Hyde and Lucy stepped into the crappy bar, his arm slung around her, "The fact that this is what I've been looking forward to all week is really disappointing," Lucy looked around, "Of course, I didn't think the stooges would be joining us."

Eric, Kelso, and Fez stepped in right after them. Kelso spoke up, "I'm Larry! But you can't talk about going to a bar and not bring us!"

"All right! They didn't even check our fake ids!" Eric said excitedly. "Wait you were gonna come alone?"

"Why are we related? And yes! I've been stressed about school and Steven here actually had a good idea!" Lucy sighed.

"I wasted a whole day thinking up my fake name!" Fez sighed.

"Yeah, sorry Pez," Hyde scoffed. "Let's drink!"

They turned around and walked up to the bar, Hyde's arm still around Lucy.

The bartender turned around, "So fellas, school let out early?"

Kelso almost blew their cover and continued giving an unbelievable lie.

Lucy could feel Hyde tense, she turned to look at him, "You okay?" she mouthed. But he didn't even notice her, he was too preoccupied with whatever was bothering him.

"Relax guys. It's Serve a Minor Night at the old Don't-Have-a-Liquor-License Saloon," the bartender joked.

He walked over to Hyde and Lucy, handing her a beer, "You look familiar, do I know you?"

Hyde nodded, "I should hope so, Dad."

Everyone looked at Hyde in shock, including his father.

"Hey Steven!" Hyde's father grabbed his free hand, shaking it.

"Wow! So you're Hyde's dad!" Kelso exclaimed.

Hyde's father laughed, "Yeah, well that's what his mother says. Kidding."

"Hello Mr. Hyde's Dad, I am Pez," Fez waved, "I've heard much about you."

"Good things I hope," Hyde's dad smiled.

"Is there anything good to tell?" Lucy furrowed her eyebrows.

"Well, if running out on your family and becoming a drunk is good, then yes," Fez nodded.

"Okay, guys, let's look over here!" Eric offered, anxious to get away from the awkward reunion.

Lucy shrugged Hyde's arm off of her, wanting to give him privacy, but he quickly grabbed her hand, "Or I'll stay," she sighed, plastering on a smile.

"Wow!" Hyde's dad exclaimed, coming to the other side of the bar, "Look at you! You're—bigger"

"Valid observation," Lucy said sarcastically.

"And you got your mom's hair, and her sideburns," his father continued. "Sorry sweetheart, I didn't get your name," he looked to Lucy. She just tilted her head with an unamused look on her face, matching Hyde's perfectly. He looked to Hyde, "So you got a nice girl. Man how long has it been?"

"Eight years, 51 days," Hyde answered quickly.

"Wow! Time really flies when you're—"

"Drunk?" Hyde finished.

"I was gonna say having fun but same thing!" his father laughed.

Hyde shifted uncomfortably, "Yeah, so how long have you been back for?"

"Well, let's see, that must be about a year," his father smiled.

"A year?" Hyde asked in disbelief, Lucy squeezed his hand reassuringly.

His father nodded, "Yeah. Hey, I was gonna call you, but—"

"You were gonna call me? Oh man that makes you like, I don't know, what, father of the year?" Hyde said sarcastically.

He began to walk out, pulling Lucy along with him, "See you around Dad."

"One second Steven," Lucy said softly at the door. She darted back to the bar, grabbing the three beers sitting out, "I'm assuming these are on the house, if not, charge the scrawny one," she said, walking past his father and to Hyde who was waiting at the door.

"Good call," Hyde nodded.

They walked for a bit, on their way home and stopped to sit on a curb in silence, drinking their beers, Hyde onto his second.

"I want to say something, but right now I can only think of stupid things to say," Lucy said.

"Like what?" Hyde sighed.

"Like are you okay? But I know you're not okay," Lucy sighed.

Hyde sighed, "A year? He's been here a year?"

"I know," Lucy whispered. "Okay, but I remember your dad, your dad was a dick—I'm sorry but he was, so you didn't miss out on much."

"He was a dick," Hyde nodded, smiling slightly, pulling Lucy closer, they sat in silence again.

"I should've grabbed more beers," Lucy sighed, after drinking the last bit of hers.

"If the guys are smart they should bring more," Hyde offered.

Lucy laughed, "Have you met our friends?"

"Damn, you're right," Hyde smiled, wrapping his arms around her while they sat there waiting for the three stooges to hurry up.

❁

The next day at lunch they sat around the table.

"Well, Steven, honey, you haven't touched your sandwich. You feel the okay?" Kitty asked concerned.

"Yeah I'm just not hungry," Hyde explained.

"Oh Steven, are you finally tired of freeloading?" Laurie smirked.

"Can it Laurie," Kitty warned.

Laurie yelled, "All I'm saying is Daddy works really hard and nothing here is cheap."

"Except you," Eric said.

"Unlike your college tuition," Lucy added.

"Believe me, I'm not cheap," Laurie smirked.

Eric shrugged, "Fine, free whatever."

"Hey, honey I'm home!" Leo said, stepping into the kitchen.

Red sighed, "Oh good, the hippie is here."

"Hyde man, your dad came by looking for you, man. Which is really freaky, 'cause I thought this bald dude was your dad. But it explains a lot, because I thought you were dating her," Leo nodded towards Lucy.

"Thanks Leo," Hyde said standing up.

"Do you—" Lucy started.

"It's fine," Hyde cut her off.

Leo sat down in Hyde's seat, eating the untouched sandwich.

"Steven's father is in town?" Kitty asked exasperated.

Laurie snickered, "Yeah right, like he even knows who his father is."

Lucy turned to face her sister, "You know Laurie, one of these days you're gonna get knocked up, and you'll have to call every guy in the tristate area trying to find the lucky guy."

"Bitch," Laurie mumbled under her breath, getting up and walking out of the kitchen.

Red looked to the twins, "Do you know something about this?"

"She's a bitch," Eric nodded. "Right, okay um, we bumped into Hyde's dad last night. He'd been back in town like a year. Hadn't even talked to his own son."

"Cool egg salad, man," Leo nodded.

Kitty sighed, "Well, I'm gonna talk to Steven and see how he's feeling about this."

"You know what Mom I wouldn't do that. Hyde really likes to bottle those things up," Eric explained.

"Good for him! That's where those feelings should be kept!" Red agreed.

"He didn't even talk to me about it, so I'd give him some more time," Lucy explained.

"Well what is he gonna do? Pretend he doesn't have a father?" Kitty asked.

Red sighed, "Kitty, this is a family issue, and for once it's not about our family. Look the bond between a father and a son is complex and subtle. You wipe that damn smirk off your face!" he yelled at Eric who was stifling laughter, Lucy and Kitty exchanged and glance and rolled their eyes.

"Red, when we took that boy into it home it became our job to see him through thick and thin and now it's thick. Or thin. I don't know, but he needs us," Kitty explained.

"Cool egg salad, man," Leo repeated.

"Hey, Leo, now's not the time," Lucy whispered.

"Fine!" Red yelled, "Stick your nose where it doesn't belong. Go ahead!"

"Okay, will do!" Kitty said cheerily. "Bud's coming over for drinks tonight!"

"Bad idea," Lucy shook her head.

"Mom, do you really want to invite an alcoholic over for cocktails?" Eric asked.

"Oh right, okay, I'll just make him a nice Shirley Temple and he can fill up on cheese," Kitty explained.

❁

Everyone sat around The Circle after Hyde left Kitty's night of soda and cheese she had planned.

"Jackie didn't give me the time of the day! I hate this stupid magazine! Oh no I didn't mean it I love you!" Fez exclaimed, hugging the magazine.

"Hey Fez, check this out Tight pants turn a man's derrière into a lady's dream. And an open shirt shows a sexy chest and an irresistible joie de vivre," Hyde read.

"Let me see," Fez said taking the magazine, "I always though my joie de vivre was in my pants!"

Lucy looked quizzically at the boys, "If it were under different circumstances I'd definitely would be yelling at you for being pigs."

Donna looked at Fez in disgust, "Okay, I can't believe I'm asking you guys this, but if any of you losers had a girlfriend, would you still look at those magazines?"

"Hey, I had two girlfriends and a little action on the side, and I still looked at those magazines," Kelso explained.

"You had action on the side? Who?" Hyde asked.

"You don't know her, she went to Sacred Heart," Kelso answered.

"Okay, anybody here have an opinion who's not a skeevy pig?" Donna asked.

Lucy's hand shot up, "Okay, boys are idiots, my advice, dump his ass."

"If I had Jackie I would never look at those magazines. Unless she's on the phone, or went shopping, or took a short nap," Fez answered.

Hyde sighed, "Look girls, this is just the way guys are okay? I mean, if Forman was actually dating the Naughty Campus Co-eds he'd be locked in the bathroom looking at naked pictures of you, Donna."

"He's right," Kelso nodded, "Are there naked pictures of either of you?" He winced as Hyde punched him before Lucy and Donna tackled Kelso to the ground. "My leg!" Kelso yelled.

"Knee him in the groin!" Hyde cheered, "Oh my God she did it!"

Lucy stood up and leaned across the table, letting Donna handle the rest, "So, you both mean to tell me, that if you were dating me, you'd still look at these magazines?"

"Absolutely," Fez answered immediately.

"Well, doll, for an honest answer we need a basis for comparison..." Hyde trailed off, smirking. Lucy immediately smacked him upside the head.

❁

Lucy sat in the basement, reading a magazine when Hyde came in.

"Did you tell Bud off?" she asked, turning the page.

Hyde walked out of his room, "Yeah, kind of."

"Good!" she turned to look at him, "You look awfully happy," she said confused.

Hyde just shrugged, "I'll see you around LSD," he said, leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead.

"Yeah, okay, happy Steven confuses me," she laughed, turning around.

Hyde made his way up the stairs before stopping and coming back down, "Okay, I don't want you to be pissed with me for not telling you but that means you can't be pissed for what I'm about to tell you."

"Okay?" Lucy smiled, amused.

"I'm moving in with Bud, there's an extra room," Hyde said quickly.

Lucy nodded, "Fine."

"That's it?" Hyde asked confused.

"Yeah, I mean I was getting sick of people thinking we were related anyways," Lucy shrugged.

"And I mean it's just across town, you could even come—" Hyde continued.

Lucy sat up on the back of the couch, "Steven, I'm not upset okay? Just—come back if you need to, I'll kick Bud's ass."

"No you won't," Hyde laughed.

Lucy shook her head, "No I won't, but I'll get Dad to."

"See you at school?" Hyde laughed.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded smiling, pulling Hyde in for a hug, and for just a moment, Hyde contemplated staying.

❁