Lucas spent the weekend with Riley, the next morning stopping briefly at home to get clothes. Riley gave him a drawer to keep pajamas, though she also told him that it was really just adding to her wardrobe. She had already taken one of the few shirts he had brought with him to wear around for the weekend, though Lucas had to admit she looked a lot better in it than him. When he told her that she giggled and her already flushed face became a little darker.

They spent time the two of them that weekend, Riley was exhausted and when they weren't doing homework or talking she was asleep. She seemed to be in a perpetual state of flush, and in general she just seemed a little warm. She told Lucas that it was all her napping and his snuggles but he wasn't so sure. They were snuggling in her bed before school Sunday night when Lucas finally brought up the Missy situation.

"Is there anything I can do to make it better for you?" Lucas asked gently stroking her hair

"Mmm, don't stop petting me it feels nice" Riley hummed as her eyes closed, though Lucas stopped his hand "Heyy" Riley whined

"I'll keep 'petting' you if you answer my questions" Lucas said with a slight teasing tone

"Fine, I think that if you just keep doing what you've been it'll be okay. She doesn't seem to want to mess with me when you're around"

Lucas had returned to the petting and twirled some hair around a finger before releasing it again, "Why do you think that is Princess" Lucas didn't get Missy at all

Riley sighed, "Because she wants you to like her, duh"

"What"

Riley nodded, "Yeah she wants you to like her, so she doesn't do it around you so that you don't see her like that. Maybe she thinks that I don't tell you anything or that you don't believe me but I don't know."

The two lapsed into silence before Riley spoke up again,

"Lucas I'm tired"

He kissed her head and started petting her hair again knowing it gave her comfort, "I know Princess" Lucas knew that it wasn't sleepy tired, mentally tired they had many long conversations about it. Especially when she woke up in the middle of the night, she always tried not to wake him up but he did anyway sensing her distress.

Riley nuzzled his chest and breathed in his scent and before long both of them drifted off to sleep.

As the week started things seemed to be mostly back to normal, Missy was around more than either of them would have thought. But she didn't do anything but glare at Riley. As the week went on Riley seemed to droop more and more, she kept telling everyone she was fine. But when Lucas put his arm around her she leaned heavily on him. And Lucas was sure she had a fever, but every time he tried to say something about it to the others she'd talk over him or leave the area. It wasn't unlikely she had gotten sick from him.

When he asked Josh about it he rolled his eyes, "She's so dumb about it. She doesn't get sick often. But when she does it hits her really hard, so she pretends she's not. She does everything in her power to be fine until she literally can't anymore"

Lucas gave him a face, "That's so dumb"

Josh shrugged, "Maybe, I think she's just tired of feeling like everyone's problem you know."

"But she's not a problem!"

Josh nodded, "Yeah we see it that way, but you know Riley doesn't. So when she's sick physically she also still has all the other mental stuff going on. It's hard on her, we try to just be there for her because really that's all we can do"

By Thursday Lucas knew Riley was sick and wasn't sure how she even got out of the house she was pale and clammy he was basically the only thing holding her up. It didn't help that they had an encounter with Missy during lunch that day; she had bumped into them 'accidently' almost knocking Riley over and trying to get closer to Lucas. He gave her a hard look and didn't say anything as he drew Riley closer to him. His mood was not improved either when Charlie Gardner had picked up her ID that had fallen out of her pocket.

God he hated that kid. Charlie had always been vocal to the boys in their grade about liking Riley; he had even asked Riley out once. And though she declined Lucas had the suspicion that Charlie still liked his girlfriend. Though Riley barley acknowledged him too tired to even open her eyes from Lucas' shoulder she slurred a thanks and after Charlie had tried to sit down next to her but luckily Josh beat him to it.

Today could not be over soon enough, luckily he was driving Riley back to her place where he was sure she would be staying for the next few days. Until she startled him hitting his arm,

"Riley wha-"

"Lucas pull over I'm going to" Her hand went up to her mouth and Lucas quickly pulled onto the side of the road. Riley practically fell out of the car as she let loose the contents of her stomach. When it seemed like it had stopped he picked her up and put her in the Jeep bringing her home, as soon as he opened the door she was dashing to the bathroom and before she could slam the bathroom door in his face he had muscled his way in. He held her hair back form her face as anything in her body was being forced out; he rubbed her back as she finally sat back tears streaming down her face.

"Hey, don't cry it's okay" Lucas tried to comfort her

But Riley was already sobbing harder "It's not oaky. I hate throwing up and I hate being sick. I tried really hard not to be Lucas, I promise. But it's just the way I am. I hate it" Before Lucas could ask what she meant she was back at the toilet again, her body trying to get rid of anything it had she lagged back from the toilet and made a sound before her eyes closed and everything went black for her.

Lucas panicked he didn't know what to do lucky Topanga was just walking through the door, he explained what happened Topanga quickly got herself together and directed Lucas.

"You pick up Riley, we're taking her to the hospital. That's what we had to do last time"

Lucas got panicky, "Last time?"

Topanga tried to give him a reassuring smile but she couldn't manage it, "I'll explain on the way let's go"