Chapter 4 – Ready to Come Home

AN: Hey everybody! How are you all? Thanks to everybody who reviewed last chapter. The number of reviews were AMAZING!!!

Can we maybe get that number again? I'll update sooner...

I'm really happy with how this story is progressing, and I really hope that you guys are too. Anyway, there will be a ton more of Isabella in this chapter, so get ready… Also, just to let you know, this chapter will mostly be from Troy's P.O.V, so unless specified, just know it's Troy talking.

Here's the next chapter!

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I spend four hours sitting with Isabella, who had now officially been dubbed the nicknames "baby girl" and "Bella". Time flied when I saw with her. Tickling her, talking to her, it all just seemed too surreal. Never had I seen myself with a child, and now I had a temporary one for a little while. It was a dream come true.

Unfortunately, visiting hours had almost come to an end. Before leaving the hospital, I visited Gabriella for half-and-hour, seeing as patient visiting hours were longer than those of babies. Finally, after an exhausting day of painting the nursery, building a crib, and traveling to the hospital, I finally got home, and took a well-deserved rest.

That morning, I was up at 6:30am. I was so excited at the idea of bringing home, so I straightaway got ready the last minute things in the nursery. Then, once visiting hours opened, I sped off to the hospital. Of course, the first person that I visited was Gabriella.

Unfortunately, her condition had not changed. She was still as pale as ever, and was still lying in that hospital bed. However, I managed to have a great visit.

"I can't believe it Gabriella. Today I get to take Isabella home." I gushed. "I can tell you that she will be in the best hands, and will be only getting the best things. Her nursery is all set up, and I can't wait to bring her in there. It's a dream come true." I kissed her wrist gently.

"You can't even begin to understand how much this means to me. I never thought that I would have child, even one to take care of for a day, and so this opportunity is giving me so much. Unfortunately, it had to come through these circumstances, but when you wake up, at least you can know that Isabella was in good hands while you were gone. I promise you Gabriella, she will be in perfect condition once you finally get out of here." I paused.

"When you get out of here…" It was true; I knew there was something that the doctors were not telling me. I was not stupid, I knew perfectly well.

It's common knowledge that, if after 3 months the person does not wake up, it is most likely a lost cause. At that time, the person is removed from the hospital and places in a long-term care facility, where they will remain until the doctors finally decide to take them off of whatever medication it is that's keeping them alive. (AN: I am not sure if all of this is true, but I know that some of it is… my dad told me (he's a doctor))

The bright side, if Gabriella was to end up there, there are almost unlimited visited hours, so I would be able to spend hours there with, bringing Isabella with me.

I just prayed that that was not going to happen.

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After sitting with Gabriella for two hours that morning, the doctor finally came in and told me that Isabella was ready to go home. I jumped from my seat, quickly kissing Gabriella and promising to visit her one more before leaving with Isabella, and following the doctor out of her room to the infancy ward. The excitement building inside me was building more and more as I neared the room. When I finally got to the room, I was brought in. The sight in front of me made me laugh.

Isabella was put in a little pink onesie, complete with little pink mittens, booties and a hat. Unfortunately, it was a bit big on her. Okay, maybe a lot. But she looked so adorable.

"Hey Bella. Getting ready to leave here?" I smiled as she gurgled back at me.

"She seems to have taken a liking to you." The doctor said.

"I know. She's just precious." I bent over and began tickling her underneath her chin, a wide smile appearing across her face.

"You don't need to do this, you know. There's a perfectly good foster care facility down the road we could send her to until Miss Montez wakes up." I looked the doctor straight in the face.

"I want to do this. I need to do this. I saw the car hit Gabriella right before my eyes. I need to do whatever I can for her, including taking care of her little girl." The doctor nodded.

"In that case, little miss Isabella is officially released from the hospital." I smiled, leaning down and gently scooping Isabella in my arms.

"Hey baby girl. It's your adopted daddy here. I'm taking you home now. What do you say?" She looked up at me with her dark brown eyes, and smiled. "That's good. You agree." I carried her out of the room, and walked into Gabriella's room.

"We're just gonna pay mommy a visit, okay?" I sat down beside Gabriella, holding Isabella with one hand and Gabriella's hand with the other.

"I'm taking her out now. She's going to come home with me. Don't get me wrong, I am going to visit you everyday with Isabella, I just want to get her home today and settled in. But I promise you Gabriella, she is going to be in good hands." I leaned over carefully, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "See you soon Gabriella." After that, I left the room swiftly, walking to the main lobby. I waited there for a little while, before I finally spotted Chad's blue BMW waiting for me.

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"What do you mean you don't know how to change a diaper?" Chad asked me. We were currently in Isabella's nursery, and she was crying at the top of her lungs. As I tried to soothe her, Chad took of her diaper to reveal a very dirty mess.

"Um… I don't?" I said sheepishly.

"You agreed to adopt some random woman's baby, but you can't even take care of it?" I hung my head down.

"Oops?"

"You do know what you have to do, don't you?" I looked at him confused, before it finally hit me.

"No." I said as I lifted Bella in the air, my 'diaper' hanging off her body like it was about to fall off. I placed her back in her crib, where she fell asleep instantly.

"You have to." Chad finally said.

"There's no way. No, I'm not doing that."

"Troy, you have to. You have no clue what to do, it's the only answer." I sighed.

"Fine." I said, admitting defeat. I couldn't even fathom the idea of doing what I was about to do, but I knew Chad was right. I needed to do it, because without I would be doomed.

I had to call my mother.

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"Hey mom." I said as she walked through the door.

"Okay. What was the big emergency?" She questioned.

"Um…"

"Spit it out."

"How about I show you?" I asked. She nodded, and I led her up to the nursery. We walked through the doors, and the gasped.

"Troy, why is there a baby in your house? Is there something you're not telling me?" I sighed. How was I supposed to tell my mother that I was taking a stranger's baby? Oh well, it was worth a shot. As I got deeper and deeper into the story, I saw hundreds of different emotions cross my mothers face. When I finally finished, her face was blank. Silence engulfed the both of us, until finally she spoke.

"Wow…" For once in my life, my mother was lost for words. "That poor woman."

"I had to do it mom. I mean, she's so helpless. I needed to so something for her." My mom smiled.

"That's the boy that I raised." I smiled.

"Thanks mom."

"So, what's this little cuties name?" She said as she leaned over Bella's crib.

"Isabella."

"She's beautiful Troy." I smiled ever wider, thinking of her mother.

"She looks just like her mother." I said proudly.

"So, what exactly do you need from me."

"Well, I kind of need you to teach me… some stuff." I said sheepishly.

"Some stuff?" She questioned.

"Everything… to do with babies." At this my mom burst out laughing. "Thanks mom, I appreciate that." I mumbled.

"Oh Troy, you always were getting a head of yourself. Never actually think of the repercussions of your decisions." I blushed. "Well, we have a lot of work to do. Let's get started!"

Over the next three hours, my mom taught me everything there was to know about babies. How to properly hold them, carry them, feed them, and, the disgusting task of changing their diapers. That part was the most painful. Who knew such a little being could create such a mess. Once we were done, we were sitting in the living room; Bella in my arms while my mom was sitting across from us drinking herbal tea. I was rocking Bella gently as she slept peacefully in my arms.

"You really have taken a liking to her." My mom commented. I looked up.

"Yeah. I mean mom, I never thought that I would end up having a kid, nevertheless taking care of a baby. I mean, I seem to do things in reverse order."

"Maybe once Isabella's mother wakes up, you can finally make it right."

"If she wakes up." I muttered. My mom frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Mom, there's so much damage. The doctors are trying to keep it from me, but I know what they are thinking. If Gabriella doesn't wake up in two months, there is most likely no hope that she will ever wake up."

"And if she never wakes up?"

"Well, I have already made contact with Gabriella's best friend. Turns out she has no family left. Her mother died, and her father died. Her best friend said if she…passes on, she'll give me the key to Gabriella's apartment and I will take everything from the apartment apart from furniture…" My mom smiled.

"You have everything planned out."

"Better safe that sorry."

"That's true."

"Mom, am I doing the right thing?"

"Of course. I'm so proud of you Troy. What you are doing, not many men on this planet would do that. I honestly don't think that your father would do that. You are one special person Troy, and I'm sure that when this Gabriella wakes up she will realize it to."

"I hope so mom. I hope so."

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AN: So, what did you guys think? And, as I was saying, I will not be including Gabriella that much for a little while. I know that Gabriella is an important character, and that all of you love her, but for now I really want to focus on Troy and Isabella. After a couple of chapters, I will forward to an older Isabella, and then Gabriella will be brought back fully into the story (awake or not…I'm not telling! Ha.)

Please, review and tell me what you think! Plus, it motivates me to write quicker!

Talk to all of you soon!

Xoxo,

Lar