A/N: Behold, Part two!
He only had to make one phone call, one call for six people. Taylor arrived with Chad first, the two friends bombarding Troy with questions. It was in that moment that Troy Bolton spilled everything. He watched as Taylor cried and Chad cursed, his friend running his hands through his curly brown hair.
"I can't believe it," Taylor whispered from her uncomfortable hospital chair.
"Cant believe what?" It was Kelsi's nervous voice. Troy looked to the sliding doors, Jason following Kelsi into the hospital.
"How is she?" Jason questioned, his voice quick, "What happened?"
Troy sighed and returned his gaze to the restricted double doors, "Taylor. You tell them, I need to think right now."
Troy barley heard Taylor speak, his full focus on the doors in which Gabriella had been wheeled through hours earlier. It was killing him that he couldn't see her. The wait was agonizing. Every time the doors opened, he had hope, only to have it crushed by an orderly or doctor for another patient. He decided that he hated hospitals.
He was pulled form his thoughts as he heard Jason curse. Troy turned to find his friends faces, each one of them showing a different emotion. Grief, anger, depression, and fear.
"Are you sure," Kelsi's voice was soft, "her father…" the brunette couldn't even say the word, but her eyes were still looking for an answer.
Troy nodded, even though he hated admitting the fact, "I'm positive."
"But wasn't she," Chad paused, his hand scratching the back of his head, choosing his next words carefully, "…drunk. Are you sure she wasn't just, like, making it up."
Troy didn't know why he stood up. Chad was his friend, but the statement just pissed him off, "I'm pretty damn sure she wasn't making it up Chad! She might have been drunk, but she was serious, and I believe her."
"Troy," Chad backed off, seeing the protectiveness in his steaming friend's eyes, "I was just making sure. I would never question Gabriella, I'm just clarifying."
Troy looked past Chad's shoulder as the sliding doors of the hospital opened. Long blond hair met his blue eyes, and his anger flared up again. He pushed past Chad and made his way towards Sharpay.
"Troy," she gave a sad smile, "What happened, tell me everything."
"Like you don't already know," he seethed at her, Ryan entering the hospital behind his sister, "This whole situation is your fault."
Sharpay's head jerked back, her eyes narrowing to small slits, "What are you talking about Troy?"
"She got like this at your party!" he yelled out, his blue eyes raging, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, "What happened to looking out for your friends?"
Ryan cut in, protecting himself and his sister, "We where in New York when you called Troy, we flew back immediately," he paused, his eyes confused, "What party?"
"The party that was at your house," Troy's voice grew softer as he found the confusion in his friends eyes, "You didn't know?"
"There was a party at our house?!" Sharpay's voice roared through the waiting room, many heads shooting up. Troy backed away from the raging blond.
"Ryan, call the cops," Sharpay barked, as her brother nodded. She then turned back to face the group, her eyes falling sad again.
"Sorry," Troy apologized, his blue eyes downcast.
"You don't have to apologize," her voice was soft, "You were protecting her." The blond glanced to Kelsi and Taylor's tears stained faces, "What happened?"
"Alcohol poisoning," Troy answered as he turned back to the double doors that he wasn't allowed to go through.
Sharpay's head jerked back slightly in confusion, "I didn't know she drank."
"She doesn't," Taylor answered, her jaw clenching, "But her fathers in town…" Taylor trailed off, the black girl's eyes closing in anger. Just thinking about the man made a chill crawl up her spine.
"What father?" Sharpay asked, her blue eyes wide. When she didn't get an answer, she stepped forward, her voice demanding, she wanted to know what was going on, "Guys, why are you acting like this? What's wrong with her father?"
"He did things Sharpay," Troy turned and answered, his blue eyes flashing with fury as he spoke about the man, "When she was little, when she couldn't fight back."
Sharpay stiffened, her hand going to cover her mouth, "…oh…my…god…"
A strong voice broke through the group's conversation, and Troy's spun to face the Doctor. It was the same one from before, only this time; the aged man had a small smile on his face.
"Friends and family of Gabriella Montez?" He smiled as the group simultaneously nodded.
"You cut it close son, a few more hours and she would have been in serious trouble," the doctor paused, "She's going to be fine." Troy sank into the uncomfortable hospital chair. It had taken four hours to get that answer, and he finally let out a long, relieved breath.
"When can we see her?" Taylor asked form her position next to Chad.
"Right now if you like," the older man smiled when Troy shot up from his seat, "I've kept you waiting long enough."
"Thank God," Troy was first in line as they followed the doctor through the restricted double doors. He gave a little triumphant smile as he passed through the doorway; he was finally going to get to see her!
He spoke to soon, the back hallways making the trek seem like eternity. The elevator ride to the second floor took too long for Troy's liking and he was the first one out as the doors opened.
"This way," The doctor said, leading the group down one of the blinding white hallway, "room 414." Troy smiled at the number before he entered. He squinted his eyes, the intense white making him blink as the group filed into the hospital room.
"I'll leave you guys alone," the doctor's voice was barley heard, Troy's complete focus on Gabriella's sleeping for in the hospital bed. A breathing mask was placed over her face; an IV drip in her left arm the steady beep of the EKG monitor filled the room. There were layers of blankets over her sleeping form and Troy slid into the chair next to her bed. Taylor occupied the chair on the other side, everyone else standing.
He took a deep breath as his hand found hers, his fingers threading through hers. Her body shifted, his warm hand around hers pulling her from sleep. A deep groan escaped her lips as her dark eyes opened halfway, her hand reaching up to pull of the breathing mask.
"I'm never drinking again," she mumbled, bringing her hand up to her throbbing forehead. Gabriella Montez was hung over.
"Is that a promise?" Taylor asked, a smile on her lips.
"I don't know Taylor," Troy spoke, his voice joking, "She's been having trouble keeping her promises."
"That's not fair," Gabriella defended.
"Don't take it personally Gabriella," Sharpay spoke, "You know Troy hides his emotions through sarcasm, he just doesn't want to admit that he was worried."
"I'm sorry," she had said those two words a lot in the past couple of hours, "What I did was-,"
"Stupid." Troy cut her off, but his eyes softened as she shifted uncomfortably in the bed, "But understandable." He watched as her eyes started to water, but he reached up and cupped her check in one of his hands.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys," she glanced around to all of her friends, "I didn't think you'd want to know me, be my friend if I didn't have a normal childhood."
"Why would we not want to be your friends?" out of all the people in the room, the question came from Sharpay, "Gabriella, we will help you through this, normal childhood or not."
"We're your friends because of who you are right now." Taylor's voice was strong, reassurance flowing form her words, "Your past doesn't matter to us."
"No one is meant to carry a burden like this alone," Troy's hand tightened around hers as she looked into his blue eyes, "We're here for you."
"Just next time," Kelsi added, a lopsided smile on her face, "Don't go drown yourself in alcohol, especially if you've never had it before. Call one of us. It's a lot healthier."
"Fair enough," Gabriella smiled out. The smile lasted only a second as straight fear replaced in. Her hand tightened dangerously around Troy's as her breath caught in her throat. The group straightened as Troy searched her face for an answer, and found that she was staring straight past them, to the now open door of the hospital room.
Troy felt as if he was being watched and he turned sharply in his seat, his eyes falling on the form of a man standing at the open door. The man had short black hair and sharp cheekbones. His eyes were light brown and there was a dimple on either side of his lips as he smiled. Troy Bolton was staring into the eyes of a man who resembled Gabriella.
"…no…" Troy barley heard Gabriella whisper the word, but her voice was deep with fear.
The older man took a step into the room. In response to the advance, Troy shot from his seat, placing himself at the end of Gabriella's hospital bed.
"Hey, Gabby," the voice was rough and aged. Troy's anger flared at the nickname, "It's been a while."
"Dad," she whispered, her voice shaking slightly, "What are you doing here?"
Mr. Montez took a step forward, "I wanted to say how very sorry I am," the man paused, "I want you to let me back into your life."
Troy's finger twitched, his anger rising. All Mr. Montez was doing was trying to gain back Gabriella's trust. Nothing in the fathers posture told Troy that he was truly sorry. Gabriella deserved better. The older man should have been down on his knees, begging for forgiveness, and even after that, he still didn't deserve it.
"What?" the words were laced with surprise as Gabriella spoke them. Troy turned and found her wide eyes. She looked to him, her eyes asking him for an answer. Troy shook his head only slightly; it was the only answer he could give.
"I'm sorry," Mr. Montez repeated, taking another step forward.
Gabriella sighed before answering, a small laugh emitting from her chest, "That apology's seven years too late."
The smile dropped from Mr. Montez's face, "What?"
"Get out," Gabriella's voice was strong, flowing with determination. Troy smiled, her answer told him that she wasn't stupid; that she knew her father wanted more.
"Why, you, ungrateful little-!"
"I believe she asked you to leave," Jason reminded, moving away from where he had been leaning on the wall. Kelsi stood beside him, the two teens disgusted by the presence of the corrupt father.
"Stay out of this," the older man barked, taking one final step towards Gabriella. Troy stepped in his path; his blue eyes slits of rage.
Mr. Montez's head cocked to the side, a smiled tugging at the edge of his lips, "Is this the part where I get weak at the knees?"
"This is the part where you leave and never come back," Troy answered squaring his shoulders, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
The father let out a roaring laugh, "You've got to be kidding me," he paused and looked around at all the faces, "You the tough guy of the group?"
"I'm the boyfriend," Troy answered, " and I'm not going to let you fucking touch her ever again," the words were a deep growl, his anger flowing from his chest and into the promise. The statement cut Mr. Montez's laugh short, the older man sizing Troy up.
"What did you say?"
"We aren't going to let you touch her," Sharpay repeated, before adding, "Is your hearing ok, because you don't seem to be getting the point."
Mr. Montez's eyes grew small at the comment. He leaned to the side, past Troy and found Sharpay's eyes, "Hey you, with the obnoxious hair, stay out of this." Mr. Montez then turned his attention back to Troy, "And you are going to get out of my way."
"You're going to have to go through all of us to get to her," Chad said standing up to join Taylor.
"I thought you kids would say something like that," the smile was the only warning as his hand shot out and grabbed Troy around his sweatshirt collar. With all the adrenalin in his veins from the anger, Troy would call the move slow. His mind processed what he needed to do before he felt himself being pulled forward.
Troy ducked under the outstretched arm that was holding his collar and grabbed Mr. Montez by the shoulder. In one swift motion, Troy wrenched the older mans arm behind his back. The yelling met his ears as he forced Mr. Montez face first into the white hospital wall, Troy's free arm pressing into the back of the fathers neck.
"She was your daughter and you raped her!" he yelled as his blue eyes watered, the fury and frustration taking over, "She was your daughter!"
"Troy," Gabriella spoke as if she wasn't lying in a hospital bed, "Calm down, your better than this."
"…she was your daughter…" he whispered through clenched teeth, his face dangerously close to Mr. Montez's.
"No," Mr. Montez laughed. Troy let the pressure around his neck slip a little, his head pulling back. The older man was laughing. The father found amusement in the statement, but the next words he uttered made the seven friends anger burst, "She was fun."
Before Troy could do anything, hands were on his shoulders, ripping him off of Mr. Montez. Kelsi's small form entered Troy's line of vision as she landed a solid punch to the older mans face. Mr. Montez's head snapped to the side as he slipped to the floor.
"Bastard!" Kelsi's body was shaking with rage, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
"You're going to jail for a very long time," Taylor promised, her hand wrapped around Gabriella's.
"You have no proof, little one," Mr. Montez replied, massaging his jaw.
"I have to disagree," Ryan's voice made everyone in the room look up and towards the open hospital door. The brother had a satisfied smile on his face, his arms crossed over his chest as two police officers stepped out from behind him.
Ryan Evens let the full force of the situation hit Mr. Montez before he continued, pointing to the corner of the hospital room, "We have all the proof we need."
Troy watched as Mr. Montez's eyes found the tiny black security camera. A smile crawled across his face as he saw panic surface in the father's eyes. "You'll have lots of fun in prison," Troy smiled as the officers walked forward and handcuffed Mr. Montez's hands behind his back, " a pretty guy like you."
Troy then turned his back on the older man and made his way back to his seat next to Gabriella's hospital bed. He smiled to her as Ryan shut the hospital room door.
"I'm proud that I can call you my brother," Sharpay smile and wrapped her arm around his shoulder.
"When I came in, I saw you guys on the security monitors behind the receptionists desk," Ryan explained before anyone could ask him, "It looked like you guys needed some help, so I brought it," he paused, "I think I should tell you Sharpay that the cops busted a party at our house last night."
"You've got to be kidding me," Sharpay said pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose, "How are we going to explain that to mom and dad?"
"Can I make anyone else's life miserable today?" Gabriella asked out loud, her head falling back to hit her pillow.
"You could try," Jason smiled, "But I don't think you could accomplish much from a hospital bed."
"As always, thanks for the support, Jason," Gabriella returned the smile. She paused and found every one of her friend's eyes, "So, where do we go from here?" Sharpay and Ryan simultaneously shrugged, the action making them seem more like twins than ever before.
"I don't know," Troy answered, his hand winding through hers again, "It's a new year. It's the end of Senior Year," he paused and watched as all his friends smiled, "Anything's possible."
A/N: You like?
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