Chapter Twenty Nine! I'm thinking this story will be around 35 chapters, give or take a few. So yeah... Thanks to everyone who has supported me!

Troy stood outside Room 275 with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He had woken up at seven on a Saturday morning and now he was having second thoughts about visiting Mrs. Montez. It felt awkward for Troy because he and Gabriella weren't exactly on solid ground.

"All the more reason to talk to her mom."

Troy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knocked on the door frame and looked in, seeing Gina reading in her hospital bed. She looked up and saw Troy standing in the doorway. She gave him a smile and motioned for him to come in. Troy forced a smile and walked further into the room, taking a seat in one of the chairs by Mrs. Montez's bed.

"What brings you here so early, Troy?"

"Uh... I just wanted to see how you were doing. Here, I brought these for you. They're from my aunt and uncle."

Troy handed over the flowers that he had had in his hand.

"They're beautiful. Be sure to thank your aunt and uncle for me."

"I will."

Troy watched as Mrs. Montez placed the flowers into the vase that Troy's flowers were occupying. She rearranged them to her satisfaction before leaning back on the bed.

"Oh, and thank you for the lovely flowers as well."

"No problem."

Gina looked intently at Troy, noticing how awkward he looked.

"So how are you and Gabriella?"

Troy stared at the heart monitor, not being able to find the courage to look at Mrs. Montez.

"Not so good."

"She told you, right?"

Troy glanced at Mrs. Montez and returned his gaze to the monitor.

"Yup."
Gina looked at Troy with sympathy in her eyes.

"I guess it didn't go well?"
Troy scoffed and clenched his fists.

"That's an understatement. I was a complete jerk to her. I just ran off, even when she tried to explain."

Gina reached out and unclenched Troy's hand.

"Troy, it was Gabriella's choice to keep it from you for this long. Please understand that she was scared. She didn't want to lose you."

Troy hung his head.

"I know. I think I may have lost her though. I handled it the wrong way. I know that. I was just so scared and for a while, I felt betrayed. She lied to me about her pills and it hurts that she felt she couldn't come to me. I guess I just proved her point by running away from her."

Gina smiled caringly at her daughter's boyfriend.

"Talk to her, Troy. I'm sure she understands that you were scared and didn't know how to deal with it. Her father and I still don't know how to deal with it. It frightens us to think that our daughter may be gone before we are. But we do everything we can to support her. Up until now, she accepted that she was ill. She didn't blame anyone and just lived her life. She has you now. And I think she is fighting harder. Please just talk to her. Don't give up in her."

Troy smiled at Mrs. Montez.

"Thanks. I needed that. And don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I truly love your daughter and I'm gonna keep her as long as I can."

Mrs. Montez smiled.

"You're a good guy, Troy. Gabriella made a great choice."

"Thanks, Mrs. Montez. Is she home right now? I think I should talk to her."

"I think you should, too. Go ahead. She said she wouldn't come by until around three."

Troy stood and smiled at Mrs. Montez.

"Thank you. I hope you feel better soon."

"I already feel better, Troy. Thank you."

Troy waved and walked out the door, leaving Gina with a few tears of happiness in her eyes.

♪

Troy walked around the house, letting himself in through the gate. He crept over to the tree and quickly climbed up, landing softly on the balcony. He peered inside and saw Gabriella lying in bed. Troy, thinking she was asleep, was about to leave when he saw her reach over to her night table for the glass of water that sat there. Troy quickly brought his hand up and tapped on the window. Gabriella looked up with slight fear in her eyes. Fear quickly turned to shock when she saw who it was.

"Troy."

Gabriella quickly swung her legs over the side of the bed, and took a few steps over t the balcony door. She unlocked it and opened the door, closing it after Troy stepped in. Gabriella turned to Troy, confusion and hope decorating her features. She gasped slightly when Troy took her hand in both of his.

"I'm sorry, Gabi. I shouldn't have run off the way I did. I'm sorry if I showed you that I didn't care. Because I did. I do. I love you, Gabi, and I promise I'm gonna be here for you. And this is a promise I don't intend to break."

Gabriella stood in front of Troy in her pajamas, staring intently into his blue orbs. She was too shocked to say anything. Her mouth hung open in shock.

"Gabi? Please say something!"

Gabriella shook her head lightly and gave Troy a warm smile.

"I love you, too, Troy."

Troy pulled Gabriella into a hug and planted a kiss on her forehead. Gabriella tilted her head and captured his lips in a sweet kiss. His arms tightened around her waist as she snaked her arms around his neck. She pulled away and rested her head on Troy's shoulder, afraid to let go. Troy ran one hand through her dark, curly hair.

"I love you, Gabi. I'm not going anywhere."

♪

Gabriella and Troy went to visit Mrs. Montez at around two thirty. They had stopped at a café and bought some soup and sandwiches. Gabriella knocked on the door of her mother's hospital room.

"Hey, Mama. We come bearing food!"

Gina looked over at the door and smiled, happy to see that Troy and Gabriella were back to normal.

"Hey, guys. Back to normal, I see?"

Gabriella flushed with embarrassment.

"Yup. Troy came over."

"I know. He came here first."

Gabriella turned to look at her boyfriend.

"You did?"

Troy's hand went up to rub the back of his neck. He flashed Gabriella a sheepish grin.

"Yeah... I needed some advice."

Gabriella giggled and turned back to her mother, who was shaking her head, obviously amused by the two teens. Gabriella and Troy pulled up two chairs and sat by Mrs. Montes's bed. Troy passed out the sandwiches while Gabriella gave out the styrofoam bowls of chicken noodle soup. They ate and talked. Gabriella smiled as she saw her mother and boyfriend laughing and getting along so well.

After an hour of laughter, a doctor in a lab coat came in.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Montez. Hey, kids. I'm Dr. Harold Abbott. I have good news."

Everyone's attention turned to the grey haired doctor walking into the room.

"Mrs. Montez, I am a surgeon from New York. They called me in to see if I could help you. I've read over your charts and I truly believe I can help. There is a possibility that the surgery won't work, but I am confident that it will go smoothly..."

Gina looked at her daughter and smiled. She turned back to Dr. Abbott.

"The doctors here have recommended you. My husband and I have discussed it and we are willing to try the surgery."

Dr. Abbott smiled and handed Mrs. Montez a clipboard. Gina accepted the board and turned to Troy and Gabriella.

"Gabriella, why don't you go call your father. See if he can make it here."

Gabriella nodded and stood from her seat, leaning over to kiss her mother on the cheek. She took Troy's hand and led him out the door, allowing her mother to speak to Dr. Abbott.

"Now, Mrs. Montez, there are a few risks..."

♪

Please review! I really appreciate it.

Jay