A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! Can you guys go take my poll please? It would really help me!

The next morning Troy woke up and knew today was going to be a good day. Gabriella on the other hand woke up and burst into tears. Troy wanted to tell her so bad but he knew it would be worth to see her smile again when Gabriel returned home.

"Please Troy don't make me go. I don't want to go."

"Baby you won't even have to testify. You're just going to be there in case you are needed."

"What are they going to do to me?"

"Baby they aren't going to do anything. They might ask you a few questions but that's all."

"I don't want to see him. I don't want to see Master, Troy please I don't want to go."

Troy hugged her. "If I could do something that would stop you from having to go I would do it in a heartbeat, but I can't do anything."

"No, no, Troy please, please if you love you won't put me through this."

Troy's heart broke, he couldn't take it anymore he had to tell her.

"Baby listen to me if you go and you be the brave girl I know you can be. I'll give you a big surprise later tonight when we get home."

"What kind of surprise?"

"One you will like very, very much. I promise baby."

"Ok. I'll do it."

"Good girl."

Together Gabriella and the Bolton's made their way to the court house. They went inside and sat down. When the judge walked in everyone stood up and then sat back down. Gabriella didn't dare look over at her father in fear of losing her confidence. Her lawyer and her father's lawyer talked and argued their cases.

"I have heard both sides do either of you feel the need to bring in a witness before I leave to make up my mind?" the judge asked.

"Yes."

"No."

Gabriella's lawyer knew Gabriella wouldn't last up there on the stand and wouldn't force it unless she had to.

"Your Honor, the women this man is trying to question is the daughter of the accused also only thirteen years of age and still very frightened from the past events. Her answers will be out of fear and nothing more."

"If I agree to bring Ms. Montez to the stand she will answer the questions honestly."

"Your Honor I'm hoping you won't bring up Ms. Montez until she is really needed at the trial."

"Ms. Montez's words here could help me decide so I will allow it. Ms. Montez will you please come to the stand."

Gabriella started to softly cry as she shook her head.

"Go baby you'll be ok." Lucille said softly.

"Just keep your eyes on us, don't look at Greg." Jack told her.

"No, no." Gabriella cried.

"Ms. Montez please come up here." The judge said.

"Go on I'll go first and give you a chance to calm down." Her lawyer said.

Gabriella just stood up and went over to the stand. She sat down on the chair and looked down at her hands still silently crying.

"Ms. Montez I know you are scared and I know this will be upsetting but I need you to just try and focus and answer my questions the best and as honestly as you can all right?"

Gabriella nodded her tears still falling.

"Do you trust your father?"

Gabriella shook her head.

"I'm going to need a direct answer."

"No, I don't trust him."

"Do you believe others are safe around him?"

"No, no one is safe with him."

"If he was out on bail do you believe he will come after you and hurt you again?"

"Yes, if Master gets out He'll come hurt me."

"Do you believe it is better that he stay in lock up until his trial?"

"Yes, he should stay in jail."

"No further questions."

Her father's lawyer got up and smirked at her.

"Ms. Montez do you love your father?"

Gabriella didn't know how to answer that. She didn't trust him anymore but did she still love him?

"If he were to suddenly keel over and die would you miss him?"

Gabriella started to breathe harder since when did these questions get so hard?

"Would you even go to his funeral, would you even cry? Ms. Montez this man is your father do you have no heart?"

"OBJECTION! He's harassing the witness."

Gabriella couldn't handle this anymore. She caught Troy's eyes. "Troy please help me." She whimpered.

Troy looked at the Judge he didn't want to speak unless he was allowed…although he felt it was stupid having to ask permission to comfort his girlfriend. The Judge nodded at him. Troy looked back at Gabriella.

"Baby, you're perfectly safe up there, no one is going to hurt you just take a deep breath and answer the questions."

"Troy please help me." She cried again.

Troy looked to their lawyer. "Get down from there."

"I can't."

Troy sighed. He looked back at Gabriella. "Just hang in there baby you're almost done."

"Ms. Montez whatdoesyourfathermeantoyou?"

Greg's lawyer started shooting question after question at Gabriella not even giving her a chance to answer them. She covered her face in her hands and then buried her face and her hands into her legs.

Troy sighed. He wanted to help her but he couldn't. He looked over at her. She was shaking. That's when Troy realized it had been almost a full minute since she had taken her last breath. "Gabriella." he said.

She looked up at him and could tell by the coloring in her face that she wasn't breathing.

"OBJECTION!" their lawyer yelled.

"Get her down from there she is a not breathing." Troy said.

"What?"

"Get her down!"

Troy ran from his spot over to his girlfriend and took her into his arms. She cried into him shaking.

"Shhh baby girl shhhh." He soothed rubbing her back.

Gabriella continued to cry. Troy looked at her, her face was going from red to purple.

"Gabriella listen to me, you need to breathe sweetie. Please sweetie breathe."

Gabriella didn't listen.

"Gabriella look at me."

Gabriella looked at him.

"Do what I do ok? Inhale…exhale." Troy said breathing in and out. "Inhale and Exhale."

Gabriella slowly took in air.

"Good girl now let it out."

Gabriella exhaled and inhaled.

"Good girl keep doing that."

Gabriella continued to inhale and exhale until she finally had her breath back.

"Good girl. Don't be sad anymore. It's all over. I'm going to take you home and in a few hours your surprise will be ready." Troy said gently wiping away her tears.

"I haven't finished with my questions yet. That girl is not going anywhere."

Gabriella burst into tears again gasping for breath. Troy growled if he was alone he'd punch this guy.

"I have told you both that Gabriella was fit enough to handle this yet. You insisted on putting her through this and now she is having a panic attack. Are you proud of yourselves?" Her lawyer asked.

"Ms. Montez you go back to your seat. I've heard enough. I will be back in five minutes with my answer." The judge left. Troy stayed where he was just soothing and rocking Gabriella until she calmed down. Once she was finally calm he lifted her up and brought her back over to the table and sat down keeping her in his arms. He kissed her head. "You did good baby girl. I'm proud of you. It's all over just relax now."

"Do I still get my surprise?" she asked softly.

"Of course. You were very brave up there."

"I don't feel like I deserve a surprise."

"You deserve this one baby trust me. You deserve this."

"I want to call Gabriel."

Troy froze. Gabriel was on a plane and wouldn't answer, Gabriella would be hysterical if he didn't pick up because he always answered for her.

"He's busy baby girl. You can call him later."

"Too busy for me?"

Troy didn't know how to answer that.

"Trust me baby girl you can talk to Gabriel later. Let's just get home and rest for a while."

"I don't want to rest."

"You have to, that panic attack didn't do your lungs any good."

"I'll make you deal. You go home and rest now then later you can talk to your brother?"

"Ok but I don't want to walk."

"I'll carry you."

Just then the Judge walked out.

"I'm posting bail at $6000 but while out on bail Mr. Montez I advise you to start getting some help."

Gabriella buried her face in the crook of Troy's neck. The man who hurt her was out on the streets…able to hurt her. The thought made her start crying all over again. Troy just rubbed her back.

"I'll protect you from him. I promise."

"Come on, let's go home." Jack said.

Troy lifted Gabriella and they made their way home. Gabriella and Troy just rested in his room the rest of the afternoon. Gabriella wasn't in the mood to do much else. Time seemed to go so slow for Troy, he couldn't wait till Gabriel came back and made Gabriella smile again.

Finally it was time, Jack and Lucille had left and Troy just heard them come back.

"Troy there is a package down here for Gabriella." Lucille called.

Troy looked at Gabriella who was laying on his bed half asleep and half awake. He kissed her forehead. "That's the surprise I promised you. Go get it."

Gabriella just shook her head. Troy sighed. "Gabriella isn't feeling well can you just send it up?"

Footsteps were heard, Gabriella figured it was Lucille or Jack so she turned onto her side facing her back to the door. The footsteps finally stopped. Gabriel took one look at his sister and his heart broke.

"Brie, turn around and look at your surprise." Troy said.

"I don't want any surprises Troy."

"Now I'm hurt Belly Bear I came all this way and now you're kicking me to the curb?"

Gabriella jerked and turned onto her other side. She screamed as loud as her lungs would let her and jumped off the bed into her brother's arms.

"GABRIEL!"

Gabriel laughed and hugged her sister. "I missed you so much Belly Bear."

"I missed you so much too. Please don't ever leave me again."

"I don't plan on it. I'm here and I'm not leaving you ever again."

Gabriel lifted Gabriella and walked over to the bed and sat down. Gabriella looked at her brother. Gabriel suddenly lifted his hand and poked her nose. Let out a loud BEEP as he did so. Gabriella broke out into giggles. He poked her nose again Beeping one more time. Gabriella laughed harder. She covered her nose with her hands but he just poked her belly button and she laughed even more. Troy smiled as he watched on. He knew keeping the secret would be worth it in the end. Gabriella used one had to cover her nose and the other to cover her stomach. Gabriel laughed at her.

"Ok I'm done."

Gabriella removed her hands only to be poked in both spots at the same time making her fall back onto the bed in laughter. Gabriel laughed with his sister. "All right, now I'm really done." Gabriella sat up and laid her head on her brother shoulder.

"I had a bad day Gabe."

"Yeah? And why is that?" he asked gently moving some hair from her face to behind her ear. He placed a small kiss to her nose.

"Master got out on bail. I didn't answer the questions and now he is free."

"Who is Master?"

"Your father. Greg told Gabriella she was only allowed to call him master and nothing else." Troy explained.

"Dad made bail? How?"

"I didn't answer the questions…." Gabriella answered softly.

"It's not your fault Gabriella." Troy said. "I don't know how, I just know it wasn't Gabriella's fault."

"I never thought it was. Let's not talk about that. What did I miss?"

Gabriella's head shot up and she looked at Troy a huge smile formed on her face. She looked back to her brother.

"Troy and I got together."

"Gabriella that's amazing I'm so happy for you." Gabriel said hugging his sister. He looked at Troy. "You may be my best friend but if you dare hurt Gabriella in any way I will kill you.

"I won't hurt her. You have my word."

"Good."

Gabriel looked back at his sister. "See I told you he liked you."

"You were right."

"Huh? Say that again baby sister I didn't hear you."

"Nothing."

"Say it again. You better say it again."

"Or what?"

"Or else…THE TICKLE MOSTER WILL ATTACK!"

He started to tickle her sides making her break out into giggles squirming on his lap.

"Stop!" she squealed.

"Not until you say it."

"No!"

"Fine then I'll have to keep tickling you until you say it."

Gabriella tried rolling away but she just ended up being pinned face down as her brother pinned her hands behind her back and continued to tickle her.

"Stop! Stop!" Gabriella giggled.

"Not until you the magic words."

Gabriella screamed and started jerking. Gabriel turned and saw that Troy had started attacking her feet. Gabriel let her arms go but them reached his hands under her and attacked her stomach. She screamed in laughter having her two most ticklish spots attacked at once was making her breathless.

"Say it baby sister. It's the only way we will stop." Gabriel said.

"Yo-yo-you we-we-we-were ri-ri-ri-right!" she laughed breathlessly.

They both stopped and unpinned her. She sat up panting.

"That was mean Troy."

"Hey I'm your boyfriend that gives me the right to team up against you with your brother and tickle you."

"Yeah but not my feet."

"Why not?"

"My feet are my most ticklish spot and you know that."

Troy just laughed at her.

"Actually baby sister I think you're forgetting about somewhere." Gabriel smirked.

"Gabriel Montez don't you dare!"

"What?" Troy asked.

"Gabriella has a secret ticklish spot that only I know about."

"Really? Can you tell me where it is?"

"Hmmmm…maybe I mean you are her boyfriend now after all."

"NO! NO!" Gabriella squealed.

The guys just laughed at her. "All right no more tickling for today. You've had enough." Gabriel said.

All of them just spent the next few hours laughing and enjoying themselves…enjoying being together again. Then Jack walked in.

"Guys it's almost two o' clock in the morning. Get to bed."

Everyone groaned. Jack laughed. "You can hang out more tomorrow but you need sleep. Gabriel, Lucille set up the guest room for you and Gabriella."

"Thank you."

Jack left.

"Dad is right we need to sleep. We can play tickle Gabriella again tomorrow."

"No." Gabriella giggled.

The guys laughed. "Thanks for taking care of my baby sister Troy."

"Any time Bro. Good night."

"Night."

Gabriella and Gabriel went into the guest room and climbed into the bed. Gabriella cuddled right into her brother's side she was out within minutes. It was the fastest she had ever fallen asleep. Gabriel on the other hand he couldn't sleep. He felt so guilty. If he never left Gabriella never would have gotten hurt. Because he left she was sexually assaulted but her own father. What kind of a sick monster did that? The thought made him sick. He gently removed Gabriella from him and rushed to the bathroom losing his stomach into the toilet. He put his forehead again the rim of the toilet panting. He was so upset, he was so sick, he was so mad….he was all over the place.

"Gabriel? You all right Bud?"

Gabriel looked up to see Jack. Jack had been like a second father to him and right now that's what he needed…a father.

"How could someone do that?" he asked.

"Do what?"

"Sexually assault their own daughter!" Gabriel cried and suddenly he was crying hysterically. Jack rushed to him and held him.

"It's all right Buddy. It's all right."

"It's not all right Uncle Jack, it's not. My baby sister was hurt all because I wasn't here to protect her!"

"Gabriel this is not your fault."

"If I hadn't left…"

"You had no choice Gabriel. You didn't want to leave. Plus you had no idea your father would do anything like this."

"My mom did!"

"What?"

"My parents they don't love her! I heard it from my mom before I left. That's why I came back alone. How could they not care for her? How could they not want her!" Gabriel cried.

"I don't know Buddy, I really don't know. I wish I did, but Gabriella seems to be dealing with all ok."

"She is?"

"You haven't talked to her about it?"

"No, I didn't want to upset her."

"She had started to think of Lucille and I as her mother and father. She is no longer bothered by the fact her parents don't want her. Gabriel this situation could be a lot worse."

"How?"

"Well for one your father could have raped her."

Gabriel didn't respond.

"She could not have any other friends or family to lean on. Gabriella could be all alone in this world going through all this without a shoulder to cry on."

"That would be awful."

'Yes, but it's not like that. Gabriella has us. She's got Lucille and I, she has you and Troy. Not to mention the other guys. Gabriella is going to get through this because she has us by her side, because we will be there helping her and loving her. That's what she needs right now more than anything is love."

Gabriel nodded. "Thank you Uncle Jack. I really needed to vent."

"Anytime Bud, anytime. If you'd like you can call me dad too."

"I'd like that…Dad."

Jack hugged his son and helped his clean up.

"Thanks dad I love you."

"I love you too son. Now get some sleep."

Gabriel went back into the guest room where Gabriella was still sleeping and cuddled back into her and was out within minutes. Jack really helped feel better. Now he could some well deserved rest.

A/N WOW longest chapter so far. I just started writing and I couldn't stop. So how did you all like the reunion with Gabriel and Gabriella? Also I know nothing about hearings and how they work so I'm sorry if mine seemed a little weird. Next chapter Gabriel comes face to face with his father…what will happen? Go take my poll please!