Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last five chapters! I am so glad you all are enjoying it!

XOXO

BloodyLyra

Chapter 27

Kitty Forman smothered her son. There was no question. It's just what she did.

So when Eric and Jackie had appeared downstairs for Christmas breakfast, Kitty was exceptionally quick to notice the diamond ring sparkling off Jackie's left ring finger.

"My baby! Red, she's stealing my baby!" Kitty cried hysterically, as she clung to Eric, pointing at Jackie over his shoulder.

Red once again had to pry Kitty away from their son.

"Kitty. Calm down. Jackie isn't stealing him, and even if she was she could have him. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, kiddo," Red said with a small smirk and wink at Jackie.

"Uh… thanks?" Eric said.

Jackie went to Kitty and gave her a hug, "I promise to take real good care of him, Mrs. Forman."

Kitty looked at Jackie with teary eyes but also a smile, "Oh, honey, I know you will. You can cook now! That's a good start."

Jackie smiled again and nodded, "Exactly."

"There now, Kitty. Eric will be just fine. Hell, he'll be better than fine, Jackie is just the kind of girl to keep him in line," Red said with a decisive nod.

Kitty sniffled, "Well, well… oh, this is such good news! Congratulations, sweetie!" She stood on tiptoes and gave her son a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Mom."

"What's good news?" asked Hyde as he came into the kitchen.

Everyone hesitated for a fraction of a second. Except for Jackie.

She held out her left hand, "Eric proposed!" She had a giddy smile on her face.

Hyde looked down at the ring and then back up to Jackie's face. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath.

Hyde's smile was somewhat pained but genuine, "That's great, Jackie. Congratulations." He turned to the man he knew as his brother and clapped a hand on his back, "You take good care of her, Forman, she deserves it." He looked back at Jackie who offered a smile.

Eric and Hyde regarded each other for several seconds and understanding passed between them.

"Always," Eric said.

Kitty let out another sob and embraced both of her boys at once, knocking their heads together.

"Mo-om!" they both said. Jackie and Red watched with amused smiles on their faces.

The moment was interrupted once again by the arrival of Fez and Laurie, Fez was wearing a Santa hat and carrying a tottering pile of gifts. Laurie had a pie balanced in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

"Merry Christmas! What's for breakfast?" Fez asked loudly, "Jackie! What's that!" He pointed to her left hand.

Jackie smiled, "It's my engagement ring, Fez."

"You agreed to marry… that?" Laurie said, wrinkling her nose at her brother.

Eric put his hand over his heart, "Aww, Merry Christmas to you, too, sis."

"Oh, Jackie!" Fez said, getting teary eyed, "It's so beautiful! I cannot believe it, you and Eric are getting married!"

"I'll tell you what I can't believe, I can't believe you tricked my baby girl into marrying you twice, you sneaky-"

"Red!" Kitty snapped.

Fez hugged Jackie and then Eric, "I am so happy I could cry!"

"Do it and you're out on your ass, Squanto," Red said with a scowl.

Fez shuddered, "Yes, Mr. Red."

He and Laurie took seats at the table.

The seven family members sat down to a special pancake breakfast prepared by both Kitty and Jackie.

"Now all we have to do is teach you how to sew. Oh! Which reminds me, laundry, Jackie, do you know how to do laundry?" Kitty was saying all of this very fast.

"I send my laundry out, Mrs. Forman," Jackie said.

"Oh. Well, that's alright, I suppose. But you should think about knowing how to do it yourself, dear. Children dirty so many clothes, it'll be hard to keep up with a dry cleaning bill."

Eric choked on his milk causing both Hyde and Fez to thump him on the back.

Jackie was nonplussed, "Children?" she had a amused smirk on her face.

"Yes, honey. I mean, you and Eric are going to have some, right? I want grandchildren!" Kitty said.

"For God sake's, Kitty. They just got engaged and you're already talking about children? Let them alone for awhile," Red said.

Kitty turned to Red with her hands on her hips, "My baby boy is getting married and leaving me forever, Red Forman. I need to know that I will at least have my grandchildren to come and visit me when I am old and stuck with only you and your sourpuss!"

Red frowned at her.

Jackie narrowed her eyes in Hyde's direction. She guessed that he had not told Mrs. Forman about Sam being pregnant. She'd keep his secret just in case.

"And what about you two?" Kitty said, rounding on Fez and Laurie, "Married almost two years and no babies! Where are my grandchildren?!"

"Actually, Mom," Laurie said with a smile, "We wanted to talk to you about that…"

"Oh God, no!" Red reacted immediately, undoubtful about what was about to be said, "Isn't bad enough that you actually married Ali Baba-"

"Shut up, Red!" Kitty said, staring at her daughter with wide eyes, "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

Fez nodded in confirmation, "Yes, my lemon drop is going to have my baby!"

Red groaned but stopped when Kitty shot him a glare.

"Yaay! A baby and a wedding! This is the happiest Christmas ever" Kitty said jumping up and down.

After another round of congratulations to the soon-to-be parents (rather reluctantly on Red's part) everyone gathered in the living room to open presents.

Jackie had gotten Eric tickets for both of them to go and see Styx in Chicago in January and he had gotten her a black leather briefcase she had been wanting for work and a silver heart-shaped locket with a tiny pave diamond unicorn on the front.

Eric watched his fiancée, smiling at her delight in the holiday proceedings. He let himself imagine how it would be to spend every holiday with her for the rest of their lives. He imagined their children on Christmas morning tearing through the wrapping paper, giggling with delight while he and Jackie watched them.

While everyone marveled over their gifts and said their thank yous, Jackie caught Eric's eye. She smiled at him and he pulled her closer to him on the sofa.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you too," she said back, bestowing a sweet kiss on him.

"So I was thinking, after we get back from Point Place we should start looking for a house," Eric said quietly.

Jackie's eyes went wide, "A house? Are you serious?"

Eric nodded.

"Oh, Eric!" she whispered and hugged him tightly giving him another lingering kiss.

The rest of the morning and afternoon were spent playing Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly in between Kitty, Jackie, and Laurie's preparations for the traditional Christmas dinner. In the kitchen Kitty shot a barge of questions at both Jackie and Laurie regarding the wedding and the baby. Jackie and Laurie took it in stride and answered all Kitty's questions knowing the consequences if they didn't.

During a break in game playing Hyde had approached Eric.

"I'm really happy for you, Forman," he said.

"Thanks, Hyde." He wondered where this was headed.

Hyde paused. "So, I'm guessing Jackie told you about the conversation we had?"

Eric nodded.

"Yeah, I figured. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I wouldn't ever try to come between you guys. I just want her to be happy, you know?"

"I know. She will be, I won't let her be anything but."

"Good, cause if you make her unhappy you know I'll kick your ass, right?" Hyde said.

Eric smiled, "You got it."

Hyde shifted uneasily, "She told you about Sam?"

Eric nodded again, "Yeah, um- do you know what you're going to do?"

Hyde sighed and looked at Eric, his expression serious, "The right thing for once."

Later that night, Eric was laying in bed watching MASH. Jackie was in the bathroom connected to their room.

"I saw Steven talking to you earlier," she said from behind the half closed door, "What'd he say?"

"That he'd kick my ass if I made you unhappy," he responded.

Jackie laughed, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

The light went off in the bathroom and Jackie opened the door. Eric turned towards her and dropped the remote in his hand. Her long, dark hair was tousled and she was dressed in a red lace nightie and matching sheer stockings held up by a garter belt, she had black boots on her feet.

"Well, we won't have to be worried about that. You could never make me unhappy," she said as she approached him slowly.

Eric gulped, "Y-yeah?"

"Just like I could never make you unhappy, right?" she asked with an innocent look on her face.

Eric nodded vigorously, "Never."

Jackie crawled towards him on the bed, "I know it. Now are you ready for the rest of your Christmas present?"