Home is Where the Hart Is Chapter 8, a girl meets world fanfic

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It broke Maya's heart to hear Ginny's screams echo down the hall, but it had to be done. She had been with them constantly for a week, and she needed to get back to her normal routine. Maya had talked it over with Josh for hours, and they had come to the agreement that it was time for Ginny to go back to preschool. It didn't hurt any less knowing that it was for the best. They had to make sure that the four year old could get on fine when they were on their honeymoon.

The idiotic ladies at the front desk smiled sympathetically at her, but she wouldn't have it. It was because of them that they were in this mess. They had let a psycho take her daughter away for almost two weeks. If anything, they should be feeling sorry for themselves. With her soon to be brother-in-law as the senator of New York those ladies wouldn't know what hit them.

Maya made her way down the street to the subway station. She had to get back to work so that she wouldn't have to bring anything with her on the honeymoon. She also needed to add some last minute alterations to her dress in order to fit her slightly thicker frame. She had been forced to tell Riley the news so that she wasn't confused when her best friend was letting out the dress a bit. Riley had reacted in the normal Riley way with her shouts of 'Yay' and jumping up and down thus leading her to fall.

The blonde made her way to her office and refused to leave her sewing machine once she was there. Throwing herself into her work helped take her mind off of Ginny's cries. The more she thought about the helplessness the harder she worked. She didn't even notice Riley placing her lunch next to her. She forwent lunch and continued working. She came around after the hours of hard work to hear Riley shouting. "Maya! You have to go pick up Regina!" She yelled. Maya hadn't noticed the time until now, and she realized how late it was.

The blonde grabbed her purse and headed out the door thanking her friend for reminding her. She reached the preschool as quick as possible since she was late. She saw Regina's teacher sitting with the disheveled and tired girl. It must have been as difficult as she thought. "Hi, Baby doll." Maya greeted and pulled Ginny into a hug. The four year old stiffened at the contact, and Maya pulled away confusion written on her face. "Ginny, what's wrong?" She questioned.

Ginny turned her head refusing to answer the question. She was angry. "Let's go, Mother." She said, her voice clipped. Maya rolled her eyes, hoping that her daughter didn't see. She didn't want her attitude to transfer to the four year old's already very haughty one. Maya tried to hold her hand as they walked to the subway, but every time, Ginny pulled away. Maya resorted to holding onto the top of her back pack.

The subway ride was unusually quiet, and Maya waited patiently for Ginny to tell of her day, but was met with silence. As the people filed out of the car, Ginny tried to get lost in the crowd, but Maya made sure she had her in her sights. "Regina, you have to hold my hand so I don't lose you." She instructed. Regina complied, but held her hand as far out as she could. Maya tried to bring her closer, but she dug her heals into the ground every time. The woman huffed, and continued toward their apartment.

The two entered the apartment, and as soon as they did, Regina took off toward her room. Maya groaned when she heard the door slam shut and Ginny's frustrated scream. Josh walked out of his office to see Maya leaning against the counter, her fingers rubbing her temples trying to relieve the oncoming headache. "What's with her?" The man asked pulling his fiancée in for a hug. Maya shook her head and groaned.

"She won't tell me, but I think she's mad that we made her go to preschool. You should have heard her scream. Good Lord, it killed me." She explained and turned to the stove to begin dinner. Josh felt bad that Maya had to be the one to take the brunt of their daughter's attitude today. "You know, if she hadn't gone through so much abuse the time she was gone, I would suggest that we spank her." She thought aloud. Josh nodded his agreement. If Ginny had acted this way before the last two weeks, she would have had her back porch painted red.

"I'll talk to her." Josh told her. Maya looked stressed enough and he didn't want her to be even more. She kissed him in thanks, and he took off down the hall. When he approached his daughter's door, Josh heard her knocking things over, and her screams of frustration. He opened the door, and looked upon the sight in front of him.

Ginny had officially stopped throwing things when he had opened the door, and she lay in a crumpled heap in the middle of her carpet. Her Christmas dresses from Maya her strewn across the floor, it seemed that she had tried to tear them up in defiance but her muscle-less four year old arms had failed her. The doll house Josh had built for her first birthday was tipped over crushing the dolls inside and around it. The room was a mess. And it looked like the biggest mess of all was Ginny.

Josh reached down and scooped her up. She protested, and tried to swat his arms away. It didn't work because Josh didn't even flinch as he placed her next to him on her bed. Ginny thrust her head into the pillow-less mattress, and refused to look anywhere near her father. Josh huffed, and placed her in his lap instead. "Regina Grace Matthews, you need to apologize to Mommy." He told her. She shook her head, her eyes filled with hatred. "Regina." He said again, a bit more stern. She shook her head again.

"No! She's a bad mommy 'cause she left me at school. Alone! She's a bad mommy and you're a bad daddy!" She exclaimed. Josh rubbed his hands over his face. He knew that was why she was mad, but he had thought that once she was school and with her friends she would be fine.

"Regina, we had to take you back. It's the law to go to school." He knew that it really wasn't for preschoolers, but anything to get her on their side. "You don't want to go to jail, do you?" She shook her head furiously. "And Mommy and me only did it because we love you. You have to go to school. And we leave for our honeymoon next week. So you had to be ready to be without us for a while. And if you go to school it's only for the day, you'll see us at night." He tried to explain.

"No! I hate school, and I hate you and Mommy for making me go!" She shouted, still not giving up. Gosh, she was stubborn. If he didn't know better, he really would have thought she was Maya's biological daughter.

"You don't hate us." He said. Ginny nodded and turned away from him. "Well, we don't hate you." He told her. She shook her head again.

"Yes you do. You make me go to school. You hate me." She told him, tears coming to her eyes. Josh pulled her into his arms, and he let her cry for a little bit before returning to reality. He knew that they shouldn't be coddling her like this, but she had been through so much.

"We could never hate you, Princess. Mommy and I love you so much. That's why we want you to go to school, that way you won't be sad when we go away next week." He reasoned, now that her sobs had stopped. Ginny still didn't say anything. "But, you still are in trouble, and have to apologize to Mommy." He told her. She nodded. Josh stood up and beckoned her to follow him into the kitchen. Maya was standing over a large pot of Ratatouille, adding some last minute ingredients to the soup.

"Regina Grace, don't you have something to say to Mommy?" Josh said, grabbing Maya's attention. Ginny shook her head, but then nodded her head when Josh sent her a knowing look. She stepped a bit forward to stand close to Maya who had gotten down on Ginny's level.

"I'm sorry, Mommy. I don't hate you and Daddy. I'll be a good girl and go to school." She said before being enveloped in Maya's arms. The blonde kissed her daughter's brown locks, and smiled up at her fiancé. She was glad that Josh had talked some sense into the girl, and they would be able to eat in peace.

"I love you, Baby. I forgive you." She kissed her forehead before turning back to the Ratatouille. Ginny didn't leave Maya's side the rest of the night, hoping that that would prove how sorry she really was. Josh smiled at his girls, they had started the little trek to getting Ginny back.

-GMW—

The butterflies in Maya's stomach just wouldn't go away. Well, she didn't know if it was morning sickness or nerves, and she really really hoped it was the latter. Goodness, she didn't want to get sick on her wedding day. Ah, how she loved to think those words as she was getting tied up in her dress. Riley was helping her finish prepping then would turn to Regina who was antsy to get ready. While Riley was helping Regina let out some of her energy, Smackle put the finishing touches on her hair.

Maya couldn't stop smiling, and she smiled even brighter when Regina bounded towards her in her flower girl dress. The four year old sat in her lap while she watched Riley and Smackle put the finishing touches on their makeup. Amy and Katy stood to the side beaming with joy, and trying to keep the pre wedding tears at bay. Maya decided to cry it all out before her makeup was put on, so she hoped to not cry until she was at the altar, or better yet, not at all.

"Maya?" Shawn called into the room. All the girls turned toward the door that Shawn had barely opened. "Their ready for you." He said opening the door a bit more. He beamed at his stepdaughter in all her blushing bride beauty. She smiled back at him, and it took even more effort to not cry when she saw the tears in his eyes. The girls trickled out, and left the two.

"I'm ready, Dad." She said as they latched arms. Shawn pulled the door open, and tried not to lose it as they sat in the church's welcome center just off of the sanctuary. Maya tried not to lose it when the wedding procession started, and she saw Ginny throw the petals and start running to Josh when there weren't any left.

Maya had to use all of her might to keep from crying when she started walking down the aisle with Shawn, and saw the way that Josh was looking at her. The walk seemed to take forever, but they finally reached the altar, and Maya had to be brought back to the wedding at present when the pastor asked who was giving her away.

"Her mother and I." Shawn had replied, and handed Maya off to Josh. The rest of the wedding mostly went with Maya trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Then Josh trying to swallow the lump in his throat. A whole lot of crying coming from the mothers, and Ginny and Danny screaming 'EW' when they kissed.

They then continued to Topanga's where Riley and Ava had worked forever to get it just perfect for the newlyweds. Katy had done the cooking and baking, and Maya couldn't have chosen a better caterer. While they waited for the pictures to start, Riley came and hugged her best friend so fiercely she thought she might pop.

"I can't believe you're my aunt." She teased. Maya giggled, and retorted how she always knew she would be. "But I could never ask for a better aunt than my best friend." She conceded, and Maya had to swallow back tears for the thousandth time that night.

"Riles, I can't believe your dad's my brother-in-law." The bride laughed. She laughed even harder when she realized Cory had overheard her, and screamed like a girl before ducking behind the counter. The two best friends busted out laughing along with their husbands. It took Shawn 20 minutes to get Cory from his hiding spot.

The people at the reception turned their heads when they saw Regina standing on an uncovered table, and clanking a glass with her knife. "Attention everybody! My name is Regina Grace Matthews, and my cousin Riley helped me set something up for my mommy and daddy. Cousin Lucas please!" She shouted across the room to Riley's husband who sat near the speakers. He nodded his head and pressed play when Riley had reached her cousin.

The opening chords to a country song started and Maya nearly groaned, but kept it under wraps because her daughter was doing something incredibly sweet. Although, she had to have known it would be something country if Riley was helping; she had become country-fied after marrying Lucas.

"I felt I was spinning my wheels
Before too long the road was calling
I packed everything I own
So sure that I was leaving this small town life behind for good
And not a single tear was falling
It took leaving for me to understand
Sometimes your dreams just aren't what life has planned

Mama said home is where the heart is
When I left that town
I made it all the way to West Virginia
And that's where my heart found
Exactly where I'm supposed to be
It didn't take much time
It's just south of the Mason Dixon line

I worked third shift at an all-night diner
Only stayed to save a little money for
Enough gas to make it to the east coast
That's when I saw the brightest pair of
Deep blue eyes walking straight into my life
And every night we talked till it became so clear
And I could feel those dreams inside shifting gears
Cause love brought me here

And now I'm standing in my veil about to say I do
As mama smiles with tear drops in her eyes
And then I realize there's something mama always knew
Love is what I really left to find

At that point, Maya had stopped trying to hold back tears. She was crying freely from how thoughtful her best friend was to spend her time working with Ginny to sing that song. She looked to the right and saw Josh crying as well. Actually, as she glanced around the room, there wasn't a single dry eye. Maya hadn't actually heard Ginny sing enough to know she was that good of a singer.

Ginny came jumping to them, and was gladly embraced by her parents. They kissed her and told her how much she meant to them, and her smile seemed to only grow with each compliment she received from the wedding goers. Before the food was served, she turned to her parents, "I want to do that when I grow up." She whispered, and they only encouraged her. She would be perfect.

Sadly, like all great things, the night had to end. But with the wedding ending only meant the honeymoon was beginning. Maya and Josh waved their goodbyes to everyone from the car, and blew kisses to Ginny who would be staying with Katy and Shawn for half the week and Amy and Allen for the other half.

"I love you so much." Maya told Josh as they made their way to the airport. He smiled a cocky smile, and pointed to his cheek for a kiss. Maya giggled and kissed him gladly.

"I love you too." He replied as they parked the car. He grabbed their bags, and took them to the station to wait for the bus. When they got on, they were met with cheers from the riders, Maya blushed profusely, and Josh only basked in the glory. He always had been a cocky son of a bitch.

They were met with even more cheers once they entered the airport, and when their bags were checked Josh started carrying Maya bridle style everywhere they went. She giggled and protested, but didn't really do anything secretly loving the attention as well.

They changed in the restrooms while waiting to board the plane. "Hey, we're married." Maya said sitting in his lap after putting her comfy clothes on. Josh nodded, and nuzzled her hair.

"Yeah, we're married." Then he kissed her passionately, not caring who saw. They were married after all.

AN: Ok, so I like hate reading weddings, and the sappy vows that people come up with. No offense to those people, I just hate reading and writing them. So I kept the wedding short and sweet. IDK but I felt like it was a bit rushed, tell me if you guys felt that way too, but I didn't really know what to do here, so I thought hey a wedding! But yeah it seems rushed to me. I'm also just crappy at writing weddings so that may be it. And the song is called "Home is Where the Heart Is" by Lady Antebellum (they're my favorite band). Alright well anyway, tell me your thoughts I really like hearing feedback.