Chapter 5

Maya came up to the hospital the next morning with Riley's bag that was already packed. Riley was still sleeping next to Auggie and Lucas stared at her as the sunlight struck her hair. "Luke?!" Maya heavily whispered, his green eyes moved towards the door and tip toed out into the hallway. "Hey, did you stay here all night?"

"Yeah, how does Riley stay asleep with the coughing?" The blonde smiled lightly.

"Something you get used to." He nodded his head slowly. "I've got her bag that her mom texted me about. Is she still planning on going?" Riley popped up behind her friends.

"Yeah, I am." The brunette held onto the picture her little brother drew. "I want everyone to stay here, except you." His green eyes widened. "You're coming with me and facetime him like you promised." Her eyes turned red.

"Are you sure?" The blue eyed girl uttered. "We don't mind coming along."

"I know you don't." Her chin started trembling at the mere idea of losing her little brother. "I want everyone here in case something happens to him and I can't be. Hillary can be there if I place, and i'll come straight back here after my routine." Her shaking hands covered her eyes as tears were released. Lucas' strong arms pulled her into his chest.

"Riles, he's not going anywhere." The blonde uttered while Topanga sauntered towards the 3 friends wiping away her tears.

"It's not looking good Maya." Josh ran out of the elevator and it was clear he had been crying.

"Everyone stays. Got it?" Riley demanded, no one had to say a word, no one even moved, it was understood.

"Sweetheart, you need to get ready." The brunette agreed with her mom but didn't want to leave his arms.

"It should've been me. It should be me." She mumbled and after snatching her bag walked back into his room.

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"Are you going to be able to do this?" Even though Riley was completely exhausted she still looked gorgeous. She had her coverups on and her hair was in a tight pony.

"I just want to get this over with." Lucas stood back and watched the exchange.

"Go into your own world Riley. Your bubble." Hillary passed her a pair of ear plugs. "Don't get cocky, but don't completely fall into your emotions." Riley was an expert at hiding her emotions, everyone besides Mrs. Rodgers told her to do so.

"Hillary, i'm not staying for the ceremony and take Lucas to the floor with you please. Auggie needs a good view." The green eyed man stood up and watched his friend take off her coverups. She looked completely serene, and incredibly gorgeous, her body was covered in navy lace. "Lucas, be ready as soon as i'm done." His lips touched her head, she closed her eyes absorbing one of the few comforts she had right now.

"Of course." Hillary drug him out to the floor and she inhaled deeply, beginning to stretch.

"Is she going to be able to do this?" Lucas questioned.

Hillary glanced at her young protege. "She has to stay in her bubble, at least for this dance. Right now isn't the time for her to give into her emotions, she knows that. But, she is only doing this for Aug and the scholarship."

"Scholarship?" That was the first time he'd even heard of a scholarship.

"Riley donates the $5000 to the CF Foundation every year. Another thing that motivates her." Lucas' fingers ran through his hair and held a small smile. He didn't know about that, but it made total sense. Everything she did, even her most favorite thing in the world, was for someone else.

"She's one of a kind." Hillary nodded her head in agreement. "How much longer till she's on?" They'd been gone for 2 hours already and if he wanted to get back to see Auggie, he could only imagine how the brunette was feeling.

"Right after this dancer." The music slowly ended. "So right now." Lucas facetimed Auggie and waved but hurriedly faced the phone towards his sister.

"Can you see her Aug?" There was quite a bit of mumbling since the room was packed full of people but he heard Topanga say yes.

"NEXT UP IS RILEY MATTHEWS FROM SPIRIT OF DANCE ACADEMY. SHE TOOK HOME THE NATIONALS TITLE IN THE SOLO DIVISION LAST YEAR. PLEASE WELCOME TO THE FLOOR RILEY MATTHEWS." She walked to the center of the floor with a straight face, she was clearly breathing heavily, but her eyes exuded confidence. "GOOD LUCK RILEY, YOU'RE MUSIC IS ON." The music started, and Lucas found himself nervous for her.

Domino motion jump starts when we touch She moved so gracefully across the floor, her turn landed perfectly.
The blackout approaching
Here it comes now, wish me luck
It's all over, it's all over, it's all over in a flash. Her arms flew backwards and she did a switch russian, which the crowd loved.
I can't remember,
What have I done now? Her dainty hands covered her head as she rotated her neck.

Go go faster wider
More more get it down ya
Dance dance take me over Riley rolled across the floor and lept into a jete.
Glittering clouds, Glittering Clouds.

oh, my head hurts
Oh dear oh dear.

It's all over the papers
"Good, good." Hillary muttered at her impressive footwork.
On the TV, wagging tongues
The artist's impression looks just like me only better
Don't blame me, don't maim me, I can't help what I am
Oh, Lord knows i've tried to. Hillary clutched Lucas' arm and held her breath. "Stick it." Riley was on her 8th aleseconde and eventually did her illusion. "YES! Calypso, X, drag." Lucas found it quite funny that her coach was freaking out, the brunette was completely flawless.

Go go faster wider
More more get it down ya
Dance dance take me over
Glittering clouds, glittering clouds.

"AGAIN THAT WAS RILEY MATTHEWS." The crowd screamed and cheered at her flawless performance.

"When's the ceremonies?" Lucas asked.

"In about 2 hours." The green eyed man turned the phone to face him. "We'll be there in 30 minutes." He grabbed her coverups and shoes and snuck to the side where the brown eyed girl was. "Come on." She put on her shoes and sprinted towards his truck.

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Riley ran into his room and took her usual spot beside him. Topanga snapped a few pictures. "Auggie loved the dance Riles." Her brown eyes were coated in tears but she never faltered, until she saw the blood stained tissues in the trash. "Cory why don't you take her out in the hallway please." Lucas wanted to take all the pain away from her, out of her body and absorb it into himself.

"Come on sweetheart." Mr. Matthews took her hand and drug her out of the bed, and the quarterback like a puppy dog followed.

"I know dad." Her chin trembled.

"He's unresponsive Riles, he's hardly moving and sometimes it's like he doesn't know us."

"They can't bring down his CO2 levels?" Lucas exclaimed. "This is a damn hospital." Apparently he had done some research.

"What about his lungs?" Her brown eyes were red and with every blink several tears fell.

"We can do one of two things." Cory uttered through his trembling chin. "Put him on a life support system for a week and hope we get the lungs in or the other option."

"DON'T SAY THAT!" His daughter exclaimed. She felt like her legs gave out, falling to the floor she sobbed.

"He's hurting sweetheart." Lucas could barely make out what Mr. Matthews was saying.

"He can do it. He can pull through, he's the strongest kid I know. Please daddy, please just don't do this." Lucas kneeled beside her and she fell into his arms. Her voice became breathy. "Please, please, take my lungs." Both men dropped their jaws and stood in silence, but the brunette felt that for the first time, she was thinking clearly. "Take my lungs. Please." Cory shook his head. "That should be me dad, he doesn't deserve this!" She moved from left to right, tears falling and she continued to try and catch her breath. "Kill me, please. For him, please." Lucas' strong arms pulled her into his chest, and she continued to cry, realizing how ridiculous this was.

"Sweetheart, he's suffering and the wait list is estimated to be another 3 weeks away."

"So you give up?!" The door opened and Topanga popped her head out.

"Honey, he wants you." Lucas was impressed at how quickly she composed herself to go into the room.

"Hey bubba. What's up?" She laid beside him as he coughed.

"I'm tired Riley." The brunette immediately started crying and Lucas placed his hand on her leg.

"No, you can do this. Please keep fighting. For me, please. I can't live without you. Please bubba." Flashbacks ran through the green eyed man's mind.

"I'm ready Riley, I promise. I want this."

"No." She mumbled through her trembling chin.

"I love you."

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Lucas never left her side, all day. Auggie was still hanging on but just, Cory and Topanga left the room, devastated signing some paperwork to help put the precious little boy out of his misery. Riley's phone rang but she didn't move for it, so Lucas did.

Hello?
I know it may not matter right now. But, Riley placed first.
Thank you Hillary.

"Who was that?" Maya asked.

"Hillary, she won." A light smile was graced upon everyones faces, until the nurse came in.

"NO!" Riley yelled. "NO, NO, NO, NO! PLEASE DAD! MOM." Topanga was tucked into Cory's chest sobbing. Her scream was piercing everyone's heart, pulling on everyone's emotions. "Auggie, please don't go away. You're my angel remember, angel on earth. You have to stay here." Riley kissed his cheek. "NO!" She tried to push the nurse away and keep Auggie to herself. "GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM HIM! DON'T TOUCH HIM!"

"Josh, Lucas please." Cory was staring at his son and daughter and he could barely get those words out. The green eyed man hated himself for doing it but he helped Josh move Riley away from the bed. Away from the nurse who was helping take her little brother from this world.

"Please, let me go." Her brown eyes locked on Lucas', pleading. "Please let me go. Lucas please. If you care about me at all, please." He stroked her cheek, wiping a few tears away.

"Look at me Riley. Just look at me." She stared at his green eyes until the door closed, letting everyone know that the nurse had left. She gasped for air and dropped to the floor, he fell beside her still holding her tight.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL OF YOU! AUGGIE!" Lucas released her, torn by her words, but knowing it was completely out of emotion. The brown eyed girl instantly laid by his bedside. "I love you Auggie, please don't do this." He reached for her hand and she squeezed it tight, knowing it was too late. Cory and Topanga walked beside him and the rest of the family walked out into the hallway to give them some family time, just the 4 of them for the last time. "He could've done this, he could've lasted." Her brown eyes glared, cutting to the core of her parents.

"He's still your angel sweetheart, he'll be watching you from above. Auggie is hurting honey, he was in a lot of pain, more than we can understand." The room wasn't as loud anymore now that the machines had been shut off, and her brother was slowly falling asleep.

"I love you Auggie, I love you so much." The heart monitor's beeping started to slow down and he stopped blinking.

Lucas heard Riley scream from the hallway and he broke down again. "He's gone." Maya mumbled, the door flung open and Riley sprinted out of the hospital. Out of this living nightmare, out of her hell, wanting to run away from everyone and everything, just run hoping she'd find Auggie again, somewhere. "Riles!" The brunette opened the door to the stairwell and continued to run, crying, hoping that this wasn't reality. Lucas hurriedly followed, keeping his distance to let her have some space. He watched her leave the lobby and fall to her knees outside in the grass, that was soaked now that it started raining. The green eyed man didn't care if it was raining, his heart pulled towards her. Gotta follow your heart. He stepped outside and heard through the rain, the cars, and the thunder, Riley screaming at the top of her lungs and saw her punching the ground.

"Riley." She didn't turn her head to look at him, she didn't have to. He swallowed the lump that was in his throat. Riley raised herself from the ground and looked at him.

"You pulled me off of him." His head dropped as she stormed towards him. "You did! You pulled me away from him!" Her hand punched his chest, again and again until she fell into him.

"I'm so sorry Riley." The friends stood outside in the rain, hugging and crying for 10 minutes. "Wanna get out of here?" She shook her head no. "Want to go back upstairs?" She shook her head no again.

"I want to die." She whispered. The very idea of her dying made him cry even more. "I have nothing to live for."

"Don't say that. Live for Auggie, live for me." She scoffed and pulled away.

"Auggie is gone." Her chin trembled at the sound of those words. "My spirit, my will to live, my everything is gone with him. Wh-why-why be here if I feel this way?" Lucas didn't know what to say to that, it was exactly how he felt 2 years ago.

"You're the only way people will learn about him, how amazing he was."

"What do I do now?" Her hair was stuck to her face, hiding her red eyes. "Do I stay here? Do I go home?" Her whole body noticeably shook.

"Let's take you home."

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Riley had shut down, completely. The grieving sister locked herself in the dance room, avoiding her room at all costs because you had to pass his to get there. She'd slept on hardwood floor for the past 3 days, not uttering a word, her lips were almost sealed shut. Lucas entered their home after practice and hugged her parents. He'd become a welcome visitor, and even spent the night along with Maya and Josh the past few nights. "How is she?"

"I don't really know. She still hasn't eaten." Maya mumbled.

"That's 2 days of no food." Josh reiterated. "We've both tried to talk to her today but she doesn't want anyone. Wanna give it a go?"

"I'll try again." He took off his backpack and after fiddling around in the kitchen, sauntered towards the garage. "Riley?" The brunette had her back facing him and didn't respond. "Hey beautiful." The garage door shut and it seemed to have roused her.

"Don't call me that, you've got a girlfriend." He bit his lip.

"Not since Monday." Which was another reason he hadn't gone home. The dancer still didn't move, he tiptoed to sit in front of her. "You have to eat. You're hurting yourself at this point." He pulled out her favorite snack from behind him. "Strawberries with a bowl full of sugar. You interested?" Her brown eyes stared at the succulent strawberries, bright red and looking extremely delicious. Her shaky arms lifted her off the ground and he passed her the plate.

"Thank you."

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Riley's outfit: weismannscostumes .com and search for 'silence 6304'