It had been a quiet afternoon so far with the kids sitting around playing with their toys, his wife in the kitchen doing dishes and fixing something for dinner. In jeans and college t-shirt Chad lifted the remote to change the channel when there was a loud bang at the door. Instantly he sat up from the couch as he turned to face the door where the banging noise was coming from. It took him a moment to realize someone was knocking and the banging continued more persistently.
"What the hell?" he mumbled as he got up onto his feet.
Taylor who had coming to the living in one of Chad jerseys with a pair of pajama pants on as she walked towards the door to peek through one of the curtains, turning around she frowned. "It's Troy," she said looking at him and moving away from the window.
Chad's shoulders fell in relief as he made his way to the door. Stopping when their youngest, Michael, began to cry behind him.
"I'll put him to bed, he's hasn't napped today," Taylor said as she walked over to where he was and picked him up. "Come with mommy Derrick," she called to their oldest boy who was still standing by the couch.
"Open the damn door Chad; I know you're in there," Troy yelled as he pounded on the door again. Chad waited until Taylor and the boys were at least half way up the stairs before he yanked the door open glaring at Troy.
"Dude what the hell is your problem, do you know what time it is?"
"Where's Taylor?" Troy demanded as he storming into the house almost pushing Chad back.
"What's going on?"
Troy spun around pointing a finger at Chad, "Tell me you didn't know about Alex!"
"What about Alex? Dude, relax what's going on?" Chad said closing the front door and coming into his living room where Troy had begun searching for someone.
"Tell me you didn't know she was mine," Troy said looking up at him as he came to a stop between the living room and kitchen. "Best friend to best friend," he said holding his hand out in front of him. His breathing was hard as his chest rose and fell more rapidly. He looked panicked, angry and somber all at once.
Chad took a step forward trying not to startle him, as he looked at Troy with confusion. "Troy, I need you to breathe," Chad said slowly, "who is yours?"
"Alex," he said, letting out a sigh as he said the words out loud. Troy shoulders dropped as he hung his head back. "This is all just so fucked up," he said bringing his hands up to his face and rubbing it hard.
"Wait, Alex is yours?" Chad said puzzled, "why would I know that?" he asked taken aback by the accusation. Just then Taylor came down the stairs with a worried expression.
"What is all that shouting about?" she said looking from Troy to Chad.
"You," Troy said taking a deep breath and walking towards her. "How could you not tell me about her?" His voice rose about ten levels as she pointed his finger at her.
Picking up on the situation very quickly Taylor straightened as she lifted her hands in the air in defense, "She begged me not to."
"Wait. You know what he's talking about?" Chad said confused as he looked from Taylor to Troy.
"Got damn it," Troy said reaching for the side table and flipping it over.
"Hey!" Chad yelled from behind him.
"Taylor this isn't some stupid high school secret," he said his voice getting louder. "This is my kid," He said bringing his hand up to his chest. "I had a daughter and you knew, but didn't see the need to tell me."
"Whoa watch it Bolton," Chad said coming between him and Taylor. "Whatever is going on, quit your shit because the last time I check both of those boys upstairs were mine, this has nothing to do with us," Chad said holding out a hand to pull Taylor behind him, "so I suggest whatever this drama is? You either stop yelling at my wife or I'm going to have to kick your ass out of my house."
"No she just has a fucked up sense of morals," Troy said looking at Taylor who's eyes grew wide as she looked back at him with hurt in her eyes.
"Troy I'm sorry but it wasn't my place to say anything," she said sincerely.
"Bullshit," he said taking a step back. "My daughter is growing up without a father and you thought it just wasn't your place to say anything," he said throwing his arms up, "eight years Taylor!" Troy let out a sob as he screamed the last part. "How long would it have been not your place to say if I hadn't figured it out?"
"I'm sorry Troy, I don't know what to say," she yelled back.
"Enough." Chad held up a hand to Troy before he could speak again. "Outside. Now," he said sharply.
Troy brought his hands up through his hair before turning around and making his way to the front door. Once Troy was outside Chad turned to his wife who was leaning on the wall for support. Chad smiled at Taylor to comfort her. "It's okay, I'll talk to him. It's not your fault," he said placing a kiss on her forehead.
Nodding as she closed her eyes she brought her hands up to hold his as they gently held her face. "I'm fine, he just needs someone to talk to right now," she said taking a deep breath.
Placing another kiss on her forehead he smiled down at her and pulled away to deal with his best friend who was waiting on the porch for him. As he came outside Chad shut the door behind him and paused as Troy looked out into the rain.
"I'm sorry for yelling," he said in a low tone.
"Good," Chad said relaxing a little, "because if you were any other guy I'd of popped you one for yelling at her like that." Chad came over to his side leaning on the railing beside him and looking out at the street and how the water gathered through by the drain. It was already dark out, and the rain outside was coming down in even summer night shower.
"I'm a dad," Troy said looking down at the grass in Chad yard, "I have no idea what I'm going to do right now.
There was silence for a while as Chad took a moment to put all the piece of this puzzle together in his mind. "So this means you and Gabriella must have…" Chad let the sentence trail off as he looked over at him watching him intently.
Troy simply nodded and ran a hand through his hair, "You know, this morning my biggest problem was not having milk for my cereal, now I have an eight year old daughter."
"When did you guys-"
"Prom night," Troy finished for him.
"Wow," Chad said looking out into the rain. "I mean, I knew secretly you both had it bad for one another, but wow." Chad tapped his thumb on the railing as he leaned on back. He couldn't say that he surprised by the fact that his two best friends had ended up together at one point but he was shocked about the results that had transpired. "Wait, so you're first time wasn't with Susan Landon?"
"Nope." Troy looked down at his hands as thought about all the things he'd missed out on so far. The first Christmas, first birthday, first steps, first word, being able to teach her how to talk, taking her trick or treating, helping her with homework. Troy let out a sigh as he thought about the last eight years and what he'd been doing. The late night at the bars, the women he brought back home, to his large home with three bedrooms that were empty and waiting for him every day. His persistent urge to settle down with a good woman and have a family of his own. A distant murmur pulled him back to the present as he realized Chad was talking to him.
"I just think the whole thing is crazy. I always thought she got tired of waiting around for you to wake up and ask her out. Which I don't know why you never did because as far as crushes go you were pretty pathetic back in high school. "
"Yeah," Troy said with frown, "I had it bad, sometimes I'd just sit in the tree house and watch her while she did her homework at her kitchen table," he said shaking his head has he let out a small groan of embarrassment.
"That means you lied to us about how you won that stupid pack," Chad said with chuckle. "So then what happened at the farewell party with Susan I thought you guys were hot and heavy for round two?" Chad asked.
"I lied," Troy said with a shrug, "she was in the room with someone else." Troy said away from Chad as he looked down a bike leaning against the front steps. "Gabi wasn't talking to me, she blew me off and Susan was too drunk to remember anyway. I wanted to but I just couldn't do it with her after what happened between me and Gabi."
"So you guys have 18 years of being best friends, and 9 years being complete strangers," he said with a putting the pieces together, "and now you have a kid with her, all because of one night in between." Letting out a sigh Chad looked up at Troy with a raised brow. "Coach is going to kill you."
Troy was quiet and then shook his head. Looking back at the floor he was silent for a moment. "I'm a father."
"Congrats man," Chad said patting him on the shoulder, "You're either the luckiest guy I know or a sorry son of a bitch."
"What am I supposed to do next?" Troy said looking at the street, "Alex doesn't know I'm her father."
"Do you love her?" Chad said looking at Troy and standing up a little straighter.
Troy looked up at him with confusion, "I guess I mean, Alex seems like a great kid, who wouldn't want a great kid?"
"I meant Gabriella, do you love Gabriella?" Chad said looking at him with a suspicious eye.
Troy was silent as tried to figure out how he felt about Gabriella at the moment. In honesty he felt betrayed and hurt, he felt like she hid Alex from him purposely just to get back at him. However before he knew about Alex, before she'd all but told him to go fuck himself, he did have every intention of chasing her down. Truth was he loved Gabriella without a hesitation in his mind and he knew he wanted not someone like her to fill his life but Gabriella herself. Only now how could he trust her. Looking up at Chad and then back at the house he let out a sigh.
"I think love her," he said shrugging his shoulders, "I should hate her right now, but I just feel bad about not being there for her and not being someone she could turn to."
"Well I can't say I know where you're coming from but if you love her then what's the problem?" Chad said with a smile as he nudge him a bit. "Troy you have two choices right now," he said pausing before he continued, "turn on your Bolton charm and win her back, marry her and live happily ever after," he said holding out his hands to weight the options. "Or you could be there for your kid and from this moment on be the greatest dad you can be. Just know that if wait too long to choose you might just lose them both," Chad said the last part a bit more serious.
"I love her," Troy said as he looked out into the rain, "I can't lose either of them."
"Then tell her that" Chad said patting him on the back. "And don't come around my house screaming and yelling unless we win a game," he added pointing a finger at him.
"I'm sorry," Troy said looking back at the house, "Can you tell her I'm an asshole and that I'm sorry." Troy began walking down the steps of the porch.
"Where are you going man?"
"I got to talk to her?" he called back as he began running towards his car in the rain.
Chad shook his head as he leaned on the railing and watched as the Troy's red Mercedes took off down the street. When he could no longer see him he decided to go back inside to his wife.
The rain outside was still going as Gabriella laid awake in bed with Alex beside her sound asleep. She hadn't been keeping track of the time at all but if she had to guess it was closer to midnight than she'd like it to be. Letting out a small sigh she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked towards the window outside at the rain. That was when she heard a knock at her window and her eyes shifted to focus on the French doors that let out to a small balcony. Standing there was figure of a man outside her window on the balcony.
Freezing in her spot she gasp with the shock of figures sudden appearance only to relax when she noticed the familiar body type leaning closer to the window as he tried to see in. Careful not wake her daughter she got out of bed and slowly made her way to the French doors. The house was quiet and every one had gone to bed. As lightly as she could she pulled the door open and stepped on to the balcony and closed the door lightly behind her making sure it was unlocked.
"Hey," Troy said as he looked back into the room where Alex was sleeping. There was a tightness in his chest and he couldn't takes his eyes off her small figure as she shifted in the bed in a peaceful slumber.
"What do you want?" she said in a harsh whisper as she stared at him wrapping her arms around herself to shield from the light drizzle and breeze blowing through the night.
"I just want to talk," he said running a hand through his hair.
"Then talk and do quick, she's a light sleeper in strange places," she said looking back at her daughter.
Troy looked at down at Gabriella in her big Jersey t-shirt, she looked so small and helpless against the world and all he wanted to do was protect her. A quiet clam came over him when he realized the jersey number was his own, he couldn't help but smile. It was a small sign that he still had a shot, "I want to know what you're planning to do about Alex," he asked staring back into the room.
"I'm leaving back to California in two weeks," she said as she shivered.
Troy removed his jacket instantly and placed it around her shoulders as she looks up at him in shock. It was like she didn't expect him to be so close, in all honesty neither did he, but he didn't move back. "What if I want to spend more time with her?" he asked in low voice not able to take his eyes off hers, "More time with you?"
"Wait," Gabriella blinked as he looked away from then back up at him as she released a frustrated sigh.
"Troy we can't just pick up where we left off," she said holding his jacket closer to her.
"Why not?" he asked stepping closer to her not willing to be turned down so easily.
"Because I'm getting married to another man," she said looking at him with a frown.
Troy felt his inside squeeze tightly as he thought about her being married to someone else, someone other than him. He didn't want to lose that easily, he wasn't going to give up just because she had other plans. Deciding to handle this matter at a later time he closing his eyes he took a deep breath. "How are we going to tell Alex?"
"We can both tell her tomorrow that way she can spend some time with you before she goes back for the school year," Gabriella said looking down at the floor. "I have some concerns for Alex and your career," she said in a neutral voice. "Now that this is going to be out there I have to think about her and what I want her to be exposed to at a young age. Your lifestyle is not just yours anymore."
"I understand," Troy said taking a little bit of offense that she turned down her noise at his lifestyle. "I don't want the press all over her either, but, don't pin that on me because if you would have been honest from the start the sudden surface of an eight year old little girl calling me daddy wouldn't make headlines," he suggested.
"You're right, I know what I did was wrong," she said with a pause, "but I can't change the past I can only change the future." Gabriella voice was sharp and stranded obviously she was upset, and had been crying. With a short nod she looked up at him and stuck her chin out. "I'm trying to fix it."
Troy leaned in closer so that she could feel his body heat. "No one is going to hate you," he said reassuring her. He watched as she shook her head, knowing that she already assumed the worst. Troy placed his hands on her shoulders. "I don't hate you," he said knowing it was what she needed to hear, "I don't like this situation, but we will figure this out."
"Troy, I know this is a mess and I don't expect you to be happy with me but-" before she could finish he cut her off with a kiss, the memories of the past surging to the surface as the tingles from his touch coursed through her. She was instantly lost because the warmth of his touch pulled her in, her hands came up to his chest grabbing the wet fabric of his shirt as she let her body fall into his. The closer she was the more it wasn't enough, any amount of him would ever be enough.
His left arm wrapped around her waist hugging her closer to him as he took a step forward holding out his right arm to feel the wall behind her and brace she from the impact. The moment her back touched the wall and he pressed against her, he couldn't help himself. His hands traveled down her body to her bare thighs his fingers hitching the fabric of the jersey up as he touched the searing hot skin beneath.
He had to have more of her, with a quick movement he bent down swooping her up so his hands were on her bottom while her legs wrapped around him. Their lips still attacking each other's in a kiss that was nothing like he'd ever experienced. This wasn't some random woman he met a club or some girl he was attempting to feel something with. This was Gabriella, this was the girl he felt everything for and mother of his child a thought that gave the moment an erotic charge he hadn't been expecting to feel.
Gabriella felt his lips leave hers and begin trailing down her neck and she couldn't deny the zing of pleasure racing through her. This inexperienced boy next door had turned into a man, a man who had muscles in places that he hadn't before, a man whose sexual drive was obviously more experienced. This innocent little crush on Troy Bolton shifted and she found herself gasping a loud as she filled with something bigger and overwhelmingly too much.
"Troy," she said in a panic, pushing him away from her with small push. "Stop, I can't do this," she said silently when he pulled away, his hold on her loosened and he gently let her down on the floor but he didn't step back.
"Troy, I'm going to marry another man," she said placing a hand on his chest and pushing lightly to put space between them. When he didn't move her eyes came up to meet his. "Please don't make things harder than it has to be. You have to understand that besides Alex and a faded prom night memory we have nothing to do with each other."
"Bullshit," Troy finally said causing her to up a little, "this isn't nothing, don't pretend it is."
"Troy, I mean it," Gabriella said a little annoyed as she pushed at him, "I'm with someone else."
Troy grabbed her right hand bringing it up examining her bare ring finger, looking down at her he noticed the chain around her neck and reached down to pull it from her shirt. A small engagement ring came out and Troy held it between his fingers, "You're with someone whose ring you're wearing on a sliver chain rather than on your finger where it should be. I'm going to take a leap of faith and assume you're not that committed."
Gabriella took the ring from his hands and tucked it back inside her shirt. "It's none of your business what my commitments are."
"My daughter living with some other guy is a very much my business."
"Troy until yesterday you were just some guy," she countered.
"But I'm her father," Troy countered leaning down he came close to her ear, using his hand to brush some of her hair over her shoulder and placing a light kiss on her neck. "This guy doesn't mean anything, he doesn't know you like I do."
"I've changed, I'm not some little girl next door anymore."
"Right, just like I'm not the safe little boy next door I use to be," Troy said hovering over her lips his hand came up gently caressing her side of her face before using his thumb to lightly grace her bottom lip. "Nine years is a long time Gabriella, I'm not letting you out of sight this time."
Gabriella let out a long breath as she turned from him right before he was able to dip any lower. She wanted him to kiss her, she liked what he was saying and a small part of her was turned on at the thought of his light touch on her bottom lip. But she had to turn away from him, she had to hide all the pain in her eyes she was sure was there.
"Tomorrow we'll go to the park and we can both tell her."
When there was nothing but silence she turned around to see Troy standing there and watching Alex sleep in the room over her shoulder.
"Troy?" she said quietly.
"I'll be damn if I miss another second of that little girl's life," he said looking back at her and taking a deep breath. "This is going to happen regardless," Troy said motioning to the air between them, "and I'll wait as long as I have to because that's only fair but when it comes to my daughter, I'll be damned if you take her away from me again."
"I think you should go," she said.
"Fine," he said gently reaching in he placed a small kiss on her forehead before he pulled away. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Gabriella nodded and she handed him his jacket and slipped back inside.
The next day Gabriella and Alex walked hand in hand as Troy walked alongside them. He'd picked them up around noon and he drove them to the park, the entire time Gabriella was careful not to touch him. When they got to the park it was full of kids and they walked for a while before they decided on a bench to sit.
When they were all seated Gabriella took one of Alex's small hands in hers. "Alex," she said with small smile, "We have something very important to tell you."
Alex who was watching the kids on the swing suddenly turned towards her mother with worried expression. "Is this about Doug?"
"No," Gabriella said with a frown, "This has nothing to do with Doug."
"Then what is it?" she asked looking up at her mom then up at Troy with a curious glaze, "Are you going to marry my mom?"
Troy raised a brow and before he could answer her Gabriella interrupted, "Sweetie," she said giving Troy a stern look before looking back at her daughter. "Remember how I said that I would tell you one day about your dad but not until it's the right time?"
Alex nodded looking back over at Troy, "You know where my father is?" Alex asked cautiously. After a moment of silence between them she spoke again, "Is he going to marry my mom?"
"Boy, you really want your mom to get married, huh?" he said with a smile.
Alex leaned over to whisper, "It's either that or I live with butthead who's going to label all the jars in the fridge."
Troy looked confused and glanced over at Gabriella who frowned as she placed her hand on Alex's hand again, "Alex, sweetheart, please pay attention," she asked. "I want you to know who your father is," Gabriella said calmly, "it's very important."
"Who is it then?" Alex said in a low voice.
"Well," Troy said in a soft voice. "I am," he said looking down at Alex with a gentle smile.
There was silence between the three of them and Alex slowly stared up at her mom who nodded in conformation. Both adults watched as Alex looked back at the swing set with an unreadable expression on her face.
"Did you know you were my Father this whole time?" she said breaking the silence but still staring forward.
Troy kept his eyes on her, afraid that she might be disappointed, "Alex, I didn't know until yesterday when I found out when your birthday was."
"What does my birthday have to do with you being my dad?" she asked thinking back to the day before.
"Well," He began when Gabriella let out groan. "You see back when you're mom and I were younger I fell in love with your mom," he answered. "She was the prettiest girl I'd ever met, and we shared something that was pretty amazing."
"What was that?" Alex asked curious about this story.
"We made you," Troy said cautiously, "we made you from love and because things weren't easy, your mom and me, we couldn't stay together and I am really sorry for that."
Gabriella sat up as she looked over at him questioningly. "Baby I didn't-"
"Do you think it would be alright if you and I spend a little more time together?" Troy said cutting Gabriella off.
There was another long pause before Alex stood up and turned around to face them both, "I want to go on the swing."
"Okay," Gabriella said getting ready to stand.
"I want Troy to push me."
Gabriella stopped midrise to come back down on the bench with a soft thud, "Alright," she said a little taken aback.
Troy looked back at Gabriella with a small smile as he got up quickly before either one of them could change her mind. "It's alright," Troy reassured her as Alex began to lead the way.
"Why did you tell her that?" Gabriella said quickly grabbing his arm, "I'm the one who kept her away from you."
"So what, you want her to hate you?" Troy said with confused expression, "I didn't say anything that wasn't the truth."
Gabriella let him go hesitantly, "Thank you," she said in a low voice as he stepped away.
When Troy caught up with Alex at the swing she was already seated and waiting at the sound of his arrival she spoke. "I've never called anyone dad before," Alex said breaking the silence between them.
"I understand if you don't want to call me that," he said quickly.
"Relax," she said pushing herself, "It doesn't hurt. Well at least that's what I hear."
Troy let out a laugh as he lifted and arm to give her a small push on the swing, "Well," he laughed, "I'm new at this."
"Me too."
He pushed Alex for a bit more and she was quiet as if she were thinking about something in her mind that was so secret she made sure her face was void of any expression, which, made him worry because the last time he saw that look on someone's face she disappeared for nine years. "Penny, for your thoughts?" Troy said as he gave her another push.
"Grandma told me not to hate my mom and I think this is why?"
"Oh," he said not really sure what to say, after another light push he settled on something simple. "How do you feel about all this?" he asked walking in front of her to talk face to face.
Alex held out her feet bringing the swing to a stop as she looked up at him."Like I lost something," she said sadly. "I always had so many ideas of who my dad was?" she said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "I use to wish on every birthday candle that he come up the fire escape with a big bundle of flowers and sweep mom off her feet. At least that's what I think is supposed to happen because that's how Pretty Woman ends."
"You've seen Pretty Woman?"
"It's a classic." Alex let out a sigh as she held onto the chains on either side of her. Alex looked off to the side and shrugged. "You make her cry a lot, and she doesn't talk about you at all," Alex said looking down at her shoes. "I'm guessing you guys were really best friends once?"
"We were," Troy said in low voice.
"Were," she repeated with emphasis as the swing swung back and forth slightly as she sat there looking at the ground. The silence that stretched between them was physically beginning to hurt him, she looked so small, so helpless and tiny to have thoughts so deep and profound. "I'm going back home in a few weeks and I still won't have a dad." The last of few words made her bottom lip quiver but she didn't cry.
"Hey," he said bending down and taking hold of the swing to stop it from moving. "I'm right here, you're my daughter," he offered using his pointer finger to tilt her chin up at him, "from now on you have a dad, and he is very excited to have a little girl." Troy smiled at her and she her own smile which still had a sense of sadness began to grow.
"This means I'm going to have to choose between you and mom all the time like my friends back at home whose parents are divorced," she said with small shrug, "Christmas without you, a summer without mom. Two homes, two beds, I'll have to get on a plane all by myself and what if mom has another baby or if you get married? Dana said her mom makes her sleep on couch when she visits because the baby needs her old room and she has to be a big girl. I want my own room, I want my own bed."
Troy watched a tear roll down her cheek and his heart all but fell apart as the strongest little girl he came to know began to break down like the 8 year old he'd forgotten she was. "I don't think you guys should have told me. I don't want to choose. I don't want be a big girl who sleeps on a couch."
Troy dropped to his knees reaching for her and bringing her into his arms where she began to cry harder. "You will never choose, I promise anytime I have to see you, your mom can be right there," He said, overwhelmed with an urge to protect her. "We'll get together for Christmas and the fourth of July and even on your birthday I'll be there. I swear to god, your mom and I love you so much, we're never going to let any of that happen to you."
From a distance he could see Gabriella standing up to come over and he held out his hand to stop her. Alex was beginning to calm down as she pressed her face into his shoulder, wiping away at her tears as her little arms clung around his neck. He never felt so much, never loved so fast and hard then he did for this little girl. Looking back up at Gabriella he watched her standing there helpless to anything but stand there and wipe her own tears away. He was going to make this right, he was going to make everything better, he had too, there was no other choice.
"Will you tuck me in, when I go to sleep tonight?" She asked pulling away a little to wipe her nose.
"I promise to tuck you in any chance I have from now until your old and wrinkly," He said with a soft chuckle.
Watching with teary eyes Gabriella alternated between smiles and frowns, she was so relieved and happy for her daughter, so at peace now that the truth was out. But the sadness came from knowing that just as she had put them together she was going to have to take them apart and she didn't know how she could. They looked so happy as they hugged she couldn't hear what they were saying but she saw the reaction on Troy's face as they spoke and she could already tell that all her worries about hatred and press were the least of her problems.