"So, do we need to talk about last night?" Eric asked Jackie the next morning as he buttoned up his shirt.
Looking at him, Jackie was certain that he didn't mean sex. They still hadn't slept together, despite everything that had happened between them. She was ready, but the timing had always been off. She shook her head to clear her thoughts about that particular subjects; she had time to worry about that later. For now, she needed to focus on the topic at hand – Donna and Steven.
"I think we might have finally gotten through to them," she said. "I just don't know where we are going to go next. I'm not sure that Donna is going to be able to forgive me, and it's not like Steven and I can just go back to being friends. I mean, we weren't ever really friends before we started dating."
"Yeah, I remember," he laughed. "We used to call you 'the devil.' Man, I hated you. I certainly never thought that I would be here, madly in love with you."
"Oh, don't think you were the only one who never would have believed this," she replied. "I just thought you were skinny, pale and studious. I didn't know what Donna saw in you. Now, I don't know how I could have missed it."
Eric leaned down and kissed her briefly. "Donna and I were friends, but I don't know if we can go back. There is so much history between us. I think that Hyde will forgive me eventually, I mean, he forgave Kelso."
"Eric, honey, breakfast is ready!" Kitty called from the kitchen.
Panic shook Eric. For the first time, he realized that Jackie had spent the night, and they were going to have to try to figure out a way to deal with his parents.
"What should I do?" she cried in a whisper.
"I'm an adult, and you are my girlfriend. My parents will just have to accept that you may be staying here from time to time," he told her in such a confident tone that even he almost believed it.
Jackie, however, did not and scoffed aloud. "Yeah, right, Eric. My guess is that we are going to go down there, your mom will laugh nervously and your dad will call one or both of us a 'dumbass.' And maybe make the boot threat."
"You're probably right, but what choice do we have?"
Jackie shrugged and headed down the stairs. Eric followed her into the sunny kitchen and slipped into his usual chair. "Morning, Mom."
"Good morning, Eric," she said. "Oh, and good morning, Jackie." Kitty burst into a fit of nervous laughter.
"Did she stay here last night, Dumbass?" Red asked without even looking from his paper.
"Yeah," Eric said shortly.
"She better not end up pregnant, or I will put a boot up your ass."
"Red," Kitty warned.
"Other than that, I have nothing else to say. Good morning, Jackie."
Jackie looked at the man in shock. Over the years, Red and Kitty had become like second parents for their group of friends. There was a sudden softness to the older man's face, like he had a soft spot in his heart for her. Jackie smiled at him and returned the grin. Eric caught it but let it go without a word.
"So, what are your plans for your first day in Point Place?" Kitty asked.
"Probably just hang out," Eric muttered, chewing on his mother's signature fluffy pancakes.
"We're going to talk to Donna and Hyde," Jackie replied.
"You called him Hyde," Eric realized.
She smiled. "Everything's different now."
The rest of breakfast progressed and plans were made for the remainder of their day. As they bounced out of the kitchen, Red and Kitty were left to watch after their son and his new love. Kitty smiled at Red and cleared off the table.
"Kitty, Jackie was right. Everything is different now."
"Yes, well, it appears that maybe Eric has finally grown up."
"She's the one, Kitty. He's going to marry Jackie."
"Well, Red Foreman, are you getting sentimental on me?"
Red smiled the slight grin he reserved for only his wife. He only allowed her to see this part of him, the part that was secretly crazy about his family. Watching Eric and Jackie over breakfast, he knew that Jackie was a part of that family now. "He looks at her the way I still look at you."