Lucas opened the door and held it open for Riley. She took a deep breath and walked through the door.

"Hey, guys," she greeted her parents. They were sitting, practically lying, curled up together on the couch with a blanket, watching TV. Cory was lying on his back on the couch and Topanga was between him and the couch, but laying her head on Cory's chest.

"Hey, Riley. Hey, Lucas," Topanga said.

"Riley, I thought you were in your room," Cory said, sitting up, making Topanga also sit up.

"Oh, well I was, but then I went outside with Lucas and we didn't want to climb back in the window."

"Oh," Cory said, returning to his original position and shifting his gaze back to the television.

Riley and Lucas stood near the door awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed.

Topanga craned her neck around and saw them. "Are you guys going to sit down or just stand there and watch us watch TV?" she asked, amused.

"Um, we have something to tell you," Lucas said.

Cory narrowed his eyes and stared at Lucas. "What?" he asked.

Lucas looked at Riley, who was hiding her left hand behind her back. Riley looked back at Lucas. She didn't want to be the one to say it, but she knew that if he said it, it would be worse for them.

"We're engaged," Riley said quickly, ready for shots to be fired from her dad.

Cory jumped off of the couch, nearly knocking Topanga onto the floor, and ran to Lucas.

"What did you do?!" he yelled, pointing his finger at Lucas.

"Dad! Stop!" Riley cried out. She stood in front of Lucas and looked her dad in the eyes.

"Riley, you are not engaged!" he yelled. Topanga got up and went to stand behind Cory.

"Yes, we are," she replied defiantly.

Cory saw her left arm still behind her back and pulled it up to look at it.

"What is this?!" Cory yelled, his face getting red with anger.

"It's an engagement ring, sir," Lucas said.

"Cory, honey, calm down," Topanga said.

Cory turned around to look at Topanga incredulously. "Calm down?! You're kidding, Topanga! Our daughter just told us she got engaged and you're telling me to calm down?!"

Topanga got an angry look on her face and said, "Yes, Cory. I'm telling you to calm down. Sit on the couch."

Cory, unsure of what to do, looked from Riley and Lucas to Topanga. Then he knew what he had to do. He walked angrily to the couch to sit down.

"Riley and Lucas, sit down please," Topanga said.

Lucas, knowing that he needed to stay as far from Cory as possible, sat in the chair across the room from Cory. Riley joined him. Topanga then sat next to Cory on the couch.

Cory glared at Lucas, and Lucas simply didn't look at him.

"Riley and Lucas, please explain why you feel that you should get married," Topanga said calmly.

Cory jumped out of his seat and screamed, "It doesn't matter! They aren't getting married!"

Topanga gave Cory a death glare, and he sat back down.

Lucas finally spoke. "I love your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews. I've told you this before. And I decided that I'm going to NYU next year because I can't live without her. In fact, Mr. Matthews, your speech inspired me to propose."

"I did what?!" Cory yelled, standing up again.

Topanga sighed angrily and then stood up and pulled Cory's shoulders down so he sat.

"Let. Him. Talk," she said to Cory.

"I knew that I never want to be out of the picture. I always want Riley to be a part of my life. And the only way to ensure that is to get married," Lucas finished.

"Riley, why do you think you should get married?" Topanga asked.

"Because I believe what he believes. I love him, and I will love him forever. So there's no point in delaying our forever," she answered.

"Oh, there's a point!" Cory cried, jumping up again.

Topanga, completely done dealing with Cory, stood up again. She glared at him, and he glared back.

"Topanga, stop telling me to calm down! I can't calm down! Our little girl just came to us and told us she's engaged, and I can't-"

Topanga interrupted him by kissing him. At first he tried to back away, but then he decided to kiss her back. When Topanga felt him kissing her too, she backed away.

"What was that?" Cory asked.

"I had to make you shut up!" she shouted. "You need to get off your high horse and listen to what they have to say. Doesn't this situation seem a little familiar?!"

"No!" he shouted. "Why would this seem familiar?!"

Topanga looked at him with irritation, waiting for him to catch on.

"Two kids barely finished with high school wanting to get married just because they love each other and…oh, wait," he said, sitting down.

He looked bashfully at Topanga and said, "I get it now."

"Do you?" she asked sarcastically. "Then I expect you to calm down and think rationally. It's a good thing Auggie's at a friend's house and not home to hear this. He'd probably have a panic attack listening to his father scream so loudly!" she yelled at his face.

"Okay, I'm sorry Topanga. I'm ready now," Cory said.

"Kids, I understand where you're coming from," Topanga began. "We've never told you this before, but we actually got engaged on our graduation day."

"Really?" Riley asked, not believing her mother. "Why didn't you ever tell us this?"

"Because we were trying to avoid this. We didn't want you to think that just because we did it, you can do it. We didn't want to appear to condone that kind of thing. We didn't want you to do the same thing. Apparently our plan didn't work, because here we are."

Riley looked down.

"But let me tell you something else," Topanga said. "We didn't get married for two years after that. Do you know why?"

Riley and Lucas shook their heads.

"Because even though we loved each other, it wasn't the right time. We didn't even start college yet! We had no money. We were in no position to get married."

"Then why did you propose, sir?" Lucas asked Cory.

"Oh, I didn't propose," Cory said. "She did!" he said, pointing at Topanga.

"Really? You proposed?" Riley asked in awe.

"Yeah," Topanga said, smiling at the remembrance of her graduation day.

"Okay, well why did you propose?" Lucas asked her.

"Well, I was kind of in the same situation as you," she said. "Cory told me about your meeting and how you decided to stay in New York. I had a similar conversation with my teacher."

"Mr. Feeny?" Riley asked.

"Yep," Topanga said, smiling. "I was accepted at Yale, and I didn't know what to do either. So I went to Mr. Feeny for advice. He told me that I should go to Yale unless I had a really good reason not to. That's when I realized what was more important."

She looked at Cory, who was furiously chewing his nails, trying to chase his worry away. Her glance at him did not prove her point, as he was comically depicted as a nervous mess. Topanga made a face at him, and he stopped and looked up at her, realizing he was caught in his bad habit. He quickly put his hands behind his back and smiled at Topanga.

Topanga rolled her eyes and looked back at Riley and Lucas.

"During our graduation ceremony, I told him that I knew what I wanted to do with my life and then proposed."

"Aw!" Riley cooed.

"But just because we knew we wanted to be together didn't mean we needed to get married. Because if both people are completely dedicated, you don't need to get married to make sure it lasts forever," Topanga said knowingly.

"His parents told us that, and we almost didn't listen. We almost got married anyway, without them. But then, just in time, we decided that they were right. I don't know what would have happened if we got married then, because I don't know if we would have ever even finished college. I mean, who knows, we could have had you two years earlier and then not have been able to finish," Topanga said, looking at Riley. "Sometimes, it's just better to wait and see what happens."

Lucas asked, "So what does that mean for us?"

"Well, I don't know," Topanga said. "You have to decide that for yourselves."

Cory looked at Topanga and asked, "Can I speak now?"

"If you can contain yourself," she answered. He stood up and she kissed his cheek. "I love you," she whispered.

"Wait, how are you not mad anymore?" Riley asked her mom.

"Huh?" Topanga asked, not noticing what Riley was talking about.

"You were just yelling at him before, and then you kissed his cheek and said you love him."

"Because that's what people do when they're in love," Topanga said. "You can't hold grudges over stupid things the other person does," she said, pointing at Cory with a smirk.

"And you just have to forgive and forget," Cory added, grabbing her index finger and pulling her toward him to kiss her.

Riley and Lucas looked at each other and smirked.

"So that'll be us in a few years?" Riley asked him.

"I guess so," he said, smiling.

"I can't wait," Riley said, smiling back.

"Hey, we're not done with this discussion," Cory said.

"Well, what do you propose, sir?" Lucas asked. "No pun intended," he added with a smirk.

"I propose that you think this through very well. I propose that if you get married, you believe that you're the most ready you could ever be. And I also propose that if you get married, you know that it's for life. Because there's no going back," Cory answered.

"I know that, sir," Lucas replied.

"So does that mean you give us your blessing?" Riley asked.

"Because you are in the same place we were, I understand where you're coming from," Cory said. "But I do not believe that marriage is the best idea right now. I think that an engagement is okay. But I don't think that it should serve as anything other than a promise ring for the time being."

Lucas stood up and walked over to Cory. He held out his hand and said, "I agree, sir."

"Oh, thank goodness," Cory said, breathing a huge sigh of relief. Cory took his hand and shook it.

Topanga smiled and put her arm around Cory's waist.

Riley walked over to her parents and said, "I agree too. As much as I hate to say it, you guys are right. But when do we know when it's time to get married?"

"You just know," Cory said.

"How did you guys know?" Riley asked.

Cory looked at Topanga and they laughed.

"I think that's a story for another time," Topanga said. "It's kind of a long one. I think it's about time that we all turn in for the night. What do you think, honey?" she asked Cory.

"Yeah," he replied. "Which means that you have to go home," he said to Lucas.

"Sir, I think we should-"

"You're going home," Cory said. "Just because you're engaged doesn't give you any new special privileges. You still have a 9:00 curfew from us, Mr. Friar. There will be no staying past that time, and still no being in Riley's room without the door open."

"I understand, sir," Lucas said with a chuckle.

"Cory, don't you remember what we were like at that time?" Topanga asked.

"Topanga, this is not a time for that! We don't need to encourage them!"

"Wait, so you guys were pretty intimate, huh?" Riley asked with a smirk.

"Well, I wouldn't say intimate," Topanga said. "We never went very far at all, until we were married, but I wouldn't say we were only holding hands," she said, laughing.

"A-ha!" Riley said. "I have proof!"

"Oh, whatever. Go home, Friar. See you at school tomorrow," Cory said.

"Yes, sir," Lucas replied. He went over to Riley and kissed her quickly, glancing at Cory to make sure that he wasn't going to be reprimanded, and then walked out the door.

"So what's this about proof?" Topanga asked Riley.

"Don't ask, Topanga!" Cory said.

"Oh, it's too late, Dad!" Riley exclaimed.

The Matthews continued their evening, laughing happily and enjoying their time together. Riley asked for more stories, which Cory was slightly unwilling to tell. Topanga lovingly scolded him and kissed him each time, offering him a reward for giving in.

Riley was engaged to Lucas Friar, and somehow it was all going to be alright.

That's it! How did you guys like it? I really enjoyed writing this story! I am considering a sequel, so let me know if you think I should and what it should be about! Thank you to all of my dedicated followers!

A special thank you goes out to cowgirlangel95 who reviewed every single chapter for this story! I really appreciate your dedication to the story!

Please review and let me know about the sequel! Also, what did you think of the ending?

Thanks again! :)