Disclaimers: The characters of That 70's Show do not belong to me. They belong to Marcy-Carsey and Time Warner Television. I just like to play with them.
Title: California Dreamin'
Donna/Eric angst. Set during season five, after Donna and Kelso high-tail it to California
Donna doesn't dream in the sunlight of California. She walked with Kelso, who reminded her of simpler times in Wisconsin, back when she was Eric's girlfriend. She closed her eyes against the blinding sunlight, sighing. She's made so many mistakes this past year, but choosing Casey Kelso over Eric had to be the worst.
It was why she needed to get away. She couldn't explain it to anyone else and had jumped at the chance when Kelso wanted to leave town too. His reasons were more selfish than hers, Kelso wanted to escape the Jackie wagon of being tied down. Not that she could blame him.
Donna watched as Kelso tried to impress a blond girl named Annette. Annette was annoying. She had this clipped voice, and it grated on Donna's nerves. Yet, she didn't leave Kelso and his new play toy alone because…well…she didn't know anyone else.
It sucked sitting by yourself. If you were the third wheel of someone, at least you were around someone you knew. You weren't just vulnerable. Kelso finally managed to get Annette to accept his date and Donna was left alone. At her mother's small condo Donna read classic novels. She read Valley of the Dolls and thought about how different the world was now. She thought about her father, wondering if Joanne was taking care of him.
She wondered if he missed her.
Donna thought about Jackie, Hyde, Fez. She thought about Red and Kitty as well. She would not allow herself to think of one person because it hurt too much. She swam in the long, hot afternoon while Kelso charmed Annette, and she tired herself out with a game of tennis with her mother.
When the afternoon lights would fade to dusk, Donna would watch television. She would watch it until her eyelids grew heavy, until she could no longer stand it. She would then take a shower and get dressed for bed, wondering if Kelso was ever going to tell Annette that he would go back to Wisconsin one of these days. Probably not, knowing him. After her face was scrubbed clean and her teeth were brushed Donna slid into the guest bed her mother let her use and opened up Valley of the Dolls. She would read and read until her body told her it was time to sleep.
And sleep wasn't ever easy. She tossed and turned for a few hours. Donna let memories of the past year overtake her and she winced at some of the mistakes she had made. One face kept flashing in her mind and when she knew it was dark, she let him come to her.
Eric.
She'd been so stupid. What if Eric never forgave her? What if he thought her a callous bitch? What if he was glad she went to California, glad to get her out of his hair?
The thought made her want to weep into her pillow but she wasn't that type of girl. Yet, Donna couldn't help the feeling of a few tears escaping and she pressed her face into the pillow. Finally, her body relaxed enough and her mind became quiet enough to sleep. Eric haunted her dreams. He was always there, on the couch, waiting for her.
Dreams could be nice like that.
And it was only in the night when she dreamed of him.