A/N: Okay, now, in this chapter HSMandChelseaFCfan's work is highlighted by author's notes which was suggested by glaceauxfraises. Btw, Merry Christmas. Sorry I haven't been uploaing anything but I've had writer's block. Good news, my laptop's back. bad news, the 'd' key doesn't work very well. lol. anyway, don't own HSM

Chapter 12 – Devon to the rescue

Gabriella woke up the following morning and groaned to herself at the memories of the previous night. She didn't know why Troy refused to acknowledge the fact that he changed. Maybe he didn't want to admit that he had hurt her… Maybe that was wishful thinking. The point was still there, no matter what the reason. She should've stuck with her first instincts. He was some big Hollywood guy who didn't care about a small, insignificant town like Albuquerque. It didn't matter that they used to be best friends… He was more interested in girls and popularity. She shouldn't have believed that he was different just because he had comforted her when she was hurt.

She kicked the sheets angrily off of her body and sat up, feeling colder than she had on previous mornings – though she knew it was because she now refused to wear Troy's clothes. She crawled out of bed and switched the light on, hearing numerous groans come from the couch. "Sorry, did I wake you?" She hurriedly switched the light out again.

Troy sat up in bed and shot her a glare. "Was there any need for that?"

"I didn't know you were still here." Gabriella whispered, looking at the ground. "I thought you were going out."

"I said I'd hang out with Big D, didn't I?" Troy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Troy, I called Chad last night. I'm dropping Don off there before I head to the mall to meet the girls. I told you I'd do that." Gabriella said softly, folding her arms defensively.

"Brie, it's a Saturday. What am I going to do all day?" Troy exclaimed as he stood up and stretched.

Gabriella shrugged slightly. "Not my problem. It was you that forgot. And it was me that had to explain to Don that his big brother wouldn't be hanging out with him today." She walked over to her dresser and started looking through her drawers for some underwear.

"Can't we talk about this?" Troy asked quietly as he started folding the couch back away.

"No." Gabriella said shortly, not bothering to hide her pink bra and knickers she was clutching in her hands as she crossed the room and opened her closet.

"Stop being so childish!" Troy sighed.

Gabriella shut her closet and turned around, some jeans and a shirt folded over her arms. "Me?" She asked in a small voice. "I'm the girl that's had to grow up because I have to look after my little brother because my parents work all the time alongside school and my job which pays minimum wage! Give me one reason why I'm the childish one."

Troy folded his arms and sighed. "You won't let me talk."

"Because I know what you'll say!" She cried. "Troy, you're forgetting that I'm a straight A student and I'm taking extra AP classes. You'll turn around to me and say 'Brie, I don't think I can change for you. I thought you loved the new me.' Well, guess what? I don't!"

"I don't think that." Troy exclaimed.

Gabriella bit her lip and shrugged. "Did you change for me?"

"Yes." Troy replied instantly, taking his pyjama shirt off and throwing it over his shoulder.

"Then why can't you change back to the skater dude I thought you were?" She whispered, feeling her eyes start to sting. "Troy, I know that guy is somewhere down inside of you but how do you expect me to wait for him?"

"Brie-" Troy started.

"Troy, you've thrown everything out of whack." Gabriella whispered, avoiding his eyes.

"Gabby, Sharpay and Taylor are here, offering you a ride." Maria called through the door, followed by a knock.

"Mom, tell them to give me a quarter of an hour." Gabriella yelled back. She turned back to Troy and sighed. "Troy, what do you want me to do? Sit back and watch you be surrounded by girls and just be here when you want me to be? And then you go back to the other girls and I get ignored again? And I get hurt and you comfort me for a few days but then you go back to how you were and I get ignored again?" Her bottom lip quivered and a tear leaked from her eye. "I don't think I can take much more hurt and disappointment." She whispered before walking past him and going into the bathroom.

She returned fifteen minutes later, dressed in her jeans and shirt and her hair now neatly pulled into a high ponytail. She sighed when she saw Troy sitting at the desk, dressed, and using her computer. "What are you doing now?"

"I'm doing some research for my chemistry paper due in about a week. I figured as my day is free I should get a head start." Troy explained, swivelling around in the chair.

Gabriella sighed. "Look, Troy, don't make me feel like the bad guy because I'm not. I'm just protecting me and my brother." She grabbed her purse and slipped some sneakers on before rushing out of her room.

"Finally!" Sharpay exclaimed as she spotted her best friend come down the stairs. "Your mom has left for work. Where were you?"

"Getting ready." She said simply. "Don, come here."

Devon trudged into the kitchen and sniffed. "Are we going to Chad's now, or what?"

Gabriella patted his head as he hugged her legs and she nodded. "Of course, Don."

"Why is he going to Chad's?" Taylor asked, sliding off her stool and picking her purse up.

"Troy." Gabriella said simply as she bent down and picked Devon up. She felt tears well in her eyes and she used one hand to wipe them. "Can we just go?"

Sharpay and Taylor glanced at each before the blonde girl reached for her car keys. "Yeah. Sure. Come on."

* * *

"What's up with Gabby?" Martha asked as she and Taylor waited patiently in the line in the food court.

Taylor shrugged. "It's something to do with Troy. But, that's all we know. Honestly."

Martha picked up four sandwiches – one to suit each of the girls – and sighed. "But, what's happened between them? Seriously."

Taylor quickly ordered two cappuccinos, a hot chocolate, a tea and a spring water at room temperature. "And seriously she won't tell us. We've begged and we've pleaded but she won't. You know how she gets when there's a problem with her life."

Martha sighed. "She hasn't said more than ten words all morning."

"That's my point." Taylor replied quietly as she received the drinks and placed them on the tray.

Martha handed over the money to the girl behind the till and groaned quietly in frustration. "But, I mean, they're sharing a room. This can't be good."

Taylor smiled gratefully at the girl behind the till as she handed Martha the change. She picked the tray up and started carrying it towards a round table in the corner. "Yes, but the decorators have nearly finished. She'll probably move into the guest room."

Martha's shoulders slouched as she fingered the few notes of change she was holding. "Well, that does make sense. She'd never ask anybody to move out. I'm surprised she's lasted this long."

Taylor giggled as they reached the table and sat down with Sharpay, Gabriella and Kelsi. "There was five bucks change. One buck each."

Sharpay slid her dollar easily into her wallet and sighed. "Tay, even we know that math." She reached for her bottle of spring water and twisted the top open, pouring some into an empty Styrofoam cup which the girls had picked up for her. "So anyway, going back to what we were talking about before, so Zeke baked the most beautiful cake. I really think our relationship is getting better now."

"You mean you guys won't break up every two weeks?" Gabriella muttered sarcastically as she sipped her hot chocolate.

Kelsi kicked Sharpay under the table and glared. "Gabby, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." She whispered, reaching for a plastic spoon and stirring her drink.

"Gabby…" Taylor said sternly. "You are in no means fine."

"I am!" She exclaimed.

"Is it Troy?" Kelsi asked quietly.

Gabriella took another gulp of her hot chocolate and stared at the table. "Maybe. Am I the only one that sees how he's changed?"

The other girls glanced at each other and Martha sighed. "You mean how he's obnoxious and a bastard when he's surrounded by people in school and how he's how he was when he arrived when he's around us?"

Gabriella nodded sadly. "That's exactly what I mean." She jumped when her cell phone started ringing and she reached for her bag. She unzipped it and quickly found her phone, flipping it open. "Hey Chad, what's up?" She paused slightly and her face fell. "The hospital?"

The other four girls glanced worriedly at each other before straining to hear the other end of the conversation.

Gabriella held the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she zipped her bag up and got to her feet. "Okay. Okay. I'll get Shar to drive me… No you stay there… My mom?… Okay… No, you stay with him. I'll call Troy… Yes, I'm sure… I know it's his choice… Listen, ask Don if he wants Troy there… He does? Hopefully that will persuade him but, I think he'll come anyway… Okay, I'll get there. Tell my mom that I'm on my way. Tell Don that I love him and I'll be there as quickly as possible."

Sharpay grabbed her bag and rummaged around for her keys. "What's wrong?"

"It's Don." She whispered as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Shar, we gotta go."

Sharpay nodded as she got to her feet. "Right. Of course. Girls, we'll call you."

* * *

Gabriella groaned into the receiver. "Troy, pick up. Troy! I've been calling for five minutes. Where were you? The bathroom? Anyway, Don's at the hospital. I don't know if you want to be there but I'm letting you know. Bye, Troy." She hung up and sighed. "Every traffic light must be against us."

Sharpay leaned out of her car slightly and groaned. "Gabs, there's road works up ahead. You might get there quicker if you run.

(A/N: This is HSMandChelseaFCfan's work)

"Thanks, Shar." Gabriella climbed out of the car and dodged her way across the jam—packed road to the pavement before darting down the street, grateful that she was in her flats.

Not caring if people were staring at her, Sharpay yelled after Gabriella. "Call me if you need anything!"

***

Gabriella entered the hospital, breathlessly, after running so quick, spotting Chad immediately."What's happening? Why aren't you with him?!"

Placing his hands on her shoulder to calm her down Chad looked into her eyes and spoke softly. "Calm down. Listen your mom is up there with him and I told her I would wait for you."

Gabriella nodded. "Let's go then." Chad led her up to the paediatric ward where Devon was. "Has Troy called or turned up yet?" The hesitation on Chad's face answered Gabriella's question. "I can't believe he isn't here."

"Hey, it's ok. You got me and I'm not going anywhere. I can't let anything happen to my little sis now, can I?" He pulled her close and he kissed the top of her head.

Gabriella smiled gratefully at Chad. "Thanks, Chad." The two continued towards the room in silence, neither one knowing what to say because nothing felt right and they both knew nothing would make either feel any better.

"Gabriella." Looking up, Maria walked towards her eldest daughter with a tear stained face. The mother and daughter duo embraced immediately as they held each other close.

Looking to her side, Gabriella felt herself go weak at the sight of her little brother, her Don, looking so weak and pained in the hospital bed. Maria wiped Gabriella's newly formed tears. "Is he going to be ok?"

"I hope so. We're waiting for the Doctor to come back." Maria explained as she forced Gabriella to sit down.

Gabriella nodded. She knew that had it been any other child, Maria would have been working so hard to make everything better but since the middle Montez child had died; she refused to do any serious medical work on her children. Besides, it was clear that she was in no fit state to make any decisions.

Turning to Chad, Gabriella asked the question that had been bugging her since the first phone call. "What happened?"

Chad sighed as he fell back onto a seat, "We were just playing video games. He had complained earlier on about stomach ache and feeling sick but I just put that down to the fact we had been eating too many sweets earlier on. He looked a bit pale but he said he was ok and didn't want me to call you. We had just finished playing a game which I won and heard him groan but guessed it was because I was kicking his ass." Gabriella gave him a look which told him to stay on track. He cowered back and filed with his hands. "Anyway, I got up to change the game and I suddenly heard a thud behind me and as I turned, Devon had collapsed on the floor. I called for an ambulance right away. The only thing they told me was he was probably in so much pain somewhere that that is why he must have collapsed. He woke up for about five minutes when I was calling you which is how I knew he wanted Troy." Chad finished, tears in his eyes as he was clearly worried about Devon. "I feel like I should have done something sooner."

Gabriella moved next to Chad and wrapped her arms around him. "You didn't do anything wrong. We just gotta hope that it's nothing too serious." Maria joined the two as they waited for the Doctor to return.

***

Troy was lying in his and Gabriella's room, flicking through some of his personal pictures of his parents. He suddenly felt so alone with Gabriella and Devon obviously mad at him and Maria and Aidan too busy. He hated this feeling, something he hadn't felt since before he had been in Albuquerque with the Montez family.

Groaning, Troy sat up as his cell buzzed again. Gabriella kept ringing him and he had been ignoring her calls, not feeling he had the strength to speak to her. Seeing she left a voicemail again, Troy picked up his phone to delete it again but stopped himself from doing it immediately when he heard the panic in her voice.

"Troy, pick up. Troy! I've been calling for five minutes. Where were you? The bathroom? Anyway, Don's at the hospital. I don't know if you want to be there but I'm letting you know. Bye, Troy."

Without hesitating, Troy stood up and grabbed the nearest jacket and slipped his converse on, running down the stairs and out the door knowing Devon needed him and most likely Gabriella too. He couldn't care less whether Gabriella and he were in the middle of an argument or not because all that mattered to him was making sure that they were both ok.

***

"Mrs Montez?" Maria, Gabriella and Chad all looked at the Doctor, turning their attention's from Devon.

"Is he ok? What's wrong?" Chad asked quietly, knowing both the mother and daughter well enough to know that they wouldn't be able to speak.

The Doctor gave them a sympathetic smile. "Devon has appendicitis." The little colour in Gabriella and Maria's faces disappeared all together. "We are preparing to operate if that is ok with you?" Maria left the room with the Doctor to sort the forms out that needed to be completed while Chad moved and held Gabriella close to him as she watched Devon.

Running her hand over Devon's face, Gabriella spoke, "Hey Don, its Gabby. I need you to do me a favour: please get better. I can't lose you, Don. You're my little brother, without you I've got no one. Plus, you don't want Troy to get upset either if he loses someone else. I love you, Don." She whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"Your sister's right." Gabriella and Chad turned startled to see Troy standing at the door.

Seeing the look on both Troy and Gabriella's face, Chad knew they needed some space. "I'll leave you to it."

Troy moved next to Gabriella and took her hand in his. "What's wrong with him?"

Gabriella took a deep breath, "He's got appendicitis." Troy felt her grip on his hand tighten and he knew exactly why.

Kissing the top of her head, Troy held her close with his free arm. "Big D will be ok. I just know it."

***

It had been an hour since Devon had been taken down and Gabriella was getting increasingly irritable and nervous. She would either pace or sit down and move a part of her body so much it irritated everyone else. Chad had suggested Troy take her outside for some fresh air to try and calm her down and he would come get them if anything happened.

"You need to calm down otherwise you're going to get sick." Troy stated as Gabriella carried on pacing.

Gabriella suddenly stopped and glared at him. "What makes you think you have the right to tell me what to do? It's amazing how you think I still need you. I'm fine on my own. I don't need you anymore, Troy. Get that through your thick head!" She spoke through gritted teeth before turning around so he wouldn't see her tears.

Troy stood up from the bench he was occupying and tried to get close to her, already knowing she was crying. He knew how she was hurting and she had already convinced herself that what happened to her other brother would happen again but to Devon. Even if she wouldn't admit it, he was just glad she was letting her anger out, even if it was on him. "Gabriella..."

"I can't lose, Don. Please don't let anything happen to him." Gabriella cried as she hit Troy on the chest as he tried desperately to pull her close to comfort her.

Finally, Gabriella collapsed into Troy's arms as she let out her emotions that she had been bottling up inside her. She didn't want her mom or Chad to see how weak she was but once again in Troy's arms she felt safe and that he was the only person who she could let her emotions out in front of. Her arms locked around his torso in a vice-like grip as she sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry."

Troy smiled. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you feel any better?"

Gabriella nodded. "Thanks."

"I told you once before that I'm always going to be here and I intend to keep that promise even if you may think I'm a jerk."

Before Gabriella could speak, Chad appeared.

"They've bought Devon back up. The surgery was a success." Troy looked at Gabriella and she smiled back, relief instantly spreading over her whole face knowing that Devon would be ok. "Are you two coming or what?" Chad was already walking back as Troy held his hand out to Gabriella who intertwined their fingers tightly knowing that everything would be ok.

(A/N: This is my work again lol)

Troy started pulling her to follow Chad but she dug her heels into the ground. He turned and frowned at her. "What, you don't want to see Big D? I know I do."

She smiled slightly and brought his hand up to her cheek so he could wipe her tears away. "I really am sorry. I just… I hated seeing you like every other guy in school because I know you're not like that."

Troy stepped forward and sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."

She smiled slightly. "But, I stand by what I said. If you stay like this, I don't want anything to do with Troy."

Troy lifted her hand to his lips and held her hand against his cheek. "Brie, I miss you. I do. Don't stay mad at me. I promise I'm not being that weird ladies' man Troy ever again. If I'm honest, I wanted to see how easily you got jealous."

Gabriella gasped and hit his chest before running towards the hospital. "You're going to pay, Bolton!"

Troy chuckled before running after her. "We'll see." He caught up with her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Maybe."

Gabriella giggled. "It's amazing how Don always comes to my rescue."

"Excuse me? What about me?" Troy exclaimed as they waited for the elevator.

"I was mad at you. Besides, I meant that because of on, we're friends again." She giggled kissing his cheek.

"Oh. I get it now." He muttered. "I need to thank that smart little guy.