Hold on Tight
25. Come Back to Me
"Hey, can I talk to Gabriella?" Troy asked Taylor through the phone.
"Troy before I give her the phone you need to know, her fever shot up to 102.4. She's really sick. If she gets to 104 then I'm bringing her to the hospital." Taylor said biting her lip and looking at Gabriella as she shivered under the covers.
"What did the doctor say? I feel like shit for missing the appointment." Troy asked anxiously.
"She has the flu and she has to wear this stupid mask, thankfully she tested negative for swine."
"Okay, I'm coming home. I don't know how but tell her I'm coming." Troy said running his hands through his hair in thought.
"Okay, but hurry will ya? She keeps asking for you, and every time you're actually on the phone she's asleep and I don't have the heart to wake her up." Taylor stared at her sick best friend.
"I will…oh and Tay?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell her that I love her." Troy said.
"I will Troy, bye." Taylor hung up the phone and smiled.
"Dude, are you insane?!" Chad bellowed.
"Maybe." Troy said shrugging and packing his suitcase.
"You really can't wait a couple hours till they verify it's safe? It's all over the news, they're saying not to fly or drive until they say its okay, most roads are flooded and the sky still doesn't look too dandy."
"Chad, you said we'd go this morning, it's already four. If I leave now I can make it by midnight. Besides, the airport isn't that far away and I already called a cab, the driver will probably be less paranoid then you."
"And when your plane crashes and you die…?" Chad said raising an eyebrow and challenging Troy.
"If it was really that risky they would've cancelled all flights." Troy said crossing his arms over his chest. "Chad, if you don't want to come then don't. I'm not asking you to do anything.
"I know, but still…" Chad said sitting on the bed.
Troy zipped up his bag. "My rides here." Troy said looking out the hotel window. "I'll see you later man."
"Good luck." Chad said shaking his head at his stubborn friend.
Troy nodded and grabbed his bag, before jogging to the elevator, and down to the lobby. He pulled up the collar of his jacket and sprinted to the cab as the rain pelted on top of him and dampened his hair. "Airport." He instructed to the driver. The driver nodded and turned onto the dark rainy road.
"Gabriella?" Taylor whispered sitting on the bed.
Gabriella's eyes slowly opened and squinted at Taylor. "Is Troy back?" She asked sitting up with a hopeful but still weak smile.
"No Gabs, Chad called and said the weather is still making it too dangerous to fly, let alone drive." Taylor explained.
"Oh." Gabriella said slumping back into the sheets. "Stupid weather." She mumbled looking out the window hoping Troy would magically pull up in the driveway.
"Albuquerque." Troy told the desk clerk.
"One ticket to Albuquerque, New Mexico." She said smiling and handing Troy his ticket. "Flight 121." She said gesturing to the right.
"Thanks." Troy said walking towards his gate and handing his ticket to the man standing by.
Just as Troy was about to walk through the gate he heard his name being called. "Troy! Wait up man!"
Troy turned around and grinned. "Chad, what are you doing here?"
"I couldn't let you be the super hero alone, plus you would probably call me a chicken for the rest of my life." Chad said holding his suitcase and ticket in the other hand. "Here you go." Chad said handing his ticket to the man.
"Enjoy your flight." The man said smiling fakely.
Gabriella looked to the digital clock on the nightstand. 12:01 AM. She sighed and continued to stare out the window. Her eyes started drifting to a close until they instantly widened at the headlights that shined into the bedroom. She jumped to her feet and then regretted it because of the pulse that formed in her head. She clutched the sides of her head as she quickly made her way to the window, the headlights turned off and she placed her hands on the window trying to see who was in the dark car.
In a split second Gabriella was running down to the front door in her sweat pants and one of Troy's basketball shirts.
"Gabriella?" Taylor called from the top of the stairs. "What's going on?"
Without answering Gabriella quickly pulled on her boots and flung the door open, she ran through the rain down the front steps.
Troy shut the car door hard and pulled his bag up further on his shoulder. He looked up and grinned. There, in the rain, getting soaked was Gabriella, smiling brightly without a hint of weakness.
"Troy." Gabriella breathed. She ran towards him as he met her half way and picked her up, engulfing her whole body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he spun her around once and put her down, connecting their foreheads and grinning at her. "I m-missed y-you." Gabriella stuttered.
"Gabi, you're getting drenched, come on." Troy held her close and ran inside to the warmth of their home.
"Troy? What are you-is Chad…?" Taylor said looking around. Chad walked into the house and shook his big bush of hair. "Chad!" She said excitedly. Chad walked over to her and hugged her tightly. "Baby, you're getting me wet." Taylor giggled.
"Oh, sorry sweetie." Chad said releasing her and kissing her gently on the cheek.
"How are you guys here right now?" Taylor asked in oblivion.
"Troy here, just had to be superman and put his best friend through life threatening risks just to come home to Ms. Sicky over here." Chad gave Gabriella a pointed look as she blushed and turned to Troy who was shaking his head in disbelief. Chad was such a wimp. Gabriella ran her hands through his wet hair and looked at him adoringly as he thought of ways to torture Chad later.
"Come on let's go upstairs so you can change. You guys going to be okay?" Taylor asked turning to Gabriella and Troy who nodded.
Once Chad and Taylor left Troy pulled Gabriella into his arms once more, leaning his forehead on hers again, though this time, leaning in slowly whilst smirking.
"Troy…I'm still si-" Gabriella whispered not getting the chance to finish as Troy kissed her passionately, having her melt in his arms and instantly feel better. When he pulled away Gabriella's eyes stayed closed. She leaned her head on his chest. "You're going to regret that." She whispered whilst shivering under his touch.
"No I won't." Troy said completely confident. "Now let's get you changed before you get worse."
"I actually feel better now that you're here." Gabriella replied sniffling.
"I missed you Ms. Sicky." Troy whispered into her damp hair.
"You have no idea." She mumbled, still buried in his chest.
Troy held her close and led her upstairs to their bedroom.
"I told you." Gabriella said leaning against the counter with a coffee in hand and watching Troy walk into the kitchen wearing sweat pants, and a gray shirt, accompanied with a red nose and droopy eyes.
"I could do without the 'I told you so'." Troy grumbled, slumping onto a stool and burying his head into his arms.
"I'm sorry sweetie, I should've kept my distance." Gabriella walked over to him and rubbed his back. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly.
"No." He mumbled.
Gabriella kissed him on his hair and put her chin on his back.
Chad walked in with Taylor and chuckled at Troy. "Isn't it ironic that when you get better he gets sick?" Chad asked Gabriella.
"I only got better because he came home." Gabriella said still on his back and frowning at the situation.
"Baby its okay, it's not you're fault. I'm the one who kissed your diseased self." Troy said pulling his head up and kissing her hand sloppily before putting his head in his arms again.
Gabriella giggled. Even when he's sick he cracks jokes.
"Well, we're off Gabriella." Taylor said grabbing Chad's hand. "Feel better Troy." Taylor said waving goodbye and leaving with Chad.
Gabriella stroked Troy's hair slowly. "Do you want breakfast honey? I can make something for you."
Troy shook his head, still hiding his face. When you're sick you don't really have an appetite. He sneezed suddenly and groaned. Gabriella scurried and got him a tissue handing it to him. Troy wiped his nose and side smiled at Gabriella. "I wuv you." Troy muttered.
"I wuv you too." Gabriella said giggling and hugging his head to her chest. "Now it's my turn to take care of you." She said stroking his hair.
Troy smirked. Score…a hot nurse.
I thought this chapter was so cute, lots of fluff. So tell me what you thought, kay? Review.