A/N This is kind of my first GMW fic, definitley my first try writing Riarkle. Hopefully it doesn't suck. It hasn't really been edited. Don't forget to revew!

It's a clear blue sky in late August as they sit at the airport terminal, awaiting the flight. It's the least excited she's ever been for a flight. Usually they make her feel giddy and optimistic for something incredible - like traveling around Europe. But that trip was simply in the past now.

In fact, she wasn't even boarding the plane. Her boyfriend was. You can't make it to Oxford easily without a plane, the smart ass in her reminded. It's just not done.

One would think that expressing your love for your best friend of sixteen years would be enough for them to cancel their study abroad trip to England. Especially when you'd just been there - making out in the London Eye and taking cheesy pictures with the Buckingham Palace guards. Yeah, they were that couple.

Riley's heart dropped when she saw the flight attendant turn on her speaker. "Flight 227 to London Heathrow is now boarding. All elders and families with small children may board first." The woman spoke clear as day.

This was the moment she had been dreading for two months. Even since before she and Farkle had gotten together.

—

"I got into the study abroad program at Oxford!" Farkle yelled, busting into the Yale common room, nearly tripping over the arm chair Riley had been studying in.

"Wh-What?" The brunette asked.

"Well," he struggled to catch his breath. "Remember last month when I told everyone that I applied to help with that new study on Neuroscience next semester at Oxford?"

Now this Riley did remember. Last week was Maya's 21st birthday and the gang all gathered in New York to celebrate with the Art student. Riley also remembers getting completely smashed and having to be carried out of Lucas and Maya's apartment by Farkle and Zay. What? Sue her for celebrating her best friend!

Riley sat up and tossed her tattered copy of Pride and Prejudice on the coffee table. "You got in?" She confirmed. The corners of her mouth almost ached from stretching into a fake smile.

"Yes!" He beamed. "First choice, too. Can you believe it?"

"Of course, Farkle, you're…you're you." She answered simply and honestly.

—
"We're really doing this aren't we?" He asked her. Riley could see a flicker of doubt behind his eyes. He didn't want to leave her, she knew this. Almost as much as she didn't want him to go.

"No, babe." She placed a kiss on his bicep, trying to sound encouraging. "You are."

The grip he had on her small hand tightened and they stood up, walking over to the line of passengers that was forming.

Farkle sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist. He rubbed circles on her lower back and bent down to kiss her. She let his lips fall into hers in a tender, but passionate kiss. She tried suppress the tears forming in her eyes, but they were too powerful. Big alligator tears. They rolled down her cheeks like marbles on a glass table. His thumbs found them in time as he swiped them from her jawline.

"I can't believe you're leaving me," she whispered into his neck.

Farkle felt her words like a blow to his chest. The whole summer they'd been together, he had been trying to convince himself that she was ok with his upcoming travels. Deep down he knew this was killing Riley, because it was ripping him to shreds as well.

He's pulled from his thoughts by her quiet sniffles. It was his turn to board. Her grip around his neck tightened even more. Her body was shaking from the soft sobs. Farkle's eyes burned with tears that wouldn't be shed until he was on the plane.

"I love you, Farkle." She whispered in his shoulder.

"And I love you, baby." He kissed the top of her head and each cheek before carefully letting Maya take Riley. She turned and fell into her best friends embrace. Lucas came behind the girl and rested a comforting arm on Riley's shoulder.

—

The first three months flew by. Riley and Farkle video chatted every night, sometimes well into the morning and Farkle would have to rush to his morning lecture. They would talk about everything. About Maya and Lucas adopting a puppy, properly named Sundance, and Zay and Vanessa's latest debacle.

They even tried their version of celebratory phone sex when Riley was promoted to editor of the Yale Daily News. Though they didn't quite get very far due to Farkle's roommate walking in, completely sloshed.

Thanksgiving was a boring day for the both of them as Farkle, being in Europe, still had lectures and exams to study for. Riley spent most of her Turkey Day holes up in her Uncle Josh's room playing xbox with Auggie and Doy. She barely ate a thing despite it being one of her favorite holidays.

At Christmas, Farkle planned to surprise everyone and come home for a few days. However the night before he flew in, his grandmother who lived in Chicago fell and broke her hip, so he was forced to spend the holidays in her hospital room.

Riley desperately tried to catch a flight there but the weather and holiday rush ruined any chance she had of getting a seat. And the drive wouldn't get her there in time for anything but seeing him off again, and she knew her heart couldn't take that.

Needless to say, this was the worst holiday season Riley had ever experienced.

—
Riley wanted to let loose. It was New Years Eve, and throwing all her inhibitions out the window sounded pretty satisfying to her right about now.

She and Maya spent the morning shopping for the hottest outfits, being extra careful not to purchase anything that they knew sixteen other girls would also be wearing that night.

For the first time in almost six months, she felt genuinely happy. She was excited to go out with her best friends and have a good time.

All this changed when they were back at Lucas and Maya's apartment. She tried to call Farkle over FaceTime to ring in the new year on his time. Instead of him picking up on the first ring, it cut off shortly. She tried him again trying not to panic, but wasn't met with anything. Nothing. Radio silence.

"That's weird," she commented, visibly aggravated.

Maya walked out from the bathroom in her robe. "What's up?"

Riley looked up from her spot on the sofa, frowning. "He's not answering my video chat request."

"Farkle?" Riley nodded. "Yeah, that's really weird. Not like him at all."

Worry began to fall over the brunette's face. "You don't think he's hurt, do you?" She asked her best friend.

"Could be worse," Zay cut in as he grabbed a beer from the fridge. "He could be out with another girl."

"Don't be an ass," Maya warned him. She looked back at Riley and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "I'm sure he's just asleep. He's been working non-stop all week tying things up in England and taking his exams."

"I hope you're right." Riley groaned. She glanced out the window at the sunset falling over the soggy streets of Greenwich Village. It had been raining for the better part of the day, an unwelcome break from the continuous blizzards.

An hour later, the gang was sitting around the television watching the live NYE coverage. Taylor Swift was performing, so of course they had to tune in before they all ventured into the city for the parties.

Riley was trying to enjoy her favorite artist but she couldn't get her mind off of her boyfriend. She had tried calling him twice since the unanswered FaceTime call, but he still wasn't answering. She listened to the lyrics of one of the songs Taylor was singing, but the tears were already on their way.

She was about to get up and grab some tissue when there was a loud knock on the door.

Maya and Lucas looked up from their spot in the kitchen. "Riles, could you get that?" the blonde casually summoned her friend. Her hands were full of cookie dough and she didn't feel like touching anything.

The knock came again and Riley huffed out a sigh, standing up and walking over to the door. She was so distracted by the tv that she forgot to look through the peephole. As she opened the door, she saw who was standing before her. Her tired face tumbled into a giant smile and she squealed. Farkle was there, his humongous suitcase and other luggage by his feet. He was holding a bouquet of flowers that was now limp with rain.

Riley lunged herself into his waiting arms. "Hey, kid." Farkle whispered, wrapping his arms around her. He laughed when she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Miss me?"

The brunette nodded. Riley began to sob into his shoulder, like she had when she said goodbye to him that summer. She finally stood back up and took in his sight. His black beanie was icy cold and sopping wet, as was his long winter coat.

"Are you insane? You could get really sick if you stay in this."

Farkle shook his head. "No… But I am crazy for you, Riley. Always."

He caught her smile in another steamy kiss, not caring that all their friends were watching in complete amazement.

"Always." Riley whispered. "I love you, Farkle."

"And I love you, Riley."

She took his gloved hand. "For better or for worse?"

"Forever." He replied. There were so many things he wanted to say and do to her, but all he could do in this moment was place kisses up and down her neck and promise his life and love to her for all the time to come.

Fin