Chapter 25 – Recollection

T7S

Hyde cleared his throat. "I just remembered something and it might be important. Do you guy recall when Leo said something about a carnival at Mount Hump?"

Kelso turned his head and added, "Midgets and dwarves!"

Fez put in his two cents, "Corn dogs!"

Eric, who hadn't been privy to the conversation at Grooves the prior Friday night, wasn't exactly sure what was going on and replied, "Guys? A carnival in winter? After New Years? I'm not sure, but I think that's a spring/summer thing."

Jackie looked across the seat. "Eric's right. Who would have a carnival unless you were NOT in a snow state? Seriously!"

Eric was warmed that someone was in his corner about this little adventure. Still, it was better than staying home and waiting for Red to find another chore for him. The old worn sign ahead for Mount Hump was off kilter, but Eric signaled for the turn before pulling into the parking lot. He turned off the ignition while Kelso and Fez spilled out of the Cruiser doors like monkeys from a barrel.

Jackie looked at Eric and shook her head sadly. "They ARE the carnival."

Hyde sighed from the back and hoisted himself from the middle seat. He grumbled, "Next time I call shotgun."

Eric smirked and whispered to Jackie, "I think I heard you call it first."

Jackie grinned and touched his arm with her mittened hand. That brought back a memory. She said, "Did we ride a Ferris Wheel?"

Eric vaguely recalled a purple balloon and dismissed it to being in the proximity of a purple loving midget. Midget! Why did that seem familiar? He looked around the park and a fresh blanket of snow made Mount Hump look cleaner and more sanitary than it actually was. He frowned. Something did happen here, but was it really that important? He could be home helping his mom.

"Guys?" Eric opened his car door and could feel the warmth leaching out. "You can go exploring…I'm gonna wait it out in the car." To Jackie he added, "Where I don't freeze my ass off."

She laughed and opened the passenger door, "I like how you're thinking and this guarantees my shotgun ride home!"

Mumbles of "Whatever!" or "Scooby Doo wouldn't sit in the car!" were like whispers on the wind which Eric ignored as he sat in the remaining warmth of his car. It was sort of ironic that of the group, Jackie chose to stay with him and not go investigating with Hyde. He almost said something but then she turned her head and smiled at him.

"Eric, what do you really think happened last weekend?"

He loved the smell of honeysuckle and vanilla that scented the car. Why didn't he notice it before? Maybe because the backseat smelled like Kelso sweat and Fez's candy! His voice squeaked a bit as he answered, "I - I'm not sure. I think all of us did do something as a group but you know what?"

Jackie's eyes glittered with amusement. "What Eric?"

Damn! That girl can turn on the charm! He cleared his throat. "I think I don't care. I mean, nobody died, my car still runs and mom's almost back to normal." Really, he was home from Africa, had a job and Red wasn't really a spider. Hey! Where did that come from?

Jackie was tapping her chin while lost in thought. Eric made some good points and ever since last weekend she had some minor successes. She had a great interview - some yearned for boots were half-price and that pending zit never appeared. All in all, it was a great week! She glanced over and Eric's hands were gripping the steering wheel. He had big hands. I'll bet they cover a lot of territory.

Jackie froze. What the hell was she thinking? Was she interested in Eric Forman? Nah….couldn't be. He wasn't even her type! He wasn't man-pretty like Michael or handsome scruffy like Steven. But he was nice. He could be trusted. He could even be thoughtful.

Eric turned sideways and grinned at her goofily and she felt this warm twist of something in her stomach. Jackie frowned, "Why are you looking at me?"

He laughed, "You were checking me out." (He hoped)

"Was not!" (Was she?)

"Well, you were staring….at my hands." (Was there something wrong with his hands?)

Jackie could feel her cheeks getting warm and she gushed, "Okay, maybe I was noticing that you came back from Africa with a little bit of a tan. I mean your hands aren't corpse white anymore okay?"

"Okay…although I was always a nude color and not corpse white as you call it." He half smirked. "Why were you looking at my hands and not my handsome face?"

Oops! No quick quip for that question. Jackie stammered. "Don't….you….who told you that you were handsome?"

Eric couldn't help but grin. "You just did. The old Jackie would have had something snarky to say but this Jackie is a lot nicer."

She folded her hands over her chest. "Maybe this Eric is nicer than the Eric that went to Africa."

He held up one pointed finger and declared, "Aha! So it is true. Jacqueline Beulah Burkhart likes Eric Albert Forman."

She snorted but the insult only gave way to utter amusement. "Don't call me Beulah….Albert."

Eric laughed and gave a sympathetic "Aww….poor Beulah….at least I have a famous alternate last name." Eric dared to continue this dangerous middle name game. "Einstein."

Her eyes glittered. "Bride."

He choked. "You have to be kidding me."

Lifting her head for just a bit of arrogance, Jackie replied, "Nope….check your ancient Bible my friend. Romance is my middle name and trust me, you are no Einstein!"

Lifting a brow, Eric ventured, "So….I'm your friend?"

"What?"

"You said, check your ancient Bible my friend and I'm putting a heavy emphasis on friend." Eric fake punched her arm and added, "Trust me; I can use all the friends I got."

Jackie paused to think about it. Eric Forman as a friend? They were mortal enemies…well at least to the general population and the basement gang. And there was the fact that since Donna was gone she didn't have many friends either. Steven didn't really want her, Fez kicked her out and Michael, god love him, was just a big grown up kid. She scrutinized Eric's face just to make sure he wasn't building her up for some elaborate burn, but realized he seemed truthful.

"Okay...maybe we can be friends because I'm sort of renting your sister's bedroom until I get enough money to get my own place." Jackie admitted.

Eric replied with, "Maybe we can be friends because you almost killed my mother and she likes having a girl in the house and I don't really think you're the devil like I used to."

Her eyes bugged, "I didn't try to kill your mother! Jeez, you won't let that go will you!"

Eric laughed and reached out to give her a brunette head noogie. "I'm just messing with you Beulah."

Irritably, she brushed away his hand and replied, "Fine. Just. Don't. Touch. The. Hair. "

Eric froze. Another waft of a memory tickled the back of his brain. "…Don't. Even. Say. It.""GOD Eric! You are such a hard ass!" There was something weird about being at Mount Hump and he didn't like it. Eric turned on the ignition and the engine roared to life. He didn't like these weird thoughts going in and out of his brain.

"Eric! What are you doing?"

He didn't want to confessed that he felt a bit unnerved so Eric grinned and replied, "Well, for starters, I want to run the heater and secondly, we're going to play a little Hyde and Seek with the guys. Let's go park down there at the end of the lot and see if they notice that we moved the car. They're probably having circle time anyways..."

Jackie had to admit it was getting colder so she cranked the vent to HIGH and smiled, "Let's do this!"

He grinned in return, "Thanks friend."

She smiled. "Any time friend."

T7S

Fez and Kelso skidded sideways trying to open the back passenger door of the Vista Cruiser. Hyde pounded on the window. "Open up Forman, it's colder than a witches' tit out here!"

Eric glanced at Jacked and laughed, "Looks like Scooby Doo and Scooby Dumber just figured out we moved the car. He reached behind him and lifted the latch while Hyde slid in grumbling, "What's the deal with moving the car man!"

Jackie looked over the back seat. "I was cold so we drove around to use the heater. Can you unlock the door for Fez and Michael?"

Hyde looked over the tops of his shades and replied, "No."

Eric turned, "Why not?"

Hyde shrugged, "Cuz one of those dumbasses step in a pile of something that is going to stink up the car. Tell them they have to go home barefoot."

Both Jackie and Eric laughed and Eric replied, "Have them tie their shoes to the roof and I'll give them a ride back."

It was 55 miles an hour with a worn pair of Keds were flapping over the luggage rails while a nicer pair of wet, smelly Italian loafers slapped the roof of the cruiser. Kelso and Fez were in a quiet contest of who had the sharpest and /or longest toe nails. Eric could tell Hyde was irritated by the backseat funfest and dared to ask, "So, what did you find out there?"

Hyde crossed his arms over his chest, "Nothing man, if there WAS something here, it's like it was erased. I couldn't even find a trash can. Would you believe Mount Hump was cleaner than usual? What a waste of time!"

Jackie smiled thoughtfully, "Actually it wasn't Steven. We got out of the house, had a non-adventure and no one got hurt….which reminds me that it's the weekend so you need to stop by and visit Mrs. Forman."

Hyde's eyes got big. "I do!"

Fez sniggered and Kelso bit back a laugh. Hyde glared "What are Twiddle Dum and Twiddle Dee laughing at?"

Fez bit his lip, "We already got her flowers."

Hyde glared, "Yeah? Well, I'm getting her….I'm going to…I got nothing...dammit."

Eric looked in the rear view mirror, "Why don't you ask her for decorating pointers on your new studio apartment?"

Hyde thought about Red's ugly pea green chair and shuddered, "Maybe I can ask her advice about pots and pans…not like I'll really be cooking much since I live over Point Place Pizza Palooza."

Kelso's head swiveled around so fast it was a wonder he didn't get whiplash. "You live over a pizza place and DIDN'T tell us? What kind of friend are you anyways – sheesh!"

Eric laughed and found Jackie chuckling quietly across the seat. Seemed like a world away when Donna used to find the same things funny. Funny how Donna grew up and away. He smiled and turned onto the highway heading back to Point Place.

T7S

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