A.n.- I'm back! This week has been a crazy week for me. I uploading this and a one shot and hopefully uploading a youtube video as well. For Those of you that read Berkshire Mountains this tied with Hanging Tree, so I'm doing this one first because it's shorter. Important Note: Lucas and Riley had two kids and 6 grandkids. I'll go into more detail with them in the next chapter I promise. I don't all the chapters will be this long, but hey, it's growth for me. All Italics are flashbacks.

Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive1

We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still

"Grandpa!" The four girls rushed to the old man and tackled him with hugs and affection. The old man laughed as he embraced the attack.

"Girls, it's been a while, you've grown up so much."

"I'm this many now Grandpa!" The youngest, Lucy held up 5 fingers to symbolize her age. The wrinkle laugh line became prominent on the old man; he was truly blessed by God during his life.

"Where are the boys?" He asked his daughter, Abigail.

"Matthew and Daniel are playing Dad, the cousins can't spend enough time together." She kissed his cheek and gave him a hug.

"How's Megan, James?" He asked his son.

"She got caught up at work today, but she promises that she'll be here next time with some chocolate chip cookies." A twinkle appeared in his eye.

"I knew I liked that girl." Before any of the adults could host any more conversation, Penelope, the second youngest of all the grandchildren tugged on Lucas's shirt sleeve.

"Grandpa, can you tell us the story?"

"Which one?" He asked his full attention on her.

"Of you and grandma."

"Well it all started on the subway." He began.

"I had just moved to New York from Texas and I wasn't happy about it. I had gotten on the subway to travel to school when I noticed two girls standing on the subway, giggling and staring at me. The first girl came over and we dating for all of two seconds. Her name was Maya."-

"You mean Grandma's Aunt?" Lily blurted out only having heard some of the story before.

"Well she wasn't her aunt back them. Little did I know how close of friends we would be. And then Riley flew into the picture literally falling into my lap. We talked for a few minutes; it wasn't till later that day that I was in that class with her and her father. I didn't know how much she would mean to me either." He trailed off only to be confused of why their eyes pleaded for more.

"That's not fair Grandpa we want the whole story." The brunette middle child Aubrey said.

"The whole story huh?" Lucas's kids exchanged looks with each other for they knew how the story would go.

"You want to know everything? The good, the bad, and everything in-between?" The four girls nodded vigorously.

"Well then Riley and my story really began at our middle school graduation…."

Lucas was standing there trying to get his hat on straight. He was wondering why they even had a middle school graduation. It wasn't a milestone compared to High School. He glanced to one side in which Maya was talking to Riley who was mindlessly toying with her cap. Lucas knew her well enough to know the nerves were kicking in. The other side held his friends Farkle and Zay. He knew those guys would be by his side in high school no matter what.

"Isn't this exciting?" Lucas tried to make small talk with his four best friends to ease his own nerves. Maya's eyes hadn't left the floor; the future scared her the most. Riley gave him a half smile trying to support him. It had been a long two years that passed by in a blink of an eye. They all had their problems, but they all had supported each other and pulled through.

"Will the students report to their proper starting place? We walk in 15 minutes." The others walked past Lucas but he grabbed the brunette's wrist.

"Riley," as soon as he said her name his mind blanked. He started to rub the back of his neck; there were just so many things that he wanted to tell her.

"You're important to me. I don't know if I would have survived middle school without you."

"You're important to me too Lucas."

"What's the secret of life Riley?"

"People change people." She smiled.

"You changed me from the second you fell on my lap in the subway. High school can be scary but if you're with me"- His voice faded out looking into her chocolate brown eyes. She smiled and he couldn't help but smile back. She leaned in and kissed his cheek quickly and pulled back. He was slightly shocked.

"Riley, Lucas, are you coming or what?" Farkle yelled back at the two.

"See you in high school Friar." She said confidently as she strolled towards the line of graduates. A big dopey grin formed on his face as his eyes watched her walk away. He had a feeling that the two of them would be fine in high school.

The girls released a silly giggle into the air as Lucas smiled at the memory.

"Did Grandma really kiss you and then walked away?" Lucy asked.

"She did, she kissed me three times before I kissed her." The girl's eyes widened.

"When did you kiss her?" Lily asked.

"Well it was the summer between middle and high school."

"That movie was so predictable." Riley said as the two exited the theater.

"It's called a classic for a reason Riley." His eyes even smiled as the two laced hands.

"Whatever you say Friar." Her shoulder nudged his arm playfully. The two's banter continued as they walked hand and hand back towards Riley's house. Lucas's eyes only left Riley when he heard thunder close by. A single rain drop started the storm as it raced down Riley's arm; she smiled a know-it-all smile as the summer rain came. The heavens opened up and unleashed the water to rehydrate the earth. Lucas ran for cover but Riley stayed out as the rain soaked her.

"What are you doing?" He yelled over the rain.

"Dancing." She yelled back a certain excitement in her voice. He watched as she twirled the base of her dress kissing the ground. Her laughter mixed with the pitter patter of the rain brought him more joy than she would ever know. He felt a tug on his hand that pulled him back to reality.

"Come on, join me," she said with the biggest grin on her face.

"Riley, we'll get soaked." He tried to reason with the girl, but it was no use against her puppy dog eyes. He joined her in the rain. The two began to play in the puddles as Riley jumped and splashed that got Lucas's pants drenched. He picked her up and swung her around over his shoulder in the rain as she playfully screamed. They had taken it slow this time, and it felt right, no pressure, just Lucas and Riley.

"Lucas, put me down." She demanded.

"As you wish Princess." As soon as her feet hit the ground her fist made contact with his bicep.

"Poom." She said creating her own soundtrack. Their eyes met and she notice Lucas's gaze was intensifying.

"What?" She suddenly found herself with Lucas's hands cupping her face as he leaned in to have his moment. Her heart skipped a beat the second his lips touched her as his hands moved to her wait to support her. The two stood there suddenly not minding the rain at all.

"Was it magical?" The littlest one had her hands pressed against her cheeks getting lost in the story.

"Yes it was, my moment was something that I'll remember for the rest of my life. We were fine for about a year and a half and then the struggle hit."

"What struggle?" Lucas smirked at the 6 of them.

"High school…"

"Hey," Riley looked up from her AP language book.

"Hi,"

"Hey." Lucas adjusted his backpack.

"So it seems like we haven't seen each other in a while."

"Yeah, sorry babe, I just been crazy with my three AP courses. You know that Topanga is expecting those A's."

"Yeah and I have football and my Ap science course." Riley tilted her head to the side.

"Why didn't anyone tell us that high school would be this hard?"

"I don't know, it's just part of growing up I guess." His mood quickly changed.

"Do you want to do something tonight?" The smile on her face faded.

"I would love to, but I have a 3,000 word essay due tomorrow and I have a test early next week to study for." She watched the sadness gather in his eyes. Maybe this wasn't the right time.

"Lucas don't you thin that our lives are too hectic right now for this?" His eyes jumped directly to hers.

"Riles, what are you talking about?"

"Lucas, you said it yourself, we never see each other anymore. And you have your ap classes and football, it's just going to get harder. My Varsity cheerleading practices start next week and you deserve someone who can actually have time to spend with you, but right now it's not fair to you."

"You're breaking up with me?" He asked weakly scared of what her response would be. She didn't reply and that was enough of an answer for him.

"Where does that leave us Riley?"

"Friends that care deeply for each other and if we are meant to be we'll meet up again further down the road."

"Is that what you want Riley?" She leaned in and placed a sad kiss on his cheek.

"Goodbye Lucas" He wasn't completely sure what had just happened, but it sounded like his little ball of sunshine Riley Matthews had broken up with him….

"How could Grandma do that?!" Aubrey's voice raised a little.

"She thought she was doing the right thing." He answered.

"I didn't know you two broke up in high school," James confessed.

"Yeah, we had to take a break several other times, but we always found our way back to each other."

"So you won her back then," Lily said her wheels in her head turning.

"You're definitely a Friar Lily. Yes, it was the night of the annual sports banquet."

Miserable would be how Lucas would have described his year. He sat at a big round table in which he was suppose to receive an award of some kind for all the sports over the year, but he didn't care at all. In fact, most of what preoccupied his brain was a bubbly brunette that had broken up with him. He couldn't think of much else since he saw her walk in with some guy on her arm. Sure he had brought someone, but she actually looked happy. Their eyes connected for a brief second from across the room before her date recaptured her attention.

"And this year athlete of the year away goes to….Lucas Friar." The crowds started chanting his name, but Lucas didn't seem to notice. He started up the steps for the award till he saw Riley whisper something to her date and promptly left with her purse. Lucas hesitated for mere seconds before following after her.

"Riley." He muttered under his breath as the host stood there with the award.

"Riley." He repeated as soon as she got outside. The girl slowed her pace knowing that he would have chased after her if she ran.

"Lucas, you should go back in there, everyone is waiting on you."

"I don't care. Make them wait, what's wrong?"

"Lucas." Her voice barely cracked at his name but he managed to pick up on it. He went over and pulled her into a hug.

"Riley." He felt her body relax in the embraced; he repeated her name in a soothing tone.

"What happened to our friendship?" Their friendship had started to crack with time. The 'let's hang out' never came and were replaced with textbooks and social gatherings with their changing sport social circles. Riley found out she had to make a choice, she couldn't hold onto all four of her friendships that tightly. There just weren't enough hours in the day. So she chose Maya, her rock. She saw Lucas and Farkle but their friendship suffered.

"High school happened." He muttered. She drew back, but before she knew it she was being drawn into his emerald eyes.

"Lucas!" The two jumped apart, Lucas didn't know what would have happened if his date hadn't interrupted.

"Yeah, I'll be right there," his eyes never wavering from Riley.

"But Lukey!" he whipped around to face her.

"Brittney, I will be right there." The tension in his voice made her not speak up again. She just rolled her eyes and went back inside.

"Sorry," he said quietly.

"Don't be, looks like you got a real winner there," Riley said sarcastically. She half laughed at her own joke which fell flat.

"Well my first choice was already taken," Both froze at his words, the feelings were out on the table.

"Stop it Lucas"

"Stop What?"

"Looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" He parroted. Riley didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer.

"Lucas you should go back."

"Give me one good reason." He challenged.

"Why are you so infuriating? Because there's a life in there for you, friends, awards, girls"- Her eyes were big and daring but behind that was a scared and insecure girl.

"But they don't mean as much unless you're there with me."

"But"-

"Riley, it's my turn to talk. We broke up at the beginning of the year because we didn't have time for each other. I then proceeded to have the most miserable year of my life. At first I thought about you all the time and I thought that it would fade, but it didn't." He tried to judge her reaction based on her facial expressions.

"You said there might be a time where our paths would cross again. Brittney means nothing to me, and I'm going to tell her that I don't like her like that regardless of what you're going to do. And I don't know the guy that you're with in there, and I don't care. I will wait for you, because we belong together." After he finished his passionate rant she just stood there and didn't respond at all. He let out a couple breaths trying to calm down. When he thought his heart couldn't take breaking anymore he turned back and started the walk to the banquet. He was slightly embarrassed, here he told her his feelings and he couldn't come up with anything to say.

"Lucas!" She ran to catch up to him. Their eyes connected as a smile graced her lips.

"I'm not dating Ryan. He's just a friend."

"He's just your"-

"Friend" Riley finished. Realization swept over him as it dawned on him what she was saying.

"Where does that leave us?" There was a small glimmer in her eye.

"I don't know Friar, why don't you kiss me and find out," Lucas happily obliged.

"It sounds like your high school years were good to you."Abigail placed her hands on her dad's arm.

"It was," he agreed.

"What was one of your favorite moments Dad?" Abigail asked. The old man smiled at his request.

"That's an easy one, it was the 11th grade. It was the first time I told her that I loved her…"

"Lucas!" Riley swatted at his shoulder playfully.

"You didn't smile!" Lucas rolled his eyes as she dragged him back into the photo booth. At first the pair made a goofy face and then started laughing for the second. Lucas looked over at Riley Laughing, she looked beautiful. He caught her eye.

"What?" She pushed some loose hair behind her ear.

"I love you." The picture snapped right after the words had left his mouth. She stared into his emerald eyes and leaned in capturing his lips in her own. The final flash of the photo booth snapped the memory in time. The two were in their own little world for a second. When they finally pulled apart for air a blush spread across her cheeks.

"I love you too." As they exited the photo booth she reached for the picture slot. As they adored the pictures she started to hand it to Lucas, but he stopped her.

"I want you to keep it. You can put them up on your mirror."

"Do you want my dad to kill you?"

"He won't kill me. A little bird in fact told me that he secretly likes me."

"You know what this means?" She clutched the photos in her hand.

"I need to buy extra left shoes?" Lucas offered with a cocky smile.

"If my dad sees us kissing you'll be lucky if he lets you within 10 feet of my, let alone my room." Lucas stole a kiss.

"Then I guess we'll have to be extra sneaky then." Riley rested her head on his shoulder as her heart radiated with warmth.

"Her dad did what with your left shoes?" Aubrey asked.

"When he caught me in Riley's room he would chase me out and usually be able to grab my left shoe."

"Why?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"It was a game we would play, although he probably enjoyed chasing me out as much as I liked running."

"Grandpa, I've seen pictures of Grandma with a locket, when did that happen?"

"Ah yes, it was a birthday present from me on her 16th birthday…."

There was streamers, laughter and love that filled Topanga's on that December night. A giant banner hung over the counter that read Happy Sweet 16 Riley. Riley looked lovely as the host and birthday girl in her dark purple dress that hung down to her knees. Her hair was completely laced with curls as a tiara adorned her head.

"Wow Riles, Ranger Rick's jaw will hit the floor when he sees you," Maya complemented as she walked in. A blush spread across Riley's cheeks.

"You too Peaches, Josh will have to control himself." Riley teased.

"We're going to let her host the party like that?" Cory whined to Topanga.

"She's not a child anymore. Our baby girl is growing up." Topanga smiled at Riley.

"But how do you know what was being said if you weren't there?" Aubrey argued.

"True me, I know Maya." Lucas argued.

"But"-

"Are you going to tell the story or am I?" He challenged softly. Aubrey giggled as Lucas continued with the story.

"Wow," was all Lucas could say when his eyes landed on Riley. He walked over and tenderly placed a kiss on her cheek.

"You're trying to kill my dad aren't you?" Riley teased in his ear.

"I think it's worth the risk." His smile grew wider.

"Can I steal you away from everyone for a couple minutes?" Riley nodded as he took her hand and they disappeared through the sea of classmates. When the two were alone Riley stole another kiss.

"Happy Birthday Beautiful." He held in his hand a small box with a red bow on it. When she opened it she let out a little gasp. Inside was a small silver locket.

"It's beautiful." She ran her fingers over the metal.

"Open it," he urged. When she did it held a picture of the two of them with Lucas's arms around her and both of them laughing and smiling.

"So I can always be near to your heart." The two rested their foreheads against each other. Maya was the one who interrupted their little moment.

"Ranger Rick, you have plenty of time to do that on your own time. Quit hogging the birthday girl." Riley let out a small laugh as the three of them rejoined civilization. The lights dimmed as a chorus of Happy Birthday rang out. The candles cast slight shadows on her face as her eyes shined.

"Make a wish Riles," Riley's eyes flickered over to Lucas and then back to the candles she closed her eyes and blew the candles out in one swoop.

"Gross!" the memories were interrupted by the two boys joining the conversation.

"No it's beautiful." Lily corrected. The boys just let out a snort.

"Alright Lily, whatever you say." Then they raced off to continue their playtime.
"Was there a moment that made you think that you would be with her forever?" The hopeless romantic took over Lily. He simply smiled.

"There were plenty of times but one of the first times was our high school prom…."

"So you know how the night is going to go them."

"Yes sir," Lucas nodded.

"You're going to go to the prom, no kissing, no touching and you are going to bring her straight home."

"Yes sir."

"And just because I won't be there doesn't mean that I don't have eyes and ears there, so don't get any funny ideas."-

"Daddy, leave Lucas alone." Riley stepped out of her room in a strapless dark purple dress that hugged her body and it draped to the ground. Her hair was in curls half up half down. Lucas's mouth fell open as his eyes landed on her. Cory used his finger to close the boy's mouth.

"Stick to the plan Lucas," he hissed.

"You're beautiful," A blush spread to her cheeks

"You're not too bad yourself."

"Picture time!" Topanga yelled excitedly. Lucas pulled Riley close to him as he slid his arms securely around her waist. The light from the camera froze the memory in time.

"Bye mom, bye dad," Riley kissed her parents on her cheeks.

"I'll have her home by 11 sir." Cory shot him a look.

"I mean 10 pm sir," Lucas corrected himself.

"Why was her father that protective of her?"Aubrey asked.

"I can answer that," James cut in.

"Because it's how all fathers think of their princesses."

"What a minute, were you and grandpa Prom queen and king?" Lilly smiled a huge grin.

"You're getting ahead of the story now aren't you?" He asked her.

The two swayed back and forth to the slow music filling the room. Riley had both her hands wrapped around Luca's neck with her head resting on his chest listening to his heartbeat. The two exchanged kisses as the song ended and the principle went up on the stage.

"Settle down, settle down. It's time to announce the Prom Kind and Queen." The two laced hands. Both Riley and Lucas were nominated from the Prom court this year; however it had been really tight with the races.

"John Quincy Adams Prom King….Lucas Friar!" Riley hugged him in excitement before he went up on stage. Of course Lucas was a shoe in; he had the brains, athletics, and genes to boot.

"And for Prom Queen, it was one of the closest races yet." There was an eerie silence as everyone held their breath.

"Vanessa McGomery!" The cheer captain squealed as she rushed up to the stage. Lucas watched Riley's sink, although she smiled at him; she was strong like that. There were pictures taken and Lucas made his way to Riley for the next song.

"Congrats,"

"You should have won." He comforted his girlfriend.

"It's ok; it means more to Vanessa than it could to me." Lucas stopped their dancing so he could place his crown on her head.

"There's my princess." A smile graced her lips as she leaned on Lucas for support. Even though they both didn't win, he had a feeling that this would be a memory ingrained in his mind for time to come.

"Why did that moment make you realize that you would be with mom?" Abigail asked. Lucas simply turned and looked to his daughter.

"Because life wasn't a fairy tale that night. Yes, it would have been amazing if she would have won, but we still had each other and that's what made her happy." The group shared smiles all around till James looked down at his watch.

"The boys have their football practice to get to. Come on girls, time to go."

"But"- They began to protest.

"I'll finish the story another time." Lucas promised. It seemed to be enough for the girls as they dejectedly walked to the car. Abigail kissed Lucas's cheeks.

"Thanks Dad." Lucas was a little taken back.

"For what?"

"For telling us the story." She walked to the car Lucas smiled, the memories flooding back.

'High school was so easy compared to college. That's when I had my faith shaken in my faith and for Riley and I. There was a point where I didn't know if we would make it.'

A.n.- Well their high school life in like 11 pages. Can you guess where chapter 2 is going? Feel free to R&R, it makes me smile. Keep an eye out for my one shot.