Author Note: Another pull from the request jar. Enjoy!

Nyquil Haze

Riley's head was swimming as she sat on her couch, a Hallmark movie was on, she was sure she saw Mariah Carey, but it had to be the Nyquil she had chugged not long before. Why wasn't she falling asleep? That's all she wanted to do.

This cold was kicking her ass. It was the only way she could explain it. Her head hurt, her nose was stuffed up, she was cold, then hot, her throat felt like it was on fire.

She didn't want to think about her hair, less than a week ago she'd gone to get it styled differently to enter in her twenties—maybe even prepare to see him again, but now a week later it was a tangled knot on the top of her head.

At least she was home alone, she was thankful she convinced Maya and Smackle to go to the Christmas party without her. It was Zay's annual Ugly Christmas Sweater party, which just meant he'd have Christmas Vacation on, a keg flowing of Keystone Light, and everyone would be dressed in ugly sweaters.

It also meant Lucas was back for the Holiday's.

Her headache throbbed at the thought of him.

She wrapped her fuzzy blanket around her body, trying to ignore thoughts of him, but she couldn't focus on anything but memories of him.

His lips on her neck, his hands on her body, sunshine on their skin as they rolled around on the blanket in the park. She easily could get lost in him, in them, and she did.

They broke up before they left for college, Lucas was going to Texas A&M, Riley was going to Berkley. He thrived in Texas, had a new Girlfriend by the time they all came home for winter break. Riley meanwhile wasn't happy in California, she transferred to NYU the next year, moving into an apartment with Maya and Smackle. She dated around, eventually getting sort of serious with Bradley.

Bradley turned out to be a bore. Oh, sure he did everything right. But the spark, the connection just wasn't there. So, when he proposed after a romantic dinner at his favorite Italian restaurant, she knew they were at the end. Of course, only a few hours later she was online when she saw the comments from her friends on a picture Lucas had posted of him and, whatever the bleach blonde was named.

Seeing that picture of Lucas and whatever her name had hurt her more than realizing she'd been in a nowhere relationship.

That was six months ago, and now her blood still boiled over it. What was wrong with her? Had she watched too many of these damn movies where old loves reunite.

Riley had never been so thankful for a cold in her entire life. She was far too sick to go to this stupid party she never enjoyed—really, she would much rather spend the night with hot cocoa—maybe a little peppermint schnapps in it, and White Christmas playing on the TV.

If she closed her eyes she could almost feel it, see it, the only thing that let her know it was a fantasy was picturing Lucas next to her.

Riley opened her eyes, she hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep. Someone was knocking on her door. Fuck Maya must've forgotten her key and Smackle must've eaten the Rum Cake that ugh she didn't even know who made it just that it was strong and made her stomach turn at the scent of it.

The knocking on her door continued, "Riley are you okay?" the voice was muffled against her clogged ears as she pushed herself up from the couch.

She hugged her body, still feeling cold even as she wore her old Yankees hoodie—okay it was Lucas' she stole it from him years ago and it was too comfortable for her to ever think of giving it back. He would have to pry it from her cold, dead body.

"Riley, open the door." The voice pleaded before the sound of the locks turning could be heard.

Riley opened the door, leaving the chain up, "What is going on?" She looked up, her heart racing, it had to be the Nyquil this couldn't be real.

Lucas stood on the other side of the door, "I um missed you at the party. I heard you weren't feeling well and I just wanted to come check on you."

"Just a minute." Her voice hoarse and stuffy as she closed the door to undo the chain, she figured if she looked awful he wouldn't care, he didn't care about her. "Hi."

"Hey, damn you're really sick." His face fell, he'd been hoping in a twisted way that she was faking it to avoid him.

She threw her hands um and then down defeated, "Yeah, I'm miserable, thanks for stopping by."

He stuck his foot between the door and the frame before she could close it, "Riley, I came to see you."

"You saw me, I'm sick, and miserable. I have my Nyquil and my Hallmark movies, this is like some Lacey Chabert marathon or something so I've got a good 10 movies to watch with the Queen."

Lucas didn't understand her, "Okay, you're sick. You can't be alone, you are making no sense at all."

"No sense? You want to know what makes no sense, how Mariah Carey thinks she can play someone who is supposed to be the same age as the Hallmark Queen Lacey Chabert, and we're not supposed to side-eye the fuck out of that." Riley collapsed on the couch, exhausted from the mini-rant.

Lucas entered the apartment, set the bag he had with him down before he closed and locked the door, at least he thought he locked it. Why did the girls have half a dozen locks on their door? "So, what are you watching?"

"Hallmark movies," She looked up to him, "Why are you still here?"

Lucas removed his scarf and jacket, revealing he wore a deep purple sweater that was plain far from the theme of Zay's party.

"Did Zay kick you out for not wearing an ugly sweater?"

"No." Lucas smirked as he studied the living room, "So this is where you, Maya, and Smackle live huh?"

"Yeah, it's perfect for the three of us." Riley pulled her blanket up around her just before Lucas sat down. "You don't have to stay, go, hang out with everyone."

"Riley" he looked at her gently, a sparkle in his eyes that still screamed she was the most beautiful woman to him, even if her hair was a tangled mess, her eyes puffy, her sinuses congested. "I wanted to see you, I miss you. We haven't spent any time just us in a long time."

Riley pushed herself up, grabbing her bottle of Nyquil before she started fighting trying to get it open. She relented when Lucas took it from her, opening it with easy, "Last time it was just us Lucas was a very long time ago."

He handed her back the bottle of Nyquil, "You're right, it was a very long time ago." He watched as she drank the green medicine straight from the bottle. "Whoa, Riley slow down."

"I just want to sleep this cold away." She sighed as she watched him take the bottle from her and close it.

"I guess you don't want the rum cake I brought you."

Riley cringed, "Fuck no, just the thought that turns my stomach."

Lucas stared at her, "Okay Nyquil makes you curse, that's crucial information to have," He was silent for a moment, "Maya said it was your favorite, honestly I'm not a fan of it myself but Cassidy insists I bring it with me, and well I can't subject my family to it."

"Oh yes the bleached blonde girlfriend." Riley rolled her eyes as she flopped down on the couch.

He felt his heart flip, Riley was jealous. He tried to hold back the smile spreading on his lips. "Not a fan of Cassidy?"

"I don't know her," Riley pushed up from the couch, swaying a little, feeling Lucas' hands on her hips to hold her steady.

"Is this my old hoodie?" He'd always thought she took it, he figured Maya would've convinced her to burn it in a trashcan in an alley.

He was touching her, holding her up. If Riley wasn't lightheaded already she would be now, "I've had this for ages, I don't remember where I got it."

He pulled her down onto his lap, his arms wrapping around her waist so she couldn't escape. "So, how's Bradley?"

"Who?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Your boyfriend. Slimy guy, far too slick, a lot like Charlie that guy in middle school."

This had to be a dream, why else would she be on his lap, with his arms around her. She was sure she could feel his fingertips making small circles against her back. She rubbed her head, still feeling the throbbing, "I broke up with him months ago. He proposed and I realized I could never marry him."

Lucas released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in, "Good, he wasn't right for you."

"Yeah well your rum cake blonde isn't right for you." She covered her mouth with her hands as soon as she realized what she said.

"You're right, Cassidy wasn't right for me." He took a hand to pull her hands away from her mouth, "She's just a friend Riley. Yes, she wanted more, and there were times I wanted to be able to want more with her. Like after I'd see an Instagram post of you and Bradley on a date, or a snapchat about your wonderful boyfriend."

"You aren't dating Cassidy?"

"Nope, she and I went out once on a date freshmen year, and I think she wanted to throttle me by the end of the night."

Riley was confused, "Why did I think she was your girlfriend if she wasn't?"

"Because I never corrected you." He sighed, closing his eyes, "You thought I moved on, you seemed so happy I had, like you were relieved."

"You're stupid" she pushed him and he fell back against the empty part of the couch, bringing her with him.

"Nyquil Riley is mean." He attempted to tease her, wrapping his arms around her so she couldn't pull away.

"Lucas let me go."

"No" He stared into her eyes, trying to calculate if she would remember, if he could have the courage to do this all over again, "I can't, I never did."

"You don't make sense Lucas." She whined the way only a person feeling as sick as she did could get away with.

"I love you, I never stopped, I never let you go, I never moved on, it killed me that I couldn't, I tried but failed because it's you Riley, it's always been you."

Riley pulled away from him, sitting up, dizzy and now she wasn't sure from what, "So you think you can come in here, tell me you love me and what Lucas? What did you expect me to say?"

"Tell me we still have a chance." This was it, this would be a turning point in his life. He felt a chill ripple through his body as she paced in front of him. "Or you can tell me the truth, that I lost my chance with you, that we're over and never meant to be. Break my heart once and for all."

Riley leaned against the door, her hands resting on her forehead, "Did I just confess that I'm still in love with you? Maybe it's the Nyquil forgive me."

He felt the surge of confidence as he sprang to his feet, "No, you didn't just confess that until just now. I had confessed that I'm still in love with you."

Riley yawned, patted Lucas on the chest, "This was a great Hallmark, Nyquil dream, I'm going to crawl into bed now."

She didn't realize it was real. Lucas wanted to scream. "This isn't a dream." He sighed.

"Of course, it is." She took his hand, "You won't be laying next to me when I wake up in a few hours, but since it's a dream I can drag you into my room and fall asleep next to you the way I do in all my dreams."

"And if I'm next to you when you wake up?"

"You won't be."

"But I will." He felt a sadness rain down on him.

Riley cupped his face, feeling the slight stubble since he hadn't shaved that morning, "You're never next to me in the morning, but your always with me in my dreams."

He didn't speak, he knew she wouldn't believe him right now, so he just followed her into the room which was smaller than he was used to, but at least it wasn't a twin bed. She tossed the throw pillows to the floor as he slipped his shoes off.

Riley threw the bedding back for both. This was this craziest dream she'd had so far, and it felt so real. She crawled into the bed, patted the empty space next to her, feeling the shift of the mattress as he laid next to her.

Lucas pulled the blankets above them as Riley turned off the light. He wrapped his arms around her, listening to her fall asleep, determined to be here, holding her when she woke up.

Riley felt her body relax against the form next to her surprised by how real this dream felt.

When Riley woke up, she heard someone snoring.

Who the hell would be snoring in her bed?

Please tell me I didn't call Bradley last night. She slowly looked over, gasping, this couldn't be.

Slowly she slipped out of the bed and went to the door, opening it so it wouldn't squeak, before she went across the hall to Maya's room and opened the door, going to wake her best friend, "Maya, Maya, wake up."

"No, go away." Maya hid her head under the pillow.

"Lucas is in my bed" Riley hissed.

Slowly Maya looked up, the pillow balancing on her head, "He naked?"

"No, he has a girlfriend, right? Why is he in my bed?" Riley's head felt heavy as she tried to remember what happened, "Wasn't he at the party?"

"For like a minute, he disappeared once he found out you weren't there." Maya punched her pillow, "I don't think he has a girlfriend, he told me that Cassidy girl really likes him, but it's not like a thing."

"But all the pictures on Facebook, Instagram…"

"Yeah because you don't post pictures of you and Zay hanging out, or you and Farkle?" Maya rolled her eyes, "Go back into your room, give him your cold and the two of you can ride it out naked in your bed."

"Maya" Riley gasped.

She glared at her best friend, "Go back to your room Riley. You have a hot man in your bed, and I don't know why, so go find out. Get naked together, don't. I just want to go to sleep and forget that awful rum cake Zay got me to eat."

Riley cringed, "Fine, I'm going, but you're buying me cocktails when he breaks my heart."

"Fine, whatever, just go." Maya moaned.

Riley left the room, taking a deep breath before she slipped back into her room, she stood at the end of the bed, wondering what to do. She reached over shaking his leg, "Lucas, wake up."

He shifted, and it appeared like he was reaching for her.

Riley felt her heart skip as she watched him. "Why are you in my bed?"

"You thought it was a dream and that you would wake up without me next to you." He rubbed his eyes.

"Did I call you and ask you to come over?" She sat on the bed trying to make sense of what was going on.

"No" He looked at her, "God you're beautiful."

"I'm disgusting right now, I'm sick."

"What can I say, even sick you're beautiful."

Riley turned away, "So you just came over?"

"Yeah, I was worried you were avoiding me."

"Why would I avoid you?"

"Because we haven't been alone since our break up."

"Four years," Riley felt a sob start to bubble up, "But then again we haven't been around each other that much."

He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, "Don't cry, please Ri, don't cry."

"You don't remember anything about last night, do you?"

"No" She barely got the words out as she tried not to cry. She hadn't cried over him in so long, why was this happening now?

He braced himself as he nuzzled her neck, "You don't remember that I told you I love you? That nothing ever happened with me and Cassidy, she's just a friend."

Riley closed her eyes as she felt his touch, "That really happened?"

"Yes" he was desperate to kiss her, she wasn't pushing him away, but still she wasn't opening herself to him either.

"If you feel that way, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't think Bradley would appreciate it."

Riley blinked, feeling the tears run down her cheeks, "I only dated him because I thought you moved on."

Lucas sighed, "I only tried to move on because I thought that's what you wanted me to do."

Riley turned to him, "Don't be stupid Lucas, I want you to be happy, but part of me is always going to need you to want me, need me."

He sucked in his lips, as he cupped her face, the pads of his thumbs wiping away her tears, "I have needed you every single day we've been apart, I've wanted you every single day we've been apart, I have loved you every single day we've been apart."

"You have?"

"Yes."

A pout formed on her face, "This isn't fair."

"What's not?"

"I need you, I want you, I love you, but you're in Texas and I'm in New York."

He smirked, "You're in New York, I'm in New York." His finger traced her hairline.

"Right now, but after the New Year…" Her heart sank already thinking of it.

"I'll be here, in New York. I graduated a few days ago."

"You what?" she didn't understand.

"I graduated, it's only a semester early Riley. But I saw no reason to stay away longer than I had to. I had to be near you again, if I had to stand back, choke on my feelings, watch you love another man, I was prepared to do that."

"You're, you're back?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm back."

"What are you going to do?"

"I start a new job in January at the Central Park Zoo, and then I apply to veterinary programs."

"So, you'll leave again." She looked down, maybe she could just chug some more Nyquil and pretend she didn't remember this, save them both the embarrassment.

He pulled her close to him, "I'm hoping, that by the time I find out where I get in, you'll want to go with me."

"You have a lot of plans for a guy who didn't know I was single until last night."

"I had a lot of dreams that I'm hoping you'll share."

Riley closed her eyes, inhaling his scent…she could smell him, that woodsy scent that was just naturally him. Her sinuses were clearing up. "I don't know, you'll have to tell me about them. After the shower."

"Should I stay in your room, or should I go get us coffee or something?"

Riley took his hand in hers, "I was thinking you would join me, I might have a spare toothbrush you could use, and then maybe you could help me shower, I'm still a bit weak from this cold."

"Weak huh?" He studied her, "Well, I will do whatever you need, whatever you want."

"Good, good." Riley pulled him off the bed with her, "Come on, I'll need a lot of help."

"You sure it's not all the Nyquil you chugged last night?" He was close behind her, their bodies touch as they shuffled towards the bedroom door.

"I did not chug Nyquil."

"You did," He nuzzled her neck, "I guess I need to stay close to make sure you don't chug anymore cough medicine."

"That's only one of many reasons you need to stay close."

He gave her a tight squeeze, "I don't plan on letting you go at all Riley, I know what life is like without you and I'm not a fan of it, especially when it's so much better with you."

"You better watch it, I might fall in love with you more than I already am." She warned as she took him into the bathroom where they brushed their teeth quickly, finding an off comfort in this morning ritual together.

"Minty fresh." Lucas smiled after they finished and Riley went to turn on the water.

"Think you could help me get undressed?" She felt nervous, she hadn't been naked around a man, well since the last time she was naked with him.

"Of course, but I have to do something first."

"What?" worry fluttered through her body.

He cradled her face with the palms of his hands before kissing her, his arms dropping to hold her waist as her knees gave out.

The moment his lips met hers Riley felt as though a lifeline she had been missing all these years was returned. She kissed him back with a hunger she forgot existed inside of her.

Lucas lifted her up, sitting her on the small counter as he pulled away, "Let's get you showered, you'll feel better once you get clean."

Riley nodded as she felt his fingers in her hair trying to undo the tangle of curls and the hair tie.

Lucas undressed her carefully, making sure he kept her stuff in a pile so it could easily be gathered when they were done.

"Come on Cowboy, strip." Riley told him as she sat on the bathroom counter with nothing on.

"You sure?"

"Positive." She watched him as he pulled the sweater off along with the t-shirt he'd worn under it. Her eyes followed the defined lines of his muscles, he was stronger now, he hadn't gotten lazy in college like some guys she knew. She held her breath as she watched him pull his pants and boxer-briefs off, a smile on her lips as she saw his physical reaction to her.

Lucas pushed his socks off with his feet before coming back to the counter and helping her down, "Come on let's get you clean."

Riley stepped into the tub, feeling the heat of the water and steam as she grabbed onto the railing, suddenly thankful that it had been installed by a previous resident. Lucas joined her, helping her to wash her hair, holding her when she got a little dizzy, she wasn't sure if it was the cold, the shower, or Lucas.

He took her shower pouf and her body wash, scrubbing her body, every so often he heard a sigh of relaxation and pleasure. He took a moment to wash himself before they rinsed off and got out, wrapping a towel around her first and insisting she sit down for a moment, while he wrapped a towel around his own body. "Feeling any better?"

"A lot better, but I kind of want to lay down again."

"Okay, come on." He helped her up before grabbing their clothes, leading her back to her bedroom.

Riley laid down on her bed, keeping the towel against her body, "Lay with me please."

"Of course." He left their clothes on the chair before he joined her.

"Mmm" Riley sighed, "This is a dream come true."

Lucas smiled, "I'm glad you think so."

She rested her head on his chest, "Stay and hold me."

"Of course."