't felt in a long while.

So when he asked her to marry him, barely six months after they started dating, it was the easiest thing in the world to say yes. He would take care of her and never hurt her.

"Because he can't-because you don't love him" a voice in her head whispered. She closed her eyes, "I'll be good to him. He won't be sorry and someday, I'll love him. I will."

Jackie opened her eyes-she was nothing if not determined. This was the day she was moving on for good. No going back, no more feeling sorry for herself, no more living in the past.

"Donna…" she grabbed her best friends arm.

"Yeah, Jackie?" Donna was looking frazzled but like a good maid of honor, was there to help the bride.

"What time is it? How much time do we have before we need to go upstairs?"

Donna looked at the clock on the wall. "We're ok, Jackie. We have about a half hour. Do you need anything?" She stepped behind Jackie and leaning down, met her eyes in the mirror. Smiling, she gently hugged her. "You look beautiful."

They both teared up. "God, Donna-don't make me cry! But thank you, it means so much to me that you are here. I always dreamt that you would be my maid of honor."

"Even if the groom is someone else?" Donna asked quietly, alert for something-anything-to indicate that no one else but Jake was on Jackie's mind today. And there it was-a spark

of anguish in the beautiful amber eyes.

"Don't-please, Donna," Jackie whispered. "Jake is wonderful. He loves me. He tells me everyday. You don't know how important that is to me. I-I need to hear it."

Donna hugged her again, feeling the loss and pain behind her friend's words. "I know, midget. I know."

They embraced for a few seconds then Jackie patted Donnas arm in businesslike way.

"Ok-so where's Fez? I need him to put my tiara on me. A girl has to look like a princess on her wedding day, right?"