I don't own anything.

A/N: You guys are in for a special treat this week. You know why, cause this week I receive my second invite to the honors convocation at my college…yeah got I've got that GPA of 3.4. so to celebrate this achievement. My treat for you all is a double posting. That's right two chapters of The Job. Now here's another thing. I want to thank all of my reviewers…man last chapter was my best reviewed chapter yet. There was 22 reviews, that right 22. Now I just want to thank; k, kimmy, Mrs.Zac Efron4, Kimberly, That's so Raven girl, chaylorlover101, xoSuperstarletxo, Siggystar, googoogrl007, xo-ChaylorGGQueen-xo, AzMiGu, look at the stars, baby2ludaris, Monique coleman's lil twin, kuropie, GoodnessFootprintsInTheSand, AshleyZac4life, Sciencefreak2007, Yellow-queen18, Winx, wpscannergirl2007, and MeridianDreams. Thank you all for the reviews, and hope you enjoy this double posting and please remember to Review.

Baby S

Chapter Thirteen

Two weeks before Christmas…

Chad, Sean, and Troy were walking through the mall. Chad held his son as he followed Troy around the store they were in as he looked through everything. Stopping to shift his sleeping son in his arms he looked at his best friend and called out. "Don't you think you have enough gifts?" he exclaimed as he looked at Troy who looked up from the glass case that had recently gotten his attention. Looking at Chad for a moment he shrugged and smiled before saying.

"I'm going to make this the best Christmas for Taylor…one she will never forget." He replied as he returned his glaze back to the glass case. "I'm thinking about buying her a bracelet."

"What kind?" Chad asked walking over and peering down into the glass case as well. Not answering Troy just pointed to a brilliant diamond and gold bracelet, Chad let out a low whistle and carefully reached out a patted Troy on the back. "Geez, man that's a statement right there."

"And what statement is that."

"Um…that she's mine…that's basically what it says, you gonna get that along with everything else caused that's going to cost you a pretty penny man." Shrugging his shoulders Troy motioned for one of the attendants to come over to help him, before looking over at Chad and smiling.

"Money is no object to me and besides I want to make that type of statement."

"So Taylor's your woman."

"You're damn right she is." He replied with a chuckle as the attendant came over and began to help him with his latest purchase. The attendant pulled out the bracelet and allowed Troy to look it over, once he was finished with his own inspection he handed the item back.

"Sir, we can engrave a name or a phrase on the bottom of the bracelet." Troy looked at her and then thought for a moment.

"How much is that going to cost."

"It costs nothing sir…so do you want it engrave." Troy thought for a moment and slowly remembered how Taylor had told him about her love for Dru Hill; nodding his head he tapped his fingers on the glass case before saying.

"Her and Love are the same." The attendant looked surprised for a moment before leaning forward.

"I'm sorry could you please repeat that."

"I said…Her and Love are the same…could you engrave that on the bottom." He asked as he lifted a hand and rubbed it along his neck; she smiled at him and nodded before walking off. Chad and Troy continued to stand there just looking at the jewelry in the case in front of them. Both in silence, every once in a while Chad would look over at Troy. Finally not being able to take the stares coming from his friend Troy spoke.

"What is it?"

"I didn't think you fall so hard are so quickly…I mean I knew you fall but damn Troy I didn't know you'd fall this far." Chad shakes his head and bounces Sean in his arms as the little baby boy started to wake up. "But like I've told you thousands times before…she's good for you."

"Good for me? She's the greatest thing that ever happened to me." Chad nodded his head and smiled at his friend for a moment. Just as the attendant returned with a black velvet box, smiling she handed him the box and Troy took it gladly and reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet opening it up he pulled out a credit card and handed to her. She was gone to go check him out.

"So um…what are you doing for the rest of the day?" Chad asked.

"Well, Ms. McKessie has to go to the doctor's office and Taylor asked me to come along for moral support she really hates being there alone while her mother gets checked out…and I told her I'd come and take them both."

"So what's going on with this Christmas party who's all coming?" Chad asked just as the attendant returned and handed Troy his credit card. Putting it up, Troy looked over at Chad and answered.

"Well, I know you and the fam are coming and I've called Taylor's brothers and their coming with their family and her best friends are coming along with her mother. Look man I'm going all out here for her…I mean man if you had heard her when she told me about her childhood…" he trailed off his voice becoming thick with emotions. "I mean what she said affected me so much…I just want to make her happy, and this is something I can do and I'm going to do it."

"Okay man…and with all those gifts you got her I'm sure she'll love her Christmas over at your house now what else are we going to do before he have to go and take her and her mother to the doctor's office."

"Well I gotta get a tree…I mean Christmas isn't Christmas without a Christmas tree." He said smiling as he placed the jewelry box into one of the many bags he was holding and soon he and Chad where off in search of a Christmas tree.

"Mom you almost ready…Troy is going to be here at second." Taylor exclaimed as she tapped on her mother's bedroom door. She sighed and waited a moment before she knocked again hearing some movement she waited and moments later her mother opened the door.

"I'm ready will you stop all the knocking." Janelle McKessie exclaimed while shooting her daughter a look. "I don't understand why he has to take us."

"He offered mom…and I couldn't turn him down."

"That's because you're involved with him…oh don't give me that look, I know you don't have to work late that much and that nurse has been her more lately."

"Mom, we're in the middle of producing a movie of course we're going to be working late." She exclaimed blushing under her mother's stare. Janelle McKessie smiled for a second before shaking head.

"You ever when you were five you could never lie to me…you just can't do it baby." Janelle said moving around her daughter and going to sit on the sofa. Taylor looked at her mother as she sat down and clasped her hands together.

"Fine you got me…we're going out."

"I already knew that, Taylor is there something else."

"We're in love." Janelle nodded her head and looked down at her lap, "Mom aren't you going to say something."

"Well I don't exactly know what to say…I just hope you end up better than I did. Love didn't do much for me." She replied as she continued to look down. "The only good thing that happened to me was you Taylor."

"Oh mom." She replied as she quickly moved to the sofa and wrapped her arms around her mother holding her tight. Janelle turned and cried on her daughter's shoulder as hers shook with the intensity of her cries.

"I'm happy that you have someone who loves you but I can't help but worry about you honey I hope that you have a happy ending and that you don't end up like your mother." She whispered as a knock sounded at the door. Taylor continued to hold her mother until she felt it was okay to go and answer, her eyes were full of unshed tears when she answered the door and looked into Troy's blue eyes that were immediately filled with concern.

"Taylor what is it? What's wrong?" he bellowed as he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her over before pulling her to him. "Was it your father?" he asked firmly needing to know and knowing that if that man had been here harassing her he would make sure that the old man regretted it for the rest of his life.

"Troy…nothing's wrong." She said breathlessly against his chest. "Me and mom were just having a heart to heart."

"Is everything alright." He asked again.

"Yes it's fine." She replied as she stood on tiptoes and kissed Troy on the lips, she smiled as she watched him calm down considerably before releasing her and rubbing a hand over his face.

"Don't scare me like that baby…I don't think my heart can take it." He replied softly as he brushed the pad of thumb along her cheek, before bending forward and kissing her on the forehead. "Now are you and your mother ready…for our trip."

"Yes we are." She said as she walked into the living and helped her mother stand; Troy immediately moved to assist and allowed Janelle to grab hold of him while Taylor led them out of the apartment. After locking the door the three of them went down stairs to Troy's car. "Troy, what type of car did you bring." Taylor asked hoping he didn't bring anything to fast. Troy looked at her and sighed.

"My Jaguar."

"A Jaguar…oh those cars are so beautiful." Janelle replied from Troy's side as she looked up at him. Taylor smiled as she watched her mother and Troy connect. Smiling down at Janelle, Troy stole a quick glance at Taylor before saying.

"Well the car is beautiful but let me assure you it's nothing compare to you or your daughter." Janelle laughed outright at his response and patted his forearm grinning over at Taylor.

"My he is quite the charmer."

"Yes momma he sure is." Taylor replied as Troy reached into his pocket and tossed her the car keys so she could open the door. Moments later they were on their way, Janelle sat in the backseat and quietly watched the interaction between her daughter and Troy Bolton. After a few minutes of silently watching she couldn't keep the smile off her face. She felt that Troy Bolton was exactly what her daughter needed, and she was happy to finally see her daughter loved. After putting her mind at ease about the courtship of her daughter and Troy Bolton she gave her attention to the scenery.

"Tay, baby sit down." Troy replied as he looked at Taylor while she paced back and forth in the waiting room. Finally when he realized that she wasn't going to listen to him he reached out and grabbed her hand pulling her to him. Finally once she was sitting down he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side. "Firefly you have got to calm down."

"Why won't she ever let me go with her?"

"Taylor, maybe she doesn't want to scare you…if you go in there you're just be a wreck asking all types of questions and scaring her and yourself. Cancer isn't something a mother wants to expose to her child…maybe firefly she's just doing that so you won't-."

"I worry even more when she doesn't take me in there I feel as if she's keeping something from me." She mumbled as she finally rested her head on his shoulder. Troy rubbed her arm as he silently sat there and allowed her to vent. He knew what she was going through his mother had died from breast cancer when he was twelve. Bending over he kissed her forehead as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. "I pray everyday that this will just go away…my mother doesn't need to suffer. I mean she's already had a hard enough life as it is…and now this." She exclaimed angrily Troy sat beside her for a brief moment and then spoke.

"You're right your mother doesn't deserved this…no one deserves something like this unfortunately it happens to a lot of good people, Taylor."

"I just don't want her to…die."

"Then don't put that thought out there…push towards thoughts out of your mind and just focus on being there for your mother." He replied as he turned in his seat so he could look at her. Taylor nodded knowing that he was right she needed to push towards thoughts out of her mind. Looking at Troy she smiled weakly and laid her head on his shoulder. "Now how about I take you and your mother out for dinner."

"You'd really take both of us out."

"What…two beautiful women on both of arms, are you kidding me?"

"Oh how can I forget I'm dating an ex-playboy." Troy smiled at her words and bent down to give her a quick kiss.

"You got that right…but you changed me love." He said smoothly as he looked her over, she blushed and shook her head for a moment before smiling.

"Well then with that type of attitude I think my mother and I would love to go out with you." She said just as her mother came out into the waiting room. Troy and Taylor stood together and walked over to her, Troy offered Janelle his arm and she almost immediately latched on. Taylor looked over her mother with concern before whispering.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine sweetheart now are you two taking me home." Troy shared a look with Taylor before replying.

"No, Ms. McKessie actually we were planning on talking you out to dinner my treat." He said flashing her a bright smile. Janelle smiled up at him and then looked at her daughter before shaking her head.

"My goodness he certainly is a keeper."

"Thanks mom…and believe I know." Taylor said flashing Troy a smile. He grinned back and offered his free arm to her. Together they walked out of the doctor office and headed downtown to one of Troy's favorite restaurants.

They arrived back at Taylor's home later on that night, insisting on walking the two women to the door Troy led them inside the building. Taylor couldn't help the grin that was on her face. It seemed that Taylor's mother had become quite smitten with Troy during their dinner. She had hung on his every word and he seemed to enjoy the attention. "Troy, I just want to thank you again for taking me and Taylor out for dinner."

"I had fun ma'am." He replied as he stood back and watched as Taylor opened the front door. "We might have to that again…"

"Oh I don't know about that…I wouldn't want my daughter to think I am trying to still you away from her." Troy smiled down at the older woman before shaking his head and patting her head.

"She has nothing to worry about." He said, but Janelle could tell that he was very serious, she looked up at him and he returned her glaze.

"You better not hurt her."

"I'd die before I do something like that ma'am."

"Troy…mom what are you two talking about," Taylor asked looking back at him as she opened the door. "Sounds serious."

"Oh nothing really I'm just telling your mother that for an older lady she sure does have some moves on the dance floor." She smiled at his words and then reached out for her mother.

"Come on mom let me take you to your room…Troy why don't you come on in so we talk before you leave." Troy nodded his head and followed her inside closing the door behind himself.

"Oh and Troy I had a lovely time this evening." Janelle called out over her shoulder as Taylor led her into the other room.

"I had fun as well Ms. McKessie and good night."

"Goodnight." She said just before Taylor gently closed the door, Troy walked over to the sofa and sat down and exhaled softly as he looked around the room. He hated the fact that Taylor and her mother were living here. It just wasn't right especially since he knew where Taylor's father was living. He couldn't imagine ever doing something like this to his child or the mother of his child. He just couldn't imagine doing it. He looked up as Taylor came out of the bedroom and clasped her hands together in front of her while she watched him.

"Thank you Troy for spending the evening with us." Troy smiled and pulled Taylor down on the sofa beside him.

"There isn't another place I'd rather be than right here with you." She blushed at his words as Troy bent down and kissed her. "Yeah," he started as he pulled away from her. "There isn't another place I'd rather be right now."

"You always know what to say."

"That's because I'm intelligent." He said cockily as she rolled her eyes at him and stood pulling on his hands till he was standing up as well. "You know it's true."

"Whatever I don't have to admit a thing." Troy just smiled at her as they continued to hold hands. "What is it?"

"I want you and your mother to come over to my house the week before Christmas and stay with me the entire week."

"Oh really and where will I sleep."

"With me of course…and your mother I…well I set up the guest room for her. Look I really want to make this Christmas special for you baby."

"Well okay I guess." She said with a playfully smirk on her face.

"Thanks Firefly I promise you, you will not regret coming to spend the week of Christmas with me." He replied gleefully as he bent and kissed her forehead. "I better good so you can get your rest okay…I'll talk to you later." She nodded and hugged him before he could step away; standing on her tiptoes she kissed him softly on lips and then led him to the door, where they shared one last kiss before he reluctantly left.