Ryder stood in confusion at the drama unfolding before him as he stood beside Riley with his arm around her shoulders protecting her from all the drama, looking down she saw her big brown eyes glisten with unshod tears and he frowned, he may not know what is going on but he does know they upset his angel. He caught Adam's eye who had been standing quietly behind them.

"Adam how about you take the horses to the field, Riley can help you." He muttered quietly enough for oily the three of the them to hear. Riley smiled gratefully before slipping away. Sighing Ryder walked up to the group once Adam and Riley were out of sight.

"Ahem." He coughed causing the attention to turn to him.

"Stay out of this, it is nothing to do with you Ryder." Maya snapped before turning around. Kira's eyes widened as she watched her brother turn back to the cold person everyone feared.

"Excuse me ma'am." He stated waiting for Maya to turn around and then he advanced, "seeing as you have all come crashing onto MY land, yelling and making demands, upsetting MY angel, then it becomes my business, you see I don't like it when people upset her." He snarled out towering over Maya, although he had never raised his voice yet he still frightened Maya slightly. Lucas had said he was dangerous and she could see he was right. Suddenly Lucas was in front of Maya and squaring up to Ryder.

"You do not talk to her that way, they are all under my protection and you don't want to mess with me, why? Because I'm as strong as a horse and I'll finish you any day." Lucas threatened as he stared at Ryder with distaste, before his eyes widening in shock as Ryder laughed. Kira smiled before stepping forward.

"Aw Hun that was cute. But my brother is not one to be messed with, especially when it comes to something he cares about." She stated calmly as Ryder nodded in agreement.

"But you are a bad guy, you're going to hurt Riley." Farkle stated as she stood next to Maya, Kira raised an eyebrow in question.

"Sorry but do you know my brother?" She asked and smirked as they all shook their heads. "No you don't, but yet here you are making accusations like you have him all figured out. He would never hurt Riley."

"Hurt me?" They all turned to see Adam and Riley standing to the side, Riley was frowning in confusion and Adam was looking back and forth between the two. "Who will hurt me?" Riley asked again when she realised no one was answering her.

"Your friends think I will hurt you angel." Ryder turned to her, his whole body visibly relaxing as he gave her a bright smile, she laughed softly as she stared at Ryder forgetting for a minute anyone else was with them and the situation they were in.

"I don't know you might kill me with your bad puns." She teased as she walked over to him while he pretended to be wounded.

"Ouch, my puns are amazing don't pretend you don't love them." Ryder grinned as Riley nudged him with her shoulder. Farkle watched the exchange quietly, she never teased any of them like she did Ryder, it was always Maya who did the teasing.

"Get a room you two." Kira joked as they realised they weren't alone. Maya stepped forward.

"Honey we want you to come home." She stated calmly as Lucas and Farkle nodded.

"I am home Maya, I love it here, I've been here three days and I already have friends, friends who don't betray me." She replied coldly as she glared at the three before her.

"We never betrayed you, you're the one who left us." Lucas snapped not believing she was blaming them

"Oh really so you didn't kiss Maya then Lucas after you chose me." She stated calmly and watched as Lucas and Maya's faces fell.

"You kissed Maya?!" Farkle yelled in disbelief. Ryder looked over at Kira and Adam who shook their head in confusion.

"Okay what actually happened guys because three of us have no idea." Adam asked gently as he looked between the group of six. Riley sighed softly before turning to the three behind her.

"My parents were thinking of moving to London, I didn't want to go but I told everyone it was a possibility, we decided to go to the café my mum owned after school, I was meant to meet Maya and Lucas in the lobby, I was there for ten minutes and no one showed so I went to find them, I turned the corner and saw Lucas kissing Maya, I didn't know what to do so I ran away, I wanted to go home but bumped into Vanessa, once I told her everything she said she would tell them I was going to get something. What else was I meant to do, I had just seen the boy I liked kissing my best friend. How was I meant to talk to them about it? Later that evening I decided to meet them all at the bowling alley and when I got there I saw Lucas and Maya acting more like a couple than me and Lucas ever did. I couldn't stand it so I left without saying anything, gradually I distanced myself from them, I was hurt that Maya didn't talk to me about it, that Lucas didn't tell me. I stopped talking to Lucas all together and came up with excuses as to why I couldn't see Maya, I tried with Farkle and Smackle but they always put Maya first. The only people who I could talk to were Zay and Vanessa, I didn't make Zay hang out with me, I didn't want him in the middle but he knew what I was feeling. Anyway I decided to join dance and cheerleading as a way to make new friends and I did, her name was Clara, she was in my dance class and we had so much in common, it was like we were sisters. She was homeschooled but we spent every waking minute together and then a few months ago she got sick, I would visit her in hospital. But she didn't make it, two months ago she died. I couldn't stay in New York anymore, it hurt too much." Riley choked out as tears streamed down her face, in one swift movement Ryder wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

"It's okay you don't need to say anymore." He whispered into her hair as he felt her body shake with her sobs, Kira and Adam stood by their side and placed a hand on Riley's shoulder.

"Riley, I never knew." Farkle whispered softly as him, Lucas and Maya watched her being comforted by three other people. They were the Riley committee they should be protecting her.

"You're okay Angel, I'm here." Ryder whispered as he continued to reassure her, slowly Riley lifted up her head and gave him a tear stained smile.

"I just can't get rid of you can i?" She joked "thank you." She whispered before reaching up and kissing him softly on the lips.