A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT! Thanks to my beta Elena Rain!

Gabriella stood up and took off in a run. Troy stood up and took off after her. Lucille was wrong, this had Peter written all over it but how could they prove it?

Troy raced after Gabriella, of course the bell rang at that moment and kids started to pile out of the classrooms causing Troy to lose her in the crowd.

"Gabriella! Stop, wait!" he called.

It was too late, she was already gone. He sighed. He knew where she was but he honestly didn't know how to help her. He just knew he couldn't let her be alone. So ran to the stairs to the school roof and ran up them.

He reached the top and saw Gabriella leaning over the edge panting.

"Gabriella…."

She turned to face him, tears were streaming down her cheeks as she cried and panted for air.

"I'm….so….sorry!" she gasped.

"Hey, hey, hey," Troy cooed rushing to her side. "Don't Angel, don't be sorry. You've done nothing wrong."

"I…blamed…your….mom….for my….fa-fa-…da-da-da-da-da-da…." Gabriella was hyperventilating now.

"Gabriella, Angel, Honey, you need to breathe. Shhhh, take some deep breaths, shhh, breathe, breathe, Brie, just breathe." Troy said pulling her into his arms and rubbing her back.

"I…I…I…I…I…I " Gabriella gasped.

"Baby, Baby, shhh, shhh, it's ok, everything's ok, shhhhh, I'm here, I'm right here shhh, shhh, just take some deep breaths. Please, Angel, shhh."

Gabriella cried into his chest as he just held her and rubbed her back whispering soothing, comforting words in her ear.

After a few minutes Gabriella calmed down and looked up at him He gave her a comforting smile and brushed away her tears with his thumb.

"I'm sorry, I don't really blame your mom, but it just…" she shrugged softly. "It made sense at that moment to blame her. I'm sorry, that's so mean of me."

"Baby, it's ok, my mom knows you were just angry. Trust me when I say, it's ok to be angry sometimes."

"Lucille isn't at fault for this, Troy, I was wrong about that."

"That's ok, my mom knows…"

"I am…."

"What?"

"My dad dying is my fault. I killed him."

"Whoa, ok, back up, first of all, Gabriella, your dad isn't dead."

"But Kathleen said…."

"Forget what she says, your father is a fighter and he's going to wake up. Kathleen doesn't know your father like you do. Nobody knows him as well as you do and deep down, passed all the fear, you know he'll wake up. Second of all, this is NOT your fault. You would never do anything to hurt you father. We both know it."

"No, he warned me, He told me if I told anyone what he did to me, if I told anyone anything he would go after my father and I did just that, I got him arrested and now he's getting back at me by killing my father! I did this to him, Troy! I put him in that hospital bed; I'm the worst daughter on the entire plant!"

"Gabriella…."

"If it wasn't me then who was it?"

"Whoever was behind the wheel of the other car, it's their fault. I promise you we're going to figure out who caused this and we're going to get justice for your father."

Gabriella just sighed. "I'll believe this wasn't my fault when you can name one other person who would want my father dead."

"Maria Montez." Troy said.

"She's in jail."

"She's a smart woman, she could escape easily."

Gabriella shook her head. "She'd go after me, not my dad."

"Gabriella, the easiest way to go after you would be to hurt your father. It's the easiest way to go after anyone; you hurt the person they care about the most."

"I care about you too."

"Yeah, but there will always be a special place in your heart for your father and I love that about you. If Maria wanted to get you back, all she would have to do is get rid of your father right?"

"She wouldn't do that."

"Oh yeah? She took a picture of your father comforting you and turned it into a sexual abuse charge, she did anything to try and get full custody of you. If he dies she could get you back."

"But if she's in jail…."

"Gabriella, listen to me, your mother would do anything you get you back, including break out of jail, hurt your father, and get you back."

Gabriella shook her head as tears filled her eyes. "It can't be her, Troy." She whimpered. "It can't be her. I can't be with her again, I can't."

"You won't, I promise. It's just a theory, it could be wrong but, it still wasn't your fault. Ok, I promise you."

"I'm scared, Troy, I'm really scared." Gabriella cried.

He pulled her into his chest and held her as she cried.

After a few minutes she stopped crying and calmed down but didn't move her face. He kissed the top of her head. "You want to stay like that?"

She nodded.

"All right, come here." He lifted her under the knees and carried her bridal style. Gabriella moved her face to the crook of his neck. He rubbed her back and kissed her cheek. "You can stay like that. We just need to get back down to the others. Kathleen might assume we ran away and blame my mom."

Gabriella nodded.

Troy headed back downstairs. He reached the office again.

"There she is! Gabriella you are in so much trouble." Kathleen said.

"Look, we understand we need to wait here but Gabriella really likes to be somewhere quiet and where…." He looked to Kathleen who was watching Gabriella like a lion watching it's pray. "…where she isn't stared at like some zoo animal."

"Well that isn't going to happen. Look, you may have Gabriella for now, but when her father dies…and he will, Gabriella will be forced to go to a foster family like it or not." Kathleen said.

Gabriella whimpered and clung tighter to Troy as she softly started to cry. Troy growled. "This is why I didn't want to be in here. All it does is upset, Gabriella. I'm not leaving school grounds, but I am leaving this office."

Troy didn't wait for a response he just turned and walked away. If he stayed…well let's just say Bad Boy Bolton would come out.

He walked outside the school and sat down on the curb of the sidewalk.

A small breeze blew over them and Troy felt Gabriella shiver.

"Is this too cold? Do you want to go back inside?"

Gabriella shook her head. "No, just a chill. I like it out here. Please stay."

Troy nodded and kissed her head. He held her close and just gently rocked her as she relaxed again him and stopped crying. Neither of them spoke, they both just sat and waited until they were allowed home. They could have gone back to class but neither of them would have been able to focus so they decided against it.

"Troy…"

"Yes, Angel?"

Gabriella was quiet after that, she didn't speak.

"What is it, Brie?" he asked again softly.

"If daddy dies will Maria really be able to get me back?"

"No, one she escaped jail, second, she would be arrested for murder, also she's got a past of child abuse. Nobody would let a woman like that near you."

Gabriella sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

He kissed her head once more.

The door opened behind them and Kathleen walked out. Gabriella whimpered and clung tighter to Troy. Troy held her tighter too. If they wanted Gabriella they'd have to pry her from his death grip.

She walked past them and to her car. Troy sighed in relief. Lucille came out behind her.

"Well?" Troy asked.

"We got a copy of the will. Gabriella is ours until Carlos is well enough."

"Good. Let's go home." Troy said.

"Troy, I got a few work calls while I was in there and I've also got some bad news."

"What's wrong now?" Troy sighed.

"Well, the first is…the trial has been moved up. It's this weekend."

"That's not too bad, the faster the trial the faster we can make him pay, what's the second?"

Lucille took a deep breath and let it out. "Maria Montez has escaped from jail."

Gabriella's head shot up and she looked to Troy. He had been right, it wasn't her fault or Peter's fault…it was her own mother's fault.

She groaned feeling suddenly sick. She reburied her face in Troy's neck. The news was making her physically ill.

"Is she the one who crashed into Carlos?"

"We believe so, when we thought it had been Peter, I called the station so they could check on him. He was still in his cell by his inmate was gone. They had put Peter in with Maria. They watched the security footage and her escaped matched the timing of Carlos's crash."

Gabriella groaned again and shifted on Troy's lap. He rubbed her back knowing all this news was upsetting her.

"Is there a chance she's after Gabriella?" Troy asked. He knew he was upsetting Gabriella worse but he had to know what they were up against.

The police don't think so, but knowing Maria and knowing the lengths she'll go to, to get Gabriella. I wouldn't put it passed her."

Gabriella whimpered. She could easily remember her mother trying to convict her father of sexual and physical abuse last year just to get her back. Since that didn't work she tried to kill him. She was crazy and she'd do anything to get her back. "What if she tries something like she did last time, what if she tries to make you look bad?"

"Look, Gabriella… one Maria escaped jail, second, she would be arrested for murder, also she's got a past of child abuse. Nobody would let a woman like that near you." Lucille said.

"That's what Troy said." Gabriella muttered.

"Listen to my son, Most of the time he knows what he's talking about."

"Most of the time?" Troy asked.

Gabriella nodded softly and sighed. "Can we go home, please?"

"You two can. I've got work to do at the office before the trial."

Gabriella nodded. Troy stood up and followed Lucille to the car.

Lucille dropped them off at home and they went inside. Troy sat down on the couch keeping Gabriella close in his arms. He knew she wouldn't want to talk about anything right now so he let her sit in silence, just feeling safe and comfortable in his arms.

A few minutes later Troy looked down and smiled. She was sleeping peacefully against his chest. He knew she always slept better with her wrapped in his arms, but if he left her even for a split second she'd have a nightmare. So he pulled her closer in his arms and held her tightly. He turned on the TV, but kept it low, and just let Gabriella sleep.

A few hours later, Lucille came home.

"Hey, Mom, how'd it go?" Troy asked.

"Great, actually, do you remember me telling you about the other girl Peter had hurt?"

Troy nodded as he stroked Gabriella's hair, as she slept.

"Well, she talked to her boyfriend and her family, they all agreed she should come to testify and promised to come support her. It's perfect. We've got Peter right where we want him. Now, there is nothing he can say to get off free. He hurt two innocent women and if we can find proof, put a man into a coma."

"Mom, that's great news!" Troy smiled.

Lucille nodded. "I'm meeting with her tomorrow, she's really scared so I'm going to just talk to her about it and what to expect. You and Gabriella are welcome to join me, or we can just a private session just the three of us."

Troy nodded. "Gabriella, is scared too."

"Trial is a little scary for everyone. But I'm going to do my best to help you be prepared. Hopefully it won't be as bad as Maria's trial."

Troy sighed and nodded.

"Troy, you also know Gabriella might start having nightmares again, with the trial and her father in the coma, she's going to be more restless at night and more likely to have nightmares."

"I know and I also know I'm going to be by her side through it all. She's not alone and I'm going to make sure she never feels alone."

Lucille smiled and nodded. She looked to Gabriella and smiled softly stroking her hair. "How long as she been sleeping?"

"Since we got home, so a few hours."

"Good, when she wakes up we can do a practice trial."

Troy nodded. "Thank, Mom."

Lucille smiled and left the room. Troy sighed and looked to Gabriella and smiled. She was so peaceful when she was sleeping. He knew when she woke up, she'd be faced with the painful reminder of her father and Peter.

A few minutes later Gabriella sat up abruptly and looked around panting.

"Gabriella? You're ok. You're safe." Troy said.

She turned her head to look at him and a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

He used his thumb and wiped them away. "Did you have another nightmare?"

She nodded and sniffed back further tears.

"Ok, well, tell me what happen?"

Gabriella wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

"I was standing on the sidewalk." She started slowly. "I saw two cars driving slowly towards each other, but then I realized it was only a one way street and when the cars met they'd crash."

Gabriella was silent after that. She didn't say anymore.

"Was your father in one of those cars?" Troy asked. gently.

He didn't want to push her but he knew, talking about it would help her.

She nodded softly. "My mother was in the other. I caught her eye and she smirked at me. Then she started to drive faster. My dad….he started to scream for help, he was yelling at me to save his life and help him. When…when I tried to…to get to him….I….I couldn't move. I was fro-frozen."

Troy rubbed her back. "It was just a bad dream. There was nothing you could have done to protect your father."

"I know." Gabriella nodded. "Still…I wish there was."

"Would you like to go see him, maybe visit him in the hospital?"

Gabriella's eyes went wide. "No, no, no" she said franticly shaking her head.

"OK, ok, shhh, shhh." Troy soothed. "You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with."

Gabriella nodded. "I have to do the trial; I'm not comfortable with that."

"But you will be. I promise, my mom is going to get us both prepared and ready for the trial."

"Are you scared too?"

"Very."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Brie, trial is scary for everyone, but my mom says we've got a really strong case against Peter and some great witnesses to testify against him. She said it's a very clean case with no chance of loopholes and there isn't much of a defense for him. If everything goes as planned the trial will be an hour and then Peter will be forced to spend the rest of his life in jail."

"And if it doesn't?"

"It will. I promise."

Gabriella sighed and cuddled into his side. He kissed her head. He only hoped he could keep that promise.

A/N next chapter is the trial how will it go? Will Gabriella get over her fear and stand up to Peter, or will his lawyer break her down? Leave me your thoughts in a review.

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