A/N: Thank you sooo much to all the reviewers and readers. You have no idea how much your support means to me! I could never have imagined a more perfect response. There's quite a bit of Troy in this chapter, for those of you who have been waiting for him to make a real appearance!
Disclaimer: Yeah right.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNTroy Bolton had never been known for heroic or romantic gestures. Before Gabriella, smiling at a girl was all he had to do to have her falling at his feet. Once the love of his life came along though, she had him climbing up trees and singing on balconies. Troy adored Gabriella and knew she felt the same way about him. That was why he had never recovered from her sudden disappearance. Speeding along the interstate, Troy realized that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the reason she left. He knew if he talked to anyone about it they would assure him that there was no way he was responsible, but that never changed how he felt.
So, she left us and moved to Los Angeles? He thought bleakly, Why LA though? It couldn't have been her mom's company. Gabriella mentioned that they always knew several months before a move. Unless, of course, Gabriella had chosen not to tell us. But why would she keep something like that from them? He hated the thought of her baring a burden on her own.
He jumped out of the car and straight into the hospital, almost running into Chad, who was waiting to take him up to Gabriella's room.
"Whoa, slow down, dude. She's not going anywhere," Chad did his best to calm down his over anxious friend. Troy just glared at him. "Alright-y then, no time for jokes," Chad covered as he motioned for Troy to follow him into the building.
"Now, you have to understand…" Chad trailed off, not quite sure how much to disclose. "You aren't really going to believe it. And then your going to feel really mad, and then really sad. Hopefully you'll get to be happy at some point. You know, if you don't screw it up or anything," he smiled and patted his friend on the back, pointing to the door they had just stopped in front of. Chad left to get something to drink and Troy took a few moments to gather his thoughts before going in. Eventually, Troy realized he was going to have to see her. He owed himself that.
Opening the door, Troy came face to face with a curtain. What? Why is that shield in front of her bed? Who are all these people? Why is…is Gabi screaming! What the hell is going on!
Troy rounded the corner and saw Gabi screaming in pain with her feet in stirrups. Suddenly Chad charged in. He ignored Troy altogether and rushed to Gabriella's side. He spoke softly to her, still pretending Troy wasn't there.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here," his voice soothed her very slightly, "You're amazing. Just keep pushing, everything's going perfectly."
"Like hell it is!" she yelled, shocking Troy a little. "They are three months early! How are they-" her fit was cut off as she let out a blood curdling scream and officially gave birth to her first baby.
"Way to go, Ms. Montez. You just had a baby girl!" the doctor smiled warmly at the young girl on the gurney. Gabriella just closed her eyes and let the tears flow freely. Troy was in complete shock. She was pregnant. She was having a baby. It was early. They were earl…they? At the sight of her distraught face he overcame his shock and ran to her side, narrowly avoiding Chad, who jumped out of the way to make room.
"It's me, Gabi, I'm here. I'm right here. It's okay now, I'm with you." He cooed softly to her as she opened her eyes. He wanted to comfort her, but his presence seemed to upset her even more.
"NO! You can't be here. Just leave. Go to college, get married and be happy for God's sake! You can't stay here. I won't be the one who ruins your life!" she screamed, her sobs shaking her torso as she struggled to sit up against medical advice. She stopped paying any attention to Troy and Chad however when a petite nurse placed the newborn baby in a small plastic covered crib. "Wait-where are you taking…dead?" she choked out the last word as all remaining color drained from her face.
"Right now, Ms. Montez, the baby is alive but isn't breathing on her own. Nurse McKellar is taking the her to the neonatal intensive care unit. Once you deliver the second baby and we're sure you and both twins are stable, you'll be able to visit them there," the doctor who delivered the baby spoke gently, patting Gabriella on the shoulder before leaving her side to converse with a nurse dressed in pink scrubs.
"Oh God, it's all my fault! They might die! It's all my fault, I never should have…" Gabriella's guilt was so overwhelming, she knew she couldn't handle it in front of Troy and Chad. "You two," she pointed to them, glaring despite the tears in her eyes, "Need to leave this room, this hospital, this state. I moved for a reason. Now GO!"
The head nurse quickly walked in front of Chad and Troy, blocking Gabriella's view of them. Troy struggled to see over the nurse's shoulder and saw Gabriella's body relax instantly as she slumped back onto her pillow. The sight of her crying into her hands made his heart ache. He allowed himself to be ushered out of the room, though Chad put up a mild fight. Once outside, he leaned against the wall and let out a deep sigh. Four hours ago, he had been eating a sandwich, trying to remember whether or not he had homework due on Monday. (A/N: Right, today is Saturday. And Gabriella is home schooled. ) Now, Gabriella, the one girl he had ever loved was back in his life and having a baby. His baby. Or babies, as the case may be. He had waited six long months praying that each day that she would be back. Now she was, but he didn't know how to feel. Gabriella was so upset, and he was the reason for her suffering. This thought broke his heart. As he slid down the wall, he longer held the tears in. Instead, he cried. He cried for her, he cried for himself, and for their newborn daughter. But most of all, he cried for her.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNWell there it is. I hope you enjoyed it. Please don't hesitate to review!