A/N I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

For the next couple of days Troy and Gabriella got Ashley used to just going down those two steps. Sometime she even made it three steps. She was getting better and better every day. But Troy seemed to notice that Gabriella was having way to may flashback. It seemed like if they weren't helping Ashley then she was having a flashback and ending up hysterical. She continued to have nightmares every night as well. Troy knew what was going on. He knew Gabriella was focusing on helping Ashley heal hoping it would help her forget. At the time though he knew that helping Ashley would help Gabriella so he let it go. One afternoon they had a major breakthrough. It started one morning when they were helping Ashley with the stairs. She was on the third step with Troy at the top and Gabriella at the bottom.

"Come on Angel you can do. Come on pretty please for mommy?"

To their surprise Ashley took another step down."

"Good sweetie take another one."

Ashley put her thumb in her mouth and took another one.

"Can you do one more baby or are you done?" Troy asked.

He knew that when she started to suck her thumb she was getting nervous and uncomfortable.

Ashley nodded and continued to make her down the steps until she reached the bottom. Gabriella picked her up and spun her around she burst into giggles her thumb instantly leaving her mouth.

"Mommy is so proud of you baby girl I knew you could do it."

"Thanks Mommy."

Troy came downstairs and hugged both his girls.

"Daddy is proud of you too. You deserve a reward my big brave girl want do you want? You can have anything you want."

"I WANT A PONY." Ashley squealed.

Both Gabriella and Troy laughed.

"Think cheaper Ashley."

"Ice cream?"

"All right you got it."

Gabriella set Ashley down and she ran into the kitchen. Like always she was hit with a flashback

Flashback

Gabriella and her father were at a fair and they had pony ride for kids.

"Daddy can I ride the pony?" Gabriella asked.

"Why on earth would I put your fat butt on a horse?"

"It's for kids five and under I'm five."

"Yeah it's for good kids who are five and pretty kids who are five you aren't either."

"But daddy I finished all my chores early and I even stopped being scared of the monster under my bed."

"I SAID NO BRAT DON'T MAKE ME SAY IT AGAIN!"

"Can I at least get an ice cream?"

"NO MEANS NO GABRIELLA NOT SHUT YOUR UGLY FAT MOUTH BEFORE I BEAT YOU EVEN WORSE!"

He pulled on Gabriella's arm and walked away. Gabriella heard a pop from her shoulder and a shooting pain. She just whimpered and forced herself not to cry.

End flashback.

Gabriella, still deep in thought, brought her hand up to her shoulder rubbing it. She jumped when she felt a two hands massage her shoulders. She turned her head and saw Troy.

"Another one?" he asked.

She just nodded. She knew just what he talking about.

"What can I do Princess please tell me."

"Nothing. There is nothing anyone can do. These flashbacks are never going to stop. My father is going to haunt me for the rest of my life."

She walked into kitchen leaving Troy there. He sighed. Now that Ashley was taken care of it was time to help Gabriella and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure the flashbacks stopped but what could he do? Maybe his mom would have an idea…..

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?" Troy yelled that next morning.

He had woken up early to talk to his mom about helping Gabriella.

"Troy it's the only way for Gabriella to really heal."

"Mom that will push her over the edge we can't make her do that. She'll go catatonic for sure."

"Honey it's the only way to help her get over what her father did it her."

"Mom….."

"You know I'm right Troy. Ashley is fine now it's time to help your wife. She is still clingy to you and is always waking up from nightmares. Not doing this could make her worse."

"She won't agree to it"

"She will if you convince her. You need to be strong about it Troy. If she denies you tell her why this is the right choice."

"What if she starts having a panic attack or something and I can't make her stop?"

"Troy you've helped her overcome panic attacks at times when I couldn't I doubt that will happen but I will come with you."

"What about Ashley?"

"She'll stay here with Jack."

Troy sighed. He knew his mom was right. "Ok I'll go talk to her."

Troy went into his bedroom and smiled as he saw Gabriella sleeping peacefully. He went over and sat by her side. He placed a small kiss on her head. "Wake up beautiful." He whispered in her ear.

She smiled and started to stir. "Mmmm Troy?" she muttered.

"Morning baby girl."

"Morning."

"Look there is something I want to run by you. Mom and I both agree it will help the flashbacks stop."

"Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like this?"

Troy sighed. He stroked her hair. "Mom thinks if you go back to your home and just let the memories come then they will stop all together."

"Going back to the house will only cause more flashbacks Troy it won't stop them."

"How do you know?"

"Because it was going back to that house that started the stupid flashbacks in the first place."

"You know that isn't true Gabriella. You've been having flashbacks since we first took Ashley into our home."

"Don't blame Ashley for this."

"I'm not blaming anyone sweet heart. I'm just saying that you've been having these flashbacks long before Carlos took you back to that house."

"Yeah and going back to that house will only make things worse. How could it possibly make things better?"

"Because you will have the flashbacks and you will move on from it. They won't be haunting you anymore. I know it doesn't make sense but it's worth a try isn't it?"

"Not to me."

"Not even for Ashley? Not even for your daughter? The daughter that you fought so hard to get. She needs you to fight again Brie. She needs you to fight back against the memories and win."

"Why would she care?"

"Because she will have them too. There will be moments in her life where she will have a flashback and get scared. Then she'll come to you asking you how you overcame all those flashbacks and you'll help her just like you've done with everything else."

Gabriella sighed and looked at her hands.

"How do you think Ashley will get over her flashback if you don't do it first? Everything you've helped her overcome these last few months you've overcome first."

"I was never scared of water."

"No but you were scared of getting naked in front of people. Now Ashley doesn't mind taking a bath and getting naked you helped her overcome that. Ashley was shy and too scared of making friends like you were but now you've got so many friends I can't keep count and Ashley is making more and more every day."

"Yeah but that's nothing."

"What about the stairs. I know when I first got you back you were just as scared of those stairs as she was. I felt you clinging to me every time I carried you up or down. Yet when it came down to it you took the lead and walked down those stairs like it was nothing to show your daughter there was nothing to be scared of. You need to do that again. Show her that she can overcome the flashback and memoires."

"I'm scared…." She whimpered.

"I know you are and honestly I am too. But we both need to be brave and strong for Ashley. We need to show her that she is strong and can overcome anything."

"Ok….I'll do it. When?"

"After lunch."

"Ok I'm ready."

A/N next chapter Gabriella goes back into the house but will she be able to handle it? Also go take my poll please.