AN: I don't own anything other than my own character Mary-Jane.

Also just to let everyone know I had to fiddle slightly with the dates of each episode purely because of the change in Eric's birthday during the series. If anyone spots anything not right or out of character, please feel free to let me know!

I'd also like to add that I know I did a one-shot Since I've Been Lovin You, and I said this would be a complete follow on, I may have to tweak how Hyde and MJ get together so it fits with this fic. Thanks again for all your patience guys!

Season One Episode One

Pilot

February 25th, 1976

8:47pm

ERIC FORMAN'S BASEMENT

'Eric, its time.' Pressured Hyde, as he leaned off the couch towards Forman who was sitting on the worn chair.

Eric looking reluctant replied, 'Why don't you do it?' however, it became apparent that his other friends in the room were going to start helping Hyde convince him to go on such a dangerous operation.

Hyde's answer to such an obvious question was only, 'it's your house.' But this time he had help from Kelso who was leaning over his shoulder to get closer to Forman, deciding to also take up the role as a parrot as he echoed Hyde, 'Your house.'

Although Hyde was not finished with his explanation on why Forman had to do it at that precise moment. 'Listen to the up there.' He points to the ceiling, almost hitting MJ as she was leaning over the back of the beat up couch, while Kelso glances up the basement stairs, music and laughing could be heard. 'The party has reached critical mass. In ten minutes, there will be no more beer opportunities.' The full time he was gradually getting closer and closer to Forman, almost right in his face to emphasise his point.

It was clear Hyde was serious as he had removed his sunglasses, well that's what everyone else in the room thought, they weren't aware that it was due to the fact that MJ didn't like him wearing them all the time, she liked being able to see his eyes, a secret that slipped out after both Hyde and MJ stole some beer and got drunk on the water tower, whenever she was around he tried to keep them off for her, and not let the others know at the same time.

Eric looking anxious tried to explain why this was such a crappy idea, 'if my dad catches me copping beers, he'll kill me.'

Hyde gave an enthusiastic hit to Eric's knee while telling him, 'I'm willing to take that risk.' The grin on his face made it clear that his only priority was getting some beer, never mind if his best friend had to take the fall. This caused MJ to give a small snort, making Hyde's grin widen as he looked back at her. He didn't look for long though, he had to keep his cool, it was bad enough how much the guys were picking up on how he felt towards Janey, hell the fact that he was the only one that called her Janey still got brought up every now and then in order to burn him.

Both Kelso and Donna, who was sitting in the lawn chair next to the door, both decided to give Forman some advice.

'Don't worry about it. Just remain calm, and keep moving...' Kelso said as if it was that simple. Donna added;

'and above all, don't get sucked into my dad's hair.' She looked as though she was remembering a very destressing memory.

'what's wrong with your dad's hair?' asks Eric getting side-tracked for a moment.

'Just don't look at it.' She answers while she averts her gaze.

Hyde grabs his face to look at him to bring him back to the task at hand and to avoid him getting sucked in to giving gooey eyes at Donna. Not that he could talk, he had just zoned back in after thinking about his Janey. But there were more pressing matters at hand, that and if Hyde managed to persuade Forman to steel beers for the four of them, he would definitely be on her good side.

'And Eric… Cold. Definitely cold.' He reminds his as it was likely he would forget due to panic.

'Oh and Forman!', MJ called as he started to ascend the stairs towards the party above, 'get some of those pizza rolls your Ma makes would ya? I'm getting kinda hungry.' Eric rolled his eyes, he knew exactly why MJ was now getting hungry if her red-rimmed eyes were any indication, nethertheless he nodded and continued upstairs.

While waiting on Eric returning at some point some killer hard rock music had been turned on. However, it became clear that there was something more important in Hyde's nude-y mag he had been flicking through;

'check it out.' Hyde said, drawing Kelso away from rocking out on his air guitar to stare at the magazine. The look of amazement confused Donna as she looked over the back of the couch saying;

'I see that every day.' Resulting in Hyde quickly stashing the magazine when he realized she was also looking. He didn't need her reporting back to MJ that he was looking at that sort of thing, especially if he wanted to have a shot with her. He was lucky she had gone upstairs to the bathroom and she wasn't here to see anything.

Before Donna could lecture him, Eric finally returned, jumping down the few steps leading into the basement he presented five ice cold beers. Eric was followed by the small blonde girl who seemed happy enough that she got her pizza rolls.

'He's alive!' declared Hyde, with Kelso following with a 'Yeah!'

Forman started to hand out the beers, starting with Donna who had returned to the lawn chair near the door. MJ, having returned from the bathroom, climbed onto the back of the couch resulting in Hyde sitting in between her legs, he was quick to stash the dirty magazine down the side of the couch cushion, lucky Janey was distracted by her cousin Kelso trying to steal some of her food. There was a sharp sound of skin hitting skin as MJ hit him, followed by a loud 'Ow MJ!'.

'Good news. My dad… is thinking of giving me… the vista cruiser.' Eric said while cracking open his own beer and sat back in his chair, as the focus came back to him, away from the fighting cousins.

'You're getting a car?' said Kelso shocked, such an idea distracting him from trying to get back at MJ.

However, Donna was thinking of how cool this could be, 'ooh. Have I told you how incredibly attractive you are, Eric?' She half-jokingly flirted.

'No.' Eric replies with a smirk and raised eyebrow, flirting right back.

Although both were not expecting Kelso's next comment.

'You told me he was cute.' Resulting in Donna looking down in embarrassment. This caused MJ to giggle resulting in Hyde giving her leg a squeeze and another grin.

'No, I didn't.'

'I remember, 'cause you said', as he leans towards Donna, 'not to say anything in front of Eric.'

Kelso being the idiot that he was, wasn't grasping the fact that he was in fact spilling all of this right in front of Forman, who had begun to look as uncomfortable as Donna.

Hyde sensing how awkward everyone was starting to feel decided to do the good thing for once and divert the attention off Donna.

'Let's focus on what's important here, people. Forman stole something.' As he finished his declaration of pride he looks at Forman and begins to raise his beer, all the others followed with a;

'TO FORMAN!'

MJ felt a twinge of jealousy at this knowing Hyde was trying to help Donna, she was worried that he really liked her, instead of the seeing her as a sister like he would often say. Then again, other influences could be making her more paranoid, well more than usual. However, it didn't stop her praising and drinking for Forman.

Eric after he had all calmed down then said,

'you know what's sad? This is the proudest day of my life.' His dramatics caused him to begin fake crying, and for Hyde to then hug him. It was going to be a good night.

'Hey, Donna I was telling MJ about your dad's hair.' Laughed Kelso, but he soon stopped laughing after Donna gave him a swift kick and a 'Shut up Kelso!' causing the rest of the gang to laugh.

They had all decided to go out to the arcade to seen as spending every night in Forman's basement did get pretty boring. All seven of them had to squash themselves 'round one small table, Hyde and Fez had decided to go play pinball, so they didn't have to listen to Jackie anymore, sadly the rest were stuck with her.

'I may not say this right because I am new too English… but she has tremendous breasts, yes?' Fez said, pointing to a girl standing behind gang table. Hyde turned around and looked at the girl, his eyebrows raising slightly as a sign of agreement before turning back around, but MJ seen it causing her to scowl. She mustn't have been the only one to notice because when she caught Donna's eye and she gave her a sympathetic smile. However, they were soon distracted by Jackie moaning, again;

'Michael, who is this guy?' As Jackie asked this Eric and Hyde switched places, Hyde taking his seat in between MJ and Donna, he grins at MJ but she just looked away from him directing her attention to her cousin to see what he would say to Jackie. Hyde's eyes hardened at her reaction, he wasn't really sure what he had done but this game they were playing was getting old.

'oh, that's Fez. He's a foreign exchange student.' Kelso replied like it was obvious who the new member of the gang was. It also appeared that he was liked a whole lot more than Jackie was, then again that wasn't too hard.

'who did we exchange for him?' Everyone apart from Kelso and Fez grimaced at Jackie's reply. MJ had to bite her tongue to stop a snide comment, she promised Kelso that she would tried to get on with his girlfriend but she couldn't help it when she went out of her way to be a bitch to everyone that wasn't rich or popular.

'Donna, I have to go to the ladies' room.' Jackie continued as she stood from her seat beside Kelso, that was another reason MJ couldn't stand her, she always ignored her for no reason, instead she would always try and keep MJ and Donna separated.

'Donna!' Jackie repeated after she realised she didn't hear her, Donna couldn't be bothered with Jackie either, none of them could, however Donna was too nice as a person to be mean to her, no matter how much she deserved it.

Donna look exasperated when she rose and followed Jackie to the bathroom, probably dreading the girl talk she would have to endure. MJ wondered if Donna had confided in Jackie about the way she felt about Eric, then again she wouldn't be surprised if she already knew, it was pretty obvious.

'I, too, must go to the bathroom. Eric?' said Fez, not understanding that it wold look weird if Eric escorted him to the men's room, that was apparent from Eric's appalled expression as he turned around from his turn on the pinball machine and struggled to explain to him;

'No, it… doesn't work that way with guys.' Trying to let Fez down easy. He still manages to look put out, but goes on his own any way, MJ felt bad for him, it must be hard trying to pick up all the different norms in a foreign country.

Eric decided to just leave his game and took Donna's seat on the other side of Hyde, he noticed that MJ and Hyde weren't talking, he wondered if it was something to do with the girl he looked at with Fez. Although his mood with MJ didn't affect his ability to interrogate Kelso about Jackie;

'Kelso, how much longer are we gonna have to deal with the whole Jackie experience?' everyone was in agreement, all sick of Jackie, especially now that she was going with them to the concert, she had the ability to such the fun out of almost anything.

'Don't worry I'm breaking up with her.' MJ gave a cold laugh, knowing that it would never happen, it appeared Hyde agreed with her;

'Never gonna happen.' He said as he put an arm over the back of MJ's chair, he decided to be the bigger person out of the two especially if they really wanted to get rid of Jackie.

'It's over. She's cuttin' in to my free time.'

'Put it this way Michael,' drawled MJ, 'if she doesn't stop treating me like trash, we will have a problem, I'm at least wanted in this group, it would take much for me to scare her off.'

Everyone knew that she wasn't kidding, but who could blame her with the way Jackie was behaving, they were surprised it had taken her so long to actually react to it.

Jackie, Donna, and Fez returned to their table together. They all decided to head back to Forman's basement apart from all the girls, Kelso ended up walking Jackie home before heading to Forman's, while Donna and MJ were dropped off at MJ's house where she lived with her aunt and uncle, and her six cousins. The guys returned to have a little circle time.

'Kelso, that's sweet.' Donna said with a condescending tone as Kelso opened the passenger side door, with the intention of sitting up front.

'Actually, I'm riding shotgun.' Said Kelso as he tried to get in the car.

'No you're not.' Replied Donna.

'Well, I'm not riding in the back! MJ pinches me!'

'Do not!' MJ stopped laughing, knowing this was heading towards an argument.

'Do too!' MJ sticks her tongue out at Kelso as he says this, then pinches him.

'ow! See!' shouted Kelso.

Donna and Eric sighed knowing how childish both of them could be when they were arguing. Donna decided to end it before it escalated;

'Okay knock it off! Why don't we let Eric decide?'

All three turned their heads to look at Forman.

MJ was already in the middle seat in the back of the Vista Cruiser, she was laughing already knowing Donna would win if Eric had a say. She came to Forman's with Kelso, they were going to go pick up Fez, Hyde and Jackie before heading to the concert in Milwaukee.

'Eric?' Kelso questions him.

'Kelso...' Eric starts, 'Get in the back.' Kelso had started to get in the front, but when he realised what he was actually saying he slipped as he tried to get back out.

'Haha, dumbass!' Cackled MJ, as Kelso joined her in the back, sitting with his arms crossed going in a mood.

Donna gets in the front of the cruiser, as MJ pinches Kelso, again.

'Ow!' Donna just rolls her eyes and ignores them. She could see that Red had arrived and was talking to Eric about the car and not taking it out of town, which is not the kind of talk they need. Erin gets into the car, and red leans in the window;

'Well... Have fun.'

'Well I guess that's that, we're not going.' Eric said looking defeated.

'Eric, do you want to go?' asked Donna wanting to persuade him to go. By this point both MJ and Kelso had stopped fighting realising they had yet to leave the driveway. When they had got up to speed on what was going on, Kelso looked appalled whereas MJ just looked down right annoyed.

'He said no trips out of town.'

'Pussy.' Mumbles MJ, causing Donna too shoot her a look to say shut up. MJ just makes a face and looks out the window. Donna returns to the job at hand, making sure they go to this concert;

'It's your car. Do you want go?'

'But he's god!' exclaimed Eric, as if it was obvious that what Red says was gospel.

'I think God would want us to go to Milwaukee.' Kelso told him in an adamant tone, realising Forman was needing some real persuasion.

'Yeah! C'mon foreman, think about it, we will never let you live this down if we don't go, the way God intended for it to be.' Said MJ, re-joining the conversation now that she was over her mood.

'Eric, you're a 17-year-old man. I'm gonna go with whatever you say. It's your decision.' Donna places her hand on his shoulder to help convince him, hoping it would work.

'It is my decision.' Eric said coming to the realisation that the vista cruiser was indeed his car.

'And my decision is... We're going to a concert.'

'Yeah!' and, 'Yeah right on foreman!' could be heard from the back from Kelso and MJ. Donna wasn't too vocal however she did still do some sort of fist pump with a 'yes'.

Before heading to the concert, they stopped at the Hub to pick up Hyde and Fez, Hyde got in the back with MJ, while Fez got in the front beside Donna encouraging her to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Eric. Fez still didn't really know MJ, but he knew as much as she could be aloof that she was still better than Jackie, who did nothing but bitch about him. Sadly, that was the next stop for the cruiser to pick up the preppy cheerleader.

Jackie wasn't happy with the seating arrangements because MJ wouldn't give her the middle seat and she had to sit on Kelso's knee, but she soon shut up when they started to fool around much to MJ and Hyde's displeasure. The pair kept sharing looks of disgust, both forgetting that Hyde's arm was running along the back of the seats, he'd occasionally subconsciously twirl a bit of hair between his fingers. Bring comfort to both.

The more Kelso and Jackie fooled around the closer MJ moved to Steven, almost to the point where she was nearly on his knee. She could no longer look at him or he'd see how much his smell and touch alone was making her lose her cool.

It wasn't long till all the gang were out the cruiser, they had broken down and had no way of getting from the garage to the concert. They were all leaning against the car, MJ still quite snug against Hyde while he drank a soda, Eric and Kelso beside them arguing about why they were no longer on the road.

'I'm telling you we're out of gas.'

'We're not out of gas.' Eric argued back. MJ rolled her eyes, becoming bored with the whole situation.

'It's the battery. Its six years old and shot to hell.' The Mechanic finally told them.

MJ pushed herself up off the car, wandering over to the small store attached to the garage to grab herself a soda, hoping by the time she returned there would be some sort of plan to hit the road.

She grabbed her drink and made her way to the register. The guy behind the counter was pretty cute, but still rough around the edges. But he was still missing something.

He winked at her as she approached, fighting the girly giggle threatening to come out of her mouth, she smirked. A little harmless flirting might pass the time.

'Hey there pretty lady, what can I do you for?'

'Hey yourself, just the soda thanks.' Her voice was a little husky, her smirk still in place.

He began to grin, looking smug that she had "fallen" for his flirting.

'So where were you headin'?' Inclining his head through the window to where the car and the gang were. She followed his gaze to see that Hyde was staring back at them, his mouth in a thin line but his face impossible to read due to his aviators.

'Just a concert.' She turned back to the guy, shrugging her shoulders beginning to feel guilty.

'So, that the boyfriend then?' He still sounded smug.

She looked down at the drink in her hand, 'Something like that.'

'Well then I better not keep you too much longer.' He rang up the soda on the register, telling her the price and taking the money that she handed over. She quickly scurried back out to the gang, to find them doing an impression of the Hustle.

Jackie looked pissed, and as soon as everyone stopped dancing, she demanded that she needed to go to the restroom and insisted Donna go with her. Leaving MJ all alone with the guys.

The Mechanic fell into conversation with Eric, Kelso and Fez. Leaving her and Hyde standing further apart than usual not speaking. Hyde sighed and was first to break the tension.

'So, did you give him your number?' his tone unreadable.

MJ was shocked at what he'd just asked her, stuttering out a 'What?!'

'Y'know, soda guy. Did you give him your number? Or were you enjoying leading him on.'

She didn't answer him; she was too angry to. She felt her face flush from rage, but before she could say anything Hyde had turned to the guys conversation.

'Well that's a really sweet deal, my friend… but how about this? How about one battery for two concert tickets?' the Mechanic tried to barter.

'No. we can't give up two tickets.' Kelso answered for them, but before the guy could answer Hyde butted in.

'I'm sure Janey here can give up her ticket, she could stay her and catch up with her friend.' He gave her what was supposed to be a pat on the shoulder, but there was enough force to rock her forward slightly. She looked at him outraged, while her just gave a rather sharp grin.

'That is NOT happening!' she declared.

'Okay.' With a shrug was the only answer they got in return.

'It's either that or none of us go.' Eric said to Kelso, ignoring what appeared to be a domestic between the other two.

'so, who's out?'

'well, there's always Jackie.' Hyde suggest seemingly having moved on from offering up MJ.

'of course, Jackie. I mean, Jackie's gone. But who else?'

'oh, I don't know, Jackie's date?' MJ smirked at Eric's response, but it soon dropped and changed to an eye-roll with Kelso's reply,

'Come on! You know I'm breaking up with her, you guys are chopping me out!'

Eric and Fez went onto explain that they've had to listen to Jackie the whole hour drive to Milwaukee. With Kelso claiming that it was God work that resulted in his bad luck than his own stupidity of keeping such a bitchy girlfriend.

MJ was back to fretting over her and Hyde, and how a lot had changed in like ten minutes. The tension between them and the whole unknown this was really causing problems between the two, Janey wasn't sure how much longer she could cope with, or how long Hyde would put up with it.

Her pondering was interrupted with Eric giving tickets to the mechanic as Jackie and Donna returning. They were to wait in the car for the guy from the garage, but MJ wasn't quick enough getting back to her seat. When she looked in, Jackie had taken up the middle seat, with Kelso back at the window. Donna, Fez and Eric were up front again, leaving one seat for Hyde and MJ to share.

She looked awkwardly back at Hyde, where he stood looking smug with those stupid glasses on again. She looked down unsure what to say. Hyde huffed, brushing past her and getting in the car. He removed his sunglasses before grabbing a hold of her arm to get her attention, while gesturing with his other hand to get in.

MJ sighed, everyone else was too busy having a carry on to notice the current predicament between the two. As she got in, awkwardly attempting to sit on Hyde's lap. But she was clearly taken too long, causing Hyde to pull her to sit over his two legs so it was move comfortable for them.

MJ ended up with one arm around his neck, the other had a grip of the front of his shirt to keep her balance. Hyde had one hand resting on her knees, with the other wrapped around her waist, his hand landed very close her ass, but he appeared to be resisting pushing it too far.

They didn't speak, and MJ couldn't look at Hyde. But they both kept trying to reassure each other with the occasional tightening of their hold on one and other. Making sure they knew the other was sorry, but they were both still confused on where they stood.

Soon the mechanic arrived, and it was time to hit the concert. With the eventual melt down from Jackie when she realised her, and Kelso had been relegated to the car…