Why ello there. –Waves-...no one is waving back…mm awk-waaard. Sorry for the long wait BUT I did forewarn you guys I probably was not going to keep updating this story. I don't know my muse comes and goes…


Disclaimer- Really this again? I own nothing except the brilliant idea of the plot of this story.

She stared at those big brown eyes, and that tongue hanging out, the wagging tail, as it thumped against the floor. She sighed. "This is your fault you know that right?"

The dog just put his head down and soon followed by his body and had sat by the little girls' feet. Rachel sighed again and patted his head "Its ok, we probably weren't meant to be runaway bandits anyway, you can't live without your morning jogs with daddy, and I still can't be in the dark without my nightlight."

Rachel was put on timeout, as she sat at the couch under the protective eye of Troy, as he talked on the phone with Gabriella, reassuring her that Rachel was fine and not lost , while trying to make dinner. If Rachel tried to make a run for it P.B. who was by now trained for these moments, was to bark and notify Troy. Sometimes Rachel wanted to trade her dog in for a quiet fish. She thought how she could train P.B. to bark whenever Gabriella came over so that way she could stay away for awhile, but soon the doorbell was rung and Rachel froze and stared at the door.

"Guess who's here now" Troy said while making a beeline for the door, now phone-less and free from Gabriella. He smirked at the frowning Rachel and opened the door. "Mom, Pop!" His parents engulfed him in a hug, with his mother pulling back "Troy, look at you, my baby!" She started pulling at his cheeks and smothering them with kisses like she did always, even though it hasn't been that long since she's seen him. "Ma, mooom come on" Troy tried pulling his mother away for awhile to no avail.

"Ok Judy, that's enough, let the man breathe, he's not a baby anymore, he has a baby of his own now remember" Troy's dad David tried to intervene.

"So, he's still my baby. He will soon now what I mean when Rachel is grown and married with little babies of her own, awe can you imagi-"She didn't get to finish when Troy cut her off "Mom, whoa slow down she still thinks boys have cooties and babies come from storks" He leaned in "Which is how I like to keep it for a looong time"

The grandparents nodded in understanding.

For the moment Rachel watched the moment with her dad and grandparents, thinking she was off the hook. That was until Gima turned her head towards her and smirked "Rachel..." Rachel tried to look everywhere but in her direction and pretended to not notice her. "Rachel Marie Bolton" Rachel winced, twice in one day with her full name, well she knew she wasn't getting any dessert tonight.

Judy made her way towards her sitting right beside her "Well first things first..." she stared at her little granddaughter "give Gima a hug" suddenly the older woman's hands were opened out ready for Rachel to jump in them, which only took seconds for her to give in and laugh and hug her grandmother tight and rock back and forth. In this position Rachel felt safe, like always, it was something about her grandmother that she felt nothing could touch or harm her, and everything would be alright when Gima was around, she figured that her mommys' love would be a thousand more, warmer and happier than what this felt like, which gave her more reason to not let Gabriella replace her. Judy rubbed the little girls back and stroked her blonde curls, and whispered to her "You know I love you right..." Rachel nodded and then gave her a kiss on the cheek, half to let her know she loved her too, and half to butter her up. Which was working if she said so herself, maybe she would forget about their talk they had to have?

"Hey what am I chopped liver" David said and walked up to his wife and granddaughter. Rachel wiggled from her Gima and hugged Grandpa's legs.

"I missed you sooo much Granpap" David lifted the little girl up in his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek and tickled her. "I missed you too, little lady."

Troy looked at his family, and smiled, he couldn't have asked for better parents and a better daughter. He was just sad and angry someone was missing out on this moment, and many others. He sighed.

Judy noticing her son's sudden mood change asked him "Troy something smells so good what are you cooking?"

"Just some recipe you lent me, for lasagna" Judy was known to be one of the cool moms/grandmas who could not only cook great, but baked and always had something in her kitchen warm and delicious.

"Oh lovely, it's about time you start listening to me and stop trying to invent new foods, you were giving my poor grandbaby food poisoning."

"Mom, I did nothing of the sort, she's fine. Besides she loves my tacos right" Troy said while looking at Rachel.

Rachel scrunched up her face and shook her head. Judy and David laughed. "Yeah, tacos aren't suppose to taste like burnt popcorn"

"Ay, way to hurt my creative pride" Troy pretended to be offended. "Hey aren't you suppose to be on my side" He said while poking Rachel.

Rachel laughed and hugged on to David tighter, "Not all the time, especially when you feed me lumpy oatmeal every morning"

Troy gasped "Hey you love my oatmeal"

"Troy no one loves oatmeal. Especially lumpy ones" Judy pointed out.

"Ouch, well oatmeal is out for the morning, I guess its back to cold cereal."

Rachel beamed up "YAAAY"

"Not the Lucky Charms kind..." Troy said knowing what Rachel thought, sugary marshmallows for breakfast again.

"Oh man" Rachel frowned.

Troy looked at Judy, who looked at David in return. A plan thought out they both started walking to the kitchen "Troy come show me where you keep the flour, I think I'm in a baking cookies mood" Judy said while on the way to the kitchen with Troy.

Rachel grew excited she LOVED Gima's cookies and she loved helping her make them, but before she could follow in tow, David brought her to the couch again. They sat down and he whispered "Not now Gima wants to talk with him alone." Rachel just nodded.

"So little lady tell me, what's the 411 at school, what's cool and not" David said while leaning back and petting Peanut Butter who made his way by him.

Rachel laughed "Grandpap, what's the 411 mean"

"Way too back in my time for you..." Rachel nodded again. "What's going on…?" That Rachel understood.

"Nothing much, I ate glue and had a math quiz on additions, the normal stuff"

David laughed at his little granddaughter and her innocent ways. "That's all huh"

"Well what about the news we heard today, how do you feel about that?"

Rachel knew this was coming, but she expected from her dad or Gima, not Grandpap, who was sometimes easier to talk to, he just sat there not staring at her or frowning just looking interested in what she had to say. She shrugged "I guess it's ok ...I don't know. I'm not marrying her"

David laughed "Well no...But if she marries your dad she will be your stepmom, you know that right" Rachel just nodded "Well how do you feel about that, is she nice, doe she make you feel comfortable"

Rachel without thinking said "I guess she's nice, she makes daddy happy and they seem to like each other, but…"

David just sat there petting P.B. "but…"

"…she's not mommy"

David knew of course what she was talking about. When Rachel was old enough, Troy and his parents decided to let at least know her moms' name and the basics of her and a few pictures here and there. As far as why she wasn't around, all she needed to know was that she had to go away. They didn't tell her more, and she never asked for more, untill Gabriella came in the picture, up till then all she wanted was a mom. She never said her mom, so that led Troy to Gabriella and his decision.

"Rach, listen I know you want a mom but-"

Rachel cut in "MY mom"

David sighed "Yes your mom" he sighed even more... "What led you to this, we told you she had to go away, you never asked about her coming back"

Rachel started to think, which made her cry a little "I don't know it's just Gabriella is nice but she's not like me, I want to me my mommy who's like me and see if we get along, and there has to be a reason daddy loved her. " She tried to stop crying "I just want to love her too; everyone got to meet her except me."

By this time, David was comforting her and hugging her "Rachel ...she loved you and I know you would lover her...but she just had to go… David tried to put it in words that she would understand, with out upsetting her more.

Troy and Judy who were now listening watched and looked at each other. Troy almost tearing up knew this was always going to be a touchy subject to talk about, he didn't know how to explain what her mother did and she left, and how not to badmouth her, him still being upset over it, but also he too was sad over her leaving as well and to this day can't fully comprehend why she had to leave.


Sharpay was pacing around the room, trying to clam down a screaming baby. "Sssh Rachel, its ok mommy is here, mommy will make it better" Rachel at almost a year old was cranky and would not stop crying all day. She had to sit down and rock her which was not working.

"Shar, I'm home" Troy came yelling in the room he was just coming back from part time classes at the county college.

"Sssh Troy, I'm trying to stay quiet and calm for Rachel, she hasn't taken her nap yet" Sharpay said in a distressed whisper.

Troy kissed Sharpay and then kissed the crying Rachel on her forehead "Oh what's wrong with my little sunshine. Did she miss daddy?" He took the baby from her mothers' hands and started bouncing her.

Sharpay wiped her forehead and sighed and then started to sit down while holding her head.

Troy looked at her "What's wrong babe, long day..."

Sharpay stared at him, with a look of disapproval in a way "No shit Troy, I didn't get to finish those damn internet classes, Rachel has been crying all freaking day and our bills just came in…"

"Whoa, whoa, Shar clam down" Troy tried to calm down his fiancé, who was working up a frenzy looking like she was about to punch a wall and cry at the same time.

Sharpay stood up and flung her arms around "Troy don't tell me to calm down, you weren't here ok, for the past few weeks you get to go to school and then you're here for an hour then go to work, and leave me alone and Rachel. And you don't feel…suffocated and tired and ..."

By this time Troy had Rachel calm and put her in her crib, to go over to Sharpay and put his hands on her shoulders "Baby, baby it's ok I' m here I know, I'm sorry look, as soon as I finish my classes you know you can start school"

At this time, finding and hiring baby sitter was out of the question for them. They had little money, and for wanting to get married and having a baby, the kids' parents agreed only little help. The Evans paid for their small three bedrooms, two floor house. And they would split the bill with the Boltons for the wedding, which everyone agreed would be low key, anyway intimate with close friends and family only. They had to start figuring some stuff out their own though. That meant cutting back and getting jobs. Sharpay first was the one to go to community college classes and Troy stayed home, but then Troy got a job at a mechanical shop one of his close friends dad gave to him. So Sharpay and he agreed she would stay home now and just take internet classes and Troy could start his classes which were by his work. Then he could get his credits up and transfers to a public college hopefully with a scholarship and gets a new job. Then Sharpay could finish her normal classes, when they had money saved up for baby sitting. Their parents would help baby sit when could but them having jobs as well prevented much help during the day.

Sharpay stopped and looked at Troy "I'm tired of being home, I Love Rachel but, all I do is clean and bath and cook. I have no life outside these walls"

"Sharpay I'm sorry but we have to just kind of hold out till we get to where we need to be, I'm tired of always going to classes and then work I would love to be here helping you." Troy ran his hand through his hair worn down and tired. He looked at distressed Sharpay who looked even more worn down and tired. She had a weird look in here eyes.

Sharpay looked at Troy "…something's has to change...something has to give"

This isn't the first time they had this discussion that first started out as fighting topic, but now was just a typical topic they brought up.

Troy confused looked at the clock "Shar listen I really am sorry but... I have to get to work, classes ran late. We can talk when I get back" He bent down gave her kiss. He gave Rachel a kiss on the forehead and smiled at his fiancé to lift her spirits. He walked out door.

Moments Later..

Troy walked in the quiet apartment, calling out Sharpay's name. She wasn't answering hopefully she wasn't still mad.

He walked into his room to find not Sharpay there but her mom, holding a sleeping Rachel. "Mrs. Evans what are you..."

Lisa stood up and looked at Troy with sad eyes, she pointed her head towards a note on his dresser. "Troy I'm going to go in the living room"

Troy watched her exit, and then contemplating if this was for real and, he hoped this wasn't what he thought it was, he read the note

Troy,

I am first beyond sorry, for my selfishness, I love Rachel and you beyond any understanding. That being said, I had to do this. I had to leave. I know there's nothing I could say that won't have you be upset and hate me. But I felt like I wasn't doing a very good job at mothering, and being a loving fiancé or a person I even wanted to be around, this has nothing to do with you guys, it's my own doing. I let myself slip into this, I thought that If I relied on everyone else I could be happy, I stopped trying to make things happen, so I let myself down. I hope you know I couldn't stand being around you guys, knowing I wasn't my usual self, and wasn't trying to be the best I could be. I can't wait for you to fix that, or my parents or yours. I have to do it. And it kills me to know that I need to run to do this, but I…I...don't know any other way. If there was, or is, I will be back in heartbeat. Once I can be better I will return at once. I never will stop thinking of you guys, and I love you sooo much, so much. I wish I had done something sooner so it didn't have to be this way. I don't know...I can't say much more, because I have to leave before I change my mind.

Troy don't let Rachel forget me, I left my necklace you gave me on her crib. Tell her good things of me please. I know that might be asking of too much. Don't tell her why I left, I don't want her thinking it was any of your faults. It's my own. But she wouldn't understand.

And Troy, I love you for being so strong. And so put together. At least one of us is. You are going to be the best father ever.

Love ALWAYS Sharpay Evans-Bolton.

Troy crumpled up the paper while wiping his cheek. He went to Rachel's crib and saw the necklace; he picked it up and thought of chucking it, but he couldn't. His hand wouldn't let go of the grip he had on it. He looked at his dresser and noticed her things were missing. He finally noticed the emptiness of the room, without her stuff, without her. But he noticed their picture of them at the hospital when Rachel was just born, was missing from its frame.

Lisa came back with Rachel and handed her to Troy. She looked at his red teary eyes and cried a little of her own. "I'm sorry Troy, she called me over said it was an emergency, by the time I got here she just ran past me, and said she had to go somewhere. By the time I realized the note and her stuff missing she was already off. She left her phone. I called your parents and her dad Nathan they went out looking for her, but so far nothing..."

Troy said nothing, trying to take this in, and just hugged his daughter tighter "Thank you." He said barely above a whisper. Lisa nodded and rubbed his back. "Want me to stay, help with Rachel?" Troy not knowing if he wanted to be alone just shrugged. Lisa being a parent took over control "I'll go call Nathan, Judy, and David, see if anything happened." She walked out.

Troy kissed his daughter on her head and rocked her then he put her down in her crib. He looked at her, how was he ever going to explain this to her, how was he going to do this without Sharpay, was she coming back …so many questions. Feeling defeated and angry and sad, he just took out a picture of Sharpay from his wallet, one where she's smiling rubbing her very pregnant belly. He kissed it. Looked at it, and set it down in Rachel's crib" Now that was your mom" he sighed "That woman, who left us, is someone I don't know..." Apparently she didn't know herself either…


Troy huffed and shifted in his position. Judy rubbed his back. "Its ok sweetie." Judy whispered. This broke everyone's heart.

Troy looked at the necklace around Rachel's neck, the necklace she left behind. She left behind her daughter, her fiancée, her family. It was now his job to pick up the pieces.


Dun dun dun duuunnnn….Interesting turn of events riiight? Don't hate me see I put that flashback in there for you :). No not enough? What do you want from me? I'm sorry. But hey I was going to hold out on that flashback for awhile. You lucky readers, you. If it seems a little off or you're confused don't worry things will clear up. I have more in store. Hey wouldn't you like to know where Sharpay ran too? Cause I know. Wouldn't you like to hear her POV from that night, because I already know what happened! Sooo many things to explain. Haha. Was that sad, I'm sorry. Be happy XD. I have a happy ending in store…maybe...before all the DRAMA…! Dun dun dunnnn. Well boys and gals review please. And sorry for the lack of spell-check and grammar check, it's late...yeah. Hey by the way go check my profile to check out ways to bug me to get me to write more chapters often. Cause it gets interesting.