Val Meets Master Plan
I don't own Girl Meets World!
Riley sat in the bay window. Maya crawled through and was immediately bombarded by her best friend's questions.
"Happy 14, Maya! How's 14? Tell me what it's like to be 14, but don't leave anything out." Riley demanded.
"So far it is a lot of work." Maya sighed.
"Because you know I'll be there soon, and I want to know what I have to look forward to." Riley pointed out.
"Happy birthday, Maya." Val said, walking into the room with a brightly wrapped package "I hope you like it."
Maya took the gift and tore the paper away "Oh, my gosh! Val, I love it."
It was a new jean jacket splattered with different colored paint. It had gold buttons and green embroidery on the sleeves.
"I'm glad you like it. So...tell us about 14? What's it been like?"
"Well, if you're like me, you can look forward to your mother forgetting your birthday." Maya rolled her eyes.
"What? No!" Val gasped "She couldn't have."
"Oh, no she did not!" Riley tried to get up and crawl out the window but Maya grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back into her seat.
"Where you goin', honey?" She asked.
"Must talk to your mom." Riley repeated her actions, trying to get up and being pulled back into her seat.
"Must not get involved." Maya said sternly.
"Why do you tell me these things if you don't expect me to fix them?" Riley asked.
"When you're 14, you'll understand." Maya smiled.
"How could your mother forget your birthday, Maya?" Riley sighed.
"I've stopped trying to figure it out. She was already gone when I woke up this morning. She probably just took an early shift at the diner." Maya shrugged.
"Rather than be there for your birthday? Uh-uh." Riley tried once more to go out the window but this time both Maya and Val grabbed her.
Maya took the small gift out of Riley's hand and opened it "Riles, a friendship ring." She gasped.
"Yeah." Riley smiled.
"Two of them?"
"Yeah!"
"In case I lose one."
"No."
"Well, anybody else would have just gotten me one." Maya pointed out.
"No." Riley smiled widely.
"Oh, I get it."
"Yeah."
"One for each hand."
Val slapped her hand to her forehead making the blonde look at her.
"What?"
"You'll figure it out eventually." Val jokingly rolled her eyes "Happy birthday, Hart. Have a good one."
She got up and went downstairs.
Sitting on the couch in the living room was Uncle Shawn.
Val grinned, snuck up behind him and yelled in his ear "Boo!"
He jumped out of his skin and clutched his chest dramatically "Val, you scared me." Shawn reprimanded.
"Well, you should have told me you were coming to visit." Val pointed out "Then I could have scared you sooner and this would all be over with."
Riley and Maya came downstairs.
Riley hugged Shawn tightly "Are you really here?"
"Yep, I'm here." Shawn grinned.
"Uncle Shawn!" Riley gave him one last tight squeeze before letting go and stepping back.
"Hey, there. Hey." Shawn greeted Maya awkwardly.
"Hey."
Shawn moved forward and wrapped Maya in a bear hug.
"Okay." Maya smiled over his shoulder.
"It's her birthday. Squeeze her good." Riley told Shawn.
"That's it, a little more." Val coached.
"Can't breathe!" Maya gasped.
"Okay, let her go." Val laughed.
Shawn let Maya go and patted her on the back "Happy Birthday, kiddo. You doing something special?"
"This is it." Maya shrugged.
The door opened and Cory and Topanga came in carrying a cake box.
"Honey, hide the cake before Maya gets here." Topanga said, looking over her shoulder at her husband.
Cory was walking backwards "I know, but you know what we should do? We should bring this cake to Maya's mother just in case she forgot to get her own kid a cake."
"Oh, you think that could actually happen?" Topanga asked, noticing Riley, Maya, Shawn, and Val standing behind Cory.
"Honey, I grew up with Shawn Hunter. Remember his mother? She forgot where she lived. See, my biggest worry is that forgetting to give your kid a cake is the first step to forgetting where you live." Cory laughed.
"Oh, that's not your biggest worry anymore."
"Maya's behind me, isn't she? Why is everybody always behind me?" Cory sighed "Okay, Maya, I'm not going to turn around because I'm all embarrassed, but you know how much I like your mother."
"I know you do. You always defend her." Maya told him.
"Because at least she's not-"
"No, everything's fine! Stop talking." Topanga interrupted Cory.
"Shawn's mother! What a cuckoo." Cory was on a roll "'Ah, it's Tuesday! I better run away!' You have to laugh, huh, Topanga? Nice face."
Topanga was making a horrified face. Val groaned and rolled her eyes.
"You want to turn around or you want me to turn you around?" Topanga asked.
Cory shut his eyes quickly then opened them again "How you doin', Shawn?"
"Well, it ain't Tuesday, so pretty good."
"Shawny!" Cory tossed the cake box in the air and Topanga quickly caught it as the two old friends hugged "Ah! How you doin', buddy?"
"Just here doing a photo essay 'Weekends in New York for under $100.'" Shawn paused "It's impossible. Can I stay here?"
"We found him on the couch. Can we keep him?" Riley begged.
"Wait a minute. Who let you in?" Topanga asked, passing the cake to Val.
"I have a key." Shawn shrugged.
Topanga whipped around to glare at her husband "You gave him a key?"
"Fine, I'll give you a key." Cory conceded.
"You love me." Topanga smirked.
"I do love you. You have the key to my heart." Cory pulled Topanga in for a quick kiss.
Riley turned to Uncle Shawn "So who has the key to your heart?"
"Yeah, you ever been in love or what?" Maya asked.
"Stop asking questions. Please. Can't we just enjoy being together?" Val muttered.
"Angela time?" Shawn asked the adults.
"Seems unavoidable." Topanga shrugged.
"Angela. Spill it." Riley ordered.
"Yeah, was she all tortured poet-wanderer-female-you type?" Maya questioned.
"You guys want to know how they fell in love?" Cory asked.
Riley and Maya nodded vigorously.
"He went through her purse." Topanga told them.
"What?" Riley gasped.
"I can explain that." Shawn said hurriedly.
"Girls, trust us, it was very romantic in high school." Topanga smiled.
"No it wasn't." Val laughed.
"So basically he fell in love with a concept?" Riley asked,
"It was doomed from the start." Maya nodded.
"Never let me do that."
Maya put her hand on her friend's shoulder "I would kill it immediately. That's what best friends are supposed to do. Ring power!" Maya shouted.
"Ring power!" Riley joined her.
"Thunder!"
"Lightning!"
"What?!" Val mimicked their tone.
"So, where's Angela now?" Riley asked.
"I don't know." Shawn shrugged "I tried to make it work."
"But you couldn't commit?" Maya responded with an understanding nod.
"No." Shawn shook his head "You know, people have it all wrong about me. I was all in. She's the one who left. I got left."
Maya paused "Yeah, I... I get a lot of that too. Who's on your list?"
"Mother, father, girlfriend." Shawn listed off.
"Wow. What is it with us?"
Shawn laughed "What is it with us?"
Riley's eyes brightened as she got an idea. She made eye contact with her twin who seemed to get the same idea and nodded.
"Bay window! Bay window right now! Not you." She pointed at Maya.
"But, it's my birthday." Maya pouted.
"Yeah, we know." Val stood up and linked arms with her sister.
"You." Riley pointed at their mother.
"Really?"
"And you!" Val pointed at Cory.
"Oh, boy!"
Riley, Topanga, Cory, and Val sat, squished in the bay window in Riley's room.
"Okay, I have heard all of the stories. But tell me the truth, mom. When you guys were my age, was Dad really that good at schemes?" Riley asked.
"Schemes?"
"You know, rackets, scams, pulling stuff on people, changing their lives." Val offered.
"Cory Matthews was the best there ever was." Topanga smiled.
"Why?" Riley asked.
"Well, because when he believes in something, his will is stronger than anybody's." Topanga explained.
Cory put his hands up "I'm retired."
"But what if we believed in something?" Riley raised her eyebrows, gesturing to herself and Val.
Topanga turned to her husband "Your move."
"Riley, you want to pull me back in the game, then this has to be monumental. A scheme of schemes. Schemetata de schemetata." Cory ranted.
"What's that mean?" Riley asked.
"He's making it up." Val told her.
"A scheme that makes the angels sing. Otherwise, I'm out forever. You hear me?! Now you've got one minute, Riley, Val." He put his hands out "Wow me."
"We want Shawn to be Maya's dad." Riley and Val told him in unison.
"Wow." Cory was stunned.
"Riley, Val, you can't just want Shawn to be Maya's father. Your Dad can't possibly make that happen." Topanga looked at Cory "Can you?"
"Tough one." Cory thought about it "It's the stuff legends are made of. But if we can pull it off, it would make the angels sing."
"I want to do this with you, Dad. Teach me. I want to do it for Maya." Riley urged.
"Why do you wanna do it, Val?" Topanga asked.
"Maya may have made some big mistakes in her past, but I think Shawn will help her be a better person in the future." Val explained "Besides, she needs to know that not everyone in her life is gonna leave her. Think about it. Her Mom wouldn't even come to her art show. Shawn would. Deep down, Maya is a really good person. I want her to discover that for herself and if Shawn can help with that, then I think we should help them get there."
"Girls, I don't want you to get your hopes up. But if there is anyone in the world who has a chance of pulling this off, it's him." Topanga told them.
"Well, the best master plan involves how well we know our two subjects." Cory said, thinking aloud.
"We got rings." Riley smiled.
"So do we." Topanga showed off her wedding ring but Cory rumbled on "Shawn gave me mine when I was 25 years old. Your mother won't let me wear it." Cory frowned "Okay, so the next step in our plan is we need a cutting-edge tech guy."
"Ladies."
"Farkle." Everyone said.
"Want to see my new computer watch?" Farkle held up his wrist "Sure, it looks like an old calculator watch, but I updated the hard drive and added an interesting new feature."
The watch spoke in Riley's voice "Riley is within five feet of you."
"Hey, that's my voice!" Riley said loudly.
"Yeah, I've been recording it for years. But don't worry, I would never take advantage of it." Farkle assured her.
Riley's voice came from the watch again "I love you, Farkle."
Cory shrugged "Well, I guess we found our tech guy."
"So the team's complete." Riley grinned.
"Not quite yet, Riley." Cory shook his head "See, the best master plan usually involves a distraction. And usually it comes in the form of a pretty face."
"Oh, you guys!" Topanga flipped her hair and smiled.
Lucas poked his head through the window "Hi, everybody."
Topanga grabbed his chin and looked at him closely "Yeah, okay."
"That's how you think of me?" Lucas asked, slightly offended.
"A lot of the time, yeah." Riley said.
"Not at all." Val said at the same time.
The sisters shared a look and burst into giggles.
"Okay." Lucas shrugged.
Maya and Shawn sat on the couch talking.
"I never knew what happened between my Mom and Dad. She just tells me not to be upset with him and never wants to go into details." Maya explained sadly.
"Why not?" Shawn asked.
"Because she did something to make him leave. You and I are the ones that get left, not like her. That's why we understand each other, right?" Maya finished as Riley, Val, Cory, and Topanga came back into the living room "Where have you been? It's my birthday. And when did you guys show up? You've all been in there talking for the past hour?"
"Actually, we said what we needed to say in 10 minutes. Looks like you two have been talking for the past hour, though." Riley smiled.
"Yeah, well, you wouldn't let us in your room, so it's like you trapped us out here." Maya pointed out.
"Uh-huh. So of course we've been talking for the past hour." Riley said.
Farkle looked at his watch "Actually, according to my watch, it's only been-"
Maya's voice came from the watch "Maya is within five feet of you."
"What the-?"
Maya's voice spoke "Danger danger!"
Maya took the watch and broke it. Farkle pulled a second watch out of his pocket.
"I love you, Farkle." Maya's voice said.
"Yeah, okay." Farkle grinned.
"Riley, I thought we were doing something for my birthday." Maya sighed.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure something's going to happen." Val muttered.
Shawn stood up "Hey, Cor. Do you know Maya's mother missed her birthday?"
"I do. I do know. That's why I bought Maya a cake." Cory nodded.
"What, that's it? That's all you did?"
"Well, you know me, Shawn. I don't like to meddle." Cory shrugged.
"What?! What's become of you?" Shawn gasped.
"I'm retired. I'm out."
"What?" Shawn asked, disbelief clear in his tone.
Maya pointed "You two, window!"
"Us?" Topanga asked, feigning shock.
"Whatever for?" Cory asked innocently.
"You four." Maya pointed at Riley, Cory, Topanga, and Val.
"Us?" Val asked.
"Window now." Maya commanded.
Shawn grabbed Cory's shoulder "The Cory Matthews I knew would have immediately taken this little girl under his wing and become kind of a father figure to her."
"I'm old." Cory said.
"He's tired." Topanga joined in.
"You're pathetic." Shawn groaned.
"I'm tired!"
"He's old!"
"Come on, man! We were kings! This could be the return of Cory and Shawn." Shawn tempted.
"Hmm."
"Come on! Let's you and me fix things between Maya and her mother." Shawn practically begged.
"Hmm. You don't think we're too old for such high jinks and shenanigans?" Cory asked.
"Is Maya not worth it to you?"
"Is she worth it to you?" Val asked.
"Yeah. I like her very much. Doesn't she remind you of someone?" Shawn asked, Cory, Val, and Topanga all gave him a look "Yeah, what can I say? I like people that remind me of me."
"Do I remind you of you?" Cory grinned.
"No."
"You know, if this were the old days, I probably might consider visiting Katy..." Cory sighed.
"Her mother's name is Katy." Topanga explained.
"...In the diner where she works."
"The Nighthawk Diner over on 17th street." Val continued.
"But again," Cory shrugged "I'm too old."
"He needs his sleep." Val nodded sympathetically.
"Well, I don't. And I'm disgusted with you." Shawn frowned.
"He just needs a little nappy before bed." Topanga called after Shawn as he walked out the door "Good job." She whispered to Cory.
Cory started at snore.
"Seriously?" Val rolled her eyes and walked upstairs.
Lucas stood twirling a rope in his hand "You want to see a rope trick?" He asked Maya.
"Maya, it's important that you know that what we're about to do to you is for your own good." Riley told her friend.
Farkle pushed a button on his watch and Riley's voice came through "Maya, it's important that you know that what we're about to do to you is for your own good."
"Farkle." Maya said, warningly.
"I'm the wonk!" Farkle shouted excitedly.
"Okay, I get it." Maya rolled her eyes "Now what is so important?"
"You want to see a rope trick?" Lucas asked again.
"Will you stop distracting me with that? It's not like I actually believed you're a real cowboy." Maya snipped.
"Yeah, 'cause if I was, then I could do this." Lucas quickly tied Maya up.
"Not bad, cowboy." Val smirked, walking into the room.
"Thank you, Ma'am." Lucas tipped his imaginary hat, blushing slightly.
"Why did you tie me up?" Maya asked.
"Oh, Shawn's going to meet your mother." Riley said, nervously.
Maya growled "Why would you want him to meet my mother? My mother drives men away. This will end up just like my father, Riley! Shawn will run for the hills!"
"Run for the hills? Who says run for the hills?" Riley asked.
Maya growled again, louder this time.
"Run for the hills!" Rileys shouted.
She, Lucas, and Farkle made a mad dash for the door. Val stepped calmly out of the way.
Maya snarled "Why don't you run?" She asked the girl now standing alone in the room with her.
"Because I'm not scared of you, Hart." Val sat down next to her "Since you're stuck here, why don't you answer a couple questions for me?"
Maya sighed "Fine. What do you wanna know?"
"Why don't you want Shawn to meet your mother?"
"You know why. She scares men away. This will happen just like it did with my father." Maya groaned.
"You don't want to lose Shawn."
"What?"
"You don't want to lose him because you think he could be your father figure." Val said softly "You think he's the kind of guy you'd like your father to be."
"I-I don't know." Maya admitted "I like how Shawn is nice and cares about me. But I don't want him to meet my Mom."
"You're scared."
"Yeah, I guess I am."
"Don't worry, Maya. I won't tell anyone." Val promised "But you know, it's alright to be scared of losing people. But keeping them to yourself is another issue."
"I know." Maya's eyes got a little wet "I just don't want to lose Shawn like I lost my father."
"You didn't lose your father, Maya. He lost you. Because if he could see you now, he'd be sorry he ever left you."
"Thanks, Val."
"Anytime, Hart." Val left the room.
After a while Riley went up and freed Maya. They both came back down, arms linked.
"We just wanted to give you a birthday you'd never forget, Maya." Topanga said sadly.
"I appreciate it. I do. Some things are just impossible." Maya sighed.
"I used to not believe that." Cory shook his head "I still don't."
Shawn and Katy came through the door.
"Happy Birthday. Everything you think is wrong." Shawn said loudly.
"I asked you not to tell her. Why would you do this?" Katy shouted, grabbing Shawn angrily.
"Because she deserves to love the parent who stayed." Shawn said softly.
"What?" Maya sounded nervous.
"Your mother had nothing to do with your father leaving, Maya. All right? All this time she's just been protecting him for you." Shawn explained.
"Mom? You got left?"
"I'm sorry."
"She's one of us. Come here." Shawn held his arms out for the blonde girl.
"I couldn't afford to get you what you wanted without working a couple extra shifts, but I got it, honey. Shawn helped me." Katy smiled.
Maya gasped "A locket?"
"Yeah." Katy nodded.
"Where is it?" Maya asked, excited.
"It's in my purse."
"I'll get it." Shawn said, stepping over to the bag.
"You can't go through my purse." Katy said sternly.
"Let him!" Riley and Maya shouted.
Val laughed loudly "Trust me, Katy. Just let him get the locket."
"Did you see what I did there, Cor? I got Maya and her mother together." Shawn said happily.
"Yeah. You did great, Shawn." Cory grinned.
"Well, I'd be happy to include you in my next scheme." Shawn offered.
"Sorry, buddy. I got me some new partners now." Cory wrapped his arms around his daughters.
"So you're with them now, huh?"
"Me and my girls." Cory nodded "You're on your own."
"Come on! What fun is pulling off schemes by yourself?" Shawn complained.
"Oh, it's you and me now?" Maya asked, stepping up behind Shawn.
"Well, hey, I'm in the market for a new partner in crime." Shawn nodded.
Maya looked him up and down "Yeah, all right, I'll try you out and see how you do."
Topanga walked up to the group carrying the birthday cake she and Cory had gotten that morning "Cake time."
"Happy Birthday, baby girl. Make a wish." Katy whispered.
Maya squeezes her eyes shut and blew out the candles in one gust. Everyone clapped and cheered.
Val smiled "Happy birthday, Maya. I'm glad it was a good one."
Word count: 3457 words
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Love,
The Author