A/N
So, I've decided to include some flashbacks to further explain some of the Idea's I've toyed with in previous chapters. It's the best way to explain in detail what's happened in the past. It also means I can start to move forward with the story. Thanks for all the reviews. I love them, they get me motivated. Keep them coming. Enjoy x

Maya felt dry dust swirl around her feet as she hopped out of the passenger side seat. She was hit by the sudden wave of heat, sweat already forming on her brow. She turned to Lucas, sitting in the driver side, "I'm starting to remember why I didn't like working here through the summer."

Lucas grinned, slamming his door, "You'll get used to it."
Maya looked on in wonder at Lucas, who maintained a completely composed appearance despite the heat. She shook her head, mumbling unintelligible swears under her breath at him and all of his southern adjustability. Maya opened her mouth to reply, stopped by a force slamming into her, knocking the air straight out of her lungs.

Maya wrapped her arms around Zay's shoulders, feeling him almost vibrating with excitement, "There's my other cowboy. Be honest, How much mischief am I going to have to explain away?"
Zay grinned, stepping back to hold her at arm's length, "Not too much. I've been staying out of trouble."

Maya rolled her eyes at his cheeky grin, "Settle down there, buddy. What's go you all riled up?"
Zay grinned and pulled her back into him, "I'm exciting to see you guys."

And then he was gone. Maya looked over to see him and Lucas engaging in a well-practiced man hug.
Zay smiled up at him, "You taking good care of her?"

Maya rolled her eyes, shooting Lucas a look. He smiled, "She take care of herself."

Maya piped up, walking around them to the front of Zay's driveway, "Speaking of caring. How's my favourite up and coming rodeo star going?"

A woman's voice carried from the front steps, "Excited. About you, not the Bulls."
Maya grinned up at Vanessa, then dropped, with little time to spare, catching a messy 2 year old in her arms, "Aunt Maya!"
"Hey, Gremlin," Maya scooped up Zay's two year old son, fitting him on her hip, "I was wondering how long it'd take you to get out here."

She felt Lucas move behind her, ruffling the small child hair, "Where's my 'Hello', Mister?"

"Hi, uncle Lucas," Maya shifted him into Lucas' arms, "I helped mommy make your guys' bed."
Zay looked alarmed, "Beds, little man. Two of 'em."
Lucas frowned, "I hope you don't mind us heading up to see Papy Joe this afternoon. I promised him I'd come round as soon as possible."
Maya jogged up the steps to wrap her arms around Vanessa, "We're in high demandaround these parts."
Vanessa squeezed her, "Doesn't surprise me."
Maya looked up at her. She was still beautiful, having grown tall in her last few years of high school. Maya still recognised parts of the old Vanessa in her genuine smile, "How are things going?"

Vanessa grabbed her hand, leading her down the steps, "Great. We just got new bedding from town, so ya'll should be comfortable."
Zay came up behind her, wrapping his hands around her waist. Maya noticed for the first time how happy they looked together.

Zay strode into out onto the street, door slamming behind him. He passed them on the school courtyard without a glance. Lucas looked up, alarmed, "Hey Zay? What's up, man?"

Zay ignored him, walking hastily down the pavement. Lucas untangled his arms from around Riley's waist, shooting Maya a look, "You coming?"
Maya nodded, patting Riley on the shoulder, "How about just us? Go find Farkle."
Riley stood up quickly, turning to walk back inside the school. Lucas set off in a jog, quickly catching up to Zay, "Zay! What's going on?"

Maya gripped his arm, turning him to face her, "What happened?"
Zay paled, "Texas."
Lucas looked concerned, "Texas? You haven't been in about a month"

Zay nodded, brushing Maya off to collapse onto Lucas, "She's pregnant, man. I... I didn't…I don't."

Lucas shifted forward, wrapping strong arms around Zay's shoulders, "You sure?"
His voice cracked, "100%. She went to see the doctor earlier in the week. Just called me now."

Maya reached for him, "I'm so sorry Zay."

He shifted away from them, rubbing his temple, "I've gotta go back home."

Lucas picked her up, throwing her over the fence before she could protest. She landed on her feet, steadying herself on a tree, "I could have done that myself."
Lucas snorted, "We don't have hours to spare."

Maya glared at him, starting up the path towards the quaint log house in the centre of the clearing, "Where should I hide?"

Lucas walked briskly up the steps, "Papy Joe, You home?"
He quietly pointed to the wall behind the door. She fit herself behind it just in time to avoid a happy Papy Joe step onto the porch, "Lucas? Is that you, son?"

Lucas beamed, "I arrived safely."

Maya could only imagine, from the muffled sound of Lucas' voice, that he had been wrapped in his grandfather's arms.

Papy Joe grunted, "You're a bit late."

Lucas laughed, "Sorry about that. I got held up."
"It's alright, son. Why don't you come inside?"

Maya stepped out from behind the door, "And they call southerners charming. Do I get an invite in?"

Papy Joe looked up in shock, face softening as he spotted Maya, "Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

Maya grinned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "You're a sight for sore eyes, old man."

Papy Joe held her at arm's length, "And you haven't grown an inch, little girl."
"Alright, that's enough you two," Lucas chuckled, leading Maya into the house with a hand on the small of her back, "Like your surprise, Papy Joe?"

"Depends," He ruffled Maya's hair, "Do I get to keep her?"
Lucas grinned, "I'll play you for her."

Maya slotted her right foot into a stirrup, lean forward to put her weight on the horse as Lucas took hold of her leg, "Giddy up, Horsey."
She could hear the disgust in his voice, "Don't talk to my horse like that, Short stack. She's got low self-esteem as it is."

Lucas wrapped arm around, her leg, attempting to hoist her with a leg up. Maya flailed, grip failing her. He dropped her stepping back, "Oh sorry, I forgot you have the height and muscle density of a 10 year old."
"I resent that statement," Maya huffed, gripping the saddle above her."

"Oh for the love of god," Lucas grabbed her around the waist, "You're gonna hurt the poor thing."
He shifted her in front of him, arms firmly gripping her waist, and picked her up and over onto the saddle. Like she weighed nothing. Maya shuddered, "Sometimes I can appreciate your caveman like abilities."

"I'm gonna go ahead and guess this isn't one of those times."

"You're great at this game."

Lucas chuckled, handing her the bridle, "All right, Short stack. Give her a little nudge, go for walk around the yards."

Maya lightly kicked the horse with her heels, "He's stubborn as anything. Definitely your horse."
Lucas grinned, "Cute. Try harder."

Maya gave the horse a sturdier nudge, yelping in surprise when he took off, "Lucas!"

"Pull on the reigns," Lucas' voice was steady, calming. Maya pulled too abruptly, shifting to her right and then off the horse back. She hit the ground with a thud. A dull shout sounded from behind her as the world went black, "Maya!"

Shawn touched Maya's arm, shifted her to look at him, "It isn't her fault, Maya."

Maya snatched her arm back, "This has nothing to do with you Shawn."
Katy looked up at Maya's word in surprise, "Shawn is a part of our family, baby girl. Don't speak to him like that."

Maya faced her, voice scratchy from yelling, "Oh, you really don't want to preach family at me right now, Mom."
"Maya I was doing my best, as a single mother, to protect you."
"To protect me?" Maya had passed snapping, her voice cracking under the pressure of the volume, "You know who could have protected me? Him."

Katy shook her head, "I was able to pay for you to live a good life Maya. I wouldn't have been able to if he'd stayed."
"What about all those times I spent whole night alone because you were to busy working? That time I jumped off the second story of our apartment building to avoid a mugger? All the times I took the subway alone at midnight?"
Katy's face fell, "Maya it's not the same-"
"He could have protected me. I could have felt safe. Why would you take that away from me?"

Shawn stood beside her, "He had a good life. His adoptive parents love him, Kiddo.:
Maya's voice was menacing, "So you sacrificed my happiness, my safety, for his?"
Katy trembled, "It wasn't my first choice, Maya. I was just trying to do right by everyone."

Maya anger was quickly fading into grief, "You convinced me I was crazy."

Katy shook her head; a sob shook her body as Shawn rushed to her side. Maya could feel the tears streaming down her face, "I went to therapy. You tried to tell me I was hallucinating."
"Maya," Shawn's voice lowered in warning, "She never wanted you to think that."
Maya's eyes widened, "You knew?"

"Maya-" Shawn tried to call after her, but Maya was already out of the door. Tears wet her face as she walked out onto the pavement, snow swirling around her head. She couldn't remember how long she walked, or why she walked the way she did. She came to an abrupt stop in front of a NYU dorm door, knocking lightly on the wood. The door opened, light streaming into the dimly lit hallway, to show a dishevelled Josh in the doorway. Maya opened her mouth, looking around him to the people sitting around in her apartment. Pizza boxes lay strewn and half eaten around the room. The sound of his voice caught her attention, "Maya? Hey, What's wrong?"
Maya shook her head, "Sorry, I didn't realise you had company."
Josh threw a look behind him, "Don't worry about it. What's up?"
Maya blinked, staring into his eyes, "Forget about it. I'm fine."
Josh looked at her for a few moments, recognising the grief and desperation in her tone, "Everybody out."
A dark haired boy shouted from the couch, "They just got here, man. What's… Oh, Hello female."
Josh rolled his eyes, moving Maya into the kitchen, "You too Snoopaloop. Everyone out."
People shuffled about of the door, leaving Maya and Josh in silence. He pulled her into his arms, "What happened?"
Maya hadn't seen Josh in months, too busy with starting senior year had taken up most of her time. She wrapped her arms around him, "I don't want to talk about it now. I want to cash in on your promise."
Josh pulled back surprised, "What promise?"
Maya smiled, "Someday."
Josh blinked, confused. Maya wrapped her hands around his neck, "I want you to help me forget."

Bringing him forward, she pressed her lips to his. He hesitated. Maya pressed herself against him harder, hoping to break his moral compass. His restraint snapped, arms wrapping around her waist. Maya panted as he moved his lips from hers to tease the sensitive skin of her neck. Maya gasped as he reached down, hands gripping her thighs to hoist her up around his waist. She wrapped her legs around his, rolling her hips against his crotch, relishing in his rough groan. Josh spun them around, pushing away a pizza box with his free hand to rest her on the kitchen counter. Maya held her arms, letting him pull her sweatshirt off of her upper body, moaning as he zeroed back in on the sensitive spot between her neck and collarbone. Maya fisted her hands in his shirt, opening her legs wider for him settle between them. She pulled his shirt over his head, breaking contact for a second. Josh's hand started at her waist, trailing down to the zipper of her jeans, leaving a path of fire in his wake. He pulled back slowly, "Maybe this isn't a good idea, Maya."

Maya.
Maya.

"Maya."
She jolted awake, blinking the dirt out of her eyes, to see a worried Lucas looking down at her. She sat uprights, blinking as a wave of dizziness overcame her. Lucas steadied her with a hand on her back, "This is why I don't let you do things by yourself."
Maya groaned, rubbing her head, "I'm never, ever getting on a horse again."

"I wouldn't recommend it."
Maya shoved him, taking his hand as he lifted her to her feet, "You're stupid horse threw me off. Again."

Lucas chuckled, "It's not her fault. You're terrible at riding horse."
Maya rolled her eyes, climbing to perch on the top of a nearby wooden fence, "Get on with the teaching. I want to go home."

Lucas grinned at Maya's pout, "Are you sure you're alright? No concussion?"

"What did I say, Ranger Rick? Hurry up."

Zay landed on his front steps beside Maya, Burger in hand. She turned to him, Sun warm against her skin, "What you got for me?"
He shoved a plate under her nose, "Vanessa's famous lone star burger. A slice of Texas."

Maya took a bite, "I think I love you."
Zay nudged her, "Sorry, lady. I'm taken."

"I'll fight her for you."

"I believe you."
Zay leant forward on his elbows looking out at a sweat soaked Lucas as her started his final lap down the long driveway, "How's he doing?"
Maya smiled, "Same old Lucas."
"Even after Riley?"

Maya frowned, "Especially after Riley."
Zay was silent for a moment, "He ever tell you why?"
Maya shook her head, still chewing, "Nope, neither has she."
"Kind of makes me wonder," Zay looked up at her, "If you had something to do with it."
"Why's that?"
He shrugged, "They've told you everything since they met you, then suddenly they tell you nothing?"
Maya finished a mouthful, "I don't see how it could be about me."
Zay smiled softly, "That's because you've never been on the outside, looking in at you two."
Maya frowned, "What do you mean?"

Zay shifted towards her, "Do you remember in tenth grade, back when Lucas had to choose between you two?"
Maya elbowed him, "The highlight of my high school career."
Zay shook his head, exasperated, "He told me once, that he felt like you guys chose for him."
The smile slipped from Maya's face, "What?"
"Years later. At the time, he would have been happy with either of you," Zay grimaced, "But when you found out you were turning into Riley, and decided you didn't like him like that, it was like you chose Riley for him."
Maya shook her head, "He picked her."
Zay looked at her, "Did he?"
"Yes."

"Before or after you told him how you really felt about him?"

Maya was silent.
Zay leaned back to look at her, "You two decided that it was Riley he wanted all along. But he told me he liked you back when I first came to town. That's way before you started 'changing' into Riley."
Maya stilled, "It doesn't matter now, anyway."
Zay frowned, "Have you ever asked him? About why he broke up with Riley?"
Maya swayed in the heat, seeing a worn out Lucas running towards her out of the corner of her eye, "He'll tell me when he's ready."
She stood up to meet Lucas as he jogged up the driveway, "Stop doing exercise. You have enough muscles already."
Lucas huffed out a laugh, "I use my running time to think."
Maya nodded, "Stop thinking too."
Lucas shoved her, wrapping a damp arm around her shoulder as they walked towards the house, "Watch it, Short stack. I use making you morning coffee as time to think, as well. We wouldn't want that to stop, now, would we?"
Maya pouted, "You're no fun."

A/N:
Tell me what you think. Thanks for the reviews, reading them makes me write faster
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