a/n:Hello my GMW fandom fam. It's been a while since I posted. I'm really sorry, my senior year got the best of me, and I started feeling out of it. I did have a second chapter for the last story I had, but since Riley was depressed it was a little triggering for me to write. So I decided to continue when I'm ready. So on a side note, Girl Meets The Forgiveness Project happened. This is a one-shot based off that story line. Shawn is in the story. So after watching the episode my heart broke and I can not handled my emotions. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

It was the perfect day. The sun was shining, it was unusually warm for a November afternoon. There was a light crisp cool feeling in the air. The cool breeze blended beautifully with the sunshine. Broadway was crowded. It was a normal weekend. Katy had auditions for plays and acting jobs. So Maya is just left to wander. Normally, Riley would wait with her and explore the city. Or if Riley couldn't make it, she would roam the streets by herself and watch all the lights shine. She would get inspired everything, and always had a sketchbook on her. But today, Shawn was with her. Which made the experience a little better, having a better picture of what life would be like with someone who loves both her and her mother unconditionally. He had been in and out for work, but for most part staying with them. It was really really nice, more then she could ever imagine for herself. She let herself hope for something, and she's more happy then ever. Tourist crowded the streets and things like hot dog vendors and super-salty pretzels sold on the sidelines. It was the normal New York that Maya knew and loved. But right now she wanted to escape.

"Come on Shawn, the walk isn't that bad" Maya teased with a smile on her face. She was trying to hide the fact she was out of breath. Shawn, who had no trouble showing it, took a seat on a near by bench.

"I know the walk isn't bad" He said taking deep breaths, chasing her down the street had been exhausting. "But running, is a terrible idea. You know how many people looked at me like I'm crazy? We're in New York" He always teased her with the stereotypical New Yorker comments. She tried to come up with a new response, but scanned the crowd for the face she didn't want to see.

"Please tell me why we are running in the opposite direction of where your mother told us to stay?" He questioned.

"You're scared of my mom?" She asked, with her eyebrows raised, teasing smile once again. Letting the playful comments distract her.

"I'm not scared of crazy New Yorkers, especially you Harts" He said when he got up, once he felt like his heart was no longer pounding in his chest.

"Now tell me why we are over here" Shawn said. Maya quickly tried to think of something. She pointed to a store, two streets down.

"It closes in a half an hour. Mom loves gifts from there. I want to buy her something" She stops looking at Shawn, she just looks at the store, hoping the lie was convincing enough. One part of that was true, her mom loves that store. But she also knew if her and Shawn walked there, got something to eat along the way, and continued to walk they still would make it in time. It doesn't close for another six hours. But she needed to escape, and escape fast.

"Let's go" She begged, and she tugged at his sleeve. She couldn't let him know the real reason why she ran out of nowhere while they waited. Everything was going good. Then while talking to Shawn, she noticed him. Well more specifically them, but mostly him. Her father. Holding the hand of a very pretty woman, pushing a stroller with a little baby girl in it. She saw how happy they looked, and felt a pit in her stomach. Then ran. Shawn quick to follow.

"What's wrong?" Shawn asked her. "You're really jumpy" She scanned the crowd again.

"Nothing" She pushed off his questioning. She was having such a great day with Shawn and her mom earlier. She hates that her dad ruined it. She can't even explain it to Shawn if she tried. She didn't even tell him when she wrote the letter, a little while back. Cory told him about it. Both her and her mother had no intention on letting the past ruin their good future. So when Shawn asked her about it, he just hugged her as she cried. He gotten better at handling emotions. He started giving more fatherly advice and she loved him for it. Now all that was going to go down the drain if they didn't run as far as they can.

"Come on Shawn" She said as she sped walked away. Shawn quick to follow. "The store is going to close"

"Maya, I know the difference between running to something and running from something" Shawn said as he caught up to her. He looked her in the eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked again. Maya hesitated. She didn't want to cry, not in front of him, again.

She walks away, knowing he will follow.

"Maya"

The voice makes her stop dead in her tracks. Not because Shawn called her, but because he did. Kermit Clutterbucket, with his wife and new baby girl comes strolling her way, looking like the happiest family in the world. Maya closed her eyes so her tears would run. She opens them back up and they are closer.

"Maya, I thought it was you" Kermit says with a smile. Well there he is. She thought bitterly. The great man who changed for the better.

Maya turns around, and now faces Shawn who watches the scene silently, putting the pieces together in his head.

Kermit grabs her shoulder to turn her around. "Wait Maya"

"Don't touch me!" She exclaimed, as she pushed his hand away.

He held his hand up in surrender. "Sorry"

Shawn lightly pushed Maya behind him in a protective stance. "Leave her alone" He said, his voice filled with anger. He didn't like the way Kermit thinks he just prance around and grab Maya like that.

"Who are you?" Kermit asked.

"He's more of a father-figure then you'll ever be" Maya said, walking between the two men. She looked at her dad's wife. "You know I'm his kid from another marriage. You know he left without a goodbye. Better cherish these days while it last, the day that little girl turned five" she points back to Kermit. "He's gone"

She never intended to have all this bitter emotion return. She thought she was over it, all the anger melted away. But that was only because he brought his new family along. Anger came back, a little bit of sadness bled through. But anger made it melt away.

"You have no right to say that" Kermit said.

"I'm pretty sure I have every right" She argued back. Her throat burned because she wanted to cry, but held her ground.

"Listen-

Before the two can continue, Shawn comes between them yet again. "I said to leave her alone" He repeated. Harsher this time. He knows the effects this visit is going to have on Maya. Katy was well, she always beats herself up over marrying Kermit in the first place. "And do not come back"

"I'm going to ask you again, who are you?" Kermit said.

"Kermit, let's go" His wife begged, trying to comfort the little girl who is now crying. Maya looked away, wishing Katy would find them, and she would hug her.

"You, sir, have no right to ask the questions" Shawn started."All you have to do is listen. You leaving, and you coming back have hurt Maya more then you can imagine. You can say sorry all you want, but it won't mean anything. Those years, my best friend Cory has taken her in as his own. I may have come into her life later on, but I stayed. Since the day I met Maya, I stayed. I love her and Katy. No matter how screwed up things are, it's what you do when you love people. You face problems together, not cause more problems to others. So even if I'm not Cory and I'm not you, you still need to listen and listen closely" He said."Stay away from my daughter"

Maya just stood there in shock. Shawn just admitted he loved her mother, and called her his daughter. All while confronting her dad. Emotions overwhelmed her, and she began to shake. Tears welled up. Shawn gave her a worrisome glance.

"Leave now" He said, facing Kermit. He wanted to curse this guy out, yell, fight. But he was in front of Maya. Also, he doesn't want to do anything rash in front of Kermit's family. He turned to his wife and little girl. "Sorry we had to meet on such bad terms, I'm sure you are great. Just I don't think it's good if you guys stayed here" He tried to stay polite as possible.

Kermit walks away, giving Maya one last sad glance. His wife looked between him and Maya and Shawn. "I didn't know until you wrote the letter. It's so brave of you. He talks about you know, all the time. One time it was midnight and the baby was crying. He told her about her amazing big sister Maya. Who would protect her, and show her the northern lights one day"

That only made her cry harder. His wife, patted her shoulder. "Sorry. I am so sorry. From all of us" With that, they left.

Now Maya was the one filled with emotions, and Shawn stood there shocked. Hurt, betrayal, anger, bitterness, sadness, numbness, it all flooded her brain. She cried harder, and Shawn just hugged her.

He just realized what he had said. "I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable by calling you my daughter. It's just that-

Maya cut him off. "It's okay Shawn. It meant so much to me. Thank you so much. I'm not sure I could of handled that by myself"

"Hey" He wiped her tears. "You are so strong, you handled everything so well"

She cried and she hugged him.

"I mean I know I'm not Cory and I haven't done as much" Shawn argued.

"It's different, the Matthews love me as a family, you love me and my mom as our own family. It's nice. They can have their own family days, and now we can have ours. I don't have to feel like a bother"

"You are never a bother. Cory loves you as his own. I didn't make up what I said to your dad. I meant it. Don't let what he did let you think your not worth anything, Maya. We all love you. I love you, like you're my daughter"

"Wow" She said, wiping her tears. "Two times in one day. You must be crazy as these New Yorkers"

He laughed. "You guys must be getting to me"

She smiled. " I guess we have"

"But when I said I wouldn't let anyone grow up like that, I meant it. I don't want this to haunt you for the rest of your life. I don't want you to hurt like you have been for all these years. Cory taught you how to forgive yourself. I want to teach you to not let this get to you. One day this will be some faded memory and looking back won't be as painful. I promise. It's going to get easier" Shawn said.

She looked up and him. Thankful for everything he had done. Her tears had stopped and she felt a little calm. Her breathing was back to normal and she smiled.

"Things are already getting easier" She said. "Now, let's go before mom wonders where we are"

They walked back to the street where she knew happier memories were going to be created with her, Shawn and Katy, and all these bad memories are going to fade. She knew while the day was emotionally draining and challenging, it will also be known as the day Shawn finally called her, his daughter.

a/n: Wow, this was a lot longer then I thought it was going to be. I'm not completely satisfied with how this came out, but it was the best I can do. Thanks so much for reading. I really loved the episode so much and it's probably my favorite of the season. I loved that it focused on how Cory was the one who helped her through out the years. But I also missed Shawn, so I decided to write this.

Have a great day, loves

-Summer

p.s: What do you think of the episode, and what's your favorite of season two so far?