Hello my lovely readers. Since I deleted my public service announcement I am going to repeat myself one last time (for the people in the back or new people who don't know yet)

1) This is NOT strictly a Rucas or Lucaya love story. Each choice has different consequences, neither is all good or all bad.

2) Everything I have done is canon. I realize that (some) people interpret the show differently but everything I have done or will do I can back up with quotes, events, and interviews from creators of GMW (within context because I do not believe in propaganda shipping) If you don't like the direction of one of the ships that is a product of Michael Jacobs established foundation not mine.

3) Each alternate reality has a different endgame. That's the only way I can answer your question without giving the ending away ;)

4) These will be real emotions and real human responses which means expect things to get messy. (That's kind of a rule for all my writing)

Thank you again for all your kind words and well wishes! I appreciate and adore each and every one of you!

Maya and Lucas stood outside the school, both secretly dreading going inside. He turned to the beautiful blonde nervously.

"Okay, so let me make sure I've got this right? We don't hold hands."

Her long curly tendrils bounced from side to side as she shook her head no. "Definitely not. That was weird. And sweaty...why are your hands so sweaty?"

"It wasn't me, it was you." He defended.

"Whatever you say, Ranger Rick!"

His shoulders slumped. He had kind of hoped once they were together she wouldn't feel the need to keep making fun of every little thing about him.

"We're still doing that?" He asked.

Her blue eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Of course we are, Bucky Mcboing Boing. You'd hate to spoil my fun. What's that you southern folk like to say? When mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy."

He just shook his head and smiled at his girlfriend. He still couldn't believe that he had a girlfriend now. And he really couldn't believe that his girlfriend was Maya Hart.

"So what do I get to call you? I know short stack and pancake are already ruled out," he said with a smirk.

"You get to call me Maya, like you always have." She stated as if it were obvious.

His brows knit together in confusion.

"So we don't talk. We don't hold hands. You still make fun of me and I'm not allowed to retaliate. How is this any different from us being just friends?"

She glanced around to make sure no one was watching them before hopping on her tiptoes and kissing him quickly.

"Oh yeah, we do that now when no one is around." He said with a sly grin.

"Yep, around everybody else it's just another day," she assured him as she began to walk away but before she got far he'd grabbed her arm and pulled her back in.

"What gives Huckleberry?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow. He was already breaking the rules.

"If this is really just another day then why did you walk to school with me instead of...ya know."

With Riley...

He still couldn't say her name without remembering the look on her face. She had covered well. She always did, but for that brief unguarded moment he had seen it; all the pain and disappointment she would surely stuff down and pretend wasn't there today. Why couldn't he have seen it from the beginning? It had been there all along, hiding in her eyes. Farkle had seen it. Why couldn't he?

He glanced over again at the girl standing next to him, knowing she must be struggling just as much with his choice as he was. It wasn't that he had chosen wrong. He truly felt he had made the only choice he could. If what he'd had with Riley had been real, had been right, that moment in Texas with Maya would never have happened. He had chosen at that campfire, he just hadn't realized there was a choice being made at the time.

She shrugged in response to his question. "I just wasn't ready to see her. I'm sure she would have let me in its just...she'd be faking it and I would know it. She said that it was okay, but it doesn't feel okay. I didn't do anything wrong though. All I did was follow my heart," she wasn't even really talking to him. She was just processing out loud.

"Maya-" he didn't even get to finish his sentence. She was already walking away. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to find a corner to hide in and kiss him til she didn't feel so lousy anymore.

They didn't realize that Zay had been standing outside the school and seen everything. Usually he'd be the first to circulate the gossip, but right now there was only one person he wanted to run and tell.

Maya, Lucas, and Zay were the last ones to walk into the classroom, only to find an empty desk in the front row. Riley wasn't there. That was all the evidence Zay needed to determine that Lucas had made his choice and Cotton Candy Face obviously knew he'd chosen the blonde beauty. Lucas was an idiot.

No one had to tell Farkle that anything had changed. He could see the guilt written all over Lucas and Maya's faces. He could see the mixture of concern and disappointment in Zay's. Lucas had finally gotten off the fence and made a decision.

The only thing worse to Lucas than seeing Riley in pain, was not seeing Riley at all. Maybe that was selfish of him, but he couldn't help it. The day just wasn't the same without her there to talk to…of course he doubted they would be talking even if she was here. She would try for the sake of the friendship and appearances, but it would be strained and awkward. He couldn't bear the thought of that either.

Mr. Mathews walked into his classroom and could barely look at two of his students. He knew he had to remain objective, but he was finding that nearly impossible to do when he'd spent the entire night listening to his little girl cry her eyes out. He slammed his briefcase down on his desk and flipped the clips open.

"Alright class, today we're going to talk about alliances and betrayal. He honestly hadn't chosen this lesson. It just happened to be the next one on the history curriculum.

"Countries make alliances for all sorts of reasons; sometimes because they have leaders that get along well, sometimes because they have similar goals or a common enemy. In order to survive in this world you need friends," he began but the more he spoke the more his blood boiled. He was supposed to separate the classroom from the personal but right now he was struggling not to pin Friar up against a wall and ban Maya from his home in front of God and everybody.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this," he mumbled before closing his briefcase and walking out. He would request a substitute for this class. He couldn't be trusted in a room with those two right now.

Lucas and Maya both just hung their heads in shame. It didn't take a genius like Farkle to realize that Mr. Mathews perceived their relationship as a betrayal against his daughter...and if they were being honest they both did too. Riley had been nothing but good to them and together they had broken her heart.

A substitute was brought in for the remainder of class who went on and on about WWI and what happens when allies wage war and common alliances are forced to choose sides. Not once did Farkle correct or commentate. Not once did Zay crack a joke or inappropriate comment.

As the bell finally rang, Maya and Lucas finally addressed their friends.

"Come on guys, you're not mad at us too? Lucas asked.

Farkle didn't want to be angry, but he was. He didn't hold Lucas responsible for stealing away both his women. He never had but he did hold them responsible for what their choice was costing one of his best friends.

"I'm not mad at you for liking Maya. But I am mad at you for hurting Riley."

Lucas had figured as much.

"I'm mad at me for that too." He admitted.

Farkle turned to Maya, "you and I always protected her together. I never thought I'd have to protect her from you." He said sadly before walking away.

Zay patted Lucas on the shoulder. "I hope you're both happy man. I hope it's worth it. I really do."

That was all he said before following Farkle out. They had been such a tight knit group whenever he had first arrived. Within weeks after Texas the core four had begun unraveling. This might be their complete undoing.

Instinctively Lucas reached for his girlfriend's hand, only to have her turn to him, her blue eyes staring daggers.

"You're not supposed to do that." She snapped as she jerked her hand away.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to help," he explained, already feeling the sting of everyone's disapproval.

"Well you can't. They hate us Lucas! And you know what? So do I!" She stormed out of the classroom leaving him standing alone.

They didn't speak or look at one another the rest of the school day. Every time she wanted to, she remembered the empty desk where her best friend was supposed to be. Every time he wanted to he remembered the way she had been so cold to him when he had needed comfort. Didn't she see that he was hurting too?

Finally after the last class of the day as he was about to walk home alone when he felt someone push him up against a wall. The next thing he knew her lips were on his.

"What are you doing?" He asked his voice slightly raised in annoyance.

"I thought it was obvious," she mused before going in for another kiss, but he turned his head.

"You yelled at me and ignored me and now you're kissing me?" After almost two years of friendship he still didn't understand this girl at all.

"Can't we just chock it up to our first fight as a couple? I'm sorry, I was just upset about Riley."

She needed him to kiss her. She needed him to remind her why all the pain, guilt, and grief were worth it.

"I know. I was too. I still am-" he began to explain.

"Then kiss me. It will make both of us feel better. It always does."

How could he argue with that logic?

"Riley, it's getting late. You need to head out if you're going to make it to school on time," Topanga called from the kitchen.

The brunette walked somberly down the stairs.

"She didn't come," she mumbled as her voice cracked close to tears.

Riley had been upstairs waiting for Maya to come through her window all morning. She had hoped that she and Maya could still be as they had always been, but deep down she had known better. It was part of the reason she hadn't pursued her feelings for Lucas to begin with.

Topanga wrapped a comforting arm around her daughter.

"Oh honey," she didn't know what to say. She had been in just the same position in the hall with Maya the night before. Both girls loved each other and didn't want Lucas's decision to change anything, but it had.

The young girl grabbed a pop tart from the table, though she had no appetite for it.

"I should get going. See you later, mom."

Once she had entered the school there was still no sign of Maya anywhere.

"Hi," she heard a familiar voice from behind her as his hand quickly grasped around hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze before releasing it.

She couldn't help but smile at his gesture.

As she turned to face him he could see the twinkle of happiness in her brown eyes, but he could also still see the pain radiating just behind it.

"Hi," she greeted, her voice sounding sadder than she had intended.

He hated to see what his choice was doing to all of them. Even though he was thrilled with the girl he had chosen, and she was happy to be with him, neither could fully enjoy it knowing it had come at Maya's expense.

"I'm sorry Riley. I never meant for it to be like this." He couldn't help but feel responsible for the growing rift between the girls.

She smiled sympathetically as she collected her books from her locker.

"I know, Lucas, but it's not your fault. You didn't ask either of us to like you," she said, reading his mind.

That wasn't entirely true. He hadn't asked them to like him but he had been hoping that Riley would and had been lost when she'd called him her brother. All those months he had thought he'd lost her he couldn't think straight. All he could do was miss her and wonder how her feelings had changed.

He smiled as he once again realized that her feelings had never changed. She had always been his, just as he was hers. Now they finally, truly belonged to one another as boyfriend and girlfriend; no more unofficial mixed signals and misunderstandings.

"No, but I'm sure glad that you do."

Her brown eyes lit up with joy. After months of questioning what she had meant to him and believing that he had wanted someone else more it was such a relief finally knowing where they stood.

"I really do," she smiled brightly taking his hand in hers.

He watched in wonder as she combined their hands. He hadn't expected her to be so open about their relationship under the circumstances, and he knew that were Maya present this moment probably wouldn't be happening. It still hurt to think of Maya and remember her words from the day before. She hadn't come out and said they weren't friends anymore, but her choice of wording suggested that as far as she was concerned Riley was once again the only connection between them.

Zay and Farkle were both already seated when Riley and Lucas came walking in hand in hand.

Farkle sat there feeling a mixture of concern and relief. He was happy for Lucas and Riley. They had both wanted this for a long time and made plenty of sacrifices for the good of the friendships. They deserved this. But if Lucas was with Riley that meant he wasn't with Maya. From everything he had seen the blonde bombshell hadn't liked Lucas nearly as long, but that didn't make her feelings any less real or important. It also didn't mean that his decision would hurt her any less.

He had never resented Lucas for claiming the interest of both his ladies, but he could resent him for choosing between them. When Farkle had been faced with a similar choice he had forfeited them both to keep the girl's friendship intact, and he'd been waiting for the day either one of them would see him as more than a friend for a really long time.

Zay just grinned and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Stop it," Lucas demanded.

Riley had been nervous enough about them being a couple to begin with. If everyone made a big deal out of it she might try to backpedal and that was the last thing Lucas wanted. Now that he had held her hand and kissed her and wrapped his arm around her he didn't want to give those things up. He didn't want to go back to being just her friend.

Zay slapped his buddy on the shoulder. "Man, it's about time," was all he said on the subject before deciding after school he would go check on honey nugget.

Mr. Mathews walked into class and laid his briefcase down on his desk. He looked up and noticed that Maya's desk was empty. He had stayed behind yesterday while Topanga had gone after her. He just hoped she knew that he still loved her as much as he had before Lucas's decision and that she would always be part of their family no matter what happened.

He spent the rest of the period talking about WWI and what happened when common alliances had to choose sides. He realized this lesson might appear chosen for this particular occasion but it really wasn't. The curriculum had dictated the material, not him.

Finally the bell rang, excusing the class. Farkle got up and began to exit quietly when a small feminine voice called him back.

"Wait, please don't be mad. We don't have to split up and take sides. I'm still on Maya's side too. We all are," she said once again taking Lucas's hand in her own without even realizing she'd done so.

Farkle turned back to meet Riley's chocolate eyes pleading with him, desperate for his approval.

"I'm not mad at you Riley...I'm mad at myself. Maya already thinks I took your side because of what I said at New Year's...and maybe I did. I didn't think so at the time. I was so focused on how you were feeling that I didn't think about how she would feel. I just blurted it out in front of everyone. At least Lucas had the decency to do it in private..." He trailed off, still not able to look at Lucas.

"I still can't believe I missed that," Zay replied.

"Not helping," Lucas snapped, causing Riley to glance at him worriedly.

"I'm sorry Zay. I just-" he began apologizing.

"We're cool. I get it. I'll catch up with you guys later," he said as he left for his next class.

"I should go too," Farkle stated flatly.

The brunette turned to her boyfriend, her eyes threatening to well up with tears.

"Lucas," she whispered as he pulled her into him, both needing comfort.

"It's gonna be okay Riley." He said as he held her close breathing in the scent of her.

They spent the rest of the day stealing glances at one another in classes and talking about anything other than Maya and their relationship. He understood that Riley was afraid of change and that choosing her was a risk. He knew that it was his responsibility to keep her fear and other people's opinions from tearing them apart. He would hold them together and keep choosing her until she was finally strong enough and ready to choose him too.

The last bell of the day had finally rung as Riley stood to gather her belongings.

"Can I walk you home today?" He asked hopefully.

She smiled at his question but he could already see that her answer was going to be no.

"I'd like that...but I'm not going home yet."

He nodded knowingly.

"You're going to see Maya." He concluded.

She nodded in response.

"She was my best friend long before you became my boyfriend. I just want to show her that she's still important to me."

Lucas smiled through the twinges of guilt and jealousy coursing through him. He loved how thoughtful and protective Riley was over the people she cared about. He loved being one of those people. He cared about Maya too and he understood that sometimes she needed to come first and now was one of those times. He just hoped that Riley would remember to keep them a priority as well. Otherwise he would lose her for sure.

The brunette collected her belongings and turned to leave when suddenly she spun on her heels.

"Lucas," she breathed.

His green eyes watched the way the flecks of gold in hers danced in the light.

"Yeah Riles?"

She leaned in and brushed her lips against his gently.

"You're really important to me too."

His smile grew from one side of his face to the other unapologetically.

"How about a rain check on that walk?" She called over her shoulder.

"Count on it, princess."

Tomorrow come rain or shine, he was walking his girlfriend home.

A/N: Since there have already been some misunderstandings let me clarify before moving forward. Pay VERY close attention to the wording used for people's reactions to the couplings.

In both instances Farkle is angry with Lucas for choosing between the girls, but he's not really mad at Riley or Maya. He's just disappointed in the situation.

He and Maya have always protected Riley from everything hurtful, but now Maya is the one hurting her. I think this would make Farkle feel as though he failed Riley, they both did, for not recognizing the true threat.

Whereas with Rucas, He chose to protect Riley on that rooftop (and even though he had good intentions for everyone involved) I think he would worry that Maya would feel that he too had chosen Riley and was now hurting Maya.

In both instances Zay is mainly worried about the other girl and how this choice will affect the friendships more than anything else.