Okay, I didn't get this out as quick as I wanted, life got in the way again. I'm about to wrap IP though, planning on writing the final chapter this week, as well as finishing the epilogue, then I'll hopefully only have this, Aftermath and MIR to worry about.
Paige sat in the car, staring up at the house as she listened to the sound of her father pulling her bags out of the trunk. She couldn't bring herself to get out and help. Everything was familiar. The house. The neighborhood. They were vague memories, but memories all the same. She hadn't been here in fourteen years, not since her mother had died. They'd moved and never looked back. The car door opened, and she looked up into the concerned eyes of her father.
"Are you sure about this?"
She nodded. "I can't stay at home. There isn't another option."
"You could go to Beth's sister's. You know her, kiddo."
Paige sighed. "But she's not my family, dad, she's Robby's family." She stepped out of the car. "Besides, Aiden knows where she lives." She shifted her gaze to the house. "I guess this is it."
"I'm sorry you don't remember it."
"It's okay." She smiled slightly. "Aunt Lucy visited enough. I never had a reason to come back here before now. I guess it'll just be hard for a while."
"Come on." David tried smiling in encouragement. "Let's get you inside." He paused. "You can always change your mind."
"Daddy." Paige complained. "I'll be fine. Aiden doesn't even know they exist, I'm safer here." She frowned. "How long can you stay?"
"Only an hour or so if I'm going to get back tonight." He confessed, hugging her lightly. "I'll miss you though."
"I'll miss you too." She sighed. "I wish you could stay a bit longer."
"I would if I could." He reminded her.
"I know." She agreed. "Can't let you miss Robby's game, anyway. He was already upset that I couldn't go. Tell him I'm sorry?"
"He knows." David tried. "He won't be mad forever. He'll understand eventually. He knows what was happening, he just doesn't get why you're leaving instead of Aiden."
Paige looked back at the house. "Do you think they'll remember me? It's been years."
"Of course they will." He almost chuckled at her insecurity. "You can still change your mind you know, we can figure something out."
"Dad."
"Worth a try." He chuckled, grabbing a few of his daughter's bags and waiting for her to pick up the others. "Let's go say Hi to your Aunt Lucy."
-Risk-
Troy frowned as he stepped into his house, hating the feeling of guilt that had seeped over him. He'd lied to her, and she knew it was a lie. He could still see the hurt that had flashed in her eyes. The look that had made him automatically apologise. He'd told her it was no big deal. Just something he didn't want her worrying about. She'd accepted that, but he'd never forget the look that had been in her eyes.
He was cut off from his thoughts as he felt arms around his neck, a face pressed into his chest, and he couldn't help but wish it was his girlfriend as opposed to the petite blonde.
"I'm sorry." She was apologising hysterically. "I didn't know what else to do. I know it's not your problem. But every time I tried to get away from him, he keeps finding me, Troy. I'm scared."
"Paige." He sighed. "Of course it's my problem." He pushed her back from him, taking in her somewhat panicked face. "How long has this been going on?"
"I didn't think it was a big deal." She admitted. "He was wonderful at first, but then he started hitting me, and keeping me away from my friends. He found your number on my cell once and freaked. Mom and Dad, well, they heard me on the phone to Kimmy a few days ago. I'd faked sick so I didn't have to go into school. We decided it would be better if I came to stay with you guys for a while, where he can't find me, he showed up when I was leaving. I thought he was following us and I panicked. Dad told him that grandma was sick and I was going to visit her."
"Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned, slightly hurt. "I could have helped."
"You'd have got mad and gone after him." Paige pointed out. "And you have a girlfriend, a life, I didn't want to get in the way."
"Paige." He stopped her. "You wouldn't have been in the way. Especially what with how close we were when we were kids. Gabriella doesn't stop me from caring about you."
She sighed. "I know."
He nodded. "Where's my mom?"
"Cooking." She smiled lightly. "Your dad said it's what she does when you have guests."
He laughed slightly. "Yeah, last time Gabby stayed over we had like, a 5 course meal."
"She must have cool parents." Paige commented. "Letting her stay over."
"Nah, her dad hates me." He answered. "Her mom lets her stay when he's on business trips, as long as she's promised separate rooms and supervision."
Paige looked down. "Do you think your mom would mind, if..." she paused, looking up at him. "If I asked her about my mom?"
"Nah." He reassured her. "She'll like having someone to talk about her with. I don't really remember her, and, well, I was told she never liked my dad because she preferred one of mom's old boyfriends."
"Do you ever hear from Ben or Andy?"
"Ben's probably dead in a ditch somewhere." Troy rolled his eyes at the mention of the man. "Andy sends Christmas and birthday cards, pretty sure that's his wife though. They had a kid a few months back, said they'll bring it to see us, I don't see it happening."
"I guess I find that so weird because I get on so well with Robby."
Troy nodded, feeling is cell buzz in his pocket, but deciding to ignore it. "Probably."
"So.." Paige began. "What do we do while we're waiting for dinner? Usually I wouldn't ask but seeing as this isn't technically my house..."
Troy's chuckle interrupted her. "We watch TV."
-Risk-
Gabriella glanced worriedly at the clock. Two hours. It had been two hours since she'd called him and he still hadn't called her back. He'd promised he'd call her to tell her he got home okay. He always did, and he'd never broken that promise, until today.
She'd tried to call him every half an hour since the first call. He just wasn't answering. Usually if he really couldn't pick up, he'd text her, just a simple x signifying a kiss, but this time, nothing.
She dialled the number again, almost praying for him to pick up.
"Hey, this is Troy, can't pick up right now, leave a message."
She sighed. "Troy, where are you? If this is meant to be some kind of joke, it's not funny. I'm getting worried now. Just call me back."
She groaned, falling down on to her bed, letting the phone fall out of her hand beside her. Where was he?
She looked up as her bedroom door opened, throwing a faint smile in her sister's direction as she walked in, like always, without invitation.
"Mommy says it's dinner time." Ana told her. "You have to come."
Gabriella rolled over onto her side. "I'm not hungry, Ana, can you tell mommy?"
Ana nodded, eyeing her older sister curiously before skipping out of the room, stopping at the door to throw the "Whatever." she had forgotten over her shoulder.
She flipped over, not bothering to close the door after her sister, picking up her cell and hitting a button, making it light up. He hadn't answered. She'd known, she would have heard it if he had, but she checked all the same.
She groaned again, shifting her position again so she could stare at the ceiling. "What's going on with you?"
The door creaked some minutes later, and she turned slowly to face her mother, whom was watching her with a look of concern.
Ellen Montez stepped forward into the room, closing the door behind her and moving over to the bed, sitting by her daughter's feet.
"What's wrong?" She questioned, lightly touching the teenager's ankle, something that had always seemed to calm her when she was a baby.
"Nothing." Gabriella refused. "Why does something have to be wrong?"
"You're skipping dinner." Ellen pointed out. "You're not sick, if you were you'd have made sure the whole house knew about it, that leaves upset."
"I'm fine, mom." Gabriella snapped, rolling onto her side to turn away from her,
Ellen stood up, moving around the bed and sitting on the other side. "You want to talk about it?"
Gabriella shook her head, shifting onto her back once again.
"It's either me or your father." Ellen decided. "Your choice."
"Mom!" Gabriella complained. "Seriously, I'm fine. Leave me alone."
"You get your stubborness from me." Ellen smiled softly. "Is it Troy?"
Gabriella sighed, giving in. "He hasn't called yet."
"Okay."
"He always calls mom." She pointed out. "As soon as he gets home he calls so I know that he got there okay, today he didn't."
"I don't see why this is such a big deal, sweetie?"
"He ALWAYS calls mom." She repeated. "He didn't, so I called him and he didn't answer."
"Maybe he just forgot." Ellen excused. "You know what men are like, and wouldn't he of had his phone set to silent because of school?"
Gabriella frowned. "He was acting weird at school too though."
"Ah." Ellen sounded. "Now we're getting somewhere. Did you talk to him about it?"
"I tried to." Gabriella admitted. "He just closed off. He said I need to trust him."
"Maybe you do need to just trust him." Ellen mused. "If something's going on that he's not ready to tell you."
"He lied, mom." Gabriella flinched against the truth. "He never lies to me, but today he did, and he knows that I know, ever since lunch he's been acting weird, and he kept checking his cell when he was here earlier." She hesitated. "Do you think I did something?"
"I'm sure if you did he'll talk to you about it." Ellen assured her. "The way he looks at you." She smiled. "It's the way your father looks at me. That's why your daddy acts the way he does. He doesn't like the idea of losing you."
Gabriella sighed. "How do I get through to him mom?"
"Sweetie." Ellen frowned. "If it's getting to you this much, you need to talk to him, tell him how you feel."
The teen nodded. "I guess."
Ellen stood up. "Come on then, dinner."
Gabriella rolled her eyes, sitting up. "I'll be down in a minute, just going to try one more time."
She waited for her mother to leave the room before dialling the number from heart.
"Hey, this is Troy, can't pick up right now, leave a message."
"Please, just call me, let me know you're okay."
-Risk-
Troy laughed as his dad finished yet another story of his past, picking up his glass and taking a sip of water to calm himself.
"You cannot complain about any of the things I do again." He decided. "It'd just be hypocritical."
"Nice try." His mother commented. "You're not doing any of that stuff." She turned to Paige. "I guess I have someone on my side now I have you here."
Paige nodded. "That's completely crazy." She turned to Jack. "How did you even think to do that?"
"Peter's idea." He elaborated. "He just didn't count on smashing into the fence at the bottom."
"Good thing I have Gabriella to keep him in line." Lucille smiled, turning to her son. "I never thought I'd like a girl having control over you." She frowned at the look of alarm on his face, he'd been laughing with them not even a minute ago. "Troy?"
"I was meant to call her." He groaned in frustration. He'd forgotten. "When I got back I was meant to call her."
"Troy." His dad spoke up. "It's one call, and she's a reasonable girl, she's not going to be mad at you for missing one call."
He stood up. "I have to call her."
Lucille frowned at him. "After dinner, Troy."
He reluctantly sat down again, beginning to rush at eating the food in front of him.
He turned when he felt eyes on him, meeting Paige's gaze.
"I'm good." He told her after swallowing. "Just don't want her worried."
Paige nodded, going back to her own food, almost startled when he jumped up again little more than minutes later.
He grabbed his cell from the coffee table as soon as he reached the room, frowning at what the screen told him, 3 new voicemails, all from his girlfriend.
He frowned, playing them one by one.
"Troy, where are you? If this is meant to be some kind of joke, it's not funny. I'm getting worried now. Just call me back."
"Please, just call me, let me know you're okay."
"What's happened to you? Why aren't you picking up? Did I do something? Call me, okay, I'm sorry I was pushy earlier."
His breath caught on the last one, she was so worried that she was blaming herself, he'd screwed up.
Dialling the number quickly, he brought the phone to his ear, almost desperate for a response.
It took longer than usual, and the answer didn't come from the person he needed to speak to. "Helloooooo"
"Hey." He tried to add some cheer to his voice. "Ana banana, it's Troy, can you give Gabriella the phone."
"Nooooo." Ana refused. "Phone was loud and I heard it and Gabriella not."
"Why can't you give Gabriella the phone?"
"She's asleep." Ana stated as if it was obvious. "Mommy said she was upset and I had to leave her alone. Why?"
"I don't know." He lied. "Are you sure she's asleep."
"Yup." Ana answered. "But she doesn't snore, so I can't let you hear her."
He chuckled slightly. "Why do you have her phone?"
"It was louudddd." Ana insisted. "Want me to poke her?"
"No." He replied quickly, knowing that Ana had a tendancy to ask and go ahead without an answer. "Don't wake her up, tell her I'll see her tomorrow?"
"Why?"
"I'm taking her to school Ana banana."
"Why?"
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Nooo."
"Ana, where are you?"
"Gabby's room because thats where the phone was ringing." Ana confirmed. "I think she woke up." There was a hesitation, in which he heard only muffled voices, before he heard another voice.
"Hi."
"I'm so sorry." He apologised as soon as he heard her voice. "I'm so, so sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"Troy." He could hear the sadness still evident in her voice. "It was only a call, I'm being a baby."
"I'll make it up to you." He insisted. "I know I've been off today, that's not because of you, okay, it's not you."
"Okay."
He sighed, one word answers were never a good sign. "I'm sorry."
"I know." She paused. "I'm gonna go. I'm kinda tired and I know that you're okay now."
He frowned. "Okay. I'm sorry."
"Bye." He heard her long sigh before she added. "I love you."
"I love you too." He replied, smiling softly at the mere fact that she'd still said it. "Bye."
He frowned at the sound of the dial tone. He knew her too well. There was no way she was convinced that she didn't do anything wrong.
He'd just have to show her.
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