Give Me Another Chance

I don't own anything. All songs/lyrics are by the band Big Star.

Chapter 1: Better Save Yourself

They were together for almost two days. That had to be some kind of record or something.

"Jackie"

"Fez"

They had both started speaking at the same time. After their forced midnight kiss, they had to admit to themselves that this had been a mistake. Jackie hugged Fez softly, he was after all, one of her dearest friends, and no break up was going to ruin that.

"Are we ok, then?" She had asked him quietly, hoping against hope that she could escape the Foreman living room before Fez broke the news to the Three Stooges.

"Ai, Jackie. I will just have to return to loving you from afar. As beautiful as you are, sometimes it's just not enough…wait what am I saying?" He grinned at her, and she giggled, glad to know that they would be fine.

"All right Fezzy, I think I'm going to go home then." And with that she grabbed her purse and walked out the front door, making a clean get away.

I need a car. She thought as she strolled along. Her dad's Lincoln was still sitting in the driveway at home, but she didn't like to drive the big car.

"I've been a father a long time, so trust me when I tell you this…the Mustang's front end is problematic, get yourself a Firebird"

She smiled at the memory of the only real father figure she had ever had.

I'm off the street,

I'm all alone.

Alone. She just needed to be alone. She changed direction, instead of heading to her apartment; she steered toward her parents' house. More than likely, no on was using it. She was sure her mom was probably out of town, and if not, she was probably out drinking, it was New Year's Eve after all.

Her mind wandered to Fez. She was so sure that everything would work out with him, that he was perfect. He wasn't perfect, though. He was definitely a good friend, but she just could bring herself to feel anything more than that for him. She was sick of waiting for a man to come through for her. She was tired of depending on other people in general. From now on she was going to make things happen for herself.

The sound of footsteps fell on the pavement behind her. She spun, her heart rate quickening.

"Jackie!" Hyde's voice rang out through the cold night air. It amazed her that his voice could still send shivers down her spine. She convinced herself it was just the cold.

"What is it Steven…I'm really not in the mood for your immature crap right now." She said it quietly, but he heard the note of pain in her voice.

"No, man. I just…Fez told us…Can I walk you home?" She looked up at him, and he thought he saw a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes.

"Thank you, Steven." She laced her arm through his, enjoying the warmth and closeness of his body.

"So…what happened?" He asked, with genuine concern in his voice.

"It just wasn't…going to work, nothing ever does. So what's the point? Every one always ends up leaving in the end, I'm just sick of being disappointed." She said it sadly but with such finality, it shocked him that such a thing could come out of her mouth, usually Jackie could be depended upon to be naively optimistic. The Jackie Burkhart he knew would never give up on finding true love. He stopped, turning to her,

"Jackie, what's wrong with you? What happened to you?" She looked up at him with her mismatched eyes. There was a hardness there he had never seen before.

"My dad, my mom, Michael, and well you. Now Donna is leaving too. Every one leaves, so what's the point in putting your faith in them? If there's one thing I've learned in the last year it's that people only disappoint you." With that she turned on her heel and continued down the street. This wasn't entirely true. Fez had been there for her. But the one person she thought must be perfect for her; she barely had luke warm feelings for. Love clearly wasn't working for Jackie, and she refused to let love continue to wear her down.

"Jackie!" He called out for the second time. "Jackie." He caught up to her. "Come on, I don't want you to walk home all alone."

After he left her at her doorstep, Hyde leaned against a tree, thinking. How did this happen? He remembered that it was she who always made him feel that there was still some good in the world. Now it was obvious that she didn't believe that any more.

It hit him like a ton of bricks. When she was with him, before she was with him, she had been happy, she had been able to put her faith in people. Now, after he had broken her heart, she didn't believe in those who loved her any more, she had become…well him.

I know you're mine,

He treats you nice,

It's suicide, I know I tried it twice.

She stood at her bedroom window. The note she had found on the table fell lightly to the floor.

Jackie-

I've gone to Acapulco! I've bought a little cabana there.

Call me if you need anything, or if you just want to come for a visit.

Mom

The house was still, quieter than ever. All the furniture was covered by sheets. The mansions' large windows had been covered by their shutters. She would have to call the maintenance man tomorrow, and hire him back. She had made her decision. She couldn't live with Fez anymore. She needed to quit relying on other people. She had to quit that dead end job at the salon and find something else. Her parent's house was empty; she could live there and learn to take care of herself.

Jackie sighed deeply and turned to face her empty bedroom. Abba and the Captain and Tennille stared back at her.

"Looks like I'll be doing some redecorating."

She walked over to her dresser, and pulled out a nightgown. She slipped out of her purple dress, letting it fall the floor. She enjoyed the sensation of the light cotton as it slid over her small frame. Then she turned toward her tiny four-poster bed, and crawled in between its welcoming sheets. Without a second thought she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

You should've given your love to jesus.

It couldn't do you no harm.

You've been sitting on your ass,

Trying to find some grace

But you better save yourself

Hyde lay heavily on his cot. Everyone had left long ago, and the Foreman house was quiet around him. He turned to the dresser next to his bed and pulled out the picture he always kept there of Jackie. He looked into her eyes, trying to remember when they had changed, when they had become so cold, so…dead. Now she looked like there was nothing left inside her. Silently he mourned for the girl he had loved, he had a feeling she was gone forever.

Just like always, he wanted to save her. He knew he had been an ass to her for the last year. But he had no idea that she had needed him so badly. The she needed something.

Maybe he needed something too.

I'm off the street

I'm all alone

I just can't think

What I've been doing wrong