A/N: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK AND REVIEWS! You have no idea how happy they made me!

Disclaimer: Same as always!


May 25th, 2008 5:45 am

I rolled over for the fifth time in the last hour looking at the clock. 5:45 am blinked a couple of times. I groaned, getting off the bed and heading downstairs, careful not to wake anyone else in the house.

I heard towards the kitchen when I saw the TV flickering as if someone was watching it. I walked quietly towards the door and saw Dana sitting there rocking Sarah quietly.

"Hey." I told her sitting down and turning towards the TV.

"Gabi what are you doing up so early?" Dana asked me turning in my direction.

"I couldn't sleep. I kept tossing and turning." I admitted to her smiling.

"You want to talk about it?" Dana asked me flicking the TV off, leaving the room dark. I leaned over and flipped on the light.

"How did you remember your parents?" I asked her looking at her reaction.

"What do you mean by that question?" Dana asked me grinning.

"It's been a couple of days since my mom died and I've all ready forgotten a couple of things about her. I don't remember what she smelt like or how she reacted to certain things." I told her hanging my head down.

"Gabi you don't have to feel ashamed about this. I totally forgot how my mom used to laugh before she died. But how I got through it was I took a couple of things of my parents before my aunts, uncles, and cousins all got in it. I took her perfume, her hairbrush, some of her clothes, her rings and jewelry, and I took other things that reminded me of her. I placed all those things in a box that I kept with me until recently." Dana told me.

"How did you get through the death of your parents? I don't want to rely on you guys for the rest of my life." I told her looking down.

"Gabi we're never going to replace your mom. She's always going to be in your heart. But I got through it with the help of my aunt, uncle, and friends. They were there whenever I needed them." Dana told me.

"I'm just afraid that I'm going to completely forget who my mom was and won't be able to remember when Tina and Lucas get older to start to question." I told her.

"That's where Jack and I come in. The entire Bolton family has been working on a scrapbook for you and your brother and sister. We are going to keep it until Lucas and Tina start to question things. When they do we'll pull this out and tell them about your mom." Dana told me as tears came pouring down my face.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done. You guys have been absolutely amazing through this whole ordeal." I told her leaning over and hugging her.

"You are welcome. You have helped Troy out in so many situations and ways that Jack and I would have never thought of. You have made Troy the happiest person in the world. We just hope that we can make you the Gabi we're use too." Dana told me.

"You are way too sweet. And thank you for talking to me. I'm just worried about the future." I told her.

"Everything will work itself out. Just you wait and see." Dana told me as we flicked the TV on and started to watch the news.

10:00 am

"Gabi will you go wake up Troy?" Dana asked me from her place at the table.

"Sure I'll be right back." I told her running upstairs and pushing open Troy's door.

I walked over to where the covers were pulled over Troy's body. I carefully pulled the covers back so I could see his head. I started placing kisses all over his face as he pulled me down on top of him.

"Well this is the best good morning I've ever gotten from you mom." I heard Troy say as I tried not to laugh.

"Well I try my boy. Now Gabi's waiting downstairs for you." I told him trying not to laugh.

"Oh but wait, isn't this Gabi? Sorry Gabsters my mom wouldn't place kisses all over my face like that." Troy told me grinning.

"Damn I thought I had you fooled. Well I guess you could use a proper good morning kiss, huh?" I asked him.

"I do need one to wake up properly." Troy told me pulling my head closer to his. We kissed and I lay down next to him.

"So what's on the agenda today babe?" Troy asked me.

"We're going over to my house to gut it all out. And then I don't know. I'm think I'm going to be pretty tired so I might take a nap this afternoon." I told him.

"Hm . . . a nap with my Gabi? That sounds pretty inviting!" Troy told me propping his head up on his hand.

"I don't think so buddy. We're going to nap in separate beds." I told him kissing his pouting lips.

"Aww come on Gabi. I'm not going to do anything." Troy told me trying again to change my mind.

"Sorry Troy. It's not going to happen. Now get up. We have to leave soon." I told him walking downstairs.

"Is he up Gabi?" Dana asked me as I sat down at the table.

"Yeah he's getting dressed right now. I think I'm going to head over to the house." I told them standing up and walking towards the front door.

"Ok Gabi we'll be over in a little bit. Call if you need anything." Jack told me as I nodded my head and walked out the door.

The whole way over to my house, my mind was filled with confusing thoughts. I was scared to be in the house alone and I was scared to death about the funeral tomorrow. Granted I had been to funerals before but not for someone who was as close as my own mother. I was glad Troy was going to be by my side the entire time.

I stopped in front of the house and all the memories from the past 3 years rushed back. Every kiss on the front porch that Troy and I had shared to my mom having talks on the swing to my mom and me giggling about something stupid on the way to the car. I walked quickly up the stairs and pushed open the door.

I walked into the eerie silent house and walked upstairs. I avoided my mom's room and walked into my room. I grabbed the teddy bear that was sitting on the neat bed and just held it close. My mom had gotten me the bear for my 9th birthday because she had to go on a business trip. I had stayed with friends and mom had brought the bear back from New York.

I looked around the room at the various pictures that sat around. There were pictures from Prom, Homecoming, basketball games, and everything in between. I picked up one of the photos that were taken of me and mom sitting on the front porch of the house. Troy had snuck up and taken it while we were laughing.

I walked downstairs to find a shoe box that I knew my mom kept in the hall closet. I grabbed one and headed back upstairs. I cautiously walked into her room and stared at the bed. It was the last place that I saw her really alive. I walked over and lay on the bed for what seemed like eternity. Before I knew it, I was crying so hard that I lost all track of time and where I was. It was the first good cry I had had since mom died.

I felt someone wrap their arms around me and gently rock back and forth. They stayed silent until my cries subdued. I hiccupped a couple of times trying to calm myself down.

"It's going to be all right Gabi." I heard Troy whisper in my ear once I was calmed down.

"You don't know if it's going to be ok. You don't know how it feels to lose your mother! You just don't know. Don't try to pretend, Troy." I yelled at him.

"Gabi of course I don't know. I'm just trying to reassure you." Troy told me calmly.

"You don't know what I'm going through so just stay away." I told him running from the room and running out the front door.

I just ran away from it all. I ran as fast as I could. Tears blurred my vision and I didn't know where I was going. I just knew I had to get away from Troy and his perfect life. He didn't need me crying all the time and ruining his life. He had the perfect life. A great family and the greatest friends ever. And what did I have? My sibling and I all are trying to make our lives normal again. My mom dies at 18 and suddenly I get the pity looks and the looks of wishing that never happened to them.

Before I knew it, I was at Baker Park which was right down the street from my house. I sat on a random park bench and thought about my life. Sure I had friends and a family who let me stay with them but I didn't have a mother anymore. She's gone and my life is done with. Who's going to help me get ready for my wedding or help me when I bring my first born home? Who's going to spoil mine and Troy's children? I know I have one set of in-laws but I want my mom around to help me through the little things in life.

I sat there on that park bench, re-examining my life and trying to figure out how I could go on living without my mother. I mean I have a great 'second' family who had taken my siblings and me in without a question asked. I have a great set of friends who will do anything to make me laugh or smile. I had two great siblings who were always going to be there when I needed them. And I had one amazing boyfriend who was always going to love me no matter what.

I got up and decided to walk back to the house. I walked with my head down so nobody would see the tears that I cried. I saw Troy standing on the porch watching me walk up the sidewalk. I walked over to him and immediately wrapped my arms around his waist.

"I'm so sorry baby. I didn't mean to blow up at you. I was mad and you were in the line of fire." I told him titling my head up and looking at him.

"I'm glad you finally released some of that anger even if it was directed at me. Are you feeling better now that you got some of that off your chest?" Troy asked me looking down at me.

"I do feel better. I'm so sorry about yelling at you." I told him leaning up and kissing him.

"It's ok. Like I said I'm just glad you're feeling better. Are you ready to tackle this house with me?" Troy asked me pointing towards the house.

"Let's get this over with." I told him pulling him to the door with me.

We spent the next few hours, gutting out and trying to figure what we were going to move to the Bolton's and what was staying in storage. I went from room to room, picking different things I wanted to keep. In the end, I picked a scarf, a bottle of her favorite perfume, a favorite book of hers, and a couple of other trinkets she loved. I walked down to the kitchen and flipped through her recipe box. That's where Troy found me.

"What are you looking for?" Troy asked me pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I'm looking for my mom's favorite recipe. Want to help me?" I asked him pointing to the recipe box sitting on the counter.

We spent the next few hours, flipping through the recipes. Troy and I shared our favorite memories that we had of my mom while looking at the recipes. I found a couple of my favorites and threw them into the box.

"What else are you going to put in there?" Troy asked me walking into the living room.

"I've got to find a box first and then I'll tell you." I told him going over to the huge bookshelf and looking on the highest shelf.

I found the box I was looking for and walked back over to the couch. I gently lifted the lid and peered inside. Troy came and sat beside me. He gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"What's that?" Troy asked me simply as I tossed the lid onto the table.

"It's my mom's private belongs. She always kept her most private things in here." I told him showing him my mom and dad's wedding photo.

"So this is where she kept all the photos of your dad?" Troy asked me.

"There are photos of my mom, dad, me, Tina, and Lucas all in here. I'm looking for a certain photo I knew my mom kept in here." I told him flipping through the photos.

"Is this it?" Troy asked me handing a photo to me.

"That is it. How did you know this is the one I was looking for?" I asked him looking at the photo.

It was a photo of mom, dad, and I laughing at something someone said. I must have been 5 years old in the photo. I was wearing a fancy dress as was my mom.

"Where was this taken?" Troy asked me looking at the photo.

"We were at a wedding for one of my dad's coworkers. Mom and dad decided to take me along with them. That's the last family photo we had taken together." I told him sadly.

"What about this one?" Troy asked me handing another photo to me.

I looked at the photo and smiled. Dad was holding me in his arm with his other arm wrapped around mom. We all had on big smiles on our faces.

"The photographer came around and took this one of the three of us. So I guess this is the last one we had done before he died." I told him throwing the photo into my box.

"Anything else?" Troy asked me as I looked around the room.

"Yeah there should be a yellow envelope lying around here somewhere. Have you seen it?" I asked him getting up and looking on my mom's desk.

"Is this it?" Troy asked me handing me a yellow envelope from the mantel.

"Yeah I think so. Come with me." I told him walking into the kitchen and looking for scissors.

"What's in that envelope?" Troy asked me as I smiled at him.

"Mom decided to have a family photo done a couple of weeks ago and we finally go the prints a couple of days ago. I haven't looked at them but I know they're going to be great." I told him opening the envelope and taking out the stack of photos.

Troy stood behind me as I flipped through the photos. There were ones of just me, Lucas, and Tina; others with the four of us. Tears escaped my eyes while I flipped through the photos.

"She was so proud of you, you know that Gabi?" Troy asked me wrapping his arms around me.

"I know she was. I was so proud of her too. She's an amazing woman and I'm so glad I got to know her for 18 years." I told him choosing some of the photos and throwing them into my box.

"Done now?" Troy asked me as I giggled.

"You are an impatient little man, do you know that?" I asked him as he shook his head.

"I do know that." Troy told me as I leaned over and kissed him.

"Well be patient." I told him walking back up to my room.

"We're going to take these cribs back over to our house. Are you guys going to be ok for a little while?" Jack asked us coming into my room.

"I think we'll be fine for a while. We might come back to the house in a little bit." Troy told his dad.

"Ok we'll be back in a little bit." Jack told us walking down the stairs.

I smiled at Troy from my place on my bed. He came over and started to jump on the bed. I laughed while hitting him.

"Troy stop. You are insane dude!" I told him laughing.

"Only insane for you." Troy told me dropping a kiss on my lips.

"So we're alone in this big house. We could do some things." Troy told me moving his eyebrows up and down.

"Um . . . how about no and say we did?" I told him kissing him.

"Why do you think I'm always talking about sex? Huh?" Troy asked me with a grin.

"Because most guys our age think about it every second. So what did you have in mind?" I asked him.

"I was thinking about making sure there nothing else you want to take with you back to my house." Troy told me turning serious.

"Let's go. Let's start here. Hold on, I've got to find a box." I told him walking downstairs.

I found one and then walked back upstairs. I found Troy flipping through one of my photo albums.

"You were a cute kid." Troy told me grinning as I sat down beside him.

"Thanks, I think. I wasn't that cute of a kid." I told him flipping a couple of pages until I found the photo I was looking for.

"Now that photo totally defines your childhood. You used to play in the mud?" Troy asked me in disbelief.

"Yeah I was a tomboy. I didn't like frilly dresses or any dress in that point. I would be outside from sunup to sundown. Most of the kids I played with were boys. I would play basketball, soccer, baseball, and any sport in between." I told him laughing.

"Wow but you're so much different now." Troy told me looking me over.

"That was my mom's influence. She taught me to love other things besides sports and mud. She taught me how to cook, clean, science, and about boys, which I think she did a pretty good job." I told him leaning over and kissing him.

"Well I think she did an amazing job the past few years. I can't imagine how hard it was to raise a child as a single parent. I hope we never have to do that." Troy told me looking over at me.

"We're never going to have to think about that because what we have, our love is stronger than that. You're as devoted to me as I am to you." I told him laying my head on his shoulder.

"I love you Gabriella." Troy told me while I picked up on him using my full name.

"And I love you Troy." I told him smiling.

We finished up and carried everything we had decided on back to his house. We both walked up to our separate rooms and put the stuff down. I quickly rearranged all the photos that I had grabbed from my house in a corner of Hannah's room. I laid on the bed and prayed for strength and wisdom for tomorrow. I rolled over and quickly fell asleep.


Feedback is always appreciated and welcomed! A HUGE thank you goes out to everyone who has reviewed in the past. You know who you are and are the reason I continue to post chapters!