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

Chapter 10

"Hey Riley," Zay greeted as he walked over and sat next to the new mom. Riley looked up from the laundry she was folding and smiled. "More laundry?"

"Apparently new babies go through clothes at an alarming rate," Riley laughed.

"Can you believe Charlotte is already two weeks old?" Zay asked.

"Not at all," Riley shook her head. "I feel like time is flying by and I want it to slow down."

"Can I ask you something?" Zay asked.

"Absolutely," Riley nodded as she continued to fold some of the onesies.

"Do you think Lucas is really okay?" Zay asked. Riley stopped folding and turned to face her friend.

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"The whole situation with his parents. I know he says he is okay and got his closure but I just don't know if I believe him," Zay explained.

"I've been thinking that too," Riley admitted.

"He has just spent so much time wanting their approval that there is no way he could have possibly let it go that easily," Zay said.

"I'm afraid to bring the topic up. I don't want to bring up old feelings and upset him," Riley sighed.

"Me too," Zay mumbled.

"Maybe I should just talk to him," Riley suggested. "We are married and should be able to talk about stuff like this."

"Are you sure?" Zay asked.

"Yeah," Riley nodded.

"Has he talked to them since his mom came over?" Zay asked.

"No," Riley shook her head. "They haven't tried to reach out at all."

"That really sucks," Zay sighed.

"I know," Riley agreed.

. .

"Hey honey," Riley smiled as she walked into the bedroom. Lucas was rummaging through the dresser but stopped to turn and face his wife.

"Hey," Lucas greeted before he went back to looking through the drawer.

"What are you looking for?" Riley asked.

"My watch," Lucas sighed. "I swear I put it in this drawer and now I can't find it."

"Is that it?" Riley asked, pointing to the nightstand next to his side of the bed. Lucas looked over and laughed.

"What would I do without you?" Lucas asked, walking over to grab his watch.

"Are you going somewhere?" Riley asked.

"No," Lucas shook his head. "I'm just a little distracted."

"What's going on?" Riley asked. She walked over to take a seat next to him on the bed.

"It's my mom and dad," Lucas said. "Pappy Joe called and said that they are really having a hard time with the distance between all of us."

"What does he think you should do?" Riley asked.

"He didn't offer an opinion. He said that I have to do what's best for me and for Charlotte," Lucas explained.

"What do you think is best?" Riley asked.

"I would love for Charlotte to know my side of the family. I would love to be able to bring her over to visit her grandma and grandpa," Lucas admitted.

"But?" Riley asked, knowing that there was more.

"But I don't even know how to attempt to mend things between the three of us. How do you work to fix something that is so broken?" Lucas asked.

"Maybe you start simple," Riley shrugged. "Maybe you start with coffee and work from there."

"Would you be okay with that?" Lucas asked.

"I want for you to be happy. I want you to be okay with whatever choice you make," Riley insisted.

"Maybe I should meet them first without including Charlotte," Lucas said.

"I agree," Riley nodded. "Get that first meeting out of the way."

"I think I need some more time to think about it though," Lucas said.

"I have been really worried about you," Riley admitted.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked.

"I have been worried that you are not as okay as you say you are. I keep feeling like this whole situation is affecting you more than you are saying," Riley explained.

"Why didn't you just ask me?" Lucas asked.

"I didn't want to upset you," Riley admitted. "I didn't want to bring up those old feelings and hurt you."

"You could never hurt me," Lucas promised.

"I just didn't want you to have to think about this if you didn't have to," Riley said.

"I think I am just dealing with this the way I always do," Lucas said. "I just try to think of all the positives in my life. I think of you and Charlotte, and I know it is going to be okay."

"You will always have the two of us," Riley promised. "But it's okay to let yourself feel upset too."

"I know," Lucas nodded.

"If you ever need someone to just give you a hug, then you better come find me," Riley insisted. Lucas laughed and reached over to grab her hand.

"There is no one else in the world I would rather give a hug to first," Lucas promised and then smirked. "Except maybe Zay."

"Well duh. Can't compete with that best friend bond," Riley teased as she nudged his shoulder.

"I love you," Lucas kissed the side of her head and pulled her into my side.

"I love you too," Riley promised.

. .

"I don't want you guys to leave," Riley sighed as she felt her eyes well with tears.

"Honey," Topanga walked forward and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I think you and Lucas are ready to handle this on your own."

"Do you promise to call all the time?" Riley asked, looking over at her dad who was holding his granddaughter.

"How about you call us all the time?" Cory asked. "This way we don't interrupt your life."

"You guys could never interrupt our life," Lucas promised.

"Well I guess this is it," Auggie said as he walked into the living room with Ava and their stuff.

"Do you guys really have to go?" Riley asked as she tightened her grip on her mom. "What if we aren't ready?"

"You are ready," Topanga promised. "Plus, you still have a few days left with your friends."

"I guess we should be heading off," Lucas said. He decided it would be best if he drove his in-law's to their airport alone because he knew Riley would have a hard time saying goodbye.

Riley exchanged hugs and words of love with her family members. She took Charlotte back from her dad and held the little girl close to her chest. She brushed away a few tears as she watched her husband drive away with her family. She knew that it would be okay, she knew that they would visit soon. It killed her every time they left. She wanted them to be closer to her and now Charlotte. She looked down at the little girl who was asleep in her arms and swayed her back and forth. She saw the car drive off in the distance and let out a sad sigh. She missed her family already and wanted them to drive back.

"Hey Riles," Maya greeted as she walked over towards her best friend. She saw Riley looking out the front door with a sad look on her face. She knew that today was the day the Matthews headed back to New York.

"Hey Peaches," Riley whispered.

"Are you okay?" Maya asked.

"I will be," Riley nodded.

"You still have me for a few days," Maya smiled and Riley returned the smile.

"I always have you," Riley corrected.

"Absolutely," Maya promised. "How about we go dote over that little girl in your arms?"

"Sounds perfect to me," Riley smiled and walked off with her best friend.

. .

"And then we solve all our problems here," Riley finished explaining as she cuddled Charlotte close to her chest.

"There has never been a problem that the bay window could not solve," Maya added. The two best friends were sitting at the bay window in Riley's house, explaining the significance to Charlotte.

"We have talked about your dad here so many times," Riley cooed at her little girl.

"He always tried to sneak in on the conversations but never figured out what we were saying," Maya laughed.

"Then when I got pregnant with you, we would talk about you. We always tried to envision what you would be like," Riley said as she rocked the girls in her arms.

"One day you will sit here with us and tell us all your problems," Maya said.

"We will help you the best we can," Riley promised.

"But don't tell your dad about your boy problems," Maya said.

"Never!" Riley agreed. "If he has it his way, you won't be dating until you are thirty years old."

"We have your back though," Maya promised as she grabbed onto Charlotte's tiny finger.

"What are you telling my daughter?" Lucas asked as he walked over and crossed his arms.

"Just giving her all the important information that she needs to know about life," Riley said before smiling down at her daughter.

"Teaching her the magic of the bay window?" Lucas asked.

"I am sure one day she will find a best friend and they will have their own bay window," Riley said before sharing a smile with Maya.

"Without a doubt," Maya agreed.

"Maybe you and Josh will have a baby soon. Then she can be best friends with your kid," Riley teased her best friend.

"Maybe we should get married first," Maya laughed.

"There is plenty of time," Riley laughed.

"What do you two think of pizza?" Lucas asked.

"I think it's a delicious meal," Riley said.

"Zay said he is having a deep craving for pizza and demanded that we order it for dinner," Lucas explained with a chuckle.

"Maybe he is pregnant," Maya smirked as she and Riley laughed.

"I can hear you!" Zay's voice caused the girls to laugh harder.

"How about we make pizzas?" Riley suggested. "I think we have some of the supplies you need to make pizza."

"I support this decision!" Zay exclaimed.

"Sounds good to me," Lucas nodded.

"Then let's get cooking," Maya clapped her hands and rushed off towards the kitchen.

"You doing okay?" Lucas asked, once the two were alone with their daughter.

"Yeah," Riley nodded as she slowly stood up. "I miss them all like crazy but it helps having our friends here still."

"Plus you have us two," Lucas smiled as he gestured between him and Charlotte.

"Makes it even better," Riley smiled.

. .

"She won't fall asleep?" Riley asked, walking in to the nursery and seeing Lucas sway Charlotte around.

"Not tonight," Lucas shook his head.

"You fed her and changed her?" Riley asked.

"Yeah," Lucas nodded.

"Poor baby," Riley whispered as she saw how miserable her crying daughter looked.

"I think it's going to be a long night for us," Lucas sighed. Riley silently agreed with her husband.

A long night it was. For the next three hours, Riley and Lucas tried everything they could to get Charlotte to fall asleep. They rocked her, they sang to her, they walked around the whole house but nothing seemed to be working. Charlotte was determined to stay awake and keep her parents up with her. Eventually, around two in the morning, Charlotte could not fight sleep any longer. Her eyes slowly closed and she was asleep for the first time that night. Riley and Lucas watched her sleep for a few minutes and when they were sure she would stay asleep, they tip toed to their own bedroom.

"Well those were probably the longest three hours of my life," Riley sighed as she dropped onto the bed.

"At least she is asleep now. I hate when she can't sleep. She looks so sad," Lucas said as he dropped onto the bed next to his wife.

"Do you think she will stay asleep?" Riley asked.

"I hope so," Lucas sighed.

"Maybe we should try to sleep," Riley said as she curled up underneath the covers.

"I feel like I am too tired to sleep. Like my body wants to fall asleep but my brain is still alert," Lucas explained. He waited for a response but when he looked down, he saw Riley was sound asleep. "I love you, Riley."

"Love you," Riley mumbled into the pillow. Lucas kissed her forehead and then shifted closer to her. He knew with the comfort of her next to him, he would be able to fall asleep any minute now.

. .

"Is this a good idea?" Riley asked as she took a seat on the porch swing next to her husband.

"She will love it," Lucas insisted as he held Charlotte closer to him.

"She's only two weeks old," Riley pointed out. "She won't even know what is happening."

"I think it will be a good family moment," Lucas said.

"You got me there," Riley agreed and then looked up at the stars. "Look at how beautiful they are!"

"I have a feeling that she is going to love looking up at the stars when she is older," Lucas said as he looked down at his daughter.

"When she is mad at us, she is just going to run outside and stare at the stars. She is going to look there to solve all of her life problems," Riley agreed.

"Look Charlotte," Lucas adjusted his daughter in his arms and used his free hand to point at the sky. "Aren't the stars just so beautiful?" Charlotte gurgled in response and Riley laughed.

"I think that's a yes," Riley said. "This was a great idea."

"I think so too," Lucas agreed.

"Sitting in this moment, it feels like everything could go wrong in the world but I would be okay. As long as I have you two then all is good to me," Riley smiled at her husband.

"Is this another one of those moments you are going to remember for the rest of your life?" Lucas asked. Riley leaned forward to kiss her husband.

"Without a doubt," Riley nodded before resting her head on his shoulder.

The two watched the stars with Charlotte resting comfortably in Lucas's arms. The stars gave the both of them a sense of comfort and hope. They had hope that whatever the future held for them, they could get through it together. Lucas was still dealing with his inner turmoil involving his parents but looking down at Charlotte, he felt happy. She gave him a sense of happiness that he never had before. Riley shifted and Lucas felt his heart swell with love. She was the best part of him. He smiled down at how happy and content she looked. As long as he had Riley and Charlotte, life would be okay.

"What are you smiling about?" Riley asked, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Just thinking about how much I love you," Lucas admitted.

"Yeah?" Riley smiled.

"I love you so much Riley," Lucas leaned down to kiss his wife.

"I love you so much more," Riley promised. Charlotte shifted in Lucas's arms and the married couple smiled down at their daughter. "And we love you too, Charlotte Friar."

"So much," Lucas added. Riley placed her head back on Lucas's shoulder and they enjoyed a night with the stars as a family.