Chapter 25

Two months later.

Troy walked into the dim large apartment. He was tired, from a long game they had won, while Chad was wired, as was the rest of the team; a celebration was planed. But Troy declined. It was just after eleven. And he couldn't wait to see his wife and two month old son. He walked straight to the nursery, that now, instead of yellow, Kelsey and Taylor had slowly but surly convinced Gabriella to turn in the baby's room blue.

Troy slowly opened his sons door, but was alarmed to see an empty and perfectly made crib. He took a sharp breath. He ran to his and Gabriella's room. Also finding a empty and perfectly made bed.

A million things flew through his mind, he searched every corner of the large appartment. Finding nothing. He headed to the kitchen, then something caught his eye.

A note on the counter.

'Taylor and I are watching the game at her and Chad's place, See you soon, love you'

Troy took a long sigh of relief. He pick up the phone to call Taylor's house. Between His mother, mother-in-law, Taylor and Kelsey ; Troy had hardly seen his son and wife. He missed them intensely and wanted Gabi home.

"Hello?" Taylor said with joy in her voice. Obviously happy about the game.

"We'll if it isn't one of the star's himself… you want to talk to Chad, oh he was incredibly bummed that you didn't want to go out by the way, so you deserve cookie points, for sending my man home at a reasonable time."

"Thanks," Troy laughed. "Um, can I talk to Gabi?" He asked egger to her voice.

Taylor suddenly became serious. Her heart stopping.

"Troy…Gabriella isn't here…"

"WHAT!!" What he shouted. "She left a note on the counter saying she was with you!!" Troy snatched the note from the counter. He carefully scanned the writing. It was Gabriella's, but it was messy, like she was upset.

"Troy…?" Taylor said urgently.

"She's gone…Gavin's gone…" Troy whispered, the phone falling from his hand.

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(What Happened to Gabriella)

Gabriella looked over at wide awake son sitting in his bouncer seat on the counter. "Gavin, aren't you ever going to sleep?" Gabriella wined as she folded the last blue blanket. Three loads of laundry completed. Gabriella celebrated in her head. Everything was all about the baby, she hardly had time to get simple chores down. And nights like this were the worst. When Troy was gone for a game, Gavin simply wouldn't sleep until he saw his daddy. Gabriella puffed at the fact that as soon as Troy would hold there child and say goodnight, Gavin would slip into a deep sleep. To be fair, when Gavin slept, he slept! Gabriella was worried that she'd never sleep again after all the horror stories her mother told her…"Gabriella you never slept…I felt like I was going to lose my mind…" Her mother would say every time while visiting the tiny tot and her daughter.

Gabriella fussed over Gavin giving him back his pacifier. Then she turned away grabbing the pile of warm blankets, scarring off to put them away. Troy's game was on the T.V and Gabriella could hear the winning shot. She smiled brightly. She was so proud of Troy. She quickly headed back to the kitchen.

"Did you hear that Gavin? Daddy won!" Gabriella beamed. Gabriella jumped when she saw a man in her kitchen, holding Gavin. He was smiling at an amused Gavin.

"Ryan?" Gabriella asked cautiously. Ryan looked up at Gabriella smiling.

"Oh hey Gabi, I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear…" Ryan said casually, like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Gabriella's eyes were on Gavin. They shifted to the front door. That was still closed and locked. "uh…ah" Gabriella was playing dumb. After everything that happened. She wasn't going to lose control. Not when Gavin was involved. Gabriella continued to scan the room. The balcony door was ajar. That's how Ryan really got in. There was a large duffle bag at Ryan's feet.

"So…Uh." Gabriella took a step closer to Ryan, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Why did you stop by?" Gabriella was shaking, but fought to keep herself in control.

"I thought we could go for a walk, just the three of us…" Ryan continued to coo at the infant.

"Um…it's still a little to cool out for Gavin." Gabriella stalled, trying to buy time. She took a step closer. Ryan looked up at Gabriella, she immediately froze.

"I know what your trying to do Gabi." Ryan smirked. "Mommy is so silly." Ryan loosened is grip in Gavin, placing him in one arm.

"I hope Gabriella, in the sake of not scaring Troy's son, that you do what I say."

Gabriella's brown eyes locked with Ryan's.

"Ok, Ryan" Gabriella put her arms up submissively. "Your in control here, just please. Give me my son." She kept her voice steady. Keeping herself from panicking.

"Great we'll drive then." Ryan ignored her plea. Grabbing the black duffel bag. Then he stopped. "Grab a piece of paper and a pin." Ryan directed. Gabriella hesitated wondering were he was going with this. "NOW!" He screamed.

She did what she was told, retrieving paper and pin from the phone area. The paper was decretive, and meant for phone messages.

"Write that your going to Taylor's for the game. And that you'll be back." Gabriella swallowed hard. Ryan had thought this through very well. Creating a quiet crime, one that no one would see or hear. Not even Troy. She finished, praying that Troy could see through the lie.

Ryan examined the note, checking for any kind of codes. When he saw none he headed out of the locked front door.

Ryan walked down the steps with Gavin in his arms. Gabriella had no choice but to follow. They walked up to her car. Ryan looked around, making sure that no one saw them.

Ryan moved close to Gabriella, almost shoving Gavin in her arms.

"You have one minute to get him in his car seat." Gabriella held Gavin close. She had her baby in her arms. She could make a run for it, she could scream. She looked around for a possible escape. Then…

"Don't even try it." Ryan said simply concealing a gun that was pointed at her and Gavin.

Gabriella strapped Gavin into the infant seat. Then climbed then next to him wrapping her arm around the red and white car seat.

"No, you'll be driving." Ryan directed while climbing in the passenger seat. Gabriella hesitated, looking down at her blue eyed baby. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for the worst. She qentily parted Gavin's dark hair. Giving him a a loving and reassuring touch.

"We're going to go bye byes, don't worry sweetie, mommy id right here." She said softly.

Gabriella racked her brain for anyway to leave Troy a sign, but she had nothing.

"Where are we going Ryan?" Gabriella said softly, Gripping the steering wheel.

"Just drive!" He shouted. Making her jump. Ryan was visibly nervous. Gabriella noticed and starting thinking of a way to pick Ryan apart. She thought of the sweet side of Ryan. She would use reverse physiology.

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"Chad!!"

"What what is it" Chad ran to his soon to be wife.

Chad had followed Troy's advice. On Troy and Gabriella's wedding day, Chad showed Troy the princess cut diamond with blue Safire hearts on each side. "Go for it man, trust me, you wouldn't be sorry." Troy encouraged her nervous friend. Sure enough, after the reception Chad asked for Taylor's hand. And of course she said nothing would make her happier.

"Gabriella…She's missing. And Gavin too…" Taylor said with tears in her eyes.

"What? But who?" Chad was protective. There were three girls, that he, Troy and Jason were insanely protective over. And it was Gabriella, Taylor and Kelsey.

"There's only two I can think of…." Taylor grabbed her jean jacket.

"Come on." Chad gently grabbed Taylor's hand. And they were off to Troy and Gabriella's appartment. Where Troy had already talked to the police. And detective Bensen.

Troy was damning himself. He had a nightmare about Gabriella three nights before. But he brushed it off. He thought it was all over. His whole body was tense. There was only one explanation. Ryan. Olivia and Elliot were on there way to the Evan's home as soon as Troy had told them what they suspected.

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"Turn left here." Ryan demanded. They had been driving for an hour, and Gabriella had figured out where they were headed.

Gabriella took a deep breath and closed there eyes had she braked. They were stopped in front gates of the Lava Springs resort. Gabriella looked over to Ryan as he picked up his cell phone.

"We're here. Be ready!" Ryan ordered.

Gabriella looked back at her sleeping baby. Thankful that he was quite the whole ride here. But she was fearful of when she have to take him out of the car. Knowing he would only want his daddy.

"Say goodbye while you can, Troy's son will be away for awhile." Ryan caught her looking a the sleeping child.

Gabriella's heart froze.

"What?" She breathed. But he didn't answer. He attention was turned to a sudden bang then a mettle sound. The heavy gates were opening.

"Let's go." Ryan said, snapping Gabriella out of her fearful shock. She couldn't let Ryan take her baby away. She wouldn't.

She noticed someone standing outside of the dark building.

It was Sharpay.

"Oh God…" Gabriella whispered.

Ryan quickly got out of the car, rushing over to Gabriella, pulling her out of the car but her arm.

"No wait, Gavin!" Gabriella cried out.

"Sharpay get Troy's son, you'll be taking care of him until I figure out what to do with him.

"But…" Sharpay started. This wasn't part of the plan. She didn't really want anything to do with this. But somehow she got caught up in it. Ryan shot Sharpay a dangerous look. And she did as he told her.

"No, no please. Let me have him!!" Gabriella struggled against Ryan, watching Sharpay pulled a now screaming Gavin out of his car seat. His diaper bag hanging from her shoulder. Gabriella was hysterical, tear's fell down her porcelain face.

"Please." She sobbed, as she watched Sharpay walk in the other direction with her crying infant. His cries became distant as Sharpay disappeared into the dark building. Gabriella could see light's go on as Sharpay walked into the building. It was off season at the Lava Springs. So there was no one to help Gabriella.

"Don't worry, Troy's son will be fine." Ryan held tighter onto Gabriella, twisting her arms in the grasp her had from behind her back.

"Please, Ryan. Don't do this. Bring my baby back to me…" She cried helplessly.

"Don't call him that!!! He's not your baby!!" Ryan was clearly out his mind.

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"Hello!" Troy eagerly answered his phone.

Taylor and Chad had arrived at his appartment. All waiting on the detectives to call.

"Troy, we talked to the Evan's, apparently Ryan and Sharpay are vacationing in Florida. Can you think of anyone else that might hold a grudge against you or Gabriella?" Elliot said on the other end of the receiver.

Troy's heart dropped. There's no way.

"What? What is it?" Taylor said, fearful of Troy's colorless face.

"Ryan and Sharpay are in Florida…." Troy said breathlessly, With Elliot still on the phone. Elliot heard Troy talk to someone else on to the other end. He looked over to Olivia, who was slowing driving out of the Evan's long private driveway.

But Taylor refused to believe it.

She put her had on her hip.

"What place to we know of that if like Florida?" She said with that 'Taylor attitude'.

Chad emerged from behind her. "Lava Springs!" Chad and Troy said at the same time.

"Troy, you there?"

Troy suddenly remembered the Phone. "Met us at the Lava springs resort, we think they took her there." Troy's heart fluttered with hope. As he looked up at Taylor with thankful eyes.

Troy hung up the house phone.

"Let's go!" Troy grabbed his cell phone and Keys as they rush out of the appartment.

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Ryan pulled along a staggering Gabriella, she walked slow and heavily, her heart had been ripped out when she had to watch her frightened baby be carried away from her.

Ryan had to give her a few violent pulls to make her walk faster.

Ryan brought her to the dance room. He flicked on the lights to the large room.

Gabriella could hear Gavin crying from the distance. Indicating that he was in the same building with them.

She felt herself being shoved into the hallow room. There were fake tropical plants in the corners of the room, and a full mirror wall in front of them.

"Ryan, why are you doing this?" Gabriella asked, trying to regain composure. She before she could say more Ryan crashed his lips on Gabriella's. She struggled against him.

"Stop!" She push his away. He was strong but not as strong as Eric.

Ryan momentarily looked hurt. Like he didn't really know what he was doing.

Anger replaced the hurt. He was growing frustrated with Gavin's incisive screaming. However it was reassuring to Gabriella. She could still here him, and at least know he was still here.

(A/N Ok so what do you think... and yes this story is coming to an end... :( Hopefully it will be a happy one! Will Troy get there in time? What will happen to Gavin? What will Ryan do with Gabriella? Will he regain control or crack under pressure?)