I Can't Live Without Her

Between Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World. After Cory, Topanga, and Shawn move to New York but, before Topanga is pregnant with Riley.

"No, Andy," Cory said sharply. "You know you're only allowed to color paper." He removed the crayons from the two-year-old.

"No fair!" Andy said, stomping his feet. "You're a meanie."

Cory almost gave the crayons back, as he hated to be called "meanie", even by a two-year-old boy. But he also knew what Mom would say if Morgan or Josh used crayons on her walls. As it is, he and the other daycare employees would have to wash it all off now.

Was working at the university daycare truly worth it, even if it did help pay his rent?

"Now Michelle, that's a very nice picture," he said to the little girl who kept her scribbles on her paper. "It's beautiful."

Michelle beamed at Cory. "Thank you, Mr. Matews." His heart melted, and Cory wondered if washing the walls might be worth it for those cute little smiles.

OOOOOOOOOO

Cory and Sasha spent the next half hour scrubbing the crayons off the walls.

"You're so good with the kids," Sasha said as she plunged her sponge into the soapy water.

Cory sighed. He liked to think so, but if he was, he would have stopped Andy before he made a mural out of the wall. "I try, but I wish I could be better. Hopefully I will by the time I have kids." He pictured a little girl or boy with Topanga's face. Could he stop him or her before they made mistakes? Would he be able to say no to him or her?

Her chin-length brown hair flopped as she shook her head. "No, Cory," Sasha said, firmly. She placed her soapy hand on top of his. "You did everything right today. "You reprimanded Andy without making it worse for him, and you complimented the child who colored the right way. I hope someday I meet a guy who's as good with kids as you are."

Blushing a little, Cory removed his hand from hers and kept scrubbing. "I guess I have some practice with my little sister." How many times had he watched Mom with Morgan? "And even my little brother now, even though by the time he was born, I didn't live with my parents."

"Still, it's so wonderful to see a guy who's comfortable taking care of kids," Sasha said, with her eyes on him instead of the wall.

"My wife says I'll be a good father someday," Cory said, dipping his sponge into the bucket. His mind flashed back to the time when he'd thought Topanga was pregnant, and they'd discussed what it would be like to have a baby after she'd revealed that she wasn't. The thought warmed his heart, especially as she usually succeeded in everything.

There was nothing more important to him than pleasing Topanga.

"Are you sure? Did she say that specifically?" Sasha said, with a bid of an edge in her voice. "I wouldn't be surprised if she takes you for granted a bit."

Cory moved to the other side of the wall. Topanga? Take him for granted? Never. "This is a woman who found a way to stay in our hometown our junior year of high school even though her parents moved. And she gave up the chance to go to Yale so we could go to college together."

Sasha was quiet for several moments as they scrubbed the crayon, and Cory hoped she finally understood that nothing could come between him and Topanga.

Until Sasha said, "All right, but are you certain she's the right woman for you now? People change a lot between high school and college, you know. Maybe you'd be better off with someone different."

If Cory looked at Sasha, she probably would be gazing at him in a way that was clear who she thought "someone different" should be. But he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. "No, I wouldn't," Cory said firmly. "I tried "someone different" in high school already, and I came to the conclusion that that I can't live without Topanga."

Gazing at his wedding ring, he smiled.