A/N – This is a bit of a filler. I don't know if I'll write much this weekend or not. My grandfather is visiting and I'm going to spend some time with him, so I might not update too much. Ambient Space Noise – I laughed out loud at that 'well fuck you, Donna' line. Thanks for that. Also, I've decided to make the spin off story focus on Chris and Callie's life in high school, and maybe we'll see a certain couple have a kid. *Wink, wink. Marla's Lost – I've read that people cut themselves because it outweighs the emotional pain they're feeling and after a while, cutting also becomes a habit for some people and it's hard for them to stop. It's like a drug to them. Thanks for the reviews, guys. Hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it's a little short and it kind of sucks. Have a good day and see ye' next time.

Disclaimer – I'm done posting disclaimers, just read the first chapters.

May 13, 2001

A month later, Jackie had found her own place to live. She just couldn't handle living with Donna any longer. Tonight was her first night at her new place, but first, she was going to the park with Eric and the kids. Donna wasn't getting along with Eric or Jackie right now, so instead of facing two of the people she was in a tuff with, she decided to only have to see one. She asked Jackie if she could come pick up Callie and take her to the park for her, as she didn't want to deal with facing Eric today.

So Jackie obliged and came by to pick up Callie and now she was walking to the park to meet up with Eric and Chris. Callie had been going on and on about Chris in the last few days, apparently she had really gotten invested in her crush on him, but she still wasn't admitting that that's what it was.

Callie was a few steps ahead of Jackie as they neared the park, a bit of a skip in her step, which made Jackie giggle. She was always so excited to see Chris.

Callie heard Jackie laugh and turned back to look at her, an eyebrow raised, "What's so funny?"

Jackie smiled and shook her head, "Nothing."

Callie gave Jackie a look, "Jackie."

Jackie held her hands up and shook her head once more, "It's nothing, it's just…" Jackie stopped for a moment to look up at Callie before she continued, "You sure are happy this morning."

Callie rolled her eyes and turned back around to continue walking down the sidewalk, "It's not like that, Jackie."

Jackie giggled again and nodded, "Okay, sure."

"Jackie," Callie warned, pointing a threatening finger in Jackie's direction.

Jackie rolled her eyes and looked down at the girl, "Come on, Callie. I know you like him, I don't know why you're hiding it."

"I like him as a friend. That's it, okay?" Callie said as she continued towards the park, which was less than a block away.

"Okay," Jackie said sarcastically, but the antagonizing continued, "But he is kind of cute, don't you think?"

"Jackie," Callie warned once again, but Jackie noticed Callie's face turn a shade of pink, "Shut up."

"You do think he's cute," Jackie smiled brightly, "That's adorable."

"It's not adorable," Callie said, her face turning a darker shade of pink, "I'm not five, I'm a teenager now. We are way past the point of 'adorable.'"

Jackie widened her eyes, but her smile never faltered, "Sorry, little miss grown up."

Callie groaned in irritation as the two girls approached the park, "You really are annoying, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm good at," Jackie smiled as she and Jackie walked into the park, seeing Eric and Chris on a bench talking.

Jackie noticed Chris was acting awfully fidgety and Eric was smiling brightly. Maybe Eric was teasing Chris as Jackie was Callie.

"There they are. Come on," Jackie said, looking down at Callie, who was looking down at her feet in embarrassment.

Jackie rolled her eyes and put a hand on Callie's back and pushed her ahead of her gently. Jackie smiled as the two approached the boys, she smiled even wider when Eric looked up at her and smiled brighter than she's seen him smile in a long time. He must be in a good mood today.

"Hey boys," Jackie said as they stopped in front of the two.

Chris looked up at the girls and then at Callie, but immediately averted eye contact as he stood, "Callie, come on, let's go."

Chris stood and went to grab Chris's hand but hesitated and in the end decided to keep his hands to himself, making Callie just follow him to their spot up on a rock where they sat. It was a great spot, sitting there. It presented a perfect clear view of the twin towers. Chris and Callie came here every weekend and sat up there and just talked for hours.

Jackie smiled and sat next to Eric on the bench, watching the two teenagers jog across to their 'special place.'

"They like each other," Jackie said, as if it were obvious, which it very much was.

Eric nodded in agreement and smiled, crossing his arms over his chest, "That's what I was just thinking."

Jackie giggled and the two watched the teens for a moment as the climbed up on the rock and stood, looking across the water at the two giant towers. Jackie then looked to Eric and nudged him in the arm playfully, "So… How've you been? Haven't seen you for a few days."

Eric looked down at his hands and shrugged, "I'm working on it."

Jackie nodded and gave him a look of sympathy. She didn't want to depress him, as he looked like he was having a good day, but she had to ask. She was worried and curious, "You haven't been making yourself be sick, have you?"

Eric furrowed his brow and a pained look made itself present across his face, "I threw up last night. After dinner."

Jackie furrowed her brow, "Did you just throw up or did you make yourself throw up?"

"The latter," Eric said, as if he were disappointed in himself.

Jackie sighed and slinked her arm through his, pushing herself closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder, "It'll get better."

Eric scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Everybody says that."

Jackie nodded, "Yeah, well everybody's not me. I know things that other don't," Jackie said as she looked up at Eric, "And I know you'll be happy someday, Eric."

Eric smiled sadly, but hopefully as he looked over at Jackie, "Thanks for the optimism, Jackie."

She smiled and squeezed his arm as she scooted closer, the two adults focusing their attention back on the teens across the park. Callie and Chris always looked so happy together. Jackie was hoping one day Callie would admit to herself that she had a thing for Chris. She was sure Eric hoped the same thing for Chris, as well.

Jackie looked up at Eric after a moment of watching the kids. She needed to keep him distracted for as long as she could, maybe it would help, even if it was just a little bit.

"Hey Eric," She said, garnering his attention. He was so pale. Probably from lack of food and sleep, he was probably feeling very sick, "I was going to take Callie to lunch after this, do you and Chris want to tag along?"

Eric furrowed his brow and shrugged, "I don't know…"

Jackie patted his arm, "Awe Eric, I asked if you wanted to tag along to be polite, you don't actually have a choice."

Eric rolled his eyes, "I'm not hungry, Jackie, but thanks anyways."

Jackie glared at Eric and jabbed him in the chest with her finger, "No Eric, you are going to put some meat on those bones. You are not healthy living this way, not with all this stress on you. That's probably why you've been having seizures more often than you should."

"But Jackie," Eric tried again, but she cut him off once more.

"No buts Eric, you're coming," Jackie said, "You don't have to eat much, just eat a little something. For me."

Eric looked her in the eye, a sad look on his face. He really didn't want to eat, every time he did, he felt sick. Of course his stomach couldn't handle much because of what he does to himself, and it would take time to let his stomach get used to food, but he really just didn't want to eat. But that look she was giving him.

Eric sighed, "Fine."

Jackie smiled, "Good."

With that, the two looked back out at the park where the two kids were standing and enjoyed the rest of their morning at the park.

0-0-0-0-0

The group left the park about forty-five minutes later and headed to a small diner in Manhattan. Eric and Jackie were sitting inside eating and talking about just random things, Jackie paying very close attention to Eric as he ate a small plate of French fries. He had eaten about ten or eleven so far, but that was good enough for a Jackie. Baby steps, she reminded herself.

Chris and Callie were standing outside the diner, having already finished eating. They were just standing in silence, neither of them really knowing what to talk about. So Callie just looked up at Chris, examining him. He had recently gotten a haircut, which he absolutely hated. He said it was too short, but Callie kind of liked it. He said he was going to grow it out again and never cut it this short again. It wasn't really that short, but he thought it was.

The sound of a skateboard rolling across the street made Callie and Chris both look up. Callie saw a teenager, probably about Chris's age rolling down the street, a video camera in his hand as he looked around the street.

"Oh no," Chris said, looking down at his feet.

Callie looked up at Chris in curiosity and then back at the boy on the skateboard as he turned the camera on Chris, "Hey look, it's Chris."

Chris kept his eyes glued to his shoes as the boy on the skateboard approached. Callie looked up at Chris, "Chris, who's that?"

"Just ignore him," Chris ordered, not looking like he was really in the mood to deal with this kid today.

"Why?" Callie asked, but her question was answered when the kid on the skateboard suddenly stopped at the curb and hopped up onto the sidewalk.

"How's it going, retard?" The kid asked, a smug smile plastered on his ignorant face.

Callie crossed her arms and glared up at the kid, "And who are you?"

The kid looked down at Callie as he switched off his camera, "I'm Casper, and who might you be?"

Callie smiled smugly and looked this kid up and down. He was about an inch taller than Chris, probably weighed less than 140 pounds. He was wearing slightly sagging brown pants and a blue baggy t-shirt and on his head over his near shoulder length brown, greasy hair was a Yankees ball cap.

"You're a Yankees fan?" Callie asked.

The kid smiled cockily and nodded, "Hell yeah. All my life," He said as he twisted the cap around it was facing the right way.

Callie shrugged, "I've always been more of a Mets fan myself."

Shots have been fired.

Callie heard a noise from behind her and turned to see Chris holding in a chuckle, a small smirk on his face.

She turned back to the boy and saw the slightly annoyed look on his face, "Man, I was really diggin' your look, too."

Callie raised an eyebrow, "My look?"

The boy smirked, "Yeah, your look. Ye' know, your figure?"

Callie's jaw dropped at that and she almost hit him, but Chris stepped in front of her and sized the other kid up, "Back off, Casper."

Casper smiled smugly and crossed his arms, "Or what, your gonna hit me? Try me, retard. I'll whip your skinny little ass."

The mouth on this kid. Callie thought.

"Get the hell out of here, Casper, if you know what's good for you," Chris snapped, pointing his finger in the direction Casper just came from.

"Man, you ain't the boss of me," Casper snapped back, the ignorant smile never leaving his face as he looked over at Callie, "You ain't with him, are ye'?"

Callie stepped over to stand beside Chris and gave the kid called Casper a look of disgust, "I am. You got a problem with that?"

Casper smiled at her, "Nah, it's just… You could do so much better. Take me for instance," Casper said as he stepped towards her a little and giving her a wink, "I could show ye' a real good time."

Both Chris and Callie took offense to that. Chris suddenly got right in Casper's face and pushed him back a little, "Leave her alone, Casper."

Casper scoffed and threw his hands up, "Ye' wanna fight, ye' freak? Hit me, come on, I dare ye'."

"You're not worth it," Chris spat angrily, "Now leave us alone."

"A'right, fine," Casper replied, finally backing off, looking over at Callie, "Ye' know where I go. Same school as Chrissy boy here, maybe I'll see ye' 'round some time?"

Callie scoffed, "Don't wait for it."

Casper nodded, but kept the smirk on his face, "You'll come running one of these days, babe. And I'll be there."

"In your dreams," Callie snapped as she grabbed Chris's hand as he continued to glare at Casper, "Come on, Chris. Let's go."

Making sure Casper was watching, Callie stood on her tip-toes and pecked Chris on the cheek, causing him to turn a deep shade of red.

Casper frowned and rolled his eyes as he threw his skateboard down and stepped on it, "Whatever. Fuck the both of ye', I've got betta' things ta' do anyway."

Callie smirked smugly and waved as Casper started back down the street away from the two friends. After he disappeared from view, Callie turned to Chris and noticed he was still red, his fingers touching his cheek where she had just kissed him.

Callie smirked, "What's wrong, Chris? Never been kissed by a girl before?"

"No, I uh, just—It—I—" Chris stuttered over his words and Callie smiled, ruffling his hair.

"You're cute, you know that?" She then turned around and went back inside the diner where Eric and Jackie were still eating, leaving Chris shocked and little love struck, on the street.

0-0-0-0-0

"I saw how you were with him today," Callie rambled on as her and Jackie stumbled up the stairs to Donna's apartment, "You love him."

Jackie rolled her eyes at Callie's constant teasing as they walked up the final flight of stairs, "I do not love him. We're just friends. Really good friends."

Callie scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sure. I know what you mean by 'really good friends.'"

Jackie blushed a little and looked down at Callie, "I could say the same thing for you and Chris."

It was Callie's turn to blush, "What? No, we've been over this. We're just friends."

Jackie smiled and crossed her arms, "Quit lying to me, Callie. I saw what happened on the street today."

Callie looked up at Jackie in alarm, "But… How?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "You weren't exactly hiding. You were standing right outside the door."

Callie blushed a little and looked down at her feet, "I only did it to get that kid to go away."

Jackie nodded, "Sure, but whether you like him or not, I know he likes you."

Callie looked back up at Jackie at that, "You think so?" Callie winced how enthusiastic that sounded.

"I knew you liked him," Jackie smiled as the girls walked down the hall Donna's apartment was down.

Callie blushed a little bit and looked down at her shoes, "Fine. Maybe I do, but this stays between me and you."

"Eric knows too," Jackie said nonchalantly.

Callie sighed and put her hands over her eyes, "This is so embarrassing."

Jackie giggled and put an arm around Callie's shoulders, "No, it's not. Everybody has a crush, and besides, you and Chris are the cutest couple ever."

Callie was bright red now, "Jackie, can we not talk about this?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "Okay, whatever. But just know this, he likes you too. A lot. Maybe you should ask him out sometime?"

Callie shrugged as they stopped in front of her door, "Maybe. And maybe you should ask Eric out, since you love him."

Callie said this as she opened her door and they were both blessed with the appearance of a very tired looking Donna, "Who loves who?"

Jackie sighed. Of course. Couldn't talk about Eric without Donna being involved in the conversation as well.

"Nobody loves nobody," Jackie said, but Callie decided to speak again, which was a bad idea.

"Jackie loves Eric," Callie said with a smile as she walked into the apartment.

"Oh," Donna sighed, looking down at her feet and crossing her arms.

Callie looked between Jackie and Donna and sensed the tension before she realized what she had just started, "Whoops."

"Callie, why don't you go to your room? Don't you have an assignment due on Monday?" Donna asked.

Callie widened her eyes and immediately dashed to her room, "Oh crap!" She cried on the way by before the room was filled with the noise of her bedroom door slamming shut.

Donna looked up at Jackie who was awkwardly standing in the doorway, wanting to leave, but she knew it wouldn't be that easy, "I should get going, I have a job interview tomorrow."

"What happened today?" Donna asked, "Is Eric doing alright?"

Jackie gazed at Donna curiously, "Yeah, he's fine. Why?"

Donna rolled her eyes and dropped her arms by her sides, "I'm not blind, Jackie. I know he's not eating."

Jackie nodded and averted Donna's gaze, "Yeah, I got him to eat a little bit today."

Donna nodded, "Good."

Then it was silent. There was always tension between the two, every time they were in a room together. Jackie really did need to get going, she had to finish unpacking so she could get to bed early so she could wake up early tomorrow morning. It's not the best idea to be cranky during a job interview.

"Donna, I really should get go—"

"What did Callie mean by all that?" Donna asked, "Do you really like Eric?"

Jackie sighed and looked down at her feet, "Donna, do we have to talk about this right now?"

Donna threw her arms up in irritation, "We have to talk about it sometime, Jackie."

Donna did have her there. They couldn't keep avoiding this forever, "I don't know, Donna. Maybe."

Donna nodded, tears in her eyes, but she tried not to release them, "I know you do."

Jackie sighed, "Okay, fine. Maybe I do! I'm sorry if you have a problem with that, but… But I can't really control my feelings, nobody can!"

Donna was staying surprisingly calm as Jackie continued, "It doesn't matter anyways, I don't think he likes me back."

Jackie was counting that moment they had the bathroom that one day a month ago, she thought that might have just been Eric taking whatever sympathy he had from somebody and just enjoying it. Those weren't his real feelings, she was sure.

But Donna disagreed, "He likes you, Jackie. He really does."

Jackie looked up at Donna, a little shocked as Donna continued, tears falling from her eyes, "I know that me and him will never get back together, he's made that clear, but I still want him to be happy. And if you make him happy, then so be it."

Jackie was shocked. She never thought Donna would accept this. She thought she'd always just deny everything that's happened, but not, she was being real mature about it now.

"Really?" Jackie asked, still not believing it.

But Donna nodded and crossed her arms, "Of course."

Jackie smiled a little bit, "Thanks, Donna."

Donna nodded and sniffled, trying not to cry. She didn't want to look like a baby in front of Jackie, "Can you just tell him that I'm really sorry if I'm the one that made him so depressed. I never wanted him to feel that way. Just tell him I'm sorry."

Jackie furrowed her brow sadly and walked over to Donna, "Donna…"

Donna let out a choked sob and finally let the tears spill freely. Jackie wrapped her arms around her friend and let her cry, "I'm sorry…"

Jackie rubbed her back and frowned, "Donna, Eric's not depressed because of you, okay? He's got a thousand other things in his life right now that stress him out, and you're not one of them."

"How do you know that?" Donna asked, her voice muffled in Jackie's shoulder.

Jackie smiled sadly and pulled away from Donna, looking up at her face, "Eric thinks fondly of you. He doesn't hate you like you think he does. He was just talking about you today, it was story about you two when you were kids."

Donna smiled sadly, "Really?"

Jackie nodded in return, "Really. He still loves you, Donna, just not in the way you want him to."

Donna nodded in understanding, "I know. Can you still tell him I'm sorry, though? I was still, as you kindly put it, a class A bitch to him."

Jackie giggled after she saw Donna smile, "Of course, just don't blame yourself."

Donna nodded, "One more thing."

"Yeah?" Jackie responded, pushing a strand of Donna's hair out of her face.

"Tell him I love him," Donna said.

Jackie nodded and smiled, "Of course."