Cory Matthews didn't have a lot of friends.
He blamed it on meeting his soulmate and his wife when he was young.
But he had made friends at work.
And then he got transferred to Abigail Adams High and had to start over.
It did not help that there were so many teachers.
Most of the tables in the staff room were full, except one in the corner.
A woman, a few years younger than himself, was sitting at the table, a battered copy of Anna Karenina in hand.
"Can I sit here?" Cory asked.
The woman looked up from her book and gave him a half smile.
"Sure."
Cory sat and held out his hand.
"Cory Matthews. I'm the new history teacher." He said.
The woman raised an eyebrow but shook his hand.
"Casey Venturi. I teach English 1 and English Honors 2, 3 and 4… Your Riley's father right?" She asked.
Cory groaned.
"Are you asking for good reasons or bad?" He asked.
Casey laughed.
"Good. Your daughter is eccentric but an excellent student." The woman assured.
"Thank god." Cory breathed.
At least his daughter hadn't completely messed up her first day of high school.
Like him.
"Her little friend is another story however." Casey said, making a disapproving sound.
"Maya can be a… handful but she's a good kid." Cory admitted.
Casey smiled, almost wistfully.
"Yes well every family has a handful."
He invites Casey and her husband over with their daughter for a playdate with Auggie.
… And promptly forgets that he arranges it on a day that both him and Casey have a teacher's conference.
Topanga's ok with it because she is surprisingly familiar with Derek Venturi.
He's a family lawyer with a reputation to be kind to children and ruthless in court.
She is more than pleased with the arrival of Madelyn Venturi.
At six she's a year younger than Auggie but the young boy takes one look at her dark, curly hair and shining blue eyes and is gone.
Topanga silently thanks god that Ave Morgenstein may be gone from her life in the near future.
As the kids plays Topanga offers Derek coffee.
Topanga's ok with it because she is surprisingly familiar with Derek Venturi.
The man is several years younger than her at twenty-five but he's already building a reputation in the attorney for being kind to children and ruthless in family court, despite only recently becoming a lawyer.
"They seem to like each other." Topanga noted.
Derek chuckled.
"Do you mean the kids or Casey and you husband?" He asked.
"Not much of a difference to me." She said.
"Trust me. Casey is the farthest thing from a kid. I'm the 'imature' one in our relationship." Derek said, his eyes twinkling.
"So how did you two meet?"
A far off look crossed Derek's face.
"You're a reasonably opened minded person aren't you Topanga?" He asked.
"I'd like to think so." Topanga said in confusion
"I met Casey when I was fourteen." Derek said.
"I don't know why I would need to be opened minded about that. Me and Cory met when we were like two." Topanga said.
"… It was on the day our parents announced they were getting married. To each other."
Topanga blinked.
Oh.
Well then.
"Like Clueless?" Topanga blurted out before blushing.
Derek chuckled.
"That's how Casey puts it when we have to explain to people." He said.
He gripped his coffee cup.
"It's not like we meant for it to happen you know? Casey never felt like my sister, no matter how much our parents pushed for it. We hated each other but over the years she became my best friend."
Topanga grinned.
"Sounds like a good love story." She commented.
Derek let out a bitter laugh.
"Not really. We moved to New York for college and within a week were sleeping together. Casey found out she was pregnant with Maddie about two months later."
Derek's gaze fell on the little girl.
"I don't regret my daughter or marrying Casey." He said fiercely.
Topanga gave him a sympathetic look.
"I wouldn't ever think you did." She said.
In the short time that she had known the man she could tell he loved Maddie more than life.
"We called our parents and to tell them we were getting married. Nora and George," He spat the names out like they were trash, "called Casey and me some choice words before hanging up. We haven't heard from them or our siblings since."
The blonde woman let out a sound of sympathy.
"It's ok Topanga. Me and Casey have long come to terms with the fact we don't have our parents in our life. It just hurts that they kept our siblings from us."
Topanga felt outraged.
What kind of parent would do that?
Topanga wasn't stupid.
She knew what Lucas and Riley would be to each other.
She also knew that the chances of her becoming a grandmother before she turned fifty.
So what if two kids fell in love?
It's not like there was any blood between the two.
Derek eyed her.
"You're certainly taking this better than most." He said.
Topanga snorted.
"I was raised by hippies." She deadpanned.
Derek grinned at her.
She shrugged.
"Besides it isn't the weirdest family relation I've heard of."
Derek raised an eyebrow.
"I'm pretty convinced that my daughter's best friend is going to be her aunt so…"
Derek looked confused.
"Senator Matthews is going to marry Riley's friend?" He asked.
Topanga rolled her eyes.
"Not Eric. They have a little brother named Josh that's only a couple years old than the girls." She explained.
"Really? Senator Matthews talks about his teacher brother all the time in interviews but never another." Derek said.
"Yeah. He forgets Josh exists sometimes but Josh prefers it that ways so we never try to correct him."
