Ordinarily an educator misconduct hearing took sixty days from the time the complaint was filed to reach a hearing. However Mr. Feeny used every bit of influence he had to make the hearing happen as soon as possible.

A sixty-day delay would have resulted in Jon being put on administrative leave and suspended without pay which would jeopardize his standing as Shawn's legal guardian.

The school board agreed due to concern over the press getting a hold of the story once they realized how much the complainant liked to talk.

The investigation didn't need two months anyway. Kat's pictures were taken into evidence and Jon, under Feeny's advice, gave the school board access to everything in those pictures.

Shawn was interviewed again and told the truth this time.

Audrey submitted an affidavit. She was still refusing to speak to anyone directly.

With everyone involved in the hearing, and a few extra witnesses crowded into conference room at John Adams High, the hearing opened in overdone pomp making it seem as though Jon was on trial.

He and Feeny sat at a table in front of the school board. Behind them were Alan, Eli, and Jedidiah Lawrence. Shawn and Cory were left in the hallway as no students were permitted at the hearing.

On the other side of the aisle at another table, was Kat. Behind her was advanced math teacher Stuart Yancy and the science teacher, Darrel Sorrell.

"What are they doin' with her?" Jon asked the principal with concern.

Feeny forced himself not to roll his eyes at the trio. "The same thing Mr. Matthews and Mr. Williams are doing for you, unfortunately."

Jon sat back feeling more anxious than before. He didn't think Kat was close enough to anyone to be able to use them for character witnesses. Now that he thought about it he realized how little he knew about her. He had no idea if she had siblings or if her parents were even alive.

He shivered at how close he'd come to marrying a stranger.

"Don't worry, Jonathan," George put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Neither are credible sources, and both have rather antagonistic relationships with the school board members."

Jon nodded but this knowledge made him feel as though he was being set up. If they were bothering to appear they must have something planned. Yancy and Sorrell never did anything without it benefiting them, usually financially.

Kat had no finances outside of teaching.

Or least none he knew about.

The hearing opened with a representative from NYU presenting the result of their investigation- no misconduct found.

Then the drama began.

Kat was the first to be questioned and put on quite a show of being the broken-hearted and wronged girlfriend. Her excuse for being in Jon's apartment without his knowledge or permission was that she and Jon had never broken up. The key she used was hers. She claimed she decided to search their apartment because she didn't believe his story of being out of town that weekend- a friend's wedding. She did believe he was cheating on her with his student teacher.

As much as the lie aggravated Jon, he expected as much and didn't react to it. When she produced the photos missing from Shawn's family album, he did react and earned a reprimand from the board and Feeny.

"Be calm, Jonathan," the principal leaned over and hissed in his ear. "A reaction is what she wants to make the board question your honesty."

Jon slouched down in his seat and glared at the floor.

When her character witnesses were called to make their statements the testimonies sounded poorly scripted. Yancy clearly knew nothing about her and focused his ire on Jon who couldn't remember ever meeting the man much less what he'd done to make him so angry. Sorrell somehow made the entire thing about him.

Feeny didn't bother to hide his disdain for either of them.

When Jon's turn came to give his side of the story, Kat was preening over a victory she hadn't yet been given and it took everything he had and then some not to react in anyway.

He deserved an Oscar for his performance.

Audrey's statement was read out loud by Andrea Nguyen. Shawn's video interview was presented by Feeny who found absurd humor in the teen's persistent demand that everyone uphold the Constitution.

When Jon's turn came, he was asked no questions.

The president of the Board, Gerald O'Malley, said Jon's side was quite clear due to the evidence he's provided, and he was instead focused on those who were there to speak on his behalf.

Alan, being a parent, rather than a colleague, spent most of the time talking to the Board about his relationship with Jon and what he'd seen over the past two years.

Jedidiah Lawrence impulsively offered to speak on Jon's behalf as well. The Board found him an interesting person to talk to if nothing else and they spent almost as much time with him as they did Alan.

Eli spent the least amount of time with them given that he was Jon's closest friend, and a bias was assumed.

Then came Mr. Feeny.

It was no surprise to anyone that the principal was brutally honest about his initial misgivings over Jon's ability as a teacher his first year and placing Audrey with him in his second.

Jon found it difficult to listen to without defending himself and he cringed internally over many of the stories the principal chose to share.

However, Feeny spent even more time on how much progress Jon had made as an educator and person, particularly where Shawn was concerned. The way Feeny spoke about him in the conclusion of his statement surprised him- like he was a nephew of sorts. He also confirmed what Alan and Eli told the Board: Jon and Kat had been broken up for months.

His testimony wasn't the end of his speech, however. He turned his attention to Kat.

Kat didn't seem overly bothered by any of the statements that contradicted her story until he brought up the incident with Shawn's stolen key.

Jon covered a smirk with his hand when he saw the color drain from her face when she realized what Feeny was about to do to her: call her character into question.

She wasn't prepared for it and the new information took the hearing in another turn.

Kat found herself back before the Board under fire over the key. She faltered briefly then found her groove and quietly explained that she knew Shawn had lost his key yet again and she was trying to save him from getting into serious trouble with Jon

Gerald O'Malley sat back angry now that he understood this entire complaint against a district employee was retaliation for a soured romance.

"This is a matter of 'he said she said'," he snapped gruffly at those in attendance. "This a pointless matter to pursue as there is no way to prove who is telling the truth!"

On cue, Feeny pushed his chair back and stood up. A small smirk tickled his mustache. "I beg to differ."

O'Malley raised his brow in surprise. "We're listening."

"Miss Casey." The principal turned to those in attendance and motioned to a woman with curly red hair and bright blue eyeshadow. "Would you please tell your story to the Board?"

The woman nodded and joined Feeny at their table.

Jon had no idea who the woman was. He'd never seen her before.

"I work at Hank's Hardware. That woman," she pointed at Kat, "came in with a key that she wanted a copy of. Said her son lost his key again and she didn't want him to get into trouble with his dad."

Kat crossed her arms over her waist and smiled smugly. Miss Casey saw this and frowned.

"The next day," she went on keeping an eye on Kat, "this cute teen boy came in with his friends- a boy with real curly hair, and a real pretty girl with gorgeous hair. Said he wanted a key made and I asked him what happened to the key his mom just had made."

"How did you know he was the son of woman from the day before?" O'Malley asked.

"Easy. The key she brought in and the key he brought in both had a smudge of Chanel nail polish in the color Vamp on it in the same spot. Plus the kid's key had a little mark on it indicating that a copy had been made by a key machine. Hank's is the only one in the immediate area with one of the new machines."

"I see," O'Malley grumbled more agitated than before that the complaint against Feeny's teacher was a farce.

Jon glanced at Kat and couldn't help but delight in her anger and embarrassment.

The Board took a brief recess to discuss this new information.

When they returned they asked Jon for more details about things Kat had done, both to him and to Shawn. By the time they came back to her, she realized she was in the crosshairs and that it was she, not Jon, who was in serious trouble.

O'Malley barely started his query when Kat broke down in tears. In a surreal turn of events, it was Yancy who stepped in to speak on her behalf.

"Esteemed president," he groveled while Jon rolled his eyes. "I know Katherine very well and she has been withholding pertinent information in an effort to spare Mr. Turner's career."

Mr. Feeny reacted immediately. He stood and slapped a hand on the table, glaring at his math teacher. "Miss Tompkins is the one who filed the complaint putting his career in jeopardy, Stuart."

Yancy shot him a nasty glare for the interruption.

O'Malley pressed his palms together and waited for someone to continue.

Yancy regrouped and went on, "But she does have a final piece of evidence that gross misconduct did, in fact, occur."

Jon looked at Feeny in confusion. The principal put a hand on his shoulder.

"We're listening," O'Malley gestured at Yancy to hurry up.

"Katherine," Yancy said kindly, "Do show our esteemed President what you have."

With careful humility, Kat approached the Board members' table and handed O'Malley a small box. Suspiciously, he accepted the box and opened it.

He stared at the contents in disbelief.

Silence filled the conference room.

Jon shifted his position every few seconds unable to quell his anxiety. Feeny sat in stony silence. Katherine's crew sat smugly awaiting to be handed victory.

Finally, O'Malley looked up and passed the box to his colleagues. As they examined it he gestured for Mr. Feeny to come up to their table.

When the box was returned to him O'Malley passed it to the principal.

Feeny took one look at what was in it and anger flared in his eyes. He was so furious over what he held in his hands that he didn't trust himself to speak.

"You were right,." O'Malley said.

"Yes, unfortunately."

O'Malley shook his head and held out his hand for the box. "I'm sorry, George, but we cannot tolerate this. I'm afraid one of your teachers is going to have to go."

Feeny nodded solemnly. "Yes, I know."

When he returned to his seat, he put his hand on Jon's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jonathan."

"About what?"

"What you are going to have to sit through."

Jon, now terrified by the look on his boss's face and the tone of his voice, sat up straight. "And that is?"

Feeny gave a curt shake of his head. "Just don't react. Let this play out."

"What? Tell me."

Feeny redirected his attention to the Board members. "Do not react."

O'Malley gave Kat a peeved look as he leaned forward and asked gruffly, "Miss Tompkins, what is in this box?"

Katherine shifted in her seat looking appropriately uncomfortable.

"A positive pregnancy test."

Jon didn't react.

Not because Feeny told him not to, but because there wasn't anything to react to.

He knew he was supposed to be outraged but he felt nothing. He couldn't get over how stupid she must think everyone in the room was to think a positive test was evidence of anything that someone somewhere might be pregnant. There was no way to prove who that test belonged to or where she got it.

Still Kat told her story about finding the test in the trash in Jon's bathroom.

"Who goes through bathroom trash looking for something like that?" Jon heard Alan ask. He turned slightly in his seat to see who he was talking to.

"A crazy person," Eli replied just loud enough to be heard. "She was probably looking for Jon's hair for a doll or something and, 'oops, look what I found!'."

Feeny cleared his throat his throat hoping they'd take the hint to shut up.

Neither heard him and continued their conversation.

"How many kids you got?"

"Three."

"How many tests did Amy go through?"

"Way more than three."

"Can you take those anywhere?"

"Yeah, pretty much. You really just need a bathroom."

"Can you fake those things?"

"Yeah, get someone who is pregnant to pee on the stick."

"Stick?"

Alan explained the details of the test while Eli listened intently. After he was done, Alan sat and crossed his arms over his chest. "What I don't get is why she thinks this is proof of anything?"

"Poor planning and over confidence." Eli shrugged then hit Alan's shoulder with the back of his hand. "You know what she should've done? Put the test in Jon's trashcan and take a picture while she was at the apartment. Then she would've had a story that would be a lot harder to disprove."

By this time the entire room was listening to the men's conversation with morbid curiosity.

"Will you two be quiet?" Feeny hissed in annoyance and mild embarrassment.

"Yes," O'Malley cleared his throat. "Thank you, gentlemen, for voicing what we were all thinking. And then some."

"No problem," Eli replied with a grin, pleased with himself.

Alan chuckled.

"This has been an overwhelming amount of information to take in," O'Malley informed them. "We will recess for an hour and return with our verdict."

Verdict.

It was a trial.

Jon covered his face with his hands.

He felt numb and couldn't think.

"The Board knows," Feeny put his hand on his shoulder in reassurance.

Jon lifted his head. "Knows what?"

"About her previous false accusation regarding Audrey being pregnant."

"What?"

"Yes, while you were covering up Audrey's counseling sessions Kat reported it to me as hiding a pregnancy rather than an eating disorder."

He should have felt something at this revelation, but the numbness wouldn't release him. Instead, he wondered what else Feeny knew.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew it wasn't true."

Jon did feel mild annoyance at that and frowned. "And you grilled me in your office because…?"

"I wanted confirmation that I was correct."

Jon sighed then put his hand over his mouth briefly. "What are the odds they believe her?"

Feeny shook his head to dismiss the idea. "They won't."

"You sure?"

"I am."

"I hope you're right, George. I need you to be right."

The loud slamming of something heavy from the area where Katherine sat caught the men's attention. They turned to see Sorrell leaning over the table pointing a finger at Yancy who was gesturing angrily at Katherine.

"I told you this was a step too far!" Sorrell slid the briefcase off the table in dramatic fashion. "You wouldn't listen to me so you can deal with the consequences."

He stormed out with theatrical flourish, making sure people saw him go.

Yancy glared at Katherine then ran after the science teacher, begging for forgiveness. Katherine frantically called after him, but her "close friends" had abandoned her.

She stood at the table all alone.

Jon glared at her then turned back to his team. Alan and Eli chatted trying to get his mind off the wait. Their conversation drifted into talk about Katherine and her antics. Eli didn't hold back on his contempt for her and Alan wanted to hear all about it.

Jon, however, was sick of hearing all about it and had to get out. He made a quick march to the door and sought refuge in the quiet hall. Shawn and Cory, who had been listening to the best of their ability at the door, jumped back then rushed to greet him.

"Hey, what's going on?" Shawn asked, grabbing his arm.

"Yeah, Mr. Turner, you still teaching or what?" Cory asked anxiously.

Jon stared blankly at the boys with nothing to say.

As Cory was about to bombard him with more questions Shawn put his hand over his best friend's mouth and removed it when Cory gave him a quizzical look.

Shawn ignored him and focused on Jon. "You don't know anything yet do you?"

"No." Jon paused as he saw Amy coming down the hall. "Look, Shawn, it's gettin' late and I'm not sure how much longer this gonna go on…"

Shawn glanced over his shoulder and saw Cory's mom. "And you want us to go with Mrs. Matthews and wait for you at Cory's."

He nodded.

Shawn sighed. He could see Jon had no fight left in him and he could probably argue his way into staying. He stared at him for a moment then said, "Okay."

Jon was surprised there was no resistance and relieved that there wasn't. "Thanks, bud."

Shawn grabbed him in a hug and Cory, without thinking, hugged Jon too and held on tighter than Shawn.

No sooner had Jon said goodbye to the boys, than Mr. Feeny called him back into the conference room.

"They're back."

Gerald O'Malley looked grim as he called the hearing to order again. He looked tired and annoyed.

"Jonathan Turner."

Jon shot Feeny a worried look as he stood up. The principal gave him a tight smile.

"Mr. Turner." His tone was harsh. "The Board has been placed in a very difficult position. While we agree with NYU's findings that there was no technical misconduct, we do believe that you did not exercise enough caution in your personal dealings with Miss Andrews. For this relationship to have progressed to the point of a marriage proposal we believe far too much time in the classroom was devoted to the personal side of the relationship."

O'Malley cast a glance at Katherine and saw her preening grin. His expression soured further as he continued,

"While we do not believe your relationship was detrimental to any student, another teacher became deeply involved in breaking up that relationship and it did affect students' education and one student in and out of the classroom. Because of this, we must rule strongly on the matter."

Worriedly, Jon looked to Feeny for reassurance that this would go against Kat and not him. But the other man wouldn't look at him. He covered his mouth with a finger and shook his head, already disagreeing with whatever the Board was about to say.

"Beginning today, you, Jonathan Turner, are to have no contact with Audrey Andrews for a period of one year. Should you decide to defy the Board, your contract will be terminated, and your license will be suspended."

Jon and his friends sat in stunned silence. No one could believe how harsh this was when "no misconduct was found".

A chill settled over Jon.

No contact?

For a year?

"Gerald," Feeny injected in frustration. "How is this fair? You said there was no misconduct found."

O'Malley shot him a disgruntled look. "I am not done, George."

He shifted in his seat and directed his attention to the other side of the room.

"Katherine Tompkins."

Katherine stood slowly. She didn't look so confident now.

O'Malley cleared his throat. "We are aware that this is not the first time you have brought this false accusation up in an attempt to get Miss Andrews's student teaching terminated. And it is false," he said pointedly when Kat started to argue. "It's already been confirmed by her doctor. The antics you have engaged in to retaliate for Mr. Turner breaking up with you and moving on is unconscionable. Taking your frustration out on a student multiple times because you believed he interfered with your relationship with Mr. Turner is indefensible. Your conduct is now under investigation. As of this moment you are suspended pending your hearing in the fall."

Katherine's reprimand sent a shocked murmur through those that were there.

Jon didn't react. He felt nothing. Not victorious nor vindicated. He was not happy about Kat's fate. What happened to her didn't matter because it didn't change what happened to him.

One year.

No Audrey.

How was he going to tell Shawn there would be no summer in the City?

How was he going to tell Shawn there would be no wedding?

How was he going to tell Shawn there would be no adoption?

How was he going to tell Shawn that everything was over?

"How does the school board have any control over someone's private life?"

"They are power tripping, man'! No offense, George, but being an educator sucks and I'm getting out."

While Alan and Eli voiced their intense frustration with Jon's sentencing, Jon himself said nothing.

He felt nothing.

There was a black hole in his mind that swallowed all of his thoughts and emotions.

"Gentlemen, please." Feeny glanced at Jon. "I strongly disagree with this as well. But there are extenuating circumstances to consider. The potential for this to be leaked to the media is great and that would make matters much worse. It is better for this to be dealt with quickly, even if it was unfair."

"Can we appeal?" Eli asked.

"Yes but I advise against it due to the press it would generate. I do believe that would interfere with Jonathan's plans for his and Shawn's future."

He still felt nothing.

His future.

And Shawn's.

Was there even such a thing anymore?

"It is only a year after all," the principal went on, "the length of most engagements."

Finally he felt something- cold.

The coldness grew as he realized he and Audrey weren't officially engaged and all his plans for an "Officer and a Gentleman" proposal were dead.

Eli caught the look on his face and grabbed a hold of his shoulder. "Audrey will wait for you."

Jon hung his head and grimaced.

He didn't doubt that she would wait for him.

He doubted that Shawn would wait.

Alan seemingly read his mind and asked, "Jon, can you go ahead with the legal guardianship without Audrey? Get Shawn now and in a year she can join you for the adoption?"

Jon struggled to pull his thoughts. After a while he shook his head in dismay. "I promised him Audrey. I promised him a mom and a dad. I told the office of children and youth that's what we were gonna give him."

"Yeah, I know but can you get him on your own?"

Jon tried to pin down the specifics on Shawn's case. The numbness was wearing off and he was beginning to feel a rush of unpleasant emotions. He shook his head again.

"No."

Feeny frowned. "Why not?"

"Chet named me and Audrey as Shawn's guardians," Jon said with a shrug of defeat. "We filed jointly. Icoulddo it on my own but that would require trackin' Chet down and gettin' him to name me alone as guardian. He's callin' even less than before, and I don't know how to find him."

This was all very true but what Jon did not voice was his deeper concern that he would not be able to care for and parent Shawn the way he needed without Audrey given how badly his choices with her turned out. He was terrified he would screw the kid up since his decision making was clearly lacking.

"I can't talk to her." He sighed wearily as all hope for making that family real faded out of reach. "I can't even call her to get the guardianship stuff straightened out. How can I maintain a relationship with her so we can get married in a yearandget Shawn? It's impossible!"

Feeny ran a finger over his mustache as he mulled the situation over. "It does seem bleak; however, I think I can help in the matter of speaking to Audrey."

Jon looked up at him sharply. "How?"

"I am not banned from speaking to her." He paused for a moment then looked at the men around me. "Jonathan, I'd like you to come to my office before you head home."

As Jon nodded, Alan put his hands on his shoulders. "Ah, he's not heading home."

Jon and Feeny gave him curious looks.

"You're coming home with me," Alan told him.

Jon waved off the offer. "I appreciate it, Alan, but I really don't want to be around anyone right now."

"Amy said you'd say that. Amy also said I'm not allowed in the house unless I bring you with me." Alan gripped his shoulders tighter. "I'd like to go home."

Jon gave a humorless laugh. "Yeah, okay. I guess."

Feeny stood and motioned for them to follow him. "Before you gentlemen leave, my office first."

Jon nodded and gathered his things before following the principal out of the conference room.

Once in his office, Feeny took a Jon-like stance at his desk by sitting partially on it.

"While you may be banned from talking with Audrey, Jonathan, I am not," he said as he picked up the phone and dialed. "You cannot talk to her. But you can talk to me."

Jon wasn't entirely sure how that was going to accomplish anything, but he stood close by and watched curiously.

After dialing a number, the principal pushed a button on the phone. A ring was heard three times before the call was picked up.

"Hello?"

Jon nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Audrey's voice and how weak and thin it sounded.

"Hello, Audrey" he said amicably, "It's George Feeny."

"Hello, Mr. Feeny."

"How are you?"

There was a pause before she answered flatly, "Fine, thank you."

"Audrey, I wanted to let you know about the outcome of Jon's hearing."

"Oh?"

Feeny glanced at Jon. "Unfortunately, the Board ruled against him. He is not to have contact with you for a year. If he does, he could lose his license."

"Oh, I see. Thank you for calling and letting me know."

Her voice sounded so strange to Jon; there was no life, no emotion in it.

George is talkin' to Audrey, but she isn't there, he thought.

The thought chilled him.

When Feeny saw the look on Jon's face, he tried to conceal his concern over the lack of reaction to his announcement.

"Audrey, he can't talk to you, but he is in the room, and you are on speaker phone. Is there anything you'd like to say to him?"

There was a long pause. So long then men weren't sure she was still there. Jon clenched his jaw struggling not to say anything directly to her.

Finally she said in a small voice, "Yes, there is."

"Go ahead."

"Take care of Shawn. Do whatever you have to do to get him," she told him. There was another pause. Then in a much stronger voice she said. "Then… find someone who loves you both."

Jon felt his jaw drop. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

George saw the look on his face and stepped back in. "Audrey, it's only a year. By this time next year you should both be in a better place to unite your family the way you want to."

"No, Mr. Feeny." The strength in her voice was Audrey's strength, but she still sounded strange. The words coming out of her mouth were not Audrey's words. "Jon needs to move on and take Shawn with him."

Feeny was as stunned as Jon. "Surely, you don't mean that!"

"I do-"

"She doesn't," the voice of her advisor cut her off.

"Alex?" Jon nearly grabbed the phone from the principal's hand.

"I'm with her, Jonathan," he reassured him. "Listen to me: ignore whatever she says. Audrey is under a tremendous amount of stress. Richie's health has taken a turn for the worse. He's in intensive care right now."

Jon felt cold and nauseated.

"Jonathan?"

"Yeah."

"Audreywillregret what she's told you to do. Get Shawn and wait this year out."

The numbness was back, and it swallowed his ability to feel anything.

"How bad is he?"

"It's the worst turn he's had yet," the professor sighed. "There's a strong chance he won't wake up this time."

First Audrey and now he was losing Richie too. Jon stared at the floor unable to put together a coherent sentence. "Alex…I …."

"I'll take care of her," he instructed firmly. "You take care of Shawn."

"Yeah, okay." He closed his eyes tightly and sighed. "Tell her I love her."

"I will. And she does love you. Both of you."

Jon stood in front of the desk staring at the phone after Feeny returned the receiver to its cradle.

"Jonathan? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm great. My dad is dyin', and I can't go see him because I can't have any contact with his daughter for a year."

Feeny was quiet for a moment then said, "You were close enough to Audrey's father to consider him your father?"

Eli could see Jon was done talking. "Yeah, he was," he answered for him. "Jon's old man is a self-absorbed workaholic who loves money more than anything or anyone. Turned his back on his kid when his kid needed him most. Richie stepped up and took over."

"And Audrey was..?"

"A baby in England with her mother. Aud's grandmother was real sick and her mom was taking care of her."

"Ah." Feeny frowned and shook his head. "Jonathan, I'll see if there is anything I can do to get this sentence shortened. Or at least get the Board to make an exception if something should happen to Mr. Andrews."

Jon didn't hear him. He was lost in his own fear and grief. And desperately tried to understand how things went so badly so quickly.

And he still had to tell Shawn.

Many thanks for reading and for comments. I really appreciate that you spend time with me.