Hey guys - Firstly I am going to apologise for the late upload but don't expect super fast uploads because I have a ton of essays to write and it's important I get them done. I do try and upload whenever and I wont leave it for months on end - it may just be a couple weeks at a time until new uploads. Thanks to those who subscribed to story alert or author alert - it means alot. I have a request for everyone reading this - PLEASE REVIEW - I don't know what people think unless you tell me and I am always open to story suggestions too. Anyway Happy Easter to one and all, enjoy the weekend and enjoy this chapter.

Harsh Realities

Previously:

As he pressed his foot to the gas pedal his wind whirred, thinking about a thousand things but hoping that the one person he loved more than anything else was okay. That the one person he could see himself spending the rest of his life with was indeed safe in their secret place and no harm had come to her or their child. He prayed to God that everything would turn out right as he watched the sky turn a dark shade of grey, predicting a storm was on its way.


Chapter Four – Vulnerable

The thunder suddenly boomed in the sky and a strike of lightning lit up the darkened sky as he pushed his foot down harder on the gas. It was just typical that it would storm when his girlfriend who was afraid of storms was alone and upset and he felt his anger coming to the service again as he thought about how their parents had caused all this.

Concentrating was proving difficult with the amount of rain pouring from the sky at that moment but through another flash of lightning he was able to see the building he had been desperately trying to reach in the hopes Gabriella was hiding out there. He pulled into the high school parking lot and ran through the deserted school; taking stairs two a time before reaching the set out of stairs he hoped lead him to the distressed beauty. He made his way up the stairs only to hear another crack of thunder echo around him.

"Gabriella, Ella, are you here?" He shouted over the storm that was taking hold of the town.

He reached the top of the stairs and looked around, he had to find her quickly – it was wet and cold and those were no circumstances to be in when you were pregnant.

"Elle, please just make a sound or something so I know your here" He tried once again.

In between claps of thunder he heard a noise to the right of him and he thought about how it sounded like a whimper – of someone crying and prayed that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him and it was Gabriella. He walked in that direction, hearing more muffled sounds that sounded like sobs and suddenly spotted her – the love of his life – crouched in a corner, wet, cold and terrified. She looked so vulnerable and needy like a small child left alone as he ran to her side and cradled her in his arms, never wanting to let go of her again.

"Oh baby, we were so worried about you, are you okay?" He asked as he pulled the teen onto his lap as rested against the wall behind him.

"I-I'm so s-scared Troy" She stuttered out between terrified sobs.

"Baby it's okay I'm here now, I'm not leaving you. But we have to get you home before you get ill" He soothed as he rubbed her back.

"I-I don't w-want to go h-home, t-they don't want me now I'm p-pregnant" She managed to say as she broke down once again.

"Oh Ella, of course they want you and this baby" He said as he placed his hand on her stomach before continuing "They were just so shocked Ella, It's no excuse for the things they said but they were so worried about you when you ran out"

"B-but they d-don't want the b-baby Troy, I w-won't give i-it up"

"They wouldn't dare make you get rid of it Ella, it's our choice and they know how they treated you was wrong – I shouted at them before I left and told them what I thought and I think they got the point" He said as he attempted to calm his girlfriend down.

"But..." She attempted once again to verbalise her reasons for not wanting to go home.

"Baby we have to go home sometime, they will have realised by now that they have to accept our situation and if they don't then it will be just us two and we'll make it work Ella, I swear we will. Right now though we have to get you home and dry you off, this isn't good for you or the baby" He pleaded

"Okay, but I want you to be by my side all the time" She whispered, scared of facing their parents and in particular her father once again.

"I promise with all my heart Ella" Troy said sincerely and with all the emotion he had.

After this they proceeded to make their way downstairs and into Troy's car where he put the heating on high and drove them home carefully in the storm that was still waging outside. Before long they pulled up into the Montez's driveway and the front door flew open.

"My dear Gabriella, where have you been? I've been so worried my dear child, we're so sorry, I'm so glad you're safe" Anna Montez said as she wrapped her daughter in a tight hug.

"I'm fine Mom, just shaken up" Came the reply from the brunette as they made their way inside.

After changing and drying off it was time to face the music once again and hopefully help her family understand that they hadn't planned this but they would not give their child up – it was going to be a small human being who needed the love and care of its parents and that's what they intended to give it.

"Um hi" She said as she sat down next to Troy on the sofa, grabbing his hand as he pulled her closer to him.

"Oh my little princess, you look so shaken up, so vulnerable. Why didn't I see this before? I'm so sorry angel, but you've always been my only child and daddy's little girl and I never envisioned your future to end up like this" Robert stated as he looked at his daughter who at that moment looked like the small dependent child he had always known.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry, I never meant for this to happen but we can't change the past and I won't give up this child – with or without your support me and Troy will manage" She said, mustering as much strength up as possible while squeezing her boyfriend and hero's hand.

"She's right Robert, we can't change the past. What's done is done now and either we move on and welcome our first grandchild or drive them away and never see any of them again. I love my son more than anything and I never envisioned his future to be like this either but sometimes fate works in mysterious ways and one day we will be thankful for this even if we aren't now" Jack said, as he looked from Troy to Gabriella and back to Robert.

"Honey Jack is right, this isn't the best time for a grandchild in any of our eyes but the baby will be born in the summer which means it won't interrupt college and we can help them out with things." Anna replied

"I agree, I'm disappointed with the children too but accidents happen and I don't want to drive them away – I love them far too much to ever live without them" Lucille said as eyed the teens who were holding hands and sitting closely on the sofa, anticipating what would be said next.

"You're right, I know that – I knew it when you ran out the door Gabriella, I never meant to be so hard on you but your my baby girl – you have to let me adjust to this. I would never not support you and if keeping this baby is what you want then I welcome my first grandchild with open arms but I want you guys to promise me you will go to college still – we can work around it somehow" Robert said as he sat down next to Anna and looked at his daughter.

"We would never give up college, it's in both of our plans even with the baby, we can get our own apartment close to campus or something and there is always day care" Troy replied wisely, stunning the people in the room as they realise about how much he had thought about this.

"Y-you mean you've thought about these things?" Gabriella finally spoke, emotion evident in her voice as she realised her loving boyfriend was going nowhere and had even thought about the future.

"Of course I do baby. I want us to have this baby and be educated too, but for now I just want to concentrate on looking after you and this little one" He said as he gently rubbed her stomach where the tiny embryo was growing.

"Son I'm more than proud of you right now – you're taking this situation on like an adult and that proves to me that we have every right to support you" Jack said sincerely as he looked in awe at his son.

"Well that's settled then. You two have proved you have thought about the future and I believe that you two are more than responsible to raise this child but just remember it's not going to be easy – even with us around there's tough times ahead. I love you princess and I'll support you through whatever you need but it's time for me to realise you're not a baby anymore and you're growing up" Robert asserted as emotion crept into his voice at the thought of his baby being all grown up.

"Thank you daddy, I'll make you proud, We'll make you all proud." The petite girl cried as she stood up and hugged her father who gripped her tightly.

Troy looked on at the scene in front of him and smiled slightly watching his girlfriend and her father, hoping he too one day would have the opportunity to have a little princess to care for and overprotect. The night continued with discussions about the pregnancy and advice and guidance from the two older women who were daring to be more excited about the prospect of having a grandchild to spoil rotten. The two teens thanked God that everything was settled with their parents but their thoughts soon turned to their friends. They would have to tell their friends on Monday at school, they would need to be informed of the situation – not only because they would notice a change in Gabriella in coming months but because they were the best of friends who told each other everything. Suddenly the pair were scared all over again; they didn't know how their friends would react to the news that they would be expecting a baby. When the whole school found out at least they could shrug disapproval off as they meant nothing to them but their friends were their life and they so desperately wanted their support and help through the coming months and eventually the coming years, were they would want them as Aunts and Uncles to their child. They were terrified of disapproval, judgement, harshness but most of all they were afraid that the coming Monday would hold rejection from their friends.

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