Disclaimer: I don't own.

Warning: Language.

Author's Note: Thank you SO much for the reviews! My plan for this story is to post two chapters a weekend, since the chapters are going to be relatively short. Hopefully I can keep inspired. Reviews definitely help! Hee hee! Hope you enjoy this!

What He Is

What he is...

Is a liar.

Jackie Burkhart knew that certain things were true. That she was unbelievably beautiful was true. That Fez was gay was true. That Michael was now questioning his own sexuality was true. That Donna was a lumberjack dating a skinny spazoid was true. That if she didn't find a decent man who would love her, take care of her, and buy her things soon she would die was also true.

What wasn't true was that Steven never loved her, like that bitchwhore said. Or at least Jackie told herself that. She also reminded herself that Joni was not only ugly, bt a complete and utter bitch. And not in the good way that she herself was.

Perhaps the truest truth she knew was that Joni was completley unworthy of Steven, the Steven who wasn't too busy lying to himself and everyone else.

Jackie spent a lot of time alone lately, due to the breakup with Fez that had involved more laughter than tears, Donna's preoccupation with Eric, and Michael's crisis that had him seeking out any loose woman in Point Place. And Steven had his new, mean, disgusting bitchwhore. Though even if he hadn't had Joni, Jackie wouldn't be hanging out much with him.

How could she? After all that he'd done to her?

It was okay, though, because she had things to do. She took classes at Point Place Junior College. Next semester, she was going to a real college, probably Notre Dame, though she hadn't decided for certain.

But sometimes she was bored, and sometimes she followed Steven to that hideous bar he'd recently taken a liking to. In disguise, of course. A hat, long coat, huge Jackie O sunglasses. She'd sit at a table just half a dozen feet from the bar and watch him drink. She'd been there the night the bitchwhore sat down next to him. She'd watched him flirt, watched her flirt. And she'd wondered if it was for the best. If that was the kind of woman he really wanted.

She didn't know why she was so curious about Steven's goings on. And for the sake of her sanity, she tried not to wonder about it very often.

It was just something to do, she insisted to herself.

But she'd stopped following him after it was clear that he and the bitchwhore had hooked up, after they'd made out right there at the bar. He had someone else. And the truth was, maybe that would make it easier for her to leave Point Place.

She ignored the fact that it hurt. And she also ignored the nagging voice inside her heart that screamed, "Steven is a big fat liar!"

What he is....

Is alone.

After the incident, Jackie went to the Hub. And unsurprisingly, just as she expected, five-sixths of their gang showed up half an hour later. She did her best to smile.

Donna sat down next to her. "You okay?"

Jackie sat straight. Tossed her hair. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be okay?" To prove her point, she took a bite out of the burger she'd barely touched. Besides, it wasn't as if Donna truly cared. She hadn't for a long time.

Jackie'd become used to it.

Donna raised an eyebrow. "Oh, maybe because you ran out of the basement so fast you started a fire," she said. "Don't tell me you care about what Joni said to you."

Jackie rolled her eyes, though her stomach plummeted, her cheeks warmed on the insides. She prayed she wasn't blushing. Like hell would she let Donna see anything she felt anymore. "Are you crazy? Of course I don't. She's nothing."

Donna nodded, then looked at her puppet, or boyfriend. "She better stop calling me Blondie, though. I mean, I get objectified enough by you dillholes. I don't need a woman doing it, too."

Jackie lowered her head and pressed her lips together. Leave it to Donna to find fault in Joni for something like that.

"She and Hyde seem perfect for each other. I mean, that chick can BURN!" Michael sounded almost normal. Had it not been for what he'd said, Jackie would have smiled.

Instead, she lifted her head and glared at each of her friends in turn. "She's awful for him," she snapped. "She's mean and bitchy and ugly, and just...she's mean."

Donna stared at her. "You're calling her mean? You?"

Eric grinned. "Oh, come on, Donna. Jackie's nice, like Lucifer is nice."

The two lovebirds laughed and Jackie shook her head, her stomach now burning. "Fine. Go ahead and laugh while that whore talks horribly to Steven."

Donna sighed. "It wasn't that bad, Jackie." She shrugged. "I think he kind of likes being put down. He's used to it. Plus it gives him an excuse to dish it out, which I think we can all agree he loves to do." Then she pointed at Jackie. "And you used to call him poor and dirty all the time."

"I never talked to him the way she does," Jackie said, her voice rising, her heart now pounding. She stood up. They all made her sick. Couldn't they see it? Were they all just that damned blind? "Whatever. I'm leaving."

She thought she heard Donna making some sarcastic comment as she flounced out. Didn't matter much anymore. So Donna took Joni's side. Just like she'd taken Sam's side. Wasn't a surprise.

She took a walk, intending only going until she'd cooled off. Then she'd head back to the basement and they'd all pretend nothing happened. It always worked, though not so well anymore. The walk took her through all of Point Place, lasted two hours, and ended at the stupid bar Steven now loved.

For five minutes, she stood in front of the door, shivering because the sun was going down and leaving a chilly breeze in its wake. And of course she hadn't worn a jacket. She told herself fifteen times that he wasn't in there, and even if he was, he'd be with the bitchwhore.

She went in anyway. He wasn't there. She was going to leave, but the bartender gave her a nice smile and she was thirsty. She had a beer and thought how funny it was that she was alone. Even the few men in this dump were more concerned with their own beers than picking her up.

Maybe she wasn't as beautiful as she'd always thought. The beer started to taste sour, and she decided to leave.

She walked out the door and there he was, on his way in. They both stopped. And her heart stopped, too, just enough to leave her a little dizzy.

He frowned. "What are you doing here, Jackie?"

She shrugged. "Just..." She came so close to telling him that she was worried about him, that she was looking for him. But then she remembered.

He wouldn't care.

"Nothing. Where's Joni?"

He looked away. "She had to go to work for a while."

Jackie stared at him. He'd gone Zen, of course, and after everything, she couldn't read through it anymore. "I thought you had a date."

Except that she noticed that his shoulders tensed. And his foot was tapping. She still knew some of the signs. Something was bothering him.

"We do. I'm just hanging out here until she gets done."

The wind picked up and Jackie wrapped her arms around herself. "Oh." She shifted on her feet. She didn't want to leave, but didn't know what to say. "So...where does she work?"

Steven shrugged again. "Don't know." His look darkened. "Why do you care?" And then he grinned. "Oh, you want to go kick her ass? Because if you do, let me know. That's good stuff to watch, man."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled and reached out to swat at his stomach. "Steven, god, you're such a pig!"

For a few lovely moments, he grinned at her and she back at him. And then they both realized they were acting like they used to, and the tension was back full force.

She wondered if Joni left him alone like this often.

She wondered if he ever wondered if she was alone a lot.

And she wondered if they had being alone in common once again.

He backed up a step. She rewrapped her arms around herself and cleared her throat.

"Well, I'm gonna go in," he said with a smirk. "Beer's calling my name."

She nodded. "Yeah. See you later, then."

She'd only taken a few slow steps when he said her name, and of course she turned back, her heart now pounding ferociuosly. She couldn't quite meet his eyes, so she stared at his neck. His adam's apple was moving. He took off his jean jacket.

"Here."

He tossed it, and in self-defense, she caught it. He didn't say anything else, his face remained impassive, and then he turned and walked into the bar.

Jackie brought the jacket up to her nose and inhaled the scent that was so familiar it brought tears to her eyes.

She wondered if she'd ever stop feeling so alone without him.

As she walked home, she thought of him. Was he in that bar by himself? Had Joni stood him up? Did she treat Steven as badly spoke to him? Why was he with her if she did?

And had Joni been right? Had she only been some sort of hooker to him?

Pursing her lips, Jackie decided she wasn't going to stew over this at home alone. She turned and headed to where she knew he'd show up eventually. While she waited, she'd come up with a plan. She had lots of practice doing that.