AN: Well, I don't really have anything to say except that it's 1 a.m. here and I'm on chapter 3 of my new story. Enjoy!

Title: Tales of a Broken Man: The Troy Bolton Story
Rating: T
Author: MadiWillow
Summary: A memoir on the life of famous NBA basketball player, Troy Bolton.
Genre: Drama/Tragedy
Chapter: And I Love Her

And I Love Her

After Christina went home, I have to admit that I had my serious doubts over the next few days about whether or not she was actually going to pull through. I could tell that this was difficult for her; having to turn your brother in for murder is definitely no easy feat. The way she acted at my house and over the phone led me to believe that perhaps she would back out. But, four days later, I realized I was wrong.

Christina called me sometime in the late afternoon, and as soon as I answered it, she whispered, "I've got it," in a terrified voice.

My heart leapt up into my throat. "Okay, Christina, is he there?" I asked, taking charge.

"No," she said in a soft, shaky voice.

"Alright, I want you to leave now," I instructed her, talking fast. "Drive down the police station with the murder weapon right away. I'll meet you there. Come now, in case Bailey gets home. Hurry."

"Okay," she said simply before hanging up.

I set the phone down slowly, digesting what had just happened. When it finally hit me that Bailey Martin was most likely about to get arrested, I tore up stairs and into my room to get my shoes.

"Troy? What's up?" Ryan asked, poking his head inside my room. Zeke and Tony had left two days earlier, to be replaced with Ryan and Riley.

"Christina called," I explained breathlessly as I jammed my feet into a pair of tennis shoes. "She got the weapon. I'm gonna meet her at the police station."

Ryan's eyes widened. "Well, we're coming with you!" He exclaimed. "Hey, Riley!" He called down the hall. "We're going to the police station!"

Riley padded down the hall in her socks, yawning from just having woken up from a nap. "Why?" she asked groggily.

"Christina got the murder weapon," said Ryan simply.

She gasped. "Oh, my God!" She turned around and tore back to the guest room. "I just need to change really quick!"

The three of us got down to the station about ten minutes later. When I told Captain Simpson that Christina had the murder weapon and a statement, his eyes widened, and he left to get an interrogation room open.

We waited, sitting on a few seats next to the door, for about a few minutes before Ryan said, "Man, where is she?"

"She lives a half an hour away," I reassured him. "Don't worry, she'll be here."

And sure enough, she swaggered in ten minutes later, clutching a fluffy, powder-blue baby blanket which was covering something. "Christina!" I cried, relieved.

I led her to Captain Simpson, who in turn showed her into the interrogation room. Since Ryan, Riley, and I were not police officers or lawyers, we weren't allowed to be in the room with her. Before we were led off to the adjoining room, I reminded Christina to please do what was right; I was afraid she'd break down and refuse to tell anything else.

We watched him through the window in the adjoining room as Captain Simpson talked to her. She unwrapped the blanket to reveal a severely blood-stained golf club that was bent in about five different places. I pursed my lips and closed my eyes briefly after seeing it, taking deep breaths before I could open my eyes again. Christina explained that Bailey had told her where the murder weapon was during his confession to her, and she'd retrieved it immediately after he left earlier that day. When asked if Bailey knew she was out, she answered that she'd written him a note saying she'd gone to the gym with a friend.

After that she told the Captain the exact same story she'd told me about how her brother had killed my wife and daughter. At some point in the story I felt myself needing to sit down, for my legs had turned to jell-o. As I listened, biting my lip painfully, a million thoughts were running through my mind. But the one I really remember was: we've got him.

Two hours later, the interrogation was finally done. Captain Simpson went to file the report right away so they could have the arrest warrant as early as the next day. Christina was afraid to go home, so I allowed her stay the night at my house. She asked if she could stay there until Bailey was arrested and I said yes.

She called her brother when we got to my home and explained what she was spending the night at a friend's house. She got some pajamas from Riley and slept on the living room couch.

I couldn't sleep that night. I remember lying in bed, thinking about things that I can't recall, before getting up to get some water at around 2:30.

The light was on in the kitchen when I entered it. I found Christina sitting at my table, a glass of water clutched in her hands, with her head bent. I cleared my throat, and her head snapped up.

"Sorry!" she whispered. "I hope I didn't wake you..."

"No, no, you didn't," I assured her, retrieving a glass from the cupboard and filling it up with tap water. "I just couldn't sleep."

"Me neither," She sighed, taking a drink of her water. "I can't believe Bailey would do something like this," she stated suddenly.

I didn't say anything.

"I mean, I knew he was violent, but... murder?" she whispered, looking at me. "Rape? I just want to ask him why. How could he do something like this and not be traumatized by it?"

I shrugged. "I know that I'll be asking him why."

She sniffed, tears starting to leak out of her eyes. "I hate having to do this. I know it's the right thing... but..." She shuddered. "Turning in my brother for murder and testifying against him was something I never thought I'd have to do..."

I leaned forward and gripped her shoulder. "I know it must be hard for you. I understand. But, please, don't back out."

Christina shook her head furiously, tear droplets flying onto the linoleum floor.. "I won't. Of course not. I can't even begin to imagine the pain you're going through. At least Bailey is still alive, whereas your loved ones aren't."

Throat tight, I nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry for what my brother did, Troy," she said quietly, her voice cracking from crying. "I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "You didn't do anything..."

"Exactly," she sobbed. "I should've talked to my parents about getting him medicated. I should've done it when they died. But we just let it boil up inside him... we should've known that some day he would just explode..."

I remember not answering her, because the same thoughts had been floating around my brain for a while. If only Christina's parents hadn't been so consumed with what people thought of them, then maybe Gabriella and Isabella would still be alive...

However, I forced myself not to think that way. There was no use in thinking about what might have been. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't change what had happened. Christina's parents didn't medicate Bailey, Bailey did go over the edge and murder my family, and the only thing I could do about it now was to make sure that Bailey gets put in jail for the rest of his life.

The next day Captain Simpson called to tell me they'd gotten the arrest warrant. He and two other squad cars came by my house to pick up me and Christina to join them in the arrest while Ryan and Riley remained at my house. Christina claimed she wanted to try and apologize to Bailey for doing what she did, although I had my doubts that he would listen as he was being arrested.

And I was right. Captain Simpson and two other officers knocked on the front door while Christina and I stayed in the backseat of one of the police cars. When Bailey opened the door, we saw the four of them exchange a couple of words before Bailey executed a punch towards Captain Simpson. Christina screamed.

The Captain ducked and the other two officers pounced, eventually pinning Bailey to the ground and handcuffing him. They slowly made their way towards another police car, Bailey still struggling to get free.

Christina opened the door and we heard Bailey shouting, "... no other proof that I even did anything! Do you have a weapon? Huh?"

"Yes, we do!" yelled the Captain. "We have the golf club."

Bailey stopped cold, staring at him. "What?" he said in horror. "Wait, you don't have a search warrant. Did you break into my house? That's illegal, man!"

"No one broke into the house, Bailey!" called Christina, stepping out of the car. She leaned against the open door and I stood up behind her.

His head whipped around. His eyes found Christina's and he stared at her, anger flaring in his eyes, before screaming, "Christina, how could you?" he roared, spitting in anger. "I'm your brother! I'm your fucking brother!"

"Bailey, I'm sorry!" Christina said weakly, starting to cry. "I'm so sorry Bailey, but you killed two people! I couldn't let you get away with it, no matter how much I love you!"

"You liar!" shrieked Bailey, struggling against the officers to try and get to his sister. Two more officers had to run over and assist. "You fucking bitch! I can't believe you! You told them everything, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!"

Christina sobbed, "Bailey, please, I'm sorry!"

"FUCK YOU, CHRISTINA!" Bailey shouted as they managed to force him into the police car. The shut the door, and even though we couldn't hear anything more, we could see his mouth moving furiously as he glared at them through the rear window. Christina collapsed and started to cry in the gutter. I awkwardly bent down and patted her on the back until the Captain came over and told us we were heading back to the station.

"Is-is there any chance he'll g-get out?" Christina hiccuped as we got back into the car.

"Probably not," said Captain Simpson as we started to drive. "Usually in murder cases, the bail is set at a high price, or there isn't one at all."

Christina nodded tearfully. "I just hope he doesn't get out and try to kill me..."'

The Captain shook his head. "He won't be getting out any time soon. He'll be in jail at least until the trial is over, which could very well be years from now. And that's only if he's found innocent, but most likely that won't happen."

We arrived at the station and they led Bailey into an interrogation room. Even though he was handcuffed, he still needed to have to officers hold him down while the Captain questioned him. Once again, I watched the interrogation in the adjoining room, this time joined by Christina.

"Bailey, did you kill Gabriella and Isabella Bolton?" asked the Captain.

Bailey just stared defiantly at him. "I'm not answering any questions without my lawyer."

The Captain sighed irritably. "Come on, Bailey, we know you did it. Your sister told us you confessed it to her."

The other man just smirked, surprisingly calm. "How do you know she's not lying?"

Christina gasped loudly, staring at her brother incredulously.

"She brought us the murder weapon from under your bed," Captain Simpson told him.

Bailey shrugged. "Maybe she didn't really find it there."

The Captain sighed again, in annoyance. "Bailey, we've already phoned her friend, who confirmed that at the time of the murder the two of them were at the movies. You, however, we do not have an alibi for. Care to tell us one?"

Bailey didn't say anything more on the matter. "I won't say anything else without my lawyer."

Captain Simpson stared him down for a moment, before saying to the other officers, "Get him outta here."

As they were leading Bailey out of the room, Christina turned to me and said, "Troy, I hope you don't believe what Bailey said, I swear I didn't-,"

"I know you didn't kill them," I interrupted her. "Don't worry."

A few minutes later, a police officer dropped me off at my house and then left to drop Christina off at her own house. When I opened the door, Ryan and Riley bombarded me with questions.

"Did you guys get him?"

"What happened?"

"Why were you gone for so long?"

I patiently explained to them what had happened at the station before calling Maria.

"Troy?" asked Maria weakly. "Is that you?"

"Hey, Maria," I said. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine..."

I pursed my lips. "You don't sound fine."

"Well, I am!" She snapped, which took me by surprise. In all the years I'd known Maria, I'd never heard her snap like that before.

"Okay... well, I just wanted to call and tell you that there's been an arrest."

"An arrest?" she repeated.

"Yeah. His name is Bailey Martin."

"Thank God..." she whispered. "Troy, is it okay if I come down? I need company."

"Of course," I told her. "Come on down. You're always welcome."

"Thanks, Troy. You're a great son."