Troy looked at Gabriella as tears ran down her face. His heart broke. He hated when she cried, especially if he was the cause. Troy wiped Gabriella's tears away, but they were replaced with fresh ones.
"Baby, I need you to talk to me" Troy said softly.
"What if in the future, when everything is stable, we don't? What if you fall out of love with me?" Gabriella asked.
"It won't happen, Gabriella. I will always love you. There is no doubt about it. You are the love of my life and the mother of my child" Troy softly.
Gabriella took a shaky breath and swallowed hard.
"Can I ask why you are crying?" Troy asked.
"I don't want you to fall out of love with me" Gabriella said.
"That's why you want to get married now?" Troy confirmed.
Gabriella nodded embarrassed of her reasoning.
"Babe, look at me" Troy said.
Gabriella looked at Troy, with tears in her eyes.
"You thinking that I'm going to fall out of love with you shouldn't be a reason to rush and get married. The reason we should get married is that we love each other more than anything. I know that you are thinking about down the line and that's normal. I think about it too sometimes. But, it shouldn't be a reason to get married. Do you understand?" Troy asked softly.
Gabriella nodded.
"I love you, Gabriella. I do. Don't think that I don't" Troy said.
"I love you too" Gabriella said.
The couple sat wrapped in each other's arms for a couple moments silently. Troy looked down at Gabriella and saw her eyes close and he knew that she was thinking. He kissed her head softly.
"How about we go upstairs and get some sleep hmm?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"Okay" Troy said softly.
Troy stood up and held his hands out. Gabriella took her boyfriend's hands and he helped her to a standing position. The couple walked upstairs hand in hand. Gabriella checked on Grace and made sure that she was still sleeping, which thankfully she was. The couple then walked into their bedroom and got into bed. Gabriella snuggled into Troy's chest. Troy put his hand on the small of Gabriella's back.
"I love you" Troy said.
"I love you too" Gabriella said.
Troy leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips softly. The couple fell asleep. The next morning, Gabriella woke up to feeling something on her stomach. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Grace smiling and sitting on her stomach.
"Hi baby, where's daddy?" Gabriella asked.
"Bath" Grace said.
Troy came out of the bathroom and smiled.
"Good morning" Troy said.
"Morning" Gabriella said.
Troy walked over to the bed and leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips.
"Did you change her?" Gabriella asked.
Troy nodded.
"She's been changed, fed, and had her milk. She's all set to go" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"Thank you" Gabriella said.
"You are most welcome" Troy said.
"Mommy" Grace said.
Gabriella smiled and looked at her daughter.
"Yes baby?" Gabriella said.
"Kiss daddy?" Grace asked.
"I already did" Gabriella said.
"Again. Again" Grace said.
Gabriella giggled. Troy smiled listening to the mother and daughter conversation. Gabriella leaned in and kissed Troy's lips softly. Grace giggled.
"You like when mommy kisses me?" Troy asked.
Grace nodded. Troy leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips softly.
"Grace kisses?" Grace asked.
Troy kneeled down and kissed Grace. Gabriella did the same. Grace giggled.
"What are we going to do today?" Gabriella asked.
"We have plans today and tomorrow" Troy said.
Gabriella looked at her boyfriend confused.
"What are you talking about?" Gabriella asked.
"I was reading online about young first time parents and their experiences with having kids and their relationship with their partners. Almost all of the articles said that once a month you should make two days free to be with your significant other. To work on your relationship, talk, etcetera. So, mom already agreed to watch Grace until we get back. Your bag is in the car already" Troy said.
"You are crazy wildcat" Gabriella said.
"Come on, we have to drop her off at mom's" Troy said motioning to Grace.
The couple and Grace left the house and dropped their daughter off at the Bolton's. Troy then started driving to their destination.
"Where are we going?" Gabriella asked.
"It's a surprise" Troy said.
An hour later, Troy parked the car.
"Why are we at the airport?" Gabriella asked.
"We are going on an adventure" Troy said.
"Troy" Gabriella whined.
"Still can't tell you where we are going baby. You are going to have to wait" Troy said.
The couple checked their bags in and then waited at the gate. Once their flight had been called, they boarded.
"Where are we going Troy?" Gabriella asked.
Troy looked at Gabriella, who was completely oblivious to where they were going.
"Well my dear, we have been through hell and back together in the last year. We needed some time to ourselves and I thought what better way to do that than to go back to where it all began" Troy said.
Gabriella's eyes grew in size.
"We are going to Colorado?" Gabriella asked.
Troy nodded.
"We are" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled. She leaned in and kissed Troy's lips.
"I thought that being there would bring us back to why we fell in love in the first place" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"That's so sweet of you, Troy" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled. The plane took off. A couple hours later, their plane arrived in Colorado and the couple rented a car and picked up their bags at baggage claim. They then drove to the ski lodge, where they would be staying and checked into their room. Once the couple got settled, Gabriella wanted to take a shower. As she showered, Gabriella heard the door open and smiled. She felt Troy's hands start to explore and she turned around to face him. Troy leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips with as much passion as he could give. He pulled back slowly and helped Gabriella wash her hair and her body. After she was clean, Troy turned off the water. They dried themselves off and changed into clothes and Gabriella looked at him confused.
"I didn't plan it out in my head" Troy said holding a condom in his hand.
Gabriella smiled and nodded.
"Thankfully you stopped when you did" Gabriella said.
Troy looked at Gabriella and smiled.
"I didn't bring you here to try to convince you to have sex. That's not why we are here okay? So don't feel like we have to" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled. She knew he was trying to respect her wishes and remembered their discussion that they had had about having sex again.
"I know. But, thank you for telling me" Gabriella said.
The couple got into bed and just laid in each other's arms.
"Do you remember the night we met?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded against Troy's chest.
"I remember it like it was yesterday" Gabriella said.
"You were reading a book. Or at least trying to" Troy said.
Gabriella giggled and nodded.
"It was a good night" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded.
"The best" Troy said kissing Gabriella's cheek.
Gabriella moved so she was straddling Troy's chest. She leaned down and kissed Troy's lips softly.
"Thank you for bringing me here, babe. It's the perfect getaway and the break that we needed" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"I love you and we needed to just love each other for a couple days by ourselves. Without Grace or anyone" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"I love you too. Even though I miss my baby already" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and rubbed Gabriella's thigh.
"I miss her too. But, today and tomorrow is mommy and daddy time" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. Troy leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips.
"Okay?" Troy said.
"Okay" Gabriella said.
The next morning, Gabriella woke up and smiled when she saw Troy sleeping. She loved when they would just be in bed, lying as close as they could possibly be to each other.
"Getting a nice view?" Troy asked with his eyes closed.
Gabriella's eyes widened. Troy opened his eyes slowly and chuckled at Gabriella's shocked look on her face.
"Good morning" Gabriella mumbled.
"Good morning baby" Troy mumbled.
Troy kissed Gabriella's lips softly.
"Sleep well?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"What are we going to do today?" Gabriella asked.
"We could walk around and explore. We didn't really do that the last time we were here" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"If you want to" Troy added.
"I want to. But, give me ten more minutes of snuggling time please" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and wrapped his arms around Gabriella's bare back. Gabriella leaned in and kissed Troy's lips. Troy kissed Gabriella back and pulled away slowly, only for Gabriella to kiss him. The couple laid in each others arms just kissing and touching. They hadn't had time alone in a long time. An hour later, Gabriella's head was on Troy's chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating.
"I love you so much. You know that right?" Gabriella asked.
Troy nodded and entwined their fingers together and kissed Gabriella's.
"I love you too Brie. Do you understand now why we needed this?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"I've missed this" Gabriella said.
"Me too. Do you want to go explore?" Troy asked.
"Yeah" Gabriella said.
The couple got dressed and left the hotel. They walked around the ski lodge and reminisced about when they first met. A couple hours later, Troy and Gabriella returned to the hotel room. Gabriella sat on the bed and saw a box. Not just any box. But a ring box.
"Babe?" Gabriella called.
Troy walked out of the bathroom and smiled when he saw Gabriella looking at the ring box.
"What did you find?" Troy asked jokingly.
Gabriella looked up and smiled.
"This better not be-" Gabriella started.
"Why don't you open it first and see what it is" Troy said.
Gabriella opened the box and gasped.
"It's beautiful. But it still better not-" Gabriella started.
"Okay, let me explain what this is. Gabriella, you are the love of my life and the mother of my child. Every single day I fall more and more in love with you. We have gone through so much together and I could never see my life without you or Grace. You are the one that I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want to grow old with you, have a couple more babies with you, love you forever, and everything in between. You are my best friend. This is not an engagement ring. I know that you think it is, but it's not. It's a promise that I will always love you and never do anything to hurt you. I want to marry you one day and this is a reminder of that" Troy said.
Gabriella had tears running down her cheeks.
"Troy" Gabriella cried.
"Too much?" Troy asked.
Gabriella shook her head and cried.
"I love you" Gabriella cried.
Troy smiled and wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you too sweetheart. Forever and always. I promise" Troy said.
"Forever and always" Gabriella repeated.
Troy nodded.
"Do you want me to put it on your finger?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded. Troy slid the ring onto Gabriella's ring finger. Gabriella looked at the ring and smiled.
"It's beautiful, Troy" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"I had help from dad. I can't take all the credit" Troy said.
Gabriella kissed Troy's lips softly. Later that day, the couple had arrived home. Troy and Gabriella walked into the house and smiled when they saw Grace running towards them. Troy caught Grace in his arms.
"Hi baby girl. Did you miss us?" Troy asked.
"Daddy" Grace said.
Troy smiled and kissed Grace's cheek. He held Grace on his hip. Gabriella kissed Grace's cheek. The rest of the day, the little family relaxed around the house. The couple was so happy to know that they were both in a good place in their relationship. A year later, Gabriella and Troy had gotten engaged and were getting married. Troy and his groomsmen and family members were in the groom's suite when Grace came into the room.
"Troy, I think a little girl is trying to find her daddy" Chad said.
Troy smiled. He picked his daughter up and spun her around. Grace looked exactly like Gabriella. Her hair was long and dark brown. She had Troy's cobalt blue eyes and his smile.
"Hi sweetheart, where's mama?" Troy asked.
"With mommy. Mommy wanted me to give you a present" the two-and-a-half-year-old said.
"What is it?" Troy asked as Grace handed him the wrapped box.
"I don't know. Open it daddy!" Grace said.
"Okay, you have to help me though" Troy said.
Grace and Troy opened the box. Troy smiled when he saw the family picture of the three of them. He saw an envelope attached to it and opened it.
Wildcat,
Can you believe we are getting married today? I certainly can't. We have gone through so much in the seven years that we have been together. I couldn't have picked a better man to call my husband and father of my child than you. I don't know how I could live without you and I'm so happy that I never have to find out. I can't wait to finally call you my husband even though we've been basically married for the past two and a half years. Haha. Joke. I love you more than words can express. See you at the altar.
Love,
Gabriella
Troy smiled. He leaned down and kissed Grace's cheek.
"Tell mommy that I love her okay?" Troy said.
"Okay daddy" Grace said.
"Alright sweetheart. I'll see you in a little while okay? I love you baby" Troy said.
"I love you daddy" Grace said.
Troy's heart swelled every time he heard that. He was ecstatic when Grace could finally talk in complete sentences and actually say "I love you daddy". An hour later, Troy was waiting at the altar. The ceremony had started and the doors had just opened. Grace was the first one to walk down the aisle. Troy had tears running down his face as he watched his daughter walk down the aisle and over to him. He kneeled down and kissed Grace's cheek and then stood up and took her hand in his. The bridesmaids then came down the aisle, one by one. Finally, their song started to play and Troy swallowed hard and held Grace's hand tighter. Gabriella walked down the aisle in her wedding dress that fit her body perfectly. Her hair was down and in soft curls. Once she got to the altar, Gabriella kneeled down and Grace ran into her arms. She kissed her daughter's cheek softly and then stood back in her place. The ceremony went smoothly and before they knew it, the couple was married and off to their honeymoon.