CHANGE:

Fez didn't like change. At all. Unless "change" directly involved suddenly having an abundance of candy, it was a bad idea.Maybe he was being a tad dramatic, he could get that way sometimes, butchange seemed to be all that was happening right now. Change after change after change. He hated that Eric was in Africa. And he really hated that Kelso had moved to Chicago. And he really, really hated that twerp Randy who was always in his seat or taking Donna to movies or coming up with ridiculous, illegal, old-Hyde-like schemes. Granted, Randy wasn't really a bad guy necessarily. He could be funny, though not as often as he thought he was, and at times he could even be downright helpful. But all in all, he wasn't a part of the Group. So Fez didn't like him, and he made no attempt to hide it.

When he was being honest Fez realized part of it had to do with jealousy. He remembered when he was the new guy, wandering in to an already assembled group of four. Four kids who had definite chemistry and a shared childhood full of inside jokes. Eric, Donna, Kelso, Hyde. They had a history together. And he had had to earn his place in their circle,had towork toupgrade from the foreign kid who amused them and tagged alongto their friend. And he suspected Jackie felt the same. It took time for her to be included in her own right and not just as Kelso's annoying ball and chain. It wasn't an abruptcoincidence that the Four became the Six. And here was this Randy guy, new to the basement and yet acting as if he'd been there all along. And Fez really hated that Hyde and Donna just seem to let him.

But he wasn't really surprised. With two vital links in the chain missing, and with a variety of other stresses getting in the way, the Group was rusting and crumbling and the basement was often eerily quiet. Eyes glued to aTV show that didn't interest any them, just because they had nothing to say to each other. He missed the laughing and joking that seemed to be a constant part of their old routine. He missed hearing Kelso shout, "Burn!" He missed Eric talking with his hands whipping around wildly as if trying to land a plane. He missed Donna's frequent goofy "I'm in love with a dork" smile. And Gosh, he even missed Jackie on Hyde's lap with her tongue down his throat because he hadn't seen either of them happy in months. He didn't know how they'd all fallen apart so fast, but he knew he had to stop it. Because like it or not, they were all that he had. And it was too late to change that now.

ORDER:

Jackie liked order. It was why she had always done her homework on Saturdays, kept her Nancy Drew books shelved in sequence, and pushed for her boyfriends to commit to her plans. And it was evident as she looked at the way she packed her weekend bag. Her clothes were folded neatly, packed by outfits, and labled for a specific day or occasion. Her suitcase reflected the order she craved.

The long weekend to visit Kelso had been Fez's idea. The poor guy had been on edge lately, and it was downright scary really. He'd been writing Eric more and more frequently, and calling Kelso more and more often, and that had been fine, but when he'd started throwing frequent tantrums in the basement, that's when Jackie had really started to notice. She smiled thinking of his latest explosion though, remembering Steven's shocked expression. It had been a few days before, Fez had arrived in the basement to find Randy in "his chair." Again. Rather than simply telling a usually flexible Randyto move, as wasthe usual tactic, Fez had begun ranting, full steam, about how the seating arrangements were sacred, representative ofthose who hadgrown up together, and he didn't care if Randy's hair was made of gold and silk and pixie dust he had no right to upset tradition. He'd continued on yelling well after Randy moved nervously to the couch. He ranted about how Hyde's chair was Hydes's chair, and how Donna belonged in the middle of the couch with Eric at her side, and how not to forget to leave space for Kelso for when he came back. And mid-rant as Steven's dumb-stripper-slut had bounced obliviously down the stairs and onto Hyde's lap, well Fez just turned to her and shouted for her to get her "unwanted skeazy ass off of Jackie's seat!" Samantha seemed confused, which Jackie found not to be too unusual, for the dumb blonde,but had moved off of Hyde all the same. And as Fez sat down to watch Charlie's Angels, he ignored all the eyes fixated on him in amazement. Jackie too was surprised by Fez's intensity, but she could appreciate anyone yelling at the half-witted Sam, and could appreciate Fez's attempt to maintain some order.

Coming out of her memory-daze, Jackie finished her packing and headed to the Forman's. When Fez had pitched the idea of a trip to Chicago to her, she'd agreed immediately.Then shehad asked Donna to go, genuinly hoping she would, but all the same expecting to hear, "Sorry, but I have to work at the station." When she had surprisedJackie with an "I'd love to," well,the petite brunettehad been ecstatic…up until the point when Donna had roped Hyde into coming too.They were borrowing the Vista Cruiser, for space purposes as well as for old time's sake, and she hoped the old station wagon was big enough to hide from the imminent drama. But she missed Michael, and the way they all used to justbe when they were together. And even if it meant spending two hours in a car with Steven, if she could feel like part of a group again, the Group again, it would be worth it. At this point Jackie would do just about anything not to feel so out of order.

SILENCE:

Hyde drove with his shaded eyes intent on the highway in front of him, relishing the silence. It was an awkward silence, he couldn't deny it, but an awkward silence was better than awkward conversation. And besidesSteven Hyde had always been the strong, silent type. It was both his blessing and his curse.

Take for example their departurenot a full20 minutes before from Point Place. Samantha had graciously agreed to sit this trip out (surely having nothing to do with the pleasant notion of a car ride with Jackie), but as she said her goodbye he noticed her chest push out and her lip get pouty and suspected it was her way of trying to entice him to stay home too. He was certain that as her husband he should have done just that, or maybe at least said something sweet before leaving her behind for a weekend alone. But he stayed silent, only kissing her softly on the lips, quickly,before sliding in behind the wheel of the Cruiser.

They'd only been driving a little over a half hour when Jackie needed to use the restroom. Hyde's irritation was apparent as he pulled off into a rest stop, withtense shoulders anda glare he was sure she could feel even with his glasses on. But he still said nothing. Donna naturally got out to go with her, leaving him alone with Fez for more of the awkward quiet.

Until Fez dared to break the silence.

"I'm excited to see Kelso. Things really haven't been the same since he left." Hyde looked in the rearview mirror at his friend, but he didn't respond. He just nodded.

Fez continued.

"And I guess things have been really weird ever since Eric left for Africa."

Again, Hyde simply nodded. He was clingy to his silence.

"And if you think about it, things haven't really been good for any of us since you and Jackie broke up."

Silence, Silence.

Hyde continued to watch in the mirror as Fez braced himself for an explosion, but rather than get angry he watched as the girls headed backtowards the car and opened the doors to slip inside. He looked back another second at Fez's earnest face and he knew that this time he didn't need to nod.

He knew Fez was right, and his agreement was in his silence.

NERVOUS:

Nervous was one of the top 5 least favorite feelings for Donna Pinciotti. And that's exactly what she felt right now. Painfully nervous. Herbrain was fried thinking of what this weekend would bring, worrying, anticipating. She was still anxious each and every day hoping to hear from Eric, to hearthat he changed his mind and still loved her and was coming home.

And she was especially nervous about what was going on with Randy.

He liked her. She'd been Hot Donna long enough now to be able to tell. And she like him. Maybe. On that one she was guessing. But he wasn't Eric, and that weighed down on her shoulders like a sack of terrifying bricks. Eric was her soul mate...wasn't he?

So, she tried to concentrate on other things. Like her current task of navigating Hyde through the Chicago streets. And it thankfully required quite a bit of attention since Kelso's directions were about as clear as a brick wall.

She took a deep breath. Andshe focused on seeing her life long friend, whom she had truly missed since he'd left Point Place. Then she focused on the idea of spending time with Jackie, she felt likeshe'd been neglecting herlately. Finally, she focused on Fez's apparent need for re-bonding and for Hyde's even-more-than-usual quiet demeanor. She focused on anything and everything other than her own anxiety.

But as they pulled into the apartment complex, parked the car, and walked without a word to the door of apartment 19b, thepersistent nibbling in her stomach wouldn't go away. And Donna was almost too nervous to stand it.