Sorry it's taken so long to update and I thought this chapter would be different and filled with something completely different but really this is just a filler chapter. I just have to get the hang of writing for this story again...it's been awhile. Sorry about that. I will try and update ASAP. Thanks to all my readers!

"No more questions?" Troy asked, probably pushing his luck with Gabriella. She had already broken the promise that she made to herself and told him more things about their past. Like Aly and Mackenzie for example. Troy was beginning to understand why he shouldn't turn back into the old him. But he had a fear, maybe it was irrational but it was strong. What if he did become that person? Even if it was unintentional, can you really change who you are? Troy decided yes and he was going to try harder than ever to do that. But first he'd need some answers. "So, what's up with this Nate guy?"

Gabriella shut off the ignition of her car once they finally arrived back at her house, his house too, she reminded herself. Why couldn't he just shut up? Gabriella asked herself. Sure, she probably did screw him over and she deserved to treat him well now. But hadn't she gone through enough today? A good night's sleep is what she needed before she could answer any more questions. Especially the one just asked.

"Troy, I don't know. Nate is...a psycho." Gabriella said frustrated as she slammed her car door as much as possible. Hoping somehow that the shaking of the car would startle Troy in some way, or at least give him the hint that she didn't want to talk about this subject.

"Define psycho?" Troy said, struggling to keep pace with her as she marched up the pathway. Gabriella just shrugged. Troy stopped her a shot her a look. A look she knew too well from the years she spent with him. She wasn't going to get out of this.

"I don't know. Psycho, lunatic, deranged, deluded. Anything else?" she asked, a bitter tone exploding through her voice.

"Actually..."

"Troy," Gabriella said, turning around and placing her hand in front of him. "What part of incredibly long day and I don't want to talk about it don't you get? Look, I swear I will tell you as much as I can tomorrow. But can you let me have a night to soak it all in please? It's not pleasant."

Troy looked down to the ground, was he being selfish? He asked himself. He deserved the whole story, but maybe it was a difficult one for Gaby. Maybe he should be more respectful of those emotions.

"Okay, tomorrow then." Troy said, finally looking up at her. She smiled the most relived and exhausted, yet broad grin he had ever seen. It gave him a flashback to the kiss that the two shared in the car. The absolutely perfect kiss. That was definitely something that he would have to bring up tomorrow, at least while he had her talking.

"Thanks," Gabriella said, her head hung a little low, looking completely worn. "Oh and don't mention to my mom that you or I know anything about the affair that she had with your dad. Because she thinks that we don't know each other and that I'm clueless."

"Do you mind writing all this down? It's a lot of rules." Troy commented. Gabriella just gave him a playful punch and they made their way into the house.

In the kitchen they found Vicki sitting at the kitchen table looking as apprehensive as ever. Her normal smiling face, one that was seen so often on Gabriella, had disappeared and she looked as though she had aged years in a matter of hours.

"Mom, we're home." Gabriella said, snapping her mother out of her stupor.

"Oh thank goodness. Troy, I just got a call from the hospital." she said frantically.

"My dad's awake, I know. We spoke." Troy said, trying to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"Yes, well he'll be in the hospital a little while longer." Vicki said. Thank God! All three in the room thought at once.

"While you were with him..." Vicki began. But Gabriella cut her off in an instant. "Mom, Troy and I are both really tired and I have a major beyond major exam tomorrow. So can we just go upstairs. No worries, I'll bring him up and make sure he doesn't fall down and crack his head open or anything." And with that the two were granted access upstairs, with no questions asked about Jack Bolton.

Once Troy was laying in bed his head was spinning a little less and he could concentrate on information a little better. It was all so much he didn't even know where to begin or what to process first. He was too busy staring at Gabriella, who was cleaning up her cousin's side of the room. It was as an excuse to stay with Troy, but she didn't tell him that. After stalling as much as she could, not trying to leave his presence she handed Troy a carefully folded note.

"Here's what Natalie gave you. You must have dropped it in our escape." she said, and Troy quickly took the note from Gabriella, his hands begging him to open it but he wanted to wait until she left.

"What are in those notes she keeps giving you anyway?" Gabriella asked. Troy froze.

"Um, just quirky little drawings I guess." he finally replied.

"Well that sounds like her." Gabriella said before she exited the room with a wave goodbye, secretly longing to know what was in that note.

Troy carefully unfolded it, but found it was blank. It was completely and totally blank. No picture of him, no picture of anyone he recognized. Not even a note scribbled from Natalie. Just a carefully folded, blank paper. Why would she give him this?

Natalie was watching Troy's confused face from behind his door. Not with the same confused look Troy had on. In fact, her look was a look of joy. He figured it out on his own, she whispered to herself. But how did he know about his dad and the way he treated him? How did he remember that night where he hurt him? Natalie tossed a look to Gabriella's room and suddenly felt much prouder of her cousin. Then she trotted off to bedroom to work on another picture, because she knew there were some things that Gabriella would never tell Troy, no matter what. That, was Natalie's job.

Later that night another, much darker, and far more sinister note was slid under Troy's door. And once Troy read it, everything he ever thought about himself, Gabriella, and...Nate all changed in an instant.