In Need of Someone to Love

Chapter 8

Safe In His Arms

Hi guys, thanks for your support. I know you guys have been waiting so long for the story to continue. I loved all the reviews. And as promised, this chapter is being dedicated tosmartgirl231814 for being the first to review . And big thanks to my internet sis xoxMusicalxox for revising and editing this wonderful chapter. Love ya sis! I would also like to thank: BlackBeauty613, Amherstgrl90891, Andizzle, xxZanessaxx, Kelownachick, Huni-Bun17, xZANESSA4LIFEx, supergirlxoxoxoxo, oneandonlyluver, Maria92, MajOr-HaRdCorE-, Noyoshka, BrieBella, Blackrose990, and babycgirl395 for reviewing and favoriting. If I missed anyone let me know. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. GO TROYELLA!

When Troy brought Gabriella back to the neighborhood, her house was already flame free and boarded up.
"Oh my gosh, Gabriella are you okay?" Taylor asked. She was one of the very few people that had stayed behind. With a remorseful sort of smile she handed Ashlee to Troy who held onto his daughter tightly, needing to comfort her and also find comfort for himself. Troy was a little worried, the entire tragic situation made him realize that no one was immortal and the thought of dying and leaving Ashlee behind with no parents at all made him feel sick to the stomach. Ashlee couldn't lose him too; she'd end up living with the Bradens. He shuddered at the thought. Everyone was looking at Gabriella now, all looking painfully awkward, waiting for an answer. Instead Gabriella turned and began to walk away. Troy grabbed her arm.

"Oh no, not again." He said.

"But, I have nowhere to go." Gabriella said quietly. Her voice was dull and lifeless, as if it had been she who'd died.

"You always have a place to go." Taylor said warmly. She hugged Gabriella tightly. "You could stay with us."

"Yeah." Chad agreed.

"I think she should stay with me." Troy offered. Taylor looked at him with raised eyebrows, as if saying "So you can sleep with her?" "I still need help with Ashlee, I mean it is Gabriella's job after all," he rectified quickly, "When I go to work you can come over and stay with her Taylor." Gabriella went off to go speak with Mrs. Potter. As soon as she was out of earshot, Troy leaned closer to his friends. "Look, Gabriella is mentally unstable at the moment. We have to watch her at all times." He said. "She just tried to commit suicide." Taylor gasped.

"So, we can set up a schedule." She said. "Gabriella will stay with me tomorrow at our house, because you and Chad have a meeting, and I will come over on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays to stay with her during the day. And Sharpay will stay over with her on Thursdays and Fridays."

"Sounds cool." Chad agreed.

"Yeah, but what if Gabriella tries to… you know… when Sharpay is around. Sharpay can't stop her." Troy pointed out.

"Okay, okay, I'll stay with her on Thursdays and Fridays also."Taylor relented.

"Great." Troy said. "I don't want anything to happen to her…ever." Taylor shot him a look, he really was falling for Gabriella.

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"Please eat Gabriella." Troy begged, three hours later. He had set a hot plate of spaghetti in front of her and she hadn't even picked up her fork. "Gabriella, you need to eat." The young woman stared at Troy. Her once emotional chocolate brown eyes had become steel pebbles of coldness. Troy sat down, picked up his fork and began to eat. "Yum, it's absolutely fantastic!" He dramatized. Gabriella stood up and walked away to the guest room. Troy followed her. Gabriella whipped her head around, giving him a hate filled glare.

"I can make it to the guest room by myself." She said. "I don't need you following me around like I'm a little child." With that she marched into the guestroom. She just wanted to take a shower and then go to bed. She didn't need Troy following her around. Then she remembered something."Uh, Troy." She piped up.

"What?" Troy asked, still feeling a little hurt by her outburst.

"I don't have any clothes." She said. "I don't have anything."

"Well, you can borrow some of Angelina's." Troy said, feeling guilty once again. Less than two months after the death of his own wife he was allowing another woman to wear her clothing. Even worse than that, he was letting another woman into his life.

"Um, okay." Gabriella replied meekly. Troy led her to his room and opened Angelina's closet."Wow." Gabriella gasped. Angelina's clothes were beautiful, so expensive and colorful. 'Angelina must've been a really classy woman', Gabriella thought to herself. "I can't wear these clothes." She admitted.

"Why not?" Troy asked."I don't want to wear her clothes. What if she comes back and wants them?" Gabriella queried, fingering a pair of cheetah print pajamas."She's not coming back." Troy said dejectedly. "You can borrow whatever you like. As a matter of fact, it's all yours." Gabriella beamed up at him.

"Really?" She enthused.

"Yeah." Troy replied. He knew Angelina loved helping people, so he didn't feel as guilty as before. But then again, if Angelina had known he had a slight crush on this particular woman, she wouldn't be thrilled at all.….

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Rain poured heavily outside. Gabriella shivered uncontrollably. Her biggest fear was thunderstorms. Spiders, tests, singing on stage, no problem, but thunderstorms were a BIG problem. A cry erupted from the nursery. Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut. She really just wanted to stay under her covers, but then again Ashlee needed comfort even more than she did. She slowly got out of bed and shuffled along to Ashlee's room. The little baby was sucking her thumb rapidly and crying. Gabriella picked her up and sat in the giant rocking chair. She sang softly to her, and even though her voice was shaking, Ashlee drifted into a peaceful sleep. Gabriella smiled, Ashlee was so special. An enormous thunderclap resounded through the air; Gabriella screamed and jumped back in surprise, almost dropping the little one in her arms. She placed Ashlee back into the crib so that she couldn't drop her again. Then she returned to the rocking chair and watched the rain pour. She thought about Ashlee. Ashlee needed her mother. And Gabriella needed her own mother at the moment. To come and hold her hand and tell her everything would be alright and she would always be there for her. A tear dropped onto her hand.

"I miss you so much Mama." She whispered to the darkness. "I wish you were here. I wish our house never burned down. I wish…. I died instead of you." The tears came pouring down like the rain outside. Just then the lights came on in the room.

"Don't ever say that." A familiar voice said angrily. Gabriella stood up and turned to the speaker. Troy stood there. "I'm pretty sure you're mother wants you to be happy. Not wish you were in her place. I know you are guilty, but it would break your mother's heart. She worked hard to bring you into this world. You have to carry on your mom's legacy. You are your mother's gift to the world. Just like Ashlee is mine." He said. His speech brought more tears to Gabriella's eyes. Thunder and lightning cracked across the sky. Gabriella screeched and ran into Troy's arms, feeling safer. Then she realized… "Um, I'm sorry. It's just that… I… am…" She stuttered pulling herself out of his arms.

"It's okay." Troy said soothingly, pulling her back into his hold, enjoying the feel of her body against his. "You're afraid of thunderstorms, aren't you?" He asked. Gabriella nodded tearfully. She relaxed. She felt instantly comforted. "Well, I have a meeting to attend tomorrow and we both need some sleep." Troy said. Even though he wanted to stay like this all night long, holding her, he let her go. Gabriella reluctantly let go too and shivered, remembering the thunderstorm going on outside. She looked into Troy's bright ultramarine eyes and realized how much she needed to have him by her side...if only for 

the night. "Um, if you want… you can sleep with me." Troy offered. As soon as the words came out he felt stupid. What if Gabriella walked out on him? What if she took it the wrong way? "If it makes you more comfortable, I mean, because when you're afraid it's always better to have someone around." He tried to explain.

"I get what you mean Troy." Gabriella said. She turned off the light and walked towards his room. Troy followed her and he watched as she climbed into his bed getting comfortable. The situation felt alien to him, it was strange to see another woman in his bed. It was even stranger knowing that Gabriella was the one who was going to lie beside him for the night…and not Angelina. He climbed in after her, feeling a bit awkward. Gabriella snuggled into his chest, feeling a whole lot safer. "I'm sorry Troy." She whispered.

"For what?" The young man queried.

"For being so cold to you. You were only trying to help me."

"You're welcome." Troy replied. He put his arms around her, protecting her. Gabriella smiled to herself. The thunderstorm could go on forever, but as long as she was in Troy's arms, she couldn't care less.

Thank you guys for your support and I look forward to hearing from all of you. I'm already working on the next chapter! Love, DGurl:D