That 70s Show fanfic: Homecoming (4)

[jennickels]

Homecoming
by jennickels (aka Jen Connelly)
That 70s Show
Jackie/Hyde
23,369 words
rating: PG-13

Twenty years ago Hyde left Point Place without so much as a look back. What happens when he suddenly finds himself back in town and trying to restart his life?  Will his friends take him back? 

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

Chapter 4: Isn't It Ironic

"What are you thinking?" Hyde asked the five kids standing uncomfortably in the kitchen. They all averted their eyes, choosing to study the floor tiles or the chipping Formica countertop.

"You're lucky it was me that caught you. I might be a little more lenient." His daughter let out a little sigh of relief. "Except you," he said stabbing his finger in her direction. She let out a whimper and went back to sobbing.

"Are you gonna tell our parents?" Mike squeaked. Hyde thought for a moment. He was having some serious deja-vu, except this time he was seeing it from the other side.

He wondered what was going through each of their heads right then. Kelly was obviously terrified. She stood by the fridge, crying into her hands. Mike looked near tears, too, and fought to keep his composure in front of his friends. Shawn was leaning over the counter covering his face with his hands. Kate was sitting next to the sink, swinging her leg and playing with the hem of her shirt. The only one not looking down was Steve. He stood staring right at Hyde, mouth half open. It was the first time Hyde got a good look at him. He was almost as tall has Hyde with the same wild curly hair. He had his mother's dark eyes, though. His skin was a little darker too, more like Jackie's exotic color. If he thought it was freaky how much Mike looked like Kelso then this was just down right scary. It was like looking in a mirror.

Hyde cleared his throat, realizing he was staring at Steve. At least none of the kids noticed. They were too absorbed in their terror at being discovered.

"No, I'm not going to tell your parents," Hyde said, answering Mike's earlier question. "Do you have anymore?" Shawn looked up at Steve, the two exchanged glances, then Steve pulled six more joints from his pocket. Hyde took them with a frown, noting they were slightly damp from the boy's sweaty hands. Steve looked down , suddenly fascinated with his shoes.

"Where'd you get these?" he asked, holding up his hand. All five heads popped up and they all looked at each other with nervous looks on their faces.

Shawn was the first to answer. "School," he said.

"Yeah, we found them at school," Mike added.

"Found them?"

"No. No, we bought them. Bought them, not found," Shawn blubbered. Hyde raised an eye brow. The kids went silent and continued to examine the floor.

"All right. Don't you know this stuff will rot your brains?" You want to be a burn-out at seventeen?" They all shook their heads in reply.

"Does your mother know you are here?" he asked Kelly.

"No," she answered almost inaudible. Hyde sighed.

"How 'bout you two?" He pointed his two fingers at Mike and Steve.

"No," they both said in unison.

"Uh huh." He took one more look at the group. They looked completely freaked. "I'm going to get my shoes on. When I get back you two better be in bed and you three better be in the car."

Kate and Shawn ran from the room as soon as Hyde dismissed them. Kelly, Steve and Mike slowly made their way out the sliding door, whispering to each other. Back in his basement room Hyde smiled as he pulled on his shoes. That was pretty funny, he thought. He couldn't be too mad, considering all the times he started a circle himself. He was a little disappointed in Kelly, though. They had had the drug talk a couple years ago. He chuckled. She's been here two months and it figures she would make friends with this group of misfits. What was it about this basement?

They dropped Mike off first. He sprinted up to the door and fumbled to unlock it, glancing over his shoulder to see if Hyde was still there. After that, Steve gave directions to his house across town.

"Next right," Steve said solemnly from the back seat. Hyde slowed and turned into what looked like a housing project. Small, rundown duplexes lined a crumbling street. The grass in most yards was yellow and full of weeds and many of the buildings were boarded up. Hyde gulped. Is this what happened to Jackie? Hyde followed the winding road.

"Over there," Steve told him, leaning between the two front seats and pointing to Hyde's left. "The red one with the light on." Hyde pulled up across the street to let him out.

"Thanks for the ride, man," he mumbled before getting out. He looked back once as he walked up the cracked driveway. Suddenly the front door flew open. Hyde's heart skipped a beat.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"It's okay. I was just over at Shawn's" Hyde heard him tell her. He had been right-Jackie looked just as beautiful as she did at eighteen. Jackie put her arm on his shoulder, pushing him in the house. She looked back at the car, probably tying to see who drove her son home at two in the morning. Hyde covered his face with his hand and sped off. Kelly was staring at him kind of weird.

"What?" he asked.

She looked down and rubbed her knees. "I'm sorry, Dad," she murmured. He thought she was going to start crying and he hated when his girls cried. He patted her hand.

"I know you are, sweetie."

"I swear to God that was the first time." Hyde glanced sideways at her, eyebrow raised. "Okay, the second time," she confessed. "Are you going to tell Mom?"

"If you promise not to do it again and to not go sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night.."

Kelly nodded enthusiastically then she reached over and hugged him around the neck. He kissed her head. They really did grow up fast, he thought.

Chapter 5