So the confrontation chapter! Not too much to get excited about but I hope you all like it anyhow. I plan on having Jackie and Hyde confront their past in a couple of chapters in the future. Donna and Eric will have a private talk in a future chapter.

XOXO

BloodyLyra

Chapter 22

Steven Hyde stood in the entrance of the kitchen. He looked exactly the same as either Jackie or Eric remembered him. Curly hair, aviator glasses, grungy band tee and jeans, and a pissed off look on his face.

"Hyde" Eric said again, as everyone else in the room had gone silent, "What are you doing here?"

"I invited him," said Kitty weakly, "Well, I- I just can't stand being away from my boys! I had to have at least one of them home for Christmas! It's Christmas! Oh, oh my… Red, I need a drink." She turned wild eyes to her husband.

Red looked from Hyde to Eric. Both men could see a familiar look in his eyes and steeled themselves for a Red Forman patented lecture.

"Aw, dammit! Alright, alright, you dumb asses! You got your mother all worked up. I'm only going to say this once: There will be no fighting in my house, do you hear! Now, I'm going to take Kitty into the kitchen and I expect all three of you to work out whatever the hell this is," he gestured between them, "going on between you all. After which, Dumb ass Number One," he pointed at Eric, "will explain just how and why the hell he showed up on our doorstep without telling us he was back in the freaking country first!"

Everyone stared at him, silent. Red walked over to Jackie and in a very rare move, place a kiss on the top of her head.

"It's good to see you, Jackie. Don't let these two kill each other, huh?"

Jackie nodded, wide eyed, and hugged him back gratefully.

Red looked uncomfortable and pried the girl off of him, "Okay, okay enough of the mushy stuff. Come on, Kitty. I'll fix you a Manhattan."

Looking slightly out of sorts, Kitty allowed herself to be lead away and into the kitchen where the door closed with a snap.

Hyde stood just where he had been, arms crossed and glaring at Eric and Jackie. Eric looked angry and uncomfortable and Jackie felt sympathetic for him. Hyde was Eric's brother for all intents and purposes and she understood that this was probably more difficult of a situation for him than it was for her. While she could not deny that she had once been desperately in love with Steven Hyde and that there were still some feelings for him, she also knew that she was over him. It was this revelation that gave her the courage to break the silence.

"Okay," she said, taking a step closer to Eric, "I think we can all agree that this is about as awkward a situation as any-"

"Oh, really, Jackie? What was your first clue," Hyde remarked nastily.

Eric had clearly been about to retaliate on Jackie's behalf but she couldn't allow him to say something that would risk damaging an already tense relationship with his adopted brother. She put a hand on his arm and gave him a pleading look. Eric seemed to understand and said nothing, choosing instead to glare at Hyde.

Hyde smirked, "I see she has you well-trained, Forman. I don't know why none of us thought to get the two of you together in the first place."

Jackie bristled and grabbed Eric's hand tightly, she knew this situation could go from bad to worse quickly if she didn't intervene, "Alright, listen, Steven. I know there is a lot you'd love to say about all of this-"

"Yeah, and how the hell would you know that?"

Jackie raised an eyebrow, "Please. I know, Steven, and you know I know. So can you please hold off on the nasty remarks for one minute?"

Hyde was silent as he leaned against the wall, arms still crossed.

Jackie took a breath, "So you know, Eric and I are together. But there are two things we all have to keep in mind here. One: the past is the past, it happened and there's nothing we can do about it now. We've all gotten over it and moved on," she looked to Eric for confirmation, he nodded mutely. "And two: Eric is your best friend and your brother, Steven. I know you well enough to know that you would never do anything or say anything to hurt him and he would do the same for you. Please, Steven, whatever you think of me, please don't let it come between you and Eric."

Eric shifted uneasily at Jackie's side, the scowl he had worn faded and he looked at Hyde, who also seemed to let down his defensive posture a little.

Jackie looked desperate for some reconciliation between the two of them, "Come on, you guys haven't seen each other in two and a half years."

Hyde sighed and dropped his arms fully, "Yeah… it is good to see you, Forman."

Eric in turn relaxed and walked over to Hyde. He held out his hand. Hyde took it with a small smile, the hand shake quickly turned into a brotherly embrace.

"Alright, Forman. Get off of me," Hyde said with a wry smirk, pushing Eric away from him.

"It's good to see you too, Hyde," Eric said sincerely, "So… when did you get here? Where's your wife?"

But before Hyde could answer the front door burst open and two more familiar faces entered the room.

"Mom! Dad! Your favourite son-in-law is here!" announced a dark-skinned young man. He was carrying a six pack of beer and was closely followed by a blonde woman who was shaking out an umbrella.

"Holy Mother! Eric! Jacqueline!" Fez shouted, he promptly dropped the six pack in his hands. One of the cans from the six pack burst open and sprayed his feet.

"Fez!" shouted Laurie, "That was our only chance of getting you out of here alive. My dad is really going to kill you now!"

Eric and Jackie both smiled and walked over to greet their foreign friend. Fez sobbed into Jackie's arms as she gave him a hug.

"Jackie! You tell me nothing anymore! Why didn't you call me and tell me you would be here?" he demanded.

Jackie disentangled herself from Fez, "I wanted it to be a surprise, Fez."

"Well, I'm certainly surprised," said Laurie, quirking an eyebrow at Eric and Jackie's entwined fingers. Fez didn't seemed to notice, he was still too busy hugging both Jackie and Eric in turn.

Eric just smirked at her as he attempted to fight Fez off, "Do your worst sis, Africa made me rock solid."

"It is true, my lovely," Fez said, squeezing Eric's arms, "Eric's gotten macho!" Eric batted Fez's hands away.

Laurie just shook her head, "Believe it or not, little brother, some of us have grown up. I no longer have a desire to ridicule you and beat you down."

Jackie smirked at her, "You mean, you're afraid he would turn around and ridicule you for marrying Fez."

Laurie seemed to ponder this a moment and conceded with a shrug.

What do you mean, my sweetie pie?" Fez asked, coming back to the conversation.

He looked at Eric and Jackie, noticing their clasped hands and the proximity at which they were standing together and with a gasp, pointed an accusing finger at Jackie, "See! Nothing! I know nothing about you!"

'Fez, that's not true. It was part of the surprise," Jackie said, attempting to placate him.

Fez harrumphed and shook his head, "I will not stand for these secret keepings!"

"Secret keepings?" asked Eric.

"That is what I said," Fez said, "Now good day."

"But Fez-"

"I said 'good day!'… Hyde!" Fez had taken notice of the other occupant of the room who had taken a seat on the couch. He was watching the exchange with seeming indifference but Jackie noticed something in his posture that she felt was vaguely familiar.

Hyde got up off the couch and gave Fez a hug.

"Oh, if only Kelso and Donna were here! We would all be together again!" Fez said dreamily.

The kitchen door opened.

"Are you idiots done yet? Oh hell… Kitty! That foreign kid is here!" Red said, glaring at the room in general. "What the hell happened to the floor?" He pointed behind them all at the mess of spilled beer.

Laurie ran up to Red, "Hi, Daddy! Eric made Fez drop the beer we brought you!"

Eric looked taken aback, "Laurie, what the hell happened to 'grown-up'?"

She looked back at him and shrugged again, "Only when it suits me."

Kitty came into the room looking more composed than she had earlier, "Oh, Laurie, honey. Come into the kitchen and you can help me fix something for lunch. I wasn't expecting so many people," she took in the scene and furrowed her brow, "You better bring Fez, I'm afraid your father won't show him mercy… even in the season of Baby Jesus' birth!" She glared at Red then she and Laurie disappeared into the kitchen.

Fez eyed Red warily, he scooped up the unburst cans of beer and brought them over to him. Red continued to glare at him, even as he placed the beer on the coffee table in front of him.

"These are for you, Mr. Red," Fez said, careful not to present his back to Red as he edged toward the kitchen. As soon as he reached the door he darted in.

Red turned back to Hyde, Eric, and Jackie.

"The three of you got everything straightened out?" he barked.

They all nodded.

Red smiled and rubbed his hands together, "Good. I'd hate to have to start putting my feet up people's asses. Now… boy!" he pointed at Eric, "Get your ass in that kitchen. You have some explaining to do!"

Eric groaned, "Dad. Listen, you'll get your explanation. But Jackie and I spent two and a half hours on a plane today and were up packing until late last night. We're both jet-lagged, tired, and hungry. The explanation isn't a short one and I'd appreciate it if you'd let us relax a little first."

Red narrowed his eyes at Eric. But Eric did not waver he simply stared right back at him. Jackie smiled inwardly at Eric's tenacity. Even Hyde looked surprised, his eyebrows shot above the rims of his aviators.

Finally, after long, silent moments, Red relented.

"Fine, but your explanation better be good or I'll-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know you'll make me wear my ass for a hat," Eric said. He gestured for Jackie to go ahead of him and they started walking to the kitchen.

Red said nothing to the interruption but stopped Eric with a hand on his shoulder as he walked past.

"It's good to see you, son."

So how was it? Doing good? Review and let me know! Expect two more chapters sometime next weekend.