When Hyde got home the next afternoon, he glanced into the kitchen to find Red was sitting at the kitchen table reading his paper. Hyde moved to go down the outside stairs to the basement instead, thankful that he hadn't taken his car.

"Hold it!" Red called.

Hyde's head dropped down. Fuck!

He turned around to see Red standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. That smirk made him nervous. That smirk made him think Red might just be putting his foot in his ass today.

"Where have you been dumbass?" the older man demanded. "You know Kitty's been going half-mad, not knowing where the hell you were for the last few days."

"It was only like a day Red."

"Oh, well then I guess you won't mind my foot being in your ass for 'only like a day'," Red sneered.

"Right. Well, I'm sorry Red. Didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"Don't just apologize. You owe me a new blender. I made Kitty so many margaritas last night that the engine on our old one blew."

"Sure thing Red," Hyde nodded as he turned to leave.

"Good. Oh and Steven?"

"Yeah?" Hyde asked, turning to face the older man again.

"I don't want any little dumbasses running around here, understand?"

"Neither do I," Hyde assured him.

Knowing the conversation was over, Hyde went down to the basement. He was halfway down the stairs when he realized he was grinning like a fool and he didn't even care. Still, he forced his face back to his normal scowl then continued down.

Donna was sitting in the center of the couch, alone again. She glanced at the person joining her. Hyde dropped into his chair, joining in watching the episode of Charlie's Angels.

"Hey," Hyde grunted.

Donna examined her friend. He was trying his hardest to look like his normal, sxowling self but was obviously very happy.

Donna continued to watch the rerun of Charlie's Angels until the first commercial. Then she turned to Hyde.

"So, did you and your…that girl figure everything out?" she questioned.

Hyde grunted in response but the corner of his mouth tilted up into a smile. It was nice to see Hyde happy but if he felt Donna staring he'd shut down again. Donna turned towards the TV just as the show came back on.

"So why won't you let us meet her?" Donna posed at the next commercial. "Is she a freak? Oh my God! Is it Big Rhonda?"

Hyde grimaced and Donna chuckled. She had just been messing with him. Hyde's type was a tall woman with curves in all the right places in all the right ways. Most of his…conquests as he called them, were stunningly beautiful girls. If he was this smitten with this girl, she must have been incredibly good looking.

Donna was imagining a model, tall and thin with a pretty face and blonde hair. She tried to deduce who it could be but couldn't think of anyone. Some of the girls at school fit that description but he had gone through all of them already and everyone knew Hyde didn't dip into the same pot twice, so to speak.

Maybe the girl he was seeing was an older woman. He had had a thing with the woman with the Vespa and she was a few years older than they had been. Maybe this was the same thing. She ran through the list of older chicks and still nothing.

"You'll never guess and even if you do I won't tell you if you're right or not," Hyde said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know."

Hyde smirked.

"I hate you sometimes," she announced before walking out of the basement.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

When Donna was gone, Hyde relaxed, enjoying the TV show. After Charlie's Angels, the Six Million Dollar Man came on. Hyde watched it, enjoying his alone time. He hadn't had a whole lot of alone time alone this summer so what few minutes he had were cherished.

He was downright floored when another two hours went by and no one came to join him in the basement. He checked his watch. Five. He was kind of bored now. There was only so long he could sit and watch TV.

He picked up the basement phone and dialed Jackie's house. She answered on the fourth ring.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hey."

"Oh hi. How are you?" Jackie replied carefully.

"Whatever."

"That's good."

Hyde paused, waiting for Jackie to resume talking. She didn't. Hyde searched his mind to think if there was something he did to piss her off. He couldn't think of anything.

"Are we alright?" he asked finally.

"Oh, just fine, really. I just have a few friends over. Can I call you back later?"

"Um, I just wanted to see if you were coming over tonight."

"Of course I'll be there Aunt Stephanie."

Hyde grimaced but continued talking.

"Right. So I'll pick you up at nine?"

"Seven works better."

"Alright babe. I'll pick you up then."

"Okay. Bye."

"So that's why you haven't been around?" a voice asked from behind him.

Hyde turned his head towards the stairs to see Forman with his arms across his chest. Hyde sighed as his oldest friend moved to sit on the couch.

"I think you already knew that," was Hyde's answer.

"Maybe but I guess I didn't believe it until now."

Hyde shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You sound like a chick."

"I'm serious Hyde. We've been best friends forever and you can't tell me you have a girlfriend?"

"I'm serious too. You're whining like a little girl."

"You know what? Forget it."

Hyde let Forman cross his arms and pout for a couple of minutes. When he didn't say anything Hyde frowned. He had expected the scrawnier boy to complain and beg for more information. At least then he could be pissed instead of guilty. Finally, Hyde growled in annoyance.

"Fine! I didn't tell any of you because I like her."

"Well obviously or else you wouldn't be doing it with her."

"No. I mean I like her more than that. I actually like her."

Eric stared at him dumbfounded.

Before he opened his mouth to talk about it Kitty called down to them that dinner was ready. Hyde jogged up the stairs to join the family for dinner, leaving a stunned Eric behind.

"Oh, Steven, are you eating with us? I only set a place for Eric. You go ahead and sit down. I'll get a place set for you in no time. You know, I wasn't sure if you were living here anymore," Kitty said with a laugh.

Hyde just forced a smile and sat down at his spot. A moment later he had a plate and silverware set in front of him.

"Steven, I'm so glad you're eating with us tonight sweetie. I've missed you."

"Kitty, stop babying the boy and let's eat."

Kitty opened her mouth to respond when Eric burst into the room through the kitchen while Laurie walked in through the living room.

"Hyde has a girlfriend!" Eric revealed.

"Sit down Eric. I want to eat," Red barked. "We've already had to wait for your dumbass to get up here. Don't make me wait any longer.

"We need another setting," Kitty realized before scurrying out of the room.

"Did no one hear me? Hyde has a girlfriend!" he repeated.

"Well no duh," Laurie replied as she took Eric's seat.

"You all knew?"

"Of course we knew sweetie," Kitty said, guiding him to a free chair and setting a place in front of him. "Now eat something. I swear, I think you're getting skinnier and skinnier every day."

Forman stared at his family, frowned, then dropped into his seat.