"My wife! I need her! If youuuu don' git out a my way! She'smywife!" Troy's slurred speech made it hard ascertain what he was saying. He was drunk, very drunk and he was shouting at the doctor in the ER. He broke down into tears. "Please. I just need to see my wife." He was nearly sobbing now.

The security guard felt bad for the guy. He was wasted and clearly in pain. He wondered if he would be as passionate about his wife if she threw him out. "Sir. I have to escort you out. It's not my decision."

"Baby! GABRIELA!!!!" Troy was pushed backward through the automatic doors.

The guard felt bad for the guy, but if his wife said no, he couldn't be there. If he wouldn't wait in the specified areas, then it was his job to take him out of the building and if necessary off the premises.

Troy dropped down next to a post just outside the doors. A few minutes later, another young guy with huge hair showed up in a small truck. He jumped out and nodded to the security guard. He looked down at his friend. "Hey man," he squatted down next to Troy. "What's goin' on?"

Troy's shoulders convulsed with the little energy he had left. "She threw me out of the room and the doctor's had me removed 'cause I wouldn't jus' wait outside."

Chad grimaced, "Doesn't sound like you're having a good day, dude."

Troy shook his head in a disheveled manner.

Chad took his arm and slung in over his shoulders. The guard surprised him by opening the passenger door of his truck. Chad smiled and said, "Thanks, man."

The guard nodded, and Troy replied, "Ididn't do anything."

The guard and Chad shared a quick smile at his friend. Chad loaded Troy into the truck and shut the door. "Is there a number where he can call her in the morning?"

The guard nodded and pointed just inside the first set of sliding doors. "They'll have it there."

Chad nodded and thanked the guard. He went to the window and they wrote the number for Gabriela's room on a small card. He put it in his wallet and walked back to his truck. Troy was nearly passed out. He got in, put the truck in drive, and pulled away from the hospital entrance.

Troy woke up in Chad and Taylor's guest room. He didn't remember how he got there. Thinking back through his night he remembered Chad picking him up off the concrete outside of the hospital where she was having his baby. He'd been wasted.

Troy registered his massive headache and wondered exactly how much liquor he'd put away last night. On the bedside stand there was a huge bottle of Tylenol and a carafe and glass of water. Troy took a handful of Tylenol and drank a full glass of water.

He stretched and felt his body argue with him. He grabbed the sunglasses on the other side of the carafe and headed out of the room. As always, Taylor was up, bright, and looking like she never had a bad hair day. Troy grunted something in return to her cheery hello.

He reached the fridge and instead of pulling something out, he took the plate full of pancakes that Taylor was holding in front of his nose. He couldn't believe how hungry he was. That sparked a thought, probably not nearly as hungry as she's been. He closed his eyes and tried not to cry.

He'd never been like this. He'd never been the guy who lost it because his girl left him. He had always been Mr. Cool, or Basketball Dude, Hoops Man. He'd never been this guy. They'd all grown up together, with the exception of the extraordinary Gabriela who'd moved into his life their Junior year and left him hopelessly in love.

They'd gone away to school in different places. Chad had stayed close to home at UA and Taylor had left for Yale. He'd gone to Berkley because she was at Stanford and they could stay together that way. Plus, he'd been on their basketball team and gone through their theater program.

Chad and Taylor had broken up after high school, only to rediscover each other after college and fall even more in love than they'd been in high school. Taylor was a lawyer and local politician looking to move up. Chad was a PE teacher and Troy's dad's assistant coach at their old high school. They had a small house just outside of town with a good size yard and a basketball court out in the drive way. Troy had helped Chad paint the lines one weekend when he was home.

Zeke had gone to a culinary school in Chicago. Initially, Sharpay had stayed here and gone to UA, but after a year without Zeke to worship her, she left for a theater program at the University of Chicago. Zeke and Sharpay were now expecting their second little tike. Sharpay had somehow turned out to be an amazing mom.

Gabriela had left him their Senior year of college. Troy had been the superstar on the Berkley squad. He'd worked hard and hadn't really stood out the first two years. However, after their previous superstar graduated, Troy moved back to point guard where he was best. When he did, he led two of his team mates to record point totals in an individual game and one of them onto the all time scoring list for Berkley. He on the other hand landed on the all time assists list for the NCAA. He had also managed to score enough points to keep them winning and make himself not look too shabby.

When he'd started his Senior year at Berkley, he'd been approached by several NBA scouts. They'd told him everything he'd wanted to hear, but he'd been in love with Gabriela and worried what all the media attention was doing to their relationship. As Senior year continued, Gabriela got consumed with graduate applications and Troy got hounded by recruiters and media. They had just managed to slip from each other's lives. Suddenly there was a story about him in Sports Illustrated that didn't show her in a very appealing light, and she broke things off. He hadn't done anything wrong. It had been a writer's words that had been the last straw in their relationship.

He had been drafted by the Wizards, but traded immediately to the Lakers. He'd been a star for a few years before he blew out his knee. He just came down on it the wrong way one day and that had been the last of his career. He'd moved home, bought a small house, and tried to remember what he'd majored in during college.

With some of the money left from his basketball days, he began a small theater in town. Their shows didn't bring much in at first, but eventually they got some recognition and he managed to make them a stop on the Broadway across America tours. He made a pretty good living and had relaxed into a more normal life. His only wish had been that he could have her there with him. He'd thought about looking for her many times, but he figured she would have a husband and probably kids by now. So, he tried to leave her in his past.

One stormy evening in July, she'd walked into his theater. She still had the long curly locks he'd dreamt about so many times. She was a little different. She'd filled out, but in a curvy way that made him appreciate her full lips and all the other curves that went along with them.

She'd turned and found his baby blue eyes looking over her in a longing way. He'd been afraid she'd be mad at him. Instead, he found himself locked eye for eye with the woman he'd fantasized about nearly every day. His mind didn't even recognize that he should have spoke. He simply stood there staring.

She'd took a step, but ended up running to him. He'd dropped the things in his hands and caught her. He'd lifted her body over his and pulled her against him as he slowly brought her feet back toward the ground. He'd wrapped her so tightly in his arms afraid if he let her go, she'd tell him that there was someone else now.

Slowly, after several minutes of silently holding each other, she had kissed his neck. "I missed you, so much."

He'd felt his eyes fill with tears. "Me, too. Gabriela…"

She'd tried to lean back, but he'd only tightened his hold on her. Quietly, he'd whispered, "Please…just let me hold you." He'd felt her head nodding against his shoulder. A few minutes later, he'd let his arms open enough to keep her close, but be able to see her face. His tears had been slowly sliding down his reddened cheeks. He'd swallowed hard and put his hand along the edge of her face and caressed her beautiful skin. "Honey?"

She'd melted at the small gesture of adoration. She'd leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. They'd been inseparable since. He later found out that she'd moved back when the hospital had called and begged her to return to their fair city. They had promised her anything she wanted, a special staff, the best offices. They'd offered her equipment and specialized facilities. She'd told him about her discussions with Taylor and her mother.

Her mother had been eager to retire back to New Mexico where Troy's mother and her other friends were still living. So, she'd returned. She'd been completely unaware that he'd come home, until Taylor had been helping her unpack her office. Taylor had mentioned that she and Chad would be going to a show in his theater. She'd asked her more, found out the address from Taylor, and raced over. That had been how they'd come back together.

Gabriela had moved in with him a week later. They'd been married ten months after that and the rest was history. History, until Lauren had walked into his theater. She was a beautiful young woman, waist length blonde hair and youthful eyes filled with adoration for Troy and all the hope and exuberance of any 20 something beauty looking to make her name for an acting career. He'd asked her why she'd come to New Mexico instead of going to LA. She'd told him that all the girls went to LA, she wanted to be in a musical and that meant getting small parts in the traveling ones first.

Lauren hadn't been someone he'd lusted for initially. He wasn't blind. He noticed her and considered her unbelievably sexy. He'd never considered anything beyond normal fascination any man took with a beautiful woman.

The first night Gabriela had met Lauren feathers had been ruffled. Gabriela had started dieting and then she'd up her workouts. She had managed to lose the 20 pounds she'd gained since high school. He didn't understand it, but there were some things about women that he simply knew he'd never understand. He didn't discourage her or encourage her. He had always thought that she was perfect as she was, but she didn't believe him, so she continued.

A couple of months ago, Lauren had shown up on their doorstep. She'd been beaten by the boy she was dating. She had a puffy eye and a bloody lip. Troy had been outraged. He'd gotten her to the hospital and then gone after the young man. There were some things you simply didn't do.

Gabriela had gotten clingy after that night. She'd started pulling him into the bedroom more often. She'd bought new lingere. She'd let her hair grow out longer. He chalked it up to her going through a mid life thing and let it pass with small comments about her beauty that he'd always given her.

Lauren had returned to work after a few weeks off with broken ribs from her now jailed ex-boyfriend. Troy watched after her to be sure she didn't hurt herself working on sets and the such. She seems to begin lighting up again as some time went by. Troy had been glad to see her becoming happy once more.

Gabriela had begun to get angry more often at that point. She'd started telling him that he didn't really think she was beautiful when he was complimenting her. One evening she'd gone so far as to ask if he'd rather be married to someone younger. He'd pulled her into his arms and spent that night showing her how much he loved the woman he had. They made love several times that night. A few weeks later, she'd told him that they were going to have a child.

He'd never been so happy the day his wife had said she was having his child. He'd gone to work thinking life could not possibly get any better. He'd whistled his way through the day. He'd called Chad and his family. Lauren had given him a big hug when he told her. She'd smiled and kissed his cheek seemingly genuinely happy for him as he had been for her as she recovered from her tragedy.

They'd been through the first six months of Gabriela's pregnancy with no problems. Then she'd begun to contract. It had been entirely too early and the doctor's restricted her to bed rest. She wasn't to walk around unnecessarily and absolutely no stress was allowed.

He'd come home from the theater one afternoon to check on her and eat lunch with her. She'd been in the bed for two weeks. She kept telling him that she absolutely needed to make it another two weeks before she'd be anywhere near comfortable with delivering. She'd leaned forward and pulled a very long strand of blonde hair from his shoulder. Troy thought nothing of it. He just took it and dropped it in the waste basket by their bed. Gabriela had been quiet for the rest of the night.

Two days ago, he had been busy hanging things from the railing below the catwalk for their next show. Lauren offered to help since her hands were smaller and could fit in the space better. He'd held the ladder for her and tried not to look up her very small skirt as they talked casually and she hung the stars. Because he hadn't been looking up, he hadn't noticed when she'd leaned out a bit far for the next star. He hadn't seen her look down and stretch just so that she would land on top of Troy should she accidentally fall.

Gabriela had walked in just as Troy had found himself flat on his back on the stage with Lauren straddling his body with her hands against the floor just over his shoulders, his hands on her sides as he'd tried to catch her, and both of them out of breath from adrenaline of her fall. He'd turned when he heard her cry out in pain. She had fallen into a ball and the floor had shown the effects of the stress on her pregnancy.

Troy had pushed Lauren from him and run to his wife. She'd collapsed onto the floor sobbing. Her water had broken, and she would scream as the contractions rolled through her body. She's smacked his hands away as he'd tried to help her and get her to the hospital. Instead, she'd called an ambulance and had them take her. She'd not let Troy near her since.

He'd rushed to the hospital immediately behind the ambulance. The doctor's had begun to allow him to go back with them until she'd made sure he'd been thrown out. She'd told the doctor's she didn't want him there. He'd left as they'd told him. He was distraught. He hadn't known what to do. If she wouldn't let him near her, he couldn't explain. He couldn't see his child born. He couldn't be there for her through the worst physical pain he could possibly imagine.

He was furious and distraught. He was scare and worried. He was thrilled and confused. He knew what it must have looked like to Gabriela to walk in just then, but surely she knew how much he loved her. He told her as often as he could. He tried to tell her she was beautiful. He said everything he knew how to say. He caressed her whenever she would let him. He bought her flowers now and then. He didn't know how else to show her he loved her beyond everything else in his life, everything and everyone else in the world.

He knew the stress of seeing what she'd obviously misinterpreted had sent her into labor with his child. H e knew she was furious with him. And, yet all he wanted was to be with her. He needed to be with her now most of all. Instead he found himself outside crying.

He'd gone back to the theater to make sure things got locked up. Once there, it was empty and open. He went in and check everything. He went to his office and pulled out his bottle of whiskey that he stored in a drawer. He took a shot just to calm his nerves. He started to walk away, but decided he really had no where he could go until she let him back into their life. So, he sat back down at his desk. He poured another shot. He swallowed it quickly. A few shots later he called and told Chad everything that was happening because if he didn't explain what Gabriela saw to someone he was going to explode. Someone needed to know.

Chad had listened and tried to calm Troy down, but the next thing he knew the line was silent and Chad found himself yelling Troy's name into the phone. Then, he knew exactly what a very drunk Troy would do when he was being kept from the one woman he'd always loved. Chad got in his truck and drove to the hospital hoping Troy didn't get arrested before he got there.

Troy's eyes focused on the table in front of him again. He looked up and saw both Taylor and Chad watching him hesitantly. Chad's voice rang in his ears, "Hey man, you okay?"

Taylor's expression was all that registered. Somehow she'd managed to show that she felt sorry for him and was angry at him simultaneously. That's when it struck him. If Gabriela were upset about something, her best friend would know. He looked at Taylor with a definitive stare, "What's wrong, Taylor? Why is she mad at me? Help. Me. I need her, Taylor. Help me."

Taylor grimaced. "One word, Lauren."

Troy looked at her completely confused. Then the last several months flashed through his mind. She'd started all this after the young pretty girl had begun working in the theater for him. Then his mind flashed through the escalating ways the young girl had touched him or run to him for help. He saw it from Gabriela's eyes for the first time. He was defending Lauren when hurt. He was providing a job for her. He was sharing his good news with her. He was relying on her to help him in his most loved theater. He'd missed it. He'd missed the young girl hitting on him. He'd missed her giving him the chance to play hero. He'd missed his own wife, the woman he loved more than his own life, showing him through her actions that she wanted him. He'd missed her trying to prove herself as worthy of this young girl vying for his attentions. He'd missed the whole damn thing.

And then, the scene from yesterday played through his mind. He jumped out of his chair and ran to the door. He was older now. He wasn't 16 anymore, but he had to get to her NOW!

He pulled up to the hospital in Chad's truck. He knew his friend would be pissed, but he would deal with that later. He walked as non-chalantly as he could to her room. He walked in and saw her reach for the nurses button immediately. He also noticed that she was no longer pregnant. He stopped and spoke, "Gabriela, there's nothing between me and Lauren. She's a stupid, young girl who might want me, but I—I want you more than anything or anyone. I'll send her away if that's what you want, Baby. Just tell me what you want. I swear to God, I'll do whatever it takes to make you see how badly I need you and only you!"

She stared at him with tears in her eyes. He could that she was hurting so bad. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to he could see it in her eyes. "Gabriela, she made herself fall off the damn ladder and I had no idea it was coming because she had a skirt on and I was holding the ladder." He reached for her as the nurse pulled him towards the door. "I LOVE YOU, GABBY! BABY PLEASE!!!"

The nurse led him out to the waiting room. She looked at him sternly, "Mr. Bolton, please do not make me call Security again." She said no more, but walked back into her room.

Troy sat quietly for a moment. She might be able to keep him out of her room, but she couldn't keep him from seeing his baby. He walked to the nursery. He stopped as he saw the small name card, "Bolton." He melted. His son. He had a son! He tapped on the nursery window. She may never forgive him, but his son would never be without him. He asked the nurse passing by how he could get to hold his son. She pointed toward the door into the small room beside the nursery.

He walked in and identified himself. The nurses at the monitoring station smiled softly. One woman went to get his son. The other guided him to one of the rocking chairs. The other woman came back and placed his small bundle of joy in his arms. He was precious, the most precious thing in the world. He cried at the feel of Jaden Bolton in his arms. He held his song against his chest and rocked his boy back to sleep for the first time.

He was lost in the song he sang to his son. He missed her walking quietly into the rocking room. When he looked up he saw her standing there with tears in her eyes. He didn't quit his rocking. He did quit singing.

The next thing Troy knew she was finishing the song he'd been singing to their child. It had been the first song he sang with his wife on the New Years' Eve night that they had met. Her voice melted his heart. He whispered, "You can't keep me from my son, Gabby. Be as mad at me as you need to be, baby, but please don't keep me from my son."

Her tears were flowing down her cheeks. He realized it was the first time he'd seen her eyes pure and unguarded in months. Her voice lifted him from the chair. "Troy…" He walked to her, placing their son between them.

"I love you. I have never stopped. I never will. I can't control what other people do, Gabriela, but please have some faith in me. I'd never, never, never replace you with someone else. The only one who I love nearly as much as you is here between us." He sighed, "Please, baby, have some faith in me."

She cried softly holding her son. "I do."

Hey, there sad eyes.

What's on your mind?

Don't look so down.

Give it some time.

You don't have to be so hard on yourself.

I know the world can be a brutal place.

Please don't let it steal your smile away.

Cause when the sky is darkest,

You can see the stars.

Cause when you fall the hardest,

You'll find how strong you are.

Close your eyes,

Rest awhile,

It's been a long, long day.

So come on baby, baby,

Have a little faith.

--Jordan Sparks, "Have a Little Faith"