Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or any of the characters

Chapter 10

Lucas sat in his bed that night and smiled to himself. He was in love with Riley Matthews. There wasn't a certain reason for it, there were a bunch of different reasons. She made him want to be a better person. She made him believe in love and trust again. She gave him the courage to open up his heart again after it had been torn into pieces. He knew from the moment he met her that she was someone special and every single day together reminded him that he was right. Riley Matthews was the person he was in love with and there was no sign of that changing any time soon.

"Daddy?" Haley's voice interrupted him from his thoughts. He looked over at the doorway and saw his little girl clutching onto her teddy bear. Her hair was a ruffled mess and one of her hands was clutching her stomach. Her eyes looked teary and her bottom lip was pouting out.

"Hales," Lucas's eyes softened and he gestured her closer to the bed. He hated seeing her in distress. "What's the matter?"

"Can I sleep in here tonight?" Haley quietly asked.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked. She slowly got onto the bed and rested her head against his arm, immediately feeling the comfort only her dad could give her.

"My tummy hurts," Haley whispered.

"Too much sugar with Uncle Zay tonight?" Lucas asked. He softly ran a hand over the top of her head and smoothed out her hair. He knew she had consumed one too many cookies after dinner and this stomach ache was inevitable.

"Yeah," Haley nodded against his shoulder.

"Well lay down here and I bet you'll feel better in the morning," Lucas said. She scooted under the covers and he pulled them up to cover her petite body. She snuggled into his pillow and let out a long yawn. He gave her less than five minutes before she was fully asleep.

"Did you ask Miss Matthews?" Haley asked. "Is she going to come to dinner?"

"She is," Lucas nodded with a soft smile.

"When?" Haley asked, her eyes opening softly.

"Soon," Lucas promised. "Now go to sleep princess."

"I love you daddy," Haley yawned and held her teddy bear close to her chest.

"I love you too," Lucas leaned down and kissed the top of her head. She smiled at him and then almost instantly closed her eyes. He watched as her chest started to rise and fall, an indication that she had fallen asleep. He would do whatever he needed to do to protect her. He wouldn't let Megan come into her life and hurt her.

. .GIRLMEETSWORLD.

"She wants to meet Haley?" Riley asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. Lucas sat down on the couch in Riley's living room and let out a tired sigh. Her eyes softened and her chest tightened at the sight. He looked so tired and frustrated. She could only imagine what he was going through and feeling at this moment in his life.

"She said she loved her so much and that's why she did it. She wanted Haley to have the best life and she wasn't in the position to do that," Lucas explained.

"But you weren't in the position either," Riley pointed out. "You learned every day how to be a great father and that's why you're the best father."

"I wouldn't say the best," Lucas disagreed.

"I would," Riley insisted and rested a hand on his arm. "Haley is so lucky to have you as her dad. She knows that whatever decision you make for her is for the best."

"Is it wrong to keep Haley away from her mother? Am I being selfish?" Lucas asked.

"Well, why are you doing it?" Riley asked. "Why are you so adamant on keeping Megan away from Haley?"

"Because I can't trust that she won't do it again. She left us once, what's to say she won't do it again? She has never been the stable kind of person and I can't put Haley through that. I can't get her hopes up with her mother and then have Megan walk right out the door and hurt her again," Lucas explained.

"And you," Riley said.

"What?" Lucas scrunched his eyebrows together and turned to fully face her.

"You can't have her walk out the door and hurt you again too," Riley said.

"Riley," Lucas shook his head.

"I know you're not in love with her anymore, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just afraid she's going to open up all those old wounds again and hurt you," Riley explained. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"I won't be," Lucas promised. "I'm not going to let her back into our lives. We are much better off without her."

"I'm here, Lucas. No matter what happens," Riley promised. She rested her chin on his shoulder and smiled at him. He leaned forward and kissed her nose, causing her to giggle slightly.

"Do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow?" Lucas asked.

"Sure," Riley nodded. "Is that going to be okay with Haley being there too?"

"She's the one who invited you," Lucas said and she smiled wide.

"Really?" Riley asked.

"Something about pizza was mentioned," Lucas smirked.

"I do love pizza," Riley chuckled.

"Seven o'clock?" Lucas asked.

"Sounds perfect," Riley agreed. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smiled wide at him.

"Hi," Lucas smiled as he scooted closer to her on the couch.

"Hi," Riley smiled.

"Hey," Lucas said and the two let out a chuckle. "I think this is the part where I'm supposed to kiss you."

"I won't complain about that," Riley said as she pulled him closer. His lips connected with her lips and she smiled wide into the kiss. She loved the feel of his lips against hers.

. .GIRLMEETSWORLD.

"When is she going to be here?" Haley asked, bouncing excitedly on the couch. For the last ten minutes she kept looking at the front door and then over at her dad, asking when Riley was going to show. He loved how excited she was and knew tonight was going to be a good night.

"Any minute now," Lucas promised. Just as he finished saying that, there was a knock on the front door. Haley's eyes widened in excitement and she jumped up from the couch. "Wait right there. Do not open the door."

"Fine," Haley pouted. Lucas ruffled her hair as he passed by and then opened the front door. He felt like his breath was taken away when he saw her on the other side. She was dressed in a simple sundress and cardigan but she was the most beautiful girl in the entire world.

"Hey," Riley greeted with a kind smile. "I'm not late, am I?"

"Right on time," Lucas said. He turned back slightly and noticed Haley was distracted with her coloring so he leaned forward and kissed Riley quickly. "Come on in."

"Thanks," Riley said. She followed him through the door and smiled when Haley looked up at her. The little girl's face lit up when she saw Riley walking in her direction.

"Hi Miss Matthews!" Haley waved and rushed over to hug her teacher. The two adults smiled and Riley hugged her before the small girl pulled back. "I'm so happy you came over."

"Me too," Riley smiled.

"Come inside," Haley tugged on her arm and pulled her into the living room. "Do you want to see what I was drawing?"

"Absolutely," Riley nodded. Lucas watched as the two looked over the coloring and talked about it. He sat and watched them talk quietly before opening the door for the pizza man.

"Pizza," Lucas announced.

"Pizza!" Haley exclaimed, her eyes widening with excitement.

"Go wash your hands missy," Lucas shot her a playfully stern look and she sighed before rushing out of the room.

"She's so sweet," Riley said as she followed him into the kitchen. "How am I doing by the way?"

"What do you mean?" Lucas laughed.

"Am I passing the test?" Riley raised an eyebrow.

"With flying colors," Lucas smirked.

"Well I was an A student," Riley teased and then Haley rushed back into the kitchen.

"Am I going to be an A student?" Haley asked.

"You sure are," Lucas ruffled her hair. The three of them all sat around the kitchen table and served out the pizza.

"What's your favorite color?" Riley asked Haley.

"Purple!" Haley exclaimed.

"Me too," Riley said.

"Really?" Haley widened her eyes in excitement.

"Yup," Riley nodded. "When I was in middle school I used to love to draw purple cats all the time."

"Purple cats?" Haley asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Why purple cats?"

"I'm not really sure," Riley shook her head. "My best friend is an artist and it used to drive her crazy."

"You have a best friend too?" Haley asked.

"I do," Riley nodded. "Her name is Maya. She just had a baby."

"A baby?" Haley widened her eyes.

"A little girl named Sophia," Riley said.

"That's so cool!" Haley exclaimed. "My Uncle Zay is my daddy's best friend. He is the funniest person ever."

"Hey!" Lucas protested, shooting a look at her daughter. "I thought I was the funniest person in the world?"

"No way," Haley shook her head and stuck her tongue out at him. "Uncle Zay is."

"Thanks a lot Hales," Lucas laughed. Riley chuckled and felt her heart warm because she could see the bond between the two of them. They truly loved each other. She could get used to being around the two of them for a very long time.

. .GIRLMEETSWORLD.

"My mom always taught me that extra marshmallows were the perfect topping to hot chocolate," Riley said as she tossed another one into Haley's cup.

"Like that?" Haley asked, examining her mug. There was a bunch of little marshmallows around the top of her mug and her mouth was watering in excitement.

"Perfect," Riley nodded. "Not too many because you don't want all the sugar but enough for it to taste delicious."

"Is hot chocolate your favorite drink?" Haley asked.

"It's one of them," Riley nodded. "It's my favorite thing to drink around Christmas time."

"Me too!" Haley exclaimed. "My daddy and I always drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies together at Christmas time."

"That sounds like a perfect tradition," Riley smiled at her. Lucas smiled at the two girls and felt his heart warm. The two of them were perfect together and he knew Haley adored Riley, almost as much as he did.

"With our pajamas on," Lucas added.

"Sometimes we even eat cookies because we always make too many and Santa doesn't need that many cookies," Haley said.

"I'm sure he gets tons of cookies from all the houses he has to go to," Riley said.

"Maybe this Christmas you can watch movies with us!" Haley suggested and then turned to face her dad with an excited look on her face. "Can she daddy?"

"I think that's up to her," Lucas said. He and Riley shared a look because they knew that would be a big step in their relationship. It was about a month and a half away and neither saw their relationship slowing down by then.

"I would love to," Riley agreed.

"Yay!" Haley clapped her hands together in excitement. Lucas and Riley shared a smile because they both knew what this meant. This meant they were in it for the long haul.

. .GIRLMEETSWORLD.

"See you tomorrow," Riley waved to one of her coworkers and then turned to walk down the street. She let the air fill her lungs and she took a deep breath. She was ready to go home after a long day and take a bath with a cup of hot tea. She might even call Lucas just to hear his voice.

"Hey! Miss Matthews!" A voice shouted from behind Riley. She slowed in her steps and turned around, feeling her stomach drop slightly.

"Megan," Riley said.

"Hello Miss Matthews," Megan shot her a nasty look.

"What can I do for you?" Riley asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"I think it's time we had a talk," Megan said. "Girl to girl."