This is more like chapter 13A. As I was editing the chapter I really wasn't liking how the whole thing was fitting together as one. It still feels a bit clunky to me, but I'm not sure if it is or if I've just been staring at it so long I've lost the ability to be objective, lol.

Thanks so much for your feedback to the previous chapter and for your never ending patience. :-)

When Angela and Topanga walked into their anthropology class Monday morning the last person they were expecting to see was Eric. "Eric, what are you doing here?"

"I missed you," he offered. "It's been forever."

"We literally just saw each other for breakfast."

"Oh? Well, that good-bye kiss you gave me did go on for a while. It must have robbed some oxygen from my brain and made me forget. I just had to see you again and refresh my memory." He flashed her his best smile. "Are you buying this at all?"

She matched Eric's grin, but shook her head. "Not a word."

"Damn."

"I appreciate the effort thought." She gave him a quick kiss before pulling back. "Now spill."

"Okay, I figured since my first class isn't until ten I would check out the Dean's evil ex and see exactly how much competition Feeny has."

"Eric-"

"Please? I'll be in the back and won't disturb the class."

"I don't know."

"I'll sit behind you and whisper in your ear and call you pretty."

"That would work for you, not me," she reminded him.

"I'll sit behind you, shoot threatening looks to the guy who drops his pencil by your desk every day and asks you to pick it up, and I'll work on the knot in your left shoulder you were complaining about."

"How about you trip the pencil guy?"

"Done."

"And I still get the shoulder massage?"

"Two hands, no waiting," he answered, holding up his hands.

"I'm sold. Topanga?"

"Well, I slept weird and have a little pinch in my neck that could use..." She realized both Angela and Eric were staring at her. "...I mean, so long as he stays quiet it should be fine."

/

"…and the cursed ruby of the Zau Kwai now resides in the Turkish Museum of Natural History diagonally across from The Hot Rod Café. The end!"

Eric sat bewildered as the class applauded and clamored for more of Dr. Kincaid's stories. And if he was up against anyone besides Mr. Feeny, Eric would be singing his praises as well, as much as he hated to admit it.

Topanga shook her head in awe. "That was…wow."

"Tell me about it," Angela agreed. "He's impressive. How many people do all that and live to tell the tale?"

"Hey, traitors, whose side are you on anyway?"

"You know we're Team Feeny, but there's something to be said for a man of action. I love Mr. Feeny, but he's a man of intellect. That's not a bad thing. It's good; different, but good."

"You're wrong. Feeny's a man of action! He's nothing but action. Watch, see…he's going back up to the podium. Get ready for some serious action."

"Thank you, Dr. Kincaid, for that, uh, vivid story that holds absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the rest of our curriculum. It does provide a fine transition to today's assignment."

"I believed in you," Eric cried out over the class's collective groan. "You're dying, man!"

He peered at his students from over his glasses. It didn't go unnoticed that they were no longer on the edge of their seats. They weren't clinging to his every word as they had for Dr. Kincaid. No, they were slouched in their chairs and watching the clock. "Eric, you're not even in this class."

"How can you expect the kids to learn by reading a book," the archeologist lamented to his ex-wife. "After you've had these experiences firsthand it's a little hard to swallow."

"George is a fine educator, Curtis."

"I suppose not everyone can be out there facing the wild unknown. As the saying goes, "those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. George clearly teaches."

Angela and Topanga each gave the guest lecturer the side eye. "Did he just-"

"Oh, yes, he did."

"No one talks about Mr. Feeny like that."

Eric breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad to have you back on the team, ladies. Just one question: how do we stop Indiana Jones? How do we help Feeny get the Dean? And what-"

"You're on your way to three questions."

"I really don't see how that matters," Angela said in defense of her boyfriend.

"Right, sorry."

He shrugged off her apology. "We've got bigger problems. Didn't you just hear what the Dean said? She invited what's his face to talk at Mr. Feeny's classes for the rest of the week."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I read her lips when they were talking and I heard everything. If Mr. Full of Himself is here all week and the Dean keeps looking at him like that, Feeny isn't going to stand a chance. Something has to be done, fast."

"Like what?"

"Oh, sure, now it's on me to come up with all the ideas?"

She glanced at the clock. "Isn't it almost time for your first class?"

He jumped up. "Crap, and it's all the way in the arts building. I'm going to be late." He planted a quick kiss on Angela's cheek and ran for the door. On his way out he pulled Mr. Feeny aside. "Work on your game."

"What game?"

"Exactly."

"What?"

"You're dying! It's like when you play Super Mario and you're trying to save the princess but you only have one life left and you get to the castle and you're face to face with evil Bowser but then he brings out the wand and-"

He sighed. "Eric, I beg of you, focus, please."

He stared at his mentor and said, "Win the heart of your princess or you're a dead man: an old, lonely dead man."

/

/

"Iced coffee?"

Angela nearly jumped out of her skin when the large cup of coffee appeared in front of her face and Jack's voice invaded her subconscious. She hadn't heard him approach. "Did I order this? It's been a long day, but normally I remember my coffee needs."

"No, Eric said if you're ever here when I'm working to make one appear. He said something about it being step one in my magician's training. I didn't even know I was in training, so-"

She smiled. "Oh, that's sweet. Thanks."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"You were pretty spaced out."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just been a long day. Classes are hectic since professors seem to be getting into review mode to prep us for finals and Eric is hell bent on fixing up Mr. Feeny with Dean Bolander. I want to help, I think they'd be good together, but Mr. Feeny seems afraid to take that final step, you know?"

"And that's the big one."

"Right, that's the step you have to take yourself." She shook her head. "Hopefully it works out. Anyway, how much do I owe you for the coffee?"

"Nothing."

"Jack, come on."

"No, really. Employees get free beverages and discounted food and Eric's been forfeiting his free coffees and putting them aside for you for months."

"Seriously? But we've only been dating for a couple weeks." Come to think of it, coffees have just magically shown up lately whether Eric was working the counter or not. And no one would take her money. Most would just wave around a coupon they said a previous student left behind. She never really thought about it. She was a poor college student. Freebies, especially of the caffeinated kind, were appreciated.

"And might I say I think it's an improvement. Maybe his brain is one that is hurt by the effects of caffeine. Wait a second, did you say dating? Like officially boyfriend and girlfriend dating?"

Crap. "Umm…"

"That's a yes?"

"I'm sorry. Don't be mad at him. We were going to tell everyone soon. We just wanted to have some time to ourselves before Cory and Shawn found out and-"

"-and started stalking you?"

"Sort of."

He nodded in understanding. "Sorry about that."

"I should be the one apologizing to you. Eric's your best friend and Shawn's your brother. I can't help but feel like I'm putting you in an awkward position."

"No, it's okay." Jack looked around and was glad to see it was relatively empty. Most people were still in afternoon classes. "Actually, I think I'm the one who owes you an apology."

"What are you talking about? This is probably the longest conversation we've ever had. How could you have anything to apologize to me for?"

He took a seat on the couch. "See? There's one thing right there. You were dating my brother for almost a year and we never had a single conversation. I should've tried to get to know you and I didn't. I'm sorry about that."

"It's not like I was going around begging for your life story either so I guess that makes us even." She patted his arm in a not completely comfortable manner. "No apology necessary."

"Fine, maybe not for that, but the other thing…"

"What other thing?"

"When you and Shawn were together and he…he…" He shifted around and rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, you know."

"I do?" She had no clue what he was talking about, but he seemed really nervous. The more nervous he got, the more confused she became. She wracked her brain trying to come up with some slight, even imaginary, he could've committed, but came up empty. "Jack, trust me, whatever you think you did, consider it forgiven. If I can't remember it couldn't have been a big deal."

"But it was a big deal, Angela," he started in a voice louder than he intended. "It was." How difficult was it to say, 'I'm sorry I just stood there like a statue and did nothing when Shawn got drunk and put his hands on you?' Apparently it was very difficult because every time he tried to say the words they wouldn't come out. Still, he wanted to apologize. He felt like he owed her at least that much no matter how much time had passed. "Okay, you see-"

"Actually, can I take a rain check on whatever this apology is for?"

"Huh?" He realized she was focused on whatever was behind him and turned around. Shawn was getting situated at one of the tables in the courtyard. "Oh, sure, if that's what you want."

"I'm not blowing you off, but I sort of planned on telling Shawn about Eric and me today." She knew Eric wanted to be nearby when the conversation happened, but she had a feeling things would go better if he wasn't around.

"Oh, right."

"Yeah. And I know Shawn had his poetry club meeting today and after the meeting he always-"

"-sits outside and works on poems."

Angela nodded. After their breakup she switched poetry clubs. It was too difficult for her to be in the same one with him at the time. She always thought it ironic considering she was the one to introduce him to poetry in the first place. He had her book of sonnets to thank for his interest. Yet she was the one who made the change. "It would kill him to know he's become so predictable, but it works to my advantage today."

He got up and headed for the counter. "I'll be in here if anything…if he takes it bad."

"I think I can manage."

"Oh. Okay."

It did seem strange to her that Jack was trying to be friends now, but the effort seemed sincere so she supposed it was only fair that she tried, too. "But thanks."

/

The paper seemed to taunt him. Normally Shawn had no problems writing after poetry club let out, but this week's three possible prompt choices had him stumped. Normally there was one he could work with, but this time they all seemed designed to bring him maximum amounts of pain. He could write about falling out of love, which he hadn't yet managed to do. He could write a poem about his worst personality trait- no shortage of potential landmines there. Or he could write about something he saw this past week that has stuck with him. The only image that has stuck with him was seeing Angela and Eric behind the counter in the Student Union. He really didn't want to immortalize that with words.

"Shawn?"

He laughed humorlessly when he saw Angela standing there. "And the hits just keep on coming."

"Excuse me?"

"Forget it. What do you want?"

"Can I sit down?"

He almost said no, but realized at least this way he'd get to be with her, just the two of them, for a couple of minutes. That never happened anymore. "Sure." It wasn't lost on him that she chose the chair farthest away.

"I need to talk to you."

"Uh-oh, you're using your serious voice. Something wrong?"

"No, well…I don't think so. I'm not sure how you'll feel about it though."

"Is this about you and Eric," he asked, deciding to spare her any further attempts to jump through verbal hoops.

She frowned. "Why are you asking me that?"

"If you're going to try to sneak around and make out, you probably shouldn't do it behind the counter where any random person could walk by. I don't even want to guess how many potential health code violations you guys were committing."

"How did you-"

"I saw you the other night when me and Cory were coming back from the movies."

"Oh."

"Cory didn't see you."

"I'm sure I would've heard about it by now if he did," she said in an attempt to make a joke. He didn't laugh. "Look, Shawn-"

"You and Eric are dating," he concluded.

"Yes."

"So you were lying to me when you first got back and said not getting back together with me had nothing to do with him?"

"What? No, I wasn't lying. Eric and I weren't together then. And even if we weren't together now I still wouldn't be with you."

"Wow…thanks."

"Don't be like that. You know very well why we didn't work out. Or do you need me to run down the reasons once more?"

Shawn shook his head and briefly put his hands over his ears. "No. The knell conversation of our relationship is still burned into my brain." He didn't need to hear her say she was over him again, didn't need to be reminded that he had no one to blame but himself.

"I'm not trying to hurt you, but-"

"Then you wouldn't be screwing around with someone I used to consider a friend. I didn't think you were that type of girl."

"That's not fair. It's not as if we planned this." Angela was puzzled when he started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I'm just trying to imagine what a romantic evening with Eric must be like. Did you get free tokens at Chuck E. Cheese when you told them it was your first date?"

"Stop it."

"Ladies first when entering the ball pit," he guessed. "Oh, then again, that might be too bold a move for a first date. Ball pit sounds more like a third or fourth date kind of an activity."

"Shawn-"

"He at least spotted you a few hundred points with Skee-ball, right? Because that is one thing I can say for Eric, he kicks major butt at Skee-ball. Even I can't beat him."

Angela crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "I'm serious. Knock it off."

"I can't imagine the conversation is that stimulating, unless, of course, you managed to find subtext in Bugs Bunny cartoons. And I know you, Angela. I know you. You need to have something to connect with him on at intellectual and emotional levels or else this will fizzle out in a week or two. Huh." He sat back and smirked. "I guess Cory was right. This is all about revenge."

"What?"

"You're still mad at me for calling it quits in the first place and for not being able to commit again at Christmas, which, yeah, I was a total jerk. I admit it. What better way to get back at me and make me suffer than to go after a friend?"

She seethed, words failing her.

"It's okay," he continued, "I know it's hard when someone close to you points out a truth that's difficult to face, but it's not really fair to Eric for you to do this to him and make him believe you're falling-"

"You're really so self-centered that you think a decision as serious to me as who is my boyfriend - a subject you know I don't take lightly given my past and trust issues- is just a mind game to get back at you or make you jealous? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"That's not what you're doing?" Before Shawn could process what was happening, he found himself drenched in Angela's coffee. Thank god it was iced. "So no?"

"Go to hell. And when you get there, feel free to get a life and quit worrying about who's in mine."

"Everything all right out here," Jack asked. He watched the entire conversation from inside and could tell from body language it wasn't going well, but when Angela dumped her drink over his brother's head he took that as a sign to intervene. "Angela?"

"I'm sitting here attracting bees and you're asking how she is?"

He chose to ignore Shawn. "You okay?"

She tossed her bag over her shoulder and headed for the door. "The ambience is great. The company, however, leaves something to be desired."

"I'll get you another coffee."

"What about me?" Shawn stood.

Jack threw him a towel. "Here."

"What am I supposed to do with this? Why are you helping her and not me? I'm your brother!"

"Right now she's a paying customer and you're the non-customer who pissed her off enough to make her waste a large beverage." So he bent the truth a little. Shawn didn't need to know her coffee was free. Jack hurried back inside and caught Angela just as she was leaving. "Hey, wait a second! Sorry about…about whatever happened out there."

"That's okay. It actually went a little better that I thought it would," she admitted, continuing to head towards the exit.

"Don't you want more coffee?"

"It's fine."

"No, really, this one is on me."

She turned around to face him. "Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you being so nice to me today? It can't just be because I'm dating Eric. You didn't give a damn when I was with Shawn. Why now? What's so different this time around?"

"I'm just trying to right a wrong…that's all."

"And coffee will make us even?"

"It'll be a start."

"Jack, really, whatever it is-"

"Just shut up and let me give you damn the coffee, okay?" When her eyes narrowed and her gaze fixed on him, he was unsure if that had been the appropriate response. "Please?"

"Fine," Angela relented with a sigh. Caffeine was needed after a double dose of the brothers' Hunter. "If it will make you feel better, I'll take the coffee."

"Thank you." Without even asking if she wanted it, he wrapped a cinnamon Danish in tissue paper and placed it on the counter beside the tall to-go cup. "There, Eric said you like Danishes, too."

"Well, yeah," she started with a smile, "the coffee gets lonely otherwise."

Jack shook his head, realizing that's exactly the kind of thing his best friend would say. "Careful, you're starting to sound alike already."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Once Angela was gone and the rush of students coming out of afternoon classes had been served, Jack went to check on Shawn. He was scribbling furiously in his notebook, seemingly oblivious to the rivulets of coffee soaking the pages. "My Own Worst Enemy," he said as he read the title aloud over his brother's shoulder. It only seemed to get worse as it went on. "Yikes. That's a tad on the dark side, don't you think?"

He pulled the notebook closer and covered the page with his hand. "It's supposed to be dark. One of the prompts is to write about our worst personality trait and I have them all and…and I use them to hurt the people I care about most and damage every relationship in my life until there's nothing left and no one to lash out against. Eventually the only person left to hurt will be me."

Jack sighed and sat in an empty chair. He hated when Shawn got like this. It was exhausting and he had no clue how to help. "Don't you think you're exaggerating a little?"

"I've lost Angela for good, and to Eric of all people."

"Yeah, I heard." He tossed the extra towels he brought onto the table.

"You knew?"

"I didn't know for sure until five minutes before she told you. What did you tell her that made her dump coffee on you?"

He shrugged and said, "Whatever I could think of that would make her mad."

"You upset her on purpose? Why?"

"Angela's beautiful when she's angry and fired up," Shawn answered with a ghost of a smile on his face. "She's beautiful and passionate and full of life. I needed to feel that energy again, even if it was just for a minute."

"But she's mad at you now. I don't understand how that's a good thing."

He ripped the page out of his notebook and crumpled it up before tossing it in the garbage. "Me either. Look, I'm going to clean up before I attract every bug on campus."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm as okay as I get."

"Shawn?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You need to lighten up. Don't worry so much."

"I'll work on that," Jack muttered to himself as Shawn walked away. At the moment he felt like drowning his own head it a vat of coffee. For all his talk about how neutral and Switzerland he planned to be about this situation he knew that was crap. Eric was his best friend. Shawn was his brother. How the hell did he think he could get out of this without picking a side?

/

/

"She actually used the words, 'I'm dating Eric'?"

"No, but-"

"Then there's still hope, Shawnie! If she didn't say it exactly like that there's hope."

"Cor, the only reason Angela didn't say it exactly like that was because I didn't let her. I said it for her."

He smacked his best friend upside his head. "Why the heck did you go planting stupid ideas like that in her head?"

"The ideas were already there. She confirmed them. Face it. Angela and your brother are…they're…they're dating." Shawn fell backwards onto his bed and covered his face with his hands. "I blew it. It's over."

"What do you want to do?"

"What can I do? It was one thing when she was single and I tried to win her back. But if I chase after her knowing she's with someone? Tell me, Cor, how do you think Angela would take that?"

He took a seat next to his friend. "She'd probably get a lot more coffee to dump on you, and that's if you're lucky. Worst case she'd stop talking to you all together."

"Right."

"So what now?"

"I pray like hell that it's a fling."

"I'm right there with you."

"Are you sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"Eric's your brother. Right now it sounds like you're rooting against him."

"No," Cory scoffed, "I'm not rooting against Eric. I'm rooting for you. Big difference. Sure, if he was any kind of friend to you he never would've gone after Angela in the first place, but no, I'm not technically against anybody." He clapped his hands together. "Now get that pout off your face. We've got cupcakes to sell."

Shawn groaned and sat up. "How did I let you rope me into this?"

"Simple. I said, 'Shawnie do you want free cupcakes?'"

"And why are you doing this?"

"Because Dean Bolander said it would look good to the university board while I'm on probation to have charitable acts on my record."

"What is the bake sale raising money for?"

Cory was silent. He hadn't been paying attention during that part of her speech. He just heard the words bake sale and volunteered, figuring it would be easy. "Something worthy, I'm sure."

Shawn opened the door and was startled to find Eric on the other side, getting ready to knock. "What the hell do you want?"

He frowned. "Hello to you, too. Is Cory here? I need to talk to you both." Eric tried to step around him to enter the room, but he wouldn't move aside. "Shawn, what the hell?"

"I know."

"You know what?" He wrinkled his nose. "Did you wash your hair with coffee or something? It's a little much."

"A mocha shower courtesy of your girlfriend," he snidely replied.

"My girl…oh." He told Angela to wait until he was around to have this conversation. "Look, Shawn-"

"I don't want to hear it. In fact, I don't want to hear anything you have to say ever again. Just get out."

"I can't."

He took a deep breath. "I swear you-"

Cory decided to intervene. "Eric, maybe you should stay away for a few days, at least until tempers die down a bit, okay?"

"Mr. Feeny needs our help."

"What? Why? What's wrong?"

Eric explained what had been going on the past few days with Mr. Feeny, Dean Bolander, and now her ex-husband. "This is Mr. Feeny. He has never turned his back or given up on any one of us, has he?"

"No," Cory and Shawn answered in unison.

"So don't we owe it to him to help him find love and happiness? This might be his last shot."

"What do you expect us to do?"

"I don't know, some of that dumb Cory and Shawn crap you did in high school."

"Are you crazy? I'm on probation. I hit a teacher, remember? I get even one more strike and I'm out."

"Then we don't get caught. Come on, Feeny is family. Who deserves to be happy more than him?"

"You'll stay the hell away from me after this," Shawn asked.

"If that's what you want, yeah, I'll do my best."

"Then fine, I'm doing this for Mr. Feeny and only for Mr. Feeny."

They had a lot of things to discuss, but Eric knew those issues would have to wait until later. "I understand. Cory?"

He sighed. "If Shawn's in, I'm in."