World of Disney

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Time Zone - 2010

            Joanie had not moved an inch from bedside the entire time Robin laid motionless in the only available bed in the Muppet Theater. Scooter, Kermit, and Fozzie found it in the prop room. The bed was the only suitable item to provide some comfort for the small, heavily wounded frog inside of the theater's attic. While Joanie watched him, tears streamed from her eyes, thinking about the reason he was there – her horrible actions as "Dawn." She was completely aware of all that happened during her time as the evil sorceress, unable to control herself or stop herself from hurting the one person she cared about most.

            A lone figure soon entered; it was her son, Sean. He saw her watching Robin intently, hoping for some sort of awakening to emerge from the small frog soon. Unbeknownst to Joanie, she waited on that miracle for nearly an hour. The reason Sean arrived was to alert her of that fact, but he could not bring himself to do it. Instead, he decided to speak of something different: "Brandy's getting Kim and Meagan fixed up right now. I'll admit that the headband isn't as efficient as...whatever it was you did as Dawn...but it gets the job done."

            Joanie was unresponsive to him; she remained staring upon Robin's motionless form. The scene depressed Sean, and he could not think of anything enlightening to say on behalf of Robin's situation. "We'll find a way to help him," he told his young mother, "there are plenty of great doctors here in 2010 that we can take him to and..."

            "You really don't get it, do you?" Joanie uttered, speaking to him for the first time since returning from Agrabah. "I'm the reason he's laying here right now. I'm the one who was responsible for that place being destroyed." She put her head into her hands and cried, "I'm...I'm not sure what I'm becoming anymore."

            Hearing the agony that his young mother went through, Sean knew for certain that he had to say something to lift her spirits. He walked up beside her and placed an arm around her. "I know what you'll become...my mother." Joanie looked to him with teary, hopeful eyes. "I'm sorry that I never told you who I actually was when we first met."

            "Why didn't you?" Joanie asked him. "Is there something about me in the future that made you ashamed to be my son?"

            Sean shook his head. "No, no. It was just...we just never shared much of a bond. Growing up, you were always attached to your work here in the Muppet Theater than you ever were with me. It didn't help being your only son either." He swallowed hard and then added, "Though...despite however far apart we were as mother and son...you always cared about me more than Kim, Meagan, or Ciciley...you watched over me just as much as my father watched over them."

            Listening to his story, Joanie seemed to have understood him more than she had before. "I'm sorry things ended up that way for you...but, if there's anything to come out of this crazy adventure, it's that I've met you. You're living proof that I have a great future ahead of me...and you give me more hope than I could use right now." She leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.

            A bit embarrassed, he muttered, "Glad no one was around to see that."

            Joanie chuckled. "Young or old, there's nothing wrong with getting a kiss from your mother. There's a lot of magic in it. It's almost like a healing touch."