Weeks later, we found out that Jackie's father was a city councilman and he got arrested for bribery. This must've been extremely hard for Jackie to go through. Neither Steven or I knew how to properly react or comfort her.

We were in the basement except for Jackie. Even Donna was with us too and I think she was slowly, but surely getting over Eric and I and was accepting us.

It was difficult for me that Donna and Eric was still around with each other, but I really didn't want to be that type of a girlfriend who would force Eric to stop seeing her when they're still very good friends. I really didn't want to shun Donna away from the group. It wouldn't be fair for her or for Eric either and it would hurt him if I'd do that. They're still good friends even though they're exes. I tried not to get jealous whenever they're together, but it was hard. This was very complicated for me to deal with.

Kelso had a BB gun (yes, a gun) in his hand. I made sure to stay far away from him as possible. Kelso and a gun was a very bad, bad combination.

"What's with the gun, trigger?" Eric nervously asked Kelso.

"Oh, will you, relax, Eric? It's not a gun. It's a BB gun." Kelso replied.

"It's still a gun." I pointed out as I sat on top of the freezer.

"Yeah, I lost it when I was, like, ten, and I found it this morning buried in my backyard."

"Why were you digging in your backyard?" Donna asked him.

"Uh, dinosaurs," Kelso answered as if it should've been obvious. "Watch the news, Donna!"

"You guys, I can't believe that Mr. Burkhart might actually be going to prison." Eric sat next to me on the freezer.

"If any of our parents would've gone to prison, I thought it would've been mine by now." I said and Steven nodded and hummed in agreement.

"Ah, the tragedy," Fez said as a loss. "My father was sent to prison...and it led to a life of drugs and prostitution."

"What?" Donna asked confusedly.

"Yes. Then his pimp killed him. But then the medical examiner found a tiny hair. And he solved the crime and he sent the pimp bastard to the chair."

"Fez, that was last night's episode of Quincy." I told him.

He looked like he got caught. "Oh, I didn't know you watched that show."

"Yeah, this is rough stuff Jackie's going through," Kelso said. "She'll come running' to me - Old Faithful."

"Kelso, Jackie's with me now." Steven was annoyed with him.

"Maybe. But we have history. So, when she needs a shoulder to cry on, she'll rest her head on these broad babies," He looked at his shoulders and leaned over to Fez. "Feel 'em."

Fez touched them. "Rock hard, amigo."

"Man, you don't want Jackie leaning on your shoulders," Steven said. "They're all bruised."

"Where?" Kelso asked dumbly.

Then Steven punched his shoulders making Kelso groan in pain. Eric, Donna, Fez, and I laughed.

"Man, I should really see those coming by now." He rubbed his shoulders in pain and the gun was directly pointing at Donna.

"Hey, watch it there, park ranger." She said uncomfortably, pushing the gun away from her.

Donna got up and stood away from Kelso who got up as well while he cleaned the gun.

"Will you relax, Donna? God, guns don't just go off by accident."

"Remember Snowball?" I reminded him.

"Oh, right, Eric's fourth grade hamster." Donna also mentioned.

"Oh, no, Snowball wasn't shot. He went upstate to live with a nice farm family." Eric still believed that story his mother gave him.

I looked at with my sweet yet gullible boyfriend in doubt and raised an eyebrow. That's when it dawned on him it's a lie.

"You shot Snowball?!" Eric exclaimed to Kelso being upset as he got off the freezer to approach him.

"Well, the gun went off by accident!" Or so Kelso had claimed. I would never in a million years trust him with my life handling a gun.

Then Jackie opened the door looking upset. Most likely because of her father.

"Oh, sweet pea, I'm here for you." Kelso had his arms open wide for her, but she ran right past him and into Steven for his embrace instead. Kelso was hurt and rejected.

"Steven, my Dad's going to prison. What am I gonna do?" Jackie sat on his lap as she hugged him.

"Um, bake him a cake with a file in it?" Steven suggested. Jackie pulled away from him, not pleased with that response. "What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing. Look, I just - oh, never mind." Jackie got up to hug me.

Well, that was unexpected.

"Uh, Jackie, I'm, uh, sorry for about your father, but I am not the comforting type." I told her and she let go of me looking angry.

"Do you two have the heart of stones or something?" Jackie asked angrily and upset looking at Steven and I then she hugged Donna who wasn't that thrilled, but still hugged her back.

"Now, we're talking," Fez grinned like a pervert. "Donna, give her a kiss."

She gave him a gross and disturbed look.

"C'mon, Donna, everyone's heartless here," Jackie walked to the door, pulling a reluctant Donna with her. "Let's talk about it at your house. Mine is too painful to be at right now."

Donna and Jackie left the basement together.

Later, Donna and I was hanging out together and talking. We even got a soft pretzel at the park and then went home afterwards. I saw Eric at his driveway with a shovel and Steven was with him, too. Donna was telling me about what it was like for her dating Eric and gave me info and tips about him.

"...And don't forget to always laugh at his jokes. Always. Or you'll never hear the end of it." Donna advised me.

"Got it." I nodded, chuckling.

"Hey," He greeted with a smile and gave me a peck on the lips. "Glad to see you two getting along again. What have you girls been talking about?"

"You." We answered together grinning.

Eric's face had paled and his smile had immediately vanished. He looked a bit worried and panicked.

"Really?" He squeaked.

"Well, would you look at this? The old girlfriend and the new girlfriend getting along and talking about you. How nice." Steven smirked, being in delight with this just as much as Donna and I was.

"Don't worry," I assured Eric, standing by his side. "It's nothing bad."

"Yeah, Eric. I never told Rachel any of your little secrets."

Donna and I laughed with each other at our own inside joke about him.

"Well, this was fun. Bye, guys." Donna left for her house.

I took another bite of my pretzel and shared some of it with Eric.

"So, you two never talked about me?" He asked being uncertain.

"Not all the time," I shrugged and rolled my eyes when I saw his face. "Relax, Eric."

"It's just a bit...unsettling...what you talked with my ex about me." Eric admitted uncomfortably.

"Donna could've said anything about you to Rachel," Steven said just to be an ass. "All the good and the bad stuff. But mostly the bad stuff."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Not helping, Steven..."

He gave me a look. "Uh, I wasn't trying to."

"Just like you weren't helpful at all to Jackie about her Dad being imprisoned?" Eric turned the conversation over to him. Hehe. Nice.

"I just didn't know what to say to her." Steven grumbled.

"Me neither," I agreed. "Comforting others isn't my strong suit. It's...awkward to do it. You just don't know the right thing to say."

"What would help is if you'd just be there for her. That's what she needs now." Eric advised.

"I agree," I said thoughtfully. I think Steven was considering his words. "I guess I should apologize to Jackie, too, for my reaction. It's hard to talk about this stuff."

"It should be easy for you girls to talk about anything. Especially when it's about me." Eric was still salty about that.

I groaned at his attitude. "Oh, get over it, Eric."

In the kitchen, Jackie came by into the house and I stopped her before she could walk past me.

"Hey, Jackie, I'm, uh, sorry for how I reacted at the basement today when you just wanted some comfort. It's not really my thing to do. To comfort others. So, uh, I'll be here for you. Even as an ear for you to vent to and I'll try really, really hard not to fall asleep."

"Thank you, Rachel!" Jackie squealed, and of course, hugged me. Then she finally released me. "I believe the reason why you and Steven couldn't comfort us because you've never been truly loved or comforted."

I never analyzed it in that perspective before.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "It's easier to act that way around Eric and Steven because they're my boyfriend and brother. So, that's to be expected."

"Of course it is, Rachel!" Jackie said like it was supposed to be obvious. "A boyfriend should be there for you and comfort you. Even though your boyfriend is kinda girly. You could've done so much better than Eric," I gave her a look for saying that. "No boyfriend would've done what Steven did!"

"He'll come around, Jackie," I assured her. "You should know by now how he is. He does things in his own way. Even if it's a bit unethical at times."

"Yeah, I know..." She sighed in depression.

"Man, I don't get Jackie." Kelso pouted on the lawn chair, holding that damn BB gun.

Eric and I stood behind the couch as Steven sat on his chair with his arms crossed.

"I mean, we were together for years and the second I turn my back, she off, and Frenches Hyde."

"And by 'turn your back', you mean ditching her for two months to have sex with random beach trash?" Steven asked.

"Whatever, man. You - it's all- it's all about words with you!"

"Kelso, Jackie's my girlfriend," Steven leaned forward, his arms not crossed, and looking pissed off at him. "We're together, so get over it!"

"You know what? You know what - fine!"

There was a gunshot and my brother yelped in pain falling from his chair, facing down onto the ground. I gasped in horror and my hand covered my mouth as I clutch onto Eric hoping that Kelso really did not shoot him.

All of us couldn't believe what just happened. We just stood there, looking at Steven with our mouths open. Unable to move or do anything. It's like when someone is choking at the cafeteria and all you could do was stare at the poor person because you're too in shock and everything you learned about CPR in health class flew out of the window.

"Dude, you shot him!" Eric exclaimed in disbelief.

"Just like what you did to Snowball!"

I hurriedly went over to Steven's side and the boys did the same.

"Oh my god!" Kelso was the most horrified. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. Did I shoot your eye?"

"Yes! Now I can't see, you moron! You're dead!" Steven yelled at him with his hand covering his injured eye and got up to chase Kelso.

"I'd start running now." Eric advised.

"Chasing me is futile! I'll just hide in your blind spot!" Kelso was already running upstairs for safety.

Steven was grunting in pain as he held the spot where he got shot. I got really worried and scared for him.

"Oh my god, should we take you to the hospital or something?" I fretted.

"Yeah, man, are you okay?" Eric asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Steven let go of his eye and smiled at us. It turned out he really was fine and was just messing with Kelso. "The BB just winged my shoulder."

"Oh, good," I said with relief then smacked him on his shoulder, scowling. "Don't scare me like that, you jerk!"

"But that kid needs to be taught a lesson!" Steven pointed up to the stairs where Kelso cowardly ran off to.

"Hyde, it was an accident." Eric said.

"No, it wasn't! He's been bitching about me and Jackie since he found out thanks to you," He spat the last word to Eric. "Now he got himself so out of control that he shot me. I don't like getting shot! So now, I'm gonna punish him the same way our parents punished us."

"You're gonna leave him at the mall?" Eric wondered.

"Or are you going to lock him in your car when it's really hot outside and leave?" I also wondered.

Both of those things happened to us and they're still very traumatic memories.

"No. I'm gonna milk this eye thing until he feels as bad as he should. You know Edna misplaced her keys. And they didn't leave us at the mall. They forgot us. They were drunk!"

Steven went away to his bedroom. Once he was out of earshot, I told Eric with a sigh and a disappointing shake of my head.

"Always making excuses..."

Later, it was just the two of us in the basement. We already talked about with Steven how we're still going to mess around with Kelso so he could have a lesson. Steven was in his room waiting for him and Eric and I sat on the couch together.

Eric was twirling his finger around the strands of my hair. "Soooo...what did you and Donna talk about me?"

I groaned with irritation. "Ugh! You're still on that?!"

"Yes!" He was frustrated then sighed as if giving up. "Okay, um, did she tell you about the wee wee pee pee story?" He looked a bit worried.

"No, but please, give me every detail. Feel free to not spare any." I laughed, loving to know, but Eric groaned, looking regretful to mention it.

"When I was a kid, I would run around the neighborhood, naked, and yell 'Wee wee! Pee! Pee!'" Eric explained sheepishly.

"That explains why you did that when President Ford came to town!" I realized in understanding.

"Yeah," He was embarrassed. "Now, your turn. Tell me what you and Donna was talking about me!"

"Fine! Since it bothers you that much, we were comparing how you are in the sack." I smirked.

"Really?" He asked in a small voice.

"Yeah. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd freak out about it-"

"Oh, no, I'm not freaking out about it!" Eric assured, but I know he was lying. "Hopefully, it's something good about me, right?"

"Right." I smiled and kissed his lips, but he looked a little in doubt.

Fortunately, Kelso came into the basement holding fast food from Fatso Burger. It was obvious he was trying to make up for what he did to Steven and to get back into his good graces again.

"Hey, guys. Is Hyde here?"

Eric pointed his thumb to Steven's room. My brother came out wearing an eyepatch over the same eye Kelso had 'faked' shot him.

"Hey, Hyde," Kelso greeted him in a soft and gentle voice. "I brought you this." He showed the cardboard tray to him.

"What is it? I can't see." Steven said and I tried not to make any kind of laughter.

"Well, it's most of a burger. I took a bite, cause I'm sorry, but I'm also hungry."

Steven took the food from him and responded. "Yeah, well, it's almost two o' clock. I gotta go flush out my eye." He left for his room acting depressed.

"You guys, how bad is it?" Kelso asked in a worried and concerned voice. "Is Hyde gonna be a cyclops?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at how dumb that sounded.

Eric stood up and went to him. "Kelso, what were you thinking? I mean, did you shoot him on purpose?" He asked suspiciously.

"No! The gun went off on accident!" Kelso still went with that lie.

"Well, he kinda thinks you did."

"And so do I." I said.

"Rachel, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to turn your brother into a cyclops! I mean, yeah, I was mad. But I didn't - I don't know. Maybe I did it accidentally on purpose."

"You mean subconsciously?" I asked.

"No, I was definitely awake the whole time."

There was just too many ways to make fun of that one.

Jackie hurriedly came into the Formans kitchen and stopped right in front of me with Donna.

"I just heard from Fez that Kelso shot Steven with a BB gun!" She freaked out.

"What?" Donna couldn't believe it either. "Oh my god, is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine," I chuckled as I opened my root beer and took a sip of it. "He's just milking it to get back at Kelso for always bitching about you dating Steven."

"Oh, good," Jackie said with great relief. "I wish he would've got shot!" Donna and I gave her odd looks for saying that. "He was such a jerk about my Dad. Where is he?" She demanded.

"The jerk is downstairs in his room." I answered and she left.

"So, I told Eric that we talked about him." I confessed to Donna when we were alone.

"He never let it go, did he?" She figured and I shook my head.

"Nope." I answered popping the P.

"It's okay," She shrugged. "Probably for the best, anyway."

"Yeah." I nodded in agreement.

"But it was kind of fun to keep Eric out of it, you have to admit." There was a small smile at the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, it was." I smiled and we both giggled.

Just in time for Eric to come in.

"Oh, here are you two together again. What are you two gal pals talking about this time? Me." Eric flatly assumed.

"Not anymore," I assured with him a kiss. "Promise."

"We are just going to go and talk about...something else," Donna said making that known for the first time to me. "Where are we going to?"

"I'm hungry for some ice cream." I answered.

"Ice cream it is then." Donna approved.

"Alright, let's go-" Eric was about to tag along, but she stopped us.

"No, it's just us girls. Maybe you can come next time?"

Donna walked to the sliding door and went outside and I followed her, but Eric caught me by the wrist having me turn to him.

"You're not going to talk about me, are you?" He asked being paranoid, but I shrugged unsure of myself.

"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows? I'll get you that bubblegum ice cream you like so much." I patted him on his shoulder and kissed his lips before I left.

Hours later, Donna and I returned back to the Formans driveway just in time to see Steven running away and Kelso trying to run after him as he grabbed his ass in pain, but was mostly wobbling.

"What is going on?" I asked.

"Hyde shot me! He shot me and lied about his eye!" Kelso yelled and was groaning in pain. "Which is very disappointing because it would've been cool if you'd been a cyclops."

"Watch what you say, Kelso, I still got this baby loaded." Steven warned, holding the BB gun in his hands.

"Okay, stop it, you two." Donna scolded like a mother.

"Yeah, this has gone long enough." I agreed.

"Fine," The boys grumbled.

"Just to let you's know, I allowed Hyde to give me the corporal punishment since I shot him. Or so I thought." He glared at my brother.

"Will you stop bitching about me and Jackie now?" Steven asked firmly.

"Yes! Well...I'll try to..."

"It's an effort." I muttered and I went down to the basement where I know Eric would be. Had to give him his ice cream quickly before it would melt.

I walked downstairs and saw my boyfriend watching TV and joined next to him on the couch, giving him his ice cream.

"Here you go." I happily gave him.

"Aw, it's frosty double bubble blast off. My favorite. Thanks." Eric said and kissed me a few more times on my lips.

He ate his ice cream and spoon fed some of it to me even though I had some earlier with Donna, but I didn't care.

Jackie came into the basement still being upset and depressed over her father. She helped herself to wedge in between Eric and I disrupting our couples' time. My boyfriend and I exchanged glances at each other at her interruption.

"So, how's stuff with your Dad?" I asked her.

"Well, my Mom's flying home from the Fiesta de las Margaritas...so I guess it's pretty serious."

"Wow, that is serious." I said sarcastically.

"Playboy voted Fiesta de las Margaritas..." Eric randomly and stupidly brought up. "Latin America's number one's singles party," Jackie and I gave him gave him a look. "But I," He cleared his throat. "I'm sure she's just there for the margaritas."

"Oh my god, you guys, my whole world is just falling apart!" Jackie frowned and I've never seen her so upset and depressed before. She leaned into me and hugged her for comfort; better than saying words.

The door opened and Steven came into the basement looking...shaved. I smiled at him because Jackie hated his beard and I knew he did it for her. That was a huge thing for him to do because he didn't want to do it before. His beard never bothered me. Just made him look old.

"Hey." Steven greeted and Jackie let go of me. She smiled when she saw her boyfriend's new face.

"Steven!" Jackie had delightfully squealed. "You shaved your beard off!"

"I thought it might cheer you up." He shrugged.

"Oh my god, you shaved it off for me?!" Jackie put her hand to her heart being touched. Then she gasped as she held his face. "You let the razor say the words your mouth couldn't speak."

"Awww!" Eric and I cooed together to get on Steven's nerves. But I still thought that was a sweet gesture he did for her.

"Shut up!" He barked at the both of us. Jackie grabbed his hand and they went off to his bedroom together.

Eric and I sat closer to each other again. He was finishing the last bits of his ice cream.

"Would you like it if I had a beard?" Eric curiously asked me.

"When you were in your depressed state months ago, you were pretty hot," I confessed. "I do think it makes guys look older when they do grow beards."

"I went off for a long time without shaving." He remembered.

"And showering." I added.

"That, too."

"I would still love you regardless with hair or no hair." I genuinely told him.

"Really?" I nodded and I noticed there was some twinkling in his eye. "Jackie is in Hyde's bedroom, do you want to go into mine?"

My eyes lit up at his suggestion. "Yeah!"

Eric was done eating his ice cream and set the cup on the table. He grabbed my hand to lead my upstairs for his bedroom..