"Happy Veteran's Day!" Fez said, coming into the basement. "Now, where have you hidden the chocolate eggs?"

Eric looked up from his intense game of hot hands with Donna. "Uh, they're everywhere, Fez. Start looking."

"So, Steven, isn't Veteran's Day romantic?" Jackie asked, walking up to Steven, who was sitting on top of the dryer.

He chuckled dryly. "Oh yeah, government pawns and missing limbs. That's amore."

"That's not amore." Izzy said, looking up from her magazine. She was sat sideways in Hyde's chair, her legs draped over one of the arm rests. "When a moon hits your eye like a bigass pizza pie, that's amore."

"I don't think those are the lyrics, Iz." Eric said with a laugh.

"Trust me, Eric. I know my Dean Martin."

"Whatever!" Jackie said quickly. "It's a day for people in love to have fun together!"

Kelso stood up. "You know what? All this talk about having fun makes me wanna have fun. Hey, let's throw stuff at other stuff!"

"Man, that's perfect." Eric said. "I've got stuff."

"I'm in!" Izzy said.

"You're always in, Iz."

"I just-"

"Like to be included, yes, we know."

Eric, Kelso, and Fez ran upstairs and as Izzy walked up she heard Jackie say, "So, Steven, wanna go to Mr. Forman's barbecue with me?"

Izzy huffed and continued walking up the stairs, wanting to avoid witnessing any and all of Jackie's flirting.

"Well, Steven? Do ya? Do ya? Do-"

"No. As a matter of fact, I don't want to go anywhere with you."

"No no, that's okay! You know what? We can stay in."

"No, Jackie! Look, I told you again and again. I have no interest in you, and you don't have a chance. And yet, you keep thinking that I have interest in you, and that you have a chance!"

"Wait, did you just say that you're interested in me and I have a chance?"

"Okay, you know what?" Hyde stood up and set his hands on Jackie's shoulders. "You forced me to do this. I'm gonna explain my feelings to you through a highly-disciplined form of Japanese poetry. Haiku." He thought for a moment. "My heart aches with pain. When I see you, I vomit. Die away from me."

"Ouch." Donna laughed.

"Sayonara. I'm gonna go see what Izzy's up to." Hyde went up the stairs, leaving Jackie with Donna.

As he went upstairs looking for Izzy, the blonde came back in through the basement door. "Okay, they're actually throwing stuff, I didn't really expect them to. So I'm gonna hide out in here." She sat in Hyde's chair. "What'd I miss?"

Donna chuckled. "Hyde just gave Jackie a brutal haiku."

"Never have seventeen syllables hurt me so much!" Jackie whined. "Why would he want to hurt me like that?"

"Because you're stalking him, Jackie!" Donna said, an amused grin on her face.

"No, really, Donna!"

"Jackie, really. You are to Hyde, what Fez is to you."

"That's ridiculous! Fez and I will never happen." Jackie's eyes widened in realization as she flopped against the couch. "Oh god. Steven and I will never happen."

"Jackie, it's alright. You just gotta get over this. Be strong."

"You're right, Donna. You're right." She paused. "Ugh, I wish my daddy could buy him for me. He's just... ugh! He's perfect, Donna. Perfect!"

Izzy sat there uncomfortably, unable to ignore the pang in her chest when Jackie spoke so fondly of him.

-

Kelso was standing in the kitchen, a slice of cheese over one eye that he had bitten to make into a star. "Look. Hyde, Izzy, I'm Paul Stanley from Kiss." He giggled.

Izzy rolled her eyes, sitting at a bar stool as Hyde mixed the brownie batter for her. "Don't waste food, Kelso."

"You heard my daughter," Red said, coming into the kitchen. "Don't play with the cheese, dumbass!"

The three kids practically ran out of the kitchen, but not before grabbing more snacks. Kelso picked up the basketball and started playing with Eric, while Izzy and Hyde sat down on one of the wicker benches.

They watched with amusement as Bob came over and went into the house. Then, they watched with more amusement as he and Red bickered in the kitchen. When Bob left, Jackie came up to the group. Her arm was around some tall, swoopy-haired guy, and a sickeningly sweet smile was on her face.

"Oh, hi Mr. Pinciotti! I didn't know you were in the boy scouts!" Bob glared at the kids and rushed home, which made Izzy and Hyde giggle quietly in the corner.

"Hey, everybody!" Jackie said. "This is Chip. He's been after me for a while now, so I just said what the hell! Chip, this is everybody."

Chip nodded at everyone, then spotted Izzy and smirked. "Hey, everybody. Jackie, you want something to drink?"

"Whatever." She said with a smile. She came over to Izzy and Hyde, leaning against the post.

"So, you're with this Chip guy now?" Izzy asked with a giggle. "That's a funny name."

"Yep."

Hyde nodded. "Huh."

"What, Steven? Do you care?"

"No. I mean... if you want to date this guy, that's... cool." Izzy sat up a little straighter at Hyde's words, looking over at his stony expression, trying to read him.

He cared.

It was obvious Jackie took notice this, too, since a huge smile found its way onto her face. "It is?!"

-

"And then, Steven said, 'That's... cool.' But not like, cool, more like he's jealous!" Jackie said. She, Donna, and Izzy were all standing in the Pinciottis' yard. Jackie had dragged Izzy over, even though Izzy felt like she was going to puke the whole way.

Hyde cared about Jackie.

"Or he just thinks it's cool?" Izzy asked, but she knew the answer.

"Oh, Izzy, this is so romantic! Just like West Side Story! But without the dancing and the Puerto Ricans."

"And the... death?" Donna said.

"Wait, is Fez Puerto Rican?"

"You know what, I don't know."

"Huh." Jackie ran off, and Donna joined Izzy on her porch bench.

"Hyde likes her." Izzy mumbled, her chin in her palm. "I know it."

"Izzy, I... I can tell you right now, he doesn't."

"But he said it's cool!"

"Maybe he thinks it is cool!"

Izzy stood up abruptly. She took a breath and brushed some hair out of her face. "Nick will be here soon. I should go wait for him."

-

Izzy and Laurie stood in the corner of the yard, watching as their parents tried to compete with Bob's barbecue.

"God, our lives are lame." Laurie mumbled.

"You're tellin' me."

Laurie scoffed. "Okay, by our lives, I meant my life. Your boyfriend's hot, what are you complaining about, dork?"

Izzy opened her mouth, but no words came out. Before she could figure out anything to say, Jackie walked past them. "Hey, Jackie." Laurie said. "Who's that hot guy you brought with you?"

"Back off! I need him for right now, but you can have him when I'm done. As usual."

Izzy hugged her arms around herself uncomfortably, but Laurie raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Wait a second, Jackie, are you workin' an angle here? Nice!"

"No, there's no angle. I just wanna see if I can make Steven jealous."

"Really, Jackie?" Izzy asked quietly.

Laurie grinned. "So you're gonna sleep with him a couple of times and see what happens. Yeah, I've been down that road."

"No!" Jackie said.

"Aww, you're such a child! Send him to my room when you're done." Jackie just stormed off to get another soda, and Laurie turned to Izzy. "Woah, what's got you so upset?"

"Nothing. Jackie's just..." Izzy stomped her foot. "Infuriating!"

Laurie laughed. "You look like a child when you do that!"

"I do not." Izzy grumbled.

"You so do. Quit it, you're embarrassing me."

"Hey, Izzy?" The sisters looked over to see Nick standing awkwardly in front of the kitchen door.

Izzy relaxed a bit. "Nick, hi. I'm glad you could come." She went over to him and he gave her a small kiss hello.

"Yeah. Uh, me too." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You wanna go inside?"

Izzy knit her brow. "The barbecue's out here."

"Yeah. Yeah, I just," he paused, "wanna talk about something real quick."

Izzy nodded silently, and the two of them walked into the living room. He sat down on the couch, patting the seat next to him. Izzy slowly sat, her throat tight. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Yep. Everything's... fine and dandy."

"Then what's going on?"

"It's just... I just..." His mouth moved, searching for the right words, but no noises came out.

"Is this because I forgot to call you last night? Gosh, Nick, I'm sorry, it was just everything with the barbecue, and Hyde and I went out shopping for cooking ingredients for Mom, and-"

"I want to break up."

Izzy froze.

Her jaw was dropped open, and her eyes were fixed on a random spot of carpet. She didn't look up at him. "I- I'm sorry, what?"

Izzy looked up at him, eyes wide. Nick just smiled sadly and set a hand on her knee.

"You're in love with Hyde, Iz."

"What?" Izzy's voice was weak and shaky.

She wanted to shake him off, jump up and run away, but she was completely frozen. Everything felt like it was in fast-forward. She had trouble catching everything he said, even though his words were slow.

"Izzy, you haven't talked to me in weeks, other than the night with the baby. You ignore my phone calls, you-"

"And because of that you think I'm in love with Hyde?!"

"You never stop talking about him."

"Because he's my friend, Nick. Friend." Izzy managed to stand up, her ears red with frustration.

Nick stayed sitting down, his breathing calm in contrast to hers. He licked his lips awkwardly. "Isabelle, you kept me a secret from everyone for four months, just so you wouldn't have to tell Hyde about us."

"That's not-"

"The first time I saw you two interact, I thought you were exes." He laughed bitterly. "You're always touching him in some way... you never do that to me."

"I don't see how-"

"Have you noticed, Isabelle, that every time I say 'I love you,' you never say it back?"

"I- What are you talking about, Nick?! I always-"

His eyes were pained as he stared at his open palms. "You say 'love you.' Not 'I love you.'"

"That's the same-"

"That's not the same thing, and you know it." Nick stood up. His voice began to shake as he kept talking, no matter how badly he wanted to stay calm. "I have sat idly by, watching you make googly eyes at him every chance you have. I would have understood, Isabelle. I really, really would have understood if you have told me. If you had just told me, instead of keeping me around, telling me 'love you,' and- and..." He was running out of steam, and Izzy knew this.

"Nick, I don't love Hyde."

"Yes, you do!" He yelled, then instantly calmed himself. "You... you do."

"Why are you pushing this?! Just break up with me and go!" There were tears coursing down her face at this point, which just made her even more upset.

"Because I love you, Isabelle! And I want you to be happy, damn it!" He paused. "Think about it. Think of all the times you ran to him instead of me."

"I don't-"

"Just do it!" He yelled.

So she did.

She crossed her arms and thought back to everything. To the time they baked pot brownies together. The time he stayed with her all night when she got drunk on Christmas. The time he comforted her after Bernice's funeral. The two of them in jail together. The disco dancing together.

All the "Izzy Bee"s, the silent apologies after fights, the lingering stares, the flushed cheeks when her top was too short. The way his hand was always on her waist, and the way his laugh always followed her giggles.

"Oh my god." She said, her voice hoarse.

Nick walked up to her, putting his hands on her cheeks gently. He wiped away her tears. "I love you, Iz. I really do. But if you're in love with someone else, there's nothing I can do except... wish you well." He pulled her chin up towards him and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Goodbye. And, um... Good luck."

"Bye."

He turned and slowly walked out the front door, taking one last look at the teary-eyed blonde, standing in the middle of the living room, hugging herself and breathing shallowly.

Izzy practically fell back into Red's chair, silently crying with her head buried in her hands, when she remembered, Oh, motherfuck. There's a barbecue outside.

-

"So, you and Jackie, huh?" Hyde asked, sitting in front of Chip.

"Yeah, isn't she something?"

"Sure."

"Sometimes, though, I kinda hate it when she talks."

Hyde laughed and pointed at him. "I hear you." He stood up, and Chip followed as they moved their conversation.

"And she's always talkin'. But, I figure it's worth it if I can get to the blonde through her."

Hyde stopped, his brow furrowed. "Izzy?"

"Yeah, the hot one. If I can nail her, all this'll be worth it."

"Huh." Hyde scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, you should probably think about that, man. You know, I mean, Izzy's got a boyfriend 'n everything."

"Really?" He laughed. "That's a surprise. If it were me, I'd just fuck and dump."

"What the hell did you just say?" Hyde asked with a dry laugh.

Chip laughed. "I mean, it wouldn't be hard. Shit, she'd probably do it with me if I just told her she's smart and beautiful or some-"

-

Izzy headed into the kitchen once her eyes were dry and her face wasn't splotchy anymore. She looked outside, her heart beating quicker when she saw Hyde standing there, Coke can in hand.

Fuck, she thought, Now I have to tell Donna and Eric about-

Her thought train was thrown off-track, though, when she saw Hyde's fist colliding with Chip's nose, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.

Izzy ran out of the house, right up to Hyde. "Oh my god, you killed him!"

Hyde scratched the side of his chin. "Huh? He's- No- Just... and then he said you..." Hyde paused. "He's just unconscious."

Izzy turned to look at Hyde. His eyes were covered from his glasses, but she could tell he was looking right back into her eyes. "Steven, I-"

"What happened?!" Jackie yelled rushing up to Hyde.

"Uh... nothin'."

Jackie's face lit up. "Oh my god! He said something mean about me, and you hit him! And that's what happened, isn't it?!"

Hyde froze, his eyes trained on Izzy, who still had her eyes locked with his. "No."

"Liar!" Jackie said with a smile. "You love me!"

-

Izzy's mind was cloudy. Before she could realize what was happening, she hurriedly walked away from Hyde and Jackie, finding Eric, who was in the yard.

"Give me your keys." She mumbled.

Eric immediately noticed Izzy's red, puffy eyes. "What? Izzy, what's wrong?"

"Just give me the goddamn keys."

He took a step back. "Izzy, you're scaring me. I'm not giving you the keys until I know everything's okay."

Izzy looked around exasperatedly, before taking in a breath. "Nick just broke with me." Her voice cracked, and Eric felt his heart break. "Buddy Morgan's having a party tonight and I wanna go."

Eric thought for a moment. "As long as you don't drink. I'm not letting you drive there if you plan on drinking."

"Fine! Fine. Just give me the goddamn keys!"

Eric sighed and handed his sister the keys. She turned around, but he set a hand on her shoulder. "Please be safe, okay?"

She shrugged his hand off. "Yeah, whatever."

-

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Hyde was walking down the hallway that night, on his way to Eric's room, when he heard the phone ring. It was coming from inside Izzy's bedroom. The door was closed, and he put his ear up against it to see if she had just been hiding in there all night.

Hyde had just come home from being out with Jackie. While they were out, they had kissed. He wasn't proud of it, but he thought maybe, just maybe, Jackie could be a distraction from Izzy. It didn't work out. Jackie's infatuation with Hyde dropped immediately, and he told her all about what was going on in his head.

Ring.

He cracked the door open slightly when the phone started ringing again, seeing that her room was empty. He was confused. He thought that, after he punched the lights out of Chip, she had retreated to her room for the night. It made sense. She had never been able to handle lots of blood.

But she wasn't there.

He looked around, before making his way to the phone and picking it up. "Izzy Bee's residence, Sargeant Shaft speaking."

"Put Eric on the phone."

"Izzy? Izzy, where are you?"

"Jesus Christ, just fuckin' put Eric on the phone." Her speech was heavily slurred, and Hyde could tell right away that she was drunk. Very, very drunk.

"Uh, yeah. Let me get him."

-

Hyde stood next to Eric, hands shoved into his pockets to keep from showing his nerves. Eric sat down on Izzy's bed and picked up the phone, trying to keep his breathing steady.

"Iz? What's going on, are you okay?"

"Pick me up, Eric?" She slurred, her voice broken and sad.

"What? Izzy, you have the Cruiser. I-" He paused. "You promised you wouldn't-"

"I know what I fuckin' promised, Eric. Just... please. Pick me up. And don't bring Steven."

Click.

"Well?"

Eric set the phone down and looked up at Hyde. "We gotta go pick her up." Eric put his head in his hands, trying to sort everything out while his mind was racing a mile a minute. "She's... she's at Buddy's house, okay. I- I'm gonna go get my dad's keys, and then... and then..."

"Forman, I can just go."

"No! No, she told me... no." He swallowed. "I need you to come with me, to get the Cruiser. I'll take Izzy back home."

"I can-"

"No! Hyde, just... trust me on this, okay? I need to take her home."

-

Eric parked outside Buddy's house, watching as Izzy stumbled and struggled to make her way to the car. Eric had parked next to the Cruiser, which Hyde had already left with.

"I told you not to bring Hyde." Izzy mumbled, practically falling into the seat. "I told you."

"I know, Izzy." Eric reached over and buckled his little sister in. "He had to come to pick up the Cruiser, I'm sorry."

She said nothing. Eric sighed and started driving, while Izzy stared out the window, her eyes hazy.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked quietly.

She chuckled dryly. "He was fuckin' right, Eric. He was right. And I hate that he was right."

"Who was right?" He tried to keep his voice light and calm, trying to think back to how Kitty talks to Izzy when she's upset. But Izzy's never upset, so Eric had a hard time doing this.

"Nick."

"What did Nick say?"

"I'm not even upset 'bout the breakup." Izzy slurred, ignoring the question. "I knew it was comin' and I wanted it to come." She looked over at her brother. "I never said 'I love you," y'know that? Not once."

"I thought-"

"I said 'love you.' There's a... there's a difference."

"So what prompted this, Izzy?" Eric's eyes were trained on the road. "Why'd you go to the party if you weren't upset about the breakup?"

"I'm not upset 'bout the breakup, 'm not even upset at all." Izzy closed her eyes. "I'm in love with Hyde, Eric."