Special

"Thanks for the help Summer; I'm really impressed with how well you've taken to caring for the animals, it's a skill not everyone has."

"Like Maddie you mean?" Gabriella laughed.

"We'll get your sister on a horse sooner or later, you'll see."

The girls had been at The Ranch with Gabriella all week while Troy had been working nights but they'd also stayed the Friday night too, so that Troy could go out with his colleagues and celebrate Tim's birthday.

Despite it still being before nine in the morning Gabriella had already had a video chat with Sharpay and Taylor because today was her twenty ninth birthday. She wasn't a big birthday person, something her friends had quickly come to learn and respect and so each year they left her to celebrate in her own way but they did at least insist on having some kind of three way chat; they wanted Gabriella to know that there were people there to wish her Happy Birthday, even if it was in such a simple way. The girls hadn't mentioned anything relating to her birthday all week, she'd still been in her bedroom for the video chat so that wouldn't have clued them in and she hadn't mentioned anything to them, she wasn't someone who mentioned her birthday unless asked.

"Maybe you can bribe her with something, tell her if she at least sits on Skye you'll buy her some of her favourite chocolate."

"I'll bare that in mind but I'm hoping eventually she'll be brave and just ask if she can, time will tell I guess." They continued their walk towards the house when Gabriella suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

"Why is your Uncle stood on my back porch? I didn't think he was coming to get you guys until later."

"Erm, that's my cue to head inside." And with that said Summer took off in a run towards the house, calling Barney and Luna to go with her. Troy smiled at Summer as she passed him on the steps before heading over to where a confused Gabriella still stood in the middle of the back yard.

"Hi" she greeted him quietly, clearly confused by his presence.

"Good morning beautiful," he greeted her with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "And more importantly; Happy birthday." He couldn't help but chuckle as Gabriella became even more confused.

"I didn't tell you when my birthday was, did I?" He was happy that despite her confusion over his presence she had returned his embrace; her hands linked together behind his back.

"No, you didn't tell me..."

"The girls" she said in realisation. "The first breakfast they had here we played twenty questions and that was one of them...I never expected them to remember."

"Well they did, they've been wanting to do something for you for a while, me being invited to go out last night kinda helped them make a plan."

"That's why they were all up so early this morning, I mean Summer always gets up to help with the animals but Maddie and Amelia were both up too, they were talking about making breakfast; Troy what are they up to in there? I don't want any fuss." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and pulled back enough to properly look her in the eye.

"I know you don't which is why before the girls made any proper plans I spoke to Sharpay and Taylor, I didn't want them to surprise you with anything and you be uncomfortable with it. Taylor said you weren't really a birthday person and wouldn't like being made a fuss of but Shar agreed with her when she said that if the girls were to put something small together for you that you'd probably be okay with it. If you aren't I can go in there and stop them now." Gabriella shook her head, she was in shock that not only had the girls remembered when her birthday was but they wanted to do something to help her celebrate.

"No, don't stop them, they've clearly put a lot of thought into this and as usual Sharpay and Taylor were right, I am okay with it, I'm just completely blind sided by it all...When I lived in California I never really got to enjoy my birthday, Nick would take me out but always to places he wanted to go, to restaurants he liked to eat at...he said I should feel lucky that I got taken out at all, he said...he said that I wasn't special enough to choose what I did on my birthday. I know now how wrong that was but back then he had such a hold over me I just went along with it, I couldn't see a way out." She was shaking by the time she finished talking and so he cupped her head to his chest and held her close while she took a few steadying breaths.

"You are special 'Brie, so very special and I hope you'll let the girls and I show you just how special; let us spoil you today."

TGTGTGTG

An hour later and Gabriella was indeed feeling spoilt. She'd come in from outside to find her kitchen decorated with all sorts of balloons, streamers and banners and the table laid out with a really impressive breakfast spread made up of food she was pretty sure she didn't have in. Turns out that as soon as she and Summer had gone outside to the animals Troy had arrived with the supplies needed to transform the kitchen and make the yummy breakfast spread.

She'd been close to tears but after some deep breaths and Troy's reassuring hands on her shoulders, she'd been pulled into a Thompson sister hug and instructed to take a seat at the head of the table. Waffles, pancakes, pastries and a variety of fruits had been consumed and now it was present time.

"Mine first," Amelia said as she placed soft rectangular shaped gift on the table in front of the birthday girl.

"You got me a onesie?!" Amelia smiled with a nod, happy that her gift had been received as well as she'd hoped.

"I wanted to get you an animal one like mine but I couldn't find any good ones in your size but then I saw this one and Uncle Troy said it kinda looks like a bear anyway." The onesie was light grey and incredibly fluffy and Gabriella was touched at how much thought Amelia had put into her gift.

"Well I love it Amelia, thank you."

"This is from me and Maddie." Summer said as she handed Gabriella and envelope which she opened to find a fifteen dollar gift card to the local mall.

"Thanks girls, it's been a long time since I've been to the mall, maybe the four of us can make a day of it next time you're here and Uncle Troy is working." The three girls nodded with smiles as Troy returned to the table, having seemingly slipped away to use the bathroom.

"And these are from me." He said from behind her and she turned round to see him holding a massive bunch of flowers.

"Wow!" She took the bouquet from him and lifted it to her nose for a smell. "They're beautiful Troy, thank you."

"Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady," he told her walking behind her to retake his seat. "Sharpay said gerberas were your favourite, so I asked the florist for those and gave her free rein with the rest."

"Well she did an awesome job, the pinks, purples and whites all go together just right."

"Do you have a vase anywhere Gabi?" Maddie stood up and soon found the vase exactly where Gabriella had said it would be; on the top shelf in the utility room.

"Thanks Maddie, I hope it's big enough, if not you guys might have to take me birthday shopping for a new vase." Maddie laughed but a few minutes later did safely have all of the flowers arranged in the vase and placed pride of place on the island.

"We don't have anything else planned until this evening Gabi but as it's your birthday you get to chose what we do all day, if you want us to stick about that long of course." Maddie slipped back into her seat and picked at the remaining berries on her plate.

"Well my original plan for today was to hang out with you girls until your Uncle came to pick you up but seeing as he's here now and you guys have put so much effort in so far I feel like we should do something a bit more than just hang out around here for the day."

"How about bowling?" Summer suggested. "We all had fun when we went for Uncle Troy's birthday."

"That's a great idea Summer, maybe while we all get dressed your Uncle can clean up breakfast and book us in for a couple of games?" She looked to Troy with a small smile on her face knowing that him disagreeing to that plan was highly unlikely.

TGTGTGTG

Troy laughed as his latest instruction for Maddie to put her left foot on yellow caused all three girls to come tumbling to the ground.

After their games of bowling they'd spent some time in the arcade, where the girls had managed to win enough tickets to give Gabriella another birthday gift; a small cuddly horse. Now, after some lunch at a local deli, they were back at The Ranch were the girls had moved the coffee table to the side to make room to play twister.

Troy had ruled himself out of playing, claiming he was simply too big and Gabriella had only lasted two turns before her lack of flexibility had caused her to fall, leaving the Thompson sisters to battle it out.

"Alright Maddie that means you're out, Summer 'Lia do you wanna play again to see who the ultimate winner is?" Summer shook her head at Troy as she pulled herself out from under both of her sisters and up onto the couch.

"Amelia can be default winner, I don't wanna risk being landed on again, that hurts."

"Fair enough, Amelia you are the winner, your prize is helping the birthday girl chose what we have for dinner."

"We already got this planned Uncle Troy." Amelia got up and ran from the room returning moments later with a Chinese takeaway menu in her hand. "We're having Chinese, it's Gabi's favourite."

"You girls remembered a lot more of what I told you during our first breakfast together than what I gave you credit for, do you guys actually like Chinese though?"

"We do." Maddie answered as she finished putting twister back in it's box. "So we should order the yummy food, change into our pj's and then see how many chick flicks we can make Uncle Troy sit through before he gives up and goes to sleep."

"Hey!" Troy spoke up, suddenly realising he was being picked on. "It's not my fault those films don't hold my attention very well and I worked hard all week, I'm allowed to have a snooze if I want to."

"So basically we're going to order food, get comfy and then us girls can watch whatever films we like because your Uncle's just going to fall asleep anyway." Gabriella smiled cheekily at Troy but he just reached across to squeeze her hand, it meant the world to him that she and the girls had grown such a close bond; they were his world and his ever growing feelings for her told him that she was going to become a permanent part of that world too.

TGTGTGTG

Amelia was tucked up in bed fast asleep, Summer was finishing the chapter she was on in her book before turning out the light and that left Troy with one niece to check on before he too turned in for the night. He knocked on Maddison's door and once she replied popped his head inside.

"Just wanted to check you're okay before I turn in for the night." Maddie nodded from her sprawled out position on the bed.

"I'm fine, just gonna watch some Netflix to help me relax and then I'm going to turn my light off, I promise I won't stay up too late...Are you gonna go down and speak to Gabi? She tends to stay up quite late so she'll probably still be awake." Troy stepped further into the room allowing Maddie to see his tell tale sign of nerves as he ran a hand through his hair and then stopped to rub the back of his neck.

"I don't know Mads, she said she's had the best day, I don't wanna go down there and ruin it."

"How will you ruin it? You guys have been flirting about with each other for like two months now and you put a lot of thought into her gift, you can't not give it to her."

"What if I scare her by telling her how I feel?"

"I think she knows how you feel and I think you know how she feels but until one of you actually starts that conversation you're just gonna keep sitting in relationship limbo; go and talk to her while you know there won't be any interruptions, I'll listen out for the girls." Troy looked at his eldest niece knowing she was right but also wondering when she'd become so wise.

"Okay I'll go and talk to her but if it all goes wrong I'm blaming you." Maddie laughed at Troy but sent him on his way; she'd take the blame if required but she was pretty confident that wouldn't be necessary.

TGTGTGTG

Troy stood in the kitchen just outside Gabriella's bedroom and took a deep breath; he could see light filtering out from under the door which meant she was indeed still awake and so with one last check that her present was still safely in his pyjama trouser pocket he knocked, he hoped this was going to go as well as Maddie seemed to think it would. Moments later and the door opened to reveal Gabriella in her purple and black checked pyjamas with her hair hanging loose around her shoulders and her toothbrush in her hand.

"Oh hey Troy, everything okay?" She looked so beautiful that he had to force himself to concentrate on what she was saying.

"Yeah everything's fine, I was just hoping we could have a chat without anyone around to interrupt us." Gabriella nodded and gestured for him to come in.

"Sounds good, make yourself comfy; I'm just going to finish getting ready for bed." He settled himself on the wooden chest at the end of her bed and before he knew it she was back and apparently laughing at him. "When I said comfy I kinda assumed you'd choose the bed Troy." He stood and rubbed the back on his neck.

"Sorry, I guess I'm a little nervous."

"Don't be." She climbed under the covers and then patted the other side of the bed. "Come on, come and actually get comfy; I really did have the best day with you and the girls but we didn't really get to spend any time just us, let's make the most of it." Hearing Gabriella say this reassured Troy and so he settled himself against the head board but on top of the covers; he didn't want to push the boundaries too far to soon.

"So did we succeed in making you feel special?" Gabriella nodded as she arranged her pillows comfortably against the head board and stretched her legs out underneath the covers.

"You did, I felt really special all day and spoilt; thank you for helping them make it all happen."

"Well they think a lot of you and they wanted you to have the day that you deserve; it means a lot to me seeing the bond you guys have...they're my world 'Brie and the fact that you've fit into that so easily makes this a whole lot easier."

"Makes what easier?"

"I wanted to get you something special for your birthday; I know I paid for all of the things the girls needed to make their plans happen but I wanted to get you something just from me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rectangular shaped box. "According to Maddie you and I are in relationship limbo; I'm hoping that this will help to show you how I feel. You having such a good bond with the girls makes this easier because I know how well you already fit in with our family unit."

"I'm sorry Troy I'm confused, what does my bond with the girls make easier?" Troy took a shaky breath; his words weren't coming out as well as he'd hoped.

"It makes it easier for me when I tell you what I want there to be an us; I want you and I to become official and I hope this gift helps show you that." He finally handed her the box and she slowly opened it to find a silver necklace with a small 'B' charm hanging from it. The 'B' itself was also silver but in the top left hand corner was a small turquoise coloured gem; something she knew represented her birth month of December.

"Troy it's beautiful, thank you." She gently fingered the charm and shyly looked over at him. "Why did you choose 'B'?"

"Well because I call you 'Brie and also because I hope it will help to remind you how beautiful you are." He watched as she took a couple of shaky breaths and he reached over to stop her hair from covering her face. "I know jewellery can be quite a big step in a relationship but I wanted to show you how much you mean to me and how serious I am about you; about us."

"I don't know what to say...no one's ever given me jewellery before."

"You don't have to say anything although I would like to know your views on what I just said."

"I never doubted how you felt about me Troy; you make me feel so safe and cared for every time you take me into your arms but making us official? Are you sure? With my past...I'm not sure I can give you a normal relationship. I'm not sure I can hit all of the 'bases' and 'milestones' like normal couples do." He sat up and turned her to face him, cupping her face gently with his hands; this conversation needed their eyes to stay locked together.

"I don't care about 'bases' or 'milestones' all I care about is making you happy; I want you to know that I won't ever make you do anything you don't want to do; I just want you to experience a proper relationship. I want you to know that I'm here for you whenever you need me to be, I just want that to be as your boyfriend." He watched as tears clouded her version and worked quickly to get rid of a couple that managed to escape down her cheeks.

"Okay." Her voice was quiet but the smile that appeared on her lips helped to reassure him. "I'd like that, I'd like that very much." He immediately wrapped her into a hug and she buried her face into the crook of his neck; taking in the smell that was uniquely Troy.

"I would ask you if you want me to put the necklace on for you but I appreciate you probably don't want to wear it when you sleep; I kinda didn't time this very well."

"The timing is perfect Troy, this has been the best way to end my birthday. I'll put the box safely on my night stand but I promise that I'll put the necklace on as soon as I get up." He allowed her to leave his embrace to safely put the box on the side and when she turned back to him he was settled back onto the bed, his arms held open.

"We've not had a cuddle laying down yet; now seems like the perfect opportunity, don't you think?" She smiled at him as she moved to lay down and snuggle into his side.

"So will Maddie be happy we aren't in relationship limbo any more?" Troy chuckled as he linked their hands together that rested on his stomach.

"Yeah I'd say so; she was the one who convinced me I wouldn't ruin today by coming down and talking to you, when she got so wise I do not know." It was Gabriella's turn to laugh as she nuzzled her face against Troy's chest; she couldn't believe how perfectly their bodies seemed to fit together. "So I know it's still the fourteenth right now and because we just made it official today should be our anniversary but I was thinking we should actually class the fifteenth as our anniversary."

"Erm okay...why?"

"Because the fourteenth is your birthday, it's your day to be spoilt and celebrated and feel special; not our day. Our day can be the fifteenth; you get a day all about you and then we can have a day all about us."

"I like that you're already thinking about next year; it scares me, I won't lie but I also like it; it makes me feel special that you think about small details like that."

"You are special 'Brie; so special and beautiful and I feel honoured that you've allowed me to become such an important part of your life."

TGTGTGTG

"Can I just say I told you so?" Troy turned to Maddie and threw a tea towel at her but she just caught it and just smiled at him cheekily.

"You can but remember that I pay your allowance and decide if you're allowed to go places; don't get too cheeky with me."

"Okay I won't...but I was right, seeing as Gabi emerged this morning with your gift around her neck."

"Yes Maddie you were right; we talked, she accepted my gift and we are now official, is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes, thank you. I'm glad you aren't in limbo any more; you came back upstairs to your bed though."

"Mads you're a smart girl; I imagine you know from the bits and pieces you've been told that Gabriella's past isn't exactly a nice one, she asked me if it was okay if we slept in separate beds again and I told her I was fine with it. I told her I just want her to be happy, she deserves that don't you think?" Maddie nodded as she pulled on her jacket and followed Troy outside.

"You'll make her happy Uncle Troy just like she will you but you should probably remember that if you hurt her Sharpay wouldn't hesitate in sending Zeke and Chad to hurt you." Troy chuckled knowing this was indeed true but he also knew that if he did ever hurt Gabriella he'd take himself to the guys before they could find him; he would never, could never hurt her. She deserved the world and he planned on giving it to her the best he could.

"Amelia, you can't ask questions like that!" Troy and Maddie arrived in the stables where Amelia now stood looking upset.

"What's going on? What shouldn't Amelia be asking this time?" He knew that at the age of ten his youngest niece still wasn't quite aware of the kind of questions you should and shouldn't ask people.

"She was just asking me how I make money and I think Summer maybe thought that it was a little but rude." Troy turned to where Gabriella was sweeping up some left over hay and smiled as her necklace sparkled when it caught the light.

"I didn't mean to be rude, I was just asking a question because you go to the fire house for work and you get paid for it, I was just trying to figure out how Gabi gets paid, that's all." Troy wrapped an arm around Amelia and looked to Summer to make sure she was also listening.

"Sum maybe next time Amelia asks a question you think is rude, rather than tell her off you could think of a way to help her ask the question that isn't rude, like in this case, what could Amelia have asked Gabi?" Summer looked up from admiring her shoes, she hadn't meant to tell her sister off.

"I'm sorry Amelia, I didn't mean to upset you, maybe you could ask Gabi what she does for a job? That way you'll know how she earns money because people get paid for doing a job, don't they?" The young girl nodded and turned in her Uncle's embrace to look at Gabriella.

"Gabi? What do you do for a job?" Smiling Gabriella walked over to Amelia and took her hand, leading her outside so they could see the horses in the fields.

"Well you know that when I have children here in my care like you guys, their parents or guardians pay me to look after them, right?" Amelia nodded and so she continued. "But the main way I make money is by looking after the horses."

"You get paid for looking after the horses?! Aren't they like your pets?" Gabriella shook her head and lifted Amelia up to stand on the lowest rung of the fence they were leaning against.

"Only two of them are actually mine." She watched as Amelia seemed to process this information as Summer joined her on the fence and Maddie stood protectively behind them both.

"Which two Gabi?"

"So Skye who you guys ride, I own her and then Chester, the light brown one with lovely eyelashes, he's mine too; he's the one I ride when I get the chance."

"So how does looking after the other horses make you money?" Troy smiled at how something that had caused a tiff between the girls was now the reason they were all stood genuinely interested in what Gabriella was saying.

"Well people pay me to look after them, so a lot of the horses are just here because they're too old or injured and can't be ridden any more so their owners pay me to feed them and take care of them; make sure they're happy. And then there are some horses like Pippin for example, his owner got too big to ride him and so her parents pay me to look after him for them and they let me use him when I teach people how to ride."

"Can I ride him?" Amelia asked excitement sparkling in her eyes.

"Let's get you a bit more confident on Skye first, Pippin can be a bit more stubborn and cheeky so you need to be completely confident when you ride him, make sure he knows who's boss."

"Sounds like you 'Lia; a bit stubborn and cheeky." Amelia stuck her tongue out at Troy as he came up behind Gabriella and rested his hand on the small of her back. "You just need to work hard and then it sounds like you'll be able to ride him; I think you'll be a good match for each other."

"Uncle Troy is right, as soon as you get confident enough to ride Pippin on your own, Summer can ride Skye and Chester and I will take you guys out on one of the woodland trails."

"Who's the horse in this field Gabi?" Maddie still didn't like going within arms reach of a horse but the black one in this field had caught her eye; he was massive but despite his size walked about very slowly; he seemed like somewhat of a gentle giant.

"That's Duke."

"He seems like a big softie."

"He is Mads; he'll do pretty much anything for an apple." She disappeared into the stables and came back with an apple in each hand. "DUKE! Come here buddy." Duke plodded his way over and Gabriella rewarded him with an apple and a scratch on his nose. "You feed him this other apple Mads and I'll tell you a secret about him." The teenager seemed unsure at first, in the entire time they'd been coming to The Ranch she hadn't really touched a horse let alone fed one but the reassuring look on her Uncle's face told her today all of that would change.

"Okay, what do I need to do?"

"Hold the apple in the palm of your hand and he'll just take it from you; be brave he won't hurt you." Maddie took a deep breath and held the apple out to Duke; smiling with pride when he successfully took it from her.

"I did it!"

"Nice job Mads; I'm really proud of you. Now 'Brie, what's Duke's secret?" Troy smiled down at Gabriella and saw the sparkle in her eyes, he knew she'd been trying to get Maddie that close to a horse for a long time and he could sense her happiness in having done so.

"Well Duke here belongs to Sharpay's Dad."

"Really?"

"Yes Amelia, really. Shar's Dad injured his back playing golf a couple of years ago and now he can't ride any more and so he asked me to look after Duke for him."

"Do you ever ride him?" Summer being the animal whisperer that she was had found Duke's ticklish spot behind his ear and so had captivated his full attention.

"Sometimes I take him out on a walk, he's getting a bit old now so he doesn't really like to run around the arena and jump the fences but he does enjoy a walk through the woods."

"So 'Lia do you now know what Gabi does for a job and how she earns her money?"

"Yep, thanks for telling me Gabi."

"No problem Amelia."

"And Summer do you now know how to help you sister rather than tell her off?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry for upsetting you Amelia, next time you have a question you aren't sure about ask me first and I'll try and help you find the right way to ask it." Both girls jumped off the fence to share a make up cuddle and quickly took off towards the house after Maddie when she told them she was wanted a rematch at twister.

Gabriella watched them go before turning and wrapping her arms around Troy's waist; smiling as he pulled her close and buried his nose into her hair.

"I know you think you aren't very good at disciplining them and working through situations like that but you are Troy, you dealt with that calmly and you managed to not upset any of them further, I'd say that was a success."

"I'm just making it up as I go along to be honest; luckily they don't fight or get in trouble that often."

"Well they're very lucky to have you; just like I am." She raised up onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Troy's cheek; it was the first time she'd initiated anything more than a hug between them and she quickly buried herself back against his chest.

"I'd say I'm the lucky one, I've got my three wonderful nieces, who amaze me more each day with what they know and achieve and I've got a beautiful girlfriend...yep I'm definitely the lucky one."

TGTGTGTG

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