Hello! Sorry for the late update. I know I promised a weekly update but I had finals recently so I really had no time (or energy) to write. But yay I'm back. So this chapter's going to focus more on Josh/Cory brotherly love, maybe some Cory/Shawn. Hope you like it. Don't forget to review so you can tell me your thoughts about the chapter and/or tell me what you'd like written.

Disclaimer: I do not own GMW nor its characters.

Also, tell me if you'd prefer a Rucas or a Smarckle (or another Joshaya, that's fine too) for the next chapter.


How To Parent:

My Brother


"Topanga!" screamed Cory from the bottom of the steps of his apartment. "Topanga! It's time!"

He heard the shuffling of feet rush down the wooden floorboard of his stairs. "What the hell are you yelling about?"

Cory smiled from ear to ear. "It's time, Topanga!"

"For what?"

"Get the emergency bag?"

"What for?"

"My baby brotha is going to be a father! And Shawn's going to be a grandfather!" he squeaked. "Come on, Topanga! Like we practiced!"

"You mean Maya's giving birth?" gasped Topanga.

"Right," said Cory. "That too."

"I thought she wasn't due for two more weeks?"

"Well Josh just called, said Maya went into labor! Looks like we're having a baby!"

Topanga narrowed her eyes at him glaringly as she watched him scoured their study for the go-bag he had prepared a few weeks ago for the arrival of his nephew. "We already had our babies. In fact, about five months ago, our baby had her baby. Again!"

"Oh, we did?" shouted Cory from their study.

"Um, hello?"

But her husband was no longer listening to her. "Come on, honey!" he called out as he reached for the door. "Shawnie's going to be a grandpa!"

Before she could say anything more he was out the door. She sighs, "Story of my life." But then a grin tugged at the ends of her lips. Still, she herself can't help the but feel overjoyed at the news that Maya is about to deliver a baby into this world, and a new addition to their ever growing family.


"Shawnie!" Cory screamed while they found Shawn and Katy outside the room number the nurse at the reception desk gave them for Maya Matthews. At the sight of his best friend, Shawn opened his arms to receive Cory's hug. "Well, how is she? How's the baby? Where's Josh?"

"Woah," chuckled Shawn as they pulled away from each other. He could tell that his best friend had just cried, the edges of his eyes red from being rubbed. Topanga meanwhile made her way to Katy whose tears can't stop flowing. "Hold your horses there, buddy. One question at a time please."

But the grin seemed to be permanently plastered on Cory's face. "So, has she given birth?" Cory asked excitedly while Katy and Topanga joined them in conversation.

Shawn nodded. "Yup. Healthy baby boy," he grinned proudly. "She's in there now with Riley and Smackle. She's resting right now. We just stepped out. Lucas accompanied Seth down to the cafeteria to buy some food since he's hungry." Seth was Shawn and Katy's nine-year old son, and Maya's half-brother.

"A boy?" Cory beamed. "Oh my god, Shawnie, we have a baby boy!"

Topanga scoffed at their exclusion, but then again she married Cory Matthews with Shawn Hunter attached to the hip (or she married Cory while he was attached to Shawn's hip, sometimes she couldn't tell).

"Oh, Cory," mused Katy who wrapped her arms around Shawn's arm, wiping another happy tear from her eyes. "They've named him Liam Hunter Matthews."

Shawn bit his lips, his eyes were starting to mist at the mention of his grandchild's name.

Cory and Topanga melted in the place. "That's such a beautiful name," gushed Topanga.

"Are you crying, Shawnie?"

"I'm not crying," Shawn denied, looking away to wipe the tears off his eyes. "I think you're crying."

"Oh, I definitely am," he said, wiping happy tears away. "I'm so happy for you, Shawn—and you too, Katy."

Shawn smiled knowingly.

"Gee, thanks, Cor," laughed Katy.

"Where are mom and dad?"

"Josh said Amy and Alan are on the way down from Philly. They were supposed to come over for the week of Maya's delivery but since this was unexpected…" Shawn trailed. "And Eric called, he'll come visit after his budget meeting while Morgan was already informed by Amy."

"Where's Josh?" Cory asked looking around for signs of his baby brother.

"He's over at the nursery," answered Katy.

He smiled eagerly before looking at Topanga who gave her the nod to go look for his brother and hopefully have a peek at his new nephew.


He found Josh staring through the glass wall separating parents and visitors from the newly born infants, his blue eyes fixated on one of the cradles in the nursery. As he watched his brother absorb the moment, he can't help but feel full in his heart upon realizing just how far his baby brother had grown—from the little baby who was struggling to live, to the toddler to whom he one day predicted would find his own Topanga, to the teenager who did his best to meet everyone's expectations of him, to the college kid girls fawned over, to the man who fought for the love of his life. Now he's a father, in the same position he was more than two decades ago, looking over the new life he helped bring into this world, most likely overwhelmed.

"He's beautiful," Cory smiled, placing a supportive hand on the shoulder of his younger brother as they watched the tiny little being wrapped in a soft blue blanket through the glass window. Suddenly his overzealousness had been superseded by a sense of calm. The newly born infant had his eyes closed shut, and his fists, no bigger than a grown man's thumb, pulled toward his pink and chubby cheeks, breathing slowly and evenly.

"He's got her eyes," Josh said softly, his hands pressed against the glass, watching his son in awe. Cory could hear the contentment in his tired voice. "She did so well."

Josh isn't able to see how proudly his brother nodded in agreement. "Yes. Your wife is a strong woman."

There's tears forming in his eyes, but he doesn't even notice them with how focused he is with his son, watching every movement—a slight shift in the wrap, a hitch in the breathing, a wiggle in his nose. Josh doesn't know how he and Maya could bring such a life into this world, and he didn't know you could love someone before you could even meet them, and then know that you'd give the world to them once you do.

A nurse passed them by and noticed them watching the baby. She smiled at the sight of them, "Do you want to hold him?"

This got their attention and they turned to the nurse with eagerness in their eyes. "Can we?"

"You are the father, aren't you?"

Josh nodded and she smiled, gesturing for them to follow her inside the nursery room—it smelled of isopropyl alcohol and that new baby scent he'll come to love. They were asked to wear a cover over their clothes and to wash their hands, and also a mask over their mouths—all for the protection of the babies from outside germs or infections.

The nurse went ahead and carefully took the baby out from where it lay, making sure his head is carefully, but not tightly, positioned in her arms. She held all twenty-one inch long of the baby Matthews with one arm as she tugged his blanket around his body making sure he's properly wrapped.

She then came back to were Josh and Cory stood, by the couches in the nursery where parents could sit as they held their baby. "Here he is," she said softly.

He was even tinier up close, Josh thought, as he held out his arms hesitantly to take his son. Cory noticed the hesitance in his movements and placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. Josh looked over his brother with worried eyes. "What if I do it wrong?"

Cory smiled. Josh had been such a great support system to Maya over the course of her pregnancy, as it would seem that his beautiful wife had several insecurities with herself being a mother, and through it all he had always reassured her that she'll be nothing short of an amazing mother, and that everything that she's scared of and unsure of, he'd be there and they'll figure it out together. But he was so strong through it all that not a lot of people saw that he might be scared and unsure himself.

"You won't," Cory told him confidently. "Here, let me help you. Okay, hold out your arms like this—yes, that's it—and now carefully—keep the head supported. Okay, now be sure he's secure. That's it, Josh. There you go," he smiled proudly.

They can tell that the nurse was smiling through her facemask before she left them alone to spend time with the baby.

"I'm scared, Cory," Josh finally said as he carefully cradled his son in his arms in slow and small movements. "Look at him. What if I break him?"

Cory chuckled at his brother's choice of words. He peered over to the baby, rubbing its head over the small little cap he was wearing. "Oh, Josh. If all fathers were given a dime for every time they were scared they wouldn't be a good father, I'd be a millionaire by now." The comment made Josh smile softly.

"So you were scared too?" he asked in disbelief. He always held his brother at a pedestal.

"Hell yeah," he laughed, a little too loudly even, that caused the nurse to give them a look. He shot her back an apologetic look for his raised voice and choice of words. "Oh god, when Riley was born the world seemed like such a scary place all over again."

"'Cause I mean, look at him. He's so tiny, I feel like one wrong breath and he'll break. How can the world not seem scary when we know what's out there?"

"If he's anything like his parents, your son will be resilient, and grounded, and he'll be strong-willed and passionate," said Cory barely grazing the cheek of baby Matthews with the tip of his thumb.

"Everything that Maya is," Josh pointed out with a smile creeping up his lips at the mention of his wife.

Cory nodded in agreement, stepping back and sitting on the couch. "And he'll have strong heart, and be wise beyond his years, and he'll believe in the good of people instead of the bad which will make him a good person. Just like you."

Josh couldn't help but feel grateful for his brother's encouraging words. Cory always knew what to say to make him feel like he's doing good. He took the space beside Cory, sitting down on the couch as well. "So what did you do?"

Cory thought about it for a moment, thinking back to the times of long ago, and then the high school teacher shrugged. "I asked for help when I needed it. I had a lot of help too even without asking for it. From mom and dad, from my in-laws, and Shawn was there too whenever I called him for help. You're not raising this baby alone, Josh," he said with a smile. "We got your back. You and Maya."

"I guess I know who's going to bail my son out of jail when he gets into a load of trouble," joked Josh. "And he will, 'cause he's Maya's son too."

Cory scoffed. "That would be his uncle Eric."

Josh laughed along feeling like a load was lifted off his shoulder. "Not to mention his Grandpa Shawn will probably be the one to get him into trouble."

"Oh yeah, you won't even know the half of it."

"And Riley's probably going to spoil this kid to death."

"And Maya with Millie and Miranda."

"Lucas is probably going to teach him how to ride bulls."

"Oh god, don't let my nephew go to Texas."

"While Auggie will most likely get my son engaged at the age of five."

"Ah yes, those were the worst years of Topanga. Maya will probably not be as kind to his fiancée."

Josh nodded nervously, "No she won't." He then turns to take a look at his newborn infant. "He'll grow up with his crazy family, won't he? And he'll probably be more annoyed with us and all our antics, and we'll probably embarrass him in front of his friends, and Maya and Riley will scare off all his girlfriends…"

"He'll be so loved."

"You'll be so loved, my love," he whispered softly as he dips down to kiss his son on the forehead.