Chapter 1

Forbidden Kiss

Later in the Saga 

       He put his arm around her as they sat on the sofa, seemingly innocent to watch TV, he never gave much thought to romance and anything having to do with matters of the heart.   She was cute and didn't realize she didn't need to have low self-esteem.  She assumed no one wanted her because of her situation but that was not true.  He let a small smile escape from his soul and went towards her, she wasn't sure what came next.  Well, she knew what came next, but didn't experience it herself.  He gently put his lips to hers it was her first kiss.  She never thought the moment would come.  She's known him for so long she knew it to be true.  He put his hands on her shoulders and brought her close again for another kiss, he wasn't sure how to do the tongue thing, and he didn't want to frighten her with such a forward move, so he skipped that.  He unbuttoned her blouse and she with shaky hands unbuttoned his vintage shirt.  He got up and made sure she was in the right position, he asked her, if everything was all right and she nodded. He kicked off his sneakers and helped her take off her shoes.  He carefully got on top of her; they were just experimenting with positions to try.  He wasn't ready to 'Do It' yet. 

She put his hands through his loose brown wavy hair.  He liked her, he really liked her.  She couldn't believe it, because she always thought she was repulsive.  She had a crush on him for years, wondering when he'd notice.  He

was never condescending or patronizing, he accepted HER for HER; he always did, even when they were little kids.  Her shirt was on the floor and he was nervous when he saw her tiny white bra with the pink rose in the center.  She let her hands explore his chest, as she lay upright.  It was slightly hairy in the center and he had the trail that led to---she blushed.  She maneuvered his hand to the back of her bra to undo the snap in the back.  He couldn't believe he was staring at her naked breasts, he was so afraid of her hurting her that he moved slower than he normally would have.  She pushed his head down into her bosom with all the strength she had.  He kissed each one it gave her small pleasure.  It had to be all about foreplay for her, if they did 'Do It' it would physically be for his benefit only.  He looked at her and they both smiled, not wanting to stop.  Should they go all the way? Or should they go back to watching TV?  Could they just continue doing everything but 'The Act'?  He accidentally knocked her glasses off and they laughed.  He got up and got them off the floor and put them back on for her.  She told him to continue what he was doing before.  She grabbed his silver belt buckle and he pulled away.  Was she sure?  They were only going to fool around and even that came by surprise.  He put himself closer to her so she could unbuckle his belt, he could feel excitement as he slid out of his jeans.  He helped her get out of her jeans.   Were they going to 'Do It'?  Then it seemed foolish to be afraid of a little French kissing!  She wondered if he loved her?  LOVED HER?  Not like a sister but REAL LOVE?  She wasn't going to ask.   He kissed her stomach going up almost not hearing the door slam.  'F***' he thought. 

"GET OFF MY DAUGHTER!" 

Changing to Hunter's POV

"Mr. F-" I start to nervously say, "Eric—"

"Daddy!"

Then of course Donna had to come in now I know what Tiffany meant by Sgt. Donna she was going to explode.  Was it because we were teenagers or because Megan lives in a wheelchair?  I wasn't about to ask as I zipped up my jeans.  Mom is going to freak out—Will Dad? 

"What do you two THINK you are doing?"  Donna asked

"Mommy!"  Megan cried, I covered her with a blanket, she'd be too nervous to get dressed.

"Donna, did you find Eric---?"  Mom's voice trails off as I jump from the sofa buttoning my shirt.

"Are you going to punish me?"  I stupidly ask, looking up at my Father in the doorway.  He was always the no-nonsense one, surely he'd understand—he GOT things, he wouldn't scream like the rest.

"Hunter, get in the car." 

What?  Okay, he didn't scream, but he had the non-accepting attitude like Mom, Donna, and Eric.   I kiss Megan on the cheek and whisper to her that it'll be all right.  I wasn't going to give them the fight they wanted.  Eric gave me a piercing look, Donna had her "Men are pigs" face on, and Mom pulled on my sleeve as Dad walked in front.  I could hear her crying as we left.  How dare they treat us like strangers?

Changing to Megan's POV

     They went in a corner and I don't know why because I turned my hearing aid off, so I don't have to hear them.   They've known Hunter since he was born, why are they treating him like a stranger who violated me?  Mom and Dad know the tricks because they came back and Mom put my hearing aid back on. 

"Why so you could yell at me?  I didn't do anything wrong!  You two DIDN'T wait."

"It was just wrong."  Dad said

"Why?"  I tried not to cry but my glasses had droplets on them.

"Because NICE teenage girls don't have sex on the living room sofa."   Mom said

"Or do you mean NICE handicapped girls don't have sex on the living room sofa? —And we didn't."

I just let them yell at me; even sweet Daddy had the veins pop on his head. He's never yelled much at me and most of it came tonight.  Why are they yelling?  My parents did dope in this very room, every one of them had premarital sex, and they are trying to tell us what to do?  No way.  I give them a hushed sorry, pretend to accept my grounding and wait for them to go upstairs to their room to talk about me some more before I get dressed and go downstairs to my room.  They never realized I was happy.  And I thought they wanted me to be?

Hunter's POV

     My god.  Mom won't shut up.  I got my grounding and lecture.  I could hear them through my closed door.  The blue pencil broke when I pressed too hard on the paper.   Dad surprised me.  Why is he against this?  I'm glad Hannah's not here and Tiffany's in her NYC penthouse because I don't need to be bugged.  I need something to drink and walk to the kitchen as Mom remembers her "baby boy".  They said we were going back to Pennsylvania tomorrow.  I bet she's crying herself to sleep.  They forgot to take my phone away—it was vibrating in my pocket. 

"Hello?"  I talked quietly into the receiver, grabbing a can of soda out of the fridge

"How bad was your yelling?"

"The same as yours probably.  I'm grounded."

"So am I."

"Megan—we're going back to Pennsylvania tomorrow."

"No, you're not, Hunter."   It sounded like she had a plan.

"We can't runaway."

"Running away is when you don't have a place to go, and we have a place to go."

"Where?"  I ask

She told me—they'd yell at us more and ground us more.  She asked me if I had regrets.  I don't.  She's a beautiful girl. 

"So, let's go, Hunter?  I want us to finish what we started, you were good."

I blushed.  "Thanks.  Um—How about I sneak over at midnight?  Leave your backdoor open."

"Okay. L—" She wanted to say it.  Hell, I wanted her to say it.  I felt the same way, too.

Megan's POV

         I sit on the bed my stomach more nervous then when we were in our compromised position.  I was afraid they'd hear my squeaky wheel.  Hunter Hyde aged sixteen quietly walks into my room and kisses me on the lips, soft and sweet.  I explain to him, how are we going to get out of the house?  They'll hear my wheelchair. 

"I could try and carry you."

I smiled, "I'm too big."

"Then we'll just have to get Donna and Eric out of the house."

"How?"

"I don't know---I'm thinking, Megan."

"Call Hannah, she can call Mommy and Daddy."

"I think I can work with that."   Hannah was at her sports camp.  She had no idea how I felt for her brother.  I don't know how accepting she'd be over it.

Hunter took his phone out of his pocket to call his sister.  After this she may not want to be my best friend anymore.  He went in my bathroom so he could talk without risk of my parents catching him down here. 

I don't know if he loves me in THAT way that every woman dreams of.  But I, Megan Lynne Forman love Hunter Daniel Hyde.

      Donna's POV

         That little witch.  Sorry to be so blunt, she's my daughter and I love her, but now she crossed a line with me.  Her and Hunter don't realize the havoc they caused making us think something happened to Jackie.  Not after we had to bury our parents in a space of two years.  It's not that I don't like Hunter.  Before this he was always a good kid, he was like a sort of Hyde-lite because he didn't have any walls and with his loving childhood he didn't need them.  He still was anti Government and liked to dress in his Dad's shirts.  Now instead of Jackie and Hyde going back to Pennsylvania we ALL have to get on a plane and go to New York City and to Jackie's old apartment that now belonged to Tiffany.  I had my doubts on Ms. Tiffany but as soon as she got them settled, she called us.  I think Megan is infatuated with Hunter and I don't want to see her get hurt.  I think Eric wouldn't mind if she stayed a virgin forever.  He wonders why I don't dye my hair like he does.  It's because I feel I earned my small gray strands.  Plus our youth was gone when we got married the first time.  One minute you are a teenager sneaking off somewhere because you have "evil" parents and the next you are close to sixty.  And even though fifty was the "new" forty—I think we just know best.  I hope it was worth it because she is grounded for an eternity. 

Hyde's POV

      They always say to watch out for the quiet ones.  I pictured a trip like this

with Hannah but she's so into her extra circular activities that she never had a serious boyfriend. She is in such trouble for her part in this when she gets back; I don't know where to begin.  I know Hunter thinks I'm a hypocrite that I should be supportive when the other PARENTS (including Jackie) aren't. It's not that I don't like Megan; she's a good kid who overcame a lot.   I'm not against them dating but they didn't give us the chance to be supportive.  They didn't even date.  Unless they counted one of our group outings as some sort of "date".  They just went right to exploring their bodies.  I can't even make fun of the conniption I know Forman had because I probably would have yelled something similar if I were the one to first walk in on them.  They think we don't know anything because we're their parents.  I've been around the block more than once and I won't stand for any of my kids lying to me.  Jackie's crying about how her "baby boy doesn't need her" anymore.  Hunter was almost self sufficient when he was five!  We settled our punishment on the way because we don't want to look like goons in front of our kids—I'm not going to stop him for drawing, it's his backbone, but I am canceling the check I wrote yesterday for the young artist camp.  He can draw all he wants but he'll doing it from his bedroom to where he will be spending even more time in the next three months until school starts again.  If only my son were honest with me from the beginning I wouldn't have to act like the so-called hypocritical parent.  (I tell you they all like to point out things and call any one of us hypocrites—just wait until the day that they become parents.)

Eric's POV

     I know I caused my daughter pain.  I hated yelling at her.  I never carried on so much.   Just seeing Hunter, even though I've known him since he was born, on top of my daughter and most of their clothes on the floor.  I freaked.  It's part of the parent code.  I never thought Megan would runaway.  I hate having to punish her it makes me feel sick inside.  Because I don't take enjoyment in putting her down like my Dad did to me.  Donna's going to go on another rampage when we get there I can tell.  I don't want to scream anymore.  I just don't want Megan to resent us.  I could've been the happy-go-lucky Eric Forman and not have screamed when I saw them but sometimes you have to be the adult.  The parent.  God, I'm beginning to hate that word.  I don't want my lollipop to hate me.  But she's going to.

Jackie's POV

      I can't stop crying; I know I'm driving Steven nuts.  But he didn't carry that boy in his body for nine months.  Megan's not the girl for Hunter.  It's not because she's in a wheelchair, that's how Jackie at sixteen would have rationed it.  It's just that I don't feel they belong together.  I am partly happy despite feeling like cr**, because I get to see Tiffany.  I haven't seen her since the last family gathering and although we aren't distant, we're not as close as I'd like us to be.  Hannah—are all my kids turning on me?  Hannah is going to wish I was "seriously hurt" and she will be punished when she comes home from camp.  Steven and I are private people and we don't want to take her home early so "everyone" could know what's going on.   But we did tell the counselor to take away her phone privileges with the exception of a legitimate medical emergency.   My beautiful boy.  He looks so much like his Dad, when he hit puberty his hair started to get a nice natural wave in it, not as much as his Father's but still handsome.  He's always borrowing his shirts even though Steven gave him a couple.  If Megan sees in Hunter what I see in Steven we are going to have a rocky road ahead of us.  I don't know what I'm going to do with Hunter.  My baby boy is not a baby boy anymore but a young man.  I am having trouble letting him go the way Kitty was with Eric.  I'm just glad we all haven't turned on each other and that all four of us are on the same page.  I'd have hated to lose my friendships.  I know Steven would too even though he'd never admit it.

Hunter's POV

      I knew she'd call them.  We didn't even get to 'Do It'.  Megan is frightened on crossing another line with her Mother.  I'm not afraid.  Well—maybe, just a little. 

My Dad doesn't like disrespect.  I'm more afraid of him than my Mom.  She'll just do more carrying on like she did the first time.  They're not even waiting for proper morning Tiffany said they were going to take the first available plane and I'm surprised Mom didn't just rent a private jet for the occasion.  I needed some space not from Megan just from the situation and took my freedom while I still had some and went to the corner store for a comic book.  If any other kid did that, they'd all go, "See you aren't ready" but they know it's what I do, so it's become like a safe haven.  I'm not looking forward to being pounced on by OUR PARENTS.  I wish they would just leave us alone, but I better not say that because I think my Father will drop me off in the woods somewhere, no one gets Steven Hyde angry.  His kids are no exception.

Megan's POV

        The best part was making out on the Greyhound bus.  His lips are so warm; he makes me forget that I can't walk.  He made me a paper flower for me out of the bus schedule.  Mom is going to yell even more than she did earlier.  Dad is going to follow her suit.  We got Hannah in a lot of trouble for her lying that something happened to her Mother just so we could sneak out of the house and go to the bus station.  I can see why Tiffany called everyone, but THEY knew we weren't kidnapped by a vicious gang, they knew we ran off.  Hunter asked if he could go out for a comic book, I said, sure.  We're in even more trouble then we were just HOURS ago.  I wish it were over with because I know they're going to make sure we have no contact with each other.  No emails, no phones, I think Mom will even take away my emergency cell and let me lie on the street somewhere.  I stopped crying for the moment; Hunter said when he came back from the store he was going to take me to the park across the street so we can watch the sunrise. 

Back to third person

           Tiffany dreaded answering the door she felt bad for Hunter and Megan.  She did her rebellion.  It's what young people do on the road to finding out who they are.  They must have taken the fastest elevator or sprouted wings because they arrived up here very quickly.

"All right, where are THEY?"  said Donna

"No 'hello'?  They're not here."  Tiffany invited them in. 

"WHAT?!"  Jackie screamed

"Relax, Mother.  They only went across the street to look at the sunrise before getting ganged up by all of you."

"Looking at the sunrise?  I should ground him an extra month for that."   Hyde said

"We just want to take our kids home."  Eric replied tiredly

"Do you have to yell at them and make them feel more terrible than they do all ready?"

"Tiffany, this is not your business."

"What else is new, Dad?"  she replied pointedly.

Tiffany felt bad for what Megan and Hunter were going to walk into when they came back.

Megan's POV

     Hunter helped me out of my chair so I could sit next to him on the park bench, I could've done it myself, but it was slightly wet from an overnight rain and he was worried I'd get hurt. 

"I bet they're here by now."  Hunter said looking at his '70s retro style watch. 

"I know.  I don't want to talk about them."  I put my head on his shoulder.

He's the sweetest, most caring young boy I have ever known.  They're treating him like he escaped from a maximum-security prison.  Hunter has his own style, he won't wear sunglasses because he's afraid of just copying off his Dad, he only wears them when it's hot and humid out an actual reason to wear shades.  He wears these cool vintage button shirts; some came from Hyde's closet, and others he'd get from flea markets and the Salvation Army store.  He likes to wear vintage Adidas from the late '70s early '80s, which are hard to find in a good wearable condition, even on Ebay.  His jeans must have a slight flare and cover the top of his sneakers and not show any sock.  No one else in his school looks like him. Even his best friend Thomas wears normal clothes nothing vintage.  I want to ask him what he sees in me?  What can I offer him?  I thought he'd reject me like all the rest, but he hasn't.  We got in trouble (and we're going to get in even more before the day is through) for each other.  I hate how people expect handicapped people to date similar people.  It's one thing if that's where your heart lies, but that isn't where my heart lies.  It's nice holding his hand; he wears a small pinky ring.  It's great just seeing the sunrise with him.  You'd think if anyone would understand our love, it'd be our parents, I guess their life experiences don't apply to their children.  He leans in to kiss me.  We're not going to be able to do this for a very long, long time.  I start to cry realizing this is our 'goodbye'. 

"Why are you crying?"  he gently asks me

"I was just thinking we won't be seeing each other for a very long time.  I'm going to miss you, Hunter."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Megan."  He kisses me again.

Hunter's POV

      I bet they're going to take my camp away.  I look at Megan's sensitive blue

eyes and I know they're going to do everything in their collective powers to separate us, so I could care less about losing my camp privileges.  Some people stared us at the bus station and on the streets wondering what could I see in Megan?  She probably has that insecurity herself.  She's pretty, smart, and a great person.  But Donna and Eric probably think she is the Whore of Babylon right now.  I kiss her for the 'last' time as I help her into her wheelchair, I know she can do it by herself, but I want to help her.  I'm a gentleman.  I wonder if I tell my Dad that if he'd believe me?  I suppose he would say a gentleman wouldn't try to 'Do It' on the living room sofa. 

I'm not about to throw in his face all of the mischievous things that I know about him.  I know better, unless he got me so riled that it just came spilling out.  Mom is going to be extra smothering once I start my groundation and that is going to suck because I hate being smothered.   I wheeled Megan the long way around and a part of me hopes they saw me from the balcony.  Why should we rush our punishment?  Even though I do want it over with.  I'm going to paint a picture for Megan and THEY better let me mail it to her.  I'm going to draw the sunrise with the NYC skyline.  I don't know if I should put us in the picture or not.  It's not Megan, she's beautiful.  It's me, I don't know if I want to put myself in the picture. 

We entered the apartment through the back entrance; the guard let us in because he remembered us from when we arrived.   If it was just me I'd have taken the stairs, but since that is not an option, I waited to ask Megan if she was ready to face the parents when we got to the back elevators. 

She sighed, a nervous sigh, "Yeah, I'm ready."

"I'm not—there's something I have to do first," I'm so nervous, but not afraid of this. 

I kissed her on the lips.  "I love you, Megan."

She looked at me mute for a second almost surprised that I had said it.  I could see the happiness in her eyes; I'll have to capture that someday.

I hope she doesn't doubt that I meant it.  Because I do love her.  Thomas spotted it when Megan was sleeping over with Hannah and we were in the same room watching TV, he whispered, "You like her, I can tell."  Then he whispered that he "could also tell" that she liked me, too.  I don't picture myself being handsome and I suppose we all have our insecurities on our looks—but everyone is going to think she's the lucky one.  That is not true.  I am the lucky one.

Megan's POV

"I love you, too, Hunter."   We shared one more kiss before facing our folks.

     He told me he loved me!  I told Hunter to push the elevator button.  It was time.  Bring it on Eric and Donna, bring it on.