AN: I was going to update this tomorrow, but I'm going to the movies so I was like hey why not now? So here it is. Small, 5-page chapter, not much happens, but oh well. I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. ;-) I told you it was a good one, didn't I? But never fear, there is much more to come.

Two chapter + an epilogue left... the countdown has begun.

BTW my AIM is spazzing out... just in case you were wondering, which you probably weren't, but oh well. Just a heads-up, I guess.

OH and one more thing: view my profile and my freewebs for more information about HSM Fanfiction Idol, Season 1. It's a writing competition, naturally, and I'm one of the judges! So go check out the forum and sign-up!

Title: With You
Rating: T
Author: MadiWillow
Summary: Troy is married with a small daughter. Gabriella is married and pregnant. They didn't keep in touch after school following a nasty break-up, but everyone knows that true love never dies.
Genre: Drama/Romance
Chapter: Chapter 10

Gabriella didn't fall asleep that night. After Troy had returned from changing Jackson's diaper, he'd invited her to sleep in his room. She'd been very grateful and spent most of the night laying in his arms while he slept soundly, getting up for midnight feeding's for Jackson. She was so consumed in her thoughts and doubts about Troy that she wasn't sure if she was happy about sleeping with him or... not.

When Troy finally woke up and started to make breakfast for the three of them, Gabriella had bags under her eyes from another night of missed sleep. Jackson slept in his crib (he never had any problem sleeping) while Gabriella got Lauren up and brought the sixteen-month-old girl downstairs.

"Good morning," said Troy, happier than Gabriella had seen him in a long time. She smiled at him and started to walk by, but Troy stopped her by grabbing her arm. She turned to face him and he captured her lips in a kiss, kissing her for a few seconds before pulling away, grinning.

She smiled back at him, slightly uncomfortable, and said, "Good morning." Lauren giggled loudly and clapped, causing the two of them to jump and glance at her.

"Gab, Gab! Gab, Gab!" she squealed happily and Gabriella laughed.

"Want a pancake?" Gabriella cooed at her. "Want a yummy pancake?"

Lauren laughed happily. Gabriella loved how Lauren was always so blissful, even after just waking up. She was generally an exultant little girl and Gabriella loved playing with her.

Gabriella sat her down in her highchair and strapped her in so she didn't try and stand up – something she'd started doing since learning how to walk better. Gabriella sat in a chair and started to play "Peek-a-boo" with her, one of Lauren's favorite games.

A few moments later Troy had finished with breakfast and set their plates of pancakes in front of them. Lauren yelled happily and took a tiny piece of food that Troy had cut up for her. Gabriella beamed. "I know I say this all the time, but she's so adorable."

"She's not the only one," said Troy, looking at her.

Gabriella blushed at his words and looked down at her food, feeling his stare burning into her neck. The rest of the meal proceeded in silence, with the exception of Lauren's laughing, until Troy stood up with his clean plate. "Lauren and I need to go run an errand," he announced.

Gabriella jumped and looked up. "Oh, okay. Do you, um, want me to come?" she offered.

He shook his head. "No, you stay home. You're tired and you probably need some rest."

She nodded. "Okay." She smiled weakly.

He grinned and bent down to kiss her lightly on the mouth. He removed Lauren from her highchair and, a few moments later, they were gone.

Gabriella listened for a minute to make sure she didn't hear his car coming back before jumping from her chair and running up the stairs. She burst into her bedroom, quickly grabbed her suitcases from under her bed, and started throwing her things haphazardly into them.

She ran around frantically, grabbing all of her and Jackson's clothes, her makeup, personal possessions, and money from the room and bathroom in a matter of minutes. Due to everything being packed so messily she could barely close the bags, but managed to nonetheless. She stuffed all of Jackson's necessities into his diaper bag before slowly picking up said child and putting him in his car seat. She brought her stuff downstairs and quickly left a note.

Dear Troy, she wrote. I'm sorry for doing this, but I have to leave. I need time to clear my head, organize my thoughts, and figure out what I'm feeling for you. I need to know if what happened last night was a good thing or something I'm going to regret. I'm very sorry. Please, don't try and find me. I'll come back, when I'm ready. Love, Gabriella.

She took one last look at the letter and sighed sadly, quickly taping it onto the fridge. She quickly called for a cab to come pick her up (not wanting her car sitting in a parking lot for God knows how long) and dragged her bags after her in one hand whilst carrying Jackson in the other. She waited five minutes until a taxi arrived. The kind driver helped her by loading the trunk of with her luggage and Gabriella strapped Jackson's car seat into the backseat.

The fifteen minute drive to Buffalo Niagara International Airport was silent, until they arrived at the loading zone and Gabriella thanked and paid the drive. He unloaded her luggage for her and she thanked him again, quickly bustling through the crowd into the Southwest Airlines line.

She waited in line to buy her tickets and was lucky enough to get two for a flight to Tampa, Florida, leaving an hour and a half from then. She checked out her large suitcase and took Jackson, her carry-on bag, and Jackson's diaper bag through security (which took a good half hour). She bought a couple of magazines for the ride and a few candy bars before reaching her gate, with forty-five minutes left until take-off.

Gabriella was startled when she heard her cell phone ring. She took it out and glanced at the Caller ID; her heart sunk when the word Troy flashed across it. She bit the inside of her mouth as she stared at her phone, silently debating on whether or not to open it. Finally, she shut it off and slid it slowly back into her pocket, breathing deeply. She felt truly horrible about her actions, but she just couldn't be around Troy.

The plane started to board twenty minutes later, and Gabriella got to board first, due to having a small child her. She got a window and middle seat right in the front of the plane and waited patiently for take off.

The flight was long, boring, and largely uneventful. Gabriella didn't sleep, no matter how tired she was, as she had to keep an eye on Jackson. Halfway through the flight he started to cry quite loudly after being fed. Very embarrassed, Gabriella tried playing with him but to no avail. He didn't need a diaper change nor did he want his pacifier. His cries had grown into shrieks and many people were shooting Gabriella dirty looks. She started to bite her lip again, wishing that the plane would somehow speed up the flight, before remembering what Troy had done to calm Jackson down that first day she moved in. Gabriella lifted him up to her shoulder and lightly started patting his back, whispering soothing words to him as she did so. Slowly but surely his cries subsided and he fell asleep. Gabriella carefully strapped him back into his seat, elated that she'd successfully stopped his crying and gotten him to sleep.

She spent the remainder of the flight staring out the window, trying to figure out what she was doing. Why am I doing this? She asked herself. Why do I have to run away? Why can't I just be happy with Troy? Why must I make everything so complicated?

I'm not making everything complicated, she argued with herself. Everything just is complicated. I'm trying to simplify it.

She sighed miserably and shook her head. Her life sure was messed up.

An hour later the plane landed and it took a good fifteen minutes before she, Jackson, and her carry-on luggage were off the plane. Wishing she'd brought his stroller, Gabriella carried Jackson in his seat through the airport and, after grabbing her large suitcase from the conveyer-belt, stepped outside into the humid, August Tampa weather. She waited in line at the loading zone for a taxi, and this time her driver wasn't as nice. She didn't bother with the trunk and just stuffed her luggage into the back seat with her and Jackson. She gave him her designated address and he didn't even answer her, just drove.

Twenty minutes later she'd arrived in front of a very suburban-looking house. It was an All-American house; white picket fence, nice garden, average-sized. Gabriella smiled up at it. She loved this house.

Juggling her bags and Jackson in her arms, she stumbled up the steps after the taxi drove away. She put down her bags so she could ring the doorbell and then waited patiently.

"Jessie! JESSIE, DON'T TOUCH THAT!" came a screech from inside the house. "Chad, can you please discipline your son?" Gabriella heard the lock turn and the door swung open to reveal her best friend. Taylor Danforth was standing in the doorway, wearing jeans and an overlarge T-shirt, her hair pulled messily into a ponytail.

"Taylor!" Gabriella squealed, setting down Jackson and throwing her arms around Taylor, hugging her tightly. Taylor hugged her weakly back.

When Gabriella pulled away, Taylor asked, "Gabriella... what are you doing here?"

"Well, I, uh..." Gabriella picked up Jackson's seat. "I need a place to stay."

"Oh, my God, is that little Jackson?" Taylor cried ecstatically. "He's so adorable! And he looks just like you, Gabriella!" Taylor beamed up at her. "Come on in!"

"Thanks, Taylor," said Gabriella, relieved, as she swept past Taylor and into their foyer.

"Hey, Taylor, who's at the door!?" called Chad.

Taylor yelled back, "Come see for yourself!"

Gabriella set Jackson's seat on the ground and bent over to unstrap him. She picked him up and jiggled him in her arms as his eyes flew open, surveying his new surroundings. "Hey, little guy!" she cooed. "Loud house, huh?"

Taylor laughed and a moment later, Chad appeared in the threshold between the kitchen and the foyer-slash-living room. He was holding a two-year-old boy upside down by the ankle. The little boy was giggling like crazy and his curly afro was sticking straight out.

"CHAD! Put Jessie down, he's gonna get a headache!" snapped Taylor, her hands on her hips.

"Put him down? Okay." Chad strode over to the living room couch and dropped Jessie onto it. He bounced a couple of times on it and laughed gleefully. "Now, who-" he started, but stopped as he finally rested his eyes on Gabriella. She smiled and waved at him, laughing slightly. "Gabriella!" he cried, striding over to her and enveloping her in a side huge. "What are you doing here? Is this Jackson?"

"Yup." Gabriella held Jackson out in her arms and Chad bent down on his knees to study him.

"He's beautiful, Gabriella," said Chad truthfully. "He looks just like you."

"Yeah, that's what Taylor said," Gabriella said proudly, lifting Jackson up to her own face. She kissed his nose lightly.

"Gabriella's gonna stay with us for a while," Taylor announced to Chad. "Do you think you can take her stuff to the guest room?"

"Uh... sure," said Chad, reaching down to pick up her things. "You remember where it is, right?"

Gabriella nodded and Chad disappeared down a hallway. Gabriella made to follow him but Taylor stopped her.

"Wait. Sit," she ordered, and Gabriella immediately sat down on the living room couch. Taylor sat across from her, in the love seat, and demanded, "What are you doing here?"

"What, I can't come and visit?" asked Gabriella innocently. "After all, I haven't seen Kyle yet and you haven't seen Jackson yet..."

"You know that's not the reason," Taylor said. "Something's wrong – I know it."

Gabriella just shrugged, not making eye contact with her friend. Taylor got up and leaned down in front of her. "Gabriella, please tell me what's wrong. I want to help you."

Pursing her lips, Gabriella slowly shook her head. Her eyes started to shine with tears but she blinked them back. "You can't help me," she whispered.

"You make it sound so dramatic," said Taylor quietly.

Gabriella let out a small laugh and sniffled. "Don't worry; it's nothing absolutely horrible that threatens my life or anything. I just..." she sighed. "I need to figure this out on my own."

Taylor nodded. "It's okay. I understand."

Gabriella smiled at Taylor. "Thanks so much." She leaned forward and embraced her friend again. "And thank you for letting me stay here," Gabriella added as she pulled away. "It's just I have no money and no job, and I-"

"Gabriella," laughed Taylor, holding up a hand to silence her. "Don't worry about. What are friends for, right?"

"Right," giggled Gabriella. As she stood up, Jackson started to fuss.

"Aw, what's wrong with the wittle bay-bee?" cooed Taylor, sticking her face right in front of Jackson's. This form of affection only caused Jackson to wail louder.

Gabriella laughed. "Good job, Taylor." She jiggled Jackson in her arm's a bit. "I think he's hungry."

Taylor folded her arms across her chest. "Kyle likes it when I do that," she pouted, ignoring Gabriella's words completely.

"Oh, that reminds me, I haven't seen him yet!" Gabriella looked around. "Where is he?"

"Sleeping. All that kid does is eat and sleep." Taylor rolled his eyes.

The dark-haired girl laughed again. "I know how that is."

Taylor smirked.

"Gabriella?" Chad poked his head out of the hallway. "Your room is all ready. Oh, and I brought Kyle's old travel crib out from the garage for Jackson."

Gabriella smiled. "Thanks, Chad." She turned to Taylor. "Thanks both of you."

"Stop thanking us!" exclaimed Taylor. "Geez, Gabriella, you're too nice."

"And that's a bad thing?" asked Gabriella, grinning. Jackson's fussing turned into cries and Gabriella looked down at him. "I'm sorry, I forgot about you!" she cooed.

Jessie ran in from the family room, his hands over his ears. "Loud baby," he said, his eyebrows furrowed.

Gabriella laughed. "Don't worry, I'll quiet him down." She walked past Jessie, ruffling his wild hair, and strode through the hallway into the guest bedroom that she always occupied when she stayed here.

The moment she entered the room, the cheery smile slid completely off her face. As she nursed Jackson on the reclining chair near the bed, the tears finally started to spill down her cheeks. She lowered her head so that her hair covered her face, and wept silently.