Chapter 13 – Home

AN: WOW! Thank you guys so much for the fantastic amounts of review that I have gotten! It really makes me so pleased when you review, because no matter how short the review is… every single one counts! What amazes me even more is that "Fate Works in Strange Ways" has officially passed "Love Doesn't Come Smoothly" in reviews... that's fenominal! Thank you guys so much for making this story such a success.

I will try and update "Love Doesn't Come Smoothly" tomorrow. If not Wednesday. I am really sorry but my school gets right into the work, especially because I have exams next week. I will also try writing some chapters in advance so that I can update at least once during the week that I have exams. Okay?

Well, we're all back at school… which is always fun (sarcastic, of course). I have exams coming up so I will not be getting much homework, but I really need to focus on studying. I will try to slip in time to work on chapters for my stories, but I am sorry if I don't get a chance to update as soon as I would like. Once my exams are over… I promise I will find a routinely update for you guys.

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After many weeks of intense therapy, Gabriella was finally walking on her on. A bit unsteadily, and she needed the occasional support, but she was getting pretty good at it. The doctors had officially announced that she was free to go, but she still had to continue her therapy from home.

Home.

I had fought with her about where that would be. I had told her she was staying with me, to which she said no, because it would be imposing. She insisted she would be perfectly fine at her apartment.

When I told her that Isabella already had a nursery, and that she was getting comfortable in the Bolton Estate, she finally agreed to stay with me.

It was now the morning that Gabriella was allowed to leave the hospital. I was sitting on her freshly folded bed, Isabella sleeping soundly in my arms, as Gabriella took a quick shower in her nursing room's adjoining bathroom.

"Uh, Troy?" She called.

"Yes?"

"Can you come here please?"

"Are you decent."

"Partially." She said. I gulped.

Control Yourself Bolton! I said to myself. I placed Isabella in the small crib that had been set up in Gabriella's room for the nights that Isabella spent with her, and headed towards the bathroom. I opened the door, to see Gabriella putting on makeup in the mirror. With her back turned to me, I could see that she hadn't done up the zipper on the back of her dress.

It suddenly became hotter in the room.

"You called?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said, turning around. "I need help with the zipper." I laughed.

"Of course." At least this was a simple zipper. Back when Gabriella was still in the early stages of her therapy, I had to help her get dressed sometimes, including putting on her pants and clipping her bra in place. She never seemed awkward with me.

After I zipped up the back, I turned and examined the dress she was wearing. It was spaghetti strapped, yellow in colour, ending at the knees.

"That's a nice dress." I commented. She turned around and smiled at me.

"Thanks. April bought it for me." Ah, April.

Gabriella and April had a bond that even I didn't understand. They had become incredibly close, April driving over to visit whenever she had free time. She also insisted on spending the weekend at my house, so she could visit Gabriella and spend time with Isabella.

Most importantly, April had become the sister Gabriella had always longed for. They were always talking, texting or e-mailing, and Gabriella had told me she felt she could tell April anything. She also said she felt the same about me.

Did that mean she only thought of me as a brother?

I put the thought out of my mind and grabbed Gabriella's arm, steadying her as she walked back towards the room. I led her towards the crib, where she picked up a still sleeping Isabella and held her in her arms. I grabbed Gabriella's small bag, complete with all of the small things that had been brought for her.

"Ready?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She looked all over the room, taking in a visual memory of the place that she had lived in for the last while. "I can't believe this has been my home for nine months." Isabella was now nine-months old, and was growing bigger and bigger every day.

"I know. It must be pretty hard." She looked up at me smiling.

"You made it easier." I smiled back, grabbing her hand and heading out the door.

To a stranger, we probably looked like a small little family getting ready to go back home.

We went slowly down the corridor, Gabriella taking in and sharing memories she had experienced while in the hospital. I laughed, and took many pictures of her standing with her daughter at the various places.

Gabriella had also gone over each of the albums I had constructed for her. I continued to make them, except there was a difference.

Isabella now had pictures with her mother holding her and awake in the album.

Gabriella didn't know I was continuing this, but it was sure to come out when she realized I was still taking daily pictures of Isabella.

Finally, we got to the elevators, and slowly climbed in. Gabriella took this opportunity to take silly pictures of our reflections in the elevator mirrors.

I loved how much of a kid Gabriella could be at some times.

And at how serious she could be at other.

When we arrived in the lobby, many of the nurses and doctors of whom Gabriella had dealt with were waiting. A small "Goodbye Gabriella!" sign was hung off the second level balcony.

"Aw!" Gabriella exclaimed. I took more pictures of her posing with all of the doctors and nurses, as well as some of her with the sign.

Finally, after saying one last goodbye, we headed to the parking lot.

When we got to my car, Gabriella's eyes were wide open.

"You're car is… wow." I laughed.

"I know. It's a nice car. Has a very smooth ride as well."

"It looks expensive." I laughed.

"It was." I settled Isabella in the backseat car seat, and helped Gabriella into the passenger seat, before slipping into my Audi and speeding down the road back to my mansion.

If Gabriella's mouth had been wide when she saw my car, it practically fell off when she saw my house.

"You. Live. Here?" she asked, staring up and around the acres of property in disbelief.

"Yeah?" I said, more of a question than an actual statement.

"It's beautiful."

"Well, the restaurant business pays a lot."

"Speaking of which, you HAVE to take me to your restaurant one evening."

"It's a date." I said, and Gabriella blushed.

"Once we were settled inside, I showed Gabriella where Isabella's bedroom was, as well as hers.

"Here's your bedroom. It's right beside Isabella's and right across from mine. I just thought you would want to be close to your daughter."

Gabriella's room was the second finest bedroom I had in my mansion, the finest being the master bedroom. There was a king sized bed in the room, along with matching cherry wood furniture and a large walk in closet. There was also an on suite bathroom, complete with shower and a bathtub.

"WOW! This is the best room in the house! I mean really, did you give me the best place in the entire house. The bathroom is just magnificent."

"Well, second best. Mine is the best, of course."

"Naturally." She replied. "And what makes yours the best."

"Jacuzzi in the bathroom." I replied.

"I see."

"You can use it anytime you want, thought." She smiled.

"Thanks for the generous offer." I laughed.

"You're welcome."

I showed her where the kitchen was, and explained that the housekeeper would clean her room so she didn't have to worry. I also showed her the pool, hot tub, and basketball court I had in the backyard, and the many other rooms.

Gabriella loved the wide-screen TV.

I also gave her a small room that she could use for an office or study, if she wanted to keep any books or have a place that was her own. Her personal belongings that Sharpay had brought over were still in boxed in her bedroom, and I told her she could put them anywhere she liked.

"Well, I don't have much." She said. Isabella was sleeping in her nursery, and I was in Gabriella's room helping her sort through her stuff.

"What about clothing?"

"I have some..." she said, lifting up a small box.

"That's nothing. I'm taking to shopping tomorrow, and you are buying a completely new wardrobe. Nobody living in my house will be dressed poorly. Besides, your baby already has top designer clothing, and I would hate her mother to not have the same."

"Please, you've done enough."

"I insist." Gabriella nodded.

"I'll pay you back when I get back to work."

"Where do you work?"

"At the diner near my apartment."

"No good. They barely pay you anything, and the boss is a real jerk. Besides, you need to take care of your little girl." She looked shocked.

"I need to work! How else am I going to pay you back?" she asked.

"Brie, I have loads of money. So much, I am just itching to spend it already. You need money, and I have money to give. Besides, you just came out of a coma and probably shouldn't be doing heavy-duty work for a while anyway. Just sit back and relax, and don't worry about anything financial. I'll take care of everything."

"You're too good to me." She said.

"You deserve it, Brie." She nodded. I looked deep in her eyes, memorizing every inch of her face. I had spent countless hours staring at her face while she was comatose, but I longed to memorize every part of her, every wrinkle that appeared when she laughed, all the creases that formed when she scrunched her nose.

Subconsciously, I began slowly leaning in towards her. She began the same, and I saw her eyes locked on mine. Soon, I felt my eyes closing as I felt her breath tickling my face. I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close to me. Just as our lips were about to meet, a soft cry was heard from the baby monitor. I pulled back from her.

"Umm… I'll get her." Gabriella muttered, and quickly ran out of the room towards her daughter's room. Soon I heard her soothing voice over the baby monitor, calming her baby girl down.

Idiot! I mentally yelled at myself.

Now Gabriella was probably never going to speak to me again, or be incredibly awkward whenever she's around me.

Why had I done that? I didn't even realize what was going on before it had already started.

It was on my mind as I left the room, turning out the lights behind me.

It was on my mind as I gently peeked into Isabella's nursery, wishing the two of them goodnight.

It was on my mind as I slopped into my bed, pulling the covers up on top of me.

I had almost kissed Gabriella Montez.

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AN: Ohh… Troy's really got it bad for Gabriella!!! And Gabriella also leaned in, which could mean she maybe feels the same! Lol only I know! You'll find out soon enough though.

They almost kissed! I hope you guys don't think that I'm speeding up their romance. If you want I can slow it down and have some more chapters of them just being 'friends'. Or I can go on with the romance… your choice. Tell me what you guys want!

Review if you guys want the next chapter!

Xoxo,

Lar