Author Note: …sometimes we just need our friends…..(and the last chapter seemed so short!)

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Chapter 11 – You Can Trust Me

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Eric reached for Jackie's arm before she stepped into a puddle of ice. She whirled, "Can you believe that jerk? He's afraid that my blindness will rub off on him!"

Eric wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, he's being an ass. Let's go Fez's salon. I need a trim and I'll bet you could use a good shampoo."

Jackie smiled up at him. "Those are the best words I've heard since…yesterday. Wait a minute, why are you being so nice to me?"

"I don't know but does it matter? If Hyde doesn't want to be around you, it's his loss. You are a great person and he's the blind one if he can't see that."

Jackie stopped as she realized the significance of what Eric just said. "You're right." She almost whispered. "Eric, get me out of here!"

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"Split ends! Why aren't you using the shampoo I gave you?" Fez reprimanded. Jackie laughed as he rinsed the conditioner into the U-shaped sink. "Mrs. Forman doesn't have your brand." Jackie admitted.

Fez lifted her head and rinsed the back of her neck. Eric was right, this felt good. Fez grumbled, "Well, I'm going to give you some to take back. Have Miss Kitty use some too. It will give her back some shine."

Eric was looking through the hair model catalogues looking for a style that fit him. He didn't know there were so many and he was just used to going to his dad's barber. Maybe it was time to take some chances and he'd give Fez the first one. Give him a good haircut and earn a regular customer.

Fez was steering Jackie back to the swivel chair and helped her over the adjustable step. He wrapped her up in the plastic apron and started combing her hair into sections. "Eric, don't let him cut too much off. I like my hair long."

Eric wished his could show Jackie the picture he liked of the cut. "What do you think of not too short but kind of spiky?"

"For me? No! Long hair!"

Eric laughed, "No, for me. I'm thinking of trying something new." Fez looked at the picture and looked at Eric's face. "I think you would look handsome if we took some off the back."

Jackie agreed. "Let me feel your hair." Eric grinned and bent over so she could feel the length. "I agree, it's too long back here to be spiky." Eric brushed his hair out of his face. Jackie continued, "If it's the picture I think it is, just a little bit of gel in the morning and you'd be very sexy."

"Really?" Eric asked hopefully. Fez agreed with Jackie. "Yes, it would be a good look for you." Eric didn't know if Fez was kidding but if Jackie thought it would look nice then he would agree to it.

"Jackie, did you know Fez was growing a Ricky Ricardo mustache?" Eric smirked. Fez shook his head NO! vehemently. "I'm not. Really. You know how I feel about body hair."

Jackie smiled, "Let me see."

"No." Fez refused. Jackie reached out and grabbed his salon smock and pulled him to her chair. "Yes and I'm gonna!" Eric shrugged and replied, "You heard the lady. Are you really going to tell her no?"

Jackie touched Fez's smooth shaven chin and ran her fingers up his cheeks and over his nose until she felt the stiff stubble of a baby mustache. "Oh Fez….why?"

Fed turned a brownish shade of red. "Meredith has this thing for Clark Gable you American woman! I told her no but did she listen? She took my razor and shaves me? A woman shaving me!" Fez looked at Eric, "It is kinda sexy though. Enough! Let's cut this stringy hair so I can attack Eric."

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A few hours later, a smart trim looking Eric Forman stepped out in the sunshine with a new "do" and on his arm was a beautiful brunette with bouncy hair. She lifted her face to the sunlight and donned her Ray Charles glasses. "Doesn't that feel good?"

Eric looked around, "What?"

Jackie swatted his arm. "The sunshine silly. Close your eyes and feel it on your face." Eric stood on the sidewalk and looked at the sun. He closed his eyes and realized that it did actually feel nice. He didn't want to wait too long or he'd get a burn and Jackie's face didn't need to get burned twice. He took her arm, "Let's enjoy the warmth from the inside of the car. It's getting kind of crowded out here." Eric pulled Jackie aside for a bicyclist as she felt the whoosh of wind on her face.

"Do we have to go back right away?"

Eric looked at his watch, it was still early. "No…you want to go to the park or something?"

Jackie looked at him, the sun reflecting in the dark lenses. "That would be nice."

The park was only a block away but while Eric watched Jackie navigate the cracked sidewalk and the rude passersby, Eric saw what a struggle it was for her. He found a metal bench under a tree and wiped the dirt off the seat. "Here we go, a nice shady area and out of danger of roller skaters."

"Thanks Eric. I know you probably have other things you want to do on your day off but I don't want to make you feel obligated to entertaining me."

"Hey, do you hear me complaining?" Eric teased. Jackie nudged him with her shoulder. "You know what I do hear?"

He nudged her back. "Nope. I give up."

She smiled, "Ice cream truck. I like vanilla." Eric looked at her. "I don't hear a ….." The horrendous scratchy tune of Turkey in the Straw was blaring from the ice cream truck speakers. Eric felt his pants pockets for change whether from childhood practice or not but he stood up. "Ice cream! Vanilla for you and I want….god, what do I want? I'll be right back!"

Jackie laughed as she heard his feet slapping on the sidewalk when he ran towards the ice cream truck music. Then all she heard was birds and vague conversations. She was alone in a park and could feel a bubble of panic rise in her throat. A wisp of perfume passed by and the bubble gum smell of a child stopped in front of her.

"Look mommy. It's a blind lady." A small voice said in wonderment.

"Hush sweetie, let's go." The mother and child quickly walked away.

Jackie bit her lip. Was that what she was reduced to - a blind woman on a park bench all alone? She couldn't help it, tears pooled in her eyes and this time they didn't sting. She started having all these what if doubts. What if Eric didn't come back? What if he got hit by a car and no one knew she in the park? What if it started to rain again? What if she really was all alone?

Eric was walking back with a vanilla ice cream cone and a firecracker Popsicle. He stopped at the curb to see Jackie had taken off the glasses and was crying. He wasn't good with crying women and usually when Donna cried, he got somewhat beat up in the process. He stepped forward slowly.

"Jackie. What's wrong?"

She looked up in the general direction of Eric's voice. "I…I was afraid you wouldn't come back." She wiped the back of her hand over her cheek. "I felt like a freak because some little kid called me a blind lady. I can't handle this." She sobbed.

Eric put the ice cream on the bench and sat down next to the crying girl and enveloped her in a big hug. "First, I wouldn't leave you here all alone. Jackie out of everyone you know, you can trust me." She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, her hot tears wetting his collar. "I was scared and I hate feeling helpless."

Eric pulled her fresh washed hair out of her face and looked at the eyes that didn't really see him. "Jackie, if you weren't scared out of your freaking mind, I would think you were one of Kelso's robots."

Jackie snuffled a laugh. 'Stop." Eric used his thumb and brushed away a tear. "I think you're very brave."

Holding his shoulders, Jackie set herself apart. "I'm not. I want everyone to think this is no big deal but I'm afraid this temporary thing is not going to be temporary."

Eric didn't know how to respond without sounding guilty for having his sight! "I guess if it doesn't get better then…me and my folks will help you. We're not going to make you go through this alone Jackie. Dad loves you and he took a battery in the chest to keep you and me safe."

She wiped her eyes and put her glasses back on. "I know. It was really brave of him but he can still see. I can't see anything. I don't know that I'll ever see anything." Jackie touched his face feeling for anything that would tell her Eric was insincere. There wasn't. She could feel him smile as he pulled her back for a hug.

"Jackie, if you have to trust in something or someone. Let it be me. Trust me and I'll make sure you're okay. Can you do that?"

His shirt smelled like his aftershave. He smelled so nice. Jackie nodded her head. With Eric, everything would be okay. She was safe as long as he was around. Eric murmured against her hair, "I got some bad news."

"What's that?"

"Our ice cream melted." He said sadly looking at the kaleidoscope of color melting on the bench. Jackie laughed into his shoulder and Eric chuckled. This small interchange of trust was worth more than a little melted ice cream.

The ice had been broken. They were really friends now and there was no hiding from the future. Eric would be there to help her find her way.

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