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Chapter 26 – Moving On

"Gabi, I want to start up my music career again."

"You what?"

"I want to start up my music career again. Gabi, I miss it so much. I miss singing all the time and making records and writing my own songs. My old record company called me a couple of days ago and offered me a new record deal. They miss my music."

"David, that's great. But can't you still do that kind of stuff here?"

"Yeah, I can, but not without the big name hassle that comes with it. Gabi, everyone knows who I am and it's been hard trying to find a job where someone doesn't like me for who I was in the past. But to be completely honest with you, I want to be that person again. I miss that life."

Tears began to form in Gabriella's eyes. "You miss what broke us up the first time?"

"Yes…no…no I don't miss what broke us up, but I miss the music."

Gabriella looked down at the ring sitting on her finger. David had made a promise to her…several actually. She still loved him but she didn't think she could survive their relationship with three kids and him being away all the time. She slid the ring from her finger and tried to hand it to him.

"What are you doing, Gabi?"

"David, I don't want to hold you back from pursuing your dreams. But I can't be with you if that is the life you want to live. I love you, please know that, but I don't think I can handle you being away so much again, especially when I have three kids to think about also."

David pushed Gabriella's hand back towards her that still held the ring. "Gabi, that's why I want you to come with me this time, no more being apart. I can't stand to be away from you any longer. I want to marry you and be with you and share my passions with you and help you raise this family. And maybe even help you make the family grow."

Gabriella let the tears flow down her face finally. She shoved her hand back towards David. "David, please take this. I can't go with you, but you can't stay here. You have to go for your dreams. Please don't make this any harder than it already is."

"Why can't you go with me?"

"David, I have three kids to worry about. I can't just uproot their lives like that. Plus, I can't take them away from their father. The kids as well as Troy would be devastated. I'm sorry…but I can't do this." Gabriella opened David's hand and placed the ring in it before closing it into a fist. She got up from the couch and walked to Abigail's room to check on her. Soon, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and kisses being placed on her neck.

"I can't walk away from you, Gabi. I love you too much to do that a second time."

"David, please don't do this. Please, just go. I want you to go. I don't want you to regret this in a couple of years when the opportunity has passed. I don't want you to look at me in a couple of years and think 'She held me back from everything I ever wanted and could have had.' I don't want to do that to you, David."

David grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him, putting his arms back around her waist. "But don't you see, you wouldn't be holding me back. I just have two dreams, and I guess I can't have them both. I just need to figure out which one I want the most. But standing here looking at you and holding you in my arms has helped me decide what, or rather who I want in my life. I want you, Gabi. I want you and everything that comes with it."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to regret it."

"I'm positive." David slid the ring back on Gabriella's finger once again and kissed her. He pulled her to him and hugged her.

Gabriella rested in David's embrace, still unsure about David's decision. "David, what if we tried it again?"

"Tried what?"

"Your music career. You go pursue your music career, just promise to call and come home as much as possible."

"No, like I said I don't want to give you up."

"But maybe you can have both. We can try it for a while and see how it goes. Maybe it could be that you wouldn't have to be gone for long periods of time. Maybe you could work it out to where you would only be gone for four or five days, but come home and stay for a couple of weeks at a time or something. I think I could handle that."

"Really? You're really willing to try it?"

"Yeah, I want to see you happy, David. And I don't want you to give up any dreams for me, even if it means making some sacrifices."

David smiled brightly then kissed Gabriella with all the passion in the world. He loved her so much, they just both hoped this wouldn't be a decision they both regretted later.

Meanwhile, Troy had decided that it was time to move on with his life. He still loved Gabriella, but the day he had went to see Abigail when she was born he had noticed the ring on Gabriella's finger. She had moved on and he needed to face the fact that she was no longer his and never again would be.

Troy and Stacy had grown much closer during the time that he was spending with Alex. They had now been dating for about two months. Troy had seen a lot of change in Stacy since he had dated her the first time and was starting to realize that he was falling in love with her.

A couple months later, when Troy and Stacy were going out for the evening to celebrate their four month anniversary, Troy had a surprise for Stacy – he was going to propose to her. He took her to a romantic Italian restaurant and had a table reserved for the two of them in the back where it was more private. Halfway through dinner, he looked up from his plate into Stacy's eyes.

"What? You're staring at me, Troy. Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No. Sorry, you're just so beautiful. I don't know how we ever got away from each other back in college." Stacy blushed at Troy's comment. "You know…I have to be honest. When you first walked back into my life and told me about Alex, I actually regretted ever being in our relationship because of what that little fact did to my marriage at the time. But I guess fate has a hand in working things out to the way they are supposed to be. I'm sorry that I ever regretted being with you. But sitting here right now, I wouldn't change a thing that has happened in my life. I love you, Stacy Richardson. I love our son, too. And I want us to be an actual family. Will you be my wife?"

Stacy began to cry. "Yes, Troy. I would be honored to become your wife." They both leaned across the table and kissed before Troy pulled the ring from his pocket and slipped it on Stacy's finger.