That afternoon, Troy sat in the Montez parlor. A doctor was examining his eyes. Gabriella and the rest of the Montez family waited to hear the results. The doctor pulled away with a frown on his face as he delivered the bad news to the hopeful group.

"Troy, the news isn't good, I'm afraid." he said as Gabriella seemed to deflate. "I'm afraid that this might be a permanent situation."

"I've heard about this new surgery they're doing in Avonlea." Alex stated.

"Yes, but is extremely dangerous. The anesthesia alone could kill him and he could lose what sight he has left."

Gabriella could take no more and left the room, close to tears. Her father quickly followed her. Gabriella raced out the door and sat down on the bench swing. Alex sat down next to her.

"It isn't fair." Gabriella declared. "Troy's come so far, only to be told that there isn't anything that can be done and that he has no choice."

"But he does, a hard one, but a choice. It may be the hardest one he will ever have to make." Alexander stated. "Have you talked to Stuart?"

"We barely speak, he's so hurt."

"You are going to have to what your heart tells you, you have to choose between the two and that will be the hardest decision of your life."

Gabriella nodded her head before her father stood up to head back into the house. Gabriella sat outside thinking about how she was going to tell the young man that she no longer wished to be with them any longer. She then got up and left the house. Her parents watched from the window inside their home. Gabriella walked into town and quickly made her way to the bank.

"Stuart, we need to talk." she announced.

"What about?" Stuart asked as he looked up from his work.

"I can't marry you."

"What are you talking about?"

"I accepted your proposal in good terms." Gabriella explained as Stuart got up and walked to stand in front of her. "Finding Troy changed everything."

"I waited a lifetime for you; I built us a home to live together."

"I can't tell you how sorry that this had to happen to you. I never wanted you to get hurt." Gabriella explained as she took the engagement ring off her finger.

"What makes him so much better than me? He's blind; he won't be able to support you."

"I don't care that he's lost his eyesight. I've been in love with him almost my whole life. He is my soul mate."

"I am not going to give up on us so easily, Gabriella."

"But you have to." Gabriella stated as she left the office.

Gabriella gathered her skirts off as she raced to go find Troy. She knew where he was hiding out at and knew he would show up at the abandoned lighthouse eventually. And only minutes later, David showed up with Troy. Gabriella got up to allow Troy to sit down on the stone first before she sat next to him, still emotional about what she had to do to Stuart. David left the two knowing they had alot to talk about. Gabriella tearfully told Troy the news about her and Stuart.

"I hurt him terribly." Gabriella said. "But I had to end it. I told him that I loved you and didn't care what life would be like. He was a kind man and I never wanted to hurt him like that."

"In all the years I've known you, you've never carried a handkerchief with you." Troy stated as he pulled one from his pocket and gave it to her.

"Thank you." Gabriella said as she dabbed her eyes.

"I have to tell you something. Troy announced. "I'm having the surgery."

"Troy, no. It's too dangerous."

"It's a chance for me to see again." Troy declared. "I would give anything to be able to see your face again, even if it is just for a moment. I've made up my mind, I'm having the surgery."

Two days later, Gabriella, Troy and Carmen left for Avonlea for Troy's surgery. Alex, Alicia, David, and Betty stood at the gate of the house as Gabriella and Carmen help Troy into the buggy. Carmen took the reins and they were soon off on their journey.

"Gabriella!" Betty called as her niece turned around to look at her. "Telephone the moment he is out of surgery!"

The following morning, Gabriella and Carmen were waiting in the hospital waiting room. Troy had just gone into surgery. Gabriella paced the floors of the room. Carmen was sitting down reading a book but kept looking up at her daughter. She took Gabriella's hand and gently pulled her onto the bench next to her.

"It is not going to do either one of you any good if you keep pacing. You will wear yourself out." Carmen said gently.

"I can't help it." Gabriella whispered. "I'm so nervous, Mother. What if he doesn't make it out of this?"

"Don't think like that." Carmen insisted. "You cannot think like that. Troy is going to make it out of this just fine. If he could survive that hurricane, then he can survive this."

Early in the evening, the phone rang at Betty's house. Both Betty and Margaret were waiting for news anxiously. When they heard the phone rang, they both jumped up and ran to answer it. Betty reached and picked it up bringing the ear piece to her ear.

"Hello?" she asked out of breath.

"Is it them?" Margaret asked anxiously.

"Of course I'll accept the charges, you Nincompoop." Betty stated as she looked to her sister. "All of Charlestown is waiting for this phone call, why wouldn't I want to accept the charges?

"She's just being courteous." Margaret replied.

"Yes!" Betty suddenly exclaimed into the phone. "Yes, Gabriella, we're here. Oh!"

"What is it?"

"He's in the recovery room." Betty told her emotionally before turning back to the phone. "Yes, Gabriella! We heard you just fine!"

Gabriella hung up the phone as she let her father know that Troy came out of his surgery just fine. She had decided to call her aunt first because Troy was like her own son. Carmen was sitting at Troy's bedside while her daughter made her calls. Once Gabriella returned, she gladly gave her seat to her daughter. The young man in bed had gauze wrapped around his head and face to protect his recovering eyes.

"I'm going to go get us some tea." Carmen told Gabriella before she left the room.

Gabriella reached over and gently grasped Troy's hand. She brought her hand up to her lips and placed gentle kisses along his fingertips. She then leaned forward and began to whisper into his ear quietly.

"I should never have agreed to marry him when deep in my heart you were still alive." Gabriella whispered lovingly. "You are the only one I could ever marry. I would have stayed in South Carolina if it meant being with you. And once you've recovered from this surgery, I will marry you as I should have done the moment you slipped your ring onto my finger."

Gabriella then sat back saddened when Troy didn't respond to her and the he was still under his medication. All around her were people who had surgery or were getting ready for surgery. She and her mother were the only two who were sitting at a bedside beside the nurses.

"If that's a proposal, I accept." Troy groggily agreed catching Gabriella's attention.

Gabriella let out a whispered laugh as she moved to lean over the bed once again. Troy reached for her hand and weakly grasped it in his hand. He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed the back of it. Gabriella carefully caressed his hair as they baked in their returned happiness. Carmen came back into the room and smiled at the couple. She knew that this time, her daughter's wedding was going to actually take place. This time, with the correct groom. Gabriella and Troy's wedding would be perfect; Carmen would make sure of that. Nothing would ruin their day.

"Mother, Troy and I have to tell you something." Gabriella said once she noticed her mother's return. "Troy and I are getting married."

"I'm so pleased." Carmen said as she sat down next to her daughter. "When are you two wanting to have the wedding?"

"As soon as possible." Troy answered. "Once I am strong enough, I want to marry Gabriella in Charleston."

"It will be rushed planning but I think we can manage putting your wedding together in a month or two." Carmen stated with a smile to her daughter. "Margaret and Betty will help us to ensure that it will be a beautiful wedding."

Five days later, Gabriella and Carmen stood out of the way as the doctor who performed Troy's surgery began to take the gauze and bandages off of Troy's eyes to inspect them to see if there was any improvement or damage to them. Gabriella clutched her mother's hand tightly, this moment, she knew, would either make or break Troy's spirit. Troy sat in the chair as the doctor reached the end of the gauze. Two circular bandages rested on his eyes.

"Now, don't open your eyes until I tell you to do so." the doctor instructed as he carefully took the bandages off.

"Alright." Troy agreed keeping his eyes closed as instructed.

"Alright, open your eyes. Can you see?"

Troy slowly opened his eyes. His face was in direct line to Gabriella's. Gabriella smiled as her hopes built within her. Carmen patted her hand gently, tears clearly brewing in her eyes. Troy also had tears in his eyes.

"No." Troy whispered as Gabriella's face fell in defeat at the single worded answer. "I can only shadows."

"That is a good sign." the doctor told the three of them. "It means that your vision in improving. "It will take time, but I feel pretty confident that you will regain almost all of your eyesight."

Gabriella smiled again. The doctor then began to explain all the details of Troy's recovery period. He was given strict instruction to rest for at least a week and a half and wear special spectacles that would help strengthen his vision. After that, he was allowed to return to Charleston. Carmen and Gabriella helped him down the steps of the hospital. They were going back to the hotel that Gabriella and Carmen had been staying at when they had to leave the hospital when the visiting hours were over. For the first time in almost a year, Troy actually had to squint because of the sunlight. He grabbed Gabriella and kissed her happily as this simple thing people took for granted gave him just the purest joy.