Shout-outs: Average Everyday Sane Psycho, Siennese, xoElle23, Ajtan4, amherendeen, Guest, originalguest and katdvs

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. To all of you, I count you among my very many blessings and people I am thankful for.

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Chapter 11 the Reunion, part I

When they landed in Texas, Riley was quite buzzed. She was more giggly than she'd ever been as the sophisticated adult she had become. She'd consumed more Vodka and soda then Josh could keep track of. All he wanted to do was get her sobered up before they met with anybody.

"Hey!"

Josh steadied his niece and whirled around, Farkle and Isadora Minkus were making their way towards them, holding hands.

"What are you guys doing here?" Josh asked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Matthews told us what was going on," Farkle replied. "Do you think we were going to let Riley take this on by herself? We flew out on the helicopter right after we found out that she was going to see Lucas after all these years."

"How can we help?" Isadora asked, blessedly keeping all her flirtatious comments to herself. "It looks like Riley is very inebriated right now."

"Yeah," Josh said, rubbing the back of his neck. "She won't admit it but I think she's anxious about seeing Lucas again. I don't think they've been in touch since the divorce."

"When are we supposed to meet with Lucas?" Isadora inquired, grabbing Riley before she fell forward.

"Izzy! What are you doing here!?" Riley squealed as she threw her arms around the other girl. "Oh my gosh. It's going to be like a high school reunion of sorts!"

Isadora patted her awkwardly on the back. "Oh, I don't think it's going to be like a high school reunion at all."

Riley gasped and grabbed her longtime best friend. "Farkle, you're here too! This is so exciting!"

Josh looked at Victoria, who was hanging in the background. "Victoria, why don't you take your mother and go to the bathroom? I need to talk to Farkle and Isadora about something."

Victoria nodded and hooked her arm through Riley's. "Come on Mom. I need to pee."

"What's going on Josh?" Farkle asked as soon as Riley and Victoria were out of earshot.

"We have a little problem," Josh answered.

Farkle frowned. "What do you mean little problem?"

Josh rubbed the back of his neck again. "It seems like Lucas has gotten himself engaged to somebody else."

Isadora's eyes widened. "You mean he's going to get remarried?"

"That's what engaged means," Josh answered.

"Who'd have thought that Lucas Friar would have ever moved on from Riley Matthews," Farkle said thoughtfully.

"Does he know Riley's here?" Isadora asked.

Josh shrugged. "Victoria said she told him we were coming but I'm not sure we can believe her. I mean, she hasn't told Riley that Lucas is engaged to someone else. It wouldn't surprise me if she was withholding other information from all of us."

"What are we going to do?" Isadora asked. "Everything seems more complicated than it's ever been."

Farkle nodded and put a comforting arm around his wife. "It does," he agreed. "But we've overcome complicated before. I'm sure we can overcome this too."

.

The ride to the hotel was comprised of Riley chatting up a storm while Josh tried to get her not to drink anymore alcohol, courtesy of the limo that the Knicks had sent to take them to their hotel.

"There's something I didn't tell you," Victoria said in a low voice.

Josh and Farkle exchanged looks.

"And what's that?" Josh asked.

Victoria giggled nervously. "So, it turns out they're all going to be at the hotel tonight instead of tomorrow afternoon like I said. Blake, daddy's fiancée, wanted to scope out wedding venues. That's the whole reason this has worked out the way it has."

"Riley's drunk out of her mind!" Farkle hissed frantically. "We can't let Lucas see her this way! She'll never let us live it down! Especially if his fiancée is there. She's going to kill us!"

"Honey, you forget, Riley doesn't even know his fiancée exists," Isadora reminded him.

"That makes it worse!" Farkle insisted. "Riley's usually more composed than this. She's going to hate us when this happens."

Josh rubbed at his face. It was suddenly dawning on him that he was really going to see Maya again after 11 years. He didn't want to make it about him because it wasn't about him, but anticipation and anxiety were working their way into his stomach.

"I probably should have shaved," he said jokingly, trying to ease the tension that was permeating the limousine.

Isadora and Farkle laughed weakly.

"What are you guys all whispering about!?" Riley asked loudly.

"It's a surprise!" Farkle answered quickly.

It wasn't exactly a lie. It was a surprise, just not the good kind. But nobody was ready to tell Riley the truth.

Not yet.

It would come out eventually though. It always did.

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Amelia and Maya were hanging out around the hotel bar, drinking Shirley Temples and sharing French fries. Zay and Vanessa had already gone to their room to put down their brood for a nap and Blake had suggested, very suggestively, that she and Lucas go check out the honeymoon suite.

"You're going to ruin your dinner," Maya said as the bartender put a fresh plate of fries in front of them.

"You sound like my mom," Amelia answered.

Maya's eyes widened in mock horror. "Well, we can't have that happen! Can we? I can't turn into Riley!"

Amelia laughed and tossed a wadded up napkin at Maya, despite their proximity. She glanced at the lobby for the umpteenth time and swallowed her nerves with a sip of soda. They still weren't there.

"What's the matter?" Maya asked. "Are you waiting for somebody?"

"Um. . ." Amelia trailed off as Farkle, Isadora, Josh, Riley and Victoria all came through the spinning doors and went to the front desk. "Look! I think I see the First Lady of the United States!"

Instead of looking further into the bar like Amelia had hoped Maya would, she glanced into the lobby.

"Oh my. . ." Maya trailed off, looking like she had seen a ghost as she stood up. "I can't. . . I have to go! I have to go right now! Oh gosh, I'm trapped! He's going to see me! I've got to hide!"

Amelia frowned. "What's the matter with you?"

"How do I look?" Maya asked.

"You look fine. . ." Amelia trailed off. "What's going on?"

"His back is turned!" Maya said frantically. "I've got to make a run for it while I still can! Stay here and be good! I'll talk to you later!"

.

Maya texted Zay as she paced outside his and Vanessa's hotel room until he peeked his head out the door.

"Maya is everything okay?" he asked. "You look terrible!"

"Josh is here!" she answered, running her hands through her hair.

"You look just as gorgeous as the last time he saw you," Zay assured her.

"He's probably married with kids by now," Maya said.

"We both know that isn't true," Zay replied as he shifted his son further up his hip. "You've been following his career since he published his first book. There haven't been any wives or any children or even any other women. I'm pretty sure you're the girl eternalized in every page of his novels. But that's none of my never mind."

"What am I going to do?" Maya asked weakly.

"You're going to go and see him," Zay answered. "You've waited over a decade for this moment. You've been planning it ever since the two of you said goodbye. What are you waiting for?"

"I'm scared," Maya admitted.

"I know and that's okay," Zay told her. "I'm sure he's scared too but you two are worth it. Always have been. It's time you finally get your happily ever after. Go! Go now before I make you!"

Maya nodded, her heart was in her throat as she gave Zay a quick side hug and went to the elevator. She pressed the down button, waiting very impatiently for the doors to open.

When they did, Josh was waiting for her.

Her heart stopped beating for a split second as she realized for the first time in 11 years, she was with the man she had loved since she was 13. And then they were in each other's arms, talking at the same time, unable to make sense of what the other was saying because they were saying the same thing.

Maya had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

TBC. . .

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Author's Note:

Once again, I apologize for the brevity of this chapter. I've been quite sick this week and I haven't been able to write anything. I hope the Josh & Maya reunion makes up for it. I've been planning this scene the very beginning and it played out the way I wanted it to. I hope this lived up to your expectations. Please tell me what you thought!

I'll be back next week with another chapter. Starting in December, I might have to put this story on hiatus until after the holidays. But only because I have so many treats planned for all my readers over the course of the Christmas season.

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love,

Holly, 11/18/2016