They had a little bit of time before the game, so they decided to head over to Chad and Taylor's for a late lunch. Taylor sat on the couch in her living room with her hand laid across her stomach as Chad and Troy cooked. Tori watched as Taylor's stomach moved every time the baby kicked. Gabriella sat beside her with her elbow propped on the back of the couch, her face resting on her hand. She'd had two full days with her her now. Tonight would be the first home game with Troy down at the arena and Tori was looking forward to it. Gabriella was, but she knew it would be more of Troy's little show.

He had been going above and beyond in his displays of affection for her and it was getting to be suffocating for her. She loved him, but it was too much for her. She wanted his real love, not this fake love, but she knew he didn't love her anymore. He had made it very clear when he had laid out this arrangement for her. It was all her fault and she knew it. If she would have just sucked up her pain and her pride and just came back to him when she found out she was pregnant with Tori, they would have been happy by now. But she had been selfish and scared. And now that he knew, he didn't want her anymore. He was staying with her because their daughter deserved both of his parents.

Taylor and Gabriella couldn't talk very well about her and Troy with Tori laying there with them. So while she was laying there playing with the baby, they enjoyed the quiet time they had with her. Tori looked up at Taylor when the baby kicked back at her hand for probably the hundredth time.

"And it doesn't hurt?"

Taylor shook her head, running her fingers through the girl's long brown hair. "No, sweetie. It doesn't hurt at all."

Tori looked over at her mother. "Mama," Gabriella still wasn't used to hearing her or anyone call her that, but she still liked the sound of it, "when are you and Daddy going to have a baby?"

Gabriella's eyes widened and Taylor turned to look at her. She was aware of what was going on between her best friend and her husband's best friend, so she knew this question had to be a loaded one for G.

"Ummm..." Gabriella really didn't know how to answer that. So, she was honest with her, smiling softly for her daughter.

"I don't know, Tori."

She wished she did. She was scared to have another child with Troy. She wanted to be married to him and have another child or two with him. She wanted the child she lost with him, but that was all in the past and they may not even have a real future together.

"Daddy and I haven't discussed it."

Tori nodded, looking up at Taylor. "May I play your XBox?"

Taylor nodded, shifting slightly on the couch. "Go ahead."

Tori moved over to the TV cabinet and turned on the TV and XBox before picking out a game from the game collection.

"Wow, G! I'm so sorry."

Gabriella leaned her head over onto Taylor's stomach, wrapping her arms around her best friend and hugging her tightly. "I hate this, Tay. How am I supposed to go on like this?"

Taylor held her best friend close to her, running her fingers through her hair. "You will. You're strong."

Gabriella felt her niece kick her head and she pulled her head back slightly. "She's a strong one."

Taylor ran her hand over Gabriella's head. "She is. Just like her daddy."

Gabi caressed Taylor's stomach softly. "Troy and I won't have anymore children. He doesn't love me anymore."

Taylor covered her best friend's mouth shaking her head. "Don't you talk like that. Especially around your daughter. Little hears hear everything!" She arched her eyebrow highly, looking over at Tori and back to Gabriella. "Troy loves you, honey. He's just making you pay for all the pain he's feeling right now because you kept this secret from him. Believe you me, if Chad ever kept something this big from me, you'd better believe I'd be punishing him to high heaven." She planted her hand on her hip and snapped her fingers on her other hand a couple times, making a "you better believe me, honey" face.

Gabriella tried to smile, but failed horribly. "I don't know," she said, looking down at her hands in her lap, biting her lip.

Taylor nodded. "I know. I know you two. I've been the one fortunate enough to know both of you throughout these ten years that both of you have been apart, and I KNOW that the two of you have loved each other the whole time that you were apart."

Gabriella shook her head. "But this isn't about the time that we were apart, Taylor," she said, using her best friend's full name, not her nickname. "I kept his daughter from him. That little girl right over there. The most PERFECT little girl in the entire world."

She looked over at her and she knew that, she knew that, and she had kept her from herself as well. She didn't even know the boy herself and she wanted to so much. She had been a selfish bitch, choosing her career over raising a family and living happily ever after with Troy, all because she had been scared. But what had she been afraid of? Honestly. What had she been afraid of? When the baby had come out healthy and she had all ten fingers and all ten toes, why hadn't she picked up the phone and called him right then? It was because she was a selfish bitch and she wanted her goddamned career instead of a happy, loving family with Troy and the daughter they could have raised together...

And she was afraid she'd leave them for it. She was afraid if she did call Troy, she wouldn't be good enough for them. Her parents weren't good enough parents for her, they didn't want her and love her, so what if she wasn't good enough for this baby? What if she still wasn't? What if she still wasn't good enough for Tori? And with out Troy loving her, what was to stop her from leaving. Troy had what he wanted now. He had a child. And maybe he could go back to Sharpay. She had always been faithful to him. She loved him. Sharpay would never have done what Gabriella had done to him. Sharpay would never have left him. She wasn't a heartless bitch. She was the good one. She always had been...

"Stop it, Gabriella! Stop it right now!" Taylor said, cutting Gabriella off in her thoughts.

Gabriella turned her head back to her best friend, blinking. "What?"

Taylor crossed her arms over her stomach. "I know you, G. 'Troy doesn't love me.' 'Troy should go back to Sharpay.' 'I'm not good enough for him.' Just stop! Ok? Just stop! Stop! You're done! Troy loves you."

Gabriella looked back down at her hands, biting her lip, tears dripping down softly from her eyes. "Then why is he doing this?" Gabi whispered through a soft sob.

"Because he's hurting," Taylor whispered back, pulling Gabriella back into her arms, "but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. Give him time to cool down. I saw the three of you last night. I saw the way he looks at you. It's the way he's always looked at you. He never looked at Sharpay that way. He loves you. He always will love you, G. Always. I know this. Believe me."

Gabriella lifted her head, looking up at her best friend, wiping her tears from her face. "I'm trying. I want to believe that he does. There are times I think that he does. But then there are times... Like when we got home last night. After we made Tori's bed, and we tucked her in. After we shut our door... He didn't say another word to me," she whispered, biting her lip, leaning back against the couch, holding her legs up against her body. "We got ready for bed and he slept on one side of the bed and I slept on the other." She closed her eyes, laying her head down on the back of the couch, shaking her head softly.

Taylor turned to Gabriella, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Give him him time, G. He's hurting. You all need time to adjust. He might need a little more time than you and maybe even Tori. But I know he still loves you. I see it in his eyes. I know it's still there. He does still love you. I know he still loves you."

Gabriella opened her wet eyes, looking up at Taylor, her lip quivering. "I don't see it. I can't."

rested her head against Gabriella's forehead, holding her close. "You will. Give it time. Give him time."

Gabriella nodded slowly, her head still leaning against Taylor's gently. The five of them ate dinner together and then headed down to the arena. Troy and Chad left Gabriella and Tori on the court and headed to the locker room, Taylor had stayed home.

"How's it going with the your daughter?" Chad asked as they entered the locker room.

"Great. Tori's amazing."

Troy shut the door, not wanting any of his players hearing anything Chad and he discuss behind the door. Sure, the whole world knew about Tori by now, but this was his personal life. Anything that he had to say about him and Lily or anything that was happening at the house had nothing to do with the world didn't need to be heard by his team, especially Julian. Troy was sure he'd give anything to have Lily back, if he heard that she and Troy were haven't problems, he was sure he'd swoop in.

But they really weren't having problems. Not really. He loved her more than ever and there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her, and he knew that she loved him, but he was hurting over the betrayal of her keeping their daughter from him. Maybe if she would have said on the night of the reunion "hey Troy, we have a daughter," maybe, just maybe, he could have forgiven her, but he couldn't know that now. All he knew now was that she kept it from her from him and that hurt him.

"What about you and Pepper?"

Troy shook his head. "I don't know man. She says she was scared. I don't know."

Chad scoffed, holding up his hands. "Scared? Of what? What in the hell would she be scared of?"

Troy sat down at his desk, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know."

The truth was he did know. He knew his Lily all to well. And she was his Lily still. He'd still held her in his arms these last few nights when they'd slept. She didn't know, but he did. He still watched her as they slept. He still loved her more than ever. He would never stop loving her. And nothing would ever stop him from loving her. Not even her keeping his child from him.

"Man, I don't know how you can just forgive her for this."

Troy leaned forward in his seat over his desk. "How can't I? She's the love of my life. She's the mother of my children. I'm never going to stop loving her."

Chadshook his head. "Wait, whoa! Children?"

Troy shook his head. "Children." He sighed heavily and leaned back into his chair, running his fingers through his hair. "Lily got pregnant when we were in high school. She lost it. Just a few weeks before she left. We fought... About losing her... About loving each other." He shook his head, holding his hands over the back of his neck. "That was the last time we were together. That was the time Tori was conceived."

Chad shook his dread-locked head. "How do you know the kid is yours?"

Troy snapped his eyes up at Chad. "I know. Lily hasn't been with anyone but me. I know her. She didn't even sleep with De Aquila. Tori is mine."

Chad held his hands up. "Alright. I believe you. So now what?"

Troy shook his head, breathing in deeply. "I've told Lily that there's nothing between us. We put on a front for the world. We're a happy family. No one knows any differently. Even to Tori. But behind our bedroom door... nothing."

Chad winced. "Don't you think that's kinda harsh... I mean... on you too?" Chad gestured down toward Troy's crotch under the desk. "There's only so much a man can take."

Troy shifted slightly, stretching his back. "Believe me, I know. But I won't go forever like this. I miss her already. I love Lily. More than my life. This won't go on forever. But I've got my hand. Admittedly it's not the same." He shook his head like he felt shame in admitting it.

"I couldn't do it," Chad groaned, leaning back in his seat.

"Believe me, I don't want to," Troy said, closing his eyes, thinking about his Lily, covering his eyes with his hand, taking a deep breath and letting it go heavily.

"Then what are you going to do?" Chad asked, leaning forward on his knees.

Troy looked up at the ceiling in his office, shaking his head. "I don't know. I can't just go back on what I've told her. I can't just go say 'Forget it. I miss you. I need you.'"

Chad laughed, sitting up straight. "Of course not! That would mean you made a mistake! We never admit we made mistakes! Why don't you just take her home tonight after the game and fuck her silly? After you put Tori to bed obviously."

Troy shook his head, laughing out loud. "You're fucking serious!"

Chad laughed, nodding his head repeatedly. "Fuck yeah! She'll get the picture!"

Troy looked up as the team started filing into the locker room, shaking his head. "You know, this advice from anyone else, I wouldn't believe it."

Chad laughed even more. "That's why I'm your best friend, because I give you the best damned advice ever!"

Troy looked back at him. "Yeah. Whatever," he laughed, shaking his head and pulling the clipboard out from his desk. "We shouldn't be talking about fucking my girlfriend on opening night of the season."

Chad couldn't help but laugh even more. "Yeah, it's your marital problems, not mine!"

Troy looked up pointing the pen he had just picked up at his best friend. "She's not my wife."

Chad held his hands up as if the pen was a gun. "Yet! I saw the way you looked at her at dinner. When are you going to ask her?"

Troy dropped the pen in his hand, leaning forward over his desk, gripping at the long strands of his hair. "I've wanted to marry her for years, Chad. Since before she ran away. I asked her to marry me before prom when we were seniors in high school. I was serious about it then."

Chad snickered. "I know man. So why you waiting?"

Troy looked up at him. "You've got to be joking,"

"Why would I be joking?" Chad held up his hands again, this time in a defeated manner. "Ok, ok. I will admit that I am the jokester. I am the prankster. But if you say you asked her to marry you what – when when we were in high school? A ten year engagement?" Chad gave Troy a sourpuss face. "Come on, man! That's just lame! Taylor and I were engaged 5 months after I finally asked her to marry me, and that's only because she said that's because caterers and those types of people need at least that amount of time to get their stuff together for you. Honestly, I think it's a crock of shit. I think if you have money like you and Pepper, you could tell caterers and people who rent out places for receptions and everything like that, you could get married tomorrow."

Troy stood, clearing his throat and turning to look in the mirror to the side of his desk to straighten his tie. Chad turned as well, walking over behind Troy, patting his back.

"Nervous of the little woman?"

Chad swallowed hard, averting his eyes from Chad, keeping them on his tie. "Don't call her that."

Chad laughed turning back to the desk, picking up the clipboard and pen. "Why don't you compose yourself and I'll go out and start briefing the boys."

Chad left a flustered Troy standing in front of his mirror fussing over a tie that had been perfect to begin with. a while later, he walked out from the locker room behind his team as they hustled out onto the court just before the game was almost to start. He saw Lily and Ito talking to the food vendor and he couldn't help but stop and smile. That was his family. It was perfect. There was no reason why he shouldn't just walk over there, wrap his arms around her and not let go. He could, but here, she wouldn't know if it was for show or if he actually meant it. And she wouldn't know. But what if he leaned in and whispered in her ear that he loved her, would she believe then?

Chad came up beside him, patting him on the back. "There they are, buddy. Past. Present. And future staring you right in the face. What are you going to do about it?"

Troy let out a heavy breath of air as he turned his gaze over to his friend. "Well, nothing now. Should we get this game going?"

Chad shook his head and mumbled, "Chicken shit!"

They both walked over to where the team's chairs were lined up, Troy sat down his clipboard down on his seat as Lily and Ito walked over to them.

"Hola, Daddy!" Tori said, grabbing onto his hand as she came around in front of him.

Troy looked at his daughter, leaning down to pick her up. "Hola, Tori. Welcome to the New Staples Stadium."

She smiled down at her daddy. "Is this your stadium, Daddy?"

Troy laughed, shaking his head and looking over at Lily. She looked like she had been crying. Only he would know that though. He knew those eyes. She hid it well behind her makeup and her smile that she put on for the world, but he could tell. He knew his Lily. Lily wasn't even looking at him. She looked up at Tori and smiled rubbing her back as Troy answered his daughter.

"No, Tori. I don't own it." He sat Tori down on her seat, handing her the clipboard. "Here, go brief the team with your Uncle Chad." Troy told Tori, rubbing her shoulder, nodding to Chad.

Chad nodded back as he sat down beside Tori to go over the opening plays with her. They still had plenty of time before the game was supposed to start. Troy's mind was reeling from what he and Chad had been talking about prior to coming out onto the court and then just as they had come out. He wanted her. More than ever, he wanted her, but he didn't know how to just tell her. But maybe Chad was right. Maybe he was chicken shit. No, he wasn't chicken shit. He had to do it. He needed to do it. Every fiber in his being was telling him he needed to lean right in and ...

From the side of them, the looming figure of Julian De Aquila was watching them. When he had found out Ella had a child with Troy Bolton he was pissed! He wanted to punch the mother fucker out! It had been like the morning when Ella had come over to his penthouse. He had never thought he would hit her, but he had come pretty damned close... And he wasn't even drunk now... But he got pretty damned drunk yesterday... again. That could have been the two of them... Well, she'd always put off telling people about their engagement. Would she have ever have told him about the child she had with Troy Bolton? Probably fucking not.

From the sounds of it, if the he and Ella had gotten married, instead of breaking up, Coach Bolton would have never found out he had a daughter and the world would have never found out. Gabriella was a fucking liar, not only to the fucking men she played games with, but to the fucking world, and Julian was pissed! He was fucking pissed, and he was about fucking ready to do something about it. He had been fucking replaced by the man... well, he didn't fucking care that he had been her first love or that she had had a kid by him ten fucking years ago. They had been in love and she left him for a man that was what? Or had she ever been in love with him? He had no faith in her anymore. She never looked at him the way she was looking at that mother fucker. He wanted to ram that cocksucker into the floor!

And as he saw Coach Bolton put the child down and turn to Ella, he couldn't hold back any longer. His rage took over him and he burst out from the huddle of his teammates, making a beeline straight for Coach Bolton.

"Hijo de puta!" he said, his fist coming into contact with Troy's jaw, knocking him down.

He fell slightly against Gabriella as he went flying down to the ground. Chad was able to react quickly, keeping Gabriella on her feet, even though she wouldn't have fallen anyway, but he wasn't going to chance it.

Troy looked up at De Aquila. "Again?"

This had been the second time the Latino had knocked him on his ass, and this time, there hadn't been any warning. Gabriella looked up at Julian, her eyes watering as she leaned down to help up the man she had always loved even when she had been with the man who had just knocked him down.

"Jules? What was that for?"

Julian stared down at her as she helped up the man he couldn't even stand to look at. The crowd was going crazy, but they could care less.

"What was that for? What was that for?" Julian shook his head, looking over the woman he thought he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. "¡Puede pudrirse en el infierno!"

The security officials ushured the three of them back into the security office, shutting the door behind them. Two officers kept Julian away from Troy and Gabriella as the security director Trevor Haviland stood beside them.

"What in the world is going on here, Troy?" the director asked him as Troy held Gabriella in his arms.

"It's personal, Trevor," Troy said, looking over to De Aquila, not wanting to air out their problems here.

Trevor shook his head, looking between the both of them. "The moment you brought it onto the field it became our business, Troy."

Troy sighed, kissing the top of Gabriella's head.

"Now, do one of you want to tell me what's going on?" Trevor asked and Troy looked down at Gabriella.

"Would you like to sit down, babe?" he asked, whispering beside her ear.

She looked up at him, shaking her head slightly. A part of her could tell he was sincere, he was caring about her, but was it love?

"Anybody?" Trevor impatiently and loudly urged when neither man answered.

Gabriella turned her head to the director, taking a slow breath. "This is my fault."

Both Troy and Julian's eyes widened drastically.

"What?" Troy asked as Julian questioned "Que?" at the same time.

They both knew why she was saying it, but they hadn't expected her to say anything. Trevor turned his attention to her, baffled.

"Why would all this be your fault, my dear?"

Gabriella sighed when the gruff man's demeanor changed. She knew it was only because of who she was or because she was a girl. Either way, she didn't like it.

"De Aquila and I were dating," she told the director firmly, holding Troy's arms around her, only making a brief glance over to Julian when she said his name, "before Troy and I got back together. Julian didn't like that when he and I broke up, Troy and I got back together, even though Troy and I hadn't been together in over ten years." Even though it pained her to say that, she felt it necessary for the situation. "I thought it was settled, but apparently I was wrong," she said, her gaze turning back to Jules again.

He took a deep breath, looking at the guards that had ushered him into the room before looking back at Gabriella.

"De Aquila?" Trevor prompted Julian.

Right now, Julian was wishing he had never done anything, no matter how much he hated Coach Bolton. He shook his head.

"We can handle this away from here."

Trevor shoved his hands in his tight pockets. "You're damned right. You won't be handling it here because you're both on two week probation."

Troy, Julian and Gabriella all three stopped in shock at that.

"Excuse me?" Troy questioned, looking down at Gabriella and then back up at Trevor.

Trevor shook his head, pulling his hands back up out of his pockets. "My hands are tied. You know regulations, Troy. Take this time to spend with your new family."

Troy nodded, looking back down at Gabriella, kissing the top of her head. "Yes, sir."

Trevor turned his head slightly. "You're free to go. Go on. Get out of here." He turned to De Aquila. "Not you, De Aquila."

Troy and Gabrielle paused for a moment before walking out the door, hearing Trevor tell Julian he wants him to seek anger management counseling.

"I'm sorry about that," Gabriella whispered softly as they shut the door behind them and walked down the long white hall behind them after leaving the security office.

Troy pulled her closer to him, kissing the side of her head. "Shhhh. Don't worry about it. Let's just get our little girl and get out of here. Unless you'd like to stay and watch the game?"

She looked up at him, swallowing lightly. "You're not coaching. We don't need to stay."

He nodded, rubbing her side softly. "Ok. Let's go." She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. They had left Tori with Chad and the game had already started, so they were sure she was going to be upset when they told her it was time to go. Walking out onto the court, they walked over to Chad and Tori. Gabriella stood back a little as Troy took the clipboard from Tori. She looked over at Gabriella, frowning heavily before wrapping her arms around Troy's shoulders and jumping up around his body, wrapping her legs around his waist, letting troy carry him.

Troy tapped Chad's shoulder and he turned to look at him, looking past him over to Gabi and back at Troy. No words needed to be said. Troy had put his clipboard on the seat and Pepper looked clearly upset as did Tori. Chad nodded, patting Troy's arm, tilting his head back and signaling for him to get on out of here. He could handle it. He knew Troy would call him later. Troy nodded his head and turned back toward Gabriella as Chad turned back toward the game.

Troy took Lily's hand as they headed off the court through the locker room exit.

"Why do we have to go?" Tori asked as they got down into the hallway toward the locker room. "And why did De Aquila hit you, Daddy? Are you ok? Is your jaw hurting? Can you fire him?"

Troy shook his head, smiling at his daughter. "No, Ito. I can't fire him. I'm not his boss. It doesn't really work like that."

Tori shook her head, grunting in Spanish as she shifted in her daddy's arms. "You should be able to!"

Troy shook his head. "I can't, Pumpkin."

Tori pouted slightly, turning to look at her mama. "Is this your fault?"

Troy turned to look down at Gabriella, taking a deep breath. "Tori!"

He looked to his daughter sighing heavily as Gabriella closed her eyes. Troy unwrapped one arm around his daughter and wrapped it around Gabriella, pulling her closer to him. "Let's just go home. Have some dinner and we can watch the game on TiVo."

Tori looked up at her daddy. "TiVo? We can pause it and make popcorn?"

Troy laughed, nodding his head. "We can pause it and go to down to Rockenwagner for hot chocolate if you want!"

Tori laughed out loud, hugging her daddy tightly. Almost an hour later, the three of them walked into the beach house, Troy carrying Tori and Gabriella walking in front of them, tossing her keys in the bowl on the credenza.

"Hungry?" Troy asked, shutting the door behind them. "I could make us some dinner before we sit down for the game."

Tori pulled her head off her daddy's shoulder nodding.

"I can help," Gabriella spoke quietly as the light sensor turned on the entryway light, letting the two of them walk into the kitchen in front of her.

"We can all help," Troy said, turning his head back to Tori, heading toward the kitchen after taking Gabriella's hand. "You know, Tori," Troy said as the light sensor flipped on in the kitchen above their heads as they walked into the room, "I taught your mama everything she knows about cooking."

Gabriella finally laughed, causing Tori to crack a laugh as well. "It's almost true," she smiled at Tori, "but he knows NOTHING about Latino flavor!"

Troy laughed out loud, setting Tori up on the island counter, shrugging his shoulders. "This is true, but we've got a whole life time to learn, don't we Tor?"

Tori nodded quickly, "¡Si!"

Gabriella laughed but then pursed her lips together for a moment, smirking at them. "Lección número uno?" Troy looked over to Tori who looked up at her daddy, eyes wide, smiling brightly. "That a yes?" Gabriella urged them on, in English for Troy's benefit.

She had been trying to teach him Spanish... for Tori's benefit for when she was able to tell him about her, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to pressure him on that right now, especially since he was still pissed at her. Tori nodded quickly and both of them turned their heads to Gabriella.

"Bring it on, Mama!" Troy said, winking at her.

Gabriella felt the butterflies swarm in her stomach as she bit her lip and her breath sped up. "Empanadillas sound good?" she asked both of them, trying to keep her eyes off Troy's.

She couldn't meet his eyes... Not with the way he had just made her stomach flip. Troy smiled brightly at Ito, raising his eyebrows high above his eyes as Ito nodded excitedly.

"I think we both would like that, babe!" Troy said, turning from his daughter and walking over to Gabriella, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She swallowed hard, trapped between him, his arms and the counter, her breath catching in her throat. He kissed the side of her head, causing her to close her eyes.

"What can we do to help?" he asked, whispering in her ear, his hand sliding down over her hip.

She opened her eyes, looking over at Tori, still afraid to look up at Troy. "Tori, you can get the flour out, por favor?" Gabriella asked, biting her lip, keeping her eyes lowered.

Troy pulled her closer to him, knowing she was avoiding him as Tori hopped off the counter. Gabriella moved to get more ingredients, but Troy, kept her more against the island with his body. "Wait a second there, baby," he grunted, barely whispering against her ear.

Gabriella felt her legs go weak beneath her and she was grateful Troy was holding her in his arms against his body. She finally turned her eyes up to him, swallowing as she bit her lip. Troy looked down into her dark eyes, running his fingers through her long locks. Gabriella's heart felt like it was about ready to beat right out of her chest when she saw that look in his cerulean gaze. She was so confused. The way he was looking at her... The way he was holding her in his arms... It was almost as though she could feel the love he used to have for her. She was afraid to think it was possible he was showing her real love.

"Julian didn't hurt you, did he?" Troy asked and almost all those thoughts faded away from Gabriella's mind.

He was still unsure how to show her everything was alright and that things between them was alright, flat out of saying he forgave her, but that wasn't the type of man he was. He couldn't easily forgive.

"I'm fine," she answered softly, her eyes dropping.

She hadn't expected him to ask about Jules, not when he was holding her this close. It was all just as how she knew it. She should have known it, but she had been foolish and gotten her hopes up. But then he brushed his lips over hers, his hand softly sliding down her back. He hadn't kissed her since they had arrived in Albuquerque and they had both missed hit. But he had known about Tori at that time. Had it been fake? It hadn't felt fake.

He pulled her closer to him and she moaned into his mouth softly. When they both finally pulled away, Tori was standing between them, looking up at them. Gabriella bit her lip and Troy laughed.

"Hey there, Tor," he cleared his throat, placing his hand on his daughter's head, smoothing down her hair a little.

"I almost didn't think you two did that," Tori commented, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"What?" Troy asked, looking at Gabriella and then back to Tori. "Kiss?"

Tori nodded. "Do you two have sex?"

Both Troy and Gabriella stopped, shocked. "WHAT?"

Neither one of them could believe the question had come from their nine-year-old daughter's mouth. "Titi Esme and Rico have sex. Joey's parents had sex too. Do you?"

Troy pulled Gabriella closer to his side, rubbing the side of her stomach. "You're here, aren't you?"

Tori shook her head, confused. "Si..."

Troy smiled, hugging Gabriella. "Parents have to have sex to have children, and if you're here, then then that means we have sex."

Tori looked between the two of them, shaking her head. "No it doesn't. I'm nine years old. You had sex nine years ago to have me. Do you have sex now?"

Gabriella did and didn't like that her daughter knew so much about her life. She didn't want any secrets kept from him, but it hurt her to know that she had kept them from him in the first place.

Troy looked over to Gabriella and back to Tori. "Yes. We do. We make love. When you're with someone who you love and you want to share your life with them, you make love to them."

Gabriealla looked up at Troy, smiling at his answer. It wasn't the complete truth. They hadn't made love in over two weeks. One, because they had been away from each other, and two because of the stipulations he had put on her after he found out about Tori. But they had been making love prior to that. It was an answer she would have wanted him to give their daughter and she loved him for it.

Tori handed her mama the flour, and smiled. "Can I go play my DS instead of cook?"

Troy laughed, looking over at Gabriella. "Why not?"

Gabriella nodded and Troy turned back to Tori. "Go ahead."

Troy turned back to Gabriella, placing his hands on either side of her on the island, looking down into her eyes. "Our daughter is asking about sex... Should we be worried?" Troy asked quietly as Tori ran up the stairs to her room.

Gabriella shook her head. "No. Why should we be?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders. "We we having sex in your parents house when we were sixteen, Troy. She's only 9, yes, but if we are open and honest with her about things, we're going to have a better relationship with her than at least I did with my parents..."

Troy sighed heavily, leaning his head against hers, rubbing her arms softly. "I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing the tip of her nose softly. "I promise you, we will never be your parents."

She closed her eyes, not wanting to talk about them or even think about them for that matter. "I know we won't," she weakly agreed.

Even though she had left her daughter with her aunt, she did what was better for her. She didn't neglect him. She didn't toss him aside and care less what happened to him. Gabriella wanted what was better for her daughter. And now her daughter was with her and her daddy.

After dinner and the game was over, both Tori and Gabriella was fast asleep on Troy's lap. He shook Garbriella's shoulder, rousing her awake.

"Lily," he whispered as she slowly sat up.

She yawned, looking up at him. "Game's over?" she asked, swallowing and blinking a few times.

He nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Why don't you go on up to bed and I'll be there after I tuck Tori in bed."

Gabriella nodded, rubbing her nose as she slid her legs off of the couch from under the Lakers throw blanket she was curled up under.

"Wait," Troy said, pulling her back to him.

He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly before letting her go quickly. Gabriella blinked softly before slowly standing up.

"I'll be right up," he told her.

"Mmmhmm..."

She couldn't think, let alone talk. Turning around, she walked around behind the couch and up the stairs. He was really starting to confuse her even more than before. Was he really still in love with her? Kissing her, holding her, touching her? The way he was looking at her...? All signs of the way he used to feel about her, and she was really starting to believe in them.

She walked into their bedroom at the far end of the hall and to her armoire, opening the top drawer to pull out a lavender nightgown. Walking into the bathroom, she changed into the nightgown, leaving the clothes she had been wearing in the hamper and walking back into the bedroom, crawling up into the bed. She pulled the covers up around her, yawning heavily. She was tired. It had been a long day and she was ready to just fall asleep, but she wanted to wait for Troy, even if he was just going to turn over and hug the other side of the bed. It was still nice to have him there with her though.

Troy closed the door to Tori's bedroom and walked down the hall to his and Gabriella's bedroom, ready to take back the life he and Gabriella had before Tori came into it. He loved his daughter and he was happy he had her and he wasn't upset over her being a part of it. He was pissed Lily had kept her from him. But he was going to do everything he could to get over it. If that meant sucking it up and moving past it, then he would, because he missed her. Not just sexually, he missed holding her, he missed loving her.

Walking into the room, he saw her laying down in the bed, and walked over to her, pulling off his clothes along the way. By the time he got to her, he realized she was fast asleep.

"Lily?" he asked, climbing up onto the bed, placing his hand on her back.

She moved closer to her pillow, not waking in the slightest. He sighed heavily, pulling the covers over both of them as he wrapped his arms around her and wrapped his body around hers.

"I love you, Lily. Porsiemrpay."