(Thank you to everyone for your feedback and reviews, I really appreciate it! Here's the next chapter and I hope you're enjoying the story :) )

The Wildcats were sitting in the cafeteria at lunch a few days later and were discussing their plans. Jason spoke up. "What are we doing this weekend, nothing's happened in ages and the championship isn't for a while, we should do something."

Sharpay smirked. "Funny you should say that, my parents are away this weekend so Ry and I are throwing a party. You all in?"

Everyone agreed except Gabriella who thought over the idea. "I'll get back to you, I just have to make sure my sister's ok with the idea."

"Your sister?" Zeke asked curiously. "Isn't she like six?"

Gabriella nodded and Troy turned to her. "You know she'll be fine, Mom and Dad can watch her."

"I know, I just want to check with her, I don't want her to be uncomfortable." She saw him about to interrupt. "We can talk about it later, but I'll have to talk to Liv about it regardless." With that, Troy dropped the subject and the group started discussing the details of the party.

When Troy and Gabriella got home that afternoon, the twins ran to greet them. Troy smiled down at them. "Hey guys, how was school?" They responded 'good' and went back to their homework in the living room, looking at him and Gabriella expectantly to come join them. He walked and knelt down beside Lilliana. "I have to talk to Gabriella for a bit so we'll come do homework with you once we're finished, deal?" They nodded and he walked back out, grabbing Gabriella's hand and bringing her into his room. Once the door was closed, he attached his lips to hers, walking forward until Gabriella's back was against the door. She slipped her arms around his neck as his hands gripped her waist.

Once she ran out of air, she pulled back. "As nice as that greeting was, do you actually have to talk to me or did you just use that as an excuse to make out?"

He smirked. "I do but there's no harm in both options right?"

She shook her head. "I have no problem with it, just curious."

He pecked her lips once more before pulling them both onto his bed. "I want to talk about the whole Lilly thing at school, why is she the deciding factor in whether you go to the party?"

"She's always been the deciding factor, everything about my life since I was twelve was about my sister." She sighed. "I just don't like the idea of being away from her and leaving her alone, I haven't been away from her."

"Yeah but she's not just your responsibility now Brie, Mom and Dad are here and they're more than happy to spend time with her and they want to be parents to her."

"I know they are and they want to but she's not completely comfortable yet and I don't want to put her in a position where she'll be uncomfortable for an extended amount of time."

She could see Troy's frustration as he responded. "But they're her parents."

Gabriella sighed and grabbed one of his hands, playing with it. "I don't want to argue about this, I know they're her parents and I'm trying my best but it's hard. I've been playing Mom to Olivia for as long as I've known her and it's hard for me because we've gone from doing everything together and it being only her and I to having to share her with four other people that I don't really know." He scrunched his eyebrows at the last statement. "I don't mean it like that, I've only known you and your family for a few months and I'm trying to loosen the reigns but I'm really protective of her."

He relented slightly. "I understand but they still have the right as her parents and at the end of it, their decisions trump yours."

She exhaled sharply. "I know and that scares me. I have nothing against your parents Troy and I'm so grateful that they took me in but I'm never going to escape the fear that they can easily decide that they don't want me around anymore and stop me from seeing Liv. You mean a lot to me Troy, but my parents are gone and she's the only family I have."

Troy softened and brought her into his arms as the tears trailed down her cheek. "I'm sorry, I guess I just think about how much they wanted Lil back and I forget to consider how it affects anyone else."

"I know they want their little girl back and I know they hate how she is with me, or at least your dad does, but we were all each other ever had. I want her to have a relationship with her parents knowing I never can but she's just not quite there yet and I know when she's not comfortable. I think she could get there soon with Lucille but she's gonna struggle with Jack if he loses his temper like he did at the airport."

Troy went to respond but there was a knock on the door and Lilliana came in, walking straight to Gabriella. The little girl looked at her curiously, obviously noticing that she had been crying and turned to the boy. "You said you'd be nice to Bria, you said you wouldn't make her cry again."

Troy's eyes widened at the glare he received and Gabriella giggled slightly, placing her hand on her sister's back. "It's alright Liv, it's not Troy's fault." Gabriella hugged her at the questioning look. "I promise, Troy didn't do anything, we were just talking and it made me sad."

Lilliana nodded. "Ok."

Troy chuckled to himself. "You're just as protective of Gabriella as she is to you, aren't you Lil?" The little girl nodded resolutely and Troy decided to approach a subject. "Can I ask you something?" Lilliana nodded. "How are you going with Mommy and Daddy, are you comfortable with them?"

Lilliana bit her lip hesitantly, once reassured by Gabriella and Troy that she could speak freely, she did. "I like them, Lucille is nice and I think I'd be ok staying with her." She continued after the juniors pushed the subject a bit more about Jack. "He's kind of scary, he's like Papa when he's angry."

"He doesn't mean it Lil." She only shrugged in response. "One of our friends is throwing a party this weekend so would you be ok staying with Mommy and Daddy while Gabriella and I go for a few hours?"

Lilliana looked at Gabriella. "Is it your friend too?" Gabriella nodded. "Ok, you should go to the party with your friends."

"Will you be ok?" Lilliana nodded slowly so Gabriella offered a compromise. "How about I go to the party and if you start feeling uncomfortable and want me to come home, you call and I'll come back."

"We'll come back," Troy interjected, making Gabriella smile before she turned back to her sister.

"Does that sound ok?"

Lilliana nodded responding, "I like that idea better," making the juniors chuckle.

"Alright Liv, how about we all go back down to Jakie and we can do homework." The little girl nodded and that's what they did.