To say Jackie had a spring in her step was an understatement, she'd spent the night bonding over crappy movies and nonsense girl talk with Teddy and Donna.

Teddy was considering dying the dark stubble on her head and after Donna saw her piercing's (yeah…not just her nose!) the redhead had contemplated getting one as a statement and because well, they looked so cool.

It was just a normal slumber party.

It was strange.

In the best freaking way you can imagine.

Jackie had never dared dream she'd feel this way again.

Calm.

At ease.

Happy.

…not with Donna Pinciotti of all people.

Then to top it all off her check came in early, meaning she could finally buy some new outfits for Christmas.

Oh, and gifts, obviously.

Then of course there was our fiery haired Amazonian, Donna had spent those last few weeks on the outskirt of Jackie's life, and in that time so much seemed to have changed, Jackie changed.

I mean sure she was still vain and mean and kind of bossy, but something was different, the midget somehow seemed more… mature?

That hurt.

Not that Jackie had grown up so much in such a fleeting time, but that Donna had missed it…

And she didn't even know why.

Why had Jackie doubted their friendship?

Why didn't she trust her anymore?

Why had she started looking at her like she was waiting to be smacked in the mouth?

Why did Donna feel a dark pang of guilt when she saw her best friend flinch?

Donna had all these questions and no answers, I mean sure she was dying to ask but after last night… I mean they just got back to being friends, could she really risk it?

"Donna are you even listening?" Jackie crossed her arms with an arched brow and a tap of her heel, balancing her shopping and overnight bag over her small frame.

"Yeah, um, sure you said something about shoes…"

"Eh-err! I'm afraid that's a wrong answer!" Teddy mimicked a game show announcer around a mouth full of twinkie.

Clearly enjoying the little show.

"Donna! I said we should get manicures and our hair done for Stevens party tonight. God if you want to look like last months Cosmo reject then fine, why do I even bother?" Jackie stormed off towards the salon with a snap on her hips.

A few weeks ago, Donna would have answered that question with an annoyed eye roll, now? Now she was just kind of happy to hear that high pitched aggravated tone.

It was like everything was back to normal again.

"Donna? We're waiting!"

Donna couldn't help but smile, jogging towards her friends.

Yep, back to normal.

"Hey what do you think about me as a blonde?"

"NO!"

Across town Hyde hadn't even opened his eyes yet, hell he didn't want to, an image of a certain brunette faulting around his old room at the Forman's, half eaten packet of cookie's in hand while sporting nothing but his favourite shirt and her sweet smile, was playing over the back of his eyelids.

It was only the warmth coming from beside him on the lumpy mattress that forced him back into reality.

And god how he wished he'd kept his eyes closed.

Yeah, the girl was pretty enough but he suddenly had a face full of blonde hair and were he'd dreamed of the delicate scent of baby powder and honey he was now rudely assaulted by the stench of cheap wine and some sickly-sweet perfume that was playing on his gag reflex.

"Morning, Stud."

God even her voice was like a cat's claw on a chalk board.

Or maybe that was just the mild hangover setting in.

"Morning."

He didn't want to seem like some asshole, but… well he just wanted her leave.

He didn't usually let girls sleep over, it happened every now and then but was not something he let become a more than singular occurrence.

He didn't want to lead some poor chick on after all.

He barely even registered her getting out of the bed until he noticed what she was wearing.

"That's my shirt!"

His favourite shirt.

He sounded a little more pissed off than he'd meant to but he sure as hell didn't remember saying she could prance around in his clothes that's for damn sure.

It had nothing to do with Jackie.

That dream.

Nothing at all.

Sophie just laughed and peeled off the black tee, throwing it on the bed beside Hyde "relax, it was just closer than mine after you passed out… you don't happen to remember where my panties went do you?"

"Nope."

He rubbed at his bruised and tender jaw while Sophie starting rooting around for her clothes, thank god.

Not that he would have kicked her out like some dick or anything, but he needed to rest up, he had to head into work at some point for a few hours, restock his stash, go 'shopping' for a keg for the party and head over to the laundromat.

Yeah, he was almost out of clean underwear and socks.

A smile tugged lightly at his lip, head falling back into the flat, caseless pillow at how mortified Mrs Forman would be if she knew that.

"Is it cool if I take a shower real quick, before I head out?"

"Sure. There should be clean towels by the hamper."

"thanks."

Hyde didn't watch her go, didn't even notice she'd left the room until he heard the water running through the wall.

A part of him just wanted to go back to sleep, back to those thankfully good dreams he had last night; Donna and Jackie failing to play fight like he and Forman could, Jackie pouting at him to get her way that just made him want to bite at her sweet lip, Jackie forcing him to buy some nicer clothes and the little sparkle in her eye when he gave in as along as she swore never to tell another living soul they spent the whole day at the mall.

And he'd enjoyed it.

Then there was that last one…

Hyde always knew Jackie was hot, but Jackie in nothing but his shirt.

*Knock, Knock*

Our local rebel was pulled from that dangerous train of thought by the front door to the apartment.

Thank god!

Pulling on a pair of sweats, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes Hyde opened the door, expecting to find that Bud locked himself out again.

"Forman…"

But no such luck.

Eric stood, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, his long fingers twitching slightly and smiling fretfully "Hey Hyde, buddy! My buddy Hyde."

They stood there for a tense, awkward second that felt like a good half hour before Eric bowed his head lightly "Um, can I come in?"

"Whatever." Hyde shrugged turning his back to the lean boy, taking a seat on the sofa but not shutting the door in his face, Eric took that as a good sign.

Eric followed Hyde's lead, closing the door behind him, stopping in his tracks to take in the trashed apartment "Jesus Hyde, did they get everything?"

"What?"

Realizing that the apartment had in fact NOT been burgled, Eric tried to play it off by getting back to why he was here; The purple bruise lining his best friends jaw.

Eric took a seat beside Hyde, nervous energy steaming from every skin cell on his pale body.

"Look man, about last night..."

"Forget it."

"No, no, I can't. Hyde, just hear me out man, please?" there was a desperation in the boys voice that made it so Steven couldn't look at him without feeling like an ass.

"Sure…"

Eric let out a relieved sigh, he wasn't sure what he was going to say, even if he had been up most the night monologing what he would say, even on the drive over and the ten minutes he'd lingered out in the hall but now… he just opened his mouth and hoped he didn't put his foot in it.

"Man, I am so sorry I hit you, I mean, I can't even believe I did that! It was like I just couldn't stop, like I'd been taken over by the force or something, I don't know. I just. I am so, so sorry!"

It was true, the moment Eric had stepped foot outside the bowling ally it was like someone had dropped a tub of ice water over his head.

He didn't understand why he reacted like that, I mean yeah, calling Hyde out was fair and all but when he started bad mouthing Jackie, it was like someone else was at the steering wheel and he just… couldn't stop.

Ever since the night Jackie drunk dialled him he'd felt this strange need to protect her, to comfort her, to make her smile and laugh and just be freaking happy.

He'd tried to make it go away, tried to think of all the reasons he couldn't stand her, she was mean, spoiled, kind of bitchy, she was kind of like a nicer version of Laurie but every time he saw her he felt this pull, he just needed her somehow.

Not in Donna way.

God no.

He just needed her around, things felt better when she was around.

He felt braver, more self-assured.

He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and make it all better.

She was a tiny little devil he couldn't escape.

Things had changed, he could see her now.

And he knew Hyde had seen her too, not the spoiled little rich girl, but her; Eric remembered him taking her to prom, even though the idea of prom made Hyde shudder, and she'd told him about how she'd tried to kiss Hyde in her dad's car.

I mean, he thinks she told him… she must have… right?

Anyway, that doesn't matter, what matters is this; the scariest thing, the thing he'd been going over and over again all night was that feeling when he punched the guy who'd been watching his back since seventh grade!

There was so much rage, disappointment, bitterness and…

Hate!

He hated Hyde.

Hated him and resented him more than he knew he was capable of with anybody.

But the moment he got outside it was just gone.

Poof.

It was all so messed up.

The whole thing was like a bad dream he'd forgotten he'd had before.

Hyde watched Eric's face and saw a sea of emotions running over it, a touch of fear, total regret, sincerity and utter fucking confusion.

"Look Forman, it's cool. I'm actually pretty impressed. I mean, who knew you had it in you?" the two boys shared a terse chuckle as Hyde shrugged "and I guess, I mean, maybe I kind of had it coming."

It was silent for a moment until Hyde spoke around the cotton mouth he'd suddenly gotten "you're not thinking of bragging about this right?"

Please don't tell Jackie.

Eric smiled at his friend's hollow tone, knowing him well enough to understand "oh like anyone's going to believe I got the drop on you; Oh man, the onetime my mom's not around with that stupid camera."

Never.

Hyde punched his best friend in the arm, a lot softer than he does Kelso only for Eric to point a boney finger in his face "Hey, don't make me hurt you man… I won't take it so easy on you next time."

Hyde was about to ask where the hell he learned to punch like that when the bathroom door opened and out stepped last night's blonde in last nights clothes.

What was her name again?

Sarah?

Steph?

"Sophie?"

Right that was it… wait what?

Hyde looked from Forman, his mouth hanging open when he saw the girl he knew briefly enough to take an instant dislike to, to Sophie who just sent the boy a sneer "god it's you…"

"You know each other?"

Hyde figured that was pretty unlikely, despite everyone knowing everyone in this crappy little town, no one really knew anyone.

If that makes any kind of sense.

"Kind of." Eric groaned at the same time the blonde snapped "No!"

She grabbed her bag and made a bee line for the door turning back only to throw a wink at Hyde "Thanks for the fun, Stud."

The moment the door was shut Eric stood, arms waving about like Mr Tickle "Sophie? Seriously Hyde you slept with Sophie? Sophie?!"

"So, I guess you know Sophie."

"Yeah, you could say that, she works at the diner with Jackie."

Now Hyde was the one left slack jawed, he'd heard all about 'Sophie from work' or 'the Dragan bitch' as Jackie had taken to calling her.

Heard how Jackie's tips would go missing.

How arguments and insults were thrown.

How orders were messed up and that onetime Sophie even tripped Jackie over, making her break two dishes full of food and had to pay for a new uniform because the sauce stain just wouldn't come out.

"oh."

"Yeah! Oh. Jackie is going to freak if she finds out." Hyde watched Eric start to pace slightly and was getting kind of pissed off, because well…

"What hell does it have to do with Jackie who I have sex with?"

"Hyde come on, one of her best friends just spent the night driving miss daisy with the girl that makes her work life hell!"

Wait what?

Since when did he become one of Jackie's best friends?

Since when the hell were they even just friends?

Why was he picturing her finding out and crying?

Why did that mental image poke thousands of little pins through his chest?

Why was he feeling so fucking anxious about it?

Jackie wasn't his girlfriend.

He didn't give a damn if his sex life upset the fragile little princess.

Nope, not one damn did he give…

"Look Forman, how about this? We don't tell her! Hell, its not like I'm going to even see that chick again, so why rock the boat?"

Somehow it felt wrong, almost like he'd cheated.

He imagined this is what Kelso might have felt like when he was messing around with Laurie behind Jackie's back… you know, if he'd have actually given I crap I mean.

But he didn't do anything wrong.

So, he slept with a girl Jackie didn't like, big whoop.

She slept with Kelso and some days he couldn't even stand the guy.

It wasn't such a big deal, he just didn't want to deal with her being all over sensitive and shit.

He didn't want to hurt her.

Eric shook his head lightly, staring at some stain on the wall he wasn't even tempted to ask about, hands on his waist in a way that reminded Hyde of Red.

"Yeah, yeah okay, I guess your right, besides she has enough on her plate right now what with her parents and everything. Let's just forget it, we can totally do that."

Hyde nodded, choosing to ignore the slip about Jackie's parent's.

Where they fighting?

Getting a divorce?

Had her dad lost the house in a drunken poker game?

No wait, that last one was his dad…

Since when did Jackie 'perfect life' Burkhart have actual problems?

I mean besides the whole cheating boyfriend thing.

"Man, I was kinda drunk so honestly, it's pretty much already forgotten."

"That's the, um, spirit?"

Hyde offered his friend a tight-lipped smile, glad this awkwardness over yesterday was over.

By the time Jackie had started to head home from the mall she'd already figured out what she was going the wear to the party, and she was going over the last few weeks in her head.

Everything was going so well, her and Eric where almost as close as they were in 83', Donna wasn't a heinous bitch, Michael and Fez were seemingly still on the right track and Steven was okay.

As in not a drunk…

Or an asshole.

Or, and most importantly, dead.

I mean yeah, he was living with his fake dad and all but soon enough that would be over and he'd be home with the Forman's where he belonged.

Everything would be okay.

It had to be.

"I don't understand why your being like this."

"Because this is the third 'vacation' you've been on this year, elections are around the corner Pam I need you here!"

She'd not even through the front door and their screaming.

Whoopie!

They don't even notice it slam closed behind her.

"Oh, its always about what you need. What about me Jack? I have needs too you know?"

"Tequila and shopping sprees don't count as needs Pam!"

"I knew I should have married Rob! He knew how to treat a woman."

"The Fireman? Please he wouldn't have been able to afford your monthly shoe bill never mind anything else!"

Jackie shut her bedroom door and started blasting the radio before she'd even put her bag's down.

A shudder running down her spine as she remembered flirting shamelessly with her mom's ex, the fireman, this very night in fact.

Well thank god she was re-writing that part of history.

She'd had such a good few days she wasn't about to let them ruin it for her.

So, swaying with the music of some random song she packed everything away and started getting ready for the party.

She hadn't really spent a lot of time with Steven over those last few weeks.

Every time she saw him her breath caught, her heart paused in disbelief and she kept having to remind herself not to stare.

Not to touch.

Not to park herself in his lap, wind her arms around his neck and reclaim her throne.

But by god did she want to.

She just wanted to burry her face into his neck and breathe him in.

She wanted to kiss him and torment him.

Just talk to him.

God…

Good thing she hid that bottle of whisky under her bed.

Hyde was just getting ready for his friends to arrive, and by getting ready I mean finishing off his cigarette and a salami sandwich he'd quickly managed to throw together.

The knock came a little earlier than he expected so he just ended up shoving the salami on the couch and launching the knife and chipped plate onto the counter "Hey guys."

They all walked in one by one, instantly impressed about the Keg he'd lifted, now sat in the middle on the room.

"Oh my god Steven what happened?"

Jackie was suddenly touching his face, soft fingers against the darkened skin and at the unmistakeable look of concern in those big chocolate brown eyes Hyde felt his stomach drop through his feet.

He got punched bad mouthing her and she's stood there all worried about him.

Way to make a guy feel even more crappy.

"Jesus Hyde who'd fist did you run into?" Kelso laughed while Eric tried to mask the smirk lined with guilt filled eyes.

"No one, man it's nothing."

"Hyde come on, I mean, seriously, it looks pretty bad." Donna made her way over to him, inspecting the bruise for herself without pawing at it like Jackie had.

"I think it suits you, makes you look rugged. Oh, like James Dean, very romantic."

Everyone looks at Fez for a second before Jackie takes centre stage, grabbing onto Steven's hand's as her nostrils flared with rage she struggled to keep out of her voice "Steven, tell us who hit you? You tell us who and I vow to mow them down with my dad's Lincoln!"

He would have maybe laughed at that if her wanting to defend him didn't make him feel so shitty about how he got the freaking punch "Look it's fine okay? I got into a fight at a bar, you should see the other guy."

"Yeah, I bet he's really strong and, you know, totally able to beat up Hyde so..." Eric smirked while merrily stroking his own ego.

"Yeah, either that or some nerdy little dweeb that got really freaking lucky." Kelso snorted a laugh, blind to how close to the truth he actually was.

Jackie turned between looking to the group and Steven as she spoke "it doesn't matter because when I find him I'm going put a brick in my purse and beat him with it."

"Drop it okay, let's just get set up before people get here."

"I'll find the cups!" Kelso called, racing towards the kitchen.

Jackie was watching Hyde carefully, she certainly didn't remember him getting beaten up the first time around.

But it couldn't be too bad, I mean Steven knew how to handle himself, but what if this was her fault, what if she'd changed something so he'd gotten hurt?

It broke her heart to see his perfect face tarnished with such an ugly shade of purple.

But she couldn't think about that right now, couldn't think of how badly she wanted to kiss it better.

She just needed to get out of the apartment before Donna saw the stupid funnel and they ended up being chatted up by what she now realized where dirty old perverts.

I mean seriously, they knew they were in high school and still kept flirting…

Gross.

"Um Steven did you get any snacks?"

"I got a Keg!"

"Steven every party needs snacks. It's like the law!"

"I don't believe so my Tiny-Devil like friend… a party usually just requires alcohol and stupid people willing to do stupid things." Eric smiled at her, a long arm falling around her shoulders easily.

"Yeah, and we already got a keg. Now all we need are the stupid people, but hey, I'll do the stupid stuff if they don't show."

Jackie would have rolled her eyes at her ex except she was too busy grabbing Donna's arm and all but yanking her out of the apartment "Yeah, okay, Donna lets go to the store, Fezzy if you could lay out some bowls for when we get back that would be super sweet of you."

"Anything for you my goddess." Her foreign friend smiled joyously.

They were out the door without Donna even getting the chance to kiss her boyfriend goodbye.

The walk to the store had been short and Jackie couldn't help but tighten her coat around her slim frame, not because of the winter chill but because she wasn't exactly comfortable in the neighbourhood.

She was thankful Donna was there, all tall and lumberjack like, she felt safer.

"what time did Teddy say she was getting here?"

Jackie was busy trying and failing to reach for a bag of chips on the top shelf "later, she's trying to convince her mom to unground Elis, so he can give her a ride after work."

Donna reached over Jackie's head, grabbing the chips and putting them in the basket.

"Great, you know Teddy's pretty cool. I like her."

"Yeah, she has her moments, when she's not being a smartass." Jackie smiled at how the two girls seemed to have hit it off before her eyes started to wonder "oh, look Pudding Pop's."

"Jackie, I don't think Pudding Pops are really much of a party snack."

"No, but their Steven's favourite, I mean what if we end up having a circle? He's going to want a Pudding Pop Donna!"

Jackie threw them in the cart without caring what Donna thought.

"Oh, frozen pizza! I wonder if they have sausage…"

Donna watched her tiny little friend start zipping around the crappy store, seeming to gather favourite foods to one Steven Hyde.

She looked so excited about getting him this stuff, because no matter what she said it was clearly for him, and it was clear because she kept mumbling things like "oh, he loves these." And "well he just needs this, he needs a treat."

Since when was that a thing?

Was Jackie just trying to make up for the fact that Hyde got beat up?

Why did she just know all his favourite stuff?

She even knew what brand of Milk he liked.

Who knew that?

She didn't know Eric's favourite Milk brand…

Did he even have one?

Wait, just… what's happening here?

Just as people were starting to arrive, most just random people from school Hyde would never dream of talking to publicly, the girls came back with way more bags than he anticipated "Jacks man, what's with all the food?"

"Yeah, damn Jackie, who are you planning on feeding with all this, the three thousand?" she threw a half-hearted glare to Kelso, offering only a shrug as she starts packing stuff into the empty freezer.

"Michael, I think you mean the five thousand."

"Three, five, whatever, you bought a butt load of food woman!"

She threw a bag of cheese puffs at him, hitting Kelso in the face while Hyde started unpacking the rest of food.

Chips.

Dip.

Nachos.

Frozen Pizza?

French Fries?

Eggs?

Oohh, Pudding Pops!

He watched the little brunette, chatting away to the tall red head as they filled bowls with snacks and stacked up his refrigerator.

Huh, did she seriously just buy him a bunch of grocery's?

"Steven, either put the food away or hand it over! Its going to defrost if you hug it any tighter."

He hadn't realized he's been clenching the bag to his chest, trying to figure out her motives.

This stuff must have cost her more than a few bucks and he knew she wasn't floating on daddy's wallet anymore, it didn't take a genius to realize she'd started wearing the same outfits more than once a fortnight; hell, he even saw a hole in one of her sweaters, so she obviously paid for this stuff out of her own money.

Money she'd worked hard for.

Money, she spent buying his broke ass a bunch of food.

Man, he needed a fucking drink!

As the night went on more and more people turned up, Jackie was having a pretty good time all things considered, also she looked so good in her pretty blue dress, she'd already gotten hit on twice and a bunch of nasty glares from not as pretty girls.

Yeah, she was hot.

"Okay girls, I need to sit down, because no matter how pretty these shoes are they are not dance friendly."

Jackie pulled away from Donna and Teddy in the kitchen, she couldn't even tell you how long they'd been dancing around the apartment for.

"Weakling!" Teddy smiled as she hugged Donna from behind.

"Easy for you to say, your both wearing flats! Ugly, boring, flats!"

"Excuses, excuses." Donna twirled Teddy around as the stereo blasted a new song.

Jackie left them too it, giving a passing smile to Elis as he flirted with some jock near the keg.

She grabbed herself a fresh beer, quickly topping it off with a shot of whiskey from the bottle in her purse.

What?

She'd had like three plain beers already and was barely even buzzed.

She spotted the guys sat around the coffee table, a line of cups in front of them and one glass in the middle of the table.

Her lip twitched up.

"Hey Guy's, whatcha playing?"

Jackie asked innocently, batting her eyelashes as she pulled up a stool between Michael and Hyde.

"Quarters." Steven answered not looking away from the bowl as he landed the shot.

"Forman, drink."

Eric downed a beer with a smirk on his face, the three men looking a little confused at how un-fucked he looked by his fifth beer in a row.

Ever since he'd been hanging out with Jackie his tolerance had sky rocketed!

A devious smirk sprung to life on her perfectly glossed lips.

"I want to play."

Michael sniggered, adjusting the Santa hat on his head "Yeah, I don't think so Jackie, this is a game of skill and technique and you…"

The sound of the quarter hitting the bottom of the glass after leaving Jackie's perfectly painted fingers left Kelso's mouth hanging open, Jackie smirking.

Steven had taught her more than just chess.

"Alright, Jacks your in."

Steven and Fez both arranged a few of their own beers in front of her.

She pulled the whisky bottle from her bag, shaking it lightly "How about we make this a bit more interesting?"

"Traitor!" Eric pointed at her accusingly.

After a few rounds she was starting to finally feel it hit her.

The guys, mostly Kelso, flicked between getting her and Forman to drink.

Fez made a comment about how it would be wrong to try and hit on her if she was drunk, so therefor he wished her to remain as sober as possible, making all his votes go to Eric.

Hyde didn't say much except wanting to see how much his friend could take before puking.

Jackie was nice enough to distribute the shots evenly, for the most part.

At some point Eric decided the game was rigged and stumbled off to find his girlfriend.

Leaving a tipsy Jackie alone with the guys.

With Steven.

A song came on the radio and the little brunette almost shot out of her seat.

"Oh, I love this song!"

There wasn't even a question as she tried to pull Hyde out of his seat "Yeah, no!"

Just as she started to pout, her fingers still latched onto his, Kelso came behind her, knocking over a few of the beers as he tried to be suave but to Hyde just seemed creepy "I'll dance with you Jackie, it's clearly fate for us to dance to this right, I mean come on I'm wearing my Bowie butt huggers."

Jackie, in her alcohol induced daze smiled up sweetly at her ex "Michael, we've been over this. You and dancing are not a good combination. For anyone!"

He pouted like a child, making Jackie reach up to gently fix his hair "But hey, you're still the prettiest person here, well besides me of course."

"Yeah, your right." His goofy smile fell back into its usually place.

Jackie turning back to Hyde and pulling on his hand "Steven, come on dance with me."

"Not happening."

He didn't know why the idea made him so uncomfortable, it's not like he hadn't danced with her before.

Without warning her little body landed on his lap and he almost shot threw the freaking ceiling "Jackie, what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm taking a stand, or a seat I guess. I'm staying right here until you dance with me!"

It was a sly ploy.

I mean, her cute little butt was right in his lap, and she was freaking fidgety when she had a few.

Jackie in his lap.

Squirming.

God…

No!

Bad Hyde!

"Fine."

Jackie wasn't sure why she was doing this to herself.

Why she'd parked herself in his lap and demanded his closeness as he pulled her up to dance along to the tune.

Later she'd blame that last hazy shot of whisky.

Right now, though, her head was nestled into his shirt, fingers laced though his hair as she mumbled along to the song "…and we could be hero's. Forever and ever. We could be hero's just for one day."

The rumble of his laugh felt good against her "What?"

"Your singing could almost rival Kelso's dancing."

She shrugged, carrying on with the song as he swayed her.

It felt good to be in his arms again.

Peaceful.

Safe.

All the good things she remembered and if she closed her eyes, breathed him in, just be with him in that moment she could almost forget…

But she just wasn't that lucky.

"Jackie!"

A pair on long arms wrapped around the smaller girl, Hyde taking to punch the person who thought it was okay to put uninvited hands on his girl.

A girl.

Any girl.

Not his.

Just…

Anyway, he stopped after noticing all that red hair and those familiar C cups he'd watched blossom over the years.

"Hey Big Red."

"Hyde, hey Hyde, Hyde look, its Jackie, isn't she so tiny, like a little midget?"

"Yep, that she is."

He watched Jackie try to pry Donna off only for the older girl to squeeze her tighter "you're so little, I could put you in my pocket. You could be my pocket buddy, ha, that would be fun."

"Yeah, until I was smothered to death by all this nasty flannel! Donna how much have you had to drink?"

"Not as much as Teddy!"

Jackie follows Donna's gaze to see Teddy, surrounded by a small crowd as she guzzles beer from the tube attached to Kelso's funnel.

"EW, oh god Donna, tell me you didn't drink from that thing?"

It was gross and nasty, and Jackie was mad at herself for not getting rid of it after they came back from the store.

Donna started to pout and recoiled in disgust "gross, do I look like I want mono?"

"Donna, Teddy would drink beer from a boot if someone dared her to."

For some strange reason the redhead looked like she was about to cry, which seemed to set Jackie off "Stop it, your going to make me ruin my mascara!"

"And that is my que to find Forman." Steven took off into the crowd, leaving to two girls to wallow.

"I can't help it. I just missed you so much! Why did you stop being my friend? What did I do?"

Guilt washed over Jackie like a bucket of ice water, forcing out more tipsy tears.

She didn't mean to say it.

Not one word was ever meant to leave her lips.

But hey, she was drunk and emotional and we all know biting her tongue had never been Jackie's strong suit "I'm so sorry Donna. You didn't do anything wrong, well you did, but it wasn't you. Not this you, this you would never do what that you did. I know that now. I'm so sorry I hurt you."

Donna looked really confused but it didn't seem to matter how little sense Jackie's words made, not with the alcohol coursing through her blood and making her head spin "I'm sorry to, that me is such a bitch, I'll kick her ass!"

Jackie couldn't control it, makeup be damned because that was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard "you would so kick her ass! I love you Donna!"

"I love you to!"

Each girl clung to the other, just needed them to understand they were there.

It was okay.

They were okay.

"Um, yeah, I don't really see the problem here."

Eric watched the girls with a light tipsy smile on his face, having mostly sobered up while stuffing his face with chips and then puking them and most of the alcohol up in the Kitchen sink.

"Their crying man, your girlfriend is drunk and crying, now go fix it!"

"Fine, Donna, sweetie, you okay?" he stroked her back lightly only for her and Jackie to pull him into the tear-filled hug.

"We love you Eric."

"We love you so much."

Hyde watched the girl's envelop his best friend just as Kelso appeared "hey, where's the love for Kelso? I mean, come on!"

The three seem to ignore Kelso's clear outrage at the lack of affection, making Hyde laugh as he tried to wrap his arms around them only to be shoved away, hard.

Don't even ask who pushed him because hell if he knew.

"Kelso man, how much have you had?"

"Like two beers."

Hyde cast a glance to the three still hugging, Forman with a stupid grin on his face "Good, why don't you take Donny and Marie here home."

"Aw, man why do I gotta taken them?"

"Because moron you're the most sober and I can't leave these guys alone in the apartment."

"What about Jackie?"

"Her place is the other side of town, I'll get her a cab."

Kelso goes up to the three the brake up the little love in while Hyde vanishes into the crowd, he needed a second.

She'd been so close.

Smelt so sweet.

He just needed a glass of water, yeah, that's all.

Just to help flush out the booze.

It was fine.

It was all fine.

Yeah, right.

He watched her from the kitchen, she was swaying slightly and he noticed how the whiskey bottle was left drained and abandoned on top of the tv.

He gulped down the water, noticing how some guys were looking at her, she looked good.

I mean, she was Jackie, she always looked good.

Just because he knew she was hot though didn't mean anything.

So, she was hot.

So, Hyde noticed how the velvet of her dress clung to those perfect little curves and the blue made her brown eyes look even brighter.

Screw water.

He needed a smoke.

Nicotine.

Weed.

A shot of morphine sounded good right now.

"Hey, erm, Hyde right?" it was the brother of Jackie's friend, from the look of the guy he hadn't had a drop to drink, but the still wet hickey on his neck was proof he'd had a productive evening.

"last time I checked."

"Just wanted to say thanks for the party, but got to get her home before she pukes." The taller, jock-ish guy looked over his shoulder at his sister, barely standing thanks only to the help of the wall.

"that's cool man, hey you live by Maybell Drive right?"

"Not far."

"You mind taking Jackie home."

"Sure thing, dude."

That was good, I mean yeah, Hyde didn't really know the guy, but Jackie did, knew he'd driven her home the odd few times and judging by how Hyde saw him disappear into the bathroom with Buddy Morgan a while back and now his shirt buttons didn't match the holes he figured it was safer than putting her in a cab.

It also meant he didn't have to deal with her.

With any of the crap that his brain had been subjected to of late.

Man, he really needed that smoke.

Jackie had slipped away from the crowd after Kelso managed to get Donna and Eric out the door, she'd passed on a ride home from Elis and a giggly, green looking Teddy.

She just told them she was going to get a cab.

Honestly though she just didn't want to go home.

Home meant her parents.

Pointless yelling.

The bedroom she'd come to hate as much as she once loved it.

No Steven.

Memories she sure as hell didn't want to remember.

It was better here in the gross little apartment.

She could feel him in the room.

Watch him.

And in her drunken daze she could almost forget that he was ever not there.

Almost.

Somehow her feet had carried her into his bedroom.

It was bigger than the cramped boiler room in the Forman's basement.

It even had a window.

But it didn't feel right, like home.

It did smell like him though.

She could of happily drown in that scent as she took a shaky seat on his neatly made bed and kicked off her heels.

Her nibble fingers found his pillow and held it close.

Her head was starting to spin.

She just needed to close her eyes for a second.

Just one second then she'd head back to the party.

Just a second…

So Bud kind of put an end to the party, apparently he wanted to be an actual father now.

It felt strange.

Not because Hyde hadn't had a father for a long ass time.

But it was like playing pretend.

Something about it just wasn't right.

Hyde just had to shake it off.

And thing of burns for Donna tomorrow, because she'd apparently threw up all over Red's shoes and Forman was spending the night under Bobs watchful eye while the boy held her hair back then crashed on the sofa.

That was going to be fun.

He'd already thought up a few while he finished cleaning and trying to find a place for the grocery's Bud had shoved at him.

It was way after midnight by the time he finally made it to his room.

What he found left him a little speechless.

Jackie.

That tiny little brunette hell beast hadn't just invaded his dreams she was now invading his freaking bed.

Damn it.

He watched her for just a second, deciding what to do.

She looked so, calm.

Not the usual raging ball of fire and sass he knew.

Before he knew it, he was pulling off her ridiculously high shoes and tugging at comforter over that dainty little frame.

He was about to leave and make for the crappy, no doubt beer stained, couch when he heard it.

"Steven?"

He knelt beside her, brushing back her hair to try and sooth her back to sleep "yeah, just me, go back to sleep."

"Stay!"

It was a whisper, more of a whimper, pleading and desperate and if he hadn't alright been so close he'd have missed it "please, Puddin' Pop, don't go."

It was insane.

But she looked so sad, even without opening her eyes and half asleep.

He knew he was going to regret this in the morning, but he kicked off his shoes, not bothering to take off his jeans as he crawled beside her, laying over the duvet to keep some kind of distance.

Mechanically her nimble little fingers reached for his hand, pulling his arm around her and nuzzling into her chest.

He felt, rather than saw her little smile when she breathed out a heavy breath at having him there.

Hyde waited for her breathing to even back out before he completely laid his head on the lumpy pillow, sucking in the scent of her honey washed hair and just as unthinkingly as Jackie he nuzzled her close, breathed her in, even laid a small kiss on the curve of her velvet covered shoulder.

"Sweet dreams, Sunshine."

He drifted off with the girl he once swore he hated, safely tucked away in his arms.

And for the first time in so long his sleep would be dreamless, black and calm.

For the first time in so long they would both finally rest.

Until tomorrow anyway.