Author Note: Thank you all for the dream casts some of you have sent me; that is just beyond cool. Don't forget you can always ask me stuff if you have a question, I'll try to answer as long as it's not a total spoiler.

-21-

Reese had felt sick to his stomach ever since he woke up. He had no idea how he was going to convince these men to not only do a group interview, but to give it to Riley. So far it was the only thing he could think of to keep her, to go along with her demands. If he got lucky, she would see how much he loved her, how much he still wanted to be with her, that he would spend the rest of his life trying to make this all up to her.

He had never considered that Lucas was Alex's father, why he wasn't sure, not even after he found out they'd been high school sweethearts, both had always spoke of the other as a bad college relationship.

"So I know several of you are already in trouble with the different organizations, Reese the Yankees are releasing you this afternoon. I suggest you find the best shark of a lawyer you can to at the very least get the payday you deserve." Noah explained to the group, "I'm waiting to hear back on the rest of you, but again I would have a lawyer standing by."

"We never should've done this." Kian sighed, trying to remember why he'd ever thought it was a good idea to take part in the activities on the party boat.

"What about the spin, when do we go and tell our side of the story?" Reese swirled his glass of club soda watching the ice cubes spin around.

"Dennis Cavanaugh of the local station has already made a request to interview all eight of you." Noah looked down at his phone. "Have any of you been contacted by anyone else?"

"Riley Matthews, she wants the interview, we should give it to her." Reese looked up, locking eyes with Clinton, "She knows us, some of us very well, she's been hurt by this, not just by me. But I think we should give her this chance, besides Dennis is a jackass none of us like him."

"Don't you think that's exactly why we shouldn't give it to Riley?" Clinton looked down, "I mean I know she and I had a thing, she's engaged to Reese, Pete didn't you take her for a spin."

Reese felt sick hearing them talk about Riley this way.

"No, she turned me down, told me she didn't date baseball players, and yet here she is engaged to Reese, how the fuck did you make that happen?"

"I wore her down; I didn't give up on her." Reese stood up, walking around Noah's living room, "I knew I wanted Riley and I got her. But I'm going to lose her because of this. We have to give her this interview I have to do anything and everything I can to keep her if I don't I'm going to lose her to Lucas fucking Friar."

Tim rolled his eyes, "How are you going to lose her to Friar, she's yours you'll keep her."

"She was his first, he's the reason she didn't date baseball players." Reese was sure if he kept clutching his glass it would shatter in his hand. "I say we take a vote, it can be secret, but majority rules, we can give the interview to Dennis who none of us like, or to Riley and start to help each other save our lives from this disaster."

Noah passed around a pad of paper and pens, watching as the men made their choices. As he looked at the pieces of paper, he was surprised but he smiled, "I'll set up the interview; now go get lawyers ready to fight for you."

Reese sighed as he looked out the window he knew exactly who the best lawyer was he just had to figure out how to convince them to take him on as a client.

The bell above the door rang and Auggie looked up from the order he was placing, smiling when he saw his Uncle, "Let me guess you came to check on me so my Dad would calm down."

"Yeah I did." Josh looked around, "How are things at Riley's?"

Auggie chuckled, "Well, Lucas is hanging around a lot, Alex is snarky, and just about to hit that teen angst but I think she's overjoyed to finally know her middle name and her father. Riley is a mess, this Reese thing threw her for a loop. I think she was ready to put things with him on pause, figure out her feelings for him, her feelings for Lucas, but then this happened. She barely gets out of bed right now unless Lucas drags her out."

"Alex and I walked in on them kissing the other day." Josh picked up a book flipping through the pages, "Think they're back together?"

Auggie glanced at his computer screen, "Actually, I'm not so sure they really are. It's like they have an understanding they'll be together, but they have to get through all this mess first. Or they're secretly going at it like rabbits and Alex can freak when she becomes a big sister."

Josh chuckled, "Speaking of freaking, your Dad, I had to hold him back the other day."

"Why, what happened?"

"Alex and Wyatt were holding hands." Josh picked up a few more books.

Auggie laughed, "They're just friends, trust me I'm around them enough to know."

Josh smirked, "Yeah, I know the story. So, you ever hear from Ava?"

"No, and I have no intention of reaching out to her. I heard through the grapevine she's engaged, a Wall Street guy, so good for her."

"And your love life?"

"As if you're one who should be asking" Auggie rolled his eyes, "I've been seeing Sonya from the bakery."

"Good for you Aug" Josh put the pile of books on the counter, "I'll take these, and before you ask I'm seeing someone. I think I can finally, really move on from Maya."

"Good, you've been holding out far too long Uncle Josh." Auggie rang him up "Twenty-Seven, thirty-three."

Josh paid him, "Give your Dad a call, he's worried, he's not going to push like your Mom."

"I'll call him when I'm off work, I promise." He handed Josh his bag.

"Good, I'll talk to you soon kid."

Zay stared at Farkle, "Okay what's wrong?" They were in a vegetarian restaurant not far from the theatre where he performed nightly.

Farkle pushed around his tofu, "You know how on my birthday Maya comes by and gives me a blow job?"

"Yeah, I'm aware, I'm a little jealous, why you and not me?" Zay continued to enjoy his spicy mint noodles.

"This is serious Zay." Farkle took a sip of his water, already planning to stop at the first hot dog cart he could find. "So this year, she comes over early in the morning. She's got a raincoat on, and nothing else but bright red lipstick."

"Go on, don't leave me hanging man." Zay leaned forward.

"It was more this year it was like almost every fantasy ever."

"Except ones that included Riley right?"

"Why does everyone say that?" Farkle sighed, "But yeah."

"Because let's be real Farkle, we've all had a fantasy or two about both Riley and Maya."

"Zay, I think Riley would die from embarrassment if she knew that."

He shrugged, "Well come on, I bet even Lucas had that thought once or twice."

Farkle shook his head, "You're ruining this for me."

"Sorry, so you guys do all kinds of wild stuff. So what's the problem?"

Farkle pushed his food away, "We didn't use a condom."

"Well I would think if Maya was pregnant she would've told you by now."

"Secret time Zay, gotta lock this in the vault."

"Fine just no one better give me any peppermint schnapps and we'll be fine."

Farkle ran a hand over his hair, "I ran into Maya the other day, she was getting books, pregnancy books. She says she and Charlie are expecting, but what if this baby is mine and Maya isn't telling me?"

Zay was quiet for a moment as he contemplated it. "Maybe she doesn't suspect. She and Charlie they have a thing maybe it hasn't crossed her mind."

"Maybe, she did say she wasn't that far along, so maybe I'm freaking out about nothing."

"Yeah you probably are, don't sweat it. Besides if something comes up and Maya suspects Charlie isn't the father I'm sure she'll come to you. After all she is the one who told Lucas he was Alex's father years ago."

Farkle threw his napkin on the table, "You're right, I keep freaking out about this for no damn reason. Maya would tell me, she's been one of my best friends since we were seven that's over twenty years I'm being an idiot."

"Even a genius can be an idiot once in a while. But the real question is how was it?"

"Good, but what I've done with Sarah so far is better."

"So far?"

Farkle bit the inside of his cheek, "Sarah and I haven't actually had sex yet. We've done a lot of other stuff, but the actual act, no."

Zay threw his napkin down and leaned back in his chair, "You're killing me Farkle, killing me."

"Yeah and how's your love life."

Zay grew silent, "Fine, but I'm busy starring in the hottest show on Broadway."

Farkle sighed, "Uh huh, you need a girlfriend just as bad as the rest of us."

Zay rolled his eyes, "Here let me just conjure one up, we'll name her Amber Diaz, she'll be a feisty actress who I have a push and pull, will they or won't they kind of thing, where we get stuck together in a blackout we give into temptation but that still doesn't mean we're together."

Farkle's eyes were wide, "Okay, you really need a girlfriend if you could just come up with that."

"It used to be easier to meet women, but now that I'm Zay Babineaux it's more difficult. They look at me differently." He drummed his fingers on the table, "I'm sure the right girl is out there for me, I just haven't had a meet cute with her."

"The fact that you talk in rom-com more than any girl we're friends with might have something to do with it." Farkle got lucky catching the napkin that Zay threw at him.

Lucas looked at Riley and Alex feeling like a bundle of nerves. Any minute a cab would arrive to take him to the airport for a series of away games. He didn't want to leave them. "Okay, you both have my cellphone number, my skype name, my email address am I forgetting anything?"

"No, don't be so nervous." Riley gave him a smile, "We'll be fine, I promise."

He sighed sitting between them, "I don't want to leave you two."

Alex shook her head, "We can talk on the phone, we can watch you on TV, you'll only be gone a few days, mom isn't some China Doll that can break at any second."

Lucas looked back to Riley, "Yeah, this is going to be fun. She's going to get worse as she gets older."

Riley stifled a giggled, "Yeah well I warned you."

"It's good to hear you laugh."

"It's good to laugh, but Alex is right I'm not a China Doll ready to shatter. Lucas, I hate to remind you of this, but we survived for a long time without you, we can be okay for a few days, I promise." Riley placed a hand over his, "Besides a few days out of town will do you some good."

"It's not a fun trip, its work."

"Just go beat Boston and then come home and we'll continue to figure out what this is." Alex sighed, trying to be brave but also terrified he was leaving.

Lucas turned to his daughter, "I'll be back Alex, I promise you that. No matter what happens between your Mom and me I am always here for you."

Alex released a sigh and hugged him tightly, it has only been a few days but she wasn't sure she could ever fathom him not in their lives.

Lucas held his daughter as he looked to his wife, "You have the keys to my apartment incase things get crazy and the press comes back."

"We do, just be safe, don't get hurt."

"I'll do my best." He leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Al, Alex, Alexis, you've got to let go. The cab will be here soon."

Alex released him and watched as her parents got off the couch and moved to the door. She turned away knowing they were going to kiss.

Riley reached up, caressing his face, "I hope to God this is over by the time you get back."

"So do I, have you heard from Reese?"

She shook her head, "No, but he still has a few days."

Lucas smiled as he tilted her chin up with his finger, "I'll be home soon, we'll get to spend the holiday together, think about that. We can do something, just the three of us, get out of the house."

Riley nodded, "I like the sound of that."

"Good." He leaned forward giving her a soft, slow, but short kiss. "I'll call you when I get to the hotel."

"You better." Riley felt her heart lurch as she watched him walk out of the front door. She knew he would be coming back, but still it was awful knowing he was leaving. She went back to the couch and put her arm around her daughter, "He'll be back honey."

Alex leaned into her mother, "How can you be so sure?"

"Because, Lucas keeps his promises" Riley brushed Alex's hair away from her eyes, "Have you thought what you want to do this summer?"

"Play baseball with Wyatt and the guys in the park, you know the same old thing, maybe go down the shore."

Riley nodded, "That sounds like a great summer, we'll have to figure out a good time to go to the shore, do you want that to be just you and me, or did you want Lucas to go?"

"Lucas if he can." Alex felt small as she confessed that, feeling her mother's lips on her head.

"I love that idea and he's going to love it."

Alyssa Baker sorted through the mail by the door, sighing as she saw nothing but the same old bills she couldn't believe were not digitized yet, three different letters from State Farm agents trying to sell her insurance, magazines she couldn't recall subscribing to and who had time to read them when she was busy running a multi-million dollar advertising agency. She stopped when she saw one addressed to her oldest son Wyatt.

"Wyatt, come here please" She put the rest of the mail down, deciding to worry about it another day.

She studied her son as he came in the room, dressed in jeans that were covered in dirt from the baseball field, a Yankees t-shirt that had seen better days, and a well-worn baseball cap she knew should've been let go years ago but he just couldn't part with, "You've got a letter here from Diamond Baseball Camp for you."

His eyes grew wide as he reached for it, "Mom, please."

Alyssa sighed as she handed it to her son, not sure if she was ready to handle a broken heart or send him off for the summer to camp.

Wyatt tore open the envelope as he pulled out the letter he scanned it, wondering if the nerves that were coursing through him at this moment would later in life be matched with college acceptance letters. "I got in! I got into Diamond!"

"That's wonderful" she felt her son hug her, the designer suit covered in baseball dirt but she didn't care, "So we'll have to get you ready, you'll leave not long after school ends."

Wyatt pulled away, "Yeah so much to do, I'm going to need a physical, and some new cleats, I can't believe it Mom I got in!"

"I knew you would, you're amazing. Now go wash up, dinner should be ready soon." She sent him off, not sure she was really ready to let him go for the summer, but also knowing it would be for the best.