So, clearly having shorter chapters = quicker updates isn't going as well as I'd hoped, but at least it's just a bit over one month instead of two or three? Progress? Sorta. Anyway, admittedly this isn't the most action packed chapter, bit I realized I'd been slacking in some character interaction lately. Hope you enjoy.

As always, thank you for your patience and feedback. :-)

"What do you mean you're leaving? I don't understand."

"It's exactly what it sounds like, Cory. I need to get away for a little while. This whole thing with my parents is suffocating."

"Where are you going? I'll go with you."

"You can't. I'm going to visit Nebbie."

"You're going to a convent? God, are you becoming a nun? Nuns can't get married, Topanga. Nuns don't get honeymoons!"

She rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to throw her pillows at him. After all, she did spring this on him out of the blue. "No, Cory, I'm not becoming a nun. Nebbie isn't either."

"But…I thought…wait, I'm confused." He fell into her desk chair. "What is going on?"

"Apparently being Sister Mary Hildegard wasn't all it was cracked up to be. She left before taking the final vows. She still wants to help people, but not while wearing a habit."

"Then what has she been up to?"

"She's been living with friends in Virginia in a place called Yogaville."

"I heard about that place. There was an article about it not too long ago. After everything we went through with Shawn and all those weirdo huggers at that cult you want to join one, too?"

"It's not a cult. It's a place where people can learn to be at peace with themselves and their place in the universe."

"Is it me," he asked, continuing on as if she'd said nothing. "You can tell me, Topanga. Is there something about me that drives the people I love to cults? I'll stop whatever it is I'm doing to drive you away."

"This has nothing to do with you!" This time she did send a pillow airborne and was mildly satisfied when a few trinkets fell from her dresser. "This is about me. I need space…peace. And I really need to reconnect with my sister. I haven't seen Nebula in years."

He got up from the chair, sat beside his fiancée at the foot of her bed, and took her hand. "How long are you going to be gone? Is there a timeline on spiritual enlightenment? I'm hoping it's a weekend thing."

"I don't know."

"You don't…" Cory shook his head. "..we're supposed to be planning a wedding here."

"I can't handle that right now. Marriage is the absolute last thing on my mind."

He let go of her hand and moved to the end of the bed. "Wow. That-that's great, thanks."

"Don't take it so personally."

"Oh, you're right, I'm overreacting here."

"My parents are falling apart. They've been falling apart for years and I never noticed."

"Yeah, but that's them. We're us. We are not your parents. We're in love."

"So were they. They were our age when they eloped. They thought they were in love. And look how they ended up."

"What are you saying? You don't want to be in love with me because your parents aren't in love anymore?" He ran his hands over his head, trying to come up with something to say that would help. "My parents were about our age when they got married, too. And look at them- still in love and churning out babies."

"Are you trying to make me feel worse by throwing your parents' happy marriage in my face?"

"Tell me what the right thing to say is, please. Tell me."

"I don't care about your parents right now. I didn't grow up wanting to be Amy and Alan. I wanted to be Chloe and Jedidiah."

He made a face. "I thought your mom's name was Rhiannon?"

"Rhiannon is her middle name. She started going by it because she thought it would help her be taken more seriously at work. And I fail to see how my mother's name is the point right now."

"I'm just trying to keep up with you. You're all over the place."

Topanga did her best to not get emotional. She'd been crying too much lately. "I thought they were perfect. Everything I learned about love I learned from them. What if I picked up their bad habits and one day we stop-"

"Shut up."

"Excuse me?"

"We're Cory and Topanga. We don't stop. We don't fall out of love. We keep going no matter what. It's what we do. We survive." He shook his head. Just a couple weeks ago his life was perfect. How did things get so screwed up so quickly? "We're going to be okay. I know it in my gut."

"Cory, stop," she pleaded.

"But-"

"Stop."

He relented, realizing that trying to force Topanga to talk would only end badly. "When do you leave?"

"Nebbie's picking me up Tuesday."

Good. There were still a few days for him to convince her to stop being so silly and get her to believe in them again. "And you don't know if you're going to be there for a day or two, a week or two, or-"

"Could you go?"

"What?"

"I need to start packing."

"What time should I be back to pick you up?"

"For what?"

"We're going to karaoke with Eric and Angela, remember?"

She had completely forgotten about it. "I'm not going to karaoke."

"They're giving away prize money."

"So?"

"Topanga, come on. What are you going to do, sit here and mope?"

"Excuse me? Mope? I think I've had plenty of reason to mope."

"Fine, yes, but this isn't healthy. You've hardly left your room. You need to get out."

"No."

"Shawn's coming."

"Good for him."

"He's coming so you would have more friends around to support you. That's right. He's willing to put aside any awkwardness about Eric and Angela so he can be there for you."

"Are you using Shawn to guilt trip me?"

"No. I used you to guilt trip him."

Logically, she knew he was right. She had spent too much time cooped up in her room. If it were Cory or anyone else going through this she'd be encouraging them to get out and have a little fun. "I don't feel like singing."

"You can just watch. No one is going to make you sing. Please," he added when he sensed her crumbling resolve. "For me?"

She sighed. "Fine." Resisting Cory when he gave her those eyes was damned near impossible. "For you."

"Yay!" He threw his arms around her and tried not to read too much into it when she tensed up even more. "Thank you."

/

/

"Okay, I signed us up to sing both individually and as a duet. I figure the more we sing the better the odds are of at least winning something, even if it's only the free appetizer or dessert you get just for entering." Angela took a seat beside Eric and looked around. "No one else yet?"

"Nope."

"They'd better hurry. I don't know how much longer they'll let us hold the other table."

"I'm starting to think we've been blown off. Not that I'm complaining." He scooted his chair closer to hers'. "I love when it's just us."

"Me, too."

"Thank you."

"But sometimes," she continued, "it's nice to get out and have fun with friends…assuming those friends ever show up."

"Have I told you yet how beautiful you look tonight?"

"I believe your reaction when you picked me up was, 'wow.'"

"And I meant it. Wow. Wowie. The wowiest."

"Is that last one even a word?"

"I'm not sure, but it should be. And I'd put your picture in the dictionary under the definition."

"You're just saying that because I'm wearing your favorite jeans."

"Trust me." He put his hand under the table and slid it down her leg. "It's not just the jeans."

"It's the eyeliner that's driving you crazy, isn't it? I knew turquoise was a risk, but what the hell. Why not have a little fun, right?"

"You got me. I'm totally an eyeliner guy."

"I always suspected as much," she said, moving even closer to him.

Eric enjoyed how flirty Angela was tonight. Things hadn't been like this since before he nearly screwed it all up. It was almost enough to make him wish they had been stood up by their friends for real. "Lip liner, too, that can be cool."

"I don't usually wear-"

"You missed a spot."

"What?" She reached for her purse to retrieve her compact. "Where?"

"Here." He ran his thumb just below her bottom lip at the same he used his other hand to pull her closer. "And here. And here," he spoke between kisses. "And-"

"All right, Eric, leave the nice lady with enough oxygen to sing." Jason slapped his friend's shoulder and laughed when the couple jumped apart. "Nice, lipstick, man. I've always loved that shade. What's it called again?"

"Spiced caramel," Angela answered. "And…um…hi, guys. We were just-"

"Lip exercises. You know, so when we're up there we pronunciate and get all the words right."

"I think you mean enunciate," Jack corrected.

He shrugged. "Same difference. So, what's up?"

"Nothing, got here at the same time is all." He hadn't expected Jason to be here tonight. They both went for a parking spot at the exact same moment, settling the debate with rock, paper, scissors. "Is anyone else coming or is it just us four?"

"Cory and Topanga should be…" Angela trailed off when she saw their friends across the restaurant. Shawn was with them, which wasn't entirely a surprise, though still unexpected. "Hey, guys!" She stood and waved. "Over here!"

Cory pushed his way through the crowd, feeling as though he was dragging Topanga every step of the way. "Sorry we're a little late. Traffic."

"Damn it," Jason exclaimed as he saw Cory and Shawn, "did everyone got taller except for me?"

After explaining to the guys where to go sign up to sing, Angela pulled Topanga aside. She looked as though she'd rather be anywhere else. "I'm glad you're here. Do you want to sign up to sing a duet, put the guys to shame?"

"I don't feel like singing."

"Oh, come on, it's going to be a lot of fun. You love karaoke."

"I'm here to watch. I'm not in the mood to participate."

Angela nodded. She was just a kid when her parents split, but the memories of the disorientation in the aftermath were never far behind. It some ways it reminded her of a scab that would never fully heal. She hated that her friend would be scarred the same way. "Let me know if you change your mind."

A voice came booming from over the loud speaker. "Five minutes left to sign up to sing and the chance to win prizes, including cash! Five minutes, people. No late submissions will be accepted so see Tony at the bar."

"You're sure," she asked once more. "I'll let you pick a song even if it won't get us any money. We'd kill No Scrubs. Or I'd even sing a Spice Girls song for you if it's what you want…what you really, really want."

Topanga smiled for the first time in what seemed like days. She was glad to have Angela on her side in the midst of this waking nightmare and would miss her friendship while with her sister. "Thanks, but I'm sure. I will go to the bathroom with you though."

"For what?"

"Just because I'm not in a singing mood doesn't mean I'm going to let my best friend go up there with smeared lip gloss."

/

/

"Let's hear it for Steve, everybody!"

They clapped and cheered, waiting for the next name to be called. "Did I really just watch some guy dressed as Elvis sing a Marvin Gaye song," Jason asked. "I mean, it was a great performance, but weird visuals."

Angela leaned in to be heard over the crowd. "Every time I've come here he's up there performing. Some days I think he believes he is Elvis. But he can sing, so…"

Cory glanced at his watch. "Wow, we've been here over an hour and none of us have gone up yet."

"The place is full of broke college students wanting money for the summer. It might be a while."

"Okay, let's see who's next…" The host dug through an old popcorn tin full of paper. "…all right, Cory M., you're up!"

"What?!"

The rest of the group laughed at the look on his face. "Go, Cor, you wanted us to start singing."

"Yeah, but…that didn't…I didn't mean I wanted to go first!"

"Cory M. you have twenty seconds to get up on stage or forfeit your turn."

He looked up at the ceiling. "Is the universe even on my side in anything anymore?" When the audience started a countdown he raced to the stage. He followed the directions and dug into another drum to claim his song. "Oh, boy," he muttered when he saw the title.

"Remember, you have one chance to change your song," the host reminded him. "What do you say- keep or switch?"

He looked out into the sea of people until he found Topanga. She nodded and smiled in an encouraging manner and from behind her Shawn was giving the thumbs up. "I might as well butcher a song I know."

"That's the spirit! Everybody, let's hear it for Cory!"

As the opening chords of Livin' La Vida Loca started, he looked to the sky and said a quick prayer, hoping the universe didn't completely hate him and that he got through this without embarrassing himself.

A few minutes later he staggered back to his table. No one stormed the exits. In fact, people were cheering and clapping for him. "So, how was I?"

"That was amazing!"

"I didn't know you had that in you."

"I sounded good?"

The group glanced at each other before Jack spoke up. "You put on a hell of a show, man."

"Are you saying I sucked?"

"No, I-"

"Honey," Topanga interrupted, "maybe you will never win a Grammy, but that was a wonderful piece of performance art."

"So you're saying I sucked but I did it with flair?" He finished the rest of his water in one gulp. "I can live with that."

/

Over the next couple of hours more of the group was called and everyone was having fun. The guys completely butchered the harmonies in Kokomo, but had a blast doing it. Eric was momentarily panicked when a Prince tune popped up for him. Then he realized no one actually expected him to hit those notes and be Prince. Plus they knew the song and it was like he had dozens of backup singers who wanted to go crazy with him.

The surprise of the night so far was Jack's rendition of Black Hole Sun. It seemed no one, not even Eric or Shawn, knew he could sing.

"Seriously, why aren't you in any of the college music groups or choirs," Eric asked.

"Just because I can sing doesn't mean I want to do it." He smiled politely at the girls who came over wanting to slip him their numbers. One even came right out and asked if he wanted to go back to her place for a private concert. "It's enough having a secret talent I can pull out on unsuspecting people when I need to."

"We're having fun so far, right?" When the crowd agreed with the host, she continued. "Next up is another couple. Let's hear it for Angela and Eric!"

"It's about time," she exclaimed. "Everyone else has gotten to sing but me." She took Eric's hand and led the way to the stage. "You pick."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, I don't care."

"How about you pick the paper but I'll read the title first."

She shrugged. "Okay." Angela dug around in the duet drum and pulled out a notecard, showing it to him immediately. She wasn't sure what to think when he laughed. "What?"

"Are you ready to be silly?"

"I can be silly. I watched Dumb & Dumber with you when it was your turn to pick what to rent, didn't I?"

"No, I mean digging deep down into depths of silliness I've never seen you reach before."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll find out in a minute, my Barbie Girl."

As the night went on everyone became more relaxed and, as a result, more entertaining. By the time his name was called, Shawn no longer felt much awkwardness about sitting with Angela and Eric. It was as though they were hanging out like they used to- just friends having a good time. He tried not to focus on the subtext in the song he had to sing, Weezer's Say it Ain't So. It hit a little too close to home, but he did his best to stay in the fun of the moment. Luckily Jason was called up not long after and gave a rather spirited performance of Pat Benatar's Heartbreaker and chased away any negative thoughts that lurked in his head.

"I'm starting to think they lost my name," Angela joked as the girl onstage was in the midst of a Cory-level performance of Mr. Roboto, even attempting to do the robot as she sang. "There can't be many people to go. The only song left in the bin will be The Hokey Pokey."

"They're just saving the best for last."

She leaned in and kissed Eric's cheek. "You're full of it, but thanks." Finally, after a few more people sang a few more songs, her name was called. She went up on stage and, as she'd done earlier, reached into the bin. When she saw the song title on the slip of paper she froze. Was this really something she wanted to sing in front of a large group of people, her ex-boyfriend included? Hell, especially her ex-boyfriend? Everyone had been getting along so well tonight, too. Then again, it wasn't as if things could get worse.

"What do you say, Angela? Keeping the song or pick another? Thirty seconds to decide."

Almost no one had opted to select another song the entire night and she didn't want to be one of the few. She dashed off the stage and went over to Eric. She kissed him quickly before whispering in his ear, "Don't stop looking at me."

"What?"

"I don't want to lose my nerve. Keep watching me."

He chuckled and gave her hand a tight squeeze. "You say that like I ever stop looking." He kissed her once more. "Knock 'em dead."

Angela once again ascended the stage. She took a deep breath and went to the microphone. Though the stage lights made it challenging to make out individual faces in the crowd, she spotted Eric's silhouette and fixed her gaze on him. She nodded an okay for the music to begin, praying she could channel the confidence the song demanded.

The way she moved and swayed to the beat, the words she was singing…Eric was mesmerized. He'd heard You're Making me High before, but never imagined he'd be on the receiving end of it.

"You lucky son of a bitch." Jason smacked his arm. Though they'd gone on several karaoke dates when they were together, he couldn't imagine Dana up there singing like this. "Hating you a little, not going to lie."

"That's cool," he responded, never taking his eyes off Angela.

"If you guys don't go outside for a little 'air' when she's done I will lose all respect for you."

As the song died out Angela wasn't sure if it felt like she'd been up there for an eternity or just an instant. She strode back to her seat amidst the applause and cheers, took her place beside Eric, and promptly buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I just did that."

"You were amazing."

She peeked out at him from in between her fingers. "Really?"

"Yeah, like…so hot…the hotness thing I've ever seen."

"You're not lying?"

"I never say anything I don't mean. My earlier definition of wowie was just replaced by this moment."

Forgetting they weren't the only ones at the table, Angela wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The host announcing the next singer, followed by the opening piano chords of Don't Stop Believing startled her back to reality. She pulled away just enough to whisper in his ear, "You want to get some air?"

/

"So that was fun."

"You're just saying that because you won $150," Cory said to Jack. He, Shawn and Angela had all won some cash tonight in various categories. He was grateful just to have won a free dinner for two. He'd save it for when Topanga got back from visiting her sister.

"The money definitely doesn't hurt."

Shawn sighed and stuffed his prize money into his pocket. It wasn't much, but he was $50 closer to those new camera lenses. He couldn't even be mad that his rich brother won more money than he did. In all honesty he deserved it. "We should get going," he told Cory and Topanga. Cory was their ride. "I need to be at the studio by eight."

"On a Sunday?"

He barely resisted rolling his eyes. "Yes, Cor. Most of the world doesn't exist in the traditional Monday through Friday, 9-5 lifestyle."

"Okay. So…this was fun. We should do it again sometime."

"I'm in," Angela said as she and Eric walked arm in arm over to the group. "My birthday's in a few weeks. We should do something around then."

"Do you think we'll be able to ditch your dad? Because if he comes with I'm totally making him sing a duet with me."

The image of her father and boyfriend on stage singing together was almost enough to make her double over with laughter. "Can that be my birthday present? I have to see that. Good luck getting my dad to agree, though."

"Ooh, a challenge." Eric rubbed his hands together. "I love a challenge." He thought for a minute then nodded. "Consider it done."