I don't own anything :)
Family Love
It had just become the way it was, he would pick them both up from school and look after them until she came home, it was just easier for him to get away from the shop then it was for her to get away from the bakery.
Today was different though because tomorrow was Gabriella's birthday and so Troy and Amelia were going to the mall with Toby to help him choose a present for his Mum.
"Have you got any ideas on what you'd like to get her Toby?" Troy kept a tight grip on the children's hands as they made their way through the bustling mall.
"I think she needs a new watch, the one she has is always stopping."
"Well that sounds sensible," Troy replied as he led them onto an escalator to take them up to the next floor. "Anything else."
"I don't know, maybe some chocolate, she likes chocolate."
"You should get her flowers," Amelia suddenly piped up. "Grandpa always buys Grandma flowers."
"Good thinking Lia, so after we finish up here we need to stop buy the supermarket anyway, so we can get some flowers and chocolates from there, sound good Toby?" The little boy nodded just as Troy led them into a jewellers.
Twenty minutes later and they were leaving the shop with two things, a new watch like Toby had wanted and a charm bracelet that the three of them had decided on together.
"Okay, so how about we pop downstairs to that ice cream shack and refuel ourselves and then we can go back to the car, head to the supermarket and get home all before your Mummy does Toby." The children nodded at the idea of ice cream and kept a tight hold on Troy's hands as they made their way through the busy mall full of Christmas shoppers.
TGTGTGTG
You're staying at mine tonight, come straight here after work x
"What's that face for?" Sharpay asked, as she and Gabriella made their way from the staff room through to the front of the shop, ready to lock up and go home.
"They're up to something." Gabi replied, as she pocketed her phone and unlocked the door to let Sharpay out, before quickly setting the alarm and joining her friend outside and firmly locking the door behind them.
"Who's up to something?" Sharpay asked, as she double checked the door was locked, something they'd always done.
"Troy and the children, they were supposed to be at mine like normal and now I'm being told I'm staying at his and to go straight there. What about my pyjamas and clothes for tomorrow? He better had thought this through."
"You mean you're not keeping clothes at each others houses yet?" Sharpay chuckled at her friend's glare as they walked down the brightly lit alley way that led to the back of the shops were the shop workers parked their cars.
"No Shar, we're taking this slow, remember?"
"Yes I remember, I'm just teasing you and anyway they're bound to be up to something, it's your birthday tomorrow, you're first one that's not just you and Toby, I'm pretty sure they're planning on making it special." Gabriella smiled softly as she unlocked her car and threw her bag into the foot well behind her seat.
"I'm really enjoying having them around Shar, for so long it's just been me and Toby, I never thought I'd find someone who'd understand, someone who I can let in and now that I have I just feel so happy, so thankful that he hasn't run away yet."
"Troy won't run away Gabs, he's one of the good guys."
"I know because he's breaking through my walls and I've never let anyone do that before."
"You're both changing for the better believe me, I've been watching you both with your near constant smiles," Gabriella laughed as Sharpay fished her car keys out of her bag. "Go enjoy your weekend Gabs, I wanna hear all about it on Monday." The pair shared a hug and Gabriella waved to Sharpay as she drove away, before getting in her car and fishing her phone back out of her pocket.
I'm on my way, be there in 20 x
TGTGTGTG
Amelia had always been quiet, something Gabriella had picked up on quickly and so she and Troy had always done their best to make sure she was involved with things and heard just as much as the slightly noisier Toby.
Tonight, Troy and Toby had decided that they were going to cook Spaghetti Bolognese and so after showering and changing into some comfy clothes, from the rather well packed bag that Troy had put together, she joined Amelia as she watched telly in the living room.
"What you watching then sweetheart?"
"SpongeBob, but I've seen this one before."
"Well why are you watching it then?"
"Because Daddy and Toby are cooking dinner and so I've got no one to play with."
"I can play with you honey, I'm not doing anything."
"Really, you'll play with me?"
"Of course I will, what do you want to play with?"
"We can play with my dolls house," Amelia jumped off of the couch and ran out of the room causing Gabriella to follow her. "Grandpa made it for me all by himself and then he took me to the toy shop to buy all the things to go inside, look!" Gabriella watched as Amelia carefully unlatched the doors and then pulled them open, revealing the miniature world of the doll house.
"This is really pretty Amelia, how long did it take Grandpa to make?" The little girl shrugged as she started taking the dolls out of their beds.
"I'm not sure, lots of months I think, he made it with his tools in the garage and he let me help him paint it."
"Well I think you both did a very good job. Now, tell me how we play with this dolls house of yours?"
TGTGTGTG
The girls had played with the dolls house until they'd been called downstairs for dinner and then they'd all spent some time together, before Toby and Amelia had gone to bed. This had given Troy and Gabriella the opportunity to spend some time together, which they had, curled up on the couch watching telly, but Troy could sense Gabriella was hiding something, there was that little sparkle missing from her eye. He knew though that it was best to leave it be for now, she'd tell him what was up soon enough.
"You know if you guys staying here becomes a regular thing we could decorate the spare room so Toby can have a proper bed."
"They like sharing though; they'll be fine for now." Troy had just been through to check on Toby and Amelia and now he was joining Gabriella in his bed. "How was work today?"
"Busy," Gabriella answered, as Troy turned off the bedside lamp and they settled down under the covers.
"It's alright babe, there's only like one week left and then you'll have some time off to relax." Gabriella huffed in response and so Troy pulled on her hip until she rolled over to face him. "'Brie what's up sweetheart? I can tell there's something bothering you."
"It's just this is the first year that I haven't had to take Toby to the shop and by my own birthday present, the fact that you just wanted to do it without even having to talk to me about it…I'm just kinda overwhelmed by it I guess."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think about asking you, I just though that while Lia and I were getting you a present or two, Toby might as well come too, it wouldn't have been fair not to have taken him and we had fun."
"Its fine Troy, I just never expected you to do that for me, for Toby even, at least not so soon into our relationship."
"Hey, if this is moving to fast for you, you need to tell me, I told you we'd take this slow, you have to tell me if we're not 'Brie." Troy's hand reached up to move some fallen hair out of Gabriella's eyes and she grabbed it as he pulled away, holding it between her hands against her chest.
"I've been thinking about this lately, trying to make some sense of my crazy brain and I've come to the conclusion that although I didn't expect things to be moving as fast as they are, I really don't want them to slow down, is that bad of me?"
"No not at all sweetie, because I feel the same."
TGTGTGTG
He chuckled as she cuddled straight back into his side before he'd even pulled the covers back over himself, if he'd learnt one thing about Gabriella; it was that she was most definitely a snuggler.
"This isn't an excuse to go back to sleep babe, I'm supposed to be waking you up." She groaned in response and pushed her hair out of her face before opening her sleepy eyes.
"Happy birthday beautiful," this time she yawned in response and Troy chuckled causing Gabriella to hide her face in his chest. "You really need to try and wake up, there's only so long those two will sit out there before getting bored."
"Let them come in and cuddle then," Troy shrugged and called the children in, keeping a tight hold on Gabriella as they came bounding in and jumped on her empty side of the bed.
Gabriella rolled onto her back and held her arms out to give Toby and then Amelia a hug, before moving out of Troy's arms so they could sit on against the headboard, allowing the children to sit on and around their legs.
"We've got presents and cards for you Mummy."
"Really? Why's that?"
"Because it's your birthday and you have to have cards on your birthday."
"Oh right, well hand 'em over then." Gabriella smiled as the children each handed over a hand made card and leaned her head against Troy's as he rested his chin on her shoulder to look at the cards.
"How come I don't get a card?" Troy asked, observing how well Amelia's hand writing had come on since she'd started school.
"Because it's not your birthday Daddy, it's Gabi's."
"But you didn't get me a card anyway?" Troy asked acting hurt.
"No Daddy," Amelia responded. "Stop being silly." Gabriella chuckled at the behaviour between the pair as she finished looking at the cards.
"Yeah Daddy,'" She mimicked Amelia. "Stop being silly and give me your card."
"Who says I've got you a card?"
"If you haven't got me card there'll be trouble," they had a mini stare off before Troy reached into the draw of his bedside cabinet and pulled out an envelope. "Of course I've got you a card; these two helped me choose it." She opened the card with a smile on her face and laughed as she read what it said on the front. "'To my girlfriend on your birthday' did you two think this was funny?" Toby and Amelia laughed with nods as Gabriella thanked Troy with a kiss, knowing he probably wouldn't have chosen a card as cheesy as this if the children hadn't helped him pick it.
"Alright so we got you two presents but they're from the three of us," Troy told Gabi, as he took the two wrapped gifts out of the cabinet draw and handed them both to her. She opened the first one to find a silver chain link watch, with a light pink face and dots instead of numbers.
"This is really pretty you guys, thank you."
"It was Toby's idea," Amelia told her. "He said your old one wasn't working properly."
"Well you were right buddy, thank you," Toby smiled and allowed Gabriella to give him a kiss. Opening the next gift she found an incredibly beautiful silver charm bracelet and looked to Troy for an explanation.
"So two of them are pretty obvious, the cupcake is because you bake and the camera is because I take photos. Amelia chose the butterfly because she decided it was pretty and Toby chose the heart because he loves you." Gabriella stayed silent as she continued to study the charms on the bracelet and didn't realise she'd been crying until she felt Toby wiping away her tears and Troy wrapping her into a hug.
"I'm sorry guys, these are happy tears I promise, you've all put so much thought into this, thank you so much." She placed the bracelet back into the box and pulled Toby onto her lap for a hug.
"Alright 'Lia come here, this calls for a group hug," Amelia crawled up the bed and onto Troy's lap as he wrapped one arm around her and the other around Gabi and Toby, bringing them all into one big protective hug.
TGTGTGTG
They'd enjoyed their day together; cuddling together in bed after Gabi had opened her presents, before heading downstairs for a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, where Gabriella discovered her flowers, already arranged in a vase.
Toby and Amelia had decided that Gabi needed to choose what they did for the day because it was her birthday and the birthday girl gets to do what she wants. She could have chosen absolutely anything, but baring in mind they had two six year olds to entertain for the day, she decided that they'd go for a couple of games of bowling and then go for a nice family meal.
They'd come home in the late afternoon and played tons of board games and just had a massive laugh together and as Toby and Amelia had twenty minutes of down time on the couch, Troy and Gabriella put together a quick picnic for them all to eat in the lounge with Gabriella's chocolates and birthday cake for desert, something Sharpay had managed to put together at work while Gabriella had been manning the counter out front.
Now though, after Toby and Amelia had fallen asleep after having a story read to them by Troy and Gabriella, it was time for Troy to spend some quality time with the birthday girl.
"Alright, so I know you said that I'd already spend enough with the presents this morning and paying for everything today, but I'd already brought these so you might as well have them anyway." Troy handed Gabriella a small cube shaped box and a small envelope as he plopped down next to her on the couch.
Curiously, she opened the envelope and found some information about a local luxury spa.
"I figured with the wedding coming up Shar is bound to be under some stress and well you just deserve to relax, so I booked you both a day at the spa, no expenses spared."
"Aw Troy, you're such a sweetheart, thank you, we've talked about going to a spa but have always put it off because of the cost, you just solved that issue, thanks babe." They shared a quick kiss, before she unwrapped the paper on the box and opened the lid to reveal a pair of gold earrings with her birthstone, tanzanite, in the middle.
"The lady in the jewellery shop said that that's your birthstone, it's called tanzanite and is best described as a turquoise kind of crystal. I wanted to get you something just from me, so I popped down to the mall on my lunch break the other day."
"Troy, they're beautiful, thank you so much baby." Troy smiled as they shared a kiss, one that was slightly more passionate than the previous.
"I wasn't sure if you were really a jewellery type of person, but you always have some kind of earrings in so it seemed like a safe bet and I knew you'd like the charm bracelet because the children chose it."
"I love all my presents, I love the watch, I love the bracelet, I love the flowers and the chocolates and the thoughtfulness of the spa day. I love these earrings and I think I could be falling in love with you Troy."
"That's alright then because I think I could be falling in love with you too."
TGTGTGTG
He thought she'd had the perfect day, everything had gone so well and they'd had such a great time, but now as he lay holding her in his arms, he realised how wrong he'd been.
Troy was a light sleeper and so wasn't surprised when the booms and flashes of the thunderstorm outside woke him up, but he was surprised by the fact that his girlfriend was completely curled up under the covers, shaking as the storm raged on outside.
He'd managed to coax her out from under the duvet and into his arms, where he pulled the covers up to her chin, wiped away her tears and held her close, reassuring her every time the thunder made her jump.
They'd been like this for twenty minutes now, the only words spoken between them were Troy's ones of comfort and so when the bedroom door opened and Toby appeared with his arm around a crying Amelia they both went into 'parent' mode.
"Amelia is scared of the storm," Toby told them as he let his friend walk round the bed and into the comfort of her father's arms.
"Thank you for looking after her baby, are you scared?" Gabriella lifted Toby up onto the bed and did her best to hide her fears.
"No, I'm okay, are you scared Mummy?"
"Yeah buddy I am, will you look after me?" Toby nodded and climbed under the covers next to his Mum, just as Amelia was getting settled under them as well.
"Alright little ones in the middle, lets have a family hug and try and get back to sleep." Toby and Amelia did as Troy had said and soon they were all wrapped up in one big Bolton/Montez family hug.
They weren't the traditional family, that would be boring, but they were beginning to become a family, something that seemed to be happening all on it's own, though no one was attempting to stop it.
TGTGTGTG
I've really struggled with writing this chapter guys, as you can tell by how long it's taken me to get it out, so I figured I'd write this and stop while I was ahead, hope you like it.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! THANK YOU!