A/N I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

Gabriella watched as Ashley ran around the court with the ball in her hands as Troy and Jack chased her as she laughed hysterically.

"My ball! My ball!" she cried out giggling like maniac.

Gabriella couldn't help but giggle at her daughter. Why did everything have to get so bad? Why was her Uncle suddenly showing up out of the blue? What did he want? Why was he so set on making her a part of his life? As much as she tried not to she couldn't stop thinking about it. Something just felt wrong about him but he was the only other family that ever tried to make contact with her. So maybe it was just her trust issues kicking in. Maybe Carlos is a good guy….but Troy and Ashley also felt weird about him so that had to mean something too right? She mentally groaned. This was so annoying! Why couldn't the answer be easy? She was thrown from her thoughts when she felt someone take her hand. Troy was staring at her intently wondering what she was thinking.

"You were a million miles away. Where'd you go?"

"No where sorry."

"Don't lie to be Brie. Tell me what you're thinking."

"I was thinking about Carlos and what to do about him. I didn't get anywhere so it's not important."

"Some times it helps to think out loud."

"No I'm fine."

Gabriella turned back around and went back inside. Troy sighed. Lucille and Jack walked over to him.

"Well?"

"He did it." Troy answered

"Who did what?" Jack asked.

"Carlos. He caused Gabriella to shut down. She won't speak to me about anything concerning him."

"She's shut down before and opened back up. We just have to give her time." Lucille said.

"I hate when she does this." Troy sighed.

"I know but just give her time and keep an eye on her."

"What about Carlos? He isn't going to stop trying to convince her. He also will have no trouble pressuring her and forcing her to give him a chance." Jack asked.

"Or worse." Lucille told them. "Do not leave her alone with him. The second he gets he will guilt her into forgiving him by bringing her parents into it. He'll tell her Greg would have wanted her to give him a chance and she will listen to him so do not, DO NOT leave her alone with him. Even if she asks."

"If she asks and I don't listen it could make things worse between us" Troy said.

"You're right just make sure Carlos doesn't get a chance to guilt her or she will give in."

Troy nodded and they all head inside. They heard laughing and giggling as they neared the living room. They looked and saw Gabriella on the couch with Ashley tickling her making her giggle and squirm. Troy smiled. If it wasn't for Carlos their life would be perfect.

"Mr. Troy…help!" Ashley cried out in giggles.

"Ok hang on."

Troy rushed over grabbed her arms holding them above her head and blew a giant raspberry on her stomach. Ashley screamed in giggles as he let her arms go.

"No! Help me not Mrs. Gabi."

"Oh! Ok."

Troy went over and started to tickle Gabriella's sides. She squealed and giggling squirming. Jack watched on and smirked as an idea came to him. He went over and started to tickle Troy who broke out into giggles. Lucille watched on smiling. Then she heard a buzzing and saw Gabriella's cell phone on the table. She grabbed it and opened it. It was from an unknown number so she opened it.

From Carlos

To Gabriella

We need to talk…alone. Somewhere without Troy and his parents. Call me so we can meet you need to forgive me Gabriella it's what your parents would have wanted. If you don't forgive me you'll be letting them down and you don't want to do that do you? Here is my number 123-456-7890 Call me!

Lucille looked at the message then to Gabriella who had fallen onto the floor from laughing so hard and now Troy Jack and Ashley had all teamed up and were tickling her as she laughed and squirmed around on the floor. She was finally happy again. Lucille couldn't stand by and let Carlos hurt her daughter. She erased the message from her phone and put it back on the table. Gabriella would never know about the message.

"Ok…ok…sto-stop…..I can-can't brea-breathe!" Gabriella laughed gasping for air.

Everyone stopped. She sat up panting.

"I…hate…getting…team…ticked." She panted.

Troy laughed. Lucille walked in with a smile. "Now you know how I feel. When I was younger my brother and Jack used to team up and tickle me."

"You have a brother?" Ashley asked.

"Yep an older brother."

"I wish I had an older brother then maybe daddy would have been happy and he wouldn't have hit mommy and me and he wouldn't have pushed mommy down the stairs." Ashley said.

Everyone looked at each other. Lucille decided it was time for a talk. Troy and Jack left the room knowing what had to happen. Gabriella and Lucille moved to sit on the couch.

"Ashley come here sweetie." Gabriella said patting her lap.

Ashley walked over and climbed onto Gabriella's lap.

"Do you want to talk about your mommy?" Lucille asked.

"Daddy was mean to her. He really was mean to her and made her cry." Ashley said.

"Let's not talk about the sad things. What kind of things did you and your mommy do when your daddy was at work?"

"We went to get ice cream and to see movies and to the mall and to the park and we always played games and she'd tickle me and make me laugh. We go to the pool and she'd take me in the hot tub and let the bubbles tickle me. It was really fun."

"But I thought you didn't like water?"

"I like water."

"When you took a bath you got scared."

"I don't like baths but I like water."

"What?"

Ashley looked down playing with her hands. Gabriella rubbed her back. "You can tell us sweetie. Why are you scared of taking a bath if it's not the water?"

"Cause I have to get naked…." Ashley whispered.

Gabriella got a bad feeling in her stomach. Why would a child at her age be scared of getting naked unless someone had….no it couldn't be…could it?

"Ashley who gave you your bath at home when mommy was alive?"

"Mommy."

"Has daddy ever given you a bath?"

"Since mommy died."

"Does he do it the same way she does?"

"No."

Ashley bottom lip started to tremble as tears filled her eyes her body started to shake. Gabriella felt sick was Ashley sexually abused?

"Baby please tell me what he did to you?"

"Ashley did he touch your private parts?" Lucille asked.

Ashley shook her head and sniffed as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Baby what? What did he do to you?"

Ashley didn't answer.

"Come on sweetie you can tell me. You can tell me anything you know that." Gabriella said.

Ashley started sucking her thumb. Gabriella looked at Lucille and shook her head "no more question." She mouthed. She pulled Ashley into her and kissed her on the head.

"It's all right sweetie. You're safe shhhh."

Gabriella rocked her back and forth as she calmed down. Ashley slowly calmed down and fell asleep.

"Lucille do you think she was sexually abused?"

"I don't think so but why else would being naked scare her so much?"

"I don't know."

They both sighed. What was Ashley so scared of?

Sunday night Gabriella was getting everything ready for Ashley's "bath" when she was hit with another idea. She quickly ran into the master bathroom and looked at the bathtub. It had jets on it. The same jets that were in a hot tub. Gabriella smiled. She ran into Ashley's room and grabbed her bathing suit and changed into some shorts and a t-shirt. Now all that was left was to see if Ashley liked it. She went outside where Troy and Ashley were playing basketball.

"Ok cutie wash time." She called.

Ashley ran over.

"I thought we try something different today. Do you remember when your mommy took you into the hot tub and the bubbles tickled your tummy. Well I have a hot tub too with bubbles only it's meant for getting cleaned in too you want to try it?"

"Ok."

Ashley followed Gabriella into the master bathroom and turned on the water.

"Ok now get changed into your bathing suit." Gabriella said.

Ashley quickly got changed. Gabriella got in and sat on the side let her feet rest in the water.

"Ok come in." she told Ashley. Ashley looked at the water and slowly got in and sat down.

"Is this ok?"

Ashley nodded. "When can we turn the bubbles on?"

"Whenever you want?"

"Ok do it now."

Gabriella pressed the button and the jets came on. Ashley squealed and rushed to stand in front of one laughing hysterically when it tickled her stomach. Gabriella laughed and took her in her arms. "Lift your foot." She said.

Ashley lifted her foot and let the jet tickle it. Ashley laughed hysterically.

"This is fun." She giggled.

"Bath time can be fun."

"I like this bath time. When daddy used to bathe me he would hit me so I didn't like bath time but now I do."

"All right well you can play with the bubbles in a second time to wash your body."

"Will I have to get naked?"

"Nope just sit still."

Gabriella cleaned Ashley as she giggled and splashed finally enjoying her bath time. Finally Gabriella got out and dried her legs.

"Ok fishy time to get out."

"Ok."

Ashley stood up. Gabriella wrapped the towel around her. She brought her into her bed room and changed her into her pjs before sitting on the rocking chair and rocking Ashley until she fell asleep. Then she put her into bed and kissed her good night. She walked out of Ashley's room and into Troy. She smiled and said "I did it." Troy just hugged her and kissed her. He knew how important it was to Gabriella that she helps Ashley overcome her fear of water or "bath time" and now she had. Carlos hasn't made any contact in the last 24 hours so maybe their life would be perfect after all?

A/N next chapter while Troy is running late one night Carlos drops by to visit Gabriella and has so nice things to say about her parents will she give in and forgive him or will she stay strong. Also in the next chapter you will find out more about Carlos and what he is up to.