Bluebell- Large, gigantic apologies, I feel really bad now :( Bad Ang :( Of course I still want you as my beta, I misunderstood your message, I'm very sorry :(

This chapter is dedicated to you in apology…FORGIVE ME! ;)

Thank you every one for reviews!

Chapter 19

"Okay, it's time to change your dressing…"

It was the next day, Gabi was patiently sitting on the sofa while Jody voluntarily offered to help her change her dressing as shown to him by the nurse the day before.

She flopped back and rolled her eyes. "Do we have to?"

"Unless you want gangrene to set in and for your leg to be chopped off, then yes," he supplied frankly and she sneered at him.

"Thanks for the tip."

"Look, it won't take a minute, okay, just sit still and stop grimacing."

She gasped in shock. "I'm not grimacing!"

"Sulking then, whatever it is you're doing right now…"

"It's called wallowing in misery," she defined. "And I like it."

"Well, just pretend you're not miserable while I do this, I'm nervous enough already."

"Fine," she sighed and pasted a smile on and Jody swallowed, gently cupping her heel as he began to undo the current covering on her leg.

"Okay...this is…okay…" he talked himself through it as he went and Gabi couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up through her chest and exploded on her lips.

"What's funny?" Jody looked hurt.

"You look like you're doing brain surgery!" she laughed. "Oh my god, you're so cute!"

"Stop laughing and keep still," he complained, laying the used dressing to one side and then preparing a fresh dressing for her wound.

"How does it look?" She leaned over and grimaced at the sight of bloody, gnarled skin cut from the bottom of her knee in a mangled mess with a clean stripe down her shin. "Ugh…"

"It looks fine," he cupped her calf and assured. "You're still beautiful."

"You look at that and think I'm beautiful?" she scoffed, lolling back again.

"Nothing's changed about you, Gabs. You're still the same girl."

"I'm not though am I?" she argued. "I'm not fearless and brave and feisty anymore…"

"You sound pretty feisty to me…" Jody muttered.

"You know what I mean." She sighed.

"I do," he agreed, rubbing his thumb against her skin. "But I still see the amazing girl I've always known."

"Hey guess what I found?" Dex poked his head around the door and frowned at the scene before him. "What's going on?"

Gabi looked up first and smiled quizzically. "Nothing, he just changed my dressing that's all…"

Jody for his part, blushed and stood. "All done."

"Are you chatting my sister up?" Dex asked edgily, coming in.

"Dex, what did you find?" Gabi insisted.

Troy crept around the door and shuffled into the living room. "Uh…hi."

Gabi's mouth ovalled and she gasped out loud. "Oh my god!"

"Hey, dude, we need to talk…" Dex said to Jody and Jody nodded, shaking Troy's hand as he followed Dex out, leaving Gabi and Troy alone.

"So you're all bandaged up?" he swallowed, seeing the heartbreak in her deep brown eyes. "I don't get to see how disgusting it is?"

Gabi felt the happy tears fill her eyes and she struggled to stand up, only finding time to put her arms out to accept his hug as he came swiftly toward her.

"I missed you!" She announced as his shaggy hair and stubble brushed her cheek as he bent to encompass her into his arms.

"I missed you too, beautiful, so much," he sighed. "Should you be standing?"

"Yes!" She gripped on tighter. "I'm fine…"

"I couldn't sit at home in LA another day while you were here feeling down…" he explained, pulling back to kiss her mouth just the once, very softly.

"I'm being silly," she rolled her eyes.

"No, I think you're being perfectly normal."

"No-one else has a melt down when they have a crash," she argued.

"Gabi, when we roll a car, we all take a hit. We all feel vulnerable and realise we're not invincible anymore, and that's the hardest part. Being a driver, we need to feel invincible to be able to get in that car and do what we do every week. Every day…" he added.

She burrowed back into his chest and he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her again and did what he promised to do- held her.

"I'm so glad you're back." She sighed.

"So, do I need to be worried about Jody?" He asked, a little possessively.

She looked up at him and smiled the most beautiful smile. "No. Are you worried?"

"A little," he admitted with a shrug.

"He's my friend. He always has been. I haven't seen him for ages and I like having him back…"

"I don't like how he flirts with you," Troy hooded his eyes.

"I'm with you, Troy," she assured.

He leaned down and kissed her nose. "I know."

"And you're the only one I've ever been with so doesn't that mean something?"

"It means everything." He promised. "Don't listen to me and my protective streak…"

"If you didn't have it, I'd be worried," she teased, tiptoeing to kiss his mouth.

"Well then, thank god you understand." He let her go as she wriggled and the she plopped onto the sofa.

"Come sit," she invited.

"Dude, you want a drink?" Dex came back in.

"Ah…coke please," Troy answered and Gabi gave her order, too.

"Where's Jody?" she added after.

"Gone out." Dex supplied and she frowned.

"Did you upset him, Dex?"

"Not at all…"

"What did you say to him?"

"That he wasn't going to ruin anything between you and my man, here," Dex repeated simply.

"Dex, he's your best friend," Gabi sighed.

"So, he still shouldn't be coming between you…"

"He's not," she assured. "Just let me handle it."

"Are you seeing this?" Dex aimed at Troy.

Troy pursed his lips and thought before he spoke. "I can see that Jody has feelings for Gabi, yes," he acknowledged.

Dex shook his head. "I'm glad you're back."

"Dex," Gabi complained. "I'm not going to cheat on Troy, okay?"

"I know that," Dex sucked his teeth. "I'm just not happy with my friend causing trouble…"

Gabi rolled her eyes and flopped back against the sofa. "I give up."

"No-one's causing trouble," Troy assured Dex softly, taking Gabi's hand in his for support.

"Good. I'll be right back with those drinks."

/

"Hey, buddy, how's it going?" Troy called out to his friend.

"In here, bro!" Chad called back and Troy came right inside, bending to give Chad a man-hug.

"How's it going?"

"Quiet," Chad admitted. "I missed having you guys around."

"Gabi's coming home tomorrow now that I'm home…" he offered.

Chad couldn't help his grin. "Good to have you back, dude."

"It's good to be back."

"What happened to two weeks?" Chad twinkled.

Troy smiled shyly at him, and then met his gaze under his curly lashes. "Love happened."

"Hey, I think its great you came back for Gabi," Chad assured.

"She's in a really weird place right now…" he frowned concernedly.

"She was asking me all these questions about her scars and stuff."

"I know, she told me you told her about Emily," Troy mused.

"I thought it would help. If she knew you didn't care about a few scars…"

"You were right to," Troy nodded. "She needed to hear that when I wasn't here."

"Do you think she'll get through it?" Chad wondered.

Troy swallowed. "Yeah. With our help."

"I'm here, dude, whatever you need…"

"I need you to tell me when you can't cope…" Troy told him knowingly.

Chad smiled sheepishly. "I was fine."

"Did you move off this sofa?"

"To pee," Chad nodded.

"I'm making you a health shake," Troy stood up.

"Hey, bro…" Chad called and Troy turned. "I'm glad you're back."

/

"I'm sorry…" Jody's big brown eyes appealed to Gabi as she lay on the sofa and tried to sleep; but she couldn't because she was too excited about going home to Troy's.

"You don't need to say that," she offered tiredly.

"Apparently I do," he mused of Dex. "I was out of line."

"You didn't do anything wrong…"

"I did," he nodded. "But you're too sweet to say anything and I love that about you."

"I don't feel like you did anything wrong," she repeated.

"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence but I promise you, I'm not going to come between you and Troy."

"I know that," she winced at his declaration.

"So you're moving back there?" he asked next to change the subject.

She shrugged. "Troy can look after me."

"I liked having you home," Jody admitted.

"I think that is my home now," she ventured.

He nodded. "Well, if you need anything, let me know."

"You still have to change my dressing;" she reminded him. "Don't think you escaped that disgustingness."

He smirked. "I wouldn't dare…"

"And I'll need you and Dex with me when I decide to drive again…"

He looked up, touched. "I'd be honoured."

"We're gonna talk, Jody. As much as you'll let me."

"I'd like that." He nodded.

"I'm really tired; I'm going to rest now." She told him softly.

"Goodnight, Gabs." He murmured before he went.

/

"Home sweet home!" Gabi sang as she came inside, limping gingerly.

"Gabi, is that you?" Chad's excited voice came from the living room and she beamed; her eyes lighting up in recognition of his voice and she hurried to meet him, finding him already on his feet and ready to catch her hug.

"Hey, you," she held him tight and grinned. "I missed you."

"You only came the day before yesterday," he teased.

"I wasn't coming home then, I was visiting," she explained.

Chad's eyes moistened with fond tears. "This is home?"

She bit her lower lip and nodded. "You kinda made it that way."

"No, I think he did," Chad lifted his chin to Troy.

"No, you did," she assured. "You gave me a reason to be needed."

Troy cleared his throat behind them. "Hmm, well while you two make babies, I'm gonna make tea. Anyone want one?"

Gabi giggled at his accusation. "He's so jealous," she complained to Chad.

"Oh god, I know. All I ever hear from him is how jealous he is…" Chad played along.

"He was even jealous of Jody." She nodded.

"God, no!" Chad mock-winced.

"Yep."

"That's outrageous."

"If you're gonna talk about me, at least wait until I'm out…" Troy remarked as he carried the drinks in.

Gabi looked up at him affectionately. "I love you, Troy Bolton."

He quirked his brows in surprise at her declaration, made right there in front of Chad.

"I…love you too," he replied hesitantly.

"Do you want to think about it?" She giggled.

"No, I was just…taken by surprise, that's all."

"You didn't want to say it in front of Chad," she smiled at Chad. "No ribbing."

Chad held up his hands. "None intended."

"Good. Now sit down," she demanded, making him roll his eyes as he joined them both.

/

"Can I see?" Troy husked in his gentle voice as they both came inside his room to get ready for bed.

Gabi turned her big brown eyes up to him. "I don't know…"

He stepped forward and encompassed her into another caring hug. "It's okay if you don't want to."

She pressed her lips in at one side. "Is this what the guys do when they get hurt? Show off their scars?"

He smiled slowly. "You know we do."

She nodded. "It's hard for me…to trust you…" her words were broken like her breaths.

"I'm not going anywhere, Gabi," he assured. "But it's okay; get dressed in the bathroom, I really don't mind."

She frowned, just a smidgen. "You really won't think any differently?"

One corner of his mouth curved up. "I might want to hold you more."

She let a relieved smile break on her lips. "I can cope with that."

She slowly lifted her tee-shirt over her head, wincing as the pain of her bruises caught her breath and then she let the garment down slowly, chewing her lower lip as she revealed her torso to Troy.

He stood, in silence, watching her as she then slipped her sweat pants down, revealing more of her battered body to him; but all he could think was that despite the large welts of blue and black, despite the grazes and the pain she clearly felt; he loved her very soul and every inch of her body, no matter what form it came in.

"Come here, beautiful," he husked as she stood in her underwear and looked at him with fear in her eyes and then he was holding her again, running his hands over her skin as if to soothe her.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked and she looked up to him, hugging her arms around his neck as her tears began.

"Hey, shh…whats wrong?" He bear-hugged her.

She burrowed her face into his neck and just sobbed, not even sure why she was crying but just needing to get all the pain out, all the bewilderment she felt and every other emotion in between from her accident.

"Oh, Gabi," he sighed and wrapped her close, kissing her hair and stroking down her back soothingly until her crying calmed.

"I'm being a girl again!" she pulled away and tried to joke.

"It's nice sometimes," he teased right back.

She laughed and leaned back. "Can I get dressed now?"

"Of course," he helped her into her nightwear and pressed his lips together as she carefully rolled into bed.

"What's wrong?" she looked at him.

"Do you want to sleep alone in case I hurt your leg?"

"You won't," she smiled softly.

"I promise I'll be careful," he peeled the duvet back and slid into bed beside her and she snuggled into him the moment he settled, lending him to cuddle her close and curl his hands around her protectively.

"I missed this," she sighed.

"I was only gone four days…"

"Four days is long enough," she smiled into his chest.

"Gabi…I have to go back to LA next week, but I want you to come with me. Have a holiday out there with me and see my old home." He asked.

She nuzzled her cheek into his chest. "I'd like that."

"Me, too," he smiled in return and closed his eyes to sleep.