DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

We stayed in her bedroom for about 20 minutes, me just holding her as she cried and let it all out. I continued to rub her back and whisper comforting words in her ear, occasionally kissing her head. One thing I knew is that I wanted to be here for her like everyone tried to be for me when Daniel died. The only difference was I pushed everyone away. That's why, since that time, I have come up with the motto of calling in the reinforcements.

When she finally pulled away from me, her makeup was smeared and her eyes red and puffy, but she couldn't have looked more beautiful. I saw her bathroom, so I walked in and got a warm, wet washcloth. I wiped her face for her to rid it of the makeup and tears.

When I finished, she smiled at me. "Thank you. You don't know how long I've been holding that in."

"Yes, I do. I know you're a strong woman. But sometimes you need to be the weaker person and let someone else take care of you." I gave her a smile and pulled her back in for another embrace before lightly kissing her.

I grabbed her hand and we walked back downstairs where everyone was at. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, everyone looked up at us, zoning in on her, and gave her a sympathetic smile.

The last of her co-workers was leaving, Sharon being her name. She was a motherly type and I knew that her and Gabriella were close.

I was standing with my back to her, looking through Gabriella's cds with Moira when I heard her say, "You take care, baby girl." I smiled at that, knowing that even when I wasn't around, Gabriella would have someone to take care of her, for which I was thankful. "And you," I heard her say. I turned around to see her pointing at me. "What the hell took you so long?"

I shrugged, "I got lost?" Then I gave her a cheeky grin, causing Sharon to laugh.

"Well, don't let it happen again," she warned, turning to give Gabriella another hug before walking out the door.

Now it only left me with the girls.

I heard Gabriella sigh and I looked over. Her shoulders slumped and I grew concerned once again for her. "Love you all, but I've got to get out of these clothes," she announced as she headed towards the stairs.

I thought about the previous week with me ridding her of her clothes and felt a blush come to my cheeks.

"Are you blushing?" I heard Sharpay say next to me.

"No," I said, hoping to redeem some of my pride back after that comment.

"You so are! You're totally thinking of Gabi right now!"

"Well, yeah…but so are you!" I said, trying to turn it around on her.

"Yeah, but at least I don't have to worry about blushing at what I'm thinking."

Sharpay and I continued our bickering back and forth for a few more minutes until I finally gave up. She just wasn't going to drop it. So what if I was thinking of Gabriella like that? I couldn't help it. For the past month and a half she had been on my mind almost constantly and now I could actually visualize her. I knew what she looked like, and I didn't want to picture anything other that that beautiful woman who was currently walking back down the stairs, looking much more comfortable in her sweats.

"Hey listen," I heard Taylor say as Gabriella reached the bottom of the stairs. "I need to be getting back, I'm beat."

"Sure thing, pregzilla," Gabriella replied. Taylor was pregnant? I turned to her and a genuine smile reached my face.

"Hey, congratulations!" I said, giving her a one-armed squeeze.

"Thank you, thank you," she said, her face absolutely glowing. "But don't shake me, you may regret it."

"Sorry, sorry." I stepped back, still smiling.

"It's kinda…full circle," Gabriella said, a slight smile on her face. She gave Taylor a hug, without the squeezing, and I noticed tears back in her eyes when she stepped away.

Taylor and Moira were saying goodbye to Kelsi as I walked over to Gabriella, putting my hand on the small of her back. She turned to me with a smile, tears still in her eyes.

"Thank you," She said, taking my hands in hers. "I can't…find the right words…"

"Don't sweat it," I said with a shrug, lightly caressing her hands with mine. "Although I was a bit late, I'm just happy I could be here… for you."

"Me too," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "So…" she continued, her voice louder, "how long do I have you for?"

"We have about… 36 hours, I think?" I squinted at a clock, then looked back at her. "I have a room downtown."

"Can you stay just a little bit?" she asked. "Tonight, after everyone leaves. I just… think we should…"

I kissed her forehead sweetly. "We don't have to tonight, if you're not up to it," I said softly. "But I'll stay, regardless."

There were no sensual overtones between us, simply two people who needed to right everything that had gone so horribly wrong.

Taylor and Moira left shortly after, taking Sharpay with them. Kelsi and I were in the living room, Kelsi in the papasan chair and me kicked back on the couch. We were discussing how Ryan was too busy to get away. Gabriella was in the kitchen putting a few leftovers in the fridge.

Gabriella walked in with a glass of wine and sat next to me on the couch, leaving plenty of room between us. "Are you two good, or do you need anything?" she asked, returning to the worried-about-everyone-but-yourself type of person she was.

"You ask after you've already sat down," I teased, nudging her with my foot.

"Hey!" she nudged back. "Just for that you can get it your damn self!" I held up my bottle of beer I had gotten before sitting down and stuck my tongue out at her. "Yeah, whatever. What about you?" she asked, looking over at Kelsi.

"Oh sure, you say 'whatever' to me, but," I pointed at Kelsi.

"She is the Poor Disabled Indian Girl," she reminded me. I raised an eyebrow and mouthed 'Oh, right.'

"Fuck you both," Kelsi said, her smile showing she wasn't truly offended.

"Be nice or I'll start calling you a Cradle Robber," Gabriella said, pointing at her, prompting Kelsi to flip her off.

"Aren't you a harsh one this evening?" I asked.

"Was that for her or me?" Gabriella replied and I pointed at her as I took a drink of my beer. "Well, fuck you too." I winked at her last comment before turning to Kelsi. From the corner of my eye I could see a blush creeping up into Gabriella's face.

"And you," I said pointing at Kelsi, "thanks." I was thanking her for keeping me informed on Gabriella via Ryan when I wasn't able to be here for her these past couple of days.

"Don't mention it," was her reply.

"I just… I don't get it." I turned back to Gabriella, my eyes intense. "I mean…I know you said you weren't close with your brothers and sisters, but this is just unfathomable."

She shrugged at the comment."It's actually always been this way, unfortunately. I suppose I'm the black sheep for now, mostly because I just don't play the game."

"I'm at a loss here, being an only child," Kelsi said with a shrug. "You, Sharpay, and Taylor are the closest thing to sisters I've ever had."

"Thank you," she said, smiling. "It's an…honor." she mock-bowed to Kelsi.

"While my family's far from perfect, though, we've always been…family." I shrugged, still perplexed by the situation. "We have always been there as a source of strength for one another, and we wouldn't have it any other way." I thought back, once again, to when Daniel died a few years ago. Even though I had tried to shut everyone out, I still remember my family above all others being there for me and the strong bond we had through the whole situation.

"You've been blessed," Gabriella said.

"Yes," I agreed, looking her in the eyes. "I have, and I'm grateful for it." I reached over and took her hand in mine, smiling wistfully.

"Hey, it's getting late, I have to go," Kelsi said, standing up slowly and taking her glass to the kitchen.

"Are you okay to drive?" Gabriella called to her as I released her hand, motioning for her to go say her goodbyes. She walked into the kitchen and I heard them start talking. I noticed the remote on the coffee table in front of me so I decided to turn it on and watch some TV while she was busy.

After the girls said their goodbyes, I saw Kelsi waving to me. "I'd get up to give you a hug, but this couch has me sucked in."

"It kinda does that to you," Gabriella commented as Kelsi walked over and hugged me.

"I'll see you," I said, adding "I'm sure," with a laugh, another jab at her and Ryan's non-relationship-thing they had going on.

"Behave," Kelsi scolded both of us as she walked out the door, leaving us truly alone for the first time since she had walked out of my hotel room in tears. We shared a shy smile, each of us wondering where to start, if we should start at all.

"C'mere," I said. She came over and sat beside me on the couch, still a little more distant than I would prefer. "Oh for fuck's sake, Gabi, I don't bite." I tugged at her sweatshirt and she scooted up to me, laying her head on my chest. I wrapped my arm around her securely, thinking about what I had just said. "Yeah, that was a lie, sorry." I thought about our one night in the hotel room just last week, wishing I could go back and redo it all, but not regretting any part of us actually being together.

"I'm not," she mumbled back as I felt her relax into me. I laughed softly and placed a light kiss upon her head. "I missed you," she breathed into my chest.

I felt my body react as it normally does to that breathless voice. I inhaled slowly trying to calm down as I said one of the most truthful statements I had in quite a while. "I missed you, too." She hugged me tighter for a brief moment as I sat there playing with her hair.

We sat in silence as we continued to watch whatever was on TV Land, me continuing to play with her soft curls.

The next thing I knew, I had a horrible crick in my neck and I realized we both had fallen asleep on the couch, Gabriella still curled into my side with her head on my chest.

I watched her for a few more moments before deciding I needed to wake her up, even though I hated to. I was completely exhausted and I just wanted a bed to sleep in.

"Gabi," I whispered in her ear, placing a soft kiss on her head. There was no response. "Gabi," I said a little louder.

"Hmm?" she said, her eyes still closed.

"We need to move to a bed. We shouldn't be sleeping on a couch."

She finally started stirring as her eyes came open slightly and she nodded her head. When she sat up I grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs to her bedroom. We both crawled in the bed, too exhausted to change into anything more comfortable. She curled back into my side as we both got comfortable and fell quickly asleep, me soon following as the exhaustion overtook our bodies.

Okay, so this was one of my favorite chapters so far. It really shows how Troy does actually care for her. But the happiness can't last for long…drama is coming…

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