AN: You guys absolutely amaze me. With each chapter I update, the reviews just get better and better. It makes me so happy to see the kinds of things that you guys are noticing and thinking about when reading this story. I'm a little nervous about the Eric/Jackie interaction because I just don't think that I can write Eric's character very well. I feel comfortable enough with Jackie, Donna, and Hyde, but I haven't done a lot of fanfic scenes with Eric in it. I'm not going to give any kind of summary of this chapter, so just read, enjoy, and review!
Chapter 5: In the Absence of the Sacred
"You guys have to stay out of the basement for the next few weeks." Eric stated as he watched his son and the boy he thought of as a son eat lunch at the kitchen table.
With a mouth full of a turkey sandwich, Josh looked at his father in disbelief, "Wha?"
"Well, Jackie needs somewhere to stay and the basement bedroom is the only place we have." Eric stated in a matter of fact tone.
"But Dad, that's where our friends and us hang out?" Now he had two pairs of shocked eyes staring back at him as Zach turned around with a little bit of jelly smeared on his cheek.
"Well, find some other place to hang out, unless," Eric grinned at his brilliance. "Unless you want to give your room up."
Eric watched as the two boys exchanged glances. Zach seemed to like the idea, but Josh glared at his hopeful eyes. "No way." He mouthed as the other boy grunted and went back to eating his PB&J.
Eric turned around and gave a triumphant grin to himself. "But Dad," he heard his son interject again. "I thought that the basement was the Forman bat cave. It's sacred."
Eric turned around just in time to see Zach's approving nod in Josh's direction. While the comment did hit close to home, Donna withholding sex because he gave into to father-son nerd bonding outweighed completely. "Sorry Josh. We just have to make an exception this time."
Eric watched as the two boys' faces sunk. He felt very proud of himself for not giving in. He did hate to do this to his boys though. The basement was just as important to them as it had been for Eric when he was their age.
"Well, I suggest that if you have anything down there that you don't want Jackie finding, now would be a good time to put it somewhere else." The two boys caught each others deer-in-the-headlights expressions and quickly dropped their sandwiches. They rushed out of the kitchen and down to the basement. Eric chuckled to himself. He wondered if he and Hyde had been so obvious as kids.
Jackie and Donna were parked at a gas station filling up. While Donna pumped gas Jackie searched her purse to find her wallet. She pulled the leather bound case out and unzipped it excitedly. She flipped through all of her pictures and upon finding the one she was looking for, she let out a little squeal.
"Oh, here's the perfect picture of Bobby! Look." She handed it to Donna. The red head scanned the picture and replied, "He's a very handsome boy Jackie."
"Pshtt, well of course. Could you expect anything less?" Jackie gazed down at the picture of her son once Donna handed it back to her. Guilt weighed down on her shoulders once more. "Hey, I'll be back in a second; I'm going to make a phone call."
Jackie made her way to the side of the gas station where a pay phone was bolted to the wall. She put her change in and began dialing. Ring after ring, and there was still no answer. Jackie's heart fell once more. She put more money in the phone and dialed again. This time she decided to leave a voice mail.
"Um… hey Bobby. It's me… your mom. I just wanted to know if you read the note I left for you. I'm really sorry that I left without saying goodbye. Like I said in the note, I just had to get out of there." Jackie felt herself tear up a bit. "I really miss you and I hope next time I call, you can talk on the phone. I know you are really busy with your friends. Well, I love you. Bye." Jackie hung the phone on the receiver. A little weight seemed to lift off her shoulders, but she still couldn't help but feel like crap. Even though she hardly ever saw him anymore and they rarely talked like they used to, she still couldn't help but feel that she was abandoning her little boy. He was hardly a boy anymore. He would be starting college in the fall, and had been pretty independent the last few years of his life. He was just like his father. He loved to be in control. As soon as he entered the private high school, he demanded his own bank account and decided to live in the dorms instead of at home. He still came over at least every other weekend and attended all the dinner parties that Jackie and Dennis would host, but the relationship Jackie had with her son when he was much younger just never was the same.
Jackie toddled her way back to the car, climbing in the passenger seat feeling dejected.
Zach drummed away at a practice pad resting on the circular table in the basement. He felt so antsy. Usually around this time, he, Josh, and their friend Jeff would go to his own basement which they had changed into a practice room and play some songs they had been working on. His muscles needed their drumming fix.
"So explain to me why we can't go to the Jam Room again?" He asked, not taking the time to stop his flashing hands and pounding feet.
"Because my mom will skin us both if we aren't here when she comes back with her friend." Josh's monotone voice replied, not taking his eyes away from the television screen.
Zach stopped drumming. "Have you ever heard your parents mention this woman before?"
Josh moved his head from side to side. "I think so. I think I remember them mentioning a Jackie from time to time. I didn't really pay attention though. Why do you ask?"
"I just think its weird how worked up everyone is getting. Like for instance, this morning, when I asked my dad if he knew this Jackie lady, he got all jumpy and left the room pretty fast."
"Yeah, well, your dad has always been a little weird."
"True."
Meanwhile…
"Eric honey!" Donna called off into the house. "We're here!"
Jackie looked around the house she used to consider home. It had changed so much. It felt like just yesterday that Jackie had walked into the same living room except it had a squash yellow couch, pea soup chair, and tanish brown wall paper covering every inch. The whole experience felt so surreal. Everything was in the same spot, just replaced with more modernized and contemporary furniture. Some things were still the same. It seemed like Donna and Eric had kept the den pretty intact except now the gas fireplace was painted white instead of red. The same piano sat just beside the door, and the bar still seemed to be up and running.
While taking in all of her surroundings, Jackie barely noticed Eric walk through the swinging door.
"Donna, how do you expect Josh to find religion when you bring the Devil in our own home?"
Jackie looked up to see Eric's calm, sarcastic face just in time to see a smile break across it. Never had Jackie been so happy to be referred to as Satan. He looked like he had aged more than Donna due to the patches of gray right above his ears and noticeable receding hairline. However, he still had the same boyish grin and twinkle is his eye that had always been so charming about him.
"Eric!" Jackie called and ran to give him a hug. Jackie knew it was probably awkward since she and Eric never really did show their friendship in this way, but what the hell. It had been forever.
After a few seconds of squeezing him tightly, Jackie felt Eric pat her on the back and pull away. "Alright, that's enough of that Beelzebub."
Jackie released her hold on him and turned back to Donna who was grinning at the display. "Is the basement ready for Jackie to stay in?"
"Almost, just have to get the boys out of there. I let them stay in there one last time before bye bye basement."
"Ah, I don't want to intrude. I can just stay at a hotel if this will be a problem." Jackie interjected, picking one of her duffle bag.
"Nonsense, Jackie. I'm sure those two and their friends can survive." Donna grabbed Jackie's duffle bag out of her hands and began heading in the direction of the kitchen door.
Light footsteps coming down the stairs stopped the three. A skinny, tall girl with light brown hair made her way into the living room and studied Jackie for a second with shy eyes. Donna immediately stepped forward to put her arm around her daughter. "Jackie, this is my daughter Cindy, and Cindy, this is a really good friend of mine named Jackie."
"Hello, nice to meet you." Cindy replied only taking a second to glance up at Jackie in order to be polite.
"Can you get your brother and Zach out of the basement for me?" Donna asked and Cindy nodded her head and quickly exited the room.
"She's really shy." Eric put in as soon as his daughter left the room.
Jackie grinned and nodded in his direction. She began wondering what their son looked like, and more importantly, what Steven's son looked like. She wondered if he looked just like his dad or a male version of Sam. She wasn't quite sure which one she was hoping for and which one she was dreading.
On that thought, slow, stomping steps could be heard coming from the basement stairs. Soon, three teenagers walked into the room, one being Cindy of course. The first boy that walked in Jackie immediately recognized as Eric and Donna's son. His long, red, pulled back hair and wise eyes favored Donna much more than Eric. He looked just like her, but with Eric's strong chin and eyebrows. The boy that entered behind him took Jackie by surprise. He was built just like Steven was, average height with broad shoulders. However, his shaved head left his face completely exposed for anyone to see. He didn't wear sunglasses like Steven did, or had hair to hide other parts of his face. His faced resembled his father's in many ways with slight variations here and there. But the thing that gave it away the most that this was her former lover's child was his defensive crossed arms and peering scowl.
Donna's motherly voice interrupted Jackie's studying of the children that stood before her. "Josh, Zach, why are you wearing those disgusting t-shirts?"
Both of the boys took a second to peer down at their clothes as if to remind themselves what they were wearing. That little quirk about men always confused Jackie. One of the things Jackie remembered the most about situations was the outfit she had on while it happened. She took notice of their t-shirts which had pictures of mutilated dead bodies on them.
Josh spoke up after reviewing his shirt, and Jackie recognized his voice as the one who answered the phone the day before. "It's Cannibal Corpse, Mom. It's just what they have on their t-shirts. I thought you didn't care about the clothes we wear."
"I don't normally, but I thought you would think of wearing something more, um, appropriate when meeting company."
"I'm sure its fine with Jackie." Eric piped in. "I bet it reminds her of home."
"Actually it makes me feel more welcome." Jackie grinned at she focused her gaze on Eric. "It's like I never left. People with ratty clothes and Eric being twitchy. Nope. Nothing's changed."
Donna laughed a little and Eric's smile fell off his face. "Wow," Josh said. "She burned us and you all at the same time."
"That, my son, is why we only refer to her as The Dark Lord." Eric said as he put his arm around Josh's shoulder and whispered the end of the sentence just loud enough for everyone to hear in his son's ear.
"Well," Donna said after everyone came down from the laughter. "We need to get these bags down to the basement."
While passing through the kitchen Jackie breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that it looked almost nothing like it did in the 70s. She was sure that if it did she would have to give Donna a lecture about keeping up with the times, but it seemed to her that Donna had done pretty well, especially with her lack of fashion taste. The only part of the house that she hoped looked exactly the same was the basement. The basement had and will always be an exception.
Déjà vu wasn't the proper term to express exactly how Jackie felt as she walked down the basement steps. Nostalgia overpowered her as memories flooded her mind. Everything was exactly the same, down to the posters on the walls and the couch in the middle of the room.
Donna seemed to notice the amazement on Jackie's face because she gave her a wide grin and knowing eye. "We made sure everything stayed exactly the same. It just wouldn't be the basement otherwise."
Jackie nodded her head knowingly as they moved to the back of the basement where Hyde's old bedroom used to be. Jackie felt her throat obstruct her air supply. She hadn't been in this room since she and Steven had been together. When they were apart, she would never even go near the back room. It held too many memories that stabbed at her heart. However, now was completely different. Jackie felt drawn to the tiny room where she used to spend breathless nights. She wanted to know what it looked like, and she wanted to see if it still gave her the same feeling of wanting to run and hide.
It was slightly different. There was a bed instead of a cot, nice dresser drawers and a standing mirror, but the atmosphere still felt the same. Jackie assumed that no matter what, even if it was pink with tangerine furniture, that this room would always remind her of the moments she shared with Steven. The memories and associations were just too powerful.
"Well, make yourself at home Jackie. I'm going to start making dinner." Donna said as she placed Jackie's bags down on the ground.
"When did you learn how to cook?" Jackie asked.
Donna grinned at Eric. "When I married this man and he bitched and moaned for months that he no longer had his mama's cooking to eat any more."
Donna walked out of the room, and to Jackie's surprise Eric stayed behind. Jackie lifted one of her suitcases onto the bed and began unpacking. Eric cleared his throat. "You know Jackie… things were never the same when you left."
Jackie stopped what she was doing and turned around to face Eric. He had a serious look on his face and she knew there was no more joking going on. "I'm sure you don't mean that."
"It's true Jackie. All of us have to be together just for things to be like they used to."
The tone of his voice sent chills up her spine. It seemed like he had wanted to have this conversation with her for a very long time.
"Do you remember when I left, and then Kelso?"
"Yeah."
"Well, was it the same when we left?"
"Well no, but.."
"We all have to be together. Every single one of us." His blue eyes bore into her soul and Jackie knew he meant every word of it.
"I'm so sorry I left Eric."
"It's okay. We all left at one time or another for different reasons. I'm not sure why you came back, but trust me when I say that everyone is glad that you did."
"Everyone?"
Eric nodded his head, understanding exactly what she meant.
"Everyone."
With that, Eric swiftly left the room to leave Jackie with her thoughts and unpacking. It felt good to know that she wouldn't be met with too much animosity. She guessed that absence really did make the heart grow fonder. However, twenty years is a long time to stay gone.
While placing folded clothes in drawers, she remembered the last time she was in the basement.
1981
Jackie lazily toddled down the cement steps into the Forman's basement. It had been a rough week and an even tougher night. She just got back from yet another date with some guy she had randomly met. It went over just like all the others had before him and just like all the others will after. Even though she never slept with them, she always felt like such a whore by the end of the night. It was obvious that the only thing they were attracted to was her body, and nothing else. Jackie didn't blame them. It was the only thing she liked about herself too.
She entered the basement to find only Steven passed out on the old, worn down couch. He was laying on his stomach with a beer can resting on the ground and his hand still around it. Jackie wondered for a second if he just stayed home and drank or stumbled home once he got just shit faced enough to be satisfied at a bar. Either way, finding him in this position was no surprise. It seemed like all he did these days was drink his life away.
Jackie sat down on the floor next to his arm. She took the beer can from his hands and sipped at it. It was still a little cold. He must have just taken the plunge. So Jackie just sat with him, drinking and reflecting. Steven had never made her feel like a whore. He waited patiently for her to be ready for sex, which wasn't too long as Jackie remembered, but definitely long in Hyde's books. He loved her body but didn't completely concentrate on it. When she talked about things he didn't stare at her boobs and pretend to listen. She knew that some of those times he pretended but most of the time he genuinely wanted to know what she thought about things. They would always have so much fun with each other, even doing silly little stuff like watching Saturday Night Live or going to the movies. She felt smarter when she was with him and he always let her know that in his eyes she could be anybody.
Warm tears drizzled down her face at all the memories. It was moments like these that Jackie seriously questioned why things had to turn out the way they did. It seemed like the moments leading up to Steven staying married to Sam were just one misguided, uncommunicative incident after another. Jackie assumed God must have hated her. If He didn't then she would have had the courage to wait for Steven's answer, never had gone to Chicago, Kelso wouldn't be in her room in a towel, and Steven would have never gone to Las Vegas were his heart turned to black.
Jackie hated life now. Everything just dragged along, never getting to some place better. She had no ambition or desire to succeed. It seemed liked everyday she would remember all the good times, just picking thorny roses from her soul.
Jackie looked back up to the sleeping man just above her. Mope all she liked, they would never be together again. There was just too much history, pain, and stubbornness.
Jackie had thought about leaving for a long time, but for some reason this night, which was just the same as every night, she really considered it. Not sure if she would ever see him again, Jackie pressed her face against Hyde dangling arm and planted a kiss on his skin. She placed the beer back in his hand and walked out the door.
AN2: I hope you guys liked this. Let me know what you thought. Be prepared, next chapter Jackie and Hyde will meet!
