Chapter 8

Hyde couldn't believe he had done this. He hadn't had a clue what he was going to say to Jackie but the last thing he expected would be that he'd wind up kidnapping her. Now that he'd parked the car by the water tower he was frightened to let her go. It wasn't the possibility of Jail time that frightened him it was Jackie. Maybe he should just drive to the police station and tell them what he'd done. That way at least the cops would be there to minimize the damage she could inflict on him when she finally gained her freedom. His nipples and shins were quivering in fear at the mere thought of Jackie's wrath.

After mustering his courage Hyde got out of the car and opened the back hatch to release Jackie. He didn't know what her reaction would be but he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He stood there in shock for a moment when she looked up at him with a tear stained face. He half expected her to attack him when he took the handcuffs off of her wrists and the tape off of her mouth. He was really going to have to give those cuffs back to Kelso. Sure, it'd been fun to watch him panic as he looked everywhere for them but if tonight was any indication; Hyde couldn't be trusted with them. Jackie's silence was unnerving him. He expected her to rant and rave not look at him like a wounded animal that he'd just kicked.

"Sorry about that," he finally said. She still said nothing. "I didn't hurt you did I, Jacks?" he asked worriedly as she rubbed her wrists. "C'mon, Jackie. Say something," Hyde said fighting the urge to whine. God, was this how Jackie felt every time he gave her the silent treatment? Hyde wondered. No wonder she was always going bonkers.

"What do you want me to say, Hyde?" she said in a flat tone. "What now? I wonder what other surprises you have in store for me," she said her voice being to harden.

"I did you a favor," Hyde said surprising himself with his zen. "Casey's a total tool. I just saved you from a lifetime of misery and regret," he finished attempting to smile.

"A favor? A favor? You kidnapped me you moron!" Jackie said as her eyes narrowed into slits. "You know every girl wants her wedding day to be special. Wants the day to be unique. What they don't want and this part's important. Is to be kidnapped by a curly haired freak!" she spat at him. "I know you hate me but is it absolutely necessary to try and ruin my life? Have I annoyed you that much? Are you that bored?" she shrieked.

"I don't hate you," Hyde said softly. "I don't think I ever did. Not really. I always pretended to though. It was just easier that way," he added surprising himself.

"Well, actions speak louder than words. You kidnapped me and hog tied me. I was worried that you were going to throw me into the creek and drown me like some bag of puppies," Jackie snapped. "If you've got an explanation for this, it'd had better be damn good," she added angrily.

"I ….love you," Hyde all but whispered. He waited patiently as the seconds began to tic by one after another. Jackie stared at him not in surprise but coldly before walking away without a word. "Jackie!" Hyde called out following her through the trees. "Where are you going? I can give you a ride back to the Foreman's. You don't have to stomp off," he grumbled.

"No thank you. I'll be just fine on my own. Goodbye, Hyde," Jackie said in a dead voice, only briefly pausing before walking through the woods at a brisker pace than before.

"Jackie, its not safe," Hyde protested grabbing her arm. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, I heard you. Let me go and drive away. I'll take my chances;" Jackie said yanking her arm back and all but running away from him.

"Jackie! Lets talk," he called out after her. Jackie stopped in her tracks and regarded him coldly. "Lets talk this out," Hyde said.

"We have nothing to discuss. Don't worry, I won't press charges," Jackie said turning to face him, the moonlight shining off of her hair. "I never want to see you again," she said hurrying off and this time Hyde was too stunned to follow.

"Jackie, still not talking to you?" Eric questioned as he came down to the basement to find Hyde sitting on the couch, openly moping and listening to country music. Kelso had tried to change the record once and had nearly been beaten to death before the rest of the gang had been able to pull Hyde off. It had been three long weeks and so far Jackie had spurred every attempt he'd made to talk to her. It was driving him nuts. "Donna's pretty ticked at me too. This time she's on Jackie's side. I can't believe you actually kidnapped her. You should have seen the look on Casey's face. It was priceless," Eric said grabbing a Popsicle from the freezer. "I thought that Jackie not talking to you would be a good thing," Eric said in confusion. "I mean I know Donna and I were teasing you but you hate her right?"

"Nope," Hyde said grinding his teeth. "I don't hate her. I've tried to, wanted too but I can't. She hates me now but I don't hate her," he said quietly. " Can we not talk about our feelings, Foreman? Its way too girly," he grumbled. "Touch that record and die," he said as Eric's hand drifted towards the player.

"She'll get over it you know," Eric said quietly. Hyde let out a hollow laugh.

"No she won't," he said. "She'll hate me forever and I guess this time I can't blame her. Ironic huh? I finally want her and now she despises me. For real this time. It figures," Hyde said taking a deep breath.

"I knew it, you're still in love with her," Eric said sitting down beside his adopted brother. "Kidnapping her probably wasn't the best way to go about showing that but hey, no one's perfect."

"Shut up," Hyde grumbled staring straight ahead.

"I guess you wouldn't be interested to know that Jackie and Casey broke up then. Oh well," Eric said walking extra slow to the stairs.

"Spill it, Foreman," Hyde commanded suddenly alert. "What happened?" he prompted as Eric hurried to the couch, excited to share the gossip.

"Well, it turns out that Casey knocked up some other chick and was marrying Jackie to get out of a shot gun wedding with the other girl. Well, the day after ...the incident. The girl comes banging on their front door and chaos ensues," Eric said with a slight smirk.

"Then why marry Jackie if he was just trying to dodge a wedding? It doesn't make any sense," Hyde said confusion etched onto his features.

"Um, he's a Kelso," Eric said slowly. "I guess he really cared about Jackie though. He's pretty pathetic looking now that they broke up. You should have seen his face when we were moving Jackie out. Maybe he wanted to marry her before she found out, you know to seal the deal or something. Lets face it once they were married Jackie probably wouldn't have left him over it. She would have given him hell about it though," Eric guessed with a slight shrug. "What can I say, Kelso's are morons," Eric added. Hyde pondered that and then nodded his silent agreement.

"Yeah they're total tools," Hyde said with a smirk and a snicker. Eric chuckled before going over and picking up the gangs "Stupid Helmet" and handing it to Hyde with a quirked eyebrow. "I'm not wearing that," Hyde growled.

"You go to Vegas come back married to a stripper, rub Jackie's nose in it; effectively kicking her while she's down. Constantly burn her. Try to sabotage her relationship with Fez. Now you've kidnapped her from her own wedding. This is all yours buddy," Eric said with a chuckle. "Congratulations, you've dethroned Kelso as the group idiot. At least you did it with your own unique style," he added trying to surpress a laugh.

"Gimme that," Hyde grumbled, roughly grabbing the helmet from his adoptive brother as Donna, Fez and Kelso came into the basement.

"Well, I'm glad someone finally got him to put it on," Fez said crossing his arms and giving Hyde a smug look.

"Jackie, open up. Babe, I want to talk to you," Casey slurred banging on the front door with all of his drunken might. "I really miss you. I love you. I want you to have my babies not her. You're as pretty as me. I'm a little drunk right now but I mean what I say. C'mon yell at me kick my shins, whatever you want. I'm not leaving until you talk to me. You have to come out sometime," he slurred trying to look through the peephole. "I love you!" he shouted.

The door swung open to reveal an irritated man in his late fifties. "The Burkhart woman is across the hall. For the record, I don't love you and I never will. I will not and can not have your babies and thank you for saying that I'm pretty but I don't feel the same way. Now leave me alone,"he snarled before slamming the door in Casey's face.

"Thank you!" Casey shouted stumbling across the hall. "He's not as pretty as me," he grumbled to himself. "He looks like a cold sore," he grumbled banging on Jackie's door. "I love you!" he shouted. "If you're Jackie I love you and miss you and want to give you a great big kiss," he slurred once again looking through the peephole. After a few more moments of banging, Jackie opened the door trying to keep the amusement off of her face. "Hey, Jackie. I'm a little bit drunk. Gosh you're so pretty, you make me want to be a lesbian," He slurred as Jackie drug him into her apartment before the neighbors could call the police.

"Thank you," Jackie said stifling a giggle. "Here, give me that," she said coaxing the liquor bottle from Casey. "Sit down while I get you something to eat to soak up some of that liquor;" she said guiding him to her couch.

"I like this couch. I'm glad I bought it," Casey said with a grin. "Its so cozy. Like sitting on a giant sausage," he said giving the couch a pat as Jackie came back with a sandwich. "I wanted to talk to you," he said with a stupid look on his face.

"I gathered that. Mr. Owens will want to talk to me tomorrow, I'm sure," she said wryly as Casey obediently ate. "Casey, look..." Jackie began.

"No!" Casey said trying to quickly swallow the bite of food he had in his mouth. "I was wrong. 500 percent wrong. I just want to make it up to you," he said trying his best to focus all of his attention on her.

"Casey, there are somethings you can't make up for," Jackie said sadly. "I willing to be friends but I can't be more than that. I can't take anymore...drama from the men in my life. I mean I already come with so much of my own," she said trying to lighten the mood.

"Can we still have sex?" Casey said giving her his best come hither look. Being drunk had its disadvantages because it came off creepy instead of sexy. Jackie shook her head and tried to keep her shoulders from shaking from the laughter that was burning her throat.

"You can sleep here tonight. On the couch; you shouldn't be out driving like this," Jackie said with a loud sigh.

"You're so nice," he said as Jackie grabbed the extra set of sheets she had in her linen closet for him. "I don't know how but when I sober up I'm gonna try to make this up to you," he said as Jackie helped him to his feet so that she could make up the couch for him. "You're the one, I should never have cheated; I know that. I'm gonna fix this I swear," he said as Jackie gently pushed him back down on the couch and began to take off his shoes. "You always take care of me," he said his voice trailing off as he went to sleep.

"Sweet Dreams," Jackie whispered tucking him in and after looking at his sleeping face for a moment she gave him a kiss on his forehead. "You took good care of me too," she quietly admitted blinking back tears.