Author Note: Official ship name for Alex and Wyatt is WYLEX, thanks to everyone who voted on the poll on twitter this weekend. Also let me know who you think could've shot Reese.
-25-
Lillian looked over to Josh as the rain poured down on them, their clothes soaking wet, "We forgot to check the weather forecast."
Josh looked up at the dark sky as rain cascaded over them; they had been setting up the campsite when it began. Why could his plans never work out? "I don't know how I forgot to do that, I guess I just got excited about the idea of spending a few days alone with you, here in nature."
They were sitting in the car as Lillian scrolled through her phone, "Rain straight until Tuesday."
Josh flopped his head down to rest his head on the steering wheel. "I am an idiot."
"No you're not." Lillian smirked, "You're adorable we just need a backup plan."
"Every hotel, motel, and inn is going to be full." He leaned back in the driver's seat, "I can't believe I messed this up."
"Stop" Lillian put her hand on his shoulder, and he looked to her, "It's just how things are, neither of us checked the weather. This isn't just your fault, but I'm sure we can find something, someplace, or at the very worst we go back to the city."
Josh watched the rain pounding down on his windshield, trying to think.
"Okay, there is a motel, three miles from here and I just booked us a room. If it's super sketchy we leave in the morning, but maybe we'll get lucky and it's not totally disgusting." She looked up from her phone, "Come on, at the very least it'll hopefully be dry."
"Okay, let's navigate our way there." Josh started the car, looking one last time longingly at the campsite he'd been so eager to spend the weekend at with Lillian.
When they pulled up to the motel, it didn't look awful as they checked into the room and then found their room at the end of the building. "Okay, I hope this isn't a nightmare." Josh slid the keycard in the door before opening it, pushing open and finding a decent looking room.
Lillian went in, tossing her bag on the bed as she looked around, "It's not bad, it'll be warm, and dry."
Josh sighed, "I feel like an idiot, I had this whole idea of watching the stars, and yeah." He realized he didn't want to flat out say he was planning for them to go to the next level physically.
Lillian took a few steps towards him, her fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt, "I say, we get out of these wet clothes and into a hot shower, together." She smiled a sparkle in her eyes.
He couldn't hold back the smile from forming as he ran his fingers along her neck before into her wet hair as he kissed her as they moved into the bathroom, shedding their clothing before he pulled apart to turn the shower on, feeling the water thankfully heat up quickly before they got in.
Lillian studied Josh, he was tall, just enough muscle for her liking, not bulky. His chest hair wasn't overwhelming as she reached out, letting her fingers slowly dance over his chest before his lips crashed down on her. She was dizzy with expectation and desire as she felt Josh pull her close to him, her body against his body. His hands running down her back, feeling the vibrations he created in her.
This wasn't the weekend Josh had planned, and he realized this was so much better when he felt her take his hand, guiding it where she wanted—needed to be touched as he pinned her against the shower wall.
Lillian closed her was when she felt his fingers deep in her core she felt his lips on her neck as she moaned into his ear. She could feel his own impressive desire pressing against her leg. "I need you Josh I want you, right now, please don't make me wait."
Josh looked into her hazel eyes, "I won't" he pulled his fingers out, teasing her before shifting positions enough before he thrust into her before he began a slow rhythm as the shower water continued down on them until her body curled to his as her peak hit a few moments before his did.
Lillian held onto Josh as she tried to steady herself, "Tell me that wasn't all the tricks you've got up your sleeve?"
Josh chuckled as he turned off the shower, "That was the improvised performance, just wait until you get a load of what I actually planned to do."
"Well I say we dry off, and then see if you're up for another performance." She smirked before kissing him slowly.
"Riley?" Auggie felt his sister collapse into his arms and immediately he laid her on the floor and moved to raise her legs, "I think she's in shock or something."
After a few seconds her eyes fluttered opened and she looked around, "What happened?"
"Are you okay Ms. Matthews?" the younger officer asked.
Riley put her hand to her head, "I'm sorry, what just happened?" She looked to her brother.
"You fainted; think you can make it to the couch with help?"
"Yeah, I think so." She felt him lift her up with help from the older officer who she looked up to once she was seated, "I'm sorry you said Reese Collins was shot today?"
"Yes, he's in surgery right now." He had a Brooklyn accent, and looked like he'd been on the beat far longer than he'd planned.
"I haven't actually spoken to him in days." Riley looked around the room, "I didn't even call him to tell him I was having box messengered over I just sent it over this morning."
"Ms. Matthews where were you between one and three this afternoon?" The younger officer looked to his older counterpart, not sure if he was overstepping his boundaries or not.
"I was at my doctors from about nine-thirty this morning until around two-thirty this afternoon when I left I came home." She looked up, "It was Dr. Gloria Criss I can get you her office number to confirm if you need it."
"That would be wonderful if you could." The older officer looked to the younger one, "If there are any other questions, the detectives assigned to the case will get a hold of you, but if you have any for us here's my card."
"Thank you, Auggie would you get my phone from my office it's charging."
"Of course" He kept an eye on the officers before he went to her office just off the living room and grabbed her phone, "Here you go Riles."
"Thanks Auggie." Her fingers shook as scrolled through her phone, "Do I need to write this down for you?"
"Just tell us, I've got a pen and pad." The younger officer quickly wrote down the office number she gave them.
"Why would someone shoot Reese?"
"You said you hadn't spoken to him, is that because of the scandal?" The older officer tried to study her.
Riley blinked, "We broke up, not just because of the scandal. I'm reconciling with my husband, the father of my daughter. I realized before I found out about the boat party that I couldn't be with Reese."
Auggie looked to Riley but kept his mouth shut.
"Is Reese going to be okay?"
"We don't know yet Ma'am."
Riley looked up at them, "Do you need anything else from me tonight?"
"No, I think we have enough for now. Try to have a good evening." The older officer eyed the younger one to go to the door. "I'm sure a Detective will be by to follow up."
"Of course" Riley watched as her brother led them to the door before he locked it behind them and came to the couch.
"You're husband? Riley did you hit your head that hard?"
She gave Auggie a soft, small smile, "No, Lucas and I are married," she pulled the chain around her neck out and showed him the wedding rings, "We've been married for about three and a half years. Vegas, I blocked it out."
"Mom and Dad will flip when they find out."
"Dad's okay with it, he knew, but Mom, you're right she did flip. But I'm more worried about a certain blossoming young woman flipping out when she finds out." Her eyes glanced towards the kitchen door, wondering what the father and daughter were discussing.
Farkle held Sarah close in his arms as they danced on the deck of the beach house, he had music piped in through the speaker system, but it was low enough that they could still hear the ocean waves against the shoreline.
"This has been an amazing day." She murmured against him as she breathed in the scent of his cologne and the ocean air.
"The night is only beginning." He told her as he looked into her blue eyes that matched the color of the ocean, "This, us, it's not just a fling for me Sarah. I want what we have to be something real and special."
She smiled, feeling her heart fluttering, "It is real and special Farkle, this isn't a fling for me either."
"When this song ends, I want to take you upstairs to the bedroom and make love to you, because that's what this is Sarah, at least for me, this is love. I love you."
She hadn't expected this declaration, "I love you I think I have for a while."
Farkle felt a wave of relief, "So I love you, and you love me, then I think we're on the right path."
"I think so to." She let her fingers tease the nape of his neck, "And I don't want to wait for this song to be over Farkle. I've been dying to make love with you."
Before Sarah knew what was happening Farkle had picked her up, one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back as he carried her into the house and up the back stairs before kicking the bedroom door open.
LED Candles were set up all over the room creating a warm glow, flower petals were tossed along the floor.
Farkle carried her to the bed before gently placing her down, "I knew tonight had to be special, I believe in us Sarah."
She reached out for him, "I believe in us as well. Kiss me Farkle.
He tilted her head up just a little and slowly let his lips discover hers as her hands gripped his shirt pulling him closer to her as she leaned back on the bed.
Slowly they removed each other's clothing, mouths exploring shoulders, necks, chests as hands kneaded and stroked flesh.
Sarah's eyes fluttered back when he entered her, she dug her nails into his back as he started a pace that brought them both to the crest of passion.
Afterwards Farkle held her, planting soft kisses near her eyes and along her forehead. He couldn't remember a time where he felt as honestly happy as he was right now with Sarah in his arms.
Alex finished her plate before pushing it forward and looking at her father, "Okay Lucas Friar, when do you plan on making an honest woman out of my mom and finally marrying her?"
Lucas almost choked on his water as he watched his daughter, "When your mom and I have gotten to know each other again, if that's the step we want to take, it's the step we'll take."
Alex shook her head, "I need a timeline."
"Are you giving me a deadline?"
Alex smiled, "Yes, I am," She was quiet for a moment, "New Year's Eve, I want the two of you married before midnight strikes for the New Year."
Lucas blinked, was his daughter serious, of all the dates she could pick, she actually picked their anniversary. He smiled, "And what happens if we're not married by then?"
"I've seen dozens upon dozens of movies about kids getting their parents back together. I have a whole list of ideas I've been waiting my whole life to execute." Her green eyes danced as she spoke, "I would really hate to have to use them. Especially because it's beyond obvious that the two of you want to be together, I mean I get it you've been apart for my whole life up until now. I see how you look at her, and how she looks at you. She never looked at Reese like that. So you have until New Year's Eve to get married."
Lucas nodded, trying to hold back a smile, "I will keep that in mind and discuss this with your mother at the right now. Alex, if God forbid, this doesn't work out, I am always here for you. No matter what happens with your Mom and me, if we can't make it work, I am always your father, I always have been, and I always will be and you can come to me if you need help."
"I know, but you don't have to worry about that Lucas, you and mom are going to work out."
"Alexis" Riley looked to her daughter when she came back in the room, "How about you go do your homework and get ready for bed okay."
"It's a Friday night Mom, aren't we going to watch a movie?"
"Oh I forgot." Riley ran her hand through her hair, "Um, just go put on your pajamas, let us clean up from dinner and then we'll pick a movie we can all watch off of Netflix, okay?"
Alex could tell something was wrong but knew not to push, "Yeah, okay. Just let me know when the popcorn is ready."
Riley waited until she heard the door close before she collapsed in her chair and pushed her dinner plate away, "Reese was shot this afternoon, the door, it was two police officers wanting to ask me questions."
Lucas pulled her into his arms, "Honey, oh my, is he okay?"
"They don't know yet, I mean I know Reese wasn't perfect, and I'm sure the scandal brought out some people from his past maybe, but who would shoot him? Why would someone shoot him?"
"I don't know I can't imagine that at all. Did you at least have proof that you were home all day?"
Riley pulled away, "I wasn't home all day I was at my doctors, getting some tests done. I'm healthy Lucas, not pregnant, nothing is wrong. I promise."
"Reese will be fine, he's a fighter, as we saw just a few days ago. I'm sure that he'll get through this and be fine." Lucas wasn't sure what he was supposed to say in this moment. "Want to hear something kind of funny?"
Riley tilted her head surprised he could ask her something like that, "What?"
"Our daughter told me if I don't marry you by midnight New Year's Eve she's got a lifetime's worth of ideas on how to get us together and she plans to use them." He could see the smile form on her lips, "That's my girl. Whatever happens Riley, I'm here for you, for Alex."
"I think I'm just in shock, not what I was expecting for a Friday night."
Lucas nodded as he looked to Auggie who was finishing his last few bites, "So it's family movie night?"
"Yeah, we get in our pajamas and we'll find something on Netflix or On-Demand to watch. Think you're up for that?"
"It's a dream come true." He kissed her forehead, "You go get changed, let me and Auggie clean this up okay."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive. I'll be up to change when we're done."
"Okay" She kissed his cheek and went upstairs.
Lucas started clearing the plates with Auggie behind him. It was silent for a few moments.
"Why didn't you tell Alex that you and Riley are already married?"
Lucas paused as he looked at the younger man, "And how did you know?"
"Riley just told me, after she mentioned to the police officers that she and her husband are reconciling." Auggie looked at Lucas, "Don't hurt my sister or my niece."
"Have I ever intentionally hurt Riley?"
Auggie sunk back, "You didn't come back."
"Because she made me think she didn't want me to come back." Lucas started loading the dishwasher, "I love Riley, I've loved her for as long as I can remember and I'm going to love her long after I take my last breath. I love Alex and I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I am going to do everything I can to make them happy, to make sure they're safe."
"I hate that I believe you." Auggie sighed as he handed Lucas the dishes. "Though I'm glad you're here for Riley, I don't know what would've happened if she didn't have you."
"I'm glad I can be here. And just so you know, right now things are still mostly platonic between us until she's ready for it to be more."
Auggie chuckled, "You've spent your entire life waiting for her how do you do that?"
"I love her; Riley is worth any wait I have to go through." He started the dishwasher and quickly wiped down the counters and table, "Are you happy Aug?"
"I'm getting there, still sorting a lot of things out. But I know eventually I'll figure it out."
"Good, we better get changed and I guess make popcorn?"
"I'll make the popcorn you go check on Riley." Auggie opened cabinet to grab the box of popcorn.
"Okay, I'll see you in the living room soon."
Lucas went up the stairs Riley was sitting on the bed in her pajama pants and his t-shirt when he came in. "Are you really okay?"
She nodded, "I'm stunned, I mean Reese did some questionable things, but for someone to shoot him?"
Lucas crouched in front of her, placing his hand on her knee, "Maybe there is more to this story than we know. But, you said he's in the hospital right, so it means he's still alive."
"Yeah, I just, don't hate me, but I do love him, a little. I was going to marry him, and I just, I don't know how I'm supposed to feel right now."
Lucas wrapped her in his arms, "Whatever feelings you're having, no matter how conflicted they are, they're real, honest, they're yours. No one, not me or Alex or anyone can tell you that you shouldn't feel whatever you feel."
Riley nodded before wiping the tears from her face, "I'm going to splash some cold water on my face, you change and make sure you wear a shirt."
"Whatever you say wife."
Riley paused to look at him feeling her heart warm, "Careful our daughter might find out her parents are married."
"What do you want to see what crazy plots she has in store for us if we don't meet her deadline?" He dug through the drawers and found his pajama pants and a t-shirt, quickly changing before Riley came back in the room braiding her hair, "Okay, just so you know she's long out of the Disney princess phase."
"That's okay, I'm sure we'll find something we can all enjoy."
Riley smirked as she opened the door, "Oh she's like in love with the Marvel movies, especially Captain America."
"Of course she is." Lucas chuckled as he followed his wife down to the living room where Alex and Auggie had already pulled up a movie.
They settled onto the couch and chairs, Riley on one side of him Alex on the other. If he thought no one would notice he would pinch himself to make sure this was real, and he thought that again when Alex and Riley had both fallen asleep against him before the movie ended.
This was the life he'd waited for, and he was going to hold onto his wife and daughter anyway he could.