A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay! I've been having some personal problems and I didn't have the strength to write. I hope the chapter has turned out okay though, because it's been difficult! :S this chapter is more a filling chapter than anything, because in the next one, the last piece of drama begins. I wanted to begin the drama with this chapter, but then I've realized that it would have looked weird, so I've decided to "prepare" the scenario for this drama to occur believably, and that scenario is that chapter.

I'm thinking about 3-4 more chapters for this story more or less; I'm not sure because it depends on my muse, but I think that, with 3-4 more chapters, the story will be wrapped and finished. Wow, that's sad! :(

Anyway, the story is not ended yet and I'm already thinking about my next story, so…back to the topic. Tell me what you think please! Your words help and inspire me! ;)

I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who have reviewed, added the story to your lists or added me to your lists. Seriously, that feels incredible! :D

Anyway, stop with my rambling.

Here goes chapter 19. Enjoy! :)

"That's impossible!" Troy exclaimed frustrated throwing the book to the ground. "I'll never learn that!"

A sweet giggle escaped from Gabriella's mouth and she reached her hand to stroke his upper arm. "Don't be silly, you get there. Let's start again, ok?"

"I don't want to," Troy muttered crossing his arms over his chest.

"Troy," Gabriella said sternly. "Go grab your book. We need to end this and you'll know how to solve those problems before we go to bed."

"I hate Maths," Troy murmured standing up from the sofa and grabbing his book. Gabriella giggled again at his attitude and Troy couldn't help but lock his eyes with hers and smile at her.

"Come on dorky, I'll reward you later…" She winked playfully.

"You better," Troy whispered with a husky voice kissing the hollow under her ear.

Turning her head to look at him, Gabriella rubbed their noses together. "You know it." She pecked his lips and pulled away when she saw Troy was getting too much to into the kiss. "Maths?"

"Way to kill the mood babe," Troy sighed grabbing his pencil again, placing his free arm around her shoulders so he could pull her body closer to his, and kissing her forehead. "But okay, one more time and if I don't get it, we leave it."

"Okay," Gabriella said leaning her head on his shoulder and explaining the problems from the very beginning again, emphasizing the points she knew Troy had difficulties with.

Being Monday night, our couple was sitting on the sofa of Gabriella's living room, with their homework in front of them, and with a soft music as a background.

While they had been having dinner, Troy had admitted he was having some difficulties with his Maths' homework, and so Gabriella had insisted she could explain them to him after doing the dishes. Being the stubborn guy he was, Troy had refused her help, but after her pout, her baby voice and her puppy dog eyes, he had been a goner, accepting her help without more fights.

"See?" Gabriella said proudly. "You know how to solve them, but you want to go too fast and so you do it wrong."

Just when Troy was about to answer they heard a car pulling up the driveway. "Are you waiting anyone?" Troy asked confusedly.

Gabriella shook her head and listened more intently the noises which came from outside; the car's door closed and then loud steps coming closer to the front door of the house could be heard.

"Gabi! I'm home!" A loud voice yelled. "Whose the car parked outside?"

Gabriella and Troy froze and locked their eyes. Troy thought he would be the one doing the talking seeing how shocked Gabriella was, but she surprised him. "In the living room!"

Troy tried to pull away from her but Gabriella tightened her hold on him. "Please…"

Her whispered voice made him relax and he nodded his head, wrapping his arm around her once again. The couple waited for the person to arrive to them; the steps were closer each second by and then the voice spoke again. "Hey Gabriella…"

Peter's voice lowered and his eyes widened when he saw with who his daughter was. "Troy?" He asked with an astonished voice.

"Hey Peter," Troy said trying to act natural.

"What? When? How?" Peter stuttered surprised.

He knew Gabriella and Troy had been best friends and a couple time ago, but then Troy's visits stopped and also his calls. He had tried to talk with Gabriella long time ago about it but she shook him off and he dropped the subject. Now, seeing them the way they were cuddled together, he couldn't help but wonder how much of his daughter's life he had missed with his absences.

Gabriella chose that moment to speak. "Hey daddy, how was your trip?" She asked standing up from the sofa and going to her father.

"Well…" Peter muttered kissing her forehead in a reflect action which didn't go unnoticed by Troy and Gabriella, who locked their eyes and shared a look.

"Have you eaten something?" Gabriella asked trying to divert the attention from herself and Troy to another topic.

"In the plane," Peter nodded. "But…"

Troy stood up from the sofa and went to stand beside Gabriella, who reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers together. "I suppose you're tired after your long trip." Troy said nonchalantly and, squeezing Gabi's fingers, he continued. "I'm going now, Gabi can you come with me to the door?"

"Sure," Gabriella said clearing her throat. "Be right back dad…"

Peter nodded his head, still too shocked to phrase a coherent sentence and stood frozen in the middle of the living room.

Gabriella and Troy went to the door still with their hands intertwined and then they stepped outside the house, standing beside Troy's car. "Fuck…" Gabriella cursed.

Troy smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Now you'll have your chance with him, baby…"

"But now you have to go," Gabriella whined. "We still had two days together and now…" She buried her head in his chest.

"Hey," Troy said lifting her head and caressing her cheeks. "We'll still be together; only…we won't be living in the same house…"

"That's my point," Gabriella pouted. "Now I'll barely see you…"

"Don't be silly," Troy said tightening his arms around her. "We'll see each other every day. I could come pick you up and drop you off every day, so we are together and alone for some minutes before and after school, and you know you can always come to my apartment…"

"But…" Gabriella said softly, avoiding his eyes.

"What baby?" Troy asked sweetly using one of his hands to pull one of her curls behind her ear.

Gabriella shook her head. "It doesn't matter…"

"Come on," Troy urged softly. "Tell me what you're thinking please…"

"Will you still come here at night?" Gabriella whispered wincing when his eyes turned colder after her question, hiding her face in the crock of his neck.

Troy tightened his arms around her and whispered into her curls. "If you let and want me…"

Gabriella, too surprised by his answer, pulled away and looked at him. "Always."

Her firm voice made Troy smile. "Then…" He pecked her lips softly. "We're still lucky I have the key of your balcony's doors with me…"

Gabriella giggled and Troy smiled at her. "True that."

"I'm going now baby," Troy said disentangling from her. "Your father should awake from his shock soon and I'm sure he'll have a few questions for you…"

"Don't remind me," Gabriella groaned and as an afterthought, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Where do you think you're going?"

Troy looked at her confused. "To my apartment?"

His voice had sounded as if he was asking something and Gabriella smirked. "Without a proper kiss?" Gabriella pouted. "That's not fair…"

Troy smiled at her sweetness and stepped closer to her again, embracing her body with all his might, devouring her mouth passionately and rubbing her sides with a certain amount of pressure. Gabriella let out a soft moan and he rubbed her lower lip asking for entrance; Gabriella obliged and opened her mouth, so their tongues could began their sensual dance together.

When the need of air became a problem, they pulled apart but still with their foreheads together. "Love you baby," Troy whispered pecking her lips again.

"I love you too…so much…" Gabriella whispered.

"I'll come bright and early tomorrow morning to pick you up, ok?" Troy asked already stepping into his car.

"Okay," Gabriella nodded and stepped aside to look at Troy manoeuvring his car. "Oh Troy!"

Troy stopped his car. "What?"

"Aren't you forgetting anything?" Gabriella asked giggling.

Troy shook his head. "I don't think so; I have my books with me…"

"All your things are here…" Gabriella said amused by his poor memory.

"True," Troy nodded, blushing a little when he realized she was right. "Well, we'll arrange everything tomorrow. I'll call you later to know what he tells you, okay?"

Gabriella nodded and blew him a kiss, which he returned, and then Troy drove away.

When his car was out of sight, Gabriella entered in her house again, only to find her father still frozen in the middle of the living room. "Dad?"

"What was that about?" Peter asked narrowing his eyes.

"We were studying together," Gabriella explained in a neutral voice. "He had some trouble with our Maths' homework and I was helping him…"

"I get that," Peter said impatiently. "But what happened between you two?"

Knowing her father wouldn't drop the subject, Gabriella chose to explain him the truth. "We've arranged our problems and now we're together again."

"And when has this happened?" Peter asked sighing.

"A while ago," Gabriella said vaguely. "Are you mad?" She asked after a while.

"No," Peter answered straight away. "I'm only surprised. When his visits and calls stopped…and you stopped to talk about him, I supposed your relationship with him had ended…"

"It did," Gabriella said softly. "But we talked and now we're together again."

"Okay, okay…" Peter sighed. "I'm going to bed now. I'm tired…"

Gabriella widened her eyes; he couldn't disappear now, she needed to talk with him. "Dad, wait!" She exclaimed when he was already in the middle of the staircase.

Peter turned around. "Yes?"

"Can I talk with you?" Gabriella asked softly avoiding his eyes.

Peter cleared his throat. "Uhm…sure…"

Slowly, he descended the stairs again and went to sit in a sofa. When he was sitting there, Gabriella sat beside him, but avoiding to look into his eyes. "Well…"

Peter sat there uncomfortably. He had been too many years without a proper talk with his daughter and he didn't know what to expect from Gabriella's weird behaviour; she wasn't looking at him but at her lap, and her voice was like guarded, like if she was hesitant to talk with him.

Gabriella knew he was feeling weird with being sat there with her; she was uncomfortable too. They had been too many years without almost noticing each other, and now they were sitting together, ready to have a talk that, Gabriella hoped, would be what would save their relationship as a father and daughter. However she wanted and needed this talk with him at the moment, the truth was that she couldn't speak; she tried to swallow the lump in her throat but still her nerves were attacking her stomach.

"What Gabi?" Peter asked after he took a deep breathe. "What…?"

But he couldn't end because Gabriella decided to begin with their conversation…probably in the bluntest way she could do it. "You left me the same moment mom went away and I need to know why."

"What?" Peter widened his eyes; he clearly wasn't expecting from Gabriella to want to talk about it.

"You've heard me," Gabriella said sternly. "I get mom left but I can't understand why you left with her…"

"No Gabi," Peter stuttered. "Things are not like that. I'm here…"

"That's not true," she knew she was right and that knowledge gave her the strength she needed to face her father. "Since mom left, you've been ignoring me…you've forgotten you have a daughter and I want to know why. Lucy Bolton and the Danforth's have been the ones who have taken care of me. You're never at home; you can be almost a week here in Alburquerque but you don't come home to sleep. You're always travelling. You don't know anything about me simply because you don't care! You weren't like that…"

Peter closed his eyes at his daughter's rant. He knew she was right and, though a part of him would have preferred for her to never bring the topic up, another part of him was shocked it had took so long for her to snap at him. "Look," Peter said opening his eyes but freezing a mid sentence when he saw tears falling from Gabriella's eyes.

"What have I done, daddy?" Gabriella whispered not even bothering to wipe the tears that were falling from her eyes down her cheeks. "Why don't you love me?"

"Gabriella," Peter sighed.

"No dad," Gabriella interrupted again. "I'm almost 18 and you are practically a stranger! You're my dad but yet you don't know anything about me. You barely talk to me, you barely look at me…fuck you haven't told me you loved me once but until the other day…and I need to know why."

"Damn it Gabriella!" Peter shouted frustrated. "You're like her!"

Gabriella recoiled shocked by her father's outburst. "What?" She whispered.

Peter closed his eyes and buried his head in his hands. "It's not that I don't love you but you remind me too much to your mother…you look like her…"

"And that's an excuse for you to abandon me too?" Gabriella snapped.

"Of course not!" His eyes locked with hers. "But I don't know how to be me around you; your mother was always telling me that I had to change the way I was, she always told me that I couldn't play with you because that would make you weak…"

"What?" Gabriella stuttered, too shocked to talk normally. "You stopped playing with me because she told you I would be weak?"

"No, well yes…no…I mean…" Peter groaned. "I'm sorry…"

"A sorry won't make me forgive you," Gabriella stood up. "A sorry won't make up for those 14 years I've been alone here, leaning on to people who weren't even my relatives because I had neither my father nor my mother with me. Bye dad."

"No wait!" Peter stood up too, grabbing her arm and making her to turn around. "Gabriella I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry…I know I've been the worst father but…you've to understand you look like her and I hate her; she abandoned me and…"

"She abandoned me too, and I'm her daughter." Gabriella hissed. "Look, I don't know why mom left other than because she got together with her gym trainer," Gabriella said. "And I don't think she left you because you were a bad person, father or husband. She was a selfish person, and I know you weren't like that. Now, after she took the door and never came back, you are as selfish as her. Think about it."

With that, Gabriella left the living room and went to her room, locking the door behind her, collapsing onto the mattress. The conversation with her father hadn't gone the way she would have wanted, but now at least he knew how she felt. The feeling was bittersweet; a part of her was happy because she'd, finally, been able to stand up for herself in front of her father, but another part of her was sad because she'd just known the reason because of her father had been always away had been that she looked so much like her mother.

Actually, Gabriella knew she looked like her mother; the old photo she'd found those years ago was a proof, but she still thought it was a poor excuse for her father to live his life as if he didn't have a daughter. If he thought she could forgive him only with a sorry he could wait sitting in a comfortable chair because she needed for him to show her how sorry he was. She wouldn't accept anything more than the respect she thought she deserved as a daughter, and if her father wanted to be close to her once again, he had to work his ass off because she wasn't about to make things easier for him.

A low beep snapped her out of her thoughts and she reached for her phone. Looking at the screen, she couldn't help but grin. "Hey baby," she answered cheerily. It was amazing how with his voice, his smell or simply the fact that he was calling calmed her nerves down the way they did. Gabriella was aware of that, but at the moment she only wanted to forget everything about her father and focus her attention on Troy. "Are you already at your apartment?"

"Yeah," Troy answered unsurely. "But I wanted to give you some time with your father though I see you haven't talked with him yet…"

"Actually, I've talked with him," Gabriella answered softer now.

Troy, leaning onto the pillows of his bed, narrowed his eyes. He couldn't understand how she could be so cheery after her talk with her father, unless the conversation had gone amazing and now Peter and Gabriella had a normal relationship, though he had the feeling things weren't like that. "What happened?"

"I've told him everything," Gabriella snapped. "And the idiot only says he's sorry and that he's been leaving me because I look like my mom and he hates her."

The bitterness of her voice alerted Troy that she was mad, yeah, but also hurting on the inside. He remained silent while she rambled and took his chance to talk when Gabriella stopped for a moment to breathe. "Baby," he cut her.

"What?" Wincing at her own tone of voice, Gabriella tried to speak normally. "Sorry…"

"Are you okay?" Troy asked softly.

"Of course," Gabriella answered as convincingly as she could. "Why shouldn't I?"

Troy knew right there and then that Gabriella was trying to avoid the topic; maybe she'd faced her father but she wasn't facing the talk with her father, she wasn't facing what he'd told her nor what she told him. She was avoiding the problem and Troy didn't was up to let her do that; he knew, after her talk with Gabriella about what was bothering her, how worse things could get if she kept everything for herself. The problem was that he didn't know how to get Gabriella opening herself to him. "Gabriella…" He said in what he hoped was a sternly way.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gabriella said using a defensive tone. "I'm okay, I swear."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Sure you are…"

"I am," Gabriella hissed. "Stop now Troy…"

"Why?" He asked using her same tone. "You're not okay and I'm not planning on to let you close yourself. You can't keep those things all inside of you…you need to let it out…"

"I have nothing left to let out," Gabriella said. "I'm okay." Gabriella heard his groan and narrowed her eyes. "Look, if you will only argue with me about that, maybe we should end this conversation right here."

"That's what you actually want?" Troy asked coldly.

"Yes," she answered as coldly as him.

"Okay then," Troy snapped. "I see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye." Gabriella closed her phone and collapsed onto the mattress rolling her eyes at Troy's behaviour.

She was fine; actually she was more than fine. If her father wanted to avoid or ignore her, that was fine with her. She'd said what she wanted to say and now she was perfect; she has emptied her thoughts and she'd been the one facing her father. She couldn't do anything more; now it was her father's turn.

However, a little voice inside of her was shouting for help, for release, for support, but she wasn't about to let this voice win. Not this time. She was strong enough to deal with everything alone, and hell, she was more than fine…or at least, that was the thing she was trying to convince herself about.

Troy, on the other hand groaned aloud when he closed his phone. Gabriella could be one of the most stubborn people he knew; he was stubborn too, but he had been sharing everything with her since their talk. He'd been good on his promise, and he had hoped that maybe Gabriella would do the same…but he was wrong.

Turning off the light of his bedside table, Troy closed his eyes and decided to forget about the fight. He would see her the next day and they would be okay.

Gabriella turned off the light of her bedroom too and put the sheets tightly around her, while her brain was still trying to convince herself she was okay. However, a sudden smell came through her nostrils and then her façade disappeared.

Troy's smell was everywhere; in her pillow, in the t-shirt of his she was wearing and he'd worn the night before, in her room itself…and then it clicked to her that she needed him. She wanted him with her; she wanted his help, his support…the comfort she only could find in his arms. But she'd been stupid and she'd refused to even knowledge what her heart was screaming at the top of its lungs, and now she was alone.

And she was the one to blame, because she had been the one pushing him away.

Gabriella thought about what her father had told her and huge tears of rage fell from her eyes. Maybe she was a reminder of what her mother did to him, but that didn't excuse him; she'd needed her father with her all these years but still he'd been physically with her…but mentally in the other side of the globe. However she knew she was right, that wasn't enough for her to be okay; she'd emptied what she felt, and that felt amazing, but still there was something inside of her which was breaking.

Her heart.

Because she'd been hoping that, maybe, after their talk, she would be okay with her father…or at least she would understand him a little more. She had hoped his excuses would be…better, different, more believable; she'd hoped she would be in the right path to have her father back with her…but she'd been wrong, because his excuses were pathetic and because she felt farther away from him now than ever.

Now he knew how she'd been feeling all these years but still he had had the face to almost blame her because she looked like her mother. She hadn't asked for her face, her hair or her figure; it simply had happened.

Groaning, Gabriella buried her face in her pillow, trying to search the comfort she needed in Troy's smell, and she let out everything she had inside crying her eyes out. But she wasn't only crying because she was sad, which she was, but also because she was mad, she was angry, she was furious…but mostly frustrated. Frustrated with her parents because they were the ones to blame for her disgrace; frustrated because she'd tried to search the answers she had and she'd ended as if she had received a punch on the gut.

And if those things weren't enough, she felt alone knowing, at the same time, that she was the only one to blame.

In the meantime, with Troy

Tossing around in his bed, Troy couldn't sleep, and thinking about it, he realized he was too used to have Gabriella curled into him that now that she wasn't there, he missed her. He missed the warmness of her body, the perfect curves that fit with his own body so well, her amazing smell, her soft breathing when she was sleep…he even missed her muttered words she said during her sleep and he thought were a little bit irritating.

Turning around, Troy looked outside; the night was clear, the moon was shining incredibly and he couldn't help but let his mind go back to their date at the lake. He'd been happier than ever since that day; Gabriella was his now, she was his official girlfriend because he had made things the way he should have done long time ago. They were official now…well, even more official than they already were.

He wasn't afraid to admit he was in love with her.

He wasn't afraid to hear she was in love with him.

He wasn't afraid to be with her now, because she'd proven to him that their love could win over everything.

He wasn't afraid to be himself with her now.

He wasn't afraid to feel happiness and he'd been taking advantage of this new courage Gabriella's love had brought with it, because to make Gabriella happy was his goal on life. If she was happy, then everything was okay. If she was happy, he was happy too. If she was happy, his life felt complete.

And those feelings had been what had been ruling their world lately.

But still they'd managed to have their first fight merely three days later.

And he felt bad.

And he felt guilty, because she'd pushed him away but…hadn't been him the one doing precisely that all these years but Gabriella had been still by his side unconditionally?

"Crap…" He muttered standing up from his bed and putting on his sneakers.

Gabriella was still crying trying to absorb Troy's essence, which was everywhere, at the same time; she felt better feeling a part of him with her, but still she needed more. Tightening his shirt around her, Gabriella buried her nose into the fabric of the item because she noticed his smell was stronger there.

Too distraught as she was, she didn't hear the crack her balcony doors did when they were opened nor the bouncing of the mattress; she only was aware that someone was there with her when Troy's smell intensified and when his two familiar and strong arms encircled her waist, pulling her back into his warm, strong and toned chest. "I'm sorry…" He muttered into her curls, caressing her stomach with his hand.

Gabriella turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. "I'm sorry too…" She sobbed.

"Shhh," Troy soothed her caressing her back. "I'm here baby, everything is okay…"

And he let her sob into his neck, because he knew that was what she needed.

And he felt better knowing she was letting it out, because she knew that was what she needed.

And he felt complete because he was being the shoulder he had promised he would be when she needed to cry.

After a while, Gabriella's sobs subsided and she moved herself so she was lying on top of Troy, who still remained with his arms around her. "How did you know?" She whispered.

Troy gave her a small smile and pulled a loose curl behind her ear, lingering his hand on her cheek, wiping the tears that were still there. "Because I simply knew."

"I'm sorry I've been a bitch," Gabriella whispered lowering her eyes. "But…"

Troy stopped her. "I'm the one who should be apologizing; you needed comfort and I've reacted almost attacking you…I'm sorry…"

Locking his eyes with hers, Troy leaned up and rubbed his nose with hers, kissing her lips softly afterwards. Gabriella didn't remain stilled; pushing herself closer to him, Gabriella rubbed his lower lip with her tongue, and when Troy opened his mouth, she invaded the space merely a second later. Their tongues began their usual sensual dance and she smirked when Troy groaned because she had pushed herself more "on" his little friend.

"Don't tease," Troy muttered pulling away from her mouth but devouring the soft spot of her neck viciously. "It's not nice…"

Gabriella moaned softly and closed her eyes. "Actually, I think that's very nice…"

Troy didn't even bother to answer her; rolling both bodies so Gabriella was on her back, he hovered over her body admiring his art work. "You're such a tease…" He whispered against her lips, smiling when her sweet giggles invaded the room.

"Thank you for being here," Gabriella whispered after some seconds roaming her eyes over his face. "And I'm sorry I've pushed you away before…"

"You don't have to talk about it if you're not ready yet," Troy said honestly. "Just…please, don't pretend you're okay when you're not. I prefer you telling me you don't want to talk about it but admitting that you're not okay or there is something that's bothering you than to know you're suffering but hearing how you say everything is okay."

Gabriella pulled him towards her and buried her head in the crock of his neck. "It's just…it's not my fault I look like my mother; is that reason enough to ignore me all these years? Because he hates her? She abandoned me too…"

"I know," Troy sighed rolling onto his back and pulling Gabriella into his side. "But you have to give him some time; he's just arrived from Seattle, and I'm sure he has been shocked you've brought that topic up just now. You need to talk to him baby, make him listen what you have to say…and before you leave the room, listen to him. Maybe his excuses are the worst, but you need to hear everything he needs to say, the same way he needs to hear everything you have to say. Don't give up just yet; give him some time and then you talk about it again."

"But he doesn't deserve it…" Gabriella murmured.

"Neither did I," Troy said softly, "but still you gave me another chance. Baby, to forgive doesn't mean to forget. You can remember what happened but you have to learn to live with it, to accept it like something that has made you the person you are now. What happened with your mother…I know it sucked, completely, but neither you nor your father have talked about it yet. I think you both need to work this out together, because that's something that affects you both."

"With you it was different," Gabriella said. "Maybe you were…weird, but you still were with me. He left the same moment mom left…"

"Gabriella," Troy protested. "I was as bad as them, and you know it. You've forgiven me, and I can't express how grateful I am for that, but you and I talked about it before things were "normal" again, and you and I hurt each other in the process. You need to do that same thing with your father…"

"He won't want…" Gabriella said. "He hates mom and so he hates me too…"

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you," Troy said pulling her head away from his neck. "He loves you, but your mother hurt him and he hasn't dealt with it. You either. You both have accepted she is not in your lives but neither you, nor your father, have thought or rambled about how that affected you both and your relationship."

"So I have to forgive him just because?" Gabriella said in a low voice. "I have to forget how I've been suffering so he is okay?"

"No." Troy answered right away. "You both need to talk; once you hear what he has to say and once he hears what you have to say, then and only then you'll be able to decide which the best thing to do is. But first, you need to talk to him, fight to him…whatever, but talk to him."

"Maybe you're right…" Gabriella said lowly. "But not now, I don't want to see him now…"

Troy nodded his head. "Let him sleep now; he's tired and you're tired too and I'm sure the conversation couldn't have gone well. Tomorrow you both will see things differently and you'll be able to talk to him for real."

Gabriella leaned her head on his shoulder again and reached for his hand with the hand she had around his waist, interlocking their fingers together. "Thank you," she said kissing his chest softly.

"Any time." Troy murmured kissing her forehead. "I'll be with you until you sleep, ok?"

"No," Gabriella said pressing herself closer to him. "Can you spend the night here?"

"Baby," Troy said. "Your father is here, and I'm sure he'll want to talk with you tomorrow morning. I think you and I have shocked him enough when he has entered through the door and I'm not sure if he would like to see me here cuddled with you in your bed after I, supposedly, went home…"

"But…you've slept here with him in the house before…" Gabriella pouted.

"Let's give him at least one night to register we're together again, ok?" Troy said moving his fingertips along her arm. "I'll be here until you sleep and I'll be here again first thing in the morning. We could go and have breakfast at Starbucks…what do you say?"

"If you are here with me until I sleep and you are here again when I wake up then it's okay." Gabriella smiled sweetly.

"That's my girl," Troy winked at her. "Now sleep and have happy dreams. I love you so much…" He said against her temple.

"Love you too," Gabriella whispered kissing his chest and snuggling closer to his body, letting his smell, his scent, his breathing…him, to be her lullaby.

Then next morning Gabriella awoke with a pounding headache but she felt better; now at least her father knew what she'd been feeling, how she'd been feeling all those years.

Sighing, she stood up and, just when she was about to go to the bathroom, she noticed a paper with something written in it on her bedside table.

"I'll be here at 7; I'll honk and wait for you in the driveway :) I've grabbed my things...well, the shirts I've found because I'm guessing you have the others as "hostages" ;) You know, you look like a perfect angel when you sleep. Incredibly beautiful! Love you lots baby, Troy."

Smiling, Gabriella folded the note and went to take a shower, hoping the hot water will release some tension off her muscles.

Once she was dressed, she went downstairs only to find her father in the kitchen, drinking his coffee absently. "Morning," Gabriella murmured lowly.

"Good morning Gabriella," Peter answered softly giving her a small smile. "I wanted to talk to you…"

"I'll be late for school," Gabriella interrupted him.

"It'll be just a second," Peter said locking his eyes with hers. "Please, listen me for a minute…"

Thinking about Troy's words, Gabriella nodded. "Okay," she said sitting in front of him and crossing her arms on the table.

"Don't you have breakfast?" Peter asked hesitantly.

"Troy is picking me up and we'll have breakfast at Starbucks." Gabriella snapped. "Dad, what do you want?" She sighed tiredly.

"I want to apologize," Peter said lowering his eyes at the same time Gabriella did. "Yesterday what I said was totally out of line and I want you to know that I maybe hate your mother, but I don't have you. I…I…I love you. It's just…I don't know how to be around you; I know it's a pathetic excuse, but every time I see you I see your mother. I know I'm wrong, and I know you've suffered a lot because of that. I've been unfair to you, and you don't know how sorry I am. Give me another chance, please…"

His voice broke and Gabriella snapped her eyes up just in time to see a few tears running down his cheeks. "You hurt me…"

"I know," Peter said. "And I'm sorry. I realize now how unfair everything has been to you, and I want to make it up to you. I want to show you I don't hate you but I love you. Maybe we should have had that talk when you were older enough to understand why your mother left…but…I thought that if I ignored the topic, it wouldn't hurt you, me, us."

Gabriella smiled when her father said that; she was still angry but seeing how her father was saying the same thing Troy said when they were together made she realize that they were right. They needed to talk, fight, scream, shout…whatever, but they needed to sort things out. They couldn't keep things bottled inside more time.

"You were wrong…" Gabriella murmured. "But now you're right. We need to talk about it…" Peter locked his eyes with hers and Gabriella realized a little bit of hope was shining in his eyes now. "Are you sleeping here tonight?"

Peter nodded. "I have a meeting but I'm going to cancel it; you're more important than work."

Gabriella smiled at this and nodded her head. "Ok then, we'll talk tonight." Then a loud honk came from outside and Gabriella stood up. "That's Troy; bye dad..."

"Gabi!" Peter said when she was about to step outside the kitchen.

"Yeah?" Gabriella turned around.

"I'm happy you're with Troy now; you're glowing again." Gabriella returned the smile. "And I'll cook tonight; what about fajitas?"

"Seriously?!" Gabriella exclaimed gladly shocked.

Peter nodded. "I think that was the only thing cooked by me you liked…" He smiled embarrassedly.

"It's been years…" Gabriella said in awe.

"I know," Peter answered seriously.

"I think it's a great idea," Gabriella smiled. "I see you tonight…"

Peter stood up and went to his daughter silently. Standing in front of her, Peter wrapped his arms around her petite figure and pulled her closer to his body, kissing her forehead softly afterwards. "Thank you so much Gabriella. I…I love you…"

"Thank you daddy," Gabriella muttered wrapping her arms around his torso. "I see you tonight ok?" She said pulling away after a moment.

"Have a nice day sweetie," Peter said passing by her and going upstairs.

Gabriella remained frozen in the middle of the kitchen and only snapped out of her reverie when Troy made the honk sound again. Grabbing her bag, Gabriella stepped out of the house with a small smile on her face, which Troy picked up in an instant. "Well, aren't you happy today?" He teased leaning down to kiss her once Gabriella was sitting in the passenger's seat.

"Uh-uh," Gabriella nodded smiling into the kiss. "I've talked with dad again this morning…"

"And…?" Troy asked pulling away trying to read her face.

"We've agreed we're going to talk about everything later tonight and," Gabriella took a deep breath, "he's told me he's going to cancel a business meeting he has because I'm more important than work and that he'll be the one cooking tonight." Gabriella couldn't help but end her sentence with a smile on her face.

"Woah!" Troy said. "That's a nice change…"

The couple remained silent for a minute; Gabriella had her eyes directed to the front, not really seeing anything but remembering what her father had told her. "Are you feeling better then?" Troy asked as an afterthought breaking the bubble she was in.

Gabriella nodded. "Yep; maybe we don't arrange anything but at least we'll have things talked and we'll both know what the other thinks and feels."

"That's my girl," Troy said against her lips pulling away after a peck. "I'm starving…let's go…" He said making Gabriella giggle.

Once he had the car in the street again, Troy reached for Gabriella's hand and drove with only one hand, rubbing her soft knuckles with his other, while listening intently Gabriella's detailed explanation about what had happened that morning with her father.

Troy didn't know if things between Gabriella and her father would turn out okay; he hoped fervently that everything would be okay in the future after their talk about everything, but either way, he hoped Gabriella would let him be beside her, sharing with him the good and bad things life threw at her.