Disclaimer: I do not own the High School Musical franchise
Chapter Seven: Safe & Sound
Don't you dare look out your window
Darling everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold on to this lullaby
Even when the music's gone
Gone
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you know
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
-"Safe & Sound" Taylor Swift
Lt. Provenza cleared his throat and looked up at his partner. They'd both delivered bad news before. It was their job. But this fragile looking girl in front of him made it that much harder, "Miss Montez," he began.
"Gabriella," she interrupted Lt. Provenza, "please call me Gabriella." Her eyes dropped down to her hands.
"Very well, Gabriella, we have some difficult news." He cleared his throat.
"Well I wouldn't expect you to be here if you were telling me we won the lottery." She sighed and rubbed her temples. She could predict the news they were going to deliver. It was obvious they were homicide detectives. They were in plain clothes. They looked exhausted and sad for her. Her parents were dead.
Lt. Flynn crouched down in front of her and took her hands, "There was a terrorist attack. A plane out of Houston headed to Miami was driven into a building."
Gabriella shuddered, but nodded. "It's September 11th." She looked down at their hands, "Again. It happened again on September 11th."
Lt. Provenza nodded, "It seems that they're marking the anniversary. This time in Texas."
Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut and willed the tears to stay at bay until she could get home. "And my parents were on the passenger manifest."
Lt. Flynn nodded, "They were. And there were no survivors."
Gabriella withdrew her hands, "I think I'd like to go home now. And if there is anything you gentlemen need from me, you can find me there." She stood up, forcing Lt. Flynn to back away.
"Of course Gabriella. I realize this is a very difficult time for you and if there's anything I or any of the other faculty members can do for you, please let me know." Principal Matusi eyed her warily as she picked up her books.
"Please inform Mrs. Darbus of what has happened." She placed her hand on the doorknob. "I'll be in touch Principal Matusi."
"Gabriella," Lt. Provenza spoke up, "we will stop by your house this afternoon." He gestured between himself and Lt. Flynn, "To discuss Allie with you."
Gabriella stilled and then suddenly spun around, "You will not take my little sister from me. You will not separate us."
Lt. Flynn raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "That's not our intention. You are now eighteen you legally have the right to have custody of your sister. We will be doing a check to determine what living relatives you have."
"Just a grandmother in Miami. She had a stroke. That's why my parents were on the plane to begin with." Gabriella turned the knob and opened the door, "I will see you gentlemen this evening." She closed the door behind her.
Gabriella didn't even stop by her locker, she just went straight through the front doors of the school, to her car, passing the security guard without responding to his "And where do you think you're going?" Within two minutes she was on the highway headed home.
She opened the front door quietly and set her bag and car keys down by the hallway table. "Mrs. Hernandez?" She asked.
Ava Hernandez came into the hallway carrying the baby monitor, "Why Gabriella, carina what are you doing home this early?"
Gabriella closed her eyes, "My parents are dead."
Mrs. Hernandez dropped the baby monitor. She and Gabriella watched it shatter into pieces on the tile floor. "Que?"
"A terrorist ran their airplane into a building while it was still over Texas. There were no survivors. So unless they missed their flight, my parents are dead."
Digging in her pocket, Ava Hernandez pulled her cell phone out, scrolling until she found Gabriella's parents' names. She cringed as both phone calls went to voicemail. "Gabriella." She whispered the girl's name.
Gabriella just shook her head and moved towards the living room. Laying down on the sofa she closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears as Allie started crying. This isn't happening. This just isn't happening. This only happens in movies and books. This isn't happening. This is all a dream. A very bad nightmare. And when I wake up my parents will be here. And Allie will be crying. And Nicole will be shoving me. And everything will be as it was. Perfect.
HSMHSMHSM
"I heard police officers escorted her out of the school in cuffs. Apparently she's in jail for murder!"
"No, no it wasn't that bad, she's a just a drug mule for the Cartel."
"You both have it wrong. You heard of the Bling Ring out in LA well she's part of one here. I heard the Evans and the Boltons and the Murphys and the Danforths are all on her list of houses to hit. She just got caught first."
Troy frowned as he listened to the gossip around him. Everyone had been called into the gym for an announcement. Where was Gabriella? And why was everyone talking about her being escorted out by the police in AP Chem? Why didn't I opt to take two sciences? Why just AP Biology? Then I could've been watching her better. The only thing he knew for sure was that she wasn't in school anymore today.
"I don't know what's going on Kels," Troy spun slightly at Taylor McKessie's voice she and Kelsi were sitting right behind him, "I told you all I know, two cops and the principal showed up and Gabriella left. I told her to call me tonight. I think I might swing by there though. I don't know."
"Students." Principal Matusi was standing in the center of the gym flanked by the faculty and administration. "Can I please have everyone's attention now." The gym didn't quiet, "I said now." A hush fell over the large room. "I have some unsettling news," Principal Matusi scratched his head and looked around. A couple of the younger female faculty members had started breaking down in tears, "it appears our country has been rocked by another terrorist attack." Chaos erupted. "Quiet!" He shouted, once again commanding the attention of the room, "A plane out of Houston to Miami was run into the capitol building in Texas. Two of the passengers on the manifest were parents of a student here at East High. So I expect everyone to behave in a respectful manner about the incident as we all come together to support our nation and those who have lost loved ones."
"Kelsi," Taylor's voice was hushed, "Gabi's parents were on a flight from Houston to Miami."
Troy put his head in his hands, Gabriella's parents were the members of our community who were killed. Poor Gabriella. Zeke shook Troy's arm, "Dude what's wrong?"
Troy shrugged him off, "Troy be nice to Zeke." Sharpay scolded him from Zeke's other side. Troy looked up and glared at her. She shut up.
HSMHSMHSM
"Gabi?" Gabriella hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until she felt someone shaking her shoulder.
"Tay maybe we better leave her alone."
Gabriella's eyes fluttered open, Kelsi and Taylor were kneeling by the sofa she was laying on, "Hey girls." She murmured.
"Hey sweetie," Taylor gently combed through her hair, "we heard what happened. They announced it at school."
Gabriella sat up, "That my parents were dead?"
"No that we'd had another September 11th. Then they released everyone for the day so we could grieve." Kelsi sat down next to Gabriella. She rested her head on Gabriella's shoulder.
"Yeah grieve." Gabriella shut her eyes and moved over so Taylor could sit on her other side. "I don't know what happens now." She whispered.
"We get through this together." Taylor murmured.
Kelsi nodded and wrapped her arm around Gabriella's waist, "Together."
"Gabriella?" Mrs. Hernandez stood in the doorway, "Are you hungry carina?"
Gabriella shook her head no, "Is Allie awake?"
Mrs. Hernandez nodded, "Yes she's in the playpen in the kitchen. I moved it so she wouldn't wake you."
"I think I'll go get her." Gabriella stood up and moved quickly from the kitchen and back to the living room. Just as she sat down the door rang. "The police." She murmured as she looked down at Allie who was beaming up at her.
"I'll get it." Gabriella, Kelsi and Taylor watched as Mrs. Hernandez floated the door and greeted the cops.
"I'm going to start cooking you something to eat. You need to eat carina." Mrs. Hernandez left Lt. Provenza, Lt. Flynn and an older woman in the living room doorway.
"Please come in and make yourselves at home." Gabriella did her best to smile, "These are my best friends Taylor and Kelsi and this is my baby sister Allie."
"Gabriella," Lt. Flynn gave her a smile, "this is Courtney Carson, she's a social worker."
Gabriella stilled for just a moment before standing and walking over to shake the woman's hand, "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Carson." She noted the wedding band on her left hand.
"Please call me Courtney dear. We have a lot to discuss tonight."
Gabriella motioned for everyone to sit as she went back to her spot between Taylor and Kelsi, with Allie on her lap. "So what happens next." Gabriella took a deep breath.
"The search on your family was very easy to do. As you said your only family was your grandmother." Lt. Provenza began.
Gabriella raised a hand and Allie cooed and immediately reached for it, "Was?"
Lt. Flynn and Lt. Provenza passed a look between them, "She passed away at 11:20 this morning in Miami. You have no family left." Lt. Flynn informed her.
Gabriella's head dropped and she took a few deep breaths before looking back up, "Alright, now what?"
"Your parents it seemed left no guardianship for you or your sister. Therefore, you are her legal guardian. You are her only family."
"But I'm only eighteen." Gabriella murmured, looking down at the little girl in her arms, "How do I take care of a two month old?"
Courtney Carson adjusted her glasses, "You can always give her up for adoption or put her in foster care."
Gabriella let out a small screech that started Allie, "Are you fucking nuts?" She could see that the woman was taken aback at her tone.
"Gabriella take a breath," Kelsi rubbed circles on her back, "just breathe for a minute."
"I will not give my sister up. I've volunteered with those children. I know what those homes are like. Absolutely not. She is my baby sister. She is my responsibility and I won't have you in my home suggesting anything like that." Gabriella stood up and handed Allie to Kelsi, "I think you may need to leave Mrs. Carson."
"Gabriella," Taylor stepped forward, "I think Mrs. Carson was just making a suggestion, one that you clearly won't take, but that's it. She didn't mean that you had to give Allie up. We all know you'd never do that."
Gabriella took a breath, "Fine." She sat back down and took Allie from Kelsi, using the baby to calm her down.
"Your parents attorney has their will and estate papers I'm sure. You can go over them with him." Courtney adjusted her glasses as she spoke with more trepidation than before. "I have spoken to Brian Hershorin. It seems your parents were financially stable and you had a trust."
"Yes my parents were very fortunate. And I should have enough for the moment." Gabriella fiddled with the sock on Allie's tiny foot, "Although I should probably get a job. The last thing I need is to blow through all of my trust money. Or Allie's." She muttered the last part to herself. "If I am eighteen why are you involved anyhow?" Gabriella shot accusingly at Courtney Carson.
Mrs. Carson sighed and shuffled the papers in her binder. "It's my job. I need to make sure you are alright. The state wants to make sure"
"What I do is none of the state's concern. I am a legal adult and do not need the government's supervision. The government needs to focus on stopping things like planes ramming into buildings." Gabriella's voice rose.
"Gabriella, Allie is two months old you are hardly equipped to handle her." Mrs. Carson fished through some papers in her binder and handed them to Taylor. "These papers detail foster care and adoption options."
Gabriella stood up and handed Kelsi Allie again. She marched to the front door and held it open, "Good day Mrs. Carson, please never set foot in my house again. Lt. Flynn, Lt. Provenza, if I must have a social worker please find me someone more qualified for the job." She watched as the social worker fled the house.
The officers remained by the front door, "Gabriella, I realize this is a difficult time and that you are old enough not to need a social worker, but we want to make sure you're"
"What?" Gabriella interrupted Lt. Flynn, "Fine? Would you be fine if you're parents were rammed into a building while in a plane? Would you be okay after finding out only hours before?"
"We'll be in touch Gabriella." Lt. Provenza motioned to his partner that they should just leave. And he shut the door on their way out.
"Gabriella?" Mrs. Hernandez stood in the hallway looking down at the girl who'd grown into quite a responsible young woman who now needed to become an adult in a matter of hours, "What would you like to do?"
Gabriella started laughing, "Me? How should I know?" She continued laughing, "It's a bit ridiculous though isn't it? All of this so suddenly?"
Mrs. Hernandez walked over to the trembling girl she'd known for so long, and wrapped her arms around her, "Carina we will figure this out. I'm not going anywhere. I mean honestly, you moved here a year ago and Carlos and I followed when we found out Allie was coming. I'm not leaving you now."
"So you'll stay and help me with Allie?" Gabriella asked, suddenly feeling like a small child.
"Of course carina. Carlos and I will be here. We'd even move in if you wanted." She paused, "Or you two could move in with us."
Gabriella paused at the thought, "I don't know Mrs. Hernandez."
"Gabi we're here too." Taylor spoke up from the doorway of the living room, "And we'll help however we can."
"Definitely." Kelsi moved Allie from one arm to the other, "Whatever you need."
The ringing of Gabriella's cell phone stopped the conversation as she moved to the hallway table to dig through her bag, she didn't recognize the number, "Hello?"
"Hey Gabriella it's Troy." Gabriella's eyes widened and then closed, of course he found out what her cell phone number was he was Troy Bolton and of course he knew her parents were the ones who'd died.
"Hi." She mumbled into the phone.
"Can we talk?"
"No."
"Can I see you?"
"No."
"Are you alone?"
"No."
"Later tonight?"
Gabriella hesitated, before responding, "Yes. I'll call you." She hung up without waiting for his response.
"Is everything okay Gabs?" Kelsi's head fell to the side as she asked.
"Just the attorney." Gabriella set her phone on the hallway table. "Girls I think I need to talk to Mrs. Hernandez for a while. Can I call y'all later?" She stepped forward to take Allie from Kelsi and hugged the girls as they nodded and left. She turned to Mrs. Hernandez once the door was closed, "So how do you plan a funeral?"
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MAS