Hi! I saw a clip from the show a little while ago and that made me go back and binge it. I've always loved Riley and Lucas, so this is a slightly more grown up take on some of the events of the show.

Reviews are appreciated!

Lucas Friar took a deep breath as he exited the Subway station and made his way out onto the busy New York street. It had been a year since he'd left, but it felt so great to be back in the city. Texas would always be home, but New York had this… energy that he'd always missed.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket with a text from his best friend Zay "I can't believe you're back in town man! We need to get everyone together ASAP!"

Lucas almost couldn't believe it either. New York had some of the fondest memories of his life, but it also reminded him of the worst heartbreak he'd ever felt, the reason he'd transferred to Texas A&M from NYU for his junior year of college the previous summer. New York meant Riley Matthews.

Riley rolled over in bed and buried her head beneath another pillow. She reluctantly opened one eye and glanced at the time. How was it 11am already?! She groaned as her best friend and roommate Maya strolled into her room. "Go-od morning Sunshine!" Maya sang in an exaggerated sing-song voice.

"Is it?" Riley groaned.

"It is" Maya sighed happily, jumping up onto Riley's bed. Josh was finally coming home after two weeks away at a photoshoot for his photography business. It was the longest Maya had been away from her boyfriend in the almost year and a half since they'd started dating, and she was more than ready to have him back.

Maya looked carefully at her friend under the covers. She'd thought taking Riley out drinking might have been exactly what she needed to get over her heartbreak, but looking at her best friend in bed almost broke Maya's heart. She desperately wanted to find Charlie Gardener, wherever the asshole was hiding, and break every bone in his cheating body.

Maya dragged Riley out of bed. "Come on. You're coming with me to this art show remember!" She kept up the fake, overly happy routine to mask her concern for her best friend.

It had been two weeks since Riley had decided to surprise Charlie, her boyfriend of almost a year, at his apartment off campus. It was the day after her last final of her junior year, and Riley was supposed to be spending the day with her parents. Charlie had finished his finals the previous day, and they planned to spend the following day together to celebrate. When Topanga got called in to consult on a legal case at her firm, however, Riley decided to stop in at her boyfriend's. Only to find him on top of some co-ed she'd never seen before.

If she was being honest with herself, what hurt more than the betrayal was the humiliation. Everyone had told her she deserved better – her fight with Lucas, right before he'd disappeared and stopped responding to her messages, flashed through her mind. And yet…she'd still stayed with Charlie. She chose to ignore all of them, and even worse, ignore the voice in her head. And she'd lost one of her best friends because of it.

Riley dragged herself out of the shower, the hot water doing wonders for her hangover, and made her way to her closet, only to trip over a big lump on the floor. A big furry lump. "Jasper! One of these days you're going to send me to the hospital baby" She cooed as she rubbed his ear. The giant golden retriever that she had gotten from her parents shortly before her and Maya had moved out on their own only opened his eyes and stared at Riley with his big brown eyes for a moment, before going back to sleep. Riley laughed.

Jasper was definitely Riley's dog. He was just like her, always happy no matter what. Always full of energy. And just like his mom, he was a giant klutz. Jasper would get so excited sometimes that he would forget to stop running and would ram into a wall or a piece of furniture. But he had this way about him that made anyone who came over to their apartment instantly fall in love with him.

After throwing on a casual sundress, Riley sat down on the ground and cuddled with Jasper. "What's the matter, baby? You never sleep this late?" Jasper had been keeping her even more company than usual in the last two weeks that she'd basically spent locked in her bedroom. Suddenly Riley felt a pang of guilt. He must've been feeling so neglected. "Who wants to go for a walk before Aunt Maya gets back and drags me to her art show?" She purred. Jasper bounded up and licked her face in response.

Lucas tried to calm his nerves as he opened the door to a place he hadn't been to in over a year. He had so many fond memories here, and a great relationship with the owner. In fact, this place was why he had returned to New York in the first place. He had no reason to be nervous, he reminded himself as he approached the counter.

"Can I help you" the attractive blonde asked him, a broad smile on her face. Lucas didn't recognize her. Amanda, he noticed quickly on her nametag.

"Umm…I'm looking for Dr. Vanderbilt. He should be expecting me."

"Sure, I'll just call him for you" Amanda walked towards the back of the office as Lucas stood there nervously.

"Lucas!" He heard a moment later as Dr. Brad Vanderbilt walked out of one of the examination rooms. The older man had a broad smile on his face as he came up and embraced Lucas. The gesture shocked the younger man at first, but it also helped to get rid of any of his remaining nerves.

"Hi Dr. Vanderbilt" Lucas said, letting the man go and shaking his hand.

"I know it's been a while, but don't tell me you forgot what you're supposed to be calling me?" the man said, feigning annoyance.

"Sorry… Brad. Old habits die hard"

"How have you been, son?" the doctor patted him on the back before turning to his receptionist "Amanda, I'm going to take my lunch break now so Lucas and I can catch up. I'll be back in an hour."

"Sure Dr. V!" Amanda said cheerily.

The two walked to a café around the corner at a leisurely pace, Dr. V whistling lightly under his breath.

"Look Dr. Vand…er, I mean Brad, I want to apologise for how I left things last year."

The doctor looked over at Lucas for a moment, confused. "How you left things?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was your assistant. I knew how short staffed you were, and I didn't even give you any notice when I transferred."

Brad smiled, remembering how heartbroken Lucas had been in those days. Although he had never shared the way he felt about Riley with the older man, he could just tell how deeply Lucas cared for her from the way he used to talk about her. "Nonsense, son. Do you think I would've called you here if I was upset about that? I understood your reasons for leaving." The man said as they placed their orders and found a seat.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you call me here? I mean, I know you said you had an offer for me on the phone but…"

Now it was Brad's turn to feel nervous. "This is just an idea that's been kicking around in my head for a while. You don't have to say yes. I know you have a life back in Texas now…"

"What is it Brad?" Lucas inquired. He had no idea what his mentor was getting at.

"Lucas, you know Cheryl and I never had any kids. You know I like to run my clinic differently than most doctors. It's my pride and joy…"

Lucas simply nodded, unsure where the doctor was going with this.

"I know you still have to complete your degree… but I'm getting older and its time I start thinking about the future…"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at Brad?"

"Lucas, you've volunteered and worked with me for years, ever since you were that quiet high school kid. And I've always seen something special in you, something that reminds me of myself when I was your age. Would you consider staying in New York and completing your schooling here while you work alongside me so that…so that you can take over my veterinary practice one day?" The older man finished what he was saying and looked Lucas in the eyes.

Lucas was shocked. He felt a rush of gratitude for the man sitting in front of him. Dr. V had been a mentor and role model for him when his parents decided to move back to Texas after his senior year in high school He'd had some great conversations with the man, as the two worked opposite each other in the clinic. He was flattered, but… could he do it?

Brad saw the look of confusion on the young man's face. "Look, I know it's a lot to throw at you. I want you to take as much time as you need to think about it. Come by my clinic tomorrow and get reacquainted with everything," the man looked at his watch "I'm sorry to spring this on you and run but I better get back," he paid for lunch and left, leaving a shocked Lucas sitting where he was.

It had always been his dream to be a veterinarian. A dream Riley had helped him realise in high school. She had been the one to encourage him to walk into Dr. V's practice one day and even ask for a volunteer position. He was flattered, but… could he live up to Dr. V's legacy? Could he move back to New York… back to where Riley was?

Riley moved from painting to painting, pretending to examine each one with a fake smile plastered on her face, even though they had all started to blend together an hour ago. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the art exhibits Maya took her to, but she just didn't have it in her to show any genuine interest today. This false expression seemed to be her standard look these days. She was able to shine her fake smile and everyone would be convinced that she was fine, just fine. Well…almost everyone.

"I'm sorry Riles. We'll be able to get out of here in twenty minutes, okay?" Maya whispered in her ear, coming up behind her.

"No I'm fine, you keep doing your thing!"

"Nah I'm pretty much done here too… besides, Zay just texted. He told us to meet him at the bar tonight. He has a surprise for us!" Maya hoped it would cheer her friend up.

"Ooh do you think he's finally going to introduce us to this mystery woman he's been seeing?" Riley's eyes lit up for real.

Maya laughed "That must be it".

...

"I'm just saying, maybe a quick rebound would do you some good!" Maya laughed as her and Riley made their way across town to the bar.

"Maya! You know that's not my style" Riley rolled her eyes.

"Yeah but you know what they say…if you wanna get over someone you need to get under someone else" Maya responded, nudging her best friend and winking as she led the way into the bar.

Riley threw her head back and laughed, which is why she almost knocked into her best friend when she stopped in her tracks and whispered "holy shit".

"What?" Riley asked, but she knew the answer soon enough as she followed Maya's eyes to where Zay, Farkle and Smackle were already seated. With Lucas.

Lucas smiled as he listened to Farkle and Smackle bicker about the hypothesis of their latest experiment. Although he had reconnected with his old friends in Texas, and made some new ones at school, it was nice to be back with his real friends. Sure, he'd kept in contact with them all… except Riley. But it wasn't the same.

Lucas felt his stomach churn. He knew that Zay had called their entire group to get together, which meant that she would be here any time now. He hadn't spoken to her in almost a year. He wondered if she would bring Charlie along as he sipped his beer.

Suddenly, Lucas felt his eyes drawn to the entrance of the bar, as though she had some magnetic pull on him. He felt his heartbeat pick up, even after all this time, as he caught his first glimpse of her. Her hair was cascading down in loose curls and she had on an adorable yellow dress that accentuated her long legs perfectly. She was laughing, a laugh he'd been dying to hear. But he watched it die on her lips as she turned to look at him.

Thanks for reading!