Title: It was always right there in front of me.
Summary: After a huge fight with Riley, Lucas falls asleep dreaming of a life where Riley is his best friend. However, after meeting Maya maybe Lucas will finally realize what or who was right there in front of him.

This is an AU dream sequence. I have had this idea for a while and thought I would give it a go. This is dedicated to my girl Kat aka theobserver0425 for helping me with some ideas and stuff.

"Riles I am home"

"In the kitchen."

Lucas smiles at his fiancé's reply, placing his keys and wallet on the little stand they have just by the front door. He makes his way to where his fiancé is and stops quite suddenly in his tracks, the whole kitchen is filled with notes, books, food and various types of ribbon.

"Uh…Riles?"

"Hmmm?"

"What happened to our kitchen?"

Riley looks up from the documents she was looking at and glances around, her eyebrows furrowing, she looks back and shrugs.

"I was planning the wedding, which I was wondering if you could sit down with me tonight and help me?"

Lucas suppresses a groan as he heads towards the fridge grabbing a bottle of water and leaning against the counter. He loved that Riley couldn't wait to get married, but he feels like he hasn't spent any quality time with Riley that didn't revolve around the wedding. He can't wait to marry her, but he has finals coming up and a group project to finish and he can't do it all out once, and all he wants to do when he comes home from school is lie on the couch and cuddle with Riley.

"Lucas?"

Lucas shakes his head, clearing his running thoughts and putting all his focus on Riley who is looking at him with concern.

"Did you hear what I said?"

He shakes his head "No sorry."

"Oh, well I was just wondering if you would go over guest list and the menu?"

Lucas closes his eyes, trying to not snap.

"Riley can we please take a break, I just want to sit down and relax before I have to do work on this group project."

"Oh…ok. You mean the group project with Kate?"

Lucas opens his eyes and sees Riley looking at him, a blank look in her face. He sighs, Kate has pretty much been his partner since he started his Vet course and even though Riley knows he loves her, she still got insecure and still felt like she wasn't good enough. It really frustrated him at times.

"Yes with Kate."

Riley nodded, and went back to her documents, the kitchen suddenly filling with tension. Lucas shakes his head; all he feels like lately is tension in the apartment. He feels a distance with Riley that has never been a factor in their relationship even with all the trouble with Maya in middle school and the start of high school.

Lucas was making something to eat, while Riley started packing up all the wedding planning.

"It's just you have been spending a lot of time with her." Riley's says her voice sounding small, Lucas turns from the pantry to look at Riley.

"Riley this group project is half my grade, of course I need to spend time with her in order to complete it."

"I know. I just-"Riley starts but stops herself, not wanting to start anything.

"Riley what?"

"Nothing."

"No Riley, tell me! Something is clearly bothering you and I am starting to wonder why you aren't telling me."

Riley mumbles something under her breath, and Lucas strains her hear her but he couldn't.

"Riley can you tell me what is on your mind, I thought we got past your insecurities."

Riley twirls around a fire blazing in her eyes "It's not something I can turn off Lucas"

"I just feel this is an ongoing issue though Riles."

"Well I am sorry Lucas, that I can't be as care free as other people, it's not in my nature. I can't help it if I am jealous that Kate spends more time with you then I do, your fiancé? And I can't help it that I feel like you don't even care about this wedding."

Lucas groaned "Riley, I do care, but this is my career we are talking about, and Kate is apart of that."

"I know that Lucas, but we are getting married in three months, right after you graduate and you haven't helped once! I don't want this wedding to be just about me, I am just asking you to help me!"

"Yeah well I am asking you to cut me some slack and actually trust me"

"How can you say I don't trust you? It's not even about trust, Lucas if I can't trust you who can I trust?"

Lucas scoffs, the pressure from the last couple of weeks finally reaching boiling point.

"At the back of your mind you haven't trusted me completely, not since I kissed Maya at the camp fire and not since I got into Vet School and was leaving for after our senior year and didn't tell you. It's like you are waiting for me to mess up. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been easier if I had chosen Maya all those years ago."

The moment he said it, he regretted it. He watches the hurt cross her face and he felt sick to the stomach.

Riley felt like she had been kicked in the gut, that was one thing she always asked herself, why he choose her over Maya. She took a deep shaky breath, feeling her heart clench in pain, looking away from Lucas and collecting all her things.

"Riley-" Lucas reaches out to grab Riley but she dodges his touch

"I am going to go and stay with mom and dad for the night."

He watches as she leaves the room heading to their bedroom, mentally kicking himself for saying what he did. He slowly follows the path Riley took and watches at the door as she packs an overnight bag.

"Riley I am sorry."

"I know Lucas, but I think we need a night away. You clearly need some sleep." She doesn't even turn around when she speaks, which hurts Lucas even more. He nods, not knowing what to say to convince her to say. No matter how much it hurts him, he would always do what she wanted, giver her everything she asked for.

Even if what she wanted was space.

"Don't forget to feed Juliet and I will uh call when I am coming home."

"Riles you don't need to ring."

Riley shakes her head, grabbing her bag and moving past Lucas. The tears in her eyes clearly evident.

"No, I want to make you happy, and you are clearly stressed. I shouldn't be pushing this wedding on you, besides I should spend some time with my family." She leans up and kisses him softly on the cheek, before walking out the door. Lucas stays in the same spot against the bedroom door until he hears the front door shut with a soft click. He leans his head in defeat against the frame, only moving when he hears a soft meow and a warm body rub against his leg.

He looks down and gives a small smile.

"Looks like it's just you and me tonight Juliet, why don't I feed you and then we got to sleep hey."

Juliet meows in agreeance and Lucas chuckles, picking her up and heading towards the kitchen.

Lucas flops onto the bed, suddenly feeling exhausted from the whole day and waits until Juliet jumps onto the bed beside him before he turns off the lamp, darkness flooding the room and leaving him alone with his thoughts. He sighs as he closes his eyes, and before he knows it the exhaustion from the last couple of weeks aided with his fight from Riley pulls him into deep sleep.

Lucas wakes at the sound of his alarm blaring and the smell of pancakes, he rolls over and slaps the alarm clock putting a stop to the awful sound. He sits up and rubs his eyes before slowly getting ready for the day. He ambles down the stairs and enters the kitchen to the sound of laughing and a beautiful brunette sitting at the table.

"Riles!"

Riley looks away from his mom who was cooking at the stove and rushes over to him pulling him into a bone crushing hug.

"LUCAS!" Lucas wraps his arm around her and pulls her closer. They stay like that for a while before they pull apart looking at each other with big smiles.

"Ready to start our senior year?" Riley asks and Lucas wraps her in a side hug kissing her temple, wanting to keep her close like he always does.

"With my best friend? Always!"