I don't own Boy Meets World/Girl Meets World and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: Based on my headcanon that Shawn and Angela aren't together. And since Riley is just like Cory, I figured she'd want them back together. Enjoy!
With her parents' anniversary coming up, Riley Matthews was excited beyond belief. Her grandparents and other uncle, Josh, were coming in from Philadelphia (the rest of the family had also moved to New York) and she couldn't wait to see them. Plus, Shawn and Angela were both going to the party and this was the first time in years they'd be in the same room. Growing up, Riley had heard stories – mostly from Cory – about Shawn and Angela's relationship – and she thought they belonged together. So she had come up with several plans to reunite them this weekend. Riley hoped they worked.
"So, Uncle Shawn and Aunt Angela only broke up because she moved with her dad?" Riley questioned Topanga, wanting to make sure there had been no other problems.
Topanga knew her daughter was up to something, but hadn't figured it out yet. She'd get it out of Riley soon, and if not her, then Cory. She knew how to break him pretty easily, but Riley was more stubborn than her father despite being like him. "Yes. They had had some problems before that, but they were in love. They were really in love with each other." Both had been in other relationships over the years, but they hadn't lasted. She'd hoped at one point they'd reconcile, but it wasn't going to happen.
Riley smiled. "Great. Thanks, Mom!" She took off towards her bedroom and ignored Louis calling her name. She had more important things to do right now than listen to her younger brother try to tell her something.
Angela showed up the next day to visit before she checked into a hotel. "You kids have grown up so much," she told Riley and Louis after hugging him. She adored her godchildren, even though she didn't get to see them very often.
"It's really nice to see you. Do you have a boyfriend? Did you bring him?" Riley didn't want to screw up this plan at all. She had to make sure there were no roadblocks before she continued.
Angela laughed, although she was confused about this line of questioning. "Nope, no boyfriend for me. I'm single and loving it right now. What about you? You have a boyfriend?"
Riley shook her head. "Not yet. I can't wait to have one, though! It'll be pretty exciting." She did like someone, but she hadn't said anything to him yet. She didn't have the courage.
"Riley, why don't you go to your room and leave Aunt Angela and me alone? We'll probably be going out to dinner soon, so don't too comfortable." Topanga was going to send in Cory to break her, but not yet. She had to make sure her theory was correct. She got the chance the next day when Shawn came over. He still lived in New York, but had moved out of the city and traveled for work. He didn't come around as often as he used to, which was hard for both Cory and Shawn. They communicated as much as they could.
"You're growing up, kiddo. I remember the day you were born. This is surreal." Shawn missed this family so much. He hated being gone so often, even though the money was great.
"Well, you look old?" Riley didn't know what to say to her godfather.
"Riley!" admonished Topanga. Besides, they weren't that old. They were still in their early thirties, thank you very much.
"Sorry."
Shawn just laughed. "It's okay. So what have you been up to?"
Riley saw her chance and seized it. "Well, we went out to dinner with Aunt Angela last night. She's awesome and I love her. So, are you dating anyone?"
And now Topanga had her proof. She was going to send Cory to talk to Riley when she found him. He had disappeared with Louis about ten minutes earlier. Shawn actually didn't see anything wrong with Riley's question. "Nah, I'm a free man. Just broke up with my girlfriend Natalie last month. We didn't work very well." She had wanted to get married, but he didn't see a future with her.
As soon as Cory showed back up, Topanga made him go talk to Riley in her bedroom. "So Mom thinks you're up to something, Riles. Are you?" She was pretty great at figuring out when the kids were plotting something bad and so he trusted her judgment.
She laughed nervously. "I'm not up to anything. Why would you think that?" She hoped her mother hadn't figured out her plan.
"Riley, come on. I know you. Tell me what you're planning." She sighed and launched into her very detailed plan to reunite Shawn and Angela. Cory listened attentively to it and by the end of the story, he was convinced. "It's perfect! They love each other and need to be a couple again. Good job, Riley! I'm proud of you."
"Really?" Riley didn't know why she was surprised her dad had agreed so quickly. He was a hopeless romantic and always had been.
"Really."
They were interrupted by Topanga knocking on the door and walking in. She narrowed her eyes. "She reeled you in, didn't she? Now tell me." The two explained it to her, and Topanga just put her head in her hands when they were done. "I cannot believe you two. Cory, you're actually going to go along with this?" Who was she kidding? Of course he was.
"Topanga, it's perfect. You know how I've always wanted them back together. And Riley's plan can work." He just hoped it didn't end badly, but he wasn't going to think that way.
She rolled her eyes. "Don't come crying to me when this blows up it in your face. Because it will." She secretly hoped it worked, but she wasn't about to tell them that. She had to maintain her position as a hardass mom.
The first part of Riley's plan entailed asking Shawn and Angela their best memory of the other. They were both suspicious now, but waved it off as a kid's curiosity (that was a mistake). "Well, I think when she stuck by me while I was falling apart. And she forgave me whenever I made mistakes," he explained.
"I think it was when he told me he loved me for the first time. It scared me, but he had never been in love before." Angela got lost in memories of the early days of their relationship and smiled. God, she missed Shawn so much, but they were semi-good friends now. That was enough for her.
"That's really cute." Riley walked away giggling, which Angela watched in confusion. She went back to making lunch with Topanga.
Riley was briefly distracted by her grandparents and other family members showing up, but quickly went back to the plan. She had a feeling it was working – reminding them of their favorite moments had been a great idea and she needed to remember to thank her father for coming up with it.
The next part of the plan involved making them sit next to each other during Cory and Topanga's anniversary dinner. Cory and Riley maneuvered it exactly so they wouldn't figure out what was going on. Luckily for them, neither Shawn nor Angela picked up on what was going on and they talked the entire time and actually laughed a lot. Riley couldn't help but laugh with them.
The next part of the plan took place the next morning. Cory tricked Shawn into his and Topanga's bedroom and then Riley forced Angela to go in to "find a spider" for her. They piled up chairs against the door so neither of them could get out.
"So these past few days have been orchestrated by Cory and Riley, right?" Shawn couldn't believe he hadn't figured it out sooner.
Angela nodded and laughed. "Of course." She felt stupid for not realizing it herself. It was obvious now that she thought back over the past few days. "Trying to get us back together?"
"I knew a kid of Cory's would be a hopeless romantic like him. Might as well stay in here until Riley lets out. Although that might not be for a long time, knowing that kid."
She sat down on the bed. "So what have you been up to lately?" She was really curious about that.
He shrugged. "Nothing much. Just enjoying life as a single man." Shawn was unhappy, however. He wanted to settle down (possibly with Angela) and have a family like Cory and Topanga's. They were still the couple everyone aspired to be.
Angela decided to stop beating around the bush and plowed ahead before she lost her nerve. "Do you still love me, Shawn?"
Shawn was stunned into silence for a few seconds before he grinned. "Do you still love me?" he countered back. He wasn't about to get his heart broken again. He couldn't handle that.
She stared at him before breaking. "I asked you first, Shawn Hunter."
"I never stopped loving you, Angela. You're my Topanga. And I guess Riley saw that and why she's been so persistent lately."
Tears pooled in her eyes, but she sniffled and willed them away. "I never stopped loving you either. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Shawn laughed. "I am so glad to hear you say that." He grabbed her face and kissed her. They were interrupted by Cory knocking on the door through a hole. "What do you want?"
"Are you two going to kill us? What are you doing in there?"
"Well, we were making out until you interrupted us, so thanks for that." Angela wished she could see his face right now because she was sure it was hilarious.
He let out a little scream. "So our plan worked? You two are back together?" He hoped they were and this wasn't just a little fling.
Shawn and Angela exchanged a look and they both nodded. "Yeah, we are." He was never going to fuck this up again. He had another chance and he definitely wasn't going to waste it.
"It actually worked." Riley slid to the floor in shock, thrilled and feeling a wide variety of emotions she couldn't process. She and her father did let Shawn and Angela out of the room, though, and went into the living room to watch TV.
Shawn and Angela ended up marrying a year and a half later. He had proposed only months after they got back together. After that, they returned to the city to be closer to the Matthews' family. Riley was a bridesmaid because of her part in the reconciliation. They thanked her profusely for the meddling, although she had to promise Topanga she'd never do something like that again. And when their first daughter was born, the Hunters ended up naming her Corrine Georgia, after two of the most important people in their lives.
