Post Season 8. Let's face it, no matter which character you liked they all basically got screwed in Season 8. This is what I like to think happened. This is a group story but at the heart of it is Jackie and Hyde. However, if you are reading looking for happy Jackie and Hyde right away, be prepared. I love them and they will have a happy ending but I don't believe it happened right away and I don't believe it was easy. There was just to much bitterness and hurt and anger...so just bare with me.

Story Notes: While I don't care for Season 8, I tried to watch most of the episodes before I started writing this (some of those that actually featured Sam though I just couldn't stomach all the way through) so if I am off on a detail from that season, please forgive me. I can't remember if Bob ever moved on the show but he still lives next door to the Formans in this story. And for the sake of this story, Jackie got her old job with the public access show back. I will be including some "missing" scenes from Season 8 in flashbacks in later chapters. Also, envision Hyde in 1980 without the porno 'stache. It makes me cringe!

This is my first attempt at That 70s Show and I have a feeling this will be a fairly long story. I hope you stick it out with me! Thanks for reading and of course, reviews feed a writer's soul. :) Not to mention make me want to write more often.

Title inspired by the song of the same name from the band Mumford & Sons. You should check it out. Its very Hyde POV in late Season 8.

New Year's Eve 1979. 11:59 pm. The Forman's living room.

Hyde reached the top of the stairs just as the countdown to the new decade started. This was the way to celebrate. He was a free man from his fake marriage, Forman was home at least for a little while and Jackie was officially not his problem anymore. He would toast to all that as he rang in the new year with his surrogate family. As he glanced around the room for a beer, his eyes fell on Jackie and Fez sitting on the couch. Not just sitting, but cuddled up in the far corner of it. Just like he had done with her so many times when they had agreed to a night of watching television with the Formans. Fez's arm was draped around her shoulders and she was looking all giddy at him with a stupid grin on her face. He was so glad he didn't have to deal with her anymore. Who needed someone hanging all over them to the point of annoyance? Jackie was suffocating, she sucked all the oxygen out of the room.

"Two, one, happy new year!" he heard Kitty's voice loudest of all as the living room erupted in cheers.

Kelso tossed a handful of confetti in Hyde's direction which he tried to frog him for, but Kelso just dodged him and ran. With the brightly colored pieces of plastic falling slowly all around him, he glanced back over at the two lovebirds on the couch and watched as Fez lovingly cupped Jackie's face and kissed her. How sickening, he thought to himself. Poor guy doesn't know what he's in for.

"Oh my God!" Kitty's excited shriek broke him out of his trance and brought him back to reality.

Everyone turned around to see Eric and Donna kissing. No, not just kissing. Kissing was what Fez had been doing with Jackie...Forman and Donna were full on making out in the living room.

Kitty jumped up and down with joy, while Red sat in his chair shaking his head in confusion.

"Can't any of you dumbasses make up your damn minds?" he asked to nobody in particular.

When they finally broke apart, Donna looked stunned and Forman looked, well like Forman. Awkward, jerky, skiddish...like Forman. Man, how Hyde had missed him.

"Eric what the hell?" Donna whispered, fresh tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Donna, I can't...I'm not going back."

"But Eric, you love it there...You can't."

"No, Donna. I love teaching. I can teach here. I just have to get a degree...I can do that here...Donna, I...I thought I could let you go but being here with you tonight...Donna, I love you. I'm not going back."

"But Eric we're so different now, we don't really know each other anymore," Donna shook her head.

Silently, Jackie was proud of her for standing her ground. Eric had hurt her, far more than anybody could ever understand...well except for Jackie. She knew the feeling all to well.

"Then I'll get to know you again Donna, and you can get to know me. Please, please Donna? Give me a chance to prove that..."

He was stopped as Donna kissed him again, this time softly and quickly. When they pulled apart she wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand with a little laugh escaping her lips.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you Donna...I never meant to do that. I'm just, just..."

"A dumbass," Red finished for him.

"Burn!" Kelso interjected.

"Oh, my baby is home for good!" Kitty squealed, wrapping her arms around Eric and pulling him close "Oh. Thank. God!"

Jackie sat on the couch, Fez's arm still around her shoulders but at that moment she didn't even realize it. She had took him back. Eric had come all the way around the world to apologize and Donna had took him back and now they were going to work on things. After he ditched her for Africa and wrote her a breakup letter? Guys just didn't apologize for things like that...at least not any of the guys she had been with. You didn't hurt someone like Eric hurt Donna and then try to make it right. Guys just didn't do that...Steven didn't do that.

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach but strangely enough she was craving a drink. A strong drink.

"Um, Fez, I'll be right back ok?" she smiled at her new boyfriend, trying her best to pretend everything was fine.

"Sure, I want to go hug Eric!" he seemed to delighted to even notice the fake smile on her face as he jumped up and latched onto his friend.

Jackie rushed toward the kitchen, hoping she could hold back her tears long enough to make it there. Hyde watched her fly by the group, without a single acknowledgement to Eric. That wasn't like her, she would usually use this opportunity to burn him and pretend to be disappointed that he was staying. Even though Hyde knew she missed him.

He came into the kitchen in search of beer, expecting to find Jackie prepared to do battle with him. Since they had broken up, they had gone back to their old routine. There was to much bitterness and anger between them to be friends. They had never really been friends in the first place. He was actually surprised that there were times they could hangout without sparring with each other, although those times were few and far between. What he found instead, was Jackie pouring herself a goblet of Mrs. Forman's emergency wine, and dabbing her eyes with a kitchen towel.

"Uh, Jackie...What the hell are you doing? Mrs. Forman's gonna freak out when she sees her wine is missing and you know damn well she'll pin it on me."

"Just shut up Steven," she spat at him, as she downed the glass as fast as she could.

"Jackie, I don't care if you get drunk off your ass, just do it on beer and champagne like everybody else!"

"Leave me alone!" she sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, her back to him as he stood by the refridgerator.

"Fine! If you need to get drunk to make out with Fez, I totally understand."

Awesome burn, he congratulated himself as he opened his beer.

She didn't answer.

"Although it should be easy for you, since you've had so much experience with everybody else. Should be like second nature by now."

Still no answer. She just poured herself some more wine.

"Jackie this is the part where you're supposed to dog on me. Remember?"

"Leave me alone, Hyde. Just, just go back to the party and leave me alone ok?"

Hyde? What the hell was that? She hadn't called him Hyde since when she first started messing around with Kelso. He knew it shouldn't bother him, he wasn't sure that it did, but it did take him off guard.

"Whatever Jackie."

He turned and went back through the door into the living room. He patted Eric on the back and handed him the beer he had gotten for him. Eric popped it open and they clinked their cans together.

"Good to have you home Forman. I missed your scrawny ass."

"Yeah, love you too Hyde," Eric laughed, before Hyde pulled him into a quick hug.

"Where's Jackie?" Fez finally noticed.

"The kitchen. She's all upset about something, like I care. Come on Forman, let's go downstairs and I'll give you your welcome home present."

"I thought you already did?" Eric laughed suspiciously, as he thought back to the circle they had just been pulled from downstairs.

"I know, but there's more where that came from," Hyde smiled.

"Isn't that sweet. My two boys back together again," Kitty sandwiched herself between them "Oh, Red get the camera!"

"I'm getting another beer," Red stood up but stopped and turned around before he got to the kitchen "Welcome home son."

He patted Eric haphazardly on the back. Eric smiled softly at his dad, knowing this was as close as he was going to get to a 'I'm happy your staying' speech.

"Thanks dad."

New Year's Day 1980. Eric Forman's Basement. 12:20 am.

"I just can't believe you're staying," Donna looked all dreamy eyed at Eric sitting next to her in the circle.

"I can't believe things haven't changed around here," Eric looked around the basement "I figured Hyde would have destroyed the place by now..."

"I can't believe Jackie called me Hyde. I mean, who does that? Who calls me Hyde?" Hyde shook his head in disbelief.

"Uh...we do," Kelso quipped after a pause.

"Hyde, man. I haven't seen you this burnout since we thought the FBI was coming after us and we went through our whole stash in one day," Eric laughed at the memory "Man, its good to be home...So Donna, you wanna go out on a date?"

"A date?" Donna giggled "Eric we haven't been on a date in like...forever."

"I know!" Eric shook his head "I mean, we usually just..."

"Hey! Not in the circle. I don't want to hear all your lovey dovey crap!' Hyde broke in on them.

"Come on Hyde. You're just mad cause you're not getting any now that your hot stripper wife dumped you for her old rich husband...burn!" Kelso laughed.

That time he couldn't escape the frogging he got on his shoulder.

"Yeah, Hyde...How exactly did that happen?" Eric laughed "I mean, when I left you were going to marry Jackie and then..."

"Ok, new rule. No talking about Jackie or wives or strippers in the circle!" Hyde insisted "Its giving me a freakin headache...Who the hell calls me Hyde man?"

"Everyone!" Donna, Eric and Kelso all yelled together.

Early August. 1980. Eric Forman's Basement. 2:30 pm.

"Donna it is so beautiful!" Jackie gaped at the sparkling diamond on Donna's finger "And I mean that. Not like the first time he gave you a ring and I lied and told you I loved it...This time I actually do. I mean, you can actually tell its a real diamond now, not a microscopic shard of glass. Good job Eric!"

Jackie reached around Donna as the three of them sat on the couch and patted Eric roughly on the shoulder.

"Gee, Jackie I am so relieved. I was so worried you wouldn't like it," Eric deadpanned in sarcasm "Now that it has your seal of approval, I can sleep tonight."

Jackie rolled her eyes at him and then turned back to Donna.

"So tell me all about the proposal! What did he say? Where was it? A candlelit restaurant with a real band playing? Oh my God, did they have a violin?"

"No, Jackie," Donna laughed "He actually proposed to me in the driveway."

"What?" Jackie snapped "The driveway?"

"Well, technically on the hood of the vista cruiser," Eric corrected her "Under a blanket of stars and..."

"You proposed to Donna on top of a car? I mean...and it wasn't even a limo? Oh, Eric you are soo lucky that this ring is so gorgeous!"

"Maybe contrary to certain selfish, shallow, stuck up princesses everything doesn't have to be about money and materialistic crap!" Hyde interjected from his usual seat, his feet propped up on the table.

"Hyde if that were true, then Eric would have just went out and bought Donna her old ring back," Jackie rolled her eyes "And what do you know about romance? The most romantic thing you ever did for me was..." she thought for a moment...she couldn't really think of anything.

"Exactly," Hyde finished for her "I don't do romance."

"Really? Not even for your slutty slutty stripper wife?"

The whole group groaned in disgust. Here they went again. Round two thousand...

"Can't we all just go upstairs and have some of Mrs. Kitty's brownies?" Fez offered, trying to break the tension.

"Not now Fez," Hyde shot him a look from behind his shades and stood up, his hands on his hips.

"I'm getting sick and freaking tired of you bringing that up Jackie! Besides, you're the one who went around banging every Tom, Dick and Kelso in this stupid town."

"Really? How would you know? Its not like we've had a real conversation in months!"

"I don't need to have a conversation with you...I've suffered through enough conversations with you. I know what I know because I have eyes in my freakin head! You screwed with Kelso, you screwed with me and then you sank your pathetic, marriage hungry claws into Fez!"

"I never slept with Fez!" Jackie shouted, standing up and folding her arms across her chest.

"Gee, thanks for bringing that to everyone's attention Jackie," Fez sighed, slinking back in his seat.

"Well, he's the only one!" Hyde shot back "But you played your stupid mind games with him!"

"This is true," Fez nodded in agreement.

"Fez," Jackie jerked her head around "Fez, you know it wasn't like that."

"Yeah, Fez. Your breakup was mutual," Donna interjected for the first time.

"I know," Fez shrugged "But she still played with me...and left me unsatisfied."

"Yeah, that's kind of her thing," Hyde scoffed, dropping back into his seat and folding his arms across his chest.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jackie's eyes were growing more angry with every second "So, now I didn't satisfy you?"

"Hey, Jackie to be fair. He's seen the promiseland, he was married to a stripper," Eric laughed hoping to break the tension.

Donna punched Eric in the arm.

"So that's how you feel? I wasn't as good as Sam?" Jackie clearly looked hurt.

The hurt in her eyes should have made Hyde feel bad. Maybe somewhere deep down it did, but right now he was angry. He was angry at her for criticizing Forman and Donna, he was angry at her for dating Fez, he was angry at her for so many things that...

"That's what I'm saying," he stated.

Everyone sat there, their eyes darting between the two of them. They had heard them rip into each other for the last year. They had heard Jackie call Sam a slut. They had heard Hyde call Jackie bitchy and stuckup and pathetic. But they had never heard anything like this.

"Well," Jackie finally spoke in a calm even tone "You would know Hyde. You've been with a lot of women."

"That's true," Fez interjected "Many nights I have sat outside his door and..."

Everyone turned their attention to him and he shrank even further in his seat.

"Just, forget I said that...get on with it already!" he insisted, trying to take the attention off himself.

"Yes, yes I have," Hyde smiled as if he were remembering all of them individually.

"So who's the bigger slut then?" Jackie spat back, as she turned and ran out the door, slamming it behind her so hard the blind fell off the window.

"Man, what the hell is her deal?" Hyde stood up, kicking his chair behind him "I don't understand why she still hangs around here all the time. She comes over here sometimes when I'm the only one here and just sits here. Doesn't she know that if I never saw her face again I would be the freakin happiest man on earth?"

"Hyde, what is your deal?" Donna stood up, her arms folded across her chest.

Eric loved it when Donna went into bitchy mode. It made her even more sexy. If that was possible.

"What are you talking about? I was defending you to her."

"Hyde, I didn't need defending. That's just Jackie, that's how she is. That's how she's always been. You didn't have to say those things to her. We're all Jackie's got."

"Yeah man. I'm all for a good Jackie burn but...don't you think you went a little to far?" Eric agreed.

"No, I was just being honest."

"Really? So being with Sam was so much better than being with Jackie?" Donna raised her eyebrows.

"Yes. That's what I said Donna," Hyde rummaged to set his chair back up and sat back down "Can we just drop it?"

"Fine," Donna shrugged with anger, dropping back down next to Eric "Doesn't anybody want to hear about the proposal?"

"Not really," Hyde and Fez said together.

"I'm going to go get some brownies. Today is Tuesday, which means triple chocolate fudge," Fez grinned with a gleam in his eye as he bounded up the stairs for his afternoon snack.

"Hey Fez!" Eric stopped him "Not a word to my parents about the ring, you got that?"

"Yeah, yeah who cares...brownies!" he shut the door.

"You know what, fine. I'll just go find Jackie, console her for an hour and then tell her all about it. She may criticize it but at least she cares enough to do that!" Donna huffed, as she stood up and left the basement.

Hyde and Eric sat in silence for a while. Hyde with his arms folded across his chest, and Eric having no idea what to say to his best friend. He had never met Sam and the few letters that Hyde had sent him only described her as being hot. Nothing about her personality or their relationship...just hot. Not much to go on.

"So, Hyde..."

"I don't want to talk about it Forman."

"Man, like it or not Jackie is a part of our lives...I've learned to accept that," he held his hand over his heart in mock defeat "Its time you do too."

He was trying to lighten the mood but Hyde wasn't biting.

"Come on man," he started again.

"Look, when me and Jackie first started hooking up all any of you guys wanted was for us to break it off. Go back to the way we were. You guys should be dancing in the freaking streets. I hate her. She hates me. That's the way things are now. So get used to it."

"Its cool with me man. It makes the world feel like its in balance again,"Eric shrugged, picking up a comic book from the table.

"I mean, where does she get off saying that I never did anything for her?" Hyde asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I thought you didn't want to talk about it?" Eric peered over his book.

"I don't. I'm going to work," Hyde jumped up and slammed the door behind him as he went.

"Doesn't anybody know how to put a blind back up?" Eric lamented, walking over and fumbling with the contraption for a few seconds, "Yeah me neither," he shrugged, tossing it to the ground and going back to his comic.

Jackie and Fez's Apartment. One Hour Later.

"You sure you're ok?" Donna sighed as she sat watching Jackie as she engulfed a bowl of ice cream.

"Yes, Donna I'm fine. I'm better than fine. Its so freeing to know the reason that Hyde stayed with that trashy whore."

"Jackie, Hyde said she was better in bed than you. That's got to hurt, just a little," Donna sighed.

"Not really. Strippers are supposed to know all that nasty stuff," Jackie sighed, as she sat the empty bowl down on the coffee table "I am a lady. I am a rich, sophisticated classy lady and I know nothing about that!"

Donna raised an eyebrow. She found it hard to believe that Jackie had slept with Kelso the king of all things dirty in the bedroom and Hyde the king of all things dirty outside the bedroom and never learned anything.

"Ok, so maybe a little but God Donna I'm not some whore off the street!"

"I know that," Donna shook her head slowly "You know Hyde is a real jerk. I know that I tried to be nice to Sam and all but I never thought he handled your breakup right. I mean, it was like neither one of you wanted to talk about it."

"What's there to talk about when the man you love introduces you to his stripper wife? Not much to say Donna."

They sat in silence for a few minutes and then Jackie noticed Donna twisting her engagement ring around on her finger.

"Donna, I am so sorry!" Jackie gasped with sincere embarrassment "I'm tired of talking about Hyde. Let's talk about you and Eric."

"Really?" Donna asked with shock.

"Yes. Yes, I want to hear all about the proposal. What did he say?"

"Well. The other day we were talking about how when we came home for the weekend that we should take the vista cruiser out, just like old times."

Donna and Eric had officially moved to Madison. Donna had moved first, starting classes in January and then Eric had signed up for spring quarter four months later. They had an apartment off campus. She worked part time at the college's radio station and Eric had a job interning with a local elementary school while he earned his teaching credits. They came home on weekends to see their friends and family. It was hard being away from the people they were close to. It just seemed wrong not seeing them once a week.

"And?" Jackie scooted to the edge of her seat.

"And we went for a drive and made out in the car," Donna laughed "And we came home and we were sitting on the hood of the car like we used to. We were staring at the stars and talking about all the nights we did that growing up."

"And?"

"And then he said that he needed to ask me something but he didn't want me to freak out and I could say no if I wanted to."

"Well, that's not very romantic," Jackie scrunched up her nose in confusion.

"And he pulled the ring out of his pocket and opened the box and said 'Donna, I know that I have made promises to you before and I know that I have always found a way to ruin them but Donna I'm done running. I'm done searching for something that I already have. I have my happiness right here in front of me. You are my future and you make me happy and if I have you, then you're all I need."

"That's so beautiful," Jackie sighed, wiping a tear off her cheek.

Donna was sure the tear was more Hyde related than related to their love but she didn't see any point in ruining the moment. For the outside person looking in, Jackie looked extremely moved.

"It was. It was beautiful and perfect and so...so us. Jackie, I never thought I would ever be able to marry Eric. I just thought I'd go on caring about him from a distance and that we would meet new people and lead two different lives...but everything worked out."

"I'm really happy for you Donna. I'm happy for Eric too. Even though he's a Star Wars' loving mama's boy."

"Thanks Jackie," Donna laughed.

"So, when's the big day?"

"We haven't even told our parents yet," Donna sighed "Eric wants to tell them tonight. Mrs. Forman is going to freak out."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, so when is it Donna?"

"I don't really want to wait much longer," Donna insisted "I was thinking we could get married in September before fall quarter starts. That way we could get into campus housing since we're married."

"So you want to plan a wedding in a month so you can save money on an apartment? Donna this is the biggest day of your life. Your moment in the spotlight. Your only shot at happiness, cause let's face it Eric's never going to propose again. You have him trapped right now Donna and...I see your point. The sooner the better," Jackie nodded her head "Get him married before he realizes what he's doing."

"Its not like that Jackie. Its just I've waited my whole life to marry Eric and I kinda want it to start as soon as possible. I just don't know if I'm going to have time to plan it. I have the school station, I'm taking two summer classes and Eric is working with a summer school program."

"I'll plan it!" Jackie squealed.

"You? Jackie, I don't know."

"Yeah, why not. I am an expert on weddings and Donna, let's face it, I can plan a more beautiful wedding than you because I have taste."

Donna almost stopped her right there but she figured Jackie had had a rough day...so she would let it slide.

"I'm only working part time this summer at the television station because of budget cuts so I have a lot of free time on my hands. Come on Donna please? At this rate, I'm probably not going to get married...it might be my only shot to plan a wedding."

Wow, that fight with Hyde had really done a number on her self esteem. Donna thought it over in her head. The last time she and Eric had planned their wedding, it had gotten...well boring. There were so many silly decisions to make. All Donna cared about was walking down the aisle and marrying Eric. The rest was just mindless details. Besides, she would be home every weekend to check on Jackie's progress and overrule any ideas that were to outragous. People paid for wedding planners, she could have one for free. Well, except for giving over her freedom of choice...

"Please Donna?' Jackie gave Donna her best pout and puppy dog eyes.

"Fine," Donna sighed "But I get to check up on you whenever I want and if I hate something, it goes, understand midget?"

"Fine," Jackie quipped back "But you won't hate anything Donna. I will plan a wedding like nothing this town has ever seen!"

Eric was going to kill her for this.

One week later. Forman's Basement. 10:30 pm.

"Kelso, man I'm glad you could join us," Hyde patted Kelso on the shoulder as they sat in the circle "Between banging all those playboy bunnies and taking care of your illegitimate baby, who knew you'd have the time."

Kelso had managed to get his old job back and was blissfully surrounded by centerfold wannabes all day long.

"I know! I am like the most talented man ever," Kelso grinned "Besides, I needed a break. Broads and babies can really take it out of you. Not to mention I have Brooke on my back again..."

"What did you do this time?" Eric raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I told her I was taking Betsy to the park but instead I took her with me to the track. I would have gotten away with it too but I forgot to take the betting slip out of her diaper bag."

"You know Kelso, every time I look at you I realize that girls give it to you for free. I mean, they practically line up around the block with their little bunny tails wagging. You, the same guy who eats glue and is constantly stapling himself to stuff. How do you do it man?" Hyde shook his head in disgust.

"Its my looks man. You can do just about anything wrong but you let girls get a good look at this greek god profile and you're beating them off with a stick," Kelso insisted.

"Guys, Donna wants to get married in a month. One month man," Eric interrupted them "Which I am fine with, its just...one month. One more month of the single life and then poof, I'm a married man. Married! Which I wanna be, its just that...its one month. I mean, we just got Red to stop screaming like an hour ago."

Hyde laughed hysterically. The image of Red's face as he threw a fit in the living room the week before filling his brain. Finally after a few hours, they had all calmed down and Kitty had hugged all over them, practically jumping up and down with delight. She for one was over the moon, Bob and Red not so much.

"Forman. You spent last year on the other side of the world living out of a hut. I realize marriage is worse than that but you can't back out of another wedding, man. Cause I gotta tell you, I'm not answering the phone this time. It can just ring and ring and ring..."

"Yeah Eric. You gotta just relax. Man, you're marrying Donna cause you want to. I proposed to Jackie cause I felt like I had to and I knocked up Brooke and...Man, I should be the one getting married. I got a lot more reasons than you do...Oh who am I kidding, I'm not getting married!"

"Hey, I thought we agreed. No marriage talk in the circle," Hyde interjected "...Now about the bachelor party."

"Sorry I'm late!" Fez shouted, as he took his seat next to Kelso "I was helping Jackie pick out invitations."

"Invitations to what?" Hyde raised an eyebrow.

"To Eric and Donna's wedding."

"Wait, what? Forman, Jackie is planning your wedding?"

"Yeah, well, sort of...Donna sort of told her she could do all of it."

"What? Why?" Hyde looked clearly annoyed "Man, this is your wedding. She shouldn't have her snotty nose anywhere near it."

"Hey, Jackie's nose is not snotty...Well, only when she cries," Kelso insisted, as he bit into his red popsicle.

"Its not a big deal Hyde. Donna and I are really busy with school and work, and Jackie volunteered."

"Man, this is just typical Jackie. She can't let anybody else be freakin happy without butting in!"

"But Hyde, Jackie is doing a wonderful job," Fez insisted "So far, Donna has loved everything she picked out."

"Fez, they've only been engaged for a week. How much could she have done in a week?"

The other three guys looked at him in astonishment. Jackie Burkhardt could plan a wedding in a day given the right magazines, stores and credit cards. She had been dreaming of her wedding since she was a little girl. They all knew it because at one time or another she had told all of them her plans. A conversation they had all in turn quickly skipped out of, but they knew she was fully prepared.

"Oh yeah, right," Hyde shook his head "Well, I don't care. When I see her I'm giving her a piece of my mind."

"Haven't you already done that?" Eric shrugged.

"Oh, I have only begun to tell her everything I feel about her...and it ain't pretty."

"Ok, can we get back on track here. If Eric is getting married in a month, we gotta get on top of the bachelor party!" Kelso shrieked "Oh man, you only get one of those."

"Kelso, he already had one last time, remember?" Hyde reminded him.

"Oh, well you only get two of those!" Kelso corrected himself "Besides, everyone could use a good trip to a nudie bar. Fez got dumped, Hyde's wife left him and Eric's life is over. Where else would we go?"

"We could go to the Playboy Club," Fez suggested.

"Fez, man. I told you I can't bring you guys there anymore," Kelso sighed "And you know why."

The guys all stared at Fez with resentment.

"Hey, I had just broken up with Jackie and I was very vulnerable...We said we wouldn't bring it up again!"

Forman's Living Room. 10:50 pm

Upstairs, Red and Kitty were watching the evening news. They hadn't spoken in over an hour. For the last week, ever since the kids had announced their plans, they had been in neutral corners. Kitty was thrilled and Red was annoyed. Red figured it was just a matter of time before Eric skipped out again, this time maybe going to somewhere that breeded communism like Vietnam or China. His son a commie...just when he thought things couldn't get any worse.

"Red honey, aren't you just the least little bit excited..."

"No."

"But honey, they're going to do it whether we like it or..."

"No."

Before the sparring could continue, Bob pushed through the door that led in from the kitchen.

"Bob, can't you knock?" Red looked up from his paper "Oh, that's right. Nobody around here knows how to knock or ring the damn doorbell. I suppose one of those ingrates left the back door open."

"Yes, yes they did Red," Bob nodded, taking a seat next to Kitty on the couch "Red, Kitty, I came over here to discuss the wedding."

"Oh, Bob!" Kitty got excited "I have been waiting for someone to want to talk about it! You know, Jackie is really going to town with the planning...she has so many good ideas and Donna..."

"I think you should pay for it," Bob interrupted her, his eyes moving from her to Red.

"You think what?" Red raised his voice as he folded up his paper.

"Yeah, I think its only fair. When Eric called off the wedding before, I lost six thousand dollars. Six thousand dollars would buy a lot of...something."

"She's your daughter and the bride's family always pays for the wedding," Red insisted.

"Now Red, maybe we could discuss..." Kitty began.

"Absolutely not!" Red stood up "Bob, you are paying for this monstrosity and that's the end of it. Now, go home."

"This isn't over Red," Bob insisted as he stood up "I'm going home because its late and I don't want to miss Carson but I will be back...and you will be paying."

"Out of my house!" Red belted as Bob made a mad dash through the kitchen door.

"Oh, Red this is terrible," Kitty sighed.

Point Place Mall. The next day. 1:00 pm.

"Forman, why would you ever agree to purple ties man?" Hyde sighed.

"Yeah, how am I supposed to get laid by all the drunk single chicks wearing this thing?" Kelso fidgeted in front of the full length mirror in the bridal store "I mean, sure I'm gorgeous and all but the clothes make the man!"

"Ok, first of all Kelso you can always stoop a little lower and find a woman who will sleep with you," Eric pointed out, "And second of all, I had no control over the color."

"It was Jackie wasn't it?" Hyde huffed, ripping the tie from around his neck.

"Hey, Donna loved the idea," Fez interjected "And so did I...Purple is the color of love and romance."

"I thought that was red?" Eric turned to him.

"Who cares what your dad thinks! We love purple so get used to it!" Fez shrieked.

"I've never worn purple in my freakin life man and I'm not about to start now," Hyde insisted, as he dropped down in a chair.

"Hyde that is not true. Don't you remember the tuxedo you wore to the prom?" Fez interjected.

"Yeah, the one you took Jackie to! Jackie who was my girlfriend!" Kelso insisted.

"Kelso, that was like four years ago. And you were banging Pam Macy."

For a moment, Hyde's thoughts drifted to that night. It was the first time he ever really got to know Jackie. She was so beautiful and innnocent looking in that prom dress...he had felt bad for her. Not just because she cried all over his shoulder about Kelso being such a tool but because he knew she deserved better. He knew that she was way to naive to be in a relationship with Kelso, to even be near Kelso...That was why he had agreed to wear purple and that was why he spent twenty minutes trying to pick out a corsage for her. And yes, he continued to give her a hard time after that. Because even if she was beautiful and naive, she was also annoying and bossy...and he wasn't about to admit that he had felt something for her that night. So he went back to feeling nothing...until Kelso screwed up again and he found himself in that very mall shopping for boots with her...

"I remember that prom," Eric got a goofy grin on his face "Donna had that blue dress on and she smelled so good and..."

"Shut up!" the other three men groaned.

Ever since Eric had popped the question he had been reminiscing and drooling all over Donna's every move. It was starting to make Hyde want to vomit.

"Can I help it if I am the luckiest man in the world? I have the perfect woman," Eric straightened his tie and winked at himself in the mirror.

On the other side of the store, Jackie was waiting anxiously for Donna to come out of her dressing room. After much effort, she had convinced Donna to buy a new wedding dress rather than use her mother's old one. First of all, Jackie didn't like anything old but more importantly than that was that the dress was cursed. At least according to Jackie. Donna's parents were divorced and the last time Donna had planned on wearing the dress, Eric ditched her. That dress did not have a good track record.

"Oh come on Donna! I can't wait for you to see this maid of honor dress!" she squealed, as she spun around admiring herself in front of the mirrors "I am going to be the most gorgeous girl there!"

"Uh, Jackie isn't that supposed to be me?" Donna asked as she walked out of the room.

Jackie was shocked. Beyond shocked. Donna looked gorgeous. She didn't realize lumberjacks could look so good. The dress Jackie had helped her pick out looked like something out of a fairytale. It was poofy and lacey and sparkly. Exactly what Jackie would have picked for herself.

"Oh my God Donna!" Jackie squealed.

In fact, she squealed so loud the boys heard her from across the store.

"Is she ok? Was that a happy sound?" Fez raised an eyebrow with worry.

"Yes," Hyde and Kelso both answered at the same time, then they shot each other a look.

"You like it?" Donna grinned with excitement.

If she could get this kind of reaction from Jackie, what would Eric think? She had to admit that looking at the dress on the rack she thought it was to girly but now that she had it on...she loved it.

"You look like Cinderella!" Jackie jumped up and down "Well, at least Cinderalla's red headed step-sister on her best day."

Donna had gone back to red hair shortly after they moved to Madison much to the disapproval of Fez and Kelso.

"Jackie!" Donna swatted her on the arm "The step-sisters were ugly!"

"I said on her best day Donna," Jackie insisted, a little smile crossing her lips "No, seriously Donna. You look amazing. I have to go tell Eric!"

"Yeah, sure go ahead," Donna stared at her reflection with a giddy smile on her face "I'll just stand here and...twirl for a while."

"Eric! Oh my gosh! You will never believe how beautiful Donna looks. I almost didn't believe it myself...it's like a dream! Donna has lived up to her potential!" Jackie squealed as she reached Eric who was admiring his own reflection.

"Really? Jackie you didn't pick out some dress that she doesn't like did you?"

"No, of course not...well I mean, I did pick it out but she loves it. She's twirling in it!"

"Donna? Twirling?" Hyde raised an eyebrow as he rounded the corner from the men's dressing room "What did you do to her?"

His eyes landed on Jackie. She had on a dark purple dress, that fell just above her knees. Her hair was all flipped out around her face and she was practically glowing. Just like Jackie, to have a glow when it wasn't her own damn wedding. He had to admit she looked beautiful, but only admitted it to himself.

"Jackie, is this your old maid dress?" Fez questioned as she spun around to model it for him.

Hyde stifled a laugh but made sure Jackie heard him anyway.

"Maid of honor, Fez," she corrected him, shooting Hyde a death glare.

"Wow Jackie. You're looking mighty fine in that dress," Kelso sauntered over "You know there's a dressing room back there with our name on it."

"Oh shut up Michael!" Jackie sighed "I came over here to talk to Eric...and to inspect your tuxedos so line up boys!"

The guys all groaned in unison, and all of them except Hyde lined up for approval. He stood against the wall, arms folded.

"Eric, I love your shoulders," Jackie grinned at him.

"You remembered," Eric sighed "They look pretty amazing don't they?"

"Mhm," Jackie held his bony shoulders between her hands and examined the fit of the jacket.

"Forman?" Hyde groaned "I can't believe you're buying into this crap!"

"Shut up Hyde!" they both said together.

Jackie then moved on to Kelso and then Fez.

"Ok, you guys have the seal of approval. Now put your suits on that rack over there and I'll make sure the tailors get them finished. Hyde, front and center!"

"You can't boss me around," Hyde insisted, moving away from the wall as Eric passed him on his way to change "It's bad enough you got Donna on your bandwagon for these damn purple ties! I can take care of my own tuxedo."

"Oh, you like the ties Hyde?" she narrowed her eyes at him "I thought you would."

Before he could get out another word, she scampered back to the girly side of the store.

It still bugged the crap out of him that she called him Hyde.

"I personally think you look amazing in purple," Fez walked up to him "It really is your color. It brings out your eyes."

"Shut up Fez. Are we almost done with this? I need a cigarette."

"Cigarette? Hyde you're smoking again?" Kelso glanced over at him.

Hyde had smoked cigarettes on and off for years. They all had at one time or another.

"Yeah man so?"

"Just asking a question, damn," Kelso rolled his eyes "You know, I smoke sometimes at the club. The ladies think it looks mysterious."

"Kelso, you don't need cigarettes for that. Your brain is the biggest freakin mystery there is," Hyde shook his head.

"Donna," Jackie sighed as she reached her friend, who incidentally was still twirling "Do you think we could just leave Hyde and Eric out of the pictures?"

"What?" Donna laughed "Jackie, Eric is the groom and Hyde is the best man."

"Well, I know but between you and me, and Michael and Fez...honestly Donna the pictures will be so beautiful without those two uglying it up."

"Jackie, I remember a time when you thought Hyde was the most gorgeous..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah don't remind me," Jackie sighed "Best man my ass. Hyde isn't even the best man of the group."

"Who is?" Donna raised an eyebrow.

"Well, Fez is. Even if he does look better in high heels than I do," Jackie shook her head, "And believe me Donna, that's hard to do."

"I can't believe you ever dated him," Donna laughed.

"What can I say? Fez is like my twin...which is why I never did it with him..." Jackie shook her head a little disturbed "But he's not a bad kisser."

"Ew, gross Jackie. I don't want to hear that crap!" Donna cringed.

"So this is the one?"

"Yes," Donna smiled after thinking for just a few seconds "This is it."

"Hey Donna?" Eric called out to her as the guys made their way over to the partition that Donna was standing behind. They had completed their task of the day and were already thinking about the stash they wanted to dive into before Eric and Donna went home for the week.

"Hey, back off nerd boy!" Jackie held her arms out, keeping them from getting a peak at Donna "Let her get in the dressing room. You want to jinx this wedding too?"

Donna quickly ducked into a room and then the boys made their way around to the waiting area. Jackie continued to pose in front of the mirror in her dress, barely paying any attention to the four guys watching her, bored out of their minds.

"So, what now?" Fez asked, as he bit into a hershey bar he had pulled from his pocket.

"Well, Donna and I are going to set up some cake tasting appointments," Jackie spun around with an excited smile.

"Cake?" Fez's eyes grew big "Do you need me to help taste?"

"Sure Fez. You can come if you want to. But keep your hands off the displays!" she pointed her finger at him.

"You know Jackie. You're really starting to get pathetic," Hyde stated matter of factly as he sat between Eric and Kelso "You do remember this isn't your wedding right?"

Jackie turned around, deciding it best to ignore him. Besides, she'd rather stare at her reflection in the mirror than fight with Hyde.

"Hey, give her a break. Jackie may never have a big wedding unless I decide to pop the question again and besides, the whole point of this thing is to make sure Eric doesn't go back to Antartica," Kelso insisted.

"Africa!" Fez, Eric and Hyde all corrected him at once.

"I knew that," Kelso ducked his head sheepishly.

"And that is not the point. I am not going back to Africa or anywhere else without Donna."

"Hey Jackie! I can't get this unzipped, can you come help me take it off?" Donna called from her dressing room.

"Oh yeah!" Kelso jumped up "I knew there was a reason I came today!"

"Yes, this is even better than the cake!" Fez insisted.

"Sit down and shut up," Hyde groaned "Stop being so freakin immature."

"Yeah," Eric shook his head "You guys really need to...oh who am I kidding?" he jumped up and followed the other two.

Hyde sat by himself shaking his head in disgust. What in the hell had gotten into everybody? Weddings and dresses and purple ties and cakes...if this was what growing up was, he would have no part of it. Why didn't everybody just get drunk off their ass, go to Vegas and get married like normal people...like him...to a stranger...ok maybe that was a bad example. And Jackie, prancing around there in that silky dress, making a scene. He had already watched three grooms almost break their necks turning to get a good look at her. She just had to have all the damn attention in the room. Always.

"Ugh!" Jackie groaned as she walked out of the dressing room "They're all back there trying to peak through the crack in the door to see Donna naked!"

Well, Hyde thought, two things would always stay the same no matter how old they got. Jackie would always be vain and his friends would always be pervs.

Fez and Jackie's Apartment. The Next Day. 3:00 pm.

"Hey Fez man?" Hyde called out as he and Kelso entered the apartment "Let's go we're gonna miss the movie!"

Kelso still had a key from when he used to live there but it was rare when the door was locked in the first place. Hyde had griped about it a number of times to both Fez and Jackie. They should keep the damn door locked but those two idiots were to busy with their heads in the clouds to grasp reality. So finally, he gave up. If someone broke in during the middle of the night and took Fez's candy or kidnapped Jackie...at least he tried and he could say I told you so...and feel sorry for the dumbass who thought it would be a good idea to take Jackie anywhere. She could make him wish he was dead just by opening her mouth.

"Look what I found!" Fez came out of Jackie's room with a grin stretching across his entire face.

"Who cares man, we're late!"

"Is that what I think it is?" Kelso raised his eyebrow, moving closer to look at the box Fez held in his hands.

"What?" Hyde snapped.

"Oh my God it is! Its her Hyde box!"

"What are you idiots talking about?" Hyde groaned, shutting the door in defeat.

"When Jackie and I were dating she had a Michael box. She put all this crap in it that I gave her," Kelso laughed with fondness "And when we broke up, she tossed it all out. It took me a week to find my rubber chicken in that landfield..."

"Kelso, are you telling me you gave Jackie a rubber chicken as a present? How are you still breathing?"

"My looks man! I'm telling you they will take you anywhere you want to go...well if you had good looks," Kelso corrected himself as he grabbed the box from Fez and sat down on the couch.

"Let's open it!" Fez clapped his hands together in excitement.

"No. We're not doing anything. You are going to put that back where you found it and we're going to the damn movie," Hyde insisted.

"I don't understand it," Kelso scratched his head "Jackie tossed all the stuff I gave her in the garbage as soon as I got back from California...she's been broken up with you for like over a year now and she still has the box."

"Fez, where did you find this stupid thing?" Hyde pretended to be disinterested, although he was growing more intrigued by the minute.

"Oh, well I was looking for Jackie's diary and I found it in the back of her closet," Fez answered matter-of-factly.

"You read Jackie's diary?" Hyde smirked.

"Of course. The only problem is she keeps finding me with it and then she hides it in a new spot. So its like a huge game of hide and seek," he seemed all to happy about it.

"Well, we've got the Hyde right here!" Kelso shook the box lightly, "Come on Hyde open it or I will."

"I found her Fez box," Fez interjected "It was under her bed."

"What was in that?" Hyde questioned as he sat down next to Kelso on the couch.

"Some tootsie rolls, disco records and our tickets to the Elton John concert..." Fez pouted "Two months of candy and music...damn that Jackie."

"I know the feeling man," Hyde nodded in agreement "Damn her...So let's take this box and put it back in the closet and get going."

"Not so fast Hyde!" Kelso flipped the lid off the box labeled 'Steven' and tossed it on the floor "What do we have here?"

Fez rushed over to inspect it and Hyde stood up to get away from it. All he needed was a bunch of stupid memories dredged up. Today was supposed to be a good day. They were going to go watch Smokey and the Bandit II then go to Grooves to smoke a stash he had tucked away in his office.

"A Zeppelin shirt?" Kelso studied the black t-shirt that was laying on top with confusion "Why would Jackie have a Zeppelin shirt?"

Hyde glanced over his shoulder at it and shook his head.

"Can you just put that away!"

"It smells like her," Kelso grinned, as he held the shirt up to the side of his face "Its really soft too...Its like she's washed it a thousand times and then rolled around in it."

"Let me see that," Fez raised his eyebrows.

"I said put it up!" Hyde crossed the room and grabbed the shirt from his hand.

Kelso, continuing to ignore Hyde, pulled an envelope out of the box with three pictures inside. The only three pictures Jackie and Hyde ever had taken together. The first one was from the prom, with that nauseating purple tuxedo. Hyde grabbed it from Kelso and studied it for a moment. It was funny that just the day before he had been thinking about how innocent Jackie looked that night and now here was the proof. She looked so young...he looked so young and his hair was huge. He didn't remember it being that big. Mental note to self, always make time for a haircut.

"See Hyde I told you that you looked good in purple," Fez peered over his shoulder.

"Look at this one. Remember that day?" Kelso laughed "Hey, Fez man. That was your wedding day...Wait. Are you still married to Laurie?"

Fez and Kelso shared a questioning look with each other as Kelso passed over the picture taken on the day everybody graduated high school. There they all were, leaned up against the vista cruiser, Donna sandwiched right between Jackie and Hyde. That was after they had broken up and Hyde had made an ass of himself trying to get her attention the night before.

The last one was taken the first time they had met Betsy. Kelso had brought her over to the Forman's for a visit, so that she could get to know her godparents. There was Jackie, looking nervous but excited holding Betsy in her arms with a huge grin on her face. Hyde was sure in her head she was imagining that Betsy was their child and they were posing for their Christmas cards or something...a thought which she later confirmed after Kelso had left. And there he sat beside her, his arm draped over the back of the couch with no hint of a smile on his face. Somehow though, he looked happy. Even without a smile.

"Ok, I'm done looking at this crap. I mean it Fez, box it up and shove it in the closet! We're missing the Bandit!" Hyde groaned, tossing the stack of pictures on top of the t-shirt and heading for the door.

"Hey, there's a diary in here," Fez announced as he rummaged through the box on his way to Jackie's room, then he gasped "A Hyde diary!"

"Oh man! I'd love to read the last chapter in that thing!' Kelso laughed "Burn!...Cause you know, you dumped her for a stripper...I bet she like put a curse on you or something in there."

"If you idiots want to read that crap, do it on your own time! Now for the last time, let's go to the freakin movies."

Point Place Mall. Five Days Later. 2:00 pm.

Eric and Donna stood over one of the jewelry counters staring at an array of wedding bands. Jackie was looking over their shoulders surveying the goods, two shopping bags looped around her arm.

Today they had found shoes for both herself and Donna, the perfect nail polish to compliment her maid of honor dress and now they were on the hunt for wedding rings.

"Eric you need a thin ring. It will make your finger look less bony next to Donna's in the pictures," Jackie insisted, as she pushed passed them and peered over the case more closely "Something like that one."

She pointed to a sleek looking band.

"Yeah, that's a nice one," Donna agreed "What do you think Eric?"

"Hey, first I have shoulders, now I have fingers...I never realized what all I was lacking until I met you Jackie," Eric rolled his eyes.

"That's why I am here," she grinned with sincere validation.

She turned her eyes back to the case and gasped with excitement.

"Oh, Donna that one would match your engagement ring perfectly!"

"Is that diamonds on that band?" Eric felt his stomach tighten at the thought of extra expense "I mean, you don't need anymore diamonds, do you Donna? You're a minimalist."

"Its so gorgeous!" Jackie continued to flail over it.

"I mean, you are such a classic woman," Eric insisted, moving closer to Jackie and trying his best to nudge her out of the way "You don't need all the bells and whistles."

"Are you saying she doesn't deserve them?" Jackie raised an eyebrow "Eric, after what you put Donna through you should be buying her the whole damn jewlery store."

"That's so true," Donna grinned "And Jackie is in charge."

"Um, overruled Donna! You said we could do that!"

"Yeah, I did say that but I kinda feel like we should listen to Jackie on this one," she continued to grin, getting a kick out of watching him squirm.

"Oh and you could buy her the matching necklace and earrings!" Jackie squealed as she moved on to the next case "Donna, you could look just like Elizabeth Taylor!"

"Ok, ok," Eric took Jackie by the arm "I think you should take a break Jackie. You've been working so hard today...buying stuff for yourself...so just, go to the foodcourt and buy yourself a milkshake!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill, passing it to her.

"Heck, you can even keep the change!" he directed her toward the door "We'll meet up with you in a minute."

"Fine," Jackie huffed "But I'm telling you Eric diamonds are forever and you need all the help you can get!"

"Why do we hang out with her again?" Eric smiled with amusement as he watched her pout off through the mall.

"We're kinda stuck with her," Donna laughed.

"Yeah, I could never outrun her," Eric shook his head, turning his attention back to the case.

"Eric, I don't want anything fancy," she assured him "I'll just get this one."

She pointed to the plainest band in the case. Eric felt a pang of guilt but honestly between financing the engagement ring and paying for school, he didn't have enough money as it was. Interning at the elementary school didn't provide much income and he would have to pay back his loans eventually.

"Donna, are you sure?" he sighed "Because if you want another one, I will..."

She broke him off with a kiss and looped her arms around his neck.

"Eric, I just want to marry you. That's all I've ever wanted."

Later that night. The Forman's Dining Room.

"Mom, this the best chicken you have ever made," Eric smiled as he dived into his fourth piece.

"Oh, honey," Kitty laughed with delight "I'm just so happy you two could stay for dinner."

"Me too. You don't no how tired I get of eating out of a box," Eric shook his head.

"Hey!" Donna slapped him on the arm "I'm working on it."

"Oh, Donna. One Saturday we should spend the whole day in the kitchen! I could teach you how to make all of Eric's favorite things. Oh, Jackie you should come too," she turned her attention to Jackie who was pushing her potatoes around on her plate.

"Me? Why me? I'm not getting married."

"Well, honey if you don't learn to cook how do you expect to ever find a husband?"

Hyde glanced down the table at her and a tiny smile formed on his lips. He always loved it when Mrs. Forman burned people without even trying. He lived for moments like that. It had become a tradition that almost every Saturday night when the kids were home for the weekend that everyone got together for dinner. It was always Red, Kitty, Eric, Donna and Hyde but occasionally others would show up. Just like Jackie did tonight. Ruining fried chicken night for everybody, he thought to himself.

Not only was Jackie there but so was Bob. Kitty had invited him over to discuss the wedding. She thought it was better to do it when everybody was together.

After she had cleared the dishes and before dessert, Kitty sprung into action.

"So, kids. We were talking to Bob the other night and we all have some concerns over how much this wedding is going to cost."

"What do you mean?" Donna glanced over at her father "I thought that..."

"Weddings are expensive Donna. And this is your second one," Bob interrupted her "So I told Red and Kitty that they need to shell out the money this time."

"What?" Donna and Eric both said together.

"And I told Bob the only thing I was going to shell out was my foot to go up his ass," Red interjected, pushing back from the table and throwing his napkin down.

"But, you don't understand Mr. Pinciotti," Jackie broke in "This wedding is going to be gorgeous! Donna deserves a beautiful wedding and I can't plan beautiful on a budget."

"Oh, Jackie just shut up and stay out of it," Hyde groaned, getting up from the table and going into the kitchen.

"Jackie, could you excuse us?" Donna turned to her friend "We need to talk to our parents."

"Fine," Jackie shrugged, standing up from the table "But just remember who is in charge here!"

"She scares me," Bob admitted once she had left the room.

"Dad, Eric and I don't have the money to pay for this wedding. Jackie has been charging everything on her mom's credit cards and we promised her that you would pay her back."

"I'm not paying for it Donna," Bob shook his head.

"Is this really about the money dad? Or are you just still mad at Eric?"

Eric's eyes darted across Bob's face. He and Bob had never had the best relationship in the world, especially after the wedding fell apart and he decided to go to Africa. He could tell from the look in Bob's eyes that it had everything to do with him.

"Maybe a little," Bob shrugged, his eyes dropping to the table "I just, I'm just worried about you Donna."

"Dad, you don't have to worry. Everything is different this time. Eric and I are in such a better place in our lives. We're both in school, we both have jobs...Dad everything is going to be fine."

"I'm still not paying," Red interrupted the beautiful moment.

"Well, maybe we can talk about it," Kitty shot him a glare and lightly patted Bob on the shoulder "We can work something out."

"I just want you to be happy kitten," Bob reached across the table and grabbed Donna's hand.

"I know dad," she smiled.

Forman's Basement. The next day. 12:00 pm

"So what time are you guys heading back?" Hyde glanced over at Eric as they sat on the couch.

"Um, probably like three or four. Donna is upstairs with my mom talking about wedding stuff...Don't they ever get tired of that?"

"Oh my God! Eric where is Donna?" Jackie burst through the door holding a magazine in her hand.

"Upstairs...why?" he raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"There's this place where you can rent a horse and carriage to take you to your reception! I just read about it and I want to make an appointment and..."

"A horse and carriage? Are you freakin kidding me?" Hyde interrupted her with a disgusted look on his face.

"Its beautiful," she emphasized, flipping the magazine open and showing it to Eric.

"Jackie, you need to just butt out!" Hyde stood up.

He had been holding his tongue ever since they had went tuxedo shopping and he couldn't do it anymore.

"Donna asked me to help."

"She didn't want you to take over for her. Look, just because you're never going to find some poor sucker to marry you doesn't mean you get to control Donna and Forman."

Great, Eric thought to himself. Just great. I'm trapped in here and no way out. Wedding talk upstairs and wedding fight downstairs.

"What do you mean nobody will ever marry me?" Jackie shut the magazine and tossed it softly onto Eric's lap.

"Let's face it. You've been through the trifecta around here. Kelso, me, Fez...and nobody stayed with you. There's a reason for that Jackie."

"Really? Because I thought it was because you and Michael cheated on me and Fez is a totally different story because we agreed to break up."

"Jackie nobody stayed with you because you are a bossy, self-absorbed brat who can't make up her damn mind about what she wants and jumps from one guy to the next to make herself feel better."

"You really think that's what I did? You think that I didn't care about you?"

"If you had cared about me, you wouldn't have went crawling back to Kelso...Hell, even he only asked you to marry him because he felt bad for you!"

Jackie could feel the tears stinging in the corners of her eyes and she willed them to stop. She didn't want Hyde to see how his words were cutting through her.

"If I was as desperate as you say I am then why didn't I marry Michael?"

"Because it was Monday?" he shrugged, "Face it Jackie. Nobody wants to be with you because you're a selfish little bitch."

"Hyde, that's enough man," Eric stood up, placing himself between the two of them.

Hyde looked over Eric's shoulder at Jackie. Her lower lip was trembling and the tears were starting to fall down her cheeks. He knew before the last few words escaped his lips that he shouldn't have said them but it was to late to take them back now. Besides, she needed to know she couldn't push people around like that...still the worst sight in the world was seeing Jackie cry. He gritted his teeth together to keep himself from apologizing.

"I can't believe I ever wanted to marry you," Jackie shook her head slowly, her voice cracking as she spoke "I can't believe that you ever said you loved me."

She turned and walked slowly out the door. She didn't slam it shut like she usually did when she wanted to make a grand exit. It was almost like she had been completely defeated. He had finally won a round with her...so why didn't he feel happy about it?

"Hyde, what the hell?" Eric asked sternly "That was harsh man."

"Yeah, well. She needs somebody to be honest with her," he insisted, as he sat down in his chair.

"You two are the best man and maid of honor at our wedding. You can't be at each other's throats like that. You guys are going to have to find a way to be civil with each other."

"Well, its all her fault. If she hadn't of nailed Kelso, none of this would have happened."

"Hyde, I don't think she did..."

"I don't care what they say. I know what I saw! And I'm really getting tired of everybody defending Jackie lately when all of this is her fault...She ruined everything!"

Eric sat back down and studied Hyde's face as he sat there behind his sunglasses, his lips pressed together and his knee bouncing up and down absently.

"Wow man. You know I never realized until just now...how much you really loved her."

"No I didn't," Hyde scoffed "You don't know anything about it Forman."

...

Next Chapter: The bachelor and bachelorette parties. A margarita filled rehearsal dinner leads to serious hangovers. The wedding day and reception. Plus, Jackie and Hyde have their biggest fight yet which leads to a secret being revealed that nobody expected.