DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters of "That 70's show". They're not my property.

Author's note: Special thanks to Jess. :-)

She sat back in her chair, rolling the pen on the desk with her palm. Donna's thoughts kept going back to her meeting with Eric. What she felt, how, why... so many thoughts, although none of them chaotic. It felt strange, she had to admit to herself, but not painful. She wasn't surprised by what happened; somewhere in her and his previous thoughts and feelings that evening was floating inside, announcing its arrival sooner or later.

Donna stopped rolling the pen and gripped it gently. The relationship was over, but everything else remained. She sighed softly. She had always hoped that if it ever came to a break up that at least that friendship from early childhood years would remain. And it did. She smiled. It was good.

The young girl sat on the wooden boards familiar to her, witnesses of her many childhood and adolescent moments...

The words started flowing. 'Write what you know' had always been the general rule, and she might as well follow it.

Eric took out some lasagna from the previous night that his mother had made. She was always a good cook, he thought to himself. He wondered how Donna's cooking might have been in some year's time if they had decided to take that leap into marriage.

A brief smile. People change. Another brief smile. It felt strange but somehow right at the same time. The young years were theirs. The time to move on had been reached. They owed the rest of the years of their lives to others.

He took a slice of the lasagna.

Two weeks later.

"Well, Donna. 173,000 letters. That's how much response your story generated." With a satisfied smile, the editor sat down in his chair.

"Good or bad?"

"I'm smiling, aren't I?"

"Oh." Donna chuckled.

"So, now that you're on your way to becoming a regular writer here," He picked up a sheet of paper, "How about making your next one a longer story. Maybe an adventurous one."

"What?"

"The complaints we got about this story was that it was too short. Now, I am willing to extend if you're willing to write more."

Donna's heart suddenly skipped a beat. She grinned. "Are you kidding? I'd love to!"

"Good. I expect it to be ready before the usual deadline."

"Yes. I'll try. Thank you." Donna stood up, not being able to subdue her grin.

"That's all, Donna."

"Okay," Donna said and quickly exited the office.

Hyde was crouching down with the rag in his hand, polishing off the surfaces of the motorcycle. It was a ridiculously hot day today. He looked up at the sky. At least it wasn't going to rain. It wasn't what he needed for today.

The heat that was torturing him for the last hour was suddenly replaced by a cool, darker cover over him from a shadow. He quickly turned around and noticed those smiling, but strangely shy blue eyes looking back at him.

"Hey, Donna," he tried to sound casual.

"Hey, Hyde. Busy?" She nodded towards the motorcycle.

"No, I'm done. What are you doing here? I mean... when did you get here?"

"This morning."

"On a break again?"

"No, actually, on another assignment."

"Cool." He scratched his nose. "How's Eric doing?"

"Job hunting. We just keep in touch by the phone mostly."

"How come?"

Donna eyed him. "You sound surprised."

"I shouldn't?"

"Um, he didn't tell you..." she looked down. "I thought he had. Well, he told me you two had a couple of beers and a talk before we left."

"Yeah, we did. What was he supposed to tell me?"

She looked up at him. "We broke up. We're still friends, but..."

"Yeah, he told me that."

"Oh, good."

Hyde pressed his lips together. This seemed uncomfortable for him as he turned his head to the side.

Donna smiled. "It has nothing to do with that, Hyde. And yeah… I finally did tell him everything." She saw him look back at her.

"I know, he told me that, too."

"Oh… did things go ok with you both?"

"Yeah, oddly enough. He did make a point of not inviting me to his next engagement party, though."

Donna smiled briefly in response to this. She wished he could take off those sunglasses so she could see his eyes. They were such a beautiful color. It was a crime hiding them.

"So, it's over…"

"Yes, I guess it is….It was just something that we both saw coming."

"I'm sorry, man."

"It's nothing tragic, Hyde. We grew up. We both changed."

"Okay..."

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, uh, it's weird. I mean, you guys. I know you two really managed to screw up a lot of things in the past but..."

She smirked. "What, you think this is a mistake?"

"No, uh, whatever you two felt was right."

Donna nodded. "A little different than what I expected."

Hyde chuckled. "Yeah? And what did you expect?"

Clearing her throat, she continued. "You broke up?" She then turned around. "Okay, sorry to hear," and started walking away. She then stopped and turned again with a chuckle.

"Terrible impression, Donna."

"I know." She approached him with a soft smile. "But we're still friends, so that's what's more important to me. I would've been heartbroken if we even lost that..." her voice trailed off.

His hand reached her arm. "I'm glad."

She smiled and backed away. "Yeah, so... I'm here to finish another story. What about you?"

"Oh, uh, I was thinking of doing a tour around the country with my friend Harley here," he said and tapped the seat.

"You're leaving?"

"For a while, yeah."

"Oh," her voice was a sadder one. "When?"

"In an hour."

"So, I caught you just in time."

His hands were on his waist now. "Yeah, you did." He saw her nod.

She appeared disappointed. "Can't you postpone?"

"I was planning this for a while."

"It'll be lonely."

"I would think you got used to me not being around by now."

"Well, I won't be staying here that much..." she sighed.

"How much time do you have?"

"What?"

"Your story. How much time do you have?"

"A month."

"That's probably how long I'll be gone."

She tilted her head. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I can. Sorry, Donna, that's how it turned out."

"But, Hyde..."

"Can't make it shorter, sorry."

"Look..."

"Wanna come with me?" He interrupted her rather quickly.

She couldn't speak out of confusion, just stared back at him. "With you, on your... tour?"

"Yeah, I could use the company."

"Why?"

"Again, I could use the company." He paused. "To be honest, yours is the best anytime," he spoke honestly.

She smiled softly. "Gee, thanks."

"Hey, I am serious."

Donna chuckled. "I know." She glanced at the motorcycle. "Is it a real offer?"

"Yeah. We'll try our own rebel style for a while. Wanna have a go at it?"

Donna glanced at the motorcycle again. "I can't remember the last time someone used the word 'rebel' with me in the same sentence." She looked back at him and saw him smile. She wanted to give a try.

"It might give you a few story ideas," he said.

"Um, a month?"

"Yep."

"So if I go, we leave –"

"Now, yes."

She grinned. "Can you ... wait, until I get my stuff?"

"Don't have time." He took one of the helmets and threw it in Donna's hands. "Now or never."

"Oh, come on, Hyde. Let me take a few things."

"No time. You have your notebook and that's all you need. We'll find something on the way. Plus, I have a tent."

"Oh, that's very reassuring."

"Yes, it is," he grinned. "Coming?"

"Well, I really..." She didn't manage to finish her sentence when he grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the seat.

"No time for talk. Save that for later."

He was ahead of her and it made her smile. Next thing she remembered were her arms around his waist, the running road under them, and the wind caressing her face. She placed her chin on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He smelled good; her arms tightened around his waist.

"Rebel, huh?" she thought and chuckled, letting out a sigh. This would be an adventure for her; she had a good feeling about it. It was even more assuring and better because he was with her. Steven Hyde... he always had a way of understanding what was beneath that exterior of hers. It scared her but at the same time it felt good to be understood in a unique way like that. She was happy to be taking this trip with him, with Hyde.

It was always better that way...

THE END