Gabriella turned her attention from the awkward conversation she was going to have. Gabriella did feel a bit irritated that he wouldn't answer and give her the truth right away. However, Gabriella turned her attention to Rosie."Did he now? Did Uncle Chad also know that you can't have dessert until you've eaten real food?" Gabriella playfully glared at Chad.

Aiden decided to come to Chad's rescue. "Well the place is called SHAKE shack, as in they sell milkSHAKES and sometimes icecream cones."

Chad smirked and put his hands up in surrender behind Aiden. "You heard the kid."

"Okay, okay. Fine. You do have a point Aiden." Gabriella surrendered humurously.

Gabriella for a short time had forgotten Troy's presence until she heard Troy chuckling along. Damn, I love his laugh. Gabriella thought to herself. She shook that thought away, letting the boys know that her and Rosie were headed home. Before she even grabbed her belongings, Chad interrupted. "You walked here, right? Why don't you let Troy drop you home?" Troy silently thanked Chad for trying to get Gabriella with him.

"Oh no, that's fine. We enjoy the walk, don't we Rosie?" Gabriella looked to her daughter, hoping now, she would come to her resue as Aiden did for his dad.

"Mommy, Troy can walk with us! It'll be fun!" Gabriella let out a small huff before closing her eyes. Goddamnit Rosie. You're supposed to be on your mommy's side.

"I'd like that, Gabriella." Troy spoke up softly.

"O-okay. I guess that's fine." Gabriella still was very on the fence of including Troy into her life, much rather Rosie's life.

"Cool, pick you up from Gab's Troy!" Chad turned to Gabriella. "Text me the address! Aiden say bye!"

Chad picked Aiden up and the small boy took a pause from devouring his milkshake that was spilling onto his t-shirt to say farewell "Byeee Rosie! Bye Aunty Gabi!"

In which mini-Gabriella returned as well"Byeee!"

Now came the awkward part, the walk home. Obviously, this wasn't a concern for Rosie as she grabbed Troy's hand and led them the way home, while Gabriella walked behind them. Troy being in Rosie's presence was giving her anxiety for the inevitable to happen. If Troy left her, he would leave Rosie, and Gabriella never, ever wanted her to go through the hurt that she did. She knew Troy Bolton's absence was something you could never get over, even if you tried, she was a verdict of that notion.

Once the three of them arrived at Gabriella's, it had gotten pretty dark and Gabriella thought this was the perfect opportunity for her and Troy to have that talk.

"Do you wanna come in, Troy?" Gabriella asked quietly, looking in his direction, but not looking into his eyes.

"Yeah, sure. I'd love that." Troy felt hope rising, in which he could finally tell Gabriella what he had to say on that unspoken topic they held in the air.

"Hey baby, why don't you go shower and then we can start going to bed." Gabriella spoke with a hitched voice, not looking forward to the conversation she was going to have with Troy. She needed Troy to leave and to stop interacting with them. He would not let him hurt Rosie. Or her. Her heart couldn't take it again.

"Okay! Can Troy stay, and you guys can read me a bed time story?" God, Gabriella felt the inevitable pain that was coming her way. Tears started to gather in her eyes. Gosh, if this was a different time, in a different place, maybe Troy could've been Rosie's father. But that was wishful thinking, and Gabriella had grown the mindset that anything wishful is not reality.

"We'll see baby." Gabriella replied, trying to hold in her tears.

"Okay!" Rosie took off into her room. Like Gabriella, she loved to take long showers. She would occasionaly hear Rosie singing and talking to herself in the shower. Gabriella found it cute, quite honestly. The singing, definitely. The talking to herself, not really. But she wouldn't let Rosie know. This also would be the perfect opportunity for Gabriella to have that long conversation with Troy.

Gabriella caught Troy's eyes and motioned with the tilt of her head for Troy to follow her into the backyard.

Troy was taken back in awe as he saw what Gabriella had decorated her backyard. There were light everywhere. Stringlights, fairylights, lanters, you name it. There was a little playground that Gabriella built on the rich, green grass; a playground Troy was sure that Rosie loved.

"We need to talk." Gabriella stated with a shallow voice that pulled Troy away from the almost unbelievable backyard.

"Uh yeah, sure. What's up?" Troy cleared his throat, not really sure where Gabriella was headed.

"You can't come here anymore." Troy's stomach dropped. Well he certainly didn't expect that. He thought things were steering towards the right path. After Troy quickly regained his composure before asking Gabriella why.

Gabriella couldn't look at him, because she knew, just knew, that if she looked at him, she would take back what she was about to say. But no, she had to be strong. For Rosie. "I don't know if it's obvious to you, but it's obvious to me that Rosie has grown somewhat attached to you, and that can't happen."

Troy walked in front of Gabriella rather closely. "And why's that?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand this but Rosie has had enough people leave her, I don't think she deserves that from you." Gabriella firmly stated.

"Excuse me?" Troy was feeling defensive as he knew where that statement was coming from.

"Please, Troy. I mean it. Go." Gabriella crossed her arms and hugged herself. She always did this when she needed the courage to stay strong.

Troy let out a small mocking laugh. "I don't think so." Anger had bubbled inside Gabriella. He has no right to disobey her command, especially for the sake of her daughter. This made Gabriella snap her head to look at Troy. "I'm not playing around Troy. Leave."

"Are you speaking for Rosie or for you?" Troy challenged.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But this is about Rosie. So go." Gabriella responded with a tense voice.

"No, I think this is about your fear that I'm gonna do to Rosie, what I did to you. Is that right Gabriella?" Gabriella just stared at Troy, not liking how this conversation was turning out.

Troy decided to take advantage of Gabriella's silence. "Earlier, back at the park, I didn't get to give you your explanation."

"I don't want your shit explanation. And fine, if you can't listen, I'm going to go inside. You saw where the door is." Gabriella turned to go back inside, she was barely holding it together. She could not lose it right now, especially in front of Troy.

However, Troy was just as stubborn as Gabriella was. Troy grabbed Gabriella's arm, stilling Gabriella. "No. You're done avoiding this conversation." Troy stated defiantly. Gabriella tried to pull herself out of his grip, but she couldn't compete with his strength as he turned her to face him. Before Troy would finally continue, he needed Gabriella to look at him. He needed her to know he was sincere. "You need to look at me Gabriella." Gabriella seemed to tuck herself in more to avoid hearing what she didn't want to face. "Do this for you. Hear what I have to say." Troy whispered before letting her wrist go, hoping his statement would get through to her. If only Gabriella knew, she was about to be released from what was holding her back. This gave Gabriella the strength to finally look at Troy. In the back of her mind, Gabriella knew she needed to hear this, even if it hurt. She needed to be released. Troy led them to sit on the bench beside the playground.

Once Troy knew he had her full attention he started talking.

"Honestly, I don't know how this is going to go, because I don't know if you can tell but I'm nervous as hell, but this is something I've needed to tell you. Earlier back in the park when you asked me what went wrong, gosh Gabriella. There's so much that you don't know, and none of that, absolutely none of that had to do with you not being enough. I swear Gabriella." Troy promsied.

Gabriella hugged herself again before Troy continued. "I thought I lost feelings for you.." Gabriella could not hear this anymore and went to leave as the first couple of tears escaped. Troy stopped her escape by pushing her shoulder back down. "No, stop. Listen to me, Gabriella." Gabriella plopped down in surrender. God this hurts.

"Sharpay and I, our families have always been close. We went through a lot. We've always been each others' rocks. Her brother died two days before I broke it off between us. Gosh, Gabriella she was broken. I spent a lot of time with her because she needed someone. And you understood that. And I was so fucking lucky that you did. You were always so independent and strong and confident, it's always made me feel like I wasn't good enough And I guess spending all that time with Sharpay made me feel like I was, just because I felt that I was needed. I mistook that for being in love with her. But I didn't really love her Gabriella, and I hate myself for telling you that I did. And I've kicked myself for it every single day since. And by the time I realized it, you had left. And I understood, but I looked for you Gabriella, I did. But you were gone and I-I didn't know what to do." Troy stuttered the last part.

However, Gabriella was taken back but was ready to fight. "You're a fucking coward. Is that all you have to say to me? How do you tell the person you were with that you didn't love them anymore? How can you ask them not to hate you, when you go and do something like that?! I don't fucking get you Troy! That's fucking bullshit. And don't give me shit about me being strong and you not being needed. I needed you Troy. I really fucking needed you. You made me feel sincerely loved and wanted, something I've never had. And then you go and break my heart? You broke me Troy. You broke me. And eversince then I just wanted to forget you. And seeing you here again. I can't handle being broken like that. Not when I've finally started to move on."

"You are right Gabriella, about everything. I am a coward. I was stupid and what I did and said destroyed what we had, that is all on me. I set this entire thing in motion. And baby, I am so, so sorry for doing this to you. This has killed me Gabriella. There have been so many nights where I've stayed up not being able to sleep knowing what I did to you. And I deserve all that hurt. I do. But Gabriella, now that I've seen you, I can't make the mistake of letting you go again. Please, Gabriella. Please. I know I don't deserve a second chance, but if you can give me one, I promise you with everything I have, that I will make up what I took from you." Troy had built up these emotions and feelings for so long that he finally let the tears flow. He held onto the regret and guilt that never left him and would keep him up at night. He kneeled in front of her and took her shaking hands in his before holding them to his forehead. He had let the best thing that ever happened to him, go. And he deserved everything he had coming his way, he knew it. Asking Gabriella for a second chance was not on his mind at all, he knew he didn't deserve one. But being infront of her right now, he wanted it so bad. He wanted to be the man she deserved. He wanted to make it right.

Hello, Hello everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to create a new chapter. Things have been tough lately, but one of you reviewed saying that I should continue this and you have no idea how much motivation that gave me and lifted me up. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy. This is a crazy time but I'm glad we're able to lose ourselves for a bit in these characters. Thank you again and I'm sending you and your family good thoughts, love, and great health.

Reminders: Italicized words are Gabriella's thoughts.

Also sorry for the many grammar and spelling mistakes that I am sure are there.