They were holding hands when they swung by the Forman household a few days later for dinner at Kitty's invitation. Not surprisingly, the mood in the house was more subdued than usual although a giant smile lit up Kitty's face when Eric stepped through the slider with Jackie one step behind him.

She bustled around the counter to envelop them both in a hug, her eyes crinkling into another happy smile when she saw Eric's arm slide around and rest on the curve in Jackie's waist.

"I'm happy for the both of you," she told them, accepting Jackie's offer of help when she began laying the table.

Eric nodded, taking the stack of plates from Jackie and sliding a look in her direction, before looking at his mother. "We saw the Camino outside. Will Hyde be joining us for dinner?"

"He can if he wants to," Kitty answered him shortly. "He's always welcome at this table."

And with that, dinner was served.

They headed down to the basement after that, like they always did, for Eric was stubborn about not avoiding his favorite room in his parents' house just because Hyde still continued to live down there.

Jackie, being more sensitive was understandably more apprehensive, but with that apprehension was also a quiet serenity and peace that came from being able to be with Eric as she liked, and also not having anything else to lose when it came to both her friends.

She was surprised to see Sam there alone, on the chair that Hyde usually occupied, and thumbing through a magazine that Jackie usually loved.

Sam looked up to see the both of them standing behind the couch. She brightened when she saw Eric, then her gaze dropped to Eric's hand on the flare of Jackie's hip and a brief flash of disappointment featured on her face.

She sighed dramatically, "Of course, you'd get to him first."

And Jackie found herself doing something she never would have expected herself to do before when Sam was concerned: she laughed.

With an amused shake of her head she made her way around the couch and sat facing Sam. "How're you?," she asked sincerely, taking in the gentle swell of her belly underneath the slinky tube top that Sam was wearing.

A soft smile crossed Sam's face, one that Jackie had never seen before, and made her look beautiful.

"I felt it move again today," Sam told her, eyes glowing. "The doctor said it might still be too early for me to feel it, but I'm sure I felt it move."

"Did you tell Steven?" Jackie asked.

Sam's face fell. "Yeah, I did," she shrugged, fiddling with the magazine on her lap. "But I don't think he's that interested."

Jackie squashed the surge of anger she felt at Sam's words, choosing instead to touch her hand. "I'm interested. Let me know when you feel it again, okay? It's been awhile that we had a baby around here since Betsy was born."

Sam was never one to hold a grudge and she lit up at Jackie's words, nodding her head happily.

The television blared as Eric turned it on and Jackie settled herself next to Eric, snuggling into his side and neck. Not three minutes later, the door to the room at the back banged open and Hyde came clomping out.

He froze when he saw the two of them on the couch, and his eyes narrowed further when he took in Sam sitting comfortably there with them, acting as if the travesty of Eric and Jackie together wasn't a monstrosity in the least.

Jackie was the first to turn to acknowledge his presence. "Steven, hi." She tried a small smile.

He tensed up in reply, deeply repulsed at where Jackie's head had been nestled in Eric's neck. He swallowed bile, and ignored them both, choosing to bark at Sam instead, "What're you doing out here?"

Sam blinked in surprise, looking comically around her at the basement as if it had somehow turned into a different room since she had moved back in with Hyde. "Uh," she said slowly, "I live here?"

He bristled. "Well get in the room," he said rudely.

She looked confused, but otherwise ignored him, turning back to the television instead.

Jackie angled her body to face Hyde, noticing the white tape still on his forehead, holding his stitches together. "You wanna watch with us?" she asked gently.

He stared at her, feeling a cut so deep he nearly bent over in pain. He saw her exchange a glance with Eric. He saw Eric sigh at whatever plea she must have made to him with her eyes. He saw Eric turn around to face him.

"Come watch with us, man," Eric offered quietly.

There was a shadow of a bruise on the side of his jaw where Hyde had decked him the other day. His first tightened and he wanted to add a hundred more punches to match the one that was already on Eric's face.

For a moment he considered Kitty's words to him at the hospital the other day. Hot on the heels of that came Jackie as he knew her in the throes of passion with him. The image of that faded as Eric's broader frame replaced his in his mind's eye, tainting his most treasured memories, tarnishing the woman who still owned his heart.

His eyes glinted an icy blue. "Fuck you, Forman," he bit out venomously.

He turned on his heel and stalked out, unable to bear the sight of them together anymore. The door of the basement slammed violently shut behind him.

They found themselves returning to the cliff every chance they had. It provided a sanctuary of sorts for them, away from the broken circle that was once six friends, away from the black cloak that was the date of Eric's imminent departure. He sat down on the ground with his back against a tree and pulled her down onto his lap.

She sank down gracefully, her skirts an elegant pool about the both of them.

"What're you thinking?" he asked her, after several moments of contented silence where she sat with her head against his shoulder and he entertained himself by twirling locks of silken ebony between his fingers.

She smiled, eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. "You."

He chuckled, bringing a black curl to his lips. "I'm right here, sweetheart."

"I know," she answered with another soft smile, wrapping her arms around her knees as he shifted her further up his lap and tightened his arms around her.

The sweet scent of her hair teased his senses, along with the warmth of her flesh and he pressed a tender kiss to her temple. She closed her eyes and he dropped light kisses on her eyelids. "I love you," he told her when she opened her eyes and got lost in the startling green of his.

She swallowed past the aching hollow in her heart, and forced herself to remain in the moment. Her eyes were clear and soft and vulnerable as she replied.

"I know."