Yes, me with yet another story. And one with Angela/Eric at that. I'll wait while you recover from the shock. ;-) Special thanks to Fat ppl are harder to kidnap for the request that prompted this. Essentially, I am combining certain cannon elements with bits and pieces of my stories in my Where You Least Expect It universe and well as my story, And So it Goes (You can consider Shawn and Angela's break-up scene in that story as what happened prior to the events in this one.) Though there will be some new details that don't mesh with my stories because I couldn't get the timelines to match how I wanted. There will be three, potentially four parts to this. It just felt like too much info to slam down all at once.

As I said in the summary, let me know if I should move this to the GMW side because while I will be primarily focusing on BMW characters, I am putting my own spin on Riley believing Shawn doesn't like her and how he handles that. I'm also going to say right off that bat that Cory and Shawn don't come off too well in the beginning, but give it a chance. If you've read my work before, I hope I've proven that, while it's not always pretty, I try to do right by the characters and keep them in character. (That being said, I gave up and threw in the towel on GMW quite a while ago and Home for the Holidays is one of the few episodes I watched all the way through. So if I'm completely blowing Riley's and Maya's characters, please let me know.)

Enjoy. :-)

"My best friend named Shawn is down

For the Christmas season!

And it's quite a miracle

Something worth believin'!

No one let him out your sight, lest he run away

For the future's looking bright

My Shawnie's here today-ay-ay"

Topanga winced at the off-key singing and saw that Riley had stopped chopping veggies and was using pot holders to cover her ears. Her husband practically danced with glee around the living room. Shawn was coming for Christmas. This was big. Ever since Riley was born getting him to come around was difficult. Her own relationship with him was practically reduced to phone calls and emails. Cory was the one who really saw him and that wasn't often. She didn't worry about this so much for herself, or even for Cory, but Riley believed it was her fault. She took it personally and thought she was the reason Uncle Shawn rarely came to visit. Every protective motherly instinct was threatening to go into kill mode for her daughter at the slightest provocation- even if it was Shawn in the crosshairs. For someone who claimed everyone has left him while he stuck around, he's managed to pull quite the disappearing act of his own. He kept himself very busy and on the road for work. From what she knew he was somewhat successful, but she would hardly call him happy. Loner, hermit, reclusive…those were the words she'd use to describe Shawn Hunter nowadays. It was, however, the life he'd created for himself- no matter how much he tried to lay blame on others. "Cory?"

"Yes, honey?"

"What's with the song? Don't you think poor King Wenceslas has suffered enough without you butchering his song?"

"Why would a fictional king care if I pull a lil' switcheroo on some lyrics?"

She gaped at him. "Please tell me you, Cory Matthews, a history teacher, are kidding me?"

"Okay, I'm kidding." He stole a few carrots from the bowl where Riley had been placing the chopped ones. "What am I kidding about," he whispered to his daughter. She shrugged in return.

"King Wenceslas was a Catholic Duke in Bohemia in the tenth century who was also known by the name Vaclav the Good. He was posthumously made a king and became a saint after he was murdered by his brother, Boleslaw the Bad."

Riley giggled. "She's got you, dad."

He picked up a box a box he'd brought up from their basement earlier and set it on the couch. There was one ornament in particular he was looking for. He suspected his wife hid it like she did every year. It wasn't malicious, but rather a game at this point. "Topanga, no one likes a smarty pants on the holidays." He shook his head when she darted from the kitchen to the living room to continue her frantic last minute cleaning. "Stop running around like a crazy woman." He nearly tripped over the vacuum cleaner cord when she quickly backtracked around the couch. "Watch it. We don't want to spend Christmas in the hospital…especially this Christmas."

"No one goes to the hospital," Riley ordered. "This is the first time Maya's spending the holiday with us. It has to be perfect."

"Honey, Maya is not the only person that matters. We want this to be a nice Christmas for everyone." She wound up the cord on the vacuum and put it in the closet. "Cory, on a scale of one to ten, how tough is your mom going to be on me?"

"Do you want me to pat your head and be patronizing or tell you the truth?"

She took a deep breath. Amy had been calling every day for the past few weeks- sometimes multiple times a day- to offer helpful tips and suggestions. "Patronize me and tell me I'm pretty."

He patted his wife's head. "It's gonna be a bloodbath."

"Hey!"

"But you're still pretty and I'm going to love you even after mom turns you into mincemeat."

"You're done talking. Riley, vegetables now. Chop, chop, chop! That veggie tray won't make itself. Did you also set up the relish tray like I asked? Auggie, come help mommy get chips and dip!"

Her mother was already at the stove working herself up into a frenzy- which was usually her father's territory. "Dad, what's a relish tray?"

"I don't know. We'll lie and say you made it but the dog ate it."

"We don't have a dog. You won't let me get one."

"Right…then I suggest you hop onto Google and figure it out and save your poor mom from a-" The intercom buzzed and he sprinted to the door. "Shawnie!"

"Thanks for the help, dad," Riley muttered.

Cory pressed the button. "Shawnie?"

"Um…nope. Maya."

"Shawn?"

"It's not your boyfriend for the millionth time. Let me in! It's cold."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"So I can finally ditch this monstrosity," Topanga asked, holding up the Cory and Shawn 4 Evah! ornament.

"Nevah!" He took the ornament from her hands and scanned the tree, looking for the perfect place. "Ah," he said, placing it on a branch, "perfect- centerpiece of the whole tree."

"It's blocking our wedding ornament."

"Eh."

She looked at the kids and shook her head. "Story of my life." She held out her hand. "Come on, Auggie, help me make sure everything in the kitchen is grandma-approved."

Maya came bursting through the front door. "I'm sorry I'm not your boyfriend….the guy you claim is out there. Personally, I'm not sure he's even real. I'd say we have a better shot at seeing Big Foot than this Shawn guy."

"He's real, Maya. Shawn exists. He's been my best friend my entire life," Cory said with conviction.

She chuckled. "Usually toying with you is more fun than teasing a kitten with a piece of string, but even this is getting old. Here, Riley," she said, walking over to her best friend, "I got you a present."

"Aw, thanks," she said, reading the paper placed in her hands. "I'll love seeing you in your new winter coat."

Maya smiled, knowing Riley legitimately meant it. "You're welcome. I thought about making a donation in your name to my winter boot fund, too, but that's my belated birthday gift to you."

"Good to know."

"You know me. I'm bad with gifts. So, what's the deal with the mysterious Loch Ness Shawn?"

"I don't know him. I don't think he likes me very much," she admitted with a frown.

"How on earth could he not like you?"

"I'm too afraid to ask. I'd never get an answer anyway. If we're in the same room he finds a reason to leave and not talk to me."

"Trust me, you are the best person I know." Maya wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "So, how nuts has it been here?"

The buzzer went off again.

"Shawn? Buddy, is that you?"

"Does that answer your question," Riley whispered to her friend.

"No, it's your parents," Alan answered from over the intercom.

"Aw, man!"

"Cory, we can still hear you. Do you still not understand how a speaker works?"

"Alan, this isn't going to be a disaster, is it?"

"Amy...speaker."

He let go of the intercom button when he realized Topanga could hear his parents. He knew his mom wasn't really expecting everything to be screwed up, but things were different and she was having trouble adapting. He was in New York. Josh would be away at college soon. Morgan was living in California and was so busy with work she couldn't even make it this year. She worked in a veterinarian's office and also helped to train service animals. Her work was important but he hated that it kept her away from her family. As far as Eric was concerned…well…he was living his life with his wife and kid far away from everyone else. "Um...mom, dad," Cory broke in and winced when his parents were still talking. "My turn to remind you how an intercom works. Come on up."

When he turned around Topanga, Riley, and Maya were taking turns flinging pieces of popcorn from the garland at his and Shawn's ornament. "Hey!" He dove in front of the tree. "That is not Christmas behavior you." Cory freed the ornament from bits of corn. "Don't worry, Shawnie, these misers are not taking us down."

"I guess some things never change," Alan declared, entering the apartment. Somehow he wasn't surprised to find his son clinging to a Christmas ornament of him and Shawn.

"Grandma! Grandpa!"

Hugs and kisses were doled out- along with the extra pocket money from grandpa for the kids- but after that, Amy made a beeline for the kitchen. "Hi, honey," she greeted Topanga, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Hi."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Um..." She didn't know the right answer here. "Everything? I know my Christmas dinner will pale in comparison to yours'. But I think I'm doing it right. I'm using your recipes- even tried your butternut squash soup, and-"

The older woman sighed. Topanga's knuckles were white she had her fists clenched so tightly. She hated not only how nervous her daughter-in-law looked, but knowing that she was the reason for those nerves. "Topanga, I'm sorry. It's...this is new for me.

"For so many years it's been my Christmas in my kitchen. It's difficult to not be the epicenter of comfort and you kids always flocked to me and Alan for that. It's difficult when traditions change. And I hate that Morgan and Eric and everyone couldn't be here this year. But it's your turn. I remember how grown up I felt and scared I was when Alan and I hosted our first holiday. I should've been more understanding."

"That's okay. Giving up control isn't exactly the highlight of my personality either."

"I surrender my oven mitts to you and will go into the living room with everyone else."

She laughed. "Please don't give up all at once. I could use some help with these potatoes."

"You don't have to throw me a pity project."

"Trust me, I'm not. Most of the food is fine, but the potatoes...I'm trying this new au gratin recipe that I thought looked good and they are not coming out right." A few minutes ago she considered pitching the whole thing out the window to hide her mistake, but now Topanga welcomed the help knowing she wouldn't be judged. She removed the lid. "See?"

"Oh, my. How did you manage to make them like that?"

"Can we save them?"

"The real question is: can we save the pot?"

She pouted. "It figures. The one recipe I try that's not yours' is a disaster."

"That's okay. You'll develop your own recipes in time. Do you have enough left over to make another batch?"

"Yes."

"Bring them here and we'll do this again. And while we're fixing it I'll tell you about the first Thanksgiving Alan and I hosted. We thought it would be nice to have both sides of the family over at the same time."

"Fun."

"Not really. A drunken fight broke out among cousins, I burned the stuffing, and my parents yelled at Alan for "making me" live in a tiny shoebox of an apartment instead having money to buy a house." Topanga shook her head in response. "And did I mention I was also nearly seven months pregnant with Eric at the time?"

"Aw, poor you."

"So, see? If the worst thing that happens tonight is congealed potatoes we can call it a win. We can't eat the potatoes, but the rest of the holiday is a victory."

/

/

"Dad, where's Josh? Don't tell me you actually let him talk you into going on that ski trip with Tyler's family? Christmas is for family...his family."

"No, no ski trip. He should be here soon. He said something about a big surprise and asked to drive the van. He was leaving about twenty minutes behind us."

"Wow, you know it's big if a teenager is asking to drive mom's minivan."

"What's wrong with the van?"

Maya pulled Riley up from the couch and dragged her to the window. "A surprise?"

"What?"

"Josh is bringing a surprise."

"Yeah, so?"

"Do you think it's for me?" She could hardly contain her excitement and she didn't let herself get excited about much.

"Why would Josh bring a surprise for you?"

"Um…Christmas! And my birthday is next month…two birds, one stone." It was all she could do not to jump up and down.

Riley shook her head. "It's not for you."

"Just think. I could be your aunt."

"Oh, boy, here we go again. Maya, you're not going to be my aunt."

"Why are you being such a dream killer today instead of the usual Riley happiness and sunshine? Isn't Christmas the time for extra happiness and sunshine? At least that's what all the cheeseball TV specials make it seem like."

"My father is excited to see the person who hates me." She blinked back tears. "How am I supposed to react?"

"Maybe it's a misunderstanding. Your dad is always saying this Shawn guy is his Maya and you know how many times people don't get me."

"True."

She nudged her arm. "Hey. How about this: if by some chance it's not a misunderstanding and he does have issues, we handle it?"

"How?"

"We'll trip him with one of Auggie's trucks, tie him up with scarves, and not let him leave until he sees how wonderful you are."

Riley smiled. "Thanks, Maya."

"What are best friends for?"

"I just thought of something," she began after several long seconds of silence. "If you became my aunt, I'd get real presents."

"What are you talking about? I don't do presents."

"You'd have to if you were an aunt. Really, Maya, think of the children. Donations to your clothing fund wouldn't cut it. I'd want you to fund my closet for a change…ooh, and teddy bears. A girl can never have too many teddy bears."

"Darn it."

"And you can't forget Auggie-"

"Aw, man."

"-or our little cousin."

Maya took a deep breath. "I may have to rethink this. Being your aunt may not work for me after all."

/

A while later, the intercom buzzed again and Cory sprinted over and held down the button. "Shawn, this had better be you."

"Guess again, big brother."

He sighed, dejected. "Oh, Josh…just you."

"Gee, thanks. I come bearing surprises."

"Come on up." Was Shawn standing him up? Was he going to call and say he couldn't make it? That there was this last minute job he couldn't pass up? It wouldn't be the first time.

"Merry Christmas," Joshua Matthews exclaimed, peaking his head into the apartment. "Everyone ready for my surprise?"

"See," Riley whispered to May. "It's an everybody surprise, not a Maya surprise."

She crossed her arms. "Whatever."

"Josh, what is it," Alan asked.

"Ta-da!" He threw the door open and stepped into the apartment.

Cory spotted them first and rushed the door. "Ah!" He pushed his little brother out of the way before attempting to close out the visitors. "No, not this year of all years! Come back next Christmas."

"What are you-"

"Was that Eric?"

"Cory, let them in."

He put on the chain and stood in front of the door. "But this is Shawn's year!" He looked to his parents.

"Cory Matthews, quit stomping around like a two year old that missed his nap and open that door," Amy ordered.

"But, mom-"

"Topanga," a voice called out from the other side of the door, "I brought you shoes! Shoes from Paris and Milan!"

"Ooh! Shoes!" She ran over. "Move it or lose it."

"But, Topanga...it's Shawn's turn," came his feeble reply.

"Cory," the voice called out again, "I have a potty-training three year old out here who just announced she needs to go. Open the door."

He undid the chain, remembering well the days of training Riley and Auggie. They would say they had to go to the bathroom with only a five second warning- if you were lucky. Cory loved his niece and he wouldn't be the reason she had an accident in the hall. Besides, it wasn't her fault that her parents got together even if it meant stabbing his best friend in the heart. He opened the door and stepped back, not surprised when Eric ran in with the toddler in his arms. He'd made that dash several times himself, usually in public where he could look extra ridiculous. "Around the corner, first door on the right."

"Thanks."

"Angela!"

"Topanga!"

As Cory watched his wife and sister-in-law locked in a tight embrace, he could feel Shawn's perfect holiday homecoming crashing in flames. He'd take one look at Eric and Angela and walk right out the door. And that was the best case scenario.

"I thought you wouldn't be able to fly in, that you'd have to wait until Easter."

"That would've ruined the surprised factor," Angela remarked with a grin, "and unfortunately since traveling during Easter isn't possible for us, we decided-"

"What do you mean it isn't possible?"

"Let's wait for Eric on that." She hugged her in-laws next, followed by the kids. "Man you guys are all growing so fast and making me feel old. Auggie, I bet you're going to be taller than your dad soon, huh?"

"I hope so. Then I can stand over him and tell him to clean his room and not run in the house."

The adults laughed, even Cory.

"That sounds like a good idea. Something tells me he needs to be told not to run a lot. And oh, wow, Riley, Maya you girls are gorgeous. Pretty soon I'll be writing about you in Vogue Italia."

"Uh, no, no modeling," Topanga jumped in. "Well, unless you promise to bring mommy shoes. Then model all you want."

"You work for Vogue Italia," Maya asked.

"Yes, I'm a copywriter for them." Angela never imagined she'd end up writing for a fashion magazine, let alone one of the most prestigious fashion magazines out there. But it was a stable job that allowed her to be based in one place and at the end of the day it was more important for her to be with her family than constantly bouncing around chasing stories. She got the chasing out of her system before she became a mom.

"Wow, they do more than fashion. They're really artistic and into edgy ideas."

"We try."

"How do you know anything about a fashion magazine," Riley whispered.

"If I see the mail before the lady down the hall I borrow her magazines. If there's nothing cool in there sometimes she even gets them back."

"How nice of you."

"Why did you guys let Josh in on it," Alan questioned Angela, still confused about the secrecy.

"What's wrong with me, dad?

"Eric realized you'd send Christmas presents ahead for us so we needed someone on the inside and-"

"And, dad," Eric picked up the conversation as he walked back into the room, tossing his and Georgia's coats on the couch as he went, "you can't keep a secret from mom. And mom…you can't keep a secret, at least not a happy secret."

"Come over here and give your blabbermouth mother a hug." She missed having him and Angela close by. They'd moved overseas for Angela's career right after their wedding and the couple visits a year weren't enough. It killed her to watch her granddaughter grow up via pictures and Skype.

"Mama, guess what?" Georgia dashed across the room. "I made it to the potty on time."

Angela smiled. Her little girl had been trying very hard lately to have no accidents. She wanted so badly to be a big girl. "Good job, little miss. High five!"

"What about me, Georgia? Am I chopped liver?"

She ran to her grandfather. "No, you're grandpa!"

He picked her up with exaggerated effort. "You're getting big."

"I saw you in the kitchen eating food."

"You did? When?"

"At Mr. Feeny's house. I saw you in the window a lot of the times."

"We flew in three days ago," Eric explained. "Since we're six hour ahead of you, we wanted to try to get Georgia's schedule a little closer to this so she wouldn't fall asleep during Christmas dinner."

"Georgia not sleepy. I awake. See." She held her eye wide open with her fingers and then, because she's Eric's daughter, accidentally poked herself in the eye. "Ouchie."

"You mean you've been right next door to us the whole time?" Amy walked over and held out her arms to Georgia, who happily migrated over. "You are a little trickster, Georgia Matthews."

"Mama and daddy did it. And Uncle Josh, too, not Georgia."

"Hey, traitor."

"So our Christmas presents never made it to Italy?"

"Mom, do you remember the day I went to take them to the post office?"

"Yes."

"I drove around the block and then snuck them in Mr. Feeny's front door. Come on, mom," Josh scoffed, "when have I ever volunteered to go to the post office for you? And especially around Christmas? Every year you complain about the lines and rude people."

"I thought you were being helpful."

"I'm not that helpful."

"Where's the money I gave you for the shipping," Alan prodded his youngest. "I want that back- every last penny."

Cory could only shake his head at the happy family scene before him. What part of, 'This is Shawn's year,' did people not understand? He'd come to begrudgingly accept Eric and Angela's marriage over the years, but they were a big part of the reason Shawn stayed away from so many Matthews family gatherings. Maybe he could take Eric aside, talk to him brother to brother, and ask if their families could get together tomorrow. Hell, he'd even offer to pay for anything that was open on Christmas Eve to get them out of here.

"Angela, you're still in your coat," Topanga realized. "Aren't you hot?"

"A little, yeah."

"Well, give it to me. I've still got the oven going. No need for you to burn up and pass out." She caught the quick glance between her and Eric and pointed between them, her curiosity piqued. "What's going on?"

"It's good news, definitely good, but there's a reason we did all we could to make this trip happen because as I said…" She finished unbuttoning her coat. "…a visit around Easter isn't going to be possible for us."

"You're pregnant?!"

"Why wasn't I let in on this surprise?"

Cory sighed, watching as everyone embraced the soon to be parents of two. Georgia and Auggie were the only ones who weren't too sure what to make of the situation. He turned on his heel to check the food- knowing Topanga and his mom had probably forgotten all about it.

"When are you due?"

"Either the last week of April or the first week of May- the doctor keeps switching it."

"Ah, that explains why Easter is out. Maybe we could fly out to you, right Alan?"

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl or are you letting it be a surprise?"

They smiled at each other, glad they'd stuck by their initial decision to keep the pregnancy a surprise until the Christmas visit. It hadn't been easy and they nearly caved multiple times. "Georgia, are you getting a little brother or a little sister?"

She looked up from where she was playing with Auggie. "I want a Brother Bear, not a Sister Bear."

Amy gasped. "It's a boy?"

Eric shook his head. "She wants a brother so we can match her Berenstain Bears books, but…" He glanced at Angela before answering. "…it's a girl!'

/

Shawn knocked on the apartment door once again. It sounded like there was one hell of a celebration going on in there. He'd used the key Cory gave him long ago to get into the building after no one responded to the intercom. He felt weird waltzing into Cory and Topanga's home now, especially since it wasn't just the two of them. Shawn knocked again. Still nothing. This was odd.

He had assumed Cory would be perched on the roof like some sort of gargoyle waiting to pounce as soon as he was close. Just as he was preparing to suck it up and use his key the door opened and he saw the kid he knew was Auggie, though older than the last time he'd seen him. Wow, had he grown. It was yet another reminder of how much time had passed, how much he'd missed. Auggie, however, hadn't come to the door alone. Though they'd never officially met- Shawn had seen countless pictures shared by the proud grandparents on social media and also displayed on their fridge along with Cory and Topanga's kids- he had a feeling he would know Angela's child anywhere.