Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or any of it's characters.

"Hey, Riles, You almost ready?" Lucas asked, semi-shouting as he waited for Riley to finish switching the last few light bulbs off. She had been helping out at Topanga's while her mother and Katy were home, getting ready for the annual Matthews Family Christmas Party the next night. Lucas had offered to help her close up and walk her home. She happily complied.

"Yeah, just a second," Riley responded from the back closet, hurriedly taking off her apron and hanging it up, as she waltzed through the closet door, and grabbing her belongings.

Her hand slipped into his as they both began to walk towards the door, mentally preparing themselves for the cold weather that awaited them as Lucas opened it. What they found, however, was so much more. They were expecting a chilly, brisk wind, not the snow hill that towered them. They were snowed in.

When you're snowed in on a cold winter's night in a bakery, you might as well make the best of it, right? And that's exactly what Riley and Lucas did. After calling their parents to let them know that they were safe and that they would be a little late coming home that night, they gathered up all of the chairs and some blankets that Riley had found in the back and assembled the perfect little fort in the center of the room.

"I've got popcorn, chocolate and some board games I found. My mom must keep them here for Auggie," Riley said happily, coming back from behind the counter.

Lucas hopped up and walked over, carefully taking the items from her hands and setting them down by the fort. "You always know how to turn the worst situations into the best," he smiled as he gently lifted her chin up and placed a soft kiss on her lips before taking her hand and leading her down to the fort.

It was now one thirty in the morning and the two had just finished their fifth round of Candy Land. Lucas could tell Riley was exhausted, but wouldn't admit it herself.

"You wanna go for round six?" Riley asked, struggling just to keep her eyes open.

"Riles, you know if you want to lie down for a while, you can. I'll stay up and watch and see if the snow drifts down anymore."

"No, no it's fine," Riley assures in between yawns, "I can stay up a little bit-," and she's cut off as he gently kisses her.

"Go to sleep, princess."

Lucas watched as his girlfriend quietly and oh, so beautifully arose from her slumber, slightly stretching a bit before turning to see him.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hey," he said softly, as he smiled at their signature greeting.

Riley scooted over to him as she leaned in and kissed him, letting it linger a little before pulling away. "What time is it?" She asked.

"About eight forty-five."

Her eyes grew wide as she gasped, "You didn't stay up the whole time, did you? Oh, you should've woke me up," she exasperated.

"Wake you up? No way. You were too peaceful to do that," he kissed her forehead, "I crashed around five, anyway," he admitted, making both of them giggle.

"I'm sorry all of this happened," she said, snuggling closer into him, "you wouldn't've had to stay here if I had just walked home by myself."

"Hey, I was the one who offered, and you can't control the snow. And besides, I got to protect you. And there's nothing I love more than protecting the people I love."