After the wonderful night at the roller rink, Lisa and Corey continued their celebration at their home, both a drunken but elated mess.

Lisa was skating around the house, still managing to hold her glass of champagne. Corey danced in his underwear to tunes playing on the radio.

"So this is what it feels like to be financially STABLE!" Lisa yells out, plopping onto Corey's bed, shaking off her skates. Corey laughed loudly and turned off the radio as he layed next to Lisa, both staring at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I hope it stays like this forever. My parents had to move back to Spain because bankruptcy." Corey reminisced. "Times in Miami were different back then" Lisa told him. Corey shook his head sadly and tears started to slip out.

"I've always wondering if their fate was the same as mine. If I was gone, how would Anna live? She's been through so much. Plus, some of this money is going towards Deesha's college tuition, if I was gone-" Corey rambled but Lisa put her finger on his lips.

"The money would still go to Deesha, she needs it more than anything and plus you aren't going anywhere Corey. Part of my life is embedded into yours" Lisa said sweetly.

"Do you think they would be proud of us? Leonardo and Piper?" Corey asked his business partner and best friend. She was taken aback by his statement and almost started crying herself. She couldn't start crying, not now. If she were to cry, Corey wouldn't know how to react to it. As she was always the one to calm him down with her optimism. She simply smiled and cupped his cheek.

"So proud, crosses my mind everyday" she says, hugging him tightly. "We're in this together Lisa, I'm nothing without you" he cried. "As I am to you." She revealed, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

-

R

iver stared at the stars outside his window and his fingertips that lingered on the glass were a bit numb due to the stark coldness the air gave off. He couldn't stop thinking of Annalise, and the things she did to him.

She's always been important to him. What makes him feel even sick more is that he spent more time with Piper than Anna did, just months before she died. He didn't deserve it, Anna deserved those months with her best friend.

River indeed loved Piper, and he was never the same after her death. He remembered their pranks and antics in elementary school. They once glued the principals hand to his own door handle. Of course Anna scolded them for their behavior, due to that Piper always followed Anna's lead and in turn became more like Anna.

River has never had another partner in crime ever since Piper's death. He always kept in touch with the Clark family and sent money anytime he could for Deesha's sake. Joaquin always wanted the best for his girlfriend, plus he always thanked River for meeting Piper that one day at the purple slide, because he knew Deesha now.

River and Piper were the first of the gang to meet, then Anna and Corey came along, Keanu, and of course Rosie.

"Riv" Martha said, breaking him out ot his orphic nostalgic thoughts, some of which didn't evens seem real anymore. "Are you going to bed? It's getting late" Martha asked, gripping her robe closer to her body. River only nodded and faced back at the window.

"Riv we never really speak anymore, what is wrong?" Martha asked, stepping closer. "Nothing" He answered, earning an eyeroll from her. "It isn't just nothing anymore, it isn't her, is it?" Martha asked, referring to Anna. This made River glare and scowl at her. "My best friend gets murdered and you think I'm depressed because of an ex girlfriend?" River said, making Martha gasp.

"You're forgetting I knew her too" Martha said. "Barely, she despied you anyways" River explained. "But you don't" Martha hopefully remarks. "I'm starting to understand what Piper always meant" River said.

"If you care about that, you shouldn't be with me anyways! Don't waste my time" Martha yells, storming back into bed. River sighed and made his way to the couch, already knowing he wasn't welcome in the bedroom.

He pulled a blanket over his body and turned off the lamp. He had to stop the urge of calling Anna at this time of night. It was so common that Anna and Piper were always on his mind. He just hoped that little Amelia would grow up and live longer than the girl she was named after in terms of her middle name.

River let out another sigh and drifted off to sleep. He never dreamed of anything, he always hated that. He's always wanted to share a story from the lucid world, to Anna more than anyone.

-

Anna brushed her teeth hastily as she wanted to get this face mask off quickly. Rosie had recommended it, but it just simply burned Anna's skin. She quickly washed it off and when she looked in the mirror again, she spotted Jonathan staring at her happily.

She smiled back and wiped her face. "That face mask is a total bitch, you have to try that" She offered, only making him laugh. "Why in heaven name would I try that?" Jonathan asked. "So you can suffer with me, and plus you kinda need it" Anna said, pointing at a couple pimples, making Jonathan smack her hands away.

"Anna I've been meaning to ask you something" Jonathan remarked, making her stare at him, her eyes moving as she was trying to read him based on his facial expressions, she was always observant.

"Yes?" She hesitantly asked, as she felt a lump in her throat. "Do you want children? In the future?" He asked her, she felt kind of relieved she thought he was proposing which is something she was not ready for.

It wasn't because she was non-committal, she was committal. Yet the person she wants to commit herself to, is with another woman.

Nevertheless, she smiled and clasped her hands together. "I do! Ever since Amelia was born I've wanted a baby! I would have named her Piper if that wasn't Amelia's middle name. I've settled on Leo for Leonardo" Anna said, making Jonathan laugh.

"Good, we should start now" Jonathan jokingly said. Anna's face softened and she cupped his cheeks. "Are you serious?" She asked, and his face fell. "I wasn't but, I'll fully committed to anything you want me to do. We've always had protected sex, we could be different this time" Jonathan said.

This is it, this was her time to become the person she was always meant to me. Life without River, a baby with Jonathan would point all directions to him and only him. She would only have one purpose, for her little Leo.

She nodded and kissed him deeply, and soon clothes were being torn and peeled off.

It's strange, River did have his first dream that night, while Anna was completing a milestone.

to be continued

smolkey ©