Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets world, nor any of the characters used.

It seemed Lucas wasn't the only one who had plans on sneaking out, Maya, being the resourceful woman she had now been forced to become, rummaged through Lucas' closet, quickly trying to find something a little more weather appropriate than a sleeveless black dress.

She found plenty of hoodies, she could easily use one of them as a dress, being the petite girl she was, but what could she put on her bottom half, not only would she catch frost bite with her legs exposed to the cold that much but she would probably also attract an awful lot of unwanted attention.

Maya continued to rummage through his stuff, desperately trying to find some pants that would fit her, she had to get out of this place, if only just for an hour, because right now she was feeling trapped. Then, she remembered she had put a spare pair of thick pantyhose in that handy clutch bag of hers in case she got cold.

She was set, a massive hoodie on, which fortunately went to just above her knees, making it look more like a jumper the way she had worn it, and thick tights, keeping her modesty intact. She'd have to put up with walking in those stilettos. Though, she was used to them by now, still being only 5ft at 20, you tend to learn how to walk in heels, in fact, it becomes more of a survival skill.

Maya could never walk through the door, even as an adult, her heart always told her to climb out the window and down the fire escape, just like when she was a kid, just like when her and Riley were still close.

She wandered around New York, finding herself in the only place her mind could possibly lead her on a night like this; Riley's apartment. Maya used to love it here, it used to be her safe space, now, she couldn't even bare to lay one foot on the fire escape, let alone, ring the intercom. It destroyed her inside that she let everything slip through her grasp so easily. If she had stayed, would it have been different, or would she just be in the exact same situation? Maya Hart, doomed to be alone, to loathe her own existence, yet still willing to fight for it. Always.

They had just got back from the hospital, picking Maya up after being in hospital for a few days with concussion, the words still resonated in their ears, "Katy and Shawn are dead" they didn't even find it out from a doctor, just some policeman who was in charge of the investigation.

Cory was angry, a natural stage of grief, however there was one particular girl he was mad at: Maya Penelope Hart, it didn't matter what he tried to tell himself to get rid of that thought, he just couldn't help but ask why couldn't it have been Maya instead, all she got was a concussion and maybe a bit of oxygen deprivation "This is your fault." Cory murmured under his breath, running his fingers through his hair angrily "This-is YOUR fault." He repeated louder, shocking everyone, including himself.

"Excuse me?" Maya questioned, her voice filled with rage but her face, just a picture of utter distraught, not only had she just been told BOTH her parents were dead, but also, she had been blamed for it, by Cory Matthews of all people.

"Cory?" Topanga looked at him "How can it be, it was a tragic acci…."

"No, it wasn't, Topanga!" He yelled "It's all these thugs she's been hanging around with," he spat.

"Dad, what?" Riley asked, confused as to what was going on, she hadn't heard anything about Maya's new "friends".

"Maya has some new friends, Riley…" Cory started.

"What do you even know about them?" Maya glared at Cory, more angry at him than she ever had been before, her parents had just died and he was blaming her?

"I know that I saw you with them last week, arguing." He retorted, challenging her patience.

"You think they'd do this?" She swallowed hard, her voice almost breaking "You seriously think my friends are murderers?"

"Cory!" Topanga tried to get her husband to back off, not wanting to witness this messed up argument any longer "Maya, Honey, come on, you're both upset, he doesn't mean it, come and sit down." Topanga gestured to the couch, plumping up a cushion for Maya to sit on.

"NO!" Maya said quickly, reaching to pick up her backpack "No." She repeated calmly "I'm alright, I'm not staying somewhere I'm not wanted." She told the Matthews angrily, opening the door to leave.

"No, Maya, wait." Riley ran up to her, tears running down her face "please stay." She croaked tearfully.

Maya held onto Riley's hand, hugging her one last time goodbye "I'll see you around, Riles." She told her softly, slowly releasing her hand and walking out the door, leaving that life behind her with one slam of a door.

"Maya," She heard someone calling her name, snapping her out of her trance. Riley turned the corner, hearing Maya's quiet sobs "is that really you?"

"Riley?" Maya turned around, her eyes sparkling as she ran to her and wrapped her arms around her "Oh my God, I missed you so much." The two girls cried into each other's shoulders.

"I did too, Maya." Riley cried, releasing herself from their hug as she grabbed onto Maya's hand and lead her to the front door.

"No," Maya shook her head, parting Riley's hand from her own "no, I'm not coming in, Riley, I'm sorry, I just can't." She stepped back.

"Maya, you're coming in." Riley directed her firmly, once again gripping hold of her arm.

Riley dragged Maya up the stairs, turned the key and opened her apartment door.

"Wow," Maya finally released herself from Riley's grip as she slowly walked in "it's just how I remember it." She reminisced when her life was so much easier "But where's you're dad?" She paused, remembering the whole reason she ran away in the first place.

"I dunno." Riley shrugged "dead, I hope."

"Don't say that, Riley, you don't really mean that." Maya reprimanded her.

"I do, Maya," Riley insisted, her eyes full of rage "he kicked you out, he abandoned you when you needed us the most. And d'you know what the worst part is?"

"What?" Maya sighed.

"I thought you were dead, I thought you'd died all those years ago and I blame him, all the nights I worried about you laying somewhere in some ditch, that's on him…"

"Wait, what?" Maya stared at Riley, completely confused "I wrote you letters, didn't you get them?" She questioned her.

"What letters?" Riley's face turned just as confused as Maya's

"Wow, I just assumed you didn't wanna talk to me." Maya mumbled.

"Why wouldn't I wanna talk to you?" Riley questioned her.

"I dunno, I just…" Maya shrugged.

"It's okay, it doesn't matter," Riley hugged her "I'm just glad you're back." She smiled

"Listen, Riley, it's great to see you and all but I really can't stay, I have to…"

"No," Riley cried "please don't go, you only just got here."

"Please, Riley, it's complicated, you have to let me save you."

"Maya, what are you talking about," Riley stared at her, completely puzzled "are you sick or something, you're not making any sense." She placed her hand on Maya's forehead.

"No, I'm not sick, Riley," Maya smiled briefly, taking Riley's hand away from her head "it's just not safe for you if I stay here that's all."

"Maya, please," Riley begged "what's happened that's so terrible you can't tell me?"

"I'm okay, really, I am." Maya insisted.

"Then why you here?" Riley challenged her "something must have brought you here."

"I dunno," Maya kicked the carpet "I just sorta found myself here, it's been a weird night, I guess."

"Fine," Riley sighed sadly "if you're not gonna stay then at least let me give you some proper clothes."

"Thank you." Maya smiled, taking the hand Riley was offering her as she guided her to her bedroom.

"Well," Riley flicked the light switch "what'd you think?"

Maya was speechless, Riley had changed her bedroom so much, no longer did she have bright painted walls and pastel drapes but instead all the walls stripped down to just brick and a double mattress placed in the middle of the floor with some old shabby blankets thrown over. The bay window was pretty much the same, which made her feel a little better. But this new makeover just wasn't Riley, Maya wouldn't mind having HER bedroom a little like that, but just not her ever smiling little sunshine, this wasn't Riley, Riley's room is supposed to be purples, pinks, fluffy rugs, not dreary walls and an old mattress.

"It's certainly…" Maya coughed at the smell "different."

"I know right, pretty cool, huh." Riley smiled, lifting up one of the bay window seats only to pull out as small wooden box, Maya hoped that wasn't what she thought it was.

"That's one word for it." Maya coughed, the strong stench of weed making her dizzy.

"Want some?" Riley asked cheerily, throwing herself on her bed before lighting a spliff.

"Riley what are you doing?!" Maya raised her voice, snatching the cigarette from her "you don't smoke weed, this isn't you!"

"How would you know, Maya?" Riley stood up, shoving Maya back. Maya stumbled, trying to remain balanced "stupid stilettos" she thought, falling back, her head smashing into one of the dresser handles.

"Oh my God, Maya, I'm so sorry." Riley knelt down "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She blinked rapidly, holding her hand to her head and removing it only to see blood "great, I'm bleeding" Maya thought, shocked by what just went down.

"Good, then you can leave." Riley said heartlessly, snatching back the spliff from the floor and returning to her previous position on the bed.

"Riley," they could hear Topanga coming "are you okay, I heard a noise." She knocked on the door, walking into Riley's room to see Maya sitting against the dresser and Riley laying on her bed, mindlessly smoking weed.

"Mom, what'd you want?" Riley groaned.

"Maya?" Topanga double taked the blonde "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." Maya smiled, standing up to hug Topanga but failing.

"Woah," Topanga practically caught Maya in her arms "you okay, Honey?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just had a little accident is all, these stupid heels." She laughed nervously.

"Riley, did you push Maya?" Topanga folded her arms angrily.

"She says she fine." Riley sighed, completely blasé as she took another puff of weed, breathing out the smoke, making both Maya and Topanga cough.

"Riley, what happened to you?" Topanga asked her daughter sadly "you used to be such a well behaved kid and now you've turned into, well, this," she gestured to her daughter crashed out on her bed.

"Ask dad." Riley retorted

"No. No, Riley, you can not blame this one on your father, you're not a teenager anymore, you're an adult and it's time you started to act like one." She lectured her daughter.

"Whatever, mom." She sighed "I SAID SHE'S FINE!" Riley screamed at her mom as Topanga tried to see to Maya's head injury.

"Does she look fine, Riley?" Topanga questioned "She's bleeding!" Topanga raised her voice "You can't go on like this, you have to stop."

"Really, I am fine." Maya insisted "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Maya," Topanga frowned.

"Look, I don't wanna cause you any trouble, I'll just borrow some pants and get outta here." Maya stepped back from Topanga.

"Fine," Riley stood up, grabbing a random pair of leggings from her drawer and throwing them at Maya "Now you can leave." She said aggressively.

"Bye then, Riley," Maya frowned sadly.

"Maya, you can't just go." Topanga stared at her, not letting this girl walk out the door again.

"Yes, she can." Riley glared at her mom "And don't think I didn't notice you had Lucas' sweater on!" She shouted at Maya.

"Yeah, I'm off, I'm not explaining ANYTHING to you whilst you're like this." Maya sighed, climbing out the window and back onto the street.

Author Note: Thank you for reading. So, what'd you think of the new Riley? You may recognise her character a little bit if you have played Life IS Strange in the past, so, yes, I did base parts of her new personality on Chloe from LIS

I was about to apologize for taking so long to update but actually I'm not going to because I did say I wasn't updating chapters until I'm happy with them and I've been quite busy so I finally got some spare time to write and so I thought I'd publish it.

Please don't forget to Follow as I'm not sure when the next update is and you'll get an email when I next upload a chapter if you do.

Finally, please review, I really love reading them, they literally make my day, also, reviews tend to encourage me to write so the more reviews, the quicker it will take to write the next chapter.

I'll see you next time….

Bubblebean98

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