Disclaimer: It's been ten chapters already, honestly?

Author's Notes: Heads up, I lied. There's only negative E/D and no J/H… actually Hyde's a jackass in this chapter, and Jackie's a smidgen depressing. Actually, the point of this chapter is to build up for next chapter. So, yeah, heh. Actually I wanted to set up Kelso, because next chapter, I think, is going to be a bit fire-work-ish, and quite possibly in the bad sense of the word. Their personalities are a bit OC, but, all will be explained next chapter, which I'll have out, latest, Sunday night. Happy Readings. And If I don't talk to anyone before hand, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Eric Forman was many things. Smart, funny, sweet, and a slight push over. Oh, alright, a complete pushover. He wasn't very strong and had a tendency to babble when he was nervous. God only knew he was horrible with dating and girls, as well as sports. But, other then that, he was a good man. At least in his opinion he was a good man.

He did his homework, went to school, helped his mother, and always remained loyal to his friends. He knew he had good karma waiting for him somewhere.

However, on this particular Sunday morning, as he woke up and was met with a pair of stormy blue/green eyes, he knew that his good karma was not with him today.

"What time is it?" His voice sounded too low and gruff to be his own. He moved slightly, staring at the clock on Jackie's nightstand. "Ugh. It's not even ten. Why didn't you go to church with mom?"

"She had a shift." Eric, with his arm over his eyes and his hand just slightly touching Jackie's knee, froze on the bed. He knew that tone of voice. That tone of voice haunted his nightmares. That tone of voice suggested death was in the making.

"Oh." He tried to slide from the bed in an inconspicuous fashion. However, Jackie's hand grabbed his thigh, squeezing it tightly. "Ow! OW!" He pulled his leg away, falling on to the ground. "You told me to stay with you!"

Honestly, he was more confused then anything else. Even if Jackie had forgotten he was staying in her room, she sure as hell had no reason to be mad at him. They shared each other's space constantly. The school thought they were twins or something because they were so comfortable in each other's space, be it personal or social.

"Hyde likes me?" Eric froze, once again, this time for a completely different reason. Sure, her voice was the same tone it had been seconds prior, but now there was a reason for the voice. And it was not a good reason, my friend, not a good reason at all.

"UM." Had he said something in his sleep? Had their brains finally caught up to their space sharing and now they could read each other's minds? He quickly looked at her, searching her eyes, staring at her until he knew what was going through her mind.

"What the h-e-l-l are you doing?" She folded her arms and looked down at him. He swallowed, his hand moving to rub the back of his neck.

"I, I don't know." He started moving his head, looking around at his surroundings. Not that it did any good, he knew Jackie's bedroom almost as well as he knew his own room. Pf, who was he kidding? He knew her room better then he knew his room. Just as she knew his room better then her own.

"He likes me, doesn't he? He likes me and you knew about it."

"I," Eric knew that there were a few ways to run with this. The first was the most logical, to run. To pick himself up, gauging the time it would take him and how far she could jump, and just run. He could lie, denying ever saying Hyde liked her, stating that Hyde actually hated her. Or, well, he could tell the truth. He could tell her that Hyde thought she was gorgeous and at some point in the road started to like her. He could tell her about Shelia and what had not gone down the night of the party. He could tell her that for the past week Hyde had been like a lost puppy, watching her as she ignored the table.

He just didn't know what the suitable plan of action was.

Jackie nodded her head, drawing her own conclusions from Eric's silence.

"Yeah, I thought so." She got up, moving off the bed from the opposite side. She briskly turned around, gracefully walking out of her bedroom as she rolled her neck.

Eric sat on the floor staring at the door of her room. He sighed and fell backwards, barely missing her nightstand.

"Great."

---

Kelso and Fez were sitting on the couch. Kelso playing with a ping-pong paddle and Fez sucking a lollipop. Both were consumed with their own entertainment that it was too easy to ignore Eric who was pacing behind the couch. Every so often he would run his fingers through his hair. Run his hand down the course of his face. Let out a groan or frustrated sigh. Every so often he would simply stop, look straight, throw his arms in the air, and then continue walking back and forth, back and forth.

Jackie had locked herself in Kitty and Red's room (with the brand new ten inch television Red had bought for Kitty). She was not talking to anyone that frequently visited the basement. She especially was not talking to Eric or Hyde. Not that Hyde was around to hear or care about this verdict.

"So, this dance, what is it about?" Fez had popped the lollipop from his mouth and was now looking at Kelso.

"It's the autumn ball." Kelso rolled his eyes, lowering the paddle. "I was going to take Cordelia, but she said that she would rather go with Mike Summers." Kelso rolled his eyes again. "Girls suck, man."

"Who are you taking Eric?" Fez turned around, still ignoring his friend's pacing.

"He wanted to take Donna, but he still hasn't asked her." Kelso answered for his scrawny friend. "Dude, I'd get on that, the dance is in, like, three weeks."

Kelso and Fez shifted their eyes with Eric as he made it to the stereo and then turned towards the washer. They watched as he ran his fingers through his hair right as he got to the washer and watched as he ran his hand down his face as he passed them. Kelso cleared his throat.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?"

"Jackie found out Hyde likes her." Eric stated, a slight distance in his voice. It was almost like he wasn't aware he was talking.

"UH!" Kelso jumped up, causing Fez to jump towards the arm of the sofa. "Jackie is my chick!"

"Hyde likes her. He's liked her for a while. And Jackie likes him. And neither of them were suppose to know about the other. Because they're both crazy and they want me to kill myself." Eric stopped and gave a small, muffled scream.

Fez was looking over the edge of the couch at Eric, side glancing over to Kelso.

"My goddess likes Hyde?"

"Yes, yes she does." Eric swiveled around, pointing at Kelso and Fez. "Your friends have been driving me crazy for the past, like, two weeks. It's ridiculous. Jackie doesn't want Hyde to know because of some girly who-ha. Hyde doesn't want Jackie to know because, well, Hyde hates all emotions. Personally, I think they're both stupid for liking each other."

The two boys, on the other side of the couch simply stared at Eric, his words settling over their brains.

"Jackie and Hyde, like each other." Kelso started nodding his head slowly. Fez continued to stare at Eric. "That's fine, that's cool, whatever." Kelso started to shrug, like a nervous tick, as he nodded his head. "I think that's great. Ggrreeaatt."

Eric stared at Kelso, making a face. He dropped his head, his chin hitting his chest. "Come on, Kelso, you didn't have a chance in hell with Jackie."

This seemed to stop Kelso's nervous ticks, forcing him to stare unforgivable at Eric. "I see. I get it. Uh huh. I'm not good enough for your precious Jackie. Well neither is Hyde." Kelso threw the paddle onto the ground and began stomping towards the door. He stopped as Fez stood up. "You're," Kelso pointed at Eric, a heated spark in his eyes, "not either."

And, with that, the basement door was slammed shut. Fez shook his head, waggling his finger at Eric. He dusted himself off and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Eric asked flatly.

"You insulted my friend and now, I am leaving. You do not deserve mine or Kelso's company. Good day."

"Fez--"

"I said GOOD DAY!" And with that, the basement door was slammed a second time.

Eric sighed, beginning to rub his temples as he rolled on to the couch, his green eyes staring up at the ceiling.

He ignored the sound of the basement door opening, assuming it was Kelso or Fez or both. He knew Kelso wouldn't stay mad too long and he had a sinking suspicion Fez was not the type to stay angry at all.

"What was up with tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb?"

Eric cocked his head, looking at Hyde from an angle. "They are mad because you and Jackie like each other. Or, well," Eric turned back to the ceiling, ignoring the mouth opened expression Hyde was currently displaying. "Kelso's mad because you two like each other, because, you know, Jackie's his chick. Fez is mad because I upset Kelso, I think."

Silence filled the basement as Eric stared at the ceiling and Hyde stared at Eric, mouth wide open. This seemed to be the general picture for several minutes until Eric finally sighed and turned to look at Hyde.

"Dude, what the hell?"

"You told her!" Hyde's voice, Eric swore, was reaching beyond the wooden ceiling and walls of the basement.

"I, apparently, said something to her drunken ass last night, assuming she'd forget it!"

This statement caused Hyde to stand even more rigidly, while still looking down at Eric. "She was drunk?"

"She got into the peppermint schnapps." Eric sat up, waving the situation off. "All I'm saying is the secret is out, so now, you two can date or," Eric made a disgusted face, looking away from Hyde, "whatever. And just push everything under the rug."

Hyde walked over to his usual chair, flopping down. "We can't date, that's too weird. Jesus." He slammed his hand on his knee. "This is bullshit. Jackie and I can not date. I'd kill her. Hell, she'd kill me."

"Uh, why?" Eric was leaning back into the couch, his head dangling off the back of it. "We had this discussion in eighth grade. She'd be the perfect girlfriend because she likes all the same stuff we do and it'll be like it always is. Only with perks." Eric raised his head, his finger pointed at Hyde and a cocked eyebrow expression on his face. "You're the one who said it. I totally forgot about that."

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Eric, could you date Jackie?"

Eric lowered his hand, his face going blank. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Could you date Jackie? Take her to the movies, to dinner, to the mall? Buy her things and talk about all the shit you guys have in common?" Eric nodded his head cautiously. "Sneak into her bedroom at night? Pull the covers off of her so you could see that sexy number she bought just for you? Kiss her, making her moan and buck under--"

"Ew! Ew! EW!" Eric shot up, his hands flying over his ears. He closed his eyes tightly. "La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la."

Hyde rolled his eyes, stood up, and grabbed Eric's hands, shoving them down. "What makes you think, that after all the time I've known this girl who can beat me in any sport as well as kick my ass, that I can date her? Jackie is one of us. It be like, it be like dating you or Kelso."

Eric stared at Hyde, his eyes moving towards the ceiling, the spot on the wall just to the side of Hyde, the floor, and finally back into the deep pools of blue. He shook his head, taking a couple of steps back.

"You're not even going to try?"

Hyde groaned and shoved past Eric. He got to the door, reluctantly turning to look at his best friend.

"Would you?" And with that, the door shut quietly, unlike the first two times.

--

"Steven is being just a big, old, baby." Kitty stated, cleaning the chicken for dinner.

Eric was sitting on the counter next to the fridge. He had his elbow on his thigh and his chin resting on his fist. His other arm was slung across his lap, as he hunched over in thought.

"I guess I understand." Eric stated, puzzled on his own train of thinking. "I wouldn't be able to make out with Jackie."

"Yes you would." Kitty stated, her voice flat. "Any of you boys would get over all that mumbo jumbo of Jackie being just one of the guys in a heart beat."

Eric looked at his mother. "Oh, really?"

Kitty sighed and shifted herself to look at her only son. "Remember Jackie's sixth birthday party? Steven and Michael had both come down with the flu, so it was you, Casey, Dale, Laurie, and a bunch of other little kids you didn't really play with. Jackie was wearing that purple dress, with the lace and all that ribbon. Her mother was off somewhere being the witch that she was and Jack was trying to make ice cream sundaes, Jackie was sitting at the table, her little chin in her little hand. Do you remember what you said to me?"

"Why does she look sad?" Eric shrugged. He was trying to remember the events of this party, but they seemed to slip away from him.

"No, you tugged on my skirt and said, 'Mommy, Jackie looks so pretty, and I'm going to marry her one day. Just like daddy married you'." Eric looked at his mother as she dropped the chicken back into the bowl, clasping her hands happily together.

"Mom, that's so far in left field, it's basically a foul." Kitty sighed and gave her son a disgruntled look. "That, that has nothing to do with anything."

"For the rest of that party, you treated Jackie like a girl. You pampered her and followed her around like a devoted little boy. And then, the next day, when she came over in her overalls and that dirty baseball cap she loved so much, thoughts of white weddings and fairy tale crushes disappeared as you pushed her and wrestled with her and you both ended up in the mud. Jackie's pretty whether she's a girl or acting like one of you boys. Just like you're un-athletic whether you're in your normal clothes or a sports uniform."

Eric continued to stare at his mother in confusion.

"Oh, for all that is good and pure. Go set the table Eric."

"Ok, ok, jeez." Eric hopped down from the counter, grabbing a stack of plates from the cupboard.

Kitty shook her head. "Honestly, you'd think I was asking him to solve world hunger."

--

Monday and Tuesday had pasted almost too quickly for anyone to make sense of it. Jackie had feigned sickness, appealing to Red's soft spot with girls, and had missed both days of classes (as well as today's classes). Kelso was refusing, out right, to talk to anyone, opting to sit with Pam Macy. Hyde was silent and stand-offish, opting to eat lunch out in the Camino. Which left Eric and Fez sitting at the lunch table. Which, Eric had to admit, could have been a lot worse.

"Hey Eric, Fez." Donna smiled at the two, sliding into Jackie's usual seat. "Seems kind-of lonely here."

"Kelso and Hyde have abandoned us." Fez stated with a pout. Donna looked at him, giving him a sympathetic expression.

"Why did they abandon you?"

"Because they're morons." Eric mumbled, grabbing his juice container and taking a large sip. Donna watched him carefully, allowing her eyes to fall to the table as he placed down his juice carton.

"Where's that Burkhart girl?" Donna asked, looking around. Eric rolled his eyes.

"Jackie. Her name is Jackie." He cleared his throat, grabbing a French fry. "She's sick."

"Oh." Donna nodded her head. "Sorry." She began looking around, her eyes not holding anything for very long. "Is she feeling better?"

Eric scoffed. "Not likely."

"Oh."

Fez watched the exchanged, confusion clear in his eyes. He had been under the impression that Eric liked Donna, maybe all this Jackie nonsense was clearing the golden brown haired boy's judgment.

"Donna, may I speak with Eric privately?" Fez gave Donna a 'sexy' smile and wink.

The red headed girl raised an eyebrow, but nodded her head, getting up. She gently patted Eric's shoulder before walking away.

"Not to be rude my American Captain," Eric gave a strange look to the boy sitting across from him. "But, you just mistreated your goddess."

Eric looked at Fez, shifted to look at Donna, and then shifted to look at the table. He sighed and began rubbing his temples.

"Fez, do you have a friend, who is a girl, who you've known all your life?" The dark skinned boy looked Eric, tilted his head to the side, made a noise in his throat, and then sat up straight.

"Lithianna." Fez smiled. "She lived in the goat farm next to us."

"Would you have been able to date her?" Eric had been running through his whole, dating your best friend thing, for two days straight. He wasn't sure why it bothered him or why he even cared. Honestly, this was between Hyde and Jackie. He didn't want to know from any of it. Sadly, however, it hung in his head like an elephant on the table.

Fez scoffed, folding his arms. "Well, of course I would be able to date her." He shook his head. "She has the most beautiful breasts."

Eric sighed, slowing his head to hit the table with a thud.

--

Jackie was sitting and watching a marathon of the Price is Right. She knew that Eric thought she was being stupid. That she was milking Red for all these missed days of school so she could avoid Hyde. But, that wasn't the full truth.

She was trying to avoid Hyde because of his conversation with Eric on Sunday. She had slipped into the kitchen to grab something to drink and had heard the whole conversation. Honestly, the boys need to learn how to shut doors in this house.

With a groan she fell over, laying across the couch. "Stupid old ladies."

Dating Jake had been amazing. He opened doors for her, paid for everything, and always made her laugh. He never pushed to do anything more then a kiss on the cheek or a kiss on the lips. And he loved the fact that she knew all the terminology to football and could change the oil in his truck. There was never that guy versus girl thing with Jake. She was a girl who simply knew sports and cars and other things Jake liked.

Even the few girl friends she had never really made a big deal of it. And, hey, Brittany and Susan didn't care that when there was a spider Jackie would simply roll her eyes and flick it away. They didn't care that she could throw a softball well or kick Tommy Duncan's ass. No. To them, Jackie was a girl who was the perfect spy into the boy's realm.

Leave it to Hyde and Eric to make Jackie feel like being their friend meant she was either a girl or she was a guy. There was no go between. She was either the girl who liked ballet and glossy magazines and pink nail polish, or she was the guy who played sports better and ran faster and got them out of trouble with the grown-ups. It was one or the other.

She groaned and spun around, pressing her face into the material of the couch.

But, then again, who cared if Hyde couldn't date her? She was Jackie Burkhart. Pretty, popular, smart, and, above all else, classy. She pulled away from the back of the couch making a threatening gesture with her hands.

Whatever, Hyde was just being a j-a-c-k-a-s-s anyway. She didn't need him and he didn't need her. Easy, p-easy.

The door opened, forcing Jackie to sit up. Standing in the doorway was, quite possibly, the last person she expected to see.