A/N I DO NOT OWN HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT! This is the last chapter. So read the AN at the bottom to see what I'm working on next. Thanks to all my reviewers and everyone who added me/my story to their alerts/favorites. You guys are reason I continue to write so thank you very much.

The night before the trial Gabriella couldn't sleep. She had met with her lawyer all week practicing what to say and how to answer Thomas's lawyer's question. She managed to tell her about the attack. She was all prepared so then why was she so nervous. The thought of getting on up the stand and telling everyone about the attack made her sick. She looked over at the clock by her bed and It read 2:36 am. She hadn't slept all night. She was in bad shape because she had to wake up at 10:00 to get ready for the trail. She sighed and climbed out of bed being careful not to wake the sleeping Troy next to her. She threw on some sweat pants and a t-shirt and threw her shoes on and ran out the door. She didn't know where she was going but she had to get out.

She ended up just going to Troy's tree house in his backyard. She climbed up and sat on the edge letting her feet hang over. She sighed as she looked up towards the sky.

"How am I suppose to do this Mommy? How am I suppose to tell everyone that I killed you?" she asked herself.

"Well the first step is to get a good night sleep." a voice said behind her.

She jumped and turned to see Troy.

"What are you doing here?" she asked

"When you left you slammed the door really loud making me wake up when I noticed you were gone I knew you would come here."

"I'm sorry I didn't want to wake you."

"I'm glad you did. Baby I thought we had a deal, if you can't sleep you wake me up. What happen? I would have tried to help you."

"I didn't want to wake you…"

Troy took her in his arms. "I want you to wake me up whenever you have a problem. No matter what time it is or what the reason is. "

She relaxed into his arms and cuddled into him.

"We will find a way through this Brie I promise." he said.

"Troy the only way I can get through talking about the attack is if I'm on your lap and you have your arms around me. You can't be on the stand with me!" Gabriella cried.

"We will figure something out."

Gabriella just sighed and cuddled into him. Troy just held her and gently rocked her as he sang. Gabriella fell asleep fast and Troy carried her back to the house and into bed. There he finally let the sleep take over.

The next morning Troy woke up and saw Gabriella staring at her. He sighed. He knew she didn't get much sleep at all last night and he knew she wouldn't until this day was over. So instead he tried to cheer her up and take her mind off things. He pulled his legs up and pulled Gabriella onto him and leaned her against his legs.

"Ready for a fun day of drop Gabriella?" Troy asked.

Gabriella didn't answer. Troy dropped his legs. Gabriella squealed and a tiny giggle escaped her lips. Troy lifted her back up and dropped her again. Her giggles continued. Troy smiled. He continued his came with her for a few minutes until he finally stopped and just let her sitting up against his legs. Gabriella rubbed her eyes with her fist. "Troy I'm sleepy."

"You didn't sleep much last night. Why don't you close your eyes and try getting some sleep before we leave." Troy said gently rubbing her legs.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm not tired."

Troy laughed. "Brie you just said you were sleepy."

"I said sleepy not tired. There is a difference."

"Oh yeah? Please tell me." Troy chuckled.

"Sleepy means I feel drained and not full of too much energy. Tired means I want to lay down and sleep."

Troy just laughed. "Gabriella you're tired anyone can see it. Just lay down you can stay on me if you want but just try and get some sleep."

"I'm not ti…" Gabriella trialed off and yawned. "…red. I'm sleepy."

Troy just laughed and shook his head.

"Come here." He gently laid her down on his chest as he lowered his legs. He put his hand under the back of her shirt and gently scratched her back as he softly started to sing.

"No, no sing." She whined.

He always knew how to make her sleep. He chuckled but continued anyway. It wasn't long before she fell into a deep sleep. Troy kissed her head and continued his actions.

A little later there was a knock at his door. His mother walked in.

"You two need to get ready. We are due in court in 1 hour."

"I know mom. We got it."

Lucille left. Troy sighed. He kissed Gabriella on the head.

"Brie, Brie baby wake up." He whispered.

She groaned.

"I'm sorry to wake you but we need to get ready to leave."

"No!" Gabriella cried. She rolled off him and grabbed the blankets pulling them over her head. Troy sighed this was not going to be easy.

"I know you're scared baby but I promise everything will be ok."

"No!"

"Please baby girl."

"No!"

Troy sighed he knew what he had to say but he hated using it against her.

"If not for me than for your mother."

Gabriella lowered the blankets from over her head. Troy felt worse when he saw the tear stains on her cheeks and saw that she was silently crying. "What?" she whimpered.

"Baby, if you go to court today you can get justice for your mother. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes, of course I want that Troy, more than anything."

"So then you need to be brave and do this, for her."

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

"I know you are baby and I don't blame you. Mrs. Barns has already prepared you for what will be said and even for what might be said and you know what to say and what not to say."

"What if they're there Troy?"

Troy sighed. He knew part of her fear was facing the reporters. "Stone will keep them out of the courtroom. We might have to face them going in but I'll just hold you nice and tight until we get through. They won't get inside I promise."

"I'm so scared."

Troy hugged her. "You can do it. You faced the memories at the house now you just have to face this and it will be all over. Then you can work on healing and getting over your fears."

Gabriella nodded. They shared a gentle kiss.

"Troy will you help me get ready…I don't want to be alone today…I need a clingy day."

Troy gave a small smile and kissed her head. "Of course I'll help you. You can cling to me all you want."

They both got out of bed and went into the bathroom. They changed into their bathing suits and Troy turned on the water.

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Troy asked.

"I don't trust anyone but you Troy. I'm sure."

Troy nodded and the both stepped inside the shower and closed the glass doors. Troy helped her shower and get dressed being as gentle as possible. Gabriella let him not once objecting to anything. Finally they were both showered and ready. Gabriella clung to Troy like a life line. Troy just held her and did what he could to comfort her.

They all finally arrived at the court house. Troy sighed when Gabriella whimpered.

"We're going to get through this I promise."

Gabriella nodded. Troy got out of the car and took Gabriella right into his arms. She had put his sweatshirt on in the car. Troy lifted her hood up as she buried her face in the crook of his neck clinging tightly to him. Everyone walked toward the court house. As the neared they saw the reporters. Troy sighed. They had parked around the corner so they could get out of the car without being mobbed.

"They're here baby girl. Just try and hang on I'll get you through as fast as I can." Troy said to her.

Gabriella whimpered and clung tighter to him. Troy walked up the court house. That's when it all started. The screaming question, the blinding lights, the camera, it all set Gabriella over the edge. She started to cry and squirm in Troy's arms.

"Go! Go! Go!" she screamed.

"I got you sweetie. Shhhh just hang in there."

They finally made it inside. Troy sighed and kissed Gabriella. "We're ok. We're safe."

"Don't let me go."

"I won't I promise." Troy and his parents walked into the court room and sat down in the front behind the table.

It wasn't long after that, that the trial started. Both Lawyers gave their opening statement and a few other witnesses went up to speak, some of the cops, and doctors. Even Troy went up to speak. Finally it was Gabriella's turn.

"Remember you're doing this for your mother."

"I can't do it Troy. Not with all these people looking at me."

"Look at me, right at me."

Gabriella gave a small nod and went up to the stand and sat down after being sworn in. Luckily her lawyer was first.

"Now Mrs. Montez I under how hard it is for you to be here. I understand how scary this must be for you but I promise you that all you have to do is answer a few question and then you'll be all done."

"Ok…" Gabriella whimpered.

"Now will you please tell us what happen to your mother."

"She was raped and murdered."

"By who?"

"Thomas Edwards."

"Did he do anything to you?"

"He threw me against the wall a lot and grabbed me by the hair and hit me by nothing compared to what he put my mother through."

"Would you say this man was dangerous?"

"Yes."

"No further questions."

Mrs. Barns went to sit down. Thomas's lawyer got up and went over to her.

Gabriella gulped at the smirk at his face. Troy blew her a kiss and gave her a small wink. She gave a small smile.

"Mrs. Montez have you ever gotten into a fight with your mother?"

"Hardly ever…"

"When you do fight, do you get mad at her?"

"Yes."

"Mrs. Montez have you ever wished your mother dead or said you hated her?"

"No, of course not."

"Do you love your mother?"

"More than anyone."

"Even more than your boyfriend Troy?"

"I cannot compare my love. My love for Troy and my love for my mother is the same."

"If you and Troy were ever in a hostage situation and the man in charge said not to move or try to get help otherwise he'd kill Troy, but you had a chance to go get help and Troy didn't would you do it?"

"Ye…N….I don't know."

"This is not a trick question Mrs. Montez."

"I…I…I…"

Gabriella started to breathe harder. When did these questions get so hard?

"No…"

"Aren't you the one who said you loved Troy and your mother the same?"

"I do."

"Then why when put in the same situation would you choose to save Troy's life but not your mothers?"

"I…."

"According to you my client warned you not to try and leave or get help right?"

"Yes…" Gabriella whimpered as tears filled her eyes.

She and everyone else knew where he was going with this and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"What was the punishment if you disobeyed?"

"My mother would pay…." Gabriella choked back a sob.

"Yes, Mrs. Montez?"

"With her life…." Gabriella just barely choked out.

"So you were given a rule and you broke it. Tell me Mrs. Montez when you were a child and you broke a rule were you punished."

Gabriella could only nod. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"You need to answer the questions." The judge said.

"She did." Troy whispered to Mrs. Barns.

"They need a direct spoken answer otherwise it's not legal."

Troy sighed.

"Yes, yes I was punished." Gabriella cried. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to keep her breathing under control as she cried.

"So, don't you think since you broke a rule you deserved to be punished?"

"Not with my mother's life."

"That was the rule wasn't it? You leave and get help, your mother dies. You tried to leave and get help so your mother died. It's very simple you are responsible for your mother's death if you had followed the rules correctly your mother would still be alive right now. Admit it, you and I both know it's the truth."

"Objection, coaching the witness." Mrs. Barns said.

"Move on." The Judge said.

"Do you love your mother?"

"Objection asked and answered."

While they were arguing Gabriella buried her face in her hands and started crying hysterically. Her mother's death was all her fault, she was the murderer not Thomas. She deserved to spend life in jail. She deserved all this pain.

"This wouldn't be the first time you've killed your parents is it Gabriella?"

No he couldn't know about this, anything but this.

Troy growled.

"Wha-what?" Gabriella whimpered looking up from her hands.

"You killed your father too right?"

"No, no I didn't kill him. Troy said it wasn't my fault. Troy said!" Gabriella cried burring her face back into her hands.

Gabriella's father had died in a car crash going to pick her up from a friend's house one evening. It had taken Troy years before she finally stopped blaming herself.

"If you didn't need a ride home, would he still be alive right now? Would he have been on the road at all if you hadn't needed a ride home?"

"Stop, stop it!" Gabriella's hands flew up to cover her ears as she shook her head. "No, stop it! Stop asking me questions."

"You broke a rule that night too didn't you? It was your first sleepover and you promised your parents you'd stay the whole night if they let you go but you broke that promise."

Gabriella started to squirm in her chair "No, no more questions. Please, please stop it!" She squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head looking down. The lawyer grabbed Gabriella's hands and ripped them away from her ears and screamed in her face, "YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED YOUR MOTHER YOU'RE A MURDERER EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT JUST ADMIT IT YOU LYING PIECE OF TRASH!"

Gabriella had a sudden flash of the attack and screamed on top of her lung pulling away.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAY FROM ME RIGHT NOW HELP! TROY HELP!"

Gabriella screamed. She jumped up and ran off the stand. She was so out of it she couldn't register where she was going or what she was doing.

"TROY HELP! HELP!" Troy jumped from his chair and ran to her just as she reached the door.

"Shhh, shhhh I'm right here shhhh shhh you're safe."

Gabriella turned and cried into his chest clinging to him as tight as she could. Troy lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"That's it I've heard enough. There will be a break until the jury make up their mind." The Judge said. Everyone got up and Troy left before anyone could get near them. He took Gabriella into the family bathroom and set her on the counter. She refused to let go of him.

"You don't have to let go of me but at least look at me."

Gabriella looked up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her cheeks were tear stained as tears continued to slowly slip down her cheeks.

Troy kissed her.

"No more tears sweetie. It's all over."

He used his thumb to wipe them away.

"Troy, I want to go home." Gabriella whimpered.

"As soon as we hear the verdict we will I promise. We will go home and just cuddle on the bed you can cling to me all you want. Sound good?"

"Can we play drop Gabriella?" she asked softly.

Troy chuckled. "Of course." He kissed her forehead. He turned on the water from the sink. Gabriella flinched when the handle squeaked.

"Shhh, you're all right." Troy soothed. He gently wet his hand and wiped it over Gabriella's face. Gabriella didn't protest his touch was always so gentle and comforting to her.

"I love you Troy." She said.

"I love you too. I'm very proud of the way you got up there and told the truth,"

Gabriella gave a small smile. "Thank you."

Once Troy was finished helping her wash up Gabriella buried her face in the crook of his neck. He kissed her cheeks as they walked out of the bathroom and back into the court room.

Finally the judge came back inside.

"We the jury find Thomas Edward guilty of murder, rape, and abuse."

"Mr. Edwards you are hereby sentenced to life in prison. Court dismissed."

Gabriella smiled as she heard this. Thomas was getting what he deserved. She had gotten justice for her mother now she could focus on healing. It would be hard but with Troy by her side she could do anything.

A year went by and so much had changed. The reporters finally gave up and left Gabriella alone. Gabriella could sleep without any nightmares or worries, Lucille and Jack had become her legal guardians, and Gabriella had been able to move on from her mother's death. She had even managed to get over her fear of laying on her back. There was still one last thing to had to do. It didn't even occur to her until one day at school. Chad had asked her a question, that until recently used to scare her to death.

"What's the Story?"

Only this time Gabriella gave them a small smile and told and their friends the whole truth. The story was finally out, Gabriella couldn't be happier.

A/N all right so lets be honest the ending stunk and I'm sorry for that but I really had no idea on how to end it and so that's what you got. Anyway this is the last chapter. I have decided to do a sequel to "Nothing can Break us Apart" but I have another story in mind I want to write before that one called Gentle Touch here is the summary: Gentle Touch- Gabriella and her mother are abused, at thirteen Gabriella's mother is killed by her father and Gabriella runs away. She finds safety in a shelter for abused women and childern. Three years later Gabriella is still scared of any type of touch. Can new boy Troy Bolton gain her trust and teach her that not all touches are bad? Can he teach her just how gentle a touch can be? Hopefully I'll have the first chapter for that out tomorrow but I'm not making any promises. Thanks for everything guys. For updates and sneak peeks at my future work fan me on facebook here: .com/Hopelessromanticgurl