A/N:

Okay, I had this chapter written like... a week ago I swear but I forgot to save it and the whole thing got deleted. (Yes, I'm an idiot.) But I finally rewrote it and replicated it as best as I could, and I think this draft is slightly better than the last one.

We finally get an ending to the Semi-formal today! I don't want to spoil anything so I'm going to stop talking now.

Remember to comment, follow and favourite if you haven't already! I'm so grateful for the support this story has gotten already. Seriously, guys; 21,667 views! I'm so blown away.

Enjoy this chapter! I think the ending is slightly different than what you guys expected...

—

Lucas was heading back to the gym to see if the other had any luck when he heard the scream. The half-hearted, tired scream that oozed "leave me alone" and "I'm past caring this is just too much for me". He broke into a run, alarmed by the idea of Maya, of all people, screaming. A guy was leaned over her aggressively. "You b—" he spat, gripping her arm tightly just in time for Shawn to round the corner and catch what he said. They moved as if they were one.

Shawn got there first with speed Lucas didn't know he was capable off, tackling the guy away from Maya. Lucas was a hair behind, slamming his fist into his face with a vengeance, feeling enough rage he thought he was capable of smashing his skull in. Shawn pushed him aside, wanting to have his go. Lucas moved away to Maya, pressing her protectively against his side. She pressed her face into his shirt, clinging tightly to his arm, her fingers tightening into white knuckled coils. She mumbled something about Riley and leaving and not again, please, no. He had never seen her like this before and it chilled him to his core, tightening in his gut and squeezing painfully. Do something, idiot. His mind seemed to hiss at him from a distance. Maya felt like she was underwater, slowly drowning, the breath slowly leaving her. She gasped as if she was actually drowning. Lucas could feel his clenched fist start to shake.

"It wasn't him." he said, though it came out slightly grunted through his clenched teeth. Shawn understood. He yearned to hit someone. But the guy had already gone upon Shawn releasing him. Shawn took Maya from Lucas, having his turn at comforting her. Lucas walked into the gym. Jonas, who had arrived at sometime (he didn't even know anymore), close behind.

"Where are we going?"

"To find out what broke Maya."

They were slumped against the lockers, the whole group sitting on the floor with their legs tucked in their arms. At some point Farkle and Smackle had joined them, hearing from someone about Maya. Shawn suspected Friar. Maya had calmed down considerably and had agreed to talk, telling them everything.

"That b—" said Jackie with passion.

"Don't speak about Riley that way." said Maya tiredly.

"I meant Bradford."

"I'm just so tired of getting left all the time." Maya said. She looked years older than she was, and Shawn's heart ached for her. His mind flashed back to when he met Maya for the first time, and told her he would never let anyone grow up the way he did.

"Hey," he said, pulling her closer to him in a protectively fatherly way. "People like you and I... leaving makes us stronger. It feels like you're drowning now, but you'll get through it. You're stronger than you think, Maya. People like us always are." He gave Maya a smile. "We'll get through it together." Maya returned the smile slightly.

"Oh, why you look so sad?" sang Jenkins suddenly, smiling at Maya. "The tears are in your eyes, come on and come to me now."

"Don't" continued Jackie fiercely, "be ashamed to cry. Let me see you through, 'cause I've seen the dark side too."

"When the night falls on you, you don't know what to do." tried Billy, making them laugh.

"Nothing you confess," said Shawn quietly, nudging Maya with his shoulder, "could make me love you less."

"Riley, how could you?" said Lucas, disappointment and shock evident in his tone. He was appalled at what Missy had gleefully reenacted for them. Riley didn't like the way his eyes were reproaching her. She shifted under his gaze.

"I had to, Lucas!" she protested.

"You didn't have to do anything!" Lucas shouted, exasperated. Riley recoiled. One two three, you're calm, Lucas, you're calm. He checked his temper and reminded himself this was still Riley, no matter how changed she was. He forced his voice to be controlled and calm. "You of all people know how much it hurt her when her father left. And you, more than any one of us, promised her you would never do the same, remember?" Riley looked away. "Remember?" Lucas shouted. Riley flinched and a part of him kicked himself.

"I saw what happened with you and Maya just now, don't deny it." she shot at him. Lucas was momentarily caught off guard.

"Riley..." he got out, feeling some of the strung up emotions in his unwind in empathy for Riley. Riley collected herself, seeing she had thrown Lucas off. "I-"

"How could you do this to us, Lucas?" she demanded reproachfully, but not without anger. Something in Lucas' eyes sparked, bringing him back.

"This isn't about us, Riley! It's about Maya. How could you just-" he broke off frustrated and angry, and distracted by Jonas pulling at his arm.

"You can't get through to her. Not today." he said, eyeing Riley with utmost disgust. How, he thought, had Maya ended up best friends with someone like her? He shot Riley the filthiest look he could manage on Maya's behalf. "Maya needs us now. We can deal with them later."

"You're right," said Lucas, turning his back firmly on Riley and Missy and allowing himself to be led away by Jonas. "Maya needs us more." They headed back to where they had left the group and found them sitting on the floor with their backs against the lockers, legs sprawled out and singing.

"I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you."

"So if you're mad, get mad," Lucas sang, sliding down the locker so he also was sitting on the ground with his back to the lockers, Jonas doing the same and alerting the group the their presence. "Don't hold it all inside. Come on and talk to me now." he said, and Maya leaned her head on his shoulder, mumbling something about "Huckleberry" and making him chuckle, Maya feeling the laugh reverberate through his body.

"Hey there, what you got to hide? I get angry too," Maya made a disbelieving sound at the idea of Jonas getting angry. "Well, I'm alive like you."

"When you're standing at the cross roads, and don't know which path to choose," said Smackle in her robotic, factual voice, making everyone laugh. Farkle continued.

"Let me come along, 'cause even if you're wrong."

"I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you. Baby, even to your darkest hour, and I'll never desert you, I'll stand by you." The whole group was singing now, crowding around Maya and hugging her, the song a promise to her, a vow that the group was determined not to break. They finished and stared expectantly at her.

"When did you say we were going out for basketball again, Heehaw?" She said, a small smile breaking on her face finally. Everyone cheered. Maya smiled brighter now, that Maya smile that lit up the world. Lucas watched her. She smiled at the group, grateful for the friends that stayed and the friends she found. She smiled at Shawn, the father she never had. And to his immense surprise, she turned and smiled at him. Him. He didn't exactly know what she was thinking when she smiled at him, but it didn't matter. Right there and then, he wanted to swing her up into his arms and never let her go, never let anything hurt her ever again. Wanted to tell her how he felt. But he stopped himself, reminding himself Maya had already been through enough for one night, and that the moment wasn't right. He felt his face stretch back into a smile. Not nearly as brilliant as Maya's, he thought, but then again no one's smile could ever compare with that. As they danced to "No place like you" by Maddie and Tae, his eyes would not leave her, and she would look back with those brilliant blue eyes of hers that sparkled and radiated emotion, her lips curled into a teasing smile as she laughed at the country jingle and teased him with the "Texas country jam that Heehaws dance to". The night was perfect, everything was perfect, as long as Maya continued to look that way; eyes lit up like Sirius in the night and mouth curved in laughter and teasings.

Damn, he was a goner.

—

A/N:

Stop. Before y'all kill me.

Noooo... they can't kiss yet... *cackles evilly* The moment isn't right! It needs to be perfect!

Give me a chance to explain. Put down your weapons. *weapons clank to the ground* You too! *last weapon falls*

Okay, I know you guys are mad at me for not letting them kiss coz there was a good set up right there. But think about it this way; if they did, this story would be over pretty quick. And then what would we do?

Also, I wanted to reinstate the whole purpose of the show because of the amount of hate mail I have been getting. Girl meets World was about a girl facing the world and the challenges life brought. It was not created for romance purposes, though romance did develop later on because COME ON. We gotta have some of that ;) People are taking this Rucas Lucaya ship thing waaaayyy too seriously. Ship wars have divided this fandom into pieces and fans have turned on each other calling the other names that are not warranted. I have made it clear since the first chapter that this is a Lucaya story, and it will continue to be so (yeah, you guessed it; that kiss is still coming). But I wanted too use this chapter to say that in times of trouble and need, when the world becomes to much to handle for the girl, it can become Friends meets World. To all girls: we are strong, we are fierce. But never forget the power of true friendship. People say the power of love conquers all, and I'm not saying that's not true. But there are different kinds of love. The love of a friend, demonstrated by the group stopping everything to be by Maya's side when she needs them. The love of a parent, demonstrated by Shawn. And the love of a soulmate, demonstrated by Lucas the Good, who waited when he knew Maya wasn't ready, and was willing to wait for her. Never forget these kinds of love. The show is all about these different kinds of love, not just the romantic kind, and we all ought to remember that and not let the fandom be divided by this. I mean, I have friends that are Rucas supporters, but we appreciate the main message of the show together and don't get super serious about "you're my enemy because you support Lucaya". I wanted to give you guys a chapter that represented this.

Having said that, I hope you guys liked the chapter and the little moments between the characters. I thought "Stand by you" was a great song that represented the theme and message of GMW and this story. Also, did you notice how I made the lyrics each character sang fit to that character's personality? I felt it made the promise to Maya more real and individual, because the characters weren't just singing lyrics, they turned them into a personal promise to Maya.

Now for the comments:

sexyevilempress276: I completely agree with you. I don't intend on giving up because of people who spit trash about this story. This story is mine. If I can give others pleasure and joy in the process I'm honoured. I don't give a damn if you hate this story for your own personal reasons. I do agree with you as well that the Zay/Maya relationship is one that needs to be explored, both platonically and romantically, especially since that moment they shared during the car wash (the very first episode Zay was on). However, for this story I chose to see the Zay that supported "true fact" over "insecure friend who acts tough", as he didn't understand why Maya was mad at Lucas since all he said was the truth. Maybe when this story is over I will do one exploring Maya and Zay. Let me know if you have any plot ideas for any GMW relationships! I may possibly use it to start a new story.

luv2read2: I am so glad and grateful that you have stayed with this story! I looked back at past reviews and I saw you posted one in August 2017, which is like... a year ago (sorry for that again). It's really amazing to see that there are people who have been here from the start and haven't given up on this story yet. I bet you also are a little disappointed that there wasn't a kiss haha. I hope you understand my reasons for this!

Thanks so much to everyone who read this story and gave it a chance. It means a lot!

Keep reading and keep rocking, all you awesome people!

Lots of love,

Rocksrain xx