AN: I watched Goodbye, and it was handled rather well. As good as can be expected for a Disney show. I wish Riley would have been the face in the last shot, and I really hope GMW lands somewhere so they can tell more stories in a more mature way.
This is me hijacking Goodbye and injecting some Rucas into it. I hope you enjoy. I've been working on the next chapter for Tipping the Scales, but it's slow going. I wasn't expecting to ever write a major story, and I definitely didn't realize how much of an investment it would be. I've been living in that world for several months, and I just needed a little break. I will be updating soon. Promise.
In the meantime, let me know what you think about this little one shot. See you soon!
"The place I love running is this place that we're in right now, where your friends come in and you plan the best next steps of your life. Like we're doing right now. This is my bay window, and I'm not leaving it."
"I told you she'd make the right decision."
Riley and Maya screamed, and everyone hugged.
Wrapped up in her mother's warm embrace, Riley pulled back. "I have to go."
"Go? Go where?" Auggie asked.
"There's someone I need to see."
Topanga and Cory both nodded. "Don't stay out too late."
"I won't, Dad."
She gave Maya another hug. Then she hugged her mom one last time. "Thank you so much, Mom."
"You're welcome. This is the best decision for all of us."
Riley nodded into her mother's hair, tears welling up in her eyes. She gave her family one last smile before she was out the door. She ran as fast as she could to get to the subway station, her mind focused on her goal. She tapped her foot nervously on the short ride. She could have ran to his house, but she was so excited she didn't think she could trust herself not to get hit by a car or something.
Lucas lived in a cozy two bedroom apartment on the second floor. She hit the buzzer, but no one responded. She called his cellphone, but he didn't answer.
She sent Zay and Farkle a group text.
Where's Lucas?
Zay responded.
I just dropped him off at home not 10 minutes ago. His parents are out of town, and he wanted to be alone.
Riley hit the buzzer again but still got no answer. She ran around to the side of the building and saw that Lucas' light was on in his bedroom.
"Lucas!" she shouted. "I need to talk to you! It's important!"
She waited for him to acknowledge her, but he never came to the window. She grabbed some gravel from the curb and tried to throw it at his window, but her aim was off and she ended up hit the window below his.
A disgruntled old man opened it.
"Mr. Hall! Can you buzz me in?" Riley asked. "I need to talk to Lucas. It's very important."
"Will you keep it down, girl? Some of us are trying to sleep," he grumbled.
"I promise I will be quiet as a mouse if you buzz me in," she pleaded desperately. "I have to see Lucas. Right now."
The old man mumbled something under his breath before speaking louder, "Maybe he doesn't want to see you."
"Please, sir."
Unbeknownst to Riley or Mr. Hall, Lucas came to the window, having finally heard the noise. He had ignored the buzzing, assuming it was just Zay checking on him, and he wanted to be alone. He listened to the conversation for a moment unsure if he was ready for the conversation they were about to have, but when Riley looked like she was about to cry, he stepped in.
"Riley? What are you doing here?"
"Lucas! I need to talk to you!"
"Mr. Friar!" the old man shouted. "Keep your woman under control! Some of us are trying to sleep."
"Of course, sir. I'm sorry, sir. Riley, I'll buzz you in."
She ran to the door, impatiently bouncing on her toes as she waited for her boyfriend to let her in. When she heard the distinct click of the lock on the door, she rushed inside. Not wanting to wait for the elevator, she turned and raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
Lucas was waiting for her in his doorway when she finally arrived, breathless and panting.
"Where's the fire?" he asked, pulling her into his arms.
She gripped him tightly, not wanting to let go. "I have to tell you something."
He pulled her into the apartment, closing the door behind them.
"Lucas-"
"Wait, Riley. Let me go first," he interrupted her. "I don't want to break up."
Riley shook her head. "I don't either."
He led her to the couch, both of them taking a seat.
"I know 3000 miles is a really long way, but we have survived everything else. Our friendship is strong. I know you aren't as sure about us as you are about you and Maya, but I have thought about it a lot and I am."
"But, Lucas-"
He held a hand up. "No, let me finish. Our friendship is strong, and that's what makes our relationship so strong. We can talk on the phone and facetime. I've already talked to Mrs. Hunter about working at the bakery. I'll save up every penny. The tickets are a bit pricey, over 500 dollars, but I'll convince my parents to let me fly over there for breaks and holidays."
Riley smiled. Her heart feeling so full of love for this boy, who had already look up flight information to see her for a move she wasn't making. "That's really sweet, Lucas, but I need to tell you-"
"I'm sure you guys will come to the states, too. Shawn's here and the Matthews live in Philly. I already talked to my mom, and she said no matter what if you guys were in Pennsylvania, I could come see you. She would even drive me, but I'm taking my driver's test soon and I talked to Pappy Joe. He said he would give me his old pick up truck if I keep my grades up. So I'll be able to get to you, Riles, and take you out on dates and we'll make it special. I'll be there, no matter where you are, I'll come find you."
He scooted a bit closer, grabbing her hand.
"Oh, Lucas, please-"
"I know long distance is crazy, especially at our age, but college is only 3 years away. It will be a hard few years, but I'll go wherever you're going, and we can be together again. I will do whatever it takes, Riley. We just have to try. I don't want to have to tell people you were my first girlfriend. I want to tell them you were my only girlfriend. Please, promise me we will at least try."
She squeezed his hand. "Can I talk now?"
He nodded fervently, urging her to continue. He turned his body fully towards hers, his attention fully focused on her.
"I don't ever want to break up with you either, but I don't want you to change your whole life for me. When the time comes, we should discuss our options and come to a decision together about college. Please, promise me, you won't put aside your dreams for me."
Lucas held onto to her hand a little bit tighter. "I promise, but, Riley, you are my dream. When the time comes, we'll go to college together. I'm sure of it."
Riley smiled sweetly at him. "Okay, but about London, Lucas, I have to tell you something."
Lucas wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Don't break up with me, Riles. We will make this work."
"Lucas! I didn't come here to break up with you! Why would you think that?"
"I just don't want to lose you. I don't want you to go. I'm not ready for this."
Riley started laughing. She couldn't help it. She had been trying to tell Lucas all along that they weren't leaving, and he wouldn't let her get a word in! Lucas misunderstood her laughter and stood up, walking over to the window.
"Lucas, I'm sorry for laughing, but if you would just listen to me-"
"I don't want to hear it, Riley. You're acting so casual about this. It's our future, Riley! You're leaving me, and you're acting like it's no big deal!" Lucas felt his body tense up. He was so tightly wound up. It was taking everything in him not to get angry with her. He didn't want what little time they had left to be spent fighting.
Riley rushed over to the window. "But I'm not!"
"You're not what? Casual? This is serious!"
Riley grabbed Lucas by the shoulders, stopping him from turning away from her again. "Lucas, I'm not leaving!"
"What?"
"My mom doesn't want to leave the bakery. She loves it. She said it was her bay window, so she decided we should stay here."
A big goofy grin spread across his face. "You're staying?"
She nodded, returning his smile with one of her own. "I'm staying."
Lucas let out one of Riley's loud signature 'Yays' before wrapping his arms around her. He picked her up and spun her around the room, Riley giggling the entire time.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked when he finally let her down, coming to sit on the couch and pulling her on his lap, much like he had when they first met.
"I tried!" she giggled.
"God! I feel so stupid. I said all that stuff about the future. You probably think I'm crazy."
Riley grabbed his hand and wrapped her other arm firmly around his shoulders. "I loved what you said, Lucas. It was the most romantic thing. With all the talk about leaving and sweet sixteen, I've been so worried about our lives and our futures. I just wanted time to stop and all this forced me to think about the future. I'm so glad you have been thinking about all this, too."
He let go of her hand to wrap an arm around her waist. "I think about us all the time, Riles. I really care about you."
"I really care about you, too. I don't want to leave you ever. I'm so glad we're staying. I can't imagine my life without you."
She rested her head against his shoulder as he leaned back against the couch to get more comfortable. "Let's just stay like this for a little while longer."
Riley smiled and looked up at him. "I'm not going anywhere."
Lucas stroked her hair, closing his eyes as he tried to focus on just being here, in this moment, with her. He always wanted to have his moment with her, but he was starting to learn that the moments were all hers. He was the one lucky enough to be invited in them. "This is the best feeling in the world. Just you and me and knowing we have time."
Riley smiled, taking in his smell, the feel of his warm chest, his heart rapidly beating next to her ear. She pulled away and scooted off his lap. "I have to tell you something. I can't hold it in anymore."
"What? Is everything okay?" Lucas asked. He looked over her body as if he could find physical evidence for whatever was troubling her.
She nodded, biting her lip and feeling a little nervous. After everything that had happened, everything he said, surely she could share this with him. "I... I love you, Lucas. I know we're young and we haven't been officially together for a really long time, but I know that you're the one for me. I'm in love with you. You don't have to say it back or anything. I just wanted you to know."
She had started off staring into his eyes, but by the end of what she said, she was looking down at her hands. Her voice shook with her nerves, but Lucas couldn't imagine a more perfect moment. He stared at Riley in awe before grabbing her cheeks, urging her to look at him, and giving her a kiss.
"Riley, from the moment I first saw you on the subway, you took my breath away. I looked up and saw your sweet smile, and I couldn't come back down to earth. I must have read the same line in my book 10 times before you fell into my lap. I was so angry that my parents made me move here, and then I got to the school and saw you again, and for the first time, I believed that maybe there was a reason for it. Maybe there was a reason I came here."
"Every day after that as we grew closer and you invited me into your group, I kept wishing for more. More assignments together. More silly jokes. More conversations. More time. When Zay came, I thought you would learn about my past and I would scare you off-"
"Never, Lucas. Nothing you could do would chase me away."
Lucas nodded. "I know. You asked me if I was worth it, and I thought I was, but I knew you were. You were worth it. You're worth every bit of me. You said earlier that we weren't complete without Zay, but Riley, you were the one that made us whole. You made us family. I wanted to be with you so bad, but I didn't want to ruin what we all had. I was so scared we would never get here. I tried to be the kind of man you wanted me to be. A person who would never hurt you or anyone you cared about."
"You are, Lucas. I believe in you. I believe that you are a good man," Riley said as she grabbed his hand, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"I am. Because of you. Because you have shown me what's important. I'm so in love with you. I have been for a long time. I just didn't know if I was ready to say it or if you were ready to hear it."
"I think we are always ready to be honest with each other. I love you," she said again with a bright smile.
"And I love you, too," he smiled back, giving her a gentle kiss.
They spent a little more time kissing and talking, wrapped up in the bliss of being young and in love for the first time before Lucas offered to walk her home. They climbed into her bay window, Riley calling out to her parents she was home.
"You promise you aren't moving to London?" he asked.
Riley giggled. "I promise. I'm not going anywhere. Even if I did, you said you'll find me, right?"
"Always, Riles. I will always come for you."
They kissed again.
"I really do love you," Riley murmured against his lips.
"I know. I love you, too."
"Yuck! Huckleberry, I take it Riley told you the amazing news?" Maya asked when she walked into the room. She had been in the living room with their parents and Josh celebrating.
"Yeah, and I think we need to tell our other friends right now. They shouldn't have to go to sleep worried tonight."
Lucas sent Zay a videochat request while Maya sent one to Smackle and Riley sent one to Farkle. When everyone's requests had been accepted and every phone was pointed at Riley, she shouted, "The Matthews are staying in New York!"
Everyone on the phone screamed and shouted, making so much noise everyone in the apartment raced into her bedroom.
"Kiddo!" Shawn shouted, giving Riley a hug. "I'm really glad you're staying."
"Me, too. I'm going to have so much fun watching you try to figure out this dad thing!" she teased.
"Dad thing?" Farkle asked since they were all still on the phone.
Maya grinned, gesturing for Riley and Lucas to point their phones on her. "I hate to steal Riley's thunder, but... Shawn's adopted me! I'm officially Maya Hunter!"
Again the room was filled with shouts of congratulations and Josh gave her a hug. "Welcome to the family, Hunter."
Maya hugged him back, a blush coloring her features.
"This calls for a celebration. Kids ask your parents if you can come over for a huge sleep over party," Topanga said.
"But, boys!" Cory shrieked.
"They can sleep in Auggie's room since he's over at the Morgenstern's. Josh, you, too," Topanga said, giving him and Maya, who were still standing with their arms wrapped around each other, a pointed look. "Lucas, I'll call your parents and let them know you're with us.
An hour or so later, the six friends, plus Josh, were spread out in the living room in their pajamas. Bowls of popcorn, candy, and cans of soda were scattered over the room. They had planned on watching a few movies, but that had quickly devolved because no one could stop talking. Smackle and Farkle were snuggled up on the chair closest to the door, and Zay sat in the chair opposite of them. Lucas, Riley, Maya, and Josh were all on the couch in a row with the two girls in the middle and Lucas on the end by Zay.
Everyone was too excited to sleep. Maya just kept looking between Josh and Riley, unable to believe that she had finally gotten everything she could ever want. She had a dad, she had a future with Josh, and Riley wasn't going anywhere.
"Bay window?" Maya asked.
Riley looked up at her from her spot under Lucas' arm.
"Bay window," she confirmed, giving Lucas a quick kiss on the cheek.
Josh squeezed Maya's hand before releasing her, not even aware that they had been holding hands this entire time.
"We've come a long way, Maya Hunter," Riley said when they finally sat down, looping their arms together.
"We sure have, Riley Matthews. I want to thank you for showing me how to hope, how to believe. Being your friend has given me everything I could ever possibly want, I don't know how to repay you."
Riley rested her head against Maya's shoulder. "You already have. You've shown me how to stand on my own two feet, how to protect those that matter to you. I love you, Maya. We're going to be together forever now. Matthews and Hunters are bonded for life."
"I love you, too."
The girls hugged, giggling as Maya held up her hand.
"Thunder."
"Lightning."
"Forever."
AN: There you have it, how the show ended in my mind. Fade to black on Riley's smiling face. Lol. I hope you enjoyed it! Tell me what you think! See you soon!