That 70s Show fanfic: It Was Only a Matter of Time (9)

[jennickels]

It Was Only a Matter of Time
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
That 70s Show
Jackie/Hyde
rating: PG-13

Jack and Hyde work through their problems after Hyde finds Kelso in Jackie's Chicago hotel room (AU after season 7 finale). [start from the beginning: Chapter 1]

don't own... wish I did, but I don't. No infringement intended.

Chapter 9: Passing the Keys

Hyde returned to the store around ten. Missy was helping a young couple find the perfect song to use at their wedding. Hyde choked back the feeling of loss. Jackie would have dragged him out like that and he would have said he hated it as much as that guy looked like he did. He secretly would have enjoyed himself, just being with her, but he never would have admitted it to anyone. The couple couldn't decided so they left. Missy followed them to the door and locked it behind them, flipping the sign to "closed" and closing the shade. She joined Hyde at the counter, leaning back in the chair and putting her tight, tanned legs up next to the cash register.

"Pretty slow night?" he asked, counting out the cash drawer.

"Pretty much," she answered, nudging him with the tip of her combat boots. Hyde glanced over at her legs. He had noticed yesterday that she had started to wear short skirts and jeans with half the ass ripped out. He had been meaning to mention that her outfits were getting a little risqué for the store, but hadn't found the time to bring it up.

"So, what are you up to tonight, boss?" She leaned back farther in the chair, letting her arms hang over the back. Her chest stuck out as far as humanly possible as she bounced to the music in a seductive way. Hyde was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with her around. She was acting really weird and not in a good way. "Hot date or anything?"

"Nope." Hyde hurried to finish with the cash drawer.

"You want one?"

Hyde jerked his head around to look at Missy. "Huh?"

She stood up and ran her finger down his chest. He was no fully aware that Missy was throwing herself at him and, God help him, he wanted nothing to do with it. What the hell has happened to me? he though. A slutty girl is all but undressing right in front of him and all he could think about was getting the hell out as fast as he could. He pushed her hand away and moved to the other side of the counter.

"Sorry, but it just wouldn't work out," he told her.

Missy started laughing, confusing Hyde. "You are way too easy to get worked up. I thought you were supposed to be this cool, don't care about shit, guy."

"I am." Hyde could barely get the words out with a straight face. What a load of crap, he thought.

"So, did you finish that letter to your girlfriend?" All of a sudden Missy was back to her nice, normal, although contradictory self.

"Um, almost." Hyde wasn't sure he wanted to divulge any more of his secrets to this nut. She was like Jekyll and Hyde on crack or something.

"She seems nice," Missy told him.

"Who does?"

"Jackie. I met her today."

Hyde's heart skipped a beat. "Jackie was here?"

"Uh huh. A little while ago. She didn't want to stay and wait for you. I told her you'd be back in a few minutes but she just ran out all huffy."

Hyde swallowed hard. Jackie was back in town already. What happened in Chicago? Was something wrong? He ran his hand through his curly hair. Exhaling slowly he tried to find his center and keep his cool. "Could you lock up tonight?" he asked, tossing her the keys.

"Aw, are you sure you are ready for this. Exchanging keys is such a big step in a relationship."

Hyde nodded and left in a hurry, not entirely sure Missy was joking. He drove straight to the Forman's house, expecting Jackie to be there, but she wasn't. The basement was empty. Where could she be, he wondered. He was about to call Donna to ask if she knew anything about this when a thought hit him. What if Jackie really hadn't wanted to see him. She ran out without waiting for him and he didn't want to seem too desperate.

"I'll just wait for her to come to me," he said to himself. He sat down in his usual chair and put his feet up on the coffee table. "She came here to apologize so let her do the work." Hyde sat there for five minutes trying to convince himself that the whole mess was Jackie's' fault and there for her responsibility to fix it. He just needed to wait for her to come to him. Suddenly he jumped up and ran to his room. He dug through the mess at the far wall, looking for a small black box. He found the lid right away but he had never seen where the rest had gone. He rummaged through every little thing in the corner, over turning boxes and shaking out dirty clothes, but he couldn't find it. He fell back on his arms, feeling weak and sick to his stomach again. How could he lose a $200 ring.

Chapter 10