Take Care

I do not own the song Take Care by Drake and Rihanna nor do I own High School Musical or the characters associated with it.

A/N - Hey! This song is a personal favorite of mine and I wanted to write about it. Hope you enjoy! And don't forget to read Exotic Love, I've only got a few reviews. I'm almost done with the next chapter.

Take Care

I know you've been hurt by someone else

I can tell by the way you carry yourself

His pupils were dilated and the whites blotchy and red. A net of rain heaved in long, murderous strides, grasping hold of the wind and grass blades, melting against his skin. Thoughts whizzed around in his head, unpleasant ones. Not even an hour earlier, he had been in a relationship. Now he was alone. Lost. Kicked out from one simple-minded mistake. He inhaled deeply through his nose, trying to rid his mind of the pain. But how can he forget? Forgetting someone you love is like remembering someone you've never met. It was a fact. How can you forget when you've loved, how can you remember when you've never met?

Anna Cecilia Jones was her name, a pretty blonde with soft blue eyes. She was an uprising writer, working for the New York Times. She was an amazing writer, she really was. It was a miracle that she had wanted him, that she had desired him like he had desired her. The attraction and lust brought them together and soon they fell into a deep pit of love. It was nothing but sweet kisses, warm hugs, passionate sex, for the first few months. But things went downhill quickly. Hastily. Horribly. Anna Cecilia Jones wasn't what she had said she was. She had cheated on him, and although he's never caught her, he knew it. She came home late smelling like Mangoes, unlike the Axe he had always worn. Once he caught her with a few hickeys. I fell. I slipped. I was stung. They were her excuses, but they were all lies. The truth was all he could really hear every time she'd lie.

Then he confronted her. Casually. She was mad, furious, even. She slapped him, she kicked him, she yelled at him for accusing her. He took in all of the abuse, emotionless. It was okay. It was fine. She could throw a fit. She could hit him, kick him, hate him, but it didn't really affect him. She forced him out of the house, closing the door and locking it. She had grasped the opportunity when he confronted her, using his accusations as an excuse to break up with him. Like mentioned, he was fine with that. It didn't affect him anymore.

Really, what did?

The sound of soft whimpering, of loud yelling and cursing made his head snap up. He narrowed his eyes upon seeing a small girl, shaking to the bone, clad in only a small blanket. A man had her gripped by the arm, shaking her as he yelled in her face. Something about money. Then he pushed her away and she fell to the ground hard, a soft cry following after it. He spit on her, a big, wet glob, before stalking off and out of sight. The girl's cried amplified and she curled herself into a tight ball. She was skinny. He could count her ribs from where he was standing.

Cautious, he made my way over to her, taking slow, long strides. She jumped, startled upon his approach and he crouched down next to her, taking her appearance in. She was unhealthy, he could tell you that, but behind the bones and layers of water, he could see nothing but beauty. Long, curly midnight hair. Bowed, heart-shaped lips and sweet honey eyes. They lifted to his eyes, the fear slowly shattering and replaced by a small plate of security. She blinked slowly, causing the tears grasping on her lashes to glisten. He reached forward and gently cupped the lone tear on his fingertip. They both watched as the drop slithered down his arm and melted into his shirt. He swallowed when he saw a bruise forming on her stomach. Purple. Blue. Black. He counted each color off with a shake of his head. "Did… he do that?" came his hoarse voice. He dropped his hand, gently hovering it over her bruise. The girl breathed deeply. Then gave a slight nod. He looked into her eyes, seeing a deep pool of hopelessness. Sorrow. Pain. It was too much to take in. He wondered why she was cursed, why she had to go through all of this pain. "Are you okay?" was his next question.

"Who are you?" she whispered through trembling, chapped lips. He dropped his arm, lying it against the cold ground. The girl watched him with curiosity, waiting for an answer. "Troy Bolton," he finally answered. The girl blinked and swallowed a thick line of saliva. "Do you… want anything for me?"

"I want to help you," he blurted out.

Her head tilted, as if the word was foreign. "Help?

"If you let me," Troy whispered, reached forward to pull the blanket tighter around her. A slight shiver rippled through her body. His eyes never left hers as he spoke his next sentence. "I'll take care of you."

If you let me, here's what I'll do

I'll take care of you

He carried her to his home. It wasn't much. Anna's house was better, but he was pretty sure she'd stab him if he showed up at her doorstep with a naked girl.

"Thank you," she whispered as he set her down on his couch. He didn't care if it caused the wetness from the rain to seep into the carpet and couch. "My pleasure," he said. "I'll get you some clothes, okay?" She nodded and he turned, walking towards his room. His house was just one floor, so it didn't take long for him to crumple up a pair of his basketball shorts and white button up in his hands and return back to the girl. Her legs were drawn up tightly to her chest, arms wrapped around them. She looked so small and helpless. Troy wondered who the guy was. A boyfriend? Husband?

"Here," he said, holding out the clothing. She took them with a small smile and Troy turned, letting her get dressed without eyes. He wondered if she was a prostitute, or maybe even a stripper. It was possible since she was naked and was beaten by some guy. A pimp, maybe. His eyes then widened as he took in the reality of this situation. He had let a complete stranger who could be a prostitute into his house. Sometimes he was just so stupid.

"Gabriella."

He turned when she talked. She was dressed fully in his clothes, the blanket wrapped around her. He tilted his head, confused. "My name," she explained softly. "My name is Gabriella Montez. Thank you for bringing me in."

"It was the least I can do, seeing a helpless girl," he said softly. He rubbed a dirty thumb over his nose, itching it. "So, ah, who was that guy?"

"Marc Olsen. Boyfriend," she answered softly. "We've been having… problems."

"Problems? He was acting as if you were a… an animal, or something." Troy shook his head, pictures of the guy flashing through his mind. Gabriella leaned back, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. "I've grown up around pain… what's wrong with taking it now?" She shrugged. "He's a drug addict. And HIV positive, same as me. We met in a group, somewhere downtown… then we fell in love. Then he started to take drugs, started to drink a lot…. It messed him up and turned him into a monster. He relied on me for money, and whenever I don't have it, out comes the violence. Just like tonight." She shook her head and let out a small sigh. "It's the part where I can turn him in, but he's gonna die soon, Troy. The doctor said three more months. And I love him. When he's not violent or totally wasted, he's a really nice guy."

"You're not safe with him," Troy told her softly. Gabriella swallowed, tears pricking her eyes. She looked down at her trembling fingers. "I know. But I've got nowhere else to go. No one else to turn to."

"What about family?"

"I grew up in an orphanage," she shared solemnly. "My parents died in a car accident when I was four, I've never met any of my other family… so, no, I don't."

He didn't even stop to think about what he said next. "Stay with me."

Gabriella laughed and closed her eyes. "You're sweet, Troy. But I don't know you and you don't know me."

"You look harmless, what can you do to me? And I'm not a violent guy or anything, so you're safe."

"I strip," she said softly. "Do you really want me to live here?"

His eyes were so gentle, so kind and sweet, Gabriella almost cried. "Yeah, Gabriella, I do."

I've asked about you and they told me things

But my mind didn't change

And I still feel the same

What's a life with no fun? Please don't be so ashamed

I've had mine; you've had yours we both know

Troy let Gabriella stay in his guest bedroom. He pushed old furniture and instruments to the side and remade the bed with cleans sheets. "It's not the bets, but it's all I have," he explained. Gabriella smiled. "It's perfect. Thank you."

"Good," he said. "If you… if you need anything, I'm right down the hall. If you get hungry, the kitchen is open. Everything is open for you."

"Thanks," she whispered. Troy nodded and started to walk out, but stopped short when Gabriella called his name. He turned to see her eyes shining with tears, her bottom lip trembling, and her eyes filled with worry and grief. "I… I do need something," she said softly. "Can you stay with me?" Troy nodded and kicked off his shoes. Gabriella sat up and grasped his hand, pulling him down next to her. Although they had only known each other for about an hour, she curled herself close to him, tears falling from her eyes. She felt close to him. Safe. Troy wrapped an arm around her and sighed, throwing his head back against the old headboard. "I wake up every morning," she started out in a soft whisper, causing Troy to open his eyes and look down at her carefully. "wishing I could die, that this disease would just take me already. But then I think about how many people have died already. And I know I'm lucky, I know that I must be special. I was supposed to die four years ago, you know? But I haven't and I think that means I'm here for a reason…" She trailed off and sighed.

"There will be an answer," he sung softly. "Let it be."

Gabriella twisted her head up to look at him. A small smile tugged at her lips and she rested back against him. Her hand found his, entwining their fingers. "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me…"

"Speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

"And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me…"

"Speaking words of wisdom, let it be." Troy smiled against her hair and sighed. "You're voice is lovely."

"So is yours. You're a fan of the Beatles?"

"I've got all of the records," he shared. He lifted her away from him and slipped out of the bed, dropping down to his knees in front of a bookcase and looking through the shelves. Gabriella pulled her knees close to her body, resting back against the headboard. "I feel like I can relate to some of their songs," she stated. Troy sat back on his haunches and cast a brief look back at her before searching again. "Yeah?" He hissed as a spider crawled past him and slapped it with his hands. Gabriella nodded. "Mhm. It's a shame that we were born in the wrong time period, huh?" Troy laughed, a sound that was beautiful to Gabriella's ears. He stood up, with Beatle CD's clasped tightly in his hands. He strode over to the radio and turned it on, slipping the CD into the slot. Strawberry Fields started to play and Troy went to go sit next to Gabriella again.

The music consumed them. In the next several minutes, Hey Jude came on. They looked at each other, feeling the same way as the other. They wanted peace. They needed it. They were tired of shit, they just needed to let go.

Gabriella moved in first, pressing her lips gently against his. The action gave Troy confidence and he grabbed her tiny waist, pulling her close, making her straddle him. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her legs up so her feet were flat on the bed and so she'd be more comfortable. A gasp spilled from her lips when Troy departed their fused lips and dropped kisses along her jaw, her neck and collar bone. As he did this, he flipped them, lying Gabriella flat on her back as he hovered above her. Gabriella arched when his fingers brushed against the underside of her breasts. Her eyes closed tighter, her mind hazy and bliss streaming through her blood. She bit her lip in anticipation as Troy popped open a button and already his oversized shirt fell slack against her frame.

Instead of finishing the job, he closed his hand into a tight fist, banging it roughly against the bed sheet. Gabriella opened her eyes and looked at him. "I don't want to take advantage of you," he explained in a thin whisper. Gabriella smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. She forced his head forward, towards her mouth. "You're not." He still looked skeptical. Gabriella sighed in frustration. "Please, I need this. I need to feel loved. Please, Troy. I promise you aren't taking advantage of me." She pulled his head down even more and kissed him softly. Troy started to work opens the buttons again until her torso was bare for him to see. He kissed each nipple and then shimmied his shorts off of her legs. His eyes closed momentarily, not exactly believing that this was happening. She was so beautiful.

Troy quickly shed off his clothes, tossing them to the floor.

He parted her legs.

Sunk down into her.

They moaned and held each other close as Troy slowly rocked into her. "Troy," she whispered. Their lips came together, his guiding hers, their fingers lacing and their bodies moving in perfect unanimity. Troy opened his eyes and pulled away, looking down at her. This was different. He had never felt this elated, this euphoric with Anna before. Anna was his rock, was is the keyword, but now he was here and couldn't help but feel that this is where he wanted to be, surrounded by calm clarity and a girl who he had just met but somehow connected him like the threads to the Earth.

For the first time in a while, he felt complete. Whole.

For the first time in a while, she felt complete. Whole.

Their problems vanished as they neared the wonderful climax. Troy muted her loud mews, pants and moans with his lips and they both came, shaking and trembling as they tried to get over their high. Troy fell down next to her and pulled her close. He opened his eyes and that's when he noticed her tears. Afraid he had hurt her, he sat up, and grabbed her arm. "Gabriella? Gabriella, are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No… no," she whispered. "Thank you. You were so gentle to me. So kind. I didn't know people like you existed." She pulled him back down and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Troy relaxed and draped his arm around her body, pulling her closer. "I was thinking the same thing."

She cried harder. Because she was happy she found Troy. Because she was sad she lost Marc.

Troy kissed each tear away.

They drifted into sleep the next minute.

My only wish is I die real

Cause that truth hurts, and those lies heal

And you can't sleep thinking that he lies still

So you cry still, tears all in the pillow case

They were jostled awake by gun shots. Loud gun shots. Terrified screams. Gabriella held close to Troy as he pulled on his clothes and then tossed her the ones he gave her last night. "It's normal," he mumbled lowly, his dark eyes landing on the alarm clock. It was only seven in the morning. Way too early. "There's a shoot out every week," he informed her. Gabriella bit her lip and pulled the clothes on. She stood and walked to the window, pulling the curtain open just a crack. She held her breath as she watched the scene unfold. Two guys were shooting at each other. One seemed to already be wounded, but he stayed strong and continued to fight. Police sirens met her ears and she closed the curtains back, going over to Troy. "It's a bad neighborhood," he explained. "Just stay low and keep in the house and I'm usually fine."

"I have to go see Marc," she whispered. Troy froze. He turned around to meet her sad gaze. "Gabriella, we talked about this… you aren't safe with him."

"But I have to," she said, almost in tears. "He can't take care of himself, he needs me."

"No, he needs your money." Troy shook his head, his gaze intense. "You aren't going to him."

"Troy―"

"I told you I would take care of you, didn't I?"

Gabriella looked hurt. "I'm sorry, Troy. I can't. I have to go to him. Thank you though, for welcoming me." She walked out of the room. Troy sighed loudly and went after her just as he heard a door slam. "Gabriella! You can't walk out there, they're shooting." He caught up to her and grabbed her arms, turning her around and attempting to pull her into the house. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Troy…"

"Let me drive you at least," he compromised. Then flinched when another gunshot cut through the air. "Please." Gabriella nodded and let Troy guide her towards his car. It was beaten up and horrible, but it at least gave them protection.

Troy swerved out of his street as fast as he can. Gabriella swallowed and leaned back. "You're mad," she whispered. Troy shook his head. "You love him. You want to protect him. I can't be mad." Gabriella bit her lip. She looked at him, her eyes uncertain. "Do I?"

Troy narrowed his eyes. "Do you love him?"

Her answer shocked him. "I don't know."

"Gabriella…"

"But I still can't leave him, okay?"

"Okay, okay… Guide me to his place."

Gabriella did as she was told. It took fifteen minutes. Fifteen long, painful minutes. Gabriella turned to Troy and leaned over to hug him, and then peck him lightly on the lips. "Thank you, Troy. Thank you so much."

"I promised you," was all he said. Gabriella nodded. "Will I see you again?"

"I don't know, it's all up to you."

She bit her lip. Climbed out of the car. "Goodbye, Troy." Troy responded meekly and then she closed the door, turning and walking off towards the house. He rested back against the seat and sighed, his eyes closing.

Pushing me away so I give her space

Dealing with a heart that I didn't break

I'll be there for you, I will care for you

I keep thinking you just don't know

Trying to run from that, say you're done with that

On your face girl, it just don't show

Gabriella reached under the mat and unlocked the door. It was dark. Quiet. She replaced the key and walked inside. "Marc?" she called out. Her steps careful, she walked up the old stairs and towards their room. Marc was in there, awake, sitting on the edge of the bed with a needle and a couple of empty bottles of Vodka. Gabriella felt her fear surge on. She stepped forward and Marc look up, his eyes wild. He laughed, the sickly smell of alcohol rolling off his tongue. "Oh, wow," he mumbled, standing. "This is fucking priceless." He shook his head. "Where the fuck have you been?"

"I… a friend's house," she answered docilely. Marc walked towards her, his hand clenching and unclenching. There was dried blood clumped on his hairy knuckles. Gabriella winced. "A friend's house," he mocked, his voice pitched and squeaky. He grabbed her arm and shook her. Gabriella tried to pull herself free, but had no luck. "Who, huh? Was it a boy?"

"N-no," she whispered. He snarled. "You're lying! Why you got boy clothes on then?" He fisted a clump of Troy's shirt in his hand and pulled her close, the heels of her feet lifting off the ground. "Who the fuck were you with?"

"He was just an old friend," she tried to explain. "Please, Marc, I'm telling the truth!"

"What did you do with him?" He shook her. Hard. Gabriella felt her head spin. "Did he touch you?"

"No! I promise! Marc, please let me go."

"I'm gonna kill him," he growled, letting her go. Gabriella crashed back against the wall, breathing hard. Marc pulled out a gun from his back pocket and she yelped, scared. He looked at her, his grin sending shivers down her spine. "Don't worry, princess, it's not for you. Do you got my money?"

"Marc, you pulled me out of the club before I could get my check. I don't. I'm sorry."

"This is my last one, god dammit!" he exclaimed, holding up the needle. "I need more. You better have my money by tonight." He sighed. "I try to be nice and this is how you repay me, huh? I'm not gonna have any of it."

"Marc…"

He walked towards her, grabbing a chunk of her hair and pulling it back tightly. He frowned, his face reddening. "You lying cunt…" Hard, her thrashed her head back against the wall. Gabriella cried out and her hands shot up to her aching skull. "You got hickeys on your neck! He did touch you."

"Marc, please don't hurt me," she begged, pathetically almost. He grinned and shook his head. "You're gonna get punished, you little slut." He punched her hard in the gut and Gabriella doubled over, gasping for breath, tears falling from her eyes. She held onto her abdomen and stood up straight. Marc, not satisfied yet, reached out and locked his fingers around her neck, squeezing tightly. Gabriella felt her eyes roll back, her breath being knocked away. "This is exactly what you get when you cheat on me," he said lowly. Gabriella tried desperately to pry his hands away, but had no luck. So she brought her foot up and kicked him hard in the groin. Oh why didn't she stay with Troy? Why was she so stupid? Marc grabbed her wrist, twisting it as hard as he can. Gabriella tried to reach up and stop him, but he grabbed her other arm, pinning her against the wall. She cried as she felt her bone crack, felt the pain consume her. "Marc… Marc, please. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"I'm not finished with you so shut your fucking mouth!" He yanked out his belt and turned her roughly around, striking her back with the metal part. Gabriella fell to her knees, crying out. Marc laughed and struck at her again, making her crumble all the way to the floor, curling herself in a ball. "Does it feel good?" he shouted at her, hitting her again. "Does it, you little cunt?" Gabriella screamed as she felt the metal colliding with her face. The skin there tore and she felt a river of blood stream down and onto the floor.

Inside the car, Troy sat up. He heard a scream. A loud one. A girl. She was in pain.

One thing came to mind.

Gabriella.

He was out the car in record time, running up the steps and towards the door. He twisted the knob and sighed in relief that the door was open. Quickly, he ran into the house and upstairs. The screams became even clearer. Marc's words made his blood boil, made him feel with rage and hatred. He burst into the room and grabbed the back of Marc's shirt, throwing his backwards. He gripped his collar and then hurled his fist forward, effectively breaking his nose. Blood spurted on him, but Troy wasn't done. He punched him again and then stood, giving his side a firm kick. Behind him, Gabriella groaned, and Troy turned. He held his breath at the sight.

She was a bloody mess. The clothes she wore were slightly ripped. She was shaking, cradling her arm as she cried and gasped. He crouched down beside her and touched her arm. She flinched away and Troy sighed softly. "Gabriella… it's me. It's Troy."

Despite the pain she was in, she filled with joy. She turned and looked up at him, her vision slightly blurred from the tears. "I'm so sorry," she whispered thinly. Troy shook his head. He felt his own tears start to gather. The guilt kicked his stomach like a mule. "No, I'm sorry… I let you go. I was so stupid. Come on, we have to get out of here." He scooped her up in his arms, carefully, making sure he didn't disrupt her cuts too much. Gabriella clung to him tightly with one hand while the other lie limp on her lap. "I think he broke my wrist," she shared. Troy looked down at it and breathed deeply at how it was angled. "Don't worry, Gabriella. I've got you. I'm still on that promise, if you let me, that is. I'll take care of you."

She looked up at him, into his eyes and swallowed. Dear God, this man was precious. "Thank you."

You won't ever have to worry,

You won't ever have to hide

You've seen all my mistakes

So look me in my eyes

Cause if you let me, here's what I'll do

I'll take care of you

I've loved and I've lost

The trip to the hospital didn't take long.

Gabriella refused to bring Marc into this when the nurse looked at them with worried eyes, asking them what happened. She said she was mobbed, but didn't see the guy who mobbed her. Troy, when they were a distance away from the nurse, he asked why she would try to protect him. She explained that Marc would die soon. Her answer had Troy fuming, but he didn't say anything. He just helped her limp off towards the receptionist. She had asked the same and Gabriella had said the same. Then they were instructed towards a hospital room.

"You think I'm horrible," Gabriella spoke softly. Troy helped her slip into bed. Troy shook his head and sighed, running a hand over his prickly stubble. "No. Why would I?" Gabriella looked down. She sighed. "I keep defending Marc. Even after he hurt me… but you have to believe it, he's going to die soon… What kind of person would I be to let him go to jail and rot in there, huh? I don't have enough hate in my heart to do so."

"I don't think you're horrible," he said, sitting down. "Stupid. Naïve, maybe, but not horrible. I just broke up with a girl and I guess that I would do the same."

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Anna."

"Anna?" Gabriella echoed. "Oh, that's a pretty name. How come you guys broke up?"

"She cheated on me," he said quietly. "I didn't catch her, but I knew… just, somehow, I knew." Gabriella wiped her nose, wincing when her hand came in contact with her the burning sensation stretched across her face. She then swallowed, hard and cupped Troy's cheek gently. Troy stayed still, his lids half way closed as he watched her with a gentle look. "You deserve better," Gabriella said. "You're a good man."

He shook his head, his hair flapping about. "You hardly know me, Gabriella."

Gabriella smiled softly. "You're absolutely right. I don't. But you were just a bystander and you saw me and wanted to help me, to take care of me. That's all I need to know. You know how many people would just walk away and not care? So many things could've happened to me, Troy, if you weren't there. You may be the worst guy in the world, but I owe you that." The door clicked open. Quickly, the two shot apart and looked up, seeing a doctor walked in. He froze slightly, his eyebrow raising. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine," Troy assured him, waving his hand and clearing his throat. The doctor nodded and walked further in, looking at Gabriella. "Hello, Gabriella. I'm Dr. Graham. I've been informed about your attack. It certainly looks rough."

"Yeah," Gabriella said, her voice wavering.

"From one to ten, ten being the worst, how much is your pain?" And suddenly, an ache dispersed across her skin and she sat up. "Um, eight, maybe."

"Alright then. Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step out."

"Okay," Troy said. He stood and walked to the door, looking back at Gabriella once more before exiting. He exhaled softly and leaned up against the wall. "Oh, God," he breathed up towards the ceiling. "What the hell am I doing?"

"Talking to yourself, that's what."

Troy jumped and squinted his eyes, staring hard upwards. "God?" Loud, raucous laughter made him look over besides himself. A man stood there, shaking his head and laughing, his shoulder rolling and his eyes narrowing. The guy had to be in his early thirties, or perhaps even older. He has a wise look to him, but also some kind of care-free vibe as well. His laughing ceased and he wiped small water droplets from his gray eyes. "Oh, kid, that's hilarious. I'm not God, but I may be pretty damn close." He smiled. "You look troubled. What's on your mind?"

"Too much shit to handle," he said, sliding down to the floor. The man quirked an eyebrow. "Son, shit is my middle name. Tell me what's going on." The man pulled his pants up and then sat down in one of the hospital chairs leaning against the wall. Troy blinked, once, confused, before nodding. "Well, alright then. It started yesterday night. My girlfriends… she's been cheating on me. I didn't exactly catch her, but I see the signs. She stays at work more, has a lot of business meetings and trips. Sometimes, I'd even see hickeys and she'd always say the same thing. She fell, she got stung by a bee and every time she'd lie, I knew it. Our, um…" He cleared his throat. "Our time in bed has decreased. We haven't shared an intimate moment in a year. I cook her dinner, even though she's never home when it's hot and when she is, it's quiet and awkward. She's always on the other side of the bed, hugging her pillow. She doesn't say I love you or goodnight. I can't even remember the last time we said that to each other or had a sentimental kiss. There isn't a spark there anymore. So, anyway, I confronted her and she broke up with me. It was an easy way to break up with me without being too suspicious, I guess. So, after I left our house, well… I guess her house. I just spent the night there all the time. Anyway, after I left, I wandered around. I saw something. A guy was beating on some girl, yelling at her. Her name was Gabriella. She was crying. When he left, I walked up to her. I promised to take care of her and I did. I took her to my house and we clicked… I don't know, there's just something about her." Troy sighed. "We even had sex. In the morning, she wanted to go back to her boyfriend, the one who was hitting her, because he has HIV and is unstable with his drugs and stuff and she's scared that he won't be able to take care of himself. I was reluctant, but I let her go. Then I heard her scream and I quickly went to help her." A thick lump fell down his throat. "I'm just… so confused. About Gabriella and what I should do. She still wants to protect her boyfriend, and I don't… What's going on now, everything is just so impossible to make of. I don't know what to do."

The man whistled lowly and shook his head. "Wow, man, that is some shit you go there. Let me just say something. Impossible is a word that we humans use to much, alight? So get it out of your mouth." Troy nodded. "And second, you may not understand this. Hell, many people don't understand their problems. But it's simply not that we don't understand it, it's just what we refuse to understand. God gave you three gifts. Three gifts that you have to use wisely. Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third. Think, boy. What do you think you have to do, huh?"

Troy bit his lip and looked down at the cold ground, trying hard to understand. The man glanced down briefly at his watch and then stood. Troy looked up at him. "I have to go, kid. You think this place can afford to be down one employee?" Troy shrugged. "Keep thinking. It'll come to you soon. Just trust your intuition and be guided by love." Still thinking, all Troy did was nod. The man walked off, down the pristine corridor. Noticing that he didn't catch the man's name, Troy quickly stood and looked down the hall, but the man wasn't there. A blank moment crossed his mind and then he looked at Gabriella's hospital room door.

Then it came crashing down on him.

He knew what he had to do.

"Troy…"

He looked around him.

"Troy… Troy…"

"Troy!":

Troy's eyes opened and he sat up quickly. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus until he was able to see Gabriella in front of him, a worried look on her face. "Troy… are you okay?" She lifted her hand and pressed her knuckles gently against his forehead. Troy nodded and sat up. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. Just had a dream."

"Oh," she said. "It's already three. You've been knocked out for hours. The doctor finished with me two hours ago and I got lonely." She sat down next to him. "What was your dream about?"

"Actually…" He scratched the back of his neck. "You."

Gabriella's eyebrows knit together. "Me?"

"Yeah… it's confusing, but…" He sighed. "I want to get to know you, Gabriella. To spend time with you. To help and take care of you… and…"

"Troy, what are you talking about?"

"Just…" He moved over more and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. Gabriella froze and swallowed tightly, her saliva feeling more like tar. "Troy, I'm hideous," she breathed, although she leaned forward. Troy just shook his head and kissed her softly. Gabriella's eyes fell closed the same time Troy's did and she maneuvered herself a little better. She locked one arm around his neck and then lifted her other, caressing his cheek gently with her fingers. Troy pried her lips gently with his tongue before sneaking it gently into her mouth. Their tongues stroked against one another's, their hands groped and the kiss became more fierce, although still passionate. After a minute or two, Troy then broke the kiss and pulled back. Gabriella smiled and opened her eyes. "Trying to get lucky again?"

Troy chuckled. "Let's take things slower."

Gabriella nodded and sat back. "You're getting yourself in a lot, Troy," she said. "I'm HIV positive. That doesn't… gross you out? Or make you worry that things might not be alright?"

"Not really," he said. "Well, not really for the first part. The latter… we just have to hope. Which means think positive. You'll be alright, I promise." He pulled her close, embracing her tightly. Gabriella smiled. "Troy?"

"Hm?"

"I promise to take care of you, too."

I know you've been hurt by someone else

I can tell by the way you carry yourself

If you let me, here's what I'll do

I'll take care of you

I've loved and I've lost

So, I love this song. And I just wanted to make it into a one-shot. I hope you liked it and will review!

Thanks!-Brittany