Author Notes: A good idea is better than no idea….or so Eric thought….

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Chapter 13- An Action Plan

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The sun was shining and the grass never smelled sweeter. The patchwork quilt was half in and half out of the shady elm tree. The baby gurgled happily and Eric smiled at his son. The sandy brown hair had a slight wave and those ten little toes were curled up as a perfectly manicured fingernail lightly scratched the heel.

Jackie rolled on her back, "Sweetie….could you get me a soda from the ice chest? It's so warm today." Eric crawled over and gave his beautiful wife an upside kiss. "I'll give you anything you want." She touched his chin. "You already have."

Eric woke up with a gasp. His subconscious was dreaming about being married to Jackie? The 'wife" in question was sleeping soundly and snuggled up against his chest. It felt too familiar and too good to be wrong. Was Jackie Burkhart wife material? He had thought of Donna in those terms and look what happened! Was dreaming about a family with Jackie too weird?

Oh so carefully, Eric lightly threaded his fingers through her silky dark hair. She shifted slightly drawing warmth from his body. Why did this have to feel so real and natural? The minute Jackie woke up she'd be back to keeping this tangible distance between them like a safety net. She still didn't trust him yet.

Okay fool, why are you playing with her hair in the dark and thinking about kissing her? Eric pulled his hand back but rested his chin on the top of her head. "Mmmm…I was wondering when you were going do that." He remembered her saying that. She wanted him to kiss her. God Eric quit fighting with yourself!

The interior of the car was still freaking cold and he could feel the chill of it on his face. Luckily, the rest of his body was nice and warm. He looked at the luminous hands of his watch. It was just after two in the morning. How was he going to get them out of this car and back to the freeway? Jackie had a good idea about them wrapping up themselves up in the sleeping bag and just going for it…but then they had limped along for a good while on the flat tire and just how far away were they? Yes, he did deserve a Red Forman foot in the ass for not checking the spare tire before he left.

Cameron was probably having a great time and partying with Stan Lee – Eric was sleeping with Jackie Burkhart. Wait, it wasn't so bad when you thought about it like that! Still….the morning was coming and there was no rescue plan in place. What could they do to get help without freezing to death like Jack Nicholson…still, Eric smiled. Jackie Burkhart was in his arms and in his dreams. What more could a guy want?

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Eric woke up slowly, very aware that Jackie was still wrapped in his arms and their legs were tangled like a soft pretzel. His teeth felt like they were wearing a fuzzy beer flavored sweater and his mom's roast beef sandwich still weighed heavy on his stomach. He could see his breath hanging on the chilly air of the Vista Cruiser. It was still damn cold outside the sleeping bag….much like the Planet Hoth where the Rebel Alliance moved after their victory in the battle of Yavin…focus Eric!

He vaguely remembered Donna's going away "gift" with the white gown and Princess Leia hair buns but when he really thought about it, Jackie Burkhart more closely resembled the actress. Carrie Fisher was short, cute and sassy – and it didn't hurt that she could kick some ass. Just like his little brunette sleeping partner! He had to get her out of here – a caged Jackie was not going to bode well for a future relationship. Eric was determined that was the direction this little adventure was going to go.

Jackie woke up slowly and was very aware of the strong warm arms that surrounded her. It was odd how safe and protected she felt. Wasn't it only Steven that used to make her feel this way?

The arms that were holding her were different in a good way. Eric's aftershave smelled nice and his even breathing was calming. He didn't let her die like Jack Nicholson and she wasn't even hung over. Eric kept all his promises and didn't even get handsy…not that she would have stopped him but he was too nice of a guy sometimes!

Steven was finally like an ache she barely remembered. He had been right – they were better as friends than as a couple. Two years ago she would have disagreed but after his quickie marriage to the stripper and subsequent annulment – Jackie realized that Steven could never and would never change. Not for her – not ever and that was okay because that was Steven Hyde.

Jackie pressed her cheek against his chest and was rewarded with an unconscious hug. She had a great nights sleep and despite the intimacy created by sharing a sleeping bag, she never felt safer. To Jackie, it felt like Eric really cared about her. The fact that they were not "doing it" just because they were sleeping in such a close manner made a real impact on her.

"Why are you awake so early? "She whispered opening her eyes rather dreamily. She felt a hand smoothing her hair away from her face and heard him whisper back, "I think I have a way to get us home."

She opened her eyes to look into a pool of green. "Really?" Then she covered her mouth with her hand, "My breath. I've got to brush my teeth!"

Eric chuckled, "Yeah, it's definitely morning breath. I've got to find my toothbrush."

Jackie pushed herself to a sitting position and exclaimed, "Its cold!" She rubbed her hands over her arms and reached for an overnight bag. "I have mouthwash and toothpaste. Let's take care of this….bad breath…thing and then tell me your idea."

Eric laughed, "You are the only girl I know who would worry about bad breath before rescue."

She looked at him from under her lashes, "What if the rescuers are cute? I have to look my best!" She teased. He smiled and added, "They might be women!"

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The middle seat had been set to its original position and the snow trapped pair were covered in flannel and facing each other. Jackie looked towards the icy window. "So what you saying is… we commit vandalism and arson and we'll be saved?"

Eric exhaled. "Well…sort of…we're going to break into the electrical substation and light the spare tire on fire."

Jackie grinned happily, "Eric…that is SO bad ass!"

Eric smiled, feeling the thump of his heart against his chest, "Really?" His voice was this close to squeaking. "This is my plan…." He drew a diagram of where the Vista Cruiser was stuck it the snow and basically how Jackie would help him set the spare on fire."

"But Eric…the tire is wet and covered with snow – how is it supposed to catch fire?"

Damn, he didn't think of that either!

Molotov cocktail!

No, he wasn't thirsty but if he got some fabric soaked in gasoline, he could tuck it under the rim and the oils and rubber should catch fire with a little encouragement of Spiderman comic #188 which was slightly damaged and not a keeper. Now, how were they going to break into the substation?

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Two pair of stockinged feet were stuffed into the bunny slippers and Eric's hands were encased in the striped toe socks, He was wearing his least damp pair of pants and his jacket. Jackie made sure his head was covered with the beret. He knew he looked like a clown because he felt totally ridiculous. Still, that smiling face was the reward for wearing this goofy outfit meant to keep him warm.

Jackie was shivering in her sweat shirt and boots. She had leg warmers wrapped around her neck and bounced from foot to foot while Eric dissembled the jack stand. He was wielding the tire ion in one hand and balancing the ruined tire in the other.

"I'll take the weapon." Jackie grinned. "I've always wanted to break something open."

Eric grinned and pushed/slid the tire towards the substation and after about ten yards, the electrical out buildings seemed miles away. This was not boding well. The cold air and slippery ice seemed to hinder the progress of his plan rather than help.

"Let's try to roll it." Jackie suggested. "I know it's flat but I'm freezing and I want to light this thing on fire!"

Between the two of them they rolled the flat tire towards the gated electrical substation fence a whole lot quicker than Eric could all alone. Finally, with one big push, the spare and rim rolled and crashed into the chain link fence. Jackie fell against Eric's side, her breath forming a vapor from the exertion. "Damn, skiing is much easier than this!"

Eric took the tire iron from her sock covered hands and went to examine the padlocked chain that was wrapped around the gate. The lock seemed fairly new and he really hoped that a couple of good hits from the tire iron would bust it open.

"If we go inside the fence, we're not going to get zapped are we?" Jackie asked curiously.

Eric turned and saw those jeweled eyes peering at him from under her green and white pompom cheer hat. He smiled. "I think as long as we don't touch anything, we're good."

"Let me take first whack at that lock. I think I'd make a good burglar." Jackie grinned. Eric handed over the tool of destruction and she marched up to the gate wielding the iron like she was going for a home run. She raised the metal bar and it came crashing down on the chain link fence with a loud bang totally missing the padlock.

"Damn." She said perplexed. "That should have worked." She touched the fat end of the iron to the lock and raised the bar above her head sending it crashing down again with a loud resounding smack. The bar vibrated in her hands and the chain link chain slithered out of the broken padlock and to the ground. Jackie bounced a little cheer and clapped her hands.

"I did it! I broke the lock!" she said excitedly. "Yaaaayyyy team!" She added with a high kick.

Eric grinned. "Yes you did! Let's get the tire in there."

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The tire was propped against the steel door of the small contained brick building. The exhausted pair were looking at the black spare and realized that for all their efforts, nothing else would catch fire in this cage except the tire. Would it possibly create enough smoke that rescuers would think the station was ablaze?

Jackie was standing next to Eric mostly for warmth but also for the partnership they just formed. Together, they worked towards getting rescued and she was an instrumental part in this venture. "Light it up." She said softly.

Eric patted his pockets and uttered. "Crap."

She looked up at him. "What do you mean by that?"

Eric sighed. "I forgot the cigarette lighter."

Jackie's eyes got big. "You mean you thought you were going to light this with a cigarette lighter?" Was he crazy?

"Well….it sounded like a good idea at the time." Eric protested. Jackie whirled in a huff. "You are just lucky I'm a girl!" That said, she turned and stomped off in the snow and back to the Vista Cruiser. Eric sighed and slid down the fence until he was crouched above the snow. He looked at his big feet in Jackie's bunny slippers. One of the beaded black eyes was about to fall off. All that effort and nothing to ignite it with – what would Obi-Wan think?

Eric Forman….you are dumbass. The Force is not with you my boy. Obi-Wan shook his head, turned his back and walked away with his robes trailing in the snow behind him.

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