Before they knew it, Jackie and Hyde had been in Florida for three months. Her stomach had grown tremendously since, and they both knew they'd have to make a decision sooner or later.

On their first Saturday off from work in weeks, they took a walk on the beach along the shore, the early September breeze announcing summer's departure.

"You're due in five weeks," Hyde said, watching a pelican dive into the water and catch a fish. Jackie didn't respond right away, so Hyde added, "I wish we could just stay here...but we can't," He shrugged, "We gotta go back to Point Place."

She looked up at him. "I have to go back." He gave her a questioning look and she continued, "You're happy here, Steven. And you're never happy...you have to stay."

He was quiet. She had a point; he was happy. For a moment, he let himself imagine a future here, his own little shack on the beach, working at the restaurant. It's not like he had any kind of commitment to Jackie and the baby; he wasn't the father, and they weren't in a relationship.

They sat down a little ways away from the water. Jackie drew her knees up to her chest and murmured, "Why would you ever want to go back to that place?" She glanced at Steven, "You have a way out, so get out!" She shook her head. "I don't have a choice. "

He looked at her. "What happened to the father?" He even surprised himself with the question. He hadn't planned it, but it's something he'd been wondering for a while.

She looked away. "What do you think happened," she said quietly, "He ran off because he's a jackass." She didn't say anything for a minute, but then all of a sudden she couldn't hold it in anymore. "I met this guy in a bar in South Carolina. He told his name was Beau Brandten and that he was on his way to Hollywood to audition for some movie. He asked me to go with him. We stayed in motels for a few weeks, and then I got pregnant. Before I even told him, he started acting weird. He hit me one night, and then I told him. He was gone the next morning.

"He left me in Georgia in a town called Jeffersonville. The first place I went was this gross little convenient store, where I met Mary Katherine, who I ended up staying with. When I was about three months pregnant, I realized if I didn't get out of that hick town I'd have the baby in her trailer and be there the rest of my life, which is where she'll probably always be. I don't know where I was going, but I ended up where you were."

She left out the part about Mary Katherine knowing who Beau was, and telling Jackie he killed himself six years ago. M.K. had been drunk that night, and half of what she said didn't make sense. All Jackie knew was that a man claiming to be Beau Brandten got her pregnant, left her, and she never saw him again.

...

That evening, Jackie payed a phone call to none other than Kitty Foreman.

"Oh good lord, Jackie!" Mrs. Foreman blared into the phone. "What a surprise! Haven't heard a peep from you in...oh, two years!"

"Mrs. Foreman," Jackie said seriously, having no interest in small talk, "I'm about to have a baby and I need to come stay with you because I don't know what I'm doing."

There was silence on the other end, and then some Kitty's trademark nervous laughter, and then, "You what?"

"Ugh, don't make me say it again," Jackie rolled her eyes, "Can I stay with you or not?"

"Well I...I...RED!"

Jackie tapped her foot impatiently as she listened to Mrs. Foreman yell back and forth with her husband, Red's distant, angry voice in the background. Something about that made Jackie smile. Eventually, Mrs. Foreman got back on the line and said in her "calm" voice, which really meant she was about to explode, "We would love to have you in our home, dear. Will you...be bringing the father along with you?" She asked nervously.

"Oh god, no," Jackie shook her head vigorously, as if Mrs. Foreman could see her. "It's just me."

"Well then. When will you be arriving?"

"Sometime this week, I don't know yet."

"Well, you can stay in Laurie's room...God knows where she is these days..."

Jackie exhaled, relieved, "Thank you Mrs. Foreman. I'm so glad to know that no matter what, you'll always be in that same old house when I need somewhere to go."

She hung up the phone and sat down on her bed. She'd promised herself that she would never go back to Point Place, and here she was. In that moment, she realized for the first time that you never knew where life would take you.

...

"So what happens if you cant get the job back?" Donna asked, as they sat in the Foreman's kitchen.

"I'll find another one. I just have to get out of here."

"And away from Hyde," Donna added.

"No," Jackie stood up and began pacing. "I'm not running away from Steven, I'm just tired of being stuck in this stupid town."

"Are you sure you'll be okay? You've never really been on your own before."

"I'll be fine."

"Where will you stay?"

"I'll be fine," she repeated, more forcefully this time.

"Alright, if you say so."
...

"Well, that's everything," Kelso slammed the trunk shut. He turned back to everyone in the driveway. Jackie gave Donna and Fez each a goodbye hug, and patted Eric's shoulder. Kelso, afraid he might shed a tear, gave everyone his usual goodbye mauling.

"Hey, wheres Hyde?" Donna asked, looking around as if she might see him hiding in the bushes.

"He's working," Eric said.

"He never works Saturdays," she said, confused.

"Well isn't it obvious, Donna?" Jackie piped up, "He doesn't want to see me."

"Well it's a good thing I already gave him a goodbye hug last night," Kelso mused, to which everyone ignored him.

"You're the one moving to a different city, Jackie," Donna said, "I think you've made it pretty obvious you don't want to see him."

"I'm leaving for my career. I thought I made that clear, but everyone thinks every little move I make revolves around Steven. We've both moved on, so everybody just let it go."

"Alright, fine. Done. I'm happy for you, Jackie really." Donna hugged her again and stepped back.

"Alright lets get out of here!" Kelso opened the car door and slid in. "Chicago, here we come!"

As they started down the street Jackie turned around and got one last look at the house. She'd assured everyone that she'd be visiting, but she knew she wasn't coming back.

"Thanks for driving me, Michael," she said.

"You know I'd never pass up the opportunity to play a little car footsie with you, Jackie."

She laughed and a thought occurred to her. She sat up and looked at him.

"Michael, take 21st instead of 14th street."

He looked at her suspiciously. "So you are avoiding Hyde."

"No, no i just want to drive past the hub on our way out."

"Yeah, and conveniently not drive past the record store."

She sighed. "Just do it Michael."

"Fine, you're the boss," he switched his blinker on and turned down 21st, "but you cant avoid him forever."

"Maybe i can."

"You're not coming back are you?" He he gave her a sideways look.

"It's not worth it."

"Look, Jackie. I'm not gonna tell you what to do. But I don't think leaving this town forever will solve all your problems."

"That's what you think."

"And I know you well enough to know that you cant stay away from your home."

"Watch me."

He shrugged. "Whatever. You'll always have me as a friend in Chicago though." He said it casually, but it meant a lot to both of them.

"I know. Thank you Michael," she softened her tone.

"And if you ever have any physical needs..."

"Not happening."

"Worth a try."

She smiled. "Now take your hand off my knee."

When they reached the highway, Jackie leaned her head against the window and thought about the fact that her life would soon be very complicated. Deep down, she knew she wasn't getting her job back with the producer. It was just an excuse to leave town. An excuse for her friends, and even herself. She was 18 but felt much younger now that she was leaving home.

...

She left on a Sunday, wearing the same pink dress she'd bought on that first day in North Carolina. Hyde had bought her a one way ticket to Wisconsin, and he drove her to the airport in the morning. He could tell she wasn't herself, because she didn't even complain about having to fly coach.

They stopped in front of her gate and turned facing one another.

"Well, we've never exactly been good at this, have we?" Hyde said.

Jackie offered up a small "well that's life" smile. "Bye Steven. I hope you're really happy here."

Just then the gate was opened, and people began boarding the plane.

"Well...I guess there's nothing left to say." Why did this make him feel so empty? She was the one who had to go back to Wisconsin, not him.

He touched her chin and she closed her eyes for just a moment. She vaguely thought, that when people said goodbye forever in movies, it wasn't like this at all; a quiet, civilized goodbye, a touch of the chin, and then-nothing. He looked at her along and hard.

"See ya," She said softly, and just like that, she was gone, out of his life again.

He told himself it was for the best, as he left the airport. He knew nothing about kids, so getting tied up in all that would be a huge mistake. Sometimes you just had to let go.

...

"I don't get why you have to take Betsy and go stay with your mom," Kelso said, engaged in an argument with Brooke, following her around their bedroom as she hurried to pack a suitcase.

"Because, Michael, I need to rethink whether our relationship is a good thing for Betsy."

"Then leave her with me while you go rethink!"

She stared at him incredulously. "I'm her mother. I'm not leaving her with my irresponsible baby daddy."

"Okay, hold on just one minute," Kelso pointed his finger at her and looked at her seriously. "Do penguins have knees? Cause I always wondered about that."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find words. "You see, this is what I mean! You're a child, and I can't date a child because I'm an adult and that's illegal! Goodbye Michael, I'll see you in a couple weeks." She picked up her suitcase.

"Brooke, come on. Look, can we just talk about this some more?"

"I have to pick up Betsy from daycare," She sighed and walked over to him, "I'm sorry. I just have a lot of thinking to do. I'll see you soon." And with that, she was out the door.

...