The mall was quiet for a Friday but Eric just assumed it was because it was the middle of the day. He took his attention back to the brunette dressed in her cheese store ensemble. She did look really cute in that outfit, like a foreign girl he would see while backpacking across the world, unknowing of all the wonders the world could bring. His thoughts were interrupted by her shrill voice, "Eric! What are you daydreaming? You know sometimes I don't think you actually care about what I was talking about"

"Well, Jackie for your information I was heavily into what you were saying." Obviously lying he just hoped she would just shrug it off and continue talking, "Oh really, then what was I talking about? Since you're so 'heavily into what I was saying'."

There was a silence, Eric staring at Jackie, a Jackie with a knowing look, a smirk creeping up on her face she was right and she knew it so he tried to change the subject. "So uh, what are you going to do about the cheese job? You're gonna work two jobs over the summer? Seems like overkill."

Jackie was unwavering; his plan had failed. Jackie put on a smile and a sickly sweet voice to answer him, "That's what I was talking about Eric! For about 5 minutes so you definitely weren't paying attention." She sighed in frustration, "God you're dense."

Eric rolled his eyes, she'd become condescending, had had to play this smart, he was in a minefield and one false move he would be blown to smithereens. "You're right, I wasn't listening and I'm sorry."

Jackie was surprised, for as long as she remembered she had never heard Eric apologize to her and so easily. She had about 3 more remarks left for when he would be his usual smartass self but this wasn't that same Eric. She guesses she wasn't the same Jackie either. At least she didn't feel the same, since Michael left she wasn't all the way…there. She didn't need to work at the cheese shop she just wanted something to do. Just to get her mind off of him, her days had become waking up, crying, going to work, going home, crying some more, rinse and repeat. She didn't know how long she would do that until she would snap, then here comes Eric with just a taste of something new and it's like she's been in a desert for days and out comes an oasis and right now she needs this.

"Well… I forgive you and like I was saying, I was asking if you would be so kind to take me home after I quit my job at the cheese shop."

Eric sucked his teeth, "Oooh I don't know Jackie I have a pretty big schedule ahead of me today." Jackie scoffed, "Please Eric, getting high in your basement with Steven and Fez is not 'a big schedule' alright? It'll only take a few minutes and you get to see Todd's face when I do it now doesn't that sound fun?"

Eric had to admit seeing Todd's face when she quit did sound like something he wanted to see. "Why would you want to quit anyway Jackie, two jobs double the money it's not like there's anything to do around here anyway."

"Eric you don't understand, when I was with Michael he would always say subliminal things about us dating or him liking me, especially after that…thing that happened." "The kiss." "Yes… thank you Eric, but now that he found out; and I still don't know how he found out, that Michael and me are no longer it's gotten worse. He just finds ways to try to ask me out and how making out with him might make Michael mad and I honestly can't take it"

"So that's why you wanted a new job."

Jackie nodded, "exactly, so now that you know the whole scoop you still got that busy schedule?" Jackie looked at Eric quizzically. Eric smiled, "looks like my schedule opened."

The Cheese shop was quiet, it usually was always quiet. Todd was currently staring at where he could possibly put a new shipment of Gouda, "we really should be increasing our sausage quantity." He said to himself.

"Todd!" He knew that voice, his lovely maiden and the only other person that worked in the store with him. If only she could see how much he cared for her Michael didn't deserve her love but he did. He turned around and there she was, with a guy, who looked familiar, where did he know him from?

"Jackie, you just left and you're back already? Did you miss me that much?" Jackie rolled her eyes, "Yeah that's exactly why I came back." The guy behind Jackie chuckled, she turned her head and smiled at him, who was he? "Jackie is this guy bothering you?"

Eric was about to say something until Jackie put her hand up, "No, but actually something has been bothering me that I need to talk to you about." Todd was intrigued, usually it was him spurring conversation with her, she always seemed so closed to him but here she was; there was hope.

"Well do tell Jackie, you can always talk to me about anything." He moved to put his hand on her shoulder, she moved away from him out of reach, "no touching, you know you should really learn about personal space and when you should be physical with someone, I kiss you one time, on accident mind you, told you it was nothing and you still try to ask me out. I say that to say this, Todd I quit."

Todd was dumbfounded this was the opposite of what he wanted, Jackie, his muse, had quit on him. "Jackie, I don't understand I feel I've been nothing but a gentleman towards you."

"A gentleman, I'm not sure you understand what that word means because if you were a gentleman you would understand that when I said no the first time, that was it. No continued antics of asking me out no reminiscing of the kiss, nothing. I hope you learn from this Todd, I really do… I'll bring the uniform in next week."

With that Jackie and Eric departed the Mall leaving a stupefied Todd in its midst.

- later in Eric's car-

It was quiet in the car, the music was low Eric felt it was awkward, "So… today's been crazy huh?"

"Hm?" Jackie was staring out the car looking at the town before her, it was dark now and the lights cascaded out along the road. She'd gotten used to silence being around her. She used it to reflect on what was going on around her, forgetting Eric was in the car around her.

"Oh, I was just saying today's been pretty crazy."

"Yeah…"

Silence resumed, Eric decided not to pry further, he didn't know how to talk to Jackie. Among all his friends Jackie was an enigma he hadn't solved. Were they friends or more along the lines of acquaintances? They were almost to Jackie's house when she spoke up again.

"Hey Eric."

"Yeah?"

"Do you Ever think about the future?"

"What like, will we have flying cars, robot maids and will we be living in the sky?"

She laughed, "No like our future".

Eric shrugged, "Sometimes, I always thought I'd travel the world a little before settling down, maybe become a teacher, have some kids, then get a flying car.

She shook her head and grinned, "It's hard sometimes to think about it living here, this place just seems so… dead." Eric didn't have a quip for that, she was right nobody here talked about outside Point Place. There was one of course it just didn't feel reachable at times. "You know, I used to daydream me and Michael would be married, with kids and I would stay at home and he'd be out at work and that was my happiness. I… I look back on that daydream now and it's not what I remember I guess. I'm not even sure if I want kids anymore"

Eric pulled up at her house and he turned off the car, "Jackie, if you could have any job you want what would you do?" Jackie sighed, a job, "I don't know."

"Well, when you figure that out, then you might be able to figure out what you want your future to look like."Eric turned to look at Jackie, this whole time in the car ride he didn't look at her, like he wasn't allowed to, this wasn't the Jackie Burkhart from the basement he thought, or maybe it was and he never realized it yet.

"I'll try that out" she looked at him and smiled; in turn he did as well. There was a pause, that feeling of awkwardness set in and they both felt it, "well I should be going, you're a busy man and I know that basement calling your name."

She got out of the car and closed the door, She was about to wave goodbye until Eric spoke up.

"Hey Jackie, speaking of the basement," Eric wanted to word it right, "I know since Donna was your best friend and she left you might not feel as… welcomed but you are, the boys miss you, ok?"

Jackie stared at him through the window to the door, the boys Steven, Fez, him; did he include himself? She wouldn't worry about that, she smiled, "I know Eric, sometimes I just forget that we're all friends, thanks, for a lot today. You're not as horrible as I thought."

Eric didn't know how to take that, "You're welcome?"

A smile crept on her face and she walked to her door; she opened it turned around and saw he was still there, "Just waiting til you got in the house." "Oh, Okay see you Tuesday," and closed it.

He turned the car on and rode in silence, mulling over the events of today and wondering what this Summer would bring.

(A/N: All right, I finished this chapter and now I'm in the process of figuring out the outline of the next chapter. I actually had about 2 more things I wanted to do with this chapter but the way this story in panning out in my head this is going to be a longer story than I thought; which is good. My timeline for this story is around a chapter a month at the latest. We're going to check in on the Foreman household and see how everyone feels about Eric's new job and his decisions. Again, Reviews are always appreciated and helpful; I promise to work on my writing and proofreading, thanks again.