Chapter 1- What Year is it?
A/N: Is this a new story I smell? A story involving both BMW and GMW characters in 2014? But, Veronica, it can't be!
However, it is.
So, I've been working on this idea for a few months now and I realized I am not the first one to think of it on this website. So, if you think I'm copying you it's not intentional, basically, you're not the only one to think of it.
This is a time-travel fic (ugh, another one?) BUT it's where Cory, Topanga, Eric, and Shawny travel twenty years into the future! I'm updating regularly on Saturdays (hopefully) and let's just see how this goes.
Aside: I PROMISE this story will not interfere with Landscapes which isn't going to be over until like next month, so don't worry. ALSO, I've seen all your requests for the main ships in Landscapes and I'm glad you're all so passionate. It will be revealed which ship(s) won during next week's update of Landscapes.
Sorry for keeping you so long, but here it goes, let's hope this doesn't turn out too bad…
Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or Boy Meets World and I do not own any lines taken directly from the show.
XxXxXxX
Shawn woke up in a cold sweat on the flimsy motel bed.
He swore he could literally hear the cockroaches and mice skittering about the floor and the two shady people next door who walked in with a big dark suitcase. He didn't want to be here anymore than the next guy and to be honest, he was a little creeped out. However, his dad would be pissed if Shawn called him up at this hour, especially when he told Shawn he'd be back in a day or two. He knew he should believe his dad, but when did that ever help him?
He had fallen asleep immediately when he reached the motel, not caring that there was an odd, potato-shaped stain on the sheets or that his door had three separate locks. He was tired and it had been a painfully long day, especially having to see his dad lying up there to his entire class and Mr. Turner.
Mr. Turner.
Shawn suddenly remembered that Mr. Turner's apartment wasn't far from the crappy motel. He remembered a few weeks ago when Turner had given him and Cory his address so they could turn in their book reports over the weekend. He jumped out of bed, throwing on his sneakers as quick as he could. He didn't want to be in that creepy motel one minute longer; maybe Turner would let Shawn crash at his place for a night until his dad came back.
The air was stale and cold as Shawn exited the motel, making sure to bring his room key and lock every lock, (turns out there were four). The cold was making him sluggish as he tried to remember the way to Turner's apartment. It was a bad part of town and Shawn reminded himself constantly to look over his shoulder, reprimanding himself silently that he should have asked the guy in the cashier's cage for a weapon or something.
He wouldn't admit that he was mad at his father, or even his mother, but he was definitely upset that his dad just kind of dumped him off at the motel. He could have at least had the courtesy to leave him at Cory's place but his father was absolutely sure he would be back in less than a day with his wife and they would all go back to the trailer park.
Except, it just wasn't that simple sometimes.
His dad was as colorful and as fun as his stories, nobody could argue with that, but Shawn always had to remind himself that they were all just stories. His dad sold car parts for a living and that was it. He wasn't an idea man, he didn't invent things; he sold car parts because he got laid off from his last job. Selling car mechanics wasn't even that bad of a job. Sure, he was no grocer but at least he put food on the table every night for his family. He didn't have to lie to make anyone proud except himself.
Shawn reached Turner's apartment a few blocks later after taking a few wrong turns and hurried up to the fifth floor. He knocked with fumbling fingers due to the freezing night and his eyes rested upon the brass 8 on the door which opened two seconds later just as he was about to knock again. Mr. Turner stood their, a sort of anxious expression on his face and dressed casually, nothing like Shawn had seen in school. He glanced into the apartment and saw candles and music and suddenly grew nervous. He was interrupting something.
"Hey, um, Mr. Turner. Sorry, I had a question." He stopped before he rambled off and glanced inside again. "Am I interrupting anything?" He stopped when he noticed his blonde math teacher sitting on Turner's couch and exclaimed; "Hey! Look, it's Ms. Tompkins!"
Turner stood across from him, his stance nervous and impatient. "Yeah," he replied curtly. "I know."
Shawn shrugged. "Boy, you teachers sure work a lo-ohhhh." He trailed off as he finally realized what the candles and music were for. A little voice in the back of his head was yelling at him to get out of there before he upset Mr. Turner even more. "Sorry, Mr. Turner, I didn't know you guys had, like, personal lives." He apologized weakly.
Mr. Turner looked over at Ms. Tompkins briefly before turning back to him. "Hunter." He greeted awkwardly, but Shawn could barely hear him over the blood rushing to his ears as he turned red with embarrassment.
"How ya doin'!" Shawn grinned, attempting to stop the uncomfortable tension between him and his English teacher.
"You wanna come in?" Turner offered, stepping away from the door.
"You got… company."
"It's okay." Ms. Tompkins reassured the English teacher as she stood from the couch and breezed her way over to the door, bag in her hand.
"Kat, where you going?" Turner questioned, trying to fix the situation.
Shawn jumped in. "Yeah, it's okay, stay. We'll hang." He offered, grinning falsely. He was making the problem even worse for Turner. Monday was gonna be a hell of a day for Shawn in Turner's class if he accidentally broke the couple up. It was definitely a bad time.
"Another time." Ms. Tompkins answered, pecking Mr. Turner on the cheek subtly. "We'll talk." She reassured him.
"We'll talk." He responded, his mood suddenly sullen. Shawn stepped inside as she left, his face hopefully returning to its original color.
"I like her, do you like her? I like her." He was rambling again as Turner closed the door and shot him a look.
"Yeah, I do." He answered calmly. "So, Hunter, what are you doin' out so late?" He questioned, hopefully changing the subject. Shawn paused, averting his gaze from Turner. Now he would actually have to say why he was there.
Or maybe he didn't.
"Well, y'know, my dad's still out looking for mom and well, um, I had this thought." He started, turning away from his teacher so not to see his expression. He really wasn't in the mood to get another teacher mad at him. "About, well, the homework." He continued as Mr. Turner shut off the quiet jazz music he had put on earlier. He searched his mind for anything to say about English, homework, school, anything at all. "You know that Forest Hemingway guy? When do we get to read his stuff?" He improvised, the name suddenly striking him like lightning. Turner gave him a confused look, probably perplexed as to hy a kid like Shawn Hunter even cared.
"Next year." Turner provided simply. Shawn nodded profusely, already wanting to leave. It was a dumb idea to come.
"Okay, just checking. I heard he was good."
Turner continued though. "You came all the way over here for that?" He asked, obviously reading Shawn's expression. The kid turned away immediately, hoping to form some sort of poker face.
"Hey," he scoffed. "You're the English teacher, I figured there was no one else I could ask."
Because you certainly can't ask your father. That little voice persisted; he mentally kicked himself and told the voice to shut up.
"Well, I'm flattered" Mr. Turner followed him into the kitchen and began cleaning up the leftovers of his and Ms. Tompkins date and Shawn felt nervous again.
"Boy, you guys were really havin' some dinner, huh?" He commented briefly, ignoring the growling in his stomach. He hadn't eaten since school that day and even then he barely touched his food due to just receiving the news that his mother took off, with their house.
"There's plenty left over if you want." Turner offered and Shawn resisted the urge to jump at the chance for food. He didn't need anyone's charity.
"Nah, I mean, I ate and everything." He refused, his eyes resting on the left over pasta and cheese which tempted him even more.
"Mind if I put it away?" Turner asked cautiously as if Shawn was about to do something crazy. The kid dove towards the food anxiously, grabbing the bowl from Turner.
"NO, well, I might pick at it…" He shrugged, sitting down with the food as his mouth watered. He dug in immediately, ignoring Mr. Turner sitting across from him. The taste filled his mouth and he nearly sighed from the relief of finally having something to eat. He wasn't exactly starving but he hadn't had any cash to get food from the cheap vending machines at the motel and usually he ate like a horse every day after school.
"Would a napkin slow you down?" Mr. Turner laughed, tossing him a paper towel from the table which Shawn accepted through a mouthful of pasta. "So, Shawn," his teacher started and Shawn almost groaned. He knew what this conversation was going to be. "Where you stayin' until your father gets back?"
"Great place." Shawn lied through his teeth. "My dad gave me some money so I'm staying at the motel down the street." He didn't add that his dad had only given him twenty bucks which would last him two nights before he was sucked dry.
"The one down on seventh?" Turner nearly exclaimed, worry evident in his tone. "You sure you're gonna be alright there?" He questioned and Shawn almost rolled his eyes. He didn't need an ethics lecture at this time of night.
"Uh-huh," he replied confidently. "The guy in the cashier's cage gave me sheets and everything."
"Look if you wanna save your money you could just," He hesitated before continuing as if he wasn't sure. "Crash here tonight."
"Nah, I already paid 'em to turn the cable on and everything." He retorted in a slight joking manner even though it was true. Turner sighed as he stood up, looking as if he were about to regret something.
"Look, take a seat, watch some free TV and give me and minute to clean this up and I'll drop you off." Shawn nodded, not letting go of the bowl as he took a seat on the couch. Turner continued talking as he cleaned up the dinner. "Y'know Hunter, since you're gonna be staying down the road, I mean, feel free to drop by." Mr. Turner offered and Shawn scoffed to himself. One time was fine but just dropping by to drop by was way beyond weird. He finished eating as his teacher kept talking to fill the awkward silence of the room and he placed the bowl on the table next to him so he wouldn't have to get up. The sofa was so comfortable and he felt like he could die right there on it and just never wake up. He slowly found himself drifting off and hoped Mr. Turner wasn't saying something important. He wondered if Mr. Turner would hate him for staying on his couch and eating his food though he kind of doubted it.
Mr. Turner was a pretty cool teacher, Shawn decided before falling asleep.
XxXxXxX
"I don't know mom, he just sorta left after that!" Cory groaned in frustration as he attempted to explain the situation between Shawn and his parents that evening at dinner. His brother and sister were obviously sick of this conversation and Eric finally stood up, interrupting their meal.
"Look, if you're so worried about him let's go and I'll take you to find him." He sighed. Upon noticing his brother's burnt hair and hand from the stove AND the iron he backed away.
"I don't really want you driving me around right now." Cory answered simply and Eric shrugged before sitting back down, not noticing he accidentally put his hand in his glass of water.
"Cory, Eric, if you're really that worried, I'll drive you." Alan offered, pushing back his seat and standing up. Cory nodded eagerly and Eric muttered something about the SAT'S but followed his father and brother out to the car anyway. Cory starting listing off the places that Shawn could be as they drove around town, but as dark fell he realized that they weren't going to find him just wandering the streets at ten at night. Cory sighed in frustration that they weren't going to find his friend tonight and if he knew Shawn he knew that he could be doing something potentially dangerous or life-threatening whenever he was left alone or really upset and just not exteriorizing it. Cory closed his eyes and though about where on earth Shawn could be and why he couldn't have just stayed at school. His friend was so confusing sometimes.
"Cory, Eric! Watch out!" Were the last panicked words he heard from his father and as his eyes shot open the last thing he saw was a blinding light and the feeling of his body being thrown forward.
XxXxXxX
Topanga only wanted to wake up next to Cory Matthews on an uncomfortable, concrete floor once in her life; but, here she was again.
Her head spun as she tried to get into a sitting position and she blinked, her eyes adjusting to the horribly bright fluorescent lighting of the cold room. The floors were hard and freezing and she wondered for a moment if she and Cory had been kidnapped and would never see their parents again. Then she noticed Shawn and Eric passed out on her other side and immediately dismissed the thought. Who would kidnap them?
"Cory, Cory wake up!" she pleaded in a hissing whisper. She was already afraid of the looks other people were giving her as they walked by and as the sound of a rushing train flew by her ears she suddenly realized they were in the subway and relaxed. The only question was, how the hell did they get there?
"Five more minutes, Lindsey." He moaned in a tired voice and Topanga angrily shook him awake.
"Who the heck is Lindsey?" She asked as he opened his eyes slowly and stared up at her. She was confused enough and didn't need her crush moaning about some Lindsey chick.
"Lohan." Cory sounded as confused as her as he muttered out the last name and saw her relax. "Do you know where we are?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked around the subway platform.
"The subway, but I don't know how we got down here." She commented truthfully. She heard stirring next to her and Cory looked over her shoulder and noticed Eric and Shawn beginning to wake up.
"Shawny! There you are, we were looking all over for you!" Cory threw his arms around his best friend, knocking them both to the concrete again. Topanga rolled her eyes at her friends' silliness but dismissed it anyway.
"Is that how we got down here?" Topanga persisted her questioning. She really wasn't in the mood to miss homeroom because she woke up in a subway that morning. Plus, train hair wasn't all that attractive.
"Maybe." Cory shrugged, too preoccupied already asking Shawn about how his dad was and where he went.
"The last thing I remember we were riding in dad's car and I think he crashed it because he told us to look out." Eric muttered, turning to his brother.
"Your dad? Well that doesn't explain how Shawn and I got down here." Topanga commented brashly, crossing her arms over her chest. She could tell it was morning by the way the sunlight streamed through the stair way that led up to the city and she had no idea why she was there.
"Wait a minute, this is like that scene from that one movie; I Accidentally Time Traveled in a Car." Shawn's eyes lit up like he had just solved a mystery. "Topanga, go ask someone what year we're in." He ordered, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. Topanga reluctantly got up and walked over to a well-dressed woman sitting on a bench with a really weird hat on.
"Excuse me ma'am, what day is it today?" She questioned politely, growing a little afraid of the way the woman was eyeing everyone like they were crazy.
"September 21st, 2014."
XxXxXxX
Whew! Was that long. Well, I hope you guys liked my opening chapter and you'll be interested in reading more. I meant to post this tomorrow night but I guess tonight is cool too. Well, leave a review if you think I should continue and have a nice week!