#df.

Riley tried her best to be herself around her parents and not put on an act that everything was always okay. Because truth was it wasn’t, she still hadn’t really talked with Maya. Sure they had small talk when she was in the bakery, and they snap-chatted but they hadn’t had a true conversation in a while.

Lucas was still there supporting Riley every step of the way, holding her hand always, watching movies with her, letting her talk when she wanted to. Riley still had bouts of confusion sometimes her mind would fizzle out on her and she would forget where she was or what was happening. The most recent episode had been at the bakery the Clique six was just hanging out after hours catching up, Riley was listening to Farkle tell a story about one of his latest experiments when suddenly her mind blanked on her, it was like everything had been wiped.

She started to panic, her breathing erratic her eyes darting around, she wanted to run but she didn’t even know where’d she run to. Her friends noticed her starting to panic but didn’t know the cause or what do to. Thank god for Lucas they all thought as he went into action, slowly crouching down in front of her and taking her hands. He spoke in his softest voice the one he saved for Riley, “Hey shhhh. Riley, it’s me Lucas. Remember?”

Riley tried to remember but her mind came up blank, tears pricked her eyes as she shook her head.  She couldn’t remember this man, but she wanted to. Everything about him screamed gentle and caring and she didn’t want to disappoint him.

“Hey, its okay. I’m Lucas, your boyfriend. We have a cat together, Violet? See it’s my lock screen.” Lucas pulled up his phone and true to his word, his lock screen housed a picture of Riley holding a cat looking up at him lovingly while he looked down at her with the same expression.

Riley found her voice, “I…I don’t know”

Lucas nodded, “That’s okay we’re your friends, and I’ll sit here with you until you remember okay?” Riley nodded and leaned into Lucas as her friends took Lucas’ queue and started up their conversation. It took a bit for Riley’s memory to return but when it came back she tried to apologize to everyone but they wouldn’t have it.

Later as they were walking out Maya approached Riley smiling gently,

“Hey Riles? Do you think we could talk tomorrow? I know I have some explaining to do.” Maya looked sheepish but hopeful

Riley nodded and went in to hug her, “That sounds great Peaches”

She left Maya standing there shocked as she went home with Lucas

--

The next day they were munching on snacks together in Riley and Lucas’ apartment when Maya spoke up,

“First I want to apologize, I should have never been so rude to Lucas. I know he loves you and you love him. I was just clouded by my own ideas….and I like let them take over instead of really listening and noticing what was going on. “ Riley nodded for Maya to continue, “Um so it took a while, and a lot of just thinking and talking with my therapist but um. You were right about everything. I don’t love you like that. You’re my sister nothing more.”

“That’s great Maya, but why did you think you did?” Riley asked curiously

“Well um, the thing is. I like girls like yeah guys are okay and I wouldn’t mind if I ended up with one. But my preference is for girls. And it just took a while for me to get there with it. And when I started liking girls, um you were my first. Because how could I not, you’re amazing. But over the years as we grew up it did stop, but I just held on to the idea of us in my head.” Riley nodded as Maya took a deep breathe

“Sure I was around your parents a lot, but my example of marriage was my mom and Dad. And while he left her for another and I was always worried about being left in that type of situation, and part of me knew you’d never leave. So it was safe.”

Riley nodded, “And instead of talking to me about it you just acted and tried to get me to be with you, knowing I wouldn’t leave. But Lucas…”

Maya nodded, “Yeah, um. I called him a bit ago to apologize and explain, he was surprising cool with it.”

Riley scoffed, “He didn’t tell me anything!”

Maya chuckled, “Honey, that’s because I asked him to wait until we had a chance to talk.”  Riley seemed to accept this, “So Riles, are we good now?”

Riley gave her a gentle look, “We’re still going to have to work back to where we were, just like with my parents. Because accept it or not you really hurt me and we can’t just start over. But I think we’re getting there.” Maya smiled and nodded.

The girls chatted for a while longer until Maya had to go home, the girls hugged and promised to talk soon

--

Later that night Riley and Lucas were snuggling in bed while Riley drew faint patterns on Lucas’ chest and he drew lazy circles on her bare back.

“So I think most of this mess is over for now.” Riley stated firmly

Lucas hummed thoughtfully for a moment; “I do believe it is” he kissed her head and heard her sigh contently

“Hey Lucas?”

“Mmmm?” he mummed in response

“Thanks for taking care of me”

“Riley what’s wrong? You seem really angry” Lucas asked gently reaching for her hand, Riley’s posture immediately softened a bit.

“I’m sorry, I just woke up really angry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.

Lucas chuckled, “You haven’t taken it out on me at all, you’ve just been really quiet and you didn’t give me a good morning kiss so I knew something was wrong.” Riley leaned over and kissed his cheek.

“Well there’s your good morning kiss, I’m just really mad at my parents I guess.”

“For what?”

Riley scoffed, “For what? Literally everything that’s happened, they were barely there after my accident, they tried to force Maya onto me, and the entire thing with my bakery!” Lucas could tell Riley was ready to blow up.

“Well” Lucas took a sip of his coffee, trying to figure out the best way to help Riley, “What do you want to do about it?” There was a brief moment of silence before Riley sighed deeply and stood up

“I’m going to confront my parents! We need to talk and they need to listen!” Lucas smiled at her, her hair was wild she was still in her big pj shirt but she looked ready to fight. “And I’m going right now!”

“Hey Riley, you might want to put some clothes on”

“Right”

--

That was an hour or so ago, and now Riley was knocking on her parents door. Topanga answered with a small smile, without greeting Riley informed her mom; “I need to talk with you and Dad. And I need you to listen.” Sensing the firm tone of her daughter, Topanga went to get Cory. All three of them sat down at the table.

“In this past amount of time you have both treated me extremely unfairly”, her parents moved to talk but Riley held up her hand. “I’m going to start with the bakery because that’s honestly where this whatever is going on began.” She sighed, “You guys passed down the bakery to me. You felt that I had what it takes to run it, and I do. And I made changes because I am not exactly either of you. I am RILEY, and I do things my own way. And for some reason you guys have not liked what I did, but instead of talking to me about it like adults you’ve been passive aggressive about it and just. What is so wrong with the changes I have made?”

Topanga spoke up first, grabbing Cory’s hand “Nothing is wrong with your changes Riley, its just me and your dad. As much Cory talks about how he hates change, I do too. When you started changing the bakery, it just showed us that you were grown and changing the world…without us.”

Cory jumped in, “You were always our little girl Riley, and still are but when you made those changes instead of taking the time to see how amazing they are and how much they’re improved the bakery. We just saw them as steps away from us so we acted out against them.”

Topanga nodded, “And when you got in that accident, we were so worried but we were still just upset that you were moving away from us. We handled it poorly and we’re sorry.”

Riley sat there observing all that her parents had said, “It would have been so much easier if you guys had just started talking to me when I started making changes. It hurt that you guys where unsupportive it made it harder to figure out what changes to make and made it more difficult. I wasn’t just leaving you behind I still needed you. I still do. But it’s not magically fixed; we still haven’t talked about the whole Maya thing.  You have known since the beginning that Lucas is the one for me, and then suddenly you started pushing Maya onto me? What the fuck was that.”

Cory spoke up, “Since the beginning of time it seems like you and Maya were best friends, and she was like our second daughter.” Riley nodded, “And lately its just seemed like to us that you and Maya weren’t as close. And there was so much change; the last thing we wanted was you two to change. And then we were talking with Maya and she made it seem like she might have feelings for you.”

Riley sighed deeply and nodded, “So you figured you would make sure that we didn’t loose each other, and you wouldn’t loose your second daughter. But it did the opposite. It really fucked up our relationship because Lucas is non-negotiable.”

Her parents nodded, “We’re sorry we were just trying to help and fix it all.”

Riley nodded, “Next time. Just talk to me.”

Her parents nodded, “So we’re good now?” Topanga asked with a hopeful smile

Riley shook her head, “It’s going to take time for things to get back to where they were, but talking like this is a start.” Her parents nodded and gave her a hug before she went home to Lucas to fill him in.

It was a little late in the morning, for her to be sleeping but he knew she hadn’t slept well at all. He had taken the day off knowing that Riley was going to need him, true to his thoughts she suddenly jolted awake with tears in her eyes looking around frantically for Lucas in a sleepy haze and when she spotted him she hugged him tightly.

He gently stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head, “Good morning Princess”

He heard a sniffle and it hurt his heart as she pulled away, “Hi” They didn’t exchange any words as he helped her get out of their bed, Violet meowing at her feet. He got to work making coffee and cutting up some fruit as Riley fed their cat.

Riley timidly came by him and he sighed internally as he pulled his arm around her hip to bring her closer to his body. He needed to feel her next to him; he was always a bit worried when they were younger that Riley and Maya were secretly meant to be. But after their years together most of those insecurities were squashed, but yesterday brought them to the surface. Riley’s quiet voice peeked him out of his thoughts, “Can we have waffles?” Lucas nodded and got their waffle iron down as he smiled at Riley making the batter from memory.

Some of the tension noticeably started to fall away, and Lucas knew he couldn’t bite his tongue any longer. “How are you feeling this morning?”

Riley shrugged sadly, “Upset, like I’m angry and sad. At my parents a lot at Maya too. But right now my parents because like.  Well the entire thing with the bakery is bull, and they need to move on because its my world now and I’m going to do what I want. Also its really successful so they can shove it.” All her words came out in a tumble and she didn’t stop as she whisked the batter, “And what right does Maya have to be in love with me. I’ve always made it clear that I only want to be with one person, and that’s you. Like. She needs to learn to process her feelings better instead of just shoving them on me and have me have to deal with all this bullshit now. On top of the head injury!” Riley finally took a breathe she started pouring the batter onto the iron and Lucas could see the tears forming as she mumbled, “It’s bullshit.”

“You’re right Princess it is, and I agree. Have you heard from either your parents or Maya today?” Just then Riley’s phone dinged she picked it up and almost hurled it across the room.

“I just heard from Maya, she said she’s sorry. She’s going upstate for a week to paint and ‘find herself again’ and she said she’d talk with me when she gets back. So nothing sorted there, I don’t even want to think about calling my parents. I just want to each waffles and spend the day with you.”

Lucas smiled, “That we can do.” So Lucas and Riley ate their waffles and snuggled on the couch. Riley feel asleep for a while briefly woke up to go the bathroom and upon her return to the couch without saying anything moved Lucas in such a way she could situate herself in his lap. After curling up she grabbed his arms and put them around her.

“I just really need to feel you hold me, because I think without it I might fall apart.” Riley mumbled her eyes closed, he could tell she was feeling insecure about asking as she did in moments like these. She didn’t want to have to lean on people when things got tough for her, she felt like she should be able to handle it. So Lucas did what he did best in these instances, he kissed her head and squeezed her.

“I will always be here for you when things get hard, because all I want in this life is to make you happy.”

After Riley’s nap Lucas held Riley’s hand as she got a text from her parents telling her she should talk to Maya and when Riley started crying as result he was there pulling her into a hug. When she started to sob hard enough that she threw-up he was there for her, holding her hair back and rubbing her back.

Riley scoffed at the ridiculous notion, “Of course not. I love you, I can’t see myself with anyone else.” They too shared a long kiss until Riley’s phone went off and she groaned, “Maya’s coming in a bit. I’m going to take a shower, I have a lot to think about.”  

Lucas shook his head at his girlfriend, whenever she had to do some major thinking she took exceptionally long showers, depending on how much she had to think about she sometimes brought a chair in. When he saw her looking around for her ‘shower chair’ he sighed and went to the closet getting it for her. She smiled and gave him a kiss taking the chair and heading into the shower

--

Lucas was petting Violet and watching Tiny Houses when he heard a knock at the door. Riley had just gotten out of the shower and was getting ready. Lucas sighed as he pushed himself off his couch and wen to open the door. There was Maya standing in his doorway, and he could tell she had tried to look cute for Riley. She was wearing black overalls with a shirt he knew Riley had given her and bright red lipstick. He was not impressed but he remained civil, “Hello Maya. Come in.”

Maya quietly nodded and she sat down on the couch.

“So I hear you might be in love with my girlfriend.”

“She told you?” Maya asked shock written all over her face

“Actually her parents told both of us. While we were over for diner, it was so great.” Lucas responds with sarcasm dripping from his words. “And Riley would have told me anyway, she tells me everything. What I don’t get is you thinking she’d leave me for you.”

Maya rolled her eyes, “Lucas. It’s always just been the two of us ever since we were little kids. It just makes sense, I’m lighting she’s thunder. We balance each other out. Just the two of us.” Maya nodded at the end as if to convince herself

Lucas scoffed and crackled his knuckles trying to release some pressure from his hands, “Me and Riley have basically been together since middle school, and we balance each other out as a romantic couple. She calms me down when the anger rises, and I quiet the insecurities in her head. From what I hear you usually agitate those.” Lucas shrugged, “But I’m just the boyfriend what do I know.”

“You don’t get it Lucas.”

“No Maya I don’t. All I know is that since the last year of college you’ve had some weird thing about it being just you and Riley. I don’t get your friendship I never have, and I have made that abundantly clear to Riley. But I will support it, until it starts to hurt her.” Lucas shrugged as he stood up hearing his girlfriend, “Lately though it seems your just hurting her.”

Before Maya could reply Riley walked in her wet hair in a bun, running shorts and one of Lucas flannel’s over her small frame. “I’ll leave you to talk”, Lucas told Riley before she gave him a sweet kiss and he scampered upstairs

Riley plopped on the couch, “So my parents tell me you’re in love with me?” Riley asked a bit timidly pulling down the sleeves of Lucas’ flannel

“Um, yeah” Maya replied softly

“When.” Riley asked with a bit of a bite to her tone holding eye contact with Maya

“When what?”

“When did you know you were in love with me, and not just that you loved me.”

Maya sighed, “When I saw you lying in that hospital bed, it felt like my entire world had fallen apart. And then stupid-Ranger-Rick was always there.”

“Don’t talk about my boyfriend that way!” Riley interrupted

“And you look so fragile I just wanted to protect you from getting hurt, it felt like my heart was breaking. I can’t imagine my life without you Riley.”

Riley nodded and sighed, “Maya it sounds like you just got freaked out because I was in an serve accident. That doesn’t tell me you’re in love with me. I know I’m in love with Lucas because he makes everyday better, he knows when to give me space and he puts me first. When I think about him I get tingles low in my stomach, still the way it was since I was 12. He makes me better, and I feel it all over. Especially in my toes.” Riley smiled as she talked about it

“What I said was the same! You talked about how he makes everyday better! Everyday I’m with you is better than the ones without you. Riles, I don’t want to be without you. I want it to just be you and me forever.”

Riley took a breathe and nodded, taking a moment before she responded, “Maya it doesn’t sound like you’re in love with me. It sounds like you love me, and I do love you in a sister way. But it also sounds like you don’t know how to be on your own and you’re afraid that if I stay with Lucas I’m going to leave you.”

Maya scoffed, “That’s absurd Riles. I’ve been alone all my life.”

Riley shook her head, “No you haven’t. I know your dad left when you were young and that messed you up. But since then you’ve had my family and me. I’ve been there every single step of the way.  I’ve always been there, and I always will be. But you have to learn to stand on your own two feet Maya.” Riley sighed, “It’s important to be able to be on your own. My days are better when Lucas is around and it hurts like hell when I don’t get to see him for long periods of time. But I can do it, and I like to be alone and on my own sometimes. I can be alone. I know most people think that I’m an extrovert, but I’m not. After a while I get tired of all the people and I want to be alone. Lucas can be around, but he doesn’t always need something from me other just me to sit next to him.” Riley sighed “Maya I think you need to learn to be alone I don’t think you’re in love with me. I think you’re confused, and I’m not saying that you’re not into girls. I’m saying you’re not into me.”

“Riley-“

“I think you should go Maya. We can talk tomorrow. But think about what I said” Riley held the door open as Maya walked out.

Once Riley shut the door she slid down the back of the door and rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes letting a few silent tears run down her face. Lucas came down saw Riley and scooped her up, brining her to bed.

He had her wrap her legs around his torso with his chest touching her chest, as he pulled back the covers and gently laid her down.

Riley bit her lit and averted her gaze, she hadn’t wanted to be alone since the accident especially in anyway that would separate her from Lucas. Maya had called her three days after she got home and was infuriated that Riley wouldn’t come to see her, unless she could bring Lucas. Maya wanted it to be the two of them but Riley didn’t feel steady without him. Something she knew Lucas had noticed.

Riley sighed, “Okay that’s part of it. But Lucas I can’t make you stay home with me and I’m worried if I don’t go back now it’ll be harder to. Plus Izzy said she’d come help me with the baking and making sure ‘I don’t wander off’. The staff all knows what’s going on. And I’m hoping that I might see my mom?” Riley tried to act nonchalant but Lucas knew Riley missed her parents, even though most of her memories were times from high school when they were more involved with Maya she missed them. Riley sighed, “Just because when I graduated she handed over the bakery and all that doesn’t mean she doesn’t hang out there anymore. I mean she has in the past I think…”

Lucas took a deep breath trying to reign in his anger at Cory and Topanga they had texted but not made any effort to come see their daughter. It wasn’t surprising behavior considering the last few months. But he knew Riley didn’t remember the whole blow out and he didn’t think now was the time to bring it up. After checking with Smackle that she was indeed all set to be with Riley in the bakery the two of them made a plan for getting her there the next day. Although Riley’s head felt a lot better she was still prone to being disorientated. But Riley assured Lucas that she could do it and Lucas wasn’t one to hold her back, so he agreed.

--

As soon as Riley stepped into the bakery she felt a wave of peace she usually only felt when Lucas was with her. She smiled as she took a look around her bakery. Instead of going to a traditional college Riley had discovered in late high school that she had a knack for baking and pressured a degree in pastries.

One of the other bakers had done most of the baking, but as always they were running low on Riley Cookie’s. A cookie Riley had invented in college that all her friends swore they had crack in them. But Riley would never tell, they always had to make a few batches throughout the day. So when Riley got to the bakery she tied on her favorite apron and got to work. When she had taken over the bakery she wanted to add her own flair to it and wanted it to feel like home for whoever walked in. A large part of that were aprons, the back had an assortment of aprons that the staff could choose between to wear while they worked. There were those that found one they loved and those who changed it up. But it gave the bakery a fun and happy vibe and Riley loved it, as did the people who came. She changed the furniture as well making everything slightly mismatched; no two pieces were the same. Her and Lucas and occasionally Maya had gone to thrift stores and yard sales and found all sorts of seats and pillows and art and aprons.

When Riley was a junior in college Topanga had been looking to pass off the bakery, she still loved it and saw the value in it. But it needed work and love, and she had just become a senior law partner at her firm. When Riley had expressed interest in working with her mother on the bakery, her mother jumped at the opportunity over a few summers she taught Riley the ins and outs of running it.  Topanga had figured that when she signed it over to Riley that it would stay exactly the same, but when Riley started adding her own touches it became evident that it would not remain the same. And Topanga was less than thrilled, even though part of her knew that Riley was right if it was her bakery it should be her own thing. Topanga though was admit that if the bakery was going to change it’s name had to be changed to. So Riley named it, with the encouragement of Lucas named it Riley’s Place. Riley guessed that’s where the trouble with her parents started but she wasn’t sure. She shook off the thoughts as she got to work   

From Smackle’s perspective Riley looked completely at ease and normal as she made her cookies. She was humming again and as she mixed various ingredients, and before Smackle knew it the smell of Riley’s cookies was wafting through the air. They chatted as they waited for the timer.

“So you’re feeling better Bubbles?” Smackle asked attentively

Riley nodded, “I feel better being back at work, things still get fuzzy though. Which is annoying and like I know things are missing in my head. I’m getting nightmares still…but Lucas is really good about it.” Riley shrugged, “But like it’s better than when I first work up but I still don’t feel 100% myself?”

“I’m sure that with time you’ll get back to a more normal, Riley. If anyone will its you.”

Riley smiled brightly at her best friend, “Thanks Smackle. Do you want a fancy coffee drink while I work the counter? I’m on till close in a few hours.”

Riley got Smackle set up with her coffee as she got to work on the counter, she felt perfectly content. But that all changed when a certain blonde haired girl walked through the door, Riley immediately tensed and started wishing Lucas was here. They were about 10 minuets until close so she knew that Lucas would be here soon.

Riley wasn’t sure how to act around Maya, every time she came by she felt like Maya was analyzing her to find something different and she kind of felt like she should throw up. But she greeted Maya with as much confidence and warmth as she could muster, “Hi Maya! What can I get you?” She saw Maya’s smile fall when Riley didn’t call her by her special name. Truth is told Riley couldn’t remember what it was and she didn’t want to anyone to tell her.

“I’ll take a Riley Cookie and a peppermint tea?” Maya seemed hesitant when she tried to pay Riley brushed it off,

“Maya, don’t be silly it’s on me. And you’re the only one in here. If it’s okay with you I’m going to start closing.”

“Actually Riley I was hoping we could talk.” She glanced at Smackle who was putting on her coat

“Bubbles I’m heading out, Farkle’s here. Let me know when you get home!”

“Okay by Izzy-Fizzy” Both Riley and Smackle chucked at the endearing name while Maya looks pissed. Once Smackle lefts, Maya roughly pulled Riley down to sit with her. Riley winced in pain as Maya tugs on her injured arm but Maya didn’t seem to take notice.

Maya smiles brightly at Riley, “Honey, I’ve missed you.” Riley looks confused for a moment turning to ask Lucas what Maya was talking about but she stops when she remembers it was just her and Maya. Riley shakes her head trying to clear the etcasketch of her mind. “It’s never just us anymore, he’s always with you or Smackle or someone. It used to be just us.”

Riley is trying her best to find these memories but its hard with everything so jumbled around, most of the ones she’s trying to find are fuzzy and blurry. Then she catches on to the he Maya is referring to. “He? You mean my boyfriend? Maya I thought you’d be happy for me. He loves me.” Riley lets a smile overtake her face as she thinks about it

“But Honey…” Maya starts but she’s interrupted when Lucas walks in and Riley’s attention is quickly focused on him and as Riley goes over to hug him Maya pulls Riley back down roughly as Riley cries out in pain and tears prick her eyes as she feels her stiches pop.

Lucas rushes over trying to control his anger at the short blonde he takes a deep breath and counts to five before he addresses her, “Maya. What. The. Hell. Riley’s got stiches in that arm, you have to be more careful with her.” Lucas is still inspecting Riley’s arm as she sniffles trying to hold back any more cries of pain.

“What ever Ranger Rick, don’t tell me how to treat Riley.” Maya makes a move to pull Riley back towards her anger flashing in her eyes at Lucas, but Lucas is faster and pulls Riley gently against his chest.

“You can’t be rough with her Maya.” Lucas states again glaring at her until he hears his girlfriend gasp. He looks down in horror and notices that the wrapping he put over her stiches with tinged red, confirming his suspicion. “See. Now she’s bleeding!” Lucas voice is getting raised and he seems to be about a second away from pumbling Maya. Before he gets the chance Riley steps in,

“Lucas lets just go to a clinic and get this re-stitched. Please. It hurts.” And just like that Lucas allows himself to be pulled away as Maya tries to shout after them.

“But Riley our talk!”

Riley sighs deeply still hurting, “Maya. When my arm isn’t bleeding and you stop being rough with me then we can talk” and with that Riley watches Maya leave before she locks the door on Topanga’s

--

It doesn’t take long for Riley’s stiches to be redone and for the attendant to inform her she’s going to need to take the heavy stuff at night again. She’s clad in one of Lucas’ shirts content in the smell of it snuggling with their cat when Lucas comes in in sport shorts looking too handsome for her liking. He lies next to her kissing each of her stiches spots before he kisses her soundly on the mouth

“Princess you have to take the meds” Riley just shakes her head and huffs

“I’m too tired, you take it for me. I just want to sleep” Lucas rolls his eyes fondly

“Ri the medicine makes you sleepy so it shouldn’t be a problem.” Riley hums in response but takes it

“I’m sorry about Maya Cowboy…” Riley yawns as she snuggles into his chest and inhales deeply

“Riley you have nothing to be sorry for” Riley shrugs lightly

“Yeah, but I know you got mad. And I know you don’t like getting mad and I was the cause of it. So I’m sorry.”

“Princess, I was mad because she was hurting you. You did nothing wrong.” Riley sighs sleep filling her voice