I'm sorry for how Life Changing: Again ended, I really am, but this is a fresh start, hopefully you'll like it!

I don't own anything, except the plot line.

Helping Hand

Introductions…

Carlos and Maria Montez are high flying business people, always staying late at work or going away on business trips for weeks on end, having little, if any, contact with home and leaving their eldest daughter in charge of her four younger siblings.

Gabriella Montez is a senior in high school by day and a Mum to her siblings by night. She juggles her school work and love life on top of taking care of her siblings. She doesn't like her parents going away on business for such long periods of time and although she knows its part of their jobs, it bugs her when they're home in the morning and jetting off to another city by the evening, giving her no warning and often causing her to cancel plans with friends.

Joshua Montez is a seventh grader who like any of other boy his age is into sports and cars. Josh tries his best to help Gabriella around the house when his parents are away and for the most part he's very helpful, but Joshua has dyslexia meaning he finds reading and writing a lot harder than he should. He doesn't like asking for help though and won't ask Gabriella for help until he knows; she doesn't have anything else to attend to, often leaving things to the night before they need to be handed in.

Poppy Montez is a third grader who is fully aware that her Mum and Dad aren't around as much as her friend's parents are. She's an incredibly bright little girl, but is very quiet as she's the middle child and is often overlooked by Carlos and Maria. But Gabriella, being Poppy's only sister and the person she looks up to, often helps her to come out of her shell and be heard over their brothers.

Alfie and Alex Montez are two year old twins who are identical in their looks and for the most part their personalities as well, but Alfie is much quieter than Alex, although together they really are a troublesome pair. The boys don't really understand where their parents are all of the time, just as long as someone will play with them, they're happy.

Troy Bolton is a senior in high school, captain of the basketball team and Gabriella's boyfriend. He knows how hard Gabriella is finding juggling everything and doesn't understand how Carlos and Maria can spend so much time away from their children. He's mostly annoyed when Gabriella has to bail out on their dates, last minute, to baby sit, when he knows she needs the time away from home to relax.

Anna Bolton, now Wicks is eight years older than Troy and loved him from the moment she first set eyes on him. Despite the age difference, the pair has always been close, even when Anna married her boyfriend of four years, Mike, a little over two years ago. Troy is close with them both, especially since the birth of his niece and god daughter, Louisa, nine months ago. He'll regularly go to his sister and brother-in-law for help and advice and they'll always do their best to give it.

Jack and Lucille Bolton have been friends with Carlos and Maria since their junior year of high school. The four have been close ever since and although they are still in contact now, ever since Carlos and Maria's career's took off, Jack and Lucille have seen and heard less and less from their friends. The couple have heard from Troy how often Carlos and Maria are away on business, they just don't know the effect it's having on their children or how long they are away for at any given time.

Now that you've learnt about the necessary people, it's time for our story to begin.

TGTGTGTG

A half day at school, everyone enjoys them, especially the pupils of East High, who have also been given a three day weekend as well, something to do with 'staff training.' The pupils didn't care what it was for; they had three and a half days off from school, why would they care what it's for.

Troy Bolton was one of those pupils and as he made his way down the corridor towards his girlfriend of nine months, Gabriella Montez, he couldn't help but smile, really widely. They had a date tonight, like they did most Friday nights, only Gabriella hadn't been able to make many of them recently and so tonight was going to be extra special, their parents had even said Gabriella could spend the night at Troy's…not for that, they hadn't taken that step in their relationship yet, just so that they could spend more time together and so Gabriella could have some much deserved time away from home.

As he approached her locker, Troy watched as Gabriella took her phone out of her pocket, read the message and then shoved it back in her pocket, seemingly not replying to the text.

"Hey beautiful, everything alright?" Gabriella shut her locker after putting her books in her bag and turned to Troy.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"No reason, you ready to go?" The couple were using their afternoon off to visit Troy's sister and niece.

"Actually Troy, I can't come to Anna's and I can't make it tonight either, I'm sorry," And with that Gabriella turned on her heel and ran down the now empty corridor away from Troy. She wanted to go tonight, she really wanted to spend time away from home with Troy, but she couldn't, she was stuck playing Mum…again.

TGTGTGTG

"Oh no Louisa, Uncle Troy's got his grumpy face on and he hasn't got Gabriella with him, this can't be good."

Anna had known Troy his entire life and had come to learn what each and every one of his facial expressions meant, the one that she was met with as he got out of his car that afternoon meant he was seriously hacked off.

"She bailed on me again," Troy got straight to the point as Anna opened the door to let him in.

"Did she say why? Have her parents gone away again?" Anna shut the door as Troy took his shoes off and then led him through to the lounge where Louisa was sat waiting for them in her play pen.

"I don't know, she didn't say, she just ran off before I got the chance to say anything back." Troy sat down on the couch as Anna lifted Louisa out of her play pen, but she was soon squealing and reaching for Troy and he was more than happy to have her on his lap.

"Do you think it's her parents again?" Anna handed Troy Louisa's favourite toy and he held it out in front of her, letting her pull it's stretchy arms and legs.

"Yeah, she got a text just before I got to her locker, she didn't, reply to it though, just put her phone back in her pocket and that's usually how they tell her they've gone away, send her a text, that way she can't argue back and make them feel guilty."

"So what are you going to do then? She's probably upset because I'll bet you anything she was looking forward to tonight more than anything else this week and if you don't go and see her, or at least talk to her Troy, it's gonna make her feel even worse."

"Do you think Mum and Dad will let me stay over there tonight? It's not like Carlos and Maria care."

"They were letting Gabi stay over at home weren't they? I reckon you need to go home, explain and then head round there unexpected and help her out, looking after her siblings is hard at the best of times, it's gonna be even harder if she's upset 'cause she thinks you're angry at her."

"Do you think Mum and Dad will let me stay there all weekend? Considering we have Monday off as well," Louisa started squealing at Troy and so he put her down and let her crawl about at their feet, her toy firmly in her grasp.

"I'm thinking they'll definitely say yes, they don't get much time to themselves anymore. So you good now? No more grumpy Troy?"

"I was not grumpy," Anna's look told Troy that he most definitely was. "Okay maybe I was, but you've helped me out so thank you."

"No problem little bro, so now will you play with Lou while I get some stuff done upstairs?" Troy nodded and snatched up Louisa to entertain before she even got the chance to realise that Anna had left the room.

TGTGTGTG

It was eight o'clock when the doorbell rang through the Montez household and because his elder sister was busy upstairs, Joshua momentarily stopped his doing his homework so he could go and answer the door. Opening the door he found Troy Bolton standing there, his sister's boyfriend, now it all made sense, Gabriella was so quiet because she was supposed to have a date tonight.

"You were supposed to have a date tonight, weren't you?" Josh didn't bother saying hello; he got straight to the point.

"Yeah, didn't Gabi tell you?"

"No, she's been pretty quiet since I got home, are you planning on staying the night?" Josh asked, gesturing to Troy's sports bag.

"Yeah, if it's okay with you guys, Gabi was supposed to stay at mine tonight anyway, did your Mum and Dad go away again?"

"Yeah, to New York I think, I'm not sure, like I said Gabi's been pretty quiet, you might as well come in. Gabi will tell you to go again, but please don't, Alfie and Alex have been running around like loonies all afternoon, driving her crazy, she hasn't even had the chance to eat dinner yet, she's putting them to bed now, so it's best to leave her to it or the boys will go hyper again and that won't be helping anyone."

"No it won't, what are you and Poppy up to?" Troy put his bag down by the door and slipped off his shoes before following Josh through to the lounge.

"I'm supposed to be reading her a bed time story, but she picked a hard one and I can't read the words, so she's waiting for Gabi and I'm trying to do my homework," Josh sounded dejected, knowing that once again his dyslexia had let him down when it came to helping Gabriella out.

"How about you keep trying with your homework, while I read to Poppy and then once she's settled in bed, I'll help you with your homework before you have to head up as well?" Josh nodded eagerly and went back to his homework, while Troy pulled Poppy onto his lap and read her the best bed time story ever.

TGTGTGTG

She was at breaking point. She was tired, hungry and all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and cry, but she couldn't, she had two more siblings to deal with first.

Apparently that wasn't quite true though, as she looked up to find Troy coming out of Poppy's bedroom.

"Troy, what are you doing here?"

"Lending you a helping hand, I've read Poppy a story and now she's asleep, so now I'm gonna help Josh with his homework while you eat your dinner, you hear me?" Gabriella nodded and wiped at her eyes before the tears had the chance to fall.

"Come here beautiful," Troy pulled Gabriella into his arms and she let a few tears free, she needed to have a little cry, Alfie and Alex had driven her to the edge and she was still angry at Carlos and Maria for making her cancel her date with Troy again.

"I'm sorry for running off earlier Troy, I was just so angry with Mum and Dad for making me bail on you again and I would've come to Anna's, but I had a load of homework to get done before I had to go and get the twins and I'm sorry."

"Sweetheart don't be sorry, it's not your fault, but listen, I'm gonna stay here all weekend and lend you a hand. Mum and Dad said it's okay and I doubt your parents would answer the phone if you called them so, if you'll have me, I'd like to stay." Gabriella nodded and wiped away her tears; she'd had enough of crying now, she rarely cried, she just didn't like how it made her feel.

"So, I'm gonna help Josh and you're gonna eat you're dinner, right?" Gabriella nodded again and allowed Troy to interlace their fingers as he led her downstairs.

TGTGTGTG

Josh had gone to bed, Gabriella was upstairs somewhere and Troy was doing the washing up. He and Gabriella had ended up arguing over him staying because he'd offered to so the washing up and she felt like he was saying she couldn't cope, he knew she could, there was never any doubt in that, he just wanted her to have some quiet time to herself to relax. She'd walked out in the end, she'd gone upstairs and he hadn't followed her, they both needed time to calm down, Troy just hoped Gabriella had used that time to have a relaxing bath or shower.

Troy finished with the washing up and after wiping up and clearing round the worktops, he grabbed his bag from near the front door, where he'd left it and headed through to the down stairs bathroom to change into some basketball shorts and a baggy t-shirt to sleep in. He dumped his bag at the bottom of the stairs and walked through to the lounge to find Gabriella curled up on the couch.

"You're staying then," Gabriella looked in Troy's direction, but didn't lift her head to meet his eyes.

"I told Josh I would, he said you'd try and get me to leave, but you should now by now that I'm just as stubborn as you are, I was never gonna leave Brie."

"Good, 'cause I could really do with being in your arms right now," Gabriella still wouldn't look Troy in the eyes, but he could tell by how quiet her voice was that she was struggling to keep back the tears.

Troy didn't answer Gabriella, just smiled softly at her and took a seat next to her, but not before moving her hair brush out of the way first. "I'm doing this first though, right?" Gabriella nodded shyly and moved so that her back was facing Troy. It was one of Troy's secrets talents, being able to do girl's hair, only his family and the Montez's knew about it. It had come to light when Gabriella had badly sprained her wrist an wasn't able to grip her brush properly and so Troy had offered to do it for her, when she'd said she wanted it up in a ponytail as well, Troy had said he'd try but wasn't promising anything. Turns out, he's pretty good at it and can even do plaits and has been known to French braid Poppy's hair for her as well.

Tonight, Troy knew Gabriella would just want it in a ponytail, it was still damp from her washing it and she just wanted it out of the way as she slept and so a few short minutes later Gabriella got her wish and was curled up in Troy's arms.

"I'm sorry for being such a cow earlier Troy."

"Brie don't say that about yourself, you weren't being a cow, you just weren't in such a great mood, everyone is allowed to be annoyed sometimes, but please don't call yourself that, you didn't upset me, or I wouldn't still be here would I?" Troy poked Gabriella in the hip to get his point across, before resting his hand there and pulling her closer to him.

"No I guess not, how did Josh's homework go?" Gabriella nuzzled her face against Troy's chest, they were sitting in silence, other than their talking, and she was starting to realise just how tired she was.

"It went pretty good, it was only science so he could do the work he just couldn't read what the questions were asking him."

"He's supposed to be given extra help with stuff like that, they're supposed to give him the easier version of the worksheet or help him with it in class or give him an extension so he doesn't have to give it in so soon."

"Why don't they?"

Gabriella shrugged. "Certain teachers do, others don't, Mum and Dad know about it 'cause Josh and I have both told them multiple times but they never do anything about it and the teachers wouldn't listen if I said anything, so we'll just have to keep going as we are I guess." Troy sighed knowing there wasn't really much he could do to help Gabriella right now and so he pulled her even closer, if that was possible, and the pair sat in silence, until quiet whimpers were heard coming from the stairs.

"G-Ga-Gabi…" The pair looked up to find Poppy coming into the lounge, her blanket in her hand as she cried.

"Poppy sweetheart, what's up?" Gabriella and Troy broke their embrace so Gabriella could tend to Poppy.

"I h-had a nightmare and…and I want D-Daddy," Poppy began to sob loudly and so Gabriella picked her up and gently swayed from side to side in hopes of calming her down.

"Sweetheart, if you calm down and stop crying for me, I'll let you sleep in my bed with Troy and I tonight, would you like that?" Poppy nodded and lifted her head from against Gabriella's shoulder to wipe her face on her blanket and then wipe away the wetness she'd left on her sister's shoulder.

"How about you go and wait for us up there and we'll be up in a few, okay?" Poppy nodded and Gabriella put her down and waited until she was out of sight before collapsing into Troy's waiting arms.

"Every time Troy, every flipping time, that they go away she has nightmares and every time she wants Dad, but she can't have him and that's why she's so upset because she can't be comforted by her Daddy because she's upset. She knows that all of her friends can have that Troy, she's not daft and yet she's so brave, but not when she has a nightmare, she deserves the comforting hugs like I used to get and she can't have them Troy and I hate them so much because I have to see her like that."

"I know you do Brie and I wish that there was something I could do, but there isn't and it breaks my heart knowing how upset you are about it."

"Just being here is enough for us Troy, the twins will be so happy when they see you here in the morning."

"I'll be happy to see them too, but unless you want them jumping on us in the morning we should probably head up and join Poppy," Gabriella nodded and kissed Troy on the lips before checking everything was locked before allowing him to lead her upstairs.

Troy hated seeing Gabriella and her siblings upset and hurting, he was finding it harder and harder not to say a few choice words to Carlos and Maria about how they neglected them all, but now…now he just wanted them all to be happy and enjoy their weekend and his plans were already beginning to formulate.

TGTGTGTG

Well there's the first chapter for you guys, I hope you all enjoyed it.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! THANK YOU!