Welcome, readers! Before you start reading my new multi-chaptered fic, let me just get some things across. The first two chapters are kind of boring, not going to lie, but I wanted some fluff before chaos ensues in future chapters. But once we reach chapter three, it should get a lot more interesting. Also, I took the opportunity to include some foreshadowing in this chapter and it's very obvious.

The Art of Letting Go

Chapter One

"Lucas is here!" An excited Auggie announced when he opened the door to reveal the boy who had been dating his older sister for almost two years now.

"Hi, buddy," Lucas greeted, giving Auggie a hug. The two had become good friends ever since Lucas started dating Riley. Lucas became a big brother figure to Auggie, something that Auggie's always wanted. Lucas would play with Auggie when Riley wouldn't, and he's been teaching him how to play baseball with the help of Cory. Lucas would even offer that Auggie tag along when he would go out with Riley, which Auggie appreciated. Auggie's close relationship with Lucas assured him that Lucas wasn't stealing Riley from him, a recurring fear when someone got to close to his sister.

Once Lucas was inside the apartment, Auggie closed the door. The two went to sit on the couch where Auggie previously was watching TV before he let Lucas in.

"Just a minute!" Riley yelled from her bedroom. It was date night for the young couple. They loved date night, a night where they could get away from their friends is a night they enjoyed. Don't get them wrong, they loved their friends, but they also loved spending time with each other without hearing comments about their public displays of affection, which were very mild anyway.

Cory and Topanga entered the living room to greet their daughter's longtime boyfriend. They liked Lucas, too. Topanga was more vocal about this than Cory, though. Whenever Lucas was over at the Matthews's apartment, Topanga would be very catering to him, offering him food or offering to take him home when he would stay over late. Cory, on the other hand, had to play the overprotective father role to make sure that Lucas knew his boundaries when it came to Riley.

"Hi, Lucas," The two greeted in unison.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, how are you doing?" Lucas smiled nervously. He knew Riley's parents for years now, but he still felt intimidated by them.

Cory responded by groaning.

"He's stressed because of all the tests he has to grade," Topanga excused her husband's strange noise and patted Cory on the back. "I'm great, though. Thanks for asking."

"Daddy, don't scare Lucas off," Auggie said, hugging Lucas's arm. The action earns a chuckle from Lucas. "I like him."

"I like him, too," Cory said. Lucas was pleasantly surprised. In the amount of years that Lucas knew Cory, he never once admitted that he liked him.

"Really, sir?" Lucas raised his eyebrow.

Cory nodded to confirm.

"Besides, I don't think I could scare this kid off," Cory continued, turning to Auggie. "I've been trying to for years, and yet he's still here."

"Huh, you've never admitted you liked me before," Lucas said. "I'm flattered, sir."

"I've liked you since you transferred to my class," Cory confessed to Lucas. "You're a good kid, Lucas. If you've ever gotten the impression that I didn't like you, that's just my fatherly instincts kicking in."

"You don't have to worry, I'm taking good care of her," Lucas replied.

"We know," Topanga answered with a smile. "And I've liked you since Cory told me about you."

"I would've thought that Riley would've told you about me first," Lucas remarked. "You two are lovely parents, Riley's lucky to have you."

Topanga smiled and gave Lucas a quick hug. She's very fond of him. The relationship he shared with her daughter was reminiscent of her relationship with Cory.

"And we're lucky Riley has you!" Auggie chimed in with a smile.

"I'm going to get started on dinner," Topanga stated. "Do you want anything, Lucas?"

"No, thank you," Lucas politely answered. "Riley and I are going to go out for dinner before we head to the movies."

"Alright, just let me know if you want a glass of water or something," Topanga offered before going to the kitchen.

"I'm gonna continue grading tests," Cory said. They were only a few weeks into the beginning of the new school year, but Cory insisted on giving out quizzes based on what his students learned the year before. Cory got up and went to the kitchen table where folders of tests were scattered across.

Topanga gazed at Lucas from the kitchen with a smile before turning to her husband.

"What?" Cory asked.

"Don't they remind you of us?" Topanga questioned.

"Auggie and Lucas?" Cory said.

"No, Lucas and Riley," Topanga replied in a 'duh' tone.

"Oh, them," Cory answered. "In what way?"

"When we were younger," Topanga said, "the innocence of young love. The way he looks at her, the way she looks at him. The way they believe in each other so much and that they can tell each other anything. And how they won't let anything get in the way of their relationship."

Topanga paused.

"Actually, wait, forget that last part. That doesn't remind me of us," she continued.

"What do you mean? We never let anything get in the way," Cory argued, marking one of his student's tests.

"Lauren?" Topanga scoffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"We're married now," Cory reminded her calmly. A couple of years ago, Cory would have panicked when Topanga would mention her name. "We overcame that obstacle."

"True."

"And just because they won't let anything get in the way of their relationship doesn't mean that it won't happen," Cory replied, taking his attention off the paper to look at his wife.

"Can you just be supportive of our daughter's relationship?" Topanga questioned.

"I am!" Cory defended himself. "I literally just told Lucas that I liked him. I never did that before! All I'm saying is that rough patches are inevitable in any relationship. Remember all those fights we had?"

"Yes, I do recall some of them," Topanga answered.

"Well, if you do think they resemble us, you'll know that they'll be going through that as well," Cory pointed out.

Topanga sighed. She knew Cory was right.

"Now don't get me wrong, I really doubt that Lucas would ever hurt our little girl," Cory added. "But I still think they're gonna have conflicts. It's only a matter of time."

"Why do you always have to be right?" Topanga questioned as she walked over to him. She kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm a teacher," Cory responded. "I have to be right. I wish I wasn't, but our Riley and Lucas have a lot to learn from each other."

On the other side of the room, Lucas and Auggie watched TV as they waited for Riley to finish getting ready.

"She takes forever," Auggie informed him, noticing Lucas's shaking leg.

"I know," Lucas agreed. "But I don't mind."

"You must really like her if you're okay with how long she takes to get ready," Auggie commented.

"Yeah, kid, I love her," Lucas replied.

"Gross." Auggie made a disgusted face.

"You say it's gross now, but you'll feel the same way about a girl when you get older," Lucas laughed.

"I've been married to Ava Morgenstern for fifty-five years," Auggie reminded him with a scoff. He leaned in to Lucas and whispered, "That's longer than my parents."

Lucas chuckled. He always thought that Auggie was a lot wiser than his age told him to be. But then again, he was raised by Cory and Topanga.

"We should hang out again soon, bud," Lucas suggested. He didn't have any younger siblings, or a brother, so he liked spending time with his girlfriend's little brother.

"I get it, spending too much time with Riley does that to ya," Auggie commented, once again earning a laugh from Lucas. "I'm the better Matthews."

"I'm ready!" Riley announced as she entered the room. She was wearing a baby blue flowy top under a faux leather jacket with a pair of skinny jeans. She wore her hair straight tucked behind her ears and parted down the middle. Her makeup was very simple. Her eyeliner was winged, she wore mascara, and a light pink blush stained her cheeks. On her lips she wore a light pink lip gloss that complemented her look. Lucas had seen Riley dressed like this before, but still he couldn't help but stare.

"Took you long enough," Auggie remarked.

"Shut up, Auggie," Riley replied, walking over to the two boys on the couch. "You like hanging out with him, you should be thanking me that you got time to spend with him."

Auggie responded by sticking his tongue out at her. Riley chuckled and then turned to her boyfriend.

"Let's go, babe," Riley said.

"Yes, princess," Lucas answered. He stood up from the couch and offered Riley his hand. She gladly placed it in hers and intertwined their fingers.

"Bye, kids, have fun!" Topanga yelled from the kitchen. Riley and Lucas turned in the direction of the kitchen, where Topanga was chopping vegetables and Cory silently cursing himself over the amount of papers he had to go through.

"Have her home by ten thirty!" Cory reminded Lucas. But he didn't have to. Lucas never kept Riley out later than ten, especially on a school night. New York City was a strange city, especially at night, and he knew some areas were not safe for people their age to be hanging out around so late.

"They're always back before then," Topanga pointed out.

"Bye!" Riley said as she pulled Lucas out of the apartment.

The two headed out into the streets of Greenwich Village and walked towards the nearest subway station. They decided they wanted to go to Times Square for their date, since they never usually go there. Sometimes they liked to play tourists in their own city.

They had dinner at a popular pizzeria near the movie theatre, which was very convenient. They talked, like they usually did when they were together. Having conversations was what their whole relationship was based off, apart from the strong feelings they had for each other.

"I don't want to watch a chick flick, babe," Lucas complained as they left the pizzeria with linked arms.

Riley lightly tugged on Lucas's arm.

"We made a compromise," she reminded him sternly. Although they loved watching movies together, they had differences when it came to what type of movie they would watch. They decided early on in their relationship that they would alternate choosing the movie. "Besides, we always like the movies we watch, no matter what genre."

"Really?" Lucas was not convinced. "You like the scary movies we watch?"

"Well, no," Riley admitted sheepishly. "But I like them because you like them."

"You're cute," Lucas smiled and placed a kiss on Riley's forehead as they approached the theatre.

"And I like it when you protect me during them," she added. During any scary movie she watched with Lucas, he always ended up with his arms wrapped tightly around her while she buried her face in his chest.

Lucas released Riley's hand from his arm and put his arm around her instead, pulling her closer to him. Riley looked up at him with bright eyes.

"On second thought," Riley said, "can we watch a scary movie instead?"

Thanks for reading! I decided that at the end of each chapter, I'll include what to expect in the next chapter. Please review!

Next: the clique six attend the school carnival.