A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! This story is heating up now, as the Foremans come out to play! I just want to say, I picture Jackie's father figure Matt as looking something like Dr. Orpheus from THE VENTURE BROTHERS. I don't know why….

Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW nor any rock references I may make.

After a week of Hyde coming over for dinner every other night, he and Ash had become closer and closer. It was strange to both of them that it came so easily, but the fact was they were very similar. And as for Jackie and Hyde, things were becoming less and less awkward, and they would find more and more things to talk about. The kiss at the falls was still out there, but they weren't going to touch it.

Now that the Wisconsin clan was coming in town that day, a giant get together had been planned. The Hodges were coming too, and Paul had crashed on the couch so he could help prepare for the party. Hyde was going to come by later to grill with Ash.

Ash, Paul, and Jackie were sitting down for breakfast at the house that Saturday when the phone rang. Jackie stood up, and answered the phone.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hey," Hyde said. She smiled widely, and began twisting the cord in her hands.

"Hi Steven," she said, and Ash and Paul exchanged knowing glances.

"She's been doing this more and more," Ash said, and Paul nodded, somewhat concerned about this.

"So I thought I'd bring over a dessert," Hyde said.

"Pudding again?" Jackie asked, teasingly, and she heard him chuckle.

"Nah, I'm going all out this time," he said. "I'm bringing bundt cake."

"Oooooh, how ambitious," Jackie said. "Are you making it?"

"….. Okay so I bought it," he said.

"Psh, not nearly as impressive as what I had in mind."

"Sorry," he said, and she smiled again, and leaned against the fridge. "Okay, I'll come by around three, and the others should show up at four thirty."

"Good," Jackie said. "I'm kind of nervous. It's been so long."

"You think you're nervous? Red has threatened to kick my ass for getting you pregnant all those years ago," Hyde said, and Jackie laughed out loud. "Well…. See you this afternoon."

"Yep. Bye."

"Bye." She hung up, and Paul and Ash burst out laughing.

"Oh WHAT?" she asked, and Ash just drank her orange juice with a smirk on her face. "You two had better stop laughing right now or else you're both disinvited!"

"You can't disinvite me, it's my party!" Ash stated. "No matter how reluctant I am about it!"

"Sorry Jackie, but you just got this gooey look across your face when you began talking to him," Paul said.

"I did not!" Jackie snapped.

"Yeah ya did, Mom," Ash said. " 'Hi, Steven'. And then you did this." She made a sweet and far off face, and sighed heavily.

"It's true, Jackie, you were making that face," Paul said. "The likeness is eerie." Jackie sat back down at the table, and huffed a little bit. Ash played with her fork.

"Can I invite a friend?" she asked.

"Why?" Jackie asked in return.

"Because you told me that the only other kids at this thing are nine and seven," Ash said. "And I could use the teenage support."

"…. Fine," Jackie said. "Shall I assume it will be Samuel?"

"Of course," Ash said. "I'll go call him now." She got up, and rushed from the kitchen. Paul and Jackie were left alone, and Paul gave Jackie a look.

"What?" she asked.

"You're falling again."

"Excuse me?"

"You are falling for Hyde again," Paul said. "Should I be concerned?"

"I am not!" Jackie exclaimed. "I'm just happy that he and his daughter are hitting it off. I never thought this moment would come and it has and I'm so happy."

"….. Jackie, you're acting like a high schooler again."

"You never knew me as a high schooler, how would you know?"

"I can hypothesize what you were like as a high schooler!"

"I know….. I know! And I kind of like it, but at the same time…It's just…. I don't want to be hurt again, Paul," Jackie said. "I had finally got everything together and then….. You know, I am just really stressed about today, that's all."

"I know," he said. "It will go well, I promise." She smiled, and shrugged.

Ash was on the phone and pissed.

"What do you mean you can't come over?" she asked.

"I know I've told you a hundred times that I am going to my sister's dance recital with my family TONIGHT," he said. "I know you've been distracted lately, but DAMN."

"Well who am I supposed to invite?"

"Maddie."

"She's at the cabin this weekend."

"Shelly."

"Still at Concordia Language Camp."

"…. You have no other friends, do you?"

"Hey, I'm selective and introverted!"

"Well I don't know what to tell ya, kiddo," Sam said. "So I hope that you have a good time, and-."

"You suck. Wish Mara luck."

"I will. I'll bring you back a program."

"Thanks, I think. Go get ready."

"Yes ma'am." She hung up, and tapped her hand against the wall. Who could she call?... Somehow, the name Adrian Lawson kept popping up. Ever since he'd comforted her in the hallway that day, she had thought of him differently. He wasn't necessarily the guy who was a jerk to her all the time. He was the guy who she showed her most vulnerable side to, something that few people saw. She went to her backpack, and pulled out the Workshop contact sheet, and found his number. She dialed, and waited.

"Hello?"

"Is Adrian there?"

"This is."

"…… Hi…… It's Ash….. From Workshop."

"….. Hey Leigh!" he said, obviously surprised. "Um…. What's up?"

"….. Wanna come to a barbeque thingy?"

"…….. When?"

"Today. At 4:30."

"……..Sure," he said. "I mean…. Yeah, definitely." She smiled a little bit, and closed her eyes and bit her lip. This reaction was surprising to her, but at the same time not so much. She had always shown her interest in guys through hostility, ever since she stole the toy truck from Joey Lappengaard in kindergarten.

Jackie and Paul were cleaning up when Ash came back in.

"Is Samuel coming?" Jackie asked.

"Nope."

"Maddie?"

"Nuh uh."

"Shelly?" Paul asked.

"No."

"Well who?" Jackie queried. Ash smiled a little bit.

"Adrian Lawson," she said, and skipped from the kitchen. Paul and Jackie looked at each other, and then Jackie sighed.

"That girl…" she said. "At least I'm not acting like that."

"What, tolerable?" Paul asked.

"I am just about to hit you," Jackie said, and Paul leapt up from the chair and was chased from the kitchen.

Hyde showed up a half hour before the Foremans and the Hodges were going to arrive. He knocked on the door, and Ash opened it.

"Hey," he said, and she nodded at him and opened the door fully for him. "How's it going?"

"Fine," she said. "Mom is freaking out though."

"Why?"

"Because she hasn't seen these Foreman people since before I was born, wouldn't you be nervous?"

"Nah, I'm cool," he said.

"You know you're meeting my surrogate grandparents today too, right?" she asked. He nodded. He knew it, but it was still a little nerve wracking. "Still cool?"

"Completely," he lied. "Where's your mother, I brought this bundt cake for the… whatever you would call this."

"She's in the backyard setting things up with Paul," Ash said. "….. You'll also get to meet my friend Adrian."

"Oh yeah?" he asked. "You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend."

"I DON'T," she snapped. "He's just a friend of mine from my workshop." She led him to the deck.

"Mom" she said. "Hyde's here!" He had sort of hoped that by this time she'd feel okay with calling him 'Dad', but if she was as cautious as he was in matters like this he'd have longer to wait.

Jackie stood up from the grill and smiled, unaware that she had charcoal smudged on her face. She walked up, and smiled at Hyde.

"Hi, Steven," she said. "How are you? Nervous like me?"

"Nah, not really," he said. Ash bit her lip, trying not to laugh at the dark streak on her Mom's face.

"What are you laughing at, Ash?" Jackie asked, and Hyde took his thumb and rubbed it against her cheek. Her heart leapt into her throat, and he smiled at her, showing her the black gunk. "Oh…. Great. Thanks."

"Any time," he said. Ash looked from one parent to the other, and tried not to smile too hard. While she was guarded when it came to the idea of her Mom and Dad reconnecting, it was something that she had sort of hoped for. She'd never seen her mother so happy when Hyde was around. Be it the looks they gave each other, or the way he made her blush, there was something there that explained why they always went back to each other, despite the grief they caused. Ash hoped that maybe now that they were adults they could stop with the petty squabbles and stupid reasons for hurting each other.

"I'm going to go get a radio," Ash said, and Jackie and Hyde were pulled from their moment, and both smiled at her.

"Good!" she said.

"Great!" he said at the same time. Ash rolled her eyes a little bit, and walked into the house. She went to the den, and unplugged the CD player, and was about to go back outside. When the doorbell rang. She thought perhaps it was Adrian and was happy she'd put on her make up (dark eyeliner and black nail polish) when she had. She opened the door, with her best cute smile on her face.

Instead of Adrian, it was a woman who looked to be in her sixties and her husband who looked the same. He looked like he was a perpetually crabby person, but she had a smile on her face. And when she saw Ash, she smiled even wider.

"Are you Ashleigh?" she asked, and Ash looked from her to him, back to her.

"Yes…"

"Oh my GRANDBABY!" the woman exclaimed, and threw her arms around the teenager, who almost dropped the CD player from the force and surprise.

"Kitty, give her some space!" the man said, and followed her inside. "She's going to have enough to contend with when Eric and Donna and the kids get here."

"Hello?" Ash asked, as Kitty pulled away.

"Oh sweetie, I'm Kitty and this is Red!" Kitty explained. "We were kind of like your father's adoptive parents, but not legally."

"Steven lived in our basement for years," Red said.

"Red, she looks so much like her parents!" Kitty exclaimed, grabbing her by the face and examining her. "Just look at those EYES!"

"Kitty, stop accosting her!" Red said.

"I think I should go get my Mom," Ash stated, and Kitty and Red nodded.

"Yes, go find her, I missed her so much!" Kitty exclaimed, and Red nodded. Ash walked briskly away from Kitty and Red, and stopped on the back deck. Hyde and Jackie were still talking in low tones, and she cleared her throat.

"Mom, Hyde, Kitty and Red are here," Ash said, and Jackie rushed from him and through the door.

Jackie walked into the hallway, and Kitty and Red turned. Kitty ran to her and threw her arms around her.

"JACKIE BURKHART!" she exclaimed. "OH MY GOSH I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"

"Kitty, Red!" Jackie exclaimed, and hugged them both. She didn't realize how much she'd missed the Foremans until she saw them in her hallway.

"Jackie, how could you just leave without saying goodbye?" Kitty asked. "You robbed me of my first grandbaby!"

"Kitty, let her alone," Red said, and held Jackie's cheek in his hand, one of the most affectionate things he'd ever done for, well, anyone. This reinforced Jackie's theory that she was always his favorite of Eric's friends. She threw her arms around him, smiling. She'd missed this.

"Hey Red, Kitty," Hyde said, walking into the hallway.

"Oh hello Steven!" Kitty said, chipperly.

"YOU!" Red snapped, storming to him. He pointed his finger at Hyde, who knew he was going to get it. "So now, 16 years after getting Jackie in trouble, NOW you're going to take responsibility and own up to your idiocy? It's a little late, don't you think?"

"Hey Red, come on," Hyde stated, holding up his hands. "I didn't even KNOW about Ash until-."

"You are just lucky that she turned out as lovely as she did!" Red snapped, and Ash bit her lip holding back her laughter. She could really dig this guy.

"Well thanks!" Ash said, smirking. "If you guys want to come out back we have a barbeque about to begin, and drinks and deck chairs, and-."

"And you're so polite!" Kitty exclaimed. "Jackie, you did such a good job!"

"Thanks, Kitty," Jackie said, and she and Ash looked at each other with amused glances. "Where are Donna and Eric?"

"They were behind us but probably stopped for lunch. Hungry kids make for longer trips!" Kitty said, as they all walked out to the back yard.

"Boot up your ass," Red growled at Hyde, and followed. Jackie smirked a little. It was a comfort to know that some things remained constant over the years. Hyde scratched his head, and Jackie nudged him a little bit.

"Ooh, you're in TROUBLE," she whispered, and he laughed a little bit.

"Here Ashleigh, help me with the barbeque," Red said, taking over. Ash nodded, and stood next to him. "Now I'm going to give your Mother credit where it's due. She uses charcoal. That's great."

"Yeah, we don't do the whole 'taste the meat not the heat' thing," Ash said. "We want to taste the heat. Otherwise we could just throw it in the broiler."

"Jackie!" Red called. "Your daughter is BRILLIANT!" He clapped her back, and she smiled, despite the thump he'd given her.

"Don't I know it?" Jackie called back. "Kitty, does he treat his other grandkids this way?"

"Well, he's disappointed that Freddie, that's the nine year old, doesn't like sports," Kitty said. "But what did he expect? He takes after his father. And he loves Lily, but doesn't like playing tea party with her over and over again. I think that Ash is the perfect grandchild right now."

"What about Laurie, did she have any kids?" Jackie asked.

"She married a ambulance chaser lawyer but they're divorced now," Kitty said. "We hope that she settles down with this nice chef she's been dating, but you know Laurie." She left it at that.

"Steven, come over here and help us," Red called, and Hyde nodded.

"So how are things between you and Steven?" Kitty asked as she and Jackie set out paper plates and napkins.

"Oh, they're fine," Jackie said. "It's been rocky, but it's getting better."

"So is there still a little 'spark'?" Kitty asked, the everlasting match maker.

"Oh Kitty, I don't-."

"Now I'm not going to push you into anything," Kitty said, holding up her hands. "But you and Steven always shared a very strange and deep bond. And you also share a child, who's just BEAUTIFUL by the way!"

"Thanks."

"So is there any chance of reconciliation, even after all these years?" Kitty asked. Jackie let her mouth open, but then closed it again. She really didn't know.

She didn't have to answer, though, because Donna, Eric, and their kids came around from the front.

"Jackie!" Donna called, and Jackie turned. They both began screaming in glee, and ran to each other. Ash sighed in embarrassment at how her mother was acting.

"Good God," she muttered.

"Strange, isn't it?" Red asked.

"Uh, YEAH," Ash acknowledged.

"Jackie, look at you!" Donna exclaimed, and Jackie nodded happily. "You haven't aged at all!"

"Donna, look at YOU!" Jackie exclaimed, and then Donna hit her shoulder. "Ow! What the-?"

"You think that a note is going to be a good enough goodbye?" Donna asked, and Jackie sighed. "No. No way."

"I know, I'm so sorry, Donna, but-."

"Donna, let it go," Eric said, carrying the seven year old girl. "You're both together now, don't blow it."

"Well hello, Foreman," Jackie said, and kissed his cheek. "And who is this?"

"Jackie, this is Lily," Eric said, "and the little boy peeking behind the fence is Freddie." Jackie waved at him, and he stepped out, reluctantly.

"So where is your daughter?" Donna asked, and Jackie pointed at Ash as she flipped burgers with Red and Hyde. "Wow. I mean, I knew she was fifteen, but she looks so grown up."

"You're just used to small kids, that's all," Jackie said. "Ash is almost an adult."

"She's gorgeous," Donna said. "Darn you and your great genes!"

"Donna, I missed you so much!" Jackie exclaimed, hugging her again. "I was so scared of how you would react when you saw me, and-."

"I'm just happy," Donna said, and Jackie beamed. They were good, and that made Jackie sigh in relief.

"Hey Ash, c'mere!" Jackie called. Ash looked up, and walked over to the deck. "Okay. Ash, this is Donna, my best friend in high school."

"Hey."

"Hello."

"And this is Eric, her husband," Jackie said.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"And these are their kids, Freddie and Lily."

"Hey."

"….." Neither of the kids were comfortable saying hello, so Ash just smiled at them.

"So Ash, how did you react when you found out THAT guy was your Dad?" Eric asked, pointing at Hyde, who was talking with Red.

"Oh, you know," Ash said. "Shock, anger, fear, contentment, I ran the emotional gamut."

"She uses bigger words at fifteen than I used in college," Eric said.

"Well I can tell you that he won't admit it openly, but he's totally thrilled to have met you," Donna said, and Ash smiled.

"… I think I am too," Ash stated.

"Ashleigh!" Red called. "Burgers!"

"I, I think he wants me to help with the food…"

"Don't worry about it, go ahead," Eric said. "He won't leave you alone unless you go help." She nodded, and walked to the grill.

"Holy COW, Jackie," Donna said. "She's-."

"Fantastic? I know," Jackie said. "And don't act so surprised!"

"Honestly, I thought she was going to be a complete clone of you," Eric said. "You know. Short, loud, opinionated."

"She's those things when she wants to be," Jackie said. "Though she'll always be taller than I ever was."

"Yeah, she's no dwarf," Donna said, and Jackie swatted her shoulder.

"I'm not a dwarf! You're just the 50 foot woman!" she exclaimed.

"And Ash is a happy medium between you two," Eric said, and they both glared at him. "What???" Hyde walked over, and greeted Donna and Eric.

"Hey guys," he said.

"So that's your kid," Eric said. "It's good Kelso isn't here, he'd probably comment on how hot she is."

"Lovely, aren't he and Brooke still together?" Jackie asked.

"Has that ever stopped him from looking?" Hyde asked. "I'm expecting him to just drop by one day with Betsy and try to force them to bond."

"How is Betsy?" Jackie asked. "I send her a card every year and have no idea what she's like."

"She's a Kelso," Eric and Donna both said, and Jackie groaned.

"I pity Brooke," she said.

"Brooke has the other three in her corner," Hyde stated. "All girls, by the way."

"That's hilarious!" Jackie exclaimed. "Michael the womanizer had four daughters?"

"And probably another one on the way," Donna said. "Though he's hoping for a boy this time."

"I feel bad for that kid if it IS a boy," Hyde muttered.

Paul walked through the gate with his parents. Jackie rushed over and hugged him and Debbie and Matthew.

"It's quite the party!" Debbie said. "Jackie darling, let me meet all your old friends."

"I will, Debbie, just come on over," she said.

Ash watched her family show up, and sighed. Where was Adrian? Was he going to show up at all? She was anxious, and went over to greet Debbie and Matt.

"Ash sweetie, you look so great today!" Debbie said, and then examined her make up. "Though you have a Wednesday Addams thing going on-."

"It looks lovely, Ash," Matthew said, stopping the critique.

"Thanks Matt," she said, and hugged them both. The introductions continued, and Ash realized she'd left the CD player in the house. She huffed, and trotted inside. She had a mix tape all ready to play at the get together, and couldn't wait to show it off to everyone else. She also thought it would be a good idea to get a lawn game for the little kids. She walked into the house, and there was a knocking on the door. She looked through the window, and smiled. Adrian was out there. She opened the door, and smiled. He smiled too.

"Hey Leigh. So what, are you going for the Lydia Deetz look?" he asked. "Because had I known I would have come as Beetlejuice."

"No," she said, opening the door for him to come in. "And by the way. You're such a jerk."

"Yeah, I know," he said, and she closed the door. "So where's the party?"

"Out back, but I have to go into the basement to find a yard game," she said.

"Why?"

"Little kids."

"Ah." He followed her down the steps, and she turned on the light. It was more of a make shift rec room than a basement. There was a couch, an old TV, and a bookshelf. On the other side of the room there was a door to the laundry and freezer room.

"Nice basement," he said.

"It's where me and my friends hang out when grownups are around," she said, and opened a cabinet. "Do you think that a seven and a nine year old will like wiffle ball?"

"If there's a ball involved I don't doubt it," he said, and she tossed him a wiffle ball and bat. He grinned, and she smiled too.

"So are you ready to meet the people outside?" she asked.

"I don't know."

"Oh don't worry, I don't know half of them," she stated. They walked up the steps, and she grabbed the CD player. They walked onto the porch, and she plugged in the CD player.

"Ash, who is this?" Jackie asked, knowing full well who it was.

"Mom, seriously?" she asked, and Hyde eyed Adrian. "I mean, do I have to do introductions when EVERYONE is looking?"

"Yes," she said. Ash and Adrian were the focus of the group, and she groaned.

"Okay, fine. Everybody, this is Adrian," she said. "Adrian, this is everybody. There. I did it."

"Thank you," Jackie said. "I'm her Mom, that guy right there is her Dad."

"Hey," Adrian said, shaking her hand. He shook Hyde's hand, and Hyde felt the protective vibe rise. Who was this kid, who looked to be probably almost seventeen, and why was he so interested in his daughter?

"So how old are you?" Hyde blurted out.

"Hyde!" Ash exclaimed.

"What?" Hyde asked, "It was a question!"

"Steven," Jackie hissed.

"I'm going to be seventeen in October," Adrian said.

"So you drive, I assume. Any accidents or tickets?"

"Oh for God's sake, Hyde," Ash said, and took Adrian by the hand so he could give the kids the wiffle ball and bats. Jackie swatted Hyde on the shoulder.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, and Donna just laughed at him. "Oh WHAT, Donna?"

"It's cute, that's all," Donna said.

"Hey, I know that I give any first grader who looks at Lily the wrong way the stink eye," Eric said. "And we all know how Red is about Laurie."

"Oh knock it off," Hyde said, though it was probably right on the money. He turned on the tape player Ash had brought out to get the attention off of him and on her mix tape. The first song was 'Brown Sugar' by the Stones.

"Hey, she's got great taste in music at least," he said.

"Steven, your daughter and her little boyfriend are simply precious!" Kitty said, walking to him and planting a kiss on his cheek.

"So Steven," Debbie said, walking over to him, "what do you think of Minneapolis?"

"It's great," Hyde said, as both the women began to close in on him.

"Have you met Jackie's mother?" Kitty asked Debbie.

"Once or twice," Debbie said. "Pamela is… Well, she's interesting."

"Yes… Interesting," Kitty agreed.

"I found her very charming," Matt said, and Debbie rolled her eyes.

"Because you found her very attractive," Debbie said. Matt sort of slinked off, caught.

"Oh so did my husband!" Kitty exclaimed. "She was nice enough, just…"

"A flibbertygibbet?" Debbie offered.

"I was going to say alcoholic flake," Kitty admitted.

"Well she is that too," Debbie agreed. Hyde made his way away from the older women, and Matt clapped him on the shoulder.

"Now just what are you intentions with my daughter?" he asked, and Hyde felt his stomach clench.

"…. Wha-?"

"Just kidding!" Matt exclaimed. "I bet you heard that from Jackie's Dad all the time when you were teenagers."

"Actually, her Dad was in prison when we really started dating," Hyde admitted. "So, thanks! It filled a void my soul had." Matt chuckled, and moseyed on over to the grill to see what Red was up to. Hyde eyed his daughter and Adrian, who were speaking in low tones under the tree house. Jackie stood next to him.

"Stop worrying."

"I'm not worried." She scratched his back a little, and he looked down at her. She smiled, and then walked to see what Donna was doing. Somehow he thought this barbeque was going to be QUITE interesting.