Disgusted Gabriella slapped a layer of tape across the top of the box. Bit off the cap to her permanent marker and scrawled her mother's address on the top. Then, staking the box with the other two, she looked around her at the house she'd momentarily thought would be her home. She'd spent the night breaking down the life she'd begun to build there, dividing her belongings into categories. Her life. And her life with Troy.

It was only the belongings from the former that she would keep. And of those, there was only a hand full that she could pack and be in her cab back to her mother's before Troy got home. She didn't know how much longer he would be gone and she didn't want to risk running into him before she left. She didn't have any fantasies about being able to leave and wash her hands of him forever. They were married after all. Legally bound. They would need to talk at some point. But not here. Not today.

Guilt burned through her as she thought of Troy returning to find her gone. He'd be livid. Feel betrayed. But Troy had become too proficient at manipulating her. She couldn't afford to stay in a situation where her will had become a causality of Troy's desires. She'd built a life around doing the smart thing, being practical, and responsible. It was one of the things that had drawn Troy to her in the first place.

But around him she didn't make smart decisions. She didn't do the right thing. When it came to her husband she threw caution to the wind and gambled on the feel-good. Telling herself she knew what she was doing…even when she had no idea. It wasn't the life that she wanted for herself. Which was why she was leaving, before, Troy had a chance to change her mind.

Three hours later Troy stood in what was once her bedroom looking around at all the boxes. Gone. Nine in the morning and already she was gone. The house was quiet and still beneath the rusty sound of Troy's breath sawing in and out of his lungs. Goddamn it.

He'd thought she would wait. Thought her conscientious core of respect and sensitivity would be enough to ensure she wouldn't leave without talking to him, at least telling him to his face that they were over. But as sensitive and respectful as Gabriella was, beneath all that softness, she was smart. Too smart to give him the chance to talk her out of anything.

So she'd worked through the night. Packing only what she could take with her. Organizing the rest for his convenience. He wanted to topple every damn piece of furniture in the place. He couldn't freaking believe she'd actually done it. She wasn't supposed to leave. She was supposed to calm down enough that he could talk sense into her. Remind her of the kind of life they could have together. To hell with that.

Hands curling into fist at his sides, he stormed out of the dark bedroom that still smiled like mangos. It wasn't over. She might have left but it wasn't as though she was out of reach. He knew exactly where she went. The only reason she would have gone without talking to him was that she'd been afraid that he'd be able to coerce her to stay had they been face to face and he was going to prove her right.

Go after her. Make her see reason. Make her come back. He'd seduce her. Completely. Start with his mouth and tongue. Back her against a wall because it drove her completely wild and yeah he wasn't above using his body to exploit the weakness of hers. And once he had her mindless, breath breaking against his ear, her hands clutching at his hair, her pleas filling the space around her, he'd use that leverage- his phone bag to buzz and he stopped in his tracks digging it out of his pocket in hopes that it was her calling and asking to come home. But instead of Maria's land line he saw Cathy number on the screen. Picking it up he continued to make his way to the car grabbing his keys from the bowl as he went. "Now is not a good time Cathy," he spoke into the phone.

"It's Jack, he collapsed and we need you to come quick. You're the only one he's authorized to make medical decisions on his behalf. The doctors won't tell us anything."

Troy stopped dead in his tracks a fear spiking up from inside, turning around he looked at the boxes in his living room fighting an inner battle. Now was not the time to let emotion cloud his judgment his father needed him and Gabriella for now was safe and tucked away at her mothers. The priorities had changed. "I'm on my way."

Gabriella stood at her dresser winding Charlie's fin before placing him back in the water. Sniffling she reached up a hand to wipe a tear that began to tread down her cheek. "We're going to be just fine," she whispered more for her own benefit than Charlie's. There a knock on the door and she turned to see Isabella standing there, moving back to her suitcase she ignored her and continued to unpack.

"Gabriella,"

"Get out," Gabriella said as she opened a drawer and put away some of her clothes.

"Gabi," Isabella said as she stepped into the room, "I never wanted to hurt you," she said in a strained tone.

"Then what did you expect to happen Isabella?" Gabriella turned sharply so she was facing her, "Tell me when you were rolling around in bed with my boyfriend what did you expect?"

"I was horrible, there's no question about how awful I was to do what I did," Isabella said pleadingly, "I'm not as foolish as David to expect your blessing, or expect you to want any part of our life but there is no reason to take this out on Troy. He's been nothing but helpful, when I didn't know what to do he was there, he was there because he cares about you and he knows that your family is one thing that means the world to you."

"You don't know anything about Troy, all you know about him is the size of his bank account and that he has penis," Gabriella said turning to retrieve more items from her bag, "But then again, seeing as how he shows any interest me, I don't know? Should I give you my keys now so you can head off when he gets home or would you like to wait for the divorce papers to be served before you screw him too?"

"He loves you, he'd never do that to you,"

"Right just like David would never cheat on me either?" Gabriella slamming the drawer shut. "Get out, The sight of you is making me sick."

"I am your only sister, I am your family, and men be damned-"

"You lied to me!" Gabriella yelled as she walked towards her, "You sat by me night after night watching me eat tubs of ice cream, crying my eyes out and wondering what I did when you knew all along what happen, you slept with him, you hid it from me and now when he comes back and you know damn well why, you still didn't brother to tell me! You just let me continue to make a fool of myself."

"Gabriella,"

"Isabella that is enough," Maria stood in the doorway, "I think you should leave for now."

"Of course you'd pick her side," Isabella said with a low sigh, "Why did I ever think that was going to change."

"I am on no one's side," Maria said looking at both her daughters, "You're both acting foolish and I no longer want this stupidity in my house. So if you cannot come to an agreement I want no more of this. I don't care about the details or the men involved I am ending it."

"Whatever," Isabella shrugged she moved around her mother out of the room and down the stairs leaving Maria and Gabriella in the room in silence.

"You want to explain to me why your back home when you have a perfectly good husband and home of your own?" her mother asked as she crossed her arms.

"I'm done with it, he can have the restaurant for all I care," Gabriella said dumping her now empty back onto the floor so she can kick it under her bed.

"Just like that everything is over, all this was for nothing."

"You told me to give it a chance," she said walking across the room to her back pack, "I did and it didn't work. Move on mother."

Maria raised a brow as she let out a breath and left the bedroom shutting the door behind her. Left in the silence Gabriella let her should fall in what felt like an implosion of guilt, fear, embarrassment and for what could have been the twentieth time this morning she reached for her cell phone. There no messages from Troy, no text messages or voicemails about where she was, no demanding threats to have her return immediately. She should have been relieved. She should have been happy to finally have freedom. But her heart sank.

Her eyes filled up and she thought about the all the reasons this was the smart and safe thing to do. Taking the battery from her phone she tossed the pieces into the drawer of her nightstand. Without anything to do she lifted her feet as she laid down on top of her bed. Gabriella let out a long sigh, she had booted all her soft, squishy feelings and optimistic hopes behind a metal locked door. She didn't want to fool herself. She didn't want to be taken in by anything that he might say. She knew that she loved him so much she had to be very strong to break free of his hold on her.

So, all of a sudden, she was making herself look at their relationship as it really was. Why had she refused to see that she was still his mistress? A husband who cared for his wife would never treat her like property the way that he had treated her. He had even contrived to ensure that she cheerfully accepted his that demeaning role. The only commitment she had asked for was the restaurant and in return she had a guy who really appreciated her. That's how much she was in love with him. She had settled for less because she was willing to take him on virtually any terms.

Filling herself with that humiliating belief would help her put this all behind her. She needed to pick herself back up, she needed to get her shit together and do what had to be done. But for now, at this moment, in the silence of her room as she watched Charlie's fin slowly come to a stop all she could bring herself to do was let the tears fall from her eyes.

The doctors had done their job to the best of their abilities, earning what Troy assumed would be a generous donation from his father and Cathy at their next charity event. Leaning against the nearest wall he let out a long breath, as he let the amount of fear and stress roll off is shoulders. It was only 3 in the afternoon and he had been through three conference calls in his father's place and had people coming and going all day as he took care of the business from the hospital, all the while Ryan was stunned with fear and hesitation. He couldn't take his eyes off Jack, would go any further than five steps from his mother. The differences between Ryan and Troy were evident and clear. Ryan was human while Troy was a monster with no emotional glue to attach him to anything going on.

It was as if he was standing behind a massive window looking in at his family as they worried and dropped everything in their lives just to be at his father's side. Troy felt awkward, he felt alone, and he felt as if he were half of himself as he wondered the halls looking for a service signal or internet connection. The day was fleeting from him and he still had more to do and more to sort through. The lists of items were endless. He'd set up a station in the waiting room by a window where he worked quietly and efficiently through the day. No breaks, no pauses, no looks at the front doors for any signs of her.

He hadn't called her, hadn't texted or let her know about what was happening. He felt like a man in a straight jacket being tortured. The right words wouldn't come to him, yet he was the master of manipulation! He didn't know what was the matter with him? He could handle anything, but for some reason he could not handle what was happening with her.

Troy let out a sigh as he looked down at his phone for a fifth time since he left his seat for a much needed bathroom break. No messages, no calls no signs of her anywhere. He had a horrible sick sense of inevitability and it paralyzed him. He could not think of a single line of defense. He knew what he had done was much more than foolish. He had hurt her and he couldn't take the hurt back.

Shoving his phone back in his pocket he let out a breath and looked down at the wedding band on his small finger. She'd left it on the kitchen table. An awful pain settled deep within him. He had to let Gabriella go. It would be better for them both. Forcing his breathing to level out, he made his way back to his seat and sat down. Once the house was cleared of her things he'd be fine. Move on, just as he always did. Even if always had never been like this.

Leaning back in his chair he let out a sigh and ranked his hands through his hair and jerked when a sudden a cup of coffee was pushed in front of him and he looked up to see Sharpay sitting beside him with a small smile. "You need to start from the beginning," Sharpay said offering him the cup.

"Why?" Troy said with a sigh as he looked at the cup, the steam rolling off the top did nothing to tempt him. He didn't need the coffee to stay awake; he didn't need the warmth of it to keep him from the cold. He was so numb to everything he couldn't even be sure he could trust his hands to hold it. "Isn't this what you were waiting for? My shit to hit the fan?"

"I was waiting for you to get un-stupid." Sharpay's voice was sharp as she held out the coffee cup further. "This is me taking pity on you. It's only going to last another three minutes if you don't start talking."

Troy let out a sigh and looked around at the nearly empty waiting room. Cathy and Ryan were heading back home to get a few of his father's things. The doctors said it was a heart attack, they said he'd be here for few days pending a few more examines. Reaching for the cup he let out a sigh. "How much do you know?"

"Gabriella's not here, you look miserable," she said with a shrug as she crossed her arms in her lap. "Is that her ring?" she said motioning to his pinky.

Troy lifted the cup and as he suspected, the coffee tasted awful, it was bitter, it was tasteless and he couldn't even feel the burn. "She said I wasn't the husband she wanted. I don't blame her."

"Troy," Sharpay said with nudge, "That girl couldn't be more perfect for you even if you picked her out of a catalog."

There was a chuckle under his breath as he thought about her statement. That much had been true, Gabriella was the perfect choice, the one that got away. "I want her to want this," Troy said with a frown as he glanced at the ring on his pinky, "I laid out all my cards, she knows exactly how I feel about her."

"Then give her the space she needs," Sharpay said.

"And if she decides it's over?"

"Troy," Sharpay placed a hand on his arm gently, "The hardest thing is loving someone and then having the courage to let them love you back," she said in low voice, "But if you know her shit and she knows yours, and at the end of the day if you still would rather give up than try, nothing's ever going to be worth it."

"So you're telling me I should try?"

"I'm telling you, to be honest with her and give the time she needs," Sharpay said getting ready to stand up. "If you want her to make a decision then let her but don't let her take too long, remind her why she fell in love with you in the first place." Sharpay stood up and adjust her clothing soothing out the wrinkles. "You and Dad are more alike than you'd like to admit. Sometimes you just have to get over your pride and say you're sorry."

Troy nodded as he looked down at the laptop he'd been working at. His mind going over the very long list of things he had to be sorry for.

A few days later Gabriella waited in line at Sweet Momma Bee's listening to the endless clatter of people talking, and moving along with their daily lives. She hadn't been ready for the messenger at her door this morning; she'd been beyond ready contact with him however little it might have been. But there it was sitting on her desk in her bedroom, taking up space next to Charlie who looked at her with pity. The contract for the restaurant was signed by Troy and waiting for her signature on the marked line. Stuck to the first page was a post it in his writing. I know that you need space, I'm sorry for hurting you the way did. But I gave my word. She needed to escape that note. She needed to escape his intrusion into her life.

It was her seventh trip to Sweet Momma Bee's this week. Moving up in line she let out a sigh as she checked her watch. It had been a week since she left her home. His home. Biting her lip she looked at the chocolate fudge cake on display. She was going to eat the whole thing, with every gut wrenching bit of guilt about what she was doing to her body. To hell with it, she was officially declaring herself as a- not-give-a-shit eater. She was going sit in front of the television with her brand new box of Kleenex, that fudge cake and her worn out DVD copy of Pretty Woman.

Honestly his word? Gabriella grunted as she crossed her arms over her sore breast. Didn't he have a word he needed to keep to her? His wife! The one who he made marry him, the one he seduced and pillaged. A small grunt escaped her lips as she stepped up in line. She missed him so much parts of her body that never hurt before were sore and aching. Giving herself a mental slap she shook her head and paid attention to the moving line. How dare he demand that she be honest with him if he had no intention of being honest with her? What a fool she had been to be pining away for David and talking so highly of him when all this time he was the one who was backstabbing jerk.

"Gabi?"

Her entire body jerked as she heard the sound of his voice.

"Gabi," David came to stand beside her but she kept her eyes front. "I knew you would be here, I've been casing the place all week."

Obviously investigative work wasn't his strong suit. It wasn't even in his realm she'd been anything but discreet about her comings and goings. She had nothing to hide and no one to hide from. Why should she coward around like sick puppy. She'd done nothing wrong.

"Gabi, talk to me please."

"Next," the woman at the counter summoned her as she stepped up with David annoyingly beside her still.

"Can I get your triple chocolate fudge cake with almonds on top?" Gabriella said politely to the woman at the register.

"Sure thing, let me box that up for you." The woman at the counter stepped away as she went to work on getting her order prepared.

"Gabi, we need to talk."

"Stop calling me that," Gabriella said in harsh whisper as she turned to him and slammed her hand on the counter, causing a few people to look their way. Lowering her voice she turned back to shelf of pastry goods behind the counter. "You're asshole, and assholes do not get to call me that."

"Alright," David said with a small smile, "I'm an asshole, great, something we all agree on."

The woman came back with her boxed cake, a worried expression as she gently placed the order on the counter. "Here you go Mrs. Bolton, should we charge the card on file for you today or will you be paying in another form."

"Charge it to my husband's card," she said with faint smile. If she was going to make herself fat and miserable because of him, he was going to at least foot the bill. Taking her order from the counter she turned to leave aware of David on her heels as he scrambled to get the door for her.

"Gabriella, I owe you an explanation, I know that."

"Don't be stupid," Gabriella said as she began walking down the street, "You don't owe me anything but if the need is that overwhelming, step in front of moving bus."

"Isabella feels horrible," David said as he fell into a rushed step beside her, "She eating chocolate like it's running out of style and by the looks of it so are you. Honestly how many of those have you eaten?"

"Do not judge me right now David!" Gabriella said with a strong warning tone, "I might have to kill you and as much as I would like to, I do not want to be the reason that baby grows up without a daddy."

David stopped in his tracks, "she's talking about giving the baby up for adoption."

Gabriella stopped in her tracks her heart breaking as she felt the wind get kicked out of her.

"She wanted an abortion, Troy talked her into an adoption instead," David said in a grumbled tone, "Gabriella she needs you. She's your little sister."

Gabriella felt a pinch inside her as she turned around, "Fuck you," she spit out. "You have a lot of nerve telling me who she is?" Gabriella took a few steps towards him to bridge the gap between them. "Where was that concern five years ago?" she shouted as she lifted her hand to slap him across the face. She was getting better at that.

David's hand came up to his jaw as he felt the red vibrant skin left behind, "Shit that hurt," he said standing up a little straighter, "Granted it was a long time coming but shit."

"Why did you have to lead me on?" Gabriella said as wiggled her hand to ease the pain of the sting still coursing through it.

"It was never my intention to lead you anywhere; I was just worried about you."

"Then why did you touch me the way you did or look at me like that or invite me into your apartment?" she said, her voice rising with each bullet point.

"Because I was worried about you, I knew this was going to hurt you and I wanted to make sure you were gonna be alright."

"How's that working for you," Gabriella said with a huff as she turned to make her way to the bus stop where she set her cake down and sat beside it in a huff. Her eye were threatening to spill over, her breathing was quicker and heavier. So what if Isabella was going to give the baby up? What did it matter to her? She wasn't going to give them the nod of approval? This was far from approving, this was crazy!

"I want this baby. I want Isabella," David said coming to stand at her side.

"Then you talk her out of it."

"Ah, come on," David said taking a seat and still holding his tender cheek, "If it were that easy would I be here practically begging?"

Gabriella was quite for a moment as she looked down at the sidewalk. "I am not okay with the fact that you slept with my sister."

"I know, trust me we didn't plan it, it was something we avoided for a long time," he said in low voice, "We didn't want to hurt you."

"Great, so while I was walking around all smug about my happy relationship with my college boyfriend you two were miserable and pinning away for each other?" Gabriella said wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Gabriella, you weren't happy. You were settling." David let out a long sigh, "You are a great chef, you were taking over your father restaurant, you needed more from me and I wasn't ready to give it."

"But you were ready to give it to her?" Gabriella said sharply.

"Gabriella, you're a very independent woman who has never wanted to be the kind of woman who needs a man. You're the kind of woman a man needs, and as much as I want to be that man. I can't be, you were always making plans and doing things on your own. Gabi if I'd let it be, you would have planned our wedding and sent me the invitation."

Gabriella wiped another tear from her cheek, she hated her emotions. She hated that she was crying, hated that he was here to see her cry.

"Gabriella there are different ways you can love someone, the way you love someone is something you can't control," he said with a small sigh as he placed his hand over hers. "I adore you as a friend and I love you like a sister and yes, I understand what I did was horrible and I am an asshole but if I had continued to let it happen you would have never met Troy."

Gabriella let out a huff as she leaned back a little.

"Say what you want about that but that husband of yours is head over heels with you and just by the looks of this gigantic fudge cake between us you must feel the same way because you look as miserable as he does." David let out a small laugh, "Don't ruin your relationship with him because he was helping us. Isabella was scared, she couldn't go to you or your mom, and she didn't even want me to know. Troy was the one who took her to the doctor and got her set up on all the vitamins and doctor appointments, he's paying for everything because she can't afford it."

"And what you're not going to do anything for her?" Gabriella was filled with a new rage, "It's not Troy's baby, she's not Troy's wife. That's your baby why can't you take care of it."

"I want to, and I will!" he said holding up his hands in surrender "but your sisters just as stubborn as you are and she is dead set on having nothing to do with me because you're so angry."

Gabriella took a long breath as the sounds of the bus coming to a stop in front of them echoed in the quiet. The doors opened and she braced herself to stand.

"She's not eating the way she should; she's not taking care of herself because she feels like she doesn't deserve it," David said quietly, "I'm not asking you to welcome me into your life again or for you to even like me, I'm just asking you to talk to your sister and give her a chance."