A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT. I'm actually very happy with this chapter. I have a lot of action and less dialogue in the opening and for anyone who hasn't noticed action isn't my strongest point in writing lol. But I'm very happy with what I did in this chapter so I hope you all enjoy it.

Gabriella ran and ran, tears were streaming down her cheeks like never ending waterfalls. Everything Chad said to her was true, her father was dead and he was never coming back. That didn't mean that it hurt her any less to hear it. Especially with his anniversary coming up. There was only one person she could go to right now and there was no way she would turn her away.

She ran into her mother's office building and ran until she reached her mother's office. She yanked opened the door but gasped at what she saw. There was her mother sitting on her desk with her shirt up above her chest as she made out with a strange man allowing him to run his hands all over her upper body. Her breathing got harder. She squeezed her eyes closed hoping, just hoping it was all a bad dream.

When she opened them again everything was the same. They hadn't even noticed her. She was so wrapped up in this man she didn't even noticed her daughter, who was crying hysterically. So this was why she's been spending so much time at the office. To make out with a man who wasn't her father, she spent his anniversary month making out with some stranger. Shaking her head Gabriella couldn't watch this anymore, she turned and ran right out the door and out of the office. There was only one other place Gabriella could go where she'd feel safe. She didn't even stop when she heard the thunder in the distance.

When she got about half way there it started to pour down rain, thunder was crashing in the sky and lighting was striking every couple seconds. Gabriella didn't care. The rain mixed with the tears still streaming down her cheeks. She continued to run as fast as she could, her feet pounding on the soaked ground matching her pounding heart.

Finally she reached her father's grave. She stopped and looked down at the head stone.

Greg Montez

Loving son, husband, and father

Tragically taken from this word May be RIP

Gabriella sunk down to her knees.

"Daddy I'm sorry. I'm sorry daddy. I'm so sorry! If I never suggested we go out, you'd still be alive. It's all my fault you're dead. I killed you and I'm so sorry!"

Gabriella collapsed to the ground just crying hysterically. She curled herself into a ball and rocked back and forth.

"Mommy why did you have to leave me like this!"

Finally her eyes closed and she let the darkness take over her. With each clap of thunder and each flash of lighting she was awoken from her sleep. She was now soaked to the bone but still didn't care. She just laid there in the pouring rain shacking uncontrollably and crying hysterically.

She could hear footsteps coming closer…and closer. A hand was placed on her shoulder not knowing who it was or what they were going to do she flinched and whimpered. "Please don't hurt me!" Then she heard his voice.

"Is ok Gabriella I'm not going to hurt you. Can you turn around?"

She knew that voice anywhere. "Troy…" she whimpered.

"It's me baby girl can you turn around and look at me" he asked again?

She rolled over to face him. Troy gasped. She was really pale and looked almost sick. She was shaking dangerously and was just about ready to burst into tears.

He gently but quickly put on the other jacket he had grabbed and lifted the hood up over her head. He lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. He felt her fingers grip onto his shirt. He put one hand under her knees and the other around her waist and lifted her carrying her bridal style. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and just continued to cry.

"Shhhh baby shhh. I'm here it's all right. I've got you. You're safe." He soothed.

"I killed him!" she cried. "I killed him and now my mommy hates me."

"What? Baby, that isn't true. You didn't kill anybody and your mother loves you."

"If she loved me she wouldn't have done what she did!"

"Baby, she's caught up in work. It doesn't mean she doesn't love you."

"IT'S NOT WORK!" Gabriella screeched. "IT WAS NEVER WORK! SHE BETRAYED DADDY AND SHE BETRAYED ME!"

"Brie, what are you talking about?"

Gabriella just continued to cry into his neck. Troy sighed and walked to the car, luckily he had brought his dad's car with him. He set her down and put her seat belt around here. Gabriella started to cry harder. She reached her arms out to him.

"Troy!"

"Oh baby." Troy cooed. His heart broke seeing her like this. "Hey, I'm right here. I'm right here. You're safe. You don't have to be scared everything is going to be ok."

"Troy!" she cried again.

Troy hugged her. "Everything is ok sweetie. I know you're scared and upset but I promise we will be home real soon. Once we get home you can chance into some of my nice warm clothes. Maybe we can make some hot coco, and cuddle on the couch and watch some Zac Efron ok?"

Gabriella nodded again him. "I'm cold."

Troy pulled back and grabbed a blanket from the back seat. Whenever he and his family went on long car trips his mother would get cold so they always kept the blanket in the car for her. He laid it over Gabriella hoping to warm her up.

"Let's get you home."

He closed her door and quickly went around to the other side. He quickly started to drive home. The quicker he got home the better she was going to be.

They got about half way there when Gabriella spoke.

"Take me home."

"I am sweetie, we're almost there just hang on a little longer."

"No, take me home…to my home. I need to get something there. Please?"

"Ok, we can stop there if you want."

Gabriella nodded. Troy made a small turn and headed down a different road.

Once they reached the house Gabriella unbuckled her seatbelt and looked to Troy. "You can wait here. I'll be right back."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'll be real quick. Plus after everything do you really think I'd hesitate to leave you if I didn't want to?"

Troy chuckled and shook his head. "All right you made your point."

Gabriella got up and went into the house. She quickly went into the garage, she dug through a bunch of boxes. She finally found the one she was looking for. It was labeled Gabriella's Baby Box She quickly opened it and grabbed what she was looking for and quickly headed back to the house. She lifted her shirt and stuffed the object under her shirt to keep it dry and went back into the car. Once the door was closed she pulled a stuffed pink bear with white hearts on it from under her shirt. Troy looked at it. She blushed.

"I had seen this bear once and really wanted it. My mother didn't have money to get me this bear so I couldn't get it. My next birthday my dad went to Build-a-Bear Workshop by himself just to make and get me this bear. So many men teased him and so many people laughed at a grown man going into Build-a-Bear without a daughter but he didn't care. He even did that little rubbing the heart dance. He did it all for me just so I could have the bear I wanted. I know it childish now because I'm sixteen but I just…I don't know I needed it."

"It's not childish Brie, I think it's very sweet and a lovely caring background story." He smiled when Gabriella hugged and cuddled the bear close to her. "What's her name?"

"Sweet Heart Bear, you know like the care bears, he made up his own name."

"I like it. I think it fits perfect."

Gabriella smiled. "Thank you."

Troy smiled back happy to see her a bit more relaxed and opened than before. He started to drive again and make his way back home.

Finally they made it back home. "Everyone is still here." Troy said.

"I don't want to talk to anybody Troy, they're all going to ask where I went and what happen and I just…I can't handle questions right now."

Troy sighed. "We've got to go inside. I promise I will not let anyone upset you though. I know you don't want to talk about what you saw at your mom's office."

Gabriella's head snapped to him. "H-how did…did you…."

"I went there first, you're moms assistant said she saw you leaving there crying harder than when you first walked in."

Gabriella looked out the window. "I don't know what she's talking about. I never went there."

"Hey," Troy said as he gently rubbed her leg. When she looked at him he continued. "We don't have to talk about it. At least night tonight. We can just go inside. Show everyone you're ok, send them home, get you a nice hot shower, and cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. How does that sound?"

Gabriella gave a small smile. "It sounds perfect."

Troy got out of the car and went over to Gabriella's side. He opened her door and lifted her out bridal style. He quickly made his way back inside. Everyone rushed over to them. Gabriella whimpered and hid her face into Troy's neck pulling her bear closer to her chest.

"Easy guy, she really shaken up."

"Is she ok?" Taylor asked.

"Physically she's ok. Mentally she's shaken but she's going to be all right. Thank you guys for waiting."

"Now that we know everything is ok with Gabriella , I think you should all head home. It is a school night." Jack said.

"My dad is right, Gabriella and I are just going to go to sleep anyway."

Everyone nodded and followed Jack out the door. Troy set Gabriella onto her feet.

"Hey Gabriella." Chad said before he left. "I'm sorry if what I said upset you. I wasn't thinking when I said it and I really didn't mean to hurt you the way I did."

Gabriella nodded her head. "I forgive you Chad. Have a good night."

Chad left. Gabriella sighed and clutched her bear to her chest.

"Come on let's get you out of these wet clothes and into something dry."

Gabriella nodded and headed upstairs with Troy behind her.

"Do you want me to run you a hot bath? I can put the bubbles in it, just the way you like it?" Troy asked as they walked into his bedroom.

Gabriella shook her head. "I don't really want to bathe or shower right now. I just want to cuddle with you."

"All right, but let's get you out of these clothes first."

She nodded and without even thinking removed her shirt.

"UH…Gabriella?"

"I trust you Troy." She said softly.

He smiled and went over to his dresser and grabbed one of shirts. He went back over to her.

"Lift up your arms my sweet girl."

Gabriella raised her arms over her head and allowed Troy to put his shirt over her. Once her body was fully covered she reached behind her under the shirt and un-clipped her bra letting it fall to the floor. She quickly grabbed it and wrapped it in her wet shirt.

"You want some sweat pants, or a pair of my mom's pjs pants?" Troy asked.

"You're sweat pants."

He grabbed her a pair of pants and handed them to her. She quickly got changed and let him get changed too.

Once they were both changed they got into bed and cuddled as close to each as they could. They laid in silence. Troy knew Gabriella still needed to get her thoughts together before she told anyone what happen tonight and that's just what he was going to give her. A safe comfortable place where she could think without any fears or worries.

After a few minutes she spoke. "What Chad said to me, it was true. It just really hurt to hear him say so…so I wanted to go see my mom. I thought she'd be able to comfort me like she used to. When I got there she was…busy…"

"Too busy for you? What could she have been doing that she didn't even notice you?" Troy asked.

"Her mind was focusing on what was in front of her rather than standing in her doorway crying."

"In front of her….you mean her computer?"

"Yeah, sure if her computer suddenly grew lips and limbs."

Troy looked confused. "Wait, Gabriella are you saying your mother was kissing someone?"

"No, kissing would be a simple peck what my mother was doing would fall under the category of making out….deeply."

"I…Brie are you sure?"

Gabriella nodded. "I stood there for a good five minutes hoping she'd pull away and slap him or maybe he'd pull away and say she wasn't thinking clearly, I stood there hoping one of them would stop this but they didn't they both just kept going at it and I stood there with tears streaming non-stop down my cheeks crying loudly and hysterically but still my mom was too focused on that other man."

"So that's why you ran to your father's grave?"

Gabriella nodded. "I felt I needed to apologize for her, but also for myself."

"Apologize for what?"

"I realized something while I was standing there Troy. Something I should have realized a long time ago."

"What's that?" Troy had a funny feeling he knew where she was going with this…he just hoped he was wrong.

"I killed my father, that's why my mother has been avoiding me. She's angry at me for killing her husband."

"You didn't kill your father Brie, some drunk driver ran a red light and smacked into you. That wasn't your fault."

"It's my fault we were on the road to begin with. That Zac Efron movie had just come out and I wanted to see it so badly, I couldn't wait till morning."

"That wasn't your fault Brie, your father offered to take you because he had a free night off of work."

"I could have said no! I could have waited and seen it with the girls over the weekend. I'm reason we went out that night. I'm reason we were on the road when we crashed. It's all my fault and now my mother is punishing me by ignoring me."

Sighing Troy got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Gabriella asked.

He ignored her question and went over to his book shelf. He grabbed a photo album and climbed back into bed. He pulled Gabriella into his side while holding her close. He opened the book and flipped through a few pages. He stopped at a picture of a little boy with an elder man. The little boy was holding a signed autographed basketball by Kobe Bryant with a huge grin on his face. The elder man was standing behind the little boy with his hands on the little boy's shoulders. Kneeling down next to the little boy was Kobe Bryant.

"That's me and my grandfather when I was seven years old. My dad was supposed to take me but he came down with the flu so he was going to cancel it. I threw a huge fit, I wanted to go so badly and I didn't want to wait till the next game. I wanted to go that night no matter what it took. My grandfather offered to take me. So he took me to my very first Lakers game. After the game Kobe Bryant decided he'd sign autographs. So my grandfather took me over to the table and got him to sign my basketball. I was so excited I couldn't even remember my name. I told him my name was Toy. Once I got over my nervousness someone offered to take our picture, and that's this. It was one of the best nights of my life but also one of the worst."

Troy took a deep breath and let it out. He had to make Gabriella realize it wasn't her fault even if it meant recalling some hard memories.

"On the way home that night it was raining and hard. My grandfather was teasing me about not being able to speak in front of him. We were both laughing and joking with each other. We came to a four way intersection. A car coming from the other side ran a red light."

"No." Gabriella whimpered. She knew what was coming.

Troy nodded. "My grandfather died on impact, although he didn't bleed out in my arms, when I woke up in the hospital my grandfather was already pronounced dead."

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"Now let me ask you a question. Is his death my fault? I wanted to go to the game so badly and in the end my grandfather died, does that make it my fault?"

"No, your grandfather loved you and wanted to take you. Just because you wanted to go out that night doesn't mean it's….." Gabriella stopped.

"Doesn't mean it's what Brie?" Troy asked.

She sighed and looked down. She looked back up at him and smiled. "How did you do that?"

He just smiled. "I knew that if you heard a similar story you'd be able to see the other side of things. My grandfather's death wasn't my fault and your father's death wasn't your fault. They were just terrible accidents. Now I'll be honest after it happen I blamed myself too. I always got scared when it would rain and I even gave up basketball. I refused to even pick up another basketball. My dad made me realize that my grandfather wouldn't want me to live my life like that. That's when I really understood it wasn't my fault. Your dad wouldn't want you living your life full of guilt."

Gabriella hugged him. "Thank you Troy.

"You're welcome baby girl. I love you so much."

"I love you so much too."

They shared a kiss and pulled away. "But, if it's not to punish me, why is my mom acting like this?"

Troy sighed. "I don't know baby girl. She might not even know she's hurting you. That's why you need to tell her. Make her understand her actions are hurting you."

"She's just grieving."

"Gabriella, it maybe that she's just grieving but I think she's crossed the line. I mean if maybe this guy was her friend, someone you had met before and you walked in on them sharing a hug I'd say it wasn't a big deal but to make out with a complete stranger is just wrong. Not only that but she's been with this guy so much she's starting to neglect you. It isn't healthy for either of you."

"Daddy wouldn't want her like this."

"You know that, and I know that but your mother doesn't. Brie you need to tell her. You've got to stand up to her and tell her the truth, it's the only way things are going to get better."

Gabriella sighed. She knew Troy was right but she was too scared to stand up to her mother. She felt like she was telling her mother she wasn't allowed to grieve and she had to grieve in the way that everyone else wanted not the way she wanted. She knew what that felt like, her clinging to Troy was her way of grieving and her mother tried to stop that and she hated it, why would she put her own mother through that pain?

"Next month everything will be back to normal, mommy will be back to normal." Gabriella said.

"For your sake, I hope you're right. Come on let's get some sleep. We've got school tomorrow."

Gabriella nodded and cuddled into his side. She had her bear clutched tightly in her other arm. Troy turned off the light and kissed Gabriella on the head.

"I love you baby girl. Good night."

"Good night Wildcat, I love you too."

They both closed their eyes and let the sleep take over. Troy just hoped Maria would be back to normal next month because he knew Gabriella was too scared to stand up to her mother and tell her off. If Maria didn't change soon Gabriella was never going to recover from her separation anxiety.

A/N do you guys think Gabriella will ever stand up to her mom? Will Maria see her mistake before it's too late? Leave a review with your thoughts. Also for a picture of Gabriella's bear FIND and LIKE me on facebook at "hopelessromanticgurl".

Now I've got a question for you guys. I got this idea for a sequel while I was writing this chapter and I was wondering if you'd be interested in one, it would be more about Maria and that guy she is with. Maria would introduce Gabriella to him and tell her they were dating and Gabriella would have to let him in her life and in a sense replace her dad. That's what it would be about. The guy would be good and he wouldn't hurt Gabriella or her mother (unless you guys would rather that lol) But leave me your thoughts on that in a review.