Title: There For You

Rating: G

Summary: A phone call, a trip to the principal's office, and Gabriella's really not sure she wants to go home today. Troyella.

Author's Note: Written for x- The Older Twin -x because she talked me into it. There aren't many people who could cajole me into writing Troyella, but she is definitely one of them (hearts).

"Gabriella-"

"No, Troy!"

"Gabriella, please."

Gabriella swung around, tears in her eyes, her hair hanging wildy around her face. She was out of breath from running the distance from the bus stop to her house, and her chest was heaving rapidly, her words coming out in gasps. She stood silently for a moment, hands on her thighs, leaning forward to catch her breath. Troy approached her quietly, taking her hands in his own, enveloping her in a hug. They were both damp from the drizzle that had been falling all day, but Troy wasn't feeling the cold.

"You need to let it out," he said, letting go of her at last, after what seemed like an eternity of her in his arms. He slipped off his jacket and brushed the raindrops off of it, draping it round her shoulders. "It's warm inside," he shrugged as she smiled for the first time since she had been called in to the principal's office.

"You're right," she whispered, pulling the jacket tight around her shoulders.

"I know." He said. "But it's warmer in the house." He took Gabriella's hand again and led her towards the front door. "Your mom'll be expecting you."

"I... I can't." She said, clutching at Troy's arm. "Not... not yet. Going in there makes it real, you know..." she trailed off and felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. Troy had to understand; he had had a similar phone call three months ago.

"I know it hurts," he said. "I know: I really do. But staying out in the rain won't make the hurt go away."

Cancer had taken Troy's grandmother. Cancer of the liver. She had been sixty seven. Gabriella's Grandma Rosa had been nearly ninety, and was as healthy as a woman of nearly ninety could be. She had died in her sleep.

"I'm lucky really, you know." Gabriella said quietly, pulling Troy close to her and burying her face in his chest, the jacket slipping from her shoulders, unnoticed. Troy brought his hands up to Gabriella's face, gently kissing her, wiping her tears away.

"I know," he said. And he did know. He really did.

Gabriella pulled away from Troy and bent down to pick up the now soaking jacket. "Guess you won't be wanting this back for a while," she said, laughing softly.

"No."

"You would have liked my Grandma," she said, taking a step towards the front door.

"Would she have liked me?"

"Oh she would have loved you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Gabriella stopped again and started rummaging in her bag, looking for her keys. When she looked up, tears were in her eyes again. "I don't know how you did it," she said, choking out the words. "It's only been three months... how can you go through it again?"

"Shhh... Gabi," Troy said, squeezing her free hand tightly.

"It just hurts so much!"

"I know baby, I know." He took the keys from her shaking fingers and shook them, finding the one for the front door and inserting it in the lock, turning it slowly. "Come on," he said. "Your mom needs you."

Gabriella reluctantly pushed open the door and stepped through. "You'll be here, right?"

"I'll be here."