Chapter 4:

Jackie examined the simple silk dress in the mirror with the nicely exposed back. It was sleek, elegant, and sexy, but she just couldn't get that one dress out of her head. She never thought she'd find another dress like the one from Boston, but just last week she did, and she loved it on herself, but something about wearing a dress that was a reminder of her relationship with Steven on her wedding day was wrong. However, now she would never find the perfect dress, and as her wedding date approached, although six months away, she grew aggravated that she wouldn't find one. She was in the most highly respected bridal shop in the country with Donna, Donna's mother, her own mother and Kitty, and yet with all the help she couldn't find her dress.

"Oh, I like that one," Kitty exclaimed clapping her hands, jumping up and down in her seat.

Jackie smiled at her through the mirror. Mrs. Forman was always one of the kindest women she's ever known, and her laugh was contagious, but when it came to fashion, she just wasn't the one to go to. "What about you guys, what do you think?" Jackie pressed since she could see her mother's doubtful face.

"Honey, you've looked beyond beautiful in all these dresses, except for that wrinkly one, but nobody looks good in wrinkles. The truth is that it doesn't matter what we think, all that matters is how you feel. How do you fell in this dress?"

Jackie could feel herself want to cry, and she was never one to hold tears in, but she feared if she did then the question about whether she really did want to go through with the wedding would surface, and she wouldn't know how to answer it. She loves Fez without a doubt, but she didn't know if they were destined to be together. She dismissed the thought immediately believing it was just wedding jitters.

Eventually she decided she wanted to try on the last dress with the lace sleeves that didn't look at all her style, but to her surprise, she loved it. She didn't believe she would find a dress that measured up to the one that's always on her mind, but this dress looked breath-taking. No doubt it was very expensive, but she had the budget and the enthusiasm. Finally, she had found her dress!

"I don't like it," Madge said shaking her head.

"Why not?" was everybody else's response.

"You don't look sexy enough! On your wedding day, the groom needs to look at you and want to rip the dress right off you when you arrive home. I know Bob couldn't wait until we got home. Try something that shows more cleavage and is tighter," she beamed.

Throughout the whole search for her dress, Madge has been annoying Jackie until she reaches her boiling point, and she had had enough. "No offence, Madge," she said coolly, "But I, unlike you, am not a slut, so I am going to take this dress that you don't like because it's my wedding and I do like it."

Ha! She thought, Take that! Now that she had her dress, Jackie felt stable, but just as this feeling of stability was beginning, it was ending, too.

Steven Hyde strolls in on that moment takes in the image of Jackie on this elegant wedding dress and then brushes past her leaving her in the deepest pit of confusion. He reaches a snarky blond that looked as thrilled to be working here as much as a fish would be out of water. Her roots, Jackie couldn't help but notice, were evidently too dark for her to be a natural blond and her wine red lipstick couldn't cost more than a pack of gum. However, when she saw Hyde, whom she hasn't seen since the cake testing, lean own to kiss the girl Jackie felt suddenly angry and confused, and since she hadn't a clue why she did feel this way, she only felt more enraged and clueless. She wanted to throw her high-heeled sandal at the pair, but thought better of it. Whatever, he can do anything he wants. I don't care.

"Come on you guys," she said to her not so helpful dress picking crew, "Let's just get the dress and get out of here."

Two months, November 23rd, is when her next fitting will take place, and although it was a while before her and Fez got married, everything seemed rushed. She needed time to just relax and have fun, and not stress about the wedding, so she called Donna up.

"Hello?"

"Eric, it's Jackie, put Donna on the phone."

"Jackie, listen, Donna and I are kind of busy right now, so if you could maybe..."

She started running her fingers through her hair impatiently, she didn't care if Donna was bringing somebody back to life, "Eric," she snapped, "Put her on the phone now!"

"What?" Donna demanded impatiently, "What do you want?"

Jackie let out a sigh of relief, and felt the tears that she was holding on to behind her eyes disappear, "Donna, I am so sorry if this is a bad time, but I can't stop worrying about the wedding, and I feel like my hair is falling out, and I can't find my pink leg warmers, and everything is just a huge mess."

Donna listened as her best friend, one that usually knows exactly what she wants and needs, was slowly crumbling away into a pile of stress and worry. "Do you need me to come over or something?"

When the sound of Eric Forman's background whines made their way through the phone, Jackie couldn't help, but roll her eyes. Why Donna decided to marry the guy, she'll never know, but as long as he knows that she can kick his ass, Jackie was fine with the relationship. "I don't want to be locked up in the house, come on let's go do something fun...Oh, let's go to dancing."

A flash of headache causing music and lights flashed into Donna's mind while pictures of people in spandex leg warmers, colourful makeup as well as big hair and thick mustached goons danced across her mind, and even though it was just her imagination, she could still smell the alcohol from the idiots who visit the bar way too much. Then the thought of Jackie holding her in her arms comforting her a week before her own wedding flashed into her mind. Jackie was her friend whether they said it out loud or not, and she had to be there just as she was there for her. "The things I do for you," Donna murmured aggravated, "I'll be there in five."

"Oh my gosh!" Jackie beamed, "Thank you Donna, thank you, thank you, than-"

Donna hung up the phone. That's a long enough phone call as far as I'm aware, she thought making her way towards her closet to ensemble her signature look.

The door swung open before Donna could even muster the courage to reach for the doorbell despite the possible regret she might feel when she was done with this night. "Donna," Jackie said scrunching up her nose, "That's what you're going to wear tonight?" Donna grit her teeth and had her hands clenched in fists at her sides. What's wrong with what I'm wearing?

The music was umping throughout the building, the lights were blinding, and the neon clothing worn throughout by at least half the people were too. Donna couldn't help, but feel out of place surrounded by big hair, colourful makeup, colourful clothing and shiny pants. Could it be that Donna was so out of it, that she didn't even notice the things that were changing around her? Where did the seventies go?

Where did the seventies go? Hyde thought as he spotted Jackie entering across the room. She was swallowed by the eighties entirely; she was practically wrapped entirely in it tonight, from the clothes, to the career…to Fez, who he couldn't help, but notice was not here tonight. He took a swig of beer. Maybe it's just me that can't let go of everything that happened in the seventies. Living in the past isn't good for the soul; I need to push forward, starting with the cute red-head eyeing me across the room. He takes another swig of beer. Here goes nothing.

The wave of worry should be gone by now, but Jackie can't shake the feeling no matter how much she literally does… shake, that is. The music's blaring, and it's one of her favourite songs, but perhaps it's the sweat of strangers rubbing off on her, or the unhygienic fellow that won't leave her alone, that she just wasn't feeling any better. "Donna," she said grabbing her arm to halt her awful dancing, and so she will pay attention to her, "I'm going to go to the washroom. You stay here, and when I come back we can leave."

"Why don't I just come with you?"

Because I want to be alone when I cry, was what she said to herself, but out loud she said, "Because it's a long line, and I want you to still have fun while I'm waiting."

Despite the fact Donna was having anything, but fun, she could tell Jackie just wanted to be alone, so she obliged, but instead of continuing to dance, Donna made a beeline for the bar.

There was approximately five meters between Jackie and the washroom door, but about two meters from the washroom was Hyde, so Jackie had to stop dead in her tracks. He was there against the wall with a red headed slut sticking her pierced tongue down his throat while her legs were wound around his waist. Here she thought she missed her friend, but obviously he couldn't care less about her. She thought he might have been ill or depressed he was the only one in the group without somebody, but instead, when she and Fez needed him, he was parading around with any girl he could find. She didn't know what upset her most about the situation, but her head was spinning with a load of various emotions that weren't healthy swimming together in her mind for her safety or for those around her. There was no time for crying here, she needed to leave, now. So, she spun on her heels and ran out the doors with Donna on her trail.

Hyde's hands wandered over the girl's body. "Hyde," she murmured against his lips, while digging her fingers into his hair. "Jackie," he murmured in response, but before he could brush his lips against hers she placed both her palms on his chest and kept him far enough away for her to snap her head back and demand in fury, "Did you just say Jackie?" Steven's mouth dropped for a moment in pure shock. Had he really just uttered the name of his ex, a woman who was engaged to his close friend? It was an honest mistake; after all, Jackie and Nikki were not far off from each other. "Nikki," he sputtered, "I swear I meant Nikki." Disgusted and offended, Nikki drew herself away from him, and made her way through the crowd. "Come on, baby, I swear I meant Nikki!" he called after her, but she was already gone, like so many other woman in his life, swallowed up in hurt to never return again.