A/N: Hello, guys! Thanks to those who sent in their reviews. Your kind words continue to motivate me, so again thank you for taking the time to read each chapter and sharing your thoughts on them. Also, to my new readers: thanks for giving my fic a chance. I hope you all continue to stick around till the very end. Someone asked me how many chapters are left to this story. Well, I can say that I have roughly 3 more chapters planned out at this point. With that said, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

Chapter 12

It was the soft intake of breath and the warm rush of it against his face that drew Lucas out of unconsciousness. He moaned as he slowly woke up and felt the back of his head throbbing. It was hard to focus on anything as his eyes fluttered open to the blinding light, but his vision soon adjusted to the figure crouching over him. His eyes snapped open and he was both relieved and surprised to see who it was.

"Riley?" His voice came out hoarse when he whispered her name.

"Lucas." She spoke softly and smiled, relief flooding her face. "Hey…" His eyes were fixed on her, and he could practically hear his own heartbeat.

"Hi…"

She looked amazing as always, the mere sight of her causing his breath to knock out of his chest. With her make-up smeared, and eyeliner mixed with sweat that had beaded on her forehead, and the one stubborn lock of her hair falling over her eyes…he had not seen her look as gorgeous as she did now. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

There was silence as Lucas had to snap himself out of the trance she seemed to put him in. He surveyed his unfamiliar surroundings and frowned, realizing he was lying down on the couch of someone else's home that wasn't his. He tried to think back on what happened as different images swarmed his mind…the animal hospital, the bar, the basketball game, the blonde woman, the confrontation with a man, the fight…and then there was Riley.

He turned back to her with a serious and concern expression on his face. "What…what happened? I mean, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He demanded, the events of earlier that night slowly coming back to him.

Riley put her hand on his head as he quickly sat upright on the couch and winced in pain. "Easy there, cowboy. The guy left you with a bloody nose and a pretty bad cut on your lip. You're lucky you didn't end up with a concussion or worse."

He shook his head as though to wave off her concerns for him. "Did he hurt you, Riley?" He asked again, completely ignoring the pain in his body.

She stared at him for a moment and sighed. "No…but his jaw hurt my hand." She replied as she stood up from the floor and joined him on the couch.

Lucas gave her a questioning stare. "How did that happened?"

"I punched him." Riley confessed and made an attempted small smile. "I didn't think I hit him too hard."

"What?" Lucas raised a brow at her in shock, his protective instincts kicking in. "Why would you do that? He could have gone after you."

"But he didn't, okay. He was out…cold." He blinked at that. When he didn't say anything, Riley continued on, running her hand through her hair gently. "Besides, he was going to keep hurting you, Lucas and there was no way in hell I was going to just stand there and let it happen."

He bit half of his lower lip with a faint grin that was somehow twisted. His expression didn't escape her. He looked proud of her, and somehow Riley couldn't help, but smile. "Let me see your hand."

"It's fine." Riley said, brushing off his concern. "You're—"

"Just let me see it." Lucas insisted, his voice leaving no room for discussion. Riley sighed in defeat as she held her swollen right hand out, palm facing upwards. She felt the shock of electricity that pulsed through her when he placed his hand over hers. He delicately traced his fingers over her knuckles, looking for signs of bruising.

"See, I'm fine." Riley breathed out slowly.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, continuing to run his fingers along the back of her hand. Riley was at a loss for words as she tried to ignore the tingling feelings that shot through her at the contact.

"Um…no…not so much, unless I put pressure on it." She murmured nervously, pressing her lips together to control her breathing.

"Well…I don't think it's broken. Looks like a sprain. But I would get it checked out first thing tomorrow just to be sure. Ice should help with the swelling."

She slowly pulled her hand away from his grasp and smiled sheepishly at him. "Thanks…"

He nodded. "Anytime."

She looked at him carefully, but he doesn't return the gaze right away. He was staring blankly at the floor and had a distant look in his eyes like he had just lost a part of himself he could never get back. The kind he had when something was causing him worry, the kind of worry he didn't want anyone to know. For a moment there, he sounded hurt, tired and sad, and she can't help but reach out to him for comfort.

"So what were you doing alone in the bar anyway?" Riley asked curiously. She felt him tense up beside her. She had obviously said something that triggered a memory. Riley was a lot of things, but blind wasn't one of them. She had a gut feeling there was a reason he went to the bar just as people have their reasons to drink themselves into oblivion.

It was unlike Lucas, at least the Lucas she used to know, and she could tell something was wrong with him.

"What? A guy can't go out for a drink?" He chuckled with mock-innocence, trying to give her a playful smile that didn't quite translate with how he was really feeling.

She gave him a disapproving look, which quickly faded back to her worried expression. "What's going on, Lucas?"

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before looking at her. "Belle left me."

Riley's lips parted, his words taking her by surprise. "W-what?" She stammered, a disbelief tone in her voice as she stared deep into his eyes. She saw pain in those emerald orbs of his, and her chest constricted painfully. This was all her fault. "Why? What…what did she say?"

"It's nothing you can help me with, Riley."

She twisted her lips as she recalled the conversation she had with Belle. Riley let out a deep sigh. "It's about the kiss isn't it?" He looked at her, searching her gaze for something, only to find guilt and shame in them.

Taking a calming breath, Lucas offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "It wasn't the kiss."

Riley's brows shot up. "Then what is it?"

He paused, reluctant to say the next part. "She's convinced that I still have feelings for you."

She blinked a few times and felt her heart pounding hard. Silence swept over them as Riley drew in a deep breath before responding. "Do you?" She asked slowly, beyond uncertain and afraid…so afraid to hear what he was going to say next. "Still have feelings for me?"

Lucas stared at her for a long moment, his face giving off no expression whatsoever. When he didn't answer, Riley closed her eyes and drops her head, unable to look at him for fear of falling apart before him. And then with a serious tone in his voice, as if the subject hurt him to talk about it, he took a deep, shaky breath. "Do you really have to ask me that?" His eyes were grim and his shoulders visibly tensed. She turned to look at him and he noticed the flicker of emotion that had come into her eyes. The silence after that was innerving as Lucas felt a pang of guilt over his inability to forget about Riley and love Belle exclusively and completely.

They continued down their individual trails of thought. With their breaths synchronizing and heartbeats steadying, they opened their mouths at the same time, their voices tangling in the air. They both lightly chuckled, and just as Lucas was dragging in a breath to put into words the cloud of emotions he was feeling inside, the door opened and someone stepped inside. They both glanced up towards the front door as Josh and Maya entered the apartment.

"Hey, guys." Josh greeted before hanging his black leather jacket on the coat hanger by the door. "Brought some Chinese takeout if you guys are hungry." He announced, holding the bags out in their direction.

"Aww…Uncle, Josh. You didn't have to."

"Oh, yes I do." He replied with an amused chuckle. "Since someone here had to be escorted out of the restaurant before any of us had a chance to eat."

A faint blush rose to Riley's cheeks when Lucas shot her a look. "You got kicked out?" He asked in disbelief.

"Oh yea! Josh told me all about it." Maya interjected before Riley could say anything. "My best friend is so bad ass! I didn't think you had it in you, Riles. Wish I was there to see it!"

"It was self-defense! I barely touch the guy."

Josh shook his head, laughing. "Alright. C'mon, guys. Before the food gets cold." He made a hand gesture for Lucas and Riley to join them in the dining room as Maya began setting up the table.

Riley turned to Lucas. "Hungry?"

"I actually should get going…" He said quietly, slowly moving away from her. "I'll call a cab."

"Uh…you are not going anywhere, Huckleberry." Maya retorted from across the room. "You aren't in good enough shape."

"I feel just fine."

"Why don't you stay the night and leave first thing in the morning?" Riley suggested, concern evident in her voice. "I don't like the idea of you wandering in the middle of the night after what happened…"

Lucas quietly shook his head before getting up from the couch and grabbing his jacket. "It's better I go now. You've done enough for me, and I thank you. All of you." He said, addressing everyone in the room before looking back at Riley. "Besides, I prefer to be in the comfort of my own home…in my own bed if you don't mind." He said with a smile.

Riley nodded in understanding. "Okay, fine. At least let me walk you out and keep you company until your cab arrives?"

He smiled, touched by her genuine concern for him. It warmed his heart knowing that part of her hasn't changed. "Sure, I'd like that."

Lucas opened the door and let himself out with Riley right behind him. Once the door closed, Maya and Josh exchanged knowing looks with one another and grinned.

The elevator ride down to the first floor was silent, both contemplating on the past few weeks. So much has happened in so short a time that neither one of them would ever thought it would end up like this. So much was lost with little to no gain as they are both reminded that even though they want to move on, their past could not be so easily forgotten.

They stepped outside in the chilly night air, but they were both warm enough not to notice the drop in temperature. Lucas followed Riley and sat down beside her on the concrete stair steps in front of the apartment building by the sidewalk, waiting patiently for the cab.

They sat together in silence for a time, watching the stars and feeling the cool breeze brushed gently across their warm skin. He watched her for a moment from the corner of his eye as she sat there, legs crossed, leaning back on her arms and her face tilted up towards the clear night sky. It reminded him of the times when they used to have nightly walks in central park and star gaze for hours on end and talk about everything and anything.

"You should fight for her, Lucas." She whispered suddenly, pulling Lucas from his thoughts and breaking the silence as her gaze lingered in the stars above. He looked at her as the moonlight played softly against the arches and curves of her face, giving her an ethereal glow.

Lucas nodded, but said nothing, knowing deep down that Riley was right. But knowing also that it wouldn't be fair to Belle. She finally turned her head to meet his eyes, and behind his was uncertainty. But she could see something else; a tenderness in his gaze that she'd seen before many years ago.

"I loved you, Lucas." She began carefully, finding the courage to tell him everything that needed to be said. "And I know I'll always will, you know that." Lucas took in the pained expression on her face, and it shattered his heart, rendering him speechless. "I never got the chance to thank you."

He swallowed nervously. "Thank me?" Lucas asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "For what?"

"For giving me a love that consumed me," she smiled, "a promise that love can be eternal. There was nothing more I could ever want other than for it to last forever." Riley held his gaze for a few seconds before she looked away with tears in her eyes. "But...I got scared and totally blew it. You were everything to me, Lucas. You made me happy and I let you slip away because of my stupid fears." She tapered off, swallowing her words and letting go of the breath she had been holding. "And when I realize the mistake I made and how wrong I was…it was already too late." Lucas closed his eyes as the weight of her words washed over him. His heart broke a little, knowing that he had hurt her by moving on. "It may be too late for us, but it's not too late for you and Belle."

Her pools of brown met his green ones, both igniting as time seemed to stop between them. It lasted a heartbeat, maybe two when Riley saw his lips trying to move and say words she had secretly hoped to hear for years. But the bright lights of the cab traveling in their direction down the road pierced through the moment, causing them to look away from each other.

Riley stood up then and Lucas followed suit as the yellow cab parked in front of them. She turned to face him, a sad smile tugging at her lips. She leaned in slowly and planted a small kiss on his cheek, causing him to stiffen at the unexpected contact.

"Fight for her, Lucas." She said softly, encouraging him with a nod. "Don't make the same mistake I did."

And with that, Riley turned around and headed back to the apartment, leaving him standing alone and confused more than ever.

A/N: To be continued...Thanks for reading. Let me know what you guys think!