#Pam Burkhart

[einsteinsugly]

Jackie and Hyde, with their first baby. The headcanons.

*Jackie feeds the baby, and Hyde changes the baby. It's the golden rule.

*There's a Led Zeppelin poster in their baby's bedroom. And there's a Led Zeppelin tee, too.

*Kitty makes a quilt for their baby, and needlework with their baby's name and birth date on it.

*If their kid is a girl, Pam wants her to have her ears pierced as an infant. Hyde is pissed. Hell no.

*Jackie really wants their kids to be baptized, but Hyde doesn't want it. They can choose when they're older, and after a good talk, Jackie agrees with him.

*Their kid loves to take Hyde's sunglasses, if they're on.

*Jackie thinks Oshkosh B'Gosh is the ugliest thing ever. She spends way too much time shopping for her kid, even though she shouldn't.

*For some reason, cruising in the El Camino makes their kid sleep like a rock.

*Hyde really likes to hold the baby, like Eric and Red, but he doesn't pace. He just chills.

*Their baby hates beards. They can't figure out why.

[that70sshowgoldencouple]

🍦

🍦 ⇢ name three good things about a character you hate

I don't hate any of the main characters so I had to go down the characters in the show that I really hate and those characters most people don't like either! Point is this was difficult but here we go...

3 Good Things About Pam Burkhart

-She didn't stand in the way of letting Bob and Midge try to give their relationship a chance in season 7

-Her being there gave us a very funny, if not OOC, storyline in Squeezebox. It doesn't fit Red or Hyde's characters at all but it's still one of the funnier episodes that season.

-For the most part she seemed really nice to Bob.

Thanks for the question @those70scomics ! It was a thinker!

Writer Truth or Dare Game

[those70scomics]

Those ‘70s Comics: 3364

Inspired by episode 706 -- "Rip This Joint"

[einsteinsugly]

One of my least favorite scenes of season 6, tbh. The guys (minus Kelso and Fez, bc they would) lusting after Pam always annoyed me, and it's hella OOC.

Hyde: Pam is his girlfriend's mother, and Pam hurt Jackie in many, many ways growing up. Much like how Edna hurt him.

Red: I generally just hate season 6/season 7's development of Red and Kitty's relationship. The early seasons (and season 8) showed Red and Kitty as being deeply in love, not in stereotypical sitcom misery. Red loves Kitty dearly, and Pam is only pretty on the outside. Not on the inside.

Eric: It's one thing to say that Pam is hot, but him dressing up in a suit to impress Pam (right in front of his fiance, mind you) takes it to a whole other massively OOC level. He's with Donna, and over the years, his eyes are wholly and consistently on her while they're together.

“Hi boys.”

[piperslovebot]

Hiya, Poorni ❤️! Red Forman or Pam Burkhart for the ask game?

I think you know the answer to this

[zenmasterlover]

Could you do a drabble of Hyde realizing that he and Jackie have more in common than they both initially thought? Like maybe he’s talking to Eric or something, or whatever you want 😊

Ok ok, I see him realizing it on his own… so here goes nothing (all from Hyde’s first person pov! Set around when Pam leaves Jackie):

As I’m lying here on this tiny cot with the bratty cheerleader that wormed her way into my heart, I cannot help but feel tears begin to feel my eyes. At least she’s asleep, she won’t see. How can fucking Pam do that to her? I look down at her.

Earlier today:

“Jackie, what’s up? Why are you silent, it isn’t like you and I’m shockingly not okay with it,”

“It’s nothing, Steven. It doesn’t matter anyway,” I could see her cheeks change to a rosy pink, a sign she was about to cry

“Jackie,” I lift her chin so she’s looking straight at me, into my eyes, “holy shit, you got two different colored eyes,” I’ve never noticed that before. Hell, Kelso probably never noticed it either

“I’m a freak right? Mom always said it when I was little. I’m never enough for her. I’m not enough. Steven,” her breath shaky, “she left. Again.” She started sobbing and saying more incoherent things. My heart dropped. Fuck Pam Burkhart.

“Jackie, tell me how long. I need to know you’re safe,”

“About two weeks, she’s with someone named Carlos in the Bahamas. Said she’s not coming back,” she hiccuped and sobbed some more. Dammit. I scooped her up and carried her out of the basement and into my room to protect her pride in case the rest of the gang came down. She immediately buried her head in the crook of my neck.

I set her down on my cot, “dammit Jackie! Why didn’t you tell me? You know damn fucking well that big house of yours isn’t fucking safe!” Her sobs becoming louder, “fuck, Jackie… I’m so sorry I yelled. I guess I just love you,” I whispered as her cries began to simmer. Did I seriously just say that I loved her? “Let’s just get some rest.” I climbed in with her and started playing with her hair as she slowly drifted off

Present:

“We really are just two stubborn orphans, huh?” I whisper at her. How was I so blind to not see that this chick, my chick, is exactly like me? Edna ran away. Pam ran away. Fuck Edna. Fuck Pam. Although we come from two different sides of the track, Jackie is within me. We need each other. The rest of them would never understand.

Tears started dripping down my face, “we never deserved any of this,” I whispered to her sleeping form

NOTE: I don’t know if I’m proud of this one. It’s a little shaky… hopefully I’m just being a meanie to myself lol but I truly hoped you liked it, I’m new to this whole drabble shabang but I really do see myself in Jackie a lot and this could be some coping and therapy techniques for me!

[thestupidhelmet]

Okay, let's have some fun and do a Jukebox Ask Game! You can have me ask you a question, or you can ask me a question. Your choice.

Send me a number and a letter (they're under the cut). Or ask me to give you a number and letter (but I pick which ones, obviously 😅). We're free to interpret the word and apply it to the characters and ships however we want.

Autumn

Book

Camping

Dare

Emotion

Fever

Gambling

Home

Invitation

Joke

Kiss

Love

Memory

Night

Ode

Promise

Quest

Replace

Song

Talent

Urgency

Vacation

Winner

Yearly

Zombie

Eric

Donna

Jackie

Hyde

Fez

Kelso

Red

Kitty

Laurie

Bob

Midge

Joanne

Brooke

Rhonda

Angie

W.B.

Jack Burkhart

Pam Burkhart

The Erdmans (Fez's host parents)

Edna Hyde

Bud Hyde

John Kelso

Caroline

Buddy Morgan

Penny (Eric's "hot" cousin)

Mitch

Casey

Pastor Dave

Eric/Donna

Jackie/Hyde

Red/Kitty

Fez/Rhonda

Kelso/Brooke

Kelso/Laurie

Bob/Midge

Bob/Joanne

Eric/Jackie

Eric/Buddy

Fez/Laurie

Fez/Buddy

[palmviewfm]

mw counterparts?

this  list  got  a  little  bit  longer  than  anticipated.  as  there's  soooooo  many  counterparts  to  consider  choosing  from  !  so,  i  put  it  under  a  read  more  for  you  !

counterparts:  monica  geller, ross geller, joey  tribbiani,  chandler bing, janice litman, mike hannigan, ursula buffay, aria  montgomery,  emily  fields,  spencer  hastings,  mona  vanderwaal,  alison  dilaurentis,  caleb  rivers,  maya  st  germain,  toby  cavanaugh,  betty  cooper,  veronica  lodge,  cheryl  blossom,  archie  andrews,  reggie  mantle,  toni  topaz,  tabitha  tate,  quinn  fabray,  rachel  berry,  brittany  pierce,  olivia  baker,  layla  keating,  jordan  baker,  jaymee, spencer  james,  lucas  scott,  peyton  sawyer, brooke  davis,  quinn  james,  julian  baker,  anna taggaro, rachel  gatina,  blair  waldorf,  serena  van  der  woodsen,  dan  humphrey,  nate  archibald,  callie  adams  foster,  mariana  foster,  buffy  summers,  willow  rosenberg,  tara mclay, kendra young, faith  lehane,  cordelia  chase,  heather  mcnamara,  marissa  cooper,  summer  roberts,  seth  cohen,  angel, anya jenkins, ryan  atwood,  taylor  townsend,  elena  gilbert,  caroline  forbes,  bonnie  bennett,  stefan  salvatore, anna zhu, enzo  st  john,  sandy  olson,  betty  rizzo,  frenchy,  danny  zuko,  marty, jan, sonny,  jackie  burkhart,  donna  pinciotti,  eric  forman,  laurie  forman,  belly  conklin,  sloane  peterson,  ferris  bueller,  duckie  dale,  bianca  stratford,  kat  stratford,  patrick  verona,  mia thermopolis, sabrina spellman, harvey kinkle, libby chessler, barbie  roberts,  ken  carson,  jenna  rink,  allie  hamilton,  noah  calhoun,  brandon  walsh,  david  silver,  brenda  walsh,  kelly  taylor,  donna  martin,  conrad  fisher,  jeremiah  fisher,  steven  cokin,  taylor  jewel,  sarah  cameron,  jj  maybank,  john  b  routledge,  kiara  carerra,  pope  heywood,  cleo, topper  thornton,  prue  halliwell,  paige  matthews,  piper  halliwell,  phoebe  halliwell,  meredith  grey,  arizona  robbins,  jackson  avery,  callie  torres,  april  kepner,  derek  shephard,  alex  karev,  cristina  yang,  lizzie  stevens,  callie  torres,  jo  wilson,  addison  montgomery,  lexi  grey,  atticus  lincoln,  nancy  drew,  lucy  grey,  sam  montgomery,  austin  ames,  jen  lindley,  pacey  witter,  dawson  leery,  katherine  pierce,  rebekah  mikaelson,  hayley  marshall,  tatum  riley,  sidney  prescott,  casey  becker,  tara  carpenter,  samantha  carpenter,  beca  mitchell,  chloe  beale,  jessica  day,  winston schmidt, cece  parekh, laney  boggs,  dewey  riley,  gale  weathers,  georgina  sparks,  elle  woods,  francesca  bridgerton,  daphne  bridgerton,  penelope  featherington,  sookie  stackhouse,  karen  smith,  regina  george,  gretchen  weiners,  janis  ian,  cady  heron,  aaron  samuels,  dj  tanner,  stephanie  tanner,  marcia  brady,  cindy  brady,  greg  brady,  carrie  bradshaw,  cher  horowitz,  kirby  reed,  jim  halpert,  michael  scott,  kelly  kapoor,  pam  beesly,  peter  parker,  mary  jane  watson,  analise  keating,  olivia  pope,  tony  stonem,  effy  stonem,  joey  donner,  john  bender,  allison  argent,  scott  mccall,  lydia  martin,  olive  penderghast,  maggie  greene,  marty  mcfly,  bella  swan,  alice  cullen,  charlie  swan,  emmett  cullen,  jacob  black,  carlisle  cullen,  esme  cullen,  jane  volturi,  morticia  addams,  donna  and  sophie  sheridan,  lorraine  banes,  jennifer  parker,  sam  winchester,  luke  danes,  dean  forester,  tristan  dugray,  lane  kim,  paris  geller,  logan  huntzberger,  jeanie  bueller,  simon  basset,  kate  sharma,  colin  bridgerton,  shiv  roy,  gerri  kellman,  roman  roy,  olivia  benson,  clary  fray,  isabelle  lightwood,  jace  herondale,  simon  lewis,  daphne  blake,  shaggy  rogers,  velma  dinkley,  fred  jones,  cinderella, ariel, tiana, jasmine, tom  wambsgans,  kendall  roy,  greg  hirsch,  lestat  de  lioncourt,  louis  de  point  du  lac,  and  claudia  !

[springsteenicious]

https://www.tumblr.com/thestupidhelmet/745487670410723328/send-me-a-character-and-ill-do-this

WB pls 🥹

Sexuality Headcanon: I usually write him as straight but now that I consider it... would be lots of fun to write him as bisexual. I'm gonna have to try that out if anyone has fit ideas for that

Gender Headcanon: he's a cis guy

A ship I have with said character: I don't really have any because I like the idea of him being a cool single father but a couple years ago I toyed with the idea of him and Edna getting back together after he finds out about Hyde

A BROTP I have with said character: Pretty much any of the dads/ father figures in the show. I would love to see him and Leo getting to know each other and bonding over their relationships to Hyde

A NOTP I have with said character: I don't know! Pam Burkhart?

A random headcanon: He plays piano I just believe that in my soul. I also think once he reconnects with Hyde he convinces Hyde to do childhood-type things with him like go to the zoo or aquarium and stuff.

General Opinion over said character: I love WB I wish we could've seen more of him. I really have to write him more!

[einsteinsugly]

Headcanon Time!

When Jackie and Hyde's daughter is an infant, Pam is adamant that she should get her ears pierced. For Hyde, fuck no. There's a snowball's chance in hell.

Meanwhile, Jackie initially leans in Pam's camp, but Hyde gets her on his side eventually. Eric and Donna are on Hyde's side, too.

[that70sshowgoldencouple]

Kitty making Red sound old to Pam Burkhart. What really cracks me up to is the last image-the look on both their faces 🤣

Season 6, Episode 16: A Man with Money

[those70scomics]

Those ‘70s Comics: 3363

Inspired by episode 706 -- "Rip This Joint"

[that90sshowgoldencouple]

I think I saw it on Reddit and the idea sounded like it could’ve made sense for a number of reasons.

1)it would explain why Nate has that sort of Kelso energy. He doesn’t really act like Casey, but more like Michael Kelso He’s a lovable goofball, who’s not always the brightest bulb in the box, that makes me think of Kelso a little more than Jay does.

2)it would be a way to bring Casey Kelso back onto the show. TBH I did not like Casey’s character, he’s right up there with Pam Burkhart on my list, possibly even higher lol

Thanks for the ask @hydesjackiespuddinpop 😊

[ao3feed-that70sshow]

one difference: kelso makes out with another pam

by ymnfilter

diverging from s01e13 ski trip, what would have happened if kelso had started an affair with his girlfriend's mom?

“Say Michael, have you and my daughter been dating very long?”

“Oh yeah, it’s been almost 4 months now.” Kelso stated proudly, but then pouted, “But it feels like it’s been forever. Jackie won’t even let me reach second base with her and I’ve been really good about not doing it with anyone else because she wants us to lose our virginities together, but it’s really hard, Pam.”

“Oh, I can just imagine. Jackie is stubborn just like her father.” Pam seemed to have made a decision. She shrugged her shoulders, the coverup slipping down her arm artfully and exposing her barely-held-together-by-a-skimpy-bikini-top breasts. Michael’s eyes zeroed on them like a beacon and Pamela smiled, taking a step closer to the younger boy, “Say Michael- if you ever get bored… waiting for Jackie…” She placed a hand under his chin, raising it up so that their eyes met, “how about you come and find me?”

Words: 1576, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: That '70s Show

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Jackie Burkhart, Pam Burkhart, Steven Hyde, Michael Kelso, Eric Forman (That '70s Show), Fez (That '70s Show), Donna Pinciotti

Relationships: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Season/Series 01, Infidelity, Getting Together, Fluff and Humor

from AO3 works tagged 'That '70s Show' https://ift.tt/oyHwSUj via IFTTT

[piperslovebot]

Mother, son, and daughter in law :)))

[eclectic-mania]

world on fire

1. tell me you'll never more roam

(read it here on ao3!)

Once upon a time, Jackie Burkhart loved Christmas in Point Place. 

Well, once upon a time, she loved Christmas; it just happened that at that point, she had spent all her Christmases in Point Place. 

Though Wisconsin winters were more than brutal, she loved how bright and shiny the snow made everything look. She enjoyed hot chocolate and catching snowflakes on her tongue. She adored looking at the Christmas lights her neighbors would put up. She relished the feeling of goodwill and was elated by how happy and peppy it made everyone, even the resident Scrooges. 

Most of all, though, she loved celebrating the holiday with people that loved her, her family. 

Not the Burkharts, of course; Jack had become negligent long before going to jail, and Pam had never bothered to care for her only daughter while they were in the same country, let alone different ones. No, Jackie’s family consisted of Red and Kitty Forman and, for a brief but shining moment, Bob Pinciotti. Once upon a time, she would even consider the basement gang to be a part of that family: Donna, her best friend and the closest thing she had to a sister; Eric, the nerdy almost-brother that tormented and teased her as if she really was his sister; Michael, her loveable but stupid ex-boyfriend; Fez, the girliest and best guy-friend she ever had; and Steven, the absolute love of her life. She loved spending time with them, even if they were just sitting around the stinky old basement. These people made the holidays worth it, and the holiday season wasn’t complete without seeing them.

But that was all once upon a time. Christmas in Point Place was something out of a fairy tale, and Jackie had long since learned that fairy tales weren’t real. 

She knew better than to go back now. 

It’s not like she had the time to do so, anyway. She was a busy and respected fashion designer, one of several in a pretty prestigious fashion house in New York City. She was in the middle of designing her very first solo collection; it was a big task but not something that she necessarily had to be in the city for at this stage. Still, it was better if she was, just in case anything went awry. 

She could take a few days off if she wanted, but why should she? She clawed her way up the ladder on nothing but her own merit and had far too many responsibilities to tend to out here to ensure her status was maintained, or so she claimed to Kitty whenever the inevitable invitation would come. Beyond work, too, she had an apartment to take care of, plants to water, elderly neighbors to cook for, and no desire to see the people she purposefully left behind.

Kitty Forman never accepted that Jackie never wanted to come back, and Jackie never gave in to her mother figure’s pleading to come home. 

Well, not until this year, anyway. 

“I really can’t, Mrs. Forman,” Jackie insisted on their weekly phone call one November night, a hint of desperation in her voice. “I’m so busy with the studio. We’re working on a mock-up of the design concept, and one of the seamstresses needs emergency surgery, so we’re already down a hand, and—”

“Now, Jackie.” Kitty’s voice crackled through the phone, her own tell-tale signs of desperation seeping into her voice. “I have been very patient with you, young lady, but this has gone on long enough. Now, you need us, Jackie, especially after this year you’ve had. And besides, it’s been how many years since we’ve had you over for Christmas?” 

“Not that long,” Jackie muttered.

“Christmas of ‘78! That was your last Christmas here, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Mrs. Forman, but—”

“And Fez will be here,” Kitty continued, trying her hardest to make her case. “You still talk to him, don’t you? Won’t it be so nice to see him again?” 

“Of course, Mrs. Forman, but I don’t—”

“And Eric will be here since he still lives here, but Laurie won’t be, so you can have her room!” Kitty laughed nervously, hoping this sold her on the idea. It didn’t; Jackie had no desire to sleep on a mattress that had seen more action than a bed at the Playboy mansion. “Well? What do you say?” 

Jackie took a long pause to collect all her strength for what was coming next. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Forman.” 

“Oh.” There was another pause, a long one, and then a sniffle. “Well, honey, you’ve left me no choice. Red,” she called away, and Jackie instantly groaned.

“No, Mrs. Forman, don’t—”

“Loud One,” Red grunted into the phone. “Why is my wife crying?” 

Jackie rolled her eyes. Of course she was crying. “I told her I couldn’t make it out for Christmas and New Year’s this year.”

“And why the hell not? I know for a fact you have paid time off that you haven’t used, young lady, so I suggest you use it for this holiday season because Kitty won’t take no for an answer.” 

“I took some time off,” she argued half-heartedly. “Whenever Eric visits, I take time off to see him. Remember when Eric’s layover landed here after the rest of his Africa teaching gig? I was the one who showed him around the city, Mr. Forman.” 

“That was years ago, Loud One, and it was just three days you took off. If you can take time off for the dumbass, you can sure as hell take time off for us. We—I mean, Kitty misses you, okay?” 

She sighed and pressed her forehead against the wall, eyes closed tight. “I don’t want to see them again, Mr. Forman.” 

“And you won’t,” he said without missing a beat. It was almost as if he expected this point to be brought up. “The neighbor girl doesn’t come around as much now that she and the dumbass are broken up, the kettlehead has his own family to take care of now, and the hophead is going to Christmas dinner at his dad’s. You won’t be seeing anyone you don’t want to, Loud One. We’ll make sure of it.” Then, in a much softer voice, he spoke again. “Come home, Jackie.” 

She sighed again, cradling her head in her hand. Her resolve had been firm until those last three words, but now, thinking of Point Place as her home was suddenly appealing again. “Do you think we could work on the cars together while I’m there?” 

“Well, you twisted my arm,” he gruffed, but the smile in his voice was clear as day. 

--

To say Jackie was apprehensive about this trip was one hell of an understatement. She didn’t even remember the plane ride from New York to Milwaukee save for all the worrying she did, burning through two separate cassettes on her Walkman without even realizing it. She was so out of it, in fact, that Jackie nearly did an about-face once she hit the arrivals terminal of Milwaukee International Airport. Still, a familiar face stopped her in her tracks. 

Well, that’s not entirely true. A sign that was thrust high in the air stopped Jackie in her tracks, with Devil written on it in big red block letters. Jackie’s eyes locked onto that sign and instantly shifted to the face of the man holding it, a smile immediately pulling at her lips in response to the giant grin on his. 

“There she is, back to make my life a living hell,” he called, not caring about the attention it was bringing him in the crowded airport terminal. 

Jackie didn’t care either, pulling her bag behind her as she ran up and into Eric’s arms. “String Bean,” she said warmly, “Merry Christmas Eve! It’s so good to see you! I didn’t know you were picking me up.” 

“I thought I’d surprise you,” he grinned, taking her bag from her. “Well, Red didn’t want you to take a taxi. You know how he is. You’re his favorite.” 

“Hell yeah, I am,” she laughed, falling into step beside him. 

Her friendship with Eric surprised everyone, given that they had always been antagonistic toward each other when he left. Sure, they both knew that it came from a place of affection, but this was apparently news to everyone else. 

Jackie was one of the few people who wrote to Eric regularly when he was in Africa, keeping him involved and up-to-date in all things happening in Point Place until she left in December of ‘79. She told him about Chicago, about Sam the Stripper, about Randy. Then, after she had moved, Jackie filled him in on the two-day stay in the hospital when she had to be treated for pneumonia after falling into the creek after the county fair and how that had been the driving force to finally do the damn thing she was meant to do and move away already.

And, though Jackie never expected a response, she got one almost every time. Each letter was another deep dive into his life in Africa, his thoughts on what he saw out there, and all the things Jackie was telling him. In each response, Eric was thoughtful and considerate and only a little snarky, which Jackie greatly appreciated. He showed genuine concern for her physical and mental health and even offered up a number for her to call him when she could. 

Then all of a sudden, they had a weekly call scheduled, and when Eric was due to come back, he even planned his trip back so that he had a few days of layover in New York City. He’d been back once or twice since then, usually on weekends to accommodate his teacher’s schedule, and so Jackie didn’t have to take time off during her tumultuous first months as a designer. 

She was the first one he spoke to when he was trying to figure out his next steps after Africa and to gush about his crush on a fellow teacher; he was the first one she called about her new collection and the only one to fly out when she was going through a tough breakup. They supported each other through ups and downs; it was the most healthy and fulfilling friendship Jackie had ever had. 

Remembering how much he meant to her was the only thing keeping Jackie from frogging Eric now, though, because his conversation topics were terrible. “He asks about you, you know?” 

“I don’t care,” she said flatly, staring out the window. “You know better than to tell him anything.” 

“I know,” he soothed, his voice only slightly higher-pitched. Jackie knew how much Eric hated lying to his friends, but this was important to her. “He knows we talk and that I’ve visited you, but I don’t tell him anything, and neither does Fez, I think. I just wanted you to know that he asks.” 

“And I just want you to know I don’t care.” 

Eric snorted but said nothing else for the next ten minutes. However, when he broke his silence again, Jackie genuinely wished he hadn’t. “I mean, he’s really sorry about the whole thing.”

“Eric,” she groaned, “seriously, String Bean, you need to can it. He should be sorry. I was in the hospital because of him! Not to mention all the vile stuff he was saying to me the entire time before that. You weren’t there, Eric. You don’t know.” 

“I know what you told me,” he insisted, “and I know what he tells me, and I’m telling you, he’s not just sorry about the creek. It might be worth giving him another chance.” 

“Stop the car.” 

“What?” 

“Stop the car, Eric!” 

As the Vista Cruiser screeched to a halt, he looked quizzically at his passenger. “What’s your deal, Devil?” 

She sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m only going to say this once because being in Wisconsin pulls my old self out just a little bit, and the old me hated begging, but I’m begging you not to bring him up again. I know he’s your brother,” she added hurriedly when Eric’s mouth opened again, “and that you love him, yadda yadda, whatever. Still, I have no intention of hearing about him or anyone else while I’m here. Red and Kitty know this already, so you need to get it through your thick skull like yesterday. Are we clear?” 

Eric stared out the windshield, unseeing. “Is it really that painful?”

“Yes,” she shot back immediately. “Those months you left us in that basement... god, Eric, they were the worst months of my life. And that’s counting going broke and losing my parents. Even the stuff with Brian...” She gulped. “All of it. Chicago and the stripper and the freakin’ pneumonia that landed me in the hospital, hell, those burns they kept shooting at me too, all of it... it broke me, broke me to the point that even Brian didn’t manage to get to yet.” 

The look Eric gave her, the heartbroken horror of remembering seeing Jackie in the aftermath of the Brian ordeal, had Jackie reaching out for his hand. He gave it to her without hesitation.

“He’s dead to me, Eric. Steven Hyde is dead to me, and I’m pretty sure he thinks of me the same way, no matter what he tells you to save face. I mean, he nearly killed me, remember?” 

“He never wanted that,” Eric said softly, squeezing her hand. “Seriously, you won’t even see him again? Jackie, I think he still lo—” 

“Hell no.” In an instant, Jackie had her fingers in her ears. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Eric Forman, or I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass, you’ll be tasting leather for weeks.” 

The threat pulled a startled laugh from the guy. “Jeez, with your Forman Rage and the foot-in-the-ass threats, it’s a wonder we’re not actually related.” 

“What can I say? There’s a reason Red loves me,” she smirked. “Now drive, String Bean. Our parents are waiting for me.”

“God, it’s like having a more tolerable Laurie around,” he groaned, but he drove off anyway, knowing his parents were just as eager to see their pseudo-daughter again.