Chapter 3

Riley's POV

This is a great day. Everyone is happy and together. I met some new people. Everyone is coming to New York to spend Christmas and then go to my wedding.

Maya already has a place for us to stay, but she won't tell me where. She told Zay so he could tell people where Christmas would be at, but he won't tell me either. Maybe today isn't such a great day. No, no thinking like that. Today is a great day. I'm going back to New York.

"Hey Riley," a voice said behind me.

"Pappy Joe," I turned giving him a hug.

"I guess congratulations are in order," I gave him a confused look. "Zay told me. That boy is so excited."

"Thank you. I am too." He nodded.

"Well I suggest you go back inside and pack."

"We will be back soon," Maya said walking out, Zay following.

"Okay."

"Where are you all going?"

"Just one last ride before we leave," Zay said kissing my forehead and following Maya to the barn.

Maya's POV

I asked Zay to go riding with me. I needed to clear my head. I also wanted to say goodbye.

After a little bit of riding we finally made it to the place Lucas and I found. It had a small memorial to him there.

"Maya, you okay?" Zay asked.

"Yeah I'm fine," I lied. Zay didn't seem to buy it, but let it go.

We had been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes, when Zay broke it.

"So what does your tattoo say?"

"What tattoo?"

"The one I saw this morning at breakfast."

"Oh that one."

"Yeah that one…Wait how many do you have?"

"Just the one and it says 'Huckleberry' and the dates."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You miss him a lot, don't you?"

I nodded, "Of course, every day. There is no one like him."

"Does Josh know?" I shook my head. He nodded. "Okay," he said helping me up. He wrapped me in a hug. Why did he do that? I was holding it together until he did that.

Cammie's POV

We were packing to go to New York. Grant freaked out when he saw Zay and freaked even more when we told him we were staying with him and Riley and going to their wedding.

"So Macey, it's later," Bex said.

"Yeah, so?" Macey said nonchalantly, continuing to pack her bag.

"So why didn't you tell us you had a kid?" Liz asked.

"And Cammie, why don't you seem as shocked?" Bex continued.

"I have been around Emma for the past about 5 years. I knew it as soon as I saw her."

"Then why did Maya say she was hers?" Liz asked.

"Because she is." We all turned toward the door, Riley was standing there.

"What do you mean?"

"Maya was around more than anyone. Probably because she hates kids growing up like she did. Her dad left and mom wasn't around as much as most. Maya was there for Emma. When she first started talking she called Maya, mom. No one had the heart to tell her otherwise. Especially Maya and she didn't mind."

"Oh." Riley nodded and left.

"Riley didn't seem like the type of person that would do what she just did," Bex said, kind of in awe.

"She was protecting her friend. Trust me, if you knew what they had gone through that would not have shocked you," I said.

"So Macey, why didn't you tell us about Emma?" Bex would not let it go. I shot Macey a look and mouthed 'I tried'.

"I didn't tell you because I was 18 at the time."

"Is that why you were gone another 8 months than you should have?" Liz asked.

"Weren't you with Preston?" Bex questioned.

"Yeah to both," Macey turned back to packing her suitcase.

"How did Preston find out?" Liz asked.

"What do you mean?"

"That's why you two broke up. He found out about Emma," Liz replied.

Macey gave up on packing and sat on the bed.

"It was black mail on the campaign trail." Everyone was silent.

"Wait, if she said Emma was hers even though it wasn't, is Cory hers?" Bex asked.

"Yeah, he does look more like Riley," Liz continued.

"Guys, just let it go," I said walking toward the door. I knew the answers, me and Maya talked a lot, but I wasn't going to say anything. As I reached the door a thought dawned on me and I turned back toward the group. "No looking into them either."

"But…" Liz started.

"No, trust me, we can trust them. That's all you need to know."

Maya's POV

"Zack looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it," Zay said on our ride back.

"It's Charlie. Trust me when I first saw him I wanted to hurt him, but Cammie held me back." Zay started chuckling. The rest of the ride was quiet.

We were almost back and it was almost time to leave. Thankfully I packed mine and Cory's bags before we went riding.

Josh, Riley and Cory were on the swing on the front porch and Pappy Joe was in his rocking chair. Cory was in Riley's lap, asleep.

When we were walking toward the porch Josh stood up and walked toward me.

My eyes must be red because Josh wraps me in hug and asks, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just visiting a friend." Riley looks up and gives me an apologetic look. The rest of the group came outside with the bags.

"Okay. Who's ready for a New York Christmas?" I asked.

(In New York)

I have a surprise for Riley. We are staying at her old apartment. The one she grew up in. But first a quick stop to say hi to some old friends.

I was riding in the elevator with Riley, Zay, Cory, Emma, Eric and Josh. The rest of the group was coming up next.

The doors opened and I saw Alexis sitting by herself at Beckett's desk, so her back was to us. I snuck up and gave her a hug from behind.

"CONGRATS!" Alexis jumped as I let go. She stood up and turned around. The elevator dinged signaling the other group was up.

"Maya! How are you?" she said giving me a proper hug.

"Good, how about you? How's married life?" I saw Josh Matthews walk out and toward Alexis. Castle and Beckett not far behind.

"Great," Josh answered.

"Congrats by the way."

"Yeah, when do I get to meet my niece?" Riley asked. "Or would it be cousin?"

"What?" Castle asked.

"Uh-oh," I said.

"Oops." Riley accidentally slipped. Maybe she didn't see Castle.

"Sir," Josh started.

"You have a 3 second head start." Josh ran.

"Dad!"

"What I gave him 3 seconds?" Castle ran after Josh.

"I'm sorry about that," Riley said to Alexis.

"So where's everyone else?" Alexis asked.

"Everyone, come here," I called toward the elevator.

"You ready for Christmas at the apartment?" I asked Alexis, while everyone walked over.

"Yeah, finished shopping yesterday."

"Hey Maya."

"Beckett," I said back.

"It's Captain Beckett now. Captain Gates was relieved of duty when you left," Castle said reentering the room.

"Well then, congratulations Captain Beckett."

"So who is everyone?" Beckett asked.

"This is Zach, Cammie, Bex, Grant, Liz, Jonas and Macey," I said pointing to them.

"And this is Eric, you all kinda met him last time I was here; Cory; Riley and Zay, you already knew; and this is Emma."

"No way!" Alexis said giving Emma a hug.

"It's me, Alexis."

"I know."

Riley's POV

We were heading to an apartment. That's all I knew. But I didn't care because I was told surprises were waiting when we got there.

Maya had to leave the precinct before the rest of us, so Beckett told Maya her old motorcycle was still in good condition and out back.

"Maya has a motorcycle?" Bex asked sounding impressed.

"Yeah. Shawn gave it to her for her 16th birthday."

"That's so cool," Bex said in awe.

"Who's Shawn?" Liz asked.

"It's complicated," I replied.

Maya's POV

I had to head to the apartment before the others to make sure everything was ready.

Eric Matthews was already inside waiting.

"So," he said, excited, "How does it look?"

"It looks great." It looked exactly the way it had when Mr. and Mrs. Matthews had Christmas here. "Thanks for coming early to set up."

"Yeah no problem. I still can't believe you got this place."

The door started opening Zay was leading Riley, who was blind folded, at the front.

"Surprise!" I shouted as Zay took Riley's blindfold off. Riley gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"How?" she asked, stepping in more to let the others in.

"I had some help." I said directing her attention to her Uncle Eric.

"Eric!" she said running to give him a hug. "How did you manage this?"

"I couldn't see anyone else living here and changing it so I bought it right after Co…" he couldn't say their names. "After the accident."

"Hey we picked up a few stragglers on our way here," Josh Matthews said. Riley's grandparents walked in. She rushed to them.

After catching up was done, we were sitting around the living room waiting for dinner. There was a knock on the door.

"Are you expecting someone else?" Riley asked me.

"No," I said getting up to answer the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after opening the door.

"I invited him," Eric Matthews said. I turned around.

"Why would you do that?" I asked walking toward him.

"Because you need to talk to him," he replied.

"Why?"

"Because you can't keep being mad at him?"

"Watch me," I left to Riley's room.

Cammie's POV

What is Shawn Hunter doing here? And why is Maya so mad at him? Riley followed Maya down the hallway.

"So who are you?" Zach asked. Oh yeah we've never "met" him. We knew him through work, but to the people here we've never met him.

"I'm Shawn Hunter. Who are you all?"

"We are friends with Maya," Macey replied.

"Oh yeah?"

Maya and Riley walked back in.

"Maya I'm so …" Shawn got cut off.

"No, you don't get to apologize. We were the left remember, Shawn. Not the leavers. Did you even love her? When my mom married you, I came with, remember that?"

"Hey, that's not fair." It was as if she never heard him. She was really mad. How long has she been bottling this up? Even Riley looked shocked.

"You left when I needed you most. My mom had died, then the Matthews. I needed you and you left. You told me you would never do that to a kid. Did you mean that? You said that because it hurt when your mom did that and you didn't want to be like your mom. Well congrats, you're not your mom, you're worse." She walked over to Emma and Cory, "I'll be back," she said kissing each on the head before leaving.

Shawn had his hands in his pockets and his head was down. He looked like he was about to cry.

"Riley," Eric Matthews said nodding toward the door. She nodded and walked out.

Macey, Bex and Liz gave each other a look. Great, now my friends were really going to look into Maya and Riley.

That was it. Tell me what yall thought. There was a lot of drama toward the end and more to come. What do yall think is going to happen next? Is there anything yall want to see happen? Let me know. Read/Review/Follow, any of the above. All of the above.

Oh my gods I saw Sabrina Carpenter when she was in Cincinnati. She killed it. It was honestly the best concert I've ever been to.