I don't own anything.

A/N: First off I want to thank my reviewers from last time; chaylorXtraylorlover, Traylorx3, LadiiBabiiRocRoyalty990, PerfectLover and mestinylover. Thank you and I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter and please don't forget to Review.

Baby S

Chapter Fifteen

"You got any idea what Taylor and your mom are planning for your birthday?" Chad asked Troy as they exited basketball practice Wednesday afternoon. Troy slung his bag over his shoulder and shrugged. "What aren't you even curious?"

"Of course I am but my mom has gotten Taylor wrapped around her finger, she won't tell me anything and this Saturday is my birthday party." he stated. "I doubt I'll be able to get information out of Taylor by then. She takes her promises very seriously so I doubt she'll talk." Chad laughed at that and shook his head.

"Oh come on man, I know you can make her talk. . .you have ways." Troy scoffed at Chad and shook his head in mock horror.

"Chad are you really suggesting that I seduce the answer out of Taylor," he said as he laid a hand on his chest while looking at his friend in horror. "I promised myself that I would never use my kisses for evil."

"Really man are you serious right now?" Chad said with a laugh while shaking his head. "I know you're curious."

"I am, which was why I was planning on questioning Taylor later on this afternoon once I got home."

"What she's not here waiting for you?"

"Nope, she went home after school. . .probably to do something with my mother about my birthday party. My practices give them time to get things together," he rubbed a hand over the bottom of his chin. "I wonder what they're getting me for my birthday."

"Well be on the outlook for things that will probably take you right off the trail man." Chad as they walked into the hallway, Troy saw Wilson standing in the hallway waiting on him. "I guess I'll be seeing you around man peace." Chad said as he patted him on the back and took off in the opposite direction.

"Hey Wilson?"

"Hello Troy, how was practice?" he asked as he reached out for his bag, but Troy just waved him off. "In case you're wondering, Taylor sent me back to pick you up since she left without you this afternoon."

"How was she during the ride?" Troy asked in concern as he looked at the older man. Wilson gave him a look and sighed.

"She was better than she's been in the past but you know how she is when she rides by herself." he said softly as he looked at Troy who just shook his head and sighed inwardly.

"I wonder what's she's gonna do when I start driving." he mumbled as they headed outside towards the limo that Wilson always drove.

"I'm not sure but I'm sure she'll make the necessary adjustments." Wilson mumbled as he walked beside the boy. "Are happy about your birthday coming up?"

"As happy as I can be, Wilson. This is gonna be the first birthday I'll have without my father but I think my mom and Taylor will help me through that. I didn't get to drive so much last year with the permit because of what happened but I'm really excited about getting car." he grinned and looked up at Wilson. "If that's what I'm getting."

"Oh no you won't sucker me into telling you what they got you for a gift, Troy." Wilson said with a chuckle as he shook his head at the boy. Troy just laughed and shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the older man.

"Well it was worth a try."

"I suppose." Wilson said as he held the door open for Troy to climb into the car. Once Troy was in the back, Wilson got into the front and pulled off and headed towards the Bolton household.

Taylor and Lillian watched as the men outside in the backyard, Taylor glanced down at her watch and then tapped Lillian on the forearm. "Troy should be home soon." Lillian stood up from the patio table and cleared her throat. "The birthday boy should be home soon, can you guys finish up please." The man in charge looked over at them and nodded.

"We were packing up for the afternoon anyway." he said with a wink. He motioned for his men to put things up. Lillian smiled and turned towards Taylor who was releasing a sigh at his words.

"Good cause Wilson should be dropping Troy off soon." As soon as the words left her mouth Troy strolled out into the backyard calling out her name and his mother's. Thankfully the men had covered up what they had been working on so he didn't see anything.

Troy stepped out onto the patio and paused at the large white sheet he saw covering his basketball court, he looked over at his mother who was talking to the painter and then over at Taylor who was silently standing off to the side. "Um Mom. . .Taylor, what's going on with the court?" he asked as he stepped down into the yard and gave the court his father had made for him one last look. Taylor quickly excused herself from the conversation and walked over to him.

"Hey baby."

"Oh no, Taylor Anne McKessie, you won't be distracting me with sweet words, what's going on with my court." he said as he lifted a hand and pointed it in the court's direction. Taylor turned and followed his finger and sighed.

"Your mom's having it re-painted. . .surprise you found out about one of your birthday gifts." she said with a smile as she encircled her arms around his waist. Troy wrapped his arms around her in response and sighed as he looked over at his mother who was walking back towards after saying good-bye to the painter.

"Mom you didn't have to re-paint the court."

"Oh yes I did, your father would want me to make that the court is kept up and I plan to do just that sweetie." Troy sighed and looked back at the court, he loved practicing at home mainly because there weren't the same distractions here like the ones he would find at the park. Meaning, he would probably get pulled into a pick-up game or two.

"Alright Mom, but how long do you think they're gonna take?" he asked, Lillian looked back at the court as if it would have a time displayed on it and then back towards her son.

"Well the man said they should be done on Friday. . .right before your birthday." Troy nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess I can take it easy for one week," he murmured as he looked down at Taylor who was still resting comfortably in his arms. Smiling, he brushed a kiss on her forehead and spoke. "I wonder what you and I can get up to with all the free time I'm gonna have this week." Lillian cleared her throat and popped Troy upside the head.

"Everything you two are gonna get up too will be PG or else." she said as menacingly as she could as she looked at her son who just smiled at her warning. Taylor stepped out of his arms and turned to look at Lillian.

"Don't worry I'll keep him in line, Ms. Lillian. I promise."

"Good," Lillian said as she fixed her son with another look. "Now I'm gonna go ahead inside and start dinner okay."

"Okay Mom." Troy said with a smile, he waited till his mother had walked into the house before looking down at Taylor and wiggling his eyebrows at her. "So what do you want to do for the rest of the afternoon?" Taylor pulled away from him but Troy caught her arms and pulled her back towards his body. "You know I was thinking maybe you could tell me what you and my mom have planned for my birthday." Taylor screwed up her face in confusion as she looked up at him.

"Your birthday. . . we don't have anything planned."

"Yeah right. I know you guys have something planned. I know about the party-."

"That's it. . .the party." he shook his head at that and bent down as he could kiss her cheek before moving over to her ear and whispering.

"I know you have something else beside the party, you know like presents so tell me what is it?" Taylor shuddered as he planted a kiss just below her ear. Jumping back a bit, she looked up at him and shook her head.

"Oh you aren't gonna make me tell you, Troy." He grinned down at her then and shook his head for a moment.

"Oh come on baby, I'll still act like I'm surprised. I promise." he pleaded as the backdoor to the house opened and Lillian poked her head out.

"Leave her alone, Troy. I know exactly what you're up too." Taylor sighed at the pout that immediately appeared on his face. Reaching up a hand, she soothingly rubbed his cheek and Troy could tell that she was already breaking down and it seemed that his mother could tell as well. "Taylor don't you dare tell him about his birthday presents no matter what." Lillian said as she looked at the young girl that was about to break down just cause of the pout on her son's face. Taylor lowered her hand and stepped away from Troy and looked over at Lillian.

"Don't worry Ms. Lillian. . .I won't." Troy crossed his arms over chest as he looked between his mother and girlfriend. He grinned at his mother and pointed towards himself.

"I wouldn't be to sure about that. I do have my ways."

"You're all talk, Troy. Nothing but talk." Lillian said with a shake of her head as she disappeared back into the house. Taylor turned back around and looked at him and then started making her way towards the house as well. She didn't trust the devious look on Troy's face at all.

Later on the night, Taylor was in her room going over some of her homework when Troy came in. She looked up from her computer and frowned at him. "You know your mother doesn't like you sneaking into my room."

"I know but we didn't get to finish our conversation from earlier." he said as he stalked towards her. Taylor jumped out of the chair and backpedaled towards her bed as Troy advanced on her.

"I'm not going to tell you anything." she said as she looked at him. Troy just shrugged his shoulders at that and sighed.

"I guess." he whispered before he jumped across the room and caught her. He immediately began tickling her as she remained in his arms. He smiled as she started laughing and trying to get away. Troy couldn't help but laugh as well.

"All you have to do is tell me about one birthday present is and I promise I'll let you go." he said with a chuckle as he watched her struggling against his hold while laughing her heart out. He had to admit he loved to hear Taylor laugh so he didn't feel back using this tactic.

"No I'm never gonna tell you, you might as well just wait till Saturday." Taylor gasped out between laughs, Troy shook his head as he continued to attack her sides. "Tr-Troy please." she cried out around another bout of laughter.

"Nope not until you tell me something."

"Okay. . .okay, your mom and I-."

"Taylor!" They both froze and looked over towards the door where Lillian stood with her arms cross over her chest. "I can't believe you were gonna tell him." Taylor wiggled out of Troy's embrace and rushed over to Lillian.

"I had to do something, he was tickling me." she pointed out as she looked at the older woman, Lillian gasped at that and placed her hands on her hips while staring down her son who was still sitting on Taylor's bed trying to look as innocent as he could.

"Troy! I can't believe you would attack your girlfriend like that." she said as she shook her head at him. Troy sighed and looked over at Taylor and then back at his mother.

"I told you I had my ways and I'm gonna figure things out before Saturday."

"This is exactly why we could never get him to believe in Santa. He'd hunt down all his toys before Christmas." Lillian said with a shake of her head. "That's not gonna work this time, though. You are gonna leave poor sweet Taylor alone and wait till your birthday."

"I don't know about that." Lillian gave him a look and he sighed. "Fine I'll leave her alone." He smirked as Taylor visibly relax but froze back up as Lillian turned her attention on the girl. "And don't you let him pressure you into telling," she reached down for Taylor's arms. "We have to remain strong alright."

"Oh come on this is too much." Troy murmured as he looked at them both. "It's not even that serious."

"Oh yes it is. . .besides if that was the case you wouldn't in here messing with poor Taylor about your presents now would you." Troy released a huff as he watched Taylor play the part. Shaking his head, he made his way towards the door.

"Fine I'll leave her alone for tonight."

"It doesn't matter when you do it. . .she won't tell you cause Taylor is a strong girl, there's nothing you could say or do that would break her down." Troy just nodded his head and shuffled by them. Oh he would figure things out long before Saturday, he just had to make sure his mother wasn't around to protect Taylor.

Unfortunately, that never came to past. He could never try to question her at school because Sharpay and Gabrielle seemed to be in on helping Taylor stay away from him and his questions about his birthday and when they were at home, Taylor spent all of her time with his mother. He hardly ever got to see her and when he did they were rarely ever home alone. She he was a little surprise to see her in his bedroom Friday night at eleven fifty. "What are you doing here? My mom will kill us both if she catches you here."

"Your mom sent me up here." she whispered as she looked at him. "Come on. . .it's almost time for your first birthday present and I know you've been looking for presents." He gave her a look before quickly got out of bed, his mind going to a car he could be getting or well anything but what he wasn't expecting was for Taylor to take him to the backyard to show him the basketball court that his mother had gotten re-painted. Troy saw his mother turning on the flood lights and moving towards the white sheet that covered the entire court.

"Mom. . .Taylor, I already know about this being repainted did you guys forget that you already," Lillian pulled up the sheet and his mouth dropped open in shock. "Oh my God." he whispered as he looked at the small half-court. Taylor stayed by his side holding his hand as he slowly made his way down to the patio stairs towards the court. Lillian watched with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

"Do you like it?" Lillian asked him softly.

"Like it. . .I-I love it Mom." he said softly as he took in the entire picture that had been painted on the court. There was a picture of his father in his wildcat uniform and then one of him this year and then in the center was a picture of him and his father playing basketball out here after his father had put the court together. "How in the world did you do this?" he asked as he reached down and touched the court in awe. Lifting his head back up, he looked at Taylor and his mother. "How did you guys do this?" he whispered.

"My father knew this really good painter and I asked him if he could do this after I got permission from your mother. . . it's our gift to you on your birthday. Whenever you practice here just know that your father is here and that he's so proud of you and-." Taylor's speech was cut off by Troy pulled her into a quick passionate kiss that left her breathless.

"Thank you so much for this." he said as he brushed a hand across her cheek. "Thank you so much." He lifted his head up and looked over at his mother and waved her over and pulled her into a hug as well. "Thank you Mom."

"You're welcome sweetie and like Taylor said whenever you're out here just remember that your father is proud of you and he'll always be with you." Troy nodded his head and reached out for Taylor who was standing to the side silently watching the scene. Pulling her into the hug, he kissed his mother on the cheek and then kissed Taylor on the forehead.

"Thank you guys so much."