After a few hours of prepping dinner, Hyde was finally done and just waiting for Jackie to get there. He glanced over at the clock and it was only half hour til she arrived. And it surprised him how calm he was. When it came to Jackie, he always expected to be anxious, on edge. Though he would never let it show, he ways always on his toes around her. This time, however, he was relaxed, content even.

Perhaps it has to do with their last meeting going so well, or even that she agreed to come in the first place. 'This is good' he thought. If he could remain calm, then he would be able to speak to her rationally. Maybe he could even tell her that he wanted her back. She probably wants that also. Hell, wouldn't that prove Donna wrong too?

It would be risky for him to let it all out now, but every day he didn't say anything was another day he spent without her. He had gone a long time being unhappy because he was missing Jackie. Coming to California was a decision he made to get his "happy" back, so why not start with the one thing that would make him happiest?

Of course there was the fact that he had only actually seen her once in the time he's been there, and all they did was reminisce and talk about work. He actually had no idea if she was single or if she cared to not be. He didn't really know much about this new Jackie and perhaps it was best to get to know her as opposed to trying to rekindle anything they might have had.

-45 minutes later-

A knock at the door startled Hyde who was fixing up the apartment. Even though she was a few minutes late, he still felt unprepared.
After two more knocks he went over to let her in. She stood on the other side of the door with a big smile on her face holding a bottle of wine.

"I would have been early, but I decided to stop and buy this. Figured you might only have those strong drinks you like" she started jokingly.

"Well, the stronger the better I always say." He moved aside giving her space to enter.

"I thought that would be the way you saw it so I was right in buying this. Wow, this place is amazing."

"Yeah, it is."

"Look at this view! It's incredible" she said walking over by the large window overlooking the park.

"Can't complain."

"I'm sure."

"So hey let me get your jacket and we dinner is ready so if you're hungry we can sit and eat."

"Yes please, I'm starving."

"Well, well, well.. Jackie Burkhart admitting to starving? Isn't that a "fat girl" might do?"

"I'm amused that you can quote me years later, but trust me, I'm not like that anymore."

"So, what are you like Beulah?"

She shot him a devilish look, "you'll just have to wait and see James."

He simply nodded and made his way to the dinner table.

-
As they ate and caught up, he quickly realized that she was, in fact, very different from the girl he knew back in Point Place. Little Jackie Burkhart had grown into a self-sufficient woman who simply seemed content on her own.

"So I told Jason that the show could do well for at least another season. He didn't believe me, but here we are, doing better than ever."

"Well good. Is Jason the guy that picked up the phone in your apartment when I called a few days ago?"

"Mhm" she replied while stuffing a broccoli in her mouth.

"So you guys must be really close, right?"

"Yes, he's amazing."

"Great."

'Just great' he thought.

After dinner, she asked for a quick tour of the apartment "bedroom not included" she was sure to add. It made him smile when she looked at everything in awe. One would think she was raised in a house like his instead of a mansion the way everything impressed her.

He remembered the Burkharts had the most amazing trinkets and furnishing and he was awed the few times he was invited over. Sure this place was nice, but her home had been much more impressive. Yet, he also knew that she hated being in that house because she was always alone. Maybe she hadn't really noticed all the nice things she had because they represented loneliness and neglect. Hell, he remembered she once told him how great the basement was because it was warm, safe...homely.

"I'm really happy for you Steven?"

"Huh?" Happy for him? Because he was staying at his rich father's place?

"I mean you coming out here to do something different, out of Point Place you know?"

"Oh, yeah I guess."

"I always thought you have enough potential to get out of there, do something with your life. I'm surprised I beat you to it" she said with a wink.

"Yeah well, I was just waiting for the right reason to do it?"

"What reason was that?"

The two started at each other in what he hoped was a knowing look, but he was sure she couldn't guess what that reason was. Maybe if she was still the shallow Jackie he knew a few years ago she would insist he came out there for her. This new Jackie wouldn't guess something so superficial, and if she did she certainly was not going to say so.

"Just the opportunity. Opening up my own store somewhere else? That's cool. W.B. said he was going to close out the chain of Grooves but maybe now I have a shot at building it up again, starting the chains on my own."

"Steven Hyde, an entrepreneur...who would have thought?" She laughed.

"I'm not the same guy you left in Point Place Jackie. I've changed too."

"Left in Point Place huh?"

"Yeah." He knew where she was getting at. She focused on the fact that he said she left him. It was obviously a provocative comment, and it got the reaction he wanted out of her.

"I hadn't realized I left YOU. I was under the impression I left my old life behind."

"Well I was a pretty big part of that don't you think? Therefore, you left me behind."

"Whoa..no. You HAD been a big part of that, but not when I left."

"Oh no."

"No."

"Are you sure about that?"

"As sure as I am that you married a stripper, yeah."

"So much for leaving your old life behind." He knew he was being an asshole, but this is what he wanted. He wanted them to talk about what happened before so they could focus on moving forward together. He hadn't expected her to bring Sam up so quickly though.

"Oh you know what, fuck off. I'm not doing this with you."

"Doing what? Talking about what happened back then?"

Jackie began to grab her purse and walk to the coat when he said, "are you scared?"

He got her. He always knew how to get to her and that certainly stopped her dead on her tracks.

"Scared? Of what? Admitting the fact that you chose a whore over me?"

"Yes."

"I came to terms with that a long time ago. As it turns out, you're the one who lost something then. I was so busy being devastated by someone I loved that I didn't realize that I was being rid of someone who didn't love me like I thought. So am I scared? No, just indifferent."

"I don't think so."

"Don't stand here and pretend to know me Hyde, because you don't. Not one bit."

"I'm back to Hyde now?"

"Yes, and that's where you should have stayed all this time. I can't believe I thought this time might be different."

She turned and got her coat. As she walked towards the door she turned and said, "it was useless to think you wanted to be my friend."

Before she could even leave he yelled out, "you were wrong about one thing."

"Yeah? What's that?"

Walking over to her he realized just how much he had actually gotten to her.

"I never wanted to be your friend."

Daringly, Steven Hyde decided that it was as good a time as any to kiss his ex-girlfriend, so he did.