A/N: so this is my first ever lucaya fanfic but I've been a long time reader of the show and I hope it's not completely horrible.

So this series will contain a whole bunch of one shots some related some completely unrelated, and mostly feel free to leave requests and reviews if you can is really appreciate them.

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Tittle: That's how the story goes.

Characters/Pairings: Lucas, Maya, Riley(mentions), Lucaya

Summary: "Lucas, stop." That should've been his first hint. She never calls him Lucas. Her unwavering love for Riley the second one. "I can't." Post upstate fic.

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It's nearly midnight when she finally makes it home. Her mom and Shawn had gone out to celebrate their engagement.

They were engaged. She, maya hart, was going to have a father. And of all people it was going to be Shawn.

Her heart melted at the thought.

She stumbles through the front door, dropping her keys and bag onto the table as she makes her way to her bedroom. She flips on the light switch, kicking off her shoes and flopping herself down onto the bed.

" Hey." She jumps up at the noise, eyes open wide and instantly falling onto the figure near the window.

"What the hell are you doing here, huckleberry?" It sounds harsh, she didn't mean it that way. No wait, it's past midnight and he's in her bedroom and, yes she did mean it that way.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He says, taking a seat beside her.

"Oh, well that was obvious by the murderesque way you can into my apartment." She deadpans. He just smiles. His usual huckleberry, ranger Rick, hee haw smile. "How did you even get in here?"

"The window was open." He seems tense, she observes. Like there's something weighing on his mind, holding him down.

"Huh.." She says, realization of why he's here settling in. She can't say she's surprised. He loves Riley. Not like a sister. He's Lucas the good. He's a freaking prince, and Riley deserves a prince to come and sweep her off her feet. Riley's his princess and Maya... Maya's just her cute best friend.

"Huh, what?" He says, eyes slowly widening.

"It's fine, Ranger Rick." She says, her voice barely audible. "I'm happy for you."

"What?"

"You chose Riley." She says, like its a matter of fact. "You would've gotten her either way. It's better that you want it to be her."

"Maya-"

"I'm fine, sundance, really. I don't blame you." Her voice breaks at the end but she moves past it. It takes longer than she wants. "I'd choose her too."

"Maya-"

"Lucas I know this was a hard decision.. You made the right choice." She whispers, her eyes refusing to meet his.

"Can I just talk for one second?!" His voice is loud. If the house wasn't empty besides for the two of them, it would've woken everyone up.

She nods, not sure what he could say. It's done. He made his choice. What else was there to say?

"I was just at Riley's." He says, not sure why she needs to know that part.

"Good, I think it'd be pretty stupid if the girl you chose didn't actually know you chose her."

"I agree." He says with a smirk. "That's why I went to Riley's."

He watches her already barely visible smile disappear completely. "I went to Riley's to tell her that I couldn't do it. I couldn't choose her."

"What?" It's barely audible.

"I couldn't choose her." He repeats, inching closer to her. "Not when I know that I could never be able to love her. Not as much as I love you. Not when I'm in love with her best friend."

"What?"

"I love you, Maya." He says, his hand over hers. "It's you. You're the one I want to be with. You're the one I want I-"

"Lucas, stop." That should've been his first hint. She never calls him Lucas. Her unwavering love for Riley the second one. "I can't."

He stares at her for a moment, baffled by her confession. He's still not sure what she'd confessed though.

"I can't be with you, not when I know how much Riley still cares about you." She whispers. " I can't do that to her. She's my best friend."

"For once, can you just think about what you want? Just put Riley's feelings aside for one second, she's a big girl she can handle herself. What do you want, Maya?"

He sees tears trickle down her cheeks, he sees the determined look in her eyes and how it wavers for a second. One small second where he actually believes she'd worry about herself for a change. Be happy. One small second where he had hope.

But it's gone just as fast as it comes. "I think you should go." She says, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater.

"Maya."

"Riley's my best friend. She's the most important person in my life and if you think for one second I'd even consider doing something that would hurt her, then I guess you don't know me at all." She stands up, opening the window to the fire escape. "I think you should go."

"Maya."

"Please, just.. Just go, Lucas." Her eyes are tired. He's not sure there's anything he could do to make her change her mind.

No, he's sure. He's certain there's nothing he can do to make her change her mind.

"And if there wasn't Riley?" He asks, one foot out the window. "If it was just you and me, no triangle. Is that still your answer?"

Her eyes are begging him before she even says anything. "Lucas, please."

"I'm not giving up." He says, stepping out onto the fire escape, the warm summer breeze easing his worries. "I want you, Maya. And I'm not backing down until you realize that that has always been how it was supposed to go. You and me. That's how the story goes."

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