The next day Gabriella sat up in bed looking at the clock on the night stand and then at the lilac color walls that hadn't been altered since she left for college all those years ago. Shifting slightly she let out a sigh as she look down at her daughter who slept peacefully besides her on the full size bed. Quietly she let out a low grumble as she thought about the idea of seeing Troy again. It had been too long since she looked into the pricing blue eyes of her past. She only wished she could go back to the days were things had been just fine between them, when he would just make her laugh or they would just sit up in the treehouse talking for hours.

Rounding the house at full speed two little boys aiming water guns at each other made shooting noises as they dodged and jumped over toys scattered around the yard. The rays from the sun could be heard as it was shining down on them with the heat wave.

One brown skinned boy with an afro hid behind a tree and held the water gun close to his chest. Panting as he tried to get sight of the enemy. The yard had gone quite in the stand still of water gun warfare when suddenly a water balloon fell from the sky and he was soaked. The little boy looked up into the tree house to see a curly brown haired girl giggling as she held another balloon in her hand.

"You're so going down Gabby!" He yelled running from the tree and racing at full speed to the side of the garage.

"I'll get her," a blond blue eyed boy said as he climbed the tree house ladder, his super soaker slung over his shoulder as he made his way up the tree trunk. The girl in the tree house smiled as she pulled her bucket of water balloons on to the ledge. Before the little boy could climb any higher, the little girl was dropping water balloons one right after the other on him. With a shout the little boy slipped, jumping to the ground and running off in an effort to duck for cover.

"I am Queen of the yard," she yelled with a howl of laughter "bow to me!" More balloons flew through the yard as she aimed at the boys. Refusing to meet defeat both boys teamed together aiming their water guns upwards in an attempt to get in a shot.

Devising a plot the dark skinned boy began climbing up the side of the tree pulling himself up by the branches as the little blond boy kept her busy. Once the little boy had sneaked over the ledge of the railing and began to pump is water gun and went to shoot but to his surprise his gun was empty.

"Out of ammunition?" the little girl said as she turned around and picked up her last water balloon. "I'm not," she said throwing the ball at him and drenching him in water with one big spash.

"Ha but now you're out of balloons," the blond boy said aiming his water gun and shooting them both with the full blast of his super soaker. Both the little girl and boy spotted the spare water gun at the same time both of them darting forward to grab it. In the commotions of giggles and shrieks the blond little boy had climbed up into the tree house and stood between them shielding the little girl from the blast of the other water gun.

"This is it Gabby, tell my mom I love her," he yelled as the other little boy aimed the gun for his chest and drenched him in water.

Gabriella pushed herself up so that she was sitting in bed. Leaning back onto the head board she took a deep breath as the laughter from her childhood seeped further back into the darkness of the past. Looking down at Alex she smiled, the one thing about her past she never regretted was her daughter. With a tender touch she lightly brushed her light brown hair out of her face. Her smile faded as she thought about the pain she was about to bring into her daughter's life. The betrayal, lies and secrets she was about to unleash.

Part of her wanted to conceal her forever in this bubble that she had created. This life that she had built just for them. She wasn't sure what her daughter would say let alone if Troy would want any part of her life. If that were to be the case and Troy didn't want any part of their life then so be it. She just needed him to sign the adoption papers anyway.

Then again who to say he didn't already hate her. She left Albuquerque almost nine years ago before she even knew about Alex. By the time she did know about Alex she was in her first week of college and she couldn't go back. She promised herself she wouldn't. What happen between her and Troy hurt too much to come back. Being with him had been so special, It was her first time and she remember it like yesterday, how could she not hold it close to her heart. The first time is always with you and you always remember it.

Giggles were heard from the tree house. Inside Troy and Gabriella sat on the floor facing each other and smiling coyly.

"You look beautiful," Troy said as he lifted his hand to allow his finger to caress the side of her cheek. "Jason is a moron," he said wiping a small trace of her tears away.

Gabriella sniffled as she looked down at the floor and sighed, "It's my fault really, I should have known better. What was I thinking? Boys can be so..." Gabriella let out a huff as she brought a hand up to wipe her own eyes. Shaking her head she didn't know what else to say or how to explain it. "I just didn't think he would hit me," she said bring her hand up to her cheek and touching the tender skin beneath her fingertips.

"Well," Troy said with a small sigh, "he not a real man." Lifting the small bag of ice back he snuck past his mother to retrieve he held it up to her cheek lightly pressing against it.

"I'm sorry," Gabriella said for the thirteen time that evening. "I made you leave prom earlier than expected," she said sadly, "I know how much you were looking forward to your date with Susan."

Troy was unsure but he could have sworn there was the slightest tone of jealousy in her voice. "You're my best friend if you're not at prom, what's the point of my being there?" he said carefully as he watched her try to smile and then winced from the bruise on her face mixed with the cold burn of the ice.

Gabriella smiled warmly as best as she could looking into his blue eyes. Since the very first year of high school she had a crush on her best friend but she could never tell him. Instead she sat on the sidelines being the best friend, the last call when he was drunk and needed a ride, his personal cheerleader at all of his basketball games because heaven forbid she miss one. Sometimes when he looked at she felt like she was the only one in the room. Other times she felt like she wasn't even there.

She'd had years of experience in hiding her emotions, of being fine when she wasn't and masking that bitterness she always felt whenever he had another woman in his arms. Throughout her entire high school career she had been a magnet for every loser within a 5 mile radius. Over the years the tree house had become their special place somewhere to go when things were too much or if they just need an escape from everything going on. It was their safe haven.

"Thanks Troy," she said quietly.

"I never thought the night would go like this that's for sure," Troy said with a chuckle as brought a finger up to her nose in a playful tap. "Montez you really know how go out with a bang."

"If only I could do it on purpose," she said with sigh, "Chad hit him pretty hard." Gabriella looked out over the ledge and into the quiet sky that was outside looking in on them.

"Not hard enough if you ask me," he said removing the ice to see the soft pink of her skin, the swelling was staying at bay but he was more than sure she'd have a nice bruise by morning.

"Is that why you punched him a second time?" she said with a smile.

"Hey, no one beats on my best friend and get away with it," he said looking into her eyes with a smile that filled him completely. "Especially, when she's all dolled up and pretty," he added in a softer tone.

Both of them were quite for a while as they stared at each other. Neither one knew for sure who made the first move or if anything was said to predict what happened next but unknowingly they both leaned in closer.

Their lips were closer together and she could feel her heart beating faster and she was worried that he might be able to hear it.

"Gabriella," he whispered as if it was the first time he had ever said her name. Next thing she knew her lips were covered by his and his hands came up to cradle her face. Gabriella felt her heart soar the moment her lips touched his, his kiss was soft and sweet, gentle yet demanding. She felt her own hands rise against his chest as she let on hand come up further to travel thought his hair like she had so many times before in her dreams.

She felt his hand slide down her side and rest on her hip as if holding her in place. His fingers gripping the fabric of her dress. The entire time her body was shaking from the hold he had over her. The warmth that came from his closeness the smell of his aftershave and the soothing sound of a moan escaping his lips as he smiled against hers. It didn't take long before the desire for more became overwhelming. When his lips left her and began making a path down her cheek to the arch of her neck.

"Mom?"

Gabriella blinked back a few tears as she brought herself out of memory of that night and back into the here and now with her daughter. "Yes Alex," she ask peaceful.

"Grandpa said we could go get a tape recorder today so I can be a real life reporter," Alex said excitedly as she sat up from her position in bed. Her pigtails were almost undone and her hair was wild from sleep as she bounced up and down in her big Scooby-Doo T-shirt.

"Well, we'll need to brush that hair of yours," Gabriella said with a smile, "Why don't you go get ready for a bath and I'll be right in to wash your hair."

"Alright!" Alex jumped off the bed and ran over to the bathroom.

"And brush your teeth," Gabriella called after her as she got up from the bed herself. Leaning down she began to make the bed as she heard the water running in the bathroom.