Here's the next chapter for you guys, I really hope you like it!
A Weekend of Fun
Waking up, he wasn't entirely sure where he was or what was beside him, but when he felt movement to his right, he realised it wasn't what was beside him, it was who.
Looking over to his left, Troy found Jasmine no longer in bed, but on the floor playing with her dollies. She looked up and gave her father one of her famous Bolton grins, before turning back to narrating her dolly's activities.
Troy shifted over slightly in his bed so that he was able to get a better view of the brunette next to him. She had her back to him, but seemed to whimper slightly when he moved. At first Troy thought she was just reacting to his body no longer being up against her, but when, a couple of minutes later, she whimpered again, he realised she was dreaming.
He was hoping she'd wake up and bring herself out of the dream, but when her whimpers became louder and she started becoming restless, Troy realised he needed to wake her up.
"Jazzy, can you do Daddy a favour and go and play in your room for a couple of minutes, I'll come and get you when Gabriella's awake, okay?"
Jasmine nodded silently as her father, as she collected her dolls and quietly made her way out of the room.
He'd woken Jasmine up from plenty of dreams and night terrors, but he didn't want her to be in the room if Gabriella got upset, it wouldn't be fair on any of them. So now, with Jasmine out of the room, Troy turned his attention back to a now, very restless, Gabriella.
She had her back to him and in fear of making her jump even more than she probably would already; he got out of bed and crouched down by the side of the bed, so that he was face to face with her.
"Gabriella, Gabriella you need to wake up sweetie, your having a dream, you need to wake up."
She's heard him and he knew it, she'd immediately stopped moving when he started speaking and although she'd heard him, she still hadn't woken from the dream.
Gently he placed a hand on her shoulder and started to shake her, in a hope the movement would break up her dream, it did.
She shot up in bed, fear and worry written all over her face. She seemed to be unsure of her surroundings to begin with, until she turned to her right and saw Troy.
"Hey, you're okay, you were just having a dream, you were getting really restless so I had to wake you, sorry."
"It's okay, it wasn't a good dream anyway, where's Jasmine?"
"I made her go in her room for a bit, I wasn't sure how you'd react when I woke you, so to save people getting embarrassed it sent her in there, she's fine, she's playing with her dollies. Wanna tell me what your dream was about?"
"The obvious, Mum and Dad were arguing, they were throwing things again, but this time they were throwing things at me, well Dad was anyway, Mum was trying to stop him, it was really, really scary."
"Yeah well it was just a dream, it's over now, you don't need to worry about it." Troy said, as he walked back round the bed and sat down on his side.
"I didn't mean to wake you last night you know? I didn't even know Jasmine had seen me until you both appeared in the doorway, she's really caring you know?"
"Yeah, she's always been like that, it's just the way she is I guess. Why didn't you come and wake me when you woke up? I told you where I was for that exact reason, so you could come and talk to me, I didn't want you sitting in the dark on your own, dwelling on things. You should've woken me."
Gabriella shrugged. "I know, but I wasn't really sure why I was awake in the first place, I kinda just wanted to be held, but I felt kinda stupid waking you up to ask you for a hug, you've given me enough of them already."
"Yeah so? I have a two year old daughter, I all ever do is give out and receive hugs, it's one of the best things about being a Dad. So, you still wanna be held?"
Gabriella nodded shyly, as Troy moved so he was back in bed and leaning against the headboard.
"Come here then." Troy said, as he patted the bed beside him and held his arms open for Gabriella to snuggle into. She did just that, snuggling into his side as far as she could, resting her head on his shoulder, allowing her face to hide in the crook of his neck.
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"
"No I guess not."
"In that case, next time, just ask, okay?"
"Mhmmm." Was her mumbled reply.
"Don't go back to sleep on me, either." He teased.
"Mhmmm." Was the only reply he got to that as well.
Troy nuzzled his face in Gabriella's hair and tightened his grip around her, he wasn't about to admit this to anyone, after all he'd only known her a week, but Troy was beginning to become very fond of the brunette beauty currently finding comfort in his arms.
They stayed like that for a good few minutes and Troy was pretty sure that Gabriella had fallen back to sleep on him, until a scream was heard from Jasmine's room, making them both shoot up in his bed and head in the direction of the clearly distressed girl.
Troy reached Jasmine first, but Gabriella wasn't far behind, they found her sat on the floor, backed up against her bed, as she tried to hide from something on the other side of the room.
"Jazzy sweetheart, what's the matter?" Troy asked, as he picked her up from the floor and cradled her against his body, slowly swaying as he stood there.
"M-monster." Jasmine stated, as she pointed across the room to where her dollies were still lying on the floor, where she'd been playing with them minutes ago.
Troy and Gabriella looked over to where Jasmine was pointing and soon found her 'monster'.
"Jazzy sweetheart, it's just a spider, it won't hurt you." Troy said, as he adjusted Jasmine's position on his hip, so that he could rub her back.
"Scawy." Jasmine simply stated, as she continued to hide in the crook of Troy's neck.
Looking at the spider, Gabriella could see why Jasmine was so scared of it. It wasn't a big spider, by any means, but it wasn't exactly a little one either, it was the type of spider Gabriella didn't normal rescue, she left it to someone else, that someone else right now, seemed to be Troy.
"Gabriella."
"Huh?"
"I was saying I think we need to free this 'monster', but by the look on your face you aren't going anywhere near it."
Gabriella laughed. "I'd rather not, I don't mind spiders, but I'm definitely picking that one up. I'll hold Jasmine while you do though."
Troy seemed to like that idea because he turned his attention back to Jasmine to tell her what was happening.
"Jazzy, Daddy needs to rescue the spider, so can Gabi hold you while I do?"
Jasmine simply lifted her head from its hiding place and held her arms out for Gabriella to take her.
Gabriella situated Jasmine on her right hip, before turning her head to look the little girl in the eye. "Do you wanna stay here and watch Daddy rescue the spider, or shall we go start on breakfast?"
"Watch Daddy."
"Okay, how about we sit on your bed so we don't get in your Daddy's way?"
"I want Rosie." Gabriella looked at Troy for help on this one, she'd heard them both mention Rosie, but wasn't really sure who she was, luckily for her, Troy already had that one sorted.
"I don't think Gabriella's met Rosie yet, why don't you two sit on your bed and then you can introduce them while I rescue the spider, is that okay?"
Jasmine nodded, as she took Rosie from Troy's hand and then cuddled into Gabriella's embrace, already liking this new person her father had brought into her life.
TGTGTGTG
Later that day found Jasmine running across a big lawn area of the zoo to get to the play ground area. They'd arrived at the zoo two hours after their spider incident, and now that they'd seen all the animals, and they'd eaten their lunch, Troy had allowed Jasmine to go on the play area.
Troy and Gabriella watched as Jasmine reached her destination and made her way over to the swings, only to turn on her heel and start running back towards them.
"Daddy swings please, come on!" Jasmine took hold of Troy's hand and started pulling on it until he followed.
"Alright, alright Jazzy I'm coming, just hold on a minute and stop pulling my arm, I do need that you know."
Gabriella laughed at the interaction between father and daughter, as they finally made it to the swing and Troy lifted Jasmine into one of the special children's swings.
"Higher Daddy, higher!" Jasmine exclaimed, as Troy began pushing her swing.
"Alright little Missy, give me a chance, I only just started pushing, you don't just go high straight away you know, it's not magic." Troy replied, tickling Jasmine the next time the swing came towards him.
Gabriella laughed again at the interaction between Troy and Jasmine, as she sat down on the adult swing next to Jasmine's.
"Gabwi wanna swing too?" Jasmine asked, as Troy's pushed caused her swing to gain the wanted height.
"No I don't think so, not today anyway, Gabi's just happy to sit down for now, we don't all have as much energy as you."
"You aren't tired are you?" Troy asked, as he stopped pushing Jasmine for a minute so she wouldn't go any higher than she already was, which if you asked him was way to high anyway.
"Yeah sorry, I just haven't got a lot of energy at the minute." Gabriella answered, as she used her feet to lightly push her swing back and forth, her feet not once leaving the ground.
"That's probably not a good thing you know? You slept late enough as it was this morning, it would've be later if you hadn't of had that dream, are you always this tired?" Troy's concern for Gabriella was really starting to show.
"Don't worry Troy, there's nothing really wrong with me, I just don't get much sleep at home, Mum and Dad often argue way into the early hours of the morning, I drift off eventually, but it's not the easiest thing to sleep through, especially when more often than not I get brought into it."
Troy sighed, as he brought Jasmine's swing to a stop and lifted her out into his arms. "Jazzy, why don't you go and play on that slide over there while Daddy talks to Gabi for a minute?"
"Okay Daddy." Troy put Jasmine down and watched her run over to the slide and go down it once, before deciding she was okay and turning his attention to the new lady in his life.
Troy walked round to the front of the swings and crouched down in front of Gabriella's causing her to stop swinging, as he took her hands into his.
"Brie, why haven't you ever told anyone else about this? It seems it's been going on for a while now, you can't keep living this way."
Gabriella looked down at their hands which Troy was holding in her lap, she knew he was right but she didn't like to seem weak or that she couldn't cope, she found the best way to cope was to bury herself in her school work and keep out of the house when both her Mum and Dad were home.
She hadn't even realised she'd started crying until Troy's hands came up to cup her face and swipe away the falling tears.
"I'm sorry." Her voice cracked as spoke, but she managed to at least stop more tears from falling.
"Hey now, what have you got to be sorry for? The only thing you really have to be sorry for is not talking to somebody sooner, there people out there who get paid to listen you know?"
"Yeah I know," Gabriella replied, as Troy re-laced their fingers and placed them back in her lap. "It just sounds so stupid sometimes, I'm sleep deprived because my parents argue at all hours, sounds pretty lame if you ask me."
"Well it's not, just please don't keep anything else bottled up inside, the others will surely listen to you and I'm definitely here for you, okay?"
Gabriella nodded and allowed Troy to pull her up into a standing position so they could share a quick hug, before going over to play with Jasmine, and then visiting the animals one more time.
TGTGTGTG
"I'm telling you I get just as wet as she does when I give her a bath; I might as well have one with her and have done with it."
"I guess you'd save on water." Gabriella replied, as she tried her best not to laugh at Troy.
"Laugh at me Montez and I'm telling you when it's bath time tomorrow, you're in for a soaking."
"Okay, okay I'm sorry, just get out of those wet clothes will you."
"Yes Miss." Troy said saluting, making Gabriella bite her lip to stop herself from laughing, as she made her way back to the living room so Troy could take her place in his room and get changed.
"How come your still awake? I'm shattered." Gabriella asked Troy, as he plopped down on the couch next to her.
"I'm still awake for two reasons, the first being I'm her Dad, I'm used to running round after her, and the second being I'm not sleep deprived unlike someone I could mention."
Gabriella shrugged, as she snuggled further under the blanket Troy had given her to sleep under last night.
"Brie, if you're really that tired, then go and get in my bed, it's much more comfy than my couch."
Gabriella sighed. "I'm just so tired."
"I know you are sweetie which is why you need to sleep somewhere comfy, come on, I'll take you, you might fall asleep en route." Troy said, as he got up off the couch and gently helped Gabriella to get up before leading her through to his bedroom.
Ten minutes after putting Gabriella to bed and quickly tidying round the flat, Troy silently slid in next to her and was surprised when she rolled towards him.
"I thought you were asleep." Troy said, as he got himself comfortable under the covers.
"I was, but then I felt you come to bed and I was wondering, if maybe, you could hold me like you did this morning? Only for a little bit, just 'til I fall asleep."
"Come here." Troy said, as he held his arms open for Gabriella to situate herself in. "Brie, I hold you in my arms all night if it means you get a good night's sleep."
"Thank you." Gabriella murmured from her resting place on Troy's chest."
"Anytime sweetie, anytime." Troy replied, as he hands started running through Gabriella's hair, slowly lulling her off to sleep.
TGTGTGTG
"Bolton, it's your weekend off, what on earth are you doing here?"
"I got forced into coming, if I had my way I'd be lazing around the flat in my sweats around about now."
Tim laughed. "You got over powered by girls didn't you?"
Troy smiled sheepishly at Tim, his boss and all round great guy.
Tim had taken Troy under his wing from day one and really admired him for everything he'd already been through in life.
"If you were talked into this by women, does it mean I finally get to meet that daughter of yours?"
"Yep, she's still getting changed." Troy answered, as he put his towel down on the bench at the side of the pool.
"Isn't she like two, should she be in there alone?"
"She's not, you said I was over powered by girls, and I was, Gabriella's in there with her."
"She's the girl from your family living class, right?"
"Yeah, she's staying with us this weekend, things are getting worse for her at home and being with us takes her mind off it, plus Jasmine loves her, so that makes it so much better."
Tim blew his whistle at someone in the pool. "Yeah and that makes it even better because you like her as well, don't deny it, you have that look in your eye when you talk about her."
"Maybe I do, but Jazzy comes first, you know that."
"Yeah I know, I'm just saying that when you decide to ask her out, and you will, it'll be a lot easier for you because Jasmine already knows and likes her."
"I swear Tim, if you mention any of this to Gabriella you are gonna end up in that pool with us, boss or no boss."
"Okay, I'm backing off now, besides, your girls are done changing." Tim said, as he pointed behind Troy before turning away and heading back to his post.
"Wow look at you, don't you look pretty." Troy said to Jasmine who had on a pink costume with white flowers on, she had her pink fluff towel cuddled close to her chest.
"Gabwi looks pwetty as well Daddy."
Troy looked over at both Jasmine and Gabriella, his daughter was right, Gabriella did look pretty, but what got him the most was that Tim was also right; he did like Gabriella, a lot.
"Daddy, we go swimming now?"
Troy blinked a few times to bring himself out of his daydream before answering his daughter.
"Yeah sweetie we can go swimming now, why don't you take yours and Gabi's towels over to the bench and put them with mine while me and Gabi blow up your arm bands, okay?"
Jasmine nodded, as she took Gabriella's towel from her and made her way over to the bench, passing Troy on his way to Gabriella.
"She's right you know? You do look pretty." Troy said, before taking an arm band from Gabriella and started to blow it up, stopping either of them from saying anything else, as Gabriella started to do the same.
TGTGTGTG
"Oi Bolton, if you're gonna splash about in my swimming pool on one of your days off, at least introduce me to the lovely ladies you're with."
Troy stopped splashing Gabriella and turned round to face his boss, who had since sat down at the side of the pool, his legs dangling into the water.
"Why? So you can embarrass me?" Troy asked, as he swam over to Tim.
"No, so I can meet your daughter and the girl who you so fancy and then tease you because you two so match."
"You just sounded so like a girl, it's unbelievable."
"Yeah well, when you live with four daughters and a wife you have no choice but to have girly conversations with them."
"Okay, I'm gonna go and get the girls now because you're really starting to freak me out."
Tim just laughed and splashed water at Troy urging him to and get Gabriella and Jasmine.
"Tim, this little cutie in the pink costume is my daughter Jasmine and the other cutie in the white bikini is my friend from school, Gabriella."
"It's really nice to meet you both, Bolton over here never shuts up about you both, especially you Jasmine, it's kinda boring really." Tim said, as he dodged Troy's attempt at pulling him into the pool as well.
Gabriella laughed at the splash war that had begun between Troy and Tim. She was worried that by wearing a bikini Troy would think of her as a slut, but when he'd started complimenting her all afternoon, she realised she had nothing to worry about.
"Come on Jasmine, I think it's time for us to go and get changed and then visit the cafe in the foyer, we'll meet you out there Troy."
Troy gave them a thumbs up in understanding, before turning to watch Gabriella help Jasmine swim across the pool and get out. One thing was for sure, Gabriela would be playing a very big part in his and Jasmine's lives from now on.
TGTGTGTG
"You need to talk to your parents about this you know? You can't keep living like this; not being able to sleep in your own home isn't fair Brie, especially because it puts your health at risk."
"Yeah I know and you're right, but I think maybe I'll just try and speak to Mum alone, Dad can get angry sometimes, especially when he's being told the truth."
"So long as you talk to someone Brie that's what matters, just don't put yourself at risk doing it, okay?"
"I won't Troy, I'll talk to Mum, she doesn't like fighting with anyone, let alone with me. You'll be here though right? If it gets too much I can come to you, right?"
"You don't even need to ask that, if you need me you phone me, if I answer I'll come get you, if I don't then I'm at the pool and you come there, ask for me, I'll take a break and we'll talk, okay?"
Gabriella nodded. "Thanks Troy."
"It's no problem honestly, now how about we go to sleep? We've been sitting on the bed for long enough now, and I'm pretty sure the idea is that we get under the covers and lay down to sleep, so hug?"
Gabriella smiled at Troy, as they both climbed under the covers and Gabriella once again settled herself down onto her Troy like pillow.
"Okay, so the alarm is set, Jasmine's asleep, we're both in bed, and now we go to sleep and see what tomorrow brings."
"It will be okay, won't it Troy?"
"Course it will be and if I'm completely wrong then I'm here, day or night. So stop worrying, get some sleep and we'll take tomorrow as it comes, bit by bit, together."
TGTGTGTG
There it is guys, chapter four, hope you liked it!
I'm so so so sorry it's taken me this long to update, I planned on getting it out sooner, but every time I tried I just wouldn't get anywhere and ended up only writing little bits, but I finally made it today, I just hope you haven't all given up on me:)
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! THANK YOU!