Chapter Three

It wsas nearly 3am when the party finally ended. While Eric helped Brooke get Kelso into the back seat of their vehicle, Jackie had managed to get a cab to come to the Forman residence to take a very drunk and half nude Fez back to his apartment. After Red had hustled a very drunk Kitty upstairs to bed with help from Eric, the Forman patriarch had come back down to bid farewell to his son and adpoted daughter.

"Son, I don't often say this, but thanks for tonight." Red Forman was not the sentimental type, but he did have his moments. "It's been great seeing you. Try to come home more often. Your mother worries."

Eric smiled. It had always been his father's way to not come right out and say what he really meant. It was, however, one of the things that he loved about his dad. "Will do, dad," Eric said with a smile as he shook his dad's hand.

Looking at Jackie, Red smiled one of his rare smiles and told the gorgeous short woman standing in front of him, "Jackie, as always it's a pleasure. Kitty loves seeing you and we look forward to having you over for dinner soon."

"My pleasure, Mr Forman," Jackie said, reaching up and placing a kiss on Red's cheek. This time, Red's response was to place a kiss on Jackie's forehead.

"Drive safe, you two." Eric and Jackie left the house to allow Red to lock up and walked over to where his Mustang sat. Opening the door for Jackie, Eric said, "Your chariot awaits, milady."

Giggling as she got in, Jackie buckled up as Eric got in the driver's seat and started the engine. As Eric drove the the Mustang out of his parents' driveway, Jackie couldn't help but think of how much more handsomer Eric Forman had gotten since their teenage years. It was the kiss that had done it. One moment of craziness had completely upended her entire world and, for once, she was looking foward to it.

"So, which way is home, Jackie?" Eric wanted to know, bringing this gorgeous wom an sitting next to him back to the present.

"Ummm, when we get near to the centre of the city, I'll be able to direct you from there," she told him. Nodding, Eric turned on the radio, gunned the engine and started the short drive to Kenosha.

Twenty minutes later, following Jackie's directions, Eric drove the Mustang into the carpark where her studio apartment was located. Pulling into a spot near where her reserved bay was, Eric got out and went to help Jackie out of the car.

Neither of them had said much on the drive into Kenosha, both of them enjoying the vibration of the engine as Eric put the Mustang through its paces. He was even able to let rip on the short highway that seperated Point Place and Kenosha and really put the Mustang through its paces. Jackie had really enjoyed that, letting out a scream of joy that he had sensed she hadn't let out for quite some time.

As Eric helped her out of the car, Jackie knew that her days of drinking copious amounts of alcohol were soon going to be long behind her. Trying not to stagger as she placed her feet on terra firma, Jackie leaned on Eric for support. Gripping his arm, she was again surprised at how strong he actually was. It was another reminder that the boy she'd known in the Seventies was long gone and had been replaced with a tall, gorgeous stranger who had definitely filled out in all the right places.

Realising that Jackie wasn't going to make it all the way up to her apartment of her own accord, Eric grabbed her purse and her keys and then proceeded to pick her up and carry her to the front door of the building. Jackie let out a shreik as she suddenly found herself being rescued by someone she never actually expected to be able to do so.

She quickly found herself liking it far more than she expected as Eric carried her to the front door of her building. Pressing the buzzer to alert the night manager that someone needed to be let in, the door was opened by a young girl no older than 20 years of age. Smiling at her as she opened the door, the young woman reminded Eric of what he had once been like many years ago. Flashing her a smile, he said, "Hi, I was wondering if you could let us in and tell me what floor Ms. Burkhart's apartment is on so I can take her there."

The young woman eyed Eric quite critically. "I'm sorry, sir, but the policy as set out by the tenant's association states that only residents of the building are allowed in unless the tenant personally signs them in and it doesn't look like Ms. Burkhart is sober enough for her to tell me that herself."

Eric was surprised by the gumption of the young woman, but also recognized that she was only trying to do the right thing. Just then, he noticed that she had a book tucked in under her arm. Immediately recognizing the title, Eric smiled again. "What if Ms. Burkhart was to come and do that first thing when she wakes up and I'll be more than happy to give you my signature now? Say, on the inside cover of that book you're reading?"

Blinking, she took the book out from under her arm and looked at it. 'Death By Starlight' by E. A. Forman was his latest novel and had quickly sold out in nearly all major bookstores. A copy had been hard to find, but her father had managed to secure a copy from someone who knew the author quite well.

Suddenly, she turned the book over and looked at the picture of said author and then looked at the man holding Ms. Burkhart. It then dawned on her as to who it was that was actually standing in front of her. She gasped and felt like a complete fool. Opening the door, she let Eric walk in with Jackie then closed the door behind them.

As Eric put Jackie down on a nearby chair, he turned to the young woman who had found a pen so that Eric could sign the book for her. "So," he said, "who do I make this out to?"

The young woman blushed. "I'm called Faith."

Grinning, Eric said, "Well, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Faith. I'm guessing you're at college." Faith could only nod, more than a little starstruck by the fact that she was meeting one of her favourite authors. "What are you studying?" he asked.

It took Faith a moment to find her tongue to answer. "Um, medicine. I'm hoping to become a doctor."

Eric smiled again as he finished autographing the book and gave it back to her. "My mother's just retired from nursing after just over thirty years, Faith. I hope you succeed." Picking up Jackie again, Eric asked, "Which way to Ms. Burkhart's apartment?"

"Take the elevator to the top floor, Mr Forman. Her door is the one at the end of the corridor," Faith answered, still spinning out from the fact that she had just met her all-time favourite author and he had autographed her copy of his novel for her!

"Thank you, Faith, it's been a pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your night." Once Eric and Jackie were safely on their way up to the apartment, Faith went back to her station and opened the front of the book to see what E.A. Forman had written.

'To Faith, best wishes in all your future endeavours. May the stars guide you on your journey through life and beyond. Sincerely yours, E.A. Forman." Touched by what he had written, Faith settled into the chair to keep reading her book as she thought of ways to tell her family and friends that she had met E. !

As they rode the elevator up, Jackie murmured, "That was an incredibly nice thing you did, Eric." Eric looked down at the gorgeous woman he ws carrying in his arms.

"Really?" Eric shrugged. "I actually thought she wasn't going to let us in until I noticed that she had my book tucked under her arm. Thought a little bribery would do the trick and it paid off. On the plus side of things, she was only trying to do her job. Can't blame her for that."

"You're a good man, Eric Forman. Don't ever forget that," Jackie whispered as she snuggled in as close as she could. The elevetor reached the top floor and Eric got off with Jackie nearly asleep in his arms. Walking to the end of the hallway, Eric managed to retreive the keys to Jackie's apartment from her purse just as he got to the door. Unlocking the door, Eric managed to locate the light switch with his free hand as he carried Jackie inside before kicking the door closed with his foot.

Navigating his way through the myriad stacks of boxes, Eric found his way to the bedroom and was glad to see that there was at least one place in the apartment that wasn't completely cluttered up. Gently placing Jackie on the bed, Eric kissed her on her brow as she settled in and left the delicate spitfire covered up to find the clear spot on the couch he had seen when they'd entered the apartment.

He quickly found the spot once more and sat down on it to make sure he wouldn't be too uncomfortable. Satisfied that he would able to go to sleep, Eric kicked off his shoes, took off his shirt to use as a pillow, laid his head down and proceeded to fall asleep almost straight away, dreaming of the electric kiss and the pint size terror who had caused him to have feelings he had never known he could feel about anyone.