Cory sighed. It was two-thirty a.m. and Topanga still wasn't home. He leaned against the wall behind the bed, and stared at the wall. He was having a huge debate in his mind, over what Hannah had said. Topanga or Shawn? Which one was more important to him? Then his mind wandered to Bailey. He barely knew her at all, but he was still so captivated by her. How could this have happened? Was he actually beginning to love someone more than Topanga? No way! He didn't even KNOW Bailey! But then, there was love at first sight. He thought he had that with Topanga. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he'd been fooling himself for the past twenty years? About Topanga? No way! He loved Topanga, and that was that. But there was something nagging in the back of his mind, telling him that he needed to give Bailey a chance. How could he feel like this for someone he didn't even know? That was that, he needed to talk to Shawn.

He sighed, picked up his phone, and dialed Shawn's number. Much to his surprise, Shawn actually picked up.

"Hello?" Shawn was laughing.

"Shawnie?" Cory asked.

"Hey, Cor, what's up?" Shawn asked.

"I need some advice..." Cory sighed.

"Sure, what's up?" Shawn listened.

"It's about Topanga..." Cory slouched. "And a new girl that I met...named Bailey..."

"It's not another Lauren case, is it?" Shawn asked.

"Actually, no, this time I think I know what I have to do, it's just not coming easy, that's all..." Cory explained. "I seriously think I'm falling out of love with Topanga, and into love with Bailey..." Cory laughed at how childish he sounded.

"Really?" Shawn asked, now curious. "How'd you get to that?"

"Topanga was ranting on and on about the usual 'you're not married to Shawn' argument," Cory sighed. "And I just got so mad, I almost hit her. I almost did, but I didn't."

Shawn was shocked. "Whoa..." he stuttered.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking..." Cory sighed. "And then, I met Bailey. She made me smile, and laugh even. I don't know...I'm really confused."

"Listen, Cor," Shawn thought for a second. "I've thought about you and Topanga a lot lately, too. That is, when Angela's not taking me over...and well," Shawn hesitated. "Topanga's changing, Cor. And it's not a good change, either." Suddenly, Shawn burst out laughing "Abigail! The NOODLES are boiling over!" he yelled.

"Who's Abigail?" Cory asked.

"A girl I met...I'm gonna put you on speakerphone, Cor. She's trying to cook oodles of noodles, and they're boiling over..." Shawn laughed, and walked over to help Abigail clean up the water.

Cory was shocked. Shawn was actually talking to someone else. And he didn't like that it was a girl...and not Angela. "Who cooks oodles of noodles at two in the morning?" he asked.

"Me!" Abigail's voice came through the phone. "You must be the infamous Cory Matthews?" she asked.

"Whoa, I'm infamous now, Shawnie?" Cory asked Shawn. "That's cool! Who, may I ask, are you?"

"Abigail McDaniel...pleasure...to...uh...meet you?" she laughed.

"Likewise," Cory shook his head. "So, Shawnie, heard from Angela?"

"Who's Angela?" Abigail asked.

Shawn sighed. "No, Cor...I'll tell you later, Abigail..."

"Angela is Shawn's girlfriend..." Cory explained.

Shawn slouched, and closed his eyes.

"Oh..." Abigail smiled fakely. "That's cool...where is she?"

"Paris..." Shawn took a deep breath.

"Oh, Shawn, I'm sorry...how long?" Abigail asked.

"A year..." Shawn was obviously less than thrilled to be talking about Angela. "So, Cor...back to Topanga...what do you think you should do?"

Cory thought for a second. "Do you think I should file for divorce?"

Abigail butted in. "How long have you been married?" she asked.

"Twenty years..." Shawn exclaimed with a chuckle.

"A year and a half." Cory told her.

"Do you know that your problems are unavoidable?" Abigail seemed resolute on helping Cory.

"Kinda yeah...she wants me to pick between her and Shawn." Cory explained.

"Oh..." Abigail sighed. "Well, no one could tear up a friendship, and really call themselves a loving wife..."

Shawn marveled at Abigail's caring nature.

"So, you think I should?" Cory asked.

"It sounds like a possibility. What do you think Shawn?" Abigail asked.

"I'm kinda biased on this..." Shawn shrugged. "I mean, I'd understand if he chose Topanga, but you know..."

Cory frowned. "Thank you Abigail. I'm a lot clearer as to what I have to do now..." he knew that Topanga wasn't going to take this sitting down, but he needed to get a divorce.

***

"WHAT?" Topanga screamed. "Why? Did SHAWN put you up to this?"

"No, actually, he really had nothing to do with it." Cory explained. "His friend Abigail helped me make the right decision."

"Abigail...McDaniel?" Topanga's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah...how do you know her?" Cory asked.

"She almost took my internship..." Topanga scowled. "And now she's trying to steal my best friend's boyfriend?"

"Angela is letting go of Shawn on her own..." Cory protected his friend. "I already filed the papers, Topanga. I'm going to stay with Eric."

"Speaking of Eric, what does he think of this?" Topanga didn't seem phased.

"Why isn't this bothering you?" Cory asked.

"Because I filed for divorce yesterday!" Topanga shouted. "I'm SICK of having to do EVERYTHING and you not even getting the gumption to get a job!"

Those words went through Cory's chest like a knife. He had always been loving and loyal to Topanga. He knew that he was filing for the same reason, but he never thought she would. Without another word, he left the house, with his bags in his hands, and the first person he saw was Bailey.

"Cory?" Bailey asked. "Are you ok?"

Cory set his bags on the floor, and sat down. "Both Topanga and I filed for divorce..." he sounded like he was still taking it in.

"Oh, Cory..." Bailey hugged him. "Come on into my apartment for a little while...you need to cool down."

Cory looked at Bailey. "I was on my way to Eric's house..."

"Just wait a little while. Call him and tell him you'll be a few minutes..." Bailey led him inside and handed him the phone.

Cory could already tell, even through all his heartache, Bailey was going to be very helpful through everything.

***

Eric had been spending a lot of time with Hannah. They always went to each other's apartments, and talked about everything. Today, they'd spent the whole day together. Eric was falling fast and hard into love with her, and vice versa.

Eric stuck two straws up his nose, and two on his teeth. "Look, I'm a hairy nosed walrus!" he quickly pulled the straws out of his nose. "Ouch...that hurt..."

"Eric, you're an idiot..." Hannah shook her head. "You don't have to constantly be funny, you know. I know I said your sense of humor is attractive, but I also like seeing someone's deep side. "Or their sensitive side..." she smiled, and pointed at Cory, who was sleeping on the couch.

"He was going through a really tough time...I couldn't just leave him upset..." Eric shrugged. "I know he wouldn't do that to me, so it's the least I could do."

"I feel so bad for Cory, though. Did you think that was it, with he and Topanga, I mean?" Hannah asked.

"I did, up until two months ago. Topanga started getting really possessive, and really antsy about everything Cory did." Eric explained. "And, she would have a complete freak attack if he left a little bit of grease on the table, or something. But, he loves her, so he put up with it, for the longest time."

"I feel terrible. Maybe there's something we can do to help him feel better..." Hannah suggested. "Bailey seems to care about him..."

"Yeah, he seems to trust her, too. I think we should just let the future take it's course." Eric smiled. "It'll all work. I know it."

"Eric, can I tell you something?" Hannah asked.

"You know you can..." Eric smiled.

"I think I'm starting to like you...like...a lot. I mean, I think you are the most adorable being on this planet, and you are so funny." Her face became a little red as she explained this to him.

Eric looked over his shoulder for someone else in the room. "Me? You mean...Eric Matthews?" he asked.

"Well yeah...no, I'm talking to your shadow..." Hannah rolled her eyes. "Come on...just come out of Eric-mode for a couple seconds?"

"I do that when I get nervous..." Eric shrugged. "Yeah, I'll come into the real world..." he laughed. "I like you a lot too. I mean, all the time we've spent together lately, I'm growing kinda fond of ya, kid..."

"Kid?" Hannah narrowed her eyes. "If I'm a kid, then what are you?" Secretly, she was overjoyed that Eric felt the same way. She had no idea what to say to acknowledge it, though, so she joked with him.

"I'm a BIG boy!" Eric beamed, with an idiotic smile on his face.

Hannah couldn't help but laugh. The childish side of Eric was what really captivated her. She couldn't help but love a guy who could go through all the things he had, and still have an amazing outlook on life. "You're so adorable..." she shook her head.

"Why do you always shake your head at me? Are you condescending me?" Eric gasped, playfully.

"And what if I am?" Hannah asked, playing along.

"Then I'll cry..." Eric sniffed, pretending to cry.

"And?" Hannah grinned.

"You don't care?" Eric asked.

"Of course I do, I just want you to be normal for about three seconds in your life..." Hannah shrugged.

"And that's not gonna happen." Eric smiled. "I know not the meaning of normal!" he recited, as though he were quoting Shakespeare.

"It's not in your vocabulary huh?" She shook her head again, falling more in love with him with each passing second. She couldn't tell him that yet, because she wasn't sure how he felt, considering he kidded around the subject, and plus she wasn't sure how long it would last.