Disclaimer: I don't own characters, show, etc.

Warning: Mild language

AN: This is the sequel to Reawakening. I just couldn't stop myself! It's going to be a bit heavier, but I'll try to stay true to character as much as possible. I just do drama better than comedy. :) Just remember, I believe in happy endings! And due to a very sweet suggestion I received, I think this is going to end up being a trilogy. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy it!

Convincing

Chapter 1 – She's NOT Pregnant!

A month after the ending of Reawakening, late August

The day was warm and full of sunshine, the perfect day for a ballgame. And thanks to WB Barnett, Jackie, Hyde, Donna, Eric, Kelso, Fez, Red and Kitty found themselves in Milwaukee's County Stadium, watching the Brewers destroy the detested White Sox. It was a perfect day, Hyde thought, grinning as he took a bite out of the hot dog Jackie had just bought him. "Thanks for the dog, Jackie," he said, glancing to his right where his girlfriend sat. Donna sat on the other side of her, Eric on the other side of Donna. Kitty sat behind Eric, Red behind Donna, Fez behind Jackie and Kelso was behind Hyde.

Jackie smiled as best she could at him and prayed he didn't notice that her heart wasn't in it. She wasn't feeling well, her head was aching beyond belief, and her stomach was a bit off, but she didn't want him to be aware of that. After all, a sick girl was NOT a pretty girl! But who was she kidding? He never noticed stuff like that. He never even noticed when her hair was done differently than he was used to. Or at least he never commented about it. As a result, she had absolutely no idea how he liked her to wear her hair, and sometimes it drove her crazy. She looked down at the small tub of caramel corn she'd bought for herself and picked a few kernels up to munch on.

He made a face. "Man, how can you eat that stuff?" he asked. For the life of him, he would never understand why anyone liked caramel corn.

Jackie stared at the caramel corn that just five minutes ago had sounded so good. Now, though, the smell of it, the taste of it, even just the look of it was sending waves of increasingly intense nausea through her stomach. "I…oh GOD!" She stood up, dropping the tub and spilling caramel corn all over the ground. She hurriedly slipped past Donna and Eric to the aisle, her hand clasped over her mouth, and took off up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her.

The entire group watched her go, and Hyde frowned. Maybe she was sick. She'd been surprisingly quiet today, almost out of sorts.

Kelso leaned forward and patted Hyde's shoulder. "Well, looks like SOMEONE's pregnant," he stated knowingly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Hyde rolled his eyes and shrugged Kelso's hand off of him. "Kelso…"

Fez leaned forward. "No, no, she cannot be pregnant," he said with a slight pout. "Her boobs are not bigger. They are still the perfect size for the palms of my hands." He grinned at Kelso and held his hands out in front of him, making slight squeezing motions.

Hyde grimaced and reached behind him with his left fist to pummel Fez's knee cap. Hard.

"AIII! Hyde!"

Now grinning, he turned to look at Fez over his shoulder. "Be careful, man. You don't want your chin meeting your ass again." He shook his head and turned to look forward again, his eyes trailed on the field even though he really didn't see anything. "Jackie's not pregnant, okay?"

"She's having morning sickness," Kelso said. "I should know. Brooke had it all the time…like every…morning."

Hyde glanced over his right shoulder and glared at Kelso. "It's not morning, idiot," he snapped. God, what WAS wrong with Jackie? She'd told him that her headaches were getting better. Besides, her headaches hadn't been making her nauseous, at least not to his knowledge.

"Well, when I was pregnant with Eric, I was sick all the time," Kitty chimed in, leaning over Red's lap. "It wasn't fun. I could barely go anywhere three feet away from the bathroom!" She laughed.

Red rolled his eyes. "You were sick all the time because you knew Eric was a dumbass even then," he said dryly.

Eric shook his head and smirked. "I feel so…loved." He looked at Donna, and she smiled at him in amusement.

Hyde sighed, losing some patience. "Look, she's NOT pregnant!" He shook his head. "God!" Of course she wasn't pregnant. She couldn't be pregnant. Since they'd gotten back together, they hadn't had sex yet. Not really by his choice. Just hadn't had a good opportunity. So unless she was the second Virgin Mary, and he knew otherwise, there was no way in hell she could be pregnant.

"Well, something is wrong with her," Donna said. She looked expectantly at Hyde. "Aren't you going to go check on her?"

"She's puking, so, uh…no," he said. Donna's pointed look became a disgusted glare, and he shrugged. "She went to the ladies room, Donna. I can't exactly go in there and check on her, now can I?"

"Maybe you cannot, but I can," Fez interjected, standing up.

Donna and Hyde both looked back at him with disgusted looks on their faces. "Sit down!" Hyde growled.

Donna stood up. "Fine. I'll go." She gave Hyde a raised eyebrow. "To check on YOUR girlfriend."

Hyde nodded and turned back to the game. He watched a pop fly float down into the shortstop's glove, but it didn't mean anything to him. He was too distracted. Jackie hadn't been herself today, or lately, really, and now she was apparently sick. What in the hell was going on with her?

About fifteen minutes later, Jackie returned to the group's seats and gingerly sat down next to Steven. She felt a little better, although her head was killing her, and the pain was spreading to all around her right eye. She smiled at him when he looked at her, trying to hide it all. "Hi. Sorry for…uh…rul…runp…runnning out on you." She shook her head; why had that been so hard to say?

He stared at her. Her face was pale and her features were tight. And she was speaking funny, almost like she was drunk. "You okay?" She nodded, then turned her head towards the baseball diamond. He continued to stare at her, and watched silently as she raised her right hand to rub the spot behind her temple where her headaches always were. "Headache?" Another nod. "Did you take one of your pills?" He felt like a nagging parent, but damn it, he wasn't used to her being this uncommunicative, and it was beginning to get on his nerves.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Yes, I did, oki…olki…okay?" She looked at him, and her eyes widened. There was two Steven's in front of her, frowning at her. She rubbed her right hand over her eyes for a few moments, praying that when she took her hand away, her vision would have cleared up. This double vision thing had been happening occasionally since the accident, and Jackie kept hoping it would go away. Surely it meant that she needed glasses, and she just did NOT want to get glasses! She took her hand away, and to her relief, only one Steven looked back at her.

Hyde put his left hand on her thigh. He looked into her eyes and noticed that her pupils were slightly dilated. "Did you go down a six pack or something? You look drunk." She did, but he knew she hadn't and wasn't. And that made his stomach tighten. She lifted a shoulder weakly and looked down. "Jackie," his voice lowered. "What is wrong?"

She just shook her head, scooted closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. She was so tired; maybe he'd let her sleep on his shoulder. Just for a little while. She closed her eyes and smiled slightly. His shoulder was so nice. Made for her head to rest on.

For a moment, Hyde just sat still, looking at the top of Jackie's head. He wasn't sure what to do. Jackie wasn't talking, and that completely baffled him. Somewhere along the line he'd become so accustomed to her that now that she wasn't acting normally, he had no idea what to do. Of course, she wasn't asking anything of him right now, except for his shoulder. Maybe that's all she needed. And a shoulder he could do. He shrugged her head up, lifted his left arm and wrapped it around her, drawing her head back to him, and grinned slightly when she nuzzled in closer.

"Awwwwww, how sweet!" Kelso teased tauntingly from behind them.

Hyde reacted quickly, shooting his elbow back to connect with Kelso's shin. Hard.

"OW! DAMN, HYDE!"

Hyde heard a tiny giggle, and he smiled down at Jackie's head. But the smile quickly faded.

Something is really, really wrong.

He blinked rapidly. No. Nothing was wrong. Jackie was just worn out. She'd been tired since the accident, and that made sense. She'd had major surgery. Of course it was taking some time for her to bounce back. Before he knew it, she'd be her normal self. Her normal annoying self. Her normal, oddly adorable self.

And he'd miss the quiet.

But not really.

A few hours later, Hyde sat in the back seat of the Vista Crusier, heading home. It was getting dark out, and that suited him just fine. The car was quiet; Fez and Kelso were sleeping in the back, and Eric and Donna were pretending not to make out. Red and Kitty were talking softly in the front seat.

The game had been great, aside from whatever was going on with Jackie, although she'd perked up a bit after taking a nap on his shoulder. Now she was back on his shoulder again, and his hand idly stroked the back of her head. Mmmm, her hair was so soft. Like a kitten's fur. She was right. That new conditioner she was using was amazing.

He rolled his eyes. God, see what she's done to me?

She lifted her head up, and he looked down at her. "Steven?" she whispered.

"Hey," he answered softly. "Thought you were sleeping."

Jackie nodded sleepily. "I was, but …" She didn't really want to talk. All she wanted was for him to kiss her. He'd hate her for even thinking it, but he'd been so sweet to her today. And she was feeling incredible tenderness for him that she'd never be able to put into words. And so she lifted her chin towards his face, parting her lips slightly and hoping he'd get the message.

He did. He lowered his head and kissed her softly, over and over again with gentle presses of his lips against hers. His hand cupped the back of her neck and brought her closer. Her tongue gently, almost chastely, flickered against his lips, and he responded with his own slow, soft touches. She shivered, and he smiled as he ended the sweet kisses. He opened his eyes and watched hers do the same in the dimming light. "Feel better?"

Jackie nodded. And she did. Because of him. "Steven, do you think you could…" She hesitated. Why was this hard for her? It wasn't as if they'd never spent the night together before. And she wanted to tonight. She wanted him to be with her tonight. All night. "Do you think you could stay over at the apartment with me tonight?"

He really didn't have to think twice. Even if they didn't have sex, which he hoped they would, but still…sleeping in the same bed with her had definite advantages. "Sure," he answered. She smiled and cuddled up to him again, and he sighed and pulled at her shoulder, moving her closer to him.

That annoying voice returned.

Something is really, really wrong.

He closed his eyes. No. Nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong at all.