Disclaimer: I do not own That '70s Show or any of the characters. I am simply using them for my own creative purposes and hopefully entertaining some people in the process.

Authors Note: This is my first That '70s Show fanfic. Please R&R. Thanks a mil, and here's the story.

Author's Note (2011): This first chapter has been updated and edited. I have now decided that it takes place during season 7 but will disregard the last 5 episodes or so. Hopefully that helps with the confusion. Chapter two will be posted soon. Thank you for all the support.

Chapter 1 - Things to Come

Point Place, Wisconsin

The Forman basement, home to the circle gatherings that were and were not remembered, constant provider of snacks, and giver of several hiding spaces for Fez to hide and watch as couples made use of the couch, was once again in use. To an outsider it would appear that a group of teenagers were watching television while one teen yelled at another, which would be correct. To Red Forman the scene in the basement would look like four dumbasses, including his son, were watching the television that he paid for while the loud one yelled at his "adopted" dumbass, which would also be correct. To Eric Forman, the aforementioned dumbass son, what was happening was aggravating.

This was supposed to be a good day, a great day in fact. He finally knew what he wanted to do with his life and had bested Casey Smell-so. He had a fantastic time telling the group how he, Eric Forman, formerly known as Scrawny Little Neighbor Boy, did his pull up right as Casey was teasing him about not being able to and passed P.E. It was glorious. He couldn't be happier about his triumph over the jack ass, even though his arms were sorer than they have ever been in his life.

Not that that stopped Kelso and Fez from punching him after they told him about the apartment and the "competition". They were just about to tell Eric and Donna who won when Jackie came skipping into the basement with a huge smile on her face and a gold invitation in her hand. Eric knew, before she announced it, that it was to Stacey Moore's welcome party for prospective cheerleaders at the University of Chicago.

He remembered meeting Stacey and her horde of perky pals in their red and black uniforms all those months ago. She was a bitch. She was a snob. She was rude. Jackie idolized her and had since been complaining mostly to Donna about how she wasn't going to get invited because the cheerleading team in Point Place was amateurish compared to "Stacey's talented dancers". Donna had called them the STDs, Jackie was not amused.

"Steven, please. It's the biggest party of my life! Will you please take me?" Jackie begged.

"No," Hyde replied.

"You don't want to go, Hyde? Jackie I'll take you," said Kelso as he tore he eyes from the new episode of Charlie's Angels. "It's a party of cheerleaders! Let's go now!"

"How can you go when your arms are sore?" asked Hyde.

"My arms aren't sore. Eric's are," Michael answered right before Hyde punched his shoulder. "Ow"

"C'mon, Steven, this is important to me."

"Jackie, do you remember the last party you said was important to you?" Hyde asked making quotation marks with his fingers. "Do you remember what happened there? No? Well I do. You and all your caddy friends went and giggled at one table while the rest of us stood by and watched your bags."

"That was different-"

"Or how about the time after that when you and your friends went to a different room while I sat in the room with their stupid dates and was forced to listen to Neil Diamond?"

"Steven that was-"

"On karaoke!"

"Okay I am sorry about those, but this really is different. I can't go by myself."

"So don't go."

"Steven, I can't not go."

"Why not?"

"Because this party is the first step. Stacey Moore," she began ignoring the groans from everyone in the room, "thinks I am special enough to receive an invitation. She only chooses the best, Steven! I need you to be there to support me."

"I can support you fine here. Safe. Away from Neil Diamond."

"Steven just come with me. Why can't you be a boyfriend that does everything I say?"

"What like Kelso? Yeah that relationship went well. Would you like me to cheat on you too?"

The silence was deafening and everything was still. Eric knew Hyde had said that out of anger. He wouldn't cheat on Jackie again, everyone knew that, but that didn't stop the gasps and shocked expressions. Had he not been so upset Eric would have laughed at the fact that Fez's popsicle had melted and was on the floor and that Kelso's eyes were now the size of saucers. He couldn't make himself look at Jackie. He didn't want to see the hurt in her eyes.

"I can't believe you just said that," Jackie said in a whisper, the tears heavy in her voice. "That's fine, Steven. I don't want you to go now." She turned, grabbed her bag, and left the basement with a calmness that left everyone speechless. She even took the time to close the door quietly behind her.

Hyde watched her leave, looked at his friends, then walked to his room in silence.

It was a long time before anyone said anything. Even John Forsythe's voice seemed subdued in the aftermath. Everything was still and as Eric sat looking at the floor with an arm casually over Donna he felt ashamed. He was ashamed that he had not said anything. He was ashamed that he had not done anything. And he was ashamed, most of all, that he hadn't had the courage to even look at her. He was-

"Eric!" Donna yelled.

"Huh?"

"Were you listening to what I said? I asked you a question. I said do you thi-"

"I'm sorry Donna." Eric said cutting her off. He grabbed her hand, gave it a squeeze, and whispered, "I can't do this." He released her hand and ran out the door.

"Okay. What just happed?" Donna asked herself.

Eric ran outside to find Jackie sitting on top of the Vista Cruiser her bag placed carelessly next to her with the contents almost falling out. She didn't notice. With her eyes were on the ground and her loose curls covering most of her face she gave off the impression of tranquility. To the untrained eye she was still, but Eric knew better. He looked at her hands which were in tight grips and knew that she was in pain.

"Jackie," he started as he walked toward her, "are you alright?"

She looked up slowly as if afraid to look at him and said, "Go away. I told you before not to come after me." Her hands finally released their tight hold as got off the car. She was about to pick up her purse when she felt Eric's light touch on her wrist. It was the barest of touches, the softest of skin, but it was familiar and left her paralyzed.

"I know you did, but I can't do that. Not anymore. Not ever again." Eric said as his hand moved from her wrist to her face. His touch, still soft, moved the hair that was on her face behind her ear and cupped her cheek. She knew he wouldn't move until she gave him permission. She knew he was waiting now for her to either push him away or pull him closer. She knew she should do the former, but as she looked into his green eyes and saw the emotions she had been trying to deny Jackie knew that she wouldn't push him away if he asked. Instead she sighed softly and closed her eyes as she leaned into his hand.

Eric moved closer and kissed her forehead very gently letting his lips linger on her skin. He came closer still and kissed her left eye then her right whispering "Green," then "Blue." Finally, when her hands were on his sides pulling him closer, he kissed her lips so gently at first she could have mistaken it for the wind but when she opened her mouth to him he deepened it. He kissed her as if it was the last time he'd get the chance and made sure to be as thorough as he could. When he rolled his tongue on the roof of her mouth in that way that made her mewl she pulled away.

"Eric, we shouldn't do this," she struggled out as she tried to regain her breath. Taking a few steps from him she said, "We can't. I won't."

"I know we shouldn't, but I can't stop. I don't want to stop, Jackie, but I'll give you this chance. If you still want to leave then go ahead, I promise to give you a head start, but know that I am not going to be far behind. I'm not leaving you, Jackie. I'm tired of us running away."

The look in his eyes spoke the truth and she couldn't stop herself from literally jumping on him and placing her mouth on his again. Now it was Jackie's turn to deepen the kiss putting her arms around his neck trying to bring him closer to her still as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her to him. He was stronger than he looked, a fact she reminded herself over and over again over the past months, but eventually he started to shake from the weight of her. Jackie broke the kiss laughing, which he joined, and placed a small kiss on his nose.

"Put me down, Eric. I think you did more exercise today than you've done in your entire life," she teased.

He laughed again and did as she asked. "Don't ask me to stop kissing you though," he said as he leaned in to take her lips again. Her laughter has faded and instead she looked shocked and scared. Before he could ask her what was wrong the screen door to kitchen slid opened and Eric quickly turned around.

Hyde was sitting on his cot fumbling with a small box when he heard a light knock on the door. He didn't even need to look when the door opened to know that it was Donna. Jackie had said that while she was living with the Donna she realized her footstep were as loud as the shirts she was always wearing which made her more of a lumberjack. He didn't care about the shirts, but the footsteps part was true. The memory made him smile for a moment, but then he glanced at the box and his face became serious again.

"What the hell was that?" Donna asked.

"What the hell was what?" Hyde asked back in his zen voice still looking at the box.

"You know what I'm talking about. Why did you say that to Jackie? Were you trying to hurt her on purpose or something?"

"Donna, I don't really need this right now," he said getting off his bed. "I have a lot of things on my mind."

"Yeah like what? Figuring out how much money you need before you can buy a new stash?" she asked sarcastically.

"No you dumbass, like figuring out when I'm going give this to Jackie," he said as he tossed Donna the box.

Donna caught the box and opened it expecting to see something stupid or cheap, but what she did see shocked her. Her eyes widened as she stared at the beautiful engagement ring in the box. "Oh my God, Hyde," she said sitting on his cot. "Is this for real? Are you really going to-"

"Ask Jackie to marry me? Yeah I am or at least I was going to tonight, but then she kept bothering me about that stupid party and…" he trailed off.

"You need to go and talk to her. This is big. You shouldn't let something as stupid as cheerleading get in the way of this."

"Yeah, I will," he said sitting on his cot. At Donna's stare he asked, "What? You meant now?"

"Yes now you idiot. Hurry up."

"Okay fine I'm going."

"Wait, don't forget this," she said as she tossed him the box.

Hyde caught the box, put it in his pocket, and headed up to the kitchen. Knowing Jackie as well as he figured she was probably half way to her house. If he got in the El Camino right now he could probably catch her before she got there. Checking his pockets for his keys he glanced up and stopped. There on the driveway for all to see was Jackie, the woman he was going to propose to, and his best friend and they were kissing. The thought alone was comical and had he not been watching it with his own two eyes he wouldn't have believed it.

"Oh good, you're still here," Donna began, "Kelso wanted to know if he could-"

Whatever she was about to say was cutoff by Jackie's laughing. The sound made him want to punch something. Forman's laughed followed. He wanted to punch something bigger. He briefly looked at Donna, who was standing with her mouth agape in shock, then slammed open the screen.

"Foreman you're dead," Hyde said running toward Eric.