So, I need to say sorry again for the way the italics mushed together in the last chapter, like they did before. It was kinda tricky to read and so I say sorry and that next time I use italics I will make sure to space them out better.

I THINK that the next chapter will be the last and then I'll be taking a break from fanfiction to sort out what will be coming next from me and how I'm going to be going about it.

Letters

He could sense her excitement before he was even in the hospital foyer, so by the time he reached her, Gabriella looked about ready to pop.

"I'm free," she told him happily, as she stood up and greeted him with a hug.

"Really? When?"

"Tomorrow, Mia said as long as nothing drastic happens over night I'll be able to leave after some final tests tomorrow."

"Brie, sweetheart, that's fantastic, I'm so happy for you," Troy squeezed Gabriella tightly, before pulling back slightly to see her biting her lip shyly. "What's up?"

"Mia said that they'll probably be able to discharge me in the early afternoon, but I'd really like you to come and get me and she said that they can wait until half three if you'll come and get me…"

"If you're happy to wait that long, then you know I'll come and get you and Dad has already cancelled practise tomorrow 'cause he has a meeting, that's why I'm running late today, he kept us there for longer to make up for it."

"Well as long as you're okay with it, then I'll tell Mia when we go back up…"

"What else?" Troy asked, knowing Gabriella wasn't quite telling him everything.

"Well…Mia and I had another chat before tea and I got kinda upset and so I didn't eat very much, but she said she'd let me off if you brought me something in the canteen when you got here…I'll pay you back when we get home tomorrow."

"Sweetheart you don't have to pay me back it's fine, come on," Troy kept one arm wrapped round Gabriella as he led her towards the canteen and the wide selection of food it had on offer.

"Yeah but, you keep buying me things and you brought the others their food when you all visited on Saturday as well, can't you at least let me pay you back for theirs?"

"Nope, it was my treat and it's staying that way Montez so shut up or I won't pick you up tomorrow," Gabriella poked Troy in the stomach and then momentarily left his side to pick herself some food, once again courtesy of Troy.

TGTGTGTG

As the clock struck three fifteen and the time for Gabriella to be discharged got closer, the less she wanted to leave. The hospital had been her home for the past two weeks, she felt safe here and the staff had helped her become her old self again…but what if she changed again when she left? What if everything just went back down hill when her Dad came back from London? There were too many 'what ifs' running through Gabriella's head and so she curled up on her bed, with her back to the door and cried.

There was a wet patch on the pillow by the time the door opened and Troy walked in, she didn't turn to greet him though, he'd soon walk round to the other side of the bed and see her tears.

"Hey Brie, you ready to go sweetheart?" This was the first stage, he'd talk to her and she wouldn't answer him. "Brie honey? You haven't fallen asleep have you?" This was stage two, he'd talk to her again and now that she hadn't answered him, he was walking round the bed to see her face…and now he'd seen her tears and was crouching down next to the bed to talk to her. "Gabi sweet girl, why are you crying? What's the matter honey? Do you feel okay?" Gabriella simply nodded to Troy's last question and reached up to wipe away her persistently falling tears. "Well if you feel okay, then what's the matter?" Troy asked, as he reached up and softly ran his fingers through Gabriella's hair.

"I'm scared."

"What are you scared of honey? Coming home?"

Gabriella nodded. "What if I can't cope and I stop eating and drinking properly again and I collapse again, only it's worse and it takes me longer to get better. What if I can't cope when Dad comes back from London and we just become even more distant than we are now? What if Dad just doesn't come back at all and I get stressed out 'cause I'll end up looking after the others again? What if I can't cope at school and I don't pass my exams and I can't go to Stanford? What if I break down and…and…and, I'm scared Troy." Gabriella's tears just came on thicker and faster and Troy was soon sitting next to her on the bed, pulling her onto his lap and letting her cry into the crook of his neck as he cradled her tightly against him.

"Listen beautiful," Troy pulled Gabriella away from his body and cupped her face in his hands, enabling him to look into her tear filled eyes. "If you ever feel like you can't cope or things are getting too much for you, then I want you to tell me. I don't care how you tell me, come talk to me, text me, write me a letter and leave it some where I'll find it, I don't mind, I just don't want you to feel like you can't cope ever again. When your Dad comes home, my parents will be talking to him way before you do and they'll be telling him things as they are, Mum's not gonna hold back anymore, she's gonna tell him things straight. And I'm sure he'll be coming back, he might not have come back when he found out you were in this place, but I'm sure he'll be coming back, Mum would send Dad to London to bring him back if he didn't. You won't ever again have to look after the others by yourself, so there's no way you'll get stressed out by that or anything else. And you willcope at school sweetie because school is your thing, studying is your thing and because of that you will most defiantly pass your exams and get into Stanford, don't you ever doubt that. But if you do find yourself struggling with a piece of work or something, tell me and I'll try and help you and if I can't help, which I probably won't be able to, I'll come with you to talk to the teacher so you get the help you need…you aren't alone in this honey. I'm not saying it's going to be easy for you to adjust back to things outside of hospital and I'm not saying you won't break down, but if you do I'll be there, whenever and wherever you need me, I'll be there, just say the word." Gabriella took some shaky breaths as she let Troy wipe away her falling tears.

"I'm sorry Troy, I should be happy I'm getting out of here."

"Gabi it's only natural to feel scared and worried about leaving here, you've gotten back to health here the past two weeks. But I promise you, I'm gonna be with you the whole time at home, I'll help you adjust back into home life and I reckon that once we're there and you see the others again, you'll feel better about everything…okay?" Gabriella nodded and took some deep breaths to calm her breathing and stop anymore tears from falling.

"I really don't deserve you," she told him softly, as he wiped away the tear tracks on her face.

Troy shrugged. "I don't really deserve you either, so that means we're equal…now is there anything else you want or need before we go?"

"Nope, but when we get home will you cuddled with me?"

"What kind of question is that Brie? You know I will."

TGTGTGTG

Troy was right, once they'd arrived at the Bolton's and she'd been greeted by her siblings, Gabriella had begun to feel better about things, but Troy had kept to his word and cuddled with Gabriella once things had settled down and everyone had disappeared off to do their own thing. Alfie and Alex had stayed in the lounge though and while Alex happily played with his toys and watched the telly, Alfie lingered nearer to Troy and Gabriella and, although he was playing, it was obvious his heart wasn't into it. Eventually, he got up and wandered out of the room, only to come back looking lost and frightened. Gabriella had immediately called him over and pulled him up onto her lap, letting him curl up in her there, as Troy moved his arms to encompass Alfie as well.

They were still curled up like that now, an hour and a half after Troy and Gabriella had arrived home, when Lucille come through from the kitchen with an envelope in her hand.

"This arrived yesterday Gabriella," she said handing her the long white envelope. "The post markings on it say it's from London."

Sensing something wasn't right, Alfie wiggled off of Gabriella's lap and ran to join the others in the dining room, while Gabriella simply sat and stared at the envelope.

"It's from my Dad, isn't it?"

"I'd say so sweetie yeah, are you okay with that? I can take it and read it if you don't want to."

"No, I want to read it…can I read it alone please?" Gabriella aimed this question at Troy, knowing he didn't want to leave her side much tonight.

"If that's what you want…I'll be in my room doing homework," Troy kissed Gabriella soundly on the lips and untangled himself from her before giving her another kiss and heading upstairs.

"I'll be in the dining room," Lucille said softly as she followed Troy out.

Deciding it was best just to get it over with, Gabriella ripped open the envelope and found a sheet of lined paper, filled with her Dad's writing, she knew this wasn't going to be easy.

Dear Gabriella,

If you're reading this then you've opened the letter and for that I'm incredibly thankful.

First of all I want to apologise for the way your mother and I treated you before her death, it was inconsiderate of us and I now realise that we shouldn't have left you in charge while we went on work trips and that you had every right to know about her cancer. She had cervical cancer and although she started off having treatment, she didn't like the way it made he feel and so she went against medical advice and stopped receiving it, that's why she collapsed and her body gave up the fight.

I myself want to say sorry for the way you found out about her death and the fact that I made you tell your siblings, I should never have made you do that. I should've come home myself and told you all, there is no excuse for the way I acted.

There is also no excuse for the way I treated you after your mother's funeral, I went back to work far sooner than I should of and I am so very sorry for acting the way I did when you tried to speak to me that evening the other week.

I did come to London for business, but I am no longer here on business. I have taken some leave from work and have signed myself into a rehabilitation centre in the hopes that they can help me get over my grief and help me to realise how I have hurt you and your siblings and how I can start trying to make up for all the terrible things I have done.

My first apology to you Gabriella is not coming back to see you when I learnt you had been taken into hospital. I'm so very sorry for the way I have acted and I know that it will take time before you can forgive me for leaving you when you needed me the most.

I am writing you this letter because my counsellors wanted me to write down my thoughts and feelings and I hope that you will do the same thing. I want to know your thoughts and feelings over all of this Gabriella, tell me everything, I don't care how bad it is or whether you swear or not, just tell me because if you don't tell me, I can't begin to make things up to you.

I hope with all my heart that you'll write me a letter in return, but I also understand that this will take you time and I don't want you to feel like there is any rush at all.

I thank you again for reading this letter and hope to hear from you soon.

All my love

Dad

The tears had been tumbling freely for a while now and Gabriella didn't try to stop them, her Dad had made contact with her, he was getting help, something he'd gone about by himself and she had no idea how to react. She had so many things whirling through her head and she knew that there was no way she'd be able to make any sense of it now and so she put her letter back in the envelope and headed upstairs, knowing that she needed Troy's view on this now more than ever.

She padded past the dining room, not wanting the others to see her and quickly ran up the stairs, knocking on Troy's bedroom door when she arrived; she wasn't sure what kind of reception she'd get, she had asked him to leave the room when she'd read the letter after all. She received a 'come in' in reply to her knock and so she hesitantly opened the door and made her way in, finding Troy changed into a t-shirt and basketball shorts, lounging on his bed watching TV, seemingly finished with his homework.

It took Troy once glance in Gabriella's direction to know that her letter from Carlos had been an emotional one and he was glad that she'd come to him, even if she did look slightly frightened of him.

"Come here beautiful," Troy held his arms out to Gabriella and she was soon in his arms, burying her head into the crook of his neck as they lay on his bed and she let out all of the emotions that had come to the forefront after reading her Dad's letter.

"Help me please?" Gabriella asked, as she wiped away her tears, but cuddled herself closer to Troy.

"You know I'll help you honey, but I need to know what was in the letter first, will you tell me?" Gabriella shook her head and handed the envelope to Troy. "Can I read it?" Gabriella nodded and handed Troy the letter and the room was filled with silence as Troy read Carlos' meaningful words. "Do you want to write back sweetheart?"

"Yeah…he's clearly getting help Troy, I've got to commend him for that and the fact that he wrote to me not knowing how I'd take it or even if I'd read it, I'm just not sure what to write."

"Well you don't have to write it now, take some time to think about it. You don't even have to write it all in one go, you can write things down as they come to you, there's no pressure sweetheart, it's all at your speed, you don't have to rush anything, okay?" Gabriella nodded and nuzzled her face into Troy's chest, not knowing what to say right now, but just needing to be in Troy's arms.

TGTGTGTG

It was Friday evening and Troy and Gabriella were walking hand in hand down the street, back towards the Bolton family home. Gabriella had been coming on leaps and bounds since her release from hospital and Troy knew that a large majority of her becoming herself again was due to her being with her siblings again, the bond that they held helping her grow stronger each day.

Now though they were walking home after posting Gabriella's responding letter to Carlos, something she had written in one big go on Wednesday evening, but had only now found the courage to post. She found it incredibly emotional to write, but had stayed strong and not had Troy in the room, this was something she had to do alone, but as soon as she was finished she went upstairs to find Troy and let him read the letter, while receiving the hug she so desperately needed.

Gabriella wasn't sure how to write her letter, should she write in reply to things Carlos had said? Or should she just be really angry and tell him the truth like he'd asked? Troy had told her to calm down and simply write what came to mind and what came from her heart and that's exactly what she did.

Dear Dad,

I'm not really sure what to write, so I'm sorry if it's not what you were looking for.

I was released from hospital on Tuesday and I feel more like the old me every day. Troy has been amazing looking after me and helping with whatever I've needed help with, I'm really thankful I've got him, and Jack and Lucille for that matter, without them things would be so much worse right now.

The others don't know where you are, only Josh knows, there isn't much point in telling the others. Josh is angry at you for being in London, so maybe you could write a letter to him explaining what's going on and that you aren't on business there anymore.

I'll admit that I was angry at you and Mum when I found out about the cancer, I didn't want to be because she was dead, but I just couldn't help how I felt. I know you didn't tell us about the cancer because you wanted to protect us, but I still feel like Josh and I had the right to know, even if you didn't tell the others, I still think you should've told us.

I was angry at you for going back to work so quickly, that's why I came and spoke to you that evening, I hoped me telling you how I felt would knock you into reality, seems I was wrong.

I know you're grieving Dad, we all are, but I just want you to get better and get to a place where you feel comfortable to come home and be with us again because we miss you Dad, we really miss you.

I know this isn't the best letter in the world, but it's a start and I hope it helps you.

Love you loads

Gabriella.

TGTGTGTG

It's kinda short, but you'll just have to deal with it.

I'm hoping the italics don't bunch together, like they have before, but if they do, and you can't understand what it's says, give me a shout and I'll send you the italics parts so you're able to read them.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! THANK YOU!