"I can't believe you said that."

I told her as she walked back into the apartment.

"Are you mad at me?"

I tilted my head a little and smiled at her. "No." I said sweetly. "I'm just shocked you said all that."

"No one messes with my girl. Even if they are the one that got away." She smiled as she walked into the kitchen area to start making dinner. "Speaking of which, was he always that rude?"

I laughed. "No." I frowned again. "He's just been through a lot and he doesn't trust easily. After we got together I tore down so many of his walls, and then I left. He's not being unreasonable Vi."

"Ahem, need I remind you that you've been through a lot too. I don't see you snapping at people all the time." She stopped grabbing bowls and ingredients and looked at me sincerely. "And you didn't leave them. You didn't even know what was going on."

"I know." I sighed. "I just feel like this all could've been avoided if I had just paid more attention. Or turned around. Or—"

"Stop right there." She held her hand up as she cut me off. "You know that thinking about the 'what if's' gets you nowhere. No one who is truly happy got there by dwelling on what their life could've been."

"You're right." I say more confidently. "But I need to fix things between us."

She smiled. "How are you gonna do that?"

I exhaled deeply knowing this was going to take a lot of work.

"I'm going to start by talking to Cory and Topanga."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

I saw through the peephole that Shawn had slammed the door shut and went over to his apartment. I assumed that he was still pissed off about what Violet said. I love the girl and she's the sweetest thing on the planet, but she knows when to twist the knife and she isn't afraid to do it.

I opened the door and slowly made my way across the hall to Cory's apartment. I stood there for probably about 5 minutes just going over everything in my head.

Should I be doing this?

Will they be mad at me too?

Will they kick me out?

Do they hate me?

I shook the negativity from my mind. Fuck it. I knocked on the door suddenly. I heard some movement from the other side of the door and when it opened I was met with Cory's shocked face.

"Hi." He said.

I stayed silent for a moment, building up my courage. "May I come in?" I finally asked.

He looked surprised. To be honest I was surprised I made it this far. I walked into their apartment and there were still some boxes and blank spots in the room where furniture needed to be put.

"We're still trying to finish unpacking. Sorry for the mess."

"No it's fine. It took Violet and I forever to unpack too. Especially since..." I stopped myself. I was about to mention how weak I still was. That would've brought up too many question. "Never mind."

"Not to sound ungrateful or rude, because I know Violet will come and yell at me about it, but why are you here?"

His comment about Vi was funny. But I couldn't bring myself to laugh when it was followed by that question.

"I just wanted to talk. I saw Shawn had left and I figured if I tried to talk to you while he was here he'd just yell at me. And to be frank, I don't have any more fight in me today."

He nodded and Topanga came into the room.

"Cory who was at the d—" She stopped as she saw me.

"Hey Topanga." I weakly smiled at her.

"Hi." She said with a soft smile. She walked over so she was standing next to Cory.

"Cristina just came over to talk."

"Yeah."

Topanga tilted her head. "So what do you wanna talk about?"

"I just..." I had to think about how to word this. "I just didn't want to be on bad terms with you guys if we are gonna be living in the same building you know? Especially since you guys are across the hall." I looked down and fidgeted with my fingers. "I would love to talk to Shawn too. I was even a little excited when I saw he was the one who knocked on my door. But based on how that conversation went I don't think it's best I talk to him right now. At least not until we are both ready." I looked back up at them. "Cory i'm sorry I ran out on you earlier. It's just that...the answers you want...they are more complicated that just me being able to tell you. I'm not ready yet."

My eyes began to water and Cory came over and hugged me. I missed his hugs. They were rare, but they always made me feel safe. Not that shortly after, I felt Topanga wrap her arms around the two of us.

We eventually let go and sat down at their dinner table. "I know this might be a sore subject but can you at least give us any details?" She asked.

"Just know that i'm working on it everyday. And that i'm sorry I wasn't able to go to your wedding."

"Wasn't able?" Cory asked.

I gave him the 'please don't ask' look and he receded the question.

"So, other than the unprompted reunion. How have you guys been?"

"Well we told you that we got married. But you need to hear about the wedding." Topanga said while smiling a little.

"Oh there's a story to this?" I asked playfully.

"Let's just say that Eric went a little overboard with the best man wedding responsibilities."

My eyes widened. "Hold up, you gave Eric the best man planning duties? Okay now I gotta hear this."

They began to tell me the story about how the original plan for the wedding was to do it at the house, but Eric had other ideas. They explained how he basically stole somebody else's wedding by having Cory and Topanga pose as a rich couple who were supposed to get married the following week. Apparently the police showed up right as they were about to consummate the marriage.

We all were practically rolling on the floor laughing. "Wait they carried you out while you were naked in the bed?"

"YES!" They both shouted.

Topanga continued. "We were almost late to our honeymoon flight because Cory's parents had to bail us out."

"Speaking of which how was the honeymoon?" I asked while raising my eyebrows.

"Well, we booked a resort in Hawaii. But we didn't get a chance to sight see because we were in the hotel most of the time." Topanga elbowed Cory im the stomach and I laughed.

"My husband is such a boy." She said.

"Yeah but ya love me anyway don't you sweetie?" He said while smiling.

"Yeah yeah whatever."

We went on and talked for hours about what changed in their lives and what changed in mine. I told them, vaguely, about me meeting Violet through her brother and how all of us were pretty good friends. And that although we didn't see him much since he's been back to college at NYU, we all still talked and hung out every once in a while.

For the first tine in a long time.

I felt at peace.