It had been a week since that evening in the park and no one in their little group of friends had seen Gabriella except for Troy, and that was still less than he would have liked. Stephen and Annette had kept Gabriella out of school for the past week as she was almost in the same state she was in at the end of spring, being bothered by constant memories of Riley's assault as she would call it, disturbed by the word "rape." Every day since the sudden reappearance of Riley in public at the park, Troy had gone over to the Montez estate, as he had come to call it as house no longer fit their residence. Each day he had waited to see Gabriella, heartbroken the first few times when Annette came out of her daughter's room to tell Troy to go home, that Gabriella wasn't able to see him. It wasn't until Tuesday that Gabriella allowed him to come in and even then it was brief.

Troy slowly walked into Gabriella's room to see his girlfriend huddled into a ball on her bed, hugging the teddy bear from Valentine's Day tight to her chest, dressed in sweats, her hair in a loose ponytail. He was momentarily distracted by the size of her bedroom as this was his first time to see it, but refocused as he heard her soft sobs continue. When he reached the bed, Troy sat down on the side, watching her continue to cry for a few moments before hesitantly extending a hand out to run his finger down her left cheek which made her flinch, the reaction he had dreaded causing.

"I'm sorry Brie, I didn't mean to startle you," said Troy, hoping it was just the surprise factor that caused that withdrawal.

Gabriella slowly opened her eyes and looked into those blue orbs that held definite concern for her. "I'm sorry Troy, I'm just such a mess right now. Emma hasn't even been able to really help me, at least not much these days," replied Gabriella, wiping away at her tears. "He just won't leave me alone Troy, he keeps haunting me day or night. I can feel him with me like he's in this room, breathing on me, touching me, talking to me. Can you make it stop? Please make it stop."

As Gabriella started to cry again, Troy pulled her into his arms, stroking her back with his right hand while she began to cry again, hiccupping after a while. "If I could do anything to take your pain away Brie, I would in a heartbeat. I want to take everything that bothers and pains you and bear it for you but I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet but you must know if I could, I absolutely would. I love you Gabriella."

Gabriella pulled back her head that had been resting on his shoulder. "What? You can't love me Troy, you can't possibly love me. You don't have to lie, it's okay, I understand you don't."

Troy stared at Gabriella in confusion. "What? Brie, I love you, I wouldn't say it if I didn't, you must know that. Why wouldn't I love you? Do you not love me?"

"I do Troy, I really do love you but I hate myself, I don't see a single redeeming quality in myself that would be worthy of your love," replied Gabriella, honesty in her voice despite the trembling in her voice and body at the moment.

Gabriella wasn't the only one having flashbacks at that moment as Troy started thinking back to when he heard similar words and sentiments leave her mouth over three months ago. "Gabriella, look at me, please. You are more than worthy of my love, don't you see it now? You make me feel so happy by just being with me, giving me that sweet smile of yours, making me laugh, astounding me with your intelligence yet never once making me feel inferior or stupid. Brie you see me, Troy Bolton, a regular teenage boy and not what you want me to be or what I am supposed to be by stereotype."

"But I'm tainted Troy, I'm used goods!" exclaimed Gabriella, drawing away from him and bringing her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "I can never give you what was taken away from me. I can't ever be with you and not fear some part of my being recoiling because a harsh random moment replays itself in my head at the slightest provocation. That's what happened earlier this summer, little things triggering things in my head that would leave me like I am now. You don't deserve this mess Troy, you really don't."

Troy shook his head, remembering the last time she spoke like this. "I am not allowing you to walk away from us again Brie, not this time. I know the separation before helped but you aren't leaving Albuquerque this time, I can be here for you. Please let me be here for you," he begged, gently taking her hands into his. "Please Brie, let me love you, let me be here for you."

Gabriella stared back into his eyes and sighed. "Can you give me tonight to think?"

He immediately nodded his head. "If that's what you need, yes."

"Thank you," whispered Gabriella, smiling a little as she felt Troy's lips softly kiss her forehead before he got up from the bed.

"I love you Gabriella and I will be back tomorrow, I promise," said Troy before leaving the room and walking out of the mansion.

Troy was sitting in the red living room, referred to as red because of the decorations and furniture, just as the brown living room, gold living room, and black living rooms were named. 'God, how many living rooms do you need?' wondered Troy, looking around the room while he waited for Gabriella to be done with her session with Emma Collins, her therapist.

"Troy, nice to see you," greeted Stephen as he entered the room. Troy automatically stood up and did an awkward bow to Gabriella's father, who chuckled. "Now how many times have I told you to stop doing that?"

"I'm sorry sir, kind of like a knee reflex since I know you are Prince of Copanvy and all," explained Troy.

Stephen raised an eyebrow at this. "Do you mean to tell me you bow to Gabriella?"

"Well no," replied Troy, instantly seeing Stephen's point.

"Exactly," said Stephen. "And you can call me Stephen too, I've told you that plenty of times before too. I know you and I haven't a solid history but I want you to know that I appreciate the support you have been giving our daughter. She's a special girl and I think you realize that and she needs the support where she can get it right now."

Troy nodded his understanding. "I fully realize that and want to be here to support her where I can. I keep thinking back to last week and what happened three to four months ago and keep playing it over in my mind, trying to figure out how I could have done things differently to spare her this."

"You can't do that, as much you want to Troy. I think the same things, what if I was home when it happened, what if I had been stricter with Gabriella, but things just happen in life that we cannot control or predict. The important thing here is that you make Gabriella happy when she needs you the most, even when she's trying to push you away. Yes, Annette and I know how determined Gabriella has been in the past about putting you at arm's length, and as much as I may not be as on board as my wife is about you two being together considering the circumstances, I want you to also know that Gabriella is trying to do what she thinks is best for you. I've spoken with Emma, who says Gabriella is improving again, we all can see that, but it's slow and the biggest thing that sticks out is how much Gabriella depreciates her self-worth right now," explained Stephen. "This guy has done a real number on her and I don't even think he is mature enough to understand the extreme damage he has done to my daughter."

"I'd have to agree on that note," said Troy. "Riley has just been so focused on what he wants that he never really took into account Gabriella and what he was doing to her. He got a sick obsession with getting her, one way or another, and no matter time or what happened, that was his sole goal. I'm just happy he's in jail now for good, at least until the trial. When is that set for by the way?"

Stephen thought for a moment, calculating the time between today and the first day of the trial. "It's the Monday of the last week of September, I'd say about four weeks or so from now. Tell me honestly Troy, how are things going for Gabriella now at East High? Are things better now than they were at West High?"

Troy considered the number of things that happened at West and then compared them to what had happened in the first week of East. "To be fair, it has been only one week of school where Gabriella was there and there are plenty of rumors about her transfer and who she is but there's only been one confrontation of sorts and that wasn't too bad. It was between Gabriella and this girl Alicia who I think barks more than she actually bites to be truthful. My buddies and I try to keep an eye on her in addition to Paul and Curtis who are always around to look out for her too."

"Well I'm glad you are there then," replied Stephen, a smile on his lips. "Oh and Troy? I think it means something that Gabriella even wants to see you right now. Her other friends have been trying to stop by but they've all been told to leave. I'm wondering though if she needs to see them, maybe this weekend?"

Troy nodded his head. "I can make it happen if you don't mind a bunch of teenagers here at one time."

"No party Troy," warned Stephen.

He denied this with a shake of his head. "No, I wasn't thinking on that level, sorry if I gave you that impression. I was more thinking a gathering of people. A few of my buddies who know Gabriella and Gabriella's best friends, that's all. Maybe this Sunday?"

"I think this Sunday is a good day. It'll give Gabriella some more time to do what she is doing. Annette and I were thinking of sending her back to school on Monday so it'll be like a step in the process. Having the gathering here really is the only option anyway," stated Stephen, a grim expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" questioned Troy.

Stephen let out a little sigh before he said, "Well, after last week's fight in the park plus some other surveying our security team has done, they've decided the only real safe place for Gabriella is here on our property. It's either that or we allow them to travel in a larger size with Gabriella and I know she would hate that as it will draw more attention to her. At school, there will be a team of four extra men roaming the campus the entire day, it has already been cleared with your principal, Principal Matsui I believe his name is."

"Does he know about Gabriella being a princess?" asked Troy, curious to know.

"No, just that we are an influential family. Really the only people that know besides my own associates are you, Taylor, and Tessa. We decided as a family it was best to keep that part of our lives out of the picture right now. With the trial and everything, we don't need anything else complicating Gabriella's life right now," answered Stephen, looking the young man sitting a few feet away from him in the eyes. "I hope you understand that everything I have done and that I do is for the benefit of my daughter and her life. I know that my motives and presence can be misread but it is the truth of the matter. I've missed quite a bit of her life because of my responsibilities so if I can make things easier for her, wherever I can, I'll do it, no matter the cost."

As Troy stared back at the man who was Gabriella's father and yet something also more than that, an eventual ruler of a country, new feelings of respect grew for the man as Troy began to understand what Stephen really was all about.

"Wow, isn't this interesting, father and boyfriend in the same room, isn't it Gabriella?" joked Annette as she and Gabriella both stood in the entryway of the living room. "Glad to see you two do get along after all."

Gabriella smiled at this, looking first at her father and then at Troy, feeling somehow better to have both her parents and Troy in the same room as her at that moment.

Stephen cleared his throat. "Well, Troy looked lonely so I thought I'd talk to him a bit to explain the new security measures. I had to give him some warning that his dates with our daughter would most likely be in-house now."

"Daddy!" exclaimed Gabriella, embarrassed that the dating topic came up between her father and her boyfriend.

Stephen shrugged. "It's the truth sweetie, at least for now and Troy seems to understand. Speaking of, I guess us old people should leave to give you two some alone time. Oh and Troy? We have security cameras in every room," said Stephen, looking directly at his daughter's boyfriend.

Troy stared back, swallowing hard at the look that spoke volumes to Troy. "I understand sir."

Annette rolled her eyes at this sudden change. "It's not true Troy, Stephen here just thinks it's funny to scare you beyond belief."

"I do not!" protested Stephen, finally cracking a smile after a few moments. "Okay, maybe I do. Hey, I have to have some fun right?"

"Come on Stephen," said Annette, throwing Gabriella and Troy an apologetic look as she dragged her husband out of the room.

Gabriella let out a giggle as she saw the very embarrassed look on Troy's face, which relaxed as soon as he heard her laughter, music to his ears despite how he was feeling a moment before. "Oh, so you think it's so funny that your dad loves to torture me like that huh?" joked Troy, reaching up to where Gabriella was standing in front of him and wrapping his hands around her waist before he pulled her down to his lap. He watched her face the entire time to make sure there were no signs of panic or hesitation, relieved when he saw neither. 'That's an improvement, I couldn't really touch her the past two days without seeing some type of fear on her face.'

"Actually, it's a bit hysterical to see you with my dad all the time," answered Gabriella, a smile still playing on her lips. "You really do let him intimidate you too much, you know that Wildcat?"

"Well how am I supposed to act? Not only is he a foreign prince but he is your father Brie. That means he is automatically owed that much respect. Would you care for me if I didn't respect him?" asked Troy, instantly realizing he may have pushed things too far considering how Gabriella had been feeling the past few days. "Sorry Gabriella, you don't have to answer that."

"It's okay Troy, I do love you, don't forget that despite my stupid protesting okay?" returned Gabriella. "I know I had a huge relapse in the past week but with Emma's help, I've been able to recover faster than after his initial attack. Emma has helped a lot, reminding me of the safe places I had created for myself during the summer that I easily forgot when I saw and ... felt … Riley. I may still be jumpy but I know that you'll never hurt me, that much I can feel in my soul and I consciously recognize now."

"You thought I'd really hurt you Brie?" asked Troy, inwardly hurt that she could ever think that of him.

Gabriella quickly shook her head. "No, and see that's the thing. I know you wouldn't ever hurt me Troy," said Gabriella, taking his right hand in both of hers. "But with what has happened at the hands of Riley, Emma says it's normal for me to be super jumpy and still have fears about being hurt, even by people in general, not targeting the original offender. That's one of the biggest reasons why I didn't want to see you earlier this week Troy, because I didn't want to see the hurt look that is on your face now. I know I have problems and I also recognize how they hurt you too and I want to spare you that if I can."

"I'd rather you not spare me and let me be here for you whenever and where I can," replied Troy. He brushed back some stray hairs from her face and smiled at her. "Gabriella, don't you see? I could be put through physical torture but it wouldn't matter as long as I had you and you had me. Maybe we are too young to be talking this way but my feelings for you Brie, they go deeper than I've ever felt for any other girl, any past girlfriends. You are special to me and for that reason alone, I want you to know every time you talk badly about yourself, degrade yourself, you are hurting me too because I want you to see the beautiful young woman I fell in love with and continue to fall in love with, not who you think you are as a result of Riley's actions."

"But he took away something special from me that I didn't willingly give him," protested Gabriella, nervously looking Troy in the eyes.

Troy shook his head. "Maybe Riley took away your virginity and your innocence on another level but he cannot take away your heart or your mind or your soul and don't you dare let him try. I remember something my mom told me when I was younger, when I was getting bullied by some sixth graders when I was in fourth grade. She said for me to always remember that 'no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.' I think she said a famous person said it, I don't remember who, but it has always stuck in my mind since then and I guess it has lent itself to who I am today in some ways."

Gabriella softly smiled back at him. "That quote, Eleanor Roosevelt said that, among many other quotes that I love like 'The giving of love is an education in itself.' That woman certainly knew what she was saying."

"Oh yeah?" asked Troy as he ran the fingers of his left hand down from Gabriella's forehead to her cheek, softly running his fingers back and forth over her cheek. "What have you learned from loving me then since you say that you do?"

Gabriella thought for a moment before returning his gaze with a dreamy one of hers. "I have learned that love is unconditional, that it will not go away even if I think I do not deserve it. That the word love has such power to it that it makes the recipient glow with happiness, that love makes the giver ecstatic, leaving a trail of warm feelings in its wake after it has been given, time and time again. Love can be communicated by the slightest brushing of the fingers, reignited from a dying flame to a firestorm after time apart, and is best expressed by the feel of your loved one's embrace just holding you, no words spoken between you two as you just soak each other up. Love is best described by the way I feel about you Troy Bolton and how you make me feel, especially in those times that I need you the most. You get me like no other boy could and you have taught me what love means outside of family and friends, you have taught me that romantic love isn't just a myth or a fairy tale, that it does exist."

She grinned a little as Troy just stared at her, speechless. After a few moments he finally said, "Wow."

Gabriella laughed at this. "Did I render you completely silent?"

"You know how I've always called you smart? I think that was a prime example right there, the way you were so able to eloquently answer my smartass question and put me in my place. Do you really feel all that?" questioned Troy.

"Of course. I wouldn't have said it otherwise Troy. I do love you and you do make me feel all those wonderful things I wondered as a little girl if I would ever feel, which is again why I hate seeing your pain at having to watch me deal with my emotional baggage as I have come to call it," replied Gabriella.

"Brie, I think it's safe to say that I love you just as much as you love me and I know you would do anything for me. Let me do anything for you. Promise me you'll let me be with you each step of the way in your recovery, especially during the trial. No pulling away from me okay? It may hurt to see you wince at my touch at times or to see you just cry out of nowhere but that is who you are right now and as you said, love is unconditional and I am committed to you, one hundred percent," vowed Troy. "Please let me be here for you."

Gabriella smiled at Troy, brushing back some of his brown hair that was currently covering some of his blue eyes. "I wouldn't dream of pushing you away from me now Troy, you mean too much to me. I just hope one day you don't regret making that commitment to me."

"I never will because you are so worth whatever comes my way, physical or emotional, because you Brie are easily the love of my life," stated Troy, grinning a little as he saw a happy tear roll down Gabriella's cheek. He wiped it away quickly and leaned in slowly, giving Gabriella time to back away if she wanted to, but grinned more as she met him halfway and returned his kiss, neither paying any attention to their surroundings as their world was just about them and what they both equally felt at that very moment.