I'm on a roll with the chapters! I'm not real big on writing Kitty and Red so they won't get much dialogue at least until the Christmas chapter. A little more uncertainty and drama here for Jackie and Eric…

Chapter 24

Eric and Jackie managed to get through the rest of the day without any further incident. They woke from their nap four hours later and spent time visiting with the Forman's. Fez and Laurie had gone home and Hyde was conspicuously absent.

Jackie surprised Kitty with her improved cooking abilities and Red was further mystified by Eric's tales of survival in the African desert.

Back up in the spare bedroom after the Forman's had retired for the night, Eric and Jackie were lying in bed watching a rerun of Saturday Night Live.

"I used to hate these shows," Jackie said.

"I remember. You didn't like that you can't really buy the stuff on the advertisements," Eric said with a smile.

"Well, maybe I want some of that stuff!" she said. They both laughed.

"Hey, Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think is going to happen?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, when we go to Donna's wedding. What do you think is going to happen?"

"Umm, a wedding?"

Jackie smacked him lightly, "Not what I meant."

"Well, then I'm not following, Jackie. What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and Donna never got any closure. So I was just wondering what it's going to be like when you see her again and it's to watch her get married to someone else."

Eric was growing suspicious, somehow he didn't think this was just about his closure with Donna.

"You don't think Donna and I got any closure?" he asked, hoping to get to the bottom of this quickly.

"No, not really. I mean, do you think you did?" she pressed.

"To tell you the truth, Jackie, I haven't really thought about it. What is this about?"

Jackie sighed, "I think I should talk to Steven."

Eric's gut clenched again, "Why?"

Jackie immediately noticed the tightness in Eric's voice and worked quickly to assuage any misunderstanding, "Because, I just have a feeling I need to. Something is wrong with him, Eric, and I just… I need closure."

Eric didn't say anything.

Jackie forced him to look at her, "Don't misunderstand me, Eric. I think that when we see Donna again that you will need to talk to her too. If for no other reason but to get closure-"

"I already told you I haven't even thought about it," he said snappishly.

"That's because you haven't seen her, Eric. I didn't think I needed any closure from Steven, but now that I have seen him I know I do," Jackie said calmly, "I need it for no other reason than I never got any. Eric, do you trust me?"

Eric searched her face for any deception but found none. He did trust her and what she said made sense. He hadn't seen Donna yet. And as he told Jackie, he had not thought about it. Perhaps the reasoning behind that was that if he examined it too closely he would also see that he did indeed need closure.

"Yes, I trust you," he said.

Jackie kissed him.

"You know that I would never do anything to mess up with you, right?" she asked.

Eric nodded, "I know it."

"Good, because I love you," she said.

He smiled, "I love you too."

"I want us to be happy, Eric."

"I want that too."

Jackie snuggled back into his arms and looked back at the television.

Eric did trust Jackie and he believed that she was right. That in order for them to truly go forward that they would both need to face their personal demons. His concern was not for what she might do but for what Hyde might do.

He was certain that Hyde would not go out of his way to cause problems between him and Jackie. But faced with a Jackie seeking closure, Hyde might not want to give it to her and instead fill her head with doubt. Eric knew how much Hyde had loved Jackie and he wasn't certain that those feelings were entirely gone.

He supposed he would just have to trust that if Jackie were faced with this kind of dilemma that she would do what she said she would. She would be returning from her conversation with Hyde to him, he knew she would.

"Jackie?"

"Hmm?"

"What if he doesn't want to talk about it?" Eric asked.

"Then that will be that. I'm not looking to force him to talk to me to get my closure. I just need it in whatever form he gives it to me," Jackie said. Eric was pleased to see that she didn't not hesitate in her answer.

"Why do you think there is something wrong with him?"

"Well, didn't you notice his wife isn't here? And you asked him about her twice. The first time, granted, Fez burst in. But when you asked him again, he changed the subject. He told you all about what's going on with WB but he refused to say anything about her."

Eric thought about it, "Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything is wrong. Maybe she couldn't make it."

"Stripping conference?" Jackie quipped.

"Good point."

"Besides, he just had a look on his face that always meant something was wrong," she said.

"Even if you're right, how do you know he'll talk to you about it?"

"I don't," Jackie admitted, "But what if something is really wrong and no one ever thought to ask?"

Eric nodded, "True… you'll tell me though, right? If he tells you and something is really wrong?"

"Of course, I will. He's your family, I wouldn't keep that from you."

"When are you going to talk to him?"

Jackie shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe tomorrow."

They watched the show for a while longer before Eric spoke again.

"Jackie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we do that thing again?"

Jackie sat up a little and gave him an innocent look, "What thing?"

Eric arched an eyebrow and gave her a devilish smile.

"Ohhhh," she said, in exaggerated understanding, "That thing."

Jackie picked up the television control and switched the TV off.