Author's note- Sorry it took so long to update! Thanks for being patient, I'll try to get the next chapters up as soon as I can! Please R&R to tell me how I'm doing.

Chapter 9- Take off

"May I help you?" the woman at the ticket counter sang sweetly, as Shawn stepped up.

"Yes, I'm looking for a business partner of mine, a Mr. Stewart Minkus. Is he on this flight? Its urgent that I get on the same one." Shawn lied, as he had practiced in his head just moments before.

"Allow me to check for you, this could take a few minutes." the woman replied, and walked slowly over to her computer. After what seemed like an hour she finally walked back over to Shawn, who drummed his fingers impatiently at the counter.

"I'm sorry sir, there is no Minkus on board today. Perhaps you have the wrong flight number."

Shawn cursed to himself as he made his way across the airport to the second ticket counter where hopefully he would be able to find Minkus. The man at the counter was less willing to help, but eventually agreed to check the flight for a Minkus. The results were positive.

"There is a Minkus on board sitting in first class." the man responded briskly.

"Do you have any other seats available on that flight- I really need to be on it." Shawn asked, drawing out his wallet. Usually, he did not so readily spend his money, but in this case there was an exception. If Minkus got Topanga to New York, she would never come back. She would stay there with her child although Shawn doubted that existence. It was all a little too convenient for him, the child, Minkus finding him.

"Yes, we have an available seat in coach." the man announced, and then demanded from Shawn an incredibly high amount of money. Shawn hardly noticed, but instead snatched the ticket from him and ran to catch his plane.

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Topanga watched Corey turn and walk away from her, wondering if she would ever see him again. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she wished she had the courage to stop him, to tell him that they could go to New York together and see the child. How much happier she would feel if she could just call out, but Topanga found that she could not speak. She also found herself rooted to the exact spot, and not even Stewart's frustrated cries could move her. It wasn't until his cold hands grasped her arms and pulled her into the security line that Topanga left. As she was being pulled, she numbly thought of ways to escape her situation, but it all led up to a dead end. Minkus had her trapped, a last for the brief time she would be in New York.

Before she knew it, Topanga was in the terminal, and boarding the plane that would take her away from her life. Minkus chatted briskly in her ear, telling her that once they were in New York she could forget about this whole diaster, especially her husband.

"Do I have to remind you that the only reason I'm leaving Pittsburgh is for my son? This has little do with you, Minkus, you would do well to remember that." she finally snapped at him, and to her relief he listened that time, and remained quiet throughout take off.

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Angela ran inside the airport, glancing about wildly for any signs of disturbances. She felt relieved to see no police tape or Minkus' dead body lying in any obvious corner of the airport. Glancing that the departures, she saw most of the planes were delayed, including the two leaving for New York. She had the advantage over Shawn and Corey, knowing which airline company Minkus was taking, it was the same one she had taken to come home. She went as far as she could to the gate, but found that for security reasons she could not get farther than baggage claim. It was then that Angela hit a lucky break. Two airline stewardess walked in front of her carrying uniform bags. They headed for the restroom- apparently to change. Angela followed them, and watched to see which stalls they went in. She had sized them up, and the taller of the two would have the uniform that fit her best. Sure enough, the uniform bags were hung by the sinks, right in the middle of the restroom. It was surprisingly busy, and very easy for Angela to take the tall one's uniform bag.

For whatever reason, the stewardess had left her id card on the outside pocket of the bag, making it very easy for Angela to get into the airport and to the terminal Topanga was leaving from. The plane had arrived, but was not boarding to passengers, so Angela was able to board the plane without having Minkus or Topanga see her. None of the officials of the airport seemed to mind either, and believed her hurried lie that she had ran late and was unable to change before the flight.

Once on the plane, Angela threw on her uniform, donned a happy smile and prepared to be a stewardess.

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The flight was crowded, Shawn noticed that as he stepped on the plane. He was joustled down the aisle, so he was unable to glance around the cabin to see where Topanga was sitting. His seat ended up being at the very back of the plane by the window, which would prove difficult to move about the cabin. Crawling over two disgruntled business people was not his idea of an easy move, but he had no other choice. He craned his neck around to see if he could catch a glimpse of Topanga or Minkus, but he hoped he would not have to encounter the slimy man during the ride.

Next to Shawn, a young woman and her child sat down, which instantly turned into an issue. The child, a precocious five year old, began singing and chatting away to Shawn who chose not to respond to the child's rambling.

"What's your favorite color?" the little girl questioned, face beaming at Shawn. Then, without waiting for a response, she continued, "Mine's pink. I sure love pink, it's the best color ever. My doll loves pink too, that's the only color she ever wears? Can you imagine only wearing pink all the time! That would be so boring!"

Shawn pretended not to listen, but found himself still contributing to the conversation, to keep the girl quiet. Her mother paid no heed to the girl- three seconds after settling in she fell asleep.

Right before take off, the girl stopped talking, and started getting scared. "I've never been on a plane before!" she claimed, her watery brown eyes turning to Shawn, as if he could take away her fear of flying.

"It's not so bad," Shawn reassured her. "The plane just goes really fast and lifts off the ground."

This did nothing to soothe the girl, who took to shrieking with fear. Up front, a stewardess gave Shawn a reprimanding look. Then whispered something to the woman next to her. Shawn rolled his eyes, and sunk in his seat, knowing how bad making a little girl scream would look. He heard the sound of high heels approaching and then turned his attention to his shoes.

"Excuse me sir," a familiar voice said to him. Shawn glanced up at the stewardess in the aisle. His mouth fell open, it was Angela.

"Shawn?" Angela demanded, "what are you doing?"

"Following Minkus and Topanga, what are you doing?" Shawn questioned, referring to her mock stewardess uniform.

"The same thing," Angela admitted, blushing. Meanwhile, the girl continued to scream, brining both of them back to the present situation.

"I didn't mean to make her scream, she was just scared about take off," Shawn explained.

"I understand," Angela said briskly, and handed the girl a coloring book from down the aisle.

"I wonder what Corey's doing right now," Shawn said, remembering his confused friend pre-airport.

"Last I saw him he was running down the freeway towards the airport." Angela admitted, and the two friends shared a worried look.

A few seats ahead of Shawn, a man called out for a stewardess. Angela excused herself, and went to serve her first official customer.

"How may I help you?" she chirped, peering around the seat to see who she was serving.

"Angela?" Corey asked, his mouth hanging open. His complexion was still blotchy from the scene in the airport.

Angela tried to mask her surprise with a smile. "Guess we all had the same idea,"

Corey gave her a puzzled look which Angela explained by pointing out Shawn. Both of them saw each other at the same time and sort of laughed.

Turning back to Angela Corey asked if he could have a pillow.

"Sir," Angela replied with mock seriousness," you need to buckle up and prepare for take off,"