Like Father, Like Son
Author's Note: Last time I left you guys with a bit of a bombshell! Let's see how this one turns out. Will I leave you guys with a cliffhanger, another bombshell or is it gonna get a little crazy up here!
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Girl Meets World I'm typing this thing in my house on my bed with my laptop! If I did own Girl Meets World I'd be making a good amount of money if you ask me!
September 2037
That same night as Riley tried to go bed, she couldn't help but remember what Charlie Gardner did to her, she remembers all the foul words he said to her, she remembered where and how hard he hit her before taking away her innocence and getting her pregnant. She even remembered escaping to hide at Lucas' place to let the suffering stop as he carried her into his room and helped her recover. She still remembers Lucas stepping up to be the father of a child that wasn't even his being with her every step of the way. Even when Charlie, Billy Ross, Dave, and Wyatt all played their rolls to killing Riley's baby while Billy held Lucas down so he couldn't protect Riley. She could only weep remembering when the doctors told her the baby had died in her womb from all the stomps and the beatings from Dave, Wyatt, and Charlie that night. Even going as far as beating up Dave after Maya had her way with him. She wondered what her life would've been like if that baby survived and would be with them today. There would have been four children in their already blessed family. She couldn't sleep at all as she called Lucas using Skype as Lucas picked up her call.
"Riley! You look terrible what's going on?" Lucas said noticing his wife's red puffy face knowing she had been crying.
"Lucas, I have some very bad news and I need you and Zay to come home on the first flight going back to New York." Riley told her husband between her sniffles.
"Babe can you relax and just tell me what's happening?" Lucas said calming down his wife.
"Are the kids involved in this?" Lucas asked as Riley shook her head. Lucas sighed with relief.
"But they might be if we don't do something." Riley told Lucas as his blood pressure rose as Lucas became anxious.
"Charlie Gardner has been released from prison." Riley told him as a look of shock appeared all of a sudden on Lucas' face the name of his worst rival had been let free.
"When?!" Lucas exclaimed wanting an explanation.
"Just tonight." Riley answered.
"Ok Zay and I will rush home and we'll be on the first flight coming to New York. I need everyone together on this asap. Sarah deserves to know about this too." Lucas said trying to put a plan together.
"Ok, her daughter is one of my students I'll speak with her about this." Riley said as Lucas nodded approving of Riley's plan to get in contact with Sarah Wakefield.
"Riley I think it's also best that you drive the kids to and from school tomorrow." Lucas suggested.
"Good idea, Natalie will take care of Troy and she has her cell phone on her if anything. Same thing with Aaron and he's a very responsible teenager, he knows danger when he sees it." Riley told Lucas.
"Just tell the others about this, I'll tell Zay." Lucas said leaving Riley to wonder where his best friend is.
"Lucas where is Zay?" Riley asked as Lucas moved out of the way to show a snoring Zay on the bed beside him. Zay had always been a heavy sleeper but his snores got quieter with time.
"Why am I not surprised." Riley said not surprised at what Zay was doing.
"Look I'll tell Zay what happened, you go get some sleep. I love you Riley." Lucas said closing the conversation.
"I love you too Lucas, be safe coming back home ok?" Riley said.
"I will. Be careful out there." Lucas said hanging up on Skype as Riley was able to fall asleep 15 minutes later. The next day after breakfast Riley kept to herself about what she saw on TV last night about the news of Charlie Gardner. She did as planned, she drove Troy and Natalie to school and told them she'd be picking them up after school. Same rule applied to Aaron. As Aaron got out of Riley's 2034 Honda Accord and got ready for to face his mother in first period. He saw Ruben and Stephen moments later and were ready for face the world again for another day. It was time for class to begin as everyone got in their seats. "Good Morning" Aaron greeted Chloe walking into class but not the same lively person she was.
"Good Morning Aaron." Chloe replied greeting Aaron as Aaron picked up on the fact Chloe is hiding something.
"Chloe is something brothering you?" Aaron asked concerned for her.
"It's ok, I'll be ok…I hope." Chloe said stuttering between her words in the last part of her sentence.
"You wanna talk about it?" Aaron asked putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Not yet." Chloe said sounding a little more paranoid as her heart beat rose a bit.
"Ok guys so yesterday I told you guys to write down your goals on one side of the sheet and on the other side I told you to write your fears, obstacles in life, and more. Now what the lesson today is that history repeat itself. Fear is a powerful weapon that can be used against us. In history fear can be anything. In the 1930s, fear came in the form of Propaganda in the 1930s. The Nazi Party in Germany at the time used forms of propaganda to unite the German people against England, the Americans, and their allies like the French, Polish, and Canadians. The use of fear was a powerful tool to unite the people as an economy that was in ruin in Germany rose to be a great power at the time capturing cities and countries sometimes without even firing a single bullet. All it took was fear and a massive army that some countries surrendered to Germany." Riley began to teach her lesson of World War Two.
"So how does one beat fear?" Ruben asked.
"Hope, hope is an intangible factor to conquer your fear, whatever it may be. Another way to conquer your fear is to have a positive mindset and a great support system. The Allies had each other and even gained Russia as an ally after Germany captured Poland and Adolf Hitler the ruler of the Nazi Party, ordered to attack Mother Russia pushing them as far back as Stalingrad." Riley told her class.
"But Russia beat the Germans with the others helping out right?" Stephen asked.
"Well the Allies kept many Germans busy in Western Europe, Northern Africa, and Italy. Russia with sheer man power, the Russian winter being an ally and the Germans attacking Russia were running low on men and supplies, the Germans were pushed back eventually defeated by the Allies in 1945." Riley said finishing her lesson.
"Here comes the life lesson in this." Aaron said getting ready.
"Life is sometimes like war. It'll be long and hard, you will lose people and gain allies. Sometimes you will experience victory, sometimes you will experience defeat. However, it's in defeat where you decide if that'll keep you down and bury you or, you will seek new courage and rise up and face your fears and beat it." Riley continued to preached to her class.
"No matter how tough life gets and even if you feel like it's you against the world, always have hope. Hope can lead to so many great things in life." Riley said concluding her lesson.
The bell had rung and Aaron, Chloe and the guys were beginning to make their way out. "Ms. Wakefield." Riley called over to Chloe.
"Yes Mrs. Friar?" Chloe responded turning to face Riley.
"Can I have a word with you in private at my office?" Riley asked.
"Sure." Chloe responded as Riley guided Chloe to her office leaving Aaron with the guys.
Meanwhile
Lucas and Zay were on their flight back to New York both were asleep on first class, but Lucas had struggles sleeping remembering how he found Riley how a black eye, she was beaten, bruised, and her innocence was taken away from her as he found her outside his door weeping. His anger began to return as he awakened almost in New York clenching his fists with a murderous look in his eyes. He knew he had to protect the family now. Once the plane landed in JFK International Airport, Lucas and Zay drove back to Greenwich Village. As Lucas was driving back he used the onboard phone to call Riley during her lunch break. "Riley are you there?" Lucas asked his wife.
"Ya, but can it be quick I'm gonna teach in 10 minutes." Riley told Lucas knowing time wasn't on their side.
"Alright, just wanna let you know that Zay and I are back in town and I'm gonna pick up Natalie and Troy from school today, just come home with Aaron ok? Lucas told Riley offering to lighten the load on Riley's shoulders.
"Thank you honey! I also talked to Sarah, she'll be at Topanga's later on, Vanessa, Maya, and Farkle already knows what's going to happen." Riley told Lucas as she looking at the clock. It was almost 12:30 meaning her break was almost over.
"Ok, Zay knows what's going down too. Just meet us there and you and Sarah drive together." Lucas ordered as he looked towards his best friends still tired.
"We'll be there. Just make sure the kids stay at home I don't want them to get involved in this mess." Riley asked.
"Done, I'll drop off Troy and Nat and then Zay and I will meet you at Topanga's." Lucas agreed as Riley hung up to get back to work while Lucas was still on the highway as his body is tense just knowing Charlie is out of prison.
"Lucas, you need to relax man." Zay said trying to calm down his best friend.
"I'm sorry Zay! Look, we've been on the road together long enough that I don't get pissed off that easily anymore, but this one really gets to me! The Creepy Creep Creep is out of prison and is roaming around again! Do you blame me for being on edge?" Lucas exclaimed ranting to Zay.
"No I don't! I know how bad that was on you and Riley when he killed his and Riley's unborn child just because Charlie didn't wanna pay Child Support." Zay told Lucas remembering the ridiculous reason why Charlie killed Riley's unborn child.
"Lucas, does Riley still wonder what would happen if that baby had lived?" Zay asked.
Lucas couldn't find the right words to say, he knew that Riley wondered what would have happened if there was a forth Friar child. How different their lives would have been that during their first year in University, that child would have been born and Lucas would start his time as a part-time dad playing basketball, studying in school, doing his media obligations, and more. He too sometimes wondered about that child taken from them.
"Zay, can we just drop it…"Lucas said lowering his voice. It was at that point Lucas exited the highway and Zay kept his mouth shut knowing that although many years had passed since the incident, the memories still remained.
3 O'clock came around and as planned Zay went to Topanga's where Katy and Shawn were working and managing the bakery. The bakery has become very successful known for their Cheesecake. Zay witnessed all of the new renovations made since he was there last Sunday, the Bakery was closed for 3 days to renovate the place and update the store. The lighting was better, there was a fancier look to the place, but one thing remained besides the selection of foods, smoothies, and shakes, the family pictures. There were family pictures everywhere contributed by the Matthews family, Minkus family, Hunter family, and Babineaux family. Pictures ranged pictures of Riley during her childhood with Maya, their first ever trip to Texas with Lucas, Farkle, Maya, and Pappy Joe, Middle School Graduation, High School, and University Graduation, even pictures of the families together at Topanga's or even at Madison Square Garden when Lucas and Zay along with the New York Knicks were NBA Champions. There were even many autographed All-Star Jerseys from Zay and Lucas that hung on the walls. Zay was proud of where he was in his life walking around and being greeted by the fans. He wondered too how much has changed. He sometimes fears the future, but he has learned from his past. He has learned the Secret of Life from Cory Matthews, and has become a very good family man.
"Uncle Zay!" Natalie and Troy greeted the 6'2 New York Knicks legend.
"Hey kids, where's your dad?" Zay asked.
"Right here." Lucas said walking in with his car keys in hand.
"God, they really made the place better!" Lucas said noticing the changes.
"Oh and the baking room got so much better for us too." Katy said as she pointed to a window where the people can see the bakers working. Lucas would remember the summers he and Zay would work at the bakery to help Riley and Maya earn some money it wasn't just because they had to, but even as they were working, they were happy knowing that their significant others were around, Vanessa worked there during the summers as well as a waitress or a cashier.
"Oh good the cowboys are home." Maya greeted the two Texans along with her daughters: Sabrina and Melanie and her 10-year old son: Corey! Troy Friar's best friend
"Hey ladies how are you?" Lucas said greeting his nieces.
"How are you Maya?" Zay greeted her with a hug.
"I'm doing good, Farkle has a meeting with Matthews right now so he'll be a little late." Maya told him.
"Mom, is Dad in trouble?" Sabrina asked her mother. Sabrina was a lot like her mother she had long blonde hair, she had her father's eyes and has her mother's sassiness. However, she is also close to Lucas. Ever since he volunteered to be one of the parents taking care of the kids on a school trip to the zoo, Sabrina enjoyed exotic animals! She even has a pet African Pygmy Hedgehog named: Sonic.
"Mommy? Can you still drop me off at Karate later tonight?" Corey asked tugging on Maya's black dress.
"Yes honey! Don't worry, you and Troy go play ok?" Maya told her son as Corey went off to play with his best friend.
"You know they're the guy versions of you and Riley right?" Lucas asked Maya with a grin on his face with nieces.
"Instead of a Bay Window to talk about their problems, they take it out on each other during sparring either at my house or your house." Maya groaned.
"Little jerks can't help but put their sparring equipment on and start fighting each other." Melanie whined to her mom. Melanie was more like her father she has long brown hair, her mother's facial features and her height, she also reads comic books like her mother and has her artistic talent. What she doesn't have from her mother is the ability to read very quickly.
"Guess who!" A rather tall teenager came in through the door revealing to be Anthony Babineaux with his brother Tyler and their mother: Vanessa.
"Mom the giants are here." Sabrina said looking straight up to them.
"Hey! It's the short stack of pancakes!" Anthony said to her shorter friend as Lucas and Zay laughed uncontrollably.
"HAHAHAHA! That nickname still lives!" Lucas said clapping his hands together as his face turned red from all the laughing as it quickly stopped as Lucas was payed back with a strong right punch to the gut as Lucas groaned in pain and went down to one knee and is now shorter than Maya as he looked up at her.
"Well Lucas, quite a predicament, now who's a short stack of pancakes?" Maya grinned over her temporary victory while Zay kissed his beautiful Vanessa as they took their seats.
"So where Riley and Farkle?" Vanessa asked.
"Riley is getting Aaron while Farkle is in a meeting with Matthews." Maya told her colleague.
"Hey family!" 18-year old John Hunter said walking in. John had become quite a lady's man like his father during his college years at Pennbrooke University. John was still very popular as his short blonde hair that can any young woman's knees buckle.
"Hey little brother." Maya greeted her younger brother.
"Hey shorter sister how ya doin?" John greeted his sister in return with a hug. John was almost 6 feet tall and had a medium build as he was wearing a black blazer and blue jeans with a teal shirt.
"Just waiting for a few more people to show up." Maya told her brother.
"But it's not even Sunday." John said noticing they were a few days early.
"I know but an emergency gathering must take place now." Maya said shooing her brother away since he was working in a few minutes as she let him go so that he could punch in for work.
"We're here!" Riley said walking in with Aaron with Farkle not too far behind them. Greetings were exchanged as Lucas tightly hugged his wife before pulling apart as he kissed her with her hands around the back of his neck as they were happy to see each other like always.
"Hi everyone." Sarah said walking in with Chloe in her yoga pants and red top wearing her glasses as her brown hair was let down while Chloe walked in behind her. Chloe, you and Aaron can hang out with the others and can get acquainted, there is something we need to talk about." Riley told Chloe as she went with Aaron further into the bakery.
"So what's up with the emergency gathering of the families?" Farkle asked Riley.
"Did you guys happen to watch the news last night?" Riley asked everyone as Lucas held Riley's left hand with his right hand while everyone shook their heads.
"Riles, we were all asleep by then, you know we need to wake up very early." Maya said to her best friend.
"Ya I know but something showed up that Sarah and I are very concerned about and it involves all of you." Riley told them.
"What's going on?" Vanessa asked starting to worry.
"Charlie Gadner has been released from prison." Riley told the group as Lucas held Riley closer to him as Maya contained her emotions knowing how angry she was at him.
"Riley called me on my cell phone with Chloe's permission and, we know that Chloe and Aaron likely might get involved somehow." Sarah said to them.
"But how are Chloe and Aaron involved in this mess?" Maya asked.
"Because Charlie is Chloe's father…" Sarah said shamefully as Riley rubbed Sarah's shoulder comforting her.
Author's Note: PIPEBOMB! So that happened! Will Sarah eventually tell Chloe that her father is a criminal and the reason was born was because of a crime?! As Eric Matthews did in the Halloween episode of Boy Meets World, "Dun dun dun!" What will Charlie be doing since he is a free man now? Next time on Like Father Like Son... Riley, Lucas, and Sarah will need Aaron to step up to the plate and grow up a bit faster knowing Charlie Gardner has been released and will Sarah tell Chloe who here real father is and why he was never around? Tune in next time! Please review, fav, and follow this story! I really appreciate all the support thus far and I hope to hear from you guys soon and how you guys are feeling about this.
4ne1: My apologies I may have mentioned Aaron's words to Riley twice by accident hopefully I didn't mess up on this one, if I do please point them out to me so I can fix things up.
aliqueen16: Oh believe me things will get more intense later! There will be a history lesson on people like Charlie Gardner. One specific criminal that I have studied on here in Canada.
James Styker: Oh he's keeping it cool for now, but that's so he won't beat the daylights out of Charlie and doesn't get himself sent to prison. Maybe a fight scene is in order later on ;)