Authors Notes: Hey Guys! Thanks for reading, please review! This chapter was just basically a filler to get into the next. I do not own anything to do with that '70s show or Pink Floyd. (Although I wish I did.) And also thanks for the positive feedback guys! The Pink Floyd song titles go with the chapter, unfortunately I didn't post the first two chapters with their lyrics, but if you are at all interested; look em up! They are great songs.

Chapter 3 – Is anybody out there?

Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?

Wow. Who knew days could go so slowly? This grounding has been in effect almost four days and I'm already going insane with boredom. I've got most of my English oral done though, which is good, as I really want to do well on it. It was almost the weekend and just my luck, there was going to be a party on the Saturday. If I was religious I would be sure God was against me. Hardly anyone throws parties in Point Place, even fewer throw parties that are worth going to. I haven't spoken to any of the group since Monday night, but I asked Michael Kelso on one of his daily visits and he said his brothers were both going and have said it's going to be huge. Great.

I have had the four most boring days ever. The tediousness of it all is making me question my actions and consider maybe not doing anything like it again because I couldn't bear to go through this again! Steven says that's the idea of a punishment, so I try to act as if I'm enjoying every minute. It's not like I haven't been grounded before, Lord knows I've been confined to the house more than the average person. But it just seems to be dragging on a whole lot longer than usual. Another thing about being 'grounded' by Red Forman; that means no TV, no phone, no friends no nothing. It's like being in prison, but what was my crime? Expressing myself? It's unjust I tell ya!

When I lived with my Mom and you did something wrong, it was the choice of getting hit or being grounded, no matter what you chose you usually got both. Or sometimes neither, it was almost like a game. Steven and I had played a lot of games back then, we turned anything into a competition. Like on the rare occasion that Mom was sweeping the floor, who ever could stir her up until she attacked them with the broom, won. He usually 'won' but I was clearly the real winner cause it was pretty funny to see him get assaulted with a broom. But, my favorite game we ever played we called 'Get Eddie the fat ugly biker pissed.' It was a pretty straightforward competition. Steven always won that one too and he has scars to prove it. Sure life wasn't as easy then but at least punishments were inconsistent.

Having nothing else to do, I've been spending a lot of time watching TV (What Red doesn't know, can't hurt him). Mainly Partridge Family reruns. Although it's against everything I believe in, David Cassidy is one hot dude! Yesterday afternoon Eric and I were watching the episode where the Partridges sing at the women's right concert. Eric claims he only watches it cause Susan Dey is a babe but I saw him singing along to 'I think I love you'. Not just singing but really getting into it. It was hilarious, poor guy; I'll never let him forget it. It was like the highlight of my week, which should really say more about me than 'Eric Partridge'. Steven gets home at the same time everyday and always makes fun of us for watching it and the 'Brady Bunch' back to back. He told us yesterday we were 'selling out by watching that crap'. I defensively fired back that he is the real sell out, 'look at your girlfriend'. I regretted saying it straight away. He stopped, turned around and looked at me angrily. I thought he was about to explode at me, but he did something even worse - shook his head and stormed away.

'That was a good burn but a tad harsh don't you think?' I hated when Eric was right.

'I didn't mean it like that, it came out wrong'. I felt bad.

'I thought you and Jackie were alright now anyway?' I got up and raced upstairs.

'We are, I was just kidding.' I said quietly to myself as I slammed my door. I was just really angry. At myself. I've been a bitch lately. I procrastinating for a while about apologizing to Steven for what I said but decided I should give him time to get over it first. Anyone that knows him knows that he eventually gets over everything, no matter how mad it originally made him. But I was only joking. I didn't mean it. I don't have a problem with Jackie anymore. Sure I hated her guts for a while when they started dating but she has grown on me. She isn't as annoying and fake as I thought. It's almost a sensitive subject now, because I really caused their relationship a lot of turmoil. I took Steven's dating of Jackie pretty hard. I have never really liked any of the girls he has introduced me too, but this was different, this was serious. I hated Jackie with a passion, even before they went out. I guess I was hurt that he would date her even though I hated her. Maybe I was jealous. Who knows? Whatever it was I was a real bitch to her. If she called and left a message I would 'forget' about it on purpose, I would try and start fights between them all the time, I would try and expose the 'real' Jackie. I tried everything I could to try and make him come to his senses. It took me ages to trust he knew what he was doing. To accept the fact he really did love Jackie. But I have now, that's why I shouldn't have said what I did. I hit a raw nerve.

After about half an hour of regretting what I said I decided I should just apologize. But I was a tad scared about it. I find it really hard to say I'm sorry, its showing weakness, leaving yourself open to be hurt. I try not to do many things that I think require an apology. I made my way down the basement stairs and saw my brother lying on the couch, probably tired from working all day.

'Steven? You awake?' I whispered, almost praying he was sleeping so I could let myself off the hook. I stood behind the couch he was lying on.

'No, I'm not.' He was always a smart ass, but a spiteful one today.

'Steven, I wanna talk to you about what I said before' I paused slightly to see his reaction. Once I realized there wasn't going to be one, I continued. 'I didn't mean it, like I was joking, but it came out wrong. And I'm…. I'm really…sorry'.

Nothing. I got nothing in response. He didn't move a finger. I felt like crying. I got that lump in my throat that you get right before you cry. I hated leaving myself open to be hurt. I turned and walked toward the stairs.

'Hang on, come here.' I was relieved to be called back but by this stage was visibly upset. He sat up on the couch and motioned me to sit next to him, still looking very serious.

'Its ok' he smiled briefly 'I had a hard day and I just wasn't in the mood. I knew you didn't mean it.'

'Yeah, I really am sorry'.

'And hey, I'll be the first to admit Jackie can be a pain in the ass, but she has a lot of good qualities too.' He put his arm around me and brought me in for a quick hug before he let go and stood up to stretched.

'I might have a quick shower before dinner.' With that he headed upstairs.

I was relieved he wasn't mad at me. I hated it when we fought. I snuggled up into the basements old couch, which was still warm from him and waited to be called for tea.

Dinner that night was a holding place for interesting conversations. Donna, Eric's girlfriend and our next-door neighbor joined us for Mrs. Forman's famous tuna casserole. Red was in a really bad mood and was riding Eric about not doing something he was meant to do. Sometimes I felt sorry for Eric, but he never seemed too daunted by it. Basically everything was just like it is any other night, until talk turned to music and Donna mentioned a rumor about a Queen tour.

'Alright! They'll play Wisconsin? That's bad as!' I love Queen.

'Bad? Honey I thought you liked Queen? Isn't that the band with the "do the famdanjo?"' Everyone laughed at Mrs. Forman's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' impression.

'Yes that's them Mom, and bad, means good'. Eric smirked like he always did when he corrected someone.

'Well that's just ridiculous, why do you kids have to change the meanings of words all the time! Why would bad mean good? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.' Red always has to bring down the excitement, like he is allergic to it or something.

'That is so cool! I can't wait.' I now had something to look forward too.

'You're not going, a Rock concert in no place for a 15 year old impressionable girl.'

Not in the mood to argue I just shut up and picked at my dinner.

'Well when it is announced for certain and the date gets closer, I'm sure we will come to some sort of agreement on it.' I loved Mrs. Forman.

'And Red, Lisa is a lot of things, but impressionable isn't one of them' Steven stated matter of factly as he winked at me.

'Oh Steven, I almost forgot, a man rang for you today, I took a message, Brendan Phillips?' Mrs. Forman looked even more curious than me.

'Really? Wow! That's weird.'

'Who's that?' I was intrigued by my brother's response, which as usual gave nothing away.

'Oh just one of Mom's old boyfriends, the only one I ever liked.' He smiled at the thought. 'I'll have to give him a call.'

'I don't remember him Steven, who was he? Which one?'

'Yeah you were probably too young to remember him, he was a great guy. I was actually sad when he left.'

'How old was I when he left?' I don't know why I was interested. But it was weird. I felt nervous, anything from the past made me feel nervous.

'Well he was friends with Mom ever since I can remember, he left for a while when Bud came back which was when you were just a baby, then when Bud left again two years later, he came back on the scene. I think I was around nine the last time I saw him'. The thought made him smile, which scared me even more.

'Why is he calling you?' I demanded accusingly.

'No idea, maybe just to see how we're going.' He shrugged it off like I was the weird one for asking.

There was an awkward silence around the table while everyone seemed to try to understand what was going on. Everyone but Steven, who seemed perfectly happy with the situation.

I had an uneasy feeling about the whole thing. An uneasy feeling that I couldn't seem to escape. What did this guy want? After all these years? I didn't like the idea of anyone from the past. I was perfectly happy with what I had. For the first time in my life I felt secure, I knew the Forman's would be there everyday when I got home from school, I knew I would have something to eat when I was hungry, somebody to talk to when I needed to talk. I was safe and happy. I didn't want some loser my Mom knew to come and wreck things for me, me or Steven. I had finally left the past behind, where it belonged and now a piece of it was coming back to me. No matter how small it may have seemed, it made me feel uneasy.

I couldn't sleep that night, the thought of my Mom and one her boyfriends coming back and deciding they wanted me back made me feel sick to my stomach. No matter how much I told myself it wouldn't happen and not to flatter myself, as my Mom didn't care about me, I still couldn't get the thought out of my mind. Knowing I wouldn't be able to go to sleep until I was reassured, I went to the only man for the job. Steven.

I crept down the basement stairs to discover my brother and his girlfriend making out quite passionately on the couch. I was so grateful I didn't wait a minute longer, who knows what I might of witnessed. I coughed loudly to warn them of my presence. Which made Jackie jumped off Steven like she saw his shirt had a Wal-Mart tag. I laughed.

'Lisa? What are you doing?' Steven acted innocent while I sat between them on the couch.

'I couldn't sleep.' I made myself comfortable.

'And? Do you want me to sing you a lullaby or something?' He was annoyed because I was cutting into his 'loving time'. As I had been told many times before.

'Steven! Your sister obviously has something she wants to talk about.' The way Jackie spoke to my brother sometimes made me laugh.

'Yeah Steven!' I couldn't help but milk it.

'Well then what is it? You've been acting weird all night.'

'I have not.' I probably had.

'Tell me what's stopping you from sleeping! I'm not missing out on what I am missing out on right now so I can argue with you over you being weird.' He was so impatient.

'That thing at dinner really freaked me out. That guy calling you, Mom's ex boyfriend. I don't like it.' I was a little embarrassed to be admitting I was worried about something so stupid. I just needed reassurance that it was something stupid.

'Why are you worried about that?' He frowned 'I don't get it.'

'Maybe he wants to come back into our lives, I don't know. I don't want things to change.' I sounded like an idiot.

'Lisa, Lisa…Look at me for a minute' he pulled up my chin until our eyes met. 'As long as I'm around, you have nothing to worry about, got it?'

'Ok.' I smiled while Jackie cooed somewhere in the background.

'Now get to bed and the next time you cut into my loving time over something so stupid, I'll kick your ass.' I turned to leave.

'Steven, don't tell her it was stupid...' Jackie started but I cut her off.

'Nah, Its exactly what I needed to hear.' I ran up the stairs and then slowly crept back into my room. I climbed into bed but something was still missing. I knew exactly what it was. I searched my chest of draws until I found my stuffed rabbit, bunny. Who I had always had and who helped me feel protected. I climbed into bed with bunny under my arm and fell soundly asleep.