"Ooh, the last piece of pie," Fez said with a grin, placing the slice on his plate.
"The pie's gone?" Red asked, sounding upset. "Kitty, don't you usually make three pies?"
"I did, Red," Kitty told him. "You know, the lack of pies isn't a problem. It's actually the highest compliment!" She smiled widely at the empty pie plates on the counter. "I wanted to make a peach pie, and you told me no."
"That's because I hate peach pie," Red reminded her before she headed to the dining room for cleanup. He frowned, watching Fez spray a mound of whipped cream on the slice, and followed his wife into the other room.
"Oh, whipped cream," Fez said softly to himself. "So many possibilities."
"Gross, man," Hyde commented as Fez exited the kitchen. As the door swung, Hyde noticed Donna and Jackie sitting on the couch looking deep in conversation. He glanced at Eric, who appeared to have noticed, too. "You think she's telling her?"
"No," Eric said, shaking his head. "Jackie's the one who is so adamant about her not knowing."
"So you want her to know," Hyde deduced.
Eric thought about it and shrugged. "I just think it's better to be honest about everything. I mean, we're serious; you know we're serious. Donna has a right to know."
"Why don't you just tell her then?" Hyde asked, sounding serious. Then, he cracked a grin.
"Right," Eric replied with a chuckle. "You know as well as I do how that would fare over."
The two continued chatting for a few minutes until Donna walked in the room.
"Hey, Eric, could I talk to you for a sec?" Donna asked.
Eric looked slightly confused and gave her a shrug. "Yeah, sure."
She led him outside the sliding door and into the driveway, where they once had shared so many moments together.
"I feel like you're avoiding me," Donna finally said. "And… I get that it's weird that I'm here and everything, but—"
"I'm not avoiding you," Eric told her, shifting uncomfortably.
"Well, I mean, for God's sake, you've talked to Jackie more than you've talked to me tonight," Donna replied with a slight laugh.
"Jackie and I live together now," Eric reminded her. "We're… we're friends."
"Yeah, well, who would have thought you two would ever tolerate each other?" Donna replied, laughing at the situation. "I'm guessing she's been a moody nightmare, what with her being pregnant and all."
"No," Eric responded defensively. "She's been great."
"Oh." Donna looked surprised and slightly ashamed about her comment. "Okay… well, that's good."
"Yeah," Eric said quietly.
Donna bit her lip, not enjoying the silence that followed. "Um, how has everything been?"
"I've been great," Eric admitted. "Things have actually been going pretty well lately."
"Cool," Donna replied, nodding as she stared down at the pavement. "So, um, Jackie tells me you've been seeing someone?"
"What?" Eric looked at Donna in alarm. "She… what?"
"Yeah," Donna said, giving him a weird look. "I mean, I get it if you don't wanna talk about it, but you don't have to hide it from me. I've dated other people too, you know."
"I… I know, but this is just… it's different," Eric said, his voice firm.
"How's that?" Donna inquired.
"I just… I know it's gonna last," Eric told her. "There's a future there."
"Well, jeez, when's the wedding?" Donna asked, trying not to feel disappointed.
Eric tapped his fingers on the Vista Cruiser that was behind him. "Not anytime soon, but it'll happen eventually."
Donna gave him a halfhearted smile. "So, who's the mystery lady? Anyone I'd know?"
Eric opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by Jackie, who had been going nuts at the thought of them talking. She had opened the sliding door and tried to think of an excuse to interrupt them. Donna shot her a look, as she had confided in her friend that she wanted a private moment with her ex-boyfriend.
"Sorry, guys," Jackie said, trying to look apologetic. "Um… Eric, your mom wanted me to tell you to help with the dishes."
"Why didn't you help her?" Donna asked, feeling annoyed at the interruption.
"Donna, I'm too pregnant to do something like that," Jackie replied.
"Guess I'll go in," Eric said awkwardly, walking past Jackie and going inside. Donna followed him and therefore, so did Jackie.
Eric went to the sink and began scrubbing some dishes. Kitty, who was standing by the oven, noticed.
"Oh, honey, you don't have to do that," Kitty told him. "Why don't you go hang out with your friends?" She patted him on the shoulder and walked back into the dining room.
Donna overheard and gave Jackie a confused look.
"I just figured you'd… need some help," Eric called to his mother whilst looking at Jackie.
Donna looked between them. "What is going on?"
"Nothing," Jackie squeaked. "I just… I wanted…"
"Why did you interrupt our conversation, Jackie?" Donna asked, feeling irritated with the petite brunette.
Jackie was wide-eyed and at loss for words. Eric noticed.
"Because she's a good friend," he quickly responded, coming to Jackie's rescue. "She… she knows that I'm in a serious relationship now and she doesn't want you to potentially get upset about it." He glanced over at Jackie nervously. "I think."
"Exactly," Jackie replied, an anxious edge to her voice.
"Well, I'm not upset about it," Donna replied defensively. "I'm happy for you, Eric. You and I always wanted different things, and if you've found somebody who wants what you want, then I'm happy."
Jackie listened to her friend's words and started feeling immense guilt. Eric could sense that she was upset and wanted to comfort her, but refrained from doing so.
"Thanks, Donna," Eric said slowly.
"Now, unless you want to linger on this slightly uncomfortable topic, I'm going in the other room," Donna responded. When nobody said anything, Donna headed to the living room.
"I'm sorry," Jackie said quietly, her lip trembling.
Eric frowned before heading to her and gently embracing her. "It's okay."
"I just… I feel so bad," Jackie said, her voice soft.
"You'll feel better if you stop hiding it," Eric told her.
"You don't know that," Jackie replied as she leaned her head on his chest. "It could be worse."
"She said she's happy for me," Eric reminded her. "And you're her friend, so of course she'd be happy for you."
Jackie didn't say anything.
"Come on, Jackie," Eric mumbled, his face buried in her hair.
She sighed and pulled away from him. "Everybody thinks we're so ridiculous since we're doing this."
"No, they don't," Eric replied, giving her a surprised look. "Do they?"
"They must," Jackie said. "I mean… look at me. They must be thinking, why on Earth would you want to do this with me?"
Eric gave her a small smile. "Well, because I love you."
"But why?" Jackie asked. For once, she wasn't asking for an ego boost. She was asking because she simply did not understand.
"Jackie, this would've happened whether or not you were pregnant," Eric told her. "And just because you are… well, it's made us stronger, and it's gonna make us even more strong." He took her hand. "I wanna do this with you; you know I do. In fact, I think you're the only person I'd ever want to do this with."
Jackie listened to him and gave him a smile. "I just can't believe this." A look of amazement was on her face. "I mean, they're right… of all people, who'd have thought it'd be us?"
"I know," Eric replied, softly laughing. "I just… I love you, Jackie, and I don't want you to ever question that."
"I love you, too," Jackie echoed.
He hugged her tightly again and when they pulled away, she looked up at him. He leaned in and gave her a tender kiss, just as Donna walked in.
"What is taking you guys so—" She focused in on them and noticed what had just happened. "Oh my God."
"Oh my God, Donna!" Jackie broke away from Eric and approached her tall friend. "Donna, I… it's not what it looks like."
"Then what is it, Jackie?" Donna asked, looking hurt. She thought for a moment. "Oh my God, is that Eric's baby?"
"No, I swear it's not," Jackie replied, shaking her head.
"Okay, so what the hell is going on?" Donna asked again. "Are you two together?"
Jackie opened her mouth, probably to spew out another fib, but Eric spoke first.
"Yeah, Donna, we're together," Eric told her.
"She's the one you're so serious about," Donna stated. "The one you see a future with?"
Eric nodded and Jackie, who stood beside him, looked nervously up at him.
"The girl you always hated?" Donna kept going, still in disbelief. "The one who dated all three of your best friends?" She stopped for a second. "The girl who is currently knocked up by some other guy?"
"Yes, Donna!" Jackie replied exasperatedly. "It doesn't make any sense, but… for some reason, it happened."
"Well, congratulations, Jackie," Donna commented snarkily. "You've made it through the entire group. Now that Laurie's gone, you're officially the town's biggest slut!"
She ran past Jackie and Eric, fleeing the Forman house.
Jackie stood there, stunned, as tears began to sting her eyes. She turned to Eric. "See? This is why I didn't want to tell her!"
She hurried into the basement as she burst into tears.
"Hey, man," Hyde commented from where he sat on the couch. "What's wrong?"
"Donna knows," Jackie sobbed. "She said I'm the town's biggest slut."
She sat next to Hyde on the couch and buried her face in her hands. "God, what's wrong with me? I couldn't manage to keep my hands off of my best friend's ex-boyfriend."
Suddenly, Eric appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Jackie—"
"No, I screwed up, okay?" Jackie tearfully cried. "I hurt the only person who's always been there for me."
Hurt, Eric stood behind her and started to speak. "But—"
"Just go away," she muttered, her face hidden behind her hands. "We never should've done this, Eric."
Eric felt the words hit him like a knife. Wounded, he retreated back up the stairs.
"Come on, man," Hyde said, facing the brunette. "You didn't mean that."
"No, I did," Jackie insisted, wiping her eyes despite the fact that the tears wouldn't stop coming.
Hyde shook his head. "Listen, Jacks, I know you. I've seen you two since this whole thing started, and yeah, it was weird at first, but I can tell you guys really care about each other."
"It doesn't matter," Jackie responded, sniffing. "I could've picked anyone, but I picked him."
"You didn't pick him," Hyde told her. "Okay, you picked Kelso, and me, and Fez, and even that dill hole Nate, but… you and Forman, that just, like, happened." He paused. "I mean nobody could've seen that coming."
"I should've had more self-control," Jackie scolded herself.
"Man, he is literally choosing to raise a baby that's not his so he can be with you," Hyde pointed out. "Even if Donna never forgives you, which I'm sure she will, isn't that more worth it?"
Jackie thought about it and slowly nodded. "You're right. Oh my God… I need to talk to him."
She ran up the stairs and went through the kitchen to the living room, where everyone stopped and stared at her.
"So Donna left," Kitty said gently, looking slightly uneasy. "And Eric just went upstairs looking pretty upset… now, I can tell you've been crying."
"I don't want to talk about it right now, Mrs. Forman," Jackie announced, heading towards the staircase. "I just need to talk to Eric."
Everyone watched her as she tried to go as fast up the stairs as her pregnant body would allow her to.
Once she reached the top, she went straight to Eric's room, only to find it empty.
Confused, she headed to her room, which had the door shut.
Slowly, she opened the door to find Eric on her bed, lying on his back.
"Eric," she said softly.
"Yeah," he mumbled, eyes focused on the ceiling.
She bit her lip and walked towards him, sitting adjacent to him on the bed. "I didn't mean it."
"No, you did," Eric replied flatly, still not looking at her. "But that's okay."
"No, please listen to me," she told him. "I didn't mean it, okay? I love you… so much." She scooted on the bed so she could lie down next to him. Once she was, she took his hand and caressed it. He didn't respond in any way. "Eric."
Eric sighed and sat up, pulling his hand away from her. "Jackie, if something as insignificant as somebody disapproving of our relationship makes you change your mind, even if it was just for a moment, maybe we really shouldn't do this."
Jackie propped herself up and her eyes filled with tears. "But… I love you."
"That didn't seem to be a factor ten minutes ago," Eric told her.
"I was upset," she argued. "And… with good reason. I'm sorry I said that, but… I really didn't mean it." Tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I'm overly emotional lately; you know this."
"No, stop. You can't keep blaming everything on being pregnant," Eric said harshly.
Jackie looked at him, stunned, as she watched him stand up.
"You know, I thought I wanted to talk, but I think I just want to be alone." He walked out of the room.