Author's Note: This was SO MUCH FUN to write! I've always loved this show since watching it growing up and it's still a favorite of mine today (although I honestly hated the GMW spinoff). I've never actually written anything for BMW before so I hope I did it justice. Also, I added the video above just because I love their friendship so much and it sorta fit the vibe of the one shot. I hope y'all enjoy it <3

I let out a sigh as he flipped his hair, feeling butterflies erupt in my belly as he smiled at the girl he was flirting with. A scowl formed on my face but I schooled it into an expression of complacency as my adopted brother, Cory, walked up beside me.

His hand was entwined with Topanga's and I couldn't help but smile at the sweet gesture. That girl was way too good for my brother but I was glad that Cory had found happiness with her. He deserved that - they both did. Topanga was like a sister to me and who knows? Maybe one day she would be by law, too.

I had hoped by now that I would have my own love story but it never seemed to work out. Every guy I dated had been great apart from a select few but love had never found me. Not like it had for Cory and Topanga. Okay...maybe I'm not being entirely honest with myself here. Because I had always had a crush on my brother's best friend.

Shawn Hunter was...an enigma, charismatic and attractive. He always knew the right and wrong thing to say, sometimes not the smartest boy around nor the most serious but all in all...different from the rest.

Too bad he always seemed to have a girl on his arm...or his mouth. It always worked out that way and somehow, I ended up being the fifth wheel when I'd join them for burgers. I'd grown tired of it and all I wanted was to be rid of the emotions that clung to my heart like a vice. I admit, it had made me start avoiding him lately. It was just easier than dealing with the feelings outright. A tactic that my brother couldn't quite understand. And why would he? He and Topanga had always had it easy - no troubles, no obstacles, no jealousy, or worries that their feelings wouldn't be reciprocated.

Shawn and I were volatile at best and destructive at worst. A lethal combination that while creating sparks would soon create a forest fire if pursued further. I was standing by my locker, mulling these thoughts over in my head as I talked to Cory and Topanga when he walked up. I immediately bit down on the joke I was telling as my brother and Topanga's laughter died away. Shawn grinned, blue eyes catching the sunlight streaming through the window nearby.

"What? What did I miss?" he asked, arching an eyebrow beneath his shaggy brown hair.

Chewing my lip, I only shrugged in response in hopes that Cory and Topanga would either fill him in or quietly shift the topic entirely. Thankfully, Cory chose the latter.

"Oh, just some joke. Hey, did you catch the game last night?" Cory asked as he slung an arm across Shawn's shoulders and led him in the opposite direction, switching the subject so subtly that Shawn didn't even seem to notice.

As the boys became lost in their sports chatter and turned the corner, Topanga fixed me with one of her signature I-know-something's-going-on-so-spill looks complete with arched eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes and sighed before turning back to my locker to retrieve more books, "Just drop it, Pangy,"

"Don't use your little cutesy nickname on me - it's not going to soften my resolve. You're my best friend and I deserve to know the truth," Topanga demanded, her long blonde hair flipping over her shoulder as she crossed her arms.

We had a staring contest that lasted about a minute before I finally broke.

"FINE! I..." I trailed off, feeling nerves seize me once more and I shook my head, "No, I'm sorry, Topanga. I just can't...talk about it. It does me no good to even think about, let alone discuss it. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just...complicated,"

Slipping her arm in mine as we made our way to class, she said to me softly, "But that's exactly what friends are for - tell me so that I can uncomplicate it for you,"

"It's not that simple. There's something that...I want. That I guess I've always wanted but..." my words evaded me once again as we walked into class and I noticed Shawn slipping his leather jacket off to throw it on the back of his chair, "...he's totally out of my league,"

"I'm sure that's not true-" Topanga began to say before she caught me staring and a loud gasp escaped her mouth, "NO! OH MY GOSH, YOU LIKE SHAW-"

I barely had time to slap my hand over her big mouth before the words came tumbling out, all eyes in the classroom on us.

"-SHANK REDEMPTION! Yeah, I love movies about...prisoners?" I finished quizzically, thinking fast on my feet.

Frankie Stechino, who was sitting in the desk just opposite, nodded solemnly in agreement, "I, too, enjoyed the heart wrenching story of a man wrongfully convicted. But the undertone of unconditional love and compassion also touched my soul deeply."

One moment he was sensitive and caring and the next, he was beating someone to a pulp for Harley Keiner's enjoyment. Sometimes that boy truly terrified me. Manhandling Topanga to her seat, we somehow managed to get through class without any more interruptions. But as soon as the school day came to a close, she was ragging me again about it.

"Why haven't you ever told Shawn how you feel about him? You've known him since you were practically a baby!" Topanga said excitedly as she took the seat across from me at the booth in Chubbie's.

Rolling my dark eyes, I shook my head, "Panga, I was adopted by the Matthews when I was four, remember? Not exactly a baby,"

It was her turn to roll her eyes at me, "You know what I mean. If you've always cared about him, then why haven't you ever spoken up?"

"Yeah? And what if I did, Panga, and he didn't feel the same? I'd be mortified and...I'd ruin our friendship. I don't want that to end,"

Dunking her french fry in ketchup before chewing it slowly, she nodded, "I get that. But look at me and Cory - we started out as friends, confessed our feelings and now, not only are we still good friends but we love each other. Nothing bad happened,"

"Yeah, that's because Cory is obsessed with you," I laughed, tossing a fry at my friend as she chuckled, too, "I'm just afraid to take that leap with Shawn. He's been...too much of a good thing in my life to mess it all up by admitting I have a crush on him,"

"Just a crush? Or is it something more?"

Her question surprised me and I found myself pondering its answer still long after I bid her goodbye and headed home. It was dark by the time I reached the house and I confess, I'd had this eerie feeling of being followed all the while. Probably just my imagination playing tricks on me. Taking the back way, I had one foot on the step and was about to put my handle on the back door knob when a thought came to me: it had been far too long.

I'd always had good ideas yet bad timing. You could say this was one of those times as I scaled the tree in the backyard, my feet shifting under me as I climbed the ladder that led to the treehouse. Dad had built this for Eric and Cory shortly before they adopted me.

Heaving myself inside, the cool air lingering within felt good on my caramel skin. Sitting down with my back pressed against the wooden wall, I sighed. This place had been my sanctuary when I was a child. It wasn't easy growing up one of the only Latina kids in a small neighborhood on the outskirts of Philly. I felt like such an outsider and got teased all the time for my dark skin. But Shawn...Shawn had never treated me differently.

Perhaps it was due to his own rough upbringing and being teased himself. He knew what it was like to feel like you didn't belong, like you were somehow lesser than everyone around you. I was adrift in these thoughts when the sound of a twig snapping just below me drew me from my reverie. I froze where I was, unable to stop the thought of a serial killer hiding in the bushes from entering my mind. Swiveling my head around to search for some kind of weapon, my eyes landed on the first thing I saw and I grabbed it.

By the time the "killer" had heaved their self up the ladder and into the small treehouse, they had already gotten clocked on the head by my "weapon".

"OW!!!" the intruder exclaimed, rubbing the sort spot on their head.

I knew immediately who it was and felt guilty, "Sorry! I didn't know it was you! Are you alright, Shawn?"

Setting my Toy Story Woody doll down on the floor, I put a hand to his head to survey the damage I'd done. He winced at my touch but it was only a slight bump, he would heal.

He sighed, "I will be once I recover from this grievous flesh wound,"

I rolled my eyes at his childish brand of sarcasm, "What are you doing up here anyway? I thought you were some sort of serial killer,"

"Yeah, I gathered that," he deadpanned before continuing, "And...I had to talk to you,"

"Yeah? About what?" I asked in confusion.

Shawn hesitated a moment, biting his plump lower lip. That's odd, I had never known Shawn to be the nervous sort.

"About what you said at Chubbie's..." he finally said.

"About what I said at..." I trailed off, still not getting it.

And then it dawned on me: my confession to Topanga. Oh my gosh...no, no, no, no, NO! Shawn had overheard everything! I should've known not to talk about it in such a public place. I just didn't think he would happen to be there just then.

Running a hand through his hair before shaking it out in frustration, Shawn sighed.

"I honestly wasn't expecting...I didn't even know you felt that way. I mean, we've been friends as long as I've known you. I still remember the day you threw sand in my face," he finished with a smirk.

A laugh escaped my mouth and I nodded, remembering, "Yeah, good times..."

"You know...there was a time when you, me and Cory were inseparable...then you started to pull away... Was that the reason why?"

His voice was soft and unaccusatory, questioning but not prodding. I knew he was giving me time to answer...or not. Another thing I'd always liked best about him: he always gave me a choice. Not once had he ever chosen anything for me. He respected me and I respected that. Which is why I decided to be totally and completely honest with him - I owed him that at least.

"Yeah...yeah, it was the reason why. We were...getting older and changing as people. I no longer saw you as my brother's best friend. You were...different suddenly. And I couldn't control my feelings so I just...I just pulled away. Pulling away was easier, pushing you out of my life was better than...dealing with it. It was childish - I know that now. But back then...it was the only way I had to cope without ruining a good thing...and by doing so, I did,"

Shawn was quiet as he soaked up my confession, letting the words sink in. I knew I had surprised him. I expected him to leave then, turn around and forget this night ever happened. But just when I thought he'd bail, he surprised me. His hand reached for mine in the darkness and squeezing once, he intertwined our fingers.

"I wish you'd told me...because I'd felt the same. I just...I didn't know how to tell you. And I guess I just was scared that I'd...that I'd ruin it, too." he admitted softly.

My eyebrows hit my hairline and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. All this time...yet as my dark eyes connected to his ice-blue ones, I knew...that things had changed for the better tonight. Maybe it wasn't perfect and maybe I didn't know where we'd go from here but...it was nice to just be alone in this old treehouse holding Shawn's hand. Even if just for a moment.