Disclaimer: I don't own.

Warning: Mild language

AN: That's it! Maybe now I can get back to Convincing. :) I hope you enjoyed this...it was a lot of fun to write. Thank you so much for the reviews!

FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS

Part 6

January 1, 1980, 1:25 am, the Forman basement

The circle. A circle in memory of the '70s; in memory of their childhood, their teenage years, and all the good and bad times that had defined their lives. Now they were adults, and had to look towards and plan for the future. No avoiding it anymore, and each of them knew it.

One last circle before the Forman house belonged to a new owner. One last circle before Eric and Donna moved to Madison to start college and a new type of life together. One last circle before Kelso got married and settled into domestic life with Brooke. One last circle before Fez began training to be a stylist, with his hopes focused on owning his own salon one day. One last circle before Hyde decided to tell Jackie what he should have told her a long time ago. That he knew.

"It's going to fall off, Donna." Eric was almost panicked as he watched the little wheel roll to the end of the metal handle.

"It's okay." Donna chuckled. Amazing how a found toy could be so damn entertaining, although maybe it was more the stash that made it so.

"I'm going to do it tonight! And every night! How many of you can say that? And Nina now likes it when I hum. Which is good, because I like to hum. Almost as much as I like candy. Hey, have you ever hummed while eating candy?" Fez grinned triumphantly as if he'd just invented a formula for invisibility or something equally as amazing.

"You know what everyone's problem is? And what will always be everyone's problem? I'm too good looking!" Kelso shook his hair and stroked his jaw line adoringly.

"So, Steven, truth or dare. The truth will be whether you love me or not, and the dare will be telling me that you love me." Jackie giggled down at her boyfriend from her place in his lap. Her fingers tangled in the back of his hair.

Hyde looked up at Jackie, who was perched on his lap just the way he liked. She smiled that spectacular smile of hers at him, and for some reason, he found himself saying something incredibly stupid. "Okay. Truth." Her eyes lit up, and she kept them on him, obviously expecting him to answer. He looked around at the group, who were all staring at him, and he shrugged. "Oh, what the hell." He looked back at Jackie, and nodded.

She squealed and began to cover Steven's face with kisses. And kissed him even more when he whispered those three sweet words into her ear.

The others grinned and rolled their eyes, but soon everyone was laughing about nothing in particular.

"Hey guys," Eric said after he calmed down from his latest fit of giggles. "I just remembered. We're all gonna be separated in a few weeks." He started to laugh, but then realized that it wasn't funny. His face fell, and the others became quiet. "We…we're gonna be living in different places in a few weeks. We…we won't be able to do this anymore."

Kelso frowned. "But…I mean, we'll still be friends, right? No matter where we go or what we do." He looked at Hyde, Jackie, Donna, Fez, and Eric. "Right?"

No one said anything. And suddenly the air, just a few seconds ago warmed by the stash's smoke and affects, felt chilled and heavy.

Hyde cleared his throat. "Come on, man, of course we will. Friends will be friends. Cause we are the champions, my friend. We'll keep on fighting till the end. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?" He grinned around at the group, but then made a face. "Okay, I think I've been listening to too much Queen lately." He looked up at Jackie, confused. "In fact, right now I feel like I've been listening to nothing BUT Queen for the past year!"

Kelso wasn't appeased. "Seriously…we're always going to be friends, right?"

Eric smiled. "Of course we are, Kelso. Who else could put up with us?"

Donna nodded. "Exactly."

Jackie chimed in. "Friends to the end!"

"Or until my candy runs out," Fez said, holding up a nearly empty bag. He giggled when the others stared at him. "Oh, I am just kidding. We will always be friends. And with that I say good day."

Kelso frowned. "But Fez…."

"I said good day!"

Kelso nodded with a huge smile, completely reassured, and leaned back in the lawn chair. "Yeah, it's been a long, strange trip in Forman's basement!"

"So guys," Hyde said, leaning forward slightly, but keeping steady hold on his chick. "There's this car that runs on water…"

Everyone picked up random things to throw at Hyde, which he and Jackie struggled to block.

"It runs on WATER, man!"

The End