Author's Note: I am sorry I took so long getting this chapter up, between vacations and getting ready for school, I have been completely swamped! Thanks for being patient and I really appreciate your reviews, you have no idea how helpful they've been through this whole thing!

Chapter 16: Waiting

Shawn scanned the busy Manhattan streets nervously, having no clue where his friend would be. He checked out a few bars near the orphanage but no one had seen Cory. Not that Cory would normally drink but he did get into alcohol once when he and Topanga fought. That night burned vividly in Shawn's mind as he began to get anxious. Cory could do stupid things when the situation turned ugly, and things had gone ugly days ago.

"If I were Cory, and I had just seen Topanga with Minkus, where would I go?" Shawn whispered to himself as he stopped walking for a minute. Then it hit him. "I wouldn't stay in Manhattan; I would want to go back to Pittsburgh right away,"

Shawn quickly hailed, cab, and took off towards the nearest airport, trying to stop his friend from once again making the biggest mistake of his life. He just hoped that Jack would not screw things up with Topanga while he was gone.

Eric held Daniel's hand as the attendant gathered whatever belongings the little boy had. He had decided that Daniel needed to leave; he had been in the orphanage long enough. Already Eric imagined the fun filled day they would have first in Central Park then at the zoo. Though Eric was unfamiliar with the city and suspected that Daniel had already been to those places he still wanted to do something that would keep Daniel happy and keep his mind off the disappearance of his brother. Like Shawn, he felt very angry with Jack for stopping Topanga from finding Cory. If Topanga were the one to show up wherever Cory may be that would show his brother how much she cared, if Shawn showed up wherever Cory was than that would show that things had not changed at all.

"When can I play with Adam again?" Daniel asked as Eric began walking out the door. The little boy looked back in the office where his best friend was playing ball with himself.

"I don't know, sometime soon I hope," Eric answered, and then pulled the boy away. Eric began to talk excitedly about his plans and soon his enthusiasm, despite how fake it was, caught on and the boy began to smile.

"You both want custody of the child?" Mrs. Grise questioned, a little frustrated since she already had the paperwork to give Minkus sole custody.

"That's right," Minkus replied crisply. Topanga sat next to him, rigid and almost in a comatose state. She had said nothing since she had spoken with Jack, even to her child. Minkus hoped that once they were all home then he could change her mind about not speaking.

"Very well, this might take a few minutes," sighed Mrs. Grise, and she began sending in a request for a double custody form. As it was printing, she sat back in her chair and rubbed her temples. The day had been stressful for her as well. Never had she had such a disruptive, well paying client.

Minkus seemed anxious to have it signed and he practically grabbed it out of the printer while the ink was still wet. He skimmed through it quickly and signed with a flourish at the bottom of the page. Then he handed the pen to Topanga, but she made no move to take it from him.

"Darling you have to sign, this is why we're here," Minkus urged gently.

Topanga was startled at the sound of Minkus's voice and she fell out of her dreamy state. Ripping the pen from his hand, she signed at the bottom as well. Minkus broke into a smile as she did so, and practically laughed when Mrs. Grise took it off to be finalized. She left the room for a few minutes promising to be quick.

"Don't ever call me that again," snapped Topanga, jumping up from the chair. "I do not love you, how could I? You destroyed me and you destroyed my life and everyone I care about. I love Adam, and you played on that so that you could have the revenge you always dreamed of. You're probably the sickest, twisted person I've ever met,"

Minkus just sat there and smiled. "That may be, but I'm also the sickest most twisted father of your only child. Adam deserves to have a family that works together, and lives together; I believe you mentioned that earlier."

"He already does," Topanga shot back. "He has a father who loves him more than anyone else could, even though he's not his father by birth. Cory and I work together, and we love each other, we're Adam's family. You are just going to be the dad he sees on holidays and weekends."

"You forget we have joint custody. There is no way that is legal for you to take Adam with you back to Pen brook. According to our agreement, you must stay in New York. Joint custody means we both are legally guardians of Adam at all times. The arrangement you are referring to would be one of a divorce. There's no way we can be divorced if we're not even married yet."

"Yet? You really think I would marry you? I have the perfect husband right now, I would never leave him for someone as vile as you." Topanga screamed.

"Do you really think your husband still loves you after all that you put him through? You blame me but is it really my fault that Cory took off? He probably believes you left him for me, after all, you did tell him to go home many times." Minkus growled. At the same time, they both noticed Adam who was staring at them both with wide eyes. He came from a home of screaming and now he was going back to one of screaming.

"We can finish this conversation at my apartment," Minkus said slowly. "That way we can give the child time to get used to his new room and we can work this out,"

"Fine," Topanga agreed, although she believed that there was nothing to work out. She just did not want to see Adam hurt. By time, Mrs. Grise returned they were both playing with Adam as if nothing happened at all.

While Eric took off with the child, Jack and Angela stayed pacing in the lobby. Neither knew what to do or where to begin. Cory could be anywhere and so could Shawn, and Angela was reluctant to call her father again and ask him for a favor. He had already saved her from being arrested, and he probably was not in good spirits with her now.

When Topanga and Minkus left with Adam, Angela suggested that they follow them.

"I don't trust Minkus as far as I could throw him," she said.

"Well I need to get back to the hotel in case Shawn finds Cory. Be careful Angela," warned Jack. Then they parted ways.

As soon as Topanga took off in a cab, Angela knew it would be impossible to follow them. Then she remembered Kelsey's connection to Minkus and quickly called up her friend and got directions.

Taking a deep breath, she hailed a cab and prayed that Shawn was having better luck finding Cory.

"He's at the airport, and his flight leaves in a few hours," Shawn's message said when Jack arrived at the hotel room. Jack wanted to scream at his brother for being so unhelpful. It was good that he found Cory but with such vague descriptions as that, it would be hard to locate them. Still he called up Angela and told her what was going on.

"Where are you?" Jack questioned when Angela picked up her phone.

"I'm outside Minkus's apartment. They sound like they are having an argument. I have to keep quiet."

"Shawn found Cory; he's at some airport with some flight that leaves in a few hours." Jack explained.
"That's really helpful," replied Angela sarcastically.

"That's the best I can do. I will wait here to see if I get more information. If I do I'll call you." Jack promised. Angela agreed that she would remain where she was for Topanga's sake. With that, the call ended and they both began to wait.