Lucas then looked right into Maya's eyes and said, "Maya, I do feel an attraction towards you. But doing what you're suggested while I'm dating Riley would be wrong. Please, leave right now." Maya sighed and then left the room. Lucas then breathed a sigh of relief. He had felt tempted for a moment, but let the temptation pass. Then Lucas got out his phone and dialed Riley. On the other end he heard Riley say, "Hey babe." Then Lucas said, "Hey Riley. Watcha up to right now?" Then Riley said, "Oh I just drove upstate for a bit to get some fresh air. Driving back home now. Started to rain though which stinks." Then Lucas said, "Okay. I just wanted to say Riley that... I love and nobody else. You know that right?" Riley then said, "Of course I know that. Anyway, see you later. Love you." Lucas smiled and said, "Love you too."


Riley was driving down a long winding road as the rain began to get heavier and more intense. Riley began to squint her eyes as she said, "I can barely see anything in this rain. I don't even know where the lanes are anymore and... Oh no. Is that a truck!? I... AHHH!" Suddenly Riley's car was nearly hit by a truck causing Riley to swerve to the side. However Riley found herself going down a long hill into a forest and then her car smashed into two large trees causing the front of the car to be crushed. The air bag immediately deployed but Riley was trapped between the crushed front of the car and her seat. Her arms were trapped, her body could barely move. Some blood began to trickle down her arms as Riley realized bits of broken glass had hit her arms and legs. Riley tried to reach for her phone but couldn't see it, let alone reach it. Tears began to appear in Riley's eyes as she said, "Lucas..."


At home, Lucas was setting up plates on the kitchen table when suddenly he put his hand against his heart and had a look of pain go across his face. Lucas' mom came into the room seeing Lucas looked troubled and said, "Honey, what's wrong? You suddenly don't look too well." Lucas then said, "Riley. I... I don't know how but... she's in trouble. We need to go find her." Lucas' mom then said, "Where did that come from?" Lucas then said, "I'm gonna call her." Lucas got out his phone and started dialing a number. After several moments Lucas said, "No answer. Mom, we have to go out and find her." Lucas' mom then said, "Lucas, what's going in with you?" Lucas then put on a coat as he said, "I'm going to look for Riley. I know it sounds crazy but I need to go out and start looking now!"


Riley remained pinned in the bashed up car. Her body could barely move. Blood continued to trickle down her arms and legs. Tears began to flow from Riley's eyes as she yelled, "Help! Somebody! Help!" But there was no response. Riley began to sob as she said, "Lucas. I... I need you. I need you right now." Meanwhile at the top of the hill Lucas parked his car at the edge of the road. Lucas then got out of the car and suddenly put his hand against his chest again as he said, "The pain. It gets stronger right here. And it beats fastest at the edge of this hill. But why?" Suddenly Lucas heard Riley yell, "Help!" Lucas then yelled, "Riley!?" Lucas immediately ran down the hill and within seconds was at Riley's car. Lucas instantly saw Riley as he said, "Riley!" Riley then said, "Lucas. Help." Lucas then opened the dented up door to Riley's car and pushed as hard as he could against the air bag and parts of the car engine that were pinning Riley in. Lucas then pulled Riley out and laid her on the ground while keeping her head up. Lucas then got out his cell phone and said, "911! There's an emergency and we need an ambulance right away!"


In a hospital waiting room Lucas and his mom were sitting in two chairs as Lucas had an extremely worried look on her face. Lucas' mom then said, "It's going to be okay Lucas. You said Riley was breathing the whole time you were with her. She's going to make it through. But for the life of me the one thing I don't understand is how you knew she was in trouble without even knowing what happened to her at first." Lucas then said, "I... I don't quite get it either mom." Suddenly from nearby Riley's parents: Cory and Topanga came out of a room and walked over to Lucas. Lucas then stood up and said, "How's Riley? Is she going to be okay?" Topanga then said, "Luckily, she'll be just fine. She got scratched up and bruised pretty bad but no broken bones or organs. The doctors say within a month she'll look like the accident hadn't even happened to her." Lucas sighed in relief as he said, "That's great to hear." Cory then said, "Lucas... you saved our daughter's life. No matter what happens from here on out... you are now and shall always be family to us for life." Cory and Topanga then hugged Lucas. Then after a moment Topanga said, "Well... Riley did she say that she'd like to see you." Lucas then said, "Yeah. I think I'll do that now."


In a hospital bed Riley laid in a room by herself. Lucas then walked into the room and said, "Hey." Riley then said, "Hey." Lucas then went over to a chair and sat next to Riley in her bed. Riley then said, "Lucas... Thank you for saving my life. That... that was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me." Lucas then said, "I'm sure it was. But you're okay now." Then Riley said, "But that's the thing. I'm not okay. Lucas, they say that right before you think you're going to die, you see your life flash before your eyes. But I didn't. Instead... I saw a life I could've lived flash before my eyes. I saw us married. A large wedding surrounded by family and friends. I saw us with children of our own. Precious little bundle of joys made by the best parts of you and me. I saw us growing old together. Complete with wrinkles and weakened muscles, but we were happy. So happy. I saw a full long happy life we could've had. And I got so scared as that crash happened because... I thought I was about to lose my ability to have that life. And I'm scared of still losing our ability to have that life."

Lucas then said, "Riley... I was just as scared as you were when I saw you in the smashed up car. I don't know for sure what the future has in store for us, but I too was afraid I'd lose every possible future I'd welcome to have as I grow older. Because no matter what happens, I'll take any future that comes my way as long as you're there. But we can't be constantly scared of losing each other Riley. I'll always do everything I can to stay by your side. Just as I know you will always stay by mine." Lucas and Riley then held each other's hands as Riley said, "Lucas. When we graduate from high school next month... will.. will you marry me?" Lucas stood stunned as he said, "What?" Riley then plainly and in a straight forward manner said, "Lucas, will you marry me?" Lucas stood stunned as he thought about which answer to give.


*If you want Lucas to tell Riley YES, jump to Chapter 17

*If you want Lucas to tell Riley NO, jump to Chapter 18