A/N: I'm not gonna get too specific with a timeline here, because as we know That '70s Show ended at New Year's 1980, and Freaks and Geeks is set in 1980. We're just gonna pretend that the characters are all the same age, okay? I'll consider it A/U if that makes it any better. Just… don't dissect the timeline or you're gonna drive yourself crazy like I have.

Lindsay sighs heavily as she looks over the phone bill again.

"Matthew," she says loudly, turning to face the living room where her teenaged son sat on the couch doing homework.

"What?" he asks flatly, staring intently at paper in front of him.

"There's no reason the phone bill should be this much again," Lindsay says. "Your girlfriend lives on the same street as us, for God's sake. I thought we talked about this."

Matthew drops his pencil and looks over at his mother. "I swear, I've barely been on the phone lately. Maybe it's Oliver."

Lindsay snorts, wondering why on Earth her twelve-year-old son would be on the phone that much. "I'll talk to him," she says anyway.

She stares at the bill again, wondering how she's going to manage all of these bills for the rest of her life. Financial stability was never an issue before, really, but her husband had died about a month and a half prior and didn't have life insurance nor a solid amount in the bank.

Lindsay's life was turning out to be a series of twists and turns that she never would have expected to happen to her, not in a million years. As a teenager Lindsay was a diligent student, one of the brightest and best in her grade. Sure, she rebelled a little once she turned sixteen, experimenting with pot and lying to her parents, but nothing too out of the ordinary. That wasn't what screwed her up, though; not even close. It was Barry Schweiber.

Barry was a few years older than Lindsay but they had known each other for a long time before they started dating. He was similar to Lindsay in the sense that he took his studies seriously but wasn't a total bore. They began dating her senior year of high school, which was difficult because he was away at college in Wisconsin. Now, Lindsay could've had the pick of any college she wanted. Her heart was set on going to Michigan State for the longest time, which was her father's alum. Once she got accepted to the University of Wisconsin, however, she decided that's where she wanted to go. After all, she was in love.

Her studies and a promising future went out the window, however, when Lindsay found out she was pregnant. Her whole life came crashing down around her. That was never supposed to happen, and while her parents were visibly disappointed, they loved Matthew dearly. Barry was and still remains supportive, but there was a point where Lindsay realized she didn't want her life to be so predictable. She couldn't just choose to be with Barry forever. He began to withdraw himself from the relationship as well, but still came and went quite frequently to see his infant son. It just wasn't meant to be, that's all.

Lindsay dropped out of university upon having Matthew and moved back in with her parents. She got a job at a bookstore to save up money so she and Matthew could move out eventually while her parents paid for her to take night classes at the local community college. They didn't mind because it was a hell of a lot cheaper than U of W's tuition.

While taking those classes, Lindsay met Scott Colt. He was a lot different than Barry. For one, he was athletic… totally not the type of guy she'd go for in high school. He was outgoing, sweet, and slightly weird, which Lindsay loved about him. They dated for nearly two years before they married. Later, their son Oliver was born.

Lindsay knew she didn't want to be a stay at home mom, so she continued taking classes until she got her degree. Eventually, she got a job as an Algebra professor at the school where she and Scott met.

Good thing, she thinks to herself. She never expected herself to be the type of woman to rely solely on a man the rest of her life anyway.

The front door opens, revealing Oliver, whose sandy brown hair is all askew from the wind.

"Just the kid I was looking for," Lindsay says, raising her eyebrows.

Oliver's eyes widen, as he knows that tone. "What? I was at Justin's. I thought you'd know."

One last surprising detail about her life is the fact that her former high school crush Daniel Desario is still in it. He lives down the street with his wife, who, shockingly enough, is not Kim Kelly, and their two kids. The oldest, Alexandra, has been dating Matthew for a year now, which Lindsay found adorable. Their son, Justin, was pretty good friends with Oliver as well.

"Yeah, well, I figured," Lindsay says. "Have you been, like, talking on the phone every night or something? The bill is insane and Matthew swears it wasn't him."

Oliver's face goes a little pale and he visibly swallows. "Um, no. I mean, he's the one who has to call his girlfriend all the time." His eyes dart away from his mother's.

"Oliver Ryan, are you lying to me?" Lindsay asks, astonished. Usually she has no problems with her youngest.

"Yeah, he definitely is," Matthew says, jeering from the other room.

Oliver drops his backpack on the ground with a loud thud. "Shut up," he says, his voice small.

Lindsay narrows her eyes. "You aren't calling any hotlines, are you? I mean… I would've thought it would show on the bill."

"Um…" Oliver looks around, trying to think.

"He's got a girlfriend, Mom," Matthew declares. "I picked up the phone one night and heard them talking."

Oliver's face flushes and he stammers, trying to say something that would refute what his brother just said.

"Is that true?" Lindsay asks, her eyes wide. "You have a girlfriend?"

"Y-yeah," Oliver admits. "I'm sorry, Mom. She wanted me to call her every night and I figured Matthew does it, so…"

"Forget about the phone bill for now," Lindsay says, standing up and going over to Oliver. She puts her arms around him, a tiny smile on her face. "My baby has a girlfriend. I can't even believe it."

"Mom!" Oliver tries to shrug her off.

"What's her name?" Lindsay inquires.

"Lauren," Oliver says, his face heating up again. "Um, we've only been going out for, like, two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Lindsay asks. "That's pretty serious for a seventh grader."

"Whatever," Oliver says, walking past his mother to the hallway. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Matthew sets down his homework and walks over to his mother in the kitchen, smirking. "Told you."

"I can't believe it," Lindsay admits, still stunned. "I mean, did you secretly date girls when you were twelve?"

Matthew laughs. "You know me. When I was twelve, I was dating my Atari. Alex is my first girlfriend, for the record, and my only one."

"That's what I thought," Lindsay says, and smiles at her son's confidence in his relationship. "You're quite optimistic, you know that?"

"Yeah, and I don't get it from you," he says, a grin on his face as he opens the refrigerator.

"I never had a serious relationship in high school," Lindsay muses. "Well, not until your father, anyway."

Matthew takes a swig of orange juice from the carton and puts it back, noting the disapproving look on his mother's face. "Still can't imagine you guys together," he admits.

"It all worked out for the best," Lindsay says, then is reminded of her current situation. "At least, for a while." She shakes her head in attempt to shake off the melancholia. "Your dad is happy, though. That's good."

"You'll be happy, too, Mom," Matthew says encouragingly. "Grandma told me the other day you were always independent. You can handle being on your own. That's good."

Lindsay smiles sadly at her eldest son. "What did I do to deserve you?" She gives him a kiss on the cheek and sits back down at the table in front of her bills.

…

Matthew Schweiber hops off his bike and enters the Desario home without knocking. He knows that nobody's home besides Alex right now anyways.

"Hey," Alex greets him from the doorway of her bedroom. "Come here."

"Why, are we gonna have sex?" Matthew grins as he approaches his girlfriend. He already knows the answer anyway.

"Matt," Alex says seriously, "I told you I want to wait."

"I'm kidding," Matthew explains, pulling her in for a quick kiss. "But, I mean, we have been together for a year."

"We're only fifteen," Alex says as they walk into her room. "Let's stop talking about this. I'm getting all paranoid that my dad has this place bugged." She looks up at him and smiles. "How was the homework?"

"Enthralling," Matthew says, sitting on her bed. "Mesmerizing. How was band practice?"

"Awful," Alex admits. "I couldn't sing along to this weird strumming pattern that Ben wants me to do."

"Nah, I'm sure you were great," Matthew says sweetly.

If we're being honest, Matthew and Alex are very unalike. Matthew acquired the typical Schweiber sense of humor and is top of his class, just like his mother was, but was a remotely quiet guy. His parents, although separated, always got along for his sake, and his family life is relatively normal with the exception of his stepdad just passing. Alex, however, is a straight C student. She tends to shift more of her focus on her musical talents, and is pretty outgoing. Her parents have a rocky relationship and fight often, even separating for about a year or so, forcing her mother to take them to her home of Wisconsin for the time being.

"I can't wait until you turn sixteen," Alex says randomly.

"Me?" Matthew asks. "What about you?"

"You'll turn sixteen first," Alex reminds him. "Then we can actually drive around and go places. It'll be so nice."

"Yeah, but with what car?" Matthew asks.

"I'm sure your mom will let you use hers," Alex says offhandedly.

Matthew shakes his head. "She's grasping onto everything she's got now. I don't think she's gonna chance a new driver wrecking her car." He pauses. "Plus, your dad said he'd give you one when you turn sixteen. It's only two months after I do."

"Well, let's hope he means it," Alex mumbles. "I just can't wait for us to go places together, you know? The movies, the mall…"

"We could do that now," Matthew points out.

"Yeah, we can ride our bikes to the strip mall down the street, not the real mall," Alex says. "Or our parents could drive us. That's not cool. Picture me and you, choosing whatever radio station we wanna listen to, going as fast as we want—"

"There are laws, you know," Matthew retorts.

"Why are you trying to harsh my mellow?" Alex says, a tiny smile on her face as she jabs her boyfriend in the side.

"Hey, hey, watch it," Matthew says, grinning back at her. They look at each other for a moment, smiles still in tact, and he leans in and kisses her. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she responds, beaming at him. "My parents should be home any time now… we probably should get out of here and watch TV in the living room or something. I don't want to hear it from my dad."

"I agree with you one hundred percent," Matthew says, and they both stand up and head to the living room.