Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Author's Note: Ok, so in this world Red and Kitty and Bob are not moving, the idea had never been introduced but everything else is basically still the same... I used to post over at the Archives but I've been having an urge to write some T7S fanfiction so here it is... but this is only the beginning haha...
Eric Forman stepped onto his driveway for the first time in months. It still looked the same. Same cracks in the cement ground and same house that rested on top of it.
He breathed in the cool Wisconsin night air trying to inhale as much of the 70's air as he could before the air and the elements around him became part of a new decade. Sighing deeply Eric trudged under the weight of his pack to his sliding back door and prepared himself mentally for what he knew was coming.
Upon entering the kitchen he heard laughter coming from the living room. He frowned suddenly. The laughter sounded different than what he remembered.
Had he really been gone so long that he forgot the voices of his friends and family? There were plenty of times where in the middle of everyone laughing hysterically Eric would lean back and just take in how everyone sounded in order to memorize the sound of happiness.
But apparently he hadn't held onto that memory strong enough. His memory had changed because the sounds from his living room sounded foreign.
Taking the last steps to the swinging door, he pushed himself through and let his eyes take in the sight of the people who were the most important in his life. Silence prevailed as one by one each person took notice of him and trailed off mid sentence.
Kelso was the first to break the silence, "Eric! You're back!"
He rushed over to him almost toppling the coffee table over as he gave him a sloppy hug. Over his shoulder Eric saw Donna, beautiful, gorgeous Donna, walk out of the front entrance. He signed and plastered on a smile as Kitty bounced over to him next after her initial shock wore off.
"Eric, my baby boy! I missed you so much and I…" Kitty let out her trade mark laugh, although somewhat softer than her normal pitch, "well I am just so glad you are back! Red…"
"Son," Red rose from the couch and came over to Eric and patted him on his back. "We're glad you're back in the country. Now start looking for someplace else to live! Kitty let's give him some time with his friends."
"But Red…"
"Kitty now that he's home you know he's not going to leave anytime soon, unfortunately." The last word was muttered under his breath.
"Oh Red you're right! Ok Eric, you go ahead and catch up with your friends tonight and tomorrow over breakfast with all of your favorite foods, you can tell mommy the truth about how your trip went." With that Kitty sauntered out after Red.
"Ok mom," Eric rolled his eyes as a smile played on his lips. He turned to finally give his attention to the rest of the occupants in the room.
Eric literally took a step backwards at the sight in front of him.
His eyes widened as he saw the way Fez was sitting next to Jackie and how his arm was around her shoulders. No that wasn't the disturbing part as it was natural for Fez to try to touch any female within his vicinity; what was disturbing was the way that Jackie slightly leaned into him and was not pinching him as usual for getting too close.
Then all of a sudden Jackie was getting up and coming over to him. She was hugging him and whispering in his ear that she was really glad that he was back. And Eric was further stunned at the tone of her voice. The completely serious way that she said it and the way her voice cracked on "back". Eric patted her back awkwardly. He and Jackie didn't hug, they never touched in the slightest way. It was a big part of who they were to each other.
As Jackie went back to her seat between Fez and the couch's armrest, Eric's eyes next
landed on Hyde who for a moment looked like he was going to strangle something and Eric's confusion deepened as Hyde visibly relaxed and tossed a "What's up Forman? Have fun in Africa?" his way.
Months of working with children from terrible backgrounds who suffered such hardships had developed Eric's, until then less then spectacular, observance skills and the interpretation that followed.
Eric studied Hyde carefully.
From his mom's tapes he knew the whole sordid ordeal about Samantha. But from what he had gathered, his mom's account of the whole thing was highly biased.
He saw how Hyde was sprawled on the couch seemingly nonchalant to someone who wasn't paying attention but Eric noticed how his whole left side closest to Fez… and Jackie was tense. Eric saw how his fists were slightly clenched and he noted the way "Have fun in Africa?" was asked with a slight accusation as if it was a way to let Eric know that he wasn't there for Hyde when Hyde needed him. Although, of course, he would never admit to that.
His mouth opened to fill in everyone about his trip, especially the excited Fez and Kelso who were beginning to bombard him with questions about African insects, African girls, and if he brought them anything back… but his eyes landed on Jackie again.
And suddenly he understood. The look in her eyes, the way she held herself so stiffly, and the fake smile on her lips told him.
Jackie was telling him that Eric's memory of a happy, laughing group of people had not changed. No, in his mind that feeling of happiness as a result of being surrounded by his closest friends and family was safely preserved. It was them, all of the people closest to him, that had lost the ability to recreate that happiness. They had changed in the time that he had been away.