Wee! It's way late and I'm way tired, but I wanted to get this posted since I'd been working on it all day (and I have a busy day tomorrow and might not be able to post tomorrow). I also decided to put a short preview at the end of each chapter from now on.

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical, BUT SHAYLEE IS MINE! (woot! for once I can say that and it's actually true!)

I Trust You- Chapter Nine

10 years ago…

6-year-old Sharpay sat reading her book. She smiled and flipped the page. She was completely unaware that her father was in a horrifically bad mood. He walked up quietly as the little Sharpay sat singing along with the radio. He quickly became irritated with her voice. He raised a hand and was about collide with Sharpay's head, when a small boy leapt out of nowhere. Ryan grabbed his father by the arm and pulled his wrist down. Ryan sank his teeth into his father's wrist. His father gave out a cry of alarm and Sharpay jumped up in alarm. Richard Evans dragged his son into Ryan's room. He began to furiously punch Ryan repeatedly. Ryan's eyes feel with tears. His father had almost hit Sharpay. Ryan wouldn't be able to live with himself if his father began to hit Sharpay too. Just then, as his father was punching his little, fragile body, Ryan made a pact with himself.

'As long as I'm alive, I won't ever let him hurt my sister.'

Present

Ryan's eyes fluttered opened. He was confused: for some reason he lying on Sharpay's floor with a splitting headache.

"Ryan?" Someone whispered. Ryan turned his head to the side. He could see Sharpay sitting near him. He suddenly remembered what happened and bolted upright.

"Shar? Are you hurt? He hit you? It hurt didn't it? Oh Shar! I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed, his eyes tearing up. Sharpay reached out and grabbed Ryan by the shoulders. He was often very hysterical after something bad happens, especially if Sharpay is in any danger at all.

"It's ok Ryan. I'm fine! He didn't hurt me." Ryan was still breathing hard, tears streaming down his face, mingling with the dried blood. Ryan began to rock back and forth.

"What happened? Did he hit you anymore? Sharpay I'm so sorry! I'm so pathetic!" He wailed.

"RYAN!" Ryan jumped slightly. That seemed to calm him down a little. "I'm fine. Really. It hurts me more seeing you get hurt. It's almost like I can feel it every time dad hits you." Ryan sniffed a few times.

"I'm sorry." He turned away from Sharpay, ashamed that he was crying in front of her. He didn't want her to worry. He wanted her to be happy. She had to be happy. For both of them.

Ryan tried to stand up, but felt extremely dizzy.

"Ryan… Ryan, you've lost a lot of blood. You really need to go to the hospital or something. Let me go call them. Please-"

"No." Ryan said. "I'll be fine. You haven't called or told anyone have you?" He asked. Sharpay sighed. "No. You told me not to." Sharpay stood up and helped Ryan to his feet. She helped him over to her bed and carefully eased him onto the mattress. Ryan winced slightly. She hurried off to her bathroom and returned with a bowl of warm water and a washrag. She carefully wiped the dried blood off of his face and checked for any visible wounds. The bleeding had stopped a while ago.

"Ryan, you're to exhausted to make it all the way to your room. Plus, you'll have to go by mom and dad's room, and I don't want to risk dad coming out or something… You can just sleep here. I can sleep on my couch." Sharpay pulled a few extra blankets and a pillow out of her closet. She put the pillow and a blanket on her couch, then walked over and gently draped one over Ryan. Ryan protested, saying that he was perfectly capable of making it to his room, but was soon fast asleep. Sharpay watched him quietly. He seemed so peaceful and carefree when he slept. Sharpay closed her eyes and tried to remember the last memory she had of them as a happy family. She had only one…

12 years ago…

Four year olds Ryan and Sharpay sat on the swings of the nearby park. Each of them had a nanny to watch them because their parents were often busy. It was the Fourth of July. Sharpay jumped off of her swing at the approach of a black car. Their parents had decided to spend the rest of day with them. They excused the nannies for the day and carried a large basket along and set up a picnic. Sharpay and Ryan sat beside each other, sharing a particularly large piece of watermelon. After dinner, Richard Evans pulled out a bag of fireworks. They spent hours watching "Magic Snakes" grow out of the flames and various other explosions. At 10 o'clock, the family set off to watch the town's fireworks display. On the way back Ryan slowly drifted off to sleep, his head leaning on Sharpay's shoulder. Sharpay rested her head on her brother's and soon she was sleeping too.

Present

Sharpay smiled slightly at the memory. She remembered how little Ryan would yelp and cry with every deafening explosion. Their father gently took Ryan in his arms and hugged him close, telling him that it was a magical night, and he shouldn't cry because he was with his family and they loved each other. Sharpay's eyes began to water as she remembered how just a few days after that their father hit Ryan for the first time.

Sharpay ran a hand through Ryan's hair checking to make sure that the bleeding had stopped. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He didn't know, but every night, after she was sure he was asleep, Sharpay would sneak down the hallway and into Ryan's room. She would quietly whisper goodnight and kiss his forehead.

Sniff. Short chapter. Ish. Anyway, please Review!

More to come: Sharpay and Ryan are at the mall again when lo and behold, Shaylee is taking pictures of the scenery. Sharpay thinks of an excuse to get away ("I have to go to the bathroom!"), leaving Ryan alone with the photographer. What do they talk about?