A year and a half later, Grace was almost two years old. She looked exactly like Gabriella, only with Troy's cobalt blue eyes. Grace was very talkative and was always interested in learning new things. She was a total daddy's girl and loved when Troy would come home from work. Gabriella had been commuting to U of A and was almost half way done with school. Troy and Maria were so proud of her. Troy was still working at the auto shop and was waiting for Gabriella to finish school before he started. The couple had moved out of the guest house and into a home that was affordable near Maria's. Their relationship was stronger than ever but wasn't perfect. No one's relationship at the age of eighteen ever is. One night, Troy opened the door and smiled when he saw Grace running as fast she could towards him. He kneeled down to his daughter's level and opened his arms and caught her once she ran into them.
"Hi baby. Did you miss me?" Troy asked.
Grace nodded.
"Where's mommy?" Troy asked.
Grace looked at the living room and pointed her finger in that direction.
"Okay, let's go see mommy" Troy said standing up with Grace still in his arms.
Troy carried Grace on his hip and walked into the living room. He smiled when he saw Gabriella sitting at the table doing homework. Troy walked over to the table.
"Hey, how was your day?" Troy asked.
"Good. How was the shop?" Gabriella asked.
"Busy. How was school today?" Troy asked.
"Good. Mom said that Grace didn't have a nap today. That's why she's so hyper" Gabriella said.
Troy looked at Grace in his arms.
"You had no nap?" Troy asked his daughter.
Grace tilted her head and looked at her father innocently.
"No nap" Grace said.
"Why?" Troy asked.
"I don't know" Grace said.
Troy couldn't help but chuckle at Grace's expressions as she talked. He kissed Grace's cheek.
"Alright Gracie. Daddy has to take a bath. You stay down here with mommy okay?" Troy said putting her down.
"No!" Grace cried.
"I'll only be gone for a little bit sweetheart. Mommy is here" Troy said.
"Grace, I have a surprise for you" Gabriella said getting up from the table.
"Surprise?" Grace asked innocently.
"Yeah" Gabriella said.
Grace turned her attention to Gabriella and Troy took the opportunity to run upstairs. This was their daily routine. Twenty minutes later, Troy came downstairs.
"Chad called me on my way home. He wanted to get a game going" Troy said.
"Before his big game on Saturday?" Gabriella asked.
Troy nodded. Chad was going to U of A as well. He was playing basketball and was really happy that he was playing again.
"Just a quick one" Troy said.
"They are never quick" Gabriella said.
"Well, this one will be" Troy said.
"Okay" Gabriella said.
Gabriella made dinner and the little family ate together. The couple then gave Grace a bath and put her to bed. Gabriella then sang Grace the song that she had been singing to her since she was born.
Goodnight to you.
Goodnight to me.
Now close your eyes and go to sleep.
Goodnight.
Sleep tight.
Sweet dreams tonight.
Goodnight.
I love you.
"Good night baby. I love you" Gabriella said.
"Good night sweetheart. I love you" Troy said.
The couple left the room and went downstairs.
"Did you finish your homework?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded tiredly.
"Yeah" Gabriella said.
Troy leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips softly.
"Hi" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"Hi. Taking off your daddy hat now?" Gabriella joked.
Troy nodded. Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy's neck. She leaned in and kissed Troy's lips softly.
"Dad called me today" Troy said.
"Oh? How is he?" Gabriella asked.
Lucille and Jack had gotten used to the couple having a baby and were now accepting of it.
"He's fine. He was wondering when Chad's next game was" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled sadly.
"You will be there soon enough babe. I just have a couple more semesters and then I'm done" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded.
"I know and I'm not complaining. It just does kind of suck that we don't play together. It feels like we live different lives, which I know we do. But- "Troy started.
"It bothers you sometimes" Gabriella finished.
Troy nodded. Gabriella smiled and kissed Troy's cheek.
"You will be out there soon enough and then once you are, you will be dying to come home" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"Always. You are Grace are my world. I wouldn't trade it for anything" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"Daddy" Grace called.
Troy smiled. He released Gabriella and walked upstairs. Troy saw Grace holding her blanket and teddy bear, which she named Daddy Jr, because Troy had gone on a trip to San Francisco a couple months before and had given her it so she wouldn't cry. Troy had sprayed the bear with his cologne so it would feel like he was with her when he couldn't be.
"What's wrong Grace?" Troy asked kneeling down to her level.
"There's a monster" Grace said.
"A monster? Do you want daddy to catch him?" Troy asked.
Grace nodded. He opened his arms and Troy lifted his daughter into his arms. Troy walked into the bedroom and turned on the light. He looked around the room and opened the closet. Troy looked into Grace's crib.
"I don't see any monsters baby. I think I scared them away" Troy said.
"Yay" Grace said.
Troy smiled.
"Alright, I'm going to put you back into your bed okay?" Troy said.
"Okay" Grace said.
Troy placed Grace in her bed carefully. He then pulled the covers over her. Troy kissed his daughter's head softly.
"I love you" Troy said.
"I love you" Grace said.
Troy smiled.
"Go to sleep sweetheart" Troy said.
Troy watched Grace's eyes close and he turned off the light. He walked out of the room quietly and went downstairs.
"What happened?" Gabriella asked.
"She had a bad dream" Troy said.
"Is she okay?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah, she's fine" Troy said.
"Okay" Gabriella said.
The couple went to bed that night and fell asleep in each other's arms. A couple days later, Troy was getting ready for work and Gabriella was at school. He had to drop Grace off at his parent's house and go to work and then Gabriella would pick her up after school. Troy walked into Grace's bedroom and looked into her crib.
"Baby, it's time to wake up. Daddy has to get you ready for grandma's" Troy said.
"Mommy" Grace whined.
"Mommy is at school sweetheart. She will be back later" Troy said.
"Mommy" Grace cried.
Troy picked up Grace and placed her on the floor and grabbed a fresh diaper and wipes. He quickly changed his daughter's diaper and dressed her for the day. Troy picked Grace up and set her on his hip.
"I want mommy" Grace said.
"I know you do baby. But she's at school. She's going to be back in a little while okay?" Troy said.
Troy walked downstairs to the kitchen and set Grace in her high chair. He then walked to the refrigerator and picked out a yogurt and fruit container and closed the refrigerator. Troy picked up a spoon and walked back to his daughter and sat in front of her and fed her. After he fed her, he threw the trash away and went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of milk that Gabriella pumped earlier. Troy put the bottle into the microwave and let it heat up. After it was heated, Troy tested it and made sure it wasn't too hot for Grace. Seeing that it wasn't, he kneeled down and handed the bottle to her and watched her drink it.
"What do you say?" Troy asked.
"Thank you daddy" Grace said.
Troy smiled.
"Your welcome baby. Let's go to grandma's" Troy said.
Troy and Grace went out to the car. Troy helped Grace get into her car seat and buckled her. He placed a kiss on her cheek and closed the door. Troy got into the driver's seat and started driving to his parent's house. Ten minutes later, Troy parked his car in the driveway and went to the backseat and unbuckled Grace from her car seat. He set her on his hip and walked to the front door of his parent's house. Troy pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to answer the door. Lucille opened the door and smiled.
"Hi Grace. Grandpa is in the living room" Lucille said.
Troy put Grace down and kneeled down in front of her.
"Have fun. Give me a kiss" Troy said.
Grace kissed Troy's lips sweetly.
"Thank you. I love you baby. Be good" Troy said.
Lucille smiled and watched Grace walk into the house and over to Jack. She looked at Troy.
"So where are you off to?" Lucille asked.
"The shop. Gabriella will pick her up after school" Troy said.
"Okay. Have good day. Grace, tell daddy you love him" Lucille said.
"I love you" Grace said.
Troy smiled.
"I love you" Troy said.
Troy left the house and drove to work. A couple hours later, the doorbell rang. Jack opened the door and smiled.
"Hey, she's in the kitchen" Jack said.
"Thanks. How was she today?" Gabriella asked.
"A sweetheart, as always" Jack said.
"Good" Gabriella said.
Gabriella walked into the kitchen and smiled when she saw Lucille and Grace eating a cookie that they had just baked.
"Something smells good in here" Gabriella said.
Grace smiled.
"Mommy" Grace said.
Grace got off the chair that she was standing on so she could help Lucille and ran into her mother's arms.
"Hey, what are you guys baking?" Gabriella asked lifting Grace into her arms.
"Chocolate chip" Grace said.
"You made chocolate chip cookies?" Gabriella asked.
Grace nodded.
"Ooh. Can I try one?" Gabriella asked.
"Mama" Grace said.
Grace calls Lucille "Mama" so that she won't get confused between grandmothers. Lucille handed Gabriella a plate with a cookie on it. Gabriella picked up the cookie and took a bite.
"Mm..these are so good" Gabriella said.
Grace smiled proudly.
"You ready to go home baby?" Gabriella asked.
"Daddy?" Grace asked.
"Daddy is working sweetheart. He will be home soon" Gabriella said.
"Oh" Grace said.
Gabriella kissed her daughter's head softly and moved a stray hair out of her face.
"Say goodbye to Mama and Papa" Gabriella said.
Grace hugged Lucille, who kissed her cheek. Gabriella put Grace down and watched her run to her grandfather and hug and kiss him. She then walked back to Gabriella, who held her hand out for her to take. The two girls left the Bolton home and drove home. Gabriella helped Grace get out of her car seat and out of the car. They then walked into the house.
"What did you do at mama's baby?" Gabriella asked.
"Disney princess" Grace said.
Gabriella smiled. Grace loved all the Disney (do not own) Princess movies.
"Oh, which one did you watch?" Gabriella asked.
"Belle" Grace said simply.
Gabriella smiled.
"It's nap time" Gabriella said looking at the clock.
"Daddy not home?" Grace asked.
"No. Daddy will be home soon. Come on let's go upstairs" Gabriella said.
Gabriella and Grace walked upstairs. Gabriella placed Grace in her crib and kissed her head. She walked out of the room and went downstairs and started doing her homework. Two hours later, Gabriella heard the front door open and close. Troy walked into the living room and smiled when he saw Gabriella doing her homework.
"Hey baby" Troy said.
Gabriella looked up and gasped.
"Troy, you are bleeding" Gabriella said.
"It's a little cut" Troy said.
"What happened?" Gabriella asked.
"I was working on a car and I hit the side of my head with the hood. I'm fine" Troy said.
"It's a deep cut" Gabriella said looking at her boyfriend's forehead.
The couple heard Grace waking up through the baby monitor.
"Wait here. Do not move" Gabriella said.
Gabriella quickly went upstairs and brought Grace downstairs. She then looked at Troy.
"You need stitches" Gabriella said.
"Babe, I'm fine. I feel completely fine. Stop worrying" Troy said.
"Daddy, hurt?" Grace asked pointing to the band aid that was trying to cover some of the cut.
Troy put on a brave face for Grace.
"Daddy's fine, baby girl" Troy said.
"Troy, you need to get checked out" Gabriella said.
"Brie, I'm fine. I swear. Now you are freaking Grace out" Troy said whispering the last part.
Gabriella looked at Grace, who was trying to figure out what was going on. She looked back at Troy.
"Fine, but if it gets infected, you are going to get checked out" Gabriella said.
"Okay" Troy said.
That night, the couple put Grace to bed. They walked out of the bedroom and into their own. Troy and Gabriella changed into their pajamas and got into bed.
"Are you feeling okay?" Gabriella asked.
Troy smiled. He pulled Gabriella closer to him and kissed her nose.
"I'm fine baby. I promise" Troy said.
"I'm just worried about you, that's all. You can't get seriously injured, Troy. We have a baby that needs her dad" Gabriella said.
"I know that, Brie. I know that you are worried. I understand that completely. But, sometimes I can't avoid it. Accidents happen" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. The couple fell asleep that night hoping that tomorrow would be a better day. They knew that life was going to be hard with a baby, but they were up for the challenge.