Chapter 13

"Hi, Jackie," Laurie purred walking up behind Jackie at the supermarket deli. "How have you been?" Laurie asked the stricken brunette with false innocence. Laurie was smiling and stroking her slightly swollen abdomen looking at Jackie triumphantly.

"Fine, Laurie," Jackie said trying to keep her composure. "How are things with you?" she said trying to feign indifference.

"Oh things couldn't be better," Laurie said evilly. "I was hoping that this whole things wasn't too hard on you," she said with false concern. "I know that this whole thing with Casey and I must have upset you. He told me all about your little problem. I only hope that you're not too hurt," Laurie smirked watching Jackie fidget uncomfortably.

"I'll manage. I've got some shopping to do; I'm sure I'll see you around," Jackie said trying to get away from the pregnant woman before she did something terrible.

"Oh, Jackie. Casey and I are getting married next week and I was so hoping you could be there. It would mean so much to us," Laurie said with a giggle.

"What are you doing, Laurie?" Hyde said stepping around an aisle corner. "Don't you somewhere else to be?" he added with a sneer. "Some home wrecker's conference, maybe," he suggested.

"Well, if it isn't little orphan boy," Laurie said dropping any pretense of being nice. "Why don't you toddle off and shop lift something with us girl folk chatter," she said gesturing for him to leave.

"Actually, I didn't come over here to talk to you, oh incredible slut monster," Hyde said with a dismissive grunt. "Jackie, I need to talk to you. The Foreman's are having a barbeque on Saturday…." Hyde began not only tuning Laurie out but leading Jackie away.

"Thank you," Jackie whispered gratefully, all her quarrels with Steven Hyde forgotten. All she felt was an amazing amount of gratitude for getting her out of that situation.

"No problem," Hyde assured her with a dismissive snort. "I wouldn't condemn anyone to a conversation with Laurie. That's just beyond cruel," he joked half-heartedly. "Are you okay?" he asked more seriously.

"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting to see her is all," Jackie said forcing a smile. "So the Foreman's are having a barbeque?" she asked curiously.

"Actually, no they aren't. I just wanted Laurie to feel out of the loop. Mr and Mrs Foreman are still pretty upset," he snickered with a shrug. "Messing with her head is so easy; its almost not fun anymore. Look at her pout," he chuckled. Jackie caught herself smiling before a thought struck her. Is this how he talks about me when I'm not there? She wondered. Laurie might be bitchy and may have meant to hurt her but she wouldn't reciprocate. Jackie was almost proud of herself a few years ago the thought of not ripping apart a rival would never have occurred to her. "What's wrong?" Hyde asked watching the smile slide off of Jackie's face.

"Its nothing," she assured him with a shake of her head. "Thanks for rescuing me, Steven. I really do appreciate it," she said giving him a small grin before turning to leave.

"No what just happened? You're wall's back up," Hyde said bewildered. What did I do now? He wondered. "What now?" he groaned annoyed that he wouldn't get a chance to question Jackie further. Casey Kelso was making a beeline for Jackie, shooting Hyde looks of death all the while.

"Jackie, sorry about Laurie. I told her to stay away from you," Casey said almost breathlessly. "I swear," he promised oblivious to Hyde's eye roll.

"You've told her a lot of things," Jackie said clenching her teeth. Casey looked at Jackie in confusion. He clearly didn't know what she was talking about. "Why else would she tell me she's sorry about my little problem? Congratulations on the wedding, Casey. I've got to go," Jackie said turning to leave.

"Look. She shouldn't have done that. I'm gonna talk to her and make sure she leaves you alone from now on. Jackie, I've missed you," Casey said almost pleadingly. "I don't want to marry Laurie. I just think Mr. Foreman would kill me if I don't. I want to marry you," he added grabbing her hand.

"Hands off," Hyde said clearing his throat. He couldn't take this any longer. He was feeling physically ill. "You're tart of a fiancé is getting impatient. If you don't go back to her she's going to come back over and harass Jackie some more," Hyde pointed out.

"Just call me," Casey said giving Jackie a kiss on her cheek. "I love you," he whispered in her ear. Jackie felt her entire body shake with the effort it took not to let the tears fall. She had to give Steven Hyde some credit, he didn't burn her.

Instead he just put his arm around her shoulder and said," Lets get out of here, Doll."

"Here again?" Jackie said thickly. She wiped the tears away, embarrassed to be crying in front of Steven Hyde. He was the one man she swore that she'd never let see her cry again. He'd driven them to the spot of their first date on Veterns Day and of course the place he'd taken her to after napping her from her own wedding.

"Yeah. It's the one place I could think of that…well nobody should show up here," Hyde shrugged. "I never thought I'd say this but if you want to talk; I'll listen," he added feeling uncomfortable.

"That's sweet. I love it when you're Steven" she whispered cupping the side of his face.

"Huh?" he asked confused. Confusion was the dominant emotion when he dealt with Jackie these days. He never knew whether he was coming or going when it came to her. "I'm always Steven," he reminded her.

"No your not sometimes your Hyde. Steven's sweet, smart, funny, loyal and protective. Hyde's cruel, patronizing and sometimes hypocritical. He's like a mask you put on when you feel threatened or exposed. That's how I see it anyway," Jackie explained with a sigh.

"Must be a girl thing," he grumbled. "This morning Donna told me almost the exact same thing. Its almost eerie," he muttered. "Seeing Casey again really shook you up didn't it?" he said after giving her a few moments to collect her thoughts.

"Yeah, but not as badly as you might think," she said with a wan smile. "I'm more upset that Casey talked about me to Laurie. That skank has no right to know anything about me. Well, its water under the bridge. What's done can't be undone, its not gonna do me any good to cry over it. To bad its hard to stop," she said drawing in a deep breath.

"Are you having money problems?" Hyde asked earning a surprised and incredulous look from Jackie. "Laurie mentioned you had a little problem…"

"Yeah that," Jackie said with a snort. "I don't have any financial problems at the moment. Its more of a health problem," Jackie said playing absently with the vinyl on his dashboard. "Don't worry, I'm not dying or anything," she assured him when Hyde straightened in alarm.

"What's wrong?" he coaxed. "C'mon, Jackie you used to tell me everything," he said nudging her with his elbow.

"Its personal," Jackie said looking out the window. "I just can't believe he'd tell Laurie about it," she grumbled crossing her arms.

"Please, maybe I can help;" he offered giving her a small smile.

"Not unless you are secretly a doctor," she remarked dryly. "Ugh, its not that big a deal," she said rolling her eyes. "Can't we talk about something else?" she pleaded only to be met with Hyde's intent stare. "Fine, I can't have kids. Happy?" she snapped. "Skanky Laurie can have dozens but I can't even have one," she said shaking her head. "Feel better?" she asked uncomfortably.

"Something's wrong?" Hyde said feeling uncomfortable. This was really a conversation she should be having with Donna not him, he thought. This girly stuff made him uncomfortable in a way he'd never felt before; not even when Mrs. Foreman talked about having menopause. Part of him felt sorry for Jackie. He knew that she wanted kids and she couldn't have them. Seeing Laurie must have been a two for one on her torment list. Not only was Laurie going to have a baby and Jackie couldn't but she'd stolen her guy to do it. Hyde really wished he could hit girls, maybe he could ask Donna to do it for him…

"So that's it then. That's my sob story; can we talk about something else? Anything else," Jackie said emphatically.

"I have a better idea. Lets go to Funland," Hyde suggested starting the car.

"That'd be …fun," Jackie said with a small laugh.

"So you and Hyde go out and do things together but you aren't dating?" Donna said a month later, as Jackie came to sit beside her on her sofa. "How does that work again?" she asked when she simply got a smile and a nod from Jackie.

"Its twisted I know. It just kind of happened. I don't know exactly what to call it. Its somewhere in between friendship and dating," Jackie said snacking on some popcorn.

"Jackie, there is no gray area between friendship and dating," Donna said in exasperation. "You either are or you aren't. Does he pick you up?" Donna asked Jackie in confusion.

"Not always, sometimes we meet up somewhere. I want to stay mad at him so badly but when he's being sweet its physically impossible for me to keep the anger up. I'm so damaged," Jackie said laughing. "Casey came by,"she added trying to change the subject. It worked.

"What in the world did he want? Is he still sending you flowers?" Donna asked with a snort.

"Only occasionally," Jackie replied dismissively. "He wanted me to be his mistress. I sent his newlywed ass back home," Jackie added with a laugh. "The man just doesn't get it. I like being Mr. Foreman's favorite I'm not about to give that up by sleeping with his daughter's philandering husband. Laurie's the home wrecker not me," she added nodding sharply.

"Oh my god," Donna said laughing. "I'm really proud of you, Jackie," she said honestly. "You did the right thing," she added looking impressed. "So back to Hyde…" Donna began ignoring Jackie's frown. "Are you sure you're not dating him? Are you sleeping with him?" Donna pestered.

"A bit," Jackie admitted taking a bite of popcorn. "Oh c'mon, Donna. I'm not made of stone. Like Fez is always fond of saying he gives me needs. But dating is when the guy pays, Steven doesn't. Therefore, we aren't dating," Jackie concluded, pleased with her logic.

"Well, you might want to talk to Hyde then because I'm pretty sure he thinks you are," Donna said knowingly.