Chapter 2
"What?" Micheal Kelso said sitting on the basement couch with a glazed expression. "You guys are just messing with me," he said starting to laugh. "Casey and Jackie? Come on," he added dismissing the information. "You guys," Kelso said shaking his head indulgently. "I get it now. You tell me this to get me all upset at Casey and then when I go and make a fool out of myself you tell me that it was just a really good burn. Remember, I'm a dad now and that makes me smarter," Kelso added tapping the side of his head with a knowing look on his face.
"Apparently not," Hyde said flatly. "Kelso, listen to us. Jackie and Casey really are together. We saw them at the Hub. We ate food with them. We saw them kiss. They. Are. Dating," Hyde slowly said leaning towards his friend for emphasis.
"Its completely unnatural!" Donna shrieked throwing her hands up in the air and stalking around the basement. "I mean how could she do this to me?" she thundered raking her fingers through her blond hair.
"Do this to you? Donna why do you care so much?" Eric asked narrowing his eyes at his wife.
"I don't," Donna quickly amended cooling her temper. "I meant to say is how could she do this to Kelso," she said giving the friend in question a supportive squeeze.
"You don't actually still have feelings for that guy do you? I mean he is the guy who admitted dating you just to get into your pants," Eric said forcing a smile.
"Definitely not. I just think its really tacky of Jackie to date her best friend's ex is all. Don't worry, Eric," Donna said giving her husband a winning smile.
"Tacky of Jackie?" Kelso cried as he sprung from the couch in anger. "How about Casey? Trying to nail his little brother's girl. Jackie's way out of her league with a guy like him. I oughta know I copied some of his best moves," he added fuming.
"Kelso, you and Jackie haven't been together for years," Eric pointed out trying to hold back a laugh. "She's your ex not your girlfriend," he added apologetically.
"A technicality. I always planned on getting Jackie back once I was done...you know," Kelso insisted waving his hands in the air.
"Whoring around?" Hyde suggested snidely. "Having sex with random women?" he added looking at their other friends for comments or suggestions.
"Well, yeah" Kelso said. "Casey always knew that and he snaked my girl ! I'm gonna kick his ass," Kelso screeched running out the back door before anyone could stop him.
"You know what? I think Kelso might actually have a point," Donna said clenching her teeth. " I mean think about it, Jackie's only really dated guys from our gang. That's three guys, total. Casey does have a lot more experience I mean like Eric pointed out Casey fooled even me," she added with a shrug. "When it comes to guys Jackie has been pretty sheltered. Who knew Kelso could think of ...well, could think," she said shaking her head.
"Well, its none of our business. Dealing with a guy like Casey might be just what that spoiled brat needs. Maybe having him treat her like crap will do her some good," Hyde said turning on the TV. "Hey, what do you guys want to watch?" he asked.
"I cant believe you're so calm about this," Donna said shaking her head and looking at Eric who merely shrugged. Fez was the only one who noticed the way Hyde's hands balled up in fists and the way his jaw clenched through Kelso's tirade. Fez was also the only one who noticed that although Hyde was facing the TV. He wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention. Fez kept his smile small and dove deeper into his bag of candy. He thought the whole situation was funny.
"I don't think your friends like me," Casey said with a sigh as Jackie lay down beside him on the bed. "I think that Hyde guy was about to kill me?" he added with a chuckle. "Of course it looked like Pinciotti was about to kill you so I guess we're at least even," he said stroking Jackie's hair before giving her temple a kiss.
"Oh who cares?" Jackie said in a huff. "Steven was probably just upset that I was happy. After-all, I'm his favorite Burn target. As for Donna, who knows what her problem is. They can just get over it as far as I'm concerned," she added grumpily.
"You really are something, Jackie," Casey said chuckling into her hair. "They'll come around. But enough about them, I have a question to ask you and I really need you to hear me out before you give me an answer okay?" he said pulling back from her slightly so that he could see her face. Jackie lifted her head and gave him a wary and confused look. "Don't worry, its not a dear Jane speech," he assured her. "I know its sudden but what do you think about moving in together? I've been looking for a new place and we might only have been dating a couple weeks but we've known each other for years," he explained propping himself up on one elbow.
"You want to move in with me?" Jackie said slowly. She was at a complete loss for words for several moments. That was a rarity where Jackie was concerned, usually she could come up with anything. Besides, no one had actually wanted to live with her before; they mostly just put up with her.
"Why?" she asked him in confused suspicion. This whole situation seemed too good to be true.
"Wow! Trust issues much?" Casey teased her. "I just want you to know that I am actually serious about us. I'm not like that Hyde guy and I'm not like my brother. I really want to be with you, why hide it? Besides, my landlord said I have to be out by the end of the month anyhow so it seemed as good a time to ask you as any," he said with a slight shrug. "I love my shirt on you by the way," he said clucking her on the chin.
"I make anything look good," Jackie said in a light tone. "I guess we could try that," Jackie said slowly; she was unsure how to act since things seemed to be going so well. She didn't want to ruin everything by rocking the boat.
"Good, if you're off tomorrow we can go apartment hunting I have a few places I want to look at. I'm sure you'll have a list of your own by then," he teased as he leaned over for a kiss.
"Casey! I swear to God if you don't open this door I'm gonna break it down, man!" screamed the voice of Micheal Kelso banging on the front door.
"That was fast," Jackie muttered. "I thought they'd at least wait until tomorrow to tell him," she added irritably as Casey rolled over to grab his pants off of the floor.
"I was kind of figuring he'd show up," Casey said after putting on his pants. "Micheal's my little brother. I know how to handle him. I was just hoping that you'd be gone when he came over is all," he added pulling on a muscle t-shirt.
"You want me to go?" Jackie asked looking around for some pants of her own. She definitely didn't want Kelso to see her even part way undressed.
"Of course not," Casey said giving her a kiss despite the growing noise at his front door. "I just didn't want you to have to see this. I'd like you to sleep over," giving her a grin that made her blush. "Okay, that sound was the wood splitting on my front door. My idiot brother found the fireman's ax in the hallway. I gotta hurry," Casey said as Jackie hurriedly put on her pants to follow him.
"Micheal! Don't you hurt him! Put the ax down, right now!" Jackie screeched as Casey opened the front door hesitantly. "I mean it Micheal Kelso," she thundered as Kelso stared at her in confused horror.
"Oh my god," Kelso said allowing the ax to hit the floor with a thud as he stared at Jackie. "You're wearing his shirt...you guys were doing it?" he shrieked ignoring the neighbors that had begun to poke their heads out of their apartment to see what the commotion was about. "Jackie...!" he began before Casey punched him in the mouth and drug his little brother inside the apartment with an embarrassed expression on his face.
"On the other hand I could just see you tomorrow," Casey suggested sheepishly.
"Yeah that might be better," Jackie agreed grabbing her purse and slipping on her shoes. "Be nice, Micheal;" she warned poking Kelso in the chest before leaving.
"They were totally doing it when I went over there," Kelso said holding a piece of meat over his right eye in the Foreman's kitchen. "Jackie yelled at me and then left. And after she left Casey beat the crap out of me, more than he usually does. This time he actually looked mad," he complained to Eric and Donna. "He and Jackie are moving in together and there's nothing I can do about it," Kelso grumbled while Eric and Donna exchanged shocked looks. "I know what that means. Its sort of a Kelso trademark," he explained with a depressed look.
"What's going on?" Hyde said walking into the kitchen with Fez in tow. "Judging from the bruising am I right when I guess you've seen Casey?" Hyde snickered as he pulled a beer from the fridge.
"Yeah, him and Jackie were doing it..." Kelso began in a sour tone. Hyde's grip on the beer can was too tight and beer started spraying every where, interrupting everyone's train of thought. That is with the exception of Fez who burst into a fit of giggles as the gang scurried around trying to clean up the mess. "Something's so messed up with that can, man," Kelso said in a shocked tone. "But anyway as I was saying, when I came over they were doing it. Jackie came to the door wearing Casey's shirt so that's how I know. And after she left, Casey beats me up and tells me that he and Jackie are moving in …..." Kelso was once again interrupted by a fountain of beer as Hyde's grip involuntarily tightened on a new can he'd just pulled out of the fridge. "Those things are like bombs or something!" Kelso cried hurrying to the other side of the room. "Don't get another one man, they're possessed," Kelso advised. "Kelso's only wanna move in with someone when we've made a decision. He totally stabbed me in the back and snaked Jackie out from under me. I don't know what I'm gonna do," Kelso whined sitting down heavily in the kitchen chair.
"I know what I'm gonna do," Hyde declared pulling his car keys out of his pocket. "I'm gonna go buy some new beer. See ya later," Hyde said opening up the screen door and walking out.
"There's two six-packs in the fridge," Eric pointed out to no avail.
"Yeah but those were possessed. He probably wants some beer that he can actually drink," Kelso said rolling his eyes.
"Hey, I was in the neighborhood," Hyde said pushing past Jackie and entering her apartment without waiting for a response. "So what's this I hear about you and Casey Kelso moving in together?" he said looking around her tiny apartment.
"Wow, that was fast," Jackie commented dryly as she closed the door behind him. "Is this another round of Jackie you're a great big slut because if it is; I'll warn you Steven I'm not in the mood tonight," she said with a sigh. She had no idea why Hyde was over at her place alone. She was curious as hell but she'd die a hundred times before asking him. Donna probably sent him over, Jackie decided with a mental groan.
"No, its not. Jackie are you sure you want to do this? I mean you've only been dating him for a couple weeks. Isn't that a bit sudden even for you?" Hyde questioned with a frown.
"Well, not that its any of your business; because its not. Casey and I have been dating a couple weeks but we've known each other for years. I'm a big girl, tell Donna not to worry about me," Jackie said with a frown of her own. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?" Jackie asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.
"Why Casey?" Hyde asked in his best zen voice. Between his zen and his sunglasses, Jackie could never tell how he was feeling. She hated that.
"He and I just discovered that we've both got a lot in common. We got to talking and hit it off so we decided to begin dating. No sensational story sorry. Why the curiosity?" she asked.
"Can't I just be worried about you?" Hyde demanded shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
Jackie just gave him a lopsided grin and shook her head. "What?" Hyde demanded feeling annoyed and uncomfortable.
"Donna and Micheal must be really upset huh?" Jackie said with a sigh. "Look, I'll talk to them okay. I don't know how I'll do it but I'll get them to calm down I promise," she said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone.
"What's that got to do with me being worried about you?" Hyde asked in confusion.
"Nothing," Jackie answered shaking her head. "You have no reason to worry. We aren't even friends, why would you be? You're just being a good friend to Donna and Micheal, I'm just letting you know I really respect that," Jackie said with a small grin. She hated the painful twinge she got in her chest every time she let herself remember that Steven Hyde never cared about her. However it was necessary to make her point. "You're a good friend, trying to look out for them. I'll talk to them, that's all I can really promise to do," she finished with a shrug. Steven Hyde had his virtues despite what he might want others to think. He was loyal to a fault to those he cared about Jackie had to admit. She only felt foolish when she remembered their relationship. Between the jealousy, failure to communicate and the cheating on her with a nurse you'd have thought she'd have realized that he didn't love her but for reasons Jackie couldn't understand she had convinced herself that he had. Steven Hyde had never mislead her, she had to admit that to herself. So in a way her suffering had been her own doing. That was a mistake that she was determined not to repeat again with Casey. She would go with the flow and not expect or demand anything from him. She wasn't about to chase him off, she was tired of being alone and unloved.
"We're friends," Hyde protested with a confused scowl on his face, unable to conceal his annoyance with zen.
"Steven, relax. I was trying to give you a compliment," Jackie said with an eye roll. "I wasn't picking a fight. We've got the same group of friends it doesn't mean I assume we are. Why do you think I didn't invite you to my birthday party? I get it now. You don't like me and you know what? I can handle it. I am no longer the girl who freaks out if someone somewhere doesn't like her. I don't make a big deal about that stuff anymore. Shh, don't tell," Jackie joked raising a finger to her lips and looking around in mock concern.
"So if that's all, I'm kinda tired and I've got to hit the sack," Jackie said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Wait! Hold on I almost forgot," Jackie said rushing into her bedroom. "I've been meaning to get this to you but I keep forgetting. Sorry about that!" she called out from the other room. Hyde mouthed 'what the hell' to himself feeling somewhat surreal. Jackie was being really weird tonight, he was starting to get worried for different reasons. "Here you go," Jackie said placing a bag in his hands as she opened the door for him. "I washed it," she assured him. "I know its your favorite so I took good care of it. Goodnight Steven," Jackie said giving him a smile before closing and locking her front door. Hyde walked down the hall feeling as though he'd had a little too much circle time even though he hadn't had any. When he got to the street he decided to give into his curiosity and opened the bag. He sucked in a deep breath and stared blankly into the bag for a moment before being able to comprehend what he saw. Inside the bag was the Led Zeppelin t-shirt he'd given Jackie for her birthday when they were together.