Stalker: 15 Years On

Author's Note: Hey guys! Many moons ago, I wrote the story "Stalker" and had been asked several times to write a sequel. Well, now the time feels right to write this! I haven't decided yet if this will continue, it depends on reviews. So, review and let me know! If you haven't read the original, give it a read.

Summary: Sequel to "Stalker." Set 15 years after the events of "Stalker", the Bolton family has moved on and are successful in their lives. But when they begin receiving threats again, can Troy and Gabriella protect their family?

Life is the reason
I'm still holding ground
Life is imperfect bodies
And perfect sounds
Death is in season
And it's pushing me 'round
And 'round and 'round
A bottle cap, a rusted crown

When one pushes up
The other pulls me down
And I don't know
If I'll get up, if I'll get out
One pushes up
The other pulls me down
And I don't know
If I'll get up, if I'll get out

~ Future Islands, "Peach"

Gabriella was acutely aware that there were paparazzi swarming the airport, snapping photos every few seconds or so. But Gabriella paid no attention to it. She stood close to Troy, holding his hand. They eagerly waited at the terminal, barely able to contain their excitement. Nothing could ruin this day, not even the paparazzi. Gabriella gave her husband's hand a gentle squeeze.

"He should be coming through any minute now," Gabriella said, barely able to contain her excitement. Troy nodded with a smile as he leaned forward and kissed his wife. They'd been married for 21 years, and still as in love as ever.

"Let's try not to embarrass him too much, Gabs. Otherwise, he'll never spend the summer with us again," Troy joked.

A flood of people with their suitcases walked through the terminal. Troy and Gabriella searched for the face that they missed the last few months.

And there he was.

Ethan, their 20-year-old son who had been living in New York City attending medical school, was going to be back home for summer break. Looking so much like his father, Ethan smiled at his parents as he walked towards them. Gabriella engulfed her son in a hug. Troy joined.

"Hey mom, hey dad," Ethan greeted, hiding his exhaustion from the flight. Gabriella kissed his cheek multiple times.

"Welcome home, Ethan! Oh, I've missed you so much," Gabriella was near tears, and she didn't care if the paparazzi is snapping away. Troy was the first to let go of the group hug, and he grabbed Ethan's luggage. When he looked at Ethan, Troy only saw himself.

"C'mon, let's go. Your sisters will be happy to have their big brother home," Troy said, leading his family to their parked car, ignoring the paparazzi snapping photos and calling out to the family.

Gabriella didn't fail to notice how uneasy Ethan was when the paparazzi continued to take photos of the reunited family.

After the Bolton family overcame their stalker incident 15 years ago, Ethan struggled to cope with life in Los Angeles. Even though he had a great therapist, Ethan wrestled with the trauma from being in a coma, being kidnapped by his mother's stalker and then watching their friend Phil die. He was supportive of the Hollywood careers his parents thrived in, but Ethan hated being followed by paparazzi. For him, it brought back bad memories of being stalked and terrorized by Victor. Ethan especially hated the people who only wanted to be his friend to get closer to his famous parents. It was hard for Ethan to trust people in LA. When he was given a full-ride scholarship to study medicine at Columbia University, Ethan wasted no time. It was hard being away from his family, but at least in New York he wasn't hounded by paparazzi.

As Troy parked the car in the driveway of their secluded mansion, Ethan took a deep breath. He had never felt so adult as when he came home after being gone for so long. He and his parents got out of the car.

"You make any plans with Pippa while you're here?" Gabriella asked Ethan, as she and Troy helped him grab his luggage from the trunk. Pippa was Ethan's best friend from middle school. Her father was a producer that frequently worked on Troy's movies. She was going to school at UCLA, and Gabriella wished that Ethan would date her. Ethan shrugged.

"We'll hang out here and there," Ethan said dismissively as Troy unlocked the door and they walked in.

Running down the stairs were Troy and Gabriella's younger daughters. There was 16-year-old Vienna Soleil, who was a baby when her family was being terrorized by Victor, and 13-year-old Daisy Grace, who was born two years after her parents renewed their vows. The two sisters enveloped their big brother in a hug.

"We missed you, bro!" Vienna exclaimed as she squeezed her big brother. Daisy did the same thing.

"Don't go away for so long," Daisy said as they let go of Ethan. He smiled at his younger sisters.

"I've missed you guys, too. Vivi, how is cheerleading going?" Ethan asked as the family all headed towards the living room. Vienna, who looked just like her mother and had aspirations to be a model like her, shrugged her shoulders.

"It's fine, Olivia is still recovering from a broken ankle, which makes practice a bit boring," Vienna admitted as she jumped on the couch. Ethan threw an around his youngest sister, who looked like a mix of both their parents and was still figuring out who she was.

"And what about you, little miss? Happy that it's finally summer?" Ethan asked. Daisy smiled shyly and nodded.

"Yeah, I needed a break," Daisy said, sitting between her sister and brother on the couch. Their parents sat on the love seat adjacent to them. Troy had an arm around his wife.

"I know that we're all excited to have you home this summer, Ethan, and there's a lot on the agenda. Your mother is walking in the Versace show in a few weeks, my movie is premiering next month and then we are attending the AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, where I'm being honored," Troy shared, humbled by the recognition.

"I know it's summer and you guys have plans, but it'd mean a lot to your father and I if you guys joined us," Gabriella said, resting her hand on Troy's knee. Vienna was shaking her head vigorously.

"Yes, yes of course we'll be there!" Vienna exclaimed, always super intrigued by the lives her parents lived. Daisy smiled with a nod, while Ethan stayed quiet.

"I wouldn't miss it," Daisy promised. Troy looked over at Ethan, who had his arms folded tightly across his body. He raised an eyebrow at his son.

"Ethan? Does that sound good to you?" Troy badgered. With a tight smile, Ethan nodded.

"I'm sure I can grace the world with an appearance," Ethan said. Troy would probably have to check in with Ethan in private again. But for now, this partial commitment would have to do.

"Great. Well, I'm going to order us a pizza, and then I have to head out for an hour to meet with Delilah," Troy said as he fished his phone out of his pocket to call their local pizza parlour.

Gabriella involuntarily tensed up beside Troy. Delilah Maye was Gabriella's biggest competition in the industry. Gabriella wasn't old; she was 42. And while she achieved Supermodel status, Gabriella didn't fail to notice that she was getting fewer and fewer modelling opportunities. The 27-year-old Delilah was getting a lot of coverage. And when she found out that Delilah would play her husband's love interest in his latest film, Gabriella tried not to show how much it bothered her. She didn't want to be jealous.

Except she didn't know that Troy was going to be meeting with Delilah.

It was late at night, and Troy and Gabriella retreated to their bedroom. Troy didn't fail to notice how cool Gabriella was towards him when he returned from his meeting with Delilah. Troy stripped down to his boxers as Gabriella washed her face in her black negligee.

"So, why are you mad at me?" Troy asked, cutting to the chase. Gabriella didn't look up from the sink.

"I'm not mad," Gabriella insisted. Troy rolled his eyes and went to her side.

"Gabriella, I'm your husband, and I know when you're upset. You're mad that I met with Delilah. Gabriella, it was for work. We're getting ready for a premiere and had to talk about publicity," Troy insisted. Gabriella shut off the sink and walked into their bedroom, trying to avoid a conflict.

"I don't want to talk about Delilah," Gabriella said, slipping into their bed. Troy joined her.

"Gabs, you've got nothing to worry about. Delilah is a co-star."

"Then why didn't you tell me that you guys were meeting today? It just feels weird that you wouldn't tell your wife about this," Gabriella said, turning to look at Troy. He just sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I should've been open with you. I know you've been uncomfortable about her because of everything the media is saying about you two, and with Ethan back home and how anxious he is about being in LA, I didn't want to make things worse," Troy explained, putting an arm around his wife and pulling her into him. Gabriella bit her lip.

"I understand, Troy. I just felt insecure," Gabriella admitted, avoiding his gaze. Troy cupped her face in his free hand and made his wife look at him. He caressed her cheek gently.

"You, my beautiful and sexy wife, have nothing to feel insecure about. Every time I look at you, I fall even more in love, after all this time. I am so lucky," Troy confessed, leaning down and kissing his wife tenderly. Gabriella reciprocated the kiss.

"I just love you so much, Troy," Gabriella whispered. Troy kissed her again, ravenously.

"You have no idea how much I love and want you, all the damn time baby," Troy hungrily whispered, climbing over his wife and pressing his body up against hers. Gabriella's hands ran wild over his bare chest.

"Prove it," Gabriella begged as she felt Troy taking off her negligée and discarding it to the ground. He did the same with his boxers.

"With pleasure," Troy huskily said as he captured his wife's lips in a passionate kiss, ready for a long night of lovemaking.

Unbeknownst to the Bolton family, a stranger was lying in wait on their property, observing the family from the shadows. They watched as the Bolton children hung out in the living room, laughing without a care in the world. As they circled around to the side of the house where the master bedroom was, they could hear Troy and Gabriella making love. The family was unaware that they were being watched, even from the safety of their home. The stranger was filled with rage seeing them live their life.

In a notebook, they scribbled the same sentence down repeatedly: kill the Bolton's. Kill the Bolton's. Kill the Bolton's.

To be continued?

If you still miss Zanessa and want me to continue with this sequel, please leave a review!