She was a perfectly competent adult. She could manage to move a shelving unit a few inches on her own. After all it didn't appear to be attached to the wall so surely it just needed a little shove.

"Right. I can do this," she murmured. She went to the far side, against the wall, and pushed it as well as she could, but she didn't have enough room to get her hands in the right position. So she took both sides of it and tried to pull it out from the wall, so she could get a better position to push it sideways. It didn't move immediately, so she pulled harder. It still didn't move, so she pulled even harder.

Suddenly it started to move but not the way she expected. The top half started to fall towards her.

"Shoot, shoot, shoot." In a panic, Gabriella grabbed for it, wrenching her shoulder slightly as she tried to keep the whole top half of the unit from crashing onto the floor. It was heavy, and she barely managed to hold it upright.

"This is how it ends. A marriage, two kids and a stupid wall unit is going to kill me," she gritted. She took a shaky breath and made herself calm down so she could try to push the piece back in place. But when she tried to push, it moved at a strange angle and the bottom half started to wobble.

There was a knock at the door and her body jerked. She was trapped, unable to right the unit but terrified of letting it drop and destroying a very nice piece of furniture. Or herself.

The knock came again.

"Who is it?" she called out with a frustrated sigh.

"It's Troy," the muffled familiar voice said.

Then she did the only reasonable thing for a competent adult to do in such a situation. She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Help!"

"Do I use my key?"

Her door was locked, of course, but he'd probably bust it down if he needed to. "Yes. Just hurry!"

Her arms were shaking helplessly when she heard him enter the apartment. "Gabriella?"

"Bedroom!"

"What the…" he muttered, racing over and reaching up to take the weight of the unit from her hands.

She almost sobbed in relief when she could finally lower her arms. Being much taller and stronger than she was, he easily returned the top half into position.

"Are you alright?" he demanded, turning her around and looking at her. "What happened?"

She was still shaking, but now she was a little embarrassed about causing such a foolish situation. "I'm fine. I just couldn't get it back up."

"Why didn't you just let it fall?"

"I didn't want to destroy it. This is the bookshelf you made me as a wedding gift."

He gaped at her. "So you thought it was better to try to hold the stupid thing up on your own?"

She frowned at his angry tone. "Don't call it stupid. And I would have let it drop if I'd had to. But you got here in time."

"You could have hurt yourself doing such a ridiculous thing. How did this fall on you anyway? When I brought this in Chad and I made sure it wasn't off balance."

She narrowed her eyes. "You don't have to be so rude. I was just trying to move it a little."

"You were trying to move it where?" His blue eyes focused on the shelves and then back to her face. Then they darted down briefly over her body before they returned to her face again.

"It wasn't in the middle of the room and it's been bugging me, I just wanted to move it a few inches over."

"Why didn't you just ask me to move it?"

She was trying to be an agreeable and civil person, but his tone was really starting to annoy her. "Because I don't need you to move it."

"You clearly did since you managed to make it fall on top of you."

"Don't exaggerate. I caught it just fine. And if I'd had to drop it, I could have gotten out of the way. She took a small step back since he seemed inordinately big, powerful, and intimidating in the small bedroom.

Not that she was afraid of him. She was just aware of him in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"Gabriella, I'm a phone call away. How hard would it be to just call me and ask me to move it?" His eyes dipped downward again.

"I didn't want you to move it. I wanted to move it myself." She was scowling at him when she suddenly realized she was wearing a thin spaghetti strap top and a pair of short pajama pants that barely came down to mid-thigh. With a gasp she reached for her robe from the bed and shrugged it on. Dear god she wasn't even wearing a bra.

"Why are you always so stubborn?"

She gasped again, for different reasons this time. "I am not stubborn. Nobody thinks I'm stubborn."

"I think you're stubborn. I always have." Troy paused as he listened to the silence in the apartment. "Where are the girls?"

"They're out with Chad and Piper," Gabriella said crossing her arms over her chest. "I wanted to get a few chores done while they were gone." Then she paused, "Why are you here?"

Troy motioned to the discarded gift bag by the bedroom door. "I came to apologize for yesterday. And instead I come in and find that you almost let yourself get crushed under that ludicrously heavy shelf."

She was strangely affected by his passionate outrage. It was definitely better than his being all standoffish and aloof, but it still made her mad since he was assuming she hadn't made reasonable decisions. "I didn't get crushed."

"Well, you could have. You could have been seriously hurt." The fire in his eyes started to fade, and his snarl turned into a different sort of frown. "Honestly, babe. I can build you another book shelf, I can't make another you."

Gabriella's anger dissipated. "Well, I wasn't hurt."

"I said you could have been."

She pulled her robe closed again since his eyes dropped lower once more. "But I wasn't."

"But you could have been."

She hugged her arms to her chest. "Okay. It's remotely possible that I could have been, but it didn't actually happen. So thank you for coming to help me, but I think we can let the subject go now." Her eyes moved to the bag by the door. "What's in the gift bag?"

"Bottle of your favorite wine and book," he said sheepishly.

Gabriella eyes widen as she looked back him. "Oh, that's really… sweet."

"I thought maybe you could approve the reading material I wanted to read the girls," he said quietly. "I mean; I know that you want them to read books that are … smart." Troy shook his head as he brought up a hand to back of his neck. "I just also want them to read books that I might stand a chance of understanding myself."

Gabriella smiled, "Would you like some wine?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea-"

"Nonsense," Gabriella relaxed as she placed a hand on his forearm and led him out into the hall. "It's the least I can do. You did save my life just now."

Troy followed her into the kitchen his eyes watching her closely as she pulled out two glasses and place them on the table.

"I could move the bookshelf if you like, I could probably help you do some other chores if you want," he said with an amused smile.

Gabriella shook her head, "I don't want to trouble you, I mean you probably have better things to do with your free time than hang some curtains."

"I don't," he said quickly.

Gabriella poured both glasses. "Oh."

"In fact, I rather hang curtains than go back to the house just stare at the ceiling."

Gabriella smiled, "Well I guess I could go for some conversation that doesn't involve historian restoration or One Direction."

Troy winced, "They're breaking up you know."

Gabriella nodded, "The girls have been devastated." They both smiled as they sipped their wine. For the rest of the evening they talked about the small stuff. The big rummage sale at the girl's school, the new fascination with Monster High.

Her eyes kept slipping to his tight butt and strong legs in his worn jeans. To his broad shoulders and powerful back beneath the fabric of his T-shirt. To the way his impressive biceps tightened and rippled as he held the bookshelf in place.

She missed being able to touch him. Just the causal touches, sliding her hand along his arms, shoulders, back, legs or butt. She wondered if his big hands were as callused as she remembered.

Since Troy had been around so often, she'd been slammed with ridiculous urges, sometimes at highly inappropriate times. She wanted to touch him. Wanted him to touch her. Wanted to jump him in the kitchen or in the car, or on her living room couch. It had been much easier to control her feelings when he wasn't around all the time. But because of the Seymour Manor Project he was around and she couldn't forget the fact that she and Troy were married.

They were still married.

But acting on the desire would be foolish since things were going so well during their six month break.

"Did you hear me?" Troy asked, glancing over his shoulder.

Gabriella's cheek blazed as his voice pierced her heated thoughts. "What…yes, no… what?"

His brow lowered in confusion as he turned back to unsuccessfully try move the now bolted book shelf.

She forced herself to pull it together, furious with herself for letting her mind go down such futile path. Admiring, wanting, pinning for her own husband. What the hell was she thinking?

"I said I was wondering if you wanted to go to the assembly tomorrow together. Maybe go out for pizza afterwards? The four of us?"

Gabriella sipped her wine as she pulled her robe closed. "That could work."

Troy nodded as he took a step back from the bookshelf and placed the drill on the bed. "Is this were you want it?"

Gabriella looked at the bookshelf and nodded in approval. "Thank you."

"No problem."

Gabriella finished her wine and let out a breath, "Whew! I think I'm buzzed."

"You never did have much tolerance," he said grimly.

"You don't have to make it sound like it's a flaw in my design." Feeling overly warm, she relaxed her old on her robe, letting it hang open. "Geez, I don't even have a bra on."

"I noticed that," he smiled as he began packing away his tools.

"I could always put one on if this is uncomfortable?"

He gave her a matter-of-fact shrug. "Doesn't bother me. I've seen the parts in question before."

Gabriella huffed for a minute, until she decided on the reasonableness of his claims. But just to make sure they were on an equal playing field, she said with what she thought was impressive acumen. "I've seen your parts too. Don't forget."

"I haven't forgotten. You were always very good to my parts."

Gabriella felt a small blush color her cheeks as she leaned on the door frame. "I miss talking to you."

Troy stilled as he kept his hands on the tool bag. "I always here if you want to talk."

Gabriella shook her head, "It doesn't feel the same," she let out a sigh. "You have no idea what it's like not being able to open a pickle jar at three in the morning."

"Well let me at that pickle jar, I'll give it a good talking too."

Gabriella let out laugh as she pushed herself off the wall. "I had Jason open it the other night, when he was here."

The mention of Jason's name put a deep frown on Troy's features. "How often is he here?"

Gabriella shrugged, "Just when we have things to go over from the project. I mean I'm on his way home so it just makes better sense for him to drop by."

"And the girls?"

"He hardly ever talks to them or has anything to do with them. He's my boss Troy."

Troy made a huff. "I still don't like him."

"You mean you don't trust me," the words hung out there as she looked down at the carpet of her bedroom. For a moment her vision blurred but she took a deep breath before risking to look up at him again.

"That's not what I'm saying." Troy walked over to her stopping so that he was close enough to touch her just by lifting his hand to her cheek. "I'm sorry about last night, really. I never meant to insinuate that I don't trust you. It's him I don't trust and while you may not be under my roof and in my bed, make no mistake that you are still very much mine."

His words made her inhale sharply, her belly was fluttering with nerves, for no good reason. Well they had one reason. His touch. It was just as callous yet soft as she remembered.

"I-I-think we should-"

There was a knock at the door and Gabriella let out a breath as she shook her head a cleared her head. "That has to be the girls."

Troy watched in dismay as she put up all those brick walls he almost broke down. She adjusted her robe and made her way to the front door. He remained in the bedroom. It was one thing for the girls to know he was here but it would probably be for the best if Chad didn't see him.

He made sure that he packed up all of his tools. He listened as she greeted Chad, got the behavior report and then set up a play date for the following weekend where the girls could have a sleep over. Once he was gone Troy heard the running footsteps of his daughters making their way to their bedroom.

"Daddy!" the girls skidded to a stop upon seeing him in the door way. He smiled as he bent down to offer hugs and kisses.

"Daddy, why are you here?" Hannah asked curiously.

"Your mommy needed help moving the bookshelf, so I came over to move it for her."

"Because you're strong!" Hailey shouted as she pounced on his back.

"That's right," he laughed as he reached back to hoist her up so she was sitting on his shoulders. "Your mom's strong too, she's just a different kind of strong."

Hannah wrapped her arms around his torso, "Am I strong?"

"Super strong," he confirmed.

Gabriella stepped forward, her hand resting gently in Hannah's hair, "Alright, alright. Go brush your teeth and get ready for bed."

Amidst the good nights, grumbles and protest the girls made their way to the bathroom to do as they were told. Once the hallway was clear again it was just the two of them Troy reached over and pulled her into the bedroom door way, pinning her against the frame and lowering his lips down onto hers.

"You have to stop doing that," she whispered against his lips as he pulled away. "If they see us we're going to have a lot of questions neither one of us is ready to answer."

"I'm not capable of staying away from you for long," Troy murmured against her lips. "You're the sweetest, hottest thing I've ever known."

"Why can't you just be cold like and unfriendly, why do you have to make this hurt so much?"

"I don't want make it hurt," Troy murmured gracing her chin with the pad of his thumb. "I just want a chance to make it up to you."

"Maybe we should have this conversation tomorrow," she admitted looking over his shoulders to make sure the girls weren't overhearing.

"As long as you want to have one," he said softly.

"I do. Just not around the girls."

Troy nodded and took a step back reaching for his things he murmured his good byes to her and then shouted his see you tomorrow's to the girls who came running out tooth brushes in hand to give him one last roundabout of toothpaste kisses.

Once Gabriella softly closed the door behind him she placed a hand over her heart. Her mind was swirling with questions. Was it time to give this another try? Could Troy really change? Could she really trust him to put her and the girls first? Could she put the girls through this if it wasn't going to work?

A frown settled over her features as she heard them giggling in the bathroom. "Girls finish up, it's time for bed."

Both girls appeared from the bathroom and crossed the hall to their bedroom and Gabriella followed suit. She stood in the doorway of their bedroom watching as they got ready for bed. "Did you girls have fun with Piper and Uncle Chad?"

Hannah nodded. "We got a book for daddy," she came over to her bag and pulled out a thick book. "We know we've read it already but we think daddy will enjoy this one."

Gabriella took the book from her daughter's hands reading the cover. It was a Harry Potter book.

"It's going to be perfect for our morning breakfast," Hailey proclaimed excitedly.

"Morning breakfast?" Gabriella asked with a raised brow.

"We make pancakes," Hannah said her sober face starting to glow as she explained. "They're really big and daddy makes our faces on them. He even made one look like you mommy!"

"He did?" Gabriella couldn't help but smile at her daughter's obvious delight at the memory. "Did he use chocolate chips and whipped cream to make the faces?" For a moment, she wanted so much to be a part of the pancake making episodes that her chest ached with the feeling.

Time like this she was convinced the break they were taking was a good thing for both of them. She was starting to feel refreshed, like she might have the energy to tackle their relationship again.

Hailey hadn't noticed her mother distraction and was answering her question happily. "No. I wanted to use whipped cream, but he said it would mess up the faces. He used blueberries and strawberries and dried cranberries and raisins and pieces of this orange fruit." Her forehead wrinkled. "I don't remember what they were called. He said they grew in the tropics."

"Their called mangoes," Hannah supplied as she pulled down the comforted on her twin size bed.

Hailey gave a satisfied nod. "Oh yeah," she giggled. "They were funny faces."

Gabriella walked into the room as both girls got under the covers. "So what did my pancake look like? Did it have a big nose and funny hair?"

"No," Hannah said, frowning disapprovingly. "It was pretty. We all thought so."

Gabriella felt another emotional tug at the idea that Troy still thought she was pretty, even her representation on a pancake. "What else do you do besides eating pancakes?"

"We read a lot." Hailey said. "We read two whole books. Long ones!"

"Daddy thought they were a little boring though."

"What do you mean 'we'? He read them too?"

Hannah huffed like her mother was being dense and slow. "Yes we read them together. He reads then I read, then Hailey reads. We do it all the time."

Gabriella blinked, vaguely baffled by the incredible picture her daughter's words evoked. "You read out loud?"

"Yes." Hailey answered smoothing the blanket over herself. "That's how we read with daddy."

Swallowing. Gabriella tried to process all that she'd heard. She was so overwhelmed by the knowledge that Troy had stated to sit with the girls and read.

On many nights he hadn't come home until after bedtime. Sometimes the girls would even cry themselves to sleep waiting for their daddy. Their even be days at a time that would go by where he'd never seen them. Too busy with the next project, just a day's work away from being done with an important task.

He never wanted to just do restoration, of course it was his first love, but he been on the verge of taking on other kinds of projects. Ones that would make his career, and entirely demolish whatever chances they had as a family.

He ended up turning the jobs down anyway, but that was after their marriage had already crashed and burned. And he'd made it very clear that he was taking it begrudgingly and resented Gabriella for making him do it.

The knowledge that he'd changed, that he was trying so hard and keeping it private so she wouldn't even know, meant so much to her that she literally started to shake.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Hannah asked.

Gabriella quickly pulled herself together, not wanting the girls to be concerned. "Yes, I'm okay."

Hailey had obviously been doing some thinking of her own. "Do you think Daddy loves us more now than when we were little?"

Gabriella tensed up and focused again and Hailey, who was frowning thoughtfully. "What? Why do you ask that, sweetie?"

"Well," Hannah said when Hailey didn't answer, "he does seem to love us more now."

Evidently the girl's thoughts had gone down the same paths as Gabriella, but the girls were even less equipped to understand the transformation than Gabriella was.

"No babies." Gabriella said taking a seat in the chair between their beds. "He's always loved you both so much."

"But he didn't used to hand out with us," Hailey said quietly.

Gabriella took a minute to control her emotions. She tried so hard to make sure her babies were safe, happy and loved, but there was so much she couldn't control.

"Daddy has a hard job," Gabriella said, making her voice as gentle as she could, praying she was handling this right. "Sometimes it takes all his time. He always wants to hang out with you as much as he can. But even when he can't he still loves you. He always loves you girls. And if sometimes he can't spend as much time with you, he still loves you."

"I don't think he will." Hannah said confidently.

Gabriella actually gasped. "You don't think he will love you?"

"No." The girl looked at her like she was being silly. "I don't think later on he'll stop hanging out with us."

Gabriella tried to answer but couldn't, suddenly she wished Troy was here too. He always seemed to know what to do in tricky situation like this.

"Daddy likes hanging out with us," Hailey added, as if Hannah earlier point needed more explanation. "And he's not as sad as he used to be."

That caught her attention. "What do mean? When was he sad?"

"Before," Hannah explained. Waving her hand as if that was plenty explanation. "But he's not like that anymore."

This only made Gabriella's head spin. She had so many more questions and feelings she had no way of sorting out. Deciding that this had all been enough for one night she let out a long breath and put the Harry Potter book down on their night stand. Before leaving she gave each one a special kiss goodnight and one of her special nose snuggles.

Gabriella left the room, her feelings in an uproar. She had no idea what to think about so much of the discussion she'd just had with her daughters.

She almost called up Troy right then, since more than anything she just wanted to hear his voice, but she stopped herself. They would talk tomorrow.