Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Jackie?" comes a voice from my left.

I turn in the direction of the voice to find a very confused red head approaching me. Donna.

"You found a date?" Donna smiles. "And a dress."

"Uh-huh," I can't help but return her smile as I smooth out my dress. Unlike Donna's simple sky blue chiffon folds, I'd gone all out with the pink and lace that made me feel like a princess.

"Well, where is he?" Donna pushes.

I point a gloved finger toward the photo setup at the front of the room. "He's taking a picture with Fez right now," I say slowly without taking my eyes off of Donna, eagerly anticipating her reaction.

I watch as her eyes shift from mine to the front of the gym. Her easygoing smile immediately turns into a look of confusion before very slowly transforming into one of shock as she realizes who, in fact, my date was.

"Hyde?" Donna's mouth forms a perfect 'o' as she snaps her head back to me. "Your date is Hyde?" the disbelief in her voice is almost palpable.

"Yes," I say firmly, holding my head up high.

"How on earth did you get Hyde to take you to prom?" Donna's voice went up an octave.

"Well, I," but then I quickly clamp my lips shut.

I glance back over to where Hyde and Fez were now waiting for their picture to develop. Hyde definitely wouldn't like the details of how we ended up here together being revealed. And between our friends, it would spread like wildfire. Hyde had done me a favor by taking me to his prom. The least I could do was keep the details private.

Returning Donna's gaze, I give her a polite smile then proceed to shrug my shoulders.

"Jackie," Donna groans, grabbing my arms and shaking me back and forth.

On second thought, it was Donna. It wasn't like it was Eric or Fez asking, both of which who would have capitalized on using this information to burn Hyde. Plus, if Donna didn't stop shaking me, my perfectly styled hair would get ruined.

"Okay, okay. Donna stop. You're ruining my hair," I wrestle out of her vise-like grip. I don't say anything for a long moment, mostly because I'm not sure of what to say, but when I see Donna reach forward again, I blurt the first thing that comes to mind. "I took your advice."

"What?" she backs off.

"You know, you told me to ask Michael. But he asked Pam Macy," I can't keep the acid from my voice when I say her name. "So I asked Hyde."

Donna shook her head as she tried to understand. "You mean, you asked Hyde to the prom and he said yes?"

"Not exactly," I start. "I tried asking him, but when that didn't work, I basically made him ask me," I nod.

Donna shakes her head, smiling ruefully. Hyde was on his way back over, so Donna took this as her cue to leave. "Jackie, you're incredible," she sighs before turning to head back to her table.

Hyde is back at my side now, and I give him a vivacious smile before calling after my redheaded friend. "Oh, Donna. I know."

Chapter Text

I see Jackie walking down the Forman driveway when I turn the corner, and immediately try to dodge out of her sight, not really in the mood for whatever it was she wanted to talk about.

I wasn't quick enough. "Oh, Donna. Boy, am I glad to see you," Jackie runs to catch up with me. "Michael wants to see Star Wars again, and I am just so sick and tired –"

"Jackie, not now, okay?" I feel only slightly bad cutting her off.

I can't see Jackie's face in the dark, but she immediately grows quiet. She is still, however, following me to my house, so I stop and turn to face her, searching my mind for an excuse to be left alone right now.

"Donna, are you okay?" Jackie says when she is able to make out my face in the darkness. "What happened?"

I don't know what makes me decide to tell her, but I do. I start with David Millbank and tell her every detail of the night, all the way up to where I yelled at Eric in the park and left him there.

"I just wish someone would actually show genuine interest in my stories, you know?" I sigh, concluding my story.

"I guess I get that," Jackie shifts next to me. Halfway through my story we had moved to the patio bench in my backyard. "Hey," Jackie says suddenly, her face alight. "Do you want me to read your stories?"

To say I was taken aback would have been an understatement. "Really?"

"Well, all Michael wants to do is go see Star Wars, so…why not?" Jackie shrugs.

"Thanks, Jackie," I say, still a bit surprised as we moved into my house and up to my room.

"And you know, Donna. For what its worth, I don't think it was you Eric didn't trust, but David Millbank," Jackie adds.

Jackie's behavior right now was strange, to say the least. But even more strange was that she actually made sense. Eric had never trusted David, even as little kids he had beat him up that one time. And I wasn't ready to forgive him, but I decided then that I would try to talk to him about it tomorrow. For now though, at least I had a friend to share my stories with.

Chapter Text

I walk over to the television set in my room and turn down the volume when Donna walks in later that night. I'm still dressed in my sheer white chiffon gown from the pageant, having been too tired to change after I got home. But when Donna called at ten thirty asking if she could come hang out for a while, I shoved the fatigue aside so I could now focus my attention on my friend.

"What's up?" I ask Donna as she slumps down next to me on my bed, her hand moving to her throat.

Her neutral expression wavers and a small grin begins to creep onto her mouth. "So you know how I got Eric that watch for our anniversary?"

"Yes," I start. "Wait- what'd he get you?"

Donna pulls her hand away from her throat revealing a delicate gold necklace hanging over her collarbone.

"It's not real gold or real diamonds, but it's still beautiful and-"

"Romantic," I finish for her. I lean forward and take the diamond pendant between my fingers.

I feel a guilty twinge of jealously roil in my stomach underneath the joy I feel for my friend. But it was just that I desperately wanted to receive such a preciously romantic and thoughtful gift from Michael.

"It doesn't matter that it's not real," I assure Donna, realizing that maybe my jealously could maybe work to help her. "I'd die if Michael bothered to even give me jewelry. You know what he gave me for our one year anniversary?" I pause for emphasis. "A rubber chicken."

"What?" A small giggle escapes between Donna's lips.

"Yes," I can't help it either as a surprising burst of laughter comes out of my own mouth. For me, it's more an abettor of anger though. "You know, one of those ones that we used in gym class in third grade? That squeaks when you squeeze it?"

"I know exactly what you're talking about," Donna falls back laughing.

"It's not funny!" I slap her arm playfully.

"Yeah. But...you know Kelso, he's just immature."

I open my mouth to refute her, but then an earlier conversation from today pops in my head. College is for ugly girls that can't get modeling contracts, Michael had said, rather petulantly.

"You know there was a scholarship with the pageant," I say suddenly, desperately needing Donna to know. "And while I mostly wanted to win to lord the title over the other girls, part of me wanted that scholarship too."

Donna nods her head. "So you didn't win?"

"No. Some skank from Kenosha named Cynthia won. Which is ridiculous because she had a unibrow!"

"How dare she?" Donna mocks.

"Yeah. I guess I didn't need that scholarship anyways. Not when Daddy promised to pay for my college tuition," I reflect.

Donna just smiles before shaking her head ruefully. We talk for a little while longer, until we're both yawning and seeing through half closed eyes.

When Donna decides to go home, I waste no time in pulling off my dress which had slowly become scratchy and uncomfortable during her visit. I hang it up and shove it in the way back of my closet, eager to erase its memory from my mind.

In fact, there was a lot about today I wanted to forget. Unfortunately, it all couldn't be crammed in my closet to forget.

End Note: So, in case anyone was wondering, the rubber chicken is a reference from a comment Jackie makes in early season 5. Also, I just wanted to point out something I didn't include in the set up, and that is that the show never specifies if Eric buys Donna that necklace after he gets his money back. It is my belief that he would, which is why I included Donna having the necklace in this.

Chapter Text

~STEVEN HYDE~

From my room I am able to hear as someone - or multiple someones - amble down the cement stairs.

"Jackie," I hear Donna groan as the door wails open.

"No, I'm serious," comes her response. "My mom goes on cruises all the time. All you have to do is break up with Eric," Jackie's voice continues, oblivious to Donna's complaint.

"I'm not breaking up with Eric just so you can feel better about your break up with Kelso," Donna says, fed up.

Before Forman left with Kelso and Fez, Kelso hadn't quit whining about missing Jackie. I'd thought Kelso had been overreacting. After all, it was Jackie; the girl was obsessed with him. But hearing the two girls talking about it now, I am genuinely surprised to find that Jackie was actually going through with the break up thing.

I hated myself for caring.

I tune them out and look for something to do. My gaze lands on the small hamper in the corner near my bed. Without so much as another thought, I grab my laundry and slip over to the washer as casually as possible.

"Hey, Hyde. Is Eric with Kelso and Fez?" Donna asks when she sees me.

The two have stopped arguing about Forman and Kelso and are instead seated on the couch watching a re-run of 'Gilligan's Island'.

"Yeah. They went to The Hub," I respond, wondering why Donna was so upset with Eric. What did he do this time?

I pile all my clothes into the washing machine, add the detergent and softener, then settle into my chair.

Jackie looks bored, but Donna is bouncing her knee up and down nervously. She doesn't say anything for a long while, though. It's not until I've moved my clothes from the washer to the dryer does she speak again.

"I wonder if I should join him... I mean, he did invite me," Donna worries on her nails.

Jackie pulls her attention from the TV and focuses again on Donna. "I still say break up with him. Right, Hyde?"

I'm momentarily startled and practically stumble into my seat. "Excuse me?"

"Eric turned down Donna to hang out with Kelso and Fez," Jackie explains, seeming happy to have something to talk about again.

Donna rolls her eyes. "For the thousandth time, I'm not going to break up with him. I mean, yeah he was an inconsiderate ass, but...seriously, Jackie."

Jackie shrugs. "I said it before and I'll say it again," she pauses and glances back and forth between the two of us a few times. "Breaking up with Michael was the smartest thing I ever did."

I suddenly flashback to just a few days ago when Jackie used almost these same exact words.

And last time she had barreled into me. She had sobbed into my shoulder for a good hour.

But now there was no trace of that broken and defeated girl in those dark eyes. She was beaming as she talked excitedly again about going on a cruise with Donna.

I have to admire that strength. But still I wonder about that broken girl who had clung to me as though I was the only thing keeping her upright. I can't help but wonder why she had chosen me.

"I think I'll just go to The Hub and put Eric in his place," Donna resolves, nodding to herself and pulling me back to reality. "Sorry to crush your cruise ship dreams, Jackie."

Jackie shrugs, looking bored again, as Donna stands and exits out the door.

I'm saved from having to talk to Jackie when immediately after the door groans closed behind Donna, the chime rings on the dryer.

I'm out of my chair in a flash and spin around to the dryer.

Jackie mercifully doesn't say anything for a long while as she watches the TV. If she were anybody else, I would've kicked them out so I could have the basement to myself, like I had planned. But something stops me from dismissing Jackie.

I don't realize that she has joined me at the deep freeze, though, until she speaks up. "Why aren't you with Eric and the guys at The Hub?"

"What?"

"Well, Donna said Eric made plans to hang out with Michael and Fez," her voice is muffled as she filters through the deep freeze. After a moment she comes up empty-handed. "But not you."

Jackie hops up on the deep freeze and I can feel her intense gaze burning a hole in my shoulder as I try focusing on the clothes I was folding.

The truth was, I hadn't wanted to hang out with them. Kelso was obnoxious with his sniffling and driveling about Jackie. And I'd had enough of it. Kelso did this to himself and his pity-party crap was starting to get on my nerves.

Plus, on their way out, Kelso had grabbed the guitar, convinced that a song would fix his wreck of a relationship. I wasn't about to spend my day with that.

But I couldn't exactly tell Jackie any of that. She'd see this as me taking her side and there was no way I wanted anyone getting that idea.

"Wasn't invited," is all I end up mumbling.

~JACKIE BURKHART~

"You know it's weird," I think out loud. "But I thought after me and Michael broke up, I wouldn't want to hang out here anymore."

But just hanging out in the basement with Hyde was...simple. Easy. And somehow, Michael's friends had become my friends. So even though we were broken up, I'd been hanging out with his friends - my friends - just as much as before.

Yep, that's what we were hoping," Hyde turns around to grab more from the dryer.

I roll my eyes and ignore him. "But I think if I left, you'd really miss me. Right?"

Part of me just hoped I was important enough to someone to warrant being missed, even if it was just scruffy, burnout Hyde. And so far everyone else I had thought cared about me had proven otherwise: Michael cheated on me. My parents were never around. My cheer team became just that after I started hanging out with Michael's crowd.

Hyde avoids the question, and starts mumbling something about sympathy and support in a bad break up.

I narrow my eyes at him. "I don't know," he gives up.

Maybe he didn't know...but, he was here for me right now when no one else was. So I take a chance.

"Right. So let's go to the mall," I suggest.

"No. I meant friends like Donna or...not me."

I roll my eyes again. In case he forgot, Donna was too busy being angry at her boyfriend who hadn't even cheated on her.

Plus, Hyde was here now. Alone, doing laundry. Suddenly it occurs to me that maybe he was just as alone as I was.

"But I noticed you're alone a lot," I slide of the freezer and follow Hyde as he carries his clean, folded clothes to his room. "And I'm alone a lot. So let's be alone together."

Hyde sets his clothes on top of his bureau then turns to me and crosses his arms. I was blocking his exit.

"Look, we're alone right now," I smile.

Hyde sighs, exasperated, and slips expertly past me.

"That's not really a very good reason for us to - "

"Wait," I pursue him and stop him from completing that sentence. "Let's go to Sizzler."

Okay, so maybe the mall wasn't his thing. But maybe, just maybe, food could persuade him.

"They've got a salad bar. It's all you can eat," I keep pushing. He was no longer immediately shutting me down, so I had to be gaining ground here. "Plus, five different colors of Jell-O."

Still nothing. I pull the last trick out of my hat. "I'll buy."

That does it. Hyde nods. "You've been through a rough time," then he steps toward the door. "Let's go, kid."

I spin on my heel, elated. Because now I knew, I knew Hyde felt bad for me. He was that sympathetic support he spoke of just before. Hyde was on my side. His agreeing to spend time with me said it all.

"What?" Hyde says when he notices the smug expression on my face.

"Nothing," I say. I shut the basement door behind us.

Chapter Text

I needed to find Donna.

And I knew going in the basement meant I might see Michael, but I knew there had to be someone in the basement (because there usually was) and it was the fastest way to find Donna.

I take a deep breath and shove open the door to the basement. Before I can take in any of my surroundings, Michael gets right up in my face. I try peering behind him and thankfully find Hyde and Fez. Maybe they would help me.

"Hey, Jackie," he says.

There's a pause, and that's when I realize that that is all he has. Pathetic. "Look, Michael," I set my hands on my hips. "Why don't you save the sweet-talk for the next idiot who's dumb enough to date you."

I slip past him, only to run into Fez. And from the eager look on his face, I knew he had no intention of helping me either.

"You know Jackie," he waves his lollipop in the air. I cross my arms and raise my eyebrows, already unimpressed. "If you're in the market for a new lover, they say 'once you go Fez, you never go back'." The smug look on his face is far more obnoxious than it is endearing. "In my language, that rhymes," he concludes.

I've heard it all. I roll my eyes, not bothering to dignify that with a response. I turn my attention to Hyde. I knew at least he would give me a straight answer.

"Okay. Uh, where's Donna?" I blurt.

"She's upstairs with Forman," Hyde says.

I immediately make a beeline for the stairs, eager to get away from Michael and Fez. I am about to thank Hyde, but then I notice Michael starting to follow me.

"And don't follow me Michael, we've broken up and I mean it!"

He starts to mumble some surely lame excuse, but he has stopped following me and I'm at the top of the stairs, so I enter the Forman kitchen without so much as a glance back.

Hyde said she came upstairs with Eric, although that doesn't exactly tell me where Donna is. There is no one in the kitchen, but as I step forward to move into the living room, I see Eric standing outside in the driveway, his bright red PriceMart smock being what catches my attention.

I slide open the door and find Donna leaning against the garage, worriedly watching Eric.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I take a step in her direction.

"Eric has to go to work with Red who seems to be in an unpleasant mood today," she says in a quiet voice. "And I'm wondering if I'll ever see my boyfriend again," she says jokingly.

"Hey, Donna. Can I talk to you?" I change the subject, having already tired of this one.

"Yeah, I guess. Just as soon as Eric leaves," she says distractedly.

I nod my head then take a step back and wait patiently as Red and Eric climb in the Toyota and drive off to work. Only then does Donna turn to me. I gesture to the patio chairs and we both sit down.

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I guess I didn't really know what I wanted to say. I just needed to talk about my break-up with Michael and make someone believe I was actually taking this seriously. And recently...well, I'd done a terrible job of convincing people of that, especially Donna.

"I just want to thank you," I say the first thing that comes to mind. "For helping me the other day when I was kind of throwing myself all over Michael," I hate saying it but I know I have to.

"I just don't understand why you acted that way," Donna shrugs.

"It's just…Michael was my first boyfriend, making this my first break-up," I try to explain. "And it really sucks. So I started thinking that maybe just getting back together with him would ease the pain. And him growing that stupid beard was all the excuse I needed."

"Jackie!" Donna exclaims, reaching forward and violently starts shaking my shoulders.

I pull out of her grasp. "No. No, but I'm thanking you because you stopped me from taking him back right away. So when I finally did go to make-up with him, he'd already shaved off that beard," I shiver at the memory.

Donna's expression grows ill. "I don't get it."

"I mean," I sigh, searching desperately for the right words. "He had nicked the skin so many times while shaving that he was a bloody, tissue-faced mess when I saw him. And it was as though his shaving the beard was a sign that I really wasn't meant to take him back."

"Well, I could've told you that, Jackie," Donna says unimpressed.

"Well anyways, I just wanted to thank you. Because I am so over Michael and his sorry butt," I cross my arms.

"So, you're like really done with him?" Donna seems surprised.

And just then, I see it in her expression. She really believes that Michael and I are over. And if she can see me without Michael, then I can see me without Michael too. It was possible for me not to take him back. And for the first time since our break-up, I feel a genuine smile creep onto my lips.

I nod my head. "Yeah. I think I am."

Chapter Text

"Steven, Steven!"

Damn it.

I had just reached my car, and yet I hadn't been fast enough. I rest my fingers on the handle, then slowly pivot around to face Jackie who is running after me at full speed.

"What?"

"Where are you going?" She says breathlessly once she's standing no more than two feet away from me.

I take half a step back, uncomfortably aware of how close she is. "Home."

"Oh," she nods her head and rocks back on her heels. "Okay," she stares at the ground.

I wait a beat, but she says nothing else. I turn back to the Camino, tightening my grip on the handle.

The FotoHut stands in a small, empty, desolate lot. The pavement is cracked and weeds have sprouted in the narrow slits. Faint yellow chips of paint sprinkle the broken ground from a long ago parking lot. The El Camino stands out in this wretched scenery. And yet there is something missing…

"Jackie, where is your car?" I realize.

"Oh, I walked here," she says pointedly.

I whip around to face her again. "You walked here?"
"Yep."
I narrow my eyes in scrutiny as I assess her tone. It was rather suspicious, as was the pleasant grin on her face.

She knew exactly what she was doing, I realize. She walked here, knowing I'd drive her back to the Forman's where her car was when I left. And damn it, she was right.

I didn't want to give her any more reasons to like me, but it wasn't like I could just leave her here in this place. Sure, it was just the sleepy town of Point Place, and Leo was right inside that small square building…but to just drive off and let her walk to the same exact place I was headed? I couldn't worm my way out of this one.

"Just get in the car, Jackie," I mumble, waving my arm dismissively.

"What?" she says innocently.

"You heard me," I grumble.

"Well, Steven…if you insist," she shrugs, then darts over to the passenger side and climbs in.

With one more parting glance behind me, I swallow, then lower myself into the driver's seat.

"Thank you, Steven," Jackie says before I've even put the key in the ignition.

I mumble some incoherent response. And when I glance up at her, she's still grinning. Only now it's triumphant; victorious.

She won. I know she won. She knows I know she won.

I pull out of the parking lot and expel a heavy sigh. "I need the Circle."

Chapter Text

"Jackie, you can't be here," Steven's voice says from behind me.

I close my eyes. I had worried it would come to this point; the point where Steven would kick me out of his life for good.

With my eyes still closed I hear Steven's footsteps come around the side of the couch and I know he's going to sit in his chair. So when I open my eyes, they land directly on him. Surprisingly, he looks back.

"Look, Steven. I came here to apologize," I sit up straight. "And I swear, I'll leave as soon as I'm done. But I really am sorry."

I blink.

Steven crosses his arms. He says nothing.

I should've known he wouldn't make this easy.

I clear my throat, choosing my words carefully before speaking them. "I never meant for you to get in trouble. I just wanted you to think...I don't know anymore. But now all I care about is making sure you don't think I'm some horrible person...or something. And I should've told the Forman's it was my bag right away when they were going to kick you out. And I have no excuse, but I really am sorry," I finish, breathless.

"Okay," Steven says simply. He lifts his feet to the coffee table and turns his attention to the TV.

I watch him, dumbfounded. Okay? That was his response? What did that mean? Was I forgiven? Or did he just want me as far away as possible?

"Well, I'll be leaving then," I grab my purse and stand up so fast I get a head rush.

"Jackie," Steven says his voice strained. "Look, the reason you can't be here is because the Forman's won't allow it."

I turn to face him. I bring my hand to my forehead, still feeling a bit dizzy. "Wha-" I start. Was that supposed to mean something? Did he actually want me here, then? Or...at least not mind me being here?

Damn Steven and his vague Zen.

"Just, sit down Jackie," Steven gives in. "But if Red or Kitty come down here you have to leave," he warns.

A triumphant grins spreads across my lips. Just as I'm about to say something though, Fez bursts through the doors.

"Hello," Fez saunters in. "What's going on?"

Steven looks at Fez for a moment, an expression of disbelief on his face. Then he leans back in his chair, glancing up the stairs to the kitchen. "Nothing man," he says to Fez. "Have a seat."

Chapter Text

I watch, dumbstruck, as Laurie joyfully skips out of the kitchen. Beauty school?

"So Kitty, what do you think?" I ask my wife; perhaps her opinion would help me come up with one of my own.

"Eh," she says. She waves her hand dismissively without looking up.

"Yeah," I echo her sentiment.

I pull the newspaper I had been holding back up, but quickly find that I can't focus on what I am reading. I was hung up on this beauty school thing. Where had the idea come from? When I had talked to Laurie earlier, she told me she was simply biding her time while waiting for a rich husband to take care of her.

Then it hit me. That's what I had said. Not Laurie.

"Oh no," I say out loud.

Kitty looks up at me. "What's wrong?" She gives me a look of concern.

I fold the newspaper closed and rise from my seat. "I think I need to go talk to Laurie."

Kitty says nothing, but watches me closely with a total look of confusion as I make my way across the kitchen toward the living room. There I find Laurie sitting on the couch, her head buried in some brochure. She looks up when she sees me, and a beaming smile spreads across her face.

"Daddy, come here," she says. She lifts up the brochure she had been holding. "I picked this up today. It's all about the cosmetology school in Kenosha. They even hold some classes here in Point Place!" She hands it to me.

I take the brochure and stare at the cover. "Look, sweetheart." I clear my throat uncomfortably. "About before and the, uh…whole husband thing. Really all I want is for you to be happy."

"Thanks, Daddy," Laurie says. She reaches forward and squeezes my arm. "All I want is to make you and mommy proud."

I reach out and pat Laurie on the knee. "You already have, kitten."

Chapter Text

Eager to get the image of my dad moping at the kitchen table in his bathrobe out of my mind, I rush over to the Forman’s. I slide open the door to their kitchen to find Eric and his parents sitting down for breakfast. I feel a little bad about interrupting, but this situation was getting desperate.

“Eric, I need your help,” I announce as I take the empty seat to his left. “My dad’s birthday is tomorrow, and I don’t know what to do to celebrate it with him.” I run my hands down my face anxiously. “My mom is out of town this weekend, and he’s still sad since the store closed, so he’s not really in a celebrating kind of mood.”

Eric swallows the piece of waffle he had been chewing then shrugs. “Well, if he doesn’t want to celebrate, then why are you trying to force him to?”

I sigh, exasperated. “Eric.” My voice is taut, even by my ears.

“Okay, okay.” He sits up in his chair and mimics putting on a thinking cap. “Let’s start with this. Your dad is sad, so what makes him happy?”

“Honestly? Food.”

As I’m saying this, a steaming plate of waffles is set in front of me.

“Oh, Mrs. Forman.” I look up at her smiling face. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to.”

She dismisses my comment with a wave. “What if you take your dad to lunch tomorrow?” she suggests instead.

I consider this as I reach for the maple syrup.

“Think about it,” Mrs. Forman says, the excitement in her voice building. “That way you’re not just getting him food, but you’re also getting him out of the house and spending some quality time with him.”

“You’re right.” I turn to Eric. “Want to come?”

“Yeah, okay,” Eric mumbles through a mouthful of food. He swallows before he speaks again. “Where do you want to take him?”

“Ooh, ooh!” Kitty immediately interjects. “You should go somewhere fancy! Have you kids ever been to The Vineyard?”

My pulse spikes as I flashback to last week, Eric and I fleeing The Vineyard in a not-so-subtle dine and dash gone horribly, horribly wrong. I glance up at Eric, and by the look of alarm on his face, I can tell that he’s reliving that experience right now, too.

“You know,” Eric says, his voice pitched up an octave, his tell that he’s nervous. “I actually hear that The Vineyard isn’t that great.”

I nod. “How about…” I mentally search for the name of another restaurant, any restaurant, really. “Fatso Burger!” I blurt before I have time to think about it too much.

Kitty turns her attention to me. She knits her eyebrows together in confusion. “Fatso Burger?”

I shove a piece of waffle in my mouth, stalling as I attempt to come up with something.

“Um, yeah,” I say eventually. “Fatso Burger is actually my dad’s favorite restaurant.”

It’s not entirely a lie. Fatso Burger was his favorite fast-food joint.

Kitty still looks skeptical. “Well, okay,” she says hesitantly. Then she shifts her scrutinizing gaze to her husband. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Red. What do you think?”

She was right. Mr. Forman had been silent during this entire exchange. I add more syrup to my waffle as I watch him lower his newspaper, a blank look on his face. It’s obvious that he hasn’t been following this conversation. I watch as he searches his wife’s open, eager face for clues.

“Sounds great!” he says, smiling warily.

Mrs. Forman claps the table excitedly. “Wonderful!” She laughs. “I can’t make it because I’m covering a nurse’s shift down at the hospital, but Bob will love to have Red and Eric there.”

She rises from the table and begins clearing empty plates. Mr. Forman watches his wife closely.

“Wait, Kitty.” He clears his throat. “What did I just agree to?”

Kitty smiles innocently as she places the dishes in the sink. Then, as if she anticipated that her husband only agreed because he hadn’t been paying attention, she doesn’t speak until she’s at the door to the living room.

“You’re getting lunch at Fatso Burger tomorrow with Bob and the kids to celebrate his birthday.”

Then she disappears into the living room before Red can so much as take a breath to mount a protest.

Leave it to Mrs. Forman to get things done. I smile at Eric and give him a quick peck on the cheek. Then, like Kitty, I move to make my exit and pointedly ignore the glare Mr. Forman is directing at me.

“See you tomorrow!” I say.

Then I slip out the door, eager to get home and share the news with my dad.

Chapter Text

I wait until the waiter has finished clearing our dishes before reaching across the table to entwine my fingers with my husbands’.

“Thank you for taking me out tonight, Red.” I squeeze his hand. “That was delicious.”

Red’s smile falters, and even in the flickering candle light I can see the way his eyebrows knit together in hesitation. “Yeah, well…”

“What is it?” I ask, confused.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved having a house full of kids, and although he’d never admit it, I knew Red did, too. But sometimes it was nice to get away and just have dinner, the two of us. Red was always more relaxed when it was just the two of us, and he’d been a sweetheart all evening. So, this sudden change in his demeanor was unexpected.

Red considers his words before speaking. “It’s just that…I wanted to take you out tonight so you wouldn’t have to cook today,” Red explains. “But then Eric got it in his head to cook for Donna tonight, and you offered to help him. And I know you Kitty, you probably ended up doing most of the cooking yourself.”

“Oh, Red.” I chuckle, removing my fingers from his so I can slap his hand playfully.

“It’s not funny, Kitty. He ruined my Valentine’s Day for you.”

“Oh, he did not.” I wave my free hand dismissively. “And anyway, Eric insisted on doing most of the cooking anyway.” I pause, then add as an afterthought, “I really hope he did a good job, especially after what he did to Donna.”

“What did he do now?” Red whines.

I hate to sour his mood further, but I knew I needed to tell Red. Eric hadn’t believed me earlier when I insisted Donna wasn’t as fine as she said she was over the whole pants-ing incident. Maybe he would believe Red.

“Eric…pantsed Donna in the driveway in front of Steven and Fez.” I sigh.

“Dumbass,” Red mutters. “And Donna bothered showing up to dinner tonight?”

I nod my head. “Well, that’s just the thing. Donna insisted that she was fine, but I think…”

Red finishes for me. “We both know that she’s not fine. Fine never means fine. And Eric’s too much of a dumbass to know it.”

I give Red a knowing look. “Something that runs in the family.” He closes his mouth, humbled. “But, you’ve come a long way, which is why I think – ”

“I’ll talk to Eric,” Red says, meeting my eyes.

A smile creeps onto my face. Red could be such a softie. He didn’t like to see Eric and Donna fight any more than I did. And I’m suddenly filled with the most overwhelming love for my husband. I take in his dark navy jacket and his red tie that he chose to wear specifically to coordinate with my red dress. He took me out to this wonderful dinner so I wouldn’t have to cook and was the most wonderful father to our kids. Red Forman was wonderful.

My eyes grow misty, and I dab at the corner of one of my eyes with my free hand.

“What’s wrong?” Red asks, concern written all over his face.

“Nothing,” I blurt. I smile. “Everything’s…”

“Fine?” Red teases.

I can’t help it. I burst out laughing right there in the middle of the restaurant, causing Red to beam, and my heart to swell.

“No,” I say. “Everything’s wonderful.”

Chapter Text

“This is what happened to my heart when I found out that Laurie was cheating on me,” Kelso says, frowning. He holds up a giant heart-shaped cookie and splits it in half, right down the middle. Then, because he’s Kelso, he takes a bite and grins. “Mmm, it’s lemon.”

Laurie cheated on Kelso. Laurie cheated on Kelso. It was poetic justice at its finest. Karma.

I should be laughing my ass off. After all, it was funny. But a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder about how Jackie would take the news. And I was too bothered by this fact to find much humor in the moment.

“I mean how could she do this?” Kelso prattles on. “I really thought we had something.”

Later, I’d tell myself that had Kelso said anything else, I probably would’ve kept my mouth shut. But questioning how Laurie could cheat on him when he knew full well after doing the exact same thing to Jackie? Yeah, that pissed me off.

The words are out of my mouth before I can think about it too much.

“Probably the same way you did it to Jackie,” I tell Kelso. There is no remorse or sympathy in my voice. “Only this time its even funnier ‘cause its you.” I force myself to laugh. “It’s a good day.”

Fez starts talking about Caroline, but my thoughts turn inward. Man, why was I still defending Jackie? Why was I still thinking about Jackie at all? She and I had barely said two words to one another for three months now. She’d finally gotten over her silly crush on me. And better yet, she was done being heartbroken over Kelso too. Life was good.

But then Laurie cheated on Kelso. And now he was being a hypocrite, feeling sorry for himself. And I was angry – on Jackie’s behalf.

“Oh, hey. Where’d Fez go?” I ask. Last I remembered, he’d been talking about Caroline.

Forman shifts his eyes from the stupid panties he bought Donna over to me. “He left to go meet Caroline.”  He pauses. “Man, I’m such an idiot!” Forman rises from the table, banging his knee in the process. He clutches the panties. “I’m throwing these away. I’ve got to fix this thing with Donna.”

No kidding.

Forman heads for the kitchen. I’m about to get up and follow him – how could this not be good? – when I hear Kelso sniff next to me. I glance at him. One of the cookie halves is now completely gone and he’s moved on to the other half. I feel my anger spike again. I grab the cookie from him.

“Hyde,” Kelso whines. “Give me back my cookie!”

“No.” My voice is firm. I start to eat his cookie, waiting to see what he will do next.

It takes a moment. I’m taking my second bite when he speaks again.

“Hyde, what did you mean when you said it was like how I did it to Jackie?” Kelso’s voice is soft, timid.

I roll my eyes and try not to let my anger get the best of me. This could be my only chance to knock some sense into Kelso.

“You cheated on Jackie with Laurie. And now Laurie cheated on you, got it?”

“I know that, Hyde.”

“I’m not done,” I say. “How you feel right now? That’s how Jackie felt, except even worse because she was actually in love with you.”

“I loved Laurie,” Kelso says defensively.

“No, you didn’t. And let’s be honest, you never truly trusted her either. But Jackie trusted you.”

“Oh my God, you’re right, Hyde,” Kelso says. He stands up from the table and starts pacing back and forth across the length of the room. “What am I gonna do?”

I narrow my eyes at him. It was a vague question. What was he going to do about what? About Jackie? Laurie? His own heartbreak or guilt? Regardless, I only cared about him doing one thing.

“Fall on your own sword, man,” I mutter.

“What?” Kelso stops pacing and turns toward me.

I don’t know if he just didn’t hear me, or if he didn’t understand what I meant. So, I rephrase.

I sigh. “You need to apologize to Jackie.”

“I’ve already apol – ”

“No. Those weren’t real apologies,” I tell him. I stand up so we are facing each other from across the table. “That was you telling her what you thought she wanted to hear so she would forgive you and go back to you. You need to give her a real apology and mean it, and not expect anything from her in return.”

It’s silent for a long time. Kelso just stares at me, his mouth parted and his hands bracing the back of the chair. I refuse to break eye contact, because if I do, it would be admitting something.

When he takes a deep breath to speak, I’m afraid of what he’s going to say. But he doesn’t say what I think he’s going to say.

“You’re absolutely right, Hyde.” Kelso nods his head. “Yeah, I’m going to go over to Donna’s right now and apologize to Jackie. I’ve waited far too long to give her that apology.”

And just like that he sprints out the side door and I am alone in the dining room. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and feel the tension fade from my shoulders and jaw. I fall back into my chair, suddenly relieved.

I was afraid Kelso was going to ask me why I cared so much about him cheating on Jackie.

Before I’d gone on my date with her, I could’ve just written it off as the principle of what is right and wrong. But now…now it was a lot more than that, but I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to see it. By bringing up Jackie tonight, I’d been afraid that my friends would’ve seen it, too.

But they hadn’t. Nobody had said anything. They’d all seemed to forget about my temporary lapse from sanity when I’d gone out with Jackie on Veteran’s Day. Forman, Kelso, and Fez had all gotten over it. Just like Jackie had.

So why couldn’t I? 

Chapter Text

“What are you being all twitchy about?”

I bite my lip as Donna appears from behind me and lowers herself on the couch next to me. I must be more nervous than I realized, particularly since ‘twitchy’ was a word she typically reserved for describing Eric.

I slide my notebook over to her. “The last test for Michael,” I explain.

I watch Donna closely for her reaction as she reads through the paper in my notebook. I’d been sitting alone in the basement for the last half hour, perfecting the details of the last test. This was the most important test, so it had to be just right.

I’d come over for this very reason – getting Donna’s feedback on my plan. But I’d also come for the usual antics that happened down here, in hopes of distracting me from my nerves about the last test. But when I got here, the basement was eerily quiet. I’d told Michael to meet me at The Hub later, so I figured he wouldn’t be here. But Donna, Eric, Steven, and Fez had also been nowhere to be found.

So much for getting my mind off the test.

Donna looks up. “So…you’re testing his fidelity?” she asks. I nod. She hesitates a moment before speaking again. “Jackie…are you sure you want to open that can of worms? His cheating is the reason you broke up in the first place,” she says gently.

“Exactly!” I say emphatically. “So, if he’s really ready to be in a relationship with me again like I think he is, then he shouldn’t have any trouble passing this last test.”

“I just don’t want you to be crushed if he doesn’t pass the test,” Donna adds.

Donna’s hesitation was starting to make me nervous…well, even more nervous than I already was. I guess that’s what sitting alone in the basement for so long could do to you. Make you start to overthink.

“I won’t be,” I say, but I don’t think I’ve convinced her. “Look, Donna. Michael failed two tests and passed two tests. That means that it all comes down to this test. I think it's only natural for me to be feeling a little bit anxious about it.”

Donna watches me closely. “Okay,” she says eventually, passing the notebook back to me. “I’ll back off. But…can I just ask you one more thing?”

I sit up straight, trying to exude confidence. “Sure.”

Donna points at the now closed notebook in my lap. “It’s just…are you sure you want to base this really important decision entirely on these tests?”

I sigh and fall back against the couch. So much for exuding confidence. “I have to, Donna. I need a sign, because I don’t know what to do otherwise,” I admit.

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“I mean…” I pause, considering how I could best explain this to her. “Okay, its like this. If someone were to burst through that door right now and tell me that they were my soulmate, and not Michael, then I’d take that as the sign I’m looking for,” I explain, pointing at the basement door. “But that’s not gonna happen. So, these tests are my way of creating a sign.”

 Donna tilts her head. “But if you have to create it, is it really a sign?”

I huff, growing annoyed. I bite back a retort about Donna being difficult, and remind myself that she’s just doing this because she cares.

“Sorry, I know. That was another question,” Donna says, backing off.

“No, it’s fine. But…these tests are all I have.” I shrug and then I glance at my watch. “Anyway, I better get to The Hub. Frank agreed to let me hide in the kitchen to spy on Michael.”

I rise from the couch and grab my notebook and purse.

“Okay, well. Good luck, then. I guess?” Donna says, and I appreciate her attempt to be supportive.

“Thanks.” I start heading for the steps. “Hopefully, I won’t need it.”

But after ascending only three of the steps, I hesitate. I don’t know what makes me do it, but I turn and spare one last glance at the basement door, anticipation unfurling in my chest.

But the door stays firmly shut.

o-o-o

I’m cuddling with Michael on the couch 3 hours later when the basement door bursts open.

Donna, Michael, and I all watch, speechless, as Fez, Steven, and Eric stumble in, beaten, bloodied, and battered.

“What the hell happened to you guys?” Donna breaks the silence.

“We got beaten up,” Eric says flatly.

“By men,” Steven adds.

“By big, strong, men,” Eric amends.

Fez mutters something to the guys as the rest of us continue to watch them in confusion.

“Wait, didn’t you guys go to Fort Anderson yesterday?” I ask.

Steven turns to me. “We got locked in. Overnight.”

“No way, really?” Michael exclaims giddily from my side.

Steven’s gaze shifts from me to Michael. He nods once.

Well, I guess that explained why the basement was empty earlier today. I don’t know why, but the fact that they were locked away, unable to get to the basement, leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Steven is still looking at me and Michael on the couch. I glance away. Suddenly, I can’t meet his gaze.

Chapter Text

Stunned, Hyde exchanged a glance with Red before turning his head in the direction where Jackie had emerged from under the Vista Cruiser before she rolled back under to find the U-joint.

The U-joint. How the hell did Jackie know what a U-joint was?

When she’d first rolled out from underneath the car, Hyde had felt a stab of annoyance that she’d overheard his conversation with Red about walking out on his mom during Career Day. But after taking in the sight of her with goggles ensnared in her curls and grease smeared across her cheeks and fingers, the annoyance was quickly replaced with something he couldn’t exactly define, but that had the corners of his mouth pulling up in a grin.

Jackie didn’t emerge again, so Hyde turned his focus back to Red who raised his eyebrows at him in a silent challenge. What that challenge was exactly, Hyde didn’t know, but he kept his mouth shut all the same.

“Jackie, come on out,” Red said, rising and wiping the grease off his hands with a rag. “I’ll make you and Steven some lunch before he goes back to school with his mother.”

Hyde hurriedly stood up as well. “Red, I – ”

“How about sandwiches, hmm?” he asked, effectively shutting down Hyde’s protests.

“Sounds great,” came Jackie’s voice, only this time it wasn’t muffled from being underneath the car. Red and Hyde both looked down at her. She’d rolled back out from underneath the car, proudly holding the aforementioned U-joint in her hands. “And just in time. Look what I found.”

Red actually grinned.  Hyde couldn’t decide what was more shocking; Red’s smile or junior-mechanic Jackie.

“Nice work, Jackie,” Red said. “I’m going to go wash my hands. Meet you both in the kitchen.”

Hyde turned to follow Red, but Jackie called out to him. “Wait, Hyde, can you pass me that rag?” She pointed to the cloth Red had left on the shelf. “I don’t want to get this grease all over my clothes.”

“A little late for that,” he said, but handed her the rag anyway.

She took the rag, her eyes widening. “What?” she asked, sitting up and inspecting her clothes, looking dismayed.

“It’s on your face, too.” Hyde bit back a grin, but grabbed another clean cloth off the shelf and handed it to her.

“Great,” Jackie mumbled as she started wiping at her cheeks.

“It suits you,” Hyde said cheekily, just to bug her.

Jackie shot a glare in Hyde’s direction, one that conveyed that she was not amused. He shrugged and sat down on the ground across from her. He took the U-joint out of her hands, the metal cold in his palm. “I had no idea you wanted to be a mechanic so badly.”

“I don’t.”

Hyde held up the worn-out U-joint between them. Jackie rolled over to him and snatched it out of his hands.

“Then why aren’t you at Career Day with one of your own parents?” he asked, more curious than he cared to admit.

Jackie shrugged and let out a long sigh. “Well, my mom won’t let me anywhere near the real estate office since that pool kegger incident,” she said bitterly, shooting an accusatory look in his direction. Then she averted her gaze. “And Daddy says that politics is no place for a woman.”

“And that bothers you,” Hyde said as observation.

“Not really, no.” She paused. “I mean, I suppose it would bother me more if I actually were interested in a career in politics, but I’m not.”

Jackie hesitated again and wrung the rag nervously in her hands. Twist and release. Twist and release.

“I wouldn’t have minded spending the day with my dad, though,” she added.

Hyde watched her silently for a moment, getting the feeling that there was something more she wasn’t saying. “And?” he finally prompted her.

She looked up at him from under her eyelashes. Hyde stared back, keeping his body still, unwilling to show any signs of his discomfort. Talking this earnestly was Jackie, even if he hadn’t said much, made him feel exposed. Vulnerable.

 Jackie bit her lip, but eventually her desire to talk obviously won out.

“And…I think that Mr. Forman is right and you should go back to school with your mom. At least she wants you there with her for Career Day. Fez too. I can’t say the same for either one of my parents.”

Anger flared in Hyde’s chest, but he dismissed it quickly. Jackie didn’t know the full story about his mom, about how it was more than her accusations of Hyde being just like his father. Jackie’s unsolicited advice was well-meaning, if misguided.

“Yeah, well,” Hyde said bitterly. “‘Lunch lady’ isn’t exactly high on my list of career choices.”

“Fair enough.” Jackie nodded. “But if you don’t go back, what are you going to write about for the assignment?”

Hyde shrugged. The truth was that he probably would just take the F on this one, but he wasn’t going to tell Jackie that.

Jackie was quiet for a long time, turning the U-joint over in her hands. Then she took a breath like she was going to say something, but stopped and reconsidered.

“What?” he asked, unable to keep the exasperation out of his voice.

“Nothing. It’s just…” Jackie paused and glanced up at him. “Believe it or not, ‘Gross Edna’ is actually my favorite lunch lady. I know, I know…” She held up her hands defensively when Hyde looked at her in complete disbelief.

“When I had that pregnancy scare a few weeks back? Well, when your mom found out – which, of course she did because gossip spreads like wildfire at our school – she gave me extra food at lunch every day until I found out I wasn’t actually pregnant. An extra cookie or an extra-large helping of fries. She never said anything and she never charged me for the extra food.”

“Your point?” Hyde asked, not unkindly, but a bit impatiently.

Jackie met his gaze, unflinching. “My point is that ‘lunch lady’ isn’t high on my list of careers either. And I still think your mom is gross; she smells like cigarette smoke and her make up is cheap. But her small act of kindness was really the only thing that got me through the school day when I thought I was pregnant. I don’t claim to know anything about your relationship with your mom, but I thought that instead of getting an F for not completing the assignment,” she paused knowingly, “you could maybe write about what she did for me instead. You know, as long as you keep my name out of it.”

For the second time since Hyde arrived at the Forman’s, Jackie left him stunned. At first, he couldn’t really believe her depth, but then…they’d been seeing glimpses of this side of Jackie a lot more ever since she broke up with Kelso. She knew that Hyde was thinking of failing the assignment and suspected there was more to the story than meets the eye when it came to Hyde’s relationship with his mom, but she didn’t push nosily for details. She also saw past his mom’s appearance and was able to find something good in his mother, something that Hyde often struggled to do himself.

Hyde didn’t say any of this to her, though. Instead, he took a different approach. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll go back to school with my mom and Fez and write what you said, but you have to write about your day learning mechanics with Red Forman.”

Jackie smiled, its radiance taking Hyde by surprise. It caused a knot in his gut to unwind, and a very different one to tie up in its place.

“Oh, I intend to,” she said. “He already taught me how to change a tire and later he’s going to teach me how to replace this U-joint.”

At the mention of Red, his voice shouted to them from the Forman kitchen. “Your sandwiches aren’t going to eat themselves,” he called in warning.

“Come on, let’s go.” Hyde chuckled.

He rose, offering Jackie a hand. When he started heading for the house, she shot out a hand to stop him, her delicate fingers wrapping tightly around his wrist.

“Hyde, wait.”

He turned to face her. She was biting her lip again. He had to drag his gaze back up to meet her eyes.

“I sort of told Red that sophomores don’t have Career Day. He thinks I’m just hanging out. So don’t tell him, okay?”

“Why?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Because I don’t want him to know I lied.”

“No, I mean why did you lie?”

Jackie hesitated. “Because I didn’t want his pity if he knew that neither of my parents let me join them for Career Day.”

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “But you told me,” Hyde reminded her.

“You asked.” Jackie shrugged. When Hyde crossed his arms, a silent challenge, she threw her arms up in defeat. “Fine. And because I knew you wouldn’t pity me.” She cocked her head. “Because I think you get it.”

The thing was, Hyde did get it. Although it bothered him that somehow, Jackie knew that.

“So, just don’t tell him, okay?” Jackie pleaded.

Hyde rolled his eyes and took a step towards her. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to Red.”

“Thank you.”

Then Hyde snatched the rag she was holding out of her hands and used it to wipe a smudge of grease off her cheek that she had missed. Up close, he could see the way they immediately bloomed with heat.

“Our friends on the other hand,” he said, his voice low as he met her eyes with a grin, “they’re gonna hear all about this.”

Jackie’s mouth dropped open in shock. Her cheeks flushed an even deeper scarlet and her nostrils flared with indignation. Before she could say anything, Hyde slipped into the kitchen with a smirk; getting a rise out of Jackie lit him up more than he’d ever admit.