AN: BORING CHAPTER ALERT!! Grr. I had so much trouble writing these chapters. They were toooo boringggg. But yeah. Please review k?

I was originally gonna post this tomorrow night but I'm going to our Winter Formal dance so I won't be home till like midnight or one... haha and by then I'll be like dying of sleepiness. So I decided to post it now (I'm just so God-damn generous, eh?).

Oh and I just wanted to let you know that if you want any bonus info on this story, or any of my others, visit my freewebs site (homepage link) and view the Bonus Story Info page. ;-)

Title: With You
Rating: T
Author: MadiWillow
Summary: Troy is married with a small daughter. Gabriella is married and pregnant. They didn't keep in touch after school following a nasty break-up, but everyone knows that true love never dies.
Genre: Drama/Romance
Chapter: Chapter 7

Danielle's departure was a teary one, for both women. Gabriella knew that they wouldn't be able to see each other very much anymore, what with the divorce and the fact that Nathaniel would probably forbid Danielle from visiting her. After all of Gabriella's stuff had been unpacked and Jackson had been fed and burped, the two hugged and cried for five minutes, telling each other that they'd 'better keep in touch' and other farewells. Finally, however, Danielle had to leave, so she grabbed a taxi and off she went.

Gabriella, still sniffling, wandered into the kitchen. She found Troy feeding Lauren in her highchair, which was situated right next to Jackson's. "You alright?" asked Troy cautiously.

The former nodded. "Yeah... it's just..." she sighed. "Danielle was one of the best friends I've ever had, and I'm worried now. Nathaniel can be cruel and vicious sometimes, as you witnessed. I'm afraid he might fire her. And even if he doesn't, I won't be able to see her again."

Troy nodded as well, in understanding. "I realize it must be hard for you."

Gabriella just bit her lip. "Yeah. So, uh," she stammered, searching for a subject changer. "When will Devon be home?"

Troy shrugged, his face impassive. "I don't know."

"Why do I get the vibe that you don't... care?"

"I care!" Troy defended himself quickly. "It's just that I never know when she comes home anymore. Sometimes she goes days at the office. I've kinda just... gotten used to it, I guess."

"I know how that is..." Gabriella murmured.

There was a small pause before Troy, staring out the window, started to explain, "It wasn't always like that, you know. She used to be home all the time. When she was pregnant with Lauren, that was the greatest time of my life. She didn't work at all and we would spend our days shopping for baby things, going to movies or out to dinner, or just relaxing here, picking out baby names." Despite Gabriella's jealousy, she couldn't help but smile a little. "When she went back to work, it wasn't that much. She wouldn't leave for work until Lauren was awake and would come home every night before she went for bed. She loved being a mother."

Gabriella waited patiently for him to continue, but he didn't for a few minutes. Finally, he said, "Then, just a couple of months ago, things started changing. I would never see her. I'd wake up with her gone, and would go to sleep without her home yet. She could never talk on the phone because she was always busy. At first I was distraught; I hated it. I wanted her to come home once in a while – I wanted it to be like before." He shook his head, his eyes closed. "But I just got used to it. Now... it's normal for me to never see her. It was completely abnormal for her to have that night off, and for her to have time to wish you a congratulations." He let out a small, forced laugh. "It'll probably be a week before you finally see her."

"Wow," breathed Gabriella finally. "Troy... I'm so sorry." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Troy put his arms on her lower back and hugged her back, burying his face in the crook of her neck. When they pulled back, his eyes were shining.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, wiping at his eyes. "I didn't mean to tell you all of that... I can't believe I'm crying."

Gabriella smiled at him. "Hey, don't worry. I'm in the same boat as you. Nathaniel was always working and sometimes I got really depressed about it. Now I'm just upset that I married such a loser."

Troy's face suddenly hardened. He removed Lauren from her highchair, who he'd long since finished feeding, and said, "Come on."

He led her upstairs into their play room, which had a space for Lauren splayed about the floor. He placed her on a pink blanket and she giggled, crawling over to a stuffed turtle that looked worse for wear. Troy sat down on one of their brown leather couches and motioned for Gabriella to sit next to him. He turned to her, sighing.

"I really hate having to tell you this..." he said quietly. "But you do deserve to know."

"Know what?" questioned Gabriella.

He hesitated. "Don't you remember last night... when I spoke with Nathaniel?"

Gabriella's face shined remembrance and she pursed her lips. "Yes."

"Well... he sort of... revealed to me that he... well, he..." Troy stammered uncomfortably.

"Troy," said Gabriella, in a shaky voice. "What did he say?"

Troy let out a defeated breath. "He told me that he lies to you. He never has week long business trips. He extends them so he can... cheat on you."

Gabriella was silent for a long time, trying to ignore the war of emotions currently erupting inside of her. Nathaniel had cheated on her. He'd cheated on her. He'd lied to her. I wasn't good enough for him.

She leaned forward and pressed her palms to her eyes, hard, until she saw stars. She was vaguely aware of herself slipping off the couch onto the floor, where she hid her face as she sobbed. Troy was next to her, saying something, but she wasn't listening. She didn't care if she and Nathaniel were divorcing. He'd still felt the need to be with someone else. It was one thing if he didn't love her, but it's a completely other story if he cheated on her. She felt worthless; stupid. She'd been a fool to think that he'd been faithful; she felt worthless for staying in a marriage as horrible as that. She'd never felt worse in her life.

Finally she came to, and looked up. Her cheeks were shining with tears and she realized all too late that her nose was running. Troy's face was right next to hers, and he handed her a tissue. "Here," he said simply. She wiped her nose and then her eyes, breathing hard.

"I-I'm sorry,"

Troy shook his head. "Don't be. I'm sorry for having to tell you."

"No. I'm glad you did."

A cry echoed suddenly through the room. Gabriella and Troy both looked down the hall. Another cry came.

"I'll be right back," said Gabriella weakly, and before Troy could protest or say anything, she was halfway down the hall.

Upon entry of her room, she knew immediately from the stench what the problem was. She placed Jackson on the changing table and, keeping on hand on him so he wouldn't roll off of it, gathered a box of wipes and another diaper. Making sure she didn't breathe in, she quickly changed his disgustingly dirty diaper and wrapped it in a plastic bag. Juggling her newly cleaned son in one arm, she went downstairs, disposing of the diaper in the outdoor trash can.

She climbed back up the stairs, feeling that if she did this every day she'd have her old physique back in no time. She re-entered the play room, jiggling Jackson in her arms, and saw Troy on the ground with Lauren. He looked up at the sound of her footsteps and stood up. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Gabriella nodded. She sat down on the couch and held Jackson tightly in her arms. His red face was so soft, and his hazel eyes were staring at his mother. She smiled slightly and kissed his forehead.

Troy sat down next to her again. "If there's anything I can do..."

She shook her head.

There was a long silence, broken only by noises from Jackson and the sound of toys played with by Lauren. Finally Troy broke it and said, "If you told your lawyer that Nathaniel cheated... what would happen?"

"I asked her that," answered Gabriella after a moment. "She said he could lose everything."

"Why'd you ask her? You didn't know, did you?"

She shook her head. "I don't know why I asked. I think I kinda had a feeling. Or I just wanted to know... just in case."

Troy nodded. Another pause. "So, are you going to tell your lawyer?"

"We can't prove it," Gabriella reminded him.

Troy reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone and flipped it open. "My phone automatically records all my phone calls. Look," He showed Gabriella the screen of his phone, which had a list of all his phone calls, when they took place, and how long they were. "Usually I delete them, but this one I didn't."

"That's convenient," Gabriella said slowly. She thought it over. She could suck Nathaniel dry, ruin his reputation, kick him to the curb if she wanted. She could do it easily, by just handing over Troy's phone where Nathaniel confessed to his infidelity. She could... but she wouldn't.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not going to tell."

"Why?" asked Troy, surprised.

She shrugged. "What's the point? I have everything I need." She looked down at Jackson. "I don't need his money, his house, or any of that."

Troy said nothing; he had nothing to argue it with.

Suddenly Gabriella's cell phone in her pocket started to ring and vibrate loudly. She took it out and glanced at the Caller ID.

Nathaniel.

She glanced at Troy, chewing on her lip. He asked softly, "Is it him?"

She nodded.

"You don't have to answer it," he told her.

Gabriella sighed. "I know," but she opened it anyway and said, "H-hello?"

"Hey baby," floated Nathaniel's voice through the ear piece. "Just wanted to make sure that my beautiful wife was doing okay."

Gabriella felt her temper flare. "I wasn't your 'beautiful wife' last night, was I?"

Nathaniel cleared his throat. "About that, honey-"

"Don't 'honey' me," Gabriella spat. "It's over, Nathaniel."

"What's over? The birth?" he said stupidly.

"No. Our marriage."

"W-what?" came his shocked voice.

"I filed the papers today. There is no way I want to be 'your wife'."

"You can't do that!" Nathaniel yelled, suddenly angrily. "You can't divorce me!"

"Yeah? Try me," she growled.

"But-but what about our child?"

"The birth of whom you completely skipped?" she asked incredulously. "If you care so much about our child, Nathaniel, you'd be here right now. You would've stayed home from Washington, or wherever the fuck you are. You would've come racing to the hospital at the first signs of my labor. You would know if it's a boy or girl; what it's name is."

"Why don't you tell me it's name, you bitch," sneered Nathaniel.

Gabriella opened her mouth in indignation. "I'll let you guess," she hissed, before hanging up the phone and letting it drop.

This time, however, she didn't cry. For the first time that day, she felt that filing the divorce papers had been the best thing she'd ever done in her life. "Good riddance," she muttered.

She raised her eyes to meet Troy's. "I'm guessing he's not that happy?" he said.

She shook her head. "Not in the least."

He looked uncomfortable. "You don't think he'd come here and try to... attack you or anything?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Nathaniel may be an asshole, but I don't he'd hurt me. His anger reaches its point there."

Ten minutes later, Gabriella retreated to her room. After feeding Jackson and burping him, she put him in his bassinet and took him in the bathroom with her while she showered. She changed into pajamas and blew-dried her hair, changed Jackson into pajamas of his own, and slowly lowered him into his crib. She watched him for a long time, long after he'd fallen asleep. She leaned over and kissed him softly on the head before climbing into bed herself, not realizing how tired she was until her head hit the soft pillow and she fell quickly to sleep.