She trembled, she ached, she sobbed for hours. She sat on the kitchen floor scrubbing the floor with the tooth brush. she sniffled, wiping her nose, and began scrubbing harder. Brian walked in, "Is it almost done."
Gabriella didn't look at him, she just nodded, "Y-Yes..it's almost done." Brian nodded, "Good. after you clean, go to the store and get me some beer." Gabriella looked at him, but nodded. she looked down at the floor, "And one more thing."
Gabriella looked up at him, but he kicked her hard in the stomach that made her roll over on her back in pain.
"That's your welcome home present." He smirked walking over to the fridge, grabbing a beer, and going to the couch. Gabriella cupped her stomach, tears rolling down her cheeks, She was back to her misrable life.
It's getting dark, and the road stretches like black velvet before them and behind and ...all around them. Chad is fighting back a yawn, leaning his head on the passenger window, "Dude," Troy says, staying awake- he's surrounded by thirteen empty Monster cans. Thir...teen. Cans. "Just go to sleep already."
"Go to sleep?" Chad says a little to frisky, "I can't go to sleep? Why? Because I have a sugar high best friend whose the driver about to look like he's going to crash any minute! Why? Because he's chasing down a girl who probably left WILLINGLY-"
Troy slams on the brakes, glaring at Chad, "she did not leave willingly Chad, I am bringing you along cause you're obviously worried about my well being, I get it...but don't worry. Stop worrying, in fact, get out and hitchhike back to Albuquerque-"
"I'm not leaving you-" "then shut the fuck up and don't fucking complain." "Man, you mean when you're high on sugar and caffeine."
Troy sighed looking up at the signs as they passed, "We're just now entering Utah." Chad crossed his arms, yawning and looking out. He saw a waffle house. "Stop the car!" Troy slams on the brakes, looking at him, "What Chad!"
"Dude, Waffle House? I'm starved-" "We're not stopping for anything-" "Dude, come on, I'm hungry, I haven't had anything since breakfast." Troy rolled his eyes, pulling into the waffle house, "Fine, I need some coffee anyways."
Gabriella placed the steaming crab alfredo on a plate sitting it infront of Brian. Brian smirked, taking a bite, and smiling, "This is actually good.. Good job." Gabriella nodded, "um..can..can I have some?" Brian rolled his eyes, "Your too fat Gabriella, you don't need to eat this."
Gabriella sighed, She would have to sneak down later to eat some, she hasen't eaten since he kidnapped her.
He kept on eating, Hannah started crying from upstairs, Brian rolled his eyes, "Go get the kid to shut up." Gabriella rushed upstairs, going into her room and picking her up, "Shh..it's okay..it's okay sweetie...Mommy's here."
Later that night, Brian was upstairs asleep, Gabriella sneaked downstairs going to the fridge, pulling out the left over crab alfredo. she carefully put some on a plate, and put it in the microwave.
She waited patiently, nervously biting her lip, the microwave beeped, she sighed of relief, getting it out, "What the hell are you doing?" Gabriella dropped the plate on the floor.
Brian growled, "You little slut." He came over slapping her across the face, she yelped as she held her cheek, "Clean this fucking mess up! You know better Gabriella!" He then punched her in the face sending her to the floor, "Clean it up!" and he turned to walk upstairs.
Gabriella sat up on her knees, burying her face into her hands, and began sobbing hysterically.
It took a couple days, But Troy and Chad had finally made it into Salt Lake City Utah. Troy lifted his duffle bag, bringing it into the motel room where Chad was already unpacking. "Where are we going to start?"
Troy sighed, pulling off his shirt, "I don't know..I'm really really worried about her.." Chad sighed, going over to his friend, "Hey Man, I know she's important to you..and I'm here with you to help find her..we'll find her."
Troy sighed, pulling on another shirt, "We have to Chad." Chad nodded, "We will.. but um I'm still hungry." Troy laughed, "How about we go to the store and just pick up a few things there?" Chad nodded, "Yeah, I want some corndogs."
Gabriella placed Hannah on the floor in the kitchen, letting her sit up and play with her toys. Gabriella got down on her knees, smiling at her, "Baby, I love you...I won't let anything bad happen to you." she kissed her forehead.
"Gabriella!" Gabriella stood up and looked at Brian, he smirked, "What's for dinner?" Gabriella gulped, "Umm.. I haven't gone to the store yet, but ummm.. what would you like..sir?" He laughed, "Someone is finally listening...I want some lasagna.. "
Gabriella nodded, "I'll..I'll get that." Gabriella picked up Hannah, and going outside to the car, Brian followed her, "Don't even think about running away again.. I will kill you."
Gabriella nodded, placing Hannah in the carseat, and getting upfront and driving to the market. Brian smirked, going back inside, and shutting the door behind him.
Gabriella walked down the asiles, putting 2 liters of soda, a gallon of milk, chips and bread already inside the buggy. Gabriella went down the asile getting three boxes of lasagna noodles and throwing them inside the buggy.
"Okay Hannah, We need to get the sauce." Hannah just looked at her and smiled, Gabriella smiled down at her little girl, and moved the buggy forward.
Never. Never again was Troy going to do something so stupid as this. Who was the child here? Here he is pushing the cart, down the cereal asile- trying to find that one cereal that had the lowest price...Chad? What was he doing?
He's grabbing every cavity inducing cereal off the shelf and throwing it in the cart. Oh yes, that was going to be a high grocery bill.
"Chad," Troy says, "Why don't you go pick out dinner tonight-" "Okay!" He yells excitedly, running out of the asile and going to the next one. Yeah, big mistake bringing him here. Big mistake.
Gabriella reached up for the sauce, when she couldn't reach it, she sighed, looking at Hannah, "I really hate being short sometimes." Gabriella tried to jump up, but then someone collided with her and she fell to the floor.
The guy spoke, "Woah sorry." Gabriella looked up, her eyes went wide, "C-C-Chad.." "Gabriella?" he helped her up, "W-What are you doing here?" "To find you. Troy has been a nervous wreck-"
"T-Troy's here?" Chad nodded, "He's in the next isle." Gabriella's heart was beating fast, "I..I...Is he mad at me?" she bit her lip.
Chad tilts his head, "why would he be mad?" "That...that I wasn't there-" "He's worried like a mother hen about you, Gabster." Chad looks at Hannah, squatting low to tickle her belly. "Hey Shrimpy, how's life going for you?" Hannah giggles, taking Chad's finger and starting to gum it happily.
Gabriella smiles, "look Chad..I-I appreciate you and Troy being here...but I-I I can't leave." "What?" "Please don't tell Troy you saw me...please? I can't risk him getting hurt.." Chad looks at her, "Gabster-" "I don't want Hannah to get hurt either." "Gab-" "Troy made a promise to me; if anything happens to me that he takes care of Hannah. Finds her a good home...a loving family-"
"Gabi, you're not dying-" "I MIGHT AS WILL BE CHAD! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME! HE TOLD ME HIMSELF!" She sobs, breaking down and feeling herself shake from the sobs. Chad rubs her back soothing, "Hey...it's fine-" "No it's not...please," she takes Hannah out of the cart and hands her to Chad.
"Please take care of my baby..." "Gab-" "I can't risk Brian hurting her. Don't tell Troy, please, that you saw me." He only nods, because he knew he was going to tell Troy; why? Cause he's holding a baby in his arms! It's not like he can say 'oh it's cool, man, I found her in the pasta sauce aisle.'
Gabriella hugs him, and kisses Hannah's forehead, "I love you so much baby, don't ever forget that." she pushed the buggy further down the aisle. Chad sighed placing Hannah on his hip, "Here it goes Hannah."
Chad walked back down the aisle that Troy is at. "Uh Troy-" "What took you so long-" Troy stops as he lifts his head up to see Hannah on Chad's hip. Troy's eyes went wide, "Where..What..What is Hannah doing here?"
Chad sighed, "Well I know your not going to believe my 'I found her in the pasta sauce aisle' story, so I'll go with the truth." he looked at hannah who was sucking her thumb.
Chad sighed, "I guess..you mad a promise to Gabriella about find Hannah a good home.. Gabriella is here in the store, and she wants Hannah safe...so she gave her to me."
Troy looks at him, "Chad, if you're playing me-" "Dude! I saw her...really! She didn't want me to-" Hannah starts wailing, Chad looks at her with a look of confusion, "uh...Troy?" Troy sighs, "give her to me." "hey Hannah...where's your mommy? Huh?"
"She left the store...well she's probably at the check out line-please make her stop crying!" "hey!" the two of them look at a football player looking guy whose glaring at them. "Control your baby, fags."
Chad begins to march over to them but Troy pulls him back, "Dude, let it go." Chad looked at him, Troy put Hannah in the buggy, "I need you to keep an eye on Hannah, I'm going to talk to Gabriella." "Troy, dude, she said no-"
"I'm not letting her get hurt.. no way in hell." he turned down th aisle, he saw her grabbing her bags and heading out the door.
Troy quickly pushed through people, trying to catch up with her. by the time he got outside, he saw her pulling out of the parking lot. Troy quickly ran to his car, and followed behind her.
Gabriella pulls up into the drive-way. Brian is outside shooting hoops. Brian looks at her as she gets out, "Hey, did you get the stuff." Gabriella nodded, Brian looks in the car, "Where's hannah?" Gabriella sighed, "I have a friend taking care of her for right now.."
Brian looked at her, "What in the hell is that suppose to mean?" Troy pulls up on the street, but he could still hear them without them seeing him.
Gabriella sighed, "I have a friend taking care of her ,alright.. I..I can't let you hurt her like you hurt me-" "I never hurt you Gabriella-" "What in the hell was last night then Brian!"
He remained silent, she continued, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I haven't ate in 2 days! in 2 days! you won't let me eat, you won't let me sleep, you..hit me every single day! and...and..I'd rather you kill me now Brian! then go through that again!" she screamed.
Brian looks at her, "I'm not going to kill you-" "YOU SAID IT! THIS MORNING! DON'T LIE TO ME! I HATE YOU! DON'T YOU GET IT?! I HATE YOU I ALWAYS WILL!-"
She whirls around, her cheek stinging from where Brian's fist and ...literally out of nowhere, Troy appeared,"Hey!"
Brian and Gabriella look to see him. Gabriella's eyes went wide. Brian pushed her back, "Don't fucking move Gabriella." Brian walked closer to him, "What the hell are you doing here?" he pushed him. Troy pushed him away, "You better get your hands of me-" "What the fuck are you doing here?!"
Gabriella walked closer, "Stop it-" Brian pushed Gabriella back, "I said don't fucking move Gabriella!-" "Brian just stop it! don't hurt him! he didn't do anything-" she said with tears in her eyes.
Brian chewed his inner cheek, and looked at Troy, "Fine.. you want her?" he slipped off his jacket, "Me. You. Now. Right here. who wins, gets her." Gabriella shook her head, and she looked at Troy, "Troy! please don't do this.. please.. I'm doing this for you."
Troy sighed, "Brie.. I'm not letting him hurt you anymore." Gabriella shook her head, "Please, don't..just walk away." "Gabriella.. I love you."
Gabriella had tears in her eyes, "I love you too." she rested her hands on his chest, "That's exactly why I'm doing this. don't fight. please. I don't want to lose you.. I can't risk you getting hurt."
Brian grabs Troy by the back of the neck, tossing him on the other side of the driveway, making him scrape his hands on the pavement. "Bastard!" He yells, "you can't have her! She's my bitch!"
Troy gets to his feet, dusting off his knees and running to Brian and knocking him to the ground, punching his face and then Brian rolls and starts gripping his throat with both hands. Troy claws at Brian's hands but he doesn't loosen, Gabriella tries to pull Brian off of him...
Brian pushed her off. "See Gabriella! He's weak!" Gabriella began screaming, "Get off of him Brian!" Troy kicked him in the stomach, Brian rolled over in pain, cupping his stomach.
Troy stood up, coughing, trying to catch his breath, Gabriella grabbed his arm, "Troy..please..don't." Troy turned to her cupping her cheek, and crashing his lips on hers.
"Like you said.. I'm doing this for you." Gabriella looked at him, then looked behind him, "Troy! look out!" Brian stood up coming towards them.
Gabriella pushed Troy away and she pushed Brian back, "Brian! stop it! I love him okay! I love Troy Bolton! Let me be with somebody that I love!"
Brian glares at her, then at Troy. "No." He grabs Troy by the collar of the shirt and knocks him to the ground, his hands going around his throat once more...his heavy muscled thighs squeezing his knees together tightly so he won't get kicked again.
"I'm going to make sure this bastard dies.." Brian growls, his fingers strangling him tighter; Troy's hands barely claw at his wrists, Gabriella fights to pull Brian off of him.
"Brian! Stop it! You're going to kill him!" "That's the point, ho!" using his shoulder, he knocks her down and continues the strangling.
Gabriella got back up, pushing him off of Troy, and on the sidewalk beside him, "Brie!" Troy yelled as they rolled down the hill. Troy raced after them.
Brian grabbed his knife out of his back pocket, and put it to her throat, Gabriella was breathing heavily, "Brian..D-Don't.." Brian smirked, "I loved you! I fucking loved you! You knew that right! I loved you!" Gabriella gulped, "Brian, please-" Gabriella kicked him in the stomach, He rolled further down the hill. Gabriella ran up the hill and was caught in Troy's arms.
"Brie-" "Troy..come on! he's coming back! Go." they ran to the car, getting inside. Gabriella slammed the door. Gabriella looked into the rearview mirror watching as Brian approached the car from a far distance.
"Troy Go!" she screamed as Brian's fist hit the back of the car as they pulled away. Gabriella watched as Brian angerily ran to his car and got in. Gabriella looked at Troy, "Troy! Hurry! speed up he's coming after us!"
Troy nodded, speeding up on the highway. Gabriella kept looking back Brian was right on them. Gabriella's eyes went wide, Troy zoomed up the dusty hill that led to a tall cliff Gabriella and Troy got out of the car and quickly running up the tall pointy rocks.
Brian put his car to a stop, running after them. Troy and Gabriella kept running until they were stopped by the high cliff that was over pointy rocks and a stream of water.
Troy's eyes went wide, "Brie we're going to have to go back." Before Gabriella could utter a word, Brian jumped on her bringing her over the cliff. both of them. Troy ran to the cliff getting on his knees and looked at them both who was dangling on the edge.
"Troy!" Gabriella yells, grasping tight on to the thick branch that sticks out from the cliff. "Help me!" Troy lays flat on his stomach, reaching his arm down and stretching his hand out to grab her hand, but everytime Gabriella makes a move to grab it, Brian makes a movement that pulls her down the branch.
She screams, "Brie!" Troy yells, "Leave us alone!" Brian yells, "She's mine!" "You want both of you fall to your death?!" Troy yells, "that's whats going to happen-" "It wouldn't! Not if she hadn't ran away!" "Troy..."
Gabriella whimpers, "Please...help me..help me..." Troy bites his lip, seeing that everytime made an effort to climb up Brian would drag her down.
That's when an idea hits him, "Take me." He says, brian looks at him and Gabriella shakes her head, "no! Troy-" "Gabriella! Hannah needs a mother!" he looks at Brian again, "you want me? Take me! Let her go!"
Gabriella shook her head, Brian smirked, "Okay then." Troy pulled Gabriella up but before Troy could pull back Brian grabbed him by the arm, letting him fall further down, both of them rolling on the second rock on the bottom.
Gabriella screamed, "Troy!" Troy landed on the rock, but Brian landed dangling off the rock, his hand slipping. Troy looked at him, "Brian, give me your hand, I'll help you." Brian glared at him, "No chance in hell Bolton!"
His fingers began to slip more, "Troy!" Gabriella screamed. Troy tried to reach for him, but when Brian pushed his hand away, He landed backwards, hitting the pointy rocks, and landing in the water stream.
Troy's eyes went wide, looking down at the water, he gulped. Gabriella looked down, as she witnessed what happened to one guy she onced loved.
Troy looked up, climbing the rocks that had foot holds that helped him climb back up. As he climbed up, Gabriella grabbed his hand helping him up, "Are you okay?" she whispered.
Troy nodded, "I'm okay." Gabriella and Troy both looked down at the water, "Brie." Gabriella looked at him, tears in her eyes, "T..Troy.." he nodded, "Yeah.." he stepped closer, she began to tremble, "Is...Is it..okay..to..to cry?" she said holding back her sobs.
Troy hugs her close, rubbing her shoulder as she sobs but then he winces and she pulls away. "What's wrong?" He cringes, "nothing...nothing I'm fine.." Troy takes a step forward but he falls to the ground and grabs at his head where he had - unknowingly - hit it.
"Troy!" Gabriella helps him to his feet, "Troy...something is obviously wrong...come on we have to get you to the hospital-" 'No...Brie, I'm fine..."
Gabriella shook her head, "No.. Come on." Troy sighed, and she helped him into the passenger seat. When Gabriella got into the front, she froze, "Where's Hannah?"
Troy looked at her, "I..I left her with chad at the store.. don't worry." Gabriella bit her lip, and nodded, pulling out of the cliff place and taking him to the hospital.
At the hospital, After an hour of bringing him there, Gabriella was finally aloud to see him. Gabriella walked into his room and sat down at the side of his bed.
He smiled at her, "Hey." she smiled, "Hey Wildcat.. The doctors said you will be okay, but you have a severe concussion, and it will take months to heal with therapy.. but you need to take it easy."
Troy nodded, but sighed, "My head hurts." she leaned forward, kissing his head, he smiled at her, "All Better." She giggled, cupping the side of his face, "I can't believe you..you came all this way.. for me.."
She had tears rolling down her cheeks, "You have no idea how much I've missed you..and..and I want to say I'm sorry because I never wanted to leave you after we had that special night.. I feel so terrible for doing that to you.."
Troy shook his head, "Brie, you don't need to feel bad about this whole thing-" "But-" He sat up slowly, but making sure his head was against the pillow, "Brie.. you were kidnapped...It wasen't your fault."
Gabriella sighed, looking at him, "I'm just really really sorry..about everything.. look at you, you..you come after me, and you get hurt.."
Troy shakes his head but winces at the pain, "no...it's not your fault...stop blaming yourself-" "Troy-" "Brie...I mean it...stop blaming yourself for what happened to me." Gabriella sighs, grasping his hand giving it alight squeeze. "I Love you.."
Troy smiled, "I love you too." she leaned forward, connecting her lips to his, but only matters of seconds, The door flew open to reveal Chad and Hannah.
"Yo hoops, thanks for leaving us at the store." Troy chuckled, "And thanks for interupting me and my Girlfriend...how did you get here?"
Gabriella smiled, "I called them a cab." Gabriella grabbed hannah from Chad, "Hi baby...Mommy missed you so much." Chad smiled, "So Gabs, You uh..you coming back to Alberquerque."
Gabriella looked at Chad, then at Troy who was waiting for her answer also. Gabriella sighed, "I..I really want too..but..I don't know.. I just want Alberqurque to be my last move."
Troy smiles, "I would like that too." Chad smiles and Hannah cooes. Gabriella smiles and kisses her soft forehead, "my baby..."
Chad smiles, then he frowns looking at Troy. "What the hell happened to you? You look like hell-" "Gee thanks."
Chad chuckled, Gabriella placed Hannah on her hip, and Troy wrapped his arm around her, and Chad stood beside her, "I love you guys." Troy kissed her cheek, "I love you too babe."
