AN: Long chapter, mainly Eric's goodbye, it's been a busy few days so updates slower

Chapter 31

Everyone gathered over at the Foreman's house, Red didn't even fuss that they were hosting a 3rd party in just over a week. Eric was glad he was there to see his best friends get married. He wished he could be there when the newest member of the family came into the world, but knew that was unlikely. He was debating leaving his baby gift for his nephew for his mom to give them like Laurie had done, but he decided he wanted to be there and take the punishment he was surely going to get. So while everyone was busy eating and talking he ran up to his room.

Jackie was sitting in Red's chair, she said it was too hard to get off the couch and not that comfortable, Steven had grabbed his chair from the basement so he could sit next to her. They noticed Eric coming down the stairs with a poorly wrapped baby gift.

"Hey not like you gave us a lot of warning for wedding gifts, but I had this and wanted to give you for the baby before I left" He handed the gift to Jackie, "And please know I bought it with love for my nephew"

Jackie ripped the paper off and opened the box, Star Wars crib sheets, and what looked like a light saber rattle. "Eric I thought I warned you!"

"Jackie you said I couldn't get a mini Jedi robe of princess Leia dress, so I got this instead, and I understand if you want to name him Luke, though I would like to name my son that whenever I have one"

Steven looked from the box to Eric, "Luke is not on our list, so you can keep it"

"So does that mean you are going to name him Eric after me?"

"If I named my son Eric it would be after Eric Clapton and not you, and since I wouldn't be able to convince you otherwise, Eric isn't on the list either"

"Eric I will make sure that I let you know the moment our son throws up or has other accidents on these sheets" She gave Eric an evil smile.

"Hey that means you are going to use them, so I am fine with it"

"And I'll make sure that he hits you with this the minute you come home" Steven said holding the rattle.

"Guys, I hate that I have to leave and go back, but I am just glad everything is working out. You both have been great friends to me, I just hope I can find someone as perfect for me as Jackie is for you"

"Aw thank you string bean"

"No problem Devil, well I am going to go talk to Fez for a bit, I don't think he is staying long, he is supposed to work and is off tomorrow to go to Chicago"

Brook was over talking to Kitty and Brook, "I was thinking of throwing Jackie a baby shower at the house when she is there next week while dad and Steven are at the concert in Chicago, Mrs. Foreman do you think you would be able to make it?"

"Let me talk to Red and see what he has planned, but that would keep from another party here"

"Mrs. Foreman, you do so much let Angie and I take care of the baby shower"

"I figured there wasn't that many here and I want to invite a few of the girls from the office that have gotten to know Jackie. They were asking the other day and I knew dad had that concert planned with Steven that is one of the reasons we told him to bring Jackie to our house. We would like it to be a surprise, so if there is a way you can get down there, we can talk detail later this week"

"That sounds like a plan, I'll see if Red wants to go to Milwaukee for the night, but I am not sure what he would do. But I don't see him letting me drive myself"

Just then Donna came up to the girls, "Where are you going?"

"I am having a surprise baby shower for Jackie next week while dad takes Steven to Chicago for an Eric Clapton concert. Jackie just thinks it's going to be a girls' weekend, with Brook joining us"

"That sounds great, I um I leave Saturday actually out of the Milwaukee airport to go back to California" She knew they could see her pushing for an invite, but she wanted to make peace with especially Jackie before she left. Today had been a slap in the face of all she missed out because of her actions.

Angie looked at the girl, she had seemed different than she was the night of the sleepover she had with Sam, she just hoped it wasn't an act. "Well maybe if you could ride up with Mrs. Foreman and we can take you to the airport Saturday. That might be all of Point Place friends Jackie really cares to be there"

Donna also knew that before the weekend, she would also need to make amends with Red, if he was driving it would be a long drive.

After Eric had talked to most everyone he wanted to talk to Steven one last time before he left. "Hey Steven can I talk to you before I go?" Hoping he understood he meant alone. "I have something to give you to take care of in my room"

Steven looked at Jackie who was talking to Fez and Michael, "Jacks you OK while I go upstairs?"

"Yea, we need to be heading home soon though"

"Just let me talk to Eric and I'll make sure we didn't leave anything in the room that can't wait till tomorrow"

"So what do you have? I know I asked for a plant when you left, but I don't need that anymore, ya know"

"No actually remember when my grandma died and dad got all his camera equipment?"

"Man I am not taking care of any naked pictures of your grandma"

"Thanks for that image AGAIN, no dad let me take one of the cameras with me, and well I have all this ACTUAL film that I need developed, when I get back I would love to be able to learn to develop pictures myself, but I just didn't have time to learn in this short visit. I have seen some amazing sights and really enjoyed taking pictures and such, I just want to have someone I trust to get them developed."

"Hey no problem, I still have the keys to the photo hut, and when you get back we can hang out there and I can show you what I know, or you can take Leo off my hands and see if he remembers"

"Yea I'll wait till you are free"

"Are there nude pictures of the natives?"

"No mostly the landscape and some of the animals, but trust me some of the animals I have a zoom that I used. I just hope they turned out. I think I enjoyed taking the pictures more than the teaching"

"Well maybe that is what you should do, once you get back and learn to develop and such, or it might just be a hobby like our grandpa did."

"You just take care of Jackie and that little one, I can't wait to get back and see how you are handling fatherhood"

"You take care of yourself and be safe"

The boys walked back down after Steven stopped and got the bag that it looked Jackie had packed.

"You ready to go Jacks?"

"Yea, I want to see what everything looks like now with everything moved in."

WB walked up to them, "I just talked to Marie and she said everything was moved in, and she has unpacked your kitchen and Jackie's clothes. I'll check by in the morning"

"Thanks for everything dad, see you in the morning"

Jackie grabbed Eric in a tight hug, "Thanks for coming home and everything"

"Hey I couldn't stay away with everything going on here, I am just glad it has worked out, you make sure that he takes good care of you. I wish I could say I would be home before this little guy comes, but I don't think I will."

"Be careful and we will all see you in a few months, love you"

"Love you too Devil, take care of my brother"

Jackie stopped and took off the necklace to give back to Donna, "Thanks for letting me borrow this"

"No problem, I am here the rest of the week if you guys need any help or just hang out"

"Sure I'll give you a call or we will see you here, I'm sure we will still come here all the time"

The two girls hugged, and Donna looked at Steven, "Congratulations you two"

The rest of the goodbyes went quickly, everyone else would still be there the next day.

After the newly married couple left Eric made sure to spend time with his friends ffirst was Michael and Brook, "Guys make sure to keep in touch, Brook hope everything works out for you to move back here."

"Yea, just rather raraise Betsey where we grew up"

"And do a better job keeping in touch this time, and don't do anything to tick Steven off again"

"I am not a writer unless want me to write a song"

"Your songs were never good, Brook write me and keep me updated on everything and keep an eye on Fez, I don't want him working too hard, and everything"

Brook looked Eric, "I will"

"And be there for Jackie, she is going to need help learning this mom thing and just another girl to talk to."

"Yea, of course I will,"

Next Eric went to talk to Fez, "Man after everything I found out yesterday you, keep taking care of my sister, but let mom and dad help you, don't burn yourself out"

Fez looked at his friend, "I know I have talked to Mr. Red and Mrs. Kitty and they have told me the same thing, that I am not carrying this alone anymore. I guess it helped we had that bonding experience when Jackie had her accident"

"Yea dad said you was a big help that day, but then he was so upset with Donna and Steven that you came across as an angel"

"I don't really have to try that hard for that role" Fez had a big smile on his face, Eric just started laughing.

"I just can't wait to get back here and have a sister again, along with a nephew, I don't care if I fall down the line of favorites with mom and dad, that is going to be one spoiled kid."

"Yes, and Laurie and I will have a jump start on it before you get home, you will have to try and knock me out of favorite uncle spot"

"I am up for the challenge, but try and write me now, don't hold anything back, OK?"

"You got it, it just isn't the same with you gone, it was like everything went crazy, I think with the craziness going on here with Steven, getting that call from Laurie really snapped me out of dealing with everything here, and the more time I spent with Laurie the more I worried that he was headed down the same road, and then hearing the Jackie was missing, I just threw everything to Laurie at least she wanted my help, I had tried saying something to Steven after Laurie's dealing with Laurie for a few weeks, and got the brush off."

"Yea I wrote him and the same thing, I was scared too he was going down a hole we wouldn't be able to pull him out of."

"Well he had to want to get out of it himself, I am just glad he did it before he reached the stage Laurie was in."

"Well I talked to him about making sure to go see her when he is in Chicago and I think now he knows it isn't what he was expecting he is going to do it."

"that is good, she was really hoping that he was going with you all yesterday, but I she understands now, even more so when I talked to her this morning and told her about the wedding. I know she want's to talk to Jackie too, but from what I understand she really never wants to step foot in that city again."

"Yea when I found out what happened, I was ready to come back here and kick both Michael's and Steven's ass, but I knew I had to bulk up first."

"And that you have, you take care of yourself" The boys hugged and Eric stood around the basement while Fez went upstairs.

He was just about to start back up the stairs when he heard footsteps coming down, he looked up to see Donna, he wasn't sure he was ready for this he knew he could never love her like he had, but his heart broke for the friendship that was lost.

"Hey I was hoping to talk to you before you left tonight"

"Sure, want to have a seat?" He went and sat on the lawn chair, it would be too awkward to set beside her on the couch again. She sat on the couch and fiddled with her shirt him, not exactly sure what to say to him.

"You know when I saw you here that night before I left for California part of me thought maybe you came back for me, and then part of me hoped that you would follow me out to California like the last time"

"Donna, I came back no for you but because of you and the actions you were towards Jackie and even Steven. Twice when you felt rejected you in some shape of form tried to take what was Jackie's. I know I call her the Devil, but to be honest she has been the most honest and loyal of the group, no matter how she has been treated. You took off with Michael behind her back, to be honest I wondered if you two tried anything for all those months, or I know he probably did, especially back then. Then you make a move on Steven and the sad part is both times Jackie was clearly in relationships with both of them at the time. Jackie was there when your mom left, she was there to be there for you on your parents first anniversary after they split. And then after Michael pulls that stupid stunt in Chicago and Steven takes off, Jackie spent a month or so waiting in that room back there, and not once did you check on her, but as soon as Steven shows back up you show up. You make friends with his fake wife. I talked to mom, dad and Jackie through letters and on the phone, I knew everything happening. I knew they had seen Randy coming in and out of your house all hours, you know if you are going to cheat on a guy don't do it where his parents will see. I asked Jackie to be honest with me if you had cheated on me in the past, and she told me about the water tower and what you rubbed in her face during a fight. I hate that I have wasted years on you, I guess that is how Jackie feels about her time with Michael when Steven was right there, but I don't know who I have been missing if I have met the girl yet. But we were better off just friends, maybe I should have never went to get you in California the first time, who knows. I guess I am just a romantic and wanted the epic love story of boy meets girl, grows up with girl, falls in love, gets married and lives happily ever after. But that is clearly not the case for us, from the beginning we saw different futures for ourselves, and I never should have held onto you so hard when you started to pull away. I am sorry from keeping you from whatever life you have dreamt of."

Donna was in tears, truth really does hurt, she did love him, but they were not going to be the epic love story. "I guess Jackie got the epic love story, 2 people from opposite worlds that start off hating each other fall in love, it might have its rocky moments, but they are the ones with a happily ever after"

"I really hope so, they may seem to be opposites, but deep down they really aren't"

"Yea I guess Jackie didn't get the perfect parents either, but hey she had the money right?"

"You really think that Jackie who grew up in a mansion with maids and such spent so much time here because she was slumming or something? That girl who when no one really paid attention was working with my dad in the garage on the cars?"

"Why would she do that?"

"Wow you really never bothered to get to know her when she lived with you did you?"

"What she blasted Abba to sleep and was always superficial"

"Donna, she blasted Abba because other than the nights she was down here with Steven on his cot, that was actually longer than any of us really knew, she was alone and scared in that house, even before her dad was arrested. They only had time for her when it was made them look good, other than that she was doing everything to get their attention."

"Sounds like me when my parents were going through that crap they went through"

"Yea but she tried by being the perfect daughter, straight A's thus why she did her homework on Saturday nights. Cheerleading, all of that stuff was for her parents approval. She kept Steven a secret for a long time, because it was the one thing she did for herself and knew they wouldn't approve."

"Hey he's a successful record store owner son of music mogul"

"haha, yea you would think that they would be so proud, of course Pam knew about Steven when she came back, Jackie said it was tense especially after that episode where she flashed Dad and Steven, but it wasn't the end of that. They both moved back to the mansion, and then Steven finds out about WB, did you know that she made sure to let her mom know, thought she would be proud of her daughter have a boyfriend of such a rich and successful man, but Pam scoffed at the name of WB because he was black"

"What?"

"Yea and she got the same reaction from her dad. Pam took off again right before Jackie graduated, and she had been living alone."

"How do you know all this, or better when did you find out all of this?"

"After it happened, aside from the fact Pam had left again, she kept that a secret. Jackie and I talk when we find ourselves in the basement, usually she was waiting on Steven and one afternoon she was down here crying, right before Christmas, her and her mom had gotten into it over Steven and Pam said that she shouldn't date a guy that was half black. She never wanted to tell Steven, and from what I gather Steven didn't find out till he went to talk to Jack in prison trying to locate Jackie after Thanksgiving, that was what led to the confrontation at the festival from what I have been told, he was furious that she hadn't told him and jumped to the wrong conclusions as usual about what that meant"

"So you came home after hearing about the accident?"

"No I was already scheduled to come home, I had tried to come two days before but couldn't get a flight out till I did. Jackie was supposed to pick me up, she was the only one that knew, and Angie who ended up picking me up."

"I am sorry about everything, wow I suck at being a friend to everyone, I can't believe any of you all would talk to me after all this"

"Hey we are a forgiving group for the most part, we all make mistakes, but now maybe you can find out where you went wrong and correct it"

"Yea I leave next Saturday, so I hope I can repair things with everyone, but mom has also helped me, she's called me out on how I have treated Jackie too, she told me I needed a friend like her in my life to balance myself out."

"Yea, look at me and Steven in many ways we are nothing like the other, but there is something about us that makes sense as friends, but we have to be able to man up and call on our friends shit and let them know it."

"yea I thought I was being a great friend to Steven making friends with Sam, but in reality I was keeping him from doing the right thing with Jackie who he really loves, and didn't notice his downward spiral"

"Well I hope the best for you and try and keep in touch" he walked over and gave his ex a friendly hug.

"You be safe and maybe I'll make my way back over the summer or something, need to see what this baby Jackie and Steven made looks like"

With his goodbyes done and everyone having left the house, Eric went up and got his suitcase and bags for his parents to drive him to the airport. He felt better leaving this time, he wasn't leaving a girl to wait on him, he knew his friends were going to be alright, and his parents was going to be there for Steven, Jackie, Fez and Laurie. It was time to go back and finish what he started and figure out what he was going to be doing when he got home.