She didn't quite remember how they had gotten caught, but she found herself sitting on the basement couch on Steven's lap, her brother gaping like a fish, and sputtering. Donna sheepishly standing in the corner.

Laurie with that smirk on her face, but with a glint of worry in her eye.

They had been making out on the basement couch. Their days off had matched up, and everyone else was supposed to be at work. And not walking in on them. Jackie coughed awkwardly, not making a move to get out of his lap until his situation deflated.

"Hi." She spoke nonchalantly.

"Hyde?"

"Yeah, man?" He asked, carrying the same tone as Jackie.

Donna rested a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder, who was tensed. "What are you guys doin'?" He asked politely.

"Oh ya know, just hanging out." Jackie responded, feeling that it was safe enough to move from straddling him.

They coughed. It was a staring contest. Hyde stood, walking over to Eric, who frowned.

"The code, man." He told him. Hyde frowned.

"Kelso-"

"Kelso and I aren't as close as we are." He stopped him. The hurt scrawled across his features was evident. Jackie bit her lip.

"Eric, man-"

"We'll talk later. I got math homework."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me." He paced in his room, Donna and Laurie sitting on the bed awkwardly.

"To be fair, she didn't tell me either." Donna piped up. Laurie stayed quiet, offering a sheepish smile.

"You knew?" Eric accused.

"Of course I knew, stupid, someone has to cover for her." She reasoned.

"I'm supposed to be her best friend." Donna's voice was quiet. She was hurt about Jackie's secretive nature.

"To be fair, she wanted to." Laurie reassured her. "She just didn't want you to have to keep it from Eric." The thought was nice, but Donna's head still spun in circles from the evident hurt.

"Well, when was she going to tell us? Because that's like-like-" Eric spluttered, hands running through his hair. "It's creepy and unnatural and wrong because the two of them don't operate like that."

"Oh, please, they've been making goo-goo eyes at each other since the dawn of time, Eric." Donna retorted. "It was bound to happen."

"They live together, Donna!" He groaned. "That means that he corrupted my baby sister. Our baby sister, Laur, how are you okay with this?"

"She smiles." She said simply. "And it's an actual smile. And she hums, and she dances, and she talks about all the stuff she used to blab about."

Eric was silent, and sat down. "Yeah, I noticed that too. I just thought she was finally coming to terms with the fact that her parents were never coming back."

"She's more upset with Red for the way he treats you. That's her biggest issue." Laurie shrugged. "She loves you and she kept telling me how guilty her and Hyde were about keeping this from you."

"Hyde was guilty?" He asked.

"Of course Hyde was guilty, Eric, he's practically your brother, kid. He stayed with you while you were sick the whole summer, and didn't complain once. You're his best friend." Laurie prodded.

"Best friends don't date each other's sisters." He spat. Laurie rolled her eyes. "I'll let you untwist your panties, but just don't tell Mom and Dad."

"Please, that's the last thing we need is for them to find out." He scoffed, and Laurie left, closing the door.

"He's pretty upset." Laurie affirmed, fluttering down the stairs, her bellbottoms swinging, and clogs clicking all the way down the stairs. The basement was damp with the April rain, and the dehumidifier hummed in the background, doing the smell no justice. Steven's room was filled with airfresheners, and fans to rid the smell.

"Like how upset?" Jackie pleaded, head hanging upside down off the couch, and legs flung over the backrest.

"Like, I can't tell how long it's gonna last because he's doing that unreadable, dark broody, bitchy twitchy Eric thing he always does when something awful happens." She flung back, taking a seat in the lawn chair.

"What about Red-"

"He isn't gonna tell him, because he said that's the last thing they need."

"I can't believe they're still fighting. She must be mad as all hell." Steven threw in. Laurie gave a sad smile. "She's fed up, and wants him to address his shell shock."

"Huh, nobody's ever heard of brain problem awareness in this neck of the woods. Especially not Sleepy Point Place." He nodded.

"If he really loves Mom, and us, like she claims, then he'll fix himself." Laurie shrugged, fiddling with her brand new ten month charm. "If not, then that's on him. And it shows us what he really wants."

Jason stormed into the basement, hands over his eyes. "Please get out of whatever state of undress you're in. I have news." He flared dramatically. "We're all dressed, dillhole." Laurie confirmed.

Kelso and Fez showed up moments later, yelling for Jason.

"Gay rights! Gay rights!" Fez chanted, huffing and puffing from running.

"Pride. LA." Kelso continued. Jason turned around.

"They're having a Pride march in Madison in June!" He cried excitedly, making Jackie hop up. "Oh my God, Jason, I'm so happy!" She flung her arms around him, and then smiled. "Buddy's coming home!" She exclaimed, her smile growing.

"Buddy Morgan?" Laurie asked. "That's why he called?"

She nodded, her excitement bubbling through her fingertips. "I can't express how excited I am for this! This could be like, huge!"

"An actual movement. Can't wait to blaze up with the lesbos!" Kelso exclaimed, and everyone rolled their eyes. He looked at the clock. "Crap, I gotta go to the library so I can look smart."

"Library?" Everyone questioned.

"For Brooke! Duh!"

The basement fell into exciting chatter, until Eric reached the bottom of the stairs. "Hyde, let's go for a ride." He told him. The boy rose with no question, following into the basement stairwell.

The two walked silently to the Cruiser, getting in and just driving. "Listen, man-"

"Is Jackie happy?" He asked.

"I hope she is." Hyde grinned. "Cause she makes me over the moon, man."

Eric looked over at the burnout, who was wearing jeans with a belt, and looked more kempt.

"Listen, I'm not exactly over the moon about it-"

"If you aren't cool with it, we'll stop." Eric furrowed his brows. "We talked about it, cos we were getting tired of feeling guilty."

"I'm not cool with it." He told him immediately. "It's my sister, man. I wasn't cool with Kelso. Hell, I probably won't be cool with any other guys either. Because it's my sister." He went on. Hyde furrowed his brows. "I'm just glad it's you and not some sleezeball." He shrugged.

"You aren't mad?" Hyde furrowed his brows.

"Oh, I'm mad. But not about the fact that you're dating. More upset, actually, because you and I are supposed to tell each other everything-"

"When did you turn into such a chick?" Hyde asked with a grin, and Eric laughed.

"It's the pact we made, man, when I was in the hospital!"

"Foreman, what's buggin ya man?"

"Nothing."

"Eric, you're like a million miles away."

"I'm cool." He shrugged, picking the lint off the sheets, his skin looking transparent, and his lips blue. He had been in the hospital for a day and a half, and Hyde knew he looked worse than when he got there.

He wanted to take a polaroid to show to Red. Shove ig in his face and wave it like a flag saying "go see your son, dumbass" but he couldn't do that.

"No you aren't man, what's bugging you? Free pass to act like a chick cause you're sad."

Silence, the clock ticking in the background. He looked over at the boy, who took his sunglasses off. "I didn't get along with Red before." He spoke. "It's gonna be different now. How am I supposed to get over this?"

Hyde was taken aback. "Man, that's a tough one."

"Right? Like, I don't know what to do anymore. He's not even been here once, ya know? Am I really that much of a chore for him?" He shrugged. "I didn't wanna tell you because at least I have a dad."

Hyde felt a pang of guilt. "Listen man, let's make a pact."

"A pact?"

"Yeah, like, if something's bothering one of us, we'll talk about it. Like chicks."

"We aren't chicks, but that sounds pretty cool, man."

"And, don't worry about my parental situation, man. I'm okay. Doesn't bother me anymore." He nodded.

"To be honest, you were pretty drugged out, so I didn't think you remembered that conversation." He offered.

"I forgive you for breaking the pact. Don't do it again."

"So we're cool?" He asked. "Yeah, we're cool. Just, don't do my sister when I'm home. It corrupts my energy. The vibrations of the universe will be thrown off. Luke-"

"No Star Wars crap."