Chapter 17

Previously… Jackie has a secret, Hyde has a job in Chicago, Donna left Eric stranded in the hallway, and Eric is…well, stranded in Donna's hallway.

x

x

"Man, I can't believe WB's letting you run a store here. It's like my whole life is just falling into place!"

"Kelso, if you hug me, I swear to god I will rip your arms off and beat you with them."

"Damn, Hyde! I'm just trying to welcome you into the city. It's a pretty cold and inhospitable place, I think you could use a hug from a friend to ease yourself into it."

"Do you even know what inhospitable means?"

"Well, I know it's not very nice, Hyde! Kinda like you!"

Kelso stalked to the other end of the apartment and crossed his arms, pouting. Hyde rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, feigning frustration. Truth be told, he was weirdly happy to see his moronic friend, but he would never admit to missing him.

"Kelso, will you just shut up and come over here?" he said. The taller boy grinned and ran to his friend with his arms open wide. Hyde punched him in the shoulder. "Not for a hug, you moron! Help me move these boxes."

"Fine!" Kelso said as he bent over. The pair managed to carry the box into the bedroom without anymore arguments. "Man, what's in that thing?" he asked, stretching his arms above his head.

Hyde shrugged. "I dunno, I was high when I packed it," he replied. Kelso nodded in understanding. He checked his watch.

"Alright, I gotta go now. Me and Brooke and Betsy are having lunch at this new diner by their apartment. The waiters are all on roller skates. Roller skates!" He shook his head in amazement, grinning widely. Hyde frowned at his friend's excitement. "Man, the things people come up with."

"Yep. It's a topsy-turvy world out there, man."

"Tell me about it. Hey, so call me when you get this place fixed up. We can have a party. I've got serious connections. We get a couple of kegs and some 'film' in here in no time for cheap," Kelso said, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Sounds good. And thanks for helping me out. I really needed someone to drink kool-aid and talk about meaningless crap while I carried heavy boxes up four flights of stairs."

"Anything for you, man."

Hyde chuckled. His friend looked at him expectantly with a slight pout, and Hyde finally rolled is eyes and mumbled a disgruntled 'Fine.' Kelso grinned and wrapped his arms around Hyde tightly, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Hyde managed to shove him off after a minute and Kelso strolled out of the apartment grinning. With a sigh, the curly haired man bent over and ripped open the box at his feet. This was going to be a long afternoon.

x

x

"Look miss, I swear I'm not doing anything wrong—"

"You're loitering. Nobody loiters unless they're up to no good."

"No, you have to listen. My girlfriend—ex-girlfriend is in there and I need to talk to her. I've been out here all night, but she won't let me in and—"

"Oh, so you're a stalker too, huh? Look, I don't know what kind of bimbo headed idiot would date your scrawny ass, but if you don't get out of my building in thirty seconds, I'm calling the cops, you hear?"

"What—no! I'm not a stalker, just give me one second, please? Okay? Donna, you gotta let me in!"

Donna rolled her eyes and stood up, slipping a piece of paper between the pages of her book. Eric pounded on the door in a panic, clearly terrified of her hard-ass landlord. Dramatically, she wrenched the door open, smirking when her ex stumbled forward into her apartment. The short blonde woman had the payphone in her hand and was already dialing out in the hallway. She hung it up slowly, eyeing the pair in Donna's doorway suspiciously. Donna plastered a fake grin onto her face.

"Eric! Long time no see! How have you been?"

He stared at her incredulously. "How have I been? How have I been?" His voice got higher and higher with every word. "I'll tell you how I've been, missy. I've been sitting outside you're freakin' apartment for thirteen hours! I spend at least nine of them pounding on your door, which means I've spent the other four pulling splinters out of my knuckles! I—"

"Yeah…Well, I got some new headphones and they work so damn well I couldn't hear you."

The landlord stepped forward. "Everything okay here, Pinciotti?" she asked.

Donna smiled. "Yes, Mrs. Benson, everything's just fine. Come on in Eric, it's been way too long." She grabbed his hand tightly and yanked him inside.

x

x

Hyde kicked off his boots and collapsed onto the couch with a sigh. He groaned at the sight of his many still unopened boxes around the apartment and shut his eyes. Angie had called hours before insisting he meet her at the store. His day had passed in a haze of inventory and paperwork, and he still had to unpack.

"Screw Chicago," he muttered under his breath. He sat there for a few more minutes and was just about to doze off when the phone rang. After letting it ring several times, Hyde finally stood up to answer it.

"What?"

"You really ought to work on that greeting, Steven."

"WB, hey. Sorry about that, it's been a long day."

"Well, starting over in a new city doesn't tend to make the days go by any faster. At least not at first. Anyway, I'm calling about the Chicago branch."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Look Steven, I think I'm going to have someone else run that store for me."

"What the hell? Why?"

"Because I'm opening a store in New York and I need someone I trust to take it over."

Hyde's eyes widened. "Wait, what? You want me to work in New York?"

"Is that okay with you?"

"Well, I guess. I mean I just moved into my apartment but—"

"Did you unpack anything yet?"

"Not really."

"Then moving again will be a cinch. Bring what you can on a plane and I'll have everything shipped over. I even found you an apartment."

"Wow," he said. "I don't know what to say. Thanks WB."

"Don't thank me. I expect you to actually work over there. No more opening the store six hours late or letting hippies run the cash register. You'll take this job seriously, understand?" he said sternly.

"Yeah man, I will. When do you want me over there?"

"Within the next couple of weeks. I want it to open on the tenth."

"Wow, uh, sure sounds good. I'll try to catch a flight this weekend."

"That would be perfect."

They spoke for a few more minutes about the store before saying their goodbyes. Hyde was still in shock when he hung up the phone. He looked around the apartment that had belonged to him for a total of two days and wondered if he'd been hitting the film a little too hard lately, because things were falling right into place all around him.

"Huh. Maybe there is a god," he said to himself. "Or maybe Clapton can do a lot more than play the guitar like one." He shrugged. Either way, his life was getting pretty freaking close to perfect.

x

x

Donna stood at her kitchen counter with her arms crossed, watching Eric fidget by the couch. He looked from box to box, to her, back to the boxes, to her, to the TV, to his fingernails, to her and everywhere else he could think of. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Granted, he hadn't expected her to run into his arms and proclaim her undying love or anything, but she was just standing there, pissed and hurt and silent. He didn't know what to do.

"So, are you planning to do anything other than stare at my apartment? Because I have a lot of things I could be doing right now and none of them involve you," Donna said. Eric cleared his throat twisted his hands together.

"Well, I was hoping we could talk about some things," he said. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "You know, like our relationship. Because I feel like that's something that needs to be talked about. Since it's so…you know…messy." Eric waited for her to speak up but she just stood there, as still as ever, watching him. He felt a nervous flush creep up his neck. "Donna, could you please say something before I do that thing with words I always do and make you even more pissed at me?"

Donna sighed and her arms dropped to her sides. "Eric, I'm not mad."

"You're not?" He hesitated. "Are you sure? Because you seem mad."

"Yes I'm sure. I'm just…" she ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't think you and me can pick up where we left off. A lot has happened and you really hurt me Eric. You pretty much up and left me and I can't just get over that just because you're standing here all cute and nervous in my living room."

Eric forced a small smile. "You think I'm cute?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

He nodded. "Right, I'll do that."

She took a few steps towards him. "Eric, I'm glad you're back. I've missed you so much and I am happy that I won't have to wait weeks to hear from you, but I'm not sure if we should get back together. At least…not right now."

Eric nodded and swallowed hard. He was devastated, but not surprised. "I get it," he said softly. He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, looking everywhere but at her face. "I'll be at home then, if you want to talk. I promised my mom I'd be there a few hours ago, so I should probably head out. I'm sure there's a welcome home ass-kicking waiting for me from Red that I can look forward to on the bus ride," he said, trying to grin. He finally glanced at Donna's face and was surprised to see her teary-eyed. Before he knew what hit him, she was in his arms, hugging him so tightly he could hardly breathe. He hugged her back gratefully, wishing the moment could last forever.

"Maybe you could stay for a little while," he heard her whisper into his neck. "Since you're late anyway."

Eric smiled his first real smile in what felt like weeks. "I guess the ass kicking can wait," he said.

They held each other in the middle of the apartment, surrounded by boxes, and didn't say another word. They both knew they had a lot to work through but for now, they just let themselves be together.

x

x

"Hello?" Jackie said groggily into the phone.

"You'll never believe this."

"Steven?" she said, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What, what happened?"

"WB just transferred me again."

"What? But you just moved to Chicago. Why would he make you move again? God, what an ass. He should be grateful you're working for him at all. Most illegitimate sons would demand work-free money and milk the whole absent father thing for all it's worth. Does this man not realize how freakin' lucky he is not to be my long lost father?"

"Something tells me you won't be too upset when I tell you where I'll be living," he said with a chuckle."

"Where?"

"Greenwich Village."

"Oh my god. Oh my god! WB transferred you to New York? Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack," he said.

"Oh my god! Steven that's amazing! I can't believe it! When do you move here?"

"He wants the store open by the tenth, so I'll be there by the end of the week."

"For good?"

"For good."

"Oh my god," she said, a ridiculously huge grin on her face.

"Jackie, you still there?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm here. Steven, I'm so happy. God, you have no idea."

"I think I might."

"Do you have a place to live yet? I can help you find one if you don't. And you can stay with me until you get an apartment. It's technically not allowed, but I don't see why anyone has to know, and Alice wouldn't say anything and—"

"WB found me a place already, but thanks."

"Well I'll help you unpack and decorate as soon as you get here."

She could practically hear him roll his eyes. "Jackie, I don't need to decorate my apartment. I'm not Fez."

"Steven, the more I like your apartment, the more I'll be there. We can make your bedroom look especially nice," she said.

"I'm listening."

Her grin widened even more.

x

x

The next morning, Jackie rushed through another phone call before her first class.

"Thank you Mr. Barnett. You have no idea how much this means to me," she said.

"Well, I know what it means to Steven. I want him to be happy and he's happy with you. And I know he'll do a good job with the store."

"He will, I'll make sure of that. You know I could never date someone poor."

WB chuckled. "I know Jackie. Well, I should get going. I have a few meetings to get to. Have a good day."

"You too. And thanks again."

He paused before saying goodbye. "Are you ever going to tell him that you orchestrated this whole thing?"

Jackie smirked. "We'll see."

Two months later…

Hyde dropped the last box on the floor and collapsed onto the couch. "That's it. I refuse to carry another box ever again. I'm never moving, I'm never helping anyone else move. I'm finished."

"Well, at least until September, but then you'll have to help me move into my dorm."

Hyde stared at his girlfriend. "Tell me you're kidding or we are breaking up right now."

Jackie laughed and sat down next to him. "I'm kidding, relax. God, you really think you can ask me to move in with you and I'd only stay with you for three months? Nice try pal. You're never getting rid of me again," she said, snuggling into his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"As long as the no pajamas allowed rule is obeyed, fine by me," he said with a smirk.

"At least we're too far away to help Fez move to Chicago," she said.

"Thank god. There's no way I would be able to handle babysitting him and Kelso for that long. I can't believe we used to hang out with them every day. How did I manage to not kill one of them?" he said.

"I distracted you sexually."

"Oh yeah, that's right," he said, grinning.

Jackie looked around at their apartment. It was slowly starting to sink in that this was her new home. She looked at Steven and smiled. They weren't kids anymore, fooling around in the basement in the summer heat. This was their future. She sat up and looked him in the eye.

"This is it Steven," she said. "Summer's over."

"Jackie, it's June."

"You know what I mean," she said softly. And he did. She reached for his hand and tangled their fingers together. "Are you ready for this?"

"Probably not," he said. Then he tightened his grip on her hand. "But I'm doing it anyway."

Jackie smiled and leaned towards him, already excited to break in their new home.

"Good to know."

end