1980- Steven

"We've looked at like, six apartments." Julie whined. "They were all literally perfect!"

"But it wasn't me." He shrugged, walking down the hall. There was a bunch of basement apartments, and one studio. The bathrooms weren't enclosed. "I want a home, not a man den." The carpets weren't cleaned. He shivered at memories from being in the apartment with Sam.

They wound up at the diner they had first eaten at. "I lived in places like that with Sam and my Ma." He admitted. She frowned.

"I'm sorry." Was her weak response.

"I don't want the pity." He told her, taking his seat in the booth, and unwrapped the scarf around his neck. "I always dealt with pity and I hated it."

"Last thing I'm giving you is pity, Stevie." She pursed her lips, her drawl more noticeable on his name. You already know I don't give you pity." She made a face.

Julie had revealed to him that after her parents found out she liked girls, they sent her to a conversion camp.

Then she escaped, and she ran from Georgia to Cali, and fell in with the Paparazzi. She was picked up by WB himself, offered an assistant's job for the head hancho in his new Seattle office, and she's been there for a year and a half.

The waitress walked up to the table. She was their usual server. She had a lazy eye and a cigarette always hanging from her mouth. She reminded him of a happier version of Edna. "Hey kids!" She smiled warmly.

"Hey Susana!" Julie beamed, adjusting her beret.

"Hey, Suzie." Steven smiled back.

"It's a cold one today. Coffee? Hot cocoa?" She asked, but Steven smiled.

"Can I do like, your strongest shot of espresso?" He asked. "And a hot chocolate."

"Living on the edge, Hyde." Suzie laughed. He beamed.

"Only cos I wanna out-badass miss Southern-Belle." He teased. Julie kicked his shin, and he cried out in protest. "Ow!"

"Can I have a hot cup of tea with some extra sugar packets?" She asked. Suzie nodded.

"Pancakes?"

"No ma'am. I'd like some eggs, bacon, and french toast." He requested. Julie quirked a brow. "Tryin' new things, try it some time." He smiled.

"I'll have Belgium waffles, extra cream and extra fruit." She asked Suzie.

The waitress nodded. "I'll be right back."

"So. You don't like being called a Southern Belle?" He teased. She pursed her lips.

"Do you think this girl wants anything to do with her past? Fuck the south. I watched them integrate schools. People get lynched all the time. Gay kids are outed and jumped and..."

"I understand. My bad." He told her, throwing hands up in defense. "Touchy subject."

"Not touchy. I'm an open book. Just... Don't identify me with the south." She spoke.

Susanna came back with their plates. They ate til they were full, giggling until their sides hurt. When Suzie brought the check, he left her a humongous tip. Julie swore. "I forgot my wallet."

"It's cool, Ace." He dropped it. She'd done this a lot. But he was so desperate for human connection that he didn't care.

When they wound up back at Julie's apartment, they came face to face with an eviction notice. He pursed his lips in realization, but kept his mouth shut. He noticed her lip begin to quiver, and she started to shake.

"Jules-"

"No, Stevie."

"Hey." He spoke, turning her around to face him. "We'll figure it out."

"I'm not a charity case." She sniffled. He pulled her into his arms, a hug.

"I never said you were. I'm just saying, we both need a place to stay, and company, and you need a roommate." He suggested.

"You wanna move in together?"

He shrugged. "Why not? Not like we're gonna fall in love. I'm a brooding toxic guy, and you're a lesbian that's in love with my sister. Totally normal relationship!"

She giggled. "This could be cool."

"So... Yeah?"

"Yeah." She agreed. "Let's do it!"

"Yes!" He high-fived her.

1984- Steven

He'd barely slept that night. Most of the night was spent with Ty in his lap after she fell asleep. They just sat with their daughter and their tea. Eventually they had migrated to the living room.

He woke up on the chair, Ty still passed out on his chest, Twinkle Toes held in his other arm. A blanket had been draped over the two of them. When he woke up, he wrapped his arms tighter around her, and glanced over at the couch where Jackie was passed out, Shelby curled up on the opposite end of the couch.

He stood as carefully as he could, and set her down without waking her. He rested Twinkle Toes beside her, and carefully moved into the kitchen. He let Shelby into the backyard. Eric opened the back door as he was cracking eggs into a bowl.

"Good morning!" He was chipper today.

"Shh!" He hissed, pointing at the living room. Eric quirked a brow, eyeing the sleeping ladies. "Nobody slept last night except for Tyler." He whispered.

"Um, why not?" He asked.

"We were both awake, talked about Vegas and pregnancy, and my sister. And the start of my alcoholism. And ultrasound photos." He told him, taking the trash out of the barrel. He replaced the bag, and let Shelby in the house, placing the trash in the barrel outside.

"It's weird seeing you so domestic."

"Well, Foreman, get used to it." He nodded. December 21st had snuck up on them. The phone on the wall rang. He picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Steven! Hi!" Mrs Foreman answered.

"Hey, Kitty, how's it going?" He asked. The sleep still wasn't out of his voice, but he held the receiver between his ear and his shoulder as he whisked eggs in a bowl.

"Just calling to check in. Has my grand daughter been eating enough?" She asked. He laughed.

"I'm making them breakfast right now." He told her. Eric pulled coffee out of the cabinet.

"Well, when did ya learn to do that?"

"Rehab." He told her. She laughed like it was funny, but he wasn't joking. He had taken yoga and culinary classes. "Cook food, not meth." Eric snorted behind him.

"Well, I was going to bring some goodies by..."

"Don't let that stop you. I've missed your cooking." He told her. Jackie began to stir out of the corner of his eye. He pulled bacon out of the fridge.

"Okay, well, we'll be there soon. By-bye." She told him.

"Bye, Kitty." He hung up the phone.

Jackie hobbled into the kitchen on her crutches, walking by them, and into the bathroom. "Foreman, where are the frying pans?"

"They're in the cabinet under the toaster!" She called tiredly from the restroom. He took out two pans, and started frying up breakfast. Eric set the table.

Jackie hobbled back out, and sat at the table, watching. "I can feel you looking at me." He told her, after a while. He placed the eggs on a big plate, flipping the bacon over, and mixing some pancake mix.

Tyler loved pancakes, he'd learned in the two days they were alone together.

"Sorry." She apologized.

"Wow." Eric spoke, attempting to be quiet for his God Child. "You can practically feel the awkward."

"You guys love to take my line." Jackie scoffed.

"I've been waiting to give it back to you since Thanksgiving of 1979, Burkhart." Eric squawked. The door opened again. Donna was in her pajamas too.

"It's cold!" She whined, then sniffed the air. "Pancakes?" She looked at Hyde. "Hyde can cook?"

"Cook food, not meth." He nodded. "Rehab skills."

"Unca Eric!" A tired voice squealed, and feet pounded into the room. She practically tackled him.

"Tater Tot!" He greeted, mimicking her excitement.

"I missed you. Mommy and Daddy and I slept in the living room last night. And Daddy and I got a Christmas tree, but we waited for Mommy to decorate and-" Her eyes caught Donna.

"Auntie!"

"Hey, baby." She grinned at her niece, who toddled over for a hug.

"Unca Eric, it's Saturday." She reminded him. He laughed.

"What does that mean?" He asked. She bounced in her heels.

"Park! Unca Eric and Auntie and I go to the park on Saturdays." She nodded. "The big kid park." She specified. "'Cos I'm a big girl."

"Heck yeah you are. Hey, Aunt Donna and I are gonna take you to the park later. But first we have big news."

"Is it good news?" She asked, playing with her bunny. Shelby sat beside her.

They looked at Jackie, who smiled and nodded. "It's great news, babe."

"Aunt Donna's having a baby!" Eric told her.

"A baby?" She asked, smiling.

"Yeah, there's a baby in my belly!" Donna spoke, her small bump poking through her pajama shirt.

"You ate him?" She cried. Eric laughed.

"No, sweetie, we're gonna be parents!" He clarified, picking her up, and setting her on his lap.

"I touch?" She asked, after a moment. Donna nodded, and Tyler placed a curious hand on her Aunt's belly. She made a face. "It's hard. Aunt Brookie having a baby too, yeah?"

"Yup. You're gonna have two cousins, now." Jackie nodded happily.

Tyler suddenly shouted something jumbled, that vaguely sounded like congratulations but not quite.

"Now, me being a Dad doesn't mean that I love you any less, okay? Just the baby will need me more." He told her.

"We still go to the park on Saturdays?" She asked. He nodded.

"As many Saturdays as we can. And, when I can't take you, I'm sure your Daddy would love to, right?" He eyed Steven.

"Of course."

"Two new cousins, and a Daddy!" She smiled. "This's the best!"

He set her breakfast down in front of her. Two tiny pancakes, an egg, some bacon, and syrup with a glass of juice. "Pancakes! Thank you Daddy!"

"You're welcome, grasshopper." He kissed her forehead. He placed another plate of pancakes on the table and a pitcher of orange juice. "Adults can help themselves." He joked. Jackie went to move.

"Except you. You're broken." He corrected, setting a plate in front of her. She smiled.

"Thank you, Steven."

The door swung open, and Laurie and Fez entered with Red and Kitty. "Full house!" He laughed.

"Mimi! Guess what?" She squealed. "Imma be a big cousin!"

"Oh, sweetheart that's wonderful!" She cooed.

The phone rang on the wall, and Eric answered it. "Hello?" He asked. "Kelso, what's wrong?" Silence. "What? Yes, we're all here! Bring her over! Okay, bye."

"What happened? Is he okay?" Kitty asked.

"Brooke went into labor."