Author Note: ….yep it's still the same weekend…a little fluffy….wait, I reread it so it's a lot fluffy…potentially smutty but really just fluffy…..

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Chapter 28 – Dr. Forman

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Eric reached over for a pillow and set it on his lap, gently letting Jackie's head fall into a natural position. Her legs were already on the sofa and she was sleeping soundly. Her chest was still congested and he wondered if she needed that menthol rub again. While she slept, he watched some mindless television and started thinking about what he should make for dinner.

He was really actually starting to think how cool this was. It was like he had his own place and no parents telling him what to do or when to do it. Jackie was pretty much out of it and when she was conscious she was a sweetie. Yeah, this was the life.

Eric pushed the dark hair out of Jackie's face and checked her forehead with the back of his hand. She was still burning hot. He stroked the hair away from her neck and she groaned appreciatively. He smiled. How long had it been since he just sat with a girl and didn't feel the need to make conversation or fill the silence with whatever? Jackie was like that – she didn't need to know everything and could be content to just sit with him enjoying the same things. Albeit, she was sick at the moment; but in the tow truck, they got along famously. Face it Forman, you have a sick crush on this girl!

Jackie started that congested cough his mom warned him about. Eric pressed his palm just above her nightgown and could feel the breath rattling under his hand. "Jackie, we need to get you uncongested." He said gently.

Jackie could feel Eric's hand on her chest and the warmth felt so good. He had been stroking her hair and she didn't want him to stop. Now he wanted her to wake up. She opened her eyes to see his green ones frowning with concern. "I'm still coughing too much."

Eric looked at her beautiful face, "Yes you are. Let's try that Vapor Rub thing again and see if it helps the congestion. If not, I'm taking you to the emergency room."

Visions of the doctor telling her that Tammy was dead filled her mind. She grabbed Eric's wrist, "Please – no hospital. I can't go there. I'll do whatever." She nearly pleaded. Eric looked down, "I can't promise you that, but we'll do everything we can to get rid of this cough okay?"

She nodded. She would be the perfect patient if that's what he needed. "Okay, I'm gonna go get some fresh towels; can you put your hair in a ponytail or something? We'll try that rub thing again. It worked good last night."

Jackie watched as Eric took the steps two at a time. She wrapped her hair around her fist and knotted it at the top of her head. The urge to cough was great but she found shallow breaths worked best. She pulled the gown over her head and wrapped the fabric over her breasts. The more surface area exposed the more rub he could put on.

Eric came down the stairs with the set of towels and had to stop. Jackie was sitting on the couch nearly as naked as a sick girl could be yet she never looked more beautiful. It was like looking at some Greek goddess with her wavy hair piled on her head and tendrils escaping to fall down her back. It made him catch his breath.

"Come on Eric, I've gotta cough." Jackie waved him over and broke the spell. Eric could feel his ears grow hot at getting caught staring. He dropped the towels over the back of the sofa and scooped a dollop of the menthol ointment into his hands. "Let me get your back first and then you can lay down."

"Okay." She turned sideways and Eric rubbed the salve into her shoulder blades. He covered the base of her shoulders and along her spine. "Eric, if this was any other day, I'd pay you to do this." She couldn't help but cough. He chuckled and replied, "Jackie, if this was any other day… I would pay you to let me do this."

He placed the warm towel around her back and helped her lay down against the pillow. His palms were warm from the balm and he wiped them on his pants. "I can feel it working." She said almost hopefully.

Eric grabbed the ointment bottle and waited until she got comfortable. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Jackie, again…any other day I would be happy to pay you…"

"Eric, don't be a dork, just rub it in okay? If you touch a boob, I'm not going to fuss at you."

He laughed and started massaging the rub into her upper chest and gently around her throat – she was nearly purring. "It's a good thing I like how this stuff smells." He covered her with the second warm towel and then mummified her with the blanket. "Mom says you have to break a sweat or the fever won't go away."

"I'm already hot and you want to cook me?"

Eric smiled, "I'm making more tea and it's time for some Tylenol. We need you to get better."

"I need to go to work on Monday. Achoo!"

Eric made some more of the super tea and carried it out to the living room. Jessie was sitting in his spot on the sofa and growled softly. "Okay boy, I'll sit on the floor."

Jackie shook her head, "No. Sit by me. Jessie, you get down!" Eric watched at the dog gave him a glare, if dogs could glare, as he jumped off the sofa and onto the floor. Jackie patted the seat next to her. "You make me feel good."

Inwardly, Eric was smiling. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close so they could watch TV. "You know, I don't usually smell like this." She said.

"No, you smell like honeysuckle." Why that popped out of his head, Eric had no clue.

"Thank you. I love that scent. I promise that when I get better, we'll go do something."

"Jackie, we are doing something. I'm free of my parent's house, worrying about running into the neighbors or walking in on Fez trying to score with his latest conquest."

"But you don't think playing a nurse is boring? I'd hate to be you right now."

He grinned, "I'd hate to be you. Drink some tea young lady."

She leaned forward and grabbed her mug. "Yes Doctor Forman."

Eric swallowed some from his mug and said, "If you're a good girl, later we can play doctor for real."

She smirked, "Maybe later, I'll let you."

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Saturday Night Live was ending and the credits were rolling. Jackie still had a fever but it was down to 100 degrees. She was complaining that the blankets were too warm but Eric didn't relish the idea of driving all the way to Point Place Emergency with a protesting Jackie Burkhart.

"Let's get you to sleep in your bed. This sofa has to be killing your back." Eric stood up and took her hand. She pulled the blanket up so she could see her stockinged feet. "Can you hand me my tissues?"

"I've already got some upstairs - fresh sheets and bottles of water."

Eric watched as she shuffled towards the steps. "You're not coming with me? How else am I going to know if I break the fever?" She paused on the first step, "I know you said you don't want to be in my bedroom unless we're both naked under the sheets, but you can wear boxers…."

"Are you making a pass at me sick girl?"

Jackie covered her mouth as she coughed, "Maybe. But seriously, I don't want to be alone up there. I think I've gotten used to you."

Eric laughed and walked over scooping her up in his arms and carrying her to the top of the stairs. "You have some crazy ideas Burkhart."

Jackie touched her cheek to Eric's head, "Yeah, but you're crazier for listening to me!"

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They must have been lying in bed for an hour – Eric waiting to hear Jackie's even breathing. Instead he heard, "What do you plan on doing ten years from now?"

Eric looked at the ceiling, "Gee, I never really looked out that far. I guess I planned on having a family…a couple of kids….my own collectibles store."

Jackie turned over to face him in the bed. Her voice husky, "What would you collect?"

He could see her smiling eyes in the darkness of room. "Star Wars memorabilia - what else?" She giggled, "I'm sure that in 1993 there's going to be a big demand for it."

Eric nudged her in the ribs. "Well, of course there are action figures, comic books, videos, costumes…I'll be the big seller at Halloween. What do you plan on in the next ten years?"

Jackie smiled shyly, "Well…like you, I want a family and kids and I want to own my own fleet of tow trucks. My company will be called Rescue Angels and it would only be lock outs and battery jumps, the kind of stuff I do now. I'd have coolers of lemonade for the kids in the summertime and hot cocoa for winter. People would break down just so my Angels could save them."

Eric tapped her on the tip of her nose. "That is a very innovative and achievable goal. She grinned, "Yeah, I just have to keep working. Eric."

"Yes Jackie?" He liked the way she was looking at him like he was the only guy in the world.

"I like you. A lot." She confessed.

His heart was soaring. "I like you too."

"I'm not easy to get along with but then I never was. I figured that if you could stand being cooped up with a sick me, then you must really be a good guy and I could use a good guy in my life."

"I could use a wickedly mean girl like you in mine."

She smiled, "I'm not always wicked…mostly mean but not without cause."

"Yeah, I've been on the receiving end." Eric laughed. "Now close your eyes and get some sleep."

She curled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her blankets and they both fell asleep.

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She was standing in the front yard and it was drizzling. A hot humid wetness made the air feel thick and difficult to breathe. She was looking for Brooke or Eric and found him playing catch with Jessie – she tried to wave but her arms felt like they were tied down. She tried to call out but her voice wouldn't carry. Her dress was soaked and clinging against her body and she was exhausted. She could feel herself crumbling to the ground with Jessing barking faintly and Eric calling her name.

Eric was frantically peeling the wet blankets off Jackie like she was human banana. The bedding was soaked and this was the fever break his mom and told him about. Jackie was soaking wet and crying in her sleep and he was doing his best to get her out of the damp sheets. "Jackie, sweetie, let's get you out of here."

She opened her eyes, "I can hardly move and why is my nightgown wet?"

Eric pulled the tangled sheet from her legs, "You broke the fever; let's get you in the shower so you don't get chilled." Eric swung her up in his arms and carried her to the bathroom. He climbed in the tub holding the limp Jackie against him then turned on the shower so the water warmed them both. She leaned against him as he sat on the edge of the tub. "Help me take it off." Eric peeled the sweat soaked nightgown from her body and tossed it in the bottom of the tub. On an ordinary day, Eric would be shouting from the roof tops, "I'm in the shower with a naked girl!" But right now, he was trying to make her feel better.

The tub was filling with warm water and Eric eased the nearly naked girl down into the basin. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his wet boxers. He knelt down beside the tub changing it from a shower spray to the tub nozzle. "Jackie, I'm going to bring you a fresh nightgown and change the bedding. Just soak in the water; it'll make you feel better." Eric left the bathroom door open so he could hear her if she called.

The warm water felt good against her sticky skin. Jackie used two hands to scoop a handful of water and splashed her face. The remnants of sleep were fading as the water rose. She grabbed a bar of soap and washed off the perspiration from her neck and face. She quickly slid under the water to wet her hair. She just felt so lethargic. Yet on the plus side, her chest didn't hurt and the fever was gone.

Eric came back wearing some sweatpants and carried fresh nightclothes and towels. She looked up at him and smiled. "I guess I have a ton of laundry waiting for me, don't I?" He grinned and sat on the toilet lid. "Well, at least a lot of sheets and pillow cases. One last temperature reading, please." He stuck the thermometer under her tongue and smiled. "I think you are finally on the healing end of this flu."

Minutes later, he pulled the thermometer out and held it up to the light. "Ah ha! 99.5 – you are officially on the mend and by this afternoon I'll be out of your hair."

Jackie rested her chin on the edge of the tub. "I'm glad the fever's gone, but I'm going to miss you when you go."

Eric smirked, "Nah….you're just going to miss Dr. Forman and his wonderful bedside manner."

She laughed, "Yes, I'll miss that too." She unplugged the tub and reached for a towel. "Since you've already seen me naked, can you help me out of here? I feel like a weak kitten."

Eric wrapped a towel around her and stood next to the tub while she stepped out. "I have some clean clothes for you here and I'll be back with some more Tylenol." She smiled at him and his heart was singing again.

"Thanks Eric. I really appreciate this."

"Not as much as me." He quipped with a smile.

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