SYNOPSIS
Katy is now convinced of the full truth about her brother, but when they find out that he has checked out of the hotel and is on his way home, Katy, Shawn, Maya (and Riley) race against time to catch him before he leaves..
Shawn, Katy, Maya and Riley frantically sprinted through the airport terminal trying to catch up to John before he boards his plane to go back to Cleveland. They dashed from one gate to another hoping to find a man in a wheelchair, only to come up empty each time. A feeling of futility started to pervade the collective thoughts of the four until...
"TransWays Airlines Flight 937 will be departing for Cleveland from Gate C-26 in twenty minutes. Boarding passengers now..."
"C-26? That's all the way at the other end of the terminal!" said Maya.
"It's going to take us at least twenty minutes just to get over there," said Riley.
"We'll never make it!" said Katy.
"Not if we keep standing here," Shawn replied, "C'mon!"
The four decide to pour on the speed, using the moving sidewalks to gain ground and time. Fortunately there weren't many people on them, so they could move a lot faster...
He felt it was the right thing to do. Ever since Shawn and Maya left the hotel, the same thought endlessly gnawed at his mind. Sure, he was thankful that Shawn wanted to try and make things right between him and Katy, but when it all came down to it, John felt he had no right to expect anything good to come of it, at least not right away. He convinced himself that it would be better to just go back home, let it all sink in, and then maybe, just maybe, reach out to Katy later in the hope that next time she won't be so eager to push him away.
He had just handed his ticket to the clerk at the airline boarding desk when...
"John!"
John heard a woman's voice calling his name. He stopped momentarily and turned his wheelchair around, but then did a bit of a double take when he saw his sister, his brother-in-law, his niece and her best friend approaching rapidly.
"John, what are you doing?" asked Shawn.
"What does it look like I'm doing, Shawn? I'm going home."
"Now?" Maya asked.
"Yes, Maya. Now."
"Why?" Shawn asked.
John ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at the floor and then took a deep breath, struggling to find his words.
"Because... after telling you two about what happened," he began, "it just... it just opened up some old wounds again, and the only way I've been able to deal with them is on my own."
"You don't have to go it alone, John." said Shawn.
"I don't know any other way, Shawn," John put his head in his hands. "It seems like every door I've come to has either been locked, sealed shut, or... slammed in my face. This is the only way I know how to deal with it, and I have nobody to help me." he said.
Those last six words resonated with Maya more than anyone else. At one time she felt the exact same way, but she found herself in a world alongside a girl who became her undisputed best friend, and her father who who took it upon himself to be a mentor as well as a teacher; two people who were more than willing to help her. But on top of that, she also found herself alongside of a man who not only became her mother's husband, but chose to become the new father she deserved. Maya could see all too clearly that the time had come to try and pay it forward.
"I know how you feel, Uncle John." said Maya, "I've been there. I know what it's like to not have someone to help me, but it's not like that for me anymore." Maya quietly said, glancing at Shawn and Riley, and at her mother, "I know I'm not alone anymore. And we don't want you to be alone, either. Nobody deserves that."
John's head was still in his hands as Katy knelt down in front of him so he could hear her better.
"I understand now." she quietly said.
John slowly raised his head up to look at his sister, but this time the look in her eyes was different. He was so used to seeing little else but a harsh and cold resentment every time he looked her way, but now her brown eyes radiated a much warmer aura: a soul brimming with a newfound yearning to forgive, but even so he couldn't yet bring himself believe what he was seeing.. or hearing.
"What?"
"I understand what happened, John. I know now why you killed Dad."
"Katy, I..."
"Shawn and Maya told me everything," Katy continued, "They told me what you said, and Topanga got all the information to back it up."
"Katy," said John, fighting back a tear, "I'm not proud of what I did. Please know that."
"I know," said Katy, "but I also know now that Dad didn't give you any other choice. You did the only thing you could do, John: you protected Mom and you protected me. You gave me my life, John."
"And with that you gave life to Maya," added Shawn.
"And where would I be without her?" asked Riley.
"And where would any of us be if it weren't for you, John?" asked Katy.
John looked at Katy for a long time. The thick impenetrable walls surrounding his soul were now collapsing and turning to dust. An overwhelming feeling of belonging was taking over his long-oppressed spirit, and he was definitely not used to it.
Katy takes John's hands in hers. "My brother," she whispered, her eyes welling with tears.
"My sister," John faintly responded in a cracking voice, and the two reconciled siblings reconnect in a tight embrace, both sobbing, and in no hurry whatever to break the hug. Maya and Riley put their hands on Katy's shoulders while Shawn comes up behind John and puts his hand on John's shoulder.
Shawn leaned down toward John's ear while he and Katy were still embracing. "Hey... John, you don't have to go back to Cleveland yet, do you?"
John gently pulled away from his sister and used the back of his hand to wipe away his tears. "No, not really... but now that I've checked out of the hotel I don't see where I have any other choice. I have nowhere else to stay."
"You can stay with us." said Katy, with Shawn nodding.
"Yeah," said Maya, "We'd love to have you, Uncle John."
John was trying hard to absorb the sudden outpouring of hospitality from his new family, but it was a little overwhelming. He couldn't help bit chuckle at the offer presented to him.
"You know, I-I've practically lived my entire adult life alone," he said, "This is going to take some getting used to."
"You'll get used to it," said Shawn, "If you let yourself."
"People change people." said Maya, with the others nodding in affirmation.
"And it's never too late to change," said Shawn.
John looks up at Shawn, then at Maya and Riley, and then at Katy, all with expectant smiles on their faces.
They're not going to let me off the hook, John thought, And this is one time I'm not so sure I want to be off the hook…
John lets out a soft chuckle as a smile slowly begins to grow on his face. "All right then," he said with a nod, "You people have twelve days left to change me. I'm all yours."
A cheer goes up among the three still standing as Katy and John once again embrace. Maya and Riley gather John's luggage and they all begin to walk out of the airport, but Shawn hangs back for a moment to talk to John alone. Shawn walks along the slow-wheeling John while the girls tread on ahead of them.
"Hey, John, listen," Shawn began, "You have every right to feel this way, but I was just thinking.. I hope you're not upset that I told Katy."
John forms his words in his head before answering.
"You're right, Shawn," he finally said, "I do have a right to be upset..."
Shawn draws a breath through his teeth in expectation of a dressing-down by his brother-in-law.
"...but I'm not. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm more relieved than anything else."
"Relieved?"
"Yeah. Look at it from my point of view," John explained, "I mean, not being able to tell Katy the whole story was just another thing I had to deal with. I've had to keep it buried inside of me all these years. Then she found out about it when she was nine, and things just got worse, and there was nothing I could do about it."
"Why couldn't you tell her yourself?" Shawn was a little confused.
"Because I knew I'd run the risk of having her not believe me," John answered. "Besides, we weren't that close. In fact, we weren't really close at all... But now it's different."
"How?"
"Because of you," John replied. "You're a part of the picture now, Shawn. Katy will listen to you. She did listen to you."
"That's why you're relieved."
"Yes. She finally got the truth from someone she trusts, and that's you, Shawn."
Shawn processes John's words for a moment, "You know, to be honest, I was half expecting you to be more upset than grateful."
"What, are you're expecting me to apologize for disappointing you?"
Shawn looks up at the ceiling in contemplation and shakes his head. "No." he said in his higher pitched voice. John chuckled.
"Shawn, look," said John, "You've become a husband for my sister, and you've taken it upon yourself to become a much-needed father for my niece. As a mere uncle, I knew could never fill those voids," John takes Shawn's hand in his own in a brotherly handshake. "But you know something? Today, you've just proven beyond all debate that you're more than just a brother-in-law to me. You're a friend, a very good friend. It's been a long time since I've had a friend like that."
"There's more where that came from, you know." said Shawn.
"I'm beginning to believe it. And now," said John, glancing toward the girls, "I have a little something to look forward to." The two brothers go off and catch up with the girls and leave the airport.
"And besides," Shawn added, "You still haven't found your legs yet."
John laughed shaking his head. "True words."
"I have another brother, too, you know." said Shawn as they walk away.
"Cory?"
"Yeah."
"So which one of you is the crazy one?" asked John.
"Oh, Cory is. No question." They both chuckle.
"You do know he's going to say you are."
"Oh, I know he will."
"You know what that means, don't you?" asked John.
"We're both crazy?"
"You got it."
The two laugh as they all head back home.
EPILOGUE
"Danger Boy?!"
John is somewhat bewildered as he listens to Topanga relate one of several stories about Cory in his younger years, particularly when he and Mr. Feeny decided to ride a particularly scary roller coaster in an effort to impress Cory's friends.
In the nearly two weeks he has been on vacation in New York, John again began to feel a sense of peace that he hadn't felt in years, only this time it was different. The first time he had felt it was after he had killed his abusive father, but this time the peace he felt in his soul stemmed not so much from the end of hate, but now from the beginning of love and forgiveness from his sister and, of course, from her husband who decided he was worth going out on a limb to help.
John didn't mind staying with Katy, Maya and Shawn in their small apartment, not in the least, and brother and sister spent a great deal of time catching up, comparing their own thoughts and dreams with the other, and coming to a mutual understanding about each other's life. He liked how he felt now, and wanted more of it. But then he started thinking of the old cliche about 'all good things coming to an end', but then he reminded himself of another saying that 'for every end there's a new beginning', and this was a new beginning.
But outside of the Hunter Three, he became much more acquainted with the Matthews clan: Cory, Shawn's best friend from childhood, whom John could only shake his head at whenever he said or did something unconventional. Topanga, Cory's wife and, as far as John was concerned, the most level-headed of the Matthews, although she was prone to less-frequent episodes of weirdness. Auggie, the precocious young lad whom John noticed had a penchant for music... and then Riley- John had never met anyone like Riley before. He once called her the "little girl with the big ideas", just like the old Gidget character he remembered from the movies and TV show. John decided that if he tried to analyze Maya's best friend any further he would only drive himself further toward crazy, and with the stories that Cory and Topanga were sharing with him, he was already pretty close to that threshold.
"So how did you two end up in each other's seat?"
"I'm still not completely sure how that happened." Cory replied.
John can only chuckle and shake his head.
"Mr. Feeny doesn't remember either," Riley added.
"And that's when you kicked your brother Eric and this Turner fellow into the car, and they rode the coaster themselves?"
"Yep."
"And Eric was never the same again." said Topanga.
"So what happened to your brother Eric?"
"Ohh, he's a Senator now." Cory said nonchalantly.
John stared at Cory for a moment in disbelief. "Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Senator Matthews is your brother?!"
"Yep."
"And we all helped to get him elected." Riley said proudly.
John turned to Shawn. "Good grief, they're all crazy." he said softly.
"Give it time," replied Shawn, "You'll become just like them before you realize it."
"Ohh, I can hardly wait." said John sarcastically, as someone knocked at the door.
"Come in!" called Cory.
The door opens and Jonathan Turner walks in.
"Hey, Jon." said Cory.
"Hey, Cor," Turner answered back, "Topanga, how are ya?"
"Doing good, as always. So what's the word, Jon?" Topanga asked.
"Word? What word?" asked Riley.
Turner looks at Topanga, glances at Riley and Maya, and then turns to Cory before he answers. "I have some good news... for two of you, at least." he finally says.
Cory and Topanga look at Turner in expectation, while Riley and Maya look at him with confusion.
"The school board took a vote, and it was unanimous. Cory Matthews, beginning next year you will officially be... Vice-Principal Matthews."
"WHAT?!" Riley and Maya chorus together in disbelief.
"You heard right," said Turner to the girls, "Starting next year, Cory Matthews will be the new vice-principal of Abigail Adams High School."
The girls, Topanga and Shawn all gather around Cory giving him congratulatory hugs.
"Cor, why didn't you tell us?" Shawn asked.
"I didn't want to say anything to anyone until I knew for sure." Cory replied.
"Well, it looks like history just might repeat itself after all!" Topanga said.
"Yeah," Shawn added, "Just wait until Feeny hears about this."
"Speaking of history..." Riley began.
"...who's going to replace you, Matthews?" Maya finished .
"Actually, Maya, we already have someone else in mind." Turner adroitly replied.
"You do?" said Riley and Maya, again together.
"Yep," said Turner, "If he's willing to accept the job."
Turner's eyes, and gradually everyone else's, came to rest on the man sitting in the wheelchair, and John is slow to pick up on why. In fact, he doesn't pick up on it at all, at least not yet.
"Hello." John says awkwardly as Turner walks toward him.
"Hey, how you doin', John," says Turner extending his hand, "I'm Jonathan Turner, superintendent of the Adams' School System here in the Borough.
Still feeling awkward, John shakes Turner's hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Turner, but I'm... afraid you have me at a disadvantage."
"What do you mean?" asked Turner
"Well, I haven't even introduced myself, and you already know my name?"
"Oh, well, Cory and Topanga told me about you," said Turner, "They even gave me your resume." Jon produces a folded piece of paper out of his blazer and hands it to John, who examines the paper with a degree of apprehension.
"That's quite a background you've got, John, what with your two degrees and all."
"Two degrees?" asked Shawn.
"Communications and history." said Cory.
John's apprehension increases as he gazes at Cory.
"How did you know that?"
Cory attempts to backpedal a bit. "Uhh, you told me." he said unconvincingly.
"Uhh, no-o, I didn't," John replied. He then looked accusingly at Shawn.
"Not guilty." Shawn replied, "I didn't even know you were a college grad."
John looks back at Turner. "How do you know so much about me?" Then his eyes came to rest on the woman standing next to Cory and he gasps…
"Topanga!" John exclaims in a loud whisper as he raises his index finger to point at her as she cracks her signature smile of triumph.
"We found out quite a bit about you when I looked up the information to confirm the story you told Shawn and Maya," Topanga explained. "You went into the military and attended the Community College of the Air Force, and got your Bachelor's Degree in communication, and then you went through Officer Training School to get your commission."
"We also found out," Cory added, "that you were promoted to Major right before you were injured."
"And after you got out of the Air Force," Topanga continued, "You went back to college and got your B.S. in History."
"But I'm not certified to be a teacher." protested John.
"Oh, we can help you with that," said Turner, "Besides, as far as New York is concerned you're already more than qualified. It's just a matter of paperwork."
John is dumbfounded by the revelations, but Turner continues. "And that's not all," he said, "You've probably heard we have a new radio station at the high school,"
"I did hear something about that, yeah."
"Well, we need a general manager to run it, and from your resume, it looks like you're made to order for that part, too."
Before John can say anything, the door bursts open and Katy glides in.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey, Mom," says Maya, "Where have you been?"
"At the doctor."
"Why the doctor?" Maya asked.
"I had an appointment."
"Appointment? For what?"
Shawn looks at his beaming wife for a moment or two.
"You look like you're about to explode in… in…"
"Rainbows!" Riley finished the sentence for him.
"I was gonna say," said Shawn as he gets up to stand next to Katy. "You gonna tell them or should I?"
"Tell us what?" said Maya.
Topanga looked at Katy and almost immediately picked up on her expression, and even more so, the glow on her face, but Cory is slower to pick up on the signals.
"I think I already know." said Topanga smiling suspiciously.
"Mom, you know I love being kept in suspense," said Maya sarcastically, "What's going on?"
Now Cory was starting to show signs that he knew. "Shawnie," Cory finally picked up on the subleties, "Are you..."
"That's right, Cor," Shawn flashes his own trademark smile as he looks at Cory and Topanga, "I'm finally starting to gain some ground on you two!"
Maya's eyes widen as she looks at her mother.
"No."
Katy's smile widens even more.
"No!" Maya repeats, her face beginning to crack its own smile.
"Yep."
"I'm gonna..."
"...have a little sibling!"
There's a pause while daughter and best friend allow the news to sink in, and then...
"YAY-Y-Y!" Maya and Riley shout together. Maya runs to her mother and adoptive father and tightly hugs them both at the same time. Cory, meanwhile, starts doing a happy dance around Shawn chanting "Daddy, Daddy, Daaa-dy! Daddy, Daddy, Daaa-dy!"
"So how far along are you, Katy?" asked Topanga.
"Five weeks," Katy replied, "But I think I already feel the little monkey starting to kick."
John smiles and shakes his head. "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle." he thought aloud.
Just days earlier a massive self-built wall surrounding his soul was obliterated by a forgiving sister, and an extended family who wanted to be his extended family. Now, this group was going to increase by one, and now John was starting to feel something stronger, stronger than love, stronger than forgiveness; a feeling that he wanted to belong, and except for the missing silver platter, the chance to do just that was being handed to him.
"Uhm, Mr. Turner.." John began.
"You can call me Jonathan."
Turner and everyone else in the room had again turned their eyes to John.
"Okay.. Jonathan.. I'm, uh… I'm afraid going to have to have to run back home..."
"John, you're getting ready to head back to Cleveland?" Katy asked.
"Well, yeah. All my stuff is there," John explained, "I... need to go back home, and uhh… pack everything up so I can move here to New York and start my new job."
Everyone in the room begins to smile except for Katy, who is a little confused.
"New job? What new job?"
"I've just been selected to be the new history teacher at the high school." John replied.
Katy smiles with surprise at John.
"John, that's wonderful!"
"He's also going to run the school's new radio station." Maya added.
"But first things first," John says. "I need to find a place to stay."
"Hey Cor," Shawn pipes up, "Remember that empty apartment you told me about here in this building?"
"Yeah."
"Is it still vacant?"
Cory hesitates for a second. "Not any more." he said.
"Well, that takes care of that." Shawn said to John.
"And now, second things second: I could use some extra hands to help pack. Any volunteers?"
No one speaks up.
"I might be able to make it worth your while." John adds.
"How?" Riley asks apprehensively.
"Well… I, uh... I have a few favors I can call in," says John with increasing nonchalance, "and... may-y-y-be snag some free passes for everyone... to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum..."
A moment of silence, and then…
"ROAD TRIP!" Riley and Maya shout together.
The other adults look at one another, and then…
"ROAD TRIP!" the grown-ups all shout together.
Katy walks over to John, kneels down next to him and gives him a sisterly hug.
"Welcome home, big brother."
"Thanks, sis. It's good to be back."
THE END
COMING SOON:
When they learn that workaholic John has not been in a relationship in years, the girls scheme for John to meet one of Topanga's friends at an upcoming school dance... and they very quickly get in over their heads!
