Author Note: just some Kelso silliness as the story moves along…

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Chapter 07 – Shoot the Moon

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"Oh my goddess…you are looking so wonderful with your new San Diego boobies." Fez remarked as he snagged a cupcake from the kitchen counter. Eric followed Fez in the house and his eyes widened when he saw that Jackie had indeed filled out a little more in all the right places. Damn!

Jackie clapped her hands. "Everybody, I have a present that I want to share with all of you. Please sit on the sofa." Brooke climbed down from the loft followed by her husband and Fez perched on the arm of the sofa leaving the extra cushion for Eric.

Jackie walked over to a big gift wrapped box beside the huge fireplace and smiled. "This is something just for you guys."

Fez held up his hand, "Is it a chocolate fountain? I can go get some strawberries and cookies to hold under its delicious goodness."

Sadly Jackie shook her head, "No, it is not a chocolate fountain."

Kelso waved his arms. "I know! It's a robot! A remote control robot! I can make it climb the ladder and watch me and Brooke doing it!"

Eric groaned, "Kelso, would Jackie buy a robot? Seriously?" Jackie gave Eric a bright smile. "Thank you Eric. Now will you guys quit guessing and let me show you?"

Kelso was leaning forward on just in case it was a robot when Jackie pulled the box away from the wall. "Ta-da!"

Brooke clapped her hands, "You finally got a television!"

Jackie grinned, "Well, cable finally came to the mountain and I like to watch the weather channel. So it's a win/win."

Fez looked disappointed, "But it's not sweet chocolaty goodness."

Jackie laughed, "No, but I get late night porn if you don't tell anyone."

Kelso shouted, "AWESOME!" Brooke elbowed him in the ribs. He added, "Yeah, it's okay…if you like that sort of thing."

Fez smiled. "I know what I'm do-ing tonight!" He exclaimed happily. Eric looked at his brown friend. "Not if I'm sleeping in the same bed as you. No way!"

"Oh Eric, you are such a prude."

Jackie looked at her bickering friends and felt such love for all four of them. Having them in her home was almost like being in the basement again but happier. She didn't miss Hyde and Donna was always a spoilsport…if only Mr. and Mrs. Forman could be here….

"Hey, guys….you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow. Do you want to go into town for pizza or cook something here?"

Kelso frowned, "Wait. I'm the barbecue guy. You're not giving my job to one of those dudes are you?"

"No Michael, you grill after the raft trip, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Then I say, let's go for pizza!"

Brooke smiled, "I call shotgun!"

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Eric was squished between Fez and Kelso in the back of the truck and he could swear Jackie was slowly driving over every rock and rut in the road. Kelso was hanging his head over the side of the truck bed like dog smiling into the wind. Fez was singing "On Top of Old Smokey" and Eric didn't remember the ride into town taking this long.

Finally the blue Chevy truck pulled into a parking spot just opposite of Eddie's garage. Eric could remember vividly every detail of that garage and the cold day he arrived. It may have been months ago, but the memories were still there.

Brooke hopped out of the cab and Kelso leaned over for a kiss. Eric sort of envied the easy love the couple shared. Meanwhile, Fez stood up and surveyed the front of the Pizza place looking for any single ladies. He was confident he would find one in this tiny town.

Eric jumped over the side of the truck and walked to Lemoli's Pizza Palace door where Jackie was waiting for her friends. There were cheesy Christmas lights strung around the door and some old Italian music playing from the speakers but the smell of garlic and sausage and tomato paste had mouths watering. Eric opened the door for Jackie, who smiled at him and he held it for Brooke, letting it swing shut on Fez and Kelso. "Hey!" Fez yelled through the thick glass door. The duo both tried to enter at same time and the door wasn't wide enough so they played rock, paper, scissors and Fez won. "That's because I let you." Kelso pouted.

Jackie sat at a red and white checkered picnic table and Brooke sat across from her. "Oh, it smells so good in here." Jackie grinned and waved at some town people she recognized. There was Katie, from the Post Office, who walked to the table. Fez sat up straight as Jackie did the introductions.

"So, your gang is taking on the river tomorrow?" Katie smiled at Fez.

Brooke laughed, "Well, every year we try, but this time we have an extra paddle." Katie looked at Fez and winked, "Well, good luck. Some of us town folk are having a go at it. Maybe we'll see you at the eddys."

Kelso heard the challenge. "You got it. We're gonna kick that rivers ass! Who is Eddie?"

Jackie laughed, "You know. It's that big boulder with the calm water where the raft stops? Looks like you guys have a challenge tomorrow."

Eric came back with a tray full of beer. He set it on the table and took the open spot next to Jackie. "We're being challenged? What do we have to do?" Brooke leaned forward, "That's right, this is your first time."

Fez exclaimed, "Oh Eric, it is exciting and almost like a carnival ride except you get really wet or badly sunburned. Even brown skin burns!"

"Or fall out, which I have NEVER done." Kelso bragged happily. A waitress came over to take their orders and the party continued talking. Jackie explained to Eric what they would be doing tomorrow.

"At the mouth of the river, there is a certified river raft guide who will show you some techniques to use if you guys get stuck on a rock or how to paddle as a team. He'll make sure your life jackets are on properly and check out the raft for leaks. Once he's satisfied you guys are safe, he'll push you off and you are rafting. Now it's only a Grade 1 river but there are some places where it might be a Grade 2 but I'm sure you'll do fine."

"What's a Grade 1 – is that the most difficult water, like in the movies?" Eric needed to know the danger.

Jackie smiled, "No, actually it's the safest. There'll be some rough areas, the water might be a little fast or some big rocks in the middle of the river but on a Grade 2 you have to do some serious paddling. But it's really just a kick back and don't hit the rocks kind of ride."

"Why aren't you going with us?"

"Because if I went with you, who would drive every body back up the hill?"

Brooke grinned, "She also brings a great lunch for us at the end of the trip." Fez hummed, "Oh, last year was soooo good. I was so full I couldn't eat Kelso's barbecue."

"Man that was a good barbeque too." Kelso reminisced.

Brooke sighed, "No, the hot tub was the best part."

Eric was beginning to realize all the happy memories he had missed out on. Four years and Donna had been the only one he kept in contact with and now she was out of sight and out of mind. But now, Eric was determined not to let go of these friends. They may be goofy and silly, but they were friends for life and he needed them.

The five friends enjoyed pizza and beer and swapping crazy stories and Eric was feeling like he was 17 years old all over again. Kelso was making him laugh and Fez was flirting with the ladies while Brooke and Jackie did their girl talk. He was part of the group and this was his basement. His basement on top of a mountain, how cool was that?

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Brooke was in the loft reading a romance novel she had previously left on her last visit. Fez was at the kitchen counter redecorating the cupcakes. Jackie was making coffee with a dash of brandy. Kelso and Eric were talking about old days. This was a great evening to be with friends.

The front door opened and Kelso stood in the threshold and declared, "I AM GOING TO SHOOT THE MOON." He quickly stripped down to his underwear and went running out the door and onto the porch. Brooke popped her head out of the loft, "Is he going to moon the moon again?"

Jackie laughed and nodded her head. Brooke scrambled down the ladder. "Oh God… I better go get him before he finds some poison ivy or oak or something!"

Eric was startled when he heard a howling and then it was followed by a "Dammit Michael put your pants on!"

Jackie laughed as she walked past him out to the porch. She sat on the stoop in the moonlight and sipped her coffee. Eric closed the door and sat down beside her. "Does he do that all the time?"

Jackie's eyes were twinkling. "Yes, and we won't hear from him or Brooke for at least a half hour."

"Why is that?" Eric wondered.

Jackie laughed, "Because if you were paying attention, you would have noticed that when Brooke ran out the back door, she took a blanket with her and right about…now, they're doing it in the moonlight."

Eric laughed, "How do you know?"

Jackie bit her lip, "Because in about 30 seconds, Fez is going to giggle and let us know. There was the sound of running feet and the front door was flung open, "Oh Kelso and Brooke are making sweet love in the backyard!" The door was slammed shut and the sound of running feet diminished.

Eric was stunned. "They do this every time?"

Jackie laughed, "Every year. I could almost set my watch to it." Jackie sipped more of her coffee and regarded Eric over the rim. He seemed happier and maybe a bit more confident.

"So City Boy…did you find Miss Perfect yet?"

Eric could feel his ears get hot. "No, not exactly. I did go on a date with the clerk at the Stop N Grab but it wasn't so great. What about you?"

Jackie leaned against the post. "Oh, I had a couple dinners with a park ranger but he was a slob. You would think that someone who wears a uniform would be neat but this guy would never button his shirt and he'd walk around with his fly open."

Eric feigned a gasp of shock. "Maybe he didn't know his fly was open."

Jackie looked him in the eye. "Eric is your fly open or closed."

"Closed."

"See? You knew and didn't even have to look. I just thought it was disrespectful." She was quiet for a moment, the only sound was the soft hooting of owls and Kelso shouting, and "I'm doing it to the moon!"

Jackie smiled, "Don't worry Eric. She's out there somewhere. Once you quit looking, you'll find her."

Eric smiled, "You seem so confident."

Without telling him she was sort of an expert in this field, she simply replied, "Well, that's what I read in Cosmo. You know… the beauty bible."

Eric laughed, "It's nice to know some thing never change."

Jackie set her coffee cup on the porch. "What do you mean by that?" Eric wrapped his hands around his knee. "Well….you. You're always beautiful and you read that Cosmopolitan magazine."

She looked him in the eye, "Eric, have you seen me in the morning?"

He smirked, "Well, yes I have. Even with sleep in your eyes you still look pretty."

"Are you trying to score good points with me?"

He laughed, "Sure. Is it working?" Jackie laid back on the porch and looked at the twinkling stars. "Well, you're a little rusty, but I'll give you some credit for trying. You'll just have to do better."

Eric laid down like Jackie was, "Hey, that's the big dipper. It looks so close." He pointed to the stars that hung heavy in the dark sky. "Wow, these look different than they do in Point Place."

Jackie showed him a nearby constellation and they just talked quietly looking at the stars. Eric rolled onto his elbow. "Jackie, when you lived on your own, like your professor told you to do, were you ever scared?"

She rolled on her side and looked him in the eyes. "Deathly afraid…but I knew I had to learn to rely on myself."

"Why did you choose this place? I mean besides the fact that you liked the town."

"It was as far away from Steven as I could get. I needed to make new friends that didn't know my past. Brooke, Michael and Fez were my only friends I could trust. Well, that and your parents made me promise to check in monthly."

"Wow, I was so wrapped up in me that I lost all my friends. It's so great to have them back." Eric admitted. Jackie smiled. "You never lost them…they were always there waiting for you to come back. They are a very forgiving bunch. Now if you were trying to be friends with Steven again…."

Eric laughed, "He used to be a great friend, but mostly at other peoples misery. He never really grew out of that. I'm glad you didn't stay with him."

Her lips curled into a smile, "Why Eric that's one of the sweetest things I can ever remember you saying. Why are you glad I didn't stay with him?"

Eric felt self-conscious but had to say it, "Because you wouldn't be this great person you are today." Jackie smiled and tweaked him on the nose, "Why Eric, I think you just scored your first point!"

The front door swung open and a breathless Fez declared, "They are done and the coyotes are howling."

Jackie laughed and sat up. "Well, I guess that means it's time for bed. Fez, you and Eric get the bedroom and I'm taking the couch." She accepted Eric's hand as he pulled her to her feet. It was odd, but he liked the way her small hand fit in his larger one.

"I'll see you guys in the morning at breakfast. You have a big day ahead of you."

Eric was wondering how big a "Big Day" was going to be! After Fez walked through the door, Eric touched Jackie's shoulder. "Has anyone ever been killed river rafting before?"

She turned around, her dark eyes glowing. "Eric, you have nothing to worry about, it's a small river, there are spotters along the way and we have a little medical clinic up here to save you. But really, you're going to have the best time of your life." She lifted up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. "Get some sleep. You're gonna need it."

Eric touched his cheek where her lips had been. Why did she have to go and be so wonderful?

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