Author's Note: RUCAS HAS HAPPENED! IT'S HAPPENED! THE DREAM IS REAL! (In yo' face Lucaya shippers!)

I watched Girl Meets First Date and then I literally (I kid you not) started screaming. It is amazing and beautiful and it inspired the ending for this. The rest of the story was inspired by a song I heard the other day. If you can guess the song, I will send you a sneak peek of one of my next stories, and if you are a guest, I will dedicate a story to you. :) If I have directly told you what the song is, please, don't say it in a review. If you guessed it, please, TELL ME!

Anyway guys, I want to dedicate this oneshot to a very special friend of mine. I was having a rough week and she PMed me, totally out of the blue, just to tell me that she liked my writing. She is so amazing! She even uses one of the expressions I invented, HFAD! (Hug from a distance) :D WHO DOES THAT?! We need more people like her in the world. People who will build you up, even if they don't know you. She is truly incredible. Keep an eye out for her stories! She's going to take this fandom by storm. Please give a mental round of applause to ChildOfTheKing2143.

Well, please read and review! (NO FLAMES!)

See ya later my friends!

Lots of luv, Beth

I walk quickly, almost jogging, on the sidewalk.

The sky is a stormy grey, and I'm beginning to feel droplets of rain hit my head. I run for the cover of the trees.

If I don't hurry, I'll be late for work.

It's strange, even though I am in a city filled with thousands of people, I have never felt more alone.

I wrap my cherry red cardigan around me even tighter, beginning to feel the morning chill.

Maya is away at an art school in France, Farkle is out on a business trip with his dad, because he will one day take over the Minkas family business, and Lucas... Well, he is out of the country right now, and I don't even know where exactly, because that's "classified".

He is in the military, a Navy Seal.

I love him, and I know it's selfish, but I wish he didn't have to go. I miss him like crazy, and I'm constantly worrying about him.

After high school, Lucas signed up, and we agreed to go long distance.

I quickly reach my destination, All Smiles Preschool. I got a job here about a year ago.

When I got here, we were just about broke, and the kids weren't very happy. Mrs. Burk, the teacher, was really struggling, she loved children, but she was overwhelmed.

I came, and I raised enough money to keep us afloat, and I helped Mrs. Burk with the kids, and since then, even more kids have enrolled.

Not to toot my own horn, but... I'm really proud of myself and this school. The kids and Mrs. Burk are doing the best they can, and so am I.

It's great.

One time, I heard Mrs. Burke talking to a parent while I helped the parent's child get ready to go.

Flashback:

"Heaven couldn't send us a miracle," Mrs. Burk said. "They were out of those. So they sent us her. I guess they figured we could at least use an angel."

"What's her name again?" The mother asked.

"Riley Matthews."

End of flashback.

I walk into the preschool, plastering a fake smile on my face. If I look even remotely sad, in ANY way, the kids will swarm me, asking what's wrong and trying their very hardest to cheer me up. I don't want to tell them about this, I can't explain it to them.

"Miss Riley!" The kids cheer happily.

"Hi guys!" I chirp.

I wave at Mrs. Burk, a short, stout, redheaded woman in her mid-forties. She is the other teacher here.

"M-miss Riley, I drew this for you," a little girl named Alexis, says, thrusting a paper full of scribbles at me.

I take it and look closer at it, noticing that the scribbles aren't random. They show two stick figures, one shorter one in purple pants and the other, a tall one with a yellow triangle dress.

"D'at's me and you!" She says, proudly, showing a jack 'o' lantern smile.

"Oh, Lexi! I love it! I will keep it on my desk," I say, taping it to the filing cabinet next to the small table that holds my computer.

I walk to the middle of the room, so I can watch the little kids. It also allows them to come up and talk to me, which they do frequently, jabbering a mile a minute about anything and everything.

Alexis skips away to play with the toys, satisfied.

I smile to myself.

I love my job. The kids are so sweet, and I love them.

A chubby blonde girl named Paige runs up to me almost urgently, claiming she has something "to tell to me".

The little girl grabs my hands.

"My mommy wears three rings. One on this hand," the girl gestures to my right hand. "And two on this hand," she says motioning to my left hand.

Paige stands up on her tip toes and whispers in my ear,

"My favorite is her really sparkly pretty one on this finger," the four year old says, touching my left ring finger.

"Mrs. Burk has one too, and my biggest sister got one on Thursday," Paige makes a face and giggles.

"A BOY gave it to her," She drops her voice to a whisper. (As low as a four year old can lower her voice to, anyway.) "I think he likes her."

I laugh.

"I think so too," I say.

Her voice returns to normal.

"Why don't you have a pretty ring?" Paige asks, her voice genuinely curious.

The question, as innocent as it is, makes my heart hurt a little. I'm reminded of how much I miss Lucas.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

"Um... Because my boyfriend hasn't given me one yet," I try my best to explain in simple terms.

She doesn't yet understand the significance of the "sparkly ring", she only knows that it's a pretty piece of jewelry.

Paige looks thoughtful.

"Hmm... Okay," She says, happy with the answer. Then, a look of curiosity clouds her eyes.

"What does your boyfriend look like? Where is he?" she asks.

I smile and open my locket, revealing the photo of Lucas and me. I wear the photo in a necklace so that I can keep him close to my heart.

It's a selfie I took of us just before he left. We are in front of the Statue of Liberty, smiling, laughing.

This photo was taken almost three years ago. I have seen him in person only twice since he left.

We have long phone conversations, and on holidays, we Skype, but it will never be the same as him being here, being with me, being home.

I hold back tears, and show the picture to Paige. I really wish I weren't such a crier... but I am. I'm having a really off day today. Normally I wouldn't get so worked up over this, but, today is just a hard day.

Her big brown eyes widen.

"He lives far away. He is in the army," I say, trying to explain it in simple terms. I would say Navy, but I'm not sure she know what that is.

She nods.

"My Uncle Jonah is in the army too!" She exclaims.

I smile.

"People in the army are brave, aren't they?" I say.

"Oh yes!" Paige agrees, nodding enthusiastically.

She runs off to play with her friends in the far corner of the room.

I walk up to Mrs. Burk, tears trying to fight their way out.

"Mrs. Burk, I need a moment alone," I tell her.

She nods and says,

"Alright Riley. I was about to start story time anyways."

While she rounds up the children to read 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', I slip out the back door, into the hallway.

I walk out to the playground, and make my way to the covered picnic table area.

Sitting down, I let the tears fall, thankful that I wore water-proof mascara today.

I stare at the locket.

I then pull out the bigger version of the photo from my pocket, and flip it over, to read what Lucas scrawled on the back of it, just moments before he left.

I know it might seem strange to have two of the same picture on you at all times, but it isn't just the picture that I love about the bigger version. It's what he said.

Time is frozen in this picture, we aren't apart. We are right here. You won't ever be alone. You can keep me with you always. I'll be home before you know it. Wait for me to come home. I love you, Riley. No matter what.

I start to cry harder.

I wish I could believe what he says, that we aren't apart, but we are.

I sit and try to return to normal, for fifteen minutes.

I need to go back now, the kids will be wondering where I am. I wipe my eyes.

Just as I stand to leave the table, my phone begins to play the song, I'm coming home (Tell the world I'm coming), starts to play.

Lucas's ringtone!

I answer immediately.

"H-hello?" I say, my voice still shaky from crying.

"Hey City Girl!" Lucas says.

"Hi Lucas!" I reply, a wide grin spreading across my face.

"I just thought I would check in, see if everything is okay back home."

"Everything is fine, I just miss you," I respond.

"I miss you too," he says.

Suddenly, there is a loud voice, and an even louder, 'SHHHH!'

"What was that?" I ask.

"Oh, uh... nothing, just one of my buddies messing around," he tells me.

The voice is in the background again, and it certainly doesn't sound like one of his "buddies", it sounds an awful lot like... No, it couldn't be. He's not even in the States!

"Mister, are you gonna surprise Miss Riley?" Another voice asks.

My heart stops for a second.

I then bolt into the building, running as fast as I can.

I burst through the door of the classroom.

The class is standing in a group, surrounding Mrs. Burk, staring at both me, and a man in a Navy dress white uniform.

"Hey! That's the guy I saw in Miss Riley's picture necklace!" Paige exclaims, excitedly.

The 'guy' turns to face me, making me forget how to breathe a little, as seeing him always does, especially in that uniform. I don't know what it is about dress whites, but what they say about them is true.

I run to him and wrap my arms around him.

Lucas, he's here, he's HOME.

"I can't believe you're here!" I exclaim. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Riles," He says, taking my hands. "Or should I say Miss Riley?"

I laugh.

"Well that is my name here," I reply, giggling.

"Hmmm... No."

"No?" I repeat, confused.

"No, Miss Riley doesn't suit you..." He tells me, trailing off.

"Well, I couldn't go by Miss Matthews, that'd be too weird... It's what my dad used to call me in class."

"Oh believe me, I remember what he called you. All I ever heard from him was, 'Stay away from Miss Matthews!' And no, I was thinking something else... Maybe something along the lines of Mrs. Friar?" Lucas suggests, taking a knee.

It takes a second for what he was saying (asking) to sink in.

I gasp.

"Riley, I'm home, and I'm staying this time. I've spent three years without you, that's 1093 days. 1093 days that didn't once go by without me wishing I was with you. I don't want to be away from you any longer. Will you please marry me?" Lucas asks.

I want to jump up and down, and to scream, and to laugh, but I can't. So I nod.

"Yes!" I exclaim.

Lucas smiles widely, stands, and kisses me.

We then hear the groans and giggles of the class, which we then remember, is watching us.

We pull away, laughing.

Wrapping my arms around him again, I say, "You realize you're stuck with me now right?"

Lucas chuckles and replies, "Yes, and I am okay with that."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring.

Taking my hand, he asks, "May I?"

I nod.

"You may."

He slips the diamond ring on my finger.

I look at it and smile broadly.

Suddenly, Paige breaks free of the group of children, runs up to us and grabs my hands once more.

"Miss Riley! You have a pretty ring now!" She squeals, inspecting my engagement ring.

Lucas and I both laugh.

Paige puts my hands back in Lucas', where she found them, and scampers back to the group.

"Riley," Mrs. Burk says. "You go and take the rest of the day off."

"You sure?"

She smiles and nods.

I grin.

"Thank you."

Lucas and I walk out of the classroom, still holding hands.

"Hey Lucas?"

"Yeah Riles?" He replies, smiling at me.

"You know those moments, that we're going to remember forever?" I ask, quoting the conversation we had on our first date.

He laughs.

"Yeah?"

I kiss him quickly on the lips.

"I think this is one of them."

Author's Note: What do you think? Please review! Again, a thank you bigger than the moon goes out to my friend ChildOfTheKing2143. As I said, she is totally and utterly epic. Thanks for reading!

HFAD!

Beth