Two Paths, Your Choice 4

A/N: I was going to write this and release it yesterday, but was caught up grieving and trying to make sense of (but there isn't any) the tragedy in Newtown, CT. I have family not too far from there and they were extremely shaken. As always, read, enjoy and review.

March 22nd, 1977

Morning graced Point Place with its presence, but at Burkhart Estates, Jackie hardly slept since she and her co-conspirators would be putting her plan into motion today. She was nervous, extremely nervous. She trudged out of bed, showered, and got ready. When Eric came to pick her up she wasn't her usual chirpy self, this concerned him.

"Hey gorgeous, something wrong?" He asked as they reach a red-light.

Jackie was staring out the window looking glum and didn't answer him.

"Jackie? Jackie?" he shouted and shook her a little.

She was startled out of her doldrum thoughts with a, "Huh?"

"I asked 'is anything wrong', you okay?"

"Huh, what no, nothing's wrong," she lied tripping over her words.

Unconvinced, "You sure?"

"Yes, now can we please go, the light's green."

The car started to move again but the questions from her concerned boyfriend didn't stop.

"Come on, Jackie you can tell me I won't judge. Big cheer meet? Term paper? Kelso?" He guessed.

No Eric, can we please drop it, I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay fine," he sighed.

"Thank you," she said simply before turning back to the window.

The rest of the drive was done in awkward silence, once Eric stopped the car in the parking lot, Jackie gave him a quick peck and gathered up her books in a flash and rushed inside. It was done so quickly that she didn't see a folded piece of paper fall from her notebook and onto the seat, and she ran inside so quick that she didn't hear him call after her.

He picked up paper and curiosity got the better of him, he wasn't a snooper but there was something about this that seemed to draw him in. He opened it and began to read.

"Project Forman - To Get Eric To Prove His Love," he read the title.

"The hell?" His face scrunched up in confusion but he continued to read.

Step one: Get Steven to flirt with me and I'll flirt back, the quicker Eric responds the more it means he loves me. Step two: Get Donna to put on the full-court press with Eric, flirt like crazy with him the quicker he reject her more he loves me. Step three: start and fight or fake a broke up with Eric the quicker it's resolved the more he loves me.

As he read the mini-manifesto, his scrunched up face melted into soft smile, and the more he read the more he shook his head at how ridiculous this was. But knowing Jackie it was something that she took very seriously, since her relationship with Kelso was just superficial.

Then an idea pop into his head, using this as guide he'll play along, making it seem like he doesn't love her then when the third step rolls around the "fight" will be authentic, but he'll act ignorant until he shows her the plans letting her know he was onto her the whole time and he'l seal it with a something that he brought for their two-month anniversary: a promise ring.

He smiled at himself for thinking of something so clever and so underhanded. He refolded the paper and put it in his jeans pocket, just as the bell rang.

(***)

The Forman Basement, After School

Making sure Eric, Kelso and Fez were out of the basement Jackie whispered to her co-conspirators, "Ready?"

Donna beamed a goofy smile and said, "Yeah, let's do this!"

Hyde just gave a non-committal wave.

"Okay, any last questions?" Jackie whispered.

"Yeah, how long is this plan of yours?" Donna whispered back.

"Two days for the first two steps," suddenly she heard footsteps, "Okay here they come, Steven you're on," She whispered her final orders.

Another non-committal wave from Hyde. That earned him a slap on the arm by Donna and a stern, "Be serious."

He rolled his eyes, though no one could tell through the aviators.

As the the half of the gang rushed downstairs, Kelso spoke first, "Dude, hurry up Gilligan's on!" As he sat in his usual beach chair with a handful of snacks.

Eric turned on the television, and they all started watching until Jackie walked by Hyde and spoke, "Ooh Steven, what is that smell you're wearing?"

"Irish Spring and sawdust," he said as zen as possible.

"Well I think it suits you, I love a man who smells like he's just gotten back from work, all hot and sweaty," she says emphasizing the last part by lowering her voice and with a light graze of his shoulder.

Hyde's eyebrows shot up, "Really?" He said with a rare smile.

"Oh yeah, love it," perking her shoulders and grinning at him.

"Would you two shut up, I can't hear Mary-Ann," Kelso directed angrily toward Hyde and Jackie.

"Hey Jackie," Hyde got up can turned to her, "You want to check out my record collection and get away from this idiot?" Hyde pointed over his shoulder to Kelso.

"Sure." And she and Hyde were away, Jackie giving Donna a wink as she went by.

The settled in Hyde's room waiting and listening for what's to come.

Eric dropped into the couch beside Donna and asked, "What's with Jackie and Hyde?"

"I don't know, but it sounds like they were flirting."

In the back, Jackie was waiting to hear Eric voice get angry and jealous but instead she heard, "Oh, well did they have to make it so obvious?" It was calm and uninterested, it made Jackie's heart ache a little, but she continued to listen.

"So you're not interested?" Donna asked.

"In what?" Eric replied.

"Would you, please!" Kelso admonished.

Donna ignored him. "In Jackie."

"What, me and Jackie? Come on Donna that's crazy," Eric said.

"Yeah Donna," Kelso interjected, "Jackie would go after more more better looking guys before she'd settle on Eric, no offense," and went back to his show.

Eric waved it off, "None taken."

"So you're saying you wouldn't even think of possible relationship with Jackie?"

"Nope. We're like my dad and the Japanese, we hate each other."

Upon hearing this Jackie wiped away a single tear. So their relationship to this point has meant nothing to him? Was it really just fling then? Uncharacteristically, Hyde patted her on the back. She smiled at him thankfully. They continued to listen to Donna and Eric's conversation with bits thrown in by Kelso. The entire time, Eric came off as an unloving jerk, Jackie thought. It finally reached its peak when she heard him say, "I think she'll be good for Hyde."

Jackie took a deep breath, turned to Hyde and said, "Time for part two, I thought that this was going to take a couple of days but after hearing this, it's clear he is not the least bit worried about trust issues. Hell, he thinks we'd make a good couple. Go tell Donna to start her part, I'll be out in a minute," she said as she brushed away another tear.

Hyde shuddered at the thought of him and Jackie as a couple and went outside.

Once Hyde was gone, Jackie closed his make-shift door and laid on his bed and started to sob quietly. He doesn't love me she thought, maybe that's why he hasn't said 'I love you'. She's been a fool thinking Eric Forman was any different from Michael Kelso.

A half-hour later, Jackie emerged to see that Hyde was gone, as were Fez and Kelso, but the full-on flirt by Donna was well underway. She didn't hear what Donna said to Eric and certainly didn't want to hear what he said back that led to them being the position she found them — Donna straddling Eric and Eric cupping her ass as she played with his chest.

It seemed to Jackie that Eric was embracing the situation rather being repulsed by it.

When Donna saw Jackie, she winked, just so she could see, knowing full well of the position she was in and that Eric could see all of her movements.

"Oh, Hi Jackie," Donna said embarrassed, Eric tilted his head back to see Jackie too.

"Say, Eric how about we take this somewhere more private, say, my room?" Donna suggested.

"Okay!" Eric replied quickly and excitedly.

That was the last straw for Jackie, she wanted to get away from Eric Forman as quickly as she could, she wanted nothing more to do with him. This undoubtedly proves he doesn't love her, that their relationship was for naught and most importantly that Eric Albert Forman was no better than Michael Kelso.

She cleared her throat, "No it's okay, I need to get home for dinner anyway," she said with the last ounce of composure she had left and walked out of the basement as if nothing was wrong. Once upstairs though she sobbed as she ran home.

After the door shut, Eric said to Donna, "Hey can you get off me now?"

The tone in his voice hinted at annoyance and she couldn't read his face, but did what he asked.

"Donna, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What the hell did you and Hyde think you were doing today?"

Taken back, "I don't know what you mean?"

"Really," He stood up, "Does Project Forman ring a bell?"

Donna stood immediately, "How do you know about that?"

"Because of this," he showed her the plan written by Jackie.

"So you knew the whole time?" Donna bellowed.

"Yep."

"And did nothing to stop it?"

"I was purposefully sabotaging it," he said cooly.

"You little dill-hole!" She smacked his arm, "Why?"

"To show Jackie she doesn't need to to test my love for her, because she already owns my heart."

"You are such a sap," she laughed.

"Sap or not it's true, I plan on showing her too."

"How?"

Eric took out a ring box and showed Donna the gold promise ring.

"Wow, Eric it's beautiful."

"Just like she is. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get on with step three." He put away the paper and ring and walked toward the door.

"Oh, and uh, next time you and Hyde, french the couch make sure no one is home, but you make lovely couple by the way," he said in parting.

Donna stood there shocked at his last words.

(***)

Eric got into the Vista Cruiser in search of Jackie who he knew was probably walking and crying. He made it past Hilltop Park when he spotted her.

He slowed the car down, thankful that he remembered to roll down the passenger side window. He honked at her, she turned around startled, but quickly turned away.

"Jackie, can we talk?"

"I have nothing to say to the likes of you," she huffed.

"Jackie, please?"

"No, now leave me alone, Eric," she said sternly.

"Jackie?"

"No, I'm done with you. Good-bye."

He stopped the car. Got out and ran to her.

"I said leave me alone!" She yelled at him.

He grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the car.

"Let me go, Eric!"

"No," came his calm reply.

"If you don't, I'll scream," she threatened, but by the time it was said she was already pinned up by the car forced to look directly at him.

"Let me go!" She said again and started to squirm away.

He forced her back against the car, cupped her face and kissed her. She used this moment to slip away from him, but instead of running away from him she slapped him.

The slap resonated around them leaving a red handprint on his face.

"You bastard! How dare you kiss me?" Her voice brimming with anger.

He touched the cheek she slapped, it was tingling now, and smirked.

"Why are you smiling."

"Didn't expect my girlfriend to slap me this hard, in a fake argument."

"I'm no longer your... wait what did you say?"

"Jackie, I know about Project: Forman."

"What? How?"

He showed her the piece of paper. She took it, it was the plans she wrote yesterday.

"Where did you get this?"

"It dropped from one of your notebooks when you ran out of the Cruiser this morning."

"So, you knew what Hyde and Donna were doing?" Her voice was now a bit timid.

"Yep."

"Why didn't you just quickly put an end to all of this, then?"

"Because I felt I didn't need to."

"I don't understand," she looked down at the paper.

"I feel that I don't need to validate my love for you by passing some love test."

"Why not?"

"Because Jackie, you own all of it already. My love and my heart. You shouldn't worry about whether I broke your heart it should be the other way around. You have had my heart since we kissed on Valentine's," he paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "I just hope you don't go breaking my heart," he half-sang.

She giggled, "I couldn't if I tried," she half-sang back.

"I'm sorry, I slapped you and called you a bastard. Can I get another kiss?" She asked as she caressed the cheek gently.

"I thought you'd never ask," he said as he placed tender, lovingly kiss on her smiling, waiting lips.

When they parted, Eric spoke, "I love you, Jackie Burkhart."

Tears that were on the verge of falling from pent-up rage ended up falling from joyful excitement. "Oh my God, Eric you said the words. I love you too, Eric." she said as she wiped away tear after happy tear.

"I'll prove it, too." He took out the ring box.

"I was going to wait until our two-month anniversary, but no time like the present."

"Jackie, with this ring, you carry with you my heart, my love and two promises, first, my promise that I'll always be the man you want and I'll do anything to make that happen. Second, my promise that one day, when things are less crazy for us, I'll trade this ring in for a wedding ring. Will you accept it?"

He opens the ring box and she gasps. "Oh my God, yes! Yes! Yes!"

He slips it on her right ring finger, and they kiss once more.

E/N: Keep Newtown and the victims' and their families in your thoughts and prayers.