Author Note: Welcome back my regular readers! It was nice to see everyone looking forward to this story…

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Chapter 02 – Let It Storm

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Jackie pulled Eric outside the garage. "Eric, what are you doing up here? There's a freaking storm coming!" Eric was just relieved to see a friend. "Can I tell you how great it is to see you?"

Flattered, Jackie smiled. "Well, thank you. But seriously, what are you doing here? This is not a place you want to break down in."

Eric pressed his hands to his face. "I know…I know. Traffic from Waukesha was rerouted south and west and I lost my oil pan. I have to stay around until this guy can find a new one."

"Waukesha? You drove the Vista Cruiser to Waukesha? Do you have a death wish?"

"No. Jackie, I'm tired, I have a huge headache and no place to go. I can't get dad to drive up here because the phone went dead and of course, the freaking STORM IS COMING!" His voice started to get pitchy as his aggravation increased.

Jackie patted him on the arm. "Okay. The B & B is full and unless you have a sleeping bag in your car you are screwed."

"I'm already screwed. Tell me something new." He muttered hopelessly.

Jackie sighed. This new incident was going to put a crimp in her weekend plans but the experience might be beneficial. "Listen. I live about five miles from here. You can stay with me until your car is fixed. Do you have warm clothes?"

Eric looked at her stupidly, "What?"

Jackie recognized that he was either in shock or panicking. She exhaled slowly. Be patient. "See that blue truck? Go get your stuff and put it in the back. I have to talk to Eddie." Woodenly, Eric picked up his suitcase and briefcase and walked to the Chevy. He opened the passenger door and climbed inside.

"Hey Eddie? Can you radio my cabin when his car is ready? I think you put him in a state of shock."

Eddie laughed. "Them city slickers….they think we're just a bunch of dumb mountain people…always trying to hurry things up…"

Jackie smiled. "Eddie, he's staying with me. Please try to hurry things up, okay?"

The big man blushed, "Okay pretty lady. But only for you – hear me?"

She bestowed him with a big smile, "Thank you Eddie." She ran out to the truck and jumped in the cab. Eric looked at her, "Thank you?" She started the engine, "Don't thank me yet!"

Perkin's Mercantile

Jackie parked in front of the mercantile store again. "What size are you? I'm guessing a 34? Men's large? What's your shoe size? Oh, just come with me and be quick!"

Jackie ran around the truck to the passenger door. She opened it so fast, Eric almost fell out. "Come on Eric, we don't have a lot of time to waste." Her mittened hand grabbed his bare fingers and she pulled him along the sidewalk and into the store. He practically gaped at everything for sale. Jackie grabbed a basket and started throwing in thermal undergarments, socks, boxers, gloves, an insulated jumper and a vest. She practically pushed Eric into an empty seat and took off his shoe. "Gladys, I need boots in a 10 ½. " She hollered to the clerk.

Gladys began ringing up all the purchases while Eric put his shoe back on. Jackie grabbed a knit cap and put it on his brown head. "You lose most of your body heat through your head. Let's keep it warm okay?"

He looked up and wondered why she was buying him clothes. He had clothes in his suitcase. He blinked as she handed him a bag. "Let's go, we'll talk when we get home."

Jackie's Cabin

Gentle flakes of snow were just starting to fall as she turned into her private driveway. She parked the truck, looked for bears and turned off the ignition. Eric was still in a daze.

"Eric. Look at me."

It took him a minute but he turned his head. "Where are we?" It was obvious he was in front of a cabin in the middle of a bunch of trees but there were no neighbors or any other indicators of civilization.

"Snap out of it!" She whacked him on the shoulder.

"Ow!" He answered back. "What was that for?"

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Earth to Eric. The storm is coming. I need your help unloading. I planned on being home earlier than this. Take the stuff here in the cab and just go put it on the porch. Don't go exploring – just come back here and help me."

Eric grabbed the store purchases, Jackie's mail and her handbag and carried them across the gravel drive. He climbed three steps up the wooden porch and across the wooden floor and set the packages by the door. Jackie lived in a cabin? In Alpine Valley? Oh my god! This was the ski cabin her dad used to own. Wait, no this one was different. Okay, she said they would talk later.

"ERIC!" He heard her holler his name and the fuzzinessfinally seemed to clear in his brain. He jogged back down the steps and hurried to help her unload as the snow started falling faster. Three trips later, they deposited the remaining groceries and gasoline on the porch.

Eric leaned against the wall. "Okay, that is not normal snow." He watched as the truck nearly disappeared in the wall of falling snow. Jackie unlocked the front door. "Eric, it's a storm. Now I'm going to tell you something very important and I need to know that you understand."

He looked at his purple-hatted friend. "I'm ready." Jackie pointed to some devices near the edges of the porch. "Those are bear traps. There are some bears that tend to wander and I don't want you stepping in a trap – you can lose a leg. Nod if you understand."

He rolled his eyes but nodded anyways. She glared, "You may think it's a joke, but we're going to be snowed in and those traps keep the bears out."

"Oh, you were serious."

"God Eric, pay attention." She fumed. "This is serious. You're in the mountains city boy."

"Relax, I got it. Don't step in the bear trap. Can we go in now? I'm freezing my ass off."

Jackie thought about leaving him on the porch for a few more minutes but that was too mean, even for her. She stood a little straighter. "Okay, I'm inviting you into my home. Do not be disrespectful or you'll be sleeping out here, got it?"

"Yes ma'am." He said solemnly. Jackie let the door swing open and Eric was pleasantly surprised. The whole interior was light wood pine and it was bright and welcoming. "Take the groceries straight through. The kitchen is back there. I'm going to go around and take the gasoline to the service porch."

Eric stepped inside and felt instantly heartened. This was so much nicer than her parents old ski cabin. A huge vaulted ceiling divided the room with a wall that contained a river rock fireplace. Eric peeked around the stand alone wall and found a fireplace on the other side that was apparently the bedroom.

Nice. He carried the groceries past the glowing embers in the hearth and his feet sunk into a faux bear skin rug. Two wing back chairs adorned the sides of the hearth and a plush sofa was facing the fire. There was a padded window seat in front of the huge glass pane that overlooked the alpine valley below. It was a gorgeous view.

He carried the bags around the recliner in the corner and set the groceries on the pine table. Her little kitchen sink overlooked the valley and a solid wood countertop separated the room from the living area. Behind him was a ladder that led to a loft which she had decorated with silk flowers. A small dining area contained a table with four chairs with soft cushions. Everything was tastefully decorated and he liked it.

Jackie came in through the front door and stomped her snowy boots on the door mat and removed her coat. "Eric, in the utility room behind you is the wood for the fireplace. Can you bring some logs out to fill this bin? We're going to start a big fire to warm us up."

Glad for something to do, Eric walked through the kitchen and found a pantry and a hallway that led to the bathroom and a door that led back into Jackie's bedroom. Everything was so neat and tidy he was impressed. He grabbed six large logs and carried them through the kitchen while she put away the groceries. He could smell hot cocoa brewing and realized he hadn't eaten anything all day. Mindful of his days as a cub scout, Eric, stacked some wood and kindling into the glowing embers and got the kindling to catch. Minutes later, warm flames were taking off the chill.

Jackie came into the living room with two steaming cups of hot chocolate and set the mugs on the coffee table. "Sit." It wasn't in invitation but more of an order – Eric didn't care, he was too tired to argue. She went back to the kitchen and brought out a couple of thick ham and cheese sandwiches.

"Eat." Eric didn't need a second to think about it. The fresh cut bread smelled wonderful and the Dijon mustard was smooth. It was without a doubt the best meal he had in the last four days. He sipped some of the hot liquid and sighed. "Thank you Jackie, I really needed this."

She set a couple of aspirins on his plate. "This should take off the edge. You're at a higher elevation than you're used to and thin air can cause headaches." Eric eagerly swallowed the aspirin. With the sandwiches gone and the cocoa nearly empty, he leaned back against the pillowed cushions. The warmth of the fireplace lulling him into a peaceful place, his eyes closed and Jackie could see the instant he fell asleep.

What was she going to do with Eric Forman as a roommate for the duration of the storm? Hell, she was going to do exactly what she had planned and he could entertain himself! There, the weekend was already decided.

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Eric woke up a few hours later, slightly disorientated. He didn't immediately recognize his surroundings and it didn't look anything like the Waukesha

Hotel. It smelled better for starters. The scent of vanilla and some exotic flower washed over his soul. It was soothing…as was the soft blanket he had been covered with.

Jackie was walking through the living room with a stack of folded clothes. "Oh good, you're awake. I thought you were going to sleep through dinner." She set the clothes down on a small chest by the bedroom door. "If you would like to take a shower, I left you some stuff in the bathroom with a fresh towel. I'd recommend cleaning up now while I still have electricity. The generator is used mostly to keep my fridge and stove running."

Eric sat up and stretched. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Jackie crossed her arms. "I am your friend. Besides, you smell like you need a shower." Then she grinned and tossed a roll of socks to him. "Do not walk on my bear with shoes on."

Eric looked at the floor. "That's a fake head. Why didn't you get a real bearskin rug?"

"Because I don't want dead animals in my house – now scoot!"

The hot water pounding down on his shoulders felt great. All the tension from earlier that day went swirling down the drain at his feet. A little window in the shower let him look out at the snow falling as he was standing in the hot water. Jackie had some great smelling shampoo as he scrubbed himself clean. Turning off the taps he found a couple of fluffy towels on top of the laundry hamper along with a change of clean clothes.

A new toothbrush and some toothpaste were on the sink and he was starting wonder if she was able to read his mind. A little 5:00 o'clock shadow was growing on his face but he could always shave later. He gathered his dirty clothes and padded down hallway. He heard a, "Toss them in the washer. I'll get to them later."

Eric looked at his pants and wondered when she had the time to wash his dirty jeans. The thermal long johns were deliciously warm and the long sleeved thermal shirt was great. He felt kind of awkward now, what was he going to do in a cabin with no television and only Jackie Burkhart for the next four days.

Jackie was sitting at the kitchen table writing in a tablet. She had a little pair of bifocals on the bridge of her nose. "Why don't you try the phone and see if I'm getting a dial tone. Maybe you can call your mom, I'm sure she's pretty worried."

Eric found the telephone on a stand beside the fire. He quickly dialed phone place and even though the line was full of static, at least he could tell his dad about the car.

"Dad. Can you hear me?"

"Son, your mom said you were stranded. What happened?"

Over the phone, Eric quickly conveyed what happened and Red was not pleased. "Son that is going to be an expensive repair - do you have the money?"

"I think so, it'll probably wipe out my savings but I swear I'm going to buy a newer car."

His dad chuckled and handed the phone off to Kitty. "Eric, honey…where are you staying? The storm is really bad I just want to make sure you'll be okay. If it gets real bad, do something to get arrested. The jailhouse will feed you and keep you safe."

Eric laughed, "Mom, its okay. I'm staying with Jackie. Jackie Burkhart."

Kitty laughed, "Oh, you're at Jackie's cabin? You'll be just fine. It's a lovely place. You're father and I have been there many times." The Forman's have been here? That was when Eric spied a photo on the hearth of Jackie and his parents just sitting around the kitchen table playing cards and his dad was smiling!

"Mom, the phones may go down, but I'll call you when my car is ready. I just didn't want you to worry about me."

Jackie heard the "I love you too." And he hung up the telephone. "Thanks Jackie. I tried to call from the garage but their lines must have gone down." Jackie closed her notepad but her hand was still posed in a writing position. "Sit Eric." He pulled out a chair as she gathered the paperwork she was dealing and piled it into a neat stack.

The pen was pressed against her bottom lip. "You have questions and I have questions so as my guest, I'll let you go first."

Eric looked around the beautiful cabin. "First one that comes to mind was why are you living up here? I thought the ski cabin had bad memories for you."

She smiled. "My parent's old cabin did. But this town always made me feel good. I found this place dirt cheap and bought it and just started fixing it up."

"My folks have been here before. How could I not have known that?"

Jackie sat back and chuckled. "Eric, I've been flying under your radar for the last four years. You never really paid attention to me before so why are you worried about it now?"

Eric was taken aback, "Wait, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Jackie rested her elbows on the table. "Eric, when you and Donna got married, you pretty much disappeared. The rest of us went on and continued with our lives. Then the two of you divorced and well, none of rest of us saw you again."

"That's not true. I saw Fez…nine months ago?" Was it nine months or two years? "Oh, and I had lunch with Kelso."

"The day after your divorce was final. When's the last time you saw me?"

Eric was at a loss for words. "I don't remember. I saw Hyde a couple of years ago…did you guys ever get married?"

"Nope. As much as we seemed destined, we were like leeches only feeding the needs of each other. It was a hollow kind of romance. I broke the chains and took a few psychology classes to understand why I was attracted to emotionless men and my teacher suggested I take a year and live by myself."

"What was that, some kind of homework assignment?"

Jackie laughed, "No….the teacher said that if you can't live with yourself, respect yourself and like yourself, then others won't like you either."

"Wait, you were the princess of popularity. You turned all of that down to live alone?"

Jackie smiled. "Yes, and it turns out I'm a pretty cool person. I can take care of myself and be successful and not feel like I'm less than deserving of another person's approval. Of course it took me a while to get here but I love it."

Eric digested that – "So now I'm stuck in your house and we are sworn enemies."

Jackie wagged her finger, "Not so fast Forman. At one time we agreed to be friends and you said, As long as I promise not to tell other people we're friends."

He smiled. 'Okay, yeah you were cool when you weren't whiny and bitchy."

"That's me. I've mellowed a little. I'm no longer whiny, just bitchy and bossy. You just have to deal with it."

A bell dinged and Jackie stood up. "Dinner's ready. Get us a couple plates and some forks. Jackie slid on a fish shaped oven mitt and pulled out a tray of English muffin pizzas. Oven toasted muffins had been drizzled with garlic butter and covered with a slice of beef steak tomato, topped with crushed bacon and mozzarella.

They looked as good as they smelled. Eric could feel his mouth watering. Jackie got a couple of beers from the freezer and turned on the radio. Soft pop music played through some static reception.

They ate dinner in companionable silence and Eric could feel his eyes getting tired. "So what happens next? Do I sleep out here?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "No silly. We sleep in the bedroom where it's warm. Go get some more wood and I'll bank the fire to start warming up the bedroom. She quickly slipped into her flannel pajamas and some fresh socks. She tucked her hair under the purple knit cap and went around to the front room to put up the screens that would direct the heat to the other room. She locked the doors and extinguished the lights.

Eric dropped the wood on the floor and Jackie helped stack it into the fireplace. He noticed that the bedroom was softer and more feminine than the other room in the cabin. All the fabrics were lush and soft and in muted colors. She had a big bedroom window that faced the canyon and Eric could almost hear the quiet. There were no cars racing down the street, no airplanes flying overhead…no sirens. It was just peaceful.

He turned around to see that she had stripped back the bedspread and was stacking pillows vertically down the middle of the mattress. "What are you doing to the bed?"

"I'm making a dam."

Did he just hear what he thought she said? "A dam?" he asked still confused.

Jackie sighed, "Look, this is my side; you stay on your dam side, and don't cross it."

Eric looked at his walled off portion of the bed and found his half was much narrower than hers. That's okay; he could be sleeping in the backseat of the Vista Cruiser! Jackie reached up and switched off the bedside lamp. "Good night Eric."

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