A/N I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

Troy sighed. He knew he couldn't blame this on the girls. He didn't want to be away from them anymore than they wanted to be away from him. He needed a new plan. A way to make money and stay with his family at the same time but how could he do that? He then heard Ashley screaming for him and Gabriella he sighed and looked at his mom who was in the room.

"I'll get her." She said.

Lucille left.

"Guess it was too soon huh?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah way too soon." Troy nodded.

Lucille came back up carrying Ashley and put her on the bed. Ashley went to Troy's open side and cuddled into him. Both girls fell asleep fast. Troy sighed.

"Mom what am I going to do? I don't want to be away from them anymore than they want to be away from me but I have to provide for us somehow."

"Troy your father and I were talking and Gabriella's fear isn't just of being alone, it's of being without you and Ashley."

"Yeah Dad told me. What can we do? I can usually always help Gabriella heal but this time…"

"This time you have a daughter to think about as well. Also last time you were still living at home which is why I think you, Gabriella, and Ashley should move back home. Jack and I will provide for the both of you and you can focus on helping Gabriella and Ashley."

"But Mom I…"

"Look Troy if Gabriella is always upset when you leave she will never heal physically either. It is best for everyone right now if you stay home and take care of you wife. Don't worry about money all right. Move back home and Jack and I will take care of the rest all right. That's a command not a question."

"Ok mom thank you."

"You can move in tomorrow. For now just get some rest."

"Thank you for being here today mom."

"You're welcome sweetie. Dinner is in the oven when you guys get hungry."

Lucille and Jack left the house. Troy kissed his girls on the head. Maybe moving home wouldn't be so bad.

The next afternoon Gabriella sat on her old bed pouting as she watched everyone carry some of their stuff in the room.

"I want to help!" she pouted.

"Gabriella I'm starting to wonder who is child around here you or Ashley?" Troy teased.

"I just hate feeling useless."

"How can you help when you can barely walk?"

"I can carry stuff on my lap then wheel myself in." Gabriella smiled as the idea hit her.

"One hand has to hold the box the other has to wheel how will you manage that?" Troy smirked.

"I hate you!" Gabriella whined.

"Love you too Babe." Troy said as he left the room.

"Stupid Mike."

Gabriella waited until all their stuff was moved in before looking at Troy and pouting at him.

"I want cuddles." She said putting her bottom lip out.

Troy smiled and crawled into bed with her pulling her into him. "I love you Angel."

"I love you too Troy. Where is Ashley?"

"Mom and dad are taking her for ice cream since she was a good helper today moving everything."

"Ok."

Gabriella cuddled into him more and sighed. Another reason Lucille and Jack had left was because they wanted to give Gabriella a chance to open up about the attack without worry of Ashley.

"You know Troy out of all the times I've been kidnapped this was the worst."

"I'm not surprised having to worry about Ashley must have been harder on you."

"I didn't care what happen to me. As long as Ashley stayed safe I was happy. I did everything I could to keep her safe and fed because Mike and Carlos wouldn't feed us. All we had to eat was some old chips that I had hidden in my room back when I was sixteen."

"How did you get that?"

Gabriella gasped. No one other than her and Carlos knew that they had been held hostage in her old home.

"Gabriella?"

"The house….it-it was…Troy it was home."

"What?"

"My old home before my father got taken in for abuse before I met you. The house I grew up in."

"I'm sure that brought back memories didn't it?"

"Some that I actually forgot about and some that I only wish I could forget. It was awful just plan awful and Ashley was getting weaker and weaker. I just…Troy it was the worst ever."

"Shhh you're home now you're safe. Nothing is ever going to hurt you again."

"I tried to stay strong for Ashley but they pushed me down the stairs just for the joy of scaring Ashley. Troy she was so scared. She didn't even want to go near me and I couldn't help but scream in pain because everything hurt so bad. I scared her Troy. I never ever wanted Ashley to be scared of me but she was for that second I was at the bottom of the stairs she looked at me and she was scared to death of me."

"Baby I'm sure she was scared 'for' you not 'of' you."

"Either way she is scared to go near stairs now."

"Yeah but all things considered just being scared of stairs doesn't seem that bad."

"That's true. She could be the one with the broken arm and leg…and ribs."

"You did a great job protecting her Brie and those scars are just proof of that."

"I love you Troy so much. Thank you for saving me."

"Every time baby girl. I love you too."

Troy kissed her head and they both feel into a deep sleep.

The next morning Gabriella stirred and opened her eyes she looked and saw Troy smiling at her and smiled back blushing.

"Morning."

"Morning Troy."

"Did mom and dad ever come back last night?"

"Yeah but you were out."

"Is Ashley in her own bed?"

"Nope she on the other side of me."

"Do you think she'll ever sleep on her own again."

"I'm sure she will. Just like I'm sure she'll get over her fear of the stairs. She just needs a little help."

"I won't do much good."

"We can wait. Let's focus on getting you healthy again, then we can focus on helping you both heal mentally as well."

Gabriella nodded clinging to him tighter.

"What's your biggest fear right now baby girl?"

"I had this nightmare and I'm scared it will come true."

"What nightmare was that?"

"Both you and Ashley were dead. Mike and Carlos had killed you to get back at me for sending them to jail."

"It was just a nightmare baby no one is going to hurt you or Ashley or me ever again I promise."

"It still really scared me."

Troy kissed her head. "No more bad thought baby, only good ones from now on. Everything is going to get better you'll see."

About a month went by Gabriella had healed…physically anyway. She was still clingy and got upset any time Troy was out of sight but her arm, leg, and ribs all healed up. Now it was time to help Ashley. It all started one morning. Troy was on his way downstairs for breakfast. Normally he carried Ashley but this he set down and took her hand. She whimpered. "NO daddy" She cried.

"Come on sweetie nothing will happen to you."

"No daddy no"

"Troy let me do it. I think if she sees me going down and nothing happen it might help." Gabriella said from behind him.

Troy turned and moved out of the way. Gabriella took the hand rail and slowly made her way down the stairs then looked back up at Ashley. "See baby girl. It's all right. Nothing happen to me and nothing will happen to you. Come on."

Ashley shook her head.

"Come on sweetie. Come to mommy."

Ashley looked at Troy then to Gabriella. She took the rail and took one step down.

"Good girl Ashley. Take one more." Gabriella said.

Ashley took one more step down.

"Very good baby girl very good. Can you take another one?"

Ashley looked down and shook her head. "No….daddy help."

Troy picked her up. "I'm so proud of you baby girl. You did a good job." Troy praised.

They three of them went downstairs and had breakfast. Ok sure it was one two steps but it was progress it was proof that Ashley was going to heal. Gabriella knew once Ashley healed she'd heal as well. Maybe this time around the healing process wouldn't be as bad.

A/N next chapter Ashley heals and even opens up about her past. Lucille gets an idea on how to help Gabriella heal but she refuses will Troy be able to help her or will she suffer alone this time?