Won't You Fly High, Free Bird?

1. Home Bound

May 17, 1977
Eric Forman's House

Eric walked through his parents Kitty and Red's party, trying to be inconspicuous as he searched for beer to steal for his friends. After making small talk with Donna's parents and overhearing his parents talk about what they plan to do with the Vista Cruiser, Eric snags a couple of beers.

"Whatcha got there, Eric?" asked Red. Eric froze, knowing he'd been caught.

"Uh... beer. I found it just... sitting, you know, around."

"Well, put them away, son."

"Well, I intend to, sir," Eric breathed a sigh of relief, knowing how much trouble he would've been in if Red was more sobre. He turned to head down to the basement when his mom called out.

"Oh honey! Look who's here!" Being ushered along by Kitty was none other than Katie Freberg.

"Oh my god, Katie!"

"Hey Eric," Katie smiled at her friend, who she hadn't seen since she was 11.

"I thought you weren't coming back until summer!"

"Yeah, we decided to move back early."

"Now why don't you take Katie downstairs? You have a lot of catching up to do! Oh, and can you pop these beers in the fridge on your way to the basement? They're warm!"

***

"He's alive!" announced Hyde dramatically.

"I've brought beer, and..." Eric paused dramatically as Katie emerged in the basement.

"Surprise!" Katie exclaimed to her childhood friends.

"Katie!" Donna screamed excitedly as she ran to hug her good friend. After the shock of seeing Katie in person subsided, Kelso and Hyde awed at how much their friend had grown up.

"Holy shit! It's Freberg!" said Hyde, taking off his shades to take a better look at his old friend.

"Damn, Katie! You've got boobs!" said Kelso, pointing out the obvious.

"Good to see you too Kelso," laughed Katie, as she walked over to give Kelso a hug. When Kelso's right hand wandered a bit too low, Katie quickly grabbed his arm and wrestled him to the couch.

"Ow! My eye!" yelled Kelso.

"Some things never change. Looking good, Freberg," said Hyde, as he got up off his chair to greet the girl.

"You too, Hyde." Katie noticed the faint scent of weed and cheap cologne on Hyde as they hugged.

"And they call me 'Free Bird' now, like the Skynrd song."

"Free Bird," repeated Hyde, approving of the nickname.

"More good news: my dad is thinking of giving me the Vista Cruiser!" Eric says as he hands out the beer to his friends. Katie sits down on the couch between Eric and Kelso, cracking open a Budweiser.

"You're getting a car?" said Kelso, turning to Eric.

"Eric, have I told you how incredibly attractive you are?" Donna playfully teased as she sat down on the lawn chair beside Kelso.

"No," answered Eric with the same playful intrigue.

"You told me he was cute," said Kelso dumbly.

"No I didn't..."

"I remember because you told me not to say anything in front of Eric."

Katie perked up at this interesting development between her best friends.

"Let's focus on what's important here, people," said Hyde, breaking up the awkward moment. "Free Bird is back and Forman stole something! To Free Bird and Forman!" Hyde holds up his beer.

"Free Bird and Forman!"

***

"I can't believe you're back, Katie," said Donna, as she helped Katie unpack her things in her room.

"I feel like I've missed out on so much! Like, what's going on between you and Eric?" Katie asked with an inquisitive tone.

"Nothing!"

"Uh huh. Well, do you like him?"

"No, I mean, yeah? I mean... I don't know!"

"And he likes you too?" asked Katie, taking Donna's answer as a yes.

"I don't know. We've been friends for so long that I think neither of us wants to make the first move and mess things up."

"Not interested in Kelso or Hyde, eh?"

Donna chuckled at Katie's Canadian-ism.

"Cause they both have certainly grown up. At least physically anyways," joked Katie.

"Eric makes me laugh, he's smart, caring... How about you? Any boys in your life?"

"I have a boyfriend back in Canada."

"Oh! What's he like?" Donna pried.

"Eddie's a really great guy. He was so supportive when I found out my dad lost his job. He's also athletic and is the goalie on our school's hockey team."

"God, Katie, you're so Canadian now!" joked Donna. "I always thought you'd end up dating a jock or a guy in a band. So you're doing long distance, then?"

"Yeah, we thought we'd give it a try. Anyways, back to you and Eric. Someone's gotta make the first move, man," said Katie, changing the subject.

"Maybe at the Todd Rundgren concert. You should come with us!"

"Sure!"