Chapter 11

November 1984

"My name is Steven, and I'm an alcoholic." He spoke. The people at his old meetings probably had been confused at his sudden disappearance, but he shook the thought from his mind. They were merely strangers. Jason, the man who seemed to be running the meeting, smiled kindly, as everyone greeted him.

"Hi, Steven." They chorused.

He scanned the room. Some were there by choice, some were there by force. He swallowed thickly, as the person beside him didn't smell too friendly, but what was he gonna do?

"Are you new to Alcoholic's Anonymous?" DJ asked him, and Steven laughed. "Nah, man, I've been sober almost two years now." He told them, pride glinting in his voice. "I'm just in town again for the first time in... a while."

"Anyways, the last few days have been rough. Long story short, I've been gone five years, and was a moron, and just came home for the first time in two years today. None of 'em know about this portion of my life yet, I haven't amended yet. They're all pretty pissed." They all nodded, making noises of sympathy.

"Anyways, I just found out I have a kid. She's all me man. Her ma is pissed at me, understandably so..." He coughed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry." He apologized, having to regain his composure. DJ nodded in understanding. "Take your time, dude."

Steven resisted the cringe at his words. Timing was everything, these meetings didn't last very long.

"She was in a car wreck this morning, bad. She's in a coma, and nobody knows if she's gonna make it. And, if she- ya know- I never got to make it right. And Tyler is gonna lose the only thing she has. I wanna make it up to her, but... I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to." He confessed. "That's all. Next." He told them.

The stories ranged from small ones to big ones, and he listened to them. All of them, no matter how stupid some of them were. His was dumb too.

When it commenced, he left fairly quickly, thanking them, cleaning his mess, and practically running into the hall. He bumped into something. Or, rather, someone.

He apologized, before realizing who was standing in front of him.

"Why are you in an AA meeting?" He scratched the back of his head, looking up at the mop of brown hair, and innocent features. "Are you an alcoholic?"

Steven held his breath. "Yeah, Kelso, I am." He nodded. Why lie? All he had done the last five years is lie, to himself and everyone else.

"How long?" He asked, brows knitting together in confusion. "You were- what?"

"Kelso, man, the whole story is long, but the short version is, I'm a moron. I've been sober about two years now. And, when all this shit storm is over, I'll explain to you." He told him. Kelso just looked at him.

"My wedding?" He asked. Hyde stiffened, but kept his composure.

"I will explain that when we cross that bridge. But, for right now, can we call a truce?" He asked.

Kelso looked down at the man's outstretched hand. "Why should I do that?" He asked. "When I know you're just gonna leave on Monday."

Steven sighed. "Actually, I'm back here permanently." Kelso raised an eyebrow. Steven stuck his hand back out awkwardly. He slowly took it, shaking it. Steven grinned. "I missed you man, and so did Betsy."

"I missed her too." He spoke. "Let's get back upstairs, yeah? And, can we keep this on the low? Nobody knows except you, and I really don't feel like having to explain myself to a bagillion people." Kelso nodded.

"Knows what?" He grinned, and his friend matched his own.

"Hey, Kelso?" He asked, finally.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry." He told him.

Kelso turned, and wrapped his arms around him. Instead of flinching, or moving away, he took it, and matched the embrace.

Damn, it was good to be home.

"You look rough, man." He told Foreman, walking into the room, twisting the eyeball ring around on his finger, that Donna had just given back to him. Brooke and Kelso had taken Tyler home, since she was starting to get cranky. Donna was attending one of her doctor's appointments with Laurie, Fez was at the salon, and Kitty was at her daycare center.

So, that left him and Red. Alone, in a waiting room.

He took the first hour of awkward silence head on. But then, he started to go stir crazy.

Eric sat in his hospital bed, one side of his face bruised and swollen. The black and blue looked painful. His arm was in a cast, knee in a brace. He'd needed to have his appendix removed, considering the fact that it had ruptured on the contact. He could have died.

He was incredibly lucky that he didn't, and maybe that's why he was so welcoming to his brother. He grinned at him, even.

"So, where'd ya go on your little walk this morning?" He asked, picking the lint on the covers. Even now at twenty-four, he was still an open book. Hyde pursed his lips.

"Kelso told you, didn't he?" He asked him. He looked down, but the silence answered him.

"I told him not to tell anyone." He shook his head. Eric grinned. "It's Kelso. I also may have sent him to spy on you." Hyde matched the look on Eric's face.

"Playing dirty, Foreman, I like it." He nodded.

The room was silent, but nostalgic. He looked at his friend in the eyes. "Listen, man. I don't know what I was expecting to come home to, but it wasn't this." He gestured broadly at the hospital room.

Eric played with his thumbs. "I saw Jackie this morning." He told him. Hyde's breath hitched. "I-Is she awake?" He asked, looking over at him. "No... She's comatose. It's weird and awful. I was gonna let Ty see her, but..." He shook his head. "I can't. Not after seeing her."

Hyde nodded. Eric pointed at his hand.

"What's that?" He asked.

"That would be my hand, Foreman." He joked. Eric rolled his eyes, and gave him a pointed look. Steven cleared his throat.

"Donna told me this morning. About your surgery and Jackie's condition... or lack there-of." Eric raised an eyebrow. "I was holding a glass of water. Very tight. Too tight, apparently."

"Ah. So you didn't throw anything?" He asked.

Steven shook his head, grinning. "Maybe later." He turned serious, after. "I'm a different kind of guy now, Eric."

"So..." He went on after a few minutes. "You uh, don't do circles anymore?"

"Oh, of course I do. Just at night, though. Sleep aid kinda thing." He nodded. He fiddled with the necklace around his neck.

"Why'd ya come back?" Eric looked at him. Hyde shrugged. "Dunno. Something told me I had to make amends with the relationships I broke." He looked down at his hands.

"Hey, Hyde?" He asked. Steven looked at him with tears in his eyes. Eric stayed silent, instead.

"I'm sorry, man. I really am. And, you don't have to take the apology, but just know I'm tryin'." He told him. "I gotta go for a walk."

October 1979

He was dragging the trash barrels in, after her appointment that Friday afternoon, listening to her jabber on about the latest fashion disasters.

"Well, at community college, ya know, Lacey Green, she's from Redstone, and her hair is like, banana yellow. Not because she dyed it that way, but because she doesn't take care of the blonde." She talked, and he pretended to be interested.

"Uh-huh." He nodded. "Right."

"Eric! You aren't even listening to me." She scolded, and he flashed her a smile. "Sorry."

A set of familiar head lights illuminated the area around them. Eric's hands clammed up around his trash barrel. The El Dorado was still in it's pristine condition it had been in when Bob had given it to her back in high school. "Jackie?"

"Yes?"

"What do I do with that?" He asked. She quirked a brow. "You fucked up, Eric. I don't know what you can do."

"Ugh, I wish we could have circle time, right now." He grumbled.

She exited the El Dorado, red hair curled from her latest internship, suitcase in her hand. "Jackie-" She called, freezing when she saw Eric at her side. "Oh, didn't realize you would be home so... soon." She finalized her statement.

She was wearing an emerald green pants suit, with a black dress shirt underneath, and in her heels she seemed to be eight feet tall, but Eric was still taller.

"Hey, Donna." He started, lamely.

"Hey, yourself." She quipped.

Jackie had snuck off by now, the sliding door the only indication that she had left. Eric coughed, awkwardly.

"Listen, Eric, I'm not-"

"Not right now." He shook his head. "I'm jet lagged and cranky, and you look like you did some important stuff today." He scratched the back of his head. "I don't expect forgiveness. But, I'd like if you gave me a chance to explain myself, and maybe we could be friends? Beers on me."

She stared at him, ready to open her mouth. Ask why it was just friends, ask why he was being so awkward with her. But she didn't.

She smiled, and nodded her head.

"I'd like that." He returned the smile.

"Good night, Donna." He told her, motioning for her to enter her home.

"Good night, Eric."