A/N: I'm interested in seeing if you guys will hate me by the end of this chapter. (Evil Laugh)

LAST TIME-

She gave him a small smile and he closed his eyes. She could tell he was unconscious as soon as he closed his eyes. She grunted as she hauled herself into a sitting position, resting her back against the support beam as her tied hands moved to her stomach. She glanced to the small window to her right; it was just big enough for Troy to fit through.

She gave a small laugh as she raised her tied hands to her mouth, her teeth digging into and loosening the knots. She had always feared her father, but he never was big on brains.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It seemed like eternity before he managed to drag his eyes open. He let out a ragged breath as his eyesight focused. His conciseness brought something else. Pain. His right thigh was threatening to come off and he couldn't even feel his left arm anymore.

"Troy," it was a soft whisper, but he recognized the voice, and the past events flashed before his eyes.

"What?" he asked, his voice aggravated, "Is it time to wake up already?"

"Get a hold of yourself," the sharpness in her voice made him look up, his eyes finding her face. She had brought her hands up to her mouth. The ropes that had tied them together were on the ground beside her, her teeth working vigorously on the duck tape.

"Why didn't I think of that?" he gave a small smile, lifting up his hands. His left arm burned, the limb dropping uselessly to his side. "Oh, that's why."

"Don't push yourself," her voice was muffled as she ripped the tape from her wrists; "I'll get you out of here."

"No, stop," he said as she made her way towards him, his eyes shooting frantically to the basement door. Troy had heard movement above him. Mr. Montez was coming.

"Get back!" he hissed waving his right hand. She froze, her head whipping around as the basement door opened. She scampered back to the ropes, grabbing the end and placing her hands behind her, lying down on her back.

Troy's eyes grew dangerously small as they fell upon the body of Ethan Montez.

The father smiled as he past the flaming boy. "You feeling ok, Troy?"

"Fine asshole," he spat at the older mans feet.

"Maybe I should've done something about that mouth of yours," it was an impish smile that made Troy's stomach do summersaults, "But I have a feeling this will shut you up."

His eyes flashed to Gabriella's only seconds before Mr. Montez stomped down on her chest. She gasped, but her father crouched down on his knees on top of her. She squirmed, but he gripped her around the throat. She stopped and turned away as her father's hand crawled up her stomach. She locked with Troy's blue eyes, silent tears sliding down her face as her father's hand found her right breast.

"Bastard!" Troy was on one knee, his right thing extended beside him. "Get your filthy hands off her!"

"Ohh," Ethan's eyes were bright, a smile on his face, "I haven't made you angry, have I?"

"Choose your next actions wisely," Troy growled, his gums rising up as he bared his teeth.

"Good advice," the older mans hands found Gabriella's jeans zipper. The slid of the metal made Troy's fists clench and Gabriella whimper slightly. Next came the button, which came undone in a swift movement.

Troy cursed again, holding Gabriella's stare. None of this was fair. All Gabriella had done was endured in life, accepted what had been given to her and made the best of it. She had taken a ruined life, and created one that was livable, filled with love and friends. She didn't deserve being kidnapped and raped by her own father. No one did.

Troy almost thanked Gad when Ethan Montez s stiffened, his hands moving away from his daughter. Gabriella felt the hesitation and dared a glance to her fathers face. His eyes held confusion and a deep feeling of dread washed over her.

"Your hands were tied in front of you when I brought you in," his voice held the confusion that was evident in his dark eyes.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chad Danforth was beyond pissed.

He thought taking a trip to the police station would help better his mood. If he could watch the cops work, he might be convinced that they were doing something productive.

But what they were doing was far from productive.

Just sitting around waiting for tips was not productive.

"Is there anything else you guys can do?" He could hear the aggravation in Taylor's voice, and he glanced to her. Her arms crossed strongly over her chest. Her jaw clenched tightly.

"I'm going to say this just one last time, Miss. McKessie," it was Landon Farey, one of the cops that had been at Gabriella's house, "We're waiting on the test results from the tires to come back from the lab, we need to figure out what kind of car he's driving."

"But shouldn't you be searching for them anyways?" Kelsi spoke from next to Jason.

"Just because this station if full of police officers doesn't mean the streets aren't, Miss. Nielsen," he had crossed his arms, his voice tired of having to defend himself. "We have over fifty unites working on this case as we speak."

"So we just have to sit by and wait?" Taylors voice was flat as she stared down the officer.

"Welcom to my life," Landon Farey ran his hands through his hair. "Yes, until we get a tip, all we can do is prey for a lucky break. Prey that this bastard slipped up somewhere."

"You sound so reassuring." It was Jason, his voice dangerously low.

"Leave him alone," Chad barked. He was getting tired of hearing the arguing. "He's only doing his job."

"We just can't sit her and wait Chad." Taylor was arguing with him and he closed his eyes.

"As much as I hate to admit it Taylor," he opened his eyes and gave her a sidelong glance, "it's the only thing we can do right now." He saw Kelsi's mouth open in an argument, but he held up a hand, "We'll only interfere if we try to do something. We have to let them do their job, it's what their good at."

"Sorry," Taylor nodded slight to Landon, and he gave her the smallest of smiles, "This just sucks."

"I can't agree with you more," The cop agreed.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It was in her father's moment of hesitation that Gabriella jumped to life. Her first feeling: get her father off of her. Using the leverage from the floor, she thrust her knee into his groin, smiling as her father's eyes bulged. He rolled off of her, grasping himself, and she scampered to her feet. In a mad dash to Troy, she buttoned and zipped up her jeans in one motion.

Her hands went to Troy's bound wrists before she fully reached him, but he pulled away from her, "What are you crazy?" his eyes were frantic, "get out of here!"

She gaped at him, "I'm not leaving you!"

Troy shoved her towards the stars as her father regained his composure, a wild roar erupting from his mouth. A feral grin spread across his aged face as he shot forward, reaching out to her.

Gabriella yelped and scrambled for the stairs. She got halfway before a strong hand wrapped around her ankle, ripping her backwards. The change in direction sent her forward, her forehead slamming into the edge of the steps with a painful crack.

She blacked out for a second, or at least she thought she did. One minute she was laying facedown no the stairs the next, her father was yanking her up by her hair.

"You never had this much fight in you when you were younger," the whisper in her ear made a shiver crawl up her spine, "I like it."

"Let her go!" Troy bellowed, kicking out at the father. The man just smiled and shimmied past the raging teen.

"You should have tried to escape first," her fathers voice was in her ear again, but his hand vanished from her hair and wrapped itself around her throat. "You would have gotten a good start ahead of me if hadn't bothered to get him lose."

"Bastard!" Troy growled from the floor. His blue eyes were raging, his dirty blond hair a mess. He watched as Mr. Montez dragged Gabriella to the center of the cabin room, out of his reach. She was thrashing and kicking, strong curses flowing from her mouth. Then, the man turned and smiled, walking cautiously towards Troy.

"You're going to have to accept the full force of your actions boy," Mr. Montez sneered, his grip tightening around Gabriella's waist as he flipped out the small switchblade.

"NO!" Troy cried out, his blue eyes wide at the sight of the small blade, "Please, anything, I'll do anything!"

"One small threat and you crumble," Mr. Montez's face held the deepest disgust; "This is why you need to disconnect yourself from all your loved ones. Someone can use them against you."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Troy asked, his voice frantic.

"To you?" it was laughed out, "Don't think this situation has anything to do with you."

"Then why?" his blue eyes held confusion.

"You are merely a tool, Troy Bolton, nothing more," the father readjusted his grip around Gabriella's stomach. "I needed to use you to break her, only you could do that because you are the one she truly loves."

Gabriella squirmed in her fathers grip. Troy met her angered eyes, as she stomped back on the older mans foot. It didn't accomplish what she hoped it would, it only succeed in her father bringing the edge of the knife closer to her throat.

"No!" Troy yelled, then turned his attention to Gabriella. "Please, Gabby, stop."

"You might want to listen to him, Gabby," the nickname made her eyes flash with rage, but she held her ground.

"Ethan, please," Troy was pleading, "Just let her go and we promise that we'll cooperate."

"I'm afraid I cant do that," the father answered smiling, "You gave her hope that she could get away from me, Mr. Bolton."

"No. Please, we promise."

"Time for your second lesson in anatomy for the day." Ethan Montez ignored the plea and continued with his sick smile, "The Latissimus Dorsi is found in the lower back, and if you cut said muscle, the patient will experience excruciating pain, not to mention rapid loss of feeling in the lower limbs."

Troy's eyes grew wide as Mr. Montez pulled away with the small switchblade, the older man's eyes holing the "Lets see if we can find it."

"NO!" the scream reverberated off the basement walls. It sounded in Troy's ears and made his world freeze.

Time slowed as Gabriella's body jerked, her eyes going wide as she looked to Troy, a pained whimper escaping from behind her clenched teeth. She gave a small cry as her father buried the switchblade up to the hilt in her back. The whimper was all that she let slip, veins in her neck popping out as she clamped her mouth shut.

Troy pushed himself off the ground and burst forward, only to have his body jerked back, the ropes around his wrists holding him strong. H was vaguely aware of pain in his thing, but it was nothing compared to the pain in Gabriella's eyes. He pushed his legs hard against the ground, his eyes watching as Gabriella's knees sagged, her eyelids sinking.

"…troy…" it was a whisper that shattered his heart. Tears streamed down his face as she gave him a weak smile, trying to reassure him that she was fine. Even with the smile, he could see her chocolate eyes dimming with pain.

"Even in death you whisper his name." Mr. Montez's spat, "Disgusting." The would-be father let go of Gabriella's stomach, ripping the knife from her back as she fell forward. She collapsed to her knees, taking one ragged breath before crashing face first to the basements floor.

"I'll kill you," it was a hostile growl that shook Troy's whole being. His blue eyes burned with the deepest rage he'd ever felt, tears still streaming down his face. "I swear to God, I'll kill you!"

"However flattered I am by that statement," Mr. Montez smiled, brandishing the knife cover in Gabriella's blood in front of Troy's blue eyes, "Now do you see what you've gone made me do? Got her filthy blood all over me." Mr. Montez stood and made his way towards the stairs, then he turned and smiled to Gabriella's body on the floor, "You two are no fun."

The slamming of the basement door sent Troy to his knees, his eyes focused on Gabriella's body. The red satin on the lower left side of her back had his full attention. He pulled forward again, but the ropes still held him firm around the wrists. He let his head drop, his chin touching his chest as he roared into the basement floor, tears spilling from his eyes.

"…troy…" his blue eyes shot up, his body freezing. Gabriella had pushed herself up her hands and knees; her face tilted up to find his blue eyes. She crawled forward slowly, small droplets of blood following her.

"Gabby, stop," he pleaded with her, hot tears burning in his eyes, "stay still."

"I have to get you…away," she collapsed next to him, her hands slowly reaching up to the tight knots around his wrists. She fumbled with them, cursing her lack of coordination.

"Gabriella, please." his heart was breaking, "Don't move. Don't talk. Just, save your strength."

She let out a torn breath, her eyes focusing on the knots; "I have to get… you out of here."

Her shaky fingers loosened the knots around his wrists. He watched her, his eyes shifting down to the small puddle of blood pooling on the floor beside her. He felt the ropes fall off his wrists as Gabriella collapsed back to the ground. Troy immediately reached for his already torn sweatshirt, forgetting about his injured arm, that didn't matter. He lifted her up so he could wrap what was left of the fabric around her; he had to stop the bleeding!

"Gabriella," her eyes focused on his, "This is going hurt."

She nodded her head and shut her eyes, readying for the pain. He grabbed the sweatshirt sleeves, tying them in a tight knot around her stomach as he closed his eyes. Gabriella pulled away slightly, a small yell escaping her mouth.

"Have to…get you out," she relaxed and said, her eyes finding the small basement window. Troy went forward, reaching his hands out to wrap around her shoulders. He went to lift her up, but she gave a painful cry and he laid her back down immediately.

"You…get out," she repeated, her eyes finding his as her breath caught. She chocked and then coughed as his blues eyes widened in realization.

"What are you saying?" he asked, shocked.

"You have…to get away," she repeated, her eyes focusing on his.

"I won't leave you," he shook his head. "Gabriella, you can't ask me to leave you here. I can barley run with this leg anyway."

"Please," her hand unsteadily reached up to his cheek. He gripped it tightly in his; "I'll only…slow you down even more."

"But," he let tears slip from his eyes, "I love you. I can't leave you."

She gave him a weak smile, "I love…you too, but it's my fault…you're here, it's my…father. I have to…get you out."

"I can't," he chocked, shaking his head again, "leave you."

"Please, Troy," her voice was weak and pleading, "you need…to get out."

"Don't ask me to do this," his eyes were closed as his head shook. He couldn't believe she was asking him to leave her.

"You said…you would do anything…for me," she repeated the words he had said before this whole ordeal.

"This is different," he argued. "You're twisting my words against me."

"Troy, you need to get away," her voice was strong and stern; "I can't live the…rest of my life knowing that…my father hurt you."

"And I can't live the rest of my life knowing that I left you here to die!" his voice was louder than he wanted it to be, but she had to realize what she was asking him to do.

"You have to have faith," she recalled his words again; "If you don't have faith…he's won."

"I can't leave you," he repeated. "You're hurt; I can't leave you like this."

"You have to trust me, Troy…I'll be fine…I won't leave you." She promised, her hand wrapping tightly around his.

Troy closed his eyes and let out a sigh, the mental battle raging as his jaw clenched. Running was going to hurt like hell, but with all the adrenalin, he could do it, for her. "I'll come back for you." It was the first promise he knew he would keep. He would come back for her, he would get her out, and he would get her away from her father.

"I know," she smiled, her hand reaching up to the middle of his chest, "Now go."

He paused, the silence of the basement intensifying their situation. He could hear Gabriella's father's footsteps above their heads, the man's heavy boots beating down on the floor. Troy looked down to her as her fist tightened around his white and blue t-shirt.

"Go," she pushed him away weakly. He made it to his feet in an awkward move, his left leg felt like jelly. He shook it out as the pins and needles subsided. He limped his way over to the small window. It wasn't too high up, but the frame wasn't exactly a good fit.

"He's going to hear me break the glass," he spoke the words out loud, his mind searching for a simple plan.

"I'll buy you as much time as I can," her voice was stronger from her position on the floor. If she didn't move, she couldn't feel the pain in her back, Troy's sweatshirt giving her as much support as she needed.

"You sure?" his question granted him a sidelong glance. He nodded his head slightly, drawing back his right fist. He didn't even register that breaking the glass would hurt, he figured he was in as much pain as his body could feel, but it did. He felt every little shard of it rip across his knuckles, but he forgot the pain as he heard the monster above them roar.

"What the hell are you two doing down there!?" Mr. Montez's voice thundered, his heavy footsteps beating down on the floor. Just as Troy finished knocking all the remaining glass off the window, the basement door burst open. Troy could almost hear the hinges snapping under the force.

Troy's eyes flashed to Gabriella. Her eyes were closed, her body unmoving on the basement floor. Panic well up in his being as Mr. Montez came into view, storming down the stairs. He fought the strongest urge to go back to her, forget about escaping and just be with her.

"What are you thinking boy!" it was a roar that froze Troy. He was torn between getting away and going back to Gabriella. It was only when Mr. Montez started forward, that Gabriella stuck out her leg, no longer playing dead. Her father crashed to the floor, caught surprised by his daughter's outburst.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" her chocolate eyes burned with a strong fighting spirit as she wrapped her arms around her father's ankles. She gritted her teeth as an agonizing pain flared from her lower back. But she had to hold her father; she had to buy time for Troy to get away, "RUN TROY!"

The older man kicked back at her, connecting with her face as he tried to get out of her iron grip. Her grip only tightened as her panicked eyes flashed to Troy's. The boy gave her one last; long look, his face twisted in turmoil, but the fire in her eyes made him push himself out the tiny window, to freedom.

He bolted as soon as his feet were under him; the echoing roar of the struggle between Mr. Montez and Gabriella blocking out all pain. Tears came to his eyes as he burst through the tree line, an enraged roar escaping his mouth. One though cut through his distraught mind.

He had left her in hell.

Alone.

.-.-.-Insert Dramatic Music-.-.-.

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