Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Author's note: I'm glad that readers have been enjoying this story. I will say that there are some difficulties in writing a story like this. The biggest one is how do you bring together two characters like this despite what can clearly be a lack of romance or lack of anything substantial between the two. Secondly, there's the issue of making this story not too dramatic but not cheesy. As someone said to me and many others, "Relationships are messy." And for Eric and Jackie, that's what their relationships devolved into, big messes that weren't cleaned up. So now the hard part is keeping it real, because happy endings are not what they seem to be. That said, everyone enjoy.

Point Place, Wisconsin

The next day...

Jackie sat in front of her vanity mirror as she wondered what make-up she could apply. However, she found that the need for make-up was no longer there. She thought back to the day when Kelso came over to comfort her and was freaked out when she was seen without her make-up. She found herself disappointed more than she was upset. She had been willing to compromise on her looks where the guy who was the love of her life was concerned.

The only daughter of Jack and Pam Burkhart realized that she was used to having to live up to the standards of her upbringing. But at the moment, she didn't care. The young girl got dressed in a simple shirt and blue jeans before she departed her house.

Forman Basement

Eric sat in the basement with Hyde as they were watching an episode of Scooby-Doo. The two young men didn't feel like saying much. Eric was still in his own shock from knowing that the girl he loved left him. Hyde however was unsure what he could say to pull his friend out of his funk. This was usually his time to say something with his usual snark, but he was at a loss for words.

"You ever wonder if Fred will confess his love for Daphne?" Eric said, breaking the silence. "I mean the tension is all there, so...where else can it go?"

Hyde turned over to his friend ready to reply when Jackie came into the basement. "Hey Princess. What brings you here to the slums?"

Jackie would've given him a look of contempt, but she felt the gesture was pointless. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Well, Forman here was questioning the love that the brawny blonde guy had for the saucy redhead girl," Hyde said with a smug smile. Jackie looked at the television screen and then looked at Eric, noting the faraway look in his eyes. Jackie looked at him in concern when she asked, "Are you okay Eric?"

Hyde's faced scrunched in confusion as he never really knew Jackie to worry about him. Eric looked to the rich girl with as straight a face as he could make. "Yeah. I"m cool. Super cool. Cooler than a cucumber."

Jackie simply smiled at his response. She could tell that he was trying to deal but didn't want his friends to worry. Most of the people she considered her true friends wouldn't have guessed that she would genuinely care for someone through all the insults and snide remarks. But Eric had seen her vulnerable more than once, despite their turbulent relationship. So when he have his response, she could sense that he was trying his best to work through the emotional storm.

"So what are you guys gonna do today?" Hyde asked them.

"I dunno. Scooby Doo seems pretty set in stone today," Eric replied. But then he heard, "We'll be right with Scooby Doo after these messages."

Eric looked and felt annoyed as he followed up, "Screw it, I'm going to the Hub. You guys wanna join?"

Hyde and Jackie nodded in agreement and the three left the basement.

The Hub

The three sat in the local restaurant/hangout as they waited for Fez to show up. Hyde had ordered abut and fries with a milkshake while Eric and Jackie sat there in contemplative silence. Hyde studied the two wondering how best to defuse the tense situation.

"Jackie, I think this is the longest I've ever heard you go without talking," the curly haired young man said.

"Shut up Hyde," Eric shot back.

Hyde didn't let it show behind his sunglasses and with part of his hair covering his face. But he was certainly surprised that one of his oldest friends would come to the defense of the younger rich girl. He'd seen when she had been vulnerable but also when she was becoming what he considered weird for her, such as trying to win his affection or trying to get back with Kelso. Thinking back on it, he realized that maybe he should've made more of an attempt at getting know the real Jackie Burthart, instead of always stopping where the surface starts.

"It's alright Eric. He's not bothering me," Jackie said. She could see that Eric was trying to be as good a friend as possible.

Despite the mounting tensions from last year, she could say that Eric could be counted on. It was something that couldn't be entirely said for Kelso, and Hyde likely wouldn't care much about her anymore than he already does.

"Come on guys, I'm just kidding," Hyde tried to reply. Eric however wouldn't give him a chance. "No Hyde, just...not today alright. We just want a normal day."

Eric suddenly felt himself being overwhelmed with emotion and left the table for the restroom. Meanwhile, Jackie just stared at Hyde. "Oh, what? I'm just trying to snap him out of his funk, you know."

"Hyde, not everyone deals with things the same you do. Eric and I aren't you," Jackie said.

Hyde looked at the rich girl with a mild glare at her admonition. "And sulking about it is just the answer to all your problems. Come on Jackie, the last time you and Kelso broke up, you were practically tail-spinning! And then he somehow won you back and when he acted like the same moron he always was, you went to Fez. And THEN you cheat on him! Face it Jackie! You and him being together is just bad all around!"

Jackie wanted to snap off something vicious back at the normally laid back teenager. But Jackie found that she didn't have the strength to even come back at him. Instead, she simply stood and went to the girls' room. Hyde immediately felt bad that he dealt the younger girl a low blow given that she had always taken her issues with Kelso very hard. A few seconds after JAckie got up, Fez walked in with a smile before he looked around. "What did I miss?"

Inside the restroom, Jackie found herself trying not to let the tears fall. She was angry and sad about what Hyde said. And she realized that what he said was true. She often wondered if she was behaving the same way her mother was when she married her dad. She didn't want to end up that way.

Back at the table, Hyde finished explaining in his own way how Jackie 'overreacted' to his statement to Eric when he came back. But the lanky teen shook his head. Hyde looked to Eric and asked, "What's up with you Forman?"

"I dunno Hyde. Maybe you dumping on her after she broke up with Kelso, for good, isn't helping anything! Don't you have any damn sympathy?" Eric nearly yelled.

Hyde looked at Eric funny. "Since when do you care about Jackie? This is the same girl you called the Devil. Not to mention the girl who always has to think your not being rich makes you a little shit! And let's not forget how she's always wanted Donna to dump your ass!"

"Well maybe I can understand her situation," Eric said softly. Hyde thought about the situation and realized what Eric meant. Hyde simply glanced down and felt bad without the need to make light of the situation.

Jackie looked in the mirror of the restroom while she counted to ten. She found that she could only get to eight before she looked away. Without Michael, she felt as though she didn't mean as much to anyone. She felt Donna was likely feeling better without her around. She wouldn't have been surprised if her ex found another girl to do it with him. Fez would likely try to find another girl to hump unless he failed and Hyde just wouldn't care. Eric was the only one who would understand...but she didn't want to burden him.

Eric looked down at the table as he looked at his reflection. He had always disliked his skinny frame and couldn't blame anyone for thinking him weak. He often wondered how Donna ever said yes to being his girlfriend, let alone wanting to sleep with him. His friends always made the joke how he was out of her league. Maybe he was, or maybe it didn't really matter. Maybe...they were just doomed from the beginning. Eric lost focus as it seemed as though his reflection was speaking to him.

'You think you deserved her?' his reflection said to him. 'She deserved better than you. You were a dumbass to her. Maybe Casey wasn't the best guy, but someone like Hyde would've gone been better for her. But you were too stupid to see it. No girl wants to date a skinny loser like you.'

Eric wanted so badly to throw his fast at his reflection in the glass but thought better of it. He wasn't sure he wanted to respond in case someone entered as he spoke. Instead, the young man simply walked away.

Eric and Jackie returned and Eric spoke up," You guys just wanna take this food home? I don't think i feel like eating here very much."

Jackie simply nodded while Hyde looked at his friend and the rich girl as they got their food and went to get bags. The rebel shook his head and followed them out to the Cruiser.

Forman Household

The three teens were back in the basement with Fez having arrived not long after they returned. Scooby-Doo returned to playing and the group of four simply watched. Fez looked at his friends and noticed the tension filling the room and wanted to say something. The second Fez opened his mouth, Hyde spoke up, "Leave it."

Fez immediately closed his mouth as he knew Hyde understood these situations better than he did. Jackie and Eric looked to their foreign friend but neither said anything.

"Eric!" Red called from the stairs. The Forman son turned to see his father. "Can you come up here for a minute son? I need to talk to you."

"Oh great," Eric said as he stood up and made his way to the stairs.

When he reached the kitchen, Eric looked at his dad sitting at the table. Unlike their previous "talks", Red appeared uncertain. Eric cautiously approached the table. "What's up Dad?"

"Sit down Eric," the father said. Eric complied and faced Red as he wondered what could be on the patriarch's mind. "How are you doing?"

Eric looked surprised as he tried to formulate the words. "I'm okay, I guess. I can't complain much. but something will make me do it."

"Okay," Red said as he nodded. "Now how are you really doing?"

Eric was slightly taken aback by Red's follow-up question. He wanted to dodge the question and make some joke or comment but found he just didn't have it in him at the moment. Eric let out a breath. "I'm trying Dad. I'm trying not to think about it, but there's just too much history to really try to go forward. I mean...how do I just move on from the girl I knew and loved for so long?"

Red felt for his son. Despite what most people thought, Red could be very sympathetic. But he did not want anyone to push him around and so he hoped to toughen up his son for the same. However, seeing the pain his only boy was in caused Red to rethink how he approached his son the night Donna left.

"You know, I can understand how you feel. You remember the talk we had after the break up?" Eric nodded. "Here's the thing: when that girl dumped me, I was a mess. It's hard trying to get over someone who means a lot to you. But if I lost your mother...I don't know what I'd do. But son, you're still young. I won't say there's plenty of fish in the sea or some other crap like. But I will say that you should just do...whatever it is you young people do."

Eric stared at Red almost in disbelief. The young man nodded. "Thanks Dad."

Red smiled, "Yeah well..."

Red got up and patted his son on the shoulder before he began to leave the kitchen. "Oh...if you ever see Kettlehead again, tell him his folks are looking for him and that his parents should put their foot in his ass!"

Eric smiled and chuckled as his father left the kitchen. As Eric thought on the advice, he realized that he couldn't mope as he did when the break-up happened. Eric left the kitchen and went back down to the basement.

A few hours later...

Fez left sometime earlier in the afternoon and Hyde didn't want to be stuck with the former lovebirds. So it was Eric and Jackie in the Vista Cruiser as Eric drove the girl home. Eric wondered what Jackie was thinking as he drove toward her home.

"Hey Eric...what did your dad say?" Jackie said. Eric briefly glanced at her at hearing the question. "He just said that I should just keep doing what I do. I guess, he doesn't want me to mope. I should find something that takes it off my mind."

"That sounds nice. But I don't know what I would do. All of my time was spent thinking of or being with Michael. I had cheerleading but...I don't really like a lot of those girls. They're just so shallow."

Eric raised an eyebrow and smirked. He figured Jackie was psychic like Professor X as she seemed to know what he was thinking. "Oh shut it, Skinny."

Eric laughed, which was shared with Jackie, as they continued their ride. Jackie asked, "Eric, why don't we hang out tomorrow? We can go to a movie, hang out at Fatso Burger after, and just...hang out."

"I don't see why not. I'll just let Hyde and Fez-"

"Uh no Eric. Just us. Look, I know we haven't always been so friendly to each other. And a large part of that is because of how I've treated you and everyone else. But I know I've always been able to trust you. And I think it's time we got to know each other better. So what do you say?"

Eric would've jumped out of his skin if not for the fact that he believed her to be right. He knew there was more to Jackie Burkhart than most believed. And he could admit that he had grown tired of the animosity that used to be between them. why not take a chance to know her better?

"We can do that. I'll pick you up at around noon," Eric said with a smile as he pulled up to the Burkhart residence. Jackie smiled widely and declared, "It's a date!"

As Eric stopped the car, Jackie gave him a hug before he got out of the Cruiser. Eric waited until he saw that she stepped into her home before he departed.

From the Water tower, two figures watched on with smiles as they witnessed the exchange between Eric and Jackie.

"It's going well," the male said.

"Very much. I can't wait to see where this goes," said the woman.

A gust of wind carrying leaves blew past them, and in an instant, they were gone.

Author's note: I've gotten a lot of attention for this story and I'm glad people are taking an interest. In the first author's note, I mentioned that happy endings are not what they seem. Here's what I mean: most stories with happy endings will have you believing that in real life, the happy ending is the end all of relationships, but that's not true. Relationships, when established, does require a measure of work to maintain. Some people do not fit entirely well and that's okay. The thing to remember is when the relationship is both stable and both people are on the same page. That said, I hope this story so far has shed some light on some insight on situations similar to Eric and Jackie. Remember, this story is meant to teach, and what you take from it is what you get. Until next chapter everyone!