Authors Note: This is set right about in the middle of season 4. Donna and Eric have broken up a few months ago; Donna has started dating Casey Kelso although things are still casual. Eric, if you remember never thought of Casey as a real threat until Casey gets the room at the Le Motel near the end of season 4. What if Eric feeling secure about his place in Donna's heart was based on more than the smugness that Kelso's are dumb…what if Eric saw or heard something else altogether that gave him the confidence to hope even after Donna had started dating Casey. Read on to find out my steamy version

Chapter 1 - Need you tonight

It was almost 9 pm on a Friday night, dinner was over at the foreman household and Eric was looking forward to some time with his new star wars models upstairs in his room. He had had a fun evening with the boys in the basement that evening despite Jackie dropping in to yell at Michael about something, he hadn't even bothered to listen to what it might be this time. He found himself wondering instead where Donna was, as she hadn't come by all evening. Although since she had been out on a few dates with Casey Kelso those past few weeks, sometimes it had been a relief not to see her too much and have to constantly pretend that he was cool with the way things were.

'Eric honey' he heard his mom call out just as he started heading up to his room ' sweetie, I want you to take this casserole and pudding over to the Pinciottis house – I promised Bob a nice lunch for tomorrow , he really has been having a hard time since Midge left .

Oh no, thought Eric. He had hardly been inside Donna's house since the last time his mom made him take a casserole over there a couple of months ago – he had thought then that he'd died and gone to heaven when Donna had practically dragged him to her bedroom for some of the hottest moments of this life, but his heart had been crushed shortly thereafter when he realised that she had only turned to him for some momentary comfort and had no intention of getting back together.

'But mom!' he replied 'cant it wait till morning or something - it's so late …and why does it have to be me who goes , things are still so awkward with me and Donna – why can't dad go ?

Red, on his way to the TV in the living room didn't even bother to stop and reply – not even to say 'forget it, dumbass' to his son.

Kitty with her laugh and persuasive manner brushed aside her son's feeble objections and Eric found himself walking into the Pinciottis lawn a few minutes later, casserole in hand. He realised Bob was probably not at home as he noticed the empty garage on his way to the front door. Oh great, he thought grimly, this would be more awkward then. He noticed the bedside light on in Donna's room through her window. Was Donna already in bed? He quickly banished all the tantalising images that his memory could conjure up at the slightest wayward thought. He would leave the casserole in the fridge and leave immediately, he decided.

He was a little surprised to find the front door locked – but he knew they kept a key under the flower pot by the door – so after the slightest hesitation, he let himself in and placed the food inside the fridge. There were no signs of dinner recently having been eaten at the kitchen table or sink and he couldn't help wondering if Donna was okay, should he maybe tell her about the food Kitty had sent over. Or was he just pathetically looking for an excuse to see her even if it was only for a few minutes. And he knew technically she wouldn't object to him coming up to her room as Kelso and Fez were in and out of there nonchalantly way too often. In fact, he remembered her telling him that was the reason she stuck to flannel pyjamas most nights.

Emotions were still warring with reason when he raced the steps upstairs to her room. Despite everything that happened, something's never changed. He felt the old adrenaline rush at the mere thought of seeing her smile.

But the few minutes after running up the stairs all seemed to happen in a muddled haze. The slightly open door to her room that gave him a clear view of her bed was why he had already seen her before he realised what she was doing and could turn away. The images inside were fuzzy and yet completely clear. Donna in a baby doll sheer nightgown that only came to mid-thigh, her creamy legs splayed, her hair draped everywhere, her eyes closed, and in her hand something that until now he had only seen in the hands of the women who graced the pages of the stack of magazines that used to have a home beneath his bed before Donna made him throw them out.

He turned away as soon as he realised he was intruding on what was a very private moment – well almost as soon. He had never understood the term ' feeling weak at the knees' until that moment, his heart was thudding so loud it was a wonder she couldn't hear his presence outside her door, every nerve in his body felt like it was on raging fire. All his body cells were screaming at him to open that door and walk in, to take his chances and maybe she would open her arms and welcome him in. But he knew what he would be risking. There was the possibility Donna would be furious about the intrusion. That he was holding her back from moving on as she kept saying she wanted to. He wasn't her boyfriend anymore and didn't have the right to walk in and join in. And even if by some miracle she did allow him to stay the night, could he bear the heartbreak of her saying it made her sick in the light of the day the next morning?

He turned to walk to the stairs, the soft moans he could now hear from inside the room, the undeniably throaty voice of the girl he adored making him almost stumble the first few steps he took. And then he found himself frozen again at what he heard next.

'Eric'…..'Eric please'…..God, I need you so much….please….ohhhh, Eriiic….

Eric had leaned against the wall as the soft cries washed over him, his eyes closed and his forehead resting against the cool surface of the wall. He had never heard so much raw need in her voice before. His arousal had been instantaneous as soon as he had reached her room door but now it was beyond painful. And he couldn't do anything about it. He would summon any shred of chivalry he might possess to leave right now, even if it was killing him to do so.

If his body survived tonight, he knew he would be flying on air tomorrow morning and that what he had heard would give him the strength he needed to keep hoping.

A couple of minutes later, Kitty who was almost done clearing up the kitchen for the night, saw her son come in with what could only be described as a pained expression on his face and rush through the kitchen to get to the stairs. The only coherent thought in Eric's mind when he rushed past was that he wished he had brought that damn casserole back with him just so that he would have something to hold in front of him!

He heard Kitty's voice float upstairs as he almost ran to the bathroom 'see, if you'd only eat more bran in the morning's like I keep telling you to !'