I couldn't stay away for long! Just a little one-shot I've had in my head for a couple of weeks and I just had to get it out.

So please, read, enjoy, and review.

*I don't own HSM. I just play the what-if game in the universe*

She watched him walk; careful to notice how he always leaned a bit to his right when he took a step with the same foot. He was helping Uncle Nathan load up his car to go back to… college is what Mommy and Daddy called it. She watched Uncle Nathan walk back and forth from his car in the driveway to the front steps where his duffle was sitting. Grandpa Jack didn't walk like him. Neither did Uncle Chad, Uncle Nathan or Nana. No one else she knew walked like he did.

"Mommy," Maddie started inquisitively, "why does Daddy walk funny?"

Gabriella looked up from where she was chopping up some carrots to stare at her daughter. Maddie's eyes were full of curiosity as her attention was focused on studying her father through the kitchen window that overlooked the driveway. Maddie turned away from the window to stare up expectantly at her mother.

"Well," Gabriella put her knife down by the cutting board and moved over to the table to set down next to her daughter, "Daddy got into an accident a long time ago and he hurt his knee."

Maddie's bright blue eyes, so much like her husband's, grew wide, full of concern and fright, "Like a car accident?"

Gabriella gave a slight chuckle at her daughter's obvious worry over her father. Madeline Lucille Bolton truly was a daddy's girl. Oh, she loved her mother too, make no mistake; Maddie and Gabriella were as close as a mother and daughter could be. But Troy and Maddie had a bond that defied logic or explanation.

Maddie believed her father hung the moon and the stars (and Gabriella was inclined to agree with her). And Troy… well, the minute he held Maddie in his arms, Gabriella knew that her daughter had become a rival for her husband's affections. And she was blissfully willing to accept that fact. Her entire life, Gabriella had been forced to live without the love and care of a father (because Gregory Montez decided that he just didn't want to be a husband or a father anymore). It warmed Gabriella's heart to see her husband and daughter so close.

"No, sweetie," Gabriella began lovingly, unsure of how to explain to Maddie exactly what happened to her daddy so long ago.

Maddie's eyes narrowed in confusion. She gently placed her purple crayon down beside her coloring book and crossed her hands over it. Gabriella watched as Maddie began to chew the inside of her cheek in contemplation.

"Then… did he hurt it like Uncle Nathan? Playing football?"

"No, baby."

"Mommy," Maddie started as she placed her chin in her hand, "I'm confused."

Gabriella began to chew the inside of her cheek in contemplation, trying to figure out the best way to discuss this with Maddie. It was difficult to help a five-year-old understand anything about war. Hell, it was hard to help a thirty-one-year-old understand war.

"Well," Gabriella began searching for the right words. And then it hit her, "You know how Riley's dad is gone a lot? Because he keeps all of us safe? Because he's a soldier?"

Maddie nodded her head slowly; unsure of where her mother was going with this conversation.

Gabriella looked closely at her daughter as she continued, "Well, a long time ago, some bad people hurt a lot of good, innocent people, just because they were from America. They crashed some planes into several building and hurt a lot of people. A lot of people even died."

Gabriella stopped to look Maddie over, making sure that she understood what her mother was talking about and making sure that it wasn't too much for her innocent daughter, "So the President of The United States decided that we needed to get everyone responsible and bring them to justice."

"What justice?"

"It means…" Gabriella paused, trying to explain such an abstract concept in a way that would make sense to a five year old, "it means making people responsible for things they do wrong."

"Like if when I lied about breaking that lamp? I had to go into timeout for a while?"

"Exactly."

"So we had to go get the rest of the bad guys for a timeout?"

Gabriella let slip a melancholy grin. If only it were that simple, she thought to herself while answering her daughter, "Right. But the country needed help from a lot of people. So they asked a lot of young men and women to go over there and bring them back. Those people, like Riley's dad, were soldiers. Daddy was one of those people.

"Daddy was a soldier?"

Gabriella nodded, "Daddy was a soldier and he helped save a lot of people's lives."

Maddie's eyes grew wide again and she turned her gaze away from her mother to look back out at her dad who was currently playing basketball with Uncle Nathan, "Wow."

Gabriella smiled sweetly at her daughter, but the corners of her mouth turned down sadly. Sometimes, that part of their lives seemed like something from a dream. Between the routine of teaching, coaching, and raising Maddie, Troy and Gabriella had fallen into such a blissful routine. They were living the life that she and Troy had only dreamed of in high school and only dared to hope for when he was deployed.

In moments like this, it was easy to almost forget that Troy had ever been a Marine serving in Afghanistan.

"But the people that Daddy was trying to find didn't want to go to timeout, and they decided to hurt Daddy so they wouldn't have to."

Maddie's eyes widened further, if that was even possible at this point. Gabriella pushed her chair closer to Maddie's and wrapped a slender arm around the little girl's skinny shoulders, "What did they do, Mommy?"

"Well," Gabriella breathed out "They blew up a building he was close to. And pieces of the building fell on Daddy. He broke a few ribs and hurt his knee very badly. Everything healed back properly except his knee. And that knee makes it hard to walk so Daddy has to walk differently now."

Maddie's eyes filled with tears as she looked at her daddy through the kitchen window. He and Uncle Nathan were laughing as they were walking up to the house. Why would anyone want to hurt her daddy? He was the most awesome, fun, kindest daddy in the history of the entire world!

"Does it hurt to walk?"

Gabriella smiled kindly at her daughter and placed a kiss to her dark, wavy hair, "Only sometimes, sweetie. When it's really cold out or if it's getting ready to rain."

Maddie nodded her head as she took in her mother's words. Good. She didn't want her dad to be in any pain. Especially since he helped save so many lives. But that brought up another question, "So, is Daddy a hero?"

Gabriella couldn't help the tears that filled her own eyes as she looked into her daughter's. Maddie was so earnest, so eager. Awe and curiosity twinkled in her sapphire gaze (so much like her father), "Yes he is, kiddo. He doesn't think so, but he is."

Maddie's brow furrowed with confusion, "Why doesn't he think he's a hero if he saved all those people and brought those bad guys to justice?"

Gabriella pondered Maddie's question for a moment, "Well, your Daddy would say that he was just doing his job and that he did what anyone else would have done what he did."

Maddie nodded slowly, signaling her understanding. But Gabriella also needed her daughter to understand that Troy Bolton was the epitome of what it meant to be a hero, to be a great man.

"But I'll let you in on a little secret," Gabriella whispered, "I think that the best heroes never say they're heroes. And because of that, I think your daddy is the biggest hero. He's definitely my hero.

"Mine too!"

Gabriella chuckled and planted a sloppy wet kiss on her daughter's cheek, earning Gabriella a beautiful giggle from Maddie.

"Hey, now," the two girls looked up to find Troy and Nathan, slightly sweaty from packing up Nate's care and playing a quick game of basketball, walking into the kitchen. Troy walked over and planted a kiss atop his daughter's head and onto his wife's lips. Both Nate and Maddie gagged and "ewe'd" at the sight, earning a rueful smile from the couple.

"I thought you two were supposed to be making dinner," Troy's tone was accusatory as Gabriella elbowed him lightly in the stomach.

Nate sat down beside Maddie, picking up a crayon and helping her finish up her picture. Troy and Gabriella watched as the college student and five-year-old interacted with one another. Maddie made up one her very own knock-knock jokes and Nate was kind enough to laugh, but not before tickling her, earning a rip-roaring laugh from the little girl.

Gabriella noticed a sadness ghost over Troy's handsome features as he watched his daughter, only to have it disappear.

Later that evening after dinner, Nathan and Maddie were in the cozy living room, watching The Aristocats, while Troy and Gabriella finished cleaning up the kitchen.

Troy was standing by the sink, leaning to his left as he rinsed a plate off before placing it carefully in the dishwasher. Gabriella was putting leftovers into several Tupperware containers, placing a couple to the side for Nate to take back with him when he left for school tomorrow.

Gabriella and Troy peaked through the doorway that lead to the living room and watched as a senior in college and five-year-old playfully argued about which animated cat was better and why.

"I don't know who's having more fun," Troy began as he focused himself back onto his task, "Nate or Maddie."

Gabriella chewed her lip for a second, smiling as she did so, "Nate, obviously."

The couple smiled at each other, a light chuckle escaping from their mouths. Troy bent down again to place another dish in the washer, only to pause and grab his right knee. He hoped that Gabriella wouldn't notice (he always hated looking less than strong in front of her). Of course she did.

Troy stood up straight as Gabriella crossed the distance from the kitchen island to the dishwasher and stepped between her husband and his task. She looked out through the large three-section window over the farm sink. Dark thunderclouds were rolling in.

This spring had seen more rain than Albuquerque had seen in several years. While it was wonderful for the vegetation, it was murder on Troy's knee. For the past few weeks Gabriella had walked into their room only to find Troy rubbing his aching joint or placing an ice pack on it. She wasn't really surprised that Maddie had finally picked up on her father's limp (something Troy was growing more and more resentful of and something that Gabriella desperately wished she could fix for him).

Troy looked down into Gabriella's gorgeous brown eyes, so full of love and concern. His stormy blue eyes closed of their own accord as Troy placed a gentle kiss on Gabriella's forehead.

"I heard what you and Maddie were talking about earlier tonight."

Gabriella was careful to hold Troy's gaze as he admitted to overhearing her conversation with their daughter. His jaw clenched tightly several times and his Adams apple bobbed up and down for a few moments. Tears filled his eyes, "When she asked about my limp."

Gabriella's eyes filled with tears of her own as she saw her husband turn into a sad little boy. She hated this. Over the years Troy had become very comfortable (as comfortable as one could get) with discussing his time in Afghanistan with her. He was extremely open about his hopes and dreams and his nightmares. But his knee was always a sore spot. Gabriella suspected that somehow, the injury was a physical reminder of his service and made him feel less a man.

"So you heard my answer."

She knew he did. And that was the point. Troy heard Gabriella tell Maddie that she thought he was the best man and the greatest hero she knew. That Troy was her hero and Maddie's as well.

"I just… what kind of kid thinks a dad that walks like Quasimodo is a hero? What happens when I can't pick her up anymore, or when she wants to dance with me or play basketball and… and I can't?"

His voice broke on the last word and Troy lowered his head, too ashamed to look his wife in the eye.

Gabriella's brow furrowed with anger. She hated this part of her husband. The part that his father, friends, and her mother created. That part that was overly critical of himself and made himself feel less than worthy of the life he had made for himself. It rarely reared its head, but in moments like this, Troy couldn't seem to fight his doubts. So she fought them for him.

Gabriella placed her hands on either side of his face, the feeling of his three-day stubble under her silky skin sending shivers down her spine, and forced him to look her in the eye.

"Who's side of the bed does she run to when there's a monster in her closet? Who does she beg to read her just one more story before bed? Who does she ask to play tea party with? Who does she want to tell about everything she did at preschool every day?'

Troy swallowed as he fought the tears forming in his eyes. Gabriella continued, determined to make him understand something he never was able to quite grasp, "It doesn't matter if you have a limp or not, Troy. You're Maddie's hero because you chase the monsters out of her closet and hold her close when she's scared. You're her hero because you play tea party instead of watching the Lakers game like so many of her friends' dads do. You're her hero because you listen to her talk about her day instead of asking her to tell you later. You're her hero because she knows that she matters."

Troy let a single tear slip and Gabriella, ever so gently, wiped it away and placed a kiss on the drying water trail that fell down his stubbly cheek. He pulled her close and Gabriella tucked her head underneath Troy's chin.

"That's just one of the many charming traits she gets from me."

Troy gave a slight laugh at his wife's joke and pulled back from her slightly. Gabriella was smiling softly, her hands laced behind his neck. Her hair was a little shorter now, flowing in gentle, ebony waves. She was so beautiful. That rather familiar urge to kiss her crept up into his veins. Troy Bolton was never one to fight that particular impulse.

He pressed his lips up to hers in what was meant to be a gentle carress. But like always, Troy and Gabriella Bolton couldn't help themselves as they delved into the kiss. The teasing sensation of his tongue against her lips was enough invitation. Gabriela opened her mouth and tasted her husband's tongue, dueling with her own.

"DADDY! SAVE ME! THE EVIL NATE HAS CAPTURED ME!"

Troy and Gabriella broke their kiss as neither could contain the giggle that erupted from their mouths. They stared at one another for a moment before Gabriella pulled him down for another quick kiss.

"Go be the hero, Bolton."

And then Troy gave Gabriella the greatest of gifts. A dazzlingly cock-eyed grin danced across his face as he ran into the living room to vanquish the evil villain (Nathan acted out his death with the upmost dignity and flawless dramatics) and Gabriella watched as Troy swept Maddie up from her position on the couch. She watched as he twirled her around, their daughter laughing wildly and holding tightly to her father's neck.

"MOMMY! DADDY SAVED ME!" Maddie shouted across the house as she beckoned her mother to join them.

Gabriella practically skipped through the door and into the living room, "He saved you from the big, bad Nathan? Oh! We must thank him!"

Gabriella and Maddie giggled as each Bolton girl placed a sloppy kiss onto each of Troy's cheeks.

"Thanks for the love guys," Nate grumbled as he helped himself up off the floor, only to have Maddie launch herself into his arms.

"I love you too, Uncle Nathan."

"Aww shucks," Nate guffawed as he smiled and placed a kiss on the little girl's cheek.

Troy snickered as he wrapped his arm around Gabriella's shoulder. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his sculpted torso. She felt her husband place a gentle kiss onto her forehead as Nate placed Maddie down only to chase her around the spacious, yet cozy house that the Bolton's called home.

"You know," Troy started, "You say I'm your hero."

Gabriella looked up at him, worried that he doubted himself once more, only to find the confident, sexy, sincere man that was her Troy Bolton, gazing down at her with such love and adoration that it took her breath away.

"Well, Mrs. Bolton," that sexy grin sneaked onto his lips once again, "you're mine."

Gabriella grinned from ear to ear and placed a lingering kiss on her husband's lips… and then shoved a pillow in his face! Troy pulled the pillow out of her hand only to watch his wife run out of the room, screaming. Suddenly, Maddie was behind her mother acting in a similar fashion as Nate continued to chase her. Troy decided to help Nate out in capturing those crazy Bolton girls….

And there we have it!

Hope you liked it!

-shaganlovessoccer

P.S. Listen to the song "Scarecrow" by Alex and Sierra. That is all.