Author's Note: Now I'm hoping that I can speed up the pace just a little. Feel free to review with any comments/suggestions!

Eric took a deep breath and swung the living room door open. Immediately, everyone in the room turned and looked at him. For a second, everyone stared in disbelief at the man who stood in the doorway.

Kitty ran up and hugged him so fast, he didn't have time to register her movement from the other side of the room to him. "Eric's home!" she shouted with a sound of pure joy.

Kelso, who was sitting on the sofa, stood up on the cushions and dove on top of him. Eric picked himself up off the floor and was immediately trapped in Kelso's bear hug. "Dude! I can't believe you're back." Eric, still feeling a little shaky from the surprise attack, could only give his friend a large grin and return the hug.

Kelso released him and jumped up and down a couple of times while Brooke tried to settle him down.

Red didn't seem to be excited about his son's return and simply said,"So, the dumb-ass actually made it back. I'm surprised that you survived. I expected that some cannibals would have sacrificed you within the first week. Now go get me another beer before I stick my foot up your ass."

"It's good to see you too, Dad." Eric said with a nervous laugh. He looked around and noticed that some people weren't there, including Donna.

"Hey mom, where's Donna and Hyde?" he asked, giving a worried look to Kitty.

"Oh honey, I guess you didn't get my last letter. Donna went off to go to college in New York last month. But don't worry, Steven is just sitting around in the basement."

When he heard that, Eric instantly felt crushed. I can't believe she left. I wanted to see her so bad, and now she's in New York?

Jackie, who Eric hadn't seen when he glanced around the living room, came up and gave him a hug. When she saw the surprised look on his face, she said,"I've missed you, Eric. I meant to write you more than just four letters, but I didn't want to bother you while you were teaching."

"Um.. I missed you too, Jackie. I heard you are the anchor for the Point Place News. How's that going?

She let out a giggle and smiled. She loved it when people wanted her to talk about her life. "It's going great! I feel like a super star now. You have to come to the studio and watch me do the news!"

Eric agreed that he would and then joined in on the party as the countdown to the 80's started.

"10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1!" they all yelled in unison. Eric was still sad, and the thought of a whole new decade starting didn't make him much happier.

Everyone spent the night at the Forman house that night, including Jackie.

Eric spent an hour and a half telling stories about Africa to the group. "...so then they stole all of my clothes and chased me out of the village at spear-point. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me!" As Eric concluded his tale of adventure in a remote North African village, Jackie approached him and began to talk.

"I'm sorry that you didn't get to see Donna. I know that's one of the main reasons you came back tonight. She told me to give you a letter she wrote, but I don't have it with me. Tomorrow, you can ride with me to my apartment and I can give it to you then."

"Ok. I guess I can do that. Don't you live with Fez?" he asked.

"Not anymore. We tried to date a little, but he had some trust problems and he eventually left me so he could chase after the girls at the clubs." She laughed as she thought of what her future with Fez might have been.

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hit the sack. Goodnight."

She said goodnight to him, and went to Laurie's room shortly afterwards to go to sleep.

Eric had trouble sleeping that night.