A/N: I'm back...again! Just pumping out some stories while I'm bored and on holiday. This one is just about finished so I'll be updating daily, it might be one chapter per day or maybe two...I haven't decided yet. Anyway this one is shorter than the my last story and I hope you enjoy it.

Back story: Jackie and Hyde never had a relationship (except one of mutual despise) in Point Place. Most significant events we saw between them on the series never happened although a few things did. Please read and review and tell me what you think. Oh and big thanks to SwanseaGurl and CuriosityKilledThePirate for your advice...I really appreciate it!

Oh and I don't own T70S or any characters blah blah blah (I so wish I did though)

October 3rd, 1980

5.45pm

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Halls of Residence

Jackie trudged up the corridor and avoided looking at the faces of the strangers who passed her by. Strangers who didn't notice the immaculately groomed former head cheerleader of Point Place High. Strangers who didn't care how important she was, or rather, once was. She could hear them chatting, laughing, and generally having fun, and it wasn't helping her mood one little bit. Back in Point Place she had been one of those people, she had been the one with lots of friends, but here at college, she was the outsider. She was the girl she had once mocked.

Once she reached her small dormitory room she closed the door and tried to shut out the sounds of the 'popular' people. Her tiny room had become her safe haven in a world where she didn't belong. It was where she could pretend she was still the Jackie Burkhart of old; the one who not only fit in, but also determined what was cool and uncool – well in her own head anyway. These college people just hadn't bothered to notice how amazing she really was and it was their loss, not hers. Well that's what she tried to tell herself on a daily basis anyway.

It was a Friday evening and everyone was buzzing, planning what they were going to do to celebrate the start of the weekend. They were of course parent free so the world, or in this case, Milwaukee, was their oyster. Jackie on the other hand, had been parent free for what felt like years now. Her dad was in prison, her mom was busy finding a new husband in Mexico, so the only parent figure Jackie had in her life was Bob Pinciotti. But Bob, bless him, had always felt more like a guardian to Jackie than a father so she had been pretty much free for a while now.

Jackie pushed aside the dozen stuffed animals on her bed and lay down. The bed and the toys had become her sanctuary over the last two weeks and as comforting as they were they were no replacement for Donna. How she missed that great big redhead. Donna and Eric had left Point Place a year ago to go to college in Madison, and as much as Jackie had tried, she had failed to secure a spot and join them. Hence why she was currently lying on her bed on a Friday night with no friends and no social life.

Rolling onto her back Jackie felt a jab in her thigh and remembered the address and number Donna had just given her over the phone. She dug into her jean pocket, pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and opened it up. Steven Hyde, now there was a blast from the past. After listening to Jackie sob for three quarters of an hour about her loneliness Donna had insisted she call Hyde. Apparently the scruffy burnout was now living in Milwaukee and managing a local bar. Jackie found this information amusing; while she hadn't seen Hyde for over a year she always knew his future would include alcohol and skanky girls that frequent bars.

She played with the paper for a while, tossing up whether she was desperate enough to go see a guy that she'd always despised, or whether she should stay in her room and cry a little more. While she pondered this non-life changing question her door burst open and in waltzed her roommate prompting Jackie to kick her legs over the side of the bed and sit up.

Brushing away a few stray tears from her cheek she smiled up at the tall brunette. "Hey Sarah," she said trying to sound bubbly.

Sarah didn't bother looking at Jackie, instead she continued to rifle through the mountain of clothes strewn across her bed, only managing to mumble a barely audible "hey".

Jackie had tried, more than once, over the last few weeks to talk to Sarah but the girl just didn't seem interested. The posters of The Clash and The Dead Kennedys that were plastered over the cement brick walls on Sarah's side of the room provided a clue as to why she would not want to be friends with a small town cheerleader who loved ABBA. But Jackie Burkhart was not one to give up, she may not be what Sarah thought was 'cool', but she was persistent nonetheless.

"So," Jackie began, "what are you up to tonight?"

Sarah stopped rummaging through her black clothes for a moment and turned her head toward Jackie.

"Um, a few of us are going to a rave," she said before turning away again.

Jackie's eyes lit up, this was the most she'd gotten out of her roommate all week and she desperately wanted to see if maybe it was the start of a new, albeit odd, friendship.

She stood up and flattened out her skirt. "A rave huh? I've never been to one of those, I've heard they're great though. A friend of mine over at Madison has been to a few. You mind if I tag along?"

Sarah, who by now was in the middle of undressing, pulled her fitted tee down and swung around bewildered. "Jackie, you seem like a nice girl n all, but no, you can't tag along. It wouldn't be your scene."

Jackie followed Sarah's eyes and smirk to her own side of the room, the side that displayed ABBA posters and a photo board filled with snaps of her much treasured cheerleading days. Tears filled her eyes upon realising that her suspicions were correct, she wasn't 'cool' enough for Sarah and her friends. She was the geek.

Defeated, she sat back down on her single, lumpy, bed and quickly lay down facing the wall so that she didn't have to see her bitch of a roommate. She held back the sobs and waited for the girl to leave, all the while listening to the people in the hallway laughing and yahooing. She couldn't stay here another night. She couldn't be alone again. Steven Hyde may have been an asshole but a familiar face sure as hell had to beat the familiar ones that she'd been seeing for the last two weeks; the familiar strangers who didn't bother noticing Jackie Burkhart.

...

8.05pm

Masterson's Irish Pub, Milwaukee

The bar was beginning to fill up, it always did at this time on a Friday night, and it was always the same kind of patrons; rich college students wanting to watch sport while listening to a live band. They weren't the type of people Hyde wanted to be serving but a job was a job and he was being paid well to take money from rich fuckwits, so he'd learned to grin and bear it.

He'd been in Milwaukee for a little over two years now. Initially he'd come for a weekend away with Forman, Kelso and Fez to celebrate graduation. They'd spent most of that weekend in this very bar and had gotten pretty chummy with the owner; a thirty something Irishman named Patrick who liked weed and British rock, two things dear to Hyde's heart. Knowing that Hyde didn't have anything happening back in Point Place, Patrick had offered him a job which he'd taken enthusiastically. Sure, he was somewhat bummed when it came time to say goodbye to the boys but he would rather be the one who left, than the one who was left behind, and he knew the others would all leave Point Place eventually.

Yeah, Hyde liked this gig. He liked it a lot.

"It's gonna be busy tonight boss," Kerin, one of the barman said as he restacked the glasses.

Hyde looked around and nodded. "Sure is man, what time are the others starting?" Hyde was having trouble finding good workers, which bugged him because it meant he had to do more manual work. He preferred to be the overseer, he wasn't so keen on actually pulling pints and clearing tables.

"I told them 8.30 but they're college kids so I guess we just have to cross our fingers n hope they show," said Kerin before racing to the other end of the bar to serve a customer.

Hyde stood with arms folded and checked out the scene. The place was filling up, and filling up fast, so he knew he was gonna have to serve the thirsty soon. Deciding some film would help him through the shift he moved to slink out the back when he heard a female voice call out to him. Fearing it was a chick he may have screwed recently he pretended he didn't hear and darted out of the smoky bar….for some smoke of his own. He sat down in the back room and opened a window before pulling out his tin and lighting a joint. Just a couple of drags, that's all he needed, then he'd be able to deal with the chick, and the crowded bar.

The buzz took over quickly, relaxing Hyde so much that he forgot his surroundings and leaned back in the chair without a care in the world. His daze was broken when a scrambled Kerin appeared in the doorway.

"Boss, I hate to disturb you, but I really need your help out here," the bartender asked before disappearing back into the bustling pub.

Hyde chuckled to himself as he stood up. It always amused him that Kerin called him 'boss' and apologised for disturbing him when he was sat on his ass doing absolutely nothing. Perks of the job he guessed.

Once behind the bar it was business as usual, serving assholes who couldn't wait their turn and girls who couldn't hold their liquor. Pouring his sixth pint Hyde checked the time, 8.25pm. The band started at 9.

Still pouring the pint he called out to Kerin, "Those kids better be here at 8.30 man!" and was surprised when Kerin gave him a thumbs up.

"Already here boss," he said, as two young guys walked around the bar.

The guys stood there for a moment awaiting instructions and generally pissing Hyde off.

Kids these days, he thought, no fuckin' initiative.

He handed a jock his pint and called the boys over.

"You two poured drinks before?" he asked. Both boys nodded. "Well get to work then!"

Hyde shook his head as he lit a cigarette and watched the boys race to the bar and get serving.

"So are you really going to ignore me all night?" a female voice called out. A rather familiar voice. Hyde turned his head toward the end of the bar and nearly choked on his smoke when he saw Jackie Burkhart propped up sipping wine. Curious as to why she was here Hyde walked over to her and noticed just how much little Jackie had grown up.

"Uh, hey Jackie," he said from across the bar. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"College," Jackie stated as she took a sip of wine and looked around the room.

Hyde waited for her to say something else, she was in his bar after all, and she had spoken to him first, but she said nothing. She was being the same bitchy little princess she'd always been, expecting everyone to fall all over her, but she must've forgotten that HE had never fallen over her once. And he wasn't gonna start tonight.

"Okay, well, it was ah, good, seeing ya I guess. Have a good night." Hyde took a drag of his cigarette and began to walk away. He was much too busy to stand around waiting for Jackie to make conversation; he still had half a joint waiting out back for him after all.

Just as he was at the door leading to the back Jackie called out. "Wait Hyde! Please come back!"

His internal struggles felt very real – sit and talk to Jackie freakn Burkhart, or smoke some film – he knew what he wanted to do, but when he turned and saw her looking all sad and pathetic his body somehow walked back over to her. Perhaps he could spare 2 minutes to find out whether the mighty had finally fallen.

He stubbed his smoke out in the ashtray behind the bar and stared at her. "What's up Jackie?' he asked, rather nonchalantly.

The small brunette sitting across from him shrugged. "Not much, just thought I'd come and check out where you work. Thought you might have time to have a drink with me?"

Hyde was puzzled. Why would he want to have a drink with her? They'd barely talked back in Point Place, except to trade insults, why had she come here knowing it was his bar?

"Ah why?" he asked.

Jackie sat up straight and picked up her purse from off of the bar. "Oh don't worry," she muttered, climbing off the barstool. "I shouldn't have come."

The small brunette didn't look at Hyde once before she started walking through the crowd to the exit of the bar, which suited him just fine. He wasn't her friend, nor had he ever been her friend. Hell, he hadn't even pretended to be her friend.

So why did he feel the need to go after her?

Dammit, he thought as he swiped Kerin with a bar towel to get his attention. "You okay here for a second?" he asked.

When Kerin nodded, Hyde strode rather purposefully out to the bar floor and toward the exit. He found Jackie just outside, and he had to admit that in the bright light he quite liked what he saw. Dressed in a black strapless dress and with her long raven hair tumbling down her back he noticed that she really had grown up.

But she's still Jackie Burkhart, he told himself, and she still has a mouth and can talk.

"Jackie!" he sort of called, but more like growled. She turned around, all doe eyed and innocent looking. Hyde had to chuckle, knowing that she was far from innocent, and he wondered just who she was trying to fool.

"I thought you didn't want to hang with me?" she questioned as he reached her.

She still that same annoying tone. God Hyde hated that tone. He wanted to kick himself, hard, for coming out here after her and subjecting himself to her voice.

"Look, I am actually working, but I s'pose we can 'hang' or 'talk' or whatever while I work. Seeing as you came here just to see me." Hyde waggled his eyebrows while Jackie pulled a face, one that screamed disgust. It didn't bug Hyde though, not one little bit. If she thought he disgusted her, she should see how much she disgusted him. "Well? Are you coming back in or what? Like I said I'm meant to be working."

He watched as Jackie looked up and down the street as if weighing up her options.

Fucking princess, he thought, does she really think I'm gonna stand out here all night waiting for her?

Hyde sighed in annoyance and crossed his arms, forcing the princess to finally say something.

"Sure Hyde," she said with a smile. "I'd love to come and hang with you tonight."

Hyde stood for a moment as Jackie headed back to the bar, wondering how the hell she'd managed to turn the situation around so that it had become him asking her to hang out.

Weird man, seriously weird, he thought, before following her back in.

...

10.30pm

Jackie sat at the end of the bar analyzing Hyde serve customers and snarl at them at the same time. It didn't surprise her, he'd never had any manners, he had grown up poor after all. But while his lack of decent customer service infuriated her she was still pleased that she had someone to talk to tonight, even if it was just a few words in between him pouring pints.

Finishing the last of her wine she started tapping her foot in time with the beat of the music. She liked this band, surprisingly, and wished she had someone to dance with. It felt like forever to the once-bubbly-life-of-the-party since she'd danced. But before she could get all depressed again about her sad life and lack of dance partners Hyde came back over.

"You want another one?" he asked, picking up her empty glass.

Jackie didn't really want another one, she'd had three in the last hour and she wasn't much of a drinker. However the thought of going back to her dorm turned her stomach more than the thought of more alcohol so she nodded at Hyde and pulled five dollars out of her purse.

"Put it away," Hyde said as he placed a glass of wine in front of her and handed her back the five dollars. "You're a poor student now right? I can shout you a couple drinks."

Jackie was mortified….Steven Hyde of all people had just called her poor! She wanted to protest and demand he take those blasphemous words back when she remembered he was actually right. She was a poor student and she literally only had $20 left in her purse.

So instead Jackie gave him a smile and a wink, and raised her glass. "Thanks Hyde," she said.

"No problem," he replied as he began wiping down the bar. "So, you liking student life so far? Must be a few of your friends in here tonight?"

Jackie looked around the crowded bar at the people who most certainly were not her friends. Sure she recognised a few faces but unfortunately the closest person she had to a friend in this bar was Steven fucking Hyde and he had been a total asshole to her for as long as she could remember.

"Student life is great," she lied. "I'm learning loads of new things, meeting some great people, it's really cool." She cringed when she said the last words, knowing that she sounded like an idiot who was trying too hard to make someone believe them.

Hyde raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Sounds cool," he said. "So where are all these great people tonight? Why are you sitting here alone? In my bar?"

Because I am lonely and desperate!

"God aren't I allowed to come see an old friend?" she questioned Hyde angrily. Why did he have to be so difficult? Why couldn't he just chat without giving her what felt like the third degree?

Hyde shrugged. "Jackie we were never friends."

"Well, I know that. I just thought, that, well, you're in Milwaukee, and I'm in Milwaukee, and well, we haven't see each other since, like, ah….your graduation I think? So I just wanted to come and say hi. Oh but don't worry, I won't come again."

Jackie knew it, she damn well knew it would be a mistake coming to see him but she had stupidly come anyway. She looked at Hyde as he continued wiping.

Behind those freaking sunglasses I just bet he's rolling his eyes at how pathetic I am, she thought before letting her eyes creep around the bar at all her classmates having a good time. She didn't fit in anywhere, and it sucked.

Hyde threw the towel under the bar and refilled her wine. "Look its fine man, I guess I don't mind you being here. A bit of eye candy helps business and these guys seem to be working hard just to try and impress you," he said as he nodded toward Kerin and the other guys working behind the bar who kept glancing over at Jackie.

Jackie smiled. "Oh well, if my being here is helping motivate your staff then I guess I should stay," she declared, desperately wanting to kick herself for taking the little scraps a burnout like Hyde was throwing her way.

….

October 4th, 1980

1am

Masterson's Irish Pub, Milwaukee

Four and a half hours.

Jackie had been propped up at the bar for four and a half fucking hours.

Only now she wasn't so much propped up, as she was fast asleep. While she slept, probably dreaming about unicorns and ponies, Hyde thanked the band and locked the doors behind them wondering how the hell he was going to get a very drunk Jackie Burkhart home.

As he made his way back to the bar to clean up he almost stepped in the pile of dust and rubbish that Kerin had swept up.

"Woah boss," Kerin cautioned as he held out the broom to stop Hyde in his tracks.

Hyde made a quick detour and stood next to Kerin, one arm on his hip, the other stroking his beard. "Sorry man, I'm miles away wondering what the hell I'm gonna do with that problem over there," he grumbled, motioning toward sleeping Jackie.

"Problem? I don't know that I'd call her a problem," Kerin started. "I'd call her a solution, a solution to my cold, empty bed tonight."

For some reason that even he himself didn't understand Hyde smacked Kerin across the back of the head. Jackie was annoying, immature, and numerous other negative adjectives, but Hyde still didn't view Kerin's comment as amusing, or necessary.

Kerin gently rubbed the back of his head, although Hyde knew the guy's pride hurt more than anything else, and carried on sweeping. "Sorry Hyde, I didn't think there was anything going on between you two."

"There isn't ya moron!" Hyde quickly informed him. "She's everything I hate in the world! I'm just not into guys taking advantage of drunk girls, so in future keep your comments to yourself and just do your job okay?"

Hyde stormed over to Jackie and tried to wake her by lifting her head off of the cold, wooden bar. With her head in his arm he lightly slapped her face, a grin creeping across his own as he thought of the many times he'd dreamed of slapping Jackie Burkhart.

"Jackie!" he yelled into her ear. However his efforts were to no avail, the drunk princess could not be woken, so Hyde carefully picked her up and carried her to the back room. He placed her down on the old recliner and she mumbled something before slumping over the side of the threadbare armchair.

"How the hell did you become my problem?" Hyde asked a comatose Jackie as he picked up her purse and searched for a key, or an address, or a number. This chick had been Kelso's problem, and Donna's problem, and for a bit, or so Hyde had heard, she'd even been Fez's problem. She was never, ever, meant to become Hyde's problem. And quite the problem she had become.

After a bit of rummaging through lipsticks, and girly products, and coins, Hyde found a key which he figured had to be to her room in her dorm. Prior to her passing out Hyde vaguely remembered Jackie rambling on about living on campus and he figured it wouldn't take much to find her room. After placing the key in his pocket he picked up the drunken girl he'd always hated, and her stupid purse, and carried her out back to the El Camino.

Once out in the bar's dark parking lot he stood her up against the car, using his own body weight to keep her upright while he unlocked the door. The cool autumn breeze, or the cold metal of the Camino on her bare shoulders, must have roused Jackie from her slumber and she opened her eyes.

"Hyde?" she asked, groggy from alcohol.

"Yes Jackie?" Hyde said gruffly as he opened the door.

"Where are we?" she asked in an almost childlike tone.

This was just what Hyde didn't need, or want in his life. He was the one laughing when guys had to take care of their drunken girlfriends and he'd successfully avoided becoming one of those mugs. Damn he hoped this was the last time he'd have to see this girl who technically was not his damn problem.

"We're at my bar, you drank too much and now I'm taking you home. Get in," he ordered. Hyde wasn't sure if Jackie was actually doing what she was told or whether his gentle shove did the trick, but whatever, he was happy when she was in the car and one step closer to out of his life.

The drive to the university was torturous. If Jackie wasn't trying to prop herself up on his arm, her head was falling onto his lap, so Hyde had spent most of the trip with one arm desperately trying to keep her at bay.

How the hell did she get so drunk? he wondered as he pulled the Camino into the sprawling campus. He was sure he'd only poured her five or so wines, but he also remembered that she'd always been a bit of a lightweight when it came to drinking so he silently cursed himself for his lack of judgement when pouring said wines.

"Jackie, we're here," he announced when he pulled up outside what looked like student housing. "Where do you live man?"

He watched as Jackie tried to sit up, his hopes rising when she opened one eye, but crashing again when she closed it and slumped back in the seat. Hyde pulled her back up and kept his arm around her back.

"Come on Jackie, I need to get you home, where's your room?"

His questions, though, were met with silence and Hyde knew he wasn't gonna be hearing anything outta that mouth for the next few hours. So he placed her back down on the seat and thought about what his next move would be. A few college kids strolled by the car and he was tempted to ask them if they knew the plastered chick sitting next to him, but as much as he couldn't stand her he still didn't want to inadvertently hand her over to a rapist. In a last ditch effort to get rid of her he yelled in her ear and poked her sides before reluctantly starting up the car.

"Dammit Jackie," he growled as he pulled out of the park, "I guess you're staying at mine."