A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews!
Dauntless: I thought about what you said and went in, putting POV's on the first chapter as well. When I went back and read it, I could definitely see your point about it being confusing.
Sand: Thanks! I hope I don't disappoint!
Kid: Yes, they are all there, just give it a little bit and everyone will make their appearances. :)
Guest: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. I hope I continue to keep you wanting more...but in a good way!
Guest: *blush* Thanks! Here's the next chapter.
This chapter is a little bit longer, but I hope you guys like it as well as you did the last one! :) - Side note: I do not own Girl Meets World, any of its characters or things referenced henceforth. This is just my brain running with what I've got.
RILEY'S POV
Pulling her collar up around her neck, she made her way through the streets. She needed to find Benny. He would be able to help her. She couldn't warm up, no matter how hard she tried. But the cold at least let her know she was alive. For all the good it did. She'd gone so far from everything, even she couldn't believe she'd gone through what she did and hadn't told anyone.
She'd just been so angry at him for what she saw. The feeling of all the blood draining from her face, it had been a knee jerk reaction slapping him in front of everyone. She shouldn't have been surprised that he actually did leave, and didn't come back. The look in his eyes told her he would do what she wanted.
She had no one to blame, but herself. It was her fault it had all happened. All of it. Swiping at the tear that made it's way down her cheek, she cleared her throat, seeing Skip.
"Hey, you."
Skip looked up. He was thin and his skin paler than most. She often picked at him and told him he needed a tanning bed. His black dyed hair washed his skin out even more it seemed and the piercings everywhere, kept most people away from him. "What do you need, brat?"
She knew he called her brat as a term of endearment and half grinned at him. "You seen Benny?"
"Benny? What's the matter, sugar? You need a pick me up?"
Blinking a long blink, she shrugged. "I need to disappear." she said softly.
Studying her soft face, he wondered who in the world ever made her as sad as she was. She was one of those people who could have been happy once. He could see that she most likely had been happy once. But she was traveling down a dangerous road, and Benny would lead her straight there, with no qualms. No, she deserved better. "Why don't you hang around with me for a bit today, huh? See if we can find something to get into later. I heard Benny got locked up anyway."
Not sure if he was telling the truth or if he just didn't want her going anywhere else, she debated.
"Besides, I got some stuff that will definitely help numb the pain. Home made."
Letting her breath out, she shrugged. What the hell. Anything was better than what she felt now.
FARKLE'S POV
Staring at his phone, he debated answering. He'd ignored it when his phone signaled the incoming text at almost three in the morning. What did he want after all this time? "You know, just because you left because of Riley, doesn't mean the rest of us were just as eager to get rid of you."
"I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stopped talking to everyone. It was just hard for me."
"Hard for you? You just left and left us hanging with it!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't know what was going on!"
"None of us did! But that doesn't mean you just dump all of us because you get into a fight with Riley!"
There was a long wait for an answer, he wondered if he was even going to get one.
"Missy kissed me. I stopped it as soon as she did, but Riley saw us. I didn't know this until last night when Maya text me."
Maya. She knew? Well, of course she would, she was Riley's best friend. But she should have told everyone else.
"Have you seen Riley?"
"I haven't seen anybody since a few weeks after you left. Maya and Riley went on their own merry ways and I was left to my own devices. Smackle found a new group and changed schools. Even Zay found the jocks to hang with."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
Letting his breath out, he sent a reply. "I heard Riley isn't doing good at all. Something happened after you left. I don't know what, but she changed. Her dad pulled me aside the other day and asked me if I would talk to her."
"Did you?"
"I couldn't find her. She ditched and Maya wouldn't tell me where she was." Biting his bottom lip, he sent back, "I think she's in real trouble. A lot of people are really worried about her."
LUCAS'S POV
"I think she's in real trouble. A lot of people are really worried about her."
He must have stared at those words for an hour. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he debated for a long time, before getting dressed. It had gone on long enough. Leaving a note on the table, he told his mom he was going to help a friend and would be home later.
Getting on the subway, it seemed strange to be taking the familiar route to the other side of town. Hopping off, he spotted the blond immediately. He smiled slightly and waved. "Maya!" and then his face became confused. "Farkle?"
"Well. Looks like the whole group is here."
"Most of us anyway." Farkle spouted. "Why are you here?"
"I was going to find Riley and talk to her. What are you two doing? I thought you said you haven't seen each other."
"We haven't." Maya started. "But Topanga text me earlier. Riley is missing, again. She never text them earlier or called me, like she said she was going to and I'm scared she's in real trouble. When she left this morning I knew she wasn't going to come home. Something about the look in her face and the way she told me she loved me."
Farkle's earlier words, stabbed him in the heart.
"I need his help. But now that you're here too, Ranger Rick, you can help. There are three main places she goes. There's a place on Eighth Street, there's a place on Summer Ave and there's a place on MLK."
"Those are all in the bad part of town."
"That's where I find her. And be prepared, she's probably drunk and either with a guy named Benny, or a guy named Skip."
His heart fell out of his chest. "How bad is she?"
"It doesn't matter. Does everyone have a phone?"
All three brought theirs up. Maya seemed to be in command of the group and at this point, he was really glad he'd decided to come, regardless of when or why.
"I'll take Eighth, Farkle, you've got Summer, and Lucas, you take MLK. If she's on Summer, she'll be in a little white house on the left after the blue one. If she's on MLK she'll be in a two story run down building that's been condemned but people like to hang out in. Everyone stay in touch, period. Oh, and one last thing, no one knows her out there by Riley. They all call her Little Bit."
Making his way toward the subway car, he got back in and held his breath. What in the hell was she thinking? What had she been doing? He felt sick to his stomach. What had she done to herself?
Getting out, he made his way down the street until he saw the building she'd been talking about. There were lights and loud music coming from it, and it seemed no one thought it was out of the ordinary. He could see why people stayed away from this part of town. Everyone looked like they were going to kill you.
Buffing himself up, he walked into the building, walking around and looking at all the faces there. There was a bowl of pills lying in the middle of the floor and there were couches everywhere with couples making out on almost all of them. Doing a quick walk through, he was oddly relieved, though admittedly a bit disappointed that he hadn't found her, until he stopped on his way out. She was sitting there, on the couch, a guy beside her that looked very emo, and she was almost completely out of it.
Her dark hair was hung down as it generally was but she was so thin. Her eyes had dark circles and her cheeks were so defined now. She had a beer in her hand and there was no telling how many she'd had before then, or what else she'd drank or taken. She looked...frail. She'd always been little, but now she looked utterly defeated. Stepping up close to her, he cleared his throat. "Riley?"
Her eyes narrowed on him and he could tell. She was so broken.
Not able to formulate her own thoughts at the time, she simply stared. "Lucas." she whispered.
The emo kid turned his head toward her. "Huh?"
Unable to stop himself, he squatted down in front of her.
She could only stare. Reaching out softly, she touched his face, as if making sure he was real. She kept her hand on his chin and blinked as moisture filled her eyes. There was no way this was real. No way. So why not run with the fantasy? She was tired of seeing him in her dreams and being mad at him. She was tired of hurting. So if this was a dream, why not go for it?
"Come on. We need to get out of here."
"And go where?"
"Home."
Blinking slowly, she didn't stop the tear that leaked out. "I don't have a home."
"Sure you do. Come on. I'll take you there."
Suddenly, the kid beside Riley, sat forward. "Dude, who are you?"
As if a switch had been flipped, she stood, put her hand over her mouth, and bolted from the building. He was real. He was really there. This was real, not some drunken illusion from too much alcohol. He had found her. And he had seen her. She had to get away.
Following her, he ran after, quickly catching up. "Riley, wait..."
Stopping short, on the side of the building, she bent over and lost all contents of her stomach, in several violent bursts. Turning to face him after standing straight on none too steady legs, she wiped her mouth on her shirt sleeve and her eyes rolled back, lids closing as her body went completely lax and she lost consciousness.
Grabbing his phone after catching her and laying her on the ground, he dialed Maya.
"Did you find her?" she answered.
"Yeah, but she's really bad. She needs a hospital."
"No! You can't take her to a hospital. She just needs to sleep it off."
"She's not even conscious, Maya! She needs help!"
There was a short pause. "I'll be there in less than a minute." and the line went dead.
Touching her forehead to move the hair from her face, he noticed his hands shaking. He didn't know how long he stared at her, he simply knew that the next thing he realized was the blond of the duo, running toward him.
"I called Farkle. He should be here in a second." and she stopped short as she noticed them both on the ground. Dropping to her knees beside her, she lightly patted her face. "Riley?"
There was no response.
"Come on, Peaches. Talk to me." panic now lacing her voice.
Again, no response.
"Maya..."
"She's never been this bad before. Call 911."
