Disclaimer: I don't own Boy Meets World.

A/N: Thank you Jessica for the review! And thank you everyone who read the first chapter!

Chapter 2

Shawn looked around. He had the gang's full attention now. They were closing in on him as they had done to the other teen just moments prior. It was time to think fast.

"Well, you see, I just heard a little while ago that they're having a really good sale on spray paint at Walmart. I wanted to get there before they sold out. Do you want me to get some for you? No charge." Shawn inwardly cringed. Definitely not his best work, but nothing would be good in this situation. They caught him running. That was about as incriminating as it could get.

The man he presumed to be the leader slowly circled Shawn, sizing him up as he went around. "Spray paint is for kids." He stood in front of Shawn and sneered. "No, I think you saw something that you shouldn't have and were heading for the cops."

"Saw what? I didn't see anything."

"Oh, but I think you did."

"That's impossible. I lost my glasses . . . can barely see a foot in front of my face."

"Funny, you don't seem to be squinting now."

Was it just Shawn's imagination or did the gang practically form a cage around him—an incredibly small cage that was getting smaller by the second?

"Squinting is bad for you. I lose my glasses a lot. I've learned how to keep from doing it." Shawn knew the gang wasn't buying it, but he couldn't stop himself. "This is a nice place you've got here. Fix it up yourselves?"

"Shut that mouth of yours before I shut it for you," one of the bigger thugs growled at him. It looked like the guy had muscles on his muscles. His bald head, cut off sleeveless shirt, and tattooed arms just added to the lovely picture. And he had been afraid of the Enforcer . . . .

"Shutting up now." Shawn backed up a step when he saw the thug take a threatening step towards him with a raised fist. He backed right into another thug, a man who looked like an older version of Harley Keiner . . . and made Harley look nice.

The leader smirked a little. "Does anyone have any good reason why we should let this no-good little spy live?"

"I'm too young to die?" Shawn laughed nervously when the gang didn't respond at all.

"No one?" The leader prompted. "Well, then . . . ."

Evil Harley grabbed hold of Shawn from behind as the leader prepared to begin hitting him. The gang members closest to them looked like they were preparing to join in as well.

Shawn squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the inevitable.

"Wait!"

Shawn's eyes snapped open. Everyone paused and turned towards the speaker. Shawn knew that voice.

The leader did not look happy. "You better have a good reason for this, Hunter."

Eddie Hunter stepped forward before speaking. "Why kill a possible new recruit?"

"I'm listening."

"He's my half-brother on my father's side. He had to have inherited some of my better qualities. If we train him, he may become another useful member of this gang."

"He doesn't seem to be all that tough."

"I heard he blew up a mailbox once."

The leader turned back towards Shawn and gave him a calculating look. "Is this true, kid?"

Shawn opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He cleared his throat before trying again. "Yes, it is."

The leader continued to stare at him before giving a slight nod of his head and turning back to Eddie. "So, Hunter, you're suggesting we just let him in based on that and trust he won't go running to the cops."

"He won't," Eddie supplied.

"You're right, he won't," the leader confirmed. "Because if he does, he's dead."

Shawn straightened and shrugged his shoulders, causing evil Harley's already loose grip to slip, as the leader turned towards him again. He forced himself to stay still and keep a hardened expression as the leader scrutinized him once more.

"Alright kid, here's the deal. You work for us, and we'll let you live. You squeal to anyone, and we'll kill you and anyone you've told. I'm sure Eddie here would be happy to tell us all about you. You make the deal and don't show, we'll find you. What do you say?"

Shawn stared right into the leader's eyes after glancing at his outstretched hand. It was odd. In that instant, he had a flashback to his English class that very morning. He remembered his reaction to hearing how Tom and Huck had reacted to a similar situation, though they didn't have a confrontation. He remembered his conviction that he wouldn't react how they did. He would do the right thing and tell the cops. He was naïve.

He stuck out his hand and firmly grasped the leader's hand. "It's a deal." The two gave a firm, one-pump handshake before releasing their grip.

SHSHSHSHSHSHSH

Eli and John just stood in John's apartment reminiscing about some of the funniest times they recalled in their friendship. They used to do some pretty stupid things. In a sense, their friendship was very much like that of Cory and Shawn.

They looked up when Shawn walked in. "Hi," Shawn greeted when he saw them. They greeted him in return.

"Hey, Shawn, how did the visit go?" John remembered Shawn telling him he was planning on stopping by the trailer park to visit his dad.

Shawn plastered on the biggest smile he could manage. "It was great! We just talked about anything and everything. He even said he thinks he saw mom at the store the other day. I've given up believing that she'll ever return, but I didn't have the heart to tell him. It's better to just let him continue believing it."

"Is he planning on taking off after her again?"

"I don't know. He didn't say." Shawn shrugged, adopting the far off look he always got before John had adopted him, when his father was still off who knows where. In a matter of seconds, he focused back on the two men in front of him. "He did tell me to thank you again, for everything. He mentioned something about wanting to throw you a big trailer park party as a thank you."

John gave a slight wince before trying to look like he appreciated it. He failed. Shawn grinned inwardly. He knew John would never go for it. "Tell him that's not necessary. I took you in because I wanted to. He doesn't need to thank me for that."

Shawn gave a genuine smile. It was always nice to be reminded that he was wanted.

Eli couldn't help smiling as well. The two best decisions his friend had ever made were taking Shawn in and then later adopting him. The moment could only last so long, however. They were guys. They didn't do emotion well.

"Well, kiddo," John began, "why don't you go do your homework?"

"Who needs homework?" Shawn settled down on the couch and picked up the remote. He looked up to see John glaring at him. "Alright, I'm going, I'm going." He threw the remote back on the coffee table before heading back to his room.

Sometimes he almost hated how good he had gotten at acting. His ability to read people had always aided this. He knew everyone's limits—at least of those he had to fool.

He sighed before propping pillows up against the backboard of his bed, grabbing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and then getting comfortable. For once, he was actually interested in reading a book—genuinely interested, not just interested in finishing it so that he could avoid taking a test or get a good grade on a pop quiz. He actually wanted to read it. Heck, he was living the conflict. He wanted advice, but couldn't turn to anyone. In a way, he hoped the book could offer some.

He started reading from the beginning, settling down for a long reading session. He didn't read anything for that day's class, after all, so he had quite a bit of reading to do.

A/N: There's chapter 2. I hope you liked it!