A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT!


Gabriella nodded. She was terrified of what was going to happen to her now, but she trusted Troy and he would keep his promise…wouldn't he?

He was still on the phone with his parents when Mitchie walked back inside with Brown and her Mom Connie.

"Yeah, Dad, they just walked in. I'm going to put you on speaker." Troy said into the phone. He took the phone from his ear and laid it down on his leg. Then pressed the speaker button. "Ok, you're on speaker. Dad this is the owner of Camp Rock Brown and one of his employees Connie. Guys, I have my dad and mom on speaker to help. His name is Jack and her name is Lucille."

"Nice to meet you, so I assume Troy filled you in on what's going on?" Connie asked.

"Yeah, we know everything, do you guys have a plan?" Jack asked.

"Right now our plan is to get Gabriella out of her parents' custody and into someone else's in time before she leaves Camp. Once she leaves here it's out of my hands." Connie said.

Gabriella whimpered and flinched. She was hiding in Troy's side.

"I'm sure we have several families here that would be more than willing to take Gabriella in." Jack said. "We can try but because they are dating it might be harder."

"Look, I don't think you all understand. This isn't an instant fix, this will take time and a lot of money. It might not be settled by the time Camp Rock is over." Brown said.

"I don't care, but you just have to make sure Axel doesn't take Gabriella home with him. If Maria wants to pick her up and bring her home, that's fine. We can do the rest." Jack said. "But we are not letting Axel get custody of her."

"But Dad, Maria is abusive too."

Jack sighed. "I know, but it might be easier to get Gabriella away from her once she's home here with us."

Gabriella's hands flew up to cover her ears. She couldn't stand listening to this. Troy rubbed her back and sighed. "Dad, we need a better plan. We need to get Gabriella away from her parents into the care of our friends before this camp is over."

"I understand that, Troy. But it's like Brown said this isn't going to be a fast fix. It's going to take time."

"Look, here is what has to happen." Brown started. "I have to report this abuse, they will send someone over to talk to Gabriella and get proof. I will be able to convince them to keep Gabriella here in our care until they find a better home for her and before camp is over. While they are working on the case Connie and I will be working, along with you Jack and your wife to find a better home for Gabriella. That is all we can do. The rest is up to child services and the police."

"Gabriella won't speak to anyone, Sir." Troy said politely. "She barely spoke to Mitchie and I."

"If she wants to get away from them she will tell them anything they want to know." Brown said. "I know it's scary but it's the only thing we can do."

Troy sighed but nodded. "Dad, Mom, will you contact the others and tell them what's going on, at the very least Gabriella can stay with one of the Wildcats right?"

"We're going to do our best to make sure that happens, Troy." Jack said. "Gabriella I know you can hear me." Troy looked to Gabriella who was still hiding her face and curled into him almost like a cat.. "I need you to hang in there, Sweetie. Lucille and I are doing everything we can to help you. But you can help us too, talk to the police and tell them the truth." Jack said to Gabriella.

Gabriella flinched and shook her head.

"Don't worry Dad, she knows what she has to do." Troy said. "So is there really nothing we can do except for waiting?"

"I'm sorry, Son. But that's all you can do. Your mother and I, and our friends, Brown and Connie…the adults, will handle everything. You can keep Gabriella strong and encourage her to talk to the police. That will help us."

Troy sighed but nodded. "Ok, thanks Dad."

"You're welcome. I'm going to make some calls to the other Wildcats and see what they recommend."

"Ok. Call me with any news, good or bad." Troy said.

"I will. Brown, Connie, I'll be in touch."

"Us as well, good bye."

Jack hung up and Troy put his phone into his pocket. "Please just do whatever it is you have to do to make sure Gabriella leaves here with someone safe." Troy said.

"We will do our best." Brown said.

He stood and Connie followed him out of the cabin, but not before taking one last look at the terrified girl in Troy's arms. She knew she had to doing something…but what?

Once the adults were gone Mitchie looked to Troy. "You can trust us, Troy. We only want to help Gabriella."

"I can't believe that until I see it." Troy said. He hugged Gabriella and moved her onto his lap. She buried her back into his chest wrapping her arms around him tightly. "If the police try to put her in foster care I'll fight them with everything I have."

Mitchie sighed. "I know. I'll fight too."

Troy looked shocked. "You will."

Gabriella looked up from Troy's chest to look at Mitchie. "You will?"

Mitchie nodded. "I will. I promise."

Gabriella smiled softly. She knew Mitchie was going to be someone she can trust.


Mitchie sat down on the bed a few spaces from Troy. Gabriella sat sideways with her legs laying on Mitchie's lap, which she didn't mind, and her bottom on Troy's lap cuddling him. Gabriella felt a small tickle on her feet and giggled and gave Mitchie a small kick. She laughed. "You ticklish?"

Troy looked at Mitchie and lightly tickled Gabriella's stomach. "She is extremely ticklish. Especially on her tummy." Gabriella giggled and squirmed.

Mitchie decided to tickle her feet too.

Gabriella giggled and squirmed, kicking her feet as well. "Sto-stop"

Troy and Mitchie stopped. Gabriella got her breath back.

Before anyone else could speak the cabin door opened. Connie walked in with another woman they didn't know.

"Kids, this is Ms. Shelly Brown. She's here to talk to Gabriella." Connie said.

Gabriella quickly curled up on Troy's lap and hid her face into his chest.

"It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you." Shelly said. She had blond hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in a nice suit with a notebook and pen in her hand. "Gabriella, I just have a few questions and then I'll go away."

Gabriella ignored her.

"I just want to help you, Sweetie. You have to trust me."

Again Gabriella ignored her.

Shelly sighed softly. "Gabriella, Honey, don't you want to be free of your parents, be so far away that they can't hurt you anymore?"

"Yes, but not away from Troy and the other Wildcats!"

"Uh….I'm sorry, Wildcats?"

"Our school mascot." Troy explained. "So we refers to all our friends as Wildcats. It's our group name. Gabriella is scared she'll be put into a foster family away from all her friends and me." Troy explained.

"Oh, I understand now. What if I can promise you that you won't be taken from your friends or Mr. Bolton?"

"Promises are just another word for lies." Gabriella said. "Nobody ever really keeps their promises. At least not to me."

"Has Troy broken any of his promises?"

"No."

"What about your friend Mitchie has she?"

"No."

"So not everyone breaks their promises. Please just give me a chance to prove to you I can be one of those people."

Gabriella looked to Troy who nodded and smiled softly. Gabriella turned but stayed in Troy's arms. "Ok, what do I have to do?"

"Thank you. You took a huge leap trusting me and I'm very proud of you. Let's just start with some questions. Now there are no right or wrong answers, just be completely honest. You are allowed to answer with 'I don't know'. The most important thing is that you're honest ok?"

Gabriella nodded.

"All right, who do you want to start with first Axel or your mother?"

"Axel. I hate him. I have hated him since I was a little girl."

"Why is that?"

"He'd hit me, kick me, punch me, and bite me. Whenever is was or is around me I feel like a weight is on my chest and I can't breathe. I start shaking and crying."

"So you have a panic attack?"

"Yes, once my mother and I left him I stopped having them."

"How did your mother handle the abuse?"

Gabriella shrugged. "She ignored it most of the time. Pretended she didn't know it was going on. I told her countless times and she didn't believe me. She thought my panic attacks were to gain attention and faked."

"Why did she leave him?"

"He started to hit her."

"So, when you were being hit she didn't care but once it turned on her she decided to leave?"

Gabriella nodded.

"What about after you left your father, what was your mother like?"

Gabriella shrugged. "She was….normal I guess. I was just happy she didn't treat me like Axel did. So I figured she was nice."

"What changed?"

"I came here, to my first sleep away Camp."

"I'm not seeing the issue."

"Gabriella's mom used this camp as a place to dump her for the summer while she got to away and travel for work. When she dropped Gabriella off, that's all she did. She didn't walk in with her or help her get settled. She just dropped her off and left." Troy explained.

"Gabriella, was petrified when she first got here." Mitchie said. "I told her that if she was really that scared to call home and see if she could get picked up. But Gabriella told me her mom wouldn't come get her, no matter how upset or scared she was."

"Not to mention the fact that Gabriella has called her mother and texted tons of times, even more after she ran into Axel and her mother hasn't called her back once." Troy went on.

"So long story short, you all feel as if Gabriella was just abandoned here?"

Everyone, including Gabriella nodded. "I'm not even sure she'll come pick me up when it's over."

"Do you feel neglected Gabriella?"

Gabriella nodded.

"Do you trust your mother?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Not anymore."

"Do you feel safe with her?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Not anymore."

"Once last question, where are you from?"

Gabriella looked confused. "My mom's stomach?"

Everyone laughed making her blush.

"I mean where do you live?"

"Albuquerque New Mexico." Gabriella answered.

Mitchie saw something snap inside her mother, like she had just gotten an amazing idea, but she didn't understand why.

"Ok, that's all I'll be in touch." Shelly left the cabin with Connie behind her.

Troy hugged Gabriella tightly. "That was great, Baby girl. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks for your help and you too Mitchie. I couldn't have done it without you."

The three of them shared a hug.


They pulled away a few minutes later.

"What happens now?" Gabriella asked.

"We prepare for the Final Jam, are you guys going to sing?" Mitchie asked.

"I think so. What are you doing?"

"The girls and I usually do something as a group. You can do solos, groups, and duets, anything you want."

"Want to do a duet with me Troy?" Gabriella asked.

"Of course, who knows, this duet might be the start of something new." Troy winked.

Gabriella rolled her eyes.

Troy laughed and tickled her making her laugh.

"I should go catch up with the girls and practice are you ok?" Mitchie asked.

"Yes." Gabriella giggled as Troy stopped tickling her. "Thank you for everything."

"I'll see you guys later."


As Mitchie left the cabin she saw her mother on the phone.

"Yeah, Steve I agree. It really could be good for us. How are things at the shop? I'm sorry. Have you heard any more about that job? Where is it, again? Really? Hmm, that's interesting." Connie said Mitchie watching and listening to her. "No reason, I was just curious. I've got to run. I'll talk to you later. Love you too. Bye." Connie hung up and smiled at Mitchie.

"Everything ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, just going to meet up with the girls and practice for Final Jam. How's Dad?"

"He's hanging in there. He hasn't had one customer all week. If he doesn't get some business he'll have to close down the store sooner rather than later."

"Oh, so does that mean we'll have to move?"

"Maybe. Are you still hoping we do?"

Mitchie nodded. "I don't want Dad to lose his business, but I wouldn't mind going someplace new."

"I understand. Go meet with the girls. I'll see you later to make dinner."

Mitchie nodded and headed off. Connie sighed softly. She looked toward the cabin, where she could see through the window, Troy tickling Gabriella again. She smiled at the sight of Gabriella laughing. "Is it possible?" Connie asked.


A/N What is Connie talking about? Leave me your thoughts in a review.

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