"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi."

They both stood next to the Vista Cruiser in the Forman driveway and each shivered just a little in the cold before they shoved their hands deeper in their coat pockets. The night settled around them so quiet that it betrayed the Valentine�s Day dash that had clung to the daylight resulting in people rushing to find, give, and receive their tokens. Hyde had laughed at the foolish lovers all day -- when he wasn�t too distracted thinking of his own problem with love, no! Not love, just �like�. Yes, the �like� topic in general.

Jackie looked straight at him as the thoughts jammed into his mind and he coughed lamely and didn�t give her another glance because it just made him more confused. But it was coming, the time was fast approaching when he�d have to be more honest to her about how he felt . . . more honest to himself, too.

He kicked a wayward stick and looked up at her.

"Cold toda-"

"Michael came to me," Jackie interrupted. She wanted it said and done before any misconceptions could occur. Really, she just wanted to tell him, no one else. Show him that she was truthful and try to brush away some of the tangled defenses that he erected to help him not trust anyone. But Hyde�s lips formed a line before he looked away, staring hard at the distance.

"What did he say?" He didn�t even know why he bothered to ask, he already knew -- or so he thought. Kelso had come to reclaim Jackie and she would go because she loved Kelso, not him, the �replacement�.

"He apologized," she answered, looking away as well, her gaze on the ground. "For everything, for cheating on me and making me feel bad. Everything."

Hyde looked at her, slowly at first. It was hard to stay angry with her sometimes, especially now with the Forman�s back light shining behind her and displaying her cold, pink cheeks and beautiful, wide eyes. Especially now, when she didn�t even deserve it.

She always seemed so innocent, but, if they were alone, maybe she would say something completely wicked that had him smiling, laughing, and practically begging at her feet all at once. She was different and he loved the way she was. He tried not to, tried because he wanted to be saved from this very moment.

Unfortunately, that plan had failed.

It was this stupid, mass-produced holiday, he was sure. Fake promises and cheap, repackaged love. For some reason it was making him think about things a little longer, harder . . .

He wasn�t upset because Kelso apologized -- if he had broken up with her he would come back too, at least he could admit that much -- it was the little voice he had inside of him that posed the problem. The one that knew that she would go away and yelled that he should have been aware the whole time. That he should have steeled himself for the inevitable.

"So what now?" he asked, his semi-bland tone keeping everything he was feeling inside as her eyes met his with confusion. But he was crushed inside and her sinless look was compounding it.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" he repeated. He gave a mirthless laugh, "I mean what was this about? This thing we have, was it just because of Kelso, because your ex and I are friends? A little in-your-face revenge to make you feel better? Is that why you haven�t told Donna?"

She was mad now but he didn�t care, he was hurting and it was her fault, her and this stupid day. He pursed his lips in anger at the emotion, he was sure he wouldn�t feel it so much if it wasn�t February 14th. But why was it effecting him this way? Valentine�s Day was for girls anyway.

"Me?" Jackie protested. "You are the one who didn�t want to tell. If I remember correctly -- and I *do* -- it wasn�t me how decided we could only talk when no one was around. Do you have any idea how HARD it is to keep something like this from my best friend? Sure, she wears WAY to much plaid and . . . and anyway I hate these stupid little secret meetings!"

"You liked them before," Hyde jeered.

"Before I thought they were romantic, now I know it�s because you�re ashamed of me!"

"Why do you always jump to conclusions?" he yelled, both their voices steadily rising in the calm night.

"Me? You just assumed we were over because I talked to Michael?"

"That�s different, and I�m not ashamed of you," he yelled, his expression showing how completely ridiculous he thought the idea was.

"Then why couldn�t we go out, Steven? Why are we sneaking around?"

He started off with a glare until it whittled down, a slight frown half-heartedly tugging at him when he finally sighed.

"Do you want to go out?"

"Depends on where you�re taking me." He gave a weary huff and she smiled at him.

They faced each other in deep contrast; she was so open and welcoming even though she stood a few feet away, even though she said nothing. And he felt a little lucky then, because it *was* true, he was the one who insisted they be a secret, tried to shield the wave of pity or laughter that would be bestowed upon him when this ended. He had always been sure it would end, even if he didn�t want it to. But it didn�t matter now because she forgave his need to hide them away without a word, maybe she could understand if he told her why, maybe she already did . . . But he wouldn�t, he wouldn�t let her in to show her his problems, he wouldn�t ruin her by telling everything he felt.

Her expressions grew serious as she watched his avoiding gaze, "Why do you think I only want to be with you because of Michael?"

"I don�t know. Maybe because he was your first real thing, I don�t know. . ."

It was quiet in the night, their fight not interrupting the surreal calm as the autumn wind gently stirred around them. Her smile didn�t return, just earnest eyes and a plea for him to see.

"He was my first real boyfriend. You�re my first real thing, Steven. And, trust me, it means a lot more."

And Hyde didn�t answer because Hyde didn�t say mushy things, save the few times he was with her in the dark, in their private minutes when it was just them and he didn�t care if he was mushy for her.

Maybe it wasn�t today, not completely . . . because it was those nights before, those quiet nights alone with her, when he started to notice. The times that made him start to admit to himself just how deep his feelings ran for her.

Jackie walked up to him slowly and her shoes clicked on the cold driveway as she approached him. She looked at him with something, a wish that he would understand that she meant it, that he meant so much more to her than Michael ever could. He recognized that expression, looking at her then he knew that he had seen it before and it was finally starting to sink in.

But he told himself that didn�t mean he could tell her about what had been happening to him, the insecure feelings that laced through his body. He didn�t want to ruin the confident way she saw him because the way she saw him made everything feel a little lighter and a lot better. And even if it was hard it didn�t matter because she was there and, even though he could face it alone, facing it with her was better. She was the only one who he cared about and hadn�t left . . . yet. He knew that wasn�t entirely true, he had friends, people who cared for him . . . but it wasn�t the same. They weren�t the same as Jackie.

She came up and circled her petite arms around him and he saw the faint puff of chill as she breathed out. His own hands found their way to her waist and held her to him securely.

"Warm me up," she told him sweetly as she broke away and tugged him toward the Vista Cruiser. She opened the back door and climbed inside with Hyde close behind.

"Happy Valentine�s, Jacks," Hyde whispered.

"Happy Valentine�s Day, Steven," he heard before she kissed him.

And it was freezing and dark and a little uncomfortable . . .

"I love you, Steven."

And it was the best holiday ever invented.

Even for someone with issues about the whole love thing.

The End.

Yup, I *again* looked wayyy to far into the characters but what can I say? I�m just not cut out for straight sitcoms. Did you like it anyway? Lil� dysfunctional and unresolved if I say so myself. Let me know what YOU think at [email protected]