Title: comme il faut
Fandom: Cory in the House
Genre: post-series, AU
Rating: T/PG-13
Summary: Sophie Martinez wasn't 'America's Angel' anymore. Not that anyone still called her that, except for the occasional drunken frat boy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Cory in the House.
Author's Notes: This is a slightly belated birthday present to myself. Plus I needed a break from my other Cory in the House story. That one was killing my brain.

--

terra incognita

Chapter One

This was not how Sophie Martinez had planned to spend her first full day as a twenty-one year old. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and frowned down at the six-year-old in front of her.

"Alright, look, Mattie, you're going to behave or else I'm telling your mom," Sophie threatened, hoping this child was much more gullible than she had been at that age.

"So?" Mattie stuck out her tongue and ran back to the swings.

"You are so lucky I like your mom," Sophie muttered to herself, watching Mattie push another child. Sighing, she hurried over, "Mattie! You don't push people!"

"You're not the boss of me!" Mattie yelled and ran off.

"Dammit!" Sophie resisted the urge to stamp her foot, "I am never having kids!"

"That's what they all say," a voice behind her said, laughing. Turning, Sophie saw that the voice belonged to a pregnant woman holding the hand of a three year old in each of hers. "Just hope you don't have twins."

"Thanks," Sophie smiled weakly at her, then saw Mattie taking a toy from another child. "Mattie, for the love of god! Leave the other children alone!" Sophie hurried over and grabbed the toy from the devil spawn in one hand and her arm in the other. "Sorry," she muttered to the other child and dragged Mattie away. "Is it genetically impossible for you to behave like a normal human being?"

"I'm not a being!" Mattie yelled scandalized, "And you're jen-neck-ally imposs-bull!"

"Dear god," Sophie sighed, then saw Mattie's mother, Jordan. She dragged the brat over, "Your child is evil," she announced, handing said child over.

"Sorry," Jordan laughed, kneeling down to Mattie's eye-level, "Why were you bad for Sophie?"

"I don't like her!" Mattie said loudly. Sophie rolled her eyes.

"I don't care, you be nice to Sophie," Jordan stood up, "Now, let's go, you're dad's waiting."

"Daddy!" Mattie yelled happily and took off running towards the park entrance.

Jordan and Sophie followed at a much more leisurely pace.

"I'm sorry my child hates you."

"I think it's because she's like your ex. Besides, it's bound to wear off…eventually. I hope."

"Evil much as a child, Sophie?" Jordan grinned.

"I was evil in a much more intelligent and cunning way than your spawn," Sophie said proudly.

Jordan laughed, "I have no doubt," she dug into her purse, "Here are my keys, I have to tell Rick a few things before he takes Mattie for the week."

Sophie took the proffered keys, "Alright, but don't forget to tell him Mattie's evil and I blame him."

Jordan rolled her eyes, "I'm sure he'll care."

Sophie stuck out her tongue at Jordan, who laughed, then made her way to the car. She got in on the passenger side and watched Jordan walk over to her ex-husband.

Sighing, Sophie relaxed into the seat, thinking about how soon school would be back in session. She would be starting her fourth year at Drexel in two weeks. Her course load was going to be the death of her, Sophie was sure, but it was worth it.

She had had her heart set on Drexel by the time she was fifteen. The next year had seen the Martinez family moving back to Sacramento after two terms in the White House. Her parents, especially her mother, had been surprised that Sophie wished to go so far away, but to her the East Coast was home.

If people had been surprised by Sophie's college of choice, they were even more so by her future career path. Many people expected "America's Angel" to follow in her father's footsteps and go into politics. She loved seeing the dumbfounded look on their faces when she explained that her major was Biomedical Engineering.

The car door opened and Jordan got in, "I hate that man sometimes."

"Well, good thing you divorced him then," Sophie said as the car started.

"Shut up, Martinez," Jordan turned around as she pulled the car out of the parking space, "Now where are we going?"

"Book store then food," Sophie said, rummaging around in her purse, "I have massive book shopping to do."

"You didn't get your books yet? Tsk, you're slipping, girl, you usually have half of them read by now."

"Quiet you, I was working most of the summer and didn't have time."

"Aww, our little girl is growing up." Jordan grinned, "Hard stuff, that is - work and school."

"And a kid, for you," Sophie pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm older. More life experience than you."

"Yeah, yeah," Sophie mumbled, rolling her eyes, "Just take me to the book store."

--

Word Count: 775
Date Written: 12.5.2007