Once again, thank you to all my lovely readers who have stayed with me throughout all of this. You guys are the best. I wanted to give a shout out to a few people: originalguest, violet1429, and Marilove24. You guys have been there since the beginning of this fic and I wanted to thank you for sticking with me until the very end! My other lovely frequent reviewers, thank you as well! I always love hearing your thoughts and it keeps me motivated. Especially Siennese, your reviews are always so entertaining, thank you! I hope you all have a wonderful New Year full of hope and prosperity.

Epilogue

"I can't believe we're graduating!" Riley smiled, attacking her boyfriend of three years with a hug. She was over at his dorm to discuss some last minute plans for their graduation party that her parents were hosting at Topanga's.

"Yeah," Lucas said, taking in the scent of her hair. He pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. He donned a serious look on his face. "But you know I still need to talk to you."

"No, Lucas," Riley waved him off. She poked his chest with her index finger. "You don't get to ruin this moment for us."

"But Riles—"

"No buts, cowboy," Riley said sternly. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek, then slightly brushed her lips against his. "I know you're moving back to Texas soon and I just want to enjoy this. We're graduating tomorrow! Let this be a happy moment for the both of us and forget about what's next."

"But that's what I wanted to tell you—"

Before Lucas could finish his sentence, Riley pulled him into a deep kiss. She knew that would distract him. She smiled into the kiss when she felt Lucas's hands creep on her waist and pulled her closer to him. Feeling the heat of the moment, Riley moved her lips from his and began to kiss his neck instead.

"Riles, babe," Lucas shut his eyes in pleasure. "This isn't fair. We need to talk!"

"I don't wanna hear it," Riley raised her palm to Lucas's face. She turned on her heel and walked away to sit on the couch.

Riley knew that once graduation came around, her future with Lucas was going to be complicated, at least for the next couple of years. Sure, they were usually apart for the past couple of summers since Lucas would always return to his hometown of Austin, Texas. But this time it was different. Riley knew that Lucas was going to move back home while he took a year off from school before he applied to grad school. It wouldn't be so bad, as she's sure they'd both take turns visiting each other. But with her going straight to Columbia for grad school in a couple of months, she was going to be busy. And she knew that Lucas still wasn't certain in which grad school he was going to apply to, so returning to New York may not even be a possibility at all.

What Riley didn't know was that Lucas had decided to stay in New York after graduation and had rented an apartment. Whenever he'd try to talk to Riley about their plans post-graduation, she never wanted to listen to him. His frustrations would usually get the best of him and so he brought up the topic less and less, still receiving the same response from the brunette. Before his decision to get the apartment, he initially told Riley he was thinking about going back to Texas for his year off, but he never confirmed it. Riley was just being stubborn and refused to talk to him about it.

"Did you tell Riley about the apartment yet?" Rachel asked. She, along with Jack, Pappy Joe, and Xander were in New York for Lucas and Riley's graduation. They were staying at a hotel a couple blocks away from the apartment Lucas had rented. Lucas went to greet them at their hotel after Riley had left his dorm.

Lucas plopped down beside his brother on one of the two beds in the room. He sighed and shook his head, "She thinks I'm going back with you guys to Texas."

"You've had a couple of weeks to talk to her about this," Jack pointed out, who was standing at the window, taking in the New York view. He then turned to face the others. "You move in in a couple of days. How could she not know?"

"Because she's being stubborn, Dad!" Lucas grabbed his head in frustration. "She won't talk to me about it. Right before I came over, she was at my dorm. I tried to bring it up again but she still didn't want to listen to me."

"She's probably just scared, boy," Pappy Joe offered, standing in front of Lucas with his hands on his hips.

"Of me?" Lucas furrowed his brows. Sure, given his past, Riley had every right to be scared of him. But he was far from who he used to be, and Riley knew that. How could she possibly be scared of him?

"Of what she thinks you're going to say," Xander said, understanding what Pappy Joe meant. "Maybe she thinks you're going to break up with her."

"Break up with her? I would never," Lucas said, slightly offended that his family would ever think that he'd let go of one of the best things that had ever happened to him.

"We know you wouldn't," Pappy Joe assured him.

"You've mentioned several times before that Riley gets insecure at times," Rachel pointed out. "It's just one of those things where she's not necessarily questioning your feelings for her, but more like she's insecure about being apart from you."

"But we're not going to be apart," Lucas said.

"She doesn't know that, does she?" Xander clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. Jack, Pappy Joe, and Rachel all gave Lucas a knowing look.

Graduation rolled around and the families of the reasonably large graduating class were easily disinterested in the ceremony due to the long process. But when Lucas and Riley walked across the stage to retrieve their degrees respectively, the Friars and Matthews were sure to scream loud enough to show their excitement and support for the two.

After the unbearably long ceremony, a small gathering was held at Topanga's to celebrate Riley and her friends' milestone. The bakery was decked out with decorations appropriate for the occasion, including a banner that read 'Congrats to NYU Graduates.'

Riley seemed to mingling with the guests, congratulating her friends and taking pictures. She also took the time to talk to some of her friends' parents, including the Babineauxs and Smackles, who were also in the city for graduation. She greeted Maya and Farkle's parents as well, but she didn't spend too much time talking to them as she saw them often anyway.

Over the past couple of years since Riley and Lucas started dating, their friends had become a tightknit group. Comprised of Riley, Lucas, Zay, Maya, Farkle, and Smackle, they considered themselves to be the Clique Six. Of course considering themselves as a clique was such a juvenile thing to do, but they thought it was a fitting name for the bond they formed. Zay didn't like they name too much though, because whenever Vanessa, his fiancée as of recently, would visit, he felt uncomfortable considering themselves as 'six' when in reality, Vanessa got along with everyone just as well and was considered a 'seventh member.'

As Cory finished greeting the guests and thanked them for coming, he noticed Lucas sitting in the corner of the room with sad eyes as he watched Riley laugh with Maya. Jack and Rachel had filled in Cory and Topanga with Lucas's plans on staying in New York and renting an apartment.

"You don't seem so happy about graduating," Cory mused, pulling up the vacant chair at Lucas's table and sat beside him.

"I am, sir," Lucas said with a forced smile.

Cory lightly nudged the graduate, whose eyes still seemed to be fixated on his girlfriend, "When are you going to tell her?"

Lucas wasn't surprised that Cory knew. Of course his parents would tell hers, all they ever wanted was for their kids to be happy together.

"I have to today," Lucas replied. "She thinks I leave tomorrow when in reality that's when I move in."

Cory nodded and looked down at his hands. The two sat in silence for a couple of seconds as they watched Riley drink a glass of champagne with Zay, Farkle, Smackle, and Maya. Josh and Xander were present, taking pictures of the bunch. Surprisingly, Josh and Xander got along pretty well and had become friends after their initial meeting a couple of months ago.

Lucas turned to Cory and took a deep breath, "Do you think she'll be happy?"

"Of course," Cory nodded. "You know she loves you, right?"

Lucas chuckled, "I do. And are you okay with that?"

"No," Cory said truthfully. He liked Lucas, he really did. He just didn't like the fact that his daughter was growing up so fast and that things were changing. But if Riley was going to get married eventually, he was glad that it was surely going to be to Lucas. "In fact, I'm terrified. But I can't do anything about it. She loves you and you love her. You're a good kid, Lucas. That's all I ever wanted for her."

"Thank you, sir," Lucas smiled, a little more relaxed this time and less forced than the last.

Cory smiled and gestured towards the direction of his daughter and the others, "Go. Have fun with your friends. Talk to her."

"Thanks for having us, Riley, the food is great," Rachel smiled. She had approached Riley when she saw Riley having a moment to herself at the counter. Lucas's family had visited New York several times to visit him but this was their first time at Riley's parents' bakery.

"Anytime! Thanks for coming," Riley returned the smile. She had done a good job keeping herself together. She tried to forget about the fact that Lucas would be leaving tomorrow and they'd be apart for a couple of months (if they were lucky) before seeing each other again.

"You know, Riley, I know you almost as well as Lucas does," Rachel said.

"You do?" Riley looked at Rachel with a confused look.

Rachel nodded, taking Riley's hand, "Honey, you and Lucas have been together for three years. And he likes to talk about you. I've picked up at least a couple of things about you. Like when you smile, you always have that glimmer in your eyes. That's one of the things he loves about you. And I haven't seen that glimmer in your eyes since we arrived. What's bugging you?"

Riley sighed. She could try lying to her boyfriend's mother, but it was no use. Especially since she knew her almost as well as her own mother did. Riley figured that coming clean would be the best way to go, that way, she can get information about Lucas from her too.

"Honestly? I don't like that Lucas is going back to Texas with you guys," Riley confessed. "I know it sounds selfish and he's your son but I really don't want him to go."

Rachel shook her head with a smile. She knew that her son's relationship with Riley was built off of the fact that they could talk to each other about anything and everything. It was ironic to her that one of the strongest aspects of their relationship was the weakest at the moment.

"Have you even talked about it with him?" Rachel pressed.

"No…" Riley's voice trailed off. "It was a topic I tried to avoid. I just didn't want things to get messed up, you know? And who am I to get in the way of what Lucas wants?"

"Well, Lucas has some things to say to you. And you can't avoid it now. I don't want this misunderstanding ruining things for you both," Rachel said. She's liked Riley ever since they met all those years ago. She had hoped for Riley to become her daughter-in-law someday. Rachel knew that she was perfect for Lucas, and she didn't want him to lose her either.

"Misunderstanding?" Riley furrowed her brow.

"Talk to him, Riley," Rachel encouraged, giving the brunette a comforting hug.

"Riley, we really need to talk," Lucas said. He knew he wasn't able to bring it up earlier, as they were celebrating with their friends and he didn't want to ruin the moment for anyone, but now everyone was off talking to other people and Lucas finally had the chance to get Riley alone.

Riley nodded, urging for him to continue.

"Really? You're gonna let me talk?" Lucas was surprised at her willingness to hear him out. Well, that was easy.

"We haven't been communicating too well lately," Riley said. "And I feel like that's mostly on my end. But your mom told me I should listen, that you have something important to say."

Lucas silently thanked his mom and a smile crept on his lips. Lucas nodded, "I do. It's very important, actually."

"You know if you told me it was important, I would've listened from the start," Riley said.

Lucas scrunched his face and laughed, "No, you wouldn't have."

Riley shrugged, "Yeah, you're right. So now tell me, what's so important?"

"I know you let yourself believe that I'm going back to Texas tomorrow," Lucas began. "And I know I told you I was thinking about moving back. But I never actually confirmed it. And whenever I wanted to talk to you about my plans post-grad, you just naturally assumed it had something to do with Texas because that's where you think I'm headed. But you're so wrong, Riley. What I wanted to tell you the past few weeks was that I found an apartment. Here. In New York. And I move in tomorrow."

"Oh my god, you're staying?! Yay!" Riley threw her arms around Lucas and gave him a tight squeeze. When she pulled away, she let out a sigh of relief. She playfully hit him and added, "You let me be worried for weeks because I thought you were moving back to Texas? You're horrible."

"I'm horrible?" Lucas put a hand to his chest. "You're the one who didn't want to talk about what was going to happen after graduation. I tried so hard but you were so persistent on not wanting to hear what I had to say."

"I know and I feel stupid," Riley palmed her forehead.

"Also, I have one more thing to say," Lucas sheepishly shrugged his shoulders and lifted one corner of his mouth. He pulled out a red velvet box from his jacket pocket. Everyone else around the two of them were engulfed in their own conversations, but the second Lucas pulled out the box, all eyes turned to them. They all gasped and commented to themselves about the possible marriage proposal that was about to go down.

Riley's eyes grew wide at the box in Lucas's hand as everyone continued their distinct chattering.

Although everyone talked amongst themselves, Maya wasn't afraid to let her thoughts be heard, "Riley, Huckleberry's going to ask you to marry you. Say yes, honey!"

Riley and Lucas looked towards Maya with somewhat annoyed smiles. Josh, who was standing beside the blonde, quickly put his arm around his girlfriend and covered her mouth with his hand, mouthing with an apologetic look, "Sorry."

Riley and Lucas resumed to stare into each other's eyes. Riley's heart was beating a mile a second. Lucas smiled, holding the box in front of Riley, then slowly opened it to reveal a key, "Riley, will you move in with me?"

Riley released the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Well, duh!" she accepted cheerfully, leaning forward to place a tender kiss on Lucas's lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lucas beamed, giving Riley another kiss.

"You and red velvet boxes," Riley shook her head with a smile, snatching the box from Lucas's hand. She beamed as she remembered the last time he had given her a red velvet box, it had a jellybean inside it to symbolize her and Lucas's friendship. They had come a long way, converting their friendship into a relationship. And Riley hoped that the next red velvet box he presented to her would include a ring.

There it is! Hope you've all enjoyed reading Folie à Deux as much as I enjoyed writing it! A lot of you have been wondering if I have any other stories planned. I do. I have the majority of the chapters written for my next Rucas fic, which I plan to start posting in January. It's not a very long fic chapter wise, it'll have about ten in total, but they'll be pretty lengthy chapters. Since it'll be a bit short, the entire fic should be up a little bit after GM Goodbye airs if not sooner. I'm still not entirely sure if I want to post it yet due to all the drama in the fandom and the uncertainty of S4, but keep an eye out for it in case I do.

Happy New Year!