"Maya?" Shawn's voice rings through the apartment as he enters it from a long day of work.

"Yeah?" Maya enters the room as Shawn hangs his coat on the coatrack by the door.

"How was school?" It was a simple question, but Maya was taken off by it. It had only been a week since she started to live with Hunter, but she didn't expect him to ask her how her day was or anything. She didn't expect him to act like an actual parent, something she never had.

"Um . . ." Maya looks at him. "Good . . . Farkle was annoying as always."

"Minkus?" Shawn turns to the girl and gives her a curious look.

"Yeah." Maya answers.

"Yeah."

They stand there looking awkwardly at each other, before Shawn finally walks to the kitchen and reaches into the fridge and grabs a bottle of water. He takes a long sip before setting it down on the table. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he was your boyfriend." He teases.

Maya's eyes widen at his comment and she rolls her eyes before walking up to him. "Farkle Minkus is not my boyfriend."

"Yeah?" Shawn challenges.

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Shawn backs off and searches the cabinet and fridge for anything to make for dinner. "So, kid, what do you want for dinner?"

Maya looks at the man and stumbles on the thought. Usually her mom always left her money to go to a local fast food restaurant down the street or to buy pizza or something. "Um . . . I don't know. Pizza?"

"Com'on Maya." Shawn says, his head still stuck in the fridge on his search. "We need real food."

"Since when were you picky?"

Shawn finally stops his search in the fridge and turns to her. "Since I had a kid to take care of. Junk food is bad for you Maya."

"Like you didn't eat it as a kid." Maya says as she rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, well . . ." Shawn trails off, defeated. He sighs. "Alright, fine. Pizza it is."

"Yeah!" Maya smiles before she heads up to her new room and disappears.

Shawn sighs as he grabs his phones and dials the number for the local pizza shop. "Kids these days . . ." He mutters to himself.

Maya waits outside in the waiting room with Topanga, Riley, and Auggie as Cory goes in for his turn to talk to Shawn. If she thought Cory's lectures in class went slow, than waiting for him to stop talking to Shawn was going to take forever. She wanted to see her dad, but she also knew that she wasn't the only one who cared about Shawn, so for now she'd just have to wait.

"Hey, Shawn." Cory starts as he sits in the same chair Maya had sat in early. He looks at his pale friend and sighs. "Look . . . Shawn . . . You gave us a big scare . . . But you gotta get better." Cory looks at his friend and frowns. "Because without you Shawn . . . There isn't going to be a Cory and Shawn show . . . How do you think Maya will feel? Buddy," Cory looks down at his hands and then back at Shawn. "You mean a heck of a lot to that girl, and to everyone here . . . Just . . . Just -"

The door opens, and Cory's head shoots up to look at Topanga. "Honey . . . Auggie's pretty tired. Maya wants to know if she can stay the night here . . . But I don't know." Topanga tells her husband, unsure of what to do. Cory stands and sighs, glancing back at Shawn one more time before turning to her again.

"One of us would have to be here with her . . ."

"You're right . . . I can go home with Auggie and you can stay here until we have to take her home."

Cory nods and Topanga gives her husband and kiss on the cheek. Cory follows her out of the room and Maya jumps up from her seat. She runs into the room and Cory and Riley watch as she takes her seat next to Shawn once more.

"She's not doing so well . . ." Riley says to her father.

"Yeah . . ."

"You okay?" Riley glances up at her father, who nods in return, and watches her friend from afar. She lets out a loud sigh and sits down in a chair again.

"Cory?" A female voice says. Riley and Cory look as Amy and Alan Matthews round the corner. "Mom, Dad?" Cory stands up and is hugged by Amy.

"We heard about Shawn. Is he alright?" Amy asks.

"Well, right now the doctors are saying that he's stable. They don't know when he'll wake up though." Cory explains.

"How's Maya?" Alan asks once Amy realises him.

Riley frowns. "Not good."

"Yeah . . ." Alan sighs as if he expected the answer. "Poor kid."

Josh soon walks in with Eric not following far behind. "Hey," Josh says.

"Maya in there?" Eric asks. Cory nods in answer to his brother's question.

"Dad . . ." Riley says awkwardly. "It's twelve at night."

Cory glances at his watch. He sighs. "I guess I better tell Maya it's time to go home. You two have school tomorrow." Cory walks into Shawn's room. "Maya."

Maya slowly looks at him. "Maya, it's time to go home."

"Home?" She questions.

"You're going to be staying with us until Shawn gets better."

"But what if he doesn't?"

"Maya, he will -"

"But what if he doesn't?" Maya says through her teeth.

"He will . . . He'll be here tomorrow and right after school you can come and see him. I promise." Cory promises. Maya stands up and looks at Shawn one last time.

"Okay." She backs off and lets Cory walk her out of the room.

"Are you okay?" Riley asks as Maya lays on her bed of blankets on the floor at the Matthew's apartment.

"Yeah, Riles. I'll be okay." Maya tells her. "Get some sleep."

The next morning, Maya was silent at breakfast. Infact, everyone was. "Do you two want some cupcakes for dessert after dinner tonight?" Topanga tries to lighten the mood.

"That's sounds great!" Riley beams.

"Yeah!" Auggie smiles. "Cupcakes!"

"Sounds nice." Maya says dully as she twirls her spoon between her fingers.

"Maya -"

"We better go." Maya says as she tosses her bag over her shoulder and stands up, interrupting Topanga. "Com'on RIley."

School was no fun at all. It was never fun in Maya's opinion, but this day just dragged on and on and on for her. She didn't even make a sarcastic remark about Cory's lectures and didn't eat at just stared into space as she, Riley, and Farkle sat at their lunch table.

"Maya . . . Are you sure you're okay?" Riley asks as Farkle leaves the table to go get something from the line that Maya didn't care much about to pay attention to.

Maya nods slowly as Missy Bradford makes her way to the girls' table. "Hey, Maya." She greest. "I heard about your dad." Missy gives a snobbish smile.

"Missy," Maya says in a warning tone. "Back off."

"Uh - Oh . . ." Riley gulps as she sinks lower into her chair.

"Sorry to hear about him, Hart. I mean, it's not like he was your real dad or anything. Right?" Missy comments. "He's probably trailer trash, come to think of it. Just. Like. You."

Maya watches as Missy walks away slowly. She stands. "Maya -"

"Hey, Missy." Maya calls out, ignoring Riley.

"Yeah, Hart?" Missy turns.

Maya doesn't hesitate. She grabs a hand full of whatever food she can grab and throws it directly in Missy's face. Not a second later, Maya lunges for Missy and starts to tackle her to the ground. Riley shoots up and stands in shock as everyone surrounds the girls' fight. "Get off of me!" Missy shouts.

"Take it back!" Maya could be heard yelling.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Cory and another teacher run into the cafeteria. Cory grabs Maya and the other teacher grabs Missy. "That is enough! Now what happened?!"

"She attacked me, that's what!" Missy pants.

"You b -"

"Maya, please." Cory interrupts. "Both of you calm down . . ." Maya shoves Cory away. "Why should I?" She starts to head towards the front doors of the school.

"Where are you going?" Riley calls to her friend.

"To see my dad!" Maya calls back.

"Kids these days . . ." Cory mutters to himself as Maya exits the building and out into the frosty New York air.

Here's the second part. I really hope I got these characters down, and I feel like I don't. :( Anway, I hope you enjoyed and I would love to see your reviews! Thanks :)

Thanks,

hml1999