Troy and Gabriella layed in bed with their three year old daughter Charli. They had her when Haylie was just four. Gabriella was sleeping on the left side, and Troy had his arm across both her, and the little angel in the middle of the bed that won't sleep in her own bed. Charli's eyes opened, and sat up, "this is nuts." It was in the middle of the night. she looked over at her mother sleeping, and crawled ontop of her, "Mommy.. are you awake?" Gabriella was breathing in and out. Charli sighed rolling over to her father, and crawling on his stomach, and rolling the blankets off of him. "Look alive." Troy rubbed his eyes, looking at the beautiful three year old that looked just like Gabriella. he played with her hair, "Sweetheart, it's 3 in the morning, this has been happening too much."
Charli bit her lip, "I'm sorry, but I'm too hot." Troy sighed, "How about If I go lay with you in your big girl bed?" she shook her head, "No, big bed." he sighed, "Honey, why won't you tell daddy what's wrong with your big girl bed?" she stretched her arms out, "It not big like daddy and mommy's bed.."
Troy sighed, "Sweetie, come on..." he picked her up, standing on his feet. Charli nestled her face in his neck, hugging his neck tightly, "Daddy no...me stay here...no monsters in here." Troy chuckled, "come on...I'll scare the monsters away." Charli hugged him tighter, "But Johnny will get mad." He looked at her, "Baby girl, whose Johnny?" She bit her lip, "He's a monster who likes to hide in my closet and follow me to playschool." Troy sighed, "want me to talk to him?" Charli thought about it, then nodded slowly. Troy smiled, hugging her close. "Okay let's go." When they went in Charli's room, Troy sat her on the bed and then proceeded to the closet and opened the door. He had to pretend that he was talking to an actual 'monster'. "Okay...uh Johnny, you need to stop scaring charli-"
Charli giggled, "Daddy, he's not there." Troy looked at his daughter, "then where is he?" she pointed to behind the closet door, "He said that he's going to lock you in there." Troy chuckled lightly, stepping out of the closet and shutting the door. "There now he can't." Charli bit her lip, "He wants to hide under my bed now..."
Troy chuckled tiredly, bending down to the floor, under the bed. "Okay Johnny, you need to stop scaring my charli, so she can sleep in her big girl bed." Charli giggled, "he wants you to make me some ice-cream." Troy chuckled, "Okay that's it." he picked her up, and began tickling her. she began laughing out loud. "Daddy!" she squealed. he smiled opening her covers, and tucking her in, "Now, Goodnight baby girl, you have preschool in the morning." Charli giggled, "Me first day." he nodded, "Your gonna do so well." he tucked her in, and kissed her forhead. "Goodnight, I love you." he was about to turn the lamp off, "Can I keep the night light on?" he smiled, "Yes." he kissed her forhead, "goodnight." he was about to walk out the door, "Daddy, Bugs Bunny! I need him to sleep with!"
Troy smiled, walking to the pet net hanging above the toybox where she kept all her stuffed animals. He grabbed the bugs bunny who was smiling with a carrot in his mouth. Troy handed it to his little girl, who in turn hugged it with all her might and snuggled into her covers. He kissed her forehead again, walking slowly out. Just as he almost got, Charli screamed again, "DADDY! JOHNNY'S BACK! HE'S ROCKING MY BED BACK AND FORTH!"
Troy sighed coming back into the room. "baby girl-" she whimpered, "me want to sleep with you and mommy." Troy sighed, "okay, but this is the last night princess." she nodded as he lifted her out of the bed. he knew this wasen't going to be the last night, cause every night before he said was the last, but he just couldn't say no to that face.
TGTGTGTG
The Next Morning, Gabriella was up early with Charli getting breakfest ready. Charli was already dressed for her first day of preschool, with her dora backpack on and eating cookie crisp cereal. Gabriella kissed her forhead, "You excited for school?" Charli nodded, "me have my pencils, my erasers, my everything! me excited!" Gabriella giggled, "Well that's good, I'm gonna go see if your sisters ready." Gabriella walked into Haylie's room, and she was looking at the necklace that Troy had given her when she was three. "Hey, what are you doing?" Haylie bit her lip, "mommy, what happened to daddy's parents?"
Gabriella sighed, "Sweetie, that's a question to ask your father...it's his story to tell." Haylie nodded, looking at the necklace again, then she jumped down from her bed. "I'm gonna ask him now!" Gabriella was about to say that Troy was asleep but Haylie was fast and she was already in her parents room. She crawled onto the bed and jumped on Troy's stomach, waking him instantly with a groan, "Oh...!" Troy groaned, grabbing her, "Hey...munchkin..what was that for?" Haylie giggled, "Daddy what happened to my grandma and grandpa?" Troy looked at her, then his eyes moved to Gabriella who had just walked into the room but was leaning against the wall by the door. "She asked me too, but I thought-I thought that you should tell her." He nodded solemnly, looking back at the curious seven old.
"Hayl," he started but before he could say anything else, he sniffed the air. "Is something burning?" Gabriella straighted, "Shit! The kitchen! Charli!" She turned to run down the stairs, Troy hopped out of bed and ran after her. Haylie following but hanging on to Troy's hand as well. "Charli!" Gabriella yelled, seeing the three year old standing at the gridle with pancakes dripping off the hot surface. "Mommy me cooking!"
Troy's eyes went wide, and grabbed Charli turning off the stove. he sat Charli on the counter. "Charli, you don't ever do that by yourself." Charli giggled shrugging, and wrapping her small arms around his neck, "okay." she pecked his lips, jumping off the counter with a little help form Troy running to the living room. Gabriella held Haylie close to her. Troy leaned against the counter. It was like deja vu all over again. the day his parents died.. he just he couldn't relieve it again. Gabriella bit her lip, "haylie, why won't you go get dressed." Haylie nodded running to her room. Gabriella walked over to Troy, hugging him close, "you okay?" he breathed in, "I Just.. I don't wanna lose any of you that way." Gabriella turned his head to face him, "hey.. you won't ever..ever lose us.."
Troy sighed, smiling small, "that's what I'm afraid of...I don't want anything to happen to you." Gabriella kissed his lips reassuringly, "Why don't you stay home today...have a rest. You work really hard." He shook his head, "No I'm fine-" "Troy," Gabriella said, "come on...you can take one break...your boss will understand." Troy sighed, "Okay...I'm trusting you." Gabriella smiled, "glad you do, now rest...okay? I'll drop off the girls and then head to work and then be back at 12 for a lunch date with you..." Troy smirked, "a little something after lunch?" Gabriella rolled her eyes, "no ...we have enough kids." "For now."
Gabriella giggled, pecking his lips. both Haylie and Charli come in with their clothes on, backpacks, and lunch ready to go. "were ready mommy." Haylie held Charli's hand. Gabriella smiled, bending down to their height, "alright girls, Haylie, you hold haylie's hand when you walk into school, alright." Haylie nodded, "Got it momma." they both ran to their father hugging him, 'We love you daddy." Charli smiled. he smiled, "I love you." he kissed her small cheek, he looked at haylie, "and I love you." he kissed her forhead. they ran to the car, and Gabriella smiled kissing his lips fully, "I love you, take it easy, okay? promise me you'll take it easy. I'll worry about you."
Troy sighed, kissing her on her lips, "I promise I'll take it easy all right..." Gabriella squinted her eyes, but nodded with a smile. "I love you...I'll be back at lunch." Troy nodded, "Go, you'll be late...I'll be fine." As soon as they left, Troy collasped on the couch, leaning his head over the back of it. His eyes closed as he took calming breaths through his nose, "It won't happen...it won't happen..." he told himself; trying to convince himself that there won't be a fire. His famiy won't be taken from him again. Not this time.
About an hour later, Troy had fallen asleep, his body stretched over the length of the couch. His sleep wasn't restful. His body twitched, and sweat lined every inch of him; his head flopped back and forth and side to side on the arm of the couch, "No...mo-mom...no..." his eyes were shut tightly as he mumbled words that he had said the day of the fire. It was like he was reliving it. But...he wasn't a child...
(Dream)
The flames engulfed the house, the fire trucks spewed water from hoses, but the flames only seemed to have gotten bigger and angier. His eyes were huge as he felt himself run toward the madness. "MOM!" he yelled, he pushed passed the firemen trying to keep him from running inside, he got as far as the door, then he felt two arms grab him. He struggled, "Let...let me go!" he yelled, kicking and screaming. "No! You need to come back where its safe!" "NO! MY MOM AND DAD IS IN THERE!" he yelled/screamed as he kicked harder, getting free and disappearing into the flames.
It was hot as hell. Maybe it was Hell itself that had invaded his home and started to claim it for itself, he squinted his eyes against the heat; making his way toward what he knew as the living room. This felt the same...but different at the same time. He crawled along the floor, coughing as he called out names, that's when he saw a hand lying still on the floor. It was petite and tanned. "No..." he whispered, grabbing the hand. It was both burning hot and clammy. "No..." he turned over the body, looking into the still face and dead eyes of Gabriella. "NO! BRIE!" that's when the whole scene changed. Suddenly it wasn't his childhood home that was burning...it was his. His familie's. "BRIE! NO!" he cradled her against his chest, tears cascading down his face. "BRIE! BRIE!"
(End Of Dream)
"Brie...BRIE!" he yelled, thrashing his head side to side. Two hands grabbed both sides of his head while two more went to his arms, pinning them to his sides. "Troy! WAKE UP!" yelled a semi-distorted voice, he was breathing heavily, "Brie..." he sobbed out, "Brie..." "Dammit Troy!, Wake the fuck up!" a hand slapped his face hard, causing his eyes to open. He was looking up at the concerned faces of Sharpay and Brandon, "H-How...did you guys get in here?" Sharpay rolled her eyes, "Doi, key under the door mat." Brandon sighed, pushing Troy into a sitting position and plopping down next to him. "Gabriella asked me and Shar to check on you...she's worried."
Troy was still breathing heavy, his body was lined in sweat, and his hair was damp. Brandon nudged him, "Hey...you okay?" his eyes told him that he knew what he was dreaming out. Seeing as Brandon was the first one to know about Troy's past. Troy vaguely nodded, "I-I'm fine...just..." Sharpay sighed, "honestly your not fine, Troy...how about me and Brandon stay here with you till Gabi gets back?" That was the last thing he needed. He shook his head, "not necessary." She scoffed, "funny. Come on." "No." Brandon sighed, "Troy come o-" "NO!" he yelled shooting up from the couch, "I'm fine, leave me alone and go the fuck home!"
TGTGTGTGTG
later on that day. Troy was sitting in the living room, drinking some root beer till Gabriella walked in. "Hey." he stood up from the couch rushing over to her and holding her close. Gabriella held him. "Troy, what's a matter-" "I was so worried about you brie.. so worried." Gabriella looked at him, "I was worried about you too." he cupped her cheeks, kissing her fully and passionately on the lips. He pulled away, "I love you." she smiled, "I love you too.." she smiled, "I got to show you this new design I made." she giggled rushing over to the table, and pulling out her new design, "what do you think? be honest?"
It was a dress, it had a train in the back that flowed like a river and the skirt was layered with lace and satin and silk edges. The bodice and waist was something out of a Jane Austen novel, classic, but it had a modern twist to it. Troy smiled, taking the design in his hand as he examined it. "It looks like a wedding dress..." Gabriella smiled, "yeah...Sharpay wanted me to be the one to design her wedding dress." Troy's eyes went wide, "Sharpay's getting-to Brandon?" Gabriella nodded, "Yeah...he proposed last week. I thought I told you." Troy shook his head, "No...I think I was absent that day." Gabriella giggled, "Well never mind, you know now...you want lunch." Troy nodded, going with her into the kitchen.
When she was about to turn on the stove, Troy got a flash of fire in his eyes from the dream-nightmare-he had earlier that afternoon. He grabbed her by the waist and pulling her back behind him as he turned off the stove. His chest was rising and falling heavily. "Troy what's wrong?" he fought the urge to fall to his knees. "Let's just have sandwiches...okay?"
Gabriella raised a brow, "Troy-" he pulled her close, crashing her lips onto hers. "Please, I.. I feel like having a sandwich day." Gabriella looked at him, but sighed and nodded, "okay, past me the bread?" he nodded, "of course." he turned to get the bread. Gabriella looked at him, sighing, she was really starting to get more worried about him, but she had to make sure she wouldn't worry him too much anymore, It would just hurt him more.