Uh! I'm so sorry for the wait. Last week I was bed-ridden for days and then my internet went out. I was like a true-blue mess. This chapter is a bit Jackie-centered, and I didn't realize it until I was reading it over. But, that's ok. I got Kelso in there, I'm still missing Fez's reaction, but I did add a little fun good times in this chapter, which, I will add, is a bit trippy. Work with me. Hope you enjoy and I'll hopefully get Chap 11 out ASAP. HAPPY READINGS!!

Ps: I don't own a thing, other then my newly bought Season 5 disc set, squee! So Exciting!

The week had gone by exceedingly slow for Jackie. She had stayed late at work every night so far, causing her to miss out on her weekly trips to the Forman's as well as Kelso's house. Which kind of sucked because she hadn't seen Betsy in weeks and she was missing Eric.

An extra bounce found it's way to her step as the thought of Eric entered her head. She had talked to him almost every night on the phone for at least two hours. She couldn't remember what exactly they talked about, because most of it was just random tid-bits of the day or old stories from high school. And, honestly, she was over excited for tonight because Eric said he had some great news that he was dying to tell her.

So, tonight, she was most definitely not staying any later then four, which would be ok because she had worked yesterday, her early day, until seven. Her bosses would be more then happy to cut back some of the over time she had acquired.

"How was your lunch Ms. Burkhart?" Jackie gave Linda, one of her floor secretaries a large smile.

"It was good, I just went to the little diner. Any messages?" Jackie leaned forward looking over the girl's rather large desk.

"A Mr. Eric Forman called to confirm your dinner reservations for eight. He said he'd be picking you up. Oh," Linda's smile brightened. "I think you should hurry to your office."

Jackie's eye brow rose, her smile staying in place. "Oh really?"

Linda simply nodded her head, jumping up to walk with Jackie down the office hallway. Jackie's heart was beating slightly faster as her lungs indiscreetly filled with air.

"I was a little surprised, considering you said that there was no one special in your life." Linda opened the door, causing Jackie to stop short.

Sitting, on top of her mahogany desk, was the largest bouquet of roses she had ever laid her eyes on. It was a combination of pink and white, with sprays of baby breath adding to the scent in her office.

"Oh my God." Jackie walked forward, breathing in the rose garden that was now her desk. "Who are they from?"

She weakly grabbed the card, her heart beating at lightening speeds.

"A secret admirer." Linda winked, walking over to Jackie and the floral arrangement. "I guess this Eric Forman character is not such a bad guy."

"He's a total idiot for spending so much money." Jackie stated, her smile bursting from her face.

"I think it's romantic." Linda gently patted Jackie's shoulder. "Have a lovely dinner reservation." There was a teasing tone as the secretary slipped from Jackie's office.

The brunette, still staring at the bouquet in shock, resisted the urge to for-go the rest of the day and rush over to the Forman house. She stood, admiring her beautiful garden before throwing herself back into work; even more so excited for that night.

---

Eric stood in front of Jackie's door, fixing his tie and looking at the bouquet of large lilies he had purchased for the brunette angel. He couldn't lie, he had missed her like crazy over the past few days. The phone was not doing it for him anymore.

He gently knocked, laughing as the sound of running footsteps and an out of breath voice rushed to the door. He almost fell as the brunette threw herself at him, hugging his neck tightly.

"Oh my God! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Eric laughed, walking into the apartment with Jackie still hanging from his neck. "Your welcome. What I do?"

Jackie pulled away from him, gently hitting his shoulder. "You bought more?" Her hands darted towards the lily bouquet. "Eric! You shouldn't have! I love them!"

"What do you mean I bought more?" Eric was smiling, even though his eyes were full of confusion. "The last bouquet I gave you, well," he made a face, "that Jared gave you, was from my house."

Jackie looked up from the lilies. She glanced over her shoulder towards the bedroom and then back to Eric. "The bouquet you sent to my job. The roses."

Eric shook his head. "Sweetie, I didn't send flowers to your office." He looked into the apartment. "Did the card say it was from me?"

"No, it said it was from a secret admirer." Jackie shrugged and looked at her lilies. "These are so much prettier. I bet those roses were from Kelso or Fez. You know, to tease us." She gave Eric a smile and leaned up to give him a kiss on the lips. "Where are we going tonight?"

Something in the pit of Eric's stomach told him that Jackie knew something he didn't, but he didn't press the issue. He cleared his throat, his eyes still looking around the apartment.

"I made reservations at the Vineyard. My parents are going to meet us there."

"You didn't tell them the news?" Jackie questioned from the kitchen. She looked through the window giving him a look. "I bet your mom is dying to know."

"And you're not?" Eric laughed. Jackie gave a coy little shrug, turning back into the kitchen.

"I want to know. But I'm not dying to know." She walked out, holding a vase with her lilies. "What if it's bad news?"

Eric rolled his eyes, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "What is with all this pessimism? It's really good news, for everyone, and I think it's going to knock your socks off." He looked down to see that she was wearing heels as she giggled. "It'll knock your shoes off."

Jackie twisted in his arms and leaned up to kiss him on the lips. "Would it be too sappy if I admitted to missing you?"

He leaned down capturing her lips in his. He very slowly opened her mouth, exploring her tongue with his. He had been thinking about her all week, which on the one hand blew his mind, it was Jackie for Christ's sake. But on the other hand, he was happy he had someone who cared enough to share the past few weeks with him.

"I think it's sweet." He stated, pulling his face slightly away from hers. "And I missed you too."

Jackie smiled and pressed her face into his chest. "We better get going before Red threatens the waiter."

"Yeah, I'd have to leave a bigger tip." Jackie smiled and pulled away grabbing her jacket.

"Come on Casanova, let's go."

---

"It's so pretty." Kitty laughed, taking a sip of her wine. "I'm so happy we got to go out. Isn't it nice Red?"

The older man looked gingerly at his wife, only grunting in reply. Kitty, who was either purposely ignoring her husband or simply focusing on the restaurant, didn't seem to care.

"So, Eric," Red placed down his menu. "What is this big news? You moving out?"

Eric, who had started opening his mouth shut it. Jackie smirked and looked at Red, then Kitty, and then at Eric who had a slight glare about his face.

"He just got home from Africa, why are you asking him to move out?" Kitty scolded Red and then turned back to Eric, her eyes still sharp. "Are you moving out?"

"Um, no." Eric shook his head. "I did, however, get offered a job at the middle school. They need someone to take over for Mrs. Lindbergh, so, I have a job." Jackie clasped her hands together, a slight squeal erupting from her throat. Opposite of the table Kitty was doing something along the same lines as Red simply stared at Eric. "The pay is actually pretty decent and they think with all my experience from Africa, along with my recommendation letters, that the classroom will be really good for me. And if all goes well, I could have the classroom next year. Mrs. Lindbergh wants to stay home with the baby."

"Eric, that's fantastic!" Jackie gave him a hug from her seat. "That's going to be so much fun."

"I can't believe you got offered a job! My baby is all grown up!" Kitty was bouncing in her seat. "I didn't even know you were looking for work."

"I put in some applications here and there, and actually the vice principle saw me eating lunch one day. Apparently he remembered a prank Kelso, Hyde, and myself pulled." Eric cleared his throat. "I'm a little surprised he told me about the job in the first place actually."

"This is great." Jackie held her glass up. "To Eric, a brand new teacher!"

"To Eric." Kitty held her glass up too, elbowing Red to put up his own glass.

"Thank you." They clinked their glasses. "I'm happy I could share this information with the three most important people in my life."

Jackie's cheeks blushed, causing Kitty to 'aw', and Red to roll his eyes.

"Eric, that's too sweet."

"Well," he shifted in his chair so he could look at her. "It's the truth. You've been such an amazing friend to me since I got back, which, you know, is mind blowing. And I have really come to enjoy your company, friend or otherwise."

Jackie nodded her head slowly, looking over to Kitty who was watching them with a bright smile. Red was staring at his son with a rather confused, hard look. She looked back at Eric and then at their hands which had become intertwined at some point.

"That's," she shook her head, her lungs filling with air. "Really sweet. Thank you."

Eric leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. He shifted back to the table, smiling at his parents.

"So, we ready to order? I'm starving." His eyes fell over the menu. Kitty followed suit, her eyes dancing across the laminated menu.

Red and Jackie both looked at each other, Red sighing deeply and Jackie looking down at the table. At least someone else was uncomfortable with the announcement of emotions.

The weird part was, Jackie thought as she closed her menu and leaned back into her chair, she didn't remember feelings ever being an uncomfortable thing.

---

The drive to Kelso and Brooke's house had always been a very calming experience for Jackie. She had decided to leave early and have Eric meet her there, so she could have some time with Brooke to talk about some of the recent updates in her life. She only, really, had Jared and he was no help because when she had told him, after Eric dropped her home with a kiss and a 'sweet dreams', all Jared seemed to do was laugh. Jared was a little worthless.

As she pulled into the street she did a double take as she saw the familiar black El Camino in the drive-way.

"Oh, what the hell." Jackie mumbled to herself, pulling into the graveled area off to the side of the driveway. She jumped out of her car, barely noticing that Hyde and Kelso were both off to the side of the porch.

"Hey Jackie!" Kelso waved, a smile on his face. "Brooke is in the kitchen, she made cookies."

"What are you doing here?" Kelso's smile melted, turning into a frown as he looked over to Hyde.

The curly haired man rolled his eyes, leaning further on to the porch railing. He lifted the can of beer to his lips and focused his attention on the white siding on the house.

"What do you think I'm doing here, Jackie? I'm visiting my friend."

"You knew I was coming. Michael would have told you." She folded her arms. "You also know Eric is coming in a few hours as well."

"Good." Hyde shrugged, finally focusing on her. "I would like to see my friend Eric. Fez is stopping by later as well."

Jackie looked at Kelso with a heated expression.

"I'm going to get some more beer. You two," he raised his hand, a tired expression on his face. "Try not to kill each other, ok? I don't feel like playing cop on my day off."

Jackie waited till their friend was safely in the house before her eyes went from glare to look that could kill.

"You sent me flowers, didn't you?" Hyde looked at her and scoffed.

"Why would I send you flowers? I don't do flowers, you know that." He kicked himself off the railing, turning so that they were facing each other.

"Because you always tend to show a totally different side of yourself when you want something."

"That's implying I want something from you. And if I didn't know better, you would be implying that I want you, specifically."

Jackie gave him a look, her arms tightening across her chest. "I'm serious Hyde, I don't want you doing anything stupid while I'm with Eric. I don't want you two to get into a fight and I don't want to get in the middle."

He scoffed again, shaking his head. "I'm not doing anything. So you can get your big head out of the clouds and come back on earth." He walked past her, walking down the porch steps. "And, for the record," Hyde looked at her, "I don't care who you're with. If they want sloppy seconds, they can have them."

Jackie's mouth hung open as she stared at the stoner rebel as he walked around the house towards the back. She stood, mouth open, eyes focused on nothing specific, arms crossed, for what seemed like an eternity. It wasn't until someone sighed, forcing her to come out of her revenue.

"You know he's just pissed off with this Eric stuff, right? He doesn't mean that. It's not true."

Jackie turned and looked at Kelso. He stood at the front door, looking past her, towards the corner of the house.

"He and Eric have always had this unspoken competition. It's nothing serious, you know, just stupid shit. Like when he liked Donna or when he moved in with the Forman's. I think all this relationship stuff is just forcing him to relive some of those feelings."

Jackie stood in silence for a long time, before finally letting her guard down. "That's very perceptive of you Michael."

"I think it's the whole police officer thing." He smiled, walking over to her and handing her a beer. "So, you and Eric are really together, huh?"

Jackie, the beer still unopened in her hand, walked over to the little patio set on the porch. She flopped down on to a chair, looking out into the small street Kelso and Brooke lived on.

"Yeah, we're together. It's nothing serious, still in early days." She looked over at her old friend and smiled. "He treats me like a person, and I like him."

Kelso simply nodded his head.

"You ok with us? Or should I start preparing a lecture for you?" Jackie leaned into the chair, popping her beer.

"I'm ok with it." Kelso nodded his head. He walked over to the end of the porch, sticking his head over the railing to check if Hyde was standing to the side or had made it around to the back. He sighed and leaned into the railing, looking at Jackie carefully. "I always thought you deserved better then us, Jacks. I know you're not going to believe that, but, I really thought you could do so much better then the basement."

It was something Jackie had not expected, or had even thought about. She was a freakin' Burkhart, her mother and father insisted, over and over again, she deserved way better then any of those 'riff-raffs' from the dingy little basement she hung out in. Her mother was especially verbal about this while she was in high school and just starting to end her relationship with Kelso.

He sighed again, looking towards the ceiling of the porch. "Eric is a good guy, like a genuine good guy. He's not gonna cheat, he's not going to take you for granted, he's not going to purposely fudge it up." He let his head drop, his eyes focusing on her. "He's not like us."

"Michael, you were never that bad." He gave her a doubtful look, causing Jackie to clear her throat. "You're great with Brooke. You don't do stupid stuff with Brooke."

Kelso didn't respond right away. His eyes drifted from her, to the porch, to the side of the house. He rolled his neck, allowing his hand to rest at the very base of his head.

"Hyde sent those flowers. I'm not suppose to tell you that, but I don't want it to come between you and Eric."

Jackie clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I knew it was him."

"Look, I don't know if Eric is going to make up for all the stupid shit we did to you, or if Hyde is going to get his act together. I can tell you that you deserve to be happy." Kelso put his hand up, stressing his point. "And if Eric makes you happy, I'll try and get Hyde to lay off."

"You promoted the flowers?" Jackie's voice went flat.

"I promoted him to do what he thought he had to do." Kelso shook his head.

Jackie opened her mouth but closed it. The afternoon had taken a trippy turn and she had new thoughts to work through. She found herself having more and more new thoughts that had to be worked through constantly.

To think, less then a month ago she didn't have conversations like this with Kelso. She didn't receive random flowers from Hyde. And she wasn't missing Eric. Less then a month ago.

"Why didn't you ever date anyone outside the group?"

"Why are you suddenly asking me?" Jackie shrugged, giving Kelso a look. "I mean, it's been, my god, a year? Since the whole Fez thing."

"Fez doesn't count." Kelso pointed out. "He's foreign and it was barely a month and a half of whatever you guys want to call it. You two didn't even have sex."

Jackie rolled her eyes, finishing the last bit of her beer. She didn't even like beer. But, then again, conversations like this and thoughts on boys in general did give a girl a need to drink.

"I didn't ever date, again, after Fez, because I was busy doing stuff. I had just started working as an assistant to that crazy man. I was trying to find a cheaper place to live. My dad was coming out of jail, just so he could escape up to Maine. Shit was happening Michael." Jackie moved her hand in a circle. "I didn't have time to date and there was no one good around."

Kelso didn't say anything, he simply looked at her, sipping his beer almost daintily.

After several minutes, Jackie looking in every which direction and Kelso focusing on a spot on the wall, he finally shrugged and pushed himself from the railing. "I was just curious."

Before Jackie could retaliate, because for some reason the excuse did not sit well with her, a car pulled up into the driveway, the driver honking his horn.

"Here comes prince charming." Kelso threw a genuine smile at Jackie, who smiled upon seeing the old Vista Cruiser.

"Hey!" Eric jog from his car up the steps, patting Kelso on the shoulder and bringing Jackie, who had stood up quickly, into a big hug. "Did I miss anything exciting?"

Jackie's smile brightened and she shook her head.

"Trust me man, you didn't miss a thing." Kelso nodded his head and gestured towards the front door. "Let's go, I'm getting hungry."