Author's Note- I do not own anything related to High School Musical. This is my plot.

Chapter Seven-

The first time she had ever felt truly afraid was when she was just thirteen years old. Her Father had gotten in a severe car accident and nobody was telling her young self of his condition. It was touch and go for a short while, but she was able to wear the biggest smile upon her youthful face when she ran to his hospital bed and hugged him well into the night.

The last time she could remember she felt that scared was on her wedding day. She was afraid that all her worst nightmares were going to come true. That her one true fear would become real. And in the last week, half of that fear had become reality. But right now, as Gabriella stood frozen in fear in front of her steaming husband, she was so petrified that a new fear was slowly rising.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about."

She heard the fear and dishonesty in her voice and prayed to God that he couldn't. But he knew her inside and out, of course he could tell. How the hell did he find out in the first place anyway? She was sure none of her friends let it slip. And no one else knew.

"Don't lie to me Gabriella. I deserve the right to know if I'm going to be a father some time soon."

Gabriella felt her eyebrows narrow in anger and annoyance. How dare he have the right to say what he should have? How dare he be anywhere near her right now. After the day's events he should be locked up in some hole somewhere and having his eyes poked out with forks.

"Yes well I deserved the right to know that you were a lying cheating bastard. But looks like both of us lost out."

"I'm not here to discuss that matter. I'm here demanding to know why you didn't tell me that you're carrying my child."

Gabriella could tell he was getting more livid. She thanked God, Chad and Sharpay had gone out to buy dinner, preventing another wrestle match between her soon-to-be husband and guy best friend.

"You want to know why I didn't tell you? You really want to know?" She saw Troy nod an angry yes and decided to hell with a calm adult conversation. She wasn't going to allow him to make her feel like it was her fault and she was the bad guy. No, that was his title now. "Because the day I found out that I was pregnant for definite, was the day I came home and found you and you're slut in our bed." She saw Troy's face change from angry to guilty, but didn't dare stop. "That's why I didn't tell you. I thought I was going to come home and make a romantic dinner for the guy who's the Father of my child and tell him in a calm and romantic way that I was carrying his child. That in nine months time we would be a family. A family that he wanted. A family that is now going to be torn apart because of his selfishness and inability to stay faithful. That's why Troy."

Gabriella felt another set of tears fall from her eyes and tried to wipe them away. He was no longer worth it. He wasn't worth the pain she was going through. He wasn't worth her tears. He wasn't worth anything to her anymore. If she meant so little to him, then she could feel the same about him.

"Now that you have your answer…get the fuck out of here."

"Gabriella. I have the right to know this child. It's mine."

"Really? Are you so sure?" She knew it was his. Of course it would be his. She just wanted the chance to see him squirm and fret a little. "How sure are you Troy? I thought you were faithful and honest. Who says that I didn't stray either? Who said I couldn't spread my legs and fuck some random? You cheat. So why can't I?"

Troy had heard enough. It was clear to him that Chad and Sharpay weren't here, otherwise his ass would have been kicked out the second he set one foot in the door. "Because you're better than me."

Gabriella scoffed and folded her arms across her panting chest. "Damn right I am."

The two continued to stare each other down, neither one of them backing down. It was so unreal and false to see the two of them like this. If a stranger had walked in right now, they would never had guess the two were married and Gabriella was pregnant. They would just assume that the two hated each other and never wanted to see the other again. Although they were far from it.

Troy was the first to look away. He couldn't stand seeing her so different. So angry and hurt because of him. He had effected her in everyway. In the best ways and in the worst ways. Everything she did was for them. Everyday she woke up because he was with her. And now she was in pain and hurting because of him. He hated himself more than ever.

"Don't worry. Unlike you I know how to be faithful in a marriage. Unlike you I never lied to your face for six months. So yes, the child is yours. Of course it's yours. You're the only man I've ever touched and loved. Wish you could say the same for me."

"I'm sorry."

The tension was slowly fading, but Gabriella could still feel the anger within her. She wanted nothing more for Troy to leave and never be seen again. But now that he knew of the growing child in her stomach, she was burdened with the knowledge of having him in her life forever.

"So what now? What happens now?" Troy wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer to his question, but he desperately was seeking it.

Gabriella didn't know the answer to his question. She wasn't sure of anything. She couldn't even tell the difference between reality and fantasy anymore. In the back of her mind she kept envisioning her and Troy laying on their lounge, back in their home, with their hands entwined together and resting on her stomach. Both had giant smiles upon their faces and whispering sweet nothings to the other.

All of it felt so real. It was so close she could touch it. But then the image of Troy on top of another woman, making his mistress feel only what she should feel, would re-enter her mind and her world would crumble again.

"I don't know Troy. Right now I just need time. After last week and today…I feel…I feel unsafe around you-"

"Gabriella. How can you say that? You know I would never hurt you."

"You're hurting me now Troy. The last week you've been hurting me. I feel empty and alone. I wake up every morning having the urge to vomit all my guts out and not just because I'm pregnant. I wake up from nightmares every night. Nightmares of you and her laughing at me. Being with each other only the way we were meant to be together. And I can't stand that Troy. I don't know what I did or said wrong to make you go to her, but now I know that what we had meant nothing to you."

"That's not true Brie. You know that. Deep down I know you know that I love you. Deep down you know that I never meant for this to happen. You know all this and more because you know me."

"No." Gabriella shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I thought I did but I don't. You've made everything so clear now Troy."

Troy felt his tears once again make another appearance and cursed himself for being so stupid. He thought he could have everything with Gabriella and something else with Delysia. How wrong he was. "Do you still love me?"

Gabriella thought hard about the question. Her immediate answer should have been no. But she knew that was a lie. She had loved the man standing in front of her for so long and thought it was for always and forever. Why didn't believe that too? She knew it was going to take a long time to get over him, they say you move on after half the length of the relationship. To Gabriella, she wasn't sure if she could ever move on from Troy. He was her everything and anything.

"To be honest? I don't know anymore." She saw him nod his head slowly and tear up more. "For a long time Troy you held my heart. And I hate to say this but you still do. It pains me to know that I might not ever get over you while you live happily ever after with Delysia." She saw Troy looked slightly confused when she mentioned his mistress's name. "I was listening before. I didn't want to but when you let it slip of her name when we were in the elevator I couldn't help but think it was a nice name." Gabriella then remembered something else and felt her face scrunch up in anger and disgust. "Also it's hard to not forget the name you were calling out while you fucked her in our bed."

Troy felt his eyes widen in shock and his heart drop. "I'm sorry."

"You need to think of a better line Troy. Something else to say to me that I won't believe either."

"If you don't believe anything that I tell you…please…please believe me when I tell you I do love you." Troy was desperately trying to make her understand that he did love her. His actions may not have proved that, but he did love her. He always would.

"My head is telling me you're just lying more. But my heart knows that you're telling the truth. It's just hard to feel or know that when my heart is in pieces."

Troy knew he was never going to have a chance like this with Gabriella again. If he ever saw her it would be with others. People who loved her and wanted to protect her from him. People who were once his friends but who he betrayed also. People who hated him just as much as he hated himself.

"You better leave. Chad and Sharpay will be here soon and I'm sure after today Chad would love the chance to kick your ass without restraint."

Troy numbly nodded his head and slowly walked past her back to the front door. This was the moment he had been dreading. This was the moment he never thought would happen. He was willingly walking out of her life. He was willingly letting her go. After this, they would never again be 'Troyella'. They would just be Troy and Gabriella. Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez. He stopped once he reached the door and turned to see her waiting for him to leave.

"If this is the only chance I get to say this to you then I'm going to take it." He saw her eye him carefully and watched as she cross her arms in uneasiness. "I love you. And I would give up everything to have you again Gabriella. And I mean everything. I was a damn fool to let you go. But I won't let that happen with our child. If this is the opportunity and chance that I can have to win you back then I'm taking it. I want you and this child in my life everyday. And I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you and showing you how sorry I am. I don't care how long it'll take or if it never happens. But from now on, you and that child are the only things that matter to me. I'm not going to give up on you. Either of you. Always and forever. Goodnight Gabriella."

And with that Troy felt like some of his guilt had been lifted. Not all of it. He felt like he would always carry this mistake with him, and he would. But he knew he didn't just promise Gabriella and the baby that he wasn't giving up, but to himself too.

"Oh my God."

Gabriella winced as soon as she heard the click clacks of a pair of expensive shoes make their way towards her. Gabriella had been sitting in the same position for twenty minutes. After Troy's promise to her, she felt numb and like she was no longer in control of her body.

She could feel her legs move towards the lounge and sit herself down, but everything else was a blur to her. She passed everything without a thought and ignored the sounds around her. That was until she heard her best friend's screeching voice.

Sharpay finally came into her view and was standing in front of her with her hip popped out and hands crossed against her chest. Her thin and healthy figure being envied by all other women and desired by all men.

"He was here wasn't he?" Gabriella numbly nodded her head and continued to stare up at her now livid friend. "I knew it. I could smell his lying, cheating, too much cologne wearing ass anywhere."

"What did he do? Did he hurt you? How dare he actually think he was allowed to come here. How did he know we weren't here? Has he been watching you? I'm going to kill him." Chad's angry ramblings had Gabriella and Sharpay's head spinning in all directions.

"Chad calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out." Sharpay slowly calmed her aggravated fiancé down and got him to sit on the lounge across from the one Gabriella was sitting on. Both looked towards her and saw that she was in deep thoughts. "Gabi? Want to explain what happened before he goes Hulk again?" Sharpay sent a pleading look and tilted her head towards the heavily breathing man beside her to gesture how worked up he was.

Gabriella nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "Ok…right…um. Well I heard someone banging loudly on the front door. I stupidly forgot to check before opening the door and he just pushed his way in. I don't think he knew you guys had gone out. When he arrived he was angry and yelling at me."

"Why was he yelling at you? You've done nothing wrong." Asked a curios Sharpay who blocked Chad from asking the same question.

"He uhh…well…um…found out that I was…pregnant."

"What? How?" Demanded Chad.

"I have no clue. He just came barging in and demanded to know why I didn't tell him. I explained and he shut right up."

"That's my girl. Take him down a peg or two." Cheered Sharpay.

"Oh I did. I let everything out. We both did. We didn't come to any conclusions on what's going to happen but he…um…"

"What? What did he do? Did he hurt you?" Chad was once again on the edge of running out and kicking Troy's ass again. He had his fists clenched in and his teeth gritted together.

"No Chad he didn't hurt me. Physically not anyway. But every word he spoke pained me and all I wanted was for him to leave. To never enter my life again. Which…hurts so badly because everyday we were together all I wanted was to have him hold me and never let go. It's just all so foreign and different to feel like this."

Sharpay got up from sitting beside Chad, who had calmed down a little, and went to sit next to her fragile friend. Sharpay didn't know what she was going through, but she knew enough to not bullshit her with lies and just listen to her. For now that's all she could do. "Look sweetie. If you don't want to…"

"No it's ok." Gabriella wasn't quite crying, but the pain she was feeling in her chest was not helping her in anyway. "I just…wish this was all gone. The hurt, the pain, everything. I just wish it was no longer here." She shook her head as if it was all going to flow out of her and attempted a small smile. "When he left…he said he wasn't going to give me or the baby up."

She squeezed Sharpay's hand back, when she felt the tight hold the newly brunette gave for some support. "He said he would give up Delysia and not give up tyring to win me back."

Chad saw a flicker of some unknown emotions run through her eyes and knew something was bothering her. More than just Troy's unwanted appearance. "What is it Gabi? There's something else."

"I just…I don't understand how he can so easily give her up when he said he loved her."

"I don't want to be the ass here, but…he did with you." Both Sharpay and Gabriella looked up confusingly at Chad. "I mean…I know how much he loved you Gabi. He was my best friend. Every time you entered the room his attention and focus was solely on you. You were his every thought and every dream. You were his everything. And then…out of nowhere he…well you know."

"Yeah…I know." Gabriella looked down at her sock covered feet and thought about what Chad was saying. Yes, Troy did love her. So how easily was it for him to lie to her? How easy was it for him to forget his love for her and develop it for someone else? How could he love her one minute and then someone else the next? Troy Bolton was too much of a confusing man.

"Gabi? Can I ask you a question?"

Gabriella turned her attention to her best friend and nodded her head. "Of course."

"Well…do you think…you will ever take him back? That you two could actually have the family you both want?"

"Uhh…I mean." Gabriella was stumped. The thought had been in her head once or twice but that was when she was furious and her answer was immediately no. But now she wasn't so sure. "I…don't know." She looked over to see Chad staring at her curiously and waiting for her to continue. "I mean…I don't think I can. Not now at least. I love him, yes. But I feel so betrayed and hurt because of him. I want him to slowly roast on a spit and get fed to wild wolves. But…it's like…if I look into the future and see my child without its Father, it'll be because of me. It'll be my fault we're not a family."

"Gabriella that's not true. How could it ever be your fault?" Sharpay rubbed her freshly manicured hand up and down her friends back.

"Because…if Troy keeps his promise of never giving up…I'll look like the bitch who kept this family apart."

Chad arose from his position and sat on the coffee table that was placed between the two lounges. He took one of Sharpay's hand and one of Gabriella's. "Gabi…listen to me. And listen good. I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but I know that this child is going to be more loved than any other kid in the world. I know that your strong and brave. And if this child ever thinks to blame you or get led to believe it's your fault…I'm going to sit them down and explain everything. I want this child to know that if you decide not to take Troy back, that it was Troy's fault. Yeah it's not something you want to tell your child. But they have a right to know why their family isn't complete. But I swear to you with my life, that I will take care of that child as if it was mine."

Gabriella smiled softly and let a lone tear slip out. She knew she had two of the best friends anyone could ask for and thanked God she had Chad and Sharpay in her life. "Thank you Chad. You too Sharpay. I don't know what I would do without you two."

"Crash and burn baby. Crash and burn." Sharpay smirked widely.

Chad and Gabriella snickered at Sharpay's comment and then all three embraced in a loving bear hug. It was times like this that all three felt at home together. Felt at peace. But all felt the small part missing and knew that it was never going to feel the same without Troy.

I'm 19. It's my birthday, and this is my present to myself, posting this chapter and letting you guys read it. I promised a friend it would be out today and it is...although I'm cutting it close, it's nearly midnight, but I've made it. Another year older and little less wiser. This chapter may have been disappointing to a few, if so, sorry, but I felt like it was done fairly. Points were made. Truth came out. And now that everything is out in the open, it'll have more drama about their relationship and what's it going to lead to. :)

Thank you 'catchinglightning' for singing me a virtual 'Happy Birthday'. You're a great friend, supporter and writter. Keep up the good work. :)

Again, thank you all. Means a lot. And more good news, I passed my prac work for my course (this one anyway). Yay me. Just bought 17 Again, going to go watch it and end my birthday happily. :) Cheers