A/N: I really hope you guys like this chapter, even though it gets pretty deep. And I apologize for the boringness in the middle of it, I know it's not the most exciting thing, but it's pretty important. Thank you to EVERYONE who is reading right now, and your reviews are amazing. Like I said, I really hope you like this chapter!

Something was wrong.

Troy could feel the sharp edges of his broken heart beat heavily against the uncomfortable attempt of the cold mattress beneath him. The tiny room was threatening to swallow him whole as the tornado strong wind hollowed against the side of the rickety shack. His eyes slammed closed, with his body trembling violently beneath the thin covers of his comforter. Everything around him resembled a blur, and he knew that something was wrong.

"Are you sure you want me to leave? You look like shit." A cruel, blood turning voice attempted to soothe but is sounded to Troy more like hypnotize. To persuade to do awful things that he didn't want to think about.

"What?" The ear splitting scratchiness of her voice was painful to listen to. He recognized the maniacal laugh that only came from her throat when her system was not clean. "Of course not, Charlie. You have to work! I'll just make myself some soup and uh…"

Troy imagined her trailing off into nothingness, just like how her brain mashed into when she was high. Nothing was more terrifying to Troy then the sound of Charlie's coaxing voice, manipulating her to do something so terrible. "I could just skip work…"

"Don't be silly!" The shrieking sound cut through the darkness like a knife and Troy cringed. It was almost one o'clock in the morning and he had a test tomorrow. Not to mention basketball and he knew he would be exhausted. Late nights for his mother never worked out for him. He always suffered.

It was obvious this was going deeper than just the fact that Charlie was offering her these drugs. It was the pain, the pain she had to take away from her body. Troy knew that Charlie was just a tool, even if she cared about him a little. The idea was to try to drown out the sounds of the press talking about how well the Chicago Bulls were playing. To erase the blood ink on the pages of the sport's section of his name. The name that was forbidden. The name of abandonment for money.

"If you insist," Charlie's bone chilling tone let out and Troy's body shivered a mixture of the icy cold and of the slimy sound. "Bye Lucille. Behave yourself now."

Another round of sickening giggles before Troy did his best to focus on important things. His mind was so filled with horror and heartbreak that it was hard to keep track of everything. First he and Taylor had just broken up. Not that he was ever into her in the first place, but he couldn't deny that it hurt that things were awkward between them. Gabriella hadn't spoken a word to him in a month and he hadn't gotten the courage to say anything after the Winterball incident. Those things were so ant sized compared to the experience he was trapped in for eternity.

His mother was a heroine addict, and she was bringing Troy's life down with her.

Finally, silence hung in the air threateningly, making Troy huddle in a ball closer beneath the gray sheet. The tears that were promising to fall could not. He could not cry, because crying made him weak. Tears were acidic, and he had to do everything in his power to prevent them. There was nothing else he could do.

Troy lay as though he was dead, which maybe he was, at least inside. The injection sites of his mother seemed to have stabbed him just as hard, over and over again until he bled to a sick and mutated death. What had he done to deserve this? He'd only known his father for five years, so he couldn't have done anything to him. Then why was his life a living hell?

It was about a half hour of listening to the howling wind before the scent flooded through the small closet sized room. It was distant at first, and Troy just assumed it was his imagination. But the brown fume grew to a stench that was so distantly familiar to him. What was that smell?

The white headlights beneath his heavy lids ripped open as though acid was poured on them. It might as well have been, for it would have at least only harmed him. The memory of smelling the burning fume while passing the chemistry room made everything sink in his stomach like a ton of bricks. Without thinking twice, Troy tore the weak comforter off his bare chest and sprinted towards the door.

His mind went into a tunnel vision as he practically kicked down the door with the gray sweatpants that covered his growing muscular legs. Thinking was not an option when he skidded down the thin hallway, the black smoke filling his lungs. The frozen house was thawing, but Troy could feel his lungs filling up with poison.

Coughing to attempt to rid the toxin, Troy forced himself into the blinding kitchen. Giant ruby and sunburst flames danced on the burning stove. Clouding ashy smoke filled the cracked and creeks of the tiny shack. Heat slapped his bare chest and he found it almost impossible not to feel break out into choking fits. That wasn't important though. All that he could recognize was the lifeless body draped unconsciously across the flimsy table. Her paper thin hair sprawled out, shielding her pale face. The snow white skin looked as though death was written in the cells.

"MOM!" Troy tortured voice screeched above the roaring flames as his was at her side in less than a second. "Mom, wake up, please…" Furiously shaking her lifeless shoulder, panic ran through his adrenaline filled veins. How was he going to get her out? He could careless about saving himself; all he could think about was her.

Then he saw it, the solution to all his problems. The sudden cerulean eyes locked determinably on the stove. He had to save her. She was the only thing he had left. The only part of his life he felt any emotion towards, even if it was anger.

The tunnel vision focused on the burning pan. He had to get that off; he had to stop the flames, no matter what.

The powerful legs sprinted towards the hell, Troy's own hell, his only hope in saving his mother, and himself.

"NO!"

Troy shot up breathlessly from the toasty tangle of dark maroon sheets. His bare chest heaved violently before his eyes adjusted to the blackness surrounding him. Panic continued to ooze through his veins, his body almost going into a seizure when his eyes landed on the soft glow of the yellow flames. It took a moment for him to realize that these flames were protected by the grate in front of the heated fireplace, causing mysterious shadows in the cracks of his room. With a relived sigh, his stone back slipped until it crashed softly into the pillows beneath him.

After the shock of the nightmare and Troy's breathing came back down to running a marathon instead of sprinting it, he subconsciously tangled his shaking hand in the ocean of black hair that was draped across his bare chest. A sudden feeling of sorrow washed his body as his eyes landed on the lifeless figure nestled in the knot that their long legs entwined them. Gabriella's steady breath moved evenly, making Troy relax a little that he hadn't woken her from his shot out of bed and his yelling.

He hated that memory. It was the scariest one he had. The feeling of the flames enclosing him to the point of death was unbearable. Troy slammed his eyes violently shut, which was a life threatening mistake, for the image of his mother's unconscious body laying helplessly on the table caused his heart to skip twelve beats again. The white headlights eyes forced themselves open, forcing himself to look at the clock that read 2:16 AM.

Troy's hand gently caressed Gabriella's fragile scalp, attempting to heat his icy sweat dried body. Gabriella's own nude sticky skin was glued to his, their bodies almost as one beneath the covers. He was plain exhausted, physically, emotionally, mentally. After the game, he had finally done the one thing he had promised himself he would never do. He had the guys over, but it wasn't as bad as he thought. After Gabriella first stepped through the house, it didn't seem like such a big deal if other close people came. As long as they had no idea that he really lived alone, it would be perfectly fine. That seemed to drain him mentally, for he had to constantly come up with creative answers to the questions that Ryan and Zeke shot at him.

Physically tired? Well, that was no thought process involved. Though the physical tiredness seemed to be more of a blessing to Troy than a hinder. His legs had been sore from the game, but what was shooting through his system was the feeling of hovering over Gabriella, grinding his body to her beat and then switching, letting her taste him. They were now lying completely naked, and Troy wouldn't have traded anything for it. Sex was the only thing that they had not accomplished, but he knew that would have to wait for the perfect time.

And emotionally. This seemed to be ripping his stomach into shreds. His shining eyes glowed against the crackling fire, causing a ghostly white light on the ceiling. Charlie could not be allowed to see his mother. Troy was certain that he would kill him first. Reflexively, his hand that was not in Gabriella's hair reached over and fingers the mangled skin on his right hip. It had only taken a minute after the pan had fell onto Troy's bare skin before the fire department showed up and rescued both his mother and himself. After three days in the hospital, he was assigned to Sydney to be taken care of while his mother remained in the hospital for a week. After she was taken into rehab, where she has been since, child support put Troy into the house he was currently lying in. The rest was history.

A rattling sigh vibrated from his ribcage before his head swiveled to watch his slumbering girlfriend on his chest. Her face was free from stress lines, so perfectly smooth it could have been made of porcelain. Troy gingerly lifted his hand up, touching her silky skin ever so slightly in attempts not to rouse her. She was an angel. An angel brought down from heaven to save him from hell. His calloused thumb tenderly stroked her blemish free cheek, letting the overwhelming feeling of compassion rush over his body in a rapid river.

"I love you," He whispered, well aware that she was def to him in her sleep. That didn't stop his eyes being mesmerized on her flawless face. Troy's own forehead leaned down to nuzzle with hers. He inhaled her intoxicating scent, feeling filthy next to her. "I know it doesn't mean much, but I love you more than anything." His breathless voice echoed through the walls before he gently connected his smooth lips to her matching forehead.

Was he loosing his mind for talking to her while she wasn't even conscious? Probably. But it didn't matter to him. She was his life, his sky, his ground, his air. She was the hunger in his stomach and the breath in his lungs. The cyan in his eyes, but most of all, she was the beat of his heart, keeping in perfect time.

Gently so he would not wake her, Troy slithered his way out of her jaws of life grasp on his torso. It was a challenge, for it could have been his imagination, but her arms seemed to squeeze even tighter the more he tired to pull away. Finally, he was successfully and slid to the foot of the bed, completely nude, yet gazing into the dying fire.

His mind was running a million miles a minute, no chance in being halted. He wasn't being fair to Gabriella, he knew that. But he was trying. Trying as hard as he could to be who she needed him to be. Trying to love her without constantly thinking about his mother. It was the burden that was rested on his shoulders, and that wasn't fair to her to have to go through. The worst part about it was that he was too much of a coward to let her go and have a better life without him.

He was attached to her now. A thread of his heart and knotted with hers. She revived his heart, gave it a beat again. Without being able to see her face, hold her in his arms again… he shuttered at the thought.

Troy was so entranced in his thoughts that he didn't hear the noisy stir from behind him. It wasn't until he felt a burning piece of flesh against his sticky back that he noticed she was no longer unconscious. His body jumped in shock, before tenderly turning around to meet her stare that wasn't as groggy as it should have been if she was sleeping moments ago. "I didn't mean to wake you up…"

Gabriella smiled tenderly before pressing her soft lips against his icy shoulder. Trembles ran down his spine at her touch. "You didn't." Her angelic voice whispered back before she gingerly nuzzled her nose into his back.

Troy's heavy head turned back to face the fire again, but he could feel Gabriella's slender arms snake around his strong torso, tickling his abs with her bitten off nails. The silence between them wasn't awkward. It was comfortable. So much to the point that Troy felt his eye close blissfully, her touch soothing the painful images of his flashback in his mind.

"Tell me I mean something to you." His hoarse voice whispered desperately.

Troy could imagine her tiny nose scrunching in confusion. "What?" Her voice strained to keep the sensuality of the silence up. Their whispers were almost as intoxicating as their kisses they shared.

The fluffy chestnut bed head slowly turned on an angle so he could see her flowing locks in the corner of his bright light eyes. "Please… just tell me I mean something. Anything. A friend… an acquaintance… anything… please…"

He couldn't refrain from the passion that seeped through his voice. His desperation was pounding with his heart, praying for her to just say anything. Just tell him he mattered, to someone.

Gabriella's hand tenderly wrapped around the back of his neck, forcing his head towards her. Brown met white in such a radiation the roof of the house was sure to explode. A line of fire drew the connection as Gabriella's lips lingered millimeters away from his, not daring to break the stare. "You mean everything to me."

That was all it took. Troy's lips found hers in a lustful kiss that immediately sent Gabriella's to her back. His strong body hovered over hers while their lips painfully mashed in a heated lock. His tongue was in her mouth before she could take a breath, exploring until he could find the jackpot to take everything away. "Troy…"

The roll of his name off her tongue when he reached up for a breath was hypnotic. Troy could barely contain himself as her nude body curved reflexively to his. Her legs immediately spreading to either side of his core, letting the silk skin ticking against his. He fought furiously for dominance in her mouth, and was winning with a blow out. Troy's body craved hers, more than the air he had lack of. He craved her.

"You're so perfect." Troy inhaled as his lips left her mouth and made the familiar trail down the side of her chin and towards the crevice of her neck. Gabriella's short fingernails raked at his back, her moans causing the building throb in between his legs fall slightly short of unbearable.

"You know I'm not." Gabriella responded before her voice hitched.

"And you know I'm right." His husky voice vibrated against his skin before he retraced his steps and made it back to her mouth again.

His once trembling hand smoothly glided over the surface of Gabriella's stomach. Gingerly, he located the swell of her breast and gently ran circles around her pegged nipple. Troy's erection was growing at an unstoppable rate, he couldn't contain himself. "Gabriella…"

Moans of pleasure echoed through the walls as Troy's desperation was heightening. His self-control was loosing itself, along with his desire to loose himself in her. Gabriella's wet tongue massaged his, letting out a ripple of cosmic sounds before her hand trickled down his golden back, gripping his hip and pulled her upwards towards him.

Sirens screamed through Troy's mind. Immediately, his lips disconnected from hers and the brown met white again. Bubbles of passion exploded from their eyes as the gaze down at each other. Troy was completely hard, feeling the excitement of the sensual moment overwhelming him. "Troy… I want you."

It would have been so easy. The pain would disappear the second he thrust himself inside her. He could completely loose himself, and he knew it. To the point where he wouldn't remember his name until she screeched it through the air. Perfect. He wouldn't have to think about his mother, his father, Charlie, anything. The scorching burn on his hip would be nonexistent, everything would be cured.

But another powerful emotion washed over his excitement. Daring to break his gaze, his sparkling eyes shot down to his full manhood, positioned so carefully that all he would have to do was push forward. Gabriella's black core was calling him, but he couldn't do it. Not to her right now. He would not do it to her.

His eyes lifted again, Gabriella waiting in anticipation. Her swollen bottom lip was bit, and she was almost trembling in longing. "I can't."

Her face sank so low that Troy immediately felt guilty. The light chocolate that had hope moments ago was replaced with a pained blackness. No. She couldn't be hurt. "Oh um… I…I thought…"

She thought he was rejecting her.

"Gabi… Gabi, baby, listen to me…" He could almost feel the white lights in his head turn to a soft light blue. Gabriella's orbs locked on his instantly. She knew the change of color was only good. "It's not that I don't want to…" He desperately attempted to explain. "Because I do… more than anything."

"Then why…" She questioned in a tiny voice, but Troy silenced her with a gentle kiss.

"Because I don't want… the first time… to be spoiled." His voice whispered harshly.

Gabriella's baby soft face crinkled in confusion. "What?"

A tortured sigh slipped from Troy's throat. "I won't do this Gabriella. Not when I'm… not when I'm like this…"

A spark of what looked like hope twinkled in her dark orbs. "Like what Troy?"

Both knew how he was, but Troy was well aware that she wanted him to admit it. To admit to her that there was a problem. He didn't want to. He wanted to please her so much by trying his hardest to pretend like it was earlier this week and there wasn't a care in the world. Obviously, that was a huge lie that he couldn't avoid. So he caved to her request, tenderly leaning down to brush their lips together softly. "Broken."

"I can help…"

Troy violently shook his head. "No… I wanna do it right Gabi…"

Gabriella sighed defeated, making Troy take his body weight off her and fall onto the bed next to her. "Why?" Her voice was tiny.

He tried his hardest to not be horny and stare at the mounds of her chest that glistened in the dim light. "Why what?" Even completely shattered, Troy couldn't stop being a man.

"Why do you want to do it right?" Gabriella asked innocently.

Troy's mouth, for the first time all evening, curved into a sincere smile. He tenderly pulled her slender body to him, softly pressing his lips to her dark temple. "Because you're the only thing in my life worth saving. I'm not fucking up something so perfect. I'm not fucking this up with you. I love you too much for that."