lucas can see her impatience and worry through maya's body language. the way she is quickly bouncing her foot up and down as they sit in chairs nearest katy's room, or how she keeps shifting in her seat as if she can't get comfortable (but, under these circumstances, he understands that she most likely can't). her eyes are frantically wandering all over the waiting room, and every time a doctor walks in their direction, maya automatically leans to the edge of her seat. while lucas is also nervous, he takes on the responsibility of keeping calm and collected for the both of them. maya's fidgeting, however, isn't helping him maintain his posture, so he reaches over and places his hand into hers. she pauses and looks at their hands, then up to him. "look at me. i know you're nervous, but it's going to be okay. we just need to be patient." she relaxes and leans into the chair, resting her head back and closing her eyes to let out a deep breath. lucas starts to remove his hand, but she squeezes it tighter so he won't let go. "you are the only thing keeping me as calm as i am right now," she says, softly, still staring at the white ceiling.

the matthews family and farkle arrive, but maya still hasn't heard any news. riley runs up to hug her best friend, and that's when maya loses it all over again. riley squeezes her tighter, and farkle places his arms over both girls, leaning his head towards maya. when they let go of her, she runs over to lucas and wraps her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. at first he's slightly shocked, looking to riley and farkle for some sort of assurance. then, he wraps his arms around the fragile blonde and kisses her head.

what feels like hours, (for maya, at least), pass before a doctor approaches the group. "are you the family here for katy hart?"

maya speaks up immediately. "yes! right here! i'm her daughter, is she okay?" she asks, eyes wide.

"she's fine, now, miss hart. uh, is there an adult here with you that i can speak to?"

"topanga? topanga!" maya yells, and topanga rushes over. "the doctor wants to talk to you!"

the doctor pulls topanga aside and maya watches every gesture: topanga nodding her head up and down, the doctor using his hands as he describes the situation, and the way topanga seems slightly tense in the way she has her arms crossed and her posture perfectly straight. topanga calls cory over and they disappear into the room that maya assumes katy is being assisted in.

maya looks to her friends. "what? why are they doing that? i'm her daughter, why aren't they telling me anything! oh no, what if nothing's fine and the doctor is lying to me? there should be a law against that! i-"

"maya, calm down," riley says. "i don't think that the doctor would lie to a patient's daughter, of all people, about something that serious."

maya leans her head into riley's shoulder and let's out another deep breath before closing her eyes and falling under a light sleep.

"maya," riley whispers, patting her shoulder. "maya, wake up," she says, and maya's head shoots up.

"what? what's going on?"

"they're letting us go see your mother now," she says, smiling pitifully at her best friend. maya sees it, but she's in too much of a rush to tell riley that she doesn't need her pity.

they open the door quietly, and see katy lying in the hospital bed, awake. maya takes a minute to approach the bed because she's anxiously observing every tube and needle connected to her mother's body. lucas takes maya's hand once again, squeezing it to encourage her to go see katy.

"hi, mom," maya says softly.

"hi, my love," she responds.

"how are you feeling?"

"i'm alright, i guess. maybe just a little tired," she says, followed by a noise that was probably supposed to sound like small laughter.

maya smiles slightly, "i'll bet."

"you're going to stay at the matthews' tonight, that alright?"

"yes, always."

there's a soft knock on the door, and a nurse pokes her head in, "hi, sorry to interrupt, but visiting hours are over now. but feel free to come back tomorrow morning!" she says, awfully cheery for being a nurse working at this hour.

"goodnight, mom. i love you. i'll come see you after school tomorrow."

"i love you too, goodnight." katy says, and maya leans down to hug her mother the best she can.

they exit the hospital building, all six of them piling into the car and driving to maya's place so she can pack a bag. she packs extra, because she doesn't know how long she'll be away from home.

in the back seats of cory's vehicle, maya turns behind her to look at lucas. "what is it?" he whispers.

"i don't know what i would've done without you, today," she admits.

"i'm grateful i was there and able to help you get through this. i can only imagine what it might've been like if… nevermind. but, i'm always going to be here for you, maya, no matter what the circumstances."

she smiles tiredly at him. "thank you," she whispers before turning back around.

maya is really pushing the tough chick attitude by the time monday rolls around, and it's confusing for all of them, even riley. she's not smiled at anyone today, not even lucas, after all they'd been through this weekend. he knows it's all fake; that she's putting up some sort of fake exterior so no one will know that her mom nearly drank herself to death just three days ago.

and she doesn't smile or even fake happiness on tuesday, and when lucas or riley or farkle try to approach her and ask about it, she merely shrugs her shoulders and tells them that she doesn't know what they're talking about, followed by some sort of statement like "i'm fine," or "don't worry about me,"

and on thursday, when lucas finds maya in the library at lunch, quietly destructing a bunch of papers in her sketchbook with puffy eyes and mascara making unique lines down her cheeks, he forces the sketchbook out of her hands and brings her delicate body into his arms. she shakes and let's out a quiet sob into his shoulder. it's quite a sight, the two of them hugging on the floor in the back of the library, surrounded by crumpled papers.

he walks her to riley's that day, and, ignoring the voice in her head telling her that she's letting him in way too easily, maya turns to lucas and kisses him on the cheek right before he goes. he's taken back by the gesture, but walks to his own home with a small smile that refuses to leave his lips.